Fabrication of High Performance Ceramic Microstructures from a Polymeric Precursor Using Soft Lithography

Ceramic components for microelectromechanical (MEMS) systems, for example the micrometer-sized gear made from SiBNC shown in the Figure, offer the opportunity to extend MEMS technology towards high-temperature and oxidizing-environment applications, such as microturbines and high-temperature sensors and actuators. Preceramic polymers are used in conjunction with soft lithography and subsequent pyrolysis to produce the high aspect ratio structures.