Abstract: Ultra-miniature electrical contacts are provided with the strength and resilience necessary to give stable low resistance connection, to minute areas of a device, such as a thousand or so closely spaced surface pads of an integrated circuit. Each contact is initially formed on a substrate as a thin, narrow elongated flat body comprised of selectively deposited layers of metal. Depending on the final configuration desired for the contact, the metal of one metal layer has a coefficient of thermal expansion such as chromium (Cr), and the metal of another layer has a coefficient of thermal expansion such as copper (Cu). Each contact is permanently formed (by differential expansion of the metal layers when heated) into a three-dimensional structure and is then made “robust” by a covering of a specialized stiffening metal plating which adds substantial strength to the contact.

Abstract: A micromachined element mounted to a substrate, the element including a cantilever having a proximal portion attached to the substrate and a coilable distal portion terminating in a free distal end. The coilable distal portion, upon being heated, is capable of bending away from the substrate and at least partially coiling upon itself to form a coiled portion. At least part of the micromachined element may be electrically conductive. In various embodiments, the micromachined element may function as a mechanical microspring, an electrically conductive link, and/or a magnetic coil. A method of fabricating the microelement may include the steps of selectively depositing various layers upon the substrate.

Abstract: Ultra-miniature electrical contacts are provided with the strength and resilience necessary to give stable low resistance connection, to minute areas of a device, such as a thousand or so closely spaced surface pads of an integrated circuit. Each contact is initially formed on a substrate as a thin, narrow elongated flat body comprised of selectively deposited layers of metal. Depending on the final configuration desired for the contact, the metal of one metal layer has a coefficient of thermal expansion such as chromium (Cr), and the metal of another layer has a coefficient of thermal expansion such as copper (Cu). Each contact is permanently formed (by differential expansion of the metal layers when heated) into a three-dimensional structure and is then made “robust” by a covering of a specialized stiffening metal plating which adds substantial strength to the contact.

Abstract: A small bimetallic thermocouple probe device for use in scanning atomic force microscopy is mass produced by etching and oxidatively sharpening silicon points on a standard silicon wafer. The sharpened points are oxidized and the first thermocouple metal layer is deposited and patterned. The intermetal dielectric layer is deposited and removed in the area of the tip of the probe by a simple double spin photoresist process having a drying cycle between the two spins. The exposed tips have the dielectric etched, and the second thermocouple metal is deposited and patterned. The finished thermocouples are produced by etching the silicon from the back side of the wafer to free up the cantilevered structure which the probe are constructed upon. With such a procedure, large numbers of tiny, low thermal mass scanning atomic force microscope thermocouple probes may be inexpensively manufactured.

Abstract: Knife blades having exceptionally sharp cutting edges are formed from wafers of monocrystalline silicon using known semiconductor processing technology. In one embodiment, an elongated ridge having a flat top covered by an etchant mask is etched to undercut the mask and to shape the ridge side walls to inwardly converge towards the ridge tip. The mask is removed and a sharp ridge apex is provided by a series of oxide forming and oxide stripping processes. Individual knife blades of silicon, each comprising a ridge having a sharp cutting edge, are shaped from the wafer. In another embodiment, the silicon wafer is etched entirely through between top and bottom surfaces to form a tapered etched wall intersecting the bottom wall at a highly acute edge. The edge is sharpened by the oxide forming and oxide stripping process to form a cutting edge in the completed blade. In both embodiments, various etch masks and etching procedures are used for providing blades of various shapes.

Abstract: A microprobe comprises a base, a microcantilever extending in a plane from the base, and a probe tip projecting from the microcantilever out of the plane. The microcantilever is a bimorph structure comprising first and second layers made from materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion, and an integrated heated element for supplying heat to the microcantilever. The probe tip is made from silicon and comes to a radius that can be controlled to atomic sharpness (<1 nm) if desired. Alternatively, the probe tip is a planar structure. Desirably, the microcantilever is made from a metal, such as aluminum, and silicon oxide as the materials of the two layers. The heating element comprises a line or ribbon of a conductive material, such as polysilicon which is in contact with one of the two layers, and supplies heat, thereby causing the probe tip to traverse an arc and bring it into contact with a material under investigation.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a self-aligned gated electron field emitter. An oxidation process forms an optimized, atomically sharp needle (18) in a silicon substrate (12). The needle and surrounding planar area are conformally coated with silicon dioxide (22). A dielectric layer (24) is deposited and planarized over the needle. The dielectric layer is then partially etched away so as to expose the coated needle. The silicon dioxide exposed on the needle is isotropically etched so as to undercut the dielectric layer. A gate metal is directionally deposited so as to form a gate layer (26) on the planar portions of the dielectric layer that is electrically isolated from the gate metal (28) deposited on the needle. The metal on the needle is anodically etched by applying the potential only to the silicon and not to the gate layer. Electro-plating may recoat the needle with another metal (30).

Abstract: Tapered silicon structures, of interest for use, e.g., in atomic force microscopes, in field-emission devices, and in solid-state devices are made using silicon processing technology. Resulting tapered structures have, at their tip, a radius of curvature of 10 nanometers or less.

Abstract: Tapered silicon structures, of interest for use, e.g., in atomic force microscopes, in field-emission devices, and in solid state devices are made using silicon processing technology. Resulting tapered structures have, at their tip, a radius of curvature of 10 nanometers or less. Such preferred silicon structures are particularly suited as electron emitters in display devices.

Abstract: In a structure comprising an ultra-sharp silicon tip coated with a layer of material, the silicon is removed from the structure. The remaining material is utilized as a mold. Metal deposited in the mold replicates the original silicone tip. In this way, ultra-sharp all-metal tips suitable, for example, as field-emitter sources are provided.

Abstract: Many of the stacking faults which occur after oxidation of silicon wafers are substantially eliminated by the use of an argon-hydrochloric anneal of the wafers just prior to oxidation. This anneal, which is carried out in the same chamber in which oxidation is carried out, removes impurities from the surface of the wafers and thereby limits the sites at which stacking faults form after oxidation.