Heinz Lehr

Achieving mass fabrication of microoptical systems by combining deep-x-ray lithography, electroforming, micromolding, and embossing

The paper reviews the application of deep X-ray lithography in conjunction with electroforming, plastic molding, and stamping (LIGA) for a mass production of micro- and submicron-structured photonic devices. LIGA technology offers almost total design freedom in lateral structuring and a high aspect ratio of 100. Vertical walls with heights up to 1 mm and optical grade surfaces enable their use as functional optical surfaces. It is possible to process a variety of materials such as metals and different polymers, including those with nonlinear optical properties. Therefore, Y-branches, couplers, and structures for the positioning and fixing of fibers, detectors, and light emitters can be integrated on one chip to build up hybrid optoelectronic devices.

Sloped irradiation techniques in deep x-ray lithography for 3D shaping of microstructures

Deep x-ray lithography (DXRL) makes use of synchrotron radiation (SR) to transfer an absorber pattern from a mask into a thick resist layer. For most applications the direction of the SR beam is perpendicular to the mask and the resist plane. Subsequent replication techniques, e.g. electroforming, moulding or hot embossing, convert the resist relief obtained after development into micromechanical, microfluidic or micro- optical elements made from metals, polymers or ceramic materials. This process sequence is well known as the LIGA technique. The normal shadow printing process is complemented and enhanced by advanced techniques, e.g. by tilting the mask and the resist with respect to the SR beam or aligned multiple exposures to produce step-like structures. In this paper a technology for the fabrication of multidirectional inclined microstructures applying multiple tilted DXRL will be presented. Instead of one exposure with the mask/substrate assembly perpendicular to the SR beam, irradiation is performed several times applying tilt and rotational angles of the mask/substrate assembly relative to the SR beam. A huge variety of 3-D structures can be obtained using this technique. Some possible applications will be discussed.