<nmz787>
azonenberg: Low cost UV laser direct write photolithography
<nmz787>
system for rapid prototyping of microsystems
<azonenberg>
Nice
<Sync_>
that's neat
<azonenberg>
I want to build one
<Sync_>
just lugged my mill in the cellar
<azonenberg>
something like that has been on my TODO for a while
<azonenberg>
just been too busy
<Sync_>
I hopy my back does not kill me tomorrow
<azonenberg>
i think if/when i build one i'll add machine vision software to the camera
<azonenberg>
so it can automatically align the new pattern to existing alignment marks
<Sync_>
should be easy enough to do with opencv
<azonenberg>
Yeah
<azonenberg>
Because if i could solve the litho problem
<azonenberg>
and get a vacuum chamber for metal deposition
<azonenberg>
then MEMS are well within reach
<azonenberg>
CMOS will be a lot harder due to contamination concerns
<azonenberg>
but a little K- ions won't hurt a comb drive :p
<Sync_>
aaah ok, my back is already killing me
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<berndj>
azonenberg, is contamination an issue regardless of feature size, or does it become less critical if you ran a 100µm process?
<Sync_>
contamination is not an issue of feature size
<Sync_>
particle contamination is
<Sync_>
but metal ions always get you
<azonenberg>
berndj: Metal ion contamination will kill transistors no matter how big they are
<azonenberg>
But particles less than, say, half your feature size
<azonenberg>
aren't that big a deal
<berndj>
but i assume it's at least a matter of ion concentration, and not absolute number?
<azonenberg>
I believe so, yes
<berndj>
i see. so reagent purity is directly the relevant factor?
<azonenberg>
Yes
<azonenberg>
As well as cleanliness of glassware etc
<azonenberg>
But for MEMS you dont care about electrical performance nearly as much
<azonenberg>
since the Si is just a mechanical substrate
<berndj>
use giant glassware to take advantage of scaling factors :)
<azonenberg>
Which is why i think they're a better starter project
<berndj>
why do you suppose MEMS came only much later in the history of the tech?
<azonenberg>
That i'm not sure
<berndj>
my first instinct would be to assume that it's in some sense "harder" than ICs (i'm assuming you're using "CMOS" loosely here, and that NMOS would have the same sensitivity)
<berndj>
maybe it just didn't seem that interesting earlier than it became mainstream?
<azonenberg>
Yes, although i hear BJTs are slightly less sensitive
<azonenberg>
i dont understand the physics to that extent
<berndj>
i don't recall jeri ellsworth using crazy-level purity reagents?
<berndj>
i think she used conductive epoxy to make contacts and even gates. very ghetto-style!
<azonenberg>
Yes, and thats why i filed this under the "to learn" level
<azonenberg>
From what i understand metal contamination at room temp isnt as big a deal
<azonenberg>
the big concern is keeping things clean before you do diffusion