• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.261-268
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• 1999

Laser-induced thermochemical etching has been recognized as a new powerful method for processing a variety of materials, including metals, semiconductors, ceramics, insulators and polymers. This study presents characteristics of direct etching for Si substrate using focused argon ion laser beam in aqueous KOH and $CCl_2F_2$ gas. In order to determine process conditions, we first theoretically investigated the temperature characteristics induced by a CW laser beam with a gaussian intensity distribution on a silicon surface. Major process parameters are laser beam power, beam scan speed and reaction material. We have achieved a very high etch rate up to $434.7\mum/sec$ and a high aspect ratio of about 6. Potential applications of this laser beam etching include prototyping of micro-structures of MEMS(micro electro mechanical systems), repair of devices, and isolation of opto-electric devices.

• Journal of Information Processing Systems
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• v.1 no.1 s.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2005

With the recent advances in Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) technology, low cost and low power consumption wireless micro sensor nodes have become available. However, energy-efficient routing is one of the most important key technologies in wireless sensor networks as sensor nodes are highly energy-constrained. Therefore, many researchers have proposed routing protocols for sensor networks, especially cluster-based routing protocols, which have many advantages such as reduced control messages, bandwidth re-usability, and improved power control. Some protocols use information on the locations of sensor nodes to construct clusters efficiently. However, it is rare that all sensor nodes know their positions. In this article, we propose another cluster-based routing protocol for sensor networks. This protocol does not use information concerning the locations of sensor nodes, but uses the remaining energy of sensor networks and the desirable number of cluster heads according to the circumstances of the sensor networks. From performance simulation, we found that the proposed protocol shows better performance than the low-energy adaptive clustering hierarchy (LEACH).

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.170-174
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• 2021

As the rising attention to the medical and healthcare issue, Bio-MEMS (Micro electro mechanical systems) platform such as bio sensor, cell culture system, and microfluidics device has been studied extensively. Bio-MEMS platform mostly has high resolution structure made by biocompatible material such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). In addition, three dimension structure has been applied to the bio-MEMS. Lithography can be used to fabricate complex structure by multiple process, however, non-rectangular cross section can be implemented by introducing optical apparatus to lithography technic. X-ray lithography can be used even for sub-micron scale. Here in, we demonstrated lines with round shape cross section using the tilted gold absorber which was deposited on the oblique structure as the X-ray mask. This structure was used as a mold for PDMS. Molded PDMS was applied to the cell culture platform. Moreover, molded PDMS was bonded to flat PDMS to utilize to the sub-micro channel. This work has potential to the large area bio-MEMS.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.6 no.11
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• pp.2901-2919
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• 2012

Recent research in MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) and wireless communication has enabled tracking of continuous objects, including fires, nuclear explosions and bio-chemical material diffusions. This paper proposes an energy-efficient scheme that detects and tracks different dynamic shapes of a continuous object (i.e., the inner and outer boundaries of a continuous object). EBCO (Efficient Boundary detection and tracking of Continuous Objects in WSNs) exploits the sensing capabilities of sensor nodes by automatically adjusting the sensing range to be either a boundary sensor node or not, instead of communicating to its neighboring sensor nodes because radio communication consumes more energy than adjusting the sensing range. The proposed scheme not only increases the tracking accuracy by choosing the bordering boundary sensor nodes on the phenomenon edge, but it also minimizes the power consumption by having little communication among sensor nodes. The simulation result shows that our proposed scheme minimizes the energy consumption and achieves more precise tracking results than existing approaches.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.663-679
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• 2009

The use of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) accelerometers in geotechnical instrumentation is relatively new but on the rise. This paper describes a new MEMS-based system for in situ deformation and vibration monitoring. The system has been developed in an effort to combine recent advances in the miniaturization of sensors and electronics with an established wireless infrastructure for on-line geotechnical monitoring. The concept is based on triaxial MEMS accelerometer measurements of static acceleration (angles relative to gravity) and dynamic accelerations. The dynamic acceleration sensitivity range provides signals proportional to vibration during earthquakes or construction activities. This MEMS-based in-place inclinometer system utilizes the measurements to obtain three-dimensional (3D) ground acceleration and permanent deformation profiles up to a depth of one hundred meters. Each sensor array or group of arrays can be connected to a wireless earth station to enable real-time monitoring as well as remote sensor configuration. This paper provides a technical assessment of MEMS-based in-place inclinometer systems for geotechnical instrumentation applications by reviewing the sensor characteristics and providing small- and full-scale laboratory calibration tests. A description and validation of recorded field data from an instrumented unstable slope in California is also presented.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.6 no.5_6
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• pp.545-559
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• 2010

This paper presents the results of a pilot study and verification of a concept of a novel methodology for damage detection and assessment of water distribution system. The unique feature of the proposed noninvasive methodology is the use of accelerometers installed on the pipe surface, instead of pressure sensors that are traditionally installed invasively. Experimental observations show that a sharp change in pressure is always accompanied by a sharp change of pipe surface acceleration at the corresponding locations along the pipe length. Therefore, water pressure-monitoring can be transformed into acceleration-monitoring of the pipe surface. The latter is a significantly more economical alternative due to the use of less expensive sensors such as MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) or other acceleration sensors. In this scenario, monitoring is made for Maximum Pipe Acceleration Gradient (MPAG) rather than Maximum Water Head Gradient (MWHG). This paper presents the results of a small-scale laboratory experiment that serves as the proof of concept of the proposed technology. The ultimate goal of this study is to improve upon the existing SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) by integrating the proposed non-invasive monitoring techniques to ultimately develop the next generation SCADA system for water distribution systems.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.315-324
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• 2017

The smart grid with distributed power supply introduces a number of problems including not only the problems of the existing power grid but also the problem of protection co-operation due to new electric phenomenon because it has a mixed operation structure combining the existing radial operation structure and the new loop operation structure. The EMTP based power system analysis method has flexibility and convenience from the view of system configuration but it requires another experimental verification because of uncertainty of design and analysis results. On the other hand, the real demonstration system has difficulties in observing accurate fault on large scale system due to considerable economical and spatial construction cost, system configuration constraint, and it is difficult to demonstrate the distributed, autonomous and adaptive control strategy of smart grid. In this paper, a basic theory for a micro smart grid simulator design using MEMS(Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems) miniaturization technology is studied which can safely and freely experiment and observe electrical phenomena, and distribution, autonomous adaptive control strategy for disturbances on 22.9kV smart grid under minimum economic and spatial cost.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.126-129
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• 2010

MEMS(micro electro-mechanical systems) inertial switch which is applicable to the ignition Safe-Arm- Unit of propulsion system is devised. The MEMS inertial switch is designed according to the general design procedure for conventional mechanical elements. Unlikely conventional MEMS accelerometer, threshold inertial switching mechanism is adopted which makes a MEMS element an abrupt switching in a certain acceleration level. By comparing the design data and test results of the specimen a small discrepancy in switching acceleration level is found which is presumably due to the nonlinear characteristics of the beam spring and the flexure hinge which are the main parts of the MEMS inertial switch.

• KIEE International Transactions on Electrophysics and Applications
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• v.5C no.6
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• pp.264-269
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• 2005

The electrostatic comb drive actuator is one of the main building blocks in the field of micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). Most of the comb actuators presented previously have fingers that are rectangular in shape which produce a stable, constant force output during actuation. The use of sawtooth fixed fingers in a comb drive, which were presumed to produce an increasing force output with displacement due to the increased number of regions where fringing force, the driving force of comb actuators, appear. The dimensions of the sawtooth were derived from finite element analysis (FEA) of simplified finger models with sawtooth type fingers of various dimension and were compared to the rectangular finger model that showed that the sawtooth type fingers have $7\~9$ times stronger driving force. Finally, comb drive actuators with sawtooth type and rectangular fingers were fabricated and although the gap was bigger, the comb actuator with sawtooth type fingers showed about 1.7 times greater electrostatic force than the one with rectangular fingers at equal driving voltages. In conclusion, using the proposed sawtooth type comb fingers in a comb drive makes it possible to increase its displacement or reduce the driving voltage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.104-109
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• 2021

Tactile sensors and integrated circuits that detect external stimuli have been developed for use in various industries. Most tactile sensors have been developed using the MEMS(micro electro-mechanical systems) process in which metal electrodes and strain sensors are applied to a silicon substrate. However, tactile sensors made of highly brittle silicon lack flexibility and are prone to damage by external forces. Flexible tactile sensors based on polydimethylsiloxane and using a multi-walled carbon nano-tube mixture as a pressure-sensitive material are currently being developed as an alternative to overcome these limitations. In this study, a manufacturing process of pressure-sensitive materials with low initial electrical resistance is developed and applied to the fabrication of flexible tactile sensors. In addition, flexible tactile sensors are developed with pressure-sensitive materials dispensed on a substrate with flexible mechanical properties. Finally, a study is conducted on the change in electrical resistance of pressure-sensitive materials according to the modulus of elasticity of the substrate.