A geometric etch-stop technology for bulk micromachining

This paper describes a new fabrication method for the simultaneous creation of multi-level single-crystalline silicon structures, each with a different thickness. The method combines deep dry etching and wet anisotropic etching of silicon in order to avoid multiple back-side alignment steps and timed etches. The levels are defined in a single lithographic step from the front side. The fabrication involves etching of deep trenches from the front side of the wafer followed by a refill and etch back process. The final structure is defined by maskless wet etching of the bulk silicon. The progress of the anisotropic wet etch is impeded by the geometric pattern at the bottom of the trenches, and thus structures with various thickness ranging from ten to a few hundred micrometres can be implemented. The effect of various design parameters, such as trench geometry, refill material and reactive ion etching lag, are discussed and design rules are established. The capabilities of the method are demonstrated by the fabrication of a number of devices, such as 1200×1200×3.5 µm diaphragms supported by a 40 µm thick rim and ( 1800×10×3 µm) embedded hot-wire anemometers suspended by a 0.2 µm thick dielectric bridge.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/49030/2/jm1318.pd

Criticality of natural absorbing states

We study a recently introduced ladder model which undergoes a transition between an active and an infinitely degenerate absorbing phase. In some cases the critical behaviour of the model is the same as that of the branching annihilating random walk with $N\geq 2$ species both with and without hard-core interaction. We show that certain static characteristics of the so-called natural absorbing states develop power law singularities which signal the approach of the critical point. These results are also explained using random walk arguments. In addition to that we show that when dynamics of our model is considered as a minimum finding procedure, it has the best efficiency very close to the critical point.Comment: 6 page

Numerical simulation of micromachined acoustic resonators

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/76479/1/AIAA-2000-546-400.pd

Electrostatically driven synthetic microjet arrays as a propulsion method for micro flight

A novel propulsion method suitable for micromachining is presented that takes advantage of Helmholtz resonance, acoustic streaming, and eventually flow entrainment and thrust augmentation. In this method, an intense acoustic field is created inside the cavity of a Helmholtz resonator. Flow velocities at the resonator throat are amplified by the resonator and create a jet stream due to acoustic streaming. These jets are used to form a propulsion system. In this paper a system hierarchy incorporating the new method is described and the relevant governing equations for the Helmholtz resonator operation and acoustic streaming are derived. These equations can predict various device parameters such as cavity pressure amplitude, exit jet velocity and generated thrust. In a sample embodiment, an electrostatic actuator is used for generation of the initial acoustic field. The relevant design parameters for the actuator are discussed and an equivalent circuit model is synthesized for the device operation. The circuit model can predict the lowest order system resonance frequencies and the small signal energy conversion efficiency. A representative resonator performance is simulated and it is shown that velocities above 16 m/s are expected at jet nozzles. The calculated delivered thrust by this resonator with 0.7 μm diaphragm displacement amplitude is 3.3 μN at the resonance frequency.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47853/1/542_2005_Article_599.pd

Flow structure and performance of axisymmetric synthetic jets

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/77189/1/AIAA-2001-1008-312.pd