Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026
11:44
Real-Time DC-dynamic Biasing Method for Switching Time Improvement in Severely Underdamped Fringing-field Electrostatic MEMS Actuators
Published on: August 15, 2014
Capacitive Sensors and Actuators by CMOS MEMS Foundry
Lung-Jieh Yang1, Chandrashekhar Tasupalli1, Wei-Chen Wang1
1Department of Mechanical and Electromechanical Engineering, Tamkang University, New Taipei City 251391, Taiwan.
Micromachines
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute (TSRI) offers a 0.18-micron CMOS MEMS foundry platform. This service supports flow sensors and actuators, with guidelines for expanding to capacitive sensors and electrostatic actuators.
Area of Science:
- Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)
- Semiconductor Foundry Services
- Integrated Circuit Design
Background:
- The Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute (TSRI) provides a 0.18-micron CMOS MEMS foundry platform.
- Current services support specific MEMS components like flow sensors and electrostatic actuators.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce the capabilities of the TSRI's CMOS MEMS foundry service.
- To expand the foundry's scope to include capacitive sensors and electrostatic actuators.
- To provide design and post-processing guidelines for MEMS designers.
Main Methods:
- Directly supporting the design of flow sensors and actuators with specific features (perforated membranes, comb-shaped electrodes).
- Offering tape-out and wire bonding packaging services.
- Presenting a feasible approach for developing additional CMOS MEMS components using simple wet-etching facilities.
Main Results:
- TSRI's platform currently facilitates the fabrication of flow sensors and comb-drive actuators.
- A practical guideline is provided for MEMS designers to develop capacitive pressure sensors, accelerometers, micro mirrors, and scratch drive actuators.
- Minimal post-processing and chip packaging are required for these expanded applications.
Conclusions:
- The TSRI 0.18-micron CMOS MEMS foundry platform is versatile.
- The platform can be extended to capacitive sensing and electrostatic actuation applications with minimal complexity.
- This work offers a practical guide for leveraging the TSRI foundry for advanced MEMS development.
Related Concept Videos
01:25MOS Capacitor
A Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (MOS) capacitor is a fundamental structure used extensively in semiconductor device technology, particularly in the fabrication of integrated circuits and MOSFETs (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors). The MOS capacitor consists of three layers: a metal gate, a dielectric oxide, and a semiconductor substrate.
The metal gate is typically made from highly conductive materials such as aluminum or polysilicon. Beneath the metal gate lies a thin layer of...
The metal gate is typically made from highly conductive materials such as aluminum or polysilicon. Beneath the metal gate lies a thin layer of...
01:16MOSFET
The Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (MOSFET) plays a pivotal role in modern electronics thanks to its versatility and efficiency in controlling electrical currents. This device, also known as IGFET, MISFET, and MOSFET, has three main terminals: the Source, Drain, and Gate. MOSFETs are classified into n-channel or p-channel types based on the doping characteristics of their substrate and the source or drain regions.
In an n-MOSFET, the structure includes n-type source and drain...
In an n-MOSFET, the structure includes n-type source and drain...
01:20Design Example: Capacitance Multiplier Circuit
In integrated circuit technology, a capacitance multiplier is often utilized to produce a larger capacitance value when a small physical capacitance falls short. This is achieved by a circuit that multiplies capacitance values by a factor of up to 1000, such that a 10-pF capacitor can replicate the performance of a 100-nF capacitor.
The circuit illustrated in Figure 1 below incorporates two op-amps, with the first operating as a voltage follower and the second acting as an inverting amplifier.
The circuit illustrated in Figure 1 below incorporates two op-amps, with the first operating as a voltage follower and the second acting as an inverting amplifier.