P.-F. Indermühle

Advanced deep reactive ion etching: a versatile tool for microelectromechanical systems

Advanced deep reactive ion etching (ADRIE) is a new tool for the fabrication of bulk micromachined devices. Different sensors and actuators which use ADRIE alone or combined with other technologies such as surface micromachining of silicon are presented here. These examples demonstrate the potential and the design freedom of this tool, allowing a large number of different shapes to be patterned and new smart devices to be realized.

AFM imaging with an xy-micropositioner with integrated tip

We have fabricated an xy-microstage with integrated protruding tip and electrostatic comb actuators for scanning probe surface imaging. This device, which is micromachined in monocrystalline silicon, has been actuated and characterized and, for the first time with such a microtool, an atomic force microscope (AFM) profile has been achieved.

Fabrication and characterization of cantilevers with integrated sharp tips and piezoelectric elements for actuation and detection for parallel AFM applications

Abstract We have developed a new process to fabricate arrays of cantilevers with integrated tips for atomic force microscope (AFM) imaging and a piezoelectric layer for vertical actuation and detection. A good homogeneity of the tip shape is obtained thanks to a self-sharpening effect. The cantilevers have been characterized mechanically and electrically.

Atomic Force Microscopy Using Cantilevers with Integrated Tips and Piezoelectric Layers for Actuation and Detection

Cantilevers with integrated tip and piezoelectric layer (zinc oxide, ZnO) for actuation and detection have been microfabricated using monocrystalline silicon as the bulk material. Arrays of five levers and cantilevers with two independent ZnO layers have also been obtained. The levers have been mechanically and electrically characterized. Dynamic mode and contact mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) images were achieved using the integrated piezoelectric layer of these levers as a vertical deflection sensor.

Femtoliter injector for DNA mass spectrometry

Note: 231 Reference SAMLAB-ARTICLE-2000-015 Record created on 2009-05-12, modified on 2016-08-08

Microfabricated tools for nanoscience

Recent developments and advances in micro-electro-mechanical systems for nanometer-scale applications such as scanning force microscopy are presented. The microfabrication of tools so small that they enable access to the nanoworld, such as tips, flexible cantilevers, integrated deflection sensors and nanoactuators is described. Bulk and surface micromachining of mono- or polycrystalline silicon, extended by aligned-wafer-bonding, etch-back and sacrificial-layer-etching steps are major fabrication steps used. Experiments on prototypes show that these devices are promising for use as ultra-sensitive stand-alone probe micro-instruments.

Micromachined SPM probes with sub-100 nm features at tip apex

Note: 204 Reference SAMLAB-ARTICLE-1999-020doi:10.1002/(SICI)1096-9918(199905/06)27:5/6 3.0.CO;2-V Record created on 2009-05-12, modified on 2016-08-08

Local pH-controlled reactivity investigations by thin-layer scanning tunnelling microscopy

A newly designed thin-layer STM (TLSTM) technique is presented based on a microfabricated probe combining an electrolytic STM probe with an annular iridium oxide microelectrode operating as a potential-controlled generator or scavenger of H+. This TLSTM configuration can be used to combine in situ STM studies of electrode processes with the simultaneous investigation of H+ flux integrals associated with the electrode reaction. In this paper, the technique is applied to investigate the H+ exchange behaviour of electropolymerised polyaniline films and associated STM-relevant properties in 0.5 M NaClO4 + 10-2 M HClO4. For a polyaniline film kept in the intermediate (emeraldine) oxidation state at 0 mV versus MSE it is shown that its thickness increases due to H+ insertion if the pH is lowered from pH 2 to ca. 1.6, and that its conductivity decreases significantly if the pH is increased from 2 to ca. 12. In a second experiment, where the exchange of H+ at pH 2 is monitored during film oxidation and reduction within the potential range of both redox transfer steps, it is shown that significant exchange of H+ occurs only in the interval of the second (emeraldine/pernigraniline) redox transfer.

Self-sharpening tip integrated on micro cantilevers with self-exciting piezoelectric sensor for parallel atomic force microscopy

Arrays of cantilevers with integrated self-sharpening tips and self-exciting piezoelectric sensors have been fabricated using monocrystalline silicon micromachining. During the fabrication process, tips are first formed with a wet etching technique allowing a good homogeneity of tip shape over a whole wafer and then protected with a local thick silicon dioxide layer. Single cantilevers have been used to achieve atomic force microscopy images of grids with periods of 0.25, 1, and 5 μm and with height differences of 100, 15, and 180 nm, respectively.

Mounting of micromachined diamond tips and cantilevers

Note: 202 Reference SAMLAB-ARTICLE-1999-018doi:10.1002/(SICI)1096-9918(199905/06)27:5/6 3.0.CO;2-E Record created on 2009-05-12, modified on 2016-08-08