Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T02:12:58.305Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Thin Film Microelectromechanical Systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

V. Chu ,
J. Gaspar  and
J.P. Conde
V. Chu
Affiliation:
INESC Microsistemas and Nanotecnologias, Rua Alves Redol 9, 1000-029 Lisbon, Portugal
J. Gaspar
Affiliation:
INESC Microsistemas and Nanotecnologias, Rua Alves Redol 9, 1000-029 Lisbon, Portugal Departament of Materials Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
J.P. Conde
Affiliation:
Departament of Materials Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
Get access

Abstract

This paper presents the fabrication and characterization of MEMS structures on glass substrates using thin film silicon technology and surface micromachining. The technology developed to process bridge and cantilever structures as well as the electromechanical characterization of these structures is discussed. This technology can enable the expansion of MEMS to applications requiring large area and/or flexible substrates. The main results for the characterization of the movement of the structures are as follows: (1) in the quasi-DC regime and at low applied voltages, the response is linear with the applied dc voltage. Using an electromechanical model which takes into account the constituent materials and geometry of the bilayer, it is possible to extract the deflection of the structures. This estimate suggests that it is possible to control the actuation of these structures to deflections on the sub-nanometric scale; (2) resonance frequencies of up to 20 MHz have been measured on hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) bridge structures with quality factors (Q) of 70-100 in air. The frequency depends inversely on the square of the structure length, as predicted by the mechanical model; and (3) using an integrated permanent magnet/magnetic sensor system, it is possible to measure the structure movement on-chip and to obtain an absolute calibration of the deflection of the structures.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 715: Symposium A – Amorphous and Heterogeneous Silicon-Based Films-2002 , 2002 , A12.3
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2002

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

[1] see for example, Maluf, Nadim, An Introduction to Microelectromechanical Systems Engineering (Artech House, Boston, 2000).Google Scholar
[2] Beatty, C.C., “A Chronology of Thermal Ink Jet Structures”, Tech. Digest Solid-State Sensor and Actuator Workshop, Hilton Head Island, SC. June 3-6, 1996, pp. 200–204.Google Scholar
[3] Offenberg, M., “Novel Process for a Monolithic Integrated Accelerometer”, Proc. 8th Int. Conf. on Solid-State Sensors and Actuators, Stockholm, Sweden, June 25-29, 1995, pp. 589–592.Google Scholar
[4] Czarnocki, W.S. and Schuster, J.P., “The Evolution of Automotive Pressure Sensors”, Sensors, 16, 52 (1999).Google Scholar
[5] Cole, B.E., Higashi, R.E. and Wood, R.A., “Monolithic Two-Dimensional Arrays of Micromachined Microstructures for Infrared Applications”, in Integrated Sensors, Microactuators, & Microsystems (MEMS), ed. Wise, K.D., Proc. of the IEEE, 86, 1697 (1998).Google Scholar
[6] Kessel, P.F. Van, Hornbeck, L.J., Meier, R.E., Douglass, M.R., “A MEMS-based projection display,” Proc. IEEE 86, 1687 (1998).10.1109/5.704274Google Scholar
[7] Younse, J., “Mirrors on a chip,” IEEE Spectrum 30, 27 (1993).10.1109/6.241542Google Scholar
[8] Syllaios, A.J., Schimert, T.R., Gooch, R.W., McCardel, W.L., Ritchey, B.A., and Tregilgas, J.H., Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 609, A14.4.1. (2000).Google Scholar
[9] Yeh, Chingwen, Boyce, James B., Ho, Jackson, and Lau, Rachel, Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 609, A21.3 (2000).10.1557/PROC-609-A21.3Google Scholar
[10] Daniel, J.H., Street, R.A., Teepe, M., Ready, S.E., Ho, J., Wang, Y., Rodkin, A., Alimonda, A., Apte, R.B., Goredema, A., Boils-Boissier, D.C., and Kazmaier, P.M., Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 695, D2.5 (2001).Google Scholar
[11] Boucinha, M., Brogueira, P., Chu, V. and Conde, J.P., Appl. Phys. Lett., 77, 907 (2000).10.1063/1.1306912Google Scholar
[12] PFR 7790G 27 cP (positive PR) JSR Electronics, Leuven, Belgium.Google Scholar
[13] Microstrip 2001, Arch ChemicalsGoogle Scholar
[14] Petersen, K.E., IEEE Trans. Electron Dev. 25, 1241 (1978).Google Scholar
[15] Riethmüller, W., Benecke, W., IEEE Trans. Electron Dev. 35, 758 (1988).10.1109/16.2528Google Scholar
[16] Gaspar, J., Li, Haohua, Freitas, P.P., Chu, V. and Conde, J.P., Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 729, U3.7 (2002), to be published.10.1557/PROC-729-U3.7Google Scholar
[17] Gaspar, J., Boucinha, M., Chu, V. and Conde, J.P., Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 664, A26.4 (2001).Google Scholar
[18] Weaver, W. Jr, Timoshenko, S.P. and Young, D.H., in Vibration Problems in Engineering, (Wiley, New York, 1990).Google Scholar
[19] Supino, R.N., Talghader, J.J., Appl. Phys. Lett. 78, 1778 (2001).Google Scholar
[20] Zhang, Y., Zhang, Y., Marcus, R.B., IEEE J. Microelectromech. Syst. 8, 43 (1999).10.1109/84.749401Google Scholar
[21] Lalinský, T., Burian, E., Krzík, M., Haŝík, Ŝ., Mozolová, Z., Kuzmík, J., J. Micromech. Microeng. 10, 293 (2000).10.1088/0960-1317/10/2/332Google Scholar
[22] Eriksson, P., Andersson, J.Y., Stemme, G., J. Microelectromech. Syst. 6, 55 (1997).10.1109/84.557531Google Scholar
[23] Gaspar, J., Chu, V., Louro, N., Cabeça, R. and Conde, J.P., J. Non-Crystalline Solids, in press.Google Scholar
[24] Li, Haohua, Boucinha, M., Freitas, P.P., Gaspar, J., Chu, V. and Conde, J.P., J. Appl. Phys. 91, in press (2002).Google Scholar