Pristine Mica: substrate base for micro/nanotechnologies via gold deposition

Mica has many useful properties in the chemical and physics world. The ability of mica to be cleaved in layers to form pristine layers allows it to be an excellent substrate for micro/nanotechnologies via gold deposition. The smoother starting base provides a more consistent and precise base for the development of the film with minimal strain on the interface. Two different cleaving processes, Tape cleaving and Blade cleaving, where conducted to form pristine layers of mica. Tape cleaving utilized adhesive tape to peel apart the mica to reveal a fresh pristine layer. Blade cleaving utilized a Razor blade which was used to separate the layers of mica. The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) in intermittent contact mode was used to image the surfaces. Measurements of surface roughness and consistency were obtained for each of the surfaces. These were compared in order to establish a set of rules to get better mica surfaces.