General course information

BRIEF SUMMARY

The course is designed as a “hands-on” project course for students who would like to deepen their understanding of nano/microelectromachnical systems (NEMS/MEMS), by actively designing, fabricating and evaluating different microacuator concepts.

The course targets MSc level students, preferably with background in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Engineering Physics. Pre-knowledge in microsystems, nanotechnology, or semiconductor technology is advantageous for some course parts, for instance the fabrication, but not necessary at all. General understanding of physics, and curiosity for the application of physical effects on a micro/nano-scale, is the best starting point for designing your own moving microsystem!

This course is given annually, in the 2nd period of every autumn term at KTH (HT-P2; October to December).

FURTHER INFORMATION

Course participants: Typically, 20% of the students are PhD students. Under certain circumstances, PhD students may create and carry out their own task in the world of microsystem technology.

Results of previous course evaluation: During 2011, 14 students took the course, of which 4 were PhD students. Course evaluation results from 2011 (only given for MSc students): 30% of the students consider the course as among the top 10% of KTH's courses, and 70% of the students consider the course as among the top 25% of KTH's courses.

Course language: English.

Course coordinator: Assoc.-Prof. Joachim Oberhammer.

Official course description: Original course description.

Course office for students: STEX (Osquldas väg 10, ground floor).

Course content: The course consists of three introductory lectures (there the dates for the lectures 2 and 3 will be decided at the first meeting) followed by the course work, which is framed by weekly progress meetings with the course responsible and his teaching assistants.

The student will be able to to design thier own microsystem devices using simulation and CAD tools, to fabricate the devices in a clean-room laboratory, to characterize the devices, and to analyse failure mechanisms as well as propose design improvements.

The course starts with lectures introducing the student to MEMS design tools, and providing them with specifications of the real-world problems they have to solve.

Then, the students will work in groups of 2–3, develop device concepts, and verify these using state-of-the art FEM simulation tools, and then design the devices with CAD software.

In the next step, the students will fabricate their own devices with state-of-the-art micromachining/semiconductor manufacturing tools in the the KTH clean-room laboratory.

Afterwards, the students will evaluate their devices by characterizing them with various test setups to find out which of their designs has best performance according to the given specifications.

In the final step, the students will analyze the failure mechanisms of their devices, and have to propose design improvements for a potential next development cycle.

For any questions, in particular on the suitability of your background to the course, please contact the course coordinator.