Post-Processing Techniques for the Integration of Silicon Nanowires and MEMS

Three post-processing techniques key for the integration of nanostructures and MEMS (Microelectromechanical Systems) are presented. The objective is to develop a toolset for integrated NEMS (Nanoelectromechanical Systems) design and processing. More specifically, experimentation is focused on (1) local contact metallization, (2) global metallization for rapid system functionalization and (3) aqueous treatment of self-assembled and suspended silicon nanowires between two MEMS bridges. These techniques are evaluated for their effectiveness and compatibility with integrated NEMS. It is found that local contact metallization effectively alleviates inherent problems at the nano-to-micro contact, while the aqueous treatment confirms that nanoscale components of the system exhibit similar response as their microscale counterparts. Further, the global metallization process enables rapid functionalization as demonstrated in a hydrogen sensing experiment.