Abstract
NEMS Structural integrity is of paramount importance in all devices. Load applied during the use of devices can result in component failure. Cracks can develop and propagate under tensile stresses, leading to failure. Knowledge of the mechanical properties of nanostructures is necessary for designing realistic micro-/nanoelectromechanial systems (MEMS/NEMS) and biological micro-/nanoelectromechanical systems (bioMEMS/bioNEMS) devices. Elastic and inelastic properties are needed to predict the deformation due to an applied load in the elastic and inelastic regimes, respectively. The strength property is needed to predict the allowable operating limit. Some of the properties of interest are hardness, elastic modulus, bending strength, fracture toughness, and fatigue strength. Many of the mechanical properties are scale dependent; therefore these should be measured at relevant scales. Atomic force microscopy and nanoindenters can be used satisfactorily to evaluate the mechanical properties of micro-/nanoscale structures. Commonly used materials in MEMS/NEMS are single-crystal silicon and silicon-based materials, e.g., SiO2 and polysilicon films deposited by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition. Single-crystal SiC deposited on large-area silicon substrates is used for high-temperature micro-/nanosensors and actuators. Amorphous alloys can be formed on both metal and silicon substrates by sputtering and plating techniques, providing more flexibility in surface integration. Electroless-deposited Ni-P amorphous thin films have been used to construct microdevices, especially using the so-called LIGA (lithography, galvanoformung, abformung) techniques. Micro-/nanodevices need conductors to provide power, as well as electrical/magnetic signals, to make them functional. Electroplated gold films have found wide applications in electronic devices because of their ability to make thin films and be processed simply. Polymers, such as poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), and polystyrene are commonly used in bioMEMS/bioNEMS, such as micro-/nanofluidic devices, because of ease of manufacturing and reduced cost. Many polymers are biocompatible so they may be integrated into biomedical devices.
This chapter presents a review of mechanical property measurements on the micro-/nanoscale of various materials of interest, and stress and deformation analyses of nanostructures.
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Abbreviations
- AFM:
-
atomic force microscope
- AFM:
-
atomic force microscopy
- APCVD:
-
atmospheric-pressure chemical vapor deposition
- CSM:
-
continuous stiffness measurement
- DI:
-
deionized
- DI:
-
digital instrument
- FEM:
-
finite element method
- FEM:
-
finite element modeling
- LIGA:
-
Lithographie Galvanoformung Abformung
- LPCVD:
-
low-pressure chemical vapor deposition
- MEMS:
-
microelectromechanical system
- MST:
-
microsystem technology
- NEMS:
-
nanoelectromechanical system
- P–V:
-
peak-to-valley
- PDMS:
-
polydimethylsiloxane
- PECVD:
-
plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition
- PMMA:
-
poly(methyl methacrylate)
- PPMA:
-
poly(propyl methacrylate)
- PS/clay:
-
polystyrene/nanoclay composite
- PS:
-
polystyrene
- PVA:
-
polyvinyl alcohol
- SEM:
-
scanning electron microscope
- SEM:
-
scanning electron microscopy
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Bhushan, B. (2010). Mechanical Properties of Nanostructures. In: Bhushan, B. (eds) Springer Handbook of Nanotechnology. Springer Handbooks. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02525-9_37
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