Practical analysis techniques to accurately measure geometric, dynamic, and material properties of MEMS will be developed. Analytical methods and test structures will be made to extract over two dozen properties by electric probing in a minimal chip area. Geometric properties will include fabrication error with respect to layout geometry such as beam widths, gap spacings, etch holes, and beam lengths. Dynamic properties will include mass, damping, stiffness, bulk compliance, quality factor, exponential damping factor, displacement amplitude, velocity amplitude, comb drive force, and fringing field factor. And material properties will include Young?s modulus, residual stress, shear modulus, Poisson?s ratio, and material density. These techniques will differ from those currently available in practicality and that no geometric, dynamic, or material property values are presumed. Only electrically-based measurements (i.e. capacitance, voltage) will be required. We will use the measured properties in CAD models to predict the performance of more complex designs.
Project end date: 01/29/08