Patents Examined by Timothy H. Meeks
  • Device and method for organic vapor jet deposition
    Patent number: 7897210
    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: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University
    Inventors: Max Shtein, Stephen R. Forrest, Jay B. Benzinger
  • Method for plating flexible printed circuit board
    Patent number: 7897199
    Abstract: A method for plating a FPCB base board, comprising the steps of: providing a FPCB base board comprising a sprocket region; and placing an insulation shielding plate spatially opposite to the sprocket region of the FPCB base board to limit a thickness of a plating layer formed on the sprocket region of the FPCB base board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Foxconn Advanced Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Tso-Hung Yeh, Hung-Yi Chang, Chih-Kang Yang
  • Ultrathin ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic coupling film structure and fabrication method thereof
    Patent number: 7897200
    Abstract: The present invention provides a ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic coupling film structure and a fabrication method thereof. The structure includes an antiferromagnetic layer of cobalt oxide having a thickness of 2 to 15 monolayers and formed on a substrate at a temperature ranging from 700K to 900K; and a ferromagnetic layer of cobalt having a thickness of at least one monolayer for being formed on the antiferromagnetic layer of cobalt oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: National Chung Cheng University
    Inventors: Jyh-Shen Tsay, Chi-Wei Lee, Gung Chern
  • Method and system for performing plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition
    Patent number: 7897217
    Abstract: A method, computer readable medium, and system for vapor deposition on a substrate that introduce a gaseous film precursor to a process space, increase the volume of the process space from a first size to a second size to form an enlarged process space, introduce a reduction gas to the enlarged process space, and form a reduction plasma from the reduction gas. The system for vapor deposition includes a process chamber including a first process space and further including a second process space that includes the first process space and that has a second volume that exceeds the first volume. The first process space is configured for atomic layer deposition, and the second process space is configured for plasma reduction of a layer deposited in the first process space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Jacques Faguet
  • Method for manufacturing magnetoresistance effect element
    Patent number: 7897201
    Abstract: A method is for manufacturing a magnetoresistance effect element having a magnetization fixed layer, a non-magnetic intermediate layer, and a magnetization free layer being sequentially stacked. The method includes: forming at least a part of a magnetic layer that is to become either one of the magnetization fixed layer and the magnetization free layer; forming a function layer including at least one of an oxide, a nitride, and a fluoride on the part of the magnetic layer; and removing a part of the function layer by exposing the function layer to either one of an ion beam and plasma irradiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiromi Yuasa, Hideaki Fukuzawa, Yoshihiko Fuji, Hitoshi Iwasaki
  • Coating abluminal surfaces of stents and other implantable medical devices
    Patent number: 7892592
    Abstract: A sleeve is positioned over a radially-expandable rod assembly and a stent is positioned over the sleeve. A mandrel is inserted into the rod assembly to thereby press the sleeve against the inner surface of the stent and expand the stent. A coating (such as a solvent, a polymer and/or a therapeutic substance) is then applied to the outer (abluminal) surfaces of the stent, by spraying, for example. The sleeve advantageously prevents the coating material from being applied to inner (luminal) surfaces of the stent and also allows the coating material to be efficiently applied to the abluminal surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Yung Ming Chen, Jeff H. Smith, Celenia Gutierrez
  • Plasma generating electrode assembly
    Patent number: 7892611
    Abstract: A plasma glow discharge and/or dielectric barrier discharge generating assembly (1) comprising at least one pair of substantially equidistant spaced apart electrodes (2), the spacing between the electrodes being adapted to form a plasma zone (8) upon the introduction of a process gas and enabling passage, where required, of gaseous, liquid and/or solid precursor(s) characterized in that at least one of the electrodes (2) comprises a housing (20) having an inner (5) and outer (6) wall, wherein the inner wall (5) is formed from a non-porous dielectric material, and which housing (20) substantially retains an at least substantially non-metallic electrically conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Dow Corning Ireland Limited
    Inventors: Frank Swallow, Peter Dobbyn
  • Process for coating a substrate
    Patent number: 7892593
    Abstract: A method to coat a substrate for the formation of coatings having a desired surface morphology is provided, wherein the roughness and the total surface area of the coating can be varied during the coating process. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of generating droplets from a coating composition, transporting the droplets to the substrate and depositing a majority of the droplets on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Inventor: Ingo Werner Scheer
  • Manufacturing equipment of display device and manufacturing method of display device
    Patent number: 7887877
    Abstract: At a first timing, an ink jetting unit of a printer head coats an aqueous ink or an organic solvent ink on pixel forming regions on a panel substrate. At a second timing, a first infrared light source unit or a second infrared light source unit disposed adjacently to the ink jetting unit radiates infrared light to the aqueous ink or the organic solvent ink coated on the pixel forming regions to heat the ink and vaporize and dry the solvent in the aqueous ink or the organic solvent ink to fix a hole transporting material or an electron transporting material on the panel substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunori Morimoto, Tomoyuki Shirasaki
  • Gasification monitor, method for detecting mist, film forming method and film forming apparatus
    Patent number: 7887873
    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: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Teruo Iwata
  • Metallic surface enhancement
    Patent number: 7883738
    Abstract: A method and composition for enhancing corrosion resistance, wear resistance, and contact resistance of a device comprising a copper or copper alloy substrate and at least one metal-based layer on a surface of the substrate. The composition comprises a phosphorus oxide compound selected from the group consisting of a phosphonic acid, a phosphonate salt, a phosphonate ester, a phosphoric acid, a phosphate salt, a phosphate ester, and mixtures thereof; an aromatic heterocycle comprising nitrogen; and a solvent having a surface tension less than about 50 dynes/cm as measured at 25° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Enthone Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph A. Abys, Shenliang Sun, Chonglun Fan, Edward J. Kudrak, Jr.
  • Methods for forming articles having apertures and articles having substantially reduced residual compressive stress
    Patent number: 7879402
    Abstract: A method for forming an aperture includes stamping an aperture into the article using a pellet, and refining aperture shape(s) and/or aperture dimensions. Methods for forming articles having reduced residual compressive stress are also disclosed. Very generally, the methods include establishing a diamond coating on at least a portion of a substrate, and applying a stress-relief process to the diamond coating, the substrate, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Leonid C. Lev, Jon T. Carter, Yang T. Cheng, Carolina C. Ang
  • Support device for a stent and a method of using the same to coat a stent
    Patent number: 7879386
    Abstract: A support device for a stent and a method of coating a stent using the device are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen D. Pacetti, Plaridel K. Villareal
  • Method and apparatus for efficient application of substrate coating
    Patent number: 7879411
    Abstract: A direct vapor deposition (DVD) method and apparatus for applying coating(s) on substrate(s), including: presenting at least one of the substrates to a chamber, presenting at least one evaporant source (125) in crucible (110) to the chamber; presenting at least one carrier gas stream (105) to the chamber using a ring-shaped (133) converging/diverging nozzle (130); impinging at least one evaporant source with at least one electron beam in the chamber to generate an evaporated vapor flux in a main direction respective for any of the evaporant sources impinged by the electron beam; and guiding at least one of the generated evaporated vapor flux by at least one carrier gas stream from the ring shaped gap (132), which is essentially parallel to the main direction and substantially surrounds the evaporated flux. The evaporated vapor flux at least partially coats at least one of the substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: University of Virginia Patent Foundation
    Inventors: Derek D Hass, James F. Groves, Haydn N. G. Wadley
  • Method and apparatus for cathodic arc ion plasma deposition
    Patent number: 7879203
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing a coating material on a surface of a substrate by an ion plasma deposition process using a hollow cathode is disclosed. The cathode may be a substantially cylindrical hollow cathode. A plasma arc is formed on the outer circumference of the cathode to remove coating material from the cathode, which is then deposited on a surface of a substrate. An internal arc drive magnet is contained within the hollow bore of the cathode and cooling is provided to the magnet during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Andrew Weaver, William Thomas Carter, Paul Mario Marruso
  • Method for processing polysilazane film
    Patent number: 7879397
    Abstract: A method for processing a polysilazane film includes performing temperature increase of changing a process field of a reaction container, which accommodates a target substrate with a polysilazane coating film formed thereon, from a pre-heating temperature to a predetermined temperature, while setting the process field to be a first atmosphere containing oxygen and having a first pressure of 6.7 to 26.7 kPa. Then, the method includes performing a first heat process for obtaining an insulating film containing silicon and oxygen by baking the coating film at a first process temperature not lower than the predetermined temperature, while setting the process field to be a second atmosphere containing an oxidizing gas and having a second pressure higher than the first pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masahisa Watanabe, Tetsuya Shibata
  • Carbon-nano tube structure, method of manufacturing the same, and field emitter and display device each adopting the same
    Patent number: 7879398
    Abstract: A carbon-nano tube (CNT) structure comprises a substrate and a plurality of CNTs, each CNT comprising a plurality of first CNTs grown perpendicular to the substrate and a plurality of second CNTs grown on sidewalls of the first CNTs. A method of manufacturing CNTs includes growing first CNTs on a substrate on which a catalyst material layer is formed, and growing second CNTs on surfaces of the first CNTs from a catalyst material on surfaces of the first CNTs. The second CNTs grown on the sidewalls of the first CNTs emit electrons at a low voltage. In addition, the CNT structure exhibits high electron emission current due to the second CNTs being used as electron emission sources, and exhibits uniform field emission due to the uniform diameter of the first CNTs. A display device incorporates the above-described structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ha-Jin Kim, In-Taek Han
  • Apparatus and process for making tape useful as a tire cap ply
    Patent number: 7879391
    Abstract: An apparatus and process are used to make tape which can be used as cap plies, breakers and reinforcement in the carcass of tires. The tape is made by dipping a plurality of single end cords in a solvent-based cement. The cords are converged before entering the dip pan so that they are fixed in a single plane when they are dipped. The cement, which contains solvent and an elastomeric composition, is dried so that the majority of the solvent evaporates. The elastomeric composition remains, encapsulating the cords, thereby forming the tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Kordsa USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodney Gene Stamper, David Patrick Stewart
  • Plasma processing method
    Patent number: 7875322
    Abstract: Pulsated microwaves are supplied to a wave guide tube from a microwave generation unit through a matching circuit. The microwaves are supplied through an inner conductor to a planar antenna member. The microwaves are radiated from the planar antenna member through a microwave transmission plate into space above a wafer within a chamber. An electromagnetic field is formed in the chamber by pulsated microwaves radiated into the chamber from the planar antenna member through the microwave transmission plate, turning an Ar gas, H2 gas and O2 gas into plasma to form an oxide film on the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Kobayashi, Shingo Furui, Junichi Kitagawa
  • Method to form a pattern of functional material on a substrate using a mask material
    Patent number: 7875313
    Abstract: The invention provides a method to form a pattern of functional material on a substrate for use in electronic devices and components. The method uses a stamp having a relief structure to transfer a mask material to a substrate and form a pattern of open area on the substrate. The functional material is applied to the substrate in at least the open area. Contact of an adhesive material to an exterior surface opposite the substrate and separation of the adhesive from the substrate forms the pattern of functional material on the substrate. The method is suitable for the fabrication of microcircuitry for electronic devices and components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Graciela Beatriz Blanchet, Hee Hyun Lee