The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 11, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 13, 2002
Munir D. Naeem, Poughkeesie, NY (US);
Lawrence A. Clevenger, Lagrangeville, NY (US);
Internation Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A method of forming extruded structures from a polycrystalline material and structures formed thereby. The method generally entails forming a structure that comprises a polycrystalline material constrained by a second material in all but one direction, with the polycrystalline material having a patterned surface that is normal to the one direction. The polycrystalline material is then selectively heated, during which the second material restricts thermal expansion of the polycrystalline material in all but the one direction normal to the surface of the polycrystalline material. As a result, stresses are induced in the polycrystalline material that cause grain growth from the surface of the polycrystalline material in the one direction. The growth of an individual grain produces an extruded structure that projects above the surface of the polycrystalline material. When appropriately configured, nano-scale structures formed in accordance with this invention can be an operative component of a wide variety of devices, including digital recording media.