“Last week we posted a report titled ‘Apple Reveals an Oleophobic Coating on Sapphire Process for iDevices that may Incorporate Liquid-Metal,'” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple.
“The week prior we reported that Apple revealed laser cutting techniques for processing sapphire,” Purcher reports. “The wave of sapphire related patents continues for the third straight week with one titled ‘Continuous Sapphire Growth.’ Apple’s patent application relates to sapphire growth and, more particularly, to systems and methods for continuous sapphire growth.”
“One embodiment may take the form of a method including feeding a base material into a crucible located within a growth chamber, heating the crucible to melt the base material and initiating crystalline growth in the melted base material to create a crystal structure. Additionally, the method includes pulling the crystal structure away from crucible and feeding the crystal structure out of the growth chamber,” Purcher reports. “Another embodiment may take the form of a system for continuous sapphire growth including a vertical growth chamber and a crucible positioned within the growth chamber.”
Read more, and see Apple’s patent application illustrations, in the full article here.
I wonder how long it’ll be before Apple manage to create a transparent material with the strength and hardness characteristics of Liquidmetal, which, after all, is a metallic substance with no crystalline structure.
A highly damage resistant phone would be very desirable indeed.
It would just need waterproofing all the ports, etc.
Not that you’re talking…. What ports?
Since there is nothing transparent about LiquidMetal alloy, it is not feasible. Besides, sapphire is much harder than LM, though, of course, much more brittle.
Now if we can get rid of the crucible, we might be able to buy small iPhone, and have it grow on us!