Method for producing a microstructure component, microstructure component and x-ray device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019261936-A1
Application number	US-201916281189-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 21, 2019
Priority date	Feb 28, 2018
Publication date	Aug 29, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

In a method for producing a microstructure component, which is used in particular as an x-ray phase contrast grating in an x-ray device, a material absorbing x-rays is poured into a mold able at least to be deformed about one bending axis, which is formed by a silicon substrate and which has a plurality of cutouts running in a direction of the thickness of the silicon substrate with dimensions in the micrometer range. The mold into which the material is poured is heated up to a working temperature value lying above the room temperature and below a melting temperature value of the material which is poured into it and is formed into a final contour as per specifications.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for producing a microstructure component, the method comprising:
pouring a material for absorbing x-rays into a mold, the mold being at least deformable about a bending axis, formed by a silicon substrate, and including a plurality of cutouts running in a thickness direction of the silicon substrate with dimensions in the micrometer range; heating up the mold, including the material poured into the mold, to a working temperature value above a room temperature and below a melting temperature value of the material poured into the mold; and deforming the mold, with the material poured into the mold, into a final contour according to specifications.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the deforming includes deforming mold into the contour according to the specifications by creep of the material poured into the mold.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a value of around 20 to 50 percent of the melting temperature value is employed as the working temperature value.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the material for absorbing x-rays is introduced into the mold in a molten state.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold is pre-treated before the pouring of the material for absorbing x-rays into the mold, to avoid a chemical bonding of the x-ray-absorbing material with the silicon substrate forming the mold.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the deforming includes deforming the mold filled with the material via a tool including a lower shell and an upper shell with shaping surfaces, each curved in a mirror image along a circular cylindrical surface.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein for the deforming of the mold, a force corresponding to a mass of 10 to 150 grams is exerted on the mold.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the deforming of the mold is carried out in an oven by heating up to the working temperature value.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutouts of the mold are formed by using etching technology to embody columns, which run in a first substrate direction and are separated from one another by transverse webs and are arranged like rows in parallel to one another in a second substrate direction, perpendicular to the first substrate direction.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the columns, which follow one another in the second substrate direction, are arranged offset to one another in relation to their longitudinal extent in the first substrate direction.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutouts are formed so as to penetrate the silicon substrate in the thickness direction.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutouts have an aspect ratio in the thickness direction of around 1:450, and wherein the cutouts have a width of 1 to 4 micrometers.

13 . A microstructure component produced in accordance with the method of claim 1 .

14 . An x-ray device with an x-ray phase contrast grating formed by the microstructure component of claim 13 .

15 . The method of claim 2 , wherein a value of around 20 to 50 percent of the melting temperature value is employed as the working temperature value.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a value of around 30 to 40 percent of the melting temperature value is employed as the working temperature value.

17 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the material for absorbing x-rays is introduced into the cutouts the mold in a molten state.

18 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the mold is pre-treated before the pouring of the material for absorbing x-rays into the mold, to avoid a chemical bonding of the x-ray-absorbing material with the silicon substrate forming the mold.

19 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the deforming includes deforming the mold filled with the material via a tool including a lower shell and an upper shell with shaping surfaces, each curved in a mirror image along a circular cylindrical surface.

20 . The method of claim 2 , wherein for the deforming of the mold, a force corresponding to a mass of 10 to 150 grams is exerted on the mold.

21 . The microstructure component of claim 13 , wherein the microstructure component is an x-ray phase contrast grating.

Assignees

• Siemens Healthcare Gmbh

Inventors

• Deutinger Andrea

Classifications

• G21K2207/005

  Methods and devices obtaining contrast from non-absorbing interaction of the radiation with matter, e.g. phase contrast · CPC title

• G21K1/025 Primary

  using multiple collimators, e.g. Bucky screens; other devices for eliminating undesired or dispersed radiation · CPC title

• A61B6/484 Primary

  involving phase contrast X-ray imaging · CPC title

• A61B6/4035

  the source being combined with a filter or grating · CPC title

• G01N23/083

  the radiation being X-rays · CPC title