CAREER: MASSIVE REPLICATION OF RF/MICROWAVE MEMS PASSIVES MODULES

0093549 Lee提出了一个以开发新型RF/微波MEMS无源元件及其集成到电路基板上的方法为中心的综合研究和教育计划。由于无线通信的需求不断增加，需要非常小的通信信道间距，以确保在有限的带宽内增加容量。 高性能无源元件是无线通信系统的关键部件。 传统上，片外无源元件主要由于其高性能而用于RF/微波应用。 然而，它们体积庞大且耗电。 MEMS技术使创新的高性能集成RF/微波无源元件成为可能，这是传统技术无法实现的。 南方唯一的同步辐射源，先进微结构和器件中心位于PI的机构。 利用这种独特的设备，高性能的新型高深宽比RF/微波无源器件将通过LIGA和/或LIGA类技术开发。 它们包括3-D片上螺线管电感，可调谐电容，微带线，共面波导。 非常规的高纵横比微结构可以产生高品质因数、高耦合效率的无源元件和3-D集成，这将在许多便携式无线通信系统应用中节省宝贵的真实的资产。 将开发使用塑料复制技术的大规模并行无源元件转移技术，以低成本大规模生产的方式将高性能RF/微波MEMS无源元件模块集成到包含电路的衬底上。 此外，亦会发展晶圆级覆晶组装技术，以整合多个高性能射频/微波元件。建议书的教育部分主要是为微机电系统教育发展网上互动教材。 具体来说，将开发用于MEMS制造过程和各种MEMS传感器建模的Java Applets，并将通过互联网传播。 这些教育资源将为学生学习MEMS技术提供积极的界面。 还计划与其他部门的合作者开发高级/研究生实验室课程。 此类课程将为学生提供LIGA和/或LIGA类MEMS技术的多学科应用的实践设计和制造经验。 还计划与其他部门的合作者开发工业短期课程，为参与者提供基于LIGA的MEMS技术及其在RF MEMS和生物医学MEMS（BioMEMS）中的应用的第一手加工经验。 计算机辅助建模的广泛使用将被引入到研究生和本科生水平的传统教学课程中，以提高课程质量，并为学生满足当今领先的工业需求做好准备。

0093549LeeAn integrated research and education program that is centered on the development of novel RF/microwave MEMS passive components and a method of their integration onto circuit containing substrates is proposed.Since the demand for wireless communication is ever increasing, very small communication channel spacings are desirable to ensure increased capacity in limited bandwidth. High performance passive elements are key components of wireless communication systems. Traditionally, off-the-chip passive components were used for RF/microwave applications mainly due to their high performance. However, they are bulky and power consuming. MEMS technology enables innovative high performance integrated RF/microwave passive elements that were not possible by traditional technologies. South's only synchrotron radiation source, the Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices is located and belongs to the PI's institution. Using such unique facility, high performance novel high aspect ratio RF/microwave passive components will be developed by LIGA and/or LIGA-like techniques. They include 3-D on-chip solenoid inductors, tunable capacitors, microstrip lines, coplanar waveguides. Unconventional high aspect ratio microstructures could yield high quality factor, high coupling efficiency passive components, and 3-D integration which will save precious real estate in many portable wireless communication system applications. Massively parallel passive component transfer techniques using plastic replication techniques will be developed to integrate high performance RF/microwave MEMS passive element modules onto circuit containing substrates in low cost mass production manner. Wafer-level flip-chip assembly technology will also be developed to integrate multiple numbers of high performance RF/microwave components.The educational component of the proposal is centered on the development of web-based interactive educational materials for MEMS education. Specifically, Java Applets for MEMS fabrication processes and modeling of a variety of MEMS sensors will be developed and they will be disseminated through the internet. Such educational resources will provide active interfaces for students to learn MEMS technology. Development of a senior/graduate laboratory class with collaborators in other departments is also planned. Such class will give students hands-on design and fabrication experience on LIGA and/or LIGA-like MEMS technology for multidisciplinary applications. Development of an industrial short course with collaborators in other departments is also planned to give participants first-hand processing experience on LIGA-based MEMS technology and its applications to RF MEMS and biomedical MEMS (BioMEMS). An extensive use of computer-aided modeling will be introduced to traditional instructional courses in graduate and undergraduate levels to enhance the quality of the classes and prepare the students to meet today's leading edge industrial needs.