MORPHOLOGY OF ETCHED PORES AND MICROSTRUCTURES FABRICATED FROM NUCLEAR TRACK FILTERS

Of the many potent technological applications of nuclear track filters (NTFs), fabrication of micro and ultramicrostructures is one of the most useful spin-offs finding immediate use in a wide range of fields including microelectronics. We report here simple methods of fabrication and morphological investigations on such microstructures and the pores of NTFs. Electrodeposition of copper metal into the etched pores of Makrofol KG, Makrofol N, Kapton-H, and Polyester NTFs with different thickness and porosity has been used to fabricate and reveal the profiles of the structural elements as well as of the pores which act as templates for such structural growths. Some comparative investigations are also presented on non-electrochemical methods of replication.