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​Microscale Sensing and Actuation in MEMS
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​Microscale Sensing and Actuation in MEMS

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Intelligent Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 10594

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Sazzadur Chowdhury

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
University of Windsor, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Windsor, ON, Canada
Interests: Microscale sensing and actuation; Solid state radars; Ultrasonic transducers; 3D packaging and integration

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microscale sensing and actuation using MEMS devices has opened up the possibilities for realizing 3D integrated microsystems with unprecedented performance, resolution, and cost for use in automotive, health, communication, security, and other applications. MEMS devices typically exploit electrostatic, piezoresistive, or piezoelectric principles to manipulate microfabricated 3D geometries to achieve a desired sensing or actuating functionality. Despite their tremendous potential, the physics and modeling of microscale sensing and actuation mechanisms need to be further understood to improve the design methodology, device operation, stability, reliability, and device integration or packaging of the MEMS devices. Due to multidomain energy storage and dissipation, the operation of a MEMS device is complex and involves nonlinearities originating from each of the domains. Determining a stable equilibrium operating point is often difficult and the design process needs to account for functional difficulties, for example, frequency drift, dielectric charging, spring softening or hardening, etc., originating from such difficulties. Some of these issues are unique to the MEMS design space, and closed-form mathematical models are not yet available.

In this context, the proposed Special Issue will focus on recent advances in microscale sensing and actuation principles and techniques to realize high performance MEMS devices. Emphasis will be on novel and innovative approaches to address low-voltage sensing and actuation at small and large deflections, stress management, electrostatic and mechanical nonlinearities, frequency drift, thermal drift, dielectric charging, energy cross-coupling, etc., to improve device modeling and performance, fabrication, resolution, functional stability, reliability, and 3D integration of heterogeneous MEMS devices with drive and control electronics.

Dr. Sazzadur Chowdhury
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • MEMS
  • Nonlinearity
  • Low-voltage actuation and sensing
  • Frequency drift
  • Stress management
  • Stability and reliability of MEMS devices
  • Dielectric charging
  • Energy cross-coupling in arrays and solid-liquid interfaces
  • Heterogeneous sensor integration

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 9327 KiB  
Article
Progressive Cellular Architecture in Microscale Gas Chromatography for Broad Chemical Analyses
by Weilin Liao, Xiangyu Zhao, Hsueh-Tsung Lu, Tsenguun Byambadorj, Yutao Qin and Yogesh B. Gianchandani
Sensors 2021, 21(9), 3089; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s21093089 - 29 Apr 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2388
Abstract
Gas chromatography is widely used to identify and quantify volatile organic compounds for applications ranging from environmental monitoring to homeland security. We investigate a new architecture for microfabricated gas chromatography systems that can significantly improve the range, speed, and efficiency of such systems. [...] Read more.
Gas chromatography is widely used to identify and quantify volatile organic compounds for applications ranging from environmental monitoring to homeland security. We investigate a new architecture for microfabricated gas chromatography systems that can significantly improve the range, speed, and efficiency of such systems. By using a cellular approach, it performs a partial separation of analytes even as the sampling is being performed. The subsequent separation step is then rapidly performed within each cell. The cells, each of which contains a preconcentrator and separation column, are arranged in progression of retentiveness. While accommodating a wide range of analytes, this progressive cellular architecture (PCA) also provides a pathway to improving energy efficiency and lifetime by reducing the need for heating the separation columns. As a proof of concept, a three-cell subsystem (PCA3mv) has been built; it incorporates a number of microfabricated components, including preconcentrators, separation columns, valves, connectors, and a carrier gas filter. The preconcentrator and separation column of each cell are monolithically implemented as a single chip that has a footprint of 1.8 × 5.2 cm2. This subsystem also incorporates two manifold arrays of microfabricated valves, each of which has a footprint of 1.3 × 1.4 cm2. Operated together with a commercial flame ionization detector, the subsystem has been tested against polar and nonpolar analytes (including alkanes, alcohols, aromatics, and phosphonate esters) over a molecular weight range of 32–212 g/mol and a vapor pressure range of 0.005–231 mmHg. The separations require an average column temperature of 63–68 °C within a duration of 12 min, and provide separation resolutions >2 for any two homologues that differ by one methyl group. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue ​Microscale Sensing and Actuation in MEMS)
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14 pages, 4044 KiB  
Article
An Investigation of Silica Aerogel to Reduce Acoustic Crosstalk in CMUT Arrays
by Varshitha Yashvanth and Sazzadur Chowdhury
Sensors 2021, 21(4), 1459; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s21041459 - 19 Feb 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2560
Abstract
This paper presents a novel technique to reduce acoustic crosstalk in capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) arrays. The technique involves fabricating a thin layer of diisocyanate enhanced silica aerogel on the top surface of a CMUT array. The silica aerogel layer introduces a [...] Read more.
This paper presents a novel technique to reduce acoustic crosstalk in capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) arrays. The technique involves fabricating a thin layer of diisocyanate enhanced silica aerogel on the top surface of a CMUT array. The silica aerogel layer introduces a highly nanoporous permeable layer to reduce the intensity of the Scholte wave at the CMUT-fluid interface. 3D finite element analysis (FEA) simulation in COMSOL shows that the developed technique can provide a 31.5% improvement in crosstalk reduction for the first neighboring element in a 7.5 MHz CMUT array. The average improvement of crosstalk level over the −6 dB fractional bandwidth was 22.1%, which is approximately 5 dB lower than that without an aerogel layer. The results are in excellent agreement with published experimental results to validate the efficacy of the new technique. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue ​Microscale Sensing and Actuation in MEMS)
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14 pages, 8812 KiB  
Article
A Microvalve Module with High Chemical Inertness and Embedded Flow Heating for Microscale Gas Chromatography
by Hsueh-Tsung Lu, Yutao Qin and Yogesh Gianchandani
Sensors 2021, 21(2), 632; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s21020632 - 18 Jan 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2237
Abstract
This paper reports a multi-valve module with high chemical inertness and embedded flow heating for microscale gas chromatography (µGC) systems. The multi-valve module incorporates a monolithically microfabricated die stack, polyimide valve membranes, and solenoid actuators. The design incorporates three valves within a single [...] Read more.
This paper reports a multi-valve module with high chemical inertness and embedded flow heating for microscale gas chromatography (µGC) systems. The multi-valve module incorporates a monolithically microfabricated die stack, polyimide valve membranes, and solenoid actuators. The design incorporates three valves within a single module of volume 30.2 cm3, which is suitable for the small form factor of µGC systems. The die stack uses fused silica wafers and polyimide valve membranes that enhance chemical inertness. The monolithic die stack requires only three lithographic masks to pattern fluidic microchannels, valve seats, and thin-film metal heaters and thermistors. The performance of fabricated multi-valve modules is compared to a commercial valve in tests using multiple volatile organic compounds, including alkanes, alcohols, ketones, aromatic hydrocarbons, and phosphonates. The valves show almost no distortion of chromatographic peaks. The experimentally measured ratio of flow conductance is 3.46 × 103, with 4.15 sccm/kPa in the open state and 0.0012 sccm/kPa in the closed state. The response time is <120 ms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue ​Microscale Sensing and Actuation in MEMS)
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Graphical abstract

22 pages, 10672 KiB  
Article
Biologically Compatible Lead-Free Piezoelectric Composite for Acoustophoresis Based Particle Manipulation Techniques
by Tomas Janusas, Sigita Urbaite, Arvydas Palevicius, Sohrab Nasiri and Giedrius Janusas
Sensors 2021, 21(2), 483; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s21020483 - 12 Jan 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2600
Abstract
This research paper is concentrated on the design of biologically compatible lead-free piezoelectric composites which may eventually replace traditional lead zirconium titanate (PZT) in micromechanical fluidics, the predominantly used ferroelectric material today. Thus, a lead-free barium–calcium zirconate titanate (BCZT) composite was synthesized, its [...] Read more.
This research paper is concentrated on the design of biologically compatible lead-free piezoelectric composites which may eventually replace traditional lead zirconium titanate (PZT) in micromechanical fluidics, the predominantly used ferroelectric material today. Thus, a lead-free barium–calcium zirconate titanate (BCZT) composite was synthesized, its crystalline structure and size, surface morphology, chemical, and piezoelectric properties were analyzed, together with the investigations done in variation of composite thin film thickness and its effect on the element properties. Four elements with different thicknesses of BCZT layers were fabricated and investigated in order to design a functional acoustophoresis micromechanical fluidic element, based on bulk acoustic generation for particle control technologies. Main methods used in this research were as follows: FTIR and XRD for evaluation of chemical and phase composition; SEM—for surface morphology; wettability measurements were used for surface free energy evaluation; a laser triangular sensing system—for evaluation of piezoelectric properties. XRD results allowed calculating the average crystallite size, which was 65.68 Å3 confirming the formation of BCZT nanoparticles. SEM micrographs results showed that BCZT thin films have some porosities on the surface with grain size ranging from 0.2 to 7.2 µm. Measurements of wettability showed that thin film surfaces are partially wetting and hydrophilic, with high degree of wettability and strong solid/liquid interactions for liquids. The critical surface tension was calculated in the range from 20.05 to 27.20 mN/m. Finally, investigations of piezoelectric properties showed significant results of lead-free piezoelectric composite, i.e., under 5 N force impulse thin films generated from 76 mV up to 782 mV voltages. Moreover, an experimental analysis showed that a designed lead-free BCZT element creates bulk acoustic waves and allows manipulating bio particles in this fluidic system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue ​Microscale Sensing and Actuation in MEMS)
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