AVS 50th International Symposium
    Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Tuesday Sessions
       Session MM-TuP

Paper MM-TuP5
Investigation on Metal-coated Nano-aperture Array

Tuesday, November 4, 2003, 5:30 pm, Room Hall A-C

Session: Poster Session
Presenter: D.W. Kim, Sun Moon University, Korea
Authors: D.W. Kim, Sun Moon University, Korea
J.T. Ok, Sun Moon University, Korea
S.S. Choi, Sun Moon University, Korea
J.W. Kim, Sungkyunkwan University, Korea
J.H. Boo, Sungkyunkwan University, Korea
C.K. Chun, Sun Moon University, Korea
J.S. Yang, Myongji University, Korea
Correspondent: Click to Email
There have been considerable interests in the nano-aperture due to its potential application for promising near-field optical recording. Near-field optical recording can increase the data storage density drastically as it circumvents the diffraction limit. For the development of the practical optical storage device, a parallel processing technique based on nano-aperture array has been being investigated. In this work, the controllable method for the fabrication of metal-coated nano-aperture array and its optical characteristics in the far-field regime will be presented. At first, the arrays of inverted pyramidal structures were generated by anisotropic etching using 5 µm size pattern. Next, the stress-dependent oxide growth on the concave Si surface of the hollow pyramids was performed at 1000 °C. Backside Si etching by alkaline solution was followed and released the hollow oxide pyramids array with intentionally designed convex lens-like facets. Nano-apertures have been opened at the apices of pyramids by 50:1 diluted HF solution and the relation between the aperture diameter and the etch time showed good linearity with the aperture opening rate of ~25 nm/min. Finally, Al thin layer was deposited on the outer surface of oxide pyramid by PVD for the purpose of further reducing the aperture diameter, which will play the role of a wave-guide as well. The diameter of the completed aperture was observed to be inversely proportional to the thickness of Al layer. The details of the fabrication procedure and the far-field optical characteristics will be reported.