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Csem Centre Suisse D'electronique Et De Microtechnique Sa - Recherche Et Développement

Sylvain Jeanneret

Frédéric Maier

Stéphane Von Gunten

Simon Henein

Jean-Luc Bucaille

François Barrot

Jean-Pierre Musy

Francis Cardot

Julien Perret

James Hide

Michel Belot

Rémy Fournier

Andreas Kuoni

Johan Kruis

Laurent Giriens

Remy Fournier

Dominique Solignac

Séverine Domange

Laurent Guillot

Disclosed is a method including the following steps: a) providing a substrate including a first silicon layer, a second silicon layer and an intermediate silicon oxide layer therebetween; b) etching the first silicon layer in order to form the timepiece components therein; c) releasing from the substrate a wafer formed by at least all or part of the etched, first silicon layer and including the timepiece components; d) thermally oxidizing and then deoxidizing the timepiece components; e) forming by thermal oxidation or deposition a silicon oxide layer on the timepiece components; f) detaching the timepiece components from the wafer.

Method for manufacturing silicon timepiece components

The micromechanical clockwork part is cut from a plate-like silicon substrate. The cut edges of the part include portions intended to serve as contact surfaces arranged to slide against corresponding contact zones of another micromechanical part in a clockwork piece. The cut edges have a ribbed surface including an alternating set of ribs and furrows, the ribs and the furrows being straight and each contained in a plane parallel to the plate. Moreover, the ribs and furrows which the cut edges have form a stepped pattern on the cut edge, with first intervals in which the spacing separating the ribs from one another is equal to a first distance, and at least one second interval in which the spacing between the ribs is equal to a second distance different from the first distance.

Micro-mechanical timepiece part

A method for producing a timepiece spring includes the following steps: producing a piece based on silicon, having the desired shape of the timepiece spring; thermally oxidising the piece; deoxidising the piece; annealing the piece in a reducing atmosphere; forming a silicon oxide layer on the piece.

Method for producing a silicon-based timepiece spring

The method for manufacturing timepiece hairsprings according to the invention comprises the following successive steps: a) forming hairsprings in a wafer, b) forming a thermal compensation layer on the hairsprings, c) identifying the hairsprings having a stiffness within a predetermined range, d) optionally, detaching from the wafer the hairsprings identified in step c), e) modifying the other hairsprings so that the stiffness of at least some of them is within the predetermined range, f) detaching from the wafer these other hairsprings and, if they have not been detached in step d), the hairsprings identified in step c). This method makes it possible to reduce manufacturing dispersions between the hairsprings.

Method for manufacturing timepiece thermocompensated hairsprings of precise stiffness

A method for fabricating a micromechanical part from a substrate in which the part is fabricated by providing a plurality of fasteners between the part and the substrate, the fasteners being sacrificial, characterized in that the fasteners include at least one hinge at the end of each fastener located beside the part, and in that the method includes a step of breaking the sacrificial fasteners. The micromechanical parts employing this type of sacrificial fastener are also described.

Method for freeing a micromechanical part and a micromechanical part comprising sacrificial fasteners

A method of manufacturing a timepiece component, such as a balance, an oscillating mass or a wheel, comprises a micro-manufacturing technique, such as the DRIE technique. The method may comprise forming at least one member in or at the periphery of the structure, of a material different from that of the structure. This member is typically metal and is formed by electro-forming using a cavity of the structure as a mold.

Method for making a timepiece component

A timepiece component, such as a balance, an oscillating mass or a wheel, having a structure made according to a micro-manufacturing technique, such as the DRIE technique. The component has at least one member formed in or at the periphery of the structure and made of a material different from that of the structure. This member is typically metal and is formed by electro-forming using a cavity of the structure as a mold.

Timepiece component and method for making same

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Colombier, Switzerland

Sylvain Jeanneret