Fabrication of perforated thin films with helical and chevron pore shapes

Using glancing angle deposition and templating techniques, we fabricated a number of thin films with unique perforation geometries. Template thin films consisting of columns having the negative of the desired pore shape (i.e., arrays of isolated helices or chevrons) were first deposited by glancing angle deposition. These template films were then filled with a solution of the desired material and allowed to cure. The template material was removed by chemical etching, leaving a perforated thin film. Such perforated films have been produced of photoresist and spin-on-glass, on both silicon and glass substrates. The perforations have taken the form of chevrons and helices of large and small geometrical pitch, and have been arranged in both random and periodic (1 mum spacing) arrays. (C) 2001 The Electrochemical Society.