Abstract
With the development of applications for microelectromechanical system (MEMS) components and micromachining technology, planar microelectrodes have attracted considerable interest. To study the discharge characteristics of these structures, planar microelectrodes with a variety of plate-shaped and needle-shaped microelectrode structures fabricated from indium tin oxide (ITO) and copper (Cu) with microelectrode gaps ranging from 5 to 35 µm were manufactured using MEMS technology in this study. Experiments carried out in atmospheric air show that the microelectrode configuration has a crucial impact on the discharge current, breakdown voltage, and current response to varying electrode gaps. The electrode surface area plays a significant role in the discharge characteristics of planar microelectrodes, which is a factor dominating the discharge current and breakdown voltage. The commonly used formulas in macroscale corona discharge cannot be directly applied to planar microelectrodes. Planar microelectrodes fabricated with Cu on Si substrates have larger discharge currents, higher breakdown voltages, and better resistance to breakdown strength than ITO ones on quartz substrates under nA-scale current, while ITO damaged microelectrodes because of breakdown can still discharge when accompanied by different discharge characteristics.
Highlights
As predicted by Moore’s law, the speed and density of microelectromechanical systems (MEMSs) and integrated circuits (ICs) are developing rapidly, resulting in more highly integrated devices and reducing the distance between conductors
MEMS devices are presently widely used in applications1–3 such as microswitch contacts, micromirrors, and electrostatic actuators, which usually operate under an intense electric field
The undamaged microelectrodes exhibited the same discharge capacity as before the breakdown occurred, and the results demonstrated that the indium tin oxide (ITO) damaged planar microelectrodes still functioned and exhibited discharge current after the breakdown (Fig. 16)
Summary
As predicted by Moore’s law, the speed and density of microelectromechanical systems (MEMSs) and integrated circuits (ICs) are developing rapidly, resulting in more highly integrated devices and reducing the distance between conductors. Paschen’s law describes and predicts the breakdown voltage according to the pressure and electrode gaps and has been widely used in the field of macroscale discharge. Various structures have been studied by many research groups, comparisons of the discharge current and breakdown characteristics between different planar microelectrode structures have seldom been conducted. The differences in the discharge current and breakdown voltage between various planar microelectrode structures and the influence of the planar microelectrodes on the discharge characteristics due to breakdown have not been studied sufficiently as well as the current–voltage relationship of planar microelectrodes. The current–voltage characteristics and breakdown behavior in atmospheric pressure were investigated, and the influence of the electrode structure, material, and electrode gap on the discharge characteristics was discussed in detail, including the physical and electric effects of breakdown on planar microelectrodes. The measurement data of the planar microelectrodes were compared with the fitting curves by applying Eqs. (1)–(3), and the applicability of these three empirical formulas on planar microelectrodes was assessed
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