PROJECT TITLE: TRIBOMECHANICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF MEMS MATERIALS FOR SPACE APPLICATIONS UNDER HARSH ENVIRONMENTS — MEMSMAT

Coordinator: Technical University of Cluj-Napoca — UTCN 

Partners: National Institute for R&D in Microtechnologies — IMT Bucharest

Period: 9 December 2013 – 8 Dece,ber 2016

Project director: Prof.Dr.Eng. Corina Birleanu

Project team:

Key persons of participant UTC-N:

• Prof. Dr. Eng. Corina BIRLEANU 
• Prof. Dr. Eng. Marius PUSTAN 
• Prof. Dr. Eng. Cristian DUDESCU
• Dr. Eng. Violeta MERIE, Young  Researcher

Key persons of participant IMT Bucharest:

• Dr. Raluca MULLER
• Dr. Math. Rodica VOICU 
• Dr. Phys. Constantin TIBEICA 
• Dr. Phys. Adrian DINESCU
• Phd. Eng. Chem. Cosmin OBREJA
• Phd. Eng. Angela BARACU  

Description: The accuracy detection, the reliability and the lifetime of MEMS are crucial parameters in space applications and these are strongly influenced by the material properties. In this project theoretical analysis, simulations and experimental validations will be performed in order to analyze the effect of environmental conditions on MEMS material properties and on MEMS structures behavior from space applications. In view of the harsh and remote environment of space, reliability and qualification is a crucial issue of MEMS.

Project goal: The main scope of project is the accuracy characterization of the mechanical and tribological properties of MEMS materials in different envitomental conditions and their correlation with MEMS structures considering multiphysics coupling effect in order to obtain an excellent reliability and high lifetime of MEMS from space applications.

Project objectives:

• O1. Theoretical approach (TA) – MEMS materials properties analysis and their tribomechanical behavior in different harsh environmental conditions.
• O2. Test samples (TS) – MEMS materials deposition and MEMS structures (specimens) fabrication.
• O3. Mechanical characterization (MC) – Analysis of mechanical properties of MEMS materials and MEMS structures behavior in different harsh environmental conditions. 
• O4. Tribological characterization (TC) – Tribological analysis of MEMS materials and MEMS structures under different environmental conditions.
• O5. Dissemination activities (DA) – Dissemination and standardization of MEMS materials properties and their behaviour in different space conditions.

Activities:

• Phase I: Analytical model development  – 2014
• Phase II: Experimental investigations – 2015
• Phase III: Disemination and training activities – 2016

Contributions to the STAR programme objectives: –

Homepage: MEMSMAT