Three-Dimensional Metallic Microstructures Fabricated by Soft Lithography and Microelectrodeposition

Abstract

Soft lithography offers a convenient set of methods for the transfer of patterns to planar and nonplanar substrates. Microelectrodeposition can transform thin metal patterns into self-supporting microstructures, weld components together, and strengthen microstructures after deformations. Together, soft lithography and electrochemistry provide synergistic technologies and the basis for a strategy for converting planar patterns into three-dimensional (3D) microstructures with complex topologies. This strategy is illustrated in the formation of folded tetrahedra, square-based pyramids, cylinders with joints, “pop-up” cubes, and linked chains and knots.

Fabrication of Chemically Patterned Surfaces Based on Template‐Directed Self‐Assembly

“…The negative values of the real part of the dielectric constant of certain metals, for example, allow the construction of metallodielectric photonic crystals with high dielectric contrast. [1,2] Enhanced transmission of light through apertures with dimensions smaller than the wavelength have led to an ongoing debate about its mechanism. [3,4] Nanometer-sized Ag/Ag 2 O nanoclusters on glass have been shown to hold potential for optical data storage.…”

“…Surface patterning with microscopic structures has received increasing interest over the past decade, as a consequence of its potential applications in several scientific and technological fields, such as microelectromechanical systems, [1,2] microelectronic devices, [3] photonic materials, [4] microchip reactors, [5] miniaturized sensors, [6,7] and separation techniques. [8] The ability to fabricate microscopic structures is a key element for creating functional nanoscale devices and novel materials.…”

Nanostructures Replicated by Polymer Molding

“…This technique was used to fabricate polarizers, [28] hydrogen-gas sensors, [72] transistors, [50,52] and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. [69,73] The imprint lithographies use the polymer replica as an etch resist to transfer the pattern of the replica into a functional material. These techniques have been used to make photonic crystals, [74] polarizers, [75,76] photodetectors, [56] and transistors (Fig.…”

Manufacturing of metallic micro-components using hybrid soft lithography and micro-electrical discharge machining

“…The LIGA is an acronym of a German word for lithography, electroforming, and moulding. In this process, high aspect ratios could be achieved based on the combination of synchrotron radiation lithography and galvanoforming [12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. Laser micro-machining is a non-lithographic fabrication process, in which a laser beam is emitted in narrow and well-defined wavelengths with high power that can remove materials such as fine particles and vapour from a substrate.…”