Integration of Wear-resistant and Anti-stiction Coatings Deposited from Waterborne Chemistries into Micro-electromechanical System Fabrication Processes

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The objective of the proposed research is to develop the chemistry and techniques for the application of duplex wear resistant and anti-stiction coatings; onto polysilicon MEMS based structures from aqueous media. The anti-stiction properties will be evaluated through a characterization of the hydrophobicity of the coated surfaces under different temperature and humidly conditions. Friction and wear properties of the deposited coatings will be investigated using friction force microscopy. By working in collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories, a GOALI partner in the proposed research, coatings will be applied to test structures and the wear between coated surfaces will be measured using a microtribometer device. Using atomistic computer simulation methods, viz. molecular dynamics, the relation between the chemical structure of coatings and their friction/wear properties will be explored. Designing anti-stiction and wear resistant coating begins with linking molecular structures, coating structure and morphology to film properties. Objectives of molecular level simulations are to understand the evolution of the coating structure during sliding as well as shedding light on the tribo-chemical processes in the anti-stiction film under dynamic rubbing conditions. The modeling work is driven by a need to compare simulated friction and wear properties of anti-stiction coating with experimental observations and gaining further insight into the physics and chemistry at scales inaccessible by experiments.The research project will provide educational and research opportunities to graduate, undergraduate and post-doctoral students. The principal investigators of the research program have a strong history of involving underrepresented minority and female students in their research program through regular and REU research programs. The results from this work will be used to enhance the content of courses in applied surface chemistry and atomistic computation techniques taught in the department of Materials Science and Engineering as well as a teaching module for use in an IC fabrication class taught at the University of Arizona.