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The 42nd International Conference on Electron,
Ion and Photon Beam Technology and NanofabricationBizarre/Beautiful Micrograph Contest
“A good Micrograph is worth more than the MegaByte it consumes.”

Results Submitted by John Randall

 

The fields of research covered by this conference have been at the forefront of the drive to develop technology to make smaller and smaller structures. We have ventured into size regimes where we are often dependent on microscopes and the skill of microscopists to see the results of our work (and often what went wrong). To highlight the importance of micrographs to the field, the conference holds a micrograph contest. The entries were judged both from the technological and artistic standpoint. Six categories were defined:

  • Best Electron Micrograph
  • Best Ion Micrograph
  • Best Photon Micrograph
  • Chairman’s Choice
  • Most Bizarre
  • Grand Prize

In addition the judges selected a number of micrographs for Honorable Mention Awards.

The rules included the following:

  • Contestants must have been registered 1998 conference attendees.
  • Micrographs must be submitted as an 8 inch by 10 inch and must be accompanied by a completed entry sheet.
  • Entries must be of a single image taken with a microscope and may not be significantly altered.
  • There is no restriction with respect to the subject matter.
  • Electron and ion micrographs must be black and white.

Over 30 entries were submitted. There were many outstanding micrographs. The work represented in the submitted micrographs covered a wide range of fields including micro mechanical, photonic, and integrated circuit fabrication, chemical and dry etching, field emission tips, UV and x-ray optics, and of course e-beam, ion beam, x-ray, and photo lithography experiments. The panel of judges who selected the award winners consisted of:

Prof. Kenji Gamo
Director Gamo Lab, Osaka University
Margaret Stern
MIT Lincoln Laboratory.
Shane Palmer
Senior Member of the Techncal Staff – Texas Instruments

 

Best Electron Micrograph

mg98eb
Title: And how are you today?

Description: Silicon shards on Si Wafer.

Magnification: 16,500X

Instrument: Hitachi Scanning Electron Microscope

Submitted by: Maggie Hupcey, Cornell University and Nancy LaBianca IBM T.J. Watson Research Center.

 

Best Ion Micrograph

mg98ib
Title: Micro Collseum

Description: The structure was made by 30kV Ga+ FIB assisted deposition using hydrocarbon gas. Diameter 1.8um, height 0.5um, linewidth 0.08um. The Micro Collseum was viewed using secondary electron imaging in 30keV Ga ion microscope.

Magnification (for 4″ Height):

Instrument: Seiko SMI-9800

Submitted by: S. Matsui, SELETE and T. Kaito Seiko Instruments Inc.

 

Best Photon Micrograph

mg98op
Title: Swamp Thing.

Description: Optical Micrograph of PMMA doped polythiophene composite cast onto silicon, with way too much conducting polymer.

Magnification (for 4″ image height): 400X

Instrument: Nikon

Submitted by: Magie Hupcey and Yayoi Takamura – Cornell University

 

Chairman’s Choice

mg98cc
Title: No their not mushrooms.

Description: The remarkable growth of Silicon whiskers.

Magnification: 4,000X/18,000X

Instrument: Hitachi – 4000 FEM

Submitted by:Ivo W. Rangelow University of Kassel, Germany

 

Most Bizarre Micrograph

mg98bz
Title: Flying Alhambra

Description: Wet etched Macroporous silicon.

Magnification: 40,000X

Instrument: Philips XL40FEG SEM

Submitted by: Frans Holthuysen and Jos Weterings – Philips Research Laboratories, Einhoven

 

Grand Prize Micrograph

mg98gp
Title: PPMS Parakeet

Description: 0.5um x 0.5um plasma polymerized methyl silane net, delaminating from organic low-K underlayer during O2 plasma etch.

Magnification (for 4″ Height): 1,000X

Instrument: Hitachi S-4500 Scanning Electron Microscope

Submitted by: Mike Nault – Applied Materials

 

Honorable Mention Micrograph

mg98hm2
Title: There’s one in every crowd.

Description: High aspect ratio silicon posts etched by the BOSCH process in a micro-flow channel and non-conformally coated with SiO2/SiNx. One inexplicably levitated and perched atop another post for a better view.

Magnification (for 4″ Height): 3,000X

Instrument: JEOL JSM-6400FV Scanning Electron Microscope

Submitted by: Joel Wendt and Stan Kravitz – Sandia National Laboratories

 

Honorable Mention Micrograph

mg98hm1
Title: The real reason for good adhesion in deep x-ray Lithography

Description: ??.

Magnification (for 4″ Height): 130X

Instrument: Scanning Electron Microscope

Submitted by: Franz Joseph Pantenburg – Institut fur Mikrostrukturtechnik