Micro-structure formed of thin films

Abstract

A substrate on which a plurality of thin films having a plurality of cross-sections corresponding to the cross-section of a micro-structure are formed is placed on a substrate holder. The substrate holder is elevated to bond a thin film formed on the substrate to the surface of a stage, and by lowering the substrate holder, the thin film is separated from the substrate and transferred to the stage side. The transfer process is repeated to laminate a plurality of thin films on the stage and to form the micro-structure. Accordingly, there are provided a micro-structure having high dimensional precision, especially high resolution in the lamination direction, which can be manufactured from a metal or an insulator such as ceramics and can be manufactured in the combined form of structural elements together, and a manufacturing method and an apparatus thereof.

Description

[0001] This is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 09 / 791,634 filed Feb. 26, 2001 which is a Division of application Ser. No. 09 / 064,056 filed Apr. 22, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,245,249. The entire disclosure of the prior applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.BACKGROUND [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] This invention relates to micro-structures such as micro-gears, micro-optical parts, or molds for molding these micro-products manufactured by rapid prototyping, and a manufacturing method and an apparatus thereof, and more particularly relates to micro-structures obtained by laminating thin films consisting of a metal or an insulator which are patterned into sectional forms, and a manufacturing method and an apparatus thereof. [0004] 2. Description of Related Art [0005] Rapid prototyping has been rapidly popularized recently as a method for molding three dimensional complex form products designed with the aid of a computer within a short ti...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for manufacturing micro-structures made up of multiple thin films with prescribed patterns. The method involves forming thin films on a substrate, patterning them, and then separating them from the substrate to create a composite thin film. The composite thin film is then laminated onto a stage to create a micro-structure. The apparatus includes a substrate holder, a stage, and a moving means for positioning the stage on the thin films. The technical effects of this invention include the ability to create complex micro-structures with precise patterns using a simple manufacturing process.

Problems solved by technology

However, according to the conventional example 1, namely stereolithography, this method is disadvantageous in that the resolution in the lamination direction of 1 μm or smaller and the film thickness precision of 0.1 μm or smaller, which is required to manufacture micro-gears and micro-optical parts, cannot be attained.

The layer thickness corresponding to the threshold value is the thickness of one layer, but because of dispersion of the incident light intensity, variation of the incident light intensity with time, and dispersion of the absorption coefficient of the starting material, it is difficult to obtain high resolution.

In addition, full cure process is applied to harden completely after forming because photosensitive resin is used, in the full cure process the product shrinks 1% through several %, the shrinkage is disadvantageous and causes significant deterioration of the precision.

The requirement of such process is disadvantageous.

According to the conventional example 2, namely the selective laser sintering, the resolution in the lamination direction is poor because an incident light applied perpendicularly onto the layer is used as in the conventional example 1, and the shrinkage in full cure process causes deterioration of precision, and furthermore the method is disadvantageous in that a transfer process is required to manufacture micro-structures made of a hard material such as metal.

According to the conventional example 4, namely the manufacturing method using thin films as starting material, the intermediate film (for example Al) is required in order to prevent exposure of the lower layer because an incident light applied approximately perpendicularly is used in the exposure process, this method is disadvantageous in the resolution per one layer.

Though a method in which two types of photosensitive resins of different sensitive wavelengths and different solubility in solvents are laminated alternately, the respective photosensitive resins are exposed, and finally developed to form a three dimensional product in order to omit the use of the intermediate film, is disclosed in the patent, because this method is still disadvantageous in that the adhesion between resins of different solubility in solvents is poor, the strength of a completed product is low, and the dimensional precision is poor due to swelling of the photosensitive resin in the final development process.

Furthermore, it is impossible to apply this method directly to hard material such as metals and insulators as in the above-mentioned stereolithography because photosensitive resin is used, and the only way is a method in which a product is used as a mold.

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