Phase Calibration of Microphones by Measurement in the Free-field

Science.gov (United States)

Shams, Qamar A.; Bartram, Scott M.; Humphreys, William M.; Zuckewar, Allan J.

2006-01-01

Over the past several years, significant effort has been expended at NASA Langley developing new Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS)-based microphone directional array instrumentation for high-frequency aeroacoustic measurements in wind tunnels. This new type of array construction solves two challenges which have limited the widespread use of large channel-count arrays, namely by providing a lower cost-per-channel and a simpler method for mounting microphones in wind tunnels and in field-deployable arrays. The current generation of array instrumentation is capable of extracting accurate noise source location and directivity on a variety of airframe components using sophisticated data reduction algorithms [1-2]. Commercially-available MEMS microphones are condenser-type devices and have some desirable characteristics when compared with conventional condenser-type microphones. The most important advantages of MEMS microphones are their size, price, and power consumption. However, the commercially-available units suffer from certain important shortcomings. Based on experiments with array prototypes, it was found that both the bandwidth and the sound pressure limit of the microphones should be increased significantly to improve the performance and flexibility of the microphone array [3]. It was also desired to modify the packaging to eliminate unwanted Helmholtz resonance s exhibited by the commercial devices. Thus, new requirements were defined as follows: Frequency response: 100 Hz to 100 KHz (+/-3dB) Upper sound pressure limit: Design 1: 130 dB SPL (THD less than 5%) Design 2: 150-160 dB SPL (THD less than 5%) Packaging: 3.73 x 6.13 x 1.3 mm can with laser-etched lid. In collaboration with Novusonic Acoustic Innovation, NASA modified a Knowles SiSonic MEMS design to meet these new requirements. Coupled with the design of the enhanced MEMS microphones was the development of a new calibration method for simultaneously obtaining the sensitivity and phase response of

Experimental Validation of Topology Optimization for RF MEMS Capacitive Switch Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Philippine, Mandy Axelle; Zareie, Hosein; Sigmund, Ole

2013-01-01

In this paper, we present 30 distinct RF MEMS capacitive switch designs that are the product of topology optimizations that control key mechanical properties such as stiffness, response to intrinsic stress gradients, and temperature sensitivity. The designs were evaluated with high-accuracy simul...

Design of pressure-sensing diaphragm for MEMS capacitance diaphragm gauge considering size effect

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Gang; Li, Detian; Cheng, Yongjun; Sun, Wenjun; Han, Xiaodong; Wang, Chengxiang

2018-03-01

MEMS capacitance diaphragm gauge with a full range of (1˜1000) Pa is considered for its wide application prospect. The design of pressure-sensing diaphragm is the key to achieve balanced performance for this kind of gauges. The optimization process of the pressure-sensing diaphragm with island design of a capacitance diaphragm gauge based on MEMS technique has been reported in this work. For micro-components in micro scale range, mechanical properties are very different from that in the macro scale range, so the size effect should not be ignored. The modified strain gradient elasticity theory considering size effect has been applied to determine the bending rigidity of the pressure-sensing diaphragm, which is then used in the numerical model to calculate the deflection-pressure relation of the diaphragm. According to the deflection curves, capacitance variation can be determined by integrating over the radius of the diaphragm. At last, the design of the diaphragm has been optimized based on three parameters: sensitivity, linearity and ground capacitance. With this design, a full range of (1˜1000) Pa can be achieved, meanwhile, balanced sensitivity, resolution and linearity can be kept.

MEMS capacitive pressure sensor monolithically integrated with CMOS readout circuit by using post CMOS processes

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Munseon; Yun, Kwang-Seok

2017-12-01

In this paper, we presents a MEMS pressure sensor integrated with a readout circuit on a chip for an on-chip signal processing. The capacitive pressure sensor is formed on a CMOS chip by using a post-CMOS MEMS processes. The proposed device consists of a sensing capacitor that is square in shape, a reference capacitor and a readout circuitry based on a switched-capacitor scheme to detect capacitance change at various environmental pressures. The readout circuit was implemented by using a commercial 0.35 μm CMOS process with 2 polysilicon and 4 metal layers. Then, the pressure sensor was formed by wet etching of metal 2 layer through via hole structures. Experimental results show that the MEMS pressure sensor has a sensitivity of 11 mV/100 kPa at the pressure range of 100-400 kPa.

Evolution of a MEMS Photoacoustic Chemical Sensor

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Pellegrino, Paul M; Polcawich, Ronald G

2003-01-01

.... Initial MEMS work is centered on fabrication of a lead zirconate titanate (PZT) microphone subsystem to be incorporated in the full photoacoustic device. Preliminary results were very positive for the macro-photoacoustic cell, PZT membrane microphones design / fabrication and elementary monolithic MEMS photoacoustic cavity.

On Using the Volatile Mem-Capacitive Effect of TiO2 Resistive Random Access Memory to Mimic the Synaptic Forgetting Process

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, Biplab; Mills, Steven; Lee, Bongmook; Pitts, W. Shepherd; Misra, Veena; Franzon, Paul D.

2018-02-01

In this work, we report on mimicking the synaptic forgetting process using the volatile mem-capacitive effect of a resistive random access memory (RRAM). TiO2 dielectric, which is known to show volatile memory operations due to migration of inherent oxygen vacancies, was used to achieve the volatile mem-capacitive effect. By placing the volatile RRAM candidate along with SiO2 at the gate of a MOS capacitor, a volatile capacitance change resembling the forgetting nature of a human brain is demonstrated. Furthermore, the memory operation in the MOS capacitor does not require a current flow through the gate dielectric indicating the feasibility of obtaining low power memory operations. Thus, the mem-capacitive effect of volatile RRAM candidates can be attractive to the future neuromorphic systems for implementing the forgetting process of a human brain.

Programmable Low-Power Low-Noise Capacitance to Voltage Converter for MEMS Accelerometers.

Science.gov (United States)

Royo, Guillermo; Sánchez-Azqueta, Carlos; Gimeno, Cecilia; Aldea, Concepción; Celma, Santiago

2016-12-30

In this work, we present a capacitance-to-voltage converter (CVC) for capacitive accelerometers based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Based on a fully-differential transimpedance amplifier (TIA), it features a 34-dB transimpedance gain control and over one decade programmable bandwidth, from 75 kHz to 1.2 MHz. The TIA is aimed for low-cost low-power capacitive sensor applications. It has been designed in a standard 0.18-μm CMOS technology and its power consumption is only 54 μW. At the maximum transimpedance configuration, the TIA shows an equivalent input noise of 42 fA/ Hz at 50 kHz, which corresponds to 100 μg/ Hz .

Programmable Low-Power Low-Noise Capacitance to Voltage Converter for MEMS Accelerometers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guillermo Royo

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In this work, we present a capacitance-to-voltage converter (CVC for capacitive accelerometers based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS. Based on a fully-differential transimpedance amplifier (TIA, it features a 34-dB transimpedance gain control and over one decade programmable bandwidth, from 75 kHz to 1.2 MHz. The TIA is aimed for low-cost low-power capacitive sensor applications. It has been designed in a standard 0.18-μm CMOS technology and its power consumption is only 54 μW. At the maximum transimpedance configuration, the TIA shows an equivalent input noise of 42 fA/ Hz at 50 kHz, which corresponds to 100 μg/ Hz .

Virtual design and optimization studies for industrial silicon microphones applying tailored system-level modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Kuenzig, Thomas; Dehé, Alfons; Krumbein, Ulrich; Schrag, Gabriele

2018-05-01

Maxing out the technological limits in order to satisfy the customers’ demands and obtain the best performance of micro-devices and-systems is a challenge of today’s manufacturers. Dedicated system simulation is key to investigate the potential of device and system concepts in order to identify the best design w.r.t. the given requirements. We present a tailored, physics-based system-level modeling approach combining lumped with distributed models that provides detailed insight into the device and system operation at low computational expense. The resulting transparent, scalable (i.e. reusable) and modularly composed models explicitly contain the physical dependency on all relevant parameters, thus being well suited for dedicated investigation and optimization of MEMS devices and systems. This is demonstrated for an industrial capacitive silicon microphone. The performance of such microphones is determined by distributed effects like viscous damping and inhomogeneous capacitance variation across the membrane as well as by system-level phenomena like package-induced acoustic effects and the impact of the electronic circuitry for biasing and read-out. The here presented model covers all relevant figures of merit and, thus, enables to evaluate the optimization potential of silicon microphones towards high fidelity applications. This work was carried out at the Technical University of Munich, Chair for Physics of Electrotechnology. Thomas Kuenzig is now with Infineon Technologies AG, Neubiberg.

Designing a robust high-speed CMOS-MEMS capacitive humidity sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lazarus, N; Fedder, G K

2012-01-01

In our previous work (Lazarus and Fedder 2011 J. Micromech. Microeng. 21 0650281), we demonstrated a CMOS-MEMS capacitive humidity sensor with a 72% improvement in sensitivity over the highest previously integrated on a CMOS die. This paper explores a series of methods for creating a faster and more manufacturable high-sensitivity capacitive humidity sensor. These techniques include adding oxide pillars to hold the plates apart, spin coating polymer to allow sensors to be fabricated more cheaply, adding a polysilicon heater and etching away excess polymer in the release holes. In most cases a tradeoff was found between sensitivity and other factors such as response time or robustness. A robust high-speed sensor was designed with a sensitivity of 0.21% change in capacitance per per cent relative humidity, while dropping the response time constant from 70 to 4s. Although less sensitive than our design, the sensor remains 17% more sensitive than the most sensitive interdigitated designs successfully integrated with CMOS. (paper)

CMOS based capacitance to digital converter circuit for MEMS sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Rotake, D. R.; Darji, A. D.

2018-02-01

Most of the MEMS cantilever based system required costly instruments for characterization, processing and also has large experimental setups which led to non-portable device. So there is a need of low cost, highly sensitive, high speed and portable digital system. The proposed Capacitance to Digital Converter (CDC) interfacing circuit converts capacitance to digital domain which can be easily processed. Recent demand microcantilever deflection is part per trillion ranges which change the capacitance in 1-10 femto farad (fF) range. The entire CDC circuit is designed using CMOS 250nm technology. Design of CDC circuit consists of a D-latch and two oscillators, namely Sensor controlled oscillator (SCO) and digitally controlled oscillator (DCO). The D-latch is designed using transmission gate based MUX for power optimization. A CDC design of 7-stage, 9-stage and 11-stage tested for 1-18 fF and simulated using mentor graphics Eldo tool with parasitic. Since the proposed design does not use resistance component, the total power dissipation is reduced to 2.3621 mW for CDC designed using 9-stage SCO and DCO.

Sound Source Localization through 8 MEMS Microphones Array Using a Sand-Scorpion-Inspired Spiking Neural Network.

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, Christoph; Garreau, Guillaume; Georgiou, Julius

2016-01-01

Sand-scorpions and many other arachnids perceive their environment by using their feet to sense ground waves. They are able to determine amplitudes the size of an atom and locate the acoustic stimuli with an accuracy of within 13° based on their neuronal anatomy. We present here a prototype sound source localization system, inspired from this impressive performance. The system presented utilizes custom-built hardware with eight MEMS microphones, one for each foot, to acquire the acoustic scene, and a spiking neural model to localize the sound source. The current implementation shows smaller localization error than those observed in nature.

MEMS cost analysis from laboratory to industry

CERN Document Server

Freng, Ron Lawes

2016-01-01

The World of MEMS; Chapter 2: Basic Fabrication Processes; Chapter 3: Surface Microengineering. High Aspect Ratio Microengineering; Chapter 5: MEMS Testing; Chapter 6: MEMS Packaging. Clean Rooms, Buildings and Plant; Chapter 8: The MEMSCOST Spreadsheet; Chapter 9: Product Costs - Accelerometers. Product Costs - Microphones. MEMS Foundries. Financial Reporting and Analysis. Conclusions.

Micromachined microphone array on a chip for turbulent boundary layer measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Krause, Joshua Steven

A surface micromachined microphone array on a single chip has been successfully designed, fabricated, characterized, and tested for aeroacoustic purposes. The microphone was designed to have venting through the diaphragm, 64 elements (8x8) on the chip, and used a capacitive transduction scheme. The microphone was fabricated using the MEMSCAP PolyMUMPs process (a foundry polysilicon surface micromachining process) along with facilities at Tufts Micro and Nano Fabrication Facility (TMNF) where a Parylene-C passivation layer deposition and release of the microstructures were performed. The devices are packaged with low profile interconnects, presenting a maximum of 100 mum of surface topology. The design of an individual microphone was completed through the use of a lumped element model (LEM) to determine the theoretical performance of the microphone. Off-chip electronics were created to allow the microphone array outputs to be redirected to one of two channels, allowing dynamic reconfiguration of the effective transducer shape in software and provide 80 dB off isolation. The characterization was completed through the use of laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV), acoustic plane wave tube and free-field calibration, and electrical noise floor testing in a Faraday cage. Measured microphone sensitivity is 0.15 mV/Pa for an individual microphone and 8.7 mV/Pa for the entire array, in close agreement with model predictions. The microphones and electronics operate over the 200--40 000 Hz band. The dynamic range extends from 60 dB SPL in a 1 Hz band to greater than 150 dB SPL. Element variability was +/-0.05 mV/Pa in sensitivity with an array yield of 95%. Wind tunnel testing at flow rates of up to 205.8 m/s indicates that the devices continue to operate in flow without damage, and can be successfully reconfigured on the fly. Care has been taken to systematically remove contaminating signals (acoustic, vibration, and noise floor) from the wind tunnel data to determine actual

Sound Source Localization Through 8 MEMS Microphones Array Using a Sand-Scorpion-Inspired Spiking Neural Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christoph Beck

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Sand-scorpions and many other arachnids perceive their environment by using their feet to sense ground waves. They are able to determine amplitudes the size of an atom and locate the acoustic stimuli with an accuracy of within 13° based on their neuronal anatomy. We present here a prototype sound source localization system, inspired from this impressive performance. The system presented utilizes custom-built hardware with eight MEMS microphones, one for each foot, to acquire the acoustic scene, and a spiking neural model to localize the sound source. The current implementation shows smaller localization error than those observed in nature.

MICROMECHANICAL MICROPHONE

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

1997-01-01

and dirt, which partly or totally will be able to destroy its characteristics, a sealing acoustic membrane (6, 7) is placed on each side of the transducer element. The transducer element can for example be a capacitive transducer with external bias or an electret based transducer. The microphone, which can...

Electromagnetic Investigation of a CMOS MEMS Inductive Microphone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farès TOUNSI

2009-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a detailed electromagnetic modeling for a new structure of a monolithic CMOS micromachined inductive microphone. We have shown, that the use of an alternative current (AC in the primary fixed inductor results in a substantially higher induced voltage in the secondary inductor comparing to the case when a direct current (DC is used. The expected increase of the induced voltage can be expressed by a voltage ratio of AC and DC solutions that is in the range of 3 to 6. A prototype fabrication of this microphone has been realized using a combination of standard CMOS 0.6 µm process with a CMOS-compatible post-process consisting in a bulk micromachining technology. The output voltage of the electrodynamic microphone that achieves the µV range can be increased by the use of the symmetric dual-layer spiral inductor structure.

116 dB dynamic range CMOS readout circuit for MEMS capacitive accelerometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Long Shanli; Liu Yan; He Kejun; Tang Xinggang; Chen Qian

2014-01-01

A high stability in-circuit reprogrammable technique control system for a capacitive MEMS accelerometer is presented. Modulation and demodulation are used to separate the signal from the low frequency noise. A low-noise low-offset charge integrator is employed in this circuit to implement a capacitance-to-voltage converter and minimize the noise and offset. The application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) is fabricated in a 0.5 μm one-ploy three-metal CMOS process. The measured results of the proposed circuit show that the noise floor of the ASIC is −116 dBV, the sensitivity of the accelerometer is 66 mV/g with a nonlinearity of 0.5%. The chip occupies 3.5 × 2.5 mm 2 and the current is 3.5 mA. (semiconductor integrated circuits)

Method of Measuring the Mismatch of Parasitic Capacitance in MEMS Accelerometer Based on Regulating Electrostatic Stiffness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xianshan Dong

2018-03-01

Full Text Available For the MEMS capacitive accelerometer, parasitic capacitance is a serious problem. Its mismatch will deteriorate the performance of accelerometer. Obtaining the mismatch of the parasitic capacitance precisely is helpful for improving the performance of bias and scale. Currently, the method of measuring the mismatch is limited in the direct measuring using the instrument. This traditional method has low accuracy for it would lead in extra parasitic capacitive and have other problems. This paper presents a novel method based on the mechanism of a closed-loop accelerometer. The strongly linear relationship between the output of electric force and the square of pre-load voltage is obtained through theoretical derivation and validated by experiment. Based on this relationship, the mismatch of parasitic capacitance can be obtained precisely through regulating electrostatic stiffness without other equipment. The results can be applied in the design of decreasing the mismatch and electrical adjusting for eliminating the influence of the mismatch.

Sputtered Encapsulation as Wafer Level Packaging for Isolatable MEMS Devices: A Technique Demonstrated on a Capacitive Accelerometer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azrul Azlan Hamzah

2008-11-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses sputtered silicon encapsulation as a wafer level packaging approach for isolatable MEMS devices. Devices such as accelerometers, RF switches, inductors, and filters that do not require interaction with the surroundings to function, could thus be fully encapsulated at the wafer level after fabrication. A MEMSTech 50g capacitive accelerometer was used to demonstrate a sputtered encapsulation technique. Encapsulation with a very uniform surface profile was achieved using spin-on glass (SOG as a sacrificial layer, SU-8 as base layer, RF sputtered silicon as main structural layer, eutectic gold-silicon as seal layer, and liquid crystal polymer (LCP as outer encapsulant layer. SEM inspection and capacitance test indicated that the movable elements were released after encapsulation. Nanoindentation test confirmed that the encapsulated device is sufficiently robust to withstand a transfer molding process. Thus, an encapsulation technique that is robust, CMOS compatible, and economical has been successfully developed for packaging isolatable MEMS devices at the wafer level.

Pick-and-place process for sensitivity improvement of the capacitive type CMOS MEMS 2-axis tilt sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Chun-I.; Tsai, Ming-Han; Liu, Yu-Chia; Sun, Chih-Ming; Fang, Weileun

2013-09-01

This study exploits the foundry available complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process and the packaging house available pick-and-place technology to implement a capacitive type micromachined 2-axis tilt sensor. The suspended micro mechanical structures such as the spring, stage and sensing electrodes are fabricated using the CMOS microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) processes. A bulk block is assembled onto the suspended stage by pick-and-place technology to increase the proof-mass of the tilt sensor. The low temperature UV-glue dispensing and curing processes are employed to bond the block onto the stage. Thus, the sensitivity of the CMOS MEMS capacitive type 2-axis tilt sensor is significantly improved. In application, this study successfully demonstrates the bonding of a bulk solder ball of 100 µm in diameter with a 2-axis tilt sensor fabricated using the standard TSMC 0.35 µm 2P4M CMOS process. Measurements show the sensitivities of the 2-axis tilt sensor are increased for 2.06-fold (x-axis) and 1.78-fold (y-axis) after adding the solder ball. Note that the sensitivity can be further improved by reducing the parasitic capacitance and the mismatch of sensing electrodes caused by the solder ball.

Low Power/Low Voltage Interface Circuitry for Capacitive Sensors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Furst, Claus Efdmann

This thesis focuses mainly on low power/low voltage interface circuits, implemented in CMOS, for capacitive sensors. A brief discussion of demands and possibilities for analog signal processing in the future is presented. Techniques for low power design is presented. This is done by analyzing power...... power consumption. It is shown that the Sigma-Delta modulator is advantageous when embedded in a feedback loop with a mechanical sensor. Here a micro mechanical capacitive microphone. Feedback and detection circuitry for a capacitive microphone is presented. Practical implementations of low power....../low voltage interface circuitry is presented. It is demonstrated that an amplifier optimized for a capacitive microphone implemented in a standard 0.7 micron CMOS technology competes well with a traditional JFET amplifier. Furthermore a low power/low voltage 3rd order Sigma-Delta modulator is presented...

Identification of Capacitive MEMS Accelerometer Structure Parameters for Human Body Dynamics Measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincas Benevicius

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Due to their small size, low weight, low cost and low energy consumption, MEMS accelerometers have achieved great commercial success in recent decades. The aim of this research work is to identify a MEMS accelerometer structure for human body dynamics measurements. Photogrammetry was used in order to measure possible maximum accelerations of human body parts and the bandwidth of the digital acceleration signal. As the primary structure the capacitive accelerometer configuration is chosen in such a way that sensing part measures on all three axes as it is 3D accelerometer and sensitivity on each axis is equal. Hill climbing optimization was used to find the structure parameters. Proof-mass displacements were simulated for all the acceleration range that was given by the optimization problem constraints. The final model was constructed in Comsol Multiphysics. Eigenfrequencies were calculated and model’s response was found, when vibration stand displacement data was fed into the model as the base excitation law. Model output comparison with experimental data was conducted for all excitation frequencies used during the experiments.

A capacitive membrane MEMS microwave power sensor in the X-band based on GaAs MMIC technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su Shi; Liao Xiaoping

2009-01-01

This paper presents the modeling, fabrication, and measurement of a capacitive membrane MEMS microwave power sensor. The sensor measures microwave power coupled from coplanar waveguide (CPW) transmission lines by a MEMS membrane and then converts it into a DC voltage output by using thermopiles. Since the fabrication process is fully compatible with the GaAs monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) process, this sensor could be conveniently embedded into MMIC. From the measured DC voltage output and S-parameters, the average sensitivity in the X-band is 225.43 μV/mW, while the reflection loss is below -14 dB. The MEMS microwave power sensor has good linearity with a voltage standing wave ration of less than 1.513 in the whole X-band. In addition, the measurements using amplitude modulation signals prove that the modulation index directly influences the output DC voltage.

A Piezoelectric MEMS Microphone Based on Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) Thim Films

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Polcawich, Ronald

2004-01-01

.... A piezoelectric-based microphone can provide a solution to these requirements, since it offers the ability to passively sense without the power requirements of condenser or piezoresistive microphone counterparts...

Design and application of a metal wet-etching post-process for the improvement of CMOS-MEMS capacitive sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsai, Ming-Han; Sun, Chih-Ming; Liu, Yu-Chia; Fang, Weileun; Wang, Chuanwei

2009-01-01

This study presents a process design methodology to improve the performance of a CMOS-MEMS gap-closing capacitive sensor. In addition to the standard CMOS process, the metal wet-etching approach is employed as the post-CMOS process to realize the present design. The dielectric layers of the CMOS process are exploited to form the main micro mechanical structures of the sensor. The metal layers of the CMOS process are used as the sensing electrodes and sacrificial layers. The advantages of the sensor design are as follows: (1) the parasitic capacitance is significantly reduced by the dielectric structure, (2) in-plane and out-of-plane sensing gaps can be reduced to increase the sensitivity, and (3) plate-type instead of comb-type out-of-plane sensing electrodes are available to increase the sensing electrode area. To demonstrate the feasibility of the present design, a three-axis capacitive CMOS-MEMS accelerometers chip is implemented and characterized. Measurements show that the sensitivities of accelerometers reach 11.5 mV G −1 (in the X-, Y-axes) and 7.8 mV G −1 (in the Z-axis), respectively, which are nearly one order larger than existing designs. Moreover, the detection of 10 mG excitation using the three-axis accelerometer is demonstrated for both in-plane and out-of-plane directions

Tailoring design and fabrication of capacitive RF MEMS switches for K-band applications

Science.gov (United States)

Quaranta, Fabio; Persano, Anna; Capoccia, Giovanni; Taurino, Antonietta; Cola, Adriano; Siciliano, Pietro; Lucibello, Andrea; Marcelli, Romolo; Proietti, Emanuela; Bagolini, Alvise; Margesin, Benno; Bellutti, Pierluigi; Iannacci, Jacopo

2015-05-01

Shunt capacitive radio-frequency microelectromechanical (RF MEMS) switches were modelled, fabricated and characterized in the K-band domain. Design allowed to predict the RF behaviour of the switches as a function of the bridge geometric parameters. The modelled switches were fabricated on silicon substrate, using a surface micromachining approach. In addition to the geometric parameters, the material structure in the bridge-actuator area was modified for switches fabricated on the same wafer, thanks to the removal/addition of two technological steps of crucial importance for RF MEMS switches performance, which are the use of the sacrificial layer and the deposition of a floating metal layer on the actuator. Surface profilometry analysis was used to check the material layer structure in the different regions of the bridge area as well as to investigate the mechanical behaviour of the moveable bridge under the application of a loaded force. The RF behaviour of all the fabricated switches was measured, observing the impact on the isolation of the manipulation of the bridge size and of the variations in the fabrication process.

MEMS variable capacitance devices utilizing the substrate: I. Novel devices with a customizable tuning range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elshurafa, Amro M; El-Masry, Ezz I

2010-01-01

This paper, the first in a series of two, presents a paradigm shift in the design of MEMS parallel plate PolyMUMPS variable capacitance devices by proposing two structures that utilize the substrate and are able to provide predetermined, customizable, tuning ranges and/or ratios. The proposed structures can provide theoretical tuning ranges anywhere from 4.9 to 35 and from 3.4 to 26 respectively with a simple, yet effective, layout modification as opposed to the previously reported devices where the tuning range is fixed and cannot be varied. Theoretical analysis is carried out and verified with measurements of fabricated devices. The first proposed device possessed initially a tuning range of 4.4. Two variations of the structure having tuning ranges of 3 and 3.4, all at 1 GHz, were also successfully developed and tested. The second proposed variable capacitance device behaved as a switch.

MEMS variable capacitance devices utilizing the substrate: I. Novel devices with a customizable tuning range

KAUST Repository

Elshurafa, Amro M.

2010-03-22

This paper, the first in a series of two, presents a paradigm shift in the design of MEMS parallel plate PolyMUMPS variable capacitance devices by proposing two structures that utilize the substrate and are able to provide predetermined, customizable, tuning ranges and/or ratios. The proposed structures can provide theoretical tuning ranges anywhere from 4.9 to 35 and from 3.4 to 26 respectively with a simple, yet effective, layout modification as opposed to the previously reported devices where the tuning range is fixed and cannot be varied. Theoretical analysis is carried out and verified with measurements of fabricated devices. The first proposed device possessed initially a tuning range of 4.4. Two variations of the structure having tuning ranges of 3 and 3.4, all at 1 GHz, were also successfully developed and tested. The second proposed variable capacitance device behaved as a switch. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Numerical Analysis of CNC Milling Chatter Using Embedded Miniature MEMS Microphone Array System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pang-Li Wang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available With the increasingly common use of industrial automation for mass production, there are many computer numerical control (CNC machine tools that require the collection of data from intelligent sensors in order to analyze their processing quality. In general, for high speed rotating machines, an accelerometer can be attached on the spindle to collect the data from the detected vibration of the CNC. However, due to their cost, accelerometers have not been widely adopted for use with typical CNC machine tools. This study sought to develop an embedded miniature MEMS microphone array system (Radius 5.25 cm, 8 channels to discover the vibration source of the CNC from spatial phase array processing. The proposed method utilizes voice activity detection (VAD to distinguish between the presence and absence of abnormal noise in the pre-stage, and utilizes the traditional direction of arrival method (DOA via multiple signal classification (MUSIC to isolate the spatial orientation of the noise source in post-processing. In the numerical simulation, the non-interfering noise source location is calibrated in the anechoic chamber, and is tested with real milling processing in the milling machine. As this results in a high background noise level, the vibration sound source is more accurate in the presented energy gradation graphs as compared to the traditional MUSIC method.

Lumped-parameters equivalent circuit for condenser microphones modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Esteves, Josué; Rufer, Libor; Ekeom, Didace; Basrour, Skandar

2017-10-01

This work presents a lumped parameters equivalent model of condenser microphone based on analogies between acoustic, mechanical, fluidic, and electrical domains. Parameters of the model were determined mainly through analytical relations and/or finite element method (FEM) simulations. Special attention was paid to the air gap modeling and to the use of proper boundary condition. Corresponding lumped-parameters were obtained as results of FEM simulations. Because of its simplicity, the model allows a fast simulation and is readily usable for microphone design. This work shows the validation of the equivalent circuit on three real cases of capacitive microphones, including both traditional and Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems structures. In all cases, it has been demonstrated that the sensitivity and other related data obtained from the equivalent circuit are in very good agreement with available measurement data.

Fabrication of a Micromachined Capacitive Switch Using the CMOS-MEMS Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheng-Yang Lin

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The study investigates the design and fabrication of a micromachined radio frequency (RF capacitive switch using the complementary metal oxide semiconductor-microelectromechanical system (CMOS-MEMS technology. The structure of the micromachined switch is composed of a membrane, eight springs, four inductors, and coplanar waveguide (CPW lines. In order to reduce the actuation voltage of the switch, the springs are designed as low stiffness. The finite element method (FEM software CoventorWare is used to simulate the actuation voltage and displacement of the switch. The micromachined switch needs a post-CMOS process to release the springs and membrane. A wet etching is employed to etch the sacrificial silicon dioxide layer, and to release the membrane and springs of the switch. Experiments show that the pull-in voltage of the switch is 12 V. The switch has an insertion loss of 0.8 dB at 36 GHz and an isolation of 19 dB at 36 GHz.

Three dimensional MEMS supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Wei

2011-10-15

The overall objective of this research is to achieve compact supercapacitors with high capacitance, large power density, and long cycle life for using as micro power sources to drive low power devices and sensors. The main shortcoming of supercapacitors as a power source is that its energy density typically is about 1/10 of that of batteries. To achieve compact supercapacitors of large energy density, supercapacitors must be developed with high capacitance and power density which are mainly depended on the effective surface area of the electrodes of the supercapacitors. Many studies have been done to increase the effective surface area by modifying the electrode materials, however, much less investigations are focus on machining the electrodes. In my thesis work, micro- and nano-technologies are applied as technology approaches for machining the electrodes with three dimensional (3D) microstructures. More specific, Micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) fabrication process flow, which integrates the key process such as LIGA-like (German acronym for Lithographie, Galvanoformung, Abformung, which mean Lithography, Electroplating and Molding) technology or DRIE (deep reactive ion etching), has been developed to enable innovative designs of 3D MEMS supercapacitors which own the electrodes of significantly increased geometric area. Two types of 3D MEMS supercapcitors, based on LIGA-like and DRIE technology respectively, were designed and successfully created. The LIGA-like based 3D MEMS supercapacitor is with an interdigital 3D structure, and consists of silicon substrate, two electroplated nickel current collectors, two PPy (poly pyrrole) electrodes, and solid state electrolyte. The fabrication process flow developed includes the flowing key processes, SU-8 lithography, nickel electroplating, PPy polymerization and solid state electrolyte coating. Electrochemical tests showed that the single electrode of the supercapacitor has the specific capacitance of 0.058 F cm-2

A low-noise/low-power preamplifier for capacitive microphones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fürst, Claus Erdmann

1996-01-01

A design for a microphone preamplifier for application in hearing aids is presented. The amplifier operates at a supply of 1-1.5 V, the current drain is 40 μA. The maximum sound level allowed is more than 120 dB SPL (Sound Pressure Level), with a typical noise level of 25 dB(A) SPL (A...

Modeling methodology for a CMOS-MEMS electrostatic comb

Science.gov (United States)

Iyer, Sitaraman V.; Lakdawala, Hasnain; Mukherjee, Tamal; Fedder, Gary K.

2002-04-01

A methodology for combined modeling of capacitance and force 9in a multi-layer electrostatic comb is demonstrated in this paper. Conformal mapping-based analytical methods are limited to 2D symmetric cross-sections and cannot account for charge concentration effects at corners. Vertex capacitance can be more than 30% of the total capacitance in a single-layer 2 micrometers thick comb with 10 micrometers overlap. Furthermore, analytical equations are strictly valid only for perfectly symmetrical finger positions. Fringing and corner effects are likely to be more significant in a multi- layered CMOS-MEMS comb because of the presence of more edges and vertices. Vertical curling of CMOS-MEMS comb fingers may also lead to reduced capacitance and vertical forces. Gyroscopes are particularly sensitive to such undesirable forces, which therefore, need to be well-quantified. In order to address the above issues, a hybrid approach of superposing linear regression models over a set of core analytical models is implemented. Design of experiments is used to obtain data for capacitance and force using a commercial 3D boundary-element solver. Since accurate force values require significantly higher mesh refinement than accurate capacitance, we use numerical derivatives of capacitance values to compute the forces. The model is formulated such that the capacitance and force models use the same regression coefficients. The comb model thus obtained, fits the numerical capacitance data to within +/- 3% and force to within +/- 10%. The model is experimentally verified by measuring capacitance change in a specially designed test structure. The capacitance model matches measurements to within 10%. The comb model is implemented in an Analog Hardware Description Language (ADHL) for use in behavioral simulation of manufacturing variations in a CMOS-MEMS gyroscope.

Modeling and non-linear responses of MEMS capacitive accelerometer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sri Harsha C.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A theoretical investigation of an electrically actuated beam has been illustrated when the electrostatic-ally actuated micro-cantilever beam is separated from the electrode by a moderately large gap for two distinct types of geometric configurations of MEMS accelerometer. Higher order nonlinear terms have been taken into account for studying the pull in voltage analysis. A nonlinear model of gas film squeezing damping, another source of nonlinearity in MEMS devices is included in obtaining the dynamic responses. Moreover, in the present work, the possible source of nonlinearities while formulating the mathematical model of a MEMS accelerometer and their influences on the dynamic responses have been investigated. The theoretical results obtained by using MATLAB has been verified with the results obtained in FE software and has been found in good agreement. Criterion towards stable micro size accelerometer for each configuration has been investigated. This investigation clearly provides an understanding of nonlinear static and dynamics characteristics of electrostatically micro cantilever based device in MEMS.

New dynamic silicon photonic components enabled by MEMS technology

Science.gov (United States)

Errando-Herranz, Carlos; Edinger, Pierre; Colangelo, Marco; Björk, Joel; Ahmed, Samy; Stemme, Göran; Niklaus, Frank; Gylfason, Kristinn B.

2018-02-01

Silicon photonics is the study and application of integrated optical systems which use silicon as an optical medium, usually by confining light in optical waveguides etched into the surface of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers. The term microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) refers to the technology of mechanics on the microscale actuated by electrostatic actuators. Due to the low power requirements of electrostatic actuation, MEMS components are very power efficient, making them well suited for dense integration and mobile operation. MEMS components are conventionally also implemented in silicon, and MEMS sensors such as accelerometers, gyros, and microphones are now standard in every smartphone. By combining these two successful technologies, new active photonic components with extremely low power consumption can be made. We discuss our recent experimental work on tunable filters, tunable fiber-to-chip couplers, and dynamic waveguide dispersion tuning, enabled by the marriage of silicon MEMS and silicon photonics.

On the Modeling of a MEMS Based Capacitive Accelerometer for Measurement of Tractor Seat Vibration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Alidoost

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Drivers of heavy vehicles often face with higher amplitudes of frequencies range between 1-80 Hz. Hence, this range of frequency results in temporary or even sometimes permanent damages to the health of drivers. Examples for these problems are damages to the vertebral column and early tiredness, which both reduce the driver’s performance significantly. One solution to this problem is to decrease the imposed vibration to the driver’s seat by developing an active seat system. These systems require an online measuring unit to sense vibrations transferred to the seat. The measuring unit can include a capacitive micro-accelerometer on the basis of MEMS which measure online vibrations on the seat. In this study, the mechanical behavior of a capacitive micro-accelerometer for the vibration range applied to a tractor seat has been simulated. The accelerometer is capable to measure step, impact and harmonic external excitations applied to the system. The results of the study indicate that, with increasing the applied voltage, the system sensitivity also increases, but the measuring range of vibrations decreases and vice versa. The modeled accelerometer, at damping ratio of 0.67 is capable to measure accelerations within the frequency range of lower than 130 Hz.

Reliable before-fabrication forecasting of normal and touch mode MEMS capacitive pressure sensor: modeling and simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Jindal, Sumit Kumar; Mahajan, Ankush; Raghuwanshi, Sanjeev Kumar

2017-10-01

An analytical model and numerical simulation for the performance of MEMS capacitive pressure sensors in both normal and touch modes is required for expected behavior of the sensor prior to their fabrication. Obtaining such information should be based on a complete analysis of performance parameters such as deflection of diaphragm, change of capacitance when the diaphragm deflects, and sensitivity of the sensor. In the literature, limited work has been carried out on the above-stated issue; moreover, due to approximation factors of polynomials, a tolerance error cannot be overseen. Reliable before-fabrication forecasting requires exact mathematical calculation of the parameters involved. A second-order polynomial equation is calculated mathematically for key performance parameters of both modes. This eliminates the approximation factor, and an exact result can be studied, maintaining high accuracy. The elimination of approximation factors and an approach of exact results are based on a new design parameter (δ) that we propose. The design parameter gives an initial hint to the designers on how the sensor will behave once it is fabricated. The complete work is aided by extensive mathematical detailing of all the parameters involved. Next, we verified our claims using MATLAB® simulation. Since MATLAB® effectively provides the simulation theory for the design approach, more complicated finite element method is not used.

A Musical instrument in MEMS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Engelen, Johannes Bernardus Charles; de Boer, Hans L.; de Boer, H.; Beekman, J.G.; Been, A.J.; Folkertsma, Gerrit Adriaan; Folkertsma, G.A.; Fortgens, L.; de Graaf, D.; Vocke, S.; Woldering, L.A.; Abelmann, Leon; Elwenspoek, Michael Curt

In this work we describe a MEMS instrument that resonates at audible frequencies, and with which music can be made. The sounds are generated by mechanical resonators and capacitive displacement sensors. Damping by air scales unfavourably for generating audible frequencies with small devices.

The Impact of Dielectric Material and Temperature on Dielectric Charging in RF MEMS Capacitive Switches

Science.gov (United States)

Papaioannou, George

The present work attempts to provide a better insight on the dielectric charging in RF-MEMS capacitive switches that constitutes a key issue limiting parameter of their commercialization. The dependence of the charging process on the nature of dielectric materials widely used in these devices, such as SiO2, Si3N4, AlN, Al2O3, Ta2O5, HfO2, which consist of covalent or ionic bonds and may exhibit piezoelectric properties is discussed taking into account the effect of deposition conditions and resulting material stoichiometry. Another key issue parameter that accelerates the charging and discharging processes by providing enough energy to trapped charges to be released and to dipoles to overcome potential barriers and randomize their orientation is the temperature will be investigated too. Finally, the effect of device structure will be also taken into account.

CMOS MEMS capacitive absolute pressure sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narducci, M; Tsai, J; Yu-Chia, L; Fang, W

2013-01-01

This paper presents the design, fabrication and characterization of a capacitive pressure sensor using a commercial 0.18 µm CMOS (complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor) process and postprocess. The pressure sensor is capacitive and the structure is formed by an Al top electrode enclosed in a suspended SiO 2 membrane, which acts as a movable electrode against a bottom or stationary Al electrode fixed on the SiO 2 substrate. Both the movable and fixed electrodes form a variable parallel plate capacitor, whose capacitance varies with the applied pressure on the surface. In order to release the membranes the CMOS layers need to be applied postprocess and this mainly consists of four steps: (1) deposition and patterning of PECVD (plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition) oxide to protect CMOS pads and to open the pressure sensor top surface, (2) etching of the sacrificial layer to release the suspended membrane, (3) deposition of PECVD oxide to seal the etching holes and creating vacuum inside the gap, and finally (4) etching of the passivation oxide to open the pads and allow electrical connections. This sensor design and fabrication is suitable to obey the design rules of a CMOS foundry and since it only uses low-temperature processes, it allows monolithic integration with other types of CMOS compatible sensors and IC (integrated circuit) interface on a single chip. Experimental results showed that the pressure sensor has a highly linear sensitivity of 0.14 fF kPa −1 in the pressure range of 0–300 kPa. (paper)

A capacitive power sensor based on the MEMS cantilever beam fabricated by GaAs MMIC technology

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Zhenxiang; Liao, Xiaoping

2013-03-01

In this paper, a novel capacitive power sensor based on the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) cantilever beam at 8-12 GHz is proposed, fabricated and tested. The presented design can not only realize a cantilever beam instead of the conventional fixed-fixed beam, but also provide fine compatibility with the GaAs monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) process. When the displacement of the cantilever beam is very small compared with the initial height of the air gap, the capacitance change between the measuring electrode and the cantilever beam has an approximately linear dependence on the incident radio frequency (RF) power. Impedance compensating technology, by modifying the slot width of the coplanar waveguide transmission line, is adopted to minimize the effect of the cantilever beam on the power sensor; its validity is verified by the simulation of high frequency structure simulator software. The power sensor has been fabricated successfully by Au surface micromachining using polyimide as the sacrificial layer on the GaAs substrate. Optimization of the design with impedance compensating technology has resulted in a measured return loss of less than -25 dB and an insertion loss of around 0.1 dB at 8-12 GHz, which shows the slight effect of the cantilever beam on the microwave performance of this power sensor. The measured capacitance change starts from 0.7 fF to 1.3 fF when the incident RF power increases from 100 to 200 mW and an approximate linear dependence has been obtained. The measured sensitivities of the sensor are about 6.16, 6.27 and 6.03 aF mW-1 at 8, 10 and 12 GHz, respectively.

Low Actuating Voltage Spring-Free RF MEMS SPDT Switch

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deepak Bansal

2016-01-01

Full Text Available RF MEMS devices are known to be superior to their solid state counterparts in terms of power consumption and electromagnetic response. Major limitations of MEMS devices are their low switching speed, high actuation voltage, larger size, and reliability. In the present paper, a see-saw single pole double throw (SPDT RF MEMS switch based on anchor-free mechanism is proposed which eliminates the above-mentioned disadvantages. The proposed switch has a switching time of 394 nsec with actuation voltage of 5 V. Size of the SPDT switch is reduced by utilizing a single series capacitive switch compared to conventional switches with capacitive and series combinations. Reliability of the switch is improved by adding floating metal and reducing stiction between the actuating bridge and transmission line. Insertion loss and isolation are better than −0.6 dB and −20 dB, respectively, for 1 GHz to 20 GHz applications.

A capacitive power sensor based on the MEMS cantilever beam fabricated by GaAs MMIC technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yi, Zhenxiang; Liao, Xiaoping

2013-01-01

In this paper, a novel capacitive power sensor based on the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) cantilever beam at 8–12 GHz is proposed, fabricated and tested. The presented design can not only realize a cantilever beam instead of the conventional fixed–fixed beam, but also provide fine compatibility with the GaAs monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) process. When the displacement of the cantilever beam is very small compared with the initial height of the air gap, the capacitance change between the measuring electrode and the cantilever beam has an approximately linear dependence on the incident radio frequency (RF) power. Impedance compensating technology, by modifying the slot width of the coplanar waveguide transmission line, is adopted to minimize the effect of the cantilever beam on the power sensor; its validity is verified by the simulation of high frequency structure simulator software. The power sensor has been fabricated successfully by Au surface micromachining using polyimide as the sacrificial layer on the GaAs substrate. Optimization of the design with impedance compensating technology has resulted in a measured return loss of less than −25 dB and an insertion loss of around 0.1 dB at 8–12 GHz, which shows the slight effect of the cantilever beam on the microwave performance of this power sensor. The measured capacitance change starts from 0.7 fF to 1.3 fF when the incident RF power increases from 100 to 200 mW and an approximate linear dependence has been obtained. The measured sensitivities of the sensor are about 6.16, 6.27 and 6.03 aF mW −1 at 8, 10 and 12 GHz, respectively. (paper)

Packaging of MEMS/MOEMS and nanodevices: reliability, testing, and characterization aspects

Science.gov (United States)

Tekin, Tolga; Ngo, Ha-Duong; Wittler, Olaf; Bouhlal, Bouchaib; Lang, Klaus-Dieter

2011-02-01

The last decade witnessed an explosive growth in research and development efforts devoted to MEMS devices and packaging. The successfully developed MEMS devices are, for example inkjet, pressure sensors, silicon microphones, accelerometers, gyroscopes, MOEMS, micro fuel cells and emerging MEMS. For the next decade, MEMS/MOEMS and nanodevice based products will penetrate into IT, telecommunications, automotive, defense, life sciences, medical and implantable applications. Forecasts say the MEMS market to be $14 billion by 2012. The packaging cost of MEMS/MOEMS products in general is about 70 percent. Unlike today's electronics IC packaging, their packaging are custom-built and difficult due to the moving structural elements. In order for the moving elements of a MEMS device to move effectively in a well-controlled atmosphere, hermetic sealing of the MEMS device in a cap is necessary. For some MEMS devices, such as resonators and gyroscopes, vacuum packaging is required. Usually, the cap is processed at the wafer level, and thus MEMS packaging is truly a wafer level packaging. In terms of MEMS/MOEMS and nanodevice packaging, there are still many critical issues need to be addressed due to the increasing integration density supported by 3D heterogeneous integration of multi-physic components/layers consisting of photonics, electronics, rf, plasmonics, and wireless. The infrastructure of MEMS/MOEMS and nanodevices and their packaging is not well established yet. Generic packaging platform technologies are not available. Some of critical issues have been studied intensively in the last years. In this paper we will discuss about processes, reliability, testing and characterization of MEMS/MOEMS and nanodevice packaging.

Characterization of dielectric charging in RF MEMS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Herfst, R.W.; Huizing, H.G.A.; Steeneken, P.G.; Schmitz, Jurriaan

2005-01-01

Capacitive RF MEMS switches show great promise for use in wireless communication devices such as mobile phones, but the successful application of these switches is hindered by the reliability of the devices: charge injection in the dielectric layer (SiN) can cause irreversible stiction of the moving

A robust parasitic-insensitive successive approximation capacitance-to-digital converter

KAUST Repository

Omran, Hesham

2014-09-01

In this paper, we present a capacitive sensor digital interface circuit using true capacitance-domain successive approximation that is independent of supply voltage. Robust operation is achieved by using a charge amplifier stage and multiple comparison technique. The interface circuit is insensitive to parasitic capacitances, offset voltages, and charge injection, and is not prone to noise coupling. The proposed design achieves very low temperature sensitivity of 25ppm/oC. A coarse-fine programmable capacitance array allows digitizing a wide capacitance range of 16pF with 12.5-bit quantization limited resolution in a compact area of 0.07mm2. The fabricated prototype is experimentally verified using on-chip sensor and off-chip MEMS capacitive pressure sensor. © 2014 IEEE.

A robust parasitic-insensitive successive approximation capacitance-to-digital converter

KAUST Repository

Omran, Hesham; Arsalan, Muhammad; Salama, Khaled N.

2014-01-01

In this paper, we present a capacitive sensor digital interface circuit using true capacitance-domain successive approximation that is independent of supply voltage. Robust operation is achieved by using a charge amplifier stage and multiple comparison technique. The interface circuit is insensitive to parasitic capacitances, offset voltages, and charge injection, and is not prone to noise coupling. The proposed design achieves very low temperature sensitivity of 25ppm/oC. A coarse-fine programmable capacitance array allows digitizing a wide capacitance range of 16pF with 12.5-bit quantization limited resolution in a compact area of 0.07mm2. The fabricated prototype is experimentally verified using on-chip sensor and off-chip MEMS capacitive pressure sensor. © 2014 IEEE.

Uncertainty in microscale gas damping: Implications on dynamics of capacitive MEMS switches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexeenko, Alina; Chigullapalli, Sruti; Zeng Juan; Guo Xiaohui; Kovacs, Andrew; Peroulis, Dimitrios

2011-01-01

Effects of uncertainties in gas damping models, geometry and mechanical properties on the dynamics of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) capacitive switch are studied. A sample of typical capacitive switches has been fabricated and characterized at Purdue University. High-fidelity simulations of gas damping on planar microbeams are developed and verified under relevant conditions. This and other gas damping models are then applied to study the dynamics of a single closing event for switches with experimentally measured properties. It has been demonstrated that although all damping models considered predict similar damping quality factor and agree well for predictions of closing time, the models differ by a factor of two and more in predicting the impact velocity and acceleration at contact. Implications of parameter uncertainties on the key reliability-related parameters such as the pull-in voltage, closing time and impact velocity are discussed. A notable effect of uncertainty is that the nominal switch, i.e. the switch with the average properties, does not actuate at the mean actuation voltage. Additionally, the device-to-device variability leads to significant differences in dynamics. For example, the mean impact velocity for switches actuated under the 90%-actuation voltage (about 150 V), i.e. the voltage required to actuate 90% of the sample, is about 129 cm/s and increases to 173 cm/s for the 99%-actuation voltage (of about 173 V). Response surfaces of impact velocity and closing time to five input variables were constructed using the Smolyak sparse grid algorithm. The sensitivity analysis showed that impact velocity is most sensitive to the damping coefficient whereas the closing time is most affected by the geometric parameters such as gap and beam thickness. - Highlights: → We examine stochastic non-linear response of a microsystem switch subject to multiple input uncertainties. → Sample devices have been fabricated and device

Post-CMOS selective electroplating technique for the improvement of CMOS-MEMS accelerometers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Yu-Chia; Tsai, Ming-Han; Fang, Weileun; Tang, Tsung-Lin

2011-01-01

This study presents a simple approach to improve the performance of the CMOS-MEMS capacitive accelerometer by means of the post-CMOS metal electroplating process. The metal layer can be selectively electroplated on the MEMS structures at low temperature and the thickness of the metal layer can be easily adjusted by this process. Thus the performance of the capacitive accelerometer (i.e. sensitivity, noise floor and the minimum detectable signal) can be improved. In application, the proposed accelerometers have been implemented using (1) the standard CMOS 0.35 µm 2P4M process by CMOS foundry, (2) Ti/Au seed layers deposition/patterning by MEMS foundry and (3) in-house post-CMOS electroplating and releasing processes. Measurements indicate that the sensitivity is improved 2.85-fold, noise is decreased near 1.7-fold and the minimum detectable signal is improved from 1 to 0.2 G after nickel electroplating. Moreover, unwanted structure deformation due to the temperature variation is significantly suppressed by electroplated nickel.

Calibration of the pressure sensitivity of microphones by a free-field method at frequencies up to 80 khz.

Science.gov (United States)

Zuckerwar, Allan J; Herring, G C; Elbing, Brian R

2006-01-01

A free-field (FF) substitution method for calibrating the pressure sensitivity of microphones at frequencies up to 80 kHz is demonstrated with both grazing and normal-incidence geometries. The substitution-based method, as opposed to a simultaneous method, avoids problems associated with the nonuniformity of the sound field and, as applied here, uses a 1/4-in. air-condenser pressure microphone as a known reference. Best results were obtained with a centrifugal fan, which is used as a random, broadband sound source. A broadband source minimizes reflection-related interferences that can plague FF measurements. Calibrations were performed on 1/4-in. FF air-condenser, electret, and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphones in an anechoic chamber. The uncertainty of this FF method is estimated by comparing the pressure sensitivity of an air-condenser FF microphone, as derived from the FF measurement, with that of an electrostatic actuator calibration. The root-mean-square difference is found to be +/- 0.3 dB over the range 1-80 kHz, and the combined standard uncertainty of the FF method, including other significant contributions, is +/- 0.41 dB.

Low voltage RF MEMS variable capacitor with linear C-V response

KAUST Repository

Elshurafa, Amro M.

2012-07-23

An RF MEMS variable capacitor, fabricated in the PolyMUMPS process and tuned electrostatically, possessing a linear capacitance-voltage response is reported. The measured quality factor of the device was 17 at 1GHz, while the tuning range was 1.2:1 and was achieved at an actuation DC voltage of 8V only. Further, the linear regression coefficient was 0.98. The variable capacitor was created such that it has both vertical and horizontal capacitances present. As the top suspended plate moves towards the bottom fixed plate, the vertical capacitance increases whereas the horizontal capacitance decreases simultaneously such that the sum of the two capacitances yields a linear capacitance-voltage relation. © 2012 The Institution of Engineering and Technology.

High-throughput anisotropic plasma etching of polyimide for MEMS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bliznetsov, Vladimir; Manickam, Anbumalar; Ranganathan, Nagarajan; Chen, Junwei

2011-01-01

This note describes a new high-throughput process of polyimide etching for the fabrication of MEMS devices with an organic sacrificial layer approach. Using dual frequency superimposed capacitively coupled plasma we achieved a vertical profile of polyimide with an etching rate as high as 3.5 µm min −1 . After the fabrication of vertical structures in a polyimide material, additional steps were performed to fabricate structural elements of MEMS by deposition of a SiO 2 layer and performing release etching of polyimide. (technical note)

A low-voltage silicon condenser microphone for hearing instrument applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rombach, Pirmin; Müllenborn, Matthias; Klein, Udo

1999-01-01

the input-related noise of the following preamplifier stage becomes dominant and results in a high equivalent input-related noise. Here a silicon condenser microphone with the potential for hearing instrument applications will be presented. To get the best properties for the different mechanical parts, e...... related A-weighted noise is 23 dB SPL, including the preamplifier. Due to a conservative layout, the parasitic capacitance is about 50%. An increase of 2–3 mV/Pa sensitivity and hence 3 dB SPL less noise can therefore be achieved by design optimization....

Topology Optimization of Stressed Capacitive RF MEMS Switches

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Philippine, Mandy A.; Sigmund, Ole; Rebeiz, Gabriel M.

2013-01-01

Geometry design can improve a capacitive radio-frequency microelectromechanical system switch's reliability by reducing the impacts of intrinsic biaxial stresses and stress gradients on the switch's membrane. Intrinsic biaxial stresses cause stress stiffening, whereas stress gradients cause out-o...

Mic it! microphones, microphone techniques, and their impact on the final mix

CERN Document Server

Corbett, Ian

2014-01-01

Capture great sound in the first place, and spend less time ""fixing it in the mix"" with Ian Corbett's Mic It! Microphones, Microphone Techniques, and Their Impact on the Final Mix. With his expert guidance, you'll quickly understand essential audio concepts as they relate to microphones and mic techniques, and learn how to apply them to your recording situation. Whether you only ever buy one microphone, are equipping a studio on a budget, or have a vast selection of great mics to use, you'll learn to better use whatever tools you have. Mic It! gives you the background to design and discover

Impact of radiations on the electromechanical properties of materials and on the piezoresistive and capacitive transduction mechanisms used in microsystems

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, Laurent A.; Gkotsis, Petros; Kilchytska, Valeriya; Tang, Xiaohui; Druart, Sylvain; Raskin, Jean-Pierre; Flandre, Denis

2013-03-01

The impact of different types of radiation on the electromechanical properties of materials used in microfabrication and on the capacitive and piezoresistive transduction mechanisms of MEMS is investigated. MEMS technologies could revolutionize avionics, satellite and space applications provided that the stress conditions which can compromise the reliability of microsystems in these environments are well understood. Initial tests with MEMS revealed a vulnerability of some types of devices to radiation induced dielectric charging, a physical mechanism which also affects microelectronics, however integration of novel functional materials in microfabrication and the current trend to substitute SiO2 with high-k dielectrics in ICs pose new questions regarding reliability in radiation environments. The performance of MEMS devices with moving parts could also degrade due to radiation induced changes in the mechanical properties of the materials. It is thus necessary to investigate the effects of radiation on the properties of thin films used in microfabrication and here we report on tests with γ, high energy protons and fast neutrons radiation. Prototype SOI based MEMS magnetometers which were developed in UCL are also used as test vehicles to investigate radiation effects on the reliability of magnetically actuated and capacitively coupled MEMS.

Mapping Speech Spectra from Throat Microphone to Close-Speaking Microphone: A Neural Network Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Yegnanarayana

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Speech recorded from a throat microphone is robust to the surrounding noise, but sounds unnatural unlike the speech recorded from a close-speaking microphone. This paper addresses the issue of improving the perceptual quality of the throat microphone speech by mapping the speech spectra from the throat microphone to the close-speaking microphone. A neural network model is used to capture the speaker-dependent functional relationship between the feature vectors (cepstral coefficients of the two speech signals. A method is proposed to ensure the stability of the all-pole synthesis filter. Objective evaluations indicate the effectiveness of the proposed mapping scheme. The advantage of this method is that the model gives a smooth estimate of the spectra of the close-speaking microphone speech. No distortions are perceived in the reconstructed speech. This mapping technique is also used for bandwidth extension of telephone speech.

Acoustic Source Localization via Subspace Based Method Using Small Aperture MEMS Arrays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xin Zhang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Small aperture microphone arrays provide many advantages for portable devices and hearing aid equipment. In this paper, a subspace based localization method is proposed for acoustic source using small aperture arrays. The effects of array aperture on localization are analyzed by using array response (array manifold. Besides array aperture, the frequency of acoustic source and the variance of signal power are simulated to demonstrate how to optimize localization performance, which is carried out by introducing frequency error with the proposed method. The proposed method for 5 mm array aperture is validated by simulations and experiments with MEMS microphone arrays. Different types of acoustic sources can be localized with the highest precision of 6 degrees even in the presence of wind noise and other noises. Furthermore, the proposed method reduces the computational complexity compared with other methods.

Novel rf power sensor based on capacitive MEMS technology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fernandez, L.J.; Visser, Eelke; Sesé, J.; Jansen, Henricus V.; Wiegerink, Remco J.; Flokstra, Jakob

2003-01-01

We present the theory, design, fabrication of and first measurements on a novel power for radio frequency (rf) signals, based on capacitive measurements. The novelty of this sensor is thtat it measures the force that is created between the rf signal and a grounded membrande suspended above the line

Development, characterization and application of compact spectrometers based on MEMS with in-plane capacitive drives

Science.gov (United States)

Kenda, A.; Kraft, M.; Tortschanoff, A.; Scherf, Werner; Sandner, T.; Schenk, Harald; Luettjohann, Stephan; Simon, A.

2014-05-01

With a trend towards the use of spectroscopic systems in various fields of science and industry, there is an increasing demand for compact spectrometers. For UV/VIS to the shortwave near-infrared spectral range, compact hand-held polychromator type devices are widely used and have replaced larger conventional instruments in many applications. Still, for longer wavelengths this type of compact spectrometers is lacking suitable and affordable detector arrays. In perennial development Carinthian Tech Research AG together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems endeavor to close this gap by developing spectrometer systems based on photonic MEMS. Here, we review on two different spectrometer developments, a scanning grating spectrometer working in the NIR and a FT-spectrometer accessing the mid-IR range up to 14 μm. Both systems are using photonic MEMS devices actuated by in-plane comb drive structures. This principle allows for high mechanical amplitudes at low driving voltages but results in gratings respectively mirrors oscillating harmonically. Both systems feature special MEMS structures as well as aspects in terms of system integration which shall tease out the best possible overall performance on the basis of this technology. However, the advantages of MEMS as enabling technology for high scanning speed, miniaturization, energy efficiency, etc. are pointed out. Whereas the scanning grating spectrometer has already evolved to a product for the point of sale analysis of traditional Chinese medicine products, the purpose of the FT-spectrometer as presented is to demonstrate what is achievable in terms of performance. Current developments topics address MEMS packaging issues towards long term stability, further miniaturization and usability.

Resonant Magnetic Field Sensors Based On MEMS Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elías Manjarrez

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS technology allows the integration of magnetic field sensors with electronic components, which presents important advantages such as small size, light weight, minimum power consumption, low cost, better sensitivity and high resolution. We present a discussion and review of resonant magnetic field sensors based on MEMS technology. In practice, these sensors exploit the Lorentz force in order to detect external magnetic fields through the displacement of resonant structures, which are measured with optical, capacitive, and piezoresistive sensing techniques. From these, the optical sensing presents immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI and reduces the read-out electronic complexity. Moreover, piezoresistive sensing requires an easy fabrication process as well as a standard packaging. A description of the operation mechanisms, advantages and drawbacks of each sensor is considered. MEMS magnetic field sensors are a potential alternative for numerous applications, including the automotive industry, military, medical, telecommunications, oceanographic, spatial, and environment science. In addition, future markets will need the development of several sensors on a single chip for measuring different parameters such as the magnetic field, pressure, temperature and acceleration.

Resonant Magnetic Field Sensors Based On MEMS Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Herrera-May, Agustín L.; Aguilera-Cortés, Luz A.; García-Ramírez, Pedro J.; Manjarrez, Elías

2009-01-01

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology allows the integration of magnetic field sensors with electronic components, which presents important advantages such as small size, light weight, minimum power consumption, low cost, better sensitivity and high resolution. We present a discussion and review of resonant magnetic field sensors based on MEMS technology. In practice, these sensors exploit the Lorentz force in order to detect external magnetic fields through the displacement of resonant structures, which are measured with optical, capacitive, and piezoresistive sensing techniques. From these, the optical sensing presents immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and reduces the read-out electronic complexity. Moreover, piezoresistive sensing requires an easy fabrication process as well as a standard packaging. A description of the operation mechanisms, advantages and drawbacks of each sensor is considered. MEMS magnetic field sensors are a potential alternative for numerous applications, including the automotive industry, military, medical, telecommunications, oceanographic, spatial, and environment science. In addition, future markets will need the development of several sensors on a single chip for measuring different parameters such as the magnetic field, pressure, temperature and acceleration. PMID:22408480

A versatile multi-user polyimide surface micromachinning process for MEMS applications

KAUST Repository

Carreno, Armando Arpys Arevalo

2015-04-01

This paper reports a versatile multi-user micro-fabrication process for MEMS devices, the \\'Polyimide MEMS Multi-User Process\\' (PiMMPs). The reported process uses polyimide as the structural material and three separate metallization layers that can be interconnected depending on the desired application. This process enables for the first time the development of out-of-plane compliant mechanisms that can be designed using six different physical principles for actuation and sensing on a wafer from a single fabrication run. These principles are electrostatic motion, thermal bimorph actuation, capacitive sensing, magnetic sensing, thermocouple-based sensing and radio frequency transmission and reception. © 2015 IEEE.

Two-wire Interface for Digital Microphones

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groothedde, Wouter; Klumperink, Eric A.M.; Nauta, Bram; Eschauzier, Rudolphe Gustave Hubertus; van Rijn, Nico

2003-01-01

A two-wire interface for a digital microphone circuit includes a power line and a ground line. The interface utilizes the ground line as a "voltage active line" to transmit both clock and data signals between the digital microphone circuit and a receiving circuit. The digital microphone circuit

Two-Wire interface for digital microphones

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groothedde, Wouter; Klumperink, Eric A.M.; Nauta, Bram; Eschauzier, Rudolphe Gustave Hubertus; van Rijn, Nico

2005-01-01

A two-wire interface for a digital microphone circuit includes a power line and a ground line. The interface utilizes the ground line as a "voltage active line" to transmit both clock and data signals between the digital microphone circuit and a receiving circuit. The digital microphone circuit

A piezoelectric micro control valve with integrated capacitive sensing for ambulant blood pressure waveform monitoring

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groen, Maarten; Wu, Kai; Brookhuis, Robert Anton; van Houwelingen, Marc J.; Brouwer, Dannis Michel; Lötters, Joost Conrad; Wiegerink, Remco J.

2014-01-01

We have designed and characterized a MEMS microvalve with built-in capacitive displacement sensing and fitted it with a miniature piezoelectric actuator to achieve active valve control. The integrated displacement sensor enables high bandwidth proportional control of the gas flow through the valve.

SOI silicon on glass for optical MEMS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Kristian Pontoppidan; Ravnkilde, Jan Tue; Hansen, Ole

2003-01-01

and a final sealing at the interconnects can be performed using a suitable polymer. Packaged MEMS on glass are advantageous within Optical MEMS and for sensitive capacitive devices. We report on experiences with bonding SOI to Pyrex. Uniform DRIE shallow and deep etching was achieved by a combination......A newly developed fabrication method for fabrication of single crystalline Si (SCS) components on glass, utilizing Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) of a Silicon On Insulator (SOI) wafer is presented. The devices are packaged at wafer level in a glass-silicon-glass (GSG) stack by anodic bonding...... of an optimized device layout and an optimized process recipe. The behavior of the buried oxide membrane when used as an etch stop for the through-hole etch is described. No harmful buckling or fracture of the membrane is observed for an oxide thickness below 1 μm, but larger and more fragile released structures...

Piezoelectric Zinc Oxide Based MEMS Acoustic Sensor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aarti Arora

2008-04-01

Full Text Available An acoustic sensors exhibiting good sensitivity was fabricated using MEMS technology having piezoelectric zinc oxide as a dielectric between two plates of capacitor. Thin film zinc oxide has structural, piezoelectric and optical properties for surface acoustic wave (SAW and bulk acoustic wave (BAW devices. Oxygen effficient films are transparent and insulating having wide applications for sensors and transducers. A rf sputtered piezoelectric ZnO layer transforms the mechanical deflection of a thin etched silicon diaphragm into a piezoelectric charge. For 25-micron thin diaphragm Si was etched in tetramethylammonium hydroxide solution using bulk micromachining. This was followed by deposition of sandwiched structure composed of bottom aluminum electrode, sputtered 3 micron ZnO film and top aluminum electrode. A glass having 1 mm diameter hole was bonded on backside of device to compensate sound pressure in side the cavity. The measured value of central capacitance and dissipation factor of the fabricated MEMS acoustic sensor was found to be 82.4pF and 0.115 respectively, where as the value of ~176 pF was obtained for the rim capacitance with a dissipation factor of 0.138. The response of the acoustic sensors was reproducible for the devices prepared under similar processing conditions under different batches. The acoustic sensor was found to be working from 30Hz to 8KHz with a sensitivity of 139µV/Pa under varying acoustic pressure.

A Flexible Capacitive Sensor with Encapsulated Liquids as Dielectrics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasunari Hotta

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Flexible and high-sensitive capacitive sensors are demanded to detect pressure distribution and/or tactile information on a curved surface, hence, wide varieties of polymer-based flexible MEMS sensors have been developed. High-sensitivity may be achieved by increasing the capacitance of the sensor using solid dielectric material while it deteriorates the flexibility. Using air as the dielectric, to maintain the flexibility, sacrifices the sensor sensitivity. In this paper, we demonstrate flexible and highly sensitive capacitive sensor arrays that encapsulate highly dielectric liquids as the dielectric. Deionized water and glycerin, which have relative dielectric constants of approximately 80 and 47, respectively, could increase the capacitance of the sensor when used as the dielectric while maintaining flexibility of the sensor with electrodes patterned on flexible polymer substrates. A reservoir of liquids between the electrodes was designed to have a leak path, which allows the sensor to deform despite of the incompressibility of the encapsulated liquids. The proposed sensor was microfabricated and demonstrated successfully to have a five times greater sensitivity than sensors that use air as the dielectric.

The acoustic center of laboratory standard microphones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barrera Figueroa, Salvador; Rasmussen, Knud; Jacobsen, Finn

2006-01-01

An experimental procedure is described for obtaining the effective acoustic distance between pairs of microphones coupled by a free field, leading to the determination of the position of the acoustic center of the microphones. The procedure, which is based on measuring the modulus of the electrical...... transfer impedance, has been applied to a large number of microphones. In all cases effects due to reflections from the walls of the anechoic chamber and the interference between the microphones have been removed using a time-selective technique. The procedure of determining the position of the acoustic...... center from the inverse distance law is analyzed. Experimental values of the acoustic center of laboratory standard microphones are presented, and numerical results obtained using the boundary element method supplement the experimental data. Estimated uncertainties are also presented. The results...

A chain of microphones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-07-01

In order to discover a more accurate and selective measuring method for the identification of individual flow-noise pollution sources on wind turbines blades, measuring equipment based on a chain of microphones was developed. The principle underlying the design of this equipment is that signals from a number of microphones can be interpreted. Thus the microphones can register noise from sections of the rotary blade and unwished-for noise is eliminated. The gating technique ensures that noises from individual blades can be separated and that clarity is improved. In addition to this, noise can be determined close to the source. The chain consists of 8 microphones placed in a row at adjustable distances. Measurements are registered on tapes as are the trigger signals for the blade passage. The computer processes the measurement results and unnecessary noise is depressed. The listening angles can also be changed electronically so that the doppler effect can be corrected. Results confirmed that the equipment operated satisfactorily and could also be used in relation to noise pollution in power plants as it is especially effective in depressing excess, and cutting out outside, noise and registers accurately individual sources of noise helped by its ability to ''listen '' at varying angles to the source. (AB)

Effects Of Environmental And Operational Stresses On RF MEMS Switch Technologies For Space Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Jah, Muzar; Simon, Eric; Sharma, Ashok

2003-01-01

Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) have been heralded for their ability to provide tremendous advantages in electronic systems through increased electrical performance, reduced power consumption, and higher levels of device integration with a reduction of board real estate. RF MEMS switch technology offers advantages such as low insertion loss (0.1- 0.5 dB), wide bandwidth (1 GHz-100 GHz), and compatibility with many different process technologies (quartz, high resistivity Si, GaAs) which can replace the use of traditional electronic switches, such as GaAs FETS and PIN Diodes, in microwave systems for low signal power (x technologies, the unknown reliability, due to the lack of information concerning failure modes and mechanisms inherent to MEMS devices, create an obstacle to insertion of MEMS technology into high reliability applications. All MEMS devices are sensitive to moisture and contaminants, issues easily resolved by hermetic or near-hermetic packaging. Two well-known failure modes of RF MEMS switches are charging in the dielectric layer of capacitive membrane switches and contact interface stiction of metal-metal switches. Determining the integrity of MEMS devices when subjected to the shock, vibration, temperature extremes, and radiation of the space environment is necessary to facilitate integration into space systems. This paper will explore the effects of different environmental stresses, operational life cycling, temperature, mechanical shock, and vibration on the first commercially available RF MEMS switches to identify relevant failure modes and mechanisms inherent to these device and packaging schemes for space applications. This paper will also describe RF MEMS Switch technology under development at NASA GSFC.

Two-layer radio frequency MEMS fractal capacitors in PolyMUMPS for S-band applications

KAUST Repository

Elshurafa, Amro M.

2012-07-23

In this Letter, the authors fabricate for the first time MEMS fractal capacitors possessing two layers and compare their performance characteristics with the conventional parallel-plate capacitor and previously reported state-of-the-art single-layer MEMS fractal capacitors. Explicitly, a capacitor with a woven structure and another with an interleaved configuration were fabricated in the standard PolyMUMPS surface micromachining process and tested at S-band frequencies. The self-resonant frequencies of the fabricated capacitors were close to 10GHz, which is better than that of the parallel-plate capacitor, which measured only 5.5GHz. Further, the presented capacitors provided a higher capacitance when compared with the state-of-the-art-reported MEMS fractal capacitors created using a single layer at the expense of a lower quality factor. © 2012 The Institution of Engineering and Technology.

Superconducting microphone for photoacoustic spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ribeiro, P.C.; Labrunie, M.; Weid, J.P. von der; Symko, O.G.

1982-07-01

A superconducting microphone has been developed for photoacoustic spectroscopy at low temperatures. The microphone consists of a thin mylar membrane coated with a film of lead whose motion is detected by a SQUID magnetometer. For the simple set-up presented here, the limiting pressure sensitivity is 7.5x10 -14 atmospheres/√Hz. (Author) [pt

Speech Intelligibility in Noise Using Throat and Acoustic Microphones

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Acker-Mills, Barbara

2004-01-01

... speech intelligibility. Speech intelligibility for signals generated by an acoustic microphone, a throat microphone, and the two microphones together was assessed using the Modified Rhyme Test (MRT...

Silicon microphones - a Danish perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bouwstra, Siebe; Storgaard-Larsen, Torben; Scheeper, Patrick

1998-01-01

Two application areas of microphones are discussed, those for precision measurement and those for hearing instruments. Silicon microphones are under investigation for both areas, and Danish industry plays a key role in both. The opportunities of silicon, as well as the challenges and expectations......, are discussed. For precision measurement the challenge for silicon is large, while for hearing instruments silicon seems to be very promising....

A piezoelectric micro control valve with integrated capacitive sensing for ambulant blood pressure waveform monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Groen, Maarten S.; Wu, Kai; Brookhuis, Robert A.; van Houwelingen, Marc J.; Brouwer, Dannis M.; Lötters, Joost C.; Wiegerink, Remco J.

2014-12-01

We have designed and characterized a MEMS microvalve with built-in capacitive displacement sensing and fitted it with a miniature piezoelectric actuator to achieve active valve control. The integrated displacement sensor enables high bandwidth proportional control of the gas flow through the valve. This is an essential requirement for non-invasive blood pressure waveform monitoring based on following the arterial pressure with a counter pressure. Using the capacitive sensor, we demonstrate negligible hysteresis in the valve control characteristics. Fabrication of the valve requires only two mask steps for deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) and one release etch.

A piezoelectric micro control valve with integrated capacitive sensing for ambulant blood pressure waveform monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groen, Maarten S; Wu, Kai; Brookhuis, Robert A; Lötters, Joost C; Wiegerink, Remco J; Van Houwelingen, Marc J; Brouwer, Dannis M

2014-01-01

We have designed and characterized a MEMS microvalve with built-in capacitive displacement sensing and fitted it with a miniature piezoelectric actuator to achieve active valve control. The integrated displacement sensor enables high bandwidth proportional control of the gas flow through the valve. This is an essential requirement for non-invasive blood pressure waveform monitoring based on following the arterial pressure with a counter pressure. Using the capacitive sensor, we demonstrate negligible hysteresis in the valve control characteristics. Fabrication of the valve requires only two mask steps for deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) and one release etch. (paper)

Improved Design of Microphone-Array Hearing Aids

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Greenberg, Julie

1994-01-01

...). Research on microphone array hearing aids is motivated by the lack of success of single-microphone systems, as well as the documented advantages of binaural hearing and multiple-element sensing systems...

A Novel Vibration Mode Testing Method for Cylindrical Resonators Based on Microphones

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongmeng Zhang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Non-contact testing is an important method for the study of the vibrating characteristic of cylindrical resonators. For the vibratory cylinder gyroscope excited by piezo-electric electrodes, mode testing of the cylindrical resonator is difficult. In this paper, a novel vibration testing method for cylindrical resonators is proposed. This method uses a MEMS microphone, which has the characteristics of small size and accurate directivity, to measure the vibration of the cylindrical resonator. A testing system was established, then the system was used to measure the vibration mode of the resonator. The experimental results show that the orientation resolution of the node of the vibration mode is better than 0.1°. This method also has the advantages of low cost and easy operation. It can be used in vibration testing and provide accurate results, which is important for the study of the vibration mode and thermal stability of vibratory cylindrical gyroscopes.

The ribbon microphone - an educational aid: use of a ribbon microphone to teach multi-discipline computer simulation skills

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Van Wyk, Marius

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The ribbon microphone serves as an excellent aid to learn computer simulation and computational skills. Simulation of this seemingly simple device is all but trivial. The ribbon microphone is an all-in-one example for simulations in acoustics...

Simulation of a low frequency Z-axis SU-8 accelerometer in coventorware and MEMS+

KAUST Repository

Carreno, Armando Arpys Arevalo

2013-04-01

This paper presents the simulation of a z-axis SU-8 capacitive accelerometer. The study consists of a modal analysis of the modeled accelerometer, a study relating capacitance to acceleration, capacitance to deflection, an effective spring constant calculation, and a comparison of results achieved using CoventorWare® ANALYZER™ and MEMS+®. A fabricated energy harvester design from [1] was used for modeling and simulation in this study, with a four spring attachment of a 650μm×650μm; ×110μm proof mass of 4.542×10-8 kg. At rest, the spacing between electrodes is 4μm along the z-axis, and at 1.5g acceleration, there is 1.9μm spacing between electrodes, at which point pull in occurs for a 1V voltage. © 2013 IEEE.

Sodium immersible high temperature microphone design description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gavin, A.P.; Anderson, T.T.; Janicek, J.J.

1975-02-01

Argonne National Laboratory has developed a rugged high-temperature (HT) microphone for use as a sodium-immersed acoustic monitor in Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactors (LMFBRs). Microphones of this design have been extensively tested in room temperature water, in air up to 1200 0 F, and in sodium up to 1200 0 F. They have been successfully installed and employed as acoustic monitors in several operating liquid metal systems. The design, construction sequence, calibration, and testing of these microphones are described. 6 references. (U.S.)

Active microphonic noise cancellation in radiation detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zimmermann, Sergio

2013-01-01

A new adaptive filtering technique to reduce microphonic noise in radiation detectors is presented. The technique is based on system identification that actively cancels the microphonic noise. A sensor is used to measures mechanical disturbances that cause vibration on the detector assembly, and the digital adaptive filtering estimates the impact of these disturbances on the microphonic noise. The noise then can be subtracted from the actual detector measurement. In this paper the technique is presented and simulations are used to support this approach. -- Highlights: •A sensor is used to measures mechanical disturbances that cause vibration on the detector assembly. •Digital adaptive filtering estimates the impact of these disturbances on the microphonic noise. •The noise is then subtracted from the actual detector measurement. •We use simulations to demonstrate the performance of this approach. •After cancellation, we recover most of the original energy resolution

Microphonic measurements on superconducting linac structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marzali, A.; Schwettman, H.A.

1992-01-01

Microphonics in multi-cell linac structures lead to energy and pointing modulation of the electron beam despite RF stabilization. Evaluation of the microphonic behaviour of a 500 MHz two cell structure is planned in collaboration with Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and Brookhaven National Laboratory. In this paper we describe a method of evaluation based on accelerometer measurements. (Author) fig., 2 tabs., 5 refs

The effects of asymmetric directional microphone fittings on acceptance of background noise.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jong S; Bryan, Melinda Freyaldenhoven

2011-05-01

The effects of asymmetric directional microphone fittings (i.e., an omnidirectional microphone on one ear and a directional microphone on the other) on speech understanding in noise and acceptance of background noise were investigated in 15 full-time hearing aid users. Subjects were fitted binaurally with four directional microphone conditions (i.e., binaural omnidirectional, right asymmetric directional, left asymmetric directional and binaural directional microphones) using Siemens Intuis Directional behind-the-ear hearing aids. Speech understanding in noise was assessed using the Hearing in Noise Test, and acceptance of background noise was assessed using the Acceptable Noise Level procedure. Speech was presented from 0° while noise was presented from 180° azimuth. The results revealed that speech understanding in noise improved when using asymmetric directional microphones compared to binaural omnidirectional microphone fittings and was not significantly hindered compared to binaural directional microphone fittings. The results also revealed that listeners accepted more background noise when fitted with asymmetric directional microphones as compared to binaural omnidirectional microphones. Lastly, the results revealed that the acceptance of noise was further increased for the binaural directional microphones when compared to the asymmetric directional microphones, maximizing listeners' willingness to accept background noise in the presence of noise. Clinical implications will be discussed.

7.9 pJ/Step Energy-Efficient Multi-Slope 13-bit Capacitance-to-Digital Converter

KAUST Repository

Omran, Hesham

2014-08-01

In this brief, an energy-efficient capacitance-to-digital converter (CDC) is presented. The proposed CDC uses digitally controlled coarse-fine multi-slope integration to digitize a wide range of capacitance in short conversion time. Both integration current and frequency are scaled, which leads to significant improvement in the energy efficiency of both analog and digital circuitry. Mathematical analysis for circuit nonidealities, noise, and improvement in energy efficiency is provided. A prototype fabricated in a 0.35-μm CMOS process occupies 0.09 mm2 and consumes a total of 153 μA from 3.3 V supply while achieving 13-bit resolution. The operation of the prototype is experimentally verified using MEMS capacitive pressure sensor. Compared to recently published work, the prototype achieves an excellent energy efficiency of 7.9 pJ/Step. © 2004-2012 IEEE.

7.9 pJ/Step Energy-Efficient Multi-Slope 13-bit Capacitance-to-Digital Converter

KAUST Repository

Omran, Hesham; Arsalan, Muhammad; Salama, Khaled N.

2014-01-01

In this brief, an energy-efficient capacitance-to-digital converter (CDC) is presented. The proposed CDC uses digitally controlled coarse-fine multi-slope integration to digitize a wide range of capacitance in short conversion time. Both integration current and frequency are scaled, which leads to significant improvement in the energy efficiency of both analog and digital circuitry. Mathematical analysis for circuit nonidealities, noise, and improvement in energy efficiency is provided. A prototype fabricated in a 0.35-μm CMOS process occupies 0.09 mm2 and consumes a total of 153 μA from 3.3 V supply while achieving 13-bit resolution. The operation of the prototype is experimentally verified using MEMS capacitive pressure sensor. Compared to recently published work, the prototype achieves an excellent energy efficiency of 7.9 pJ/Step. © 2004-2012 IEEE.

Packaged Capacitive Pressure Sensor System for Aircraft Engine Health Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Scardelletti, Maximilian C.; Zorman, Christian A.

2016-01-01

This paper describes the development of a packaged silicon carbide (SiC) based MEMS pressure sensor system designed specifically for a conventional turbofan engine. The electronic circuit is based on a Clapp-type oscillator that incorporates a 6H-SiC MESFET, a SiCN MEMS capacitive pressure sensor, titanate MIM capacitors, wirewound inductors, and thick film resistors. The pressure sensor serves as the capacitor in the LC tank circuit, thereby linking pressure to the resonant frequency of the oscillator. The oscillator and DC bias circuitry were fabricated on an alumina substrate and secured inside a metal housing. The packaged sensing system reliably operates at 0 to 350 psi and 25 to 540C. The system has a pressure sensitivity of 6.8 x 10E-2 MHzpsi. The packaged system shows negligible difference in frequency response between 25 and 400C. The fully packaged sensor passed standard benchtop acceptance tests and was evaluated on a flight-worthy engine.

Study and Design of Differential Microphone Arrays

CERN Document Server

Benesty, Jacob

2013-01-01

Microphone arrays have attracted a lot of interest over the last few decades since they have the potential to solve many important problems such as noise reduction/speech enhancement, source separation, dereverberation, spatial sound recording, and source localization/tracking, to name a few. However, the design and implementation of microphone arrays with beamforming algorithms is not a trivial task when it comes to processing broadband signals such as speech. Indeed, in most sensor arrangements, the beamformer tends to have a frequency-dependent response. One exception, perhaps, is the family of differential microphone arrays (DMAs) that have the promise to form frequency-independent responses. Moreover, they have the potential to attain high directional gains with small and compact apertures. As a result, this type of microphone arrays has drawn much research and development attention recently. This book is intended to provide a systematic study of DMAs from a signal processing perspective. The primary obj...

Irradiation of microphones in the EBR-II core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gavin, A.P.; Anderson, T.T.; Bobis, J.P.

1976-06-01

Six ANL developed high temperature microphone (acoustic detectors) have been exposed in flowing sodium in the In-Core Instrument Test Facility (INCOT) in the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) for seven months without any indications of serious degradation of signal output due to the exposure. The YY05 experiment (EBR-II INCOT experiment designation) was performed to obtain data which would be useful in evaluating the ability of the microphones whose active elements are lithium niobate to serve as sensors for acoustic surveillance of fast breeder reactors. The reactor was at full power for 136 days of the experiment exposure period. The microphone temperatures varied from 371 0 C (700 0 F) to 621 0 C (1150 0 F). Neutron exposure varied from 2.64 x 10 22 nvt for the microphone at the elevation of the bottom of the EBR-II core to 0.24 x 10 22 nvt for the microphone at the elevation of the top of an EBR-II fuel assembly. The maximum gamma dose was 5 x 10 12 rads

A novel multi-actuation CMOS RF MEMS switch

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Chiung-I.; Ko, Chih-Hsiang; Huang, Tsun-Che

2008-12-01

This paper demonstrates a capacitive shunt type RF MEMS switch, which is actuated by electro-thermal actuator and electrostatic actuator at the same time, and than latching the switching status by electrostatic force only. Since thermal actuators need relative low voltage compare to electrostatic actuators, and electrostatic force needs almost no power to maintain the switching status, the benefits of the mechanism are very low actuation voltage and low power consumption. Moreover, the RF MEMS switch has considered issues for integrated circuit compatible in design phase. So the switch is fabricated by a standard 0.35um 2P4M CMOS process and uses wet etching and dry etching technologies for postprocess. This compatible ability is important because the RF characteristics are not only related to the device itself. If a packaged RF switch and a packaged IC wired together, the parasitic capacitance will cause the problem for optimization. The structure of the switch consists of a set of CPW transmission lines and a suspended membrane. The CPW lines and the membrane are in metal layers of CMOS process. Besides, the electro-thermal actuators are designed by polysilicon layer of the CMOS process. So the RF switch is only CMOS process layers needed for both electro-thermal and electrostatic actuations in switch. The thermal actuator is composed of a three-dimensional membrane and two heaters. The membrane is a stacked step structure including two metal layers in CMOS process, and heat is generated by poly silicon resistors near the anchors of membrane. Measured results show that the actuation voltage of the switch is under 7V for electro-thermal added electrostatic actuation.

A flexible capacitive tactile sensing array with floating electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, M-Y; Huang, X-H; Ma, C-W; Yang, Y-J

2009-01-01

In this work, we present the development of a capacitive tactile sensing array realized by using MEMS fabrication techniques and flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) technologies. The sensing array, which consists of two micromachined polydimethlysiloxane (PDMS) structures and a FPCB, will be used as the artificial skin for robot applications. Each capacitive sensing element comprises two sensing electrodes and a common floating electrode. The sensing electrodes and the metal interconnect for signal scanning are implemented on the FPCB, while the floating electrode is patterned on one of the PDMS structures. This special design can effectively reduce the complexity of the device structure and thus makes the device highly manufacturable. The characteristics of the devices with different dimensions are measured and discussed. The corresponding scanning circuits are also designed and implemented. The tactile images induced by the PMMA stamps of different shapes are also successfully captured by a fabricated 8 × 8 array

General considerations of noise in microphone preamplifiers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Donk, A.G.H.; van der Donk, A.G.H.; Voorthuyzen, J.A.; Voorthuyzen, J.A.; Bergveld, Piet

1991-01-01

In this paper a study of the noise performance of electret microphone systems as a part of hearing aids is presented. The signal-to-noise ratio of the microphone-preamplifier combination, containing a field-effect transistor (FET) and a high value resistive bias element in a hybrid configuration, is

A 33fJ/Step SAR Capacitance-to-Digital Converter Using a Chain of Inverter-Based Amplifiers

KAUST Repository

Omran, Hesham

2016-11-16

A 12 - bit energy-efficient capacitive sensor interface circuit that fully relies on capacitance-domain successive approximation (SAR) technique is presented. Analysis shows that for SAR capacitance-to-digital converter (CDC) comparator offset voltage will result in parasitic-dependent conversion errors, which necessitates using an offset cancellation technique. Based on the presented analysis, a SAR CDC that uses a chain of cascode inverter-based amplifiers with near-threshold biasing is proposed to provide robust, energy-efficient, and fast operation. A hybrid coarse-fine capacitive digital-to-analog converter (CapDAC) achieves 11.7 - bit effective resolution, and provides 83% area saving compared to a conventional binary weighted implementation. The prototype fabricated in a 0.18μm CMOS technology is experimentally verified using MEMS capacitive pressure sensor. Experimental results show an energy efficiency figure-of-merit (FoM) of 33 f J/Step which outperforms the state-of-the-art. The CDC output is insensitive to analog references; thus, a very low temperature sensitivity of 2.3 ppm/°C is achieved without the need for calibration.

A 33fJ/Step SAR Capacitance-to-Digital Converter Using a Chain of Inverter-Based Amplifiers

KAUST Repository

Omran, Hesham; Alhoshany, Abdulaziz; Alahmadi, Hamzah; Salama, Khaled N.

2016-01-01

A 12 - bit energy-efficient capacitive sensor interface circuit that fully relies on capacitance-domain successive approximation (SAR) technique is presented. Analysis shows that for SAR capacitance-to-digital converter (CDC) comparator offset voltage will result in parasitic-dependent conversion errors, which necessitates using an offset cancellation technique. Based on the presented analysis, a SAR CDC that uses a chain of cascode inverter-based amplifiers with near-threshold biasing is proposed to provide robust, energy-efficient, and fast operation. A hybrid coarse-fine capacitive digital-to-analog converter (CapDAC) achieves 11.7 - bit effective resolution, and provides 83% area saving compared to a conventional binary weighted implementation. The prototype fabricated in a 0.18μm CMOS technology is experimentally verified using MEMS capacitive pressure sensor. Experimental results show an energy efficiency figure-of-merit (FoM) of 33 f J/Step which outperforms the state-of-the-art. The CDC output is insensitive to analog references; thus, a very low temperature sensitivity of 2.3 ppm/°C is achieved without the need for calibration.

High Productivity DRIE solutions for 3D-SiP and MEMS Volume Manufacturing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puech, M; Thevenoud, J M; Launay, N; Arnal, N; Godinat, P; Andrieu, B; Gruffat, J M

2006-01-01

Emerging 3D-SiP technologies and high volume MEMS applications require high productivity mass production DRIE systems. The Alcatel DRIE product range has recently been optimised to reach the highest process and hardware production performances. A study based on sub-micron high aspect ratio structures encountered in the most stringent 3D-SiP has been carried out. The optimization of the Bosch process parameters has resulted in ultra high silicon etch rates, with unrivalled uniformity and repeatability leading to excellent process. In parallel, most recent hardware and proprietary design optimization including vacuum pumping lines, process chamber, wafer chucks, pressure control system, gas delivery are discussed. These improvements have been monitored in a mass production environment for a mobile phone application. Field data analysis shows a significant reduction of cost of ownership thanks to increased throughput and much lower running costs. These benefits are now available for all 3D-SiP and high volume MEMS applications. The typical etched patterns include tapered trenches for CMOS imagers, through silicon via holes for die stacking, well controlled profile angle for 3D high precision inertial sensors, and large exposed area features for inkjet printer heads and Silicon microphones

On the interference between the two microphones in free-field reciprocity calibration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barrera Figueroa, Salvador; Rasmussen, Knud; Jacobsen, Finn

2004-01-01

One of the fundamental assumptions in free-field reciprocity calibration of microphones is that the microphones can be substituted by point sources at the positions where the acoustic centers are located. However, in practice the microphones have finite dimensions and, at the distance and in the ......One of the fundamental assumptions in free-field reciprocity calibration of microphones is that the microphones can be substituted by point sources at the positions where the acoustic centers are located. However, in practice the microphones have finite dimensions and, at the distance...

Pulse mode actuation-readout system based on MEMS resonator for liquid sensing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tang, Meng; Cagliani, Alberto; Davis, Zachary James

2014-01-01

A MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) bulk disk resonator is applied for mass sensing under its dynamic mode. The classical readout circuitry involves sophisticated feedback loop and feedthrough compensation. We propose a simple straightforward non-loop pulse mode actuation and capacitive...... readout scheme. In order to verify its feasibility in liquid bio-chemical sensing environment, an experimental measurement is conducted with humidity sensing application. The measured resonant frequency changes 60kHz of 67.7MHz with a humidity change of 0~80%....

MEMS packaging

CERN Document Server

Hsu , Tai-Ran

2004-01-01

MEMS Packaging discusses the prevalent practices and enabling techniques in assembly, packaging and testing of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The entire spectrum of assembly, packaging and testing of MEMS and microsystems, from essential enabling technologies to applications in key industries of life sciences, telecommunications and aerospace engineering is covered. Other topics included are bonding and sealing of microcomponents, process flow of MEMS and microsystems packaging, automated microassembly, and testing and design for testing.The Institution of Engineering and Technology is

Advancing MEMS Technology Usage through the MUMPS (Multi-User MEMS Processes) Program

Science.gov (United States)

Koester, D. A.; Markus, K. W.; Dhuler, V.; Mahadevan, R.; Cowen, A.

1995-01-01

In order to help provide access to advanced micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technologies and lower the barriers for both industry and academia, the Microelectronic Center of North Carolina (MCNC) and ARPA have developed a program which provides users with access to both MEMS processes and advanced electronic integration techniques. The four distinct aspects of this program, the multi-user MEMS processes (MUMP's), the consolidated micro-mechanical element library, smart MEMS, and the MEMS technology network are described in this paper. MUMP's is an ARPA-supported program created to provide inexpensive access to MEMS technology in a multi-user environment. It is both a proof-of-concept and educational tool that aids in the development of MEMS in the domestic community. MUMP's technologies currently include a 3-layer poly-silicon surface micromachining process and LIGA (lithography, electroforming, and injection molding) processes that provide reasonable design flexibility within set guidelines. The consolidated micromechanical element library (CaMEL) is a library of active and passive MEMS structures that can be downloaded by the MEMS community via the internet. Smart MEMS is the development of advanced electronics integration techniques for MEMS through the application of flip chip technology. The MEMS technology network (TechNet) is a menu of standard substrates and MEMS fabrication processes that can be purchased and combined to create unique process flows. TechNet provides the MEMS community greater flexibility and enhanced technology accessibility.

Microphone variability and degradation: implications for monitoring programs employing autonomous recording units

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick J. Turgeon

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Autonomous recording units (ARUs are emerging as an effective tool for avian population monitoring and research. Although ARU technology is being rapidly adopted, there is a need to establish whether variation in ARU components and their degradation with use might introduce detection biases that would affect long-term monitoring and research projects. We assessed whether microphone sensitivity impacted the probability of detecting bird vocalizations by broadcasting a sequence of 12 calls toward an array of commercially available ARUs equipped with microphones of varying sensitivities under three levels (32 dBA, 42 dBA, and 50 dBA of experimentally induced noise conditions selected to reflect the range of noise levels commonly encountered during avian surveys. We used binomial regression to examine factors influencing probability of detection for each species and used these to examine the impact of microphone sensitivity on the effective detection area (ha for each species. Microphone sensitivity loss reduced detection probability for all species examined, but the magnitude of the effect varied between species and often interacted with distance. Microphone sensitivity loss reduced the effective detection area by an average of 25% for microphones just beyond manufacturer specifications (-5 dBV and by an average of 66% for severely compromised microphones (-20 dBV. Microphone sensitivity loss appeared to be more problematic for low frequency calls where reduction in the effective detection area occurred most rapidly. Microphone degradation poses a source of variation in avian surveys made with ARUs that will require regular measurement of microphone sensitivity and criteria for microphone replacement to ensure scientifically reproducible results. We recommend that research and monitoring projects employing ARUs test their microphones regularly, replace microphones with declining sensitivity, and record sensitivity as a potential covariate in

On experimental determination of the random-incidence response of microphones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barrera Figueroa, Salvador; Rasmussen, Knud; Jacobsen, Finn

2007-01-01

The random-incidence sensitivity of a microphone is defined as the ratio of the output voltage to the sound pressure that would exist at the position of the acoustic center of the microphone in the absence of the microphone in a sound field with incident plane waves coming from all directions. Th...

Ka-Band, MEMS Switched Line Phase Shifters Implemented in Finite Ground Coplanar Waveguide

Science.gov (United States)

Scardelletti, Maximilian C.; Ponchak, George E.; Varaljay, Nicholas C.

2005-01-01

Ka-band MEMS switched line phase shifters implemented in finite ground coplanar waveguide are described in this paper. The phase shifters are constructed of single-pole double-throw (SPDT) switches with additional reference and phase offset transmission line lengths. The one- and two-bit phase shifters are fabricated on high resistivity (HR) silicon with a dielectric constant, Epsilon(sub T) = 11.7 and a substrate thickness, t = 500microns. The switching architectures integrated within the phase shifters consist of MEMS switches that are doubly anchored cantilever beam capacitive switches with additional high inductive sections (MEMS LC device). The SPDT switch is composed of a T-junction with a MEMS LC device at each output port. The one-bit phase shifter described in this paper has an insertion loss (IL) and return loss (RL) of 0.9 dB and 30 dB while the two-bit described has an IL and RL of 1.8 dB and 30 dB respectively. The one-bit phase shifter's designed offset phase is 22.5deg and actual measured phase shift is 21.8deg. The two-bit phase shifter's designed offset phase is 22.5deg, 45deg, and 67.5deg and the actual measured phase shifts are 21.4deg, 44.2deg, and 65.8deg, respectively.

Factors influencing individual variation in perceptual directional microphone benefit.

Science.gov (United States)

Keidser, Gitte; Dillon, Harvey; Convery, Elizabeth; Mejia, Jorge

2013-01-01

Large variations in perceptual directional microphone benefit, which far exceed the variation expected from physical performance measures of directional microphones, have been reported in the literature. The cause for the individual variation has not been systematically investigated. To determine the factors that are responsible for the individual variation in reported perceptual directional benefit. A correlational study. Physical performance measures of the directional microphones obtained after they had been fitted to individuals, cognitive abilities of individuals, and measurement errors were related to perceptual directional benefit scores. Fifty-nine hearing-impaired adults with varied degrees of hearing loss participated in the study. All participants were bilaterally fitted with a Motion behind-the-ear device (500 M, 501 SX, or 501 P) from Siemens according to the National Acoustic Laboratories' non-linear prescription, version two (NAL-NL2). Using the Bamford-Kowal-Bench (BKB) sentences, the perceptual directional benefit was obtained as the difference in speech reception threshold measured in babble noise (SRTn) with the devices in directional (fixed hypercardioid) and in omnidirectional mode. The SRTn measurements were repeated three times with each microphone mode. Physical performance measures of the directional microphone included the angle of the microphone ports to loudspeaker axis, the frequency range dominated by amplified sound, the in situ signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and the in situ three-dimensional, articulation-index weighted directivity index (3D AI-DI). The cognitive tests included auditory selective attention, speed of processing, and working memory. Intraparticipant variation on the repeated SRTn's and the interparticipant variation on the average SRTn were used to determine the effect of measurement error. A multiple regression analysis was used to determine the effect of other factors. Measurement errors explained 52% of the variation

Practical considerations for a second-order directional hearing aid microphone system

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Stephen C.

2003-04-01

First-order directional microphone systems for hearing aids have been available for several years. Such a system uses two microphones and has a theoretical maximum free-field directivity index (DI) of 6.0 dB. A second-order microphone system using three microphones could provide a theoretical increase in free-field DI to 9.5 dB. These theoretical maximum DI values assume that the microphones have exactly matched sensitivities at all frequencies of interest. In practice, the individual microphones in the hearing aid always have slightly different sensitivities. For the small microphone separation necessary to fit in a hearing aid, these sensitivity matching errors degrade the directivity from the theoretical values, especially at low frequencies. This paper shows that, for first-order systems the directivity degradation due to sensitivity errors is relatively small. However, for second-order systems with practical microphone sensitivity matching specifications, the directivity degradation below 1 kHz is not tolerable. A hybrid order directive system is proposed that uses first-order processing at low frequencies and second-order directive processing at higher frequencies. This hybrid system is suggested as an alternative that could provide improved directivity index in the frequency regions that are important to speech intelligibility.

Wireless Capacitive Pressure Sensor With Directional RF Chip Antenna for High Temperature Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Scardelletti, M. C.; Jordan, J. L.; Ponchak, G. E.; Zorman, C. A.

2015-01-01

This paper presents the design, fabrication and characterization of a wireless capacitive pressure sensor with directional RF chip antenna that is envisioned for the health monitoring of aircraft engines operating in harsh environments. The sensing system is characterized from room temperature (25 C) to 300 C for a pressure range from 0 to 100 psi. The wireless pressure system consists of a Clapp-type oscillator design with a capacitive MEMS pressure sensor located in the LC-tank circuit of the oscillator. Therefore, as the pressure of the aircraft engine changes, so does the output resonant frequency of the sensing system. A chip antenna is integrated to transmit the system output to a receive antenna 10 m away.The design frequency of the wireless pressure sensor is 127 MHz and a 2 increase in resonant frequency over the temperature range of 25 to 300 C from 0 to 100 psi is observed. The phase noise is less than minus 30 dBcHz at the 1 kHz offset and decreases to less than minus 80 dBcHz at 10 kHz over the entire temperature range. The RF radiation patterns for two cuts of the wireless system have been measured and show that the system is highly directional and the MEMS pressure sensor is extremely linear from 0 to 100 psi.

Novel analytical model for optimizing the pull-in voltage in a flexured MEMS switch incorporating beam perforation effect

Science.gov (United States)

Guha, K.; Laskar, N. M.; Gogoi, H. J.; Borah, A. K.; Baishnab, K. L.; Baishya, S.

2017-11-01

This paper presents a new method for the design, modelling and optimization of a uniform serpentine meander based MEMS shunt capacitive switch with perforation on upper beam. The new approach is proposed to improve the Pull-in Voltage performance in a MEMS switch. First a new analytical model of the Pull-in Voltage is proposed using the modified Mejis-Fokkema capacitance model taking care of the nonlinear electrostatic force, the fringing field effect due to beam thickness and etched holes on the beam simultaneously followed by the validation of same with the simulated results of benchmark full 3D FEM solver CoventorWare in a wide range of structural parameter variations. It shows a good agreement with the simulated results. Secondly, an optimization method is presented to determine the optimum configuration of switch for achieving minimum Pull-in voltage considering the proposed analytical mode as objective function. Some high performance Evolutionary Optimization Algorithms have been utilized to obtain the optimum dimensions with less computational cost and complexity. Upon comparing the applied algorithms between each other, the Dragonfly Algorithm is found to be most suitable in terms of minimum Pull-in voltage and higher convergence speed. Optimized values are validated against the simulated results of CoventorWare which shows a very satisfactory results with a small deviation of 0.223 V. In addition to these, the paper proposes, for the first time, a novel algorithmic approach for uniform arrangement of square holes in a given beam area of RF MEMS switch for perforation. The algorithm dynamically accommodates all the square holes within a given beam area such that the maximum space is utilized. This automated arrangement of perforation holes will further improve the computational complexity and design accuracy of the complex design of perforated MEMS switch.

Comparison of binaural microphones for externalization of sounds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cubick, Jens; Sánchez Rodríguez, C.; Song, Wookeun

2015-01-01

or with microphones placed inside the ear canals of a person. In this study, binaural room impulse responses (BRIRs) were measured with several commercially available binaural microphones, both placed inside the listeners’ ears (individual BRIR) and on a head and torso simulator (generic BRIR). The degree...

Locating noise sources with a microphone array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bale, A.; Johnson, D.

2010-01-01

Noise pollution is one of the contributors to the public opposition of wind farms. Most of the noise produced by turbines is caused by the aerodynamic interactions between the turbine blades and the surrounding air. This poster presentation discussed a series of aeroacoustic tests conducted to account for the different in vortical structures caused by the rotation of the blades. Microphone arrays were used measure and locate the source of noise. A beam forming technique was used to measure the noise using an algorithm that identified a scanning grid on a plane where the source was thought to be located. It delayed each microphone's signal by the length of time required for the sound to travel from the scan position to each microphone, and accounted for the amplitudes according to the distance from the scan position to each microphone. Demonstration test cases were conducted using piezo buzzers attached to aluminum bars and mounted to the shaft of a DC motor that produced a rotational diameter of 0.95 meter. The buzzers were placed 1 meter from the array. Multiple sound sources at the same frequency were identified, and the moving sources were accurately measured and located. tabs., figs.

Biomaterials for MEMS

CERN Document Server

Chiao, Mu

2011-01-01

This book serves as a guide for practicing engineers, researchers, and students interested in MEMS devices that use biomaterials and biomedical applications. It is also suitable for engineers and researchers interested in MEMS and its applications but who do not have the necessary background in biomaterials.Biomaterials for MEMS highlights important features and issues of biomaterials that have been used in MEMS and biomedical areas. Hence this book is an essential guide for MEMS engineers or researchers who are trained in engineering institutes that do not provide the background or knowledge

Feedback characteristics between implantable microphone and transducer in middle ear cavity.

Science.gov (United States)

Arman Woo, S H; Woo, Seong Tak; Song, Byung Seop; Cho, Jin-Ho

2013-10-01

With the advent of implantable hearing aids, implementation and acoustic sensing strategy of the implantable microphone becomes an important issue; among the many types of implantable microphone, placing the microphone in middle ear cavity (MEC) has advantages including simple operation and insensitive to skin touching or chewing motion. In this paper, an implantable microphone was implemented and researched feedback characteristic when both the implantable microphone and the transducer were placed in the MEC. Analytical and finite element analysis were conducted to design the microphone to have a natural frequency of 7 kHz and showed good characteristics of SNR and sensitivity. For the feedback test, simple analytical and finite element analysis were calculated and compared with in vitro experiments (n = 4). From the experiments, the open-loop gain and feedback factor were measured and the minimum gain margin measured as 14.3 dB.

Design of circular differential microphone arrays

CERN Document Server

Benesty, Jacob; Cohen, Israel

2015-01-01

Recently, we proposed a completely novel and efficient way to design differential beamforming algorithms for linear microphone arrays. Thanks to this very flexible approach, any order of differential arrays can be designed. Moreover, they can be made robust against white noise amplification, which is the main inconvenience in these types of arrays. The other well-known problem with linear arrays is that electronic steering is not really feasible.  In this book, we extend all these fundamental ideas to circular microphone arrays and show that we can design small and compact differential arrays of any order that can be electronically steered in many different directions and offer a good degree of control of the white noise amplification problem, high directional gain, and frequency-independent response. We also present a number of practical examples, demonstrating that differential beamforming with circular microphone arrays is likely one of the best candidates for applications involving speech enhancement (i....

An investigation of methods for free-field comparison calibration of measurement microphones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barrera-Figueroa, Salvador; Moreno Pescador, Guillermo; Jacobsen, Finn

2010-01-01

Free-field comparison calibration of measurement microphones requires that a calibrated reference microphone and a test microphone are exposed to the same sound pressure in a free field. The output voltages of the microphones can be measured either sequentially or simultaneously. The sequential...... method requires the sound field to have good temporal stability. The simultaneous method requires instead that the sound pressure is the same in the positions where the microphones are placed. In this paper the results of the application of the two methods are compared. A third combined method...

The Capacitance and Temperature Effects of the SiC- and Si-Based MEMS Pressure Sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marsi, N; Majlis, B Y; Hamzah, A A; Mohd, F

2013-01-01

This project develops the pressure sensor for monitoring the extreme conditions inside the gas turbine engine. The capacitive-based instead of piezoresistive-based pressure sensor is employed to avoid temperature drift. The deflecting (top) plate and the fixed (bottom) plate generate the capacitance, which is proportional to the applied input pressure and temperature. Two thin film materials of four different sizes are employed for the top plate, namely cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) and silicon (Si). Their performances in term of the sensitivity and linearity of the capacitance versus pressure are simulated at the temperature of 27°C, 500°C, 700°C and 1000°C. The results show that both materials display linear characteristics for temperature up to 500°C, although SiC-based sensor shows higher sensitivity. However, when the temperatures are increased to 700°C and 1000°C, the Si- based pressure sensor starts to malfunction at 50 MPa. However, the SiC-based pressure sensor continues to demonstrate high sensitivity and linearity at such high temperature and pressure. This paper validates the need of employing silicon carbide instead of silicon for sensing of extreme environments.

Source Coding for Wireless Distributed Microphones in Reverberant Environments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zahedi, Adel

2016-01-01

. However, it comes with the price of several challenges, including the limited power and bandwidth resources for wireless transmission of audio recordings. In such a setup, we study the problem of source coding for the compression of the audio recordings before the transmission in order to reduce the power...... consumption and/or transmission bandwidth by reduction in the transmission rates. Source coding for wireless microphones in reverberant environments has several special characteristics which make it more challenging in comparison with regular audio coding. The signals which are acquired by the microphones......Modern multimedia systems are more and more shifting toward distributed and networked structures. This includes audio systems, where networks of wireless distributed microphones are replacing the traditional microphone arrays. This allows for flexibility of placement and high spatial diversity...

The static pressure and temperature coefficients of laboratory standard microphones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Knud

1999-01-01

, for a given type of microphone, can be described by a single function when the coefficients are normalized by their low-frequency value and the frequency is normalized with respect to the individual resonance frequency of the microphone. The theoretical results are supported by experimentally determined...... on an extended lumped parameter representation of the mechanical and acoustic elements of the microphone. The extension involves the frequency dependency of the dynamic diaphragm mass and stiffness as well as a first-order approximation of resonances in the back cavity. It was found that each coefficient...... coefficients for about twenty samples of microphone types B&K 4160 and B&K 4180....

High Isolation Single-Pole Four-Throw RF MEMS Switch Based on Series-Shunt Configuration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tejinder Singh

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a novel design of single-pole four-throw (SP4T RF-MEMS switch employing both capacitive and ohmic switches. It is designed on high-resistivity silicon substrate and has a compact area of 1.06 mm2. The series or ohmic switches have been designed to provide low insertion loss with good ohmic contact. The pull-in voltage for ohmic switches is calculated to be 7.19 V. Shunt or capacitive switches have been used in each port to improve the isolation for higher frequencies. The proposed SP4T switch provides excellent RF performances with isolation better than 70.64 dB and insertion loss less than 0.72 dB for X-band between the input port and each output port.

Fiber Optic Microphone

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Y. C.; George, Thomas; Norvig, Peter (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

Research into advanced pressure sensors using fiber-optic technology is aimed at developing compact size microphones. Fiber optic sensors are inherently immune to electromagnetic noise, and are very sensitive, light weight, and highly flexible. In FY 98, NASA researchers successfully designed and assembled a prototype fiber-optic microphone. The sensing technique employed was fiber optic Fabry-Perot interferometry. The sensing head is composed of an optical fiber terminated in a miniature ferrule with a thin, silicon-microfabricated diaphragm mounted on it. The optical fiber is a single mode fiber with a core diameter of 8 micron, with the cleaved end positioned 50 micron from the diaphragm surface. The diaphragm is made up of a 0.2 micron thick silicon nitride membrane whose inner surface is metallized with layers of 30 nm titanium, 30 nm platinum, and 0.2 micron gold for efficient reflection. The active sensing area is approximately 1.5 mm in diameter. The measured differential pressure tolerance of this diaphragm is more than 1 bar, yielding a dynamic range of more than 100 dB.

Modelling measurement microphones using BEM with visco-thermal losses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cutanda Henriquez, Vicente; Juhl, Peter Møller

2012-01-01

For many decades, models that can explain the behaviour of measurement condenser microphones have been proposed in the literature. These devices have an apparently simple working principle, a charged capacitor whose charge varies when one of its electrodes, the diaphragm, moves as a result of sound...... waves. However, measurement microphones must be manufactured very carefully due to their sensitivity to small changes of their physical parameters. There are different elements in a microphone, the diaphragm, the gap behind it, a back cavity, a vent for pressure equalization and an external medium. All...... visco-thermal losses is used to model measurement condenser microphones. The models presented are fully coupled and include a FEM model of the diaphragm. The behaviour of the acoustic variables in the gap and the effect of the pressure equalization vent are discussed, as well as the practical difficulty...

Contact microphone using optical fibre Bragg grating technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bezombes, F A; Lalor, M J; Burton, D R

2007-01-01

A contact microphone using optical fibre Bragg grating has been developed. It enables one to listen and record a human voice and/or breathing by monitoring the vibration generated by the outer wall of the throat during speech. This system can have many applications such as detecting defects in vocal folds, measuring and monitoring the vibration and defection generated by intubations of a patient throat and other voice related problem, low level speaking recording and transmitting is also possible, the microphone can be also used to monitor breathing and the system can be used as a microphone in very harsh environments for example it would allow one to hear the patient during a cat scan

A novel multi-level IC-compatible surface microfabrication technology for MEMS with independently controlled lateral and vertical submicron transduction gaps

Science.gov (United States)

Cicek, Paul-Vahe; Elsayed, Mohannad; Nabki, Frederic; El-Gamal, Mourad

2017-11-01

An above-IC compatible multi-level MEMS surface microfabrication technology based on a silicon carbide structural layer is presented. The fabrication process flow provides optimal electrostatic transduction by allowing the creation of independently controlled submicron vertical and lateral gaps without the need for high resolution lithography. Adopting silicon carbide as the structural material, the technology ensures material, chemical and thermal compatibility with modern semiconductor nodes, reporting the lowest peak processing temperature (i.e. 200 °C) of all comparable works. This makes this process ideally suited for integrating capacitive-based MEMS directly above standard CMOS substrates. Process flow design and optimization are presented in the context of bulk-mode disk resonators, devices that are shown to exhibit improved performance with respect to previous generation flexural beam resonators, and that represent relatively complex MEMS structures. The impact of impending improvements to the fabrication technology is discussed.

A novel multi-level IC-compatible surface microfabrication technology for MEMS with independently controlled lateral and vertical submicron transduction gaps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cicek, Paul-Vahe; Elsayed, Mohannad; Nabki, Frederic; El-Gamal, Mourad

2017-01-01

An above-IC compatible multi-level MEMS surface microfabrication technology based on a silicon carbide structural layer is presented. The fabrication process flow provides optimal electrostatic transduction by allowing the creation of independently controlled submicron vertical and lateral gaps without the need for high resolution lithography. Adopting silicon carbide as the structural material, the technology ensures material, chemical and thermal compatibility with modern semiconductor nodes, reporting the lowest peak processing temperature (i.e. 200 °C) of all comparable works. This makes this process ideally suited for integrating capacitive-based MEMS directly above standard CMOS substrates. Process flow design and optimization are presented in the context of bulk-mode disk resonators, devices that are shown to exhibit improved performance with respect to previous generation flexural beam resonators, and that represent relatively complex MEMS structures. The impact of impending improvements to the fabrication technology is discussed. (paper)

A Widely-Accessible Distributed MEMS Processing Environment. The MEMS Exchange Program

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-29

all of these patterns in advance, we made a new cost model, called the Python Code cost model, which utilizes the power of a high level programming ...document entitled “The Beginners Guide to MEMS Processing” on the MEMSNet and MEMS Exchange The MEMS Exchange Program Final Technical Report October 29...from the Government is absolutely necessary. As said The MEMS Exchange Program Final Technical Report October 29, 2012 Page 57 of 58 before

49 CFR 325.73 - Microphone distance correction factors. 1

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Microphone distance correction factors. 1 325.73 Section 325.73 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL MOTOR... MOTOR CARRIER NOISE EMISSION STANDARDS Correction Factors § 325.73 Microphone distance correction...

Microphone directionality, pre-emphasis filter, and wind noise in cochlear implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, King; McKibben, Nicholas

2011-10-01

Wind noise can be a nuisance or a debilitating masker for cochlear implant users in outdoor environments. Previous studies indicated that wind noise at the microphone/hearing aid output had high levels of low-frequency energy and the amount of noise generated is related to the microphone directionality. Currently, cochlear implants only offer either directional microphones or omnidirectional microphones for users at-large. As all cochlear implants utilize pre-emphasis filters to reduce low-frequency energy before the signal is encoded, effective wind noise reduction algorithms for hearing aids might not be applicable for cochlear implants. The purposes of this study were to investigate the effect of microphone directionality on speech recognition and perceived sound quality of cochlear implant users in wind noise and to derive effective wind noise reduction strategies for cochlear implants. A repeated-measure design was used to examine the effects of spectral and temporal masking created by wind noise recorded through directional and omnidirectional microphones and the effects of pre-emphasis filters on cochlear implant performance. A digital hearing aid was programmed to have linear amplification and relatively flat in-situ frequency responses for the directional and omnidirectional modes. The hearing aid output was then recorded from 0 to 360° at flow velocities of 4.5 and 13.5 m/sec in a quiet wind tunnel. Sixteen postlingually deafened adult cochlear implant listeners who reported to be able to communicate on the phone with friends and family without text messages participated in the study. Cochlear implant users listened to speech in wind noise recorded at locations that the directional and omnidirectional microphones yielded the lowest noise levels. Cochlear implant listeners repeated the sentences and rated the sound quality of the testing materials. Spectral and temporal characteristics of flow noise, as well as speech and/or noise characteristics before

Radiation impedance of condenser microphones and their diffuse-field responses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barrera Figueroa, Salvador; Rasmussen, Knud; Jacobsen, Finn

2010-01-01

and (b) measuring the pressure on the membrane of the microphone. The first measurement is carried out by means of laser vibrometry. The second measurement cannot be implemented in practice. However, the pressure on the membrane can be calculated numerically by means of the boundary element method......The relation between the diffuse-field response and the radiation impedance of a microphone has been investigated. Such a relation can be derived from classical theory. The practical measurement of the radiation impedance requires (a) measuring the volume velocity of the membrane of the microphone...... at frequencies below the resonance frequency of the microphone. Although the method may not be of great practical utility, it provides a useful validation of the estimates obtained by other means....

Static pressure and temperature coefficients of laboratory standard microphones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Knud

1996-01-01

of the microphone. The static pressure and temperature coefficients were determined experimentally for about twenty samples of type BK 4160 and BK 4180 microphones. The results agree almost perfectly with the predictions for BK 4160, while some modifications of the lumped parameter values are called for to make......-order approximation of resonances in the back cavity. It was found that each of the coefficients, for a given type of microphone, can be expressed by a single function when the coefficients are normalized by their low-frequency value and the frequency axis normalized by the individual resonance frequency...

Development of leak detection system using high temperature-resistant microphones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morishita, Yoshitsugu; Mochizuki, Hiroyasu; Watanabe, Kenshiu; Nakamura, Takahisa; Nakazima, Yoshiaki; Yamauchi, Tatsuya

1995-01-01

This report describes the development and testing of a coolant leak detection system for an inlet feeder pipe of an advanced thermal reactor (ATR) using high temperature-resistant microphones. Such microphones must be resistant to both high temperatures and high radiation doses. Leakage sound characteristics, attenuation of the sound level in a heat insulating box for the inlet feeder pipes, and background noise were investigated using the experimental facility and the prototype ATR 'FUGEN'. The optimum frequency ranges for the microphone were then determined based on the observed leakage sound and background noise. The ability of the microphone to discriminate between leaks and other burst-type noises was also investigated by statistical analyses. Finally, it was confirmed that the present method could detect a leak within a couple of seconds. (author)

Fabrication of silicon condenser microphones using single wafer technology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scheeper, P.R.; van der Donk, A.G.H.; Olthuis, Wouter; Bergveld, Piet

1992-01-01

A condenser microphone design that can be fabricated using the sacrificial layer technique is proposed and tested. The microphone backplate is a 1-¿m plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor-deposited (PECVD) silicon nitride film with a high density of acoustic holes (120-525 holes/mm2), covered with a thin

Response identification in the extremely low frequency region of an electret condenser microphone.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeng, Yih-Nen; Yang, Tzung-Ming; Lee, Shang-Yin

2011-01-01

This study shows that a small electret condenser microphone connected to a notebook or a personal computer (PC) has a prominent response in the extremely low frequency region in a specific environment. It confines most acoustic waves within a tiny air cell as follows. The air cell is constructed by drilling a small hole in a digital versatile disk (DVD) plate. A small speaker and an electret condenser microphone are attached to the two sides of the hole. Thus, the acoustic energy emitted by the speaker and reaching the microphone is strong enough to actuate the diaphragm of the latter. The experiments showed that, once small air leakages are allowed on the margin of the speaker, the microphone captured the signal in the range of 0.5 to 20 Hz. Moreover, by removing the plastic cover of the microphone and attaching the microphone head to the vibration surface, the low frequency signal can be effectively captured too. Two examples are included to show the convenience of applying the microphone to pick up the low frequency vibration information of practical systems.

Response Identification in the Extremely Low Frequency Region of an Electret Condenser Microphone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shang-Yin Lee

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This study shows that a small electret condenser microphone connected to a notebook or a personal computer (PC has a prominent response in the extremely low frequency region in a specific environment. It confines most acoustic waves within a tiny air cell as follows. The air cell is constructed by drilling a small hole in a digital versatile disk (DVD plate. A small speaker and an electret condenser microphone are attached to the two sides of the hole. Thus, the acoustic energy emitted by the speaker and reaching the microphone is strong enough to actuate the diaphragm of the latter. The experiments showed that, once small air leakages are allowed on the margin of the speaker, the microphone captured the signal in the range of 0.5 to 20 Hz. Moreover, by removing the plastic cover of the microphone and attaching the microphone head to the vibration surface, the low frequency signal can be effectively captured too. Two examples are included to show the convenience of applying the microphone to pick up the low frequency vibration information of practical systems.

Preamplifier with ultra low frequency cutoff for infrasonic condenser microphone

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kinnerup, Rasmus Trock; Marbjerg, Kresten; Rasmussen, Per

2012-01-01

low frequencies becomes a challenge. The electric preamplifier presented in this paper together with a prepolarized condenser microphone form a measurement system. The developed preamplifier connects the microphone signal directly to the input of an operational amplifier with ultra high input...

Optical microphone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Veligdan, J.T.

2000-01-11

An optical microphone includes a laser and beam splitter cooperating therewith for splitting a laser beam into a reference beam and a signal beam. A reflecting sensor receives the signal beam and reflects it in a plurality of reflections through sound pressure waves. A photodetector receives both the reference beam and reflected signal beam for heterodyning thereof to produce an acoustic signal for the sound waves. The sound waves vary the local refractive index in the path of the signal beam which experiences a Doppler frequency shift directly analogous with the sound waves.

Modeling and Analysis of a Closed-Loop System for High-Q MEMS Accelerometer Sensor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Yalin

2018-01-01

Full Text Available High-Q sensing element is desirable for high performance while makes the loop control a great challenge. This paper presents a closed-loop system for high-Q capacitive MEMS accelerometer which has achieved loop control effectively. The proportional-derivative(PDcontrol is developed in the system to improve the system stability. In addition, pulse width modulation (PWM electrostatic force feedback is designed in the loop to overcome the nonlinearity. Furthermore, a sigma-delta (ΣΔ modulator with noise shaping is built to realize digital output. System model is built in Matlab/Simulink. The simulation results indicate that equivalent Q value is reduced to 1.5 to ensure stability and responsiveness of the system. The effective number of bits of system output is 14.7 bits. The system nonlinearity is less than 5‰. The equivalent linear model including main noise factors is built, and then a complete theory of noise and linearity analysis is established to contribute to common MEMS accelerometer research.

Design and analysis of diaphragms in dynamic microphones

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zi-Gui Huang

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Most contemporary high-end microphones are dynamic microphones, adopting the most basic electromagnetic transduction principles. This study investigated the diaphragm structures of dynamic microphones. The diaphragms were composed of polyimide material, and the boundary settings required for actual operation were provided using finite element model analysis software. The characteristic frequencies caused by grooving variations on the three-dimensional diaphragm were analyzed for the various groove shapes and number. The groove angles and width variations were examined based on the optimal groove shape selected in the aforementioned analysis, and the effects of these shapes were determined based on the analytical results. Acoustic waves cause thin films to vibrate, forming the working principle behind dynamic microphones. The thin film drives a coil to vibrate in a magnetic field and cuts the line of magnetic force, subsequently producing a voltage on both ends of the coil. This audio-frequency-inducted voltage represents an acoustic wave message. The finite element model analysis software was used to conduct electromagnetic induction simulations; the sound source was fed to the diaphragm to drive the coil. The coil vibrations caused the line of magnetic force to be cut, and the final voltages produced were examined and compared.

Static pressure and temperature coefficients of working standard microphones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barrera Figueroa, Salvador; Cutanda Henriquez, Vicente; Torras Rosell, Antoni

2016-01-01

be a significant contribution to the uncertainty of the measurement. Determining the environmental coefficients of individual specimens of measurement microphones can be a straightforward though time-consuming procedure provided the appropriate facilities are available. An alternative is to determine them using...... coefficients. For this purpose, the environmental coefficients of some commercially available microphones have been determined experimentally, and whenever possible, compared with the coefficients determined numerically using the Boundary Element Method....... for these coefficients which are used for calibration purposes. Working standard microphones are not exempt of these influences. However, manufacturers usually provide a low frequency value of the environmental coefficient. While in some applications the influence of this coefficient may be negligible, in others it may...

Dynamic Pressure Microphones

Science.gov (United States)

Werner, E.

In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell described his first telephone with a microphone using magnetic induction to convert the voice input into an electric output signal. The basic principle led to a variety of designs optimized for different needs, from hearing impaired users to singers or broadcast announcers. From the various sound pressure versions, only the moving coil design is still in mass production for speech and music application.

EDITORIAL: International MEMS Conference 2006

Science.gov (United States)

Tay, Francis E. H.; Jianmin, Miao; Iliescu, Ciprian

2006-04-01

The International MEMS conference (iMEMS2006) organized by the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology and Nanyang Technological University aims to provide a platform for academicians, professionals and industrialists in various related fields from all over the world to share and learn from each other. Of great interest is the incorporation of the theme of life sciences application using MEMS. It is the desire of this conference to initiate collaboration and form network of cooperation. This has continued to be the objective of iMEMS since its inception in 1997. The technological advance of MEMS over the past few decades has been truly exciting in terms of development and applications. In order to participate in this rapid development, a conference involving delegates from within the MEMS community and outside the community is very meaningful and timely. With the receipt of over 200 articles, delegates related to MEMS field from all over the world will share their perspectives on topics such as MEMS/MST Design, MEMS Teaching and Education, MEMS/MST Packaging, MEMS/MST Fabrication, Microsystems Applications, System Integration, Wearable Devices, MEMSWear and BioMEMS. Invited speakers and delegates from outside the field have also been involved to provide challenges, especially in the life sciences field, for the MEMS community to potentially address. The proceedings of the conference will be published as an issue in the online Journal of Physics: Conference Series and this can reach a wider audience and will facilitate the reference and citation of the work presented in the conference. We wish to express our deep gratitude to the International Scientific Committee members and the organizing committee members for contributing to the success of this conference. We would like to thank all the delegates, speakers and sponsors from all over the world for presenting and sharing their perspectives on topics related to MEMS and the challenges that MEMS can

The impact of the microphone position on the frequency analysis of snoring sounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Herzog, Michael; Kühnel, Thomas; Bremert, Thomas; Herzog, Beatrice; Hosemann, Werner; Kaftan, Holger

2009-08-01

Frequency analysis of snoring sounds has been reported as a diagnostic tool to differentiate between different sources of snoring. Several studies have been published presenting diverging results of the frequency analyses of snoring sounds. Depending on the position of the used microphones, the results of the frequency analysis of snoring sounds vary. The present study investigated the influence of different microphone positions on the outcome of the frequency analysis of snoring sounds. Nocturnal snoring was recorded simultaneously at six positions (air-coupled: 30 cm middle, 100 cm middle, 30 cm lateral to both sides of the patients' head; body contact: neck and parasternal) in five patients. The used microphones had a flat frequency response and a similar frequency range (10/40 Hz-18 kHz). Frequency analysis was performed by fast Fourier transformation and frequency bands as well as peak intensities (Peaks 1-5) were detected. Air-coupled microphones presented a wider frequency range (60 Hz-10 kHz) compared to contact microphones. The contact microphone at cervical position presented a cut off at frequencies above 300 Hz, whereas the contact microphone at parasternal position revealed a cut off above 100 Hz. On an exemplary base, the study demonstrates that frequencies above 1,000 Hz do appear in complex snoring patterns, and it is emphasised that high frequencies are imported for the interpretation of snoring sounds with respect to the identification of the source of snoring. Contact microphones might be used in screening devices, but for a natural analysis of snoring sounds the use of air-coupled microphones is indispensable.

Wake Vortex Detection: Phased Microphone vs. Linear Infrasonic Array

Science.gov (United States)

Shams, Qamar A.; Zuckerwar, Allan J.; Sullivan, Nicholas T.; Knight, Howard K.

2014-01-01

Sensor technologies can make a significant impact on the detection of aircraft-generated vortices in an air space of interest, typically in the approach or departure corridor. Current state-of-the art sensor technologies do not provide three-dimensional measurements needed for an operational system or even for wake vortex modeling to advance the understanding of vortex behavior. Most wake vortex sensor systems used today have been developed only for research applications and lack the reliability needed for continuous operation. The main challenges for the development of an operational sensor system are reliability, all-weather operation, and spatial coverage. Such a sensor has been sought for a period of last forty years. Acoustic sensors were first proposed and tested by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) early in 1970s for tracking wake vortices but these acoustic sensors suffered from high levels of ambient noise. Over a period of the last fifteen years, there has been renewed interest in studying noise generated by aircraft wake vortices, both numerically and experimentally. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) was the first to propose the application of a phased microphone array for the investigation of the noise sources of wake vortices. The concept was first demonstrated at Berlins Airport Schoenefeld in 2000. A second test was conducted in Tarbes, France, in 2002, where phased microphone arrays were applied to study the wake vortex noise of an Airbus 340. Similarly, microphone phased arrays and other opto-acoustic microphones were evaluated in a field test at the Denver International Airport in 2003. For the Tarbes and Denver tests, the wake trajectories of phased microphone arrays and lidar were compared as these were installed side by side. Due to a built-in pressure equalization vent these microphones were not suitable for capturing acoustic noise below 20 Hz. Our group at NASA Langley Research Center developed and installed an

Advanced Mechatronics and MEMS Devices

CERN Document Server

2013-01-01

Advanced Mechatronics and MEMS Devicesdescribes state-of-the-art MEMS devices and introduces the latest technology in electrical and mechanical microsystems. The evolution of design in microfabrication, as well as emerging issues in nanomaterials, micromachining, micromanufacturing and microassembly are all discussed at length in this volume. Advanced Mechatronics also provides a reader with knowledge of MEMS sensors array, MEMS multidimensional accelerometer, artificial skin with imbedded tactile components, as well as other topics in MEMS sensors and transducers. The book also presents a number of topics in advanced robotics and an abundance of applications of MEMS in robotics, like reconfigurable modular snake robots, magnetic MEMS robots for drug delivery and flying robots with adjustable wings, to name a few. This book also: Covers the fundamentals of advanced mechatronics and MEMS devices while also presenting new state-of-the-art methodology and technology used in the application of these devices Prese...

Methods for Room Acoustic Analysis and Synthesis using a Monopole-Dipole Microphone Array

Science.gov (United States)

Abel, J. S.; Begault, Durand R.; Null, Cynthia H. (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

In recent work, a microphone array consisting of an omnidirectional microphone and colocated dipole microphones having orthogonally aligned dipole axes was used to examine the directional nature of a room impulse response. The arrival of significant reflections was indicated by peaks in the power of the omnidirectional microphone response; reflection direction of arrival was revealed by comparing zero-lag crosscorrelations between the omnidirectional response and the dipole responses to the omnidirectional response power to estimate arrival direction cosines with respect to the dipole axes.

Advantages of directional hearing aid microphones related to room acoustics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leeuw, A. R.; Dreschler, W. A.

1991-01-01

In this study, two types of hearing aids were used. Both aids had the same frequency characteristics for frontal sound, but one employed an omnidirectional microphone and the other a directional microphone. The frequency characteristics of both hearing aids were measured for five azimuths on KEMAR

Piezoelectric MEMS: Ferroelectric thin films for MEMS applications

Science.gov (United States)

Kanno, Isaku

2018-04-01

In recent years, piezoelectric microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have attracted attention as next-generation functional microdevices. Typical applications of piezoelectric MEMS are micropumps for inkjet heads or micro-gyrosensors, which are composed of piezoelectric Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) thin films and have already been commercialized. In addition, piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters (PVEHs), which are regarded as one of the key devices for Internet of Things (IoT)-related technologies, are promising future applications of piezoelectric MEMS. Significant features of piezoelectric MEMS are their simple structure and high energy conversion efficiency between mechanical and electrical domains even on the microscale. The device performance strongly depends on the function of the piezoelectric thin films, especially on their transverse piezoelectric properties, indicating that the deposition of high-quality piezoelectric thin films is a crucial technology for piezoelectric MEMS. On the other hand, although the difficulty in measuring the precise piezoelectric coefficients of thin films is a serious obstacle in the research and development of piezoelectric thin films, a simple unimorph cantilever measurement method has been proposed to obtain precise values of the direct or converse transverse piezoelectric coefficient of thin films, and recently this method has become to be the standardized testing method. In this article, I will introduce fundamental technologies of piezoelectric thin films and related microdevices, especially focusing on the deposition of PZT thin films and evaluation methods for their transverse piezoelectric properties.

MEMS variable capacitance devices utilizing the substrate: II. Zipping varactors

KAUST Repository

Elshurafa, Amro M.

2010-03-22

This paper, the second and last in this series, introduces PolyMUMPS zipping varactors that exploit the substrate and provide a high tuning range and a high quality factor. Building on the important findings of part I of this paper, the substrate was utilized effectively once again in the design and fabrication of zipping varactors to attain devices with very good performance. Two zipping varactors are proposed, analysed theoretically, simulated, fabricated and tested successfully. The tuning range, quality factor and actuation voltage of those varactors are 4.5, 16.4, 55 V and 4.2, 17, 55 V respectively. Finally, and based on one of the proposed zipping varactors, a very large capacitance value varactor array, with a tuning range of 5.3, was designed and tested. To the best of our knowledge, these zipping varactors exhibit the best reported characteristics in PolyMUMPS to date within their category in terms of tuning range, quality factor, required actuation voltage and total area consumed. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Influence of a remote microphone on localization with hearing aids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Selby, Johan G.; Weisser, Adam; MacDonald, Ewen

2017-01-01

When used with hearing aids (HA), the addition of a remote microphone (RM) may alter the spatial perception of the listener. First, the RM signal is presented diotically from the HAs. Second, the processing in the HA often delays the RM signal relative to the HA microphone signals. Finally...

Effects of directional microphone and adaptive multichannel noise reduction algorithm on cochlear implant performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, King; Zeng, Fan-Gang; Acker, Kyle N

2006-10-01

Although cochlear implant (CI) users have enjoyed good speech recognition in quiet, they still have difficulties understanding speech in noise. We conducted three experiments to determine whether a directional microphone and an adaptive multichannel noise reduction algorithm could enhance CI performance in noise and whether Speech Transmission Index (STI) can be used to predict CI performance in various acoustic and signal processing conditions. In Experiment I, CI users listened to speech in noise processed by 4 hearing aid settings: omni-directional microphone, omni-directional microphone plus noise reduction, directional microphone, and directional microphone plus noise reduction. The directional microphone significantly improved speech recognition in noise. Both directional microphone and noise reduction algorithm improved overall preference. In Experiment II, normal hearing individuals listened to the recorded speech produced by 4- or 8-channel CI simulations. The 8-channel simulation yielded similar speech recognition results as in Experiment I, whereas the 4-channel simulation produced no significant difference among the 4 settings. In Experiment III, we examined the relationship between STIs and speech recognition. The results suggested that STI could predict actual and simulated CI speech intelligibility with acoustic degradation and the directional microphone, but not the noise reduction algorithm. Implications for intelligibility enhancement are discussed.

Micromachined diffraction based optical microphones and intensity probes with electrostatic force feedback

Science.gov (United States)

Bicen, Baris

Measuring acoustic pressure gradients is critical in many applications such as directional microphones for hearing aids and sound intensity probes. This measurement is especially challenging with decreasing microphone size, which reduces the sensitivity due to small spacing between the pressure ports. Novel, micromachined biomimetic microphone diaphragms are shown to provide high sensitivity to pressure gradients on one side of the diaphragm with low thermal mechanical noise. These structures have a dominant mode shape with see-saw like motion in the audio band, responding to pressure gradients as well as spurious higher order modes sensitive to pressure. In this dissertation, integration of a diffraction based optical detection method with these novel diaphragm structures to implement a low noise optical pressure gradient microphone is described and experimental characterization results are presented, showing 36 dBA noise level with 1mm port spacing, nearly an order of magnitude better than the current gradient microphones. The optical detection scheme also provides electrostatic actuation capability from both sides of the diaphragm separately which can be used for active force feedback. A 4-port electromechanical equivalent circuit model of this microphone with optical readout is developed to predict the overall response of the device to different acoustic and electrostatic excitations. The model includes the damping due to complex motion of air around the microphone diaphragm, and it calculates the detected optical signal on each side of the diaphragm as a combination of two separate dominant vibration modes. This equivalent circuit model is verified by experiments and used to predict the microphone response with different force feedback schemes. Single sided force feedback is used for active damping to improve the linearity and the frequency response of the microphone. Furthermore, it is shown that using two sided force feedback one can significantly suppress

A novel capacitive micro-accelerometer with grid strip capacitances and sensing gap alterable capacitances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong Linxi; Chen Jindan; Huo Weihong; Li Yongjie; Sun Lingling; Yan Haixia

2009-01-01

The comb capacitances fabricated by deep reactive ion etching (RIE) process have high aspect ratio which is usually smaller than 30: 1 for the complicated process factors, and the combs are usually not parallel due to the well-known micro-loading effect and other process factors, which restricts the increase of the seismic mass by increasing the thickness of comb to reduce the thermal mechanical noise and the decrease of the gap of the comb capacitances for increasing the sensitive capacitance to reduce the electrical noise. Aiming at the disadvantage of the deep RIE, a novel capacitive micro-accelerometer with grid strip capacitances and sensing gap alterable capacitances is developed. One part of sensing of inertial signal of the micro-accelerometer is by the grid strip capacitances whose overlapping area is variable and which do not have the non-parallel plate's effect caused by the deep RIE process. Another part is by the sensing gap alterable capacitances whose gap between combs can be reduced by the actuators. The designed initial gap of the alterable comb capacitances is relatively large to depress the effect of the maximum aspect ratio (30 : 1) of deep RIE process. The initial gap of the capacitance of the actuator is smaller than the one of the comb capacitances. The difference between the two gaps is the initial gap of the sensitive capacitor. The designed structure depresses greatly the requirement of deep RIE process. The effects of non-parallel combs on the accelerometer are also analyzed. The characteristics of the micro-accelerometer are discussed by field emission microscopy (FEM) tool ANSYS. The tested devices based on slide-film damping effect are fabricated, and the tested quality factor is 514, which shows that grid strip capacitance design can partly improve the resolution and also prove the feasibility of the designed silicon-glass anodically bonding process.

Converting MEMS technology into profits

Science.gov (United States)

Bryzek, Janusz

1998-08-01

This paper discusses issues related to transitioning a company from the advanced technology development phase (with a particular focus on MEMS) to a profitable business, with emphasis on start-up companies. It includes several case studies from (primarily) NovaSensor MEMS development history. These case studies illustrate strategic problems with which advanced MEMS technology developers have to be concerned. Conclusions from these case studies could be used as checkpoints for future MEMS developers to increase probability of profitable operations. The objective for this paper is to share the author's experience from multiple MEMS start-ups to accelerate development of the MEMS market by focusing state- of-the-art technologists on marketing issues.

Polyimide and Metals MEMS Multi-User Processes

KAUST Repository

Arevalo, Arpys

2016-11-01

The development of a polyimide and metals multi-user surface micro-machining process for Micro-electro-mechanical Systems (MEMS) is presented. The process was designed to be as general as possible, and designed to be capable to fabricate different designs on a single silicon wafer. The process was not optimized with the purpose of fabricating any one specific device but can be tweaked to satisfy individual needs depending on the application. The fabrication process uses Polyimide as the structural material and three separated metallization layers that can be interconnected depending on the desired application. The technology allows the development of out-of-plane compliant mechanisms, which can be combined with six variations of different physical principles for actuation and sensing on a single processed silicon wafer. These variations are: electrostatic motion, thermal bimorph actuation, capacitive sensing, magnetic sensing, thermocouple-based sensing and radio frequency transmission and reception.

Simple fall criteria for MEMS sensors: Data analysis and sensor concept

KAUST Repository

Ibrahim, Alwathiqbellah; Younis, Mohammad I.

2014-01-01

This paper presents a new and simple fall detection concept based on detailed experimental data of human falling and the activities of daily living (ADLs). Establishing appropriate fall algorithms compatible with MEMS sensors requires detailed data on falls and ADLs that indicate clearly the variations of the kinematics at the possible sensor node location on the human body, such as hip, head, and chest. Currently, there is a lack of data on the exact direction and magnitude of each acceleration component associated with these node locations. This is crucial for MEMS structures, which have inertia elements very close to the substrate and are capacitively biased, and hence, are very sensitive to the direction of motion whether it is toward or away from the substrate. This work presents detailed data of the acceleration components on various locations on the human body during various kinds of falls and ADLs. A two-degree-of-freedom model is used to help interpret the experimental data. An algorithm for fall detection based on MEMS switches is then established. A new sensing concept based on the algorithm is proposed. The concept is based on employing several inertia sensors, which are triggered simultaneously, as electrical switches connected in series, upon receiving a true fall signal. In the case of everyday life activities, some or no switches will be triggered resulting in an open circuit configuration, thereby preventing false positive. Lumped-parameter model is presented for the device and preliminary simulation results are presented illustrating the new device concept. © 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Simple fall criteria for MEMS sensors: Data analysis and sensor concept

KAUST Repository

Ibrahim, Alwathiqbellah

2014-07-08

This paper presents a new and simple fall detection concept based on detailed experimental data of human falling and the activities of daily living (ADLs). Establishing appropriate fall algorithms compatible with MEMS sensors requires detailed data on falls and ADLs that indicate clearly the variations of the kinematics at the possible sensor node location on the human body, such as hip, head, and chest. Currently, there is a lack of data on the exact direction and magnitude of each acceleration component associated with these node locations. This is crucial for MEMS structures, which have inertia elements very close to the substrate and are capacitively biased, and hence, are very sensitive to the direction of motion whether it is toward or away from the substrate. This work presents detailed data of the acceleration components on various locations on the human body during various kinds of falls and ADLs. A two-degree-of-freedom model is used to help interpret the experimental data. An algorithm for fall detection based on MEMS switches is then established. A new sensing concept based on the algorithm is proposed. The concept is based on employing several inertia sensors, which are triggered simultaneously, as electrical switches connected in series, upon receiving a true fall signal. In the case of everyday life activities, some or no switches will be triggered resulting in an open circuit configuration, thereby preventing false positive. Lumped-parameter model is presented for the device and preliminary simulation results are presented illustrating the new device concept. © 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

The ribbon microphone: A teaching aid for low frequency electromagnetic education

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Van Wyk, Marius S

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The ribbon microphone lends itself as a good example to use for education of multi-physics computer modeling and simulation. The value of the ribbon microphone as teaching aid can be extended by adding a transformer and electronic amplifier...

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers for medical imaging and therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T; Oralkan, Omer

2011-05-01

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) have been subject to extensive research for the last two decades. Although they were initially developed for air-coupled applications, today their main application space is medical imaging and therapy. This paper first presents a brief description of CMUTs, their basic structure, and operating principles. Our progression of developing several generations of fabrication processes is discussed with an emphasis on the advantages and disadvantages of each process. Monolithic and hybrid approaches for integrating CMUTs with supporting integrated circuits are surveyed. Several prototype transducer arrays with integrated frontend electronic circuits we developed and their use for 2-D and 3-D, anatomical and functional imaging, and ablative therapies are described. The presented results prove the CMUT as a MEMS technology for many medical diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

Investigation of excimer laser ablation threshold of polymers using a microphone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krueger, Joerg; Niino, Hiroyuki; Yabe, Akira

2002-09-30

KrF excimer laser ablation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyimide (PI) and polycarbonate (PC) in air was studied by an in situ monitoring technique using a microphone. The microphone signal generated by a short acoustic pulse represented the etch rate of laser ablation depending on the laser fluence, i.e., the ablation 'strength'. From a linear relationship between the microphone output voltage and the laser fluence, the single-pulse ablation thresholds were found to be 30 mJ cm{sup -2} for PET, 37 mJ cm{sup -2} for PI and 51 mJ cm{sup -2} for PC (20-pulses threshold). The ablation thresholds of PET and PI were not influenced by the number of pulses per spot, while PC showed an incubation phenomenon. A microphone technique provides a simple method to determine the excimer laser ablation threshold of polymer films.

Use of a Parabolic Microphone to Detect Hidden Subjects in Search and Rescue.

Science.gov (United States)

Bowditch, Nathaniel L; Searing, Stanley K; Thomas, Jeffrey A; Thompson, Peggy K; Tubis, Jacqueline N; Bowditch, Sylvia P

2018-03-01

This study compares a parabolic microphone to unaided hearing in detecting and comprehending hidden callers at ranges of 322 to 2510 m. Eight subjects were placed 322 to 2510 m away from a central listening point. The subjects were concealed, and their calling volume was calibrated. In random order, subjects were asked to call the name of a state for 5 minutes. Listeners with parabolic microphones and others with unaided hearing recorded the direction of the call (detection) and name of the state (comprehension). The parabolic microphone was superior to unaided hearing in both detecting subjects and comprehending their calls, with an effect size (Cohen's d) of 1.58 for detection and 1.55 for comprehension. For each of the 8 hidden subjects, there were 24 detection attempts with the parabolic microphone and 54 to 60 attempts by unaided listeners. At the longer distances (1529-2510 m), the parabolic microphone was better at detecting callers (83% vs 51%; P<0.00001 by χ 2 ) and comprehension (57% vs 12%; P<0.00001). At the shorter distances (322-1190 m), the parabolic microphone offered advantages in detection (100% vs 83%; P=0.000023) and comprehension (86% vs 51%; P<0.00001), although not as pronounced as at the longer distances. Use of a 66-cm (26-inch) parabolic microphone significantly improved detection and comprehension of hidden calling subjects at distances between 322 and 2510 m when compared with unaided hearing. This study supports the use of a parabolic microphone in search and rescue to locate responsive subjects in favorable weather and terrain. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MEMS for automotive and aerospace applications

CERN Document Server

Kraft, Michael

2013-01-01

MEMS for automotive and aerospace applications reviews the use of Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) in developing solutions to the unique challenges presented by the automotive and aerospace industries.Part one explores MEMS for a variety of automotive applications. The role of MEMS in passenger safety and comfort, sensors for automotive vehicle stability control applications and automotive tire pressure monitoring systems are considered, along with pressure and flow sensors for engine management, and RF MEMS for automotive radar sensors. Part two then goes on to explore MEMS for

Theory and design of compact hybrid microphone arrays on two-dimensional planes for three-dimensional soundfield analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hanchi; Abhayapala, Thushara D; Zhang, Wen

2015-11-01

Soundfield analysis based on spherical harmonic decomposition has been widely used in various applications; however, a drawback is the three-dimensional geometry of the microphone arrays. In this paper, a method to design two-dimensional planar microphone arrays that are capable of capturing three-dimensional (3D) spatial soundfields is proposed. Through the utilization of both omni-directional and first order microphones, the proposed microphone array is capable of measuring soundfield components that are undetectable to conventional planar omni-directional microphone arrays, thus providing the same functionality as 3D arrays designed for the same purpose. Simulations show that the accuracy of the planar microphone array is comparable to traditional spherical microphone arrays. Due to its compact shape, the proposed microphone array greatly increases the feasibility of 3D soundfield analysis techniques in real-world applications.

CMOS MEMS Fabrication Technologies and Devices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongwei Qu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper reviews CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems fabrication technologies and enabled micro devices of various sensors and actuators. The technologies are classified based on the sequence of the fabrication of CMOS circuitry and MEMS elements, while SOI (silicon-on-insulator CMOS MEMS are introduced separately. Introduction of associated devices follows the description of the respective CMOS MEMS technologies. Due to the vast array of CMOS MEMS devices, this review focuses only on the most typical MEMS sensors and actuators including pressure sensors, inertial sensors, frequency reference devices and actuators utilizing different physics effects and the fabrication processes introduced. Moreover, the incorporation of MEMS and CMOS is limited to monolithic integration, meaning wafer-bonding-based stacking and other integration approaches, despite their advantages, are excluded from the discussion. Both competitive industrial products and state-of-the-art research results on CMOS MEMS are covered.

Simulation Study of Electronic Damping of Microphonic Vibrations in Superconducting Cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alicia Hofler; Jean Delayen

2005-01-01

Electronic damping of microphonic vibrations in superconducting rf cavities involves an active modulation of the cavity field amplitude in order to induce ponderomotive forces that counteract the effect of ambient vibrations on the cavity frequency. In lightly beam loaded cavities, a reduction of the microphonics-induced frequency excursions leads directly to a reduction of the rf power required for phase and amplitude stabilization. Jefferson Lab is investigating such an electronic damping scheme that could be applied to the JLab 12 GeV upgrade, the RIA driver, and possibly to energy-recovering superconducting linacs. This paper discusses a model and presents simulation results for electronic damping of microphonic vibrations

A three-microphone acoustic reflection technique using transmitted acoustic waves in the airway.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujimoto, Yuki; Huang, Jyongsu; Fukunaga, Toshiharu; Kato, Ryo; Higashino, Mari; Shinomiya, Shohei; Kitadate, Shoko; Takahara, Yutaka; Yamaya, Atsuyo; Saito, Masatoshi; Kobayashi, Makoto; Kojima, Koji; Oikawa, Taku; Nakagawa, Ken; Tsuchihara, Katsuma; Iguchi, Masaharu; Takahashi, Masakatsu; Mizuno, Shiro; Osanai, Kazuhiro; Toga, Hirohisa

2013-10-15

The acoustic reflection technique noninvasively measures airway cross-sectional area vs. distance functions and uses a wave tube with a constant cross-sectional area to separate incidental and reflected waves introduced into the mouth or nostril. The accuracy of estimated cross-sectional areas gets worse in the deeper distances due to the nature of marching algorithms, i.e., errors of the estimated areas in the closer distances accumulate to those in the further distances. Here we present a new technique of acoustic reflection from measuring transmitted acoustic waves in the airway with three microphones and without employing a wave tube. Using miniaturized microphones mounted on a catheter, we estimated reflection coefficients among the microphones and separated incidental and reflected waves. A model study showed that the estimated cross-sectional area vs. distance function was coincident with the conventional two-microphone method, and it did not change with altered cross-sectional areas at the microphone position, although the estimated cross-sectional areas are relative values to that at the microphone position. The pharyngeal cross-sectional areas including retropalatal and retroglossal regions and the closing site during sleep was visualized in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. The method can be applicable to larger or smaller bronchi to evaluate the airspace and function in these localized airways.

In vivo evaluation of mastication noise reduction for dual channel implantable microphone.

Science.gov (United States)

Woo, SeongTak; Jung, EuiSung; Lim, HyungGyu; Lee, Jang Woo; Seong, Ki Woong; Won, Chul Ho; Kim, Myoung Nam; Cho, Jin Ho; Lee, Jyung Hyun

2014-01-01

Input for fully implantable hearing devices (FIHDs) is provided by an implantable microphone under the skin of the temporal bone. However, the implanted microphone can be affected when the FIHDs user chews. In this paper, a dual implantable microphone was designed that can filter out the noise from mastication. For the in vivo experiment, a fabricated microphone was implanted in a rabbit. Pure-tone sounds of 1 kHz through a standard speaker were applied to the rabbit, which was given food simultaneously. To evaluate noise reduction, the measured signals were processed using a MATLAB program based adaptive filter. To verify the proposed method, the correlation coefficients and signal to-noise ratio before and after signal processing were calculated. By comparing the results, signal-to-noise ratio and correlation coefficients are enhanced by 6.07dB and 0.529 respectively.

Outlier Detection for Sensor Systems (ODSS): A MATLAB Macro for Evaluating Microphone Sensor Data Quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Vasta, Robert; Crandell, Ian; Millican, Anthony; House, Leanna; Smith, Eric

2017-10-13

Microphone sensor systems provide information that may be used for a variety of applications. Such systems generate large amounts of data. One concern is with microphone failure and unusual values that may be generated as part of the information collection process. This paper describes methods and a MATLAB graphical interface that provides rapid evaluation of microphone performance and identifies irregularities. The approach and interface are described. An application to a microphone array used in a wind tunnel is used to illustrate the methodology.

Spiral-Shaped Piezoelectric MEMS Cantilever Array for Fully Implantable Hearing Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Péter Udvardi

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Fully implantable, self-powered hearing aids with no external unit could significantly increase the life quality of patients suffering severe hearing loss. This highly demanding concept, however, requires a strongly miniaturized device which is fully implantable in the middle/inner ear and includes the following components: frequency selective microphone or accelerometer, energy harvesting device, speech processor, and cochlear multielectrode. Here we demonstrate a low volume, piezoelectric micro-electromechanical system (MEMS cantilever array which is sensitive, even in the lower part of the voice frequency range (300–700 Hz. The test array consisting of 16 cantilevers has been fabricated by standard bulk micromachining using a Si-on-Insulator (SOI wafer and aluminum nitride (AlN as a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS and biocompatible piezoelectric material. The low frequency and low device footprint are ensured by Archimedean spiral geometry and Si seismic mass. Experimentally detected resonance frequencies were validated by an analytical model. The generated open circuit voltage (3–10 mV is sufficient for the direct analog conversion of the signals for cochlear multielectrode implants.

Environmental coefficients of the free-field sensitivity of measurement microphones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barrera Figueroa, Salvador; Cutanda Henriquez, Vicente; Torras-Rosell, Antoni

2017-01-01

The sensitivity of measurement microphones, both pressure and free field, is affected by changes in the environmental conditions, mainly temperature and static pressure. Static pressure and temperature coefficients for the pressure sensitivity have been the object of previous studies focused...... on Laboratory Standard microphones and few working standard microphones. The literature describes frequency dependent values for these coefficients which are used for calibration purposes. However, there is no description of the environmental coefficients of the free-field sensitivity though there have been...... some implementations that attempt to take care of the differences between the coefficients for the two types of sensitivities. Measuring the coefficients in a free field poses some challeng; it is not so easy to change neither the static pressure nor the temperature inside anechoic room within...

Robustness of a Mixed-Order Ambisonics Microphone Array for Sound Field Reproduction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marschall, Marton; Favrot, Sylvain Emmanuel; Buchholz, Jörg

2012-01-01

Spherical microphone arrays can be used to capture and reproduce the spatial characteristics of acoustic scenes. A mixed-order Ambisonics (MOA) approach was recently proposed to improve the horizontal spatial resolution of microphone arrays with a given number of transducers. In this paper...

Acoustic isolation vessel for measurement of the background noise in microphones

Science.gov (United States)

Ngo, Kim C. T.; Zuckerwar, Allan J.

1993-01-01

An acoustic isolation vessel has been developed to measure the background noise in microphones. The test microphone is installed in an inner vessel, which is suspended within an outer vessel, and the intervening air space is evacuated to a high vacuum. An analytical expression for the transmission coefficient is derived, based on a five-media model, and compared to experiment. At an isolation vacuum of 5 x 10 exp -6 Torr the experimental transmission coefficient was found to be lower than -155 dB at frequencies ranging from 40 to 1200 Hz. Measurements of the A-weighted noise levels of commercial condenser microphones of four different sizes show good agreement with published values.

Implementation of a monolithic capacitive accelerometer in a wafer-level 0.18 µm CMOS MEMS process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tseng, Sheng-Hsiang; Lu, Michael S-C; Wu, Po-Chang; Teng, Yu-Chen; Tsai, Hann-Huei; Juang, Ying-Zong

2012-01-01

This paper describes the design, fabrication and characterization of a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) accelerometer implemented in a 0.18 µm multi-project wafer (MPW) CMOS MEMS process. In addition to the standard CMOS process, an additional aluminum layer and a thick photoresist masking layer are employed to achieve etching and microstructural release. The structural thickness of the accelerometer is up to 9 µm and the minimum structural spacing is 2.3 µm. The out-of-plane deflection resulted from the vertical stress gradient over the whole device is controlled to be under 0.2 µm. The chip area containing the micromechanical structure and switched-capacitor sensing circuit is 1.18 × 0.9 mm 2 , and the total power consumption is only 0.7 mW. Within the sensing range of ±6 G, the measured nonlinearity is 1.07% and the cross-axis sensitivities with respect to the in-plane and out-of-plane are 0.5% and 5.8%, respectively. The average sensitivity of five tested accelerometers is 191.4 mV G −1 with a standard deviation of 2.5 mV G −1 . The measured output noise floor is 354 µG Hz −1/2 , corresponding to a 100 Hz 1 G sinusoidal acceleration. The measured output offset voltage is about 100 mV at 27 °C, and the zero-G temperature coefficient of the accelerometer output is 0.94 mV °C −1 below 85 °C. (paper)

MEMS Reliability Assurance Activities at JPL

Science.gov (United States)

Kayali, S.; Lawton, R.; Stark, B.

2000-01-01

An overview of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) reliability assurance and qualification activities at JPL is presented along with the a discussion of characterization of MEMS structures implemented on single crystal silicon, polycrystalline silicon, CMOS, and LIGA processes. Additionally, common failure modes and mechanisms affecting MEMS structures, including radiation effects, are discussed. Common reliability and qualification practices contained in the MEMS Reliability Assurance Guideline are also presented.

A time-selective technique for free-field reciprocity calibration of condenser microphones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barrera Figueroa, Salvador; Rasmussen, Knud; Jacobsen, Finn

2003-01-01

In normal practice, microphones are calibrated in a closed coupler where the sound pressure is uniformly distributed over the diaphragm. Alternatively, microphones can be placed in a free field, although in that case the distribution of sound pressure over the diaphragm will change as a result of...

Precision Measurements of Wind Turbine Noise using a Large Aperture Microphone Array

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bradley, Stuart; Mikkelsen, Torben Krogh; Hünerbein, Sabine Von

2016-01-01

Experiments are described with a large microphone array (40 m scale) recording wind turbine noise. The array comprised 42 purpose-designed low-noise microphones simultaneously sampled at 20 kHz. Very high quality, fast, meteorological profile data was available from nearby 80 m masts and from the...

Characteristics of Relocated Quiet Zones Using Virtual Microphone Algorithm in an Active Headrest System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seokhoon Ryu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This study displays theoretical and experimental investigation on the characteristics of the relocated zone of quiet by a virtual microphone (VM based filtered-x LMS (FxLMS algorithm which can be embedded in a real-time digital controller for an active headrest system. The attenuation changes at the relocated zones of quiet by the variation of the distance between the ear and the error microphone are mainly examined. An active headrest system was implemented for the control experiment at a chair and consists of two (left and right secondary loudspeakers, two error microphones, two observer microphones at ear positions in a HATS, and other electronics including a dSPACE 1401 controller. The VM based FxLMS algorithm achieved an attenuation of about 22 dB in the control experiment against a narrowband primary noise by the variation of the distance between the ear and the error microphone. The important factors for the algorithm are discussed as well.

Challenges in the Packaging of MEMS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malshe, A.P.; Singh, S.B.; Eaton, W.P.; O' Neal, C.; Brown, W.D.; Miller, W.M.

1999-03-26

The packaging of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) is a field of great importance to anyone using or manufacturing sensors, consumer products, or military applications. Currently much work has been done in the design and fabrication of MEMS devices but insufficient research and few publications have been completed on the packaging of these devices. This is despite the fact that packaging is a very large percentage of the total cost of MEMS devices. The main difference between IC packaging and MEMS packaging is that MEMS packaging is almost always application specific and greatly affected by its environment and packaging techniques such as die handling, die attach processes, and lid sealing. Many of these aspects are directly related to the materials used in the packaging processes. MEMS devices that are functional in wafer form can be rendered inoperable after packaging. MEMS dies must be handled only from the chip sides so features on the top surface are not damaged. This eliminates most current die pick-and-place fixtures. Die attach materials are key to MEMS packaging. Using hard die attach solders can create high stresses in the MEMS devices, which can affect their operation greatly. Low-stress epoxies can be high-outgassing, which can also affect device performance. Also, a low modulus die attach can allow the die to move during ultrasonic wirebonding resulting to low wirebond strength. Another source of residual stress is the lid sealing process. Most MEMS based sensors and devices require a hermetically sealed package. This can be done by parallel seam welding the package lid, but at the cost of further induced stress on the die. Another issue of MEMS packaging is the media compatibility of the packaged device. MEMS unlike ICS often interface with their environment, which could be high pressure or corrosive. The main conclusion we can draw about MEMS packaging is that the package affects the performance and reliability of the MEMS devices. There is a

Beamforming with a circular microphone array for localization of environmental noise sources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tiana Roig, Elisabet; Jacobsen, Finn; Fernandez Grande, Efren

2010-01-01

It is often enough to localize environmental sources of noise from different directions in a plane. This can be accomplished with a circular microphone array, which can be designed to have practically the same resolution over 360. The microphones can be suspended in free space or they can...

Optical inspection of hidden MEMS structures

Science.gov (United States)

Krauter, Johann; Gronle, Marc; Osten, Wolfgang

2017-06-01

Micro-electro-mechanical system's (MEMS) applications have greatly expanded over the recent years, and the MEMS industry has grown almost exponentially. One of the strongest drivers are the automotive and consumer markets. A 100% test is necessary especially in the production of automotive MEMS sensors since they are subject to safety relevant functions. This inspection should be carried out before dicing and packaging since more than 90% of the production costs are incurred during these steps. An electrical test is currently being carried out with each MEMS component. In the case of a malfunction, the defect can not be located on the wafer because the MEMS are no longer optically accessible due to the encapsulation. This paper presents a low coherence interferometer for the topography measurement of MEMS structures located within the wafer stack. Here, a high axial and lateral resolution is necessary to identify defects such as stuck or bent MEMS fingers. First, the boundary conditions for an optical inspection system will be discussed. The setup is then shown with some exemplary measurements.

On determination of microphone response and other parameters by a hybrid experimental and numerical method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barrera Figueroa, Salvador; Jacobsen, Finn; Rasmussen, Knud

2008-01-01

to this problem is to measure the velocity distribution of the membrane by means of a non-contact method, such as laser vibrometry. The measured velocity distributions can be used together with a numerical formulation such as the Boundary Element Method for estimating the microphone response and other parameters...... such as the acoustic centres. In this work, a hybrid method is presented. The velocity distributions of condenser Laboratory Standard microphones were measured using a laser vibrometer. This measured velocity distribution was used for estimating the microphone responses and parameters. The agreement with experimental......Typically, numerical calculations of the pressure, free-field and random-incidence response of a condenser microphone are carried out on the basis of an assumed displacement distribution of the diaphragm of the microphone; the conventional assumption is that the displacement follows a Bessel...

A single-ended CMOS sensing circuit for MEMS gyroscope with noise cancellation

KAUST Repository

Elsayed, Mohannad Yomn

2010-06-01

In this work, a complete single-ended readout circuit for capacitive MEMS gyroscope using chopper stabilization technique is presented. A novel noise cancellation technique is used to get rid of the bias noise. The circuit offers superior performance over state of the art readout circuits in terms of cost, gain, and noise for the given area and power consumption. The full circuit exhibits a gain of 58dB, a power dissipation of 1.3mW and an input referred noise of 12nV/√Hz. This would significantly improve the overall sensitivity of the gyroscope. The full circuit has been fabricated in 0.6um CMOS technology and it occupies an area of 0.4mm × 1mm. © 2010 IEEE.

A single-ended CMOS sensing circuit for MEMS gyroscope with noise cancellation

KAUST Repository

Elsayed, Mohannad Yomn; Emira, Ahmed; Sedky, Sherif M.; Habib, S. E. D.

2010-01-01

In this work, a complete single-ended readout circuit for capacitive MEMS gyroscope using chopper stabilization technique is presented. A novel noise cancellation technique is used to get rid of the bias noise. The circuit offers superior performance over state of the art readout circuits in terms of cost, gain, and noise for the given area and power consumption. The full circuit exhibits a gain of 58dB, a power dissipation of 1.3mW and an input referred noise of 12nV/√Hz. This would significantly improve the overall sensitivity of the gyroscope. The full circuit has been fabricated in 0.6um CMOS technology and it occupies an area of 0.4mm × 1mm. © 2010 IEEE.

Feasible pickup from intact ossicular chain with floating piezoelectric microphone.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Hou-Yong; Na, Gao; Chi, Fang-Lu; Jin, Kai; Pan, Tie-Zheng; Gao, Zhen

2012-02-22

Many microphones have been developed to meet with the implantable requirement of totally implantable cochlear implant (TICI). However, a biocompatible one without destroying the intactness of the ossicular chain still remains under investigation. Such an implantable floating piezoelectric microphone (FPM) has been manufactured and shows an efficient electroacoustic performance in vitro test at our lab. We examined whether it pick up sensitively from the intact ossicular chain and postulated whether it be an optimal implantable one. Animal controlled experiment: five adult cats (eight ears) were sacrificed as the model to test the electroacoustic performance of the FPM. Three groups were studied: (1) the experiment group (on malleus): the FPM glued onto the handle of the malleus of the intact ossicular chains; (2) negative control group (in vivo): the FPM only hung into the tympanic cavity; (3) positive control group (Hy-M30): a HiFi commercial microphone placed close to the site of the experiment ear. The testing speaker played pure tones orderly ranged from 0.25 to 8.0 kHz. The FPM inside the ear and the HiFi microphone simultaneously picked up acoustic vibration which recorded as .wav files to analyze. The FPM transformed acoustic vibration sensitively and flatly as did the in vitro test across the frequencies above 2.0 kHz, whereas inefficiently below 1.0 kHz for its overloading mass. Although the HiFi microphone presented more efficiently than the FPM did, there was no significant difference at 3.0 kHz and 8.0 kHz. It is feasible to develop such an implantable FPM for future TICIs and TIHAs system on condition that the improvement of Micro Electromechanical System and piezoelectric ceramic material technology would be applied to reduce its weight and minimize its size.

Feasible pickup from intact ossicular chain with floating piezoelectric microphone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kang Hou-Yong

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objectives Many microphones have been developed to meet with the implantable requirement of totally implantable cochlear implant (TICI. However, a biocompatible one without destroying the intactness of the ossicular chain still remains under investigation. Such an implantable floating piezoelectric microphone (FPM has been manufactured and shows an efficient electroacoustic performance in vitro test at our lab. We examined whether it pick up sensitively from the intact ossicular chain and postulated whether it be an optimal implantable one. Methods Animal controlled experiment: five adult cats (eight ears were sacrificed as the model to test the electroacoustic performance of the FPM. Three groups were studied: (1 the experiment group (on malleus: the FPM glued onto the handle of the malleus of the intact ossicular chains; (2 negative control group (in vivo: the FPM only hung into the tympanic cavity; (3 positive control group (Hy-M30: a HiFi commercial microphone placed close to the site of the experiment ear. The testing speaker played pure tones orderly ranged from 0.25 to 8.0 kHz. The FPM inside the ear and the HiFi microphone simultaneously picked up acoustic vibration which recorded as .wav files to analyze. Results The FPM transformed acoustic vibration sensitively and flatly as did the in vitro test across the frequencies above 2.0 kHz, whereas inefficiently below 1.0 kHz for its overloading mass. Although the HiFi microphone presented more efficiently than the FPM did, there was no significant difference at 3.0 kHz and 8.0 kHz. Conclusions It is feasible to develop such an implantable FPM for future TICIs and TIHAs system on condition that the improvement of Micro Electromechanical System and piezoelectric ceramic material technology would be applied to reduce its weight and minimize its size.

MEMS based monolithic Phased array using 3-bit Switched-line Phase Shifter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Karmakr

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This article details the design of an electronically scanning phased array antenna with proposed fabrication process steps. Structure is based upon RF micro-electromechanical system (MEMS technology. Capacitive type shunt switches have been implemented here to cater high frequency operation. The architecture, which is deigned at 30 GHz, consists of 3-bit (11.25º, 22.5º and 45º integrated Switched-line phase shifter and a linearly polarized microstrip patch antenna. Detailed design tricks of the Ka-band phase shifter is outlined here. The whole design is targeted for future monolithic integration. So, the substrate of choice is High Resistive Silicon (ρ > 8kΩ-cm, tan δ =0.01 and ϵr =11.8. The overall circuit occupies an cross-sectional area of 20 × 5 mm2. The simulated results show that the phase shifter can provide nearly 11.25º/22.5º/45º phase shifts and their combinations at the expense of 1dB average insertion loss at 30 GHz for eight combinations. Practical fabrication process flow using surface micromachining is proposed here. Critical dimensions of the phased array structure is governed by the deign rules of the standard CMOS/MEMS foundry.

Calibration of tri-axial MEMS accelerometers in the low-frequency range – Part 2: Uncertainty assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. D'Emilia

2018-05-01

Full Text Available A comparison among three methods for the calibration of tri-axial accelerometers, in particular MEMS, is presented in this paper, paying attention to the uncertainty assessment of each method. The first method is performed according to the ISO 16063 standards. Two innovative methods are analysed, both suitable for in-field application. The effects on the whole uncertainty of the following aspects have been evaluated: the test bench performances in realizing the reference motion, the vibration reference sensor, the geometrical parameters and the data processing techniques. The uncertainty contributions due to the offset and the transverse sensitivity are also studied, by calibrating two different types of accelerometers, a piezoelectric one and a capacitive one, to check their effect on the accuracy of the methods under comparison. The reproducibility of methods is demonstrated. Relative uncertainty of methods ranges from 3 to 5 %, depending on the complexity of the model and of the requested operations. The results appear promising for low-cost calibration of new tri-axial accelerometers of MEMS type.

Theoretical and experimental study of the bending influence on the capacitance of interdigitated micro-electrodes patterned on flexible substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molina-Lopez, F.; Briand, D.; Rooij, N. F. de; Kinkeldei, T.; Tröster, G.

2013-01-01

Interdigitated electrodes are common structures in the fields of microelectronics and MEMS. Recent developments in flexible electronics compel an understanding of such structures under bending constraints. In this work, the behavior of interdigitated micro-electrodes when subjected to circular bending has been theoretically and experimentally studied through changes in capacitance. An analytical model has been developed to calculate the expected variation in capacitance of such structures while undergoing outward and inward bending along the direction perpendicular to the electrodes. The model combines conformal mapping techniques to account for the electric field redistribution and fundamental aspects of solid mechanics in order to define the geometrical deformation of the electrodes while bending. To experimentally verify our theoretical predictions, several interdigitated electrode structures with different geometries were fabricated on polymeric substrates by means of photolithography. The samples, placed in a customized bending setup, were bent to controlled radii of curvature while measuring their capacitance. A maximum variation in capacitance of less than 3% was observed at a minimum radius of curvature of 2.5 mm for all the devices tested with very thin electrodes whereas changes of up to 7% were found on stiffer, plated electrodes. Larger or smaller variations would be possible, in theory, by adjusting the geometry of the device. This work establishes a useful predictive tool for the design and evaluation of truly flexible/bendable electronics consisting of interdigitated structures, allowing one to tune the bending influence on the capacitance value through geometrical design

MEMS fluidic actuator

Science.gov (United States)

Kholwadwala, Deepesh K [Albuquerque, NM; Johnston, Gabriel A [Trophy Club, TX; Rohrer, Brandon R [Albuquerque, NM; Galambos, Paul C [Albuquerque, NM; Okandan, Murat [Albuquerque, NM

2007-07-24

The present invention comprises a novel, lightweight, massively parallel device comprising microelectromechanical (MEMS) fluidic actuators, to reconfigure the profile, of a surface. Each microfluidic actuator comprises an independent bladder that can act as both a sensor and an actuator. A MEMS sensor, and a MEMS valve within each microfluidic actuator, operate cooperatively to monitor the fluid within each bladder, and regulate the flow of the fluid entering and exiting each bladder. When adjacently spaced in a array, microfluidic actuators can create arbitrary surface profiles in response to a change in the operating environment of the surface. In an embodiment of the invention, the profile of an airfoil is controlled by independent extension and contraction of a plurality of actuators, that operate to displace a compliant cover.

A novel flexible capacitive touch pad based on graphene oxide film

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, He; Yang, Yi; Xie, Dan; Ren, Tian-Ling; Shu, Yi; Zhou, Chang-Jian; Sun, Hui; Liu, Xuan; Zhang, Cang-Hai

2013-01-01

Recently, graphene oxide (GO) supercapacitors with ultra-high energy densities have received significant attention. In addition to energy storage, GO capacitors might also have broad applications in renewable energy engineering, such as vibration and sound energy harvesting. Here, we experimentally create a macroscopic flexible capacitive touch pad based on GO film. An obvious touch ``ON'' to ``OFF'' voltage ratio up to ~60 has been observed. Moreover, we tested the capacitor structure on both flat and curved surfaces and it showed high response sensitivity under fast touch rates. Collectively, our results raise the exciting prospect that the realization of macroscopic flexible keyboards with large-area graphene based materials is technologically feasible, which may open up important applications in control and interface design for solar cells, speakers, supercapacitors, batteries and MEMS systems.

A novel flexible capacitive touch pad based on graphene oxide film.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, He; Yang, Yi; Xie, Dan; Ren, Tian-Ling; Shu, Yi; Zhou, Chang-Jian; Sun, Hui; Liu, Xuan; Zhang, Cang-Hai

2013-02-07

Recently, graphene oxide (GO) supercapacitors with ultra-high energy densities have received significant attention. In addition to energy storage, GO capacitors might also have broad applications in renewable energy engineering, such as vibration and sound energy harvesting. Here, we experimentally create a macroscopic flexible capacitive touch pad based on GO film. An obvious touch "ON" to "OFF" voltage ratio up to ∼60 has been observed. Moreover, we tested the capacitor structure on both flat and curved surfaces and it showed high response sensitivity under fast touch rates. Collectively, our results raise the exciting prospect that the realization of macroscopic flexible keyboards with large-area graphene based materials is technologically feasible, which may open up important applications in control and interface design for solar cells, speakers, supercapacitors, batteries and MEMS systems.

[Value of the study of cochlear microphonic recordings in deep and severe deafness].

Science.gov (United States)

Moatti, L; Busquet, D; Cotin, G

1983-01-01

A study was conducted to assess the contribution of cochlear microphonic potential recordings during electrophysiologic audiometry examinations. Amplitude of microphonic recordings were correlated with the degree of deafness, its etiology, and the prosthetic prognosis in 38 electrocochleographic examinations. Preliminary results are analyzed.

Effect of Free Stream Turbulence on the Flow-Induced Background Noise of In-Flow Microphones

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Christopher S.; Olson, Lawrence E. (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

When making noise measurements of sound sources in flow using microphones immersed in an air stream or wind tunnel, the factor limiting the dynamic range of the measurement is, in many cases, the noise caused by the flow over the microphone. To lower this self-noise, and to protect the microphone diaphragm, an aerodynamic microphone forebody is usually mounted on the tip of the omnidirectional microphone. The microphone probe is then pointed into the wind stream. Even with a microphone forebody, however, the self-noise persists, prompting further research in the area of microphone forebody design for flow-induced self-noise reduction. The magnitude and frequency characteristics of in-flow microphone probe self-noise is dependent upon the exterior shape of the probe and on the level of turbulence in the onset flow, among other things. Several recent studies present new designs for microphone forebodies, some showing the forbodies' self-noise characteristics when used in a given facility. However, these self-noise characteristics may change when the probes are used in different facilities. The present paper will present results of an experimental investigation to determine an empirical relationship between flow turbulence and self-noise levels for several microphone forebody shapes as a function of frequency. As a result, the microphone probe self-noise for these probes will be known as a function of freestream turbulence, and knowing the freestream turbulence spectra for a given facility, the probe self-noise can be predicted. Flow-induced microphone self-noise is believed to be related to the freestream. turbulence by three separate mechanisms. The first mechanism is produced by large scale, as compared to the probe size, turbulence which appears to the probe as a variation in the angle of attack of the freestream. flow. This apparent angle of attack variation causes the pressure along the probe surface to fluctuate, and at the location of the sensor orifice this

Modeling nonlinearities in MEMS oscillators.

Science.gov (United States)

Agrawal, Deepak K; Woodhouse, Jim; Seshia, Ashwin A

2013-08-01

We present a mathematical model of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) oscillator that integrates the nonlinearities of the MEMS resonator and the oscillator circuitry in a single numerical modeling environment. This is achieved by transforming the conventional nonlinear mechanical model into the electrical domain while simultaneously considering the prominent nonlinearities of the resonator. The proposed nonlinear electrical model is validated by comparing the simulated amplitude-frequency response with measurements on an open-loop electrically addressed flexural silicon MEMS resonator driven to large motional amplitudes. Next, the essential nonlinearities in the oscillator circuit are investigated and a mathematical model of a MEMS oscillator is proposed that integrates the nonlinearities of the resonator. The concept is illustrated for MEMS transimpedance-amplifier- based square-wave and sine-wave oscillators. Closed-form expressions of steady-state output power and output frequency are derived for both oscillator models and compared with experimental and simulation results, with a good match in the predicted trends in all three cases.

A Teaching - Learning Framework for MEMS Education

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheeparamatti, B G; Angadi, S A; Sheeparamatti, R B; Kadadevaramath, J S

2006-01-01

Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology has been identified as one of the most promising technologies in the 21st century. MEMS technology has opened up a wide array of unforeseen applications. Hence it is necessary to train the technocrats of tomorrow in this emerging field to meet the industrial/societal demands. The drive behind fostering of MEMS technology is the reduction in the cost, size, weight, and power consumption of the sensors, actuators, and associated electronics. MEMS is a multidisciplinary engineering and basic science area which includes electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, material science and biomedical engineering. Hence MEMS education needs a special approach to prepare the technocrats for a career in MEMS. The modern education methodology using computer based training systems (CBTS) with embedded modeling and simulation tools will help in this direction. The availability of computer based learning resources such as MATLAB, ANSYS/Multiphysics and rapid prototyping tools have contributed to proposition of an efficient teaching-learning framework for MEMS education presented in this paper. This paper proposes a conceptual framework for teaching/learning MEMS in the current technical education scenario

Micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) for mechanical engineers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, A. P., LLNL

1996-11-18

The ongoing advances in Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) are providing man-kind the freedom to travel to dimensional spaces never before conceivable. Advances include new fabrication processes, new materials, tailored modeling tools, new fabrication machines, systems integration, and more detailed studies of physics and surface chemistry as applied to the micro scale. In the ten years since its inauguration, MEMS technology is penetrating industries of automobile, healthcare, biotechnology, sports/entertainment, measurement systems, data storage, photonics/optics, computer, aerospace, precision instruments/robotics, and environment monitoring. It is projected that by the turn of the century, MEMS will impact every individual in the industrial world, totaling sales up to $14 billion (source: System Planning Corp.). MEMS programs in major universities have spawned up all over the United States, preparing the brain-power and expertise for the next wave of MEMS breakthroughs. It should be pointed out that although MEMS has been initiated by electrical engineering researchers through the involvement of IC fabrication techniques, today it has evolved such that it requires a totally multi-disciplinary team to develop useful devices. Mechanical engineers are especially crucial to the success of MEMS development, since 90% of the physical realm involved is mechanical. Mechanical engineers are needed for the design of MEMS, the analysis of the mechanical system, the design of testing apparatus, the implementation of analytical tools, and the packaging process. Every single aspect of mechanical engineering is being utilized in the MEMS field today, however, the impact could be more substantial if more mechanical engineers are involved in the systems level designing. In this paper, an attempt is made to create the pathways for a mechanical engineer to enter in the MEMS field. Examples of application in optics and medical devices will be used to illustrate how mechanical

European MEMS foundries

Science.gov (United States)

Salomon, Patric R.

2003-01-01

According to the latest release of the NEXUS market study, the market for MEMS or Microsystems Technology (MST) is predicted to grow to $68B by the year 2005, with systems containing these components generating even higher revenues and growth. The latest advances in MST/MEMS technology have enabled the design of a new generation of microsystems that are smaller, cheaper, more reliable, and consume less power. These integrated systems bring together numerous analog/mixed signal microelectronics blocks and MEMS functions on a single chip or on two or more chips assembled within an integrated package. In spite of all these advances in technology and manufacturing, a system manufacturer either faces a substantial up-front R&D investment to create his own infrastructure and expertise, or he can use design and foundry services to get the initial product into the marketplace fast and with an affordable investment. Once he has a viable product, he can still think about his own manufacturing efforts and investments to obtain an optimized high volume manufacturing for the specific product. One of the barriers to successful exploitation of MEMS/MST technology has been the lack of access to industrial foundries capable of producing certified microsystems devices in commercial quantities, including packaging and test. This paper discusses Multi-project wafer (MPW) runs, requirements for foundries and gives some examples of foundry business models. Furthermore, this paper will give an overview on MST/MEMS services that are available in Europe, including pure commercial activities, European project activities (e.g. Europractice), and some academic services.

77 FR 64446 - Wireless Microphones Proceeding

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-22

... to balance the needs of potential new classes of wireless microphone licensees with those of other... undercut that balance by significantly reducing the amount of spectrum available for other uses, such as by..., a space capacity-rated for 3,000 people; for sports venues, a minimum of 10,000 seats for indoors...

Design of UAV-Embedded Microphone Array System for Sound Source Localization in Outdoor Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kotaro Hoshiba

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In search and rescue activities, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV should exploit sound information to compensate for poor visual information. This paper describes the design and implementation of a UAV-embedded microphone array system for sound source localization in outdoor environments. Four critical development problems included water-resistance of the microphone array, efficiency in assembling, reliability of wireless communication, and sufficiency of visualization tools for operators. To solve these problems, we developed a spherical microphone array system (SMAS consisting of a microphone array, a stable wireless network communication system, and intuitive visualization tools. The performance of SMAS was evaluated with simulated data and a demonstration in the field. Results confirmed that the SMAS provides highly accurate localization, water resistance, prompt assembly, stable wireless communication, and intuitive information for observers and operators.

Design of UAV-Embedded Microphone Array System for Sound Source Localization in Outdoor Environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoshiba, Kotaro; Washizaki, Kai; Wakabayashi, Mizuho; Ishiki, Takahiro; Kumon, Makoto; Bando, Yoshiaki; Gabriel, Daniel; Nakadai, Kazuhiro; Okuno, Hiroshi G

2017-11-03

In search and rescue activities, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) should exploit sound information to compensate for poor visual information. This paper describes the design and implementation of a UAV-embedded microphone array system for sound source localization in outdoor environments. Four critical development problems included water-resistance of the microphone array, efficiency in assembling, reliability of wireless communication, and sufficiency of visualization tools for operators. To solve these problems, we developed a spherical microphone array system (SMAS) consisting of a microphone array, a stable wireless network communication system, and intuitive visualization tools. The performance of SMAS was evaluated with simulated data and a demonstration in the field. Results confirmed that the SMAS provides highly accurate localization, water resistance, prompt assembly, stable wireless communication, and intuitive information for observers and operators.

MEMS-based Circuits and Systems for Wireless Communication

CERN Document Server

Kaiser, Andreas

2013-01-01

MEMS-based Circuits and Systems for Wireless Communication provides comprehensive coverage of RF-MEMS technology from device to system level. This edited volume places emphasis on how system performance for radio frequency applications can be leveraged by Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS). Coverage also extends to innovative MEMS-aware radio architectures that push the potential of MEMS technology further ahead.  This work presents a broad overview of the technology from MEMS devices (mainly BAW and Si MEMS resonators) to basic circuits, such as oscillators and filters, and finally complete systems such as ultra-low-power MEMS-based radios. Contributions from leading experts around the world are organized in three parts. Part I introduces RF-MEMS technology, devices and modeling and includes a prospective outlook on ongoing developments towards Nano-Electro-Mechanical Systems (NEMS) and phononic crystals. Device properties and models are presented in a circuit oriented perspective. Part II focusses on ...

MEMS linear and nonlinear statics and dynamics

CERN Document Server

Younis, Mohammad I

2011-01-01

MEMS Linear and Nonlinear Statics and Dynamics presents the necessary analytical and computational tools for MEMS designers to model and simulate most known MEMS devices, structures, and phenomena. This book also provides an in-depth analysis and treatment of the most common static and dynamic phenomena in MEMS that are encountered by engineers. Coverage also includes nonlinear modeling approaches to modeling various MEMS phenomena of a nonlinear nature, such as those due to electrostatic forces, squeeze-film damping, and large deflection of structures. The book also: Includes examples of nume

A Background Noise Reduction Technique Using Adaptive Noise Cancellation for Microphone Arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Spalt, Taylor B.; Fuller, Christopher R.; Brooks, Thomas F.; Humphreys, William M., Jr.; Brooks, Thomas F.

2011-01-01

Background noise in wind tunnel environments poses a challenge to acoustic measurements due to possible low or negative Signal to Noise Ratios (SNRs) present in the testing environment. This paper overviews the application of time domain Adaptive Noise Cancellation (ANC) to microphone array signals with an intended application of background noise reduction in wind tunnels. An experiment was conducted to simulate background noise from a wind tunnel circuit measured by an out-of-flow microphone array in the tunnel test section. A reference microphone was used to acquire a background noise signal which interfered with the desired primary noise source signal at the array. The technique s efficacy was investigated using frequency spectra from the array microphones, array beamforming of the point source region, and subsequent deconvolution using the Deconvolution Approach for the Mapping of Acoustic Sources (DAMAS) algorithm. Comparisons were made with the conventional techniques for improving SNR of spectral and Cross-Spectral Matrix subtraction. The method was seen to recover the primary signal level in SNRs as low as -29 dB and outperform the conventional methods. A second processing approach using the center array microphone as the noise reference was investigated for more general applicability of the ANC technique. It outperformed the conventional methods at the -29 dB SNR but yielded less accurate results when coherence over the array dropped. This approach could possibly improve conventional testing methodology but must be investigated further under more realistic testing conditions.

Surface chemistry and tribology of MEMS.

Science.gov (United States)

Maboudian, Roya; Carraro, Carlo

2004-01-01

The microscopic length scale and high surface-to-volume ratio, characteristic of microelectro-mechanical systems (MEMS), dictate that surface properties are of paramount importance. This review deals with the effects of surface chemical treatments on tribological properties (adhesion, friction, and wear) of MEMS devices. After a brief review of materials and processes that are utilized in MEMS technology, the relevant tribological and chemical issues are discussed. Various MEMS microinstruments are discussed, which are commonly employed to perform adhesion, friction, and wear measurements. The effects of different surface treatments on the reported tribological properties are discussed.

Factors affecting the performance of large-aperture microphone arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Silverman, Harvey F.; Patterson, William R.; Sachar, Joshua

2002-05-01

Large arrays of microphones have been proposed and studied as a possible means of acquiring data in offices, conference rooms, and auditoria without requiring close-talking microphones. When such an array essentially surrounds all possible sources, it is said to have a large aperture. Large-aperture arrays have attractive properties of spatial resolution and signal-to-noise enhancement. This paper presents a careful comparison of theoretical and measured performance for an array of 256 microphones using simple delay-and-sum beamforming. This is the largest currently functional, all digital-signal-processing array that we know of. The array is wall-mounted in the moderately adverse environment of a general-purpose laboratory (8 m×8 m×3 m). The room has a T60 reverberation time of 550 ms. Reverberation effects in this room severely impact the array's performance. However, the width of the main lobe remains comparable to that of a simplified prediction. Broadband spatial resolution shows a single central peak with 10 dB gain about 0.4 m in diameter at the -3 dB level. Away from that peak, the response is approximately flat over most of the room. Optimal weighting for signal-to-noise enhancement degrades the spatial resolution minimally. Experimentally, we verify that signal-to-noise gain is less than proportional to the square root of the number of microphones probably due to the partial correlation of the noise between channels, to variation of signal intensity with polar angle about the source, and to imperfect correlation of the signal over the array caused by reverberations. We show measurements of the relative importance of each effect in our environment.

Hybrid method for determining the parameters of condenser microphones from measured membrane velocities and numerical calculations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barrera Figueroa, Salvador; Rasmussen, Knud; Jacobsen, Finn

2009-01-01

to this problem is to measure the velocity distribution of the membrane by means of a non-contact method, such as laser vibrometry. The measured velocity distribution can be used together with a numerical formulation such as the boundary element method for estimating the microphone response and other parameters......, e.g., the acoustic center. In this work, such a hybrid method is presented and examined. The velocity distributions of a number of condenser microphones have been determined using a laser vibrometer, and these measured velocity distributions have been used for estimating microphone responses......Typically, numerical calculations of the pressure, free-field, and random-incidence response of a condenser microphone are carried out on the basis of an assumed displacement distribution of the diaphragm of the microphone; the conventional assumption is that the displacement follows a Bessel...

Design of Surface micromachined Compliant MEMS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bradley, Joe Anthony [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2001-01-01

The consideration of compliant mechanisms as Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) is the focus of this research endeavor. MEMS are micron to millimeter devices that combine electrical, mechanical, and information processing capabilities on the same device. These MEMS need some mechanical motion or parts that move relative to each other. This relative motion, using multiple parts, is not desired because of the assembly requirement and the friction introduced. Compliant devices limits or eliminates friction and the need for multi-component assembly. Compliant devices improve designs by creating single piece mechanisms. The purpose of this research is to validate surface micromachining as a viable fabrication process for compliant MEMS designs. Specifically, this research has sought to fabricate a micro-compliant gripper and a micro-compliant clamp to illustrate the process. While other researchers have created compliant MEMS, most have used comb-drive actuation methods and bulk micromachining processes. This research focuses on fully-compliant devices that use device flexibility for motion and actuation. Validation of these compliant MEMS is achieved by structural optimization of device design and functional performance testing. This research contributes to the ongoing research in MEMS by evaluating the potential of using surface micromachining as a process for fabricating compliant micro-mechanisms.

Design of Surface Micromachined Compliant MEMS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bradley, Joe Anthony [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2002-12-31

The consideration of compliant mechanisms as Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) is the focus of this research endeavor. MEMS are micron to millimeter devices that combine electrical, mechanical, and information processing capabilities on the same device. These MEMS need some mechanical motion or parts that move relative to each other. This relative motion, using multiple parts, is not desired because of the assembly requirement and the friction introduced. Compliant devices limits or eliminates friction and the need for multi-component assembly. Compliant devices improve designs by creating single piece mechanisms. The purpose of this research is to validate surface micromachining as a viable fabrication process for compliant MEMS designs. Specifically, this research has sought to fabricate a micro-compliant gripper and a micro-compliant clamp to illustrate the process. While other researchers have created compliant MEMs, most have used comb-drive actuation methods and bulk micromachining processes. This research focused on fully-compliant devices that use device flexibility for motion and actuation. Validation of these compliant MEMS is achieved by structural optimization of device design and functional performance testing. This research contributes to the ongoing research in MEMS by evaluating the potential of using surface micromachining as a process for fabricating compliant micro-mechanisms.

Optical wave microphone measurement during laser ablation of Si

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mitsugi, Fumiaki, E-mail: mitsugi@cs.kumamoto-u.ac.jp [Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto, 860-8555 (Japan); Ide, Ryota; Ikegami, Tomoaki [Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto, 860-8555 (Japan); Nakamiya, Toshiyuki; Sonoda, Yoshito [Graduate School of Industrial Engineering, Tokai University, 9-1-1 Toroku, Kumamoto, 862-8652 (Japan)

2012-10-30

Pulsed laser irradiation is used for surface treatment of a solid and ablation for particle formation in gas, liquid or supercritical phase media. When a pulsed laser is used to irradiate a solid, spatial refractive index variations (including photothermal expansion, shockwaves and particles) occur, which vary depending on the energy density of the pulsed laser. We focused on this phenomenon and applied an unique method for detection of refractive index variation using an optical wave microphone based on Fraunhofer diffraction. In this research, we analyzed the waveforms and frequencies of refractive index variations caused by pulsed laser irradiation of silicon in air and measured with an optical wave microphone.

DFT-Domain Based Single-Microphone Noise Reduction for Speech Enhancement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

C. Hendriks, Richard; Gerkmann, Timo; Jensen, Jesper

As speech processing devices like mobile phones, voice controlled devices, and hearing aids have increased in popularity, people expect them to work anywhere and at any time without user intervention. However, the presence of acoustical disturbances limits the use of these applications, degrades...... their performance, or causes the user difficulties in understanding the conversation or appreciating the device. A common way to reduce the effects of such disturbances is through the use of single-microphone noise reduction algorithms for speech enhancement. The field of single-microphone noise reduction...

Noise Reduction with Microphone Arrays for Speaker Identification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cohen, Z

2011-12-22

Reducing acoustic noise in audio recordings is an ongoing problem that plagues many applications. This noise is hard to reduce because of interfering sources and non-stationary behavior of the overall background noise. Many single channel noise reduction algorithms exist but are limited in that the more the noise is reduced; the more the signal of interest is distorted due to the fact that the signal and noise overlap in frequency. Specifically acoustic background noise causes problems in the area of speaker identification. Recording a speaker in the presence of acoustic noise ultimately limits the performance and confidence of speaker identification algorithms. In situations where it is impossible to control the environment where the speech sample is taken, noise reduction filtering algorithms need to be developed to clean the recorded speech of background noise. Because single channel noise reduction algorithms would distort the speech signal, the overall challenge of this project was to see if spatial information provided by microphone arrays could be exploited to aid in speaker identification. The goals are: (1) Test the feasibility of using microphone arrays to reduce background noise in speech recordings; (2) Characterize and compare different multichannel noise reduction algorithms; (3) Provide recommendations for using these multichannel algorithms; and (4) Ultimately answer the question - Can the use of microphone arrays aid in speaker identification?

Electrostatic MEMS devices with high reliability

Science.gov (United States)

Goldsmith, Charles L; Auciello, Orlando H; Sumant, Anirudha V; Mancini, Derrick C; Gudeman, Chris; Sampath, Suresh; Carlilse, John A; Carpick, Robert W; Hwang, James

2015-02-24

The present invention provides for an electrostatic microelectromechanical (MEMS) device comprising a dielectric layer separating a first conductor and a second conductor. The first conductor is moveable towards the second conductor, when a voltage is applied to the MEMS device. The dielectric layer recovers from dielectric charging failure almost immediately upon removal of the voltage from the MEMS device.

Optical wave microphone measurements of laser ablation of copper in supercritical carbon dioxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mitsugi, Fumiaki, E-mail: mitsugi@cs.kumamoto-u.ac.jp [Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto 860-8555 (Japan); Ikegami, Tomoaki [Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto 860-8555 (Japan); Nakamiya, Toshiyuki; Sonoda, Yoshito [Graduate School of Industrial Engineering, Tokai University, 9-1-1 Toroku, Kumamoto 862-8652 (Japan)

2013-11-29

Laser ablation plasma in a supercritical fluid has attracted much attention recently due to its usefulness in forming nanoparticles. Observation of the dynamic behavior of the supercritical fluid after laser irradiation of a solid is necessary for real-time monitoring and control of laser ablation. In this study, we utilized an optical wave microphone to monitor pulsed laser irradiation of a solid in a supercritical fluid. The optical wave microphone works based on Fraunhofer diffraction of phase modulation of light by changes in refractive index. We hereby report on our measurements for pulsed laser irradiation of a Cu target in supercritical carbon dioxide using an optical wave microphone. Photothermal acoustic waves which generated after single pulsed laser irradiation of a Cu target were detectable in supercritical carbon dioxide. The speed of sound around the critical point of supercritical carbon dioxide was clearly slower than that in gas. The optical wave microphone detected a signal during laser ablation of Cu in supercritical carbon dioxide that was caused by shockwave degeneration. - Highlights: • Photothermal acoustic wave in supercritical fluid was observed. • Sound speed around the critical point was slower than that in gas. • Optical wave microphone detected degeneration of a shockwave. • Ablation threshold of a solid in supercritical fluid can be estimated. • Generation of the second shockwave in supercritical phase was suggested.

Design of a MEMS Capacitive Comb-drive Micro-accelerometer with Sag Optimization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. D. PANT

2009-10-01

Full Text Available The current paper presents an optimization study for the designing of a highly sensitive inertial grade capacitive accelerometer based on comb-drive actuation and sensing. The proof mass, suspension system (beams or tethers, stators and rotors have to be realized through an HAR (high aspect ratio DRIE (deep reactive ion etching process for which process optimization has already been done at our laboratory. As the proof mass is a bulk micro-machined structure having a mass in milligram range, the optimum positioning of the tethers on the proof mass is important to have minimum sag, necessary to reduce the off-axis sensitivity. The optimization for the positioning of the tethers has been carried out using a commercial software tool ANSYSTM Multiphysics. The accelerometer has been modeled analytically to predict its characteristics. The dependency of sensitivity on the dimensions of the suspension beams (tethers has also been verified using the above FEM software tool. The present device has been designed to deliver a high sensitivity of 13.6 mV/g/V for low-g applications.

Integrated design of MEMS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

De Grave, Arnaud; Brissaud, Daniel

2007-01-01

Emerging technologies of Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) are applications such as airbag accelerometers. Micro-products present many physical differences from macro-products. Moreover, there is a high level of integration in multiple fields of physics with strongly coupled effects...... industrial immersion to propose a socio-technological description of the design process and MEMS design tools....

False capacitance of supercapacitors

OpenAIRE

Ragoisha, G. A.; Aniskevich, Y. M.

2016-01-01

Capacitance measurements from cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic chronopotentiometry and calculation of capacitance from imaginary part of impedance are widely used in investigations of supercapacitors. The methods assume the supercapacitor is a capacitor, while real objects correspond to different equivalent electric circuits and show various contributions of non-capacitive currents to the current which is used for calculation of capacitance. Specific capacitances which are presented in F g-1...

Piezoelectric MEMS resonators

CERN Document Server

Piazza, Gianluca

2017-01-01

This book introduces piezoelectric microelectromechanical (pMEMS) resonators to a broad audience by reviewing design techniques including use of finite element modeling, testing and qualification of resonators, and fabrication and large scale manufacturing techniques to help inspire future research and entrepreneurial activities in pMEMS. The authors discuss the most exciting developments in the area of materials and devices for the making of piezoelectric MEMS resonators, and offer direct examples of the technical challenges that need to be overcome in order to commercialize these types of devices. Some of the topics covered include: Widely-used piezoelectric materials, as well as materials in which there is emerging interest Principle of operation and design approaches for the making of flexural, contour-mode, thickness-mode, and shear-mode piezoelectric resonators, and examples of practical implementation of these devices Large scale manufacturing approaches, with a focus on the practical aspects associate...

Design of UAV-Embedded Microphone Array System for Sound Source Localization in Outdoor Environments †

Science.gov (United States)

Hoshiba, Kotaro; Washizaki, Kai; Wakabayashi, Mizuho; Ishiki, Takahiro; Bando, Yoshiaki; Gabriel, Daniel; Nakadai, Kazuhiro; Okuno, Hiroshi G.

2017-01-01

In search and rescue activities, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) should exploit sound information to compensate for poor visual information. This paper describes the design and implementation of a UAV-embedded microphone array system for sound source localization in outdoor environments. Four critical development problems included water-resistance of the microphone array, efficiency in assembling, reliability of wireless communication, and sufficiency of visualization tools for operators. To solve these problems, we developed a spherical microphone array system (SMAS) consisting of a microphone array, a stable wireless network communication system, and intuitive visualization tools. The performance of SMAS was evaluated with simulated data and a demonstration in the field. Results confirmed that the SMAS provides highly accurate localization, water resistance, prompt assembly, stable wireless communication, and intuitive information for observers and operators. PMID:29099790

Acoustic Source Localization in Aircraft Interiors Using Microphone Array Technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Sklanka, Bernard J.; Tuss, Joel R.; Buehrle, Ralph D.; Klos, Jacob; Williams, Earl G.; Valdivia, Nicolas

2006-01-01

Using three microphone array configurations at two aircraft body stations on a Boeing 777-300ER flight test, the acoustic radiation characteristics of the sidewall and outboard floor system are investigated by experimental measurement. Analysis of the experimental data is performed using sound intensity calculations for closely spaced microphones, PATCH Inverse Boundary Element Nearfield Acoustic Holography, and Spherical Nearfield Acoustic Holography. Each method is compared assessing strengths and weaknesses, evaluating source identification capability for both broadband and narrowband sources, evaluating sources during transient and steady-state conditions, and quantifying field reconstruction continuity using multiple array positions.

Adhesion aspects in MEMS/NEMS

CERN Document Server

Kim, Seong H; Mittal, Kash L

2012-01-01

Phenomena associated with the adhesion interaction of surfaces have been a critical aspect of micro- and nanosystem development and performance since the first MicroElectroMechanicalSystems(MEMS) were fabricated. These phenomena are ubiquitous in nature and are present in all systems, however MEMS devices are particularly sensitive to their effects owing to their small size and limited actuation force that can be generated. Extension of MEMS technology concepts to the nanoscale and development of NanoElectroMechanicalSystems(NEMS) will result in systems even more strongly influenced by surface

Practical guide to RF-MEMS

CERN Document Server

Iannacci, Jacopo

2013-01-01

Closes the gap between hardcore-theoretical and purely experimental RF-MEMS books. The book covers, from a practical viewpoint, the most critical steps that have to be taken in order to develop novel RF-MEMS device concepts. Prototypical RF-MEMS devices, both including lumped components and complex networks, are presented at the beginning of the book as reference examples, and these are then discussed from different perspectives with regard to design, simulation, packaging, testing, and post-fabrication modeling. Theoretical concepts are introduced when necessary to complement the practical

A six degrees of freedom mems manipulator

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Jong, B.R.

2006-01-01

This thesis reports about a six degrees of freedom (DOF) precision manipulator in MEMS, concerning concept generation for the manipulator followed by design and fabrication (of parts) of the proposed manipulation concept in MEMS. Researching the abilities of 6 DOF precision manipulation in MEMS is

Carbon microelectromechanical systems (C-MEMS) based microsupercapacitors

KAUST Repository

Agrawal, Richa

2015-05-18

The rapid development in miniaturized electronic devices has led to an ever increasing demand for high-performance rechargeable micropower scources. Microsupercapacitors in particular have gained much attention in recent years owing to their ability to provide high pulse power while maintaining long cycle lives. Carbon microelectromechanical systems (C-MEMS) is a powerful approach to fabricate high aspect ratio carbon microelectrode arrays, which has been proved to hold great promise as a platform for energy storage. C-MEMS is a versatile technique to create carbon structures by pyrolyzing a patterned photoresist. Furthermore, different active materials can be loaded onto these microelectrode platforms for further enhancement of the electrochemical performance of the C-MEMS platform. In this article, different techniques and methods in order to enhance C-MEMS based various electrochemical capacitor systems have been discussed, including electrochemical activation of C-MEMS structures for miniaturized supercapacitor applications, integration of carbon nanostructures like carbon nanotubes onto C-MEMS structures and also integration of pseudocapacitive materials such as polypyrrole onto C-MEMS structures. © (2015) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Carbon microelectromechanical systems (C-MEMS) based microsupercapacitors

KAUST Repository

Agrawal, Richa; Beidaghi, Majid; Chen, Wei; Wang, Chunlei

2015-01-01

The rapid development in miniaturized electronic devices has led to an ever increasing demand for high-performance rechargeable micropower scources. Microsupercapacitors in particular have gained much attention in recent years owing to their ability to provide high pulse power while maintaining long cycle lives. Carbon microelectromechanical systems (C-MEMS) is a powerful approach to fabricate high aspect ratio carbon microelectrode arrays, which has been proved to hold great promise as a platform for energy storage. C-MEMS is a versatile technique to create carbon structures by pyrolyzing a patterned photoresist. Furthermore, different active materials can be loaded onto these microelectrode platforms for further enhancement of the electrochemical performance of the C-MEMS platform. In this article, different techniques and methods in order to enhance C-MEMS based various electrochemical capacitor systems have been discussed, including electrochemical activation of C-MEMS structures for miniaturized supercapacitor applications, integration of carbon nanostructures like carbon nanotubes onto C-MEMS structures and also integration of pseudocapacitive materials such as polypyrrole onto C-MEMS structures. © (2015) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

A new interface weak-capacitance detection ASIC of capacitive liquid level sensor in the rocket

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Liang; Qin, Yao; Liu, Xiao-Wei

2017-11-01

A new capacitive liquid level sensing interface weak-capacitance detection ASIC has been designed. This ASIC realized the detection of the output capacitance of the capacitive liquid level sensor, which converts the output capacitance of the capacitive liquid level sensor to voltage. The chip is fabricated in a standard 0.5μm CMOS process. The test results show that the linearity of capacitance detection of the ASIC is 0.05%, output noise is 3.7aF/Hz (when the capacitance which will be detected is 40 pF), the stability of capacitance detection is 7.4 × 10-5pF (1σ, 1h), the output zero position temperature coefficient is 4.5 uV/∘C. The test results prove that this interface ASIC can meet the requirement of high accuracy capacitance detection. Therefore, this interface ASIC can be applied in capacitive liquid level sensing and capacitive humidity sensing field.

Motorcycle detection and counting using stereo camera, IR camera, and microphone array

Science.gov (United States)

Ling, Bo; Gibson, David R. P.; Middleton, Dan

2013-03-01

Detection, classification, and characterization are the key to enhancing motorcycle safety, motorcycle operations and motorcycle travel estimation. Average motorcycle fatalities per Vehicle Mile Traveled (VMT) are currently estimated at 30 times those of auto fatalities. Although it has been an active research area for many years, motorcycle detection still remains a challenging task. Working with FHWA, we have developed a hybrid motorcycle detection and counting system using a suite of sensors including stereo camera, thermal IR camera and unidirectional microphone array. The IR thermal camera can capture the unique thermal signatures associated with the motorcycle's exhaust pipes that often show bright elongated blobs in IR images. The stereo camera in the system is used to detect the motorcyclist who can be easily windowed out in the stereo disparity map. If the motorcyclist is detected through his or her 3D body recognition, motorcycle is detected. Microphones are used to detect motorcycles that often produce low frequency acoustic signals. All three microphones in the microphone array are placed in strategic locations on the sensor platform to minimize the interferences of background noises from sources such as rain and wind. Field test results show that this hybrid motorcycle detection and counting system has an excellent performance.

Miniaturized GPS/MEMS IMU integrated board

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Ching-Fang (Inventor)

2012-01-01

This invention documents the efforts on the research and development of a miniaturized GPS/MEMS IMU integrated navigation system. A miniaturized GPS/MEMS IMU integrated navigation system is presented; Laser Dynamic Range Imager (LDRI) based alignment algorithm for space applications is discussed. Two navigation cameras are also included to measure the range and range rate which can be integrated into the GPS/MEMS IMU system to enhance the navigation solution.

Going Fabless with MEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhaskar CHOUBEY

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The Microelectromechanical sensors are finding increasing applications in everyday life. However, each MEMS sensor is generally fabricated on its own individual process. This leads to high cost per sensor. It has been suggested the MEMS should and would follow the path of integrated circuits industry, wherein fabless firms could concentrate on design leading pure-foundries to perfect the manufacturing process. With several designs being manufactured on the same process, the installation cost of fabrication would be evenly shared. Simultaneously, multiple project wafer runs are being offered for MEMS processes to encourage design activity in universities as well as startups. This paper reviews the present state of this transition through an experience of designing and manufacturing microelectromechanical resonators on different processes.

Structured synthesis of MEMS using evolutionary approaches

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fan, Zhun; Wang, Jiachuan; Achiche, Sofiane

2008-01-01

In this paper, we discuss the hierarchy that is involved in a typical MEMS design and how evolutionary approaches can be used to automate the hierarchical synthesis process for MEMS. The paper first introduces the flow of a structured MEMS design process and emphasizes that system-level lumped...

Pressure sensor based on MEMS nano-cantilever beam structure as a heterodielectric gate electrode of dopingless TFET

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Gagan; Raman, Ashish

2016-12-01

Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology has enticed numerous scientists since recent decades particularly in the field of miniaturized-sensors and actuators. Pressure sensor is pivotal component in both of the forerunning fields. The pursuance of a pressure sensor is exigently relying upon its different physical properties i.e. Piezo-resistive, Piezoelectric, Capacitive, Magnetic and Electrostatic. This article presents an outline and scrutiny of the Doping-less Cantilever Based Pressure Sensor using tunnel field effect transistor technology. The propounded pressure sensor based on the principle of capacitive gate coupling, due to which the tunneling current is modified. Additionally, to enhance the affectability of pressure sensor, the work function of metal gate electrode is amended using gas molecule diffusion. Simulation uncovers a phenomenal relationship amongst hypothetical and practical accepts of configuration. The pressure sensor is composed at Silvaco Atlas tool utilizing 40 nm technologies. The performance results exhibit that the proposed model consumes ≤1 mW power and 250 μA tunneling current per nm bending of cantilever beam structure. The inclusive length of the proposed device is 100 nm.

Topology optimized RF MEMS switches

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Philippine, M. A.; Zareie, H.; Sigmund, Ole

2013-01-01

Topology optimization is a rigorous and powerful method that should become a standard MEMS design tool - it can produce unique and non-intuitive designs that meet complex objectives and can dramatically improve the performance and reliability of MEMS devices. We present successful uses of topology...

MEMS reliability: coming of age

Science.gov (United States)

Douglass, Michael R.

2008-02-01

In today's high-volume semiconductor world, one could easily take reliability for granted. As the MOEMS/MEMS industry continues to establish itself as a viable alternative to conventional manufacturing in the macro world, reliability can be of high concern. Currently, there are several emerging market opportunities in which MOEMS/MEMS is gaining a foothold. Markets such as mobile media, consumer electronics, biomedical devices, and homeland security are all showing great interest in microfabricated products. At the same time, these markets are among the most demanding when it comes to reliability assurance. To be successful, each company developing a MOEMS/MEMS device must consider reliability on an equal footing with cost, performance and manufacturability. What can this maturing industry learn from the successful development of DLP technology, air bag accelerometers and inkjet printheads? This paper discusses some basic reliability principles which any MOEMS/MEMS device development must use. Examples from the commercially successful and highly reliable Digital Micromirror Device complement the discussion.

Electromagnetic actuation in MEMS switches

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oliveira Hansen, Roana Melina de; Mátéfi-Tempfli, Mária; Chemnitz, Steffen

. Electromagnetic actuation is a very promising approach to operate such MEMS and Power MEMS devices, due to the long range, reproducible and strong forces generated by this method, among other advantages. However, the use of electromagnetic actuation in such devices requires the use of thick magnetic films, which...

Optimization and simulation of MEMS rectilinear ion trap

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huang Gang

2015-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the design of a MEMS rectilinear ion trap was optimized under simulated conditions. The size range of the MEMS rectilinear ion trap’s electrodes studied in this paper is measured at micron scale. SIMION software was used to simulate the MEMS rectilinear ion trap with different sizes and different radio-frequency signals. The ion-trapping efficiencies of the ion trap under these different simulation conditions were obtained. The ion-trapping efficiencies were compared to determine the performance of the MEMS rectilinear ion trap in different conditions and to find the optimum conditions. The simulation results show that for the ion trap at micron scale or smaller, the optimized length–width ratio was 0.8, and a higher frequency of radio-frequency signal is necessary to obtain a higher ion-trapping efficiency. These results have a guiding role in the process of developing MEMS rectilinear ion traps, and great application prospects in the research fields of the MEMS rectilinear ion trap and the MEMS mass spectrometer.

Improved multi-microphone noise reduction preserving binaural cues

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koutrouvelis, A.; Hendriks, R.C.; Jensen, J; Heusdens, R.; Dong, Min; Zheng, Thomas Fang

2016-01-01

We propose a new multi-microphone noise reduction technique for binaural cue preservation of the desired source and the interferers. This method is based on the linearly constrained minimum variance (LCMV) framework, where the constraints are used for the binaural cue preservation of the desired

Shooter Localization in Wireless Microphone Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Lindgren

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Shooter localization in a wireless network of microphones is studied. Both the acoustic muzzle blast (MB from the gunfire and the ballistic shock wave (SW from the bullet can be detected by the microphones and considered as measurements. The MB measurements give rise to a standard sensor network problem, similar to time difference of arrivals in cellular phone networks, and the localization accuracy is good, provided that the sensors are well synchronized compared to the MB detection accuracy. The detection times of the SW depend on both shooter position and aiming angle and may provide additional information beside the shooter location, but again this requires good synchronization. We analyze the approach to base the estimation on the time difference of MB and SW at each sensor, which becomes insensitive to synchronization inaccuracies. Cramér-Rao lower bound analysis indicates how a lower bound of the root mean square error depends on the synchronization error for the MB and the MB-SW difference, respectively. The estimation problem is formulated in a separable nonlinear least squares framework. Results from field trials with different types of ammunition show excellent accuracy using the MB-SW difference for both the position and the aiming angle of the shooter.

Parametric Investigation of Laser Doppler Microphones

Science.gov (United States)

Daoud, M.; Naguib, A.

2002-11-01

The concept of a Laser Doppler Microphone (LDM) is based on utilizing the Doppler frequency shift of a focused laser beam to measure the unsteady velocity of the center point of a flexible polymer diaphragm that is mounted on top of a hole and subjected to the unsteady pressure. Time integration of the velocity signal yields a time series of the diaphragm displacement, which can be converted to pressure from knowledge of the sensor's deflection sensitivity. In our APS/DFD presentation last year, the stringent frequency resolution requirement of these new sensors and methods to meet this requirement were discussed. Here, the dependence of the sensor characteristics (sensitivity, bandwidth, and noise floor) on various significant parameters is investigated in detail by calibrating the sensor in a plane wave tube in the frequency range of 50 - 5000 Hz. Parameters investigated include sensor diaphragm material and thickness, sensor size, damping of the diaphragm motion and laser beam spot size. The results shed light on the operating limits of the new sensor and demonstrate its ability to conduct high-spatial-resolution measurements in typical high-Reynolds-number test facilities. Moreover, calibrated LDM sensors were used to conduct measurements in a separating/reattaching flow and the results are compared to classical electret-type microphones with a similar sensing diameter.

Spherical near field acoustic holography with microphones on a rigid sphere

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Finn; Hald, Jørgen; Fernandez Grande, Efren

2008-01-01

Spherical near field acoustic holography (SNAH) is a recently developed technique that makes it possible to reconstruct the sound field inside and just outside an acoustically transparent spherical surface on which the sound pressure is measured with an array of microphones with negligible...... with an array of microphones flush-mounted on a rigid sphere. However, this approach is only valid if it can be assumed that the sphere has a negligible influence on the incident sound field, in other words if multiple scattering can be ignored, and this is not necessarily a good assumption when the sphere...

Numerical design and testing of a sound source for secondary calibration of microphones using the Boundary Element Method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cutanda Henriquez, Vicente; Juhl, Peter Møller; Barrera Figueroa, Salvador

2009-01-01

Secondary calibration of microphones in free field is performed by placing the microphone under calibration in an anechoic chamber with a sound source, and exposing it to a controlled sound field. A calibrated microphone is also measured as a reference. While the two measurements are usually made...... apart to avoid acoustic interaction. As a part of the project Euromet-792, aiming to investigate and improve methods for secondary free-field calibration of microphones, a sound source suitable for simultaneous secondary free-field calibration has been designed using the Boundary Element Method...... of the Danish Fundamental Metrology Institute (DFM). The design and verification of the source are presented in this communication....

Reproducibility of Dual-Microphone Voice Range Profile Equipment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Printz, Trine; Pedersen, Ellen Raben; Juhl, Peter

2017-01-01

in an anechoic chamber and an office: (a) comparing sound pressure levels (SPLs) from a dual-microphone VRP device, the Voice Profiler, when given the same input repeatedly (test-retest reliability); (b) comparing SPLs from 3 devices when given the same input repeatedly (intervariation); and (c) assessing...

MEMS-based transmission lines for microwave applications

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Qun; Fu, Jiahui; Gu, Xuemai; Shi, Huajuan; Lee, Jongchul

2003-04-01

This paper mainly presents a briefly review for recent progress in MEMS-based transmission lines for use in microwave and millimeterwave range. MEMS-based transmission lines including different transmission line structure such as membrane-supported microstrip line microstrip line, coplanar microshield transmission line, LIGA micromachined planar transmission line, micromachined waveguides and coplanar waveguide are discussed. MEMS-based transmission lines are characterized by low propagation loss, wide operation frequency band, low dispersion and high quality factor, in addition, the fabrication is compatible with traditional processing of integrated circuits (IC"s). The emergence of MEMS-based transmission lines provided a solution for miniaturizing microwave system and monolithic microwave integrated circuits.

Evaluation of Methods for In-Situ Calibration of Field-Deployable Microphone Phased Arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Humphreys, William M.; Lockard, David P.; Khorrami, Mehdi R.; Culliton, William G.; McSwain, Robert G.

2017-01-01

Current field-deployable microphone phased arrays for aeroacoustic flight testing require the placement of hundreds of individual sensors over a large area. Depending on the duration of the test campaign, the microphones may be required to stay deployed at the testing site for weeks or even months. This presents a challenge in regards to tracking the response (i.e., sensitivity) of the individual sensors as a function of time in order to evaluate the health of the array. To address this challenge, two different methods for in-situ tracking of microphone responses are described. The first relies on the use of an aerial sound source attached as a payload on a hovering small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) vehicle. The second relies on the use of individually excited ground-based sound sources strategically placed throughout the array pattern. Testing of the two methods was performed in microphone array deployments conducted at Fort A.P. Hill in 2015 and at Edwards Air Force Base in 2016. The results indicate that the drift in individual sensor responses can be tracked reasonably well using both methods. Thus, in-situ response tracking methods are useful as a diagnostic tool for monitoring the health of a phased array during long duration deployments.

Theory and applications of spherical microphone array processing

CERN Document Server

Jarrett, Daniel P; Naylor, Patrick A

2017-01-01

This book presents the signal processing algorithms that have been developed to process the signals acquired by a spherical microphone array. Spherical microphone arrays can be used to capture the sound field in three dimensions and have received significant interest from researchers and audio engineers. Algorithms for spherical array processing are different to corresponding algorithms already known in the literature of linear and planar arrays because the spherical geometry can be exploited to great beneficial effect. The authors aim to advance the field of spherical array processing by helping those new to the field to study it efficiently and from a single source, as well as by offering a way for more experienced researchers and engineers to consolidate their understanding, adding either or both of breadth and depth. The level of the presentation corresponds to graduate studies at MSc and PhD level. This book begins with a presentation of some of the essential mathematical and physical theory relevant to ...

MEMS/MOEMS foundry services at INO

Science.gov (United States)

García-Blanco, Sonia; Ilias, Samir; Williamson, Fraser; Généreux, Francis; Le Noc, Loïc; Poirier, Michel; Proulx, Christian; Tremblay, Bruno; Provençal, Francis; Desroches, Yan; Caron, Jean-Sol; Larouche, Carl; Beaupré, Patrick; Fortin, Benoit; Topart, Patrice; Picard, Francis; Alain, Christine; Pope, Timothy; Jerominek, Hubert

2010-06-01

In the MEMS manufacturing world, the "fabless" model is getting increasing importance in recent years as a way for MEMS manufactures and startups to minimize equipment costs and initial capital investment. In order for this model to be successful, the fabless company needs to work closely with a MEMS foundry service provider. Due to the lack of standardization in MEMS processes, as opposed to CMOS microfabrication, the experience in MEMS development processes and the flexibility of the MEMS foundry are of vital importance. A multidisciplinary team together with a complete microfabrication toolset allows INO to offer unique MEMS foundry services to fabless companies looking for low to mid-volume production. Companies that benefit from their own microfabrication facilities can also be interested in INO's assistance in conducting their research and development work during periods where production runs keep their whole staff busy. Services include design, prototyping, fabrication, packaging, and testing of various MEMS and MOEMS devices on wafers fully compatible with CMOS integration. Wafer diameters ranging typically from 1 inch to 6 inches can be accepted while 8-inch wafers can be processed in some instances. Standard microfabrication techniques such as metal, dielectric, and semiconductor film deposition and etching as well as photolithographic pattern transfer are available. A stepper permits reduction of the critical dimension to around 0.4 μm. Metals deposited by vacuum deposition methods include Au, Ag, Al, Al alloys, Ti, Cr, Cu, Mo, MoCr, Ni, Pt, and V with thickness varying from 5 nm to 2 μm. Electroplating of several materials including Ni, Au and In is also available. In addition, INO has developed and built a gold black deposition facility to answer customer's needs for broadband microbolometric detectors. The gold black deposited presents specular reflectance of less than 10% in the wavelength range from 0.2 μm to 100 μm with thickness ranging from

Advanced mechatronics and MEMS devices II

CERN Document Server

Wei, Bin

2017-01-01

This book introduces the state-of-the-art technologies in mechatronics, robotics, and MEMS devices in order to improve their methodologies. It provides a follow-up to "Advanced Mechatronics and MEMS Devices" (2013) with an exploration of the most up-to-date technologies and their applications, shown through examples that give readers insights and lessons learned from actual projects. Researchers on mechatronics, robotics, and MEMS as well as graduate students in mechanical engineering will find chapters on: Fundamental design and working principles on MEMS accelerometers Innovative mobile technologies Force/tactile sensors development Control schemes for reconfigurable robotic systems Inertial microfluidics Piezoelectric force sensors and dynamic calibration techniques ...And more. Authors explore applications in the areas of agriculture, biomedicine, advanced manufacturing, and space. Micro-assembly for current and future industries is also considered, as well as the design and development of micro and intel...

RF MEMS: status of the industry and roadmaps

Science.gov (United States)

Bouchaud, Jeremie; Wicht, Henning

2005-01-01

Microsystems for Radio Frequency applications, known as RF MEMS, have entered the commercialization phase in 2003. Bulk Acoustic Wave filters are already produced in series and first commercial samples of switches are available. On the other hand, reliability and packaging problems are still a major hurdle especially for switches and tunable capacitors. Will RF MEMS hold their promise to be one of the future major businesses for MEMS? The presentation will give an overview on RF MEMS applications and market players. WTC will highlight technical challenges that still have to be solved to open mass markets such as mobile telephony and WLAN. WTC will also present applications of RF MEMS and opportunities in niche markets with high added value like military and space applications. WTC will provide a regional analysis and compare R&D focus and public funding situation in North America, Europe and Asia. Finally, WTC will present an updated product roadmap market forecast for RF MEMS devices for the 2004-2008 time period.

Filtering microphonics in dark matter germanium experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morales, J.; Garcia, E.; Ortiz de Solorzano, A.; Morales, A.; Nunz-Lagos, R.; Puimedon, J.; Saenz, C.; Villar, J.A.

1992-01-01

A technique for reducing the microphonic noise in a germanium spectrometer used in dark matter particles searches is described. Filtered energy spectra, corresponding to 48.5 kg day of data in a running experiment in the Canfranc tunnel are presented. Improvements of this filtering procedure with respect to the method of rejecting those events not distributed evenly in time are also discussed. (orig.)

Multichannel signal enhancement using a remote wireless microphone

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bloemendal, Brian; Van De Laar, Jakob; Sommen, Piet

2012-01-01

A novel approach to multichannel signal enhancement is presented that exploits data from a remote wireless microphone (RWM). This RWM is placed near an interfering source and transmits only autocorrelation data of its observations to a host, i.e., not the entire signal. The host has access to the

The Micronium-A Musical MEMS instrument

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Engelen, Johannes Bernardus Charles; de Boer, Hans L.; de Boer, Hylco; Beekman, Jethro G.; Fortgens, Laurens C.; de Graaf, Derk B.; Vocke, Sander; Abelmann, Leon

The Micronium is a musical instrument fabricated from silicon using microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology. It is—to the best of our knowledge—the first musical micro-instrument fabricated using MEMS technology, where the actual sound is generated by mechanical microstructures. The

A low feed-through 3D vacuum packaging technique with silicon vias for RF MEMS resonators

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Jicong; Yuan, Quan; Kan, Xiao; Yang, Jinling; Yang, Fuhua

2017-01-01

This paper presents a wafer-level three-dimensional (3D) vacuum packaging technique for radio frequency microelectromechanical systems (RF MEMS) resonators. A Sn-rich Au-Sn solder bonding is employed to provide a vacuum encapsulation as well as electrical conductions. Vertical silicon vias are micro-fabricated by glass reflow process. The optimized grounding, via pitch, and all-round shielding effectively reduce feed-through capacitance. Thus the signal-to-background ratios (SBRs) of the transmission signals increase from 17 dB to 20 dB, and the quality factor (Q) values of the packaged resonators go from around 8000 up to more than 9500. The measured average leak rate and shear strength are (2.55  ±  0.9)  ×  10-8 atm-cc s-1 and 42.53  ±  4.19 MPa, respectively. Furthermore, thermal cycling test between  -40 °C and 100 °C and high temperature storage test at 150 °C show that the resonant-frequency drifts are less than  ±7 ppm. In addition, the SBRs and the Q values have no obvious change after the tests. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed encapsulation technique is well suited for the applications of RF MEMS devices.

The Microphone Feedback Analogy for Chatter in Machining

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tony Schmitz

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper provides experimental evidence for the analogy between the time-delay feedback in public address systems and chatter in machining. Machining stability theory derived using the Nyquist criterion is applied to predict the squeal frequency in a microphone/speaker setup. Comparisons between predictions and measurements are presented.

Investigation of noise radiation from a swirl stabilized diffusion flame with an array of microphones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, A.V.; Yu, M.; Gupta, A.K.; Bryden, K.M.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Acoustic spectral characteristics independent of equivalence ratio and flow velocity. • Combustion noise dependent on global equivalence ratio and flow velocity. • Increased global equivalence ratio decreased the frequency of peak. • Decay and growth coefficients largely independent of different flow conditions. • Acoustic radiation coherent up to 1.5 kHz for spatially separated microphones. - Abstract: Next generation of combustors are expected to provide significant improvement on efficiency and reduced pollutants emission. In such combustors, the challenges of local flow, pressure, chemical composition and thermal signatures as well as their interactions will require detailed investigation for seeking optimum performance. Sensor networks with a large number of sensors will be employed in future smart combustors, which will allow one to obtain fast and comprehensive information on the various ongoing processes within the system. In this paper sensor networks with specific focus on an array of homogeneous microphones are used examine the spectral characteristics of combustion noise from a non-premixed combustor. A non-premixed double concentric swirl-flame burner was used. Noise spectra were determined experimentally for the non-premixed swirl flame at various fuel–air ratios using an array of homogeneous condenser microphones. Multiple microphones positioned at discrete locations around the turbulent diffusion flame, provided an understanding of the total sound power and their spectral characteristics. The growth and decay coefficients of total sound power were investigated at different test conditions. The signal coherence between different microphone pairs was also carried out to determine the acoustic behavior of a swirl stabilized turbulent diffusion flame. The localization of acoustic sources from the multiple microphones was examined using the noise spectra. The results revealed that integration of multiple sensors in combustors

A MEMS-based, wireless, biometric-like security system

Science.gov (United States)

Cross, Joshua D.; Schneiter, John L.; Leiby, Grant A.; McCarter, Steven; Smith, Jeremiah; Budka, Thomas P.

2010-04-01

We present a system for secure identification applications that is based upon biometric-like MEMS chips. The MEMS chips have unique frequency signatures resulting from fabrication process variations. The MEMS chips possess something analogous to a "voiceprint". The chips are vacuum encapsulated, rugged, and suitable for low-cost, highvolume mass production. Furthermore, the fabrication process is fully integrated with standard CMOS fabrication methods. One is able to operate the MEMS-based identification system similarly to a conventional RFID system: the reader (essentially a custom network analyzer) detects the power reflected across a frequency spectrum from a MEMS chip in its vicinity. We demonstrate prototype "tags" - MEMS chips placed on a credit card-like substrate - to show how the system could be used in standard identification or authentication applications. We have integrated power scavenging to provide DC bias for the MEMS chips through the use of a 915 MHz source in the reader and a RF-DC conversion circuit on the tag. The system enables a high level of protection against typical RFID hacking attacks. There is no need for signal encryption, so back-end infrastructure is minimal. We believe this system would make a viable low-cost, high-security system for a variety of identification and authentication applications.

A review of vibration-based MEMS piezoelectric energy harvesters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saadon, Salem; Sidek, Othman [Collaborative Microelectronic Design Excellence Center (CEDEC), School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Seberang Perai Selatan, Pulau Pinang (Malaysia)

2011-01-15

The simplicity associated with the piezoelectric micro-generators makes it very attractive for MEMS applications, especially for remote systems. In this paper we reviewed the work carried out by researchers during the last three years. The improvements in experimental results obtained in the vibration-based MEMS piezoelectric energy harvesters show very good scope for MEMS piezoelectric harvesters in the field of power MEMS in the near future. (author)

Design, simulation, fabrication, and characterization of MEMS vibration energy harvesters

Science.gov (United States)

Oxaal, John

Energy harvesting from ambient sources has been a longtime goal for microsystem engineers. The energy available from ambient sources is substantial and could be used to power wireless micro devices, making them fully autonomous. Self-powered wireless sensors could have many applications in for autonomous monitoring of residential, commercial, industrial, geological, or biological environments. Ambient vibrations are of particular interest for energy harvesting as they are ubiquitous and have ample kinetic energy. In this work a MEMS device for vibration energy harvesting using a variable capacitor structure is presented. The nonlinear electromechanical dynamics of a gap-closing type structure is experimentally studied. Important experimental considerations such as the importance of reducing off-axis vibration during testing, characterization methods, dust contamination, and the effect of grounding on parasitic capacitance are discussed. A comprehensive physics based model is developed and validated with two different microfabricated devices. To achieve maximal power, devices with high aspect ratio electrodes and a novel two-level stopper system are designed and fabricated. The maximum achieved power from the MEMS device when driven by sinusoidal vibrations was 3.38 muW. Vibrations from HVAC air ducts, which have a primary frequency of 65 Hz and amplitude of 155 mgrms, are targeted as the vibration source and devices are designed for maximal power harvesting potential at those conditions. Harvesting from the air ducts, the devices reached 118 nW of power. When normalized to the operating conditions, the best figure of merit of the devices tested was an order of magnitude above state-of-the-art of the devices (1.24E-6).

Speech understanding in noise with an eyeglass hearing aid: asymmetric fitting and the head shadow benefit of anterior microphones.

Science.gov (United States)

Mens, Lucas H M

2011-01-01

To test speech understanding in noise using array microphones integrated in an eyeglass device and to test if microphones placed anteriorly at the temple provide better directivity than above the pinna. Sentences were presented from the front and uncorrelated noise from 45, 135, 225 and 315°. Fifteen hearing impaired participants with a significant speech discrimination loss were included, as well as 5 normal hearing listeners. The device (Varibel) improved speech understanding in noise compared to most conventional directional devices with a directional benefit of 5.3 dB in the asymmetric fit mode, which was not significantly different from the bilateral fully directional mode (6.3 dB). Anterior microphones outperformed microphones at a conventional position above the pinna by 2.6 dB. By integrating microphones in an eyeglass frame, a long array can be used resulting in a higher directionality index and improved speech understanding in noise. An asymmetric fit did not significantly reduce performance and can be considered to increase acceptance and environmental awareness. Directional microphones at the temple seemed to profit more from the head shadow than above the pinna, better suppressing noise from behind the listener.

System-Level Modelling and Simulation of MEMS-Based Sensors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Virk, Kashif M.; Madsen, Jan; Shafique, Mohammad

2005-01-01

The growing complexity of MEMS devices and their increased used in embedded systems (e.g., wireless integrated sensor networks) demands a disciplined aproach for MEMS design as well as the development of techniques for system-level modeling of these devices so that a seamless integration with the......The growing complexity of MEMS devices and their increased used in embedded systems (e.g., wireless integrated sensor networks) demands a disciplined aproach for MEMS design as well as the development of techniques for system-level modeling of these devices so that a seamless integration...... with the existing embedded system design methodologies is possible. In this paper, we present a MEMS design methodology that uses VHDL-AMS based system-level model of a MEMS device as a starting point and combines the top-down and bottom-up design approaches for design, verification, and optimization...

Microphone Handling Noise: Measurements of Perceptual Threshold and Effects on Audio Quality.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Kendrick

Full Text Available A psychoacoustic experiment was carried out to test the effects of microphone handling noise on perceived audio quality. Handling noise is a problem affecting both amateurs using their smartphones and cameras, as well as professionals using separate microphones and digital recorders. The noises used for the tests were measured from a variety of devices, including smartphones, laptops and handheld microphones. The signal features that characterise these noises are analysed and presented. The sounds include various types of transient, impact noises created by tapping or knocking devices, as well as more sustained sounds caused by rubbing. During the perceptual tests, listeners auditioned speech podcasts and were asked to rate the degradation of any unwanted sounds they heard. A representative design test methodology was developed that tried to encourage everyday rather than analytical listening. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR of the handling noise events was shown to be the best predictor of quality degradation. Other factors such as noise type or background noise in the listening environment did not significantly affect quality ratings. Podcast, microphone type and reproduction equipment were found to be significant but only to a small extent. A model allowing the prediction of degradation from the SNR is presented. The SNR threshold at which 50% of subjects noticed handling noise was found to be 4.2 ± 0.6 dBA. The results from this work are important for the understanding of our perception of impact sound and resonant noises in recordings, and will inform the future development of an automated predictor of quality for handling noise.

Chip-size-packaged silicon microphones [for hearing instruments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Müllenborn, Matthias; Rombach, Pirmin; Klein, Udo

2001-01-01

bonding. The devices are fully encapsulated and provided with a well-determined interface to the environment. The integrated microphones operate at a bias of 1.5 V and are expected to reach a sensitivity of 5 mV/Pa, an A-weighted equivalent input noise of 24 dB sound pressure level, and a power...

Capacitive chemical sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Manginell, Ronald P; Moorman, Matthew W; Wheeler, David R

2014-05-27

A microfabricated capacitive chemical sensor can be used as an autonomous chemical sensor or as an analyte-sensitive chemical preconcentrator in a larger microanalytical system. The capacitive chemical sensor detects changes in sensing film dielectric properties, such as the dielectric constant, conductivity, or dimensionality. These changes result from the interaction of a target analyte with the sensing film. This capability provides a low-power, self-heating chemical sensor suitable for remote and unattended sensing applications. The capacitive chemical sensor also enables a smart, analyte-sensitive chemical preconcentrator. After sorption of the sample by the sensing film, the film can be rapidly heated to release the sample for further analysis. Therefore, the capacitive chemical sensor can optimize the sample collection time prior to release to enable the rapid and accurate analysis of analytes by a microanalytical system.

Implementation of Hybrid Speech Dereverberation Systems and Proposing Dual Microphone Farsi Database in Order to Evaluating Enhancement Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farhad Faghani

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In various applications, such as speech recognition and automatic teleconferencing, the recorded speech signals may be corrupted by both noise and reverberation. Reverberation causes a noticeable change in speech intelligibility and quality. In this research, firstly reverberation is described. There are some de-reverberation enhancement algorithms that use only one microphone. They mostly use inverse filtering and spectral subtraction as their sub-systems. On the other hand, there are many multi-microphone speech enhancement systems; Delay-and-sum beam former is the most famous amongst them. Moreover, several efficient approaches have been also reported that use linear prediction (LP residual signal, inverse filtering, and phase error. Despite the improvements and benefits gained by the use of several input microphones, considering the tradeoff between these gains and the complexity and computational cost forced by the use of more microphones, many researchers have focused on dual-microphones systems. So, a review on Microphone array signal processing is explained and then an arrangement for two microphones systems is proposed. As we want to evaluate these algorithms for Farsi speech signals, the problem of speech intelligibility assessment has been explained and a Farsi word list for Diagnostic Rhyme Test (DRT is presented.The structure of presented word list is similar to that of English DRT words. In this research, after a brief study of above-mentioned methods, we propose and implement some hybrid techniques to benefit from the advantages of several methods and achieve significant improvement in output signals. It will be shown that the proposed method performs superior to the state-of-the-art dereverberation algorithms.

Investigation of surface roughness in micro-electro discharge machining of nonconductive ZrO2 for MEMS application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabur, A; Moudood, A; Ali, M Y; Maleque, M A

2013-01-01

Micro-electro discharge machining technique, a noncontact machining process, is applied for drilling blind hole on nonconductive ZrO 2 ceramic for MEMS application. A conductive layer of adhesive copper is applied on the workpiece surface to initiate the sparks. Kerosene is used as dielectric for creation of continuous conductive pyrolytic carbon layer on the machined surface. Experiments are conducted by varying the voltage (V), capacitance (C) and rotational speed (N). Correlating these variables a mathematical model for surface roughness (SR) is developed using Taguchi method. The results showed that the V and C are the significant parameters of SR in micro-EDM for nonconductive ZrO 2 ceramic. The model also showed that SR increases with the increase of V and C

MEMS-Based Waste Vibrational Energy Harvesters

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-01

MEMS energy- harvesting device. Although PZT is used more prevalently due to its higher piezoelectric coefficient and dielectric constant, AlN has...7 1. Lead Zirconium Titanate ( PZT ) .........................................................7 2. Aluminum...Laboratory PiezoMUMPS Piezoelectric Multi-User MEMS Processes PZT Lead Zirconate Titanate SEM Scanning Electron Microscopy SiO2 Silicon

Stability, Nonlinearity and Reliability of Electrostatically Actuated MEMS Devices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Di Chen

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Electrostatic micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS is a special branch with a wide range of applications in sensing and actuating devices in MEMS. This paper provides a survey and analysis of the electrostatic force of importance in MEMS, its physical model, scaling effect, stability, nonlinearity and reliability in detail. It is necessary to understand the effects of electrostatic forces in MEMS and then many phenomena of practical importance, such as pull-in instability and the effects of effective stiffness, dielectric charging, stress gradient, temperature on the pull-in voltage, nonlinear dynamic effects and reliability due to electrostatic forces occurred in MEMS can be explained scientifically, and consequently the great potential of MEMS technology could be explored effectively and utilized optimally. A simplified parallel-plate capacitor model is proposed to investigate the resonance response, inherent nonlinearity, stiffness softened effect and coupled nonlinear effect of the typical electrostatically actuated MEMS devices. Many failure modes and mechanisms and various methods and techniques, including materials selection, reasonable design and extending the controllable travel range used to analyze and reduce the failures are discussed in the electrostatically actuated MEMS devices. Numerical simulations and discussions indicate that the effects of instability, nonlinear characteristics and reliability subjected to electrostatic forces cannot be ignored and are in need of further investigation.

Sandia Agile MEMS Prototyping, Layout Tools, Education and Services Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schriner, H.; Davies, B.; Sniegowski, J.; Rodgers, M.S.; Allen, J.; Shepard, C.

1998-05-01

Research and development in the design and manufacture of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) is growing at an enormous rate. Advances in MEMS design tools and fabrication processes at Sandia National Laboratories` Microelectronics Development Laboratory (MDL) have broadened the scope of MEMS applications that can be designed and manufactured for both military and commercial use. As improvements in micromachining fabrication technologies continue to be made, MEMS designs can become more complex, thus opening the door to an even broader set of MEMS applications. In an effort to further research and development in MEMS design, fabrication, and application, Sandia National Laboratories has launched the Sandia Agile MEMS Prototyping, Layout Tools, Education and Services Program or SAMPLES program. The SAMPLES program offers potential partners interested in MEMS the opportunity to prototype an idea and produce hardware that can be used to sell a concept. The SAMPLES program provides education and training on Sandia`s design tools, analysis tools and fabrication process. New designers can participate in the SAMPLES program and design MEMS devices using Sandia`s design and analysis tools. As part of the SAMPLES program, participants` designs are fabricated using Sandia`s 4 level polycrystalline silicon surface micromachine technology fabrication process known as SUMMiT (Sandia Ultra-planar, Multi-level MEMS Technology). Furthermore, SAMPLES participants can also opt to obtain state of the art, post-fabrication services provided at Sandia such as release, packaging, reliability characterization, and failure analysis. This paper discusses the components of the SAMPLES program.

A Nuclear Microbattery for MEMS Devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanchard, James; Henderson, Douglass; Lal, Amit

2002-01-01

This project was designed to demonstrate the feasibility of producing on-board power for MEMS devices using radioisotopes. MEMS is a fast growing field, with hopes for producing a wide variety of revolutionary applications, including ''labs on a chip,'' micromachined scanning tunneling microscopes, microscopic detectors for biological agents, microsystems for DNA identification, etc. Currently, these applications are limited by the lack of an on-board power source. Research is ongoing to study approaches such as fuel cells, fossil fuels, and chemical batteries, but all these concepts have limitations. For long-lived, high energy density applications, on-board radioisotope power offers the best choice. We have succeeded in producing such devices using a variety of isotopes, incorporation methods, and device geometries. These experiments have demonstrated the feasibility of using radioisotope power and that there are a variety of options available for MEMS designers. As an example of an integrated, self-powered application, we have created an oscillating cantilever beam that is capable of consistent, periodic oscillations over very long time periods without the need for refueling. Ongoing work will demonstrate that this cantilever is capable of radio frequency transmission, allowing MEMS devices to communicate with one another wirelessly. Thus, this will be the first self-powered wireless transmitter available for use in MEMS devices, permitting such applications as sensors embedded in buildings for continuous monitoring of the building performance and integrity

Advantages of PZT thick film for MEMS sensors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hindrichsen, Christian Carstensen; Lou-Moller, R.; Hansen, K.

2010-01-01

For all MEMS devices a high coupling between the mechanical and electrical domain is desired. Figures of merit describing the coupling are important for comparing different piezoelectric materials. The existing figures of merit are discussed and a new figure of merit is introduced for a fair comp....... Improved figure of merit is reached in the piezoelectric PZT thick film, TF2100CIP, by using cold isostatic pressure in the PZT preparation process. The porosity of TF2100 is decreased 38%, hence, allowing an increase of charge sensitivity for MEMS sensors of 59%....... thin film and PZT thick film. It is shown that MEMS sensors with the PZT thick film TF2100 from InSensor A/S have potential for significant higher voltage sensitivities compared to PZT thin film base MEMS sensors when the total thickness of the MEMS cantilever, beam, bridge or membrane is high...

Standard semiconductor packaging for high-reliability low-cost MEMS applications

Science.gov (United States)

Harney, Kieran P.

2005-01-01

Microelectronic packaging technology has evolved over the years in response to the needs of IC technology. The fundamental purpose of the package is to provide protection for the silicon chip and to provide electrical connection to the circuit board. Major change has been witnessed in packaging and today wafer level packaging technology has further revolutionized the industry. MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) technology has created new challenges for packaging that do not exist in standard ICs. However, the fundamental objective of MEMS packaging is the same as traditional ICs, the low cost and reliable presentation of the MEMS chip to the next level interconnect. Inertial MEMS is one of the best examples of the successful commercialization of MEMS technology. The adoption of MEMS accelerometers for automotive airbag applications has created a high volume market that demands the highest reliability at low cost. The suppliers to these markets have responded by exploiting standard semiconductor packaging infrastructures. However, there are special packaging needs for MEMS that cannot be ignored. New applications for inertial MEMS devices are emerging in the consumer space that adds the imperative of small size to the need for reliability and low cost. These trends are not unique to MEMS accelerometers. For any MEMS technology to be successful the packaging must provide the basic reliability and interconnection functions, adding the least possible cost to the product. This paper will discuss the evolution of MEMS packaging in the accelerometer industry and identify the main issues that needed to be addressed to enable the successful commercialization of the technology in the automotive and consumer markets.

Investigating ESD sensitivity in electrostatic SiGe MEMS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sangameswaran, Sandeep; De Coster, Jeroen; Linten, Dimitri; Scholz, Mirko; Thijs, Steven; Groeseneken, Guido; De Wolf, Ingrid

2010-01-01

The sensitivity of electrostatically actuated SiGe microelectromechanical systems to electrostatic discharge events has been investigated in this paper. Torsional micromirrors and RF microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) actuators have been used as two case studies to perform this study. On-wafer electrostatic discharge (ESD) measurement methods, such as the human body model (HBM) and machine model (MM), are discussed. The impact of HBM ESD zap tests on the functionality and behavior of MEMS is explained and the ESD failure levels of MEMS have been verified by failure analysis. It is demonstrated that electrostatic MEMS devices have a high sensitivity to ESD and that it is essential to protect them.

Digital reflection holography based systems development for MEMS testing

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Vijay Raj; Liansheng, Sui; Asundi, Anand

2010-05-01

MEMS are tiny mechanical devices that are built onto semiconductor chips and are measured in micrometers and nanometers. Testing of MEMS device is an important part in carrying out their functional assessment and reliability analysis. Development of systems based on digital holography (DH) for MEMS inspection and characterization is presented in this paper. Two DH reflection systems, table-top and handheld types, are developed depending on the MEMS measurement requirements and their capabilities are presented. The methodologies for the systems are developed for 3D profile inspection and static & dynamic measurements, which is further integrated with in-house developed software that provides the measurement results in near real time. The applications of the developed systems are demonstrated for different MEMS devices for 3D profile inspection, static deformation/deflection measurements and vibration analysis. The developed systems are well suitable for the testing of MEMS and Microsystems samples, with full-field, static & dynamic inspection as well as to monitor micro-fabrication process.

MEMS Reliability: Infrastructure, Test Structures, Experiments, and Failure Modes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

TANNER,DANELLE M.; SMITH,NORMAN F.; IRWIN,LLOYD W.; EATON,WILLIAM P.; HELGESEN,KAREN SUE; CLEMENT,J. JOSEPH; MILLER,WILLIAM M.; MILLER,SAMUEL L.; DUGGER,MICHAEL T.; WALRAVEN,JEREMY A.; PETERSON,KENNETH A.

2000-01-01

The burgeoning new technology of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) shows great promise in the weapons arena. We can now conceive of micro-gyros, micro-surety systems, and micro-navigators that are extremely small and inexpensive. Do we want to use this new technology in critical applications such as nuclear weapons? This question drove us to understand the reliability and failure mechanisms of silicon surface-micromachined MEMS. Development of a testing infrastructure was a crucial step to perform reliability experiments on MEMS devices and will be reported here. In addition, reliability test structures have been designed and characterized. Many experiments were performed to investigate failure modes and specifically those in different environments (humidity, temperature, shock, vibration, and storage). A predictive reliability model for wear of rubbing surfaces in microengines was developed. The root causes of failure for operating and non-operating MEMS are discussed. The major failure mechanism for operating MEMS was wear of the polysilicon rubbing surfaces. Reliability design rules for future MEMS devices are established.

A Coupled Field Multiphysics Modeling Approach to Investigate RF MEMS Switch Failure Modes under Various Operational Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khaled Sadek

2009-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the reliability of capacitive shunt RF MEMS switches have been investigated using three dimensional (3D coupled multiphysics finite element (FE analysis. The coupled field analysis involved three consecutive multiphysics interactions. The first interaction is characterized as a two-way sequential electromagnetic (EM-thermal field coupling. The second interaction represented a one-way sequential thermal-structural field coupling. The third interaction portrayed a two-way sequential structural-electrostatic field coupling. An automated substructuring algorithm was utilized to reduce the computational cost of the complicated coupled multiphysics FE analysis. The results of the substructured FE model with coupled field analysis is shown to be in good agreement with the outcome of previously published experimental and numerical studies. The current numerical results indicate that the pull-in voltage and the buckling temperature of the RF switch are functions of the microfabrication residual stress state, the switch operational frequency and the surrounding packaging temperature. Furthermore, the current results point out that by introducing proper mechanical approaches such as corrugated switches and through-holes in the switch membrane, it is possible to achieve reliable pull-in voltages, at various operating temperatures. The performed analysis also shows that by controlling the mean and gradient residual stresses, generated during microfabrication, in conjunction with the proposed mechanical approaches, the power handling capability of RF MEMS switches can be increased, at a wide range of operational frequencies. These design features of RF MEMS switches are of particular importance in applications where a high RF power (frequencies above 10 GHz and large temperature variations are expected, such as in satellites and airplane condition monitoring.

Improving beamforming by optimization of acoustic array microphone positions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Malgoezar, A.M.N.; Snellen, M.; Sijtsma, P.; Simons, D.G.

2016-01-01

Assigning proper positions to microphones within arrays is essential in order to reduce or eliminate side- and grating lobes in 2D beamform images. In this paper an objective function is derived providing a measure for the presence of artificial sources. Using the global optimization method

A novel piezoresistive polymer nanocomposite MEMS accelerometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seena, V; Hari, K; Prajakta, S; Ramgopal Rao, V; Pratap, Rudra

2017-01-01

A novel polymer MEMS (micro electro mechanical systems) accelerometer with photo-patternable polymer nanocomposite as a piezoresistor is presented in this work. Polymer MEMS Accelerometer with beam thicknesses of 3.3 µ m and embedded nanocomposite piezoresistive layer having a gauge factor of 90 were fabricated. The photosensitive nanocomposite samples were prepared and characterized for analyzing the mechanical and electrical properties and thereby ensuring proper process parameters for incorporating the piezoresistive layer into the polymer MEMS accelerometer. The microfabrication process flow and unit processes followed are extremely low cost with process temperatures below 100 °C. This also opens up a new possibility for easy integration of such polymer MEMS with CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) devices and circuits. The fabricated devices were characterized using laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) and the devices exhibited a resonant frequency of 10.8 kHz and a response sensitivity of 280 nm g −1 at resonance. The main focus of this paper is on the SU-8/CB nanocomposite piezoresistive MEMS accelerometer technology development which covers the material and the fabrication aspects of these devices. CoventorWare FEA analysis performed using the extracted material properties from the experimental characterization which are in close agreement to performance parameters of the fabricated devices is also discussed. The simulated piezoresistive polymer MEMS devices showed an acceleration sensitivity of 126 nm g −1 and 82 ppm of Δ R / R per 1 g of acceleration. (paper)

Development of early core anomaly detection system by using in-sodium microphone in JOYO. Fundamental characteristics test of in-sodium microphone in water and examination of improvement of detection accuracy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komai, Masafumi

2001-07-01

Fast reactor core anomalies can be detected in near real-time with acoustic sensors. An acoustic detection system senses an in-core anomaly immediately from the fast acoustic signals that propagate through the sodium coolant. One example of a detectable anomaly is sodium boiling due to local blockage in a sub-assembly; the slight change in background acoustic signals can be detected. A key advantage of the acoustic detector is that it can be located outside the core. The location of the anomaly in the core can be determined by correlating multiple acoustic signals. This report describes the testing and fundamental characteristics of a microphone suitable for use in the sodium coolant and examines methods to improve the system's S/N ratio. Testing in water confirmed that the in-sodium microphone has good impulse and wide band frequency responses. These tests used impulse and white noise signals that imitate acoustic signals from boiling sodium. Correlation processing of multiple microphone signals to improve S/N ratio is also described. (author)

Beamforming with a circular array of microphones mounted on a rigid sphere (L)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tiana Roig, Elisabet; Jacobsen, Finn; Fernandez Grande, Efren

2011-01-01

Beamforming with uniform circular microphone arrays can be used for localizing sound sources over 360. Typically, the array microphones are suspended in free space or they are mounted on a solid cylinder. However, the cylinder is often considered to be infinitely long because the scattering problem...... has no exact solution for a finite cylinder. Alternatively one can use a solid sphere. This investigation compares the performance of a circular array mounded on a rigid sphere with that of such an array in free space and mounted on an infinite cylinder, using computer simulations. The examined...

Poly-SiGe for MEMS-above-CMOS sensors

CERN Document Server

Gonzalez Ruiz, Pilar; Witvrouw, Ann

2014-01-01

Polycrystalline SiGe has emerged as a promising MEMS (Microelectromechanical Systems) structural material since it provides the desired mechanical properties at lower temperatures compared to poly-Si, allowing the direct post-processing on top of CMOS. This CMOS-MEMS monolithic integration can lead to more compact MEMS with improved performance. The potential of poly-SiGe for MEMS above-aluminum-backend CMOS integration has already been demonstrated. However, aggressive interconnect scaling has led to the replacement of the traditional aluminum metallization by copper (Cu) metallization, due to its lower resistivity and improved reliability. Poly-SiGe for MEMS-above-CMOS sensors demonstrates the compatibility of poly-SiGe with post-processing above the advanced CMOS technology nodes through the successful fabrication of an integrated poly-SiGe piezoresistive pressure sensor, directly fabricated above 0.13 m Cu-backend CMOS. Furthermore, this book presents the first detailed investigation on the influence o...

High Volume Manufacturing and Field Stability of MEMS Products

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Jack

Low volume MEMS/NEMS production is practical when an attractive concept is implemented with business, manufacturing, packaging, and test support. Moving beyond this to high volume production adds requirements on design, process control, quality, product stability, market size, market maturity, capital investment, and business systems. In a broad sense, this chapter uses a case study approach: It describes and compares the silicon-based MEMS accelerometers, pressure sensors, image projection systems, and gyroscopes that are in high volume production. Although they serve several markets, these businesses have common characteristics. For example, the manufacturing lines use automated semiconductor equipment and standard material sets to make consistent products in large quantities. Standard, well controlled processes are sometimes modified for a MEMS product. However, novel processes that cannot run with standard equipment and material sets are avoided when possible. This reliance on semiconductor tools, as well as the organizational practices required to manufacture clean, particle-free products partially explains why the MEMS market leaders are integrated circuit manufacturers. There are other factors. MEMS and NEMS are enabling technologies, so it can take several years for high volume applications to develop. Indeed, market size is usually a strong function of price. This becomes a vicious circle, because low price requires low cost - a result that is normally achieved only after a product is in high volume production. During the early years, IC companies reduced cost and financial risk by using existing facilities for low volume MEMS production. As a result, product architectures are partially determined by capabilities developed for previous products. This chapter includes a discussion of MEMS product architecture with particular attention to the impact of electronic integration, packaging, and surfaces. Packaging and testing are critical, because they are

Microphone detected ionacoustic signal from metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dioszeghy, T.; Szoekefalvi-Nagy, Z.; Biro, T.

1986-12-01

An experimental system for studying the radiation-induced acoustic signal generated by a modulated 2 MeV He + ion beam in metals is described. For detection, a closed cell on the rear side of the copper or aluminium sample, a half-inch condenser microphone, and a lock-in amplifier were employed. The signal was found to be proportional to beam current and particle energy, and inversely proportional to cell length. A decrease of the signal magnitude and an increase of the phase delay with increasing modulation frequency and sample thickness were also observed. (author)

Amorphous Diamond MEMS and Sensors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

SULLIVAN, JOHN P.; FRIEDMANN, THOMAS A.; ASHBY, CAROL I.; DE BOER, MAARTEN P.; SCHUBERT, W. KENT; SHUL, RANDY J.; HOHLFELDER, ROBERT J.; LAVAN, D.A.

2002-06-01

This report describes a new microsystems technology for the creation of microsensors and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) using stress-free amorphous diamond (aD) films. Stress-free aD is a new material that has mechanical properties close to that of crystalline diamond, and the material is particularly promising for the development of high sensitivity microsensors and rugged and reliable MEMS. Some of the unique properties of aD include the ability to easily tailor film stress from compressive to slightly tensile, hardness and stiffness 80-90% that of crystalline diamond, very high wear resistance, a hydrophobic surface, extreme chemical inertness, chemical compatibility with silicon, controllable electrical conductivity from insulating to conducting, and biocompatibility. A variety of MEMS structures were fabricated from this material and evaluated. These structures included electrostatically-actuated comb drives, micro-tensile test structures, singly- and doubly-clamped beams, and friction and wear test structures. It was found that surface micromachined MEMS could be fabricated in this material easily and that the hydrophobic surface of the film enabled the release of structures without the need for special drying procedures or the use of applied hydrophobic coatings. Measurements using these structures revealed that aD has a Young's modulus of {approx}650 GPa, a tensile fracture strength of 8 GPa, and a fracture toughness of 8 MPa{center_dot}m {sup 1/2}. These results suggest that this material may be suitable in applications where stiction or wear is an issue. Flexural plate wave (FPW) microsensors were also fabricated from aD. These devices use membranes of aD as thin as {approx}100 nm. The performance of the aD FPW sensors was evaluated for the detection of volatile organic compounds using ethyl cellulose as the sensor coating. For comparable membrane thicknesses, the aD sensors showed better performance than silicon nitride based sensors. Greater

An approach to evaluate capacitance, capacitive reactance and resistance of pivoted pads of a thrust bearing

Science.gov (United States)

Prashad, Har

1992-07-01

A theoretical approach is developed for determining the capacitance and active resistance between the interacting surfaces of pivoted pads and thrust collar, under different conditions of operation. It is shown that resistance and capacitive reactance of a thrust bearing decrease with the number of pads times the values of these parameters for an individual pad, and that capacitance increases with the number of pads times the capacitance of an individual pad. The analysis presented has a potential to diagnose the behavior of pivoted pad thrust bearings with the angle of tilt and the ratio of film thickness at the leading to trailing edge, by determining the variation of capacitance, resistance, and capacitive reactance.

Characterization of condenser microphones under different environmental conditions for accurate speed of sound measurements with acoustic resonators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guianvarc' h, Cecile; Pitre, Laurent [Laboratoire Commun de Metrologie LNE/Cnam, 61 rue du Landy, 93210 La Plaine Saint Denis (France); Gavioso, Roberto M.; Benedetto, Giuliana [Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica, Strada delle Cacce 91, 10135 Turin (Italy); Bruneau, Michel [Laboratoire d' Acoustique de l' Universite du Maine UMR CNRS 6613, av. Olivier Messiaen, 72085 Le Mans Cedex 9 (France)

2009-07-15

Condenser microphones are more commonly used and have been extensively modeled and characterized in air at ambient temperature and static pressure. However, several applications of interest for metrology and physical acoustics require to use these transducers in significantly different environmental conditions. Particularly, the extremely accurate determination of the speed of sound in monoatomic gases, which is pursued for a determination of the Boltzmann constant k by an acoustic method, entails the use of condenser microphones mounted within a spherical cavity, over a wide range of static pressures, at the temperature of the triple point of water (273.16 K). To further increase the accuracy achievable in this application, the microphone frequency response and its acoustic input impedance need to be precisely determined over the same static pressure and temperature range. Few previous works examined the influence of static pressure, temperature, and gas composition on the microphone's sensitivity. In this work, the results of relative calibrations of 1/4 in. condenser microphones obtained using an electrostatic actuator technique are presented. The calibrations are performed in pure helium and argon gas at temperatures near 273 K and in the pressure range between 10 and 600 kPa. These experimental results are compared with the predictions of a realistic model available in the literature, finding a remarkable good agreement. The model provides an estimate of the acoustic impedance of 1/4 in. condenser microphones as a function of frequency and static pressure and is used to calculate the corresponding frequency perturbations induced on the normal modes of a spherical cavity when this is filled with helium or argon gas.

MEMS tunable grating micro-spectrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Tormen, Maurizio; Lockhart, R.; Niedermann, P.; Overstolz, T.; Hoogerwerf, A.; Mayor, J.-M.; Pierer, J.; Bosshard, C.; Ischer, R.; Voirin, G.; Stanley, R. P.

2017-11-01

The interest in MEMS based Micro-Spectrometers is increasing due to their potential in terms of flexibility as well as cost, low mass, small volume and power savings. This interest, especially in the Near-Infrared and Mid- Infrared, ranges from planetary exploration missions to astronomy, e.g. the search for extra solar planets, as well as to many other terrestrial fields of application such as, industrial quality and surface control, chemical analysis of soil and water, detection of chemical pollutants, exhausted gas analysis, food quality control, process control in pharmaceuticals, to name a few. A compact MEMS-based Spectrometer for Near- Infrared and Mid-InfraRed operation have been conceived, designed and demonstrated. The design based on tunable MEMS blazed grating, developed in the past at CSEM [1], achieves state of the art results in terms of spectral resolution, operational wavelength range, light throughput, overall dimensions, and power consumption.

Micro-Electromechanical-Systems (MEMS) technologies for aerospace applications in Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pimprikar, M.

2001-01-01

During the last decade, research and development of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) have shown significant promise for a variety of aerospace applications. The advantages of drastic size and weight reduction of MEMS enables consideration of developing low-cost, high-performance, ultra-portable, MEMS-based devices and systems for aircraft, space and defense requirements. 'Microelectromechanical Systems, or MEMS', are integrated microdevices or systems combining electrical and mechanical components, fabricated using integrated circuit compatible batch-processing techniques, and varying in size from micrometers to millimeters. In the 1990's, MEMS were used as laboratory curiosities with very low power, short lifetimes and few concrete applications. One decade later, MEMS have taken major roles in several industries, the total world market is expected to grow from $14 billion to over $40 billion by the year 2002. A typical device contains micromechanical structures that move by flexing (membranes, cantilevers, springs) and MEMS/MOEMS level where the integration of microelectronics, micromechanics and optics form a complete system (sensor, actuator, photonic device). (author)

Ferroelectric negative capacitance domain dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, Michael; Khan, Asif Islam; Serrao, Claudy; Lu, Zhongyuan; Salahuddin, Sayeef; Pešić, Milan; Slesazeck, Stefan; Schroeder, Uwe; Mikolajick, Thomas

2018-05-01

Transient negative capacitance effects in epitaxial ferroelectric Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 capacitors are investigated with a focus on the dynamical switching behavior governed by domain nucleation and growth. Voltage pulses are applied to a series connection of the ferroelectric capacitor and a resistor to directly measure the ferroelectric negative capacitance during switching. A time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau approach is used to investigate the underlying domain dynamics. The transient negative capacitance is shown to originate from reverse domain nucleation and unrestricted domain growth. However, with the onset of domain coalescence, the capacitance becomes positive again. The persistence of the negative capacitance state is therefore limited by the speed of domain wall motion. By changing the applied electric field, capacitor area or external resistance, this domain wall velocity can be varied predictably over several orders of magnitude. Additionally, detailed insights into the intrinsic material properties of the ferroelectric are obtainable through these measurements. A new method for reliable extraction of the average negative capacitance of the ferroelectric is presented. Furthermore, a simple analytical model is developed, which accurately describes the negative capacitance transient time as a function of the material properties and the experimental boundary conditions.

Wavelength tunable MEMS VCSELs for OCT imaging

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sahoo, Hitesh Kumar; Ansbæk, Thor; Ottaviano, Luisa

2018-01-01

MEMS VCSELs are one of the most promising swept source (SS) lasers for optical coherence tomography (OCT) and one of the best candidates for future integration with endoscopes, surgical probes and achieving an integrated OCT system. However, the current MEMS-based SS are processed on the III...

Construction and Initial Validation of the Multiracial Experiences Measure (MEM)

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Hyung Chol; Jackson, Kelly; Guevarra, Rudy P.; Miller, Matthew J.; Harrington, Blair

2015-01-01

This article describes the development and validation of the Multiracial Experiences Measure (MEM): a new measure that assesses uniquely racialized risks and resiliencies experienced by individuals of mixed racial heritage. Across two studies, there was evidence for the validation of the 25-item MEM with 5 subscales including Shifting Expressions, Perceived Racial Ambiguity, Creating Third Space, Multicultural Engagement, and Multiracial Discrimination. The 5-subscale structure of the MEM was supported by a combination of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Evidence of criterion-related validity was partially supported with MEM subscales correlating with measures of racial diversity in one’s social network, color-blind racial attitude, psychological distress, and identity conflict. Evidence of discriminant validity was supported with MEM subscales not correlating with impression management. Implications for future research and suggestions for utilization of the MEM in clinical practice with multiracial adults are discussed. PMID:26460977

A Comparison of Acoustic Field Measurement by a Microphone and by an Optical Interferometric Probe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Bálek

2002-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work is to show that our optical method for measuring acoustic pressure is in some way superior to measurement using a microphone. Measurement of the integral acoustic pressure in the air by a laser interferometric probe is compared with measurement using a microphone. We determined the particular harmonic components in the acoustic field in the case of relatively high acoustic power in the ultrasonic frequency range.

Advanced MEMS systems for optical communication and imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horenstein, M N; Sumner, R; Freedman, D S; Datta, M; Kani, N; Miller, P; Stewart, J B; Cornelissen, S

2011-01-01

Optical communication and adaptive optics have emerged as two important uses of micro-electromechanical (MEMS) devices based on electrostatic actuation. Each application uses a mirror whose surface is altered by applying voltages of up to 300 V. Previous generations of adaptive-optic mirrors were large (∼1 m) and required the use of piezoelectric transducers. Beginning in the mid-1990s, a new class of small MEMS mirrors (∼1 cm) were developed. These mirrors are now a commercially available, mature technology. This paper describes three advanced applications of MEMS mirrors. The first is a mirror used for corona-graphic imaging, whereby an interferometric telescope blocks the direct light from a distant star so that nearby objects such as planets can be seen. We have developed a key component of the system: a 144-channel, fully-scalable, high-voltage multiplexer that reduces power consumption to only a few hundred milliwatts. In a second application, a MEMS mirror comprises part of a two-way optical communication system in which only one node emits a laser beam. The other node is passive, incorporating a retro-reflective, electrostatic MEMS mirror that digitally encodes the reflected beam. In a third application, the short (∼100-ns) pulses of a commercially-available laser rangefinder are returned by the MEMS mirror as a digital data stream. Suitable low-power drive systems comprise part of the system design.

Microfabrication and Characterization of an Integrated 3-Axis CMOS-MEMS Accelerometer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongwei QU

2007-10-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the fabrication and characterization of a monolithically integrated 3-axis CMOS-MEMS accelerometer with a single proof mass. An improved microfabrication process has been developed to solve the structure overheating and particle contamination problems in the plasma etching processes of device fabrication. The whole device is made of bulk silicon except for some short thin films for electrical isolation, allowing large sensing capacitance and flat device structure. A low-noise, low-power amplifier is designed for each axis, which provides 40 dB on-chip amplification and consumes only 1 mW power. Quasi-static and dynamic characterization of the fabricated device has been performed. The measured sensitivities of the lateral- and z-axis accelerometers are 560 mV/g and 320 mV/g, respectively, which can be tuned by simply varying the amplitude of the modulation signal. The over-all noise floors of the lateral- and z-axis are 12 μg/ÖHz and 110 μg/ÖHz, respectively when tested at 200 Hz.

Design optimization of condenser microphone: a design of experiment perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Chee Wee; Miao, Jianmin

2009-06-01

A well-designed condenser microphone backplate is very important in the attainment of good frequency response characteristics--high sensitivity and wide bandwidth with flat response--and low mechanical-thermal noise. To study the design optimization of the backplate, a 2(6) factorial design with a single replicate, which consists of six backplate parameters and four responses, has been undertaken on a comprehensive condenser microphone model developed by Zuckerwar. Through the elimination of insignificant parameters via normal probability plots of the effect estimates, the projection of an unreplicated factorial design into a replicated one can be performed to carry out an analysis of variance on the factorial design. The air gap and slot have significant effects on the sensitivity, mechanical-thermal noise, and bandwidth while the slot/hole location interaction has major influence over the latter two responses. An organized and systematic approach of designing the backplate is summarized.

Aspheric surface measurement using capacitive probes

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Xin; Yuan, Daocheng; Li, Shaobo

2017-02-01

With the application of aspheres in optical fields, high precision and high efficiency aspheric surface metrology becomes a hot research topic. We describe a novel method of non-contact measurement of aspheric surface with capacitive probe. Taking an eccentric spherical surface as the object of study, the averaging effect of capacitive probe measurement and the influence of tilting the capacitive probe on the measurement results are investigated. By comparing measurement results from simultaneous measurement of the capacitive probe and contact probe of roundness instrument, this paper indicates the feasibility of using capacitive probes to test aspheric surface and proposes the compensation method of measurement error caused by averaging effect and the tilting of the capacitive probe.

Recent Progress in Silicon Mems Oscillators

Science.gov (United States)

2008-12-01

MEMS oscillator. As shown, a MEMS resonator is connected to an IC. The reference oscillator, which is basically a transimpedance amplifier ...small size), and (3) DC bias voltage required to operate the resonators. As a result, instead of Colpitts or Pierce architecture, a transimpedence ... amplifier is typically used for sustain the oscillation. The frequency of the resonators is determined by both material properties and geometry of

Development of parallel-plate-based MEMS tunable capacitors with linearized capacitance–voltage response and extended tuning range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shavezipur, M; Nieva, P; Khajepour, A; Hashemi, S M

2010-01-01

This paper presents a design technique that can be used to linearize the capacitance–voltage (C–V) response and extend the tuning range of parallel-plate-based MEMS tunable capacitors beyond that of conventional designs. The proposed technique exploits the curvature of the capacitor's moving electrode which could be induced by either manipulating the stress gradients in the plate's material or using bi-layer structures. The change in curvature generates a nonlinear structural stiffness as the moving electrode undergoes out-of-plane deformation due to the actuation voltage. If the moving plate curvature is tailored such that the capacitance increment is proportional to the voltage increment, then a linear C–V response is obtained. The larger structural resistive force at higher bias voltage also delays the pull-in and increases the maximum tunability of the capacitor. Moreover, for capacitors containing an insulation layer between the two electrodes, the proposed technique completely eliminates the pull-in effect. The experimental data obtained from different capacitors fabricated using PolyMUMPs demonstrate the advantages of this design approach where highly linear C–V responses and tunabilities as high as 1050% were recorded. The design methodology introduced in this paper could be easily extended to for example, capacitive pressure and temperature sensors or infrared detectors to enhance their response characteristics.

MEMS mass-spring-damper systems using an out-of-plane suspension scheme

KAUST Repository

Abdel Aziz, Ahmed Kamal Said; Sharaf, Abdel Hameed; Serry, Mohamed Yousef; Sedky, Sherif Salah

2014-01-01

MEMS mass-spring-damper systems (including MEMS gyroscopes and accelerometers) using an out-of-plane (or vertical) suspension scheme, wherein the suspensions are normal to the proof mass, are disclosed. Such out-of-plane suspension scheme helps such MEMS mass-spring-damper systems achieve inertial grade performance. Methods of fabricating out-of-plane suspensions in MEMS mass-spring-damper systems (including MEMS gyroscopes and accelerometers) are also disclosed.

MEMS mass-spring-damper systems using an out-of-plane suspension scheme

KAUST Repository

Abdel Aziz, Ahmed Kamal Said

2014-02-04

MEMS mass-spring-damper systems (including MEMS gyroscopes and accelerometers) using an out-of-plane (or vertical) suspension scheme, wherein the suspensions are normal to the proof mass, are disclosed. Such out-of-plane suspension scheme helps such MEMS mass-spring-damper systems achieve inertial grade performance. Methods of fabricating out-of-plane suspensions in MEMS mass-spring-damper systems (including MEMS gyroscopes and accelerometers) are also disclosed.

10–25 GHz frequency reconfigurable MEMS 5-bit phase shifter using push–pull actuator based toggle mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dey, Sukomal; Koul, Shiban K

2015-01-01

This paper presents a frequency tunable 5-bit true-time-delay digital phase shifter using radio frequency microelectromechanical system (RF MEMS) technology. The phase shifter is based on the distributed MEMS transmission line (DMTL) concept utilizing a MEMS varactor. The main source of frequency tuning in this work is a bridge actuation mechanism followed by capacitance variation. Two stages of actuation mechanisms (push and pull) are used to achieve a 2:1 tuning ratio. Accurate control of the actuation voltage between the pull to push stages contributes differential phase shift over the band of interest. The functional behavior of the push–pull actuation over the phase shifter application is theoretically established, experimentally investigated and validated with simulation. The phase shifter is fabricated monolithically using a gold based surface micromachining process on an alumina substrate. The individual primary phase-bits (11.25°/22.5°/45°/90°/180°) that are the fundamental building blocks of the complete 5-bit phase shifter are designed, fabricated and experimentally characterized from 10–25 GHz for specific applications. Finally, the complete 5-bit phase shifter demonstrates an average phase error of 4.32°, 2.8°, 1° and 1.58°, an average insertion loss of 3.76, 4.1, 4.2 and 4.84 dB and an average return loss of 11.7, 12, 14 and 11.8 dB at 10, 12, 17.2 and 25 GHz, respectively. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first reported band tunable stand alone 5-bit phase shifter in the literature which can work over the large spectrum for different applications. The total area of the 5-bit phase shifter is 15.6 mm 2 . Furthermore, the cold-switched reliability of the unit cell and the complete 5-bit MEMS phase shifter are extensively investigated and presented. (paper)

Power Management of MEMS-Based Storage Devices for Mobile Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Khatib, M.G.; Hartel, Pieter H.

2008-01-01

Because of its small form factor, high capacity, and expected low cost, MEMS-based storage is a suitable storage technology for mobile systems. MEMS-based storage devices should also be energy efficient for deployment in mobile systems. The problem is that MEMS-based storage devices are mechanical,

Prediction of Quadcopter State through Multi-Microphone Side-Channel Fusion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koops, Hendrik Vincent; Garg, Kashish; Kim, Munsung; Li, Jonathan; Volk, Anja; Franchetti, Franz

Improving trust in the state of Cyber-Physical Systems becomes increasingly important as more tasks become autonomous. We present a multi-microphone machine learning fusion approach to accurately predict complex states of a quadcopter drone in flight from the sound it makes using audio content

RF MEMS

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

At the bare die level the insertion loss, return loss and the isolation ... ing and packaging of a silicon on glass based RF MEMS switch fabricated using DRIE. ..... follows the power law based on the asperity deformation model given by Pattona & ... Surface mount style RF packages (SMX series 580465) from Startedge Corp.

Comparisons of spectral characteristics of wind noise between omnidirectional and directional microphones.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, King

2012-06-01

Wind noise reduction is a topic of ongoing research and development for hearing aids and cochlear implants. The purposes of this study were to examine spectral characteristics of wind noise generated by directional (DIR) and omnidirectional (OMNI) microphones on different styles of hearing aids and to derive wind noise reduction strategies. Three digital hearing aids (BTE, ITE, and ITC) were fitted to Knowles Electronic Manikin for Acoustic Research. They were programmed to have linear amplification and matching frequency responses between the DIR and OMNI modes. Flow noise recordings were made from 0° to 360° azimuths at flow velocities of 4.5, 9.0, and 13.5 m/s in a quiet wind tunnel. Noise levels were analyzed in one-third octave bands from 100 to 8000 Hz. Comparison of wind noise revealed that DIR generally produced higher noise levels than OMNI for all hearing aids, but it could result in lower levels than OMNI at some frequencies and head angles. Wind noise reduction algorithms can be designed to detect noise levels of DIR and OMNI outputs in each frequency channel, remove the constraint to switch to OMNI in low-frequency channel(s) only, and adopt the microphone mode with lower noise levels to take advantage of the microphone differences.

Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS: Technology for the 21st century

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Đakov Tatjana A.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS are miniturized devices that can sense the environment, process and analyze information, and respond with a variety of mechanical and electrical actuators. MEMS consists of mechanical elements, sensors, actuators, electrical and electronics devices on a common silicon substrate. Micro-electro-mechanical systems are becoming a vital technology for modern society. Some of the advantages of MEMS devices are: very small size, very low power consumption, low cost, easy to integrate into systems or modify, small thermal constant, high resistance to vibration, shock and radiation, batch fabricated in large arrays, improved thermal expansion tolerance. MEMS technology is increasingly penetrating into our lives and improving quality of life, similar to what we experienced in the microelectronics revolution. Commercial opportunities for MEMS are rapidly growing in broad application areas, including biomedical, telecommunication, security, entertainment, aerospace, and more in both the consumer and industrial sectors on a global scale. As a breakthrough technology, MEMS is building synergy between previously unrelated fields such as biology and microelectronics. Many new MEMS and nanotechnology applications will emerge, expanding beyond that which is currently identified or known. MEMS are definitely technology for 21st century.

Fabrication of integrated metallic MEMS devices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yalcinkaya, Arda Deniz; Ravnkilde, Jan Tue; Hansen, Ole

2002-01-01

A simple and complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) compatible fabrication technique for microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices is presented. The fabrication technology makes use of electroplated metal layers. Among the fabricated devices, high quality factor microresonators are characteri......A simple and complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) compatible fabrication technique for microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices is presented. The fabrication technology makes use of electroplated metal layers. Among the fabricated devices, high quality factor microresonators...

MP.EXE Microphone pressure sensitivity calibration calculation program

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Knud

1999-01-01

MP.EXE is a program which calculates the pressure sensitivity of LS1 microphones as defined in IEC 61094-1, based on measurement results performed as laid down in IEC 61094-2.A very early program was developed and written by K. Rasmussen. The code of the present heavily extended version is writte...... by E.S. Olsen.The present manual is written by K.Rasmussen and E.S. Olsen....

Nonlinear Adaptive Filter for MEMS Gyro Error Cancellation

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Thermal biases are the dominate error in low-cost low-power small MEMS gyros. CubeSats often can't afford the power/mass to put a heater on their MEMS gyros and...

Near field acoustic holography with microphones on a rigid sphere

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Finn; Moreno-Pescador, Guillermo; Fernandez Grande, Efren

2011-01-01

Spherical near field acoustic holography (spherical NAH) is a technique that makes it possible to reconstruct the sound field inside and just outside a spherical surface on which the sound pressure is measured with an array of microphones. This is potentially very useful for source identification...

The Effect of Microphone Placement on Interaural Level Differences and Sound Localization Across the Horizontal Plane in Bilateral Cochlear Implant Users.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Heath G; Kan, Alan; Litovsky, Ruth Y

2016-01-01

This study examined the effect of microphone placement on the interaural level differences (ILDs) available to bilateral cochlear implant (BiCI) users, and the subsequent effects on horizontal-plane sound localization. Virtual acoustic stimuli for sound localization testing were created individually for eight BiCI users by making acoustic transfer function measurements for microphones placed in the ear (ITE), behind the ear (BTE), and on the shoulders (SHD). The ILDs across source locations were calculated for each placement to analyze their effect on sound localization performance. Sound localization was tested using a repeated-measures, within-participant design for the three microphone placements. The ITE microphone placement provided significantly larger ILDs compared to BTE and SHD placements, which correlated with overall localization errors. However, differences in localization errors across the microphone conditions were small. The BTE microphones worn by many BiCI users in everyday life do not capture the full range of acoustic ILDs available, and also reduce the change in cue magnitudes for sound sources across the horizontal plane. Acute testing with an ITE placement reduced sound localization errors along the horizontal plane compared to the other placements in some patients. Larger improvements may be observed if patients had more experience with the new ILD cues provided by an ITE placement.

Waveguide-Integrated MEMS Concepts for Tunable Millimeter-Wave Systems

OpenAIRE

Baghchehsaraei, Zargham

2014-01-01

This thesis presents two families of novel waveguide-integrated components based on millimeter-wave microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) for reconfigurable systems. The first group comprises V-band (50–75 GHz) and W-band (75–110 GHz) waveguide switches and switchable irises, and their application as switchable cavity resonators, and tunable bandpass filters implemented by integration of novel MEMS-reconfigurable surfaces into a rectangular waveguide. The second category comprises MEMS-based ...

Virtual microphone sensing through vibro-acoustic modelling and Kalman filtering

Science.gov (United States)

van de Walle, A.; Naets, F.; Desmet, W.

2018-05-01

This work proposes a virtual microphone methodology which enables full field acoustic measurements for vibro-acoustic systems. The methodology employs a Kalman filtering framework in order to combine a reduced high-fidelity vibro-acoustic model with a structural excitation measurement and small set of real microphone measurements on the system under investigation. By employing model order reduction techniques, a high order finite element model can be converted in a much smaller model which preserves the desired accuracy and maintains the main physical properties of the original model. Due to the low order of the reduced-order model, it can be effectively employed in a Kalman filter. The proposed methodology is validated experimentally on a strongly coupled vibro-acoustic system. The virtual sensor vastly improves the accuracy with respect to regular forward simulation. The virtual sensor also allows to recreate the full sound field of the system, which is very difficult/impossible to do through classical measurements.

A method for manufacturing a hollow mems structure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2017-01-01

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an at least partly hollow MEMS structure. In a first step one or more through-going openings is/are provided in core material. The one or more through-going openings is/are then covered by an etch-stop layer. After this step, a bottom...... further comprises the step of creating bottom and top conductors in the respective bottom and top layers. Finally, excess core material is removed in order to create the at least partly hollow MEMS structure which may include a MEMS inductor....

MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) for Automotive and Consumer Electronics

Science.gov (United States)

Marek, Jiri; Gómez, Udo-Martin

MEMS sensors gained over the last two decades an impressive width of applications: (a) ESP: A car is skidding and stabilizes itself without driver intervention (b) Free-fall detection: A laptop falls to the floor and protects the hard drive by parking the read/write drive head automatically before impact. (c) Airbag: An airbag fires before the driver/occupant involved in an impending automotive crash impacts the steering wheel, thereby significantly reducing physical injury risk. MEMS sensors are sensing the environmental conditions and are giving input to electronic control systems. These crucial MEMS sensors are making system reactions to human needs more intelligent, precise, and at much faster reaction rates than humanly possible. Important prerequisites for the success of sensors are their size, functionality, power consumption, and costs. This technical progress in sensor development is realized by micro-machining. The development of these processes was the breakthrough to industrial mass-production for micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). Besides leading-edge micromechanical processes, innovative and robust ASIC designs, thorough simulations of the electrical and mechanical behaviour, a deep understanding of the interactions (mainly over temperature and lifetime) of the package and the mechanical structures are needed. This was achieved over the last 20 years by intense and successful development activities combined with the experience of volume production of billions of sensors. This chapter gives an overview of current MEMS technology, its applications and the market share. The MEMS processes are described, and the challenges of MEMS, compared to standard IC fabrication, are discussed. The evolution of MEMS requirements is presented, and a short survey of MEMS applications is shown. Concepts of newest inertial sensors for ESP-systems are given with an emphasis on the design concepts of the sensing element and the evaluation circuit for achieving

Modularly Integrated MEMS Technology

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Eyoum, Marie-Angie N

2006-01-01

Process design, development and integration to fabricate reliable MEMS devices on top of VLSI-CMOS electronics without damaging the underlying circuitry have been investigated throughout this dissertation...

Vibration-Induced Errors in MEMS Tuning Fork Gyroscopes with Imbalance.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Xiang; Dong, Linxi; Zhao, Wen-Sheng; Yan, Haixia; Teh, Kwok Siong; Wang, Gaofeng

2018-05-29

This paper discusses the vibration-induced error in non-ideal MEMS tuning fork gyroscopes (TFGs). Ideal TFGs which are thought to be immune to vibrations do not exist, and imbalance between two gyros of TFGs is an inevitable phenomenon. Three types of fabrication imperfections (i.e., stiffness imbalance, mass imbalance, and damping imbalance) are studied, considering different imbalance radios. We focus on the coupling types of two gyros of TFGs in both drive and sense directions, and the vibration sensitivities of four TFG designs with imbalance are simulated and compared. It is found that non-ideal TFGs with two gyros coupled both in drive and sense directions (type CC TFGs) are the most insensitive to vibrations with frequencies close to the TFG operating frequencies. However, sense-axis vibrations with in-phase resonant frequencies of a coupled gyros system result in severe error outputs to TFGs with two gyros coupled in the sense direction, which is mainly attributed to the sense capacitance nonlinearity. With increasing stiffness coupled ratio of the coupled gyros system, the sensitivity to vibrations with operating frequencies is cut down, yet sensitivity to vibrations with in-phase frequencies is amplified.

MEMS for pico- to micro-satellites

OpenAIRE

Shea, Herbert

2009-01-01

MEMS sensors, actuators, and sub-systems can enable an important reduction in the size and mass of spacecrafts, first by replacing larger and heavier components, then by replacing entire subsystems, and finally by enabling the microfabrication of highly integrated picosats. Very small satellites (1 to 100 kg) stand to benefit the most from MEMS technologies. These small satellites are typically used for science or technology demonstration missions, with higher risk tolerance than multi-ton te...

Speech understanding in noise with an eyeglass hearing aid: asymmetric fitting and the head shadow benefit of anterior microphones.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mens, L.H.M.

2011-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To test speech understanding in noise using array microphones integrated in an eyeglass device and to test if microphones placed anteriorly at the temple provide better directivity than above the pinna. DESIGN: Sentences were presented from the front and uncorrelated noise from 45, 135,

Method for discriminating microphonic noise in proportional counters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gold, R.

1991-01-01

This patent describes a detector system responsive to nuclear events for installation in a downhole logging tool including measuring well drilling equipment which subjects the detection system to microphonic shock. It comprises a closed chamber subject to impinging nuclear events and having two separate anode wires therein spaced apart from each other and spanning the chamber, providing a pair of separated spaced output terminals to thereby form an output signal; circuit means connecting from at least one of the chamber output terminals to a different amplifier means having two input terminals; the circuit means connected from the output terminal of the chamber to one of the input terminals of the differential amplifier means to cause formation of an output signal from the differential amplifier means; and vibration shock responsive means mounted in the detector system and having an output terminal which forms an output signal for connection to a second input at the differential circuit means so that microphonic signals from the chamber and the shock responsive means are provided thereto and tend to cancel when applied to the input terminals thereof, and wherein the shock responsive means does not cancel at the differential circuit means signals relating to nuclear events from the detector system

Efficiency of Capacitively Loaded Converters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Thomas; Huang, Lina; Andersen, Michael A. E.

2012-01-01

This paper explores the characteristic of capacitance versus voltage for dielectric electro active polymer (DEAP) actuator, 2kV polypropylene film capacitor as well as 3kV X7R multi layer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) at the beginning. An energy efficiency for capacitively loaded converters...... is introduced as a definition of efficiency. The calculated and measured efficiency curves for charging DEAP actuator, polypropylene film capacitor and X7R MLCC are provided and compared. The attention has to be paid for the voltage dependent capacitive load, like X7R MLCC, when evaluating the charging...... polypropylene film capacitor can be the equivalent capacitive load. Because of the voltage dependent characteristic, X7R MLCC cannot be used to replace the DEAP actuator. However, this type of capacitor can be used to substitute the capacitive actuator with voltage dependent property at the development phase....

Recognition of In-Ear Microphone Speech Data Using Multi-Layer Neural Networks

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Bulbuller, Gokhan

2006-01-01

.... In this study, a speech recognition system is presented, specifically an isolated word recognizer which uses speech collected from the external auditory canals of the subjects via an in-ear microphone...

Capacitance of circular patch resonator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miano, G.; Verolino, L.; Naples Univ.; Panariello, G.; Vaccaro, V.G.; Naples Univ.

1995-11-01

In this paper the capacitance of the circular microstrip patch resonator is computed. It is shown that the electrostatic problem can be formulated as a system of dual integral equations, and the most interesting techniques of solutions of these systems are reviewed. Some useful approximated formulas for the capacitance are derived and plots of the capacitance are finally given in a wide range of dielectric constants

MEMS Solar Generators

OpenAIRE

Grbovic, Dragoslav; Osswald, Sebastian

2011-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited Using MEMS bimaterial structures to build highly efficient solar energy generators. This is a novel approach that utilizes developments in the area of bimaterial sensors and applies them in the field of solar energy harvesting.

MEMS for Tunable Photonic Metamaterial Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Stark, Thomas

Photonic metamaterials are materials whose optical properties are derived from artificially-structured sub-wavelength unit cells, rather than from the bulk properties of the constituent materials. Examples of metamaterials include plasmonic materials, negative index materials, and electromagnetic cloaks. While advances in simulation tools and nanofabrication methods have allowed this field to grow over the past several decades, many challenges still exist. This thesis addresses two of these challenges: fabrication of photonic metamaterials with tunable responses and high-throughput nanofabrication methods for these materials. The design, fabrication, and optical characterization of a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) tunable plasmonic spectrometer are presented. An array of holes in a gold film, with plasmon resonance in the mid-infrared, is suspended above a gold reflector, forming a Fabry-Perot interferometer of tunable length. The spectra exhibit the convolution of extraordinary optical transmission through the holes and Fabry-Perot resonances. Using MEMS, the interferometer length is modulated from 1.7 mum to 21.67 mum , thereby tuning the free spectral range from about 2900 wavenumbers to 230.7 wavenumbers and shifting the reflection minima and maxima across the infrared. Due to its broad spectral tunability in the fingerprint region of the mid-infrared, this device shows promise as a tunable biological sensing device. To address the issue of high-throughput, high-resolution fabrication of optical metamaterials, atomic calligraphy, a MEMS-based dynamic stencil lithography technique for resist-free fabrication of photonic metamaterials on unconventional substrates, has been developed. The MEMS consists of a moveable stencil, which can be actuated with nanometer precision using electrostatic comb drive actuators. A fabrication method and flip chip method have been developed, enabling evaporation of metals through the device handle for fabrication on an

Highly sensitive micromachined capacitive pressure sensor with reduced hysteresis and low parasitic capacitance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Thomas; Fragiacomo, Giulio; Hansen, Ole

2009-01-01

This paper describes the design and fabrication of a capacitive pressure sensor that has a large capacitance signal and a high sensitivity of 76 pF/bar in touch mode operation. Due to the large signal, problems with parasitic capacitances are avoided and hence it is possible to integrate the sensor...... bonding to create vacuum cavities. The exposed part of the sensor is perfectly flat such that it can be coated with corrosion resistant thin films. Hysteresis is an inherent problem in touch mode capacitive pressure sensors and a technique to significantly reduce it is presented....... with a discrete components electronics circuit for signal conditioning. Using an AC bridge electronics circuit a resolution of 8 mV/mbar is achieved. The large signal is obtained due to a novel membrane structure utilizing closely packed hexagonal elements. The sensor is fabricated in a process based on fusion...

Optical MEMS for earth observation payloads

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, B.; Lobb, D. R.; Freire, M.

2017-11-01

An ESA study has been taken by Lusospace Ltd and Surrey Satellite Techonoly Ltd (SSTL) into the use of optical Micro Eletro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) for earth Observation. A review and analysis was undertaken of the Micro-Optical Electro-Mechanical Systems (MOEMS) available in the market with potential application in systems for Earth Observation. A summary of this review will be presented. Following the review two space-instrument design concepts were selected for more detailed analysis. The first was the use of a MEMS device to remove cloud from Earth images. The concept is potentially of interest for any mission using imaging spectrometers. A spectrometer concept was selected and detailed design aspects and benefits evaluated. The second concept developed uses MEMS devices to control the width of entrance slits of spectrometers, to provide variable spectral resolution. This paper will present a summary of the results of the study.

MEMS applications in space exploration

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, William C.

1997-09-01

Space exploration in the coming century will emphasize cost effectiveness and highly focused mission objectives, which will result in frequent multiple missions that broaden the scope of space science and to validate new technologies on a timely basis. MEMS is one of the key enabling technology to create cost-effective, ultra-miniaturized, robust, and functionally focused spacecraft for both robotic and human exploration programs. Examples of MEMS devices at various stages of development include microgyroscope, microseismometer, microhygrometer, quadrupole mass spectrometer, and micropropulsion engine. These devices, when proven successful, will serve as models for developing components and systems for new-millennium spacecraft.

Capacitive Biosensors and Molecularly Imprinted Electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ertürk, Gizem; Mattiasson, Bo

2017-02-17

Capacitive biosensors belong to the group of affinity biosensors that operate by registering direct binding between the sensor surface and the target molecule. This type of biosensors measures the changes in dielectric properties and/or thickness of the dielectric layer at the electrolyte/electrode interface. Capacitive biosensors have so far been successfully used for detection of proteins, nucleotides, heavy metals, saccharides, small organic molecules and microbial cells. In recent years, the microcontact imprinting method has been used to create very sensitive and selective biorecognition cavities on surfaces of capacitive electrodes. This chapter summarizes the principle and different applications of capacitive biosensors with an emphasis on microcontact imprinting method with its recent capacitive biosensor applications.

PolyMEMS Actuator: A Polymer-Based Microelectromechanical (MEMS) Actuator with Macroscopic Action

Science.gov (United States)

2002-09-01

DIRECTOR: MICHAEL L. TALBERT, Maj., USAF Technical Advisor , Information Technology Division Information Directorate...technologies meet even two of the four requirements, whereas PolyMEMS meets all four. Robo -Lobster Courtesy of Dr. Joseph Ayers, Northeastern

MEMS: A new approach to micro-optics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sniegowski, J.J.

1997-12-31

MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) and their fabrication technologies provide great opportunities for application to micro-optical systems (MOEMS). Implementing MOEMS technology ranges from simple, passive components to complicated, active systems. Here, an overview of polysilicon surface micromachining MEMS combined with optics is presented. Recent advancements to the technology, which may enhance its appeal for micro-optics applications are emphasized. Of all the MEMS fabrication technologies, polysilicon surface micromachining technology has the greatest basis in and leverages the most the infrastructure for silicon integrated circuit fabrication. In that respect, it provides the potential for very large volume, inexpensive production of MOEMS. This paper highlights polysilicon surface micromachining technology in regards to its capability to provide both passive and active mechanical elements with quality optical elements.

Sound-field reconstruction performance of a mixed-order Ambisonics microphone array

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marschall, Marton; Chang, Jiho

2013-01-01

instruments and mobile phones. Previously, a mixed-order Ambisonics (MOA) approach was proposed to improve the horizontal spatial resolution of spherical arrays. This was achieved by increasing the number of microphones near the horizontal plane while keeping the total number of transducers fixed...

Studying Room Acoustics using a Monopole-Dipole Microphone Array

Science.gov (United States)

Begault, Durand R.; Abel, Jonathan S.; Gills, Stephen R. (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

The use of a soundfield microphone for examining the directional nature of a room impulse response was reported recently. By cross-correlating monopole and co-located dipole microphone signals aligned with left-right, up-down, and front-back axes, a sense of signal direction of arrival is revealed. The current study is concerned with the array's ability to detect individual reflections and directions of arrival, as a function of the cross-correlation window duration. If is window is too long, weak reflections are overlooked; if too short, spurious detections result. Guidelines are presented for setting the window width according to perceptual criteria. Formulas are presented describing the accuracy with which direction of arrival can be estimated as a function of room specifics and measurement noise. The direction of arrival of early reflections is more accurately determined than that of later reflections which are quieter and more numerous. The transition from a fairly directional sound field at the beginning of the room impulse response to a uni-directional diffuse field is examined. Finally, it is shown that measurements from additional dipole orientations can significantly improve the ability to detect reflections and estimate their directions of arrival.

Development of a leak detection system using high temperature-resistant microphones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morishita, Yoshitsugu; Mochizuki, Hiroyasu; Watanabe, Kenshiu; Nakamura, Takahisa; Nakajima, Yoshiaki; Yamauchi, Tatsuya

1991-01-01

This report describes the development of a detection system of coolant leak from an inlet feeder pipe of an Advanced Thermal Reactor (ATR) with high temperature-resistant microphones. A microphone having resistance to both high temperature and high radiation dose has been developed at first. The characteristics with regard to leakage sound, attenuation of sound level in a heat insulating box for the inlet feeder pipes and background noise were clarified by laboratory experiments and measurements in the prototype ATR 'Fugen'. On the basis of these experimental findings, appropriate frequency ranges were surveyed to detect the leakage sound with a high S/N ratio under the background noise. Reliability of the system to a malfunction caused by burst-type noises observed in the plant was also investigated by statistical analyses. Finally, it was confirmed that the present method could detect a leak within a couple of seconds. (author)

High Channel Count, High Density Microphone Arrays for Wind Tunnel Environments, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Interdisciplinary Consulting Corporation (IC2) proposes the development of high channel count, high density, reduced cost per channel, directional microphone...

Nano-tribology and materials in MEMS

CERN Document Server

Satyanarayana, N; Lim, Seh

2013-01-01

This book brings together recent developments in the areas of MEMS tribology, novel lubricants and coatings for nanotechnological applications, biomimetics in tribology and fundamentals of micro/nano-tribology. Tribology plays important roles in the functioning and durability of machines at small length scales because of the problems associated with strong surface adhesion, friction, wear etc. Recently, a number of studies have been conducted to understand tribological phenomena at nano/micro scales and many new tribological solutions for MEMS have been proposed.

Review of Automated Design and Optimization of MEMS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Achiche, Sofiane; Fan, Zhun; Bolognini, Francesca

2007-01-01

carried out. This paper presents a review of these techniques. The design task of MEMS is usually divided into four main stages: System Level, Device Level, Physical Level and the Process Level. The state of the art o automated MEMS design in each of these levels is investigated....

Nanoscale capacitance: A quantum tight-binding model

Science.gov (United States)

Zhai, Feng; Wu, Jian; Li, Yang; Lu, Jun-Qiang

2017-01-01

Landauer-Buttiker formalism with the assumption of semi-infinite electrodes as reservoirs has been the standard approach in modeling steady electron transport through nanoscale devices. However, modeling dynamic electron transport properties, especially nanoscale capacitance, is a challenging problem because of dynamic contributions from electrodes, which is neglectable in modeling macroscopic capacitance and mesoscopic conductance. We implement a self-consistent quantum tight-binding model to calculate capacitance of a nano-gap system consisting of an electrode capacitance C‧ and an effective capacitance Cd of the middle device. From the calculations on a nano-gap made of carbon nanotube with a buckyball therein, we show that when the electrode length increases, the electrode capacitance C‧ moves up while the effective capacitance Cd converges to a value which is much smaller than the electrode capacitance C‧. Our results reveal the importance of electrodes in modeling nanoscale ac circuits, and indicate that the concepts of semi-infinite electrodes and reservoirs well-accepted in the steady electron transport theory may be not applicable in modeling dynamic transport properties.

Capacitive Sensing of Glucose in Electrolytes Using Graphene Quantum Capacitance Varactors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yao; Ma, Rui; Zhen, Xue V; Kudva, Yogish C; Bühlmann, Philippe; Koester, Steven J

2017-11-08

A novel graphene-based variable capacitor (varactor) that senses glucose based on the quantum capacitance effect was successfully developed. The sensor utilizes a metal-oxide-graphene varactor device structure that is inherently compatible with passive wireless sensing, a key advantage for in vivo glucose sensing. The graphene varactors were functionalized with pyrene-1-boronic acid (PBA) by self-assembly driven by π-π interactions. Successful surface functionalization was confirmed by both Raman spectroscopy and capacitance-voltage characterization of the devices. Through glucose binding to the PBA, the glucose concentration in the buffer solutions modulates the level of electrostatic doping of the graphene surface to different degrees, which leads to capacitance changes and Dirac voltage shifts. These responses to the glucose concentration were shown to be reproducible and reversible over multiple measurement cycles, suggesting promise for eventual use in wireless glucose monitoring.

MP.EXE, a Calculation Program for Pressure Reciprocity Calibration of Microphones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Knud

1998-01-01

A computer program is described which calculates the pressure sensitivity of microphones based on measurements of the electrical transfer impedance in a reciprocity calibration set-up. The calculations are performed according to the International Standard IEC 6194-2. In addition a number of options...

MEMS Micro-Valve for Space Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Chakraborty, I.; Tang, W. C.; Bame, D. P.; Tang, T. K.

1998-01-01

We report on the development of a Micro-ElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) valve that is designed to meet the rigorous performance requirements for a variety of space applications, such as micropropulsion, in-situ chemical analysis of other planets, or micro-fluidics experiments in micro-gravity. These systems often require very small yet reliable silicon valves with extremely low leak rates and long shelf lives. Also, they must survive the perils of space travel, which include unstoppable radiation, monumental shock and vibration forces, as well as extreme variations in temperature. Currently, no commercial MEMS valve meets these requirements. We at JPL are developing a piezoelectric MEMS valve that attempts to address the unique problem of space. We begin with proven configurations that may seem familiar. However, we have implemented some major design innovations that should produce a superior valve. The JPL micro-valve is expected to have an extremely low leak rate, limited susceptibility to particulates, vibration or radiation, as well as a wide operational temperature range.

Radioisotope Power Sources for MEMS Devices,

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanchard, J.P.

2001-01-01

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) comprise a rapidly expanding research field with potential applications varying from sensors in airbags to more recent optical applications. Depending on the application, these devices often require an on-board power source for remote operation, especially in cases requiring operation for an extended period of time. Previously suggested power sources include fossil fuels and solar energy, but nuclear power sources may provide significant advantages for certain applications. Hence, the objective of this study is to establish the viability of using radioisotopes to power realistic MEMS devices. A junction-type battery was constructed using silicon and a 63 Ni liquid source. A source volume containing 64 microCi provided a power of ∼0.07 nW. A more novel application of nuclear sources for MEMS applications involves the creation of a resonator that is driven by charge collection in a cantilever beam. Preliminary results have established the feasibility of this concept, and future work will optimize the design for various applications

Mathematical analysis of partial differential equations modeling electrostatic MEMS

CERN Document Server

Esposito, Pierpaolo; Guo, Yujin

2010-01-01

Micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS and NEMS), which combine electronics with miniature-size mechanical devices, are essential components of modern technology. It is the mathematical model describing "electrostatically actuated" MEMS that is addressed in this monograph. Even the simplified models that the authors deal with still lead to very interesting second- and fourth-order nonlinear elliptic equations (in the stationary case) and to nonlinear parabolic equations (in the dynamic case). While nonlinear eigenvalue problems-where the stationary MEMS models fit-are a well-developed

Additive direct-write microfabrication for MEMS: A review

Science.gov (United States)

Teh, Kwok Siong

2017-12-01

Direct-write additive manufacturing refers to a rich and growing repertoire of well-established fabrication techniques that builds solid objects directly from computer- generated solid models without elaborate intermediate fabrication steps. At the macroscale, direct-write techniques such as stereolithography, selective laser sintering, fused deposition modeling ink-jet printing, and laminated object manufacturing have significantly reduced concept-to-product lead time, enabled complex geometries, and importantly, has led to the renaissance in fabrication known as the maker movement. The technological premises of all direct-write additive manufacturing are identical—converting computer generated three-dimensional models into layers of two-dimensional planes or slices, which are then reconstructed sequentially into threedimensional solid objects in a layer-by-layer format. The key differences between the various additive manufacturing techniques are the means of creating the finished layers and the ancillary processes that accompany them. While still at its infancy, direct-write additive manufacturing techniques at the microscale have the potential to significantly lower the barrier-of-entry—in terms of cost, time and training—for the prototyping and fabrication of MEMS parts that have larger dimensions, high aspect ratios, and complex shapes. In recent years, significant advancements in materials chemistry, laser technology, heat and fluid modeling, and control systems have enabled additive manufacturing to achieve higher resolutions at the micrometer and nanometer length scales to be a viable technology for MEMS fabrication. Compared to traditional MEMS processes that rely heavily on expensive equipment and time-consuming steps, direct-write additive manufacturing techniques allow for rapid design-to-prototype realization by limiting or circumventing the need for cleanrooms, photolithography and extensive training. With current direct-write additive

Remote Microphone System Use at Home: Impact on Caregiver Talk

Science.gov (United States)

Benítez-Barrera, Carlos R.; Angley, Gina P.; Tharpe, Anne Marie

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of home use of a remote microphone system (RMS) on the spoken language production of caregivers with young children who have hearing loss. Method: Language Environment Analysis recorders were used with 10 families during 2 consecutive weekends (RMS weekend and No-RMS weekend). The…

Fast calculation of microphone array steering vectors with shear flow

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sijtsma, P.

2018-01-01

This paper proposes a fast method for calculating the acoustic time delay between an observer and a receiver in a shear flow. This method is applied to an outdoor microphone array measurement on a large-scale wind turbine. In such a set-up, a shear flow represents the actual wind field better than a

Mitigating Wind Induced Noise in Outdoor Microphone Signals Using a Singular Spectral Subspace Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Omar Eldwaik

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Wind induced noise is one of the major concerns of outdoor acoustic signal acquisition. It affects many field measurement and audio recording scenarios. Filtering such noise is known to be difficult due to its broadband and time varying nature. In this paper, a new method to mitigate wind induced noise in microphone signals is developed. Instead of applying filtering techniques, wind induced noise is statistically separated from wanted signals in a singular spectral subspace. The paper is presented in the context of handling microphone signals acquired outdoor for acoustic sensing and environmental noise monitoring or soundscapes sampling. The method includes two complementary stages, namely decomposition and reconstruction. The first stage decomposes mixed signals in eigen-subspaces, selects and groups the principal components according to their contributions to wind noise and wanted signals in the singular spectrum domain. The second stage reconstructs the signals in the time domain, resulting in the separation of wind noise and wanted signals. Results show that microphone wind noise is separable in the singular spectrum domain evidenced by the weighted correlation. The new method might be generalized to other outdoor sound acquisition applications.

Ball driven type MEMS SAD for artillery fuse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seok, Jin Oh; Jeong, Ji-hun; Eom, Junseong; Lee, Seung S; Lee, Chun Jae; Ryu, Sung Moon; Oh, Jong Soo

2017-01-01

The SAD (safety and arming device) is an indispensable fuse component that ensures safe and reliable performance during the use of ammunition. Because the application of electronic devices for smart munitions is increasing, miniaturization of the SAD has become one of the key issues for next-generation artillery fuses. Based on MEMS technology, various types of miniaturized SADs have been proposed and fabricated. However, none of them have been reported to have been used in actual munitions due to their lack of high impact endurance and complicated explosive train arrangements. In this research, a new MEMS SAD using a ball driven mechanism, is successfully demonstrated based on a UV LIGA (lithography, electroplating and molding) process. Unlike other MEMS SADs, both high impact endurance and simple structure were achieved by using a ball driven mechanism. The simple structural design also simplified the fabrication process and increased the processing yield. The ball driven type MEMS SAD performed successfully under the desired safe and arming conditions of a spin test and showed fine agreement with the FEM simulation result, conducted prior to its fabrication. A field test was also performed with a grenade launcher to evaluate the SAD performance in the firing environment. All 30 of the grenade samples equipped with the proposed MEMS SAD operated successfully under the high-G setback condition. (paper)

Ball driven type MEMS SAD for artillery fuse

Science.gov (United States)

Seok, Jin Oh; Jeong, Ji-hun; Eom, Junseong; Lee, Seung S.; Lee, Chun Jae; Ryu, Sung Moon; Oh, Jong Soo

2017-01-01

The SAD (safety and arming device) is an indispensable fuse component that ensures safe and reliable performance during the use of ammunition. Because the application of electronic devices for smart munitions is increasing, miniaturization of the SAD has become one of the key issues for next-generation artillery fuses. Based on MEMS technology, various types of miniaturized SADs have been proposed and fabricated. However, none of them have been reported to have been used in actual munitions due to their lack of high impact endurance and complicated explosive train arrangements. In this research, a new MEMS SAD using a ball driven mechanism, is successfully demonstrated based on a UV LIGA (lithography, electroplating and molding) process. Unlike other MEMS SADs, both high impact endurance and simple structure were achieved by using a ball driven mechanism. The simple structural design also simplified the fabrication process and increased the processing yield. The ball driven type MEMS SAD performed successfully under the desired safe and arming conditions of a spin test and showed fine agreement with the FEM simulation result, conducted prior to its fabrication. A field test was also performed with a grenade launcher to evaluate the SAD performance in the firing environment. All 30 of the grenade samples equipped with the proposed MEMS SAD operated successfully under the high-G setback condition.

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

As a field, Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) has matured over the last two decades to have several scientific journals dedicated to it. These journals are instrumental in bringing out the interdisciplinary nature of research that the field demands. In the beginning, most papers were process centric where realization of ...

RF MEMS theory, design, and technology

CERN Document Server

Rebeiz, Gabriel M

2003-01-01

Ultrasmall Radio Frequency and Micro-wave Microelectromechanical systems (RF MEMs), such as switches, varactors, and phase shifters, exhibit nearly zero power consumption or loss. For this reason, they are being developed intensively by corporations worldwide for use in telecommunications equipment. This book acquaints readers with the basics of RF MEMs and describes how to design practical circuits and devices with them. The author, an acknowledged expert in the field, presents a range of real-world applications and shares many valuable tricks of the trade.

Enabling technology for MEMS and nanodevices

CERN Document Server

Baltes, Henry; Fedder, Gary K; Hierold, Christofer; Korvink, Jan G; Tabata, Osamu

2013-01-01

This softcover edition of the eponymous volume from the successful ""Advanced Micro & Nanosystems"" series covers all aspects of fabrication of MEMS under CMOS-compatible conditions from design to implementation.It examines the various routes and methods to combine electronics generated by the CMOS technology with novel micromechanical parts into one-chip solutions. Various approaches, fundamental and technological aspects as well as strategies leading to different types of functionalities and presented in detail.For the practicing engineer as well as MSc and PhD students on MEMS cours

From MEMS to nanomachine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esashi, Masayoshi; Ono, Takahito

2005-01-01

Practically applicable microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and nanomachines have been developed by applying dry processes. Deep reactive ion etching (RIE) of silicon and its applications to an electrostatically levitated rotational gyroscope, a fibre optic blood pressure sensor and in micro-actuated probes are described. High density electrical feedthrough in glass is made using deep RIE of glass and electroplating of metal. Multi-probe data storage system has been developed using the high density electrical feedthrough in glass. Chemical vapour deposition (CVD) of different materials have been developed for MEMS applications; trench-refill using SiO 2 CVD, microstructures using Silicon carbide CVD for glass mold press and selective CVD of carbon nanotube for electron field emitter. Multi-column electron beam lithography system has been developed using the electron field emitter. (topical review)

A CMOS micromachined capacitive tactile sensor with integrated readout circuits and compensation of process variations.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Tsung-Heng; Tsai, Hao-Cheng; Wu, Tien-Keng

2014-10-01

This paper presents a capacitive tactile sensor fabricated in a standard CMOS process. Both of the sensor and readout circuits are integrated on a single chip by a TSMC 0.35 μm CMOS MEMS technology. In order to improve the sensitivity, a T-shaped protrusion is proposed and implemented. This sensor comprises the metal layer and the dielectric layer without extra thin film deposition, and can be completed with few post-processing steps. By a nano-indenter, the measured spring constant of the T-shaped structure is 2.19 kNewton/m. Fully differential correlated double sampling capacitor-to-voltage converter (CDS-CVC) and reference capacitor correction are utilized to compensate process variations and improve the accuracy of the readout circuits. The measured displacement-to-voltage transductance is 7.15 mV/nm, and the sensitivity is 3.26 mV/μNewton. The overall power dissipation is 132.8 μW.

Microwave frequency detector at X-band using GaAs MMIC technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Jun; Liao Xiaoping; Jiao Yongchang

2009-01-01

The design, fabrication, and experimental results of an MEMS microwave frequency detector are presented for the first time. The structure consists of a microwave power divider, two CPW transmission lines, a microwave power combiner, an MEMS capacitive power sensor and a thermopile. The detector has been designed and fabricated on GaAs substrate using the MMIC process at the X-band successfully. The MEMS capacitive power sensor is used for detecting the high power signal, while the thermopile is used for detecting the low power signal. Signals of 17 and 10 dBm are measured over the X-band. The sensitivity is 0.56 MHz/fF under 17 dBm by the capacitive power sensor, and 6.67 MHz/μV under 10 dBm by the thermopile, respectively. The validity of the presented design has been confirmed by the experiment.

Development of the micro pixel chamber based on MEMS technology

Science.gov (United States)

Takemura, T.; Takada, A.; Kishimoto, T.; Komura, S.; Kubo, H.; Matsuoka, Y.; Miuchi, K.; Miyamoto, S.; Mizumoto, T.; Mizumura, Y.; Motomura, T.; Nakamasu, Y.; Nakamura, K.; Oda, M.; Ohta, K.; Parker, J. D.; Sawano, T.; Sonoda, S.; Tanimori, T.; Tomono, D.; Yoshikawa, K.

2018-02-01

Micro pixel chambers (μ-PIC) are gaseous two-dimensional imaging detectors originally manufactured using printed circuit board (PCB) technology. They are used in MeV gamma-ray astronomy, medicalimaging, neutron imaging, the search for dark matter, and dose monitoring. The position resolution of the present μ-PIC is approximately 120 μm (RMS), however some applications require a fine position resolution of less than 100 μm. To this end, we have started to develop a μ-PIC based on micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) technology, which provides better manufacturing accuracy than PCB technology. Our simulation predicted the gains of MEMS μ-PICs to be twice those of PCB μ-PICs at the same anode voltage. We manufactured two MEMS μ-PICs and tested them to study their behavior. In these experiments, we successfully operated the fabricatedMEMS μ-PICs and we achieved a maximum gain of approximately 7×103 and collected their energy spectra under irradiation of X-rays from 55Fe. However, the measured gains of the MEMS μ-PICs were less than half of the values predicted in the simulations. We postulated that the gains of the MEMS μ-PICs are diminished by the effect of the silicon used as a semiconducting substrate.

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

to have several scientific journals dedicated to it. These journals are instrumental in bringing out the interdisciplinary nature of research that the field demands. In the beginning, most papers were process centric where realization of a MEMS device or structure using conven- tional CMOS processes or their variants was the ...

Integrated Electromechanical Transduction Schemes for Polymer MEMS Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Damien Thuau

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Polymer Micro ElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS have the potential to constitute a powerful alternative to silicon-based MEMS devices for sensing applications. Although the use of commercial photoresists as structural material in polymer MEMS has been widely reported, the integration of functional polymer materials as electromechanical transducers has not yet received the same amount of interest. In this context, we report on the design and fabrication of different electromechanical schemes based on polymeric materials ensuring different transduction functions. Piezoresistive transduction made of carbon nanotube-based nanocomposites with a gauge factor of 200 was embedded within U-shaped polymeric cantilevers operating either in static or dynamic modes. Flexible resonators with integrated piezoelectric transduction were also realized and used as efficient viscosity sensors. Finally, piezoelectric-based organic field effect transistor (OFET electromechanical transduction exhibiting a record sensitivity of over 600 was integrated into polymer cantilevers and used as highly sensitive strain and humidity sensors. Such advances in integrated electromechanical transduction schemes should favor the development of novel all-polymer MEMS devices for flexible and wearable applications in the future.

On the use of mobile phones and wearable microphones for noise exposure measurements: Calibration and measurement accuracy

Science.gov (United States)

Dumoulin, Romain

Despite the fact that noise-induced hearing loss remains the number one occupational disease in developed countries, individual noise exposure levels are still rarely known and infrequently tracked. Indeed, efforts to standardize noise exposure levels present disadvantages such as costly instrumentation and difficulties associated with on site implementation. Given their advanced technical capabilities and widespread daily usage, mobile phones could be used to measure noise levels and make noise monitoring more accessible. However, the use of mobile phones for measuring noise exposure is currently limited due to the lack of formal procedures for their calibration and challenges regarding the measurement procedure. Our research investigated the calibration of mobile phone-based solutions for measuring noise exposure using a mobile phone's built-in microphones and wearable external microphones. The proposed calibration approach integrated corrections that took into account microphone placement error. The corrections were of two types: frequency-dependent, using a digital filter and noise level-dependent, based on the difference between the C-weighted noise level minus A-weighted noise level of the noise measured by the phone. The electro-acoustical limitations and measurement calibration procedure of the mobile phone were investigated. The study also sought to quantify the effect of noise exposure characteristics on the accuracy of calibrated mobile phone measurements. Measurements were carried out in reverberant and semi-anechoic chambers with several mobiles phone units of the same model, two types of external devices (an earpiece and a headset with an in-line microphone) and an acoustical test fixture (ATF). The proposed calibration approach significantly improved the accuracy of the noise level measurements in diffuse and free fields, with better results in the diffuse field and with ATF positions causing little or no acoustic shadowing. Several sources of errors

Carbon flow electrodes for continuous operation of capacitive deionization and capacitive mixing energy generation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Porada, S.; Hamelers, H.V.M.; Bryjak, M.; Presser, V.; Biesheuvel, P.M.; Weingarth, D.

2014-01-01

Capacitive technologies, such as capacitive deionization and energy harvesting based on mixing energy (“capmix” and “CO2 energy”), are characterized by intermittent operation: phases of ion electrosorption from the water are followed by system regeneration. From a system application point of view,

Antenna Miniaturization with MEMS Tunable Capacitors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barrio, Samantha Caporal Del; Morris, Art; Pedersen, Gert Frølund

2014-01-01

In today’s mobile device market, there is a strong need for efficient antenna miniaturization. Tunable antennas are a very promising way to reduce antenna volume while enlarging its operating bandwidth. MEMS tunable capacitors are state-ofthe- art in terms of insertion loss and their characterist......In today’s mobile device market, there is a strong need for efficient antenna miniaturization. Tunable antennas are a very promising way to reduce antenna volume while enlarging its operating bandwidth. MEMS tunable capacitors are state-ofthe- art in terms of insertion loss...

Sputtered highly oriented PZT thin films for MEMS applications

Science.gov (United States)

Kalpat, Sriram S.

Recently there has been an explosion of interest in the field of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). MEMS device technology has become critical in the growth of various fields like medical, automotive, chemical, and space technology. Among the many applications of ferroelectric thin films in MEMS devices, microfluidics is a field that has drawn considerable amount of research from bio-technology industries as well as chemical and semiconductor manufacturing industries. PZT thin films have been identified as best suited materials for micro-actuators and micro-sensors used in MEMS devices. A promising application for piezoelectric thin film based MEMS devices is disposable drug delivery systems that are capable of sensing biological parameters, mixing and delivering minute and precise amounts of drugs using micro-pumps or micro mixers. These devices call for low driving voltages, so that they can be battery operated. Improving the performance of the actuator material is critical in achieving battery operated disposal drug delivery systems. The device geometry and power consumption in MEMS devices largely depends upon the piezoelectric constant of the films, since they are most commonly used to convert electrical energy into a mechanical response of a membrane or cantilever and vice versa. Phenomenological calculation on the crystal orientation dependence of piezoelectric coefficients for PZT single crystal have reported a significant enhancement of the piezoelectric d33 constant by more than 3 times along [001] in the rhombohedral phase as compared to the conventionally used orientation PZT(111) since [111] is the along the spontaneous polarization direction. This could mean considerable improvement in the MEMS device performance and help drive the operating voltages lower. The motivation of this study is to investigate the crystal orientation dependence of both dielectric and piezoelectric coefficients of PZT thin films in order to select the appropriate

Metrics for performance assessment of mixed-order Ambisonics spherical microphone arrays

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Favrot, Sylvain Emmanuel; Marschall, Marton

2012-01-01

Mixed-order Ambisonics (MOA) combines planar (2D) higher order Ambisonics (HOA) with lower order periphonic (3D) Ambisonics. MOA encoding from spherical microphone arrays has the potential to provide versatile recordings that can be played back using 2D, 3D or mixed systems. A procedure to generate...

Development of a Microphone Phased Array Capability for the Langley 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel

Science.gov (United States)

Humphreys, William M.; Brooks, Thomas F.; Bahr, Christopher J.; Spalt, Taylor B.; Bartram, Scott M.; Culliton, William G.; Becker, Lawrence E.

2014-01-01

A new aeroacoustic measurement capability has been developed for use in open-jet testing in the NASA Langley 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel (14x22 tunnel). A suite of instruments has been developed to characterize noise source strengths, locations, and directivity for both semi-span and full-span test articles in the facility. The primary instrument of the suite is a fully traversable microphone phased array for identification of noise source locations and strengths on models. The array can be mounted in the ceiling or on either side of the facility test section to accommodate various test article configurations. Complementing the phased array is an ensemble of streamwise traversing microphones that can be placed around the test section at defined locations to conduct noise source directivity studies along both flyover and sideline axes. A customized data acquisition system has been developed for the instrumentation suite that allows for command and control of all aspects of the array and microphone hardware, and is coupled with a comprehensive data reduction system to generate information in near real time. This information includes such items as time histories and spectral data for individual microphones and groups of microphones, contour presentations of noise source locations and strengths, and hemispherical directivity data. The data acquisition system integrates with the 14x22 tunnel data system to allow real time capture of facility parameters during acquisition of microphone data. The design of the phased array system has been vetted via a theoretical performance analysis based on conventional monopole beamforming and DAMAS deconvolution. The performance analysis provides the ability to compute figures of merit for the array as well as characterize factors such as beamwidths, sidelobe levels, and source discrimination for the types of noise sources anticipated in the 14x22 tunnel. The full paper will summarize in detail the design of the instrumentation

Experimental Study of the Information Signal of Combined Shock, Tilt, and Motion Sensor Based on the 3-Axis MEMS-Accelerometer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. A. Vasyukov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Modern car alarm systems are equipped with smart sensors implemented using various physical principles. These sensors have to ensure high reliability and validity of monitored parameters with a lack of false operations. First of all, shock sensor, which is a part of, essentially, entire alarm systems, as well as tilt and motion sensors are referred to the smart sensors.Shock sensors with the sensitive elements (SE of piezoelectric, microphone, and electromagnetic types possess a number of the essential shortcomings caused by the type of SE. It is, first of all, a narrow band of the sensitive elements, which does not allow true differentiation of shocks to the autobody from false actions, as well as a various sensitivity of sensors depending on the SE axis orientation.Tilt sensors of electromagnetic type implemented as separate devices were seldom used because of their high cost and imperfect characteristics. Though there is still a need for such sensors. The specified shortcomings can be hardly overcome through improvement of sensitive element hangers of considered sensors. The use of the three-axial accelerometers made by MEMS technology seems to be the most perspective here.The article presents results of pilot studies of the accelerations reached when auto-body is under shock and a car is inclined and runs. When measuring, the test board STM32F3DISCOVERY with the MEMS accelerometer LSM303DLHS is used. A level of noise and vibrations has been analysed when mounting a board on the plastic panel of the car and when operating the engine in the range from 700 to 4000 rpm. The article presents accelerations implemented under the following conditions: light shocks in different parts of the auto-body (wing, trunk, hood; strong shock (closing a door; slow and fast acceleration to the speed of 20 km/h with the subsequent braking and passage of obstacles such as "sleeping policemen".Research results enabled us to make justification for selecting the

Nondestructive surface profiling of hidden MEMS using an infrared low-coherence interferometric microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Krauter, Johann; Osten, Wolfgang

2018-03-01

There are a wide range of applications for micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). The automotive and consumer market is the strongest driver for the growing MEMS industry. A 100 % test of MEMS is particularly necessary since these are often used for safety-related purposes such as the ESP (Electronic Stability Program) system. The production of MEMS is a fully automated process that generates 90 % of the costs during the packaging and dicing steps. Nowadays, an electrical test is carried out on each individual MEMS component before these steps. However, after encapsulation, MEMS are opaque to visible light and other defects cannot be detected. Therefore, we apply an infrared low-coherence interferometer for the topography measurement of those hidden structures. A lock-in algorithm-based method is shown to calculate the object height and to reduce ghost steps due to the 2π -unambiguity. Finally, measurements of different MEMS-based sensors are presented.

Ultra-compact MEMS FTIR spectrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Sabry, Yasser M.; Hassan, Khaled; Anwar, Momen; Alharon, Mohamed H.; Medhat, Mostafa; Adib, George A.; Dumont, Rich; Saadany, Bassam; Khalil, Diaa

2017-05-01

Portable and handheld spectrometers are being developed and commercialized in the late few years leveraging the rapidly-progressing technology and triggering new markets in the field of on-site spectroscopic analysis. Although handheld devices were commercialized for the near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), their size and cost stand as an obstacle against the deployment of the spectrometer as spectral sensing components needed for the smart phone industry and the IoT applications. In this work we report a chip-sized microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based FTIR spectrometer. The core optical engine of the solution is built using a passive-alignment integration technique for a selfaligned MEMS chip; self-aligned microoptics and a single detector in a tiny package sized about 1 cm3. The MEMS chip is a monolithic, high-throughput scanning Michelson interferometer fabricated using deep reactive ion etching technology of silicon-on-insulator substrate. The micro-optical part is used for conditioning the input/output light to/from the MEMS and for further light direction to the detector. Thanks to the all-reflective design of the conditioning microoptics, the performance is free of chromatic aberration. Complemented by the excellent transmission properties of the silicon in the infrared region, the integrated solution allows very wide spectral range of operation. The reported sensor's spectral resolution is about 33 cm-1 and working in the range of 1270 nm to 2700 nm; upper limited by the extended InGaAs detector. The presented solution provides a low cost, low power, tiny size, wide wavelength range NIR spectral sensor that can be manufactured with extremely high volumes. All these features promise the compatibility of this technology with the forthcoming demand of smart portable and IoT devices.

Políticas Públicas de Memória O Programa Pontos de Memória no Contexto Sul-Rio-Grandense

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Boujadi Mariano da Silva

2016-12-01

Full Text Available O presente estudo busca realizar uma análise do Programa Pontos de Memória, do Instituto Brasileiro de Museus. Analisando o Programa, observa-se a iniciativa de preservar a memória de determinados grupos sociais considerados excluídos da representação de museus ditos tradicionais, através da implementação de espaços de memória ou ações sociomuseológicas, que narrem suas histórias a partir do suporte de patrimônios locais. A análise parte de questionamentos iniciais: quais são as memórias e as identidades que o Programa seleciona para narrar, através de quais ferramentas ocorre a divulgação e sobretudo a apropriação deste patrimônio por parte da comunidade? Para analisar as causas e os efeitos desta política pública, o trabalho observará e discutirá o alcance e a influência que esses espaços exercem nas comunidades, as ações desenvolvidas e a longevidade desses espaços ou ações no contexto sul-rio-grandense.

Improved capacitance sensor with variable operating frequency for scanning capacitance microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Joonhyung; Kim, Joonhui; Jeong, Jong-Hwa; Lee, Euy-Kyu; Seok Kim, Yong; Kang, Chi Jung; Park, Sang-il

2005-01-01

Scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) has been gaining attention for its capability to measure local electrical properties in doping profile, oxide thickness, trapped charges and charge dynamics. In many cases, stray capacitance produced by different samples and measurement conditions affects the resonance frequency of a capacitance sensor. The applications of conventional SCM are critically limited by the fixed operating frequency and lack of tunability in its SCM sensor. In order to widen SCM application to various samples, we have developed a novel SCM sensor with variable operating frequency. By performing variable frequency sweep over the band of 160 MHz, the SCM sensor is tuned to select the best and optimized resonance frequency and quality factor for each sample measurement. The fundamental advantage of the new variable frequency SCM sensor was demonstrated in the SCM imaging of silicon oxide nano-crystals. Typical sensitivity of the variable frequency SCM sensor was found to be 10 -19 F/V

A Review on Key Issues and Challenges in Devices Level MEMS Testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Shoaib

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The present review provides information relevant to issues and challenges in MEMS testing techniques that are implemented to analyze the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS behavior for specific application and operating conditions. MEMS devices are more complex and extremely diverse due to the immersion of multidomains. Their failure modes are distinctive under different circumstances. Therefore, testing of these systems at device level as well as at mass production level, that is, parallel testing, is becoming very challenging as compared to the IC test, because MEMS respond to electrical, physical, chemical, and optical stimuli. Currently, test systems developed for MEMS devices have to be customized due to their nondeterministic behavior and complexity. The accurate measurement of test systems for MEMS is difficult to quantify in the production phase. The complexity of the device to be tested required maturity in the test technique which increases the cost of test development; this practice is directly imposed on the device cost. This factor causes a delay in time-to-market.

A low-noise MEMS accelerometer for unattended ground sensor applications

Science.gov (United States)

Speller, Kevin E.; Yu, Duli

2004-09-01

A low-noise micro-machined servo accelerometer has been developed for use in Unattended Ground Sensors (UGS). Compared to conventional coil-and-magnet based velocity transducers, this Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) accelerometer offers several key benefits for battlefield monitoring. Many UGS require a compass to determine deployment orientation with respect to magnetic North. This orientation information is critical for determining the bearing of incoming signals. Conventional sensors with sensing technology based on a permanent magnet can cause interference with a compass when used in close proximity. This problem is solved with a MEMS accelerometer which does not require any magnetic materials. Frequency information below 10 Hz is valuable for identification of signal sources. Conventional seismometers used in UGS are typically limited in frequency response from 20 to 200 Hz. The MEMS accelerometer has a flat frequency response from DC to 5 kHz. The wider spectrum of signals received improves detection, classification and monitoring on the battlefield. The DC-coupled output of the MEMS accelerometer also has the added benefit of providing tilt orientation data for the deployed UGS. Other performance parameters of the MEMS accelerometer that are important to UGS such as size, weight, shock survivability, phase response, distortion, and cross-axis rejection will be discussed. Additionally, field test data from human footsteps recorded with the MEMS accelerometer will be presented.

Leak detection in the primary reactor coolant piping of nuclear power plant by applying beam-microphone technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasai, Yoshimitsu; Shimanskiy, Sergey; Naoi, Yosuke; Kanazawa, Junichi

2004-01-01

A microphone leak detection method was applied to the inlet piping of the ATR-prototype reactor, Fugen. Statistical analysis results showed that the cross-correlation method provided the effective results for detection of a small leakage. However, such a technique has limited application due to significant distortion of the signals on the reactor site. As one of the alternative methods, the beam-microphone provides necessary spatial selectivity and its performance is less affected by signal distortion. A prototype of the beam-microphone was developed and then tested at the O-arai Engineering Center of the Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC). On-site testing of the beam-microphone was carried out in the inlet piping room of an RBMK reactor of the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant (LNPP) in Russia. A leak sound imitator was used to simulate the leakage sound under the leakage flow condition of 1-3 gpm (0.23-0.7 m 3 /h). Analysis showed that signal distortion does not seriously affect the performance of this method, and that sound reflection may result in the appearance of ghost sound sources. The test results showed that the influences of sound reflection and background noise were smaller at the high frequencies where the leakage location could be estimated with an angular accuracy of 5deg which is the range of localization accuracy required for the leak detection system. (author)

A Two-Microphone Noise Reduction System for Cochlear Implant Users with Nearby Microphones—Part II: Performance Evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rudolf Häusler

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Users of cochlear implants (auditory aids, which stimulate the auditory nerve electrically at the inner ear often suffer from poor speech understanding in noise. We evaluate a small (intermicrophone distance 7 mm and computationally inexpensive adaptive noise reduction system suitable for behind-the-ear cochlear implant speech processors. The system is evaluated in simulated and real, anechoic and reverberant environments. Results from simulations show improvements of 3.4 to 9.3 dB in signal to noise ratio for rooms with realistic reverberation and more than 18 dB under anechoic conditions. Speech understanding in noise is measured in 6 adult cochlear implant users in a reverberant room, showing average improvements of 7.9–9.6 dB, when compared to a single omnidirectional microphone or 1.3–5.6 dB, when compared to a simple directional two-microphone device. Subjective evaluation in a cafeteria at lunchtime shows a preference of the cochlear implant users for the evaluated device in terms of speech understanding and sound quality.

Benefits of the Fiber Optic versus the Electret Microphone in Voice Amplification

Science.gov (United States)

Kyriakou, Kyriaki; Fisher, Helene R.

2013-01-01

Background: Voice disorders that result in reduced loudness may cause difficulty in communicating, socializing and participating in occupational activities. Amplification is often recommended in order to facilitate functional communication, reduce vocal load and avoid developing maladaptive compensatory behaviours. The most common microphone used…

Application of the remote microphone method to active noise control in a mobile phone.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheer, Jordan; Elliott, Stephen J; Oh, Eunmi; Jeong, Jonghoon

2018-04-01

Mobile phones are used in a variety of situations where environmental noise may interfere with the ability of the near-end user to communicate with the far-end user. To overcome this problem, it might be possible to use active noise control technology to reduce the noise experienced by the near-end user. This paper initially demonstrates that when an active noise control system is used in a practical mobile phone configuration to minimise the noise measured by an error microphone mounted on the mobile phone, the attenuation achieved at the user's ear depends strongly on the position of the source generating the acoustic interference. To help overcome this problem, a remote microphone processing strategy is investigated that estimates the pressure at the user's ear from the pressure measured by the microphone on the mobile phone. Through an experimental implementation, it is demonstrated that this arrangement achieves a significant improvement in the attenuation measured at the ear of the user, compared to the standard active control strategy. The robustness of the active control system to changes in both the interfering sound field and the position of the mobile device relative to the ear of the user is also investigated experimentally.

Thin Film Transistor Control Circuitry for MEMS Acoustic Transducers

Science.gov (United States)

Daugherty, Robin

This work seeks to develop a practical solution for short range ultrasonic communications and produce an integrated array of acoustic transmitters on a flexible substrate. This is done using flexible thin film transistor (TFT) and micro electromechanical systems (MEMS). The goal is to develop a flexible system capable of communicating in the ultrasonic frequency range at a distance of 10-100 meters. This requires a great deal of innovation on the part of the FDC team developing the TFT driving circuitry and the MEMS team adapting the technology for fabrication on a flexible substrate. The technologies required for this research are independently developed. The TFT development is driven primarily by research into flexible displays. The MEMS development is driving by research in biosensors and micro actuators. This project involves the integration of TFT flexible circuit capabilities with MEMS micro actuators in the novel area of flexible acoustic transmitter arrays. This thesis focuses on the design, testing and analysis of the circuit components required for this project.

Thermal Desalination using MEMS and Salinity-Gradient Solar Pond Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, H.; Walton, J. C.; Hein, H.

2002-08-01

MEMS (multi-effect, multi-stage) flash desalination (distillation) driven by thermal energy derived from a salinity-gradient solar pond is investigated in this study for the purpose of improving the thermodynamic efficiency and economics of this technology. Three major tasks are performed: (1) a MEMS unit is tested under various operating conditions at the El Paso Solar Pond site; (2) the operation and maintenance procedures of the salinity-gradient solar pond coupled with the MEMS operation is studied; and (3) previous test data on a 24-stage, falling-film flash distillation unit (known as the Spinflash) is analyzed and compared with the performance of the MEMS unit. The data and information obtained from this investigation is applicable to a variety of thermal desalination processes using other solar options and/or waste heat.

MEMS Actuators for Improved Performance and Durability

Science.gov (United States)

Yearsley, James M.

Micro-ElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) devices take advantage of force-scaling at length scales smaller than a millimeter to sense and interact with directly with phenomena and targets at the microscale. MEMS sensors found in everyday devices like cell-phones and cars include accelerometers, gyros, pressure sensors, and magnetic sensors. MEMS actuators generally serve more application specific roles including micro- and nano-tweezers used for single cell manipulation, optical switching and alignment components, and micro combustion engines for high energy density power generation. MEMS rotary motors are actuators that translate an electric drive signal into rotational motion and can serve as rate calibration inputs for gyros, stages for optical components, mixing devices for micro-fluidics, etc. Existing rotary micromotors suffer from friction and wear issues that affect lifetime and performance. Attempts to alleviate friction effects include surface treatment, magnetic and electrostatic levitation, pressurized gas bearings, and micro-ball bearings. The present work demonstrates a droplet based liquid bearing supporting a rotary micromotor that improves the operating characteristics of MEMS rotary motors. The liquid bearing provides wear-free, low-friction, passive alignment between the rotor and stator. Droplets are positioned relative to the rotor and stator through patterned superhydrophobic and hydrophilic surface coatings. The liquid bearing consists of a central droplet that acts as the motor shaft, providing axial alignment between rotor and stator, and satellite droplets, analogous to ball-bearings, that provide tip and tilt stable operation. The liquid bearing friction performance is characterized through measurement of the rotational drag coefficient and minimum starting torque due to stiction and geometric effects. Bearing operational performance is further characterized by modeling and measuring stiffness, environmental survivability, and high

Practically Efficient Blind Speech Separation Using Frequency Band Selection Based on Magnitude Squared Coherence and a Small Dodecahedral Microphone Array

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazunobu Kondo

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Small agglomerative microphone array systems have been proposed for use with speech communication and recognition systems. Blind source separation methods based on frequency domain independent component analysis have shown significant separation performance, and the microphone arrays are small enough to make them portable. However, the level of computational complexity involved is very high because the conventional signal collection and processing method uses 60 microphones. In this paper, we propose a band selection method based on magnitude squared coherence. Frequency bands are selected based on the spatial and geometric characteristics of the microphone array device which is strongly related to the dodecahedral shape, and the selected bands are nonuniformly spaced. The estimated reduction in the computational complexity is 90% with a 68% reduction in the number of frequency bands. Separation performance achieved during our experimental evaluation was 7.45 (dB (signal-to-noise ratio and 2.30 (dB (cepstral distortion. These results show improvement in performance compared to the use of uniformly spaced frequency band.

High channel count microphone array accurately and precisely localizes ultrasonic signals from freely-moving mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Warren, Megan R; Sangiamo, Daniel T; Neunuebel, Joshua P

2018-03-01

An integral component in the assessment of vocal behavior in groups of freely interacting animals is the ability to determine which animal is producing each vocal signal. This process is facilitated by using microphone arrays with multiple channels. Here, we made important refinements to a state-of-the-art microphone array based system used to localize vocal signals produced by freely interacting laboratory mice. Key changes to the system included increasing the number of microphones as well as refining the methodology for localizing and assigning vocal signals to individual mice. We systematically demonstrate that the improvements in the methodology for localizing mouse vocal signals led to an increase in the number of signals detected as well as the number of signals accurately assigned to an animal. These changes facilitated the acquisition of larger and more comprehensive data sets that better represent the vocal activity within an experiment. Furthermore, this system will allow more thorough analyses of the role that vocal signals play in social communication. We expect that such advances will broaden our understanding of social communication deficits in mouse models of neurological disorders. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Melancolia, memória e subjetividade

OpenAIRE

Giele Rocha Dorneles

2015-01-01

A proposta desta tese é estabelecer, através de uma perspectiva comparatista, relações entre três temas articuladores: a melancolia, a memória e a subjetividade, de modo a constituir entrelaçamentos possíveis, além de buscar indicar o modo como essas três temáticas são apresentadas e representadas em diferentes formas de expressão das artes, partindo de obras literárias - como “A maior flor do mundo” e “As pequenas memórias”, entre outras de José Saramago, e de autores como Charles Baudelaire...

Gas-leak localization using distributed ultrasonic sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Huseynov, Javid; Baliga, Shankar; Dillencourt, Michael; Bic, Lubomir; Bagherzadeh, Nader

2009-03-01

We propose an ultrasonic gas leak localization system based on a distributed network of sensors. The system deploys highly sensitive miniature Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) microphones and uses a suite of energy-decay (ED) and time-delay of arrival (TDOA) algorithms for localizing a source of a gas leak. Statistical tools such as the maximum likelihood (ML) and the least squares (LS) estimators are used for approximating the source location when closed-form solutions fail in the presence of ambient background nuisance and inherent electronic noise. The proposed localization algorithms were implemented and tested using a Java-based simulation platform connected to four or more distributed MEMS microphones observing a broadband nitrogen leak from an orifice. The performance of centralized and decentralized algorithms under ED and TDOA schemes is analyzed and compared in terms of communication overhead and accuracy in presence of additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN).

Fabrication and performance analysis of MEMS-based Variable Emissivity Radiator for Space Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Changwook; Oh, Hyung-Ung; Kim, Taegyu

2014-01-01

All Louver was typically representative as the thermal control device. The louver was not suitable to be applied to small satellite, because it has the disadvantage of increase in weight and volume. So MEMS-based variable radiator was developed to support the disadvantage of the louver MEMS-based variable emissivity radiator was designed for satellite thermal control. Because of its immediate response and low power consumption. Also MEMS- based variable emissivity radiator has been made smaller by using MEMS process, it could be solved the problem of the increase in weight and volume, and it has a high reliability and immediate response by using electrical control. In this study, operation validation of the MEMS radiator had been carried out, resulting that emissivity could be controlled. Numerical model was also designed to predict the thermal control performance of MEMS-based variable emissivity radiator

A novel prototyping method for die-level monolithic integration of MEMS above-IC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cicek, Paul-Vahe; Zhang, Qing; Saha, Tanmoy; Mahdavi, Sareh; Allidina, Karim; Gamal, Mourad El; Nabki, Frederic

2013-01-01

This work presents a convenient and versatile prototyping method for integrating surface-micromachined microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) directly above IC electronics, at the die level. Such localized implementation helps reduce development costs associated with the acquisition of full-sized semiconductor wafers. To demonstrate the validity of this method, variants of an IC-compatible surface-micromachining MEMS process are used to build different MEMS devices above a commercial transimpedance amplifier chip. Subsequent functional assessments for both the electronics and the MEMS indicate that the integration is successful, validating the prototyping methodology presented in this work, as well as the suitability of the selected MEMS technology for above-IC integration. (paper)

The Sandia MEMS passive shock sensor : FY07 maturation activities.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Houston, Jack E.; Blecke, Jill; Mitchell, John Anthony; Wittwer, Jonathan W.; Crowson, Douglas A.; Clemens, Rebecca C.; Walraven, Jeremy Allen; Epp, David S.; Baker, Michael Sean

2008-08-01

This report describes activities conducted in FY07 to mature the MEMS passive shock sensor. The first chapter of the report provides motivation and background on activities that are described in detail in later chapters. The second chapter discusses concepts that are important for integrating the MEMS passive shock sensor into a system. Following these two introductory chapters, the report details modeling and design efforts, packaging, failure analysis and testing and validation. At the end of FY07, the MEMS passive shock sensor was at TRL 4.

NSF/AFOSR/ASME Workshop on Tribology Issues and Opportunities in MEMS

CERN Document Server

1998-01-01

Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) is already about a billion dollars a year industry and is growing rapidly. So far major emphasis has been placed on the fabrication processes for various devices. There are serious issues related to tribology, mechanics, surfacechemistry and materials science in the operationand manufacturingof many MEMS devices and these issues are preventing an even faster commercialization. Very little is understood about tribology and mechanical properties on micro- to nanoscales of the materials used in the construction of MEMS devices. The MEMS community needs to be exposed to the state-of-the-artoftribology and vice versa. Fundamental understanding of friction/stiction, wear and the role of surface contamination and environmental debris in micro devices is required. There are significantadhesion, friction and wear issues in manufacturing and actual use, facing the MEMS industry. Very little is understood about the tribology of bulk silicon and polysilicon films used in the constr...

Development of a Novel Bone Conduction Verification Tool Using a Surface Microphone: Validation With Percutaneous Bone Conduction Users.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodgetts, William; Scott, Dylan; Maas, Patrick; Westover, Lindsey

2018-03-23

To determine if a newly-designed, forehead-mounted surface microphone would yield equivalent estimates of audibility when compared to audibility measured with a skull simulator for adult bone conduction users. Data was analyzed using a within subjects, repeated measures design. There were two different sensors (skull simulator and surface microphone) measuring the same hearing aid programmed to the same settings for all subjects. We were looking for equivalent results. Twenty-one adult percutaneous bone conduction users (12 females and 9 males) were recruited for this study. Mean age was 54.32 years with a standard deviation of 14.51 years. Nineteen of the subjects had conductive/mixed hearing loss and two had single-sided deafness. To define audibility, we needed to establish two things: (1) in situ-level thresholds at each audiometric frequency in force (skull simulator) and in sound pressure level (SPL; surface microphone). Next, we measured the responses of the preprogrammed test device in force on the skull simulator and in SPL on the surface mic in response to pink noise at three input levels: 55, 65, and 75 dB SPL. The skull simulator responses were converted to real head force responses by means of an individual real head to coupler difference transform. Subtracting the real head force level thresholds from the real head force output of the test aid yielded the audibility for each audiometric frequency for the skull simulator. Subtracting the SPL thresholds from the surface microphone from the SPL output of the test aid yielded the audibility for each audiometric frequency for the surface microphone. The surface microphone was removed and retested to establish the test-retest reliability of the tool. We ran a 2 (sensor) × 3 (input level) × 10 (frequency) mixed analysis of variance to determine if there were any significant main effects and interactions. There was a significant three-way interaction, so we proceeded to explore our planned comparisons

Digital holography for MEMS and microsystem metrology

CERN Document Server

Asundi, Anand

2011-01-01

Approaching the topic of digital holography from the practical perspective of industrial inspection, Digital Holography for MEMS and Microsystem Metrology describes the process of digital holography and its growing applications for MEMS characterization, residual stress measurement, design and evaluation, and device testing and inspection. Asundi also provides a thorough theoretical grounding that enables the reader to understand basic concepts and thus identify areas where this technique can be adopted. This combination of both practical and theoretical approach will ensure the

Oxidative stress detection by MEMS cantilever sensor array based electronic nose

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Anurag; Singh, T. Sonamani; Singh, Priyanka; Yadava, R. D. S.

2018-05-01

This paper is concerned with analyzing the role of polymer swelling induced surface stress in MEMS chemical sensors. The objective is to determine the impact of surface stress on the chemical discrimination ability of MEMS resonator sensors. We considered a case study of hypoxia detection by MEMS sensor array and performed several types of simulation experiments for detection of oxidative stress volatile organic markers in human breath. Both types of sensor response models that account for the surface stress effect and that did not were considered for the analyses in comparison. It is found that the surface stress (hence the polymer swelling) provides better chemical discrimination ability to polymer coated MEMS sensors.

The effect of different cochlear implant microphones on acoustic hearing individuals’ binaural benefits for speech perception in noise

Science.gov (United States)

Aronoff, Justin M.; Freed, Daniel J.; Fisher, Laurel M.; Pal, Ivan; Soli, Sigfrid D.

2011-01-01

Objectives Cochlear implant microphones differ in placement, frequency response, and other characteristics such as whether they are directional. Although normal hearing individuals are often used as controls in studies examining cochlear implant users’ binaural benefits, the considerable differences across cochlear implant microphones make such comparisons potentially misleading. The goal of this study was to examine binaural benefits for speech perception in noise for normal hearing individuals using stimuli processed by head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) based on the different cochlear implant microphones. Design HRTFs were created for different cochlear implant microphones and used to test participants on the Hearing in Noise Test. Experiment 1 tested cochlear implant users and normal hearing individuals with HRTF-processed stimuli and with sound field testing to determine whether the HRTFs adequately simulated sound field testing. Experiment 2 determined the measurement error and performance-intensity function for the Hearing in Noise Test with normal hearing individuals listening to stimuli processed with the various HRTFs. Experiment 3 compared normal hearing listeners’ performance across HRTFs to determine how the HRTFs affected performance. Experiment 4 evaluated binaural benefits for normal hearing listeners using the various HRTFs, including ones that were modified to investigate the contributions of interaural time and level cues. Results The results indicated that the HRTFs adequately simulated sound field testing for the Hearing in Noise Test. They also demonstrated that the test-retest reliability and performance-intensity function were consistent across HRTFs, and that the measurement error for the test was 1.3 dB, with a change in signal-to-noise ratio of 1 dB reflecting a 10% change in intelligibility. There were significant differences in performance when using the various HRTFs, with particularly good thresholds for the HRTF based on the

Design and Optimization of AlN based RF MEMS Switches

Science.gov (United States)

Hasan Ziko, Mehadi; Koel, Ants

2018-05-01

Radio frequency microelectromechanical system (RF MEMS) switch technology might have potential to replace the semiconductor technology in future communication systems as well as communication satellites, wireless and mobile phones. This study is to explore the possibilities of RF MEMS switch design and optimization with aluminium nitride (AlN) thin film as the piezoelectric actuation material. Achieving low actuation voltage and high contact force with optimal geometry using the principle of piezoelectric effect is the main motivation for this research. Analytical and numerical modelling of single beam type RF MEMS switch used to analyse the design parameters and optimize them for the minimum actuation voltage and high contact force. An analytical model using isotropic AlN material properties used to obtain the optimal parameters. The optimized geometry of the device length, width and thickness are 2000 µm, 500 µm and 0.6 µm respectively obtained for the single beam RF MEMS switch. Low actuation voltage and high contact force with optimal geometry are less than 2 Vand 100 µN obtained by analytical analysis. Additionally, the single beam RF MEMS switch are optimized and validated by comparing the analytical and finite element modelling (FEM) analysis.

Development of Testing Methodologies for the Mechanical Properties of MEMS

Science.gov (United States)

Ekwaro-Osire, Stephen

2003-01-01

This effort is to investigate and design testing strategies to determine the mechanical properties of MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) as well as investigate the development of a MEMS Probabilistic Design Methodology (PDM). One item of potential interest is the design of a test for the Weibull size effect in pressure membranes. The Weibull size effect is a consequence of a stochastic strength response predicted from the Weibull distribution. Confirming that MEMS strength is controlled by the Weibull distribution will enable the development of a probabilistic design methodology for MEMS - similar to the GRC developed CARES/Life program for bulk ceramics. However, the primary area of investigation will most likely be analysis and modeling of material interfaces for strength as well as developing a strategy to handle stress singularities at sharp corners, filets, and material interfaces. This will be a continuation of the previous years work. The ultimate objective of this effort is to further develop and verify the ability of the Ceramics Analysis and Reliability Evaluation of Structures Life (CARES/Life) code to predict the time-dependent reliability of MEMS structures subjected to multiple transient loads.

Research and Analysis of MEMS Switches in Different Frequency Bands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenchao Tian

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Due to their high isolation, low insertion loss, high linearity, and low power consumption, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS switches have drawn much attention from researchers in recent years. In this paper, we introduce the research status of MEMS switches in different bands and several reliability issues, such as dielectric charging, contact failure, and temperature instability. In this paper, some of the following methods to improve the performance of MEMS switches in high frequency are summarized: (1 utilizing combinations of several switches in series; (2 covering a float metal layer on the dielectric layer; (3 using dielectric layer materials with high dielectric constants and conductor materials with low resistance; (4 developing MEMS switches using T-match and π-match; (5 designing MEMS switches based on bipolar complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (BiCMOS technology and reconfigurable MEMS’ surfaces; (6 employing thermal compensation structures, circularly symmetric structures, thermal buckle-beam actuators, molybdenum membrane, and thin-film packaging; (7 selecting Ultra-NanoCrystalline diamond or aluminum nitride dielectric materials and applying a bipolar driving voltage, stoppers, and a double-dielectric-layer structure; and (8 adopting gold alloying with carbon nanotubes (CNTs, hermetic and reliable packaging, and mN-level contact.

Piezoelectric Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) Ring Shaped Contour-Mode MEMS Resonators

Science.gov (United States)

Kasambe, P. V.; Asgaonkar, V. V.; Bangera, A. D.; Lokre, A. S.; Rathod, S. S.; Bhoir, D. V.

2018-02-01

Flexibility in setting fundamental frequency of resonator independent of its motional resistance is one of the desired criteria in micro-electromechanical (MEMS) resonator design. It is observed that ring-shaped piezoelectric contour-mode MEMS resonators satisfy this design criterion than in case of rectangular plate MEMS resonators. Also ring-shaped contour-mode piezoelectric MEMS resonator has an advantage that its fundamental frequency is defined by in-plane dimensions, but they show variation of fundamental frequency with different Platinum (Pt) thickness referred as change in ratio of fNEW /fO . This paper presents the effects of variation in geometrical parameters and change in piezoelectric material on the resonant frequencies of Platinum piezoelectric-Aluminium ring-shaped contour-mode MEMS resonators and its electrical parameters. The proposed structure with Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) as the piezoelectric material was observed to be a piezoelectric material with minimal change in fundamental resonant frequency due to Platinum thickness variation. This structure was also found to exhibit extremely low motional resistance of 0.03 Ω as compared to the 31-35 Ω range obtained when using AlN as the piezoelectric material. CoventorWare 10 is used for the design, simulation and corresponding analysis of resonators which is Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis and design tool for MEMS devices.

MEMS and the microbe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ingham, C.J.; Vlieg, J.E.T.V.H.

2008-01-01

In recent years, relatively simple MEMS fabrications have helped accelerate our knowledge of the microbial cell. Current progress and challenges in the application of lab-on-a-chip devices to the viable microbe are reviewed. Furthermore, the degree to which microbiologists are becoming the engineers

Buffering Implications for the Design Space of Streaming MEMS Storage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Khatib, M.G.; Abelmann, Leon; Preas, Kathy

2011-01-01

Emerging nanotechnology-based systems encounter new non-functional requirements. This work addresses MEMS storage, an emerging technology that promises ultrahigh density and energy-efficient storage devices. We study the buffering requirement of MEMS storage in streaming applications. We show that

The Capacitive Magnetic Field Sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Zyatkov, D. O.; Yurchenko, A. V.; Balashov, V. B.; Yurchenko, V. I.

2016-01-01

The results of a study of sensitive element magnetic field sensor are represented in this paper. The sensor is based on the change of the capacitance with an active dielectric (ferrofluid) due to the magnitude of magnetic field. To prepare the ferrofluid magnetic particles are used, which have a followingdispersion equal to 50 brand 5BDSR. The dependence of the sensitivity of the capacitive element from the ferrofluid with different dispersion of magnetic particles is considered. The threshold of sensitivity and sensitivity of a measuring cell with ferrofluid by a magnetic field was determined. The experimental graphs of capacitance change of the magnitude of magnetic field are presented.

Virtual electrical capacitance tomography sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Y; Yang, W Q

2005-01-01

Electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) is an effective technique for elucidating the distribution of dielectric materials inside closed pipes or vessels. This paper describes a virtual electrical capacitance tomography (VECT) system, which can simulate a range of sensor and hardware configurations and material distributions. A selection of popular image reconstruction algorithms has been made available and image error and capacitance error tools enable their performance to be evaluated and compared. Series of frame-by-frame results can be stored for simulating real-time dynamic flows. The system is programmed in Matlab with DOS functions. It is convenient to use and low-cost to operate, providing an effective tool for engineering experiment

On the influence of microphone array geometry on HRTF-based Sound Source Localization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Farmani, Mojtaba; Pedersen, Michael Syskind; Tan, Zheng-Hua

2015-01-01

The direction dependence of Head Related Transfer Functions (HRTFs) forms the basis for HRTF-based Sound Source Localization (SSL) algorithms. In this paper, we show how spectral similarities of the HRTFs of different directions in the horizontal plane influence performance of HRTF-based SSL...... algorithms; the more similar the HRTFs of different angles to the HRTF of the target angle, the worse the performance. However, we also show how the microphone array geometry can assist in differentiating between the HRTFs of the different angles, thereby improving performance of HRTF-based SSL algorithms....... Furthermore, to demonstrate the analysis results, we show the impact of HRTFs similarities and microphone array geometry on an exemplary HRTF-based SSL algorithm, called MLSSL. This algorithm is well-suited for this purpose as it allows to estimate the Direction-of-Arrival (DoA) of the target sound using any...

Flexible PVDF ferroelectric capacitive temperature sensor

KAUST Repository

Khan, Naveed

2015-08-02

In this paper, a capacitive temperature sensor based on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) capacitor is explored. The PVDF capacitor is characterized below its Curie temperature. The capacitance of the PVDF capacitor changes vs temperature with a sensitivity of 16pF/°C. The linearity measurement of the capacitance-temperature relation shows less than 0.7°C error from a best fit straight line. An LC oscillator based temperature sensor is demonstrated based on this capacitor.

Hermeticity testing of MEMS and microelectronic packages

CERN Document Server

Costello, Suzanne

2013-01-01

Packaging of microelectronics has been developing since the invention of the transistor in 1947. With the increasing complexity and decreasing size of the die, packaging requirements have continued to change. A step change in package requirements came with the introduction of the Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) whereby interactions with the external environment are, in some cases, required.This resource is a rapid, definitive reference on hermetic packaging for the MEMS and microelectronics industry, giving practical guidance on traditional and newly developed test methods. This book in

Single-crystal-silicon-based microinstrument to study friction and wear at MEMS sidewall interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ansari, N; Ashurst, W R

2012-01-01

Since the advent of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology, friction and wear are considered as key factors that determine the lifetime and reliability of MEMS devices that contain contacting interfaces. However, to date, our knowledge of the mechanisms that govern friction and wear in MEMS is insufficient. Therefore, systematically investigating friction and wear at MEMS scale is critical for the commercial success of many potential MEMS devices. Specifically, since many emerging MEMS devices contain more sidewall interfaces, which are topographically and chemically different from in-plane interfaces, studying the friction and wear characteristics of MEMS sidewall surfaces is important. The microinstruments that have been used to date to investigate the friction and wear characteristics of MEMS sidewall surfaces possess several limitations induced either by their design or the structural film used to fabricate them. Therefore, in this paper, we report on a single-crystal-silicon-based microinstrument to study the frictional and wear behavior of MEMS sidewalls, which not only addresses some of the limitations of other microinstruments but is also easy to fabricate. The design, modeling and fabrication of the microinstrument are described in this paper. Additionally, the coefficients of static and dynamic friction of octadecyltrichlorosilane-coated sidewall surfaces as well as sidewall surfaces with only native oxide on them are also reported in this paper. (paper)

Modeling of MEMS Mirrors Actuated by Phase-Change Mechanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Torres

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Given the multiple applications for micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS mirror devices, most of the research efforts are focused on improving device performance in terms of tilting angles, speed, and their integration into larger arrays or systems. The modeling of these devices is crucial for enabling a platform, in particular, by allowing for the future control of such devices. In this paper, we present the modeling of a MEMS mirror structure with four actuators driven by the phase-change of a thin film. The complexity of the device structure and the nonlinear behavior of the actuation mechanism allow for a comprehensive study that encompasses simpler electrothermal designs, thus presenting a general approach that can be adapted to most MEMS mirror designs based on this operation principle. The MEMS mirrors presented in this work are actuated by Joule heating and tested using optical techniques. Mechanical and thermal models including both pitch and roll displacements are developed by combining theoretical analysis (using both numerical and analytical tools with experimental data and subsequently verifying with quasi-static and dynamic experiments.

Applications of MEMS for Space Exploration

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, William C.

1998-03-01

Space exploration in the coming century will emphasize cost effectiveness and highly focused mission objectives, which will result in frequent multiple missions that broaden the scope of space science and to validate new technologies on a timely basis. Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) is one of the key enabling technologies to create cost-effective, ultra-miniaturized, robust, and functionally focused spacecraft for both robotic and human exploration programs. Examples of MEMS devices at various stages of development include microgyroscope, microseismometer, microhygrometer, quadrupole mass spectrometer, and micropropulsion engine. These devices, when proven successful, will serve as models for developing components and systems for new-millennium spacecraft.

Comparison of Computational and Experimental Microphone Array Results for an 18%-Scale Aircraft Model

Science.gov (United States)

Lockard, David P.; Humphreys, William M.; Khorrami, Mehdi R.; Fares, Ehab; Casalino, Damiano; Ravetta, Patricio A.

2015-01-01

An 18%-scale, semi-span model is used as a platform for examining the efficacy of microphone array processing using synthetic data from numerical simulations. Two hybrid RANS/LES codes coupled with Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings solvers are used to calculate 97 microphone signals at the locations of an array employed in the NASA LaRC 14x22 tunnel. Conventional, DAMAS, and CLEAN-SC array processing is applied in an identical fashion to the experimental and computational results for three different configurations involving deploying and retracting the main landing gear and a part span flap. Despite the short time records of the numerical signals, the beamform maps are able to isolate the noise sources, and the appearance of the DAMAS synthetic array maps is generally better than those from the experimental data. The experimental CLEAN-SC maps are similar in quality to those from the simulations indicating that CLEAN-SC may have less sensitivity to background noise. The spectrum obtained from DAMAS processing of synthetic array data is nearly identical to the spectrum of the center microphone of the array, indicating that for this problem array processing of synthetic data does not improve spectral comparisons with experiment. However, the beamform maps do provide an additional means of comparison that can reveal differences that cannot be ascertained from spectra alone.

Three dimensional MEMS supercapacitors

OpenAIRE

Sun, Wei

2011-01-01

The overall objective of this research is to achieve compact supercapacitors with high capacitance, large power density, and long cycle life for using as micropower sources to drive low power devices and sensors. The main shortcoming of supercapacitors as a power source is that its energy density typically is about 1/10 of that of batteries. To achieve compact supercapacitors of large energy density, supercapacitors must be developed with high capacitance and power density which are mainly de...

Olhar do cronista, registro da memória

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angela Maria Dutra da Silva Senra

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Propomos apresentar a pesquisa “Rastros da memória literária em crônicas dos jornais marianenses dos séculos XIX e XX” (PERPÉTUA, 2015, que tem como fonte um acervo de periódicos da cidade de Mariana (MG, hoje sob a guarda do Centro de Pesquisas Linguagem, Memória e Tradução do ICHS-UFOP. Dada a evidente relação desse acervo com a memória sociocultural da cidade, nossa pesquisa, em andamento, volta-se objetivamente para identificar e selecionar crônicas literárias publicadas nos periódicos, com a subsequente análise em sua correlação com a memória da região, sob as bases de um significativo material teórico sobre esse gênero. Assim, com vistas a adentrar no passado memorial da cidade de Mariana, apresentaremos o resultado parcial da nossa investigação, que tem proporcionado o conhecimento acerca da crônica; e do registro memorial dessa cidade em razão de sua importância no cenário histórico, social e cultural de Minas Gerais.

SU-8 Based MEMS Process with Two Metal Layers using α-Si as a Sacrificial Material

KAUST Repository

Ramadan, Khaled S.

2012-04-01

Polymer based microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) micromachining is finding more interest in research and applications. This is due to its low cost and less time processing compared with silicon MEMS. SU-8 is a photo-patternable polymer that is used as a structural layer for MEMS and microfluidic devices. In addition to being processed with low cost, it is a biocompatible material with good mechanical properties. Also, amorphous silicon (α-Si) has found use as a sacrificial layer in silicon MEMS applications. α-Si can be deposited at large thicknesses for MEMS applications and also can be released in a dry method using XeF2 which can solve stiction problems related to MEMS applications. In this thesis, an SU-8 MEMS process is developed using amorphous silicon (α-Si) as a sacrificial layer. Electrostatic actuation and sensing is used in many MEMS applications. SU-8 is a dielectric material which limits its direct use in electrostatic actuation. This thesis provides a MEMS process with two conductive metal electrodes that can be used for out-of-plane electrostatic applications like MEMS switches and variable capacitors. The process provides the fabrication of dimples that can be conductive or non-conductive to facilitate more flexibility for MEMS designers. This SU-8 process can fabricate SU-8 MEMS structures of a single layer of two different thicknesses. Process parameters were tuned for two sets of thicknesses which are thin (5-10μm) and thick (130μm). Chevron bent-beam structures and different suspended beams (cantilevers and bridges) were fabricated to characterize the SU-8 process through extracting the density, Young’s Modulus and the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) of SU-8. Also, the process was tested and used as an educational tool through which different MEMS structures were fabricated including MEMS switches, variable capacitors and thermal actuators.

Optimizing MEMS-Based Storage Devices for Mobile Battery-Powered Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Khatib, M.G.; Hartel, Pieter H.

An emerging storage technology, called MEMS-based storage, promises nonvolatile storage devices with ultrahigh density, high rigidity, a small form factor, and low cost. For these reasons, MEMS-based storage devices are suitable for battery-powered mobile systems such as PDAs. For deployment in such

Differential RF MEMS interwoven capacitor immune to residual stress warping

KAUST Repository

Elshurafa, Amro M.

2012-07-27

A RF MEMS capacitor with an interwoven structure is designed, fabricated in the PolyMUMPS process and tested in an effort to address fabrication challenges usually faced in MEMS processes. The interwoven structure was found to offer several advantages over the typical MEMS parallel-plate design including eliminating the warping caused by residual stress, eliminating the need for etching holes, suppressing stiction, reducing parasitics and providing differential capability. The quality factor of the proposed capacitor was higher than five throughout a 2–10 GHz range and the resonant frequency was in excess of 20 GHz.

Differential RF MEMS interwoven capacitor immune to residual stress warping

KAUST Repository

Elshurafa, Amro M.; Salama, Khaled N.

2012-01-01

A RF MEMS capacitor with an interwoven structure is designed, fabricated in the PolyMUMPS process and tested in an effort to address fabrication challenges usually faced in MEMS processes. The interwoven structure was found to offer several advantages over the typical MEMS parallel-plate design including eliminating the warping caused by residual stress, eliminating the need for etching holes, suppressing stiction, reducing parasitics and providing differential capability. The quality factor of the proposed capacitor was higher than five throughout a 2–10 GHz range and the resonant frequency was in excess of 20 GHz.

UAV-borne lidar with MEMS mirror-based scanning capability

Science.gov (United States)

Kasturi, Abhishek; Milanovic, Veljko; Atwood, Bryan H.; Yang, James

2016-05-01

Firstly, we demonstrated a wirelessly controlled MEMS scan module with imaging and laser tracking capability which can be mounted and flown on a small UAV quadcopter. The MEMS scan module was reduced down to a small volume of smartphone via Bluetooth while flying on a drone, and could project vector content, text, and perform laser based tracking. Also, a "point-and-range" LiDAR module was developed for UAV applications based on low SWaP (Size, Weight and Power) gimbal-less MEMS mirror beam-steering technology and off-the-shelf OEM LRF modules. For demonstration purposes of an integrated laser range finder module, we used a simple off-the-shelf OEM laser range finder (LRF) with a 100m range, +/-1.5mm accuracy, and 4Hz ranging capability. The LRFs receiver optics were modified to accept 20° of angle, matching the transmitter's FoR. A relatively large (5.0mm) diameter MEMS mirror with +/-10° optical scanning angle was utilized in the demonstration to maintain the small beam divergence of the module. The complete LiDAR prototype can fit into a small volume of battery. The MEMS mirror based LiDAR system allows for ondemand ranging of points or areas within the FoR without altering the UAV's position. Increasing the LRF ranging frequency and stabilizing the pointing of the laser beam by utilizing the onboard inertial sensors and the camera are additional goals of the next design.

A Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP)-Coated Microbeam MEMS Sensor for Chemical Detection

Science.gov (United States)

2015-09-01

ARL-RP-0536 ● SEP 2015 US Army Research Laboratory A Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP)- Coated Microbeam MEMS Sensor for...ARL-RP-0536 ● SEP 2015 US Army Research Laboratory A Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP)- Coated Microbeam MEMS Sensor for Chemical...TITLE AND SUBTITLE A Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP)-Coated Microbeam MEMS Sensor for Chemical Detection 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER

Bit-rate reduction strategies for noise suppression with a remote wireless microphone

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cvijanovic, N.; Sadiq, O.; Srinivasan, S.

2012-01-01

In single channel non-stationary noise reduction it is paramount that a good noise reference is available in a timely manner to maintaina high quality speech signal. Using a remote wireless microphone placed close to a noise source, a good estimate of the noise power spectral density (PSD) can be

Bit rate reduction strategies for noise suppression using a remote wireless microphone

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cvijanovic, N.; Sadiq, O.; Srinivasan, S.

2012-01-01

In single-channel non-stationary noise reduction it is paramount that a good noise reference is available in a timely manner to maintain a high quality speech signal. Using a remote wireless microphone placed close to a noise source, a good estimate of the noise power spectral density (PSD) can be

Feasibility of frequency-modulated wireless transmission for a multi-purpose MEMS-based accelerometer.

Science.gov (United States)

Sabato, Alessandro; Feng, Maria Q

2014-09-05

Recent advances in the Micro Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) technology have made wireless MEMS accelerometers an attractive tool for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of civil engineering structures. To date, sensors' low sensitivity and accuracy--especially at very low frequencies--have imposed serious limitations for their application in monitoring large-sized structures. Conventionally, the MEMS sensor's analog signals are converted to digital signals before radio-frequency (RF) wireless transmission. The conversion can cause a low sensitivity to the important low-frequency and low-amplitude signals. To overcome this difficulty, the authors have developed a MEMS accelerometer system, which converts the sensor output voltage to a frequency-modulated signal before RF transmission. This is achieved by using a Voltage to Frequency Conversion (V/F) instead of the conventional Analog to Digital Conversion (ADC). In this paper, a prototype MEMS accelerometer system is presented, which consists of a transmitter and receiver circuit boards. The former is equipped with a MEMS accelerometer, a V/F converter and a wireless RF transmitter, while the latter contains an RF receiver and a F/V converter for demodulating the signal. The efficacy of the MEMS accelerometer system in measuring low-frequency and low-amplitude dynamic responses is demonstrated through extensive laboratory tests and experiments on a flow-loop pipeline.

MemBrain: An Easy-to-Use Online Webserver for Transmembrane Protein Structure Prediction

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Xi; Yang, Jing; Xiao, Feng; Yang, Yang; Shen, Hong-Bin

2018-03-01

Membrane proteins are an important kind of proteins embedded in the membranes of cells and play crucial roles in living organisms, such as ion channels, transporters, receptors. Because it is difficult to determinate the membrane protein's structure by wet-lab experiments, accurate and fast amino acid sequence-based computational methods are highly desired. In this paper, we report an online prediction tool called MemBrain, whose input is the amino acid sequence. MemBrain consists of specialized modules for predicting transmembrane helices, residue-residue contacts and relative accessible surface area of α-helical membrane proteins. MemBrain achieves a prediction accuracy of 97.9% of A TMH, 87.1% of A P, 3.2 ± 3.0 of N-score, 3.1 ± 2.8 of C-score. MemBrain-Contact obtains 62%/64.1% prediction accuracy on training and independent dataset on top L/5 contact prediction, respectively. And MemBrain-Rasa achieves Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.733 and its mean absolute error of 13.593. These prediction results provide valuable hints for revealing the structure and function of membrane proteins. MemBrain web server is free for academic use and available at www.csbio.sjtu.edu.cn/bioinf/MemBrain/. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Multi-scale Analysis of MEMS Sensors Subject to Drop Impacts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Zerbini

2007-09-01

Full Text Available The effect of accidental drops on MEMS sensors are examined within the frame-work of a multi-scale finite element approach. With specific reference to a polysilicon MEMSaccelerometer supported by a naked die, the analysis is decoupled into macro-scale (at dielength-scale and meso-scale (at MEMS length-scale simulations, accounting for the verysmall inertial contribution of the sensor to the overall dynamics of the device. Macro-scaleanalyses are adopted to get insights into the link between shock waves caused by the impactagainst a target surface and propagating inside the die, and the displacement/acceleration his-tories at the MEMS anchor points. Meso-scale analyses are adopted to detect the most stresseddetails of the sensor and to assess whether the impact can lead to possible localized failures.Numerical results show that the acceleration at sensor anchors cannot be considered an ob-jective indicator for drop severity. Instead, accurate analyses at sensor level are necessary toestablish how MEMS can fail because of drops.

SU-8 Based MEMS Process with Two Metal Layers using α-Si as a Sacrificial Material

KAUST Repository

Ramadan, Khaled S.

2012-01-01

MEMS applications. α-Si can be deposited at large thicknesses for MEMS applications and also can be released in a dry method using XeF2 which can solve stiction problems related to MEMS applications. In this thesis, an SU-8 MEMS process is developed

Memória, Identidade e Patrimônio Quilombola

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo da Costa Segovia

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Este artigo visa analisar a Comunidade Quilombola, sua memória e identidade, nesse contexto busca-se dialogar com a pesquisa que está sendo desenvolvida junto a Comunidade Quilombo Madeira, bem como com o projeto para conclusão do Mestrado em Memória Social e Patrimônio Cultural da Universidade Federal de Pelotas. Sendo assim não foi possível deixar de fazer colocações relacionadas a Comunidades Quilombolas, em primeiro momento abordam-se questões relativas ao termo quilombola, logo a pós uma breve apresentação da comunidade onde a pesquisa está sendo efetuada e por final acerca-se com maior ênfase as discussões sobre Memória e Identidade.

Analysis of jet-airfoil interaction noise sources by using a microphone array technique

Science.gov (United States)

Fleury, Vincent; Davy, Renaud

2016-03-01

The paper is concerned with the characterization of jet noise sources and jet-airfoil interaction sources by using microphone array data. The measurements were carried-out in the anechoic open test section wind tunnel of Onera, Cepra19. The microphone array technique relies on the convected, Lighthill's and Ffowcs-Williams and Hawkings' acoustic analogy equation. The cross-spectrum of the source term of the analogy equation is sought. It is defined as the optimal solution to a minimal error equation using the measured microphone cross-spectra as reference. This inverse problem is ill-posed yet. A penalty term based on a localization operator is therefore added to improve the recovery of jet noise sources. The analysis of isolated jet noise data in subsonic regime shows the contribution of the conventional mixing noise source in the low frequency range, as expected, and of uniformly distributed, uncorrelated noise sources in the jet flow at higher frequencies. In underexpanded supersonic regime, a shock-associated noise source is clearly identified, too. An additional source is detected in the vicinity of the nozzle exit both in supersonic and subsonic regimes. In the presence of the airfoil, the distribution of the noise sources is deeply modified. In particular, a strong noise source is localized on the flap. For high Strouhal numbers, higher than about 2 (based on the jet mixing velocity and diameter), a significant contribution from the shear-layer near the flap is observed, too. Indications of acoustic reflections on the airfoil are also discerned.

A nuclear micro battery for Mems devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lal, A.; Bilbao Y Leon, R.M.; Guo, H.; Li, H.; Santanam, S.; Yao, R.; Blanchard, J.; Henderson, D.

2001-01-01

Micro-electromechanical Systems (MEMS) have not gained wide use because they lack the on-device power required by many important applications. Several forms of energy could be considered to supply this needed power (solar, fossil fuels, etc), but nuclear sources provide an intriguing option in terms of power density and lifetime. This paper describes several approaches for establishing the viability of nuclear sources for powering realistic MEMS devices. Isotopes currently being used include alpha and low-energy beta emitters. The sources are in both solid and liquid form, and a technique for plating a solid source from a liquid source has been investigated. Several approaches are being explored for the production of MEMS power sources. The first concept is a junction-type battery. The second concept involves a more direct use of the charged particles produced by the decay: the creation of a resonator by inducing movement due to attraction or repulsion resulting from the collection of charged particles. Performance results are provided for each of these concepts. (authors)

Use of thermal cycling to reduce adhesion of OTS coated coated MEMS cantilevers

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Shaikh M.; Phinney, Leslie M.

2003-01-01

°Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have enormous potential to contribute in diverse fields such as automotive, health care, aerospace, consumer products, and biotechnology, but successful commercial applications of MEMS are still small in number. Reliability of MEMS is a major impediment to the commercialization of laboratory prototypes. Due to the multitude of MEMS applications and the numerous processing and packaging steps, MEMS are exposed to a variety of environmental conditions, making the prediction of operational reliability difficult. In this paper, we investigate the effects of operating temperature on the in-use adhesive failure of electrostatically actuated MEMS microcantilevers coated with octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) films. The cantilevers are subjected to repeated temperature cycles and electrostatically actuated at temperatures between 25°C and 300°C in ambient air. The experimental results indicate that temperature cycling of the OTS coated cantilevers in air reduces the sticking probability of the microcantilevers. The sticking probability of OTS coated cantilevers was highest during heating, which decreased during cooling, and was lowest during reheating. Modifications to the OTS release method to increase its yield are also discussed.

MEMS-Electronic-Photonic Heterogeneous Integrated FMCW Ladar Source

Science.gov (United States)

2015-12-18

1   1.1.   E-­‐ PHI  PHASE  2  –  MEMS  LADAR  SOURCE...4   3.2.   PROPOSED  EO-­‐PLL   ARCHITECTURE  WITH  GATED  RAMP-­‐SWITCHING... PHI  Phase  2  –  MEMS  LADAR  Source   In  Phase  2,  we  continue  the  development  of  the  FMCW  LADAR

Nanogenerators for self-powering nanosystems and piezotronics for smart MEMS/NEMS

KAUST Repository

Wang, Zhong Lin

2011-01-01

Two new fields are introduced to MEMS/NEMS: a nanogenerator that harvests mechanical energy for powering nanosystems, and strained induced piezotronics for smart MEMS. Fundamentally, due to the polarization of ions in a crystal that has non

High frequency microphone measurements for transition detection on airfoils. NACA-0015 appendix report

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Døssing, Mads

Time series of pressure fluctuations has been obtained using high frequency microphones distributed over the surface of airfoils undergoing wind tunnel tests in the LM Windtunnel, owned by ’LM Glasfiber’, Denmark. The present report describes the dataanalysis, with special attention given to tran...

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy based MEMS sensors for phthalates detection in water and juices

KAUST Repository

Zia, Asif I

2013-06-10

Phthalate esters are ubiquitous environmental and food pollutants well known as endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). These developmental and reproductive toxicants pose a grave risk to the human health due to their unlimited use in consumer plastic industry. Detection of phthalates is strictly laboratory based time consuming and expensive process and requires expertise of highly qualified and skilled professionals. We present a real time, non-invasive, label free rapid detection technique to quantify phthalates\\' presence in deionized water and fruit juices. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique applied to a novel planar inter-digital (ID) capacitive sensor plays a vital role to explore the presence of phthalate esters in bulk fluid media. The ID sensor with multiple sensing gold electrodes was fabricated on silicon substrate using micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device fabrication technology. A thin film of parylene C polymer was coated as a passivation layer to enhance the capacitive sensing capabilities of the sensor and to reduce the magnitude of Faradic current flowing through the sensor. Various concentrations, 0.002ppm through to 2ppm of di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in deionized water, were exposed to the sensing system by dip testing method. Impedance spectra obtained was analysed to determine sample conductance which led to consequent evaluation of its dielectric properties. Electro-chemical impedance spectrum analyser algorithm was employed to model the experimentally obtained impedance spectra. Curve fitting technique was applied to deduce constant phase element (CPE) equivalent circuit based on Randle\\'s equivalent circuit model. The sensing system was tested to detect different concentrations of DEHP in orange juice as a real world application. The result analysis indicated that our rapid testing technique is able to detect the presence of DEHP in all test samples distinctively.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy based MEMS sensors for phthalates detection in water and juices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zia, Asif I; Syaifudin, A R Mohd; Mukhopadhyay, S C; Yu, P L; Al-Bahadly, I H; Gooneratne, Chinthaka P; Kosel, Juergen; Liao, Tai-Shan

2013-01-01

Phthalate esters are ubiquitous environmental and food pollutants well known as endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). These developmental and reproductive toxicants pose a grave risk to the human health due to their unlimited use in consumer plastic industry. Detection of phthalates is strictly laboratory based time consuming and expensive process and requires expertise of highly qualified and skilled professionals. We present a real time, non-invasive, label free rapid detection technique to quantify phthalates' presence in deionized water and fruit juices. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique applied to a novel planar inter-digital (ID) capacitive sensor plays a vital role to explore the presence of phthalate esters in bulk fluid media. The ID sensor with multiple sensing gold electrodes was fabricated on silicon substrate using micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device fabrication technology. A thin film of parylene C polymer was coated as a passivation layer to enhance the capacitive sensing capabilities of the sensor and to reduce the magnitude of Faradic current flowing through the sensor. Various concentrations, 0.002ppm through to 2ppm of di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in deionized water, were exposed to the sensing system by dip testing method. Impedance spectra obtained was analysed to determine sample conductance which led to consequent evaluation of its dielectric properties. Electro-chemical impedance spectrum analyser algorithm was employed to model the experimentally obtained impedance spectra. Curve fitting technique was applied to deduce constant phase element (CPE) equivalent circuit based on Randle's equivalent circuit model. The sensing system was tested to detect different concentrations of DEHP in orange juice as a real world application. The result analysis indicated that our rapid testing technique is able to detect the presence of DEHP in all test samples distinctively.

Light Dependent Resistance as a Sensor in Spectroscopy Setups Using Pulsed Light and Compared with Electret Microphones

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Acosta-Avalos

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Light-dependent resistances (LDR are cheap light sensors. A less known lightdetector is the electret microphone, whose electret membrane functions as a perfectabsorber, but only detects pulsed light. The aim of this study was to analyze the use of aLDR and an electret microphone as a light sensor in an optical spectroscopy system usingpulsed light. A photoacoustic spectroscopy setup was used, substituting the photoacousticchamber by the light sensor proposed. The absorption spectra of two different liquids wereanalyzed. The results obtained allow the recommendation of the LDR as the first choice inthe construction of cheap homemade pulsed light spectroscopy systems.

Calculation of secondary capacitance of compact Tesla pulse transformer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Binxiong; Liu Jinliang

2013-01-01

An analytic expression of the secondary capacitance of a compact Tesla pulse transformer is derived. Calculated result by the expression shows that two parts contribute to the secondary capacitance, namely the capacitance between inner and outer magnetic cores and the attached capacitance caused by the secondary winding. The attached capacitance equals to the capacitance of a coaxial line which is as long as the secondary coil, and whose outer and inner diameters are as large as the inner diameter of the outer magnetic and the outer diameter of the inner magnetic core respectively. A circuital model for analyzing compact Tesla transformer is built, and numeric calculation shows that the expression of the secondary capacitance is correct. Besides, a small compact Tesla transformer is developed, and related test is carried out. Test result confirms the calculated results by the expression derived. (authors)

Quantum capacitance of the armchair-edge graphene nanoribbon

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Pramana – Journal of Physics; Volume 81; Issue 2. Quantum capacitance of the ... Abstract. The quantum capacitance, an important parameter in the design of nanoscale devices, is derived for armchair-edge single-layer graphene nanoribbon with semiconducting property. The quantum capacitance ...

Lembrar-esquecer: trabalhando com as memórias infantis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renata Sieiro Fernandes

Full Text Available Baseando-se nas obras de autores que focalizam a velhice e a memória, valemo-nos da proposta de construção de conjuntos fotográficos e da metodologia de análise para elaborar um exercício/desafio semelhante para crianças da faixa etária de 9-10 anos. Em concordância com os autores, também nos propusemos a pensar sobre como a memória das crianças - assim como a dos velhos - pode se construir e se organizar por meio de suportes fotográficos representativos de fragmentos da vida cotidiana. Os dois grupos compostos por seres que se encontram nas margens do tempo, se distanciam e se aproximam nessa particularidade. Intuitiva e reflexivamente, as crianças elaboraram seus conceitos de memória, envolvendo as lembranças e os esquecimentos, representando-os de formas visuais variadas e criativas, indicando que os movimentos constitutivos da memória dão indícios de tentativas de ordenação de um tempo composto de vários tempos.

Wafer level packaging of MEMS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esashi, Masayoshi

2008-01-01

Wafer level packaging plays many important roles for MEMS (micro electro mechanical systems), including cost, yield and reliability. MEMS structures on silicon chips are encapsulated between bonded wafers or by surface micromachining, and electrical interconnections are made from the cavity. Bonding at the interface, such as glass–Si anodic bonding and metal-to-metal bonding, requires electrical interconnection through the lid vias in many cases. On the other hand, lateral electrical interconnections on the surface of the chip are used for bonding with intermediate melting materials, such as low melting point glass and solder. The cavity formed by surface micromachining is made using sacrificial etching, and the openings needed for the sacrificial etching are plugged using deposition sealing methods. Vacuum packaging methods and the structures for electrical feedthrough for the interconnection are discussed in this review. (topical review)

Miniaturization of components and systems for space using MEMS-technology

Science.gov (United States)

Grönland, Tor-Arne; Rangsten, Pelle; Nese, Martin; Lang, Martin

2007-06-01

Development of MEMS-based (micro electro mechanical system) components and subsystems for space applications has been pursued by various research groups and organizations around the world for at least two decades. The main driver for developing MEMS-based components for space is the miniaturization that can be achieved. Miniaturization can not only save orders of magnitude in mass and volume of individual components, but it can also allow increased redundancy, and enable novel spacecraft designs and mission scenarios. However, the commercial breakthrough of MEMS has not occurred within the space business as it has within other branches such as the IT/telecom or automotive industries, or as it has in biotech or life science applications. A main explanation to this is the highly conservative attitude to new technology within the space community. This conservatism is in many senses motivated by a very low risk acceptance in the few and costly space projects that actually ends with a space flight. To overcome this threshold there is a strong need for flight opportunities where reasonable risks can be accepted. Currently there are a few flight opportunities allowing extensive use of new technology in space, but one of the exceptions is the PRISMA program. PRISMA is an international (Sweden, Germany, France, Denmark, Norway, Greece) technology demonstration program with focus on rendezvous and formation flying. It is a two satellite LEO mission with a launch scheduled for the first half of 2009. On PRISMA, a number of novel technologies e.g. RF metrology sensor for Darwin, autonomous formation flying based on GPS and vision-based sensors, ADN-based "green propulsion" will be demonstrated in space for the first time. One of the satellites will also have a miniaturized propulsion system onboard based on MEMS-technology. This novel propulsion system includes two microthruster modules, each including four thrusters with micro- to milli-Newton thrust capability. The novelty

Distúrbios de memória em pacientes epilépticos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

STELLA FLORINDO

1999-01-01

Full Text Available O autor estudou distúrbios de memória em pacientes epilépticos com crises parciais complexas (CPC, com os objetivos de: 1 identificar estes distúrbios; e 2 comparar os resultados dos pacientes com os dos controles. Foram estudados 50 pacientes adultos e 20 sujeitos sem enfermidades neuropsiquiátricas. Os métodos consistiram em: 1 investigação da atividade mnemônica através do Teste de Memória de Wechsler (subtestes: Armazenamento e Recuperação, Memória Recente e Memória Imediata; e 2 comparação entre os resultados de ambos os grupos. 3 associação entre SPECT Cerebral e atividade mnemônica. Nos três subtestes, os pacientes apresentaram desempenho cognitivo significativamente inferior ao dos controles (p <0,05. Constatou-se a associação entre hipofluxo em região temporal esquerda e distúrbio da memória nos três subtestes. Concluiu-se que há associação entre CPC e distúrbios da atividade mnemônica.

Evaluation of MEMS-Based Wireless Accelerometer Sensors in Detecting Gear Tooth Faults in Helicopter Transmissions

Science.gov (United States)

Lewicki, David George; Lambert, Nicholas A.; Wagoner, Robert S.

2015-01-01

The diagnostics capability of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) based rotating accelerometer sensors in detecting gear tooth crack failures in helicopter main-rotor transmissions was evaluated. MEMS sensors were installed on a pre-notched OH-58C spiral-bevel pinion gear. Endurance tests were performed and the gear was run to tooth fracture failure. Results from the MEMS sensor were compared to conventional accelerometers mounted on the transmission housing. Most of the four stationary accelerometers mounted on the gear box housing and most of the CI's used gave indications of failure at the end of the test. The MEMS system performed well and lasted the entire test. All MEMS accelerometers gave an indication of failure at the end of the test. The MEMS systems performed as well, if not better, than the stationary accelerometers mounted on the gear box housing with regards to gear tooth fault detection. For both the MEMS sensors and stationary sensors, the fault detection time was not much sooner than the actual tooth fracture time. The MEMS sensor spectrum data showed large first order shaft frequency sidebands due to the measurement rotating frame of reference. The method of constructing a pseudo tach signal from periodic characteristics of the vibration data was successful in deriving a TSA signal without an actual tach and proved as an effective way to improve fault detection for the MEMS.

Resistive and Capacitive Based Sensing Technologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Winncy Y. Du

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Resistive and capacitive (RC sensors are the most commonly used sensors. Their applications span homeland security, industry, environment, space, traffic control, home automation, aviation, and medicine. More than 30% of modern sensors are direct or indirect applications of the RC sensing principles. This paper reviews resistive and capacitive sensing technologies. The physical principles of resistive sensors are governed by several important laws and phenomena such as Ohm’s Law, Wiedemann-Franz Law; Photoconductive-, Piezoresistive-, and Thermoresistive Effects. The applications of these principles are presented through a variety of examples including accelerometers, flame detectors, pressure/flow rate sensors, RTDs, hygristors, chemiresistors, and bio-impedance sensors. The capacitive sensors are described through their three configurations: parallel (flat, cylindrical (coaxial, and spherical (concentric. Each configuration is discussed with respect to its geometric structure, function, and application in various sensor designs. Capacitance sensor arrays are also presented in the paper.

Micro-fabrication technology for piezoelectric film formation and its application to MEMS

OpenAIRE

一木, 正聡; 曹, 俊杰; 張, 麓〓; 王, 占杰; 前田, 龍太郎; Masaaki, ICHIKI; Jiunn Jye, TSAUR; Lulu, ZHANG; Zhang Jie, WANG; Ryutaro, MAEDA; 産業技術総合研究所; 産業技術総合研究所; 産業技術総合研究所; 東北大学; 産業技術総合研究所

2005-01-01

Technological problems for realization of Micro Electro-mechanical System (MEMS) are discussed and an introduction of smart materials (PZT) is encouraged. The film formation and micromaching technology are discussed in integration of PZT thin films into MEMS. Further developments are proposed on PZT micro sensors and actuators with special emphasis laid on exploration of new application fields of MEMS, such as scanning mirror. Internal stress is estimated and analyzed for the improvement of d...

Capacitance of carbon-based electrical double-layer capacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Hengxing; Zhao, Xin; Qiao, Zhenhua; Jung, Jeil; Zhu, Yanwu; Lu, Yalin; Zhang, Li Li; MacDonald, Allan H; Ruoff, Rodney S

2014-01-01

Experimental electrical double-layer capacitances of porous carbon electrodes fall below ideal values, thus limiting the practical energy densities of carbon-based electrical double-layer capacitors. Here we investigate the origin of this behaviour by measuring the electrical double-layer capacitance in one to five-layer graphene. We find that the capacitances are suppressed near neutrality, and are anomalously enhanced for thicknesses below a few layers. We attribute the first effect to quantum capacitance effects near the point of zero charge, and the second to correlations between electrons in the graphene sheet and ions in the electrolyte. The large capacitance values imply gravimetric energy storage densities in the single-layer graphene limit that are comparable to those of batteries. We anticipate that these results shed light on developing new theoretical models in understanding the electrical double-layer capacitance of carbon electrodes, and on opening up new strategies for improving the energy density of carbon-based capacitors.

Feasibility of Frequency-Modulated Wireless Transmission for a Multi-Purpose MEMS-Based Accelerometer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandro Sabato

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Recent advances in the Micro Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS technology have made wireless MEMS accelerometers an attractive tool for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM of civil engineering structures. To date, sensors’ low sensitivity and accuracy—especially at very low frequencies—have imposed serious limitations for their application in monitoring large-sized structures. Conventionally, the MEMS sensor’s analog signals are converted to digital signals before radio-frequency (RF wireless transmission. The conversion can cause a low sensitivity to the important low-frequency and low-amplitude signals. To overcome this difficulty, the authors have developed a MEMS accelerometer system, which converts the sensor output voltage to a frequency-modulated signal before RF transmission. This is achieved by using a Voltage to Frequency Conversion (V/F instead of the conventional Analog to Digital Conversion (ADC. In this paper, a prototype MEMS accelerometer system is presented, which consists of a transmitter and receiver circuit boards. The former is equipped with a MEMS accelerometer, a V/F converter and a wireless RF transmitter, while the latter contains an RF receiver and a F/V converter for demodulating the signal. The efficacy of the MEMS accelerometer system in measuring low-frequency and low-amplitude dynamic responses is demonstrated through extensive laboratory tests and experiments on a flow-loop pipeline.

U.S. Army Corrosion Office's storage and quality requirements for military MEMS program

Science.gov (United States)

Zunino, J. L., III; Skelton, D. R.

2007-04-01

As the Army transforms into a more lethal, lighter and agile force, the technologies that support these systems must decrease in size while increasing in intelligence. Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) are one such technology that the Army and DOD will rely on heavily to accomplish these objectives. Conditions for utilization of MEMS by the military are unique. Operational and storage environments for the military are significantly different than those found in the commercial sector. Issues unique to the military include; high G-forces during gun launch, extreme temperature and humidity ranges, extended periods of inactivity (20 years plus) and interaction with explosives and propellants. The military operational environments in which MEMS will be stored or required to function are extreme and far surpass any commercial operating conditions. Security and encryption are a must for all MEMS communication, tracking, or data reporting devices employed by the military. Current and future military applications of MEMS devices include safety and arming devices, fuzing devices, various guidance systems, sensors/detectors, inertial measurement units, tracking devices, radio frequency devices, wireless Radio Frequency Identifications (RFIDs) and network systems, GPS's, radar systems, mobile base systems and information technology. MEMS embedded into these weapons systems will provide the military with new levels of speed, awareness, lethality, and information dissemination. The system capabilities enhanced by MEMS will translate directly into tactical and strategic military advantages.

Development of a Multi-User Polyimide-MEMS Fabrication Process and its Application to MicroHotplates

KAUST Repository

Lizardo, Ernesto B.

2013-01-01

Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) became possible thanks to the silicon based technology used to fabricate integrated circuits. Originally, MEMS fabrication was limited to silicon based techniques and materials, but the expansion of MEMS

MEMS packaging with etching and thinning of lid wafer to form lids and expose device wafer bond pads

Science.gov (United States)

Chanchani, Rajen; Nordquist, Christopher; Olsson, Roy H; Peterson, Tracy C; Shul, Randy J; Ahlers, Catalina; Plut, Thomas A; Patrizi, Gary A

2013-12-03

In wafer-level packaging of microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices a lid wafer is bonded to a MEMS wafer in a predermined aligned relationship. Portions of the lid wafer are removed to separate the lid wafer into lid portions that respectively correspond in alignment with MEMS devices on the MEMS wafer, and to expose areas of the MEMS wafer that respectively contain sets of bond pads respectively coupled to the MEMS devices.

MEMS for Space Flight Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Lawton, R.

1998-01-01

Micro-Electrical Mechanical Systems (MEMS) are entering the stage of design and verification to demonstrate the utility of the technology for a wide range of applications including sensors and actuators for military, space, medical, industrial, consumer, automotive and instrumentation products.

The Pyramidal Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lysgaard, Jens

This paper introduces the Pyramidal Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem (PCVRP) as a restricted version of the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem (CVRP). In the PCVRP each route is required to be pyramidal in a sense generalized from the Pyramidal Traveling Salesman Problem (PTSP). A pyramidal...

The pyramidal capacitated vehicle routing problem

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lysgaard, Jens

2010-01-01

This paper introduces the pyramidal capacitated vehicle routing problem (PCVRP) as a restricted version of the capacitated vehicle routing problem (CVRP). In the PCVRP each route is required to be pyramidal in a sense generalized from the pyramidal traveling salesman problem (PTSP). A pyramidal...

MEMS and mil/aero: technology push and market pull

Science.gov (United States)

Clifford, Thomas H.

2001-04-01

MEMS offers attractive solutions to high-density fluidics, inertial, optical, switching and other demanding military/aerospace (mil/aero) challenges. However, full acceptance must confront the realities of production-scale producibility, verifiability, testability, survivability, as well as long-term reliability. Data on these `..ilities' are crucial, and are central in funding and deployment decisions. Similarly, mil/aero users must highlight specific missions, environmental exposures, and procurement issues, as well as the quirks of its designers. These issues are particularly challenging in MEMS, because of the laws of physics and business economics, as well as the risks of deploying leading-edge technology into no-fail applications. This paper highlights mil/aero requirements, and suggests reliability/qualification protocols, to guide development effort and to reassure mil/aero users that MEMS labs are mindful of the necessary realities.

Amplitude saturation of MEMS resonators explained by autoparametric resonance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van der Avoort, C; Bontemps, J J M; Steeneken, P G; Le Phan, K; Van Beek, J T M; Van der Hout, R; Hulshof, J; Fey, R H B

2010-01-01

This paper describes a phenomenon that limits the power handling of MEMS resonators. It is observed that above a certain driving level, the resonance amplitude becomes independent of the driving level. In contrast to previous studies of power handling of MEMS resonators, it is found that this amplitude saturation cannot be explained by nonlinear terms in the spring constant or electrostatic force. Instead we show that the amplitude in our experiments is limited by nonlinear terms in the equation of motion which couple the in-plane length-extensional resonance mode to one or more out-of-plane (OOP) bending modes. We present experimental evidence for the autoparametric excitation of these OOP modes using a vibrometer. The measurements are compared to a model that can be used to predict a power-handling limit for MEMS resonators

Amplitude saturation of MEMS resonators explained by autoparametric resonance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van der Avoort, C; Bontemps, J J M; Steeneken, P G; Le Phan, K; Van Beek, J T M [NXP Research, Eindhoven (Netherlands); Van der Hout, R; Hulshof, J [Department of Mathematics, VU University—Faculty of Sciences, De Boelelaan 1081a, 1081 HV Amsterdam (Netherlands); Fey, R H B, E-mail: cas.van.der.avoort@nxp.com [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven (Netherlands)

2010-10-15

This paper describes a phenomenon that limits the power handling of MEMS resonators. It is observed that above a certain driving level, the resonance amplitude becomes independent of the driving level. In contrast to previous studies of power handling of MEMS resonators, it is found that this amplitude saturation cannot be explained by nonlinear terms in the spring constant or electrostatic force. Instead we show that the amplitude in our experiments is limited by nonlinear terms in the equation of motion which couple the in-plane length-extensional resonance mode to one or more out-of-plane (OOP) bending modes. We present experimental evidence for the autoparametric excitation of these OOP modes using a vibrometer. The measurements are compared to a model that can be used to predict a power-handling limit for MEMS resonators.

Measurements of noise immission from wind turbines at receptor locations: Use of a vertical microphone board to improve the signal-to-noise ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fegeant, Olivier

1999-01-01

The growing interest in wind energy has increased the need of accuracy in wind turbine noise immission measurements and thus, the need of new measurement techniques. This paper shows that mounting the microphone on a vertical board improves the signal-to-noise ratio over the whole frequency range compared to the free microphone technique. Indeed, the wind turbine is perceived two times noisier by the microphone due to the signal reflection by the board while, in addition, the wind noise is reduced. Furthermore, the board shielding effect allows the measurements to be carried out in the presence of reflecting surfaces such as building facades

Reconstruction of sound fields with a spherical microphone array

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fernandez Grande, Efren; Walton, Tim

2014-01-01

waves traveling in any direction. In particular, rigid sphere microphone arrays are robust, and have the favorable property that the scattering introduced by the array can be compensated for - making the array virtually transparent. This study examines a recently proposed sound field reconstruction...... method based on a point source expansion, i.e. equivalent source method, using a rigid spherical array. The study examines the capability of the method to distinguish between sound waves arriving from different directions (i.e., as a sound field separation method). This is representative of the potential...

Avaliação da memória sob anestesia venosa total

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gulistan Aktas

2013-06-01

Full Text Available JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: Neste estudo, objetivamos avaliar a memória implícita e explícita em pacientes submetidos à cirurgia abdominal sob anestesia venosa total (AVT com propofol e remifentanil, na qual o nível de anestesia foi controlado pelo monitoramento do índice bispectral (BIS. MÉTODO: Anestesia venosa total foi administrada a 60 pacientes adultos para obter níveis de BIS de 40-60. Os pacientes foram randomicamente divididos em três grupos, de acordo com as gravações que ouviram. Os pacientes do grupo categoria (CT ouviram uma fita gravada contendo cinco nomes de animais. Os pacientes do grupo recordar palavras (RP ouviram uma fita gravada contendo cinco palavras de frequência média na língua turca, depois de adaptadas. Os pacientes do grupo controle (GC ouviram os sons do mar até o fim da cirurgia. Duas horas após a cirurgia, os testes foram administrados a cada paciente na sala de recuperação para avaliar a memória. RESULTADOS: Houve uma diferença entre os escores dos grupos CT e GC no Miniexame do Estado Mental (MMSE; todos os escores foram > 20. Os resultados dos testes de categoria e recordar palavras, aplicados para avaliar a memória implícita, não foram estatisticamente diferentes entre os grupos. Não houve evidência de memória implícita em nenhum dos pacientes. Um paciente lembrou-se de ouvir "o som de água" como uma prova de memória explícita. Onze pacientes declararam não ter sonhado. CONCLUSÕES: Apesar de não termos encontrado nenhuma evidência de memória implícita sob anestesia adequada com AVT, um paciente apresentou memória explícita. Embora a profundidade adequada da anestesia fornecida pelo monitoramento do BIS corrobore nossos resultados para a memória implícita, ela não explica os resultados para a memória explícita.

Integrated Magnetic MEMS Relays: Status of the Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giuseppe Schiavone

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The development and application of magnetic technologies employing microfabricated magnetic structures for the production of switching components has generated enormous interest in the scientific and industrial communities over the last decade. Magnetic actuation offers many benefits when compared to other schemes for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS, including the generation of forces that have higher magnitude and longer range. Magnetic actuation can be achieved using different excitation sources, which create challenges related to the integration with other technologies, such as CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor, and the requirement to reduce power consumption. Novel designs and technologies are therefore sought to enable the use of magnetic switching architectures in integrated MEMS devices, without incurring excessive energy consumption. This article reviews the status of magnetic MEMS technology and presents devices recently developed by various research groups, with key focuses on integrability and effective power management, in addition to the ability to integrate the technology with other microelectronic fabrication processes.

Finite element modeling of micromachined MEMS photon devices

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Boyd M., III; Schonberger, D. W.; Datskos, Panos G.

1999-09-01

The technology of microelectronics that has evolved over the past half century is one of great power and sophistication and can now be extended to many applications (MEMS and MOEMS) other than electronics. An interesting application of MEMS quantum devices is the detection of electromagnetic radiation. The operation principle of MEMS quantum devices is based on the photoinduced stress in semiconductors, and the photon detection results from the measurement of the photoinduced bending. These devices can be described as micromechanical photon detectors. In this work, we have developed a technique for simulating electronic stresses using finite element analysis. We have used our technique to model the response of micromechanical photon devices to external stimuli and compared these results with experimental data. Material properties, geometry, and bimaterial design play an important role in the performance of micromechanical photon detectors. We have modeled these effects using finite element analysis and included the effects of bimaterial thickness coating, effective length of the device, width, and thickness.

Finite Element Modeling of Micromachined MEMS Photon Devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Datskos, P.G.; Evans, B.M.; Schonberger, D.

1999-01-01

The technology of microelectronics that has evolved over the past half century is one of great power and sophistication and can now be extended to many applications (MEMS and MOEMS) other than electronics. An interesting application of MEMS quantum devices is the detection of electromagnetic radiation. The operation principle of MEMS quantum devices is based on the photoinduced stress in semiconductors, and the photon detection results from the measurement of the photoinduced bending. These devices can be described as micromechanical photon detectors. In this work, we have developed a technique for simulating electronic stresses using finite element analysis. We have used our technique to model the response of micromechanical photon devices to external stimuli and compared these results with experimental data. Material properties, geometry, and bimaterial design play an important role in the performance of micromechanical photon detectors. We have modeled these effects using finite element analysis and included the effects of bimaterial thickness coating, effective length of the device, width, and thickness

Microphonics detuning compensation in 3.9 GHZ superconducting RF cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruben Carcagno

2003-01-01

Mechanical vibrations can detune superconducting radio frequency (SCRF) cavities unless a tuning mechanism counteracting the vibrations is present. Due to their narrow operating bandwidth and demanding mechanical structure, the 13-cell 3.9GHz SCRF cavities for the Charged Kaons at Main Injector (CKM) experiment at Fermilab are especially susceptible to this microphonic phenomena. We present early results correlating RF frequency detuning with cavity vibration measurements for CKM cavities; initial detuning compensation results with piezoelectric actuators are also presented

Microphonics detuning compensation in 3.9 GHZ superconducting RF cavities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruben Carcagno et al.

2003-10-20

Mechanical vibrations can detune superconducting radio frequency (SCRF) cavities unless a tuning mechanism counteracting the vibrations is present. Due to their narrow operating bandwidth and demanding mechanical structure, the 13-cell 3.9GHz SCRF cavities for the Charged Kaons at Main Injector (CKM) experiment at Fermilab are especially susceptible to this microphonic phenomena. We present early results correlating RF frequency detuning with cavity vibration measurements for CKM cavities; initial detuning compensation results with piezoelectric actuators are also presented.

Thermoelectrical Generator for a MEMS-Fuze

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. K. Efremov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The structure of modern fuzes includes micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS, which have such advanced devices as micro-accelerometers and micro-switches, being triggered at a specified level of setback. Independent power source (PS, as an inherent part of the MEMSfuze, charges an energy storage unit during the shot and triggers the fuze firing circuit when the shell encounters the target. Operating level of the control signal should be achieved within the time of remote arming, determined by the type of ammunition. The paper considers a possibility to develop PS as a thermoelectric generator (TEG with aerodynamic heating of hot junctions due to friction of the projectile body on the incoming airflow. The initial temperature is determined by the driving band cutting into the rifling and friction during the movement of projectile through the tube bore. The paper presents a technique for calculating the temperature field along the body of the projectile from the critical point, located at the top of the shell head. The solution of the equation of heat balance reveals the temporal development of the projectile body temperature. The proposed mathematical model of the TEG describes the process of converting heat into electrical output signal (thermo-EMF. An example of calculation for a specific artillery system – 57-mm anti-aircraft gun S-60 is given. Calculation of the TEG output signal was limited by the time, which is necessary to reach the top of the projectile trajectory. It is shown that at high altitude the temperature difference may drop to zero, thus cutting off the TEG output signal. Selection of capacitive storage parameters can be based on the reliability test conditions of the fuze firing circuit actuators, taking into account the partial storage discharge on the trajectory before the projectile encounters the target.

Interface for Barge-in Free Spoken Dialogue System Based on Sound Field Reproduction and Microphone Array

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hinamoto Yoichi

2007-01-01

Full Text Available A barge-in free spoken dialogue interface using sound field control and microphone array is proposed. In the conventional spoken dialogue system using an acoustic echo canceller, it is indispensable to estimate a room transfer function, especially when the transfer function is changed by various interferences. However, the estimation is difficult when the user and the system speak simultaneously. To resolve the problem, we propose a sound field control technique to prevent the response sound from being observed. Combined with a microphone array, the proposed method can achieve high elimination performance with no adaptive process. The efficacy of the proposed interface is ascertained in the experiments on the basis of sound elimination and speech recognition.

Scanning Capacitance Microscopy | Materials Science | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

obtained using scanning capacitance microscopy. Top Right: Image of p-type and n-type material, obtained 'fingers' of light-colored n-type material on a yellow and blue background representing p-type material material, obtained using scanning capacitance microscopy, in a sample semiconductor device; the image shows

Patch holography using a double layer microphone array

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gomes, Jesper Skovhus

a closed local element mesh that surrounds the microphone array, and with a part of the mesh coinciding with a patch, the entire source is not needed in the model. Since the array has two layers, sources/reflections behind the array are also allowed. The Equivalent Source Method (ESM) is another technique...... in which the sound field is represented by a set of monopoles placed inside the source. In this paper these monopoles are distributed so that they surround the array, and the reconstruction is compared with the IBEM-based approach. The comparisons are based on computer simulations with a planar double...... layer array and sources with different shapes....

MEMS based digital transform spectrometers

Science.gov (United States)

Geller, Yariv; Ramani, Mouli

2005-09-01

Earlier this year, a new breed of Spectrometers based on Micro-Electro-Mechanical-System (MEMS) engines has been introduced to the commercial market. The use of these engines combined with transform mathematics, produces powerful spectrometers at unprecedented low cost in various spectral regions.

Aprendizado e memória Learning and memory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Lombroso

2004-09-01

Full Text Available A memória é dividida de duas grandes formas: explícita e implícita. O hipocampo é necessário para a formação das memórias explícitas, ao passo que várias outras regiões do cérebro, incluindo o estriado, a amígdala e o nucleus accumbens, estão envolvidos na formação das memórias implícitas. A formação de todas as memórias requer alterações morfológicas nas sinapses: novas sinapses devem ser formadas ou antigas precisam ser fortalecidas. Considera-se que essas alterações reflitam a base celular subjacente das memórias persistentes. Consideráveis avanços têm ocorrido na última década em relação a nossa compreensão sobre as bases moleculares da formação dessas memórias. Um regulador-chave da plasticidade sináptica é uma via de sinalização que inclui a proteína-quinase ativada por mitógenos (MAP. Como essa via é necessária para a memória e o aprendizado normais, não é surpreendente que as mutações nos membros dessa via levem a prejuízos no aprendizado. A neurofibromatose, a síndrome de Coffin-Lowry e a de Rubinstein-Taybi são três exemplos de transtornos de desenvolvimento que apresentam mutações em componentes-chave na via de sinalização da proteína-quinase MAP.Memory is broadly divided into declarative and nondeclarative forms of memory. The hippocampus is required for the formation of declarative memories, while a number of other brain regions including the striatum, amygdala and nucleus accumbens are involved in the formation of nondeclarative memories. The formation of all memories require morphological changes of synapses: new ones must be formed or old ones strengthened. These changes are thought to reflect the underlying cellular basis for persistent memories. Considerable advances have occurred over the last decade in our understanding of the molecular bases of how these memories are formed. A key regulator of synaptic plasticity is a signaling pathway that includes the mitogen

Cryogenic MEMS Pressure Sensor, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — A directly immersible cryogenic MEMS pressure sensor will be developed. Each silicon die will contain a vacuum-reference and a tent-like membrane. Offsetting thermal...

Capacitance densitometer for flow regime identification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shipp, R.L. Jr.

1978-01-01

This invention relates to a capacitance densitometer for determining the flow regime of a two-phase flow system. A two-element capacitance densitometer is used in conjunction with a conventional single-beam gamma densitometer to unambiguously identify the prevailing flow regime and the average density of a flowing fluid

Integrated NEMS and optoelectronics for sensor applications.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Czaplewski, David A.; Serkland, Darwin Keith; Olsson, Roy H., III; Bogart, Gregory R. (Symphony Acoustics, Rio Rancho, NM); Krishnamoorthy, Uma; Warren, Mial E.; Carr, Dustin Wade (Symphony Acoustics, Rio Rancho, NM); Okandan, Murat; Peterson, Kenneth Allen

2008-01-01

This work utilized advanced engineering in several fields to find solutions to the challenges presented by the integration of MEMS/NEMS with optoelectronics to realize a compact sensor system, comprised of a microfabricated sensor, VCSEL, and photodiode. By utilizing microfabrication techniques in the realization of the MEMS/NEMS component, the VCSEL and the photodiode, the system would be small in size and require less power than a macro-sized component. The work focused on two technologies, accelerometers and microphones, leveraged from other LDRD programs. The first technology was the nano-g accelerometer using a nanophotonic motion detection system (67023). This accelerometer had measured sensitivity of approximately 10 nano-g. The Integrated NEMS and optoelectronics LDRD supported the nano-g accelerometer LDRD by providing advanced designs for the accelerometers, packaging, and a detection scheme to encapsulate the accelerometer, furthering the testing capabilities beyond bench-top tests. A fully packaged and tested die was never realized, but significant packaging issues were addressed and many resolved. The second technology supported by this work was the ultrasensitive directional microphone arrays for military operations in urban terrain and future combat systems (93518). This application utilized a diffraction-based sensing technique with different optical component placement and a different detection scheme from the nano-g accelerometer. The Integrated NEMS LDRD supported the microphone array LDRD by providing custom designs, VCSELs, and measurement techniques to accelerometers that were fabricated from the same operational principles as the microphones, but contain proof masses for acceleration transduction. These devices were packaged at the end of the work.

Vortex-MEMS filters for wavelength-selective orbital-angular-momentum beam generation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paul, Sujoy; Lyubopytov, Vladimir; Schumann, Martin F.

2017-01-01

In this paper an on-chip device capable of wavelength-selective generation of vortex beams is demonstrated. The device is realized by integrating a spiral phase-plate onto a MEMS tunable Fabry-Perot filter. This vortex-MEMS filter, being capable of functioning simultaneously in wavelength...

Development of Dual-Axis MEMS Accelerometers for Machine Tools Vibration Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chih-Yung Huang

2016-07-01

Full Text Available With the development of intelligent machine tools, monitoring the vibration by the accelerometer is an important issue. Accelerometers used for measuring vibration signals during milling processes require the characteristics of high sensitivity, high resolution, and high bandwidth. A commonly used accelerometer is the lead zirconate titanate (PZT type; however, integrating it into intelligent modules is excessively expensive and difficult. Therefore, the micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS accelerometer is an alternative with the advantages of lower price and superior integration. In the present study, we integrated two MEMS accelerometer chips into a low-pass filter and housing to develop a low-cost dual-axis accelerometer with a bandwidth of 5 kHz and a full scale range of ±50 g for measuring machine tool vibration. In addition, a platform for measuring the linearity, cross-axis sensitivity and frequency response of the MEMS accelerometer by using the back-to-back calibration method was also developed. Finally, cutting experiments with steady and chatter cutting were performed to verify the results of comparing the MEMS accelerometer with the PZT accelerometer in the time and frequency domains. The results demonstrated that the dual-axis MEMS accelerometer is suitable for monitoring the vibration of machine tools at low cost.

Laser-heating wire bonding on MEMS packaging

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Yuetao Liu

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Making connections is critical in fabrication of MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems. It is also complicated, because the temperature during joining affects both the bond produced and the structure and mechanical properties of the moving parts of the device. Specifications for MEMS packaging require that the temperature not exceed 240 °C. However, usually, temperatures can reach up to 300 °C during conventional thermosonic wire bonding. Such a temperature will change the distribution of dopants in CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor circuits. In this paper we propose a new heating process. A semiconductor laser (wavelength 808 nm is suggested as the thermal source for wire bonding. The thermal field of this setup was analyzed, and specific mathematical models of the field were built. Experimental results show that the heating can be focused on the bonding pad, and that much lower heat conduction occurs, compared with that during the normal heating method. The bond strength increases with increasing laser power. The bond strengths obtained with laser heating are slightly lower than those obtained with the normal heating method, but can still meet the strength requirements for MEMS.

MEMS-based microspectrometer technologies for NIR and MIR wavelengths

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuler, Leo P; Milne, Jason S; Dell, John M; Faraone, Lorenzo

2009-01-01

Commercially manufactured near-infrared (NIR) instruments became available about 50 years ago. While they have been designed for laboratory use in a controlled environment and boast high performance, they are generally bulky, fragile and maintenance intensive, and therefore expensive to purchase and maintain. Micromachining is a powerful technique to fabricate micromechanical parts such as integrated circuits. It was perfected in the 1980s and led to the invention of micro electro mechanical systems (MEMSs). The three characteristic features of MEMS fabrication technologies are miniaturization, multiplicity and microelectronics. Combined, these features allow the batch production of compact and rugged devices with integrated intelligence. In order to build more compact, more rugged and less expensive NIR instruments, MEMS technology has been successfully integrated into a range of new devices. In the first part of this paper we discuss the UWA MEMS-based Fabry-Perot spectrometer, its design and issues to be solved. MEMS-based Fabry-Perot filters primarily isolate certain wavelengths by sweeping across an incident spectrum and the resulting monochromatic signal is detected by a broadband detector. In the second part, we discuss other microspectrometers including other Fabry-Perot spectrometer designs, time multiplexing devices and mixed time/space multiplexing devices. (topical review)

Wireless MEMs BioSensor, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Crossfield is proposing to develop a low cost, single chip plant bio-monitor using an embedded MEMs based infrared (IR) spectroscopy gas sensor for carbon dioxide...

MEMS Sensors and Actuators Laboratory (MSAL)

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The MEMS Sensors and Actuators Laboratory (MSAL) in the A.J. Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland (UMD) was established in January 2000. Our lab...

Use of a Microphone Phased Array to Determine Noise Sources in a Rocket Plume

Science.gov (United States)

Panda, J.; Mosher, R.

2010-01-01

A 70-element microphone phased array was used to identify noise sources in the plume of a solid rocket motor. An environment chamber was built and other precautions were taken to protect the sensitive condenser microphones from rain, thunderstorms and other environmental elements during prolonged stay in the outdoor test stand. A camera mounted at the center of the array was used to photograph the plume. In the first phase of the study the array was placed in an anechoic chamber for calibration, and validation of the indigenous Matlab(R) based beamform software. It was found that the "advanced" beamform methods, such as CLEAN-SC was partially successful in identifying speaker sources placed closer than the Rayleigh criteria. To participate in the field test all equipments were shipped to NASA Marshal Space Flight Center, where the elements of the array hardware were rebuilt around the test stand. The sensitive amplifiers and the data acquisition hardware were placed in a safe basement, and 100m long cables were used to connect the microphones, Kulites and the camera. The array chamber and the microphones were found to withstand the environmental elements as well as the shaking from the rocket plume generated noise. The beamform map was superimposed on a photo of the rocket plume to readily identify the source distribution. It was found that the plume made an exceptionally long, >30 diameter, noise source over a large frequency range. The shock pattern created spatial modulation of the noise source. Interestingly, the concrete pad of the horizontal test stand was found to be a good acoustic reflector: the beamform map showed two distinct source distributions- the plume and its reflection on the pad. The array was found to be most effective in the frequency range of 2kHz to 10kHz. As expected, the classical beamform method excessively smeared the noise sources at lower frequencies and produced excessive side-lobes at higher frequencies. The "advanced" beamform

A ABEn e a preservação da memória profissional: implantação do Centro de Memória da Enfermagem Brasileira

OpenAIRE

Santos, Tânia Cristina Franco

2013-01-01

Estudo histórico-social, que objetivou analisar e discutir a importância do Centro de Memória da Enfermagem Brasileira para preservação e divulgação da memória profissional. Utilizou-se como fontes de dados o documentário Associação Brasileira de Enfermagem: 1926-1976, além do Projeto de Implantação e do Relatório Técnico do Acervo Documental e Fônico do Centro de Memória, ambos arquivados no referido Centro. Os dados, coletados em junho de 2013, foram submetidos a crítica externa e interna, ...

Videometrics-based Detection of Vibration Linearity in MEMS Gyroscope

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Yong Zhou

2011-05-01

Full Text Available MEMS gyroscope performs as a sort of sensor to detect angular velocity, with diverse applications in engineering including vehicle and intelligent traffic etc. A balanced vibration of driving module excited by electrostatic driving signal is the base MEMS gyroscope's performance. In order to analyze the linear property of vibration in MEMS Gyroscope, a method of computer vision measuring is applied with the help of high-speed vidicon to obtain video of linear vibration of driving module in gyroscope, under the driving voltage signal of inherent frequency and amplitude linearly increasing. By means of image processing, target identifying, and motion parameter extracting from the obtained video, vibration curve with time variation is acquired. And then, linearity of this vibration system can be analyzed by focusing on the amplitude value of vibration responding to the amplitude variation of driving voltage signal.

Voltage Dependence of Supercapacitor Capacitance

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Szewczyk Arkadiusz

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Electronic Double-Layer Capacitors (EDLC, called Supercapacitors (SC, are electronic devices that are capable to store a relatively high amount of energy in a small volume comparing to other types of capacitors. They are composed of an activated carbon layer and electrolyte solution. The charge is stored on electrodes, forming the Helmholtz layer, and in electrolyte. The capacitance of supercapacitor is voltage- dependent. We propose an experimental method, based on monitoring of charging and discharging a supercapacitor, which enables to evaluate the charge in an SC structure as well as the Capacitance-Voltage (C-V dependence. The measurement setup, method and experimental results of charging/discharging commercially available supercapacitors in various voltage and current conditions are presented. The total charge stored in an SC structure is proportional to the square of voltage at SC electrodes while the charge on electrodes increases linearly with the voltage on SC electrodes. The Helmholtz capacitance increases linearly with the voltage bias while a sublinear increase of total capacitance was found. The voltage on SC increases after the discharge of electrodes due to diffusion of charges from the electrolyte to the electrodes. We have found that the recovery voltage value is linearly proportional to the initial bias voltage value.

Modeling of biaxial gimbal-less MEMS scanning mirrors

Science.gov (United States)

von Wantoch, Thomas; Gu-Stoppel, Shanshan; Senger, Frank; Mallas, Christian; Hofmann, Ulrich; Meurer, Thomas; Benecke, Wolfgang

2016-03-01

One- and two-dimensional MEMS scanning mirrors for resonant or quasi-stationary beam deflection are primarily known as tiny micromirror devices with aperture sizes up to a few Millimeters and usually address low power applications in high volume markets, e.g. laser beam scanning pico-projectors or gesture recognition systems. In contrast, recently reported vacuum packaged MEMS scanners feature mirror diameters up to 20 mm and integrated high-reflectivity dielectric coatings. These mirrors enable MEMS based scanning for applications that require large apertures due to optical constraints like 3D sensing or microscopy as well as for high power laser applications like laser phosphor displays, automotive lighting and displays, 3D printing and general laser material processing. This work presents modelling, control design and experimental characterization of gimbal-less MEMS mirrors with large aperture size. As an example a resonant biaxial Quadpod scanner with 7 mm mirror diameter and four integrated PZT (lead zirconate titanate) actuators is analyzed. The finite element method (FEM) model developed and computed in COMSOL Multiphysics is used for calculating the eigenmodes of the mirror as well as for extracting a high order (n system inputs and scanner displacement as system output. By applying model order reduction techniques using MATLABR a compact state space system approximation of order n = 6 is computed. Based on this reduced order model feedforward control inputs for different, properly chosen scanner displacement trajectories are derived and tested using the original FEM model as well as the micromirror.

Characteristics and measurement of supersonic projectile shock waves by a 32-microphone ring array

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Ho; Wu, Yan-Chyuan; Tsung, Tsing-Tshih

2011-08-01

This paper discusses about the characteristics of supersonic projectile shock wave in muzzle region during firing of high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) and high explosive (HE) projectiles. HEAT projectiles are fired horizontally at a muzzle velocity of Mach 3.5 from a medium caliber tank gun equipped with a newly designed multi-perforated muzzle brake, whereas HE projectiles are fired at elevation angles at a muzzle velocity of Mach 2 from a large caliber howitzer equipped with a newly designed double-baffle muzzle brake. In the near field, pressure signatures of the N-wave generated from projectiles are measured by 32-microphone ring array wrapped by cotton sheath. Records measured by the microphone array are used to demonstrate several key characteristics of the shock wave of supersonic projectile. All measurements made in this study can be a significant reference for developing guns, tanks, or the chassis of fighting vehicles.

Ferroelectric Negative Capacitance Domain Dynamics

OpenAIRE

Hoffmann, Michael; Khan, Asif Islam; Serrao, Claudy; Lu, Zhongyuan; Salahuddin, Sayeef; Pešić, Milan; Slesazeck, Stefan; Schroeder, Uwe; Mikolajick, Thomas

2017-01-01

Transient negative capacitance effects in epitaxial ferroelectric Pb(Zr$_{0.2}$Ti$_{0.8}$)O$_3$ capacitors are investigated with a focus on the dynamical switching behavior governed by domain nucleation and growth. Voltage pulses are applied to a series connection of the ferroelectric capacitor and a resistor to directly measure the ferroelectric negative capacitance during switching. A time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau approach is used to investigate the underlying domain dynamics. The transien...

Capacitive divider for output voltage measurement of intense electron beam accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)