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Show THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ABSTRACTS Characterization and Testing of a Micro-Deployable, Polysilicon Iris Structure Taylor M. Meacham (Ian R. Harvey) Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Utah During spring semester of 2006, a micro-deployable iris structure was designed by a team of students from the University of Utah as part of an entry into the 2006 Sandia MEMS University Alliance Design Competition. Sandia's CAD tools were used to design the structure to be fabricated used the SUMMiT V process, a process using five mechanical polysilicon layers, four sacrificial silicon oxide layers, and CMP pla-narization to create complex mechanical systems on a micrometer scale. The device was designed to be opened and closed by electrostatic comb-drive microengines. The fabricated iris's diameter is slightly less than the thickness of a dime, or approximately 1.2mm. Construction analysis and characterization work has been performed on the microscale iris, using the facilities and equipment in the Utah Microfabrication Core Laboratory. This work has included visual examination with the use of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and optical profilometry. Some destructive analysis techniques, such as manual polishing, were used to cross-section into specific areas of interest, such as the iris's unique polysilicon pin hinges. Functional testing was also conducted using the facilities of Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM. Optical microscopy was again used to allow visual analysis during operation of the device and to capture video for later analysis. During testing, the iris was successfully actuated as designed multiple times. In addition, a few design problems were identified in order to improve the performance of the device for future applications. Ian R. Harvey 48 |
