Norman F. Smith

MEMS reliability in shock environments

In order to determine the susceptibility of our MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems) devices to shock, tests were performed using haversine shock pulses with widths of 1 to 0.2 ms in the range from 500 g to 40000 g. We chose a surface-micromachined microengine because it has all the components needed for evaluation: springs that flex, gears that are anchored, and clamps and spring stops to maintain alignment. The microengines, which were unpowered for the tests, performed quite well at most shock levels with a majority functioning after the impact. Debris from the die edges moved at levels greater than 4000 g causing shorts in the actuators and posing reliability concerns. The coupling agent used to prevent stiction in the MEMS release weakened the die-attach bond, which produced failures at 10000 g and above. At 20000 g we began to observe structural damage in some of the thin flexures and 2.5-micron diameter pin joints. We observed electrical failures caused by the movement of debris. Additionally, we observed a new failure mode where stationary comb fingers contact the ground plane resulting in electrical shorts. These new failures were observed in our control group indicating that they were not shock related.

The effect of humidity on the reliability of a surface micromachined microengine

Humidity is shown to be a strong factor in the wear of rubbing surfaces in polysilicon micromachines. We demonstrate that very low humidity can lead to very high wear without a significant change in reliability. We show that the volume of wear debris generated is a function of the humidity in an air environment. As the humidity decreases, the wear debris generated increases. For the higher humidity levels, the formation of surface hydroxides may act as a lubricant. The dominant failure mechanism has been identified as wear. The wear debris has been identified as amorphous oxidized silicon. Large slivers (approximately 1 /spl mu/m in length) of debris observed at the low humidity level were also amorphous oxidized silicon. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we observed that the wear debris forms spherical and rod-like shapes. We compared two surface treatment processes: a fluorinated silane chain (FTS) process and supercritical CO/sub 2/ dried (SCCO/sub 2/) process. The microengines using the SCCO/sub 2/ process were found to be less reliable than those released with the FTS process under two humidity levels.

MEMS Reliability: Infrastructure, Test Structures, Experiments, and Failure Modes

The burgeoning new technology of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) shows great promise in the weapons arena. We can now conceive of micro-gyros, micro-surety systems, and micro-navigators that are extremely small and inexpensive. Do we want to use this new technology in critical applications such as nuclear weapons? This question drove us to understand the reliability and failure mechanisms of silicon surface-micromachined MEMS. Development of a testing infrastructure was a crucial step to perform reliability experiments on MEMS devices and will be reported here. In addition, reliability test structures have been designed and characterized. Many experiments were performed to investigate failure modes and specifically those in different environments (humidity, temperature, shock, vibration, and storage). A predictive reliability model for wear of rubbing surfaces in microengines was developed. The root causes of failure for operating and non-operating MEMS are discussed. The major failure mechanism for operating MEMS was wear of the polysilicon rubbing surfaces. Reliability design rules for future MEMS devices are established.

The effect of frequency on the lifetime of a surface micromachined microengine driving a load

Experiments have been performed on surface micromachined microengines driving load gears to determine the effect of the rotation frequency on median cycles to failure. We did observe a frequency dependence and have developed a model based on fundamental wear mechanisms and forces exhibited in resonant mechanical systems. Stressing loaded microengines caused observable wear in the rotating joints and, in a few instances, led to fracture of the pin joint in the drive gear.

First Reliability Test of a Surface Micromachined Microengine Using SHiMMeR

The first-ever reliability stress test on surface micromachined microengines developed at Sandia National Laboratories has been completed. We stressed 41 microengines at 36,000 RPM and inspected the functionality at 60 RPM. We have observed an infant mortality region, a region of low failure rate, and no signs of wearout in the data. The reliability data are presented and interpreted using standard reliability methods. Failure analysis results on the stressed microengines are presented. In our effort to study the reliability of MEMS, we need to observe the failures of large numbers of parts to determine the failure modes. To facilitate testing of large numbers of micromachines, we designed and built an automated system that has the capability to simultaneously test 256 packaged micromachines. The Sandia high volume measurement of micromachine reliability system has computer controlled positioning and the capability to inspect moving parts. The development of this parallel testing system is discussed in detail.

MEMS reliability in a vibration environment

MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) were subjected to a vibration environment that had a peak acceleration of 120 g and spanned frequencies from 20 to 2000 Hz. The device chosen for this test was a surface-micromachined microengine because it possesses many elements (springs, gears, rubbing surfaces) that may be susceptible to vibration. The microengines were unpowered during the test. We observed 2 vibration-related failures and 3 electrical failures out of 22 microengines tested. Surprisingly, the electrical failures also arose in four microengines in our control group indicating that they were not vibration related. Failure analysis revealed that the electrical failures were due to shorting of stationary comb fingers to the ground plane.

Integrated measurement-modeling approaches for evaluating residual stress using micromachined fixed-fixed beams

Two methodologies have been developed to determine the biaxial residual stress value in thin films using electrostatically actuated fixed-fixed beam test structures. In the first, we determine the compliance matrix of the support posts using 3-D finite-element analysis. The residual stress value is then found from the best fit between the measured and modeled deflection curves, with the residual stress as the only free parameter in the model. An accuracy of /spl plusmn/0.5 MPa for the average biaxial residual stress level is evaluated from the reproducibility of independent measurements over a wide range of loadings. The key to the second methodology lies in the recognition that for a given value of residual stress, there exists a unique family of deflection curves associated with two adjacent beams of different lengths. Therefore, compliance information can be extracted directly from the deflection curves. We proceed to show that essentially the same values of residual stress are found by the two methodologies, while the latter allows much more rapid extraction of the residual stress. With the second methodology established, we find that residual stress values vary across a quarter of a six-inch diameter wafer by 2.5 MPa for three structural levels of polycrystalline silicon in our five-level surface micromachining technology.

Frequency dependence of the lifetime of a surface micromachined microengine driving a load

Abstract Experiments have been performed on surface micromachined microengines driving load gears to determine the rotational frequency dependence on median cycles to failure. A sample of 272 microengines, each driving a load, was stressed at eight different frequencies. Frequency dependence was observed and a model was developed based on fundamental wear mechanisms and forces exhibited in resonant mechanical systems. Stressing loaded microengines caused observable wear in the rotating joints and in a few instances led to fracture of the pin joint in the drive gear.

Non-destructive resonant frequency measurement on MEMS actuators

Resonant frequency measurements provide useful insight into the repeatability of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) manufacturing processes. Several techniques are available for making this measurement. All of these techniques however, tend to be destructive to devices which experience sliding friction, since they require the device to be operated at resonance. A nondestructive technique is presented which does not require the device to be continually driven at resonance. This technique was demonstrated on a variety of MEMS actuators.

Failure analysis of tungsten-coated polysilicon micromachined microengines

Failure analysis (FA) tools have been applied to analyze tungsten coated polysilicon microengines. These devices were stressed under accelerated conditions at ambient temperatures and pressure. Preliminary results illustrating the failure modes of microengines operated under variable humidity and ultra-high drive frequency will also be shown. Analysis os tungsten coated microengines revealed the absence of wear debris in microengines operated under ambient conditions. Plan view imagine of these microengines using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed no accumulation of wear debris on the surface of the gears or ground plane on microengines operated under standard laboratory conditions. Friction bearing surfaces were exposed and analyzed using the focused ion beam (FIB). These cross sections revealed no accumulation of debris along friction bear surfaces. By using transmission electro microscopy (TEM) in conjunction with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), we were able to identify the thickness, elemental analysis, and crystallographic properties of tungsten coated MEMS devices. Atomic force microscopy was also utilized to analyze the surface roughness of friction bearing surfaces.