In the world of MEMS processing today, fabrications of membrane are performed using bulk micromachining (BMM). However these techniques not easiest to integrate with CMOS standard process due to not compatible of the processing flow. An attractive alternative deployment of surface micromachining (SMM). There is a trend to use surface micromachining to their advantage of simplicity in design and...

This study presents the superior structural versatility of strained silicon nitride (SiNx) membranes as a platform for three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical tubular architectures. The effects of compressive and tensile stressed SiNx layer thickness on the self-rolled-up tube curvature, the sacrificial layer etching anisotropy on rolling direction and chirality, and stress engineering by localized...

This paper introduces our recent activities in R&D Center of Excellence for Integrated Microsystems toward new integrated MEMS. The most prominent difference of the new integrated MEMS from conventional ones is that MEMS is fabricated on advanced LSI with a very small design rule. Two examples of integrated MEMS technologies under development are described. The first one is singlecrystal-silico...

The high porosity and uniform pore size of mesoporous oxide films offer unique opportunities for microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices that require low density and low thermal conductivity. This paper provides the first report in which mesoporous films were adapted for MEMS applications. Mesoporous SiO2 and Al2O3 films were prepared by spin coating using block copolymers as the structure...

Large scale syntheses of uniform metal nanoparticles with hollow porous structure have attracted much attention owning to their high surface area, abundant active sites and relatively efficient catalytic activity. Herein, we report a general method to synthesize hollow porous Pd nanospheres (Pd HPNSs) by templating sacrificial SiO2 nanoparticles with the assistance of polyallylamine hydrochlori...

In MEMS fabrication micro-mechanical components have to be partially released from a substrate. Selectively etching away sacrificial layers, such that a free standing structure remains, is a widely used technique for this purpose. Free standing structures allow MEMS devices to induce or to sense mechanical movements or vibrations. During sacrificial etching lower etch rates than the blanket one...

Fully-depleted SOI devices are being considered for low power applications due to their threshold voltage, sub-threshold slope and capacitance advantages over other technologies. However, the threshold voltage of a fully-depleted SOI device is a strong function of the silicon film and sacrificial oxide thicknesses. Thus, to fully realize the advantages of fully-depleted SOI devices in commercia...

Building upon the idea that humans may be a eusocial species (i.e., rely on multigenerational and cooperative care of young, utilize division of labor for successful survival), we conjecture that suicide among humans represents a derangement of the self-sacrificial aspect of eusociality. In this article, we outline the characteristics of eusociality, particularly the self-sacrificial behavior s...