Laser direct writing of nanocompounds
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Laser direct writing of nanocompounds Andreas Ostendorf 1, M’Barek Chakif 1, Qingchuan Guo 1 1
Ruhr-University Bochum, Laser Applications Technology, Universitaetsstr. 150, D-44801 Bochum, Germany
ABSTRACT Laser direct polymerization has been proven as a powerful tool to generate microstructures. Often photosensitive polymer materials are used because they can be tuned by photoactive molecules to be susceptible to a specific wavelength of light to initiate the polymerization process. One of the main drawbacks of this technique is the lack of functional polymers, e.g. conductive, magnetic, mechanical, optical or bioactive materials. Nanocomposites (nanocompounds), i.e. polymers with inorganic nanomaterials incorporated in the matrix offer a huge variety of new functionalities. A new approach will be presented how functional nanocomposite polymers can be generated and used for laser direct writing techniques. This can open the door for completely new MEMS and MOEMS devices comprising active and passive subcomponents. INTRODUCTION A nanocomposite is defined as a material of more than one solid phase, where at least one dimension falls into the nanometer scale [1]. The fabrication of nanocomposites opens up an attractive route to obtain novel, optimized, and miniaturized compounds that can meet a broad range of applications. Nowadays polymers play a very important role in numerous fields of everyday life due to their advantages over conventional materials (e.g. wood, clay, metals) such as lightness, resistance to corrosion, and low cost production. Besides, photosensitive polymers provide good processability that can be cured at a specific light wavelength. Another advantage is that polymers are easy to handle and have many degrees of freedom for controlling their properties. Further improvement of their performance, including composite fabrication, still remains under intensive investigation. The altering and enhancement of the polymer’s properties can be achieved by doping with various nanoparticles such as metals, semiconductors, magnetic, organic and inorganic particles and fibres, as well as carbon structures and ceramics [2-6]. Such additives are used in polymers for a variety of purposes, for example: improved processing, density control, optical effects, thermal conductivity, control of the thermal expansion, electrical properties, magnetic properties, flame resistance, and improved mechanical properties, such as hardness, elasticity, and tear resistance [7-10]. Polymers with various functional properties can be synthesized using additives. Laser direct polymerization [11, 12] (e.g. single-, two-photon
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polymerization) has been provven as a powerful technique for the fabrication of micro- and nanostructures. The functional polymers will be used to write structures byy laser direct polymerization. This technoloogy opens new prospects for the realization off novel MOEMS with increased functionality, integrration, and high level of miniaturization. We present our investigaations into the fabrication of funct
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