ENEE 719R: Advanced Topics in Microelectronics 
Design and Fabrication of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems

Syllabus

General Information

Instructor: Professor Reza Ghodssi
Office: AVW 1357
E-mail: ghodssi@eng.umd.edu
Phone: (301) 405-8158
URL: http://www.ece.umd.edu/~ghodssi/
Course Lecture: M/W 2 - 3:15 pm

Office Hours: Tu/Th 2-3 pm
(Additional conferences by appointment.)


TA: Naresh Cuntoor
Phone: (301) 405-1897
E-mail: cuntoor@glue.umd.edu


Grader: Tolga Girici
Phone: (301) 477-5417
E-mail: tgirici@glue.umd.edu


Course Goals

The goals of this course are to explore the world of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) by understanding its design and fabrication aspects.More specifically, students learn that MEMS are sensors and actuators that are designed using different areas of engineering disciplines and they are constructed using a microlithographically-based manufacturing process in conjunction with both semiconductor and micromachining microfabrication technologies.Different examples of MEMS designs and fabrication technologies would be studied that are currently employed in a wide range of devices, including microaccelerometers for crash detection in vehicles, pressure sensors for implantable medical devices, arrays of miniature mirrors for projection displays, and systems for chemical detection and assay.The results of homework, case studies and course project will prove the benefits of MEMS devices, which include small size, low power consumption, ease of integration into arrays, potential for monolithic integration with electronics, and low cost in high volume.

Course Prerequisites

ENEE 312 or equivalent.

 

Topic Prerequisites

It is desirable that students have an awareness of some of the following: material properties, fabrication technologies, basic structural mechanics, sensing and actuation principles, circuit and system issues, packaging, calibration and test.  Some of this material will be reviewed as deemed necessary, through a combination of lectures, case studies, individual homework assignments and design projects carried out in teams.


Textbooks and References

There is no standard textbook. We will use a combination of (a) notes from Stephen D. Senturia’s new book “Microsystem Design”, (b) selections from other texts and reference books (see list below), (c) lecture notes generated for this subject, and (d) notes from both MIT and UW-Madison equivalent MEMS courses.In addition, students are expected to use (e) UMD libraries for books, journals, and conference proceedings, and (f) on line information services to support homework and project assignments.


Books and Monographs

(will be on reserve at the Engineering Library Desk)

 M.J. Madou, Fundamentals of Micromachining, CRC Press, M. J. Madou, 1997.
D.S. Ballantine, et. al., Acoustic Wave Sensors, Academic Press, 1997
Julian W. Gardner, Microsensors: Principles and Applications, Wiley, 1994.
L. Ristic, Editor, Sensor Technology and Devices, Artech House, 1994.
James M. Gere and Stephen P. Timoshenko, Mechanics of Materials, 2nd Edition, Brooks/Cole Engineering Division, 1984.


IEEE Reprint Books

 W. Trimmer, Editor, Micromechanics and MEMS, IEEE Press, 1997.
R. S. Muller, et. al., Editors, Microsensors, IEEE Press, 1991.


Journals

 J. Microelectromechanical Systems (IEEE/ASME).
J. Micromechanics and Microengineering (IEEE) (available on line).
Sensors and Actuators (Elsvier).
Sensors and Materials (MY, Japan – in English).


Major Conference Proceedings

 Transducers ‘XX (International Conference on Solid-State Sensors and Actuators), odd numbered years since 1983, proceeding available from IEEE (US Meetings), Elsevier (European Meetings), IEE (Japanese Meetings).
MEMS ‘XX (IEEE Workshop on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems), annual since 1989.
Eurosensors ‘XX, annual since 1987, proceedings published in special issues of Sensors and Actuators.


Websites

 ISI MEMS Archive: http://mems.isi.edu/mems – the primary web site in the field.
DARPA/ETO MEMS Program: http://eto.sysplan.com/ETO/MEMS/index.html – DoD view of MEMS, including descriptions of active projects.
M-Test: http://www-mtl.mit.edu/MEMCAD/mtest.html – MATLAB scripts needed for homework.
http://www.scicentral.com – links to many information sources.


Lecture Outline

(The number of lectures on each topic are given in parentheses)

I. Introduction (1)

An overview of microelectromechanical devices and technologies.

II. Material Properties (2)

Definitions of mechanical, thermal, electrical, magnetic, optical, and chemical properties of materials.A library assignment to locate information on material properties accompanies this unit.

III. Fabrication Technology (3)

Brief review of standard microelectronic fabrication technologies; detailed discussion of bulk micromachining, surface micromachining, bonding technologies, LIGA technology and related fabrication methods.Assignments will emphasize the relation between process and mask specifications and the resulting device geometry, and also the effect of etch selectivity on process viability.

IV. Mechanical Behavior (5)

Introduction to static behavior of elementary beams, membranes, and plates; effects of residual stress and stress gradients; dynamic and normal modes; damping.

V. Sensing of Position and Strain (2)

Use of capacitive, inductive, optical, piezoresistive, and piezoelectric methods for sensing.

VI. Pressure Sensors and Accelerometers (2)

  Case studies based on MEMS literature.

VII. Resonant Sensors and Drive Circuits (2)

Principles of resonant sensors and how resonators interact with drive electronics; case study of rate gyroscopes.

VIII. System Issues (3)

System partitioning; drive and sense circuits; feedback stability; noise, packaging.

IX. Case Studies (4)

 While students are working on final projects, a series of four lectures covering fluidic microsystems, optical MEMS devices, biochemical analysis microsystems, and power MEMS devices such as turbines and generators.


Projects

Preliminary ideas for projects are listed below.Device specifications and design goals for each project will be provided later in the term.The scope of the project will include the microfabricated devices, the drive/detection electronics, and a packaging concept.Each project will have a team of five students.Depending on enrollment, there may be more than one team on a given topic.

1. Differential Pressure Flow Controller: Given a bulk-micromachined microvalve with stated flow-regulation and speed characteristics, design a piezoresistively sensed differential pressure sensor plus a feedback controller to implement a stable flow controller.

2.Force-feedback Accelerometer: In a wafer-bonded deep-RIE silicon process, design a capacitively-sensed in-plane force-balance accelerometer together with its readout circuit. Device geometry must be selected to achieve critical damping of the device response.

3.Resonant Strain Gauge: In a surface micromachining process, design a resonant strain gauge together with its drive circuit, and predict its sensitivity and temperature coefficient.

4. Micro Hot Plate: Design a micro hot plate, such as could be used as a platform for catalytic chemical sensors, to achieve specified temperature rise, uniformity, and response time.


Course Structure

The plan is for seven individual homework assignments, usually requiring some independent work either in the library and/or with modeling, plus a final design project done in teams of four students.A preliminary presentation and report of the final design project is due half way through the semester and the final design project presentation and report will occur during the last week of the semester (before the final exams!).


Grading Method

Approximately 50% on homework and 50% on the project that consists of two segments: (1) preliminary project presentation and report and (2) final project presentation and report.


Policy on Co-operation

Students learn best from each other.There is no restriction on cooperation, discussions, use of texts, library materials, or other sources while learning how to do any assignment. In fact, we will set up an e-mail alias for sharing comments on each assignment.If a solution to a problem is found in the literature, students are expected to provide correct citations to that literature.  But for the individual homework assignments, every student is expected, at the end to have worked through their own analysis or modeling work and to have written up their own work for submission. Under no circumstances is permitted to present another student work as one’s own.  For term projects, a single report from each team is to be prepared. Cooperation in this case is an essential part of the assignment.