Precision Engineering Research Group Massachusetts Institute of Technology An Instrument to Measure the Force-Displacement Characteristics of MEMS Mechanisms Supervisors: Alexander H. Slocum, Jeffrey H. Lang Jin Qiu, Joachim Sihler, Jian Li

Bistable Relay Principle Precision Engineering Research Group

Snap Through of Bistable Beam Precision Engineering Research Group

Front side Back side Precision Engineering Research Group Fabrication Imperfectness Unpredictable tapering of the DRIE process requires post manufacture minitoring to verify mechanical properties

Prototype (parts mostly made with the waterjet) Precision Engineering Research Group

Prototype Close-ups Precision Engineering Research Group Data acquisition unit with reference flexure, amplification lever, and displacement sensos Needle used for mechanical contact

F MEMS  F(  )  F Fundamental Goal: Measure the stiffness of a MEMS flexure MEMS flexure  reference flexure F MEMS dd 1 MEMS flexure  =d 2 -d 1 F MEMS =k ref * d 2 k MEMS =F MEMS /  MEMS flexure reference flexure Fundamental F-D curve principle Precision Engineering Research Group

Functionality of the Amplification Lever Design Precision Engineering Research Group

HP Barcode Readers as Displacement Sensor 10 nm resolution Reference: Colin J.H. Brenan et al.: “Characterization and use of a novel optical position sensor for microposition control of a linear motor”, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 64(2), February Precision Engineering Research Group

Displacement Sensors 2 and 3 in differential configuration Precision Engineering Research Group Displacement Sensor 1 Fundamental Principle Animation

Actual Measurement Data Force error +/- 6.5 % (not to scale) displacement error +/- 10 nm (not to scale) Precision Engineering Research Group

Pictures of Prober Tips Precision Engineering Research Group Flextester

Market Potential Precision Engineering Research Group Bistable microrelay used in automotive applications: 20 milion cars/year (20*10 6 relays/year) 5 % of cars/year using it (1*10 6 relays/year) 20 relays/car/year (20*10 6 relays/year) 1000 relays/wafer (20*10 3 wafers/year) 200 days per year ======================================== =100 wafers/day !