A novel fabrication method for LIGA (from the German ''Lithographie'', ''Galvanik'', and ''Abformung'') microneedles with through holes is presented. Such microneedles are in demand by most bio-medical MEMS applications and in some fluidic MEMS applications. We propose a technique that combines conventional deep X-ray lithography, plane-pattern to cross-section transfer (PCT) process, and alignment Xray lithography. The technique provides precise hole alignment with ± 3 lm tolerance. Finite-element simulations on various hole locations were performed to determine the optimum position. We previously fabricated a microneedle with a 100-lm base and a 300-lm height by a right-triangular mask. The resultant microneedle had a very sharp tip but was excessively steep, and thus resulted in a very low strength. Improved strength and tip sharpness was consequently achieved by changing the mask-pattern from a triangular pattern to a polygonal mask and changing the dimensions of the microneedle to have a 300-lm base with various heights between 350 and 800 lm. Using the proposed technique, we could produce a total of 100 hollow microneedles on a 5 · 5 mm 2 chip. Moreover, we successfully fabricated sharpened microneedles that were stronger than that we have fabricated so far. The molding process or electroplating and the cost list of the LIGA microneedle will also be included.

In this paper, microneedle fabrication using the PCT (plane pattern to cross-section transfer) method is summarized. Three types of microneedle array have been developed: the single-tip, quadruplet, and hollow microneedle arrays. A brief introduction to the fabrication process using PCT and detailed design concepts for optimizing the fabrication steps for shape improvement of the three types of microneedle are provided. The microneedle structures have controllable angled sidewalls, exhibiting an extraordinarily geometrical level of accuracy compared to what is achieved using other existing fabrication methods based on deep x-ray lithography by synchrotron radiation. Furthermore, the improvements reported in this work as compared to the results from the existing methods are: sharper tips for the single-tip microneedles, strength improvement for the quadruplet microneedles, and cost reduction for the hollow microneedles. Each type of microneedle was designed to serve a different biomedical need.

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We have investigated and report in this paper the factors influencing the deformation caused by the dependence between the absorbed X-ray energy on the resist and the shape of the absorber on the X-ray mask. Based on the measurement of errors that occurred during the transferring process between the 2-D shape of mask pattern and the resulting wall of the fabricated 3-D structure, we have developed newly useful graphical data on the absorbed X-ray energy, dosage, and shape of a microstructure. As a result, it is being reported as a method for compensation for the deformed shape after the fabrication of a quadruplets-microneedle. We have considered a number of factors affecting the deformation and finally realized that the effect of a dose-depth nonlinear curve is the most possible cause. Without the compensation of the mask design, we could observe the deformed shapes of the sloped sidewall on the exposed structures. Polymethylmethacrylate microneedle structures fabricated by X-ray lithography with an additional plane-pattern to cross-section transfers technique are directly influenced by the absorber on the X-ray mask pattern. The sidewall of the microneedle was improved by changing the mask pattern from a double right-triangular pattern to a double semi-circular pattern, modeled by comparing the results from a mask-pattern and the actual structure.