Fabrication of freestanding metallic microcomponents via microelectroforming using a composite photopolymer/Ag@Cu conductive mold

Abstract The integration of photolithography with microelectroforming has been persistently limited by inadequate adhesion between photopolymer masks and metal substrates, often resulting in mask detachment and restricted fabrication resolution. To overcome this challenge, we develop a conductive photopolymer composite incorporating Ag@Cu particles, which serves simultaneously as both cathode and mold for electroforming. This integrated approach fundamentally improves interfacial adhesion through enhanced chemical compatibility between the mask and substrate. Using electroformed Cu as a model system, we demonstrate the fabrication of micro-pattern arrays with minimum feature sizes of 50 μ m and an average dimensional error of only 0.69%. Microstructural analysis reveals that Cu deposited on the conductive substrate exhibits refined grain size (31.5 nm) and distinct crystallographic orientation compared to conventional Cu substrates. The method’s capability for complex geometries is further validated through successful fabrication of a double-layer microgear with maintained structural integrity. This work establishes a robust, scalable, and cost-effective strategy for manufacturing high-precision metallic microcomponents, showing significant potential for applications in MEMS, functional surfaces, and microsystem integration.