Highly-reliable electrostatic actuator using filleted electrode made with photoresist solvent reflow

Author

Seow Yuen Yee ; Peterson, Rebecca L. ; Bernal, Luis P. ; Najafi, Khalil

Author_Institution

Center for Wireless Integrated MicroSensing & Syst. (WIMS 2), Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

fYear

2013

fDate

16-20 June 2013

Firstpage

1617

Lastpage

1620

Abstract

This paper describes a simple 3-mask fabrication process to construct a highly-reliable, large deflection (> 8 μm) and high frequency (> 90 kHz) electrostatic (ES) actuator. The ES actuator consists of a high residual stress dielectric diaphragm and an electroplated nickel electrode separated by an electrostatic air gap defined by sacrificial photoresist (PR). Actuators with filleted electrodes were created using solvent reflow of sacrificial photoresist. The process has moderately high yield of greater than 64%. The filleted electrode enables the actuator to be continuously actuated for more than 43 days without any diaphragm breakage or stiction.

Keywords

diaphragms; electrodes; electrostatic actuators; internal stresses; nickel; photoresists; 3-mask fabrication process; Ni; dielectric diaphragm; electroplated nickel electrode; electrostatic air gap; filleted electrode; highly-reliable electrostatic actuator; photoresist solvent reflow; residual stress; sacrificial photoresist; solvent reflow; Electrodes; Electrostatic actuators; Electrostatics; Fabrication; Reliability; Shape; Actuators; Electrostatic; Filleted Electrode; Reflow; Reliability;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems (TRANSDUCERS & EUROSENSORS XXVII), 2013 Transducers & Eurosensors XXVII: The 17th International Conference on

Conference_Location

Barcelona

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/Transducers.2013.6627093

Filename

6627093