A Reassessment of Materials Issues in Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)

Over the past 7 years there has been an explosion of research activity into materials for MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS). This paper reviews the current issues associated with materials for MEMS. Five topical areas are addressed: the effect of lengthscale, the selection of materials and processes, the MEMS material set, microfabrication processes and material characterization. Each of these areas is examined, with particular emphasis on the potential impact of materials solutions. The paper concludes with an assessment of the progress in MEMS materials made since 2000.