Laser Preconditioning of Diamond-Like Coatings for Precise Shaping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Advanced materials used in manufacturing process chambers are difficult to shape or manipulate due to their hardness and wear resistance, leading to inefficient processing and potential misuse of the chambers, resulting in downtime and high costs.

Innovation Solution

The use of a surface modification assembly, such as a laser, to apply a process that ablates or modifies defined portions of the surface of a substrate, allowing for precise shaping and removal of material without affecting the remaining surface characteristics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If advanced materials are used for their wear resistance and hardness, then the material durability is improved, but the ease of shaping and manipulation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidease of shaping

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by using laser irradiation to pre-condition the advanced material surface before mechanical shaping. The laser treatment modifies the material structure in advance, making it easier to machine and shape while preserving the bulk material's wear resistance and hardness properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces direct mechanical shaping of hard advanced materials with a hybrid approach: laser irradiation first softens or modifies the material surface, then conventional mechanical tools can easily shape it. This substitutes part of the mechanical shaping process with optical energy treatment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If conventional processing methods are used to shape advanced materials, then the manufacturing precision can be achieved, but the processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedimensional precisionVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Laser irradiation is applied as a preliminary step to prepare the advanced material for machining. This pre-treatment reduces the time required for subsequent mechanical processing while maintaining dimensional precision, as the laser-modified material is easier to machine to exact specifications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state or properties of the advanced material through laser irradiation (e.g., heating, phase change, or structural modification). This parameter change makes the material more responsive to mechanical shaping tools, enabling faster processing without sacrificing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Strength

If advanced materials are coated on workpieces, then the wear resistance and strength are improved, but the difficulty of shaping the coated surface increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovestrengthVSAvoidease of shaping

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies laser irradiation to the coated advanced material surface before mechanical shaping. This preliminary treatment modifies the coating or interface between coating and substrate, making it easier to machine the coated surface while preserving the coating's protective properties and the substrate's strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The laser treatment is applied locally to specific areas of the coated workpiece that require shaping. This localized pre-conditioning allows mechanical tools to easily shape only the necessary portions without affecting the overall integrity, strength, or wear resistance of the coated material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method enables efficient shaping and modification of advanced materials like diamond-like-coatings, reducing processing time and costs, while maintaining the material's original properties, thus optimizing the use of manufacturing process chambers.

Implementation Method 1

The absorption of the photons causes a photolytic degradation of the structure such that the defined portion is ablated or modified such that it can be mechanically removed

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotolytic degradation: Photodissociation

Implementation Method 2

the defined portion is ablated or modified such that it can be mechanically removed

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser ablation: Laser Ablation

Implementation Method 3

the photons from the laser are absorbed by the substrate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhoton absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentUS20250196266A1Apparatuses and methods for preconditioning advanced materials

Publication Date: 2025.06.19 TECHNETICS GRP LLC

AI summary

An apparatus, system, and method to modify the surface of a workpiece having an advanced material coating is provided. The advanced material coating is a diamond-like coating such as, for example, an amorphous carbon coating material. The technology provided includes a surface modification assembly that provides a photonic radiation source, such as a laser, that is tuned to the advance material such that the energy from the laser is absorbed by the surface to modify the bonds in the coating allowing a defined portion of the coating to be photodegraded and removed.