Electrochemically fabricated structures having dielectric or active bases and methods of and apparatus for producing such structures

Abstract

Multilayer structures are electrochemically fabricated on a temporary (e.g. conductive) substrate and are thereafter bonded to a permanent (e.g. dielectric, patterned, multi-material, or otherwise functional) substrate and removed from the temporary substrate. In some embodiments, the structures are formed from top layer to bottom layer, such that the bottom layer of the structure becomes adhered to the permanent substrate, while in other embodiments the structures are formed from bottom layer to top layer and then a double substrate swap occurs. The permanent substrate may be a solid that is bonded (e.g. by an adhesive) to the layered structure or it may start out as a flowable material that is solidified adjacent to or partially surrounding a portion of the structure with bonding occurring during solidification. The multilayer structure may be released from a sacrificial material prior to attaching the permanent substrate or it may be released after attachment.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 434,493 filed on May 7, 2003 which in turn claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Nos., 60 / 442,656, and 60 / 379,177 filed on Jan. 23, 2003, and May 7, 2002 respectively. These applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] Various embodiments of some aspects of the present invention relate generally to the field of Electrochemical Fabrication and the associated formation of three-dimensional structures (e.g. parts, objects, components, or devices) via a layer-by-layer build up of deposited materials and to the processing of such structures after layer formation is complete so that the structures are transferred from a build substrate (i.e. temporary substrate) to a structural substrate. BACKGROUND [0003] A technique for forming three-dimensional structures (e.g. parts, components, devices, and the like) from a ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0034] It is an object of various aspects of the present invention to supplement electrochemical fabrication techniques to expand the capabilities of electrochemical fabrication process to meet the structural and functional requirements for varying applications and thus to expand the potential applications available to the technology.

Problems solved by technology

The CC mask plating process is distinct from a “through-mask” plating process in that in a through-mask plating process the separation of the masking material from the substrate would occur destructively.

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