• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
• /
• 2004.10a
• /
• pp.351-354
• /
• 2004

This work presents a simple and cost-effective approach for maskless fabrication of positive-tone silicon master for the replica molding of hyperfine elastomeric channel. Positive-tone silicon masters were fabricated by a maskless fabrication technique using the combination of nanoscratch by Nanoindenter ⓡ XP and XOH wet etching. Grooves were machined on a silicon surface coated with native oxide by ductile-regime nanoscratch, and they were etched in a 20 wt％ KOH solution. After the KOH etching process, positive-tone structures resulted because of the etch-mask effect of the amorphous oxide layer generated by nanoscratch. The size and shape of the positive-tone structures were controlled by varying the etching time (5, 15, 18, 20, 25, 30 min) and the normal loads (1, 5 mN) during nanoscratch. Moreover, the effects of the Berkovich tip alignment (0, 45$^{\circ}$) on the deformation behavior and etching characteristic of silicon material were investigated.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.24-31
• /
• 2004

Masking effect of the nanoscratched silicon (100) surface was studied and applied to a maskless nanofabrication technique. First, the surface of the silicon (100) was machined by ductile-regime nanomachining process using the scratch option of the Nanoindenter${ \circledR}$ XP. To clarify the possibility of the nanoscratched silicon surfaces for the application to wet etching mask, the etching characteristic with a KOH solution was evaluated at room temperature. After the etching process, the convex nanostructures were made due to the masking effect of the mechanically affected layer. Moreover, the height and the width of convex structures were controlled with varying normal loads during nanoscratch.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
• /
• 2004.10a
• /
• pp.40-43
• /
• 2004

Stamps for microcontact processing are fabricated by casting elastomer such as PDMS on a master with a negative of the desired pattern. After curing, the PDMS stamp is peeled away from the master and exposed to a solution of ink and then dried. Transfer of the ink from the PDMS stamp to the substrate occurs during a brief contact between stamp and substrate. Generally, negative-tone masters, which are used for making positive-tone PDMS stamps, are fabricated by using photolithographic technique. The shortcomings of photolithography are a relative high-cost process and require extensive processing time and heavy capital investment to build and maintain the fabrication facilities. The goal of this study is to fabricate a negative-tone master by using Nano-indenter based patterning technique. Various sizes of V-grooves and U-groove were fabricated by using the combination of nanoscratch and HF isotropic etching technique. An achieved negative-tone structure was used as a master in the PDMS replica molding process to fabricate a positive-tone PDMS stamp.