Rapid MEMS prototyping using SU-8, wafer bonding and deep reactive ion etching

Author

Sampath, S.K. ; St.Clair, L. ; Wu, XingTao ; Ivanov, D.V. ; Wang, Q. ; Ghosh, C. ; Farmer, K.R.

Author_Institution

Microelectron. Res. Center, New Jersey Inst. of Technol., Newark, NJ, USA

fYear

2001

fDate

6/23/1905 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

158

Lastpage

161

Abstract

We describe a technique to rapidly prototype microelectromechanical systems by combining the use of (1) patterned SU-8 photoresist to form an electrically insulating spacer layer on a silicon substrate, (2) wafer bonding to affix single crystal silicon above the spacer layer, and (3) deep reactive ion etching to form suspended structures over the patterned spacer. Technical details of the wafer bonding process are presented. Experimental results from a rapidly prototyped test structure are shown. It is expected that this process will not be limited to silicon-based systems

Keywords

micromachining; micromechanical devices; photoresists; plasma materials processing; rapid prototyping (industrial); sputter etching; wafer bonding; Si; deep reactive ion etching; electrically insulating spacer layer; microelectromechanical systems; patterned SU-8 photoresist; patterned spacer; rapid MEMS prototyping; rapidly prototyped test structure; silicon substrate; silicon-based systems; single crystal silicon; spacer layer; suspended structures; wafer bonding; wafer bonding process; Biomembranes; Electrodes; Etching; Micromechanical devices; Prototypes; Resists; Silicon; Space technology; Springs; Wafer bonding;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

University/Government/Industry Microelectronics Symposium, 2001. Proceedings of the Fourteenth Biennial

Conference_Location

Richmond, VA

ISSN

0749-6877

Print_ISBN

0-7803-6691-3

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/UGIM.2001.960320

Filename

960320