Saad Ilyas

An Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of a Micromirror Under Mixed-Frequency Excitation

We present an experimental and theoretical investigation of a micromachined mirror under a mixed-frequency signal composed of two harmonic ac sources. The micromirror is made of polyimide as the main structural layer. The experimental and theoretical dynamics are explored via frequency sweeps in the desired neighborhoods. One frequency is fixed while the other frequency is swept through a wide range to study the dynamic responses. To simulate the behavior of the micromirror, it is modeled as a single degree of freedom system, where the parameters of the model are extracted experimentally. A good agreement is reported among the simulation results and the experimental data. These responses are studied under different frequencies and input voltages. The results show interesting dynamics, where the system exhibits primary resonance and combination resonances of additive and subtractive type. The mixed excitation is demonstrated as a way to increase the bandwidth of the resonator near primary resonance, which can be promising for resonant sensing applications in the effort to increase the signal-noise ratio over extended frequency range.

A versatile multi-user polyimide surface micromachinning process for MEMS applications

This paper reports a versatile multi-user micro-fabrication process for MEMS devices, the “Polyimide MEMS Multi-User Process” (PiMMPs). The reported process uses polyimide as the structural material and three separate metallization layers that can be interconnected depending on the desired application. This process enables for the first time the development of out-of-plane compliant mechanisms that can be designed using six different physical principles for actuation and sensing on a wafer from a single fabrication run. These principles are electrostatic motion, thermal bimorph actuation, capacitive sensing, magnetic sensing, thermocouple-based sensing and radio frequency transmission and reception.

Static and Dynamic Amplification Using Strong Mechanical Coupling

Amplifying the signal-to-noise ratio of resonant sensors is vital toward the effort to miniaturize devices into the sub-micro and nano regimes. In this paper, we demonstrate theoretically and experimentally, amplification through mechanically coupled microbeams. The device is composed of two identical clamped-clamped beams, made of polyimide, connected at their middle through a third beam, which acts as a mechanical coupler. Each of the clamped-clamped microbeams and the coupler are designed to be actuated separately, hence providing various possibilities of actuation and sensing. The coupled resonator is driven into resonance near its first resonance mode and its dynamic behavior is explored via frequency sweeps. The results show significant amplification in the resonator amplitude when the signal is measured at the midpoint of the coupler compared with the response of the individual uncoupled beams. The static pull-in characteristics of the resonator are also studied. It is shown that the compliant mechanical coupler can serve as a low-power radio frequency switch actuated at low voltage loads.

Efficient primary and parametric resonance excitation of bistable resonators

We experimentally demonstrate an efficient approach to excite primary and parametric (up to the 4th) resonance of Microelectromechanical system MEMS arch resonators with large vibrational amplitudes. A single crystal silicon in-plane arch microbeam is fabricated such that it can be excited axially from one of its ends by a parallel-plate electrode. Its micro/nano scale vibrations are transduced using a high speed camera. Through the parallel-plate electrode, a time varying electrostatic force is applied, which is converted into a time varying axial force that modulates dynamically the stiffness of the arch resonator. Due to the initial curvature of the structure, not only parametric excitation is induced, but also primary resonance. Experimental investigation is conducted comparing the response of the arch near primary resonance using the axial excitation to that of a classical parallel-plate actuation where the arch itself forms an electrode. The results show that the axial excitation can be more efficie...

MEMS Logic Using Mixed-Frequency Excitation

We present multi-function microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) logic device that can perform the fundamental logic gate AND, OR, universal logic gates NAND, NOR, and a tristate logic gate using mixed-frequency excitation. The concept is based on exciting combination resonances due to the mixing of two or more input signals. The device vibrates at two steady states: a high state when the combination resonance is activated and a low state when no resonance is activated. These vibration states are assigned to logical value 1 or 0 to realize the logic gates. Using ac signals to drive the resonator and to execute the logic inputs unifies the input and output wave forms of the logic device, thereby opening the possibility for cascading among logic devices. We found that the energy consumption per cycle of the proposed logic resonator is higher than those of existing technologies. Hence, integration of such logic devices to build complex computational system needs to take into consideration lowering the total energy consumption. [2017-0041]

A Coupled Resonator for Highly Tunable and Amplified Mixer/Filter

We present an H-shaped resonator made of two clamped–clamped microbeams mechanically coupled at the middle with a strong coupler to achieve, in a single device, mechanical amplification of the response signal, filtering, and frequency conversion simultaneously. Usingmechanicalamplification combinedwith combination resonances generated from a mixed-frequency excitation, a wideband tunable filter, and a simultaneous frequency up and down convertors at multiple bands is demonstrated. The proposed coupled structure, when combined with the easy-to-implement technique of frequency mixing, is promising for applications in an RF chain.

A scalable pressure sensor based on an electrothermally and electrostatically operated resonator

We present a pressure sensor based on the convective cooling of the air surrounding an electrothermally heated resonant bridge. Unlike conventional pressure sensors that rely on diaphragm deformation in response to pressure, the sensor does not require diaphragms of the large surface area, and hence is scalable and can be realized even at the nanoscale. The concept is demonstrated using both straight and arch microbeam resonators driven and sensed electrostatically. The change in the surrounding pressure is shown to be accurately tracked by monitoring the change in the resonance frequency of the structure. The sensitivity of the sensor, which is controllable by the applied electrothermal load, is shown near 57 811 ppm/mbar for a pressure range from 1 to 10 Torr. We show that a straight beam operated near the buckling threshold leads to the maximum sensitivity of the device. The experimental data and simulation results, based on a multi-physics finite element model, demonstrate the feasibility and simplicity of the pressure sensor. Published by AIP Publishing.

Exploiting nonlinearities of micro-machined resonators for filtering applications

We demonstrate the exploitation of the nonlinear behavior of two electrically coupled microbeam resonators to realize a band-pass filter. More specifically, we combine their nonlinear hardening and softening responses to realize a near flat pass band filter with sharp roll-off characteristics. The device is composed of two near identical doubly clamped and electrostatically actuated microbeams made of silicon. One of the resonators is buckled via thermal loading to produce a softening frequency response. It is then further tuned to create the desired overlap with the second resonator response of hardening behavior. This overlapping improves the pass band flatness. Also, the sudden jumps due to the softening and hardening behaviors create sharp roll-off characteristics. This approach can be promising for the future generation of filters with superior characteristics.

Nanoelectromechanical resonator for logic operations

We report an electro-thermally tunable in-plane doubly-clamped nanoelectromechanical resonator capable of dynamically performing NOR, NOT, XNOR, XOR, and AND logic operations. Toward this, a silicon based resonator is fabricated using standard e-beam lithography and surface nanomachining of a highly conductive device layer of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer. The performance of this logic device is examined at elevated temperatures, ranging from 25 °C to 85 °C, demonstrating its resilience for most of the logic operations; thereby paving the way towards nano-elements-based mechanical computing.

Sensitive resonant gas sensor operating in air with metal organic frameworks coating

We report a practical resonant gas sensor that is uniformly coated with metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and excited near the higher order modes for a higher attained sensitivity. The resonator is based on an electrostatically excited clamped-clamped microbeam. The microbeam is fabricated from a polyimide layer coated from the top with Cr/Au and from the bottom with Cr/Au/Cr layer. The geometry of the resonator is optimized to reduce the effect of the squeeze film damping, thereby allowing operation under atmospheric pressure. The electrostatic force electrode is designed to enhance the excitation of the second mode of vibration with the minimum power required. Significant frequency shift (kHz) is demonstrated for the first time upon water vapor, acetone, and ethanol exposure due to the MOFs functionalization and the higher order modes excitation. Also, the adsorption dynamics and MOF selectivity is investigated by studying the decaying time constants of the response upon gas exposure.