ECGR 4090: Special Topics: MEMS - Micromachined Devices, Sensors & Actuators
University of North Carolina, Charlotte
Directed study of current topics of special interest. Section information text: This course provides an engaging, hands-on introduction to Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Sensors and Actuators and how microscale sensors and actuators are designed, fabricated, and used in real-world applications. Students learn the “toolkit” of microfabrication—photolithography, thin-film deposition, wet and dry etching, bulk and surface micromachining, and connect these processes to core transduction mechanisms (electrostatic, thermal, piezoresistive, piezoelectric, and magnetic). The course also covers polymer MEMS, microfluidics, and case studies of commercial devices. A practical laboratory component moves from layout to fabrication: students complete a KLayout mask-design exercise and participate in cleanroom sessions to fabricate and electrically characterize an microcantilever with an integrated thin-film metal heater using a two-mask process. A design project reinforces process integration by translating a MEMS device concept into a feasible multi-mask fabrication plan and original mask set, with emphasis on yield-aware design tradeoffs, documentation, and professional technical communication.
Average GPA: 3.58
Grade distribution records: 884 students across 23 terms.
Grade distribution
| Grade | Students | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| A | 550 | 62.2% |
| B | 175 | 19.8% |
| C | 49 | 5.5% |
| D | 16 | 1.8% |
| F | 4 | 0.5% |
| W | 36 | 4.1% |
Based on 884 student grade records across 23 terms and 24 professors.
Instructors
- Arindam Mukherjee 108 students, Average GPA 3.21
- Robert Cox 108 students, Average GPA 4.00
- James Conrad 90 students, Average GPA 3.68
- Edward Stokes 87 students, Average GPA 3.53
- Thomas Weldon 59 students, Average GPA 3.18
- Arun Ravindran 58 students, Average GPA 3.91
- Madhav Manjrekar 45 students, Average GPA 4.00
- Chen Chen 44 students, Average GPA 3.75
- Mohammad Yasin Raja 43 students, Average GPA 3.68
- Ronald Sass 43 students, Average GPA 3.02
- Hamed Tabkhivayghan 35 students, Average GPA 3.93
- Wei Gao 25 students, Average GPA 2.40
- Badrul Chowdhury 22 students, Average GPA 2.86
- Jeremy Holleman 18 students, Average GPA 3.82
- Abasifreke Ebong 16 students, Average GPA 3.20
- Andrew Willis 15 students, Average GPA 2.78
- Mario Junior Mencagli 15 students, Average GPA 3.78
- Somasundaram Essakiappan 14 students, Average GPA 3.67
- Minhaj Nur Alam 13 students, Average GPA 3.25
- Fareena Saqib 8 students, Average GPA 3.50
- Meera Sridhar 7 students, Average GPA 4.00
- Dipankar Maity 3 students, Average GPA 4.00
- Michael Fiddy 3 students, Average GPA 3.67
- Soumitra Joy 3 students, Average GPA 3.00