Sensors in Micro‐ and Nanotechnology

Concern about the future of industrial societies has stimulated intensive discussions around the world and has led to a number of recommendations. Leading the list is the necessity for a speedy and permanent turn towards resource-sparing and environmentally compatible technologies and innovations. Incentives for this development include the exponential growth of the world’s population, the increasing environmental burdens and our diminishing primary resources. A solution to these problems presupposes ongoing improvements in our technical competence and its optimum utilization.

Sensors and Sensing: An Engineer’s View

This paper presents the results of our investigations on the laser micromachining of structures in a dry film photoresist polymer (Dynachem, Laminar AX dry film) laminated on a copper clad Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and (100) Silicon wafer coated with Ti (15nm)/Cu (100 to 4000 nm) and copper seed layers. This study concentrated on investigating and comparing the effect of laser fluence (0.01 to 2 J/cm2) and number of shots (1 to 1000) on the etch characteristics of the Laminar AX dry film on both substrates. The other important aspects that were studied include the minimum required seed layer thickness for electroplating.The removal of the residual polymer layer at the end of the laser micromachining process and its effect on plating characteristics has been studied. The surface quality and roughness of the laser micromachined sites and their effect on the plated Nickel structures have also been investigated. The laser fluence and the number of shots used at this stage affected the conditions of the seed layer, which in turn influenced the plated film growth kinetics. The seed layers with thicknesses less than or equal to 0.8 µm were completely removed when high fluence (< around 1 J/cm2) was used. The seed layer surface after micromachining was characterised using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Xray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and profilometer. High Aspect Ratio Structures (HARS) of Nickel were fabricated using the Laminar AX moulds. The highest aspect ratio achieved so far in this work is 6. The characteristics of these structures are discussed in detail.

https://researchbank.swinburne.edu.au/file/e5b08655-6606-440d-ad81-066899e077d3/1/PDF (Published version).pdf

3D visualization tool for excimer laser micromachining

Trends in Sensor Technologies and Markets

or Visual C++® programming tools.

Silicon is in many ways an ideal sensor material. Due to its preeminence in the electronics industry, it is widely available in low-cost, high-purity single crystal form. This, combined with an inherent range sensory effects and phenomena, ensures that as a raw material silicon has a critical role to play in the development of advanced sensor technologies. Piezoresistive, piezoelectric, capacitive and thermal properties, among others, can be used to quantify a range of physical parameters, including pressure, acceleration, force and flow. But, increasingly, silicon is beginning to penetrate chemical sensing markets – where it is being used to monitor acidity and the concentration of ionic and gaseous species – and, in the near future, silicon biosensors are set to be commercialized in Europe. Underpinning this diversification are advanced microengineering techniques that aim to reduce production costs and enhance device performance.

Start making microsensors

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Joe McEntee

Papers

Start making microsensors

Building bridges between big science and industry

Accelerating European neutron science

Take a tour of the frontiers of printing

Using physics to fuel fibre-optic innovation