Direct Tension and Fracture Toughness Testing Using the Lateral Force Capabilities of a Nanomechanical Test System

摘要

The behavior of MEMS devices is limited by the strength of critical features such as thin ligaments, oxide cuts joining layers, pin joints, and hinges. Polysilicon devices fabricated at Sandia's Microelectronic Development Laboratory as well as single layer amorphous diamond MEMS structures have been successfully tested to investigate these features. A series of measurements was performed on 2.5 μm thick, 1.8 μm wide samples with gage lengths of 15 to 1000 μm. Conventional samples, notched samples, as well as samples that include the critical features of standard components in the test section were tested.