&lt;title&gt;Electrostatic discharge/electrical overstress susceptibility in MEMS: a new failure mode&lt;/title&gt;

Walraven, Jeremy A.; Soden, J.M.; Tanner, Darren; Tangyunyong, Paiboon; Cole, Edward I.; Anderson, Richard E.; Irwin, Lloyd W.

doi:10.1117/12.395703

Cited by 40 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…In practical applications, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMSs), like micromachines and micro-mirror arrays, function by electrostatic actuation [2,3], while the electronic devices, like photomasks [4,5] and magnetoresistive (MR), giant magnetoresistive (GMR), and tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) devices used in the magnetic recording industry [6][7][8], are at risk of accumulating static charges and the consequent threats of electrostatic discharge (ESD); both the microdevices and microstructures are associated with a strong electric field strength within microgaps [9]. For instance, the high operating voltages required for RF MEMS switches [10][11][12][13], micro-motors [14,15] and micro-mirror [16,17] can create sparking or breakdown across microgap structures due to electrical overstress (EOS) that may damage or destroy sensitive equipment, especially when the devices are subjected to a complex electromagnetic environment [7,18].…”

Section: Background and Motivationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrical Breakdown Behaviors in Microgaps

Meng¹,

Cheng²

2019

Electrostatic Discharge - From Electrical Breakdown in Micro-Gaps to Nano-Generators

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The study of electrical breakdown behaviors in microgaps has drawn intensive attention around the world due to the miniaturization of electronic devices that allows electronic circuits to be packaged more densely, making possible compact computers, advanced radar and navigation systems, and other devices that use very large numbers of components. Therefore, a clear understanding of the electrical breakdown behaviors in microgaps is required to avoid the dielectric breakdown or to trigger the breakdown at microscale. This chapter introduces the significance of understanding breakdown characterization and reliability assessment for electrostatically actuated devices, magnetic recording devices, photomasks, RF MEMS switches, and micromachines and points out the derivation of the classical Paschen's law at microscale. Then it summarizes the state-of-the-art research work on the methodology, influencing factors, dynamics, and physical mechanisms of electrical breakdown in microgaps, which is expected to expand the general knowledge of electrical breakdown to the microscale regime or more and benefits the reliability assessment and ESD protection of microscale and nanoscale devices.

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Section: Background and Motivationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrical Breakdown Behaviors in Microgaps

Meng¹,

Cheng²

2019

Electrostatic Discharge - From Electrical Breakdown in Micro-Gaps to Nano-Generators

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“…Emerging technologies such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) which include microgap and nanogap assemblies [4]will inherently be extremely sensitive to ESD. Since ESD is effectively a charge injection source, it is to be seriously considered as a major reliability issue in MEMS [5,6]. Parasitic charging of the dielectrics in MEMS devices including microphones and switches results in undesired electrostatic forces on these actuators; studies have shown that this is a serious performance issue [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Charge Injection Due to ESD on the Operation of MEMS

Greason

2007

2007 IEEE Industry Applications Annual Meeting

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The relative effect of charge injection due to human body model (HBM) electrostatic discharge on the operation of capacitive microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) structures is studied. The influence on the operating characteristics as a function of feature size is analyzed; for small gaps (<10 μm), the modified Paschen's law is applied. The results show that the relative effect of injected charge due to ESD increases inversely as the square of the gap separation for floating targets and inversely as the square of the plate area for grounded targets. For comparison purposes, the relative effect of charge injection due to triboelectrification is shown to be independent of device scaling.

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“…Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is an important consideration and has been observed as a failure mode in MEMS [26], [27]. A static charge of several thousand volts can easily build up on a MEMS part as it is unloaded from a plastic tray, or handled by an operator who has not taken suitable precautions to ground himself.…”

Section: Effect Of Electrode Gap and Packaging Gas On Breakdown Vmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Electrical Leakage Currents on MEMS Reliability and Performance

Shea

Gasparyan²,

Chan

et al. 2004

IEEE Trans. Device Mater. Relib.

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Abstract-Electrostatically driven MEMS devices commonly operate with electric fields as high at 10 8 V/m applied across the dielectric between electrodes. Even with the best mechanical design, the electrical design of these devices has a large impact both on performance (e.g., speed and stability) and on reliability (e.g., corrosion and dielectric or gas breakdown). In this paper, we discuss the reliability and performance implications of leakage currents in the bulk and on the surface of the dielectric insulating the drive (or sense) electrodes from one another. Anodic oxidation of poly-silicon electrodes can occur very rapidly in samples that are not hermetically packaged. The accelerating factors are presented along with an efficient early-warning scheme. The relationship between leakage currents and the accumulation of quasistatic charge in dielectrics are discussed, along with several techniques to mitigate charging and the associated drift in electrostatically actuated or sensed MEMS devices. Two key parameters are shown to be the electrode geometry and the conductivity of the dielectric. Electrical breakdown in submicron gaps is presented as a function of packaging gas and electrode spacing. We discuss the tradeoffs involved in choosing gap geometries and dielectric properties that balance performance and reliability.

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<title>Electrostatic discharge/electrical overstress susceptibility in MEMS: a new failure mode</title>

Abstract: Electrostatic discharge (ESD) and electrical overstress (EOS) damage of Micro-Electro-MechanicalSystems (MEMS) Fig. 1 [4].

Cited by 40 publications

References 3 publications

Electrical Breakdown Behaviors in Microgaps

Electrical Breakdown Behaviors in Microgaps

Effect of Charge Injection Due to ESD on the Operation of MEMS

Effects of Electrical Leakage Currents on MEMS Reliability and Performance

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