Team:Yale/Our Project/Applications

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Applications: Micro - Circuits, Structures, and Robots!

We have identified two areas where our deposition method can make progress:
1. Fabrication of Micro Integrated Circuits
2. Fabrication of Micro Mechanical Structures

The robotics case study shows how coverage of both of these areas can lead to assembly of micro-sized robots.

Fabrication of Integrated Circuits (under construction!)

Nano/Micro scale circuits have been instrumental development of new concepts and technologies like the lab-in-a-chip. The wire deposition technique invented by the Yale team can be used to fabricate such circuits by depositing copper wire a substrate in a controlled fashion (Fig 1) [[Image:Example.jpg]]

Substrate Preparation
This entails creating a mould on a silicon/silicon dioxide substrate using conventional techniques like photolithography or etching.

Deposition
The mould will be inundated with copper sulphate solution containing the engineered bacteria. The liquid will be withdrawn/pushed out of the channels as the copper is deposited.

Integrated Circuit
The final product is a copper wire etched on a a substrate that can be processed further to work as a circuit. The case study illustrate how such wires can used to make a micro-sized thermocouple temperature sensor.

Fabrication of Micro Mechanical Structures

A similar approach can be used to make micro metallic structures. Complex moulds can be made using conventional manipulation techniques and deposited with metal. This approach allows for some degree of mass production as the same mould can be used to multiple parts unlike other common methods. For instance, the Atomic Force Microscopy probe used to pull, push, and indent surfaces to assemble nano/micro structures, not allow to visualize the object and manipulate it at the same time and requires a series of ‘look and move’ operations that make manipulation cumbersome. A mould based system can simplify/eliminate the need for such manipulation by constraining deposition to the space inundated by the growth solution. This approach also allows for formation of complex geometries. However, this strategy requires efficient mould-part separation techniques (expand).
Applications Case Study: Microbots