Supercritical carbon dioxide solvent extraction from surface-micromachined micromechanical structures

摘要

Results are presented supporting the use of supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO{sub 2}) drying to enhance the yield of surface-micromachined micromechanical devices following the final release etch. The equipment and extraction process of the SCCO{sub 2} system are described, and results of successfully released cantilevered beams and microengines are presented. A new system capable of drying 6 inch wafers is also described.