Hi.

What size are you dealing with your master mold?

Normally, PDMS can be peel off without any antistick layer due to its low
surface energy.

Or you may try IPA while de-molding, that works for me (50um CD)

2010-06-30

Lin, Xiaohui
Ph.D. Program in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Nanophotonics and Optical Interconnects Group
Microelectronics Research Center
The University of Texas at Austin
E-mail: xiaohui.lin@mail.utexas.edu
Office: (512) 471-4349



From:  Maggie Q. Lai
Date:  2010-06-30  07:11:09
To:  General MEMS discussion
Subject:  [mems-talk] releasing layer for PDMS mold

Hi,
I am trying to coat my glass master mold with with some releasing agent for
PDMS mold.
I found from a lof of papers that it is a common practice to treat the
substrate using fluorinated tricholosilane vapor in a vacuum desiccator to
form a monolayer on the substrate. But I tried with
(HEPTADECAFLUORO-1,1,2,2-TETRAHYDRODECYL)TRICHLOROSILANE (C10H4Cl3F17Si )
from Gelest, but even before I started pumping the desiccator the liquid
silane on the pippet tip and on the wall of the vial already became some
kind of white foam. Consequently the anti-adhesion layer didn't work well.
I am aware that the silane may react with the water in the air, but how can
I avoid that? Seems people always use it just in a fume hood, not a
glovebox. Is there something I am missing? Can you please give me some
solution?  Suggestion on alternative way for releasing layer is also
welcome.

Thanks.

Maggie