Microfabrication Technologies: Microsystem Products Microfabrication Processes

MICROFABRICATION
TECHNOLOGIES
1. Microsystem Products
2. Microfabrication Processes
©2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. M P Groover, Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing 4/e
Relative Sizes in Microtechnology
and Nanotechnology
Design Trend and Terminology
 Miniaturization of products and parts, with features

sizes measured in microns (10-6 m) or smaller
 Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) -
miniature systems consisting of both electronic
and mechanical components
 Microsystem technology (MST) - refers to the
products as well as the fabrication technologies
 Nanotechnology - even smaller entities whose
dimensions are measured in nanometers (10-9 m)
Advantages of Microsystem
Products
 Less material usage
 Lower power requirements
 Greater functionality per unit space
 Accessibility to regions that are forbidden to larger
products
 In most cases, smaller products should mean lower
prices because less material is used
Types of Microsystem Devices
 Microsensors
 Microactuators
 Microstructures and microcomponents
 Microsystems and micro-instruments
Microsensors
A sensor is a device that detects or measures some

physical phenomenon such as heat or pressure
 Most microsensors are fabricated on a silicon substrate
using the same processing technologies as those used
for integrated circuits
 Microsensors have been developed to measure force,
pressure, position, speed, acceleration, temperature,
flow, and various optical, chemical, environmental, and
biological variables
Microactuators
An actuator converts a physical variable of one type

into another type, and the converted variable usually
involves some mechanical action
 An actuator causes a change in position or the
application of force
 Examples of microactuators: valves, positioners,
switches, pumps, and rotational and linear motors
Microstructures and
Microcomponents
Micro-sized parts that are not sensors or actuators

 Examples: microscopic lenses, mirrors, nozzles,
gears, and beams
 These items must be combined with other
components in order to provide a useful function
Microscopic Gear
and Human Hair
Image by scanning electron microscope - gear is high-density
polyethylene molded by a process similar to LIGA (photo courtesy of
W. Hung, Texas A&M U., and M. Ali, Nanyang Tech. U).
Microsystems and micro-
instruments
Integration of several of the preceding components

with the appropriate electronics package into a
miniature system or instrument
 Products tend to be very application-specific
 Examples: microlasers, optical chemical
analyzers, and microspectrometers
 The economics of manufacturing these kinds of
systems have made commercialization difficult
Industrial Applications of
Microsystems
 Ink-jet printing heads
 Thin-film magnetic heads
 Compact disks
 Automotive components
 Medical applications
 Chemical and environmental applications
 Other applications
Ink-Jet Printing Heads
 Currently one of the largest applications of MST

 A typical ink-jet printer uses up several cartridges
each year
 Today’s ink-jet printers have resolutions of 1200 dots
per inch (dpi)
 This resolution converts to a nozzle separation
of only about 21 m
 Certainly in the microsystem range
Ink-Jet Printer Head
 Resistance heater boils ink to create plume that

forces drop to be expelled onto paper
Thin-Film Magnetic Heads
 Read-write heads are key components in magnetic

storage devices
 Reading and writing of magnetic media with higher bit
densities limited by the size of the read-write head
 Development of thin-film magnetic heads was an
important breakthrough not only in digital storage
technology but microfabrication technologies as well
 Thin-film read-write heads are produced annually in
hundreds of millions of units, with a market of several
billion dollars per year
Thin-Film Magnetic
Read-Write Head
Compact Disks (CDs) and DVDs
 Important commercial products - storage media for

audio, video, and computer software
 Molded of polycarbonate (ideal optical and mechanical
properties for the application)
 Diameter D = 120 mm and thickness = 1.2 mm
 Data consists of small pits (depressions) in a helical
track that begins at D = 46 mm and ends at D = 117 mm
 Tracks separated by 1.6 m
 Pits are 0.5 m wide and ~ 0.8 m to 3.5 m long
Molds for CDs
 A master for the mold is made from a smooth thin

layer of photoresist on a glass plate (D = 300 mm)
 Photoresist is exposed to a laser beam that writes
data into surface while glass plate is rotated and
moved slowly to create spiral track
 Exposed regions are removed; they will correspond
to pits in the CD track
 A thin layer of nickel is deposited onto surface by
PVD and electroforming builds up Ni thickness
Molds for CDs (continued)
 This negative impression of the master is called the

father
 Several impressions of the father are made (called
mothers), whose surfaces are identical to the original
master
 Finally, the mothers are used to create the actual
mold impressions (called stampers)
 The stampers will be used to mass-produce the CDs
Molding and Further
Processing of CD
 Once molded, the pitted side of the polycarbonate
disk is coated with aluminum by PVD to create a
mirror surface
 To protect this layer, a thin coating of polymer is
deposited on the metal
 Thus, the final CD is a sandwich
 Thick polycarbonate substrate on one side
 Thin polymer layer on the other side
 Very thin layer of Aluminum in between
Reading the Compact Disk
 In operation, the laser beam of a CD player reads

through the polycarbonate substrate onto the
reflective surface
 The reflected beam is interpreted as a sequence
of binary digits
Automotive Components
 Micro-sensors and other micro-devices are widely

used in modern automobiles
 Between 20 and 100 sensors are installed in a
modern automobile
 Functions include cruise control, anti-lock braking
systems, air bag deployment, automatic
transmission control, power steering, all-wheel
drive, automatic stability control, and remote
locking and unlocking
 In 1970 there were virtually no on-board sensors
Medical Applications
 A driving force for microscopic devices is the principle

of minimal-invasive therapy
 Small incisions or even available body orifices to
access the medical problem
 Standard medical practice today is to use endoscopic
examination accompanied by laparoscopic surgery for
hernia repair and removal of gall bladder and appendix
 Similar procedures are used in brain surgery, operating
through small holes drilled in skull
Microfabrication Processes
 Many MST products are based on silicon - Why?

 Microdevices often include electronic circuits, so
both the circuit and the device can be made on the
same substrate
 Silicon has good mechanical properties:
 High strength and elasticity, good hardness,
and relatively low density
 Techniques to process silicon are well
established from processing of ICs
Other Materials and MST
Processing
 MST often requires other materials in addition to
silicon to obtain a particular microdevice
 Example: microactuators often consist of several
components made of different materials
 Thus, microfabrication techniques consist of more
than just silicon processing:
 LIGA process
 Other conventional and nontraditional processes
performed on microscopic scale
Silicon Layer Processes
 First application of silicon in MST was in the

fabrication of piezoresistive sensors to measure
stress, strain, and pressure in the early 1960s
 Silicon is now widely used in MST to produce
sensors, actuators, and other microdevices
 The basic processing technologies are those used to
produce integrated circuits
 However, there are certain differences between
processing of ICs and fabrication of microdevices
Microfabrication vs.
IC Fabrication
 Aspect ratios (height-to-width ratio of the features) in
microfabrication are generally much greater than in
IC fabrication
 The device sizes in microfabrication are often much
larger than in IC processing
 The structures produced in microfabrication often
include cantilevers and bridges and other shapes
requiring gaps between layers
 These features are not found in integrated circuits
Aspect Ratio
 Aspect ratio (height-to-width ratio) typical in (a) fabrication of

integrated circuits and (b) microfabricated components
3D Features in Microfabrication
 Chemical wet etching of polycrystalline silicon is

isotropic, with the formation of cavities under the
edges of the resist
 However, in single-crystal Si, etching rate depends
on orientation of the lattice structure
 3-D features can be produced in single-crystal
silicon by wet etching, provided the crystal
structure is oriented to allow the etching process
to proceed anisotropically
Crystal Faces in Cubic Lattice
Structure
 Three crystal faces in silicon cubic lattice structure: (a) (100)

crystal face, (b) (110) crystal face, and (c) (111) crystal face
Bulk Micromachining
 Certain etching solutions, such as potassium

hydroxide (KOH), have a very low etching rate in the
direction of the (111) crystal face
 This permits formation of distinct geometric
structures with sharp edges in single-crystal Si
 Bulk micromachining - relatively deep wet etching
process on single-crystal silicon substrate
 Surface micromachining - planar structuring of the
substrate surface, using much more shallow etching
Bulk Micromachining
 Several structures that can be formed in single-crystal silicon

substrate by: (a) (110) silicon and (b) (100) silicon
Bulk Micromachining of Thin
Membrane in Silicon Substrate
 (1) Si substrate is doped with boron, (2) a thick layer of Si is

applied on doped layer by epitaxial deposition, (3) both sides
are thermally oxidized to form a SiO2 resist on the surfaces,
(4) resist is patterned by lithography, and (5) anisotropic
etching removes the Si except in the boron doped layer
Cantilevers and Similar
Structures
 Surface micromachining can be used to construct
cantilevers, overhangs, and similar structures on a
silicon substrate
 The cantilevered beams are parallel to but
separated by a gap from the silicon surface
 Gap size and beam thickness are in the
micron range
Micromachining to Form Cantilever
 (1) SiO2 layer formed on Si substrate - thickness will set the

gap size for the cantilever; (2) portions of the SiO2 layer are
etched using lithography; (3) poly-Si layer is applied; (4)
portions of the poly-Si layer are etched using lithography; and
(5) SiO2 layer beneath the cantilevers is selectively etched
Lift-Off Technique in
Microfabrication
 To pattern metals such as platinum on a substrate for use
in certain chemical sensors
 Process: (1) resist is applied to substrate and structured
by lithography, (2) platinum is deposited, (3) resist is
removed, lifting Pt but leaving desired Pt microstructure
LIGA Process
 An important technology of MST

 Developed in Germany in the early 1980s
 LIGA stands for the German words
 LIthographie (in particular X-ray lithography)
 Galvanoformung (translated electrodeposition or
electroforming)
 Abformtechnik (plastic molding)
 The letters also indicate the LIGA process sequence
Processing Steps in LIGA
 (1) Apply resist, X-ray exposure through mask, (2) remove

exposed portions of resist, (3) electrodeposition to fill
openings in resist, (4) strip resist for (a) mold or (b) metal part
Advantages of LIGA
 LIGA is a versatile process – it can produce parts by

several different methods
 High aspect ratios are possible (large height-to-width
ratios in the fabricated part)
 Wide range of part sizes is feasible - heights ranging
from micrometers to centimeters
 Close tolerances are possible
Disadvantages of LIGA
 LIGA is a very expensive process

 Large quantities of parts are usually required to
justify its application
 LIGA uses X-ray exposure
 Human health hazard
Other Microfabrication
Processes
 Soft lithography
 Nontraditional and traditional processes and rapid
prototyping adapted for microfabrication
 Photochemical machining
 Electroplating, electroforming, electroless plating
 Electric discharge machining
 Electron beam machining
 Ultrasonic machining
 Microstereolithography
Soft Lithography
Term for processes that use an elastomeric flat mold to

create a pattern on a substrate surface
 A master pattern is fabricated on a silicon surface
using lithography
 This pattern is then used to produce a flat mold of
polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)
 Two processes:
 Micro-imprint lithography
 Micro-contact printing
Soft Lithography
 Fabricating the elastomeric mold (like a rubber

stamp): (1) master pattern is made by traditional
lithography, (2) PDMS mold is cast from pattern, (3)
cured flat mold is peeled off pattern for use
Micro-Imprint Lithography
 (1) Mold is positioned above and (2) pressed into

resist, (3) mold is lifted, and (4) remaining resist is
removed from substrate surface in defined regions
Microstereolithography (MSTL)
 MSTL layer thickness t = 10 to 20 m typically

 In conventional STL, t = 75 m to 500 m
 MSTL spot size is as small as 1 or 2 m
 Laser spot size diameter in STL ~ 250 m
 MSTL materials not limited to photosensitive polymer
 Researchers report fabricating 3-D ceramic and
metallic microstructures
 Starting material is a powder rather than a liquid
Ultra-High Precision Machining
 Trends in conventional machining include taking

smaller and smaller cut sizes
 Enabling technologies include:
 Single-crystal diamond cutting tools
 Position control with resolutions ~ 0.01 m
 Applications: computer hard discs, photocopier
drums, mold inserts for compact disk reader heads,
high-definition TV projection lenses
 One reported application: milling of grooves in

aluminum foil using a single-point diamond fly-cutter
 The aluminum foil is 100 m thick
 The grooves are 85 m wide and 70 m deep
 Ultra-high precision milling of grooves in aluminum foil

Microfabrication Technologies: Microsystem Products Microfabrication Processes

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Microfabrication Technologies: Microsystem Products Microfabrication Processes

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Microfabrication Technologies: Microsystem Products Microfabrication Processes

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MICROFABRICATION

 Miniaturization of products and parts, with features

A sensor is a device that detects or measures some

An actuator converts a physical variable of one type

Micro-sized parts that are not sensors or actuators

Integration of several of the preceding components

 Currently one of the largest applications of MST

 Resistance heater boils ink to create plume that

 Read-write heads are key components in magnetic

 Important commercial products - storage media for

 A master for the mold is made from a smooth thin

 This negative impression of the master is called the

 In operation, the laser beam of a CD player reads

 Micro-sensors and other micro-devices are widely

 A driving force for microscopic devices is the principle

 Many MST products are based on silicon - Why?

 First application of silicon in MST was in the

 Aspect ratio (height-to-width ratio) typical in (a) fabrication of

 Chemical wet etching of polycrystalline silicon is

 Three crystal faces in silicon cubic lattice structure: (a) (100)

 Certain etching solutions, such as potassium

 Several structures that can be formed in single-crystal silicon

 (1) Si substrate is doped with boron, (2) a thick layer of Si is

 (1) SiO2 layer formed on Si substrate - thickness will set the

 An important technology of MST

 (1) Apply resist, X-ray exposure through mask, (2) remove

 LIGA is a versatile process – it can produce parts by

 LIGA is a very expensive process

Term for processes that use an elastomeric flat mold to

 Fabricating the elastomeric mold (like a rubber

 (1) Mold is positioned above and (2) pressed into

 MSTL layer thickness t = 10 to 20 m typically

 Trends in conventional machining include taking

 One reported application: milling of grooves in

 Ultra-high precision milling of grooves in aluminum foil

You might also like