US Patent:
20010009724, Jul 26, 2001
Inventors:
Jimmy Chen - Pleasanton CA, US
Benjamin Eldridge - Danville CA, US
Thomas Dozier - Livermore CA, US
Junjye Yeh - Livermore CA, US
Gayle Herman - Danville CA, US
International Classification:
B32B015/02
C25D001/08
C25D005/50
C25D007/12
C25D003/02
C25D003/10
C25D003/12
C25D003/20
C25D003/38
C25D003/48
US Classification:
428/607000, 428/933000, 428/929000, 439/886000, 200/266000, 200/267000, 205/150000, 205/075000, 205/274000, 205/271000, 205/270000, 205/264000, 205/265000, 205/291000, 205/296000, 205/290000, 205/283000, 205/266000, 205/267000, 205/269000, 205/261000, 205/236000, 205/255000, 205/260000, 205/257000, 205/238000, 205/224000
Abstract:
Deposition of metal in a preferred shape, including coatings on parts, or stand-alone materials, and subsequent heat treatment to provide improved mechanical properties. In particular, the method gives products with relatively high yield strength. The products often have relatively high elastic modulus, and are thermally stable, maintaining the high yield strength at temperatures considerably above 25 C. This technique involves depositing a material in the presence of a selected additive, and then subjecting the deposited material to a moderate heat treatment. This moderate heat treatment differs from other commonly employed “stress relief” heat treatments in using lower temperatures and/or shorter times, preferably just enough to reorganize the material to the new, desired form. Coating and heat treating a spring-shaped substrate provides a resilient, conductive contact useful for electronic applications.