Wafer-scale MEMS technology of new vertically laminated cantilevers

This paper presents a new wafer-scale micromachining technology of vertically Si/metal laminated cantilever (3D micro cantilever). The 3D cantilever consists of vertically laminated structure so that it works in the in-the-plane mode, which is totally different from those traditional cantilevers of planar laminated configuration. The vertically laminated configuration has the advantage of easy-to-package, non-stiction and compact but it is involved of surface micromachining technology of high topography surface. High resolution patterning technology of thick electrolessplated nickel alloy film was for the first time established on the high topography surface. The minimum feature size of 10 μm was successfully realized in the 1.5 μm-thick nickel film with the undercut ratio of about 1. Prototype of the 3D cantilever was successfully fabricated by the new wafer-scale micromachining technology.