Patents Examined by Rodney McDonald
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Patent number: 9695503Abstract: Methods for depositing a nanocrystalline diamond layer are disclosed herein. The method can include delivering a sputter gas to a substrate positioned in a processing region of a first process chamber, the first process chamber having a carbon-containing sputter target, delivering an energy pulse to the sputter gas to create a sputtering plasma, the sputtering plasma having a sputtering duration, the energy pulse having an average power between 1 W/cm2 and 10 W/cm2 and a pulse width which is less than 100 ?s and greater than 30 ?s, the sputtering plasma being controlled by a magnetic field, the magnetic field being less than 300. Gauss, and delivering the sputtering plasma to the sputter target to form an ionized species, the ionized species forming a crystalline carbon-containing layer on the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2015Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Michael W. Stowell, Yongmei Chen
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Patent number: 9685299Abstract: In order to easily exchange a depleted dielectric member in a substrate processing apparatus, a faraday shield provided opposite to an antenna across a component member made of a dielectric, a first dielectric member provided opposite to the antenna across the component member and the faraday shield, and a second dielectric member provided opposite to the antenna across the component member, the faraday shield, and the first dielectric member are provided, and the second dielectric member is placed on a protrusion part formed on a vacuum container in the substrate processing apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2012Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: Canon Anelva CorporationInventor: Yukito Nakagawa
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Patent number: 9666418Abstract: A high-purity titanium target for sputtering containing 0.5 to 5 mass ppm of S as an additive component, wherein the purity of the target excluding additive components and gas components is 99.995 mass percent or higher. An object of this invention is to provide a high-quality titanium target for sputtering which is free from fractures and cracks during high-power sputtering (high-rate sputtering) and is capable of stabilizing the sputtering characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2012Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals CorporationInventors: Shiro Tsukamoto, Nobuhito Makino, Atsushi Fukushima, Kazuto Yagi, Eiji Hino
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Patent number: 9653104Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for selective removal of atoms from a substrate. Such a method comprises forming a patterned mask over at least a portion of the surface of the substrate to form a masked portion and an unmasked portion of the surface. In an embodiment, the method comprises exposing the surface to low energy light ions. In a related embodiment the low energy light ions selectively remove atoms from the unmasked portion of the substrate. In some embodiments, the method further comprises removing the mask. In another embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a method of creating a plurality of magnetic domains on a magnetically susceptible substrate. In an embodiment, the present disclosure pertains to a method of forming a magnetic medium.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2013Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTONInventors: Dmitri Litvinov, Long Chang
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Patent number: 9650710Abstract: One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to a sputtering device and a sputtering method. By using the sputtering device according to the present embodiment, characteristics of a deposition layer formed at the organic light emitting display apparatus may be improved, thereby improving electric characteristics and image quality of the organic light emitting display apparatus may be improved.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2014Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.Inventors: Seung-Ho Choi, Yong-Suk Lee
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Patent number: 9644260Abstract: A portable sputtering apparatus for repairing the damaged surface on aircrafts comprises: a cylindrical chamber, having a top chamber plate and a bottom chamber plate. The cylindrical chamber comprises a welded flange for attachment to a high vacuum system and a first tube and flange assembly for attachment to an inert gas bottle. The top chamber plate comprises a cathode housing, comprising a cathode coated with the material to be sputtered onto the surface of the aircraft, and a second tube and flange assembly for discharge of pressure within the chamber. The bottom chamber plate comprises a second housing that attaches to the surface of an aircraft. Within the second housing is a metal sheet, having an aperture that allows sputtered material to flow onto the surface of the aircraft. The material to be sputtered may be carbon composite or copper.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2012Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Inventor: Oliver James Groves
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Patent number: 9646809Abstract: There is described an intaglio printing plate coating apparatus (1) comprising a vacuum chamber (3) having an inner space (30) adapted to receive at least one intaglio printing plate (10) to be coated, a vacuum system (4) coupled to the vacuum chamber (3) adapted to create vacuum in the inner space (30) of the vacuum chamber (3), and a physical vapour deposition (PVD) system (5) adapted to perform deposition of wear-resistant coating material under vacuum onto an engraved surface (10a) of the intaglio printing plate (10), which physical vapour deposition system (5) includes at least one coating material target (51, 52) comprising a source of the wear-resistant coating material to be deposited onto the engraved surface (10a) of the intaglio printing plate (10).Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2013Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: KBA-NotaSys SAInventors: François Gremion, Laurent Claude
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Patent number: 9637814Abstract: A method of controlling a reactive sputter deposition process includes selecting a control process parameter for a target material and a reactive gas, the target material included in a target acting as a cathode, the reactive sputter deposition process involving forming a compound from a reaction between the target material and reactive gas species associated with the reactive gas in a vacuum chamber; establishing an operation regime for the reactive sputter deposition process for a given target power; and performing, based on the selected control process parameter and the established operation regime, the reactive sputter deposition process in a transition region between a metallic mode and a covered mode through a controlled pulsed reactive gas flow rate into the vacuum chamber, such that a stabilized reactive deposition of the compound on a substrate is achieved, the deposited compound on the substrate comprising a dielectric stoichiometric film.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2015Date of Patent: May 2, 2017Assignees: University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, TRUMPF Huettinger Sp. z o. o.Inventors: Rafal Bugyi, Jaroslav Vlcek, Jiri Rezek, Jan Lazar
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Patent number: 9640372Abstract: A method for extracting a shielding element from a processing chamber of a substrate processing system or inserting the shielding element into the processing chamber is provided. The substrate processing system includes the processing chamber, a first shielding element for excluding application of material onto parts of a substrate, and a substrate transportation system for transporting substrates or substrate carriers into and out of the processing chamber. The method includes transporting the first shielding element by the substrate transportation system.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2012Date of Patent: May 2, 2017Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Ralph Lindenberg, Erkan Koparal
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Patent number: 9624573Abstract: A method for producing a transparent conductive film includes: forming a transparent conductive coating on at least one surface of an organic polymer film substrate in the presence of inert gas by RF superimposed DC sputtering deposition using an indium-based complex oxide target with a high horizontal magnetic field of 85 to 200 mT at a surface of the target in a roll-to-roll system, wherein the indium-based complex oxide target has a content of a tetravalent metal element oxide of 7 to 15% by weight as calculated by the formula {(the amount of the tetravalent metal element oxide)/(the amount of the tetravalent metal element oxide+the amount of indium oxide)}×100(%), wherein the transparent conductive coating has a thickness in the range of 10 to 40 nm, and the transparent conductive coating has a specific resistance of 1.3×10?4 to 2.8×10?4 ?·cm.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2014Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: NITTO DENKO CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuaki Sasa, Yusuke Yamamoto, Hironobu Machinaga
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Patent number: 9624572Abstract: So as to control the operation of a sputter target (9) during lifetime of the target and under HIPIMS operation part (I) of a magnet arrangement associated to the target (9) is retracted from the target (9) whereas a second part II of the magnet arrangement is, if at all, retracted less from the addressed backside (7) during lifetime of the target (9). Thereby, part I is closer to the periphery of target (9) than part II, as both are eccentrically rotated about a rotational axis (A).Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2014Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: EVATEC AGInventors: Sven Uwe Rieschl, Juergen Weichart
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Patent number: 9607812Abstract: Provided is a sputtering target which contains Na in high concentration and, despite this, is inhibited from discoloration, generating spots, and causing abnormal electrical discharge and which has high strength and rarely breaks. Also provided is a method for producing the sputtering target. The sputtering target has a component composition that contains 10 to 40 at % of Ga and 1.0 to 15 at % of Na as metal element components other than F, S, and Se, with the remainder composed of Cu and unavoidable impurities, wherein the Na is contained in the form of at least one Na compound selected from sodium fluoride, sodium sulfide, and sodium selenide. The sputtering target has a theoretical density ratio of 90% or higher, a flexural strength of 100 N/mm2 or higher, and a bulk resistivity of 1 m?·cm or less. The number of 0.05 mm2 or larger aggregates of the at least one of sodium fluoride, sodium sulfide, and sodium selenide present per cm2 area of the target surface is 1 or less on average.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2013Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATIONInventors: Shoubin Zhang, Keita Umemoto, Masahiro Shoji
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Patent number: 9605339Abstract: A sputtering target for a magnetic recording film containing SiO2, wherein a peak strength ratio of a (011) plane of quartz relative to a background strength (i.e. quartz peak strength/background strength) in an X-ray diffraction is 1.40 or more. An object of this invention is to obtain a sputtering target for a magnetic recording film capable of inhibiting the formation of cristobalites in the target which cause the generation of particles during sputtering, shortening the burn-in time, magnetically and finely separating the single-domain particles after deposition, and improving the recording density.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2011Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals CorporationInventors: Shin-ichi Ogino, Atsushi Nara, Hideo Takami
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Patent number: 9593409Abstract: A dielectric film forming apparatus and a method for forming a dielectric film so as to form a dielectric film with a (100)/(001) orientation. A dielectric film forming apparatus includes a deposition preventive plate heating portion that heats a deposition preventive plate disposed in a position where particles discharged from a target adhere. Sputtering gas is introduced from a sputtering gas introduction unit into a vacuum chamber. The deposition preventive plate is heated to a temperature higher than a film forming temperature so as to emit vapor from a thin film adhered to the deposition preventive plate. After a seed layer is formed on a substrate, the substrate is heated to the film forming temperature, and AC voltage is applied to the target from a power supply and then, the target is sputtered so as to form a dielectric film on the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2013Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: ULVAC, INC.Inventors: Isao Kimura, Takehito Jinbo, Hiroki Kobayashi, Youhei Endou, Youhei Oonishi
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Patent number: 9581875Abstract: A heat treated electrochromic device comprising an anodic complementary counter electrode layer comprised of a mixed tungsten-nickel oxide and lithium, which provides a high transmission in the fully intercalated state and which is capable of long term stability, is disclosed. Methods of making an electrochromic device comprising an anodic complementary counter electrode comprised of a mixed tungsten-nickel oxide are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2008Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: Sage Electrochromics, Inc.Inventors: Mark Samuel Burdis, Douglas Glenn John Weir
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Patent number: 9567667Abstract: System and method of insulating film deposition. A sputter deposition chamber comprises a pair of targets made of the same insulating material. Each target is applied with a high frequency power signal concurrently. A phase adjusting unit is used to adjust the phase difference between the high frequency power signals supplied to the pair of targets to a predetermined value, thereby improving the in-plane thickness distribution of a resultant film. The predetermined value is target material specific.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2014Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Shinji Furukawa, Naoki Watanabe, Hiroshi Miki, Tooru Kitada, Yasuhiko Kojima
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Patent number: 9570242Abstract: The present invention relates to a flexible transparent electrode for a dye-sensitized solar cell and a manufacturing method for same, and more specifically, to a flexible Ti—In—Zn—O transparent electrode for a dye-sensitized solar cell and a manufacturing method for same, and to a metal-inserted three-layer transparent electrode with high conductivity using the flexible transparent electrode and a manufacturing method for same, wherein compared with the conventional fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) and indium-tin oxide (ITO) transparent electrodes with a high deposition temperature, the flexible transparent electrode, despite being deposited at room or low temperature, has low surface resistance, high conductivity and transmittance, superior resistance against external bending, improved surface characteristics and better surface roughness performance.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2012Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGYInventors: Gi Seok Heo, Tae Won Kim, Jae Cheol Park, Kwang Young Kim
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Patent number: 9564300Abstract: A system that has a plate with a holder, in which the plate is centered in the holder both at room temperatures and at higher temperatures, independently of the thermal expansion of the plate and the holder, and in which the plate can freely expand in the holder at higher temperatures.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2014Date of Patent: February 7, 2017Assignee: Oerlikon Surface Solutions AG, PfäffikonInventor: Joerg Kerschbaumer
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Patent number: 9562192Abstract: An alignment method includes: (1) providing a substrate, applying a coating material formed from any two materials of aromatic dianhydrides, aromatic diamines or diamines containing biphenyl and hexyl in side groups; (2) sputtering a third material which is not coated in step (1) along a direction having an angle not equal to zero with the substrate for conducting a polymerization reaction with the two materials coated in step (1) to generate a reaction product; (3) thermally treating the reaction product. The diamine containing biphenyl and hexyl in side group reacts with the main group to form a side chain, and thus controls the pretilt angle while assisted with physical sputtering to sputter in a certain angle, thereby forming a pretilt direction.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2014Date of Patent: February 7, 2017Assignees: SHANGHAI TIANMA MICRO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., TIANMA MICRO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Wenze Shan, Chen Liu
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Patent number: 9556511Abstract: A rotary sputtering target assembly and method of making the same including a target and a backing tube having a plated bonding surface. The backing tube and the target are bonded together along the plated bonding surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2014Date of Patent: January 31, 2017Assignee: MATERION CORPORATIONInventor: William Guenley