Concept of a MEMS process software specially dedicated to the deep X-ray lithography process

Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) incorporate miniature electromechanical components fabricated with processing techniques and equipment originally developed for the semiconductor industry. Due to many processes employed for MEMS manufacturing originating in the semiconductor industry, silicon is typically utilized as a MEMS substrate; CAD tools for MEMS dedicated to bulk micromachining and semiconductor industry are commercially available (for example MEMS Pro from MEMSCAP). However, non silicon materials such as plastic and metal substrates are also emerging in microfabrication. The deep x-ray LIGA process, which combines X-ray lithography with electroplating and molding, is a technique used worldwide for the fabrication of high aspect ratio microstructures. Understanding device fabrication is essential in determining if an optimized device can be produced in a cost-effective manner using deep x-ray lithography process. Design and fabrication software tools are inadequate and unavailable. The concept of a general MEMS process physics simulation capability that addresses key process in the x-ray LIGA process is proposed here.