Low Temperature Thin-Film Microelectromechanical Devices on Plastic Substrates

Abstract

ABSTRACTAir-gap micromachined structures such as bridges and cantilevers were fabricated on 50 and 125 µm-thick polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic substrates. The maximum processing temperature using PET is limited to 110 °C. Two surface micromachining processes on PET which used two different sacrificial layers - photoresist and Al - were developed. Several materials were used as structural layers in the microstructures including Al, TiW, amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and a bilayer of a-Si:H and Al. The maximum length of free-standing bridges and cantilevers is discussed as a function of the fabrication process. The bridge structures were actuated electrostatically, in a DC switch setup configuration, and the critical voltage as a function of the length was measured. Mechanical actuation and optical detection were used, in an AC mode, for the measurement of the resonance frequency of bridge structures.