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  • UV-LIGA Microfabrication Process for sub-Terahertz Waveguides Utilizing Multi-Layered of SU-8 Photoresist_CP

    Rights statement: This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication/published in Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The Version of Record is available online at doi:10.1088/0960-1317/26/9/095010

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UV-LIGA microfabrication process for sub-terahertz waveguides utilizing multiple layered SU-8 photoresist

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Published
Article number095010
<mark>Journal publication date</mark>8/07/2016
<mark>Journal</mark>Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering
Issue number9
Volume26
Number of pages8
Publication StatusPublished
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

A microfabrication process based on UV LIGA (German acronym of lithography, electroplating and molding) is proposed for the fabrication of relatively high aspect ratio sub-terahertz (100–1000 GHz) metal waveguides, to be used as a slow wave structure in sub-THz vacuum electron devices. The high accuracy and tight tolerances required to properly support frequencies in the sub-THz range can be only achieved by a stable process with full parameter control. The proposed process, based on SU-8 photoresist, has been developed to satisfy high planar surface requirements for metal sub-THz waveguides. It will be demonstrated that, for a given thickness, it is more effective to stack a number of layers of SU-8 with lower thickness rather than using a single thick layer obtained at lower spin rate. The multiple layer approach provides the planarity and the surface quality required for electroforming of ground planes or assembly surfaces and for assuring low ohmic losses of waveguides. A systematic procedure is provided to calculate soft and post-bake times to produce high homogeneity SU-8 multiple layer coating as a mold for very high quality metal waveguides. A double corrugated waveguide designed for 0.3 THz operating frequency, to be used in vacuum electronic devices, was fabricated as test structure.

The proposed process based on UV LIGA will enable low cost production of high accuracy sub-THz 3D waveguides. This is fundamental for producing a new generation of affordable sub-THz vacuum electron devices, to fill the technological gap that still prevents a wide diffusion of numerous applications based on THz radiation.

Bibliographic note

This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication/published in Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The Version of Record is available online at doi:10.1088/0960-1317/26/9/095010