Design and fabrication of PDMS-based electrostatically actuated MEMS cantilever beam

Micro & nano letters

article

Akanksha D. Singh¹  Rajendra M. Patrikar¹ 

[1] Centre for VLSI and Nanotechnology, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology

关键词: electrostatic actuators;    silicon;    microfabrication;    cantilevers;    etching;    Taguchi methods;    deformation;    microsensors;    polymer microelectromechanical system devices;    sensor devices;    bio-sensing applications;    high mechanical deformability;    electrostatically actuated polydimethylsiloxane MEMS cantilever;    flexible PDMS substrate;    COMSOL Multiphysics software;    cost-effective fabrication process;    PDMS cantilevers;    PDMS body;    metal bottom electrode;    PDMS anchor;    PDMS cantilever beam;    immobilization surface;    low-cost processes;    base substrate;    PDMS-based electrostatically actuated MEMS cantilever beam;    Taguchi method;   

DOI  :  10.1049/mnl.2019.0728

学科分类：计算机科学（综合）

来源: Wiley

【 摘 要 】

Polymer microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices emerge as the new class of sensor devices for bio-sensing applications exhibiting high mechanical deformability and sensitivity. In this work, the design and fabrication of electrostatically actuated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) MEMS cantilever on flexible PDMS substrate is presented. The physical parameters of the cantilever were analysed and optimised using Taguchi method coupled with COMSOL Multiphysics software. This work focusses on the development of a novel approach for the simple and cost-effective fabrication process of PDMS cantilevers and subsequently its arrays. The proposed device consists of a PDMS body with the metal bottom electrode, PDMS anchor, and PDMS cantilever beam as its top electrode and immobilization surface. The work presented is of the cracking phenomenon in the metal layer sputtered on the PDMS substrate. The novelty of the fabrication process is the use of low-cost processes, no need for sophisticated lithography tools or etching equipment. Also, the process allows the use of alternate material as base substrate (glass, silicon wafer etc.) wherein it is not consumed and is reusable. The fabricated device is then electrically characterised for its pull-in characteristics.

【 授权许可】

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