Electroforming of 3D microstructures on highly structured surfaces

Electrodeposition of photoresist on highly structured surfaces is combined with electroplating to fabricate three new types of advanced 3D metal micro structures. In one application, electroplated nickel cantilever arrays are formed on the sloped sidewalls of KOH etched silicon. The cantilevers are r eleased by sacrificial etching of copper. In another application it is show n how KOH etched silicon V-grooves can be patterned by electrodeposited pho toresist to generate versatile 3D electroforming moulds. To demonstrate the potential of this technology, an innovative all-nickel cantilever structur e with V-shaped cross section and integrated reflection mirror for optical readout has been fabricated. Cantilevers with V-cross section can be design ed to have significantly larger out of plane bending stiffness or higher re sonant frequency compared to rectangular cantilevers with similar dimension s. A third application uses electrodeposited photoresist to fabricate coppe r solenoids on an oxidised silicon support. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.