Patent ID: 6730370
Filing Date: 2004-05-04
Classification: B01J,B82B,B82Y,C03C,C23C,C23F

Abstract:
A method for processing a material by locally raising a temperature of the material by transferring energy to the material in order to facilitate chemical reactions or processes related to processing of the material, comprising the steps of:providing a cryogenic medium that has been cooled to a cyogenic temperature, said cryogenic medium at least extending between an electrode and the material; causing the electrode to emit or attract electrons by applying voltage pulses to the electrode to cause propagation of a succession of thermal spikes or shockwaves in the cryogenic medium, said thermal spikes or shockwaves transferring energy from the electrons through the cryogenic medium in order to affect an area of the material; and varying an energy of the thermal spikes or shockwaves by varying the energy of said electrons emitted by or attracted to the electrode, wherein a dimension of said thermal spikes or shockwave is on the order of less than one manometer to several tens of micrometers, and a total linear dimension of the material affected by energy carried by the thermal spikes or shockwaves, is on the order of less than one nanometer to several tens of micrometers.