Apparatus for manufacturing micro-structure

• US 6,557,607 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2001
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Takayuki, Takahashi, Mutsuya, Nagata, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Osele, Mark A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Purvis, Sue A.
• Application Number:
  US09/791,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20010042598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 156/389, 156/350, 156/353, 156/580, 156/235, 156/263, 156/264, 156/512, 156/510, 156/511, 216/33, 204/192.34, 134/1.1, 134/42
• US Class Current: 156/389
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/035 Microgears
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/0197 Processes for making multi-layered devices not provided for in groups B81C2201/0176 - B81C2201/0192
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 99/008 separating the processed structure from a mother substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/12 Surface bonding means and/or assembly means with cutting, punching, piercing, severing or tearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/13 Severing followed by associating with part from same source
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/14 Surface bonding means and/or assembly means with shaping, scarifying, or cleaning joining surface only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24355 Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]

Abstract

A substrate on which a plurality of thin films having a plurality of cross-sections corresponding to the cross-section of a micro-structure are formed is placed on a substrate holder. The substrate holder is elevated to bond a thin film formed on the substrate to the surface of a stage, and by lowering the substrate holder, the thin film is separated from the substrate and transferred to the stage side. The transfer process is repeated to laminate a plurality of thin films on the stage and to form the micro-structure. Accordingly, there are provided a micro-structure having high dimensional precision, especially high resolution in the lamination direction, which can be manufactured from a metal or an insulator such as ceramics and can be manufactured in the combined form of structural elements together, and a manufacturing method and an apparatus thereof.

Claims

1. An apparatus for manufacturing micro-structures, comprising:

a vacuum chamber

a substrate holder in the vacuum chamber, the substrate holder supporting a substrate having a plurality of thin films having a prescribed two-dimensional pattern formed on the substrate;

a stage disposed facing the substrate holder in the vacuum chamber for supporting a three-dimensional structure formed by laminating the plurality of thin films;

a moving device that transfers at least one of the substrate holder and the stage to position the stage successively on the plurality of thin films; and

a controller that controls the moving device to separate the plurality of thin films from the substrate, to laminate and bond the plurality of thin films on the stage so as to form a micro-structure, wherein the moving device comprises a moving mechanism for moving relatively the substrate holder and the stage at least in three axial directions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vacuum chamber comprises an irradiation source that applies an atomic beam or ion beam onto the surface of the stage to be bonded or to the thin film to clean the surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of thin films includes a plurality of first thin films having a prescribed two-dimensional pattern on the substrate, and a plurality of second thin films composed of different material from that of the first thin films and having the same film thickness as the first thin films disposed around the plurality of first thin films to form a plurality of composite thin films composed of the first thin films and the second thin films; and

the laminate includes the plurality of composite thin films laminated and bonded on the stage.