Introduction to

Microeletromechanical Systems
(MEMS)
Lecture 4 Topics
Fundamental MEMS Processes and Devices
Surface Micromachined Polysilicon Comb Drives
o Mechanics
Stress and Strain
Cantilevers
Resonance

o Electrostatics
Parallel Plate Capacitor
Pull-In Voltage
Comb Drives
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Department of Engineering

Ed Kolesar

MEMS Overview
Introduction
&
Background
History & Markets
Methodology
Devices & Structures
Processes & Foundries
Micromachining: lithography, deposition, etching,
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Ed Kolesar

11

Texas Christian University

Department of Engineering

Ed Kolesar

Fundamental MEMS
Processes and Devices
Example: surface micromachined polysilicon comb
drives
Mechanics for MEMS
- Stress and strain
- Cantilever beams
- Resonance

Electrostatics for MEMS

- Parallel-plate capacitors
- Pull-in voltage
- Comb drives

Texas Christian University

Department of Engineering

Ed Kolesar

22

Electrostatic Comb Drives

Principle: interlacing comb fingers

create large capacitor area;

electrostatically actuated
suspended microstructures (Tang,
Nguyen and Howe, 1989)

Static (Fixed) Comb

Features:
Linear relationship between
capacitance and displacement
Higher surface area / capacitance
than parallel plate capacitor
Electrostatic actuation: low power
(no DC current)
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Spring
Suspensions

Released
(Moving) Comb

Department of Engineering

Ed Kolesar

Electrostatic Comb Drives

Comb drives combine mechanical and electrostatic issues:
Elasticity
Stress and strain
Resonance (natural frequency)
Capacitance
Electrostatic forces
Electrostatic work and energy

Tang, Nguyen and Howe

JMEMS 1989.
Texas Christian University

Department of Engineering

Ed Kolesar

33

Axial Stress And Strain

Stress: force applied to surface
= F/A

Si
Al

measured in N/m2 or Pa
compressive or tensile

Strain: ratio of deformation to length

= l / l

wood

measured in %, ppm, or microstrain

Texas Christian University

Youngs Modulus:
E = /
Hookes Law:
K = F/l = E A/l

Department of Engineering

Ed Kolesar

Shear Stress And Strain

Shear Stress: force applied parallel to surface
= F/A
measured in N/m2 or Pa
Shear Strain: ratio of deformation to length
= l / l
A
F

Shear Modulus:
G=/

Texas Christian University

Department of Engineering

Ed Kolesar

44

Poissons Ratio
Tensile stress in x direction results in compressive
stress in y and z direction (object becomes longer
and thinner)
Poissons Ratio:
= - y / x
= - transverse strain / longitudinal strain
Metals: 0.3
Rubbers: 0.5
0
Cork:

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Ed Kolesar

Cantilever Beams
Axial Strain: (y) = y/
radius of curvature
Axial Stress: (y) = E (y)

L
t
w
y

x
Assume that x axis lies
in center of beam

Axial Force: dF = (y) w dy

Bending Moment:
M = 1/12 t3 w E /
=EI/
I = 1/12 t3 w
(area moment of inertia)

Texas Christian University

Department of Engineering

Ed Kolesar

55

Cantilever Beams
F(x) = F0
M(x) = M0 + F(L-x)
L
M0
y

F0
x

Assume that we apply a force F0 and

a moment M0 on a beam with length L

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For M0 = 0
y(x) = F / (6EI) (3 Lx2 - x3)
y(L) = FL3 / 3EI
Spring Constant, K
= F/y = 3EI/L3
= Et3w / 4L3

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Cantilever Beams
Point Load

Distributed Load

Cantilever

y(x) = F/(6EI) (3 Lx2-x3)

max = FLt / 2I

y(x) = x2/(24EI) (6L2 - 4Lx + x2)

max = L2t / 4I

Bridge

y(x) = Fx/(48EI) (3 Lx-4x2)

for L/2 x 0
max = FLt / 8I

y(x) = x2/(24EI) (L - x)2

max = L2t / 12I

L length of beam, t thickness of beam, w width of beam

I = wt3/12 bending moment of inertia

Texas Christian University

Department of Engineering

Ed Kolesar

66

SCS Beam
Example:

E = 100 GPa
K = Ea3b / 4L3
= 0.4 N/m = 0.4 N/m

L=100m
t=2m
w=2m
y

How much does beam bend

in a 1g gravity field?
m = V (assume mass at end of beam)
= 2.3 gram/cm3 400 m3
10-12 kg
y 2.5 10-11 m = 0.25
detectable!

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Ed Kolesar

Resonators

L = 100m
t = 2m
w = 2m
y

mx + bx + Kx = F
(Newton dynamics with
damping and springs)
For b = 0:

1 Et 3 w
=
m 2 mL3
f0 = / 2 100 kHz

Notice: if t = 1m
fy = f0 / 2
fz = f0
Texas Christian University

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77

Electrostatic Forces
A

Parallel Plate Capacitor:

Capacitance:
C = Q/V = 0 r A / d
0 8.854 10-12 F/m

dielectric constant of free space

r dielectric permittivity

Stored energy:
W = C V2 = Q2 / C
V

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Electrostatic force between plates:

F = C/d V2
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Ed Kolesar

Electrostatic Actuation
x

Positioning of capacitor plate:

Fel = 0 r A V2 / x2
FS = K (x - d0)
d0 : distance at rest (no applied voltage)

Stable equilibrium when Fel = -FS

F

Fel(V)

Kd0

V
-FS
d0
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x
Ed Kolesar

88

Pull-In Point
x

The higher V, the closer the plate

is pulled in. Fel when d 0.
What is the closest stable
distance xmin?
Fel and -FS must be tangential:
-0 r A/x3 V2 = -K , so
V2 = K x3 / 0 r A

Texas Christian University

Substitute into Fel = -FS to get

xmin = 2/3 d0
can control x only from 2/3 d0 to d0
Department of Engineering

Ed Kolesar

Electrostatic Comb Drive

Capacitance is approximately:
C = 0 r A/d
= 2n 0 r lh/d
Change in capacitance when
moving by x:
l
C = 0 r A / d
= 2n 0 r l h/d
d
Electrostatic force:
w
Fel = V2 dC/dx = n 0 r h/d V2
Note: Fel independent of l over wide
range (fringing field), and quadratic in V.
Texas Christian University

Department of Engineering

Ed Kolesar

99

Electrostatic Accelerometer
Example: use MEMS comb structures as accelerometer
h = 100 m
n = 100
d = 1 m
Spring Constant: K = 1 N/m
Proof Mass: m = 0.1 mg
Acceleration: a = 0.1 g

x = 0.1 m
C = 17.7 fF

Texas Christian University

Department of Engineering

Ed Kolesar

Accelerometers
SANDIAs IMEMS Process
http://www.sandia.gov/mems/
micromachine/pix/techinfo/cmos.gif

Three-axis accelerometer
micrograph with labeling
of functional units as
reported by Lemkin et al,
Proceedings ISSCC
1997.
Texas
Christian
University
Texas
Christian
University

Department of Engineering

Ed Kolesar

1010

Gyroscopes
F. Ayazi and K. Najafi, Design and
fabrication of a high-performance
polysilicon vibrating ring gyroscope, in
Proc. IEEE Micro Electro Mechanical
Systems Workshop (MEMS 1998),
Heidelberg, Germany, February 1998,
pp. 621626.

Texas Christian University

Department of Engineering

Ed Kolesar

MEMS Gyroscope

(B. Clark, R. Horowitz and R. T. Howe, 1996)

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1111

Comb Drive Design

Combs

Suspensions

Linear

Cantilever / Bridge

Rotational

Crab Leg

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Comb Drive Failure Modes

Comb drives require low stiffness in x direction but high
stiffness in y, z direction as well as rotations.
Note: comb fingers are in unstable equilibrium with
respect to the y direction.
Good

Poor

Poor

Texas Christian University

Department of Engineering

Ed Kolesar

1212

Comb Drive Fabrication

Surface micromachining
with 1 released
polysilicon layer
Tang, Nguyen and Howe (UC Berkeley)

This process formed

basis for many
subsequent MEMS
designs
Figure: Tang, Nguyen and Howe, 1989.
Texas Christian University

Department of Engineering

Ed Kolesar

Electrostatic Actuators
Ideas

Comb drive
Rotors
Scratch drive
T-drive
Parallelogram
Zipper
DMD (torsional mirrors)
Impact actuator
Microengine
Inchworm motors (see
actin and myosin)

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Department of Engineering

Issues
Force, F
Range, s
Frequency, 1/t
P = F s/t
Linearity
Efficiency

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1313

Translation

Rotation

Acceleration, velocity, distance

Angular acc., ang. vel., angle

= & = &&

a = v& = &x&

Force, momentum

Torque, angular momentum

Kinetic energy

Kinetic energy

F
p= mv = Ft

T = rF
L = r p = I = Tt

E = 12 I 2

E = 12 mv2
Dynamics (spring,damper,mass)

Dynamics (moment of inertia)

F = Kx + bx& + m&x&

T = + & + I&&

Oscillation (assume b=0 )

Oscillation (assume =0 )

f =

1
2

f =

K m

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1
2

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Coriolis Force
Force generated when rotating a rotating system
Underlying principle: conservation of angular
momentum.
Torque:
r
r

r
r
T = L = ( I ) = I

Time-dependent angular velocity:

sin t

(t ) = 0 cos t

Gradient:
r

cos t
(t ) = 0 sin t
0

r
T = I = I 0
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Coriolis Force :
Fc = T / r = I0 / r
ring : I = mr 2 , Fc = mv0
disk : I = 12 mr 2 , Fc = 12 mv0
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1414