Courses Detail Information
ME6602J – Microelectromechanical Systems
Instructors:
Credits: 3 credits
Pre-requisites: ME3500J Obtained Credit
Description:
Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) are miniature devices (with micron size tolerances) that are created using various techniques including many similar to those used to manufacture integrated circuits, and are capable of performing many tasks and functions that involve mechanical, electrical, optical, chemical, bio, fluidic, and other types of signals. MEMS and Integrated Microsystems are increasingly finding applications in many areas including automotive, health care, industrial processing, environmental monitoring, biomedical systems, chemical analysis, energy sources, telecommunication, aerospace systems, consumer appliances, and many others.
This course introduces students to this rapidly emerging, multi-disciplinary, and exciting field. It will teach fundamentals of micromachining and microfabrication techniques, including planar thinfilm process technologies, photolithographic techniques, deposition and etching techniques, and the other technologies that are central to MEMS fabrication. A designer of MEMS requires knowledge and expertise across several different disciplines. Therefore, this course will pay special attention to teaching of fundamentals necessary for the design and analysis of devices and systems in mechanical, electrical, fluidic, and thermal energy/signal domains, and will teach basic techniques for multi-domain analysis (e.g., electromechanical, electrothermal). Fundamentals of sensing and transduction mechanisms (i.e. conversion of non-electronic signals to electronic signals), including capacitive and piezoresistive techniques, and design and analysis of micromachined miniature sensors and actuators using these techniques will be covered. Many examples of existing devices and their applications will be reviewed.
Course Topics: