Sains Malaysiana 48(6)(2019): 1171–1178

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2019-4806-03

Fabrication of Micromachined Uniform Microtrench Arrays for Silicon Based Filtration Membrane

(Fabrikasi Susunan Alur Mikro Seragam Mikromesin untuk Membran Penapisan berasaskan Silikon)

KAMARUL 'ASYIKIN MUSTAFA^1,2, BURHANUDDIN YEOP MAJLIS¹*, JUMRIL YUNAS¹ & AZRUL AZLAN HAMZAH¹

¹Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

²Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia, 57000 Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory, Malaysia

Diserahkan: 16 Julai 2018/Diterima: 21 Januari 2019

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we report a uniform microtrench array fabricated on silicon substrate. The proposed system is aimed for the biological molecules separation process via filtration in artificial kidney. The system consists of silicon based membrane having arrays of trench with the dimension of approximately 1 μm. The fabrication of the trenches is following standard silicon MEMS process with additional surface modification of the fabricated trench by using thermal oxidation process. The result shows that trench patterns having size of 1~2 μm have been produced. The thermal oxidation process shows that the trench size could be reduced up to 50%. The study will be beneficial for the development of silicon membrane with uniform microtrench arrays for application in filtration of blood cell from other solutes based on molecule size. When the microtrench is etched through the silicon membrane, a filtration membrane is then formed. The separation of solutes will be better due to the uniform size of microtrench.

Keywords: Artificial kidney; filtration; silicon membrane; thermal oxidation; uniform microtrench arrays

ABSTRAK

Dalam makalah ini, kami melaporkan susunan alur seragam yang difabrikasi pada substrat silikon. Sistem yang dicadangkan ini bertujuan untuk proses pemisahan molekul biologi melalui mekanisma penapisan dalam buah pinggang buatan. Sistem ini terdiri daripada membran berasaskan silikon yang mempunyai susunan alur berdimensi kira-kira 1 μm. Fabrikasi alur tersebut adalah mengikut proses piawai MEMS silikon dengan tambahan pengubahsuaian permukaan alur yang telah difabrikasi dengan menggunakan proses pengoksidaan terma. Hasilnya menunjukkan bahawa corak alur bersaiz 1~2 μm telah dihasilkan. Proses pengoksidaan terma tersebut menunjukkan saiz alur dapat dikurangkan sehingga 50% daripada saiz awal. Kajian ini akan memberi manfaat kepada perkembangan membran silikon dengan susunan alur mikro seragam untuk aplikasi dalam penapisan sel darah daripada larutan lain berdasarkan saiz molekul. Apabila alur mikro tersebut dipunar sehingga menembusi membran silikon, membran penapisan akan terbentuk. Pemisahan larutan akan menjadi lebih baik disebabkan saiz seragam alur mikro.

Kata kunci: Buah pinggang buatan; membran silikon; pengoksidaan terma; penapisan; susunan seragam alur mikro

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*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: burhan@ukm.edu.my