MICROFABRICATED METAL AND OXIDE FIBERS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS

Particulates and fibers of less than or equal to 10 mu m dimensions are important in many human-environment interactions. Two examples are asbestos fibers in the lung and particulate generation from orthopaedic implants. In this article, methods of producing fibers made from evaporated metal and oxide films using microfabrication techniques are described. Two different ''lift-off'' techniques are discussed in detail. Processing of the fibers allows unprecedented flexibility both in the choice of fiber material as well as control over fiber shape and dimensions. Monodispersed size distributions are obtainable. Fibers of silica, titanium, and gold have been produced and placed into suspensions ready for biological experiments. (C) 1995 American Vacuum Society.