High aspect ratio gratings fabricated by electrodeposition
| DWPI Title: Fabrication of metal grating used in x-ray imaging, involves filling through-etched trenches with electrodeposited metal by growth from plugged face of substrate |
| Abstract: A method is provided for making gratings of gold or other metal in silicon substrates. The disclosed method may achieve high aspect ratios. According to the disclosed method, a silicon wafer is through-etched. A seed layer of metal is vapor-deposited on one side of the wafer, and a layer of metal is electrodeposited on the seed layer. The electrodeposited metal plugs the trenches and provides a conductive surface for subsequent electrodeposition. The trenches are then filled by electrodeposition from within the trenches, so that the walls of the metal grating grow on the metal plugs. |
| Use: Method for forming a grating pattern that is useful in applications such as high-aspect-ratio (HAR) gratings useful in X-ray imaging. |
| Advantage: The method offers the possibility to achieve very high aspect ratios. It provides high-aspect-ratio metal grating with high aspect ratio. |
| Novelty: Fabricating a metal grating in a silicon substrate having a thickness and first and second faces, involves lithographically defining a grating pattern comprising parallel elongated etch regions of equal widths on a first face. The etch region width is smaller than the substrate thickness by a factor of 50 or more. The silicon substrate is etched to create through-etched trenches that extend all the way through the substrate. The trenches are plugged with electrodeposited metal at the first or second face of the silicon substrate. They are filled with metal by growth from the plugged face. |
| Filed: 10/15/2021 |
| Application Number: US17503144A |
| Tech ID: SD 15107.1 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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