TECHNOLOGY BRIEF

PROCESS FOR PRODUCING HIGH ASPECT RATIO MEMS STRUCTURES

For further information, contact Lori-Anne Neiger

Description: The process enables the production of high aspect ratio, freestanding microstructures using SU-8, a negative-acting, ultraviolet-sensitive photoresist that is widely used in microfabrication. This process enables the production of cylindrical cavities less than 100 microns in diameter in SU-8 microstructures with aspect ratios of 8:1. Such microstructures have immediate application in the field of gas avalanche microdetectors. Simple extensions of this process enable the fabrication of many types of microstructures, such as flexible diaphragms, mold inserts for injection molding, shadow masks for vacuum deposition, microchannel plate detectors, and other MEMS structures.

Commercial and Technical Merit: MEMS is a rapidly growing field with numerous and diverse applications that could have a dramatic impact in areas ranging from aerospace technology to biotechnology. Market estimations for MEMS technology vary, but all are encouraging. The current global market for MEMS devices is estimated to be somewhere between $10-20 billion per year. Some industry experts have predicted annual sales of nearly $100 billion by the end of the decade in new or improved industrial and medical systems through the use of MEMS devices.

Competitive Advantage: The current process for producing high aspect ratio microstructures of this type is the LIGA process. In this process, an intense, highly collimated beam of x-rays from a synchrotron is used to expose an x-ray sensitive resist. The new process BNL has developed requires only UV radiation and UV transparent masks, it and does not require access to a synchrotron, making it much more economical than the LIGA process.

Inventor: John Warren

Patent Status: U.S. Patent 6,558,868

License Status: Available exclusively or non-exclusively