Microelectromechanical Structures For Materials Research: Symposium Held April 15-16, 1998 , San Francisco, California, U.s.a

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have been used for materials research and characterization for many years. These devices permit measurement of thin-film and small-scale properties with remarkable sensitivity and accuracy. With the increasing development of these MEMS structures, however, comes important questions about the materials used to fabricate them. The long-term stability, residual stress, elastic properties and strength of the MEMS materials are vital for the effective use of the systems. Yet as work on MEMS materials testing strives forward, a pressing need for an organized gathering of investigators specifically interested in the topic has grown apparent. This volume from MRS addresses that need and represents one of the first efforts to collect research that spans both the materials research and MEMS communities. Investigations that are extendable beyond MEMS to general materials characterization are emphasized.