Microfabrication: LIGA-X and applications

X-ray LIGA Lithography, Electrogrowth, Moulding.is one of today’s key technologies in microfabrication and upcoming modern meso.- nano.fabrication, already used and anticipated for micromechanics micromotors, microsensors, spinnerets, etc.., micro-optics, micro-hydrodynamics fluidic devices., microbiology, in medicine, in biology, and in chemistry for microchemical reactors. It compares to micro-electromechanical systems MEMS.technology, offering a larger, non-silicon choice of materials and better inherent precision. X-ray LIGA relies on synchrotron radiation to obtain necessary X-ray fluxes and uses X-ray proximity printing. Inherent advantages are its extreme precision, depth of field and very low intrinsic surface roughness. However, the quality of fabricated structures often depends on secondary effects during exposure and effects like resist adhesion. UV-LIGA, relying on thick UV resists is an alternative for projects requiring less precision. Modulating the spectral properties of synchrotron radiation, different regimes of X-ray lithography lead to a. the mass-fabrication of classical nanostructures, b. the fabrication of high aspect ratio nanostructures HARNST., c. the fabrication of high aspect ratio microstructures HARMST., and d. the fabrication of high aspect ratio centimeter structures HARCST.. Reviewing very recent activities around X-ray LIGA, we show the versatility of the method, obviously finding its region of application there, where it is best and other competing microtechnologies are less advantageous. An example of surface-based X-ray and particle lenses orthogonal reflection optics ORO.. made by X-ray LIGA is given. q2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.