CMEMS is a research center focused on the design, modeling, simulation, integration and fabrication of microsystems targeting preferentially biomedical devices. The organization of the center, supported by 5 laboratories, reflects the high level laboratory intensity of the center.
Research at CMEMS includes several activities, all with special requirements in terms of laboratory use. The Computational Design, Modeling and Simulation Lab (CDMSLab) is dedicated to the computational design, modeling and simulation of biomechanical systems, medical devices and systems to assist in medical diagnostic, rehabilitation and health care. This lab addresses issues related to the prediction of medical devices interaction with human body.
Research on novel key technologies and systems integration, for instance, uses silicon microfabrication technologies (thin-film deposition including sputtering, e-beam and evaporation, mask aligner, dicer, Silicon wet etching bath, Wire-bonding, spin-coaters and wet-benches) along with other microfabrication technologies such as laser micromachining, microcasting, microjoining, 3D printing or CNC micromachining and hybrid solutions, all available at CMEMS laboratories. This has a highly intense laboratorial activity since the fabrication of devices requires the use of specialized existing equipment - Micro Fabrication and Systems Integration Lab. (MFSILab).
Similarly, surfaces functionalization research activities require various chemical, electrochemical, physical, mechanical, and laser-based techniques - Surfaces functionalization Lab (SFLab).
The fabricated microdevices need extensive characterization, both at device (performed at Materials/Components Characterization Lab. - MCCLab) and application level (using the Applied Devices and Instrumentation Lab. - ADILab). Once again, characterization of microdevices is the type of activity that requires the use of lots of equipment and due to microsystems complexity, the characterization is also an intensive laboratory activity.
Thin-film fabrication (PVD, ALD, CVD)
Thin-films on rigid or flexible substrate: Metals (Pt, Al, Cr, Ni, Ti, Au, Ag, Sn, Li are the most common, but other metal can also be deposited), Oxides (SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, SnO2 and others), Nitrides (Si3N4, TiN, AlN), Si, Ge, Bi, Sb, Te (thermoelectric applications), LiCoO2 and LiPON (lithium batteries). Co-sputtering and co-evaporation can create compounds with controlled composition. Annealing is available, during deposition or after, at Ar, O2, N2 or vacuum.
Thin-film characterization
Electrical, Optical, Chemical and Mechanical characterization is available as service. Thickness, roughness, resistivity, seebeck coefficient, thermal conductivity, density and mobility of charges, breakdown voltage, refractive index, ionic conductivity, and ionic diffusivity are readily available. SEM, EDS, XRD, Raman, AFM, DSC, and other techniques are available through partners at same institution.
Photolithography or Direct Laser Writing
The photolithography can be available as a service separated from microfabrication. Users can bring their own masks, or it can be designed and fabricated in MEMS-Lab, or ordered in partners. Negative and positive photoresists are available, for specific applications.
Microfabrication (RIE, wet etching)
The microfabrication service includes photolithography, and etching. Wet-etching for Si in KOH, oxides in buffered HF, gold, aluminum, titanium, cChrome and nickel. Reactive Ion Etching will be also available, for higher aspect ratio structures.
Dicing saw
Dicing saw for precision cut of wafers in single dies. This equipment is also used for microfabrication of high aspect ratio micro-needles.
SU-8 and PDMS molding
SU-8 molding and PDMS structures for microfluidic devices: fabrication of those structures according to the design and layout required by the external person. Also, this infrastructure allows that our students from PDEBIOM and MNT master will have the excellent opportunity to work with these processes and learn these technologies.
Medical Imaging
The Medical Image area equipment (Ultrasound, Computed Tomography, Colonoscopy, is available for external institutions in educational proposes. Students from Biomedical Engineering Masters and Doctoral Programs can use this equipment.
CMOS circuits design and fabrication
Design and prototype fabrication of speciļ¬c analogue and digital integrated circuits (ASIC), microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and heterogeneous technologies, accessing the fabrication from tier-1 foundries.
Access conditions
A MEMS infrastructure, located at University of Minho and related with the microtechnologies in silicon will be available. University of Minho and UTAD members of the MEMS-Lab have free access without any limitation to the infrastructure. Also, investigators of external groups working in the same area can use these facilities by the way of acquisition of services.
Facilities
A complete infrastructure is available with equipment as: mask aligner, electron beam evaporator, dicing and saw system, spectrum analyser, computed tomography system, process bench for silicon wafers, spin coating for silicon wafers and respective oven for baking. This infrastructure is related with the microtechnologies in silicon. University of Minho and UTAD University are the participants and the infrastructure is located at University of Minho. Also, investigators of external groups working in the same area can use these facilities by the way of acquisition services, please contact Prof. Higino Correia.
More information may be found here.