Patent CH-704086-A2 (CH)
Title: Fabricating three-dimensional metal part e.g. cock using assembly of components obtained by photolithography and electroforming, comprises placing component in mold, and depositing photoresist layers on substrate through photomask
Inventor: GENOLET GREGOIRE
IPC: C25D1/16
Filed: 2010-11-11
Abstract: The method comprises preparing a first mold comprising a cavity, placing a first component in the first mold, depositing photoresist layers on a substrate (1) through a photomask and irradiating the photoresist layer applied to the substrate through the photomask by masking all or part of an insert (4) with the exception of a sidewall of the insert, depositing an insulating layer on the insert, and polymerizing the photoresist layer and eliminating the non-polymerized photoresist layer. The method comprises preparing a first mold comprising a cavity, placing a first component in the first mold, depositing photoresist layers on a substrate (1) through a photomask and irradiating the photoresist layer applied to the substrate through the photomask by masking all or part of an insert (4) with the exception of a sidewall of the insert, depositing an insulating layer on the insert, polymerizing the photoresist layer and eliminating the non-polymerized photoresist layer so as to leave a portion of the photoresist layer constituting a cavity by a second photoresist mold intended to form a second level of the component, depositing a metal layer (8) in the cavity of the second photoresist mold by electroforming so that a growth of the metal layer encloses all or part of the insert by creating an intimate bond between the metal layer and a flank of the insert, machining a second metal layer to a predetermined thickness by a mechanical process, removing the polymerized photoresist layer from the mold of second level and the substrate, and obtaining a metal part comprising two superimposed levels overlapped one in the other formed by the insert and the electroformed metal layer. The first component is insert that forms a first level of the component. The metal layer forms a second component. The step of preparing the first mold for the insert comprises etching a part of the substrate not masked by the photoresist layer, where the etched part of the substrate constitutes the cavity of the first mold. A depth of the first mold is greater than or less than or equal to a thickness of the insert. The insert is composed of a single level or superimposed levels. A contour form of the flank of the insert along which the intimate connection between the levels of the part takes place is configured to maximize a contact surface between the insert and the metal layer. The insert is made of a first metal and a conductive material, and the electroforming metal of the second metal layer is made of a second metal that is different from the first metal. A thickness of the second photoresist layer (2b) is greater than the thickness of the insert, where the second photoresist layer covers a part of the insert by forming an additional space superimposed on an area including the flank of the insert. An independent claim is included for a metal part.