Patents Examined by Richard Bueker
  • Patent number: 7404862
    Abstract: A device and a method for facilitating the deposition and patterning of organic materials onto substrates utilizing the vapor transport mechanisms of organic vapor phase deposition is provided. The device includes one or more nozzles, and an apparatus integrally connected to the one or more nozzles, wherein the apparatus includes one or more source cells, a carrier gas inlet, a carrier gas outlet, and a first valve capable of controlling the flow of a carrier gas through the one or more source cells. The method includes moving a substrate relative to an apparatus, and controlling the composition of the organic material and/or the rate of the organic material ejected by the one or more nozzles while moving the substrate relative to the apparatus, such that a patterned organic layer is deposited over the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University
    Inventors: Max Shtein, Stephen R. Forrest, Jay B. Benzinger
  • Patent number: 7393416
    Abstract: An apparatus for depositing a ceramic coating on a component. The apparatus includes an evaporation source containing multiple different oxide compounds, at least one of the oxide compounds having a vapor pressure that is higher than the remaining oxide compounds, to deposit on the component a coating of the multiple oxide compounds. The apparatus further includes a device for introducing the evaporation source into a coating chamber, a device for suspending the component near the evaporation source, a device for projecting a high-energy beam on the evaporation source to melt and form a vapor cloud of the oxide compounds of the evaporation source, a device capable of preventing the vapor cloud from contacting and condensing on the component, and a device for moving the preventing device to allow the vapor cloud to contact and condense on the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Boris A. Movchan, Irene Spitsberg, Ramgopal Darolia
  • Patent number: 7371286
    Abstract: A wiring repair apparatus includes an XY stage on which a substrate is placed, a laser source unit disposed above the XY stage, first and second gas windows disposed between the laser source unit and the XY stage, and first and second CVD gas units. The laser source unit emits a laser beam to a part of the substrate to be repaired. This laser beam passes through either the first or second gas window. The first CVD gas unit supplies an Al source gas (DMAH gas) to the first gas window while the second CVD gas unit supplies a Cr source gas (Cr(CO)6 gas) to the second gas window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Laserfront Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Koji Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 7369758
    Abstract: A molecular beam source for use in accumulation of organic thin-films which enables the forming of a uniform thin-film on film-forming surfaces of a large-sized substrate, but without producing deposition or separation of a film-forming material in an opening for discharging molecules of the film-forming material, wherein a valve 33 is disposed in a space starting from a side of a molecule heating portion 12 and reaching to a molecule discharge opening 14 for discharging the generated molecules of the film-forming material towards a film-forming surface and, further, heaters 18 and 19 are provided at a side of the molecule discharge opening 14 for heating the molecules of the film-forming material to be discharged. At the side of the molecule discharge opening 14 are provided an exterior guide 13 having a tapered guide wall and also an interior guide 16 having a tapered guide wall is provided within an inside of the exterior guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Chosu Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Kobayashi, Tateo Saito
  • Patent number: 7359630
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an evaporation source for evaporating an organic electroluminescent layer. In particular, the present invention relates to the evaporation source preventing an aperture, through which a vaporized evaporation material is emitted, from being clogged by restricting heat transfer to outward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Kyung-Soo Yi, Sung-Jae Jung, Yoon-Heung Tak, Sung-Tae Kim, Gol-Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 7331306
    Abstract: A plasma processing method includes exhausting the interior of a vacuum chamber while supplying gas into the vacuum chamber while maintaining the interior of the vacuum chamber at a desired pressure. A high-frequency power of 100 kHz to 100 MHz is applied to a coil provided in the vicinity of a dielectric window which faces a substrate placed on a substrate electrode in the vacuum. Plasma is generated in the vacuum chamber to process the substrate or a film on the substrate. Particles which tend to move straight from a surface of the substrate or from a surface of the film on the substrate toward a wall surface of the dielectric window inside the vacuum chamber are kept interrupted by a metal plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Okumura, Takayuki Kai, Yoichiro Yashiro
  • Patent number: 7329595
    Abstract: An effusion source comprises a vitreous C filament and a heater to increase the temperature of the filament to produce a C vapor. Also described is a deposition method comprising (a) depositing a layer of material on a substrate, and (b) during step (a), heating a body of material that includes vitreous carbon so that carbon from the body is vaporized and incorporated into the deposited layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Loren Neil Pfeiffer, Kenneth William West
  • Patent number: 7326303
    Abstract: This invention describes an apparatus, Scanning Localized Evaporation Methodology (SLEM) for the close proximity deposition of thin films with high feature definition, high deposition rates, and significantly improved material economy. An array of fixed thin film heating elements, each capable of being individually energized, is mounted on a transport mechanism inside a vacuum chamber. The evaporable material is deposited on a heating element. The SLEM system loads the surface of heating elements, made of foils, with evaporable material. The loaded thin film heating element is transported to the substrate site for re-evaporation. The re-evaporation onto a substrate, which is maintained at the desired temperature, takes place through a mask. The mask, having patterned openings dictated by the structural requirements of the fabrication, may be heated to prevent clogging of the openings. The translation of the substrate past the evaporation site permits replication of the pattern over its entire surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Optoelectronics Systems Consulting Inc.
    Inventors: Fotios Papadimitrakopoulos, Thomas Samuel Phely-Bobin, Daniel Harrison Grantham, deceased, Faquir C Jain
  • Patent number: 7311939
    Abstract: Substrates, such as spectacle lenses for example, may be provided with a coating which is not uniform by way of screens. The screens are aperture rings, arranged concentric to a symmetry axis of the vaporising crucible in a vacuum coating unit, by way of a screen holder. The spectacle lenses are disposed on a substrate holder also in circles about the symmetry axis. The shadows cast by the aperture rings cover but a partial region of the spectacles lenses such that those regions of the lenses receive less coating than in the unshaded free regions. The aperture rings are exchangeable in order to match the coating process to the customer requirements. Furthermore, the separation of the subtrate holder from the aperture rings is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Leybold Optics GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Zültzke, Markus Fuhr
  • Patent number: 7270714
    Abstract: A surface treating process according to the present invention, a vapor deposited film is formed from an easily oxidizable vapor-depositing material on the surface of a work by evaporating the vapor-depositing material in a state in which the vapor deposition controlling gas has been supplied to at least zones near a melting/evaporating source and the work within a treating chamber. Thus, the vapor deposited film can be formed stably on the surface of a desired work without requirement of a long time for providing a high degree of vacuum and without use of a special apparatus. In addition, the use of the surface treating process ensures that a corrosion resistance can be provided to a rare earth metal-based permanent magnet extremely liable to be oxidized, without degradation of a high magnetic characteristic of the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Sumitomo Special Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nishiuchi, Yoshimi Tochishita, Fumiaki Kikui, Mitsuo Kizawa
  • Patent number: 7238238
    Abstract: A deposition apparatus supplies a reactive gas obtained by vaporizing a liquid material at a vaporizer 30 into a chamber 10 via a processing-gas pipe 40 and forms a thin film on a semiconductor wafer W due to a thermal decomposition of the reactive gas. The deposition apparatus is provided, in the processing-gas pipe 40, with a crystal gauge 51 detecting a pressure Pq under the influence of mist in the reactive gas and a capacitance manometer 52 detecting a pressure Pg under no influence of the mist. The apparatus further includes a gasification monitor 50 detecting a quantity of mist in the reactive gas on the basis of a difference ?P between the pressure Pq and the pressure Pg measured by the crystal gauge 51 and the capacitance manometer 52 in order to prevent deposition defects due to the mist in the reactive gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Teruo Iwata
  • Patent number: 7192624
    Abstract: Continuously operating furnace and method for obtaining thermal diffusion coating on the outside surface of metallic articles. The furnace is configured as a tunnel through which in succession are advanced closed containers filled with the processed articles and with powder mixture, containing diffusing specie. A chain conveyor, passing through the furnace, advances the containers along a transportation path. The furnace is provided with plurality of stopper means, capable to intermittently prevent the advancement of the containers and to retain them in discrete positions, situated along the transportation path. The containers advance in parallel being always directed perpendicularly to the transportation path and their retention in the discrete positions causes their rotation about their longitudinal axes. Continuous operation is associated with improved efficiency and increased capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Distek, Ltd.
    Inventors: Isaac Shtikan, Josef Almen
  • Patent number: 7182814
    Abstract: A sample holder for physical vapor deposition equipment, which is disposed in a vacuum chamber for holding samples, includes a transmission mechanism and a fastening mechanism. The transmission mechanism includes a stationary shaft and a transmission element. The fastening mechanism includes a rotation shaft unparalleled with the stationary shaft of the transmission mechanism, a support arm for securely holding the rotation shaft, and a rotational disk assembly that drives the rotation shaft and the support arm to rotate about the transmission mechanism. Two ends of the rotation shaft are connected to a rotation element and an affixation base. The rotation element rotates in response to the transmission element, thereby rendering the affixation base to perform inclined rotation. In this manner, the nano-meter ions can be coated continuously and homogeneously onto the sample surface to enhance the surface hardness, the erosion resistance and the life expectancy of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Inventor: Te-Kun Lin
  • Patent number: 7179335
    Abstract: A variable adaptive mask is provided that can be dynamically modified in situ in a physical vapor deposition process. The mask comprises a fixed mask portion, a plurality of channels extending through the fixed mask portion, a control mechanism for controlling throughput of a vaporized target material through the channels, and a mechanism to mount the mask in a fixed position relative to a solid target material and a substrate. In one embodiment, a magnetic control mechanism is provided to control throughput of the vaporized target material through the channels. In another embodiment, a thermal control mechanism is provided to control throughput of a vaporized target material through the channels. Methods of controlling a physical vapor deposition process using the adaptive mask are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventors: William Freeman, Yin Zhang, Lillian Qin
  • Patent number: 7171918
    Abstract: Introducing at least one metal such as cobalt, molybdenum, metal carbonyl, tungsten, platinum, or other suitable metal to a focused ion beam. Introducing the focused ion beam to a substrate within a processing chamber. Forming at least one layer over a substrate. Applying heat to the layer by, for example, a laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ilan Gavish, Yuval Greenzweig
  • Patent number: 7166167
    Abstract: A laser CVD device capable of tightening adhesion of a film formed by laser CVD to a film formation face of a substrate and preventing cracks from occurring in the film itself is to be provided. The device comprises a plasma pretreating unit for turning pretreating gas into a plasma state by arc discharge and for supplying the plasma sate gas to the film formation face; and a film forming unit having means for sealing film forming gas while being isolated from an external atmosphere, means for radiating a laser beam to the film forming gas, wherein the film is formed over the film formation face of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Laserfront Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yukio Morishige, Atsushi Ueda
  • Patent number: 7166169
    Abstract: A vapor deposition source for depositing organic material includes a boat having a cavity for holding organic material and an aperture plate, having a plurality of spaced apertures, for enclosing the boat. The vapor deposition source also includes a heating element provided in the cavity between the aperture plate and the organic material, and a baffle member in contact with the heating element and having at least three surfaces which absorb energy from the heating element, the first surface redirecting energy to the aperture plate and the second and third surfaces redirecting energy to the boat walls and the organic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Dennis R. Freeman, Neil P. Redden
  • Patent number: 7166168
    Abstract: A substrate-coating system and an associated substrate-heating method, wherein the substrate-coating system is equipped with a substrate holder (1, 2) for holding at least one substrate at a coating position where it is coated on a coating side, and with a substrate heater (5, 6). The method includes heating at least one substrate that has been brought into such a system while it is being coated. The substrate heater includes a backside heater (6) for actively heating the substrate from its backside, i.e., that side opposite the side to be coated, while it is at its coating position. A heat-conducting element that is brought into thermal contact with a surface of the substrate may also be provided. Heater power is then regulated, based on the difference between the actual substrate temperature and a preset, desired, substrate temperature, and thereby limited such that the temperature of the heat-conducting element will not excessively increase over that of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT AG
    Inventors: Matthias Heller, Gean Jack Hsu, Frank Michel
  • Patent number: 7155115
    Abstract: The invention concerns a device and a process for applying a lubricant by means of vapour deposition to a target object, especially a magnetic data carrier. The device in accordance with the invention comprises a lubricant supply means (1) that can be filled from outside, possibly by means of a feed line. The produced lubricant vapour (5) is expanded through one or more exit openings (6) in the direction of a target object (8) on which the vapour deposition is to be effected. The vapour at first becomes adsorbed on the walls of a cone-shaped distribution element (4) situated between the lubricant supply means (1) and the target object (8), from which it subsequently desorbs again. Said adsorption/desorption process assures an even and homogeneous vapour distribution over the target object (8). A device for interrupting the vapour supply makes it possible for the device to be operated in a discontinuous manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: OC Oerlikon Balzers AG
    Inventor: Bernhard Cord
  • Patent number: 7131392
    Abstract: A vacuum evaporator according to the present invention comprises a vacuum chamber, a rod-like evaporation source provided to be liftable into and out of the vacuum chamber, and a work support means for supporting, relative to the evaporation source lowered into the vacuum chamber, works W arranged to surround the evaporation source. The vacuum chamber is formed of a fixed chamber part and a movable chamber part provided connectably to and disconnectably from the fixed chamber part and mounted with the work support means. Either one movable chamber part is horizontally moved and connected to the fixed chamber part in the state where the evaporation source is raised and retreated out of the vacuum chamber to perform vacuum evaporation treatment. According to such a structure, the maintenance of the vacuum evaporator can be performed without raising or lowering the lower plate or taking out the work support means from the vacuum chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katuhiko Shimojima, Hirofumi Fujii, Hiroshi Kawaguchi