Microelectromechanical Systems and Microsensors (Review Paper)

Abstract

A highly promising technology that is set to revolutionise nearly every product categoryis microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). MEMS specifically are the integration of mechanicalelements, sensors, actuators, and electronics on a common silicon substrate through the utilizationof microfabrication technology. Silicon and quartz are now household names to consumers ofelectronic products, computers and automated appliances. Silicon is the material of microchipsor very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits. Quartz, a piezoelectric crystal made of silicon andoxygen atoms, provides stable clock pulses to the chips. These materials are also being usedto fabricate micromachines and microelectromechanical structures and systems for a wide varietyof applications for sensing and actuation. Extensive research and development work has beengoing on in the Microelectronics Laboratory, Advanced Technology Centre of IIT Kharagpuron both microelectronics and MEMS technology since last five years. Some of the MEMS-basedmicrosensors develoed are silicon MEMS accelerometers, flow sensors, thermal detectors,pressure sensors, micro-thrusters and quartz MEMS gyro and accelerometers. An overview ofmicromaching and MEMS technologies developed at IIT Kharagpur along with the developmentof various silicon and quartz-based microsensors are described in this paper.