This master’s thesis presents the design of a current driver for a configurable switch network based on electrothermal micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) components. A new constant current power supply approach is proposed to achieve precise power control over an array of devices using uheaters as thermal actuators. The system is compatible with a double pulse current and pulse-width modulation (PWM), to increase switching speed and reduce energy consumption. The actuation circuit is designed to supply different electrothermal MEMS switches in series and parallel. Furthermore, diagnostic circuits based on self-temperature sensing technique of the uheater and the ohmic contact property of the actuator are proposed for detecting and addressing MEMS lifetime concerns early. A review of the scientific literature on the V-shaped electrothermal structure, including thermal models, sensors, methods, and actuation circuits, as well as issues related to actuation, constitutes an additional contribution. Although several standard electronic circuits are presented, the novelty of this research work focuses on the application and proposal of a complete system in CMOS technology, including the driving and diagnostic circuits. Finally, the circuits are implemented with TSMC’s 0.18 um BCD technology, occupying a total area of 1.3 mm² for a chip with dimensions of 2 mm × 2 mm. Experimental tests conducted with a specially designed PCB demonstrate a functional chip capable of providing a maximum current of 125 mA with a resolution of 2 mA. With an output power supply of 8 V and a minimum output voltage of 1.6 V, the corresponding maximum power is 800 mW. Under these conditions, the maximum resistance of the uheater is 51 Ω.
| Date | 22 Jan 2025 |
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| Original language | French |
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| Awarding Institution | - École de technologie supérieure
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| Supervisor | Frédéric Nabki (Supervisor) & Glenn Cowan (Co-supervisor) |
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Riboullet, A. (Author),
Nabki (Supervisor) & Cowan (Co-supervisor),
22 Jan 2025Student thesis: Master's thesis › Master in Engineering: Electrical Engineering