Electrochemical micromachining using a solid electrochemical reaction at the metal/β″-Al2O3 microcontact

A simple solid state technique for electrochemical micromachining of metal substrates using a metal ion conductor (Na-β″-Al2O3) was proposed. The fundamental solid electrochemical cell consists of a (anode) metal substrate (M = Ag, Cu, Zn, and Pb)/pyramidal Na-β″-Al2O3/Ag (cathode) system, where the contact diameter between M/Na-β″-Al2O3 was extremely small, on the order of a few micrometer. Under an applied electric field, the metal substrate was electrochemically oxidized to metal ions (Mn+) at the M/Na-β″-Al2O3 microcontact. These Mn+ ions migrated into the Na-β″-Al2O3. As a result of continuous electrolysis, the metal substrate was locally consumed at the microcontact, and thus solid state electrochemical micromachining was accomplished. As expected, the machining size or depth depended on the electrolysis conditions (current, operating time) and the apex configuration of pyramidal Na-β″-Al2O3. Moreover, the scanning of the Na-β″-Al2O3 pyramid during electrolysis produced a fine patterned metal substrate. In the present paper, solid state electrochemical micromachining was performed for several metal substrates, and its advantages and disadvantages vis-a-vis the conventional electrochemical micromachining method are discussed in detail.