| This research focused on the development of novel Micro Avalanche Chamber (MAC) gas ionization radiation detectors using modern microfabrication techniques. These detectors have applications as X-ray image detectors in the medical field and as particle tracking detectors in the field of nuclear physics and astrophysics. A single-sided polished, crystalline (100), silicon wafer was used to fabricate the detector. The 3.3 mm. x 3.3 mm device was fabricated on silicon using a 4.5 um polyimide layer as the anodecathode insulator. The metal used for anode and cathode layer was aluminum. The entire microfabrication process was performed in-house at the University of Louisville.;Microfabrication techniques utilized in this research include initial wafer preparation, deposition of polyimide using spin-on methods, aluminum evaporation, photolithography, wet etching of aluminum, and reactive ion etching of polyimide. The details of each process are discussed in this thesis.;During this research, a novel technique for removing isolated chrome-island defects was discovered and implemented to enhance the yield of micro-strip gas counter (MSGC) radiation detectors. This technique can also be applied to removing defects in photomasks in general. The results of this novel technique are discussed in detail in the thesis. Suggestions for future research are also provided. |
