Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)

Synopsis

MEMS devices also known as micro-electro mechanical systems have found wide spread applications in numerous sensing applications including accelerometers, pressure sensors, microphones, and gyroscopes.  Several military and defense applications require reliable operation of the MEMS sensors under long period of thermal storage followed by deployment in high-g environments.  Examples include missile-applications which often require acceleration exposure of 10,000 to 100,000g.  Further, MEMS devices deployed in consumer products such as automotive airbags may be subjected to high temperature and high-g during impact and subsequent deployment of the airbag.  This research area focuses on the development of multi-physics models, performance drift prediction models, and life prediction techniques for survivability of MEMS in harsh environments.

Representative Publications

1. Lall, P., A. Abrol, D. Locker and B. Hughes, Damage Evolution in MEMS Pressure Sensors during High Temperature Operating Life and Prolonged Storage at Sub-Zero Temperature, in Proceedings of ITHERM, San Diego, CA, US, pp. 1050-1061, May 29-June 1, 2018.
2. Lall, P., A. Abrol and D. Locker, Effects of Sustained Exposure to Temperature and Humidity on the Reliability and Performance of MEMS Microphone, in Proceedings of the ASME Interpack 2017, California, pp. 1-16, August 29 – September 1, 2017.
3. Lall, P.,, A. S. Abrol, J. Suhling, L. Simpson, J. Glover and D. Locker, Effect of Simultaneous High Temperature and Vibration on MEMS based Vibratory Gyroscope, in Proceedings of the 16th ITherm, Orlando, FL, pp. 1214-1228, May 30 – June 2, 2017.
4. Lall, P., Abrol, A., Simpson, L., Glover, J., A Study of Damage Progression in MEMS Based Silicon Oscillators Subjected to High-G, Proceedings of the ITHERM 2016, Las Vegas, Nevada, pp. 546-560, May 31- June 3, 2016.
5. Lall, P., Abrol, A., Simpson, L., Glover, J., Survivability of MEMS Accelerometer Under Sequential Thermal and High-G Shock Environments, Paper IPACKICNMM2015-48790; Session 3-1-1, ASME International Technical Conference and Exhibition on Packaging and Integration of Electronic and Photonic Microsystems (InterPACK), San Francisco, CA, pp. 1-11, July 6-9, 2015
6. Lall, P., Kothari, N., Glover, J., Mechanical Shock Reliability Analysis and Multiphysics Modeling of MEMS Accelerometers in Harsh Environments, Paper IPACKICNMM2015-48457; Session 3-3-2, ASME International Technical Conference and Exhibition on Packaging and Integration of Electronic and Photonic Microsystems (InterPACK), San Francisco, CA, pp. 1-9, July 6-9, 2015
7. Lall, P., Abrol, A., Simpson, L., Glover, Jessica, Reliability of MEMS Devices under Multiple Environments, 14th IEEE ITHERM Conference, pp. 1313-1321, Orlando, FL, May 27-30, 2014.
8. Failure-Envelope Approach to Modeling Shock and Vibration Survivability of Electronic and MEMS Packaging, Lall, P., Panchagade, D., Choudhary, P., Gupte, S., Suhling, J., IEEE Transactions on Components and Packaging Technologies, Vol. 31, No. 1, pp. 104-113, March 2008.
9. Prognostication and Health Monitoring of Leaded and Lead Free Electronic and MEMS Packages in Harsh Environments, Lall, P., Islam, N., Suhling, J., Proceedings of the 55^th IEEE Electronic Components and Technology Conference, Orlando, FL, pp. 1305-1313, June 1-3, 2005.
10. Leading Indicators-of-Failure for Prognosis of Electronic and MEMS Packaging, Lall, P., Islam, N., Rahim, K., Suhling, J., Gale, S., Proceedings of the 54^th IEEE Electronic Components and Technology Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, pp. 1570-1578, June 1 – 4, 2004.