Wafer-level Vacuum-encapsulated Ultra-low Voltage Tuning Fork MEMS Resonator

Wafer-level Vacuum-encapsulated Ultra-low Voltage Tuning Fork MEMS Resonator
Author: Junjun Huan
Publisher:
Total Pages: 51
Release: 2017
Genre: Microelectromechanical systems
ISBN:

In this thesis, a low-voltage 32 kHz silicon tuning fork MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS)-based resonator design with a high Quality factor of over 73,000 is presented with a Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) sustaining amplifier towards a low power oscillator. The resonator is designed using MEMS Integrated Design for Inertial Sensors (MIDIS) process developed by Teledyne DALSA Semiconductor Inc. (TDSI). MIDIS offers wafer-level vacuum encapsulation with ultra-low leak rate. Ultra-low polarization voltage, as low as 10mV, is needed to excite the resonator by using a transduction gap reduction technique based on electrostatic deflection of movable electrodes and subsequent localized melting of welding pads for permanent position locking. Further, the technique helps to minimize unexpected electrostatic stiffness induced by time-varying capacitance across transduction gaps to just -0.6 N/m. The motional resistance drops down to about 2kΩ as a result of a small gap size and the technique helps to improve the Quality Factor (Q). A sustaining amplifier using a transimpedance operational amplifier configuration is system-integrated with the tuning fork resonator to establish continuous oscillation with low damping losses. An average power consumption of around 600μW is measured on the oscillator, which is suitable for mobile electronic systems.

Wafer-level Vacuum Encapsulated Resonators with Low Motional Resistance

Wafer-level Vacuum Encapsulated Resonators with Low Motional Resistance
Author: George Xereas
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2017
Genre:
ISBN:

"Quartz crystal-based oscillators have been employed for timing and frequency references applications since the 1950s. However, the quartz fabrication process imposes limitations in terms of robustness, size, cost, and direct on-chip integration with Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) circuits. An unmatched infrastructure investment in advanced semiconductor foundries has allowed for the introduction of a new silicon based timing references, the MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) resonator. These new devices are able to provide superior timing performance while at the same time setting new standards in terms of robustness, power consumption and miniaturization. This work describes the fabrication of wafer-level vacuum-encapsulated silicon resonators fabricated in MEMS Integrated Design for Inertial Sensors (MIDIS), a commercial pure-play MEMS process, provided by Teledyne DALSA Semiconductor Inc. (TDSI). MIDIS offers a 30 [mu]m thick silicon device layer that is wafer-level vacuum encapsulated at 10 mTorr. The total leak rate equivalent is noted to be as low as 6.5 x 10−17 atm cm3/s, which provides an ultra-clean environment for the operation of the devices. The Lamé mode resonators developed in this work achieved a quality factor of 3.24 million at a resonance frequency of 6.89 MHz, resulting in the highest recorded f-Q product of 2.23e13 Hz for wafer-level vacuum-encapsulated silicon resonators. The device was integrated in a PCB based oscillator in order to build a high performance frequency reference that meets most Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) specifications.Furthermore, low polarization voltage breath-mode ring resonators are presented here. The ring resonators are designed to operate with a low DC polarization voltage, starting at 5V, while providing a high frequency-Quality factor (f-Q) product. The vacuum packaging quality is evaluated using an automated testing setup over an extended time period. The fabricated devices had a resonant frequency of 10 MHz with the quality factor exceeding 8.4e4. Finally, this works presents wafer-level vacuum-encapsulated silicon resonators with transduction gap of 200 nm. The devices are fabricated in MIDIS where the default minimum transduction gap in the MIDIS process is 1.5 [mu]m. A gap reduction technique that relies on arc-welding is introduced here. The prototype Lamé mode resonators are encapsulated in an ultra-clean 10 mTorr vacuum cavity that ensures long-term stability. The Quality factor was measured to be 1.37 million at a resonance frequency of 6.89 MHz. With the narrower gap, the motional resistance of the resonators is reduced by a factor of 10 times." --

Mechanical resonator for hermeticity evaluation of RF MEMS wafer–level packages

Mechanical resonator for hermeticity evaluation of RF MEMS wafer–level packages
Author: Sebastian Fischer
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
Total Pages: 130
Release: 2004-01-23
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3638247570

Master's Thesis from the year 2002 in the subject Electrotechnology, grade: 1.0 (A), University of Applied Sciences Berlin (FB1), language: English, abstract: Common test standards for evaluating the hermeticity of microsystem packages are unsuitable for small MEMS-devices. It is the task of this Master thesis to create a universal test device to measure and to compare the hermeticities of different wafer-level packaging concepts, especially for RF MEMS devices. Resonator structures were found to be most suitable to measure low pressures and low pressure changes over time, due to the high sensitivity of their Q-value to the pressure in the cavity. The resonators are electrostatically actuated by using a novel coupling concept of the excitation voltage. The detection of the resonator movement is done by laser-interferometry. Sensors fulfilling the specific demands were designed, simulated and fabricated in the cleanroom. The fabrication process is based on SOI (Silicon On Insulator) wafers. Finally, the sensors were evaluated and characterized. A suitable resonator with a length of 500 μm reaches a Q-factor of 8070, at an ambient pressure of 0,02 mbar, and a resonance frequency of 36329 Hz. The sensitivity of the Q-value to pressure change is 4000 %/mbar at 0,02 mbar. This work was carried out within the Summit RF MEMS project, a collaborative project involving Ericsson, the Royal Institute of Technology-S3, Acreo and Saab Ericsson Space.

Thin-film Encapsulation of High Frequency MEMS Resonator for RF Applications

Thin-film Encapsulation of High Frequency MEMS Resonator for RF Applications
Author: Kuan-Lin Chen
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2010
Genre:
ISBN:

Wireless communication has greatly impacted our daily life since the first radio system was invented. Applications, such as cellular phone, satellite television, GPS navigation, and wireless Internet network, are driving the development of RF components to the direction of being smaller, cheaper and more power saving and therefore this topic has been one of the hottest research areas in MEMS field. MEMS resonators have a great potential for replacing conventional resonators used in portable wireless applications because of their merits of small size, high quality factor (Q), and low power consumption. There are also great interests in using coupled micro-resonators as band-pass filters and many research groups have already got exciting results. However, high motional impedance still remains a big obstacle for commercialization of MEMS resonators in RF applications. Despite the advance of device performance, packaging for MEMS resonators remains a critical challenge. Because of their extreme sensitivity to the environment, MEMS resonators need a vacuum packaging to achieve high quality factors (Q) and enable post-MEMS CMOS integration. The promising on-chip application also requires a CMOS compatible packaging process. Due to the stringent RF requirement, electrical properties and hermiticity of packaging are also very important. This work aims to provide a solution for a practical RF MEMS resonator that has low impedance as well as a reliable packaging. First, this work presents a thorough study of a wafer-level epitaxial silicon encapsulation process in making RF MEMS resonators. The epitaxial silicon encapsulation process developed at Stanford University has been proven to have high mechanical robustness and it provides a low-pressure environment to resonating structures. The transmission loss of silicon interconnect was measured at RF ranges in this work. The transmission loss was also modeled for device designers to simulate the interconnect properties at the design phase. Secondly, a 200 MHz width-extensional mode dielectrically-driven resonator is presented. High-k dielectric material was used to enhance the transduction and reduce the motional impedance. A modified encapsulation process was developed to package the resonator. The resonator was demonstrated to have high Q in the package. In addition, this work presents an integrated solution for wafer-level packaging and electrostatic actuation of out-of-plane RF MEMS resonators. By integrating the electrodes into the epitaxial-grown silicon layer, both the encapsulation and the out-of-plane actuation can be built in one process step, which results in an ultra-compact and robust packaging. First, designs and fabrication processes of the out-of-plane electrode are described. The mechanical and electrical properties of the electrode are discussed, modeled and characterized. A 200 kHz torsional mode beam resonator and a 12 MHz transverse-mode differential square plate resonator were fabricated using this packaging method and their performances are presented and discussed. This work also presents a 13 MHz mechanically coupled filter that is encapsulated using the same integration process.

Mechanical Resonator for Hermeticity Evaluation of Rf Mems Wafer-Level Packages

Mechanical Resonator for Hermeticity Evaluation of Rf Mems Wafer-Level Packages
Author: Sebastian Fischer
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
Total Pages: 133
Release: 2007-08-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 363870095X

Master's Thesis from the year 2002 in the subject Electrotechnology, grade: 1.0 (A), University of Applied Sciences Berlin (FB1), 49 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: Common test standards for evaluating the hermeticity of microsystem packages are unsuitable for small MEMS-devices. It is the task of this Master thesis to create a universal test device to measure and to compare the hermeticities of different wafer-level packaging concepts, especially for RF MEMS devices. Resonator structures were found to be most suitable to measure low pressures and low pressure changes over time, due to the high sensitivity of their Q-value to the pressure in the cavity. The resonators are electrostatically actuated by using a novel coupling concept of the excitation voltage. The detection of the resonator movement is done by laser-interferometry. Sensors fulfilling the specific demands were designed, simulated and fabricated in the cleanroom. The fabrication process is based on SOI (Silicon On Insulator) wafers. Finally, the sensors were evaluated and characterized. A suitable resonator with a length of 500 m reaches a Q-factor of 8070, at an ambient pressure of 0,02 mbar, and a resonance frequency of 36329 Hz. The sensitivity of the Q-value to pressure change is 4000 %/mbar at 0,02 mbar. This work was carried out within the Summit RF MEMS project, a collaborative project involving Ericsson, the Royal Institute of Technology-S3, Acreo and Saab Ericsson Space.

Ultra Low Power Oven Controlled MEMS Resonator Timing Reference

Ultra Low Power Oven Controlled MEMS Resonator Timing Reference
Author: Hyun Keun Kwon
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2020
Genre:
ISBN:

The main goal of this dissertation is to provide readers with some insights of how silicon MEMS based resonators can be a viable option in making an OCXO-level timing references. We will take a look into the fabrication of such devices using wafer-scale encapsulation techniques, simulation and design of the oven-controlled MEMS resonators, followed by the full characterization.

CMOS - MEMS

CMOS - MEMS
Author: Henry Baltes
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 612
Release: 2008-07-11
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3527616934

Microstructures, electronics, nanotechnology - these vast fields of research are growing together as the size gap narrows and many different materials are combined. Current research, engineering sucesses and newly commercialized products hint at the immense innovative potentials and future applications that open up once mankind controls shape and function from the atomic level right up to the visible world without any gaps. Sensor systems, microreactors, nanostructures, nanomachines, functional surfaces, integrated optics, displays, communications technology, biochips, human/machine interfaces, prosthetics, miniaturized medical and surgery equipment and many more opportunities are being explored. This new series, Advanced Micro and Nano Systems, provides cutting-edge reviews from top authors on technologies, devices and advanced systems from the micro and nano worlds.

MEMS Lorentz Force Magnetometers

MEMS Lorentz Force Magnetometers
Author: Cesare Buffa
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 139
Release: 2017-07-04
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3319594125

This book deals with compasses for consumer applications realized in MEMS technology, to support location-based and orientation-based services in addition to ‘traditional’ functionalities based on navigation. Navigation is becoming a must-have feature in portable devices and the presence of a compass also makes location-based augmented reality emerge, where a street map or a camera image could be overlaid with highly detailed information about what is in front of the user. To make these features possible both industries and scientific research focus on three axis magnetometers. The author describes a full path from specifications (driven by customers’ needs/desires) to prototype and preparing the way to industrialization and commercialization. The presentation includes an overview of all the major steps of this research and development process, highlighting critical points and potential pitfalls, as well as how to forecast or mitigate them. Coverage includes system design, specifications fulfillment, design strategy and project development methodology, in addition to traditional topics such as microelectronics design, sensor design, development of an experimental setup and characterization. The author uses a practical approach, including pragmatic guidelines and design choices, while maintaining focus on the final target, prototyping in the direction of industrialization and mass production.

Pedestrian Inertial Navigation with Self-Contained Aiding

Pedestrian Inertial Navigation with Self-Contained Aiding
Author: Andrei M. Shkel
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 194
Release: 2021-08-10
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1119699894

Explore an insightful summary of the major self-contained aiding technologies for pedestrian navigation from established and emerging leaders in the field Pedestrian Inertial Navigation with Self-Contained Aiding delivers a comprehensive and broad treatment of self-contained aiding techniques in pedestrian inertial navigation. The book combines an introduction to the general concept of navigation and major navigation and aiding techniques with more specific discussions of topics central to the field, as well as an exploration of the future of the future of the field: Ultimate Navigation Chip (uNavChip) technology. The most commonly used implementation of pedestrian inertial navigation, strapdown inertial navigation, is discussed at length, as are the mechanization, implementation, error analysis, and adaptivity of zero-velocity update aided inertial navigation algorithms. The book demonstrates the implementation of ultrasonic sensors, ultra-wide band (UWB) sensors, and magnetic sensors. Ranging techniques are considered as well, including both foot-to-foot ranging and inter-agent ranging, and learning algorithms, navigation with signals of opportunity, and cooperative localization are discussed. Readers will also benefit from the inclusion of: A thorough introduction to the general concept of navigation as well as major navigation and aiding techniques An exploration of inertial navigation implementation, Inertial Measurement Units, and strapdown inertial navigation A discussion of error analysis in strapdown inertial navigation, as well as the motivation of aiding techniques for pedestrian inertial navigation A treatment of the zero-velocity update (ZUPT) aided inertial navigation algorithm, including its mechanization, implementation, error analysis, and adaptivity Perfect for students and researchers in the field who seek a broad understanding of the subject, Pedestrian Inertial Navigation with Self-Contained Aiding will also earn a place in the libraries of industrial researchers and industrial marketing analysts who need a self-contained summary of the foundational elements of the field.

Handbook of Modern Sensors

Handbook of Modern Sensors
Author: Jacob Fraden
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 596
Release: 2006-04-29
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0387216049

Seven years have passed since the publication of the previous edition of this book. During that time, sensor technologies have made a remarkable leap forward. The sensitivity of the sensors became higher, the dimensions became smaller, the sel- tivity became better, and the prices became lower. What have not changed are the fundamental principles of the sensor design. They are still governed by the laws of Nature. Arguably one of the greatest geniuses who ever lived, Leonardo Da Vinci, had his own peculiar way of praying. He was saying, “Oh Lord, thanks for Thou do not violate your own laws. ” It is comforting indeed that the laws of Nature do not change as time goes by; it is just our appreciation of them that is being re?ned. Thus, this new edition examines the same good old laws of Nature that are employed in the designs of various sensors. This has not changed much since the previous edition. Yet, the sections that describe the practical designs are revised substantially. Recent ideas and developments have been added, and less important and nonessential designs were dropped. Probably the most dramatic recent progress in the sensor technologies relates to wide use of MEMS and MEOMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems and micro-electro-opto-mechanical systems). These are examined in this new edition with greater detail. This book is about devices commonly called sensors. The invention of a - croprocessor has brought highly sophisticated instruments into our everyday lives.