Diaphragm-based microsystems using thin film silicon carbide

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a leading material for both semiconductor devices and harsh environment micro- and nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) due to a combination of exceptional electrical, mechanical and chemical properties. SiC is also an excellent structural material for micromechanical transducers because of its high Young´s modulus and mechanical strength. Suspended thin film diaphragms have been used in a wide range of applications, ranging from fundamental materials characterization to structural elements in high temperature pressure transducers. This paper reviews some of our efforts to develop SiC as a structural material for diaphragm-based MEMS, highlighting recent advances by our group in developing these structures for use in electromechanical microsensors and microactuators.