Phonon-mediated characterization of microelectromechanical resonators

Abstract

The authors describe an acoustic-phonon technique for dynamic microelectromechanical device characterization. Proof of concept experiments using electrostatic resonators reveal a linear phonon to displacement relationship, with detection gain factors up to 25.2 mV/ μm attained for packaged devices. Q values of 21 600 and 465 obtained at operating pressures of 6.0 × 10-6 and 760 Torr, respectively, conform to theoretical estimates. Duffing behavior for nonlinear resonator operation was also characterized as a third order response. As acoustic phonons are well detected on any external location for packaged devices, destructive depackaging for die probing is unnecessary, allowing noninvasive testing and high measurement throughput to be attained. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.