Ph. D. THESIS 2009

Figure 19. a) Optical image of a metallic wire array ; the wires length is 200
microns, b) SEM image-enlargement of two double wires
When finished the unreacted matrix was removed by rinsing the sample with
alcohol. A partial or complete detachment of wires on the glass surface was
observed due to the weak interaction forces between glass and gold. Below are
presented a few impressive images recorded with different microscopic
techniques:
a b
Figure 20. a) Optical image of gold wires array on an untreated glass support,
after washing, b) SEM image-double wires disconnected from the substrate
Po ly im id e u n d erlay ered glass
The wires adherence can strongly be increased by using a thin polyimide
underlayer (800 nm) deposited on top of the glass substrate. We assume, as
expected, that chemical structure of polyimide allows it to establish strong
coordinative bonds gold-nitrogen with gold wires.
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