Patents by Inventor Thomas Hoeche

Thomas Hoeche has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10734193
    Abstract: A method of preparing a sample for microstructure diagnostics on a sample body by material-ablating processing, and subsequently producing an examination region on the sample portion, the examination region including a target region to be examined, the method including producing a terracing zone including the target region on at least one surface of the sample portion, wherein at least one notch with flanks extending obliquely in relation to the surface is produced next to the target region by material-ablating beam processing to produce the terracing zone, and ablating material from the surface of the sample portion in the region of the terracing zone by an ion beam, which is radiated under grazing incidence onto the surface obliquely to the direction of extent of the notch such that the target region lies behind the notch in the incoming radiation direction of the ion beam and, as a result of the terracing in the region behind the notch, the surface is recessed substantially parallel to the original height
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Föerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Michael Krause, Georg Schusser, Thomas Höche, Richard Busch
  • Patent number: 10591393
    Abstract: A sample for microstructure diagnostics includes a sample body holder with accommodation structures to accommodate a sample body in a defined accommodation position; and at least one sample body produced separately from the sample body holder, the sample body having at least one solid handling portion and, adjoining the handling portion, a target portion thinner relative to the handling portion, the target portion being delimited at a narrow side by a sample body top side and, laterally, by side faces extending in a perpendicular or oblique manner in relation to the sample body top side, with the sample body being affixed to the accommodation structures in the accommodation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Michael Krause, Georg Schusser, Thomas Höche
  • Publication number: 20180079030
    Abstract: A method of producing a micromachined workpiece by laser micromachining includes applying a protective layer (SS) to a surface (OF) of the workpiece (WS) and machining the surface in a machining area by a laser beam (LS) through the protective layer, wherein the protective layer (SS) is produced using a coating fluid (SF) containing an at least partially volatile carrier liquid (TF) in which metallic and/or ceramic particles (PT) are dispersed; the coating fluid (SF) is applied to the surface (OF) such that at least the machining area (MA) is covered with a protective coating fluid layer (SSF); the applied coating is dried to reduce the content of carrier liquid (TF) such that a protective layer (SS) forms, which is essentially composed of the particles (PT) of the applied coating fluid or of these particles and a reduced content of the carrier liquid relative to the coating fluid; and machining of the machining areas is carried out by a laser beam (LS) irradiated through the protective layer onto the workpie
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: Michael Krause, Thomas Höche
  • Publication number: 20170097290
    Abstract: A method of preparing a sample for microstructure diagnostics on a sample body by material-ablating processing, and subsequently producing an examination region on the sample portion, the examination region including a target region to be examined, the method including producing a terracing zone including the target region on at least one surface of the sample portion, wherein at least one notch with flanks extending obliquely in relation to the surface is produced next to the target region by material-ablating beam processing to produce the terracing zone, and ablating material from the surface of the sample portion in the region of the terracing zone by an ion beam, which is radiated under grazing incidence onto the surface obliquely to the direction of extent of the notch such that the target region lies behind the notch in the incoming radiation direction of the ion beam and, as a result of the terracing in the region behind the notch, the surface is recessed substantially parallel to the original height
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventors: Michael Krause, Georg Schusser, Thomas Höche, Richard Busch
  • Publication number: 20160356683
    Abstract: A sample for microstructure diagnostics includes a sample body holder with accommodation structures to accommodate a sample body in a defined accommodation position; and at least one sample body produced separately from the sample body holder, the sample body having at least one solid handling portion and, adjoining the handling portion, a target portion thinner relative to the handling portion, the target portion being delimited at a narrow side by a sample body top side and, laterally, by side faces extending in a perpendicular or oblique manner in relation to the sample body top side, with the sample body being affixed to the accommodation structures in the accommodation position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Michael Krause, Georg Schusser, Thomas Höche
  • Patent number: 9492893
    Abstract: Method for manufacturing a sample for microstructural materials diagnostics, especially for transmission electron microscopy examinations, for scanning electron microscopy examinations for transmission electron-backscatter diffraction, for Rutheford backscatter diffraction, for elastic recoil detection analysis, for X-ray absorption spectroscopy or for X-ray diffraction, comprising detaching a basic structure from a preferably flat substrate by irradiating the substrate with a high energy beam, preferably with a laser beam, wherein the basic structure comprises a supported structure being supported by a supporting structure, preferably a cantilever beam which is supported at least at one of its both ends, preferably at both of its ends, by the supporting structure, the supporting structure being configured to be held by a jig, preferably to be clamped in the jig, and thinning the supported structure at least in sections by cutting, preferably by grazing, its surface, preferably at least at one of its lateral
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Michael Krause, Thomas Hoeche
  • Publication number: 20140299785
    Abstract: Method for manufacturing a sample for microstructural materials diagnostics, especially for transmission electron microscopy examinations, for scanning electron microscopy examinations for transmission electron-backscatter diffraction, for Rutheford backscatter diffraction, for elastic recoil detection analysis, for X-ray absorption spectroscopy or for X-ray diffraction, comprising detaching a basic structure from a preferably flat substrate by irradiating the substrate with a high energy beam, preferably with a laser beam, wherein the basic structure comprises a supported structure being supported by a supporting structure, preferably a cantilever beam which is supported at least at one of its both ends, preferably at both of its ends, by the supporting structure, the supporting structure being configured to be held by a jig, preferably to be clamped in the jig, and thinning the supported structure at least in sections by cutting, preferably by grazing, its surface, preferably at least at one of its lateral
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Michael Krause, Thomas Hoeche
  • Patent number: 8115792
    Abstract: In a method for producing a permanent mark in an optical element which consists essentially of a material that is transparent in the visible spectral region, a marking region of the optical element is irradiated with laser radiation in order to generate local, near-surface material changes in such a way that a mark of prescribed shape and size is generated. The laser radiation has an operating wavelength ? from the wavelength region between 1.1 ?m and 9.2 ?m. A thulium-doped fiber laser is preferably used as laser radiation source. The operating wavelength is selected in dependence from the material of the optical element such that the material exhibits a partial absorption with a transmittance between 60% and 98%. The method can be used, in particular, to provide spectacle lenses, contact lenses or intraocular lenses with marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: 3D-Micromac AG
    Inventors: Tino Petsch, Bernd Keiper, Sven Albert, Thomas Hoeche
  • Patent number: 8071960
    Abstract: In the case of a method for producing samples for transmission electron microscopy, a sample is prepared from a substrate of a sample material. To this end, the sample material is irradiated by means of a laser beam along an irradiation trajectory in order to produce a weak path in the sample material. The irradiation is controlled such that the weak path crosses a further weak path, which is likewise preferably produced by laser irradiation, running in the sample material, at an acute angle in a crossing region. The substrate is broken along the weak paths. A sample is thereby produced which has a wedge-shaped sample section bounded by fracture surfaces and has in the region of a wedge tip at least one electron-transparent region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: 3D-Micromac AG
    Inventor: Thomas Hoeche
  • Publication number: 20100141729
    Abstract: In a method for producing a permanent mark in an optical element which consists essentially of a material that is transparent in the visible spectral region, a marking region of the optical element is irradiated with laser radiation in order to generate local, near-surface material changes in such a way that a mark of prescribed shape and size is generated. The laser radiation has an operating wavelength ? from the wavelength region between 1.1 ?m and 9.2 ?m. A thulium-doped fibre laser is preferably used as laser radiation source. The operating wavelength is selected in dependence from the material of the optical element such that the material exhibits a partial absorption with a transmittance between 60% and 98%. The method can be used, in particular, to provide spectacle lenses, contact lenses or intraocular lenses with marks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: 3D-Micromac AG
    Inventors: Tino Petsch, Bernd Keiper, Sven Albert, Thomas Hoeche
  • Publication number: 20100090108
    Abstract: In the case of a method for producing samples for transmission electron microscopy, a sample is prepared from a substrate of a sample material. To this end, the sample material is irradiated by means of a laser beam along an irradiation trajectory in order to produce a weak path in the sample material. The irradiation is controlled such that the weak path crosses a further weak path, which is likewise preferably produced by laser irradiation, running in the sample material, at an acute angle in a crossing region. The substrate is broken along the weak paths. A sample is thereby produced which has a wedge-shaped sample section bounded by fracture surfaces and has in the region of a wedge tip at least one electron-transparent region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: 3D-Micromac AG
    Inventor: Thomas Hoeche