We present a design methodology and manufacturing process for the construction of articulated three-dimensional microstructures with features on the micron to centimeter scale. Flexure mechanisms and assembly folds result from the bulk machining and lamination of alternating rigid and compliant layers, similar to rigid-flex printed circuit board construction. Pop-up books and other forms of paper engineering inspire designs consisting of one complex part with a single assembly degree of freedom. Like an unopened pop-up book, mechanism links reside on multiple interconnected layers, reducing interference and allowing folding mechanisms of greater complexity than achievable with a single folding layer. Machined layers are aligned using dowel pins and bonded in parallel. Using mechanical alignment that persists during bonding allows device layers to be anisotropically pre-strained, a feature we exploit to create self-assembling structures. These methods and three example devices are presented.

This study reports a novel approach to the implementation of 3D carbon nanotube (CNT) interdigitated finger electrodes on flexible polymer, and the detection of strain, bending curvature, tactile force and proximity distance are demonstrated. The merits of the presented CNT-based flexible sensor are as follows: (1) the silicon substrate is patterned to enable the formation of 3D vertically aligned CNTs on the substrate surface; (2) polymer molding on the silicon substrate with 3D CNTs is further employed to transfer the 3D CNTs to the flexible polymer substrate; (3) the CNT-polymer composite (~70 μm in height) is employed to form interdigitated finger electrodes to increase the sensing area and initial capacitance; (4) other structures such as electrical routings, resistors and mechanical supporters are also available using the CNT-polymer composite. The preliminary fabrication results demonstrate a flexible capacitive sensor with 50 μm high CNT interdigitated electrodes on a poly-dimethylsiloxane substrate. The tests show that the typical capacitance change is several dozens of fF and the gauge factor is in the range of 3.44-4.88 for strain and bending curvature measurement; the sensitivity of the tactile sensor is 1.11% N(-1); a proximity distance near 2 mm away from the sensor can be detected.

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This study designs and implements a stress isolation guard-ring structure to improve the performances of the existing single proof-mass three-axis piezoresistive accelerometer. Thus, the environment disturbances, such as temperature variation and force/deflection transmittance, for a packaged three-axis piezoresistive accelerometer are significantly reduced. In application, the three-axis piezoresistive accelerometer has been fabricated using the bulk micromachining process on the SOI wafer. Experimental results show that the out-of-plane deformation of the suspended spring mass on the packaged accelerometer is reduced from 0.72 to 0.10 µm at a 150 °C temperature elevation. The temperature coefficient of zero-g offset for the presented sensor is reduced, and the temperature-induced sensitivity variation is minimized as well. Measurements also demonstrate that the guard-ring design successfully reduces the false signals induced by the force and displacement transmittance disturbances for one order of magnitude. Moreover, the three-axis acceleration sensing for the presented accelerometer with guard ring has also been demonstrated with sensitivities of 0.12–0.17 mV V−1 g−1 and nonlinearity < 1.02%.

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