ABSTRACT
The bottom-up approach to the fabrication of microscale devices requires the ability to successfully pattern surfaces. This patterning can be achieved by the use of selfassembled monolayers. In this chapter, surface patterning results with respect to making photonic crystal devices and strain gauges are presented. Patterning is achieved using two approaches. For the photonic crystal devices, ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is used to pattern self-assembled monolayers, and for the strain gauge a photoresist-based process is used. The electrostatic self-assembly method is used to make patterned multilayers on silicon for the photonic crystal devices. Conducting films of gold were deposited on flexible substrates for making strain gauges. The films were deposited using a completely solution-based process. These approaches are very cost-effective compared to the present microdevice fabricating technologies discussed next, and the entire procedure can be done on a laboratory benchtop.
