Claims
- 1. A method for fabricating a blade from a substrate, comprising the steps of:
executing a first etching step comprising etching said substrate to define a first cutting edge surface for a first blade; and executing a second etching step comprising etching said substrate to define a first score, wherein said first blade may be separated from said substrate at least substantially along said first score.
- 2. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
said substrate is ceramic.
- 3. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
said substrate is silicon.
- 4. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
said substrate is quartz.
- 5. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
said substrate is a single crystal material.
- 6. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
said first and second etching steps are simultaneously executed with a single etchant.
- 7. A method, as claimed in claim 6, wherein:
said single etchant is an anisotropic etchant.
- 8. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
said first and second etching steps are each a chemical etch.
- 9. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:
defining a first cutting edge for said first blade using said first etching step, wherein said first cutting edge is parallel with a length dimension of said first score.
- 10. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:
executing a third etching step comprising etching through said substrate to define a first portion of a perimeter of said first blade, and etching through said substrate to define a first blade support tab interconnecting said first blade with a remainder of said substrate, wherein said first score extends across at least a portion of said first blade support tab.
- 11. A method, as claimed in claim 10, wherein:
said first, second, and third etching steps are simultaneously executed with a single etchant.
- 12. A method, as claimed in claim 10, wherein:
said first score extends across only a portion of said first blade support tab.
- 13. A method, as claimed in claim 10, wherein:
said first score comprises first and second ends, wherein said first and second ends are spaced inwardly from first and second edges, respectively, of said first blade support tab.
- 14. A method, as claimed in claim 10, wherein:
said third etching step comprises etching through said substrate to define a pair of notches on a first perimeter wall of said first blade, wherein said first blade support tab extends between said pair of notches, and wherein said first score is located so that said pair of notches are disposed beyond said first score.
- 15. A method, as claimed in claim 10, wherein:
said second etching step comprises locating said first score at a minimum width location along said first blade support tab.
- 16. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
said second etching step comprises etching into said substrate a first amount that is within a range of about 2% to about 75% of a thickness of said substrate.
- 17. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
said second etching step comprises etching into said substrate a first amount that is within a range of about 2% to about 5% of a thickness of said substrate.
- 18. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
said second etching step comprises etching into said substrate a first amount that is within a range of about 10 microns to about 30 microns.
- 19. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
said second etching step comprises etching through only a portion of a thickness of said substrate.
- 20. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
said second etching step comprises etching said substrate to define first and second planar score surfaces that intersect along a first line.
- 21. A method, as claimed in claim 19, wherein:
said first line is aligned with a crystallographic plane of said substrate.
- 22. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
said second etching step comprises aligning said first score with a crystallographic plane of said substrate.
- 23. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
said first score comprises a first score surface that is parallel with said first cutting edge surface.
- 24. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
forming a first masking layer on said substrate; and transferring a blade mask onto said first masking layer, wherein each of said first and second etching steps are executed through openings in said first masking layer in accordance with said blade mask.
- 25. A method, as claimed in claim 24, wherein:
a first portion of said transferring step is selected from the group consisting of photomasking, masking, photolithography, and microphotolithography said first masking layer in accordance with said blade mask, and wherein a second portion of said transferring step is selected from the group consisting of wet chemical etching, plasma etching, reactive ion etching, and ion beam milling said first masking layer in accordance with said blade mask.
- 26. A method for fabricating a blade from a substrate, comprising the steps of:
executing a first etch comprising etching through a substrate to define a first perimeter portion of a first blade, wherein said first perimeter portion extends between first and second ends such that said first blade remains part of said substrate between said first and second ends; executing a second etch comprising etching through said substrate to define a first blade support tab, wherein a first free end of said first blade support tab merges into said first blade between said first and second ends; and executing a third etch comprising etching a first score across at least a portion of said first blade support tab.
- 27. A method, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
said substrate is ceramic.
- 28. A method, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
said substrate is silicon.
- 29. A method, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
said substrate is quartz.
- 30. A method, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
said substrate is a single crystal material.
- 31. A method, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
said first, second, and third etches are simultaneously executed with a single etchant.
- 32. A method, as claimed in claim 31, wherein:
said single etchant is an anisotropic etchant.
- 33. A method, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
said first, second, and third etches are each a chemical etch.
- 34. A method, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
said first etch comprises defining a first cutting edge for said first blade, wherein said first cutting edge is parallel with a length dimension of said first score.
- 35. A method, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
said first score extends across only a portion of said first blade support tab.
- 36. A method, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
said first score comprises first and second ends, wherein each of said first and second ends are spaced inwardly from first and second side edges of said first blade support tab.
- 37. A method, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
said first etch comprises etching through said substrate to define a pair of notches on a first perimeter wall of said first blade, wherein said first blade support tab extends between said pair of notches, and wherein said first score is located so that said pair of notches are disposed beyond said first score.
- 38. A method, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
said third etch comprises etching into said substrate a first amount that is within a range of about 2% to about 75% of a thickness of said substrate.
- 39. A method, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
said third etch comprises etching into said substrate a first amount that is within a range of about 2% to about 5% of a thickness of said substrate.
- 40. A method, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
said third etch comprises etching into said substrate a first amount that is within a range of about 10 microns to about 30 microns.
- 41. A method, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
said third etch comprises etching through only a portion of a thickness of said substrate.
- 42. A method, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
said third etch comprises etching said substrate to define first and second planar score surfaces that intersect along a first line.
- 43. A method, as claimed in claim 42, wherein:
said first line is aligned with a crystallographic plane of said substrate.
- 44. A method, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
said third etch comprises aligning said first score with a crystallographic plane of said substrate.
- 45. A method, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
said first score comprises a first score surface that is parallel with a first cutting edge surface of said first blade defined by said first etch.
- 46. A method, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:
said third etch comprises locating said first score at a minimum width location along said first blade support tab.
- 47. A method, as claimed in claim 26, further comprising the steps of:
forming a first masking layer on said substrate; and transferring a blade mask onto said first masking layer, wherein each of said first, second, and third etches are executed through openings in said first masking layer in accordance with said blade mask.
- 48. A method, as claimed in claim 47, wherein:
a first portion of said transferring step is selected from the group consisting of photomasking, masking, photolithography, and microphotolithography said first masking layer in accordance with said blade mask, and wherein, a second portion of said transferring step is selected from the group consisting of wet chemical etching, plasma etching, reactive ion etching, and ion beam milling said first masking layer in accordance with said blade mask.
- 49. A method for fabricating a blade from a substrate, comprising the steps of:
creating at least one opening that extends completely through said substrate, wherein said creating step comprises defining a first perimeter portion of a first blade, wherein said first perimeter portion extends between first and second ends such that said first blade remains part of said substrate between said first and second ends; and defining a first score having first and second ends, wherein each of said first and second ends are spaced from any said opening from said creating step.
- 50. A method, as claimed in claim 49, wherein:
said substrate is ceramic.
- 51. A method, as claimed in claim 49, wherein:
said substrate is silicon.
- 52. A method, as claimed in claim 49, wherein:
said substrate is quartz.
- 53. A method, as claimed in claim 49, wherein:
said substrate is a single crystal material.
- 54. A method, as claimed in claim 49, wherein:
said creating step comprises etching.
- 55. A method, as claimed in claim 54, wherein:
said etching step is an anisotropic etch.
- 56. A method, as claimed in claim 49, wherein:
said defining a first perimeter portion step comprises defining a first cutting edge, wherein said defining a first score step comprises disposing said first score in parallel relation with said first cutting edge.
- 57. A method, as claimed in claim 49, wherein:
said defining a first perimeter portion step comprises defining a planar first cutting edge surface, wherein said defining a first score step comprises defining a planar first score surface, wherein said first cutting edge surface and said first score surface are parallel.
- 58. A method, as claimed in claim 49, wherein:
said creating step further comprising defining a first blade support tab that interconnects said first blade with a remainder of said substrate, wherein said first score extends across at least a portion of said first blade support tab.
- 59. A method, as claimed in claim 58, wherein:
said first score extends across only a portion of said first blade support tab.
- 60. A method, as claimed in claim 58, wherein:
said first and second ends of said first score are spaced inwardly from first and second side edges, respectively, of said first blade support tab.
- 61. A method, as claimed in claim 58, wherein:
said defining a first perimeter portion step comprises defining a pair of notches on a first perimeter wall of said first blade, wherein said first blade support tab extends between said pair of notches, wherein said first score is located so that said pair of notches are disposed beyond said first score.
- 62. A method, as claimed in claim 58, wherein:
said defining a first score step comprises locating said first score at a minimum width location along said first blade support tab.
- 63. A method, as claimed in claim 49, wherein:
said defining a first score step comprises etching.
- 64. A method, as claimed in claim 49, wherein:
said defining a first score step comprises extending said first score to a depth within said substrate that is within a range of about 2% to about 75% of a thickness of said substrate.
- 65. A method, as claimed in claim 49, wherein:
said defining a first score step comprises extending said first score to a depth within said substrate that is within a range of about 2% to about 5% of a thickness of said substrate.
- 66. A method, as claimed in claim 49, wherein:
said defining a first score step comprises extending said first score to a depth within said substrate that is within a range of about 10 microns to about 30 microns.
- 67. A method, as claimed in claim 49, wherein:
said defining a first score step comprises extending said first score through only a portion of a thickness of said substrate.
- 68. A method, as claimed in claim 49, wherein:
said defining a first score step comprises defining first and second planar score surfaces that intersect along a first line.
- 69. A method, as claimed in claim 68, wherein:
said first line is aligned with a crystallographic plane of said substrate.
- 70. A method, as claimed in claim 49, wherein:
said defining a first score step comprises aligning said first score with a crystallographic plane of said substrate.
- 71. A method, as claimed in claim 49, wherein:
said creating step and said defining a first score step each comprise etching said substrate.
- 72. A method, as claimed in claim 71, further comprising the steps of:
forming a first masking layer on said substrate; and transferring a blade mask onto said first masking layer, wherein said etching step is executed through openings in said first masking layer in accordance with said blade mask.
- 73. A method, as claimed in claim 72, wherein:
a first portion of said transferring step is selected from the group consisting of photomasking, masking, photolithography, and microphotolithography said first masking layer in accordance with said blade mask, and wherein a second portion of said transferring step is selected from the group consisting of wet chemical etching, plasma etching, reactive ion etching, and ion beam milling said first masking layer in accordance with said blade mask.
- 74. A method for fabricating a blade from a substrate, comprising the steps of:
creating at least one opening that extends completely through said substrate, wherein said creating step comprises defining a first perimeter portion of a first blade, wherein said first perimeter portion extends between first and second ends such that said first blade remains part of said substrate between said first and second ends; and defining a first score on said substrate that is associated with said first blade, wherein said defining a first score step comprises using a same technique as said creating step, and wherein said first blade may be separated from a remainder of said substrate using said first score.
- 75. A method for fabricating a blade from a substrate, comprising the steps of:
creating at least one opening that extends completely through said substrate, wherein said creating step comprises defining a first perimeter portion of a first blade, wherein said first perimeter portion extends between first and second ends such that said first blade remains part of said substrate between said first and second ends; and defining a first score on said substrate that is associated with said first blade, wherein said defining a first score step is executed during said creating step, and wherein said first blade may be separated from a remainder of said substrate using said first score.
- 76. A method for fabricating a blade from a substrate, comprising the steps of:
creating at least one opening that extends completely through said substrate, wherein said creating step comprises defining a first perimeter portion of a first blade, wherein said first perimeter portion extends between first and second ends such that said first blade remains part of said substrate between said first and second ends, wherein said first perimeter portion comprises a first cutting edge and an oppositely disposed rear end; and defining a first score on said substrate that is associated with said first blade, wherein said first score is located between a rearwardmost portion of said rear end and said first cutting edge, and wherein said first blade may be separated from a remainder of said substrate using said first score.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application is a continuation of, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/390,484, that is entitled “ALIGNMENT OF MICROKERATOME BLADE TO BLADE HANDLE,” and that was filed on Mar. 17, 2003; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/390,357, that is entitled “MOUNTING A BLADE HANDLE ON A MICROKERATOME BLADE”, and that was filed on Mar. 17, 2003; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/390,353, that is entitled “SEPARATING A MICROKERATOME BLADE FROM A WAFER”, and that was filed on Mar. 17, 2003; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/390,488, that is entitled “MULTI-FIXTURE ASSEMBLY OF CUTTING TOOLS”, and that was filed on Mar. 17, 2003. The entire disclosure of each of the above-noted patent applications is incorporated by reference in their entirety herein.
Continuations (4)
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