Precision Electroforming

With electroplating, temicon creates a metal copy of a structured photoresist master.

This transfers sensitive nanostructures or microstructures from the photoresist to a stable metal tool or metal foil.

Transfer of sensitive nanostructures or microstructures from photoresist to a stable metal tool | Electroforming

Electroforming in the field of micro / nano

The electroforming process is used in the production of precision metal parts and microstructured metal foils. In addition, the electroforming bath at temicon is an important process step in the production of stencils and forming tools for nanoimprint lithography.

In order to create micro-hole structures in metal parts, the galvanic deposition is terminated during electroplating before it reaches the thickness of the photoresist. temicon manufactures microfilters, microsieves, nozzles or optical precision parts such as slit plates, perforated plates or encoder discs in this way.

LIGA process for producing nickel shims

For the replication of nano- and microstructures, durable, metallic molding tools are needed for the impression of the structures, the so-called shims. A shim can be used as an injection molding insert or replicated and welded into sleeves (seam width < 250 µm) to provide templates for the process of nanoimprinting.

The special physical and mechanical properties of nickel make this metal the material of choice for electro-deposition in the LIGA process.

The term 'LIGA' describes the manufacturing steps of lithography, electroplating and moulding.

To produce a nano- or microstructured nickel shim, the first step is to sputter a thin metallic layer onto the structured photoresist. A nickel layer is then electro-deposited onto the photoresist substrate. The typical thickness of the shim is in a range from 50 µm to several millimeters. After that, the shim is laser or wire cut precisely to the required dimensions.

up to

20"x 24"

substrate size
from

50µm

shim thickness
up to

3mm

shim thickness