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Novel fabrication method for long silicon microneedles with three‐dimensional sharp tips and complicated shank shapes by isotropic dry etching
Author(s) -
Izumi Hayato,
Aoyagi Seiji
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
ieej transactions on electrical and electronic engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.254
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 1931-4981
pISSN - 1931-4973
DOI - 10.1002/tee.20147
Subject(s) - fabrication , silicon , materials science , isotropy , dry etching , etching (microfabrication) , penetration (warfare) , substrate (aquarium) , isotropic etching , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , composite material , optics , engineering , geology , medicine , oceanography , alternative medicine , physics , pathology , layer (electronics) , operations research
Abstract This paper proposes a novel fabrication method for long solid microneedles made of silicon, which have a three‐dimensional sharp tip, by using isotropic dry etching. Since the fabrication is done in a direction parallel to the surface of the silicon substrate, there is no limit for the needle length. Also, the shank shape of this needle is freely designed three‐dimensionally by defining the mask on the silicon surface. For example, a jagged or harpoon shape is possible by using the proposed method, which may be effective for some medical applications. First, several three‐dimensional, complicated‐shaped needles with sharp tip angles were fabricated by changing the mask pattern. Second, a penetration experiment with them on an artificial skin was carried out, and easy penetration comparable with a conventional metal solid needle was confirmed. For an example of lancet application for diabetics, one of the needles was inserted into a human skin, and bleeding was confirmed. Copyright © 2007 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan© 2007 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.