Wet etched high aspect ratio microstructures on quartz for MEMS applications

Jinxing Liang*, Fusao Kohsaka, Takahiro Matsuo, Toshitsugu Ueda

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    28 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Z cut α-quartz wafers were etched in saturated ammonium bifluoride solution at 87 degrees C. The side wall profiles were observed using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and plotted dependent on the polar direction. This research focused on investigating high aspect ratio trench and through-hole, which were dependent on the polar direction to the crystal axis. Aspect ratio in dependence on polar direction was also plotted and microchannels with aspect ratio > 3 could be achieved at the polar angle between 30° to 60°. The possibility of application for microcapillary was discussed, and the trench at 45° was considered best. Double-sided etching technique was used for manufacturing through-hole structures. Through-hole at 0° was demonstrated effective for fabrication of capacitive MEMS tilt sensor. Through-holes at 15° and 105° were proposed for fabrication of 90°-arranged two axis capactive tilt sensor, taking advantage of the twofold symmetry property around X axis and threefold symmetry property around Z axis.

    Original languageEnglish
    JournalIEEJ Transactions on Sensors and Micromachines
    Volume127
    Issue number7
    Publication statusPublished - 2007

    Keywords

    • Anisotropic etching
    • High aspect ratio
    • MEMS
    • Microcapillary
    • Quartz
    • Tilt sensor

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
    • Mechanical Engineering

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