1. A method of producing a planar structure, comprising:
a. producing on a first main surface of a substrate a plurality of structures, the structures being of substantially equal height, there being a space in between the plurality of structures;
b. providing a fill layer of photosensitive material substantially filling the space between the structures;
c. illuminating a portion of the fill layer with electromagnetic radiation so that the filler layer has one exposed portion and one unexposed portion, the exposed portion and unexposed portion being separated by a level interface substantially parallel with the first main surface of the substrate at a predetermined height level above the substrate;
d. removing one of the unexposed portion and the exposed portion which is above the level interface so that, the rest of the fill layer and the plurality of structures form a planarized surface.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is transparent to the electromagnetic radiation and wherein the structures are non transparent for the electromagnetic radiation, and wherein the exposed portion is produced by illuminating a second main surface of the substrate with electromagnetic radiation, and wherein the unexposed portion of the fill layer is removed.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the exposed portion is produced by illuminating the first main surface of the substrate with electromagnetic radiation of one or more predetermined frequencies, and wherein the exposed portion of the fill layer is removed.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined height level equals the height of the structures.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined height level extends slightly above the structures.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined height level extends slightly below the structures.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined height level is controlled by controlling the dose of the electromagnetic radiation.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined height level is controlled by controlling the application of the fill layer.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the illuminating of a portion of the fill layer is substantially uniform.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing a sacrificial layer on top of the structures and the remaining portion of the fill-layer.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the structures are electrically conductive lines.
12. The method of claim 2, wherein the non transparent structures serve as a shadow mask during the illuminating.
13. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined height level is controlled by controlling the dose of the electromagnetic radiation.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the structures are adapted for reflecting the electromagnetic radiation of the one or more predetermined frequencies.
15. The method of claim 5, wherein the exposed portion is mushroom-like shaped.
16. The method of claim 8, wherein the application of the fill layer is controlled such that it substantially fills the space between the structures, and extends on the top surfaces of the structures only to a limited extent, such that the amount of fill material extending upwards out of the spaces between the structures is limited.
17. The method of claim 8, wherein the exposed portion is crown-like shaped.
18. The method of claim 10, further comprising the production of a functional layer on top of the sacrificial layer.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the functional layer comprises a set of sublayers.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the functional layer is arranged to form a bridge or cantilever structure of a MEMS switch.
21. The method of claim 18, wherein the functional layer is arranged to form a panel and torsional suspension structure of a tunable mirror.
22. The method of claim 18, further comprising removing the sacrificial layer.
23. The method of claim 18, wherein the functional layer comprises a planar structure.
24. The method of claim 11, wherein the structures are metal lines.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the structures form a CPW line (coplanar waveguide).
26. A method of producing a planar structure, comprising:
forming on a first main surface of a substrate a plurality of structures, the structures being of substantially the same height and being separated by at least a space;
filling substantially the whole space between the structures with a fill layer of photosensitive material;
illuminating a portion of the fill layer with electromagnetic radiation such that the fill layer after the illumination has one exposed portion and one unexposed portion separated by an interface, the interface being substantially parallel with the first main surface of the substrate and at a level above the substrate approximately equal to the height of the structures, the unexposed portion being above the interface; and
removing the unexposed portion of the fill layer so that the exposed portion of the fill layer and the plurality of structures form a planarized surface.
27. The method of claim 26, further comprising depositing a metallic layer on the filler layer prior to illumination.
28. The method of claim 26, wherein, prior to the illuminating of the fill layer, the fill layer is the top layer on the first main surface of the substrate.
29. The method of claim 26, further comprising:
depositing a sacrificial layer on top of the structures; and
forming a functional layer on top of the sacrificial layer.
30. The method of claim 26, wherein the substrate is transparent to the electromagnetic radiation and wherein the structures are non transparent for the electromagnetic radiation, and wherein the exposed portion is produced by illuminating a second main surface of the substrate with electromagnetic radiation.
31. The method of claim 26, wherein the exposed portion is produced by illuminating the first main surface of the substrate with electromagnetic radiation of one or more predetermined frequencies.
32. A semiconductor device comprising a planar structure formed by the method of claim 26.
33. The method of claim 26, further comprising, subsequent to the removing of the unexposed portion of the fill layer, depositing a sacrificial layer on top of the structures and the remaining portion of the fill-layer.
34. The method of claim 33, further comprising the production of a functional layer on top of the sacrificial layer.
35. The method of claim 34, further comprising removing the sacrificial layer.
36. The method of claim 34, wherein the functional layer comprises a planar structure.
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 threaded drill string component, comprising:
a hollow body having an outer surface, an inner surface, first end, an opposing second end, an intermediate body portion positioned between the first and second ends, and a central axis extending through the hollow body; and
a first plurality of threads positioned on the first end of the hollow body,
wherein the first end of the hollow body defines first and second cylindrical shoulders that are spaced apart relative to the central axis of the hollow body, wherein the first and second cylindrical shoulders have respective cylindrical inner and outer surfaces, and
wherein each thread of the first end of the hollow body comprises a plurality of helical turns extending along the first end of the hollow body between the first and second cylindrical shoulders of the first end of the hollow body.
2. The threaded drill string component of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of threads are positioned on the outer surface of the first end of the hollow body between the cylindrical outer surfaces of the first and second cylindrical shoulders.
3. The threaded drill string component of claim 2, wherein the threaded drill string component further comprises a second plurality of threads positioned on the inner surface of the second end of the hollow body, wherein the inner surface of the second end of the hollow body defines third and fourth cylindrical shoulders that are spaced apart relative to the central axis of the hollow body, wherein the third and fourth cylindrical shoulders have respective cylindrical inner and outer surfaces, and wherein each thread of the second plurality of threads comprises a plurality of helical turns extending along the second end of the hollow body between the third and fourth cylindrical shoulders.
4. The threaded drill string component of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of threads are positioned on the inner surface of the first end of the hollow body between the cylindrical inner surfaces of the first and second cylindrical shoulders.
5. The threaded drill string component of claim 4, wherein the threaded drill string component further comprises a second plurality of threads positioned on the outer surface of the second end of the hollow body, wherein the outer surface of the second end of the hollow body defines third and fourth cylindrical shoulders that are spaced apart relative to the central axis of the hollow body, wherein the third and fourth cylindrical shoulders have respective cylindrical inner and outer surfaces, and wherein each thread of the second plurality of threads comprises a plurality of helical turns extending along the second end of the hollow body between the third and fourth cylindrical shoulders.
6. The threaded drill string component of claim 1, wherein each thread of the first plurality of threads has a thread root, a thread crest, and a pressure flank surface extending radially from the thread root to the thread crest, wherein the pressure flank surface of each thread of the first plurality of threads defines a pressure flank angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the central axis.
7. The threaded drill string component of claim 6, wherein the pressure flank angle of each thread ranges from about 5 degrees to about \u221230 degrees.
8. The threaded drill string component of claim 6, wherein the pressure flank angle of each thread ranges from about \u22127.5 degrees to about \u221223 degrees.
9. The threaded drill string component of claim 7, wherein each thread of the first plurality of threads has a clearance flank surface that is opposed from the pressure flank surface relative to the central axis and that extends radially from the thread root to the thread crest, wherein the pressure flank surface of each thread is positioned between the clearance flank surface of the thread and the intermediate body portion relative to the central axis, wherein the clearance flank surface of each thread of the first plurality of threads defines a clearance flank angle relative to the central axis, and wherein the clearance flank angle is at least 45 degrees.
10. The threaded drill string component of claim 6, wherein the thread crest of at least one thread of the first plurality of threads circumscribes a frusta-conical surface extending over at least a portion of the axial length of the plurality of helical turns thereof, and wherein the generatrix of the frusta-conical surface is a straight line that lies at a joint taper angle relative to the central axis extending through the hollow body.
11. The threaded drill string component of claim 10, wherein the joint taper angle ranges from about 0.5 degrees to about 1.5 degrees relative to the central axis.
12. The threaded drill string component of claim 6, wherein the thread crest of at least one thread of the first plurality of threads circumscribes a curved frusta-conical surface extending over at least a portion of the axial length of the plurality of helical turns thereof, and wherein the generatrix of the frusta-conical surface is a curved line that begins at a joint taper angle relative to the central axis extending through the hollow body.
13. The threaded drill string component of claim 12, wherein the joint taper angle ranges from about 0.5 degrees to about 1.5 degrees relative to the central axis.
14. The threaded drill string component of claim 3, wherein each thread of the first plurality of threads has a thread root, a thread crest, and a pressure flank surface extending radially from the thread root to the thread crest, wherein the pressure flank surface of each thread of the first plurality of threads defines a pressure flank angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the drill string central axis, wherein each thread of the second plurality of threads has a thread root, a thread crest, and a pressure flank surface extending radially from the thread root to the thread crest, wherein the pressure flank surface of each thread of the second plurality of threads defines a pressure flank angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the central axis.
15. The threaded drill string component of claim 14, wherein the pressure flank angle of each thread ranges from about 5 degrees to about \u221230 degrees.
16. The threaded drill string component of claim 14, wherein the pressure flank angle of each thread ranges from about \u22127.5 degrees to about \u221223 degrees.
17. A threaded drill string component, comprising:
a hollow body having an outer surface, an inner surface, first end, an opposing second end, an intermediate body portion positioned between the first and second ends, and a central axis extending through the hollow body; and
a first plurality of threads positioned on the first end of the hollow body,
wherein the first end of the hollow body defines first and second cylindrical shoulders that are spaced apart relative to the central axis of the hollow body, wherein the first and second cylindrical shoulders have respective cylindrical inner and outer surfaces,
wherein each thread of the first end of the hollow body comprises a plurality of helical turns extending along the first end of the hollow body between the first and second cylindrical shoulders of the first end of the hollow body, and
wherein each thread of the first plurality of threads has a thread root, a thread crest, and a pressure flank surface extending radially from the thread root to the thread crest, wherein the pressure flank surface of each thread of the first plurality of threads defines a pressure flank angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the central axis.
18. The threaded drill string component of claim 17, wherein the pressure flank angle of each thread ranges from about 5 degrees to about \u221230 degrees.
19. The threaded drill string component of claim 17, wherein the pressure flank angle of each thread ranges from about \u22127.5 degrees to about \u221223 degrees.
20. A threaded drill string component, comprising:
a hollow body having an outer surface, an inner surface, first end, an opposing second end, an intermediate body portion positioned between the first and second ends, and a central axis extending through the hollow body; and
a plurality of threads positioned on the first end of the hollow body,
wherein each thread of the first end of the hollow body comprises a plurality of helical turns extending along the first end of the hollow body,
wherein each thread of the plurality of threads has a thread root, a thread crest, and a pressure flank surface extending radially from the thread root to the thread crest, wherein the pressure flank surface of each thread of the plurality of threads defines a pressure flank angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the central axis, and
wherein the thread crest of at least one thread of the plurality of threads circumscribes a frusta-conical surface extending over at least a portion of the axial length of the plurality of helical turns thereof.
21. The threaded drill string component of claim 20, wherein the pressure flank angle of each thread ranges from about 5 degrees to about \u221230 degrees.
22. The threaded drill string component of claim 20, wherein the pressure flank angle of each thread ranges from about \u22127.5 degrees to about \u221223 degrees.
23. The threaded drill string component of claim 20, wherein the generatrix of the frusta-conical surface circumscribed by the thread crest of at least one thread of the plurality of threads is a straight line that lies at a joint taper angle relative to the central axis extending through the hollow body, wherein the joint taper angle ranges from about 0.5 degrees to about 1.5 degrees.
24. The threaded drill string component of claim 20, wherein the generatrix of the frusta-conical surface circumscribed by the thread crest of at least one thread of the plurality of threads is a curved line that begins at a joint taper angle relative to the central axis extending through the hollow body, wherein the joint taper angle ranges from about 0.5 degrees to about 1.5 degrees.