Electrochemical Fabrication Methods Incorporating Dielectric Materials and/or Using Dielectric Substrates

Abstract

Various embodiments are directed to the electrochemical fabrication of multilayer mesoscale or microscale structures which are formed using at least one conductive structural material, at least one conductive sacrificial material, and at least one dielectric material. In some embodiments the dielectric material is a UV-curable photopolymer. In other embodiments, electrochemically fabricated structures are formed on dielectric substrates.

1 . A fabrication process for forming a multi-layer three-dimensional structure that comprises at least one conductive structural material and at least one dielectric material, comprising:
 (a) forming and adhering a layer of material to a previously formed layer and/or to a substrate, wherein the layer comprises a desired pattern of at least one structural material, a grid pattern of a dielectric material, and a gird pattern of a conductive sacrificial material; and   (b) repeating the forming and adhering operation of (a) a plurality of times to build up the three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the grid pattern of dielectric material is formed, at least in part, by an electrophoretic deposition operation. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the formation of the layer additionally comprises at least one planarization operation. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the formation of at least one of the desired pattern of the conductive structural material, the grid pattern of the dielectric material, and/or the grid pattern of the conductive sacrificial material is formed via a selective deposition operation that deposited material into openings in an adhered mask. 
     
     
         5 . A fabrication process for forming a multi-layer three-dimensional structure that comprises at least one conductive structural material and at least one dielectric material, comprising:
 (a) forming and adhering a layer of material to a previously formed layer and/or to a substrate, wherein the layer comprises a desired pattern of at least one structural material, a desired pattern of a dielectric material, and a desired pattern of a conductive sacrificial material; and   (b) repeating the forming and adhering operation of (a) a plurality of times to build up the three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers;   wherein the dielectric material is deposited via an electrophoretic deposition operation.   
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5  wherein the formation of the layer additionally comprises at least one planarization operation. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 5  wherein the formation of at least one of the desired pattern of the conductive structural material, the desired pattern of the dielectric material, and/or the desired pattern of the conductive sacrificial material is formed via a selective deposition operation that deposited material into openings in an adhered mask. 
     
     
         8 . A fabrication process for forming a multi-layer three-dimensional structure on a dielectric substrate, comprising:
 (a) depositing a first adhesion layer onto the substrate and a first seed layer onto the first adhesion layer;   (b) using an adhered mask, selectively depositing and adhering a conductive structural material to a selected portion of the seed layer material;   (c) removing only a portion of seed layer material and adhesion layer material that is not coated over by the structural material;   (d) blanket depositing a second adhesion layer material and a second seed layer material over the substrate, exposed portion of the first seed layer material, and the structural material;   (e) blanket depositing sacrificial material;   (f) planarizing the deposited materials to set the height of a first layer and to expose the structural material;   (g) forming additional layers of the structure; and   (h) releasing the structural material from the sacrificial material and removing the second seed layer and the second adhesion layer to reveal the completed structure.   
     
     
         9 . A fabrication process for forming a multi-layer three-dimensional structure wherein at least three materials are used in the formation of the structure, comprising:
 (a) forming and adhering a first layer of material to the substrate via at least one seed layer material and/or at least one adhesion layer material, wherein the first layer comprises at least one region of a structural material and at least one region of a sacrificial material;   (b) forming a subsequent layer from a plurality of materials that are adhered to previously deposited materials and repeating formation of subsequent layers until the structure is formed from a plurality of adhered layers;   wherein the at least one seed layer material and/or the at least one adhesion layer material separating at least a portion of the structural material of the first layer from the dielectric substrate is different from a seed layer material and/or an adhesion layer material that separates at least a portion of the sacrificial material of the first layer from the dielectric material of the substrate,   wherein at least one of a structural material or at least one of a sacrificial material is selectively patterned using an adhered mask.