Micromechanical Component Production VIA X-Ray Lithography and Precision Metal Plating

一个由电气和机械工程师组成的跨学科研究团队将进行基础研究，旨在提高对微机电设备制造加工技术的理解。这项研究将使用基于同步加速器的x射线光刻技术，连接25微米PMMA（聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯）光刻胶层和细粒度多晶硅掩模坯，该掩模坯具有光学定义的吸收图案，由一微米厚的电镀金层制成。厚光刻胶将暴露在威斯康星同步加速器Aladdin上，随后的开发将产生最小特征尺寸为1微米的垂直侧面PMMA型材。然后，这些结构将被电镀，以提供由用于电镀硅的材料制成的微机械装置。此外，电镀的研究将旨在创造具有可重复和可控制的机械性能的沉积物，并将重点放在镍、金、钴镍和银钯合金上。镍钴合金用于微电子机械装置的轴承表面。银合金解决了微动开关应用中的接触焊接问题。所提出的工艺是微力学的基础，特别是适用于执行器结构，如微型齿轮和加速驱动开关，以及许多其他潜在的应用。

An interdisciplinary research team consisting of electrical and mechanical engineers will carry out fundamental research directed toward an improved understanding of processing technology for the fabrication of microelectromechanical devices. This research will use synchrotron based x-ray lithography in connection with 25 micron PMMA (poly methyl methacrylate) photoresist layers and fine-grained polysilicon mask blanks with optically defined absorber patterns made from one micron thick electroplated gold layers. The thick photoresist will be exposed on Aladdin, the Wisconsin synchrotron, and subsequent developing will produce vertical flank PMMA profiles with one micron minimum feature sizes. These structures will then be electroplated to provide micromechanical devices made from the materials used to electroplate the silicon. Additionally, research in plating will be aimed at creating deposits with repeatable and controlled mechanical properties and will focus on nickel, gold, cobalt-nickel, and silver-palladium alloys. The nickel- cobalt alloys are intended for bearing surfaces in microelectro- mechanical devices. The silver alloys address contact welding problems in microswitch applications. The proposed process is fundamental to micromechanics and, in particular, lends itself to actuator construction such as miniature gears and acceleration driven switches, in addition to numerous other potential applications.