Three-dimensional microfabrication by photolithography and electroforming

Abstract

Highly innovative microfabrication techniques have emerged from the laboratory environment during the last decade, creating a new method for developing and producing microstructures. For instance, structures with micron features and tolerances in the submicron range are being used in optical systems as waveguides, switches, or connectors, and as read-write heads in miniaturized disk drives, and micro-structured orifices are used for ink-jet printing and fuel injection applications. This research work investigates the feasibility of using liquid photopolymer, commonly used in RP, instead of liquid photoresists in microfabrication. Liquid photopolymer is very similar to liquid photoresists except that photopolymer do not need to have any baking process during the fabrication stage. The obtained pattern is transferred from the photomask with excimer laser as the energy source. Electroplating is also carried out to obtain a metallic shell of the structure so as to achieve a cavity for moldings. The early stages of experiments demonstrated that liquid photopolymer could be used instead of liquid photoresists in microfabrication. © Professional Engineering Publishing 2004.