Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha

Makoto Ishizuka

Ming Li

Xinbing Liu

Daniel Hogan

Kazuaki Ohkubo

Mitsuhiko Kimoto

Koji Nakamura

Tsunehiko Sugawara

Chen-Hsiung Cheng

Otojiro Kida

Shunichi Igeta

A method for manufacturing a microstructure, which includes at least one fine feature on an existing feature, using an NSOM laser micromachining system. A microstructure device preform is provided. A portion of its top surface is profiled with the NSOM to produce a topographical image. This profiled portion is selected to include the existing feature. An image coordinate system is defined for the profiled portion of top surface based on the topographical image. Coordinates of a reference point and the orientation of the existing feature in the image coordinate system are determined using the topographical image. The probe tip of the NSOM is aligned over a portion of the existing feature using the determined coordinates of the reference point and the orientation of the existing feature. The top surface of the microstructure device preform is machined with the micro-machining laser to form the fine feature(s) on the existing feature.

Method for modifying existing micro-and nano-structures using a near-field scanning optical microscope

A microcavity forming device is provided for making microcavities in a tungsten wire. The microcavity forming device includes a source of particles; a housing for receiving a heated tungsten wire; and a plurality of jet nozzles disposed in the housing for spraying the particles toward the heated tungsten wire. The particles are 0.35&#x2013;0.75 micron in diameter. The heated tungsten wire is received in the housing and the jet nozzles spray the particles toward the tungsten wire to form the microcavities in the tungsten wire.

Method and apparatus for forming discrete microcavities in a filament wire using microparticles

The invention is an apparatus and a method for drilling holes in a work piece with a laser. A laser beam is received by the optical system and directed along an optical path. The system directs the laser beam through a moveable mask aperture creating a sub-beam, that is reduced in size by a lens system as it is imaged onto a work piece. Multiple features are formed in the work piece by moving the mask.

Method of drilling holes with precision laser micromachining

A photonic crystal comprising a waveguide made of material. The waveguide has a periodic set of holes. The material proximate to at least one of the holes in the periodic set of holes exhibits an index of refraction that has been modified by the application of laser energy relative to the material proximate to other holes in the periodic set of holes.

Method of adjusting the index of refraction of photonic crystals with laser micromachining to tune transmissions within the bandgap and structure

A photonic crystal comprising a waveguide made of material. The waveguide has a periodic set of holes. The material proximate to at least one of the holes in the periodic set of holes exhibits an index of refraction that has been modified by the application of laser energy relative to the material proximate to other holes in the periodic set of holes. The photonic crystal is tuned to temporarily transmit a specific wavelength of light to create an on-off switch for the specific wavelength. Multiple photonic crystals are used to form a multiplexer and a demultiplexer.

Adjustable photonic crystal and method of adjusting the index of refraction of photonic crystals to reversibly tune transmissions within the bandgap

A microchannel forming device is provided for making microchannels in a wire. The microchannel forming device includes a plurality of dice for receiving a heated wire spaced along a longitudinal axis. Each die has a circumferential surface forming an opening, and teeth projecting normally from the surface and terminating in the opening. As the heated wire is drawn through the opening of each die, the teeth engage the heated wire to form longitudinal microchannels therein.

Method and apparatus for forming microchannels in a filament wire

A tuned optical resonator having a substrate and an input waveguide and an optical resonator waveguide formed on the substrate. The optical resonator waveguide has a resonant frequency, exhibits a first index of refraction, temporarily exhibits a second index of refraction responsive to application of laser energy, and temporarily resonates at the resonant frequency while the laser energy is being applied.

Method of temporarily adjusting the index of refraction of ring resonator with precision laser micromachining

A flat cathode-ray tube in which a ceramics film or a glass film is formed by thermal spray on the coupled surface of a metal case. This assembly and a glass screen are coupled through crystallized frit glass or by glass fusion. The coupling between the metal case and the glass screen has a coupling strength sufficient to resist the vacuum stress. The metal case, which is not exposed for a long time to high temperatures during thermal spraying, can be made of a metal for realizing a lightweight without any thermal deformation or dimensional variations, thereby attaining satisfactory mechanical properties.

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Makoto Ishizuka