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Out-of-plane deformation and pull-in voltage of cantilevers with residual stress gradient: experiment and modelling

Microsystem Technologies volume 25, pages 3581–3588 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

The out-of-plane deformation and the pull-in voltage of electrostatically actuated cantilevers with a residual stress gradient, is investigated in the length range 100–300 µm. Measured pull-in voltages are compared with calculations, which are obtained using previously proposed analytical expressions and a finite element method (FEM) modelling. In particular, a simplified model of the residual stress distribution inside cantilevers is formulated that enables FEM simulation of measured out-of-plane deformations and pull-in voltages for all lengths of fabricated cantilevers. The presented experimental results and FEM model are exploitable in the design of cantilever-based microelectromechanical systems, in order to provide a reliable prediction of the influence of residual stress gradient on device shape and pull-in voltage.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank M.C. Martucci for performing surface profilometry measurements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IMM-CNR, Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystem-Unit of Lecce, National Council of Research, Via Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy

    Anna Persano, Pietro Siciliano & Fabio Quaranta

  2. CMM–FBK, Center for Materials and Microsystems, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Via Sommarive 18, Povo, 38123, Trento, Italy

    Jacopo Iannacci

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  1. Anna Persano
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  2. Jacopo Iannacci
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  3. Pietro Siciliano
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  4. Fabio Quaranta
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Correspondence to Anna Persano.

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Persano, A., Iannacci, J., Siciliano, P. et al. Out-of-plane deformation and pull-in voltage of cantilevers with residual stress gradient: experiment and modelling. Microsyst Technol 25, 3581–3588 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-018-4264-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-018-4264-9