Multistep release method for electrochemically fabricated structures
First Claim
1. An electrochemical fabrication process for producing a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, the process comprising:
- (A) forming a layer by depositing at least one sacrificial material and at least one structural material onto a substrate or previously formed layer, wherein the depositing of at least one of the materials comprises an electrodeposition operation;
(B) repeating (A) one or more times such that a plurality of layers are formed and such that successive layers are formed adjacent to and adhered to previously formed layers, wherein the three-dimensional structure is formed from at least a portion of the at least one structural material that was deposited in (A) and (B);
(C) performing a first etching operation to remove at least a first portion of at least a first material from multiple layers of the plurality of layers, wherein the first material is at least one of the at least one sacrificial material;
(D) performing a second etching operation, after the first etching operation, to remove at least a portion of at least a second material, which is different from the first material, from multiple layers of the plurality of layers and wherein the second material is selected from a group consisting of the at least one sacrificial material and the at least one structural material; and
(E) performing a third etching operation that removes an additional quantity of the first material that was protected from removal by the second material prior to removal of the second material,wherein the three-dimensional structure is released from the at least one sacrificial material.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Multilayer structures are electrochemically fabricated from at least one structural material (e.g. nickel), that is configured to define a desired structure and which may be attached to a substrate, and from at least one sacrificial material (e.g. copper) that surrounds the desired structure. After structure formation, the sacrificial material is removed by a multi-stage etching Operation. In some embodiments sacrificial material to be removed may be located within passages or the like on a substrate or within an add-on component. The multi-stage etching Operations may be separated by intermediate post processing activities, they may be separated by cleaning Operations, or barrier material removal Operations, or the like. Barriers may be fixed in position by contact with structural material or with a substrate or they may be solely fixed in position by sacrificial material and are thus free to be removed after all retaining sacrificial material is etched.
15 Citations
11 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) forming a layer by depositing at least one sacrificial material and at least one structural material onto a substrate or previously formed layer, wherein the depositing of at least one of the materials comprises an electrodeposition operation; (B) repeating (A) one or more times such that a plurality of layers are formed and such that successive layers are formed adjacent to and adhered to previously formed layers, wherein the three-dimensional structure is formed from at least a portion of the at least one structural material that was deposited in (A) and (B); (C) performing a first etching operation to remove at least a first portion of at least a first material from multiple layers of the plurality of layers, wherein the first material is at least one of the at least one sacrificial material; (D) performing a second etching operation, after the first etching operation, to remove at least a portion of at least a second material, which is different from the first material, from multiple layers of the plurality of layers and wherein the second material is selected from a group consisting of the at least one sacrificial material and the at least one structural material; and (E) performing a third etching operation that removes an additional quantity of the first material that was protected from removal by the second material prior to removal of the second material, wherein the three-dimensional structure is released from the at least one sacrificial material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An electrochemical fabrication process for producing a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, the process comprising:
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(A) forming a layer by depositing at least one sacrificial material and at least one structural material onto a substrate or previously formed layer, and wherein the depositing of at least one of the materials comprises an electrodeposition operation; (B) repeating (A) one or more times such that a plurality of layers are formed and such that successive layers are formed adjacent to and adhered to previously formed layers wherein the plurality of layers include the three-dimensional structure which is formed from the at least one structural material and which is at least partially surrounded by the at least one sacrificial material; (C) performing a first etching operation to remove at least a first portion of at least a first sacrificial material, which is one of the at least one sacrificial material, from multiple layers of the plurality of layers; (D) performing an intervening operation after performing the first etching operation; (E) performing a second etching operation, after the intervening operation, to remove an additional quantity of the first sacrificial material from multiple layers of the plurality of layers; wherein during or after formation of the three-dimensional structure at least one etching barrier is provided to limit removal of a second portion of the first sacrificial material from at least a portion of the three-dimensional structure during the first etching operation, and wherein the intervening operation removes at least a portion of the etching barrier. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. An electrochemical fabrication process for producing a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, the process comprising:
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(A) forming a layer by depositing at least one sacrificial material and at least one structural material onto a substrate or previously formed layer, and wherein the depositing of at least one of the materials comprises an electrodeposition operation; (B) repeating (A) one or more times such that a plurality of layers are formed and such that successive layers are formed adjacent to and adhered to previously formed layers wherein the plurality of layers include the three-dimensional structure which is formed from the at least one structural material and which is at least partially surrounded by the at least one sacrificial material; (C) performing a first etching operation to remove at least a first portion of at least a first material, selected from the group consisting of the at least one sacrificial material and the at least one structural material, from multiple layers of the plurality of layers; (D) performing an intervening operation, after performing the first etching operation; (E) performing a second etching operation, after the intervening operation, to remove at least a portion of at least a second material, selected from the group consisting of the at least one sacrificial material and the at least one structural material, from multiple layers of the plurality of layers; wherein during or after formation of the three-dimensional structure at least one etching barrier is provided to protect at least a portion of the three-dimensional structure, and wherein the intervening operation comprises a planarization operation which removes at least a portion of the etching barrier.
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10. An electrochemical fabrication process for producing a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, the process comprising:
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(A) forming a layer by depositing at least one sacrificial material and at least one structural material onto a substrate or previously formed layer, and wherein the depositing of at least one of the materials comprises an electrodeposition operation; (B) repeating (A) one or more times such that a plurality of layers are formed and such that successive layers are formed adjacent to and adhered to previously formed layers wherein the plurality of layers include the three-dimensional structure which is formed from the at least one structural material and which is at least partially surrounded by the at least one sacrificial material; (C) performing a first etching operation to remove at least a first portion of at least a first material, selected from the group consisting of the at least one sacrificial material and the at least one structural material, from multiple layers of the plurality of layers; (D) performing an intervening operations after performing the first etching operation; (E) performing a second etching operation, after the intervening operation, to remove at least a portion of at least a second material, which includes at least a portion of the at least one sacrificial material, from multiple layers of the plurality of layers, wherein during or after formation of the three-dimensional structure at least one etching barrier is provided to protect at least a portion of the three-dimensional structure, wherein the first portion of at least the first material is at least in part located in a passage within the substrate, wherein the intervening operation comprises an at least partial removal of the etching barrier, and wherein the at least portion of the second material was protected by the etching barrier. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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Specification