Microsystems Technology and Science Lab (MSTS Lab)

Research Overview

Microsystems technology is a promising enabling technology for wireless communications, optical signal processing, and biomedical science. The technology is based on micro/nanometer-scale mechanical, electrical, optical, chemical, and biological phenomena. The development of novel microdevices requires a thorough understanding of these phenomena. Our major research activities are categorized into three major areas: (1) micro/nano-scale electrothermal transport; (2) device design & material processing; and (3) biomoleclar nanotechnology for the next generation of microsystems technology (See Fig. 1). Our research is highly interdisciplinary and warrants active interactions with electrical engineers, materials scientists, and biophysicists. Our desire is to carry out cutting-edge research supporting emerging microsystems technology and nanotechnology.

Objectives

Our mission is to develop new technologies for future MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) and NanoElectroMechanical Systems (NEMS). This mission is supported by solid knowledge on micro/nanoscale physical phenomena, device design rules, and materials processing as shown in Fig. 2. To accomplish our mission, we aim at performing the following tasks.

· Investigate micro/nanometer-scale mechanical and electrical phenomena highly affecting MEMS and nanoelectronics device performance, such as mass & heat transfer, electrostatic actuation & charging, and protein-microstructure interaction.

· Provide scientific knowledge needed to design reliable microdevices for actuation and sensing applications.

· Develop new micro/nano fabrication processes to improve the functionality and performance of microdevices for actuation and sensing applications.

Facilities

Our group has access to three major on-campus research facilities: (1) University of Michigan Solid State Electronics Lab (SSEL); (2) University of Michigan Electron Microbeam Analysis Lab (EMAL); and (3) Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Lab.

SSEL Facility

All silicon micromachining to fabricate our devices is performed at the Solid State Electronics Lab (SSEL) located in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at University of Michigan. The SSEL is internationally recognized as a leader in microelectronics research and optoelectronics, with major research thrusts in integrated sensors, automated semiconductor manufacturing, compound semiconductor materials, and ultra-high-speed microwave and millimeter-wave devices. The SSEL facility contains a 6000 square foot clean room for microelectronics processing, a 10,000 square foot teaching lab for training undergraduate and graduate students specializing in these areas, and a testing room for characterizing the performance of fabricated devices. Within the SSEL, complete facilities exist for solid-state device and circuit fabrication. These facilities include equipment for mask making, photolithography, oxidation and diffusion, dry pattern transfer (plasma, RIE), ion-beam deposition and milling, vacuum evaporation and sputtering, chemical vapor deposition, and molecular-beam epitaxy. The electrical performance of the testing device will be characterized in the device testing room, which contains facilities for the characterization of III-V semiconducting materials, high-performance silicon-gate NMOS circuits, submicron-gate HEMT, and MESFET structures. Instrumentation exists in the Laboratory for device characterization up to 350 GHz.

EMAL Facility

The in-situ and ex-situ microstructural characterization of our devices and materials is performed at the University of Michigan Electron Microbeam Analysis Laboratory (EMAL) located in the west basement of the Space Research Building. The EMAL is a university-wide user facility for the microstructural and microchemical characterization of solid materials. The laboratory provides and maintains state-of-the-art equipment for use by the university research community. The equipment available at the EMAL includes Atomic Force/Scanning Probe Microscopy, X-ray Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (XEDS), Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS), Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED), Convergent Beam Electron Diffraction (CBED), Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Of particular importance for our polymer-related projects are the Polymers Characterization and Processing Facilities at EMAL. Theses facilities include three Tian-Calvert microcalorimeters, two Perkin-Elmer DSC-7 differential scanning calorimeters, and a General Radio dielectric spectrometer, which can be used for measuring the specific heat of the polymers of our interest.

MEMS Testing Lab Facility

In addition to the SSEL, the Microelectromechanical Systems Testing Laboratory (MEMS Lab) in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan is available full-time for device characterization. The MEMS Lab is a research laboratory containing a 600 square foot space and solely dedicated to Professor Kurabayashi’s research activities in the Mechanical Engineering Department that address electromechanical and electrothermal phenomena occurring at micro- and nano-meter scales. The equipment available at the MSTS Lab includes a microprobe station with a 100 mm working distance, a vibration control system, a thermal oven, workbenches, a large-band-width digital signal analyzer, high-voltage power supply, and laser optics.

Collaborators

Our research highly benefits from active interactions with the following people. We acknowledge their technical expertise and contributions provided for our research projects.

Research Area A: Micro/Nanoscale Electrothermal Transport

· Mehdi Asheghi, Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University (Thermal Science)

· Linda P.B. Katehi, Electrical Engineering, Purdue University (Wireless Technology & RF MEMS)

· Saeed Mohammadi, Electrical Engineering, Purdue University (Microwave Semiconductor Devices)

· John L. Volakis, Electrical Engineering, Ohio State University (EM & Antenna)

Research Area B: Device Design & Material Processing

· Kazuhiro Saitou, Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan (Design Optimization)

· Shuichi Takayama, Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan (Tissue Eng. & BioMEMS)

· Steve J. Skerlos, Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan (EcoDesign & Manufacturing)

· John L. Volakis, Electrical Engineering, Ohio State University (EM & Antenna)

Research Area C: Biomolecular Nanotechnology & MEMS

· Edgar Meyhofer, Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan (Protein Biophysics)

· Alan J. Hunt, Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan (Protein Biophysics)

· E.F. Charlie Hasselbrink, Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan (Microfluidics)

· L. Jay Guo, Electrical Engineering, University of Michigan (Nanoimprinting & Nano Device)

· Joseph Bull, Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan (Fluid Mechanics in Biology)