Vapor phase anti-stiction coatings for MEMS

Due to their large surface-area-to-volume ratio, most micromechanical devices are susceptible to adhesion, friction, and wear. Conventional approaches to abate the deleterious effects of adhesion and friction rely on the deposition of organically based anti-stiction monolayers produced from liquid phase processes. It has become widely accepted that liquid phase monolayer processes are less desirable than vapor phase processes, especially for manufacturing purposes. Thus, current research is aimed at the development of vapor phase anti-stiction processes that yield comparable or better films than their corresponding liquid phase processes. To date, a variety of monolayer systems that have been well established via liquid phase deposition processes have been adapted to vapor processes. In this paper, current trends in anti-stiction technology and a discussion of available vapor phase anti-stiction methods are presented.