Silicon carbide MEMS for harsh environments

TLDR

Silicon carbide (SiC) offers excellent electrical, mechanical, and chemical properties that make it a promising material for high‑temperature solid‑state electronics and transducers. This review surveys the use of SiC in microelectromechanical systems (SiC MEMS). The authors examine current efforts to adapt silicon‑based MEMS for harsh environments, outline processing challenges, and review existing SiC MEMS devices and future development issues. They summarize the material properties that render SiC attractive for such applications.

Abstract

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a promising material for the development of high-temperature solid-state electronics and transducers, owing to its excellent electrical, mechanical, and chemical properties. This paper is a review of silicon carbide for microelectromechanical systems (SiC MEMS). Current efforts in developing SiC MEMS to extend the silicon-based MEMS technology to applications in harsh environments are discussed. A summary is presented of the material properties that make SiC an attractive material for use in such environments. Challenges faced in the development of processing techniques are also outlined. Last, a review of the current stare of SiC MEMS devices and issues facing future progress are presented.