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Performance of Thin-Film Silicon MEMS Resonators in Vacuum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

J. Gaspar ,
V. Chu  and
J. P. Conde
J. Gaspar
Affiliation:
INESC Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias, Rua Alves Redol 9, 1000-029 Lisbon, Portugal Dept. Materials Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
V. Chu
Affiliation:
INESC Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias, Rua Alves Redol 9, 1000-029 Lisbon, Portugal
J. P. Conde
Affiliation:
INESC Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias, Rua Alves Redol 9, 1000-029 Lisbon, Portugal Dept. Materials Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
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Abstract

This paper reports on the fabrication and characterization of microelectromechanical bridge resonators on glass substrates using thin-film technology and surface micromachining. All the processing steps are performed at temperatures below 110°C. The microbridges consist of either a single layer of heavily doped n-type amorphous silicon (n+-a-Si:H) or bilayers of aluminum (Al) and intrinsic a-Si:H. The bridge is suspended over a gate electrode with a 1 μm air-gap. Applying a voltage between the bridge and an underlying Al gate electrode electrostatically actuates the microstructures. The resulting deflection is monitored optically. The resonance of the microbridges is measured in air and in vacuum. Resonance frequencies up to 70 MHz and quality factors up to 3000 are obtained at pressures below 1 Torr. The energy dissipation mechanisms of the resonators are discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 762: Symposium A – Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Silicon-Based Films – 2003 , 2003 , A18.1
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2003

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