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Metallization Process for Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) Rubber

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 March 2011

Stéphane Béfahy ,
Sami Yunus ,
Véronique Burguet ,
Jean-Sébastien Heine ,
Etienne Dague ,
Michel Trooters  and
Patrick Bertrand
Stéphane Béfahy
Affiliation:
PCPM, Université catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud, 1A1, Louvain-la-Neuve, 1348, Belgium Neurotech, Chemin du Cyclotron, 6, Louvain-la-Neuve, 1348, Belgium
Sami Yunus
Affiliation:
PCPM, Université catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud, 1A1, Louvain-la-Neuve, 1348, Belgium
Véronique Burguet
Affiliation:
PCPM, Université catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud, 1A1, Louvain-la-Neuve, 1348, Belgium
Jean-Sébastien Heine
Affiliation:
PCPM, Université catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud, 1A1, Louvain-la-Neuve, 1348, Belgium
Etienne Dague
Affiliation:
CIFA, Université catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud, 1A0, Louvain-la-Neuve, 1348, Belgium
Michel Trooters
Affiliation:
Neurotech, Chemin du Cyclotron, 6, Louvain-la-Neuve, 1348, Belgium
Patrick Bertrand
Affiliation:
PCPM, Université catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud, 1A1, Louvain-la-Neuve, 1348, Belgium
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Abstract

A process to fabricate stretchable and adherent gold tracks on flat silicone rubber substrates is studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), static water contact angle measurement, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The process involves several steps: curing flat silicone substrate; removing uncured oligomers by hexane Soxhlet extraction; pre-stretching the substrate; activating the strained silicone surface by an oxygen plasma treatment; coating the strained substrate with 5nm titanium and 80nm gold layers by e-beam evaporation; and finally releasing the sample. The plasma treatment creates a thin brittle silica-like layer that temporarily increases the substrate's surface energy. Indeed the plasma treatment is followed by a hydrophobic recovery. As a consequence, the delay between plasma treatment and metal deposition has to be reduced as much as possible. The silica-like layer can be nicely observed after release. Its thickness is estimated to be around 20nm to 50nm. The entire process allows us to obtain stretchable metallized samples that remain conductive even after an excessive deformation leading to electrical failure.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1009: Symposium U – Advanced Materials for Neuroprosthetic Interfaces , 2007 , 1009-U06-04
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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