Micro electromechanical systems
Course objectives
General The course will give to the students a detailed overview on the micro-fabrication technologies, a detailed overview on the working principle and application of the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) on silicon. At the end of the course the student will acquire the knowledge in the MEMS process technology and the problems to be solved to package and assembly MEMS devices. Furthermore, the course will allow students to be able to interact with a MEMS foundry so to be able to follow-up a full MEMS project. Specific Introduction: definition of a transducer and sensor, sensor classification, signal conversion, ideal characteristics of a sensor. Scaling rules. Material properties: physical laws, mechanical, thermal, electrical, magnetic, optical and chemical definitions and characteristics of materials. Fabrication technologies and modelling: principle of microelectronics fabrications steps. Bulk micromachining, surface micromachining, Design rules for MEMS surface micromachining, Principle of CAD, CAE and CAM simulators. MEMS in silicon: mechanical properties of silicon. Pressure sensors, flux sensors, inertial sensors, biosensors and chemical sensors, radio frequency MEMS an micro-relays. Other sensors (e.g. temperature, humidity, vibration, etc.). MEMS control: driving circuits and sensor measurements. Stability and noise. MEMS Interconnection, packaging and driving circuits: Interconnection techniques, MEMS packaging and 3D packaging for NEMS and MEMS.
Channel 1
ALESSIO BUZZIN
Lecturers' profile
Program - Frequency - Exams
Course program
INTRODUCTION: definition of MEMS, overview of main applications on the market and in literature.
SCALING: definition, mechanisms, consequences on the physics of a device (electrostatic forces, electromagnetic forces, heat conduction, electric forces, fluid mechanics, chemical reactions). Examples of scaling of microelectronic devices. Examples of scaling of electromechanical devices.
TECHNOLOGIES: Overview on CMOS fabrication technologies. Comparison with MEMS technologies. Insight on thin/thick film deposition technologies (PVD, CVD), geometry definition (lithography), materials patterning (wet/dry etching). Overview of vacuum technologies: definitions, classifications and examples.
MATERIALS: overview on MEMS materials (mechanical, thermal, electrical, magnetic, optical and chemical properties), implementation (market, scientific literature).
INTERCONNECTIONS - PACKAGING: MEMS packaging and interconnection with integrated circuits and external environment.
MEMS DEVICES: working principle, structure and fabrication process flow of MEMS devices currently on the market (digital micromirror, microbolometer, inkjet printhead, inertial sensors).
LABORATORY EXPERIENCES: live demonstration of fabrication processes: thin-film deposition (PVD, CVD), lithography, thin-film patterning (wet/dry etching).
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of the English language and analytical / synthetic reasoning skills.
Books
- M Gad-el-Hak, “The MEMS Handbook”, ASME 2002.
- K.E. Petersen, “Silicon as a Mechanical Material”, IEEE 1982.
- T. Hsu, “MEMS and Microsystems: Design, Manufacture, and Nanoscale Engineering”, Wiley, 2008.
- Y. C. Lee, “MEMS Packaging”, World Scientific Publishing, 2018.
- R. J. Shul and S. J. Pearton, “Handbook of advanced plasma processing techniques”, Springer, 2000.
- T. K. Gupta, “Handbook of Thick- and Thin-Film Hybrid Microelectronics”, Wiley, 2003.
- P. Walker and W. E. Tarn, “Handbook of Metal etchants”, CRC, 1991.
- S. Chakraborty, “Mechanics over Micro and Nano Scales”, Springer, 2011.
- Slides and course material provided by the teacher.
Frequency
Classroom attendance is optional but strongly recommended.
Exam mode
Oral examination
Bibliography
- M Gad-el-Hak, “The MEMS Handbook”, ASME 2002.
- K.E. Petersen, “Silicon as a Mechanical Material”, IEEE 1982.
- T. Hsu, “MEMS and Microsystems: Design, Manufacture, and Nanoscale Engineering”, Wiley, 2008.
- Y. C. Lee, “MEMS Packaging”, World Scientific Publishing, 2018.
- R. J. Shul and S. J. Pearton, “Handbook of advanced plasma processing techniques”, Springer, 2000.
- T. K. Gupta, “Handbook of Thick- and Thin-Film Hybrid Microelectronics”, Wiley, 2003.
- P. Walker and W. E. Tarn, “Handbook of Metal etchants”, CRC, 1991.
- S. Chakraborty, “Mechanics over Micro and Nano Scales”, Springer, 2011.
- Slides and course material provided by the teacher.
Lesson mode
MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS course is held through classroom lectures with support of projections of teaching material and explanations with the help of the blackboard on the course topics reported in the teaching program. Every topic is theoretically explained, and then examples of components/systems/devices/technologies/applications related to that topic implemented in the market and in scientific literature are illustrated.
The Course has a site on the Sapienza Moodle e-learning platform through which students can have access to teaching material prepared by the teacher, to course information and to a communication Forum.
The Course is made of frontal teaching activities, individual study of the theory, strengthen by some laboratory exercises.
- Course attendance: optional but strongly recommended.
- Course delivery: lectures, exercises and laboratory.
- Use of Sapienza e-learning Moodle platform for distribution of teaching material and scientific papers.
ALESSIO BUZZIN
Lecturers' profile
Program - Frequency - Exams
Course program
INTRODUCTION: definition of MEMS, overview of main applications on the market and in literature.
SCALING: definition, mechanisms, consequences on the physics of a device (electrostatic forces, electromagnetic forces, heat conduction, electric forces, fluid mechanics, chemical reactions). Examples of scaling of microelectronic devices. Examples of scaling of electromechanical devices.
TECHNOLOGIES: Overview on CMOS fabrication technologies. Comparison with MEMS technologies. Insight on thin/thick film deposition technologies (PVD, CVD), geometry definition (lithography), materials patterning (wet/dry etching). Overview of vacuum technologies: definitions, classifications and examples.
MATERIALS: overview on MEMS materials (mechanical, thermal, electrical, magnetic, optical and chemical properties), implementation (market, scientific literature).
INTERCONNECTIONS - PACKAGING: MEMS packaging and interconnection with integrated circuits and external environment.
MEMS DEVICES: working principle, structure and fabrication process flow of MEMS devices currently on the market (digital micromirror, microbolometer, inkjet printhead, inertial sensors).
LABORATORY EXPERIENCES: live demonstration of fabrication processes: thin-film deposition (PVD, CVD), lithography, thin-film patterning (wet/dry etching).
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of the English language and analytical / synthetic reasoning skills.
Books
- M Gad-el-Hak, “The MEMS Handbook”, ASME 2002.
- K.E. Petersen, “Silicon as a Mechanical Material”, IEEE 1982.
- T. Hsu, “MEMS and Microsystems: Design, Manufacture, and Nanoscale Engineering”, Wiley, 2008.
- Y. C. Lee, “MEMS Packaging”, World Scientific Publishing, 2018.
- R. J. Shul and S. J. Pearton, “Handbook of advanced plasma processing techniques”, Springer, 2000.
- T. K. Gupta, “Handbook of Thick- and Thin-Film Hybrid Microelectronics”, Wiley, 2003.
- P. Walker and W. E. Tarn, “Handbook of Metal etchants”, CRC, 1991.
- S. Chakraborty, “Mechanics over Micro and Nano Scales”, Springer, 2011.
- Slides and course material provided by the teacher.
Frequency
Classroom attendance is optional but strongly recommended.
Exam mode
Oral examination
Bibliography
- M Gad-el-Hak, “The MEMS Handbook”, ASME 2002.
- K.E. Petersen, “Silicon as a Mechanical Material”, IEEE 1982.
- T. Hsu, “MEMS and Microsystems: Design, Manufacture, and Nanoscale Engineering”, Wiley, 2008.
- Y. C. Lee, “MEMS Packaging”, World Scientific Publishing, 2018.
- R. J. Shul and S. J. Pearton, “Handbook of advanced plasma processing techniques”, Springer, 2000.
- T. K. Gupta, “Handbook of Thick- and Thin-Film Hybrid Microelectronics”, Wiley, 2003.
- P. Walker and W. E. Tarn, “Handbook of Metal etchants”, CRC, 1991.
- S. Chakraborty, “Mechanics over Micro and Nano Scales”, Springer, 2011.
- Slides and course material provided by the teacher.
Lesson mode
MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS course is held through classroom lectures with support of projections of teaching material and explanations with the help of the blackboard on the course topics reported in the teaching program. Every topic is theoretically explained, and then examples of components/systems/devices/technologies/applications related to that topic implemented in the market and in scientific literature are illustrated.
The Course has a site on the Sapienza Moodle e-learning platform through which students can have access to teaching material prepared by the teacher, to course information and to a communication Forum.
The Course is made of frontal teaching activities, individual study of the theory, strengthen by some laboratory exercises.
- Course attendance: optional but strongly recommended.
- Course delivery: lectures, exercises and laboratory.
- Use of Sapienza e-learning Moodle platform for distribution of teaching material and scientific papers.
- Lesson code1044641
- Academic year2025/2026
- CourseElectronics Engineering
- CurriculumElectronics Engineering (percorso valido anche ai fini del conseguimento del doppio titolo italo-statunitense o italo-francese) - in lingua inglese
- Year2nd year
- Semester1st semester
- SSDING-INF/01
- CFU6