A robust co-sputtering fabrication procedure for TiNi shape memory alloys for MEMS

Co-sputtering has been used to fabricate equiatomic thin films of TiNi, a shape memory alloy which form the basis of microactuators with many applications in MEMS. Methods for overcoming the difficulties involved in obtaining equiatomic TiNi thin films with high transformation temperatures, and a robust procedure suitable for batch fabrication in a production environment, are described.