Abstract: A piezoelectric MEMS resonator is provided. The resonator comprises a single crystal silicon microstructure suspended over a buried cavity created in a silicon substrate and a piezoelectric resonance structure located on the microstructure. The resonator is designed and fabricated based on porous silicon related technologies including selective formation and etching of porous silicon in silicon substrate, porous silicon as scarified material for surface micromachining and porous silicon as substrate for single crystal silicon epitaxial growth. All these porous silicon related technologies are compatible with CMOS technologies and can be conducted in a standard CMOS technologies platform.

Abstract: A piezoelectric MEMS resonator is provided. The resonator comprises a single crystal silicon microstructure suspended over a buried cavity created in a silicon substrate and a piezoelectric resonance structure located on the microstructure. The resonator is designed and fabricated based on porous silicon related technologies including selective formation and etching of porous silicon in silicon substrate, porous silicon as scarified material for surface micromachining and porous silicon as substrate for single crystal silicon epitaxial growth. All these porous silicon related technologies are compatible with CMOS technologies and can be conducted in a standard CMOS technologies platform.

Abstract: A multi-purpose Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) thermopile sensor able to use as a thermal conductivity sensor, a Pirani vacuum sensor, a thermal flow sensor and a non-contact infrared temperature sensor, respectively.

Abstract: A piezoelectric MEMS resonator is provided. The resonator comprises a single crystal silicon microstructure suspended over a buried cavity created in a silicon substrate and a piezoelectric resonance structure located on the microstructure. The resonator is designed and fabricated based on porous silicon related technologies including selective formation and etching of porous silicon in silicon substrate, porous silicon as scarified material for surface micromachining and porous silicon as substrate for single crystal silicon epitaxial growth. All these porous silicon related technologies are compatible with CMOS technologies and can be conducted in a standard CMOS technologies platform.

Abstract: A vacuum packaged infrared sensor array with excellent performances is described. The individual pixel of the infrared sensor array has a thermopile made of recrystallized amorphous silicon resulting in low resistance, low thermal noise, high integration and high sensitivity. The vacuum in the packaged infrared sensor array is enhanced by low temperature oxidization of a porous silicon layer formed in a lid silicon substrate which is bonded with the infrared sensor array silicon substrate. The driving force for lowering oxidization temperature is reduction in surface energy of porous silicon. It has been reported that the surface energy is 0.0001 J/cm2 for porous silicon and 0.2 J/cm2 for planar crystal silicon.

Abstract: A vacuum packaged infrared sensor array with excellent performances is described. The individual pixel of the infrared sensor array has a thermopile made of recrystallized amorphous silicon resulting in low resistance, low thermal noise, high integration and high sensitivity. The vacuum in the packaged infrared sensor array is enhanced by low temperature oxidization of a porous silicon layer formed in a lid silicon substrate which is bonded with the infrared sensor array silicon substrate. The driving force for lowering oxidization temperature is reduction in surface energy of porous silicon. It has been reported that the surface energy is 0.0001 J/cm2 for porous silicon and 0.2 J/cm2 for planar crystal silicon.

Abstract: A multi-purpose Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) thermopile sensor able to use as a thermal conductivity sensor, a Pirani vacuum sensor, a thermal flow sensor and a non-contact infrared temperature sensor, respectively.

Abstract: A multi-purpose Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) thermopile sensor able to use as a thermal conductivity sensor, a Pirani vacuum sensor, a thermal flow sensor and a non-contact infrared temperature sensor, respectively.

Abstract: A multi-purpose Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) thermopile sensor able to use as a thermal conductivity sensor, a Pirani vacuum sensor, a thermal flow sensor and a non-contact infrared temperature sensor, respectively.

Abstract: A vacuum-cavity-insulated flow sensor and related fabrication method are described. The sensor comprises a porous silicon wall with numerous vacuum-pores which is created in a silicon substrate, a porous silicon membrane with numerous vacuum-pores which is surrounded and supported by the porous silicon wall, and a cavity with a vacuum-space which is disposed beneath the porous silicon membrane and surrounded by the porous silicon wall. The fabrication method includes porous silicon formation and silicon polishing in HF solution.

Abstract: A MEMS vaporizer is described which can be used for electronic cigarettes. The vaporizer mainly composes: a silicon substrate, a micro-channel array, a membrane suspending over the micro-channel array and supported by the silicon substrate, a resistance heater and a resistance temperature sensor are disposed on the membrane. Since the vaporizer is a silicon-based integrated actuator which provides advantages including small size, compact structure, lower power consumption, lower cost, increased reliability, higher precision, and more environmental friendliness.

Abstract: An electronic cigarette with a thermal flow sensor based controller is provided which comprises a housing; a battery, a controller assembly; an air inlet for allowing air to enter into the housing, a mouthpiece; a fluid reservoir; an atomizer; at least a light emitting diode; and a display. The thermal flow sensor is fabricated using micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technologies which is amenable to create the electronic cigarette with a thermal flow sensor based controller having stable evaporated liquid delivering, immediately response to smoker inhalation, like normal cigarette inhalation resistance, low power consumption, and no accidental actuation take place.

Abstract: A single silicon wafer micromachined thermal conduction sensor is described. The sensor consists of a heat transfer cavity with a flat bottom and an arbitrary plane shape, which is created in a silicon substrate. A heated resistor with a temperature dependence resistance is deposed on a thin film bridge, which is the top of the cavity. A heat sink is the flat bottom of the cavity and parallel to the bridge completely. The heat transfer from the heated resistor to the heat sink is modulated by the change of the thermal conductivity of the gas or gas mixture filled in the cavity. This change can be measured to determine the composition concentration of the gas mixture or the pressure of the air in a vacuum system.

Abstract: A single silicon wafer micromachined thermal conduction sensor is described. The sensor consists of a heat transfer cavity with a flat bottom and an arbitrary plane shape, which is created in a silicon substrate. A heated resistor with a temperature dependence resistance is deposed on a thin film bridge, which is the top of the cavity. A heat sink is the flat bottom of the cavity and parallel to the bridge completely. The heat transfer from the heated resistor to the heat sink is modulated by the change of the thermal conductivity of the gas or gas mixture filled in the cavity. This change can be measured to determine the composition concentration of the gas mixture or the pressure of the air in a vacuum system.

Abstract: A single silicon wafer micromachined thermal conduction sensor is described. The sensor consists of a heat transfer cavity with a flat bottom and an arbitrary plane shape, which is created in a silicon substrate. A heated resistor with a temperature dependence resistance is deposed on a thin film bridge, which is the top of the cavity. A heat sink is the flat bottom of the cavity and parallel to the bridge completely. The heat transfer from the heated resistor to the heat sink is modulated by the change of the thermal conductivity of the gas or gas mixture filled in the cavity. This change can be measured to determine the composition concentration of the gas mixture or the pressure of the air in a vacuum system.

Abstract: A vacuum-cavity-insulated flow sensor and related fabrication method are described. The sensor comprises a porous silicon wall with numerous vacuum-pores which is created in a silicon substrate, a porous silicon membrane with numerous vacuum-pores which is surrounded and supported by the porous silicon wall, and a cavity with a vacuum-space which is disposed beneath the porous silicon membrane and surrounded by the porous silicon wall. The fabrication method includes porous silicon formation and silicon polishing in HF solution.

Abstract: A MEMS vaporizer is described which can be used for electronic cigarettes. The vaporizer mainly composes: a silicon substrate, a micro-channel array, a membrane suspending over the micro-channel array and supported by the silicon substrate, a resistance heater and a resistance temperature sensor are disposed on the membrane. Since the vaporizer is a silicon-based integrated actuator which provides advantages including small size, compact structure, lower power consumption, lower cost, increased reliability, higher precision, and more environmental friendliness.

Abstract: A vacuum-cavity-insulated flow sensor and related fabrication method are described. The sensor comprises a porous silicon wall with numerous vacuum-pores which is created in a silicon substrate, a porous silicon membrane with numerous vacuum-pores which is surrounded and supported by the porous silicon wall, and a cavity with a vacuum-space which is disposed beneath the porous silicon membrane and surrounded by the porous silicon wall. The fabrication method includes porous silicon formation and silicon polishing in HF solution.

Abstract: An electronic cigarette with a thermal flow sensor based controller is provided which comprises a housing; a battery, a controller assembly; an air inlet for allowing air to enter into the housing, a mouthpiece; a fluid reservoir; an atomizer; at least a light emitting diode; and a display. The thermal flow sensor is fabricated using micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technologies which is amenable to create the electronic cigarette with a thermal flow sensor based controller having stable evaporated liquid delivering, immediately response to smoker inhalation, like normal cigarette inhalation resistance, low power consumption, and no any accident actuation take place.

Abstract: A single silicon wafer micromachined thermal conduction sensor is described. The sensor consists of a heat transfer cavity with a flat bottom and an arbitrary plane shape, which is created in a silicon substrate. A heated resistor with a temperature dependence resistance is deposed on a thin film bridge, which is the top of the cavity. A heat sink is the flat bottom of the cavity and parallel to the bridge completely. The heat transfer from the heated resistor to the heat sink is modulated by the change of the thermal conductivity of the gas or gas mixture filled in the cavity. This change can be measured to determine the composition concentration of the gas mixture or the pressure of the air in a vacuum system.