micromanufacturing

Micromanufacturing is the production of components and systems with features on the micrometer scale, typically beneath 1 millimeter. It combines precision engineering with microfabrication techniques to produce parts used in sensors, actuators, microfluidic devices, and optical components. The field covers both subtractive methods, such as micromachining and micro-assembly, and patterning-oriented processes derived from the semiconductor industry, including lithography, etching, and thin-film deposition.

Common processes include photolithography, electron-beam lithography, and nanoimprint lithography for pattern transfer; deposition methods such as chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, and atomic layer deposition; and etching techniques, including reactive ion etching and wet etching. Additive approaches, such as micro-scale 3D printing, are also used, alongside precision bonding and assembly steps to join micro-components. Materials favored in micromanufacturing include silicon, silicon wafers, glass, polymers, and metals like nickel and aluminum.

Applications span microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) such as pressure, accelerometer, and gyroscope devices; microfluidic platforms for medical diagnostics and lab-on-a-chip systems; micro-optical components; and miniature sensors embedded in consumer electronics, automotive systems, and industrial equipment. The field often relies on cleanroom environments and highly controlled metrology to achieve tight tolerances and repeatable yields.

Challenges include maintaining dimensional accuracy and alignment at small scales, ensuring repeatability and reliability, mitigating stiction and thermal effects, and managing contamination. High capital costs for equipment and infrastructure, complex process integration, and stringent inspection requirements limit scalability. Ongoing advances aim to improve process flexibility, throughput, and integration with macro-scale products.