Methods Of Affecting Material Properties And Applications Therefor

Abstract

Methods of affecting a material's properties through the implantation of ions, such as by using a plasma processing apparatus with a plasma sheath modifier. In this way, properties such as resistance to chemicals, adhesiveness, hydrophobicity, and hydrophilicity, may be affected. These methods can be applied to a variety of technologies. In some cases, ion implantation is used in the manufacture of printer heads to reduce clogging by increasing the materials hydrophobicity. In other embodiments, MEMS and NEMS devices are produced using ion implantation to change the properties of fluid channels and other structures. In addition, ion implantation can be used to affect a material's resistance to chemicals, such as acids.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of affecting a workpiece's chemical resistance, comprising:
 performing a low energy implant of a species into part of a surface of a workpiece, wherein the species comprises a noble gas.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the surface comprises a 3D feature. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , where the part of the surface comprises a sidewall of the 3D feature. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the workpiece comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polymer, glass, plastic, insulators and metal. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a depth of the low energy implant is between 1 and 100 nm. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein bonds on the surface of the workpiece are broken by the low energy implant of the species. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the low energy implant of the species creates an implant region in the workpiece, and bonds in the implant region are broken by the low energy implant of the species. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the low energy implant has a Gaussian implant profile. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the low energy implant has a surface peak implant profile. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the workpiece comprises a polymer; and lactone or ester groups of the polymer are destroyed by the low energy implant of the species. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the species comprises helium and a sealing layer is created on the surface of the workpiece by the low energy implant. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the workpiece comprises a polymer.