• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.177-182
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• 2007

This paper presents the see-saw type RF MEMS switch based on a single crystalline silicon structure with narrow gap vertical comb. Low actuation voltage and high isolation are key features to be solved in electrostatic RF MEMS switch design. Since these parameters in conventional parallel plate RF MEMS switch designs are in trade-off relationship, both requirements cannot be met simultaneously. In the vertical comb design, however, the actuation voltage is independent of the vertical separation distance between the contact electrodes. Therefore, the large separation gap between contact electrodes is implemented to achieve high isolation. We have designed and fabricated RF MEMS switch which has 46dB isolation at 5GHz, 0.9dB insertion loss at 5GHz and 40V actuation voltage.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.101-109
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• 2004

This paper presents a novel z-axis accelerometer with perfectly aligned vertical combs fabricated using the extended sacrificial bulk micromachining (extended SBM) process. The z-axis accelerometer is fabricated using only one (111) SOI wafer and two photo masks without wafer bonding or CMP processes as used by other research efforts that involve vertical combs. In our process, there is no misalignment in lateral gap between the upper and lower comb electrodes, because all critical dimensions including lateral gaps are defined using only one mask. The fabricated accelerometer has the structure thickness of $30{\mu}m$, the vertical offset of $12{\mu}m$, and lateral gap between electrodes of $4{\mu}m$. Torsional springs and asymmetric proof mass produce a vertical displacement when an external z-axis acceleration is applied, and capacitance change due to the vertical displacement of the comb is detected by charge-to-voltage converter. The signal-to-noise ratio of the modulated and demodulated output signal is 80 dB and 76.5 dB, respectively. The noise equivalent input acceleration resolution of the modulated and demodulated output signal is calculated to be $500{\mu}g$ and $748{\mu}g$. The scale factor and linearity of the accelerometer are measured to be 1.1 mV/g and 1.18% FSO, respectively.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.953-956
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• 2005

Low voltage actuation and high isolation characteristics are key features to be solved in electrostatic RF switch design. Since these parameters in the conventional parallel plate MEMS switch design are in trade-off relation, both requirements cannot be met simultaneously. In vertical comb design, however, the actuation voltage is independent to the vertical separation distance between the contact electrodes. Then, we can design the large separation distance between contact electrodes to get high isolation. We have designed an RF MEMS switch which has -40dB isolation at 5 GHz and 6 V operation voltages. The characteristics of the fabricated switch are being evaluate.

• Transactions of the Society of Information Storage Systems
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.23-26
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• 2014

In this paper, we present a novel approach for tuning the resonant frequency of torsionally driven vertical comb actuators. The tuning unit composed of thermal actuator, scissor mechanism and V-shape shaft enables continuous and reversible resonant frequency tuning. The proposed method is based on the stiffness alteration of the V-shape shaft. It is experimentally verified that the resonant frequency of the torsional microscanner is shifted up to 1.59 kHz from 1.51 kHz showing the maximum tuning ratio of 5.29%.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.591-592
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• 2008

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.148-149
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• 2007

We present the design and fabrication prcoess of a two-axis tilting micromirror device driven by the electrostatic vertical comb actuator. A high aspect-ratio comb actuator is fabricated by multiple DRIE process in order to achieve large scan angle. The proposed fabrication process enables a mirror to be fabricated on the wafer-scale. By bonding a double-side polished (DSP) wafer and a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer together, all actuators on the wafer are completely hidden under the reflectors. Nickel lines are embedded on a Pyrex wafer for the electrical access to numerous electrodes of mirrors. An anodic bonding step is implemented to contact electrical lines with ail electrodes on the wafer at a time. The mechanical angle of a fabricated mirror has been measured to be 1.9 degree and 1.6 degree, respectively, in the two orthogonal axes under driving voltages of 100 V. Also, a $8{\times}8$ array of micromirrors with high fill-factor of 70 % is fabricated by the same fabrication process.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.845-846
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• 2006

In this paper, we describe a capacitive position sensing and motion control scheme of a MEMS scanner used for laser display application. The laser displays can be made by scanning laser beams much the same way a CRT scans electron beams. So the accuracy of the scanner motion determines the quality of the displayed image. The MEMS scanner under consideration is composed of electrostatic comb electrodes with initial gap and requires large driving voltage. Due to the under-damping and nonlinear driving characteristics, the scanner motion is subject to be an unwanted oscillation. For the linear scanner motion, we devise a differential charge amplifier and phase compensator. The experimental results show that the implemented feedback control system provides sufficient electrical damping and improves the dynamic performance of the scanner.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.1547-1552
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• 2003

In this paper, we present a planar single-crystalline silicon x-axis micro-gyroscope fabricated with a perfectly aligned vertical actuation combs on one silicon wafer, using the extended SBM technology. The fabricated x-axis micro-gyroscope has the resolution of 0.1 deg/sec, the bandwidth of 100 Hz. These research results allow integrating 6 axes inertial measurement (3 accelerations and 3 angular rates) on the same silicon substrate using the same process for the first time.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 1996.04a
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• pp.156-160
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• 1996

A vibrating angular rate sensor with tuning fork type resonator of microstructure (940*820 .mu. m$^{2}$) was designed and will be fabricated by polysilicon surface micromaching. The angular rate sensor is driven in a lateral direction by electrostatic force of comb drive electrodes, and vertical vibrations of the sensor, thich is detected capacitively, are produced by Coriolis forces due to an external angular rate. Mechanical Q factors and a difference between the frequencies of the two resonant modes, the driving mode and detecting mode, play a great role in increasing the sensitivity of the sensor. To be a highly sensitive sensor, it was designed to have as small frequency discrepancy of the two resonant modes as possible. Finite element method was used for the modal analysis. Several design parameters were selected and their contributions to the modal frequencies were investigated. A method was presented for tuning the detecting mode frequency by DC bias on the drive electrodes.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.367-374
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• 2000

This paper presents a method to fabricate freestanding structures by (100) silicon anisotropic etching and nickel electroless plating. The electroless plating process is simpler than the electroplating, and provides good coating uniformity and improved mechanical properties. Furthermore, the (100) silicon anisotropic etching in KOH solution with being aligned to <100> direction provides vertical (100) sidewalls on etched (100) surface. In this paper, the effects of the nickel electroless plating condition on the properties of electroless plated metal structures are investigated to apply fabrication of micro structures and then various micro structures are fabricated by nickel electroless plating. And then, the structures are released by silicon anisotropic etching in KOH solution with a large gap between the structure and the substrate. The fabricated cantilever structures are $210\mum$. wide, $5\mum$. thick and $15\mum$. over the silicon substrate, and the comb structure has the comb electrodes which are $4\mum$. wide and $4.3\mum$. thick separated by$1\mum$. It is released by silicon anisotropic etching in KOH solution. The gap between the structure and the substrate is $2.5\mum$.