Abstract:
A method of fabricating a component including a wafer for use in a watch includes depositing a first thin film (301) onto the wafer (300), the first thin film being adapted to allow light reflected away from the wafer to be indicative of a first colour characteristic. The first thin film (301) may include silicon nitride and have a refractive index greater than 2. The method may also include defining a pattern (12, 13) on the first thin film (301) using photolithography and processing a region within a boundary of the pattern, e.g. by depositing a metal or a ceramic material within the boundary of the pattern, so that the region allows light reflected away from the wafer (300) to be indicate of a second colour characteristic.
Abstract:
A method of producing unitary formed silicon balance spring (2) having an overcoil portion for regulation of a mechanical timepiece includes providing a silicon balance spring (2) having a main body portion (23), and an outer portion (22) for formation as an overcoil portion, wherein the outer portion (22) extends radially outward from an outermost turn of the main body portion (23) and wherein said main body portion (23) and said outer portion (22) are integrally formed from a silicon based material and are formed in a co-planar configuration. The outer portion (22) is moved in a direction relative to and out of the plane of said main body portion (23), and in a direction towards over said main body portion (23) and towards the plane of the main body portion. A stress relaxation process is provided to the balance spring so as to relieve internal stresses induced within the balance spring from the second step. After movement of said outer portion (22) into the plane of said main body portion (23), the outer portion (22) is located in an overcoil configuration relative to said main body portion.
Abstract:
A method of forming a non-optically detectable identifiable mark at an outer surface of an article formed from a solid state material, said method including the steps of forming a plurality of recesses within a predetermined region of a photoresist 5 applied to an outer surface of an article formed from a solid state material, wherein said plurality of recesses is formed by two-photon absorption lithography and wherein said one or more recesses extend at least partially through the photoresist and from an outer surface of the photoresist and towards said outer surface of the article 10 formed from a solid state material; and applying an etching process such that at least a portion of the outer surface of said article is exposed and etched so as to form a plurality of etched portions extending into said article from the outer surface of the article and corresponding to said plurality of recesses; wherein said predetermined region of said photoresist defines an identifiable mark to be applied to the outer 15 surface of said article; wherein said plurality of etched portions forms the nonoptically identifiable mark on the outer surface of said article; and wherein the maximum width of the etched portions of is less than 200 nm such that the identifiable mark is non-optically detectable in the visible light spectrum.
Abstract:
Slicon hairspring (100a) as a torque-restoring element for an oscillator for a mechanical timepiece and having an oscillator frequency, said torque restoring element comprising a spiral spring body (110a) having a number N turnings with an inner terminal end for engagement with a rotational inertial element via a collet, and an outer terminal end for engagement with a stationary cock element, and having a width (140a), a height (150a) and a total arc length; wherein the spiral spring body (110a) includes a core (180a) formed from mono-crystalline silicon wafer oriented along the crystallographic axis; and wherein the spiral spring body (110a) includes at least one peripheral coating (190a) of a material having a thermal elastic constant different from that of the core (180a) of the spiral spring body (110a) so as to maintain the oscillator frequency of an oscillator including the torque-restoring element substantially insensitive to variations of ambient temperature.
Abstract:
A hairspring collet for a hairspring for interference engagement and an interference fit with the cylindrical outer surface of the staff of a balance wheel for a timepiece movement, said hairspring collet portion comprising a plurality of circumferentially extending elastically deformable interconnected arm portions, the arm portions forming an annulus having a central axis and providing an aperture therebetween, wherein each arm portion including a curved concave engagement portion for engagement with the outer surface of a staff of a balance wheel, wherein each engagement portion has substantially the same radius of curvature as each other and are equally spaced from said central axis at a first distance and wherein said first distance is less than the radius of the staff of the balance wheel; said engagement portions have a radius of curvature such that upon deformation of the arm portions and engagement with the outer surface of said staff the engagement portions substantially conform with the outer surface of said staff and an interference fit is formed therebetween, wherein stress induced from said interference fit is transferred and distributed from along the engagement portions to the arm portions adjacent the engagement portions and distributed therein; and wherein the interference fit of the engagement portions with the staff substantially prevents relative movement between the hairspring collet and the staff of the balance wheel upon application of load from a hairspring in use in a timepiece movement.
Abstract:
A method of forming one or more protrusions on an outer surface of a polished face of a solid state material includes the step of applying focused inert gas ion beam local irradiation (105) towards an outer surface of a polished facet of a solid state material (109) so as to form a protrusion (401) on the outer surface; wherein irradiated focused inert gas ions from said focused inert gas ion bean penetrate the outer surface of said polished facet of said solid state material; and wherein irradiated focused inert gas ions cause expansive strain within the solid state crystal lattice of the solid state material below said outer surface at a pressure so as to induce expansion of solid state crystal lattice, and form a protrusion on the outer surface of the polished face of said solid state material.