A novel parametric-effect MEMS amplifier

• Published in: Journal of microelectromechanical systems Vol. 9; no. 4; pp. 528 - 537
• Main Authors: Raskin, J.-P., Brown, A.R., Khuri-Yakub, B., Rebeiz, G.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.12.2000; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Amplification; Amplifiers; Applied sciences; Bandpass filters; Capacitance; Capacitance measurement; Capacitors; Current voltage characteristics; Devices; Diaphragms; Electric impedance measurement; Electrical resistance measurement; Exact sciences and technology; Gain measurement; High temperature operations; Impedance; Low-noise amplifiers; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; Mechanical variables measurement; Metallization; Microelectromechanical systems; Micromechanical devices; Parametric amplifiers; Precision engineering, watch making; Silicon nitride; Temperature; Voltage; Parametric amplifier; Input signal; Precision engineering; Silicon nitride; Output signal; 1/f noise; High temperature; Output impedance; Micromachine; Micromechanical devices; Time varying system; Capacitance; Converter; Diaphragm; Miniaturization; Measurement method; Series resistance; Capacitor; Parametric amplification; Electromechanical system
• DOI: 10.1109/84.896775
• ISSN: 1057-7157

This paper presents the theory and measurements of a mechanical parametric-effect amplifier with a 200-kHz input signal and a 1.84-MHz output signal. The device used is a MEMS time-varying capacitor which is composed of an array of low-stress metallized silicon-nitride diaphragms, and is pumped by a large-signal voltage at 1.64 MHz. This induces a large change in the capacitance, and results in parametric amplification of an input signal at 200 kHz. The parametric amplifier capacitance is 500 pF, resulting in an output impedance of 140 /spl Omega/. A higher impedance can also be achieved with a lower capacitance. To our knowledge, this device is the first-ever MEMS mechanical up-converter parametric-effect amplifier developed with an up-conversion ratio of 9:1. The measurements agree very well with theory, including the effect the series resistance and the and of the MEMS time-varying capacitor. The application areas are in amplifiers which operate at very high temperatures (200/spl deg/C-600/spl deg/C), under high particle bombardment (nuclear applications), in non-semiconductor-based amplification, and in low-noise systems, since parametric amplifiers do not suffer from thermal, shot, or 1/f noise problems.