An undergraduate instructional course on microelectromechanical systems fabrication

This paper describes a single quarter instructional course concerned with the design and fabrication of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. This course entitled "Design and Fabrication of Microelectromechanical Systems" has now been taught twice at the University of Minnesota. The course is offered for juniors, seniors, and first-year graduate students majoring in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, and material science. The participants are not required to have a background in microelectronics processing techniques. This course is taught starting with a perspective of basic silicon processing techniques, and it advances to demonstrate how such processing methods can lead to fabricated MEMS devices. Several key components are integrated in this course: (1) hands-on fabrication of micromechanical motor structures in a Class 100 cleanroom; (2) approximately 30 hours of entry-level classroom lecture on solid-state micromachining and related fabrication technologies; (3) testing and analysis of finished structures and devices; and (4) weekly discussions of fabrication results and MEMS work being carried out at other institutions.