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2014•Journal of Microelectromechanical SystemsOpen access

Analysis of Mode-Split Operation in MEMS Based on Piezoresistive Nanogauges

Giacomo Langfelder, Stefano Dellea, A. Berthelot, Patrice Rey, Alessandro Tocchio, Antonio Francesco Longoni

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Abstract

Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensors based on nanoscale piezoresistive sensing elements (nanogauges) can have mechanical modes either related only to micrometric springs or related also to nanogauge constraints. Due to the different impact that fabrication process imperfections have on these two kinds of modes, their correlation can be poorer from part to part than in sensors based on capacitive readout. In this context, this paper compares the correlation between two modes in MEMS with and without nanogauges. Experiments show a ± 30% relative variation in the modes difference over 26 samples of the former type, which is more than 3.5 times more than what observed on similar structures with no nanogauges. A theoretical model identifies the sources of this fluctuation (local etching and height nonuniformities), and predicts the behavior and improvements using different springs design.

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What this paper is about

Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensors based on nanoscale piezoresistive sensing elements (nanogauges) can have mechanical modes either related only to micrometric springs or related also to nanogauge constraints. Due to the different impact that fabrication process imperfections have on these two kinds of modes, their correlation can be poorer from part to part than in sensors based on capacitive readout. In this context, this paper compares the correlation between two modes in MEMS with and without nanogauges. Experiments show a ± 30% relative variation in the modes difference over 26 samples of the former type, which is more than 3.5 times more than what observed on similar structures with no nanogauges. A theoretical model identifies the sources of this fluctuation (local etching and height nonuniformities), and predicts the behavior and improvements using different springs design.

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Available abstract

Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensors based on nanoscale piezoresistive sensing elements (nanogauges) can have mechanical modes either related only to micrometric springs or related also to nanogauge constraints. Due to the different impact that fabrication process imperfections have on these two kinds of modes, their correlation can be poorer from part to part than in sensors based on capacitive readout. In this context, this paper compares the correlation between two modes in MEMS with and without nanogauges. Experiments show a ± 30% relative variation in the modes difference over 26 samples of the former type, which is more than 3.5 times more than what observed on similar structures with no nanogauges. A theoretical model identifies the sources of this fluctuation (local etching and height nonuniformities), and predicts the behavior and improvements using different springs design.

Key concepts: Piezoresistive effect, Microelectromechanical systems, Capacitive sensing, Context (archaeology), Fabrication, Etching (microfabrication), Materials science, Mode (computer interface)

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