Abstract: A method of fabricating a molded ceramic device having an embedded spiral coil, is disclosed which includes: forming grooves that provide portions of a spiral coil in surfaces of first and second ceramic plates; aligning the grooves in the first and second ceramic plates and sintering the first and second ceramic plates to form a unitary structure; and filling the aligned grooves with sacrificial material. The method further includes removing the sacrificial material from the unitary structure; and filling the grooves with a conductive material to complete a conductive spiral coil.

Abstract: An alumina ceramic article and a method for preparing the article. The method comprises the steps of:(1) Compacting a mixture of a first concentration of particulate aluminum oxide sufficient to prevent retention of the zirconium oxide alloy particles in the surface in a predominantly tetragonal crystal structure and a second concentration of particulate zirconium oxide alloy. The zirconium oxide alloy is zirconium oxide and a secondary oxide selected from the group consisting of MgO, CaO, Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, Sc.sub.2 O.sub.3, CeO.sub.2, and rare earth oxides having a concentration of secondary oxide generally of about 0.5 to about 5 mole percent Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, from about 0.1 to about 1 mole percent MgO, from about 0.5 to about 15 mole percent CeO.sub.2, from about 0.5 to about 7.0 mole percent Sc.sub.2 O.sub.3, or from about 0.5 to about 5 mole percent CaO, relative to the total of the zirconium oxide alloy. The compacting results in the formation of a blank.

Abstract: A method for making ceramic, micro-electromechanical tools which can be used for the production of micromagnets with a multi-pole, micro-polarization pattern.

Abstract: A micromolded integrated ceramic light reflector which can be totally integrated with drive and control electronics embedded on the same substrate for use with image projection systems. Each light reflector can be molded to a size on the order of less than one (1) mm.sup.3 using the method of the present invention. Each light reflector includes a ceramic base element with a cavity and one surface thereof. A beam extends from one end of the cavity and cantilevers out therefrom above the cavity. The beam is made from the same ceramic as the base element and is coated with an electrically conductive ceramic coating which is also a good reflector of the visible radiation spectrum. The base of the cavity is coated with the same electrically conductive ceramic, or with a metallic coating. In either case, the coating is electrically grounded. When the beam is in its normal, undeflected position, light incident on the top surface of the beam reflects at a first angle.

Abstract: A micromotor in a ceramic substrate, including a unitary ceramic body providing a micromotor substrate which has been formed with a first internal cavity and a plurality of second internal cavities and a recess, a ferromagnetic stator formed in the first internal cavity, and embedded conductive coil structures formed in the second internal cavities and disposed in operative relationship to the ferromagnetic stator, and a rotor mechanism mounted in the recess and in operative relationship to the ferromagnetic stator and having a rotor member formed of a hard magnetic material which is free to rotate so that when voltages are applied to the coil structures, a field is created through the ferromagnetic stator which provides a torque to the rotor member causing it to rotate.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a multiwound microcoil embedded in a ceramic substrate including the steps of forming a sacrificial multiwound microcoil, having a melting temperature greater than the sintering temperature of the ceramic material to be used as the ceramic substrate by wrapping a first sacrificial coil winding in a helical fashion on the midsection of a sintered ceramic bar thereby forming a one winding sacrificial coil structure; wrapping a first layer of tape cast ceramic material around the midsection of said one winding sacrificial coil structure thereby forming a first coated one winding sacrificial coil structure; wrapping a second sacrificial coil winding in a helical fashion on the midsection of said first coated one winding sacrificial coil structure thereby forming a two winding sacrificial coil structure.

Abstract: A method of engraving pre-sintered ceramic articles involves providing a source of laser energy for forming a polyester mask having a predetermined spiral pattern etched therein. To form the polyester mask, means are provided for computationally communicating a predetermined engraving pattern to the source of laser energy. Once the polyester mask is formed, it is overlaid onto the ceramic article forming a laminate and the laminate is bombarded with a hard alumina grit to form the spiral pattern in the ceramic article. After the ceramic article is engraved with the predetermined spiral pattern, the polyester mask is removed exposing an engraved ceramic article.

Abstract: A method of cutting, slicing or perforating photographic imaging elements using certain cutting tools is disclosed. The cutting tool material includes zirconia and yttria at a molar ratio of yttria to zirconia from about 0.5:99.5 to about 5:95. The cutting tool is essentially a tetragonal crystal phase grain for the interior in a surface of cubic crystal phase grain or monoclinic crystal phase grain. This provides a hard, tough outer surface with a tough core. The cutting tool material can also be a composite of zirconia-alumina with or without surface modification.

Abstract: An improved gear micropump (10) for delivering corrosive materials, particularly photographic materials, such as dyes and emulsions, has a pair of intermeshing gears (16,18) rotatably mounted on zirconia ceramic shafts (24,26). The ceramic shafts of the invention may be formed from zirconia and zirconia composite materials. The gear micropump (10) having the zirconia ceramic shafts (24,26) eliminates pulsation during fluid delivery and is resistant to wear and abrasion. Moreover the zirconia ceramic shafts (24,26) are strongly resistant to chemicals like photographic emulsions and dyes and, therefore, do not contaminate product with corrosive materials.

Abstract: A lathe bed scanning apparatus and method has a wear resistant coating on translational rod bearings which support a scanner for slidable movement in a frame. Titanium nitride is coated over a hardened stainless steel core of the translational rods and bearing pads which are arranged for sliding contact with the rods comprise diamond laminated tungsten carbide.

Abstract: A microceramic optical shutter includes a unitary ceramic body which has been formed with first and second internal cavities, a coil structure formed in the first internal cavity and a ferromagnetic stator formed in the second internal cavity and disposed in operative relationship with the coil structure.

Abstract: An air lubricated hydrodynamic bearing assemblage has a ceramic body and a ceramic shaft each made of tetragonal zirconium ceramic material. The bearing has flange portions on opposite ends a a generally cylindrical body. At least one of the flange portions has air channels formed therein in fluid communications with air inlet ports formed in the bearing body.

Abstract: A method for micromolding ceramic articles and structures having spatial features as small as 0.1 .mu.m and having a depth ranging from 2.0 .mu.m to 100 .mu.m. A master mold of the article or structure to be molded is first fabricated using a silicon wafer and dry etching technology. A negative master mold is then produced by placing the silicon master mold device in a surrounding mold form and filling the surrounding mold form with a silicone or silicone rubber, preferably an RTV.TM. (a room temperature-vulcanizing silicone rubber compound). Such material replicates each of the micro features of the master mold in great detail to a resolution on the order of 0.1 .mu.m. The negative master mold is then used in a die to mold the desired individual elements or structures from a ceramic powder which is capable of replicating each of the micro features of the negative master mold to the desired resolution.

Abstract: An improved molding equipment includes highly efficient, durable, and wear and abrasion resistant sliding elements. In particular, the equipment has a feeder box and a ware plate arranged for sliding contact each comprising high precision tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (TZP) ceramic or alternatively zirconia-alumina ceramic composite. Moreover, a die cavity arranged along the ware plate has a ceramic die retaining element to enable high efficiency as well as wear and abrasion resistant sliding contact with the feeder box.

Abstract: A method of making a hydrodynamic ceramic bearing includes the steps of providing ceramic powder comprising a first concentration of particulate aluminum oxide and a second concentration of particulate zirconium oxide alloy. The zirconium oxide alloy consists essentially of zirconium oxide and a the group consisting of MgO, CaO, Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, Sc.sub.2 O.sub.3, and rare earth oxides. The zirconium oxide alloy has a concentration of the secondary oxide of, in the case of Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, about 0.5 to about 5 mole percent; in the case of MgO, about 0.1 to about 1.0 mole percent, in the case of CeO.sub.2, about 0.5 to about 15 mole percent, in the case of Sc.sub.2 O.sub.3, about 0.5 to about 7.0 mole percent and in the case of CaO from about 0.5 to about 5 mole percent, relative to the total of the zirconium oxide alloy, the compacting further comprising forming a blank. A mold is provided for receiving and processing the ceramic powder thereby forming a ceramic billet.

Abstract: The present invention is a ceramic article of magnesium-X silicate, wherein X represents lithium, sodium or, from about 0.1 to 2 weight percent, and yttria stabilized zirconia from about 99.9 to 98 weight percent wherein the yttria stabilized zirconia has a molar ratio of yttria to zirconia of from 0.5:99:5 to 5:95.

Abstract: A process for forming a ceramic coated element formed by first encapsulating the element within a sacrificial material and then encapsulating the element and the sacrificial material with an unsintered ceramic material. The resultant combination of materials and elements is then controllably heated to a temperature that burns the sacrificial material prior to the curing of the ceramic material so as to permit the permeation of the burned sacrificial material through the ceramic material. As the ceramic material is sintered it shrinks around the encapsulated element to form the ceramic coated element. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the coated element is a magnet or magnetizable material that is magnetized to a preferred axis of magnetization during the cooling phase of the process.

Abstract: A microceramic electromagnetic light shutter is disclosed including a unitary ceramic body having an internal cavity. A conductive coil is formed in the internal cavity. The unitary ceramic body defines a first and second bearing structure on it's surface. The unitary ceramic body has a light aperture and first and second recesses. The microceramic electromagnetic light shutter further includes a shutter drive mechanism including a shutter blade and a ferromagnetic element inserted into the first recess and operative to the shutter drive mechanism for applying a torque to the shutter drive mechanism which causes the shutter drive mechanism to move so that the shutter blade is in it's light blocking position. The shutter drive mechanism is mounted in the second recess an in an operative relationship to the coil and ferromagnetic element.

Abstract: A method for preparing a ceramic composite having a core/bulk of tetragonal zirconia alloy and a shell/surface comprising zirconium boride by sintering a zirconia or zirconia and alumina composite article in an argon atmosphere while in contact with boron carbide.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a threaded micro-ceramic part, includes the steps of: forming a sacrificial fiber, having a melting temperature greater than the sintering temperature of the ceramic material to be used to mold the threaded micro-ceramic part; winding the sacrificial fiber about a sintered ceramic plug generally in the shape of the threaded micro-ceramic part with the winded fiber corresponding to threads; providing a green ceramic housing formed with a passage and placing the plug with the wound sacrificial fiber in the passage.