Study of tunneling noise using surface micromachined tunneling tip devices

Author

Wang, Jianchao ; Zavracky, Paul M. ; McGruer, N.E. ; Morrison, Richard H.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Northeastern Univ., Boston, MA, USA

Volume

1

fYear

1997

fDate

16-19 Jun 1997

Firstpage

467

Abstract

This paper reports the measurement and theoretical analysis of noise in surface micromachined tunneling tip devices. The devices are fabricated using the surface micromachining technology. The bending beams and proof masses are formed by electroplating of nickel and gold. The tips are made by plating metal on the partially etched sacrificial layer. Noise spectra are obtained and compared for different electrode materials and different operating pressures. The results show that 1/f noise dominates in the low frequency region and the 1/f noise level in the vacuum is lower than that in air ambient. A mathematical model is established to simulate the 1/f noise related to surface adsorption-desorption process

Keywords

1/f noise; accelerometers; electric noise measurement; electric sensing devices; electron device noise; electroplating; micromachining; microsensors; spectral analysis; tunnelling; 1/f noise; Au; Ni; bending beams; electroplating; mathematical model; noise spectra; partially etched sacrificial layer; proof masses; surface adsorption-desorption; surface micromachined tunneling tip devices; surface micromachining; theoretical analysis; tunneling noise; Electrodes; Etching; Frequency; Gold; Low-frequency noise; Micromachining; Nickel; Noise level; Noise measurement; Tunneling;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Solid State Sensors and Actuators, 1997. TRANSDUCERS '97 Chicago., 1997 International Conference on

Conference_Location

Chicago, IL

Print_ISBN

0-7803-3829-4

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/SENSOR.1997.613687

Filename

613687