Micromachined spinneret

DOEpatents

Okandan, Murat; Galambos, Paul

2007-11-06

A micromachined spinneret is disclosed which has one or more orifices through which a fiber-forming material can be extruded to form a fiber. Each orifice is surrounded by a concentric annular orifice which allows the fiber to be temporarily or permanently coated with a co-extrudable material. The micromachined spinneret can be formed by a combination of surface and bulk micromachining.

Formation of porous networks on polymeric surfaces by femtosecond laser micromachining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Assaf, Youssef; Kietzig, Anne-Marie

2017-02-01

In this study, porous network structures were successfully created on various polymer surfaces by femtosecond laser micromachining. Six different polymers (poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), high density poly(ethylene) (HDPE), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), poly(carbonate) (PC), and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)) were machined at different fluences and pulse numbers, and the resulting structures were identified and compared by lacunarity analysis. At low fluence and pulse numbers, porous networks were confirmed to form on all materials except PLA. Furthermore, all networks except for PMMA were shown to bundle up at high fluence and pulse numbers. In the case of PC, a complete breakdown of the structure at such conditions was observed. Operation slightly above threshold fluence and at low pulse numbers is therefore recommended for porous network formation. Finally, the thickness over which these structures formed was measured and compared to two intrinsic material dependent parameters: the single pulse threshold fluence and the incubation coefficient. Results indicate that a lower threshold fluence at operating conditions favors material removal over structure formation and is hence detrimental to porous network formation. Favorable machining conditions and material-dependent parameters for the formation of porous networks on polymer surfaces have thus been identified.

Post-CMOS Micromachining of Surface and Bulk Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-05-06

Structures iii Acknowledgements I would like to thank my advisors, Professor Gary K. Fedder and Professor Dave W. Greve, for their continuing support...Donnelly, Plasma Chem. Plasma Process, vol. 1, pp. 37, 1981. [54] J. L. Mauer, J. S. Logan, L. B. Zielinski , and G. S. Schwartz, J. Vac. Sci. Technol

Dual-beam focused ion beam/electron microscopy processing and metrology of redeposition during ion-surface 3D interactions, from micromachining to self-organized picostructures.

PubMed

Moberlychan, Warren J

2009-06-03

Focused ion beam (FIB) tools have become a mainstay for processing and metrology of small structures. In order to expand the understanding of an ion impinging a surface (Sigmund sputtering theory) to our processing of small structures, the significance of 3D boundary conditions must be realized. We consider ion erosion for patterning/lithography, and optimize yields using the angle of incidence and chemical enhancement, but we find that the critical 3D parameters are aspect ratio and redeposition. We consider focused ion beam sputtering for micromachining small holes through membranes, but we find that the critical 3D considerations are implantation and redeposition. We consider ion beam self-assembly of nanostructures, but we find that control of the redeposition by ion and/or electron beams enables the growth of nanostructures and picostructures.

Fabrication of micromachined focusing mirrors with seamless reflective surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, Max Ti-Kuang; Liao, Ke-Min; Yeh, Hong-Zhen; Cheng, Bo-Wen; Hong, Pei-Yuan; Chen, Rongshun

2003-01-01

A surface-micromachined focusing mirror with variable focal length, which is controlled by adjusting the mirror"s curvature, is fabricated and characterized. The bowl-shaped micromirror, which is fabricated from the micro bilayer circular plate, focuses light beam through thermal actuation of the external heat source. Both the initial and operational curvatures are manipulated by the residual stresses in two layers of the mirror. Improper stresses would lead to the failure of the bowl-shaped structure. We analyze and design geometrical dimensions for simultaneously avoiding the structure failure and increasing the tuning range of the focal length. The interferometer has been used to measure the focal length and the focusing ability. Mirrors with nominal focal lengths approximately 730 μm, and tuning ranges of about 50 microns were demonstrated. The measurement directly through optical approach has also been tried, but requires further investigation, because the laser beam affects the focusing of the micromirror seriously.

Emerging leadership of surface micromachined MEMS for wavelength switching in telecommunications systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staple, Bevan D.; Muller, Lilac; Miller, David C.

2003-01-01

We introduce the Network Photonics" CrossWave as the first commercially-available, MEMS-based wavelength selective switch. The CrossWave combines the functionality of signal de-multiplexing, switching and re-multiplexing in a single all-optical operation using a dispersive element and 1-D MEMS. 1-D MEMS, where micromirrors are configured in a single array with a single mirror per wavelength, are fabricated in a standard surface micromachining process. In this paper we present three generations of micromirror designs. With proper design optimization and process improvements we have demonstrated exceptional mirror flatness (<16.2m-1 curvature), surface error (

Vascular tissue engineering by computer-aided laser micromachining.

PubMed

Doraiswamy, Anand; Narayan, Roger J

2010-04-28

Many conventional technologies for fabricating tissue engineering scaffolds are not suitable for fabricating scaffolds with patient-specific attributes. For example, many conventional technologies for fabricating tissue engineering scaffolds do not provide control over overall scaffold geometry or over cell position within the scaffold. In this study, the use of computer-aided laser micromachining to create scaffolds for vascular tissue networks was investigated. Computer-aided laser micromachining was used to construct patterned surfaces in agarose or in silicon, which were used for differential adherence and growth of cells into vascular tissue networks. Concentric three-ring structures were fabricated on agarose hydrogel substrates, in which the inner ring contained human aortic endothelial cells, the middle ring contained HA587 human elastin and the outer ring contained human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells. Basement membrane matrix containing vascular endothelial growth factor and heparin was to promote proliferation of human aortic endothelial cells within the vascular tissue networks. Computer-aided laser micromachining provides a unique approach to fabricate small-diameter blood vessels for bypass surgery as well as other artificial tissues with complex geometries.

A micromachined calorimetric gas sensor: an application of electrodeposited nanostructured palladium for the detection of combustible gases.

PubMed

Bartlett, Philip N; Guerin, Samuel

2003-01-01

Palladium films with regular nanoarchitectures were electrochemically deposited from the hexagonal (H1) lyotropic liquid crystalline phase of the nonionic surfactant octaethyleneglycol monohexadecyl ether (C16EO8) onto micromachined silicon hotplate structures. The H1-e Pd films were shown to have high surface areas (approximately 28 m2 g(-1)) and to act as effective and stable catalysts for the detection of methane in air on heating to 500 degrees C. The response of the H1-e Pd-coated planar pellistors was found to be linearly proportional to the concentration of methane between 0 and 2.5% in air with a detection limit below 0.125%. Our results show that the electrochemical deposition of nanostructured metal films offers a promising approach to the fabrication of micromachined calorimetric gas sensors for combustible gases.

Single neuronal recordings using surface micromachined polysilicon microelectrodes.

PubMed

Muthuswamy, Jit; Okandan, Murat; Jackson, Nathan

2005-03-15

Bulk micromachining techniques of silicon have been used successfully in the past several years to microfabricate microelectrodes for monitoring single neurons in acute and chronic experiments. In this study we report for the first time a novel surface micromachining technique to microfabricate a very thin polysilicon microelectrode that can be used for monitoring single-unit activity in the central nervous system. The microelectrodes are 3 mm long and 50 microm x 3.75 microm in cross-section. Excellent signal to noise ratios in the order of 25-35 dB were obtained while recording neuronal action potentials. The microelectrodes successfully penetrated the brains after a microincision of the dura mater. Chronic implantation of the microprobe for up to 33 days produced only minor gliosis. Since the polysilicon shank acts as a conductor, additional processing steps involved in laying conductor lines on silicon substrates are avoided. Further, surface micromachining allows for fabricating extremely thin microelectrodes which could result in decreased inflammatory responses. We conclude that the polysilicon microelectrode reported here could be a complementary approach to bulk-micromachined silicon microelectrodes for chronic monitoring of single neurons in the central nervous system.

Surface-micromachined 2D optical scanners with optically flat single-crystalline silicon micromirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, John G.; Patterson, Pamela R.; Wu, Ming C.

2001-05-01

We have developed a novel wafer-scale single-crystalline silicon micromirror bonding process to fabricate optically flat micromirrors on polysilicon surface-micromachined 2D scanners. The electrostatically actuated 2D scanner has a mirror area of 450 micrometers x 450 micrometers and an optical scan angle of +/- +/-7.5 degree(s). Compared to micromirrors made with a standard polysilicon surface-micromachining process, the radius of curvature of the micromirror has been improved by 1 50 times from 1.8 cm to 265 cm, with surface roughness < 10 nm. Besides, single-crystalline honeycomb micromirrors derived from silicon on insulator (SOI) have been developed to reduce the mass of the bonded mirror.

Method for forming suspended micromechanical structures

DOEpatents

Fleming, James G.

2000-01-01

A micromachining method is disclosed for forming a suspended micromechanical structure from {111} crystalline silicon. The micromachining method is based on the use of anisotropic dry etching to define lateral features of the structure which are etched down into a {111}-silicon substrate to a first etch depth, thereby forming sidewalls of the structure. The sidewalls are then coated with a protection layer, and the substrate is dry etched to a second etch depth to define a spacing of the structure from the substrate. A selective anisotropic wet etchant (e.g. KOH, EDP, TMAH, NaOH or CsOH) is used to laterally undercut the structure between the first and second etch depths, thereby forming a substantially planar lower surface of the structure along a {111} crystal plane that is parallel to an upper surface of the structure. The lateral extent of undercutting by the wet etchant is controlled and effectively terminated by either timing the etching, by the location of angled {111}-silicon planes or by the locations of preformed etch-stops. This present method allows the formation of suspended micromechanical structures having large vertical dimensions and large masses while allowing for detailed lateral features which can be provided by dry etch definition. Additionally, the method of the present invention is compatible with the formation of electronic circuitry on the substrate.

Computation of Static Shapes and Voltages for Micromachined Deformable Mirrors with Nonlinear Electrostatic Actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, P. K. C.; Hadaegh, F. Y.

1996-01-01

In modeling micromachined deformable mirrors with electrostatic actuators whose gap spacings are of the same order of magnitude as those of the surface deformations, it is necessary to use nonlinear models for the actuators. In this paper, we consider micromachined deformable mirrors modeled by a membrane or plate equation with nonlinear electrostatic actuator characteristics. Numerical methods for computing the mirror deformation due to given actuator voltages and the actuator voltages required for producing the desired deformations at the actuator locations are presented. The application of the proposed methods to circular deformable mirrors whose surfaces are modeled by elastic membranes is discussed in detail. Numerical results are obtained for a typical circular micromachined mirror with electrostatic actuators.

Microfabrication Techniques for Plastic Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-07-01

micromachining techniques were investigated. Surface micromachining techniques include deposition of thin and thick polymer films using vacuum and spin ...1 2.0 Introduction ...100 4.3.1 Nozzle-diffuser pumps theory

Development of amorphous SiC for MEMS-based microbridges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Summers, James B.; Scardelletti, Maximilian; Parro, Rocco; Zorman, Christian A.

2007-02-01

This paper reports our effort to develop amorphous hydrogenated silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) films specifically designed for MEMS-based microbridges using methane and silane as the precursor gases. In our work, the a-SiC:H films were deposited in a simple, commercial PECVD system at a fixed temperature of 300°C. Films with thicknesses from 100 nm to 1000 nm, a typical range for many MEMS applications, were deposited. Deposition parameters such as deposition pressure and methane-to-silane ratio were varied in order to obtain films with suitable residual stresses. Average residual stress in the as-deposited films selected for device fabrication was found by wafer curvature measurements to be -658 +/- 22 MPa, which could be converted to 177 +/- 40 MPa after thermal annealing at 450°C, making them suitable for micromachined bridges, membranes and other anchored structures. Bulk micromachined membranes were constructed to determine the Young's modulus of the annealed films, which was found to be 205 +/- 6 GPa. Chemical inertness was tested in aggressive solutions such as KOH and HF. Prototype microbridge actuators were fabricated using a simple surface micromachining process to assess the potential of the a-SiC:H films as structural layers for MEMS applications.

Micromachined electrical cauterizer

DOEpatents

Lee, Abraham P.; Krulevitch, Peter A.; Northrup, M. Allen

1999-01-01

A micromachined electrical cauterizer. Microstructures are combined with microelectrodes for highly localized electro cauterization. Using boron etch stops and surface micromachining, microneedles with very smooth surfaces are made. Micromachining also allows for precision placement of electrodes by photolithography with micron sized gaps to allow for concentrated electric fields. A microcauterizer is fabricated by bulk etching silicon to form knife edges, then parallelly placed microelectrodes with gaps as small as 5 .mu.m are patterned and aligned adjacent the knife edges to provide homeostasis while cutting tissue. While most of the microelectrode lines are electrically insulated from the atmosphere by depositing and patterning silicon dioxide on the electric feedthrough portions, a window is opened in the silicon dioxide to expose the parallel microelectrode portion. This helps reduce power loss and assist in focusing the power locally for more efficient and safer procedures.

Micromachined electrical cauterizer

DOEpatents

Lee, A.P.; Krulevitch, P.A.; Northrup, M.A.

1999-08-31

A micromachined electrical cauterizer is disclosed. Microstructures are combined with microelectrodes for highly localized electro cauterization. Using boron etch stops and surface micromachining, microneedles with very smooth surfaces are made. Micromachining also allows for precision placement of electrodes by photolithography with micron sized gaps to allow for concentrated electric fields. A microcauterizer is fabricated by bulk etching silicon to form knife edges, then parallelly placed microelectrodes with gaps as small as 5 {mu}m are patterned and aligned adjacent the knife edges to provide homeostasis while cutting tissue. While most of the microelectrode lines are electrically insulated from the atmosphere by depositing and patterning silicon dioxide on the electric feedthrough portions, a window is opened in the silicon dioxide to expose the parallel microelectrode portion. This helps reduce power loss and assist in focusing the power locally for more efficient and safer procedures. 7 figs.

Silicon microfabricated beam expander

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Othman, A.; Ibrahim, M. N.; Hamzah, I. H.; Sulaiman, A. A.; Ain, M. F.

2015-03-01

The feasibility design and development methods of silicon microfabricated beam expander are described. Silicon bulk micromachining fabrication technology is used in producing features of the structure. A high-precision complex 3-D shape of the expander can be formed by exploiting the predictable anisotropic wet etching characteristics of single-crystal silicon in aqueous Potassium-Hydroxide (KOH) solution. The beam-expander consist of two elements, a micromachined silicon reflector chamber and micro-Fresnel zone plate. The micro-Fresnel element is patterned using lithographic methods. The reflector chamber element has a depth of 40 µm, a diameter of 15 mm and gold-coated surfaces. The impact on the depth, diameter of the chamber and absorption for improved performance are discussed.

A simultaneous deep micromachining and surface passivation method suitable for silicon-based devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babaei, E.; Gharooni, M.; Mohajerzadeh, S.; Soleimani, E. A.

2018-07-01

Three novel methods for simultaneous micromachining and surface passivation of silicon are reported. A thin passivation layer is achieved using continuous and sequential plasma processes based on SF6, H2 and O2 gases. Reducing the recombination by surface passivation is crucial for the realization of high-performance nanosized optoelectronic devices. The passivation of the surface as an important step, is feasible by plasma processing based on hydrogen pulses in proper time-slots or using a mixture of H2 and O2, and SF6 gases. The passivation layer which is formed in situ during the micromachining process obviates a separate passivation step needed in conventional methods. By adjusting the plasma parameters such as power, duration, and flows of gases, the process can be controlled for the best results and acceptable under-etching at the same time. Moreover, the pseudo-oxide layer which is formed during the micromachining processes will also improve the electrical characteristics of the surface, which can be used as an add-on for micro and nanowire applications. To quantify the effect of surface passivation in our method, ellipsometry, lifetime measurements, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, current–voltage and capacitance–voltage measurements and solar cell testing have been employed.

Laser-induced patterns on metals and polymers for biomimetic surface engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kietzig, Anne-Marie; Lehr, Jorge; Matus, Luke; Liang, Fang

2014-03-01

One common feature of many functional surfaces found in nature is their modular composition often exhibiting several length scales. Prominent natural examples for extreme behaviors can be named in various plant leaf (rose, peanut, lotus) or animal toe surfaces (Gecko, tree frog). Influence factors of interest are the surface's chemical composition, its microstructure, its organized or random roughness and hence the resulting surface wetting and adhesion character. Femtosecond (fs) laser micromachining offers a possibility to render all these factors in one single processing step on metallic and polymeric surfaces. Exemplarily, studies on Titanium and PTFE are shown, where the dependence of the resulting feature sizes on lasing intensity is investigated. While Ti surfaces show rigid surface patterns of micrometer scaled features with superimposed nanostructures, PTFE exhibits elastic hairy structures of nanometric diameter, which upon a certain threshold tend to bundle to larger features. Both surface patterns can be adjusted to mimic specific wetting and flow behaviour as seen on natural examples. Therefore, fs-laser micromachining is suggested as an interesting industrially scalable technique to pattern and fine-tune the surface wettability of a surface to the desired extends in one process step. Possible applications can be seen with surfaces, which require specific wetting, fouling, icing, friction or cell adhesion behaviour.

Integration of Electrodeposited Ni-Fe in MEMS with Low-Temperature Deposition and Etch Processes

PubMed Central

Schiavone, Giuseppe; Murray, Jeremy; Perry, Richard; Mount, Andrew R.; Desmulliez, Marc P. Y.; Walton, Anthony J.

2017-01-01

This article presents a set of low-temperature deposition and etching processes for the integration of electrochemically deposited Ni-Fe alloys in complex magnetic microelectromechanical systems, as Ni-Fe is known to suffer from detrimental stress development when subjected to excessive thermal loads. A selective etch process is reported which enables the copper seed layer used for electrodeposition to be removed while preserving the integrity of Ni-Fe. In addition, a low temperature deposition and surface micromachining process is presented in which silicon dioxide and silicon nitride are used, respectively, as sacrificial material and structural dielectric. The sacrificial layer can be patterned and removed by wet buffered oxide etch or vapour HF etching. The reported methods limit the thermal budget and minimise the stress development in Ni-Fe. This combination of techniques represents an advance towards the reliable integration of Ni-Fe components in complex surface micromachined magnetic MEMS. PMID:28772683

A cochlear implant fabricated using a bulk silicon-surface micromachining process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, Tracy Elizabeth

1999-11-01

This dissertation presents the design and fabrication of two generations of a silicon microelectrode array for use in a cochlear implant. A cochlear implant is a device that is inserted into the inner ear and uses electrical stimulation to provide sound sensations to the profoundly deaf. The first-generation silicon cochlear implant is a passive device fabricated using silicon microprobe technology developed at the University of Michigan. It contains twenty-two iridium oxide (IrO) stimulating sites that are 250 mum in diameter and spaced at 750 mum intervals. In-vivo recordings were made in guinea pig auditory cortex in response to electrical stimulation with this device, verifying its ability to electrically evoke an auditory response. Auditory thresholds as low as 78 muA were recorded. The second-generation implant is a thirty-two site, four-channel device with on-chip CMOS site-selection circuitry and integrated position sensing. It was fabricated using a novel bulk silicon surface micromachining process which was developed as a part of this dissertation work. While the use of semiconductor technology offers many advantages in fabricating cochlear implants over the methods currently used, it was felt that even further advantages could be gained by developing a new micromachining process which would allow circuitry to be distributed along the full length of the cochlear implant substrate. The new process uses electropolishing of an n+ bulk silicon sacrificial layer to undercut and release n- epitaxial silicon structures from the wafer. An extremely abrupt etch-stop between the n+ and n- silicon is obtained, with no electropolishing taking place in the n-type silicon that is doped lower than 1 x 1017 cm-3 in concentration. Lateral electropolishing rates of up to 50 mum/min were measured using this technique, allowing one millimeter-wide structures to be fully undercut in as little as 10 minutes. The new micromachining process was integrated with a standard p-well CMOS integrated circuit process to fabricate the second-generation active silicon cochlear implants.

Laser Micromachining Fabrication of THz Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DrouetdAubigny, C.; Walker, C.; Jones, B.; Groppi, C.; Papapolymerou, J.; Tavenier, C.

2001-01-01

Laser micromachining techniques can be used to fabricate high-quality waveguide structures and quasi-optical components to micrometer accuracies. Successful GHz designs can be directly scaled to THz frequencies. We expect this promising technology to allow the construction of the first fully integrated THz heterodyne imaging arrays. At the University of Arizona, construction of the first laser micromachining system designed for THz waveguide components fabrication has been completed. Once tested and characterized our system will be used to construct prototype THz lx4 focal plane mixer arrays, magic tees, AR coated silicon lenses, local oscillator source phase gratings, filters and more. Our system can micro-machine structures down to a few microns accuracy and up to 6 inches across in a short time. This paper discusses the design and performance of our micromachining system, and illustrates the type, range and performance of components this exciting new technology will make accessible to the THz community.

MEMS: A new approach to micro-optics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sniegowski, J.J.

1997-12-31

MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) and their fabrication technologies provide great opportunities for application to micro-optical systems (MOEMS). Implementing MOEMS technology ranges from simple, passive components to complicated, active systems. Here, an overview of polysilicon surface micromachining MEMS combined with optics is presented. Recent advancements to the technology, which may enhance its appeal for micro-optics applications are emphasized. Of all the MEMS fabrication technologies, polysilicon surface micromachining technology has the greatest basis in and leverages the most the infrastructure for silicon integrated circuit fabrication. In that respect, it provides the potential for very large volume, inexpensive production of MOEMS. This paper highlightsmore » polysilicon surface micromachining technology in regards to its capability to provide both passive and active mechanical elements with quality optical elements.« less

Micromachined fragment capturer for biomedical applications.

PubMed

Choi, Young-Soo; Lee, Dong-Weon

2011-11-01

Due to changes in modern diet, a form of heart disease called chronic total occlusion has become a serious disease to be treated as an emergency. In this study, we propose a micromachined capturer that is designed and fabricated to collect plaque fragments generated during surgery to remove the thrombus. The fragment capturer consists of a plastic body made by rapid prototyping, SU-8 mesh structures using MEMS techniques, and ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) actuators. An array of IPMC actuators combined with the SU-8 net structure was optimized to effectively collect plaque fragments. The evaporation of solvent through the actuator's surface was prevented using a coating of SU-8 and polydimethylsiloxane thin film on the actuator. This approach improved the available operating time of the IPMC, which primarily depends on solvent loss. Our preliminary results demonstrate the possibility of using the capturer for biomedical applications. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Fabrication of a novel quartz micromachined gyroscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Liqiang; Xing, Jianchun; Wang, Haoxu; Wu, Xuezhong

2015-04-01

A novel quartz micromachined gyroscope is proposed in this paper. The novel gyroscope is realized by quartz anisotropic wet etching and 3-dimensional electrodes deposition. In the quartz wet etching process, the quality of Cr/Au mask films affecting the process are studied by experiment. An excellent mask film with 100 Å Cr and 2000 Å Au is achieved by optimization of experimental parameters. Crystal facets after etching seriously affect the following sidewall electrodes deposition process and the structure's mechanical behaviours. Removal of crystal facets is successfully implemented by increasing etching time based on etching rate ratios between facets and crystal planes. In the electrodes deposition process, an aperture mask evaporation method is employed to prepare electrodes on 3-dimensional surfaces of the gyroscope structure. The alignments among the aperture masks are realized by the ABM™ Mask Aligner System. Based on the processes described above, a z-axis quartz gyroscope is fabricated successfully.

Surface-micromachined and high-aspect ratio electrostatic actuators for aeronautic and space applications: design and lifetime considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vescovo, P.; Joseph, E.; Bourbon, G.; Le Moal, P.; Minotti, P.; Hibert, C.; Pont, G.

2003-09-01

This paper focuses on recent advances in the field of MEMS-based actuators and distributed microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). IC-processed actuators (e.g. actuators that are machined using integrated circuit batch processes) are expected to open a wide range of industrial applications on the near term. The most promising investigations deal with high-aspect ratio electric field driven microactuators suitable for use in numerous technical fields such as aeronautics and space industry. Because the silicon micromachining technology have the potential to integrate both mechanical components and control circuits within a single process, MEMS-based active control of microscopic and macroscopic structures appears to be one of the most promising challenges for the next decade. As a first step towards new generations of MEMS-based smart structures, recent investigations dealing with silicon mechanisms involving MEMS-based actuators are briefly discussed in this paper.

Non-contact thermoacoustic detection of embedded targets using airborne-capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nan, Hao; Boyle, Kevin C.; Apte, Nikhil; Aliroteh, Miaad S.; Bhuyan, Anshuman; Nikoozadeh, Amin; Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T.; Arbabian, Amin

2015-02-01

A radio frequency (RF)/ultrasound hybrid imaging system using airborne capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) is proposed for the remote detection of embedded objects in highly dispersive media (e.g., water, soil, and tissue). RF excitation provides permittivity contrast, and ultra-sensitive airborne-ultrasound detection measures thermoacoustic-generated acoustic waves that initiate at the boundaries of the embedded target, go through the medium-air interface, and finally reach the transducer. Vented wideband CMUTs interface to 0.18 μm CMOS low-noise amplifiers to provide displacement detection sensitivity of 1.3 pm at the transducer surface. The carefully designed vented CMUT structure provides a fractional bandwidth of 3.5% utilizing the squeeze-film damping of the air in the cavity.

A mechanical analysis of woodpecker drumming and its application to shock-absorbing systems.

PubMed

Yoon, Sang-Hee; Park, Sungmin

2011-03-01

A woodpecker is known to drum the hard woody surface of a tree at a rate of 18 to 22 times per second with a deceleration of 1200 g, yet with no sign of blackout or brain damage. As a model in nature, a woodpecker is studied to find clues to develop a shock-absorbing system for micromachined devices. Its advanced shock-absorbing mechanism, which cannot be explained merely by allometric scaling, is analyzed in terms of endoskeletal structures. In this analysis, the head structures (beak, hyoid, spongy bone, and skull bone with cerebrospinal fluid) of the golden-fronted woodpecker, Melanerpes aurifrons, are explored with x-ray computed tomography images, and their shock-absorbing mechanism is analyzed with a mechanical vibration model and an empirical method. Based on these analyses, a new shock-absorbing system is designed to protect commercial micromachined devices from unwanted high-g and high-frequency mechanical excitations. The new shock-absorbing system consists of close-packed microglasses within two metal enclosures and a viscoelastic layer fastened by steel bolts, which are biologically inspired from a spongy bone contained within a skull bone encompassed with the hyoid of a woodpecker. In the experimental characterizations using a 60 mm smoothbore air-gun, this bio-inspired shock-absorbing system shows a failure rate of 0.7% for the commercial micromachined devices at 60 000 g, whereas a conventional hard-resin method yields a failure rate of 26.4%, thus verifying remarkable improvement in the g-force tolerance of the commercial micromachined devices.

Laser-assisted electrochemical micromachining of mould cavity on the stainless steel surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaohai; Wang, Shuming; Wang, Dong; Tong, Han

2018-02-01

In order to fabricate the micro mould cavities with complex structures on 304 stainless steel, laser-assisted electrochemical micromachining (EMM) based on surface modification by fiber laser masking was studied,and a new device of laser-assisted EMM was developed. Laser marking on the surface of 304 stainless steel can first be realized by fiber laser heating scanning. Through analysis of X ray diffraction analysis (XRD), metal oxide layer with predefined pattern can be formed by laser marking, and phase transformation can also occur on the 304 stainless steel surface, which produce the laser masking layer with corrosion resistance. The stainless steel surface with laser masking layer is subsequently etched by EMM, the laser masking layer severs as the temporary protective layer without relying on lithography mask, the fabrication of formed electrodes is also avoided, so micro pattern cavities can fast be fabricated. The impacts on machining accuracy during EMM with laser masking were discussed to optimize machining parameters, such as machining voltage, electrolyte concentration, duty cycle of pulse power supply and electrode gap size, the typical mould cavities 23μm deep were fabricated under the optimized parameters.

Surface--micromachined rotatable member having a low-contact-area hub

DOEpatents

Rodgers, M. Steven; Sniegowski, Jeffry J.

2002-01-01

A surface-micromachined rotatable member formed on a substrate and a method for manufacturing thereof are disclosed. The surface-micromachined rotatable member, which can be a gear or a rotary stage, has a central hub, and an annulus connected to the central hub by an overarching bridge. The hub includes a stationary axle support attached to the substrate and surrounding an axle. The axle is retained within the axle support with an air-gap spacing therebetween of generally 0.3 .mu.m or less. The rotatable member can be formed by alternately depositing and patterning layers of a semiconductor (e.g. polysilicon or a silicon-germanium alloy) and a sacrificial material and then removing the sacrificial material, at least in part. The present invention has applications for forming micromechanical or microelectromechanical devices requiring lower actuation forces, and providing improved reliability.

Surface-micromachined rotatable member having a low-contact-area hub

DOEpatents

Rodgers, M. Steven; Sniegowski, Jeffry J.; Krygowski, Thomas W.

2003-11-18

A surface-micromachined rotatable member formed on a substrate and a method for manufacturing thereof are disclosed. The surface-micromachined rotatable member, which can be a gear or a rotary stage, has a central hub, and an annulus connected to the central hub by an overarching bridge. The hub includes a stationary axle support attached to the substrate and surrounding an axle. The axle is retained within the axle support with an air-gap spacing therebetween of generally 0.3 .mu.m or less. The rotatable member can be formed by alternately depositing and patterning layers of a semiconductor (e.g. polysilicon or a silicon-germanium alloy) and a sacrificial material and then removing the sacrificial material, at least in part. The present invention has applications for forming micromechanical or microelectromechanical devices requiring lower actuation forces, and providing improved reliability.

Micromachined evaporators for AMTEC cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Izenson, M.G.; Crowley, C.J.

1996-12-31

To achieve high cell efficiency and reliability, the capillary pumping system for Alkali Metal Thermal to Electric Conversion (AMTEC) must have three key characteristics: (1) very small pores to achieve a high capillary pumping head, (2) high permeability for the flow of liquid sodium to minimize internal losses, and (3) be made from a material that is exceptionally stable at high temperatures in a sodium environment. The authors have developed micromachining techniques to manufacture high performance evaporators for AMTEC cells. The evaporators have been fabricated from stainless steel, molybdenum, and a niobium alloy (Nb-1Zr). The regular, micromachined structure leads tomore » very high capillary pumping head with high permeability for liquid flow. Data from tests performed with common fluids at room temperature characterize the capillary pumping head and permeability of these structures. Three micromachined evaporators have been built into AMTEC cells and operated at temperatures up to 1,100 K. Results from these tests confirm the excellent pumping capabilities of the micromachined evaporators.« less

Repulsive force actuated rotary micromirror

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Siyuan; Ben Mrad, Ridha

2004-09-01

In this paper, a novel repulsive force based rotary micromirror is proposed. A repulsive force is produced in the rotary micromirror and the mirror plate is pushed up and away from the substrate. Therefore the rotation angle of the micromirror is not limited to the space underneath the mirror plate and thus the "pull-in" effect is completely circumvented. The novel rotary micromirror can achieve a large rotation angle with a large mirror plate. In addition the novel micromirror has a very simple structure and can be fabricated by standard surface micromachining technology. Numerical simulation is used to verify the working principle of the novel micromirror. A prototype of the novel rotary micromirror is fabricated by a commercially available surface microfabrication process called MUMPs. The prototype has a mirror size of 300μm x 300μm. The experimental measurements show that the prototype can achieve a mechanical rotation of 2.25 degrees (an optical angle of 4.5 degrees) at a driving voltage of 170 volts. A conventional surface micromachined attractive force based rotary micromirror of the same size can only achieve an angle of 0.1~0.2 degree.

Sorting Rotating Micromachines by Variations in Their Magnetic Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howell, Taylor A.; Osting, Braxton; Abbott, Jake J.

2018-05-01

We consider sorting for the broad class of micromachines (also known as microswimmers, microrobots, micropropellers, etc.) propelled by rotating magnetic fields. We present a control policy that capitalizes on the variation in magnetic properties between otherwise-homogeneous micromachines to enable the sorting of a select fraction of a group from the remainder and prescribe its net relative movement, using a uniform magnetic field that is applied equally to all micromachines. The method enables us to accomplish this sorting task using open-loop control, without relying on a structured environment or localization information of individual micromachines. With our method, the control time to perform the sort is invariant to the number of micromachines. The method is verified through simulations and scaled experiments. Finally, we include an extended discussion about the limitations of the method and address open questions related to its practical application.

Surface-micromachined magnetic undulator with period length between 10μm and 1 mm for advanced light sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrison, Jere; Joshi, Abhijeet; Lake, Jonathan; Candler, Rob; Musumeci, Pietro

2012-07-01

A technological gap exists between the μm-scale wiggling periods achieved using electromagnetic waves of high intensity laser pulses and the mm scale of permanent-magnet and superconducting undulators. In the sub-mm range, surface-micromachined soft-magnetic micro-electro-mechanical system inductors with integrated solenoidal coils have already experimentally demonstrated 100 to 500 mT field amplitude across air gaps as large as 15μm. Simulations indicate that magnetic fields as large as 1.5 T across 50μm inductor gaps are feasible. A simple rearranging of the yoke and pole geometry allows for fabrication of 10+ cm long undulator structures with period lengths between 12.5μm and 1 mm. Such undulators find application both in high average power spontaneous emission sources and, if used in combination with ultrahigh-brightness electron beams, could lead to the realization of low energy compact free-electron lasers. Challenges include electron energy broadening due to wakefields and Joule heating in the electromagnet.

Hybrid Micro-Electro-Mechanical Tunable Filter

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-01

Figure 2.10), one can see the developers have used surface micromachining techniques to build the micromirror structure over the CMOS addressing...DBRs, microcavity composition, initial air gap, contact layers, substrate Dispersion Data Curve -fit dispersion data or generate dispersion function...measurements • Curve -fit the dispersion data or generate a continuous, wavelength-dependent, representation of material dispersion • Manually design the

A micro-machined piezoelectric flexural-mode hydrophone with air backing: a hydrostatic pressure-balancing mechanism for integrity preservation.

PubMed

Choi, Sungjoon; Lee, Haksue; Moon, Wonkyu

2010-09-01

Although an air-backed thin plate is an effective sound receiver structure, it is easily damaged via pressure unbalance caused by external hydrostatic pressure. To overcome this difficulty, a simple pressure-balancing module is proposed. Despite its small size and relative simplicity, with proper design and operation, micro-channel structure provides a solution to the pressure-balancing problem. If the channel size is sufficiently small, the gas-liquid interface may move back and forth without breach by the hydrostatic pressure since the surface tension can retain the interface surface continuously. One input port of the device is opened to an intermediate liquid, while the other port is connected to the air-backing chamber. As the hydrostatic pressure increases, the liquid in the micro-channel compresses the air, and the pressure in the backing chamber is then equalized to match the external hydrostatic pressure. To validate the performance of the proposed mechanism, a micro-channel prototype is designed and integrated with the piezoelectric micro-machined flexural sensor developed in our previous work. The working principle of the mechanism is experimentally verified. In addition, the effect of hydrostatic pressure on receiving sensitivity is evaluated and compared with predicted behavior.

Design and Analysis of a Micromechanical Three-Component Force Sensor for Characterizing and Quantifying Surface Roughness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Q.; Wu, W.; Zhang, D.; Wei, B.; Sun, W.; Wang, Y.; Ge, Y.

2015-10-01

Roughness, which can represent the trade-off between manufacturing cost and performance of mechanical components, is a critical predictor of cracks, corrosion and fatigue damage. In order to measure polished or super-finished surfaces, a novel touch probe based on three-component force sensor for characterizing and quantifying surface roughness is proposed by using silicon micromachining technology. The sensor design is based on a cross-beam structure, which ensures that the system possesses high sensitivity and low coupling. The results show that the proposed sensor possesses high sensitivity, low coupling error, and temperature compensation function. The proposed system can be used to investigate micromechanical structures with nanometer accuracy.

Optical properties of micromachined polysilicon reflective surfaces with etching holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Jun; Byrne, Colin; Liu, Chang; Brady, David J.

1998-08-01

MUMPS (Multi-User MEMS Process) is receiving increasingly wide use in micro optics. We have investigated the optical properties of the polysilicon reflective surface in a typical MUMPS chip within the visible light spectrum. The effect of etching holes on the reflected laser beam is studied. The reflectivity and diffraction patterns at five different wavelengths have been measured. The optical properties of the polysilicon reflective surface are greatly affected by the surface roughness, the etching holes, as well as the material. The etching holes contribute to diffraction and reduction of reflectivity. This study provides a basis for optimal design of micromachined free-space optical systems.

A silicon micromachined resonant pressure sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Zhangyang; Fan, Shangchun; Cai, Chenguang

2009-09-01

This paper describes the design, fabrication and test of a silicon micromachined resonant pressure sensor. A square membrane and a doubly clamped resonant beam constitute a compound structure. The former senses the pressure directly, while the latter changes its resonant frequency according to deformation of the membrane. The final output relation between the resonant frequency and the applied pressure is deducted according to the structure mechanical properties. Sensors are fabricated by micromachining technology, and then sealed in vaccum. These sensors are tested by open-loop and close-loop system designed on purpose. The experiment results demonstrate that the sensor has a sensitivity of 49.8Hz/kPa and repeatability of 0.08%.

Use of chemical mechanical polishing in micromachining

DOEpatents

Nasby, Robert D.; Hetherington, Dale L.; Sniegowski, Jeffry J.; McWhorter, Paul J.; Apblett, Christopher A.

1998-01-01

A process for removing topography effects during fabrication of micromachines. A sacrificial oxide layer is deposited over a level containing functional elements with etched valleys between the elements such that the sacrificial layer has sufficient thickness to fill the valleys and extend in thickness upwards to the extent that the lowest point on the upper surface of the oxide layer is at least as high as the top surface of the functional elements in the covered level. The sacrificial oxide layer is then polished down and planarized by chemical-mechanical polishing. Another layer of functional elements is then formed upon this new planarized surface.

Influence of micromachined targets on laser accelerated proton beam profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalui, Malay; Permogorov, Alexander; Pahl, Hannes; Persson, Anders; Wahlström, Claes-Göran

2018-03-01

High intensity laser-driven proton acceleration from micromachined targets is studied experimentally in the target-normal-sheath-acceleration regime. Conical pits are created on the front surface of flat aluminium foils of initial thickness 12.5 and 3 μm using series of low energy pulses (0.5-2.5 μJ). Proton acceleration from such micromachined targets is compared with flat foils of equivalent thickness at a laser intensity of 7 × 1019 W cm-2. The maximum proton energy obtained from targets machined from 12.5 μm thick foils is found to be slightly lower than that of flat foils of equivalent remaining thickness, and the angular divergence of the proton beam is observed to increase as the depth of the pit approaches the foil thickness. Targets machined from 3 μm thick foils, on the other hand, show evidence of increasing the maximum proton energy when the depths of the structures are small. Furthermore, shallow pits on 3 μm thick foils are found to be efficient in reducing the proton beam divergence by a factor of up to three compared to that obtained from flat foils, while maintaining the maximum proton energy.

Modeling topology formation during laser ablation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodapp, T. W.; Fleming, P. R.

1998-07-01

Micromachining high aspect-ratio structures can be accomplished through ablation of surfaces with high-powered lasers. Industrial manufacturers now use these methods to form complex and regular surfaces at the 10-1000 μm feature size range. Despite its increasingly wide acceptance on the manufacturing floor, the underlying photochemistry of the ablation mechanism, and hence the dynamics of the machining process, is still a question of considerable debate. We have constructed a computer model to investigate and predict the topological formation of ablated structures. Qualitative as well as quantitative agreement with excimer-laser machined polyimide substrates has been demonstrated. This model provides insights into the drilling process for high-aspect-ratio holes.

Damping control of micromachined lowpass mechanical vibration isolation filters using electrostatic actuation with electronic signal processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dean, Robert; Flowers, George; Sanders, Nicole; MacAllister, Ken; Horvath, Roland; Hodel, A. S.; Johnson, Wayne; Kranz, Michael; Whitley, Michael

2005-05-01

Some harsh environments, such as those encountered by aerospace vehicles and various types of industrial machinery, contain high frequency/amplitude mechanical vibrations. Unfortunately, some very useful components are sensitive to these high frequency mechanical vibrations. Examples include MEMS gyroscopes and resonators, oscillators and some micro optics. Exposure of these components to high frequency mechanical vibrations present in the operating environment can result in problems ranging from an increased noise floor to component failure. Passive micromachined silicon lowpass filter structures (spring-mass-damper) have been demonstrated in recent years. However, the performance of these filter structures is typically limited by low damping (especially if operated in near-vacuum environments) and a lack of tunability after fabrication. Active filter topologies, such as piezoelectric, electrostrictive-polymer-film and SMA have also been investigated in recent years. Electrostatic actuators, however, are utilized in many micromachined silicon devices to generate mechanical motion. They offer a number of advantages, including low power, fast response time, compatibility with silicon micromachining, capacitive position measurement and relative simplicity of fabrication. This paper presents an approach for realizing active micromachined mechanical lowpass vibration isolation filters by integrating an electrostatic actuator with the micromachined passive filter structure to realize an active mechanical lowpass filter. Although the electrostatic actuator can be used to adjust the filter resonant frequency, the primary application is for increasing the damping to an acceptable level. The physical size of these active filters is suitable for use in or as packaging for sensitive electronic and MEMS devices, such as MEMS vibratory gyroscope chips.

Microtensile Test of AN Ordered-Reinforced Electrophoretic Polymer Matrix Composite Fabricated by Surface Micromachining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Zhuoqing; Wang, Hong; Zhang, Zhenjie; Ding, Guifu; Zhao, Xiaolin

A novel ordered-reinforced microscale polymer matrix composite based on electrophoresis and surface micromachining technologies has been proposed in the present work. The braid angle, volume content and width of the reinforcement in the composite has been designed and simulated by ANSYS finite element software. Based on the simulation and optimization, the Ni fibers reinforced polymer matrix composite sample (3 mm length × 0.6 mm width × 0.04 mm thickness) was successfully fabricated utilizing the surface micromachining process. The fabricated samples were characterized by microtensile test on the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) equipment. It is indicated that the tested tensile strength and Young's modulus are 285 MPa and 6.8 GPa, respectively. In addition, the fracture section of the composite sample has been observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the corresponding fracture process was also explained and analyzed in detail. The new presented composite is promising for hot embossing mold in microfluidic chip and several transducers used in accurately controlled biomedical systems.

Micromachined peristaltic pumps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartley, Frank T. (Inventor)

1999-01-01

Micromachined pumps including a channel formed between a first membrane and a substrate or between first and second flexible membranes. A series of electrically conductive strips is applied to a surface of the substrate or one of the membranes. Application of a sequential voltage to the series of strips causes a region of closure to progress down the channel to achieve a pumping action.

Fabrication of multi-scale periodic surface structures on Ti-6Al-4V by direct laser writing and direct laser interference patterning for modified wettability applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huerta-Murillo, D.; Aguilar-Morales, A. I.; Alamri, S.; Cardoso, J. T.; Jagdheesh, R.; Lasagni, A. F.; Ocaña, J. L.

2017-11-01

In this work, hierarchical surface patterns fabricated on Ti-6Al-4V alloy combining two laser micro-machining techniques are presented. The used technologies are based on nanosecond Direct Laser Writing and picosecond Direct Laser Interference Patterning. Squared shape micro-cells with different hatch distances were produced by Direct Laser Writing with depths values in the micro-scale, forming a well-defined closed packet. Subsequently, cross-like periodic patterns were fabricated by means of Direct Laser Interference Patterning using a two-beam configuration, generating a dual-scale periodic surface structure in both micro- and nano-scale due to the formation of Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structure after the picosecond process. As a result a triple hierarchical periodic surface structure was generated. The surface morphology of the irradiated area was characterized with scanning electron microscopy and confocal microscopy. Additionally, static contact angle measurements were made to analyze the wettability behavior of the structures, showing a hydrophobic behavior for the hierarchical structures.

Cost-effective MEMS piezoresistive cantilever-based sensor fabrication for gait movement analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saadon, Salem; Anuar, A. F. M.; Wahab, Yufridin

2017-03-01

The conventional photolithography of crystalline silicon technique is limited to two-dimensional and structure scaling. It's also requiring a lot of time and chemical involves for the whole process. These problems can be overcome by using laser micromachining technique, that capable to produce three-dimensional structure and simultaneously avoiding the photo mask needs. In this paper, we reported on the RapidX-250 Excimer laser micromachining with 248 nm KrF to create in-time mask design and assisting in the fabrication process of piezo-resistive micro cantilever structures. Firstly, laser micromachining parameters have been investigated in order to fabricate the acceleration sensor to analyzing human gait movement. Preliminary result shows that the fabricated sensor able to define the movement difference of human motion regarding the electrical characteristic of piezo-resistor.

A Micromachined Capacitive Pressure Sensor Using a Cavity-Less Structure with Bulk-Metal/Elastomer Layers and Its Wireless Telemetry Application

PubMed Central

Takahata, Kenichi; Gianchandani, Yogesh B.

2008-01-01

This paper reports a micromachined capacitive pressure sensor intended for applications that require mechanical robustness. The device is constructed with two micromachined metal plates and an intermediate polymer layer that is soft enough to deform in a target pressure range. The plates are formed of micromachined stainless steel fabricated by batch-compatible micro-electro-discharge machining. A polyurethane room-temperature-vulcanizing liquid rubber of 38-μm thickness is used as the deformable material. This structure eliminates both the vacuum cavity and the associated lead transfer challenges common to micromachined capacitive pressure sensors. For frequency-based interrogation of the capacitance, passive inductor-capacitor tanks are fabricated by combining the capacitive sensor with an inductive coil. The coil has 40 turns of a 127-μm-diameter copper wire. Wireless sensing is demonstrated in liquid by monitoring the variation in the resonant frequency of the tank via an external coil that is magnetically coupled with the tank. The sensitivity at room temperature is measured to be 23-33 ppm/KPa over a dynamic range of 340 KPa, which is shown to match a theoretical estimation. Temperature dependence of the tank is experimentally evaluated. PMID:27879824

Optimization of Neutral Atom Imagers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shappirio, M.; Coplan, M.; Balsamo, E.; Chornay, D.; Collier, M.; Hughes, P.; Keller, J.; Ogilvie, K.; Williams, E.

2008-01-01

The interactions between plasma structures and neutral atom populations in interplanetary space can be effectively studied with energetic neutral atom imagers. For neutral atoms with energies less than 1 keV, the most efficient detection method that preserves direction and energy information is conversion to negative ions on surfaces. We have examined a variety of surface materials and conversion geometries in order to identify the factors that determine conversion efficiency. For chemically and physically stable surfaces smoothness is of primary importance while properties such as work function have no obvious correlation to conversion efficiency. For the noble metals, tungsten, silicon, and graphite with comparable smoothness, conversion efficiency varies by a factor of two to three. We have also examined the way in which surface conversion efficiency varies with the angle of incidence of the neutral atom and have found that the highest efficiencies are obtained at angles of incidence greater then 80deg. The conversion efficiency of silicon, tungsten and graphite were examined most closely and the energy dependent variation of conversion efficiency measured over a range of incident angles. We have also developed methods for micromachining silicon in order to reduce the volume to surface area over that of a single flat surface and have been able to reduce volume to surface area ratios by up to a factor of 60. With smooth micro-machined surfaces of the optimum geometry, conversion efficiencies can be increased by an order of magnitude over instruments like LENA on the IMAGE spacecraft without increase the instruments mass or volume.

Silicon Micromachining for Terahertz Component Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chattopadhyay, Goutam; Reck, Theodore J.; Jung-Kubiak, Cecile; Siles, Jose V.; Lee, Choonsup; Lin, Robert; Mehdi, Imran

2013-01-01

Waveguide component technology at terahertz frequencies has come of age in recent years. Essential components such as ortho-mode transducers (OMT), quadrature hybrids, filters, and others for high performance system development were either impossible to build or too difficult to fabricate with traditional machining techniques. With micromachining of silicon wafers coated with sputtered gold it is now possible to fabricate and test these waveguide components. Using a highly optimized Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) process, we are now able to fabricate silicon micromachined waveguide structures working beyond 1 THz. In this paper, we describe in detail our approach of design, fabrication, and measurement of silicon micromachined waveguide components and report the results of a 1 THz canonical E-plane filter.

Use of chemical mechanical polishing in micromachining

DOEpatents

Nasby, R.D.; Hetherington, D.L.; Sniegowski, J.J.; McWhorter, P.J.; Apblett, C.A.

1998-09-08

A process for removing topography effects during fabrication of micromachines. A sacrificial oxide layer is deposited over a level containing functional elements with etched valleys between the elements such that the sacrificial layer has sufficient thickness to fill the valleys and extend in thickness upwards to the extent that the lowest point on the upper surface of the oxide layer is at least as high as the top surface of the functional elements in the covered level. The sacrificial oxide layer is then polished down and planarized by chemical-mechanical polishing. Another layer of functional elements is then formed upon this new planarized surface. 4 figs.

Modeling and experimental study on characterization of micromachined thermal gas inertial sensors.

PubMed

Zhu, Rong; Ding, Henggao; Su, Yan; Yang, Yongjun

2010-01-01

Micromachined thermal gas inertial sensors based on heat convection are novel devices that compared with conventional micromachined inertial sensors offer the advantages of simple structures, easy fabrication, high shock resistance and good reliability by virtue of using a gaseous medium instead of a mechanical proof mass as key moving and sensing elements. This paper presents an analytical modeling for a micromachined thermal gas gyroscope integrated with signal conditioning. A simplified spring-damping model is utilized to characterize the behavior of the sensor. The model relies on the use of the fluid mechanics and heat transfer fundamentals and is validated using experimental data obtained from a test-device and simulation. Furthermore, the nonideal issues of the sensor are addressed from both the theoretical and experimental points of view. The nonlinear behavior demonstrated in experimental measurements is analyzed based on the model. It is concluded that the sources of nonlinearity are mainly attributable to the variable stiffness of the sensor system and the structural asymmetry due to nonideal fabrication.

Micro-machined resonator

DOEpatents

Godshall, N.A.; Koehler, D.R.; Liang, A.Y.; Smith, B.K.

1993-03-30

A micro-machined resonator, typically quartz, with upper and lower micro-machinable support members, or covers, having etched wells which may be lined with conductive electrode material, between the support members is a quartz resonator having an energy trapping quartz mesa capacitively coupled to the electrode through a diaphragm; the quartz resonator is supported by either micro-machined cantilever springs or by thin layers extending over the surfaces of the support. If the diaphragm is rigid, clock applications are available, and if the diaphragm is resilient, then transducer applications can be achieved. Either the thin support layers or the conductive electrode material can be integral with the diaphragm. In any event, the covers are bonded to form a hermetic seal and the interior volume may be filled with a gas or may be evacuated. In addition, one or both of the covers may include oscillator and interface circuitry for the resonator.

Micro-machined resonator

DOEpatents

Godshall, Ned A.; Koehler, Dale R.; Liang, Alan Y.; Smith, Bradley K.

1993-01-01

A micro-machined resonator, typically quartz, with upper and lower micro-machinable support members, or covers, having etched wells which may be lined with conductive electrode material, between the support members is a quartz resonator having an energy trapping quartz mesa capacitively coupled to the electrode through a diaphragm; the quartz resonator is supported by either micro-machined cantilever springs or by thin layers extending over the surfaces of the support. If the diaphragm is rigid, clock applications are available, and if the diaphragm is resilient, then transducer applications can be achieved. Either the thin support layers or the conductive electrode material can be integral with the diaphragm. In any event, the covers are bonded to form a hermetic seal and the interior volume may be filled with a gas or may be evacuated. In addition, one or both of the covers may include oscillator and interface circuitry for the resonator.

Micromachined pressure sensors: Review and recent developments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eaton, W.P.; Smith, J.H.

1997-03-01

Since the discovery of piezoresistivity in silicon in the mid 1950s, silicon-based pressure sensors have been widely produced. Micromachining technology has greatly benefited from the success of the integrated circuits industry, burrowing materials, processes, and toolsets. Because of this, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are now poised to capture large segments of existing sensor markets and to catalyze the development of new markets. Given the emerging importance of MEMS, it is instructive to review the history of micromachined pressure sensors, and to examine new developments in the field. Pressure sensors will be the focus of this paper, starting from metal diaphragm sensorsmore » with bonded silicon strain gauges, and moving to present developments of surface-micromachined, optical, resonant, and smart pressure sensors. Considerations for diaphragm design will be discussed in detail, as well as additional considerations for capacitive and piezoresistive devices.« less

Micromachined Artificial Haircell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Chang (Inventor); Engel, Jonathan (Inventor); Chen, Nannan (Inventor); Chen, Jack (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A micromachined artificial sensor comprises a support coupled to and movable with respect to a substrate. A polymer, high-aspect ratio cilia-like structure is disposed on and extends out-of-plane from the support. A strain detector is disposed with respect to the support to detect movement of the support.

Influence of the initial surface texture on the resulting surface roughness and waviness for micro-machining with ultra-short laser pulses (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Remund, Stefan M.; Jaeggi, Beat; Kramer, Thorsten; Neuenschwander, Beat

2017-03-01

The resulting surface roughness and waviness after processing with ultra-short pulsed laser radiation depend on the laser parameters as well as on the machining strategy and the scanning system. However the results depend on the material and its initial surface quality and finishing as well. The improvement of surface finishing represents effort and produces additional costs. For industrial applications it is important to reduce the preparation of a workpiece for laser micro-machining to optimize quality and reduce costs. The effects of the ablation process and the influence of the machining strategy and scanning system onto the surface roughness and waviness can be differenced due to their separate manner. By using the optimal laser parameters on an initially perfect surface, the ablation process mainly increases the roughness to a certain value for most metallic materials. However, imperfections in the scanning system causing a slight variation in the scanning speed lead to a raise of the waviness on the sample surface. For a basic understanding of the influence of grinding marks, the sample surfaces were initially furnished with regular grooves of different depths and spatial frequencies to gain a homogenous and well-defined original surface. On these surfaces the effect of different beam waists and machining strategy are investigated and the results are compared with a simulation of the process. Furthermore the behaviors of common surface finishes used in industrial applications for laser micro-machining are studied and the relation onto the resulting surface roughness and waviness is presented.

Conformal and embedded IDT microsensors for health monitoring of structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varadan, Vijay K.; Varadan, Vasundara V.

2000-06-01

MEMS are currently being applied to the structural health monitoring of critical aircraft components and composites. The approach integrates acoustic emission, strain gauges, MEMS accelerometers and vibration monitoring aircraft components with a known history of catastrophic failure due to fracture. Recently a combination of the need for safety in the air and the desire to control costs is encouraging the use of in-flight monitoring of aircraft components and systems using light-weight, wireless and cost effective microsensors and MEMS. An in-situ aircraft structural health monitoring system, with sensors embedded in the composite structure or surface-mounted on the structure, would permit the timely detection of damage in aircraft. Micromachining offers the potential for fabricating a range of microsensor and MEMS for structural applications including load, vibration and acoustics characterization and monitoring. Such microsensors are extremely small; they can be embedded into structural materials, can be mass-produced and are therefore potentially cheap. The smart sensors are being developed using the standard microelectronics and micromachining in conjunction with novel Penn State wireless communication systems suitable for condition monitoring of aircraft structures in-flight. The main application areas of this investigation include continuos monitoring of a) structural integrity of aging aircraft, b) fatigue cracking, c) corrosion, d) deflection and strain of aircraft structures, wings, and rotorblades, e) impact damage, f) delamination and g) location and propagation of cracks. In this paper we give an overview of wireless programmable microsensors and MEMS and their associated driving electronics for such applications.

Monolithic Micromachined Quartz Resonator based Infrared Focal Plane Arrays

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-05

following categories: PaperReceived Ping Kao, Srinivas Tadigadapa. Micromachined quartz resonator based infrared detector array, Sensors and...0. doi: 10.1088/0957-0233/20/12/124007 2012/05/08 19:47:37 6 S Tadigadapa, K Mateti. Piezoelectric MEMS sensors : state-of-the-art and perspectives...Ping Kao, David L. Allara, Srinivas Tadigadapa. Study of Adsorption of Globular Proteins on Hydrophobic Surfaces, IEEE Sensors Journal, (11 2011): 0

Nanosecond pulsed laser micromachining for experimental fatigue life study of Ti-3Al-2.5V tubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yaomin; Gupta, Mool C.; Taylor, Robert E.; Lei, Charles; Stone, William; Spidel, Tom; Yu, Michael; Williams, Reanne

2009-01-01

Defects on external surface of in-service hydraulic tubes can reduce total life cycles for operation. Evaluation of fatigue life of the tubes with damage is thus critical for safety reasons. A methodology of generating defects in the Ti-3Al-2.5V tube—a widely used pipeline in hydraulic systems of aircrafts—using nanosecond pulsed laser for experimental fatigue life study is described in this paper. Straight tubes of five different sizes were laser micromachined to generate notches of given length and depths on the outside surface. Approaches were developed to precisely control the notch dimensions. The laser-notched tubes were tested with cyclic internal impulse pressure and fatigue life was measured. The laser notches and fatigue cracks were characterized after the test. It is concluded that laser micromachining generated consistent notches, and the influence of notch depth on fatigue life of the tube is significant. Based on the experimental test results, the relationship between the fatigue life of the Ti-3Al-2.5V tube and the notch depth was revealed. The research demonstrated that laser micromachining is applicable for experimental fatigue life study of titanium tubes. The presented test data are useful for estimating the damage limits of the titanium tubes in service environment and for further theoretical studies.

Microfluidic systems with embedded materials and structures and method thereof

DOEpatents

Morse, Jeffrey D [Martinez, CA; Rose, Klint A [Boston, MA; Maghribi, Mariam [Livermore, CA; Benett, William [Livermore, CA; Krulevitch, Peter [Pleasanton, CA; Hamilton, Julie [Tracy, CA; Graff, Robert T [Modesto, CA; Jankowski, Alan [Livermore, CA

2007-03-06

Described herein is a process for fabricating microfluidic systems with embedded components in which micron-scale features are molded into the polymeric material polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Micromachining is used to create a mold master and the liquid precursors for PDMS are poured over the mold and allowed to cure. The PDMS is then removed form the mold and bonded to another material such as PDMS, glass, or silicon after a simple surface preparation step to form sealed microchannels.

Surface-micromachined microfluidic devices

DOEpatents

Galambos, Paul C.; Okandan, Murat; Montague, Stephen; Smith, James H.; Paul, Phillip H.; Krygowski, Thomas W.; Allen, James J.; Nichols, Christopher A.; Jakubczak, II, Jerome F.

2003-01-01

Microfluidic devices are disclosed which can be manufactured using surface-micromachining. These devices utilize an electroosmotic force or an electromagnetic field to generate a flow of a fluid in a microchannel that is lined, at least in part, with silicon nitride. Additional electrodes can be provided within or about the microchannel for separating particular constituents in the fluid during the flow based on charge state or magnetic moment. The fluid can also be pressurized in the channel. The present invention has many different applications including electrokinetic pumping, chemical and biochemical analysis (e.g. based on electrophoresis or chromatography), conducting chemical reactions on a microscopic scale, and forming hydraulic actuators.

Micro-electro-optical devices in a five-level polysilicon surface-micromachining technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, James H.; Rodgers, M. Steven; Sniegowski, Jeffry J.; Miller, Samuel L.; Hetherington, Dale L.; McWhorter, Paul J.; Warren, Mial E.

1998-09-01

We recently reported on the development of a 5-level polysilicon surface micromachine fabrication process consisting of four levels of mechanical poly plus an electrical interconnect layer and its application to complex mechanical systems. This paper describes the application of this technology to create micro-optical systems-on-a-chip. These are demonstration systems, which show that give levels of polysilicon provide greater performance, reliability, and significantly increased functionality. This new technology makes it possible to realize levels of system complexity that have so far only existed on paper, while simultaneously adding to the robustness of many of the individual subassemblies.

Project: Micromachined High-Frequency Circuits For Sub-mm-wave Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Papapolymerou, Ioannis John

2004-01-01

A novel micromachined resonator at 45 GHz based on a defect in a periodic electromagnetic bandgap structure (EBG) and a two-pole Tchebysbev filter with 1.4% 0.15 dB equiripple bandwidth and 2.3 dB loss employing this resonator are presented in this letter. The periodic bandgap structure is realized on a 400 micron thick high-resistivity silicon wafer using deep reactive ion etching techniques. The resonator and filter can be accessed via coplanar waveguide feeds.

Micromachined ultrasonic droplet generator based on a liquid horn structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meacham, J. M.; Ejimofor, C.; Kumar, S.; Degertekin, F. L.; Fedorov, A. G.

2004-05-01

A micromachined ultrasonic droplet generator is developed and demonstrated for drop-on-demand fluid atomization. The droplet generator comprises a bulk ceramic piezoelectric transducer for ultrasound generation, a reservoir for the ejection fluid, and a silicon micromachined liquid horn structure as the nozzle. The nozzles are formed using a simple batch microfabrication process that involves wet etching of (100) silicon in potassium hydroxide solution. Device operation is demonstrated by droplet ejection of water through 30 μm orifices at 1.49 and 2.30 MHz. The finite-element simulations of the acoustic fields in the cavity and electrical impedance of the device are in agreement with the measurements and indicate that the device utilizes cavity resonances in the 1-5 MHz range in conjunction with acoustic wave focusing by the pyramidally shaped nozzles to achieve low power operation.

Microfluidic fuel cell systems with embedded materials and structures and method thereof

DOEpatents

Morse, Jeffrey D.; Rose, Klint A; Maghribi, Mariam; Benett, William; Krulevitch, Peter; Hamilton, Julie; Graff, Robert T.; Jankowski, Alan

2005-07-26

Described herein is a process for fabricating microfluidic systems with embedded components in which micron-scale features are molded into the polymeric material polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Micromachining is used to create a mold master and the liquid precursors for PDMS are poured over the mold and allowed to cure. The PDMS is then removed form the mold and bonded to another material such as PDMS, glass, or silicon after a simple surface preparation step to form sealed microchannels.

Frontside-micromachined planar piezoresistive vibration sensor: Evaluating performance in the low frequency test range

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Lan; Lu, Jian, E-mail: jian-lu@aist.go.jp; Takagi, Hideki

2014-01-15

Using a surface piezoresistor diffusion method and front-side only micromachining process, a planar piezoresistive vibration sensor was successfully developed with a simple structure, lower processing cost and fewer packaging difficulties. The vibration sensor had a large sector proof mass attached to a narrow flexure. Optimization of the boron diffusion piezoresistor placed on the edge of the narrow flexure greatly improved the sensitivity. Planar vibration sensors were fabricated and measured in order to analyze the effects of the sensor dimensions on performance, including the values of flexure width and the included angle of the sector. Sensitivities of fabricated planar sensors ofmore » 0.09–0.46 mV/V/g were measured up to a test frequency of 60 Hz. The sensor functioned at low voltages (<3 V) and currents (<1 mA) with a high sensitivity and low drift. At low background noise levels, the sensor had performance comparable to a commercial device.« less

Etching characteristics of Si{110} in 20 wt% KOH with addition of hydroxylamine for the fabrication of bulk micromachined MEMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, A. V. Narasimha; Swarnalatha, V.; Pal, P.

2017-12-01

Anisotropic wet etching is a most widely employed for the fabrication of MEMS/NEMS structures using silicon bulk micromachining. The use of Si{110} in MEMS is inevitable when a microstructure with vertical sidewall is to be fabricated using wet anisotropic etching. In most commonly employed etchants (i.e. TMAH and KOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH) exhibits higher etch rate and provides improved anisotropy between Si{111} and Si{110} planes. In the manufacturing company, high etch rate is demanded to increase the productivity that eventually reduces the cost of end product. In order to modify the etching characteristics of KOH for the micromachining of Si{110}, we have investigated the effect of hydroxylamine (NH2OH) in 20 wt% KOH solution. The concentration of NH2OH is varied from 0 to 20% and the etching is carried out at 75 °C. The etching characteristics which are studied in this work includes the etch rates of Si{110} and silicon dioxide, etched surface morphology, and undercutting at convex corners. The etch rate of Si{110} in 20 wt% KOH + 15% NH2OH solution is measured to be four times more than that of pure 20 wt% KOH. Moreover, the addition of NH2OH increases the undercutting at convex corners and enhances the etch selectivity between Si and SiO2.

Omega-X micromachining system

DOEpatents

Miller, Donald M.

1978-01-01

A micromachining tool system with X- and omega-axes is used to machine spherical, aspherical, and irregular surfaces with a maximum contour error of 100 nonometers (nm) and surface waviness of no more than 0.8 nm RMS. The omega axis, named for the angular measurement of the rotation of an eccentric mechanism supporting one end of a tool bar, enables the pulse increments of the tool toward the workpiece to be as little as 0 to 4.4 nm. A dedicated computer coordinates motion in the two axes to produce the workpiece contour. Inertia is reduced by reducing the mass pulsed toward the workpiece to about one-fifth of its former value. The tool system includes calibration instruments to calibrate the micromachining tool system. Backlash is reduced and flexing decreased by using a rotary table and servomotor to pulse the tool in the omega-axis instead of a ball screw mechanism. A thermally-stabilized spindle rotates the workpiece and is driven by a motor not mounted on the micromachining tool base through a torque-smoothing pulley and vibrationless rotary coupling. Abbe offset errors are almost eliminated by tool setting and calibration at spindle center height. Tool contour and workpiece contour are gaged on the machine; this enables the source of machining errors to be determined more readily, because the workpiece is gaged before its shape can be changed by removal from the machine.

Micromachined Precision Inertial Instruments

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-11-01

vol. 40, pp. 903-908, 1993. [9] J. D. Zook, D. W. Burns, H. Guckel, J. J. Sniegowski, R . L. Engelstad, and Z. Feng, "Characteristics of polysilicon...285-288, 2000. [14] B. E. Boser and R . T. Howe, "Surface micromachined accelerometers," IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 31, pp. 366-375...pp. 81-84, 2003. [23] I. O. Inc., "Si-Flex 1500-ULND Evaluation Board, Single Channel Digital Output," 2003. [24] H. Luo, G. K. Fedder, and L. R

The Mathematical Modeling and Computer Simulation of Electrochemical Micromachining Using Ultrashort Pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozak, J.; Gulbinowicz, D.; Gulbinowicz, Z.

2009-05-01

The need for complex and accurate three dimensional (3-D) microcomponents is increasing rapidly for many industrial and consumer products. Electrochemical machining process (ECM) has the potential of generating desired crack-free and stress-free surfaces of microcomponents. This paper reports a study of pulse electrochemical micromachining (PECMM) using ultrashort (nanoseconds) pulses for generating complex 3-D microstructures of high accuracy. A mathematical model of the microshaping process with taking into consideration unsteady phenomena in electrical double layer has been developed. The software for computer simulation of PECM has been developed and the effects of machining parameters on anodic localization and final shape of machined surface are presented.

The influence of ArF excimer laser micromachining on physicochemical properties of bioresorbable poly(L-lactide)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stepak, Bogusz D.; Antończak, Arkadiusz J.; Szustakiewicz, Konrad; Pezowicz, Celina; Abramski, Krzysztof M.

2016-03-01

The main advantage of laser processing is a non-contact character of material removal and high precision attainable thanks to low laser beam dimensions. This technique enables forming a complex, submillimeter geometrical shapes such as vascular stents which cannot be manufactured using traditional techniques e.g. injection moulding or mechanical treatment. In the domain of nanosecond laser sources, an ArF excimer laser appears as a good candidate for laser micromachining of bioresorbable polymers such as poly(L-lactide). Due to long pulse duration, however, there is a risk of heat diffusion and accumulation in the material. In addition, due to short wavelength (193 nm) photochemical process can modify the chemical composition of ablated surfaces. The motivation for this research was to evaluate the influence of laser micromachining on physicochemical properties of poly(L-lactide). We performed calorimetric analysis of laser machined samples by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It allowed us to find the optimal process parameters for heat affected zone (HAZ) reduction. The chemical composition of the ablated surface was investigated by FTIR in attenuated total reflectance (ATR) mode.

Process for laser machining and surface treatment

DOEpatents

Neil, George R.; Shinn, Michelle D.

2004-10-26

An improved method and apparatus increasing the accuracy and reducing the time required to machine materials, surface treat materials, and allow better control of defects such as particulates in pulsed laser deposition. The speed and quality of machining is improved by combining an ultrashort pulsed laser at high average power with a continuous wave laser. The ultrashort pulsed laser provides an initial ultrashort pulse, on the order of several hundred femtoseconds, to stimulate an electron avalanche in the target material. Coincident with the ultrashort pulse or shortly after it, a pulse from a continuous wave laser is applied to the target. The micromachining method and apparatus creates an initial ultrashort laser pulse to ignite the ablation followed by a longer laser pulse to sustain and enlarge on the ablation effect launched in the initial pulse. The pulse pairs are repeated at a high pulse repetition frequency and as often as desired to produce the desired micromachining effect. The micromachining method enables a lower threshold for ablation, provides more deterministic damage, minimizes the heat affected zone, minimizes cracking or melting, and reduces the time involved to create the desired machining effect.

Biomimetic wall-shaped hierarchical microstructure for gecko-like attachment.

PubMed

Kasem, Haytam; Tsipenyuk, Alexey; Varenberg, Michael

2015-04-21

Most biological hairy adhesive systems involved in locomotion rely on spatula-shaped terminal elements, whose operation has been actively studied during the last decade. However, though functional principles underlying their amazing performance are now well understood, due to technical difficulties in manufacturing the complex structure of hierarchical spatulate systems, a biomimetic surface structure featuring true shear-induced dynamic attachment still remains elusive. To try bridging this gap, a novel method of manufacturing gecko-like attachment surfaces is devised based on a laser-micromachining technology. This method overcomes the inherent disadvantages of photolithography techniques and opens wide perspectives for future production of gecko-like attachment systems. Advanced smart-performance surfaces featuring thin-film-based hierarchical shear-activated elements are fabricated and found capable of generating friction force of several tens of times the contact load, which makes a significant step forward towards a true gecko-like adhesive.

Surface-Micromachined Microfluidic Devices

DOEpatents

Galambos, Paul C.; Okandan, Murat; Montague, Stephen; Smith, James H.; Paul, Phillip H.; Krygowski, Thomas W.; Allen, James J.; Nichols, Christopher A.; Jakubczak, II, Jerome F.

2004-09-28

Microfluidic devices are disclosed which can be manufactured using surface-micromachining. These devices utilize an electroosmotic force or an electromagnetic field to generate a flow of a fluid in a microchannel that is lined, at least in part, with silicon nitride. Additional electrodes can be provided within or about the microchannel for separating particular constituents in the fluid during the flow based on charge state or magnetic moment. The fluid can also be pressurized in the channel. The present invention has many different applications including electrokinetic pumping, chemical and biochemical analysis (e.g. based on electrophoresis or chromatography), conducting chemical reactions on a microscopic scale, and forming hydraulic actuators. Microfluidic devices are disclosed which can be manufactured using surface-micromachining. These devices utilize an electroosmotic force or an electromagnetic field to generate a flow of a fluid in a microchannel that is lined, at least in part, with silicon nitride. Additional electrodes can be provided within or about the microchannel for separating particular constituents in the fluid during the flow based on charge state or magnetic moment. The fluid can also be pressurized in the channel. The present invention has many different applications including electrokinetic pumping, chemical and biochemical analysis (e.g. based on electrophoresis or chromatography), conducting chemical reactions on a microscopic scale, and forming hydraulic actuators.

Micromachined Fluid Inertial Sensors

PubMed Central

Liu, Shiqiang; Zhu, Rong

2017-01-01

Micromachined fluid inertial sensors are an important class of inertial sensors, which mainly includes thermal accelerometers and fluid gyroscopes, which have now been developed since the end of the last century for about 20 years. Compared with conventional silicon or quartz inertial sensors, the fluid inertial sensors use a fluid instead of a solid proof mass as the moving and sensitive element, and thus offer advantages of simple structures, low cost, high shock resistance, and large measurement ranges while the sensitivity and bandwidth are not competitive. Many studies and various designs have been reported in the past two decades. This review firstly introduces the working principles of fluid inertial sensors, followed by the relevant research developments. The micromachined thermal accelerometers based on thermal convection have developed maturely and become commercialized. However, the micromachined fluid gyroscopes, which are based on jet flow or thermal flow, are less mature. The key issues and technologies of the thermal accelerometers, mainly including bandwidth, temperature compensation, monolithic integration of tri-axis accelerometers and strategies for high production yields are also summarized and discussed. For the micromachined fluid gyroscopes, improving integration and sensitivity, reducing thermal errors and cross coupling errors are the issues of most concern. PMID:28216569

Polyimide as a versatile enabling material for microsystems fabrication: surface micromachining and electrodeposited nanowires integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walewyns, Thomas; Reckinger, Nicolas; Ryelandt, Sophie; Pardoen, Thomas; Raskin, Jean-Pierre; Francis, Laurent A.

2013-09-01

The interest of using polyimide as a sacrificial and anchoring layer is demonstrated for post-processing surface micromachining and for the incorporation of metallic nanowires into microsystems. In addition to properties like a high planarization factor, a good resistance to most non-oxidizing acids and bases, and CMOS compatibility, polyimide can also be used as a mold for nanostructures after ion track-etching. Moreover, specific polyimide grades, such as PI-2611 from HD Microsystems™, involve a thermal expansion coefficient similar to silicon and low internal stress. The process developed in this study permits higher gaps compared to the state-of-the-art, limits stiction problems with the substrate and is adapted to various top-layer materials. Most metals, semiconductors or ceramics will not be affected by the oxygen plasma required for polyimide etching. Released structures with vertical gaps from one to several tens of μm have been obtained, possibly using multiple layers of polyimide. Furthermore, patterned freestanding nanowires have been synthesized with diameters from 20 to 60 nm and up to 3 μm in length. These results have been applied to the fabrication of two specific devices: a generic nanomechanical testing lab-on-chip platform and a miniaturized ionization sensor.

A broad-band microseismometer for planetary operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banerdt, W. B.; Vanzandt, T.; Kaiser, W. J.; Kenny, T. W.

1993-01-01

There has recently been renewed interest in the development of instrumentation for making measurements on the surface of Mars. This is due to the Mars Environmental Survey (MESUR) Mission, for which approximately 16 small, long-lived (2-10 years), relatively inexpensive surface stations will be deployed in a planet-wide network. This will allow the investigation of processes (such as seismology and meteorology) which require the simultaneous measurement of phenomena at many widely spaced locations on the surface over a considerable length of time. Due to the large number of vehicles involved, the mass, power, and cost of the payload will be severely constrained. A seismometer has been identified as one of the highest priority instruments in the MESUR straw-man payload. The requirements for an effective seismic experiment on Mars place a number of constraints on any viable sensor design. First, a large number of sensors must be deployed in a long-lived global network in order to be able to locate many events reliably, provide good spatial sampling of the interior, and increase the probability of seismic detection in the event of localized seismicity and/or high attenuation. From a practical standpoint, this means that individual surface stations will necessarily be constrained in terms of cost, mass, and power. Landing and thermal control systems will probably be simple, in order to minimize cost, resulting in large impact accelerations and wide daily and seasonal thermal swings. The level of seismic noise will determine the maximum usable sensitivity for seismometer. Unfortunately, the ambient seismic noise level for Mars is not well known. However lunar seismic noise levels are several orders of magnitude below that of the Earth. Sensitivities on the order of 10(exp -11)g over a bandwidth of .04 to 20 Hz are thought to be necessary to fulfill the science objectives for a seimometer placed on the Martian surface. Silicon micromachined sensor technology offers techniques for the fabrication of monolithic, robust, compact, lower power and mass accelerometers. Conventional micro-machined accelerometers have been developed and are commercially available for high frequency and large acceleration measurements. The new seismometer we are developing incorporates certain principles of conventional silicon micromachined accelerometer technology. However, currently available silicon micromachined sensors offer inadequate sensitivity and bandwidth for the Mars seismometer application. Our implementation of an advanced silicon micromachined seismometer is based on principles recently developed at JPL for high-sensitivity position sensor technology.

Enhancement of structural stiffness in MEMS structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilias, Samir; Picard, Francis; Topart, Patrice; Larouche, Carl; Jerominek, Hubert

2006-01-01

Many optical applications require smooth micromirror reflective surfaces with large radius of curvature. Usually when using surface micromachining technology and as a result of residual stress and stress gradient in thin films, the control of residual curvature is a difficult task. In this work, two engineering approaches were developed to enhance structural stiffness of micromirrors. 1) By integrating stiffening structures and thermal annealing. The stiffening structures consist of U-shaped profiles integrated with the mirror (dimension 200×300 μm2). 2) By combining selective electroplating and flip-chip based technologies. Nickel was used as electroplated material with optimal stress values around +/-10 MPa for layer thicknesses of about 10 μm. With the former approach, typical curvature radii of about 1.5 cm and 0.6 cm along mirror width and length were obtained, respectively. With the latter approach, an important improvement in the micromirror planarity and flatness was achieved with curvature radius up to 23 cm and roughness lower than 5 nm rms for typical 1000×1000 μm2 micromirrors.

Air Bearings Machined On Ultra Precision, Hydrostatic CNC-Lathe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knol, Pierre H.; Szepesi, Denis; Deurwaarder, Jan M.

1987-01-01

Micromachining of precision elements requires an adequate machine concept to meet the high demand of surface finish, dimensional and shape accuracy. The Hembrug ultra precision lathes have been exclusively designed with hydrostatic principles for main spindle and guideways. This concept is to be explained with some major advantages of hydrostatics compared with aerostatics at universal micromachining applications. Hembrug has originally developed the conventional Mikroturn ultra precision facing lathes, for diamond turning of computer memory discs. This first generation of machines was followed by the advanced computer numerically controlled types for machining of complex precision workpieces. One of these parts, an aerostatic bearing component has been succesfully machined on the Super-Mikroturn CNC. A case study of airbearing machining confirms the statement that a good result of the micromachining does not depend on machine performance alone, but also on the technology applied.

Micromachined patch-clamp apparatus

DOEpatents

Okandan, Murat

2012-12-04

A micromachined patch-clamp apparatus is disclosed for holding one or more cells and providing electrical, chemical, or mechanical stimulation to the cells during analysis with the patch-clamp technique for studying ion channels in cell membranes. The apparatus formed on a silicon substrate utilizes a lower chamber formed from silicon nitride using surface micromachining and an upper chamber formed from a molded polymer material. An opening in a common wall between the chambers is used to trap and hold a cell for analysis using the patch-clamp technique with sensing electrodes on each side of the cell. Some embodiments of the present invention utilize one or more electrostatic actuators formed on the substrate to provide mechanical stimulation to the cell being analyzed, or to provide information about mechanical movement of the cell in response to electrical or chemical stimulation.

Packaging of electro-microfluidic devices

DOEpatents

Benavides, Gilbert L.; Galambos, Paul C.; Emerson, John A.; Peterson, Kenneth A.; Giunta, Rachel K.; Zamora, David Lee; Watson, Robert D.

2003-04-15

A new architecture for packaging surface micromachined electro-microfluidic devices is presented. This architecture relies on two scales of packaging to bring fluid to the device scale (picoliters) from the macro-scale (microliters). The architecture emulates and utilizes electronics packaging technology. The larger package consists of a circuit board with embedded fluidic channels and standard fluidic connectors (e.g. Fluidic Printed Wiring Board). The embedded channels connect to the smaller package, an Electro-Microfluidic Dual-Inline-Package (EMDIP) that takes fluid to the microfluidic integrated circuit (MIC). The fluidic connection is made to the back of the MIC through Bosch-etched holes that take fluid to surface micromachined channels on the front of the MIC. Electrical connection is made to bond pads on the front of the MIC.

Packaging of electro-microfluidic devices

DOEpatents

Benavides, Gilbert L.; Galambos, Paul C.; Emerson, John A.; Peterson, Kenneth A.; Giunta, Rachel K.; Watson, Robert D.

2002-01-01

A new architecture for packaging surface micromachined electro-microfluidic devices is presented. This architecture relies on two scales of packaging to bring fluid to the device scale (picoliters) from the macro-scale (microliters). The architecture emulates and utilizes electronics packaging technology. The larger package consists of a circuit board with embedded fluidic channels and standard fluidic connectors (e.g. Fluidic Printed Wiring Board). The embedded channels connect to the smaller package, an Electro-Microfluidic Dual-Inline-Package (EMDIP) that takes fluid to the microfluidic integrated circuit (MIC). The fluidic connection is made to the back of the MIC through Bosch-etched holes that take fluid to surface micromachined channels on the front of the MIC. Electrical connection is made to bond pads on the front of the MIC.

Micromachine friction test apparatus

DOEpatents

deBoer, Maarten P.; Redmond, James M.; Michalske, Terry A.

2002-01-01

A microelectromechanical (MEM) friction test apparatus is disclosed for determining static or dynamic friction in MEM devices. The friction test apparatus, formed by surface micromachining, is based on a friction pad supported at one end of a cantilevered beam, with the friction pad overlying a contact pad formed on the substrate. A first electrostatic actuator can be used to bring a lower surface of the friction pad into contact with an upper surface of the contact pad with a controlled and adjustable force of contact. A second electrostatic actuator can then be used to bend the cantilevered beam, thereby shortening its length and generating a relative motion between the two contacting surfaces. The displacement of the cantilevered beam can be measured optically and used to determine the static or dynamic friction, including frictional losses and the coefficient of friction between the surfaces. The test apparatus can also be used to assess the reliability of rubbing surfaces in MEM devices by producing and measuring wear of those surfaces. Finally, the friction test apparatus, which is small in size, can be used as an in situ process quality tool for improving the fabrication of MEM devices.

Micromachined optical microphone structures with low thermal-mechanical noise levels.

PubMed

Hall, Neal A; Okandan, Murat; Littrell, Robert; Bicen, Baris; Degertekin, F Levent

2007-10-01

Micromachined microphones with diffraction-based optical displacement detection have been introduced previously [Hall et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 118, 3000-3009 (2005)]. The approach has the advantage of providing high displacement detection resolution of the microphone diaphragm independent of device size and capacitance-creating an unconstrained design space for the mechanical structure itself. Micromachined microphone structures with 1.5-mm-diam polysilicon diaphragms and monolithically integrated diffraction grating electrodes are presented in this work with backplate architectures that deviate substantially from traditional perforated plate designs. These structures have been designed for broadband frequency response and low thermal mechanical noise levels. Rigorous experimental characterization indicates a diaphragm displacement detection resolution of 20 fm radicalHz and a thermal mechanical induced diaphragm displacement noise density of 60 fm radicalHz, corresponding to an A-weighted sound pressure level detection limit of 24 dB(A) for these structures. Measured thermal mechanical displacement noise spectra are in excellent agreement with simulations based on system parameters derived from dynamic frequency response characterization measurements, which show a diaphragm resonance limited bandwidth of approximately 20 kHz. These designs are substantial improvements over initial prototypes presented previously. The high performance-to-size ratio achievable with this technology is expected to have an impact on a variety of instrumentation and hearing applications.

Plastic Deformation of Micromachined Silicon Diaphragms with a Sealed Cavity at High Temperatures

PubMed Central

Ren, Juan; Ward, Michael; Kinnell, Peter; Craddock, Russell; Wei, Xueyong

2016-01-01

Single crystal silicon (SCS) diaphragms are widely used as pressure sensitive elements in micromachined pressure sensors. However, for harsh environments applications, pure silicon diaphragms are hardly used because of the deterioration of SCS in both electrical and mechanical properties. To survive at the elevated temperature, the silicon structures must work in combination with other advanced materials, such as silicon carbide (SiC) or silicon on insulator (SOI), for improved performance and reduced cost. Hence, in order to extend the operating temperatures of existing SCS microstructures, this work investigates the mechanical behavior of pressurized SCS diaphragms at high temperatures. A model was developed to predict the plastic deformation of SCS diaphragms and was verified by the experiments. The evolution of the deformation was obtained by studying the surface profiles at different anneal stages. The slow continuous deformation was considered as creep for the diaphragms with a radius of 2.5 mm at 600 °C. The occurrence of plastic deformation was successfully predicted by the model and was observed at the operating temperature of 800 °C and 900 °C, respectively. PMID:26861332

GaAs micromachining in the 1 H2SO4:1 H2O2:8 H2O system. From anisotropy to simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tellier, C. R.

2011-02-01

The bulk micromachining on (010), (110) and (111)A GaAs substrates in the 1 H2SO4:1 H2O2:8 H2O system is investigated. Focus is placed on anisotropy of 3D etching shapes with a special emphasis on convex and concave undercuts which are of prime importance in the wet micromachining of mechanical structures. Etched structures exhibit curved contours and more and less rounded sidewalls showing that the anisotropy is of type 2. This anisotropy can be conveniently described by a kinematic and tensorial model. Hence, a database composed of dissolution constants is further determined from experiments. A self-elaborated simulator which works with the proposed database is used to derive theoretical 3D shapes. Simulated shapes agree well with observed shapes of microstructures. The successful simulations open up two important applications for MEMS: CAD of mask patterns and meshing of simulated shapes for FEM simulation tools.

Micromachining of silicon carbide on silicon fabricated by low-pressure chemical vapour deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behrens, Ingo; Peiner, Erwin; Bakin, Andrey S.; Schlachetzki, Andreas

2002-07-01

We describe the fabrication of silicon carbide layers for micromechanical applications using low-pressure metal-organic chemical vapour deposition at temperatures below 1000 °C. The layers can be structured by lift-off using silicon dioxide as a sacrificial layer. A large selectivity with respect to silicon can be exploited for bulk micromachining. Thin membranes are fabricated which exhibit high mechanical quality, as necessary for applications in harsh environments.

Surface micromachined MEMS deformable mirror based on hexagonal parallel-plate electrostatic actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Wenying; Ma, Changwei; Wang, Weimin

2018-03-01

Deformable mirrors (DM) based on microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology are being applied in adaptive optics (AO) system for astronomical telescopes and human eyes more and more. In this paper a MEMS DM with hexagonal actuator is proposed and designed. The relationship between structural design and performance parameters, mainly actuator coupling, is analyzed carefully and calculated. The optimum value of actuator coupling is obtained. A 7-element DM prototype is fabricated using a commercial available standard three-layer polysilicon surface multi-user-MEMS-processes (PolyMUMPs). Some key performances, including surface figure and voltage-displacement curve, are measured through a 3D white light profiler. The measured performances are very consistent with the theoretical values. The proposed DM will benefit the miniaturization of AO systems and lower their cost.

High peak power solid-state laser for micromachining of hard materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herbst, Ludolf; Quitter, John P.; Ray, Gregory M.; Kuntze, Thomas; Wiessner, Alexander O.; Govorkov, Sergei V.; Heglin, Mike

2003-06-01

Laser micromachining has become a key enabling technology in the ever-continuing trend of miniaturization in microelectronics, micro-optics, and micromechanics. New applications have become commercially viable due to the emergence of innovative laser sources, such as diode pumped solid-state lasers (DPSSL), and the progress in processing technology. Examples of industrial applications are laser-drilled micro-injection nozzles for highly efficient automobile engines, or manufacturing of complex spinnerets for production of synthetic fibers. The unique advantages of laser-based techniques stem from their ability to produce high aspect ratio holes, while yielding low heat affected zones with exceptional surface quality, roundness and taper tolerances. Additionally, the ability to drill blind holes and slots in very hard materials such as diamond, silicon, sapphire, ceramics and steel is of great interest for many applications in microelectronics, semiconductor and automotive industry. This kind of high quality, high aspect ratio micromachining requires high peak power and short pulse durations.

Utilization of the UV laser with picosecond pulses for the formation of surface microstructures on elastomeric plastics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antoszewski, B.; Tofil, S.; Scendo, M.; Tarelnik, W.

2017-08-01

Elastomeric plastics belong to a wide range of polymeric materials with special properties. They are used as construction material for seals and other components in many branches of industry and, in particular, in the biomedical industry, mechatronics, electronics and chemical equipment. The micromachining of surfaces of these materials can be used to build micro-flow, insulating, dispensing systems and chemical and biological reactors. The paper presents results of research on the effects of micro-machining of selected elastomeric plastics using a UV laser emitting picosecond pulses. The authors see the prospective application of the developed technology in the sealing technique in particular to shaping the sealing pieces co-operating with the surface of the element. The result of the study is meant to show parameters of the UV laser’s performance when producing typical components such as grooves, recesses for optimum ablation in terms of quality and productivity.

Systematic analysis of CMOS-micromachined inductors with application to mixer matching circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Jerry Chun-Li

The growing demand for consumer voice and data communication systems and military communication applications has created a need for low-power, low-cost, high-performance radio-frequency (RF) front-end. To achieve this goal, bringing passive components, especially inductors, to silicon is imperative. On-chip passive components such as inductors and capacitors generally enhance the reliability and efficiency of silicon-integrated RF cells. They can provide circuit solutions with superior performance and contribute to a higher level of integration. With passive components on chip, there is a great opportunity to have transformers, filters, and matching networks on chip. However, inductors on silicon have a low quality factor (Q) due to both substrate and metal loss. This dissertation demonstrates the systematic analysis of inductors fabricated using standard complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) and micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) system technologies. We report system-on-chip inductor modeling, simulation, and measurements of effective inductance and quality factors. In this analysis methodology, a number of systematic simulations are performed on regular and micromachined inductors with different parameters such as spiral topology, number of turns, outer diameter, thickness, and percentage of substrate removed by using micromachining technologies. Three different novel support structures of the micromachined spiral inductor are proposed, analyzed, and implemented for larger size suspended inductors. The sensitivity of the structure support and different degree of substrate etching by post-processing is illustrated. The results provide guidelines for the selection of inductor parameters, post-processing methodologies, and its spiral supports to meet the RF design specifications and the stability requirements for mobile communication. The proposed CMOS-micromachined inductor is used in a low cost-effective double-balanced Gilbert mixer with on-chip matching network. The integrated mixer inductor was implemented and tested to prove the concept.

An investigation of vibration-induced protein desorption mechanism using a micromachined membrane and PZT plate.

PubMed

Yeh, Po Ying; Le, Yevgeniya; Kizhakkedathu, Jayachandran N; Chiao, Mu

2008-10-01

A micromachined vibrating membrane is used to remove adsorbed proteins on a surface. A lead zirconate titanate (PZT) composite (3 x 1 x 0.5 mm) is attached to a silicon membrane (2,000 x 500 x 3 microm) and vibrates in a flexural plate wave (FPW) mode with wavelength of 4,000/3 microm at a resonant frequency of 308 kHz. The surface charge on the membrane and fluid shear stress contribute in minimizing the protein adsorption on the SiO(2) surface. In vitro characterization shows that 57 +/- 10% of the adsorbed bovine serum albumin (BSA), 47 +/- 13% of the immunoglobulin G (IgG), and 55.3~59.2 +/- 8% of the proteins from blood plasma are effectively removed from the vibrating surface. A simulation study of the vibration-frequency spectrum and vibrating amplitude distribution matches well with the experimental data. Potentially, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based vibrating membrane could be the tool to minimize biofouling of in vivo MEMS devices.

Method Of Packaging And Assembling Electro-Microfluidic Devices

DOEpatents

Benavides, Gilbert L.; Galambos, Paul C.; Emerson, John A.; Peterson, Kenneth A.; Giunta, Rachel K.; Zamora, David Lee; Watson, Robert D.

2004-11-23

A new architecture for packaging surface micromachined electro-microfluidic devices is presented. This architecture relies on two scales of packaging to bring fluid to the device scale (picoliters) from the macro-scale (microliters). The architecture emulates and utilizes electronics packaging technology. The larger package consists of a circuit board with embedded fluidic channels and standard fluidic connectors (e.g. Fluidic Printed Wiring Board). The embedded channels connect to the smaller package, an Electro-Microfluidic Dual-Inline-Package (EMDIP) that takes fluid to the microfluidic integrated circuit (MIC). The fluidic connection is made to the back of the MIC through Bosch-etched holes that take fluid to surface micromachined channels on the front of the MIC. Electrical connection is made to bond pads on the front of the MIC.

Passive tire pressure sensor and method

DOEpatents

Pfeifer, Kent Bryant; Williams, Robert Leslie; Waldschmidt, Robert Lee; Morgan, Catherine Hook

2006-08-29

A surface acoustic wave device includes a micro-machined pressure transducer for monitoring tire pressure. The device is configured having a micro-machined cavity that is sealed with a flexible conductive membrane. When an external tire pressure equivalent to the cavity pressure is detected, the membrane makes contact with ridges on the backside of the surface acoustic wave device. The ridges are electrically connected to conductive fingers of the device. When the detected pressure is correct, selected fingers on the device will be grounded producing patterned acoustic reflections to an impulse RF signal. When the external tire pressure is less than the cavity reference pressure, a reduced reflected signal to the receiver results. The sensor may further be constructed so as to identify itself by a unique reflected identification pulse series.

Passive tire pressure sensor and method

DOEpatents

Pfeifer, Kent Bryant; Williams, Robert Leslie; Waldschmidt, Robert Lee; Morgan, Catherine Hook

2007-09-04

A surface acoustic wave device includes a micro-machined pressure transducer for monitoring tire pressure. The device is configured having a micro-machined cavity that is sealed with a flexible conductive membrane. When an external tire pressure equivalent to the cavity pressure is detected, the membrane makes contact with ridges on the backside of the surface acoustic wave device. The ridges are electrically connected to conductive fingers of the device. When the detected pressure is correct, selected fingers on the device will be grounded producing patterned acoustic reflections to an impulse RF signal. When the external tire pressure is less than the cavity reference pressure, a reduced reflected signal to the receiver results. The sensor may further be constructed so as to identify itself by a unique reflected identification pulse series.

Underwater superoleophobicity, anti-oil and ultra-broadband enhanced absorption of metallic surfaces produced by a femtosecond laser inspired by fish and chameleons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, K.; Song, Y. X.; Dong, X. R.; Wang, C.; Duan, J. A.

2016-11-01

Reported here is the bio-inspired and robust function of underwater superoleophobic, anti-oil metallic surfaces with ultra-broadband enhanced optical absorption obtained through femtosecond laser micromachining. Three distinct surface structures are fabricated using a wide variety of processing parameters. Underwater superoleophobic and anti-oil surfaces containing coral-like microstructures with nanoparticles and mount-like microstructures are achieved. These properties of the as-prepared surfaces exhibit good chemical stability when exposed to various types of oils and when immersed in water with a wide range of pH values. Moreover, coral-like microstructures with nanoparticle surfaces show strongly enhanced optical absorption over a broadband wavelength range from 0.2-25 μm. The potential mechanism for the excellent performance of the coral-like microstructures with a nanoparticle surface is also discussed. This multifunctional surface has potential applications in military submarines, amphibious military aircraft and tanks, and underwater anti-oil optical counter-reconnaissance devices.

Effect of Axial Force on the Performance of Micromachined Vibratory Rate Gyroscopes

PubMed Central

Hou, Zhanqiang; Xiao, Dingbang; Wu, Xuezhong; Dong, Peitao; Chen, Zhihua; Niu, Zhengyi; Zhang, Xu

2011-01-01

It is reported in the published literature that the resonant frequency of a silicon micromachined gyroscope decreases linearly with increasing temperature. However, when the axial force is considerable, the resonant frequency might increase as the temperature increases. The axial force is mainly induced by thermal stress due to the mismatch between the thermal expansion coefficients of the structure and substrate. In this paper, two types of micromachined suspended vibratory gyroscopes with slanted beams were proposed to evaluate the effect of the axial force. One type was suspended with a clamped-free (C-F) beam and the other one was suspended with a clamped-clamped (C-C) beam. Their drive modes are the bending of the slanted beam, and their sense modes are the torsion of the slanted beam. The relationships between the resonant frequencies of the two types were developed. The prototypes were packaged by vacuum under 0.1 mbar and an analytical solution for the axial force effect on the resonant frequency was obtained. The temperature dependent performances of the operated mode responses of the micromachined gyroscopes were measured. The experimental values of the temperature coefficients of resonant frequencies (TCF) due to axial force were 101.5 ppm/°C for the drive mode and 21.6 ppm/°C for the sense mode. The axial force has a great influence on the modal frequency of the micromachined gyroscopes suspended with a C-C beam, especially for the flexure mode. The quality factors of the operated modes decreased with increasing temperature, and changed drastically when the micromachined gyroscopes worked at higher temperatures. PMID:22346578

UV laser-assisted wire stripping and micro-machining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martyniuk, Jerry

1994-02-01

Results are reported for the use of a 266 nm frequency quadrupled Nd:YAG ultraviolet laser in the areas of wire stripping of small coaxial type transmission lines and for micro-machining of various materials including copper, glass, polyimide and DuPont TEFLONTM. This new laser is typically run with a 2 KHz repetition rate, 40 ns FWHM pulse and a fluence of about 50 joules/cm2 which makes it possible to micro-machine metals, polymers, glasses and ceramics. The high fluence of this laser allows shielding structures such as Al-MylarTM, Al-KaptonTM or the plated copper used in small coaxial cables to be precisely cut. Cut rates are reported for the above materials as well as results and photos of wire stripping and micro- machining.

Lab-on-CMOS Integration of Microfluidics and Electrochemical Sensors

PubMed Central

Huang, Yue; Mason, Andrew J.

2013-01-01

This paper introduces a CMOS-microfluidics integration scheme for electrochemical microsystems. A CMOS chip was embedded into a micro-machined silicon carrier. By leveling the CMOS chip and carrier surface to within 100 nm, an expanded obstacle-free surface suitable for photolithography was achieved. Thin film metal planar interconnects were microfabricated to bridge CMOS pads to the perimeter of the carrier, leaving a flat and smooth surface for integrating microfluidic structures. A model device containing SU-8 microfluidic mixers and detection channels crossing over microelectrodes on a CMOS integrated circuit was constructed using the chip-carrier assembly scheme. Functional integrity of microfluidic structures and on-CMOS electrodes was verified by a simultaneous sample dilution and electrochemical detection experiment within multi-channel microfluidics. This lab-on-CMOS integration process is capable of high packing density, is suitable for wafer-level batch production, and opens new opportunities to combine the performance benefits of on-CMOS sensors with lab-on-chip platforms. PMID:23939616

Lab-on-CMOS integration of microfluidics and electrochemical sensors.

PubMed

Huang, Yue; Mason, Andrew J

2013-10-07

This paper introduces a CMOS-microfluidics integration scheme for electrochemical microsystems. A CMOS chip was embedded into a micro-machined silicon carrier. By leveling the CMOS chip and carrier surface to within 100 nm, an expanded obstacle-free surface suitable for photolithography was achieved. Thin film metal planar interconnects were microfabricated to bridge CMOS pads to the perimeter of the carrier, leaving a flat and smooth surface for integrating microfluidic structures. A model device containing SU-8 microfluidic mixers and detection channels crossing over microelectrodes on a CMOS integrated circuit was constructed using the chip-carrier assembly scheme. Functional integrity of microfluidic structures and on-CMOS electrodes was verified by a simultaneous sample dilution and electrochemical detection experiment within multi-channel microfluidics. This lab-on-CMOS integration process is capable of high packing density, is suitable for wafer-level batch production, and opens new opportunities to combine the performance benefits of on-CMOS sensors with lab-on-chip platforms.

Laser induced periodic surface structuring on Si by temporal shaped femtosecond pulses.

PubMed

Almeida, G F B; Martins, R J; Otuka, A J G; Siqueira, J P; Mendonca, C R

2015-10-19

We investigated the effect of temporal shaped femtosecond pulses on silicon laser micromachining. By using sinusoidal spectral phases, pulse trains composed of sub-pulses with distinct temporal separations were generated and applied to the silicon surface to produce Laser Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS). The LIPSS obtained with different sub-pulse separation were analyzed by comparing the intensity of the two-dimensional fast Fourier Transform (2D-FFT) of the AFM images of the ripples (LIPSS). It was observed that LIPSS amplitude is more emphasized for the pulse train with sub-pulses separation of 128 fs, even when compared with the Fourier transform limited pulse. By estimating the carrier density achieved at the end of each pulse train, we have been able to interpret our results with the Sipe-Drude model, that predicts that LIPSS efficacy is higher for a specific induced carrier density. Hence, our results indicate that temporal shaping of the excitation pulse, performed by spectral phase modulation, can be explored in fs-laser microstructuring.

Free-form machining for micro-imaging systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barkman, Michael L.; Dutterer, Brian S.; Davies, Matthew A.; Suleski, Thomas J.

2008-02-01

While mechanical ruling and single point diamond turning has been a mainstay of optical fabrication for many years, many types of micro-optical devices and structures are not conducive to simple diamond turning or ruling, such as, for example, microlens arrays, and optical surfaces with non-radial symmetry. More recent developments in machining technology have enabled significant expansion of fabrication capabilities. Modern machine tools can generate complex three-dimensional structures with optical quality surface finish, and fabricate structures across a dynamic range of dimensions not achievable with lithographic techniques. In particular, five-axis free-form micromachining offers a great deal of promise for realization of essentially arbitrary surface structures, including surfaces not realizable through binary or analog lithographic techniques. Furthermore, these machines can generate geometric features with optical finish on scales ranging from centimeters to micrometers with accuracies of 10s of nanometers. In this paper, we discuss techniques and applications of free-form surface machining of micro-optical elements. Aspects of diamond machine tool design to realize desired surface geometries in specific materials are discussed. Examples are presented, including fabrication of aspheric lens arrays in germanium for compact infrared imaging systems. Using special custom kinematic mounting equipment and the additional axes of the machine, the lenses were turned with surface finish better than 2 nm RMS and center to center positioning accuracy of +/-0.5 μm.

Micromachined silicon acoustic delay line with improved structural stability and acoustic directivity for real-time photoacoustic tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Young; Kumar, Akhil; Xu, Song; Zou, Jun

2017-03-01

Recent studies have shown that micromachined silicon acoustic delay lines can provide a promising solution to achieve real-time photoacoustic tomography without the need for complex transducer arrays and data acquisition electronics. However, as its length increases to provide longer delay time, the delay line becomes more vulnerable to structural instability due to reduced mechanical stiffness. In addition, the small cross-section area of the delay line results in a large acoustic acceptance angle and therefore poor directivity. To address these two issues, this paper reports the design, fabrication, and testing of a new silicon acoustic delay line enhanced with 3D printed polymer micro linker structures. First, mechanical deformation of the silicon acoustic delay line (with and without linker structures) under gravity was simulated by using finite element method. Second, the acoustic crosstalk and acoustic attenuation caused by the polymer micro linker structures were evaluated with both numerical simulation and ultrasound transmission testing. The result shows that the use of the polymer micro linker structures significantly improves the structural stability of the silicon acoustic delay lines without creating additional acoustic attenuation and crosstalk. In addition, a new tapered design for the input terminal of the delay line was also investigate to improve its acoustic directivity by reducing the acoustic acceptance angle. These two improvements are expected to provide an effective solution to eliminate current limitations on the achievable acoustic delay time and out-of-plane imaging resolution of micromachined silicon acoustic delay line arrays.

Micromachined silicon acoustic delay line with 3D-printed micro linkers and tapered input for improved structural stability and acoustic directivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Y.; Kumar, A.; Xu, S.; Zou, J.

2016-10-01

Recent studies have shown that micromachined silicon acoustic delay lines can provide a promising solution to achieve real-time photoacoustic tomography without the need for complex transducer arrays and data acquisition electronics. To achieve deeper imaging depth and wider field of view, a longer delay time and therefore delay length are required. However, as the length of the delay line increases, it becomes more vulnerable to structural instability due to reduced mechanical stiffness. In this paper, we report the design, fabrication, and testing of a new silicon acoustic delay line enhanced with 3D printed polymer micro linker structures. First, mechanical deformation of the silicon acoustic delay line (with and without linker structures) under gravity was simulated by using finite element method. Second, the acoustic crosstalk and acoustic attenuation caused by the polymer micro linker structures were evaluated with both numerical simulation and ultrasound transmission testing. The result shows that the use of the polymer micro linker structures significantly improves the structural stability of the silicon acoustic delay lines without creating additional acoustic attenuation and crosstalk. In addition, the improvement of the acoustic acceptance angle of the silicon acoustic delay lines was also investigated to better suppress the reception of unwanted ultrasound signals outside of the imaging plane. These two improvements are expected to provide an effective solution to eliminate current limitations on the achievable acoustic delay time and out-of-plane imaging resolution of micromachined silicon acoustic delay line arrays.

Wettability modification of porous PET by atmospheric femtosecond PLD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Assaf, Youssef; Forstmann, Guillaume; Kietzig, Anne-Marie

2018-04-01

In this study, porous structures were created on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) by femtosecond (fs) laser micromachining. While such structures offer a texture that is desirable for several applications, their wettability does not always match the application in question. The aim of this investigation is to tune the wettability of such surfaces by incorporating a controlled amount of nanoparticles into the structure. The machined PET samples were thus used as substrates for fs pulsed laser deposition (PLD) of titanium under ambient conditions. The nanoparticles were deposited as nanochain clusters due to the formation of an oxide layer between individual nanoparticles. The stability of nanoparticle incorporation was tested by placing the samples in an ultrasonic ethanol bath. Results indicated that nanoparticles were still successfully incorporated into the microstructure after sonication. Nanoparticle surface coverage was observed to be controllable through the operating fluence. The dynamic contact angles of the resulting composite surface were observed to decrease with increasing titanium incorporation. Therefore, this work highlights atmospheric fs PLD as a method for wettability modification of high surface area microstructures without undermining their topology. In addition, this technique uses almost the same equipment as the machining process by which the microstructures are initially created, further highlighting its practicality.

Fabricating micro-instruments in surface-micromachined polycrystalline silicon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Comtois, J.H.; Michalicek, M.A.; Barron, C.C.

1997-04-01

Smaller, lighter instruments can be fabricated as Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), having micron scale moving parts packaged together with associated control and measurement electronics. Batch fabrication of these devices will make economical applications such as condition-based machine maintenance and remote sensing. The choice of instrumentation is limited only by the designer`s imagination. This paper presents one genre of MEMS fabrication, surface-micromachined polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon). Two currently available but slightly different polysilicon processes are presented. One is the ARPA-sponsored ``Multi-User MEMS ProcesS`` (MUMPS), available commercially through MCNC; the other is the Sandia National Laboratories ``Sandia Ultra-planar Multilevel MEMS Technology`` (SUMMiT). Example componentsmore » created in both processes will be presented, with an emphasis on actuators, actuator force testing instruments, and incorporating actuators into larger instruments.« less

Material removal effect of microchannel processing by femtosecond laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Pan; Chen, Lei; Chen, Jianxiong; Tu, Yiliu

2017-11-01

Material processing using ultra-short-pulse laser is widely used in the field of micromachining, especially for the precision processing of hard and brittle materials. This paper reports a theoretical and experimental study of the ablation characteristics of a silicon wafer under micromachining using a femtosecond laser. The ablation morphology of the silicon wafer surface is surveyed by a detection test with an optical microscope. First, according to the relationship between the diameter of the ablation holes and the incident laser power, the ablation threshold of the silicon wafer is found to be 0.227 J/cm2. Second, the influence of various laser parameters on the size of the ablation microstructure is studied and the ablation morphology is analyzed. Furthermore, a mathematical model is proposed that can calculate the ablation depth per time for a given laser fluence and scanning velocity. Finally, a microchannel milling test is carried out on the micromachining center. The effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed models are verified by comparing the estimated depth to the actual measured results.

Study of Thermal Electrical Modified Etching for Glass and Its Application in Structure Etching

PubMed Central

Zhan, Zhan; Li, Wei; Yu, Lingke; Wang, Lingyun; Sun, Daoheng

2017-01-01

In this work, an accelerating etching method for glass named thermal electrical modified etching (TEM etching) is investigated. Based on the identification of the effect in anodic bonding, a novel method for glass structure micromachining is proposed using TEM etching. To validate the method, TEM-etched glasses are prepared and their morphology is tested, revealing the feasibility of the new method for micro/nano structure micromachining. Furthermore, two kinds of edge effect in the TEM and etching processes are analyzed. Additionally, a parameter study of TEM etching involving transferred charge, applied pressure, and etching roughness is conducted to evaluate this method. The study shows that TEM etching is a promising manufacture method for glass with low process temperature, three-dimensional self-control ability, and low equipment requirement. PMID:28772521

3D capacitive tactile sensor using DRIE micromachining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuang, Chiehtang; Chen, Rongshun

2005-07-01

This paper presents a three dimensional micro capacitive tactile sensor that can detect normal and shear forces which is fabricated using deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) bulk silicon micromachining. The tactile sensor consists of a force transmission plate, a symmetric suspension system, and comb electrodes. The sensing character is based on the changes of capacitance between coplanar sense electrodes. High sensitivity is achieved by using the high aspect ratio interdigital electrodes with narrow comb gaps and large overlap areas. The symmetric suspension mechanism of this sensor can easily solve the coupling problem of measurement and increase the stability of the structure. In this paper, the sensor structure is designed, the capacitance variation of the proposed device is theoretically analyzed, and the finite element analysis of mechanical behavior of the structures is performed.

Far-field emission characteristics and linewidth measurements of surface micro-machined MEMS tunable VCSELs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, Sujoy; Gierl, Christian; Gründl, Tobias; Zogal, Karolina; Meissner, Peter; Amann, Markus-Christian; Küppers, Franko

2013-03-01

In this paper, we demonstrate for the first time the far-field experimental results and the linewidth characteris- tics for widely tunable surface-micromachined micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) vertical-cavity surface- emitting lasers (VCSELs) operating at 1550 nm. The fundamental Gaussian mode emission is confirmed by optimizing the radius of curvature of top distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) membrane and by choosing an ap- propriate diameter of circular buried tunnel junctions (BTJs) so that only the fundamental Gaussian mode can sustain. For these VCSELs, a mode-hop free continuous tuning over 100 nm has already been demonstrated, which is achieved by electro-thermal tuning of the MEMS mirror. The fiber-coupled optical power of 2mW over the entire tuning range has been reported. The singlemode laser emission has more than 40 dB of side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR). The smallest linewidth achieved with these of MEMS tunable VCSELs is 98MHz which is one order of magnitude higher than that of fixed-wavelength VCSELs.

Wireless health monitoring of cracks in structures with MEMS-IDT sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jae-Sung; Vinoy, K. J.; Varadan, Vijay K.

2002-07-01

The integration of MEMS, IDTs and required microelectronics and conformal antennas to realize programmable, robust and low cost passive microsensors suitable for many military structures and systems including aircraft, missiles and munitions is presented in this paper. The technology is currently being applied to the structural health monitoring of accelerometers, gyroscopes and vibration monitoring devices with signal processing electronics to provide real- time indicators of incipient failure of aircraft components with a known history of catastrophic failure due to fracture. Recently a combination of the need for safety in the air and the desire to control costs is encouraging the use of in-flight monitoring of aircraft components and systems using light-weight, wireless and cost effective microsensors and MEMS. An in-situ Aircraft structural health monitoring system, with sensors embedded in the composite structure or surface-mounted on the structure, would permit the timely detection of damage in aircraft. Micromachining offers the potential for fabricating a range of microsensors and MEMS for structural applications including load, vibration and acoustics characteristics and monitoring. Such microsensors are extremely small; they can be embedded into structural materials, can be mass-produced and are therefore potentially cheap. Additionally a range of sensor types can be integrated onto a single chip with built-in electronics and ASIC, providing a low power microsystem. The smart sensors are being developed using the standard microelectronics and micromachining in conjunction with novel Penn State smart electronics or wireless communication systems suitable for condition monitoring of aircraft structures in-flight. A hybrid accelerometer and gyroscope in a single chip suitable for inertial navigation system and other microsensors for health monitoring and condition-based maintenance of structures, drag sensing and control of aircraft, strain and deflection of structures and systems, ice sensing on aircraft, remote temperature and humidity measurement of propellant in munitions, chemical sensing, etc. are discussed.

Wireless microsensors for health monitoring of aircraft structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varadan, Vijay K.

2003-01-01

The integration of MEMS, IDTs (interdigital transducers) and required microelectronics and conformal antennas to realize programmable, robust and low cost passive microsensors suitable for many military structures and systems including aircraft, missiles and munitions is presented in this paper. The technology is currently being applied to the structural health monitoring of critical aircraft components. The approach integrates acoustic emission, strain gauges, MEMS accelerometers, gyroscopes and vibration monitoring devices with signal processing electronics to provide real-time indicators of incipient failure of aircraft components with a known history of catastrophic failure due to fracture. Recently a combination of the need for safety in the air and the desire to control costs is encouraging the use of in-flight monitoring of aircraft components and systems using light-weight, wireless and cost effective microsensors and MEMS. An in-situ Aircraft structural health monitoring (ASHM) system, with sensors embedded in the composite structure or surface-mounted on the structure, would permit the timely detection of damage in aircraft. Micromachining offers the potential for fabricating a range of microsensors and MEMS for structural applications including load, vibration and acoustics characterization and monitoring. Such microsensors are extremely small; they can be embedded into structural materials, can be mass-produced and are therefore potentially cheap. Additionally a range of sensor types can be integrated onto a single chip with built-in electronics and ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), providing a low power Microsystems. The smart sensors are being developed using the standard microelectronics and micromachining in conjunction with novel Penn State smart electronics or wireless communication systems suitable for condition monitoring of aircraft structures in-flight. A hybrid accelerometer and gyroscope in a single chip suitable for inertial navigation system and other microsensors for health monitoring and condition-based maintenance of structures, drag sensing and control of aircraft, strain and deflection of structures and systems, ice sensing on aircraft, remote temperature and humidity measurement of propellant in munitions, chemical sensing, etc. are discussed.

Acceleration sensitivity of micromachined pressure sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

August, Richard; Maudie, Theresa; Miller, Todd F.; Thompson, Erik

1999-08-01

Pressure sensors serve a variety of automotive applications, some which may experience high levels of acceleration such as tire pressure monitoring. To design pressure sensors for high acceleration environments it is important to understand their sensitivity to acceleration especially if thick encapsulation layers are used to isolate the device from the hostile environment in which they reside. This paper describes a modeling approach to determine their sensitivity to acceleration that is very general and is applicable to different device designs and configurations. It also describes the results of device testing of a capacitive surface micromachined pressure sensor at constant acceleration levels from 500 to 2000 g's.

Micromachined devices: the impact of controlled geometry from cell-targeting to bioavailability.

PubMed

Tao, Sarah L; Desai, Tejal A

2005-12-05

Advances in microelectomechanical systems (MEMS) have allowed the microfabrication of polymeric substrates and the development of a novel class of controlled delivery devices. These vehicles have specifically tailored three-dimensional physical and chemical features which, together, provide the capacity to target cells, promote unidirectional controlled release, and enhance permeation across the intestinal epithelial barrier. Examining the biological response at the microdevice biointerface may provide insight into the benefits of customized surface chemistry and structure in terms of complex drug delivery vehicle design. Therefore, the aim of this work was to determine the interfacial effects of selective surface chemistry and architecture of tomato lectin (TL)-modified poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) drug delivery microdevices on the Caco-2 cell line, a model of the gastrointestinal tract.

A high-average-power FEL for industrial applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dylla, H.F.; Benson, S.; Bisognano, J.

1995-12-31

CEBAF has developed a comprehensive conceptual design of an industrial user facility based on a kilowatt UV (150-1000 nm) and IR (2-25 micron) FEL driven by a recirculating, energy-recovering 200 MeV superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) accelerator. FEL users{endash}CEBAF`s partners in the Laser Processing Consortium, including AT&T, DuPont, IBM, Northrop-Grumman, 3M, and Xerox{endash}plan to develop applications such as polymer surface processing, metals and ceramics micromachining, and metal surface processing, with the overall effort leading to later scale-up to industrial systems at 50-100 kW. Representative applications are described. The proposed high-average-power FEL overcomes limitations of conventional laser sources in available power, cost-effectiveness, tunabilitymore » and pulse structure. 4 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Femtosecond laser micromachining of polylactic acid/graphene composites for designing interdigitated microelectrodes for sensor applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paula, Kelly T.; Gaál, Gabriel; Almeida, G. F. B.; Andrade, M. B.; Facure, Murilo H. M.; Correa, Daniel S.; Riul, Antonio; Rodrigues, Varlei; Mendonça, Cleber R.

2018-05-01

There is an increasing interest in the last years towards electronic applications of graphene-based materials and devices fabricated from patterning techniques, with the ultimate goal of high performance and temporal resolution. Laser micromachining using femtosecond pulses is an attractive methodology to integrate graphene-based materials into functional devices as it allows changes to the focal volume with a submicrometer spatial resolution due to the efficient nonlinear nature of the absorption, yielding rapid prototyping for innovative applications. We present here the patterning of PLA-graphene films spin-coated on a glass substrate using a fs-laser at moderate pulse energies to fabricate interdigitated electrodes having a minimum spatial resolution of 5 μm. Raman spectroscopy of the PLA-graphene films indicated the presence of multilayered graphene fibers. Subsequently, the PLA-graphene films were micromachined using a femtosecond laser oscillator delivering 50-fs pulses and 800 nm, where the pulse energy and scanning speed was varied in order to determine the optimum irradiation parameters (16 nJ and 100 μm/s) to the fabrication of microstructures. The micromachined patterns were characterized by optical microscopy and submitted to electrical measurements in liquid samples, clearly distinguishing all tastes tested. Our results confirm the femtosecond laser micromachining technique as an interesting approach to efficiently pattern PLA-graphene filaments with high precision and minimal mechanical defects, allowing the easy fabrication of interdigitated structures and an alternative method to those produced by conventional photolithography.

Ridge waveguide laser in Nd:LiNbO3 by Zn-diffusion and femtosecond-laser structuring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez de Mendívil, Jon; del Hoyo, Jesús; Solís, Javier; Lifante, Ginés

2016-12-01

Ridge waveguide lasers have been fabricated on Nd3+ doped LiNbO3 crystals. The fs-laser writing technique was used to define ridge structures on a gradient-index planar waveguide fabricated by Zn-diffusion. This planar waveguide was formed in a z-cut LiNbO3 substrate homogeneously doped with a 0.23% of Nd3+ ions. To obtain lateral light confinement, the surface was then micromachined using a multiplexed femtosecond laser writing beam, forming the ridge structures. By butting two mirrors at the channel waveguide end-facets, forming a waveguide laser cavity, TM-polarized laser action at 1085 nm was achieved by end-fire TM-pumping at 815 nm. The waveguide laser shows a threshold of 31 mW, with a 7% of slope efficiency.

Surface micromachined counter-meshing gears discrimination device

DOEpatents

Polosky, Marc A.; Garcia, Ernest J.; Allen, James J.

2000-12-12

A surface micromachined Counter-Meshing Gears (CMG) discrimination device which functions as a mechanically coded lock. Each of two CMG has a first portion of its perimeter devoted to continuous driving teeth that mesh with respective pinion gears. Each EMG also has a second portion of its perimeter devoted to regularly spaced discrimination gear teeth that extend outwardly on at least one of three levels of the CMG. The discrimination gear teeth are designed so as to pass each other without interference only if the correct sequence of partial rotations of the CMG occurs in response to a coded series of rotations from the pinion gears. A 24 bit code is normally input to unlock the device. Once unlocked, the device provides a path for an energy or information signal to pass through the device. The device is designed to immediately lock up if any portion of the 24 bit code is incorrect.

Modeling of solid-state and excimer laser processes for 3D micromachining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holmes, Andrew S.; Onischenko, Alexander I.; George, David S.; Pedder, James E.

2005-04-01

An efficient simulation method has recently been developed for multi-pulse ablation processes. This is based on pulse-by-pulse propagation of the machined surface according to one of several phenomenological models for the laser-material interaction. The technique allows quantitative predictions to be made about the surface shapes of complex machined parts, given only a minimal set of input data for parameter calibration. In the case of direct-write machining of polymers or glasses with ns-duration pulses, this data set can typically be limited to the surface profiles of a small number of standard test patterns. The use of phenomenological models for the laser-material interaction, calibrated by experimental feedback, allows fast simulation, and can achieve a high degree of accuracy for certain combinations of material, laser and geometry. In this paper, the capabilities and limitations of the approach are discussed, and recent results are presented for structures machined in SU8 photoresist.

Structural design considerations for micromachined solid-oxide fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srikar, V. T.; Turner, Kevin T.; Andrew Ie, Tze Yung; Spearing, S. Mark

Micromachined solid-oxide fuel cells (μSOFCs) are among a class of devices being investigated for portable power generation. Optimization of the performance and reliability of such devices requires robust, scale-dependent, design methodologies. In this first analysis, we consider the structural design of planar, electrolyte-supported, μSOFCs from the viewpoints of electrochemical performance, mechanical stability and reliability, and thermal behavior. The effect of electrolyte thickness on fuel cell performance is evaluated using a simple analytical model. Design diagrams that account explicitly for thermal and intrinsic residual stresses are presented to identify geometries that are resistant to fracture and buckling. Analysis of energy loss due to in-plane heat conduction highlights the importance of efficient thermal isolation in microscale fuel cell design.

Solution-based analysis of multiple analytes by a sensor array: toward the development of an electronic tongue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savoy, Steven M.; Lavigne, John J.; Yoo, J. S.; Wright, John; Rodriguez, Marc; Goodey, Adrian; McDoniel, Bridget; McDevitt, John T.; Anslyn, Eric V.; Shear, Jason B.; Ellington, Andrew D.; Neikirk, Dean P.

1998-12-01

A micromachined sensor array has been developed for the rapid characterization of multi-component mixtures in aqueous media. The sensor functions in a manner analogous to that of the mammalian tongue, using an array composed of individually immobilized polystyrene-polyethylene glycol composite microspheres selectively arranged in micromachined etch cavities localized o n silicon wafers. Sensing occurs via colorimetric or fluorometric changes to indicator molecules that are covalently bound to amine termination sites on the polymeric microspheres. The hybrid micromachined structure has been interfaced directly to a charged-coupled-device that is used for the simultaneous acquisition of the optical data from the individually addressable `taste bud' elements. With the miniature sensor array, acquisition of data streams composed of red, green, and blue color patterns distinctive for the analytes in the solution are rapidly acquired. The unique combination of carefully chosen reporter molecules with water permeable microspheres allows for the simultaneous detection and quantification of a variety of analytes. The fabrication of the sensor structures and the initial colorimetric and fluorescent responses for pH, Ca+2, Ce+3, and sugar are reported. Interface to microfluidic components should also be possible, producing a complete sampling/sensing system.

Hybrid micromachining using a nanosecond pulsed laser and micro EDM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sanha; Kim, Bo Hyun; Chung, Do Kwan; Shin, Hong Shik; Chu, Chong Nam

2010-01-01

Micro electrical discharge machining (micro EDM) is a well-known precise machining process that achieves micro structures of excellent quality for any conductive material. However, the slow machining speed and high tool wear are main drawbacks of this process. Though the use of deionized water instead of kerosene as a dielectric fluid can reduce the tool wear and increase the machine speed, the material removal rate (MRR) is still low. In contrast, laser ablation using a nanosecond pulsed laser is a fast and non-wear machining process but achieves micro figures of rather low quality. Therefore, the integration of these two processes can overcome the respective disadvantages. This paper reports a hybrid process of a nanosecond pulsed laser and micro EDM for micromachining. A novel hybrid micromachining system that combines the two discrete machining processes is introduced. Then, the feasibility and characteristics of the hybrid machining process are investigated compared to conventional EDM and laser ablation. It is verified experimentally that the machining time can be effectively reduced in both EDM drilling and milling by rapid laser pre-machining prior to micro EDM. Finally, some examples of complicated 3D micro structures fabricated by the hybrid process are shown.

Physics-based signal processing algorithms for micromachined cantilever arrays

DOEpatents

Candy, James V; Clague, David S; Lee, Christopher L; Rudd, Robert E; Burnham, Alan K; Tringe, Joseph W

2013-11-19

A method of using physics-based signal processing algorithms for micromachined cantilever arrays. The methods utilize deflection of a micromachined cantilever that represents the chemical, biological, or physical element being detected. One embodiment of the method comprises the steps of modeling the deflection of the micromachined cantilever producing a deflection model, sensing the deflection of the micromachined cantilever and producing a signal representing the deflection, and comparing the signal representing the deflection with the deflection model.

Microelectromechanical reciprocating-tooth indexing apparatus

DOEpatents

Allen, James J.

1999-01-01

An indexing apparatus is disclosed that can be used to rotate a gear or move a rack in a precise, controllable manner. The indexing apparatus, based on a reciprocating shuttle driven by one or more actuators, can be formed either as a micromachine, or as a millimachine. The reciprocating shuttle of the indexing apparatus can be driven by a thermal, electrostatic or electromagnetic actuator, with one or more wedge-shaped drive teeth of the shuttle being moveable to engage and slide against indexing teeth on the gear or rack, thereby moving the gear or rack. The indexing apparatus can be formed by either surface micromachining processes or LIGA processes, depending on the size of the apparatus that is to be formed.

Review on the importance of measurement technique in micromachine technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umeda, Akira

1996-09-01

In the beginning stage of MITI micromachine project, the committee on the standardization established in Micromachine Center recognized the importance of measurement technique for the promotion and the systemization of the micromachine technology. Micromachine Center is the organizing body for private sectors working in the MITI micromachine project which started in 1991. MITI stands for Ministry of International Trade and Industry in Japan. In order to known the requirements on the measurement technologies, the questionnaire was organized by the measurement working group in the committee. This talk covers the questionnaire and its results, and some research results obtained at National Research Laboratory of Metrology working as a member in the project.

Femtosecond-laser fabrication of cyclic structures in the bulk of transparent dielectrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vartapetov, S. K.; Ganin, D. V.; Lapshin, K. E.; Obidin, A. Z.

2015-08-01

We report the results of the experiments on developing precision micromachining technology, obtained under the conditions of focusing the pulses of a femtosecond (FS) laser into the volume of a transparent material, which is important, particularly, in the processing of biomaterials in ophthalmology. The implementation conditions and some characteristic features of the special regime of micromachining are determined, when at a definite relation between the sample scanning velocity and the repetition rate of FS pulses the region, destroyed by the laser radiation, is shifted along the optical axis towards the objective and back, forming cyclic patterns inside the sample. It is supposed that the main causes of the damage region shift are the induced modification of the refractive index and the reduction of the damage threshold due to the change in the material density and structure in the microscopic domain, adjacent to the boundary of the cavity produced by the previous pulse. The results of the performed study with the above regime taken into account were used in the technology of precision cutting of crystals, glasses and polymers. The best quality of the cut surface is achieved under the conditions, eliminating the appearance of the cyclic regime. In the samples of polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate and fused silica the cylindrical cavities were obtained with the aspect ratio higher than 200, directed along the laser beam, and microcapillaries with the diameter 1 - 2 μm in the direction, perpendicular to this beam.

Micromachined integrated quantum circuit containing a superconducting qubit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brecht, Teresa; Chu, Yiwen; Axline, Christopher; Pfaff, Wolfgang; Blumoff, Jacob; Chou, Kevin; Krayzman, Lev; Frunzio, Luigi; Schoelkopf, Robert

We demonstrate a functional multilayer microwave integrated quantum circuit (MMIQC). This novel hardware architecture combines the high coherence and isolation of three-dimensional structures with the advantages of integrated circuits made with lithographic techniques. We present fabrication and measurement of a two-cavity/one-qubit prototype, including a transmon coupled to a three-dimensional microwave cavity micromachined in a silicon wafer. It comprises a simple MMIQC with competitive lifetimes and the ability to perform circuit QED operations in the strong dispersive regime. Furthermore, the design and fabrication techniques that we have developed are extensible to more complex quantum information processing devices.

Micromachined microfluidic chemiluminescent system for explosives detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Yoon; Neikirk, Dean P.; Anslyn, Eric V.

2007-04-01

Results will be reported from efforts to develop a self-contained micromachined microfluidic detection system for the presence of specific target analytes under the US Office of Naval Research Counter IED Basic Research Program. Our efforts include improving/optimizing a dedicated micromachined sensor array with integrated photodetectors and the synthesis of chemiluminescent receptors for nitramine residues. Our strategy for developing chemiluminescent synthetic receptors is to use quenched peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence; the presence of the target analyte would then trigger chemiluminescence. Preliminary results are encouraging as we have been able to measure large photo-currents from the reaction. We have also fabricated and demonstrated the feasibility of integrating photodiodes within an array of micromachined silicon pyramidal cavities. One particular advantage of such approach over a conventional planar photodiode would be its collection efficiency without the use of external optical components. Unlike the case of a normal photodetector coupled to a focused or collimated light source, the photodetector for such a purpose must couple to an emitting source that is approximately hemispherical; hence, using the full sidewalls of the bead's confining cavity as the detector allows the entire structure to act as its own integrating sphere. At the present time, our efforts are concentrating on improving the signal-to-noise ratio by reducing the leakage current by optimizing the fabrication sequence and the design.

Compact Micromachined Bandpass Filters for Infrared Planetary Spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Ari D.; Aslam, Shahid; Chervenak, James A.; Huang, Wei-Chung; Merrell, Willie; Quijada, Manuel

2011-01-01

The thermal instrument strawman payload of the Jupiter Europa Orbiter on the Europa Jupiter Science Mission will map out thermal anomalies, the structure, and atmospheric conditions of Europa and Jupiter within the 7-100 micron spectral range. One key requirement for the payload is that the mass cannot exceed 3.7 kg. Consequently, a new generation of light-weight miniaturized spectrometers needs to be developed. On the path toward developing these spectrometers is development of ancillary miniaturized spectroscopic components. In this paper, we present a strategy for making radiation hard and low mass FIR band pass metal mesh filters. Our strategy involves using MEMS-based fabrication techniques, which will permit the quasi-optical filter structures to be made with micron-scale precision. This will enable us to achieve tight control over both the pass band of the filter and the micromachined silicon support structure architecture, which will facilitate integration of the filters for a variety of applications.

Single-crystal micromachining using multiple fusion-bonded layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Alan; O'Neill, Garry; Blackstone, Scott C.

2000-08-01

Multi-layer structures have been fabricated using Fusion bonding. The paper shows void free layers of between 2 and 100 microns that have been bonded to form multi-layer structures. Silicon layers have been bonded both with and without interfacial oxide layers.

Measurements of thermal conductivity and the coefficient of thermal expansion for polysilicon thin films by using double-clamped beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Haiyun; Wang, Lei

2018-01-01

In this paper, a test structure for simultaneously determining thermal conductivity and the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of polysilicon thin film is proposed. The test structure consists of two double-clamped beams with different lengths. A theoretical model for extracting thermal conductivity and CTE based on electrothermal analysis and resonance frequency approach is developed. Both flat and buckled beams are considered in the theoretical model. The model is confirmed by finite element software ANSYS. The test structures are fabricated by surface micromachined fabrication process. Experiments are carried out in our atmosphere. Thermal conductivity and CTE of polysilicon thin film are obtained to be (29.96  ±  0.92) W · m · K-1 and (2.65  ±  0.03)  ×  10-6 K-1, respectively, with temperature ranging from 300-400 K.

Fiber laser micromachining of magnesium alloy tubes for biocompatible and biodegradable cardiovascular stents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demir, Ali Gökhan; Previtali, Barbara; Colombo, Daniele; Ge, Qiang; Vedani, Maurizio; Petrini, Lorenza; Wu, Wei; Biffi, Carlo Alberto

2012-02-01

Magnesium alloys constitute an attractive solution for cardiovascular stent applications due to their intrinsic properties of biocompatibility and relatively low corrosion resistance in human-body fluids, which results in as a less intrusive treatment. Laser micromachining is the conventional process used to cut the stent mesh, which plays the key role for the accurate reproduction of the mesh design and the surface quality of the produced stent that are important factors in ensuring the mechanical and corrosion resistance properties of such a kind of devices. Traditionally continuous or pulsed laser systems working in microsecond pulse regime are employed for stent manufacturing. Pulsed fiber lasers on the other hand, are a relatively new solution which could balance productivity and quality aspects with shorter ns pulse durations and pulse energies in the order of mJ. This work reports the study of laser micromachining and of AZ31 magnesium alloy for the manufacturing of cardiovascular stents with a novel mesh design. A pulsed active fiber laser system operating in nanosecond pulse regime was employed for the micromachining. Laser parameters were studied for tubular cutting on a common stent material, AISI 316L tubes with 2 mm in diameter and 0.2 mm in thickness and on AZ31 tubes with 2.5 mm in diameter and 0.2 in thickness. In both cases process parameters conditions were examined for reactive and inert gas cutting solutions and the final stent quality is compared.

Precision Control Module For UV Laser 3D Micromachining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Wen-Hong; Hung, Min-Wei; Chang, Chun-Li

2011-01-01

UV laser has been widely used in various micromachining such as micro-scribing or patterning processing. At present, most of the semiconductors, LEDs, photovoltaic solar panels and touch panels industries need the UV laser processing system. However, most of the UV laser processing applications in the industries utilize two dimensional (2D) plane processing. And there are tremendous business opportunities that can be developed, such as three dimensional (3D) structures of micro-electromechanical (MEMS) sensor or the precision depth control of indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films edge insulation in touch panels. This research aims to develop a UV laser 3D micromachining module that can create the novel applications for industries. By special designed beam expender in optical system, the focal point of UV laser can be adjusted quickly and accurately through the optical path control lens of laser beam expender optical system. Furthermore, the integrated software for galvanometric scanner and focal point adjustment mechanism is developed as well, so as to carry out the precise 3D microstructure machining.

Micromachined single-level nonplanar polycrystalline SiGe thermal microemitters for infrared dynamic scene projection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malyutenko, V. K.; Malyutenko, O. Yu.; Leonov, V.; Van Hoof, C.

2009-05-01

The technology for self-supported membraneless polycrystalline SiGe thermal microemitters, their design, and performance are presented. The 128-element arrays with a fill factor of 88% and a 2.5-μm-thick resonant cavity have been grown by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition and fabricated using surface micromachining technology. The 200-nm-thick 60×60 μm2 emitting pixels enforced with a U-shape profile pattern demonstrate a thermal time constant of 2-7 ms and an apparent temperature of 700 K in the 3-5 and 8-12 μm atmospheric transparency windows. The application of the devices to the infrared dynamic scene simulation and their benefit over conventional planar membrane-supported emitters are discussed.

Micromachined electrode array

DOEpatents

Okandan, Murat; Wessendorf, Kurt O.

2007-12-11

An electrode array is disclosed which has applications for neural stimulation and sensing. The electrode array, in certain embodiments, can include a plurality of electrodes each of which is flexibly attached to a common substrate using a plurality of springs to allow the electrodes to move independently. In other embodiments of the electrode array, the electrodes can be fixed to the substrate. The electrode array can be formed from a combination of bulk and surface micromachining, and can include electrode tips having an electroplated metal (e.g. platinum, iridium, gold or titanium) or a metal oxide (e.g. iridium oxide) for biocompatibility. The electrode array can be used to form a part of a neural prosthesis, and is particularly well adapted for use in an implantable retinal prosthesis.

The application of micromachined sensors to manned space systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bordano, Aldo; Havey, Gary; Wald, Jerry; Nasr, Hatem

1993-01-01

Micromachined sensors promise significant system advantages to manned space vehicles. Vehicle Health Monitoring (VHM) is a critical need for most future space systems. Micromachined sensors play a significant role in advancing the application of VHM in future space vehicles. This paper addresses the requirements that future VHM systems place on micromachined sensors such as: system integration, performance, size, weight, power, redundancy, reliability and fault tolerance. Current uses of micromachined sensors in commercial, military and space systems are used to document advantages that are gained and lessons learned. Based on these successes, the future use of micromachined sensors in space programs is discussed in terms of future directions and issues that need to be addressed such as how commercial and military sensors can meet future space system requirements.

Multiple Optical Traps with a Single-Beam Optical Tweezer Utilizing Surface Micromachined Planar Curved Grating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, Ju-Nan; Chen, Kuan-Yu

2010-11-01

In this paper, we present a single-beam optical tweezer integrated with a planar curved diffraction grating for microbead manipulation. Various curvatures of the surface micromachined planar curved grating are systematically investigated. The planar curved grating was fabricated using multiuser micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) processes (MUMPs). The angular separation and the number of diffracted orders were determined. Experimental results indicate that the diffraction patterns and curvature of the planar curved grating are closely related. As the curvature of the planar curved grating increases, the vertical diffraction angle increases, resulting in the strip patterns of the planar curved grating. A single-beam optical tweezer integrated with a planar curved diffraction grating was developed. We demonstrate a technique for creating multiple optical traps from a single laser beam using the developed planar curved grating. The strip patterns of the planar curved grating that resulted from diffraction were used to trap one row of polystyrene beads.

Micromachined electron tunneling infrared sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenny, T. W.; Kaiser, W. J.; Podosek, J. A.; Rockstad, H. K.; Reynolds, J. K.

1993-01-01

The development of an improved Golay cell is reported. This new sensor is constructed entirely from micromachined silicon components. A silicon oxynitride (SiO(x)N(y)) membrane is deflected by the thermal expansion of a small volume of trapped gas. To detect the motion of the membrane, an electron tunneling transducer is used. This sensor detects electrons which tunnel through the classically forbidden barrier between a tip and a surface; the electron current is exponentially dependent on the separation between the tip and the surface. The sensitivity of tunneling transducers constructed was typically better than 10(exp -3) A/square root of Hz. Through use of the electron tunneling transducer, the scaling laws which have prevented the miniaturization of the Golay cell are avoided. This detector potentially offers low cost fabrication, compatibility with silicon readout electronics, and operation without cooling. Most importantly, this detector may offer better sensitivity than any other uncooled infrared sensor, with the exception of the original Golay cell.

Integration of a UV curable polymer lens and MUMPs structures on a SOI optical bench

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsieh, Jerwei; Hsiao, Sheng-Yi; Lai, Chun-Feng; Fang, Weileun

2007-08-01

This work presents the design concept of integrating a polymer lens, poly-Si MUMPs and single-crystal-silicon HARM structures on a SOI wafer to form a silicon optical bench. This approach enables the monolithic integration of various optical components on the wafer so as to improve the design flexibility of the silicon optical bench. Fabrication processes, including surface and bulk micromachining on the SOI wafer, have been established to realize bi-convex spherical polymer lenses with in-plane as well as out-of-plane optical axes. In addition, a micro device consisting of an in-plane polymer lens, a thick fiber holder and a mechanical shutter driven by an electrothermal actuator is also demonstrated using the present approach. In summary, this study significantly improves the design flexibility as well as the functions of SiOBs.

Active micromachines: Microfluidics powered by mesoscale turbulence

PubMed Central

Thampi, Sumesh P.; Doostmohammadi, Amin; Shendruk, Tyler N.; Golestanian, Ramin; Yeomans, Julia M.

2016-01-01

Dense active matter, from bacterial suspensions and microtubule bundles driven by motor proteins to cellular monolayers and synthetic Janus particles, is characterized by mesoscale turbulence, which is the emergence of chaotic flow structures. By immersing an ordered array of symmetric rotors in an active fluid, we introduce a microfluidic system that exploits spontaneous symmetry breaking in mesoscale turbulence to generate work. The lattice of rotors self-organizes into a spin state where neighboring discs continuously rotate in permanent alternating directions due to combined hydrodynamic and elastic effects. Our virtual prototype demonstrates a new research direction for the design of micromachines powered by the nematohydrodynamic properties of active turbulence. PMID:27419229

Integrated Multiple Device CMOS-MEMS IMU Systems and RF MEMS Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-12-17

microstructures [7]~[9]. The success of the surface-micromachined electrostatic micromotor in the late 80’s [10] stimulated the industry and government...processed electrostatic synchronous micromotors ,” Sensors Actuators, vol. 20, pp. 48-56, 1989. [11] “ADXL05-monolithic accelerometer with signal

Compliant displacement-multiplying apparatus for microelectromechanical systems

DOEpatents

Kota, Sridhar; Rodgers, M. Steven; Hetrick, Joel A.

2001-01-01

A pivotless compliant structure is disclosed that can be used to increase the geometric advantage or mechanical advantage of a microelectromechanical (MEM) actuator such as an electrostatic comb actuator, a capacitive-plate electrostatic actuator, or a thermal actuator. The compliant structure, based on a combination of interconnected flexible beams and cross-beams formed of one or more layers of polysilicon or silicon nitride, can provide a geometric advantage of from about 5:1 to about 60:1 to multiply a 0.25-3 .mu.m displacement provided by a short-stroke actuator so that such an actuator can be used to generate a displacement stroke of about 10-34 .mu.m to operate a ratchet-driven MEM device or a microengine. The compliant structure has less play than conventional displacement-multiplying devices based on lever arms and pivoting joints, and is expected to be more reliable than such devices. The compliant structure and an associated electrostatic or thermal actuator can be formed on a common substrate (e.g. silicon) using surface micromachining.

MEMS high-speed angular-position sensing system with rf wireless transmission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Winston; Li, Wen J.

2001-08-01

A novel surface-micromachined non-contact high-speed angular-position sensor with total surface area under 4mm2 was developed using the Multi-User MEMS Processes (MUMPs) and integrated with a commercial RF transmitter at 433MHz carrier frequency for wireless signal detection. Currently, a 2.3 MHz internal clock of our data acquisition system and a sensor design with a 13mg seismic mass is sufficient to provide visual observation of a clear sinusoidal response wirelessly generated by the piezoresistive angular-position sensing system within speed range of 180 rpm to around 1000 rpm. Experimental results showed that the oscillation frequency and amplitude are related to the input angular frequency of the rotation disk and the tilt angle of the rotation axis, respectively. These important results could provide groundwork for MEMS researchers to estimate how gravity influences structural properties of MEMS devices under different circumstances.

Multifunctional-layered materials for creating membrane-restricted nanodomains and nanoscale imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srinivasan, P.

2016-01-01

Experimental platform that allows precise spatial positioning of biomolecules with an exquisite control at nanometer length scales is a valuable tool to study the molecular mechanisms of membrane bound signaling. Using micromachined thin film gold (Au) in layered architecture, it is possible to add both optical and biochemical functionalities in in vitro. Towards this goal, here, I show that docking of complementary DNA tethered giant phospholiposomes on Au surface can create membrane-restricted nanodomains. These nanodomains are critical features to dissect molecular choreography of membrane signaling complexes. The excited surface plasmon resonance modes of Au allow label-free imaging at diffraction-limited resolution of stably docked DNA tethered phospholiposomes, and lipid-detergent bicelle structures. Such multifunctional building block enables realizing rigorously controlled in vitro set-up to model membrane anchored biological signaling, besides serving as an optical tool for nanoscale imaging.

Forensic firearm identification of semiautomatic handguns using laser formed microstamping elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lizotte, Todd E.; Ohar, Orest

2008-08-01

For well over one hundred years the science of Firearm and Tool Mark Identification has relied on the theory that unintentional random tooling marks generated during the manufacture of a firearm onto its interior surfaces are unique to each individual firearm.[1][2] Forensic Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners have had to rely on the analysis of these randomly formed unintentional striations, or scratches and dings, transferred onto ammunition components from firearms used to commit crimes, as a way of developing clues and evidence. Such transfers take place during the cycle of fire and ejection of the cartridge from the firearm during the commission of a crime. The typical striations on the cartridge casings are caused by tooling marks that are randomly formed during the machining of interior surfaces of the manufactured firearm and by other firearm components that come in contact with the cycling ammunition. Components like the firing pin, extractor and ejector, impact the surfaces of the cartridges as they are fed, fired and ejected from the firearm. When found at a crime scene, these striae constitute ballistic evidence when effectively analyzed by a Forensic Firearm and Tool Mark Examiner. Examiners categorize these striations looking for matches to be made between the components that created the marks and the recovered firearm. Reality is that nearly 50% of firearms used in violent crimes are not recovered at a crime scene, requiring the analysis to be processed and logged into evidence files or imaged into reference image databases for future comparison whenever a firearm might be recovered. This paper will present a unique law enforcement technology, embedded into firearms for tracking the sources of illegally trafficked firearms, called Microstamping. Microstamping is a laser based micromachining process that forms microscopic "intentional structures and marks" on components within a firearm. Thus when the firearm is fired, these microstamp structures transfer an identifying tracking code onto the expended cartridge ejected from the firearm. Microstamped structures are laser micromachined alpha numeric and encoded geometric tracking numbers, linked to the serial number of the firearm. Ballistic testing data will be presented covering microstamp transfer quality, transfer rates and survivability/durability. Further information will provide an overview on how microstamping information can be utilized by law enforcement to combat illegal firearm trafficking.

Fabrication and characterization of a micromachined swirl-shaped ionic polymer metal composite actuator with electrodes exhibiting asymmetric resistance.

PubMed

Feng, Guo-Hua; Liu, Kim-Min

2014-05-12

This paper presents a swirl-shaped microfeatured ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) actuator. A novel micromachining process was developed to fabricate an array of IPMC actuators on a glass substrate and to ensure that no shortcircuits occur between the electrodes of the actuator. We demonstrated a microfluidic scheme in which surface tension was used to construct swirl-shaped planar IPMC devices of microfeature size and investigated the flow velocity of Nafion solutions, which formed the backbone polymer of the actuator, within the microchannel. The unique fabrication process yielded top and bottom electrodes that exhibited asymmetric surface resistance. A tool for measuring surface resistance was developed and used to characterize the resistances of the electrodes for the fabricated IPMC device. The actuator, which featured asymmetric electrode resistance, caused a nonzero-bias current when the device was driven using a zero-bias square wave, and we propose a circuit model to describe this phenomenon. Moreover, we discovered and characterized a bending and rotating motion when the IPMC actuator was driven using a square wave. We observed a strain rate of 14.6% and a displacement of 700 μm in the direction perpendicular to the electrode surfaces during 4.5-V actuation.

Fabrication and Characterization of a Micromachined Swirl-Shaped Ionic Polymer Metal Composite Actuator with Electrodes Exhibiting Asymmetric Resistance

PubMed Central

Feng, Guo-Hua; Liu, Kim-Min

2014-01-01

This paper presents a swirl-shaped microfeatured ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) actuator. A novel micromachining process was developed to fabricate an array of IPMC actuators on a glass substrate and to ensure that no shortcircuits occur between the electrodes of the actuator. We demonstrated a microfluidic scheme in which surface tension was used to construct swirl-shaped planar IPMC devices of microfeature size and investigated the flow velocity of Nafion solutions, which formed the backbone polymer of the actuator, within the microchannel. The unique fabrication process yielded top and bottom electrodes that exhibited asymmetric surface resistance. A tool for measuring surface resistance was developed and used to characterize the resistances of the electrodes for the fabricated IPMC device. The actuator, which featured asymmetric electrode resistance, caused a nonzero-bias current when the device was driven using a zero-bias square wave, and we propose a circuit model to describe this phenomenon. Moreover, we discovered and characterized a bending and rotating motion when the IPMC actuator was driven using a square wave. We observed a strain rate of 14.6% and a displacement of 700 μm in the direction perpendicular to the electrode surfaces during 4.5-V actuation. PMID:24824370

Method for forming precision clockplate with pivot pins

DOEpatents

Wild, Ronald L [Albuquerque, NM

2010-06-01

Methods are disclosed for producing a precision clockplate with rotational bearing surfaces (e.g. pivot pins). The methods comprise providing an electrically conductive blank, conventionally machining oversize features comprising bearing surfaces into the blank, optionally machining of a relief on non-bearing surfaces, providing wire accesses adjacent to bearing surfaces, threading the wire of an electrical discharge machine through the accesses and finishing the bearing surfaces by wire electrical discharge machining. The methods have been shown to produce bearing surfaces of comparable dimension and tolerances as those produced by micro-machining methods such as LIGA, at reduced cost and complexity.

Femtosecond-laser fabrication of cyclic structures in the bulk of transparent dielectrics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vartapetov, S K; Ganin, D V; Lapshin, K E

We report the results of the experiments on developing precision micromachining technology, obtained under the conditions of focusing the pulses of a femtosecond (FS) laser into the volume of a transparent material, which is important, particularly, in the processing of biomaterials in ophthalmology. The implementation conditions and some characteristic features of the special regime of micromachining are determined, when at a definite relation between the sample scanning velocity and the repetition rate of FS pulses the region, destroyed by the laser radiation, is shifted along the optical axis towards the objective and back, forming cyclic patterns inside the sample. Itmore » is supposed that the main causes of the damage region shift are the induced modification of the refractive index and the reduction of the damage threshold due to the change in the material density and structure in the microscopic domain, adjacent to the boundary of the cavity produced by the previous pulse. The results of the performed study with the above regime taken into account were used in the technology of precision cutting of crystals, glasses and polymers. The best quality of the cut surface is achieved under the conditions, eliminating the appearance of the cyclic regime. In the samples of polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate and fused silica the cylindrical cavities were obtained with the aspect ratio higher than 200, directed along the laser beam, and microcapillaries with the diameter 1 – 2 μm in the direction, perpendicular to this beam. (interaction of laser radiation with matter)« less

Microfabricated ion trap array

DOEpatents

Blain, Matthew G [Albuquerque, NM; Fleming, James G [Albuquerque, NM

2006-12-26

A microfabricated ion trap array, comprising a plurality of ion traps having an inner radius of order one micron, can be fabricated using surface micromachining techniques and materials known to the integrated circuits manufacturing and microelectromechanical systems industries. Micromachining methods enable batch fabrication, reduced manufacturing costs, dimensional and positional precision, and monolithic integration of massive arrays of ion traps with microscale ion generation and detection devices. Massive arraying enables the microscale ion traps to retain the resolution, sensitivity, and mass range advantages necessary for high chemical selectivity. The reduced electrode voltage enables integration of the microfabricated ion trap array with on-chip circuit-based rf operation and detection electronics (i.e., cell phone electronics). Therefore, the full performance advantages of the microfabricated ion trap array can be realized in truly field portable, handheld microanalysis systems.

A flexible ultrasound transducer array with micro-machined bulk PZT.

PubMed

Wang, Zhe; Xue, Qing-Tang; Chen, Yuan-Quan; Shu, Yi; Tian, He; Yang, Yi; Xie, Dan; Luo, Jian-Wen; Ren, Tian-Ling

2015-01-23

This paper proposes a novel flexible piezoelectric micro-machined ultrasound transducer, which is based on PZT and a polyimide substrate. The transducer is made on the polyimide substrate and packaged with medical polydimethylsiloxane. Instead of etching the PZT ceramic, this paper proposes a method of putting diced PZT blocks into holes on the polyimide which are pre-etched. The device works in d31 mode and the electromechanical coupling factor is 22.25%. Its flexibility, good conformal contacting with skin surfaces and proper resonant frequency make the device suitable for heart imaging. The flexible packaging ultrasound transducer also has a good waterproof performance after hundreds of ultrasonic electric tests in water. It is a promising ultrasound transducer and will be an effective supplementary ultrasound imaging method in the practical applications.

The Microstructural Evolution of Fatigue Cracks in FCC Metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, David William

The microstructural evolution during fatigue crack propagation was investigated in a variety of planar and wavy slip FCC metals. The planar materials included Haynes 230, Nitronic 40, and 316 stainless steel, and the wavy materials included pure nickel and pure copper. Three different sets of experiments were performed to fully characterize the microstructural evolution. The first, performed on Haynes 230, mapped the strain field ahead a crack tip using digital image correlation and electron backscatter diffraction techniques. Focused ion beam (FIB) lift-out techniques were then utilized to extract transmission electron microscopy (TEM) samples at specific distances from the crack tip. TEM investigations compared the measured strain to the microstructure. Overall, the strain measured via DIC and EBSD was only weakly correlated to the density of planar slip bands in the microstructure. The second set of experiments concerned the dislocation structure around crack tips. This set of experiments was performed on all the materials. The microstructure at arrested fatigue cracks on the free surface was compared to the microstructure found beneath striations on the fracture surfaces by utilizing FIB micromachining to create site-specific TEM samples. The evolved microstructure depended on the slip type. Strong agreement was found between the crack tip microstructure at the free surface and the fracture surface. In the planar materials, the microstructure in the plastic zone consisted of bands of dislocations or deformation twins, before transitioning to a refined sub-grain microstructure near the crack flank. The sub-grain structure extended 300-500 nm away from the crack flank in all the planar slip materials studied. In contrast, the bulk structure in the wavy slip material consisted of dislocation cells and did not transition to a different microstructure as the crack tip was approached. The strain in wavy slip was highest near the crack tip, as the misorientations between the dislocation cells increased and the cell size decreased as the crack flank was approached. The final set of experiments involved reloading the arrested crack tips in monotonic tension. This was performed on both the Haynes 230 and 316 stainless steel. This technique exposed the fracture surface and location of the arrested crack tip away from the free surface, allowing for a sample to be extracted via FIB micromachining and TEM evaluation of the microstructure. This permitted the crack tip microstructure to be investigated without exposing the microstructure to crack closure or free surface effects. These experiments confirmed what was inferred from the earlier experiments, namely that the banded structure was a product of the crack tip plastic zone and the refined structure was a product of the strain associated with crack advance. Overall the microstructural complexity presented in this work was much higher than would be predicted by current models of fatigue crack propagation. It is recommended that future models attempt to simulate interactions between the dislocations emitted during fatigue crack growth and the pre-existing microstructure to more accurately simulate the processes occurring at the crack tip during crack growth.

The Cooling and Lubrication Performance of Graphene Platelets in Micro-Machining Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Bryan

The research presented in this thesis is aimed at investigating the use of graphene platelets (GPL) to address the challenges of excessive tool wear, reduced part quality, and high specific power consumption encountered in micro-machining processes. There are two viable methods of introducing GPL into micro-machining environments, viz., the embedded delivery method, where the platelets are embedded into the part being machined, and the external delivery method, where graphene is carried into the cutting zone by jetting or atomizing a carrier fluid. The study involving the embedded delivery method is focused on the micro-machining performance of hierarchical graphene composites. The results of this study show that the presence of graphene in the epoxy matrix improves the machinability of the composite. In general, the tool wear, cutting forces, surface roughness, and extent of delamination are all seen to be lower for the hierarchical composite when compared to the conventional two-phase glass fiber composite. These improvements are attributed to the fact that graphene platelets improve the thermal conductivity of the matrix, provide lubrication at the tool-chip interface and also improve the interface strength between the glass fibers and the matrix. The benefits of graphene are seen to also carry over to the external delivery method. The platelets provide improved cooling and lubrication performance to both environmentally-benign cutting fluids as well as to semi-synthetic cutting fluids used in micro-machining. The cutting performance is seen to be a function of the geometry (i.e., lateral size and thickness) and extent of oxygen-functionalization of the platelet. Ultrasonically exfoliated platelets (with 2--3 graphene layers and lowest in-solution characteristic lateral length of 120 nm) appear to be the most favorable for micro-machining applications. Even at the lowest concentration of 0.1 wt%, they are capable of providing a 51% reduction in the cutting temperature and a 25% reduction in the surface roughness value over that of the baseline semi-synthetic cutting fluid. For the thermally-reduced platelets (with 4--8 graphene layers and in-solution characteristic lateral length of 562--2780 nm), a concentration of 0.2 wt% appears to be optimal. An investigation into the impingement dynamics of the graphene-laden colloidal solutions on a heated substrate reveals that the most important criterion dictating their machining performance is their ability to form uniform, submicron thick films of the platelets upon evaporation of the carrier fluid. As such, the characterization of the residual platelet film left behind on a heated substrate may be an effective technique for evaluating different graphene colloidal solutions for cutting fluids applications in micromachining. Graphene platelets have also recently been shown to reduce the aggressive chemical wear of diamond tools during the machining of transition metal alloys. However, the specific mechanisms responsible for this improvement are currently unknown. The modeling work presented in this thesis uses molecular dynamics techniques to shed light on the wear mitigation mechanisms that are active during the diamond cutting of steel when in the presence of graphene platelets. The dual mechanisms responsible for graphene-induced chemical wear mitigation are: 1) The formation of a physical barrier between the metal and tool atoms, preventing graphitization; and 2) The preferential transfer of carbon from the graphene platelet rather than from the diamond tool. The results of the simulations also provide new insight into the behavior of the 2D graphene platelets in the cutting zone, specifically illustrating the mechanisms of cleaving and interlayer sliding in graphene platelets under the high pressures in cutting zones.

Electrochemical Micromachining with Fiber Laser Masking for 304 Stainless Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaohai; Wang, Shuming; Wang, Dong; Tong, Han

2017-10-01

In order to fabricate micro structure, the combined machining of electrochemical micro machining (EMM) and laser masking for 304 stainless steel was studied. A device of composite machining of EMM with laser masking was developed, and the experiments of EMM with laser masking were carried out. First, by marking pattern with fiber laser on the surface of 304 stainless steel, the special masking layer can be formed. Through X ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the corrosion resistance of laser masking layer was analyzed. It is proved by XPS that the iron oxide and chromium oxide on the surface of stainless steel generates due to air oxidation when laser scanning heats. Second, the localization and precision of EMM are improved, since the marking patterns forming on the surface of stainless steel by laser masking play a protective role in the process of subsequent EMM when the appropriate parameters of EMM are selected. At last, the shape and the roughness of the machined samples were measured by SEM and optical profilometer and analyzed. The results show that the rapid fabrication of micro structures on the 304 stainless steel surface can be achieved by EMM with fiber laser masking, which has a good prospect in the field of micro machining.

Micromirror arrays using KOH:H[sub 2]O micromachining of silicon for lens templates, geodesic lenses, and other applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kendall, D.L.; Eaton, W.P.; Manginell, R.

Micromirrors having diameters from a few micrometers to several millimeters have been produced on (100) silicon by wet-chemical etching in KOH:H[sub 2]O. The f/[number sign]'s range from about 2.5 to at least 10. The microroughness of an etched mirror with diameter 550 [mu]m and 9.6-[mu]m sagitta is less than 5 nm and its surface figure is within 0.5 [mu]m of a perfect sphere. Data over a wide range of diameters are presented and a semiempirical model is developed to explain the behavior. The concordance of the normalized etched profiles for all diameter mirrors demonstrates that the etching is dominated bymore » surface reaction rather than diffusion limitation. Design and fabrication schemes are presented for making a wide range of mirror diameters and focal lengths, for both single micromirrors and arrays. The etched depressions can be used as templates for microlenses and as substrates for geodesic waveguide lenses and arrays. Chem-mechanical polishing on the etched structures reduces the edge curvature and produces oblate spheroidal surfaces, both of which should improve geodesic lens behavior. The etched structures can also be used as variable crystal orientation substrates for epitaxial nucleation and various surface analysis studies.« less

Micromirror arrays using KOH:H2O micromachining of silicon for lens templates, geodesic lenses, and other applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kendall, Don L.; Eaton, William P.; Manginell, Ronald P.; Digges, Thomas G.

1994-11-01

Micromirrors having diameters from a few micrometers to several millimeters have been produced on (100) silicon by wet-chemical etching in KOH:H2O. The f/#'s range from about 2.5 to at least 10. The microroughness of an etched mirror with diameter 550 micrometers and 9.6-micrometers sagitta is less than 5 nm and its surface figure is within 0.5 micrometers of a perfect sphere. Data over a wide range of diameters are presented and a semiempirical model is developed to explain the behavior. The concordance of the normalized etched profiles for all diameter mirrors demonstrates that the etching is dominated by surface reaction rather than diffusion limitation. Design and fabrication schemes are presented for making a wide range of mirror diameters and focal lengths, for both single micromirrors and arrays. The etched depressions can be used as templates for microlenses and as substrates for geodesic waveguide lenses and arrays. Chem-mechanical polishing on the etched structures reduces the edge curvature and produces oblate spheroidal surfaces, both of which should improve geodesic lens behavior. The etched structures can also be used as variable crystal orientation substrates for epitaxial nucleation and various surface analysis studies.

High-power visible laser effect on a Boston Micromachines' MEMS deformable mirror

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norton, Andrew; Gavel, Donald; Dillon, Daren; Cornelissen, Steven

2010-07-01

Continuous-facesheet and segmented Boston Micromachines Corporations' (BMC) Micro-Electrical Mechanical Systems (MEMS) Deformable Mirrors (DM) have been tested for their response to high-power visible-wavelength laser light. The deformable mirrors, coated with either protected silver or bare aluminum, were subjected to a maximum of 2 Watt laser-light at a wavelength of 532 nanometers. The laser light was incident on a ~ 3.5×3.5 cm area for time periods from minutes to 7 continuous hours. Spot heating from the laser-light is measured to induce a local bulge in the surface of each DM. For the aluminum-coated continuous facesheet DM, the induced spot heating changes the surface figure by 16 nm rms. The silver-coated continuous-facesheet and segmented (spatial light modulator) DMs experience a 6 and 8 nm surface rms change in surface quality with the laser at 2 Watts. For spatial frequencies less than the actuator spacing (300 mm), the laser induced surface bulge is shown to be removable, as the DMs continued to be fully functional during and after their exposure. Over the full 10 mm aperture one could expect the same results with a 15 Watt laser guide star (LGS). These results are very promising for use of the MEMS DM to pre-correct the outgoing laser light in the Laboratory for Adaptive Optics' (LAO) laser uplink application.

Investigations of morphological features of picosecond dual-wavelength laser ablation of stainless steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Wanqin; Wang, Wenjun; Mei, Xuesong; Jiang, Gedong; Liu, Bin

2014-06-01

Investigations on the morphological features of holes and grooves ablated on the surface of stainless steel using the picosecond dual-wavelength laser system with different powers combinations are presented based on the scarce researches on morphology of dual-wavelength laser ablation. The experimental results show the profiles of holes ablated by the visible beam appear V-shaped while those for the near-infrared have large openings and display U-shaped, which are independent of the ablation mechanism of ultrafast laser. For the dual-wavelength beam (a combination of visible beam and near-infrared), the holes resemble sunflower-like structures and have smoother ring patterns on the bottom. In general, the holes ablated by the dual-wavelength beam appear to have much flatter bottoms, linearly sloped side-walls and spinodal structures between the bottoms of the holes and the side-walls. Furthermore, through judiciously combining the powers of the dual-wavelength beam, high-quality grooves could be obtained with a flat worm-like structure at the bottom surface and less resolidified melt ejection edges. This study provides insight into optimizing ultrafast laser micromachining in order to obtain desired morphology.

Design of electrostatically levitated micromachined rotational gyroscope based on UV-LIGA technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Feng; Chen, Wenyuan; Su, Yufeng; Zhang, Weiping; Zhao, Xiaolin

2004-12-01

The prevailing micromachined vibratory gyroscope typically has a proof mass connected to the substrate by a mechanical suspension system, which makes it face a tough challenge to achieve tactical or inertial grade performance levels. With a levitated rotor as the proof mass, a micromachined rotational gyroscope will potentially have higher performance than vibratory gyroscope. Besides working as a moment rebalance dual-axis gyroscope, the micromachined rotational gyroscope based on a levitated rotor can simultaneously work as a force balance tri-axis accelerometer. Micromachined rotational gyroscope based on an electrostatically levitated silicon micromachined rotor has been notably developed. In this paper, factors in designing a rotational gyro/accelerometer based on an electrostatically levitated disc-like rotor, including gyroscopic action of micro rotor, methods of stable levitation, micro displacement detection and control, rotation drive and speed control, vacuum packaging and microfabrication, are comprehensively considered. Hence a design of rotational gyro/accelerometer with an electroforming nickel rotor employing low cost UV-LIGA technology is presented. In this design, a wheel-like flat rotor is proposed and its basic dimensions, diameter and thickness, are estimated according to the required loading capability. Finally, its micromachining methods based on UV-LIGA technology and assembly technology are discussed.

ZnO thin film piezoelectric micromachined microphone with symmetric composite vibrating diaphragm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Junhong; Wang, Chenghao; Ren, Wei; Ma, Jun

2017-05-01

Residual stress is an important factor affecting the sensitivity of piezoelectric micromachined microphone. A symmetric composite vibrating diaphragm was adopted in the micro electro mechanical systems piezoelectric microphone to decrease the residual stress and improve the sensitivity of microphone in this paper. The ZnO film was selected as piezoelectric materials of microphone for its higher piezoelectric coefficient d 31 and lower relative dielectric constant. The thickness optimization of piezoelectric film on square diaphragm is difficult to be fulfilled by analytic method. To optimize the thickness of ZnO films, the stress distribution in ZnO film was analyzed by finite element method and the average stress in different thickness of ZnO films was given. The ZnO films deposited using dc magnetron sputtering exhibits a densely packed structure with columnar crystallites preferentially oriented along (002) plane. The diaphragm of microphone fabricated by micromachining techniques is flat and no wrinkling at corners, and the sensitivity of microphone is higher than 1 mV Pa-1. These results indicate the diaphragm has lower residual stress.

Design and fabrication of MEMS devices using the integration of MUMPs, trench-refilled molding, DRIE and bulk silicon etching processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Mingching; Fang, Weileun

2005-03-01

This work integrates multi-depth DRIE etching, trench-refilled molding, two poly-Si layers MUMPs and bulk releasing to improve the variety and performance of MEMS devices. In summary, the present fabrication process, named MOSBE II, has three merits. First, this process can monolithically fabricate and integrate poly-Si thin-film structures with different thicknesses and stiffnesses, such as the flexible spring and the stiff mirror plate. Second, multi-depth structures, such as vertical comb electrodes, are available from the DRIE processes. Third, a cavity under the micromachined device is provided by the bulk silicon etching process, so that a large out-of-plane motion is allowed. In application, an optical scanner driven by the self-aligned vertical comb actuator was demonstrated. The poly-Si micromachined components fabricated by MOSBE II can further integrate with the MUMPs devices to establish a more powerful MOEMS platform.

Femtosecond laser-induced phase transformations in amorphous Cu77Ni6Sn10P7 alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y.; Liu, L.; Zou, G.; Chen, N.; Wu, A.; Bai, H.; Zhou, Y.

2015-01-01

In this study, the femtosecond laser-induced crystallization of CuNiSnP amorphous ribbons was investigated by utilizing an amplified Ti:sapphire laser system. X-ray diffraction and scanning electronic microscope were applied to examine the phase and morphology changes of the amorphous ribbons. Micromachining without crystallization, surface patterning, and selective crystallization were successfully achieved by changing laser parameters. Obvious crystallization occurred under the condition that the laser fluence was smaller than the ablation threshold, indicating that the structural evolution of the material depends strongly on the laser parameters. Back cooling method was used to inhibit heat accumulation; a reversible transformation between the disordered amorphous and crystalline phases can be achieved by using this method.

Micro-structured femtosecond laser assisted FBG hydrogen sensor.

PubMed

Karanja, Joseph Muna; Dai, Yutang; Zhou, Xian; Liu, Bin; Yang, Minghong

2015-11-30

We discuss hydrogen sensors based on fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) micro-machined by femtosecond laser to form microgrooves and sputtered with Pd/Ag composite film. The atomic ratio of the two metals is controlled at Pd:Ag = 3:1. At room temperature, the hydrogen sensitivity of the sensor probe micro-machined by 75 mW laser power and sputtered with 520 nm of Pd/Ag film is 16.5 pm/%H. Comparably, the standard FBG hydrogen sensitivity becomes 2.5 pm/%H towards the same 4% hydrogen concentration. At an ambient temperature of 35°C, the processed sensor head has a dramatic rise in hydrogen sensitivity. Besides, the sensor shows good response and repeatability during hydrogen concentration test.

Optical network of silicon micromachined sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Mark L.; Burns, David W.; Zook, J. David

1996-03-01

The Honeywell Technology Center, in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin and the Mobil Corporation, and under funding from this ARPA sponsored program, are developing a new type of `hybrid' micromachined silicon/fiber optic sensor that utilizes the best attributes of each technology. Fiber optics provide a noise free method to read out the sensor without electrical power required at the measurement point. Micromachined silicon sensor techniques provide a method to design many different types of sensors such as temperature, pressure, acceleration, or magnetic field strength and report the sensor data using FDM methods. Our polysilicon resonant microbeam structures have a built in Fabry-Perot interferometer that offers significant advantages over other configurations described in the literature. Because the interferometer is an integral part of the structure, the placement of the fiber becomes non- critical, and packaging issues become considerably simpler. The interferometer spacing are determined by the thin-film fabrication processes and therefore can be extremely well controlled. The main advantage, however, is the integral vacuum cavity that ensures high Q values. Testing results have demonstrated relaxed alignment tolerances in packaging these devices, with an excellent Signal to Noise Ratio. Networks of 16 or more sensors are currently being developed. STORM (Strain Transduction by Optomechanical Resonant Microbeams) sensors can also provide functionality and self calibration information which can be used to improve the overall system reliability. Details of the sensor and network design, as well as test results, are presented.

Gas-driven microturbine

DOEpatents

Sniegowski, Jeffrey J.; Rodgers, Murray S.; McWhorter, Paul J.; Aeschliman, Daniel P.; Miller, William M.

2002-01-01

A microturbine fabricated by a three-level semiconductor batch-fabrication process based on polysilicon surface-micromachining. The microturbine comprises microelectromechanical elements formed from three polysilicon multi-layer surfaces applied to a silicon substrate. Interleaving sacrificial oxide layers provides electrical and physical isolation, and selective etching of both the sacrificial layers and the polysilicon layers allows formation of individual mechanical and electrical elements as well as the required space for necessary movement of rotating turbine parts and linear elements.

Development of micromachined preconcentrators and gas chromatographic separation columns by an electroless gold plating technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, C.-Y.; Chen, P.-S.; Chen, H.-T.; Lu, C.-J.; Tian, W.-C.

2017-03-01

In this study, a simple process for fabricating a novel micromachined preconcentrator (μPCT) and a gas chromatographic separation column (μSC) for use in a micro gas chromatograph (μGC) using one photomask is described. By electroless gold plating, a high-surface-area gold layer was deposited on the surface of channels inside the μPCT and μSC. For this process, (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane (APTMS) was used as a promoter for attaching gold nanoparticles on a silicon substrate to create a seed layer. For this purpose, a gold sodium sulfite solution was used as reagent for depositing gold to form heating structures. The microchannels of the μPCT and μSC were coated with the adsorbent and stationary phase, Tenax-TA and polydimethylsiloxane (DB-1), respectively. μPCTs were heated at temperatures greater than 280 °C under an applied electrical power of 24 W and a heating rate of 75 °C s-1. Repeatable thermal heating responses for μPCTs were achieved; good linearity (R 2  >  0.9997) was attained at three heating rates for the temperature programme for the μSC (0.2, 0.5 and 1 °C s-1). The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) toluene and m-xylene were concentrated over the μPCT by rapid thermal desorption (peak width of half height (PWHH)  <1.5 s) preconcentration factors for both VOCs are  >7900. The VOCs acetone, benzene, toluene, m-xylene and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene were also separated on the μSC as evidenced by their different retention times (47-184 s).

Optimization of morphological parameters for mitigation pits on rear KDP surface: experiments and numerical modeling.

PubMed

Yang, Hao; Cheng, Jian; Chen, Mingjun; Wang, Jian; Liu, Zhichao; An, Chenhui; Zheng, Yi; Hu, Kehui; Liu, Qi

2017-07-24

In high power laser systems, precision micro-machining is an effective method to mitigate the laser-induced surface damage growth on potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystal. Repaired surfaces with smooth spherical and Gaussian contours can alleviate the light field modulation caused by damage site. To obtain the optimal repairing structure parameters, finite element method (FEM) models for simulating the light intensification caused by the mitigation pits on rear KDP surface were established. The light intensity modulation of these repairing profiles was compared by changing the structure parameters. The results indicate the modulation is mainly caused by the mutual interference between the reflected and incident lights on the rear surface. Owing to the total reflection, the light intensity enhancement factors (LIEFs) of the spherical and Gaussian mitigation pits sharply increase when the width-depth ratios are near 5.28 and 3.88, respectively. To achieve the optimal mitigation effect, the width-depth ratios greater than 5.3 and 4.3 should be applied to the spherical and Gaussian repaired contours. Particularly, for the cases of width-depth ratios greater than 5.3, the spherical repaired contour is preferred to achieve lower light intensification. The laser damage test shows that when the width-depth ratios are larger than 5.3, the spherical repaired contour presents higher laser damage resistance than that of Gaussian repaired contour, which agrees well with the simulation results.

Evaluation of microfabricated deformable mirror systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cowan, William D.; Lee, Max K.; Bright, Victor M.; Welsh, Byron M.

1998-09-01

This paper presents recent result for aberration correction and beam steering experiments using polysilicon surface micromachined piston micromirror arrays. Microfabricated deformable mirrors offer a substantial cost reduction for adaptive optic systems. In addition to the reduced mirror cost, microfabricated mirrors typically require low control voltages, thus eliminating high voltage amplifiers. The greatly reduced cost per channel of adaptive optic systems employing microfabricated deformable mirrors promise high order aberration correction at low cost. Arrays of piston micromirrors with 128 active elements were tested. Mirror elements are on a 203 micrometers 12 by 12 square grid. The overall array size is 2.4 mm square. The arrays were fabricated in the commercially available DARPA supported MUMPs surface micromachining foundry process. The cost per mirror array in this prototyping process is less than 200 dollars. Experimental results are presented for a hybrid correcting element comprised of a lenslet array and piston micromirror array, and for a piston micromirror array only. Also presented is a novel digital deflection micromirror which requires no digital to analog converters, further reducing the cost of adaptive optics system.

Surface Micromachined Silicon Carbide Accelerometers for Gas Turbine Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeAnna, Russell G.

1998-01-01

A finite-element analysis of possible silicon carbide (SIC) folded-beam, lateral-resonating accelerometers is presented. Results include stiffness coefficients, acceleration sensitivities, resonant frequency versus temperature, and proof-mass displacements due to centripetal acceleration of a blade-mounted sensor. The surface micromachined devices, which are similar to the Analog Devices Inc., (Norwood, MA) air-bag crash detector, are etched from 2-pm thick, 3C-SiC films grown at 1600 K using atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD). The substrate is a 500 gm-thick, (100) silicon wafer. Polysilicon or silicon dioxide is used as a sacrificial layer. The finite element analysis includes temperature-dependent properties, shape change due to volume expansion, and thermal stress caused by differential thermal expansion of the materials. The finite-element results are compared to experimental results for a SiC device of similar, but not identical, geometry. Along with changes in mechanical design, blade-mounted sensors would require on-chip circuitry to cancel displacements due to centripetal acceleration and improve sensitivity and bandwidth. These findings may result in better accelerometer designs for this application.

Effect of CO2 laser micromachining on physicochemical properties of poly(L-lactide)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antończak, Arkadiusz J.; Stepak, Bogusz; Szustakiewicz, Konrad; Wójcik, Michał; Kozioł, Paweł E.; Łazarek, Łukasz; Abramski, Krzysztof M.

2014-08-01

In this paper, we present some examples of micromachining of poly(L-lactide) with a CO2 laser and an analysis of changes in material properties in the heat affected HAZ induced by the fluence well above the ablation threshold. The complexity of the processes of decomposition implies the need for simultaneous use of many selective analytical techniques which complement each other to give a full image of the changes. Introduced changes were characterized using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). It turns out that CO2 laser processing of poly(L-lactide) mainly induces surface changes. However, oxidation of the surface was not observed. We recorded a bimodal distribution and some reduction in the molecular weight. Infrared spectroscopy in turn revealed the existence of absorption bands, characteristic for the vinyl groups (RCH=CH2). The appearance of these bands indicates that the decomposition of the polymer occurred, among others, by means of the cis-elimination reaction.

Development of a Novel Transparent Flexible Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer

PubMed Central

Pang, Da-Chen; Chang, Cheng-Min

2017-01-01

This paper presents the world’s first transparent flexible capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) that was fabricated through a roll-lamination technique. This polymer-based CMUT has advantages of transparency, flexibility, and non-contacting detection which provide unique functions in display panel applications. Comprising an indium tin oxide-polyethylene terephthalate (ITO-PET) substrate, SU-8 sidewall and vibrating membranes, and silver nanowire transparent electrode, the transducer has visible-light transmittance exceeding 80% and can operate on curved surfaces with a 40 mm radius of curvature. Unlike the traditional silicon-based high temperature process, the CMUT can be fabricated on a flexible substrate at a temperature below 100 °C to reduce residual stress introduced at high temperature. The CMUT on the curved surfaces can detect a flat target and finger at distances up to 50 mm and 40 mm, respectively. The transparent flexible CMUT provides a better human-machine interface than existing touch panels because it can be integrated with a display panel for non-contacting control in a health conscious environment and the flexible feature is critical for curved display and wearable electronics. PMID:28632157

NASA Tech Briefs, May 2003

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

Topics covered include: Using Diffusion Bonding in Making Piezoelectric Actuators; Wireless Temperature-Monitoring System; Analog Binaural Circuits for Detecting and Locating Leaks; Mirrors Containing Biomimetic Shape-Control Actuators; Surface-Micromachined Planar Arrays of Thermopiles; Cascade Back-Propagation Learning in Neural Networks; Perovskite Superlattices as Tunable Microwave Devices; Rollable Thin-Shell Nanolaminate Mirrors; Flight Tests of a Ministick Controller in an F/A-18 Airplane; Piezoelectrically Actuated Shutter for High Vacuum; Bio-Inspired Engineering of Exploration Systems; Microscope Cells Containing Multiple Micromachined Wells; Electrophoretic Deposition for Fabricating Microbatteries; Integrated Arrays of Ion-Sensitive Electrodes; Model of Fluidized Bed Containing Reacting Solids and Gases; Membrane Mirrors With Bimorph Shape Actuators; Using Fractional Clock-Period Delays in Telemetry Arraying; Developing Generic Software for Spacecraft Avionics; Numerical Study of Pyrolysis of Biomass in Fluidized Beds; and Assessment of Models of Chemically Reacting Granular Flows.

Fabrication of low-loss ridge waveguides in z-cut lithium niobate by combination of ion implantation and UV picosecond laser micromachining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stolze, M.; Herrmann, T.; L'huillier, J. A.

2016-03-01

Ridge waveguides in ferroelectric materials like LiNbO3 attended great interest for highly efficient integrated optical devices, for instance, electro-optic modulators, frequency converters and ring resonators. The main challenges are the realization of high index barrier towards the substrate and the processing of smooth ridges for minimized scattering losses. For fabricating ridges a variety of techniques, like chemical and wet etching as well as optical grade dicing, have been investigated in detail. Among them, laser micromachining offers a versatile and flexible processing technology, but up to now only a limited side wall roughness has been achieved by this technique. Here we report on laser micromachining of smooth ridges for low-loss optical waveguides in LiNbO3. The ridges with a top width of 7 µm were fabricated in z-cut LiNbO3 by a combination of UV picosecond micromachining and thermal annealing. The laser processing parameters show a strong influence on the achievable sidewall roughness of the ridges and were systematically investigated and optimized. Finally, the surface quality is further improved by an optimized thermal post-processing. The roughness of the ridges were analysed with confocal microscopy and the scattering losses were measured at an optical characterization wavelength of 632.8 nm by using the end-fire coupling method. In these investigations the index barrier was formed by multi-energy low dose oxygen ion implantation technology in a depth of 2.7 μm. With optimized laser processing parameters and thermal post-processing a scattering loss as low as 0.1 dB/cm has been demonstrated.

A micro-machined source transducer for a parametric array in air.

PubMed

Lee, Haksue; Kang, Daesil; Moon, Wonkyu

2009-04-01

Parametric array applications in air, such as highly directional parametric loudspeaker systems, usually rely on large radiators to generate the high-intensity primary beams required for nonlinear interactions. However, a conventional transducer, as a primary wave projector, requires a great deal of electrical power because its electroacoustic efficiency is very low due to the large characteristic mechanical impedance in air. The feasibility of a micro-machined ultrasonic transducer as an efficient finite-amplitude wave projector was studied. A piezoelectric micro-machined ultrasonic transducer array consisting of lead zirconate titanate uni-morph elements was designed and fabricated for this purpose. Theoretical and experimental evaluations showed that a micro-machined ultrasonic transducer array can be used as an efficient source transducer for a parametric array in air. The beam patterns and propagation curves of the difference frequency wave and the primary wave generated by the micro-machined ultrasonic transducer array were measured. Although the theoretical results were based on ideal parametric array models, the theoretical data explained the experimental results reasonably well. These experiments demonstrated the potential of micro-machined primary wave projector.

Fabrication of 3D surface structures using grayscale lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stilson, Christopher; Pal, Rajan; Coutu, Ronald A.

2014-03-01

The ability to design and develop 3D microstructures is important for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication. Previous techniques used to create 3D devices included tedious steps in direct writing and aligning patterns onto a substrate followed by multiple photolithography steps using expensive, customized equipment. Additionally, these techniques restricted batch processing and placed limits on achievable shapes. Gray-scale lithography enables the fabrication of a variety of shapes using a single photolithography step followed by reactive ion etching (RIE). Micromachining 3D silicon structures for MEMS can be accomplished using gray-scale lithography along with dry anisotropic etching. In this study, we investigated: using MATLAB for mask designs; feasibility of using 1 μm Heidelberg mask maker to direct write patterns onto photoresist; using RIE processing to etch patterns into a silicon substrate; and the ability to tailor etch selectivity for precise fabrication. To determine etch rates and to obtain desired etch selectivity, parameters such as gas mixture, gas flow, and electrode power were studied. This process successfully demonstrates the ability to use gray-scale lithography and RIE for use in the study of micro-contacts. These results were used to produce a known engineered non-planer surface for testing micro-contacts. Surface structures are between 5 μm and 20 μm wide with varying depths and slopes based on mask design and etch rate selectivity. The engineered surfaces will provide more insight into contact geometries and failure modes of fixed-fixed micro-contacts.

Wear-reducing Surface Functionalization of Implant Materials Using Ultrashort Laser Pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oldorf, P.; Peters, R.; Reichel, S.; Schulz, A.-P.; Wendlandt, R.

The aim of the project called "EndoLas" is the development of a reproducible and reliable method for a functionalization of articulating surfaces on hip joint endoprostheses due to a reduction of abrasion and wear by the generation of micro structures using ultrashort laser pulses. On the one hand, the microstructures shall ensure the capture of abraded particles, which cause third-body wear and thereby increase aseptic loosening. On the other hand, the structures shall improve or maintain the tribologically important lubricating film. Thereby, the cavities serve as a reservoir for the body's own synovial fluid. The dry friction, which promotes abrasion and is a part of the mixed friction in the joint, shall therefore be reduced. In experimental setups it was shown, that the abrasive wear can be reduced significantly due to micro-structuring the articulating implant surfaces. To shape the fine and deterministic cavities on the surfaces, an ultra-short pulsed laser, which is integrated in a high-precision, 5-axes micro-machining system, was used. The laser system, based on an Yb:YAG thin-disk regenerative amplifier, has an average output power of 50 W at the fundamental wavelength of 1030 nm, a maximum repetition rate of 400 kHz and a pulse duration of 6 ps. Due to this, a maximum pulse energy of 125 μJ is achievable. Furthermore external second and third harmonic generation enables the usage of wavelengths in the green and violet spectral range.

Soft micromachines with programmable motility and morphology

PubMed Central

Huang, Hen-Wei; Sakar, Mahmut Selman; Petruska, Andrew J.; Pané, Salvador; Nelson, Bradley J.

2016-01-01

Nature provides a wide range of inspiration for building mobile micromachines that can navigate through confined heterogenous environments and perform minimally invasive environmental and biomedical operations. For example, microstructures fabricated in the form of bacterial or eukaryotic flagella can act as artificial microswimmers. Due to limitations in their design and material properties, these simple micromachines lack multifunctionality, effective addressability and manoeuvrability in complex environments. Here we develop an origami-inspired rapid prototyping process for building self-folding, magnetically powered micromachines with complex body plans, reconfigurable shape and controllable motility. Selective reprogramming of the mechanical design and magnetic anisotropy of body parts dynamically modulates the swimming characteristics of the micromachines. We find that tail and body morphologies together determine swimming efficiency and, unlike for rigid swimmers, the choice of magnetic field can subtly change the motility of soft microswimmers. PMID:27447088

Soft micromachines with programmable motility and morphology.

PubMed

Huang, Hen-Wei; Sakar, Mahmut Selman; Petruska, Andrew J; Pané, Salvador; Nelson, Bradley J

2016-07-22

Nature provides a wide range of inspiration for building mobile micromachines that can navigate through confined heterogenous environments and perform minimally invasive environmental and biomedical operations. For example, microstructures fabricated in the form of bacterial or eukaryotic flagella can act as artificial microswimmers. Due to limitations in their design and material properties, these simple micromachines lack multifunctionality, effective addressability and manoeuvrability in complex environments. Here we develop an origami-inspired rapid prototyping process for building self-folding, magnetically powered micromachines with complex body plans, reconfigurable shape and controllable motility. Selective reprogramming of the mechanical design and magnetic anisotropy of body parts dynamically modulates the swimming characteristics of the micromachines. We find that tail and body morphologies together determine swimming efficiency and, unlike for rigid swimmers, the choice of magnetic field can subtly change the motility of soft microswimmers.

Laser patterning of platinum electrodes for safe neurostimulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, R. A.; Matteucci, P. B.; Dodds, C. W. D.; Palmer, J.; Dueck, W. F.; Hassarati, R. T.; Byrnes-Preston, P. J.; Lovell, N. H.; Suaning, G. J.

2014-10-01

Objective. Laser surface modification of platinum (Pt) electrodes was investigated for use in neuroprosthetics. Surface modification was applied to increase the surface area of the electrode and improve its ability to transfer charge within safe electrochemical stimulation limits. Approach. Electrode arrays were laser micromachined to produce Pt electrodes with smooth surfaces, which were then modified with four laser patterning techniques to produce surface structures which were nanosecond patterned, square profile, triangular profile and roughened on the micron scale through structured laser interference patterning (SLIP). Improvements in charge transfer were shown through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and biphasic stimulation at clinically relevant levels. A new method was investigated and validated which enabled the assessment of in vivo electrochemically safe charge injection limits. Main results. All of the modified surfaces provided electrical advantage over the smooth Pt. The SLIP surface provided the greatest benefit both in vitro and in vivo, and this surface was the only type which had injection limits above the threshold for neural stimulation, at a level shown to produce a response in the feline visual cortex when using an electrode array implanted in the suprachoroidal space of the eye. This surface was found to be stable when stimulated with more than 150 million clinically relevant pulses in physiological saline. Significance. Critical to the assessment of implant devices is accurate determination of safe usage limits in an in vivo environment. Laser patterning, in particular SLIP, is a superior technique for improving the performance of implant electrodes without altering the interfacial electrode chemistry through coating. Future work will require chronic in vivo assessment of these electrode patterns.

Study on vacuum packaging reliability of micromachined quartz tuning fork gyroscopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Maoyan; Zhang, Lifang

2017-09-01

Packaging technology of the micromachined quartz tuning fork gyroscopes by vacuum welding has been experimentally studied. The performance of quartz tuning fork is influenced by the encapsulation shell, encapsulation method and fixation of forks. Alloy solder thick film is widely used in the package to avoid the damage of the chip structure by the heat resistance and hot temperature, and this can improve the device performance and welding reliability. The results show that the bases and the lids plated with gold and nickel can significantly improve the airtightness and reliability of the vacuum package. Vacuum packaging is an effective method to reduce the vibration damping, improve the quality factor and further enhance the performance. The threshold can be improved nearly by 10 times.

Surface-Micromachined Microfiltration Membranes for Efficient Isolation and Functional Immunophenotyping of Subpopulations of Immune Cells

PubMed Central

Oh, Boram; Lam, Raymond H. W.; Fan, Rong; Cornell, Timothy T.; Shanley, Thomas P.; Kurabayashi, Katsuo; Fu, Jianping

2015-01-01

An accurate measurement of the immune status in patients with immune system disorders is critical in evaluating the stage of diseases and tailoring drug treatments. The functional cellular immunity test is a promising method to establish the diagnosis of immune dysfunctions. The conventional functional cellular immunity test involves measurements of the capacity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines when stimulated ex vivo. However, this “bulk” assay measures the overall reactivity of a population of lymphocytes and monocytes, making it difficult to pinpoint the phenotype or real identity of the reactive immune cells involved. In this research, we develop a large surface micromachined polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfiltration membrane (PMM) with high porosity, which is integrated in a microfluidic microfiltration platform. Using the PMM with functionalized microbeads conjugated with antibodies against specific cell surface proteins, we demonstrated rapid, efficient and high-throughput on-chip isolation, enrichment, and stimulation of subpopulations of immune cells from blood specimens. Furthermore, the PMM-integrated microfiltration platform, coupled with a no-wash homogeneous chemiluminescence assay (“AlphaLISA”), enables us to demonstrate rapid and sensitive on-chip immunophenotyping assays for subpopulations of immune cells isolated directly from minute quantities of blood samples. PMID:23335389

Improved Electromechanical Infrared Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenny, Thomas W.; Kaiser, William J.

1994-01-01

Proposed electromechanical infrared detector improved version of device described in "Micromachined Electron-Tunneling Infrared Detectors" (NPO-18413). Fabrication easier, and undesired sensitivity to acceleration reduced. In devices, diaphragms and other components made of micromachined silicon, and displacements of diaphragms measured by electron tunneling displacement transducer {see "Micromachined Tunneling Accelerometer" (NPO-18513)}. Improved version offers enhanced frequency response and less spurious response to acceleration.

Wideband Feedback Circuit For Tunneling Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaiser, William J.; Kenny, Thomas W.; Rockstad, Howard K.; Reynolds, Joseph K.

1994-01-01

Improved feedback circuit designed for use in controlling tunneling displacement transducer. Features include stability and nearly flat frequency response up to 50 kHz. Transducer could be that in scanning tunneling microscope, or any of micromachined electromechanical transducers described in "Micromachined Electron-Tunneling Infrared Detectors" (NPO-18413), "Micromachined Tunneling Accelerometer" (NPO-18513), and "Improved Electromechanical Infrared Sensor" (NPO-18560).

Microscale out-of-plane anemometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Chang (Inventor); Chen, Jack (Inventor)

2005-01-01

A microscale out-of-plane thermal sensor. A resistive heater is suspended over a substrate by supports raised with respect to the substrate to provide a clearance underneath the resistive heater for fluid flow. A preferred fabrication process for the thermal sensor uses surface micromachining and a three-dimensional assembly to raise the supports and lift the resistive heater over the substrate.

Silicon micromachined waveguides for millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yap, Markus; Tai, Yu-Chong; Mcgrath, William R.; Walker, Christopher

1992-01-01

The majority of radio receivers, transmitters, and components operating at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths utilize rectangular waveguides in some form. However, conventional machining techniques for waveguides operating above a few hundred GHz are complicated and costly. This paper reports on the development of silicon micromachining techniques to create silicon-based waveguide circuits which can operate at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths. As a first step, rectangular WR-10 waveguide structures have been fabricated from (110) silicon wafers using micromachining techniques. The waveguide is split along the broad wall. Each half is formed by first etching a channel completely through a wafer. Potassium hydroxide is used to etch smooth mirror-like vertical walls and LPCVD silicon nitride is used as a masking layer. This wafer is then bonded to another flat wafer using a polyimide bonding technique and diced into the U-shaped half wavelengths. Finally, a gold layer is applied to the waveguide walls. Insertion loss measurements show losses comparable to those of standard metal waveguides. It is suggested that active devices and planar circuits can be integrated with the waveguides, solving the traditional mounting problems. Potential applications in terahertz instrumentation technology are further discussed.

Microactuator production via high aspect ratio, high edge acuity metal fabrication technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guckel, H.; Christenson, T. R.

1993-01-01

LIGA is a procession sequence which uses x-ray lithography on photoresist layers of several hundred micrometers to produce very high edge acuity photopolymer molds. These plastic molds can be converted to metal molds via electroplating of many different metals and alloys. The end results are high edge acuity metal parts with large structural heights. The LIGA process as originally described by W. Ehrfeld can be extended by adding a surface micromachining phase to produce precision metal parts which can be assembled to form three-dimensional micromechanisms. This process, SLIGA, has been used to fabricate a dynamometer on a chip. The instrument has been fully implemented and will be applied to tribology issues, speed-torque characterization of planar magnetic micromotors and a new family of sensors.

Micro thrust and heat generator

DOEpatents

Garcia, Ernest J.

1998-01-01

A micro thrust and heat generator has a means for providing a combustion fuel source to an ignition chamber of the micro thrust and heat generator. The fuel is ignited by a ignition means within the micro thrust and heat generator's ignition chamber where it burns and creates a pressure. A nozzle formed from the combustion chamber extends outward from the combustion chamber and tappers down to a narrow diameter and then opens into a wider diameter where the nozzle then terminates outside of said combustion chamber. The pressure created within the combustion chamber accelerates as it leaves the chamber through the nozzle resulting in pressure and heat escaping from the nozzle to the atmosphere outside the micro thrust and heat generator. The micro thrust and heat generator can be microfabricated from a variety of materials, e.g., of polysilicon, on one wafer using surface micromachining batch fabrication techniques or high aspect ratio micromachining techniques (LIGA).

Micro thrust and heat generator

DOEpatents

Garcia, E.J.

1998-11-17

A micro thrust and heat generator have a means for providing a combustion fuel source to an ignition chamber of the micro thrust and heat generator. The fuel is ignited by a ignition means within the micro thrust and heat generator`s ignition chamber where it burns and creates a pressure. A nozzle formed from the combustion chamber extends outward from the combustion chamber and tappers down to a narrow diameter and then opens into a wider diameter where the nozzle then terminates outside of said combustion chamber. The pressure created within the combustion chamber accelerates as it leaves the chamber through the nozzle resulting in pressure and heat escaping from the nozzle to the atmosphere outside the micro thrust and heat generator. The micro thrust and heat generator can be microfabricated from a variety of materials, e.g., of polysilicon, on one wafer using surface micromachining batch fabrication techniques or high aspect ratio micromachining techniques (LIGA). 30 figs.

Micromachined ultrasonic transducers: 11.4 MHz transmission in air and more

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ladabaum, Igal; Khuri-Yakub, B. T.; Spoliansky, Dimitri

1996-01-01

The fabrication and modeling of novel, capacitive, ultrasonic air transducers is reported. Transmission experiments in air at 11.4, 9.2, and 3.1 MHz are shown to correspond with theory. The transducers are made using surface micromachining techniques, which enable the realization of center frequencies ranging from 1.8 to 11.6 MHz. The bandwidth of the transducers ranges from 5% to 20%, depending on processing parameters. Custom circuitry is able to detect 10 MHz capacitance fluctuations as small as 10-18 F, which correspond to displacements on the order of 10-3 Å, in a bandwidth of 2 MHz with a signal to noise ratio of 20 dB. Such detection sensitivity is shown to yield air transducer systems capable of withstanding over 100 dB of signal attenuation, a figure of merit that has significant implications for ultrasonic imaging, nondestructive evaluation, gas flow and composition measurements, and range sensing.

A 5 meter range non-planar CMUT array for Automotive Collision Avoidance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernandez Aguirre, Jonathan

A discretized hyperbolic paraboloid geometry capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) array has been designed and fabricated for automotive collision avoidance. The array is designed to operate at 40 kHz, beamwidth of 40° with a maximum sidelobe intensity of -10dB. An SOI based fabrication technology has been used for the 5x5 array with 5 sensing surfaces along each x and y axis and 7 elevation levels. An assembly and packaging technique has been developed to realize the non-planar geometry in a PGA-68 package. A highly accurate mathematical method has been presented for analytical characterization of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) built with square diaphragms. The method uses a new two-dimensional polynomial function to more accurately predict the deflection curve of a multilayer square diaphragm subject to both mechanical and electrostatic pressure and a new capacitance model that takes into account the contribution of the fringing field capacitances.

Low-loss LIGA-micromachined conductor-backed coplanar waveguide.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Forman, Michael A.

2004-12-01

A mesoscale low-loss LIGA-micromachined conductor-backed coplanar waveguide is presented. The 517 {micro}m lines are the tallest uniplanar LIGA-fabricated microwave transmission lines to date, as well as the first to be constructed of copper rather than nickel. The conductor-backed micromachined CPW on quartz achieves a measured attenuation of 0.064 dB/cm at 15.5 GHz.

Micro-machined thermo-conductivity detector

DOEpatents

Yu, Conrad

2003-01-01

A micro-machined thermal conductivity detector for a portable gas chromatograph. The detector is highly sensitive and has fast response time to enable detection of the small size gas samples in a portable gas chromatograph which are in the order of nanoliters. The high sensitivity and fast response time are achieved through micro-machined devices composed of a nickel wire, for example, on a silicon nitride window formed in a silicon member and about a millimeter square in size. In addition to operating as a thermal conductivity detector, the silicon nitride window with a micro-machined wire therein of the device can be utilized for a fast response heater for PCR applications.

Rough surface adhesion in the presence of capillary condensation

DOE PAGES

DelRio, Frank W.; Dunn, Martin L.; Phinney, Leslie M.; ...

2007-04-17

Capillary condensation of water can have a significant effect on rough surface adhesion. Here, to explore this phenomenon between micromachined surfaces, the authors perform microcantilever experiments as a function of surface roughness and relative humidity (RH). Below a threshold RH, the adhesion is mainly due to van der Waals forces across extensive noncontacting areas. Above the threshold RH, the adhesion jumps due to capillary condensation and increases towards the upper limit of Γ=144mJ/m 2. Lastly, a detailed model based on the measured surface topography qualitatively agrees with the experimental data only when the topographic correlations between the upper and lowermore » surfaces are considered.« less

Method and apparatus for micromachining using hard X-rays

DOEpatents

Siddons, D.P.; Johnson, E.D.; Guckel, H.; Klein, J.L.

1997-10-21

An X-ray source such as a synchrotron which provides a significant spectral content of hard X-rays is used to expose relatively thick photoresist such that the portions of the photoresist at an exit surface receive at least a threshold dose sufficient to render the photoresist susceptible to a developer, while the entrance surface of the photoresist receives an exposure which does not exceed a power limit at which destructive disruption of the photoresist would occur. The X-ray beam is spectrally shaped to substantially eliminate lower energy photons while allowing a substantial flux of higher energy photons to pass through to the photoresist target. Filters and the substrate of the X-ray mask may be used to spectrally shape the X-ray beam. Machining of photoresists such as polymethylmethacrylate to micron tolerances may be obtained to depths of several centimeters, and multiple targets may be exposed simultaneously. The photoresist target may be rotated and/or translated in the beam to form solids of rotation and other complex three-dimensional structures. 21 figs.

Method and apparatus for micromachining using hard X-rays

DOEpatents

Siddons, David Peter; Johnson, Erik D.; Guckel, Henry; Klein, Jonathan L.

1997-10-21

An X-ray source such as a synchrotron which provides a significant spectral content of hard X-rays is used to expose relatively thick photoresist such that the portions of the photoresist at an exit surface receive at least a threshold dose sufficient to render the photoresist susceptible to a developer, while the entrance surface of the photoresist receives an exposure which does not exceed a power limit at which destructive disruption of the photoresist would occur. The X-ray beam is spectrally shaped to substantially eliminate lower energy photons while allowing a substantial flux of higher energy photons to pass through to the photoresist target. Filters and the substrate of the X-ray mask may be used to spectrally shape the X-ray beam. Machining of photoresists such as polymethylmethacrylate to micron tolerances may be obtained to depths of several centimeters, and multiple targets may be exposed simultaneously. The photoresist target may be rotated and/or translated in the beam to form solids of rotation and other complex three-dimensional structures.

Vertically Integrated MEMS SOI Composite Porous Silicon-Crystalline Silicon Cantilever-Array Sensors: Concept for Continuous Sensing of Explosives and Warfare Agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stolyarova, Sara; Shemesh, Ariel; Aharon, Oren; Cohen, Omer; Gal, Lior; Eichen, Yoav; Nemirovsky, Yael

This study focuses on arrays of cantilevers made of crystalline silicon (c-Si), using SOI wafers as the starting material and using bulk micromachining. The arrays are subsequently transformed into composite porous silicon-crystalline silicon cantilevers, using a unique vapor phase process tailored for providing a thin surface layer of porous silicon on one side only. This results in asymmetric cantilever arrays, with one side providing nano-structured porous large surface, which can be further coated with polymers, thus providing additional sensing capabilities and enhanced sensing. The c-Si cantilevers are vertically integrated with a bottom silicon die with electrodes allowing electrostatic actuation. Flip Chip bonding is used for the vertical integration. The readout is provided by a sensitive Capacitance to Digital Converter. The fabrication, processing and characterization results are reported. The reported study is aimed towards achieving miniature cantilever chips with integrated readout for sensing explosives and chemical warfare agents in the field.

Manufacture of radio frequency micromachined switches with annealing.

PubMed

Lin, Cheng-Yang; Dai, Ching-Liang

2014-01-17

The fabrication and characterization of a radio frequency (RF) micromachined switch with annealing were presented. The structure of the RF switch consists of a membrane, coplanar waveguide (CPW) lines, and eight springs. The RF switch is manufactured using the complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process. The switch requires a post-process to release the membrane and springs. The post-process uses a wet etching to remove the sacrificial silicon dioxide layer, and to obtain the suspended structures of the switch. In order to improve the residual stress of the switch, an annealing process is applied to the switch, and the membrane obtains an excellent flatness. The finite element method (FEM) software CoventorWare is utilized to simulate the stress and displacement of the RF switch. Experimental results show that the RF switch has an insertion loss of 0.9 dB at 35 GHz and an isolation of 21 dB at 39 GHz. The actuation voltage of the switch is 14 V.

Manufacture of Radio Frequency Micromachined Switches with Annealing

PubMed Central

Lin, Cheng-Yang; Dai, Ching-Liang

2014-01-01

The fabrication and characterization of a radio frequency (RF) micromachined switch with annealing were presented. The structure of the RF switch consists of a membrane, coplanar waveguide (CPW) lines, and eight springs. The RF switch is manufactured using the complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process. The switch requires a post-process to release the membrane and springs. The post-process uses a wet etching to remove the sacrificial silicon dioxide layer, and to obtain the suspended structures of the switch. In order to improve the residual stress of the switch, an annealing process is applied to the switch, and the membrane obtains an excellent flatness. The finite element method (FEM) software CoventorWare is utilized to simulate the stress and displacement of the RF switch. Experimental results show that the RF switch has an insertion loss of 0.9 dB at 35 GHz and an isolation of 21 dB at 39 GHz. The actuation voltage of the switch is 14 V. PMID:24445415

Design and Realization of 3D Printed AFM Probes.

PubMed

Alsharif, Nourin; Burkatovsky, Anna; Lissandrello, Charles; Jones, Keith M; White, Alice E; Brown, Keith A

2018-05-01

Atomic force microscope (AFM) probes and AFM imaging by extension are the product of exceptionally refined silicon micromachining, but are also restricted by the limitations of these fabrication techniques. Here, the nanoscale additive manufacturing technique direct laser writing is explored as a method to print monolithic cantilevered probes for AFM. Not only are 3D printed probes found to function effectively for AFM, but they also confer several advantages, most notably the ability to image in intermittent contact mode with a bandwidth approximately ten times larger than analogous silicon probes. In addition, the arbitrary structural control afforded by 3D printing is found to enable programming the modal structure of the probe, a capability that can be useful in the context of resonantly amplifying nonlinear tip-sample interactions. Collectively, these results show that 3D printed probes complement those produced using conventional silicon micromachining and open the door to new imaging techniques. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Possibilities of using pulsed lasers and copper-vapour laser system (CVL and CVLS) in modern technological equipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Labin, N. A.; Bulychev, N. A.; Kazaryan, M. A.; Grigoryants, A. G.; Shiganov, I. N.; Krasovskii, V. I.; Sachkov, V. I.; Plyaka, P. S.; Feofanov, I. N.

2015-12-01

Research on CVL installations with an average power of 20-25 W of cutting and drilling has shown wide range of applications of these lasers for micromachining of metals and a wide range of non-metallic materials up to 1-2 mm. From the analysis indicated that peak power density in the focused light spot of 10-30 μm diameter must be 109 -1012 W/cm2 the productivity and quality micromachining, when the treatment material is preferably in the evaporative mode micro explosions, followed by the expansion of the superheated vapor and the liquid. To achieve such levels of power density, a minimum heat affected zone (5- 10 μm) and a minimum surface roughness of the cut (1-2 μm), the quality of the output beam of radiation should be as high. Ideally, to ensure the quality of the radiation, the structure of CVL output beam must be single-beam, diffraction divergence and have at duration pulses τi = 20-40 ns. The pulse energy should have low values of 0.1-1 mJ at pulse repetition rates of 10-20 kHz. Axis of the radiation beam instability of the pattern to be three orders of magnitude smaller than the diffraction limit of the divergence. The spot of the focused radiation beam must have a circular shape with clear boundary, and a Gaussian intensity distribution.

A Mars Micro-Meteorological Station Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merrihew, Steven C.; Haberle, Robert; Lemke, Lawrence G.

1995-01-01

The Mars Micro-Meteorological Station (Micro-Met) Mission is designed to provide the global surface pressure measurements required to help characterize the martian general circulation and climate system. Measurements of surface pressure distributed both spatially and temporally, coupled with simultaneous measurements from orbit, will enable the determination of the general circulation, structure and driving factors of the martian atmosphere as well as the seasonal CO2 cycle. The influence of these atmospheric factors will in turn provide insight into the overall martian climate system. With the science objective defined as the long term (at least one Mars year) globally distributed measurement of surface atmospheric pressure, a straightforward, near term and low cost network mission has been designed. The Micro-Met mission utilizes a unique silicon micro-machined pressure sensor coupled with a robust and lightweight surface station to deliver to Mars 16 Micro-Met stations via a Med-Lite launch vehicle. The battery powered Micro-Met surface stations are designed to autonomously measure, record and transmit the science data via a UHF relay satellite. Entry, descent and landing is provided by an aeroshell with a new lightweight ceramic thermal protection system, a parachute and an impact absorbing structure. The robust lander is capable of surviving the landing loads imposed by the high altitude landing sites required in a global network. By trading the ability to make many measurements at a single site for the ability to make a single measurement at several sites, the Micro-Met mission design satisfies the requirement for truly global meteorological science.

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers for medical imaging and therapy.

PubMed

Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T; Oralkan, Omer

2011-05-01

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) have been subject to extensive research for the last two decades. Although they were initially developed for air-coupled applications, today their main application space is medical imaging and therapy. This paper first presents a brief description of CMUTs, their basic structure, and operating principles. Our progression of developing several generations of fabrication processes is discussed with an emphasis on the advantages and disadvantages of each process. Monolithic and hybrid approaches for integrating CMUTs with supporting integrated circuits are surveyed. Several prototype transducer arrays with integrated frontend electronic circuits we developed and their use for 2-D and 3-D, anatomical and functional imaging, and ablative therapies are described. The presented results prove the CMUT as a MEMS technology for many medical diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers for medical imaging and therapy

PubMed Central

Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T.; Oralkan, Ömer

2011-01-01

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) have been subject to extensive research for the last two decades. Although they were initially developed for air-coupled applications, today their main application space is medical imaging and therapy. This paper first presents a brief description of CMUTs, their basic structure, and operating principles. Our progression of developing several generations of fabrication processes is discussed with an emphasis on the advantages and disadvantages of each process. Monolithic and hybrid approaches for integrating CMUTs with supporting integrated circuits are surveyed. Several prototype transducer arrays with integrated frontend electronic circuits we developed and their use for 2-D and 3-D, anatomical and functional imaging, and ablative therapies are described. The presented results prove the CMUT as a MEMS technology for many medical diagnostic and therapeutic applications. PMID:21860542

A three-mask process for fabricating vacuum-sealed capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers using anodic bonding.

PubMed

Yamaner, F Yalçın; Zhang, Xiao; Oralkan, Ömer

2015-05-01

This paper introduces a simplified fabrication method for vacuum-sealed capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) arrays using anodic bonding. Anodic bonding provides the established advantages of wafer-bondingbased CMUT fabrication processes, including process simplicity, control over plate thickness and properties, high fill factor, and ability to implement large vibrating cells. In addition to these, compared with fusion bonding, anodic bonding can be performed at lower processing temperatures, i.e., 350°C as opposed to 1100°C; surface roughness requirement for anodic bonding is more than 10 times more relaxed, i.e., 5-nm rootmean- square (RMS) roughness as opposed to 0.5 nm for fusion bonding; anodic bonding can be performed on smaller contact area and hence improves the fill factor for CMUTs. Although anodic bonding has been previously used for CMUT fabrication, a CMUT with a vacuum cavity could not have been achieved, mainly because gas is trapped inside the cavities during anodic bonding. In the approach we present in this paper, the vacuum cavity is achieved by opening a channel in the plate structure to evacuate the trapped gas and subsequently sealing this channel by conformal silicon nitride deposition in the vacuum environment. The plate structure of the fabricated CMUT consists of the single-crystal silicon device layer of a silicon-on-insulator wafer and a thin silicon nitride insulation layer. The presented fabrication approach employs only three photolithographic steps and combines the advantages of anodic bonding with the advantages of a patterned metal bottom electrode on an insulating substrate, specifically low parasitic series resistance and low parasitic shunt capacitance. In this paper, the developed fabrication scheme is described in detail, including process recipes. The fabricated transducers are characterized using electrical input impedance measurements in air and hydrophone measurements in immersion. A representative design is used to demonstrate immersion operation in conventional, collapse-snapback, and collapse modes. In collapsemode operation, an output pressure of 1.67 MPa pp is shown at 7 MHz on the surface of the transducer for 60-Vpp, 3-cycle sinusoidal excitation at 30-V dc bias.

Tunable Patch Antennas Using Microelectromechanical Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-11

Figure 28, was selected as most suitable to this application. MetalMUMPs is a surface micromachining process with polysilicon , silicon nitride, nickel...yields. MEMS Variable Capacitor Design The MEMS capacitors reported here were an original design that features nickel and polysilicon layers as...the movable plates of a variable parallel plate capacitor. The polysilicon layer was embedded in silicon nitride for electrical isolation and suspended

Design and simulation of a tactile display based on a CMUT array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chouvardas, Vasilios G.; Hatalis, Miltiadis K.; Miliou, Amalia N.

2012-10-01

In this article, we present the design of a tactile display based on a CMUT-phased array. The array implements a 'pixel' of the display and is used to focus airborne ultrasound energy on the skin surface. The pressure field, generated by the focused ultrasound waves, is used to excite the mechanoreceptors under the skin and transmit tactile information. The results of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of the Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (CMUT) and the CMUT-phased array for ultrasound emission are presented. The 3D models of the device and the array were developed using a commercial FEA package. Modelling and simulations were performed using the parameters from the POLYMUMPS surface micromachining technology from MEMSCAP. During the analysis of the phased array, several parameters were studied in order to determine their importance in the design of the tactile display. The output of the array is compared with the acoustic intensity thresholds in order to prove the feasibility of the design. Taking into account the density of the mechanoreceptors in the skin, we conclude that there should be at least one receptor under the excitation area formed on the skin.

Freeze-tolerant condenser for a closed-loop heat-transfer system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crowley, Christopher J. (Inventor); Elkouh, Nabil A. (Inventor)

2002-01-01

A freeze tolerant condenser (106) for a two-phase heat transfer system is disclosed. The condenser includes an enclosure (110) and a porous artery (112) located within and extending along the length of the enclosure. A vapor space (116) is defined between the enclosure and the artery, and a liquid space (114) is defined by a central passageway within the artery. The artery includes a plurality of laser-micromachined capillaries (130) extending from the outer surface of the artery to its inner surface such that the vapor space is in fluid communication with the liquid space. In one embodiment of the invention, the capillaries (130) are cylindrical holes having a diameter of no greater than 50 microns. In another embodiment, the capillaries (130') are slots having widths of no greater than 50 microns. A method of making an artery in accordance with the present invention is also disclosed. The method includes providing a solid-walled tube and laser-micromachining a plurality of capillaries into the tube along a longitudinal axis, wherein each capillary has at least one cross-sectional dimension transverse to the longitudinal axis of less than 50 microns.

Linkage design effect on the reliability of surface-micromachined microengines driving a load

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanner, Danelle M.; Peterson, Kenneth A.; Irwin, Lloyd W.; Tangyunyong, Paiboon; Miller, William M.; Eaton, William P.; Smith, Norman F.; Rodgers, M. Steven

1998-09-01

The reliability of microengines is a function of the design of the mechanical linkage used to connect the electrostatic actuator to the drive. We have completed a series of reliability stress tests on surface micromachined microengines driving an inertial load. In these experiments, we used microengines that had pin mechanisms with guides connecting the drive arms to the electrostatic actuators. Comparing this data to previous results using flexure linkages revealed that the pin linkage design was less reliable. The devices were stressed to failure at eight frequencies, both above and below the measured resonance frequency of the microengine. Significant amounts of wear debris were observed both around the hub and pin joint of the drive gear. Additionally, wear tracks were observed in the area where the moving shuttle rubbed against the guides of the pin linkage. At each frequency, we analyzed the statistical data yielding a lifetime (t50) for median cycles to failure and (sigma) , the shape parameter of the distribution. A model was developed to describe the failure data based on fundamental wear mechanisms and forces exhibited in mechanical resonant systems. The comparison to the model will be discussed.

Differential surface stress sensor for detection of chemical and biological species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, K.; Nilsen-Hamilton, M.; Shrotriya, P.

2008-10-01

We report a sensor consisting of two micromachined cantilevers (a sensing/reference pair) that is suitable for detection of chemical and biological species. The sensing strategy involves coating the sensing cantilever with receptors that have high affinities for the analyte. The presence of analyte is detected by determining the differential surface stress associated with its adsorption/absorption to the sensing cantilever. An interferometric technique is utilized to measure the differential bending of the sensing cantilever with respect to reference. Surface stress associated with hybridization of single stranded DNA is measured to demonstrate the unique advantages of the sensor.

K-Band Si/SiGe HBT MMIC Amplifiers Using Lumped Passive Components with a Micromachined Structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lu, Liang-Hung; Rieh, Jae-Sung; Bhattacharya, Pallab; Katechi, Linda P. B.; Croke, E. T.; Ponchak, George E.; Alterovitz, Samuel A.

2000-01-01

Using Si/SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistors with a maximum oscillation frequency of 52 GHz and a novel structure for passive components, a two-stage K-band lumped-element amplifier has been designed and fabricated on high-resistivity Si substrates. The chip size including biasing and RF chokes is 0.92 x 0.67 sq mm.

Micromechanical Signal Processors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Clark Tu-Cuong

Completely monolithic high-Q micromechanical signal processors constructed of polycrystalline silicon and integrated with CMOS electronics are described. The signal processors implemented include an oscillator, a bandpass filter, and a mixer + filter--all of which are components commonly required for up- and down-conversion in communication transmitters and receivers, and all of which take full advantage of the high Q of micromechanical resonators. Each signal processor is designed, fabricated, then studied with particular attention to the performance consequences associated with miniaturization of the high-Q element. The fabrication technology which realizes these components merges planar integrated circuit CMOS technologies with those of polysilicon surface micromachining. The technologies are merged in a modular fashion, where the CMOS is processed in the first module, the microstructures in a following separate module, and at no point in the process sequence are steps from each module intermixed. Although the advantages of such modularity include flexibility in accommodating new module technologies, the developed process constrained the CMOS metallization to a high temperature refractory metal (tungsten metallization with TiSi _2 contact barriers) and constrained the micromachining process to long-term temperatures below 835^circC. Rapid-thermal annealing (RTA) was used to relieve residual stress in the mechanical structures. To reduce the complexity involved with developing this merged process, capacitively transduced resonators are utilized. High-Q single resonator and spring-coupled micromechanical resonator filters are also investigated, with particular attention to noise performance, bandwidth control, and termination design. The noise in micromechanical filters is found to be fairly high due to poor electromechanical coupling on the micro-scale with present-day technologies. Solutions to this high series resistance problem are suggested, including smaller electrode-to-resonator gaps to increase the coupling capacitance. Active Q-control techniques are demonstrated which control the bandwidth of micromechanical filters and simulate filter terminations with little passband distortion. Noise analysis shows that these active techniques are relatively quiet when compared with other resistive techniques. Modulation techniques are investigated whereby a single resonator or a filter constructed from several such resonators can provide both a mixing and a filtering function, or a filtering and amplitude modulation function. These techniques center around the placement of a carrier signal on the micromechanical resonator. Finally, micro oven stabilization is investigated in an attempt to null the temperature coefficient of a polysilicon micromechanical resonator. Here, surface micromachining procedures are utilized to fabricate a polysilicon resonator on a microplatform--two levels of suspension--equipped with heater and temperature sensing resistors, which are then imbedded in a feedback loop to control the platform (and resonator) temperature. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

Method and apparatus for precision laser micromachining

DOEpatents

Chang, Jim; Warner, Bruce E.; Dragon, Ernest P.

2000-05-02

A method and apparatus for micromachining and microdrilling which results in a machined part of superior surface quality is provided. The system uses a near diffraction limited, high repetition rate, short pulse length, visible wavelength laser. The laser is combined with a high speed precision tilting mirror and suitable beam shaping optics, thus allowing a large amount of energy to be accurately positioned and scanned on the workpiece. As a result of this system, complicated, high resolution machining patterns can be achieved. A cover plate may be temporarily attached to the workpiece. Then as the workpiece material is vaporized during the machining process, the vapors condense on the cover plate rather than the surface of the workpiece. In order to eliminate cutting rate variations as the cutting direction is varied, a randomly polarized laser beam is utilized. A rotating half-wave plate is used to achieve the random polarization. In order to correctly locate the focus at the desired location within the workpiece, the position of the focus is first determined by monitoring the speckle size while varying the distance between the workpiece and the focussing optics. When the speckle size reaches a maximum, the focus is located at the first surface of the workpiece. After the location of the focus has been determined, it is repositioned to the desired location within the workpiece, thus optimizing the quality of the machined area.

Simulation of Thin-Film Damping and Thermal Mechanical Noise Spectra for Advanced Micromachined Microphone Structures.

PubMed

Hall, Neal A; Okandan, Murat; Littrell, Robert; Bicen, Baris; Degertekin, F Levent

2008-06-01

In many micromachined sensors the thin (2-10 μm thick) air film between a compliant diaphragm and backplate electrode plays a dominant role in shaping both the dynamic and thermal noise characteristics of the device. Silicon microphone structures used in grating-based optical-interference microphones have recently been introduced that employ backplates with minimal area to achieve low damping and low thermal noise levels. Finite-element based modeling procedures based on 2-D discretization of the governing Reynolds equation are ideally suited for studying thin-film dynamics in such structures which utilize relatively complex backplate geometries. In this paper, the dynamic properties of both the diaphragm and thin air film are studied using a modal projection procedure in a commonly used finite element software and the results are used to simulate the dynamic frequency response of the coupled structure to internally generated electrostatic actuation pressure. The model is also extended to simulate thermal mechanical noise spectra of these advanced sensing structures. In all cases simulations are compared with measured data and show excellent agreement-demonstrating 0.8 pN/√Hz and 1.8 μPa/√Hz thermal force and thermal pressure noise levels, respectively, for the 1.5 mm diameter structures under study which have a fundamental diaphragm resonance-limited bandwidth near 20 kHz.

Dual axis operation of a micromachined rate gyroscope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Juneau, T.; Pisano, A.P.; Smith, J.

Since micromachining technology has raised the prospect of fabricating high performance sensors without the associated high cost and large size, many researchers have investigated micromachined rate gyroscopes. The vast majority of research has focused on single input axis rate gyroscopes, but this paper presents work on a dual input axis micromachined rate gyroscope. The key to successful simultaneous dual axis operation is the quad symmetry of the circular oscillating rotor design. Untuned gyroscopes with mismatched modes yielded random walk as low as 10{degrees}/{radical}hour with cross sensitivity ranging from 6% to 16%. Mode frequency matching via electrostatic tuning allowed performance bettermore » than 2{degrees}/{radical}hour, but at the expense of excessive cross sensitivity.« less

Nanofluidic interfaces in microfluidic networks

DOE PAGES

Millet, Larry J.; Doktycz, Mitchel John; Retterer, Scott T.

2015-09-24

The integration of nano- and microfluidic technologies enables the construction of tunable interfaces to physical and biological systems across relevant length scales. The ability to perform chemical manipulations of miniscule sample volumes is greatly enhanced through these technologies and extends the ability to manipulate and sample the local fluidic environments at subcellular, cellular and community or tissue scales. Here we describe the development of a flexible surface micromachining process for the creation of nanofluidic channel arrays integrated within SU-8 microfluidic networks. The use of a semi-porous, silicon rich, silicon nitride structural layer allows rapid release of the sacrificial silicon dioxidemore » during the nanochannel fabrication. Nanochannel openings that form the interface to biological samples are customized using focused ion beam milling. The compatibility of these interfaces with on-chip microbial culture is demonstrated.« less

Realize multiple hermetic chamber pressures for system-on-chip process by using the capping wafer with diverse cavity depths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Shyh-Wei; Weng, Jui-Chun; Liang, Kai-Chih; Sun, Yi-Chiang; Fang, Weileun

2018-04-01

Many mechanical and thermal characteristics, for example the air damping, of suspended micromachined structures are sensitive to the ambient pressure. Thus, micromachined devices such as the gyroscope and accelerometer have different ambient pressure requirements. Commercially available process platforms could be used to fabricate and integrate devices of various functions to reduce the chip size. However, it remains a challenge to offer different ambient pressures for micromachined devices after sealing them by wafer level capping (WLC). This study exploits the outgassing characteristics of the CMOS chip to fabricate chambers of various pressures after the WLC of the Si-above-CMOS (TSMC 0.18 µm 1P5M CMOS process) MEMS process platform. The pressure of the sealed chamber can be modulated by the chamber volume after the outgassing. In other words, the pressure of hermetic sealed chambers can be easily and properly defined by the etching depth of the cavity on an Si capping wafer. In applications, devices sealed with different cavity depths are implemented using the Si-above-CMOS (TSMC 0.18 µm 1P5M CMOS process) MEMS process platform to demonstrate the present approach. Measurements show the feasibility of this simple chamber pressure modulation approach on eight-inch wafers.

Seeking to Improve Low Energy Neutral Atom Detection in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shappirio, M.; Coplan, M.; Chornay, D.; Collier, M.; Herrero, F.; Ogilvie, K.; Williams, E.

2007-01-01

The detection of energetic neutral atoms allows for the remote examination of the interactions between plasmas and neutral populations in space. Before these neutral atoms can be measured, they must first be converted to ions. For the low energy end of this spectrum, interaction with a conversion surface is often the most efficient method to convert neutrals into ions. It is generally thought that the most efficient surfaces are low work functions materials. However, by their very nature, these surfaces are highly reactive and unstable, and therefore are not suitable for space missions where conditions cannot be controlled as they are in a laboratory. We therefore are looking to optimize a stable surface for conversion efficiency. Conversion efficiency can be increased either by changing the incident angle of the neutral particles to be grazing incidence and using stable surfaces with high conversion efficiencies. We have examined how to increase the angle of incidence from -80 degrees to -89 degrees, while maintaining or improving the total active conversion surface area without increasing the overall volume of the instrument. We are developing a method to micro-machine silicon, which will reduce the volume to surface area ratio by a factor of 60. We have also examined the material properties that affect the conversion efficiency of the surface for stable surfaces. Some of the parameters we have examined are work function, smoothness, and bond structure. We find that for stable surfaces, the most important property is the smoothness of the surface.

The laser micro-machining system for diamond anvil cell experiments and general precision machining applications at the High Pressure Collaborative Access Team

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hrubiak, Rostislav; Sinogeikin, Stanislav; Rod, Eric

We have designed and constructed a new system for micro-machining parts and sample assemblies used for diamond anvil cells and general user operations at the High Pressure Collaborative Access Team, sector 16 of the Advanced Photon Source. The new micro-machining system uses a pulsed laser of 400 ps pulse duration, ablating various materials without thermal melting, thus leaving a clean edge. With optics designed for a tight focus, the system can machine holes any size larger than 3 μm in diameter. Unlike a standard electrical discharge machining drill, the new laser system allows micro-machining of non-conductive materials such as: amorphousmore » boron and silicon carbide gaskets, diamond, oxides, and other materials including organic materials such as polyimide films (i.e., Kapton). An important feature of the new system is the use of gas-tight or gas-flow environmental chambers which allow the laser micro-machining to be done in a controlled (e.g., inert gas) atmosphere to prevent oxidation and other chemical reactions in air sensitive materials. The gas-tight workpiece enclosure is also useful for machining materials with known health risks (e.g., beryllium). Specialized control software with a graphical interface enables micro-machining of custom 2D and 3D shapes. The laser-machining system was designed in a Class 1 laser enclosure, i.e., it includes laser safety interlocks and computer controls and allows for routine operation. Though initially designed mainly for machining of the diamond anvil cell gaskets, the laser-machining system has since found many other micro-machining applications, several of which are presented here.« less

A batch process micromachined thermoelectric energy harvester: fabrication and characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, J.; Leonov, V.; Goedbloed, M.; van Andel, Y.; de Nooijer, M. C.; Elfrink, R.; Wang, Z.; Vullers, R. J. M.

2010-10-01

Micromachined thermopiles are considered as a cost-effective solution for energy harvesters working at a small temperature difference and weak heat flows typical for, e.g., the human body. They can be used for powering autonomous wireless sensor nodes in a body area network. In this paper, a micromachined thermoelectric energy harvester with 6 µm high polycrystalline silicon germanium (poly-SiGe) thermocouples fabricated on a 6 inch wafer is presented. An open circuit voltage of 1.49 V and an output power of 0.4 µW can be generated with 3.5 K temperature difference in a model of a wearable micromachined energy harvester of the discussed design, which has a die size of 1.0 mm × 2.5 mm inside a watch-size generator.

Micromachined Millimeter- and Submillimeter-Wave SIS Heterodyne Receivers for Remote Sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hu, Qing

1998-01-01

A heterodyne mixer with a micromachined horn antenna and a superconductor -insulator-superconductor (SIS) tunnel junction as mixing element is tested in the W-band (75-115 GHz) frequency range. Micromachined integrated horn antennas consist of a dipole antenna suspended on a thin Si3N4 dielectric membrane inside a pyramidal cavity etched in silicon. The mixer performance is optimized by using a backing plane behind the dipole antenna to tune out the capacitance of the tunnel junction. The lowest receiver noise temperature of 30+/-3 K without any correction) is measured at 106 GHz with a 3-dB bandwidth of 8 GHz. This sensitivity is comparable to the state-of-the-art waveguide and quasi-optical SIS receivers, showing the potential use of micromachined horn antennas in imaging arrays.

Optical wireless communications for micromachines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, Dominic C.; Yuan, Wei Wen; Liu, Jing Jing; Faulkner, Grahame E.; Elston, Steve J.; Collins, Steve; Parry-Jones, Lesley A.

2006-08-01

A key challenge for wireless sensor networks is minimizing the energy required for network nodes to communicate with each other, and this becomes acute for self-powered devices such as 'smart dust'. Optical communications is a potentially attractive solution for such devices. The University of Oxford is currently involved in a project to build optical wireless links to smart dust. Retro-reflectors combined with liquid crystal modulators can be integrated with the micro-machine to create a low power transceiver. When illuminated from a base station a modulated beam is returned, transmitting data. Data from the base station can be transmitted using modulation of the illuminating beam and a receiver at the micro-machine. In this paper we outline the energy consumption and link budget considerations in the design of such micro-machines, and report preliminary experimental results.

Laser micromachining as a metallization tool for microfluidic polymer stacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brettschneider, T.; Dorrer, C.; Czurratis, D.; Zengerle, R.; Daub, M.

2013-03-01

A novel assembly approach for the integration of metal structures into polymeric microfluidic systems is described. The presented production process is completely based on a single solid-state laser source, which is used to incorporate metal foils into a polymeric multi-layer stack by laser bonding and ablation processes. Chemical reagents or glues are not required. The polymer stack contains a flexible membrane which can be used for realizing microfluidic valves and pumps. The metal-to-polymer bond was investigated for different metal foils and plasma treatments, yielding a maximum peel strength of Rps = 1.33 N mm-1. A minimum structure size of 10 µm was determined by 3D microscopy of the laser cut line. As an example application, two different metal foils were used in combination to micromachine a standardized type-T thermocouple on a polymer substrate. An additional laser process was developed which allows metal-to-metal welding in close vicinity to the polymer substrate. With this process step, the reliability of the electrical contact could be increased to survive at least 400 PCR temperature cycles at very low contact resistances.

Silicon micromachined vibrating gyroscopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voss, Ralf

1997-09-01

This work gives an overview of silicon micromachined vibrating gyroscopes. Market perspectives and fields of application are pointed out. The advantage of using silicon micromachining is discussed and estimations of the desired performance, especially for automobiles are given. The general principle of vibrating gyroscopes is explained. Vibrating silicon gyroscopes can be divided into seven classes. for each class the characteristic principle is presented and examples are given. Finally a specific sensor, based on a tuning fork for automotive applications with a sensitivity of 250(mu) V/degrees is described in detail.

Microfabricated cylindrical ion trap

DOEpatents

Blain, Matthew G.

2005-03-22

A microscale cylindrical ion trap, having an inner radius of order one micron, can be fabricated using surface micromachining techniques and materials known to the integrated circuits manufacturing and microelectromechanical systems industries. Micromachining methods enable batch fabrication, reduced manufacturing costs, dimensional and positional precision, and monolithic integration of massive arrays of ion traps with microscale ion generation and detection devices. Massive arraying enables the microscale cylindrical ion trap to retain the resolution, sensitivity, and mass range advantages necessary for high chemical selectivity. The microscale CIT has a reduced ion mean free path, allowing operation at higher pressures with less expensive and less bulky vacuum pumping system, and with lower battery power than conventional- and miniature-sized ion traps. The reduced electrode voltage enables integration of the microscale cylindrical ion trap with on-chip integrated circuit-based rf operation and detection electronics (i.e., cell phone electronics). Therefore, the full performance advantages of microscale cylindrical ion traps can be realized in truly field portable, handheld microanalysis systems.

Solid polymer electrolyte composite membrane comprising laser micromachined porous support

DOEpatents

Liu, Han [Waltham, MA; LaConti, Anthony B [Lynnfield, MA; Mittelsteadt, Cortney K [Natick, MA; McCallum, Thomas J [Ashland, MA

2011-01-11

A solid polymer electrolyte composite membrane and method of manufacturing the same. According to one embodiment, the composite membrane comprises a rigid, non-electrically-conducting support, the support preferably being a sheet of polyimide having a thickness of about 7.5 to 15 microns. The support has a plurality of cylindrical pores extending perpendicularly between opposing top and bottom surfaces of the support. The pores, which preferably have a diameter of about 5 microns, are made by laser micromachining and preferably are arranged in a defined pattern, for example, with fewer pores located in areas of high membrane stress and more pores located in areas of low membrane stress. The pores are filled with a first solid polymer electrolyte, such as a perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) polymer. A second solid polymer electrolyte, which may be the same as or different than the first solid polymer electrolyte, may be deposited over the top and/or bottom of the first solid polymer electrolyte.

Advanced RF Front End Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herman, M. I.; Valas, S.; Katehi, L. P. B.

2001-01-01

The ability to achieve low-mass low-cost micro/nanospacecraft for Deep Space exploration requires extensive miniaturization of all subsystems. The front end of the Telecommunication subsystem is an area in which major mass (factor of 10) and volume (factor of 100) reduction can be achieved via the development of new silicon based micromachined technology and devices. Major components that make up the front end include single-pole and double-throw switches, diplexer, and solid state power amplifier. JPL's Center For Space Microsystems - System On A Chip (SOAC) Program has addressed the challenges of front end miniaturization (switches and diplexers). Our objectives were to develop the main components that comprise a communication front end and enable integration in a single module that we refer to as a 'cube'. In this paper we will provide the latest status of our Microelectromechanical System (MEMS) switches and surface micromachined filter development. Based on the significant progress achieved we can begin to provide guidelines of the proper system insertion for these emerging technologies. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Some aspects of precise laser machining - Part 2: Experimental

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grabowski, Marcin; Wyszynski, Dominik; Ostrowski, Robert

2018-05-01

The paper describes the role of laser beam polarization on quality of laser beam machined cutting tool edge. In micromachining the preparation of the cutting tools in play a key role on dimensional accuracy, sharpness and the quality of the cutting edges. In order to assure quality and dimensional accuracy of the cutting tool edge it is necessary to apply laser polarization control. In the research diode pumped Nd:YAG 532nm pulse laser was applied. Laser beam polarization used in the research was linear (horizontal, vertical). The goal of the carried out research was to describe impact of laser beam polarization on efficiency of the cutting process and quality of machined parts (edge, surface) made of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) and cubic boron nitride (cBN). Application of precise cutting tool in micromachining has significant impact on the minimum uncut chip thickness and quality of the parts. The research was carried within the INNOLOT program funded by the National Centre for Research and Development.

Three-dimensional polymer MEMS with functionalized carbon nanotubes by microstereolithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varadan, Vijay K.; Xie, Jining

2003-04-01

Microfabrication techniques such as bulk micromachining and surface micromachining currently employed to conceive MEMS are largely derived from the standard IC and microelectronics technology. Even though many MEMS devices with integrated electronics have been achieved by using the traditional micromachining techniques, some limitations have nevertheless to be underlined: 1) these techniques are very expensive and need specific installations as well as a cleanroom environment, 2) the materials that can be used up to now are restricted to silicon and metals, 3) the manufacture of 3D parts having curved surfaces or an important number of layers is not possible. Moreover, for some biological applications, the materials used for sensors must be compatible with human body and the actuators need to have high strain and displacement which the current silicon based MEMS do not provide. It is thus natural for the researchers to look for alternative methods such as Microstereolithography (MSL) to make 3D sensors and actuators using polymeric based materials. For MSL techniques to be successful as their silicon counterparts, one has to come up with multifunctional polymers with electrical properties comparable to silicon. These multifunctional polymers should not only have a high sensing capability but also a high strain and actuation performance. A novel UV-curable polymer uniformly bonded with functionalised nanotubes was synthesized via a modified three-step in-situ polymerization. Purified multi-walled nanotubes, gained from the microwave chemical vapor deposition method, were functionalised by oxidation. The UV curable polymer was prepared from toluene diisocyantae (TDI), functionalised nanotubes, and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). The chemical bonds between -NCO groups of TDI and -OH, -COOH groups of functionalised nanotubes help for conceiving polymeric based MEMS devices. A cost effective fabrication techniques was presented using Micro Stereo Lithography and an example of a micropump was also described. The wireless concept of the device has many applications including implanted medical delivery systems, chemical and biological instruments, fluid delivery in engines, pump coolants and refrigerants for local cooling of electronic components.

Three-dimensional polymer MEMS with functionalized carbon nanotubes by microstereolithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varadan, Vijay K.; Xie, Jining

2002-11-01

Microfabrication techniques such as bulk micromachining and surface micromachining currently employed to conceive MEMS are largely derived from the standard IC and microelectronics technology. Even though many MEMS devices with integrated electronics have been achieved by using the traditional micromachining techniques, some limitations have nevertheless to be underlined: 1) these techniques are very expensive and need specific installations as well as a cleanroom environment, 2) the materials that can be used up to now are restricted to silicon and metals, 3) the manufacture of 3D parts having curved surfaces or an important numberof layers is not possible. Moreover, for some biological applications, the materials used for sensors must be compatible with human body and the actuators need to have high strain and displacement which the current silicon based MEMS do not provide. It is thus natural for the researchers to 'look' for alternative methods such as Microstereolithography (MSL) to make 3D sensors and actuators using polymeric based materials. For MSL techniques to be successful as their silicon counterparts, one has to come up with multifunctional polyers with electrical properties comparable to silicon. These multifunctional polymers should not only have a high sensing capability but also a high strain and actuation performance. A novel UV-curable polymer uniformly bonded with functionalized nanotubes was synthesized via a modified three-step in-sity polumerization. Purified multi-walled nanotubes, gained from the microwave chemical vapor deposition method, were functionalized by oxidation. The UV curable polymer was prepared from toluene diisocyanate (TDI), functionalized nanotubes, and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). The chemical bonds between -NCO groups of TDI and -OH, -COOH groups of functionalized nanotubes help for conceiving polymeric based MEMS devices. A cost effective fabrication techniques was presented using Micro Stereo Lithography and an example of a micropump was also described. The wireless concept of the device has many applications including implanted medical delivery systems, chemical and biological instruments, fluid delivery engines, pump coolants and refrigerants for local cooling of electronic components.

Three-dimensional polymer MEMS with functionalized carbon nanotubes by microstereolithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varadan, Vijay K.; Xie, Jining

2003-01-01

Microfabrication techniques such as bulk micromachining and surface micromachining currently employed to conceive MEMS are largely derived from the standard IC and microelectronics technology. Even though many MEMS devices with integrated electronics have been achieved by using the traditional micromachining techniques, some limitations have nevertheless to be underlined: 1) these techniques are very expensive and need specific installations as well as a cleanroom environment, 2) the materials that can be used up to now are restricted to silicon and metals, 3) the manufacture of 3D parts having curved surfaces or an important number of layers is not possible. Moreover, for some biological applications, the materials used for sensors must be compatible with human body and the actuators need to have high strain and displacement which the current silicon based MEMS do not provide. It is thus natural for the researchers to look for alternative methods such as Microstereolithography (MSL) to make 3D sensors and actuators using polymeric based materials. For MSL techniques to be successful as their silicon counterparts, one has to come up with multifunctional polymers with electrical properties comparable to silicon. These multifunctional polymers should not only have a high sensing capability but also a high strain and actuation performance. A novel UV-curable polymer uniformly bonded with functionalized nanotubes was synthesized via a modified three-step in-situ polymerization. Purified multi-walled nanotubes, gained from the microwave chemical vapor deposition method, were functionalized by oxidation. The UV curable polymer was prepared from toluene diisocyanate (TDI), functionalized nanotubes, and 2 hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). The chemical bonds between NCO groups of TDI and OH, COOH groups of functionalized nanotubes help for conceiving polymeric based MEMS devices. A cost effective fabrication techniques was presented using Micro Stereo Lithography and an example of a micropump was also described. The wireless concept of the device has many applications including implanted medical delivery systems, chemical and biological instruments, fluid delivery in engines, pump coolants and refrigerants for local cooling of electronic components.

Microstereolithography for polymer-based based MEMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varadan, Vijay K.; Xie, Jining

2003-07-01

Microfabrication techniques such as bulk micromachining and surface micromachining currently employed to conceive MEMS are largely derived from the standard IC and microelectronics technology. Even though many MEMS devices with integrated electronics have been achieved by using the traditional micromachining techniques, some limitations have nevertheless to be underlined: 1) these techniques are very expensive and need specific installations as well as a cleanroom environment, 2) the materials that can be used up to now are restricted to silicon and metals, 3) the manufacture of 3D parts having curved surfaces or an important number of layers is not possible. Moreover, for some biological applications, the materials used for sensors must be compatible with human body and the actuators need to have high strain and displacement which the current silicon based MEMS do not provide. It is thus natural for the researchers to 'look' for alternative methods such as Microstereolithography (MSL) to make 3D sensors and actuators using polymeric based materials. For MSL techniques to be successful as their silicon counterparts, one has to come up with multifunctional polymers with electrical properties comparable to silicon. These multifunctional polymers should not only have a high sensing capability but also a high strain and actuation performance. A novel UV-curable polymer uniformly bonded with functionalized nanotubes was synthesized via a modified three-step in-situ polymerization. Purified multi-walled nanotubes, gained from the microwave chemical vapor deposition method, were functionalized by oxidation. The UV curable polymer was prepared from toluene diisocyanate (TDI), functionalized nanotubes, and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). The chemical bonds between -NCO groups of TDI and -OH, -COOH groups of functionalized nanotubes help for conceiving polymeric based MEMS devices. A cost effective fabrication techniques was presented using Micro Stereo Lithography and an example of a micropump was also described. The wireless concept of the device has many applications including implanted medical delivery systems, chemical and biological instruments, fluid delivery in engines, pump coolants and refrigerants for local cooling of electronic components.

Microactuateur electrothermique bistable: Etude d'implementation avec une technologie standard CMOS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ressejac, Isabelle

The general objective of this Ph.D. thesis was to study the implementation of a new type of eletrothermal microactuator. This actuator presents the advantages to be bistable and fabricated in a standard CMOS process, allowing the integration of a microelectronics addressing circuit on the same substrate. Experimental research work, presented in this thesis, relate to the different steps carried out in order to implement this CMOS MEMS device: its theoretical conception, its fabrication with a standard CMOS technology, its micromachining as a post-process, its characterization and its electro-thermo-mechanical modeling. The device was designed and fabricated by using Mitel 1,5 mum CMOS technology and the Can-MEMS service which are both available via the Canadian Microelectronics Corporation. Fabricated monolithically within a standard CMOS process, our microactuator is suitable for large-scale integration due to its small dimensions (length ˜1000 mum and width ˜150 mum). It constitutes the basic component of a N by N matrix controlled by a microelectronic addressing system built on the same substrate. Initially, only one micromachining technique (involving TMAH) was used, and long etching times (>9 h) were requires} in order to release the microstructures. However, the passivation layer from the CMOS process could protect the underlying metal from the TMAH for a sufficient time (only ˜1--2 h). Consequently, we had to develop a micromachining strategy with shorter etching times to allow the complete release of the microstructures without damaging them. Post-processing begins with deposition (by sputtering) of a platinum layer intended to protect the abutment from subsequent etching. Our micromachining strategy is mainly based on the use of a hybrid etching process starting with a first anisotropic TMAH etching followed by a XeF2 isotropic etching. After micromachining, the released microactuator has a significant initial deflection with its tip reaching a height up to a hundred times higher than its thickness. This natural deflection results from the relaxation of internal stresses inside the thin films which are part of the microactuator. These internal stresses are intrinsics to the host CMOS process. We have developed a model of the microactuator's initial deflection using mechanical properties of thin films and dimensions of the structure. Actuation experiments were performed in order to characterize the deflection of the microactuator with respect to the heating of the bilayers (separately and together). We have developed a thermal actuation analytical model for an n-layers multimorph structure, which takes into account the initial deflection resulting from the relaxation of stresses as well as the deflection due to the temperature increase during the electrothermal activation of the bilayers. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Silicon Micromachined Microlens Array for THz Antennas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Choonsup; Chattopadhyay, Goutam; Mehdi, IImran; Gill, John J.; Jung-Kubiak, Cecile D.; Llombart, Nuria

2013-01-01

5 5 silicon microlens array was developed using a silicon micromachining technique for a silicon-based THz antenna array. The feature of the silicon micromachining technique enables one to microfabricate an unlimited number of microlens arrays at one time with good uniformity on a silicon wafer. This technique will resolve one of the key issues in building a THz camera, which is to integrate antennas in a detector array. The conventional approach of building single-pixel receivers and stacking them to form a multi-pixel receiver is not suited at THz because a single-pixel receiver already has difficulty fitting into mass, volume, and power budgets, especially in space applications. In this proposed technique, one has controllability on both diameter and curvature of a silicon microlens. First of all, the diameter of microlens depends on how thick photoresist one could coat and pattern. So far, the diameter of a 6- mm photoresist microlens with 400 m in height has been successfully microfabricated. Based on current researchers experiences, a diameter larger than 1-cm photoresist microlens array would be feasible. In order to control the curvature of the microlens, the following process variables could be used: 1. Amount of photoresist: It determines the curvature of the photoresist microlens. Since the photoresist lens is transferred onto the silicon substrate, it will directly control the curvature of the silicon microlens. 2. Etching selectivity between photoresist and silicon: The photoresist microlens is formed by thermal reflow. In order to transfer the exact photoresist curvature onto silicon, there needs to be etching selectivity of 1:1 between silicon and photoresist. However, by varying the etching selectivity, one could control the curvature of the silicon microlens. The figure shows the microfabricated silicon microlens 5 x5 array. The diameter of the microlens located in the center is about 2.5 mm. The measured 3-D profile of the microlens surface has a smooth curvature. The measured height of the silicon microlens is about 280 microns. In this case, the original height of the photoresist was 210 microns. The change was due to the etching selectivity of 1.33 between photoresist and silicon. The measured surface roughness of the silicon microlens shows the peak-to-peak surface roughness of less than 0.5 microns, which is adequate in THz frequency. For example, the surface roughness should be less than 7 microns at 600 GHz range. The SEM (scanning electron microscope) image of the microlens confirms the smooth surface. The beam pattern at 550 GHz shows good directivity.

Materials Development for Auxiliary Components for Large Compact Mo/Au TES Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Finkbeiner, F. m.; Chervenak, J. A.; Bandler, S. R.; Brekosky, R.; Brown, A. D.; Figueroa-Feliciano, E.; Iyomoto, N.; Kelley, R. L.; Kilbourne, C. A.; Porter, F. S.;

Micromachined silicon electrostatic chuck

DOEpatents

Anderson, R.A.; Seager, C.H.

1996-12-10

An electrostatic chuck is faced with a patterned silicon plate, created by micromachining a silicon wafer, which is attached to a metallic base plate. Direct electrical contact between the chuck face (patterned silicon plate`s surface) and the silicon wafer it is intended to hold is prevented by a pattern of flat-topped silicon dioxide islands that protrude less than 5 micrometers from the otherwise flat surface of the chuck face. The islands may be formed in any shape. Islands may be about 10 micrometers in diameter or width and spaced about 100 micrometers apart. One or more concentric rings formed around the periphery of the area between the chuck face and wafer contain a low-pressure helium thermal-contact gas used to assist heat removal during plasma etching of a silicon wafer held by the chuck. The islands are tall enough and close enough together to prevent silicon-to-silicon electrical contact in the space between the islands, and the islands occupy only a small fraction of the total area of the chuck face, typically 0.5 to 5 percent. The pattern of the islands, together with at least one hole bored through the silicon veneer into the base plate, will provide sufficient gas-flow space to allow the distribution of the helium thermal-contact gas. 6 figs.

A Low-noise Micromachined Millimeter-Wave Heterodyne Mixer using Nb Superconducting Tunnel Junctions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeLange, Gert; Jacobson, Brian R.; Hu, Qing

1996-01-01

A heterodyne mixer with a micromachined horn antenna and a superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) tunnel junction as mixing element is tested in the W-band (75-115 GHz) frequency range. Micromachined integrated horn antennas consist of a dipole antenna suspended on a thin Si3N4 dielectric membrane inside a pyramidal cavity etched in silicon. The mixer performance is optimized by using a backing plane behind the dipole antenna to tune out the capacitance of the tunnel junction. The lowest receiver noise temperature of 30 +/- 3 K (without any correction) is measured at 106 GHz with a 3-dB bandwidth of 8 GHz. This sensitivity is comparable to the state-of-the-art waveguide and quasi-optical SIS receivers, showing the potential use of micromachined horn antennas in imaging arrays.

Micromachined cutting blade formed from {211}-oriented silicon

DOEpatents

Fleming, James G.; Sniegowski, Jeffry J.; Montague, Stephen

2003-09-09

A cutting blade is disclosed fabricated of micromachined silicon. The cutting blade utilizes a monocrystalline silicon substrate having a {211} crystalline orientation to form one or more cutting edges that are defined by the intersection of {211} crystalline planes of silicon with {111} crystalline planes of silicon. This results in a cutting blade which has a shallow cutting-edge angle .theta. of 19.5.degree.. The micromachined cutting blade can be formed using an anisotropic wet etching process which substantially terminates etching upon reaching the {111} crystalline planes of silicon. This allows multiple blades to be batch fabricated on a common substrate and separated for packaging and use. The micromachined cutting blade, which can be mounted to a handle in tension and optionally coated for increased wear resistance and biocompatibility, has multiple applications including eye surgery (LASIK procedure).

Micromachined cutting blade formed from {211}-oriented silicon

DOEpatents

Fleming, James G [Albuquerque, NM; Fleming, legal representative, Carol; Sniegowski, Jeffry J [Tijeras, NM; Montague, Stephen [Albuquerque, NM

2011-08-09

A cutting blade is disclosed fabricated of micromachined silicon. The cutting blade utilizes a monocrystalline silicon substrate having a {211} crystalline orientation to form one or more cutting edges that are defined by the intersection of {211} crystalline planes of silicon with {111} crystalline planes of silicon. This results in a cutting blade which has a shallow cutting-edge angle .theta. of 19.5.degree.. The micromachined cutting blade can be formed using an anisotropic wet etching process which substantially terminates etching upon reaching the {111} crystalline planes of silicon. This allows multiple blades to be batch fabricated on a common substrate and separated for packaging and use. The micromachined cutting blade, which can be mounted to a handle in tension and optionally coated for increased wear resistance and biocompatibility, has multiple applications including eye surgery (LASIK procedure).

Neural Interfaces for Intracortical Recording: Requirements, Fabrication Methods, and Characteristics

PubMed Central

Szostak, Katarzyna M.; Grand, Laszlo; Constandinou, Timothy G.

2017-01-01

Implantable neural interfaces for central nervous system research have been designed with wire, polymer, or micromachining technologies over the past 70 years. Research on biocompatible materials, ideal probe shapes, and insertion methods has resulted in building more and more capable neural interfaces. Although the trend is promising, the long-term reliability of such devices has not yet met the required criteria for chronic human application. The performance of neural interfaces in chronic settings often degrades due to foreign body response to the implant that is initiated by the surgical procedure, and related to the probe structure, and material properties used in fabricating the neural interface. In this review, we identify the key requirements for neural interfaces for intracortical recording, describe the three different types of probes—microwire, micromachined, and polymer-based probes; their materials, fabrication methods, and discuss their characteristics and related challenges. PMID:29270103

All-laser-micromachining of ridge waveguides in LiNbO3 crystal for mid-infrared band applications.

PubMed

Li, Lingqi; Nie, Weijie; Li, Ziqi; Lu, Qingming; Romero, Carolina; Vázquez de Aldana, Javier R; Chen, Feng

2017-08-01

The femtosecond laser micromachining of transparent optical materials offers a powerful and feasible solution to fabricate versatile photonic components towards diverse applications. In this work, we report on a new design and fabrication of ridge waveguides in LiNbO 3 crystal operating at the mid-infrared (MIR) band by all-femtosecond-laser microfabrication. The ridges consist of laser-ablated sidewalls and laser-written bottom low-index cladding tracks, which are constructed for horizontal and longitudinal light confinement, respectively. The ridge waveguides are found to support good guidance at wavelength of 4 μm. By applying this configuration, Y-branch waveguiding structures (1 × 2 beam splitters) have been produced, which reach splitting ratios of ∼1:1 at 4 μm. This work paves a simple and feasible way to construct novel ridge waveguide devices in dielectrics through all-femtosecond-laser micro-processing.

Evolution from MEMS-based Linear Drives to Bio-based Nano Drives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujita, Hiroyuki

The successful extension of semiconductor technology to fabricate mechanical parts of the sizes from 10 to 100 micrometers opened wide ranges of possibilities for micromechanical devices and systems. The fabrication technique is called micromachining. Micromachining processes are based on silicon integrated circuits (IC) technology and used to build three-dimensional structures and movable parts by the combination of lithography, etching, film deposition, and wafer bonding. Microactuators are the key devices allowing MEMS to perform physical functions. Some of them are driven by electric, magnetic, and fluidic forces. Some others utilize actuator materials including piezoelectric (PZT, ZnO, quartz) and magnetostrictive materials (TbFe), shape memory alloy (TiNi) and bio molecular motors. This paper deals with the development of MEMS based microactuators, especially linear drives, following my own research experience. They include an electrostatic actuator, a superconductive levitated actuator, arrayed actuators, and a bio-motor-driven actuator.

Fabrication of Cantilever-Bump Type Si Probe Card

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Jeong-Yong; Lee, Dong-Seok; Kim, Dong-Kwon; Lee, Jong-Hyun

2000-12-01

Probe card is most important part in the test system which selects the good or bad chip of integrated circuit (IC) chips. Silicon vertical probe card is able to test multiple semiconductor chips simultaneously. We presented cantilever-bump type vertical probe card. It was fabricated by dry etching using RIE(reactive ion etching) technique and porous silicon micromachining using silicon direct bonded (SDB) wafer. Cantilevers and bumps were fabricated by isotropic etching using RIE@. 3-dimensional structures were formed by porous silicon micromachining technique using SDB wafer. Contact resistance of fabricated probe card was less than 2 Ω and its life time was more than 200,000 turns. The process used in this work is very simple and reproducible, which has good controllability in the tip dimension and spacing. It is expected that the fabricated probe card can reduce testing time, can promote productivity and enables burn-in test.

Multi-category micro-milling tool wear monitoring with continuous hidden Markov models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Kunpeng; Wong, Yoke San; Hong, Geok Soon

2009-02-01

In-process monitoring of tool conditions is important in micro-machining due to the high precision requirement and high tool wear rate. Tool condition monitoring in micro-machining poses new challenges compared to conventional machining. In this paper, a multi-category classification approach is proposed for tool flank wear state identification in micro-milling. Continuous Hidden Markov models (HMMs) are adapted for modeling of the tool wear process in micro-milling, and estimation of the tool wear state given the cutting force features. For a noise-robust approach, the HMM outputs are connected via a medium filter to minimize the tool state before entry into the next state due to high noise level. A detailed study on the selection of HMM structures for tool condition monitoring (TCM) is presented. Case studies on the tool state estimation in the micro-milling of pure copper and steel demonstrate the effectiveness and potential of these methods.

Neural Interfaces for Intracortical Recording: Requirements, Fabrication Methods, and Characteristics.

PubMed

Szostak, Katarzyna M; Grand, Laszlo; Constandinou, Timothy G

2017-01-01

Implantable neural interfaces for central nervous system research have been designed with wire, polymer, or micromachining technologies over the past 70 years. Research on biocompatible materials, ideal probe shapes, and insertion methods has resulted in building more and more capable neural interfaces. Although the trend is promising, the long-term reliability of such devices has not yet met the required criteria for chronic human application. The performance of neural interfaces in chronic settings often degrades due to foreign body response to the implant that is initiated by the surgical procedure, and related to the probe structure, and material properties used in fabricating the neural interface. In this review, we identify the key requirements for neural interfaces for intracortical recording, describe the three different types of probes-microwire, micromachined, and polymer-based probes; their materials, fabrication methods, and discuss their characteristics and related challenges.

Characterizing absolute piezoelectric microelectromechanical system displacement using an atomic force microscope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Evans, J., E-mail: radiant@ferrodevices.com; Chapman, S., E-mail: radiant@ferrodevices.com

Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM) is a popular tool for the study of ferroelectric and piezoelectric materials at the nanometer level. Progress in the development of piezoelectric MEMS fabrication is highlighting the need to characterize absolute displacement at the nanometer and Ångstrom scales, something Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) might do but PFM cannot. Absolute displacement is measured by executing a polarization measurement of the ferroelectric or piezoelectric capacitor in question while monitoring the absolute vertical position of the sample surface with a stationary AFM cantilever. Two issues dominate the execution and precision of such a measurement: (1) the small amplitude ofmore » the electrical signal from the AFM at the Ångstrom level and (2) calibration of the AFM. The authors have developed a calibration routine and test technique for mitigating the two issues, making it possible to use an atomic force microscope to measure both the movement of a capacitor surface as well as the motion of a micro-machine structure actuated by that capacitor. The theory, procedures, pitfalls, and results of using an AFM for absolute piezoelectric measurement are provided.« less

Initial investigation of SU-8 photopolymer as a material for noninvasive endothelial cell research platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westwood, S.; Gojova, A.; Kuo, B.; Barakat, A. I.; Gray, B. L.

2007-01-01

This paper presents a preliminary investigation in the usage of the micromachining polymer material SU-8 for the noninvasive shape control and functional study of vascular endothelial cells (ECs). We previously demonstrated a silicon and glass modular microinstrument platform that allowed for a wide range of EC functional response studies. However, we expect SU-8 to provide a more versatile fabrication technology and material for microchannel fabrication and instrumentation, since it is capable of achieving high aspect ratio sensor-compatible structures through simple photopatterning. In this paper, SU-8 microchannels were fabricated on glass slides for straightforward optical observation and biological sampling. Channel widths ranged from 50 to 210 µm, length varied from 100 to 2100 µm, with depth fixed at 100 µm. We plated bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) in the microchannels and used image analysis to determine cellular elongation and orientation. Similar to silicon-on-glass microchannels, the cells become more elongated and oriented along the microchannel axis as the width of the microchannel decreases. Initial results indicate cells plate in the microchannels and on the SU-8 surfaces, whereas in a previous silicon microchannel study, cells plated exclusively on the glass bottom surfaces. This finding has implications for SU-8 as a structural material for microchannel instrumentation.

20 MHz Forward-imaging Single-element Beam Steering with an Internal Rotating Variable-Angle Reflecting Surface: Wire phantom and Ex vivo pilot study

PubMed Central

Raphael, David T.; Li, Xiang; Park, Jinhyoung; Chen, Ruimin; Chabok, Hamid; Barukh, Arthur; Zhou, Qifa; Elgazery, Mahmoud; Shung, K. Kirk

2012-01-01

Feasibility is demonstrated for a forward-imaging beam steering system involving a single-element 20 MHz angled-face acoustic transducer combined with an internal rotating variable-angle reflecting surface (VARS). Rotation of the VARS structure, for a fixed position of the transducer, generates a 2-D angular sector scan. If these VARS revolutions were to be accompanied by successive rotations of the single-element transducer, 3-D imaging would be achieved. In the design of this device, a single-element 20 MHz PMN-PT press-focused angled-face transducer is focused on the circle of midpoints of a micro-machined VARS within the distal end of an endoscope. The 2-D imaging system was tested in water bath experiments with phantom wire structures at a depth of 10 mm, and exhibited an axial resolution of 66 μm and a lateral resolution of 520 μm. Chirp coded excitation was used to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio, and to increase the depth of penetration. Images of an ex vivo cow eye were obtained. This VARS-based approach offers a novel forward-looking beam-steering method, which could be useful in intra-cavity imaging. PMID:23122968

20 MHz forward-imaging single-element beam steering with an internal rotating variable-angle reflecting surface: Wire phantom and ex vivo pilot study.

PubMed

Raphael, David T; Li, Xiang; Park, Jinhyoung; Chen, Ruimin; Chabok, Hamid; Barukh, Arthur; Zhou, Qifa; Elgazery, Mahmoud; Shung, K Kirk

2013-02-01

Feasibility is demonstrated for a forward-imaging beam steering system involving a single-element 20MHz angled-face acoustic transducer combined with an internal rotating variable-angle reflecting surface (VARS). Rotation of the VARS structure, for a fixed position of the transducer, generates a 2-D angular sector scan. If these VARS revolutions were to be accompanied by successive rotations of the single-element transducer, 3-D imaging would be achieved. In the design of this device, a single-element 20MHz PMN-PT press-focused angled-face transducer is focused on the circle of midpoints of a micro-machined VARS within the distal end of an endoscope. The 2-D imaging system was tested in water bath experiments with phantom wire structures at a depth of 10mm, and exhibited an axial resolution of 66μm and a lateral resolution of 520μm. Chirp coded excitation was used to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio, and to increase the depth of penetration. Images of an ex vivo cow eye were obtained. This VARS-based approach offers a novel forward-looking beam-steering method, which could be useful in intra-cavity imaging. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rapid direct micromachining of PTFE using MeV ions in an oxygen rich atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grime, G. W.; Sofield, C. J.; Gomez-Morilla, I.; Gwilliam, R.; Ynsa, M. D.; Enguita, O.

2005-04-01

We have investigated the mechanism of high rate erosion which is observed when polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is exposed to MeV protons in an oxygen rich atmosphere (e.g. air). Using currents of the order of nA, it is possible to create holes with depths of millimetres and diameter defined by the beam area on the surface with exposure times of minutes. This is not observed in atmospheres of nitrogen, helium or argon nor in vacuum. We propose that the erosion is a result of the formation of a stable gaseous compound following beam induced decomposition of the PTFE (possibly an acyl fluoride) which does not re-deposit in the hole. We present the results of experiments leading to this hypothesis and propose a method for fabricating three-dimensional structures in PTFE with micrometre feature size. This process is the subject of an international patent application.

Thermal Switch for Satellite Temperature Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ziad, H.; Slater, T.; vanGerwen, P.; Masure, E.; Preudhomme, F.; Baert, K.

1995-01-01

An active radiator tile (ART) thermal valve has been fabricated using silicon micromachining. Intended for orbital satellite heat control applications, the operational principal of the ART is to control heat flow between two thermally isolated surfaces by bring the surfaces into intimate mechanical contact using electrostatic actuation. Prototype devices have been tested in a vacuum and demonstrate thermal actuation voltages as low as 40 volts, very good thermal insulation in the OFF state, and a large increase in radiative heat flow in the ON state. Thin, anodized aluminum was developed as a coating for high infrared emissivity and high solar reflectance.

Micromachined electrostatic vertical actuator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Abraham P.; Sommargren, Gary E.; McConaghy, Charles F.

A micromachined vertical actuator utilizing a levitational force, such as in electrostatic comb drives, provides vertical actuation that is relatively linear in actuation for control, and can be readily combined with parallel plate capacitive position sensing for position control. The micromachined electrostatic vertical actuator provides accurate movement in the sub-micron to micron ranges which is desirable in the phase modulation instrument, such as optical phase shifting. For example, compact, inexpensive, and position controllable micromirrors utilizing an electrostatic vertical actuator can replace the large, expensive, and difficult-to-maintain piezoelectric actuators. A thirty pound piezoelectric actuator with corner cube reflectors, as utilized inmore » a phase shifting diffraction interferometer can be replaced with a micromirror and a lens. For any very precise and small amplitudes of motion` micromachined electrostatic actuation may be used because it is the most compact in size, with low power consumption and has more straightforward sensing and control options.« less

Micromachined electrostatic vertical actuator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, A.P.; Sommargren, G.E.; McConaghy, C.F.

A micromachined vertical actuator utilizing a levitational force, such as in electrostatic comb drives, provides vertical actuation that is relatively linear in actuation for control, and can be readily combined with parallel plate capacitive position sensing for position control. The micromachined electrostatic vertical actuator provides accurate movement in the sub-micron to micron ranges which is desirable in the phase modulation instrument, such as optical phase shifting. For example, compact, inexpensive, and position controllable micromirrors utilizing an electrostatic vertical actuator can replace the large, expensive, and difficult-to-maintain piezoelectric actuators. A thirty pound piezoelectric actuator with corner cube reflectors, as utilized inmore » a phase shifting diffraction interferometer can be replaced with a micromirror and a lens. For any very precise and small amplitudes of motion, micromachined electrostatic actuation may be used because it is the most compact in size, with low power consumption and has more straightforward sensing and control options.« less

Estimation of tool wear compensation during micro-electro-discharge machining of silicon using process simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muralidhara, .; Vasa, Nilesh J.; Singaperumal, M.

2010-02-01

A micro-electro-discharge machine (Micro EDM) was developed incorporating a piezoactuated direct drive tool feed mechanism for micromachining of Silicon using a copper tool. Tool and workpiece materials are removed during Micro EDM process which demand for a tool wear compensation technique to reach the specified depth of machining on the workpiece. An in-situ axial tool wear and machining depth measurement system is developed to investigate axial wear ratio variations with machining depth. Stepwise micromachining experiments on silicon wafer were performed to investigate the variations in the silicon removal and tool wear depths with increase in tool feed. Based on these experimental data, a tool wear compensation method is proposed to reach the desired depth of micromachining on silicon using copper tool. Micromachining experiments are performed with the proposed tool wear compensation method and a maximum workpiece machining depth variation of 6% was observed.

Contact-lens type of micromachined hydrogenated amorphous Si fluorescence detector coupled with microfluidic electrophoresis devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamei, Toshihiro; Wada, Takehito

2006-09-01

A 5.8-μm-thick SiO2/Ta2O5 multilayer optical interference filter was monolithically integrated and micromachined on a hydrogenated amorphous Si (a-Si :H) pin photodiode to form a fluorescence detector. A microfluidic electrophoresis device was mounted on a detection platform comprising a fluorescence-collecting half-ball lens and the micromachined fluorescence detector. The central aperture of the fluorescence detector allows semiconductor laser light to pass up through the detector and to irradiate an electrophoretic separation channel. The limit of detection is as low as 7nM of the fluorescein solution, and high-speed DNA fragment sizing can be achieved with high separation efficiency. The micromachined a-Si :H fluorescence detector exhibits high sensitivity for practical fluorescent labeling dyes as well as integration flexibility on various substances, making it ideal for application to portable microfluidic bioanalysis devices.

The Laser MicroJet (LMJ): a multi-solution technology for high quality micro-machining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mai, Tuan Anh; Richerzhagen, Bernold; Snowdon, Paul C.; Wood, David; Maropoulos, Paul G.

2007-02-01

The field of laser micromachining is highly diverse. There are many different types of lasers available in the market. Due to their differences in irradiating wavelength, output power and pulse characteristic they can be selected for different applications depending on material and feature size [1]. The main issues by using these lasers are heat damages, contamination and low ablation rates. This report examines on the application of the Laser MicroJet(R) (LMJ), a unique combination of a laser beam with a hair-thin water jet as a universal tool for micro-machining of MEMS substrates, as well as ferrous and non-ferrous materials. The materials include gallium arsenide (GaAs) & silicon wafers, steel, tantalum and alumina ceramic. A Nd:YAG laser operating at 1064 nm (infra red) and frequency doubled 532 nm (green) were employed for the micro-machining of these materials.

Epitaxial growth of metallic buffer layer structure and c-axis oriented Pb(Mn1/3,Nb2/3)O3-Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 thin film on Si for high performance piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thao, Pham Ngoc; Yoshida, Shinya; Tanaka, Shuji

2017-12-01

This paper reports on the development of a metallic buffer layer structure, (100) SrRuO3 (SRO)/(100) Pt/(100) Ir/(100) yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) layers for the epitaxial growth of a c-axis oriented Pb(Mn1/3,Nb2/3)O3-Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PMnN-PZT) thin film on a (100) Si wafer for piezoelectric micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) application. The stacking layers were epitaxially grown on a Si substrate under the optimal deposition condition. A crack-free PMnN-PZT epitaxial thin films was obtained at a thickness up to at least 1.7 µm, which is enough for MEMS applications. The unimorph MEMS cantilevers based on the PMnN-PZT thin film were fabricated and characterized. As a result, the PMnN-PZT thin film exhibited -10 to -12 C/m2 as a piezoelectric coefficient e 31,f and ˜250 as a dielectric constants ɛr. The resultant FOM for piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (pMUT) is higher than those of general PZT and AlN thin films. This structure has a potential to provide high-performance pMUTs.

Terahertz Bandpass Frequency Selective Surfaces on Glass Substrates Using a Wet Micromachining Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramzan, Mehrab; Khan, Talha Masood; Bolat, Sami; Nebioglu, Mehmet Ali; Altan, Hakan; Okyay, Ali Kemal; Topalli, Kagan

2017-08-01

This paper presents terahertz (THz) frequency selective surfaces (FSS) implemented on glass substrate using standard microfabrication techniques. These FSS structures are designed for frequencies around 0.8 THz. A fabrication process is proposed where a 100-μm-thick glass substrate is formed through the HF etching of a standard 500-μm-thick low cost glass wafer. Using this fabrication process, three separate robust designs consisting of single-layer FSS are investigated using high-frequency structural simulator (HFSS). Based on the simulation results, the first design consists of a circular ring slot in a square metallic structure on top of a 100-μm-thick Pyrex glass substrate with 70% transmission bandwidth of approximately 0.07 THz, which remains nearly constant till 30° angle of incidence. The second design consists of a tripole structure on top of a 100-μm-thick Pyrex glass substrate with 65% transmission bandwidth of 0.035 THz, which remains nearly constant till 30° angle of incidence. The third structure consists of a triangular ring slot in a square metal on top of a 100-μm-thick Pyrex glass substrate with 70% transmission bandwidth of 0.051 THz, which remains nearly constant up to 20° angle of incidence. These designs show that the reflections from samples can be reduced compared to the conventional sample holders used in THz spectroscopy applications, by using single layer FSS structures manufactured through a relatively simple fabrication process. Practically, these structures are achieved on a fabricated 285-μm-thick glass substrate. Taking into account the losses and discrepancies in the substrate thickness, the measured results are in good agreement with the electromagnetic simulations.

Heat pipe with improved wick structures

DOEpatents

Benson, David A.; Robino, Charles V.; Palmer, David W.; Kravitz, Stanley H.

2000-01-01

An improved planar heat pipe wick structure having projections formed by micromachining processes. The projections form arrays of interlocking, semi-closed structures with multiple flow paths on the substrate. The projections also include overhanging caps at their tops to increase the capillary pumping action of the wick structure. The capped projections can be formed in stacked layers. Another layer of smaller, more closely spaced projections without caps can also be formed on the substrate in between the capped projections. Inexpensive materials such as Kovar can be used as substrates, and the projections can be formed by electrodepositing nickel through photoresist masks.

Micromachined ultrasound transducers with improved coupling factors from a CMOS compatible process

PubMed

Eccardt; Niederer

2000-03-01

For medical high frequency acoustic imaging purposes the reduction in size of a single transducer element for one-dimensional and even more for two-dimensional arrays is more and more limited by fabrication and cabling technology. In the fields of industrial distance measurement and simple object recognition low cost phased arrays are lacking. Both problems can be solved with micromachined ultrasound transducers (MUTs). A single transducer is made of a large number of microscopic elements. Because of the array structure of these transducers, groups of elements can be built up and used as a phased array. By integrating parts of the sensor electronics on chip, the cabling effort for arrays can be reduced markedly. In contrast to standard ultrasonic technology, which is based on massive thickness resonators, vibrating membranes are the radiating elements of the MUTs. New micromachining technologies have emerged, allowing a highly reproducible fabrication of electrostatically driven membranes with gap heights below 500 nm. A microelectronic BiCMOS process was extended for surface micromechanics (T. Scheiter et al., Proceedings 11th European Conference on Solid-State Transducers, Warsaw, Vol. 3, 1997, pp. 1595-1598). Additional process steps were included for the realization of the membranes which form sealed cavities with the underlying substrate. Membrane and substrate are the opposite electrodes of a capacitive transducer. The transducers can be integrated monolithically on one chip together with the driving, preamplifying and multiplexing circuitry, thus reducing parasitic capacities and noise level significantly. Owing to their low mass the transducers are very well matched to fluid loads, resulting in a very high bandwidth of 50-100% (C. Eccardt et al., Proceedings Ultrasonics Symposium, San Antonio, Vol. 2, 1996, pp. 959-962; P.C. Eccardt et al., Proceedings of the 1997 Ultrasonics Symposium, Toronto, Vol. 2, 1997, pp. 1609-1618). In the following it is shown how the BiCMOS process has been modified to meet the demands for ultrasound generation and reception. Bias and driving voltages have been reduced down to the 10 V range. The electromechanical coupling is now almost comparable with that for piezoelectric transducers. The measurements exhibit sound pressures and bandwidths that are at least comparable with those of conventional piezoelectric transducer arrays.

Silicon sample holder for molecular beam epitaxy on pre-fabricated integrated circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoenk, Michael E. (Inventor); Grunthaner, Paula J. (Inventor); Grunthaner, Frank J. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

The sample holder of the invention is formed of the same semiconductor crystal as the integrated circuit on which the molecular beam expitaxial process is to be performed. In the preferred embodiment, the sample holder comprises three stacked micro-machined silicon wafers: a silicon base wafer having a square micro-machined center opening corresponding in size and shape to the active area of a CCD imager chip, a silicon center wafer micro-machined as an annulus having radially inwardly pointing fingers whose ends abut the edges of and center the CCD imager chip within the annulus, and a silicon top wafer micro-machined as an annulus having cantilevered membranes which extend over the top of the CCD imager chip. The micro-machined silicon wafers are stacked in the order given above with the CCD imager chip centered in the center wafer and sandwiched between the base and top wafers. The thickness of the center wafer is about 20% less than the thickness of the CCD imager chip. Preferably, four titanium wires, each grasping the edges of the top and base wafers, compress all three wafers together, flexing the cantilever fingers of the top wafer to accommodate the thickness of the CCD imager chip, acting as a spring holding the CCD imager chip in place.

Analytical Performance of a Venturi-assisted Array of Micromachined UltraSonic Electrosprays (AMUSE) Coupled to Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry for the Analysis of Peptides and Proteins

PubMed Central

Hampton, Christina Y.; Forbes, Thomas P.; Varady, Mark J.; Meacham, J. Mark; Fedorov, Andrei G.; Degertekin, F. Levent; Fernández, Facundo M.

2008-01-01

The analytical characterization of a novel ion source for mass spectrometry named Array of Micromachined UltraSonic Electrosprays (AMUSE) is presented here. This is a fundamentally different type of ion generation device, consisting of three major components: 1) a piezoelectric transducer that creates ultrasonic waves at one of the resonant frequencies of the sample-filled device, 2) an array of pyramidally-shaped nozzles micromachined on a silicon wafer, and 3) a spacer which prevents contact between the array and transducer ensuring the transfer of acoustic energy to the sample. A high pressure gradient generated at the apices of the nozzle pyramids forces the periodic ejection of multiple droplet streams from the device. With this device, the processes of droplet formation and droplet charging are separated, hence, the limitations of conventional electrospray-type ion sources, including the need for high charging potentials and the addition of organic solvent to decrease surface tension can be avoided. In this work, a Venturi device is coupled with AMUSE in order to increase desolvation, droplet focusing, and signal stability. Results show that ionization of model peptides and small tuning molecules is possible with DC charging potentials of 100 VDC or less. Ionization in RF-only mode (without DC biasing) was also possible. It was observed that, when combined with AMUSE, the Venturi device provides a 10-fold gain in signal-to-noise ratio for 90% aqueous sample solutions. Further reduction in the diameter of the orifices of the micromachined arrays, led to an additional signal gain of at least 3 orders of magnitude, a 2- to 10-fold gain in the signal-to-noise ratio, and an improvement in signal stability from 47% to 8.5% RSD. The effectiveness of this device for the soft ionization of model proteins in aqueous media, such as cytochrome C was also examined, yielding spectra with an average charge state of 8.8 when analyzed with a 100 VDC charging potential. Ionization of model proteins was also possible in RF-only mode. PMID:17914864

Piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers based on PZT thin films.

PubMed

Muralt, Paul; Ledermann, Nicolas; Baborowski, Jacek; Barzegar, Abdolghaffar; Gentil, Sandrine; Belgacem, Brahim; Petitgrand, Sylvain; Bosseboeuf, Alain; Setter, Nava

2005-12-01

This paper describes fabrication and characterization results of piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (pMUTs) based on 2-microm-thick Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47O3) (PZT) thin films. The applied structures are circular plates held at four bridges, thus partially unclamped. A simple analytical model for the fully clamped structure is used as a reference to optimize design parameters such as thickness relations and electrodes, and to provide approximate predictions for coupling coefficients related to previously determined thin film properties. The best coupling coefficient was achieved with a 270-microm plate and amounted to kappa2 = 5.3%. This value compares well with the calculated value based on measured small signal dielectric (epsilon = 1050) and piezoelectric (e3l,f = 15 Cm(-2)) properties of the PZT thin film at 100 kV/cm dc bias. The resonances show relatively large Q-factors, which can be partially explained by the small diameters as compared to the sound wavelength in air and in the test liquid (Fluorinert 77). A transmit-receive experiment with two quasi-identical pMUTs was performed showing significant signal transmission up to a distance of 20 cm in air and 2 cm in the test liquid.

Development of a novel translation micromirror for adaptive optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Siyuan; Ben Mrad, Ridha

2003-10-01

Conventional translation micromirrors for adaptive optics use attractive electrostatic force and therefore have two limitations: 1) the stroke is limited to less than one third of the initial gap distance between the mirror plate and the substrate. Normally the stroke is in the range of submicrometers; 2) stiction happens during operation. A novel translation micromirror, which uses a repulsive electrostatic force, is presented in this paper. This novel translation micromirror completely overcomes the limitations associated with conventional translation micromirrors and its stroke is not limited by the initial gap distance between the mirror plate and the substrate and therefore is able to achieve a much larger vertical stroke to modulate lights over a wider spectrum than that achieved by conventional translation micromirrors. The novel translation micromirror has no stiction problem and is highly compatible with mature surface micromachining technology. An analytical model is derived for the novel translation micromirror and prototypes are fabricated. The prototype of the novel translation micromirror, which is deliberately not optimized so it could be fabricated using MUMPS, achieved a vertical stroke of 1.75μm using a driving voltage of 50 volts, which is three times the stroke of conventional MUMPS translation micromirrors. It is expected that if standard surface micromachining is used instead of MUMPs, the design of the novel translation micromirror can be optimized and a much larger vertical stroke can be achieved.

Functionalised polyurethane for efficient laser micromachining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brodie, G. W. J.; Kang, H.; MacMillan, F. J.; Jin, J.; Simpson, M. C.

2017-02-01

Pulsed laser ablation is a valuable tool that offers a much cleaner and more flexible etching process than conventional lithographic techniques. Although much research has been undertaken on commercially available polymers, many challenges still remain, including contamination by debris on the surface, a rough etched appearance and high ablation thresholds. Functionalizing polymers with a photosensitive group is a novel way and effective way to improve the efficiency of laser micromachining. In this study, several polyurethane films grafted with different concentrations of the chromophore anthracene have been synthesized which are specifically designed for 248 nm KrF excimer laser ablation. A series of lines etched with a changing number of pulses and fluences by the nanosecond laser were applied to each polyurethane film. The resultant ablation behaviours were studied through optical interference tomography and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The anthracene grafted polyurethanes showed a vast improvement in both edge quality and the presence of debris compared with the unmodified polyurethane. Under the same laser fluence and number of pulses the spots etched in the anthracene contained polyurethane show sharp depth profiles and smooth surfaces, whereas the spots etched in polyurethane without anthracene group grafted present rough cavities with debris according to the SEM images. The addition of a small amount of anthracene (1.47%) shows a reduction in ablation threshold from unmodified polyurethane showing that the desired effect can be achieved with very little modification to the polymer.

Underwater femtosecond laser micromachining of thin nitinol tubes for medical coronary stent manufacture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muhammad, Noorhafiza; Li, Lin

2012-06-01

Microprofiling of medical coronary stents has been dominated by the use of Nd:YAG lasers with pulse lengths in the range of a few milliseconds, and material removal is based on the melt ejection with a high-pressure gas. As a result, recast and heat-affected zones are produced, and various post-processing procedures are required to remove these defects. This paper reports a new approach of machining stents in submerged conditions using a 100-fs pulsed laser. A comparison is given of dry and underwater femtosecond laser micromachining techniques of nickel-titanium alloy (nitinol) typically used as the material for coronary stents. The characteristics of laser interactions with the material have been studied. A femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser system (wavelength of 800 nm, pulse duration of 100 fs, repetition rate of 1 kHz) was used to perform the cutting process. It is observed that machining under a thin water film resulted in no presence of heat-affected zone, debris, spatter or recast with fine-cut surface quality. At the optimum parameters, the results obtained with dry cutting showed nearly the same cut surface quality as with cutting under water. However, debris and recast formation still appeared on the dry cut, which is based on material vaporization. Physical processes involved during the cutting process in a thin water film, i.e. bubble formation and shock waves, are discussed.

Micromachined silicon electrostatic chuck

DOEpatents

Anderson, Robert A.; Seager, Carleton H.

1996-01-01

An electrostatic chuck is faced with a patterned silicon plate 11, created y micromachining a silicon wafer, which is attached to a metallic base plate 13. Direct electrical contact between the chuck face 15 (patterned silicon plate's surface) and the silicon wafer 17 it is intended to hold is prevented by a pattern of flat-topped silicon dioxide islands 19 that protrude less than 5 micrometers from the otherwise flat surface of the chuck face 15. The islands 19 may be formed in any shape. Islands may be about 10 micrometers in diameter or width and spaced about 100 micrometers apart. One or more concentric rings formed around the periphery of the area between the chuck face 15 and wafer 17 contain a low-pressure helium thermal-contact gas used to assist heat removal during plasma etching of a silicon wafer held by the chuck. The islands 19 are tall enough and close enough together to prevent silicon-to-silicon electrical contact in the space between the islands, and the islands occupy only a small fraction of the total area of the chuck face 15, typically 0.5 to 5 percent. The pattern of the islands 19, together with at least one hole 12 bored through the silicon veneer into the base plate, will provide sufficient gas-flow space to allow the distribution of the helium thermal-contact gas.

Curve micromachining on the edges of nitinol biliary stent by ultrashort pulses laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hung, Chia-Hung; Chang, Fuh-Yu

2017-05-01

In this study, a curve micromaching process on the edges of nitinol biliary stent was proposed by a femtosecond laser system with a galvano-mirror scanner. Furthermore, the outer diameter of nitinol tube was 5.116 mm, its inner diameter was 4.648 mm, and its length was 100 mm. The initial fabricated results of nitinol biliary stent represented that the edges of nitinol biliary stent were steep and squared by femtosecond laser. However, the results also indicated that if the laser movement path was precisely programmed by utilizing the unique characteristic of Gaussian beam of femtosecond laser with aligning the edges of stent, the radius of edges enhanced significantly from 9 μm to 42.5 μm. As a result, the edges of nitinol biliary stent can be successfully fabricated from squared edges to rounded-shaped edges with precise dimension, clean surface morphology, and minimal heat-affected zone remained. Hence, the nitinol biliary stent, after femtosecond laser micromachining, would not need any further post-process to remove heat-affected zone and the squared edges.

Parallel-plate submicron gap formed by micromachined low-density pillars for near-field radiative heat transfer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ito, Kota, E-mail: kotaito@mosk.tytlabs.co.jp; Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology; Miura, Atsushi

Near-field radiative heat transfer has been a subject of great interest due to the applicability to thermal management and energy conversion. In this letter, a submicron gap between a pair of diced fused quartz substrates is formed by using micromachined low-density pillars to obtain both the parallelism and small parasitic heat conduction. The gap uniformity is validated by the optical interferometry at four corners of the substrates. The heat flux across the gap is measured in a steady-state and is no greater than twice of theoretically predicted radiative heat flux, which indicates that the parasitic heat conduction is suppressed tomore » the level of the radiative heat transfer or less. The heat conduction through the pillars is modeled, and it is found to be limited by the thermal contact resistance between the pillar top and the opposing substrate surface. The methodology to form and evaluate the gap promotes the near-field radiative heat transfer to various applications such as thermal rectification, thermal modulation, and thermophotovoltaics.« less

Hypersonic force measurements using internal balance based on optical micromachined Fabry-Perot interferometry.

PubMed

Qiu, Huacheng; Min, Fu; Zhong, Shaolong; Song, Xin; Yang, Yanguang

2018-03-01

Force measurements using wind tunnel balance are necessary for determining a variety of aerodynamic performance parameters, while the harsh environment in hypersonic flows requires that the measurement instrument should be reliable and robust, in against strong electromagnetic interference, high vacuum, or metal (oxide) dusts. In this paper, we demonstrated a three-component internal balance for hypersonic aerodynamic force measurements, using novel optical micromachined Fabry-Perot interferometric (FPI) strain gauges as sensing elements. The FPI gauges were fabricated using Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MOEMS) surface and bulk fabrication techniques. High-reflectivity coatings are used to form a high-finesse Fabry-Perot cavity, which benefits a high resolution. Antireflective and passivation coatings are used to reduce unwanted interferences. The FPI strain gauge based balance has been calibrated and evaluated in a Mach 5 hypersonic flow. The results are compared with the traditional technique using the foil resistive strain gauge balance, indicating that the proposed balance based on the MOEMS FPI strain gauge is reliable and robust and is potentially suitable for the hypersonic wind tunnel harsh environment.

Apparatus for precision micromachining with lasers

DOEpatents

Chang, J.J.; Dragon, E.P.; Warner, B.E.

1998-04-28

A new material processing apparatus using a short-pulsed, high-repetition-rate visible laser for precision micromachining utilizes a near diffraction limited laser, a high-speed precision two-axis tilt-mirror for steering the laser beam, an optical system for either focusing or imaging the laser beam on the part, and a part holder that may consist of a cover plate and a back plate. The system is generally useful for precision drilling, cutting, milling and polishing of metals and ceramics, and has broad application in manufacturing precision components. Precision machining has been demonstrated through percussion drilling and trepanning using this system. With a 30 W copper vapor laser running at multi-kHz pulse repetition frequency, straight parallel holes with size varying from 500 microns to less than 25 microns and with aspect ratios up to 1:40 have been consistently drilled with good surface finish on a variety of metals. Micromilling and microdrilling on ceramics using a 250 W copper vapor laser have also been demonstrated with good results. Materialographic sections of machined parts show little (submicron scale) recast layer and heat affected zone. 1 fig.

Hypersonic force measurements using internal balance based on optical micromachined Fabry-Perot interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Huacheng; Min, Fu; Zhong, Shaolong; Song, Xin; Yang, Yanguang

2018-03-01

Force measurements using wind tunnel balance are necessary for determining a variety of aerodynamic performance parameters, while the harsh environment in hypersonic flows requires that the measurement instrument should be reliable and robust, in against strong electromagnetic interference, high vacuum, or metal (oxide) dusts. In this paper, we demonstrated a three-component internal balance for hypersonic aerodynamic force measurements, using novel optical micromachined Fabry-Perot interferometric (FPI) strain gauges as sensing elements. The FPI gauges were fabricated using Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MOEMS) surface and bulk fabrication techniques. High-reflectivity coatings are used to form a high-finesse Fabry-Perot cavity, which benefits a high resolution. Antireflective and passivation coatings are used to reduce unwanted interferences. The FPI strain gauge based balance has been calibrated and evaluated in a Mach 5 hypersonic flow. The results are compared with the traditional technique using the foil resistive strain gauge balance, indicating that the proposed balance based on the MOEMS FPI strain gauge is reliable and robust and is potentially suitable for the hypersonic wind tunnel harsh environment.

Apparatus for precision micromachining with lasers

DOEpatents

Chang, Jim J.; Dragon, Ernest P.; Warner, Bruce E.

1998-01-01

A new material processing apparatus using a short-pulsed, high-repetition-rate visible laser for precision micromachining utilizes a near diffraction limited laser, a high-speed precision two-axis tilt-mirror for steering the laser beam, an optical system for either focusing or imaging the laser beam on the part, and a part holder that may consist of a cover plate and a back plate. The system is generally useful for precision drilling, cutting, milling and polishing of metals and ceramics, and has broad application in manufacturing precision components. Precision machining has been demonstrated through percussion drilling and trepanning using this system. With a 30 W copper vapor laser running at multi-kHz pulse repetition frequency, straight parallel holes with size varying from 500 microns to less than 25 microns and with aspect ratios up to 1:40 have been consistently drilled with good surface finish on a variety of metals. Micromilling and microdrilling on ceramics using a 250 W copper vapor laser have also been demonstrated with good results. Materialogroaphic sections of machined parts show little (submicron scale) recast layer and heat affected zone.

Zero dead volume tube to surface seal

DOEpatents

Benett, William J.; Folta, James A.

2000-01-01

A method and apparatus for connecting a tube to a surface that creates a dead volume seal. The apparatus is composed of three components, a body, a ferrule, and a threaded fitting. The ferrule is compressed onto a tube and a seal is formed between the tube and a device retained in the body by threading the fitting into the body which provides pressure that seals the face of the ferrule to a mating surface on the device. This seal can be used at elevated temperatures depending on the materials used. While the invention has been developed for use with micro-machined silicon wafers used in Capillary Gas Chromatograph (GC), it can be utilized anywhere for making a gas or fluid face seal to the surface of a device that has near zero dead volume.

Micromachined poly-SiGe bolometer arrays for infrared imaging and spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leonov, Vladimir N.; Perova, Natalia A.; De Moor, Piet; Du Bois, Bert; Goessens, Claus; Grietens, Bob; Verbist, Agnes; Van Hoof, Chris A.; Vermeiren, Jan P.

2003-03-01

The state-of-the-art characteristics of micromachined polycrystalline SiGe microbolometer arrays are reported. An average NETD of 85 mK at a time constant of 14 ms is already achievable on typical self-supported 50 μm pixels in a linear 64-element array. In order to reach these values, the design optimization was performed based on the performance characteristics of linear 32-, 64- and 128-element arrays of 50-, 60- and 75-μm-pixel bolometers on several detector lots. The infrared and thermal modeling accounting for the read-out properties and self-heating effect in bolometers resulted in improved designs and competitive NETD values of 80 mK on 50 μm pixels in a 160x128 format at standard frame rates and f-number of 1. In parallel, the TCR-to-1/f noise ratio and the mechanical design of the pixels were improved making poly-SiGe a good candidate for a low-cost uncooled thermal array. The technological CMOS-based process possesses an attractive balance between characteristics and price, and allows the micromachining of thin structures, less than 0.2 μm. The resistance and TCR non-uniformity with σ/μ better than 0.2% combined with 99.93% yield are demonstrated. The first lots of fully processed linear arrays have already come from the IMEC process line and the results of characterization are presented. Next year, the first linear and small 2D arrays will be introduced on the market.

A 2 THz Heterodyne Array Receiver for SOFIA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, Christopher K.

1998-01-01

We proposed to perform a comprehensive design study of a 16-element heterodyne array receiver for SOFIA. The array was designed to utilize hot-electron bolometers in an efficient, low-cost waveguide mount to achieve low noise performance between approx. 1500 and 2400 GHz. Due to the prevailing physical conditions in the interstellar medium, this frequency range is one of the richest in the FIR portion of the spectrum. An array designed for this wavelength range will make excellent use of the telescope and the available atmospheric transmission, and will provide a new perspective on stellar, chemical, and galaxy evolution in the present as well as past epochs. A few of the most important molecular and atomic species which the instrument will sample are CII, OI, CO, OH, NII, and CH. The system used the most sensitive detectors available in an efficient optical system. The local oscillator was a compact CO2 pumped far-infrared laser currently under development for SOFIA. The backend spectrometer was an array acousto-optic spectrometer (aAOS). The spectrometer utilizes proven hardware and technologies to provide broadband performance (greater than or equal to 1 GHz per AOS channel) and high spectral resolution (1 MHz) with the maximum sensitivity and minimum complexity and cost. The proposed instrument would be the fastest and most sensitive heterodyne receiver ever to operate in the 1.5 - 2.4 THz band. One of the key technologies developed for the proposed instrument is the laser micromachining of waveguide structures. These structures provide both the optical link between the instrument and the telescope (via an array of efficient feedhorns) and the impedance transformation between the detectors and free space. With the assistance of funds provided from this grant, we were able to fabricate and test the world's first laser micromachined feedhorns. Figure 1 is a photograph of the 2 THz double feedhorn structure designed and constructed under the auspices of this grant. The quality of the waveguide structure is far better than that obtainable using any other fabrication technique. Figure 2 is the beam pattern obtained from it. The beam parameters are an excellent match to what is expected from theory. The success of this experiment demonstrates the viability of using laser micromachined components in the development of high performance, large format array receivers. Figure 3 is an illustration of the focal plane array concept we developed lot- SOFIA base upon this work. Un- fortunately, our instrument proposal was not selected as a first generation SOFIA instrument. However, we have continued our development efforts and will propose to build a 2nd generation instrument based on the same design concepts. Our work under NAG 2-1057 was very rewarding and we appreciate the opportunity provided by NASA to pursue it. The research led directly to publishing 2 papers (listed below) and the award of an NSF grant to our group to construct a laser micromachining system on the University of Arizona campus.

Femtosecond laser rapid fabrication of large-area rose-like micropatterns on freestanding flexible graphene films

PubMed Central

Shi, Xuesong; Li, Xin; Jiang, Lan; Qu, Liangti; Zhao, Yang; Ran, Peng; Wang, Qingsong; Cao, Qiang; Ma, Tianbao; Lu, Yongfeng

2015-01-01

We developed a simple, scalable and high-throughput method for fabrication of large-area three-dimensional rose-like microflowers with controlled size, shape and density on graphene films by femtosecond laser micromachining. The novel biomimetic microflower that composed of numerous turnup graphene nanoflakes can be fabricated by only a single femtosecond laser pulse, which is efficient enough for large-area patterning. The graphene films were composed of layer-by-layer graphene nanosheets separated by nanogaps (~10–50 nm), and graphene monolayers with an interlayer spacing of ~0.37 nm constituted each of the graphene nanosheets. This unique hierarchical layering structure of graphene films provides great possibilities for generation of tensile stress during femtosecond laser ablation to roll up the nanoflakes, which contributes to the formation of microflowers. By a simple scanning technique, patterned surfaces with controllable densities of flower patterns were obtained, which can exhibit adhesive superhydrophobicity. More importantly, this technique enables fabrication of the large-area patterned surfaces at centimeter scales in a simple and efficient way. This study not only presents new insights of ultrafast laser processing of novel graphene-based materials but also shows great promise of designing new materials combined with ultrafast laser surface patterning for future applications in functional coatings, sensors, actuators and microfluidics. PMID:26615800

Micromachined Thin-Film Sensors for SOI-CMOS Co-Integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laconte, Jean; Flandre, D.; Raskin, Jean-Pierre

Co-integration of sensors with their associated electronics on a single silicon chip may provide many significant benefits regarding performance, reliability, miniaturization and process simplicity without significantly increasing the total cost. Micromachined Thin-Film Sensors for SOI-CMOS Co-integration covers the challenges and interests and demonstrates the successful co-integration of gas flow sensors on dielectric membrane, with their associated electronics, in CMOS-SOI technology. We firstly investigate the extraction of residual stress in thin layers and in their stacking and the release, in post-processing, of a 1 μm-thick robust and flat dielectric multilayered membrane using Tetramethyl Ammonium Hydroxide (TMAH) silicon micromachining solution.

Construction and evaluation of a capillary array DNA sequencer based on a micromachined sheath-flow cuvette.

PubMed

Crabtree, H J; Bay, S J; Lewis, D F; Zhang, J; Coulson, L D; Fitzpatrick, G A; Delinger, S L; Harrison, D J; Dovichi, N J

2000-04-01

A capillary array electrophoresis DNA sequencer is reported based on a micromachined sheath-flow cuvette as the detection chamber. This cuvette is equipped with a set of micromachined features that hold the capillaries in precise registration to ensure uniform spacing between the capillaries, in order to generate uniform hydrodynamic flow in the cuvette. A laser beam excites all of the samples simultaneously, and a microscope objective images fluorescence onto a set of avalanche photodiodes, which operate in the analog mode. A high-gain transimpedance amplifier is used for each photodiode, providing high duty-cycle detection of fluorescence.

Separation and Detection of Toxic Gases with a Silicon Micromachined Gas Chromatography System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kolesar, Edward S.; Reston, Rocky R.

1995-01-01

A miniature gas chromatography (GC) system was designed and fabricated using silicon micromachining and integrated circuit (IC) processing techniques. The silicon micromachined gas chromatography system (SMGCS) is composed of a miniature sample injector that incorporates a 10 microliter sample loop; a 0.9 meter long, rectangular shaped (300 micrometer width and 10 micrometer height) capillary column coated with a 0.2 micrometer thick copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) stationary phase; and a dual detector scheme based upon a CuPc-coated chemiresistor and a commercially available 125 micrometer diameter thermal conductivity detector (TCD) bead. Silicon micromachining was employed to fabricate the interface between the sample injector and the GC column, the column itself, and the dual detector cavity. A novel IC thin-film processing technique was developed to sublime the CuPc stationary phase coating on the column walls that were micromachined in the host silicon wafer substrate and Pyrex (r) cover plate, which were then electrostatically bonded together. The SMGCS can separate binary gas mixtures composed of parts-per-million (ppm) concentrations of ammonia (NH3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) when isothermally operated (55-80 degrees C). With a helium carrier gas and nitrogen diluent, a 10 microliter sample volume containing ammonia and nitrogen dioxide injected at 40 psi ((2.8 x 10(exp 5)Pa)) can be separated in less than 30 minutes.

Microelectromechanical Systems for Aerodynamics Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehregany, Mehran; DeAnna, Russell G.; Reshotko, Eli

1996-01-01

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) embody the integration of sensors, actuators, and electronics on a single substrate using integrated circuit fabrication techniques and compatible micromachining processes. Silicon and its derivatives form the material base for the MEMS technology. MEMS devices, including micro-sensors and micro-actuators, are attractive because they can be made small (characteristic dimension about microns), be produced in large numbers with uniform performance, include electronics for high performance and sophisticated functionality, and be inexpensive. MEMS pressure sensors, wall-shear-stress sensors, and micromachined hot-wires are nearing application in aeronautics. MEMS actuators face a tougher challenge since they have to be scaled (up) to the physical phenomena that are being controlled. MEMS actuators are proposed, for example, for controlling the small structures in a turbulent boundary layer, for aircraft control, for cooling, and for mixing enhancement. Data acquisition or control logistics require integration of electronics along with the transducer elements with appropriate consideration of analog-to-digital conversion, multiplexing, and telemetry. Altogether, MEMS technology offers exciting opportunities for aerodynamics applications both in wind tunnels and in flight

Reducing Stiffness and Electrical Losses of High Channel Hybrid Nerve Cuff Electrodes

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-10-25

Electrodes were developed. These electrodes consisted of a micromachined polyimide -based thin-film structure with integrated electrode contacts and...electrodes, mechanical properties were enhanced by changing the method of joining silicone and polyimide from using one part silicone adhesive to...gold, platinum, platinum black, polyimide , silicone, polymer bonding I. INTRODUCTION Cuff-type electrodes are probably the most commonly used neural

A Z-Axis Quartz Cross-Fork Micromachined Gyroscope Based on Shear Stress Detection

PubMed Central

Xie, Liqiang; Wu, Xuezhong; Li, Shengyi; Wang, Haoxu; Su, Jianbin; Dong, Peitao

2010-01-01

Here we propose a novel quartz micromachined gyroscope. The sensor has a simple cross-fork structure in the x-y plane of quartz crystal. Shear stress rather than normal stress is utilized to sense Coriolis’ force generated by the input angular rate signal. Compared to traditional quartz gyroscopes, which have two separate sense electrodes on each sidewall, there is only one electrode on each sidewall of the sense beam. As a result, the fabrication of the electrodes is simplified and the structure can be easily miniaturized. In order to increase sensitivity, a pair of proof masses is attached to the ends of the drive beam, and the sense beam has a tapered design. The structure is etched from a z-cut quartz wafer and the electrodes are realized by direct evaporation using the aperture mask method. The drive mode frequency of the prototype is 13.38 kHz, and the quality factor is approximately 1,000 in air. Therefore, the gyroscope can work properly without a vacuum package. The measurement ability of the shear stress detection design scheme is validated by the Coriolis’ force test. The performance of the sensor is characterized on a precision rate table using a specially designed readout circuit. The experimentally obtained scale factor is 1.45 mV/°/s and the nonlinearity is 3.6% in range of ±200 °/s. PMID:22294887

Hybrid membrane-microfluidic components using a novel ceramic MEMS technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lutz, Brent J.; Polyakov, Oleg; Rinaldo, Chris

2012-03-01

A novel hybrid nano/microfabrication technology has been employed to produce unique MEMS and microfluidic components that integrate nanoporous membranes. The components are made by micromachining a self-organized nanostructured ceramic material that is biocompatible and amenable to surface chemistry modification. Microfluidic structures, such as channels and wells, can be made with a precision of <2 microns. Thin-film membranes can be integrated into the bottom of these structures, featuring a wide range of possible thicknesses, from 100 micron to <50 nm. Additionally, these membranes may be non-porous or porous (with controllable pore sizes from 200 nm to <5 nm), for sophisticated size-based separations. With previous and current support from the NIH SBIR program, we have built several unique devices, and demonstrated improved separations, cell culturing, and imaging (optical and electron microscopy) versus standard products. Being ceramic, the material is much more robust to demanding environments (e.g. high and low temperatures and organic solvents), compared to polymer-based devices. Additionally, we have applied multiple surface modification techniques, including atomic layer deposition, to manipulate properties such as electrical conductivity. This microfabrication technology is highly scaleable, and thus can yield low-cost, reliable, disposable microcomponents and devices. Specific applications that can benefit from this technology includes cell culturing and assays, imaging by cryo-electron tomography, environmental sample processing, as well as many others.

New Effective Material Couple--Oxide Ceramic and Carbon Nanotube-- Developed for Aerospace Microsystem and Micromachine Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miyoshi, Kazuhisa; VanderWal, Randall L.; Tomasek, Aaron J.; Sayir, Ali; Farmer, Serene C.

2004-01-01

The prime driving force for using microsystem and micromachine technologies in transport vehicles, such as spacecraft, aircraft, and automobiles, is to reduce the weight, power consumption, and volume of components and systems to lower costs and increase affordability and reliability. However, a number of specific issues need to be addressed with respect to using microsystems and micromachines in aerospace applications--such as the lack of understanding of material characteristics; methods for producing and testing the materials in small batches; the limited proven durability and lifetime of current microcomponents, packaging, and interconnections; a cultural change with respect to system designs; and the use of embedded software, which will require new product assurance guidelines. In regards to material characteristics, there are significant adhesion, friction, and wear issues in using microdevices. Because these issues are directly related to surface phenomena, they cannot be scaled down linearly and they become increasingly important as the devices become smaller. When microsystems have contacting surfaces in relative motion, the adhesion and friction affect performance, energy consumption, wear damage, maintenance, lifetime and catastrophic failure, and reliability. Ceramics, for the most part, do not have inherently good friction and wear properties. For example, coefficients of friction in excess of 0.7 have been reported for ceramics and ceramic composite materials. Under Alternate Fuels Foundation Technologies funding, two-phase oxide ceramics developed for superior high-temperature wear resistance in NASA's High Operating Temperature Propulsion Components (HOTPC) project and new two-layered carbon nanotube (CNT) coatings (CNT topcoat/iron bondcoat/quartz substrate) developed in NASA's Revolutionary Aeropropulsion Concepts (RAC) project have been chosen as a materials couple for aerospace applications, including micromachines, in the nanotechnology lubrication task because of their potential for superior friction and wearf properties in air and in an ultrahigh vacuum, spacelike environment. At the NASA Glenn Research Center, two-phase oxide ceramic eutectics, Al2O3/ZrO2(Y2O3), were directionally solidified using the laser-float-zone process, and carbon nanotubes were synthesized within a high-temperature tube furnace at 800 C. Physical vapor deposition was used to coat all quartz substrates with 5-nm-thick iron as catalyst and bondcoat, which formed iron islands resembling droplets and serving as catalyst particles on the quartz. A series of scanning electron micrographs showing multiwalled carbon nanotubes directionally grown as aligned "nanograss" on quartz is presented. Unidirectional sliding friction eperiments were conducted at Glenn with the two-layered CNT coatings in contact with the two-phase Al2O3/ZrO2(Y2O3) eutectics in air and in ultrachigh vacuum. The main criteria for judging the performance of the materials couple for solid lubrication and antistick applications in a space environment were the coefficient of friction and the wear resistance (reciprocal of wear rate), which had to be less than 0.2 and greater than 10(exp 5) N(raised dot)/cubic millimetes, respectively, in ultrahigh vacuum. In air, the coefficient of friction for the CNT coatings in contact with Al2O3/ZrO2 (Y2O3) eutectics was 0.04, one-fourth of that for quartz. In an ultrahigh vacuum, the coefficient of friction for CNT coatings in contact with Al2O3/ZrO2 (Y2O3) was one-third of that for quartz. The two-phase Al2O3/ZrO2 (Y2O3) eutectic coupled with the two-layered CNT coating met the coefficient of friction and wear resistance criteria both in air and in an ultrahigh vacuum, spacelike environment. This material's couple can dramatically improve the stiction (or adhesion), friction, and wear resistance of the contacting surfaces, which are major issues for microdevices and micromachines.

Micromachined TWTs for THz Radiation Sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Booske, John H.; vanderWeide, Daniel W.; Kory, Carol L.; Limbach, S.; Downey, Alan (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The Terahertz (THz) region of the electromagnetic spectrum (about 300 - 3000 GHz in frequency or about 0.1 - 1 mm free space wavelength) has enormous potential for high-data-rate communications, spectroscopy, astronomy, space research, medicine, biology, surveillance, remote sensing, industrial process control, etc. It has been characterized as the most scientifically rich, yet under-utilized, region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The most critical roadblock to full exploitation of the THz band is lack of coherent radiation sources that are powerful (0.001 - 1.0 W continuous wave), efficient (> 1%), frequency agile (instantaneously tunable over 1% bandwidths or more), reliable, and comparatively inexpensive. To develop vacuum electron device (VED) radiation sources satisfying these requirements, fabrication and packaging approaches must be heavily considered to minimize costs, in addition to the basic interaction physics and circuit design. To minimize size of the prime power supply, beam voltage must be minimized, preferably 10 kV. Solid state sources satisfy the low voltage requirement, but are many orders of magnitude below power, efficiency, and bandwidth requirements. On the other hand, typical fast-wave VED sources in this regime (e.g., gyrotrons, FELs) tend to be large, expensive, high voltage and very high power devices unsuitable for most of the applications cited above. VEDs based on grating or inter-digital (ID) circuits have been researched and developed. However, achieving forward-wave amplifier operation with instantaneous fractional bandwidths > 1% is problematic for these devices with low-energy (< 15 kV) electron beams. Moreover, the interaction impedance is quite low unless the beam-circuit spacing is kept particularly narrow, often leading to significant beam interception. One solution to satisfy the THz source requirements mentioned above is to develop micromachined VEDs, or "micro-VEDs". Among other benefits, micro-machining technologies provide superior high frequency wall conductivity as a result of superior surface smoothness compared with conventional mechanical or electric discharge machining approaches. Micro-VED technologies are already being applied to the development of millimeter-wave klystrons at Stanford Linear Accelerator Center and submillimeter-wave klystrons at the University of Leeds. We are investigating the use of micro-machining technologies to develop THz regime TWTs, with emphasis on folded-waveguide TWTs. The folded-waveguide TWT (FW-TWT) has several features that make it attractive for THz-regime micro-VED applications. It is a relatively simple circuit to design and fabricate, it is amenable to precision pattern replication by micro-machining, and it is has been demonstrated capable of forward-wave amplification with appreciable bandwidth. We are conducting experimental and computational studies of micro-VED FW-TWTs to examine their feasibility for applications at frequencies from 200 - 1000 GHz.

Understanding the electrical characteristics of micromotors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emadi, Ali; Irudayaraj, Sujay S.

2005-06-01

This paper presents a comprehensive list of issues related to the electrical characteristics of both electrostatic and electromagnetic micromotors and aims at understanding the behavior of the micromotor from the electrical standpoint. The paper takes the step-by-step approach by first presenting an overview of the laws of electrostatics and electromagnetism for micromachines, their applicability, features and limitations, and then progresses to independently analyze some of the important machine related quantities like electromotive torque, force-output, angular frequencies, supply conditions and requirements, for different types of electrostatic and electromagnetic micromotor constructions. A thorough study on the electric machine parameters that affect the performance of the micromotor need to be performed, since it would serve as a useful link in integrating the micromachine output performance with the fabrication process and challenges associated with it. Achieving such integration would then determine the optimized working condition for the micromotor. The main reason for this study is that although significant advancements have fostered the growth of micromotors in the recent past which has led to the establishment of the micromotor as quite a remarkable machine for powering micromechanical devices, and also as an industrial requirement for various applications, there has always been a concern about the optimal performance of the micromotor, since there is more than just one technology that is being incorporated to realize the micromotor. With fields ranging from surface engineering and chemistry to material science engineering exerting influence on the micromotor design, it becomes very important to completely comprehend the electrophysics of the micromachine that would in turn interact with the science of fabrication to result in the development of better micromotors with considerably less functional complexity.

Ultrashort laser pulse processing of wave guides for medical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashkenasi, David; Rosenfeld, Arkadi; Spaniol, Stefan B.; Terenji, Albert

2003-06-01

The availability of ultra short (ps and sub-ps) pulsed lasers has stimulated a growing interest in exploiting the enhanced flexibility of femtosecond and/or picosecond laser technology for micro-machining. The high peak powers available at relatively low single pulse energies potentially allow for a precise localization of photon energy, either on the surface or inside (transparent) materials. Three dimensional micro structuring of bulk transparent media without any sign of mechanical cracking has been demonstrated. In this study, the potential of ultra short laser processing was used to modify the cladding-core interface in normal fused silica wave guides. The idea behind this technique is to enforce a local mismatch for total reflection at the interface at minimal mechanic stress. The laser-induced modifications were studied in dependence of pulse width, focal alignment, single pulse energy and pulse overlap. Micro traces with a thickness between 3 and 8 μm were generated with a spacing of 10 μm in the sub-surface region using sub-ps and ps laser pulses at a wavelength of 800 nm. The optical leakage enforced by a micro spiral pattern is significant and can be utilized for medical applications or potentially also for telecommunications and fiber laser technology.

Low cost, patterning of human hNT brain cells on parylene-C with UV & IR laser machining.

PubMed

Raos, Brad J; Unsworth, C P; Costa, J L; Rohde, C A; Doyle, C S; Delivopoulos, E; Murray, A F; Dickinson, M E; Simpson, M C; Graham, E S; Bunting, A S

2013-01-01

This paper describes the use of 800nm femtosecond infrared (IR) and 248nm nanosecond ultraviolet (UV) laser radiation in performing ablative micromachining of parylene-C on SiO2 substrates for the patterning of human hNT astrocytes. Results are presented that support the validity of using IR laser ablative micromachining for patterning human hNT astrocytes cells while UV laser radiation produces photo-oxidation of the parylene-C and destroys cell patterning. The findings demonstrate how IR laser ablative micromachining of parylene-C on SiO2 substrates can offer a low cost, accessible alternative for rapid prototyping, high yield cell patterning.

Micromachined peristaltic pump

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartley, Frank T. (Inventor)

1998-01-01

A micromachined pump including a channel formed in a semiconductor substrate by conventional processes such as chemical etching. A number of insulating barriers are established in the substrate parallel to one another and transverse to the channel. The barriers separate a series of electrically conductive strips. An overlying flexible conductive membrane is applied over the channel and conductive strips with an insulating layer separating the conductive strips from the conductive membrane. Application of a sequential voltage to the series of strips pulls the membrane into the channel portion of each successive strip to achieve a pumping action. A particularly desirable arrangement employs a micromachined push-pull dual channel cavity employing two substrates with a single membrane sandwiched between them.

Optimization of design parameters for bulk micromachined silicon membranes for piezoresistive pressure sensing application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belwanshi, Vinod; Topkar, Anita

2016-05-01

Finite element analysis study has been carried out to optimize the design parameters for bulk micro-machined silicon membranes for piezoresistive pressure sensing applications. The design is targeted for measurement of pressure up to 200 bar for nuclear reactor applications. The mechanical behavior of bulk micro-machined silicon membranes in terms of deflection and stress generation has been simulated. Based on the simulation results, optimization of the membrane design parameters in terms of length, width and thickness has been carried out. Subsequent to optimization of membrane geometrical parameters, the dimensions and location of the high stress concentration region for implantation of piezoresistors have been obtained for sensing of pressure using piezoresistive sensing technique.

VIEW OF MICROMACHINING, HIGH PRECISION EQUIPMENT USED TO CUSTOM MAKE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW OF MICRO-MACHINING, HIGH PRECISION EQUIPMENT USED TO CUSTOM MAKE SMALL PARTS. LUMPS OF CLAY; SHOWN IN THE PHOTOGRAPH, WERE USED TO STABILIZE PARTS BEING MACHINED. (11/1/87) - Rocky Flats Plant, Stainless Steel & Non-Nuclear Components Manufacturing, Southeast corner of intersection of Cottonwood & Third Avenues, Golden, Jefferson County, CO

Single Crystal DMs for Space-Based Observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bierden, Paul

We propose to demonstrate the feasibility of a new manufacturing process for large aperture, high-actuator count microelectromechanical deformable mirrors (MEMS-DMs). These DMs are designed to fill a critical technology gap in NASA s plan for high- contrast space-based exoplanet observatories. We will manufacture a prototype DM with a continuous mirror facesheet, having an active aperture of 50mm diameter, supported by 2040 electrostatic actuators (50 across the diameter of the active aperture), spaced at a pitch of 1mm. The DM will be manufactured using silicon microfabrication tools. The strategic motivation for the proposed project is to advance MEMS DMs as an enabling technology in NASA s rapidly emerging program for extrasolar planet exploration. That goal is supported by an Astro2010 white paper on Technologies for Direct Optical Imaging of Exoplanets, which concluded that DMs are a critical component for all proposed internal coronagraph instrument concepts. That white paper pointed to great strides made by DM developers in the past decade, and acknowledged the components made by Boston Micromachines Corporation to be the most notable MEMS-based technology option. The principal manufacturing innovation in this project will be assembly of the DM through fusion bonding of three separate single crystal silicon wafers comprising the device s substrate, actuator array, and facesheet. The most significant challenge of this project will be to develop processes that allow reliable fusion bonds between multiple compliant silicon layers while yielding an optically flat surface and a robust electromechanical system. The compliance of the DM, which is required for its electromechanical function, will make it challenging to achieve the intimate, planar contact that is generally needed for success in fusion bonding. The manufacturing approach will use photolithography and reactive ion etching to pattern structural layers. Three wafer-scale devices will be patterned and etched independently: one for the substrate and fixed electrode layer, one for the actuator layer, and one for the mirror layer. Subsequently, each of these wafers will be bonded through a thermal fusion process to the others. In an innovative new processing technique, we will employ sacrificial oxide pillars to add temporary support to the otherwise compliant device structures. These pillars will be dissolved after assembly. The result will be a stress-free, single crystal silicon device with broadly expanded design space for geometric parameters such as actuator pitch, mirror diameter, array size, and actuator gap. Consequently, this approach will allow us to make devices with characteristics that are needed for some important NASA applications in space-based coronography, especially where larger array sizes, greater actuator pitch, and better optical surface quality are needed. The significance of this work is that it will provide a technology platform that meets or exceeds the superb optical performance that has been demonstrated in conventional pizezoelectrically actuated DMs, while retaining the advantages in cost, repeatability, and thermal insensitivity that have been demonstrated in the newer generation of MEMS electrostatically actuated DMs. The shift to bonded single-crystal structures will eliminate the single biggest drawback in previously reported NASA-fielded MEMS DM technology: device susceptibility to stress-induced scalloping and print through artifacts resulting from polycrystalline thin film surface micromachining. With single crystal structures bonded at atomic scales, uncorrected surface topography can be controlled to subnanometer levels, enabling the advancement of NASA s next-generation space-based coronagraphs.

A dual-reflective electrothermal MEMS micromirror for full circumferential scanning endoscopic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Lei; Xie, Huikai

2008-02-01

This paper reports the design, fabrication and measurements of a dual-reflective, single-crystal silicon based micromirror that can perform full circumferential scanning (FCS) for endoscopic optical coherence tomography (EOCT). In the proposed FCS-EOCT probe, two optical fibers are used to deliver light beams to either surface of the micromirror, which can rotate +/-45° (or 90°) and thus a 180° optical scanning is obtained from each mirror surface, resulting in full circumferential scans. A novel surface- and bulk-combined micromachining process based on SOI wafers is developed for fabricating the dual reflective micromirror. The single-crystal-silicon device layer of SOI wafers is used for mirror flatness, and Al is coated on both sides for high reflectivity. With one light beam delivered to each mirror surface, full 360° scans have been observed. Other measured data include the resonant frequency: 328Hz, radius of curvatures: - 124 mm (front surface) and 127 mm (back surface), and the reflectances: 81.3% (front surface) and 79.0% (back surface).

Optimized micromirror arrays for adaptive optics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Michalicek, M. Adrian

This paper describes the design, layout, fabrication, and surface characterization of highly optimized surface micromachined micromirror devices. Design considerations and fabrication capabilities are presented. These devices are fabricated in the state-of-the-art, four-level, planarized, ultra-low-stress polysilicon process available at Sandia National Laboratories known as the Sandia Ultra-planar Multi-level MEMS Technology (SUMMiT). This enabling process permits the development of micromirror devices with near-ideal characteristics that have previously been unrealizable in standard three-layer polysilicon processes. The reduced 1 {mu}m minimum feature sizes and 0.1 {mu}m mask resolution make it possible to produce dense wiring patterns and irregularly shaped flexures. Likewise, mirror surfaces canmore » be uniquely distributed and segmented in advanced patterns and often irregular shapes in order to minimize wavefront error across the pupil. The ultra-low-stress polysilicon and planarized upper layer allow designers to make larger and more complex micromirrors of varying shape and surface area within an array while maintaining uniform performance of optical surfaces. Powerful layout functions of the AutoCAD editor simplify the design of advanced micromirror arrays and make it possible to optimize devices according to the capabilities of the fabrication process. Micromirrors fabricated in this process have demonstrated a surface variance across the array from only 2{endash}3 nm to a worst case of roughly 25 nm while boasting active surface areas of 98{percent} or better. Combining the process planarization with a {open_quotes}planarized-by-design{close_quotes} approach will produce micromirror array surfaces that are limited in flatness only by the surface deposition roughness of the structural material. Ultimately, the combination of advanced process and layout capabilities have permitted the fabrication of highly optimized micromirror arrays for adaptive optics. {copyright} {ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.}« less

Wetting and elasto-plasticity based sculpture of liquid marbles.

PubMed

Liu, Jianlin; Zuo, Pingcheng

2016-02-01

As an emerging material with exotic properties, liquid marble holds great potential for such areas as microfluidics, stimuli-responsive sensors, micro-chemical reactors, micro-bioreactors, energy harvesting devices, and mechanical structures. In this study, we mainly concentrate on the mechanical behaviors, such as elasto-plasticity of liquid marble with the decrease of liquid volume. The contact radius with the substrate and Young's contact angle of liquid marble are both measured with the change of water volume, and those of a water droplet are compared. The mechanism for the different responses for liquid marble and water droplet is clarified according to the mechanics analysis. Moreover, it is found that liquid marble can behave like an elasto-plastic material when the particle surface density is big enough. Based upon this fact, liquid marble can be sculpted to all kinds of special shapes as expected. These investigations may cast new light on how to engineer multifunctional materials and devices, which are beneficial to microprinting and micromachining.

All-Optical Cantilever-Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy in the Open Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Wei; Zhu, Yong; Lin, Cheng; Tian, Li; Xu, Zhuwen; Nong, Jinpeng

2015-06-01

A novel all-optical cantilever-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy technique for trace gas detection in the open environment is proposed. A cantilever is set off-beam to "listen to" the photoacoustic signal, and an improved quadrature-point stabilization Fabry-Perot demodulation unit is used to pick up the vibration signal of the acoustic transducer instead of a complicated Michelson interferometer. The structure parameters of the cantilever are optimized to make the sensing system work more stably and reliably using a finite element method, which is then fabricated by surface micro-machining technology. Finally, related experiments are carried out to detect the absorption of water vapor at one atmosphere in the open environment. It was found that the normalized noise-equivalent absorption coefficient obtained by a traditional Fabry-Perot demodulation unit is , while that by a quadrature- point stabilization Fabry-Perot demodulation unit is , which indicates that the sensitivity is increased by a factor of 3.1 using improved cantilever-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy.

New test structures and techniques for measurement of mechanical properties of MEMS materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharpe, William N., Jr.; Yuan, Bin; Vaidyanathan, Ranji; Edwards, Richard L.

1996-09-01

This paper presents techniques and procedures for addressing the three major problems of mechanical testing of the thin films used in surface micromachined microelectromechanical systems--specimen handling, friction, and strain measurement. The polysilicon tensile specimens are fabricated with two supporting side strips on silicon wafers at the Microelectronic Center of North Carolina. The tensile specimen is released by etching away the wafer, and the two support strips are cut after the specimen is glued in the test machine. Friction is reduced by a linear air bearing in the load train, and strain is measured with a noncontacting technique based on laser interferometry between two gold lines on the tensile specimen. The Young's modulus of polysilicon is 170 +/- 7 GPa and the strength is 1.21 +/- 0.16 GPa from a series of 29 tests. preliminary measurements have been made of Poisson's ratio and the fatigue behavior, and an attempt is underway to measure the fracture toughness.

Mesoscale hybrid calibration artifact

DOEpatents

Tran, Hy D.; Claudet, Andre A.; Oliver, Andrew D.

2010-09-07

A mesoscale calibration artifact, also called a hybrid artifact, suitable for hybrid dimensional measurement and the method for make the artifact. The hybrid artifact has structural characteristics that make it suitable for dimensional measurement in both vision-based systems and touch-probe-based systems. The hybrid artifact employs the intersection of bulk-micromachined planes to fabricate edges that are sharp to the nanometer level and intersecting planes with crystal-lattice-defined angles.

A novel electron tunneling infrared detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenny, T. W.; Waltman, S. B.; Reynolds, J. K.; Kaiser, W. J.

1990-01-01

The pneumatic infrared detector, originally developed by Golay in the late 1940s, uses the thermal expansion of one cm(exp 3) of xenon at room temperature to detect the heat deposited by infrared radiation. This detector was limited by thermal fluctuations within a 10 Hz bandwidth, but suffered from long thermal time constants and a fragile structure. Nevertheless, it represents the most sensitive room temperature detector currently available in the long wavelength infrared (LWIR). Fabrication of this type of detector on smaller scales has been limited by the lack of a suitably sensitive transducer. Researchers designed a detector based on this principle, but which is constructed entirely from micromachined silicon, and uses a vacuum tunneling transducer to detect the expansion of the trapped gas. Because this detector is fabricated using micromachining techniques, miniaturization and integration into one and two-dimensional arrays is feasible. The extreme sensitivity of vacuum tunneling to changes in electrode separation will allow a prototype of this detector to operate in the limit of thermal fluctuations over a 10 kHz bandwidth. A calculation of the predicted response and noise of the prototype is presented with the general formalism of thermal detectors. At present, most of the components of the prototype have been fabricated and tested independently. In particular, a characterization of the micromachined electron tunneling transducer has been carried out. The measured noise in the tunnel current is within a decade of the limit imposed by shot noise, and well below the requirements for the operation of an infrared detector with the predicted sensitivity. Assembly and characterization of the prototype infrared detector will be carried out promptly.

Incorporation of beams into bossed diaphragm for a high sensitivity and overload micro pressure sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Zhongliang; Zhao, Yulong; Sun, Lu; Tian, Bian; Jiang, Zhuangde

2013-01-01

The paper presents a piezoresistive absolute micro pressure sensor, which is of great benefits for altitude location. In this investigation, the design, fabrication, and test of the sensor are involved. By analyzing the stress distribution of sensitive elements using finite element method, a novel structure through the introduction of sensitive beams into traditional bossed diaphragm is built up. The proposed configuration presents its advantages in terms of high sensitivity and high overload resistance compared with the conventional bossed diaphragm and flat diaphragm structures. Curve fittings of surface stress and deflection based on ANSYS simulation results are performed to establish the equations about the sensor. Nonlinear optimization by MATLAB is carried out to determine the structure dimensions. The output signals in both static and dynamic environments are evaluated. Silicon bulk micromachining technology is utilized to fabricate the sensor prototype, and the fabrication process is discussed. Experimental results demonstrate the sensor features a high sensitivity of 11.098 μV/V/Pa in the operating range of 500 Pa at room temperature, and a high overload resistance of 200 times overpressure to promise its survival under atmosphere. Due to the excellent performance above, the sensor can be applied in measuring the absolute micro pressure lower than 500 Pa.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Galambos, Paul C.

This is the latest in a series of LDRD's that we have been conducting with Florida State University/Florida A&M University (FSU/FAMU) under the campus executive program. This research builds on the earlier projects; ''Development of Highly Integrated Magnetically and Electrostatically Actuated Micropumps'' (SAND2003-4674) and ''Development of Magnetically and Electrostatically Driven Surface Micromachined Pumps'' (SAND2002-0704P). In this year's LDRD we designed 2nd generation of surface micromachined (SMM) gear and viscous pumps. Two SUMMiT{trademark} modules full of design variations of these pumps were fabricated and one SwIFT{trademark} module is still in fabrication. The SwIFT{trademark} fabrication process results in a transparent pump housingmore » cover that will enable visualization inside the pumps. Since the SwIFT{trademark} pumps have not been tested as they are still in fabrication, this report will focus on the 2nd generation SUMMiT{trademark} designs. Pump testing (pressure vs. flow) was conducted on several of the SUMMiT{trademark} designs resulting in the first pump curve for this class of SMM pumps. A pump curve was generated for the higher torque 2nd generation gear pump designed by Jason Hendrix of FSU. The pump maximum flow rate at zero head was 6.5 nl/s for a 30V, 30 Hz square wave signal. This level of flow rate would be more than adequate for our typical SMM SUMMiT{trademark} or SwIFT{trademark} channels which have typical volumes on the order of 50 pl.« less

Micromachined force-balance feedback accelerometer with optical displacement detection

DOEpatents

Nielson, Gregory N.; Langlois, Eric; Baker, Michael; Okandan, Murat; Anderson, Robert

2014-07-22

An accelerometer includes a proof mass and a frame that are formed in a handle layer of a silicon-on-an-insulator (SOI). The proof mass is separated from the frame by a back-side trench that defines a boundary of the proof mass. The accelerometer also includes a reflector coupled to a top surface of the proof mass. An optical detector is located above the reflector at the device side. The accelerometer further includes at least one suspension spring. The suspension spring has a handle anchor that extends downwards from the device side to the handle layer to mechanically support upward and downward movement of the proof mass relative to a top surface of the proof mass.

Micromachined magnetohydrodynamic actuators and sensors

DOEpatents

Lee, Abraham P.; Lemoff, Asuncion V.

2000-01-01

A magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) micropump and microsensor which utilizes micromachining to integrate the electrodes with microchannels and includes a magnet for producing magnetic fields perpendicular to both the electrical current direction and the fluid flow direction. The magnet can also be micromachined and integrated with the micropump using existing technology. The MHD micropump, for example, can generate continuous, reversible flow, with readily controllable flow rates. The flow can be reversed by either reversing the electrical current flow or reversing the magnetic field. By mismatching the electrodes, a swirling vortex flow can be generated for potential mixing applications. No moving parts are necessary and the dead volume is minimal. The micropumps can be placed at any position in a fluidic circuit and a combination of micropumps can generate fluidic plugs and valves.

Micro benchtop optics by bulk silicon micromachining

DOEpatents

Lee, Abraham P.; Pocha, Michael D.; McConaghy, Charles F.; Deri, Robert J.

2000-01-01

Micromachining of bulk silicon utilizing the parallel etching characteristics of bulk silicon and integrating the parallel etch planes of silicon with silicon wafer bonding and impurity doping, enables the fabrication of on-chip optics with in situ aligned etched grooves for optical fibers, micro-lenses, photodiodes, and laser diodes. Other optical components that can be microfabricated and integrated include semi-transparent beam splitters, micro-optical scanners, pinholes, optical gratings, micro-optical filters, etc. Micromachining of bulk silicon utilizing the parallel etching characteristics thereof can be utilized to develop miniaturization of bio-instrumentation such as wavelength monitoring by fluorescence spectrometers, and other miniaturized optical systems such as Fabry-Perot interferometry for filtering of wavelengths, tunable cavity lasers, micro-holography modules, and wavelength splitters for optical communication systems.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

CRESSWELL,M.W.; ALLEN,R.A.; GHOSHTAGORE,R.N.

This paper describes the fabrication and measurement of the linewidths of the reference segments of cross-bridge resistors patterned in (100) Bonded and Etched Back Silicon-on-Insulator (BESOI) material. The critical dimensions (CD) of the reference segments of a selection of the cross-bridge resistor test structures were measured both electrically and by Scanning-Electron Microscopy (SEM) cross-section imaging. The reference-segment features were aligned with <110> directions in the BESOI surface material and had drawn linewidths ranging from 0.35 to 3.0 {micro}m. They were defined by a silicon micro-machining process which results in their sidewalls being atomically-planar and smooth and inclined at 54.737{degree} tomore » the surface (100) plane of the substrate. This (100) implementation may usefully complement the attributes of the previously-reported vertical-sidewall one for selected reference-material applications. For example, the non-orthogonal intersection of the sidewalls and top-surface planes of the reference-segment features may alleviate difficulties encountered with atomic-force microscope measurements. In such applications it has been reported that it may be difficult to maintain probe-tip control at the sharp 90{degree} outside corner of the sidewalls and the upper surface. A second application is refining to-down image-processing algorithms and checking instrument performance. Novel aspects of the (100) SOI implementation that are reported here include the cross-bridge resistor test-structure architecture and details of its fabrication. The long-term goal is to develop a technique for the determination of the absolute dimensions of the trapezoidal cross-sections of the cross-bridge resistors' reference segments, as a prelude to developing them for dimensional reference applications. This is believed to be the first report of electrical CD measurements made on test structures of the cross-bridge resistor type that have been patterned in (100) SOI material. The electrical CD results are compared with cross-section SEM measurements made on the same features.« less

Development of ultrasonic electrostatic microjets for distributed propulsion and microflight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amirparviz, Babak

This dissertation details the first attempt to design and fabricate a distributed micro propulsion system based on acoustic streaming. A novel micro propulsion method is suggested by combining Helmholtz resonance, acoustic streaming and flow entrainment and thrust augmentation. In this method, oscillatory motion of an electrostatically actuated diaphragm creates a high frequency acoustic field inside the cavity of a Helmholtz resonator. The initial fluid motion velocity is amplified by the Helmholtz resonator structure and creates a jet flow at the exit nozzle. Acoustic streaming is the phenomenon responsible for primary jet stream creation. Primary jets produced by a few resonators can be combined in an ejector configuration to induce flow entrainment and thrust augmentation. Basic governing equations for the electrostatic actuator, deformation of the diaphragm and the fluid flow inside the resonator are derived. These equations are linearized and used to derive an equivalent electrical circuit model for the operation of the device. Numerical solution of the governing equations and simulation of the circuit model are used to predict the performance of the experimental systems. Thrust values as high as 30.3muN are expected per resonator. A micro machined electrostatically-driven high frequency Helmholtz resonator prototype is designed and fabricated. A new micro fabrication technique is developed for bulk micromachining and in particular fabrication of the resonator. Geometric stops for wet anisotropic etching of silicon are introduced for the fist time for structure formation. Arrays of high frequency (>60kHz) micro Helmholtz resonators are fabricated. In one sample more than 1000 resonators cover the surface of a four-inch silicon wafer and in effect convert it to a distributed propulsion system. A high yield (>85%) micro fabrication process is presented for realization of this propulsion system taking advantage of newly developed deep glass micromachining and lithography on thin (15mum) silicon methods. Extensive test and characterization are performed on the micro jets using current frequency component analysis, laser interferometry, acoustic measurements, hot-wire anemometers, video particle imaging and load cells. The occurrence of acoustic streaming at jet nozzles is verified and flow velocities exceeding 1m/s are measured at the 15mum x 330mum jet exit nozzle.

Experimental Performance of a Micromachined Heat Flux Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stefanescu, S.; DeAnna, R. G.; Mehregany, M.

1998-01-01

Steady-state and frequency response calibration of a microfabricated heat-flux sensor have been completed. This sensor is batch fabricated using standard, micromachining techniques, allowing both miniaturization and the ability to create arrays of sensors and their corresponding interconnects. Both high-frequency and spatial response is desired, so the sensors are both thin and of small cross-sectional area. Thin-film, temperature-sensitive resistors are used as the active gauge elements. Two sensor configurations are investigated: (1) a Wheatstone-bridge using four resistors; and (2) a simple, two-resistor design. In each design, one resistor (or pair) is covered by a thin layer (5000 A) thermal barrier; the other resistor (or pair) is covered by a thick (5 microns) thermal barrier. The active area of a single resistor is 360 microns by 360 microns; the total gauge area is 1.5 mm square. The resistors are made of 2000 A-thick metal; and the entire gauge is fabricated on a 25 microns-thick flexible, polyimide substrate. Heat flux through the surface changes the temperature of the resistors and produces a corresponding change in resistance. Sensors were calibrated using two radiation heat sources: (1) a furnace for steady-state, and (2) a light and chopper for frequency response.

A sub-cm micromachined electron microscope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feinerman, A. D.; Crewe, D. A.; Perng, D. C.; Shoaf, S. E.; Crewe, A. V.

1993-01-01

A new approach for fabricating macroscopic (approximately 10x10x10 mm(exp 3)) structures with micron accuracy has been developed. This approach combines the precision of semiconductor processing and fiber optic technologies. A (100) silicon wafer is anisotropically etched to create four orthogonal v-grooves and an aperture on each 10x12 mm die. Precision 308 micron optical fibers are sandwiched between the die to align the v-grooves. The fiber is then anodically bonded to the die above and below it. This procedure is repeated to create thick structures and a stack of 5 or 6 die will be used to create a miniature scanning electron microscope (MSEM). Two die in the structure will have a segmented electrode to deflect the beam and correct for astigmatism. The entire structure is UHV compatible. The performance of an SEM improves as its length is reduced and a sub-cm 2 keV MSEM with a field emission source should have approximately 1 nm resolution. A low voltage high resolution MSEM would be useful for the examination of biological specimens and semiconductors with a minimum of damage. The first MSEM will be tested with existing 6 micron thermionic sources. In the future a micromachined field emission source will be used. The stacking technology presented in this paper can produce an array of MSEMs 1 to 30 mm in length with a 1 mm or larger period. A key question being addressed by this research is the optimum size for a low voltage MSEM which will be determined by the required spatial resolution, field of view, and working distance.

Investigation on micromachining technologies for the realization of LTCC devices and systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haas, T.; Zeilmann, C.; Bittner, A.; Schmid, U.

2011-06-01

Low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) has established as a widespread platform for advanced functional ceramic devices in different applications, such as in the space and aviation sector, for micro machined sensors as well as in micro fluidics. This is due to high reliability, excellent physical properties, especially in the high frequency range, and the possibility to integrate passive components in the monolithic LTCC body, offering the potential for a high degree of miniaturisation. However, for further improvement of this technology and for an ongoing increase of the integration level, the realization of miniaturized structures is of utmost importance. Therefore, novel techniques for micro-machining are required providing channel structures and cavities inside the glass-ceramic body, enabling for further application scenarios. Those techniques are punching, laser cutting and embossing. One of the most limitations of LTCC is the poor thermal conductivity. Hence, the possibility to integrate channels enables innovative active cooling approaches using fluidic media for heat critical devices. Doing so, a by far better cooling effect can be achieved than by passive devices as heat spreaders or heat sinks. Furthermore, the realization of mechanic devices as integrated pressure sensors for operation under harsh environmental conditions can be realized by integrating the membrane directly into the ceramic body. Finally, for high power devices substantial improvement can be provided by filling those channel structures with electrical conductive material, so that the resistivity can be decreased drastically without affecting the topography of the ceramics.

Development of a femtosecond micromachining workstation by use of spectral interferometry.

PubMed

Bera, Sudipta; Sabbah, A J; Durfee, Charles G; Squier, Jeff A

2005-02-15

A workstation that permits real-time measurement of ablation depth while micromachining with femtosecond laser pulses is demonstrated. This method incorporates the unamplified pulse train that is available in a chirped-pulse amplification system as the probe in an arrangement that uses spectral interferometry to measure the ablation depth while cutting with the amplified pulse in thin metal films.

High speed micromachining with high power UV laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, Rajesh S.; Bovatsek, James M.

2013-03-01

Increasing demand for creating fine features with high accuracy in manufacturing of electronic mobile devices has fueled growth for lasers in manufacturing. High power, high repetition rate ultraviolet (UV) lasers provide an opportunity to implement a cost effective high quality, high throughput micromachining process in a 24/7 manufacturing environment. The energy available per pulse and the pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of diode pumped solid state (DPSS) nanosecond UV lasers have increased steadily over the years. Efficient use of the available energy from a laser is important to generate accurate fine features at a high speed with high quality. To achieve maximum material removal and minimal thermal damage for any laser micromachining application, use of the optimal process parameters including energy density or fluence (J/cm2), pulse width, and repetition rate is important. In this study we present a new high power, high PRF QuasarR 355-40 laser from Spectra-Physics with TimeShiftTM technology for unique software adjustable pulse width, pulse splitting, and pulse shaping capabilities. The benefits of these features for micromachining include improved throughput and quality. Specific example and results of silicon scribing are described to demonstrate the processing benefits of the Quasar's available power, PRF, and TimeShift technology.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Göring, Gerald; Dietrich, Philipp-Immanuel; Blaicher, Matthias

3D direct laser writing based on two-photon polymerization is considered as a tool to fabricate tailored probes for atomic force microscopy. Tips with radii of 25 nm and arbitrary shape are attached to conventionally shaped micro-machined cantilevers. Long-term scanning measurements reveal low wear rates and demonstrate the reliability of such tips. Furthermore, we show that the resonance spectrum of the probe can be tuned for multi-frequency applications by adding rebar structures to the cantilever.

Development of advanced second-generation micromirror devices fabricated in a four-level planarized surface-micromachined polycrystalline silicon process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michalicek, M. Adrian; Comtois, John H.; Schriner, Heather K.

1998-04-01

This paper describes the design and characterization of several types of micromirror devices to include process capabilities, device modeling, and test data resulting in deflection versus applied potential curves and surface contour measurements. These devices are the first to be fabricated in the state-of-the-art four-level planarized polysilicon process available at Sandia National Laboratories known as the Sandia Ultra-planar Multi-level MEMS Technology. This enabling process permits the development of micromirror devices with near-ideal characteristics which have previously been unrealizable in standard three-layer polysilicon processes. This paper describes such characteristics which have previously been unrealizable in standard three-layer polysilicon processes. This paper describes such characteristics as elevated address electrodes, various address wiring techniques, planarized mirror surfaces suing Chemical Mechanical Polishing, unique post-process metallization, and the best active surface area to date.

Nanoelectrospray ion generation for high-throughput mass spectrometry using a micromachined ultrasonic ejector array

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aderogba, S.; Meacham, J.M.; Degertekin, F.L.

2005-05-16

Ultrasonic electrospray ionization (ESI) for high-throughput mass spectrometry is demonstrated using a silicon micromachined microarray. The device uses a micromachined ultrasonic atomizer operating in the 900 kHz-2.5 MHz range for droplet generation and a metal electrode in the fluid cavity for ionization. Since the atomization and ionization processes are separated, the ultrasonic ESI source shows the potential for operation at low voltages with a wide range of solvents in contrast with conventional capillary ESI technology. This is demonstrated using the ultrasonic ESI microarray to obtain the mass spectrum of a 10 {mu}M reserpine sample on a time of flight massmore » spectrometer with 197:1 signal-to-noise ratio at an ionization potential of 200 V.« less

Optical micromachined ultrasound transducers (OMUT)--a new approach for high-frequency transducers.

PubMed

Tadayon, Mohammad Amin; Ashkenazi, Shai

2013-09-01

The sensitivity and reliability of piezoelectric ultrasound transducers severely degrade in applications requiring high frequency and small element size. Alternative technologies such as capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers (CMUT) and optical sensing and generation of ultrasound have been proposed and studied for several decades. In this paper, we present a new type of device based on optical micromachined ultrasound transducer (OMUT) technology. OMUTs rely on microfabrication techniques to construct micrometerscale air cavities capped by an elastic membrane. A modified photoresist bonding process has been developed to facilitate the fabrication of these devices. We will describe the design, fabrication, and testing of prototype OMUT devices which implement a receive-only function. Future design modifications are proposed for incorporating complete transmit¿receive functionality in a single element.

A Micromachined Geometric Moire Interferometric Floating-Element Shear Stress Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horowitz, S.; Chen, T.; Chandrasekaran, V.; Tedjojuwono, K.; Nishida, T.; Cattafesta, L.; Sheplak, M.

2004-01-01

This paper presents the development of a floating-element shear stress sensor that permits the direct measurement of skin friction based on geometric Moir interferometry. The sensor was fabricated using an aligned wafer-bond/thin-back process producing optical gratings on the backside of a floating element and on the top surface of the support wafer. Experimental characterization indicates a static sensitivity of 0.26 microns/Pa, a resonant frequency of 1.7 kHz, and a noise floor of 6.2 mPa/(square root)Hz.

Research on the effect of coverage rate on the surface quality in laser direct writing process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Xuetao; Tu, Dawei

2017-07-01

Direct writing technique is usually used in femtosecond laser two-photon micromachining. The size of the scanning step is an important factor affecting the surface quality and machining efficiency of micro devices. According to the mechanism of two-photon polymerization, combining the distribution function of light intensity and the free radical concentration theory, we establish the mathematical model of coverage of solidification unit, then analyze the effect of coverage on the machining quality and efficiency. Using the principle of exposure equivalence, we also obtained the analytic expressions of the relationship among the surface quality characteristic parameters of microdevices and the scanning step, and carried out the numerical simulation and experiment. The results show that the scanning step has little influence on the surface quality of the line when it is much smaller than the size of the solidification unit. However, with increasing scanning step, the smoothness of line surface is reduced rapidly, and the surface quality becomes much worse.

Piezoelectric micromachined acoustic emission sensors for early stage damage detection in structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kabir, Minoo; Kazari, Hanie; Ozevin, Didem

2018-03-01

Acoustic emission (AE) is a passive nondestructive evaluation (NDE) method that relies on the energy release of active flaws. The passive nature of this NDE method requires highly sensitive transducers in addition to low power and lightweight characteristics. With the advancement of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), acoustic emission (AE) transducers can be developed in low power and miniaturized. In this paper, the AE transducers operating in plate flexural mode driven piezoelectrically known as Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers (PMUTs) are presented. The AE PMUTs are manufactured using PiezoMUMPS process by MEMSCAP and tuned to 46 kHz and 200 kHz. The PiezoMUMPs is a 5-mask level SOI (silicon-on-insulator) patterning and etching process followed by deposition of 0.5 micron Aluminum Nitride (AlN) to form piezoelectric layer to form the transducers. The AE transducers are numerically modeled using COMSOL Multiphysics software in order to optimize the performance before manufacturing. The electrometrical characterization experiments are presented. The efficiency of the proposed AE PMUTs compared to the conventional AE transducers in terms of power consumption, weight and sensitivity is presented.

Optimization of micromachined membrane switches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiltmann, Kai; Lang, Walter

1997-09-01

We have determined the minimum dimensions for micromachined membrane switches in several experiments, both regarding the strength of the membranes themselves and the elongations required for safe switching performance. Based on these data, pressure switches for voltages of 10 - 100 V were made as single and multiple elements and tested. Test results, with scatter of pressure threshold data in the ten per cent range, prove very encouraging for further development.

Micromachined Parts Advance Medicine, Astrophysics, and More

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2015-01-01

In the mid-1990s, Marshall Space Flight Center awarded two SBIR contracts to Potomac Photonics, now based in Baltimore, for the development of computerized workstations capable of mass-producing tiny, intricate, diffractive optical elements. While the company has since discontinued the workstations, those contracts set the stage for Potomac Photonics to be a leader in the micromachining industry, where NASA remains one of its clients.

3-D laser patterning process utilizing horizontal and vertical patterning

DOEpatents

Malba, Vincent; Bernhardt, Anthony F.

2000-01-01

A process which vastly improves the 3-D patterning capability of laser pantography (computer controlled laser direct-write patterning). The process uses commercially available electrodeposited photoresist (EDPR) to pattern 3-D surfaces. The EDPR covers the surface of a metal layer conformally, coating the vertical as well as horizontal surfaces. A laser pantograph then patterns the EDPR, which is subsequently developed in a standard, commercially available developer, leaving patterned trench areas in the EDPR. The metal layer thereunder is now exposed in the trench areas and masked in others, and thereafter can be etched to form the desired pattern (subtractive process), or can be plated with metal (additive process), followed by a resist stripping, and removal of the remaining field metal (additive process). This improved laser pantograph process is simpler, faster, move manufacturable, and requires no micro-machining.

A 2 THz Heterodyne Array Receiver for SOFIA: Summary of Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, Christopher K.

1998-01-01

We proposed to perform a comprehensive design study of a 16-element heterodyne array receiver for SOFIA. The array was designed to utilize hot-electron bolometers in an efficient, low-cost waveguide mount to achieve low noise performance between approximately 1500 and 2400 GHz. Due to the prevailing physical conditions in the interstellar medium, this frequency range is one of the richest in the Far-Infra Red (FIR) portion of the spectrum. An array designed for this wavelength range will make excellent use of the telescope and the available atmospheric transmission, and will provide a new perspective on stellar, chemical, and galactic evolution in the present as well as past epochs. A few of the most important molecular and atomic species which the instrument will sample are CII, OI, CO, OH, NII, and CH. The system used the most sensitive detectors available in an efficient optical system. The local oscillator was a compact CO2 pumped far-infrared laser currently under development for SOFIA. The backend spectrometer was an array acousto-optic spectrometer (aAOS). The spectrometer utilizes proven hardware and technologies to provide broadband performance (> 1 GHz per AOS channel) and high spectral resolution (1 MHz) with the maximum sensitivity and minimum complexity and cost. The proposed instrument would be the fastest and most sensitive heterodyne receiver ever to operate in the 1.5 - 2.4 THz band. One of the key technologies developed for the proposed instrument is the laser micromachining of waveguide structures. These structures provide both the optical link between the instrument and the telescope (via an array of efficient feedhorns) and the impedance transformation between the detectors and free space. With the assistance of funds provided from this grant, we were able to fabricate and test the world's first laser micromachined feedhorns. The quality of the waveguide structure is far better than that obtainable using any other fabrication technique. The beam parameters are an excellent match to what is expected from theory. The success of this experiment demonstrates the viability of using laser micromachined components in the development of high performance, large format array receivers. We have continued our development efforts and will propose to build a 2nd generation instrument based on the same design concepts.

A 2 THz Heterodyne Array Receiver for SOFIA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, Christopher K.

1996-01-01

We proposed to perform a comprehensive design study of a 16-element heterodyne array receiver for SOFIA. The array was designed to utilize hot-electron bolometers in an efficient, low-cost waveguide mount to achieve low noise performance between approx. 1500 and 2400 GHz. Due to the prevailing physical conditions in the interstellar medium, this frequency range is one of the richest in the FIR portion of the spectrum. An array designed for this wavelength range will make excellent use of the telescope and the available atmospheric transmission, and will provide a new perspective on stellar, chemical, and galaxy evolution in the present as well as past epochs. A few of the most important molecular and atomic species which the instrument will sample are CII, OI, CO, OH, NII, and CH. The system used the most sensitive detectors available in an efficient optical system. The local oscillator was a compact CO2 pumped far-infrared laser currently under development for SOFIA. The backend spectrometer was an array acousto-optic spectrometer (aAOS). The spectrometer utilizes proven hardware and technologies to provide broadband performance (greater than or equal to 1 GHz per AOS channel) and high spectral resolution (1 MHz) with the maximum sensitivity and minimum complexity and cost. The proposed instrument would be the fastest and most sensitive heterodyne receiver ever to operate in the 1.5 - 2.4 THz band. One of the key technologies developed for the proposed instrument is the laser micromachining of waveguide structures. These structures provide both the optical link between the instrument and the telescope (via an array of efficient feedhorns) and the impedance transformation between the detectors and free space. With the assistance of funds provided from this grant, we were able to fabricate and test the world's first laser micromachined feedhorns. The quality of the waveguide structure is far better than that obtainable using any other fabrication technique. The beam parameters are an excellent match to what is expected from theory. The success of this experiment demonstrates the viability of using laser micromachined components in the development of high performance, large format array receivers. Unfortunately, our instrument proposal was not selected as a first generation SOFIA instrument. However, we have continued our development efforts and will propose to build a 2nd generation instrument based on the same design concepts.

Wide band laser-plasma soft X-ray source using a gas puff target for direct photo-etching of polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartnik, Andrzej; Fiedorowicz, Henryk; Jarocki, Roman; Kostecki, Jerzy; Rakowski, Rafał; Szczurek, Mirosław

2005-09-01

Organic polymers (PMMA, PTFE, PET, and PI) are considered as the important materials in microengineering, especially for biological and medical applications. Micromachining of such materials is possible with the use of different techniques that involve electromagnetic radiation or charged particle beams. Another possibility of high aspect ratio micromachining of PTFE is direct photo-etching using synchrotron radiation. X-ray and ultraviolet radiation from other sources, for micromachining of materials by direct photo-etching can be also applied. In this paper we present the results of investigation of a wide band soft X-ray source and its application for direct photo-etching of organic polymers. X-ray radiation in the wavelength range from about 3 nm to 20 nm was produced as a result of irradiation of a double-stream gas puff target with laser pulses of energy 0.8 J and time duration of about 3 ns. The spectra, plasma size and absolute energies of soft X-ray pulses for different gas puff targets were measured. Photo-etching process of polymers irradiated with the use of the soft X-ray radiation was analyzed and investigated. Samples of organic polymers were placed inside a vacuum chamber of the x-ray source, close to the gas puff target at the distance of about 2 cm from plasmas created by focused laser pulses. A fine metal grid placed in front of the samples was used as a mask to form structures by x-ray ablation. The results of photo-etching process for several minutes exposition with l0Hz repetition rate were presented. High ablation efficiency was obtained with the use of the gas puff target containing xenon surrounded by helium.

Recent advances in particle and droplet manipulation for lab-on-a-chip devices based on surface acoustic waves.

PubMed

Wang, Zhuochen; Zhe, Jiang

2011-04-07

Manipulation of microscale particles and fluid liquid droplets is an important task for lab-on-a-chip devices for numerous biological researches and applications, such as cell detection and tissue engineering. Particle manipulation techniques based on surface acoustic waves (SAWs) appear effective for lab-on-a-chip devices because they are non-invasive, compatible with soft lithography micromachining, have high energy density, and work for nearly any type of microscale particles. Here we review the most recent research and development of the past two years in SAW based particle and liquid droplet manipulation for lab-on-a-chip devices including particle focusing and separation, particle alignment and patterning, particle directing, and liquid droplet delivery.

Weaves as an Interconnection Fabric for ASIM's and Nanosatellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gorlick, Michael M.

1995-01-01

Many of the micromachines under consideration require computer support, indeed, one of the appeals of this technology is the ability to intermix mechanical, optical, analog, and digital devices on the same substrate. The amount of computer power is rarely an issue, the sticking point is the complexity of the software required to make effective use of these devices. Micromachines are the nano-technologist's equivalent of 'golden screws'. In other words, they will be piece parts in larger assemblages. For example, a nano-satellite may be composed of stacked silicon wafers where each wafer contains hundreds to thousands of micromachines, digital controllers, general purpose computers, memories, and high-speed bus interconnects. Comparatively few of these devices will be custom designed, most will be stock parts selected from libraries and catalogs. The novelty will lie in the interconnections. For example, a digital accelerometer may be a component part in an adaptive suspension, a monitoring element embedded in the wrapper of a package, or a portion of the smart skin of a launch vehicle. In each case, this device must inter-operate with other devices and probes for the purposes of command, control, and communication. We propose a software technology called 'weaves' that will permit large collections of micromachines and their attendant computers to freely intercommunicate while preserving modularity, transparency, and flexibility. Weaves are composed of networks of communicating software components. The network, and the components comprising it, may be changed even while the software, and the devices it controls, are executing. This unusual degree of software plasticity permits micromachines to dynamically adapt the software to changing conditions and allows system engineers to rapidly and inexpensively develop special purpose software by assembling stock software components in custom configurations.

Biomimetic air sampling for detection of low concentrations of molecules and bioagents : LDRD 52744 final report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hughes, Robert Clark

2003-12-01

Present methods of air sampling for low concentrations of chemicals like explosives and bioagents involve noisy and power hungry collectors with mechanical parts for moving large volumes of air. However there are biological systems that are capable of detecting very low concentrations of molecules with no mechanical moving parts. An example is the silkworm moth antenna which is a highly branched structure where each of 100 branches contains about 200 sensory 'hairs' which have dimensions of 2 microns wide by 100 microns long. The hairs contain about 3000 pores which is where the gas phase molecules enter the aqueous (lymph)more » phase for detection. Simulations of diffusion of molecules indicate that this 'forest' of hairs is 'designed' to maximize the extraction of the vapor phase molecules. Since typical molecules lose about 4 decades in diffusion constant upon entering the liquid phase, it is important to allow air diffusion to bring the molecule as close to the 'sensor' as possible. The moth acts on concentrations as low as 1000 molecules per cubic cm. (one part in 1e16). A 3-D collection system of these dimensions could be fabricated by micromachining techniques available at Sandia. This LDRD addresses the issues involved with extracting molecules from air onto micromachined structures and then delivering those molecules to microsensors for detection.« less

Review of piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers and their applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Joontaek; Lee, Wonjun; Kang, Woojin; Shin, Eunjung; Ryu, Jungho; Choi, Hongsoo

2017-11-01

In recent decades, micromachined ultrasonic transducers (MUTs) have been investigated as an alternative to conventional piezocomposite ultrasonic transducers, primarily due to the advantages that microelectromechanical systems provide. Miniaturized ultrasonic systems require ultrasonic transducers integrated with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor circuits. Hence, piezoelectric MUTs (pMUTs) and capacitive MUTs (cMUTs) have been developed as the most favorable solutions. This paper reviews the basic equations to understand the characteristics of thin-film-based piezoelectric devices and presents recent research on pMUTs, including current approaches and limitations. Methods to improve the coupling coefficient of pMUTs are also investigated, such as device structure, materials, and fabrication techniques. The device structure improvements include multielectrode pMUTs, partially clamped boundary conditions, and 3D pMUTs (curved and domed types), where the latter can provide an electromechanical coupling coefficient of up to 45%. The piezoelectric coefficient (e 31) can be increased by controlling the crystal texture (seed layer of γ-Al2O3), using single-crystal (PMN-PT) materials, or control of residual stresses (using SiO2 layer). Arrays of pMUTs can be implemented for various applications including intravascular ultrasound, fingerprint sensors, rangefinders in air, and wireless power supply systems. pMUTs are expected to be an ideal solution for applications such as mobile biometric security (fingerprint sensors) and rangefinders due to their superior power efficiency and compact size.

Fluorescence of silicon nanoparticles prepared by nanosecond pulsed laser

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Chunyang, E-mail: chunyangliu@126.com; Sui, Xin; Yang, Fang

2014-03-15

A pulsed laser fabrication method is used to prepare fluorescent microstructures on silicon substrates in this paper. A 355 nm nanosecond pulsed laser micromachining system was designed, and the performance was verified and optimized. Fluorescence microscopy was used to analyze the photoluminescence of the microstructures which were formed using the pulsed laser processing technique. Photoluminescence spectra of the microstructure reveal a peak emission around 500 nm, from 370 nm laser irradiation. The light intensity also shows an exponential decay with irradiation time, which is similar to attenuation processes seen in porous silicon. The surface morphology and chemical composition of themore » microstructure in the fabricated region was also analyzed with multifunction scanning electron microscopy. Spherical particles are produced with diameters around 100 nm. The structure is compared with porous silicon. It is likely that these nanoparticles act as luminescence recombination centers on the silicon surface. The small diameter of the particles modifies the band gap of silicon by quantum confinement effects. Electron-hole pairs recombine and the fluorescence emission shifts into the visible range. The chemical elements of the processed region are also changed during the interaction between laser and silicon. Oxidation and carbonization play an important role in the enhancement of fluorescence emission.« less

Micro/nano-mechanical test system employing tensile test holder with push-to-pull transformer

DOEpatents

Oh, Yunje; Cyrankowski, Edward; Shan, Zhiwei; Asif, Syed Amanula Syed

2013-05-07

A micromachined or microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based push-to-pull mechanical transformer for tensile testing of micro-to-nanometer scale material samples including a first structure and a second structure. The second structure is coupled to the first structure by at least one flexible element that enables the second structure to be moveable relative to the first structure, wherein the second structure is disposed relative to the first structure so as to form a pulling gap between the first and second structures such that when an external pushing force is applied to and pushes the second structure in a tensile extension direction a width of the pulling gap increases so as to apply a tensile force to a test sample mounted across the pulling gap between a first sample mounting area on the first structure and a second sample mounting area on the second structure.

Micro/nano-mechanical test system employing tensile test holder with push-to-pull transformer

DOEpatents

Oh, Yunje; Cyrankowski, Edward; Shan, Zhiwei; Syed Asif, Syed Amanula

2014-07-29

A micromachined or microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based push-to-pull mechanical transformer for tensile testing of micro-to-nanometer scale material samples including a first structure and a second structure. The second structure is coupled to the first structure by at least one flexible element that enables the second structure to be moveable relative to the first structure, wherein the second structure is disposed relative to the first structure so as to form a pulling gap between the first and second structures such that when an external pushing force is applied to and pushes the second structure in a tensile extension direction a width of the pulling gap increases so as to apply a tensile force to a test sample mounted across the pulling gap between a first sample mounting area on the first structure and a second sample mounting area on the second structure.

Three-Dimensional Printing Based Hybrid Manufacturing of Microfluidic Devices.

PubMed

Alapan, Yunus; Hasan, Muhammad Noman; Shen, Richang; Gurkan, Umut A

2015-05-01

Microfluidic platforms offer revolutionary and practical solutions to challenging problems in biology and medicine. Even though traditional micro/nanofabrication technologies expedited the emergence of the microfluidics field, recent advances in advanced additive manufacturing hold significant potential for single-step, stand-alone microfluidic device fabrication. One such technology, which holds a significant promise for next generation microsystem fabrication is three-dimensional (3D) printing. Presently, building 3D printed stand-alone microfluidic devices with fully embedded microchannels for applications in biology and medicine has the following challenges: (i) limitations in achievable design complexity, (ii) need for a wider variety of transparent materials, (iii) limited z-resolution, (iv) absence of extremely smooth surface finish, and (v) limitations in precision fabrication of hollow and void sections with extremely high surface area to volume ratio. We developed a new way to fabricate stand-alone microfluidic devices with integrated manifolds and embedded microchannels by utilizing a 3D printing and laser micromachined lamination based hybrid manufacturing approach. In this new fabrication method, we exploit the minimized fabrication steps enabled by 3D printing, and reduced assembly complexities facilitated by laser micromachined lamination method. The new hybrid fabrication method enables key features for advanced microfluidic system architecture: (i) increased design complexity in 3D, (ii) improved control over microflow behavior in all three directions and in multiple layers, (iii) transverse multilayer flow and precisely integrated flow distribution, and (iv) enhanced transparency for high resolution imaging and analysis. Hybrid manufacturing approaches hold great potential in advancing microfluidic device fabrication in terms of standardization, fast production, and user-independent manufacturing.

Three-Dimensional Printing Based Hybrid Manufacturing of Microfluidic Devices

PubMed Central

Shen, Richang; Gurkan, Umut A.

2016-01-01

Microfluidic platforms offer revolutionary and practical solutions to challenging problems in biology and medicine. Even though traditional micro/nanofabrication technologies expedited the emergence of the microfluidics field, recent advances in advanced additive manufacturing hold significant potential for single-step, stand-alone microfluidic device fabrication. One such technology, which holds a significant promise for next generation microsystem fabrication is three-dimensional (3D) printing. Presently, building 3D printed stand-alone microfluidic devices with fully embedded microchannels for applications in biology and medicine has the following challenges: (i) limitations in achievable design complexity, (ii) need for a wider variety of transparent materials, (iii) limited z-resolution, (iv) absence of extremely smooth surface finish, and (v) limitations in precision fabrication of hollow and void sections with extremely high surface area to volume ratio. We developed a new way to fabricate stand-alone microfluidic devices with integrated manifolds and embedded microchannels by utilizing a 3D printing and laser micromachined lamination based hybrid manufacturing approach. In this new fabrication method, we exploit the minimized fabrication steps enabled by 3D printing, and reduced assembly complexities facilitated by laser micromachined lamination method. The new hybrid fabrication method enables key features for advanced microfluidic system architecture: (i) increased design complexity in 3D, (ii) improved control over microflow behavior in all three directions and in multiple layers, (iii) transverse multilayer flow and precisely integrated flow distribution, and (iv) enhanced transparency for high resolution imaging and analysis. Hybrid manufacturing approaches hold great potential in advancing microfluidic device fabrication in terms of standardization, fast production, and user-independent manufacturing. PMID:27512530

3D Printed Microtransporters: Compound Micromachines for Spatiotemporally Controlled Delivery of Therapeutic Agents.

PubMed

Huang, Tian-Yun; Sakar, Mahmut Selman; Mao, Angelo; Petruska, Andrew J; Qiu, Famin; Chen, Xue-Bo; Kennedy, Stephen; Mooney, David; Nelson, Bradley J

2015-11-01

Functional compound micromachines are fabricated by a design methodology using 3D direct laser writing and selective physical vapor deposition of magnetic materials. Microtransporters with a wirelessly controlled Archimedes screw pumping mechanism are engineered. Spatiotemporally controlled collection, transport, and delivery of micro particles, as well as magnetic nanohelices inside microfluidic channels are demonstrated. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

OSA Trends in Optics and Photonics Series, Volume 14 Spatial Light Modulators

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-05-26

Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography Glenn D. Kubiak andDon R. Kania, eds. Vol. 5 Optical Amplifiers and Their Applications (1996) Edited by...micromirror device ( DMD ), and photorefractive crystal. Note that other devices not discussed in this article have been developed, such as the charge...earlier. DMDs are fabricated by micromachining a silicon wafer.7 Tiny (16 um X 16 um) suspended mirrors are micromachined on cantilevers. The

Micromachined capacitive ultrasonic immersion transducer array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Xuecheng

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (cMUTs) have emerged as an attractive alternative to conventional piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers. They offer performance advantages of wide bandwidth and sensitivity that have heretofore been attainable. In addition, micromachining technology, which has benefited from the fast-growing microelectronics industry, enables cMUT array fabrication and electronics integration. This thesis describes the design and fabrication of micromachined capacitive ultrasonic immersion transducer arrays. The basic transducer electrical equivalent circuit is derived from Mason's theory. The effects of Lamb waves and Stoneley waves on cross coupling and acoustic losses are discussed. Electrical parasitics such as series resistance and shunt capacitance are also included in the model of the transducer. Transducer fabrication technology is systematically studied. Device dimension control in both vertical and horizontal directions, process alternatives and variations in membrane formation, via etch and cavity sealing, and metalization as well as their impact on transducer performance are summarized. Both 64 and 128 element 1-D array transducers are fabricated. Transducers are characterized in terms of electrical input impedance, bandwidth, sensitivity, dynamic range, impulse response and angular response, and their performance is compared with theoretical simulation. Various schemes for cross coupling reduction is analyzed, implemented, and verified with both experiments and theory. Preliminary results of immersion imaging are presented using 64 elements 1-D array transducers for active source imaging.

Phase-sensitive techniques applied to a micromachined vacuum sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapman, Glenn H.; Sawadsky, N.; Juneja, P. P.

1996-09-01

Phase sensitive AC measurement techniques are particularly applicable to micromachined sensors detecting temperature changes at a sensor caused by a microheater. The small mass produces rapid thermal response to AC signals which are easily detectable with lock-in amplifiers. Phase sensitive measurements were applied to a CMOS compatible micromachined pressure sensor consisting a polysilicon sense line, 760 microns long, on an oxide microbridge separated by 6 microns on each horizontal side from similar polysilicon heaters, all over a micromachined cavity. Sinusoidal heater signals at 32 Hz induced temperature caused sense line resistance changes at 64 Hz. The lock-in detected this as a first harmonic sense resistor voltage from a DC constant sense current. By observing the first harmonic the lock-in rejects all AC coupling of noise by capacitance or inductance, by measuring only those signals at the 64 Hz frequency and with a fixed phase relationship to the heater driver signals. This sensor produces large signals near atmospheric pressure, declining to 7 (mu) V below 0.1 mTorr. Phase measurements between 760 and 100 Torr where the air's thermal conductivity changes little, combined with amplitude changes at low pressure generate a pressure measurement accurate at 5 percent from 760 Torr to 10 mTorr, sensing of induced temperature changes of 0.001 degree C.

Measurement of phase difference for micromachined gyros driven by rotating aircraft.

PubMed

Zhang, Zengping; Zhang, Fuxue; Zhang, Wei

2013-08-21

This paper presents an approach for realizing a phase difference measurement of a new gyro. A silicon micromachined gyro was mounted on rotating aircraft for aircraft attitude control. Aircraft spin drives the silicon pendulum of a gyro rotating at a high speed so that it can sense the transverse angular velocity of the rotating aircraft based on the gyroscopic precession principle when the aircraft has transverse rotation. In applications of the rotating aircraft single channel control system, such as damping in the attitude stabilization loop, the gyro signal must be kept in sync with the control signal. Therefore, the phase difference between both signals needs to be measured accurately. Considering that phase difference is mainly produced by both the micromachined part and the signal conditioning circuit, a mathematical model has been established and analyzed to determine the gyro's phase frequency characteristics. On the basis of theoretical analysis, a dynamic simulation has been done for a case where the spin frequency is 15 Hz. Experimental results with the proposed measurement method applied to a silicon micromachined gyro driven by a rotating aircraft demonstrate that it is effective in practical applications. Measured curve and numerical analysis of phase frequency characteristic are in accordance, and the error between measurement and simulation is only 5.3%.

Fabrication and characterization of piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers with thick composite PZT films.

PubMed

Wang, Zhihong; Zhu, Weiguang; Zhu, Hong; Miao, Jianmin; Chao, Chen; Zhao, Changlei; Tan, Ooi Kiang

2005-12-01

Ferroelectric microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) has been a growing area of research in past decades, in which ferroelectric films are combined with silicon technology for a variety of applications, such as piezo-electric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (pMUTs), which represent a new approach to ultrasound detection and generation. For ultrasound-radiating applications, thicker PZT films are preferred because generative force and response speed of the diaphragm-type transducers increase with increasing film thickness. However, integration of 4- to 20-microm thick PZT films on silicon wafer, either the deposition or the patterning, is still a bottleneck in the micromachining process. This paper reports on a diaphragm-type pMUT. A composite coating technique based on chemical solution deposition and high-energy ball milled powder has been used to fabricate thick PZT films. Micromachining of the pMUTs using such thick films has been investigated. The fabricated pMUT with crack-free PZT films up to 7-microm thick was evaluated as an ultrasonic transmitter. The generated sound pressure level of up to 120 dB indicates that the fabricated pMUT has very good ultrasound-radiating performance and, therefore, can be used to compose pMUT arrays for generating ultrasound beam with high directivity in numerous applications. The pMUT arrays also have been demonstrated.

Shrinking the apparatus size for DNA analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimmer, Klaus-Peter; Braun, Alexander; Kostrzewa, M.

2001-03-01

Miniaturization of chemical and/or biological analytical systems requires an innovative design and new manufacturing methods. This includes the fabrication of components or structures, the assembly of these parts, and a testing strategy. The separation of an entire device into a disposable microfluidic system and a multi-use supply unit and housing allows an easy fabrication as well as low cost of operation. A simple, replicated, micro-sized, and disposable unit guarantees the same initial conditions for every analytic cycle, whereas, on the other hand all microfluidic actuators and other key elements can remain outside of the microsystem. In order to drive the implemented passive elements of the microfluidic system by external forces of the base unit, elasticity is a crucial material property. Thus silicone was used as material for the microsystem. A microfluidic system intended for use in DNA analysis employing the principles of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is presented. All functional units have been integrated into a complex module using a CAD-program. The 3D-drawing was converted into several machining layers for a direct laser writing CNC-code. A focussed excimer laser beam was used in order to micromachine the negative channel and reservoir system in a polycarbonate slab employing ablative photo-decomposition. Excimer laser micromachining proofed to be an ideal prototyping technique for this purpose with sufficient lateral and depth control. Its rather low throughput was bypassed with an additional hot embossed intermediate positive polyethylene master which, in turn, replicated produces the negative fluidic system in the target material PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) as an elastomeric material. The components of the fluidic systems have been sealed with flat slabs or other microsystem parts of either PDMS or glass. In either case both parts were exposed to a plasma discharge for some seconds in order to clean, oxidize and activate the surface. This enabled an irreversible seal when two oxidized

Intra-tissue Refractive Index Shaping (IRIS) of the cornea and lens using a low-pulse-energy femtosecond laser oscillator

PubMed Central

Ding, Li; Knox, Wayne H.; Bühren, Jens; Nagy, Lana J.; Huxlin, Krystel R.

2009-01-01

Purpose To assess the optical effect of high-repetition-rate, low energy femtosecond laser pulses on lightly-fixed corneas and lenses. Methods Eight corneas and eight lenses were extracted post-mortem from normal, adult cats. They were lightly fixed and stored in a solution that minimized swelling and opacification. An 800nm Ti:Sapphire femtosecond laser oscillator with a 27fs pulse duration and 93MHz repetition rate was used to inscribe gratings consisting of 20-40 lines, each 1μm wide, 100μm long and 5μm apart, 100μm below the tissue surface. Refractive index changes in the micromachined regions were calculated immediately and after one month of storage by measuring the intensity distribution of diffracted light when the gratings were irradiated with a 632.8nm He-Ne laser. Results Periodic gratings were created into the stromal layer of the corneas and the cortex of the lenses by adjusting the laser pulse energy until visible plasma luminescence and bubbles were no longer generated. The gratings had low scattering loss and could only be visualized using phase microscopy. Refractive index changes measured 0.005±0.001 to 0.01±0.001 in corneal tissue and 0.015±0.001 to 0.021±0.001 in the lenses. The gratings and refractive index changes were preserved after storing the micromachined corneas and lenses for one month. Conclusions These pilot experiments demonstrate a novel application of low-pulse-energy, MHz femtosecond lasers in modifying the refractive index of transparent ocular tissues without apparent tissue destruction. Although it remains to be verified in living tissues, the stability of this effect suggests that the observed modifications are due to long-term molecular and/or structural changes. PMID:18641284

Fabrication of a two-dimensional piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer array using a top-crossover-to-bottom structure and metal bridge connections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Joontaek; Kim, Sangwon; Lee, Wonjun; Choi, Hongsoo

2013-12-01

A new design methodology and fabrication process for two-dimensional (2D) piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (pMUT) arrays using a top-crossover-to-bottom (TCTB) structure was developed. Individual sensing and actuation of pMUT elements from a small number of connection lines was enabled by the TCTB structure, and the parasitic coupling capacitance of the array was significantly reduced as a result. A 32 × 32 pMUT array with a TCTB structure was fabricated, resulting in 64 connection lines over an area of 4.8 × 4.8 mm2. The top electrodes for each pMUT element were re-connected by metal bridging after bottom-electrode etching caused them to become disconnected. A deep reactive ion etching process was used to compactify the array. Each pMUT element was a circular-shaped K31-type ultrasonic transducer using a 1 µm thick sol-gel lead zirconate titanate (PZT: Pb1.10 Zr0.52 Ti0.48) thin film. To characterize a single element in the 2D pMUT array, the resonant frequency and coupling coefficient of 20 pMUT elements were averaged to 3.85 MHz and 0.0112, respectively. The maximum measured ultrasound intensity in water, measured at a distance of 4 mm, was 4.6 µW cm-2 from a single pMUT element driven by a 5 Vpp sine wave at 2.22 MHz. Potential applications for development of a TCTB-arranged 2D pMUT array include ultrasonic medical imaging, ultrasonic communication, ultrasonic range-finding and handwriting input systems.

Microfabrication of through holes in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sheets using a laser plasma EUV source (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makimura, Tetsuya; Urai, Hikari; Niino, Hiroyuki

2017-03-01

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a material used for cell culture substrates / bio-chips and micro total analysis systems / lab-on-chips due to its flexibility, chemical / thermo-dynamic stability, bio-compatibility, transparency and moldability. For further development, it is inevitable to develop a technique to fabricate precise three dimensional structures on micrometer-scale at high aspect ratio. In the previous works, we reported a technique for high-quality micromachining of PDMS without chemical modification, by means of photo direct machining using laser plasma EUV sources. In the present work, we have investigated fabrication of through holes. The EUV radiations around 10 nm were generated by irradiation of Ta targets with Nd:YAG laser light (10 ns, 500 mJ/pulse). The generated EUV radiations were focused using an ellipsoidal mirror. It has a narrower incident angle than those in the previous works in order to form a EUV beam with higher directivity, so that higher aspect structures can be fabricated. The focused EUV beam was incident on PDMS sheets with a thickness of 15 micrometers, through holes in a contact mask placed on top of them. Using a contact mask with holes with a diameter of three micrometers, complete through holes with a diameter of two micrometers are fabricated in the PDMS sheet. Using a contact mask with two micrometer holes, however, ablation holes almost reaches to the back side of the PDMS sheet. The fabricated structures can be explained in terms of geometrical optics. Thus, we have developed a technique for micromachining of PDMS sheets at high aspect ratios.

Modeling of stress-induced curvature in surface-micromachined devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cowan, William D.; Bright, Victor M.; Elvin, Alex A.; Koester, David A.

1997-09-01

This paper compares measured to modeled stress-induced curvature of simple piston micromirrors. Two similar flexure-beam micromirror designs were fabricate using the 11th DARPA-supported multi-user MEMS processes (MUMPs) run. The test devices vary only in the MUMPs layers used for fabrication. In one case the mirror plate is the 1.5 micrometers thick Poly2 layer. The other mirror design employs stacked Poly1 and Poly2 layers for a total thickness of 3.5 micrometers . Both mirror structures are covered with the standard MUMPs metallization of approximately 200 angstrom of chromium and 0.5 micrometers of gold. Curvature of these devices was measured to within +/- 5 nm with a computer controlled microscope laser interferometer system. As intended, the increased thickness of the stacked polysilicon layers reduces the mirror curvature by a factor of 4. The two micromirror designs were modeled using IntelliCAD, a commercial CAD system for MEMS. The basis of analysis was the finite element method. Simulated results using MUMPs 11 film parameters showed qualitative agreement with measured data, but obvious quantitative differences. Subsequent remeasurement of the metal stress and use of the new value significantly improved model agreement with the measured data. The paper explores the effect of several film parameters on the modeled structures. Implications for MEMS film metrology, and test structures are considered.

LDRD Project 52523 final report :Atomic layer deposition of highly conformal tribological coatings.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jungk, John Michael; Dugger, Michael Thomas; George, Steve M.

2005-10-01

Friction and wear are major concerns in the performance and reliability of micromechanical (MEMS) devices. While a variety of lubricant and wear resistant coatings are known which we might consider for application to MEMS devices, the severe geometric constraints of many micromechanical systems (high aspect ratios, shadowed surfaces) make most deposition methods for friction and wear-resistance coatings impossible. In this program we have produced and evaluate highly conformal, tribological coatings, deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD), for use on surface micromachined (SMM) and LIGA structures. ALD is a chemical vapor deposition process using sequential exposure of reagents and self-limiting surfacemore » chemistry, saturating at a maximum of one monolayer per exposure cycle. The self-limiting chemistry results in conformal coating of high aspect ratio structures, with monolayer precision. ALD of a wide variety of materials is possible, but there have been no studies of structural, mechanical, and tribological properties of these films. We have developed processes for depositing thin (<100 nm) conformal coatings of selected hard and lubricious films (Al2O3, ZnO, WS2, W, and W/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanolaminates), and measured their chemical, physical, mechanical and tribological properties. A significant challenge in this program was to develop instrumentation and quantitative test procedures, which did not exist, for friction, wear, film/substrate adhesion, elastic properties, stress, etc., of extremely thin films and nanolaminates. New scanning probe and nanoindentation techniques have been employed along with detailed mechanics-based models to evaluate these properties at small loads characteristic of microsystem operation. We emphasize deposition processes and fundamental properties of ALD materials, however we have also evaluated applications and film performance for model SMM and LIGA devices.« less

Thermoelectric Device Fabrication Using Thermal Spray and Laser Micromachining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tewolde, Mahder; Fu, Gaosheng; Hwang, David J.; Zuo, Lei; Sampath, Sanjay; Longtin, Jon P.

2016-02-01

Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are solid-state devices that convert heat directly into electricity. They are used in many engineering applications such as vehicle and industrial waste-heat recovery systems to provide electrical power, improve operating efficiency and reduce costs. State-of-art TEG manufacturing is based on prefabricated materials and a labor-intensive process involving soldering, epoxy bonding, and mechanical clamping for assembly. This reduces their durability and raises costs. Additive manufacturing technologies, such as thermal spray, present opportunities to overcome these challenges. In this work, TEGs have been fabricated for the first time using thermal spray technology and laser micromachining. The TEGs are fabricated directly onto engineering component surfaces. First, current fabrication techniques of TEGs are presented. Next, the steps required to fabricate a thermal spray-based TEG module, including the formation of the metallic interconnect layers and the thermoelectric legs are presented. A technique for bridging the air gap between two adjacent thermoelectric elements for the top layer using a sacrificial filler material is also demonstrated. A flat 50.8 mm × 50.8 mm TEG module is fabricated using this method and its performance is experimentally characterized and found to be in agreement with expected values of open-circuit voltage based on the materials used.

Metal Alloy ICF Capsules Created by Electrodeposition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Horwood, Corie; Stadermann, Michael; Bunn, Thomas L.

Electrochemical deposition is an attractive alternative to physical vapor deposition and micromachining to produce metal capsules for inertial confinement fusion (ICF). Electrochemical deposition (also referred to as electrodeposition or plating) is expected to produce full-density metal capsules without seams or inclusions of unwanted atomic constituents, the current shortcomings of micromachine and physical vapor deposition, respectively. In this paper, we discuss new cathode designs that allow for the rapid electrodeposition of gold and copper alloys on spherical mandrels by making transient contact with the constantly moving spheres. Electrodeposition of pure gold, copper, platinum, and alloys of gold-copper and gold-silver are demonstrated,more » with nonporous coatings of >40 µm achieved in only a few hours of plating. The surface roughness of the spheres after electrodeposition is comparable to the starting mandrel, and the coatings appear to be fully dense with no inclusions. A detailed understanding of the electrodeposition conditions that result in different alloy compositions and plating rates will allow for the electrodeposition of graded alloys on spheres in the near future. Finally, this report on the electrodeposition of metals on spherical mandrels is an important first step toward the fabrication of graded-density metal capsules for ICF experiments at the National Ignition Facility.« less

Picosecond laser micromachining prior to FIB milling for electronic microscopy sample preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sikora, Aurélien; Fares, Lahouari; Adrian, Jérôme; Goubier, Vincent; Delobbe, Anne; Corbin, Antoine; Sentis, Marc; Sarnet, Thierry

2017-10-01

In order to check the manufacturing quality of electronic components using electron microscopy, the area of interest must be exposed. This requires the removal of a large quantity of matter without damaging the surrounding area. This step can be accomplished using ion milling but the processing can last a few hours. In order to accelerate the preparation of the samples, picosecond laser micromachining prior to Focused Ion Beam polishing is envisioned. Laser ablation allows the fast removal of matter but induces damages around the ablated area. Therefore the process has to be optimized in order to limit the size of both the heat affected zone and induced dislocation zone. For this purpose, cavities have been engraved in silicon and in electronic components, using a linearly polarized picosecond laser (∼50 ps) at three different wavelengths (343, 515 and 1030 nm). Results showed that the cross sectional shapes and the surface topologies can be tuned by the laser fluence and the number of pulses. Clear cross sections of bumps and cavity openings, exposing multilayer interfaces, are demonstrated. The silicon removal rates, tuned by the applied energy density, have been measured. Removal rates achieved at 200 kHz were typically hundred times higher than those achieved by ion milling and the best efficiency was obtained at 343 nm.

MEMS deformable mirror embedded wavefront sensing and control system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owens, Donald; Schoen, Michael; Bush, Keith

2006-01-01

Electrostatic Membrane Deformable Mirror (MDM) technology developed using silicon bulk micro-machining techniques offers the potential of providing low-cost, compact wavefront control systems for diverse optical system applications. Electrostatic mirror construction using bulk micro-machining allows for custom designs to satisfy wavefront control requirements for most optical systems. An electrostatic MDM consists of a thin membrane, generally with a thin metal or multi-layer high-reflectivity coating, suspended over an actuator pad array that is connected to a high-voltage driver. Voltages applied to the array elements deflect the membrane to provide an optical surface capable of correcting for measured optical aberrations in a given system. Electrostatic membrane DM designs are derived from well-known principles of membrane mechanics and electrostatics, the desired optical wavefront control requirements, and the current limitations of mirror fabrication and actuator drive electronics. MDM performance is strongly dependent on mirror diameter and air damping in meeting desired spatial and temporal frequency requirements. In this paper, we present wavefront control results from an embedded wavefront control system developed around a commercially available high-speed camera and an AgilOptics Unifi MDM driver using USB 2.0 communications and the Linux development environment. This new product, ClariFast TM, combines our previous Clarifi TM product offering into a faster more streamlined version dedicated strictly to Hartmann Wavefront sensing.

Metal Alloy ICF Capsules Created by Electrodeposition

DOE PAGES

Horwood, Corie; Stadermann, Michael; Bunn, Thomas L.

2017-12-04

Electrochemical deposition is an attractive alternative to physical vapor deposition and micromachining to produce metal capsules for inertial confinement fusion (ICF). Electrochemical deposition (also referred to as electrodeposition or plating) is expected to produce full-density metal capsules without seams or inclusions of unwanted atomic constituents, the current shortcomings of micromachine and physical vapor deposition, respectively. In this paper, we discuss new cathode designs that allow for the rapid electrodeposition of gold and copper alloys on spherical mandrels by making transient contact with the constantly moving spheres. Electrodeposition of pure gold, copper, platinum, and alloys of gold-copper and gold-silver are demonstrated,more » with nonporous coatings of >40 µm achieved in only a few hours of plating. The surface roughness of the spheres after electrodeposition is comparable to the starting mandrel, and the coatings appear to be fully dense with no inclusions. A detailed understanding of the electrodeposition conditions that result in different alloy compositions and plating rates will allow for the electrodeposition of graded alloys on spheres in the near future. Finally, this report on the electrodeposition of metals on spherical mandrels is an important first step toward the fabrication of graded-density metal capsules for ICF experiments at the National Ignition Facility.« less

Micromachined Tunable Fabry-Perot Filters for Infrared Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barclay, Richard; Bier, Alexander; Chen, Tina; DiCamillo, Barbara; Deming, Drake; Greenhouse, Matthew; Henry, Ross; Hewagama, Tilak; Jacobson, Mindy; Loughlin, James;

Experimental determination of micromachined discrete and continuous device spring constants using nanoindentation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, M. L.; Tay, Francis E.; Logeeswaran, V. J.; Zeng, Kaiyang; Shen, Lu; Chau, Fook S.

2002-04-01

A rapid and accurate static and quasi-static method for determining the out-of-plane spring constraints of cantilevers and a micromachined vibratory sensor is presented. In the past, much of the effort in nanoindentation application was to investigate the thin-film mechanical properties. In this paper, we have utilized the nanoindentation method to measure directly some micromachined device (e.g. microgyroscope) spring constants. The cantilevers and devices tested were fabricated using the MUMPS process and an SOI process (patent pending). Spring constants are determined using a commercial nanoindentation apparatus UMIS-2000 configured with both Berkovich and spherical indenter tip that can be placed onto the device with high accuracy. Typical load resolution is 20micrometers N to 0.5N and a displacement resolution of 0.05nm. Information was deduced from the penetration depth versus load curves during both loading and unloading.

Femtosecond laser micromachining of compound parabolic concentrator fiber tipped glucose sensors.

PubMed

Hassan, Hafeez Ul; Lacraz, Amédée; Kalli, Kyriacos; Bang, Ole

2017-03-01

We report on highly accurate femtosecond (fs) laser micromachining of a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) fiber tip on a polymer optical fiber (POF). The accuracy is reflected in an unprecedented correspondence between the numerically predicted and experimentally found improvement in fluorescence pickup efficiency of a Förster resonance energy transfer-based POF glucose sensor. A Zemax model of the CPC-tipped sensor predicts an optimal improvement of a factor of 3.96 compared to the sensor with a plane-cut fiber tip. The fs laser micromachined CPC tip showed an increase of a factor of 3.5, which is only 11.6% from the predicted value. Earlier state-of-the-art fabrication of the CPC-shaped tip by fiber tapering was of so poor quality that the actual improvement was 43% lower than the predicted improvement of the ideal CPC shape.

Femtosecond laser micromachining of compound parabolic concentrator fiber tipped glucose sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassan, Hafeez Ul; Lacraz, Amédée; Kalli, Kyriacos; Bang, Ole

2017-03-01

We report on highly accurate femtosecond (fs) laser micromachining of a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) fiber tip on a polymer optical fiber (POF). The accuracy is reflected in an unprecedented correspondence between the numerically predicted and experimentally found improvement in fluorescence pickup efficiency of a Förster resonance energy transfer-based POF glucose sensor. A Zemax model of the CPC-tipped sensor predicts an optimal improvement of a factor of 3.96 compared to the sensor with a plane-cut fiber tip. The fs laser micromachined CPC tip showed an increase of a factor of 3.5, which is only 11.6% from the predicted value. Earlier state-of-the-art fabrication of the CPC-shaped tip by fiber tapering was of so poor quality that the actual improvement was 43% lower than the predicted improvement of the ideal CPC shape.

Mechanical memory

DOEpatents

Gilkey, Jeffrey C [Albuquerque, NM; Duesterhaus, Michelle A [Albuquerque, NM; Peter, Frank J [Albuquerque, NM; Renn, Rosemarie A [Alburquerque, NM; Baker, Michael S [Albuquerque, NM

2006-08-15

A first-in-first-out (FIFO) microelectromechanical memory apparatus (also termed a mechanical memory) is disclosed. The mechanical memory utilizes a plurality of memory cells, with each memory cell having a beam which can be bowed in either of two directions of curvature to indicate two different logic states for that memory cell. The memory cells can be arranged around a wheel which operates as a clocking actuator to serially shift data from one memory cell to the next. The mechanical memory can be formed using conventional surface micromachining, and can be formed as either a nonvolatile memory or as a volatile memory.

Mechanical memory

DOEpatents

Gilkey, Jeffrey C [Albuquerque, NM; Duesterhaus, Michelle A [Albuquerque, NM; Peter, Frank J [Albuquerque, NM; Renn, Rosemarie A [Albuquerque, NM; Baker, Michael S [Albuquerque, NM

2006-05-16

A first-in-first-out (FIFO) microelectromechanical memory apparatus (also termed a mechanical memory) is disclosed. The mechanical memory utilizes a plurality of memory cells, with each memory cell having a beam which can be bowed in either of two directions of curvature to indicate two different logic states for that memory cell. The memory cells can be arranged around a wheel which operates as a clocking actuator to serially shift data from one memory cell to the next. The mechanical memory can be formed using conventional surface micromachining, and can be formed as either a nonvolatile memory or as a volatile memory.

Fiber-optical switch using cam-micromotor driven by scratch drive actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanamori, Y.; Aoki, Y.; Sasaki, M.; Hosoya, H.; Wada, A.; Hane, K.

2005-01-01

We fabricated a 1 × 1 fiber-optic switch using a cam-micromotor driven by scratch drive actuators (SDAs). Using the cam-micromotor, mechanical translation and precise positioning of an optical fiber were performed. An optical fiber of diameter 50 µm was bent and pushed out with a cam-mechanism driven by the SDAs fabricated by surface micromachining. The maximum rotation speed of the cam-micromotor was 7.5 rpm at a driving frequency of 1.5 kHz. The transient time of the switch to attenuate coupling efficiency less than -40 dB was around 10 ms.

Electrically-programmable diffraction grating

DOEpatents

Ricco, Antonio J.; Butler, Michael A.; Sinclair, Michael B.; Senturia, Stephen D.

1998-01-01

An electrically-programmable diffraction grating. The programmable grating includes a substrate having a plurality of electrodes formed thereon and a moveable grating element above each of the electrodes. The grating elements are electrostatically programmable to form a diffraction grating for diffracting an incident beam of light as it is reflected from the upper surfaces of the grating elements. The programmable diffraction grating, formed by a micromachining process, has applications for optical information processing (e.g. optical correlators and computers), for multiplexing and demultiplexing a plurality of light beams of different wavelengths (e.g. for optical fiber communications), and for forming spectrometers (e.g. correlation and scanning spectrometers).

Femtosecond laser micromachining of waveguides in silicone-based hydrogel polymers.

PubMed

Ding, Li; Blackwell, Richard I; Künzler, Jay F; Knox, Wayne H

2008-06-10

By tightly focusing 27 fs laser pulses from a Ti:sapphire oscillator with 1.3 nJ pulse energy at 93 MHz repetition rate, we are able to fabricate optical waveguides inside hydrogel polymers containing approximately 36% water by weight. A tapered lensed fiber is used to couple laser light at a wavelength of 632.8 nm into these waveguides within a water environment. Strong waveguiding is observed due to large refractive index changes. A large waveguide propagation loss is found, and we show that this is caused by surface roughness which can be reduced by optimizing the waveguides.

Etching radical controlled gas chopped deep reactive ion etching

DOEpatents

Olynick, Deidre; Rangelow, Ivo; Chao, Weilun

2013-10-01

A method for silicon micromachining techniques based on high aspect ratio reactive ion etching with gas chopping has been developed capable of producing essentially scallop-free, smooth, sidewall surfaces. The method uses precisely controlled, alternated (or chopped) gas flow of the etching and deposition gas precursors to produce a controllable sidewall passivation capable of high anisotropy. The dynamic control of sidewall passivation is achieved by carefully controlling fluorine radical presence with moderator gasses, such as CH.sub.4 and controlling the passivation rate and stoichiometry using a CF.sub.2 source. In this manner, sidewall polymer deposition thicknesses are very well controlled, reducing sidewall ripples to very small levels. By combining inductively coupled plasmas with controlled fluorocarbon chemistry, good control of vertical structures with very low sidewall roughness may be produced. Results show silicon features with an aspect ratio of 20:1 for 10 nm features with applicability to nano-applications in the sub-50 nm regime. By comparison, previous traditional gas chopping techniques have produced rippled or scalloped sidewalls in a range of 50 to 100 nm roughness.

Electrothermal piezoresistive cantilever resonators for personal measurements of nanoparticles in workplace exposure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wasisto, Hutomo Suryo; Wu, Wenze; Uhde, Erik; Waag, Andreas; Peiner, Erwin

2015-05-01

Low-cost and low-power piezoresistive cantilever resonators with integrated electrothermal heaters are developed to support the sensing module enhancement of the second generation of handheld cantilever-based airborne nanoparticle (NP) detector (CANTOR-2). These sensors are used for direct-reading of exposure to carbon engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) at indoor workplaces. The cantilever structures having various shapes of free ends are created using silicon bulk micromachining technologies (i.e, rectangular, hammer-head, triangular, and U-shaped cantilevers). For a complete wearable CANTOR-2, all components of the proposed detector can be grouped into two main units depending on their packaging placements (i.e., the NP sampler head and the electronics mounted in a handy-format housing). In the NP sampler head, a miniaturized electrophoretic aerosol sampler and a resonant silicon cantilever mass sensor are employed to collect the ENPs from the air stream to the cantilever surfaces and measuring their mass concentration, respectively. After calibration, the detected ENP mass concentrations of CANTOR-2 show a standard deviation from fast mobility particle sizer (FMPS, TSI 3091) of 8-14%.

Development of microchannel plate x-ray optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaaret, Philip

1995-01-01

The goal of this research program was to develop a novel technique for focusing x-rays based on the optical system of a lobster's eye. A lobster eye employs many closely packed reflecting surfaces arranged within a spherical or cylindrical shell. These optics have two unique properties: they have unlimited fields of view and can be manufactured via replication of identical structures. Because the angular resolution is given by the ratio of the size of the individual optical elements to the focal length, optical elements with size on the order of one hundred microns are required to achieve good angular resolution with a compact telescope. We employed anisotropic etching of single crystal silicon wafers for the fabrication of micron-scale optical elements. This technique, commonly referred to as silicon micromachining, is based on silicon fabrication techniques developed by the microelectronics industry. We have succeeded in producing silicon lenses with a geometry suitable for a 1-d focusing x-ray optics. These lenses have an aspect ratio (40:1) suitable for x-ray reflection and have very good optical surface alignment. We have developed a number of process refinements which improved the quality of the lens geometry and the repeatability of the etch process. In addition to the silicon fabrication, an x-ray beam line was constructed at Columbia for testing the optics. Most recently, we have done several experiments to find the fundamental limits that the anisotropic etch process placed on the etched surface roughness.

Terahertz-Regime, Micro-VEDs: Evaluation of Micromachined TWT Conceptual Designs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Booske, John H.; Kory, Carol L.; Gallagher, D.; van der Weide, Daniel W.; Limbach, S; Gustafson, P; Lee, W.-J.; Gallagher, S.; Jain, K.

2001-01-01

Summary form only given. The Terahertz (THz) region of the electromagnetic spectrum (approx.300-3000 GHz) has enormous potential for high-data-rate communications, spectroscopy, astronomy, space research, medicine, biology, surveillance, remote sensing, industrial process control, etc. The most critical roadblock to full exploitation of the THz band is lack of coherent radiation sources that are powerful (0.01-10.0 W continuous wave), efficient (>1 %), frequency agile (instantaneously tunable over 1% bandwidths or more), reliable, and relatively inexpensive. Micro-machined Vacuum Electron Devices (micro-VEDs) represent a promising solution. We describe prospects for miniature, THz-regime TWTs fabricated using micromachining techniques. Several approx.600 GHz conceptual designs are compared. Their expected performance has been analyzed using SD, 2.51), and 3D TWT codes. A folded waveguide (FWG) TWT forward-wave amplifier design is presented based on a Northrop Grumman (NGC) optimized design procedure. This conceptual device is compared to the simulated performance of a novel, micro-VED helix TWT. Conceptual FWG TWT backward-wave amplifiers and oscillators are also discussed. A scaled (100 GHz) FWG TWT operating at a relatively low voltage (-12 kV) is under development at NGC. Also, actual-size micromachining experiments are planned to evaluate the feasibility of arrays of micro-VED TWTs. Progress and results of these efforts are described. This work was supported, in part by AFOSR, ONR, and NSF.

Micromachined High Frequency PMN-PT/Epoxy 1-3 Composite Ultrasonic Annular Array

PubMed Central

Liu, Changgeng; Djuth, Frank; Li, Xiang; Chen, Ruimin; Zhou, Qifa; Shung, K. Kirk

2013-01-01

This paper reports the design, fabrication, and performance of miniature micromachined high frequency PMN-PT/epoxy 1-3 composite ultrasonic annular arrays. The PMN-PT single crystal 1-3 composites were made with micromachining techniques. The area of a single crystal pillar was 9 μm × 9 μm. The width of the kerf among pillars was ~ 5 μm and the kerfs were filled with a polymer. The composite thickness was 25 μm. A six-element annular transducer of equal element area of 0.2 mm2 with 16 μm kerf widths between annuli was produced. The aperture size the array transducer is about 1.5 mm in diameter. A novel electrical interconnection strategy for high density array elements was implemented. After the transducer was attached to the electric connection board and packaged, the array transducer was tested in a pulse/echo arrangement, whereby the center frequency, bandwidth, two-way insertion loss (IL), and cross talk between adjacent elements were measured for each annulus. The center frequency was 50 MHz and -6 dB bandwidth was 90%. The average insertion loss was 19.5 dB at 50 MHz and the crosstalk between adjacent elements was about -35 dB. The micromachining techniques described in this paper are promising for the fabrication of other types of high frequency transducers e.g. 1D and 2D arrays. PMID:22119324

Performance enhancement of an air-coupled multiple moving membrane capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer using an optimized middle plate configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emadi, Arezoo; Buchanan, Douglas

2016-10-01

A multiple moving membrane capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer has been developed. This transducer cell structure includes a second flexible plate suspended between the transducer top plate and the fixed bottom electrode. The added plate influences the transducer top plate deflection map and, therefore, the transducer properties. Three series of individual air-coupled, dual deflectable plate transducers and two 1×27 element transducer arrays were fabricated using multiuser microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) processes (MUMPs). Each set of transducers included devices with middle plate radii from 22% to 65% of the corresponding transducer top plate radius. The effect of the transducer middle plate configuration has been investigated. Electrical, optical, and acoustic characterizations were conducted and the results were compared with the simulation findings. It was found that the transducer top plate amplitude of vibration is significantly enhanced with a wider middle deflectable plate. The electrical and optical measurement results are shown to be in good agreement with simulation results. The acoustic measurement results indicated a 37% increase in the amplitude of transmitted signal by the 1-MHz air-couple transducer when its middle plate radius was increased by 35%.

Silicon Micromachining in RF and Photonic Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Tsen-Hwang; Congdon, Phil; Magel, Gregory; Pang, Lily; Goldsmith, Chuck; Randall, John; Ho, Nguyen

1995-01-01

Texas Instruments (TI) has developed membrane and micromirror devices since the late 1970s. An eggcrate space membrane was used as the spatial light modulator in the early years. Discrete micromirrors supported by cantilever beams created a new era for micromirror devices. Torsional micromirror and flexure-beam micromirror devices were promising for mass production because of their stable supports. TI's digital torsional micromirror device is an amplitude modulator (known as the digital micromirror device (DMD) and is in production development, discussed elsewhere. We also use a torsional device for a 4 x 4 fiber-optic crossbar switch in a 2 cm x 2 cm package. The flexure-beam micromirror device is an analog phase modulator and is considered more efficient than amplitude modulators for use in optical processing systems. TI also developed millimeter-sized membranes for integrated optical switches for telecommunication and network applications. Using a member in radio frequency (RF) switch applications is a rapidly growing area because of the micromechanical device performance in microsecond-switching characteristics. Our preliminary membrane RF switch test structure results indicate promising speed and RF switching performance. TI collaborated with MIT for modeling of metal-based micromachining.

Experimental study of a variable-capacitance micromotor with electrostatic suspension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, F. T.; Wu, Q. P.; Wang, L.

2010-11-01

A variable-capacitance micromotor where the rotor is supported electrostatically in five degrees of freedom was designed, fabricated and tested in order to study the behavior of this electrostatic motor. The micromachined device is based on a glass/silicon/glass stack bonding structure, fabricated by bulk micromachining and initially operated in atmospheric environment. The analytical torque model is obtained by calculating the capacitances between different stator electrodes and the rotor. Capacitance values in the order of 10-13 pF and torque values in the order of 10-10 N m have been calculated from the motor geometry and attainable drive voltage. A dynamic model of the motor is proposed by further estimating the air-film damping effect in an effort to explain the experimental rotation measurements. Experimental results of starting voltage, continuous operation, switching response and electric bearing of the micromotor are presented and discussed. Preliminary measurements indicate that a rotor rotating speed of 73.3 r min-1 can be achieved at a drive voltage of 28.3 V, equivalent to a theoretical motive torque of 517 pN m. Starting voltage results obtained from experimental measurement are in agreement with the developed dynamic model.

Piezoelectrically actuated flextensional micromachined ultrasound transducers--I: theory.

PubMed

Perçin, Gökhan; Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T

2002-05-01

This series of two papers considers piezoelectrically actuated flextensional micromachined ultrasound transducers (PAFMUTs) and consists of theory, fabrication, and experimental parts. The theory presented in this paper is developed for an ultrasound transducer application presented in the second part. In the absence of analytical expressions for the equivalent circuit parameters of a flextensional transducer, it is difficult to calculate its optimal parameters and dimensions and difficult to choose suitable materials. The influence of coupling between flexural and extensional deformation and that of coupling between the structure and the acoustic volume on the dynamic response of piezoelectrically actuated flextensional transducer are analyzed using two analytical methods: classical thin (Kirchhoff) plate theory and Mindlin plate theory. Classical thin plate theory and Mindlin plate theory are applied to derive two-dimensional plate equations for the transducer and to calculate the coupled electromechanical field variables such as mechanical displacement and electrical input impedance. In these methods, the variations across the thickness direction vanish by using the bending moments per unit length or stress resultants. Thus, two-dimensional plate equations for a step-wise laminated circular plate are obtained as well as two different solutions to the corresponding systems. An equivalent circuit of the transducer is also obtained from these solutions.

Micromachined devices for interfacing neurons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stieglitz, Thomas; Beutel, Hansjoerg; Blau, Cornelia; Meyer, Joerg-Uwe

1998-07-01

Micromachining technologies were established to fabricate microelectrode arrays and devices for interfacing parts of the central or peripheral nervous system. The devices were part of a neural prosthesis that allows simultaneous multichannel recording and multisite stimulation of neurons. Overcoming the brittle mechanics of silicon devices and challenging housing demands close to the nerve we established a process technology to fabricate light-weighted and highly flexible polyimide based devices. Platinum and iridium thin-film electrodes were embedded in the polyimide. With reactive ion etching we got the possibility to simply integrate interconnections and to form nearly arbitrary outer shapes of the devices. We designed multichannel devices with up to 24 electrodes in the shape of plates, hooks and cuffs for different applications. In vitro tests exhibited stable electrode properties and no cytotoxicity of the materials and the devices. Sieve electrodes were chronically implanted in rats to interface the regenerating sciatic nerve. After six months, recordings and stimulation of the nerve via electrodes on the micro-device proved functional reinnervation of the limb. Concentric circular structures were designed for a retina implant for the blind. In preliminary studies in rabbits, evoked potentials in the visual cortex corresponded to stimulation sites of the implant.

A spherically-shaped PZT thin film ultrasonic transducer with an acoustic impedance gradient matching layer based on a micromachined periodically structured flexible substrate.

PubMed

Feng, Guo-Hua; Liu, Wei-Fan

2013-10-09

This paper presents the microfabrication of an acoustic impedance gradient matching layer on a spherically-shaped piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer. The acoustic matching layer can be designed to achieve higher acoustic energy transmission and operating bandwidth. Also included in this paper are a theoretical analysis of the device design and a micromachining technique to produce the novel transducer. Based on a design of a lead titanium zirconium (PZT) micropillar array, the constructed gradient acoustic matching layer has much better acoustic transmission efficiency within a 20-50 MHz operation range compared to a matching layer with a conventional quarter-wavelength thickness Parylene deposition. To construct the transducer, periodic microcavities are built on a flexible copper sheet, and then the sheet forms a designed curvature with a ball shaping. After PZT slurry deposition, the constructed PZT micropillar array is released onto a curved thin PZT layer. Following Parylene conformal coating on the processed PZT micropillars, the PZT micropillars and the surrounding Parylene comprise a matching layer with gradient acoustic impedance. By using the proposed technique, the fabricated transducer achieves a center frequency of 26 MHz and a -6 dB bandwidth of approximately 65%.

Micromachined ultrasonic transducers for air-coupled nondestructive evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, Sean T.; Degertekin, F. Levent; Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T.

1999-01-01

Conventional methods of ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation (NDE) use liquids to couple sound waves into the test samples. This either requires immersion of the parts to be examined or the use of complex and bulky water squirting systems that must be scanned over the structure. Air-coupled ultrasonic systems eliminate these requirements if the losses at air-solid interfaces are tolerable. Micromachined capacitive ultrasonic transducers (cMUTs) have been shown to have more than 100 dB dynamic range when used in the bistatic transmission mode. In this paper, we present results of a pitch-catch transmission system using cMUTs that achieves a 103 dB dynamic range. Each transducer consists of 10,000 silicon nitride membranes of 100 micrometers diameter connected in parallel. This geometry result in transducers with a resonant frequency around 2.3 MHz. These transducers can be used in transmission experiments at normal incident to the sample or to excite and detect guided waves in aluminum and composite plates. In this paper we present ultrasonic defect detection results from both through transmission and guided Lamb wave experiments in aluminum and composite plates, such as those used in aircraft.

High-performance mushroom plasmonic metamaterial absorbers for infrared polarimetric imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogawa, Shinpei; Fujisawa, Daisuke; Hata, Hisatoshi; Uetsuki, Mitsuharu; Kuboyama, Takafumi; Kimata, Masafumi

2017-02-01

Infrared (IR) polarimetric imaging is a promising approach to enhance object recognition with conventional IR imaging for applications such as artificial object recognition from the natural environment and facial recognition. However, typical infrared polarimetric imaging requires the attachment of polarizers to an IR camera or sensor, which leads to high cost and lower performance caused by their own IR radiation. We have developed asymmetric mushroom plasmonic metamaterial absorbers (A-MPMAs) to address this challenge. The A-MPMAs have an all-Al construction that consists of micropatches and a reflector layer connected with hollow rectangular posts. The asymmetric-shaped micropatches lead to strong polarization-selective IR absorption due to localized surface plasmon resonance at the micropatches. The operating wavelength region can be controlled mainly by the micropatch and the hollow rectangular post size. AMPMAs are complicated three-dimensional structures, the fabrication of which is challenging. Hollow rectangular post structures are introduced to enable simple fabrication using conventional surface micromachining techniques, such as sacrificial layer etching, with no degradation of the optical properties. The A-MPMAs have a smaller thermal mass than metal-insulator-metal based metamaterials and no influence of the strong non-linear dispersion relation of the insulator materials constant, which produces a gap in the wavelength region and additional absorption insensitive to polarization. A-MPMAs are therefore promising candidates for uncooled IR polarimetric image sensors in terms of both their optical properties and ease of fabrication. The results presented here are expected to contribute to the development of highperformance polarimetric uncooled IR image sensors that do not require polarizers.

Design and fabrication of zeolite macro- and micromembranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chau, Lik Hang Joseph

2001-07-01

The chemical nature of the support surface influences zeolite nucleation, crystal growth and elm adhesion. It had been demonstrated that chemical modification of support surface can significantly alter the zeolite film and has a good potential for large-scale applications for zeolite membrane production. The incorporation of titanium and vanadium metal ions into the structural framework of MFI zeolite imparts the material with catalytic properties. The effects of silica and metal (i.e., Ti and V) content, template concentration and temperature on the zeolite membrane growth and morphology were investigated. Single-gas permeation experiments were conducted for noble gases (He and Ar), inorganic gases (H2, N2, SF6) and hydrocarbons (methane, n-C4, i-C4) to determine the separation performance of these membranes. Using a new fabrication method based on microelectronic fabrication and zeolite thin film technologies, complex microchannel geometry and network (<5 mum), as well as zeolite arrays (<10 mum) were successfully fabricated onto highly orientated supported zeolite films. The zeolite micropatterns were stable even after repeated thermal cycling between 303 K and 873 K for prolonged periods of time. This work also demonstrates that zeolites (i.e., Sil-1, ZSM-5 and TS-1) can be employed as catalyst, membrane or structural materials in miniature chemical devices. Traditional semiconductor fabrication technology was employed in micromachining the device architecture. Four strategies for the manufacture of zeolite catalytic microreactors were discussed: zeolite powder coating, uniform zeolite film growth, localized zeolite growth, and etching of zeolite-silicon composite film growth inhibitors. Silicalite-1 was also prepared as free-standing membrane for zeolite membrane microseparators.

Compact Radiative Control Structures for Millimeter Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Ari D.; Chuss, David T.; Chervenak, James A.; Henry, Ross M.; Moseley, s. Harvey; Wollack, Edward J.

2010-01-01

We have designed, fabricated, and tested compact radiative control structures, including antireflection coatings and resonant absorbers, for millimeter through submillimeter wave astronomy. The antireflection coatings consist of micromachined single crystal silicon dielectric sub-wavelength honeycombs. The effective dielectric constant of the structures is set by the honeycomb cell geometry. The resonant absorbers consist of pieces of solid single crystal silicon substrate and thin phosphorus implanted regions whose sheet resistance is tailored to maximize absorption by the structure. We present an implantation model that can be used to predict the ion energy and dose required for obtaining a target implant layer sheet resistance. A neutral density filter, a hybrid of a silicon dielectric honeycomb with an implanted region, has also been fabricated with this basic approach. These radiative control structures are scalable and compatible for use large focal plane detector arrays.

Microstructure factor and mechanical and electronic properties of hydrogenated amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon thin-films for microelectromechanical systems applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mouro, J.; Gualdino, A.; Chu, V.

2013-11-14

Thin-film silicon allows the fabrication of MEMS devices at low processing temperatures, compatible with monolithic integration in advanced electronic circuits, on large-area, low-cost, and flexible substrates. The most relevant thin-film properties for applications as MEMS structural layers are the deposition rate, electrical conductivity, and mechanical stress. In this work, n{sup +}-type doped hydrogenated amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon thin-films were deposited by RF-PECVD, and the influence of the hydrogen dilution in the reactive mixture, the RF-power coupled to the plasma, the substrate temperature, and the deposition pressure on the structural, electrical, and mechanical properties of the films was studied. Three differentmore » types of silicon films were identified, corresponding to three internal structures: (i) porous amorphous silicon, deposited at high rates and presenting tensile mechanical stress and low electrical conductivity, (ii) dense amorphous silicon, deposited at intermediate rates and presenting compressive mechanical stress and higher values of electrical conductivity, and (iii) nanocrystalline silicon, deposited at very low rates and presenting the highest compressive mechanical stress and electrical conductivity. These results show the combinations of electromechanical material properties available in silicon thin-films and thus allow the optimized selection of a thin silicon film for a given MEMS application. Four representative silicon thin-films were chosen to be used as structural material of electrostatically actuated MEMS microresonators fabricated by surface micromachining. The effect of the mechanical stress of the structural layer was observed to have a great impact on the device resonance frequency, quality factor, and actuation force.« less

A Novel Silicon Micromachined Integrated MCM Thermal Management System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kazmierczak, M. J.; Henderson, H. T.; Gerner, F. M.

1999-01-01

This research concerned the development of a novel porous wick, fabricated totally out of silicon, using state-of-the-art MEMS technology. A comprehensive summary of results, as well as additional fabrication details, can be found in the following three documents located in the attached Appendices: A) Selected pages and excerpts from Year 2 progress report of the principal NASA Grant awarded from NASA Lewis Research Center, Grant Number NAG3-1706 entitled "A Novel Silicon Nficromachined Integrated MCM Thermal Management System" submitted to NASA LRC on 4/4/98. B) Selected viewgraphs from the joint NASA, TEES, and UC meeting held at the University of Cincinnati on April 24, 1998. C) Pre-print of the paper entitled "Coherent Macro Porous Silicon as a Wick Structure in an Integrated Nficrofluidic Two-Phase Cooling System" to be presented September 20-25, 1998 at the SPIE conference held in Santa Clara, Ca. To summarize,. nearly all of the proposed work was successfully accomplished (albeit a 3-month time extension was required), proving that micromachining can indeed be used to fabricate porous silicon wick structures with precise hole sizes and patterning control, thus permitting a substantial improvement in future wick designs. In addition, the appropriate range of thermal conductivities of the porous samples were theoretically predicted (see Appendix A). Although not part of the scope of work, the permeability of the test samples were measured (see results sections of Appendices B and C).

Development of Silicon Micromirrors for the Next Generation Space Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, E. J.; Polosky, M. A.; Sleefe, G. E.; Habbit, R.; Zamora, J. C.; Greenhouse, M. A.

2001-12-01

This paper describes how advanced surface micromachining (SMM) technology is being used to develop prototype cryogenic micromirror arrays for evaluation as an instrument optical component for the NGST. When used as a spectrograph reflective slit mask, these arrays can yield a factor of 1000 reduction in mass and power over, traditional motor-driven slit wheels used on HST instruments. The advantage of micromirrors as a new approach to instrument aperture control is particularly apparent when it is coupled with new large format focal plane arrays to enable multi-object spectroscopy. In this application, the micromirror-enabled capability goes beyond mass and power reduction to offer increased observing efficiency (targets/hour). In the case of NGST, a factor of 100 improvement in efficiency relative to traditional instrument designs has been estimated. Surface micromachining uses fabrication processes adapted from integrated circuit manufacturing to build microscopic-sized electromechanical devices from polycrystalline silicon. Because these devices can be batch fabricated thousands or even millions of devices can be constructed on a single wafer at costs several orders of magnitude less than conventionally fabricated devices. This paper will describe the design and operation of prototype mirror devices that are currently under development. We have recently demonstrated the feasibility of operating micromirrors at cryogenic temperatures. A packaged unit with its associated interconnects has been successfully operated at temperatures less than 30 K. The ability to function at the cryogenic temperatures encountered in certain space applications is a major milestone for microsystems. This work is funded by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Dept. of Energy under Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Micromachined modulator arrays for use in free-space optical communication systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Keith L.; Ridley, Kevin D.; McNie, Mark E.; Smith, Gilbert W.; Scott, Andrew M.

2004-12-01

A summary is presented of some of the design criteria relevant to the realisation of silicon micromachined modulator arrays for use in free-space optical communication systems. Theoretical performance levels achievable are compared with values measured on experimental devices produced using a modified Multi-User MEMS Process (MUMPS). Devices capable of realising modulation rates in excess of 300 kHz are described and their optical characteristics compared with published data on devices based on multiple quantum well technology.

Sensors and Micromachined Devices for the Automotive and New Markets: The Delphi Delco Electronics MEMS Story.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Logsdon, James

2002-03-01

This presentation will provide a brief history of the development of MEMS products and technology, beginning with the manifold absolute pressure sensor in the late seventies through the current variety of Delphi Delco Electronics sensors available today. The technology development of micromachining from uncompensated P plus etch stops to deep reactive ion etching and the technology development of wafer level packaging from electrostatic bonding to glass frit sealing and silicon to silicon direct bonding will be reviewed.

MEMS testing and applications in automotive and aerospace industries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Zhichun; Chen, Xuyuan

2009-05-01

MEMS technology combines micromachining and integrated circuit fabrication technologies to produce highly reliable MEMS transducers. This paper presents an overview of MEMS transducers applications, particularly in automotive and aerospace industries, which includes inertia sensors for safety, navigation, and guidance control, thermal anemometer for temperature and heat-flux sensors in engine applications, MEMS atomizers for fuel injection, and micromachined actuators for flow control applications. Design examples for the devices in above mentioned applications are also presented and test results are given.

A Broadband Micro-Machined Far-Infrared Absorber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wollack, E. J.; Datesman, A. M.; Jhabvala, C. A.; Miller, K. H.; Quijada, M. A.

2016-01-01

The experimental investigation of a broadband far-infrared meta-material absorber is described. The observed absorptance is greater than 0.95 from 1 to 20 terahertz (300-15 microns) over a temperature range spanning 5-300 degrees Kelvin. The meta-material, realized from an array of tapers approximately 100 microns in length, is largely insensitive to the detailed geometry of these elements and is cryogenically compatible with silicon-based micro-machined technologies. The electromagnetic response is in general agreement with a physically motivated transmission line model.

Engineering cellular fibers for musculoskeletal soft tissues using directed self-assembly.

PubMed

Schiele, Nathan R; Koppes, Ryan A; Chrisey, Douglas B; Corr, David T

2013-05-01

Engineering strategies guided by developmental biology may enhance and accelerate in vitro tissue formation for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications. In this study, we looked toward embryonic tendon development as a model system to guide our soft tissue engineering approach. To direct cellular self-assembly, we utilized laser micromachined, differentially adherent growth channels lined with fibronectin. The micromachined growth channels directed human dermal fibroblast cells to form single cellular fibers, without the need for a provisional three-dimensional extracellular matrix or scaffold to establish a fiber structure. Therefore, the resulting tissue structure and mechanical characteristics were determined solely by the cells. Due to the self-assembly nature of this approach, the growing fibers exhibit some key aspects of embryonic tendon development, such as high cellularity, the rapid formation (within 24 h) of a highly organized and aligned cellular structure, and the expression of cadherin-11 (indicating direct cell-to-cell adhesions). To provide a dynamic mechanical environment, we have also developed and characterized a method to apply precise cyclic tensile strain to the cellular fibers as they develop. After an initial period of cellular fiber formation (24 h postseeding), cyclic strain was applied for 48 h, in 8-h intervals, with tensile strain increasing from 0.7% to 1.0%, and at a frequency of 0.5 Hz. Dynamic loading dramatically increased cellular fiber mechanical properties with a nearly twofold increase in both the linear region stiffness and maximum load at failure, thereby demonstrating a mechanism for enhancing cellular fiber formation and mechanical properties. Tissue engineering strategies, designed to capture key aspects of embryonic development, may provide unique insight into accelerated maturation of engineered replacement tissue, and offer significant advances for regenerative medicine applications in tendon, ligament, and other fibrous soft tissues.

A comparative study of MOEM pressure sensors using MZI, DC, and racetrack resonator IO structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selvarajan, A.; Pattnaik, Prasant Kumar; Badrinarayana, T.; Srinivas, T.

2006-03-01

In recent years micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensors have drawn considerable attention due to their attraction in terms of miniaturization, batch fabrication and ease of integration with the required electronics circuitry. Micro-opto-electro-mechanical (MOEM) devices and systems, based on the principles of integrated optics and micromachining technology on silicon have immense potential for sensor applications. Employing optical techniques have important advantages such as functionality, large bandwidth and higher sensitivity. Pressure sensing is currently the most lucrative market for solid-state micro sensors. Pressure sensing using micromachined structures utilize the changes induced in either the resistive or capacitive properties of the electro-mechanical structure by the impressed pressure. Integrated optical pressure sensors can utilize the changes to the amplitude, phase, refractive index profile, optical path length, or polarization of the lightwave by the external pressure. In this paper we compare the performance characteristics of three types of MOEM pressure sensors based on Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI), Directional Coupler (DC) and racetrack resonator (RR) integrated optical geometries. The first two configurations measure the pressure changes through a change in optical intensity while the third one measures the same in terms of frequency or wavelength change. The analysis of each sensors has been carried out in terms of mechanical and optical models and their interrelationship through optomechanical coupling. For a typical diaphragm of size 2mm × 1mm × 20 μm, normalized pressure sensitivity of 18.35 μW/mW/kPa, 29.37 μW/mW/kPa and 2.26 pm/kPa in case of MZI, DC and RR devices have been obtained respectively. The noise performance of these devices are also presented.

Mitigating intrinsic defects and laser damage using pulsetrain-burst (>100 MHz) ultrafast laser processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKinney, Luke; Frank, Felix; Graper, David; Dean, Jesse; Forrester, Paul; Rioblanc, Maxence; Nantel, Marc; Marjoribanks, Robin

2005-09-01

Ultrafast-laser micromachining has promise as an approach to trimming and 'healing' small laser-produced damage sites in laser-system optics--a common experience in state-of-the-art high-power laser systems. More-conventional approaches currently include mechanical micromachining, chemical modification, and treatment using cw and long-pulse lasers. Laser-optics materials of interest include fused silica, multilayer dielectric stacks for anti-reflection coatings or high-reflectivity mirrors, and inorganic crystals such as KD*P, used for Pockels cells and frequency-doubling. We report on novel efforts using ultrafast-laser pulsetrain-burst processing (microsecond bursts at 133 MHz) to mitigate damage in fused silica, dielectric coatings, and KD*P crystals. We have established the characteristics of pulsetrain-burst micromachining in fused silica, multilayer mirrors, and KD*P, and determined the etch rates and morphology under different conditions of fluence-delivery. From all of these, we have begun to identify new means to optimize the laser-repair of optics defects and damage.

A micromachined device describing over a hundred orders of parametric resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Yu; Du, Sijun; Arroyo, Emmanuelle; Seshia, Ashwin A.

2018-04-01

Parametric resonance in mechanical oscillators can onset from the periodic modulation of at least one of the system parameters, and the behaviour of the principal (1st order) parametric resonance has long been well established. However, the theoretically predicted higher orders of parametric resonance, in excess of the first few orders, have mostly been experimentally elusive due to the fast diminishing instability intervals. A recent paper experimentally reported up to 28 orders in a micromachined membrane oscillator. This paper reports the design and characterisation of a micromachined membrane oscillator with a segmented proof mass topology, in an attempt to amplify the inherent nonlinearities within the membrane layer. The resultant oscillator device exhibited up to over a hundred orders of parametric resonance, thus experimentally validating these ultra-high orders as well as overlapping instability transitions between these higher orders. This research introduces design possibilities for the transducer and dynamic communities, by exploiting the behaviour of these previously elusive higher order resonant regimes.

Micromachined Thermoelectric Sensors and Arrays and Process for Producing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foote, Marc C. (Inventor); Jones, Eric W. (Inventor); Caillat, Thierry (Inventor)

2000-01-01

Linear arrays with up to 63 micromachined thermopile infrared detectors on silicon substrates have been constructed and tested. Each detector consists of a suspended silicon nitride membrane with 11 thermocouples of sputtered Bi-Te and Bi-Sb-Te thermoelectric elements films. At room temperature and under vacuum these detectors exhibit response times of 99 ms, zero frequency D* values of 1.4 x 10(exp 9) cmHz(exp 1/2)/W and responsivity values of 1100 V/W when viewing a 1000 K blackbody source. The only measured source of noise above 20 mHz is Johnson noise from the detector resistance. These results represent the best performance reported to date for an array of thermopile detectors. The arrays are well suited for uncooled dispersive point spectrometers. In another embodiment, also with Bi-Te and Bi-Sb-Te thermoelectric materials on micromachined silicon nitride membranes, detector arrays have been produced with D* values as high as 2.2 x 10(exp 9) cm Hz(exp 1/2)/W for 83 ms response times.

Micro-machined resonator oscillator

DOEpatents

Koehler, Dale R.; Sniegowski, Jeffry J.; Bivens, Hugh M.; Wessendorf, Kurt O.

1994-01-01

A micro-miniature resonator-oscillator is disclosed. Due to the miniaturization of the resonator-oscillator, oscillation frequencies of one MHz and higher are utilized. A thickness-mode quartz resonator housed in a micro-machined silicon package and operated as a "telemetered sensor beacon" that is, a digital, self-powered, remote, parameter measuring-transmitter in the FM-band. The resonator design uses trapped energy principles and temperature dependence methodology through crystal orientation control, with operation in the 20-100 MHz range. High volume batch-processing manufacturing is utilized, with package and resonator assembly at the wafer level. Unique design features include squeeze-film damping for robust vibration and shock performance, capacitive coupling through micro-machined diaphragms allowing resonator excitation at the package exterior, circuit integration and extremely small (0.1 in. square) dimensioning. A family of micro-miniature sensor beacons is also disclosed with widespread applications as bio-medical sensors, vehicle status monitors and high-volume animal identification and health sensors. The sensor family allows measurement of temperatures, chemicals, acceleration and pressure. A microphone and clock realization is also available.

Micromachined Millimeter- and Submillimeter-wave SIS Heterodyne Receivers for Remote Sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hu, Qing

1997-01-01

This is a progress report for the second year of a NASA-sponsored project. The report discusses the design and fabrication of micromachined Superconductor Insulator Superconductor (SIS) heterodyne receivers with integrated tuning elements. These receivers tune out the functional capacitance at desired frequencies, resulting in less noise, lower temperatures and broader bandwidths. The report also discusses the design and fabrication of the first monolithic 3x3 focal-plane arrays for a frequency range of 170-210 GHz. Also addressed is the construction of a 9-channel bias and read-out system, as well as the redesign of the IF connections to reduce cross talk between SIS junctions, which become significant a frequency of 1.5 GHz IF. Uniformity of the junction arrays were measured and antenna beam patterns of several array elements under operating conditions also were measured. Finally, video and heterodyne responses of our focal-plane arrays were measured as well. Attached is a paper on: 'Development of a 170-210 GHz 3x3 micromachined SIS imaging array'.

Simple and inexpensive micromachined aluminum microfluidic devices for acoustic focusing of particles and cells.

PubMed

Gautam, Gayatri P; Burger, Tobias; Wilcox, Andrew; Cumbo, Michael J; Graves, Steven W; Piyasena, Menake E

2018-05-01

We introduce a new method to construct microfluidic devices especially useful for bulk acoustic wave (BAW)-based manipulation of cells and microparticles. To obtain efficient acoustic focusing, BAW devices require materials that have high acoustic impedance mismatch relative to the medium in which the cells/microparticles are suspended and materials with a high-quality factor. To date, silicon and glass have been the materials of choice for BAW-based acoustofluidic channel fabrication. Silicon- and glass-based fabrication is typically performed in clean room facilities, generates hazardous waste, and can take several hours to complete the microfabrication. To address some of the drawbacks in fabricating conventional BAW devices, we explored a new approach by micromachining microfluidic channels in aluminum substrates. Additionally, we demonstrate plasma bonding of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) onto micromachined aluminum substrates. Our goal was to achieve an approach that is both low cost and effective in BAW applications. To this end, we micromachined aluminum 6061 plates and enclosed the systems with a thin PDMS cover layer. These aluminum/PDMS hybrid microfluidic devices use inexpensive materials and are simply constructed outside a clean room environment. Moreover, these devices demonstrate effectiveness in BAW applications as demonstrated by efficient acoustic focusing of polystyrene microspheres, bovine red blood cells, and Jurkat cells and the generation of multiple focused streams in flow-through systems. Graphical abstract The aluminum acoustofluidic device and the generation of multinode focusing of particles.

Effect of Repetition Rate on Femtosecond Laser-Induced Homogenous Microstructures

PubMed Central

Biswas, Sanchari; Karthikeyan, Adya; Kietzig, Anne-Marie

2016-01-01

We report on the effect of repetition rate on the formation and surface texture of the laser induced homogenous microstructures. Different microstructures were micromachined on copper (Cu) and titanium (Ti) using femtosecond pulses at 1 and 10 kHz. We studied the effect of the repetition rate on structure formation by comparing the threshold accumulated pulse (FΣpulse) values and the effect on the surface texture through lacunarity analysis. Machining both metals at low FΣpulse resulted in microstructures with higher lacunarity at 10 kHz compared to 1 kHz. On increasing FΣpulse, the microstructures showed higher lacunarity at 1 kHz. The effect of the repetition rate on the threshold FΣpulse values were, however, considerably different on the two metals. With an increase in repetition rate, we observed a decrease in the threshold FΣpulse on Cu, while on Ti we observed an increase. These differences were successfully allied to the respective material characteristics and the resulting melt dynamics. While machining Ti at 10 kHz, the melt layer induced by one laser pulse persists until the next pulse arrives, acting as a dielectric for the subsequent pulse, thereby increasing FΣpulse. However, on Cu, the melt layer quickly resolidifies and no such dielectric like phase is observed. Our study contributes to the current knowledge on the effect of the repetition rate as an irradiation parameter. PMID:28774143

Fiber optic and laser sensors IV; Proceedings of the Meeting, Cambridge, MA, Sept. 22-24, 1986

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

De Paula, Ramon P. (Editor); Udd, Eric (Editor)

1987-01-01

The conference presents papers on industrial uses of fiber optic sensors, point and distributed polarimetric optical fiber sensors, fiber optic electric field sensor technology, micromachined resonant structures, single-mode fibers for sensing applications, and measurement techniques for magnetic field gradient detection. Consideration is also given to electric field meter and temperature measurement techniques for the power industry, the calibration of high-temperature fiber-optic microbend pressure transducers, and interferometric sensors for dc measurands. Other topics include the recognition of colors and collision avoidance in robotics using optical fiber sensors, the loss compensation of intensity-modulating fiber-optic sensors, and an embedded optical fiber strain tensor for composite structure applications.

Novel technique for fabrication of multi-layered microcoils in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Hung-Pin; Qian, Jiangyuan; Bachman, Mark; Congdon, Philip; Li, Guann-pyng

2002-07-01

A novel planarization technique, compressive molding planarization (CMP) is developed for implementation of a multi-layered micro coil device. Applying CMP and other micromachining techniques, a multi-layered micro coil device has been designed and fabricated, and its use in the magnetic micro actuators for hard disk drive applications has been demonstrated, showing that it can produce milli-Newton of magnetic force suitable for driving a micro actuator. The novel CMP technique can be equally applicable in other MEMS devices fabrication to ease the process integration for the complicated structure.

Magnetohydrodynamic pump with a system for promoting flow of fluid in one direction

DOEpatents

Lemoff, Asuncion V [Union City, CA; Lee, Abraham P [Irvine, CA

2010-07-13

A magnetohydrodynamic pump for pumping a fluid. The pump includes a microfluidic channel for channeling the fluid, a MHD electrode/magnet system operatively connected to the microfluidic channel, and a system for promoting flow of the fluid in one direction in the microfluidic channel. The pump has uses in the medical and biotechnology industries for blood-cell-separation equipment, biochemical assays, chemical synthesis, genetic analysis, drug screening, an array of antigen-antibody reactions, combinatorial chemistry, drug testing, medical and biological diagnostics, and combinatorial chemistry. The pump also has uses in electrochromatography, surface micromachining, laser ablation, inkjet printers, and mechanical micromilling.

Microfabricated microengine with constant rotation rate

DOEpatents

Romero, Louis A.; Dickey, Fred M.

1999-01-01

A microengine uses two synchronized linear actuators as a power source and converts oscillatory motion from the actuators into constant rotational motion via direct linkage connection to an output gear or wheel. The microengine provides output in the form of a continuously rotating output gear that is capable of delivering drive torque at a constant rotation to a micromechanism. The output gear can have gear teeth on its outer perimeter for directly contacting a micromechanism requiring mechanical power. The gear is retained by a retaining means which allows said gear to rotate freely. The microengine is microfabricated of polysilicon on one wafer using surface micromachining batch fabrication.

Microelectromechanical ratcheting apparatus

DOEpatents

Barnes, Stephen M.; Miller, Samuel L.; Jensen, Brian D.; Rodgers, M. Steven; Burg, Michael S.

2001-01-01

A microelectromechanical (MEM) ratcheting apparatus is disclosed which includes an electrostatic or thermal actuator that drives a moveable member in the form of a ring gear, stage, or rack. Motion is effected by one or more reciprocating pawls driven by the actuator in a direction that is parallel to, in line with, or tangential to the path. The reciprocating pawls engage indexing elements (e.g. teeth or pins) on the moveable member to incrementally move the member along a curved or straight path with the ability to precisely control and determine the position of the moveable member. The MEM apparatus can be formed on a silicon substrate by conventional surface micromachining methods.

Electrically-programmable diffraction grating

DOEpatents

Ricco, A.J.; Butler, M.A.; Sinclair, M.B.; Senturia, S.D.

1998-05-26

An electrically-programmable diffraction grating is disclosed. The programmable grating includes a substrate having a plurality of electrodes formed thereon and a moveable grating element above each of the electrodes. The grating elements are electrostatically programmable to form a diffraction grating for diffracting an incident beam of light as it is reflected from the upper surfaces of the grating elements. The programmable diffraction grating, formed by a micromachining process, has applications for optical information processing (e.g. optical correlators and computers), for multiplexing and demultiplexing a plurality of light beams of different wavelengths (e.g. for optical fiber communications), and for forming spectrometers (e.g. correlation and scanning spectrometers). 14 figs.

Silicon bulk micromachined, symmetric, degenerate vibratorygyroscope, accelerometer and sensor and method for using the same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tang, Tony K. (Inventor); Kaiser, William J. (Inventor); Bartman, Randall K. (Inventor); Wilcox, Jaroslava Z. (Inventor); Gutierrez, Roman C. (Inventor); Calvet, Robert J. (Inventor)

1999-01-01

When embodied in a microgyroscope, the invention is comprised of a silicon, four-leaf clover structure with a post attached to the center. The whole structure is suspended by four silicon cantilevers or springs. The device is electrostatically actuated and capacitively detects Coriolis induced motions of the leaves of the leaf clover structure. In the case where the post is not symmetric with the plane of the clover leaves, the device can is usable as an accelerometer. If the post is provided in the shape of a dumb bell or an asymmetric post, the center of gravity is moved out of the plane of clover leaf structure and a hybrid device is provided. When the clover leaf structure is used without a center mass, it performs as a high Q resonator usable as a sensor of any physical phenomena which can be coupled to the resonant performance.

Porous siliconformation and etching process for use in silicon micromachining

DOEpatents

Guilinger, Terry R.; Kelly, Michael J.; Martin, Jr., Samuel B.; Stevenson, Joel O.; Tsao, Sylvia S.

1991-01-01

A reproducible process for uniformly etching silicon from a series of micromechanical structures used in electrical devices and the like includes providing a micromechanical structure having a silicon layer with defined areas for removal thereon and an electrochemical cell containing an aqueous hydrofluoric acid electrolyte. The micromechanical structure is submerged in the electrochemical cell and the defined areas of the silicon layer thereon are anodically biased by passing a current through the electrochemical cell for a time period sufficient to cause the defined areas of the silicon layer to become porous. The formation of the depth of the porous silicon is regulated by controlling the amount of current passing through the electrochemical cell. The micromechanical structure is then removed from the electrochemical cell and submerged in a hydroxide solution to remove the porous silicon. The process is subsequently repeated for each of the series of micromechanical structures to achieve a reproducibility better than 0.3%.

Micro-machined calorimetric biosensors

DOEpatents

Doktycz, Mitchel J.; Britton, Jr., Charles L.; Smith, Stephen F.; Oden, Patrick I.; Bryan, William L.; Moore, James A.; Thundat, Thomas G.; Warmack, Robert J.

2002-01-01

A method and apparatus are provided for detecting and monitoring micro-volumetric enthalpic changes caused by molecular reactions. Micro-machining techniques are used to create very small thermally isolated masses incorporating temperature-sensitive circuitry. The thermally isolated masses are provided with a molecular layer or coating, and the temperature-sensitive circuitry provides an indication when the molecules of the coating are involved in an enthalpic reaction. The thermally isolated masses may be provided singly or in arrays and, in the latter case, the molecular coatings may differ to provide qualitative and/or quantitative assays of a substance.

Fabricating and using a micromachined magnetostatic relay or switch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tai, Yu-Chong (Inventor); Wright, John A. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

A micromachined magnetostatic relay or switch includes a springing beam on which a magnetic actuation plate is formed. The springing beam also includes an electrically conductive contact. In the presence of a magnetic field, the magnetic material causes the springing beam to bend, moving the electrically conductive contact either toward or away from another contact, and thus creating either an electrical short-circuit or an electrical open-circuit. The switch is fabricated from silicon substrates and is particularly useful in forming a MEMs commutation and control circuit for a miniaturized DC motor.

Optical Micromachining

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Under an SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) with Marshall Space Flight Center, Potomac Photonics, Inc., constructed and demonstrated a unique tool that fills a need in the area of diffractive and refractive micro-optics. It is an integrated computer-aided design and computer-aided micro-machining workstation that will extend the benefits of diffractive and micro-optic technology to optical designers. Applications of diffractive optics include sensors and monitoring equipment, analytical instruments, and fiber optic distribution and communication. The company has been making diffractive elements with the system as a commercial service for the last year.

Micromachined microphone array on a chip for turbulent boundary layer measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krause, Joshua Steven

A surface micromachined microphone array on a single chip has been successfully designed, fabricated, characterized, and tested for aeroacoustic purposes. The microphone was designed to have venting through the diaphragm, 64 elements (8x8) on the chip, and used a capacitive transduction scheme. The microphone was fabricated using the MEMSCAP PolyMUMPs process (a foundry polysilicon surface micromachining process) along with facilities at Tufts Micro and Nano Fabrication Facility (TMNF) where a Parylene-C passivation layer deposition and release of the microstructures were performed. The devices are packaged with low profile interconnects, presenting a maximum of 100 mum of surface topology. The design of an individual microphone was completed through the use of a lumped element model (LEM) to determine the theoretical performance of the microphone. Off-chip electronics were created to allow the microphone array outputs to be redirected to one of two channels, allowing dynamic reconfiguration of the effective transducer shape in software and provide 80 dB off isolation. The characterization was completed through the use of laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV), acoustic plane wave tube and free-field calibration, and electrical noise floor testing in a Faraday cage. Measured microphone sensitivity is 0.15 mV/Pa for an individual microphone and 8.7 mV/Pa for the entire array, in close agreement with model predictions. The microphones and electronics operate over the 200--40 000 Hz band. The dynamic range extends from 60 dB SPL in a 1 Hz band to greater than 150 dB SPL. Element variability was +/-0.05 mV/Pa in sensitivity with an array yield of 95%. Wind tunnel testing at flow rates of up to 205.8 m/s indicates that the devices continue to operate in flow without damage, and can be successfully reconfigured on the fly. Care has been taken to systematically remove contaminating signals (acoustic, vibration, and noise floor) from the wind tunnel data to determine actual turbulent pressure fluctuations beneath the turbulent boundary layer to an uncertainty level of 1 dB. Analysis of measured boundary layer pressure spectra at six flow rates from 34.3 m/s to 205.8 m/s indicate single point wall spectral measurements in close agreement to the empirical models of Goody, Chase-Howe, and Efimtsov above Mach 0.4. The MEMS data more closely resembles the magnitude of the Efimtsov model at higher frequencies (25% higher above 3 kHz for the Mach 0.6 case); however, the shape of the spectral model is closer to the model of Goody (50% lower for the Mach 0.6 case for all frequencies). The Chase-Howe model does fall directly on the MEMS data starting at 6 kHz, but has a sharper slope and does not resemble the data at below 6 kHz.

Passive front-ends for wideband millimeter wave electronic warfare

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jastram, Nathan Joseph

This thesis presents the analysis, design and measurements of novel passive front ends of interest to millimeter wave electronic warfare systems. However, emerging threats in the millimeter waves (18 GHz and above) has led to a push for new systems capable of addressing these threats. At these frequencies, traditional techniques of design and fabrication are challenging due to small size, limited bandwidth and losses. The use of surface micromachining technology for wideband direction finding with multiple element antenna arrays for electronic support is demonstrated. A wideband tapered slot antenna is first designed and measured as an array element for the subsequent arrays. Both 18--36 GHz and 75--110 GHz amplitude only and amplitude/phase two element direction finding front ends are designed and measured. The design of arrays using Butler matrix and Rotman lens beamformers for greater than two element direction finding over W band and beyond using is also presented. The design of a dual polarized high power capable front end for electronic attack over an 18--45 GHz band is presented. To combine two polarizations into the same radiating aperture, an orthomode transducer (OMT) based upon a new double ridge waveguide cross section is developed. To provide greater flexibility in needed performance characteristics, several different turnstile junction matching sections are tested. A modular horn section is proposed to address flexible and ever changing operational requirements, and is designed for performance criteria such as constant gain, beamwidth, etc. A multi-section branch guide coupler and low loss Rotman lens based upon the proposed cross section are also developed. Prototyping methods for the herein designed millimeter wave electronic warfare front ends are investigated. Specifically, both printed circuit board (PCB) prototyping of micromachined systems and 3D printing of conventionally machined horns are presented. A 4--8 GHz two element array with integrated beamformer fabricated using the stacking of PCB boards is shown, and measured results compare favorably with the micromachined front ends. A 3D printed small aperture horn is compared with a conventionally machined horn, and measured results show similar performance with a ten-fold reduction in cost and weight.

A Spherically-Shaped PZT Thin Film Ultrasonic Transducer with an Acoustic Impedance Gradient Matching Layer Based on a Micromachined Periodically Structured Flexible Substrate

PubMed Central

Feng, Guo-Hua; Liu, Wei-Fan

2013-01-01

This paper presents the microfabrication of an acoustic impedance gradient matching layer on a spherically-shaped piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer. The acoustic matching layer can be designed to achieve higher acoustic energy transmission and operating bandwidth. Also included in this paper are a theoretical analysis of the device design and a micromachining technique to produce the novel transducer. Based on a design of a lead titanium zirconium (PZT) micropillar array, the constructed gradient acoustic matching layer has much better acoustic transmission efficiency within a 20–50 MHz operation range compared to a matching layer with a conventional quarter-wavelength thickness Parylene deposition. To construct the transducer, periodic microcavities are built on a flexible copper sheet, and then the sheet forms a designed curvature with a ball shaping. After PZT slurry deposition, the constructed PZT micropillar array is released onto a curved thin PZT layer. Following Parylene conformal coating on the processed PZT micropillars, the PZT micropillars and the surrounding Parylene comprise a matching layer with gradient acoustic impedance. By using the proposed technique, the fabricated transducer achieves a center frequency of 26 MHz and a −6 dB bandwidth of approximately 65%. PMID:24113683

Modifying Surface Chemistry of Metal Oxides for Boosting Dissolution Kinetics in Water by Liquid Cell Electron Microscopy.

PubMed

Lu, Yue; Geng, Jiguo; Wang, Kuan; Zhang, Wei; Ding, Wenqiang; Zhang, Zhenhua; Xie, Shaohua; Dai, Hongxing; Chen, Fu-Rong; Sui, Manling

2017-08-22

Dissolution of metal oxides is fundamentally important for understanding mineral evolution and micromachining oxide functional materials. In general, dissolution of metal oxides is a slow and inefficient chemical reaction. Here, by introducing oxygen deficiencies to modify the surface chemistry of oxides, we can boost the dissolution kinetics of metal oxides in water, as in situ demonstrated in a liquid environmental transmission electron microscope (LETEM). The dissolution rate constant significantly increases by 16-19 orders of magnitude, equivalent to a reduction of 0.97-1.11 eV in activation energy, as compared with the normal dissolution in acid. It is evidenced from the high-resolution TEM imaging, electron energy loss spectra, and first-principle calculations where the dissolution route of metal oxides is dynamically changed by local interoperability between altered water chemistry and surface oxygen deficiencies via electron radiolysis. This discovery inspires the development of a highly efficient electron lithography method for metal oxide films in ecofriendly water, which offers an advanced technique for nanodevice fabrication.

Effect of sandblasting intensity on microstructures and properties of pure titanium micro-arc oxidation coatings in an optimized composite technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hong-Yuan; Zhu, Rui-Fu; Lu, Yu-Peng; Xiao, Gui-Yong; He, Kun; Yuan, Y. F.; Ma, Xiao-Ni; Li, Ying

2014-02-01

Sandblasting is one of the most effective methods to modify a metal surface and improve its properties for application. Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) could produce a ceramic coating on a dental implant, facilitating cellular differentiation and osseocomposite on it. This study aims to deposit bioceramic Ca- and P-containing coatings on sandblasted commercially pure titanium by an optimum composite technique to improve the bioactive performance. The effect of sandblasting intensity on microstructures and properties of the implant coatings is examined, and the modified surfaces are characterized in terms of their topography, phase, chemical composition, mechanical properties and hydroxyapatite (HA)-inducing ability. The results show that a moderate sandblasting micromachines the substrate in favorable combination of rough and residual stresses; its MAO coating deposits nano-hydroxyapatite after immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 5 days exhibiting better bioactivity. The further improvement of the implant surface performance is attributed to an optimized composite technique.

A 100 electrode intracortical array: structural variability.

PubMed

Campbell, P K; Jones, K E; Normann, R A

1990-01-01

A technique has been developed for fabricating three dimensional "hair brush" electrode arrays from monocrystalline silicon blocks. Arrays consist of a square pattern of 100 penetrating electrodes, with 400 microns interelectrode spacing. Each electrode is 1.5mm in length and tapers from about 100 microns at its base to a sharp point at the tip. The tips of each electrode are coated with platinum and the entire structure, with the exception of the tips, is insulated with polyimide. Electrical connection to selected electrodes is made by wire bonding polyimide insulated 25 microns diameter gold lead wires to bonding pads on the rear surface of the array. As the geometrical characteristics of the electrodes in such an aray will influence their electrical properties (such as impedance, capacitance, spreading resistance in an electrolyte, etc.) it is desirable that such an array have minimal variability in geometry from electrode to electrode. A study was performed to determine the geometrical variability resulting from our micromachining techniques. Measurements of the diameter of each of the 100 electrodes were made at various planes above the silicon substrate of the array. For the array that was measured, the standard deviation of the diameters was approximately 9% of the mean diameter near the tip, 8% near the middle, and 6% near the base. We describe fabrication techniques which should further reduce these variabilities.

Comparative study on different types of segmented micro deformable mirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiao, Dayong; Yuan, Weizheng; Li, Kaicheng; Li, Xiaoying; Rao, Fubo

2006-02-01

In an adaptive-optical (AO) system, the wavefront of optical beam can be corrected with deformable mirror (DM). Based on MicroElectroMechanical System (MEMS) technology, segmented micro deformable mirrors can be built with denser actuator spacing than continuous face-sheet designs and have been widely researched. But the influence of the segment structure has not been thoroughly discussed until now. In this paper, the design, performance and fabrication of several micromachined, segmented deformable mirror for AO were investigated. The wavefront distorted by atmospheric turbulence was simulated in the frame of Kolmogorov turbulence model. Position function was used to describe the surfaces of the micro deformable mirrors in working state. The performances of deformable mirrors featuring square, brick, hexagonal and ring segment structures were evaluated in criteria of phase fitting error, the Strehl ratio after wavefront correction and the design considerations. Then the micro fabrication process and mask layout were designed and the fabrication of micro deformable mirrors was implemented. The results show that the micro deformable mirror with ring segments performs the best, but it is very difficult in terms of layout design. The micro deformable mirrors with square and brick segments are easy to design, but their performances are not good. The micro deformable mirror with hexagonal segments has not only good performance in terms of phase fitting error, the Strehl ratio and actuation voltage, but also no overwhelming difficulty in layout design.

Development of a MEMS device for acoustic emission testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozevin, Didem; Pessiki, Stephen P.; Jain, Akash; Greve, David W.; Oppenheim, Irving J.

2003-08-01

Acoustic emission testing is an important technology for evaluating structural materials, and especially for detecting damage in structural members. Significant new capabilities may be gained by developing MEMS transducers for acoustic emission testing, including permanent bonding or embedment for superior coupling, greater density of transducer placement, and a bundle of transducers on each device tuned to different frequencies. Additional advantages include capabilities for maintenance of signal histories and coordination between multiple transducers. We designed a MEMS device for acoustic emission testing that features two different mechanical types, a hexagonal plate design and a spring-mass design, with multiple detectors of each type at ten different frequencies in the range of 100 kHz to 1 MHz. The devices were fabricated in the multi-user polysilicon surface micromachining (MUMPs) process and we have conducted electrical characterization experiments and initial experiments on acoustic emission detection. We first report on C(V) measurements and perform a comparison between predicted (design) and measured response. We next report on admittance measurements conducted at pressures varying from vacuum to atmospheric, identifying the resonant frequencies and again providing a comparison with predicted performance. We then describe initial calibration experiments that compare the performance of the detectors to other acoustic emission transducers, and we discuss the overall performance of the device as a sensor suite, as contrasted to the single-channel performance of most commercial transducers.

Industrial femtosecond lasers for machining of heat-sensitive polymers (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendricks, Frank; Bernard, Benjamin; Matylitsky, Victor V.

2017-03-01

Heat-sensitive materials, such as polymers, are used increasingly in various industrial sectors such as medical device manufacturing and organic electronics. Medical applications include implantable devices like stents, catheters and wires, which need to be structured and cut with minimum heat damage. Also the flat panel display market moves from LCD displays to organic LED (OLED) solutions, which utilize heat-sensitive polymer substrates. In both areas, the substrates often consist of multilayer stacks with different types of materials, such as metals, dielectric layers and polymers with different physical characteristic. The different thermal behavior and laser absorption properties of the materials used makes these stacks difficult to machine using conventional laser sources. Femtosecond lasers are an enabling technology for micromachining of these materials since it is possible to machine ultrafine structures with minimum thermal impact and very precise control over material removed. An industrial femtosecond Spirit HE laser system from Spectra-Physics with pulse duration <400 fs, pulse energies of >120 μJ and average output powers of >16 W is an ideal tool for industrial micromachining of a wide range of materials with highest quality and efficiency. The laser offers process flexibility with programmable pulse energy, repetition rate, and pulse width. In this paper, we provide an overview of machining heat-sensitive materials using Spirit HE laser. In particular, we show how the laser parameters (e.g. laser wavelength, pulse duration, applied energy and repetition rate) and the processing strategy (gas assisted single pass cut vs. multi-scan process) influence the efficiency and quality of laser processing.

Micro Dot Patterning on the Light Guide Panel Using Powder Blasting.

PubMed

Jang, Ho Su; Cho, Myeong Woo; Park, Dong Sam

2008-02-08

This study is to develop a micromachining technology for a light guidepanel(LGP) mold, whereby micro dot patterns are formed on a LGP surface by a singleinjection process instead of existing screen printing processes. The micro powder blastingtechnique is applied to form micro dot patterns on the LGP mold surface. The optimalconditions for masking, laminating, exposure, and developing processes to form the microdot patterns are first experimentally investigated. A LGP mold with masked micro patternsis then machined using the micro powder blasting method and the machinability of themicro dot patterns is verified. A prototype LGP is test- injected using the developed LGPmold and a shape analysis of the patterns and performance testing of the injected LGP arecarried out. As an additional approach, matte finishing, a special surface treatment method,is applied to the mold surface to improve the light diffusion characteristics, uniformity andbrightness of the LGP. The results of this study show that the applied powder blastingmethod can be successfully used to manufacture LGPs with micro patterns by just singleinjection using the developed mold and thereby replace existing screen printing methods.

Fabrication of an integrated high-quality-factor (high-Q) optofluidic sensor by femtosecond laser micromachining.

PubMed

Song, Jiangxin; Lin, Jintian; Tang, Jialei; Liao, Yang; He, Fei; Wang, Zhaohui; Qiao, Lingling; Sugioka, Koji; Cheng, Ya

2014-06-16

We report on fabrication of a microtoroid resonator of a high-quality factor (i.e., Q-factor of ~3.24 × 10(6) measured under the critical coupling condition) integrated in a microfluidic channel using femtosecond laser three-dimensional (3D) micromachining. Coupling of light into and out of the microresonator has been realized with a fiber taper that is reliably assembled with the microtoroid. The assembly of the fiber to the microtoroid is achieved by welding the fiber taper onto the sidewall of the microtoroid using CO2 laser irradiation. The integrated microresonator maintains a high Q-factor of 3.21 × 10(5) as measured in air, which should still be sufficient for many sensing applications. We test the functionality of the integrated optofluidic sensor by performing bulk refractive index sensing of purified water doped with tiny amount of salt. It is shown that a detection limit of ~1.2 × 10(-4) refractive index unit can be achieved. Our result showcases the capability of integration of high-Q microresonators with complex microfluidic systems using femtosecond laser 3D micromachining.

Integrated Arrays on Silicon at Terahertz Frequencies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chattopadhayay, Goutam; Lee, Choonsup; Jung, Cecil; Lin, Robert; Peralta, Alessandro; Mehdi, Imran; Llombert, Nuria; Thomas, Bertrand

2011-01-01

In this paper we explore various receiver font-end and antenna architecture for use in integrated arrays at terahertz frequencies. Development of wafer-level integrated terahertz receiver front-end by using advanced semiconductor fabrication technologies and use of novel integrated antennas with silicon micromachining are reported. We report novel stacking of micromachined silicon wafers which allows for the 3-dimensional integration of various terahertz receiver components in extremely small packages which easily leads to the development of 2- dimensioanl multi-pixel receiver front-ends in the terahertz frequency range. We also report an integrated micro-lens antenna that goes with the silicon micro-machined front-end. The micro-lens antenna is fed by a waveguide that excites a silicon lens antenna through a leaky-wave or electromagnetic band gap (EBG) resonant cavity. We utilized advanced semiconductor nanofabrication techniques to design, fabricate, and demonstrate a super-compact, low-mass submillimeter-wave heterodyne frontend. When the micro-lens antenna is integrated with the receiver front-end we will be able to assemble integrated heterodyne array receivers for various applications such as multi-pixel high resolution spectrometer and imaging radar at terahertz frequencies.

Long-Term Outdoor Reliability Assessment of a Wireless Unit for Air-Quality Monitoring Based on Nanostructured Films Integrated on Micromachined Platforms

PubMed Central

Leccardi, Matteo; Decarli, Massimiliano; Lorenzelli, Leandro; Milani, Paolo; Mettala, Petteri; Orava, Risto; Barborini, Emanuele

2012-01-01

We have fabricated and tested in long-term field operating conditions a wireless unit for outdoor air quality monitoring. The unit is equipped with two multiparametric sensors, one miniaturized thermo-hygrometer, front-end analogical and digital electronics, and an IEEE 802.15.4 based module for wireless data transmission. Micromachined platforms were functionalized with nanoporous metal-oxides to obtain multiparametric sensors, hosting gas-sensitive, anemometric and temperature transducers. Nanoporous metal-oxide layer was directly deposited on gas sensing regions of micromachined platform batches by hard-mask patterned supersonic cluster beam deposition. An outdoor, roadside experiment was arranged in downtown Milan (Italy), where one wireless sensing unit was continuously operated side by side with standard gas chromatographic instrumentation for air quality measurements. By means of a router PC, data from sensing unit and other instrumentation were collected, merged, and sent to a remote data storage server, through an UMTS device. The whole-system robustness as well as sensor dataset characteristics were continuously characterized over a run-time period of 18 months. PMID:22969394

Micro-machined resonator oscillator

DOEpatents

Koehler, D.R.; Sniegowski, J.J.; Bivens, H.M.; Wessendorf, K.O.

1994-08-16

A micro-miniature resonator-oscillator is disclosed. Due to the miniaturization of the resonator-oscillator, oscillation frequencies of one MHz and higher are utilized. A thickness-mode quartz resonator housed in a micro-machined silicon package and operated as a telemetered sensor beacon'' that is, a digital, self-powered, remote, parameter measuring-transmitter in the FM-band. The resonator design uses trapped energy principles and temperature dependence methodology through crystal orientation control, with operation in the 20--100 MHz range. High volume batch-processing manufacturing is utilized, with package and resonator assembly at the wafer level. Unique design features include squeeze-film damping for robust vibration and shock performance, capacitive coupling through micro-machined diaphragms allowing resonator excitation at the package exterior, circuit integration and extremely small (0.1 in. square) dimensioning. A family of micro-miniature sensor beacons is also disclosed with widespread applications as bio-medical sensors, vehicle status monitors and high-volume animal identification and health sensors. The sensor family allows measurement of temperatures, chemicals, acceleration and pressure. A microphone and clock realization is also available. 21 figs.

Laser micromachining of biofactory-on-a-chip devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burt, Julian P.; Goater, Andrew D.; Hayden, Christopher J.; Tame, John A.

2002-06-01

Excimer laser micromachining provides a flexible means for the manufacture and rapid prototyping of miniaturized systems such as Biofactory-on-a-Chip devices. Biofactories are miniaturized diagnostic devices capable of characterizing, manipulating, separating and sorting suspension of particles such as biological cells. Such systems operate by exploiting the electrical properties of microparticles and controlling particle movement in AC non- uniform stationary and moving electric fields. Applications of Biofactory devices are diverse and include, among others, the healthcare, pharmaceutical, chemical processing, environmental monitoring and food diagnostic markets. To achieve such characterization and separation, Biofactory devices employ laboratory-on-a-chip type components such as complex multilayer microelectrode arrays, microfluidic channels, manifold systems and on-chip detection systems. Here we discuss the manufacturing requirements of Biofactory devices and describe the use of different excimer laser micromachined methods both in stand-alone processes and also in conjunction with conventional fabrication processes such as photolithography and thermal molding. Particular attention is given to the production of large area multilayer microelectrode arrays and the manufacture of complex cross-section microfluidic channel systems for use in simple distribution and device interfacing.

Modified TMAH based etchant for improved etching characteristics on Si{1 0 0} wafer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swarnalatha, V.; Narasimha Rao, A. V.; Ashok, A.; Singh, S. S.; Pal, P.

2017-08-01

Wet bulk micromachining is a popular technique for the fabrication of microstructures in research labs as well as in industry. However, increasing the throughput still remains an active area of research, and can be done by increasing the etching rate. Moreover, the release time of a freestanding structure can be reduced if the undercutting rate at convex corners can be improved. In this paper, we investigate a non-conventional etchant in the form of NH2OH added in 5 wt% tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) to determine its etching characteristics. Our analysis is focused on a Si{1 0 0} wafer as this is the most widely used in the fabrication of planer devices (e.g. complementary metal oxide semiconductors) and microelectromechanical systems (e.g. inertial sensors). We perform a systematic and parametric analysis with concentrations of NH2OH varying from 5% to 20% in step of 5%, all in 5 wt% TMAH, to obtain the optimum concentration for achieving improved etching characteristics including higher etch rate, undercutting at convex corners, and smooth etched surface morphology. Average surface roughness (R a), etch depth, and undercutting length are measured using a 3D scanning laser microscope. Surface morphology of the etched Si{1 0 0} surface is examined using a scanning electron microscope. Our investigation has revealed a two-fold increment in the etch rate of a {1 0 0} surface with the addition of NH2OH in the TMAH solution. Additionally, the incorporation of NH2OH significantly improves the etched surface morphology and the undercutting at convex corners, which is highly desirable for the quick release of microstructures from the substrate. The results presented in this paper are extremely useful for engineering applications and will open a new direction of research for scientists in both academic and industrial laboratories.

New Deep Reactive Ion Etching Process Developed for the Microfabrication of Silicon Carbide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Laura J.; Beheim, Glenn M.

2005-01-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a promising material for harsh environment sensors and electronics because it can enable such devices to withstand high temperatures and corrosive environments. Microfabrication techniques have been studied extensively in an effort to obtain the same flexibility of machining SiC that is possible for the fabrication of silicon devices. Bulk micromachining using deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) is attractive because it allows the fabrication of microstructures with high aspect ratios (etch depth divided by lateral feature size) in single-crystal or polycrystalline wafers. Previously, the Sensors and Electronics Branch of the NASA Glenn Research Center developed a DRIE process for SiC using the etchant gases sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and argon (Ar). This process provides an adequate etch rate of 0.2 m/min and yields a smooth surface at the etch bottom. However, the etch sidewalls are rougher than desired, as shown in the preceding photomicrograph. Furthermore, the resulting structures have sides that slope inwards, rather than being precisely vertical. A new DRIE process for SiC was developed at Glenn that produces smooth, vertical sidewalls, while maintaining an adequately high etch rate.

Artificial Hair Cells for Sensing Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Jack

2007-01-01

The purpose of this article is to present additional information about the flow-velocity sensors described briefly in the immediately preceding article. As noted therein, these sensors can be characterized as artificial hair cells that implement an approximation of the sensory principle of flow-sensing cilia of fish: A cilium is bent by an amount proportional to the flow to which it is exposed. A nerve cell at the base of the cilium senses the flow by sensing the bending of the cilium. In an artificial hair cell, the artificial cilium is a microscopic cantilever beam, and the bending of an artificial cilium is measured by means of a strain gauge at its base (see Figure 1). Figure 2 presents cross sections of a representative sensor of this type at two different stages of its fabrication process. The process consists of relatively- low-temperature metallization, polymer-deposition, microfabrication, and surface-micromachining subprocesses, including plastic-deformation magnetic assembly (PDMA), which is described below. These subprocesses are suitable for a variety of substrate materials, including silicon, some glasses, and some polymers. Moreover, because it incorporates a polymeric supporting structure, this sensor is more robust, relative to its silicon-based counterparts.

Through-wafer optical probe characterization for microelectromechanical systems positional state monitoring and feedback control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawson, Jeremy M.; Chen, Jingdong; Brown, Kolin S.; Famouri, Parviz F.; Hornak, Lawrence A.

2000-12-01

Implementation of closed-loop microelectromechanical system (MEMS) control enables mechanical microsystems to adapt to the demands of the environment that they are actuating, opening a broad range of new opportunities for future MEMS applications. Integrated optical microsystems have the potential to enable continuous in situ optical interrogation of MEMS microstructure position fully decoupled from the means of mechanical actuation that is necessary for realization of feedback control. We present the results of initial research evaluating through-wafer optical microprobes for surface micromachined MEMS integrated optical position monitoring. Results from the through-wafer free-space optical probe of a lateral comb resonator fabricated using the multiuser MEMS process service (MUMPS) indicate significant positional information content with an achievable return probe signal dynamic range of up to 80% arising from film transmission contrast. Static and dynamic deflection analysis and experimental results indicate a through-wafer probe positional signal sensitivity of 40 mV/micrometers for the present setup or 10% signal change per micrometer. A simulation of the application of nonlinear sliding control is presented illustrating position control of the lateral comb resonator structure given the availability of positional state information.

Optical fiber pressure sensors for adaptive wings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duncan, Paul G.; Jones, Mark E.; Shinpaugh, Kevin A.; Poland, Stephen H.; Murphy, Kent A.; Claus, Richard O.

1997-06-01

Optical fiber pressure sensors have been developed for use on a structurally-adaptive `smart wing'; further details of the design, fabrication and testing of the smart wing concept are presented in companion papers. This paper describes the design, construction, and performance of the pressure sensor and a combined optical and electronic signal processing system implemented to permit the measurement of a large number of sensors distributed over the control surfaces of a wing. Optical fiber pressure sensors were implemented due to anticipated large electromagnetic interference signals within the operational environment. The sensors utilized the principle of the extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (EFPI) already developed for the measurement of strain and temperature. Here, the cavity is created inside a micromachined hollow-core tube with a silicon diaphragm at one end. The operation of the sensor is similar to that of the EFPI strain gage also discussed in several papers at this conference. The limitations placed upon the performance of the digital signal processing system were determined by the required pressure range of the sensors and the cycle time of the control system used to adaptively modify the shape of the wing. Sensor calibration and the results of testing performed are detailed.

Health Monitoring for Airframe Structural Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Munns, Thomas E.; Kent, Renee M.; Bartolini, Antony; Gause, Charles B.; Borinski, Jason W.; Dietz, Jason; Elster, Jennifer L.; Boyd, Clark; Vicari, Larry; Ray, Asok;

Micro-pyramidal structure fabrication on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) by Si (100) KOH wet etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Shinae; Lim, Kyungsuk; Shin, Hyeseon; Lee, Seongjae; Jang, Moongyu

2017-10-01

A high degree of accuracy in bulk micromachining is essential to fabricate micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) devices. A series of etching experiments is carried out using 40 wt% KOH solutions at the constant temperature of 70 °C. Before wet etching, SF6 and O2 are used as the dry etching gas to etch the masking layers of a 100 nm thick Si3N4 and SiO2, respectively. The experimental results indicate that (100) silicon wafer form the pyramidal structures with (111) single crystal planes. All the etch profiles are analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and the wet etch rates depend on the opening sizes. The manufactured pyramidal structures are used as the pattern of silicon mold. After a short hardening of coated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer, micro pyramidal structures are easily transferred to PDMS layer.

Controlled waveguide coupling for photon emission from colloidal PbS quantum dot using tunable microcavity made of optical polymer and silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nozaka, Takahiro; Mukai, Kohki

2016-04-01

A tunable microcavity device composed of optical polymer and Si with a colloidal quantum dot (QD) is proposed as a single-photon source for planar optical circuit. Cavity size is controlled by electrostatic micromachine behavior with the air bridge structure to tune timing of photon injection into optical waveguide from QD. Three-dimensional positioning of a QD in the cavity structure is available using a nanohole on Si processed by scanning probe microscope lithography. We fabricated the prototype microcavity with PbS-QD-mixed polymenthyl methacrylate on a SOI (semiconductor-on-insulator) substrate to show the tunability of cavity size as the shift of emission peak wavelength of QD ensemble.

Micromachined structures for vertical microelectrooptical devices on InP

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seassal, C.; Leclercq, J.L.; Letartre, X.

1996-12-31

The authors presented a microstructuring method in order to fabricate tunable vertical resonant cavity optical devices. PL characterizations were performed on a test structure in order to evaluate the effect of the cavity thickness on the peak characteristics. Modeling of the mechanical, electrostatic, and optical behavior of the device, PL simulation were performed, and showed a good agreement with the experiments. This is a first preliminary validation of InP-based MOEMS for further realization of tunable wavelength-selective passive filters, or photodiodes and lasers by incorporating active region within the cavity. Micro-reflectivity measurements with a spatial resolution of 20 {micro}m are underwaymore » in their group, in order to measure directly the resonance shift and spectral linewidth.« less

Apparatus and method for sensing motion in a microelectro-mechanical system

DOEpatents

Dickey, Fred M.; Holswade, Scott C.

1999-01-01

An apparatus and method are disclosed for optically sensing motion in a microelectromechanical system (also termed a MEMS device) formed by surface micromachining or LIGA. The apparatus operates by reflecting or scattering a light beam off a corrugated surface (e.g. gear teeth or a reference feature) of a moveable member (e.g. a gear, rack or linkage) within the MEMS device and detecting the reflected or scattered light. The apparatus can be used to characterize a MEMS device, measuring one or more performance characteristic such as spring and damping coefficients, torque and friction, or uniformity of motion of the moveable member. The apparatus can also be used to determine the direction and extent of motion of the moveable member; or to determine a particular mechanical state that a MEMS device is in. Finally, the apparatus and method can be used for providing feedback to the MEMS device to improve performance and reliability.

An experimental analysis of process parameters to manufacture micro-channels in AISI H13 tempered steel by laser micro-milling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teixidor, D.; Ferrer, I.; Ciurana, J.

2012-04-01

This paper reports the characterization of laser machining (milling) process to manufacture micro-channels in order to understand the incidence of process parameters on the final features. Selection of process operational parameters is highly critical for successful laser micromachining. A set of designed experiments is carried out in a pulsed Nd:YAG laser system using AISI H13 hardened tool steel as work material. Several micro-channels have been manufactured as micro-mold cavities varying parameters such as scanning speed (SS), pulse intensity (PI) and pulse frequency (PF). Results are obtained by evaluating the dimensions and the surface finish of the micro-channel. The dimensions and shape of the micro-channels produced with laser-micro-milling process exhibit variations. In general the use of low scanning speeds increases the quality of the feature in both surface finishing and dimensional.

Micromachined piconewton force sensor for biophysics investigations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koch, Steven J.; Thayer, Gayle E.; Corwin, Alex D.

2006-10-23

We describe a micromachined force sensor that is able to measure forces as small as 1 pN in both air and water. First, we measured the force field produced by an electromagnet on individual 2.8 {mu}m magnetic beads glued to the sensor. By repeating with 11 different beads, we measured a 9% standard deviation in saturation magnetization. We next demonstrated that the sensor was fully functional when immersed in physiological buffer. These results show that the force sensors can be useful for magnetic force calibration and also for measurement of biophysical forces on chip.

Clogging in micromachined Joule-Thomson coolers: Mechanism and preventive measures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, H. S.; Vanapalli, S.; Holland, H. J.; Vermeer, C. H.; ter Brake, H. J. M.

2013-07-01

Micromachined Joule-Thomson coolers can be used for cooling small electronic devices. However, a critical issue for long-term operation of these microcoolers is the clogging caused by the deposition of water that is present as impurity in the working fluid. We present a model that describes the deposition process considering diffusion and kinetics of water molecules. In addition, the deposition and sublimation process was imaged, and the experimental observation fits well to the modeling predictions. By changing the temperature profile along the microcooler, the operating time of the microcooler under test at 105 K extends from 11 to 52 h.

Using laser technological unit ALTI "Karavella" for precision components of IEP production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Labin, N. A.; Chursin, A. D.; Paramonov, V. S.; Klimenko, V. I.; Paramonova, G. M.; Kolokolov, I. S.; Vinogradov, K. Y.; Betina, L. L.; Bulychev, N. A.; Dyakov, Yu. A.; Zakharyan, R. A.; Kazaryan, M. A.; Koshelev, K. K.; Kosheleva, O. K.; Grigoryants, A. G.; Shiganov, I. N.; Krasovskii, V. I.; Sachkov, V. I.; Plyaka, P. S.; Feofanov, I. N.; Chen, C.

2015-12-01

The paper revealed the using of industrial production equipment ALTI "Karavella-1", "Karavella-1M", "Karavella-2" and "Karavella-2M" precision components of IEP production [1-4]. The basis for the ALTI using in the IEP have become the positive results of research and development of technologies of foil (0.01-0.2 mm) and thin sheets (0.3-1 mm) materials micromachining by pulsed radiation CVL [5, 6]. To assess the micromachining quality and precision the measuring optical microscope (UHL VMM200), projection microscope (Mitutoyo PV5100) and Carl Zeiss microscope were used.

Micromachined needles and lancets with design adjustable bevel angles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sparks, Douglas; Hubbard, Timothy

2004-08-01

A new method of micromachining hollow needles and two-dimensional needle arrays from single crystal silicon is described. The process involves a combination of fusion bonding, photolithography and anisotropic plasma etching. The cannula produced with this process can have design adjustable bevel angles, wall thickness and channel dimensions. A subset of processing steps can be employed to produce silicon blades and lancets with design adjustable bevel angles and shaft dimensions. Applications for this technology include painless drug infusion, blood diagnosis, glucose monitoring, cellular injection and the manufacture of microkeratomes for ocular, vascular and neural microsurgery.

Micromachined cascade virtual impactor with a flow rate distributor for wide range airborne particle classification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Yong-Ho; Maeng, Jwa-Young; Park, Dongho

2007-07-23

This letter reports a module for airborne particle classification, which consists of a micromachined three-stage virtual impactor for classifying airborne particles according to their size and a flow rate distributor for supplying the required flow rate to the virtual impactor. Dioctyl sebacate particles, 100-600 nm in diameter, and carbon particles, 0.6-10 {mu}m in diameter, were used for particle classification. The collection efficiency and cutoff diameter were examined. The measured cutoff diameters of the first, second, and third stages were 135 nm, 1.9 {mu}m, and 4.8 {mu}m, respectively.

Chronic behavior evaluation of a micro-machined neural implant with optimized design based on an experimentally derived model.

PubMed

Andrei, Alexandru; Welkenhuysen, Marleen; Ameye, Lieveke; Nuttin, Bart; Eberle, Wolfgang

2011-01-01

Understanding the mechanical interactions between implants and the surrounding tissue is known to have an important role for improving the bio-compatibility of such devices. Using a recently developed model, a particular micro-machined neural implant design aiming the reduction of insertion forces dependence on the insertion speed was optimized. Implantations with 10 and 100 μm/s insertion speeds showed excellent agreement with the predicted behavior. Lesion size, gliosis (GFAP), inflammation (ED1) and neuronal cells density (NeuN) was evaluated after 6 week of chronic implantation showing no insertion speed dependence.

193nm high power lasers for the wide bandgap material processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujimoto, Junichi; Kobayashi, Masakazu; Kakizaki, Koji; Oizumi, Hiroaki; Mimura, Toshio; Matsunaga, Takashi; Mizoguchi, Hakaru

2017-02-01

Recently infrared laser has faced resolution limit of finer micromachining requirement on especially semiconductor packaging like Fan-Out Wafer Level Package (FO-WLP) and Through Glass Via hole (TGV) which are hard to process with less defect. In this study, we investigated ablation rate with deep ultra violet excimer laser to explore its possibilities of micromachining on organic and glass interposers. These results were observed with a laser microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). As the ablation rates of both materials were quite affordable value, excimer laser is expected to be put in practical use for mass production.

High-power ultrashort fiber laser for solar cells micromachining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lecourt, J.-B.; Duterte, C.; Liegeois, F.; Lekime, D.; Hernandez, Y.; Giannone, D.

2012-02-01

We report on a high-power ultra-short fiber laser for thin film solar cells micromachining. The laser is based on Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA) scheme. The pulses are stretched to hundreds of picoseconds prior to amplification and can be compressed down to picosecond at high energy. The repetition rate is adjustable from 100 kHz to 1 MHz and the optical average output power is close to 13 W (before compression). The whole setup is fully fibred, except the compressor achieved with bulk gratings, resulting on a compact and reliable solution for cold ablation.

Measurement of optical scattered power from laser-induced shallow pits on silica

DOE PAGES

Feigenbaum, Eyal; Nielsen, Norman; Matthews, Manyalibo J.

2015-10-01

We describe a model for far-field scattered power and irradiance by a silica glass slab with a shallow-pitted exit surface and is experimentally validated. The comparison to the model is performed using a precisely micromachined ensemble of ~11 μm wide laser ablated shallow pits producing 1% of the incident beam scatter in a 10 mrad angle. This series of samples with damage initiations and laser-induced shallow pits resulting from 351 nm, 5 ns pulsed laser cleaning of metal microparticles at different fluences between 2 J/cm 2 and 11 J/cm 2 are characterized as well and found in good agreement withmore » model predictions.« less

Operating principles of an electrothermal vibrometer for optical switching applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pai, Min-fan; Tien, Norman C.

1999-09-01

A compact polysilicon surface-micromachined microactuator designed for optical switching applications is described. This actuator is fabricated using the foundry MUMPs process provided by Cronos Integrated Microsystems Inc. Actuated electrothermally, the microactuator allows fast switching speeds and can be operated with a low voltage square-wave signal. The design, operation mechanisms for this long-range and high frequency thermal actuation are described. A vertical micromirror integrated with this actuator can be operated with a 10.5 V, 20 kHz 15% duty-cycle pulse signal, achieving a lateral moving speed higher than 15.6 mm/sec. The optical switch has been operated to frequencies as high as 30 kHz.

Enhanced electrochemical etching of ion irradiated silicon by localized amorphization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dang, Z. Y.; Breese, M. B. H.; Lin, Y.

2014-05-12

A tailored distribution of ion induced defects in p-type silicon allows subsequent electrochemical anodization to be modified in various ways. Here we describe how a low level of lattice amorphization induced by ion irradiation influences anodization. First, it superposes a chemical etching effect, which is observable at high fluences as a reduced height of a micromachined component. Second, at lower fluences, it greatly enhances electrochemical anodization by allowing a hole diffusion current to flow to the exposed surface. We present an anodization model, which explains all observed effects produced by light ions such as helium and heavy ions such asmore » cesium over a wide range of fluences and irradiation geometries.« less

A Label-Free Detection of Biomolecules Using Micromechanical Biosensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meisam, Omidi; A. Malakoutian, M.; Mohammadmehdi, Choolaei; Oroojalian, F.; Haghiralsadat, F.; Yazdian, F.

2013-06-01

A Microcantilevers resonator is used to detect a protein biomarker called prostate specific antigen (PSA), which is associated with prostate cancer. Different concentrations of PSA in a buffer solution are detected as a function of deflection of the beams. For this purpose, we use a surface micromachined, antibody-coated polycrystalline silicon micromechanical cantilever beam. Cantilevers have mass sensitivities of the order of 10-17 g/Hz, which result from their small mass. This matter allows them to detect an immobilized antibody monolayer corresponding to a mass of about 70 fg. With these devices, concentrations as low as 150 fg/mL, or 4.5 fM, could be detected from the realistic samples.

Microelectromechanical gyroscope

DOEpatents

Garcia, Ernest J.

1999-01-01

A gyroscope powered by an engine, all fabricated on a common substrate in the form of an integrated circuit. Preferably, both the gyroscope and the engine are fabricated in the micrometer domain, although in some embodiments of the present invention, the gyroscope can be fabricated in the millimeter domain. The engine disclosed herein provides torque to the gyroscope rotor for continuous rotation at varying speeds and direction. The present invention is preferably fabricated of polysilicon or other suitable materials on a single wafer using surface micromachining batch fabrication techniques or millimachining techniques that are well known in the art. Fabrication of the present invention is preferably accomplished without the need for assembly of multiple wafers which require alignment and bonding, and without piece-part assembly.

Vascular stents with submicrometer-scale surface patterning realized via titanium deep reactive ion etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gott, Shannon C.; Jabola, Benjamin A.; Rao, Masaru P.

2015-08-01

Herein, we report progress towards realization of vascular stents that will eventually provide opportunity for evaluating cellular response to rationally-designed, submicrometer-scale surface patterning in physiologically-relevant contexts, i.e. those that provide exposure to the complex multicellular milieu, flow-induced shear, and tissue-device interactions present in vivo. Specifically, using our novel titanium deep reactive ion etching technique (Ti DRIE), we discuss recent advances that have enabled: (a) fabrication of precisely-defined, grating-based surface patterns on planar Ti foils with minimum feature sizes as small as 0.15 μm (b) creation of cylindrical stents from micromachined planar Ti foils; and (c) integration of these processes to produce the first submicrometer-scale surface-patterned Ti stents that are compatible with conventional balloon catheter deployment techniques. We also discuss results from elastoplastic finite element simulations and preliminary mechanical testing of these devices to assess their mechanical performance. These efforts represent key steps towards our long-term goal of developing a new paradigm in stenting, where rationally-designed surface patterning provides a physical means for facilitating healing, and thus, improving outcomes in vascular intervention applications.

Fabrication of spherical mitigation pit on KH2PO4 crystal by micro-milling and modeling of its induced light intensification.

PubMed

Cheng, Jian; Chen, Mingjun; Liao, Wei; Wang, Haijun; Xiao, Yong; Li, Mingquan

2013-07-15

Micro-machining is the most promising method for KH(2)PO(4) crystal to mitigate the surface damage growth in high power laser system. In this work, spherical mitigation pit is fabricated by micro-milling with an efficient machining procedure. The light intensification caused by rear surface features before and after mitigation is numerically modeled based on the finite-difference time-domain method. The results indicate that the occurrence of total internal reflections should be responsible for the largest light intensification inside the crystal. For spherical pits after mitigation, the light intensification can be greatly alleviated by preventing the occurrence of total internal reflections. The light intensification caused by spherical mitigation pit is strongly dependent on the width-depth ratio and it is suggested that the width-depth ratio of spherical mitigation pit must be devised to be larger than 5.0 to achieve the minimal light intensification for the mitigation of surface damage growth. Laser damage tests for KH(2)PO(4) crystal validate that the laser damage resistance of initially damaged surface can be retrieved to near the level of ideal surface by replacing initial damage site with predesigned mitigation pit.

Monolithic CMUT on CMOS Integration for Intravascular Ultrasound Applications

PubMed Central

Zahorian, Jaime; Hochman, Michael; Xu, Toby; Satir, Sarp; Gurun, Gokce; Karaman, Mustafa; Degertekin, F. Levent

2012-01-01

One of the most important promises of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) technology is integration with electronics. This approach is required to minimize the parasitic capacitances in the receive mode, especially in catheter based volumetric imaging arrays where the elements need to be small. Furthermore, optimization of the available silicon area and minimized number of connections occurs when the CMUTs are fabricated directly above the associated electronics. Here, we describe successful fabrication and performance evaluation of CMUT arrays for intravascular imaging on custom designed CMOS receiver electronics from a commercial IC foundry. The CMUT on CMOS process starts with surface isolation and mechanical planarization of the CMOS electronics to reduce topography. The rest of the CMUT fabrication is achieved by modifying a low temperature micromachining process through the addition of a single mask and developing a dry etching step to produce sloped sidewalls for simple and reliable CMUT to CMOS interconnection. This CMUT to CMOS interconnect method reduced the parasitic capacitance by a factor of 200 when compared with a standard wire bonding method. Characterization experiments indicate that the CMUT on CMOS elements are uniform in frequency response and are similar to CMUTs simultaneously fabricated on standard silicon wafers without electronics integration. Experiments on a 1.6 mm diameter dual-ring CMUT array with a 15 MHz center frequency show that both the CMUTs and the integrated CMOS electronics are fully functional. The SNR measurements indicate that the performance is adequate for imaging CTOs located 1 cm away from the CMUT array. PMID:23443701

Development of micromachine tool prototypes for microfactories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kussul, E.; Baidyk, T.; Ruiz-Huerta, L.; Caballero-Ruiz, A.; Velasco, G.; Kasatkina, L.

2002-11-01

At present, many areas of industry have strong tendencies towards miniaturization of products. Mechanical components of these products as a rule are manufactured using conventional large-scale equipment or micromechanical equipment based on microelectronic technology (MEMS). The first method has some drawbacks because conventional large-scale equipment consumes much energy, space and material. The second method seems to be more advanced but has some limitations, for example, two-dimensional (2D) or 2.5-dimensional shapes of components and materials compatible with silicon technology. In this paper, we consider an alternative technology of micromechanical device production. This technology is based on micromachine tools (MMT) and microassembly devices, which can be produced as sequential generations of microequipment. The first generation can be produced by conventional large-scale equipment. The machine tools of this generation can have overall sizes of 100-200 mm. Using microequipment of this generation, second generation microequipment having smaller overall sizes can be produced. This process can be repeated to produce generations of micromachine tools having overall sizes of some millimetres. In this paper we describe the efforts and some results of first generation microequipment prototyping. A micromachining centre having an overall size of 130 × 160 × 85 mm3 was produced and characterized. This centre has allowed us to manufacture micromechanical details having sizes from 50 µm to 5 mm. These details have complex three-dimensional shapes (for example, screw, gear, graduated shaft, conic details, etc), and are made from different materials, such as brass, steel, different plastics etc. We have started to investigate and to make prototypes of the assembly microdevices controlled by a computer vision system. In this paper we also describe an example of the applications (microfilters) for the proposed technology.

Fabrication of Thermoelectric Devices Using Additive-Subtractive Manufacturing Techniques: Application to Waste-Heat Energy Harvesting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tewolde, Mahder

Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are solid-state devices that convert heat directly into electricity. They are well suited for waste-heat energy harvesting applications as opposed to primary energy generation. Commercially available thermoelectric modules are flat, inflexible and have limited sizes available. State-of-art manufacturing of TEG devices relies on assembling prefabricated parts with soldering, epoxy bonding, and mechanical clamping. Furthermore, efforts to incorporate them onto curved surfaces such as exhaust pipes, pump housings, steam lines, mixing containers, reaction chambers, etc. require custom-built heat exchangers. This is costly and labor-intensive, in addition to presenting challenges in terms of space, thermal coupling, added weight and long-term reliability. Additive manufacturing technologies are beginning to address many of these issues by reducing part count in complex designs and the elimination of sub-assembly requirements. This work investigates the feasibility of utilizing such novel manufacturing routes for improving the manufacturing process of thermoelectric devices. Much of the research in thermoelectricity is primarily focused on improving thermoelectric material properties by developing of novel materials or finding ways to improve existing ones. Secondary to material development is improving the manufacturing process of TEGs to provide significant cost benefits. To improve the device fabrication process, this work explores additive manufacturing technologies to provide an integrated and scalable approach for TE device manufacturing directly onto engineering component surfaces. Additive manufacturing techniques like thermal spray and ink-dispenser printing are developed with the aim of improving the manufacturing process of TEGs. Subtractive manufacturing techniques like laser micromachining are also studied in detail. This includes the laser processing parameters for cutting the thermal spray materials efficiently by optimizing cutting speed and power while maintaining surface quality and interface properties. Key parameters are obtained from these experiments and used to develop a process that can be used to fabricate a working TEG directly onto the waste-heat component surface. A TEG module has been fabricated for the first time entirely by using thermal spray technology and laser micromachining. The target applications include automotive exhaust systems and other high-volume industrial waste heat sources. The application of TEGs for thermoelectrically powered sensors for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) is presented. In conclusion, more ways to improve the fabrication process of TEGs are suggested.

An evaluation of a combined scanning probe and optical microscope for lunar regolith studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, S.; Pike, W. T.; Staufer, U.; Claus, D.; Rodenburg, J. M.

2011-12-01

The microscopic properties of the lunar regolith such as the shape, the surface texture and the size distribution are required for an understanding of both past surface processes and potential hazards for future human exploration [1]. To reveal the particle morphology at the sub micrometer scale, scanning-probe microscopy (SPM), first used on the 2008 Phoenix mission [1], is a proven approach; however, there are two main challenges for the measurement of lunar particles. Firstly, the SPM tip is liable to move particles during scanning, even when using the lower contact forces of the dynamic-mode imaging. Hence the particles need to be stabilised during imaging. Secondly, typically the AFM tip extends about 10 μm from its cantilever, so larger particles protruding more than this height above their substrates cannot be scanned completely. To immobilize particles and eliminate large particles during SPM scanning, micromachined Si substrates, which have been successfully applied in the Phoenix project for Mars investigation in 2008 [2], have been investigated for lunar analogue material. On these substrates micrometer pits are patterned and serve as traps to enhance the stability of the AFM scanning by grasping the particles. In addition, the diameter of pits can determine the size of dusts to be captured and reduce the adhesion for the larger dust and so eliminate the oversized particles. To extend the imaging range and assist in selecting scan areas for the SPM, we use a type of lensless optical imaging (LOM) which uses ptychographic diffractive imaging [3] to eliminate the restrictions and performance limitations of conventional focusing devices. As a reference, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) which minimizes particle-probe interactions and has the advantage of an extended depth of field, is employed to image the same particle fields at resolutions covering both the SPM and LOM. By comparing the differences and the similarities between SEM and LOM images, the ability of LOM for illuminating the details about the lunar particles sample, is demonstrated. The analysis of SEM and SPM images of the same particles of JSC-LunarA analogue soil reveals the potential of the SPM to obtain reliable microscopic images of lunar dusts including detailed morphology with the help of the micromachined Si substrates. [1] J. D. Carpenter, O. Angerer, M. Durante, D. Linnarson, W. T. Pike, "Life Sciences Investigations for ESA's First Lunar Lander," Earth, Moon, and Planets, Vol.107, pp. 11-23, 2010. [2] S. Vijendran, H.Sykulska, and W. T. Pike, "AFM investigation of Martian soil simulant on micromachined Si substrates," Journal of Microscopy, Vol.227, pp.236-245, Sep. 2007. [3] J.M. Rodenburg, "Ptychography and related diffractive imaging techniques," Advances in Imaging and Electron Physics, Vol.150, pp. 87-184, 2008

Simulation of MEMS for the Next Generation Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mott, Brent; Kuhn, Jonathan; Broduer, Steve (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is developing optical micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) components for potential application in Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) science instruments. In this work, we present an overview of the electro-mechanical simulation of three MEMS components for NGST, which include a reflective micro-mirror array and transmissive microshutter array for aperture control for a near infrared (NIR) multi-object spectrometer and a large aperture MEMS Fabry-Perot tunable filter for a NIR wide field camera. In all cases the device must operate at cryogenic temperatures with low power consumption and low, complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) compatible, voltages. The goal of our simulation efforts is to adequately predict both the performance and the reliability of the devices during ground handling, launch, and operation to prevent failures late in the development process and during flight. This goal requires detailed modeling and validation of complex electro-thermal-mechanical interactions and very large non-linear deformations, often involving surface contact. Various parameters such as spatial dimensions and device response are often difficult to measure reliably at these small scales. In addition, these devices are fabricated from a wide variety of materials including surface micro-machined aluminum, reactive ion etched (RIE) silicon nitride, and deep reactive ion etched (DRIE) bulk single crystal silicon. The above broad set of conditions combine to be a formidable challenge for space flight qualification analysis. These simulations represent NASA/GSFC's first attempts at implementing a comprehensive strategy to address complex MEMS structures.

Pulsed laser deposition to synthesize the bridge structure of artificial nacre: Comparison of nano- and femtosecond lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melaibari, Ammar A.; Molian, Pal

2012-11-01

Nature offers inspiration to new adaptive technologies that allow us to build amazing shapes and structures such as nacre using synthetic materials. Consequently, we have designed a pulsed laser ablation manufacturing process involving thin film deposition and micro-machining to create hard/soft layered "brick-bridge-mortar" nacre of AlMgB14 (hard phase) with Ti (soft phase). In this paper, we report pulsed laser deposition (PLD) to mimic brick and bridge structures of natural nacre in AlMgB14. Particulate formation inherent in PLD is exploited to develop the bridge structure. Mechanical behavior analysis of the AlMgB14/Ti system revealed that the brick is to be 250 nm thick, 9 μm lateral dimensions while the bridge (particle) is to have a diameter of 500 nm for a performance equivalent to natural nacre. Both nanosecond (ns) and femtosecond (fs) pulsed lasers were employed for PLD in an iterative approach that involves varying pulse energy, pulse repetition rate, and target-to-substrate distance to achieve the desired brick and bridge characteristics. Scanning electron microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and optical profilometer were used to evaluate the film thickness, particle size and density, stoichiometry, and surface roughness of thin films. Results indicated that both ns-pulsed and fs-pulsed lasers produce the desired nacre features. However, each laser may be chosen for different reasons: fs-pulsed laser is preferred for much shorter deposition time, better stoichiometry, uniform-sized particles, and uniform film thickness, while ns-pulsed laser is favored for industrial acceptance, reliability, ease of handling, and low cost.

Next-Generation Microshutter Arrays for Large-Format Imaging and Spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moseley, Samuel; Kutyrev, Alexander; Brown, Ari; Li, Mary

2012-01-01

A next-generation microshutter array, LArge Microshutter Array (LAMA), was developed as a multi-object field selector. LAMA consists of small-scaled microshutter arrays that can be combined to form large-scale microshutter array mosaics. Microshutter actuation is accomplished via electrostatic attraction between the shutter and a counter electrode, and 2D addressing can be accomplished by applying an electrostatic potential between a row of shutters and a column, orthogonal to the row, of counter electrodes. Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology is used to fabricate the microshutter arrays. The main feature of the microshutter device is to use a set of standard surface micromachining processes for device fabrication. Electrostatic actuation is used to eliminate the need for macromechanical magnet actuating components. A simplified electrostatic actuation with no macro components (e.g. moving magnets) required for actuation and latching of the shutters will make the microshutter arrays robust and less prone to mechanical failure. Smaller-size individual arrays will help to increase the yield and thus reduce the cost and improve robustness of the fabrication process. Reducing the size of the individual shutter array to about one square inch and building the large-scale mosaics by tiling these smaller-size arrays would further help to reduce the cost of the device due to the higher yield of smaller devices. The LAMA development is based on prior experience acquired while developing microshutter arrays for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), but it will have different features. The LAMA modular design permits large-format mosaicking to cover a field of view at least 50 times larger than JWST MSA. The LAMA electrostatic, instead of magnetic, actuation enables operation cycles at least 100 times faster and a mass significantly smaller compared to JWST MSA. Also, standard surface micromachining technology will simplify the fabrication process, increasing yield and reducing cost.

Response of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Lifeng

2008-10-01

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) have been developed for airborne ultrasonic applications, acoustic imaging, and chemical and biological detections. Much attention is also paid how to optimize their performance, so that the accurate simulation of the transmitting response of the CMUTs becomes extremely significant. This paper focuses on determining the total input mechanical impedance accountings for damping, and its resistance part is obtained by the calculated natural frequency and equivalent lumped parameters, and the typical 3-dB bandwidth. Thus, the transmitting response can be calculated by using the input mechanical impedance. Moreover, the equivalent electrical circuit can be also established by the determined lumped parameters.

Micromachined microwave signal control device and method for making same

DOEpatents

Forman, Michael A [San Francisco, CA

2008-09-02

A method for fabricating a signal controller, e.g., a filter or a switch, for a coplanar waveguide during the LIGA fabrication process of the waveguide. Both patterns for the waveguide and patterns for the signal controllers are created on a mask. Radiation travels through the mask and reaches a photoresist layer on a substrate. The irradiated portions are removed and channels are formed on the substrate. A metal is filled into the channels to form the conductors of the waveguide and the signal controllers. Micromachined quasi-lumped elements are used alone or together as filters. The switch includes a comb drive, a spring, a metal plunger, and anchors.

Micromachined actuators/sensors for intratubular positioning/steering

DOEpatents

Lee, Abraham P.; Krulevitch, Peter A.; Northrup, M. Allen; Trevino, Jimmy C.

1998-01-01

Micromachined thin film cantilever actuators having means for individually controlling the deflection of the cantilevers, valve members, and rudders for steering same through blood vessels, or positioning same within a blood vessel, for example. Such cantilever actuators include tactile sensor arrays mounted on a catheter or guide wire tip for navigation and tissues identification, shape-memory alloy film based catheter/guide wire steering mechanisms, and rudder-based steering devices that allow the selective actuation of rudders that use the flowing blood itself to help direct the catheter direction through the blood vessel. While particularly adapted for medical applications, these cantilever actuators can be used for steering through piping and tubing systems.

A low-power, high-sensitivity micromachined optical magnetometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mhaskar, R.; Knappe, S.; Kitching, J.

2012-12-01

We demonstrate an optical magnetometer based on a microfabricated 87Rb vapor cell in a micromachined silicon sensor head. The alkali atom density in the vapor cell is increased by heating the cell with light brought to the sensor through an optical fiber, and absorbed by colored filters attached to the cell windows. A second fiber-optically coupled beam optically pumps and interrogates the atoms. The magnetometer operates on 140 mW of heating power and achieves a sensitivity below 20 fT/√Hz throughout most of the frequency band from 15 Hz to 100 Hz. Such a sensor can measure magnetic fields from the human heart and brain.

Optical fiber Fabry-Perot interferometer cavity fabricated by femtosecond laser micromachining and fusion splicing for refractive index sensing.

PubMed

Liao, C R; Hu, T Y; Wang, D N

2012-09-24

We demonstrate a fiber in-line Fabry-Perot interferometer cavity sensor for refractive index measurement. The interferometer cavity is formed by drilling a micro-hole at the cleaved fiber end facet, followed by fusion splicing. A micro-channel is inscribed by femtosecond laser micromachining to vertically cross the cavity to allow liquid to flow in. The refractive index sensitivity obtained is ~994 nm/RIU (refractive index unit). Such a device is simple in configuration, easy for fabrication and reliable in operation due to extremely low temperature cross sensitivity of ~4.8 × 10(-6) RIU/°C.

Focused ion beam direct micromachining of DOEs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan Malek, Chantal; Hartley, Frank T.; Neogi, Jayant

2000-09-01

We discuss here the capability of direct manufacture of various high- resolution diffractive optics, in particular regarding micromachining of DOEs in 3D. Preliminary demonstrations were made in 2-D using an automated FIB system operated at 30 KeV with a Gallium liquid metal ion source and equipped with a gas injection system (GIS). Gratings with a 20 nm line width and zone plates with 32 nm outer ring were milled in a reactive atmosphere (iodine) directly through 3.5 (mu) m and 800 nm of gold respectively. Plans for combining FIB and X-ray lithography to make diffractive optical elements (DOEs) for JPL are also mentioned.

Method for making a micromachined microwave signal control device

DOEpatents

Forman, Michael A [Mountain House, CA

2011-02-15

A method for fabricating a signal controller, e.g., a filter or a switch, for a coplanar waveguide during the LIGA fabrication process of the waveguide. Both patterns for the waveguide and patterns for the signal controllers are created on a mask. Radiation travels through the mask and reaches a photoresist layer on a substrate. The irradiated portions are removed and channels are formed on the substrate. A metal is filled into the channels to form the conductors of the waveguide and the signal controllers. Micromachined quasi-lumped elements are used alone or together as filters. The switch includes a comb drive, a spring, a metal plunger, and anchors.

Micromachined low frequency rocking accelerometer with capacitive pickoff

DOEpatents

Lee, Abraham P.; Simon, Jonathon N.; McConaghy, Charles F.

2001-01-01

A micro electro mechanical sensor that uses capacitive readout electronics. The sensor involves a micromachined low frequency rocking accelerometer with capacitive pickoff fabricated by deep reactive ion etching. The accelerometer includes a central silicon proof mass, is suspended by a thin polysilicon tether, and has a moving electrode (capacitor plate or interdigitated fingers) located at each end the proof mass. During movement (acceleration), the tethered mass moves relative to the surrounding packaging, for example, and this defection is measured capacitively by a plate capacitor or interdigitated finger capacitor, having the cooperating fixed electrode (capacitor plate or interdigitated fingers) positioned on the packaging, for example. The micromachined rocking accelerometer has a low frequency (<500 Hz), high sensitivity (.mu.G), with minimal power usage. The capacitors are connected to a power supply (battery) and to sensor interface electronics, which may include an analog to digital (A/D) converter, logic, RF communication link, antenna, etc. The sensor (accelerometer) may be, for example, packaged along with the interface electronics and a communication system in a 2".times.2".times.2" cube. The proof mass may be asymmetric or symmetric. Additional actuating capacitive plates may be used for feedback control which gives a greater dynamic range.

A bulk micromachined lead zinconate titanate cantilever energy harvester with inter-digital IrO(x) electrodes.

PubMed

Park, Jongcheol; Park, Jae Yeong

2013-10-01

A piezoelectric vibration energy harvester with inter-digital IrO(x) electrode was developed by using silicon bulk micromachining technology. Most PZT cantilever based energy harvesters have utilized platinum electrode material. However, the PZT fatigue characteristics and adhesion/delamination problems caused by the platinum electrode might be serious problem in reliability of energy harvester. To address these problems, the iridium oxide was newly applied. The proposed energy harvester was comprised of bulk micromachined silicon cantilever with 800 x 1000 x 20 microm3, which having a silicon supporting membrane, sol-gel-spin coated Pb(Zr52, Ti48)O3 thin film, and sputtered inter-digitally shaped IrO(x) electrodes, and silicon inertial mass with 1000 x 1000 x 500 microm3 to adjust its resonant frequency. The fabricated energy harvester generated 1 microW of electrical power to 470 komega of load resistance and 1.4 V(peak-to-peak) from a vibration of 0.4 g at 1.475 kHz. The corresponding power density was 6.25 mW x cm(-3) x g(-2). As expected, its electrical failure was significantly improved.

Microdrilling of PCB substrate using DPSS 3rd harmonic laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, J. G.; Chang, Won Seok; Yoon, Kyung Ku; Jeong, Sungho; Shin, Bo Sung; Whang, Kyung Hyun

2003-02-01

Micromachining using the DPSS 3rd Harmonic Laser (355nm) has outstanding advantages as a UV source in comparison with Excimer lasers in various aspects such as maintenance cost, maskless machining, high repetition rate and so on. It also has the greater absorptivity of many materials in contrast to other IR sources. In this paper, the process for micro-drilling of through and blind hope in Cu/PI/Cu substrate with the UV DPSSL and a scanning device is investigated by both experimental and numerical methods. It is known that there is a large gap between the ablation threshold of copper and that of PI. We use the multi path for through hole with high energy density and we use Archimedes spiral path for blind hole with different energy densities to ablate different material. Furthermore, Matlab simulations considering the energy threshold of material is performed to anticipate the ablation shape according to the duplication of pulse, and FEM thermal analysis is used to predict the ablation depth of copper. This study would be widely applicable to various laser micromachining applications including through and blind hole micro-drilling of PCB, and micromachining of semiconductor components, medical parts and printer nozzles amongst others.

Trends in laser micromachining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaebler, Frank; van Nunen, Joris; Held, Andrew

2016-03-01

Laser Micromachining is well established in industry. Depending on the application lasers with pulse length from μseconds to femtoseconds and wavelengths from 1064nm and its harmonics up to 5μm or 10.6μm are used. Ultrafast laser machining using pulses with pico or femtosecond duration pulses is gaining traction, as it offers very precise processing of materials with low thermal impact. Large-scale industrial ultrafast laser applications show that the market can be divided into various sub segments. One set of applications demand low power around 10W, compact footprint and are extremely sensitive to the laser price whilst still demanding 10ps or shorter laser pulses. A second set of applications are very power hungry and only become economically feasible for large scale deployments at power levels in the 100+W class. There is also a growing demand for applications requiring fs-laser pulses. In our presentation we would like to describe these sub segments by using selected applications from the automotive and electronics industry e.g. drilling of gas/diesel injection nozzles, dicing of LED substrates. We close the presentation with an outlook to micromachining applications e.g. glass cutting and foil processing with unique new CO lasers emitting 5μm laser wavelength.

Micromachined Integrated Quantum Circuit Containing a Superconducting Qubit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brecht, T.; Chu, Y.; Axline, C.; Pfaff, W.; Blumoff, J. Z.; Chou, K.; Krayzman, L.; Frunzio, L.; Schoelkopf, R. J.

2017-04-01

We present a device demonstrating a lithographically patterned transmon integrated with a micromachined cavity resonator. Our two-cavity, one-qubit device is a multilayer microwave-integrated quantum circuit (MMIQC), comprising a basic unit capable of performing circuit-QED operations. We describe the qubit-cavity coupling mechanism of a specialized geometry using an electric-field picture and a circuit model, and obtain specific system parameters using simulations. Fabrication of the MMIQC includes lithography, etching, and metallic bonding of silicon wafers. Superconducting wafer bonding is a critical capability that is demonstrated by a micromachined storage-cavity lifetime of 34.3 μ s , corresponding to a quality factor of 2 ×106 at single-photon energies. The transmon coherence times are T1=6.4 μ s , and T2echo=11.7 μ s . We measure qubit-cavity dispersive coupling with a rate χq μ/2 π =-1.17 MHz , constituting a Jaynes-Cummings system with an interaction strength g /2 π =49 MHz . With these parameters we are able to demonstrate circuit-QED operations in the strong dispersive regime with ease. Finally, we highlight several improvements and anticipated extensions of the technology to complex MMIQCs.

3D packaging of a microfluidic system with sensory applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morrissey, Anthony; Kelly, Gerard; Alderman, John C.

1997-09-01

Among the main benefits of microsystem technology are its contributions to cost reductio, reliability and improved performance. however, the packaging of microsystems, and particularly microsensor, has proven to be one of the biggest limitations to their commercialization and the packaging of silicon sensor devices can be the most costly part of their fabrication. This paper describes the integration of 3D packaging of a microsystem. Central to the operation of the 3D demonstrator is a micromachined silicon membrane pump to supply fluids to a sensing chamber constructed about the active area of a sensor chip. This chip carries ISFET based chemical sensors, pressure sensors and thermal sensors. The electronics required for controlling and regulating the activity of the various sensors ar also available on this chip and as other chips in the 3D assembly. The demonstrator also contains a power supply module with optical fiber interconnections. All of these modules are integrated into a single plastic- encapsulated 3D vertical multichip module. The reliability of such a structure, initially proposed by Val was demonstrated by Barrett et al. An additional module available for inclusion in some of our assemblies is a test chip capable of measuring the packaging-induced stress experienced during and after assembly. The packaging process described produces a module with very high density and utilizes standard off-the-shelf components to minimize costs. As the sensor chip and micropump include micromachined silicon membranes and microvalves, the packaging of such structures has to allow consideration for the minimization of the packaging-induced stresses. With this in mind, low stress techniques, including the use of soft glob-top materials, were employed.

A Novel Silicon Micromachined Integrated MCM Thermal Management System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kazmierczak, M. J.; Henderson, H. T.; Gerner, F. M.

1997-01-01

"Micromachining" is a chemical means of etching three-dimensional structures, typically in single- crystalline silicon. These techniques are leading toward what is coming to be referred to as MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems), where in addition to the ordinary two-dimensional (planar) microelectronics, it is possible to build three-dimensional n-ticromotors, electrically- actuated raicrovalves, hydraulic systems and much more on the same microchip. These techniques become possible because of differential etching rates of various crystallographic planes and materials used for semiconductor n-ticrofabfication. The University of Cincinnati group in collaboration with Karl Baker at NASA Lewis were the first to form micro heat pipes in silicon by the above techniques. Current work now in progress using MEMS technology is now directed towards the development of the next generation in MCM (Multi Chip Module) packaging. Here we propose to develop a complete electronic thermal management system which will allow densifica6on in chip stacking by perhaps two orders of magnitude. Furthermore the proposed technique will allow ordinary conu-nercial integrated chips to be utilized. Basically, the new technique involves etching square holes into a silicon substrate and then inserting and bonding commercially available integrated chips into these holes. For example, over a 100 1/4 in. by 1 /4 in. integrated chips can be placed on a 4 in. by 4 in. silicon substrate to form a Multi-Chip Module (MCM). Placing these MCM's in-line within an integrated rack then allows for three-diniensional stacking. Increased miniaturization of microelectronic circuits will lead to very high local heat fluxes. A high performance thermal management system will be specifically designed to remove the generated energy. More specifically, a compact heat exchanger with milli / microchannels will be developed and tested to remove the heat through the back side of this MCM assembly for moderate and high heat flux applications, respectively. The high heat load application of particular interest in mind is the motor controller developed by Martin Marietta for Nasa to control the thruster's directional actuators on space vechicles. Work is also proposed to develop highly advanced and improved porous wick structures for use in advanced heat loops. The porous wick will be micromachined from silicon using MEMS technology, thus permitting far superior control of pore size and pore distribution (over wicks made from sintered n-ietals), which in turn is expected to led to significantly improved heat loop performance.

Generation of programmable temporal pulse shape and applications in micromachining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, X.; Jordens, B.; Hooper, A.; Baird, B. W.; Ren, W.; Xu, L.; Sun, L.

2009-02-01

In this paper we presented a pulse shaping technique on regular solid-state lasers and the application in semiconductor micromachining. With a conventional Q-switched laser, all of the parameters can be adjusted over only limited ranges, especially the pulse width and pulse shape. However, some laser link processes using traditional laser pulses with pulse widths of a few nanoseconds to a few tens of nanoseconds tend to over-crater in thicker overlying passivation layers and thereby cause IC reliability problems. Use of a laser pulse with a special shape and a fast leading edge, such as tailored pulse, is one technique for controlling link processing. The pulse shaping technique is based on light-loop controlled optical modulation to shape conventional Q-switched solid-state lasers. One advantage of the pulse shaping technique is to provide a tailored pulse shape that can be programmed to have more than one amplitude value. Moreover, it has the capability of providing programmable tailored pulse shapes with discrete amplitude and time duration components. In addition, it provides fast rising and fall time of each pulse at fairly high repetition rate at 355nm with good beam quality. The regular-to-shaped efficiency is up to 50%. We conclude with a discussion of current results for laser processing of semiconductor memory link structures using programmable temporal pulse shapes. The processing experiments showed promising results with shaped pulse.

Ultra-fast laser microprocessing of medical polymers for cell engineering applications.

PubMed

Ortiz, R; Moreno-Flores, S; Quintana, I; Vivanco, MdM; Sarasua, J R; Toca-Herrera, J L

2014-04-01

Picosecond laser micromachining technology (PLM) has been employed as a tool for the fabrication of 3D structured substrates. These substrates have been used as supports in the in vitro study of the effect of substrate topography on cell behavior. Different micropatterns were PLM-generated on polystyrene (PS) and poly-L-lactide (PLLA) and employed to study cellular proliferation and morphology of breast cancer cells. The laser-induced microstructures included parallel lines of comparable width to that of a single cell (which in this case is roughly 20μm), and the fabrication of square-like compartments of a much larger area than a single cell (250,000μm(2)). The results obtained from this in vitro study showed that though the laser treatment altered substrate roughness, it did not noticeably affect the adhesion and proliferation of the breast cancer cells. However, pattern direction directly affected cell proliferation, leading to a guided growth of cell clusters along the pattern direction. When cultured in square-like compartments, cells remained confined inside these for eleven incubation days. According to these results, laser micromachining with ultra-short laser pulses is a suitable method to directly modify the cell microenvironment in order to induce a predefined cellular behavior and to study the effect of the physical microenvironment on cell proliferation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Extracting ballistic forensic intelligence: microstamped firearms deliver data for illegal firearm traffic mapping: technology, implementation, and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohar, Orest P.; Lizotte, Todd E.

2009-08-01

Over the years law enforcement has become increasingly complex, driving a need for a better level of organization of knowledge within policing. The use of COMPSTAT or other Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) for crime mapping and analysis has provided opportunities for careful analysis of crime trends. By identifying hotspots within communities, data collected and entered into these systems can be analyzed to determine how, when and where law enforcement assets can be deployed efficiently. This paper will introduce in detail, a powerful new law enforcement and forensic investigative technology called Intentional Firearm Microstamping (IFM). Once embedded and deployed into firearms, IFM will provide data for identifying and tracking the sources of illegally trafficked firearms within the borders of the United States and across the border with Mexico. Intentional Firearm Microstamping is a micro code technology that leverages a laser based micromachining process to form optimally located, microscopic "intentional structures and marks" on components within a firearm. Thus when the firearm is fired, these IFM structures transfer an identifying tracking code onto the expended cartridge that is ejected from the firearm. Intentional Firearm Microstamped structures are laser micromachined alpha numeric and encoded geometric tracking numbers, linked to the serial number of the firearm. IFM codes can be extracted quickly and used without the need to recover the firearm. Furthermore, through the process of extraction, IFM codes can be quantitatively verified to a higher level of certainty as compared to traditional forensic matching techniques. IFM provides critical intelligence capable of identifying straw purchasers, trafficking routes and networks across state borders and can be used on firearms illegally exported across international borders. This paper will outline IFM applications for supporting intelligence led policing initiatives, IFM implementation strategies, describe the how IFM overcomes the firearms stochastic properties and explain the code extraction technologies that can be used by forensic investigators and discuss the applications where the extracted data will benefit geospatial information systems for forensic intelligence benefit.

Weak-guidance-theory review of dispersion and birefringence management by laser inscription

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheltikov, A. M.; Reid, D. T.

2008-01-01

A brief review of laser inscription of micro- and nanophotonic structures in transparent materials is provided in terms of a compact and convenient formalism based on the theory of weak optical waveguides. We derive physically instructive approximate expressions allowing propagation constants of laser-inscribed micro- and nanowaveguides to be calculated as functions of the transverse waveguide size, refractive index step, and dielectric properties of the host material. Based on this analysis, we demonstrate that dispersion engineering capabilities of laser micromachining techniques are limited by the smallness of the refractive index step typical of laser-inscribed structures. However, a laser inscription of waveguides in pre-formed micro- and nanostructures suggests a variety of interesting options for a fine dispersion and birefringence tuning of small-size waveguides and photonic wires.

[INVITED] Sensing properties of micro-cavity in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer enhanced by reactive ion etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janik, Monika; Koba, Marcin; Celebańska, Anna; Bock, Wojtek J.; Śmietana, Mateusz

2018-07-01

In this work, we discuss an application of reactive ion etching (RIE) for enhancing the sensing properties of a micro-cavity in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer (μIMZI). The μIMZI was fabricated using femtosecond laser micromachining in a standard single-mode fiber as a circular hole with a diameter of 54 μm. Next, the structures underwent two kinds of RIE using as reactive gases: sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and oxygen (O2) mixtures (SF6/O2) or O2 itself. When RIE with SF6/O2 was applied, it allowed for an efficient and well-controlled etching of the fabricated structure at nanometers level observed as an increase in spectral depths of the minima in the μIMZI transmission spectrum. A similar RIE process with O2 alone was ineffective. The well-defined minima obtained with the SF6/O2 RIE significantly improved the resolution of measurements made with the μIMZI. The effect was demonstrated for high-resolution refractive index (RI) measurements of liquids in the cavity. The result of the RIE process was to clean the micro-cavity bottom, increase its depth, and smooth its sidewalls. As an additional effect, the wettability of the micro-cavity surface was improved, making the RI measurements faster and more repeatable. Moreover, we demonstrated that RIE with SF6/O2 results in more stable wettability improvement than when O2 is applied as a reactive gas.

Laser assisted processing; Proceedings of the Meeting, Hamburg, Federal Republic of Germany, Sept. 19, 20, 1988

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laude, Lucien D.; Rauscher, Gerhard

The use of lasers in industrial material processing is discussed in reviews and reports. Sections are devoted to high-precision laser machining, deposition methods, ablation and polymers, and synthesis and oxidation. Particular attention is given to laser cutting of steel sheets, laser micromachining of material surfaces, process control in laser soldering, laser-induced CVD of doped Si stripes on SOS and their characterization by piezoresistivity measurements, laser CVD of Pt spots on glass, laser deposition of GaAs, UV-laser photoablation of polymers, ArF excimer-laser ablation of HgCdTe semiconductor, pulsed laser synthesis of Ti silicides and nitrides, the kinetics of laser-assisted oxidation of metallic films, and excimer-laser-assisted etching of solids for microelectronics.

A method to measure cellular adhesion utilizing a polymer micro-cantilever

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaitas, Angelo; Malhotra, Ricky; Pienta, Kenneth

2013-09-01

In the present study we engineered a micro-machined polyimide cantilever with an embedded sensing element to investigate cellular adhesion, in terms of its relative ability to stick to a cross-linker, 3,3'-dithiobis[sulfosuccinimidylpropionate], coated on the cantilever surface. To achieve this objective, we investigated adhesive properties of three human prostate cancer cell lines, namely, a bone metastasis derived human prostate cancer cell line (PC3), a brain metastasis derived human prostate cancer cell line (DU145), and a subclone of PC3 (PC3-EMT14). We found that PC3-EMT14, which displays a mesenchymal phenotype, has the least adhesion compared to PC3 and DU145, which exhibit an epithelial phenotype.

Piston-Driven Fluid Ejectors In Silicon Mems

DOEpatents

Galambos, Paul C.; Benavides, Gilbert L.; Jokiel, Jr., Bernhard; Jakubczak II, Jerome F.

2005-05-03

A surface-micromachined fluid-ejection apparatus is disclosed which utilizes a piston to provide for the ejection of jets or drops of a fluid (e.g. for ink-jet printing). The piston, which is located at least partially inside a fluid reservoir, is moveable into a cylindrical fluid-ejection chamber connected to the reservoir by a microelectromechanical (MEM) actuator which is located outside the reservoir. In this way, the reservoir and fluid-ejection chamber can be maintained as electric-field-free regions thereby allowing the apparatus to be used with fluids that are electrically conductive or which may react or break down in the presence of a high electric field. The MEM actuator can comprise either an electrostatic actuator or a thermal actuator.

Director's Discretionary Fund Report for Fiscal Year 1996

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Topics covered include: Waterproofing the Space Shuttle tiles, thermal protection system for Reusable Launch Vehicles, computer modeling of the thermal conductivity of cometary ice, effects of ozone depletion and ultraviolet radiation on plants, a novel telemetric biosensor to monitor blood pH on-line, ion mobility in polymer electrolytes for lithium-polymer batteries, a microwave-pumped far infrared photoconductor, and a new method for measuring cloud liquid vapor using near infrared remote sensing. Also included: laser-spectroscopic instrument for turbulence measurement, remote sensing of aircraft contrails using a field portable imaging interferometer, development of a silicon-micromachined gas chromatography system for determination of planetary surface composition, planar Doppler velocimetry, chaos in interstellar chemistry, and a limited pressure cycle engine for high-speed output.

Experimental and theoretical analysis of defocused CO2 laser microchanneling on PMMA for enhanced surface finish

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prakash, Shashi; Kumar, Subrata

2017-02-01

The poor surface finish of CO2 laser-micromachined microchannel walls is a major limitation of its utilization despite several key advantages, like low fabrication cost and low time consumption. Defocused CO2 laser beam machining is an effective solution for fabricating smooth microchannel walls on polymer and glass substrates. In this research work, the CO2 laser microchanneling process on PMMA has been analyzed at different beam defocus positions. Defocused processing has been investigated both theoretically and experimentally, and the depth of focus and beam diameter have been determined experimentally. The effect of beam defocusing on the microchannel width, depth, surface roughness, heat affected zone and microchannel profile were examined. A previously developed analytical model for microchannel depth prediction has been improved by incorporating the threshold energy density factor. A semi-analytical model for predicting the microchannel width at different defocus positions has been developed. A semi-empirical model has also been developed for predicting microchannel widths at different defocusing conditions for lower depth values. The developed models were compared and verified by performing actual experiments. Multi-objective optimization was performed to select the best optimum set of input parameters for achieving the desired surface roughness.

Micro Dot Patterning on the Light Guide Panel Using Powder Blasting

PubMed Central

Jang, Ho Su; Cho, Myeong Woo; Park, Dong Sam

2008-01-01

This study is to develop a micromachining technology for a light guide panel(LGP) mold, whereby micro dot patterns are formed on a LGP surface by a single injection process instead of existing screen printing processes. The micro powder blasting technique is applied to form micro dot patterns on the LGP mold surface. The optimal conditions for masking, laminating, exposure, and developing processes to form the micro dot patterns are first experimentally investigated. A LGP mold with masked micro patterns is then machined using the micro powder blasting method and the machinability of the micro dot patterns is verified. A prototype LGP is test- injected using the developed LGP mold and a shape analysis of the patterns and performance testing of the injected LGP are carried out. As an additional approach, matte finishing, a special surface treatment method, is applied to the mold surface to improve the light diffusion characteristics, uniformity and brightness of the LGP. The results of this study show that the applied powder blasting method can be successfully used to manufacture LGPs with micro patterns by just single injection using the developed mold and thereby replace existing screen printing methods. PMID:27879740

The behavior of vapor bubbles during boiling enhanced with acoustics and open microchannels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boziuk, Thomas; Smith, Marc K.; Glezer, Ari

2012-11-01

Boiling heat transfer on a submerged heated surface is enhanced by combining a grid of surface micromachined open channels and ultrasonic acoustic actuation to control the formation and evolution of vapor bubbles and to inhibit the instability that leads to film boiling at the critical heat flux (CHF). The microchannels provide nucleation sites for vapor bubble formation and enable the entrainment of bulk subcooled fluid to these sites for sustained evaporation. Acoustic actuation excites interfacial oscillations of the detached bubbles and leads to accelerated condensation in the bulk fluid, thereby limiting the formation of vapor columns that precede the CHF instability. The combined effects of microchannels and acoustic actuation are investigated experimentally with emphasis on bubble nucleation, growth, detachment, and condensation. It is shown that this hybrid approach leads to a significant increase in the critical heat flux, a reduction of the vapor mass above the surface, and the breakup of low-frequency vapor slug formation. A large-scale model of the microchannel grid reveals details of the flow near the nucleation site and shows that the presence of the microchannels decreases the surface superheat at a given heat flux. Supported by ONR.

Predictive modeling, simulation, and optimization of laser processing techniques: UV nanosecond-pulsed laser micromachining of polymers and selective laser melting of powder metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Criales Escobar, Luis Ernesto

One of the most frequently evolving areas of research is the utilization of lasers for micro-manufacturing and additive manufacturing purposes. The use of laser beam as a tool for manufacturing arises from the need for flexible and rapid manufacturing at a low-to-mid cost. Laser micro-machining provides an advantage over mechanical micro-machining due to the faster production times of large batch sizes and the high costs associated with specific tools. Laser based additive manufacturing enables processing of powder metals for direct and rapid fabrication of products. Therefore, laser processing can be viewed as a fast, flexible, and cost-effective approach compared to traditional manufacturing processes. Two types of laser processing techniques are studied: laser ablation of polymers for micro-channel fabrication and selective laser melting of metal powders. Initially, a feasibility study for laser-based micro-channel fabrication of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) via experimentation is presented. In particular, the effectiveness of utilizing a nanosecond-pulsed laser as the energy source for laser ablation is studied. The results are analyzed statistically and a relationship between process parameters and micro-channel dimensions is established. Additionally, a process model is introduced for predicting channel depth. Model outputs are compared and analyzed to experimental results. The second part of this research focuses on a physics-based FEM approach for predicting the temperature profile and melt pool geometry in selective laser melting (SLM) of metal powders. Temperature profiles are calculated for a moving laser heat source to understand the temperature rise due to heating during SLM. Based on the predicted temperature distributions, melt pool geometry, i.e. the locations at which melting of the powder material occurs, is determined. Simulation results are compared against data obtained from experimental Inconel 625 test coupons fabricated at the National Institute for Standards & Technology via response surface methodology techniques. The main goal of this research is to develop a comprehensive predictive model with which the effect of powder material properties and laser process parameters on the built quality and integrity of SLM-produced parts can be better understood. By optimizing process parameters, SLM as an additive manufacturing technique is not only possible, but also practical and reproducible.

Development of microchannel plate x-ray optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaaret, Philip; Chen, Andrew

1994-01-01

The goal of this research program was to develop a novel technique for focusing x-rays based on the optical system of a lobster's eye. A lobster eye employs many closely packed reflecting surfaces arranged within a spherical or cylindrical shell. These optics have two unique properties: they have unlimited fields of view and can be manufactured via replication of identical structures. Because the angular resolution is given by the ratio of the size of the individual optical elements to the focal length, optical elements with sizes on the order of one hundred microns are required to achieve good angular resolution with a compact telescope. We employed anisotropic etching of single crystal silicon wafers for the fabrication of micron-scale optical elements. This technique, commonly referred to as silicon micromachining, is based on silicon fabrication techniques developed by the microelectronics industry. An anisotropic etchant is a chemical which etches certain silicon crystal planes much more rapidly than others. Using wafers in which the slowly etched crystal planes are aligned perpendicularly to the wafer surface, it is possible to etch a pattern completely through a wafer with very little distortion. Our optics consist of rectangular pores etched completely through group of zone axes (110) oriented silicon wafers. The larger surfaces of the pores (the mirror elements) were aligned with the group of zone axes (111) planes of the crystal perpendicular to the wafer surface. We have succeeded in producing silicon lenses with a geometry suitable for 1-d focusing x-ray optics. These lenses have an aspect ratio (40:1) suitable for x-ray reflection and have very good optical surface alignment. We have developed a number of process refinements which improved the quality of the lens geometry and the repeatability of the etch process. A significant progress was made in obtaining good optical surface quality. The RMS roughness was decreased from 110 A for our initial lenses to 30 A in the final lenses. A further factor of three improvement in surface quality is required for the production of efficient x-ray optics. In addition to the silicon fabrication, an x-ray beam line was constructed at Columbia for testing the optics.

Superhydrophobic Surface Coatings for Microfluidics and MEMs.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Branson, Eric D.; Singh, Seema; Houston, Jack E.

2006-11-01

Low solid interfacial energy and fractally rough surface topography confer to Lotus plants superhydrophobic (SH) properties like high contact angles, rolling and bouncing of liquid droplets, and self-cleaning of particle contaminants. This project exploits the porous fractal structure of a novel, synthetic SH surface for aerosol collection, its self-cleaning properties for particle concentration, and its slippery nature 3 to enhance the performance of fluidic and MEMS devices. We propose to understand fundamentally the conditions needed to cause liquid droplets to roll rather than flow/slide on a surface and how this %22rolling transition%22 influences the boundary condition describing fluid flow inmore » a pipe or micro-channel. Rolling of droplets is important for aerosol collection strategies because it allows trapped particles to be concentrated and transported in liquid droplets with no need for a pre-defined/micromachined fluidic architecture. The fluid/solid boundary condition is important because it governs flow resistance and rheology and establishes the fluid velocity profile. Although many research groups are exploring SH surfaces, our team is the first to unambiguously determine their effects on fluid flow and rheology. SH surfaces could impact all future SNL designs of collectors, fluidic devices, MEMS, and NEMS. Interfaced with inertial focusing aerosol collectors, SH surfaces would allow size-specific particle populations to be collected, concentrated, and transported to a fluidic interface without loss. In microfluidic systems, we expect to reduce the energy/power required to pump fluids and actuate MEMS. Plug-like (rather than parabolic) velocity profiles can greatly improve resolution of chip-based separations and enable unprecedented control of concentration profiles and residence times in fluidic-based micro-reactors. Patterned SH/hydrophilic channels could induce mixing in microchannels and enable development of microflow control elements. Acknowledgements This work was funded by Sandia National Laboratory's Laboratory Directed Research & Development program (LDRD). Some coating processes were conducted in the cleanroom facility located at the University of New Mexico's Center for High Technology Materials (CHTM). SEM images were performed at UNM's Center for Micro-Engineering on equipment funded by a NSF New Mexico EPSCoR grant. 4« less