The strong adherence (stiction) of adjacent surfaces is a major design concern in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Advances in micromachine technology greatly depend on basic understanding of microscale stiction phenomena. An analysis of the different stiction micromechanisms and the elastic deformation of asperities at MEMS interfaces is developed using a two-dimensional fractal description of the surface topography. The fractal contact model is scale independent since it is based on parameters invariant of the sample area size and resolution of measuring instrument. The influence of surface roughness, relative humidity, applied voltage, and material properties on the contributions of the van der Waals, electrostatic, and capillary forces to the total stiction force is analyzed in light of simulation results. It is shown that the effects of surface roughness and applied voltage on the maximum stiction force are significantly more pronounced than that of material properties. Results for the critical pull-off stiffness versus surface roughness are presented for different material properties and microstructure stand-free surface spacings. The present analysis can be used to determine the minimum stiffness of microdevices required to prevent stiction in terms of surface roughness, apparent contact area, relative humidity, applied voltage, and material properties.
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July 1997
Research Papers
A Fractal Analysis of Stiction in Microelectromechanical Systems
K. Komvopoulos,
K. Komvopoulos
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
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W. Yan
W. Yan
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
Search for other works by this author on:
K. Komvopoulos
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
W. Yan
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
J. Tribol. Jul 1997, 119(3): 391-400 (10 pages)
Published Online: July 1, 1997
Article history
Received:
February 27, 1996
Revised:
June 28, 1996
Online:
January 24, 2008
Citation
Komvopoulos, K., and Yan, W. (July 1, 1997). "A Fractal Analysis of Stiction in Microelectromechanical Systems." ASME. J. Tribol. July 1997; 119(3): 391–400. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2833500
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