Acoustic cleaving apparatus and methods of acoustic cleaving
AssigneeCrystal Sonic, Inc.
InventorsMariana Bertoni, Pablo Guimerá Coll, Arno Merkle, Jon Williams
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An acoustic cleaving system are described for initiating and controlling crack propagation. In an embodiment, the system includes an acoustic generator that includes a piezoelectric device; a high-voltage power supply; and an acoustic cleaving circuit. The acoustic cleaving circuit includes a push-pull circuit coupled to the piezoelectric device and coupled to the high-voltage power supply, and a capacitor bank that includes one or more capacitors coupled in parallel to the push-pull circuit. In one embodiment, the push-pull circuit is for receiving at least one input signal and for producing an amplified output signal to drive the piezoelectric device.
Claims12
An acoustic cleaving apparatus comprising:
- a crack initiator system to create an indentation on a workpiece;
- a base stress system to induce a base stress on the workpiece;
- an acoustic system to emit acoustic waves into the workpiece to maintain a controlled crack propagation through a material of the workpiece;
- and
- a substrate holder to support the workpiece;
- wherein the acoustic system includes:
- an acoustic generator that includes an array of piezoelectric devices;
- an electronic system that includes an acoustic cleaving circuit connected to the array of piezoelectric devices to apply acoustic energy at different locations across the workpiece and at different times;
- and
- an acoustic enclosure including an annular opening to receive the workpiece, wherein the acoustic enclosure is to affect acoustic waves emitted by the controlled crack propagation through absorption, transmission, scattering, or acoustic emission.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.