Modification of inkjet printer for polymer sensitive layer preparation on silicon-based gas sensors

Abstract

Inkjet printing is a versatile, low cost deposition technology with the capabilities for the localized deposition of high precision, patterned deposition in a programmable way, and the parallel deposition of a variety of materials. This paper demonstrates a new method of modifying the consumer inkjet printer to prepare polymer-sensitive layers on silicon wafer for gas sensor applications. A special printing tray for the modified inkjet printer to support a 4-inch silicon wafer is designed. The positioning accuracy of the deposition system is tested, based on the newly modified printer. The experimental data show that the positioning errors in the horizontal direction are negligibly small, while the positioning errors in the vertical direction rise with the increase of the printing distance of the wafer. The method for making suitable ink to be deposited to form the polymer-sensitive layer is also discussed. In the testing, a solution of 0.1 wt% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was used as ink to prepare a sensitive layer with certain dimensions at a specific location on the surface of the silicon wafer, and the results prove the feasibility of the methods presented in this article.

Preface: Micro-Nano Technology

“…10 The studies about other kinds of sensors include: a 16-bit sigma-delta ADC applied in Micro-machined inertial sensor, 11 analyses on the resonant frequency of the silicon Micro-structure of MEMS vector hydrophone in fluid-structure interaction, 12 a research on the characteristics of 2D magnetic field sensor based on magnetic sensitivity diodes, 13 a study of self-calibration MEMS accelerometers, 14 and modification of inkjet printer for polymer sensitive layer preparation on silicon-based gas sensors. 15 In the Micro Actuators area, a dc-contact RF MEMS switch with temperature-stability was designed and examined, 16 and a laterally-driven inertial Micro-switch was simulated and characterized. 17 Besides, theoretical and experimental research on the influence of multiple piezoelectric effects to physical parameters of piezoelectric actuator is also introduced.…”