Precision excimer laser lithography for cylindrical substrates with thick photoresists

This work presents development and establishment of excimer laser ablation microlithography for processing difficult cylindrical substrates. Preliminary excimer laser ablation microlithography work was performed on glass planar substrates with thick photoresist over a thin metal layer. Laser system parameters were investigated and optimized for patterning thick photoresist without damaging the underlying thin metal layer. Metallic microstructures were realized by electroplating through the laser ablation patterned thick photoresist mold and onto the thin seed metal layer.; Cylindrical substrate processing capability was accomplished by adding and optimizing the following equipment: dip coating module, horizontal axis rotation unit for electron-beam evaporation metallization, high precision lathe, and modified electroplating system. Electroplated metallic microstructures were successfully realized onto cylindrical substrates after patterning thick photoresist with a precision lathe and by excimer laser ablation. The excimer laser ablation microlithography developed and established in this work will provide researchers with new capabilities to fabricate metallic microstructures for novel microdevices on cylindrical substrates.