Fabrication of Plastic Micro Tip Array using Laser Micromachining of Nanoparticles Dispersed Polymer and Micromolding

An injection molded plastic micro tip array was fabricated. First, an inversed conical hole with a sharp tip and a high aspect ratio was fabricated by irradiating a low power output Nd:YVO4-SHG laser beam for several milliseconds on Au nanoparticles dispersed ethylcellulose. Then, an epoxy micro tip array was fabricated by the cast method using the inversed conical hole as a mother structure. This was followed by nickel electroforming to make a nickel-mold mother. Finally, plastic injection compression molding was carried out to form the final plastic micro tip array. By optimizing several processing parameters, a polyethylene micro tip array with a height of about 100 μm and a diameter of about 50 μm was successfully realized.