Micromotor fabrication

Author

Mehregany, Mehran ; Senturia, Stephen D. ; Lang, Jeffrey H. ; Nagarkar, Pradnya

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng. & Comput. Sci., MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA

Volume

39

Issue

9

fYear

1992

fDate

9/1/1992 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2060

Lastpage

2069

Abstract

Micromotor fabrication and related issues are discussed. The micromotors under study are of the variable-capacitance side-drive type with salient-pole and wobble (harmonic) designs. Polysilicon surface micromachining forms the basis of the micromotor fabrication process. In this process, LPCVD heavily phosphorus-doped polysilicon is used for the structural parts, LPCVD silicon nitride is used for electrical isolation, and CVD low-temperature oxide is used to as the sacrificial material. The fabrication process affects the performance characteristics of the micromotor through the reproduction accuracy of the design geometry and through the modification of the characteristics of contacting surfaces. Pattern definition and delineation are among the most critical steps of the micromotor fabrication process because of the increasing surface topography during fabrication and the large film thicknesses utilized. The release and testing process can affect the frictional characteristics of the micromotor significantly, determining success or failure of operation by dielectric excitation

Keywords

micromechanical devices; semiconductor technology; small electric machines; CVD low-temperature oxide; LPCVD heavily P doped polysilicon; Si:P; Si₃N₄; SiO₂; delineation; dielectric excitation; electrical isolation; fabrication process; harmonic designs; micromotor; pattern definition; performance characteristics; salient-pole; side-drive type; variable-capacitance; wobble designs; Capacitance; Conducting materials; Fabrication; Mechanical systems; Micromachining; Micromotors; Rotors; Silicon; Surface topography; Torque;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9383

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/16.155878

Filename

155878