Two-dimensional simulations of ion concentration distribution in microstructural electroforming

A theoretical model is constructed to predict the metal ion concentration distribution during the electroforming of high-aspect-ratio microstructures. Two-dimensional numerical simulations are then performed using COMSOL Multiphysics TM software to investigate the effect of the processing conditions and the microstructure geometry on the electroforming results. The electroforming outcome is significantly dependent upon the current density and the microstructure aspect ratio, respectively. The simulation results for the electroforming of microstructural posts with an aspect ratio of 10:1 are found to be in good agreement with the analytical solutions.