Microprocessing at the fingertips

Microprocessing, or micromachining, is here approached in a broad rather than profound way. Following a short description of its origin in microelectronics is a classification of more recent advances into three-dimensional processing, anisotropy inducing techniques, stencil processing and conventional machining adapted to micromachining. For each process the major advantages and drawbacks are accounted for. Also, a representative result accompanies every presentation. In ail, more than 20 processes are dealt with: wet etching, dry etching, Lithographie-Galvanoformung-Abformung (LIGA), grey-tone lithography, spatial forming, stereolithography, laser chemical processing, local electrodeposition, two-photon-absorbed photopolymerization, focused ion beam (FIB), electrochemically and ion-induced anisotropy, nanoparticle lithography, fast atom beam (FAB), dicing, assembling, lathe machining, milling, die forging and electro-discharge machining (MEDM and WEDG).