Low-Cost Technologies for Microelectromechanical Systems

提出了三种相对低成本和可制造的微机电系统（MEMS）技术的研究，这将有助于实现这些系统的商业发展。第一种技术是将光学质量的化合物半导体材料集成到硅基微结构上。这项技术是基于对化合物半导体材料外延提升技术的改进，将使集成光学传感器和致动器的发展成为可能。第二项技术涉及使用电镀技术与聚酰亚胺基电镀形式相结合，以生产一种低成本的替代LIGA工艺，用于制造高尺寸微结构。第三项技术涉及设计和制造简单的太阳能电池结构，可以用作MEMS的独立电源。太阳能电池结构将针对静电微致动器的高电压、低电流需求进行优化，并设计成可以直接与标准硅基微结构集成。

Research is proposed on three relatively low cost and manufacturable technologies for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), which will contribute toward enabling commercial development of these systems. The first technology is a process for integrating optical-quality compound semiconductor materials onto silicon- based microstructures. This technology, which is based on a modification of epitaxial liftoff techniques for compound semiconductor materials, will enable the development of integrated optically- based sensors and actuators. The second technology involves the use of electroplating techniques coupled with polyimide-based electroplating forms to produce a low-cost alternative to the LIGA process for fabrication of high-aspect-ration microstructures. The third technology involves the design and fabrication of simple solar cell structures that can be used as self- contained power sources for MEMS. The solar cell structures will be optimized for the high-voltage, low-current needs of electrostatic microactuators, and designed such that they can be integrated directly with standard silicon-based microstructures.