Novel Design of SOI-Based MEMS Bell Plates for Resonant Applications

This paper aims at proposing a design of MEMS bell plates manufactured in silicon technology on silicon on insulator (SOI) wafers. The etching process and the release of the structure are among the most sensitive steps of fabrication. The design we propose mitigates the adverse effects of under etching while remaining compatible with standard fabrication processes. Through qualitative analysis and Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations, we assess the impact of under etching on the anchor losses and illustrate a few geometrical designs that could decrease the effect of under-etching, as well as their effect on the frequency.