Top-Down CMOS-NEMS Polysilicon Nanowire with Piezoresistive Transduction

Sensors (Basel). 2015 Jul 14;15(7):17036-47. doi: 10.3390/s150717036.

Abstract

A top-down clamped-clamped beam integrated in a CMOS technology with a cross section of 500 nm × 280 nm has been electrostatic actuated and sensed using two different transduction methods: capacitive and piezoresistive. The resonator made from a single polysilicon layer has a fundamental in-plane resonance at 27 MHz. Piezoresistive transduction avoids the effect of the parasitic capacitance assessing the capability to use it and enhance the CMOS-NEMS resonators towards more efficient oscillator. The displacement derived from the capacitive transduction allows to compute the gauge factor for the polysilicon material available in the CMOS technology.

Keywords: CMOS-NEMS; NEMS; mechanical resonators; piezoresistive transduction; polysilicon nanowires.