Characterisation of

nanographite for MEMS

resonators

Sam Fishlock, Harold Chong, John McBride,

Sean OShea, Suan Hui Pu
MRS Fall meeting practice session

sjf1e12@soton.ac.uk

Carbon materials for MEMS and

NEMS

MEMS = Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems

Investigated materials: diamond-like carbon, graphite,
graphene
Applications: resonators as mass sensors or oscillators and
filters for electronics
Good mechanical properties and device scalability
AIM: Demonstrate fabrication and characterisation of
nanographite MEMS resonators without transfer

F. Rose et. al, Nanotechnology. 135 (2006) 5192.

K.M. Milaninia et. al, Appl. Phys. Lett. 95 (2009)

Nanocrystalline graphite
deposition
6-inch silicon wafer substrate
Oxford instruments NANOFAB
PECVD
Scalable and reproducible
standard microfabrication
process
Temperature (C)

750

Methane flow
(sccm)

75

Hydrogen flow
(sccm)

60

Pressure (mTorr)
RF Power (W)

M.E. Schmidt et. Al, Mater. Res. Exp. 1 (2014).

www.azom.com

1500
100

Material characterisation

Raman and SEM confirm nanocrystalline grain structure

Electrical resistivity 10.0 m cm
XRR measurement density 1900 kg/m3

100
nm

Resistivity
by electrical
measureme
nts

Film stress
Stress gradient
in the film

Average compressive stress

causes buckling in C-C beams

20 um

Applied
stress

causes
curvature in
cantilevers

20 um

Device fabrication

Surface micromachining, optical lithography

Pattern and etch

nanographite into
beam shape
E-beam
evaporated Ni/Ti
electrodes
HF vapour
isotropic etch for
beam release

Nanographite
KEY:

Anchor

PECVD Silicon
dioxide
SC Silicon substrate

Undercu
t

Simulation
Modelled as classic beams under tension where Natural
frequency f varies with : Length L , Stiffness E, density
,Stress S and Geometry factor I,:
2 EI
SL2
f 2
1
L

EI 2

ANSYS FEA simulation shows added

length due to the undercut ~ 3%

Nominal
length

Effective
length

Actuation and measurement

DC VDC + AC V0 voltage creating electrostatic force F to

actuate the beam
Sweep AC voltage at frequency f and measure the vibration
1 C 1 C 2
using
F LDV
V 2V V sin 2 ft

2 r

2 r

DC

DC 0

Laser source
Measured 1st
vibration mode
Split beam
Doppler shift used
to calculate
vibration
amplitude

Resonance results

Verification from the FEA model

Youngs modulus from the cantilevers is 23 GPa
Frequency of the doubly clamped beams dominated by
stress
Cantilever
results

Doubly clamped beam results

Simulation for Youngs modulus

23 GPa

9 MPa tensile
stress

Results - quality factor

Quality factor Q energy loss at resonance. Calculated

from the FWHM of fitted curve
Losses are intrinsic, clamping, extrinsic

Ambient
Q = 20

30 mTorr
Q=
1300

Tuning the natural

frequency

Increasing the DC bias applies a compressive stress

electrostatic spring softening to change the natural
frequency
0.35% per volt average tunability
Non-linearity due to anchor shape
Increasing bias
voltage

Conclusions

Route to standard fabrication of thin nanographite and

nanographene devices by PECVD
Electrostatically actuated and tuned resonator device
Low modulus, high stress material used the stress gradient
to create tensile devices which raises the vibration frequency

Sincere thanks to co-authors and technical

help
Dr Suan Hui Pu
Dr Sean OShea
Dr Harold Chong
Dr Xiaosong Tang
Prof John McBride Mr Andrew Breeson
Dr Kian Kiang
Dr Meysam
Mirshekarloo
Dr Owain Clark
Mr Lim Poh Chong
Mr Michael Perry

Thank you questions?

Any