Where can I find the best photoresist for creating micro 3D structures?

[planety_vuki]

What is easiest-to-obtain photoresist on which a minimum-feature-size of 1um can be integrated ?

 

[berkeman]

What is easiest-to-obtain photoresist on which a minimum-feature-size of 1um can be integrated ?

What equipment do you have that you will use with this photoresist?

 

[planety_vuki]

What equipment do you have that you will use with this photoresist?

Well, first I want to practice on selective etching a copper printed board, using photoresist, UV lamp and mask, all of these s easy to find, only I don't know what photoresist to buy and where to buy. Then with time I want to use a lens to focus light to make things smaller but not very small so that clean room is not required.

I always wanted to be able to make microscopic structures myself. I saw the micro eiffel tower in the internet and that impressed me. I mean I'm not going to try to make integrated circuit, but simply metallic structures like eiffel tower or other tiny models.

 

[berkeman]

Well, first I want to practice on selective etching a copper printed board, using photoresist and UV lamp, all of these s easy to find, only I don't know what photoresist to buy and where to buy. Then with I want to use a lens to will focus masked light to make things smaller but not very small so that clean room is necessity.

I always wanted to be able to make microscopic structures myself. I saw the micro eiffel tower in the internet and that impressed me. I mean I'm not going to try to make integrated circuit, but simply metallic structures like eiffel tower or other tiny models.

Sounds like fun. Please do keep in mind that the leftover solution after etching is generally considered a hazardous material, and can't just be flushed down the drain or thrown away in the trash. You should check out your local hazardous material drop-off sites, to see how much of the contaminated solution you can dispose of each month without a special business permit.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't pursue this. I just want to be sure that you know that the metal-containing leftover solution after etching is not safe to introduce into the general environment. There are definitely ways for you to safely and responsibly dispose of it.

 

[berkeman]

BTW, for DIY projects like this, the Make Magazine website is a great resource:

http://blog.makezine.com/search/?q=etching+copper

 

[planety_vuki]

BTW, for DIY projects like this, the Make Magazine website is a great resource:

http://blog.makezine.com/search/?q=etching+copper

But non of those DIYs use a photoresist. They just somehow cover some part of copper and so only uncovered part etches away. I need a photoresist, positive or negative doesn't matter, important is easy to find.

 

[berkeman]

But non of those DIYs use a photoresist. They just somehow cover some part of copper and so only uncovered part etches away. I need a photoresist, positive or negative doesn't matter, important is easy to find.

At least some of the copper clad boards come with photoresist already on them. Here are some supplies from Jameco that were referred to in the MAKE article on PCB etching:

https://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/s...141x/4K&ddkey=https:StoreCatalogDrillDownView

Can you use such boards with the photoresist already on them? That will probably be a lot more uniform coating than you can apply yourself...

And I did a Google search from the Jameco website for photoresist, and got lots of useful hits:

https://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/s...01&freeText=photoresist&search_type=jamecoall

Does any of that help?

EDIT -- at that Jameco search page, type photoresist into the Item #1 Google Search option box...

 

[planety_vuki]

At least some of the copper clad boards come with photoresist already on them. Here are some supplies from Jameco that were referred to in the MAKE article on PCB etching:

https://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/s...141x/4K&ddkey=https:StoreCatalogDrillDownView

Can you use such boards with the photoresist already on them? That will probably be a lot more uniform coating than you can apply yourself...

And I did a Google search from the Jameco website for photoresist, and got lots of useful hits:

https://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/s...01&freeText=photoresist&search_type=jamecoall

Does any of that help?

EDIT -- at that Jameco search page, type photoresist into the Item #1 Google Search option box...

To make a micro 3D structure I will need to apply a layer of photoresist and shine masked light then apply another layer and repeat... Layer by layer s structure will be comleted. Then i will just dissolve unexposed part (or exposed part, depends on tone of photoresist) and reveal 3D structure. Then I'll observe my creation under microscope :D

The idea of buying ready photoresist applied copper clads is good idea but I don't know If i'll be able to strip the photoresists from them and use it.

 

[planety_vuki]

I have to start from something so I think I'll just buy a general purpose photoresist for now and see if it works ;-)

 

[berkeman]

To make a micro 3D structure I will need to apply a layer of photoresist and shine masked light then apply another layer and repeat... Layer by layer s structure will be comleted. Then i will just dissolve unexposed part (or exposed part, depends on tone of photoresist) and reveal 3D structure. Then I'll observe my creation under microscope :D

The idea of buying ready photoresist applied copper clads is good idea but I don't know If i'll be able to strip the photoresists from them and use it.

If you do the Google search I suggested, one of the sponsoring links that comes up is this one:

https://ikonicsimaging.com/wp/shop/photoresist-films/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=adwords&utm_campaign=photoresist

They have a customer service 800 number listed on that page. Maybe give them a call to see if they offer some liquid photoresist solution in addition to their photoresist films...