Machining process for microfluidic and micromechanical devices
AssigneeFemtoprint SA
InventorsCharles Baur, Yves Bellouard, Daniele Braga, Thomas Fussinger, David Lambelet, Andrea Lovera, Sacha Pollonghini, Arno Rogg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for micro-fabricating a device on a substrate (20), comprising the steps of providing a cavity (31) having a temporary aperture (35) communicating with the outside; providing a sealing structure (45) adjacent to a perimeter of the temporary aperture (35); applying heat to the sealing structure (45), whereby the sealing structure melts and seals the temporary aperture (35).
Claims20
A method for micro-fabricating a device out of a substrate, comprising the steps of:
- providing a cavity having a temporary aperture communicating with the outside;
- applying heat to a perimeter of the temporary aperture until melting of the substrate and wherein the melted substrate closes the temporary aperture, wherein the application of heat includes directing a beam of radiation or high-velocity particles, for example an infrared beam from a CO2 laser, on the sealing structure, the radiation beam having a transverse width that is smaller than the device and of the cavity and larger than a transverse dimension of the sealing structure or of the temporary aperture.
A method for micro-fabricating a device out of a substrate, comprising the steps of:
- providing a cavity having a temporary aperture communicating with the outside, wherein the temporary aperture is an elongated slit;
- applying heat to a perimeter of the temporary aperture until melting of the substrate and wherein the melted substrate closes the temporary aperture;
- wherein the application of heat to the sealing structure begins at one extremity of the slit, and proceeds along the slit, such that the sealing structure melts progressively starting from the extremity.
A method of micro-fabricating a device out of a substrate, comprising the steps of:
- providing a cavity having a temporary aperture communicating with the outside;
- applying heat to a perimeter of the temporary aperture until melting of the substrate and wherein the melted substrate closes the temporary aperture,
- wherein the temporary aperture is narrower than the cavity.
A method for micro-fabricating a device out of a substrate, comprising the steps of:
- providing a cavity having a temporary aperture communicating with the outside;
- applying heat to a perimeter of the temporary aperture until melting of the substrate and wherein the melted substrate closes the temporary aperture;
- and
- selectively sealing the sealing structure to tune a mechanical property to a determined value, the mechanical property including a frequency of vibration, inertia moment, flexibility, or stiffness.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.