Effects of Gas Adsorption in Nanotribology and Demonstration of In-Situ Vapor Phase Lubrication of MEMS Devices

ASME/STLE 2007 International Joint Tribology Conference, Parts A and B ◽

10.1115/ijtc2007-44419 ◽

2007 ◽

Author(s):

David B. Asay ◽

Michael T. Dugger ◽

Seong H. Kim

Keyword(s):

Vapor Phase ◽

Microelectromechanical Systems ◽

Silicon Oxide ◽

Gas Adsorption ◽

Extended Period ◽

Adsorbed Water ◽

Oxide Surface ◽

Mems Devices ◽

Vapor Phase Lubrication

This paper discusses the important role of gas adsorption in nanotribology and demonstrates in-situ vapor phase lubrication of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. We have elucidated the molecular ordering and thickness of the adsorbed water layer on the clean silicon oxide surface and found the molecular-level origin for the high adhesion between nano-asperity silicon oxide contacts in humid ambient. The same gas adsorption process can be utilized for continuous supply of lubricant molecules to form a few Å thick lubricant films on solid surfaces. Using alcohol vapor adsorption, we demonstrated that the adhesion, friction, and wear of the silicon oxide surface can significantly be reduced. This process made it possible to operate sliding MEMS without failure for an extended period of time.

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In-Situ Vapor Phase Lubrication of MEMS Devices

ASME/STLE 2007 International Joint Tribology Conference, Parts A and B ◽

10.1115/ijtc2007-44418 ◽

2007 ◽

Author(s):

Seong H. Kim

Keyword(s):

Vapor Phase ◽

Panel Discussion ◽

Mems Devices ◽

Vapor Phase Lubrication ◽

Basic Principles

The basic principles, potentials, and challenges of the in-situ vapor phase lubrication will be addressed in the MEMS panel discussion.

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In Situ Method for Determining Combination of Organic Compounds Interacting with Each Other on Silicon Oxide Surface

ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology ◽

10.1149/2.0021512jss ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 4 (12) ◽

pp. P408-P414 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jaeha Choi ◽

Hitoshi Habuka

Keyword(s):

Organic Compounds ◽

Silicon Oxide ◽

Oxide Surface ◽

In Situ Method

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Humidity Effects on In Situ Vapor Phase Lubrication with n-Pentanol

Tribology Letters ◽

10.1007/s11249-014-0345-9 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 55 (1) ◽

pp. 177-186 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Anna L. Barnette ◽

J. Anthony Ohlhausen ◽

Michael T. Dugger ◽

Seong H. Kim

Keyword(s):

Vapor Phase ◽

Vapor Phase Lubrication ◽

Humidity Effects

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MEMS for In Situ Testing—Handling, Actuation, Loading, and Displacement Measurements

MRS Bulletin ◽

10.1557/mrs2010.570 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 35 (5) ◽

pp. 375-381 ◽

Cited By ~ 58

Author(s):

M.A. Haque ◽

H.D. Espinosa ◽

H.J. Lee

Keyword(s):

Microelectromechanical Systems ◽

Specimen Preparation ◽

Mems Devices ◽

Sensors And Actuators ◽

Friction Testing ◽

Simultaneous Acquisition ◽

Natural Choice ◽

Analytical Tools ◽

Materials Behavior

AbstractMechanical testing of micro- and nanoscale materials is challenging due to the intricate nature of specimen preparation and handling and the required load and displacement resolution. In addition, in Situ testing requires the entire experimental setup to be drastically miniaturized, because conventional high-resolution microscopes or analytical tools usually have very small chambers. These challenges are increasingly being addressed using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based sensors and actuators. Because of their very small size, MEMS-based experimental setups are the natural choice for materials characterization under virtually all forms of in Situ electron, optical, and probe microscopy. The unique advantage of such in Situ studies is the simultaneous acquisition of qualitative (up to near atomic visualization of microstructures and deformation mechanisms) and quantitative (load, displacement, flaw size) information of fundamental materials behavior. In this article, we provide a state-of-the-art overview of design and fabrication of MEMS-based devices for nanomechanical testing. We also provide a few case studies on thin films, nanowires, and nanotubes, as well as adhesion-friction testing with a focus on in Situ microscopy. We conclude that MEMS devices offer superior choices in handling, actuation, and force and displacement resolutions. Particularly, their tight tolerances and small footprints are difficult to match by off-the-shelf techniques.

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Temperature Influence on Organic Molecular Interaction on Silicon Oxide Surface In Situ Measured Utilizing a Quartz Crystal Microbalance

ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology ◽

10.1149/2162-8777/abc1f4 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

pp. 104007

Author(s):

Kenta Hori ◽

Yifan Zhou ◽

Tomohiko Kanai ◽

Hitoshi Habuka

Keyword(s):

Quartz Crystal Microbalance ◽

Molecular Interaction ◽

Quartz Crystal ◽

Silicon Oxide ◽

Oxide Surface ◽

Temperature Influence

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In-situ Vapor-Phase Lubrication of MEMS

Tribology Letters ◽

10.1007/s11249-007-9283-0 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 29 (1) ◽

pp. 67-74 ◽

Cited By ~ 82

Author(s):

David B. Asay ◽

Michael T. Dugger ◽

Seong H. Kim

Keyword(s):

Vapor Phase ◽

Vapor Phase Lubrication

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Vapor Phase Lubrication of Gold/Gold Interfaces

World Tribology Congress III, Volume 2 ◽

10.1115/wtc2005-63773 ◽

2005 ◽

Author(s):

Scott S. Perry ◽

Ian Laboriante ◽

Xiaoping Yan

Keyword(s):

Integrated Circuits ◽

Vapor Phase ◽

Photoelectron Spectroscopy ◽

Interfacial Adhesion ◽

Rf Mems ◽

Surface Composition ◽

Mems Devices ◽

Vapor Phase Lubrication ◽

Micro Electro Mechanical Systems ◽

Force Microscopy

The extension of current micro-satellite development efforts calls for a reduction in size by up to two orders of magnitude. Such a reduction in size necessitates the development of novel actuators, switches, and sensors operating on the micron length scale. The leading technology for creating such devices involves microfabrication processes currently used in the production of integrated circuits. Devices generated by these means are referred to as Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS). While many challenges remain in the design and production of MEMS, a critical aspect of their successful deployment involves lubrication of the devices to prevent wear and permanent, undesired adhesion (seizure) of the miniature moving parts. Results from research addressing the vapor phase lubrication of gold-gold contacts, modeling interfaces expected to be encountered in future RF MEMS devices, will be presented. Such interfaces will require high frequency intermittent contact, the absence of irreversible interfacial adhesion, the general absence of sliding within the contact, and the requirement of electrical conductivity upon contact. Work in this area has focused on the use of alklythiols as a means of controlling interfacial adhesion. Experiments have been carried out using atomic force microscopy to characterize adhesion as a function of alkylthiol chain length. In addition, these experiments have incorporated the simultaneous measurement of interfacial currents to explore load versus conductivity relationships. These measurements have been supported through measurements of surface composition through correlated quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements.

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