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Remote Experimentation with MEMS Devices

I. Introduction

A project was recently initiated with the main goal of enabling those students enrolling in our Department’s undergraduate Materials Science course – a required course – to conduct a particular experiment via the Internet on a Microelectromechanical System (MEMS) device that is located in an on-campus research laboratory. Broader and longer-term goals of this endeavor include enabling students to conduct experiments on systems located in any of the University’s Science and Engineering laboratories via the Internet.

Mid-way through this Materials Science course, the students learn about the electrical and thermal properties of materials. The specific experiment that we intend the students to perform, remotely over the Internet, is aimed at determining the in-plane tip deflection (displacement) versus power characteristics of a MEMS electrothermal actuator (shown in Figure 1). This experiment will serve to demonstrate the synergistic linkage between these topics, while simultaneously illustrating the concept of device characterization.

While remote experimentation systems can no longer be considered to be a novelty1-5, nevertheless, each new application seems to present its own set of often-unexpected challenges. And this was what we experienced, which we now share with a wider audience.

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Diong, B., & Smith, J., & Kolesar, E., & Cote, R. (2009, June), Remote Experimentation With Mems Devices Paper presented at 2009 Annual Conference & Exposition, Austin, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--5149