Lifetime expectancy and characterization of MEMS chevron actuators

ORAL

Abstract

This work will present a detailed reliability and lifetime expectancy study of electrothermal micro-actuators under different actuation scenarios. The actuators are designed using the topmost poly-silicon layer of Sandia National Laboratories' SUMMiT V process. The legs of the actuator are $\sim $ 395 $\mu $m in length, 2.25 $\mu $m in thickness, with an offset angle of 5\r{ }. A custom made optical characterization setup was built to conduct the reliability and lifetime testing of the device. The test involved first identifying key power levels and then actuating the devices until the onset of plasticity. The entire test setup was automated by use of custom built LabView virtual instruments (VIs).

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Authors

  • Armando Nava

    Angelo State University Department of Physics

  • Mikhail Zhernenkov

    Angelo State University Department of Physics, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas Tech University, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Univeristy of Central Florida-College of Optics and Photonics, BAE Systems, University of Alberta Department of Physics, Istanbul University Department of Physics, Texas Tech University Department of Physics, Istanbul University, Beyazit, University of Alberta, Edmonton, UTD, TAMS at UNT, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, University at Albany, Dept. of Physics, University of New Orleans, University of Texas at Arlington, Prairie View A\&M University, Chemistry, UTSA, Sciprint.org, Texas Tech University Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas State University, Punjab U, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas, Dept. of Physics, Texas State University, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson TX 75080, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-4242, Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, California 92093, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Volta Redonda, RJ, Brazil, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, University of Texas Arlington, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Max Plank Institute, Dresden, Germany, Education Consultant, APS, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, TX 77843, LANSCE, Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Tim Dallas

    Texas Tech University Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

  • Stephen Johns

    Baylor University Department of Electrical Engineering