• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.54-59
• /
• 2002

This paper describes a new process technique for batch process of SOI(Si-on-Insulator) structures with buried cavities for MEMS(Micro Electro Mechanical System) applications by SDB(Si-wafer Direct Bonding) technology and electrochemical etch-stop. A low-cost electrochemical etch-stop method is used to control accurately the thickness of SOI. The cavities were made on the upper handling wafer by Si anisotropic etching. Two wafers are bonded with an intermediate insulating oxide layer. After high-temperature annealing($1000^{\circ}C$, 60 min), the SDB SOI structure with buried cavities was thinned by electrochemical etch-stop. The surface of the fabricated SDB SOI structure have more roughness that of lapping and polishing by mechanical method. This SDB SOI structure with buried cavities will provide a powerful and versatile substrate for novel microsensors arid microactuators.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
• /
• v.30 no.6
• /
• pp.388-394
• /
• 2021

The conventional microelectromechanical system (MEMS) process has been used to fabricate sensors with high costs and high-volume productions. Emerging 3D printing can utilize various materials and quickly fabricate a product using low-cost equipment rather than traditional manufacturing processes. 3D printing also can produce the sensor using various materials and design its sensing structure with freely optimized shapes. Hence, 3D printing is expected to be a new technology that can produce sensors on-site and respond to on-demand demand by combining it with open platform technology. Therefore, this paper reviews three standard 3D printing technologies, such as Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Direct Ink Writing (DIW), and Digital Light Processing (DLP), which can apply to the sensor fabrication process. The review focuses on strain/load sensors having both sensing material features and structural features as well. NCPC (Nano Carbon Piezoresistive Composite) is also introduced as a promising 3D material due to its favorable sensing characteristics.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.34 no.11
• /
• pp.1721-1725
• /
• 2010

This paper reports the fabrication of geometry-controlled carbon microneedles by a backside exposure method and pyrolysis. The SU-8 microneedles are a polymer precursor in a carbonization process, which geometries such as base diameter, spacing, and aspect ratio can be controlled in a photolithography step. Using this fabrication method, highly reproducible carbon microneedles, which have high aspect ratios of more than 10 and very sharp nanotips, can be realized. The quartz surface with carbon microneedles becomes very hydrophilic and its wettability is adjusted by carrying out the silane treatment. In the carbon microneedle array ($3\;{\mu}m{\times}3\;{\mu}m$), the contact angle is extremly enhanced (${\sim}180^{\circ}$); this will be advantageous in developing low-drag microfluidics and labs-on-a-chip as well as in other bio-applications.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.186-193
• /
• 2009

In this paper, we adopted E-MOLD patent technology in order to fabricate Prismless LGP(Light Guide Panel) fur cellular phone and estimate the transcription of injection-molded parts. Then, we manufactured the Ni stamper fur Prismless LGP using MEMS process. And the stamper was installed in the movable heated core which is the key part of a patented mold. Using this mold, we manufactured injection-molded plastic LGP parts with different mold temperatures so that we investigate effect of the temperature on the transcription of the parts. The CAE analysis was also conducted in order to compare with the experimental results. The transcription of LGP parts with various mold temperature displayed $100^{\circ}C$(25.0nm), $140^{\circ}C$(48.4nm), $180^{\circ}C$(52.1nm) and when compared with stamper(521Inm), transcription was superior at $180^{\circ}C$. According to the CAE results, moldability was improved as mold temperature ($50^{\circ}C{\sim}180^{\circ}C$) increased, but when filling time($1{\sim}2sec$) increases, it decreased at $160^{\circ}C$. And transcription and moldability were improved markedly at glass transition temperature($140^{\circ}C$).

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.22 no.11
• /
• pp.918-924
• /
• 2009

In this paper, we designed micro-structured electromagnetic transducers for energy harvesting and verified the performance of proposed transducers using finite element analysis software, COMSOL Multiphysics. To achieve higher energy transduce efficiency, around the magnetic core material, three-dimensional micro-coil structures with high number of turns are fabricated using semiconductor fabrication process technologies. To find relations between device size and energy transduce efficiency, generated electrical power values of seven different sizes of transducers ($3{\times}3\;mm^2$, $6{\times}6\;mm^2$, $9{\times}9\;mm^2$, $12{\times}12\;mm^2$, $15{\times}15\;mm^2$, $18{\times}18\;mm^2$, and $21{\times}21\;mm^2$) are analyzed on various magnetic flux density environment ranging from 0.84 T to 1.54 T and it showed that size of $15{\times}15\;mm^2$ device can generate $991.5\;{\mu}W$ at the 8 Hz of environmental kinetic energy. Compare to other electromagnetic energy harvesters, proposed system showed competitive performance in terms of power generation, operation bandwidth and size. Since proposed system can generate electric power at very low frequency of kinetic energy from typical life environment including walking and body movement, it is expected that proposed system can be effectively applied to various pervasive computing applications including power source of embodied medical equipment, power source of RFID sensors and etc. as an secondary power sources.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 1996.07c
• /
• pp.1968-1970
• /
• 1996

We investigate a surface-micromachined polysilicon microgyroscope, whose resonant frequencies are electrostatically-tunable after fabrication. The microgyroscope with two oscillation nudes has been designed so that the resonant frequency in the sensing mode is higher than that in the actuating mode. The microgyroscope has been fabricated by a 4-mask surface-micrormachining process, including the deep RIE of a $6{\mu}m$-thick LPCVD polycrystalline silicon layer. The resonant frequency in the sensing mode has been lowered to that in actuating mode through the adjustment of an inter-plate bias voltage; thereby achieving a frequency matching at 5.8kHz under the bias voltage of 2V in a reduced pressure of 0.1torr. For an input angular rate of $50^{\circ}/sec$, an output signal of 20mV has been measured from the tuned microgyroscope under an AC drive voltage of 2V with a DC bias voltage of 3V.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 1996.07c
• /
• pp.2004-2006
• /
• 1996

A thermally driven polysilicon micro actuator has been fabricated using surface micromachining techniques. It consists of P-doped polysilicon as a structural layer and TEOS (tetracthylorthosilicate) as a sacrificial layer. The polysilicon was annealed for the relaxation of residual stress which is the main cause to its deformation such as bending and buckling. And the newly developed HF VPE (vapor phase etching) process was also used as an effective release method for the elimination of sacrificial TEOS layer. The thickneas of polysilicon is $2{\mu}m$ and the lengths of active and passive polysilicon cantilevers are $500{\mu}m$ and $260{\mu}m$, respectively. The actuation is incurred by die thermal expansion due to the current flow in the active polysilicon cantilever, which motion is amplified by lever mechanism. The moving distance of polysilicon micro actuator was experimentally conformed as large as $21{\mu}m$ at the input voltage level of 10V and 50Hz square wave. The actuating characteristics are investigated by simulating the phenomena of heat transfer and thermal expansion in the polysilicon layer. The displacement of actuator is analyzed to be proportional to the square of input voltage. These micro actuator technology can be utilized for the fabrication of MEMS (microelectromechanical system) such as micro relay, which requires large displacement or contact force but relatively slow response.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
• /
• v.48 no.11
• /
• pp.748-754
• /
• 1999

Micromirrors supported by S-shape girders were fabricated and their angular deflections were measured using a laser-based system. A micromirror consists of a $50\mum\times50\mum$ aluminum plate, posts and an S-shape girder. Two electrodes were deposited on two corners of the substrate beneath the mirror plate. $50\times50$micromirror array were fabricated using the Al-MEMS process. The electrostatic force caused by the voltage difference between the mirror plate and one of the electrodes causes the mirror plate to tilt until the girder touches the substrate. Bial voltage of the mirror plate is between 25~35V and signal pulse voltage on both electrodes is $\pm5V$. A laser-based system capable of real-time two-dimensional angular deflection measurement of the micromirror was developed. The operation of the system is based on measuring the displacement of a HeNe laser beam reflecting off the micromirror. The resonant frequency of the micromirror is 50kHz when the girder touches the substrate and it is 25 when the micromirror goes back to flat position, since the moving mass is about twice of the former case. The measurement results also revealed that the micromirror slants to the other direction even after the girder touches the substrate.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.36 no.5
• /
• pp.475-479
• /
• 2012

We present a novel polymer fabrication process involving direct UV patterning of a hyperbranched polymer, AEO3000. Compared to PDMS, which is the most widely used polymer in bioMEMS devices, the present polymer has advantages with regard to electrode integration and fast fabrication. We designed a four-chip microelectrofluidic bench having three electrical pads and two fluidic I/O ports. We integrated a microfluidic mixer and a cell separator on the bench to characterize the interconnection performance and sample manipulation. Electrical and fluidic characterization of the microfluidic bench was performed. The measured electrical contact resistance was $0.75{\pm}0.44{\Omega}$, which is small enough for electrical applications, and the pressure drop was 8.3 kPa, which was 39.3% of the value in the tubing method. By performing yeast mixing and a separation test in the integrated module on the bench, we successfully showed that the interconnected chips could be used for bio-sample manipulation.