Rolling at Last?
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Micromachinery rolling at last? by George Marsh Suggestions that we are on the verge of a second Market projections are increasingly bullish. For industrial revolution, based on microsystems example, a survey by Europe’s Network of Excellence technology (MST), are apt to leave many of us in Multifunctional Microsystems (NEXUS) suggests a unmoved. After all, the prospect of tiny machines, world market of $68 billion by 2005, more than double the level of two years ago (Fig. 1). NEXUS had less than a hairsbreadth in dimension, that can go to to revise earlier projections because of runaway work in optical systems, conventional and RF successes like that of the optical mouse (Agilent electronics, a wide range of sensors, robotics, or even Technologies recently shipped its 50 millionth), an our own bodies, has been dangled before us for anticipated breakthrough later in the period for decades. Yet there are signs that microoptoelectromechanical systems (MOEMS), microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) might, at enhanced prospects for RF switching systems, and the last, be about to take off. Could it be that these possible emergence of a market in domestic barely perceptible (to the human eye) syntheses of appliances. Analyst Venture Development Corporation goes further, concluding that the market microelectronics with micromechanics are finally will grow ‘exponentially’ for the next ten years. The poised to make a big commercial impact? first device to exceed $1 billion in sales is expected to be MEMS-based photonic switches, within about two years. Current breadwinning applications – desktop ink-jet printers, biomedical pressure sensors/systems, and automotive devices – continue to thrive. Governments are putting more money into MEMS research and some, like USA and Japan, are making it a national priority. In the US for example, a recent two-year award of $4.35 million to the University of Colorado for research into MEMS and MEMS packaging hints at the scale of federal spending, while Case Western Reserve University – Image above shows a field emission scanning electron in partnership with the Defense Advanced Research Projects micrograph of duplicated MEMS rotors (Courtesy of Dale Batchelor and Phil Russell, Analytical Agency (DARPA), the NASA Glenn Research Center, and the Instrumentation Facility, North Carolina State University.) State of Ohio – is halfway through the $21 million five-year 44 July/August 2002 ISSN:1369 7021 © Elsevier Science Ltd 2002 APPLICATIONS FEATURE Fig. 1 This NEXUS graph shows that total world market for microsystems is expected to grow from $30 billion in the year 2000 to $68 billion by the year 2005. Glennan Microsystems Initiative. DARPA, sensing practical wafers and chips in batch volumes and at accessible cost. But military utility, has increased funding for MEMS development some industry insiders believe that reliance on CMOS may across the board, to the benefit of national laboratories such have been overdone. as Sandia as well as various universities, and NASA is It is worth a thought that, although it is many years since pursuing space and aeronautics-related developments. means were found to free three-dimensional elements from a Japan has sought to accelerate development through its Si substrate by selectively etching material away from below MITI NEDO ‘Micromachine Technology’ and subsequent and around the desired parts (some examples of typical initiatives. Europe is active at both the national level and MEMS structures are shown in Figs. 2 and 3), it is only in the within European Union (EU) programs such as BRITE-EURAM, last decade that systems produced in this way have achieved ESPRIT, and Europractice. India is among several other real market penetration. Since Analog Devices produced an countries actively developing systems. Much recent funding is integrated, single-chip accelerometer in 1991, this class of focused, above all, on efforts to dissolve finally the barriers sensor has become widely used as a trigger for airbag that stand between what can be achieved at laboratory scale deployment in automobiles. Micro-accelerometers, used in and widespread commercial exploitation. weapons and other systems, as well as a growing range of vehicle applications (for example, inertial brake lights, From CMOS to hybrid? headlight levelling, security devices, and active suspension), Inhibiting issues tend to be those surrounding manufacture, are now a clear success story for MEMS. But history in this in particular economic volume production, compatibility with field is also littered with exciting laboratory demonstrations silicon (Si)-based complementary metal oxide semiconductor that have never scaled up to volume production, much less (CMOS) microelectronics, and device packaging. The MEMS succeeded commercially. community has long sought to leverage efficient processes John Foster, CEO of California-based Innovative Micro developed within microelectronics for producing Si-CMOS Technology (IMT), believes he knows why. “There has been an July/August 2002 45 APPLICATIONS FEATURE Other issues include the three-dimensional nature of micromachinery, which is at odds with planar, two- dimensional integrated electronics (sometimes two or more wafers have to be bonded together to overcome this), the escalating price of electronics-grade Si, and packaging. Packaging three-dimensional topographies in a manner that leaves mobile elements free to move and does not insulate devices from the environment they are supposed to interact with can result in package costs of 20-90% of the total device cost. Final package sizes that dwarf the micron scale of sensor or actuator elements have been another stumbling block. Foster and Heaton believe that MEMS would be better served if it were more widely accepted that device requirements often eclipse the capabilities of CMOS. Not that the two are averse to Si per se; on the contrary, IMT Fig. 2 Field emission scanning electron micrograph of various types of MEMS gears. fabricates directly onto Si devices, such as biomedical (Courtesy of Dale Batchelor and Phil Russell, Analytical Instrumentation Facility, North Carolina State University.) implants, mirrors, and RF MEMS switches, which exhibit no discernible wear and deliver service lifetimes of one billion effort to use CMOS-based technologies to make machines cycles or more. They point out that many structures – simple and there are areas, like accelerometers for airbags, where mirrors, for instance, and optical devices with CMOS is appropriate and efficient. On the other hand,” he electrostatically-operated moving actuators – can be says, “there is no a priori reason why small machines should fabricated straight onto Si with advantage because of the be built that way. It’s like trying to manufacture a car in a material’s virtually infinite mechanical durability below toaster factory. Although they are both made of steel, you’re certain stress levels. much better off making the car in a car factory. Like the steel “Today, we make machines that do important jobs, for in cars, Si in MEMS is not the issue – it’s what you add to it example switching light, that simply don’t wear out,” says that matters.” For a start, Foster explains, MEMS can require a large number of different materials that would not normally be allowed anywhere near a CMOS fab where all potential impurities, except desired dopants, are rigidly excluded. “We are using a range of metals including titanium, tungsten, molybdenum, ruthenium, chromium, gold, and copper for contacts, valving, actuator strips, and other micro elements,” he says. “It’s a culture shock for manufacturing managers to have the multiple machines needed for depositing all these metals and their alloys invade their fabs. But that’s only part of it. After the metals, there are at least as many dielectric materials to reckon with.” Monte Heaton, marketing vice president at IMT adds, “We are dealing with significant portions of the periodic table here. We need ways of etching, depositing, and structuring all these materials, in some cases down to a few atomic layers at a time, onto substrates that Fig. 3 Field emission scanning electron micrograph of a MEMS motor sectioned by a Focused Ion Beam. (Courtesy of Dale Batchelor and Phil Russell, Analytical may or may not be Si.” Instrumentation Facility, North Carolina State University.) 46 July/August 2002 APPLICATIONS FEATURE Fig. 4 Eight microdevices, complete with microfluidic channels and drive motors, fit on a module resting on a soda straw end. (Courtesy of Sandia National Laboratories.) Foster. “CMOS technology does not readily accommodate, for into a second phase of its evolution. CCMicro-II, coordinated example, iron alloys and other magnetic materials needed for by the UK’s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) and electromagnetic actuators,” Heaton adds. “And the complex involving partners SINTEF Electronics and Cybernetics in alloys that make the most reliable and durable switch Norway and the Fraunhofer Institute of Silicon Technology contacts, valves, mirrors, and other devices are generally not (ISIT) in Germany, will support development of alternative at home with CMOS.” MEMS approaches based on low-cost materials like glass, ‘Force fitting’ micromachinery elements to CMOS is likely, plastics, metals, and ceramics. Having already built up a many claim, to compromise performance and reliability. It presence in Si-based systems, the network fully expects to may be preferable to accept that divergence between the balance