Mechanical characterization of bulk-micromachined Ti membranes by microbending and by vibrometry

This paper presents the mechanical characterization of membranes micromachined in bulk-titanium wafers, which can be future parts of various Ti-based MEMS such as pressure sensors or microvalves for corrosive environment. One membrane was characterized by microbending using a mechanical microprobe. Two membranes were characterized by vibrometry using microscopic interferometry, and the residual mechanical stress could be derived from these measurements. These are key experiments for successful design of future Ti-based MEMS.