A Novel SU8 Polymer Anchored Low Temperature HWCVD Nitride Polysilicon Piezoresitive Cantilever

Abstract

In this paper, we present a novel approach for fabricating piezoresistive silicon nitride cantilevers using polymer as an anchor. In our approach, the silicon nitride structural layers, as well as the polycrystalline silicon piezoresistive layer, are deposited by a low temperature hot-wire chemical vapor deposition process. The novelty of this process is that the silicon wafer is not consumed and is reusable, and the process also allows use of alternate materials for cantilever fabrication in place of silicon substrate. The fabricated silicon nitride cantilevers are characterized for their mechanical and electromechanical behavior.