Silicon carbide MEMS for harsh environments

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a promising material for the development of high-temperature solid-state electronics and transducers, owing to its excellent electrical, mechanical, and chemical properties. This paper is a review of silicon carbide for microelectromechanical systems (SiC MEMS). Current efforts in developing SiC MEMS to extend the silicon-based MEMS technology to applications in harsh environments are discussed. A summary is presented of the material properties that make SiC an attractive material for use in such environments. Challenges faced in the development of processing techniques are also outlined. Last, a review of the current stare of SiC MEMS devices and issues facing future progress are presented