A facile and combined methodology to fabricate sputtered thin film micro-patterns for heater/sensor applications utilizing CO₂laser-cut masks

Abstract

We propose a facile and combined methodology to develop magnetron sputtered various metals and alloy (e.g. tungsten, tin and nichrome), and metal oxide (indium tin oxide) thin film-based micro-patterns deposited on flexible and rigid substrates utilizing reusable patterned mask. CO 2 laser-cut glass-based mask is fabricated and assembled with the substrates for pattern printing by sputtered thin film deposition technique. Fabrication of mask is adopted with the rapid CO 2 laser-cut process aided with computer-aided design software. The laser-cut glass-based mask can easily fix on any type of substrates and any resistive materials deposition can be carried out. Currently, the developed thin film micropatterns show good uniformity, dense morphology and without sign of any discontinuity. Finally, a successful functional characterization of a typical nichrome line-heater also confirms the feasibility and proof of concept of the present proposed approach that is much facile, less time-consuming and economical.

A critical review of copper electroless deposition on glass substrates for microsystems packaging applications

“…The interfacial forces between the metal film and substrate and the mechanical interlocking of metal particles are the two main factors contributing to the adhesion improvement for H 2 SO 4 /K 2 Cr 2 O 7 treated substrates. The mechanical grinding did not improve the adhesion before acid etching (samples [19][20][21][22][23][24]. However, the polished/acid-etched samples showed higher adhesion values than the merely polished samples.…”

“…Several deposition techniques are used to deposit thin (<1 μm) and thick (>1 μm) copper films. Physicalvapour-deposition (PVD) processes [17][18][19][20], like sputtering [21][22][23][24][25] and electron beam evaporation [26][27][28][29], Chemical-vapour-deposition (CVD) [30][31][32][33][34], atomic layer deposition (ALD) [35][36][37][38] methods are used to deposit high-quality, defect-free, continuous films; however, the average thickness of deposited films is generally less than 1 μm. Electroplating is used in those applications where the thick blanket film is required or blind/through holes must be filled.…”