Method for Electrochemically Fabricating Three-Dimensional Structures Including Pseudo-Rasterization of Data

Abstract

Some embodiments of the invention are directed to techniques for electrochemically fabricating multi-layer three-dimensional structures where selective patterning of at least one or more layers occurs via a mask which is formed using data representing cross-sections of the three-dimensional structure which has been modified to place it in a polygonal form which defines only regions of positive area. The regions of positive area are regions where structural material is to be located or regions where structural material is not to be located depending on whether the mask will be used, for example, in selectively depositing a structural material or a sacrificial material. The modified data may take the form of adjacent or slightly overlapped relative narrow rectangular structures where the width of the structures is related to a desired formation resolution. The spacing between centers of adjacent rectangles may be uniform or may be a variable. The data modification may also include the formation of duplicate copies of an original structure, scaled copies, mirrored copies, rotated copies, complementary copies, and the like.

1 . A process for forming a multilayer three-dimensional structure from at least one structural material and at least one sacrificial material, comprising:
 (a) providing a substrate;   (b) depositing a first material on the substrate, which is either a structural material or a sacrificial material;   (c) depositing a second material on the substrate to regions not occupied by the first material, wherein the second material is the other of the structural material or the sacrificial material;   (d) planarizing the first and second materials to define a surface of the first layer;   (e) repeating the operations of steps (b)-(d) a plurality of times to form a plurality of successive layers wherein each successive layer is formed on and adhered to a previously formed layer;   (f) after formation of the plurality of layers, removing the sacrificial material from the structural material on a plurality of layers such that the structure, comprising the structural material, is released from the sacrificial material;   wherein the process additionally comprises:   (g) providing cross-sectional data descriptive of a plurality of cross-sections of the three-dimensional structure;   (h) processing the cross-sectional data to derive modified cross-sectional data comprising polygons, where each individual polygon encloses only a positive area;   (i) using the modified cross-sectional data during formation of at least one of the layers of the three-dimensional structure.   
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the providing cross-sectional data comprises:
 (j) providing data descriptive of the three-dimensional structure; and   (b) processing the data to derive cross-sectional data descriptive of a plurality of cross-sections of the three-dimensional structure.   
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the using the modified cross-sectional data comprises using the modified cross-sectional data in a process for forming a patterned adhered mask that is used during the formation of at least one layer. 
   
   
       4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the depositing of the first material during the formation of a layer comprises selectively depositing the first material. 
   
   
       5 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the depositing of the first material during the formation of a layer comprises selective etching a void into the substrate or previously deposited material. 
   
   
       6 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the processing of the cross-sectional data comprises deriving a plurality of adjoining rectangular structures. 
   
   
       7 . The process of  claim 6  wherein the rectangular structures are laid out with their lengths extending along a series of parallel lines. 
   
   
       8 . The process of  claim 7  wherein the parallel lines are spaced from consecutive lines by a width and a width of the rectangles is equal to the width between the consecutive lines. 
   
   
       9 . The process of  claim 7  wherein the parallel lines are spaced from consecutive lines by a width and a width of the rectangles is greater than the width between the consecutive lines. 
   
   
       10 . The process of  claim 7  wherein the parallel lines are spaced from consecutive lines by a width and a width of the rectangles is less than the width between the consecutive lines. 
   
   
       11 . The process of  claim 7  wherein the parallel lines are spaced from consecutive lines by a width which is a variable. 
   
   
       12 . The process of  claim 11  wherein the variable width is automatically selected by a predefined algorithm which is at least in part based on an angle of contact between a boundary line and a line collinear with a length of the rectangle. 
   
   
       13 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the polygons define regions where material forming part of the structure is to be located. 
   
   
       14 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the polygons define regions where material forming part of the structure is not to be located. 
   
   
       15 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the polygons define regions which have been boundary compensated. 
   
   
       16 . The process of  claim 3  wherein the mask defines multiple copies of the structure to be formed. 
   
   
       17 . The process of  claim 14  wherein the processing of the cross-sectional data for at least one copy of a structure to be formed, comprises processing of link data and attribute data, wherein the link data provides access to a single copy of the data specific to an existing structure and where attribute data comprises one or more of (1) location data for placement of the copy, (2) offset data for placement of the copy, (3) rotational information for orienting the copy, (4) mirroring information for configuring the copy, and/or (5) scaling information for sizing the copy. 
   
   
       18 . The process of  claim 14  wherein a least one of the multiple copies is defined as a complementary pattern of at least one of (1) a cross-section of the structure to be formed, (2) a scaled version of a cross-section of the structure, (3) a mirrored version of a cross-section of the structure, or (4) a boundary compensated version of the structure. 
   
   
       19 . The process of  claim 3  wherein the using of the modified cross-sectional data comprises using the modified data to produce at least one photomask that is used in a process for forming a patterned adhered mask. 
   
   
       20 . The process of  claim 3  wherein the using of the modified cross-sectional data comprises using the modified data to control a relative motion of a scanning laser beam and a mask material to form a patterned adhered mask. 
   
   
       21 . A process for forming a selective pattern of deposited material, comprising:
 (a) providing cross-sectional data descriptive of a patterned deposit to be formed;   (b) processing the cross-sectional data to derive modified cross-sectional data comprising polygons, where each individual polygon encloses only a positive area;   (c) using the modified cross-sectional data during formation of the selective patterning of deposited material;   (d) providing a substrate; and   (e) depositing and patterning the material on the substrate.