A number of industries such as automotive, health and energy require micro-sensors and actuators that can survive harsh environments, such as repetitive contact, high temperatures and relative humidity. This presentation examines the surface and interfacial behavior and limitations of silicon-based microelectromechanical systems in a variety of harsh environments. Particular phenomena to focus on include adhesion, friction and corrosion. Then, the effectiveness of self-assembled monolayers and silicon carbide for enhanced MEMS reliability under these conditions is discussed.
Invited by Patrick Soukiassian.
University of California – Berkeley