DIAMOND-SENSING MICRODEVICES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL-CONTROL AND ANALYTICALAPPLICATIONS

For the fabrication of microdevices with line widths approching 1 mu m , a patterning methodology has been developed by the modification of a n existing plasma etching process, which is suitable for any form and type of diamond. These microdevices have been tested as active sensing elements for both environmental control and metrological applications : voltammetric detection of chlorine, detection of atomic oxygen for s pace and terrestrial applications, the measurement of ultraviolet (UV) light, and finally, conductive atomic force microscopy (AFM), which i s successfully performed today with microfabricated diamond tips. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.