• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.1805-1810
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• 2010

We present a simple, cost-effective, and fast fabrication process for three-dimensional (3D) microstructures; this process is based on multi-step electrochemical etching of metal foils which facilitates the mass production of 3D microstructures. Compared to electroplating, this process maintains uniform and well-controlled material properties of the microstructure. In the experimental study, we perform single-step electrochemical etching of aluminum foils for the fabrication of 2D cantilever arrays. In the single-step etching, the depth etch rate and bias etch rate are measured as $1.50{\pm}0.10 {\mu}m/min$ and $0.77{\pm}0.03 {\mu}m/min$, respectively. Using the results of single-step etching, we perform two-step electrochemical etching for 3D microstructures with probe tips on cantilevers. The errors in height and lateral fabrication in the case of the fabricated structures are $15.5{\pm}5.8% $ and $3.3{\pm}0.9%$, respectively; the surface roughness is $37.4{\pm}9.6nm$.