Patent ID: 6932865
Filing Date: 2005-08-23
Classification: B22F,C30B,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method of growing a single-crystal structure, comprising: (a) heating a feedstock with multiple heat sources simultaneously for controlling a two-dimensional temperature gradient in the feedstock, such that a portion of the feedstock is melted to form a build; (b) moving one of the multiple heat sources across the feedstock to maintain a surface of the build at a constant temperature such that the two-dimensional thermal gradient is formed in a build direction, thereby allowing a single crystal to maintain one orientation; (c) nucleating the single crystal in the build based on a desired grain orientation as the melted portion of the build solidifies, with higher temperatures of the build near a melting temperature of the feedstock promoting crystal growth during a deposition process, rather than nucleation, as a grain of the single crystal grows toward the heat of said one of the multiple heat sources; and (d) fabricating a solid three-dimensional structure from the build.