Patent ID: 6594894
Filing Date: 2003-07-22
Classification: B81B,B81C,Y10T

Abstract:
A micro-extrusion process comprising the steps of:(a) positioning an electrically conductive segment of aluminum material within an encapsulation member and adjacent an aperture extending through such encapsulation member, and wherein said encapsulation member encloses said electrically conductive segment and is tightly bonded to a substrate member, and wherein said encapsulation member is selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, sapphire, diamond, silicon carbide and metal/insulator composites; (b) inducing sufficient electro migration forces within said electrically conductive segment of aluminum material to deform and flow through the aperture of said encapsulation member, thereby producing an elongated extruded member coupled to said electrically conductive segment; and (c) positioning a current carrying electrically conductive substrate in contact with said electrically conductive segment, the resistivity of said electrically conductive segment, enabling current to be shunted through said electrically conductive segment; and (d) heating said electrically conductive segment to a sufficient extent to enhance pliability of said electrically conductive segment and thereby reduce extrusion time periods while inducing sufficient electro migration forces within the electrically conductive segment to cause aluminum material to flow through a micro-sized die aperture, thereby producing an elongated extruded member coupled to said micro-sized electrically conductive segment.