Micro hot embossing of micro-array channels in ultrafine-grained pure aluminum using a silicon die

Abstract

An ultrafine-grained (UFG) Al with an average grain size of 1.0μm was produced by equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) at room temperature. Micro hot embossing was performed on an UFG pure aluminum plate using a silicon die at a temperature of 523K and under a force of 4kN. Micro-array channels were embossed with feather widths in the range from 5μm to 100μm. The behavior of UFG pure aluminum during micro hot embossing was analyzed, and the results indicate that the channel dimension compared to the grain size is the main factor influencing the filling quality of micro-embossing. Micro hot embossing of UFG pure aluminum is characterized by the channel sidewall, surface quality, and fully transferred patterns, which shows potential for use in the fabrication of micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) components in mass production.