STRESS ASSISTED CONTROLLED FABRICATION OF NANO CHANNELS AND THEIR FLOW CHARACTERISTICS

摘要

A method to fabricate nano channels narrower than 50nm without the need for any nano lithography is presented. The nano channels are formed by cracking a thin film of silicon dioxide on a silicon substrate by residual stress alone. However, for controlled initiation of cracks on oxide, stress raisers are planted on a silicon substrate by deep RIE. These channels are used to study capillary driven fluid flow through nanochannels. Experimental analysis suggests that the flow rate is inversely proportional to the square root of time, which is in agreement with the theoretical model. From the theoretical plot that fits the experimental data the value of the proportionality constant is determined. From this value it is possible to back calculate the meniscus contact angle if we know the surface energy of the fluid or vice versa.