This PDF file contains the front matter associated with SPIE Proceedings Volume 7204, including the Title Page, Copyright information, Table of Contents, and Conference Committee listing.

growth of data and video transport networks. All-optical switching eliminates the need for optical-electrical conversion offering the ability to switch optical signals transparently: independent of data rates, formats and wavelength. It also provides network operators much needed automation capabilities to create, monitor and protect optical light paths. To further accelerate the market penetration, it is necessary to identify a path to reduce the manufacturing cost significantly as well as enhance the overall system performance, uniformity and reliability. Currently, most MEMS optical switches are assembled through die level flip-chip bonding with either epoxies or solder bumps. This is due to the alignment accuracy requirements of the switch assembly, defect matching of individual die, and cost of the individual components. In this paper, a wafer level assembly approach is reported based on silicon fusion bonding which aims to reduce the packaging time, defect count and cost through volume production. This approach is successfully demonstrated by the integration of two 6-inch wafers: a mirror array wafer and a "snap-guard" wafer, which provides a mechanical structure on top of the micromirror to prevent electrostatic snap-down. The direct silicon-to-silicon bond eliminates the CTEmismatch and stress issues caused by non-silicon bonding agents. Results from a completed integrated switch assembly will be presented, which demonstrates the reliability and uniformity of some key parameters of this MEMS optical switch.

We consider midinfrared (5 - 25 μm) and terahertz (100 - 1000 μm), room-temperature detectors based on a microcantilever/micromirror sensor of the radiation pressure. The significant enhancement of sensitivity is due the combination of non-absorption detection and a high quality optical microcavity. Applications for spectrometry and imaging are analyzed. It is shown that the radiation pressure sensor potentially has sensitivity at the level of or better than the best conventional uncooled detectors.

Infrared semiconductor ring laser fabrication typically involves planarization of ridge waveguide device structures and deposition of metal electrodes for electrical pumping. Uniform planarization across large samples is difficult to achieve. This leads to inadequate electrical contact between portions of the ring resonator and the deposited metal electrode layer whereby the devices are not optimally pumped. This can lead to high threshold currents and device failure. The problem of inadequate electrical pumping on account of non-idea planarization has been addressed by utilizing a metallic etch mask instead of the commonly used photoresist 'soft' mask. The metallic mask remains intact after ridge etching and the other ensuing fabrication steps to form a continuous metallic cover above the entire device structure. This metallic cover ensures proper electrical contact between the ring resonator and the deposited metal electrode layer even when planarization imperfections render only certain portions of the resonator in proper electrical contact with the metal electrode layer. The proposed fabrication process has led to large diameter ring lasers with high yield and low threshold current levels. These devices are robust and exhibit stable operation over large current ranges in addition.

An investigation study concerning positioning, alignment, bonding and packaging of optical fibers for interfacing with optical MEMS devices is being reviewed in this paper. The study includes a review of techniques and critical issues for optical fiber positioning, alignment, bonding, optical improvements, and coupling and interfacing through micro-lenses and waveguides. Also, we present a packaging design structure for hermetic sealing of optical MEMS devices requiring interfacing through optical fibers which considers aspects such as processes, assemble schemes and bonding techniques for Optical Fibers, which are briefly reviewed in this work. This packaging design considers the following conditions: hermeticity of the MEMS devices, optical fiber and MEMS die alignment and positioning, assembly process, and Simachined fixturing design for final assembly and positioning.

Hall sensors of high sensitivity have been designed and fabricated using the Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) process. This paper presents the design and fabrication techniques used to obtain high sensitivity Hall sensors on a thin film polyimide flexible substrate. The devices are fabricated on a Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI), with boron-doped p-type Silicon as the active layer, using surface micromachining principles. The arrays of Hall devices are further transferred to a flexible substrate using a combination of wet and dry micromachining processes. The manufactured devices are stable over a range of temperature displaying relatively high magnetic sensitivity values. The recorded device sensitivities are in the range of 10μV/mA-G. The fabrication process aims at fabricating devices on a flexible substrate that enables to curve the Hall probes and thus use them for the measurement of radial magnetic fields and magnetic fields on curved surfaces. The volume of the active region is 1000×100×2μm.

Sharpened cantilevered nozzles were fabricated combining microsystem technologies and focused ion beam micromachining. Micronozzles consist of silicon chips with silicon oxide microchannels whose micronozzles were reshaped using Focused Ion Beam. Micronozzle body was defined by an aluminum sacrificial layer patterned over a silicon wafer. This layer was surrounded by a deposited silicon oxide structural layer. The chip is defined by a silicon deep reactive ion etching through the wafer. This process releases part of the metal line forming a cantilevered micronozzle. Sharp reshaped micronozzles were achieved by focused ion beam milling. Mechanical tests of silicon oxide nozzles still containing the aluminum sacrificial layer were performed by cell piercing. In some instances, zona pellucida and membrane were crossed without cell lysis, and micronozzles remained intact.

Stretchable interconnects are essential to large-area flexible circuits and large-area sensor array systems, and they play an important role towards the realization of the realm of systems which include wearable electronics, sensor arrays for structural health monitoring, and sensor skins for tactile feedback. These interconnects must be reliable and robust for viability, and must be flexible, stretchable, and conformable to non-planar surfaces. This research describes the design, modeling, fabrication, and testing of stretchable interconnects on polymer substrates using metal patterns both as functional interconnect layers and as in-situ masks for excimer laser photoablation. Excimer laser photoablation is often used for patterning of polymers and thin-film metals. The fluences for photoablation of polymers are generally much lower than the threshold fluence for removal or damage of high-thermallyconductive metals; thus, metal thin films can be used as in-situ masks for polymers if the proper fluence is used. Selfaligned single-layer and multi-layer interconnects of various designs (rectilinear and 'meandering') have been fabricated, and certain 'meandering' interconnect designs can be stretched up to 50% uniaxially while maintaining good electrical conductivity and structural integrity. These results are compared with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) models and are observed to be in good accordance with them. This fabrication approach eliminates masks and microfabrication processing steps as compared to traditional fabrication approaches; furthermore, this technology is scalable for large-area sensor arrays and electronic circuits, adaptable for a variety of materials and interconnects designs, and compatible with MEMS-based capacitive sensor technology.

The aim of this paper is to present the pulsed laser breaking technique, a technique that further builds on the unstable fracture technique. In this study, a diamond-point scoring tool was used to scribe a groove and create a median crack (grooved-crack) along the cutting path in a glass substrate. A pulsed CO2 laser was then applied at the cutting path to cut the glass substrate. A crack developed in the grooved-crack after the first laser pulse, increased in length after the second pulse, and then extended unstably after the third. The scribed grooved-crack determined the direction of crack propagation. The glass substrate separated along the scribed path. The surface of the separated pieces was free of microcracks common to mechanical breaking. The scribe force and groove depth were established and the laser parameters were set. Photographs of the glass substrate surface were obtained to analyze the cutting quality. An image processing system of crack detection was employed to obtain the crack image continuously during the laser breaking process. The stress analyses via ANSYS were performed to explain the mechanism of the breaking process that has been successfully developed in this study on cutting LCD glass substrates.

Two-photon polymerization has emerged as a technology for rapid fabrication of three-dimensional micro-structures with nanoscale resolution. Commonly, a Ti:Sapphire femtosecond laser (operating at 780-800 nm wavelength) working at MHz pulse repetition rate is applied as an irradiation source to photomodify the resin. We present a system for pinpoint two-photon polymerization which utilizes second harmonic (515 nm) of amplified Yb:KGW femtosecond laser working at 312.5 kHz pulse repetition rate. Shorter irradiation wavelength enables one to focus laser beam to a smaller spot. High repetition rate and high average power capacitates rapid fabrication of three-dimensional structures over a large area. Results obtained prove the highest resolution of fabrication to be up to ~100 nm, and reproducible resolution 200 nm. Some micro-structures fabricated rapidly over millimeter area and revealing the specific problems arising at high speed fabrication over large lateral dimensions are presented in this report. Results obtained show the system and technologies applied to be well suitable for future routine 3D structuring over the large area and application of such structures in photonics, micro-optics, micromechanics, microelectronics and cell growth for tissue engineering.

It has been concluded in previous studies that Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN) tools have greater wear resistance and superior tool life than other tool materials used in conventional milling, due to chemically stability at high temperatures, high abrasive wear resistance and high degree of hardness; however no research has been conducted about its performance on micro milling. Burr formation has a direct negative effect on product quality and assembly automation in micro milling, therefore adoption of machining strategies and influencing factors were investigated intending to reduce burr formation. This paper also aims at analyzing the interference of cutting parameters on micro milling with CBN tools, such as the influence of cutting speed and feed per tooth on the surface quality and tool life. These outcomes enable us to know which parameters and strategies must be used to achieve better results when micro milling steel with CBN tools.

We use Monte Carlo simulations and modeling to study the 1/f noise in CNT films as a function of device parameters and film resistivity. We consider noise sources due to both tube-tube junctions and nanotubes themselves. By comparing the simulation results with experimental data, we find that the noise generated by tube-tube junctions dominates the total CNT film 1/f noise. We then systematically study the effect of device length, device width and film thickness on the 1/f noise scaling in CNT films. Our results show that the noise amplitude depends strongly on device dimensions and on the film resistivity, following a power-law relationship near the percolation threshold. Despite its relative simplicity, our computational approach explains the experimentally observed 1/f noise scaling in CNT films. Since 1/f noise is a more sensitive measure of percolation than resistivity, these simulations will help improve the performance of CNT film sensors at the micro-nano interface, where noise is an important figure of merit.

Sieves are membranes with a regular array of uniform pores that present low flow resistance. Because of such characteristics they are promising devices for filtration, separation of particles by size and drug delivery control. If the pore dimensions reach the scale of nanometers, new and exciting biological applications may be developed. We propose and demonstrated a technique for fabrication of polymeric sieves using only soft lithography that allows the mass production of sieves with pores in the scale of hundred of nanometers. The technique associates UV interference lithography, conventional optical lithography and molding. The process starts with the UV interference lithography in a thin SU-8 photoresist film, in order to record the small pores. After development, a thick SU-8 layer is coated, on the previously recorded sample, in order to pattern a hexagonal sustaining structure. The structures recorded in SU-8 are used to create a negative mold in PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) that is used for casting the sieve in PLLA (poly-Llactide).

This paper reported the simple nanorod characteristic measurement method by layer separated structure. The structures are designed by the ANSYS simulation and they are fabricated by semiconductor fabrications. In the experiment, dielectrophoresis (DEP) principle is used to assemble nanorods which are synthesized by electrochemical deposition (ECD) method. However, it is difficult to make devices without assembly process because nanorods which are synthesized by the ECD method are dispersed in the medium. Therefore, this paper was studied to design and fabricate the nanorod assembly-layer and measurement-layer separation. After assembling the nanorods, I-V characteristics of the nanorods were measured.