Browse Topic: Microelectromechanical devices (MEMS)

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Fuel Film Measurement in a SI Gasoline Engine Using a Newly Developed MEMS Sensor2024-32-007104/18/2025
The previously developed capacitance sensor for detecting a liquid fuel film was modified to apply to the in-cylinder measurement. On the developed sensor surface, comb-shaped electrodes were circularly aligned. The capacitance between the electrodes varies with the liquid fuel film adhering. The capacitance variation between the electrodes on the sensor surface was converted to the frequency variation of the oscillation circuit. In the previous study, it was revealed that the frequency of the oscillation circuit varies with the variation of the liquid fuel coverage area on the sensor surface. The developed sensor was installed in the combustion chamber of the rapid compression and expansion machine, and the performance of the developed sensor was examined. Iso-octane was used as a test fuel to explore the sensor that had been developed. As a result, the adherence of the liquid fuel directly injected into the cylinder was successfully detected under the quiescent and motoring
Kuboyama, Tatsuya, Moriyoshi, Yasuo, Takayama, Satoshi, Nakabeppu, Osamu
Technical Paper
5 Ws of 3D-Printed MEMSTBMG-4693411/02/2022
null, null
Magazine Article
New Capabilities for Grasp-Assisting GlovesTBMG-3852202/01/2021
NASA is developing the next generation of spacesuits for future missions including the optimization of spacesuit gloves that, when coupled to a pressurized suit, tend to limit the range of motion of an astronaut’s hand to as little as 20%. Many of NASA’s future missions will be in challenging environments where hand dexterity of the astronaut will be critical for the success of the missions.
Magazine Article
Seeables and Hearables for Fitness FeedbackTBMG-3701006/01/2020
Imagine being able to effortlessly track your fitness routine without having to look away or even think about it. Bosch Sensortec GmbH (Reutlingen/ Kusterdingen, Germany) has developed a “Light Drive” system to display data from fitness and navigation sensors onto a lens of a pair of smart eyeglasses that have transparency comparable to normal eyeglasses and that are comfortable enough to be worn all day. The data image is projected directly onto the wearer’s retina so that it is always in focus and readable despite changing ambient light conditions. You can get feedback while jogging, stair-climbing, exercising, or bike-riding.
Magazine Article
SiC-Based Microstructures for SensorsTBMG-3581501/01/2020
Innovators at NASA's Glenn Research Center have developed ultra-thin silicon carbide (SiC) microstructures that enable highly sensitive pressure sensors that are biocompatible. The novel method of fabricating these microstructures, Dopant Selective Reactive Ion Etching (DSRIE), allows for structures as thin as 2 microns to be achieved, while allowing multifunctional sensors to be fabricated on a single SiC wafer. For the first time, it is possible to batch-fabricate ultra-thin SiC diaphragms that can sense very low pressures, enabling pressure sensors that can measure sub-psi pressures. This faster process makes it easier and less costly to produce complex, advanced semiconductors that are fully functional at temperatures greater than 600 °C. This technique enables a new generation of SiC-based microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) such as accelerometers, pressure sensors, and biosensors.
Magazine Article
Battery-Free Sensor for Underwater UseTBMG-3544311/01/2019
To investigate oceans, researchers aim to build a submerged network of interconnected sensors that sends data to the surface. Supplying constant power to scores of sensors designed to stay for long durations underwater has been a major problem.
Magazine Article
High-Sensitivity, Low-Noise MEMS AccelerometerTBMG-3529410/01/2019
A high-sensitivity and low-noise MEMS accelerometer was developed using multi-layer metal structures composed of multiple metal layers. The accelerometer achieves 1 μG level resolution that has been a challenging task with conventional MEMS technology. The team previously proposed a method of using gold material to downscale the proof mass size of MEMS accelerometers to less than one-tenth. In this work, they have increased the proof mass per area by employing multiple layers of gold for the MEMS structures, thereby increasing the sensitivity over 100 times and reducing noise less than one-tenth when compared with conventional accelerometers.
Magazine Article
The Rodney Dangerfield of Automated-Driving Sensors19AVEP07_0607/01/2019
Radar and lidar get all the attention, but Inertial Measurement Units are the backbone of sensor fusion. Suppliers are scrambling to make IMUs more accurate-and much less expensive. The emerging era of highly-automated driving comes courtesy of much-vaunted sensor technology-spinning lasers, penetrating radar, sonar blips. But the sensor that gets the least respect in the technology stack could be the lynchpin for the mass roll-out of self-driving vehicles: the inertial measurement unit (IMU). “IMUs are the glue that binds everything together,” said Mike Horton, chief technology officer at Aceinna, a Boston-based company that develops sensing solutions for automotive applications. “An IMU can help bring different types of data together from GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), lidar and cameras to make everything consistent and smooth.”
Berman, Bradley
Magazine Article
Sensors Expo Preview 2019TBMG-3458406/01/2019
The 2019 Sensors Expo and Conference will be held at the McEnery Convention Center, San Jose, CA from June 25 – 27. Both the expo and conference are excellent opportunities to get a good sense of important sensor trends. Among the wide variety of themes at the conference, some strike me as being very significant for the current state of the industry.
Magazine Article
Ultraminiature MEMS Sensors for Improved Patient OutcomesTBMG-3443905/01/2019
Ultraminiature sensors (<1 mm in size) enable instrumentation of medical devices in order to advance monitoring capabilities, deliver new insight into complex cardiovascular cases, and optimize targeted treatment therapies. These high-performance medically proven sensors can advance medical devices with real-time monitoring capabilities with less invasive access and more reliable results. Whether integrated directly into an existing medical device or added to a complementary delivery system or procedural accessory, ultraminiature sensors can enable new revenue streams by increasing reimbursement opportunities or adding a new component to an existing sales channel.
Magazine Article
MEMS Switch Extends Life of CellphonesTBMG-3391703/01/2019
A new type of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) was developed that uses electrostatic levitation to provide a more robust system. All cellphones use MEMS switches for wireless communication, but traditionally there are just two electrodes. The switches open and close numerous times during just one hour, but their current lifespan is limited by the two-electrode system.
Magazine Article
Dynamic Optical Grating Device for Modulating LightTBMG-3339912/01/2018
NASA Langley Research Center has developed a novel optical grating device that dynamically modulates light and is capable of controlling the spectral properties and propagation of light without any moving mechanical components.
Magazine Article
Inductive Non-Contact Position SensorTBMG-3340012/01/2018
The Inductive Non-Contact Position Sensor is a highly accurate sensor for motion control applications. The sensor was designed to monitor the precise movements of an optical inspection system that measured defects in space shuttle windows.
Magazine Article
Autonomous Vehicle Engineering: October 201818AVEP1010/04/2018
Editorial As autonomy and mobility merge LiDAR Giant 100 competitors want to eat his lunch, but Velodyne president Mike Jellen aims to maintain leadership in this fast-moving, trillion-dollar technology space. Rewriting the Code Renovo's Aware operating system for Automated Mobility on Demand (AMoD) is expanding its reach as more players see open-platform software as a unifying-and simplifying-answer to quicker and less-costly automated-vehicle deployment. Expanding the Role of FPGAs New demands for on-vehicle data processing, and over-the-air updating, are expanding the use of these programmable semicon-ductors in production vehicles. The recent Daimler-Xilinx linkup shows the way forward. Sly HMI Mitsubishi Electric sees 'hybrid haptics' and even your own vehicle-de-ployed drone as new methods to enhance the in-cabin experience. Screen Glare be Gone A new atmospheric optical bonding process ensures the "smart surfaces" in AV cabins have significantly-reduced glare and greater clarity
Magazine Issue
Micro-Optomechanical Pressure Sensor Advances Pressure Monitoring in Biomedical ApplicationsTBMG-2797312/01/2017
A new type of pressure sensor is based on micro-optomechanical systems (MOMS) technology. Developed by imec, a research and innovation hub focusing on nanoelectronics and digital technologies, the sensor exhibits an excellent measurement precision in a large pressure range while being compact, resistant to electromagnetic interference (EMI), and having multiplexing capabilities. Leveraging imec's unique technical expertise in both MEMS and photonics, the sensor can be used in applications that require high-quality sensing, notably in the medical and life sciences domains.
Magazine Article
Aerospace & Defense Technology: September 201717AERP0909/01/2017
On-Orbit Satellite Refueling Flow Measurement The Path from Concept to Operational Status Radiation Tolerant "Smart Backplanes" for Spacecraft Avionics Using Heat Pipes to Cool Embedded Computers Electronically Dimmable Aircraft Windows How do you block the light of the sun? Eliminating Electrical Arcing in Satellite Systems NASA Miniaturizes Century-Old Radio Sounder Technology Developing an Airborne Optical Systems Testbed (AOSTB) New Class of Excimer-Pumped Atomic Lasers (XPALS) Research demonstrates the viability of an atomic laser having a quantum efficiency greater than one. Hydrodynamic Drag Force Measurement of a Functionalized Surface Exhibiting Superhydrophobic Properties Comparing the skin friction drag effects of a superhydrophobic flat plate to an untreated flat plate of the same material and geometry. Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) Suppression and Long Delivery Fibers at the Multikilowatt Level with Chirped Seed Lasers Using chirped seed amplification with a MEMS
Magazine Issue
A Modular Apparatus and Method for Attaching Multiple DevicesTBMG-2664604/01/2017
Scientists at NASA's Glenn Research Center have received several patents for fabrication methods that speed the production of silicon carbide (SiC) sensors and electronics, reduce fabrication costs, and enable advanced semiconductor functionality at temperatures greater than 600 °C. Glenn has developed a method for fabricating ultra-thin SiC microstructures using a dopant selective reactive ion etching (DSRIE) technique that can create extremely thin diaphragms (approximately 2 microns), increasing sensor sensitivity and resolution. In addition, Glenn has developed a modular protective packaging that allows SiC-based electronic devices to survive and operate reliably at very high temperatures. These innovations improve the real-time monitoring of high-temperature harsh environments, such as jet and rocket engines, allowing faster response times and more accurate readings.
Magazine Article
Angular Random Walk Estimation of a Time-Domain Switching Micromachined Gyroscope17AERP04_1004/01/2017
Achieving near navigation-grade performance without the need to produce resonators with very high quality factors. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, California The primary metrics that prohibit the use of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscopes for navigation-grade inertial navigation units (IMUs) are angle random walk (ARW), bias instability, and scale factor instability. The need for MEMS gyroscopes is due to their decreased cost, size, weight, and power (CSWaP) constraints compared to current navigation-grade solutions. Note that to avoid confusion, while in a statistical context a random walk describes a particular type of random process, ARW is used herein to quantify the effects of white, or Gaussian, noise processes on the rate estimate of a gyroscope. The accepted theory about how to mitigate effects associated with thermomechanical noise, and thus lower ARW, quality factors on the order of a million are needed. While resonators with quality
Magazine Article
Angular Random Walk Estimation of a Time-Domain Switching Micromachined GyroscopeTBMG-2668204/01/2017
The primary metrics that prohibit the use of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscopes for navigation-grade inertial navigation units (IMUs) are angle random walk (ARW), bias instability, and scale factor instability. The need for MEMS gyroscopes is due to their decreased cost, size, weight, and power (CSWaP) constraints compared to current navigation-grade solutions. Note that to avoid confusion, while in a statistical context a random walk describes a particular type of random process, ARW is used herein to quantify the effects of white, or Gaussian, noise processes on the rate estimate of a gyroscope.
Magazine Article
Researchers Turn iPhone Camera into Optical SensorTBMG-2649103/01/2017
By integrating an optical Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems, or MEMS, chip into an iPhone camera, researchers at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland have developed a new, cost-effective kind of hyperspectral technology. The spectral device will provide mobile device users and consumers with new ways to monitor their environments, including quick food analysis, health checks, and other Internet-connected sensing. Research team leader Anna Rissanen works actively with companies to enable commercialization and new business development based on the team's various sensors.
Magazine Article
Gas Sensors with Contact PadsTBMG-2615601/01/2017
Innovators at NASA’s Glenn Research Center have developed advanced hydrogen and hydrocarbon gas sensors capable of detecting leaks, monitoring emissions, and providing in situ measurements of gas composition and pressure. These compact, rugged sensors can be used to optimize combustion and lower emissions, and they are designed to withstand harsh, high-temperature environments (e.g., silicon carbide (SiC) sensors can operate at 600 °C). NASA Glenn is actively seeking industrial partners to develop and apply these cutting-edge sensors cooperatively in new applications.
Magazine Article
Piezoresistive SensorTBMG-2530109/01/2016
The present innovation, developed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, comprises several piezoresistor sensor configurations for sensing rotation or torque that are superior to those currently in use in microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices. These may be used for sensing rotation/torque or any other quantity that can be converted by the sensor to a rotation (as is frequently done in sensors), and are therefore of wide applicability in current and future MEMS sensors.
Magazine Article
Aerospace & Defense Technology: June 201616AERP0606/01/2016
Digital Design Tools Simulating Thermal Expansion in Composites with Expanded Metal Foil for Lightning Protection Rugged Computing Designing VME Power Systems with Standard Modules Optical Sensors Optical Ice Sensors for UAVs Rotorcraft Technology Rotorcraft Icing Computational Tool Development RF & Microwave Technology Curled RF MEMS Switches for On-Chip Design: Design Software Supports BAE System's Mixed-Signal Chip Design
Magazine Issue
MEMS Oscillators with Improved Resilience for Harsh Automotive Environments2016-01-010104/05/2016
Oscillators are key components in automotive electronics systems. For example, a typical automotive camera module may have three or more oscillators, providing the clocks for microcontrollers, Ethernet controllers, and video chipsets. These oscillators have historically been built around a quartz crystal resonator connected to an analog sustaining circuit driving the crystal to vibrate at its resonant frequency. However, quartz-based devices suffer from poor performance and reliability in harsh automotive environments. SiTime has developed timing solutions based on silicon micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology that exhibit better electromagnetic noise rejection and better performance under shock and vibration. In this paper, we first discuss the design and manufacturing of the MEMS-based device, with emphasis on the specific design aspects that improve reliability and resilience in harsh automotive environments. These aspects include the SOI-based MEMS fabrication process
Arft, Carl, Lu, Yin-Chen, Parvereshi, Jehangir
Journal Article
Fabrication of an Integrated Photonic Waveguide Joint in Micromachined SiliconTBMG-2425504/01/2016
High-aspect-ratio silicon structures are necessary components in many MEMS (microelectromechanical systems). Aspect ratio is defined as the ratio of the height of the structure to its lateral width. The structures are typically fabricated through bulk micromachining steps such as deep reactive ion etching. In some cases, multiple levels of high-aspect-ratio structures are required. For instance, one may want to etch completely through a silicon wafer to thermally isolate a bolometer or provide waveguide coupling to an antenna defined on an insulating membrane, and at the same time have integrated high-topology structures required for microwave coupling or filtering. Definition of the structures typically uses photolithographic technology. But for high-aspect-ratio structures, spin cast resist becomes difficult to incorporate due to the non-uniform thickness of the resist around tall structures. One can cast very thick layers of photoresist, but this limits the minimum feature size, and
Magazine Article
MEMS Glow Discharge Plasma Electron and Ion SourceTBMG-2327611/01/2015
A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) glow discharge plasma electron and ion source (GDEIS) was designed for operation in high-pressure environments such as planetary atmospheres for mass spectroscopy. Glow discharge electron/ ion sources create electrons and ions from gas molecules in an excited plasma. A plasma is generated between two charged plates, and the polarity induced determines the electron or ion signal.
Magazine Article
MEMS Micro-Translation Stage with Large Linear Travel CapabilityTBMG-2200305/01/2015
A MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) micro-translation stage (MTS) with large linear travel capability was developed that uses capacitive electrostatic forces created by stators arranged linearly on both sides of a channel, and matching rotors on a moveable shuttle for precise movement of the shuttle. The device, which is essentially a linear motor built from silicon base with microfabrication techniques, will be able to rapidly translate across large distances using only three-phase power. The moveable shuttle can be as small as 100 mm and can house a variety of elements including lenses and mirrors. The shuttle can be tailored to travel distances as small as 10 mm and as large as 300 mm, with as little as 10 mm between adjacent shuttle stops.
Magazine Article
Fully Integrated, Miniature, High-Frequency Flow Probe Utilizing MEMS Leadless SOI TechnologyTBMG-1611104/01/2013
This work focused on developing, fabricating, and fully calibrating a flow-angle probe for aeronautics research by utilizing the latest microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), leadless silicon on insulator (SOI) sensor technology. While the concept of angle probes is not new, traditional devices had been relatively large due to fabrication constraints; often too large to resolve flow structures necessary for modern aeropropulsion measurements such as inlet flow distortions and vortices, secondary flows, etc. Measurements of this kind demanded a new approach to probe design to achieve sizes on the order of 0.1 in. (≈3 mm) diameter or smaller, and capable of meeting demanding requirements for accuracy and ruggedness.
Magazine Article
MEMS Deformable Mirrors Enable Imaging of Earth-Sized Extra-Solar PlanetsTBMG-1448508/01/2012
The NASA-sponsored space exploration project, PICTURE (Planet Imaging Concept Testbed Using a Rocket Experiment), seeks to obtain a direct image of an extra-solar giant planet. The PICTURE telescope, which uses a BMC deformable mirror for adaptive optic wavefront control, was launched aboard a NASA sounding rocket in October 2011. Preliminary data show that the MEMS deformable mirror was successful in its operation.
Magazine Article
Biodegradable MEMS Based on Cellulose PaperTBMG-TB-00884112/01/2010
This piezoelectric paper is flexible, biodegradable, and ultra-lightweight for industry, military, and space applications. Electro-Active Paper(EAPap) has been recognized as a new smart material that can be used for sensors, actuators, biomimetic robots, and smart wallpapers. EAPap is made with cellulose paper by coating thin electrodes on both sides of it. This paper can produce a bending or longitudinal strain in the presence of an electric field. Also, it can produce an induced charge under the external stress. This EAPap material has many advantages in terms of large displacement output, low actuation voltage, low power consumption, dryness, flexibility, sensing capability, and biodegradable characteristics.
Magazine Article
Patterning of Polycrystalline Bi2Te3 Thin Films on SiliconTBMG-494112/01/2008
Experiments in patterning of thin films of polycrystalline bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) on silicon substrates have been performed. Bi2Te3 is representative of a family of thermoelectric materials that are well suited for use in extracting electric energy from thermal gradients associated with flows of waste heat at temperatures in the approximate range of 0 to 150°C. Techniques and processes for fabricating macroscopic thermoelectric devices from bulk thermoelectric materials are mature and well known, but the same cannot yet be said concerning the fabrication of microscopic thermoelectric devices. The experiments reported here were performed as part of a continuing effort to develop capabilities for fabrication (including mass production) of microscopic thermoelectric devices, with a view toward eventually enabling the incorporation of them as integral parts of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) that could also include heat exchangers, sensors, actuators, and/or flow channels. Thus
Magazine Article
Static and Dynamic Instabilities of Electrostatic Actuated MEMS Devices2008-01-091504/14/2008
Fast and accurate characterization of stability regions and operational range with respect to pull-in voltage and displacement is critical in the design and development of MEMS resonators and switches. This paper presents a mathematical and computational procedure for modeling and analysis of static and dynamic instabilities of capacitive microdevices employing resonant microbeams. The mathematical model consists of a nonlinear microbeam under distributed electrostatic actuation and squeeze film damping. The coupled system is described by the nonlinear beam equation and a modified compressible Reynolds equation to account for the rarefied gas in the narrow gap between the microbeam and substrate. The Differential Quadrature Method (DQM) is used to discretize partial differential equations of motion and solve for static deflection, natural frequencies, static pull-in voltage, and quality factors for various encapsulation air pressures and applied DC voltages. A reduced order model is
Beloiu, Dumitru M.
Journal Article
Dr. Walter Merrill, Associate for Business Development, John H. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OHTBMG-34101/01/2006
Dr. Walter Merrill is involved in a variety of programs aimed at forming partnerships with private and public entities. For the past five years, he has been working towards developing microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices that are made out silicon carbide. In that capacity, Dr. Merrill was instrumental in helping NASA Glenn Research Center, the State of Ohio, and Case Western Reserve University launch the Glennan Microsystems Initiative to address the research, development, and application needs of NASA and industry in the field of MEMS.
Magazine Article
Automotive Pressure Sensors: Evolution of a Micromachined Sensor Application97323811/17/1997
The automotive pressure sensor is one of the most widespread applications of a micromachined device, and has evolved into a relatively mature technology, expanding beyond its original use as an engine control sensor into other vehicle control and diagnostic systems. The need for flexibility in various applications, low cost, high volume manufacturing capability, and survivability in harsh environments has strongly influenced sensor signal conditioning, calibration, element design, and packaging. Many of the issues affecting the development and commercialization of micromachined automotive pressure sensors are also relevant to other emerging microfabricated devices. This paper shows how the commercial success of a product using microfabricated technology is highly dependent upon other core competencies, beyond just the capability to perform the micromachining operations necessary to create the sensing device.
Schuster, J. P., Czarnocki, W. S.
Technical Paper
Silicon Microsensors for Aerospace Condition Monitoring93135904/01/1993
This paper provides several examples of silicon “micromachined” semiconductor sensors with which the authors are involved for aerospace condition monitoring. This and related work in MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) has the potential to revolutionize condition monitoring in aerospace condition and “health monitoring” by (1) moving “smart” electronics out to the sensor chip itself and (2) combining a vast quantity and types of, not only electronic, but micromechanical sensing schemes into the silicon chip . Precisely formed cantilevers, gears, valves, microplumbing and even micro motors of the cross-section of a human hair can be fabricated on a single silicon microchip. Silicon is an excellent mechanical material with a yield strength several times that of stainless steel. Also silicon has excellent thermal properties , whereas compatible silicon dioxide (which we typically use in connection with silicon microelectronics patterning) is virtually a thermal insulator. Other
Barkhoudarian, Sarkis, Henderson, H. Thurman
Technical Paper
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