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Micromachines
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MEMS/NEMS Devices and Applications, 4th Edition
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MEMS/NEMS Devices and Applications, 4th Edition

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "E：Engineering and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 5226

Editors

Prof. Dr. Ching-Liang Dai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
Interests: CMOS-MEMS; microsensors; microactuators
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Zhi-Xuan Dai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Bio-Industrial Mechatronics Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
Interests: MEMS; microsensors; biosensors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, nanoelectromechanical system (NEMS) and microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technologies have been employed to develop various microdevices and microstructures. Many sensors and actuators have been manufactured and commercialized using technologies such as pressure sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, tactile sensors, thermal sensors, flow sensors, optical sensors, image sensors, microphones, magnetic sensors, chemical sensors, gas sensors, biosensors, microchannels, ink jet heads, optical switches, RF switches, micromirrors, motors, relays, resonators, filters, and energy harvesters. NEMS/MEMS devices have been widely applied in various fields.

For this Special Issue, we invite outstanding research on NEMS/MEMS devices and applications. Submissions related to the novel designs, fabrication, development, and applications of various NEMS/MEMS devices, including physical sensors, chemical sensors, gas sensors, biosensors, actuators, energy harvesters, etc., based on NEMS/MEMS technologies are welcome. Review articles and original research articles are equally appreciated.

Dr. Ching-Liang Dai
Guest Editor

Dr. Zhi-Xuan Dai
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Micromachines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • physical sensors
  • force sensors
  • magnetic sensors
  • optical sensors
  • microphones
  • flow sensors
  • thermal sensors
  • chemical sensors
  • biosensors
  • gas sensors
  • actuators
  • resonators/filters
  • switches/relays
  • energy harvesters
  • lens/mirrors

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Related Special Issues

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 2617 KB  
Article
Design of Low-Loss Acoustic Delay Lines Enabled by Dual-Mode Interface Acoustic Waves in SiO2/ZnO/IDT/SU-8/SiO2 Structures
by Cinzia Caliendo, Farouk Laidoudi and Fabio Lo Castro
Micromachines 2026, 17(7), 781; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17070781 (registering DOI) - 27 Jun 2026
Viewed by 45
Abstract
The present work explores the modelling and design of Interface Acoustic Wave (IAW)-based delay lines in SiO2/ZnO (4 µm)/SU-8/SiO2 multilayer stacks and demonstrates that, by properly tailoring the acoustic wavelength and the SU-8 layer thickness, IAW delay lines can achieve [...] Read more.
The present work explores the modelling and design of Interface Acoustic Wave (IAW)-based delay lines in SiO2/ZnO (4 µm)/SU-8/SiO2 multilayer stacks and demonstrates that, by properly tailoring the acoustic wavelength and the SU-8 layer thickness, IAW delay lines can achieve performances comparable to, and in some cases superior to, those of conventional Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) delay lines based on SiO2/ZnO (4 µm) structures. In particular, the proposed devices exhibited untuned insertion losses down to 12 dB, propagation losses as low as 0.052 dB/λ, and electromechanical coupling coefficients K2 approaching 4%, exceeding those calculated for the corresponding SAW devices. The obtained results support the feasibility of compact, high-performance, and potentially packageless acoustic-wave devices for future telecommunications and sensing applications, especially in harsh or contamination-prone environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS/NEMS Devices and Applications, 4th Edition)
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20 pages, 6758 KB  
Article
Wheel-AINS: A Vehicle Autonomous Positioning System Based on a Wheel-Mounted MIMU Array
by Guangmin Yuan, Guoyuan He, Xiangyang Guo, Ruijie Li, Chenyang Jiao and Xiaoying Li
Micromachines 2026, 17(7), 767; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17070767 - 24 Jun 2026
Viewed by 161
Abstract
In satellite-denied environments such as urban canyons, tunnels, and underground parking facilities, achieving high-precision autonomous positioning for vehicles remains a critical challenge. Although high-precision inertial measurement units (IMUs) can provide accurate dead reckoning, their deployment is limited by cost, size, and power consumption, [...] Read more.
In satellite-denied environments such as urban canyons, tunnels, and underground parking facilities, achieving high-precision autonomous positioning for vehicles remains a critical challenge. Although high-precision inertial measurement units (IMUs) can provide accurate dead reckoning, their deployment is limited by cost, size, and power consumption, making low-cost, microelectromechanical systems IMUs (MIMUs) an attractive alternative solution. However, the single MIMU suffers from substantial measurement noise and bias instability, leading to rapid error divergence that cannot sustain long-term autonomous navigation. To address the above issues, this paper proposes an autonomous positioning system based on a wheel-mounted MIMU array (Wheel-AINS). The system adopts a differential layout in which multiple low-cost MIMU chips are installed at the center of each of the left and right rear wheels, forming redundant sensor arrays. By differentially fusing symmetrically mounted chips, common-mode noise and zero bias are effectively canceled while the wheel rotation provides natural rotational modulation. The fused gyroscope outputs and known wheel radius are then used to estimate the vehicle forward speed, replacing traditional odometers. The estimated wheel speed and vehicle kinematic constraints are then integrated within a Kalman filter framework to suppress the error divergence of the inertial navigation system. A dedicated embedded hardware prototype with multi-chip synchronous acquisition and wireless transmission was developed. Three groups of urban road tests with total distances of 0.85 km, 2.14 km, and 2.49 km were conducted. The results indicate that the average position drift rate of the Wheel-AINS is 0.50%, and the average heading RMSE is 12.2°. The closure error of the 2.49 km trajectory is 10.43 m, reduced by approximately 80% compared with a single MIMU. The ablation experiment reveals that the MIMU array fusion module is the primary source of accuracy improvement, reducing the position RMSE from 155.0 m to 10.1 m, while the dual-wheel distance constraint further optimizes the position RMSE to 8.2 m, but increases the heading RMSE from 13.3° to 13.6°. This demonstrates that the proposed method can substantially improve autonomous positioning accuracy while maintaining a notably low system cost, providing a viable technical pathway for long-endurance vehicle navigation in satellite-denied environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS/NEMS Devices and Applications, 4th Edition)
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16 pages, 3205 KB  
Article
Nonlinear Modeling and Differential-Voltage Control of an Electrostatic MEMS Micromirror for Miniaturized Laser Communication Terminals
by Xuan Wang, Chen Wang, Meilin Xie, Zengxin Liu and Junfeng Han
Micromachines 2026, 17(6), 753; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17060753 - 22 Jun 2026
Viewed by 163
Abstract
Electrostatic MEMS micromirrors provide a compact and low-power beam-steering solution for miniaturized laser communication terminals. However, when they are used for quasi-static beam pointing rather than resonant scanning, the nonlinear voltage–angle relationship, bidirectional actuation asymmetry, and terminal-level installation errors can significantly degrade pointing [...] Read more.
Electrostatic MEMS micromirrors provide a compact and low-power beam-steering solution for miniaturized laser communication terminals. However, when they are used for quasi-static beam pointing rather than resonant scanning, the nonlinear voltage–angle relationship, bidirectional actuation asymmetry, and terminal-level installation errors can significantly degrade pointing accuracy. In this paper, a nonlinear modeling and differential-voltage control method is investigated for a two-axis electrostatic MEMS micromirror used in a miniaturized laser communication terminal. The device under test is a bonded aluminum MEMS micromirror with a 5.0 mm aperture. Static and dynamic characterization results show that the micromirror achieves maximum mechanical deflection angles of 5.215° and 5.161° along the X and Y axes, respectively, with resonant frequencies of 317 Hz and 319 Hz. To improve the accuracy of quasi-static pointing, the differential-voltage actuation principle is analyzed, and a nonlinear voltage–angle model is established based on measured deflection data. Compared with a first-order linear model, the cubic nonlinear model reduces the root-mean-square fitting error from 0.142° to 0.0127° for the X axis and from 0.132° to 0.0109° for the Y axis. Furthermore, a terminal-level calibration architecture based on a quadrant detector is introduced to map the MEMS angular deflection to the received spot position. The proposed modeling and calibration approach provides an actuator-level basis for accurate beam pointing and closed-loop acquisition in miniaturized laser communication terminals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS/NEMS Devices and Applications, 4th Edition)
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23 pages, 18571 KB  
Article
Data-Driven Modeling and Response Prediction of Cut-Out Type Piezoelectric Beams
by Mingli Bian, Wenan Jiang and Qinsheng Bi
Micromachines 2026, 17(4), 450; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17040450 - 6 Apr 2026
Viewed by 1474
Abstract
In addressing the issue of insufficient theoretical model accuracy for Cut-out type piezoelectric beams with limiters under the influence of contact-impact nonlinearity, this study utilizes the backpropagation neural network algorithm to develop a data-driven modeling approach based on experimental data from partial distance [...] Read more.
In addressing the issue of insufficient theoretical model accuracy for Cut-out type piezoelectric beams with limiters under the influence of contact-impact nonlinearity, this study utilizes the backpropagation neural network algorithm to develop a data-driven modeling approach based on experimental data from partial distance parameters. This approach aims to achieve accurate predictions of the output voltage and displacement responses of the energy harvester. For different parameter combinations of the limiter gap distance d and installation distance a, amplitude–frequency response data were first systematically collected through experiments, along with time–voltage response data corresponding to different load resistances. Using these data, a training sample set was constructed, and a multi-layer BP neural network prediction model was established with frequency or time as the input and voltage and displacement responses as the outputs. Validation against experimental data demonstrated that the BP neural network can accurately extrapolate and predict the amplitude–frequency response curves of voltage and displacement under various distance parameter combinations, as well as accurately predict the transient voltage outputs under different load conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS/NEMS Devices and Applications, 4th Edition)
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16 pages, 4120 KB  
Article
High-Precision Salt Concentration Detection Using a CMUT Array with Temperature Compensation
by Hanchi Chai, Changde He, Mengke Luo, Guojun Zhang, Hongliang Wang, Renxin Wang, Yuhua Yang, Jiangong Cui, Wendong Zhang and Licheng Jia
Micromachines 2026, 17(4), 424; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17040424 - 30 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1448
Abstract
This paper presents a miniaturized and highly accurate saltwater concentration monitoring system based on Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (CMUT) array technology. The system incorporates a highly integrated CMUT array with a compact footprint of 5 mm × 5 mm, capable of both transmitting [...] Read more.
This paper presents a miniaturized and highly accurate saltwater concentration monitoring system based on Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (CMUT) array technology. The system incorporates a highly integrated CMUT array with a compact footprint of 5 mm × 5 mm, capable of both transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals, which significantly contributes to the system’s miniaturization and portability. To ensure accurate compensation for temperature-dependent variations in sound velocity, a TA610A temperature sensor is integrated for continuous real-time monitoring of the salt solution temperature. By acquiring ultrasonic echo signals, the system calculates the time-of-flight (TOF) of the acoustic waves. Based on the TOF and real-time temperature data, the sound velocity is determined, and the salt concentration is subsequently derived with temperature compensation applied to enhance measurement accuracy. Experimental results show a measurement precision of 0.1% and a maximum absolute error of 0.02%, confirming the system’s high accuracy and robustness. Combining stability, reliability, and a compact real-time sensing design, the proposed CMUT-based system holds significant promise for practical deployment in various industrial and environmental monitoring scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS/NEMS Devices and Applications, 4th Edition)
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29 pages, 31379 KB  
Article
Dynamic Characteristics of Coupled Dual-Oscillator Piezoelectric Vibration Energy Harvester with External Magnet
by Zejing Huang, Huabiao Zhang, Yang Yang, Lijuan Zhang, Xinye Li and Yu Sheng
Micromachines 2026, 17(3), 356; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17030356 - 14 Mar 2026
Viewed by 557
Abstract
Magnetic nonlinearity and multi-oscillator coupling are commonly employed to improve the performance of energy harvesters. This study integrates both mechanisms to propose a nested dual-oscillator coupled piezoelectric energy harvester with an external magnet, investigating both repulsive and attractive interactions between the two oscillators. [...] Read more.
Magnetic nonlinearity and multi-oscillator coupling are commonly employed to improve the performance of energy harvesters. This study integrates both mechanisms to propose a nested dual-oscillator coupled piezoelectric energy harvester with an external magnet, investigating both repulsive and attractive interactions between the two oscillators. The influence of parameters on static/dynamic characteristics and harvesting performance is analyzed. For the repulsive-type harvester, the response under weak excitation is characterized by small-amplitude in-phase motion within potential wells; under strong excitation, one oscillator exhibits a large-amplitude response while the other remains nearly quiescent, and non-periodic responses may occur. Large magnet spacings effectively enhance the bandwidth and output power. The attractive-type harvester primarily shows in-phase periodic motion, though non-periodic behavior may appear under strong excitation. Small moving-magnet spacing combined with large external-magnet spacing can significantly boost bandwidth and power output. In both configurations, performance declines as the external-magnet spacing exceeds an optimal range. The repulsive-type harvester features a wider potential well, performing well under weak excitation, whereas the attractive-type, with vibration modes aligned to the potential well profile, is more likely to generate large-amplitude responses under strong excitation. Experimental results show excellent agreement with simulation data, confirming the reliability of the proposed design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS/NEMS Devices and Applications, 4th Edition)
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25 pages, 24795 KB  
Tutorial
Capacitive Sensors and Actuators by CMOS MEMS Foundry
by Lung-Jieh Yang, Chandrashekhar Tasupalli, Wei-Chen Wang, Yi-Jen Wang, Valliammai Muthuraman and Chi-Yuan Lee
Micromachines 2026, 17(6), 732; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17060732 - 17 Jun 2026
Viewed by 271
Abstract
This article introduces the current status of the 0.18-micron CMOS MEMS foundry service platform provided by the Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute (TSRI), extensively covering the CMOS MEMS components that it has supported in development and fabrication. It also attempts to expand the foundry [...] Read more.
This article introduces the current status of the 0.18-micron CMOS MEMS foundry service platform provided by the Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute (TSRI), extensively covering the CMOS MEMS components that it has supported in development and fabrication. It also attempts to expand the foundry service scope to the broader categories of capacitive sensors and electrostatic actuators. On the one hand, for fabless MEMS component designers, TSRI currently directly allows the design of two types of components: flow sensors with uniformly perforated membranes and actuators with comb-shaped interdigital electrodes. This service also includes tape-out and wire bonding packaging procedures, following procedures similar to those used by general IC designers. On the other hand, this article specifically presents a clear and feasible approach for MEMS designers equipped with simple wet-etching facilities and a clear and feasible approach to develop further CMOS MEMS components such as capacitive pressure sensors, accelerometers, micro mirrors, and scratch drive actuators with minimal post-processing and chip packaging steps. This work provides a practical CMOS-MEMS design and post-processing guideline for extending the current TSRI foundry platform toward capacitive sensing and electrostatic actuation applications with minimal additional fabrication complexity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS/NEMS Devices and Applications, 4th Edition)
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