| AVS 56th International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| MEMS and NEMS | Thursday Sessions |
| Session MN+IJ+TR-ThA |
| Session: | Multi-scale Interactions of Materials and Fabrication at the Micro- and Nano-scale I |
| Presenter: | C. Carraro, University of California, Berkeley |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Whereas silicon has been the dominant semiconducting material for the fabrication of mechanical and electronic elements of micro-/nanosystems, its materials properties impose limitations on its use in harsh environment and demanding applications (e.g., repetitive contact, high temperature, high humidity). Silicon carbide thin film technology offers an alternative that enables such applications, thanks to its wider bandgap, higher melting/sublimation temperature, elastic modulus, fracture toughness, hardness, chemical inertness, and thermal conductivity. In this talk, I will review those SiC surface properties that are most different from silicon. I will then highlight recent materials, process, and characterization advances that are enabling SiC micro/nano systems for harsh environment and demanding applications.