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MEMS Capacitor Sensors

ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TEHNOLOGY


MICROELECTRONIC ENGINEERING

MEMS Capacitor Sensors


and Signal Conditioning
Dr. Lynn Fuller
Dr. FullersWebpage: http://people.rit.edu/lffeee
Electrical and Microelectronic Engineering
Rochester Institute of Technology
82 Lomb Memorial Drive
Rochester, NY 14623-5604
Email: Lynn.Fuller@rit.edu
ProgramWwebpage: http://www.microe.rit.edu

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering 3-25-16 capacitor_sensors.ppt
March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 1
MEMS Capacitor Sensors

OUTLINE

Capacitors
Capacitors as Sensors
Chemicapacitor
Diaphragm Pressure Sensor
Condenser Microphone
Capacitors as Electrostatic Actuators
Signal Conditioning
References
Homework

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 2


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

CAPACITORS
Capacitor - a two terminal device whose current is proportional to
the time rate of change of the applied voltage; I

I = C dV/dt +
C V
-

a capacitor C is constructed of any two conductors separated by an


insulator. The capacitance of such a structure is:
C = eo er Area/d where eo is the permitivitty of free space
Area er is the relative permitivitty
Area is the overlap area of the two
conductor separated by distance d
d eo = 8.85E-14 F/cm
er air = 1
Rochester Institute of Technology
Microelectronic Engineering er SiO2 = 3.9
March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 3
MEMS Capacitor Sensors

OTHER CAPACITOR CONFIGURATIONS


Two Dielectric Materials between Parallel Plates

C1 air
C Total = C1C2/(C1+C2)
C2

Example: A condenser microphone is made from a polysilicon plate 1000 m


square with 1000 silicon nitride on it and a second plate of aluminum with a
1m air gap. Calculate C and C if the aluminum plate moves 0.1 m.
C1= eo 1 (1000E-4)1000E-4/1E-4 = 8.85 pF eo = 8.85E-14 F/cm
C1at 1.1um = 8.05pF or DC1= 0.80 pF
C1at 0.9um = 9.83pF or DC1= 0.98 pF
C2 = eo 7.5(1000E-4)1000E-4/0.1E-4 = 664pF
er air = 1
Ctotal Rochester
= 8.73pF
er Si3N4 = 7.5
Institute of Technology
DCtotal = 8.73 + (-7.94 or +9.70) pF = -0.79 or +0.97 pF
Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 4


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

DIELECTRIC CONSTANT OF SELECTED MATERIALS

Vacuum 1 Methanol 30
Air 1.00059 Photoresist 3
Acetone 20 Plexiglass 3.4
Barium strontium 500 Polyimide 2.8
titanate
Rubber 3
Benzene 2.284
Silicon 11.7
Conjugated 6 to 100,000
Polymers Silicon dioxide 3.9
Ethanol 24.3 Silicon Nitride 7.5
Glycerin 42.5 Teflon 2.1
Glass 5-10 Water 80-88

Note: Water has er of 80-88

Rochester Institute of Technology


http://www.asiinstruments.com/technical/Dielectric%20Constants.htm
Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 5


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

CALCULATIONS

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 6


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

OTHER CAPACITOR CONFIGURATIONS


Interdigitated Fingers with Thickness > Space between Fingers

C = (N-1) eoer L h /s
h = height of fingers Example: 200 fingers, h = 2um, s=1um, air
s = space between fingers C = 0.35 pF
N = number of fingers
L = Rochester
length of finger overlap
Institute of Technology
Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 7


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

OTHER CAPACITOR CONFIGURATIONS


Interdigitated Fingers with Thickness << Space between Fingers

00
C = LN 4 eoer 1
Jo2 (2n-1)ps
p 2n-1 2(s+w)
n=1
Jo = zero order Bessel function
w = width of fingers Reference:
s = space between fingers
N =Rochester
number Instituteof fingers
of Technology
Lvovich, Liu and Smiechowski,
Microelectronic Engineering
L = length of finger overlap
March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 8
MEMS Capacitor Sensors

MODELING OF INTERDIGITATED CAPACITOR

d1 and d2 (interrogation
depth)

er1
N = number of fingers d1

d2
er2
Rochester Institute of Technology
Microelectronic Engineering
er = er1 + er2
March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 9
MEMS Capacitor Sensors

PLANAR INTERDIGITATED SENSOR

1
(e r1 e r 2 )e 0 K [(1 k ) ] 2 2
C = ( N 1) L
2 K (k )
p w
k = cos
er1 2 ( s w)
1
d1 1
K (k ) = dt
d2
er2
0 1 t 1 k t
2 2 2

er = er1 + er2
Jo is zero order Bessel function
Rochester Institute of Technology
Microelectronic Engineering V.F.Lvovich, C.C.Liu, M.F.Smiechowski
March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 10
MEMS Capacitor Sensors

FINGERS ON SILICON SUBSTRATE

er1 C fingers
t
SiO2

Silicon C to Substrate C to Substrate

C = C fingers + C to substrate / 2
(if silicon substrate is treated as a conductor)
C substrate C fingers

C = eo er area / t

e =e
Rochester Institute of Technology
r oxide
Microelectronic Engineering er = er1
March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 11
MEMS Capacitor Sensors

CALCULATIONS

Note: er = er1 + er2 is for the material


above/below the fingers if both are insulators a
few times thicker than the space between fingers

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 12


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

OTHER CAPACITOR CONFIGURATIONS


Two Long Parallel Wires Surrounded by Dielectric Material

Capacitance per unit length C/L

C/L = 12.1 er / (log [(h/r) + ((h/r)2-1)1/2]


h = half center to center space
r = conductor radius (same units as h)
Reference: Kraus and Carver

Example: Calculate the capacitance of a meter long connection of parallel wires.

Solution: let, h = 1 mm, r = 0.5mm, plastic er = 3 the equation above gives


C/L = 63.5 pF/m
C = 63.5 pF

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 13


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

OTHER CAPACITOR CONFIGURATIONS


Coaxial Cable

Capacitance per unit length C/L

C/L = 2 p eo er / ln(b/a)
b = inside radius of outside conductor
a = radius of inside conductor
Reference: Kraus and Carver

Example: Calculate the capacitance of a meter long coaxial cable.

Solution: let b = 5 mm, a = 0.2mm, plastic er = 3 the equation above gives


C/L = 51.8 pF/m
C = 51.8 pF

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 14


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

CAPACITORS AS POSITION SENSORS

d
C1
C
d C
C2

One plate moves


One plate moves Center plate moves relative to other
relative to other relative to the two changing overlap
changing gap (d) fixed plates area (A)
d

C1 C2

Top plate moves


changing C1 and
C2 differentially
Rochester Institute of Technology
Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 15


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

CAPACITORS AS SENSORS

Change in Space Between Plates (d) Change in Area (A)

microphone gyroscope

Change in Dielectric Oil level sensor or


Constant (er) position sensor

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 16


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

CHEMICAL SENSOR

Two conductors separated by a


material that changes its dielectric
constant as it selectively absorbs
one or more chemicals. Some
humidity sensors are made using a Change in Dielectric Constant (er)
polymer layer as a dielectric
material.

Rochester Institute of Technology chemical sensor


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 17


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

DIAPHRAGM PRESSURE SENSOR

diaphragm
Diaphragm: thickness ()

Displacement Radius (R)

Uniform Pressure (P)

Displacement (y)

Equation for deflection at center of diaphragm

3PR 4[(1/)2-1]
4 2-1]
y= = (249.979)PR2 [(1/)
16E(1/)23 E(1/)
3

*The second equation corrects all units


E = Youngs Modulus, = Poissons Ratio assuming that pressure is mmHg,
radius and diaphragm is m, Youngs
for Aluminum =0.35 Modulus is dynes/cm2, and the
Rochester Institute of Technology calculated displacement found is m.
Microelectronic Engineering
Mechanics of Materials, by Ferdinand P. Beer
March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 18
MEMS Capacitor Sensors

DIAPHRGM WITH CAPTURED VOLUME

PV = nRT
F1 = force on diaphragm = external pressure times area of diaphragm
F2 = force due to captured volume of air under the diaphragm
F3 = force to mechanically deform the diaphragm
F1

rs h
h
rd d
Ad y
F2 + F3

F1= F2 + F3 F1 = P x Ad F2 = nRT Ad / (Vd + Vs)


where Vd = Ad (d-y) and Vs = G1 Pi (rs2 rd2)(d) where
G1 is the % of spacer that is not oxide
F3 = (16 E (1/ )2 h3 y)/(3 rd4[(1/ )2-1])
Rochester Institute of Technology
Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 19


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

DIAPHRAGM WITH CAPTURED VOLUME

y (m) P (N/m2)
0 0 P (N/m2) vs displacement y (m)
0.1 5103.44
0.2 10748.09
0.3 17025.03 3000000
0.4 24047
0.5 31955.23
0.6 40929.06 2500000
0.7 51199.69
0.8 63070.47 2000000
0.9 76947.31
1 93386.12
1.1 113169.1 1500000
1.2 137433.1
1.3 167895.7
1.4 207281.3 1000000
1.5 260184.8
1.6 335009.7
500000
1.7 448945.4
1.8 643513.4
1.9 1051199 0
2 2446196 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 20


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

CONDENSER MICROPHONE

ALUMINUM DIAPHRAGM

1 m Aluminum

2.0 m Gap
Rochester Institute of Technology
Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 21


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

ALUMINUM DIAPHRAGM PRESSURE SENSOR

Source Diaphragm Insulator


Gate Contact
Drain

Si Wafer
Bottom
Plate
Air Gap (~1 atm)
Kerstin Babbitt - University of Rochester
Stephanie Bennett - Clarkson University
Sheila Kahwati - Syracuse University
An Pham - Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 22


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

SIGNAL CONDITIONING FOR CAPACITOR SENSORS

Delta Capacitance to AC Voltage


Static Capacitance to DC Voltage
Capacitance to Current
Ring Oscillator Capacitance to Frequency
RC Oscillator Capacitance to Frequency
Frequency to Digital
Capacitance to Analog Voltage to Digital
Other
Wireless

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 23


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

CHANGING CAPACITANCE TO AC VOLTAGE

i R

9V
i

TL081 Vo
V C +

-9 V Vo = - i R
i = d (CV)/dt
Co = Average value of C
Cm = amplitude of C change i = V Cm 2 p f cos (2pft)
C = Co +Cm sin (2pft)
V is constant across C Vo = - 2pf V R Cm cos (2pft)

Rochester Institute of Technology


amplitude of Vo
Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 24


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

EXAMPLE CALCULATIONS

Vo = - i R = - 2pf V R Cm cos (2pft)

Let f = 5 Khz, V=5, Cm= 100fF, R=1MEG


Vo = - 0.0157 cos (2pft) volts
(15.7 mV amplitude sinusoid)
30

25

Amplitude of Vo = - 2p f V R Cm 20
Vout (mV)
15

10

Predicted Frequency Response 5

0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Frequency (Hz)
Rochester Institute of Technology
Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 25


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

SPICE CHANGING CAPACITANCE TO AC VOLTAGE

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Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 26


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

SENSOR CAPACITANCE TO FREQUENCY

+V
R3
R1 R2 Vo
+V
+V VTH
VT VTL t
0
+ t1
Vo
-

Let R1 = 100K, R2=R3=100K


and +V = 3.3
Csensor R Then VTH = 2.2 when Vo = 3.3
VTL = 1.1 when Vo = 0
Rochester Institute of Technology
Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 27


MEMS Capacitor Sensors
CAPACITANCE TO FREQUENCY

C1 is the sensor
C2 represents Scope Probe
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Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 28


MEMS Capacitor Sensors
RING OSCILLATOR CAPACITANCE TO FREQUENCY

Seven stage ring oscillator, Csensor


N=7 with two output buffers
T = 2 N td
td = gate delay
N = number of stages
T = period of oscillation
Vout
Vout
Buffer

Note: Csensor looks bigger


due to Miller effect

T
Rochester Institute of Technology
Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 29


MEMS Capacitor Sensors
RING OSCILLATOR CAPACITANCE TO FREQUENCY

3 stage ring oscillator no buffers

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 30


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

CAPACITANCE TO VOLTAGE

i = dQ/dt = d (CV)/dt = C dV/dt i R


i = C d(Vm sin (2pft))/dt
i

+ Vo = - i R
Vin = Vm sin (2pft) C

Vo = 2pf Vm R C cos (2pft)

amplitude of Vo Example: R = 2MEG, C = 2pF, Vm = .5 V, f = 100 Khz


Vo = 0.4 volts peak-to-peak

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 31


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

CAPACITANCE TO VOLTAGE BLOCK DIAGRAM

i R

i
-
Vout
+ +
C
Vin

AC Vout p-p depends Buffer Peak Detector


on Value of C

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 32


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

CAPACITANCE TO VOLTAGE

Peak Detector

Buffer

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Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 33


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

STATIC CAPACITANCE TO VOLTAGE

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Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 34


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

CAPACITANCE TO DC VOLTAGE

Q = CV
1

Cf
1 2
-
Vo
Vin +
Cx

Vo = - Vin Cx/Cf
Rochester Institute of Technology
Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 35


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

SPICE FOR CAPACITANCE TO DC VOLTAGE

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering
Q = CV
March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 36
MEMS Capacitor Sensors

WIRELESS REMOTE SENSING OF L OR C

Capacitive
Pressure
External Electronics

L Sensor
C
Antenna

I
I

Rochester Institute of Technology


~ 13MHz f
Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 37


MEMS Capacitor Sensors
BLOCK DIAGRAM FOR REMOTE SENSING
ELECTRONICS

Power Amp Remote


Resonant
Digital LC
Controlled
Oscillator L

Microchip Antenna
PIC18F452 C
P
RS 232 R
To Memory
Display I
Filter -
A to D
+
Amp
Gnd
Rochester Institute of Technology
Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 38


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

SIMILAR IDEA FOR WIRELESS TEMPERATURE

Network Analyzer

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering I vs. Frequency
March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 39
MEMS Capacitor Sensors

TEMPERATURE SENSING WITH COIL AND DIODES

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 40


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

PICKUP COIL CURRENT

Due to nearby LC

No Resonant Circuit Present Resonant LC Circuit Present

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 41


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

ZOOM IN ON RESONANCE DUE TO LC

Resonant Frequency
wo = 1/(LC)0.5
fo = wo/2p

Frequency at Which this Dip Occurs


Changes with Temperature

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 42


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

COMMERCIAL CHIPS

MS3110 Universal Capacitive Read-out IC (left)


and its block diagram (right). capable of sensing
capacitance changes down to 4.0 aF/rtHz, typical

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 43


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

SIGNAL CONDITIONING BUILDING BLOCKS

Operational Amplifier
Analog Switches
Non-Overlapping Clock

Rochester Institute of Technology


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March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 44


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

CMOS OPERATIONAL AMPLIFIER

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 45


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

ANALOG SWITCHES
I

PMOS zero
Vt= -1
S D
V1 V2
D S
NMOS
Vt=+1
+5
For current flowing to the right (ie V1>V2) the PMOS transistor will be on if V1 is greater than the
threshold voltage, the NMOS transistor will be on if V2 is <4 volts. If we are charging up a capacitor
load at node 2 to 5 volts, initially current will flow through NMOS and PMOS but once V2 gets
above 4 volts the NMOS will be off. If we are trying to charge up V2 to V1 = +1 volt the PMOS will
never be on. A complementary situation occurs for current flow to the left. Single transistor switches
can be used if we are sure the Vgs will be more than the threshold voltage for the specific circuit
application. (or use larger voltages on the gates)

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 46


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

ANALOG SWITCH

CMOS Analog
Inverter Switch

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 47


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

TWO PHASE NON OVERLAPPING CLOCK


Switch capacitor circuits require some switches to be open before
others are closed. Thus a need for non-overlapping clocks. The
time delays t1, t2, t3 enable the non-overlapping feature.

1
2

R t2
CLK
Q 1
t1

t3
2
S

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 48


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

TWO PHASE NON OVERLAPPING CLK WITH BUFFERS

R t2
CLOCK 1
t1 Buffers
2
t3
S

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 49


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

TWO PHASE NON OVERLAPPING CLK WITH BUFFERS

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 50


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

REFERENCES

1. Mechanics of Materials, by Ferdinand P. Beer, E. Russell


Johnston, Jr., McGraw-Hill Book Co.1981, ISBN 0-07-004284-5
2. Electromagnetics, by John D Kraus, Keith R. Carver, McGraw-
Hill Book Co.1981, ISBN 0-07-035396-4
3. Fundamentals of Microfabrication, M. Madou, CRC Press, New
York, 1997
4. Switched Capacitor Circuits, Phillip E. Allen and Edgar Sanchez-
Sinencio, Van Nostrand Reinhold Publishers, 1984.
5. Optimization and fabrication of planar interdigitated impedance
sensors for highly resistive non-aqueous industrial fluids,
Lvovich, liu and Smiechowski, Sensors and Actuators
B:Chemical, Volume 119, Issue 2, 7 Dec. 2006, pgs 490-496.

Rochester Institute of Technology


Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 51


MEMS Capacitor Sensors

HOMEWORK MEMS CAPACITOR SENSORS

1. Calculate the capacitance for a round plate of 100m diameter


with an air gap space of 2.0 m.
2. If the capacitor in 1 above has the air gap replaced by water
what will the capacitance be?
3. Design an apparatus that can be used to illustrate the attractive
force between two parallel plates when a voltage is applied.
4. Design an electronic circuit that can measure the capacitance of
two metal plates (the size of a quarter) separated by a thin foam
insulator for various applied forces.

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Microelectronic Engineering

March 25, 2016 Dr. Lynn Fuller, Professor Page 52

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