Lubrication of polysilicon micromechanisms with self-assembled monolayers

Abstract

Here, the authors report on the lubricating effects of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on MEMS by measuring static and dynamic friction with two polysilicon surface- micromachined devices. The first test structure is used to study friction between laterally sliding surfaces and with the second, friction between vertical sidewalls can be investigated. Both devices are SAM-coated following the sacrificial oxide etch and the microstructures emerge released and dry from the final water rinse. The coefficient of static friction, {mu}{sub s} was found to decrease from 2.1 {+-} 0.8 for the SiO{sub 2} coating to 0.11 {+-} 0.01 and 0.10 {+-} 0.01 for films derived from octadecyltrichloro-silane (OTS) and 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyl-trichlorosilane (FDTS). Both OTS and FDTS SAM-coated structures exhibit dynamic coefficients of friction, {mu}{sub d} of 0.08 {+-} 0.01. These values were found to be independent of the apparent contact area, and remain unchanged after 1 million impacts at 5.6 {micro}N (17 kPa), indicating that these SAMs continue to act as boundary lubricants despite repeated impacts. Measurements during sliding friction from the sidewall friction testing structure give comparable initial {mu}{sub d} values of 0.02 at a contact pressure of 84 MPa. After 15 million wear cycles, {mu}{sub d} was found to rise to 0.27. Wear of the contacting surfaces was examined by SEM. Standard deviations in the {mu} data for SAM treatments indicate uniform coating coverage.