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US 8,263,951 B2Granted
System and method for fabricating macroscopic objects, and nano-assembled objects obtained therewith
AssigneeFablab Inc.
InventorOlivier Smiljanic
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and a system for fabricating a macroscopic object, comprising, in an environment at least one energy source; at least one hollow cathode separated from an anode by a bias potential; and a support; a flow of gas through the hollow cathode generating a hollow cathode discharge, particles emitted by the hollow cathode being assembled on the support under action of energy from the energy source.
Claims39
A system for fabricating a macroscopic object, comprising, in an environment:
- at least one energy source;
- at least one particle generator, comprising at least one material;
- and
- a support;
- wherein particle beams emitted by said at least one particle generator and energy beams emitted by said at least one energy source are directed to a point of fabrication on said support, and said particles emitted by said at least one particle generator are assembled at said point of fabrication under action of energy from said energy beams emitted by said at least one energy source, at a temperature Tfab, in degrees Celsius, at said point of fabrication, at least equal to a temperature of fusion of said particles and less than a temperature of fusion of the material of the particle generator having the same composition as said particles.
2 more elements
A method for fabricating an object on a support in an environment, comprising:
- selecting at least one hollow cathode according to a composition of the object to be fabricated;
- selecting at least one energy source according to a size of the object to be fabricated;
- starting a flow of gas through the hollow cathode;
- establishing a potential bias between the hollow cathode and an anode at a controlled pressure satisfying:
- V
- =
- a
-
- (
- pd
- )
- ln
-
- (
- pd
- )
- +
- b
- where V is a breakdown voltage in Volts, p is the pressure in Torr, and d is a distance in cm between opposite walls of the hollow cathode in the gas, constants a and b depending on the composition of the gas;
- starting the energy source;
- and
- directing a beam of particles emitted by the hollow cathode and energy from the energy source to a point of fabrication on the support;
- wherein said step of selecting at least one energy source comprises selecting an energy source adapted to maintain a temperature Tfab, in degrees Celsius, at the point of fabrication, at least equal to a temperature of fusion of the particles and less than a temperature of fusion of a material of the hollow cathode.
20 more elements
A method for fabricating an object on a support in an environment, comprising:
- selecting at least one particle generator according to a composition of the object to be fabricated;
- selecting at least one energy source according to a size of the object to be fabricated;
- starting the particle generator;
- starting the energy source;
- and
- directing a beam of particles emitted by the particle generator and energy from the energy source to a point of fabrication on the support;
- wherein said step of selecting at least one energy source comprises selecting an energy source adapted to maintain a temperature Tfab, in degrees Celsius, at the point of fabrication, at least equal to a temperature of fusion of the particles and less than a temperature of fusion of a material of the particle generator.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.