Microstamping of freestanding bipolymer features

Microscale bipolymer features have been fabricated by microstamping. Rigid silicon stamps with microwells as small as 40 fl in volume were used. Bipol ymer columns, 2 mum by 2 mum in cross section and 10 mum tall, were stamped from these small microwells. The top 1.5 mum of each column was made of po lyetherimide with the remaining 8.5 mum being made from an ethyl cyanoacryl ate. The ability to accurately fabricate microscale features consisting of more than one polymer has many potential uses. As an example, the potential use of bipolymer features in nerve guides is discussed. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.