IUVSTA 15th International Vacuum Congress (IVC-15), AVS 48th International Symposium (AVS-48), 11th International Conference on Solid Surfaces (ICSS-11)
    Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Thursday Sessions
       Session MM-ThA

Paper MM-ThA8
An Integrated MEMS Fabrication Technology Using SU-8 Negative Resists and Conducting Polymers

Thursday, November 1, 2001, 4:20 pm, Room 130

Session: Fabrication and Integration Processes for MEMS
Presenter: S. Li, University of Maryland at College Park
Authors: S. Li, University of Maryland at College Park
E. Smela, University of Maryland at College Park
R. Ghodssi, University of Maryland at College Park
Correspondent: Click to Email
Tall, narrow channels are necessary for many microfluidics applications, and a simple way to fabricate such channels is desirable. In addition, electrodes are frequently required for fluid pumping. Since polymers can be inexpensive, easy to pattern, and modified to be biocompatible, our goal is to make all-polymer microfluidic systems. EPON SU-8 is a light-sensitive epoxy polymer that can be patterned using conventional UV photolithography. We have previously used it to fabricate high aspect ratio microstructures, and in this work we made channels 15-micron wide and 250-micron deep on top of a patterned gold film on a silicon wafer. Surface micromachining was used (rather than, for example, deep reactive ion etching) to achieve deep channels with straight sidewalls in one simple step. For electrodes, we are investigating the use of conducting polymers such as polypyrrole (PPy). Polypyrrole, which has good biocompatibility, was electrochemically deposited onto the patterned gold electrodes in the bottom of the channel. Thus, the microfluidic channels in the SU-8 had patterned PPy electrodes embedded at the bottom. The two plastic-based MEMS technologies were successfully integrated, demonstrating materials and process compatibility. Preliminary results and a detailed fabrication process for combined SU8 and PPy will be presented.