Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Prashant Patil

Neil Adam Gershenfeld

Robert G Griffin

William Kai Langford

Salima Bahri

Camron Blackburn

Daniel Banks

Zachary Fredin

A laser micro-machining process called laser-assisted material phase-change and expulsion (LAMPE) micromachining that includes cutting features in a cutting surface of a piece of material using a pulsed laser with intensity, pulse width and pulse rate set to melt and eject liquid material without vaporizing said material, or, in the case of silicon, create an ejectible silicon oxide. Burrs are removed from the cutting surface by electro-polishing the cutting surface with a dilute acid solution using an electric potential higher than a normal electro-polishing electric potential. A multi-lamina assembly of laser-micro-machined laminates (MALL) may utilize MEMS. In the MALL process, first, the individual layers of a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) are fabricated using the LAMPE micro-machining process. Next, the fabricated microstructure laminates are stack assembled and bonded to fabricate MEM systems. The MALL MEMS fabrication process enables greater material section and integration, greater design flexibility, low-cost manufacturing, rapid development, and integrated packaging.

Laser-assisted material phase-change and expulsion micro-machining process

A method for fabricating MAS NMR rotors and drive caps made of diamond to increase the maximum achievable spinning frequency and enhance MAS NMR sensitivity and resolution. Diamond is an excellent choice for making MAS NMR rotors due to its high tensile and flexural strength, however, micromachining diamond is difficult due to its hardness. Although laser cutting is often employed to cut diamond sheets, this process cannot be used to create the high aspect ratio and small features required for MAS NMR rotors. In the present invention, a laser micromachining process is used to create the desired high aspect ratio while maintaining the small lateral features. In this process, the laser is used to first convert the diamond into graphite followed by a conversion to carbon dioxide in the presence of oxygen. To create a rotor, a rectangular log has a center hole drilled by the laser, and is then micromachined into a hollow cylinder.

Diamond rotors for MAS-NMR

A micro-electromechanical (MEM) relay and its fabrication process. The MEM relay includes a movable actuator electrode anchored to a substrate with two cantilever beams. Below the actuator electrode, there are three fixed electrodes. These three electrodes are the gate, the input, and the output contacts. The square base of the actuator electrode, and the square gate electrode below it, form an electrostatic parallel-plate actuator. When a voltage is applied between the actuator electrode and the gate electrode, the actuator electrode is pulled-down due to electrostatic attraction closing the relay. When the voltage is removed, the cantilever beams act as springs opening the relay.

Micro-electromechanical (MEM) power relay

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Prashant Patil