Micro- and nanomechanical structures for silicon carbide MEMS and NEMS

Silicon carbide (SiC) is recognized as the leading semiconductor for high power and high temperature electronics owing to its outstanding electrical properties combined with mature processing technologies for monolithic structures. SiC has long been known for its outstanding mechanical and chemical properties making it equally attractive for mechanical structures in micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS and NEMS). Recent advancements in bulk and surface micromachining; have led to the development of SiC analogues to common Si-based devices (i.e., resonators, pressure sensors). This paper presents an overview of MEMS and NEMS technologies that incorporate SiC as a key component in their mechanical structure, providing both a historical perspective as well as recent developments. (C) 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.