JPH06212409A - Micromachining method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To build three-dimensional fine structural parts which cannot be formed by the conventional surface micromachining method applying a semicon ductor processing technique by the simple process. CONSTITUTION:The processing part of a work is irradiated with an electron beam focused to this part by using the micromachining device constituted of a positioning table 4 to be mounted with the work 3, an electron beam generator 6 for irradiating the processing part of the work with the electron beam 5, a material supplying device 8 for supplying carbon particulates 7 (building material) toward the processing part of the work from the circumference, a vacuum container 1 housing these device and a vacuum evacuation device 2, by which amorphous deposits 9 are grown to a desired shape to the processing part of the work and the three-dimensional parts are built with the carbon particulates drawn from the circumference by electrofying as the material.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a micromachining method and apparatus applied to the processing of fine structures for micromachines, microactuators and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In addition to electrical discharge machining and laser machining as a manufacturing technique for microstructures (on the order of μm) such as minute micromachines and microactuators, polycrystalline silicon is used as a machining method to which semiconductor machining technology is applied. A surface micromachining method is known in which a desired mechanical component is manufactured through a process of repeating photolithography and etching treatment by combining it with a material such as phosphorus and silicon glass, which is easy to etch, as a separation layer material. Has been.

[0003]

By the way, the conventional surface micromachining method to which the above-mentioned semiconductor processing technique is applied can be applied only to a planar laminated structure because the main processing is an etching method. Therefore, it is not suitable for constructing a three-dimensional fine structure component. The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to construct a three-dimensional microstructured component by a simple process that cannot be achieved by the conventional surface micromachining method to which semiconductor processing technology is applied. To provide a micromachining method and device.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the micromachining method of the present invention irradiates an electron beam while focusing on a processed portion of a workpiece in a vacuum and attracts it from the surroundings by charging. Fine particles as building material,
It is assumed that a three-dimensional part is constructed by growing an amorphous deposit on the processed part of the work.

Further, in the above-mentioned micromachining method, it is preferable to employ fine carbon particles as a building material. On the other hand, the micromachining apparatus of the present invention used for carrying out the micromachining method is provided with a positioning table for mounting a work, an electron beam generator for irradiating an electron beam toward a work portion of the work, and a work portion for the work. And a vacuum container accommodating them, and a vacuuming device.

[0006]

In order to construct a desired three-dimensional fine structure by the above-mentioned method, a work piece to be processed (if necessary, a substrate (such as a silicon wafer) is applied by the surface micromachining method to which the same semiconductor processing technology as the conventional one is applied. ) On which the planar structural parts that will be the base of the micromechanism are processed and temporarily assembled) are mounted on the positioning table in the vacuum container to evacuate the inside of the container, and then focus on the processed part of the work. In addition, the electron beam emitted from the electron beam generator is irradiated, and carbon fine particles (graphite) are supplied from the outside in the vicinity of the processed portion. As a result, the processed part of the workpiece is locally charged by being irradiated with the electron beam, and the carbon fine particles attracted to this part by an electrostatic force from the surroundings are irradiated with the electron beam to form an amorphous deposit. (Amorphous carbon), the deposit grows with the passage of electron beam irradiation time,
Eventually, a desired three-dimensional structural component will be constructed.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a micromachining apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a vacuum container, 2 is a vacuuming device, and inside the vacuum container 1, a positioning table (for example, an XY table) 4 on which a work 3 is mounted,
An electron beam generator 6 for irradiating a processed portion with an electron beam 5 and carbon fine particles 7 as a construction material from the outside
A material supply device 8 for supplying (for example, graphite) is provided. The illustrated device is shown as a conceptual diagram, and the actual device is used by being incorporated in an electron microscope or the like.

In order to construct a protrusion as a mechanical component on the work 3 using such a micromachining device,
Positioning table 4 for workpieces 3 such as silicon wafers
In the state where the vacuum container 1 is placed on top of the workpiece and the inside of the vacuum container 1 is evacuated, the electron beam generator 6 irradiates the electron beam 5 by focusing on the machining point of the workpiece 3 and directs it to the vicinity of the machining point. The carbon fine particles 7 are supplied from the material supply device 8.

As a result, the processed portion (electron beam spot point) of the work 3 is locally charged, and the carbon fine particles 7 are attracted from the periphery to this portion, and the attracted carbon fine particles 7 are irradiated with the electron beam 7. In response to this, it is transformed into an amorphous deposit (amorphous carbon), and further grows into a protrusion-shaped deposit 9 as the electron beam irradiation time elapses.

Next, FIGS. 2 and 3 show examples of specific microstructures of a micromachine manufactured by the micromachining method of the present invention. First, FIG. 2 shows an electron beam deposition similar to that described in FIG. 1 for a rotary structure (see FIG. 2A) including a shaft 11 protruding from a substrate 10 and a rotary body 12 pivotally supported by the shaft 11. The object is formed on the peripheral surface of the shaft 11, and the flange-shaped deposits 13 and 14 (see FIG. (B)) for holding the rotating body 12 from both sides and holding it at a fixed position on the shaft are constructed. Here, first, the structure shown in FIG. 3A is manufactured by a conventional surface micromachining method mainly including etching. Next, this structure is placed on the positioning table 4 in the machining apparatus of FIG. 1, and the electron beam 5 is placed on the peripheral surface of the shaft end while rotating the substrate 10 about the shaft 11 as shown in FIG. Irradiate and deposit ring 1
3 is formed. Subsequently, after moving the rotating body 12 to the shaft end side, the peripheral surface of the shaft 11 is irradiated with an electron beam in the same manner as described above to construct the other deposit 14. This allows
A three-dimensional rotating structure in which the rotating body 12 holds the deposits 13 and 14 as supporting flanges in a fixed position on the shaft 11 is completed.

On the other hand, FIG. 3 shows an example of manufacturing a universal joint type link mechanism constituted by connecting two links 15 and 16 with chain rings as shown in FIG. First, links 15 and 16 with a chain ring as shown in FIG.
Are manufactured separately. Here, the chain wheel 15a of the link 15 is a closed annular body, while the chain wheel 16a of the link 16 is
Partially lacks on the circumference of the annular body (the lacking portion is indicated by P), and is temporarily assembled from this lacking portion P through the chain ring 15a of the link 15 in the state shown in the drawing. Next, the temporary assembly shown in (b) is placed on the positioning table 4 in the machining device shown in FIG. 1, and in this state, an electron beam is applied to the end face of the cutout P with respect to the chain ring 16a of the link 16 as shown in (c). 5 is irradiated to grow a deposit 17 that is built up on this portion along the absent portion. Then, finally, the lacking portion P is filled with the deposit 17 to construct an annular chain ring 16a which is continuous through the deposit 17 as shown in FIG.

[0012]

As described above, according to the micromachining method of the present invention, it is easy to construct a three-dimensional structure which could not be achieved by the conventional surface micromachining method mainly composed of etching. This can be realized by a process, and this will enable the expansion of micromachine manufacturing technology.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a micromachining device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a rotary structure manufactured by the micromachining method of the present invention, and (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views of the structure in different processing states.

FIG. 3 shows a universal joint type link mechanism manufactured by the micromachining method of the present invention, where (a) is a completed assembly drawing of the structure, and (b) and (c) are cross-sections of the structure in different processing states. Figure

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vacuum container 2 Vacuuming device 3 Work piece 4 Positioning table 5 Electron beam 6 Electron beam generator 7 Carbon fine particles (graphite) 8 Material supply device 9 Deposit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A micromachining method applied to the processing of a fine structure for a micromachine or the like, which is performed by irradiating an electron beam while focusing on a processed portion of a workpiece in a vacuum and attracting it from the surroundings by charging. A micromachining method characterized in that a three-dimensional component is constructed by growing an amorphous deposit on a processed part of a work using the obtained fine particles as a construction material. 2. The micromachining method according to claim 1, wherein the building material is carbon fine particles. 3. A positioning table on which a work is mounted, an electron beam generator for irradiating a work portion of the work with an electron beam, and a material supply means for supplying a construction material of fine particles from the periphery toward the work portion of the work. 2. A micromachining apparatus used for carrying out the micromachining method according to claim 1, comprising a vacuum container accommodating these, and a vacuuming apparatus.