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<Noxz>
any known companies that will etch or pattern a MEMS/CMOS device? ie, I can etch it myself, but if I give a pattern, like back/white bitmap to some company, can they photoresist coat + expose for me?
<Noxz>
or maybe simply making the mask
<Noxz>
the chromium stuff/whatever is expensive though, from what I understand
<Noxz>
maybe that DLP method is worth looking into
<Noxz>
my initial plan was to do e-beam lithograp h y, but I am miles away from even looking at t hat
<john_cephalopoda>
There is a company that can make masks
<Noxz>
is it $$$$$ ?
<Noxz>
the initial issue is actually: will the mask work
<Noxz>
or rather, will the device work
<Noxz>
I also have some piezo stages.. I wonder how difficult it would be to accurately beam an exposure to the pattern I want
<Noxz>
so, for reference, I am (now) a watchmaking student, and I am very interested in distributed compliant mechanisms - which is essentially what MEMS is in the end
<john_cephalopoda>
Hmm, I am looking for the site right now
<Noxz>
having a mask made would be more for a production run
<Noxz>
not a hobbyist
<Noxz>
so, maybe I asked about it wrong
<john_cephalopoda>
I think it was called "Laserlabs"
<Noxz>
more of: what is the easiest(/cheapest??) way to expose
<Noxz>
and, like I said, I have piezo stages.. the issue is the accuracy of the movement
<Noxz>
so, something like a DRO or similar
<Noxz>
I know there are laser based DRO stuff.. I should look into them
<Noxz>
btw, the movement is like 25mm
<Noxz>
most DROs are for big lathes or mills like bridgeports
<john_cephalopoda>
Several methods to get a pattern onto photoresist have been tried out by amateurs. All of the ones I have heard about use a microscope.
<john_cephalopoda>
Basically you shine a light through a maks. The light pattern then goes "backwards" through a microscope onto the photoresist.
<Noxz>
robot fighting thing going on today, I may head out soon and come back at noon to walk the dog, then head out again
<Noxz>
hrm, I think I read that method
<Noxz>
hrm, DRO made from digital calipers.. that's one way
<john_cephalopoda>
First option: You can aim a laser through the microscope and draw lines and patterns directly (direct-write lithography)
<john_cephalopoda>
Second option: You can let some company manufacture a small pattern and shine a light through it.
<Noxz>
direct-write was my main goal initially
<Noxz>
that way you skip the whole pattern making step
<Noxz>
that high school kid used some DLP projector method, I wasnt familiar with it at first
<john_cephalopoda>
Third option: You use a projector to project an image through the microscope.
<john_cephalopoda>
I haven't got any experience with any of those methods, I'm pretty new to all of that, too.
<Noxz>
my non-amateur method I was chasing was e-beam from a SEM
<john_cephalopoda>
The microscope positioning can be controlled pretty well with the knobs. I wonder if driving those mechanically would allow for reliable direct-write lithography.
<Noxz>
depends how good you are at etch-a-sketch :P
<Noxz>
I have a stepper controller, so I can rig it up to do all that for me
<Noxz>
but yeah, microscope is certainly a method
<john_cephalopoda>
It shouldn't be too hard to get access to a microscope.
<john_cephalopoda>
I am studying computer science. I squint at a screen 16 hours a day ;)
<john_cephalopoda>
Oh, nice battle robots. I used to hang out in a channel with some guy from Finland who participated in robot battles from time to time.
<Noxz>
I'm looking into DRO possibilities for the piezo stages I have
<Noxz>
since they are a compliant mechanism, they sometimes miss a step
<Noxz>
looking into inductive sensing for a moment
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