Abstract Precision miniature glass circuits, such as fluidic circuits and optical waveguide and laser circuits, are fabricated by assembling a plurality of glass members of at least two differing types of glass to form a subassembly. The subassembly is heated to fuse the glass members together. The cross sectional dimensions of the assembly may be reduced by drawing. The fused assembly is sliced to obtain a plurality of slabs, each having the two types of glass therein with one of the types of glasses defining a circuit pattern for flow of energy, such as fluid energy or optical energy, therealong. In the case of fluidic circuits, the glass type which defines the circuit pattern is etchable so that it can be removed to provide the fluid flow circuit passageways in the slab. In the case of optical waveguides and circuits, the type of glass defining the circuit pattern has a different index of refraction from the other glass members in order to form light paths or pipes. The slabs containing the circuit patterns are sandwiched between pairs of glass slabs for providing strength and/or for closing off the opposite sides of the energy flow circuit patterns.
A method for fabricating circuit devices of glass comprising the steps of: positioning at least three elongated glass members of uniform cross section together such that one of said members is positioned intermediate the other two and said members are oriented in a given direction, the intermediate one of said members having a different etch resistance than the other two of said members, heating said members to fuse them together to form a first assembly, the shapes of said members being such that in a cross-sectional view of the fused assembly, the boundaries of said intermediate member with said other two members define a circuit path perpendicular to said given direction, slicing a cross-sectional portion from said first assembly to obtain a first slab having two major faces, joining one of the major faces of said first slab to a bottom glass slab to form a second assembly, subjecting said second assembly to an etchant which will remove only said intermediate member, joining the remaining, exposed major face of said first slab to a top glass slab such that said bottom and top slabs sandwich said second and third glass members and such that the void left by the removal of said intermediate glass member provides a circuit path bounded by said other two glass members and said bottom and top slabs.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
222 words
A method for fabricating circuit devices of glass comprising the steps of: positioning at least three elongated glass members of uniform cross section together such that one of said members is positioned intermediate the other two and said members are oriented in a given direction, the intermediate one of said members having a different etch resistance than the other two of said members, heating said members to fuse them together to form a first assembly, the shapes of said members being such that in a cross-sectional view of the fused assembly, the boundaries of said intermediate member with said other two members define a circuit path perpendicular to said given direction, slicing a cross-sectional portion from said first assembly to obtain a first slab having two major faces, joining one of the major faces of said first slab to a bottom glass slab to form a second assembly, subjecting said second assembly to an etchant which will remove only said intermediate member, joining the remaining, exposed major face of said first slab to a top glass slab such that said bottom and top slabs sandwich said second and third glass members and such that the void left by the removal of said intermediate glass member provides a circuit path bounded by said other two glass members and said bottom and top slabs.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1, further including the step of drawing said first assembly of glass members to reduce the corss-sectional dimensions thereof prior to slicing said first assembly.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 2, further including the step of polishing said cross-sectional slab after it is sliced from said first assembly.