Integration of UV-LIGA Process with Slip Casting for Fabricating Polycarbosilane-Derived Silicon Carbide MEMS

In this paper, a new technique for fabricating silicon carbide (Si-C) microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) is described. Slip casting to UV-thick photoresist (SU8) micro mold was carried out for the fabrication of three-dimensional Si-C MEMS parts. Ultrahigh molecular weight polycarbosilane (PCS) was used as the precursor. Si-C nano powder was firstly mixed with a PCS solution, and then the slips were cast into SU8 micro mold fabricated on porous tungsten carbide (WC) plate. Firing at 1273 K was conducted for SU8 evaporation and PCS pyrolysis simultaneously. We have succeeded in producing Si-C ceramics micro gears using the "mu slip casting" technique.