Liquidmetal Technologies Inc (LQMT)

[rige]

[0028] In the following discussion and without loss of generality, the term "non-deformable" can refer to a non-transformative state of a material that is resistant to being misshapen or distorted. When a material is in a non-deformable state, upon the application of an elastic force to the material, the material is able to absorb some stress of the applied force up to a specified material threshold. However, when the material threshold is exceeded, the material can break. For example, hardened glass is a non-crystalline amorphous solid that can transition between a deformable and non-deformable state. During the non-deformable state, the application of an amount of force (beyond a material threshold) can cause the glass to crack. In contrast, while glass is in a deformable state, the application of force can cause the shape of the glass to distort or become misshapen.

[0052] The term transition temperature can refer to the glass-liquid transition where an amorphous solid can transition from a hard and "glassy" state into a soft or rubber-like state. The transition temperature refers to a range of temperature at which a material transitions between the hard-like state and the rubber-like state. The transition temperature can also be related to the amount of energy that is required in order to break covalent bonds in an amorphous (or random network) lattice of covalent bonds, and subsequently reform the broken covalent bonds. At the transition temperature, the material is heated above its recrystallization temperature. Heating the material above its recrystallization temperature can prevent the chemical bonds from re-forming with each other.

[0053] In some examples, the transition temperature of fused quartz (pure SiO.sub.2) is about 1665.degree. C. or about 1475.degree. K. When the molted silicon dioxide SiO.sub.2 is rapidly cooled, the substrate does not crystallize, but instead solidifies as an amorphous (non-crystalline) glass structure.