Engineering Research Equipment Grant: Reactive-Ion-Etcher/ PECVD/RF-Sputtering Equipment for Fabrication of Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems"

这是一笔用于研究微机电装置的反应蚀刻/PECVD/射频溅射设备的研究设备拨款。该研究项目的重点是设计、分析和制造具有单个或多个微米级内部组件的设备，这些内部组件可以形成由强场驱动的可移动机械元件，也可以形成基于局部场推断组件相对位置的传感器元件。使用该设备生产的设备包括传感器——如应变计、微定位器和多轴触觉传感器——空间光调制器和致动器。这些装置设计的关键是能够在结构中建立深度或完整的切口，并对金属，绝缘体和磁性材料进行图案设计。该设备将允许现场生成需要主要在硅基材料中进行垂直蚀刻的微机电设备，以及需要沉积导体、绝缘体和磁性薄膜的此类设备的生成。

This is a Research Equipment Grant for reactive-ion-etcher/PECVD/RF- sputtering equipment to be used in research on microelectromechanical devices. This research project focuses on the design, analysis, and fabrication of devices with single or numerous micron-scale internal components forming either moveable mechanical elements, which are actuated by strong fields, or sensor elements, which infer relative positions of components based on local fields. Devices to be produced using this equipment include sensors -- such as strain gauges, micropositioners, and multi-axis tactile sensors -- spatial light modulators, and actuators. Crucial to the design of these devices is the ability to build deep or complete cut-outs into the structure, and to pattern metals, insulator and magnetic materials. This equipment will allow the on-site generation of microelectromechanical devices requiring vertical etching principally in silicon-based materials, and the generation of such devices requiring deposition of conductors, insulators, and magnetic films.