Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are devices that are machined using bulk and/or surface micromachining (lithography) or the LIGA process. The resulting devices are small enough that surface morphology can have a significant impact on system performance. This study will seek to characterize such surfaces by means of an analytical, parsimonious model based on fratals. Fractals will be evaluated for their potential to represent typical micromachined surfaces reported in the literature. Then an attempt will be made to correlate the parameters of the fractal representation to key fabrication steps and/or settings. The objective of this research is to develop a predictive model for MEMS surface morphologies that is suitable for use in MEMS design and in analysis of MEMS devices.
