Inertial Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) refers to the technologies of making three dimensional structures and devices with dimensions in the order of micrometers (millionths of a meter!).

 This photo shows a silicon motor together with a strand of human hair. The diameter of human hair is about 100 microns. (Photo courtesy of BSAC)

The two constructional technologies of MEMS are microelectronics and micromachining. Microelectronics, producing electronic circuitry on silicon chips, is a very well developed technology. Micromachining is the name for the techniques used to produce the structures and moving parts of microengineered devices.

 First prototype of an integrated silicon micromachined X-axis gyroscope (patent pending). The chip is fabricated using Sandia National Lab iMEMS technology.

One of the main goals of microengineering is to be able to integrate microelectronic circuitry into micromachined structures, to produce completely integrated systems (microsystems). Such systems could have the same advantages of low cost, reliability and small size as silicon chips produced in the microelectronics industry.

 Silicon micromachined Z-axis gyroscope for angle measurement (patent pending). The chip is fabricated using Sandia National Lab iMEMS technology. MEMS gyroscopes are vibratory systems operating on the principle of induced motion by the inertial Coriolis force (see references below for details).

MEMS gyroscopes are probably the most challenging type of transducers ever attempted to be designed in micro-world. A nail size dynamic system integrated with control electronics on the same silicon chip is designed to be a very sensitive sensor which is able to detect maneuvers and motions that are even beyond human perception. Along with exciting opportunities which MEMS gyroscopes could bring to our everyday life, the miniaturization introduces many technical challenges in the design, analysis, and control. Development of such systems is currently an active area of research.

 The following three pictures illustrate a design of silicon micromachined string gyroscope and a gyroscope packaged in a standard 24-pin ceramic IC package.

Recent Publications:

  1. Andrei M. Shkel, Roberto Horowitz, Ashwin A. Seshia, Sungsu Park, Roger T. Howe "Dynamics and Control of Micromachined Gyroscopes". The American Control Conference. San Diego, CA. June 1999.
  2. Andrei M. Shkel, Roger T. Howe, Roberto Horowitz "Modeling and Simulation of Micromachined Gyroscopes in the Presence of Imperfections ". International Conference on Modeling and Simulation of Microsystems. San Juan, Puerto Rico. April 1999.
  3. Andrei M. Shkel, Roger T. Howe, Roberto Horowitz "Micromachined Gyroscopes: Challenges, Design Solutions, and Opportunities". International Workshop on Micro Robots, Micro Machines and Systems. Moscow, Russia. November 1999.

Technologies Available for Licensing:

  1. Andrei M. Shkel "Micromachined Gyroscope for Angle Measurements". UC-Berkeley Office of Technology and Licensing. Case Number 98-046-3.
  2. Andrei M. Shkel and Roger T. Howe "Polysilicon Surface Micromachined Rate Integrating Gyroscopes". UC-Berkeley Office of Technology and Licensing. Case Number B99-077.