Deformation characteristics of electroplated MEMS cantilever beams released by plasma ashing

The present study quantitatively examines the deformation characteristics of electroplated MEMS structures released by plasma ashing. This study investigates the thermal deformations due to the high temperature of ambient plasma, the changes in microstructures of the material during the deposition process, and the changes in material properties due to physical and chemical reactions between the film surface and the plasma particles. We conduct various experimental tests and introduce an analytical model to evaluate the residual stresses in MEMS structures when considering the three-dimensional anchor effect. The experimental results show that the high temperature of ambient plasma, the inhomogeneity of microstructures in the thickness direction, and the changes in the surface material properties may cause the deflections of MEMS structures after plasma ashing.