Clarification of Geometric Effects on Long-term Structural Stability of Ti/Au Multi-layered Micro-cantilevers

A gold micro-electro-mechanical-systems (Au-MEMS) capacitive accelerometer having Ti/Au multi-layered structures is a promising device to detect very weak accelerations, such as muscle sounds, because of the high mass density of Au. However, Au is a soft metal, which raises concerns about the structural stability of the Au-MEMS capacitive accelerometers for practical use. In this work, we clarify the key geometric parameters to enhance their long-term structural stability by conducting a long-term vibration test for a total of 240 Ti/Au multi-layered micro-cantilevers with different geometric parameters, such as the length, width, and thickness of the micro-cantilevers, and the number of Ti/Au multi-layered structures. The long-term structural stability is evaluated from the change in the tip height of the micro-cantilevers before and after the vibration tests. These tests demonstrate that the micro-cantilevers with a shorter length, larger thickness, and more Ti/Au multi-layered structures are found to show better long-term structural stability. [Display omitted] •A total of 240 Ti/Au multi-layered micro-cantilevers are fabricated.•Long-term vibration tests of up to 107 cycles for all cantilevers are conducted.•Geometric parameters affecting their structural stability are clarified.•Thick and short beam structures enhance the long-term structural reliability.