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Repetitive operation of a dense plasma soft x-ray source for micromachining
Citation
Wong, D., Tan, T. L., Patran, A., Hassan, S. M., Zhang, T., Springham, S. V., Lee, S., Rawat, R. S., & Lee, P. (2005). Repetitive operation of a dense plasma soft x-ray source for micromachining. In J. Chittenden (Ed.), Dense Z-Pinches: 6th International Conference on Dense Z-Pinches (pp. 227-230). American Institute of Physics. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2159359
Author
Wong, D.
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Patran, Alin Constantin
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Hassan, S. M.
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Zhang, T.
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Lee, Sing
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Abstract
The NX2 device, a low energy plasma focus, at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, was used as a soft X-ray (SXR) source for micromachining. The gas used was neon which produced SXRs in a narrow spectral range of 0.9 - 1.6 keV. The SXR yield from repetitive operation of the NX2 device was monitored and measured using a cost effective multi-channel SXR spectrometric system. The system consists of filtered BPX65 PIN diodes, with the associated electronics --- an integrator, sample and peak holder, analogue switch, an A/D converter and a microcontroller. The system enables easy shot-to-shot statistical analysis under repetitive operation at adjustable preset trigger frequencies. A total of 4000 shots were fired at 0.5 Hz, using the same gas filling. The SXR production was at an average yield of 60 J/shot and a maximum single-shot yield of more than 100 J. The SXRs emitted by the NX2 device was used for contact micromachining, producing structures with an excellent aspect ratio of up to 20:1 on 25 μm SU-8 resist.
Date Issued
July 2005
Description
This paper was presented at the 6th International Conference on Dense Z-Pinches, held in Oxford, United Kingdom from 25-28 Jul 2005