Direct in- and out-of-plane writing of metals on insulators by electron-beam-enabled, confined electrodeposition with submicrometer feature size

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Nydegger, Mirco, Wang, Zhu-Jun, Willinger, Marc, Spolenak, Ralph, Reiser, Alain
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
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_version_ 1866917738341990400
author Nydegger, Mirco
Wang, Zhu-Jun
Willinger, Marc
Spolenak, Ralph
Reiser, Alain
author_facet Nydegger, Mirco
Wang, Zhu-Jun
Willinger, Marc
Spolenak, Ralph
Reiser, Alain
contents Additive microfabrication processes based on localized electroplating enable the one-step deposition of micro-scale metal structures with outstanding performance, e.g. high electrical conductivity and mechanical strength. They are therefore evaluated as an exciting and enabling addition to the existing repertoire of microfabrication technologies. Yet, electrochemical processes are generally restricted to conductive or semiconductive substrates, precluding their application in the manufacturing of functional electric devices where direct deposition onto insulators is often required. Here, we demonstrate the direct, localized electrodeposition of copper on a variety of insulating substrates, namely Al2O3, glass and flexible polyethylene, enabled by electron-beam-induced reduction in a highly confined liquid electrolyte reservoir. The nanometer-size of the electrolyte reservoir, fed by electrohydrodynamic ejection, enables a minimal feature size on the order of 200 nm. The fact that the transient reservoir is established and stabilized by electrohydrodynamic ejection rather than specialized liquid cells could offer greater flexibility towards deposition on arbitrary substrate geometries and materials. Installed in a low-vacuum scanning electron microscope, the setup further allows for operando, nanoscale observation and analysis of the manufacturing process.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2309_12824
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Direct in- and out-of-plane writing of metals on insulators by electron-beam-enabled, confined electrodeposition with submicrometer feature size
Nydegger, Mirco
Wang, Zhu-Jun
Willinger, Marc
Spolenak, Ralph
Reiser, Alain
Applied Physics
Materials Science
Additive microfabrication processes based on localized electroplating enable the one-step deposition of micro-scale metal structures with outstanding performance, e.g. high electrical conductivity and mechanical strength. They are therefore evaluated as an exciting and enabling addition to the existing repertoire of microfabrication technologies. Yet, electrochemical processes are generally restricted to conductive or semiconductive substrates, precluding their application in the manufacturing of functional electric devices where direct deposition onto insulators is often required. Here, we demonstrate the direct, localized electrodeposition of copper on a variety of insulating substrates, namely Al2O3, glass and flexible polyethylene, enabled by electron-beam-induced reduction in a highly confined liquid electrolyte reservoir. The nanometer-size of the electrolyte reservoir, fed by electrohydrodynamic ejection, enables a minimal feature size on the order of 200 nm. The fact that the transient reservoir is established and stabilized by electrohydrodynamic ejection rather than specialized liquid cells could offer greater flexibility towards deposition on arbitrary substrate geometries and materials. Installed in a low-vacuum scanning electron microscope, the setup further allows for operando, nanoscale observation and analysis of the manufacturing process.
title Direct in- and out-of-plane writing of metals on insulators by electron-beam-enabled, confined electrodeposition with submicrometer feature size
topic Applied Physics
Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2309.12824