Patent ID: 6849170

Claim:
A process for making a microdevice ( 1 ), comprising the steps of: a) providing a base member; b) selectively electroforming at least one support member ( 4 ) for supporting a microplatform ( 2 ) with respect to the base member; c) selectively electroforming the microplatform ( 2 ); and d) forming at least one flexible hinge member ( 3 ) for hingedly connecting the microplatform ( 2 ) to said at least one support member ( 4 ) and allowing relative movement of the microplatform ( 2 ) with respect to said at least one support member ( 4 ); wherein: step b) comprises the step of mountably connecting said at least one support member ( 4 ) to the base member; step d) is performed after step b) and before step c) and comprises the step of mountably connecting said at least one hinge member ( 3 ) to said at least one support member ( 4 ); step c) comprises the step of mountably connecting the microplatform ( 2 ) to said at least one hinge member ( 3 ); step d) comprises the step of selectively electroforming said at least one binge member on said at least one support member ( 4 ); step a) comprises the steps of: i) providing a substrate ( 5 ); ii) connecting at least one electrode ( 6 ) and at least one contact pad ( 8 ) onto a side of the substrate ( 5 ); iii) covering said side with a protective layer ( 9 ); and iv) providing at least one opening ( 10 ) in the protective layer ( 9 ) for accessing said at least one contact pad ( 8 ), thereby providing the base member; step b) comprises the steps of: v) covering, after step iv), said side with a first seed layer ( 11 ); vi) covering, after step v), said side with a first photoresist layer ( 12 ); and vii) photolithographically patterning the first photoresist layer ( 12 ) to produce at least one opening ( 13 ) on the first photoresist layer ( 12 ) that is aligned with said at least one opening ( 10 ) for accessing said at least one contact pad ( 8 ), said at least one support member ( 4 ) being selectively electroformed in said at least one opening ( 13 ) of the first photoresist layer ( 12 ); and step d) comprises the steps of: viii) covering, after step vii), said side with a second seed layer ( 14 ); ix) covering the second seed layer ( 14 ) with a second photoresist layer ( 15 ); and x) photolithographically patterning the second photoresist layer ( 15 ) to produce at least one opening ( 16 ) on the second photoresist layer ( 15 ) that is aligned with said at least one support member ( 4 ), said at least one hinge member ( 3 ) being selectively electroformed in said at least one opening ( 16 ) of the second photoresist layer ( 15 ).