CAREER: Resonant MEMS for Sensing Applications

利用微电子机械系统(MEMS)组件的应用正变得越来越多和重要。MEMS的一个特点是，与仅仅将现有设计和想法微型化不同，它提供了一种创新技术，将使以前无法实现的生物、纳米技术、材料和物理实验成为可能。然而，为了使这些器件坚固耐用，并提高现有传感器的灵敏度，必须在传感器设计、校准、测试和表征以及制造方面采用新的思想。本方案的研究目标是设计、制造和测试因独特的动态效应而具有高灵敏度的质量(化学)和压力动态MEMS传感器；将对参数振荡器的理解扩展到耦合系统，并开发可调谐滤波器应用。本文还提出了一个整合的教育计划，将上述传感器用于面向八年级学生的基于互联网的实验，并将上述传感器作为UCSB新组建的MEMS本科课程中的演示和教学模块。这一提议所基于的一类重要设备是动态MEMS。振动传感器通常可以提供比静态或准静态设备更高的灵敏度。在这项提案中，PI计划在对微系统动力学的基本理解方面取得重要成果。提出了谐振式MEMS在生物(化学)传感器、可调机械过滤器、开关和压力传感器中的应用的独特设计，以及使它们成为可能的基础科学。除了研究单个振子，研究耦合振子系统将有助于更深入地了解附近元素之间的静电和机械耦合，这也具有广泛的好处。MEMS和纳米机电系统(NEMS)提供了一个独特的机会，以不同程度的复杂程度向人们介绍科学。利用互联网(WWW)，提出了互动模块，旨在吸引潜在的年轻科学家对微工程的未来感兴趣。网络模块还提供了一种非性别特定的方式，向学生展示有趣的科学。MEMS设备的新颖性可以吸引并保持年轻人的兴趣，说明基本的物理原理，并让学生了解是什么让工程学成为一种令人兴奋的职业选择。通过UCSB现有的项目，一名中学教师将在PI的研究实验室花部分时间开发基于网络的实验，并学习在课堂上教授材料所需的技能。动态MEMS提供了一种引人入胜的教育媒介，以及将导致传感、过滤器和数据存储方面的重大进步的工具。这项提议旨在解决微型传感器开发中的一些基本问题，并利用微型设备的简单性和新颖性来鼓励中学生追求令人兴奋的科学领域。

Applications utilizing microelectromechanical system (MEMS) components are becoming increasingly more numerous and important. A hallmark of MEMS is that unlike merely miniaturizing existing designs and ideas, it provides an innovative technology which will enable experiments in biology, nanotechnology, materials, and physics which have not been previously achievable. However, to make these devices robust, and improve on the sensitivity of existing sensors, new ideas must be employed in sensor design, as well as in calibration, test and characterization, and fabrication.The research goals of this proposal are to design, build, and test dynamic MEMS sensors for mass (chemical) and pressure which possess high sensitivity due to unique dynamic effects; to extend the understanding of parametric oscillators to coupled systems, and develop tunable filter applications. An integrated educational program is also proposed that uses the aforementioned sensors in internet-based experiments geared toward eighth grade students, and uses the above sensors as demonstration and teaching modules in the newly formed MEMS undergraduate curriculum at UCSB. One important class of devices, on which this proposal is based, is dynamic MEMS. Vibratory sensors can often provide higher sensitivity than that shown with static, or quasi-static devices. In this proposal, the PI plans to achieve important results in fundamental understanding of the dynamics of microsystems. Unique designs for resonant MEMS having applications in bio (chemical) sensors, tunable mechanical filters, switches, and pressure sensors are proposed, as well as the fundamental science which enables them. As well as studying single oscillators, studying systems of coupled oscillators will lead to a deeper understanding of electrostatic and mechanical coupling between nearby elements, which also has widespread benefit. MEMS and Nanoelectromechanical Systems (NEMS) provide a unique opportunity to introduce people to science at varying degrees of complexity. Using the internet (www), interactive modules are proposed which aim to interest potential young scientists about the future in micro-engineering. Web modules also provide a non-gender specific way of presenting interesting science to students. The novelty of MEMS devices can draw and maintain the interest of young people, and illustrate fundamental physics principles, as well as give students an idea about what makes engineering an exciting career choice. Through existing programs at UCSB, a middle school teacher will spend part of the summer in the PI's research lab developing the web-based experiments, and learning the necessary skills to teach the material in the classroom. Dynamic MEMS provide an engaging educational medium, as well as tools which will lead to important advances in sensing, filters, and data storage. This proposal aims to address some of the fundamental issues in micro-sensor development, as well as use the simplicity and novelty of micro-devices to encourage middle school students to pursue exciting areas of science.