Investigating ESD sensitivity in electrostatic SiGe MEMS

• Published in: Journal of micromechanics and microengineering 2010-05, Vol.20 (5), p.055005-055005
• Main Authors: Sangameswaran, Sandeep, De Coster, Jeroen, Linten, Dimitri, Scholz, Mirko, Thijs, Steven, Groeseneken, Guido, De Wolf, Ingrid
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Actuators; Applied sciences; Circuit properties; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronics; Electrostatic discharges; Electrostatics; Exact sciences and technology; Failure analysis; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Integrated optics. Optical fibers and wave guides; Measurement methods; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; Mechanical instruments, equipment and techniques; Microelectromechanical systems; Micromechanical devices and systems; Micromechanics; Microwave circuits, microwave integrated circuits, microwave transmission lines, submillimeter wave circuits; Optical and optoelectronic circuits; Physics; Precision engineering, watch making; Silicon germanides
• ISSN: 0960-1317; 1361-6439
• DOI: 10.1088/0960-1317/20/5/055005

The sensitivity of electrostatically actuated SiGe microelectromechanical systems to electrostatic discharge events has been investigated in this paper. Torsional micromirrors and RF microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) actuators have been used as two case studies to perform this study. On-wafer electrostatic discharge (ESD) measurement methods, such as the human body model (HBM) and machine model (MM), are discussed. The impact of HBM ESD zap tests on the functionality and behavior of MEMS is explained and the ESD failure levels of MEMS have been verified by failure analysis. It is demonstrated that electrostatic MEMS devices have a high sensitivity to ESD and that it is essential to protect them.