AVS 51st International Symposium
    MEMS and NEMS Tuesday Sessions
       Session MN+MS+PS+TF-TuA

Paper MN+MS+PS+TF-TuA4
Detection of Metal Film Deposit Smoothness by a MEMS-NEMS Structure via Surface Plasmon Effects

Tuesday, November 16, 2004, 2:20 pm, Room 213C

Session: Nano/MEMS Manufacturing and Plasmas
Presenter: D.T. Wei, Wei & Assoc.
Authors: D.T. Wei, Wei & Assoc.
A. Scherer, California Institute of Technology
Correspondent: Click to Email
A thin metal film under strong illumination, from uv to visible, will induce a quantum effect of electron plasma called surface plasmon effect. When the film is a deposit on a semiconductor surface, it takes additional structure in submicron scale to make an electronic detector. This detection method has high potential for controlling the smoothness of metal coating by traditional plasma or by ion beam deposition. Such an integrated structure is effective to detect the surface roughnesses vs. plasmon modes not often obtainable through other means, such as their decay products. A NEMS device is designed and fabricated for collecting electrons from the decaying surface plasmons in avalanche mode. The signal responds to the degree of the metal deposit surface roughness down to nano, even subnano sizes. Imperfections in metal film resulted from thermal plasma deposition are theoretically analyzed and relevant data are presented from the nano structure with new insights. Assembled unit will be applicable to monitoring the metal coating smoothness. Applications in transparent electroding and adaptive optics are sought.