Fabrication de micro-objets métalliques par lithographie UV et électroformage

Mettalic micro-objects fabricated using UV photolithography and electroforming techniques

¹ Laboratoire de Physique et Métrologie des Oscillateurs CNRS, associé à l’Université de Franche-Comté, Institut des Microtechniques de Franche-Comté (IMFC)
² Laboratoire de Corrosion et Traitement des Surfaces, associé à l'Université de Franche- Comté. IMFC

Abstract

A lot of studies have been devoted during the passed ten years to the development of microfabrication processes. The present paper describes one of these techniques which is very close to the LIGA process implemented al the IMT-KFK (Karlsruhe, Germany) for the realization of high aspect ratio micro-mechanical and micro-optical components.

First this LIGA process is detailed and a review of LIGA-like microfabrication metlhods is proposed, and particularly the LIGA-UV process that has been chosen for the present study.

Every fabrication step is discussed with a particular care in showing the main problems that have been encountered and the solutions proposed. After description of UV photolithography with thick resist layers and electrodeposition and electroforming techniques, the results of the first microfabrication tests are presented. A number of SEM photographs showing some Nickel micro-objects permits to evaluate the main characteristics of this LIGA-UV process.