This thesis reports the development of various high performance readout and control electronics for implementing angular rate sensing systems using MEMS gyroscopes developed at METU. First, three systems with open loop sensing mechanisms are implemented, where each system has a different drive-mode automatic gain controlled (AGC) self-oscillation loop approach, including (i) square wave driving signal with DC off-set named as OLS_SquD, (ii) sinusoidal driving signal with DC off-set named as OLS_SineD, and iii) off-resonance driving signal named as OLS_OffD. A forth system is also constructed with a closed loop sensing mechanism where the drive mode automatic gain controlled (AGC) self-oscillation loop approach with square wave driving signal with DC off-set named as CLS_SquD. Sense and drive mode electronics employ transimpedance and transresistance amplifiers as readout electronics, respectively. Each of the systems is implemented with commercial discrete components on a dedicated PCB. Then, the angular rate sensing systems are tested with SOG (Silicon-on-Glass) gyroscopes that are adjusted to have two different mechanical bandwidths, more specially 100 Hz and 30 Hz. Test results of all of these cases verify the high performance of the systems. For the 100 Hz bandwidth, the OLS_SquD system shows a bias instability of 4.67 &amp / #730 / /hr, an angle random walk (ARW) 0.080 &amp / #730 / /&amp / #8730 / hr, and a scale factor of 22.6 mV/(&amp / #730 / /sec). For the 30 Hz bandwidth, the OLS_SquD system shows a bias instability of 5.12 &amp / #730 / /hr, an ARW better than 0.017 &amp / #730 / /&amp / #8730 / hr, and a scale factor of 49.8 mV/(&amp / #730 / /sec). For the 100 Hz bandwidth, the OLS_SineD system shows a bias instability of 6.92 &amp / #730 / /hr, an ARW of 0.049 &amp / #730 / /&amp / #8730 / hr, and a scale factor of 17.97 mV/(&amp / #730 / /sec). For the 30 Hz bandwidth, the OLS_SineD system shows a bias instability of 4.51 &amp / #730 / /hr, an ARW of 0.030 &amp / #730 / /&amp / #8730 / hr, and a scale factor of 43.24 mV/(&amp / #730 / /sec). For the 100 Hz bandwidth, the OLS_OffD system shows a bias instability of 8.43 &amp / #730 / /hr, an ARW of 0.086 &amp / #730 / /&amp / #8730 / hr, and a scale factor of 20.97 mV/(&amp / #730 / /sec). For the 30 Hz bandwidth, the OLS_OffD system shows a bias instability of 5.72 &amp / #730 / /hr, an ARW of 0.046 &amp / #730 / /&amp / #8730 / hr, and a scale factor of 47.26 mV/(&amp / #730 / /sec). For the 100 Hz bandwidth, the CLS_SquD system shows a bias instability of 6.32 &amp / #730 / /hr, an ARW of 0.055 &amp / #730 / /&amp / #8730 / hr, and a scale factor of 1.79 mV/(&amp / #730 / /sec). For the 30 Hz bandwidth, the CLS_SquD system shows a bias instability of 5.42 &amp / #730 / /hr, an ARW of 0.057 &amp / #730 / /&amp / #8730 / hr, and a scale factor of 1.98 mV/(&amp / #730 / /sec). For the 100 Hz bandwidth, the R2 nonlinearities of the measured scale factors of all systems are between 0.0001% and 0.0003% in the &plusmn / 100 &amp / #730 / /sec measurement range, while for the 30 Hz bandwidth the R2 nonlinearities are between 0.0002% and 0.0062% in the &plusmn / 80&amp / #730 / /sec measurement range. These performance results are the best results obtained at METU, satisfying the tactical-grade performances, and the measured bias instabilities and ARWs are comparable to the best results in the literature for a silicon micromachined vibratory gyroscope.

A system packaging level approach on liquid crystal polymer (LCP) was proposed for low cost, lightweight, and compact wireless communication systems. Via technology was explored for V-band W-band transitions and an active cooling system that are essential for compact multilayer integration. RF MEMS switches were fabricated and integrated at the component level to enable multi-functional devices with optimal performance. A pattern reconfigurable antenna for MIMO applications and 3D phase shifters for phased array antennas that use RF MEMS switches were presented. In addition, a lightweight expandable array was designed and measured with up to 256 elements on multilayer LCP integrated at the system level. Furthermore, a 60 GHz multilayer transceiver front end device with simultaneous transmit and receive was designed and measured for low cost 60 GHz applications. The wide variety of multilayer LCP applications integrated at the system level shows a promising future for the next generation low cost lightweight wireless communication systems.

For large multihop networks, the time synchronization (TS) error accumulates as the hop number increases with conventional methods, such as Timing-sync Protocol for Sensor Networks (TPSN), Reference Broadcast Synchronization (RBS), and Flooding Time Synchronization Protocol (FTSP). In this paper, to reduce the number of hops to cover the large network and exploit the spatial averaging of TS error between clusters, a novel method combining Concurrent Cooperative Transmission (CCT) and Semi-Cooperative Spectrum Fusion (SCSF) is proposed. This novel method named Cooperative Analog and Digital (CANDI) Time Synchronization protocol consists of two phases: The digital stage and the analog stage. The digital stage uses CCT to broadcast TS packet containing the time information. Cooperating nodes transmit the digitally encoded message in orthogonal channels simultaneously, so the receiver combines the multiple packet to acheive significant SNR advantage. In the analog stage, the cooperating nodes simultaneously transmit their slightly different individual estimates of the propagation time by using frequency shift modulation. Nodes receiving this signal combat fading and reduce estimation error in one step through the averaging inherent in diversity combining. Simulation results for two-dimension (2-D) networks are given to evaluate the performance of CANDI, and CANDI is compared with TPSN.

Today's state-of-the-art rate vibratory gyroscopes use a large proof mass that vibrates at a low resonance frequency (3-30 kHz), a condition that creates a performance tradeoff in which the gyroscope can either offer large bandwidth or high resolution, but not both. This tradeoff led to the development of the capacitive bulk acoustic wave (BAW) silicon disk gyroscope, a new class of micromachined rate vibratory gyroscopes operating in the frequency range of 1-10MHz with high device bandwidth and shock/vibration tolerance. By scaling the frequency, BAW gyroscopes can provide low mechanical noise without sacrificing the high bandwidth performance needed for most commercial applications. The drive loop of the BAW gyroscope can also be exploited as a timing device that can be integrated in existing commercial systems to provide competitive clock performance to the state-of-the-art using less area and power. This dissertation discusses the design and implementation of a CMOS ASIC architecture that interfaces with a high-Q, wide-bandwidth BAW gyroscope and the challenges associated with optimizing the noise performance to achieve navigation-grade levels of sensitivity as the frequency is scaled into the MHz regime. Mathematical models are derived to describe the operation of the sensor and are used to generate equivalent electrical circuit models of the gyroscope. A design strategy is then outlined for the ASIC to optimize the drive loop and sense channel for power and noise, and steps toward reducing this noise as the system is pushed to navigation-grade performance are presented that maintain optimum system power consumption. After analyzing the BAW gyroscope and identifying a strategy for developing the drive and sense interface circuitry, a complete fully-differential ASIC is designed in 0.18μm CMOS to interface with a bulk acoustic wave (BAW) disk gyroscope. As an oscillator, the gyroscope provides an uncompensated clock signal at ~9.64 MHz with a temperature sensitivity of -27 ppm/°C and phase noise of -104 dBc at 1 kHz from carrier. When the complete ASIC is interfaced with the gyroscope, the sensor shows a measured rate sensitivity of 1.15 mV/o/s with an open-loop bandwidth of 280 Hz and a bias instability of 0.095 o/s, suitable for the rate-grade performance commonly required for commercial and consumer electronics applications. The system is recorded to have a total power of 1.6 mW and a total area of 0.64 mm2. Following the design of the interface ASIC, this dissertation investigates in further detail the requirements for designing and optimizing charge pumps for capacitive MEMS devices. Basic charge pump design is outlined, followed by an overview of techniques that can be used to generate larger polarization voltages from the ASIC. Lastly, an alternate measurement technique for measuring the rotation rate of the gyroscope is discussed. This technique is based on the phase-shift modulation of the gyroscope output signal when the device is driven with two orthogonal signal inputs and can be easily modified to provide either linear scale factor measurement or a linear calibration curve that can be used to track and adjust the variation of the sensor scale factor over time.

Design and analysis of polysilicon and single crystal silicon gyroscopes have been carried out. Variations in suspension design have been explored. Designs that utilize in-plane and out-of-plane sensing are studied. Damping plays an important role in determining the sense response. Reduction in damping directly affects sensor performance. The various damping mechanisms that are prevalent in gyroscopes are studied. Perforations on the proof mass are observed to significantly reduce the damping in the device when operated in air. The effects of perforation geometry and density have been analyzed. The analysis results show that there is a two orders of magnitude reduction in damping of thick gyroscope structures with optimized perforation design. Equivalent circuit lumped parameter models have been developed to analyze gyroscope performance. The simulation results of these models have been compared with results obtained from SABER, a MEMS specific system level design tool from Coventor-ware. The lumped parameter models are observed to produce faster simulation results with an accuracy comparable to that of Coventorware Three gyroscopes specific to the PolyMUMPS fabrication process have been designed and their performance analyzed. Two of the designs sense motion out-of-plane and the other senses motion in-plane. Results of the simulation show that for a given damping, the gyro design with in-plane modes gives a resolution of 4◦/s. The out-of-plane gyroscopes have two variations in suspension. The hammock suspension resolves a rate of 25◦/s in a 200 Hz bandwidth while the design with folded beam suspension resolves a rate of 2◦/s in a 12 Hz bandwidth. A single crystal silicon in-plane gyroscope has been designed with vertical electrodes to sense Coriolis motion. This design gives an order of magnitude higher capacitance change for a given rotation in comparison to conventional comb-finger design. The effects of process induced residual stress on the characteristic frequencies of the polysilicon gyroscopes are also studied. The in-plane gyroscope is found to be robust to stress variations. Analysis results indicate that the tuning fork gyroscope with the hammock suspension is the most susceptible to compressive residual stress, with a significant drop in sensitivity at high stress values.

Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich mit der Methode der modalen Superposition als Ordnungsreduktionsverfahren in der Mikrosystemtechnik. Typische Anwendungsgebiete sind Inertialsensoren und dabei im Besonderen Drehratensensoren, für die die Simulation von zeitabhängigen Phänomenen von entscheidender Bedeutung ist. Im Rahmen der Weiterentwicklung der Ordnungsreduktion nach der Methode der modalen Superposition ist es gelungen für typische lineare Kräfte eine auf analytischen Gleichungen basierende Beschreibung im reduzierten Raum zu finden. Für die Beschreibung von nichtlinearen Kräften ist im Rahmen dieser Arbeit ein Verfahren entwickelt worden, das es erlaubt, bestehende Modelle im Finite-Elemente-Raum in der modalen Beschreibung zu nutzen. In dieser Arbeit werden die theoretischen Grundlagen zur Berücksichtigung von Einflüssen der Aufbau- und Verbindungstechnik in ordnungsreduzierten Modellen dargestellt. Neben der Einkopplung äußerer Kräfte und der Veränderung der mechanischen Randbedingungen wird auch der Einfluss der Aufbau- und Verbindungstechnik auf die elektrostatischen Eigenschaften untersucht. Die Parametrisierung des Verfahrens der modalen Superposition über Fit- und Interpolationsverfahren erlaubt es, parametrisierte ordnungsreduzierte Modelle für die zeitabhängige Systemsimulation zu generieren. Damit wird die Durchführung von Designoptimierung und die Berücksichtigung von Fertigungs- und Prozessschwankungen in ordnungsreduzierten Modellen auf Systemebene möglich.

Pressure drop across miniature-scale flow disturbances, including abrupt flow area changes, is an important source of error and confusion in the literature. Such pressure drops are frequently encountered in experiments, where they are often estimated using methods and correlations that have been developed based on experimental data obtained in conventional systems. However, physical arguments as well as the relatively few available experimental observations indicate that such pressure drops in microchannel systems are likely to be different than what is known about similar phenomena in conventional flow systems. Experimental data dealing with pressure drop associated with two-phase flow across abrupt flow area changes in microchannels are scarce, however, and the available data are insufficient for the development of reliable predictive methods. In this investigation, experiments were conducted using a test section consisting of two capillaries, one with 0.84 mm, and the other with 1.6 mm inner diameters. A multitude of pressure transducer ports were installed along the two capillaries, and allowed for the measurement of the pressure gradients over the entire test section. The test section allowed for the measurement of frictional pressure gradients in the two straight channels, as well as pressure drops caused by the flow area expansion and contraction depending on the flow direction, for single-phase as well as two-phase flows. These measurements were performed over a wide range of parameters, using air as the gaseous phase, and room-temperature water as the liquid phase. The single-phase flow data were compared with existing conventional correlations, and with predictions of CFD simulations using the Fluent computer code.

The objective of the work presented in this thesis is to implement high-Q silicon capacitive micromechanical resonators operating in the HF, VHF and UHF frequency bands. Several variations of a fully silicon-based bulk micromachining fabrication process referred to as HARPSS have been developed, characterized and optimized to overcome most of the challenges facing application of such devices as manufacturable electronic components. Several micromechanical structures for implementation of high performance capacitive silicon resonators covering various frequency ranges have been developed under this work. Design criteria and electromechanical modeling of such devices is presented. Under this work, HF and VHF resonators with quality factors in the tens of thousands and RF-compatible equivalent electrical impedances have been implemented successfully. Resonance frequencies in the GHz range with quality factors of a few thousands and lowest motional impedances reported for capacitive resonators to date have been achieved. Several resonator coupling techniques for implementation of higher order resonant systems with possibility of extension to highly selective bandpass filters have been investigated and practically demonstrated. Finally, a wafer-level vacuum sealing technique applicable to such resonators has been developed and its reliability and hermeticity is characterized.

Thesis (M.S.)--Air Force Institute of Technology, 2008. / Title from title page of PDF document (viewed on: Dec 10, 2009).

abstract: The ability to monitor electrophysiological signals from the sentient brain is requisite to decipher its enormously complex workings and initiate remedial solutions for the vast amount of neurologically-based disorders. Despite immense advancements in creating a variety of instruments to record signals from the brain, the translation of such neurorecording instrumentation to real clinical domains places heavy demands on their safety and reliability, both of which are not entirely portrayed by presently existing implantable recording solutions. In an attempt to lower these barriers, alternative wireless radar backscattering techniques are proposed to render the technical burdens of the implant chip to entirely passive neurorecording processes that transpire in the absence of formal integrated power sources or powering schemes along with any active circuitry. These radar-like wireless backscattering mechanisms are used to conceive of fully passive neurorecording operations of an implantable microsystem. The fully passive device potentially manifests inherent advantages over current wireless implantable and wired recording systems: negligible heat dissipation to reduce risks of brain tissue damage and minimal circuitry for long term reliability as a chronic implant. Fully passive neurorecording operations are realized via intrinsic nonlinear mixing properties of the varactor diode. These mixing and recording operations are directly activated by wirelessly interrogating the fully passive device with a microwave carrier signal. This fundamental carrier signal, acquired by the implant antenna, mixes through the varactor diode along with the internal targeted neuropotential brain signals to produce higher frequency harmonics containing the targeted neuropotential signals. These harmonics are backscattered wirelessly to the external interrogator that retrieves and recovers the original neuropotential brain signal. The passive approach removes the need for internal power sources and may alleviate heat trauma and reliability issues that limit practical implementation of existing implantable neurorecorders. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Electrical Engineering 2014