Development of a Bi-Axial Micro-Tensile Tester of MEMS Materials for Research and Student Training

这是授予德克萨斯理工大学的微机电系统（MEMS）研究的仪器开发奖。微机电系统（MEMS）器件的尺寸通常在几微米到几毫米的范围内。这一技术发展领域已经从产生诸如摆动电机和微型机器人等好奇心，发展到目前的阶段，其中正在制造和使用诸如加速度计和压力传感器等常用的实用设备。这就需要改进MEMS材料的特性，以更好地优化MEMS设计过程。本研究的目的是设计并建立一个MEMS材料拉伸试验机。该测试仪将用于确定MEMS材料试样的弹性特性。测试仪将允许在两个垂直方向上同时加载样本。它还将容纳不同尺寸的试样;允许试样对齐;施加和测量试样上的载荷;监测试样变形;并允许连续数据采集。与MEMS材料表征相关的几个项目受益于这种微拉伸测试仪的开发。此外，微拉伸测试仪的拟议开发将增强德克萨斯理工大学电气和机械工程系的研究设施。此外，它提供了所需的基础设施，为学生，谁以前在一个相关的顶点高级设计项目工作，开始他的研究生学位。此外，这种微拉伸测试仪的存在将允许与桑迪亚国家实验室的MEMS研究设施进行潜在的互动。微机电系统（MEMS）器件的尺寸通常从几微米到几毫米不等。这一技术发展领域已经从产生诸如摆动电机和微型机器人等好奇心，发展到目前的阶段，其中正在制造和使用诸如加速度计和压力传感器等常用的实用设备。这就需要改进MEMS材料的特性，以更好地优化MEMS设计过程。本研究的目的是设计并建立一个MEMS材料拉伸试验机。该测试仪将用于确定MEMS材料试样的弹性特性。测试仪将允许在两个垂直方向上同时加载样本。它还将容纳不同尺寸的试样;允许试样对齐;施加和测量试样上的载荷;监测试样变形;并允许连续数据采集。与MEMS材料表征相关的几个项目受益于这种微拉伸测试仪的开发。此外，微拉伸测试仪的拟议开发将增强德克萨斯理工大学电气和机械工程系的研究设施。此外，它提供了所需的基础设施，为学生，谁以前在一个相关的顶点高级设计项目工作，开始他的研究生学位。此外，这种微拉伸测试仪的存在将允许与桑迪亚国家实验室的MEMS研究设施进行潜在的互动。

This is an instrument development award to Texas Tech university for Micro-Electro-Mechanical-System (MEMS) research. Micro-Electro-Mechanical-System (MEMS) devices generally range from a few microns to a few millimeters in size. This area of technological development that has gone from generating curiosities such as wobble motors and micro-robots, to its current phase in which practical devices of common usage, such as accelerometers and pressure-sensing transducers, are being manufactured and used. This has created a need for improved characterization of MEMS materials to better optimize the MEMS design process. The objective of this research is to design and build a tensile tester for MEMS materials. The tester will be used to determine the elastic properties of MEMS material specimens. The tester will allow simultaneous loading of specimens in two perpendicular directions. It will also accommodate specimens of different sizes; allow alignment of the specimen; apply and measure the load on the specimen; monitor specimen deformation; and permit continuous data acquisition. Several projects related to MEMS materials characterization benefit from the development of this micro-tensile tester. Additionally, the proposed development of the micro-tensile tester will enhance research facilities in the Departments of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering at Texas Tech University. Also, it provides the required infrastructure for a student, who previously worked on a related capstone senior design project, to commence his graduate degree. Furthermore, the existence of this micro-tensile tester will allow potential interaction with the MEMS research facility at Sandia National Laboratory.Micro-Electro-Mechanical-System (MEMS) devices generally range from a few microns to a few millimeters in size. This area of technological development that has gone from generating curiosities such as wobble motors and micro-robots, to its current phase in which practical devices of common usage, such as accelerometers and pressure-sensing transducers, are being manufactured and used. This has created a need for improved characterization of MEMS materials to better optimize the MEMS design process. The objective of this research is to design and build a tensile tester for MEMS materials. The tester will be used to determine the elastic properties of MEMS material specimens. The tester will allow simultaneous loading of specimens in two perpendicular directions. It will also accommodate specimens of different sizes; allow alignment of the specimen; apply and measure the load on the specimen; monitor specimen deformation; and permit continuous data acquisition. Several projects related to MEMS materials characterization benefit from the development of this micro-tensile tester. Additionally, the proposed development of the micro-tensile tester will enhance research facilities in the Departments of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering at Texas Tech University. Also, it provides the required infrastructure for a student, who previously worked on a related capstone senior design project, to commence his graduate degree. Furthermore, the existence of this micro-tensile tester will allow potential interaction with the MEMS research facility at Sandia National Laboratory.