Method to produce electrically isolated or insulated areas in a metal, and a product comprising such area

Abstract

The present specification relates to a method to produce electrically isolated or insulated areas in a metal, and a product comprising such area. The method according to the invention comprising the steps of: providing a metallic structure; performing a plasma electrolytic oxidation and/or anodization process such that an oxide layer is achieved on an area of the metallic structure; and electrically isolating a part of the metallic structure by removing part of the metallic structure and/or connecting a further metallic structure to the metallic structure with the oxide layer.

1 . A method to produce an electrically isolated area in a metal, comprising the steps of:
 providing a metallic structure;   performing a plasma electrolytic oxidation and/or anodization process such that an oxide layer is achieved on an area of the metallic structure; and   electrically isolating a part of the metallic structure by removing part of the metallic structure and/or connecting a further metallic structure to the metallic structure with the oxide layer.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of masking parts of the metallic structure and performing the plasma electrolytic oxidation and/or anodization such that an oxide layer is achieved on an unmasked area of the metallic structure. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein removing part of the metallic structure is performed after performing the plasma electrolytic oxidation process and/or anodization process. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein removing part of the metallic structure comprises performing an etching process. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the etching process comprises an electrochemical etching process. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the etching process comprises the step of automatically stopping the etching when reaching the oxide layer. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing non-conductive material to the removed part or parts of the metallic structure. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of increasing the stability and/or strength of the metallic structure by providing a stability layer on the oxide layer of the metallic structure after performing the plasma electrolytic oxidation and/or anodization process. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the stability layer comprises non-conductive material. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein providing a stability layer comprises providing a layer with a thickness in the range of 10 to 100 μm, preferably in the range of 20 to 75 μm, and most preferably with a thickness of about 50 μm. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising the step of removing the stability layer. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to one  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing a third metallic structure connecting the other metallic structures together. 
     
     
         13 . The method to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the metallic structures is of a different material. 
     
     
         14 . A product comprising an electrically isolated area that is produced with a method according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . The product according to  claim 14 , wherein the product is a computing device and the area is part of an antenna. 
     
     
         16 . The product according to  claim 14 , wherein the metallic structures of the product comprise a tubular shape, a metallic mesh structure on the metallic structure, or a wire shape. 
     
     
         17 . The product according to  claim 15 , wherein the metallic structures of the product comprise a tubular shape, a metallic mesh structure on the metallic structure, or a wire shape. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein removing part of the metallic structure is performed after performing the plasma electrolytic oxidation process and/or anodization process. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein removing part of the metallic structure comprises performing an etching process. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the etching process comprises an electrochemical etching process. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the etching process comprises the step of automatically stopping the etching when reaching the oxide layer.