For the first time, researchers use the single-step laser method to create micro-precision silver, flexible silicon hybrid microstructures, according to the company's consulting report. This innovative laser processing technology will in the future allow the Wisdom Factory to mass-produce custom devices incorporating soft materials using a single production line, such as engineered tissue incorporating hard materials with glucose sensing capabilities.
The metal component in this metal-silicon hybrid microstructure makes it conductive while the flexible silicone resin makes the microstructure flexible. This unique combination of properties makes the structure mechanically sensitive and can be used to create new types of optoelectronic devices.
"These microstructures can be used to measure very small movements or changes such as slight movements in insects or subtle facial expressions produced by human facial muscles," said Mitsuhiro Terakawa, a research team leader at Keio University in Japan. Said, "This information helps computers simulate these subtle movements."
According to OSA's Optical Materials Express magazine, researchers have created a silicone-coated silver wire called polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) structure. Researchers use PDMS because of its flexibility and biocompatibility, which means it is safer for use in the body or in the body.
The researchers fabricated a microstructure of only 25 microns in width using a very short, pulsed laser pulse of a mixture of PDMS and silver ions. In a femtosecond time, light travels only 300 nanometers, only slightly larger than the smallest bacteria.
"We believe we are the first research team to use a femtosecond laser pulse to make hybrid materials containing PDMS; the flexibility of PDMS is very useful," said Terakawa. "This represents the use of a single, precision laser processing technology to create a rigid, And the research of biocompatible devices for soft materials has taken another step forward. "
Two-step laser technology into one
One-step manufacturing of the hybrid microstructures described above is accomplished in one step by a combination of photochemical reactions known as photopolymerization and photoreduction, both of which are induced using femtosecond laser pulses. Photopolymerization uses light to harden the polymer; photoreduction uses light to reduce metal ions to form microstructures and nanostructures.
The manufacturing technology was developed by Terakawa's research group (which is studying two-photon photoreduction using soft materials) and the German research group Hannover Laser Center (which has been pushing forward the single-photon photopolymerization of PDMS ) Jointly developed.
The researchers obtained a linear microstructure by irradiating a PDMS-silver mixture with a femtosecond laser at 522 nm. They also carefully selected silver ions that combine well with PDMS.
The researchers found that the line structure formed by only one laser scan shows the conductivity of the metal and the elasticity of the polymer, and additional laser scanning can produce a thicker and more uniform structure. They also demonstrated the response of linear microstructures to mechanical forces by applying airflow to the microstructures to create a pressure of 3 kPa.
The researchers said the method can be used to make tiny 3D metal-silicon structures in addition to the fabrication of wire structures. In the next step, they plan to study whether the wire structure made by the manufacturer maintains its structure and performance over time.
"Our work shows that one-step manufacturing processes that induce both photoreduction and photopolymerization are promising for fabrication of microstructures that combine both flexibility and electrical conductivity," said Terakawa. "It was to develop a smart factory for us that made many things in one production line. A long way to go is the long-term goal of compatible devices, whether the material is a soft or a hard material. "
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