Are Diamonds a MEMS' Best Friend?

Next-generation military and civilian communication systems will require technologies capable of handling data/ audio, and video simultaneously while supporting multiple RF systems operating in several different frequency bands from the MHz to the GHz range [1]. RF microelectromechani-cal/nanoelectromechanical (MEMS/NEMS) devices, such as resonators and switches, are attractive to industry as they offer a means by which performance can be greatly improved for wireless applications while at the same time potentially reducing overall size and weight as well as manufacturing costs.     

Ultrananocrystalline Diamond-Coated Microporous Silicon Nitride Membranes for Medical Implant Applications

Ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) exhibits excellent biological and mechanical properties, which make it an appropriate choice for promoting epidermal cell migration on the surfaces of percutaneous implants. We deposited a ~150 nm thick UNCD film on a microporous silicon nitride membrane using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition. Scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used to examine the pore structure and chemical bonding of this material, respectively. Growth of human epidermal keratinocytes on UNCD-coated microporous silicon nitride membranes and uncoated microporous silicon nitride membranes was compared using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The results show that the UNCD coating did not significantly alter the viability of human epidermal keratinocytes, indicating potential use of this material for improving skin sealing around percutaneous implants.     

Ultrananocrystalline Diamond Film as a Wear-Resistant and Protective Coating for Mechanical Seal Applications

Mechanical shaft seals used in pumps are critically important to the safe operation of the paper, pulp, and chemical process industry, as well as petroleum and nuclear power plants. Specifically, these seals prevent the leakage of toxic gases and hazardous chemicals to the environment and final products from the rotating equipment used in manufacturing processes. Diamond coatings have the potential to provide negligible wear, ultralow friction, and high corrosion resistance for the sliding surfaces of mechanical seals, because diamond exhibits outstanding tribological, physical, and chemical properties. However, diamond coatings produced by conventional chemical vapor deposition (CVD) exhibit high surface roughness (R_a ≥ 1 μm), which results in high wear of the seal counterface, leading to premature seal failure. To avoid this problem, we have developed an ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) film formed by a unique CH₄/Ar microwave plasma CVD method. This method yields extremely smooth diamond coatings with surface roughness R_a = 20–30 nm and an average grain size of 2–5 nm. We report the results of a systematic test program involving uncoated and UNCD-coated SiC shaft seals. Results confirmed that the UNCD-coated seals exhibited neither measurable wear nor any leakage during long-duration tests that took 21 days to complete. In addition, the UNCD coatings reduced the frictional torque for seal rotation by five to six times compared with the uncoated seals. This work promises to lead to rotating shaft seals with much improved service life, reduced maintenance cost, reduced leakage of environmentally hazardous materials, and increased energy savings. This technology may also have many other tribological applications involving rolling or sliding contacts.     

A methodology for fast finite element modeling of electrostatically actuated MEMS

In this paper, a methodology is proposed for expediting the coupled electro‐mechanical finite element modeling of electrostatically actuated MEMS. The proposed methodology eliminates the need for repeated finite element meshing and subsequent electrostatic modeling of the device during mechanical deformation. We achieve this by using an approximation of the charge density on the movable electrode in the deformed geometry in terms of the charge density in the non‐deformed geometry and displacements of the movable electrode. The electrostatic problem has to be solved only once and thus this method speeds up the coupled electro‐mechanical simulation process. The proposed methodology is demonstrated through its application to the modeling of four MEMS devices with varying length‐to‐gap ratios, multiple dielectrics and complicated geometries. Its accuracy is assessed through comparisons of its results with results obtained using both analytical solutions and finite element solutions obtained using ANSYS. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Biological evaluation of ultrananocrystalline and nanocrystalline diamond coatings

Nanostructured biomaterials have been investigated for achieving desirable tissue-material interactions in medical implants. Ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) and nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) coatings are the two most studied classes of synthetic diamond coatings; these materials are grown using chemical vapor deposition and are classified based on their nanostructure, grain size, and sp³ content. UNCD and NCD are mechanically robust, chemically inert, biocompatible, and wear resistant, making them ideal implant coatings. UNCD and NCD have been recently investigated for ophthalmic, cardiovascular, dental, and orthopaedic device applications. The aim of this study was (a) to evaluate the in vitro biocompatibility of UNCD and NCD coatings and (b) to determine if variations in surface topography and sp³ content affect cellular response. Diamond coatings with various nanoscale topographies (grain sizes 5–400?nm) were deposited on silicon substrates using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy revealed uniform coatings with different scales of surface topography; Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of carbon bonding typical of diamond coatings. Cell viability, proliferation, and morphology responses of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) to UNCD and NCD surfaces were evaluated. The hBMSCs on UNCD and NCD coatings exhibited similar cell viability, proliferation, and morphology as those on the control material, tissue culture polystyrene. No significant differences in cellular response were observed on UNCD and NCD coatings with different nanoscale topographies. Our data shows that both UNCD and NCD coatings demonstrate in vitro biocompatibility irrespective of surface topography.     

High-aspect-ratio nanoporous membranes made by reactive ion etching and e-beam and interference lithography

Nanoporous membranes engineered to mimic natural filtration systems can be used in “smart” implantable drug delivery systems, hemodialysis membranes, bio-artificial organs, and other novel nano-enabled medical devices. Conventional membranes exhibit several limitations, including broad pore size distributions and low pore densities. To overcome these problems, lithographic approaches were used to develop porous silicon, silicon nitride, ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD), and polymer film membranes. Here we report processing of high porosity, high-aspect-ratio membranes by two techniques: UNCD fabricated by reactive ion etching after e-beam lithography and epoxy fabricated by interference lithography.     

Small amplitude reciprocating wear performance of diamond-like carbon films: dependence of film composition and counterface material

Small amplitude (50 μm) reciprocating wear of hydrogen-containing diamond-like carbon (DLC) films of different compositions has been examined against silicon nitride and polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) counter-surfaces, and compared with the performance of an uncoated steel substrate. Three films were studied: a DLC film of conventional composition, a fluorine-containing DLC film (F-DLC), and silicon-containing DLC film. The films were deposited on steel substrates from plasmas of organic precursor gases using the Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation and Deposition (PIIID) process, which allows for the non-line-of-sight deposition of films with tailored compositions. The amplitude of the resistive frictional force during the reciprocating wear experiments was monitored in situ, and the magnitude of film damage due to wear was evaluated using optical microscopy, optical profilometry, and atomic force microscopy. Wear debris was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. In terms of friction, the DLC and silicon-containing DLC films performed exceptionally well, showing friction coefficients less than 0.1 for both PMMA and silicon nitride counter-surfaces. DLC and silicon-containing DLC films also showed significant reductions in transfer of PMMA compared with the uncoated steel. The softer F-DLC film performed similarly well against PMMA, but against silicon nitride, friction displayed nearly periodic variations indicative of cyclic adhesion and release of worn film material during the wear process. The results demonstrate that the PIIID films achieve the well-known advantageous performance of other DLC films, and furthermore that the film performance can be significantly affected by the addition of dopants. In addition to the well-established reduction of friction and wear that DLC films generally provide, we show here that another property, low adhesiveness with PMMA, is another significant benefit in the use of DLC films.     

Extraordinary Macroscale Wear Resistance of One Atom Thick Graphene Layer

During the last few years, graphene's unusual friction and wear properties have been demonstrated at nano to micro scales but its industrial tribological potential has not been fully realized. The macroscopic wear resistance of one atom thick graphene coating is reported by subjecting it to pin‐on‐disc type wear testing against most commonly used steel against steel tribo‐pair. It is shown that when tested in hydrogen, a single layer of graphene on steel can last for 6400 sliding cycles, while few‐layer graphene (3–4 layers) lasts for 47 000 cycles. Furthermore, these graphene layers are shown to completely cease wear despite the severe sliding conditions including high contact pressures (≈0.5 GPa) observed typically in macroscale wear tests. The computational simulations show that the extraordinary wear performance originates from hydrogen passivation of the dangling bonds in a ruptured graphene, leading to significant stability and longer lifetime of the graphene protection layer. Also, the electronic properties of these graphene sheets are theoretically evaluated and the improved wear resistance is demonstrated to preserve the electronic properties of graphene and to have significant potential for flexible electronics. The findings demonstrate that tuning the atomistic scale chemical interactions holds the promise of realizing extraordinary tribological properties of monolayer graphene coatings.     

Status review of the science and technology of ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD™) films and application to multifunctional devices

This review focuses on a status report on the science and technology of ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films developed and patented at Argonne National Laboratory. The UNCD material has been developed in thin film form and exhibit multifunctionalities applicable to a broad range of macro to nanoscale multifunctional devices. UNCD thin films are grown by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) or hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) using new patented Ar-rich/CH₄ or H₂/CH₄ plasma chemistries. UNCD films exhibit a unique nanostructure with 2–5 nm grain size (thus the trade name UNCD) and grain boundaries of 0.4–0.6 nm for plain films, and grain sizes of 7–10 nm and grain boundaries of 2–4 nm when grown with nitrogen introduced in the Ar-rich/CH₄ chemistry, to produce UNCD films incorporated with nitrogen, which exhibit electrical conductivity up to semi-metallic level. This review provides a status report on the synthesis of UNCD films via MPCVD and integration with dissimilar materials like oxides for piezoactuated MEMS/NEMS, metal films for contacts, and biological matter for a new generation of biomedical devices and biosensors. A broad range of applications from macro to nanoscale multifunctional devices is reviewed, such as coatings for mechanical pumps seals, field-emission cold cathodes, RF MEMS/NEMS resonators and switches for wireless communications and radar systems, NEMS devices, biomedical devices, biosensors, and UNCD as a platform for developmental biology, involving biological cells growth on the surface. Comparisons with nanocrystalline diamond films and technology are made when appropriate.