Methods of and apparatus for electrochemically fabricating structures via interlaced layers or via selective etching and filling of voids
First Claim
1. A batch fabrication process for forming a plurality of multi-layer three-dimensional structures from at least one structural material, comprising:
- (a) forming and adhering a given layer rom at least one structural material and at least one sacrificial material to either an at least partially formed previous layer, if the given layer is not a first layer, or to a substrate, if the given layer is the first layer; and
(b) repeating the forming and adhering of (a) a plurality of times to build up the plurality of multi-layer three-dimensional structures from a plurality of adhered layers;
wherein the formation of a plurality of the adhered layers comprises beginning a deposition operation to form a portion of a current layer prior to completing a deposition operation to form a portion of a prior layer, andwherein after formation of the adhered layers, separating at least a portion of the at least one sacrificial material, located on multiple layers, from the at least one structural material to release multiple layers of the three-dimensional structures.
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Accused Products
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.
43 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A batch fabrication process for forming a plurality of multi-layer three-dimensional structures from at least one structural material, comprising:
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(a) forming and adhering a given layer rom at least one structural material and at least one sacrificial material to either an at least partially formed previous layer, if the given layer is not a first layer, or to a substrate, if the given layer is the first layer; and (b) repeating the forming and adhering of (a) a plurality of times to build up the plurality of multi-layer three-dimensional structures from a plurality of adhered layers; wherein the formation of a plurality of the adhered layers comprises beginning a deposition operation to form a portion of a current layer prior to completing a deposition operation to form a portion of a prior layer, and wherein after formation of the adhered layers, separating at least a portion of the at least one sacrificial material, located on multiple layers, from the at least one structural material to release multiple layers of the three-dimensional structures. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A batch fabrication process for forming a plurality of multi-layer three-dimensional structures, comprising:
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(a) forming and adhering a given layer of one or more materials to a previously formed layer, if the given layer is not a first layer, or to a substrate if the given layer is the first layer; (b) repeating the forming and adhering of (a) a plurality of times to build up the plurality of three-dimensional structures from a plurality of adhered layers; wherein the forming of each of a plurality of the adhered layers comprises one or more planarization operations which removes a portion of the one or more materials to set a boundary level for each of the plurality of the adhered layers, and wherein for a plurality of the adhered layers, forming interlacing elements in association with one or more given layers that extend from the given layer or layers into preceding layers and result in higher levels of interlacing between the one or more materials deposited in association with the given layer or layers and one or more materials deposited in association with the preceding layer or layers than would exist in absence of the interlacing elements. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification