LASER-COLORED SAPPHIRE MATERIAL
A colored sapphire material and methods for coloring sapphire material using lasers are disclosed. The method for coloring the sapphire material may include positioning the sapphire material over an opaque substrate material, exposing the opaque substrate material to a laser beam passing through the sapphire material to impact the substrate material, and inducing a chemical change in a portion of the sapphire material exposed to the laser beam. The method may also include creating a visible color in the portion of the sapphire material as a result of the chemical change. The colored sapphire material may include a first transparent portion, and a second, colored portion substantially surrounded by the first portion. The second, colored portion may have a chemical composition different than that of the first portion.
The disclosure relates generally to sapphire material, and more particularly to laser-colored sapphire material and methods of coloring sapphire material using lasers.
BACKGROUNDConventional electronic devices are typically made from durable materials to protect the electronic components of the device. Various portions of the device are thus formed from materials that withstand the everyday wear-and-tear applied to the electronic device. That is, portions of the electronic device may be formed from a material that may withstand constant handling of the electronic device by a user, the transportation and/or packing of the electronic devices and undesired blunt forces (e.g., dropping, sitting on) applied to the electronic device during use. Conventional electronic devices may be formed from metals (e.g., aluminum), reinforced glass, and/or polymers (e.g., plastic, rubber).
Alumina (Al2O3), one example of which is sapphire typically, is not used to form most portions of electronic devices. As a result of the physical and/or chemical properties of sapphire, certain manufacturing processes used to form portions or components of an electronic device may be difficult and/or expensive to perform on sapphire material. For example, housings for electronic devices typically include designs, text or logos formed right on or in the material forming the housing. The designs, text or logos may be painted directly on a surface of the housing, and the housing may undergo various processes (e.g., heat-setting, coating, and so on) to prevent the paint from being removed. However, over time and normal use of the electronic device, the paint may begin to wear and be removed, as the paint is only applied to a surface of the sapphire material.
Laser etching or burning may also be used to form logos on sapphire material. However, these processes typically require the use of difficult and complex intermediate steps, such as ion bombardment of the sapphire material, in order for the etch or burn to be successful on the sapphire material. These complex steps, which are required because of the physical and/or chemical properties of sapphire, increase cost, time and complexity of successfully etching or burning the sapphire. In addition, the visible color of each etched or burned logo onto the sapphire material is typically limited to black, gray or white.
SUMMARYA method of coloring a sapphire material. The method comprises positioning the sapphire material over an opaque substrate material, exposing the opaque substrate material to a laser beam passing through the sapphire material to impact the substrate material, and inducing a chemical change in a portion of the sapphire material exposed to the laser beam. The method also comprises creating a visible color in the portion of the sapphire material as a result of the chemical change.
A sapphire component comprising a first transparent portion, and a second, colored portion substantially surrounded by the first portion, the second, colored portion comprising a chemical composition different than that of the first portion.
An electronic device comprising a housing, a cover glass coupled to the housing for protecting a display positioned within the housing, and an input button positioned through a portion of the housing. The electronic device also comprises a sapphire component forming at least a portion of an external surface of the housing. The sapphire component comprises a first portion, and a second, colored portion positioned adjacent the first portion. The second portion comprises atoms different than atoms of the first portion.
The disclosure will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to representative embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following descriptions are not intended to limit the embodiments to one preferred embodiment. To the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as can be included within the spirit and scope of the described embodiments as defined by the appended claims.
The following disclosure relates generally to sapphire materials, and more particularly, to laser-colored sapphire material and methods of coloring sapphire material using lasers.
In a particular embodiment, process or method for coloring sapphire material includes positioning sapphire material over an opaque substrate material, typically a metal or metal alloy, and subsequently exposing the opaque substrate material to a laser through the sapphire material to induce a chemical change in the exposed portion of the sapphire material. The chemical change in the sapphire material results in a change in visible color through a portion of the sapphire material that is exposed to the laser. Specifically, the formation of a color within the sapphire material is a result of an exchange of ions and/or atoms between the opaque substrate material and the sapphire material, and/or the embedding of ions and/or atoms from the opaque substrate material into the crystal lattice of the sapphire material.
Further, the visible color portion is permanently formed in the sapphire material, and is not easily removed. Additionally, the visible color varies the operational parameters and/or characteristics of the laser beam and/or the material composition of the opaque substrate material. As a result, the sapphire material can includes distinct and different visible colored portions, and even multiple colored regions within the same sapphire material.
As discussed herein, the chemical change experienced by the sapphire material may refer to a variety of chemical, compositional and/or physical changes experienced by the sapphire material. In non-limiting examples discussed herein, the chemical change experienced by the sapphire material may refer to an exchange of ions and/or atoms between the opaque substrate material and the sapphire material, or embedding ions and/or atoms released from the opaque substrate material into the crystal lattice of the sapphire material. In additional non-limiting examples, the chemical change may refer to the change or alteration of the structure of the sapphire material with respect to the atoms forming the sapphire material, the compositional structure of the sapphire material and/or the physical structure of the sapphire material. In a further non-limiting example, the chemical change may refer to the change and/or alteration in the material change of the sapphire material, where the changed sapphire material may be materially and/or compositionally distinct from pure sapphire (e.g., Alumina (Al2O3)).
These and other embodiments are discussed below with reference to
Sapphire material 100 has a top surface 102 and a bottom surface 104 positioned opposite top surface 102. As shown in
Corundum (e.g., sapphire) is an anisotropic material. The crystallographic orientations of the surfaces of components made from sapphire (e.g., sapphire material 100) affect the physical properties and/or material characteristics (e.g., strength, ductility, elasticity, and so on) of the component. Further, the crystallographic orientation of the various surfaces are dependent on the growing processes used for creating sapphire material 100 and/or the additional processes used to form sapphire material 100. For example, sapphire material 100 may be grown using an EFG growth process. In the growth process, a seed crystal may include a plane orientation that may allow for specific, desired planes (e.g., C-plane, A-plane) to be utilized in components formed from the resulting sapphire. By knowing the orientation of the seed crystal used in the EFG growth process, and ultimately knowing the crystallographic orientation of the grown sapphire, manufacturers can cut the sapphire in a specific direction to form sapphire material 100 and subsequent components from sapphire material 100 with surfaces having specific plane crystallographic orientations, or substantially desirable plane crystallographic orientations.
Opaque substrate material 108 includes a top surface 110 and a bottom surface 112 positioned opposite top surface 110; top surface 110 is connected to bottom surface 112 by one of more sidewalls. As shown in
A laser 120 is also shown in
Laser 120 may be any suitable laser that may pass through sapphire material 100, contact opaque substrate material 108 and/or cause a chemical change in sapphire material 100 and/or opaque substrate material 108, resulting in the formation of visible color in sapphire material 100. In a non-limiting example laser 120 may be an infrared (IR) laser that may emit an IR laser beam (e.g., laser beam 122) toward and/or through sapphire material 100. As discussed herein, the operational parameters and/or characteristics (e.g., frequency, wavelength, pulse width and so on) of laser 120 and/or emitted laser beam 122 may substantially affect the visible color formed on/within sapphire material 100 during a coloring process.
Laser beam 122 of laser 120 passes completely through sapphire material 100 and may contact opaque substrate material 108. In a non-limiting example shown in
Enlarged portion 2B-2B shown in
A region of excited atoms 124b extends into at least a portion of opaque substrate material 108. Still with reference to
All atoms of opaque substrate material 108 may not be excited. Rather, atoms 126 of portions of opaque substrate material 108 not exposed to laser beam 122 may remain in a steady state. Additionally, atoms 126 positioned a substantial distance below top surface 110 of opaque substrate material 108 that are not impacted by laser beam 122 may also be unaltered and/or may remain in a steady state.
Although discussed herein as contacting, reflecting and/or absorbing laser beam 122, opaque substrate material 108 can be affected by laser beam 122 in various other ways. In a non-limiting example, laser beam 122 excites atoms 124a, 124b of opaque substrate material 108, and in the process also ablates, melts, burns, or etches a portion of opaque substrate material 108 when the material is exposed to laser beam 122. These various processes that opaque substrate material 108 may undergo when exposed to laser beam 122, and the exciting of atoms 124a, 124b may result in any or some chemical, ionic, atomic and/or compositional change in opaque substrate material 108. These various processes, and the resulting chemical, ionic, atomic and/or compositional change achieved in opaque substrate material 108, may color sapphire material 100, as discussed herein.
The term “atoms,” as used herein, refers to the particles of matter that make up the material of opaque substrate material 108. Atoms may generally, and indiscriminately, refer to the atoms that make-up and/or form the entire material of opaque substrate material 108. In a non-limiting example where opaque substrate material 108 is formed from stainless steel, atoms may be used as a general description, and may refer to the atoms of all elements (e.g., chromium, iron, and so on) of the stainless steel indiscriminately. As such, and as described herein, excited atoms 124a, 124b may be any atoms associated with any of the various elements that form stainless steel. In another non-limiting example, the atoms 124a, 124b excited in opaque substrate material 108 and transferred to sapphire material 100, as described below, may be multiple atoms of different elements that form the material (e.g., stainless steel) of opaque substrate material 108.
In an additional non-limiting example, the term atoms may be used to describe the specific elemental atom forming a compound material formed from multiple elements. In the additional non-limiting example above, opaque substrate material 108 may be formed from stainless steel. Excited atoms 124a, 124b may only refer elemental atoms associated with a single element (e.g., iron) that forms a portion of the stainless steel. The distinct, elemental atoms forming the compound material may be distinctly or separately excited based on the operational parameters and/or characteristics of laser 120 and/or laser beam 122. Additionally, and as discussed herein, the excited atoms of each distinct element forming the component material may affect the visible color created on sapphire material 100.
Also shown in
The chemical, compositional and/or atomic change that occurs in chemically changed portion 128 as a result of exciting and transferring atoms 124a, 124b from opaque substrate material 108 to sapphire material 100 results in a visible color region 130 being formed in sapphire material 100. As shown in
As discussed herein, a portion 132 of opaque substrate material 108 may also undergo a laser-induced chemical, compositional and/or atomic change. In a non-limiting example shown in
Enlarged portion shown in
Similar to configuration shown in
Also similarly discussed herein with respect to opaque substrate material 108 in
The exposure to laser beam 122 and subsequent modification (e.g., melting, burning ablating, etc.), if any, of opaque substrate material 108 aids in the inducing and/or forming chemically changed portion 128, and ultimately, the creation of visible color region 130 in sapphire material 100. As shown in
Additional changes in sapphire structure 100 may also aid in inducing and/or forming chemically changed portion 128, and ultimately, the creation of visible color region 130 in sapphire material 100. That is, the sapphire material's 100 exposure to laser beam 122, and/or the effects laser beam 122 has on opaque substrate material 108 may result in chemical, compositional and/or atomic changes in sapphire structure that may aid in inducing or forming chemically changed portion 128 formed in sapphire material 100. Turning to
Although shown in two distinct illustrations, the embedding of excited atoms 124a, 124b of opaque substrate material 108, as depicted in
The laser-induced chemical change in portion 128 of sapphire material 100 results in a visible color being formed in visible color region 130 of sapphire material 100. In the non-limiting example shown in
As discussed herein, created visible color region 130 of sapphire material 100 may be dependent on a material composition of opaque substrate material 108. In a non-limiting example, where opaque substrate material 108 is formed from zinc, visible color region 130 formed on sapphire material 100 using the process discussed herein may be white. In another non-limiting example, where opaque substrate material 108 is formed from stainless steel, visible color region 130 formed on sapphire material 100 may be blue.
In other non-limiting examples, and separate from or in conjunction with the material composition of opaque substrate material 108, created visible color region 130 of sapphire material 100 may be dependent on operational parameters or characteristics of laser 120 and/or laser beam 122. Operational parameters or characteristics of laser 120 and/or laser beam 122 may include, but are not limited to, laser frequency, laser wavelength, laser pulse length, laser beam exposure size and the like. Where the operational parameters or characteristics of laser 120 and/or laser beam 122 are altered, the laser-induced chemical change in sapphire material 100 may also be altered. This may result in a distinct and/or varied visible color being formed in sapphire material 100.
As shown in
Enlarged portion shown in
As shown in
Sapphire material 100 may be affected by the various processes for coloring sapphire material 100 in distinct ways. In a non-limiting example, the exposure to laser beam 122 and/or the laser-induced chemical change formed in sapphire material 100 may result in altering or changing the physical characteristics of sapphire material 100.
In another non-limiting example shown in
When sapphire material 100 having visible color region 130 formed on top surface 102 forms a component of an electronic device, visible color region 130 is formed on an exterior surface of the component formed from sapphire material 100. As such, visible color region 130 may be exposed and may be directly visible to a user of the electronic device having sapphire material 100 with visible color region 130 formed on top surface 102.
In operation 202, sapphire material is positioned over an opaque substrate material. Sapphire material is disposed, placed or positioned over the opaque substrate material to form an interface between two contacting surfaces of the sapphire material and the opaque substrate material. In a non-limiting example, no gap or intermediate layer is positioned between the sapphire material and the opaque substrate material. In another non-limiting example, a gap and/or at least one intermediate layer may be positioned between and contact each of the sapphire material and the opaque substrate material.
In operation 204, the opaque substrate material is exposed to a laser beam. The laser beam passes through the sapphire material to contact the opaque substrate material. In exposing the opaque substrate material, atoms in a portion of the opaque substrate material are altered from a steady state to an excited state.
In operation 206, a chemical change is induced in a portion of the sapphire material exposed to the laser beam. Specifically, portions of the sapphire material positioned adjacent the opaque substrate material that is exposed to the laser beam undergo a laser-induced chemical change. The inducing of the chemical change in the portion of the sapphire material includes transferring a portion of the excited atoms of the opaque substrate material, and subsequently embedding the excited atoms of the opaque substrate material at least partially through the sapphire material. Additionally, the inducing of the chemical change in the portion of the sapphire material includes altering the sapphire material at a surface of the sapphire material contacting the opaque substrate material, and altering at least an internal portion of the sapphire material positioned adjacent the altered surface of the sapphire material. The inducing of the chemical change in the portion of the sapphire material also includes, altering the amount of oxygen in the portion of the sapphire material including the chemical change, altering the surface atoms of the sapphire material, and/or changing the physical characteristics and/or the chemical composition of the sapphire material exposed to the laser beam.
In operation 208, a visible color is created in the portion of the sapphire material as a result of the chemical change. That is, a visible color, which may be viewed through the remaining unaffected, transparent portions of the sapphire material, is formed or created in the laser-induced, chemically-changed portion of the sapphire material. The visible color that is created on the sapphire material is a color within the visible color spectrum. Additionally, the visible color created in the sapphire material is dependent upon the material composition of the opaque substrate material and/or the operational parameters and/or characteristics (e.g., laser frequency, laser wavelength, laser pulse length, and so on) of the laser beam.
Turning to
Electronic device 300 includes a housing 302 at least partially surrounding a display 304, a cover glass 306 substantially covering display 304 and one or more buttons 308 or input devices (see,
Display 304 can be implemented with any suitable technology, including, but not limited to, a multi-touch sensing touchscreen that uses liquid crystal display (LCD) technology, light emitting diode (LED) technology, organic light-emitting display (OLED) technology, organic electroluminescence (OEL) technology, or another type of display technology. Display 304 may be positioned within an internal cavity of housing 302 and may be substantially protected on almost all sides by housing 302.
Cover glass 306 may be formed integral with and/or may be coupled to housing 302 to substantially cover and protect display 304. Cover glass may cover at least a portion of the front surface of electronic device 300. When a user interacts with display 304 of electronic device 300, the user may touch or contact cover glass 306.
Button 308 can take the form of a home button, which may be a mechanical button, a soft button (e.g., a button that does not physically move but still accepts inputs), an icon or image on a display, and so on. Further, in some embodiments, button 308 can be integrated as part of cover glass 306 of the electronic device 300.
Electronic device 300 can utilize sapphire material 100 having visible color region 130 to form at least a portion of an external surface of housing 302. That is, sapphire material 100 is utilized as a variety of components in electronic device 300, and the component formed from sapphire material 100 may form at least a portion of the external surface and/or a portion of housing 302 of electronic device 300. In a non-limiting example shown in
In another non-limiting example shown in
The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the described embodiments. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of the specific embodiments described herein are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not targeted to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings.
Claims
1. A method of coloring a sapphire material comprising:
- positioning the sapphire material over an opaque substrate material;
- exposing the opaque substrate material to a laser beam passing through the sapphire material to impact the opaque substrate material;
- inducing a chemical change in a portion of the sapphire material exposed to the laser beam; and
- creating a visible color in the portion of the sapphire material as a result of the chemical change.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the opaque substrate material comprises exciting atoms of the opaque substrate material exposed to the laser beam.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein inducing the chemical change in the portion of the sapphire material comprises moving a portion of the excited atoms of the opaque substrate material to the sapphire material.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein inducing the chemical change in the portion of the sapphire material comprises embedding the excited atoms within the sapphire material.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein inducing the chemical change in the portion of the sapphire material comprises altering an amount of oxygen in the portion of the sapphire material.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein inducing the chemical change in the portion of the sapphire material comprises:
- altering a surface of the sapphire material contacting the opaque substrate material; and
- altering at least an internal region of the sapphire material adjacent the surface of the sapphire material.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein inducing the chemical change in the portion of the sapphire material comprises altering surface atoms of the sapphire material exposed to the laser beam.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the interface between the sapphire material and the opaque substrate material to the laser beam comprises changing physical characteristics of the sapphire material exposed to the laser beam.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the opaque substrate material is metal.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the visible color is dependent on at least one of:
- a material composition of the opaque substrate material; and
- operational parameters of the laser beam.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
- altering the operational parameters of the laser beam;
- exposing a distinct portion of the substrate material to a laser beam;
- inducing a chemical change in a second portion of the sapphire material exposed to the laser beam and positioned adjacent the distinct portion of the substrate material exposed to the laser beam; and
- creating a second visible color in the second portion of the sapphire material.
12. A sapphire component comprising:
- a first transparent portion; and
- a second, colored portion substantially surrounded by the first portion, the second, colored portion comprising a chemical composition different than that of the first portion.
13. The sapphire component of claim 12, wherein the second, colored portion extends internally from a surface and partially through the sapphire component.
14. The sapphire component of claim 13, wherein the chemical composition of the second, colored portion varies between the surface and an internal portion of the sapphire component.
15. The sapphire component of claim 12, wherein the color of the second portion is visible through the first portion.
16. The sapphire component of claim 12 further comprising:
- a third portion positioned adjacent to the second, colored portion and substantially surrounded by the first portion, the third portion comprising a second chemical composition, thereby imparting a second color to the third portion.
17. An electronic device comprising:
- a housing;
- a cover glass coupled to the housing for protecting a display positioned within the housing;
- an input surface positioned through a portion of the housing; wherein
- at least one of the housing, cover glass and input button is a sapphire component comprising: a first portion; and a second, colored portion positioned adjacent the first portion, the second portion comprising: a first set of atoms; and a second set of atoms embedded with the first set of atoms, the second set of atoms of a different type than the first set of atoms.
18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein:
- the second portion derives its color from the second set of atoms; and
- the second set of atoms are metallic.
19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the second portion is formed on an interior surface of the sapphire component.
20. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the second portion is formed on an exterior surface of the sapphire component.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 10, 2015
Publication Date: Mar 16, 2017
Inventors: Michael M. Li (Cupertino, CA), Christopher R. Fagan (Cupertino, CA), Anubhav Prasad (Worcester, MA)
Application Number: 14/850,535