CM/Collaborative Research: CloudMEMS: Cybermanufacturing of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems

半导体行业正在向创造增值产品和服务转变，而不是简单地专注于推进最先进的集成电路技术，微机电系统（MEMS）有望在新时代发挥越来越重要的作用。微机电系统的设计和开发需要复杂的计算机辅助设计工具、精密的微加工设备和广泛的包装基础设施。这些技术壁垒限制了创新者和企业家获取和使用MEMS技术的能力。该奖项支持一种新颖的、基于云的MEMS设计、开发和制造平台的研究，该平台可通过网络访问、低成本、可扩展和互动。如果成功，这项研究将通过建立新的制造服务基础设施来促进网络制造创新，使广大客户和企业家能够高效、低成本地制作微机电系统的原型，从而直接使美国经济和社会受益。这项研究还将在云计算、电子学、微加工和传感器等新兴领域引入新的课程。本研究设想的教育、培训和推广活动将需要为少数民族和代表性不足的高中生开发动手教学材料。CloudMEMS平台将在微机电系统的设计和开发中建立一种新颖的“设计在任何地方，制造在任何地方”的方法，通过标准化的工艺和材料选择，从领先的半导体代工厂为客户，设计师和企业家提供方便。这个由多所大学组成的研究团队将系统地研究下一代微机电系统的制造设计中的工艺限制，以实现使用标准半导体代工工艺进行组件设计和制造。该团队将研究复杂的数学模型和缩放定律，能够处理基于不同结构材料和工艺的微机电系统设计。本文将通过以下方式探讨帮助微机电系统设计的相关多管齐下的方法：(1)将商业计算机辅助设计软件包融合到云服务器中；(2)研究微机电系统缩放规律，以实现预模拟和预分解设备的成本效益再造。该项目将为缺乏过程知识的专家用户和非专家用户培养不同的设计周期。CloudMEMS平台将通过互联网访问，以架起网络和制造领域的桥梁，从而促进美国在网络驱动微系统和制造领域的领导地位。

The semiconductor industry is undergoing a shift towards creation of value-added products and services, rather than simply focusing on advancing the state-of-the-art in integrated circuit technology, with Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) expected to play an increasingly important role in the new era. The design and development of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems entails sophisticated Computer-Aided-Design tools, elaborate microfabrication facilities, and extensive packaging infrastructures. Such technological barriers limit the abilities of innovators and entrepreneurs to access and use MEMS technologies. This award supports research to enable a novel, cloud-based MEMS design, development and manufacturing platform that is web-accessible, low cost, expansible and interactive. If successful, this research will foster cybermanufacturing innovation by enabling a new manufacturing service infrastructure that allows a wide range of customers and entrepreneurs to prototype their Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems efficiently and at low cost, thereby directly benefitting the U.S. economy and society. This research also will lead to new curriculum in the rapidly emerging areas of cloud computing, electronics, microfabrication, and sensors. Educational, training, and outreach activities envisioned by this research will entail development of hands-on instructional material for minority and underrepresented high school students.The CloudMEMS platform will establish a novel "Design Anywhere, Manufacture Anywhere" approach in the design and development of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems via standardized processes and materials selections from leading semiconductor foundries easily made available to clients, designers, and entrepreneurs. The multi-university research team will systematically investigate process constraints in the Design-for-Manufacturing of next-generation Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems toward enabling component design and fabrication using standard semiconductor foundry processes. The team will investigate sophisticated mathematical models and scaling laws capable of handling Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems designs based on different structural materials and processes. Pertinent multi-pronged approaches for aiding Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems design will be explored by (1) Fusing commercial Computer-Aided-Design packages into a cloud server and (2) Studying Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems scaling laws for cost effective re-engineering of pre-simulated and pre-decomposed devices. The project will foster distinct design cycles for expert users and non-expert users who lack process knowledge. The CloudMEMS platform will be made accessible via Internet to bridge the cyber and manufacturing domains, thereby promoting leadership of the U.S. in cyber-driven microsystems and manufacturing.