3D glass fabrication utilizing electric field and heat treatment induced image mirroring

Abstract

Despite the numerous advantages of a glass, difficulty of the fabrication, especially 3D fabrication, is still an obstacle. Here, we show a novel method to fabricate Pyrex glass in a simple and precise way. Combining conventional MEMS processes and a heat and electric field treatment, the Pyrex glass etching is realized by aluminum substitution for boron. Maximum depth and etching rate are influenced by temperature, applied voltage and aluminum thickness. By applying a range of voltages to different spot patterns or varying the thickness of the aluminum pattern, we were able to control the depth on a single substrate. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.