Process Considerations for Screen-Printed Thick-Film MEMS

This paper discusses the use of thick-film screen-printing process in realization of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). Two types of screen-printed thick-film MEMS are taken in consideration: screen-printed silicon and screen-printed ceramic MEMS. Silicon MEMS dominate MEMS market and screen-printed silicon MEMS are mostly based on piezoelectric thick films such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT). Key issues that screen-printed silicon MEMS face are compatibility of materials and processes used in their realization. Screen-printed ceramic MEMS are MEMS with free-standing micromechanical structures on top surface of the ceramic substrate and L TCC based ceramic MEMS. Challenges for screen-printed ceramic MEMS are related to compatibility of thick - film compositions, screen printing and micromachining processes used for realization of these fragile microstructures.