3D printing technologies for advanced microelectronic and biomedical applications

Additive manufacturing (AM), widely known as 3D printing, represents a transformative approach for fabricating complex microelectronic and biomedical devices. Its flexibility, precision, and material versatility make it a key technology for developing next-generation miniaturized systems. This thesis provides an in-depth study of AM processes and materials, emphasizing their application to microscale devices such as microneedles and microinductors. The research reviews main additive manufacturing principles—including material extrusion, vat polymerization, powder bed fusion, and electrochemical deposition—and compares their performance in terms of resolution, material compatibility, and suitability for microelectronic and biomedical applications. In this doctoral work, several AM-based devices are designed and demonstrated. The first contribution focuses on the fabrication of 3D-printed microneedles for transdermal biosensing. Using high-resolution printing and biocompatible materials, microneedle arrays were developed to enable minimally invasive sampling and real-time monitoring of biomarkers from interstitial fluid. The resulting structures exhibit excellent mechanical robustness, reproducibility, and precise penetration control, confirming their potential for wearable healthcare applications. The second research direction presents the additive manufacturing of microinductors for high-frequency electronics. Electrochemical and laser-based deposition techniques were optimized to produce metallic 3D architectures with high conductivity and tunable magnetic properties. The fabricated microinductors demonstrate strong performance in the radio-frequency range, maintaining stability under operational stress and highlighting the value of AM in compact power electronics. Overall, this thesis establishes a framework for using additive manufacturing in advanced microdevice fabrication. Through process optimization, materials engineering, and device integration, the work shows how AM bridges the gap between microscale precision and large-scale manufacturability, expanding the frontiers of biomedical sensing and microelectronic innovation.