Open AccessSingle-anchor support and supercritical CO_2 drying enable high-precision microfabrication of three-dimensional structures
Author(s) -
Shoji Maruo,
T. Hasegawa,
Nagahisa Yoshimura
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.17.020945
Subject(s) - microfabrication , supercritical fluid , materials science , shrinkage , cantilever , microelectromechanical systems , microstructure , surface tension , nanotechnology , nano , supercritical drying , distortion (music) , optics , composite material , optoelectronics , fabrication , chemistry , medicine , amplifier , alternative medicine , physics , organic chemistry , cmos , pathology , quantum mechanics , aerogel
In high-precision two-photon microfabrication of three-dimensional (3-D) polymeric microstructures, supercritical CO(2) drying was employed to reduce surface tension, which tends to cause the collapse of micro/nano structures. Use of supercritical drying allowed high-aspect ratio microstructures, such as micropillars and cantilevers, to be fabricated. We also propose a single-anchor supporting method to eliminate non-uniform shrinkage of polymeric structures otherwise caused by attachment to the substrate. Use of this method permitted frame models such as lattices to be produced without harmful distortion. The combination of supercritical CO(2) drying and the single-anchor supporting method offers reliable high-precision microfabrication of sophisticated, fragile 3-D micro/nano structures.