Two-step MEMS microfabrication via 3D direct laser lithography

Abstract: Micro/nano electro-mechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) are constantly attracting an increasing attention for their relevant technological applications in fields ranging from biology, medicine, ecology, energy to industry. Most of the performances of micro-nanostructured devices rely on both the design and the intrinsic properties of the constituent materials that are processed at such dimensional scale. For this reason, spatial precision, resolution and reproducibility are crucial factors in the micro-fabrication procedure. 3D direct laser lithography (DLL), based on multiphoton absorption, allows to realize outstanding three-dimensional structures with nanoscale features. This technique has recently emerged as a powerful tool for fabricating 3D micro-patterned surfaces for optics, photonics, as well as for bioinspired cell culture scaffold. We propose a method for a two-step fabrication of micro/nanostructured multicomponent systems to be employed as transductors, by means of the integration of 3D DLL and shadowing effects in metal deposition. A z-axis accelerometer is the proof-of-concept for the validation of the proposed transductor. The former is composed of a cantilever patterned with conductive paths which act as a strain gauge. Mechanical stimulation deforms the cantilever and, accordingly, varies its conductive properties. The fabrication of the conductive components is performed using the vacuum evaporation of gold, a traditional microfabrication technique, and exploiting the shadowing effect due to peculiar microstructures on the cantilever.