Three dimensional microfabrication

• US 6,977,223 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2004
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: George, Paul M., Langer, Robert S., Lavan, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Everhart, Caridad
• Application Number:
  US10/794,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20040222102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 438/676, 438/764, 438/687, 438/677, 438/610
• US Class Current: 438/676
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 99/0095 Aspects relating to the manufacture of substrate-free structures, not covered by groups B81C99/008 - B81C99/009
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 1/00 Electroforming
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 1/003 3D structures, e.g. superposed patterned layers
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 1/10 Moulds; Masks; Masterforms
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 3/38 of copper
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/022 using masking means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/124 Geodesic lenses or integrated gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/13 Integrated optical circuits characterised by the manufacturing method
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/2885 using an external electrical current, i.e. electro-deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76838 characterised by the formation and the after-treatment of the conductors etching for patterning the conductors H01L21/3213

Abstract

Method for making three-dimensional structures. A template is provided having at least two conductive regions separated by a non-conductive region. The template is disposed in an electrolyte in an electrodeposition cell and a voltage is established between one of the conductive regions and an electrode in the cell. Material is deposited on the one of the conductive regions connected to the voltage and subsequently bridges to the other conductive region with material deposition continuing on both of the at least two regions. The non conductive region may be a gap and the gap dimension is selected to regulate height differences between the at least two conductive regions.

Claims

1. Method for making three-dimensional structures comprising:

providing a template having at least two conductive regions separated by a non-conductive region;

disposing the template in an electrolyte in an electrodeposition cell; and

establishing a voltage between only one of the conductive regions and an electrode in the cell, whereby material is deposited on the one of the conductive regions connected to the voltage and subsequently bridges to the other conductive regions with material deposition continuing on both of the at least two regions.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the non-conductive region is a gap.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the gap dimension is selected to regulate height differences between the at least two conductive regions.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the gap dimension is in the range of 0.5–

500 μ

m.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the deposited material is a polymer.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the polymer is polypyrrole.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the deposited material is a metal.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the metal is nickel.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the deposited material is selected from the group consisting of metals, semiconductors, polymers, ceramics, drugs, biomolecules, mixtures of polymers for release of drugs and biomolecules, conductive polymers and conductive polymers with dopants.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the 3D structures have substantially vertical side walls.

11. The method of claim 1 where in the 3D structures have non-vertical side walls.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the 3D structures include alternating sacrificial and structural regions.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein sacrificial regions can be removed by dissolution or thermal decomposition.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein structural regions are soluble or susceptible to thermal decomposition.