Carbon fibers as a novel material for high-performance microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)

We report the development of novel carbon fiber-integrated MEMS (FIM) structures which can achieve extremely large deformations at high speeds with nearly fatigue-free behavior. FIM cantilevers fabricated using single 5 µm diameter carbon fibers demonstrated tip deflections exceeding ±90° at frequencies of 8–30 kHz, and sustained these deflections for over 10 10 cycles. Using existing MEMS fabrication techniques, carbon fiber-based MEMS optical scanners were subsequently fabricated with demonstrated angular scans >160° at a 2.5 kHz resonance. These results establish the vastly superior mechanical behavior of carbon fiber-based MEMS, while maintaining fabrication processes compatible with existing micromachining techniques. These novel carbon FIM structures are shown to be successful in overcoming the fracture toughness and fatigue limitations of existing material technologies. Further development of this technology offers the potential to realize many moving MEMS structures previously considered unfeasible.