• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.224-232
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• 2000

Aluminum metal process in surface micromachining enables to fabricate Al electrodes or Al structures, which improve electrical characteristics by reducing contact- and line-resistance or makes the whole process to be simple by using oxide as sacrificial layer. However, it is not possible to use conventional sacrificial layer etching process, because HF solution attacks aluminum as well as sacrificial oxide. The mixed solution of BHF and glycerine as an alternative shows the adequate properties to meet with this end. The exact etching properties, however, are sensitively depends on the geometry of the released structure, because the most etching process of sacrificial layer proceeds to the lateral direction in narrow space. Also, the surface roughness of aluminum affects to the etching characteristics. This paper reports experimental results on the effect of microstructure and surface roughness of aluminum to the etching properties. Considering these effects, we propose the optimized etching condition, which can be used practically for the fabrication of aluminum electrodes and microstructures by using standard surface micromachining process without modification or additional process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Laser Processing Conference
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.60-65
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• 2006

Previous studies demonstrated that laser ablation under transparent liquid can result in ablation enhacement and particle removal from the surface. In this work, the liquid-assisted excimer laser ablation process is examined fer polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), Si, and alumina with emphasis on ablation enhacement, surface topography, and debris formation. In the case of PET and PMMA, the effect of liquid is analyzed both fer thin water film and bulk water. As the ablation enhanement by liquid is already known for Si and alumina, the analysis focuses on surface topography and debris formation resulting from the liquid-assisted laser ablation process. The results show that application of liquid increases the ablation rate of PMMA while that of PET remains unchanged even in the liquid-assisted process. It is also revealed that the liquid can significantly improve the surface quality by reducing the debris deposition. However, the surface roughness is generally deteriorated in the liquid-assisted process. The surface toporaphy is found to be strongly dependent on the method of liquid application, i.e., thin film or bulk liquid.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 2007

Previous studies demonstrated that laser ablation under transparent liquid can result in ablation enhancement and particle removal from the surface. Although the ablation enhancement by liquid is already known for semiconductor and metal, the phenomena of polymer ablation have not been studied. In this work, tile liquid-assisted excimer laser ablation process is examined for polymer materials, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) with emphasis on ablation enhancement and surface topography. In the case of PET and PMMA, the effect of liquid is analyzed both for thin water film and bulk water. The results show that application of liquid increases the ablation rate of PMMA while that of PET remains unchanged even in the liquid-assisted process. However, the surface roughness is generally deteriorated in the liquid-assisted process. The surface topography is found to be strongly dependent on the method of liquid application, i.e., thin film or bulk liquid.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1998.07g
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• pp.2518-2520
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• 1998

Silicon can be reactive ion etched (RIE) either isotropically or anisotropically. In this paper, a new micromachining technology combining these two etching characteristics is proposed. In the proposed method, the fabrication steps are as follows. First. a polysilicon layer, which is used as the bottom electrode, is deposited on the silicon wafer and patterned. Then the silicon substrate is etched anisotropically to a few micrometer depth that forms a cavity. Then an PECVD oxide layer is deposited to passivate the cavity side walls. The oxide layers at the top and bottom faces are removed while the passivation layers of the side walls are left. Then the substrate is etched again but in an isotropic etch condition to form a round trench with a larger radius than the anisotropic cavity. Then a sacrificial PECVD oxide layer is deposited and patterned. Then a polysilicon structural layer is deposited and patterned. This polysilicon layer forms a pivot structure of a rocker-arm. Finally, oxide sacrificial layers are etched away. This new micromachining technology is quite simpler than conventional method to fabricate joint structures, and the devices that are fabricated using this technology do not require a flexing structure for motion.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.640-643
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• 2003

We present investigations of the surface micromachining for transparent glass substrate, e.g. soda lime glass using tightly focused 800nm Ti:sapphire femtosecond laser. In this study, experiment conditions such as laser intensity, scanning speed, focus position were controlled as variable parameters to decide optimal machining conditions. This study shows clearly that laser intensity and scanning speed are dominant factors for good surface morphology. Using the optimal conditions, grooves with 50${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ line width were fabricated on glass substrate and their surface morphologies were investigated from SEM image.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 1999.11a
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• pp.905-908
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• 1999

In this paper, we present a polysilicon actuator on silicon wafer using surface micromachining technology which employs an electrostatic stepwise driven Scratch Drive Actuator to generate a force that can move an external object. For optical applications, we propose wavelength selector using distributed feedback structures and this micro actuator.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1999.07g
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• pp.3298-3300
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• 1999

In this paper, a $10{\times}10$ micro SLM array for phase and amplitude modulation of incident light is designed and fabricated using surface micromachining technology. Hidden spring structure is used in order to maximize the fill-factor and minimize diffraction effect at the support posts. Static and dynamic characteristics of designed micro SLM are simulated with ABAQUS and measured with optical measurement system using He-Ne laser and PSD(position sensitive devise).

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1996.11a
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• pp.416-418
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• 1996

A $50{\times}50{\mu}m^2$ aluminum micromirror array is fabricated using surface micromachining technology. $50{\times}50$ micromirrors are arrayed two dimensionally. The micromirror plate is supported by a vertical spring structure that is placed underneath the mirror plate. When the mirror plates reflect a light, the micromirror array un have large effective reflecting area. Fabrication of vertical spring uses only one mask and shadow evaporation process.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.925-928
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• 2005

In this study, we fabricated the DAMLs using surface micromachining technology as well a low loss coupler for the millimeter-wave band applications using these DAMLs. The structure of DAML is that a signal line is supported on ground plane by dielectric posts. Therefore it has advantages about the loss characteristic and the stable structure. The other advantage of the DAML process is a simple and convenient technique using 4 mask steps, even if it has a micromachining technology. The lowest loss of the fabricated DAML was obtained 2.2 dB/cm at 110 GHz. To obtain the low loss characteristic, couplers were designed and fabricated by using DAMLs. The fabricated ring hybrid coupler has the coupling of 3.58 dB and the thru of 3.31 dB at 60 GHz. We can also obtain the coupling of 3.42 dB, the thru of 3.82 dB from fabricated branch line coupler at 60 GHz.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.30 no.11 s.254
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• pp.1369-1375
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• 2006

In this work, mechanical characteristics of stainless steel diaphragm have been studied as a potential robust substrate and a diaphragm material for micromachined devices. Lamination process techniques combined with traditional micromachining processes have been adopted as suitable fabrication technologies. To illustrate these principles, capacitive pressure sensors based on a stainless steel diaphragm have been designed, fabricated and characterized. The fabrication process for stainless steel micromachined devices keeps the membrane and substrate being at the environment of 8.65MPa pressure and $175^{\circ}C$ for a half hour and then subsequently cooled to $25^{\circ}C$. Each sensor uses a stainless steel substrate, a laminated stainless steel film as a suspended movable plate and a fixed, surface micromachined back electrode of electroplated nickel. The finite element method is adopted to investigate residual stresses formed in the process. Besides, out-of-plane deflections are calculated under pressures on the diaphragm. The sensitivity of the device fabricated using these technologies is 9.03 ppm $kPa^{-1}$ with a net capacitance change of 0.14 pF over a range 0$\sim$180 kPa.