This paper reports on design, fabrication and characterisation of a MEMS-based micro combustor for micro power generation systems. The first micro combustor implemented was a static gas turbine engine. The micro combustor was composed of seven silicon wafers and fabricated using deep reactive ion etching (DRIE). The size of the prototype was 21mmx21mmx4.4 mm. The combustor was assembled, aligned, ignited and tested under a fixture jig. The temperature near the exit of the combustor reached 1550 K, when the mass flow rate and fuel/air equivalence ratio were 0.06 g/sec and 0.8, respectively.
Nano imprinting or Nano embossing process have been introduced to fabricate semiconductor, optical device and Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) and the Nano Electro Mechanical Systems (NEMS) to reduce the fabrication cost. In our previous paper, micro hot embossing of Polycarbonate (PC) and Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) for optical switch with 8x8 mirrors was reported. The PC and PEEK sheets were embossed at elevated temperature with an embossing machine designed for the MEMS. In the application, the mirrors on the optical switch had some defects, such as slump, sticking and step at side of the mirror, due to embossing process and process conditions. These defects are attributed to the poor materials flow of plastics into the e Ni mold cavity of complicate shape with different aspect ratio. Therefore, the micro hot embossing is optimized in this paper with PTFE sheet to enhance the materials flow. In this paper, the PC and the PEEK sheets, thickness of 300um, are embossed at elevated temperature with the hot embossing machine with a Nickel mold. To control material flow of the PC or the PEEK sheets, Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sheet, the thickness of 100um, is placed on the PC or the PEEK sheets at elevated temperature. Mirror shape was transferred with better fidelity on the PC and PEEK sheet, and the thickness of cantilever became thinner than previous embossed structure without the PTFE. Especially, the mirror height and the thickness of cantilever on the PC have been improved at lower embossing temperature.
KEYWORDS: Semiconducting wafers, Etching, Deep reactive ion etching, Plasma, Silicon, Photoresist materials, Photomasks, Ions, Surface roughness, Process control
In micro fabricated gas turbine engine, a micro journal air bearing is used to offer high speed and low wear operations. Fabrication of such a journal bearing is a critical challenge since the clearance of the bearing is only several micrometers with aspect ratio of more than 20. This paper reports on the fabrication of ultra-high aspect ratio micro journal air bearing using ICP DRIE (inductively coupled plasma deep reactive ion etching) process. The process parameters that resulted in bowed and tpaered journal bearing were investigated to improve the profile of the etched journal bearing. Micro journal bearings with sidewall verticality of almost 90° were obtained.
A micro hot embossing process has been developed for low cost and mass-production fabrications of optical switching components. After illustrating the architecture design and mold fabrication of a proposed optical switch, this paper describes the optimizations of parameters for hot embossing process to manufacture components of the optical switch. Polycarbonate has been used as the process material. The height of embossed mirrors, the thickness of actuating cantilever and the deformation of switch platforms have been measured precisely. The influence of process parameters has been investigated, and the optimized process parameters have been recommended with the process temperature and loading force being around 180°C and 1500Kg, respectively. The design guideline of nickel mold for easier release after embossing has also been recommended. The experimental results have demonstrated technological feasibility of micro hot embossing for low cost and mass-production of micro optical devices.
In our previous works, metal injection technique into small diameter (10 -100micrometers ) through holes was developed and applied for fabrication of Si based print circuit board. In the present work, we present the metal filling technology by vacuum casting into 3 dimensional through holes and trenches structure fabricated in stacked layered Si wafers prepared by fusion bonding of ICP etched Si wafers. Metal electrical feed through was successfully prepared by the method. Conventional print circuit boards have been fabricated with Epoxy resin based materials. In recent years Si is regarded as a candidate for next generation materials for print circuit board substrates, as the substrate whose thermal elongation same as the mounted chips is an ideal solution to residual stress problems in the elevated temperature application. In this report, we developed the double sided mountable stacked circuit board using Si deep etching technology and fusion bonding. This technology is expected to lead to the realization of the assembling of sensors, actuators and ICs, i.e. 3 dimensional MEMS packaging. In this report, we adopted micromachining technology to this application area and the special emphasis is placed on the low cost and reliable process development. The detailed items to be developed are shown as follows; 1) Development of Si wafer through holes penetration and trench formation by ICP etching. 2) Alignment and bonding of micromachined wafers. 3) Development of insulating layer with oxidation. 4) Development of formation of electrical feed through for stacked layers.
In this report, Silicon wafer based multi-layered print circuit board is presented. The developed stacked circuit board will lead to realization of 3 dimensional MEMS packaging. The through holes and trenches were formed by ICP Si deep etching and the stacked layered structure was prepared with Si fusion bonding of ICP etched wafers. Metal was filled into ICP fabricated through holes and trenches to make electrical feed through. Four Silicon wafers with ICP through holes are aligned and successfully joined by fusion bonding. The target application of this work is multi-layered Silicon based print circuit board. The electrical feed through was fabricated by injecting the Ag (80 wt%) + Cu(20 wt%) mixed with binder, low melting temperature metal, and Ag electrical conductive paste into the small diameter through holes and trenches in oxidized Silicon wafer stacked structure. A multi- component binder system comprising of EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate 35 wt%) + PW (Paraffin Wax 65 wt%) was used. Super critical debinding method is applied prior to final sintering process. The ratio of metal powder and binder was optimized. Low melting point metal and electrical conductive paste filling methods were also tried by injection and vacuum extraction. SEM observation shows that the through holes are filled with metal for a single wafer. However we have still difficulty in filling the metal into four wafers stacked layer. The electrical conductivity test was sufficient between top and bottom. Several feed through formation methods have been proposed.
In This report, Silicon wafer based print circuit board is presented as an example of application of this technique, where the metal was filled into ICP fabricated through holes to make electrical feed through. The target application of this work is Silicon based print circuit board. The electrical feed through was fabricated by casting the Ag (80 wt %) + Cu (20 wt %) mixed with binder into the small diameter through holes in oxidized silicon wafer. A multi-component binder system comprising of EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate 35 wt %) + PW (Paraffin Wax 65 wt %) was used. Super critical debinding method is applied prior to final sintering process. The ratio of metal powder and binder was 9:1. SEM observation shows that the through holes are filled with metal powders. Conventional debinding process resulted in scattering the metal powder onto the Si wafer during debinding process and final sintering process. Very slow temperature elevation heating and super critical debinding process resulted in good formation of electrical feed through. The feed through formed with small bumps because of expansion of the metal powder area. The electrical conductivity test was sufficient between top and bottom. Several Feed through formation methods have been proposed. The electroplating and vacuum casting method are well known processes. Compared with these methods, this is rather rapid and economical, and provides desired shape of bumps and no need of eliminating the unnecessary part.
Micro fabrication techniques for thick structure are developed. One method is a micro fabrication method using injection molding. And another method is the coating method using hydro gel. First method is almost same technique which is named MIM or CIM. In the process, the powder is mixed with the binder and mixture is injection molded. the molded parts are extracted the binder using supercritical carbon dioxide, and sintered. Employing this process, micro pattern which has aspect ratio more than 5 can be molded by metal powder and PZT. In this method, a micro pattern made by laser ablation is used as a die. As compared with other micro fabrication techniques, this method can utilize the molding die repeatedly. Consequently, the producing cost of micro parts can be decreased by this method on actual production process. Second method is a technique which uses the PVA hydrogel. The powder is mixed with water which contains the PVA from 3 to 15 percent. The mixed compound is sandwiched with PE films.It is froze and a gel sheet which has thickness from 40 to 100 micrometers is obtained. Using the sheet, the ceramic and metal are coated on the Silicon wafer, and thick structure is fabricated.
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