Papers – Page 30 – TechConnect Briefs

Micromachined III-V Multimorph Actuator Model and Design using Simulated Annealing (SA)-Based Global Optimization

Ongkodjojo A., Tay F.E.H., Akkipeddi R., Institute of Materials Research & Engineering, SG

A new AlAs/GaAs-based multimorph microactuator (Fig. 1) is designed and modeled for micro-opto-electro-mechanical systems (MOEMS) applications. As the piezoelectric-based III-V materials such as AlAs/GaAs have small piezoelectric constants, we have developed the Simulated Annealing (SA)-based [...]

A Novel Fabrication Technique of Cylindrical Ion Traps using Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic Tapes

Chaudhary A., van Amerom F.H.W., Bhansali S., Short R.T., University of South Florida, US

This work concentrates on a novel technique for the fabrication of miniaturized cylindrical ion trap structures (CIT) to be used as replacements of commercial hyperbolic structure ion trap mass spectrometers. Low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) [...]

Novel Monolithic Micro Droplet Generator

Chung C.K., Lin C.J., Chen C.C., Chuang S.W., Fang Y.J., Hong Y.Z., National Cheng Kung University, TW

A novel monolithic off-shooter droplet generator has been demonstrated. The design, fabrication, bubble formation and droplet injection are described here. It is different from the conventional droplet generators of top-shooter, side-shooter and back-shooter for injection. [...]

A Nanoscale Composite Material for Enhanced Damage Tolerance in MEMS Applications

Paranjpye A., MacDonald N.C., Beltz G.E., university of california, santa barbara, US

A two-dimensional laminar composite material has been shown to exhibit enhanced damage tolerance due to zones of residual compressive stress. The damage tolerance appears as a threshold stress below which the structure does not fail [...]

The Application of Parametric Excitation to a Micro-Ring Gyroscope

Gallacher B.J., Burdess J.S., Harris A.J., Hedley J., Insat University of Newcastle, UK

This paper reports on a parametric excitation scheme that separates the drive and response frequencies of a micro-ring gyroscope in the ratio 10:1 approximately, with the aim of minimising electrical "feedthrough". Electrical feedthrough of the [...]

Modelling and Fabrication of Microspring Thermal Actuator

Luo J.K., Flewitt A.J., Spearing M., Fleck N.A., Milne W.I., University of Cambridge, UK

A new spring type microelectrothermal actuator with greatly enhanced displacement is proposed. Instead of using a single long chevron actuator, several chevrons are folded into a number of sections to become a spring-like actuator. Insulating [...]

Micromachined Piezoresistive Tactile Sensor Array Fabricated by Bulk-etched MUMPs Process

Tuantranont A., Lomas T., Bright V.M., National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC), TH

This paper discusses the design, fabrication and testing of a 5x5 micromachined tactile sensor array for the detection of an extremely small force (micrometer-Newton range). Central contacting pads that are trampoline-shape suspended structures and sensor [...]

Micromachined Thermal Multimorph Actuators Fabricated by Bulk-etched MUMPs Process

Tuantranont A., Bright V.M., National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC), TH

Micromachined thermal multimorph actuators for out-of-plane displacements have been designed and fabricated by Multi-Users MEMS Process (MUMPs) with a post-processing bulk etching step. Micromachined actuators have potential applications in microtransducers such as scanning tunneling microscope [...]

Design & Simulation of a Mechanical Amplifier for Inertial Sensing Applications

Kham M.N., Houlihan R., Kraft M., Southampton University, UK

This paper describes the design and simulation of a mechanical amplifier used to improve the performance of a capacitive accelerometer. It comprises a long silicon beam attached to the proof mass and it amplifies the [...]

A MEMS Tunable Inductor

Zine-El-Abidine I., Okoniewski M., McRory J.G., University of Calgary and TRLabs, CA

This paper reports a single-wafer micromachined radiofrequency (RF) inductor that can be integrated in a conventional RFIC device. The inductor achieved a quality factor greater than 9 at 5Ghz and a self-resonance frequency well above [...]