From microgripping to nanogripping

This paper presents a batch microfabrication approach for processing silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers to selectively miniaturize device features to sub-micrometers in thickness. The process was demonstrated to construct gripping devices, reducing the thickness of the gripping tips to 1 ¿m while maintaining a 25 ¿m thickness for all other structural components. Post processing steps were applied to reduce the intrinsic stress of the material layers resulting from the fabrication process, and focused ion beam (FIB) was used optionally to reshape and sharpen the gripper tips. The new devices demonstrated pick and place of 100 nm gold nano spheres inside a scanning electron microscope (SEM).