A novel method for the fabrication of high-aspect ratio C-MEMS structures

A novel fabrication process was developed to create high aspect ratio (> 10 : 1) carbon posts, all-carbon suspended bridges and wires, self-organized bunches of carbon posts, and carbon plates supported by carbon beams. The structures are all made from a two-step pyrolysis process with SU-8 photoresist as the starting material. In this paper we describe the fabrication of these various new C-MEMS structures and detail an important application of the high aspect ratio carbon posts arrays. The carbon post arrays can be reversible charged/discharged with Li ions, an application that may greatly impact the application of C-MEMS in three-dimensional microbatteries. Complex suspended C-MEMS structures, such as wires, plates, ribbons, and self-organized bunches of posts, were built. Methods to accurately and repeatedly fabricate all the above 3-D C-MEMS structures are given.