Generation of cavities in silicon wafers by laser ablation using silicon nitride as sacrificial layer

Abstract

Througout this investigation, experiments on laser ablation with silicon (Si) wafers have been performed using silicon nitride (Si3N4) as a sacrificial layer to find the optimal fluence capable of removing the Si3N4, which allows the subsequent anisotropic etching in Si with potassium hydroxide. As a result, an alternative to the traditional micromachining techniques that require more steps and processing times has been introduced. The effect of the pulse numbers on Si wafers has been studied and it has been observed that when increasing the pulse numbers at the same fluence, the capacity of the pyramidal cavity formed was greater than using only one pulse at higher fluences. Microcavities were performed with a floating Si3N4 layer. This happens to be very useful for the development of drug delivery systems and the manufacture of microarrays. Microcavities were also used as masters for the fabrication of microionizers in polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS).