Additive nanomanufacturing system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11905588-B2
Application number	US-202016899765-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2020
Priority date	Jun 12, 2019
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

A device including a chamber and a nozzle detachably connected to the chamber, the nozzle defining an aperture, a target carousel disposed within the chamber, a first laser configured to generate a first beam directed toward the target carousel to perform in-situ ablation to form a laser plume, a gas flow system configured to supply gas into the chamber, such that the gas interacts with the laser plume and causes condensation and formation of nanoparticles, and a second laser configured to generate a second beam directed through the interior of the chamber, through the aperture of the nozzle, and toward a substrate disposed outside the device, the second laser beam configured to sinter and crystalize on the substrate the nanoparticles exiting the nozzle.

First claim

The invention claim is:

1. A device comprising:
a chamber defined by a housing including a top plate and a nozzle arranged opposite the top plate, the nozzle including at least one aperture;
one or more targets disposed within the chamber;
a first laser configured to generate a first beam directed through the housing and into the chamber toward the one or more targets to perform in-situ ablation to form a plume, the first beam being directed through the housing opposite of the one or more targets;
a gas flow system configured to supply gas into the chamber and flow through the chamber, such that the gas interacts with the plume and causes the formation of nanoparticles that flow out of the chamber through at least one aperture at atmospheric pressure; and
a second laser arranged above the top plate of the housing and configured to generate a second beam directed through the top plate and into the chamber, through the at least one aperture of the nozzle, and toward a substrate disposed outside the housing at atmospheric pressure, the second laser beam configured to sinter the nanoparticles passing through the aperture on the substrate.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein a target carousel comprises a plate including a plurality of targets including the one or more targets about a first side of the plate and a shaft about a second side of the plate opposite the first side, and wherein the first beam performs the in-situ ablation to form the laser plume by focusing on at least one of the targets.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein each target comprises a solid pellet.

4. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a control logic device configured to control thermalization dynamics of the plume and the stream of the nanoparticles by selectively adjusting respective fluence of each of the first and second lasers, repetition rate, and a flow rate of the gas.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an outer wall, the top end plate arranged on a top end of the outer wall, wherein the nozzle is detachably coupled to a bottom end of the outer circumferential wall opposite the top end, and wherein the first beam extends through the outer wall.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the one or more targets are arranged opposite a location at which the first beam extends through the outer wall such that the first beam extends traversely across the housing to the one or more targets, and wherein the second beam extends through the top end plate and opposite the nozzle.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the top end plate further includes one or more gas inlets through which the gas is supplied into the chamber, and wherein the gas is configured to flow from the gas inlets, through the chamber, and to the at least one aperture of the nozzle.

8. A method comprising:
directing a first laser toward a target disposed within a chamber to perform in-situ ablation to form a laser plume, the chamber including a nozzle having an aperture;
supplying gas into the chamber, such that the gas interacts with the laser plume, causing the formation of nanoparticles, and directs a flow of the nanoparticles toward and through the aperture of the nozzle, wherein the gas increases pressure in the chamber to a first pressure, wherein the nanoparticles are jetted through the aperture of the nozzle; and
directing a second laser beam toward a substrate disposed at an outlet of the chamber, the second laser beam configured to sinter on the substrate the nanoparticles exiting the nozzle, wherein the substrate is arranged in an environment outside of the chamber and maintained at a second pressure,
wherein the second pressure is atmospheric pressure, and
wherein the first pressure is greater than the second pressure.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the target comprises a plate including a plurality of targets about a first side of the plate and a shaft about a second side of the plate opposite the first side, and wherein the first laser beam performs the in-situ ablation to form the laser plume by focusing on at least one of the targets.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein each target comprises a solid pellet.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein at least two pellets comprise different materials from one another, such that consecutively performing, for each of the materials, the in-situ ablation to form the laser plume, supplying the gas to cause condensation and formation of the nanoparticles, and sintering the nanoparticles on the substrate causes formation of a multifunctional material.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the multifunctional material comprises a hybrid material including a composite having at least two constituent materials.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the nanoparticles exiting the chamber comprise a stream and are carried toward the substrate by a flow of a carrier gas and a deferential pressure created by first pressure being greater than the second pressure.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the the nozzle is detachably coupled to the chamber.

15. A method comprising:
initiating in-situ ablation of a target to form a plume inside a chamber;
supplying gas into the chamber, such that the gas interacts with the plume and causes formation of nanoparticles;
directing the nanoparticles through the interior of the chamber and toward a substrate disposed at an outlet of the chamber and arranged in an environment outside of the chamber and maintained at atmospheric pressure; and
sintering, on the substrate, the nanoparticles exiting the chamber.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein initiating in-situ ablation includes generating a first laser beam and directing the generated first laser beam through interior of the chamber toward the target.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the target comprises a plate including a plurality of targets about a first side of the plate and a shaft about a second side of the plate opposite the first side, and wherein initiating in-situ ablation includes generating directing the generated first laser beam to focus on at least one of the targets.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein each target comprises a solid pellet.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein at least two pellets comprise different materials from one another, such that consecutively initiating, for each of the materials, the in-situ ablation to form the laser plume, supplying the gas to cause formation of the nanoparticles, directing the nanoparticles, and sintering the nanoparticles on the substrate causes formation of a multifunctional material.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the multifunctional material comprises a hybrid material including a composite having at least two constituent materials.

Assignees

• Univ Auburn

Inventors

• Mahjouri-Samani Masoud
• Shamsaei Nima

Classifications

• C23C14/228 Primary

  Gas flow assisted PVD deposition · CPC title

• B22F10/25

  Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS] · CPC title

• B22F10/34

  of powder characteristics, e.g. density, oxidation or flowability · CPC title

• B22F12/53

  Nozzles · CPC title

• B22F12/70

  Gas flow means · CPC title