Fabrication of polymeric microstructures with high aspect ratios using shrinkable polystyrene films

Abstract

High‐aspect‐ratio polymeric structures have been fabricated using a process that combines reactive ion etching (RIE) and stress‐oriented, shrinkable polystyrene films. It is reported how, after pattering of the surface of the polystyrene film by RIE, heating of the film caused it to shrink by a factor of 4–5 in the lateral dimensions while the thickness of the film and the features on it increased by a factor of ∼20 (see Figure). Fig. magnified image