Methods of and apparatus for electrochemically fabricating structures via interlaced layers or via selective etching and filling of voids

• US 7,828,952 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microfabrica Incorporated (Technoprobe S.P.A.)
• Original Assignee: Microfabrica Incorporated (Technoprobe S.P.A.)
• Inventors: Smalley, Dennis R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Van; Luan V
• Application Number:
  US11/544,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20070045122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 205/118, 205/122, 205/170, 205/181, 205/182, 205/221, 205/223, 216/39
• US Class Current: 205/221
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/00 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/042 Micromirrors, not used as optical switches
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00126 Static structures not provided for in groups B81C1/00031 - B81C1/00119
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/0038 Processes for creating layers of materials not provided for in groups B81C1/00357 - B81C1/00373
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1605 by masking
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1651 Two or more layers only obtained by electroless plating
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 1/003 3D structures, e.g. superposed patterned layers
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/02 Electroplating of selected surface areas
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/392 Floor-planning or layout, e.g. partitioning or placement
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/2885 using an external electrical current, i.e. electro-deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76885 By forming conductive members before deposition of protective insulating material, e.g. pillars, studs
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/202 Coaxial filters cascaded coaxial cavities H01P1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 11/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing waveguides or resonators, lines, or other devices of the waveguide type
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 11/005 Manufacturing coaxial lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/06 Coaxial lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/183 at least one of the guides being a coaxial line
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4647 : by applying an insulating layer around previously made via studs

Abstract

Multi-layer structures are electrochemically fabricated by depositing a first material, selectively etching the first material (e.g. via a mask), depositing a second material to fill in the voids created by the etching, and then planarizing the depositions so as to bound the layer being created and thereafter adding additional layers to previously formed layers. The first and second depositions may be of the blanket or selective type. The repetition of the formation process for forming successive layers may be repeated with or without variations (e.g. variations in: patterns; numbers or existence of or parameters associated with depositions, etchings, and or planarization operations; the order of operations, or the materials deposited). Other embodiments form multi-layer structures using operations that interlace material deposited in association with some layers with material deposited in association with other layers.

Claims

1. A fabrication process for forming a multi-layer three-dimensional structure, comprising:

(a) forming and adhering a layer comprising a first material and a second material to a previously formed layer; and

(b) repeating the forming and adhering of (a) a plurality of times to build up a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers;

wherein the formation of at least a plurality of layers, comprise;

(1) depositing the first material onto a previously formed layer, wherein the first material is a structural material;

(2) selectively etching the first material to a desired depth to create voids;

(3) depositing the second material at least into the voids created by the selective etching of (2), wherein the second material is a sacrificial material,

wherein at least one of the depositing of the first material or depositing of the second material comprises an electrodeposition operation, and

(c) after repeating the forming and adhering the plurality of times, removing the sacrificial material from the structural material to reveal the multi-layer three-dimensional structure formed from the structural material.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the depositing of the first material for a given layer comprises an electroplating of the first material via blanket deposition.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein the depositing of the second material for the given layer comprises an electroplating of the second material via blanket deposition.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein the selective etching of the first material for the given layer comprises an electrochemical etching operation and utilization of a contact mask.

5. The process of claim 3 wherein the selective etching of the first material for a given layer comprises chemical etching and utilization of a contact mask.

6. The process of claim 1 additionally comprising:

(4) planarizing the deposited first material during the formation of a given layer prior to the selective etching of the first material for the given layer.

7. The process of claim 1 additionally comprising:

(4) planarizing the deposited second material during the formation of a given layer.

8. The process of claim 1 additionally comprising, after the deposition of the second material during the formation of a given layer:

(4) selectively etching a material selected from the group consisting of the first material and the second material to a desired depth to create voids within the given layer; and

(5) depositing a third material into the voids created by the selective etching operation of (4).

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the depositing of the first material for a given layer comprises a selective electroplating of the first material in a desired pattern.

10. The process of claim 8 wherein the selective electroplating of the first material for the given layer utilizes a contact mask of a desired configuration.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein the depositing of the second material for a given layer comprises a selective electroplating of the second material in a desired pattern.

12. The process of claim 11 wherein the selective electroplating of the second material for the given layer utilizes a contact mask of a desired configuration.

13. The process of claim 1 wherein the desired depth, when forming a given layer, is at least as great as the difference in height between successive layer levels.

14. The process of claim 1 wherein the selective etching is performed using via a technique selected from the croup consisting of:

(1) etching through at least one opening in a contact mask, (2) etching through at least one opening in a proximity mask, (3) etching through at least one opening in an adhered mask, and/or (4) selected ablation via controlled relative scanning of a laser beam on the first material.

15. The process of claim 1 further comprising processing data representing the three-dimensional structure to obtain cross-sectional data for use in executing (a) and (b), wherein the processing of the data, comprises:

(i) receiving data representing a three-dimensional structure to be formed;

(ii) deriving preliminary cross-sectional data for each layer that will be used during the formation of the three-dimensional structure;

(iii) deriving common data for each layer n−

1, representing intersections between structural material that will exist on layer n and on layer n−

1 during formation of the three-dimensional structure;

(iv) deriving offset data from the common data that has a boundary that is offset inward relative to the common data; and

(v) deriving a pattern of etching holes from the offset data for each layer using a predefined grid pattern of etching hole patterns.