Microreplication in a silicon processing compatible polymer material

• Published in: Journal of micromechanics and microengineering Vol. 15; no. 7; pp. S116 - S121
• Main Authors: Melin, Jonas, Hedsten, Karin, Magnusson, Anders, Karlén, David, Rödjegård, Henrik, Persson, Katrin, Bengtsson, Jörgen, Enoksson, Peter, Nikolajeff, Fredrik
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.07.2005; Institute of Physics
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Circuit properties; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Integrated optics. Optical fibers and wave guides; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; Mechanical instruments, equipment and techniques; Microelectronic fabrication (materials and surfaces technology); Micromechanical devices and systems; Optical and optoelectronic circuits; Physics; Precision engineering, watch making; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Integrated optics; Amorphous material; Material processing; Tetrafluoroethylene polymer; Amorphous state; Fluorocarbon; Microoptics; Plastic coating; Spin-on coatings; Hot forming; Silicon; Silicon polymer; Production process
• ISSN: 0960-1317; 1361-6439
• DOI: 10.1088/0960-1317/15/7/017

Devices combining optical and micromechanical elements have become key components for many applications in recent years. In this paper, we present a novel fabrication process for the integration of polymer micro-optical elements on silicon. The fabrication process relies on a reverse-order protocol in which the diffractive lens is first hot embossed into a polymer layer spin coated onto a silicon wafer and the subsequent process steps are carried out with the lens already in place. This is possible due to an extremely stable and chemically resistant amorphous fluorocarbon polymer, Cytop(TM), used for lens fabrication. Cytop is a Teflon-like material which exhibits high optical transmittance, excellent adhesion to silicon and resistance to most chemicals used for silicon processing. These properties make it ideally suited for the integration of polymer optical elements with silicon micromechanical components.