An ultra-narrow precision slit with a width of less than ten micrometers is the key structure of some optical components, but the fabrication of these structures is still very difficult to accomplish. To fabricate these slits, this paper proposed a periodically reducing current over-growth electroforming process. In the periodically reducing current over-growth electroforming, the electric current applied to the electrodeposition process is periodically stepped down rather than being constant. Simulations and experimentation studies were carried out to verify the feasibility of the proposed process, and further optimization of process parameters was implemented experimentally to achieve the desired ultra-narrow precision slits. The current values were: I1=Iinitial, I2=0.75Iinitial at Qc=0.5Qt, I3=0.5Iinitial at Qc=0.75Qt,respectively. It was shown that, compared with conventional constant current over-growth electroforming, the proposed process can significantly improve the surface quality and geometrical accuracy of the fabricated slits and can markedly enhance the achievement of the formed ultra-narrow slits. With the proposed process, slits with a width of down to 5 ± 0.1 μm and a surface roughness of less than 62.8 nm can be easily achieved. This can improve the determination sensitivity and linear range of the calibration curves of spectral imagers and food and chemical analysis instruments. Periodically reducing current over-growth electroforming is effective and advantageous in fabricating ultra-narrow precision slits.
Keywords: over-growth electroforming; periodically reducing current; ultra-narrow precision slit structure.