Journal
SENSORS
Volume 13, Issue 6, Pages 7021-7032Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/s130607021
Keywords
thin films; adhesion; elastic modulus; roughness; biomedical cantilever sensors; microfluidic sensors; SU-8; metal; gold
Funding
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
- Humber River Basin Project
- Atlantic Innovation Fund
- Canada Foundation for Innovation
- Research Development Corporation
- Student Work And Service Program
- Memorial University Library Open Access Author's Fund
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We present and analyze a method to improve the morphology and mechanical properties of gold thin films for use in optical sensors or other settings where good adhesion of gold to a substrate is of importance and where controlled topography/roughness is key. To improve the adhesion of thermally evaporated gold thin films, we introduce a gold deposition step on SU-8 photoresist prior to UV exposure but after the pre-bake step of SU-8 processing. Shrinkage and distribution of residual stresses, which occur during cross-linking of the SU-8 polymer layer in the post-exposure baking step, are responsible for the higher adhesion of the top gold film to the post-deposition cured SU-8 sublayer. The SU-8 underlayer can also be used to tune the resulting gold film morphology. Our promoter-free protocol is easily integrated with existing sensor microfabrication processes.
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