Deep lithography with protons: a generic technology for the fabrication of refractive micro-optical modules

Abstract

We present the state-of-the-art of deep lithography with protons as a candidate technology dedicated to the fabrication of 21/2D and 3D micro-opto-mechanical systems. Its concept is very similar to that of LIGA, but uses ions rather than electromagnetic radiation to structure and shape PMMA plates. We adopted the concept, thoroughly upgraded its practical implementation, turned it into a high-quality day-to-day reproducible MOMS technology and are continuously improving its performance and extending its range of practical application.