Self-positioning of polymer membranes driven by thermomechanically induced plastic deformation

Stress in polymeric resins is tailored by a thermomechanical process. It allows for controlled self-positioning of membranes in microdevices (see Figure). The process makes specific use of plastic deformation that results from the low viscosity of the polymer. This demonstrates that polymers offer new approaches to microfabrication that cannot be realized for common semiconductor materials without severe difficulties.