Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080230392 | Non-Conformable Masks and Methods and Apparatus for Forming Three-Dimensional Structures - Electrochemical Fabrication techniques are used to modify substrates or to form multilayer structures (e.g. components or devices) from a plurality of overlaying and adhered layers. Masks are used to selectively etch or deposit material. Some masks may be of the contact type and may be formed of multiple materials some of which may be support materials, some of which may be mating materials for contacting a substrate and some may be intermediate materials. In some embodiments the contact masks may have conformable contact surfaces (i.e. surfaces with sufficient flexibility or deformability that they can substantially conform to surface of the substrate to form a seal with it) or they may have semi-rigid or even rigid surfaces. In embodiments where masks are used for selective deposition operations, etching operations may be performed after deposition to remove flash deposits (thin undesired deposits from areas that were intended to be masked). | 09-25-2008 |
20080246558 | Miniature RF and Microwave Components and Methods for Fabricating Such Components - RF and microwave radiation directing or controlling components are provided that may be monolithic, that may be formed from a plurality of electrodeposition operations and/or from a plurality of deposited layers of material, that may include switches, inductors, antennae, transmission lines, filters, and/or other active or passive components. Components may include non-radiation-entry and non-radiation-exit channels that are useful in separating sacrificial materials from structural materials. Preferred formation processes use electrochemical fabrication techniques (e.g. including selective depositions, bulk depositions, etching operations and planarization operations) and post-deposition processes (e.g. selective etching operations and/or back filling operations). | 10-09-2008 |
20090015903 | Complex Microdevices and Apparatus and Methods for Fabricating Such Devices - Various embodiments of the invention are directed to various microdevices including sensors, actuators, valves, scanning mirrors, accelerometers, switches, and the like. In some embodiments the devices are formed via electrochemical fabrication (EFAB®). | 01-15-2009 |
20090020433 | Electrochemical Fabrication Methods for Producing Multilayer Structures Including the use of Diamond Machining in the Planarization of Deposits of Material - Electrochemical fabrication methods for forming single and multilayer mesoscale and microscale structures are disclosed which include the use of diamond machining (e.g. fly cutting or turning) to planarize layers. Some embodiments focus on systems of sacrificial and structural materials which are useful in Electrochemical fabrication and which can be diamond machined with minimal tool wear (e.g. Ni—P and Cu, Au and Cu, Cu and Sn, Au and Cu, Au and Sn, and Au and Sn—Pb), where the first material or materials are the structural materials and the second is the sacrificial material). Some embodiments focus on methods for reducing tool wear when using diamond machining to planarize structures being electrochemically fabricated using difficult-to-machine materials (e.g. by depositing difficult to machine material selectively and potentially with little excess plating thickness, and/or pre-machining depositions to within a small increment of desired surface level (e.g. using lapping or a rough cutting operation) and then using diamond fly cutting to complete he process, and/or forming structures or portions of structures from thin walled regions of hard-to-machine material as opposed to wide solid regions of structural material. | 01-22-2009 |
20090038948 | Electrochemically Fabricated Structures Having Dielectric or Active Bases and Methods of and Apparatus for Producing Such Structures - Multilayer structures are electrochemically fabricated on a temporary (e.g. conductive) substrate and are thereafter bonded to a permanent (e.g. dielectric, patterned, multi-material, or otherwise functional) substrate and removed from the temporary substrate. In some embodiments, the structures are formed from top layer to bottom layer, such that the bottom layer of the structure becomes adhered to the permanent substrate, while in other embodiments the structures are formed from bottom layer to top layer and then a double substrate swap occurs. The permanent substrate may be a solid that is bonded (e.g. by an adhesive) to the layered structure or it may start out as a flowable material that is solidified adjacent to or partially surrounding a portion of the structure with bonding occurring during solidification. The multilayer structure may be released from a sacrificial material prior to attaching the permanent substrate or it may be released after attachment. | 02-12-2009 |
20090064495 | Electrochemical Fabrication Methods Incorporating Dielectric Materials and/or Using Dielectric Substrates - Various embodiments are directed to the electrochemical fabrication of multilayer mesoscale or microscale structures which are formed using at least one conductive structural material, at least one conductive sacrificial material, and at least one dielectric material. In some embodiments the dielectric material is a UV-curable photopolymer. In other embodiments, electrochemically fabricated structures are formed on dielectric substrates. | 03-12-2009 |
20090065142 | Method of Electrochemically Fabricating Multilayer Structures Having Improved Interlayer Adhesion - Multi-layer microscale or mesoscale structures are fabricated with adhered layers (e.g. layers that are bonded together upon deposition of successive layers to previous layers) and are then subjected to a heat treatment operation that enhances the interlayer adhesion significantly. The heat treatment operation is believed to result in diffusion of material across the layer boundaries and associated enhancement in adhesion (i.e. diffusion bonding). Interlayer adhesion and maybe intra-layer cohesion may be enhanced by heat treating in the presence of a reducing atmosphere that may help remove weaker oxides from surfaces or even from internal portions of layers. | 03-12-2009 |
20090066351 | ELECTROCHEMICALLY FABRICATED MICROPROBES - Multilayer test probe structures are electrochemically fabricated via depositions of one or more materials in a plurality of overlaying and adhered layers. In some embodiments each probe structure may include a plurality of contact arms or contact tips that are used for contacting a specific pad or plurality of pads wherein the arms and/or tips are configured in such away so as to provide a scrubbing motion (e.g. a motion perpendicular to a primary relative movement motion between a probe carrier and the IC) as the probe element or array is made to contact an IC, or the like, and particularly when the motion between the probe or probes and the IC occurs primarily in a direction that is perpendicular to a plane of a surface of the IC. In some embodiments arrays of multiple probes are provided and even formed in desired relative position simultaneously. | 03-12-2009 |
20090068460 | Multi-Layer Three-Dimensional Structures Having Features Smaller Than a Minimum Feature Size Associated With the Formation of Individual Layers - Embodiments of multi-layer three-dimensional structures and formation methods provide structures with effective feature (e.g. opening) sizes (e.g. virtual gaps) that are smaller than a minimum feature size (MFS) that exists on each layer as a result of the formation method used in forming the structures. In some embodiments, multi-layer structures include a first element (e.g. first patterned layer with a gap) and a second element (e.g. second patterned layer with a gap) positioned adjacent the first element to define a third element (e.g. a net gap or opening resulting from the combined gaps of the first and second elements) where the first and second elements have features that are sized at least as large as the minimum feature size and the third element, at least in part, has dimensions or defines dimensions smaller than the minimum feature size. | 03-12-2009 |
20090084756 | Electrochemical Fabrication Method and Application for Producing Three-Dimensional Structures Having Improved Surface Finish - An electrochemical fabrication process produces three-dimensional structures (e.g. components or devices) from a plurality of layers of deposited materials wherein the formation of at least some portions of some layers are produced by operations that remove material or condition selected surfaces of a deposited material. In some embodiments, removal or conditioning operations are varied between layers or between different portions of a layer such that different surface qualities are obtained. In other embodiments varying surface quality may be obtained without varying removal or conditioning operations but instead by relying on differential interaction between removal or conditioning operations and different materials encountered by these operations. | 04-02-2009 |
20090093874 | Medical Devices and EFAB Methods and Apparatus for Producing Them - Various embodiments of the invention present miniature medical devices that may be formed totally or in part using electrochemical fabrication techniques. Sample medical devices include micro-tweezers or forceps, internally expandable stents, bifurcated or side branch stents, drug eluting stents, micro-valves and pumps, rotary ablation devices, electrical ablation devices (e.g. RF devices), micro-staplers, ultrasound catheters, and fluid filters. In some embodiments devices may be made out of a metal material while in other embodiments they may be made from a material (e.g. a polymer) that is molded from an electrochemically fabricated mold. Structural materials may include gold, platinum, silver, stainless steel, titanium or pyrolytic carbon-coated materials such as nickel, copper, and the like. | 04-09-2009 |
20090095632 | Electrochemical Fabrication Method and Apparatus for Producing Three-Dimensional Structures Having Improved Surface Finish - An electrochemical fabrication process produces three-dimensional structures (e.g. components or devices) from a plurality of layers of deposited materials wherein the formation of at least some portions of some layers are produced by operations that remove material or condition selected surfaces of a deposited material. In some embodiments, removal or conditioning operations are varied between layers or between different portions of a layer such that different surface qualities are obtained. In other embodiments varying surface quality may be obtained without varying removal or conditioning operations but instead by relying on differential interaction between removal or conditioning operations and different materials encountered by these operations. | 04-16-2009 |
20090139869 | EFAB Methods and Apparatus Including Spray Metal or Powder Coating Processes - Various embodiments of the invention present techniques for forming structures via a combined electrochemical fabrication process and a thermal spraying process or powder deposition processes. In a first set of embodiments, selective deposition occurs via masking processes (e.g. a contact masking process or adhered mask process) and thermal spraying or powder deposition is used in blanket deposition processes to fill in voids left by selective deposition processes. In a second set of embodiments, after selective deposition of a first material, a second material is blanket deposited to fill in the voids, the two depositions are planarized to a common level and then a portion of the first or second materials is removed (e.g. by etching) and a third material is sprayed into the voids left by the etching operation. In both embodiments the resulting depositions are planarized to a desired layer thickness in preparation for adding additional layers. | 06-04-2009 |
20090142493 | Method of Electrochemically Fabricating Multilayer Structures Having Improved Interlayer Adhesion - Multi-layer microscale or mesoscale structures are fabricated with adhered layers (e.g. layers that are bonded together upon deposition of successive layers to previous layers) and are then subjected to a heat treatment operation that enhances the interlayer adhesion significantly. The heat treatment operation is believed to result in diffusion of material across the layer boundaries and associated enhancement in adhesion (i.e. diffusion bonding). Interlayer adhesion and maybe intra-layer cohesion may be enhanced by heat treating in the presence of a reducing atmosphere that may help remove weaker oxides from surfaces or even from internal portions of layers. | 06-04-2009 |
20090145767 | Method for Electrochemically Fabricating Three-Dimensional Structures Including Pseudo-Rasterization of Data - Some embodiments of the invention are directed to techniques for electrochemically fabricating multi-layer three-dimensional structures where selective patterning of at least one or more layers occurs via a mask which is formed using data representing cross-sections of the three-dimensional structure which has been modified to place it in a polygonal form which defines only regions of positive area. The regions of positive area are regions where structural material is to be located or regions where structural material is not to be located depending on whether the mask will be used, for example, in selectively depositing a structural material or a sacrificial material. The modified data may take the form of adjacent or slightly overlapped relative narrow rectangular structures where the width of the structures is related to a desired formation resolution. The spacing between centers of adjacent rectangles may be uniform or may be a variable. The data modification may also include the formation of duplicate copies of an original structure, scaled copies, mirrored copies, rotated copies, complementary copies, and the like. | 06-11-2009 |
20090149944 | Medical Devices and EFAB Methods and Apparatus for Producing Them - Various embodiments of the invention present miniature medical devices that may be formed totally or in part using electrochemical fabrication techniques. Sample medical devices include micro-tweezers or forceps, internally expandable stents, bifurcated or side branch stents, drug eluting stents, micro-valves and pumps, rotary ablation devices, electrical ablation devices (e.g. RF devices), micro-staplers, ultrasound catheters, and fluid filters. In some embodiments devices may be made out of a metal material while in other embodiments they may be made from a material (e.g. a polymer) that is molded from an electrochemically fabricated mold. Structural materials may include gold, platinum, silver, stainless steel, titanium or pyrolytic carbon-coated materials such as nickel, copper, and the like. | 06-11-2009 |
20090165295 | Electrochemical Fabrication Methods Incorporating Dielectric Materials and/or Using Dielectric Substrates - Various embodiments are directed to the electrochemical fabrication of multilayer mesoscale or microscale structures which are formed using at least one conductive structural material, at least one conductive sacrificial material, and at least one dielectric material. In some embodiments the dielectric material is a UV-curable photopolymer. In other embodiments, electrochemically fabricated structures are formed on dielectric substrates. | 07-02-2009 |
20090176004 | Medical Devices and EFAB Methods and Apparatus for Producing Them - Various embodiments of the invention present miniature medical devices that may be formed totally or in part using electrochemical fabrication techniques. Sample medical devices include micro-tweezers or forceps, internally expandable stents, bifurcated or side branch stents, drug eluting stents, micro-valves and pumps, rotary ablation devices, electrical ablation devices (e.g. RF devices), micro-staplers, ultrasound catheters, and fluid filters. In some embodiments devices may be made out of a metal material while in other embodiments they may be made from a material (e.g. a polymer) that is molded from an electrochemically fabricated mold. Structural materials may include gold, platinum, silver, stainless steel, titanium or pyrolytic carbon-coated materials such as nickel, copper, and the like. | 07-09-2009 |
20090176042 | Medical Devices and EFAB Methods and Apparatus for Producing Them - Various embodiments of the invention present miniature medical devices that may be formed totally or in part using electrochemical fabrication techniques. Sample medical devices include micro-tweezers or forceps, internally expandable stents, bifurcated or side branch stents, drug eluting stents, micro-valves and pumps, rotary ablation devices, electrical ablation devices (e.g. RF devices), micro-staplers, ultrasound catheters, and fluid filters. In some embodiments devices may be made out of a metal material while in other embodiments they may be made from a material (e.g. a polymer) that is molded from an electrochemically fabricated mold. Structural materials may include gold, platinum, silver, stainless steel, titanium or pyrolytic carbon-coated materials such as nickel, copper, and the like. | 07-09-2009 |
20090194425 | Electrochemical Fabrication Methods Including Use of Surface Treatments to Reduce Overplating and/or Planarization During Formation of Multi-layer Three-Dimensional Structures - A method of fabricating three-dimensional structures from a plurality of adhered layers of at least a first and a second material wherein the first material is a conductive material and wherein each of a plurality of layers includes treating a surface of a first material prior to deposition of the second material. The treatment of the surface of the first material either (1) decreases the susceptibility of deposition of the second material onto the surface of the first material or (2) eases or quickens the removal of any second material deposited on the treated surface of the first material. In some embodiments the treatment of the first surface includes forming a dielectric coating over the surface and the second material is electrodeposited (e.g. using an electroplating or electrophoretic process). In other embodiments the first material is coated with a conductive material that doesn't readily accept deposits of electroplated or electroless deposited materials. | 08-06-2009 |
20090301893 | Methods and Apparatus for Forming Multi-Layer Structures Using Adhered Masks - Numerous electrochemical fabrication methods and apparatus are provided for producing multi-layer structures (e.g. having meso-scale or micro-scale features) from a plurality of layers of deposited materials using adhered masks (e.g. formed from liquid photoresist or dry film), where two or more materials may be provided per layer where at least one of the materials is a structural material and one or more of any other materials may be a sacrificial material which will be removed after formation of the structure. Materials may comprise conductive materials that are electrodeposited or deposited in an electroless manner. In some embodiments special care is undertaken to ensure alignment between patterns formed on successive layers. | 12-10-2009 |
20090320990 | Electrochemical Fabrication Process for Forming Multilayer Multimaterial Microprobe Structures - Some embodiments of the invention are directed to the electrochemical fabrication of microprobes which are formed from a core material and a material that partially coats the surface of the probe. Other embodiments are directed to the electrochemical fabrication of microprobes which are formed from a core material and a material that completely coats the surface of each layer from which the probe is formed including interlayer regions. These first two groups of embodiments incorporate both the core material and the coating material during the formation of each layer. Still other embodiments are directed to the electrochemical fabrication of microprobe arrays that are partially encapsulated by a dielectric material during a post layer formation coating process. In even further embodiments, the electrochemical fabrication of microprobes from two or more materials may occur by incorporating a coating material around each layer of the structure without locating the coating material in inter-layer regions. | 12-31-2009 |
20100006443 | Electrochemical Fabrication Method for Producing Compliant Beam-Like Structures - Embodiments of the invention are directed to the formation of beam-like structures using electrochemical fabrication techniques where the beam like structures have narrow regions and wider regions such that a beam of desired compliance is obtained. In some embodiments, narrower regions of the beam are thinner than a minimum feature size but are formable as a result of the thicker regions. In some embodiments the beam-like structures are formed from a plurality of adhered layers. | 01-14-2010 |
20100010492 | Miniature Shredding Tool for Use in Medical Applications and Methods for Making - The present invention relates generally to the field of micro-scale or millimeter scale devices and to the use of multi-layer multi-material electrochemical fabrication methods for producing such devices with particular embodiments relate to shredding devices and more particularly to shredding devices for use in medical applications. In some embodiments, tissue removal devices are used in procedures to removal spinal tissue and in other embodiments, similar devices are used to remove thrombus from blood vessel. | 01-14-2010 |
20100010525 | Miniature Shredding Tool for Use in Medical Applications and Methods for Making - The present invention relates generally to the field of micro-scale or millimeter scale devices and to the use of multi-layer multi-material electrochemical fabrication methods for producing such devices with particular embodiments relate to shredding devices and more particularly to shredding devices for use in medical applications. In some embodiments, tissue removal devices are used in procedures to removal spinal tissue and in other embodiments, similar devices are used to remove thrombus from blood vessel. | 01-14-2010 |
20100033202 | Cantilever Microprobes for Contacting Electronic Components and Methods for Making Such Probes - Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to compliant probe structures for making temporary or permanent contact with electronic circuits and the like. In particular, embodiments are directed to various designs of two-part probe elements, socket-able probes and their mounts. Some embodiments are directed to methods for fabricating such probes and mounts. In some embodiments, for example, probes have slide in mounting structures, twist in mounting structures, mounting structures that include compliant elements, and the like. | 02-11-2010 |
20100038253 | Method and Apparatus for Maintaining Parallelism of Layers and/or Achieving Desired Thicknesses of Layers During the Electrochemical Fabrication of Structures - Some embodiments of the present invention provide processes and apparatus for electrochemically fabricating multilayer structures (e.g. mesoscale or microscale structures) with improved endpoint detection and parallelism maintenance for materials (e.g. layers) that are planarized during the electrochemical fabrication process. Some methods involve the use of a fixture during planarization that ensures that planarized planes of material are parallel to other deposited planes within a given tolerance. Some methods involve the use of an endpoint detection fixture that ensures precise heights of deposited materials relative to an initial surface of a substrate, relative to a first deposited layer, or relative to some other layer formed during the fabrication process. In some embodiments planarization may occur via lapping while other embodiments may use a diamond fly cutting machine. | 02-18-2010 |
20100065431 | Electrochemical Fabrication Process Including Process Monitoring, Making Corrective Action Decisions, and Taking Appropriate Actions - Electrochemical fabrication processes and apparatus for producing multi-layer structures include operations or means for providing enhanced monitoring of build operations or detection of the results of build operations, operations or means for build problem recognition, operations or means for evaluation of corrective action options, operations or means for making corrective action decisions, and operations or means for executing actions based on those decisions. | 03-18-2010 |
20100065432 | Electrochemical Fabrication Process Including Process Monitoring, Making Corrective Action Decisions, and Taking Appropriate Actions - Electrochemical fabrication processes and apparatus for producing multi-layer structures include operations or means for providing enhanced monitoring of build operations or detection of the results of build operations, operations or means for build problem recognition, operations or means for evaluation of corrective action options, operations or means for making corrective action decisions, and operations or means for executing actions based on those decisions. | 03-18-2010 |
20100094320 | Atherectomy and Thrombectomy Devices, Methods for Making, and Procedures for Using - Embodiments are directed to devices for removing material from interior walls of vessels such as during atherectomy or thrombectomy procedures where the devices includes an ablation tool and at least one ablation tool stabilizer that can be used to radially position the ablation tool at desired locations within a vessel. In some embodiments, the ablation tool may a rotary cutting element that has an axis of rotation that is approximately parallel to the local axis of a vessel to be cleared. In some embodiments, the ablation tool may have a single side and or a top that allows clearing of material and which is capable of both radial positioning and rotational positioning via the stabilization device or devices and which may also be capable of axial motion via the stabilization device. | 04-15-2010 |
20100121307 | Microneedles, Microneedle Arrays, Methods for Making, and Transdermal and/or Intradermal Applications - Embodiments are directed to microneedle array devices for intradermal and/or transdermal interaction with the body of patient to provide therapeutic, diagnostic or preventative treatment wherein portions of the devices may be formed by multi-layer, multi-material electrochemical fabrication methods and wherein individual microneedles may include valve elements or other elements for controlling interaction (e.g. fluid flow). In some embodiments needles are retractable and extendable from a surface of the device. In some embodiments, interaction occurs automatically with movement across the skin of the patient while in other embodiments interaction is controlled by an operator (e.g. doctor, nurse, technician, or patient). | 05-13-2010 |
20100133952 | Complex Microdevices and Apparatus and Methods for Fabricating Such Devices - Various embodiments of the invention are directed to various microdevices including sensors, actuators, valves, scanning mirrors, accelerometers, switches, and the like. In some embodiments the devices are formed via electrochemical fabrication (EFAB®). | 06-03-2010 |
20100136851 | Fabrication Process for Co-Fabricating a Multilayer Probe Array and a Space Transformer - Embodiments of the invention provide electrochemical fabrication processes that may be used for the fabrication of space transformers or the co-fabrication of microprobe arrays along with one or more space transformers. | 06-03-2010 |
20100155253 | Microprobe Tips and Methods for Making - Embodiments of the present invention are directed to the formation of microprobe tips elements having a variety of configurations. In some embodiments tips are formed from the same building material as the probes themselves, while in other embodiments the tips may be formed from a different material and/or may include a coating material. In some embodiments, the tips are formed before the main portions of the probes and the tips are formed in proximity to or in contact with a temporary substrate. Probe tip patterning may occur in a variety of different ways, including, for example, via molding in patterned holes that have been isotropically or anisotropically etched silicon, via molding in voids formed in exposed photoresist, via molding in voids in a sacrificial material that have formed as a result of the sacrificial material mushrooming over carefully sized and located regions of dielectric material, via isotropic etching of the tip material around carefully sized and placed etching shields, via hot pressing, and the like. | 06-24-2010 |
20100270165 | Electrochemical Fabrication Methods Incorporating Dielectric Materials and/or Using Dielectric Substrates - Some embodiments of the present invention are directed to techniques for building up single layer or multi-layer structures on dielectric or partially dielectric substrates. Certain embodiments deposit seed layer material directly onto substrate materials while other embodiments use an intervening adhesion layer material. Some embodiments use different seed layer materials and/or adhesion layer materials for sacrificial and structural conductive building materials. Some embodiments apply seed layer and/or adhesion layer materials in what are effectively selective manners while other embodiments apply the materials in blanket fashion. Some embodiments remove extraneous depositions (e.g. depositions to regions unintended to form part of a layer) via planarization operations while other embodiments remove the extraneous material via etching operations. Other embodiments are directed to the electrochemical fabrication of multilayer mesoscale or microscale structures which are formed using at least one conductive structural material, at least one conductive sacrificial material, and at least one dielectric material. In some embodiments the dielectric material is a UV-curable photopolymer. | 10-28-2010 |
20100314257 | Methods of Reducing Interlayer Discontinuities in Electrochemically Fabricated Three-Dimensional Structures - Disclosed methods reduce the discontinuities that between individual layers of a structure that is formed at least in part using electrochemical fabrication techniques. Discontinuities may exist between layers of a structure as a result of up-facing or down-facing regions defined in data descriptive of the structure or they may exist as a result of building limitations, e.g., those that result in non-parallel orientation between a building axis and sidewall surfaces of layers. Methods for reducing discontinuities may be applied to all regions or only to selected regions of the structure. Methods may be tailored to improve the accuracy between an original design of the structure and the structure as fabricated or they may simply be used to smooth the discontinuities between layers. Methods may include deposition operations that selectively favor filling of the discontinuities and/or etching operations that selectively favor removal of material from protrusions that define discontinuities. | 12-16-2010 |
20110031183 | Multi-Layer Three-Dimensional Structures Having Features Smaller Than a Minimum Feature Size Associated With the Formation of Individual Layers - Embodiments of multi-layer three-dimensional structures and formation methods provide structures with effective feature (e.g. opening) sizes (e.g. virtual gaps) that are smaller than a minimum feature size (MFS) that exists on each layer as a result of the formation method used in forming the structures. In some embodiments, multi-layer structures include a first element (e.g. first patterned layer with a gap) and a second element (e.g. second patterned layer with a gap) positioned adjacent the first element to define a third element (e.g. a net gap or opening resulting from the combined gaps of the first and second elements) where the first and second elements have features that are sized at least as large as the minimum feature size and the third element, at least in part, has dimensions or defines dimensions smaller than the minimum feature size. | 02-10-2011 |
20110073479 | Multi-Step Release Method for Electrochemically Fabricated Structures - Multi-layer structures are electrochemically fabricated from at least one structural material (e.g. nickel), that is configured to define a desired structure and which may be attached to a substrate, and from at least one sacrificial material (e.g. copper) that surrounds the desired structure. After structure formation, the sacrificial material is removed by a multi-stage etching operation. In some embodiments sacrificial material to be removed may be located within passages or the like on a substrate or within an add-on component. The multi-stage etching operations may be separated by intermediate post processing activities, they may be separated by cleaning operations, or barrier material removal operations, or the like. Barriers may be fixed in position by contact with structural material or with a substrate or they may be solely fixed in position by sacrificial material and are thus free to be removed after all retaining sacrificial material is etched. | 03-31-2011 |
20110080236 | Miniature RF and Microwave Components and Methods for Fabricating Such Components - RF and microwave radiation directing or controlling components are provided that may be monolithic, that may be formed from a plurality of electrodeposition operations and/or from a plurality of deposited layers of material, that may include switches, inductors, antennae, transmission lines, filters, and/or other active or passive components. Components may include non-radiation-entry and non-radiation-exit channels that are useful in separating sacrificial materials from structural materials. Preferred formation processes use electrochemical fabrication techniques (e.g. including selective depositions, bulk depositions, etching operations and planarization operations) and post-deposition processes (e.g. selective etching operations and/or back filling operations). | 04-07-2011 |
20110092988 | Microdevices for Tissue Approximation and Retention, Methods for Using, and Methods for Making - Embodiments of invention are directed to micro-scale of mesoscale tissue approximation instruments that may be delivered to the body of a patient during minimally invasive or other surgical procedures. In one group of embodiments, the instrument has an elongated (longitudinal) configuration while with two sets of expandable wings that each have a toggle configuration that can be made to expand when located on opposite sides of a distal tissue region and a proximal tissue region and can then be made to move toward one another to bring the two tissue regions into more a proximal position. In some embodiments, multiple tissue approximation instruments are located within a delivery system for sequential delivery to a patient's body. | 04-21-2011 |
20110155580 | Method of Electrochemically Fabricating Multilayer Structures Having Improved Interlayer Adhesion - Multi-layer microscale or mesoscale structures are fabricated with adhered layers (e.g. layers that are bonded together upon deposition of successive layers to previous layers) and are then subjected to a heat treatment operation that enhances the interlayer adhesion significantly. The heat treatment operation is believed to result in diffusion of material across the layer boundaries and associated enhancement in adhesion (i.e. diffusion bonding). Interlayer adhesion and maybe intra-layer cohesion may be enhanced by heat treating in the presence of a reducing atmosphere that may help remove weaker oxides from surfaces or even from internal portions of layers. | 06-30-2011 |
20110180410 | Electrochemically Fabricated Structures Having Dielectric or Active Bases and Methods of and Apparatus for Producing Such Structures - Multilayer structures are electrochemically fabricated on a temporary (e.g. conductive) substrate and are thereafter bonded to a permanent (e.g. dielectric, patterned, multi-material, or otherwise functional) substrate and removed from the temporary substrate. In some embodiments, the structures are formed from top layer to bottom layer, such that the bottom layer of the structure becomes adhered to the permanent substrate, while in other embodiments the structures are formed from bottom layer to top layer and then a double substrate swap occurs. The permanent substrate may be a solid that is bonded (e.g. by an adhesive) to the layered structure or it may start out as a flowable material that is solidified adjacent to or partially surrounding a portion of the structure with bonding occurring during solidification. The multilayer structure may be released from a sacrificial material prior to attaching the permanent substrate or it may be released after attachment. | 07-28-2011 |
20110198281 | Multi-Layer Three-Dimensional Structures Having Features Smaller Than a Minimum Feature Size Associated With the Formation of Individual Layers - Embodiments of multi-layer three-dimensional structures and formation methods provide structures with effective feature (e.g. opening) sizes (e.g. virtual gaps) that are smaller than a minimum feature size (MFS) that exists on each layer as a result of the formation method used in forming the structures. In some embodiments, multi-layer structures include a first element (e.g. first patterned layer with a gap) and a second element (e.g. second patterned layer with a gap) positioned adjacent the first element to define a third element (e.g. a net gap or opening resulting from the combined gaps of the first and second elements) where the first and second elements have features that are sized at least as large as the minimum feature size and the third element, at least in part, has dimensions or defines dimensions smaller than the minimum feature size. | 08-18-2011 |
20110315556 | Methods and Apparatus for Forming Multi-Layer Structures Using Adhered Masks - Numerous electrochemical fabrication methods and apparatus are provided for producing multi-layer structures (e.g. having meso-scale or micro-scale features) from a plurality of layers of deposited materials using adhered masks (e.g. formed from liquid photoresist or dry film), where two or more materials may be provided per layer where at least one of the materials is a structural material and one or more of any other materials may be a sacrificial material which will be removed after formation of the structure. Materials may comprise conductive materials that are electrodeposited or deposited in an electroless manner. In some embodiments special care is undertaken to ensure alignment between patterns formed on successive layers. | 12-29-2011 |
20120007698 | Miniature RF and Microwave Components and Methods for Fabricating Such Components - RF and microwave radiation directing or controlling components are provided that may be monolithic, that may be formed from a plurality of electrodeposition operations and/or from a plurality of deposited layers of material, that may include switches, inductors, antennae, transmission lines, filters, and/or other active or passive components. Components may include non-radiation-entry and non-radiation-exit channels that are useful in separating sacrificial materials from structural materials. Preferred formation processes use electrochemical fabrication techniques (e.g. including selective depositions, bulk depositions, etching operations and planarization operations) and post-deposition processes (e.g. selective etching operations and/or back filling operations). | 01-12-2012 |
20120114861 | Electrochemical Fabrication Methods for Producing Multilayer Structures Including the use of Diamond Machining in the Planarization of Deposits of Material - Electrochemical fabrication methods for forming single and multilayer mesoscale and microscale structures include the use of diamond machining (e.g. fly cutting or turning) to planarize layers. Some embodiments focus on systems of sacrificial and structural materials which can be diamond machined with minimal tool wear (e.g. Ni—P and Cu, Au and Cu, Cu and Sn, Au and Cu, Au and Sn, and Au and Sn—Pb). Some embodiments provide for reducing tool wear when using difficult-to-machine materials by (1) depositing difficult to machine materials selectively and potentially with little excess plating thickness and/or (2) pre-machining depositions to within a small increment of desired surface level (e.g. using lapping) and then using diamond fly cutting to complete the process, and/or (3) forming structures or portions of structures from thin walled regions of hard-to-machine material as opposed to wide solid regions of structural material. | 05-10-2012 |
20120137497 | Electrochemical Fabrication Method Including Elastic Joining of Structures - Embodiments are directed to methods for forming multi-layer three-dimensional structures involving the joining of at least two structural elements, at least one of which is formed as a multi-layer three-dimensional structure, wherein the joining occurs via one of: (1) elastic deformation and elastic recovery and subsequent retention of elements relative to each other, (2) relative deformation of an initial portion of at least one element relative to another portion of the at least one element until the at least two elements are in a desired retention position after which the deformation is reduced or eliminated and a portion of at least one element is brought into position which in turn locks the at least two elements together via contact with one another including contact with the initial portion of at least one element, or (3) moving a retention region of one element into the retention region of the other element, without deformation of either element, along a path including a loading region of the other element and wherein during normal use the first and second elements are configured relative to one another so that the loading region of the second elements is not accessible to the retention region of the first element. | 06-07-2012 |
20120181180 | Method and Apparatus for Maintaining Parallelism of Layers and/or Achieving Desired Thicknesses of Layers During the Electrochemical Fabrication of Structures - Some embodiments of the present invention provide processes and apparatus for electrochemically fabricating multilayer structures (e.g. mesoscale or microscale structures) with improved endpoint detection and parallelism maintenance for materials (e.g. layers) that are planarized during the electrochemical fabrication process. Some methods involve the use of a fixture during planarization that ensures that planarized planes of material are parallel to other deposited planes within a given tolerance. Some methods involve the use of an endpoint detection fixture that ensures precise heights of deposited materials relative to an initial surface of a substrate, relative to a first deposited layer, or relative to some other layer formed during the fabrication process. In some embodiments planarization may occur via lapping while other embodiments may use a diamond fly cutting machine. | 07-19-2012 |
20120186978 | Electrochemical Fabrication Methods Incorporating Dielectric Materials and/or Using Dielectric Substrates - Various embodiments are directed to the electrochemical fabrication of multilayer mesoscale or microscale structures which are formed using at least one conductive structural material, at least one conductive sacrificial material, and at least one dielectric material. In some embodiments the dielectric material is a UV-curable photopolymer. In other embodiments, electrochemically fabricated structures are formed on dielectric substrates. | 07-26-2012 |
20130226209 | MINIATURE SHREDDING TOOL FOR USE IN MEDICAL APPLICATIONS AND METHODS FOR MAKING - The present invention relates generally to the field of micro-scale or millimeter scale devices and to the use of multi-layer multi-material electrochemical fabrication methods for producing such devices with particular embodiments relate to shredding devices and more particularly to shredding devices for use in medical applications. In some embodiments, tissue removal devices include tissue anchoring projections, improved blade configurations, and/or shields or shrouds around the cutting blades to inhibit outflow of tissue that has been brought into the device. | 08-29-2013 |
20140140788 | Microscale and Millimeter Scale Devices Including Threaded Elements, Methods for Designing, and Methods for Making - Embodiments of the invention provide threaded elements alone, in mating pairs, or in conjunction with other elements. Embodiments of the invention also provide for design and fabrication of such threaded elements without violating minimum feature size design rules or causing other interference issues that may result from the fabrication of such thread elements using a multi-layer multi-material electrochemical fabrication process. | 05-22-2014 |
20150021190 | COUNTERFEITING DETERENT AND SECURITY DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS - A counterfeiting deterrent device according to one implementation of the disclosure includes a plurality of layers formed by an additive process. Each of the layers may have a thickness of less than 100 microns. At least one of the layers has a series of indentations formed in an outer edge of the layer such that the indentations can be observed to verify that the device originated from a predetermined source. According to another implementation, a counterfeiting deterrent device includes at least one raised layer having outer edges in the shape of a logo. A light source is configured and arranged to shine a light through a slit in a substrate layer of the device and past an intermediate layer to light up the outer edge of the raised layer. The layers of the device are formed by an additive process and have a thickness of less than 100 microns each. | 01-22-2015 |