Systems, devices, and methods for large area micro mechanical systems

• US 8,049,193 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mikro Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Klinger, Jill E., Randolph, William T., Appleby, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanore; David A
• Application Number:
  US12/644,364
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 250/505.1, 264/219, 264/318, 249/83, 249/119, 378/147, 378/149, 378/155
• US Class Current: 250/505.1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/302 Assembling a large number of mould elements to constitute one cavity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/3842 Manufacturing moulds, e.g. shaping the mould surface by machining
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/42 characterised by the shape of the moulding surface, e.g. ribs or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/34 for undercut articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2083/00 Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 1/02 using diaphragms, collimators
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 1/025 using multiple collimators, e.g. Bucky screens; other devices for eliminating undesired or dispersed radiation

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a first isogrid defining a first plurality of zones, each zone from said first plurality of zones comprising a plurality of ligaments, each zone from said first plurality of zones defining a plurality of spaces, each space bounded by a first sub-plurality of ligaments from said plurality of ligaments, each of said ligaments comprising a plurality of ligament surfaces.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a first silicone part derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said first silicone part defining a plurality of surfaces that define a periphery of a layerless volume of said first silicone part, a surface from said plurality of surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features, said surface substantially spatially invertedly replicating a stack lamination mold surface formed by a stacked plurality of metallic foil layers comprised by said metallic foil stack lamination mold, wherein at least one micro-feature of said plurality of micro-features is a first electrically conductive micro-feature.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said plurality of micro-features is a protruding undercut.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first silicone part comprises a feature having an aspect ratio greater than 10;

1.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of micro-features are arrayed redundantly.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of micro-features are arrayed non-redundantly.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an application specific integrated circuit.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an application specific integrated circuit, wherein said first electrically conductive micro-feature is coupled to said application specific integrated circuit.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an application specific integrated circuit, wherein said first electrically conductive micro-feature conductively connects said application specific integrated circuit with another of said plurality of micro-features.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said micro-features is a detector, said first electrically conductive micro-feature is conductively connected to said detector, and said first electrically conductive micro-feature is adapted to carry an electrical signal from said detector.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said micro-features is a flexible detector, said first electrically conductive micro-feature is conductively connected to said detector, and said first electrically conductive micro-feature is adapted to carry an electrical signal from said detector.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said micro-features is a photoelectrically responsive material, said first electrically conductive micro-feature is conductively connected to said detector, and said first electrically conductive micro-feature is adapted to carry an electrical signal from said detector.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrically conductive micro-feature is comprised of a metal.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrically conductive micro-feature is comprised of a metal alloy.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrically conductive micro-feature is a wire.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrically conductive micro-feature is a strip.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrically conductive micro-feature is a coil.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrically conductive micro-feature is an electrode.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrically conductive micro-feature is a fuse.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrically conductive micro-feature is an antenna.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrically conductive micro-feature is a metallic epoxy.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrically conductive micro-feature is a microwell.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrically conductive micro-feature is a switch.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrically conductive micro-feature is a resistor.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrically conductive micro-feature is a capacitor.

25. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrically conductive micro-feature is an inductor.

26. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrically conductive micro-feature comprises an electromagnetic shield.

27. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrically conductive micro-feature is comprised in an accelerometer.

28. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrically conductive micro-feature is comprised in a communications network.

29. The device of claim 1, wherein:

another of said plurality of micro-features is a second electrically conductive micro-feature.

30. The device of claim 1, wherein:

another of said plurality of micro-features is a second electrically conductive micro-feature and is conductively connected to said first electrically conductive micro-feature.

31. The device of claim 1, wherein:

another of said plurality of micro-features is a second electrically conductive micro-feature and is separated from said first electrically conductive micro-feature by a dielectric.

32. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second silicone part attached to said first silicone part, wherein said second silicone part comprises a second electrically conductive micro-feature.

33. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second silicone part attached to said first silicone part, wherein said second silicone part comprises a second electrically conductive micro-feature, and said first electrically conductive micro-feature is coupled to said second electrically conductive micro-feature.

34. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first silicone part is formed from a material adapted to be bio-compatible with an organism.

35. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first silicone part is formed from a material adapted to be implantable in an organism.

36. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first silicone part is adapted to serve as a bio-sensor.

37. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first silicone part is adapted to serve as a bio-filter.

38. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first silicone part is adapted to serve as a pump.

39. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first silicone part is adapted to serve as a tissue scaffolding.

40. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first silicone part is adapted to serve as a cell sorting membrane.

41. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first silicone part defines a heating channel.

42. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first silicone part defines a cooling channel.

43. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrically conductive micro-feature is adapted to serve as an actuator.

44. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said first silicone part is flexible.

45. A method comprising:

filling with silicone a mold formed from a stacked plurality of lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic layers to form a part having a feature said part comprising a surface that substantially spatially invertedly replicates a mold surface formed by said stacked plurality of lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic layers, said silicone part defining a plurality of surfaces that define a periphery of a layerless volume of said first silicone part, a surface from said plurality of surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features, wherein at least one micro-feature of said plurality of micro-features is an electrically conductive micro-feature.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

demolding said part from said mold such that said part is not substantially damaged.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein:

said stacked plurality of lithographically-derived micro-machined layers defines a protruding undercut.

48. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

applying a conductive material to said part to form said electrically conductive micro-feature.

49. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

applying a conductive material in multiple stages to said part to form said electrically conductive micro-feature.

50. A device comprising:

a first silicone part derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said first silicone part defining a plurality of surfaces that define a periphery of a layerless volume of said first silicone part, a surface from said plurality of surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features, said surface substantially spatially invertedly replicating a stack lamination mold surface formed by a stacked plurality of metallic foil layers comprised by said metallic foil stack lamination mold, wherein a subset of said plurality of micro-features are a plurality of electrically conductive micro-features, said plurality of electrically conductive micro-features are composed of a metal or metal alloy;

an application specific integrated circuit; and

a detector;

wherein at least one of said plurality of electrically conductive micro-features is coupled to said application specific integrated circuit and to said detector and is adapted to carry electrical signals between said application specific integrated circuit and said detector.

51. A device comprising:

a first silicone part derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said first silicone part defining a plurality of surfaces that define a periphery of a layerless volume of said first silicone part, a surface from said plurality of surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features, said surface substantially spatially invertedly replicating a stack lamination mold surface formed by a stacked plurality of metallic foil layers comprised by said metallic foil stack lamination mold, wherein a subset of said plurality of micro-features are a plurality of electrically conductive micro-features, said plurality of electrically conductive micro-features are composed of a metal or metal alloy, a first subset of said plurality of electrically conductive micro-features are microwells, a second subset of said plurality of electrically conductive micro-features are coupled to said first subset and adapted to carry electrical signals from said microwells, said microwells are arranged in an array.

52. A device comprising:

a first silicone part derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said first silicone part defining a plurality of surfaces that define a periphery of a layerless volume of said first silicone part, a surface from said plurality of surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features, said surface substantially spatially invertedly replicating a stack lamination mold surface formed by a stacked plurality of metallic foil layers comprised by said metallic foil stack lamination mold, wherein a subset of said plurality of micro-features are a plurality of electrically conductive micro-features, at least one of said plurality of micro-features is a pressure sensor, at least one of said plurality of electrically conductive micro-features is coupled to said pressure sensor and adapted to carry electrical signals from said pressure sensor.