SYNTHESIS OF A BIOCOMPATIBLE MICROFLOW SENSOR

A MAJOR LIMITATION TO THE REALIZATION OF THE WIDE RANGE OF APPLICATIONS OF MICRODEVICE TECHNOLOGIES IS THE LACK OF A SUITABLE THIN FILM MATERIAL. ABSENCE OF INTERNAL STRESS, HIGH HARDNESS, AND LOW COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION ARE SOME OF THE MANY CHARACTERISTICS REQUIRED FOR AN IDEAL THIN FILM MATERIAL. THE UNIQUE COMBINATION OF PROPERTIES OF DIAMONDLIKE MATERIALS MAKE THEM EXCELENT CANDIDATES FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF MICRO-DEVICES. THE USE OF THESE COATINGS PROVIDES A MAJOR STEP IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF MICRODEVICE TECHNOLOGY. THE FABRICATION OF MICROSENSORS BASED ON THESE COATINGS ALSO RENDERS THEM BIOCOMPATIBLE. THE POTENTIAL RESOLUTION OF THE MICROFLOW SENSOR IS SEVERAL ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE BETTER THAN THAT ACHIEVED WITH PRESENTLY AVAILABLE SENSORS.