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We present a simple, fast, and cost-effective process for three-dimensional (3D) micro probe array fabrication using multi-step electrochemical metal foil etching. Compared to the previous electroplating (add-on) process, the present electrochemical (subtractive) process results in well-controlled material properties of the metallic microstructures. In the experimental study, we describe the single-step and multi-step electrochemical aluminum foil etching processes. In the single-step process, the depth etch rate and the bias etch rate of an aluminum foil have been measured as 1.50 ± 0.10 and 0.77 ± 0.03 μm min −1 , respectively. On the basis of the single-step process results, we have designed and performed the two-step electrochemical etching process for the 3D micro probe array fabrication. The fabricated 3D micro probe array shows the vertical and lateral fabrication errors of 15.5 ± 5.8% and 3.3 ± 0.9%, respectively, with the surface roughness of 37.4 ± 9.6 nm. The contact force and the contact resistance of the 3D micro probe array have been measured to be 24.30 ± 0.98 mN and 2.27 ± 0.11 , respectively, for an overdrive of 49.12 ± 1.25 μm.

This paper presents a thermal peripheral blood flowmeter where a force sensor is integrated to compensate the blood flow measurement. Since blood flow is highly sensitive to the contact force between the sensor and skin, previous blood flowmeters needed to be fixed on the skin with a constant contact force. We integrate a force sensor with a thermal blood flowmeter to measure both blood flow and contact force simultaneously for force-compensated blood flow measurement. The blood flowmeter presented here is composed of a resistance temperature detector and a piezoresistive force sensor and was fabricated by surface and bulk micromachining techniques. In the experimental measurement, the blood flow linearly decreased with the contact force at the rate of 31.7% N -1 . By using the measured compensation coefficient, the device showed a constant blood flow with the maximum difference of 6.4% over the contact force variation of 1-3 N, and otherwise showed the maximum difference of 75.0%. The present device is suitable for applications with portable biomedical instrumentation or air-conditioning systems for the estimation of human thermoregulation status.

For sub-5Onm device application, Self-Aligned siLICIDE (SALICDE) process by NiTa alloy has k e n developed for the fist time. Use ofNiTa-alloy makes nickel silicide on 5Onm gate thermally-robust up to 6009: during device fabrication. NiTa SALlCIDE process can also achieve excellent value and distribution of sheet resistance on 3Onm gate as well as low junction leakage current compared to CO SALICIDE. Furthermore, the drive current of PMOS is greatly increased. As a result, high-performance 9Onm MOSFETs is successfully integrated with NiTa SALICIDE process.

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In this paper, it is argued that perpendicular recording in the most popular current form--with the use of a continuous soft underlayer (SUL)--may not be the most optimal way to maximize the achievable areal density. As a possible solution, patterning of SUL is discussed. The purpose of patterning of a SUL is to effectively move the image head closer to the recording media, as compared to the real recording head, and thus increase the net recording field and the field gradient across the thickness of the media. Various patterning configurations and combinations with recording layers are comparatively studied. It is illustrated that with a patterned SUL, the recording and sensitivity fields, responsible for writing and reading information, respectively, could be not only increased by several factors but also localized across the entire thickness of the recording media.