Fundamentals of microfluidics fabrication process and the machining of hollow micropillar array

Abstract

This report firstly introduces the fundamental knowledge of microfabrication which will be used in producing micropillar array, such as photolithography, physical vapor deposition, lift-off and reactive ion etching. Then by using different instruments to do microfabrication, which involves four main steps: lift-off, etching holes from backside of wafer, etching holes from frontside of wafer and etching pillars from frontside of wafer. The details of these four steps will be shown in this report. Finally, the outcome will be discussed by comparing the difference between designed dimensions and real micropillar dimensions. The main drawback of this experiment is also discussed and found out how to solve this problem.