research activities in 2007 - CSEM

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES IN 2007
Alex Dommann
Today, industries are looking for complete solutions. In
particular, innovative products exhibit a technological
complexity, which can seldom be handled by a single
technology provider. One of CSEM strengths is to offer this
wide spectrum of technologies “under one roof”.
CSEM is proud to offer its industrial clients a rich portfolio of
technologies and a sound know-how of how to apply and
realize innovative products based on Micro and
Nanotechnologies. To maintain this portfolio in a healthy state
the Swiss Federal and Cantonal Governments provide the
necessary funding to run an applied research program. In the
frame of the applied research nine multidisciplinary integrated
projects (MIPs) built on several existing CSEM technologies
were launched. MIPs are planned on a tight time-schedule of
typically 2 years from the beginning to the realization of the
demonstrator. Based on the market-oriented research strategy
of CSEM ten MIPs were selected. A larger interdisciplinary
demonstrator project is Solar Island (see below) fully financed
externally but also dwelling on many different resources of
CSEM, including industrialization.
Further details on the nine MIP activities can also be found in
this Scientific and Technical Report.
ThruCOS – From Biosensor Chip to Robust Analytical
System
In order to accurately control a biomolecular reaction, it is
necessary to control the fluidic flow as well as the temperature
of the reaction. Therefore, the wavelength interrogated optical
sensing system (WIOS), previously developed at CSEM, has
been updated with a fluidic cartridge and a temperature
stabilized measurement chamber. In the future, this system
will be industrialized by the start-up company Dynetix.
Counterfeit – Machine Readable Covert Security Feature
By combining Micro and Nano technologies CSEM developed
a security system to directly mark products and verify their
authenticity. Due to forged products various industry sectors
experience huge damages accounting to several hundred
billion US Dollars a year. The development and
implementation of new security systems opens a huge market
to be exploited. In order to meet these requirements, CSEM
designed a new system showing two main characteristics:
• A random pattern which is difficult to be copied was
developed as a main security feature.
• In order to read those random patterns an instrument was
developed which is able to read those features only by
authorized persons.
MicroMec – Microtechnology for Silicon Compliant
Structures
The target of this project is the development of a
microfabricated silicon compliant structure for mechanical
applications and its understanding of the aging behaviour.
MEMS can be made highly reliable, but it must however be
noted that the failure modes of MEMS can be different from
those of solid-state electronics. Therefore testing techniques
are developed to accelerate MEMS-specific failures.
Monocrystalline material and, especially, silicon is
preferentially used due to its potential resistance against
aging.
ArrayFM – An Atomic Force Microscope Using
2-Dimensional Probe Arrays
In this multidisciplinary integrated project, an atomic force
microscope able to investigate large sample surfaces with
nanometric resolution was developed. Instead of a single
probe, this novel microscope uses a 2-dimensional array of
probes operating in parallel. Applications of this microscope
include the biology domain, quality control, as well as material
and surface characterization.
MicroStruc – Integrated Optical Polymer Platform,
Low Cost Assembly and Packaging
An integrated optics platform based on polymers as a low-cost
alternative to glass and semiconductor waveguides has been
developed from the design to the complete assembly and
packaging of the devices. Although silica-on-silicon PLCs are
well established they are still rather expensive as the
processing and packaging is costly. Therefore, polymer PLCs
potentially provide a promising alternative if low cost over the
whole manufacturing process can be obtained. First
demonstrators were already built.
Encoder – Nanometric Optical Absolute Position Encoder
An optical absolute position encoder principle is presented
which can combine many attractive features such as 24 bit
resolution per 100 mm, compact design, optic-less shadow
imaging, sampling rate exceeding 1 MHz and robustness. The
detectable displacement is several hundred times smaller than
the wavelength of the light and only 10 times larger than the
diameter of the silicon atom.
RISE – the Rich Sensing Concept
Within the RISE project a camera-based wireless sensor
network for people detection and tracking purposes has been
implemented. This sensor network, which is based on three
vision sensors and two 3D time-of-flight cameras, is an ideal
test-bed for long-term operational tests and the development
of advanced algorithms. Furthermore, the installation is well
suited for life demonstration purposes.
PackTime – Zero-Level Packaging of Silicon Time-base
The development of a thermally compensated silicon timebase
and the associated packaging to yield a miniature
vacuum-sealed cavity around the resonator requires
multidisciplinary competences in the fields of IC, MEMS
design/fabrication, packaging, finite element modeling and
metrology. This is the goal of the PackTime MIP.
7