Micro Patterning of Silicon by Chemical Etching Using Patterned Noble Metals as Catalyst

Abstract

Si convex arrays and Si hole arrays with ordered periodicities were fabricated by the site-selective chemical etching of a Si substrate using patterned noble metals such as Ag, Pt/Pd, and Au as a catalyst. Metal particles were deposited selectively on the Si substrate by a combination of colloidal crystal templating and subsequent electroless plating or ion sputtering. The obtained metal patterns were of two different types: networklike honeycomb and isolated-island microarrays. On the basis of this process, the dimensions of the resultant pattern could be adjusted easily by changing the diameter of the polystyrene spheres used as a mask.