Electronics and Information Systems

EURO-DOTS
We enhanced the "MEMS design and prototyping" course. Now this course course fulfills all the criteria imposed by the FP7 EURO-DOTS program, and has been provisionally granted the EURO-DOTS label.  This means that PhD students can apply for ECTS Credits and a scholarship ...    more info...

This five day training course tries to give a condensed but extensive overview of many aspect that are involved when entering the MEMS discipline. Starting with some definitions, characteristics and principles of MEMS and placing it in its historical context, the course addresses the chain from initial idea to prototype and eventual production. After an introductory tour into ‘small world physics’, technology and processing techniques, analog to the life cycle of typical MEMS product, the course focuses on MEMS design tools, methodologies, design flow, setup, FEM/FEA, co-simulation, Tape Out procedure  and Design Rule Checking (DRC), packaging, testing, qualification and failure analysis

Real fabricated microsystems and personal experience cases further illustrate methodologies, capabilities and pitfalls. Exercises and hands-on sessions on MEMS design tools are interleaved with the presentations to illustrate and practice the course material.

This course is complementary to the other STIMESI courses which focus more in depth on a given technology and design tool.

Day 1
Day one starts with some definitions, characteristics and principles of MEMS and places MEMS it in its historical context.
The impact of scaling for different physics like the mechanical, thermal, fluidic domain is investigated.  Previously fabricated microsystems which are representative of the capabilities of MEMS give a good taste of the power of microsystems. Next, key concepts of technology and processing techniques are discussed.

Day 2
The second day of this training course starts with the design cycle ‘from idea to product(tion)’. The first part covers the ‘creative’ aspects of the development: concept, technology selection, layout and 3D modeling. In particular, the most important topics of the session are:
  •  From Idea to specifications,  design space exploration, DFMEA
  •  Technology mode: custom process, fabless, fablite, MPW, cost, Design Kits & manuals
  •  Overview of Design tools: layout, process tools, simulators, ...    Design tasks,  Design cultures
A practical hands-on session using a design layout tool (L-Edit) and a process modeler-emulator (Semulator3D) closes the afternoon

Day 3
The third day of this training course continues on the design cycle ‘from idea to product(tion)’ with focus on the ‘functional verification’ aspect: functional verification is mainly done my simulations.
Finite Element Modeling (FEM) and Analysis (FEA) which is the workhorse for multiphysics simulation and verification is covered. Other techniques like Reduced Order Modeling (ROM) and Behavioral Models (BM) and their usefulness are explained in the context of co-simulation of MEMS+IC. Hands-on sessions allow attendees explore these two approaches of MEMS simulation:  FEM/FEA and schematic modeling of MEMS using BM’s.

Day 4
During the fourth day of the course, the next steps on the roadmap to product(tion) are tackled: final layout verification (DRC) and Tape Out. Packaging, testing (characterization, qualification and failure analysis) often undervalued, yet essential for MEMS, are discussed and close the course.

Day 5
The fifth day of the course addresses advanced packaging and assembly technologies. Strongly driven by the increasing complexity of electronic systems, the package and the assembly process plays a major role in the success of a product, mainly through its impact on reliability. Topics like reliability analysis using simulation and board level assembly technology will be presented.

Day 1

Introduction and Overview: Day one starts with an overview of the MEMSCAP history as a case study of the challenges of a MEMS foundry pre- and post-Telecom boom. The benefits of using standard processes and the impact of this strategy in the MEMS Product Development Life Cycle is demonstrated. Finally, an overview of the MUMPs program, its history and growth over the years, will be provided.

Day 2

MUMPs Process Overview: A comparison of the strengths and weaknesses of the different processes in regards to device-specific needs will be discussed giving the designer some direction on which process is best suited to his/her device. Examples of customer projects throughout the years will be presented through videos and SEMs.

MUMPs Design Introduction:  Basic fundamental rules applicable to all processes will be presented including layout and design rule nomenclature and detailed explanations of consequences associated with breaking design rules. After that, the three MUMPs processes (PolyMUMPs, SOIMUMPs and MetalMUMPs)  will be reviewed in detail and tips, tricks, and design hints shared.

Day 3

The focus of the third day is on the design and simulation CAD tools from Coventor applied for the MUMPS processes. A general overview on Coventor CAD tools with presentations on capabilities of MEMS+, Designer, Analyser and SEMulator3D will be given.

After an introductory guideline on MEMS+ platform, course attendees will have the opportunity to use the MEMS+ tool, which will be used to simulate a PolyMUMPs variable capacitor. Guidelines to use the MEMS+ model in conjunction with Cadence Virtuoso / Matlab Simulink will be presented.

Day 4

The fourth day continues the simulation part of the design cycle, now focusing on the Finite Element Modeling (FEM) using Designer for layout and 3D solid/mesh generation and Analyser for Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Hands-on session on PolyMUMPs will be interleaved with description of example devices in Poly- Metal- and SOIMUMPS and the associated analyses. Finally, virtual fabrication using SEMulator will be presented.