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Mechanical Engineering

Microelectromechanical systems

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Full-Text Articles in Electronic Devices and Semiconductor Manufacturing

Using Multiple Mems Imus To Form A Distributed Inertial Measurement Unit, Ryan D. Hanson Mar 2005

Using Multiple Mems Imus To Form A Distributed Inertial Measurement Unit, Ryan D. Hanson

Theses and Dissertations

MEMS IMUs are readily available in quantity and have extraordinary advantages over conventional IMUs in size, weight, cost, and power consumption. However, the poor performance of MEMS IMUs limits their use in more demanding military applications. It is desired to use multiple distributed MEMS IMUs to simulate the performance of a single, more costly IMU, using the theory behind Gyro-Free IMUs. A Gyro-Free IMU (GF-IMU) uses a configuration of accelerometers only to measure the three accelerations and three angular rotations of a rigid body in 3-D space. Theoretically, almost any configuration of six distributed accelerometers yields sufficient measurements to solve …


Fabrication Techniques For Iii-V Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical Systems, Jeremy A. Raley Mar 2002

Fabrication Techniques For Iii-V Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical Systems, Jeremy A. Raley

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis studies selective etching techniques for the development of AlxGa1-xAs micro-opto-electro-mechanical systems (MOEMS). New MEMS technology based on materials such as AlxGa1-xAs enables the development of micro-systems with embedded active micro-optical devices. Tunable micro-lasers and optical switching based on MOEMS technology will improve future wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems. WDM vastly increases the speed of military communications and sensor data processing. From my designs, structures are prepared by molecular beam epitaxy. I design a mask set for studies of crystal plane selectivity. I perform a series of experiments on the selective …


Design And Fabrication Of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Structures For Tunable Micro-Optical Devices, Michael C. Harvey Mar 2002

Design And Fabrication Of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Structures For Tunable Micro-Optical Devices, Michael C. Harvey

Theses and Dissertations

Tunable micro-optical devices are expected to be vital for future military optical communication systems. In this research I seek to optimize the design of a microelectromechanical (MEM) structure integrated with a III-V semiconductor micro-optical device. The resonant frequency of an integrated optical device, consisting of a Fabry-Perot etalon or vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), may be tuned by applying an actuation voltage to the MEM Flexure, thereby altering the device's optical cavity length. From my analysis I demonstrate tunable devices compatible with conventional silicon 5V integrated circuit technology. My design for a Fabry-Perot etalon has a theoretical tuning range …