Electrochemical microstructuring with short voltage pulses.

The application of short (nanosecond) voltage pulses between a tool electrode and a work piece immersed in an electrolyte solution allows the three-dimensional machining of electrochemically active materials with submicrometer resolution. The method is based on the finite charging time constant of the double-layer capacitance, which varies approximately linearly with the local separation between the electrode surfaces. Hence, the polarization of the electrodes during short pulses and subsequent electrochemical reactions are confined to regions where the electrodes are in sufficiently close proximity. This Minireview describes the principles behind electrochemical micro-structuring with short voltage pulses, and its current achievements and limitations.