Methods of fabricating complex blade geometries from silicon wafers and strengthening blade geometries
First Claim
1. A method for manufacturing a cutting device from a wafer of crystalline material, comprising:
- forming a trench in the wafer of crystalline material on a first side of a crystalline material, the trench comprising at least one blade profile of a blade; and
isotropically etching at least the first side of the crystalline material to form at least one cutting edge comprising at least a portion of the at least one blade profile.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Ophthalmic surgical blades are manufactured from either a single crystal or poly-crystalline material, preferably in the form of a wafer. The method comprises preparing the single crystal or poly-crystalline wafers by mounting them and etching trenches into the wafers using one of several processes. Methods for machining the trenches, which form the bevel blade surfaces, include a diamond blade saw, laser system, ultrasonic machine, a hot forge press and a router. Other processes include wet etching (isotropic and anisotropic) and dry etching (isotropic and anisotropic, including reactive ion etching), and combinations of these etching steps. The wafers are then placed in an etchant solution which isotropically etches the wafers in a uniform manner, such that layers of crystalline or poly-crystalline material are removed uniformly, producing single, double or multiple bevel blades. Nearly any angle can be machined into the wafer, and the machined angle remains after etching. The resulting radii of the blade edges is 5-500 nm, which is the same caliber as a diamond edged blade, but manufactured at a fraction of the cost. A range of radii may be 30 to 60 nm, with a specific implementation being about 40 nm. The blade profile may have an angle of, for example, about 60°. The ophthalmic surgical blades can be used for cataract and refractive surgical procedures, as well as microsurgical, biological and non-medical, non-biological purposes. Surgical and non-surgical blades and mechanical devices manufactured as described herein can also exhibit substantially smoother surfaces than metal blades.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for manufacturing a cutting device from a wafer of crystalline material, comprising:
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forming a trench in the wafer of crystalline material on a first side of a crystalline material, the trench comprising at least one blade profile of a blade; and isotropically etching at least the first side of the crystalline material to form at least one cutting edge comprising at least a portion of the at least one blade profile. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for manufacturing a cutting device from a crystalline material, the method comprising:
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making at least one blade profile in a wafer of a first material; and isotropically etching the wafer to form at least one blade comprising the at least one blade profile; wherein the making of the at least one blade profile comprises; forming a photoresist layer on the first side of the crystalline material; patterning the photoresist layer, whereby at least a portion of the photoresist layer is removed from at least a first portion of the first side of the crystalline material; partially etching the first portion of the first side of the crystalline material to form the at least one blade profile; and removing the photo-resist layer before the isotropically etching of the wafer. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification