Development of SiCN ceramic thermal actuators

Reports the development of electrically-conductive silicon carbon-nitride (SiCN) MEMS. SiCN is a new class of polymer-derived bulk ceramics for ultra-high temperature and corrosive environment applications; however, as-pyrolyzed SiCN is electrically insulating. This paper describes a process for fabricating SiCN MEMS that exhibit a room-temperature electrical resistivity of 5.5 ohm-cm, based on post-pyrolysis annealing at 1400/spl deg/C in a hot isostatic press in a nitrogen atmosphere. This integrated micromachining/materials-synthesis process enables the realization of a class of SiCN electro-then-no-mechanical devices not previously possible. SiCN thermal actuators and micro-grippers were fabricated to demonstrate an application of this functionalized material.