Laser LIGA: a cost-saving process for flexible production of microstructures

Michael Abraham; Johannes Arnold; Wolfgang Ehrfeld; K. Hesch; Hildegard Moebius; Thomas Paatzsch; Christian L. Schutz

doi:10.1117/12.221274

19 September 1995 Laser LIGA: a cost-saving process for flexible production of microstructures

Michael Abraham, Johannes Arnold, Wolfgang Ehrfeld, K. Hesch, Hildegard Moebius, Thomas Paatzsch, Christian L. Schutz

Proceedings Volume 2639, Micromachining and Microfabrication Process Technology; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.221274
Event: Micromachining and Microfabrication, 1995, Austin, TX, United States

Abstract

Ablation by excimer laser radiation can successfullly be used for microstructuring. However, the costs of production are still rather high due to the fact that laser processing is, in general, a serial process. Cost reduction is possible by combining excimer laser micromachining with a replication process. We call this process 'Laser-LIGA', which is a variant of the LIGA technique using ablation of polymers and photoresists by UV excimer lasers as the first structure-defining process step. Compared to deep x-ray lithography the surface quality of microstructures made by laser ablation is slightly poorer and the maximum aspect ratios (up to 10) are considerably lower too. On the other hand Laser-LIGA offers more flexibility. Almost any geometry can be realized, in many cases without a mask by direct structuration. This process is therefore suited to rapid prototyping as well as for large scale production of micro- scale devices. In this paper some applications of Laser-LIGA for different fields of microstructuring will be demonstrated including components of microfluidic systems, micro- optical devices different fields of microstructuring will be demonstrated including components of microfuidic systems, micro-optical devices and devices for medical applications. Such systems open up the potential for completely new developments at the micro scale.

Citation Download Citation

Michael Abraham, Johannes Arnold, Wolfgang Ehrfeld, K. Hesch, Hildegard Moebius, Thomas Paatzsch, and Christian L. Schutz "Laser LIGA: a cost-saving process for flexible production of microstructures", Proc. SPIE 2639, Micromachining and Microfabrication Process Technology, (19 September 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.221274

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