A study of breakdown mechanisms in electrostatic actuators using mechanical response under EOS-ESD stress

Author

Sangameswaran, Sandeep ; De Coster, Jeroen ; Scholz, Mirko ; Linten, Dimitri ; Thijs, Steven ; Van Hoof, Chris ; De Wolf, Ingrid ; Groeseneken, Guido

Author_Institution

IMEC vzw, Heverlee, Belgium

fYear

2009

fDate

Aug. 30 2009-Sept. 4 2009

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

8

Abstract

The mechanical response of electrostatic actuators during ESD stress has been measured in-situ and is reported for the first time. Two different breakdown mechanisms during ESD - air-gap breakdown and dielectric breakdown - have been distinguished. This has been achieved by simultaneously measuring electrical and mechanical quantities on the MEMS device under test.

Keywords

electrostatic actuators; electrostatic discharge; failure analysis; EOS-ESD stress; MEMS device; air-gap breakdown; breakdown mechanisms; dielectric breakdown; electrical overstress; electrical quantities; electrostatic actuators; electrostatic discharge; mechanical quantities; mechanical response; microelectromechanical systems; Air gaps; Dielectric breakdown; Dielectric measurements; Electric breakdown; Electrostatic actuators; Electrostatic discharge; Electrostatic measurements; Mechanical variables measurement; Stress measurement; Time measurement;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

EOS/ESD Symposium, 2009 31st

Conference_Location

Anaheim, CA

Print_ISBN

978-1-58537-176-1

Electronic_ISBN

978-1-58537-176-1

Type

conf

Filename

5340116