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Product category: Materials and components
News Release from: Tecan | Subject: Micro Structures
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial Team on 14 May 2003

Interest grows in microstructure
engineering

Ultrafine electroformed metal parts, fabricated to previously unheard of levels of accuracy and resolution, are the focus of unprecedented interest by electronics and microengineering designers.

Ultrafine electroformed metal parts, fabricated to previously unheard of levels of accuracy and resolution, are the focus of unprecedented interest by electronics and microengineering designers, according to the recently launched Micro Structures Division of Dorset based specialist Tecan The division has seen its whole-year sales forecast satisfied in the first quarter of 2003, effectively quadrupling its sales potential for the new technology in its first year of operation

Microstructure specialists at the division's ultra-modern new facility have breached traditional manufacturing obstacles to deliver low-cost micro metal parts, and larger parts with ultrafine features, for a vast new applications arena, typically covering electronics, optical, medical and aerospace.

The inherent advantages of the technology are expected to be exploited by a wide range of industries, for the demanding next-generation micro applications, where products will be repeatedly made significantly smaller and finer, at lower cost and with fewer production processes.

Typical microapplications include sensors, actuators, hearing aids, medical devices, optical instruments, microlenses, meshes, masks, displays and microfluidic devices.

Microstructures can be manufactured to extremely small scale, with features, such as apertures, fluid channels or raised lands, down to one or two microns - with tolerances at submicron levels.

They will also be employed in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and micro-optical electromechanical structures (MOEMS).

Similarly, the company can produce larger parts, up to 300 x 300mm, with equally fine resolutions.

"Designers are clearly tuning into the great benefits available to them from this fascinating technology, there is a significant increase in the appreciation of photo-electroforming and the opportunities it offers", said Noel Cherowbrier, Tecan's Sales and Marketing Director.

"Revolutionary concepts are now becoming reality for a wide range of customers, we have nondisclosure agreements with some of the world's leading electronics, optical and medical companies, where we are jointly developing a range of parts and manufacturing methods capable of transforming traditional concepts.

As these relationships develop, designers increasingly realise that we can make micrometal components with more exacting designs and tighter tolerances than they ever realised were achievable".

Recently opened by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, the company's dedicated new GBP 2 million, 800m2 division, houses a state-of-the-art Class 1000 clean room facility, within which are a number of Class 100 areas.

These highly clean areas ensure the provision of particle-free environments where components with sub-micron features can be repeatedly and consistently fabricated.

Specialists have developed world-leading photo-electroforming production and in-house plating techniques to make such cost-effective accuracy possible.

Previously in the manufacturing world, MEMS have predominantly been manufactured in silicon, using expensive technology from the semiconductor industry.

The division currently produces such parts in nickel, at significantly lower cost, and has plans to move into other pure conductive materials such as copper and gold in the near future.

Such parts offer significant advantages over brittle and expensive silicon options, such as mechanical strength, electrical conductivity and other unique benefits.

The new technology is described as a hybrid application based on three established manufacturing technologies: silicon semiconductor; high-volume audio CD; and micro-embossing tools such as those used in microlens array and hologram manufacture.

Ongoing market feedback from existing customer joint ventures combined with 30 year's experience in photochemical machining and photo-electroforming were also crucial elements in the development of the new processes.

Exceptional tolerance and accuracy are assured, across the maximum surface area of 300 x 300mm, far greater than most existing silicon capabilities.

Raised areas can be produced with a maximum aspect ratio of 5:1 and potentially greater.

Extremely accurate features, such as tracks and channels can be fabricated with smooth walls and submicron tolerances.

Surface smoothness is also exceptionally accurate, being subwavelength, at 600nm across surface.

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