Abstract:
Disclosed herein are methods of immobilizing a particle which comprise focusing the flow of a sample fluid containing the particle into a virtual channel which flows towards an unoccupied hydrodynamic trap in a microfluidic channel such that the particle flows into the hydrodynamic trap and becomes immobilized therein. Also disclosed are microfluidic devices which comprise at least one microchannel having at least one hydrodynamic trap, at least one focusing fluid inlet, said focusing fluid inlet is upstream of the hydrodynamic trap such that a focusing fluid introduced therein results in a virtual channel of a sample fluid when present which preferentially flows toward the hydrodynamic trap.
Abstract:
Disclosed herein are methods of immobilizing a particle which comprise focusing the flow of a sample fluid containing the particle into a virtual channel which flows towards an unoccupied hydrodynamic trap in a microfluidic channel such that the particle flows into the hydrodynamic trap and becomes immobilized therein. Also disclosed are microfluidic devices which comprise at least one microchannel having at least one hydrodynamic trap, at least one focusing fluid inlet, said focusing fluid inlet is upstream of the hydrodynamic trap such that a focusing fluid introduced therein results in a virtual channel of a sample fluid when present which preferentially flows toward the hydrodynamic trap.
Abstract:
Disclosed herein are methods of making micropores of a desired height and/or width between two isotropic wet etched features in a substrate which comprises single-level isotropic wet etching the two features using an etchant and a mask distance that is less than 2X a set etch depth. Also disclosed herein are methods using the micropores and microfluidic devices comprising the micropores.
Abstract:
A controlled method of releasing a microstructure comprising a silicon oxide layer located between a substrate layer and a layer to be released from the silicon oxide layer is described. The method comprises the step of exposing the silicon oxide layer to a hydrogen fluoride vapour in a process chamber having controlled temperature and pressure conditions. A by- product of this reaction is water which also acts as a catalyst for the etching process. It is controlled employment of this inherent water source that results in a condensed fluid layer forming, and hence etching taking place, only on the exposed surfaces of the oxide layer. The described method therefore reduces the risk of the effects of capillary induced stiction within the etched microstructure and/or corrosion within the microstructure and the process chamber itself.
Abstract:
A method is provided for fabricating a MEMS device on a workpiece by forming a mercaptain mask (306) on a gold structure (309). The mask (306) is used to inhibit anodic etching of polysilicon structures (303) during the acid etch process that is used to remove the oxide dielectric layer from the workpiece to expose the polysilicon structures of the MEMS device (303) to allow their movement. The mercaptain can be utilised to adhere to the exposed gold surface (309) to form a self-mask (306) on the gold surface (309). As such, a workpiece having numerous gold surfaces, such as numerous optomechanical switches, each having various types of gold structures, can be placed in a mercaptain solution. The mercaptain selectively coats the gold surfaces to form self-adhering mercaptain masks on all the exposed gold surfaces.
Abstract:
An etching method, such as for forming a micromechanical device, is disclosed. One embodiment of the method is for releasing a micromechanical structure, comprising, providing a substrate (10); providing a sacrificial layer (20) directly or indirectly on the substrate; providing one or more micromechanical structural layers (30) on the sacrificial layer; performing a first etch to remove a portion of the sacrificial layer (20), the first etch comprising providing an etchant gas and energizing (42) the etchant gas so as to allow the etchant gas to physically, or chemically and physically, remove the portion of the sacrificial layer; performing a second etch to remove additional sacrificial material in the sacrificial layer, the second etch comprising providing a gas that chemically but not physically etches the additional sacrificial material.
Abstract:
An etching method, such as for forming a micromechanical device, is disclosed. One embodiment of the method is for releasing a micromechanical structure, comprising, providing a sacrificial layer directly or indirectly on the substrate; providing one or more micromechanical structural layers on the sacrificial layer; performing a first etch to remove a portion of the sacrificial layer, the first etch comprising providing an etchant gas and energizing the etchant gas so as to allow the etchant gas to physically, or chemically and physically, remove the portion of the sacrificial layer; performing a second etch to remove additional sacrificial material in the sacrificial layer, the second etch comprising providing a gas that chemically but not physically etches the additional sacrificial material. Another embodiment of the method is for etching a silicon material on or within a substrate, comprising: performing a first etch to remove a portion of the silicon, the first etch comprising providing an etchant gas and energizing the etchant gas so as to allow the etchant gas to physically, or chemically and physically, remove the portion of silicon; performing a second etch to remove additional silicon, the second etch comprising providing an etchant gas that chemically but not physically etches the additional silicon.
Abstract:
The device of the present invention facilitates engaging mating elements, such as actuators used in disc drives, with a pattern on the device. The improved device includes arcuate edges between at least one of the sidewalls in the pattern and the surface of the device. The arcuate edges minimize some of the fracturing of the device that typically occurs when a mating element is inserted on or into the device. The present invention also relates to a method of fabricating a device. The method comprises positioning a mask in the form of a pattern relative to the device, and then etching the pattern into a surface on the device to form at least one sidewall and an arcuate edge such that the arcuate edge extends between the surface on the device and one of the sidewalls.
Abstract:
L'invention concerne notamment un procédé de réalisation de motifs dans une couche à graver (410), à partir d'un empilement comprenant au moins la couche à graver (410) et une couche de masquage(420) surmontant la couche à graver (410), la couche de masquage(420) présentant au moins un motif (421), le procédé comprenant au moins: a) une étape de modification d'au moins une zone (411) de la couche à graver (410) par implantation d'ions (430) au droit de l'au moins un motif (421); b) au moins une séquence d'étapes comprenant: b1) une étape d'élargissement (440) de l'au moins un motif (421) selon un plan dans lequel s'étend principalement la couche à graver (410); b2) une étape de modification d'au moins une zone (411', 411'') de la couche à graver (410) par implantation d'ions (430) au droit de l'au moins un motif (421) élargi, l'implantation étant effectuée sur une profondeur inférieure à la profondeur d'implantation de l'étape précédente de modification; c) une étape de retrait (461, 462) des zones modifiées (411, 411', 411''), le retrait comprenant une étape de gravure des zones modifiées (411, 411', 411'') sélectivement aux zones non modifiées (412) de la couche à graver (410).