Towards ultra-dense arrays of VHF NEMS with FDSOI-CMOS active pixels for sensing applications

Similar to transistors, the size of MEMS components is continuously shrinking, progressing from MicroElectroMechanical Systems to NanoElectroMechanical Systems (NEMS). Indeed, NEMS are emerging as a new field of interest because their submicron dimensions make them converge towards CMOS fabrication processes. They have specific advantages such as fast response time and high detection sensitivity when used as a resonant sensor [1]. From the application point of view, NEMS interact “naturally” with the nanoscale world and can sense unprecedented physical and biological phenomena, such as the mass of a single molecule, the force exerted by living cells or certain biochemical reactions. In the next five to ten years, NEMS should offer a real breakthrough for mass spectrometry or gas analysis applications because they can achieve similar resolution to conventional lab equipment but at a lower cost due to their compatibly with VLSI processes.