Fused silica ‘glass grass’: fabrication and utilization

Abstract

Modifications of surface morphology significantly improve integration possibilities and properties of materials in NEMS, MEMS and µTAS, especially of fused silica. Self-organized nanostructures in fused silica, termed ‘glass grass’, produced by plasma dry etching methods are investigated. These structures appear as ‘grass’, ‘needles’, ‘pillars’ or even ‘tubes’ depending on etching conditions. A comprehensive study of surface morphology modification parameters, regarding reactive ion etching (RIE) and deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) (inductive coupled plasma (ICP)), is presented. The nanostructures are described and characterized by shape, geometry and density with scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray. The influences of coil/platen power, flow rates, etch gases, pressure and etch time on the geometry are derived. Application experiments, such as bonding technologies, which support integration into hybrid material systems, and cell adhesion investigations, are carried out.