Integration of active thin films with silicon compatible materials and process science protocols for MEMS scale vibration damping applications

Utilizing a BaSrTiO3/NiTi hybrid composite thin film design on a silicon substrate we have successfully fabricated, characterized, and optimized a high performance vibration control pedestal for passive damping of die level MEMS components. The thin film fabrication and integration protocols were accomplished via semiconductor industry standard processing methods and procedures. The ferroelectric tetragonal phase of BaSrTiO3 was deposited by metalorganic solution deposition (MOSD) technique followed by annealing in flowing oxygen. Thin film NiTi was sputter deposited utilizing a TiNi target in an ultrahigh vacuum chamber, followed by in situ vacuum annealing. Comparison of a variety of designs and integration processing protocols demonstrated that the sequential deposition of the BaSrTiO3 and NiTi thin films, followed by their respective optimized crystallization anneals at 750 and 500 degrees C, achieved successful materials compatible monolithic integration of the composite bi-layer stack with the Si support wafer. The impact of this materials integration technology, based on foundry friendly film deposition techniques and integration procedures, serves to promote wide-scale implementation of vibration control passive damping for a variety of device/die level structures.