Vapor deposition of amino-functionalized self-assembled monolayers on MEMS

Matthew G. Hankins; Paul J. Resnick; Peggy J. Clews; Thomas M. Mayer; David R. Wheeler; Danelle M. Tanner; Richard A. Plass

doi:10.1117/12.478206

16 January 2003 Vapor deposition of amino-functionalized self-assembled monolayers on MEMS

Matthew G. Hankins, Paul J. Resnick, Peggy J. Clews, Thomas M. Mayer, David R. Wheeler, Danelle M. Tanner, Richard A. Plass

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 4980, Reliability, Testing, and Characterization of MEMS/MOEMS II; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.478206
Event: Micromachining and Microfabrication, 2003, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

In the fabrication of MEMS devices, what has come to be known as "release stiction" occurs when the device is removed from the liquid phase into the ambient air. One widely used method for dealing with stiction is to deposit a hydrophobic coating on the surface of the device before it is removed from the liquid phase. This method can produce coatings with inconsistent morphology and device yield. This is to be compared with a new coating deposition scheme developed at Sandia National Labs, termed VSAMS (vapor-deposited self-assembled monolayers) that employs supercritical CO₂ drying and chemical vapor deposition to address many of the concerns associated with release stiction. VSAMS is attractive due to its process benefits, which include increased throughput, reduced waste, and most importantly, it can be easily scaled to full wafer production. It is also attractive because films produced by this method are uniform and very hydrophobic. The deposition step makes use of a class of compound that is particularly suited for vapor phase reactions, amino-functionalized silanes. The yield of microengine test devices coated with films made from amino-functionalized silanes was examined over an extended period. Their function was determined before and after the application of VSAMS. The advantage of using amino-functionalized silane precursors for VSAMS is related to the strength of the bond between the film and the polysilicon surface as evidenced by the fact that films made with these precursors are stable across the entire humidity scale.

Citation Download Citation

Matthew G. Hankins, Paul J. Resnick, Peggy J. Clews, Thomas M. Mayer, David R. Wheeler, Danelle M. Tanner, and Richard A. Plass "Vapor deposition of amino-functionalized self-assembled monolayers on MEMS", Proc. SPIE 4980, Reliability, Testing, and Characterization of MEMS/MOEMS II, (16 January 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.478206

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available