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

一个跨学科的研究团队， 机械工程师将进行基础研究， 为了更好地理解加工技术， 微机电装置的制造。 这项研究将使用 与25微米PMMA相关基于同步加速器的X射线光刻 (poly甲基丙烯酸甲酯）光刻胶层和细粒 具有光学限定的吸收体图案的多晶硅掩模坯料 从一微米厚的电镀金层。 厚 光致抗蚀剂将暴露在阿拉丁，威斯康星州同步加速器， 随后显影将产生垂直侧面PMMA型材， 一微米的最小特征尺寸。 这些结构将 电镀以提供由所述微机械装置制成的微机械装置。 用于对硅进行抛光的材料。 此外，电镀研究的目的将是创造沉积物 具有可重复和可控的机械性能，并将专注于 镍、金、钴-镍和银-钯合金。 镍币- 钴合金用于微电子中的轴承表面， 机械装置。 该银合金解决接触焊接 微型开关应用中的问题。 所提出的过程是微观力学的基础， 特别地，其适合于致动器构造， 齿轮和加速驱动开关，除了许多其他 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.