MEMS reliability: Where are we now?

This paper reviews the significant successes in MEMS products from a reliability perspective. MEMS reliability is challenging and can be device and process dependent, but exercising the proper reliability techniques very early in product development has yielded success for many manufacturers. The reliability concerns of various devices are discussed including ink jet printhead, inertial sensors, pressure sensors, micro-mirror arrays, and the emerging applications of RF switches and resonators. Metal contacting RF switches are susceptible to hydrocarbon contamination which can increase the contact resistance over cycle count. Packaging techniques are described in the context of the whole reliability program.