Abstract: Based on the photolithography of the key technique of micro-electromechanical systems(MEMS)，the electrochemical etching is used in tribology design and making of the micropatterning on surface of the steel and the different methods of etching are studied. The variation rule of the etch depth of micron-graphics and the variation of the processing surface at different electro-chemical etching time and the graphics density are observed and the relationship among them is analyzed. The results indicate that the different area of steel surface micron-graphics and the different depth of micron-graphics etching can be attained by controlling the electro-chemical etching time and it has a regular variation. Compared with the traditional machining methods，the electro-chemical etching technique has a clear micron-graphics，a good surface quality, convenient control for graph and an advantage of mass production under the processing of the micron graphics on the metal surface. Furthermore，it can process the micron-graphics of different shape，size and depth on most high-strength metallic material surface.

Key words: Electrochemical etching, Micropattern, Photolithography, Tribological design