Strength of indium phosphide-based microstructures

Staffan Greek; Klas Hjort; Jan-Ake Schweitz; Christian Seassal; Jean Louis Leclercq; Michel Gendry; Marie-Paule Besland; Pierre Viktorovitch; C. Figuet; V. Souliere; Y. Monteil

doi:10.1117/12.271420

11 April 1997 Strength of indium-phosphide-based microstructures

Staffan Greek, Klas Hjort, Jan-Ake Schweitz, Christian Seassal, Jean Louis Leclercq, Michel Gendry, Marie-Paule Besland, Pierre Viktorovitch, C. Figuet, V. Souliere, Y. Monteil

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 3008, Miniaturized Systems with Micro-Optics and Micromechanics II; (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.271420
Event: Photonics West '97, 1997, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

Microoptoelectromechanical (MOEMS) systems with InP based micromechanics are proposed for devices with wide tuning ranges in the optical wavelengths where InP optoelectronics are normally used. To evaluate if these InP based micromechanical structures may be strong enough the mechanical strengths of surface micromachined epitaxial InP micro beams are evaluated. Reactive ion etching (RIE) with CH₄:H₂:H₂Ar is used to structure the beams. A sacrificial InGaAs layer is below the InP microstructures and selectively etched by HCl:H₂O₂:H₂O in ratios 1:1:10 to release the InP beams. Sublimation of tert-butanol is used to dry the micro structures. The RIE conditions are shown to be of large importance, since the induced surface defects are here the dominant reasons for fracture. Bending strength values up to 3.1 GPa were measured, i.e. much higher than for the strongest construction steel. Weibull statistics show that it is possible to make micromachines for typical MOEMS applications with acceptable loss in yield due to fracture probability, i.e. with a fracture probability of 0.0001 for 100 MPa maximum bending stress.

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Staffan Greek, Klas Hjort, Jan-Ake Schweitz, Christian Seassal, Jean Louis Leclercq, Michel Gendry, Marie-Paule Besland, Pierre Viktorovitch, C. Figuet, V. Souliere, and Y. Monteil "Strength of indium-phosphide-based microstructures", Proc. SPIE 3008, Miniaturized Systems with Micro-Optics and Micromechanics II, (11 April 1997); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.271420

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