Microsystems for the fabrication of nano-scale structures

This paper describes fabrication and testing of microsystems which can be utilized for in-situ deposition control and direct patterning of structures with micron and submicron lateral and vertical dimensions. An electrostatically-driven microactuator acts as an addressable active shutter and shadow mask in a Physical Vapor Deposition system. The displacement of the actuator is controlled in the nano-scale range, without using electrical sensing circuitry, by means of ´stoppers´ fabricated as integral parts of the structure. The deposition of metals through the real-time-actuated microsystem allowed control of the three dimensional shape of the deposited patterns as verified by AFM measurements.