U.S. patent application number 16/101775 was filed with the patent office on 2018-12-20 for nozzle and method of making same.
The applicant listed for this patent is 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY. Invention is credited to Barry S. Carpenter, Robert J. DeVoe, James C. Novack, Ryan C. Shirk.
Application Number | 20180363613 16/101775 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45757772 |
Filed Date | 2018-12-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180363613 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Carpenter; Barry S. ; et
al. |
December 20, 2018 |
NOZZLE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME
Abstract
Nozzle and a method of making the same are disclosed. The method
includes forming a material into a nozzle forming microstructured
pattern comprising a plurality of nozzle hole forming features and
planar control cavity forming features; forming at least one
different material into a nozzle pre-form using the nozzle forming
microstructured pattern, with the nozzle pre-form comprising a
plurality of nozzle pre-form holes and sacrificial planar control
cavities; and forming a nozzle from the nozzle pre-form, said
forming the nozzle comprising removing enough of the at least one
different material to remove the sacrificial planar control
cavities so as to form a top surface of the nozzle pre-form into a
top surface of the nozzle, and to form each of the nozzle pre-form
holes into a nozzle through hole.
Inventors: |
Carpenter; Barry S.;
(Oakdale, MN) ; Shirk; Ryan C.; (Mendota Heights,
MN) ; DeVoe; Robert J.; (Minnetonka, MN) ;
Novack; James C.; (Hudson, WI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY |
St. Paul |
MN |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
45757772 |
Appl. No.: |
16/101775 |
Filed: |
August 13, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13982866 |
Jul 31, 2013 |
10054094 |
|
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PCT/US12/23624 |
Feb 2, 2012 |
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16101775 |
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61438848 |
Feb 2, 2011 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F02M 2200/8046 20130101;
F02M 61/1853 20130101; Y10T 428/24273 20150115; F02M 61/1833
20130101; Y10T 29/4998 20150115; F02M 2200/8069 20130101; F02M
43/04 20130101; F02M 61/168 20130101; C25D 1/10 20130101; Y10T
29/49405 20150115; B29C 33/424 20130101; F02M 61/1846 20130101;
F02M 61/184 20130101; F02M 2200/9092 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F02M 61/16 20060101
F02M061/16; F02M 43/04 20060101 F02M043/04; C25D 1/10 20060101
C25D001/10; B29C 33/42 20060101 B29C033/42; F02M 61/18 20060101
F02M061/18 |
Claims
1. A method of making a nozzle, said method comprising: forming a
material into a nozzle forming microstructured pattern comprising a
plurality of nozzle hole forming features and planar control cavity
forming features; forming at least one different material into a
nozzle pre-form using the nozzle forming microstructured pattern,
with the nozzle pre-form comprising a plurality of nozzle pre-form
holes formed from the nozzle hole forming features and sacrificial
planar control cavities formed from the planar control cavity
forming features; and forming a nozzle from the nozzle pre-form,
said forming the nozzle comprising removing enough of the at least
one different material to remove the sacrificial planar control
cavities so as to form a top surface of the nozzle pre-form into a
top surface of the nozzle, and to form each of the nozzle pre-form
holes into a nozzle through hole, wherein the removal of the
sacrificial planar control cavities allows the nozzle through holes
to be opened in a desired manner.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of forming at
least one different material comprises forming a plurality of
different materials into the nozzle pre-form by depositing each
different material as a different portion onto the nozzle forming
microstructured pattern so that the resulting nozzle pre-form
comprises multiple portions, with each portion being a different
material.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein either (a) none of the
multiple portions is in the form of a thin electrically conductive
seed layer, (b) the multiple portions are at least three portions,
or (c) both (a) and (b).
4. The method according to claim 2, wherein one of the multiple
portions forms an inlet side surface of the nozzle that is
dissolvable into a fuel so as to be delivered with the fuel through
the nozzle and into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion
engine, with the portion forming the inlet side surface being a
material selected from the group of materials consisting of a
combustion catalyst, a corrosion inhibitor, a combustion byproduct
deposit inhibitor, a ceramic, a metal alloy, a material that lowers
frictional forces at the interface between the fuel and the inner
surface of the nozzle, a material that facilitates air to fuel
mixing, a material that facilitates a desired heat transfer between
a fuel injector that comprises the nozzle and the outside of the
nozzle exposed to the combustion chamber of an internal combustion
engine, or any combination of these materials.
5. The method according to claim 3, wherein one of the multiple
portions forms an inlet side surface of the nozzle that is
dissolvable into a fuel so as to be delivered with the fuel through
the nozzle and into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion
engine, with the portion forming the inlet side surface being a
material selected from the group of materials consisting of a
combustion catalyst, a corrosion inhibitor, a combustion byproduct
deposit inhibitor, a ceramic, a metal alloy, a material that lowers
frictional forces at the interface between the fuel and the inner
surface of the nozzle, a material that facilitates air to fuel
mixing, a material that facilitates a desired heat transfer between
a fuel injector that comprises the nozzle and the outside of the
nozzle exposed to the combustion chamber of an internal combustion
engine, or any combination of these materials.
6. The method according to claim 2, wherein one of the multiple
portions forms an inlet side surface of the nozzle, one of the
multiple portions forms an outlet side surface of the nozzle, and
one of the multiple portions forms an intermediate portion of the
nozzle between the inlet side surface and the outlet side surface,
with the material of the inlet side surface being compatible with
the fuel passing through the nozzle, the material of the outlet
side surface being suitable for the environment inside of a
combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, and the
material of the intermediate portion not being suitable for use as
the inlet side surface or outlet side surface, but the material of
the intermediate portion has another desirable property selected
from being relatively inexpensive, having desirable thermal
characteristics, having vibrational characteristics, having
acoustic characteristics, or any combination of these
properties.
7. The method according to claim 4, wherein with the portion
forming the inlet side surface is a combustion catalyst material
that is relatively porous, compared to the other portions, so as to
significantly increase the interface surface area between the
combustion catalyst material and the fuel passing through the
nozzle.
8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: providing a
microstructured mold pattern defining at least a portion of a mold
and comprising a plurality of replica nozzle holes and replica
planar control cavities, wherein said forming comprises molding the
first material into a nozzle forming microstructured pattern using
the microstructured mold pattern, with the plurality of nozzle hole
forming features being molded from the replica nozzle holes, and
the planar control cavity forming features being molded from the
replica planar control cavities.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the microstructured
mold pattern comprises at least one fluid channel feature
connecting at least one replica nozzle hole to (a) at least one
other replica nozzle hole, (b) a portion of the mold beyond the
outer periphery of the microstructured mold pattern, or (c) both
(a) and (b).
10. The method according to claim 8, wherein each replica nozzle
hole and its connected replica planar control cavity are configured
such that upon removal of the corresponding sacrificial planar
control cavity, to form the planar top surface of the nozzle, the
nozzle through holes are configured to form at least one fuel plume
shape-control feature.
11. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one nozzle
hole forming feature has an exterior surface that comprises at
least one fluid flow affecting feature and forms a featured nozzle
through-hole, the fluid flow affecting feature is transferred to
the interior surface of the featured nozzle through-hole, and the
fluid flow affecting feature induces cavitations or turbulence in
the flow of a fluid passing through the featured nozzle
through-hole so as to reduce the size of droplets formed by the
fluid exiting the outlet opening of the featured nozzle
through-hole.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the nozzle is a fuel
injector nozzle, the fluid is a fluid fuel, and the cavitations or
turbulence induced by the fluid flow affecting feature also
improves the mixing of the fuel with air, when the fuel exit the
outlet opening of the featured nozzle through-hole and enters a
combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine.
13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the fluid flow
affecting feature comprises at least one or any combination of a
bump, continuous annular ridge, spaced apart discontinuous ridge,
and riblet.
14. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one nozzle
hole forming feature comprises a curved side configured to include
a converging and diverging fluid flow feature that forms a featured
nozzle through-hole, and the fluid flow feature causes fluid
flowing through the featured nozzle through-hole to converge and
then diverge at least one time before exiting through its outlet
opening.
15. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one nozzle
hole forming feature comprises a curved side configured to include
multiple converging and diverging fluid flow features that forms a
featured nozzle through-hole, and the fluid flow features cause
fluid flowing through the featured nozzle through-hole to converge
and then diverge multiple times before exiting through its outlet
opening.
16. The method according to claim 1, wherein each nozzle hole
forming feature has a different configuration such that fluid
flowing through the nozzle through-holes exit the outlet openings
so as to form a non-symmetrical fluid plume.
17. A method of making a nozzle, said method comprising: forming a
first material into a nozzle forming microstructured pattern
comprising a plurality of nozzle hole forming features; forming a
different material into a nozzle pre-form using the nozzle forming
microstructured pattern, with the nozzle pre-form comprising a
plurality of nozzle pre-form holes formed from the nozzle hole
forming features; and forming a nozzle from the nozzle pre-form,
with said forming the nozzle comprising removing enough of the
different material to open an outlet opening in each of the nozzle
pre-form holes so as to form each of the nozzle pre-form holes into
a nozzle through hole, wherein either (a) the different material
comprises a plurality of different materials, the nozzle pre-form
is formed by depositing each of the different materials as a
separate portion onto the nozzle forming microstructured pattern so
that the resulting nozzle pre-form comprises multiple portions,
with each portion being a different material, and forming the
nozzle comprises removing enough of at least one of the different
materials to open an outlet opening in each of the nozzle pre-form
holes so as to form each of the nozzle pre-form holes into a nozzle
through hole, (b) at least one nozzle hole forming feature has an
exterior surface that comprises at least one fluid flow affecting
feature and forms a featured nozzle through-hole, the fluid flow
affecting feature is transferred to the interior surface of the
featured nozzle through-hole, and the fluid flow affecting feature
induces cavitations or turbulence in the flow of a fluid passing
through the featured nozzle through-hole so as to reduce the size
of droplets formed by the fluid exiting the outlet opening of the
featured nozzle through-hole, (c) at least one nozzle hole forming
feature comprises a curved side configured to include a converging
and diverging fluid flow feature that forms a featured nozzle
through-hole, and the fluid flow feature causes fluid flowing
through the featured nozzle through-hole to converge and then
diverge at least one time before exiting through its outlet
opening, (d) at least one nozzle hole forming feature comprises a
curved side configured to include multiple converging and diverging
fluid flow features that forms a featured nozzle through-hole, and
the fluid flow features cause fluid flowing through the featured
nozzle through-hole to converge and then diverge multiple times
before exiting through its outlet opening, (e) each nozzle hole
forming feature has a different configuration such that fluid
flowing through the nozzle through-holes exit the outlet openings
so as to form a non-symmetrical fluid plume, or (f) any combination
of (a) to (e).
18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said step of forming
at least one different material comprises forming a plurality of
different materials into the nozzle pre-form by depositing each
different material as a different portion onto the nozzle forming
microstructured pattern so that the resulting nozzle pre-form
comprises multiple portions, with each portion being a different
material, and either (i) none of the multiple portions is in the
form of a thin electrically conductive seed layer, (ii) the
multiple portions are at least three portions, or (iii) both (i)
and (ii).
19. The method according to claim 17, wherein said step of forming
at least one different material comprises forming a plurality of
different materials into the nozzle pre-form by depositing each
different material as a different portion onto the nozzle forming
microstructured pattern so that the resulting nozzle pre-form
comprises multiple portions, with each portion being a different
material, and one of the multiple portions forms an inlet side
surface of the nozzle that is dissolvable into a fuel so as to be
delivered with the fuel through the nozzle and into a combustion
chamber of an internal combustion engine, with the portion forming
the inlet side surface being a material selected from the group of
materials consisting of a combustion catalyst, a corrosion
inhibitor, a combustion byproduct deposit inhibitor, a ceramic, a
metal alloy, a material that lowers frictional forces at the
interface between the fuel and the inner surface of the nozzle, a
material that facilitates air to fuel mixing, a material that
facilitates a desired heat transfer between a fuel injector that
comprises the nozzle and the outside of the nozzle exposed to the
combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, or any
combination of these materials.
20. The method according to claim 18, wherein one of the multiple
portions forms an inlet side surface of the nozzle that is
dissolvable into a fuel so as to be delivered with the fuel through
the nozzle and into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion
engine, with the portion forming the inlet side surface being a
material selected from the group of materials consisting of a
combustion catalyst, a corrosion inhibitor, a combustion byproduct
deposit inhibitor, a ceramic, a metal alloy, a material that lowers
frictional forces at the interface between the fuel and the inner
surface of the nozzle, a material that facilitates air to fuel
mixing, a material that facilitates a desired heat transfer between
a fuel injector that comprises the nozzle and the outside of the
nozzle exposed to the combustion chamber of an internal combustion
engine, or any combination of these materials.
21. The method according to claim 17, wherein said step of forming
at least one different material comprises forming a plurality of
different materials into the nozzle pre-form by depositing each
different material as a different portion onto the nozzle forming
microstructured pattern so that the resulting nozzle pre-form
comprises multiple portions, with each portion being a different
material, and one of the multiple portions forms an inlet side
surface of the nozzle, one of the multiple portions forms an outlet
side surface of the nozzle, and one of the multiple portions forms
an intermediate portion of the nozzle between the inlet side
surface and the outlet side surface, with the material of the inlet
side surface being compatible with the fuel passing through the
nozzle, the material of the outlet side surface being suitable for
the environment inside of a combustion chamber of an internal
combustion engine, and the material of the intermediate portion not
being suitable for use as the inlet side surface or outlet side
surface, but the material of the intermediate portion has another
desirable property selected from being relatively inexpensive,
having desirable thermal characteristics, having vibrational
characteristics, having acoustic characteristics, or any
combination of these properties.
22. The method according to claim 19, wherein with the portion
forming the inlet side surface is a combustion catalyst material
that is relatively porous, compared to the other portions, so as to
significantly increase the interface surface area between the
combustion catalyst material and the fuel passing through the
nozzle.
23. The method according to claim 17, wherein at least one nozzle
hole forming feature has an exterior surface that comprises at
least one fluid flow affecting feature and forms a featured nozzle
through-hole, the fluid flow affecting feature is transferred to
the interior surface of the featured nozzle through-hole, and the
fluid flow affecting feature induces cavitations or turbulence in
the flow of a fluid passing through the featured nozzle
through-hole so as to reduce the size of droplets formed by the
fluid exiting the outlet opening of the featured nozzle
through-hole, and the nozzle is a fuel injector nozzle, the fluid
is a fluid fuel, and the cavitations or turbulence induced by the
fluid flow affecting feature also improves the mixing of the fuel
with air, when the fuel exit the outlet opening of the featured
nozzle through-hole and enters a combustion chamber of an internal
combustion engine.
24. The method according to claim 17, wherein at least one nozzle
hole forming feature has an exterior surface that comprises at
least one fluid flow affecting feature and forms a featured nozzle
through-hole, the fluid flow affecting feature is transferred to
the interior surface of the featured nozzle through-hole, and the
fluid flow affecting feature induces cavitations or turbulence in
the flow of a fluid passing through the featured nozzle
through-hole so as to reduce the size of droplets formed by the
fluid exiting the outlet opening of the featured nozzle
through-hole, and the fluid flow affecting feature comprises at
least one or any combination of a bump, continuous annular ridge,
spaced apart discontinuous ridge, and riblet.
25. A nozzle pre-form for forming a nozzle comprising a plurality
of nozzle through-holes, each nozzle through-hole comprising an
inlet opening and at least one outlet opening connected to the
inlet opening by a hollow cavity defined by an interior surface,
said nozzle pre-form comprising a plurality of nozzle pre-form
holes corresponding to the nozzle through-holes, with each nozzle
pre-form hole having an inlet opening and a hollow cavity, defined
by an interior surface, that is filled with a nozzle hole forming
feature of a nozzle forming microstructured pattern, the nozzle
pre-form being made from a material that is different than the
material used to make each nozzle hole forming feature, and the
nozzle pre-form being formed into the nozzle by removing the nozzle
forming microstructured pattern from the nozzle pre-form, wherein
either: (a) the nozzle pre-form is made from a plurality of
different materials, with each of the different materials being
deposited as a separate portion onto the nozzle forming
microstructured pattern so that the resulting nozzle pre-form
comprises multiple portions and each portion is a different
material, (b) at least one of the nozzle pre-form holes is a
featured nozzle pre-form hole, the interior surface of the featured
nozzle pre-form hole comprises a fluid flow affecting feature
formed from a fluid flow affecting feature on the exterior surface
of a corresponding nozzle hole forming feature, and when the nozzle
pre-form is formed into the nozzle, the featured nozzle pre-form
hole becomes a featured nozzle through-hole having a corresponding
fluid flow affecting feature that induces cavitations or turbulence
in the flow of a fluid passing through the featured nozzle
through-hole so as to reduce the size of droplets formed by the
fluid exiting the outlet opening of the featured nozzle
through-hole, (c) at least one of the nozzle pre-form holes is a
featured nozzle pre-form hole, the interior surface of the featured
nozzle pre-form hole comprises a curved side that includes a
converging and diverging fluid flow feature formed from a
converging and diverging fluid flow feature on the exterior surface
of a corresponding nozzle hole forming feature, and when the nozzle
pre-form is formed into the nozzle, the featured nozzle pre-form
hole becomes a featured nozzle through-hole having a corresponding
curved side configured to include a converging and diverging fluid
flow feature that causes fluid flowing through the featured nozzle
through-hole to converge and then diverge at least one time before
exiting through its outlet opening, (d) at least one of the nozzle
pre-form holes is a featured nozzle pre-form hole, the interior
surface of the featured nozzle pre-form hole comprises a curved
side that includes a converging and diverging fluid flow feature
formed from a converging and diverging fluid flow feature on the
exterior surface of a corresponding nozzle hole forming feature,
and when the nozzle pre-form is formed into the nozzle, the
featured nozzle pre-form hole becomes a featured nozzle
through-hole having a corresponding curved side configured to
include a converging and diverging fluid flow feature that causes
fluid flowing through the featured nozzle through-hole to converge
and then diverge multiple times before exiting through its outlet
opening, (e) each of the nozzle pre-form holes, and each of the
corresponding nozzle hole forming features, has a different
configuration such that, when the nozzle pre-form is formed into
the nozzle, fluid flowing through the nozzle through-holes exit the
outlet openings so as to form a non-symmetrical fluid plume, (f)
each of the nozzle pre-form holes, and each of the corresponding
nozzle hole forming features, has a different configuration such
that, when the nozzle pre-form is formed into the nozzle, fluid
flowing through the nozzle through-holes flows out of each of the
outlet openings differently, or (g) any combination of (a) to
(f).
26. A nozzle made from the nozzle pre-form according to claim
25.
27. The nozzle according to claim 26, wherein said nozzle is a fuel
injector nozzle.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser.
No. 13/982,866, filed Jul. 31, 2013, which is a is a national stage
filing under 35 U.S.C. 371 of PCT/US2012/023624, filed Feb. 2,
2012, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.
61/438,848, filed Feb. 2, 2011, the disclosures of which are
incorporated by reference in their entireties herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention generally relates to nozzles, including
nozzles suitable for use in a fuel injector for an internal
combustion engine. The invention is further applicable to fuel
injectors incorporating such nozzles. This invention also relates
to methods of making such nozzles. The invention is also applicable
to methods of making fuel injectors incorporating such nozzles.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Fuel injection is increasingly becoming the preferred method
for mixing fuel and air in internal combustion engines. Fuel
injection generally can be used to increase fuel efficiency of the
engine and reduces hazardous emissions. Fuel injectors generally
include a nozzle with a plurality of nozzle through-holes for
atomizing the fuel under pressure for combustion. Increasing
stringent environmental standards require more efficient fuel
injectors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided
for making a nozzle. The method comprises: forming a material into
a nozzle forming microstructured pattern comprising a plurality of
nozzle hole forming features and planar control cavity forming
features; forming at least one different material into a nozzle
pre-form using the nozzle forming microstructured pattern, with the
nozzle pre-form comprising a plurality of nozzle pre-form holes
formed from the nozzle hole forming features and sacrificial planar
control cavities formed from the planar control cavity forming
features; and forming a nozzle from the nozzle pre-form, said
forming the nozzle comprising removing enough of the at least one
different material to remove the sacrificial planar control
cavities so as to form a top surface of the nozzle pre-form into a
top surface of the nozzle, and to form each of the nozzle pre-form
holes into a nozzle through hole, wherein the removal of the
sacrificial planar control cavities allows the nozzle through holes
to be opened in a desired manner.
[0005] In another aspect of the present invention, another method
is provided for making a nozzle. The method comprises: forming a
first material into a nozzle forming microstructured pattern
comprising a plurality of nozzle hole forming features; forming a
different material into a nozzle pre-form using the nozzle forming
microstructured pattern, with the nozzle pre-form comprising a
plurality of nozzle pre-form holes formed from the nozzle hole
forming features; and forming a nozzle from the nozzle pre-form,
with said forming the nozzle comprising removing enough of the
different material to open an outlet opening in each of the nozzle
pre-form holes so as to form each of the nozzle pre-form holes into
a nozzle through hole. In performing this method, either (a) the
different material comprises a plurality of different materials,
the nozzle pre-form is formed by depositing each of the different
materials as a separate portion onto the nozzle forming
microstructured pattern so that the resulting nozzle pre-form
comprises multiple portions, with each portion being a different
material, and forming the nozzle comprises removing enough of at
least one of the different materials to open an outlet opening in
each of the nozzle pre-form holes so as to form each of the nozzle
pre-form holes into a nozzle through hole, (b) at least one nozzle
hole forming feature has an exterior surface that comprises at
least one fluid flow affecting feature and forms a featured nozzle
through-hole, the fluid flow affecting feature is transferred to
the interior surface of the featured nozzle through-hole, and the
fluid flow affecting feature induces cavitations or turbulence in
the flow of a fluid passing through the featured nozzle
through-hole so as to reduce the size of droplets formed by the
fluid exiting the outlet opening of the featured nozzle
through-hole, (c) at least one nozzle hole forming feature
comprises a curved side configured to include a converging and
diverging fluid flow feature that forms a featured nozzle
through-hole, and the fluid flow feature causes fluid flowing
through the featured nozzle through-hole to converge and then
diverge at least one time before exiting through its outlet
opening, (d) at least one nozzle hole forming feature comprises a
curved side configured to include multiple converging and diverging
fluid flow features that forms a featured nozzle through-hole, and
the fluid flow features cause fluid flowing through the featured
nozzle through-hole to converge and then diverge multiple times
before exiting through its outlet opening, (e) each nozzle hole
forming feature has a different configuration such that fluid
flowing through the nozzle through-holes exit the outlet openings
so as to form a non-symmetrical fluid plume, or (f) any combination
of (a) to (e).
[0006] In one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided
for making a nozzle. The method comprises: (a) providing a
microstructured mold pattern defining at least a portion of a mold
and comprising a plurality of replica nozzle holes and replica
planar control cavities; (b) molding a first material into a nozzle
forming microstructured pattern using the microstructured mold
pattern, with the nozzle forming microstructured pattern comprising
a plurality of nozzle hole forming features and planar control
cavity forming features; (c) forming a second material into a
nozzle pre-form using the nozzle forming microstructured pattern,
with the nozzle pre-form comprising a plurality of nozzle pre-form
holes and sacrificial planar control cavities; and (d) forming a
nozzle from the nozzle pre-form, the forming the nozzle comprising
removing enough of the second material to remove the sacrificial
planar control cavities so as to form a top surface of the nozzle
pre-form into a planar top surface of the nozzle, and to form each
of the nozzle pre-form holes into a nozzle through hole.
[0007] In one embodiment of this method, the microstructured mold
pattern can be provided by (a) forming a third material into a mold
forming microstructured pattern comprising a plurality of replica
nozzle hole forming features and replica planar control cavity
forming features; and (b) forming a fourth material into the
microstructured mold pattern using the mold forming microstructured
pattern, with the replica nozzle hole forming features being
substantially negative replicas of the replica nozzle holes, and
the replica planar control cavity forming features being
substantially negative replicas of the replica planar control
cavities.
[0008] In another aspect of the present invention, another method
is provided for making a nozzle. The method comprises: (a)
providing a microstructured mold pattern defining at least a
portion of a mold and comprising a plurality of replica nozzle
holes; (b) molding a first material into a nozzle forming
microstructured pattern using the microstructured mold pattern,
with the nozzle forming microstructured pattern comprising a
plurality of nozzle hole forming features; (c) forming a second
material into a nozzle pre-form using the nozzle forming
microstructured pattern, with the nozzle pre-form comprising a
plurality of nozzle pre-form holes, the second material comprising
a plurality of different second materials, and the nozzle pre-form
is formed by sequentially depositing each of the second materials
as a layer onto the nozzle forming microstructured pattern so that
the resulting nozzle pre-form comprises a build-up of multiple
layers, with each layer being a different second material; and (d)
forming a nozzle from the nozzle pre-form, the forming the nozzle
comprising removing enough of the second material to open an outlet
opening in each of the nozzle pre-form holes and form each of the
nozzle pre-form holes into a nozzle through hole.
[0009] In one embodiment of this method, the microstructured mold
pattern can be provided by: (a) forming a third material into a
mold forming microstructured pattern comprising a plurality of
replica nozzle hole forming features; and (b) forming a fourth
material into the microstructured mold pattern using the mold
forming microstructured pattern, with the replica nozzle hole
forming features being substantially negative replicas of the
replica nozzle holes.
[0010] In an addition aspect of the present invention, a
microstructured pattern is provided for forming a nozzle pre-form
comprising a plurality of nozzle pre-form holes, sacrificial planar
control cavities and an outer planar periphery. The microstructured
pattern comprises a plurality of nozzle hole forming features that
are substantially negative replicas of the nozzle pre-form holes,
and a plurality of planar control cavity forming features that are
substantially negative replicas of the sacrificial planar control
cavities.
[0011] In another aspect of the present invention, a nozzle
pre-form is provided for forming a nozzle comprising a plurality of
nozzle through-holes, each nozzle through-hole comprising an inlet
opening and at least one outlet opening connected to the inlet
opening by a hollow cavity defined by an interior surface. The
nozzle pre-form comprises a plurality of nozzle pre-form holes
corresponding to the nozzle through-holes, with each nozzle
pre-form hole having an inlet opening and a hollow cavity, defined
by an interior surface, that is filled with a nozzle hole forming
feature of a nozzle forming microstructured pattern. The nozzle
pre-form is made from a material that is different than the
material used to make each nozzle hole forming feature, and the
nozzle pre-form is formed into the nozzle by removing the nozzle
forming microstructured pattern from the nozzle pre-form. In the
nozzle pre-form either: (a) the nozzle pre-form is made from a
plurality of different materials, with each of the different
materials being deposited as a separate portion onto the nozzle
forming microstructured pattern so that the resulting nozzle
pre-form comprises multiple portions and each portion is a
different material, (b) at least one of the nozzle pre-form holes
is a featured nozzle pre-form hole, the interior surface of the
featured nozzle pre-form hole comprises a fluid flow affecting
feature formed from a fluid flow affecting feature on the exterior
surface of a corresponding nozzle hole forming feature, and when
the nozzle pre-form is formed into the nozzle, the featured nozzle
pre-form hole becomes a featured nozzle through-hole having a
corresponding fluid flow affecting feature that induces cavitations
or turbulence in the flow of a fluid passing through the featured
nozzle through-hole so as to reduce the size of droplets formed by
the fluid exiting the outlet opening of the featured nozzle
through-hole, (c) at least one of the nozzle pre-form holes is a
featured nozzle pre-form hole, the interior surface of the featured
nozzle pre-form hole comprises a curved side that includes a
converging and diverging fluid flow feature formed from a
converging and diverging fluid flow feature on the exterior surface
of a corresponding nozzle hole forming feature, and when the nozzle
pre-form is formed into the nozzle, the featured nozzle pre-form
hole becomes a featured nozzle through-hole having a corresponding
curved side configured to include a converging and diverging fluid
flow feature that causes fluid flowing through the featured nozzle
through-hole to converge and then diverge at least one time before
exiting through its outlet opening, (d) at least one of the nozzle
pre-form holes is a featured nozzle pre-form hole, the interior
surface of the featured nozzle pre-form hole comprises a curved
side that includes a converging and diverging fluid flow feature
formed from a converging and diverging fluid flow feature on the
exterior surface of a corresponding nozzle hole forming feature,
and when the nozzle pre-form is formed into the nozzle, the
featured nozzle pre-form hole becomes a featured nozzle
through-hole having a corresponding curved side configured to
include a converging and diverging fluid flow feature that causes
fluid flowing through the featured nozzle through-hole to converge
and then diverge multiple times before exiting through its outlet
opening, (e) each of the nozzle pre-form holes, and each of the
corresponding nozzle hole forming features, has a different
configuration such that, when the nozzle pre-form is formed into
the nozzle, fluid flowing through the nozzle through-holes exit the
outlet openings so as to form a non-symmetrical fluid plume, (f)
each of the nozzle pre-form holes, and each of the corresponding
nozzle hole forming features, has a different configuration such
that, when the nozzle pre-form is formed into the nozzle, fluid
flowing through the nozzle through-holes flows out of each of the
outlet openings differently, or (g) any combination of (a) to
(f).
[0012] In a further aspect of the present invention, a nozzle
pre-form is provided for forming a nozzle comprising a plurality of
nozzle through-holes, each nozzle through-hole comprising an inlet
opening and at least one outlet opening connected to the inlet
opening by a hollow cavity defined by an interior surface. The
nozzle pre-form comprises a plurality of nozzle pre-form holes
corresponding to the nozzle through-holes; and a plurality of
sacrificial planar control cavities, wherein each of the nozzle
pre-form holes is connected to at least one of the sacrificial
planar control cavities.
[0013] In another aspect of the present invention, a nozzle is
provided that is made from the nozzle pre-form according to the
present invention. The nozzle comprises a microstructured pattern
comprising a plurality of nozzle through-holes, each nozzle
through-hole comprising an inlet opening and at least one outlet
opening connected to the inlet opening by a hollow cavity defined
by an interior surface, wherein the microstructured pattern has an
outer periphery, and the nozzle comprises any combination of the
structural features disclosed herein.
[0014] In another aspect of the present invention, a nozzle is
provided that comprises a microstructured pattern comprising a
plurality of nozzle through-holes, each nozzle through-hole
comprising an inlet opening and at least one outlet opening
connected to the inlet opening by a hollow cavity defined by an
interior surface, wherein the microstructured pattern has an outer
periphery, and the nozzle comprises a build-up of multiple layers,
with each layer being a different material, and with either (a)
none of the multiple layers being in the form of a thin
electrically conductive seed layer, (b) the multiple layers being
at least three layers, or (c) both (a) and (b).
[0015] In an additional aspect of the present invention, a nozzle
is provided that comprises a microstructured pattern comprising a
plurality of nozzle through-holes, with each nozzle through-hole
comprising an inlet opening and at least one outlet opening
connected to the inlet opening by a hollow cavity defined by an
interior surface, and the microstructured pattern having an outer
periphery; and at least one fluid channel feature connecting at
least one nozzle through-hole to (a) at least one other nozzle
through-hole, (b) a portion of the outer periphery of the
microstructured pattern, or (c) both (a) and (b).
[0016] In a further aspect of the present invention, a nozzle is
provided that comprises a microstructured pattern comprising a
plurality of nozzle through-holes, with each nozzle through-hole
comprising an inlet opening and at least one outlet opening
connected to the inlet opening by a hollow cavity defined by an
interior surface, and the microstructured pattern having an outer
periphery; and at least one fluid plume shape-control feature for
controlling the shape of a plume formed by a fluid flowing through
and exiting the outlet openings of the nozzle through-holes.
[0017] In another aspect of the present invention, a nozzle is
provided that comprises a microstructured pattern comprising a
plurality of nozzle through-holes, with each nozzle through-hole
comprising an inlet opening and at least one outlet opening
connected to the inlet opening by a hollow cavity defined by an
interior surface, and the microstructured pattern having an outer
periphery; and at least one nozzle through-hole having an interior
surface that comprises at least one fluid flow affecting feature
for causing cavitations, turbulence, or otherwise obstructing the
flow of a fluid through the nozzle so as to positively affect a
plume of droplets formed by the fluid passing through the nozzle
through-hole and exiting the corresponding outlet opening of the
nozzle through-hole.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0018] The invention may be more completely understood and
appreciated in consideration of the following detailed description
of various embodiments of the invention in connection with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0019] FIGS. 1A-1M are schematic representations of constructions
at intermediate stages or steps in a process for fabricating a
nozzle;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a schematic three-dimensional view of a
microstructure;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a schematic three-dimensional view of another
microstructure;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a schematic three-dimensional view of another
microstructure;
[0023] FIG. 5 is a schematic three-dimensional view of another
microstructure;
[0024] FIG. 6 is a schematic of a base of a microstructure;
[0025] FIGS. 7 and 8 are respective schematic three-dimensional and
top views of a microstructure;
[0026] FIG. 9A is a schematic three-dimensional view of a nozzle
hole forming feature or microstructure used to form a nozzle
hole;
[0027] FIG. 9B is a schematic three-dimensional view of the
microstructure of FIG. 9A with a planar control cavity forming
feature;
[0028] FIG. 10 is a schematic of the base (hole entry) of the
microstructure (nozzle hole) shown in FIG. 9;
[0029] FIG. 11 is a schematic top-view of the microstructure
(nozzle hole) shown in FIG. 9;
[0030] FIG. 12 is a schematic three-dimensional view of a nozzle
hole (microstructure);
[0031] FIG. 13 is a schematic of the hole entry (base) of the
nozzle hole (microstructure) shown in FIG. 12;
[0032] FIG. 14 is a schematic top-view of the nozzle hole
(microstructure) shown in FIG. 12;
[0033] FIGS. 15A and B are schematic top-views of two different
arrays of holes (microstructures);
[0034] FIG. 16 is a schematic three-dimensional view of a plurality
of nozzle holes (microstructures);
[0035] FIG. 17 is a schematic side-view of a microstructure;
[0036] FIG. 18 is a schematic side-view of an exposure system;
[0037] FIGS. 19 and 20 are two scanning electron micrographs (SEM)
of a cluster of microstructures;
[0038] FIG. 21 is an SEM of a cluster of polycarbonate
microstructures;
[0039] FIGS. 22 and 23 are optical micrographs of respective hole
entries and hole entries of a cluster of holes;
[0040] FIG. 24 is a schematic side-view of a nozzle;
[0041] FIG. 25 is an SEM of one of the holes shown in FIGS. 22 and
23;
[0042] FIG. 26A is a schematic side-view of a nozzle hole forming
feature or microstructure, with a curved side and a planar control
cavity forming feature configured to form a circular-shape hole
outlet;
[0043] FIG. 26B is a schematic perspective-view of the
microstructure of FIG. 26A;
[0044] FIG. 26C is a schematic top-view of the microstructure of
FIG. 26A;
[0045] FIG. 26D is a schematic side-view of the microstructure of
FIG. 26A with its planar control cavity forming feature having been
removed;
[0046] FIG. 26E is a schematic perspective-view of the
microstructure of FIG. 26D;
[0047] FIG. 26F is a schematic top-view of the microstructure of
FIG. 26D;
[0048] FIG. 27 is a schematic perspective-view of a nozzle hole
forming microstructure, with a curved side and a planar control
cavity forming feature configured to form a circular-shape hole
outlet, where the curved side includes annular fluid flow- or
output shape-control features;
[0049] FIG. 28 is a schematic perspective-view of a nozzle hole
forming microstructure, with a curved side and a planar control
cavity forming feature configured to form a circular-shape hole
outlet, where the curved side includes discrete source fluid flow-
or output shape-control features;
[0050] FIG. 29 is a schematic perspective-view of a nozzle hole
forming microstructure, with a curved side and a planar control
cavity forming feature configured to form a circular-shape hole
outlet, where the curved side includes multiple
converging/diverging fluid flow- or output shape-control
features;
[0051] FIG. 30 is a schematic perspective-view of a nozzle hole
forming microstructure, with a curved side and a planar control
cavity forming feature configured to form a circular-shape hole
outlet, where the curved side includes a single
converging/diverging fluid flow- or output shape-control
feature;
[0052] FIG. 31A is a schematic perspective-view of a nozzle hole
forming microstructure, with a curved side and a planar control
cavity forming feature configured to form a star-shape hole
outlet;
[0053] FIG. 31B is a schematic perspective-view of the
microstructure of FIG. 31A with its planar control cavity forming
feature removed;
[0054] FIG. 32A is a schematic perspective-view of a nozzle hole
forming microstructure, with a curvilinear side and a planar
control cavity forming feature configured to form a cross-shape
hole outlet;
[0055] FIG. 32B is a schematic perspective-view of the
microstructure of FIG. 32A with its planar control cavity forming
feature removed;
[0056] FIG. 33 is a schematic perspective-view of a nozzle hole
forming microstructure, with a curvilinear side and a planar
control cavity forming feature configured to form a cross-shape
hole outlet;
[0057] FIG. 34 is a schematic perspective-view of a nozzle hole
forming microstructure, with a curvilinear side and a planar
control cavity forming feature configured to form a cross-shape
hole outlet;
[0058] FIG. 35 is a schematic perspective-view of a nozzle hole
forming microstructure, with a curvilinear side and a planar
control cavity forming feature configured to form a cross-shape
hole outlet;
[0059] FIG. 36 is a schematic perspective-view of a nozzle hole
forming microstructure, with a curvilinear side and a planar
control cavity forming feature configured to form a cross-shape
hole outlet;
[0060] FIG. 37 is a schematic perspective-view of a nozzle hole
forming microstructure, with a rectilinear side and a planar
control cavity forming feature configured to form a cross-shape
hole outlet;
[0061] FIG. 38A is a schematic side-view of one embodiment of a
nozzle hole forming microstructure, with a curvilinear side and a
planar control cavity forming feature configured to form a
rectangular slot-shape hole outlet;
[0062] FIG. 38B is a schematic perspective-view of the
microstructure of FIG. 38A;
[0063] FIG. 38C is a schematic top-view of the microstructure of
FIG. 38A;
[0064] FIG. 38D is a schematic perspective-view of the
microstructure of FIG. 38A with its planar control cavity forming
feature removed;
[0065] FIG. 39A is a schematic perspective-view of a mold forming
microstructured pattern comprising a single centrally located group
of replica nozzle hole forming microstructures, replica planar
control cavity forming features, and replica additional fluid
intake channel forming features;
[0066] FIG. 39B is a schematic top-view of the mold forming
microstructured pattern of FIG. 39A;
[0067] FIG. 39C is a schematic side-view of the mold forming
microstructured pattern of FIG. 39A;
[0068] FIG. 40A is a schematic perspective-view of the bottom of a
microstructured nozzle formed using the mold forming
microstructured pattern of FIG. 39A, with the microstructured
nozzle comprising a plurality of nozzle through-holes and
additional fluid intake channels;
[0069] FIG. 40B is a schematic bottom-view of the microstructured
nozzle of FIG. 40A;
[0070] FIG. 40C is a schematic cross-sectional-view of the
microstructured nozzle of FIG. 40B taken along line 40C-40C;
[0071] FIG. 41 is a schematic perspective-view of the bottom of a
microstructured nozzle formed using a mold forming microstructured
pattern according to the present invention, with the
microstructured nozzle comprising a plurality of nozzle through
holes and alternative additional fluid intake channels;
[0072] FIG. 42A is a schematic perspective-view of a mold forming
microstructured pattern comprising two groups of replica nozzle
hole forming microstructures with corresponding replica planar
control cavity forming features, and a nozzle separation feature
with an additional set of replica planar control cavity forming
features;
[0073] FIG. 42B is a schematic side-view of the mold forming
microstructured pattern of FIG. 42A;
[0074] FIG. 43A is a schematic perspective-view of the top of a
microstructured mold pattern made using the mold forming
microstructured pattern of FIG. 42A;
[0075] FIG. 43B is a schematic top-view of the microstructured mold
pattern of FIG. 43A;
[0076] FIG. 43C is a schematic cross-sectional-view of the
microstructured mold pattern of FIG. 43B taken along line
43C-43C;
[0077] FIG. 43D is a schematic cross-sectional-view of the
microstructured mold pattern of FIG. 43B taken along line
43D-43D;
[0078] FIG. 44A is a schematic perspective-view of a nozzle forming
microstructured pattern made using the microstructured mold pattern
of FIG. 43A;
[0079] FIG. 44B is a schematic cross-sectional-view of the nozzle
forming microstructured pattern of FIG. 44A taken along line
44B-44B;
[0080] FIG. 45 is a schematic cross-sectional-view of a linear
array of the nozzle forming microstructured pattern of FIG. 44A
taken along line 44B-44B, with a linear array of nozzle pre-forms
formed therein;
[0081] FIG. 46 is a schematic bottom-view of a linear array of
connected nozzles, which are formed from the array of nozzle
pre-forms of FIG. 45 and readily separable from each other;
[0082] FIG. 47 is a schematic cross-sectional side-view of a nozzle
forming microstructured pattern and a corresponding multi-component
nozzle pre-form deposited thereon;
[0083] FIG. 48 is a photograph of a cross-sectioned conventional
fuel injector.
[0084] In the specification, a same reference numeral used in
multiple figures refers to the same or similar elements having the
same or similar properties and functionalities.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0085] The disclosed nozzles include one or more through-holes
designed to improve spray direction and fluid dynamics at the hole
inlet, within the hole wall, and at the hole outlet. The disclosed
nozzles can advantageously be incorporated into fuel injector
systems to improve fuel efficiency. The disclosed nozzles can be
fabricated using multiphoton, such as two photon, processes. In
particular, multiphoton processes can be used to fabricate various
microstructures. These microstructures can at least include one or
more hole forming features, which can, in turn, be used as molds to
fabricate holes for use in nozzles or other applications.
[0086] It should be understood that the term "nozzle" may have a
number of different meanings in the art. In some specific
references, the term nozzle has a broad definition. For example,
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0308953 A1 (Palestrant et al.),
discloses an "atomizing nozzle" which includes a number of
elements, including an occluder chamber 50. This differs from the
understanding and definition of nozzle put forth herewith. For
example, the nozzle of the current description would correspond
generally to the orifice insert 24 of Palestrant et al. In general,
the nozzle of the current description can be understood as the
final tapered portion of an atomizing spray system from which the
spray is ultimately emitted, see e.g., Merriam Webster's dictionary
definition of nozzle ("a short tube with a taper or constriction
used (as on a hose) to speed up or direct a flow of fluid." Further
understanding may be gained by reference to U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,009
(Ogihara et al.) issued to Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (Kariya, Japan).
In this reference, again, fluid injection "nozzle" is defined
broadly as the multi-piece valve element 10 ("fuel injection valve
10 acting as fluid injection nozzle . . . "--see col. 4, lines
26-27 of Ogihara et al.). The current definition and understanding
of the term "nozzle" as used herein would relate to first and
second orifice plates 130 and 132 and potentially sleeve 138 (see
FIGS. 14 and 15 of Ogihara et al.), for example, which are located
immediately proximate the fuel spray. A similar understanding of
the term "nozzle" to that described herein is used in U.S. Pat. No.
5,127,156 (Yokoyama et al.) to Hitachi, Ltd. (Ibaraki, Japan).
There, the nozzle 10 is defined separately from elements of the
attached and integrated structure, such as "swirler" 12 (see FIG.
1(II)). The above-defined understanding should be understood when
the term "nozzle" is referred to throughout the remainder of the
description and claims.
[0087] In some cases, a disclosed microstructure can be a
three-dimensional rectilinear body such as a polyhedron, such as a
tetrahedron or a hexahedron, a prism, or a pyramid, or a portion,
or a combination, of such bodies, such as a frustum. For example,
FIG. 2 is a schematic three-dimensional view of a microstructure
220 that is disposed on a substrate 210 and includes a planar or
flat base 230, a planar or flat top 240 and a side 250 that
connects the top to the base. Side 250 includes a plurality of
planar or flat facets, such as facets 260, 265 and 270.
Microstructure 220 can be used as a mold to fabricate holes for use
in, for example, a nozzle.
[0088] In some cases, a disclosed microstructure can be a
three-dimensional curvilinear body or a portion of such body, such
as a segment of a sphere, an asphere, an ellipsoid, a spheroid, a
paraboloid, a cone or a truncated cone, or a cylinder. For example,
FIG. 3 is a schematic three-dimensional view of a microstructure
320 that is disposed on a substrate 310 and includes a planar or
flat base 330, a planar or flat top 340 and a curvilinear side 350
that connects the top to the base. In the exemplary microstructure
320, top 340 and base 330 have the same shape but different size.
Microstructure 320 tapers narrower from base 330 to top 340. As a
result, top 340 has a smaller area than base 330. Microstructure
320 can be used as a mold to fabricate holes for use in, for
example, a nozzle.
[0089] In some cases, some of the characteristics of a disclosed
microstructure changes from the base to the top. For example, in
some cases, a disclosed microstructure can be a tapered
microstructure. For example, FIG. 4 is a schematic
three-dimensional view of a microstructure 420 that can be
fabricated using a multiphoton process. Microstructure 420 can be
used as a mold to fabricate holes for use in, for example, a
nozzle. Microstructure 420 is disposed on a substrate 410 and
includes a base 430, a top 440, and a side 450 connecting the top
to the base. Microstructure 420 has a height or thickness h.sub.1
which is the distance between base 430 and top 440 along the
z-axis. Microstructure 420 is tapered. In particular, the
cross-sectional area of the microstructure along the thickness of
the microstructure decreases from base 430 to top 440. For example,
microstructure 420 includes a cross-section 460 at height h.sub.2
in the xy-plane and a cross-section 470 at height
h.sub.3>h.sub.2 in the xy-plane. The area of cross-section 470
is less than the area of cross-section 460, and the area of
cross-section 460 is less than the area of base 430.
[0090] Base 430 has a first shape and top 440 has a second shape
that is different than the first shape. In some cases, the first
shape is an elliptical shape and the second shape is a circular
shape. For example, FIG. 5 is a schematic three-dimensional view of
a microstructure 520 that includes an elliptical base 530, a
circular top 540, and a side 550 that connects the top to the base.
Elliptical base 530 has a major axis 560 along the y-direction
having a length "a" and a minor axis 570 along the x-direction
having a length "b" different than "a". Circular top 540 has a
radius "r". Microstructure 520 is tapered. In particular, the area
of circular top 540 is less than the area of elliptical base
530.
[0091] As another example, the first shape can be a racetrack or
oval and the second shape can, for example, be a circle. For
example, FIG. 6 is a schematic of a base 630 that can be the base
of a disclosed microstructure. Base 630 includes two circles 642
and 644 and a middle portion 650. Base 630 has a perimeter 660 that
includes curved portions or arcs 632 and 634 and linear portions
636 and 638. The circles 642 and 644 have a radius r.sub.a and
r.sub.b, respectively, where r.sub.a and r.sub.b can be the same or
different. Curved portions 632 and 634 are portions of respective
circles 642 and 644.
[0092] In some cases, a disclosed microstructure has a
cross-section along the thickness or height direction of the
microstructure that rotates from the base of the microstructure to
the top of the microstructure. For example, FIG. 7 is a schematic
three-dimensional view of a microstructure 720 that includes a base
730 disposed in the xy-plane, a top 740 disposed in the xy-plane,
and a side 780 that connects the top to the base. Microstructure
720 has a height h.sub.4. Microstructure 720 has an xy
cross-section that rotates clockwise from top 740 to base 730. In
particular, top 740 has an axis of symmetry 742 along the
x-direction, an xy cross-section 750 of the microstructure at a
height h.sub.5<h.sub.4 has an axis of symmetry 752 that is
rotated clockwise relative to axis of symmetry 742, an xy
cross-section 755 of the microstructure at a height
h.sub.6<h.sub.5 has an axis of symmetry 757 that is rotated
clockwise relative to axis of symmetry 752, an xy cross-section 760
of the microstructure at height a h.sub.7<h.sub.6 has an axis of
symmetry 762 that is rotated clockwise relative to axis of symmetry
757, and base 730 has an axis of symmetry 732 along the y-axis that
is rotated clockwise relative to axis of symmetry 762.
Equivalently, microstructure 720 has an xy cross-section that
rotates counter clockwise from base 730 to top 740. FIG. 8 is a
schematic top-view of microstructure 720 illustrating top 740 and
its axis of symmetry 742, cross-section 750 and its axis of
symmetry 752, cross-section 755 and its axis of symmetry 757,
cross-section 760 and its axis of symmetry 762, and base 730 and
its axis of symmetry 732. Viewed from the top, the axes of symmetry
of the cross-sections rotate clockwise from the top to the base.
Such a rotation results in a twist in the microstructure along its
height or thickness. In some cases, each cross-section can be an
ellipse with a corresponding major axis acting as an axis of
symmetry. In such cases, the major axis rotates from the base to
the top. In some cases, such as when the microstructure is tapered
and twisted, the cross-sections rotate and become smaller from the
base to the top. For example, an elliptical base 730 has a major
axis 732 along the y-direction having a length "a" and a minor axis
734 along the x-direction having a length "b" different than "a".
As the major axis rotates from the base to the top, the ratio a/b
is reduced by, for example, decreasing "a" resulting in a smaller
ellipse that eventually can become a circle at the top (a=b). In
general, a disclosed microstructure can include a taper and/or a
twist or spiral along the thickness of the microstructure from the
base to the top.
[0093] Microstructure 720 can be used as a mold to fabricate one or
more holes in a nozzle with the holes having substantially the same
profile as microstructure 720. For example, the fabrication results
in a hole 720 having a hole entry 730, a hole exit 740 and a wall
752 extending from the hole entry to the hole exit. The hole tapers
and spirals or twists from the hole entry to the hole exit. A
disclosed spiraling or twisting nozzle hole can advantageously be
used in a fuel injector to change the flow velocity of the fuel,
reduce droplet size, and improve the mixing of fuel with air.
[0094] The microstructure may be understood as having a "diameter"
at different heights of the microstructure (e.g. h.sub.6, h.sub.5,
etc.). The diameter may be understood as the maximum distance
between the edges of the microstructure at a common height. In the
situation, where there is an elliptical base, such as at hole entry
730, the diameter will be the distance between the edges of the
microstructure along the major axis 732. At the opposite end of the
structure, corresponding to hole exit 740, the diameter will
similarly be the maximum distance between the edges of the
microstructure at the common height (here, h.sub.4). Thus, the
distance between the edges of the microstructure along axis 742
will correspond to the diameter of the hole exit. In some
embodiments the hole entry may have a diameter of less than 300
microns, or of less than 200 microns, or of less than or equal to
160 microns, or of less than 140 microns. In some embodiments the
hole exit may have a diameter of less than 300 microns, or less
than 200 microns, or less than 100 microns, or less than or equal
to 40 microns, or less than 25 microns.
[0095] In some cases, the cross-section of nozzle hole 720 has an
increasing rotation rate from the hole entry to the hole exit. In
some cases, the cross-section of nozzle hole 720 has a decreasing
rotation rate from the hole entry to the hole exit. In some cases,
the cross-section has a constant rotation rate from the hole entry
to the hole exit.
[0096] In general, a base or a lateral cross-section of a disclosed
microstructure, or an entry hole or a lateral cross-section of a
disclosed nozzle hole, can have any cross-section that may be
desirable in an application. In some cases, the base or the entry
hole can have a perimeter that includes the outer arcs of closely
packed circles, where the outer arcs are connected by curve-like
fillets. For example, FIG. 9A is a schematic three-dimensional view
of a hole forming feature or microstructure 920 that includes a
base 930 used to form the hole entry, a top 940 that can define the
hole exit, and a side 950 that connects the base to the top and is
used to define the walls of the hole. FIG. 9B is a schematic
three-dimensional view of the hole forming feature or
microstructure 920 with a replica planar control cavity forming
feature 920a that is used to form a planar control cavity or
planarization cone. FIG. 10 is a schematic of base 930 having a
perimeter 1090 that includes the outer arcs of four closely packed
circles, where the outer arcs are connected by curve-like fillets.
In particular, perimeter 1090 includes an outer arc 1010 of a
circle 1020, an outer arc 1012 of a circle 1022, an outer arc 1011
of a circle 1024, and an outer arc 1016 of a circle 1026, where
outer arcs 1010 and 1012 are connected by curve-like fillet 1030 or
straight line 1030a (shown in phantom), outer arcs 1012 and 1014
are connected by curve-like fillet 1032 or straight line 1032a
(shown in phantom), outer arcs 1014 and 1016 are connected by
curve-like fillet 1034 or straight line 1034a (shown in phantom),
and outer arcs 1016 and 1010 are connected by curve-like fillet
1036 or straight line 1036a (shown in phantom). Circles 1010, 1012,
1014 and 1016 form a square array of equal and touching circles
where each circle has a radius r.sub.1, r.sub.2, r.sub.3 and
r.sub.4 that are all the same or different.
[0097] Base 930 includes an axis of symmetry 1040. The lateral
cross-sections of microstructure 920 rotate and the radius r.sub.1
decreases from base 930 to top 940 resulting in a microstructure
that spirals and tapers narrower from base 930 to top 940.
[0098] Equivalently, a nozzle hole 920 includes a hole entry 930, a
hole exit 940 and a wall 950 extending from the hole entry to the
hole exit. Hole 920 has a lateral cross-section that rotates and
becomes smaller from the hole entry to the hole exit.
[0099] FIG. 11 is a schematic top-view of nozzle hole (or
microstructure) 920 illustrating hole entry 930 having axis of
symmetry 1040 and hole exit 940 having axis of symmetry 942. Viewed
from the top, the axes of symmetry of the cross-sections of hole
920 rotate counter clockwise from the hole entry to the hole exit.
Such a rotation results in a twist in the hole along its height or
thickness.
[0100] As another example, FIG. 12 is a schematic three-dimensional
view of a nozzle hole (or microstructure) 1220 that has a height
k.sub.1 and includes a hole entry 1230, a hole exit 1240, and a
wall 1250 that extends from the hole entry to the hole exit. FIG.
13 is a schematic of hole entry 1230 having a perimeter 1235 that
includes the outer arcs of two closely packed or touching circles,
where the outer arcs are connected by curve-like fillets. In
particular, perimeter 1090 includes an outer arc 1270 of a circle
1280 and an outer arc 1272 of a circle 1282, where each circle has
a radius r.sub.2 and outer arcs 1270 and 1272 are connected by
curve-like fillets 1290 and 1292.
[0101] Hole entry 1230 includes an axis of symmetry 1232. The
lateral cross-sections of nozzle hole 1220 rotate and the radius
r.sub.2 decreases from hole entry 1230 to hole exit 1240 resulting
in a microstructure that spirals and tapers narrower from hole
entry 1230 to hole exit 1240. In particular, top 1240 has an axis
of symmetry 1242 along the x-direction, an xy cross-section 1264 of
the hole at a height k.sub.2<k.sub.1 has an axis of symmetry
1265 that is rotated clockwise relative to axis of symmetry 1242,
an xy cross-section 1262 of the hole at a height k.sub.3<k.sub.2
has an axis of symmetry 1263 that is rotated clockwise relative to
axis of symmetry 1265, an xy cross-section 1260 of the hole at a
height k.sub.4<k.sub.3 has an axis of symmetry 1261 that is
rotated clockwise relative to axis of symmetry 1263, and hole entry
1230 has an axis of symmetry 1232 along the y-axis that is rotated
clockwise relative to axis of symmetry 1261. Hence, hole 1220 has
an xy cross-section that rotates clockwise from hole exit 1240 to
hole entry 1230. Equivalently, hole 1220 has an xy cross-section
that rotates counter clockwise from the hole entry to the hole
exit. FIG. 14 is a schematic top-view of nozzle hole 1220
illustrating hole exit 1242 and its axis of symmetry 1242 along the
x-axis, cross-section 1264 and its axis of symmetry 1265,
cross-section 1262 and its axis of symmetry 1263, cross-section
1260 and its axis of symmetry 1261, and hole entry 1230 and its
axis of symmetry 1232 along the y-axis. Viewed from the top, the
axes of symmetry of the lateral cross-sections of the hole rotate
clockwise from the hole exit to the hole entry.
[0102] Equivalently, a microstructure 1220 includes a base 1230, a
top 1240 and a side 1250 that connects the base to the top.
Microstructure 1220 has a cross-section that rotates and becomes
smaller from the base to the top.
[0103] As shown in FIGS. 2 through 14, the microstructures
disclosed herein that serve as nozzles may be monolithic
structures. In other words, the microstructures 220, 320, 420 etc.
that forms the actual nozzles are created from, and ultimately form
a common, single piece of material. This may be understood as
different from nozzles that are formed through a combination of a
number of different parts, where such parts are potentially made up
of different materials. In this regard, as shown in the
above-mentioned figures, the nozzles disclosed herein may be
monolithic structures.
[0104] In general, a plurality of disclosed microstructures or
holes can have any arrangement that may be desirable in an
application. For example, in some cases, the disclosed holes can be
arranged regularly or irregularly. For example, FIG. 15A is a
schematic top-view of a two-dimensional square array 1500 of holes
or microstructures 1510, and FIG. 15B is a schematic top-view of a
two-dimensional hexagonal array 1520 of holes or microstructures
1530, where holes or microstructures 1510 and 1530 can be any
nozzle hole or microstructure disclosed herein. In some cases, a
plurality of disclosed microstructures or holes may be arranged on
a non-planar surface. For example, FIG. 16 is a schematic
three-dimensional view of a plurality of nozzle holes or
microstructures 1610 disposed or arranged on a spherical surface
1620.
[0105] In some cases, a disclosed microstructure or hole may have
one or more fillets for ease of manufacturing and/or to reduce
local stress. For example, FIG. 17 is a schematic side-view of a
microstructure 1720 that is disposed on a substrate 1710 and
includes a base 1730, a top 1740, and a side 1750 connecting the
base to the top. Microstructure 1720 includes fillets 1760 and 1761
smoothly joining side 1750 and top 1740, and fillets 1770 and 1771
smoothly joining side 1750 and top surface 1705 of substrate
1710.
[0106] The nozzle through-holes or holes and the microstructured
patterns or microstructures disclosed herein can be fabricated
using the various methods disclosed herein, including the one
outlined in reference to FIGS. 1A-1M. The method provides
flexibility and control in producing a variety of individual
microstructures and holes in a single array, yet can be used to
achieve desirably low levels of average surface roughness while
maintaining industrially acceptable fabrication speeds or
"throughput."
[0107] FIG. 1A is a schematic side-view of a layer 115 of a first
material disposed on a substrate 110. The first material is capable
of undergoing multiphoton reaction by simultaneously absorbing
multiple photons. For example, in some cases, the first material is
capable of undergoing a two photon reaction by simultaneously
absorbing two photons. The first material can be any material or
material system that is capable of undergoing multiphoton, such as
two photon, reaction, such as those describe in U.S. Pat. Nos.
7,583,444 and 7,941,013; and PCT Publication WO 2009/048705, filed
Sep. 9, 2008; all of which are incorporated herein by
reference.
[0108] In some cases, the first material can be a photoreactive
composition that includes at least one reactive species that is
capable of undergoing an acid- or radical-initiated chemical
reaction, and at least one multiphoton photoinitiator system.
Reactive species suitable for use in the photoreactive compositions
include both curable and non-curable species. Exemplary curable
species include addition-polymerizable monomers and oligomers and
addition-crosslinkable polymers (such as free-radically
polymerizable or crosslinkable ethylenically-unsaturated species
including, for example, acrylates, methacrylates, and certain vinyl
compounds such as styrenes), as well as cationically-polymerizable
monomers and oligomers and cationically-crosslinkable polymers
(which species are most commonly acid-initiated and which include,
for example, epoxies, vinyl ethers, cyanate esters, etc.), and the
like, and mixtures thereof. Exemplary non-curable species include
reactive polymers whose solubility can be increased upon acid- or
radical-induced reaction. Such reactive polymers include, for
example, aqueous insoluble polymers bearing ester groups that can
be converted by photogenerated acid to aqueous soluble acid groups
(for example, poly(4-tert-butoxycarbonyloxystyrene). Non-curable
species also include the chemically-amplified photoresists.
[0109] The multiphoton photoinitiator system enables polymerization
to be confined or limited to the focal region of a focused beam of
light used to expose the first material. Such a system preferably
is a two- or three-component system that includes at least one
multiphoton photosensitizer, at least one photoinitiator (or
electron acceptor), and, optionally, at least one electron
donor.
[0110] Layer 115 of the first material can be coated on substrate
110 using any coating method that may be desirable in an
application. For example, the first material can be coated on
substrate 110 by flood coating. Other exemplary coating methods
include knife coating, notch coating, reverse roll coating, gravure
coating, spray coating, bar coating, spin coating and dip
coating.
[0111] Substrate 110 can be chosen from a wide variety of films,
sheets, and other surfaces (including silicon wafers and glass
plates), depending upon the particular application and the method
of exposure to be utilized. In some cases, substrate 110 is
sufficiently flat so that layer 115 of the first material has a
uniform thickness. In some cases, layer 115 can be exposed in bulk
form. In such cases, substrate 110 may be excluded from the
fabrication process. In some cases, such as when the process
includes one or more electroplating steps, substrate 110 can be
electrically conductive or semiconductive.
[0112] Next, the first material is selectively exposed to an
incident light having sufficient intensity to cause simultaneous
absorption of multiple photons by the first material in the exposed
region. The exposure can be accomplished by any method that is
capable of providing light with sufficient intensity. Exemplary
exposure methods are described in U.S. Patent Application
Publication US 2009/0099537, which is incorporated herein by
reference.
[0113] FIG. 18 is a schematic side-view of an exemplary exposure
system 1800 for exposing layer 115 of the first material. The
exposure system includes a light source 1820 emitting light 1830
and a stage 1810 that is capable of moving in one, two, or three
dimensions. Substrate 110 coated with layer of first material 115
is placed on the stage. Optical system 1840 focuses emitted light
1830 at a focal region 1850 within the first material. In some
cases, optical system 1840 is designed so that simultaneous
absorption of multiple photons by the first material occurs only at
or very near focal region 1850. Regions of layer 115 that undergo
the multiphoton reaction become more, or less, soluble in at least
one solvent compared to regions of layer 115 that do not undergo
the multiphoton reaction.
[0114] Focal region 1850 can scan a three-dimensional pattern
within the first material by moving stage 1810 and/or light 1830
and/or one or more components, such as one or more mirrors, in
optical system 1840. In the exemplary process illustrated in FIGS.
1A and 18, layer 115 is disposed on a planar substrate 110. In
general, substrate 110 can have any shape that may be desirable in
an application. For example, in some cases, substrate 110 can have
a spherical shape.
[0115] Light source 1820 can be any light source that is capable of
producing sufficient light intensity to effect multiphoton
absorption. Exemplary light sources include lasers, such as
femtosecond lasers, operating in a range from about 300 nm to about
1500 nm, or from about 400 nm to about 1100 nm, or from about 600
nm to about 900 nm, or from about 750 to about 850 nm.
[0116] Optical system 1840 can include, for example, refractive
optical elements (for example, lenses or microlens arrays),
reflective optical elements (for example, retroreflectors or
focusing mirrors), diffractive optical elements (for example,
gratings, phase masks, and holograms), polarizing optical elements
(for example, linear polarizers and waveplates), dispersive optical
elements (for example, prisms and gratings), diffusers, Pockels
cells, waveguides, and the like. Such optical elements are useful
for focusing, beam delivery, beam/mode shaping, pulse shaping, and
pulse timing.
[0117] After selective exposure of layer 115 of the first material
by exposure system 1800, the exposed layer is placed in a solvent
to dissolve regions of higher solvent solubility. Exemplary
solvents that can be used for developing the exposed first material
include aqueous solvents such as, for example, water (for example,
having a pH in a range of from 1 to 12) and miscible blends of
water with organic solvents (for example, methanol, ethanol,
propanol, acetone, acetonitrile, dimethylformamide,
N-methylpyrrolidone, and the like, and mixtures thereof); and
organic solvents. Exemplary useful organic solvents include
alcohols (for example, methanol, ethanol, and propanol), ketones
(for example, acetone, cyclopentanone, and methyl ethyl ketone),
aromatics (for example, toluene), halocarbons (for example,
methylene chloride and chloroform), nitriles (for example,
acetonitrile), esters (for example, ethyl acetate and propylene
glycol methyl ether acetate), ethers (for example, diethyl ether
and tetrahydrofuran), amides (for example, N-methylpyrrolidone),
and the like, and mixtures thereof. FIG. 1B is a schematic
side-view of a first microstructured pattern 121 formed in the
first material using the multiphoton process. The first
microstructured pattern includes a first cluster 122 of
microstructures or features 120 and a second cluster 124 of
microstructures or features 125, where microstructures 120 and 125
can be any microstructures including any microstructures disclosed
herein. In some cases, microstructures 120 and 125 have different
structures. In some cases, microstructures 120 and 125 have the
same structure. In the exemplary first microstructured pattern 121,
microstructures 120 and 125 have heights Each microstructure 120
and 125 includes a replica nozzle hole forming feature 120b and
125b, and (differentiated by phantom lines) replica planar control
cavity forming features 120a and 125a, which are used to form the
planar control cavities or planarization cones. When planarization
cones are used, it can be preferable for them to have a cone angle
of about 45 degrees.
[0118] FIGS. 19 and 20 are scanning electron micrographs of a
cluster or array of replica nozzle hole forming features or
microstructures 120 fabricated according to the processes disclosed
herein. The microstructures in FIGS. 19 and 20 are similar to the
nozzle hole forming features or microstructures 1220 shown in FIG.
12. In FIG. 19, the microstructures are viewed along the minor axes
of the bases of the microstructures and in FIG. 20, the
microstructures are viewed along the major axes of the bases of the
microstructures.
[0119] The plurality of microstructures or microstructured pattern
in FIG. 19 (and FIG. 20) are arranged in an array of concentric
circles that includes an outermost circle 1910. The microstructures
are arranged such that no diameter of the outermost circle includes
at least one discrete microstructure from each circle in the array
of concentric circles. For example, a diameter 1920 of outermost
circle 1910 includes microstructures 1901-1905 but not
microstructures 1930 and 1931. Each circle in the array of
concentric circles in FIG. 19 includes equally spaced discrete
microstructures. Similarly, in some cases, a nozzle includes a
plurality of holes that are arranged in an array of concentric
circles that includes an outermost circle. Discrete nozzle holes or
nozzle through-holes are arranged such that no diameter of the
outermost circle includes at least one discrete nozzle hole from
each circle in the array of concentric circles. In some cases, each
circle in the array of concentric circles comprises equally spaced
discrete nozzle holes.
[0120] Next, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 1C, the exposed
or top surface 126 of first microstructured pattern 121 is
metalized or made electrically conductive by coating the top
surface with a thin electrically conductive seed layer 127.
Conductive seed layer 127 can include any electrically conductive
material that is desirable in an application. Exemplary conductive
materials include silver, chromium, gold and titanium. In some
cases, seed layer 127 has a thickness that is less than about 50
nm, or less than about 40 nm, or less than about 30 nm, or less
than about 20 nm.
[0121] Next, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 1D, seed layer
127 is used to electroplate first microstructured pattern 121 with
a second material resulting in a layer 130 of the second material.
In some cases, the electroplating of first microstructured pattern
121 is continued until the minimum thickness t.sub.2 of layer 130
is greater than t.sub.1.
[0122] Suitable second materials for electroplating include silver,
passivated silver, gold, rhodium, aluminum, enhanced reflectivity
aluminum, copper, indium, nickel, chromium, tin, and alloys
thereof.
[0123] In some cases, layer 130 of the second material has an
uneven or rough top surface 132. In such cases, layer 130 of the
second material is polished or ground resulting in a layer 135 of
the second material having a thickness t.sub.3>t.sub.1 as
illustrated schematically in FIG. 1E. The grinding or polishing can
be accomplished using any grinding method that may be desirable in
an application. Exemplary grinding methods include surface grinding
and mechanical milling.
[0124] In some cases, layer of second material 130 can be directly
deposited on first microstructured pattern 121 without first
coating pattern 121 with seed layer 127. In such cases, layer 130
can be coated on pattern 121 by any using suitable method
including, for example, sputtering and chemical vapor
deposition.
[0125] Next, substrate 110 and the first material are removed
resulting in a first mold 140 of the second material shown
schematically in FIG. 1F. For ease of viewing and without loss of
generality, seed layer 127 is not shown in FIG. 1F. In some cases,
substrate 110 and the patterned first material can be separated
from layer 135 by hand. In some cases, the separation can be
carried out prior to grinding layer 130.
[0126] First mold 140 includes a second microstructured pattern 141
that is exactly, mostly or at least substantially the negative
replica or image (e.g., reverse or mirror image) of first
microstructured pattern 121. In particular, first mold 140 of the
second material includes a first cluster 146 of microstructures 145
and a second cluster 147 of microstructures 148, where
microstructures 145 are exactly, mostly or at least substantially
negative replicas or images of microstructures 120 and
microstructures 148 are exactly, mostly or at least substantially
negative replicas or images of microstructures 125.
[0127] Next, the second microstructured pattern is replicated in a
third material 150, which is the same or different than the first
material and different than the second material, by disposing the
third material in between first mold 140 of the second material and
a substrate 155 having a smooth top surface 157 as schematically
illustrated in FIG. 1G. The replication process can be accomplished
using any suitable replication method. For example, in some cases,
the replication can be accomplished by using an injection molding
process. In such cases, the first mold 140 and substrate 155 can
form at least part of two halves of a molding die, and a molten
third material 150 can be introduced between substrate 155 and
first mold 140 and solidified after the molten third material fills
the second microstructured pattern. The third material 150 can be
any material that is capable of replicating a pattern. Exemplary
third materials include polycarbonate and other thermoplastics such
as polystyrene, acrylic, styrene acrylonitrile, poly-methyl
methacrylate (PMMA), cyclo olefin polymer, polyethylene
terephthalate, polyethylene 2,6-naphthalate, and
fluoropolymers.
[0128] After the replication process, first mold 140 of the second
material and substrate 155 are removed resulting in a second mold
160 of the third material having a substrate portion 162 and a
third microstructured pattern 161 that is exactly, mostly or at
least substantially the negative replica or image (e.g., reverse or
mirror image) of second microstructured pattern 141 and exactly,
mostly or at least substantially a positive replica or image of
first microstructured pattern 121. Third microstructured pattern
161 includes a first cluster 168 of microstructures 165 and a
second cluster 169 of microstructures 159, where microstructures
165 are exactly, mostly or at least substantially negative replicas
or images of microstructures 145 and microstructures 159 are
exactly, mostly or at least substantially negative replicas or
images of microstructures 148. In some cases, microstructures 165
are exactly, mostly or at least substantially positive replicas or
images of microstructures 120 and microstructures 159 are exactly,
mostly or at least substantially positive replicas or images of
microstructures 125. FIG. 21 is a scanning electron micrograph of a
cluster of polycarbonate microstructures 165 fabricated according
to the processes disclosed herein.
[0129] Next, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 1I, top surface
154 of third microstructured pattern 161 is metalized or made
electrically conductive by coating the top surface with a thin
electrically conductive seed layer 167 similar to seed layer
127.
[0130] Next, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 1J, seed layer
167 is used to electroplate third microstructured pattern 161 with
a fourth material different than the third material resulting in a
nozzle pre-form or layer 170 of the fourth material having a top
surface 172. In some cases, the electroplating of second
microstructured pattern 161 is continued until the minimum
thickness is of layer 130 is greater than t.sub.4, the height of
the microstructures in second mold 160. In some cases, height
t.sub.4 is substantially equal to height t.sub.1. Suitable fourth
materials for electroplating include silver, passivated silver,
gold, rhodium, aluminum, enhanced reflectivity aluminum, copper,
indium, nickel, chromium, tin, and alloys thereof. In other
embodiments, the fourth material may be a ceramic that is deposited
on third microstructured pattern 161. Such a ceramic material may
be formed, e.g., by a sol-gel process as described in commonly
owned and assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,453,104, or by photocuring of a
ceramic-filled or pre-ceramic polymeric composition as described in
commonly owned and assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,572,693, 6,387,981,
6,899,948, 7,393,882, 7,297,374, and 7,582,685, each of which is
herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. Such ceramic
materials may comprise, e.g., silica, zirconia, alumina, titania,
or oxides of yttrium, strontium, barium, hafnium, niobium,
tantalum, tungsten, bismuth, molybdenum, tin, zinc, lanthanide
elements (i.e. elements having atomic numbers ranging from 57 to
71, inclusive), cerium and combinations thereof.
[0131] Next, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 1K, the top
surface 172 of the nozzle pre-form 170 is ground or otherwise
removed until sacrificial planar control cavities 171 of
microstructures 165 and sacrificial planar control cavities 173 of
microstructures 159 are completely or at least substantially
removed. Thus, it can be desirable for the third material to be
softer than the fourth material. For example, in some cases, the
third material is a polymeric material (e.g., polycarbonate) and
the fourth material is a metallic material (e.g., a nickel or iron
alloy). The sacrificial planar control cavities 171 and 173 are
considered substantially removed, when the tops 184 and 186 of all
the nozzle hole forming microstructures 180 and 181 in third
microstructured pattern 161 are sufficiently exposed to ensure that
the required fluid flow rate is consistently obtained, within
acceptable tolerances, through each of the corresponding nozzles
192 and 193. This removal process results in a layer 175 of the
fourth material, planarizing of the third microstructured pattern
161 so as to remove the sacrificial planar control cavities (shown
in phantom), and exposure of the tops 185 of the nozzle hole
forming microstructures 180 and 181 (i.e., the desired hole outlet
openings of the nozzle through-holes) in the third microstructured
pattern 161. Layer 175 of the fourth material has a top surface 177
that is substantially even with tops 184 of microstructures 180 and
tops 186 of microstructures 181. The microstructures 180 and 181
have a relatively uniform height t.sub.6.
[0132] The top surface 172 of the nozzle pre-form 170 is preferably
removed using a planarization process in an effort to obtain more
uniform size hole outlets 183 and 197 of the nozzle through-holes
195 and 198. As shown in FIGS. 1K and 1L, uniform openings for hole
outlets 183 and 197 are obtained by planarizing the top surface 172
so that the top and bottom surfaces of the layer 190 are parallel.
It can be important to control the uniformity and size of the
nozzle through-hole outlets, for example, to control the flow rate
of fluid through the nozzle. The sacrificial planar control
cavities 171 and 173 are designed (i.e., sized and configured) to
be removed such that the corresponding nozzle through-holes (i.e.,
the hole outlets) can be opened in a desired manner (e.g., to
obtain a required fluid flow rate and/or a desired fluid flow
pattern through the nozzle). While the present invention allows
smaller nozzle through-holes to be formed, it also allows for a
greater density of the through-holes per unit area of nozzle
surface, in an effort to provide enough open area (i.e., the
combined area of the nozzle through-hole outlets) to obtain the
necessary fluid flow rate through the nozzle.
[0133] Referring to FIG. 1K, the planar control cavity forming
features 184 also help to insure that any air trapped in the
materials (e.g., a molten or otherwise liquid polymeric material)
used to make the nozzle forming microstructured pattern 161,
especially air trapped in the material filling the nozzle hole
forming features 159 and 165, will settle in the planar control
cavity forming features 184, rather than in the nozzle hole forming
features 159 and 165. The structural integrity of the nozzle hole
forming features 159 and 165 can be detrimentally affected if
pockets or bubbles of air become trapped therein. The structural
integrity of the nozzle hole forming features 159 and 165 is
important to insure the desired formation of the corresponding
nozzle through-holes. This advantage of the inventive planar
control cavity forming features is particularly applicable when the
nozzle forming microstructured pattern is formed by molding (i.e.,
injection molding) a moldable polymeric material.
Planarization Description
[0134] Planarization of the top surface, and bottom surface, of the
nozzle can be performed using conventional techniques. For example,
in one technique, a modified version of an Ultrapol Edge Polisher,
built by Ultra-Tec Manufacturing, Inc, can be used. There are many
other equivalent systems available on the market.
[0135] This system allows the work piece to be brought in contact
with the horizontally rotating platen. The system provides
adjustment mechanisms to control the pitch and roll angles of the
component being ground relative to the rotating platen.
[0136] For the purpose of this description, the pitch, roll &
yaw axis chart is orientated to the above machine photo. The 12
o'clock position of the substrate is on the x-axis, the 3 o'clock
position of the substrate is on the y-axis.
[0137] A sample nozzle substrate is mounted nickel side down on an
attachment fixture so it is mounted on the machine and held in
contact with the lapping film on the rotating platen.
[0138] Planarization begins with rough alignment relative to the
outer perimeter of the substrate by slowly lowering the work piece
until it makes contact with the grinding media. The contact point
is then observed and pitch and roll are adjusted accordingly. For
example; if the contact point occurs at 12 o'clock, the injector
substrate is "nose down" and pitch is adjusted to decrease the
angle of contact (by lowering the tail of the work piece. Another
example; if after initial contact, the contact point is at the 3
o'clock position, then roll adjustment is required. Roll &
pitch are adjusted until the majority of the substrate top plane is
in contact with the grinding media.
[0139] Backside grinding continues until one or more of the
sacrificial planar control cavities or planarization cones are
exposed in the newly ground surface. The hole diameters at opposite
edges of the nozzle array are measured and pitch and roll
adjustments are made accordingly. Further grinding with minor roll
& pitch adjustments can be made until all the planarization
cone diameters of the nozzle through-holes are equal.
[0140] Once the planarization has opened a hole in the
planarization cones; the diameter of the planarization cone holes
can be used to determine the distance down to the top of the nozzle
through-holes; Distance down to the top of a nozzle through-hole or
tip equals the height of the planarization cone minus the radius
divided by Tan (cone half angle). For example; if the cone half
angle if 21.degree., the cone height is 50 .mu.m and the measured
hole diameter equals 30 .mu.m (radius=15), then the distance down
to the nozzle tip=50-15/Tan 21=11 .mu.m.
[0141] Using a clear or translucent injection molded plastic
pre-form and proper fixturing; another metric is to measure the
nozzle's clear open area. Mounting the nozzle pre-form on an
attachment fixture with an open aperture directly behind the nozzle
tips, this allows the nozzle to be back-lit under a high
magnification microscope for area measurement (see the FIG. 23
photograph).
[0142] Next, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 1L, second mold
160 is removed resulting in a layer 190 of the fourth material that
includes a plurality of holes 106 that correspond to the plurality
of microstructures 159 and 165 in the third microstructured pattern
161. In particular, layer 190 of the fourth material includes a
first cluster or array 192 of nozzle through holes 195 and a second
cluster or array 193 of nozzle through holes 198. In some cases,
holes 195 are substantial negative replicas of microstructures 120b
and holes 198 are substantial negative replicas of microstructures
125b. Holes 195 include hole entries or inlets 182 and hole exits
or outlets 183 and holes 198 include hole entries or inlets 196 and
hole exits or outlets 197.
[0143] FIGS. 22 and 23 are optical micrographs of respective hole
entries 182 and hole exits 183 of a cluster 192 of holes 195 made
according to the processes disclosed herein. FIG. 25 is a scanning
electron micrograph of one of the holes 195, viewed from the hole
entry side. The hole has a hole entry 2510 and a hole exit 2520
that is smaller than the hole entry. The micrograph clearly
illustrates a taper and a twist in the hole.
[0144] In some cases, as illustrated schematically in FIG. 1M, two
clusters 192 and 193 are separated along a direction 199 resulting
in a first nozzle 102 and a separate, and in some cases
substantially identical, second nozzle 103. The nozzles 102 and 103
can be used, for example, in a spray device and/or a fuel
injector.
[0145] FIG. 24 is a schematic side-view of a nozzle 2400 that
includes a hollow interior 2410 and a wall 2405 separating the
hollow interior from an outside 2430 of the nozzle. The nozzle
further includes at least one hole, such as a hole 2420, that
connects hollow interior 2410 to outside 2430 of the nozzle. The
holes deliver gas or liquid from the hollow interior to the
outside. Hole 2420 can be any hole disclosed herein. Hole 2420
includes a hole entry 2440 at an inner surface 2406 of wall 2405
and a hole exit 2445 at an outside surface 2407 of wall 2405. Hole
entry 2440 is also at hollow interior 2410 of the nozzle and hole
exit 2445 is at outside 2430 of the nozzle.
[0146] In some cases, hole entry 2440 has a first shape and hole
exit 2445 has a second shape that is different than the first
shape. For example, in some cases, the first shape is an elliptical
shape and the second shape is a circular shape. As another example,
in some cases, the first shape can be a racetrack or oval shape and
the second shape can be a circular shape. As another example, in
some cases, the second shape can be a circle or an ellipse and the
perimeter of the first shape can include outer arcs of a plurality
of closely packed circles, where the outer arcs are connected to
each other by curve-like fillets.
[0147] In some cases the first shape can be substantially the same
as the second shape, but they can have different magnifications or
sizes. For example, the first shape can be a circle with a radius
a.sub.1 and the second shape can also be a circle, but with a
radius a.sub.2 different than a.sub.1.
[0148] In some cases, hole 2420 has a lateral cross-section that
rotates from hole entry 2440 to hole exit 2445 where lateral
cross-section refers to a cross-section that is substantially
perpendicular to the general flow direction of, for example, a
liquid or gas within the hole. In some cases, the cross-section has
an increasing rotation rate from the hole entry to the hole exit.
In some cases, the cross-section has a decreasing rotation rate
from the hole entry to the hole exit. In some cases, the
cross-section has a constant rotation rate from the hole entry to
the hole exit.
[0149] Some of the advantages of microstructures, holes, layers,
constructions, and methods of this invention are further
illustrated by the following example and embodiments. The
particular materials, amounts and dimensions recited in the
example, as well as other conditions and details, should not be
construed to unduly limit this invention. Unless otherwise noted,
all chemical procedures were carried out under a dry nitrogen
atmosphere with dry and deoxygenated solvents and reagents. Unless
otherwise noted, all solvents and reagents were or can be obtained
from Aldrich Chemical Co., Milwaukee, Wis.
[0150] Rhodamine B hexafluoroantimonate was prepared by metathesis
of Rhodamine B chloride with sodium hexafluoroantimonate. As used
herein, SR368 refers to tris-(2-hydroxyethyl)isocyanurate
triacrylate, (obtained from Sartomer Co. Inc., Exton, Pa.; SR9008
refers to a trifunctional acrylate ester (obtained from Sartomer);
SR1012 refers to diaryliodonium hexafluoroantimonate (obtained from
Sartomer); SU-8 R2150 refers to an epoxy negative photoresist
(obtained from MicroChem Corp., Newton, Mass.); THF refers to
tetrahydrofuran; LEXAN HPS1R refers to a thermoplastic
polycarbonate (obtained from Sabic Innovative Plastics, Pittsfield,
Mass.; and Inco S-Rounds refers to nickel (obtained from Vale Inco
America's, Inc., Saddle Brook, N.J.).
Example 1
[0151] A circular silicon wafer (substrate 110 in FIG. 1A), 10.2 cm
in diameter, was obtained from Wafer World, Inc., West Palm Beach,
Fla. The Si wafer was cleaned by soaking it for approximately ten
minutes in a 3:1 mixture by volume of concentrated sulfuric acid
and 30% by weight aqueous hydrogen peroxide. The wafer was then
rinsed with deionized water and then with isopropanol, after which
it was dried under a stream of air. The wafer was then dipped into
a two weight percent solution of 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl
methacrylate in 190-proof ethanol that had been made acidic (pH
between 4 and 5) with acetic acid. The wafer was then rinsed with
absolute ethanol and was then heated in an oven at 130.degree. C.
for ten minutes.
[0152] Poly(methyl methacrylate), having a number average molecular
weight of approximately 120,000, SR9008, and SR368 were combined in
a weight ratio of 30:35:35 resulting in a monomer mixture that was
dissolved in sufficient 1,2-dichloroethane to afford a solution
that was 54 weight percent of the monomer mixture. To this solution
there were then added aliquots of concentrated solutions of
photosensitizer Rhodamine B hexafluoroantimonate in THF and SR1012
in THF sufficient to give a coating solution that was 0.5 weight
percent Rhodamine B hexafluoroantimonate and 1.0 weight percent
SR1012, based on the total weight of solids. This coating solution
was filtered through a 1-micron syringe filter and was spin-coated
onto the silicon wafer. The coated wafer was placed in a forced air
oven at 60.degree. C. for 18 hours to afford a coated silicon wafer
with a substantially solvent-free (hereinafter, "dry") coating
(layer 115 of the first material in FIG. 1A) having a thickness of
approximately 300 .mu.m.
[0153] Two-photon polymerization of the dry coating was carried out
using a diode-pumped Ti:sapphire laser (obtained from
Spectra-Physics, Mountain View, Calif.) that operated at 800 nm
with a nominal pulse width of 80 fs, a pulse repetition rate of 80
MHz, and an average power of approximately 1 W. The coated wafer
was placed on a computer-controlled three-axis stage (obtained from
Aerotech, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa.). The laser beam was attenuated by
neutral density filters and was focused into the dry coating using
a galvoscanner with a telescope for x-, y-, and z-axis control
(available from Nutfield Technology, Inc., Windham, N.H.). A Nikon
CFI Plan Achromat 50X oil objective N.A. 0.90 with a working
distance of 0.400 mm and a 4.0 mm focal length was applied directly
onto the surface of the dry coating. The average power was measured
at the output of the objective lens using a wavelength-calibrated
photodiode (obtained from Ophir Optronics, Ltd., Wilmington, Mass.)
and was determined to be approximately 8 mW.
[0154] After the exposure scan was completed, the exposed dry
coating was developed in MicroChem SU-8 developer, rinsed and dried
resulting in a first microstructured pattern 121 (FIG. 1b).
[0155] The surface of the first microstructured pattern was made
conductive by sputtering a thin layer (about 100 angstroms) of
Silver (Ag) on the surface of the pattern. The metalized front
surface was then electroplated with Inco S-Rounds (nickel) until it
was approximately 2 mm thick. The electroplated nickel slug was
then separated from the first pattern and ground and machined
resulting in a first mold 140 having a second microstructured
pattern 141 (FIG. 1F).
[0156] The first mold was then placed into an injection die mold
which was placed into a single screw plastic injection molding
system to inject thermoplastic polycarbonate (LEXAN HPS1R) into the
mold cavity resulting in a second mold 160 having a third
microstructured pattern 161 (FIG. 1H).
[0157] The front surface of the second mold was then metalized by
sputtering the surface with about 100 angstroms of silver. The
metalized second mold was then electroplated with Inco S-Rounds
(nickel) to totally cover the third microstructured pattern
resulting in a nickel layer 170 (FIG. 1J).
[0158] After rinsing the combined construction of the nickel layer
and the second mold with deionized water, the front surface 172
(FIG. 1J) of the nickel layer was ground in a planar fashion to
remove the nickel material from the tops 171 of the third
microstructured pattern.
[0159] After the grinding was complete (all the microstructure tops
were exposed), the electroplated nickel layer was separated from
the polycarbonate mold 160 resulting in a nickel disc,
approximately 8 mm in diameter and 160 um thick having 37
through-holes arranged in a circular hexagonal packing arrangement.
The separation between neighboring holes was about 200 .mu.m. Each
hole had a hole entry in the shape of a racetrack modified with
fillets along the linear portions of the racetrack. The racetrack
had a major diameter of about 80 .mu.m and a minor diameter of
about 50 .mu.m. Each hole had a hole exit in the shape of a smaller
racetrack with a major diameter of about 50 .mu.m and a minor
diameter of about 35 .mu.m. Viewed from the hole exit side, the
major diameters of the cross-section of the holes rotated clockwise
from the hole exit to the hole entry by about 30 degrees for every
50 .mu.m of depth below the hole exit.
[0160] As used herein, terms such as "vertical", "horizontal",
"above", "below", "left", "right", "upper" and "lower", "clockwise"
and "counter clockwise" and other similar terms, refer to relative
positions as shown in the figures. In general, a physical
embodiment can have a different orientation, and in that case, the
terms are intended to refer to relative positions modified to the
actual orientation of the device. For example, even if the image in
FIG. 1B is flipped as compared to the orientation in the figure,
surface 126 is still considered to be the top surface.
MultiPhoton Description
Definitions
[0161] As used in this patent application:
[0162] "cure" means to effect polymerization and/or to effect
crosslinking;
[0163] "electronic excited state" means an electronic state of a
molecule that is higher in energy than the molecule's electronic
ground state, that is accessible via absorption of electromagnetic
radiation, and that has a lifetime greater than 10' seconds;
[0164] "exposure system" means an optical system plus a light
source;
[0165] "master" means an originally-fabricated article that can be
used to manufacture a tool for replication;
[0166] "multiphoton absorption" means simultaneous absorption of
two or more photons to reach a reactive, electronic excited state
that is energetically inaccessible by the absorption of a single
photon of the same energy;
[0167] "numerical aperture" means the ratio of the diameter of a
lens to its focal length (or 1/f number);
[0168] "optical system" means a system for controlling light, the
system including at least one element chosen from refractive
optical elements such as lenses, reflective optical elements such
as mirrors, and diffractive optical elements such as gratings.
Optical elements shall also include diffusers, waveguides, and
other elements known in the optical arts;
[0169] "photochemically effective amounts" (of the components of
the photoinitiator system) means amounts sufficient to enable the
reactive species to undergo at least partial reaction under the
selected exposure conditions (as evidenced, for example, by a
change in density, viscosity, color, pH, refractive index, or other
physical or chemical property);
[0170] "photosensitizer" means a molecule that lowers the energy
required to activate a photoinitiator by absorbing light of lower
energy than is required by the photoinitiator for activation and
interacting with the photoinitiator to produce a photoinitiating
species therefrom;
[0171] "simultaneous" means two events that occur within the period
of 10' seconds or less;
[0172] "sufficient light" means light of sufficient intensity and
appropriate wavelength to effect multiphoton absorption; and
Multiphoton Reaction
[0173] Molecular two-photon absorption was predicted by
Goppert-Mayer in 1931. Upon the invention of pulsed ruby lasers in
1960, experimental observation of two-photon absorption became a
reality. Subsequently, two-photon excitation has found application
in biology and optical data storage, as well as in other
fields.
[0174] There are two key differences between two-photon induced
photoprocesses and single-photon induced processes. Whereas
single-photon absorption scales linearly with the intensity of the
incident radiation, two-photon absorption scales quadratically.
Higher-order absorptions scale with a related higher power of
incident intensity. As a result, it is possible to perform
multiphoton processes with three-dimensional spatial resolution.
Also, because multiphoton processes involve the simultaneous
absorption of two or more photons, the absorbing chromophore is
excited with a number of photons whose total energy equals the
energy of an electronic excited state of the multiphoton
photosensitizer that is utilized, even though each photon
individually has insufficient energy to excite the chromophore.
Because the exciting light is not attenuated by single-photon
absorption within a curable matrix or material, it is possible to
selectively excite molecules at a greater depth within a material
than would be possible via single-photon excitation by use of a
beam that is focused to that depth in the material. These two
phenomena also apply, for example, to excitation within tissue or
other biological materials.
[0175] Major benefits have been achieved by applying multiphoton
absorption to the areas of photocuring and microfabrication. For
example, in multiphoton lithography or stereolithography, the
nonlinear scaling of multiphoton absorption with intensity has
provided the ability to write features having a size that is less
than the diffraction limit of the light utilized, as well as the
ability to write features in three dimensions (which is also of
interest for holography).
[0176] Multiphoton-initiated reactions that cause a change in
solubility of a reactive material are useful in multiphoton
microfabrication (also known as Two-Photon Fabrication). Such
reactions may involve polymerization, crosslinking,
depolymerization, or change in solubility due to reactions
involving a transformation of functional groups, for example, from
polar to non-polar, or non-polar to polar. Reactions are initiated
by absorption of at least two-photons by a multiphoton
photoinitiation system capable of undergoing simultaneous
absorption of two or more photons to form free radicals and/or acid
capable of initiating cationic or free radical reactions.
[0177] Exposure of multiphoton reactive compositions to sufficient
light to form an image can be accomplished by focusing a beam from
an appropriate laser system (see page 22-23, this document) within
the multiphoton reactive composition. Reaction occurs in the
vicinity of the focal point of the focused laser beam to cause a
change in solubility of the exposed composition. The smallest
region in which reaction occurs is a three-dimensional imaging
element, or voxel. A single voxel is the smallest feature that can
be fabricated by multiphoton lithography, and can have a size that
is less than the diffraction limit utilized. The voxel can be as
small as 100 nm or less, in x, y, and z, and as large as 10 microns
or larger in z and 4 microns or larger in x and y, depending on the
numeric aperture of the lens used to focus the laser beam. The
directions x, y, and z, are the axes perpendicular to the beam path
(x, y), or parallel to the beam path (z). Preferably, the voxel has
at least one dimension that is less than 2 microns, preferably less
than 1 micron, more preferably less than 0.5 microns,
Reactive Species
[0178] Reactive species suitable for use in the photoreactive
compositions include both curable and non-curable species. Curable
species are generally preferred and include, for example,
addition-polymerizable monomers and oligomers and
addition-crosslinkable polymers (such as free-radically
polymerizable or crosslinkable ethylenically-unsaturated species
including, for example, acrylates, methacrylates, and certain vinyl
compounds such as styrenes), as well as cationically-polymerizable
monomers and oligomers and cationically-crosslinkable polymers
(which species are most commonly acid-initiated and which include,
for example, epoxies, vinyl ethers, cyanate esters, etc.), and the
like, and mixtures thereof.
[0179] Suitable ethylenically-unsaturated species are described,
for example, by Palazzotto et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,676 at
column 1, line 65, through column 2, line 26, and include mono-,
di-, and poly-acrylates and methacrylates (for example, methyl
acrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, isopropyl
methacrylate, n-hexyl acrylate, stearyl acrylate, allyl acrylate,
glycerol diacrylate, glycerol triacrylate, ethyleneglycol
diacrylate, diethyleneglycol diacrylate, triethyleneglycol
dimethacrylate, 1,3-propanediol diacrylate, 1,3-propanediol
dimethacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, 1,2,4-butanetriol
trimethacrylate, 1,4-cyclohexanediol diacrylate, pentaerythritol
triacrylate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, pentaerythritol
tetramethacrylate, sorbitol hexacrylate,
bis[1-(2-acryloxy)]-p-ethoxyphenyldimethylmethane,
bis[1-(3-acryloxy-2-hydroxy)]-p-propoxyphenyldimethylmethane,
trishydroxyethyl-isocyanurate trimethacrylate, the bis-acrylates
and bis-methacrylates of polyethylene glycols of molecular weight
about 200-500, copolymerizable mixtures of acrylated monomers such
as those of U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,274, and acrylated oligomers such
as those of U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,126); unsaturated amides (for
example, methylene bis-acrylamide, methylene bis-methacrylamide,
1,6-hexamethylene bis-acrylamide, diethylene triamine
tris-acrylamide and beta-methacrylaminoethyl methacrylate); vinyl
compounds (for example, styrene, diallyl phthalate, divinyl
succinate, divinyl adipate, and divinyl phthalate); and the like;
and mixtures thereof. Suitable reactive polymers include polymers
with pendant (meth)acrylate groups, for example, having from 1 to
about 50 (meth)acrylate groups per polymer chain. Examples of such
polymers include aromatic acid (meth)acrylate half ester resins
such as Sarbox.TM. resins available from Sartomer (for example,
Sarbox.TM. 400, 401, 402, 404, and 405). Other useful reactive
polymers curable by free radical chemistry include those polymers
that have a hydrocarbyl backbone and pendant peptide groups with
free-radically polymerizable functionality attached thereto, such
as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,015 (Ali et al.).
Mixtures of two or more monomers, oligomers, and/or reactive
polymers can be used if desired. Preferred
ethylenically-unsaturated species include acrylates, aromatic acid
(meth)acrylate half ester resins, and polymers that have a
hydrocarbyl backbone and pendant peptide groups with free-radically
polymerizable functionality attached thereto.
[0180] Suitable cationically-reactive species are described, for
example, by Oxman et al. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,998,495 and 6,025,406
and include epoxy resins. Such materials, broadly called epoxides,
include monomeric epoxy compounds and epoxides of the polymeric
type and can be aliphatic, alicyclic, aromatic, or heterocyclic.
These materials generally have, on the average, at least 1
polymerizable epoxy group per molecule (preferably, at least about
1.5 and, more preferably, at least about 2). The polymeric epoxides
include linear polymers having terminal epoxy groups (for example,
a diglycidyl ether of a polyoxyalkylene glycol), polymers having
skeletal oxirane units (for example, polybutadiene polyepoxide),
and polymers having pendant epoxy groups (for example, a glycidyl
methacrylate polymer or copolymer). The epoxides can be pure
compounds or can be mixtures of compounds containing one, two, or
more epoxy groups per molecule. These epoxy-containing materials
can vary greatly in the nature of their backbone and substituent
groups. For example, the backbone can be of any type and
substituent groups thereon can be any group that does not
substantially interfere with cationic cure at room temperature.
Illustrative of permissible substituent groups include halogens,
ester groups, ethers, sulfonate groups, siloxane groups, nitro
groups, phosphate groups, and the like. The molecular weight of the
epoxy-containing materials can vary from about 58 to about 100,000
or more.
[0181] Other epoxy-containing materials that are useful include
glycidyl ether monomers of the formula
##STR00001##
where R' is alkyl or aryl and n is an integer of 1 to 8. Examples
are glycidyl ethers of polyhydric phenols obtained by reacting a
polyhydric phenol with an excess of a chlorohydrin such as
epichlorohydrin (for example, the diglycidyl ether of
2,2-bis-(2,3-epoxypropoxyphenol)-propane). Additional examples of
epoxides of this type are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,018,262, and
in Handbook of Epoxy Resins, Lee and Neville, McGraw-Hill Book Co.,
New York (1967).
[0182] A number of commercially available epoxy monomers or resins
can be used. Epoxides that are readily available include, but are
not limited to, octadecylene oxide; epichlorohydrin; styrene oxide;
vinylcyclohexene oxide; glycidol; glycidyl methacrylate; diglycidyl
ethers of bisphenol A (for example, those available as "EPON 815C",
"EPON 813", "EPON 828", "EPON 1004F", and "EPON 1001F" from Hexion
Specialty Chemicals, Inc., Columbus, Ohio); and diglycidyl ether of
bisphenol F (for example, those available as "ARALDITE GY281" from
Ciba Specialty Chemicals Holding Company, Basel, Switzerland, and
"EPON 862" from Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Inc.). Other aromatic
epoxy resins include the SU-8 resins available from MicroChem
Corp., Newton, Mass.
[0183] Other exemplary epoxy monomers include vinyl cyclohexene
dioxide (available from SPI Supplies, West Chester, Pa.);
4-vinyl-1-cylcohexene diepoxide (available from Aldrich Chemical
Co., Milwaukee, Wis.);
3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl-3,4-epoxycyclohexene carboxylate (for
example, one available as "CYRACURE UVR-6110" from Dow Chemical
Co., Midland, Mich.);
3,4-epoxy-6-methylcylcohexylmethyl-3,4-epoxy-6-methyl-cylcohexane
carboxylate; 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl-5,5-spiro-3,4-epoxy)
cyclohexane-metadioxane; bis(3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl) adipate
(for example, one available as "CYRACURE UVR-6128" from Dow
Chemical Co.); bis(3,4-epoxy-6-methylclyclohexylmethyl)adipate;
3,4-epoxy-6-methylcyclohexane carboxylate; and dipentene
dioxide.
[0184] Still other exemplary epoxy resins include epoxidized
polybutadiene (for example, one available as "POLY BD 605E" from
Sartomer Co., Inc., Exton, Pa.); epoxy silanes (for example,
3,4-epoxycylclohexylethyltrimethoxysilane and
3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, commercially available from
Aldrich Chemical Co., Milwaukee, Wis.); flame retardant epoxy
monomers (for example, one available as "DER-542", a brominated
bisphenol type epoxy monomer available from Dow Chemical Co.,
Midland, Mich.); 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (for example, one
available as "ARALDITE RD-2" from Ciba Specialty Chemicals);
hydrogenated bisphenol A-epichlorohydrin based epoxy monomers (for
example, one available as "EPONEX 1510" from Hexion Specialty
Chemicals, Inc.); polyglycidyl ether of phenol-formaldehyde novolak
(for example, one available as "DEN-431" and "DEN-438" from Dow
Chemical Co.); and epoxidized vegetable oils such as epoxidized
linseed and soybean oils available as "VIKOLOX" and "VIKOFLEX" from
Atofina Chemicals (Philadelphia, Pa.).
[0185] Additional suitable epoxy resins include alkyl glycidyl
ethers commercially available from Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Inc.
(Columbus, Ohio) as "HELOXY". Exemplary monomers include "HELOXY
MODFIER 7" (a C.sub.8-C.sub.10 alkyl glycidyl ether), "HELOXY
MODIFIER 8" (a C.sub.12-C.sub.14 alkyl glycidyl ether), "HELOXY
MODIFIER 61" (butyl glycidyl ether), "HELOXY MODIFIER 62" (cresyl
glycidyl ether), "HELOXY MODIFIER 65" (p-tert-butylphenyl glycidyl
ether), "HELOXY MODIFIER 67" (diglycidyl ether of 1,4-butanediol),
"HELOXY 68" (diglycidyl ether of neopentyl glycol), "HELOXY
MODIFIER 107" (diglycidyl ether of cyclohexanedimethanol), "HELOXY
MODIFIER 44" (trimethylol ethane triglycidyl ether), "HELOXY
MODIFIER 48" (trimethylol propane triglycidyl ether), "HELOXY
MODIFIER 84" (polyglycidyl ether of an aliphatic polyol), and
"HELOXY MODIFIER 32" (polyglycol diepoxide).
[0186] Other useful epoxy resins comprise copolymers of acrylic
acid esters of glycidol (such as glycidyl acrylate and glycidyl
methacrylate) with one or more copolymerizable vinyl compounds.
Examples of such copolymers are 1:1 styrene-glycidyl methacrylate
and 1:1 methyl methacrylate-glycidyl acrylate. Other useful epoxy
resins are well known and contain such epoxides as
epichlorohydrins, alkylene oxides (for example, propylene oxide),
styrene oxide, alkenyl oxides (for example, butadiene oxide), and
glycidyl esters (for example, ethyl glycidate).
[0187] Useful epoxy-functional polymers include epoxy-functional
silicones such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,717
(Eckberg et al.), which are commercially available from the General
Electric Company. These are polydimethylsiloxanes in which 1-20
mole % of the silicon atoms have been substituted with epoxyalkyl
groups (preferably, epoxy cyclohexylethyl, as described in U.S.
Pat. No. 5,753,346 (Leir et al.).
[0188] Blends of various epoxy-containing materials can also be
utilized. Such blends can comprise two or more weight average
molecular weight distributions of epoxy-containing compounds (such
as low molecular weight (below 200), intermediate molecular weight
(about 200 to 1000), and higher molecular weight (above about
1000)). Alternatively or additionally, the epoxy resin can contain
a blend of epoxy-containing materials having different chemical
natures (such as aliphatic and aromatic) or functionalities (such
as polar and non-polar). Other cationically-reactive polymers (such
as vinyl ethers and the like) can additionally be incorporated, if
desired.
[0189] Preferred epoxies include aromatic glycidyl epoxies (for
example, the EPON resins available from Hexion Specialty Chemicals,
Inc. and the SU-8 resins available from MicroChem Corp., Newton,
Mass.), and the like, and mixtures thereof. More preferred are the
SU-8 resins and mixtures thereof.
[0190] Suitable cationically-reactive species also include vinyl
ether monomers, oligomers, and reactive polymers (for example,
methyl vinyl ether, ethyl vinyl ether, tert-butyl vinyl ether,
isobutyl vinyl ether, triethyleneglycol divinyl ether (RAPI-CURE
DVE-3, available from International Specialty Products, Wayne,
N.J.), trimethylolpropane trivinyl ether, and the VECTOMER divinyl
ether resins from Morflex, Inc., Greensboro, N.C. (for example,
VECTOMER 1312, VECTOMER 4010, VECTOMER 4051, and VECTOMER 4060 and
their equivalents available from other manufacturers)), and
mixtures thereof. Blends (in any proportion) of one or more vinyl
ether resins and/or one or more epoxy resins can also be utilized.
Polyhydroxy-functional materials (such as those described, for
example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,856,373 (Kaisaki et al.)) can also be
utilized in combination with epoxy- and/or vinyl ether-functional
materials.
[0191] Non-curable species include, for example, reactive polymers
whose solubility can be increased upon acid- or radical-induced
reaction. Such reactive polymers include, for example, aqueous
insoluble polymers bearing ester groups that can be converted by
photogenerated acid to aqueous soluble acid groups (for example,
poly(4-tert-butoxycarbonyloxystyrene). Non-curable species also
include the chemically-amplified photoresists described by R. D.
Allen et al. in "High Performance Acrylic Polymers for Chemically
Amplified Photoresist Applications," J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B, 9,
3357 (1991). The chemically-amplified photoresist concept is now
widely used for microchip manufacturing, especially with sub-0.5
micron (or even sub-0.2 micron) features. In such photoresist
systems, catalytic species (typically hydrogen ions) can be
generated by irradiation, which induces a cascade of chemical
reactions. This cascade occurs when hydrogen ions initiate
reactions that generate more hydrogen ions or other acidic species,
thereby amplifying reaction rate. Examples of typical
acid-catalyzed chemically-amplified photoresist systems include
deprotection (for example, t-butoxycarbonyloxystyrene resists as
described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,628, tetrahydropyran (THP)
methacrylate-based materials, THP-phenolic materials such as those
described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,778, t-butyl methacrylate-based
materials such as those described by R. D Allen et al. in Proc.
SPIE 2438, 474 (1995), and the like); depolymerization (for
example, polyphthalaldehyde-based materials); and rearrangement
(for example, materials based on the pinacol rearrangements).
[0192] If desired, mixtures of different types of reactive species
can be utilized in the photoreactive compositions. For example,
mixtures of free-radically-reactive species and
cationically-reactive species are also useful.
Photoinitiator System
[0193] The photoinitiator system is a multiphoton photoinitiator
system, as the use of such a system enables reaction to be confined
or limited to the focal region of a focused beam of light. Such a
system preferably is a two- or three-component system that
comprises at least one multiphoton photosensitizer, at least one
photoinitiator (or electron acceptor), and, optionally, at least
one electron donor. Such multi-component systems can provide
enhanced sensitivity, enabling photoreaction to be effected in a
shorter period of time and thereby reducing the likelihood of
problems due to movement of the sample and/or one or more
components of the exposure system.
[0194] Preferably, the multiphoton photoinitiator system comprises
photochemically effective amounts of (a) at least one multiphoton
photosensitizer that is capable of simultaneously absorbing at
least two photons and that, optionally but preferably, has a
two-photon absorption cross-section greater than that of
fluorescein; (b) optionally, at least one electron donor compound
different from the multiphoton photosensitizer and capable of
donating an electron to an electronic excited state of the
photosensitizer; and (c) at least one photoinitiator that is
capable of being photosensitized by accepting an electron from an
electronic excited state of the photosensitizer, resulting in the
formation of at least one free radical and/or acid.
[0195] Alternatively, the multiphoton photoinitiator system can be
a one-component system that comprises at least one photoinitiator.
Photoinitiators useful as one-component multiphoton photoinitiator
systems include acyl phosphine oxides (for example, those sold by
Ciba under the trade name Irgacure.TM. 819, as well as 2,4,6
trimethyl benzoyl ethoxyphenyl phosphine oxide sold by BASF
Corporation under the trade name Lucirin.TM. TPO-L) and stilbene
derivatives with covalently attached sulfonium salt moieties (for
example, those described by W. Zhou et al. in Science 296, 1106
(2002)). Other conventional ultraviolet (UV) photoinitiators such
as benzil ketal can also be utilized, although their multi-photon
photoinitiation sensitivities will generally be relatively low.
[0196] Multiphoton photosensitizers, electron donors, and
photoinitiators (or electron acceptors) useful in two- and
three-component multiphoton photoinitiator systems are described
below.
[0197] (1) Multiphoton Photosensitizers
[0198] Multiphoton photosensitizers suitable for use in the
multiphoton photoinitiator system of the photoreactive compositions
are those that are capable of simultaneously absorbing at least two
photons when exposed to sufficient light. Preferably, the
photosensitizers have a two-photon absorption cross-section greater
than that of fluorescein (that is, greater than that of 3',
6'-dihydroxyspiro[isobenzofuran-1(3H), 9'-[9H]xanthen]3-one).
Generally, the preferred cross-section can be greater than about
50.times.10.sup.-50 cm.sup.4 sec/photon, as measured by the method
described by C. Xu and W. W. Webb in J. Opt. Soc. Am. B, 13, 481
(1996) (which is referenced by Marder and Perry et al. in
International Publication No. WO 98/21521 at page 85, lines
18-22).
[0199] More preferably, the two-photon absorption cross-section of
the photosensitizer is greater than about 1.5 times that of
fluorescein (or greater than about 75.times.10.sup.-50 cm.sup.4
sec/photon, as measured by the above method); even more preferably,
greater than about twice that of fluorescein (or greater than about
100.times.10.sup.-50 cm.sup.4 sec/photon); most preferably, greater
than about three times that of fluorescein (or, alternatively,
greater than about 150.times.10.sup.-50 cm.sup.4 sec/photon); and
optimally, greater than about four times that of fluorescein (or,
alternatively, greater than about 200.times.10.sup.-50 cm.sup.4
sec/photon).
[0200] Preferably, the photosensitizer is soluble in the reactive
species (if the reactive species is liquid) or is compatible with
the reactive species and with any binders (as described below) that
are included in the composition. Most preferably, the
photosensitizer is also capable of sensitizing
2-methyl-4,6-bis(trichloromethyl)-s-triazine under continuous
irradiation in a wavelength range that overlaps the single photon
absorption spectrum of the photosensitizer (single photon
absorption conditions), using the test procedure described in U.S.
Pat. No. 3,729,313.
[0201] Preferably, a photosensitizer can also be selected based in
part upon shelf stability considerations. Accordingly, selection of
a particular photosensitizer can depend to some extent upon the
particular reactive species utilized (as well as upon the choices
of electron donor compound and/or photoinitiator).
[0202] Particularly preferred multiphoton photosensitizers include
those exhibiting large multiphoton absorption cross-sections, such
as Rhodamine B (that is,
N-[9-(2-carboxyphenyl)-6-(diethylamino)-3H-xanthen-3-ylidene]-N-ethyletha-
naminium chloride or hexafluoroantimonate) and the four classes of
photosensitizers described, for example, by Marder and Perry et al.
in International Patent Publication Nos. WO 98/21521 and WO
99/53242. The four classes can be described as follows: (a)
molecules in which two donors are connected to a conjugated 7C
(pi)-electron bridge; (b) molecules in which two donors are
connected to a conjugated 7C (pi)-electron bridge which is
substituted with one or more electron accepting groups; (c)
molecules in which two acceptors are connected to a conjugated .pi.
(pi)-electron bridge; and (d) molecules in which two acceptors are
connected to a conjugated .pi. (pi)-electron bridge which is
substituted with one or more electron donating groups (where
"bridge" means a molecular fragment that connects two or more
chemical groups, "donor" means an atom or group of atoms with a low
ionization potential that can be bonded to a conjugated .pi.
(pi)-electron bridge, and "acceptor" means an atom or group of
atoms with a high electron affinity that can be bonded to a
conjugated .pi. (pi)-electron bridge).
[0203] The four above-described classes of photosensitizers can be
prepared by reacting aldehydes with ylides under standard Wittig
conditions or by using the McMurray reaction, as detailed in
International Patent Publication No. WO 98/21521.
[0204] Other compounds are described by Reinhardt et al. (for
example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,100,405, 5,859,251, and 5,770,737) as
having large multiphoton absorption cross-sections, although these
cross-sections were determined by a method other than that
described above.
[0205] Preferred photosensitizers include the following compounds
(and mixtures thereof):
##STR00002## ##STR00003##
[0206] (2) Electron Donor Compounds
[0207] Electron donor compounds useful in the multiphoton
photoinitiator system of the photoreactive compositions are those
compounds (other than the photosensitizer itself) that are capable
of donating an electron to an electronic excited state of the
photosensitizer. Such compounds may be used, optionally, to
increase the multiphoton photosensitivity of the photoinitiator
system, thereby reducing the exposure required to effect
photoreaction of the photoreactive composition. The electron donor
compounds preferably have an oxidation potential that is greater
than zero and less than or equal to that of p-dimethoxybenzene.
Preferably, the oxidation potential is between about 0.3 and 1 volt
vs. a standard saturated calomel electrode ("S.C.E.").
[0208] The electron donor compound is also preferably soluble in
the reactive species and is selected based in part upon shelf
stability considerations (as described above). Suitable donors are
generally capable of increasing the speed of cure or the image
density of a photoreactive composition upon exposure to light of
the desired wavelength.
[0209] When working with cationically-reactive species, those
skilled in the art will recognize that the electron donor compound,
if of significant basicity, can adversely affect the cationic
reaction. (See, for example, the discussion in U.S. Pat. No.
6,025,406 (Oxman et al.) at column 7, line 62, through column 8,
line 49.)
[0210] In general, electron donor compounds suitable for use with
particular photosensitizers and photoinitiators can be selected by
comparing the oxidation and reduction potentials of the three
components (as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,859,572
(Farid et al.)). Such potentials can be measured experimentally
(for example, by the methods described by R. J. Cox, Photographic
Sensitivity, Chapter 15, Academic Press (1973)) or can be obtained
from references such as N. L. Weinburg, Ed., Technique of
Electroorganic Synthesis Part II Techniques of Chemistry, Vol. V
(1975), and C. K. Mann and K. K. Barnes, Electrochemical Reactions
in Nonaqueous Systems (1970). The potentials reflect relative
energy relationships and can be used to guide electron donor
compound selection.
[0211] Suitable electron donor compounds include, for example,
those described by D. F. Eaton in Advances in Photochemistry,
edited by B. Voman et al., Volume 13, pp. 427-488, John Wiley and
Sons, New York (1986); by Oxman et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,025,406
at column 7, lines 42-61; and by Palazzotto et al. in U.S. Pat. No.
5,545,676 at column 4, line 14 through column 5, line 18. Such
electron donor compounds include amines (including triethanolamine,
hydrazine, 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, triphenylamine (and its
triphenylphosphine and triphenylarsine analogs), aminoaldehydes,
and aminosilanes), amides (including phosphoramides), ethers
(including thioethers), ureas (including thioureas), sulfinic acids
and their salts, salts of ferrocyanide, ascorbic acid and its
salts, dithiocarbamic acid and its salts, salts of xanthates, salts
of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid, salts of
(alkyl).sub.n(aryl).sub.mborates (n+m=4) (tetraalkylammonium salts
preferred), various organometallic compounds such as SnR.sub.4
compounds (where each R is independently chosen from among alkyl,
aralkyl (particularly, benzyl), aryl, and alkaryl groups) (for
example, such compounds as n-C.sub.3H.sub.7Sn(CH.sub.3).sub.3,
(allyl)Sn(CH.sub.3).sub.3, and (benzyl)Sn(n-C.sub.3H.sub.7).sub.3),
ferrocene, and the like, and mixtures thereof. The electron donor
compound can be unsubstituted or can be substituted with one or
more non-interfering substituents. Particularly preferred electron
donor compounds contain an electron donor atom (such as a nitrogen,
oxygen, phosphorus, or sulfur atom) and an abstractable hydrogen
atom bonded to a carbon or silicon atom alpha to the electron donor
atom.
[0212] Preferred amine electron donor compounds include alkyl-,
aryl-, alkaryl- and aralkyl-amines (for example, methylamine,
ethylamine, propylamine, butylamine, triethanolamine, amylamine,
hexylamine, 2,4-dimethylaniline, 2,3-dimethylaniline, o-, m- and
p-toluidine, benzylamine, aminopyridine,
N,N'-dimethylethylenediamine, N,N'-diethylethylenediamine,
N,N'-dibenzylethylenediamine, N,N'-diethyl-1,3-propanediamine,
N,N'-diethyl-2-butene-1,4-diamine, N,N'-dimethyl-1,6-hexanediamine,
piperazine, 4,4'-trimethylenedipiperidine,
4,4'-ethylenedipiperidine, p-N,N-dimethyl-aminophenethanol and
p-N-dimethylaminobenzonitrile); aminoaldehydes (for example,
p-N,N-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde, p-N,N-diethylaminobenzaldehyde,
9-julolidine carboxaldehyde, and 4-morpholinobenzaldehyde); and
aminosilanes (for example, trimethylsilylmorpholine,
trimethylsilylpiperidine, bis(dimethylamino)diphenylsilane,
tris(dimethylamino)methylsilane, N,N-diethylaminotrimethylsilane,
tris(dimethylamino)phenylsilane, tris(methylsilyl)amine,
tris(dimethylsilyl)amine, bis(dimethylsilyl)amine,
N,N-bis(dimethylsilyl)aniline, N-phenyl-N-dimethylsilylaniline, and
N,N-dimethyl-N-dimethylsilylamine); and mixtures thereof. Tertiary
aromatic alkylamines, particularly those having at least one
electron-withdrawing group on the aromatic ring, have been found to
provide especially good shelf stability. Good shelf stability has
also been obtained using amines that are solids at room
temperature. Good photosensitivity has been obtained using amines
that contain one or more julolidinyl moieties.
[0213] Preferred amide electron donor compounds include
N,N-dimethylacetamide, N,N-diethylacetamide,
N-methyl-N-phenylacetamide, hexamethylphosphoramide,
hexaethylphosphoramide, hexapropylphosphoramide,
trimorpholinophosphine oxide, tripiperidinophosphine oxide, and
mixtures thereof.
[0214] Preferred alkylarylborate salts include
Ar.sub.3B.sup.-(n-C.sub.4H.sub.9)N.sup.+(C.sub.2H.sub.5).sub.4
Ar.sub.3B.sup.-(n-C.sub.4H.sub.9)N.sup.+(CH.sub.3).sub.4
Ar.sub.3B.sup.-(n-C.sub.4H.sub.9)N.sup.+(n-C.sub.4H.sub.9).sub.4
Ar.sub.3B.sup.-(n-C.sub.4H.sub.9)Li.sup.+
Ar.sub.3B.sup.-(n-C.sub.4H.sub.9)N.sup.+(C.sub.6H.sub.13).sub.4
Ar.sub.3B.sup.---(C.sub.4H.sub.9)N.sup.+(CH.sub.3).sub.3(CH.sub.2).sub.2C-
O.sub.2(CH.sub.2).sub.2CH.sub.3
Ar.sub.3B.sup.---(C.sub.4H.sub.9)N.sup.+(CH.sub.3).sub.3(CH.sub.2).sub.2O-
CO(CH.sub.2).sub.2CH.sub.3
Ar.sub.3B.sup.--(sec-C.sub.4H.sub.9)N.sup.+(CH.sub.3).sub.3(CH.sub.2).sub-
.2CO.sub.2(CH.sub.2).sub.2CH.sub.3
Ar.sub.3B.sup.--(sec-C.sub.4H.sub.9)N.sup.+(C.sub.6H.sub.13).sub.4
Ar.sub.3B.sup.---(C.sub.4H.sub.9)N.sup.+(C.sub.8H.sub.17).sub.4
Ar.sub.3B.sup.---(C.sub.4H.sub.9)N.sup.+(CH.sub.3).sub.4
(p-CH.sub.3O--C.sub.6H.sub.4).sub.3B.sup.-(n-C.sub.4H.sub.9)N.sup.+(n-C.s-
ub.4H.sub.9).sub.4
Ar.sub.3B.sup.---(C.sub.4H.sub.9)N.sup.+(CH.sub.3).sub.3(CH.sub.2).sub.2O-
H ArB.sup.-(n-C.sub.4H.sub.9).sub.3N.sup.+(CH.sub.3).sub.4
ArB.sup.-(C.sub.2H.sub.5).sub.3N.sup.+(CH.sub.3).sub.4
Ar.sub.2B.sup.-(n-C.sub.4H.sub.9).sub.2N.sup.+(CH.sub.3).sub.4
Ar.sub.3B.sup.-(C.sub.4H.sub.9)N.sup.+(C.sub.4H.sub.9).sub.4
Ar.sub.4B.sup.-N.sup.+(C.sub.4H.sub.9).sub.4
ArB.sup.-(CH.sub.3).sub.3N.sup.+(CH.sub.3).sub.4
(n-C.sub.4H.sub.9).sub.4B.sup.-N.sup.+(CH.sub.3).sub.4
Ar.sub.3B.sup.-(C.sub.4H.sub.9)P.sup.+(C.sub.4H.sub.9).sub.4 (where
Ar is phenyl, naphthyl, substituted (preferably,
fluoro-substituted) phenyl, substituted naphthyl, and like groups
having greater numbers of fused aromatic rings), as well as
tetramethylammonium n-butyltriphenylborate and tetrabutylammonium
n-hexyl-tris(3-fluorophenyl)borate, and mixtures thereof.
[0215] Suitable ether electron donor compounds include
4,4'-dimethoxybiphenyl, 1,2,4-trimethoxybenzene,
1,2,4,5-tetramethoxybenzene, and the like, and mixtures thereof.
Suitable urea electron donor compounds include N,N'-dimethylurea,
N,N-dimethylurea, N,N'-diphenylurea, tetramethylthiourea,
tetraethylthiourea, tetra-n-butylthiourea, N,N-di-n-butylthiourea,
N,N'-di-n-butylthiourea, N,N-diphenylthiourea,
N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-diethylthiourea, and the like, and mixtures
thereof.
[0216] Preferred electron donor compounds for free radical-induced
reactions include amines that contain one or more julolidinyl
moieties, alkylarylborate salts, and salts of aromatic sulfinic
acids. However, for such reactions, the electron donor compound can
also be omitted, if desired (for example, to improve the shelf
stability of the photoreactive composition or to modify resolution,
contrast, and reciprocity). Preferred electron donor compounds for
acid-induced reactions include 4-dimethylaminobenzoic acid, ethyl
4-dimethylaminobenzoate, 3-dimethylaminobenzoic acid,
4-dimethylaminobenzoin, 4-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde,
4-dimethylaminobenzonitrile, 4-dimethylaminophenethyl alcohol, and
1,2,4-trimethoxybenzene.
[0217] (3) Photoinitiators (or Electron Acceptors)
[0218] Suitable photoinitiators (that is, electron acceptor
compounds) for the reactive species of the photoreactive
compositions are those that are capable of being photosensitized by
accepting an electron from an electronic excited state of the
multiphoton photosensitizer, resulting in the formation of at least
one free radical and/or acid. Such photoinitiators include iodonium
salts (for example, diaryliodonium salts), sulfonium salts (for
example, triarylsulfonium salts optionally substituted with alkyl
or alkoxy groups, and optionally having 2,2' oxy groups bridging
adjacent aryl moieties), and the like, and mixtures thereof.
[0219] The photoinitiator is preferably soluble in the reactive
species and is preferably shelf-stable (that is, does not
spontaneously promote reaction of the reactive species when
dissolved therein in the presence of the photosensitizer and the
electron donor compound). Accordingly, selection of a particular
photoinitiator can depend to some extent upon the particular
reactive species, photosensitizer, and electron donor compound
chosen, as described above. If the reactive species is capable of
undergoing an acid-initiated chemical reaction, then the
photoinitiator is an onium salt (for example, an iodonium or
sulfonium salt).
[0220] Suitable iodonium salts include those described by
Palazzotto et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,676 at column 2, lines 28
through 46. Suitable iodonium salts are also described in U.S. Pat.
Nos. 3,729,313, 3,741,769, 3,808,006, 4,250,053 and 4,394,403. The
iodonium salt can be a simple salt (for example, containing an
anion such as Cl.sup.-, Br.sup.-, I.sup.- or
C.sub.4H.sub.5SO.sub.3.sup.-) or a metal complex salt (for example,
containing SbF.sub.6.sup.-, PF.sub.6.sup.-, BF.sub.4.sup.-,
tetrakis(perfluorophenyl)borate, SbF.sub.5OH.sup.- or
AsF.sub.6.sup.-). Mixtures of iodonium salts can be used if
desired.
[0221] Examples of useful aromatic iodonium complex salt
photoinitiators include diphenyliodonium tetrafluoroborate;
di(4-methylphenyl)iodonium tetrafluoroborate;
phenyl-4-methylphenyliodonium tetrafluoroborate;
di(4-heptylphenyl)iodonium tetrafluoroborate;
di(3-nitrophenyl)iodonium hexafluorophosphate;
di(4-chlorophenyl)iodonium hexafluorophosphate;
di(naphthyl)iodonium tetrafluoroborate;
di(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)iodonium tetrafluoroborate;
diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate; di(4-methylphenyl)iodonium
hexafluorophosphate; diphenyliodonium hexafluoroarsenate;
di(4-phenoxyphenyl)iodonium tetrafluoroborate;
phenyl-2-thienyliodonium hexafluorophosphate;
3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl-4-phenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate;
diphenyliodonium hexafluoroantimonate; 2,2'-diphenyliodonium
tetrafluoroborate; di(2,4-dichlorophenyl)iodonium
hexafluorophosphate; di(4-bromophenyl)iodonium hexafluorophosphate;
di(4-methoxyphenyl)iodonium hexafluorophosphate;
di(3-carboxyphenyl)iodonium hexafluorophosphate;
di(3-methoxycarbonylphenyl)iodonium hexafluorophosphate;
di(3-methoxysulfonylphenyl)iodonium hexafluorophosphate;
di(4-acetamidophenyl)iodonium hexafluorophosphate;
di(2-benzothienyl)iodonium hexafluorophosphate; and
diphenyliodonium hexafluoroantimonate; and the like; and mixtures
thereof. Aromatic iodonium complex salts can be prepared by
metathesis of corresponding aromatic iodonium simple salts (such
as, for example, diphenyliodonium bisulfate) in accordance with the
teachings of Beringer et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 81, 342 (1959).
[0222] Preferred iodonium salts include diphenyliodonium salts
(such as diphenyliodonium chloride, diphenyliodonium
hexafluorophosphate, and diphenyliodonium tetrafluoroborate),
diaryliodonium hexafluoroantimonate (for example, SarCat.TM. SR
1012 available from Sartomer Company), and mixtures thereof.
[0223] Useful sulfonium salts include those described in U.S. Pat.
No. 4,250,053 (Smith) at column 1, line 66, through column 4, line
2, which can be represented by the formulas:
##STR00004##
wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 are each independently
selected from aromatic groups having from about 4 to about 20
carbon atoms (for example, substituted or unsubstituted phenyl,
naphthyl, thienyl, and furanyl, where substitution can be with such
groups as alkoxy, alkylthio, arylthio, halogen, and so forth) and
alkyl groups having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms. As used here,
the term "alkyl" includes substituted alkyl (for example,
substituted with such groups as halogen, hydroxy, alkoxy, or aryl).
At least one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 is aromatic, and,
preferably, each is independently aromatic. Z is selected from the
group consisting of a covalent bond, oxygen, sulfur, --S(.dbd.O)--,
--C(.dbd.O)--, --(O.dbd.)S(.dbd.O)--, and --N(R)--, where R is aryl
(of about 6 to about 20 carbons, such as phenyl), acyl (of about 2
to about 20 carbons, such as acetyl, benzoyl, and so forth), a
carbon-to-carbon bond, or --(R.sub.4--)C(--R.sub.5)--, where
R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 are independently selected from the group
consisting of hydrogen, alkyl groups having from 1 to about 4
carbon atoms, and alkenyl groups having from about 2 to about 4
carbon atoms. X.sup.- is an anion, as described below.
[0224] Suitable anions, X.sup.-, for the sulfonium salts (and for
any of the other types of photoinitiators) include a variety of
anion types such as, for example, imide, methide, boron-centered,
phosphorous-centered, antimony-centered, arsenic-centered, and
aluminum-centered anions.
[0225] Illustrative, but not limiting, examples of suitable imide
and methide anions include (C.sub.2F.sub.5SO.sub.2).sub.2N.sup.-,
(C.sub.4F.sub.9SO.sub.2).sub.2N.sup.-,
(C.sub.8F.sub.17SO.sub.2).sub.3C.sup.-,
(CF.sub.3SO.sub.2).sub.3C.sup.-, (CF.sub.3SO.sub.2).sub.2N.sup.-,
(C.sub.4F.sub.9SO.sub.2).sub.3C.sup.-,
(CF.sub.3SO.sub.2).sub.2(C.sub.4F.sub.9SO.sub.2)C.sup.-,
(CF.sub.3SO.sub.2)(C.sub.4F.sub.9SO.sub.2)N.sup.-,
((CF.sub.3).sub.2NC.sub.2F.sub.4SO.sub.2).sub.2N.sup.-,
(CF.sub.3).sub.2NC.sub.2F.sub.4SO.sub.2C.sup.-(SO.sub.2CF.sub.3).sub.2,
(3,5-bis(CF.sub.3)C.sub.6H.sub.3)SO.sub.2N.sup.-SO.sub.2CF.sub.3,
C.sub.6H.sub.5SO.sub.2C.sup.-(SO.sub.2CF.sub.3).sub.2,
C.sub.6H.sub.5SO.sub.2N.sup.-SO.sub.2CF.sub.3, and the like.
Preferred anions of this type include those represented by the
formula (R.sub.fSO.sub.2).sub.3C.sup.-, wherein R.sub.f is a
perfluoroalkyl radical having from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms.
[0226] Illustrative, but not limiting, examples of suitable
boron-centered anions include F.sub.4B.sup.-,
(3,5-bis(CF.sub.3)C.sub.6H.sub.3).sub.4B.sup.-,
(C.sub.6F.sub.5).sub.4B.sup.-,
(p-CF.sub.3C.sub.6H.sub.4).sub.4B.sup.-,
(m-CF.sub.3C.sub.6H.sub.4).sub.4B.sup.-,
(p-FC.sub.6H.sub.4).sub.4B.sup.-,
(C.sub.6F.sub.5).sub.3(CH.sub.3)B.sup.-,
(C.sub.6F.sub.5).sub.3(n-C.sub.4H.sub.9)B.sup.-,
(p-CH.sub.3C.sub.6H.sub.4).sub.3(C.sub.6F.sub.5)B.sup.-,
(C.sub.6F.sub.5).sub.3FB.sup.-,
(C.sub.6H.sub.5).sub.3(C.sub.6F.sub.5)B.sup.-,
(CH.sub.3).sub.2(p-CF.sub.3C.sub.6H.sub.4).sub.2B.sup.-,
(C.sub.6F.sub.5).sub.3(n-C.sub.18H.sub.37O)B.sup.-, and the like.
Preferred boron-centered anions generally contain 3 or more
halogen-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon radicals attached to
boron, with fluorine being the most preferred halogen.
Illustrative, but not limiting, examples of the preferred anions
include (3,5-bis(CF.sub.3)C.sub.6H.sub.3).sub.4B.sup.-,
(C.sub.6F.sub.5).sub.4B.sup.-,
(C.sub.6F.sub.5).sub.3(n-C.sub.4H.sub.9)B.sup.-,
(C.sub.6F.sub.5).sub.3FB.sup.-, and
(C.sub.6F.sub.5).sub.3(CH.sub.3)B.sup.-.
[0227] Suitable anions containing other metal or metalloid centers
include, for example,
(3,5-bis(CF.sub.3)C.sub.6H.sub.3).sub.4Al.sup.-,
(C.sub.6F.sub.5).sub.4Al.sup.-,
(C.sub.6F.sub.5).sub.2F.sub.4P.sup.-,
(C.sub.6F.sub.5)F.sub.5P.sup.-, F.sub.6P,
(C.sub.6F.sub.5)F.sub.5Sb.sup.-, F.sub.6Sb.sup.-,
(HO)F.sub.5Sb.sup.-, and F.sub.6As.sup.-. The foregoing lists are
not intended to be exhaustive, as other useful boron-centered
nonnucleophilic salts, as well as other useful anions containing
other metals or metalloids, will be readily apparent (from the
foregoing general formulas) to those skilled in the art.
[0228] Preferably, the anion, X.sup.-, is selected from
tetrafluoroborate, hexafluorophosphate, hexafluoroarsenate,
hexafluoroantimonate, and hydroxypentafluoroantimonate (for
example, for use with cationically-reactive species such as epoxy
resins).
[0229] Examples of suitable sulfonium salt photoinitiators
include:
triphenylsulfonium tetrafluoroborate methyldiphenylsulfonium
tetrafluoroborate dimethylphenylsulfonium hexafluorophosphate
triphenylsulfonium hexafluorophosphate triphenylsulfonium
hexafluoroantimonate diphenylnaphthylsulfonium hexafluoroarsenate
tritolysulfonium hexafluorophosphate anisyldiphenylsulfonium
hexafluoroantimonate 4-butoxyphenyldiphenylsulfonium
tetrafluoroborate 4-chlorophenyldiphenylsulfonium
hexafluorophosphate tri(4-phenoxyphenyl)sulfonium
hexafluorophosphate di(4-ethoxyphenyl)methylsulfonium
hexafluoroarsenate 4-acetonylphenyldiphenylsulfonium
tetrafluoroborate 4-thiomethoxyphenyldiphenylsulfonium
hexafluorophosphate di(methoxysulfonylphenyl)methylsulfonium
hexafluoroantimonate di(nitrophenyl)phenylsulfonium
hexafluoroantimonate di(carbomethoxyphenyl)methylsulfonium
hexafluorophosphate 4-acetamidophenyldiphenylsulfonium
tetrafluoroborate dimethylnaphthylsulfonium hexafluorophosphate
trifluoromethyldiphenylsulfonium tetrafluoroborate
p-(phenylthiophenyl)diphenylsulfonium hexafluoroantimonate
10-methylphenoxathiinium hexafluorophosphate 5-methylthianthrenium
hexafluorophosphate 10-phenyl-9,9-dimethylthioxanthenium
hexafluorophosphate 10-phenyl-9-oxothioxanthenium tetrafluoroborate
5-methyl-10-oxothianthrenium tetrafluoroborate
5-methyl-10,10-dioxothianthrenium hexafluorophosphate
[0230] Preferred sulfonium salts include triaryl-substituted salts
such as triarylsulfonium hexafluoroantimonate (for example,
SarCat.TM. SR1010 available from Sartomer Company),
triarylsulfonium hexafluorophosphate (for example, SarCat.TM. SR
1011 available from Sartomer Company), and triarylsulfonium
hexafluorophosphate (for example, SarCat.TM. KI85 available from
Sartomer Company).
[0231] Preferred photoinitiators include iodonium salts (more
preferably, aryliodonium salts), sulfonium salts, and mixtures
thereof. More preferred are aryliodonium salts and mixtures
thereof.
[0232] Preparation of Photoreactive Composition
[0233] The reactive species, multiphoton photosensitizers, electron
donor compounds, and photoinitiators can be prepared by the methods
described above or by other methods known in the art, and many are
commercially available. These four components can be combined under
"safe light" conditions using any order and manner of combination
(optionally, with stirring or agitation), although it is sometimes
preferable (from a shelf life and thermal stability standpoint) to
add the photoinitiator last (and after any heating step that is
optionally used to facilitate dissolution of other components).
Solvent can be used, if desired, provided that the solvent is
chosen so as to not react appreciably with the components of the
composition. Suitable solvents include, for example, acetone,
dichloromethane, and acetonitrile. The reactive species itself can
also sometimes serve as a solvent for the other components.
[0234] The three components of the photoinitiator system are
present in photochemically effective amounts (as defined above).
Generally, the composition can contain at least about 5%
(preferably, at least about 10%; more preferably, at least about
20%) up to about 99.79% (preferably, up to about 95%; more
preferably, up to about 80%) by weight of one or more reactive
species; at least about 0.01% (preferably, at least about 0.1%;
more preferably, at least about 0.2%) up to about 10% (preferably,
up to about 5%; more preferably, up to about 2%) by weight of one
or more photosensitizers; optionally, up to about 10% (preferably,
up to about 5%) by weight of one or more electron donor compounds
(preferably, at least about 0.1%; more preferably, from about 0.1%
to about 5%); and from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of one or
more electron acceptor compounds (preferably, from about 0.1% to
about 5%) based upon the total weight of solids (that is, the total
weight of components other than solvent).
[0235] A wide variety of adjuvants can be included in the
photoreactive compositions, depending upon the desired end use.
Suitable adjuvants include solvents, diluents, resins, binders,
plasticizers, pigments, dyes, inorganic or organic reinforcing or
extending fillers (at preferred amounts of about 10% to 90% by
weight based on the total weight of the composition), thixotropic
agents, indicators, inhibitors, stabilizers, ultraviolet absorbers,
and the like. The amounts and types of such adjuvants and their
manner of addition to the compositions will be familiar to those
skilled in the art.
[0236] It is within the scope of this invention to include
nonreactive polymeric binders in the compositions in order, for
example, to control viscosity and to provide film-forming
properties. Such polymeric binders can generally be chosen to be
compatible with the reactive species. For example, polymeric
binders that are soluble in the same solvent that is used for the
reactive species, and that are free of functional groups that can
adversely affect the course of reaction of the reactive species,
can be utilized. Binders can be of a molecular weight suitable to
achieve desired film-forming properties and solution rheology (for
example, molecular weights between about 5,000 and 1,000,000
Daltons; preferably between about 10,000 and 500,000 Daltons; more
preferably, between about 15,000 and 250,000 Daltons). Suitable
polymeric binders include, for example, polystyrene, poly(methyl
methacrylate), poly(styrene)-co-(acrylonitrile), cellulose acetate
butyrate, and the like.
[0237] Prior to exposure, the resulting photoreactive compositions
can be coated on a substrate, if desired, by any of a variety of
coating methods known to those skilled in the art (including, for
example, knife coating and spin coating). The substrate can be
chosen from a wide variety of films, sheets, and other surfaces
(including silicon wafers and glass plates), depending upon the
particular application and the method of exposure to be utilized.
Preferred substrates are generally sufficiently flat to enable the
preparation of a layer of photoreactive composition having a
uniform thickness. For applications where coating is less
desirable, the photoreactive compositions can alternatively be
exposed in bulk form.
[0238] Exposure System and its Use
[0239] In carrying out the process of the invention, a
photoreactive composition can be exposed to light under conditions
such that multiphoton absorption occurs, thereby causing a region
of differential solubility characteristics (for example, lesser or
greater solubility in a particular solvent) as compared to the
photoreactive composition prior to exposure. Such exposure can be
accomplished by any known means capable of achieving sufficient
intensity of the light.
[0240] One exemplary type of fabrication system that can be used
includes a light source, an optical system comprising a final
optical element (optionally including galvo-mirrors and a telescope
to control beam divergence), and a moveable stage. The stage 16 is
moveable in one, two, or, more typically, three dimensions. A
substrate mounted on the stage has a layer of photoreactive
composition thereon. A light beam originating from the light source
passes through the optical system and leaves through the final
optical element, which focuses it to a point P within the layer,
thereby controlling the three-dimensional spatial distribution of
light intensity within the composition and causing at least a
portion of the photoreactive composition in the vicinity of point P
to become more, or less, soluble in at least one solvent than it
was immediately prior to exposure to the light beam. The portion of
photoreactive composition exposed in the vicinity of point P
causing a change in solubility is a three-dimensional imaging
element, or voxel.
[0241] By moving the stage, or by directing the light beam (for
example, moving a laser beam using galvo-mirrors and a telescope)
in combination with moving one or more elements of the optical
system, the focal point P can be scanned or translated in a
three-dimensional pattern that corresponds to a desired shape. The
resulting reacted or partially reacted portion of the photoreactive
composition then creates a three-dimensional structure of the
desired shape. For example, in a single pass the surface profile
(corresponding to a thickness of about one volume pixel or voxel)
of one or more hole forming features of a micronozzle mold pattern
can be exposed or imaged, which upon development can be in the form
of one or more nozzle hole forming features used to make a mold
pattern of one or an array of micronozzles.
[0242] The exposure or imaging of the surface profile of the
micronozzle mold pattern can be carried out by scanning at least
the perimeter of a planar slice of a desired three-dimensional
structure and then scanning a plurality of preferably parallel,
planar slices to complete the structure. Slice thickness can be
controlled to achieve a sufficiently high resolution for the shape
of each nozzle hole forming feature. For example, smaller slice
thicknesses can be desirable in regions of greater structure taper
to aid in achieving high structure fidelity, but larger slice
thicknesses can be utilized in regions of less structure taper to
aid in maintaining useful fabrication times. In this way, highly
detailed features having dimensions less than the slice thickness
(preferably, less than about one-half of the slice thickness; more
preferably, less than about one-quarter of the slice thickness) can
be achieved without sacrificing fabrication speed (throughput or
number of micronozzle mold patterns or arrays fabricated per unit
time).
[0243] The light source can be any light source that produces
sufficient light intensity to effect multiphoton absorption.
Suitable sources include, for example, femtosecond near-infrared
titanium sapphire oscillators (for example, those available from
Coherent, Santa Clara, Calif., as "MIRA OPTIMA 900-F") pumped by an
argon ion laser (for example, those available from Coherent as
"INNOVA"). This laser, operating at 76 MHz, has a pulse width of
less than 200 femtoseconds, is tunable between 700 and 980 nm, and
has average power up to 1.4 Watts. Another useful laser is
available from Spectra-Physics, Mountain View, Calif., under the
trade designation "MAI TAI", tunable to wavelengths in a range of
from 750 to 850 nanometers, and having a repetition frequency of 80
megahertz, and a pulse width of about 100 femtoseconds
(1.times.10.sup.-13 sec), with an average power level up to 1
Watt.
[0244] However, any light source (for example, a laser) that
provides sufficient intensity to effect multiphoton absorption at a
wavelength appropriate for the multiphoton absorber used in the
photoreactive composition can be utilized. Such wavelengths can
generally be in the range of about 300 to about 1500 nm;
preferably, from about 400 to about 1100 nm; more preferably, from
about 600 to about 900 nm; more preferably, from about 750 to about
850 nm, inclusive. Typically, the light fluence (for example, peak
intensity of a pulsed laser) is greater than about 10.sup.6
W/cm.sup.2. The upper limit on the light fluence is generally
dictated by the ablation threshold of the photoreactive
composition. For example, Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers (for example,
those available from Spectra-Physics as "QUANTA-RAY PRO"), visible
wavelength dye lasers (for example, those available from
Spectra-Physics as "SIRAH" pumped by a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser from
Spectra-Physics having the trade designation "Quanta-Ray PRO"), and
Q-switched diode pumped lasers (for example, those available from
Spectra-Physics as "FCBAR") can also be utilized.
[0245] Preferred light sources are near infrared pulsed lasers
having a pulse length less than about 10.sup.-8 second (more
preferably, less than about 10.sup.-9 second; most preferably, less
than about 10.sup.-11 second). Other pulse lengths can be used as
long as the peak intensity and ablation threshold criteria above
are met. Pulsed radiation can, for example, have a pulse frequency
of from about one kilohertz up to about 50 megahertz, or even more.
Continuous wave lasers can also be used.
[0246] The optical system can include, for example, refractive
optical elements (for example, lenses or microlens arrays),
reflective optical elements (for example, retroreflectors or
focusing mirrors), diffractive optical elements (for example,
gratings, phase masks, and holograms), polarizing optical elements
(for example, linear polarizers and waveplates), dispersive optical
elements (for example, prisms and gratings), diffusers, Pockels
cells, waveguides, and the like. Such optical elements are useful
for focusing, beam delivery, beam/mode shaping, pulse shaping, and
pulse timing. Generally, combinations of optical elements can be
utilized, and other appropriate combinations will be recognized by
those skilled in the art. The final optical element can include,
for example, one or more refractive, reflective, and/or diffractive
optical elements. In one embodiment, an objective such as, for
example, those used in microscopy can be conveniently obtained from
commercial sources such as, for example, Carl Zeiss, North America,
Thornwood, N.Y., and used as the final optical element. For
example, the fabrication system can include a scanning confocal
microscope (for example, those available from Bio-Rad Laboratories,
Hercules, Calif., as "MRC600") equipped with a 0.75 numerical
aperture (NA) objective (such as, for example, those available from
Carl Zeiss, North America as "20X FLUAR").
[0247] It can often be desirable to use optics with relatively
large numerical aperture to provide highly-focused light. However,
any combination of optical elements that provides a desired
intensity profile (and spatial placement thereof) can be
utilized.
[0248] Exposure times generally depend upon the type of exposure
system used to cause reaction of the reactive species in the
photoreactive composition (and its accompanying variables such as
numerical aperture, geometry of light intensity spatial
distribution, the peak light intensity during the laser pulse
(higher intensity and shorter pulse duration roughly correspond to
peak light intensity)), as well as upon the nature of the
photoreactive composition. Generally, higher peak light intensity
in the regions of focus allows shorter exposure times, everything
else being equal. Linear imaging or "writing" speeds generally can
be about 5 to 100,000 microns/second using a laser pulse duration
of about 10.sup.-8 to 10.sup.-15 second (for example, about
10.sup.-11 to 10.sup.-14 second) and about 10.sup.2 to 10.sup.9
pulses per second (for example, about 10.sup.3 to 10.sup.8 pulses
per second).
[0249] In order to facilitate solvent development of the exposed
photoreactive composition and obtain a fabricated micronozzle mold
pattern structure, a threshold dose of light (that is, threshold
dose) can be utilized. This threshold dose is typically process
specific, and can depend on variables such as, for example, the
wavelength, pulse frequency, intensity of the light, the specific
photoreactive composition, the specific micronozzle mold pattern
structure being fabricated, or the process used for solvent
development. Thus, each set of process parameters can typically be
characterized by a threshold dose. Higher doses of light than the
threshold can be used, and can be beneficial, but higher doses
(once above the threshold dose) can typically be used with a slower
writing speed and/or higher light intensity.
[0250] Increasing the dose of light tends to increase the volume
and aspect ratio of voxels generated by the process. Thus, in order
to obtain voxels of low aspect ratio, it is generally preferable to
use a light dose that is less than about 10 times the threshold
dose, preferably less than about 4 times the threshold dose, and
more preferably less than about 3 times the threshold dose. In
order to obtain voxels of low aspect ratio, the radial intensity
profile of the light beam is preferably Gaussian.
[0251] Through multiphoton absorption, the light beam induces a
reaction in the photoreactive composition that produces a volume
region of material having solubility characteristics different from
those of the unexposed photoreactive composition. The resulting
pattern of differential solubility can then be realized by a
conventional development process, for example, by removing either
exposed or unexposed regions.
[0252] The exposed photoreactive composition can be developed, for
example, by placing the exposed photoreactive composition into
solvent to dissolve regions of higher solvent solubility, by
rinsing with solvent, by evaporation, by oxygen plasma etching, by
other known methods, and by combinations thereof. Solvents that can
be used for developing the exposed photoreactive composition
include aqueous solvents such as, for example, water (for example,
having a pH in a range of from 1 to 12) and miscible blends of
water with organic solvents (for example, methanol, ethanol,
propanol, acetone, acetonitrile, dimethylformamide,
N-methylpyrrolidone, and the like, and mixtures thereof); and
organic solvents. Exemplary useful organic solvents include
alcohols (for example, methanol, ethanol, and propanol), ketones
(for example, acetone, cyclopentanone, and methyl ethyl ketone),
aromatics (for example, toluene), halocarbons (for example,
methylene chloride and chloroform), nitriles (for example,
acetonitrile), esters (for example, ethyl acetate and propylene
glycol methyl ether acetate), ethers (for example, diethyl ether
and tetrahydrofuran), amides (for example, N-methylpyrrolidone),
and the like, and mixtures thereof.
[0253] An optional bake after exposure to light under multiphoton
absorption conditions, but prior to solvent development, can be
useful for some photoreactive compositions such as, for example,
epoxy-type reactive species. Typical bake conditions include
temperatures in a range of from about 40.degree. C. to about
200.degree. C., for times in a range of from about 0.5 minutes to
about 20 minutes.
[0254] Optionally, after exposure of only the surface profile of a
micronozzle mold pattern or array, preferably followed by solvent
development, a nonimagewise exposure using actinic radiation can be
carried out to effect reaction of the remaining unreacted
photoreactive composition. Such a nonimagewise exposure can
preferably be carried out by using a one-photon process.
[0255] Complex three-dimensional micronozzles and micronozzle
arrays can be prepared in this manner.
EMBODIMENTS
Microstructure Embodiments
[0256] Referring to FIGS. 26A-26F, one embodiment of a nozzle hole
forming feature or microstructure includes a circular base 806,
along with a curved side 804 and planar control cavity forming
feature 800 configured to form a circular-shaped hole outlet, as
indicated by the shape of its microstructure top 802.
[0257] Referring to FIG. 27, another embodiment of a nozzle hole
forming feature or microstructure includes a circular base 814,
along with a curved side 812 and planar control cavity forming
feature 808 configured to form a circular-shape hole outlet, as
indicated by the shape of its microstructure top 810. The curved
side 812 includes a set of first annular fluid flow disruption
features in the form of multiple circumferential grooves 816 that
are spaced apart, parallel to each other and start about midway
between the base 814 and the top 810. A second set of such features
818 are disposed adjacent to one another and formed next to the
base 814. The nozzle hole forming feature or microstructure of FIG.
28 includes a circular base 828, along with a curved side 824 and
planar control cavity forming feature 820 configured to form a
circular-shape hole outlet, as indicated by the shape of its
microstructure top 822. The curved side 824 includes a variety of
discrete or point source fluid flow disruption features 825, 826
and 827. A fluid flow disruption feature is a feature that causes,
when imparted to the inside surface of the nozzle through-hole,
disruption of the fluid flowing through the nozzle through-hole.
Such features can include, e.g., features that cause or induce any
one or combination of (a) cavitations, (b) turbulence, (c) pressure
waves in the fluid flowing through the nozzle through-hole and that
results in changes to the fluid flowing beyond the nozzle hole
outlet.
[0258] The nozzle hole forming microstructure of FIG. 29 includes a
circular base 836, along with a curved side 834 and planar control
cavity forming feature 830 configured to form a circular-shape hole
outlet, as indicated by the shape of its microstructure top 832.
The curved side 834 is configured so as to include dual or multiple
converging/diverging fluid flow features that cause the fluid
flowing through the corresponding nozzle through-hole to converge
and diverge multiple times before exiting through the hole outlet.
The nozzle hole forming microstructure of FIG. 30 likewise includes
a circular base 844, along with a curved side 842 and planar
control cavity forming feature 838 configured to form a
circular-shape hole outlet, as indicated by the shape of its
microstructure top 840. The curved side 842 is similarly structured
as in the FIG. 29 embodiment, but with a single
converging/diverging fluid flow feature that causes the fluid
flowing through the nozzle through-hole to converge and diverge one
time before exiting through the hole outlet.
[0259] Referring to FIGS. 31A and 31B, an alternative nozzle hole
forming microstructure includes a circular base 852, along with a
curvilinear side 850 and planar control cavity forming feature 846
configured to form a star-shape hole outlet, as indicated by the
star-shape of its microstructure top 848. FIG. 31B shows the
microstructure of FIG. 31A with its planar control cavity forming
feature 846 removed to show the star-shape expected for the
corresponding hole outlet. The star-shape top 848, and therefore
the corresponding hole outlet, is defined by a plurality of
rectangular shaped slots or branches 848b extending out from a core
848a like the spokes of a wheel. Five rectangular-shaped slots 848b
are illustrated, but other branch shapes and a different number of
branches may be desirable. The side 850 includes a curved section
850a and a linear section 850b for each of the branches 848b.
[0260] The nozzle hole forming microstructure of FIGS. 32A and 32B
includes a circular base 860, with a curvilinear side 858 and
planar control cavity forming feature 854 configured to form a
cross- or X-shape hole outlet, as indicated by the shape of its
microstructure top 880. FIG. 32B shows the microstructure of FIG.
32A with its planar control cavity forming feature 854 removed to
show the shape expected for the corresponding hole outlet. The top
856, and therefore the corresponding hole outlet, is defined by
four rectangular shaped slots or branches 856b extending out from a
core 856a like the spokes of a wheel. The side 858 includes a
curved section 858a and a linear section 858b for each of the
branches 856b. Similarly, the nozzle hole forming microstructure of
FIG. 33 includes a circular base 868, along with a curvilinear side
866 and planar control cavity forming feature 862 configured to
form a cross- or X-shape hole outlet, as indicated by the shape of
its microstructure top 864. The top 864, and therefore the
corresponding hole outlet, is defined by four rectangular shaped
slots or branches extending out from a core like the spokes of a
wheel. The side 866 includes a curved section 866a and a linear
section 866b for each of the branches. The nozzle hole forming
microstructure of FIG. 34 includes a circular base 876, along with
a curvilinear side 874 and planar control cavity forming feature
870 configured to form a cross- or X-shape hole outlet, as
indicated by the shape of its microstructure top 872. The top 872,
and therefore the corresponding hole outlet, is defined by four
rectangular shaped slots or branches extending out from a core like
the spokes of a wheel. The side 874 includes a curved section 874a
and a linear section 874b for each of the branches. The base 876 is
connected to the side 874 by a circumferential curved fillet 874c.
The nozzle hole forming microstructure of FIG. 35 includes a
circular base 884, along with a curvilinear side 882 and planar
control cavity forming feature 878 configured to form a cross- or
X-shape hole outlet, as indicated by the shape of its
microstructure top 880. The top 880, and therefore the
corresponding hole outlet, is defined by four rectangular shaped
slots or branches extending out from a core like the spokes of a
wheel. The side 882 includes a curved section 882a and a linear
section 882b for each of the branches. The nozzle hole forming
microstructure of FIG. 36 includes a base 892, along with a
curvilinear side 890 and planar control cavity forming feature 886
configured to form a cross- or X-shape hole outlet, as indicated by
the shape of its microstructure top 888. The top 888, and therefore
the corresponding hole outlet, is defined by four rectangular
shaped slots or branches extending out from a core like the spokes
of a wheel. The side 890 includes a curved section 890a and a
linear section 890b for each of the branches.
[0261] In contrast, the nozzle hole forming microstructure of FIG.
37 includes a circular base 898, but with a rectilinear side 897
and planar control cavity forming feature 894 configured to form a
cross- or X-shape hole outlet, as indicated by the shape of its
microstructure top 896. The top 896, and therefore the
corresponding hole outlet, is defined by four rectangular shaped
slots or branches extending out from a core like the spokes of a
wheel. The side 897 includes a first linear section 897a and a
second linear section 897b for each of the branches.
[0262] Referring to FIGS. 38A-38D, a different embodiment of a
nozzle hole forming microstructure includes a semi-circular base
1106, along with a curvilinear side 1104 and planar control cavity
forming feature 1100 configured to form a single rectangular
slot-shape hole outlet, as indicated by the shape of its
microstructure top 1102. The top 1102, and therefore the
corresponding hole outlet, is defined by a single rectangular
shaped slot. The side 1104 includes a single curved section 1104a
and linear section 1104b.
[0263] It may be desirable to combine any two or more of the above
described features into a given nozzle hole forming
microstructure.
[0264] It is believed that the curvilinear side structures (i.e.,
each set of a curved and linear section) of the microstructures of
FIGS. 31-36 and 38, as well as the rectilinear side structure of
the FIG. 37 microstructure, will produce nozzle through-holes
having corresponding inside surfaces that cause different portions
of the fluid flowing therethrough to travel toward and reach its
hole outlet at two or more different force vectors as a result of
the fluid flowing along two or more different paths along the
inside surface defining the nozzle through-hole. It is also
believed that such different force vectors will result in shearing
of the fluid as it exits the hole outlet, which in turn will cause
smaller droplets of the fluid to eventually form out beyond the
hole outlet. It is further theorized that increasing the shearing
forces exerted on the fluid as it exits the hole outlet can produce
even smaller droplets. For the nozzle through-holes having slots or
branches extending out from a core like the spokes of a wheel
(e.g., like the microstructures of FIGS. 31-37), it is also
believed that such shearing forces will cause the fluid flowing out
of each slot or branch to separate into a number of individual
streams equal to the number of branches, as the fluid exits the
hole outlet. It is further believed that each of these streams will
eventually form into droplets that are smaller than the droplets
formed from a circular or rectangular hole of the same total
opening area of the branched hole outlet. These smaller droplets
may be about or approximately as many times smaller as the number
of branches forming the hole outlet, compared to the droplets
formed from a single circular or rectangular hole outlet of the
same total outlet opening area.
[0265] Referring to FIGS. 39A-39C, one embodiment of a mold forming
microstructured pattern 1116 includes a single centrally located
group or array of replica nozzle hole forming microstructures or
features 1108, replica planar control cavity forming features 1112,
and replica additional fluid intake channel forming features 1114.
The microstructured pattern 1116 is formed on a substrate 1110
using a material 1135 capable of undergoing multiphoton reaction by
simultaneously absorbing multiple photons, in accordance with the
above teachings. Referring to FIGS. 40A-40C, a microstructured
nozzle 1118 formed using the mold forming microstructured pattern
1116 of FIG. 39, includes a cluster of nozzle through-holes 1122
located at the center of the pattern 1116 and a set of spaced apart
additional fluid intake channels 1120. Each through-hole 1122
includes an interior surface 1126 connecting a hole inlet 1128 to a
hole outlet 1124. As can be seen, the hole inlets 1128 of the
nozzle through-holes 1122 are closely packed together in the center
of the nozzle plate 1118, while the hole outlets 1124 are spaced
apart. This is possible, because the hole inlets 1128 are
considerably larger in area than the hole outlets 1124. Each of the
channels 1120 is connected to only one through-hole 1122a located
on the outer periphery of the through-hole cluster. The remaining
through-holes 1122b are not so connected to any channel 1120. The
channels 1120 can be used to supply an additional fluid through the
nozzle 1118 from a fluid source separate from that supplying the
other through-holes 1122b.
[0266] Because the through-hole outlets of the present nozzles can
be very small in size (e.g., in diameter), the through-hole inlets
of the inventive nozzles can be closely disposed or packed
together, e.g., as shown in FIGS. 40 and 41. Such close packing of
the through-hole inlets can at least reduce, and maybe even
eliminate all, most or at least a substantial amount of, any
detrimental back pressure exerted against the inlet side surface of
the nozzle by the fluid passing through the nozzle, because such a
close packing of the hole inlets can eliminate or at least
significantly reduce the surface area between the through-hole
inlet openings. With the hole inlets being larger than the hole
outlets, the reduction in back pressure is also facilitated by
using through-holes that have interior walls that taper down or
otherwise include a curved arc from the hole inlet to the hole
outlet.
[0267] The microstructured nozzle 1130 of FIG. 41 includes an
alternative pattern of nozzle through holes 1134 and alternative
additional fluid intake channels 1132. As can be seen, there are
two groups or arrays of nozzle through-holes 1132. One group of
through-holes 1134a is in a circular pattern located adjacent to
the outer circumferential periphery of the nozzle plate 1130. The
other group of through-holes 1134b is centrally located on the
nozzle 1130. Each of the additional fluid intake channels 1132 is
only connected to one of the through-holes 1134a forming the outer
ring of nozzle through-holes.
[0268] Referring to FIGS. 42A and 42B, another embodiment of a mold
forming microstructured pattern 1136 includes two groups or arrays
of replica nozzle hole forming microstructures or features 1138,
with corresponding replica planar control cavity forming features
being optional, and a replica ring-shaped nozzle separation feature
1140 with an additional or alternative set of at least 3 and
preferably 4 replica planar control cavity forming features 1142
disposed on the replica separation ring 1140. One group of replica
nozzle hole forming microstructures 1138a is in a circular pattern
located adjacent to the separation ring 1140, and the other group
of replica nozzle hole forming microstructures 1138b is centrally
located on the mold forming microstructured pattern 1136. The
microstructured pattern 1136 is formed on a substrate 1110 in
accordance with the above teachings. When the replica planar
control cavity forming features 1142 are formed on the replica
separation ring 1140, the replica nozzle hole forming
microstructures 1138 may not require their own replica planar
control cavity forming feature. Alternatively, instead of using the
features 1142 or using a replica planar control cavity forming
feature for each microstructure 1138, the number of replica nozzle
hole forming microstructures 1138 having a replica planar control
cavity forming feature may be limited to at least 3 and preferably
4. For ease of manufacturing, the replica separation ring 1140 can
include two or more replica nozzle connecting features 1144, which
are used when it is desirable to manufacture a batch of nozzles at
one time, rather one at a time. This feature 1144 will be discussed
in more detail below. The mold forming microstructured pattern 1136
can be used to form a microstructured mold pattern or first mold
1146 (shown in phantom).
[0269] Referring to FIGS. 43A-43D, the microstructured mold pattern
or first mold 1146, made using the mold forming microstructured
pattern 1136 of FIG. 42, is a negative image of the pattern 1136,
with the first mold 1146 having a corresponding outer ring of
replica nozzle holes 1148a, a central cluster of replica nozzle
holes 1148b, and an annular separation channel 1150 that includes a
matching number of replica planar control cavities 1152 and nozzle
connecting grooves 1154.
[0270] Referring to FIGS. 44A and 44B, a nozzle forming
microstructured pattern 1156 is made by using the microstructured
mold pattern 1146 of FIG. 43. The pattern 1156 includes two groups
or arrays of nozzle hole forming microstructures or features 1158,
with corresponding planar control cavity forming features being
optional, and a ring-shaped nozzle separation feature 1160 with an
additional or alternative set of at least 3 and preferably 4 planar
control cavity forming features 1162 disposed on the separation
ring 1160. One group of nozzle hole forming microstructures 1158a
is in a circular pattern located adjacent to the separation ring
1160, and the other group of nozzle hole forming microstructures
1158b is centrally located on the microstructured mold pattern
1146. The microstructured mold pattern 1146 is a unitary structure
formed, e.g., by injection molding using the microstructured mold
pattern 1146 in accordance with the above teachings. When the
planar control cavity forming features 1162 are formed on the
separation ring 1160, the nozzle hole forming microstructures 1158
may not require their own replica planar control cavity forming
feature. Alternatively, instead of using the features 1162 or using
a planar control cavity forming feature for each microstructure
1158, the number of nozzle hole forming microstructures 1158 having
a planar control cavity forming feature may be limited to at least
3 and preferably 4.
[0271] For ease of manufacturing, the separation ring 1160 can
include two or more nozzle connecting features 1164, which are used
when it is desirable to manufacture a batch of nozzles at one time,
rather one nozzle at a time. For example, the linear array of any
desired length of connected nozzles 1166 of FIG. 46 can be made by
first aligning a linear array of the nozzle forming microstructured
patterns 1156 at their respective connecting features 1164, as
shown in FIG. 45. Likewise, a planar array of any desired area of
connected nozzles 1166 (not shown) can also be made by forming the
necessary number of additional connecting features 1164 on each
separation ring 1160 to form at least one connecting feature or
runner 1170 between adjacent nozzles 1166. The number and location
of the connecting features 1164 will depend on the desired packing
pattern used for positioning the individual nozzle forming
microstructured patterns 1156 (e.g., hexagonal close-packed, cubic,
etc.) A corresponding array of nozzle pre-forms 1165 is then
formed, e.g., by depositing a suitable material into each of the
adjoining patterns 1156. Next, the array of pre-forms 1165 has its
exposed surface planarized down to the level 1167 needed to uncover
the desired size hole outlet for each of the nozzle through-holes
1168a and 1168b, which are formed by corresponding hole forming
features 1158a and 1158b of the pattern 1156. Because of the
connecting features 1164, the resulting array of nozzles 1166 are
connected by runners or connecting features 1170 that can be
readily severed (e.g., by braking, cutting, etc.) to separate the
individual nozzles 1166. Thus, the entire array of resulting
nozzles 1166 can be removed from the array of patterns 1156 in one
piece, and individual nozzles 1166 removed as desired.
[0272] FIG. 47 is a schematic cross-sectional side-view of a nozzle
forming microstructured pattern and a corresponding multi-component
nozzle pre-form deposited thereon;
[0273] Referring to FIG. 47, in making a nozzle pre-form (e.g., see
FIG. 1J), one or more initial layers 1127 and 1186 of one or more
materials can be deposited or otherwise applied onto a nozzle
forming microstructured pattern 1194, having nozzle hole forming
features 1182 and planar control cavity forming features 1184, so
as to form the inlet side surface of the resulting nozzle pre-form
(i.e., nozzle), including the inside surface of the nozzle pre-form
holes (i.e., nozzle through-holes). One or more other layers 1188,
1190 and 1192 of one or more other materials can then be deposited
to complete the forming of the nozzle pre-form. The corresponding
nozzle can then be made as described above by removing the features
1184 and corresponding applied materials along the dashed line.
Likewise, additionally or alternatively, in making a
microstructured mold pattern or first mold (e.g., see FIG. 1D), the
initial layers 1127 and 1186 can be deposited or otherwise applied
so as to form the inlet side surface of the first mold. The other
layers 1188, 1190 and 1192 can be deposited or otherwise applied in
the same or a different manner so as to form the bulk or remainder
of the first mold.
[0274] By way of example only, the layer 1127 can be a seed layer
to impart electrical conductivity to the surface of the
microstructured pattern 1194. The next layer 1186 can be a
structural and/or performance imparting layer. Layer 1188 can be a
bulk layer that makes up a large portion or all of the remainder of
the nozzle and/or first mold. One or both layers 1190 and 1192 can
then be optional or applied to impart desired structural and/or
performance characteristics to the remained of the nozzle and/or
first mold.
[0275] In this way, for example, the first mold and/or the nozzle
can have an inlet side surface formed by a higher performance
and/or more expensive material (e.g., high temperature corrosion
and/or wear resistant metal that is electrodeposited), with the
bulk or remainder of the first mold and/or nozzle being formed
using a lower performance and/or less expensive material. Thus,
less expensive materials can be used to make the bulk of the first
mold and/or nozzle without having to substantially sacrifice
performance. The present process for making fuel injector nozzles
can also be more efficient (e.g., by involving fewer steps) and be
less expensive than existing conventional nozzle manufacturing
processes that use near net shape molding, with through-hole
machining.
[0276] Referring to FIG. 48, the nozzles of the present invention
can be used in a conventional fuel injector 1172, which includes a
control valve 1180 that seals against a seal 1174 and a nozzle
plate 1178 typically welded along its periphery 1176 to the seal
1174, with the nozzle 1178 having a group of through-holes
1178.
Additional Embodiments
Method Embodiments
[0277] 1. A method of making a nozzle, the method comprising:
[0278] (a) providing a microstructured mold pattern defining at
least a portion of a mold cavity and comprising a plurality of
replica nozzle holes and replica planar control cavities, Each
replica nozzle hole may or may not be connected to (e.g., being in
fluid communication with) at least one replica planar control
cavity.
[0279] (b) molding a first material into a nozzle forming
microstructured pattern using the microstructured mold pattern,
with the nozzle forming microstructured pattern comprising a
plurality of nozzle hole forming features and planar control cavity
forming features. Each nozzle hole forming feature may or may not
be connected to (e.g., being in fluid communication with) at least
one planar control cavity forming feature. The nozzle hole forming
features are substantially negative replicas (i.e., negative
replicas of all, most, or at least a substantial portion) of the
replica nozzle holes, and the planar control cavity forming
features are substantially negative replicas (i.e., negative
replicas of all, most, or at least a substantial portion) of the
replica planar control cavities.
[0280] (c) sintering, metal injection molding (MIM),
electro-depositing, or otherwise depositing or forming a second
material into a nozzle pre-form using the nozzle forming
microstructured pattern, with the nozzle pre-form comprising a
plurality of nozzle pre-form holes and sacrificial planar control
cavities. Each nozzle pre-form hole comprises an inlet opening and
may or may not be connected to (e.g., being in fluid communication
with) at least one sacrificial planar control cavity. The nozzle
pre-form holes are substantially negative replicas (i.e., negative
replicas of all, most, or at least a substantial portion) of the
nozzle hole forming features and the sacrificial planar control
cavities are substantially negative replicas (i.e., negative
replicas of all, most, or at least a substantial portion) of the
planar control cavity forming features. That is, the nozzle
pre-form holes are substantially positive replicas (i.e., positive
replicas of all, most, or at least a substantial portion) of the
replica nozzle holes and the sacrificial planar control cavities
are substantially positive replicas (i.e., negative replicas of
all, most, or at least a substantial portion) of the replica planar
control cavities.
[0281] (d) forming at least one nozzle from the nozzle pre-form,
the nozzle forming comprises removing enough of the second material
to remove the sacrificial planar control cavities (e.g., by
electric discharge machining, mechanical grinding, etc.) so as to
form a top surface of the nozzle pre-form into a planar top surface
(i.e., planarize the top surface) of the nozzle, and to form each
of the nozzle pre-form holes into a finished nozzle through hole
comprising a hole inlet and a hole outlet connected to (e.g., being
in fluid communication with) the hole inlet by a hollow cavity
defined by an interior surface. The nozzle can also have a planar
bottom surface, and the planar top surface and planar bottom
surface can be parallel to each other or at an acute angle to one
another.
2. The method according to embodiment 1, wherein the second
material comprises a plurality of different second materials, and
the nozzle pre-form is formed by separately depositing each of the
second materials as a layer onto all of, most of, or at least a
substantial portion of the nozzle forming microstructured pattern
so that the resulting nozzle pre-form, and therefore the nozzle,
comprises a build-up of or otherwise comprises multiple (i.e., 2,
3, 4, 5 or more) layers, with each layer being a different second
material. 3. The method according to embodiment 2, wherein the
plurality of different second materials is at least three different
second materials, and the first of the second materials deposited
as a layer onto the nozzle forming microstructured pattern forms an
electrically conductive layer. 4. The method according to
embodiment 2 or 3, wherein none of the multiple layers is in the
form of a thin electrically conductive seed layer. 5. The method
according to any one of embodiments 2 to 4, wherein at least one of
the multiple layers is a combustion catalyst (e.g., palladium,
platinum, gold, ruthenium, rhodium, and iridium) that is the first
layer deposited onto the nozzle forming microstructured pattern and
is in a form that is sufficiently dissolvable into the fuel (e.g.,
gasoline, alcohol, diesel fuel, etc.) being combusted (i.e.,
burned) so as to be delivered with the fuel into the combustion
chamber of the internal combustion engine, a corrosion inhibitor, a
combustion byproduct deposit inhibitor, a ceramic, a metal alloy,
or any other material in the form of a layer that facilitates the
fuel flow rate (e.g., where the surface of the layer in contact
with the fuel passing through the nozzle exhibits low friction at
the interface between the fuel and the inner surface of the
nozzle), air to fuel mixing, and/or a desired heat transfer between
the fuel injector that comprises the nozzle and the outside of the
nozzle exposed to the combustion chamber of an internal combustion
engine.
[0282] The second materials deposited as layers onto the nozzle
forming microstructured pattern can also be chosen so that the
first deposited layer is made of a second material that is
compatible with the fuel passing through the nozzle, the last layer
is made of a second material that is suitable for being exposed to
the environment inside of a combustion chamber of an internal
combustion engine, and at least one other layer deposited between
the first and last layers is made of a second material that may not
be suitable as the first layer, last layer or either the first or
last layer but has other desirable properties (e.g., is relatively
inexpensive, has desirable thermal, vibrational and/or acoustic
characteristics, etc.). When combustion catalyst is used as one of
the layers, it is the first layer deposited and may also function
as a seed layer. It may be desirable to deposit the combustion
catalyst material so that the resulting layer is relatively porous
(i.e., have a relatively low density) so as to significantly
increase the interface surface area between the deposited
combustion catalyst material and the fuel passing through the
nozzle.
6. The method according to any one of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein
the first material is different than the second material. 7. The
method according to any one of embodiments 1 to 6, wherein each
replica nozzle hole of the microstructured mold pattern has an
interior surface that comprises at least one or more fluid flow
affecting (e.g., disrupting) features. The fluid flow affecting
features of each replica nozzle hole are configured (i.e., size,
shape and design) so as to be transferable as a negative replica to
the exterior surface of a corresponding nozzle hole forming
feature, of the nozzle forming microstructured pattern, and then as
a positive replica to the interior surface of a corresponding
nozzle pre-form hole of the nozzle pre-form (i.e., the interior
surface of the corresponding through hole of the finished
nozzle).
[0283] The fluid flow affecting features are structural features on
the interior surface of the replica nozzle holes that, when
transferred to the interior surface of the nozzle through holes,
are intended to induce or otherwise cause for example: cavitations,
turbulence, or otherwise obstruct or disrupt the flow of a fluid
(e.g., a liquid fuel) through the nozzle so as to positively affect
the stream, spray, ligament, plume of droplets or individual
droplets formed by the fluid exiting the nozzle. These fluid flow
affecting features can be, for example, in the form of bumps,
continuous annular ridges, spaced apart discontinuous ridges (e.g.,
formed concentrically around the interior surface of the nozzle
through hole or along the longitudinal axis of the nozzle through
hole), riblets (e.g., perpendicular or parallel to the flow of
fluid through the nozzle through hole), as well as other shaped
structural obstructions that are compatible with the inventive
method. It is believed that such fluid flow affecting features can
help to cause atomization of the fluid (e.g., liquid fuel) exiting
the nozzle. The degree of a liquid fuel's atomization and its plume
configuration inside of a combustion chamber is believed to affect
both the fuel consumption and the exhaust emissions of an internal
combustion engine.
8. The method according to any one of embodiments 1 to 7, wherein
the microstructured mold pattern comprises at least one or more
fluid (i.e., a gas or liquid) channel or undercut features
connecting at least one replica nozzle hole to (a) at least one
other replica nozzle hole, (b) a portion of the mold beyond the
outer periphery of the microstructured mold pattern, or (c) both
(a) and (b). The fluid channel features of the microstructured mold
pattern are configured (i.e., size, shape and design) so as to be
transferable as a corresponding negative replica or ridge feature
to the top surface of the nozzle forming microstructured pattern,
and then as a positive replica or channel feature to the interior
surface of the nozzle pre-form (i.e., the finished nozzle). These
channel features can be designed for use, for example, as
additional ports (a) for introducing additional fluid (e.g., gas or
liquid fuels, air, oil, fuel additives, catalysts, etc.) into the
fuel stream of a desired number of nozzle through holes from an
alternative source separate from the main injector fuel source, (b)
for connecting two or more nozzle through holes in fluid
communication, for example, to adjust fluid flow rates and/or
pressures in the connected nozzle through holes relative to
unconnected nozzle through holes, (c) for use with converging
and/or diverging nozzles, (d) to produce impinging fuel streams to
effect better atomization of the fuel, (e) so as to lower fuel rail
pressures, (f) to draw air in from the combustion chamber (i.e.,
engine cylinder) for circulation into and directing at the fuel
stream flowing in the nozzle through hole to better atomize the
fuel, or (g) any combination of (a) to (f), and for any other
reason desired. 9. The method according to any one of embodiments 1
to 8, wherein each of at least three replica nozzle holes of the
microstructured mold pattern is connected to (e.g., is in fluid
communication with) at least one replica planar control cavity. It
may be desirable for all of the replica nozzle holes to be so
connected to a replica planar control cavity. 10. The method
according to embodiment 9, wherein the microstructured mold pattern
defines an array or pattern of replica nozzle holes, the array
having a periphery, and the at least three replica nozzle holes and
connected replica planar control cavities are spaced apart on the
periphery of the array. 11. The method according to embodiment 9 or
10, wherein each replica nozzle hole and its connected replica
planar control cavity is configured (i.e., size, shape and design)
such that, upon removal of the corresponding sacrificial planar
control cavity to form the planar top surface of the nozzle, the
nozzle through holes are configured to form at least one fluid
flow- or output (e.g., a fuel stream or plume) shape-control
feature.
[0284] Such features can be used for controlling the shape of a
fluid exiting the nozzle through-holes. For example, such features
can be used to control (e.g., break-up) the fuel stream flowing out
of the nozzle through holes in an effort to form a fuel plume
having fuel droplets of a desired size, shape and distribution.
Such fluid output shape-control features can include (a) a nozzle
through hole outlet opening having a star-shape, cross-shape or
X-shape, for example like that shown in FIGS. 31-37, (b) a nozzle
through hole interior surface that is rifled to impart a rotation
to the fluid flowing through the nozzle through-hole in a direction
around the longitudinal axis of the corresponding nozzle
through-hole, before exiting through the corresponding outlet
opening of the nozzle through hole, for example like that shown in
FIG. 14 and indicated by FIG. 9A, (c) at least one or a plurality
of nozzle through holes each having at least one, two or more
curved interior surfaces (e.g., quarter-round shaped interior
surfaces) and at least one, two or more slot-shaped outlet
openings, where the curved interior surface(s) of each such nozzle
through-hole is configured to cause the fluid to exit through the
outlet opening(s) at an angle (e.g., an acute angle) from the
longitudinal axis of the nozzle through-hole, for example like that
shown in FIGS. 31-36 and 38, or (d) any combination of (a) to
(c).
[0285] In addition to the related teachings found elsewhere herein,
it has also been found that by controlling the direction of the
fluid as it leaves the nozzle through-holes (e.g., by adjusting the
relative orientation of the curved or quarter-round interior
surface of the nozzle through-holes), the resulting fluid output
(e.g., a stream and/or plume of fluid droplets) can be directed as
desired. It can be desirable to control the direction of a fuel
fluid output, for example, to direct the fuel stream and/or plume
into one or more desired locations inside a combustion chamber of
an internal combustion engine, furnace, etc., or to avoid
impingement of the fuel, e.g., on the engine piston, valve and/or
combustion chamber wall of an internal combustion engine. Such an
impingement by the fuel can cause any combination of: (a) cooling
of the fuel, valve, piston, and/or combustion chamber during the
combustion process, (b) removal of oil or other lubricant from the
valve and/or piston (which can cause detrimental wear), (c)
detrimental "windage loss", and/or (d) the fuel being misdirected
away from the vicinity of the sparkplug in the combustion chamber.
Such a feature can also have the ability to generate a
non-symmetrical fuel stream and/or plume, which may have some
benefits in controlling the size, distribution, location or other
aspects of the fuel stream and/or plume within the combustion
chamber.
12. The method according to any one of embodiments 1 to 11, wherein
at least three of the replica planar control cavities are not
connected to (e.g., are not in fluid communication with) a replica
nozzle holes of the microstructured mold pattern. It may be
desirable for none of the replica planar control cavities to be so
connected to any of the replica nozzle holes. 13. The method
according to any one of embodiments 1 to 12, wherein the nozzle has
a peripheral edge, and the nozzle forming microstructured pattern
comprises a nozzle separation feature that forms or at least
defines the peripheral edge of the nozzle. The nozzle separation
feature can be in the form of a separation ring for each nozzle.
14. The method according to embodiment 13, wherein at least three,
and preferably 4, replica planar control cavities are formed on the
nozzle separation feature. The replica planar control cavities can
be, but do not have to be, the only such features forming part of
the microstructured mold pattern. 15. The method according to
according to any one of embodiments 1 to 14, wherein the providing
a microstructured mold pattern comprises:
[0286] (a) forming a third material into a mold forming
microstructured pattern comprising a plurality of replica nozzle
hole forming features and replica planar control cavity forming
features. Each replica nozzle hole forming feature may or may not
be connected to (e.g., being in fluid communication with) at least
one replica planar control cavity forming feature.
[0287] (b) sintering, metal injection molding (MIM),
electro-depositing, or otherwise depositing or forming a fourth
material into the microstructured mold pattern using the mold
forming microstructured pattern, with the replica nozzle hole
forming features being substantially negative replicas (i.e., a
negative replica of all, most, or at least a substantial portion)
of the replica nozzle holes, and the replica planar control cavity
forming features being substantially negative replicas (i.e., a
negative replica of all, most, or at least a substantial portion)
of the replica planar control cavities.
[0288] Each of the above described fluid flow affecting feature,
fluid channel or undercut feature, and fuel plume shape-control
feature can each be initially formed as a corresponding feature in
any mold forming microstructured pattern being used to make the
nozzle, or if no mold forming microstructured pattern is being used
(i.e., the microstructured mold pattern is formed without such a
step), then such features can be initially formed in the
microstructured mold pattern.
16. The method according to embodiment 15, wherein the fourth
material comprises a plurality of different fourth materials, and
the microstructured mold pattern is formed by separately depositing
each of the fourth materials as a layer onto all of, most of, or at
least a substantial portion of the mold forming microstructured
pattern so that the resulting microstructured mold pattern
comprises a build-up of or otherwise comprises multiple layers,
with each layer being a different fourth material. 17. The method
according to embodiment 15 or 16, wherein the first material is
different than the fourth material, the second material is
different than the third and first materials, and the third
material is different than the fourth material. 18. The method
according to embodiment 17, wherein the first material is the same
as or different than the third material, and the second material is
the same as or different than the fourth material. 19. The method
according to any one of embodiments 15 to 18, wherein the third
material is capable of undergoing a multiphoton curing reaction by
simultaneously absorbing multiple photons, and the mold forming
microstructured pattern is formed in the third material using a
multiphoton process that causes a multiphoton curing reaction in
the third material by simultaneously absorbing multiple photons at
desired/specified locations within the third material that cause
the mold forming microstructured pattern to be constructed. 20. A
method of making a nozzle, the method comprising:
[0289] (a) providing a first material such as, for example, one
that is capable of undergoing multiphoton reaction by
simultaneously absorbing multiple photons;
[0290] (a) forming a first material into a first microstructured
pattern using (1) a multiphoton process that causes a multiphoton
reaction in the first material by simultaneously absorbing multiple
photons at desired/specified locations within the first material
and/or (2) a sintering process, with the first microstructured
pattern comprising a plurality of replica nozzle hole forming
features for forming nozzle through holes and replica planar
control cavity forming features. Each replica nozzle hole forming
feature may or may not be connected to (e.g., being in fluid
communication with) at least one replica planar control cavity
forming feature.
[0291] (b) sintering, metal injection molding (MIM),
electro-depositing, or otherwise depositing or forming a second
material into a second microstructured pattern using the first
microstructured pattern, with the second microstructured pattern
defining at least a portion of a mold cavity and comprising a
substantially negative replica (i.e., a negative replica of all,
most, or at least a substantial portion) of the first
microstructured pattern; That is, the second microstructured
pattern comprises a plurality of replica nozzle holes and replica
planar control cavities. Each replica nozzle hole may or may not be
connected to (e.g., being in fluid communication with) at least one
replica planar control cavity.
[0292] (c) molding a third material into a third microstructured
pattern using the second microstructured pattern of the mold, with
the third microstructured pattern comprising a plurality of nozzle
hole forming features and planar control cavity forming features.
Each nozzle hole forming feature may or may not be connected to
(e.g., being in fluid communication with) at least one planar
control cavity forming feature. The third microstructured pattern
comprises a substantially negative replica (i.e., a negative
replica of all, most, or at least a substantial portion) of the
second microstructured pattern. In other words, the third
microstructured pattern comprises a substantially positive replica
(i.e., a positive replica of all, most, or at least a substantial
portion) of the first microstructured pattern, including the
plurality of replica nozzle hole forming features and replica
planar control cavity forming features;
[0293] (d) sintering, metal injection molding (MIM),
electro-depositing, or otherwise depositing or forming a fourth
material into a fourth microstructured pattern using the third
microstructured pattern, with the fourth microstructured pattern
comprising a plurality of nozzle pre-form holes and sacrificial
planar control cavities, and each nozzle pre-form hole comprising
an inlet opening and may or may not be connected to (e.g., being in
fluid communication with) at least one sacrificial planar control
cavity. The fourth microstructured pattern comprises a
substantially negative replica (i.e., a negative replica of all,
most, or at least a substantial portion) of the third
microstructured pattern, including the plurality of nozzle hole
forming features and planar control cavity forming features. That
is, the fourth microstructured pattern comprises a substantially
positive replica (i.e., a positive replica of all, most, or at
least a substantial portion) of the second microstructured
pattern.; and
[0294] (e) forming a nozzle from the fourth microstructured
pattern, the forming the nozzle comprising removing (e.g., by
electric discharge machining, mechanical grinding, etc.) enough of
the fourth material to remove the sacrificial planar control
cavities so as to form a top surface of the fourth microstructured
pattern into a planar top surface (i.e., planarize the top surface)
of the nozzle, and form each of the nozzle pre-form holes into a
finished nozzle through hole comprising an inlet opening and at
least one outlet opening connected to (e.g., being in fluid
communication with) the inlet opening by a hollow cavity defined by
an interior surface. The nozzle can also have a planar bottom
surface, and the planar top surface and planar bottom surface can
be parallel to each other or at an acute angle to one another.
21. The method according to embodiment 20, wherein the second
material is different than the first material, the third material
is different than the second material, and the fourth material is
different than the first and third materials 22. The method
according to embodiment 21, wherein the third material is the same
as or different than the first material, and the fourth material is
the same as or different than the second material. 23. A method of
making a nozzle, the method comprising:
[0295] (a) providing a microstructured mold pattern defining at
least a portion of a mold cavity and comprising a plurality of
replica nozzle holes;
[0296] (b) molding a first material into a nozzle forming
microstructured pattern using the microstructured mold pattern,
with the nozzle forming microstructured pattern comprising a
plurality of nozzle hole forming features;
[0297] (c) sintering, metal injection molding (MIM),
electro-depositing, or otherwise depositing or forming a second
material into a nozzle pre-form using the nozzle forming
microstructured pattern, with the nozzle pre-form comprising a
plurality of nozzle pre-form holes, the second material comprising
a plurality of different second materials, and the nozzle pre-form
is formed by separately depositing each of the second materials as
a separate layer or other portion onto all of, most of, or at least
a substantial portion of the nozzle forming microstructured pattern
so that the resulting nozzle pre-form, and therefore the nozzle,
comprises a build-up of or otherwise comprises multiple layers or
portions, with each layer or portion being a different second
material; and
[0298] (d) forming a nozzle from the nozzle pre-form, the forming
the nozzle comprising removing (e.g., by electric discharge
machining, mechanical grinding, etc.) enough of the second material
to open an outlet opening in each of the nozzle pre-form holes and
thereby form each of the nozzle pre-form holes into a finished
nozzle through hole comprising an inlet opening and at least one
outlet opening connected to (e.g., being in fluid communication
with) the inlet opening by a hollow cavity defined by an interior
surface.
24. The method according to embodiment 23, wherein the plurality of
different second materials is at least three different second
materials, and the first of the second materials deposited as a
layer onto the nozzle forming microstructured pattern forms an
electrically conductive layer. 25. The method according to
embodiment 23 or 24, wherein none of the multiple layers is in the
form of a thin electrically conductive seed layer. 26. The method
according to any one of embodiments 23 to 25, wherein at least one
of the multiple layers is a corrosion inhibitor, combustion
byproduct deposit inhibitor, ceramic, or metal alloy. 27. The
method according to according to any one of embodiments 23 to 26,
wherein the providing a microstructured mold pattern comprises:
[0299] (a) forming a third material into a mold forming
microstructured pattern comprising a plurality of replica nozzle
hole forming features;
[0300] (b) sintering, metal injection molding (MIM),
electro-depositing, or otherwise depositing or forming a fourth
material into the microstructured mold pattern using the mold
forming microstructured pattern, with the replica nozzle hole
forming features being substantially negative replicas (i.e., a
negative replica of all, most, or at least a substantial portion)
of the replica nozzle holes.
28. The method according to embodiment 27, wherein the fourth
material comprises a plurality of different fourth materials, and
the microstructured mold pattern is formed by separately depositing
each of the fourth materials as a layer onto all of, most of, or at
least a substantial portion of the mold forming microstructured
pattern so that the resulting microstructured mold pattern
comprises a build-up of or otherwise comprises multiple layers,
with each layer being a different fourth material. 29. The method
according to embodiment 27 or 28, wherein the first material is
different than the fourth material, the second material is
different than the third and first materials, and the third
material is different than the fourth material. 30. The method
according to embodiment 29, wherein the first material is the same
as or different than the third material, and the second material is
the same as or different than the fourth material. 31. A method of
making a nozzle, the method comprising:
[0301] (a) providing a first material such as, for example, one
that is capable of undergoing multiphoton reaction by
simultaneously absorbing multiple photons;
[0302] (a) forming a first material into a first microstructured
pattern using (1) a multiphoton process that causes a multiphoton
reaction in the first material by simultaneously absorbing multiple
photons at desired/specified locations within the first material
and/or (2) a sintering process, with the first microstructured
pattern comprising a plurality of replica nozzle hole forming
features for forming nozzle through holes;
[0303] (b) sintering, metal injection molding (MIM),
electro-depositing, or otherwise depositing or forming a second
material into a second microstructured pattern using the first
microstructured pattern, with the second microstructured pattern
defining at least a portion of a mold cavity and comprising a
substantially negative replica (i.e., a negative replica of all,
most, or at least a substantial portion) of the first
microstructured pattern; That is, the second microstructured
pattern comprises a plurality of replica nozzle holes.
[0304] (c) molding a third material into a third microstructured
pattern using the second microstructured pattern of the mold, with
the third microstructured pattern comprising a plurality of nozzle
hole forming features. The third microstructured pattern comprises
a substantially negative replica (i.e., a negative replica of all,
most, or at least a substantial portion) of the second
microstructured pattern. In other words, the third microstructured
pattern comprises a substantially positive replica (i.e., a
positive replica of all, most, or at least a substantial portion)
of the first microstructured pattern, including the plurality of
replica nozzle hole forming features;
[0305] (d) sintering, metal injection molding (MIM),
electro-depositing, or otherwise depositing or forming a fourth
material into a fourth microstructured pattern using the third
microstructured pattern, with the fourth microstructured pattern
comprising a plurality of nozzle pre-form holes, the fourth
material comprising a plurality of different fourth materials, and
the fourth microstructured pattern is formed by separately
depositing each of the fourth materials as a layer onto all of,
most of, or at least a substantial portion of the fourth
microstructured pattern so that the resulting nozzle pre-form, and
therefore the nozzle, comprises a build-up of or otherwise
comprises multiple layers, with each layer being a different fourth
material; and
[0306] (e) forming a nozzle from the fourth microstructured
pattern, the forming the nozzle comprising removing (e.g., by
electric discharge machining, mechanical grinding, etc.) enough of
the fourth material to open an outlet opening in each of the nozzle
pre-form holes and thereby form each of the nozzle pre-form holes
into a finished nozzle through hole comprising an inlet opening and
at least one outlet opening connected to (e.g., being in fluid
communication with) the inlet opening by a hollow cavity defined by
an interior surface.
32. The method of embodiment 20 or 31, wherein the first material
comprises poly(methyl methacrylate). 33. The method of embodiment
20 or 31, wherein the first material is capable of undergoing a two
photon reaction. 34. The method of embodiment 20 or 31, wherein the
first microstructured pattern comprises a plurality of discrete
microstructures. 35. The method of embodiment 34, wherein the
plurality of discrete microstructures comprises a discrete
microstructure that is a three-dimensional rectilinear body. 36.
The method of embodiment 34, wherein the plurality of discrete
microstructures comprises a discrete microstructure that is a
portion of a three-dimensional rectilinear body. 37. The method of
embodiment 34, wherein the plurality of discrete microstructures
comprises a discrete microstructure that is a three-dimensional
curvilinear body. 38. The method of embodiment 34, wherein the
plurality of discrete microstructures comprises a discrete
microstructure that is a portion of a three-dimensional curvilinear
body. 39. The method of embodiment 34, wherein the plurality of
discrete microstructures comprises a portion of a polyhedron. 40.
The method of embodiment 34, wherein the plurality of discrete
microstructures comprises a portion of a cone. 41. The method of
embodiment 34, wherein the plurality of discrete microstructures
comprises a discrete tapered microstructure. 42. The method of
embodiment 34, wherein the plurality of discrete microstructures
comprises a discrete spiraling microstructure. 43. The method of
embodiment 20 or 31, wherein the first microstructured pattern is
formed in the first material using a two photon process. 44. The
method of embodiment 20 or 31, wherein the step of forming the
first microstructured pattern in the first material comprises
exposing at least a portion of the first material to cause a
simultaneous absorption of multiple photons. 45. The method of
embodiment 44, wherein the step of forming the first
microstructured pattern in the first material comprises removing
the exposed portions of the first material. 46. The method of
embodiment 44, wherein the step of forming the first
microstructured pattern in the first material comprises removing
the unexposed portions of the first material. 47. The method of
embodiment 20 or 31, wherein replicating the first microstructured
pattern in the second material comprises electroplating the first
microstructured pattern. 48. The method of embodiment 20 or 31,
wherein the second material comprises an electroplating material.
49. The method of embodiment 20 or 31, wherein the mold comprises a
metal. 50. The method of embodiment 20 or 31, wherein the mold
comprises Ni. 51. The method of embodiment 20 or 31, wherein the
second microstructured pattern is at least substantially a negative
replica of the first microstructured pattern. 52. The method of
embodiment 20 or 31, wherein the third microstructured pattern is
at least substantially a negative replica of the second
microstructured pattern and at least substantially a positive
replica of the first microstructured pattern. 53. The method of
embodiment 20 or 31, wherein the step of molding a third material
into a third microstructured pattern using the second
microstructured pattern of the mold comprises injection molding.
54. The method of embodiment 20 or 31, wherein the third material
comprises a polymer. 55. The method of embodiment 20 or 31, wherein
the third material comprises polycarbonate. 56. The method of
embodiment 20 or 31, wherein the second mold comprises a polymer.
57. The method of embodiment 20 or 31, wherein the third
microstructured pattern is at least substantially a negative
replica of the second microstructured pattern. 58. The method of
embodiment 20 or 31, wherein the step of forming a fourth material
into a fourth microstructured pattern using the third
microstructured pattern comprises electroplating the third
microstructured pattern with the fourth material. 59. The method of
embodiment 20 or 31, wherein the step of forming a fourth material
into a fourth microstructured pattern using the third
microstructured pattern comprises coating the third microstructured
pattern with the fourth material. 60. The method of embodiment 20
or 31, wherein the step of removing enough of the fourth material
is performed by a mechanical grinding method or by electric
discharge machining. 61. The method of embodiment 20 or 31, wherein
the fourth material comprises an electroplating material. 62. The
method of embodiment 20 or 31, wherein the nozzle comprises a
metal, a ceramic or a combination of a metal and a ceramic. 63. The
method of embodiment 20 or 31, wherein the nozzle comprises a
ceramic selected from the group comprising silica, zirconia,
alumina, titania, or oxides of yttrium, strontium, barium, hafnium,
niobium, tantalum, tungsten, bismuth, molybdenum, tin, zinc,
lanthanide elements having atomic numbers ranging from 57 to 71,
cerium and combinations thereof.
Microstructured Pattern Embodiments
[0307] 64. A microstructured pattern for forming a nozzle pre-form
comprising a plurality of nozzle pre-form holes, sacrificial planar
control cavities and an outer planar periphery, the microstructured
pattern comprising:
[0308] a plurality of nozzle hole forming features that are
substantially negative replicas of the nozzle pre-form holes,
and
[0309] a plurality of planar control cavity forming features that
are substantially negative replicas of the sacrificial planar
control cavities.
65. The microstructured pattern according to embodiment 64, wherein
each nozzle hole forming feature may or may not be connected to at
least one planar control cavity forming feature. 66. The
microstructured pattern according to embodiment 64 or 65, further
comprising an annular peripheral wall for defining the outer planar
periphery of the nozzle pre-form. 67. The microstructured pattern
according to embodiment 66, wherein the peripheral wall is
connected to at least one planar control feature.
Nozzle Pre-Form Embodiments
[0310] 68. A nozzle pre-form for forming a nozzle comprising a
plurality of nozzle through-holes, each nozzle through-hole
comprising an inlet opening and at least one outlet opening
connected to (e.g., being in fluid communication with) the inlet
opening by a hollow cavity defined by an interior surface, the
nozzle pre-form comprising:
[0311] a plurality of nozzle pre-form holes corresponding to the
nozzle through-holes; and
[0312] a plurality of sacrificial planar control cavities,
[0313] wherein each of the nozzle pre-form holes may or may not be
connected to at least one of the sacrificial planar control
cavities.
69. The nozzle pre-form according to embodiment 68, wherein each
nozzle pre-form hole is in fluid communication with at least one
sacrificial planar control cavity. 70. The nozzle pre-form
according to embodiment 68 or 69, wherein the nozzle pre-form and
therefore the nozzle comprises a build-up of multiple layers, with
each layer being a different material. 71. The nozzle pre-form
according to embodiment 70, wherein the multiple layers are
deposited layers of different materials in the form of a monolithic
structure. 72. The nozzle pre-form according to embodiment 70 or
71, wherein the multiple layers are at least three layers, with a
first layer of the multiple layers being an electrically conductive
layer. 73. The nozzle pre-form according to any one of embodiments
70 to 72, wherein none of the multiple layers is in the form of a
thin electrically conductive seed layer. 74. The nozzle pre-form
according to any one of embodiments 70 to 73, wherein the material
forming at least one of the multiple layers is a corrosion
inhibitor, combustion byproduct deposit inhibitor, ceramic, or
metal alloy.
Nozzle Embodiments
[0314] 75. A nozzle comprising a microstructured pattern comprising
a plurality of nozzle through-holes, each nozzle through-hole
comprising an inlet opening and at least one outlet opening
connected to (e.g., being in fluid communication with) the inlet
opening by a hollow cavity defined by an interior surface, wherein
the microstructured pattern has an outer periphery, and the nozzle
comprises a build-up of multiple layers, with each layer being a
different material, and with either (a) none of the multiple layers
being in the form of a thin electrically conductive seed layer, (b)
the multiple layers being at least three layers, or (c) both (a)
and (b). 76. The nozzle according to embodiment 75, wherein the
multiple layers are deposited layers of different materials in the
form of a monolithic structure. 77. The nozzle pre-form according
to embodiment 75 or 76, wherein the multiple layers are at least
three layers, with a first layer of the multiple layers being an
electrically conductive layer. 78. The nozzle according to any one
of embodiments 75 to 77, wherein the material forming at least one
of the multiple layers is a corrosion inhibitor, combustion
byproduct deposit inhibitor, ceramic, or metal alloy. 79 The nozzle
according to any one of embodiments 75 to 78 further comprising a
planar bottom surface and a planar top surface, wherein the planar
bottom surface and planar top surface are either parallel to each
other or at an acute angle to one another. 80. The nozzle according
to any one of embodiments 75 to 79, wherein each of the multiple
layers is an electro deposited layer of metallic material,
inorganic non-metallic material, or a combination thereof. 81. The
nozzle according to any one of embodiments 75 to 79, wherein each
of the multiple layers is a layer of sintered metallic, inorganic
non-metallic material, or a combination thereof. 82. The nozzle
according to any one of embodiments 75 to 81, wherein none of the
multiple layers is in the form of a thin electrically conductive
seed layer. 83. The nozzle pre-form according to any one of
embodiments 75 to 82, wherein the multiple layers are at least
three layers. 84. The nozzle according to any one of embodiments 75
to 83, further comprising at least one or more fluid (i.e., a gas
or liquid) channel or undercut features connecting at least one
nozzle through-hole to (a) at least one other nozzle through-hole,
(b) a portion of the outer periphery of the microstructured
pattern, or (c) both (a) and (b). 85. The nozzle according to any
one of embodiments 75 to 84, further comprising at least one fluid
plume shape-control feature for controlling the shape of a plume
formed by a fluid flowing through and exiting the outlet openings
of the nozzle through-holes. 86. The nozzle according to embodiment
85, wherein the fluid plume shape-control feature is operatively
adapted to break-up a fluid stream flowing out of the nozzle
through-holes to control the size and distribution of fluid
droplets forming the plume. 87. The nozzle according to embodiment
86, wherein the fuel plume shape-control feature comprises (a) at
least one of the outlet openings having a cross shape or X-shape,
(b) the interior surface of at least one of the nozzle through
holes being rifled so as to impart a rotation to a fluid flowing
through the nozzle through-hole in a direction around the
longitudinal axis of the nozzle through-hole, before exiting
through the corresponding outlet opening of the nozzle through
hole, (c) at least one or a plurality of nozzle through hole having
at least one, two or more curved interior surfaces (e.g.,
quarter-round shaped interior surfaces) and at least one, two or
more slot-shaped outlet openings, where the curved interior
surface(s) of the nozzle through-hole is configured to cause the
fluid to exit through the outlet opening(s) at an angle (e.g., an
acute angle) from the longitudinal axis of the nozzle through-hole,
or (d) any combination of (a) to (c). 88. The nozzle according to
any one of embodiments 75 to 87, further comprising at least one
nozzle through-hole having an interior surface that comprises at
least one or more fluid flow affecting features for inducing or
otherwise causing cavitations, turbulence, or otherwise obstructing
the flow of a fluid (e.g., a liquid fuel) through the nozzle so as
to positively affect a plume of droplets formed by the fluid
passing through the nozzle through-hole and exiting the
corresponding outlet opening of the nozzle through-hole. 89. The
nozzle according to embodiment 88, wherein the fluid flow affecting
feature comprises at least one or any combination of bumps,
continuous annular ridges, spaced apart discontinuous ridges, and
riblets. 90. A nozzle comprising:
[0315] a microstructured pattern comprising a plurality of nozzle
through-holes, with each nozzle through-hole comprising an inlet
opening and at least one outlet opening connected to (e.g., being
in fluid communication with) the inlet opening by a hollow cavity
defined by an interior surface, and the microstructured pattern
having an outer periphery; and
[0316] at least one or more fluid (i.e., a gas or liquid) channel
or undercut features connecting at least one nozzle through-hole to
(a) at least one other nozzle through-hole, (b) a portion of the
outer periphery of the microstructured pattern, or (c) both (a) and
(b).
91. A nozzle comprising:
[0317] a microstructured pattern comprising a plurality of nozzle
through-holes, with each nozzle through-hole comprising an inlet
opening and at least one outlet opening connected to (e.g., being
in fluid communication with) the inlet opening by a hollow cavity
defined by an interior surface, and the microstructured pattern
having an outer periphery; and
[0318] at least one fluid plume shape-control feature for
controlling the shape of a plume formed by a fluid flowing through
and exiting the outlet openings of the nozzle through-holes.
92. The nozzle according to embodiment 91, wherein the fluid plume
shape-control feature is operatively adapted to break-up a fluid
stream flowing out of the nozzle through-holes to control the size
and distribution of fluid droplets forming the plume. 93. The
nozzle according to embodiment 92, wherein the fuel plume
shape-control feature comprises (a) at least one of the outlet
openings having a cross shape or X-shape, (b) the interior surface
of at least one of the nozzle through holes being rifled so as to
impart a rotation to a fluid flowing through the nozzle
through-hole in a direction around the longitudinal axis of the
nozzle through-hole, before exiting through the corresponding
outlet opening of the nozzle through hole, (c) at least one or a
plurality of nozzle through hole having at least one, two or more
curved interior surfaces (e.g., quarter-round shaped interior
surfaces) and at least one, two or more slot-shaped outlet
openings, where the curved interior surface(s) of the nozzle
through-hole is configured to cause the fluid to exit through the
outlet opening(s) at an angle (e.g., an acute angle) from the
longitudinal axis of the nozzle through-hole, or (d) any
combination of (a) to (c). 94. A nozzle comprising:
[0319] a microstructured pattern comprising a plurality of nozzle
through-holes, with each nozzle through-hole comprising an inlet
opening and at least one outlet opening connected to (e.g., being
in fluid communication with) the inlet opening by a hollow cavity
defined by an interior surface, and the microstructured pattern
having an outer periphery; and
[0320] at least one nozzle through-hole having an interior surface
that comprises at least one or more fluid flow affecting features
for inducing or otherwise causing cavitations, turbulence, or
otherwise obstructing the flow of a fluid (e.g., a liquid fuel)
through the nozzle so as to positively affect a plume of droplets
formed by the fluid passing through the nozzle through-hole and
exiting the corresponding outlet opening of the nozzle
through-hole.
95. The nozzle according to embodiment 94, wherein the fluid flow
affecting feature comprises at least one or any combination of
bumps, continuous annular ridges, spaced apart discontinuous
ridges, and riblets. 96. The nozzle according to any one of
embodiments 75 to 95, wherein the inlet opening and the outlet
opening of each the nozzle through-hole have different shapes. 97.
The nozzle according to any one of embodiments 75 to 95, wherein
the inlet opening and the outlet opening of each the nozzle
through-hole have different shapes, the shapes being selected from
the group of shapes consisting of an elliptical shape, a circular
shape, a racetrack shape. 98. The nozzle according to any one of
embodiments 75 to 95, wherein only one of the inlet opening and the
outlet opening of at least one nozzle through-hole has a shape with
a perimeter comprising outer arcs of closely packed circles, with
the outer arcs being connected by curve-like fillets. 99. The
nozzle according to any one of embodiments 75 to 98, wherein each
inlet opening has a diameter of less than 300 microns, 200 microns,
or less than or equal to 160 microns. 100. The nozzle according to
any one of embodiments 75 to 99, wherein each outlet opening has a
diameter of less than 300 microns, less than 100 microns, or less
than or equal to 40 microns. 101. The nozzle according to any one
of embodiments 75 to 100, wherein the nozzle is a fuel injector
nozzle. 102. The nozzle according to any one of embodiments 75 to
101, wherein the nozzle comprises a metallic material, an inorganic
non-metallic material (e.g., a ceramic), or a combination thereof.
103. The nozzle according to embodiment 102, wherein the nozzle
comprises a ceramic selected from the group comprising silica,
zirconia, alumina, titania, or oxides of yttrium, strontium,
barium, hafnium, niobium, tantalum, tungsten, bismuth, molybdenum,
tin, zinc, lanthanide elements having atomic numbers ranging from
57 to 71, cerium and combinations thereof. 104. The nozzle
according to any one of embodiments 75 to 103, wherein the interior
surface of at least one the nozzle through-hole has a cross-section
that rotates from its inlet opening to its outlet opening. 105. The
nozzle according to embodiment 104, wherein the cross-section has
at least one of an increasing rotation rate, a decreasing rotation
rate, a constant rotation rate, or a combination thereof. 106. The
nozzle according to any one of embodiments 75 to 105, wherein the
at least one nozzle through-hole is a plurality of the nozzle
through-hole arranged in an array of concentric circles comprising
an outermost circle, wherein the nozzle through-holes are arranged
such that no diameter of the outermost circle comprises at least
one nozzle through-hole from each circle in the array of concentric
circles. 107. The nozzle according to embodiment 106, wherein each
circle in the array of concentric circles comprises equally spaced
nozzle through-holes. Plated layer thicknesses; Seed layer
thickness preferred embodiment.ltoreq.50 .mu.m or .ltoreq.100 .mu.m
with a maximum thickness of .ltoreq.200 .mu.m. Thickness range of
(some) electroplating of protective materials:
Hard-chrome 0.0003'' (8 .mu.m) to 0.002'' (50 .mu.m).
Electroless Nickel 0.0001'' (2.5 .mu.m) to 0.005'' (127 .mu.m).
Zinc 0.0002'' (5 .mu.m) to 0.0006'' (15 .mu.m)
PTFE/Nickel/Phosphorus
[0321] Sputtering and Ion plating could be other coating methods.
It can be desirable for the thickness of a fuel injector nozzle to
be at least about 100 um, preferably greater than about 200 um; and
less than about 3 mm, preferably less than about 1 mm, more
preferably less than about 500 um.
[0322] All patents, patent applications, and other publications
cited above are incorporated by reference into this document as if
reproduced in full. While specific examples of the invention are
described in detail above to facilitate explanation of various
aspects of the invention, it should be understood that the
intention is not to limit the invention to the specifics of the
examples. Rather, the intention is to cover all modifications,
embodiments, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope
of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *