The main topic of this thesis is the performance improvement of microresonators as mass-sensitive biochemical sensors in a liquid environment. Resonant microstructures fabricated on silicon substrates with CMOS-compatible micromachining techniques are mainly investigated. Two particular approaches have been chosen to improve the resolution of resonant chemical/biochemical sensors. The first approach is based on designing a microresonator with high Q-factor in air and in liquid, thus, improving its frequency resolution. The second approach is based on minimizing the frequency drift of microresonators by compensating for temperature-induced frequency variations. A disk-shape resonant microstructure vibrating in a rotational in-plane mode has been designed, fabricated and extensively characterized both in air and in water. The designed resonators have typical resonance frequencies between 300 and 1,000kHz and feature on-chip electrothermal excitation elements and a piezoresistive Wheatstone-bridge for vibration detection. By shearing the surrounding fluid instead of compressing it, damping is reduced and quality factors up to 5800 in air and 94 in water have been achieved. Short-term frequency stabilities obtained from Allan-variance measurements with 1-sec gate time are as low as 1.1 10-8 in air and 2.3 10-6 in water. The performance of the designed resonator as a biological sensor in liquid environment has been demonstrated experimentally using the specific binding of anti-beta-galactosidase antibody to beta-galactosidase enzyme covalently immobilized on the resonator surface. An analytical model of the disk resonator, represented by a simple harmonic oscillator, has been derived and compared with experimental results. The resonance frequency and the Q-factor of the disk resonator are determined from analytical expressions for the rotational spring constant, rotational moment of inertia, and energy loss by viscous damping. The developed analytical models show a good agreement with FEM simulation and experimental results and facilitate the geometrical optimization of the disk-type resonators. Finally, a new strategy to compensate for temperature-induced frequency drifts of resonant microstructures has been developed based on a controlled stiffness modulation by an electronic feedback loop. The developed method is experimentally verified by compensating for temperature-induced frequency fluctuations of a microresonator. In principle, the proposed method is applicable to all resonant microstructures featuring excitation and detection elements.

Split ring resonator (SRR) is a metamaterial structure which displays negative permeability values over a relatively small bandwidth around its magnetic resonance frequency. Unit SRR cells and arrays have been used in various novel applications including the design of miniaturized microwave devices and antennas. When the SRR arrays are combined with the arrays of conducting wires, left handed materials can be constructed with the unusual property of having negative valued effective refractive indices. In this thesis, unit cells and arrays of single-ring multiple-split type SRR structures are numerically analyzed by using Ansoft&rsquo / s HFSS software that is based on the finite elements method (FEM). Some of these structures are constructed over low-loss dielectric substrates and their complex scattering parameters are measured to verify the numerical simulation results. The major purpose of this study has been to establish equivalent circuit models to estimate the behavior of SRR structures in a simple and computationally efficient manner. For this purpose, individual single ring SRR cells with multiple splits are modeled by appropriate two-port RLC resonant circuits paying special attention to conductor and dielectric loss effects. Results obtained from these models are compared with the results of HFSS simulations which use either PEC/PMC (perfect electric conductor/perfect magnetic conductor) type or perfectly matched layer (PML) type boundary conditions. Interactions between the elements of SRR arrays such as the mutual inductance and capacitance effects as well as additional dielectric losses are also modeled by proper two-port equivalent circuits to describe the overall array behavior and to compute the associated transmission spectrum by simple MATLAB codes. Results of numerical HFSS simulations, equivalent circuit model computations and measurements are shown to be in good agreement.

This thesis reports design and implementation of a MEMS based gravimetric resonator for cytometry applications. There are mainly two objectives of this thesis / to enable in-flow analysis and to perform closed loop operation that does not require any additional processing or equipment. A novel MEMS based resonator with in-flow capabilities is proposed for detection of agents inside micro channels. High resolution of mass detection inside micro channels is planned to be succeeded with lateral motion in the micro channel floor. The idea embedding lateral resonators emerges from decreasing squeeze film damping during the motion of the resonator. Lateral motion is supported by hydrophobic parylene coating to decrease the damping. Theory and design of the gravimetric resonators are explained and the fabrication flow is constructed and performed successfully by combining SOI, SOG and polymer micro fabrication techniques. Problems during the fabrication are overcome and optimized flow is presented. The devices have a foot print area of 1.5 x 0.5 cm2 which is mainly composed of reservoirs for fluidic connections. Ten types of devices are designed according to their mass sensitivities and compliances. Trade offs between frequency, injected current, and compliance are analyzed successfully by taking also the performance parameters of the interface electronics in to account. Test results reveal that single latex bead with 3 &micro / m diameter and 14.127 pg mass can be sensed successfully and mass sensitivity is measured to be 5.91 fg/Hz for this type of device.

Realising Si-based electrically driven light emitters in a process technology compatible with mainstream microelectronics CMOS technology is key requirement for the implementation of low-cost Si-based optoelectronics and thus one of the big challenges of semiconductor technology. This work has focused on the development of microcavity enhanced silicon LEDs (MCLEDs), including their design, fabrication, and experimental as well as theoretical analysis. As a light emitting layer the abrupt pn-junction of a Si-diode was used, which was fabricated by ion implantation of boron into n-type silicon. Such forward biased pn-junctions exhibit room-temperature EL at a wavelength of 1138 nm with a reasonably high power efficiency of 0.1% [1]. Two MCLEDs emitting light at the resonant wavelength about 1150 nm were demonstrated: a) 1 MCLED with the resonator formed by 90 nm thin metallic CoSi2 mirror at the bottom and semitranparent distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) on the top; b) 5:5 MCLED with the resonator formed by high reflecting DBR at the bottom and semitransparent top DBR. Using the appoach of the 5:5 MCLED with two DBRs the extraction efficiency is enhanced by about 65% compared to the silicon bulk pn-junction diode.

No description available.

Die vorliegende Arbeit stellt einen Beitrag zur kontinuierlichen Bestimmung von Massendurchfluss sowie Dichte für den Bereich der Mikroverfahrenstechnik dar. Verschiedene Messverfahren und Sensoren werden vorgestellt und diskutiert. Die fest eingespannte durchflossene Messröhre in resonanter Schwingung kann zum einen zur Dichtebestimmung genutzt werden, da die Dichte des Fluids die bewegte Masse des Sensors und daher dessen Eigenfrequenz beeinflusst. Beim Biegeschwinger erfährt das strömende Fluid zusätzlich eine Winkelgeschwindigkeit, die die Corioliskraft als Maß für die bewegte Masse zur Folge hat. Verschiedene konstruktive Varianten der resonanten Messröhre werden vorgestellt, dabei wird auf analytische Berechnungsverfahren ebenso eingegangen wie auf die Bestimmung der statischen und dynamischen Parameter mit rechnergestützter Simulation (Finite Elemente Methode). Ebenso wird der Einsatz von gekoppelten Mehrfachschwingern erörtert und es werden Schwingungsformen sowie Vor- und Nachteile des Doppelresonators erörtert. Im technologischen Teil wird die Herstellung mechanischer Resonatoren in Volumenmikromechanik vorgestellt. Dabei wird besonders auf das anisotrope Ätzen von einkristallinem Silizium in Kalilauge sowie auf das Silizium-Direktbonden eingegangen. Der Aufbau von Doppelresonatoren durch mehrfaches Bonden wird ebenfalls untersucht und die gefertigten Sensoren werden vorgestellt. Varianten der messtechnischen Auswertung resonanter Sensoren werden bezüglich des Nutzens für die Massendurchfluss- und Dichtemessung untersucht. Dabei werden besonders zwei entwickelte kapazitive Messverfahren näher vorgestellt, mit deren Hilfe die Sensorstrukturen untersucht werden. Es wird die Funktion der Dichtemessung mit einer Auflösung von 0,01 g/cm³ bei Flüssigkeiten und Gasen nachgewiesen und der Massenfluss bis 2 g/s bei einer Auflösung von 0,1 g/s. / This thesis represents a contribution to the continuous measurement of mass flow and density for the field of micro process engineering. Different measuring principles and sensors are introduced and discussed. The clamped fluid-filled measuring tube in resonant oscillation can be used on the one hand for density determination, since the density of the fluid influences the moving mass of the sensor and therefore its eigenfrequency. Inside an oscillating U-tube the fluid will additionally be exposed to an angular velocity, which leads to the Coriolis force as a quantity for the moving mass. Different design variants of the resonant measuring tube are presented. Analytical methods are introduced as well as techniques to determine the static and dynamic parameters by computer-aided simulation (finite element method). Furthermore the usage of coupled oscillators is discussed, possible modes of vibration are determined and the pros and cons of the double resonator are estimated. In the technological part the fabrication of mechanical resonators using bulk micromachining is presented. Special attention is drawn to anisotropic etching of monocrystal silicon in a potassium hydroxide solution as well as to silicon fusion bonding. The forming of double resonators by multiple wafer bonding is also examined and the manufactured sensors are shown. Methods of Variants of metrological evaluation of resonant sensors are examined concerning their usability for the mass flow and density measurement. Particularly two developed capacitive measuring techniques are discussed in detail and the sensor structures are examined with their help. The performance of the density measurement with a resolution down to 0,01 g/cm³ is proven with liquids and gases as well as the mass flow measurement up to 2 g/s with a resolution of 0,1 g/s.

The development of wireless communications increases the challenges on antenna performance to improve the capability of the whole system. New fabrication technologies are emerging that not only can improve the performance of components but also provide more options for materials and geometries. One of the advanced technologies, referred to as deep X-ray lithography (XRL), can improve the performance of RF components while providing interesting opportunities for fabrication. Since this fabrication technology enables the objects of high aspect ratio (tall) structure with high accuracy, it offers RF/microwave components some unique advantages, such as higher coupling energy and compacted size. The research presented in that thesis investigates the properties of deep XRL fabricated tall microstrip transmission line and describes some important features such as characteristic impedance, attenuation, and electromagnetic field distribution. Furthermore, since most of traditional feeding structure cannot supply enough coupling energy to excite the low permittivity DRA element (εr≤10), three novel feeding schemes composed by tall microstrip line on exciting dielectric resonator antennas (DRA) with low permittivity are proposed and analyzed in this research. Both simulation and experimental measured results exhibit excellent performance. Additionally, a new simulation approach to realize Dolph-Chebyshev linear series-fed DRA arrays by using the advantages of tall microstrip line feeding structure is proposed. By using a novel T shape feeding scheme, the array exhibits wide band operation due to the low permittivity (εr=5) DRA elements and good radiation pattern due to the novel feeding structure. The tall metal transmission line feed structure and the polymer-based DRA elements could be fabricated in a common process by the deep XRL technology. This thesis firstly illustrates properties and knowledge for both DRA element and the tall transmission line. Then the three novel feeding schemes by using the tall transmission line on exciting the low permittivity DRA are proposed and one of the feeding structures, side coupling feeding, is analyzed through the simulation and experiments. Finally, the T shape feeding structure is applied into low permittivity linear DRA array design work. A novel method on designing the Dolph-Chebyshev array is proposed making the design work more efficient.

This work is dedicated to the theoretical and numerical study of nonlinear phononic crystals. The studied nonlinearities are those due to the second (quadratic) and third (cubic) order elastic constants of the materials that constitute the crystals. Nonlinear effects are studied by the means of finite element methods, used to simulate the propagation of an elastic wave through the crystals. A first research project concerns the study of a bone structure, namely the dispersion of elastic waves in a structure composed of collagen and hydroxy apatite alternate constituent layers. Simulations showed that it exists a strong link between bones hydration and their ability to dissipate the energy. The second study relates to an elastic resonator. A structure composed of steel inclusions in a silica matrix shows a switch behavior when the cubic nonlinearities of steel are taken into account. This strong nonlinear effect appears when the amplitude of the incident wave reaches a threshold. A full analytical model is provided. The last study demonstrates the design of composite materials with both strong cubic nonlinearities and weak quadratic nonlinearities. The derivation of the mixing laws of the elastic parameters of a nonlinear material inside a linear one is performed up to order three. Equations show a strong amplification of the nonlinear parameters of the material for some concentrations. Numerical simulations allow to conclude that the above mentioned resonator can be produced. For this thesis, an innovative tool based on the Discontinuous Galerkin (DG) finite element method is developed for the simulation of elastic wave propagation, in linear and nonlinear systems and in finite and semi-infinite media. The implementation of this DG code for 2D and 3D simulations benefits from the efficient exploitation of modern computer infrastructure (GPU units, clusters) using the property of massive parallelization of DG algorithms. This thesis is part of a joint agreement for an international Ph.D. degree between École Centrale de Lille and the Materials Science and Engineering department of the University of Arizona at Tucson. Ce travail porte sur l'étude théorique et numérique des cristaux phononiques non-linéaires. Les non-linéarités étudiées sont celles dues aux constantes élastiques d'ordre deux (quadratiques) et trois (cubiques) des matériaux constituant les cristaux. Les effets non-linéaires sont étudiés grâce á des méthodes d'éléments finis en simulant la propagation d'une onde élastique á travers les cristaux. Un premier projet de recherche a porté sur l'étude d'une structure osseuse, et plus spécifiquement sur la dispersion des ondes élastiques dans une structure constituée d'une alternance de couches de collagène et d'hydroxy apatite. Les simulations montrent qu'il existe un lien étroit entre l'hydratation des os et leur capacité à dissiper l'énergie. La seconde étude réalisée concerne un résonateur élastique. Une structure constituée d'inclusions d'acier dans de la silice présente un comportement de commutateur (switch) lorsque les non-linéarités cubiques de l'acier sont prises en compte. Cet effet fortement non-linéaire apparaît lorsque l'amplitude de l'onde incidente dépasse un certain seuil. Un modèle analytique complet est fourni. La dernière étude réalisée montre la conception de matériaux composites possédant de fortes non-linéarités cubiques mais de faibles non-linéarités quadratiques. La dérivation des lois de mélange des paramètres élastiques d'un matériau non-linéaire dans un matériau linéaire est effectuée à l'ordre trois. Les équations montrent une forte amplification des paramètres non-linéaires du matériau résultant pour certaines concentrations. Les simulations permettent de conclure que le résonateur mentionné ci-dessus peut effectivement étre réalisé. Pour cette thèse, un outil numérique innovant basé sur la méthode des éléments finis de type Galerkin Discontinu (DG) est développé pour la simulation de la propagation d'ondes élastiques, dans des systèmes linéaires et non-linéaires et dans des milieux finis et semi-infinis. L'implémentation de ce code DG pour des simulations 2D et 3D tire parti des infrastructures de calcul actuelles (processeurs graphiques, clusters) grâce à la propriété de parallélisation massive des algorithmes DG. Cette thèse s'est déroulée dans le cadre d'une cotutelle entre l'École Centrale de Lille et le département de Science et ingénierie des matériaux de l'Université d'Arizona, à Tucson.

An ID generating circuit is unquestionably the core of a chipless RFID tag. For convenience of printing process and cost consideration, the circuit should be kept as simple as possible. Based on the cognition, an 8-bit time-domain based ID generating circuit that merely consists of a ML and eight capacitors was offered, and implemented on photo-paper substrates via inkjet printing process. In addition to the experimental measurements, the circuit was also input into circuit simulators for cross-validation. The good agreement between simulations and measurements is observed, exhibiting the tag technical feasibility. Besides of low cost, the tag has wide compatibility with current licensed RFID spectrum, which will facilitate the future deployment in real applications. Compared   to  time-domain   based  chipless   tags,  frequency   signatures   based chipless RFID tags are expected to offer a larger coding capacity. As a response, we presented a 10-bit frequency-domain based chipless RFID tag. The tag composed of ten configurable LC resonators was implemented on flexible polyimide substrate by using  fast  toner-transferring  process.  Field  measurements  revealed  not  only  the practicability  of  the  tag,  but  also  the  high  signal  to  noise  ratio  (SNR).  Another frequency domain tag consists of a configurable coplanar LC resonator. With the use of all printing process, the tag was for the first time realized on common packaging papers.  The tag feasibility was confirmed by subsequent measurements. Owing to the ultra-low cost potential and large SNR, The tag may find wide applications in typical RFID solutions such as management of paper tickets for social events and governing of smart documents. Ultra wide band (UWB) technology possesses a number of inherent merits such as high speed communication and large capacity, multi-path immunity, accurate ranging and positioning, penetration through obstacles, as well as extremely low-cost and low- power transmitters. Thus, passive UWB RFIDs are expected to play an important pole in  the future identification applications for IoT. We explained the feature difference between  UWB  chipless  tags  and  chip  based  tags,  and  forecasted  the  applications respectively  based on the comparison  between the two technologies.  It is expected that the two technologies will coexist and compensate each other in the applications of IoT. Lastly, the thesis ends up with brief summary of the author’s contributions, and technical prospect for the future development of printable chipless RFID tags. / <p>QC 20140304</p>

Radio frequency identification (RFID) and sensing are two key technologies enabling the Internet of Things (IoT). Development of RFID tags augmented with sensing capabilities (RFID sensor tags) would allow a variety of new applications, leading to a new paradigm of the IoT. Chipless RFID sensor technology offers a low-cost solution by eliminating the need of an integrated circuit (IC) chip, and is hence highly desired for many applications. On the other hand, printing technologies have revolutionized the world of electronics, enabling cost-effective manufacturing of large-area and flexible electronics. By means of printing technologies, chipless RFID sensor tags could be made flexible and lightweight at a very low cost, lending themselves to the realization of ubiquitous intelligence in the IoT era. This thesis investigated three construction methods of printable chipless RFID humidity sensor tags, with focus on the incorporation of the sensing function. In the first method, wireless sensing based on backscatter modulation was separately realized by loading an antenna with a humidity-sensing resistor. An RFID sensor tag could then be constructed by combining the wireless sensor with a chipless RFID tag. In the second method, a chipless RFID sensor tag was built up by introducing a delay line between the antenna and the resistor. Based on time-domain reflectometry (TDR), the tag encoded ID in the delay time between its structural-mode and antenna-mode scattering pulse, and performed the sensing function by modulating the amplitude of the antenna-mode pulse. In both of the above methods, a resistive-type humidity-sensing material was required. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) presented themselves as promising candidate due to their outstanding electrical, structural and mechanical properties. MWCNTs functionalized (f-MWCNTs) by acid treatment demonstrated high sensitivity and fast response to relative humidity (RH), owing to the presence of carboxylic acid groups. The f-MWCNTs also exhibited superior mechanical flexibility, as their resistance and sensitivity remained almost stable under either tensile or compressive stress. Moreover, an inkjet printing process was developed for the f-MWCNTs starting from ink formulation to device fabrication. By applying the f-MWCNTs, a flexible humidity sensor based on backscatter modulation was thereby presented. The operating frequency range of the sensor was significantly enhanced by adjusting the parasitic capacitance in the f-MWCNTs resistor. A fully-printed time-coded chipless RFID humidity sensor tag was also demonstrated. In addition, a multi-parameter sensor based on TDR was proposed.The sensor concept was verified by theoretical analysis and circuit simulation. In the third method, frequency-spectrum signature was utilized considering its advantages such as coding capacity, miniaturization, and immunity to noise. As signal collision problem is inherently challenging in chipless RFID sensor systems, short-range identification and sensing applications are believed to embody the core values of the chipless RFID sensor technology. Therefore a chipless RFID humidity sensor tag based on near-field inductive coupling was proposed. The tag was composed of two planar inductor-capacitor (LC) resonators, one for identification, and the other one for sensing. Moreover, paper was proposed to serve as humidity-sensing substrate for the sensor resonator on accounts of its porous and absorptive features. Both inkjet paper and ordinary packaging paper were studied. A commercial UV-coated packaging paper was proven to be a viable and more robust alternative to expensive inkjet paper as substrate for inkjet-printed metal conductors. The LC resonators printed on paper substrates showed excellent sensitivity and reasonable response time to humidity in terms of resonant frequency. Particularly, the resonator printed on the UV-coated packaging paper exhibited the largest sensitivity from 20% to 70% RH, demonstrating the possibilities of directly printing the sensor tag on traditional packages to realize intelligent packaging at an ultra-low cost. / <p>QC 20150326</p>