Thin Teflon-like films for eliminating adhesion in released polysilicon microstructures

This paper presents a method for depositing thin Teflon-like films to eliminate adhesion or suction in released polysilicon microstructures. A commercial plasma reactor is used in direct and remote plasma modes with commercially available trifluoromethane (CHF 3) to deposit thin hydrophobic films ar...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inSensors and actuators. A. Physical. Vol. 70; no. 1; pp. 159 - 163
Main Authors Smith, Bradley K., Sniegowski, Jeffry J., LaVigne, Glenn, Brown, Craig
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier B.V 01.10.1998
Subjects
Adhesion
Fluorocarbon
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)
Microstructures
Polysilicon
Stiction
Polysilicon
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)
Microstructures
Fluorocarbon
Stiction
Adhesion
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Summary:This paper presents a method for depositing thin Teflon-like films to eliminate adhesion or suction in released polysilicon microstructures. A commercial plasma reactor is used in direct and remote plasma modes with commercially available trifluoromethane (CHF 3) to deposit thin hydrophobic films around and under released microstructures. Hard, uniform, Teflon-like films which penetrate into undercuts beneath structures have been produced. Thus far, surfaces beneath gears as large as 1600 μm diameter with a gap of 2.0 μm are hydrophobic after being exposed to plasma treatment. These Teflon-like coatings have been shown to reduce the coefficient of friction from 1.0 to 0.07.
ISSN:0924-4247
1873-3069
DOI:10.1016/S0924-4247(98)00127-7