Electrostatically driven micromachined nickel resonators and gyroscopes

Olaf Renken; Wolfgang Benecke

doi:10.1117/12.341264

10 March 1999 Electrostatically driven micromachined nickel resonators and gyroscopes

Olaf Renken, Wolfgang Benecke

Proceedings Volume 3680, Design, Test, and Microfabrication of MEMS and MOEMS; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.341264
Event: Design, Test, and Microfabrication of MEMS/MOEMS, 1999, Paris, France

Abstract

A low temperature back-end process for micromachined electroplated vibrating structures has been developed. It is supposed to be processed on top of available ASIC's, independent on fabrication technology of ASIC's. Structures can be fabricate without a cap as well as encapsulated. Undesired underetching of the plating base could be overcome by an oxidation process step. Thus, the minimum width of fixed structures could be significantly reduced. To evaluate mechanical properties of electroplated moveable nickel structures, single-mass resonators have been laid out and fabricated. Moreover, the single-mass structure is representative for excitation mode of a gyroscope, which is composed of two masses, one for excitation and detection mode each. The sensor system is mechanically decoupled as the in-plane vibration modes of excitation and detection mode are perpendicular to each other. To accomplish large deflection, lateral vibration spring-mass systems are used. The resonators are electrostatically excited using comb drives. Deflections of 19 micrometers are obtained and nickel resonators show Q-factor of up to 1500. Deposition of nickel structures has been accomplished using a commercially available nickel sulfamate-based solution. Initial fatigue testing of nickel microresonators has been carried out. There is no measurable fatigue after an operating time of 250 hours.

Citation Download Citation

Olaf Renken and Wolfgang Benecke "Electrostatically driven micromachined nickel resonators and gyroscopes", Proc. SPIE 3680, Design, Test, and Microfabrication of MEMS and MOEMS, (10 March 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.341264

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