Title :
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
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;
Conference_Titel :
Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems (TRANSDUCERS & EUROSENSORS XXVII), 2013 Transducers & Eurosensors XXVII: The 17th International Conference on
Conference_Location :
Barcelona
DOI :
10.1109/Transducers.2013.6627093
