G. A. Knorovsky, B. Nowak-Neely, D. MacCallum, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM
A method of generating micro-scale (or smaller) welds using a suitably-modified scanning electron microscope (SEM) is presented. We discuss: advantages of the approach, energetics of the beam, thermal models of typical specimen geometries, beam characterization tools, techniques applied, and future directions. We present examples of welds in both metallic and non-metallic specimens from micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) and LIGA-sourced components. As a process that provides a clean, consistent method for joining micro-to-nano scale materials, micro-EBW appears to be a promising new tool.
*Sandia is a multi-program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.
A method of generating micro-scale (or smaller) welds using a suitably-modified scanning electron microscope (SEM) is presented. We discuss: advantages of the approach, energetics of the beam, thermal models of typical specimen geometries, beam characterization tools, techniques applied, and future directions. We present examples of welds in both metallic and non-metallic specimens from micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) and LIGA-sourced components. As a process that provides a clean, consistent method for joining micro-to-nano scale materials, micro-EBW appears to be a promising new tool.
