Suspended micro resonator fabrication: atomic layer deposition

This project is focused on atomic layer deposition of aluminium oxide to fabricate suspended microchannel resonators. Few examples of the applications of such devices are blood analysis to detect cancerous cells or device cooling directly on the chip. The main objective is to simplify the current fabrication process implemented in GR-LVT group, which is complicated and long. In autumn 2015, a previous student worked on this project, using parylene C as structural material for the microfluidic channels. The result was successful; however parylene is a very hydrophobic polymer and has bad mechanical properties. Aluminium oxide is a good alternative, as will be shown in this report. In this project, the deposition of aluminium oxide is based on ALD (atomic layer deposition) that gives very conform and uniform thin films.