Microfabrication Process Development for Wafer-Scale Vacuum-Encapsulated Microresonators

Miniaturized resonators and oscillators built using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technologies have the potential to revolutionize the $5 billion timing market, as they offers direct CMOS compatibility, a dramatic size reduction, and a fabrication cost that is a fraction of the current incumbent technology. However, frequency stability has proved to be major challenge for many companies. In collaboration with Teledyne DALSA, NXTSENS has demonstrated the highest performance vacuum-encapsulated MEMS resonator currently available. The goal of this project is to explore the integration, performance, and stability limits of the technology by developing and introducing three key microfabrication steps in the process flow. Devices developed through the new process have the potential to substantially surpass Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) specifications and enable new applications in the fields of global positioning systems (GPS) and mobile electronics.

Faculty Supervisor:

Srikiar Thattai Vengallatore

Student:

Partner:

NxtSens inc;Teledyne DALSA (Bromont, QC)

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Technology; Information and Communications Technology; Automotive

University:

McGill University

Program: