Continuous flow ink etching for direct micropattern of silicon dioxide

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A continuous flow ink etching (CFIE) method is presented to directly create micropatterns on a 60 nm thick silicon dioxide (SiO2) layer. This technique employs a micropipette filled with potassium bifluoride (KHF2) aqueous solution to localize SiO2 dissolution in the vicinity of the micropipette tip. Both dot and line features with well-defined edges were fabricated and used as hardmasks for silicon etching. The linear density of etchant ink deposited on the SiO2 can be used to regulate the depth, width and 2D morphology of the line pattern. The characterization of CFIE including the resolution (about 4 μm), reproducibility and capability to form complex structures are reported. This technique provides a simple and flexible alternative to generate the SiO2 hardmask for silicon microstructure fabrication.