A new nanoscale electric field sensor was developed for studying triboelectric charging in
terrestrial and Martian dust devils. This sensor is capable to measure the large electric fields for
large dust devils without saturation. However, to quantify the electric charges and the field
strength it is critical to calibrate the mechanical stiffness of the sensor devices. We performed a
technical feasibility study of the Nano E-field Sensor stiffness by a non-contact stiffness
measurement method. The measurement is based on laser Doppler vibrometer measurement of
the thermal noise due to energy flunctuations in the devices. The experiment method provides a
novel approach to acquire data that is essential in analyzing the quantitative performance of the
E-field Nano Sensor. To carry out the non-contact stiffness measurement, we fabricated a new
Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube (SWCNT) E-field sensor with different SWCNTs suspension
conditions. The power spectra of the thermal induced displacement in the nano E-field sensor
were measured at the accuracy of picometer. The power spectra were then used to derive the
mechanical stiffness of the sensors. Effect of suspension conditions on stiffness and sensor
sensitivty was discussed. After combined deformation and resistivity measurement, we can
compare with our laboratory testing and field testing results. This new non-contact measurement
technology can also help to explore to other nano and MEMS devices in the future.
KEYWORDS: Electric field sensors, Sensors, Gold, Microelectromechanical systems, Silicon, Electrodes, Packaging, Single walled carbon nanotubes, Scanning electron microscopy, Calibration
A new nanoscale electric field sensor was developed for studying triboelectric charging in terrestrial and Martian dust
devils. The sensor was fabricated using MEMS techniques, integrated at the system level, and deployed during a dust
devil field campaign. The two-terminal piezoresistive sensor consists of a micron-scale network of suspended singlewalled
carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) that are mechanically coupled to a free-standing electrically conductor.
Electrostatic coupling of the conductor to the electric field is expected to produce a deflection of the conductor and a
corresponding change in nanotube device resistance, based on the known piezoresistive properties of SWCNTs. The
projected device performance will allow measurement of the large electric fields for large dust devils without saturation.
With dimensions on the 100 μm scale and power consumption of only tens of nW, the sensor features dramatically
reduced mass, power, and footprint. Recent field testing of the sensor demonstrated the robustness of suspended
SWCNT devices to temperature fluctuations, mechanical shock, dust, and other environmental factors.
We have developed microshutter array systems at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for use as multi-object
aperture arrays for a Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NIRSpec) instrument. The instrument will be carried on the
James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the next generation of space telescope, after the Hubble Space
Telescope retires. The microshutter arrays (MSAs) are designed for the selective transmission of light from
objected galaxies in space with high efficiency and high contrast. Arrays are close-packed silicon nitride
membranes with a pixel size close to 100x200 μm. Individual shutters are patterned with a torsion flexure
permitting shutters to open 90 degrees with minimized stress concentration. In order to enhance optical
contrast, light shields are made on each shutter to prevent light leak. Shutters are actuated magnetically,
latched and addressed electrostatically. The shutter arrays are fabricated using MEMS bulk-micromachining
and packaged utilizing a novel single-sided indium flip-chip bonding technology. The MSA flight system
consists of a mosaic of 2 x 2 format of four fully addressable 365 x 171 arrays. The system will be placed in
the JWST optical path at the focal plane of NIRSpec detectors. MSAs that we fabricated passed a series of
qualification tests for flight capabilities. We are in the process of making final flight-qualified MSA systems
for the JWST mission.
KEYWORDS: Camera shutters, Electrodes, Magnetism, Indium, Silicon, James Webb Space Telescope, Optical fabrication, Metals, Microelectromechanical systems, Space telescopes
A complex MEMS device, microshutter array system, is being developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight
Center for use as an aperture array for a Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NirSpec). The instrument will be
carried on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the next generation of space telescope after Hubble
Space Telescope retires. The microshutter arrays (MSAs) are designed for the selective transmission of light
with high efficiency and high contrast. Arrays are close-packed silicon nitride membranes with a pixel size
close to 100x200 &mgr;m. Individual shutters are patterned with a torsion flexure permitting shutters to open 90
degrees with a minimized mechanical stress concentration. Light shields are made on to each shutter for light
leak prevention so to enhance optical contrast. Shutters are actuated magnetically, latched and addressed
electrostatically. The shutter arrays are fabricated using MEMS bulk-micromachining technologies and
packaged using single-sided indium flip-chip bonding technology. The MSA flight concept consists of a
mosaic of 2 x 2 format of four fully addressable 365 x 171 arrays placed in the JWST optical path at the focal
plane.
KEYWORDS: Camera shutters, Electrodes, Indium, Magnetism, Silicon, James Webb Space Telescope, Optical fabrication, Metals, Microelectromechanical systems, Space telescopes
MEMS microshutter arrays (MSAs) are being developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for use as an aperture
array for the Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NirSpec). The instruments will be carried on the James Webb Space
Telescope (JWST), the next generation of space telescope after Hubble Space Telescope retires. The microshutter arrays
are designed for the selective transmission of light with high efficiency and high contrast. Arrays are close-packed
silicon nitride membranes with a pixel size of 105x204 μm. Individual shutters are patterned with a torsion flexure
permitting shutters to open 90 degrees with a minimized mechanical stress concentration. Light shields are made on each
shutter for light leak prevention to enhance optical contrast. Shutters are actuated magnetically, latched and addressed
electrostatically. The shutter arrays are fabricated using MEMS technologies. Single-side indium flip chip bonding is
performed to attach microshutter arrays to substrates.
We report on methods to minimize thermally-induced deformation in a MEMS-based reconfigurable aperture. The device is an enabling component of the Near-Infrared Spectrometer, a principle instrument on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. The Microshutter Array consists of 384x175 individually addressable shutters which can be magnetically rotated 90° into the plane of the array and electrostatically latched open. Each shutter is a 100x200 μm rectangular membrane suspended by a small neck region and torsion flexure. The primary materials in the shutter are a 5000Å Si3N4 layer for mechanical rigidity, 2000Å Al for opacity and electrostatic latching, and 2200Å Co90Fe10 for magnetic actuation. This multi-layer stack presents a challenge due to the operating temperatures required for the device: both room temperature (300K) and cryogenic temperature (30K). Thermal expansion of the materials causes the shutters to bow out of plane excessively, which can prevent actuation of the shutters, cause damage to portions of the array, and allow light leakage around closed shutters. Here we present our investigation of several methods to prevent microshutter bowing including deposition of additional materials on the shutters to create a symmetrical layer stack and replacing the current stack with low-coefficient of thermal expansion materials. Using shutter-size suspended cantilever beams as a rapid-development test bed, we have reduced out-of-plane bowing between 300K and 30K to 10% or better. We are currently applying these results to microshutter arrays to develop shutters that remain flat from room temperature to cryogenic temperature while retaining the required mechanical, optical, and magnetic properties.
KEYWORDS: Camera shutters, Electrodes, Silicon, Metals, Magnetism, James Webb Space Telescope, Optical fabrication, Microelectromechanical systems, Semiconducting wafers, Reactive ion etching
Micro Electromechanical System (MEMS) microshutter arrays are being developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for use as a field selector of the Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The microshutter arrays are designed for the spontaneous selection of a large number of objects in the sky and the transmission of light to the NIRSpec detector with high contrast. The JWST environment requires cryogenic operation at 35 K. Microshutter arrays are fabricated out of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) silicon wafers. Arrays are close-packed silicon nitride membranes with a pixel size of 100 x 200 μm. Individual shutters are patterned with a torsion flexure permitting shutters to open 90 degrees with a minimized mechanical stress concentration. Light shields are processed for blocking light from gaps between shutters and frames. The mechanical shutter arrays are fabricated using MEMS technologies. The processing includes multi-layer metal depositions, the patterning of magnetic stripes and shutter electrodes, a reactive ion etching (RIE) to form shutters out of the nitride membrane, an anisotropic back-etch for wafer thinning, followed by a deep RIE (DRIE) back-etch to form mechanical supporting grids and release shutters from the silicon substrate. An additional metal deposition is used to form back electrodes. Shutters are actuated by a magnetic force and latched using an electrostatic force. Optical tests, addressing tests, and life tests are conducted to evaluate the performance and the reliability of microshutter arrays.
Magnetically actuated MEMS microshutter arrays are being developed at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for use in a multi-object spectrometer on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), formerly Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST). The microshutter arrays are designed for the selective transmission of light with high efficiency and high contrast. The JWST environment requires cryogenic operation at 45K. Microshutter arrays are fabricated out of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers. Arrays consist of close-packed shutters made on silicon nitride (nitride) membranes with a pixel size of 100 × 100 m. Individual shutters are patterned with a torsion flexure permitting shutters to open 90°, with a minimized mechanical stress concentration. Shutters operated this way have survived fatigue life test. The mechanical shutter arrays are fabricated using MEMS technologies. The processing includes a multi-layer metal deposition, patterning of shutter electrodes and magnetic pads, reactive ion etching (RIE) of the front side to form shutters in a nitride film, an anisotropic back-etch for wafer thinning, and a deep RIE (DRIE) back-etch, down to the nitride shutter layer, to form support frames and relieve shutters from the silicon substrate. An additional metal deposition and patterning has recently been developed to form electrodes on the vertical walls of the frame. Shutters are actuated using a magnetic force, and latched electrostatically. One-dimensional addressing has been demonstrated.
KEYWORDS: Iron, Camera shutters, Silicon, Aluminum, James Webb Space Telescope, Sputter deposition, Spectroscopy, Magnetism, Space telescopes, Semiconducting wafers
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), formally Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST), is one of NASA’s challenging projects for advancing the exploration of space. The NGST will be equipped with a Multi-Object-Spectrometer (MOS) that covers the wavelength ranging from 0.6 to 5 micron. To selectively direct light rays from different regions of space into the spectrometer, one approach is to use microshutter arrays serving as the slit mask for the spectrometer. A large format (2Kx1K) individually addressable microshutter array with a lateral pixel size of 100μm x 200μm is being developed and fabricated using MEMS technologies. The microshutter arrays are close-packed silicon nitride membrane cantilevers. A ferromagnetic Co90Fe10 film is deposited on the membranes to magnetically actuate the microshutters. During deposition a Co90Fe10 film is susceptible to develop large tensile stress that can distort the nitride membranes and affect the contrast of the MOS, especially at cryogenic temperatures. In this paper, we discuss how to minimize the film stress. Stress-test cantilevers are micro machined and used in conjunction with Stoney’s formula to determine film stresses. The effects of deposition pressure and power on the Co90Fe10 film, aluminum film and multiple-layer film stress are discussed. It is found that sputter-deposition of Co90Fe10 at low pressure and power results in favor of low tensile stresses in films.
A large format individually addressable Micro-Mirror-Array (MMA) has been developed at NASA, GSFC for possible application in the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST). The 100micron X100micron aluminum micro-mirrors are built on top of CMOS driven address and driver circuit for individual addressing. The high voltage CMOS fabrication process produces about 2.8microns surface roughness on the silicon wafer. The wafer surface is planarized before integration of the MMA. Three different planarization materials were evaluated; polyimide, spin-on glass and BCB. BCB showed the best results for our application. A single layer of BCB coating reduced the surface topology from 2.8micron to less than 1,700Angstroms and two layers of BCB coating reduced the surface topology to about 600Angstroms. Since the MMA has to operate at 30K for the NGST application, a wafer coated with cured BCB was dunk tested in liquid nitrogen at 77K and no cracks were found after thermal cycling. For specific application in NGST, the optical reflectance of BCB was measured at 40K over 1-5micron wavelength range and the results showed that BCB could absorb 30-40 percent of infrared light over this range. Details of coating, curing and etching properties of BCB are discussed along with its low temperature optical properties.
One of NASA's challenging projects for advancing the exploration of space is the development and deployment of the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) for superseding the existing Hubble Space Telescope. The NGST will be equipped with several camera/spectrometer systems including a 0.6 to 5 micron Multi-Object-Spectrometer. To selectively direct light rays from different regions of space into the spectrometer, an option is to use individually addressable micro-electro-mechanical-mirror arrays serving as the slit mask for the spectrometer. The NASA team at Goddard Space Flight Center has designed an integrated micro-mirror array/CMOS driver chip that can meet the system requirements. The fabrication and testing of prototype chips have yielded promising results. To build the entire MEMS- based slit mask, a design requires accurate placement and alignment of four large (at least 9 cm X 9 cm) pieces of the integrated chips in a 2X2 mosaic pattern. In addition, the mask will have to function at temperatures below 40 K. These requirements pose a serious challenge to the packaging of these integrated MEMS chips. In this paper, we discuss a concept for attaching and aligning the large- area MEMS chips into the 2X2 mask and interconnecting it to the rest of the system. The concept makes use of the flip-chip technology to bump-bond the large chips onto a silicon substrate such that the concern for global thermo- mechanical stresses due to mismatched coefficients of thermal expansion between chip and substrate is eliminated. It also makes use of the restoring force of the solder bumps during reflow to self-align the chips. A critical experiment involving the use of 'mechanical' chips with two-dimensional arrays of bonding pads was carried out to evaluate the feasibility of the packaging concept. Preliminary results indicate that the chips can be attached to form a closely packed mosaic pattern with a relative tilt angle between the chips to less than 0.05 degree, which is within the system specifications. Modeling results of the thermo-mechanical stresses gave small distortion as a result local CTE mismatch between the solder bump and silicon when the package is cooled from the solder reflow temperature down to 40 degrees Kelvin.
KEYWORDS: Camera shutters, Etching, Semiconducting wafers, Silicon, Deep reactive ion etching, Magnetism, Electrodes, Oxides, Space telescopes, Microelectromechanical systems
Two-dimensional microshutter arrays are being developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) for use in the near-infrared region. Functioning as object selection devices, the microshutter arrays are designed for the transmission of light with high efficiency and high contrast. The NGST environment requires cryogenic operation at 45K. Arrays are close-packed silicon nitride membranes with a pixel size of 100 X 100 micrometers . Individual shutters are patterned with a torsion flexure permitting shutters to open 90 degrees with a minimized mechanical stress concentration. The mechanical shutter arrays are fabricated with MEMS technologies. The processing includes a RIE front-etch to form shutters out of the nitride membrane, an anisotropic back-etch for wafer thinning, and a deep RIE (DRIE) back-etch down to the nitride shutter membrane to form frames and to relieve shutters from the silicon substrate. Two approaches for shutter actuation have been developed. Shutters are actuated using either a combined mechanical and electrostatic force or a combined magnetic and electrostatic force. A CMOS circuit embedded in the frame between shutters allows programmable shutter selection for the first approach. A control of row and column electrodes fulfills shutter selection for the second approach.
The mechanical properties of Ni50Ti50 deposited on Si substrates were studied focussing on the interaction of the film and substrate. This interaction determines the transformation characteristics through interface accommodation and mechanical constraints exerted by the substrate stiffness. Substrate stiffness, controlled by the film/substrate thickness ratio, was found to have a substantial influence on the output energy of the film/substrate composite. A switch type composite based on this knowledge was fabricated and tested. The thermo-mechanical properties of Terfenol-D thin films deposited on Si substrates were studied by static and dynamic measurements of film/substrate composite cantilevers. The Curie transition, (Delta) E effect and mechanical damping of the film were measured simultaneously. The stress in the film was controlled by annealing below the recrystallization temperature and determined to vary from -500 MPa, compression, in as deposited films to +480 MPa, tension, in annealed films. The Curie temperature shifts from 80 degree(s)C to 140 degree(s)C as the tension increases while the structure of the film remains amorphous. The stress change induced by annealing also drastically effects the film's damping characteristics. The (Delta) E effect of the amorphous material, about 20%, was used to estimate the magnetostriction, (lambda) s approximately equals 4 (DOT) 10-3.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.