Fabrication of polyimide bi-stable diaphragms using oxide compressive stresses for the field of buckle MEMS

In this paper we develop vacuum-actuated polyimide bi-stable actuators using buckled diaphragms for applications in the field of MEMS. The fabrication process involves a single mask step and DRIE etch step to fabricate the buckled bi-stable diaphragms. Compressive stresses in a companion thermal oxide layer provide pre-stress in the polyimide mechanical films that initiates diaphragm buckling upon release. Pressure was used to actuate these polyimide diaphragms from their first stable state to their second stable state, resulting in ‘zero electrical power’ actuation. The buckling height of the polyimide diaphragms is approximately 7.6 μm with an actuation pressure of 41 kPa, which compares favorably with model predictions assuming effective diaphragm properties for a single layer. These polyimide diaphragms can be used as the fundamental building blocks in micro-pumps, micro-valves, switches and optical devices. Because of their bi-stable nature, they can also be used for applications in mechanical memory storage. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)