MICROFABRICATION OF CERAMICS BY CO-EXTRUSION

Fine-scale ceramic objects are fabricated by forcing a thermoplastic c eramic extrusion compound through a die with reduction ratio R. Object s with complex shapes are fabricated by assembling an extrusion feedro d from a shaped ceramic compound with space-filling fugitive compound. After each reduction state, R-2 extrudates are assembled into a feedr od and extruded again, reducing the size and multiplying the number of shaped objects. Several stages of extrusion produce arrays of objects in the size range of 10 mu m.