CMOS-MEMS Inertial Sensors and Their

Applications

Hongwei Qu
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Oakland University
Rochester, Michigan

Huikai Xie
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

2007 CMOS Emerging Technology Workshop, Whistler, BC Canada, July 12, 2007
0
 Outline

Introduction
 MEMS and CMOS-MEMS Technologies
 Thin-Film CMOS-MEMS
 DRIE CMOS-MEMS
 Process Development and Improvement

Integrated CMOS-MEMS Inertial Sensors
 MEMS Inertial Sensors: Applications
 3-Axis Accelerometer
• Design, Fabrication and Characterization
 Integrated Gyroscope Introduction
• Design and Fabrication

Summary

1
 Introduction: MEMS Fabrication

General MEMS Services
 MUMPs®
 MEMS Exchange
 SUMMiT®
 MOSIS

11µm
SACOX2

Limitations (0.5µm TEOS)
MMPoly0 (0.3µm)
 Most are for surface MEMS
Si3N4 (0.8µm)
 Poly-Si based structures SiO2 (0.63µm)
 Size limitation
 Large parasitic SUMMiT IV technology. Source: Sandia
 Wet release

Other Technologies
 SOI Non-CMOS compatibility!
 Wafer/glass bonding

2
 Introduction: CMOS-MEMS

CMOS-MEMS Technologies
 Full CMOS compatibility
 Low cost through mainstream CMOS foundries, no assembling
 High integration, high overall performance
 Multi-functional devices

Technological Approaches
 Pre-CMOS (Sandia)
 Intra-CMOS (iMEMS®, ADI)
 Post-CMOS (No foundry limit) Pre-CMOS Source: Sandia
• Additional layers to CMOS
– Post-CMOS refractory metal/Poly Si deposition (not traditional
CMOS process- no metallization )
– Post-CMOS SiGe/Ge deposition
• Post-CMOS etch (Wet or dry)
3
 Post-CMOS MEMS: Prototyping Flow

Post-CMOS Device Design and Fabrication Flow

Tape-out
CMOS Foundry
Device Design Process

Electrical
Design
Device Package
Foundry Post-CMOS and
Selection Microfabrication Characterization
Structural
and Process
Technological Design • Wafer or die level
Requirements
• No harm to CMOS

4
 Dry Post-CMOS MEMS

Particular Features
 Multiple metal layers
 Flexibility in wiring and low parasitics
 Maskless dry process

Previous Approaches
 Thin film post-CMOS technology
• Easy process
• Curled structure
• Temperature dependence
• Size limit (400 µm×
×420 µm)
Wu et al, IEEE Solid-state Circuits, 2004
• Release holes needed small proof
mass
 DRIE post-CMOS technology
• Bulk MEMS performance with thin-film
MEMS footprint
5
 DRIE CMOS MEMS Technology

DRIE Post-CMOS MEMS: Process Flow
Performing thin film undercut and
SCS structure etch independently

Thin film Other MEMS

CMOS region region structures
Metal 4 is used Si DRIE undercut of isolation beams

Chips from TSMC foundry.

Metal 4 removal by wet etch.

No undesired undercut
Backside etch.
2nd SiO2 etch Si DRIE for device release
1st SiO2 etch Qu et al, IEEE Sensors, 2004 6
 DRIE CMOS MEMS Technology

Technical Issues
 Timing controlled etch
 Overheating of suspended
structures
 Contamination

Isolation trench

7
 DRIE CMOS MEMS Technology

Improved DRIE CMOS-MEMS
 PR coating
 Other material
 Footing effect
Si DRIE undercut of isolation beams

Chips from TSMC foundry.

Metal 4 removal by wet etch.

Backside etch. PR ashing for device release

1st SiO2 etch H. Qu, et al, Solid State Sensors Workshop, Hilton Head Island, 2006 8
 Transition

Introduction
 CMOS-MEMS Technology
 Thin-Film CMOS-MEMS
 DRIE CMOS-MEMS
 Process Improvement

Integrated CMOS-MEMS Inertial Sensors
 MEMS Inertial Sensors: Applications
 3-Axis Accelerometer
• Design, Fabrication and Characterization
 Integrated Gyroscope Introduction
• Design and Fabrication

Summary

9
 MEMS Inertial Sensors

Applications: Everywhere in modern life
 Vehicle safety
 Seismetic and Engineering monitoring
 Health/Athletic monitoring
 Virtual reality, image stabilization
 Logistic, transportation
 Consume electronics (PC, Playstation)
 Portable electronics (MP3, cell phone, etc.)

Requirements
 Smaller size for 3-axis sensing
 Low power
 Low-noise (high resolution)

10
 Device Design

3-axis DRIE Accelerometer
Z torsional beams
X, Y fingers
Z fingers Imbalanced Z
proof mass
X, Y
springs

Circui
CKT

Lateral proof mass

ts
Z Si
substrate
Y
X
Simplified 3D model of the device

H. Qu, et al, Solid State Sensors Workshop, Hilton Head Island, 2006
11
 Device Design

Sensing Mechanisms

Lateral sensing Z-axis sensing

C1 ⋅ dx
∆C ≈ Stator Stator
gap Ca
C1 C2
ma = F = k ⋅ dx C1
Stator
Vm+
gap

Rotor M1 Vm-
Fi
ng

Cb
er
le
ng
th

Rotor

Fully differential sensing in all three axes?

12
 Fully Differential Configuration

Lateral Sensing
mechanical Vm+
Vout+ Vout- spring
C4b C2b
C1a
driving comb C3a
fingers
C3b C1b
C2a C4a
C1a C4a
sensing comb Vm-
fingers C1b C4b

C2a C3a
Vm+
C2b C3b
C1 C3

Vout+ Vout-
C2 C4

Vm+ Vm- Vm-

4 groups of sensing comb fingers with common-centroid wiring for CM rejection

13
 Z-Axis Sensing
Torsional beams and anchors

Offset cancellation
C3a, C3b C2a, C2b
C4a, C4b
Fully differential
C1a, C1b sensing
L L Stators
z Vm+
y Vm+
x
Vs C1b C2a C1
C1a C2a C1
Vs1 Vs1
M3 C1a C2b C2
Vm- C2
M2 Vm-
Vm+ Vm- Vm+
M1 C1 C3
Vs
C1b C2b C2 C4
Vm-
• Two groups on each end for offset cancellation C1 = C1b+C2a = C2= C1a+C2b
• swapped connections for a common-centroid C3 = C3b+C4a = C4= C3a+C4b
configuration
(at original displacement) 14
 Device Design: Interface Circuit

Low-power, low-noise dual-chopper amplifier
V
an = am 2 + ae 2 = am 2 + ( e )2
S

• Low-power: 1mW
• AA battery: 1000 hours
√Hz
• Low noise: 16 nV/√
• Total gain: 44dB
• Dual chopper: 1 MHz and
20 kHz
D. Fang et al, VLSI Symposium 2006
• Offset cancellation 15
 3-axis DRIE Accelerometer Design: Summary

Device size µm2

1000*1000µ
CKT for Y CKT for 1-axis accl
Thickness of the 50 µm Silicon+6 µm X-CKT
structure CMOS
Length of x_y fingers 90 µm (overlap 85 µm)

Length of z finger 40 µm
Finger gap µm
2.1µ
Total capacitance 440 fF in lateral 3-axis
86 fF in Z
Sensitivity in X 1.5~2.3 mV/g

Sensitivity in Y 1.6~2.5 mV/g

Sensitivity in Z 4.5 mV/g

Brownian Noise floor 1~ 10 µg/√

√Hz
Z-CKT Test CKT
Power dissipation 1 mW / axis
Cadence layout of the devices

16
 3-axis Accelerometer: Fabricated Devices

Packaged Devices

3 mm

y-axis
circuit

circuit
x-axis
3 mm

circuit
PLCC-52 package z-axis
Photo of a bonded die.

17
 3-axis Accelerometer: Microstructures

90µm
300 µm
1mm

700 µm
(
a
) Isolation
trenches

1mm 18
 3-axis Accelerometer: Characterization

Test Setups Rotary table

Hand-held
shaker

Spectrum
analyzer
DUT shaker

Reference
accelerometer
Kistler
8638B5

19
 3-axis Accelerometer: Characterization

Static Response and Noise Test
0.05g Pk

12 µg/√Hz

0.5g Pk

110μg/√Hz

Static test results of the 3-axis

accelerometer Noise spectrum of the lateral and
z-axis accelerometer 20
 Summary of the 3-Axis Accelerometer
Parameter (Unit) Designed Tested ADXL330
×mm)
Chip size (mm× ×3
3× - ×4 (with package)
4×
Power consumption (mW) 1 1 0.6 ~ 1.15
Lateral-axis mechanical sensitivity (mV/g) 4.5 3.54 -
Z-axis mechanical sensitivity 2.4 2.02 -
Lateral-axis sensitivity (mV/g) 450 460 270~330
Z-axis overall sensitivity (mV/g) 240 320 270~330
µg/√
Lateral-axis noise floor (µ √Hz) 7.97 12.0 280
µg/√
Z-axis noise floor (µ √Hz) - 110.0 350
No-linearity (%) - 0.35 (L) 0.3
2.11/4.71 (z)
Bandwidth (kHz) 1.5 (lateral) /0.5 (z) 1.5 1.6 (lateral)/0.6 (z)
Dynamic range (dB) (BW=100Hz) 87.9(L)/73.4(z)
TCS (%/°°C) -0.307 ±0.01
TCO (mg/°°C) - 7.03 ±1
Inter-axis coupling (%) 2.26~2.38(L) ±1
2.11~4.71 (z)
21
 Integrated CMOS-MEMS Gyroscope

Rotational Sensing Principle: Coriolis Acceleration

Device Design and Fabrication r r r
ac = 2v × ω
 Lateral driving, lateral sensing
 DRIE CMOS-MEMS
Driving
mechanical
spring

Driving comb
Sensing fingers
Proof mass
comb fingers
Sensing
spring
Y

ω X Fabricated Integrated gyroscope

22
 Summary

CMOS-MEMS
 Monolithic Integration
 High performance, low Cost

CMOS-MEMS Inertial Sensors

 Bulk silicon microstructures with footprint of surface
devices
 High resolution

Emerging Applications
 Portable electronics
 Security
 Wireless sensor networks

23
 Acknowledgements

NASA UF/UCF Space Research Initiative

MOSIS Educational Program

24
 Z-Axis Sensing: Mechanisms

13 10 2

Maximum displacement in z direction (um)

12

Maximum rotaional angle (degree)

5 1
11
Capacitance (fF)

10
0 0
9

8
-5 -1

6 -10 -2
-200 -150 -100 -50 0 50 100 150 200 -200 -150 -100 -50 0 50 100 150 200
Acceleration in z direction (g) Acceleration in z direction (g)

Coventor simulation of Z capacitance change and displacement versus Z acceleration

(using 3 swapped fingers)

25
 Z-Axis Sensing: Mechanisms

9
C1
8

7 C2
Capacitance (fF)
6

5 C1b
4

3 C1a
2

1
C1 − C2
C1 + C2 y = 0.0024*x - 2.1e-018
0

-1
-50 0 50
Acceleration in z direction (g)

Coventor simulation of Z capacitance change.

26
 DR by S/N

Dynamic Range by S/N

Ratio

• Y-axis of R5
• THD=5%
• DR=103.6-20.90=82.7 dB
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