DEPT OF INSTRUMENTATION

TECHNOLOGY, RVCE
Presentation on

COMPUTER AIDED
DESIGN FOR MEMS
BY
Bindu
Yadav
3rd
semester

OUTLINE
Need for CAD in MEMS
Evolution
Components of MEMS CAD package
General Structure of CAD for Microsystems
Product Design
Choosing a CAD Package
Design Steps
References
CAD for MEMS

WHY CAD?

In MEMS technology, CAD is defined as a tightly organized set of

cooperating computer programs that enable the simulation of
manufacturing processes, device operation and packaged Microsystems
behavior in a continuous sequence.

Need: Lengthy product development and production cycle

Helps design engineers in assessing the effect of design changes and

evaluating the manufacturing and yield of the product.

Solid modeling and animation capabilities provides a virtual prototype

that can simulate the performance of the desired functions of a real
product.

Accelerate the design process of microsystem products to meet critical

TTM condition.

CAD for MEMS

Evolution
Early 1990s MEMCAD Package at MIT
First commercialized CAD tool

CAD for MEMS

specifically for MEMS in 1995-IntelliCad

developed by IntelliSense
Microcosm Technologies licensed the
code
from
MIT
and
released
commercial version of MEMCAD
MEMSPro from Tanner, MEMSCaP
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Components of a MEMS CAD Package

A MEMS CAD Package should include at least three major interactive
databases

Electromechanical design database

Inference machine for design synthesis

Material database
Fabrication database

Electromechanical design database

Codes for Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
Codes for Boundary Element Analysis (BEA)
CAD for MEMS

Components of a MEMS CAD Package

Material Database

Youngs modulus

Bulk Micromanufacturing

Specific heat
Coefficient of thermal expansion
Melting point

Fabrication database
Surface Micromachining
Photolithography
Etching
CAD for MEMS

General Structure of CAD for Microsystem Product

Design

CAD for MEMS

Choosing a CAD Package

Suitable for their specific MEMS needs
User friendliness
Adaptability of package to various computers and peripherals
Easy interfacing of CAD package with other software
Completeness of material database
Versatility of the built-in finite element or boundary codes
CAD for MEMS

Choosing a CAD Package

Pre- and post- processing of design analyses by the package
Capability of producing masks from solid models
Provision for design optimization
Simulation and animation capability
Cost of purchasing and maintenance
CAD for MEMS

Design Case: Microcell gripper using

IntelliSuite
Material database

substrates

Silicon
Polysilicon
Gallium Arsenide
Quartz
Sapphire
Alumina
CAD for MEMS

Interconnects and
mask materials

Aluminum
Gold
Silver
Chromium
Silicon dioxide

Insulating
materials

Silicon dioxide
Silicon nitride

Photoresist
materials
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Design Steps
Step 1: Substrate selection

Silicon wafer, 100 mm dia and 500m thick cut from single silicon crystal
produced by CZ method

Step 2: Substrate cleaning

Piranha solvent- 75% H2SO4 and 25% H2O2 by submerging in the solvent for
10 minutes

Step 3: Dry SiO2 deposition

1 m thick SiO2 deposited- electrical insulator

Process takes place at temp of 1100C and pressure of 101 KPa
CAD for MEMS

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Design Steps
Step 4: LPCVD deposition of polysilicon structure layer

1.2m thick deposition on oxide layer

Temp: 600 to 900C and time of 60 min as specified by the package

As lead wire for conducting electrical current

Deposited above the polysilicon layer- 3m thick
Estimated time : 10 minutes

Applied over aluminum layer

Step 5: Aluminum sputtering

Step 6: Application of Photoresist
At 4000 rpm and 115 C yielding 3m thick layer
CAD for MEMS

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Design Steps

Step 7: Photolithography by UV exposure

UV light source at 250 W with = 436 nm is used

Solvent KOH

Special etchant: 75% H2SO4 + 20% C2H4O2 +5% HNO3

Depth 3m and estimated time 15 min

Solvent- KOH

Exposure time: 10 seconds

Step 8:Wet etching to remove photoresist

Step 9: Wet etching to remove aluminum
Step 10: Wet etch to remove photoresist from aluminum
CAD for MEMS

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Design Steps
Step

11: Photoresist deposition and photolithography of

gripper structure
Step 12: Remove photoresist by wet etch
Step 13: Etch polysilicon by reactive ion etching

Solvents used: chlorine or fluorine in plasma

Etchant: SiH4 and KrF laser

This process releases gripper arms and tips from SiO2 layer

Step 14: Remove the SiO2 sacrificial layer

CAD for MEMS

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Design Steps
Step 15: Separation of gripper and Substrate

Removal of in-between SiO2 layer

To check whether gripper performs desired function

Either using thin diamond saw or using etch pit technique

Step 16: Electromechanical analysis

Charge density analysis
Finite element Strength analysis
CAD for MEMS

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REFERENCES
MEMS and Microsystem Design and Manufacture by Tai- Ran

Hsu
CAD Application to MEMS Technology, Bruce K. Gale,
University of Utah

CAD for MEMS

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THANK YOU

CAD for MEMS

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