FUNCTIONAL OXIDES-BASED MEMS

We will discuss a technological line for the fabrication of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) based on thin films of transition metal oxides (TMO) for the realization of new types of sensors and actuators based on the integration of materials having different functionalities, such as magnetism, superconductivity and mechanical actuation.

We will present the fabrication protocols of suspended structures and examples of basic device geometry such as cantilever, microbridges and trampolines for the realization of MEMS sensors and actuators. The possibility to integrate oxides with different lattice parameters allows engineering the internal stress of the structures and therefore designing new microsystems with high (>100k) mechanical quality factor. This opens perspectives for the realization of resonant sensors combining different functional properties. Moreover, suspended oxides can be employed as template systems for the ex-situ epitaxial growth of other oxides, enabling a flexible approach to device design.

This functional oxide MEMS technology is already at its proof-of-concept state and further activities will be directed to the development of use cases in the field of micro/nanotechnologies.

This activity has been organised in the framework of the OXiNEMS project (www.oxinems.eu)