Fabrication of three-dimensional microstructures by electrochemically welding structures formed by microcontact printing on planar and curved substrates

This paper describes two convenient techniques for the fabrication of three-dimensional (3-D) structures with micron-sized features. The methods use microcontact printing (mu CP) to define patterns with feature sizes as small as 20 mu m both on planar substrates and on cylinders (diameter similar to 2 mm), Electrodeposition serves as a micron-scale tool for metal deposition and welding that transforms these patterned surfaces and cylinders into metallic complex 3-D microstructures (e.g., tetrahedra). Final tetrahedra (similar to 2-cm sides) have feature sizes as small as 50 mu m.