Unreleased polysilicon beam failure. MEMS Reliability Alliance Technical Report 37-01
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Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Lawton, R..
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The MEMS Technology Group is part of the Microdevices Laboratory (MDL) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The group pursues the development of a wide range of advanced MEMS technologies that are primarily applicable to NASA's robotic as well as manned exploration missions.
The expanding areas of MEMS applications are often characterized by demanding operating conditions or harsh environments for those sensitive devices.
An overview of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) reliability assurance and qualification activities at JPL is presented along with the a discussion of characterization of MEMS structures implemented on single crystal silicon, polycrystalline silicon, CMOS, and LIGA processes. Additionally, common failure modes and mechanisms affecting MEMS structures, including radiation effects, are discussed. Common reliability and qualification practices contained in the MEMS Reliability Assurance Guideline are also presented.
MEMS fabrication processes are as diverse as their applications.
A transition between two types of step alignment was observed in a multilayered InGaAs/GaAs quantum-dot (QD) structure. A change to larger QD sizes in smaller concentrations occurred after formation of a dislocation array.
Three-dimesional MEMS microsystems that are commercially fabricated require minimal post-processing and are easily integrated with CMOS signal processing electronics.
Low-temperature (LTO) chemical vapor deposited (CVD) silicon dioxide was investigated for use as an insulator material in microfabricated ion engine accelerator grids.
Micro-Electrical Mechanical Systems (MEMS) are entering the stage of design and verification to demonstrate the utility of the technology for a wide range of applications including sensors and actuators for military, space, medical, industrial, consumer, automotive and instrumentation products.
A mechanical microstructure was exposed to 10 Mrad of Gamma Rays from Cobalt-60 source to examine the effects of possible lattice damage upon the Young's modulus of polysilicon.
Low-temperature (LTO) chemical vapor deposited (CVD) silicon dioxide was investigated for use as an insulator matierial in microfabriacted ion engine accelerator grids.
Proof-of-concept testing of a microfabricated vaporizing liquid thruster was performed.
As integrated circuits become more sensitive to charged particles and neutrons, anomalous performance due to single event effects (SEE) is a concern and requires experimental verification and quantification. The Center for Applied Radiation Research (CARR) at Prairie View A&M University has developed experiments as a participant in the NASA ER-2 Flight Program, the APEX balloon flight program and the Student Launch Program. Other high altitude and ground level experiments of interest to DoD and commercial applications are being developed. The experiment characterizes the SEE behavior of high speed and high density SRAM's. The system includes a PC-104 computer unit, an optical drive for storage, a test board with the components under test, and a latchup detection and reset unit. The test program will continuously monitor the stored checkerboard data pattern in the SW and record errors. Since both the computer and the optical drive contain integrated circuits, they are also vulnerable to radiation effects. A latchup detection unit with discrete components will monitor the test program and reset the system when necessary. The first results will be obtained from the NASA ER-2 flights, which are now planned to take place in early 1998 from Dryden Research Center in California. The series of flights, at altitudes up to 70,000 feet, and a variety of flight profiles should yield a distribution of conditions for correlating SEES. SEE measurements will be performed from the time of aircraft power-up on the ground throughout the flight regime until systems power-off after landing.
The design and fabrication of a newly proposed vaporizing liquid micro-thruster concept is described.