Micro Nano MEMs 2014


Additive manufacturing on the micrometer scale opens up new dimensions


Additive manufacturing (AM) or three-dimensional (3D) printing has enjoyed extensive coverage in the media in recent times with ever-spectacular developments. While AM has been used for years as the de facto standard for rapid prototyping in architectural, aerospace, and engineering applications, the technology has disruptive potential in a variety of industrial and scientific fields


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riven by the general trend of miniaturisation, there is a growing demand for high-resolution 3D


printers on the micrometer scale. Using the novel technique of 3D laser lithography, AM or 3D printing overcomes size and shape complexity constraints in conventional manufacturing methods and


February 2014 by being awarded a Prism Award in San Francisco in the category "Advanced Manufacturing." (Fig 1) The 3D printing technology on the


micrometer scale is based on two-photon polymerization of photopolymers. This method enables the fabrication of micro- sized parts with heights from a few


Figure 3: A prototype of a miniature nozzle for the precise formation of liquid microdroplets


the challenges of tomorrow, it connects design freedom with submicrometer resolution. Various applications profit from these benefits or are even initially made possible. For example, micro-optical elements like lenses (Fig 2), prisms, or light- guides can be directly printed on opto- electronic components at wafer-level. Mechanical micro-parts with very high complexity are used for biomedical applications or MEMS devices.


Figure 1: Nanoscribe s 3D printer offers a multitude of applications on the micrometer scale for tasks in science and industry


enables the fabrication of micro-scaled parts. World and technology leader in the field of 3D laser lithography is the German company Nanoscribe, a manufacturer of 3D printers for the nano-, micro- and mesoscale. The performance of these groundbreaking Photonic Professional GT systems was recognized most recently in


hundred nanometers up to several millimeters and layer thicknesses well below 1 µm.


Optical interconnects, micro machines and further applications The combination of AM and


microtechnology has the potential to solve


Further examples of applications you will find in micro-fluidics, e.g. the prototype of a miniature nozzle with a diameter of one millimeter fabricated for the precise formation of liquid micro-droplets (Fig 3) as well as in the field of micro integration, e.g. a micro gear with movable gear elements (Fig 4) fabricated using a Photonic Professional GT system from Nanoscribe.


a transparent substrate material like glass is used. Here, the substrate is sole providing a support to the polymer structures. Pre- structured substrates like opaque IC-wafers or transparent micro-fluidic chips can also be used to print polymer structures upon. In that way, the 3D printing process provides an elegant way to combine the substrate with optical or mechanical parts thereby enhancing its functionality. Despite numerous compatible photopolymers, there remain many classes


Figure 4: Micro gear fabricated by means of 3D laser lithography


Materials For direct laser writing a wide range of materials with different optical, mechanical, electronic, and chemical/biological properties has been validated successfully. Along the list of compatible resins are standard photopolymers as used in semiconductor industry and more exotic materials like hydrogels.


Nanoscribe also develops its own Figure 2: Example of diffractive optics: Fresnel lens 28 September 2014 Components in Electronics


photoresists to enable the printers maximum performance with respect to resolution or writing speed. The polymer structures can be printed on a broad range of substrates with different chemical and physical properties. The choice of the right substrate material depends on the type of application. For a use in optical applications,


of non-polymerizable materials that cannot be used to fabricate 3D structures in a one- step-procedure. However, there are different post-processing techniques available to transfer 3D polymer parts as lost casts for into i.a. metals, silicon, titania or silica. For 2D and 2.5D micro-optical and diffractive optical elements, standard replication methods like imprinting and micro-injection molding can be applied for mass production. Here, the Photonic Professional GT is used as a valuable tool for master fabrication.


Nanoscribe | www.nanoscribe.de


Visit Nanoscribe at Micro Nano MEMS 2014 Booth: G26


www.cieonline.co.uk


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