Charging mechanisms in Y2O3 dielectric films for MEMS capacitive switches.

The potential application of Yttrium Oxide (Y2O3) in capacitive Micro-Electro-Mechanical Switches (MEMS) dielectric films is investigated. The electrical properties and the impact of electrical stress on capacitive switches have been investigated with the aid of Metal-Insulator-Metal (MIM) capacitors and MEMS capacitive switches in order to determine the suitability of this material for such application. The assessment in MIMs consisted of recording the current-voltage characteristics in order to determine the transport mechanisms and the charge injection by injecting electrodes during the charging process. The MEMS switches were employed to monitor the charge injection through the bridge during pull-in state and collection during the pull-up state. The process was performed under different stress conditions in order to determine the impact of stressing electric field intensity.