Microparts Gmbh

Microparts Gesellschaft Fur Mikrostrukturtechnik Mbh

Friedolin Franz Noeker

Holger Reinecke

Arnd Rogner

Uwe Brenk

Helge Pannhoff

Ulrich Sieber

Gerd Pruefer

The present invention concerns stepped mould inserts, a method of producing the same and high-precision stepped microstructure bodies moulded therewith. The present stepped mould inserts and method of producing the same are more simple than previous methods. The lithographically produced regions of a patterned resist layer, which are exposed by development on a flat plate, are filled with metal. The layer may be mechanically removed, down to a predetermined thickness. After the residues of the resist have been dissolved out, if necessary or desired, this operation is repeated from one to several times. The regions removed from the resist layer are filled with metal, covered and separated from the resist layer, thus providing a multistep metallic mould insert. High-precision microstructure bodies having a multistep structure are produced with the present stepped mould insert.

High-precision stepped microstructure bodies

A process to manufacture stepped mold inserts and stepped microstructural bodies molded with the mold inserts. Stepped mold inserts are manufactured using structured irradiation masks with regionally different absorption for x-radiation; to this end, extensive calculations are necessary. Furthermore, several masks can be used in succession and for each irradiation step the penetration depth of the x-radiation can be changed. These masks must be positioned with high precision. With the present process stepped mold inserts are manufactured by a simple procedure. Several layers of varying thickness are applied on a metal plate alternating with non-conductive and conductive material. The layered stack is prestructured by precision mechanical machining at depths that vary from region to region, filled with a resist material and irradiated preferably through a single structured mask. Following the 'development' of the resist layer, metal is electrodeposited in the microstructure and the metallic mold insert is separated from the resist structure.

Stepped mold inserts, a process for the manufacture of stepped mold

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Karlsruhe, Germany

Friedolin Franz Noeker