Metal-catalyst free integration of SiO2 nanowires into carbon MEMS

This paper presents an innovative technique of integrating silica nanowires to photoresist-derived carbon microelectromechanical systems (C-MEMS) on silicon substrate. The silica nanowires were synthesized through thermal treatment in a tube furnace at 1200 °C under a gaseous environment of N2 and H2. The stiff morphology and radicalized distribution around carbon posts of nanowires was observed, which was different from much of the previous studies. High-temperature annealing and meticulous-controlled pyrolying atmosphere could be the causes of the formation of unusual SiO2/C-MEMS integrated structures.