This paper focuses on recent developments in the localised characterisation of the mechanical properties of Microsystems and MEMS devices and structures. Conventional indentation techniques provide a highly powerful method for measuring the load and depth response of bulk and coated materials, but can also be used to measure the mechanical properties of very small micro-machined silicon structures. Beam structures, such as are used for accelerometers, need to be characterised in terms of the number of cycles to failure, the spring constant or the energy required to bend the beam by a required amount. Such localised testing needs to be adapted to work at various distances from the origin of the beam with a positioning accuracy of less than a micron. Initial studies have proved to be highly repeatable. A range of examples is presented which covers a range of application areas, including accelerometer beam structures, microswitches and printer head structures. The basic instrumental concepts are explained together with the modifications required for testing small structures in a localised way. In addition, the localised testing of friction and wear in MEMS devices will be covered with some examples of the technology available and how it may be applied to such small contact areas in an accurate and reproducible way.
This paper focuses on recent developments in the localised characterisation of the mechanical properties of Microsystems and MEMS devices and structures. Indentation techniques provide a highly powerful method for measuring the load and depth response of very small micro-machined silicon structures. Beam structures, such as are used for accelerometers, need to be characterised in terms of the number of cycles to failure, the spring constant or the energy required to bend the beam by a required amount. Such localised testing needs to be adapted to work at various distances from the origin of the beam with a positioning accuracy of less than a micron. Initial studies have proved to be highly repeatable. A range of examples is presented which cover a range of application areas, including accelerometer beam structures, microswitches and printer head structures. The basic instrumental concepts are explained together with the modifications required for testing small structures in a localised way.
The microfabrication of optical and micromechanical elements requires a high degree of accuracy in order to obtain the required efficiency in the functionality of the element. An easy, nondestructive 3D characterization of the batch fabricated elements after each fabrication step is needed to ensure a reliable engineering control over the whole process. We demonstrate the versatility of a stand-alone AFM which can be used as a flexible tool for the nondestructive characterization of all steps of a fabrication sequence of microfabricated optical and micromechanical elements without the necessity to specially prepare the samples under test.
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