Microfabrication on polymer with a contact procedure

In the fabrication of a microstructure, it is usually difficult to make dee p etching with the conventional photolithography. Here the fabrication of t hickness contrast micropatterns based on a contact procedure is demonstrate d. Polymer (polydimethylsiloxane) microposts arrays have been fabricated wi th grids as the masters. The contact procedure, which does not need the etc hing procedure, extends the present limit of microfabrication. Moreover, th e thickness contrast micropatterns on the polymer can be replicated to othe r substrates (such as silicon wafer) with the microcontact printing. (C) 19 98 Elsevier Science Limited. All rights reserved.