Method of drying passivated micromachines by dewetting from a liquid-based process

Patent · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2000

OSTI ID:873213

Houston, Michael R ^[1]; Howe, Roger T ^[2]; Maboudian, Roya ^[3]; Srinivasan, Uthara ^[1]

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1. Berkeley, CA
2. Lafayette, CA
3. Orinda, CA

A method of fabricating a micromachine includes the step of constructing a low surface energy film on the micromachine. The micromachine is then rinsed with a rinse liquid that has a high surface energy, relative to the low surface energy film, to produce a contact angle of greater than 90.degree. between the low surface energy film and the rinse liquid. This relatively large contact angle causes any rinse liquid on the micromachine to be displaced from the micromachine when the micromachine is removed from the rinse liquid. In other words, the micromachine is dried by dewetting from a liquid-based process. Thus, a separate evaporative drying step is not required, as the micromachine is removed from the liquid-based process in a dry state. The relatively large contact angle also operates to prevent attractive capillary forces between micromachine components, thereby preventing contact and adhesion between adjacent microstructure surfaces. The low surface energy film may be constructed with a fluorinated self-assembled monolayer film. The processing of the invention avoids the use of environmentally harmful, health-hazardous chemicals.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• Assignee: Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 6114044
• OSTI ID: 873213
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

method
drying
passivated
micromachines
dewetting
liquid-based
process
fabricating
micromachine
step
constructing
surface
energy
film
rinsed
rinse
liquid
relative
produce
contact
angle
90
degree
relatively
causes
displaced
removed
words
dried
separate
evaporative
required
dry
operates
prevent
attractive
capillary
forces
components
preventing
adhesion
adjacent
microstructure
surfaces
constructed
fluorinated
self-assembled
monolayer
processing
avoids
environmentally
harmful
health-hazardous
chemicals
surface energy
capillary forces
contact angle
evaporative drying
drying step
monolayer film
self-assembled monolayer
machine components
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