Abstract
We introduce a non-lithographical and vacuum-free method to pattern silicon. The method combines inkjet printing and metal assisted chemical etching (MaCE); we call this method “INKMAC”. A commercial silver ink is printed on top of a silicon surface to create the catalytic patterns for MaCE. The MaCE process leaves behind a set of silicon nanowires in the shape of the inkjet printed micrometer scale pattern. We further show how a potassium hydroxide (KOH) wet etching process can be used to rapidly etch away the nanowires, producing fully opened cavities and channels in the shape of the original printed pattern. We show how the printed lines (width 50–100 µm) can be etched into functional silicon microfluidic channels with different depths (10–40 µm) with aspect ratios close to one. We also used individual droplets (minimum diameter 30 µm) to produce cavities with a depth of 60 µm and an aspect ratio of two. Further, we discuss using the structured silicon substrate as a template for polymer replication to produce superhydrophobic surfaces.
Highlights
Silicon microfabrication techniques are enablers for microelectronics, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and microfluidics
We show that a combination of inkjet printing and wet etching can be utilized to micropattern silicon in the 30 μm to 100 μm size scales
This combination can make anisotropic etching to produce high aspect ratio silicon structures, albeit not at the level of state-of-the-art microfabrication technologies, e.g., deep reactive ion etching and electrochemical micromachining [5,6]. These size scales are suitable for applications in microfluidics which we demonstrate by showing fabrication of microfluidic channels in silicon, and superhydrophobic surfaces by polymer replication from silicon
Summary
Silicon microfabrication techniques are enablers for microelectronics, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and microfluidics. In addition to lithography and etching, silicon can be patterned by laser ablation [1,2], ion beam milling [3] and traditional micromachining, such as electro-discharge machining, micro-dicing and cutting [4]. We show that a combination of inkjet printing and wet etching can be utilized to micropattern silicon in the 30 μm to 100 μm size scales.
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