Courses:

The number of lectures on each topic are given in parentheses. For the detailed schedule of topics, see the calendar below.

An overview of microelectromechanical devices and technologies, and an introduction to design and modeling.

Brief review of standard microelectronic fabrication technologies; detailed discussion of bulk micromachining, surface micromachining, bonding technologies, related fabrication methods, and creating process flows. Assignments will emphasize creating process flows, the relation between process and mask specifications and the resulting device geometry, and also the effect of etch selectivity on process viability.

Definitions of mechanical, thermal, electrical, magnetic, optical, and chemical properties of materials.

Introduction to lumped modeling of systems and transducers; an overview of system dynamics.

Classes will be held in parallel on both introductory mechanics (2.001 - 2.002 level) and introductory electronics (6.002 level). Students with equivalent undergraduate mechanics preparation should attend the electronics sessions, and students with equivalent undergraduate electronics preparation should attend the mechanics sessions. Students who do not have equivalent undergraduate preparation in either area should attend the electronics sessions. A mechanics make up session will be scheduled for those students.

MEMS examples, energy methods.

The thermal energy domain; modeling dissipative processes.

A necessarily brief introduction to the fluid mechanics and transport processes relevant at the microscale.

Feedback and noise.

While students are working on final projects, there will be a series of eight lectures covering packaging, design tradeoffs, as well as case studies taken from various MEMS disciplines (e.g., optical MEMS, accelerometers, BioMEMS, Power MEMS).

JV: Session taught by Joel Voldman

CL: Session taught by Carol Livermore