Abstract
This paper describes three-dimensional microstructures fabricated using a simple self-assembly process involving the thermal shrinkage of polyimide. The proposed method enables hinged structures to be automatically rotated out of the wafer plane and to remain bent without the need to use any interlocking mechanisms. The hinged structures were fabricated using surface micromachining techniques involving heating in a furnace. An increase in the bending angle due to the shrinkage of polyimide was observed with increasing heating temperature, heating time, and length of the polyimide hinge. Of these three parameters, the heating time was found to be the most suitable for precise control of the bending angle. Furthermore, microcubes were fabricated by this method and the self-assembly process was successfully visualized using a CCD camera.
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Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the Smart Machine and Micro-Bio Systems Research Center (SMBC) at Kogakuin University, which is one of the “High-Tech Research Center” projects for private universities, matching funding received from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, 2003–2007.
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Suzuki, K., Yamada, H., Miura, H. et al. Self-assembly of three dimensional micro mechanisms using thermal shrinkage of polyimide. Microsyst Technol 13, 1047–1053 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-006-0303-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-006-0303-z