Product Code: JLA_14_3_185

Authors:
George P. Vakanas
Array

Ampere A. Tseng
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287

Paul Winer
Silicon Debug Tools Development, SC9-09, Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, California 95054

The feasibility of fabricating buried (embedded or subsurface) microstructures between silicon and silicon oxide using laser-assisted chemical etching (LACE) in chlorine atmosphere is demonstrated in this article. An associated LACE ablation model and sample calculations based on one-dimensional thermal analysis and chemical kinetics are presented. A strategy for optimizing the laser process for 3D micromachining is outlined. Potential applications of such fabricated microstructures include microfluidic MEMS for transducers and electronic cooling. © 2002 Laser Institute of America.