Silicon Nitride Thin Windows for Biomedical Microdevices

We report on several years of experience with the design, fabrication and use of silicon nitride thin windows. The thickness used has ranged from 20 nm to several micrometers. The window area has ranged from an edge dimension of a few micrometers to a few centimeters. Using IC technology, these windows can be mass-produced in an efficient manner. Their tensile stress can be adjusted to range from 100 MPa to 1 GPa, and they can be patterned to contain holes and slots.