Title :
Micromechanical fatigue testing
Author :
Connally, J.A. ; Brown, S.B.
Author_Institution :
Charles Stark Draper Lab., Cambridge, MA, USA
Abstract :
The authors describe the design and theoretical performance of a single crystal silicon micromechanical device developed to evaluate the static and dynamic fatigue properties of micromechanical devices. The structure is a cantilever with a large end plate and gold mass. Torquing and sensing electrodes extend over the plate, and with associated electronics, drive the structure at resonance. Fatigue crack propagation is measured by detecting shifts in the natural frequency caused by the extension of a crack from an initiation site near the base. Experimental data are presented demonstrating the operation of the device.<>
Keywords :
electric sensing devices; elemental semiconductors; fatigue testing; micromechanical devices; silicon; Si device; cantilever; control electronics; design; dynamic fatigue properties; elemental semiconductor; fatigue crack propagation; micromechanical devices; micromechanical fatigue testing; performance; sensing electrodes; static fatigue properties; torquing electrodes; Electrodes; Equations; Fatigue; Frequency measurement; Gold; Laboratories; Micromechanical devices; Resonance; Silicon; Testing;
Conference_Titel :
Solid-State Sensors and Actuators, 1991. Digest of Technical Papers, TRANSDUCERS '91., 1991 International Conference on
Conference_Location :
San Francisco, CA, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-87942-585-7
DOI :
10.1109/SENSOR.1991.149047
