Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)
W.Santosh kumar
JNTU College of Engineering
Kakinada
santosh_jntu236@yahoo.com
Abstract:
Micromachining and micro electro
mechanical systems (MEMS) technologies can be
used to produce complex structure, devices, and
systems on the scale of micrometres. MEMS is
the integration of mechanical elements, sensors,
actuators and electronics on a common silicon
substrates through microfabrification
technology. MEMS is an enabling technology
allowing the development of smart products,
augmenting the computational ability of
microelectronics with the perception and control
capabilities of microsensors and microactuators
and expanding the space of possible designs and
applications. There are numerous possible
applications for MEMS. As a breakthrough
technology, allowing unparalled synergy between
previously unrelated fields such as biology and
microelectronics, many new MEMS applications
will emerge, expanding beyond that which is
currently identified or known. This paper
reviews the scope of technology and the
application it addresses. It includes a short
analysis of future opportunities. This paper also
describes the micromachining techniques used in
the fabrication of MEMS.
Keywords:
Micromachining, Microsystems, Piezoelectric
actuation, Electrostatic actuation, Thermal actuation,
Magnetic- actuation.
1. INTRODUCTION
Micromachining and Micro-Electro-
Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology can be
used to produce complex structure, devices, and
systems on the scale of micrometers.
Micromechanical structures and systems are
miniturised devices that enable the operation of
complex systems. They exist today in many
environments, especially medical, consumer,
industrial and aerospace. Their potential for
penetration into a broad range of applications is real,
supported by strong developmental activities at
I.Kiranmai
JNTU College of Engineering
Hyderabad
kiran_mai354@yahoo.co.in
many companies and institution. The technology consists
of large portfolio of design and fabrication processes,
many borrowed from integrated circuit industry. The
development of MEMS is inherently interdisciplinary,
necessitating an understanding of MEMS components as
well as end applications. Due to the enormous breadth
and diversity of the devices and systems that are being
miniaturized, the acronym MEMS is not particularly apt
one (i.e. the field is more than simply micro, mechanical
and electrical systems). Other names for this general
field of miniaturization include Microsystems
technology (MST), popular in Europe, and
micromachines, popular in Asia (1).
2. MICROMACHINING
The needs for miniaturization of various ultra
precision items utilized for producing highly precision
machines and equipment necessitate the development of
manufacturing process capable of performing
micromanufacturing activities. The emergence of MEMS
has strongly enhanced the use of fewer and harder
materials, brittle materials and their micromachining
technologies. A set of new technologies useful for
successful international competitive development is
micromachining, which satisfy many of the present
industrial needs in the manufacturing. According to
CIRP committee of Physical and Chemical machining
Processes, “machining,” means machining the
dimensions in the range of 1_199 um.
Although many of the microfabrication
techniques and materials used to produce MEMS have
been borrowed from the IC industry, the field of MEMS
also driven the development and refinement of other
microfabrication processes and materials not
traditionally used by the IC industry. This paper briefly
reviews selected micro machining processes capable of
sub-micron structure to large structure micro. Large
numbers of micro machine processes or presently used
for the various kinds of applications.
 1. Material deposition, including thin film deposition and
2.1 REVIEW OF LARGE STRUCTURE bonding processes.
MICROMACHINING TECHNIQUES 2. Pattern definition using lithography.
3. Etching.
Process utilizing tool as in conventional
machining process hardly achieve small amount of Different sub-micron micro machining
hard material removal by mechanical force or shear techniques have been summarized in the Table 1 and 2.
or shear phenomenon. The machinable size is also
limited because of the elastic deformation of micro
tool or work piece. These processes are only suitable
for 3D products and hardly achieve unit removal at
atomic level. On the other hand Non-conventional
Machining processes using tool or tool in the form
of shape i.e. Electro Discharge Micromachining
(EDMM). Laser Beam Machining (LBM),
Ultrasonic Micromachining (USMM). Abrasive Jet
Machining (AJM) etc. which has been very
successful in the large structure micromachining
inherently achieves very small unit removal. These
processes have been found to be very suitable for
micromachining because of having remarkable
advantages. Machining force in these processes such
as than that of in conventional machining processes
such as cutting, milling, drilling etc. Metal chips can
be removed with a very small force in processes
such as EDM, USM and LBM etc (2).

2.2 REVIEW OF SUB-MICRON

MICROMACHINING TECHNIQUES

The majority of sub-micron

micromachining procedures involve two types of
interaction; electromagnetic radiation (e.g. optical,
UV or X-ray photons) or charged particles
(electronics, low energy heavy ions, high energy
light ions) In general the micromachining
procedures based on electromagnetic radiation
require masks. In mask processes a selective pattern
of radiation is transmitted through a structured mask
on to a resist material, and subsequent development
of the exposed resist using specific chemicals can 3. MATERIALS FOR MEMS
produce microstructures. The use of charged particle
techniques for micromachining therefore is The choice substrate materials for MEMS are
essentially limited to direct write processes, where a very broad, but crystalline silicon is by far, the most
focused charged particle beams is scanned over a common. Complementing silicon is a host of materials
material in a specific pattern to produce that can be deposited as thin films. These include
microstructures. Although the detect write processes polysilicon, amorphous silicon, silicon oxides and
has the advantage that masks are not required, it has nitrides, glass, and organics polymers as well as host of
an obvious limitation in that the production of micro metals. Crystallographic plane play important role in the
components is a serial process that has greatly design and fabrication of silicon based MEMS and also
reduced efficiency for multiple component affect some mechanical properties of Silicon. Three
production(4).Optical lithography, X-ray physical effects commonly used in the micromechanical
lithography (LIG),deep UV lithography, electron sensor and actuators: Piezoresistivity, piezoelectricity
beam direct writing are some of the widely used and thermoelectricity (1).
sub-micron micromachining methods. The vast
majority of methods are condensed into three major
categories:

4. MICRO SYSTEM COMPONENTS
A micro system will typically comprise of
components from one or more of the three classes:
microsensors, to detect changes in the system's
environment; an intelligent component that makes
decisions based on changes detected by the sensors;
and microactuators, by which the system changes its
environment. The basic sensing and actuation
system vary considerably from one design to
another, with significant consequences to control
electronics. Design considerations are many; they
include specifications of end applications,
functionality, process feasibility and economics
justification.
Three general categories from the total
extent of the MEMS: sensors, actuators and passive
structures. Sensors are the transducers that convert
mechanical, thermal are any other form of energy
into electrical energy; actuators do actually the
opposite (5).
4.1 TECHNIQUES FOR SENSING AND
ACTUATION
Micromachining and MEMS are the
technologies well suited to improve the
performance, size and cost of the sensing system.
For this reason the greatest commercial successes in
MEMS are microsensors and they represent the
majority of MEMS developed to date. Although
historically, the greatest demand and most research
and development activity has been on pressure
sensor and accelerometers, the field of MEMS is
maturing and the diversity of the applications and
sensor technologies has been increased
tremendously. The actuation option available in
MEMS are strain gauges, capacitive position
detectors, pressure sensors, inertial sensors,
magnetometers, thermal sensors, chemical sensors,
polymer based gas sensors, resonant sensors,
electrochemical sensors, molecular -specific
sensors, cell based sensors etc. although it is
impossible to describe each micro sensor technology
in detail the most prominent microsensors
technologies are described below (1). (6).
4.1.1 COMMON SENSING METHODS
The objective of modern sensing is the
transducing of a specific physical parameter to the
exclusion of other interfering parameters, into
electrical energy. Occasionally, an intermediate
conversion step takes place. Pressure or acceleration
is first converted to electricity. Perhaps most
common of all modern techniques is temperature
measurement using the dependence of various
material properties on temperature. Piezoresistivity
and piezoelectricity are two sensing techniques widely
used for MEMS sensors, Impurity -doped silicon
exhibits piezoresistive behaviors, which lies at the core
of many pressure and acceleration designs. Measuring
the change in the resistance and amplifying the
corresponding output signal tends to be rather simple
requiring the basic knowledge of analog circuit design.
In contrast, capacitive sensing relies on an external
physical parameter changing either the spacing or the
relative dielectric constant between two plates of the
capacitor. The advantages of capacitive are very low
power consumption and relative stability with
temperature. The circuit that is used to convert changes
in the capacitance into an output voltage can be
substantially intricate if the change in the capacitance is
small, yet another sensing approach utilizes
electromagnetic signals to detect and measure a physical
parameter. Magneto resistive sensors on the read heads
of high-density computer disk drives measure the change
in conductivity of a material slab in response to magnetic
field of the storage bits. In Hall effect devices, a
magnetic field induces a voltage in a direction
orthogonal to current flow (1). (6).
4.1.2 COMMON ACTUATION METHODS
The development of micro actuators is less
mature than the micro sensor because of the initial lack
of the appropriate applications and the difficulty to
reliable couple microactuators to the microscopic world.
A complete shift in the paradigm becomes necessary to
think actuation on a miniature scale. The actuation
options available in MEMS are electrostatic,
piezoelectric, thermal, magnetic and phase recovery
using shape-memory alloys illustrate the diversity and
the myriad of actuation options available. Each method
has its own advantages, disadvantages and appropriate
set if applications. The choice of actuation depends on
mature of application, ease of integration with
fabrication process and economics justification .The
following subsections discuss each briefly (1). (6).
4.1.2.1 ELECTROSTATIC ACTUATION
Electrostatic actuation relies on the attractive
force between two plates or an element carrying
opposite's charges. A natural extension of electrostatic
actuation is close loop systems employing capacitive
sensing. When the sense circuits detect the two plates
separating under the effect of an external force, an
electrostatic feedback voltage is immediately applied by
the control electronics to counteract the disturbance and
maintain a fixed capacitance. The magnitude of the
feedback voltage then measure of the disturbing force.
This feature is integral to the closed -loop operation of
many accelerometers and yaw rate sensors (1).

4.1.2.2 PIEZOELECTRIC ACTUATION
Piezoelectric actuation can provide
significantly large forces, especially if thick
piezoelectric films are used. Commercially available
Piezoelectric cylinders can provide up to a few
Newton's if force with applied potentials of the few
hundred volts. Both electrostatic and piezoelectric
methods offer the low power consumption since
electric current is very small. The piezoelectric
effect mentioned previously for use in force sensors
also works in reverse. If a voltage is applied across a
film of piezoelectric material a force is generated.
Examples of how this may be used are given in
figure 1.In (figure 1a). A layer of piezoelectric
material is deposited on a beam. When a voltage is
applied, the stress generated causes the beam to
bend (figure 1b). The same principle can be applied
to thin silicon membranes (figure 1c). When a
voltage is applied, the membrane deforms (figure
1d), this, when combined with micro valves can be
used to pump fluids through a micro fluidic system.
One problem with piezoelectric devices is making
the films thick enough that high enough voltages
can be applied without dielectric breakdown
(sparks/short circuits across the film) (5). (6).
4.1.2.3 THERMAL ACTUATION
Thermal actuation consumes more than
electrostatic actuation and piezoelectric actuation,
but can provide, despite its gross inefficiencies,
actuation force in order of hundreds of millinewtons
or higher. At least three distinct approaches of
thermal actuation have emerged. The first
capitalizes on the difference in the co-efficient of
thermal expansions between two joined layers of
dissimilar materials to cause bending with
temperature. In another approach known as thermo
pneumatic actuation a liquid is heated inside a
sealed cavity. Pressure from expansion and
evaporation exerts a force on the cavity wall which
can bend if made sufficiently complaint. This method
also depends on the absolute temperature of the actuator.
Third distinct method utilizes a suspended beam of same
homogenous material with one end anchored to a
supporting frame of same material. Heating the same
beam to a temperature above that of the frame causes a
differential elongation of the beam's free end, with
respect to the frame. Holding this free end stationary
gives rise to the force proportional to the beam length
and temperature differential. Such an actuator delivers a
maximal force with zero displacement, conversely, no
force when the displacement is maximal.
Designs operating between theses two extremes
can provide both force and displacement. A system of
mechanical linkages can optimize the output of actuator
by trading off force for displacement, vice-versa.
Actuation in this case is independent of fluctuation in
ambient temperature because it relies on the difference in
the temperature between the beam and the supporting
frame (6).
4.1.2.4 MAGNETIC ACTUATION
Lorenz forces form the dominant mechanism in
magnetic actuation on a miniaturized scale. This is
largely due to the difficulty in depositing permanently
magnetized in films. Electrical current in a conductive
element that is located within a magnetic field gives rise
to an electromagnetic force-the Lorenz force-in a
direction perpendicular to the current and magnetic field.
This force is proportional to the current, magnetic field
and length of the element. Lorenz forces are useful for
closed loop feedback in systems employing
electromagnetic sensing. Two yaw-rate sensors make use
of this method. Magnetic actuators microstructures are
often fabricated by electroplating techniques, using
Nickel. This is particularly common with LIGA. Nickel
is a (weakly) Ferro magnetic material, so lends itself to
use in magnetic micro actuators. An example o a
magnetic micro actuator is the linear motor shown in
figure 2.The magnetic resting in the channel is levitated
and driven back and forth by switching current into the
various coils either side of the channel at the appropriate
time (1). (5).
 4.1.2.5 ACTUATION USING SHAPE –
MEMORY ALLOYS
Shape memory—shape alloys undoubtedly
offer the highest energy available for actuation. It
can provide very large forces when the temperature
of the materials rises above the critical temperature
of the materials rises above the critical temperature,
typically around 100c.This thermally driven phase
change from low temperature weak martensite
crystal phase to a higher temperature and very rigid
austenite crystal phase change can be exploited for
the micro actuation. The challenge with shape-
memory alloy lies in the difficulty of integrating
their fabrication with conventional silicon
manufacturing processes. As the research and
development of microactuators matures, the devices
are finding broader application and acceptance by
the market place, even though their development is
still time consuming and costly. Most of the
microactuators are custom developed for specific
applications; no microactuators standards yet exist
(1).
4.2 GENERAL DESIGN METHODOLOGY
Starting with the list of specifications for
the MEMS device or system, the design process
begins with the identification of general operating
principle and overall structural elements, then
proceed onto analysis and simulation and finally
onto outlining of the individual steps in the
fabrication process. This is often iterative process
involving continuous adjustments to the shape,
structure and fabrications steps (1).
5. MICROSYSTEM
Microsystem consists of microsensors,
circuits (to determine an action based on the sensor
input) and microactuators (to effect the computed
change). Ideally the power source and
communication would also be miniaturized to the
same scale. The microfabrication of an entire system
represents the ultimate accomplishment of the on
going revolution in miniaturization. Micro total
analysis system, Microsystems for genetic analysis,
Micropumps and Microvalves, Micro filters and
Microneedlesa are some of the examples of
microsystem. The miniaturization of a complete
system represents one of the greatest challenges to
the field of MEMS. Reducing the cost and size of
high performance sensors and actuators can improve
the cost performance of the macroscopic system, but
the miniaturization of entire high performance
systems can result in radically new possibilities and
benefits to society. A microsystem can be
considered to be any device or unit made up of a
number of microengineered components. A convenient
model of a micro system is that of a control system
(figure 3): many proposed Microsystems take this form.
Microsensors detect changes in the parameter to be
controlled; electronic control logic then operates
microactuators based on information from the sensors, to
bring the parameter to be controlled within the desired
limits (5).
6. COMMERCIALIZATION OF MEMS
Enormous commercial opportunities exist for
MEMS products. Since MEMS are often essentially
miniaturized versions of existing commercially
successfully products, a careful analysis of the costs
involved with developing and manufacturing a MEMS
based alternative must be considerably cheaper. The
major problem with MEMS commercialization is the
lack of sufficient standards for the packaging and
interface. Without the standards, it is difficult for the
field to offer cost minimized solutions guaranteed to
work in existing system (6).
7. NEW OPPORTUNITIES (MEMS IN SPACE)
There is a strong push to use MEMS on future
space mission, due to all of their potential advantages
like smaller size, lower weight; lower power
consumption etc. in addition to reducing the size of on–
board instrumentation, MEMS technology has been used
to produce micro propulsion systems. An important
concern is the impact of high level of radiation for
extended periods of time on the performance of MEMS
(6).
8. CONCLUSIONS
Micromachining and MEMS technology are the
powerful tools for enabling miniaturization of sensors,
actuators and systems. MEMS offer a new paradigm for
these tools: microinstrumrnts, micromachines, and
microsensors, and the integration of all three. These
microcomponents and microinstruments should improve
and extend the performance of macroscopic instruments,
sensors, vehicles and other electronic and
electromechanical systems. Reductions in cost and
increases in performance of microsensors.
Microactuators and microsystem will enable an
unprecented level of qualifications. Despite the
challenges involved in the commercializing MEMS,
the number and scale of such commercializing
efforts are growing rapidly. In fact, in the near
future MEMS may play a tremendously significant
role in the never-ending exploration in space.

9. REFERENCES

[1] HMT limited, ”Mechatronics”, Tata-McGraw

Hill –Graces-Hill Publishing Company, New Delhi.

[2] www.dbanks.demon.co.uk/ueng/index.html

[3] www.honeywell.com/sensing

[4] www.mensnet.org/news/1069275101-0

[5] www.arriuta.edu/acs/jmireces/MEMSclass/MAI
page.html