A novel fabrication process is presented which allows for three-dimensionally independent features to be etched in silicon using SF6 gas in a deep reactive ion etcher (DRIE) after a single etch step. The mechanism allowing for different feature depths and widths to be produced over a wafer is reactive ion etch lag, where etch rate scales with the exposed feature size in the mask. A modified Langmuir model has been developed relating the geometry of the exposed areas in a specific mask pattern as well as the etch duration to the final depth and width of a channel that is produced after isotropic silicon etching. This fabrication process is tailored for microfluidic network design, but the capabilities of the process can be applied elsewhere. A characterization of an Alcatel DRIE tool is also presented in order to enhance RIE lag by varying etch process parameters, increasing the variety of channel sizes that can be fabricated. High values of flow rate, coil power, and pressure were found to produce this effect. The capability of the modeled process for creating a microchip cooling device for high-heat flux applications was also investigated. Using meander channels, heat flux in excess of 100W/cm2 were cooled using 750µL/s flow rate of water through the chip. This single-mask process reduces risk of damage to the chip and provides the capability to cool high-heat-flux microprocessors for the next 10 years, and for an even longer time once the geometry of the channels is optimized. / Master of Science

ABSTRACT DEVELOPMENT OF A MICRO-FABRICATION PROCESS SIMULATOR FOR MICRO-ELECTRO-MECHANICAL SYSTEMS (MEMS) Yildirim, Alper M.S, Department of Mechanical Engineering Supervisor: Asst. Prof. Dr. Melik D&ouml / len December 2005, 140 pages The aim of this study is to devise a computer simulation tool, which will speed-up the design of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems by providing the results of the micro-fabrication processes in advance. Anisotropic etching along with isotropic etching of silicon wafers are to be simulated in this environment. Similarly, additive processes like doping and material deposition could be simulated by means of a Cellular Automata based algorithm along with the use of OpenGL library functions. Equipped with an integrated mask design editor, complex mask patterns can be created by the software and the results are displayed by the Cellular Automata cells based on their spatial location and plane. The resultant etched shapes are in agreement with the experimental results both qualitatively and quantitatively. Keywords: Wet Etching, Anisotropic Etching, Doping, Cellular Automata, Micro-fabrication simulation, Material Deposition, Isotropic Etching, Dry Etching, Deep Reactive Ion Etching

Fabrication of hemispherical structures for application in hemispherical resonator gyro-scopes (HRG) is an integral part of modern sensing systems, especially in relation to space navigation. First, it is important for these structures to be as symmetric as possible in order to accurately track both in-plane and out-of-plane acceleration that occurs in fast moving satellites and space crafts. Next, they need to be larger for easier application in current mm scale systems and to maintain a lower noise floor and high quality factor. The work in this paper introduces a methodology for the analyzation of the micromachining process for larger symmetric hemispherical shell resonators (HSR). This is in order to increase their size while maintaining symmetry through isotropic etching using HNA and the pop-up ring mask design. The implementation of the pop-up ring mask allows for symmetric etching of<111> silicon and larger MEMS structures at a low cost while giving more design control to the user in comparison to alternative designs such as the pinhole. The investigation of how hemispheric structures are affected based on the adjustment of the pop-up ring design serves to both create larger symmetric HSRs and create a better model for future designs and applications. During this investigation, a range of design tests were done to create the hemispherical resonator molds in order to gauge the effectiveness of the pop-up ring changes. These results were then used to develop a method for achieving the desired larger symmetric HSRs.