AVS 50th International Symposium
    Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Tuesday Sessions
       Session MM-TuM

Paper MM-TuM7
Vapor-Phase Lubricants: Nanometer-scale Lubrication Mechanisms and Uptake on Silicon

Tuesday, November 4, 2003, 10:20 am, Room 320

Session: Development and Characterization of MEMS and NEMS Materials
Presenter: W. Neeyakorn, North Carolina State University
Authors: W. Neeyakorn, North Carolina State University
M.R. Varma, North Carolina State University
J. Krim, North Carolina State University
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The concept of lubricating high temperature bearing surfaces with organic vapors which react with a surface to form a solid lubricating film has existed for at least forty years, with substantial efforts beginning in the 1980's and continuing to the present day. While vapor-phase lubricants have primarily been studied within the context of macroscopic system performance, they may well prove to be of critical importance to tribological performance in sub-micron mechanical systems as well. This is because the vapor phase may ultimately prove to be the most effective, if not only, means to deliver and/or replenish a lubricant that can withstand a variety of extreme environmental conditions that a MEMS device is likely to encounter. In order to investigate the viability of vapor-phase lubrication for MEMS applications, we have studied molecular scale tribological properties and gas uptake rates for four known organophosphate lubricants in controlled environments on silicon and gold substrates. The first study involves Quartz Crystal Microweighing investigations of the uptake rates of lubricant vapors from the vapor phase in vacuum conditions. With the intent of modelling actual MEMS contacts, we have also constructed a simple nanomechanical system consisting of a Scanning Tunneling Microscope tip dragging on the surface of a Quartz Crystal Microbalance electrode. This system allows us to monitor lubricant performance in realistic sliding conditions of up to 2 m/s. Finally, work is in progress to study the effect of these vapor-phase lubricants on actual MEMS devices with contacting silicon surfaces.@footnote 1@ @FootnoteText@@footnote 1@ Work supported by NSF and AFOSR.