The Effect of Adhesion on the Static Friction Properties of Sidewall Contact Interfaces of Microelectromechanical Devices

Static friction between sidewall contact surfaces of polycrystalline silicon micromachines was investigated under different contact pressures, vacuum conditions, relative humidity levels, and temperatures. The static coefficient of friction exhibited a nonlinear dependence on the external contact pressure. A difference between in-contact and pull-out adhesion forces was observed due to the elastic recovery of the deformed asperities at the contact interface. The true static coefficient of friction was determined by considering the effects of the dominant adhesion forces (i.e., van der Waals and capillary forces) on the normal force applied at the sidewall contact interface. The roles of van der Waals and capillary forces in the sidewall friction behavior were analyzed in light of results for the interfacial shear strength and the adhesion force. The major benefits of the present friction micromachine and the developed experimental scheme are discussed in the context of static coefficient of friction and adhesion force results obtained under different environmental and loading conditions

[1]  Jeffrey Y. Pan.  Reliability considerations for the BioMEMS designer , 2004, Proceedings of the IEEE.

[2]  Richard M. White,et al.  Polysilicon microstructures to characterize static friction , 1990, IEEE Proceedings on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, An Investigation of Micro Structures, Sensors, Actuators, Machines and Robots..

[3]  Kyriakos Komvopoulos,et al.  Adhesion and friction forces in microelectromechanical systems: mechanisms, measurement, surface modification techniques, and adhesion theory , 2003 .

[4]  Kyriakos Komvopoulos,et al.  Three-Dimensional Elastic-Plastic Fractal Analysis of Surface Adhesion in Microelectromechanical Systems , 1998 .

[5]  C. Mastrangelo,et al.  A simple experimental technique for the measurement of the work of adhesion of microstructures , 1992, Technical Digest IEEE Solid-State Sensor and Actuator Workshop.

[6]  K. Komvopoulos,et al.  Static friction in polysilicon surface micromachines , 2005, Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems.

[7]  D. M. Tanner,et al.  The effect of humidity on the reliability of a surface micromachined microengine , 1999, 1999 IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium Proceedings. 37th Annual (Cat. No.99CH36296).

[8]  Terry A. Michalske,et al.  Accurate method for determining adhesion of cantilever beams , 1999 .

[9]  Jeffrey B. Sampsell,et al.  Digital micromirror device and its application to projection displays , 1994 .

[10]  P. Decuzzi,et al.  Scaling laws for opening partially adhered contacts in MEMS , 2004, Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems.

[11]  Maarten P. de Boer,et al.  A hinged-pad test structure for sliding friction measurement in micromachining , 1998, Photonics West - Micro and Nano Fabricated Electromechanical and Optical Components.

[12]  Roya Maboudian,et al.  An investigation of sidewall adhesion in MEMS , 2003 .

[13]  K. Komvopoulos,et al.  An experimental study of sidewall adhesion in microelectromechanical systems , 2005, Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems.

[14]  N. Kawahara,et al.  Multi-source power supply system using micro-photovoltaic devices combined with microwave antenna , 2001, Technical Digest. MEMS 2001. 14th IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (Cat. No.01CH37090).

[15]  Michael Thomas Dugger,et al.  Friction and wear in surface-micromachined tribological test devices , 1997, Photonics West - Micro and Nano Fabricated Electromechanical and Optical Components.

[16]  K. Komvopoulos,et al.  A Fractal Analysis of Stiction in Microelectromechanical Systems , 1997 .

[17]  William C. Tang,et al.  Laterally Driven Polysilicon Resonant Microstructures , 1989 .

[18]  William C. Tang,et al.  Electrostatic Comb Drive for Resonant Sensor and Actuator Applications , 1990 .

[19]  K. Komvopoulos.  Surface engineering and microtribology for microelectromechanical systems , 1996 .

[20]  K. Kendall,et al.  Surface energy and the contact of elastic solids , 1971, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. A. Mathematical and Physical Sciences.