Semiconductor crystal-structure-processed mechanical devices, and methods and systems for making
AssigneeSharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
InventorJohn W. Hartzell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Processing and systems to create, and resulting products related to, very small-dimension singular, or monolithically arrayed, semiconductor mechanical devices. Processing is laser performed on selected semiconductor material whose internal crystalline structure becomes appropriately changed to establish the desired mechanical properties for a created device.
Claims22
A method of forming, from a precursor, semiconductor material having selectively and controllably changeable crystalline-structure-related mechanical properties, a semiconductor mechanical device possessing (a) a predetermined configuration, and therein (b) a set of such mechanical properties, that are desired for the performance by the completed device of a pre-chosen mechanical task, said method comprising
- placing a precursor body of such semiconductor material in a processing zone,
- selecting a volumetric region in that body which is suitable (a) for the creation therefrom of the desired, predetermined device configuration, and (b) for the establishment therein of the desired set of crystalline-structure-related mechanical properties,
- within the processing zone, subjecting the selected region to a controlled changing of the crystalline structure therein, and thus of the related mechanical properties, and
- by that process, achieving, in the selected region, the desired set of mechanical properties.
A method of making a task-specific, semiconductor mechanical device at least partially out of a chosen semiconductor material whose local mechanical properties are closely linked to internal crystalline structure, said method comprising
- determining an appropriate spatial configuration for the device,
- on the basis of said determining, deciding upon the appropriate distribution in such configuration of local mechanical properties needed for the finished device to be capable of performing the intended specific task, and
- applying suitable crystalline-structure-modifying processing to a body of the chosen semiconductor material to achieve therein a processed region which possesses both the determined appropriate spatial configuration for the device, and a distributed, local crystalline-structure arrangement that produces the decided-upon, distributed, local mechanical properties.
A semiconductor mechanical device-building method comprising
- selecting a particular semiconductor mechanical device to build for the purpose of performing a particular task,
- in relation to said selecting, determining for the selected device a three dimensional-configuration, and an inner mechanical properties characteristic within that configuration, suited for the particular task,
- choosing a semiconductor material for the creation of the device, and
- selectively and controllably processing the internal crystalline structure within the chosen semiconductor material, and within a region in that material matching the determined device configuration, thus to achieve within that region the desired, determined, inner mechanical properties for the selected particular task.
A semiconductor mechanical device for use in and with respect to a pre-chosen mechanical task comprising
- a body of semiconductor material having a three-dimensional, volumetric configuration suited for the pre-chosen task, and
- within that semiconductor material body, a crystalline structure which is the result of controlled, prior-history processing and changing of that structure, and which establishes the appropriate mechanical properties in the body for the performance of the pre-chosen task.
An ambient-temperature method for creating, from a precursor semiconductor material having selectively and controllably changeable crystalline-structure-related mechanical properties, a semiconductor mechanical device possessing (a) a predetermined configuration, and therein (b) a set of such mechanical properties, that are desired for the performance by the completed device of a pre-chosen mechanical task, said method comprising
- placing a precursor body of such semiconductor material in a processing zone,
- selecting a volumetric region in that body which is suitable (a) for the creation therefrom of the desired device configuration, and (b) for the establishment therein of the desired set of crystalline-structure-related mechanical properties,
- within the processing zone, subjecting the selected region to a controlled changing of the crystalline structure therein, and thus of the related mechanical properties, said subjecting taking place in the context of a local-only material-body temperature rise, and
- by that process, achieving, in the selected region, the desired set of mechanical properties.
A method of forming, from a semiconductor precursor material having selectively and controllably changeable crystalline-structure-related mechanical properties, a semiconductor mechanical device possessing (a) a predetermined configuration, and therein (b) a set of such mechanical properties, that are desired for the performance by the completed device of a pre-chosen mechanical task, said method comprising,
- forming a semiconductor precursor body of such semiconductor material,
- placing that formed, semiconductor material body in a processing zone,
- within that zone, applying processing to that body to establish, within a selected region therein, an internal crystalline condition which is characterized by possession of a set of the desired crystalline-structure-related mechanical properties, and
- at some point in time during implementation of the method, creating from the semiconductor material body the desired, predetermined device configuration, and doing this in a manner whereby, on completion of the method, the desired configuration is substantially defined by material processed in the selected region.
A method of making a defined-task, micro-mechanical semiconductor device within a size range which, at the lower end therein, extends to single-crystal-level devices, said method comprising
- choosing for the creation of such a device a semiconductor material which possesses crystalline-structure-defining mechanical properties,
- selecting a target three-dimensional configuration and a set of mechanical properties effective to achieve such a device for the defined task, and
- processing the crystalline structure of an appropriate three-dimensional quantity of such chosen semiconductor material to meet the selected target configuration and set of mechanical properties.
A system for forming, from a precursor semiconductor material having selectively and controllably changeable crystalline-structure-related mechanical properties, a mechanical device possessing (a) a predetermined configuration, and therein (b) a set of such mechanical properties, that are desired for the performance by the completed device of a pre-chosen mechanical task said, system comprising,
- a processing zone adapted to receive a precursor body of such semiconductor material,
- a laser processing source, operable to direct a controlled beam of laser illumination onto such a precursor body placed within said processing zone, and
- computer structure operatively connected to all relevant components in the system and operable to produce translated motion of a point of impingement between a beam of laser radiation from said source over a surface of a precursor body of material within the processing zone in a manner which creates, within the precursor body, a changed character of internal crystalline structure which produces desired mechanical properties for an intended semiconductor mechanical device that is being built, with such crystalline changed structure residing after processing, in a regional volume within the precursor material capable of defining the three dimensional configuration of the desired mechanical device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.