Atomically sharp edged cutting blades and methods for making same

1 . A method for making an atomically sharp cutting edge for a cutting instrument, the method comprising:

providing a blank made of a metal material and having a major surface and a tapered edge at one end of the major surface;

depositing on a portion of the major surface at the tapered edged a continuous layer of a second material that is harder than the metal; and

milling the layer of the second material with a focused ion beam to form the atomically sharp cutting edge.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein focused ion beam has a diameter of about 5 nm.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the blank includes at least one atomically polished surface.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the layer of second material is deposited in a thickness from about 100 to about 500 Å.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the layer of second material is deposited in a thickness at least about 200 Å.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the second material is selected from a group consisted of silicon, ceramic, glass, Al 2 O 3 , AlTiN, TiN, SiC, SiN, MoS 2 , amorphous carbon, diamond-like-carbon and zircon.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the layer is milled at an acute angle to a plane parallel to the major surface by a focused ion beam to provide the blank with the continuous, atomically sharp cutting edge.

8 . The method of claim 6 wherein a support substrate is provided to which the metal blank is attached.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein:

the second material is selected from a group consisted of silicon, ceramic, glass, Al 2 O 3 , AlTiN, TiN, SiC, SiN, MoS 2 , amorphous carbon, diamond-like-carbon and zircon;

the layer of second material is deposited in a thickness from about 100 to about 500 Å;

the layer is milled at an acute angle to a plane parallel to the major surface by a focused ion beam to provide the blank with a continuous, atomically sharp cutting edge;

the atomically sharp cutting edge is formed with a radius of curvature that is less than about 300 Å; and

the milling is performed in a vacuum chamber exhausted to a desired pressure.

10 . A method for making an atomically sharp cutting edge for a cutting instrument, the method comprising:

providing a blade blank having a major surface and an edge at one end thereof,

milling the edge at an acute angle to a plane parallel to the major surface using a focused ion beam to provide the blank with a continuous, atomically sharp cutting edge.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the blank is a wafer comprising a material selected from a group consisting of silicon, ceramic, glass Al 2 O 3 , AlTiN, TiN, SiC, SiN, MoS 2 , amorphous carbon, diamond-like carbon and zircon.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the blank is formed with a thickness of from about 100 μm to about 1000 μm.

13 . The method of claim 10 wherein the cutting edge is formed with a radius of curvature that is less than about 300 Å.

14 . The method of claim 10 wherein the cutting edge is formed with a radius of curvature that is less than about 100 Å.

15 . The method of claim 10 wherein the cutting edge is formed with a radius of curvature that is less than about 10 Å.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the cutting instrument further comprises a support substrate for attaching thereto the blade blank, wherein the support substrate is preferably selected from a group comprising metal, plastic, glass or ceramic.

17 . A method for producing an atomically sharp cutting edge for a cutting instrument, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a wafer of a material suitable for forming a cutting edge;

cutting the wafer to produce at least one blade blank having a triangular shaped cross section, the blade blank having a plurality of edges;

positioning the blade blank in a vacuum chamber;

exhausting the vacuum chamber to a desired pressure; and

milling an edge of the blade blank with a focused ion beam to provide an atomically sharp cutting edge on the blade blank.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising attaching the atomically sharpened blade blank to a cutting instrument substrate, wherein the wafer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of silicon, ceramic, glass, Al 2 O 3 , AlTiN, TiN, SiC, SiN, MoS 2 , amorphous carbon, diamond-like carbon and zircon, and wherein the wafer is formed about 100 to about 1000 microns thick.

19 . The method of claim 18 further comprising cutting the wafer at an angle to the surface of the wafer ranging between about 5 and about 70 degrees and providing the wafer with at least one atomically polished surface and providing the focus ion beam with a diameter selected from 5 nm and 10 nm.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the cutting edge is formed with a double-beveled edge.