Electrochemically fabricated structures having dielectric or active bases and methods of and apparatus for producing such structures
First Claim
1. An electrochemical fabrication process for producing a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, the process comprising:
- (A) selectively depositing at least a portion of a layer onto a temporary substrate, wherein the temporary substrate may comprise previously deposited material;
(B) forming a plurality of layers such that successive layers are formed adjacent to and adhered to previously deposited layers, wherein said forming comprises repeating operation (A) a plurality of times;
(C) after formation of a plurality of layers, attaching a structural substrate comprising a dielectric material to at least a portion of a layer of the structure and removing at least a portion of the temporary substrate from the structure.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Multilayer structures are electrochemically fabricated on a temporary (e.g. conductive) substrate and are thereafter bonded to a permanent (e.g. dielectric, patterned, multi-material, or otherwise functional) substrate and removed from the temporary substrate. In some embodiments, the structures are formed from top layer to bottom layer, such that the bottom layer of the structure becomes adhered to the permanent substrate, while in other embodiments the structures are formed from bottom layer to top layer and then a double substrate swap occurs. The permanent substrate may be a solid that is bonded (e.g. by an adhesive) to the layered structure or it may start out as a flowable material that is solidified adjacent to or partially surrounding a portion of the structure with bonding occurring during solidification. The multilayer structure may be released from a sacrificial material prior to attaching the permanent substrate or it may be released after attachment.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. An electrochemical fabrication process for producing a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, the process comprising:
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(A) selectively depositing at least a portion of a layer onto a temporary substrate, wherein the temporary substrate may comprise previously deposited material;
(B) forming a plurality of layers such that successive layers are formed adjacent to and adhered to previously deposited layers, wherein said forming comprises repeating operation (A) a plurality of times;
(C) after formation of a plurality of layers, attaching a structural substrate comprising a dielectric material to at least a portion of a layer of the structure and removing at least a portion of the temporary substrate from the structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An electrochemical fabrication apparatus for producing a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, the apparatus comprising:
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(A) means for selectively depositing at least a portion of a layer onto a temporary substrate, wherein the temporary substrate may comprise previously deposited material; and
(B) means for forming a plurality of layers such that successive layers are formed adjacent to and adhered to previously deposited layers, wherein said forming comprises repeating operation (A) a plurality of times;
(C) means for attaching a structural substrate comprising a dielectric material to at least a portion of a layer of the structure and removing at least a portion of the temporary substrate from the structure; and
(D) a computer programmed to control the means for contacting, the means for conducting, the means for separating, and the means for attaching, such that the means for attaching is made to operate after formation of a plurality of layers of the structure. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. An electrochemical fabrication process for producing a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, the process comprising:
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(A) selectively depositing at least a portion of a layer onto a first temporary substrate, wherein the first temporary substrate may comprise previously deposited material; and
(B) forming a plurality of layers such that successive layers are formed adjacent to and adhered to previously deposited layers; and
(C) after formation of a plurality of layers attaching a second temporary substrate, which comprises a dielectric material, to at least a portion of a layer of the structure and removing at least a portion of the first temporary substrate from the structure, and then attaching a structural substrate to at least a portion of a layer of the structure that at least partially overlaps a location where the first temporary substrate was attached. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. An electrochemical fabrication process for producing a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, the process comprising:
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(A) selectively depositing at least a portion of a layer onto a sacrificial substrate, wherein the temporary substrate may comprise previously deposited material;
(B) forming a plurality of layers such that each successive layer is formed adjacent to and adhered to a previously deposited layer, wherein said forming comprises repeating operation (A) a plurality of times;
(C) after formation of a plurality of layers attaching a structural substrate, comprising a plurality of materials and/or a patterned structure, to at least a portion of a layer of the structure and removing at least a portion of the temporary substrate from the structure. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. An electrochemical fabrication process for producing a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, the process comprising:
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(A) selectively depositing at least a portion of a layer onto a first temporary substrate, wherein the first temporary substrate may comprise previously deposited material; and
(B) forming a plurality of layers such that successive layers are formed adjacent to and adhered to previously deposited layers; and
(C) after formation of a plurality of layers attaching a second temporary substrate, which comprises a plurality of materials and/or comprises a patterned structure, to at least a portion of a layer of the structure and removing at least a portion of the first temporary substrate from the structure and then attaching a structural substrate to at least a portion of a layer of the structure that at least partially overlaps a location where the first temporary substrate was attached. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. An electrochemical fabrication process for producing a multi-part three-dimensional structure wherein at least one part is produced from a plurality of adhered layers, the process comprising:
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(A) forming at least one part of the multi-part structure, comprising;
(1) selectively depositing at least a portion of a layer onto a substrate, wherein the substrate may comprise previously deposited material;
(2) forming a plurality of layers such that successive layers are formed adjacent to and adhered to previously deposited layers, wherein said forming comprises repeating operation (1) a plurality of times;
(B) supplying at least one additional part of the multi-part structure;
(C) attaching the at least one part to the at least one additional part to form the multi-part structure. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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Specification