Additive Manufacturing of MicrosystEms (AMME)

Background
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative approaches to demonstrate an additive manufacturing (AM) technology with new materials that enables fabrication of complex microsystem geometries. The principal objective of the AMME program is to invent radically new approaches to additively manufacture 3D non-planar microsystems. The program will develop materials and a new additive manufacturing technology capable of simultaneously printing multiple materials at high-resolutions and very-high throughputs. The end goal of the program is to demonstrate a novel functional microsystem that uses the AMME technology to create the mechanical structure and interface between individual microsystem components.

The AMME program is inspired by new insights from selective material synthesis and volumetric additive manufacturing to develop new materials and AM technology that will enable a new class of microsystem manufacturing.

Work Details
The objective of the AMME program is to invent radically new approaches to additively manufacture 3D non-planar microsystems with a voxel resolution of 0.125 µm3 at throughputs of 1010 µm3/s (10 mm3/s). The program aims to surpass the boundaries of AM capabilities by addressing key challenges in material quality, resolution, and print throughput. The program will focus on quickly commercializing this technology to produce a manufacturing system that the DoD can quickly adopt to manufacture differentiated technology (i.e., DoD enhancements to commercial-off-the-shelf technology). The program will develop new materials and manufacturing technologies to address key technical challenges, including creating a high-quality multi-material precursor that permits simultaneous printing, simultaneous synthesis of high-quality conductor and insulator materials, demonstration of a functional microsystem, and providing a detailed commercialization strategy plan.