Introduction

Precision photo-etched products are usually manufactured by utilizing an electron beam with a controlled energy to create a photo resist and etch into the device. The etching is what causes the cross-hatching or dents caused by an electron beam, which gives it its precision.

Materials Used In Photo-etching

The materials used to make this product are copper and nickel, which is utilized in multiple industries such as welding, oil and gas exploration, and many more. As for their appearance on the finished product, they have metallic bright colors after being made by using a photo resist that can be applied to any type of material through application methods such as hot-waxing or dipping in acid baths.

Manufacturing Process For Photo-etching

This manufacturing process is done by placing the copper and nickel material in an acid bath and then, applying electricity to create an electric current to give it its desired shapes. Pre-processing involves tinting the materials to a specific color that is desired. The tinting method can be achieved through photochemical reaction of chromium chloride with sodium hydroxide, which allows for a depth of etching that varies from about 1 to about 14 microns.

The photo-etching process contains seven different steps, which are:

1. Metal Sputtering:

This is done by placing the photo resist on top of the material to be etched. A photo-resist is a film, which can be applied to any type of metal that will be etching through a long life and high vapor permeability process. This step changes the chemical property of the material, which affects its etching properties.

2. Photo-etching:

This step involves applying a controlled energy beam, or electron beam, to a faceplate that is made from resin coated with an acrylic copolymer or polyester such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This beam allows for the creation of a photo resist. The photo-etching process is relied on etching into the device through oxidation, which is created by virtue of an electric current flowing through the device.

3. Post-treatment:

Usually done immediately after etching, this step involves maintaining and perfecting the surface quality of a photo-etched surface through chemical or mechanical processes that include buffing, polishing, and coating, among others. The methods used are dependent on the result desired by the manufacturer to stay consistent with their design standards and create the best possible finished product.

4. Exposing:

This step involves positioning the photo-resist, by using an appropriate mask, in a way so that only the portions of the photo-resist exposed to light will be etched. This is commonly done by passing UV light through a mask to allow for selective etching of specific areas.

5. Etch Depth:

Depth control is achieved through the adjustment of power level and exposure time or by adjusting the beam focus. Adjusting these parameters can influence both etch depth and line widths which allows for consistent line dimensions and flatness on both sides of the etched lines. The depth can be controlled from 0.1 um to 1 mm in increments of 0.1um (thousandths of a millimeter). With this method, the effects of thermal expansion and contraction can be minimized to help prevent cracks due to temperature changes.

6. Polishing:

This step involves using both mechanical and chemical methods. Mechanical methods that are used include buffing, lapping, and grinding that is done with special abrasive wheels and solidified acids or alkalis. The chemical methods are done through the use of acids and alkalis, which vary in acidity levels depending on their applications. The use of acid polishes allows for removal of material by dissolving it into solution through the creation of hydroxyls. With the use of alkali polishes, the alkali creates oxides or hydroxides of various metals.

7. Image Clarity:

This step includes finding the highest resolution image to be etched while creating a contrast that is dependent on both the material used and etching process used. This step involves developing a contrast by etching two patterns in different areas within the same mask so that there is a contrast between them for a more detailed image. This is done with double patterning and also involves double exposure, which produces less distortion to the final product because there is no change in the brightness between one side of an imaged area and another side.

Conclusion

This technology has many benefits, and one of the most interesting is that it allows for the manufacturing of complicated items that would be difficult to create with other photo-etching methods. They also have more control when it comes to etching intricate details into their items as well as curved lines. The ability to control the etching process allows for smooth surfaces on their finished products, but they can also be textured if a desired effect is requested by customers. Their high tolerance when it comes to variations in temperature and stress makes them useful in high heat environments and in machines with rapid movements.