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US 2014/0192467 A1Published application
Ion implant indicia for cover glass or display component
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorKelvin Kwong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aluminum oxide ceramic is formed into a sapphire component for an electronic device. Indicia are embedded into at least one major surface of the component, for example by ion implantation, where ions are fixed into a subsurface pattern layer. The subsurface pattern layer defines the indicia by altering an optical or chromatic property of the aluminum oxide material, so that the indicia are visible from an external surface of the component.
Claims21
A method comprising:
- forming an aluminum oxide ceramic into a sapphire component for an electronic device, the sapphire component having first and second major surfaces;
- and
- embedding indicia into one or both of the first and second major surfaces of the sapphire component by ion implantation;
- wherein ions are fixed in a subsurface layer between the first and second major surfaces of the sapphire component;
- and
- wherein the subsurface layer defines the indicia by altering an optical property of the aluminum oxide material, such that the indicia are visible from an external surface of the component.
3 more elements
A sapphire component for an electronic device, the sapphire component comprising:
- a substantially single crystal aluminum oxide ceramic defining the sapphire component between opposing major surfaces;
- and
- indicia embedded into at least one selected major surface of the sapphire component, the indicia comprising ions fixed in a subsurface pattern defined within the sapphire component, beneath the selected major surface;
- wherein the subsurface pattern defines the indicia by altering a chromatic property of the substantially single crystal aluminum oxide ceramic, such that the indicia are visible from the selected major surface.
1 more element
A device comprising:
- a digital display;
- a sapphire cover glass component formed of a substantially single crystal aluminum oxide ceramic;
- and
- indicia embedded in the sapphire cover glass component and visible from an exterior surface thereof, the indicia comprising ions implanted into a subsurface pattern layer defined beneath the external surface, within the substantially single crystal aluminum oxide ceramic;
- wherein the ions define the indicia in the subsurface pattern layer by altering a chromatic property of the substantially single crystal aluminum oxide ceramic.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.