Materials Evaluation for Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems

Professor George C. Johnson
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of California
Berkeley, CA   94720

Sponsored by: The UNL Research Council and the Department of Engineering Mechanics

Date:  Tuesday, March 23, 1999
Time:  3:30 p.m.
Place:  W128 Nebraska Hall


Rapid developments in the field of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) have led to the design and fabrication of a wide range of systems involving a variety of materials. As these devices move from laboratory to commercial products, knowledge of the properties of the materials involved becomes increasingly important. However, the small size of the structures involved - lateral dimensions on the order of a few microns - makes application of traditional testing techniques difficult, at best. This talk will present a variety of techniques for determining some of the basic mechanical properties of MEMS materials. The focus will be on techniques for determining the elastic and strength properties. The importance of accurate surface metrology in materials evaluation is also discussed.