By Boris Kobrin, Victor Fuentes, Srikanth Dasaradhi, Applied MicroStructures; Robert Ashurst, Carlo Carraro, Roya Maboudian, U. of California at Berkeley

Results of a surface modification technique called molecular vapor deposition (MVD) are presented. The method is an enhancement of a generic vapor deposition process of self-assembling monolayers (SAM) with various surface preparation techniques, precise dosing of vapor precursors, and temperature control. Properties of the MVD coatings can be tailored and were found to exhibit superior performance compared to liquid-phase deposited films. The MVD films are dense and smooth, and exhibit improved stability compared to standard liquid or other vapor-deposited coatings.

There has been an increased interest in nanometer-scale surface coatings with the recent international development efforts in nanotechnology. Ultrathin coatings can be used in a variety of applications such as lubricants, antistiction layers, molecular glues, coupling agents, or adhesion layers. These molecular coatings are generally used to modify material surface properties. For example, an alkylsilane-based organic coating can provide a high-quality, closely packed SAM that can be used to alleviate the release and the “in-use” stiction of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices…