US 6,746,310 B2Granted

Uniform thin films produced by magnetorheological finishing

AssigneeQED Technologies, Inc.

InventorsMarc Tricard, William Kordonski

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Abstract

An improved method for producing a thin layer having highly uniform thickness, which layer may be pre-coated on an undulating surface of a substrate element. A working layer of the material is formed having a thickness greater than the final thickness desired. An areal (XY) determination of working layer thickness is made by ellipsometry, laser interferometry, or x-ray diffraction, or other known means. A map of thicknesses to be removed from the free surface of the working layer is entered into the control system of a magnetorheological finishing apparatus. The working layer is mounted on a workpiece holder of the apparatus and correctly indexed to the machine. The machine then removes material by magnetorheological finishing as instructed by the control system to leave a residual layer having a very high degree of thickness uniformity at a nominal average thickness and a very high surface integrity.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A method for forming a layer element of material having a desired thickness, high thickness uniformity, and high surface integrity from a working layer element having thickness non-uniformities and thickness greater than the desired thickness, comprising the steps of:

a) generating a first two-dimensional map of values of actual thickness of said working layer element;
b) generating a second two-dimensional map of values of material to be removed from said working layer element by subtracting the value of said desired thickness from each of said actual thickness values;
c) programming a magnetorheological finishing system with said map of values of material to be removed;
d) mounting said working layer element onto said magnetorheological finishing system;
e) indexing said working layer element to said system;
and
f) removing material by magnetorheological finishing from said working layer element in accordance with said map of values to leave said a residual layer element having said desired thickness, high thickness uniformity, high surface integrity.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/213,631Filed 6 Aug 2002
Published: US 2004/0029493 A112 Feb 2004
Granted: 8 Jun 2004
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B24B 49/12
Measuring or gauging equipment for controlling the feed movement of the grinding tool or work; Arrangements of indicating or measuring…
B24B 1/005
Processes of grinding or polishing; Use of auxiliary equipment in connection with such processes: using a magnetic polishing agent
B24B 7/228
For grinding inorganic material, e.g. stone, ceramics, porcelain: for grinding thin, brittle parts, e.g. semiconductors, wafers
B24B 31/112
Involving other means for tumbling of work: using magnetically consolidated grinding powder, moved relatively to the workpiece under the influence…