Innovative MEMS Stage for Automated Micromechanical Testing

This study introduces a comprehensive methodology for designing, fabricating, and testing a MEMS stage integrated into a commercial testing device, with a focus on enabling automated testing of multiple samples under in-plane loading conditions. Drawing inspiration from recent innovative MEMS stage designs, a new approach is developed to integrate micromanipulator tips into a commercial micro-mechanical testing machine, allowing for automated one-directional loading of micro-scale samples. To address challenges related to handling and alignment, a co-fabrication technique is employed, enabling the simultaneous fabrication of the micro-sample and MEMS stage within a single process flow. A novel fabrication method utilizing a silicon-on-insulator substrate is utilized. The calibration of testing method is conducted using both analytical and experimental methods to ensure accurate measurement of force and deflection within the in-plane testing protocol. The released micro-beam structures undergo repetitive loading to evaluate bending deformation. The developed approach is extended to multiple testing attempts on MEMS stage-micro-sample, combinations co-fabricated within a single chip, enabling precise statistical treatment of the measurements.