IMEMS - Integrated Micro Electro Mechanical Systems by VLSI and Micromachining

Integrated microsensors are miniaturised sensors with on-chip signal conditioning circuitry based on integrated circuit (IC) technologies such as CMOS or bipolar technology. Microsensor modules with one or several sensor elements and on-chip circuitry are essential building blocks of microsystems. Silicon micromachining is the basis of miniaturised mechanical, thermal, and fluid sensors and actuators. Micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) include micromachined structures with mechanical, thermal and fluid effects for sensors, actuators, and micromachines. Integrated micro electro mechanical systems (IMEMS) combine micro electro mechanical structures with integrated circuitry. Building blocks for IMEMS are the main thrust of this paper. We demonstrate how microsensor modules are achieved by translating physical sensor effects into device structures manufactured by IC technology combined with micromachining. We outline selected microsensors made by industrial CMOS or bipolar IC processes combined with post-processing such as CMOS thermopiles and related infrared and vacuum sensors. We also summarise bipolar acoustic microresonators for proximity sensing, MEMS modelling and diagnostic MEM structures for measuring process-dependent material properties.