Controlled removal of ceramic surfaces with combination of ions implantation and ultrasonic energy
US5437729A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 8, 1993 |
| Grant date | Aug 1, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 8, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC23C14/48
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A method for tailoring or patterning the surface of ceramic articles is provided by implanting ions to predetermined depth into the ceramic material at a selected surface location with the ions being implanted at a fluence and energy adequate to damage the lattice structure of the ceramic material for bi-axially straining near-surface regions of the ceramic material to the predetermined depth. The resulting metastable near-surface regions of the ceramic material are then contacted with energy pulses from collapsing, ultrasonically-generated cavitation bubbles in a liquid medium for removing to a selected depth the ion-damaged near-surface regions containing the bi-axially strained lattice structure from the ceramic body. Additional patterning of the selected surface location on the ceramic body is provided by implanting a high fluence of high-energy, relatively-light ions at selected surface sites for relaxing the bi-axial strain in the near-surface regions defined by these sites and thereby preventing the removal of such ion-implanted sites by the energy pulses from the collapsing ultrasonic cavitation bubbles.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.