A structure forming method according to an aspect is a structure forming method for forming a first hole and a second hole having width smaller than width of the first hole in a substrate with dry etching and forming a structure. The structure forming method includes forming an etching mask on the substrate, etching a portion of the etching mask overlapping a first hole forming region where the first hole is formed, etching a portion of the etching mask overlapping a second hole forming region where the second hole is formed, and performing the dry etching of the substrate using the etching mask as a mask.

A through-glass via (TGV) formed in a glass substrate may comprise a metal plating layer formed in the TGV. The TGV may have a three-dimensional (3D) topology through the glass substrate and the metal plating layer conformally covering the 3D topology. The TGV may further comprise a barrier layer disposed over the metal plating layer, and a metallization layer disposed over the barrier layer. The metallization layer may be electrically coupled to the metal plating layer through the barrier layer. The barrier layer may comprise a metal-nitride film disposed on the metal plating layer that is electrically coupled to the metallization layer. The barrier layer may comprise a metal film disposed over the metal plating layer and over a portion of glass surrounding the TGV, and an electrically-insulating film disposed upon the metal film, the electrically-insulating film completely overlapping the metal plating layer and partially overlapping the metal film.

A device includes a first layer of an electrically insulating material and a second layer of a non-electrically insulating material (e.g., semiconductor or electrically conductive) extending on the first layer. The second layer is structured so as to define opposite, lateral walls of a microchannel, a bottom wall of which is defined by an exposed surface of the first layer. The second layer is further structured to form one or more electrical insulation barriers; each barrier includes a line of through holes, each surrounded by an oxidized region of the material of the second layer. The through holes alternate with oxidized portions of the oxidized region along the line. Each barrier extends, as a whole, laterally across the second layer up to one of the lateral walls and delimits two sections of the second layer on each side of the barrier and on a same side of the microchannel.

Techniques regarding microfluidic chips with one or more vias filled with sacrificial plugs and/or manufacturing methods thereof are provided herein. For example, one or more embodiments described herein can comprise an apparatus, which can comprise a silicon device layer of a microfluidic chip comprising a plurality of vias extending through the silicon device layer. The plurality of vias comprise greater than or equal to about 100 vias per square centimeter of a surface of the silicon device layer and less than or equal to about 100,000 vias per square centimeter of the surface of the silicon device layer. Additionally, the apparatus can comprise a plurality of sacrificial plugs positioned in the plurality of vias.

A method to remove selected parts of a thin-film material otherwise uniformly deposited over a template is disclosed. The methods rely on a suitable potting material to encapsulate and snatch the deposited material on apexes of the template. The process may yield one and/or two devices during a single process step: (i) thin-film material(s) with micro- and/or nano-perforations defined by the shape of template apexes, and (ii) micro- and/or nano-particles shaped and positioned in the potting material by the design of the template apexes. The devices made from this method may find applications in fabrication of mechanical, chemical, electrical and optical devices.

A MEMS microphone includes a substrate defining a cavity, a diaphragm being spaced apart from the substrate, covering the cavity, and being configured to generate a displacement thereof in response to an applied acoustic pressure, an anchor extending from an end portion of the diaphragm, the anchor including a lower surface in contact with an upper surface of the substrate to support the diaphragm, a back plate disposed over the diaphragm, the back plate being spaced apart from the diaphragm such that an air gap is maintained between the back plate and the diaphragm, and defining a plurality of acoustic holes and an upper insulation layer provided on the substrate, covering the back plate, and holding the back plate to space the back plate from the diaphragm, the upper insulation layer having a flat plate shape to prevent sagging of the back plate.

A method of fabricating an electronic component includes forming a functional unit on a main surface of a substrate, forming a sacrificial layer covering the functional unit on the main surface, forming a cap layer covering the sacrificial layer, the cap layer forming a periphery enclosing the cavity on the main surface, forming holes through the cap layer, forming a cavity by removing the sacrificial layer using a wet etching process through the holes, the holes including a peripheral hole communicating an inside of the cavity with an outside of the cavity along the main surface, and forming a first resin layer covering the cap layer and the main surface.

A method is provided for precisely enlarging a nanopore formed in a membrane. The method includes: applying an electric potential across the nanopore, where the electric potential has a pulsed waveform oscillating between a high value and a low value; measuring current flowing though the nanopore while the electric potential is being applied to the nanopore at a low value; determining size of the nanopore based in part on the measured current; and removing the electric potential applied to the membrane when the size of the nanopore corresponds to a desired size.

A method of manufacturing a plurality of through-holes in a layer of first material, for example for the manufacturing of a probe comprising a tip containing a channel. To manufacture the through-holes in a batch process, a layer of first material is deposited on a wafer comprising a plurality of pits a second layer is provided on the layer of first material, and the second layer is provided with a plurality of holes at central locations of the pits; using the second layer as a shadow mask when depositing a third layer at an angle, covering a part of the first material with said third material at the central locations, and etching the exposed parts of the first layer using the third layer as a protective layer.

A diaphragm of a MEMS microphone is configured to generate a displacement thereof in response to an applied acoustic pressure, and the diaphragm includes a plurality of vent holes having a bent shape to increase the length of the vent holes.