Surface chemistry and tribology of MEMS

COLL 157

Roya Maboudian, Chemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, U.C. Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-1462
Despite much progress in micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology, adhesion, friction and wear remain key issues, severely limiting the realization and reliability of many microsystems. In this presentation, I will discuss the use of several tribological microinstruments in conjunction with other surface characterization techniques to measure the surface forces present between polycrystalline silicon surfaces and to manipulate them by utilizing various surface modifications. Several classes of organic thin films explored for MEMS are reported, followed by a discussion of their current limitations and areas for improvements.