Stiction remains one of the biggest reliability problems in the fabrication of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). This work investigates the techniques adapted to release thin-film devices (100 nm thick) and submicron gaps MEMS. First, a CMOS compatible wet release process was developed, using nonchlorinated silanes coating providing a high hydrophobicity (contact angle in the range of 110°). Second, a vapor phase release process based on the same chemistry is shown to be adequate to release thin-film beams from a silicon-on-insulator wafer, where the wet process failed. This is to the authors' knowledge the first time that an in-use stiction-free release process has been demonstrated for such thin structures. The layers resist up to 300°C without damage and X-ray reflectivity confirmed that homogeneous monolayers were obtained.
Parvais, B, Pallandre, A, Jonas, AM & Raskin, JP 2005, 'Liquid and vapor phase silanes coating for the release of thin film MEMS', IEEE Transactions on Device and Materials Reliability, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 250-254. https://doi.org/10.1109/TDMR.2005.846976
Parvais, B., Pallandre, A., Jonas, A. M., & Raskin, J. P. (2005). Liquid and vapor phase silanes coating for the release of thin film MEMS. IEEE Transactions on Device and Materials Reliability, 5(2), 250-254. https://doi.org/10.1109/TDMR.2005.846976
@article{f5163d140def4e7abaec7e359acb2d2d,
title = "Liquid and vapor phase silanes coating for the release of thin film MEMS",
abstract = "Stiction remains one of the biggest reliability problems in the fabrication of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). This work investigates the techniques adapted to release thin-film devices (100 nm thick) and submicron gaps MEMS. First, a CMOS compatible wet release process was developed, using nonchlorinated silanes coating providing a high hydrophobicity (contact angle in the range of 110°). Second, a vapor phase release process based on the same chemistry is shown to be adequate to release thin-film beams from a silicon-on-insulator wafer, where the wet process failed. This is to the authors' knowledge the first time that an in-use stiction-free release process has been demonstrated for such thin structures. The layers resist up to 300°C without damage and X-ray reflectivity confirmed that homogeneous monolayers were obtained.",
keywords = "Hydrophobization, MEMS, Release process, Silane, Stiction, Thin films",
author = "B. Parvais and A. Pallandre and Jonas, {A. M.} and Raskin, {J. P.}",
year = "2005",
month = jun,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1109/TDMR.2005.846976",
language = "English",
volume = "5",
pages = "250--254",
journal = "IEEE Transactions on Device and Materials Reliability",
issn = "1530-4388",
publisher = "Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.",
number = "2",
}