AVS 50th International Symposium
    Nanometer Structures Wednesday Sessions
       Session NS-WeA

Paper NS-WeA1
MEMS Tribological Coatings and Wear Debris Analysis

Wednesday, November 5, 2003, 2:00 pm, Room 308

Session: Nanotribology
Presenter: S.A. Smallwood, Air Force Research Laboratory
Authors: S.A. Smallwood, Air Force Research Laboratory
K.C. Eapen, University of Dayton Research Institute
J.S. Zabinski, Air Force Research Laboratory
Correspondent: Click to Email
Among the most significant challenges to developing reliable MEMS that have mechanical components are stiction, friction, and wear. One potential solution to this problem is to protect the devices with coatings, such as monolayers and hard self-lubricating materials. An essential aspect to developing these materials is to understand how surface chemistry, surface forces, wear, and MEMS performance are interrelated. Due to the small size and complex structure of MEMS, it is difficult to develop a fundamental understanding of these phenomena. Wear debris often has dimensions of < 1 mm and it may be hidden under the MEMS structures. In addition, few surface analytical techniques are available to precisely determine tribochemistry and wear mechanisms on MEMS structures. To combat tribological problems, perfluorinated ethers, esters, and mono- and di-alcohols were deposited on MEMS and their chemical/physical properties were studied and related to MEMS performance. AES, microRaman spectroscopy, and IR spectroscopy were used to probe surface chemistry. SPM and surface force measurement systems were used to understand forces at the MEMS scale. A technique to adequately coat complex MEMS structures will be discussed along with the mechanisms responsible for increasing MEMS electrostatic output motor lifetimes by up to three orders of magnitude.