microelectromechanical systems

microelectromechanical systems
Patrick C. Fletcher (talk) 17:48, 20 May 2008 (UTC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Microelectromechanical systems
Classification	Technology
Invented	1960s–1980s
Inventor	Multiple
Industries	Electronics, Aerospace, Automotive, Medical

microelectromechanical systems are miniature integrated devices that combine mechanical elements, sensors, actuators, and electronics on a common silicon substrate. Developed through advances in Bell Labs, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, IBM, and Hewlett-Packard, these devices enabled a generation of integrated microsensors and microactuators used across NASA, European Space Agency, General Motors, and Siemens. Early commercial drivers included innovations by Analog Devices, Texas Instruments, Bosch, and Canon.

History

Development traces to micromachining and semiconductor processing pioneered at Bell Labs, Western Electric, and Texas Instruments in the 1960s and 1970s, with academic contributions from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon University. The 1980s saw key demonstrations at Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley, leading to commercialization by Analog Devices, Memscap, and Delft University of Technology spin-offs. Government programs at DARPA, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and collaborations with NASA accelerated applications in inertial sensors and pressure sensing for Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Standardization and industry consortia involving Semiconductor Industry Association and IEEE guided process integration during the 1990s and 2000s.

Design and Fabrication

Design workflows borrow from microelectronics tools established at Intel, AMD, and TSMC with layout rules from SEMATECH and verification via Cadence Design Systems and Synopsys toolchains. Fabrication uses lithography and etching methods similar to those refined at IBM Research and Bell Labs, employing photolithography, deep reactive-ion etching developed at Sandia National Laboratories, and surface micromachining methods from Cornell University and Delft University of Technology. Cleanroom facilities modeled after NIST guidelines and equipment from Applied Materials and Lam Research enable batch fabrication. Packaging techniques integrate work from Amkor Technology and ASE Group.

Materials and Components

Common structural and functional materials include crystalline silicon sourced through processes from Intel-era fabs, silicon dioxide and silicon nitride used extensively in IBM processes, polysilicon developed at Bell Labs and AT&T Bell Laboratories, and metals such as aluminum and gold from suppliers like Jabil and Foxconn. Polymer MEMS utilize polymers studied at MIT and University of California, Los Angeles, while piezoelectric layers reference work with lead zirconate titanate (PZT) from TRW and aluminum nitride researched at Northrop Grumman. Microfluidic channels draw on microfabrication techniques from Harvard University and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne.

Operating Principles and Types

Devices operate on principles demonstrated in classical experiments replicated at institutions such as Caltech and Oxford University: capacitive sensing techniques advanced by Honeywell, piezoresistive sensing pioneered at Analog Devices, piezoelectric actuation researched at NASA Glenn Research Center, and electrostatic actuation implemented in products from STMicroelectronics. Types encompass accelerometers employed by Bosch and Sony, gyroscopes used in Raytheon and BAE Systems systems, pressure sensors integrated in Siemens equipment, RF MEMS switches studied at Qualcomm and Nokia, microfluidic valves influenced by Johnson & Johnson research, and optical MEMS mirrors commercialized by Texas Instruments for projection systems.

Applications

Adoption expanded into consumer electronics via Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics for motion sensing, into automotive safety systems by Toyota and Ford Motor Company for airbag deployment, and into medical devices developed at Medtronic and Boston Scientific for implantable sensors. Aerospace and defense programs at Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman use MEMS for navigation and guidance; telecommunications companies such as Ericsson and Huawei exploit RF MEMS for tunable filters; and industrial automation firms like Siemens and ABB incorporate MEMS sensors for process control. Research collaborations with National Institutes of Health and Wellcome Trust furthered biomedical lab-on-chip applications.

Reliability and Packaging

Reliability testing protocols draw on standards and labs maintained by NIST, Underwriters Laboratories, and JEDEC; failure modes investigated through accelerated life testing at Sandia National Laboratories and Argonne National Laboratory. Packaging strategies include wafer-level packaging developed by Amkor Technology, hermetic packages from Hermetic Solutions Group, and system-in-package approaches used by Intel and TSMC. Environmental qualification references testing practices from FAA and IEC standards, while supply-chain quality management leverages systems from Toyota Production System adaptations in semiconductor fabs.

Future Trends and Research Directions

Research trajectories involve integration with CMOS scaling roadmaps coordinated by IRDS and initiatives at IMEC and CSEM for heterogeneous integration. Emerging areas include NEMS explored at University of California, Berkeley and ETH Zurich, quantum sensors investigated at National Institute of Standards and Technology and Caltech, and bio-MEMS advanced by Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins University. Commercial directions involve partnerships between Samsung Electronics and TSMC for advanced packaging, defense-funded programs at DARPA for resilient sensors, and translational projects with NIH for point-of-care diagnostics. Cross-disciplinary work engages EPFL, Imperial College London, and University of Tokyo toward scalable manufacturing and novel material systems.

Category:Microtechnology