MSK TECH.

MODULE II Page | 1

Material selection is a step in the process of designing any physical object. In the
context of product design, the main goal of material selection is to minimize cost
while meeting product performance goals Systematic selection of the best
material for a given application begins with properties and costs of candidate
materials. For example, a thermal blanket must have poor thermal conductivity in
order to minimize heat transfer for a given temperature difference.
Systematic selection for applications requiring multiple criteria is more complex.
For example, a rod which should be stiff and light requires a material with high
Young's modulus and low density. If the rod will be pulled in tension, the specific
modulus, or modulus divided by density , will determine the best material.
But because a plate's bending stiffness scales as its thickness cubed, the best
material for a stiff and light plate is determined by the cube root of stiffness
divided by density . For a stiff beam in bending the material index is
A common method for choosing an appropriate material is an “Ashby chart”. By
plotting a performance index for a specific case of loading on the Ashby chart, a
material with maximum performance can be selected. The performance index
takes into consideration the dimensional constraints, material constraints, and
free variable constraints of a specific application.3 important parameters are
function, performance, geometry. Based on this, the properties can be studied
and material can be selected.
The various Materials are:
1- SILICON (SI)
Silicon is a solid at room temperature, with relatively high melting and boiling
points of 1414 and 3265 °C, respectively. Like water, it has a greater density in a
liquid state than in a solid state, and so, like water but unlike most substances, it
does not contract when it freezes, but expands. With a relatively high thermal
conductivity of 149 W·m−1·K−1, silicon conducts heat well.
In its crystalline form, pure silicon has a gray color and a metallic luster. Like
germanium, silicon is rather strong very brittle, and prone to chipping. Silicon, like
carbon and germanium, crystallizes in a diamond cubic crystal structure, with a
lattice spacing of 0.5430710 nm.
Silicon is a semiconductor. It has a negative temperature coefficient of resistance,
since the number of free charge carriers increases with temperature. The
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electrical resistance of single crystal silicon significantly changes under the

application of mechanical stress due to the piezoresistive effect.
Specifications: (wiki)

1.Young's modulus 130–188 GPa

2.Poisson ratio 0.064–0.28

3.Density near r.t. 2.3290 g/cm3

when liquid, at m.p. 2.57 g/cm3

4.Thermal conductivity 149 W/(m·K)

From pdfs:
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2. SIO2
The growth of silicon dioxide is one of the most important processes in the
fabrication of MOS transistors . The attributes of SiO which make it appealing for
the semiconductor industry are :
- It is easily deposited on various materials and grown thermally on silicon wafers.
- It is resistant to many chemicals used during the etching of other materials,while
allowing itself to be selectively etched with certain chemicals or dry-etched with
plasmas.
- It can be used as a blocking material for ion implantation or diffusion of many
unwanted impurities.
- The interface between silicon and silicon dioxide has relatively few mechanical
and electrical defects, although with newer technology nodes and reduced
geometries, even slight defects must be addressed.
- It has a high dielectric strength and a relatively wide band gap, making it an
excellent insulator.
- It has high a temperature stability of up to 1600 C, making it a useful material for
process and device integration.
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3-333333333

3= SI3N4:
Silicon nitride is a chemical compound of the elements silicon and nitrogen, with
the formula Si3N4. It is a white, high-melting-point solid that is relatively
chemically inert, being attacked by dilute HF and hot H2SO4. It is very hard (8.5
on the mohs scale). It is the most thermodynamically stable of the silicon nitrides.
Hence, Si3N4 is the most commercially important of the silicon nitrides[3] and is
generally understood as what is being referred to where the term "silicon nitride"
is used.
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The material is prepared by heating powdered silicon between 1300 °C and

1400 °C in an atmosphere of nitrogen:

3 Si + 2 N2 → Si3N4

The silicon sample weight increases progressively due to the chemical

combination of silicon and nitrogen. Without an iron catalyst, the reaction is
complete after several hours (~7).

Density- 3.2 g/cm3, solid

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4- Chromium cr

Chromium is a chemical element with symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the
first element in Group 6. It is a steely-grey, lustrous, hard and brittle metal[3]
which takes a high polish, resists tarnishing, and has a high melting point. The
name of the element is derived from the Greek word χρῶμα, chrōma, meaning
color,[4] because many of its compounds are intensely colored.
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Characteristics

Physical

Chromium is remarkable for its magnetic properties: it is the only elemental solid
which shows antiferromagnetic ordering at room temperature (and below).
Above 38 °C, it transforms into a paramagnetic state.[2]

Passivation

Chromium metal left standing in air is passivated by oxygen, forming a thin

protective oxide surface layer. This layer is a spinel structure only a few atoms
thick. It is very dense, and prevents the diffusion of oxygen into the underlying
material. This barrier is in contrast to iron or plain carbon steels, where the
oxygen migrates into the underlying material and causes rusting.[6] The
passivation can be enhanced by short contact with oxidizing acids like nitric acid.
Passivated chromium is stable against acids. The opposite effect can be achieved
by treatment with a strong reducing agent that destroys the protective oxide
layer on the metal. Chromium metal treated in this way readily dissolves in weak
acids.[7]
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AU:

Gold is a chemical element with symbol Au (from Latin: aurum) and atomic
number 79. In its purest form, it is a bright, slightly reddish yellow, dense, soft,
malleable and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal and a group 11
element. It is one of the least reactive chemical elements, and is solid under
standard conditions. The metal therefore occurs often in free elemental (native)
form, as nuggets or grains, in rocks, in veins and in alluvial deposits. It occurs in a
solid solution series with the native element silver (as electrum) and also naturally
alloyed with copper and palladium. Less commonly, it occurs in minerals as gold
compounds, often with tellurium (gold tellurides).
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8- Titanium:
Titanium is a chemical element with symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It is a
lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density and high strength. It is
highly resistant to corrosion in sea water, aqua regia and chlorine.
The two most useful properties of the metal are corrosion resistance and the
highest strength-to-density ratio of any metallic element.[6] In its unalloyed
condition, titanium is as strong as some steels, but less dense.[7] There are two
allotropic forms[8] and five naturally occurring isotopes of this element, 46Ti
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through 50Ti, with 48Ti being the most abundant (73.8%).[9] Although they have the
same number of valence electrons and are in the same group in the periodic
table, titanium and zirconium differ in many chemical and physical properties.

Material: Titanium (Ti), bulk

Property Value Conditions Reference

CRC Materials Science and Engineering

Density 4510 kg/m^3 Solid Density
Handbook, p.46

CRC Materials Science and Engineering

Specific heat 522.5 J/kg/K At Temp=25 C.
Handbook, p.261

Thermal Value at CRC Materials Science and Engineering

21.9 W/m/K
conductivity temp=300 K. Handbook, p.274-276

Young's Modulus 115 GPa Bulk material. Thin Solid Films,270(1995), p.263

Material: Titanium (Ti), film

Property Value Conditions Reference

Used as a mover,min voltage to move the

IEEE Micro Electro
mover=1600 V,bottom of the mover is
Coefficient of Mechanical Systems
0.3 glass plate,film condition:0.2095 um &
static friction Workshop,Jan-Feb 1991,
deposited by vacuum-evaporation method
Nara,Japan, p.151
on glass substrate.

Used as a mover,min voltage to remove

IEEE Micro Electro
the mover=1350 V,bottom of the mover is
Coefficient of Mechanical Systems
0.28 Silicon substrate,film condition:0.2174 um
static friction Workshop,Jan-Feb 1991,
& deposited by vacuum-evaporation
Nara,Japan, p.151
method on glass substrate.

Used as a mover,min voltage to move the

IEEE Micro Electro
mover=1600 V,bottom of the mover is
Static frictional Mechanical Systems
0.001041 N glass plate,film condition:0.2095 um &
force(max) Workshop,Jan-Feb 1991,
deposited by vacuum-evaporation method
Nara,Japan, p.151
on glass substrate.

Used as a mover,min voltage to remove IEEE Micro Electro

Static frictional 0.000741 N
the mover=1350 V,bottom of the mover is Mechanical Systems
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force(max) Silicon substrate,film condition:0.2174 um Workshop,Jan-Feb 1991,

& deposited by vacuum-evaporation Nara,Japan, p.151
method on glass substrate.

IEEE,Micro Electro
Mechanical Systems
Strain,limiting 0.004 Thin film,used in semiconductor fabrication.
Workshop,Feb 1990, Napa
Vally,California, p.147

Single layer deposited by DC planar

magnetron sputtering on to 2 inch oxidized
Young's Thin Solid Films,270(1995),
102.6 GPa Si<111>wafers at ambient temp., using Ar as
Modulus p.263
sputtering gas,Ar press=2 mT,for film
thickness from 0.1-2.0 um.

Single layer deposited by DC planar

magnetron sputtering on to 2 inch oxidized
Young's Thin Solid Films,270(1995),
110 GPa Si<111> wafers at ambient temp., using Ar as
Modulus p.263
sputtering gas,Ar press=5 mT,for film
thickness from 0.1-2 um.

IEEE,Micro Electro
Young's Mechanical Systems
110 GPa Thin film,used in semiconductor fabrication.
Modulus Workshop,Feb 1990, Napa
Vally,California, p.147

SU-8: THICK PHOTO-RESIST FOR MEMS

● The SU-8 is a negative, epoxy-type, near-UV photoresist based on EPON SU-
8 epoxy resin (from Shell Chemical) that has been originally developed, and
patented (US Patent No. 4882245 (1989) and others) byIBM.
● This photoresist can be as thick as 2 mm and aspect ratio >20 and higher
have been demonstrated with a standard contact lithography equipment
(picture courtesy of R. Yang).
● These astounding results are due to the low optical absorption in the UV
range which only limits the thickness to 2 mm for the 365nm-wavelength
where the photo-resist is the most sensitive (i.e., for this thickness very
little UV light reach the bottom of the structure).
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● Of course LIGA still yield better results but low-cost application will
undoubtedly benefit from this resist that is well suited for acting as a mold
for electroplating because of its relatively high thermal stability (Tg>200°C
for the cross-linked (i.e., exposed) resist).
SU-8 is a commonly used epoxy-based negative photoresist. Negative refers to a
photoresist whereby the parts exposed to UV become cross-linked, while the
remainder of the film remains soluble and can be washed away during
development.
As shown in the structural diagram, SU-8 derives its name from the presence of 8
epoxy groups. This is a statistical average per moiety. It is these epoxies that
cross-link to give the final structure.
It can be made into a viscous polymer that can be spun or spread over a thickness
ranging from below 1 micrometer up to above 300 micrometers, or Thick Film Dry
Sheets (TFDS) for lamination up to above 1 millimetre thick. Up to 500µm the
resist can be processed with standard contact lithography.[1] Above 500µm
absorption leads to increasing sidewall undercuts and poor curing at the substrate
interface. It can be used to pattern high aspect ratio structures. An aspect ratio of
(> 20) has been achieved with the solution formulation [2] and (> 40) has been
demonstrated from the dry resist. [3] Its maximum absorption is for ultraviolet
light with a wavelength of the i-line: 365 nm (it is not practical to expose SU-8
with g-line ultraviolet light). When exposed, SU-8's long molecular chains cross-
link causing the polymerisation of the material. SU-8 series photoresists use
gamma-butyrolactone or cyclopentanone as the primary solvent.
SU-8 was originally developed as a photoresist for the microelectronics industry,
to provide a high-resolution mask for fabrication of semiconductor devices.
It is now mainly used in the fabrication of microfluidics (mainly via soft
lithography, but also with other imprinting techniques such as nanoimprint
lithography[4]) and microelectromechanical systems parts. It is also one of the
most biocompatible materials known [5] and is often used in bio-MEMS.
Poisson ratio 0.22 ( postbaked at 95°C)
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Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)

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General Poly(methacrylates) are polymers of the esters of methacrylic acids. The

most commonly used among them is poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).
Poly(methyl methacrylate) or poly (methyl 2‐methylpropenoate) is the polymer of
methyl methacrylate, with chemical formula C5H8O2)n. It is a clear, colourless
poly‐mer available on the market in both pellet and sheet form under the names
Plexiglas, Acrylite, Perspex, Plazcryl, Acrylplast, Altuglas, Lucite etc. It is commonly
called acrylic glass or simply acrylic.
Another polymer, poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) is a rubbery material, similar to
poly(methyl methacrylate), but softer than it, because its long polymer chains are
thinner and smoother and can more easily slide past each other.
Poly(methyl methacrylate) is produced by free‐radical polymerization of methyl‐
methacrylate in mass (when it is in sheet form) or suspension polymerization
according to the following chart:
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The low water absorption capacity of PMMA makes it very suitable for electrical
engineering purposes. Its dielectric properties are very good, but polystyrene and
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LDPE are superior to it. Its resistivity depends on the ambient temperature and
relative humidity. The dielectric constant, as well as the loss tangent, depends on
the temperature, the relative humidity of air and the frequency.

PMMA exhibits very good optical properties – it transmits more light (up to 93%
of visible light) than glass. Combined with its good degree of compatibility with
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human tissue, it can be used for replacement intraocular lenses or for contact
lenses. Unlike glass, PMMA does not filter ultraviolet light. It transmits UV light
down to 300 nm and allows infrared light of up to 2800 nm to pass.

PLATINUM
It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, gray-white transition
metal. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina, which is literally
translated into "little silver” Platinum is the least reactive metal. It has remarkable
resistance to corrosion, even at high temperatures, and is therefore considered a
noble metal. Consequently, platinum is often found chemically uncombined as
native platinum. Because it occurs naturally in the alluvial sands of various rivers,
it was first used by pre-Columbian South American natives to produce artifacts. It
was referenced in European writings as early as 16th century, but it was not until
Antonio de Ulloa published a report on a new metal of Colombian origin in 1748
that it became investigated by scientists.
Platinum is used in catalytic converters, laboratory equipment, electrical contacts
and electrodes, platinum resistance thermometers, dentistry equipment, and
jewelry. Being a heavy metal, it leads to health issues upon exposure to its salts,
but due to its corrosion resistance, it is not as toxic as some metals.[4] Compounds
containing platinum, such as cisplatin, oxaliplatin and carboplatin, are applied in
chemotherapy against certain types of cancer.
Pure platinum is a lustrous, ductile, and malleable, silver-white metal.[6] Platinum
is more ductile than gold, silver or copper, thus being the most ductile of pure
metals, but it is less malleable than gold.[7][8] The metal has excellent resistance to
corrosion, is stable at high temperatures and has stable electrical properties.
Platinum reacts with oxygen slowly at very high temperatures
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