Stiction of parylene C to silicon surface measured using blister tests

Micro-fabricated biocompatible check valves are integral parts of many implantable micro-fluidic devices. The cracking pressure of check valves is usually controlled by stiction between polymeric films and the underlying substrate. The following paper presents the first comprehensive study of stiction between parylene and silicon surfaces. The valves are fabricated using surface micromachining with parylene C as the structural material. Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) is used to create through holes in the wafer for the passage of fluids. Blister test is employed to calculate stiction. From experimental results, stiction between parylene C and silicon surfaces is found to be 2.59 J/m2, which is comparable to the stiction between silicon and other polymeric thin films.