Highly Miniaturized MEMS-Based Test Platforms for Thermo-Mechanical and Reliability Characterization of Nano-Functional Elements - Technology and Functional Test Results

This paper reports on concepts, technology, integration aspects, and results of a MEMS-based test platform for reliability tests of micro and nano objects. Building blocks of this platform to be used in in-plane push-pull-configurations are a thermal actuator, a force sensor, and a displacement sensor as well as several types of samples to be integrated directly or indirectly. The technology concept is proven for aluminum wires as a first demonstrator for an integrated specimen. The modular concept enables the adoption of the platform for further types of samples and test configurations. The building blocks are simulated using a Finite-lement approach and the results are compared to experimentally obtained data sets. According to the specifications, the thermal actuator is capable of providing displacements up to 1.5 μm The displacement and the force sensor are specified to provide sensitivities of 3 fF nm−1 and 2.5 mV nN−1, respectively. SEM image of a piezoresistive force sensor attached to an integrated Al wire as test sample − building blocks of MEMS‐based test platforms.