A process for forming thin (1-3 μm) stacks of Si/SiO2 or SiO2/Si/SiO2 layers into spherical shells 0.5-3.0 mm in diameter is demonstrated as the baseline for realizing sub-mm3 micro-robots. The fabrication process combines bulk and thin-film micromachining, design of novel masks, and multistage wet and dry etching to release the layers from the substrate. The released layers curl up, self assembling into a spherical shell. The radius of curvature of the released stack is a function of the type, thickness, and residual stresses in the layers. The diameter of the resulting shells is calculated using a mechanical model of the multi-layer stacks. This calculation is compared with measurements of fabricated spheres. The fabrication process is compatible with CMOS circuitry, and future work will focus on realizing spheres with embedded solar cell as a power source and a capacitor for energy storage, which will result in a functional micro-robot.

Stealth dicing appears to be the appropriate methode to singulate surface sensitive microelectromechanical devices, without producing dicing debris or using water jet. The operating mode of the stealth dicing will be explained. A three dimensional integration project with open micromachined structures is taken as a reference to evaluate the advantages and limitations of this new dicing method. The preconditions for successful singulations will be discussed. Optical and SEM inspection results after successful separation will be discussed.

Wrinkling of thin sheets under strain is a universal phenomenon. The amplitude and period of the wrinkles formed in a thin sheet clamped at both ends are dependent on its strain and material parameters. In our study, wrinkling is observed in microscale for double clamped thin films (L>W>>t) consisting of 200nm deposited low stress silicon nitride bridges fabricated by bulk micromachining. A bilayer system is formed with 30nm aluminum evaporated on to these bridges. At room temperature the bridges are essentially flat. When an electrical current passes through the aluminum layer electrothermal, heating results in thermal expansion that wrinkles the bilayer. In addition we investigated various dimensions of the bridges and their correlation to the amplitude and the number of wrinkles. The observations are compared to existing wrinkling theory.