1. A method for forming a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) thin-film device, the method comprising:
providing a substrate;
forming a precursor material overlying the substrate;
laser annealing the precursor material;
selectively crystallizing regions of the precursor material;
in response to selectively crystallizing, modifying the mechanical properties of the regions; and
forming a mechanical device with a mechanical body in the modified regions;
wherein selectively crystallizing regions of the precursor material includes:
directing an excimer laser beam at a surface of the precursor material;
shaping the beam using a mask; and
crystallizing a region of the precursor material using the shaped beam.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
forming an electronic device within the mechanical body.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein forming the electronic device within the mechanical body includes forming a transistor.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein forming the mechanical device with the mechanical body includes forming a mechanical body with a material having a first crystalline structure; and
wherein forming the electronic device includes forming the electronic device from a material having a second crystalline structure.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first crystalline structure is different from the second crystalline structure.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein forming the mechanical body and the electronic device includes forming the mechanical body and electronic device from the same material, with the first crystalline structure being different than the second crystalline structure.
7. The method of claim 2 wherein forming the mechanical device with the mechanical body in the modified regions includes forming a cantilever beam;
the method further comprising:
sensitizing the cantilever beam to an environmental stimulus.
8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:
the cantilever beam reacting to an environmental stimulus;
the electronic device responding to reactions in the cantilever beam.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein the cantilever beam is sensitized to react to a stimulus selected from the group including motion, chemical, and biological.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying the mechanical properties of the regions includes modifying mechanical properties in response to changing the regions from a first crystalline structure to a second crystalline structure.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the precursor material overlying the substrate includes forming a material selected from the group including silicon, germanium, silicon-germanium, dielectrics, copper, silicon dioxide, aluminum, tantalum, titanium, and piezoelectric materials.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the substrate includes providing a substrate material selected from the group including glass, quartz, plastic, metal, flex materials, fabrics, copper foil, metal foil, and low-melting temperature materials.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein selectively crystallizing regions of the precursor material includes:
crystallizing a surface region of the precursor material; and
leaving material underlying the surface region unprocessed.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein selectively crystallizing regions of the precursor material includes crystallizing internal regions of the precursor material.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the precursor material overlying the substrate includes depositing a thin-film.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the mechanical device with the mechanical body in the modified regions includes forming a mechanical device selected from the group including a cantilever beam, an oscillating element, an actuator, and a relay switch.
17. A method for forming a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) thin-film device, the method comprising:
providing a substrate;
forming a precursor material overlying the substrate;
laser annealing the precursor material;
selectively crystallizing regions of the precursor material;
in response to selectively crystallizing, modifying the mechanical properties of the regions;
forming a mechanical device with a mechanical body in the modified regions;
forming an electronic device within the mechanical body;
wherein forming the mechanical device with the mechanical body in the modified regions includes forming a cantilever beam; and,
the method further comprising:
sensitizing the cantilever beam to an environmental stimulus.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein forming the electronic device within the mechanical body includes forming a transistor.
19. The method of claim 17 wherein modifying the mechanical properties of the regions includes modifying mechanical properties in response to changing the regions from a first crystalline structure to a second crystalline structure.
20. The method of claim 17 wherein selectively crystallizing regions of the precursor material includes:
directing an excimer laser beam at a surface of the precursor material;
shaping the beam using a mask; and
crystallizing a region of the precursor material using the shaped beam.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for balancing a driveline including a first shaft and a second shaft interconnected by a rotating joint, said method including the steps of:
balancing said first shaft to a first predetermined residual imbalance having a first imbalance vector;
balancing said second shaft to a second predetermined residual imbalance having second imbalance vector;
assembling said driveline by connecting said first shaft to said second shaft through said rotating joint so that said first imbalance vector of said first shaft substantially offsets said second imbalance vector of said second shaft.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said steps of balancing comprises adding weigh to shift a detected residual imbalance to at least one of said first and second predetermined residual imbalances.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first imbalance vector is located in a plane disposed at one of two possible adjustment planes substantially offset by an angle defined by connection points for an end yoke connection.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first imbalance vector is located in a plane disposed at one of eight possible adjustments planes for a flange yoke and companion flange connection.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said steps of balancing comprise purposefully creating said first and second predetermined residual imbalances.
6. (canceled)
7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising adding a mark indicative of a location of said first and second predetermined residual imbalances.
8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising adding a first mark to the first shaft at the point of maximum imbalance and adding a second mark to the second shaft at the point of minimum imbalance.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said first shaft is an axle and said second shaft is a drive shaft.