The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a team of engineering researchers at the University of Arkansas, WiSpry, a start-up developing microelectromechanical-system (MEMS) devices and Sandia National Laboratories, a U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) lab, a grant to develop novel electronic-packaging technologies for MEMS devices. This research will apply to products used for telecommunications, homeland security, biomedical devices, automotive and aerospace sensors, and fuel cells.

The $508,016 grant is part of an NSF initiative called Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry, which provides research funds to support university and industry partnerships. The research will help technology companies manufacture MEMS more efficiently and at a reduced cost. It will be performed at the University of Arkansas High Density Electronics Center (HiDEC).

The UA team, led by Ajay Malshe, professor of mechanical engineering, will collaborate with researchers at WiSpry, and Sandia National Laboratories. Other members of the UA group are Fred Barlow, associate professor of electrical engineering, and Bill Brown, distinguished professor of electrical engineering.

“Today, the cost of MEMS products is dominated by packaging, and this research will contribute to reducing the cost significantly,” said Art Morris, chief technology officer and vice president of engineering at WiSpry.

For this project, the UA researchers will package MEMS on wafers, thin discs four inches to 12 inches in diameter. The researchers will develop the wafers by using silicon, polymer or low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC). These materials are suited for MEMS packaging because they can create an airtight environment, and can be used for high-frequency applications. Plus, they are also relatively inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

After developing the wafers, the researchers will then implement and test packaging application to arrays of RF MEMS switches. Successful packaging of these systems has great commercial potential, the researchers said. The technical approach of the research will enable industry to produce a wide variety of MEMS packages operating in an airtight environment.

The researchers' expertise and the interdisciplinary approach of the project will provide an ideal educational environment for microsystems education. There will be a special emphasis on recruiting students — especially underrepresented minorities — and providing a superior training environment.

“Training is critical to today's technology community, particularly in the Midwest,” Malshe said. “This well-funded, multiyear opportunity will enable our node of excellence at the University of Arkansas to create new knowledge and educate a world-class workforce.”