Free Form Fibers, LLC

Joseph Pegna

John L Schneiter

Shay Llewellyn Harrison

Kirk L Williams

Erik Garth Vaaler

Ram K Goduguchinta

Ramkiran Goduguchinta

Marvin S Keshner

Thomas Philip Budka

A method of forming a high purity ingot for wafer production, such as a silicon carbidewafer. Precursors are added to a reactor; at least part of a fiber is formed in the reactor from the precursors using chemical deposition interacting with the precursors; and granular material is then formed from the fiber. The method further includes forming the ingot from the granular material. In one aspect, the chemical deposition can include laser induced chemical vapor deposition. Further, the method can include separating one or more wafers from the ingot for use in semiconductor fabrication.

High purity ingot for wafer production

A method of forming a high purity granular material, such as silicon carbide powder. Precursors are added to a reactor; at least part of a fiber is formed in the reactor from the precursors using chemical deposition interacting with said precursors; and the granular material is then formed from the fiber. In one aspect, the chemical deposition may include laser induced chemical vapor deposition. The granular material may be formed by grinding or milling the fiber into the granular material, e.g., ball milling the fiber. In one example, silicon carbide powder having greater than 90% beta crystalline phase purity and less than 0.25% oxygen contamination can be obtained.

High purity fiber feedstock for loose grain production

Methods of fabricating fiber structures with embedded sensors are provided. The method includes obtaining a scaffold fiber and forming, by 1½-D printing using laser induced chemical vapor deposition, circuitry on the scaffold fiber to provide a fiber structure with embedded sensor. The forming includes printing a solid state oscillator about the scaffold fiber, and printing a sensing device about the scaffold fiber electrically coupled to the solid state oscillator to effect, at least in part, oscillations of the solid state oscillator. The forming further includes printing an antenna about the scaffold fiber electrically connected to the solid state oscillator to facilitate in operation wireless transmitting of a signal from the fiber structure with embedded sensor.

Fiber structures with embedded sensors

A method is provided for making a multilayer functional fiber, where the method includes: providing a scaffold fiber; disposing a first electrode layer enclosing the scaffold fiber; disposing a functional layer enclosing the first electrode layer, the functional layer having a functional characteristic varying as a function of longitudinal position along the functional layer; disposing a second electrode layer enclosing the functional layer; and disposing a cladding layer enclosing the second electrode layer. In another aspect, a multilayer functional fiber is provided produced by, for instance, the above-noted method.

Multilayer functional fiber and method of making

A non-woven fabric is provided which includes a three-dimensional array of fibers. The three-dimensional array of fibers includes an array of standing fibers extending perpendicular to a plane of the non-woven fabric and attached to a base substrate, where the base substrate is one or more of an expendable film substrate, a metal base substrate, or a mandrel substrate. Further, the three-dimensional array of fibers includes multiple layers of non-woven parallel fibers running parallel to the plane of the non-woven fiber in between the array of standing fibers in a defined pattern of fiber layer orientations. In implementation, the array of standing fibers are grown to extend from the base substrate using laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition (LCVD).

Non-woven micro-trellis fabrics and composite or hybrid-composite materials reinforced therewith

A method of making a multi-composition fiber is provided, which includes providing a precursor laden environment, and forming a fiber in the precursor laden environment using laser heating. The precursor laden environment includes a primary precursor material and an elemental precursor material. The formed fiber includes a primary fiber material and an elemental additive material, where the elemental additive material has too large an atom size to fit within a single crystalline domain within a crystalline structure of the fiber, and is deposited on grain boundaries between adjacent crystalline domains of the primary fiber material to present an energy barrier to atomic diffusion through the grain boundaries, and to increase creep resistance by slowing down growth between the adjacent crystalline domains of the primary fiber material.

Method of making a multi-composition fiber

Nuclear fuel structures and methods for fabricating are disclosed herein. The nuclear fuel structure includes a plurality of fibers arranged in the structure and a multilayer fuel region within at least one fiber of the plurality of fibers. The multilayer fuel region includes an inner layer region made of a nuclear fuel material, and an outer layer region encasing the nuclear fuel material. A plurality of discrete multilayer fuel regions may be formed over a core region along the at least one fiber, the plurality of discrete multilayer fuel regions having a respective inner layer region of nuclear fuel material and a respective outer layer region encasing the nuclear fuel material. The plurality of fibers may be wrapped around an inner rod or tube structure or inside an outer tube structure of the nuclear fuel structure, providing both structural support and the nuclear fuel material of the nuclear fuel structure.

Additive manufacturing technique for placing nuclear reactor fuel within fibers

A method is provided for growing a fiber structure, where the method includes: obtaining a substrate, growing an array of pedestal fibers on the substrate, growing fibers on the pedestal fibers, and depositing a coating surrounding each of the fibers. In another aspect, a method of fabricating a fiber structure includes obtaining a substrate and growing a plurality of fibers on the substrate according to 1&#xbd;D printing. In another aspect, a multilayer functional fiber is provided produced by, for instance, the above-noted methods.

Functional high-performance fiber structure

A method and apparatus for forming a plurality of fibers from (e.g., CVD) precursors, including a reactor adapted to grow a plurality of individual fibers; and a plurality of independently controllable lasers, each laser of the plurality of lasers growing a respective fiber. A high performance fiber (HPF) structure, including a plurality of fibers arranged in the structure; a matrix disposed between the fibers; wherein a multilayer coating is provided along the surfaces of at least some of the fibers with an inner layer region having a sheet-like strength; and an outer layer region, having a particle-like strength, such that any cracks propagating toward the outer layer from the matrix propagate along the outer layer and back into the matrix, thereby preventing the cracks from approaching the fibers. A method of forming an interphase in a ceramic matrix composite material having a plurality of SiC fibers, which maximizes toughness by minimizing fiber to fiber bridging, including arranging a plurality of SiC fibers into a preform; selectively removing (e.g., etching) silicon out of the surface of the fibers resulting in a porous carbon layer on the fibers; and replacing the porous carbon layer with an interphase layer (e.g., Boron Nitride), which coats the fibers to thereby minimize fiber to fiber bridging in the preform.

High strength ceramic fibers and methods of fabrication

A multi-composition fiber is provided including a primary fiber material and an elemental additive material deposited on grain boundaries between adjacent crystalline domains of the primary fiber material. A method of making a multi-composition fiber is also provided, which includes providing a precursor laden environment, and promoting fiber growth using laser heating. The precursor laden environment includes a primary precursor material and an elemental precursor material.

Fiber with elemental additive(s) and method of making

Composite materials are provided which include a glass-ceramic matrix composition that is lightly crystallized, a fiber reinforcement within the glass-ceramic matrix composition which remains stable at temperatures greater than 1400&#xb0; C., and an interphase coating formed on the fiber reinforcement. A method of making a composite material is also provided, which includes applying heat and pressure to a shape including fiber reinforcements and glass particles. The heat and pressure lightly crystallize a matrix material formed by the heat and pressure on the glass particles, forming a thermally stable composite material.

High temperature glass-ceramic matrix with embedded reinforcement fibers

A fully dense ceramic and/or other inorganic fiber containing elongated crystal grains in and around the fiber center and oriented along the fiber axis, with a smooth transition to more equiaxed grains towards the radial periphery of the fiber, and method for producing such.

Radially graded fully dense inorganic filaments for enhanced strength and creep resistance

A multi-component or 'composite' inorganic fiber comprising a nano-scale contiguous collection of a plurality of packed unique phases of material randomly interspersed throughout the fiber body, without unwanted impurities, and a method for producing same. Said phases include three or more foundational chemical elements from the Periodic Table mixed together during fiber production, producing distinct material phases interspersed throughout the fiber volume.

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Saratoga Springs, NY, United States of America

Joseph Pegna