Microfabrication and characterization of evolutionary MEMS resonators

Microelectromechanical resonators have been fabricated using the MUMPs process, and characterized. The results of this characterization study are used to provide valuable feedback to improve our MEMS design tool based on the use of evolutionary synthesis algorithms known as genetic algorithms. This tool automatically generates designs that meet the user's performance goals and design constraints. To provide the necessary material property and fabrication parameters required to predict design performance, test designs for a range of performance goals and constraint settings were fabricated and characterized. We report the results of this characterization and validation experiment. Design characteristics that lead to accurate performance prediction are identified and the causes for inaccurate modeling are also discussed