• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
• /
• v.21 no.12
• /
• pp.13-20
• /
• 2004

Manufacturing process for the microfluidic device can include such sequential steps as master fabrication, electroforming, and injection molding. The laser ablation using masks has been applied to the fabrication of channels in microfluidic devices. In this study, manufacturing of polymer master and mold insert for micro injection molding was investigated. Ablation of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) by the excimer laser radiation could be used successfully to make three dimensional master fur nickel mold insert. The mechanism fur ablative decomposition of PET with KrF excimer laser $({\lambda}: 248 nm, pulse duration: 5 ns)$ was explained by photochemical process, while ablation mechanism of PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) is dominated by photothermal process, the .eaction between PC (polycarbonate) and KrF excimer laser beam generate too much su.face debris. Thus, PET was adopted in polymer master for nickel mold insert. Nickel electroforming using laser ablated PET master was preferable for replication method. Finally, it was shown that excimer laser ablation can substitute for X-ray lithography of LIGA process in microstructuring.

• Laser Solutions
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.35-41
• /
• 2003

In this study, manufacturing of polymer master and mold insert for micro injection molding was investigated. Ablation by excimer laser radiation could be used successfully to make 3-D microstructure of PET. The mechanism for ablative decomposition of PET with KrF excimer laser(λ: 248nm, pulse duration: 5ns) was explained by photochemical process. And this process showed PET to be adopted in polymer master for nickel mold insert. Nickel electroforming by using laser ablated PET master was preferable for replication method. Finally, it was shown that excimer laser ablation can substitute for X-ray lithography of LIGA process in microstructuring.

• Laser Solutions
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.19-28
• /
• 2003

The manufacturing process for the microfluidic device can include sequential steps such as master fabrication, electroforming, and injection molding. The laser ablation, using masks, has been applied to the fabrication of channels in microfluidic devices. In this research, an excimer laser was used to engrave microscopic channels on the surface of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), which shows a high absorption ratio for an excimer laser beam with a wavelength of 248 m. When 50-${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$-wide rectangular microscopic channels are ablated with a 500 ${\times}$ 500 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ square mask at a magnification ratio of 1/10, ditch-shaped defects were found in both corners. The measurement of laser beam intensity showed that a coherent image in the PET target caused such defects. Analysis based on the Fourier diffraction theory enabled the prediction of the coherent shape at the image surface as well as the diffraction beam shape between the mask and the image surface. It also showed that the diameter of the aperture had a dominant effect. The application of aperture with a diameter of less than 3 mm helped to eliminate such defects in the ablated rectangular microscopic channels on PET without such ditch-shaped defects.