1. Sub-Nanogram Mass Measurement in Liquid
A new micromachined mass measurement tool can now detect
changes of less than 0.5 nanogram (half a billionth of a gram)
in liquid media. This is much smaller than the mass of many living
cells and because it works under water or in solution, it means
that the changing mass of a single living cell can be observed
during natural life processes. The new device is based on a 180 mm
long micromachined cantilever arm that resonates. On-chip circuitry
detects subtle changes in resonance frequency and hence infers the
mass of anything on the 'balance' arm. Many biomedical and microbiological
applications for the device exist.Design:
J. Chen, S. Prescesky, R. Turner, A. Parameswaran
Fabrication:
J. Chen, S. Prescesky
2. Pressure Time Recorder
With no moving parts, requiring no power and readable by the naked eye
this device is useful to doctors who need to know the product of
pressure and time (PT) in medical applications. Some pneumatically
powered medical instruments need to be serviced after operating at
pressure for a certain length of time. Also, the device is valuable
in the field in the Third world for PT sensitive procedures such as
changing tourniquets, etc. It is currently being tested in the operating
rooms of the Vancouver General Hospital.Design:
P. Gadgil
Fabrication:
P. Gadgil, K. Chung
3. Thermal Peristaltic Pump (front and back views)
A micropump without valves that moves microlitre volumes of fluids
by thermal expansion or phase change. Ten sequentially powered tiny
heating elements under a micromachined channel drive the fluid from
one end to the other. This pump was designed under a joint
collaboration agreement with the Mechanical Engineering Lab in
Tsukuba, Japan.Design:
M. Mehta, H. Takagi, A. Parameswaran
Fabrication:
M. Mehta, H. Takagi
4. DNA Amplification Chamber
Recent developments with the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) have
allowed genetics researchers to replicate a specific strand of DNA
in quantity for identification and other experimental purposes. This
tiny PCR reaction chamber reduces the time required for the PCR
reaction. In normal practice this reaction must be repeated many
times to amplify one sample. The process is all automated, but due
to necessary heating and cooling times, a typical reaction cycle takes
about 10 minutes. The new micromachined reaction vessel holds about
40 microlitres of DNA solution and cycles in only 6 minutes. The
reaction cavity is located behind the resistor in the centre of the
chip on the left. The project is a collaboration with Dr. Robin Turner
at the UBC Biotechnology Laboratory.Design:
S. Wu, A. Parameswaran, R. Turner
Fabrication:
S. Wu
5. Micromachined DNA Purification Units
These two devices purify DNA by pumping a DNA-containing solution
through micromachined columns. DNA is precipitated on specially
prepared column walls. Subsequent flushing yields more concentrated
and purified DNA. This first generation device is shown on a 4"
silicon wafer. A miniaturized version is shown at upper right as a
semi-packaged unit with glass inlet and outlet ports.Design:
C. Haynes, A. Parameswaran, R. Turner
Fabrication:
G. Waynes, A. Parameswaran
6. Tactile Sensor For Endoscopic Surgery
This preliminary prototype is mounted on a standard chip package
for testing but ultimately the micromachined pressure sensor
assembly would be mounted on the gripping ends of an endoscopic
surgery tool. Such tools are in common use for less invasive
surgery on gallstones, hernias and other procedures. A problem
is the lack of tactile feedback these tools provide the surgeon.
The new tactile tool will solve this by giving different feedback
signals depending on what the tool is grasping--fat, muscle,
tumor, etc.Design:
M. Mehta, A. Parameswaran, S. Payandeh
Fabrication:
M. Mehta
7. Applied Pressure Sensor for Clinical Use
This prototype micromachined silicon pressure sensor package can be used
to measure exact pressure under a cuff or a tourniquet or in specialized
surgical procedures. The long curving tube is a vent, part of the sensor
package, which enables high dynamic range operation and back
pressurization for equalization and hysteresis compensation.Design:
J. Melin, A. Parameswaran, J. McEwen
Fabrication:
J. Melin
8. Prostate Cancer Detector
This prototype packaged device combines pressure and flow sensors on a
single substrate to allow dynamic measurement of voiding urine to
identify early symptoms of prostate trouble. Urine passes through
the plastic tube and sensors are mounted on the chip carrier. The
two dies sitting on the left side of the chip carrier are the flow
(L) and pressure (R) sensors which are combined in the sensor
housing on the chip carrier beneath the plastic tubing.Design:
V. Gupta, A. Parameswaran, J. McEwen
Fabrication:
V. Gupta, M. Paranjape
9. CMOS Micromachined Flow Sensor
Six polysilicon resistors fabricated in the centre of this suspended
platform are at the heart of this sensor. While one of the resistors
heats the platform, on board circuitry senses the change in resistance
in the other five due to the cooling effect of gas flow across the
surface. The microscopic device costs pennies to produce and can be
used in air conditioning systems for monitoring gas flow in process
control systems.Design:
A. Parameswaran
Fabrication:
Northern Telecom Electronics (CMC)
10. Dynamic Thermal Scene Simulator
An example of integrating micromachining and circuitry on the same
substrate: this four element (2x2) CMOS micromachined device can
produce two dimensional infra-red images for calibration and
testing of navigational guidance systems. The technology has
been applied in commercial products by Optical ETC Inc. of
Huntsville, Alabama.Design:
R. Chung, A. Parameswaran, M. Syrzycki
Fabrication:
Northern Telecom Electronics (CMC)
11. Incandescent Pixel
An example of a CMOS micromachined polysilicon filament (144 x 102µm)
producing an incandescent glow. The device consumes 45 milliwatts to
produce a filament temperature of 1200 °ree;K.Design:
A. Parameswaran
Fabrication:
Northern Telecom Electronics (CMC)
Characterization:
J. Geist and D. Blackburn, NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland.
12. Multiproject Wafer (front and back)
This wafer is an example of the micromachine work done at the
Institute of Micromachine and Microfabrication at Simon Fraser
University. The 4" wafer sports an assortment of pressure sensors,
flow sensors, and DNA processing chambers.Design:
A. Parameswaran, M. Paranjape
Fabrication:
M. Paranjape
Vikas Gupta
Manish Mehta
Ash M. Parameswaran
Shahram Payandeh
Andrew Rawicz
Marek Syrzycki
Robin Turner
291-4971
291-4290
291-3819
291-3659
822-6132
vgupta@cs.sfu.ca
mehta@cs.sfu.ca
param@cs.sfu.ca
shahram@cs.sfu.ca
andrew@cs.sfu.ca
marek@cs.sfu.ca
robin_turner@mtsg.ubc.ca
Simon Fraser Univesity
Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6
Tel: 604.291.3455
Fax: 604.291.4951
Director: Albert M. Leung
For more information, please see the New IMMR Web Page.
Page design by Ian Wojtowicz
(iwojtowi@sfu.ca)