MEMS & Microsystems

Prof. Santiram Kal

Department of Electronics & Electrical Communication Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
Lecture No. # 15
Microstereolithography

(Refer Slide Time: 00:40)

We will discuss today on microstereolithography which is not been covered in either your bulk
or surface micromachining class or you have not come across this particular topic in your VLSI
technology course. So this is a lithography means basic principle of lithography is there. That
means you are getting some structure from mask level on to the wafer level. But here we will not
use any mask. This kind of structure fabrication is without using any mask. So that is why it is all
together a newandbasically innovative technique of fabrication of various kinds of
microstructure which is being used nowadays not only in silicon MEMSbut also in polymer or
ceramic or composite material MEMSand in my last lecture on materials for MEMS I told you
that MEMS are getting fabricated. Nowadays not only out of silicon but also from other
materialslike polymer materials, like ceramic materials, like metals and like composite materials
and so on. So if it is different from silicon, so that means that, particular technology may not be
compatible with the normal VLSI process.

We can adopt some other technologyand there main emphasize is making of fabrication of
microstructure and later on this microstructuremay bepasted or may be transported on to silicon
wafer. But the microstructures are fabricated separately using a certain techniqueand that
particular technique is known as microstereo lithography. The name stereo is there, as the name
stereo you understand that there it will be three dimensional structures. So normally the x, y and
z in normal lithography or normal bulk and surface micromachining, there is a limitation on the
thickness of the structure. Means along the z directionthethickness of the microstructure or
materials, there is a limitation. But here in this particular technique which is known as

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microstereo lithography, there that limitation is not there. So you can have larger thickness
material without any mask, without any micromachining by etching. Either etching or say
etching may be liquid or liquid etching or may be plasma etching or dry etching. Those kinds of
things we are not using here. So then what is that technique? How do you make the
microstructure using this microstereo lithography technique? Thatwe will discussnow.

(Refer Slide Time: 03:58)

So now this stereo lithography is defined as is a rapid prototyping and manufacturing technology
that enables the generation of physical objects directly from CAD data file. So here one
important point is a CAD data file and this CAD data file is different from the data file which is
being used for making mask in case of the surface bulk micromachining or in case of VLSI
process technology. Now here the data files since you are making 3D structure, so data files are
some of the data files are making. You are making on two dimensional which is x and y, in this
in a planewe can make that x-y plane, some rectangle, some square,various kinds of a structures
we can make it. And not only that, here another axis is important which is the z-direction. What
we do normally? This any 3D structure is made various kinds of slice horizontally you slice it
and after making slice they are almost 2D kind of structure.

So after making the slice, the third direction is a depth direction we make a different file. So the
slice structure in 2D is made in a steel formatand now is a special program, these 2D slices are
stacked one after another. That is a known as a build file. So it creates another file which is
known as a build file and build file will change the manipulator, z manipulator, z axis. So
accordingly when the particular build file, where for particular number, you will select that
particular file will select a planeand in that plane, then in a steel format. What are the data stored
that will beeffective now or the optical source will be scanned on the x-yplane. So when that
exposure is over, then it will stop again from the build file, it will take the next build file, means
z direction manipulator will move. So it will go to the next layer, so again exposure will be there.

So in this way, that means to complete 3D structure is available is possible to make without any
masking and developing and etching or some kind of things. So I will discuss little bit in detail in

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future slides. Now this microstereolithography technique was not there in before mid of 80s. So
after mid 80s and lot of work was there in 90s. To standardize this particular process and this
particular technique is mostly useful in non-silicon MEMS. Major application is non-silicon
MEMS, that is polymer, ceramic and metal. So there we donot have to bother about the etching
solution of the polymer or saythe ceramic materialand those materials etching solution is very
difficult to get. So that is why these techniques are widely used in case of non-silicon MEMS
mainly in polymer and ceramic MEMS. Now this was first introduced by Japanese group in 1981
by Kodama and in Europe in 1984 by Andre and his group and in USA 1984 by Hull.

So you have seen the three area one group in Japan they have started work in 1981 which is by
laid by Kodama. Another is in Europe 1984 and third one in USA 1984. They all together
introduced, they started work and later on in 1990s the total technologies perfected. Now the
stereo lithography is used to make micro parts. It is referred to microstereo lithography. So
basically microstereo lithography is another one step ahead of stereo lithography. Micro word is
added with thisstereo lithography, when the feature size is still small and small. What feature
size? Resolution in x-y movement the minimum movement of the featureas well as in the z
direction the movement if you can makevery small amount, then it is possible tomake very small
in a micro levels the parts layer by layer you can build. So that you can have very small sized
micro parts or micro structures. That is a micro stereo lithography. So first we will understand,
we will discuss on stereo then we will go into microstereo.

(Refer Slide Time: 09:19)

So now this microstereo lithography permits fabrication of true 3D devices on the micron to
millimeter scale including curvilinear and re-entrant microstructuresthat are difficult to make
using conventional micromachiningcurvilinear. This too important point curvilinear and re-
entrant. So curvilinear is possible hereand re-entrant is here, that is also. Re-entrant means,
somewhere you want to makesome groovesomewhere. Then again you are coming backyou see
in the right hand side. You can see some of the picture. So this is made out of polymer or
ceramic material. You see is a motor blades kind of thing here some of the powersome

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boundsare there like that. So these kind of structures, is can be easily made using this,the best,the
stereo lithography which is not possible by conventional microconventional lithographyand
sometimes it has got some similarity with some with a technique which already we have
discussed. That is the LIGA and sometimes this particular stereo lithography or microstereo
lithography is called that Poor man’s LIGA process.

(Refer Slide Time: 10:45)

So now what are the basic steps of making 3D structure using stereo lithography? Those are
shown in the block schematic diagram. First is the definition of a CAD model of 3D object. So
this CAD model is different from conventional. The CAD tools used for the bulk or surface
micromachining or mask makingas I mentioned. So one will be the 2Dsurface, x-y surface is a
steel format dataand another is thesteel format, the slices are stacked to build the 3D structure. So
that definition is very important is special kind of softwares are used to make the data for
thisstereo lithography. After that next step is slicing the 3D model into a series of closely spaced
horizontal planes that represent the xy cross section of the 3D objecteach with different z values.
So x-y cross section of the 3D object, each plane will have different z values. Then 3D models
are translated into numerical control codeand merged together into build file to control the UV
light scanner and z translator.

That means this data basically the control the data is controlling two things. One is the x-y scan
of the optical source; another is the z translator which is changing along z direction. After that
the desired polymer object is written into UV curable resist layer by layer. That means it is a
direct right kind of thing. So in your VLSI lithography one topic is there, direct write technology.
So directly from the mask data it may write on to the wafer without making mask. Direct write
technique, so that is used here. So from the mask data directly write on to the polymer
photosensitive polymer. So accordingly exposure will be there and polymerization will take
place. Now this,the resist which is used here, that is UV curable ultraviolet curable resist. That is
layer by layer you can cure it and then the entire structure is obtained after curing. Now what are
the things here? In the bottom in this diagram it is little bit elaborated.

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You see here the pink color thing is UV curable solution here.Now there is an elevator. What is
being done? So first a layer is a layer of thepolymer is spread over a plane. Now this layer,
uniform layer is exposed with ultraviolet light. After depending on the data depending on the
data then what is happening? This ray will incidenton the data. That means here some shutter
will be thereas the normal mask making machine. So there the shutterspeed is also high and the
shutter on-off mode can be controlled very fast. So accordingly it will be exposed based on the
data. So polymerization will take place that particular each layer one layer is overnext what the
elevator elevator will move means elevator will go down then another layer will be deposited
there. Automatic micro pumping of the resin layer will be there. So on that layer again the optics
beam is incidentthen it is exposed, may be in the bottom you can see exposed from here to
hereand in the next layer it is exposed from this point to this point.

Now you can see that, so it is a first layer, it is exposed from this point to this point. Next it is
exposed from this point to point. So another third layer when this is over, so the elevator again
goes down. So then another layer is spread over the x-y plane. Then it can expose from this point
to this point. So in this way each layer the UV light is exposed depending on the data or
depending on the requirement of the structure. Soin this way layer by layer when complete thing
is made then whole thing is cured. That curing technique is just like the lithography
technique.You know it is a prewave,postwave developed, etcetera is there. So that curing
technique is done and after curing is over,this isa basically harden and the other portion which is
a remaining portion. So that portion is soft softer that if you dissolve. That one in table of a
solutionyou will get only the harden portion of structure, 3Dstructure like that.

That is some arbitrary structure the shown which can bemade using this stereo lithography
technique. That means the whole thing is a layer by layer. One layer spread all automatic because
for that you do not have to take into the different place or different room or different instrument.
All are integrated everything, then it is a leveling, is very important. Surface of that layer should
be highly plane. So that is very important and thickness of each layer has to be controlled
accurately is very important and then you can expose and you can help reaction or
photopolymerization processand at the end of each layer exposure. Then you can cure the whole
thing and you can get the structure. That is basic principle of the microstereo lithography.

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(Refer Slide Time: 17:40)

Sothe basic principle is photopolymerizationprocess where under exposure of UV radiation small

molecules which is known asmonomers in a resin or resists form. The monomers are there, small
molecules are there in the resist or resin. They form larger molecules. Chain reaction will take
placeand larger molecules will form after irradiation or ultraviolet or laser. Whatever the
exposure source you use, then it will be a long chain formed and that is basically the reaction.
That is the photopolymerization. A polymer material when reacts under exposure and the
polymer chain is formed or the polymer structure is modified, then this method is known as the
photopolymerization. Three main photopolymer systems used in stereo lithography are acrylate,
epoxy resin and vinyl ether. So now here one point I would like to stress, these three materials
acrylate, epoxy resin and vinyl ether and there if you see the structure of acrylate.

So its structure looks like this. I am just writing here you can see, so there is a double bond. So
this double, bond after the polymerization, then this C wills O and from here you are getting one
R. So now this is basically the structures of acrylate. Now what happens? So afterthe irradiation
of by the UV light or ultraviolet light, this double bond structure breaks. Carbon to carbon
double bond structure breaks. Now, when it breaks so it will attract another monomer, another
molecule. So then that also one bond breaks and the remaining bond will couple another acralyte
monomer. So in that way a chain will be formed. On the other hand there are someresin for
example an epoxy resin. There are some photopolymer epoxy resins; there is no double bond
carbon. But instead they have some ring structure. So that structure is something like similar
kind of structure which is known as a ring structure. That is hydrogen and this is hydrogen and
another carbon also wills Hand here will be the R.

So that is the epoxy resin,so here this form is known as a ring. So here is oxygen carbon, carbon
the after polymerisation when you expose with UV light then the ring breaks. When the ring
breaks,so there are the bonds are available. With those bonds some another monomer of the same
resin will join. So in that way either it is a double carbon bond or it is thering structure, that bond
or structure breaks and it helps to join other monomer. So that a complete chain will be formed

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and when the chain is formed, that become harden. That cannot be dissolved in developer
solution. That is the basic principle. Now two important points is that the optical source. The
important point in the optical source is that intensityof the UV radiation or laser radiation is a
Gaussian kind of nature. So if it is a Gaussian kind of nature, so then intensity changes you see
as for the depth.

If it is a Gaussian kind of thingand the beam there is width which is known as we called as
curing width. From this point to this point is known as the curing widthand curing depth is from
this to this is a curing depth. Now the curing depth and curing width these two are important
parameter which will decide how precisely, how accuratelyyou can form the micro parts or
micro structure. The curing depth we will tell you how much thick size thickness of polymer
material it can polymerize. Because beyond that there is no intensity. So this curing depth and
curing width in case of stereo lithography system and microstereo lithography system are
different. In microstereolithography system obviously the curing width and curing depth will be
much smaller in the range of shape few microns. But in case of stereo lithography it ranges from
100 micron to 500 micron or in some case of the more than 500 micron length you can, curing
width you can get it. So these are the two parameters which will we will see. Thatis a governing
parameter in case of the fabrication of the micro parts.

(Refer Slide Time: 23:34)

So as I mentioned that two most critical parameters, one is curing depth and line width need to
be carefully controlled and are determined from the beam distribution and absorption of radiation
in the resist. So this depth will be determined the curing depth will be determined by distribution
as well as absorption coefficient of the resist fill. How much it can resist, how much in a
radiation it will absorb, depending on that the reaction will take place. Isn’t it? So that two
parameterswill be the determining parameter for the structure.

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(Refer Slide Time: 24:14)

Now these basic principle ofstereo lithography system isgovern by equation which is known as
Beer-Lambert law. Beer-Lambert lawin 1998, the law is given by I t by I 0 is equal to exponential
minus alpha Cd. So where I t andI 0 are transmitted and incident light intensity. I t is the
transmitted,I 0 is the incident. Intensity of the incident radiationand I t the how much intensity is
transmitted through the layerand alpha is the absorption coefficient. C is concentration of the
absorber. Absorber is what, polymer how much concentration of polymer you are using. That is
the Cand small d is the distance, the light has passed through the absorber. So that means these
three parameters alpha C d will give you the intensity distribution. There is I t byI 0 . In SL process
the ultraviolet beam have Gaussian profile which you have seen in the earlier view graphwhich is
scanned in a straight line at constant velocity V s along x-axis which is in the surface of the
photopolymer. The scan method is shown here, the xy surface is here, you can see here xy
surface is here and now the scanningis how it scans on the surface is shown here. The scan
velocity is V s the optical spot is scanned on xy plane for a certain value of the z.

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(Refer Slide Time: 26:10)

So now, what is the next step? The irradiation which is defined by radiant power per unit area
that is irradiation. Ixyz intensity is dependent on xyz three parameters is there xy plane and z is
the vertical axis. At any point within the resin can be related to the irradiance incident on the
resin surface Ixy0 using the B-L law by this equation, which is Ixyz equal to Ixy0 exponential
minus z by dp. Where dp is the penetration depth of the beam and is dependent on lambda alpha
and Cwhere dp is the penetration depth. How much the beam will penetrate will depend on the
wavelength of the light, absorption coefficient and the value of the Cwhich is the concentration
of the absorber. So these three parameters will determinedp or penetration depth. The
relationship between the curing depth Cd and a line-width l w .

That is the curing width and curing depth two things I showed you in the earlier diagram. So that
relation is given by l w is equal to twice w 0 under root Cd by twice d p . So those relations are given
by the two scientists Beer and Lambert and that is why it is known as B-L law, Beer-Lambert
law. So that is l w is equal to 2w 0 under root Cd by twice d p . Working curves of the curing depth
and line-width should be known in an SL process. So this relation is very much required when
you want tostart the process before,know how much curing depth how much line-width. So
accordingly the manipulator and timing will be decided. Exposure timing etcetera will be
decided.

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(Refer Slide Time: 28:36)

Now this is theschematic view of that totalsystem and here what are the subsystems? There are 3
subsystems in stereo lithography. One is the CAD design, second is a layer preparation, and third
is the imaging system. So CAD design means the data you have stored in files in different format
so that the scanning will be done based on those data as well as the z axis movement will be
there based on that data. That is the CAD design a file you have to create. After that, the layer
preparation is another very important and how you are preparing the layer, your intricacy of the
device or all the whole method depends on how you are preparing the layer. Which layer? The
polymer layer, the photoresist layerand the CAD model in STL format as I mentioned. It
produces is a slice cross section converging parts are placed into a build file. That is the first
CAD design first as subsystem. Process control software operates the stereo lithography writing
process according to the build file. So writing will be done based on the build file which you
have created and loaded into a computer.

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(Refer Slide Time: 30:13)

So now the next stepis an imaging system. Optic system basically. It includes a light source that
may be laser or ultraviolet source. So you can use a UV lamp also. That must be appropriate for
resin to be used. Beam delivery and focusing elements. So that means the light source must be
appropriate for beam delivery and focusing element. So focusing element has to be there. So it
should not be diverged beam. So either use laser or UV lamp. Sothe optics house comprises of
the beam focusing and beam manipulation also. Wavelength output beam shape and power
available are all important. Wavelength of the light output beam shape, the beam which is
incident on the polymer. That means the diameter of that spotthat is output beam shapeand power
available. That means it depends on the intensity. How much intensity is incident on the
polymer? So those things are all important when you make the complete system. Beam delivery
elements are used to fold the path of the laser beam that compact the SL system.

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(Refer Slide Time: 31:45)

Now the layer preparation. The layer preparation means you have to have a very uniform layer of
the resin or photo resist which are being exposed. Flat resin layer of the desired thickness is
prepared for curing. The liquid resins surface will be the foundation of each layer of the SL
model.SL system should satisfy the following requirements of the resin surface. What are the
requirements? First is, it should be uniformly flat, leveled and free from extraneous features.
Second is it should maintain precisely at focal plane of the imaging system. The resin layer must
be at the focal plane of the imaging system. That means the focus spot where the beam
focusbeam is focused at a point the whole layer should be in that particular plane. So that there
you will get maximum intensity. Surface must be a controlled distance above the previously
build solidified cross section of the part.

That means previously build solidified cross section is a layer preparation. So if a layer is
prepared it is exposed and it becomes hard. So on the top of that again you are another layer and
then you are exposing that. So that means it the distance. That means you see the focused beam,
thefocusing plane remain samelayer is moving along vertical in the direction. Isn’t it? So in that
way, that has to be accurately controlled so that when these moves it should not depending on the
thickness of each layer. The z movement has to be adjusted. So that complete layer will be in the
focusing plane and within the region of themaximum intensity width. So now that is penetration
drift which I called earlier penetration drift within that.

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(Refer Slide Time: 34:06)

Now the recoating and leveling system work together to have a flat layer of liquid resin of proper
thickness. Recoating and leveling. Because layer by layer you have to recoat. After just recoating
then leveling has to be done. That is done again by sensor electronic sensor. Whether the whole
surface is uniformly leveled,the thickness of the layer typically ranges 100 to 500 micrometer.
Recoater must be controlled precisely to achieve thinner layers. As 25 micronRecoater error is
significant for building layer below 100 microns. That means you see, since a layer by layer you
are recoating, so that if there is an error of plus minus 25 micronand each layer thickness is a 100
micron. That error is very high. If you go for 500 micron thickness, each layerthen plus minus 20
or 25 micron will notchange the structure a lot. But if you at thinner layer structure if you make
within 100 microns, that 25 microns recoating error is significant. Any shrinkage during curing
must be compensated by the excess resin the vat. Because whole system I have shown you in the
earlier diagram, you put in resin vat completely. So that during the curing process some layer
will shrink and during the shrinking time shrinkage timeso some fresh resin may be supplied
from the vat,so that the structure will not be deformed.

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(Refer Slide Time: 36:00)

So these are the some points which we have to look. MSL is microstereolithography. Now the
microstereolithography is also called a microphotoforming and was first introduced by Ikuta and
Hirowatari in 1993. So is a Japanese group, they first introduced the MSL in 1993, the resolution
of MSL is better than stereo lithography itself. UV laser beam is focused down to a 1 to 2 micron
dia spotthat solidifies a resin layer of 1 to 10 micron thickness. Whereas in SL laser beam spot
size and layer thickness are 100 to 1000 micrometer. So where 100 to 500 to 1000 micrometer in
stereo lithography, but here the optics is focused to a beam of only 1 to 2 micrometer dia
spotwhich can solidify 1 to 10 micrometer thin layer. So that is thedifference between stereo and
microstereo lithography.

(Refer Slide Time: 37:20)

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Another point issubmicron control of both x-y-z translation stages. That is that has to be much
more accurate control within the submicron rangeand small UV beam spot enables precise
fabrication of complex 3D microstructures. Microstereolithography is an additive process. In
contrast to conventional subtractive micromachining and in principle compatible with silicon
technology and therefore post-CMOS batch fabrication is feasible in some cases. What is mean
by that? It is basically subtractive micromachining technique. But normal, the bulk or surface
micromachining is not subtractive method that is not additive method; that is subtractive method.
Conventional micromachining is subtractive. What is that? Just after lithography you are etching
the undesired material? That is subtracting the undesired materialand this is in additive process.
MSL is an additive process. I think you can remember an additive process of lithography. That is
ripped off technique. That is an example of additive process. You will, in some casesadditive
means the total,the final structure you can form by adding certain material. In that sense you can
say a LIGA technique you are filling the growth by using the electroplating. That is an additive
process. So similarly here the MSL technique, they utilize additive process to make the micro
structure.

(Refer Slide Time:39:12)

Different MSL systems have been developed in recent year to improve upon their precision and
speed. So people arealso concerned about the speed. Because you see, if you make a layer by
layer by structure and then expose another layer, then expose, then automatically the throughput
of the device will be small. Because layer by layer you are recoating, leveling then exposingthen
again recoating, leveling and exposing. Getting the complete thing will be taking a long time. So
that is why speed is one important parameterand at the same time you need high precision. So lot
of work is going on in recent years towards microstereolithography to increase the speed so that
your throughput will be high and you can get high precision structures. Another research effort in
MSL is the incorporation of a broad spectrum of materials. That I mentioned earlier also. That is
polymer metal ceramic all these materials are being used in MSL technique to get
microstructures. Most widely used MSL equipment are based on the scanning methodwhere a
well focused laser beam with beam spot size around 1 micron is directed onto the resin surface to

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initiate the polymerization process. They use recent MSL equipment. They use the laser beam of
spot size nearly 1 micron.

(Refer Slide Time: 40:59)

In microstereo lithography a 3D microstructure is built up by repeated scanning of either the

light beam or work piece layer by layer. Several scanning methods are used in MSL technique
which are classical MSL integrated harden process which is known as IH process, mass IH
processandsuper IH process. So the classical ML is similar to the stereo lithography system.
Only the spot and microsize,spot size in others are very small. Integrated harden process and
there are three kinds of IH process which is known as the integrated harden. One is simple
integrated harden. Other is mass IH process and the super IH processand the difference of the
super IH process and ordinary IH process, integrated harden process will be discussed in next
few slides. So it is known as integrated harden process. That means you are curing the complete
thing at the end exposing one by one. That means the each layer you are integrating during the
complete curing process. So that is some time is known as integrated harden process. Now a
simple IH process is shown in this view graph you can see this picture here.

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(Refer Slide Time: 42:36)

Here is the MSL process which is integrated hardens processand here obviously you can see
here, there is a microx-y stage will be thereand this is az stage, z is movement is, this is the
liverand in that liver one optic system is lens is fixed up. So that z stage can move based on the
microcomputer dataand another is x-y position is there. The x-y movement can be controlled
using again the micromicrocomputerso that very precise in a micron level. In some micron level
movement of the x-y stage is very expensive. This kind of x-y stage is possiblewith themicro
positionaland now this is basically the container where the photo resist or the polymer is kept and
nowthis is some leveling arrangements are there and this is the vat where you put the resin and
here is the either ultraviolet or laser source which is basically produced here of certain
wavelength. And then this is the pollimatedbeams are there and some shutter arrangement will be
there.

The shutter is now someacousto electro optic shutters are being used which is much fasterand
various kinds of shutters I have tried to improve this speed because shutters are very important.
Because when you do not need to expose a certain length or certain area, then you can close the
shutter. So that optics is there is no irradiation. So when you need you open the shutter and then
you scan. Because this spot size is only 1 micrometer to say a microstereo lithographyit can go
down to 1 micron, may be 2, 3 microns there. So we have to scan some scanning arrangement
will be there to expose a certain area. Now the whole complete system the shutter is also
connected to the microcomputer. So the microcomputer x-y positioner the shutter and the z stage.
So this is the IH process, one thing which movement is taking place,xy positioner and z stage
and shutterand we will see in super IH process.

The oppositethen I have I will show you in the next one or two slide that there the the xy stage
and z stage are fixed. Another layer the optical house the scan which is optical house is moving
the focus point is moved inside the the resistthat is the super IH process. Now here in this MSL
process the light source we use here UV lampand the beam is focused on to resin surface through
a glass window, this is the glass windowhere it shown the glass window. The focal point of the

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apparatus remains fixed during the fabrication. This is the focal point, it remains fixed so that is
not, a focal point is not changed and the work piece,the focal point of the apparatus remains
fixed during the fabricationand the work piece is in a container attach to an x-y stage. So this
container is attached on x-y stage. The glass window is attached to the zso that layers of precise
thickness can be prepared. So that is the complete sets up of micro stereo lithography system
using integrated harden method.

(Refer Slide Time: 46:44)

Now here you can see how this structure is being made,that is normally used to fabricate
microstructure where metal microstructures can be obtained by first making a polymer
micromould then metal plating and finally removing the polymer as shown in the figure. So if
you look here it is somewhere similar to your LIGA process. You can see initially in this
structure by using the ultraviolet beam it is solidified. So initially whole thing was liquid. So
based on the later,so a layer by layer after irradiation the each layer is solidified here and here.
Now in this way if you can make the structure like that after cleaning means you developing
thingsthat cleaning means this part which is soft remain,this is hardened by irradiationthe
remaining portion you remove it by cleaning. So you will get this structure. Then for the next
step you make the metal plating. So metal plating if you make so just like of electro plating
techniqueyou make the metal place.

So after that you remove this hardened polymer. So then what you will be getting, so after
removing the polymer you will get the metal structure like this. So that but first you are making
the mould in the polymer by this IH MSL process thenby metal plating you are getting the metal
structure. From the very beginning you cannot do with the metal layered. Because there the
metal layer cannot after irradiation it not be polymerized the whole structure, basically feature is
made the polymerization process. Now similarly here you can see the UV beam you can make
the structure like thisand after cleaning the whole thing can be removed from the bottom. So you
can have a bowl like this. So as you see here you can get various kinds of structure by using the
integrated the harden process.

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(Refer Slide Time: 48:59)

Now here what are the specifications of the IH process? 5 micron spot size of the UV system,
positional accuracy is achieved to 0.25 micron and 1 micron in the z direction. Minimum size of
the unit of harden polymer is 5 micron by 5 micron by 3 micron in xyz direction is the minimum
size is possible. Maximum size of fabrication structure is 10 millimeter by 10 millimeter by 10
millimeter. So that is the maximum size of the complete structure.

(Refer Slide Time: 49:35)

Now here are some of thepictures you can see herewhich may be formed using the IH process.
The IH is capable of making two true 3D and high aspect ratio microstructures. Works with
different materials is possible. Does not require mask plates is clear, now does not require mask

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plates and is thus a cost-effective process. Mask making process is highly expensive you know.
So if you can avoid that, so it is a cost effective process and this kind of the spinal rings and this
kind of things all are possible using the integrated harden process.

(Refer Slide Time: 50:17)

Positional accuracy is 0.25 micron and 1 micron in z direction. Medium range accuracy is 3 to 5
micron of the IH process. It permits desktop micro fabrication of parts. Fabrication speed is
slower than classical MSL. So you can see here one picture which is a just complete one
automobile,one the polymer car kind of shape, they have fabricated using this IH processand this
is one the blade of a motor. So blade or fan somewherelike that you can make using the polymer
or ceramic material.

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(Refer Slide Time: 51:02)

Now there are certain limitations of the IH process. What are those? IH process basically what
you are doing layer by layer fabrication. What are the limitations? The depth resolution is limited
by the thickness of the layer that is stacked up. Thickness of the layer, how much layer thickness
you can make itbe layer by layer you are making. Depending on the layer thickness some
limitation is there. Resolution, that means you see in earlier diagramwhere you because layer
thickness gives you the resolution when you make the bowl, how it is carbolyticsaydepends on
the resolution. How much thinyou can layer you can put on the surface. The second limitation is
viscosity of the UV curable monomer.

So polymer monomer will have,that has to be UV curable and this polymer will have certain
viscosity and that can deform and hence damage the solidified microstructure. During the whole
process, third limitation a significant surface tension of the liquid monomer decreases the
precision of the fabrication process. Because layer by layer when you are making, first layer to
second layer there is a surface tension. Second to third layer there is a surface tension. That may
deform the precision and that may deform the whole structure. So a precision of the
microstructures may high precision may not be achieved. So these are the limitation and these
limitations can work can beovercome by using super IH process.

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(Refer Slide Time: 52:39)

Super IH process solidifies the monomer at a specific point in 3D space by focusing a laser beam
into a liquid UV curable monomer. In super IH process is not layer by layer. The complete
monomer complete the polymer resists as kept in a container. Then focused beam is scanned and
focused beam the whole structure moves vertically also. But it will just reaction will take place at
a particular point where the beam is focused inside the liquid. So that means if the focused spot
of the optics either laser or UV is moved, is scanned inside the liquid at a different distance at
difference depth. So that is the basic difference between IH process and super IH process. Since
you are not using layer by layer, there is no question of surface tension, precision hampering, due
to the surface tension between layer to layer. So the 3D microstructure can now fabricated by
scanning the focused spot.

By scanning the focused spot in all three dimensions focused spot, earlier case is only in
twodimensions in a certain plane scanning. But here also all in three dimension you are
scanning.Inside the liquid, thus eliminating their need for support material or sacrificial layer.
Support material means if you make a layer by layer so you need a support material. On the
support material second layer, third third layer is made on the second layer; fourth layer is made
on the third layer. So you need a support layer, because you are making a layer. But in the super
IH process you do not need the support layer. Because the whole liquid is taken in a container.
The beam spot in a 3D movement you are just focusing inside the liquid and now you are
hardening the particular spotsand after that you are curing and you are getting the structure. But
obviously the complete technology is much more difficult and complicated.

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(Refer Slide Time: 54:52)

Now these are the some example solidification process you can see here. In this, this is a first one
is a conventional IH process and the second one is the super IH process. So in the first
conventional process one layer, the second layer, then third layer, then fourth layer. In this
waythis beam is fixed here. This is the focal plane of the beam, that is fixed it can scan only xy
movement not in z. Z Means this structure container is moving in z direction but in the super IH
process there are two.You can see here, that this is the beam goes deeper into {dil} (00:55:28)
into the polymer. So the beam moves only not only in the xy plane but it moves on the z plane,
also in this plane, also it moves. So that it harden like this. But here layer by layer you make then
you can harden it, but super IH is not that. Now here is one example to make movable gear and
shaft. So using the first method is a conventional image,so there you see some support layer is
there. In the second one is the supervise process the gear and shaft is made without any support
layer or sacrificial layer, just this beam spot is scanned vertically and laterallyand you can get
this kind of structure. This is the comparison between IH and super IH process.

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(Refer Slide Time: 56:18)

Now the ceramic MSL. Ceramic microstereo lithography, these are some ceramic structure you
can see at the corner of the figure. So ceramic materials have useful properties such as high
temperature or chemical resistance, high hardness, low thermal conductivity,ferroelectricity and
piezoelectricity. Because of those properties, ceramic materials are used in some MEMS devices.
3D ceramic microstructures are of special interest in applications such as micro engines and
microfluidics. These are the two application areas of ceramic microstructures. Unlike
conventional silicon micromachining, MSL can be used to build the complex ceramic 3D
microstructures in a rapid free form fashion without the need for high pressures and high
temperature. Here you to use the additive process because the ceramic material cannot beexposed
and polymer chain reaction will not be there is not polymer. So basically it is little bit different
and it needs at the end some curing process. The ceramic powders are mixed with polymeric
material and after that you have to have cured and during curing process the polymeric materials
will evaporateand the solid ceramic you will get.

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(Refer Slide Time: 57:41)

So the resin system for ceramicMSL is composed not only of the monomer and photoinitiators
that are used in polymer MSL but also of ceramic powder what I mentioned. Ceramic powders
monomers and photoinitiator. The photoinitiators are basically a reactive with the optic
systemdispersants and diluents are used to obtain a homogeneous ceramic suspension with a
relatively low viscosity. Upon UV polymerisation the ceramic particles are bounded together by
the polymer and the ceramic body is formed. This is the complete ceramic MSL process. So with
this let me stop here, I discussed the overall the stereo lithography system and micro stereo
lithography also and extension of this method in this ceramic MSL process to get ceramic
microstructures. Thank you.

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