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The document discusses materials used in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Silicon is predominantly used, but other materials like germanium and gallium arsenide are also employed. Properties of silicon for mechanical applications are not extensively studied due to its typical characterization as a non-mechanical material. Investigation is needed to adapt silicon and other materials for a variety of MEMS applications given that properties differ significantly at the micro scale. Properties of concern in MEMS fabrication include elastic, inelastic, and strength, as well as thermal, electrical, chemical and optical depending on the application.

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Inzamam Ul Haque
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42 views

ASSIGNMENT

The document discusses materials used in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Silicon is predominantly used, but other materials like germanium and gallium arsenide are also employed. Properties of silicon for mechanical applications are not extensively studied due to its typical characterization as a non-mechanical material. Investigation is needed to adapt silicon and other materials for a variety of MEMS applications given that properties differ significantly at the micro scale. Properties of concern in MEMS fabrication include elastic, inelastic, and strength, as well as thermal, electrical, chemical and optical depending on the application.

Uploaded by

Inzamam Ul Haque
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ANSWER TO THE QUESTION NO 5:

The material used in MEMS technology is predominantly silicon, but thin films made from
other materials such as germanium and gallium arsenide are also used. Silicon materials
are not considered typically to have properties suited for mechanical applications, and so
data regarding their properties are not as extensively studied. There is a need to investigate
their properties to adapt them for a wide variety of applications.
Furthermore, materials behave significantly differently in the micro proportions in which they
are required to be used in MEMS, and so property data that may be available for bulk
materials may need to be re-evaluated for MEMS applications.
There are three major property categorisations that are of concern in MEMS fabrication;
elastic, inelastic and strength properties [4]. Other properties, such as thermal, electrical,
chemical and optical properties are more dependent on the specific applications the MEMS
device is used for. Some commonly regarded properties include dielectric strength,
electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, chemical
resistance, and transparency.

ANSWER TO Q NO 1: A)
ANSWER TO THE QUESTION NO 3:

The development of a MEMS component has a cost that should not be misevaluated but the technology
has the possibility to bring unique benefits. The reasons that prompt the use of MEMS technology can
be classified broadly in three classes: - miniaturization of existing devices, like for example the
production of silicon based gyroscope which reduced existing devices weighting several kg and with a
volume of 1000cm3 to a chip of a few grams 2 contained in a 0.5cm3 package. –

- Development of new devices based on principles that do not work at larger scale. A typical example is
given by the biochips where electrical field are used to pump the reactant around the chip. This so called
electro-osmotic effect based on the existence of a drag force in the fluid works only in channels with
dimension of a fraction of one mm, that is, at micro-scale. –

Another advantage that MEMS can bring relates with the system integration. Instead of having a series
of external components (sensor, inductor…) connected by wire or soldered to a printed circuit board,
the MEMS on silicon can be integrated directly with the electronics. Whether it is on the same chip or in
the same package it results in increased reliability and decreased assembly cost, opening new
application opportunities. As we see, MEMS technology not only makes the things smaller but often
makes them better.
ANSWER TO THE QUESTION NO 4:

The first laboratory demonstration of MEMS devices came about in the 1960s as a
MEMS pressure sensor. Academic research gained momentum in the 1980s, while
commercial development and manufacturing took off in the 1990s. Today,
everyone carries MEMS devices on themselves in the form of smartphones,
smartwatches and fitness trackers. In the past, an aeronautic gyroscopic system
used to determine roll, pitch and yaw in the cockpit of aircraft weighed several
kilograms and measured several inches in length, whereas nowadays, MEMS
gyroscopes in our smartphones weigh less than a milligram and are equivalent in
size to a grain of sand. With miniaturisation in size also comes a significant
reduction in manufacturing cost and improved scales of economy. This is like the
continued miniaturisation and reduction in cost seen in the semiconductor
industry.

MEMS Vibration energy harvester


Furthermore, MEMS devices also offer lower power consumption and higher
sensitivity than traditional mechanical counterparts simply cannot physically
achieve. For instance, a MEMS resonating strain gauge consumes micro-watts of
power while offering sensitivity in the nano-strain range. This compares with the
hundreds of milliwatts of power consumption for conventional foil strain gauges
that can only measure down to a few microstrains at best. Another example is that
conventional microbalances are limited to a few tens to a few hundreds of
micrograms, whereas MEMS microbalances can get down to picograms or even
femtograms of resoluLATION..

ANWSER TO THE QUESTION NO 6:

The material used in MEMS technology is predominantly silicon, but thin films made from
other materials such as germanium and gallium arsenide are also used. Silicon materials
are not considered typically to have properties suited for mechanical applications, and so
data regarding their properties are not as extensively studied. There is a need to investigate
their properties to adapt them for a wide variety of applications.
Furthermore, materials behave significantly differently in the micro proportions in which they
are required to be used in MEMS, and so property data that may be available for bulk
materials may need to be re-evaluated for MEMS applications.
There are three major property categorisations that are of concern in MEMS fabrication;
elastic, inelastic and strength properties [4]. Other properties, such as thermal, electrical,
chemical and optical properties are more dependent on the specific applications the MEMS
device is used for. Some commonly regarded properties include dielectric strength,
electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, chemical
resistance, and transparency.

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