Q2M Vision
To develop methods that allow the cost efficient combination and integration through batch-microfabrication of components and materials that are unsuited for monolithic integration.

Q2M Mission
To overcome the limitations of material and process incompatibility in microfabrication through the development of novel composite materials and novel transfer bonding methods.

Introduction to the project
Integration of high-performance materials in microsystems (integrated electronics, systems, sensors and actuators) is limited by process incompatibility mainly (materials, temperature budget). Many technology combinations promising novel functionality in a large range of applications can therefore either not be realised today (e.g. high-performance sensors/actuators on CMOS), or are manufactured on a per-device level in a pick-and-place scheme with resulting high fabrication costs (e.g. microvalves), hindering such components from reaching the market and forcing industry to disregard the development of many novel devices.

The main objective of Q2M is therefore to develop methods that allow the cost efficient combination and integration through batch-microfabrication of components and materials that are unsuited for monolithic integration. This allows novel functionality and reduced manufacturing costs.

Two main strategies will be followed to push the technology beyond its current barriers. The first is the development of high quality actuator materials and their micromachining methods suited for wafer-scale fabrication. The second strategy is the development of transfer bonding methods for transferring materials and devices to semiconductor or polymer substrates. The development of both strategies will be guided by the specifications from three application areas: microvalving, micro-optics and RF-MEMS (radio frequency microelectronic components). Test structures will evaluate the developed techniques.

Q2M User Group
The Q2M User Group is an industrial contact network for companies interested in the microfabrication technologies and their applications developed in Q2M. The purpose of the User Group is to promote the exploitation and dissemination of results. User Group members receive periodical reports on the technical progress made within Q2M. Participation to the user group is free of cost.
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Project Partners
The Consortium consists of twelve partners:
Seven research focussed partners, each expert/pioneer in at least one core aspect of the multidisciplinary scientific challenge:

• Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Project Coordinator – SE
• Cranfield University – UK
• Katholieke Universiteit Leuven – BE
• Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe – DE
• Fraunhofer-IPMS – DE
• IBM Research GmbH – CH
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland – FI

as well as five application focussed partners (2 SMEs, 3 larger consortia), chosen to anchor the work in real industrial needs while creating the basis for further development and exploitation, including:

• 20/10 Perfect Vision – DE
• Pondus Instruments AB – SE
• Steinbeis Transfer Centre ASICON – DE
• LK Products OY – FI

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Timeline
Start: 1 February 2006
End: 31 January 2009

Peer reviewed journal publications
Petros Gkotsis, Paul B. Kirby, Farizah Saharil, Joachim Oberhammer, Göran Stemme, “Thin Film Crystal Growth Template Removal: Application to stress reduction in PZT Microstructures.,” Applied Physics Letters, vo. 91, no. 163504, pp. 1-3, 2007.

F. Niklaus, M. Populin, A. Decharat, G. Stemme, “Adhesive Wafer Bonding Using Nano-Imprint Resists”, Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, Jan 2007.

F. Niklaus, G. Stemme, J.-Q. Lu, R.J Gutmann, “Adhesive Wafer Bonding“, Journal of Applied Physics, Applied Physics Reviews - Focused Review, Vol.99, No.1, pp.031101.1-031101.28, 2006.

Wilson, S.A. et al (2007), 'New Materials for Micro-scale Sensors and Actuators - an Engineering Review', Materials Science & Engineering R-Reports 56 1-6 1-129.

R. Guerre, U. Drechsler, D. Jubin, and M. Despont, "Selective transfer technology for microdevice distribution", IEEE Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems (JMEMS), vol. 17, Issue 1, pp. 157-165, 2008.

P. Gkotsis, G. Leighton, D. Bhattacharyya, R. V. Wright, M. Zhu, P.B. Kirby, F. Saharil, J. Oberhammer, G. Stemme, “Platinum bottom electrode and thin film PZT observations following wafer transfer,” submitted to Journal of Integrated Ferroelectrics, 2007.

T. Grund, R. Guerre, M. Despont and M. Kohl, “Transfer bonding technology for batch fabrication of SMA microactuators”, European Physical Journal - Special Topics, E-MRS fall meeting, Warsaw, 2007, to be published.

M. Kohl, T. Grund, R. Guerre and M. Despont, Batch fabrication of SMA-actuated polymer microvalves, SMST 2007, Tsukuba, Japan, (2007), conference book, to be published.

Peer reviewed conference publications
Jourdain, RPR. & Wilson, SA, 'Thermally induced stresses in an adhesively bonded multilayer structure with 30-micron thick film piezoelectric ceramic and metal components' 4M Conference on Multi Material Micro Manufacture, Grenoble (2006).

Wilson, SA. & Jourdain, RPR. & Whatmore, R.W. & Morantz, PMH. & Corbett, J. & Hucker, M.J. & Warsop, C. 'Ultra-precision machining of 30-micron PZT-on-silicon laminates for piezoelectric MEMS' ACTUATOR 2006, Bremen, Germany.

M. Populin, A. Decharat, F. Niklaus, G. Stemme, “Thermosetting Nano-Imprint Resists: Novel Materials for Adhesive Wafer Bonding”, Proc. MEMS 2007, Kobe, Japan, Jan 2007.

S. Braun, T. Grund, S. Ingvarsdottír, W. van der Wijngaart, M. Kohl and G. Stemme, “Robust Trimorph SMA Microactuators for Batch Manufacturing and Integration”, The 14th IEEE conference on solid-sate Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems (Transducers 2007), Lyon, France, 2007, June 10-14.

R.Guerre, U. Drechsler, D. Jubin and M. Despont, “CMOS-compatible wafer-level microdevice-distribution technology”, The 14th IEEE conference on solid-sate Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems (Transducers 2007), Lyon, France, 2007, June 10-14.

P. Gkotsis, G. Leighton, D. Bhattacharyya, R.V. Wright, M. Zhu, P.B. Kirby, F. Saharil, J. Oberhammer, and G. Stemme, “Crystal growth template removal: application to stress reduction in PZT microstructures,” Proc. International Symposium on Integrated Ferroelectrics 2007, Bordeaux, France, May 8-11, 2007.

Niklas Sandström, Stefan Braun, Thomas Grund, Göran Stemme, Manfred Kohl, Wouter van der Wijngaart, “wafer-scale integration of robust trimorph bulk SMA microactuators”, ACTUATOR 2008, Bremen, Germany, June 9-11, 2008.

T. Grund, T. Cuntz and M. Kohl, "Batch Fabrication of Polymer Microsystems with Shape Memory Microactuators", Proceedings IEEE MEMS 2008, Tucson, USA.

T. Grund and M. Kohl, Batch Fabrication Methods for Active Polymer Microsystems, Smart Systems Integration 9.-10.4.2008, Barcelona, Spain, to be published.

M. Kohl, T. Grund, R. Guerre and M. Despont, Batch fabrication of SMA-actuated polymer microvalves, Proc. SMST 2007, Tsukuba, Japan, (2007), p. 67.

S.A.Wilson, R. Jourdain, T. Grund, M. Kohl and F. Korte, "Patterning new piezoelectric thin sheet materials for micro-valves and micro-pumps", ACTUATOR 2008, Bremen, Germany, June 9-11, 2008.

T. Grund, R. Guerre, M. Despont and M. Kohl, “Transfer bonding technology for batch fabrication of SMA microactuators”, E-MRS fall meeting, Warsaw, 2007.

Other publications
Sveinbjörg Ingvarsdottír, “Investigation of a Trimorph Bulk SMA Microactuator”, M.Sc. thesis, Microsystem Technology Lab, KTH-the Royal Institute of Technology, 2007.

Jutta Müntjes, “Feasibility Study for a SMA-Powder Composite Microcantilever”, Practical internship report, Microsystem Technology Lab, KTH-the Royal Institute of Technology, 2007.

Gaspard Pardon, “Feasibility Study for SMA-Powder Composite Microactuators”, M.Sc. thesis, Microsystem Technology Lab, KTH-the Royal Institute of Technology, 2008.

Timo Cuntz, “Aufbau von Mikroventilen im Batch- Verfahren“, diploma thesis, Institute for Microstructure Technology, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, 2007, unpublished.

Budget
Q2M is an EC sponsored Specific Targeted Research Project (No. 027926) under FP6 - IST Call 4.
Overall project budget: 4.730.000 €
EC Funding: 3.200.000 €

Contact information
For more information, please contact the Q2M project coordinator
Wouter van der Wijngaart,
Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
e-mail: wouter[at]ee.kth.se
phone: +46-733-254021