Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
A METHOD OF CHEMICALLY POLISHING METALLIC OXIDE SUBSTRATES COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: FORMING A MOLTEN FLUX FROM CONSITUTENTS SUITABLE FOR DISSOLVING METALLIC OXIDES WHEREIN THE CONSITUENTS ARE BORIC ANHYDRIDE AND ONE OR MORE OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF LEAD MONOXIDE, LEAD FLOURIDE, BARIUM OXIDE, BARIUM FLOURIDE, IRON OXIDE, LITHIUM CARBONATE AND VANADIUM PENTOXIDE AND WHEREIN FORMING THE MOLTEN FLUX COMPRISES MIXING THE CONSTITUENTS OF THE FLUX AT A FIRST TEMPERATURE SUITABLE FOR ESTABLISHING A MOLTEN HOMOGENEROUS SOLUTION AND BRINGING THE MOLTEN SOLUTION TO THERMAL EQUILIBRIUM AT A SECOND TEMPERATURE SUITABLE FOR PROVIDING A DESIRED DISSOLUTION RATE OF THE SUBSTRATE MATERIAL; MOVING THE SUBSTRATE AT A CONTROLLED RATE TOWARD THE MOLTEN FLUX TO HEAT THE SUBSTRATE WITHOUT THERMAL SHOCK; IMMERSING THE SUBSTRATE IN THE MOLTEN FLUX OF A SUFFICIENT TIME TO STRIP A PREDETERMINED THICKNESS OF MATERIAL FROM THE SUBSTRATE; AND WITHDRAWING THE SUBSTRATE FROM THE FLUX AT A CONTROLLED RATE TO COOL THE SUBSTRATE WITHOUT THERMAL SHOCK.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
157 words
A METHOD OF CHEMICALLY POLISHING METALLIC OXIDE SUBSTRATES COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: FORMING A MOLTEN FLUX FROM CONSITUTENTS SUITABLE FOR DISSOLVING METALLIC OXIDES WHEREIN THE CONSITUENTS ARE BORIC ANHYDRIDE AND ONE OR MORE OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF LEAD MONOXIDE, LEAD FLOURIDE, BARIUM OXIDE, BARIUM FLOURIDE, IRON OXIDE, LITHIUM CARBONATE AND VANADIUM PENTOXIDE AND WHEREIN FORMING THE MOLTEN FLUX COMPRISES MIXING THE CONSTITUENTS OF THE FLUX AT A FIRST TEMPERATURE SUITABLE FOR ESTABLISHING A MOLTEN HOMOGENEROUS SOLUTION AND BRINGING THE MOLTEN SOLUTION TO THERMAL EQUILIBRIUM AT A SECOND TEMPERATURE SUITABLE FOR PROVIDING A DESIRED DISSOLUTION RATE OF THE SUBSTRATE MATERIAL; MOVING THE SUBSTRATE AT A CONTROLLED RATE TOWARD THE MOLTEN FLUX TO HEAT THE SUBSTRATE WITHOUT THERMAL SHOCK; IMMERSING THE SUBSTRATE IN THE MOLTEN FLUX OF A SUFFICIENT TIME TO STRIP A PREDETERMINED THICKNESS OF MATERIAL FROM THE SUBSTRATE; AND WITHDRAWING THE SUBSTRATE FROM THE FLUX AT A CONTROLLED RATE TO COOL THE SUBSTRATE WITHOUT THERMAL SHOCK.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of chemically polishing a metallic oxide substrate as defined in claim 1, wherein the constItuents are boric anhydride and lead monoxide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method of chemically polishing a metallic oxide substrate as defined in claim 1, wherein the constituents are boric anhydride, iron oxide, lead monoxide and lithium carbonate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method of chemically polishing a metallic oxide substrate as defined in claim 2, wherein the step of withdrawing the substrate from the molten flux at a controlled rate causes vaporized lead monoxide to be deposited on the cooling substrate surface.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of polishing metallic oxide substrates, comprising the steps of: mixing a molten salt flux of lead monoxide and boric anhydride in weight ratios within the range 30:1 to 50:1 at a temperature above approximately 800*C; bringing the molten salt flux to thermal equilibrium at a temperature above about 860*C; advancing metallic oxide substrates at a controlled rate to a position proximate the molten salt flux; immersing the substrates in the molten salt flux to strip a predetermined thickness of material from the surfaces thereof; and withdrawing the substrates from the molten salt flux at a controlled rate to cool the substrates without thermal shock and to deposit vaporized lead monoxide on the cooling substrate surfaces.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of polishing metallic oxide substrates, comprising the steps of: mixing a molten salt flux of lead monoxide and boric anhydride in weight ratios within the range 30:1 to 50:1 at a temperature above approximately 800*C; bringing the molten salt flux to thermal equilibrium at a temperature above about 860*C; advancing metallic oxide substrates at a controlled rate to a position proximate the molten salt flux; immersing the substrates in the molten salt flux to strip a predetermined thickness of material from the surfaces thereof; and withdrawing the substrates from the molten salt flux at a controlled rate to cool the substrates without thermal shock and to deposit vaporized lead monoxide on the cooling substrate surfaces.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of polishing metallic oxide substrates as defined in claim 5, wherein the flux is mixed at a temperature within the approximate range 1,100*-1,200*C.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method of polishing metallic oxide substrates as defined in claim 5, wherein the molten salt flux is brought to equilibrium at a temperature within the approximate range 885*-955*C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method of polishing metallic oxide substrates as defined in claim 5, wherein the flux contains a constituent selected from Gd3Ga5O12 and (EuEr2) (Ga0.7Fe4.3)O12 for increasing the saturation temperature of the flux to decrease the substrate dissolution rate.