Patents by Inventor David S. Harvey
David S. Harvey has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 10633765Abstract: A main crucible of molten semiconductor is replenished from a supply crucible maintained such that there are always two phases of solid and liquid semiconductor within the supply crucible. Heat added to melt the solid material results in the solid material changing phase to liquid, but will not result in any significant elevation in temperature of the liquid within the supply crucible. The temperature excursions are advantageously small, being less than that which would cause problems with the formed product. The solid product material acts as a sort of temperature buffer, to maintain the supply liquid temperature automatically and passively at or very near to the phase transition temperature. For silicon, excursions are kept to less than 90° C., and even as small as 50° C. The methods also are useful with germanium. Prior art silicon methods that entirely melt the semiconductor experience excursions exceeding 100° C.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2016Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: 1366 TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Ralf Jonczyk, Richard L Wallace, David S Harvey
-
Publication number: 20180119309Abstract: A main crucible of molten semiconductor is replenished from a supply crucible maintained such that there are always two phases of solid and liquid semiconductor within the supply crucible. Heat added to melt the solid material results in the solid material changing phase to liquid, but will not result in any significant elevation in temperature of the liquid within the supply crucible. The temperature excursions are advantageously small, being less than that which would cause problems with the formed product. The solid product material acts as a sort of temperature buffer, to maintain the supply liquid temperature automatically and passively at or very near to the phase transition temperature. For silicon, excursions are kept to less than 90° C., and even as small as 50° C. The methods also are useful with germanium. Prior art silicon methods that entirely melt the semiconductor experience excursions exceeding 100° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2016Publication date: May 3, 2018Applicant: 1366 TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: RALF JONCZYK, RICHARD L WALLACE, DAVID S HARVEY
-
Patent number: 8764901Abstract: Embodiments related to sheet production are disclosed. A melt of a material is cooled to form a sheet of the material on the melt. The sheet is formed in a first region at a first sheet height. The sheet is translated to a second region such that it has a second sheet height higher than the first sheet height. The sheet is then separated from the melt. A seed wafer may be used to form the sheet.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2011Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Dawei Sun, Brian Helenbrook, David S. Harvey
-
Publication number: 20110272115Abstract: Embodiments related to sheet production are disclosed. A melt of a material is cooled to form a sheet of the material on the melt. The sheet is formed in a first region at a first sheet height. The sheet is translated to a second region such that it has a second sheet height higher than the first sheet height. The sheet is then separated from the melt. A seed wafer may be used to form the sheet.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2011Publication date: November 10, 2011Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Dawei Sun, Brian Helenbrook, David S. Harvey
-
Patent number: 6394794Abstract: A modular furnace is fabricated from at least one module having a frame, a removable cover mounted to the frame, exterior cover panels on the frame, and an insulated case fastened to the interior of the module. A conveyor assembly extends through the module. A plurality of process zones, such as heating and cooling zones, are disposed within the module. Field replaceable universal blower assemblies are associated with each process zone. The motor shaft in each blower assembly is provided with a sealed bearing in the motor housing. Insulation within each module is held in place by gas permeable fabric covering large vent openings in cover panels to allow oxygen to diffuse out of the insulation rapidly upon start up.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2001Date of Patent: May 28, 2002Assignee: BTU International, Inc.Inventors: David Bloom, Robert Bouchard, David S. Harvey, Geoffrey C. Neiley, III, Donald A. Seccombe, Jr., Terrance Wong, Richard Tarczon, Stephen J. Parrott, Paul Edgington
-
Publication number: 20010055740Abstract: A modular furnace is fabricated from at least one module having a frame, a removable cover mounted to the frame, exterior cover panels on the frame, and an insulated case fastened to the interior of the module. A conveyor assembly extends through the module. A plurality of process zones, such as heating and cooling zones, are disposed within the module. Field replaceable universal blower assemblies are associated with each process zone. The motor shaft in each blower assembly is provided with a sealed bearing in the motor housing. Insulation within each module is held in place by gas permeable fabric covering large vent openings in cover panels to allow oxygen to diffuse out of the insulation rapidly upon start up.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2001Publication date: December 27, 2001Applicant: BTU International, Inc.Inventors: David Bloom, Robert Bouchard, David S. Harvey, Geoffrey C. Neiley, Donald A. Seccombe, Terrance Wong, Richard Tarczon, Stephen J. Parrott, Paul Edgington
-
Patent number: 5814789Abstract: A forced convection furnace gas plenum having a mixing chamber to provide a heated gas of a more uniform temperature is presented. The plenum includes a heating element for heating gas and an orifice plate for metering the flow of heated gas to product within the furnace. A heater plate having larger apertures than those of the orifice plate is disposed between the heating element and the orifice plate. The apertures in the heater plate are sized to allow heated gas to pass therethrough into the mixing chamber, located between the heater plate and the orifice plate, with minimal pressure loss. The heated gas mixes in the mixing chamber, causing the temperature to become more uniform before the gas exits through the orifice plate to impinge on the product.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 1996Date of Patent: September 29, 1998Assignee: BTU International, Inc.Inventors: Brian O'Leary, David S. Harvey, Francis C. Nutter, Martin I. Soderlund
-
Patent number: 5695331Abstract: A boat carrier for accommodating multiple width integrated circuit (IC) boats is provided. The boat carrier comprises a base member and opposed guide faces which abut side surfaces of IC boats of multiple widths. In a first embodiment, the boat carrier includes a first guide having a first guide face affixed to the base member, and a movable guide having a movable guide face releasably affixed to the base member. The movable guide face has a first position and a second position, whereby a narrower IC boat is receivable in the first position and a wider IC boat is receivable in the second position. In a further embodiment, the boat carrier comprises a base member, a fixed guide assembly having a fixed guide face, and an opposed guide assembly having an inner and outer guide face, whereby a boat having a first or second width is receivable.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 1996Date of Patent: December 9, 1997Assignee: BTU InternationalInventors: Francis C. Nutter, David S. Harvey, Gerald E. Waldron
-
Patent number: 5411897Abstract: A machine and method are provided for applying a solder paste to a solar cell or other semiconductor device. The machine comprises (1) a conveyor means having at least one cell-holding means for holding a photovoltaic solar cell, (2) drive means for moving the conveyor means stepwise so as to shift said cell-holding means in turn from a first cell loading position to a second cell pasting position and then to a cell unloading position, (3) selectively operable solder paste dispensing means for applying solder paste to a cell located at said second cell pasting position, (4) means for selectively operating said drive means and said paste dispensing means so as to (a) convey a cell from said loading position to said cell pasting position, (b) cause said paste-dispensing means to dispense solder paste onto a cell in said cell pasting position, and (c) convey the cell with the dispensed solder paste from said cell pasting position to said cell unloading position.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 1994Date of Patent: May 2, 1995Assignee: Mobil Solar Energy CorporationInventors: David S. Harvey, Scott E. Danielson, John W. Dacey
-
Patent number: 5102494Abstract: A novel capillary die and crystal growing method are provided for growing a hollow crystalline body by EFG. Inner and outer annular moats surround the die tip. Passageways are provided for supplying melt to those moats from a crucible, so that melt in said moats will wet and cover the inner and outer exterior surfaces of the die tip during growth of a hollow crystalline body. The novel die may be constructed so as to have a lower die tip and a shorter capillary than EFG dies heretofore used to successfully grow hollow bodies. The die design facilitates keeping the temperature of the die tip substantially uniform about its circumference, thereby improving the uniformity of thickness of the wall of the crystalline body grown from a film of melt on the die tip. The moats reduce the likelihood of the growth process being interrupted or adversely affected by flooding of the die.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 1991Date of Patent: April 7, 1992Assignee: Mobil Solar Energy CorporationInventors: David S. Harvey, Dana L. Winchester, Brian H. Mackintosh, Sankerlingam Rajendran
-
Patent number: 5098229Abstract: A system for repeatedly supplying a predetermined quantity of solid particulate material, e.g. solid, spherical silicon particles, to a location remote from the area where the particulate material is stored. The system includes a container for storing solid particulate material, a receiving chamber coupled with the container and sized and configured to admit only a predetermined quantity of particulate material from the container, and means for applying at least one stream of a pressurized fluid so as to entrain and transport said predetermined quantity of particulate material from the receiving chamber to the remote location.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 1991Date of Patent: March 24, 1992Assignee: Mobil Solar Energy CorporationInventors: Frederick U. Meier, Mark F. Larrousse, David S. Harvey
-
Patent number: 5037622Abstract: A novel capillary die and crystal growing method are provided for growing a hollow crystalline body by EFG. Inner and outer annular moats surround the die tip. Passageways are provided for supplying melt to those moats from a crucible, so that melt in said moats will wet and cover the inner and outer exterior surfaces of the die tip during growth of a hollow crystalline body. The novel die may be constructed so as to have a lower die tip and a shorter capillary than EFG dies heretofore used to successfully grow hollow bodies. The die design facilitates keeping the temperature of the die tip substantially uniform about its circumference, thereby improving the uniformity of thickness of the wall of the crystalline body grown from a film of melt on the die tip. The moats reduce the likelihood of the growth process being interrupted or adversely affected by flooding of the die.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 1990Date of Patent: August 6, 1991Assignee: Mobil Solar Energy CorporationInventors: David S. Harvey, Dana L. Winchester, Brian H. Mackintosh, Sankerlingam Rajendran
-
Patent number: 4937053Abstract: An apparatus and process are disclosed for growing tubular crystalline bodies according to the Edge defined, Film-Fed Growth (EPG) process, wherein the apparatus has at least one exterior passage (240) and at least oen interior passage (245) formed in its crucible die assembly (200) and associated parts, whereby gases introduced into at least one exterior passage (725) will be delivered to the zone located outside the growing crystalline body (900) (i.e. the "exterior" zone ) adjacent to the growth face on the die member (215), and gases introduced into at least one interior passage (720) will be delivered to the zone located inside of the hollow crystalline body (i.e. the "interior" zone) adjacent to the growth face on the die member, whereby the atmosphere in each of the zones may be separately controlled.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 1988Date of Patent: June 26, 1990Assignee: Mobil Solar Energy CorporationInventor: David S. Harvey
-
Patent number: 4757707Abstract: Apparatus for determining the concentration of a selected gas, e.g. hydrogen, nitrogen or oxygen, in molten metal of known temperature and composition (other than dissolved gases) comprises a tubular probe having an outer sheath, impermeable to the metal, constructed from a gas permeable refractory or cermet for immersion in the melt, a passageway for passing a gas of known composition through the probe such as to realize an equilibrium condition, via the sheath, with the gas dissolved in the melt and an analyzer for analyzing the equilibrated gas collected from the probe whereby to determine the concentration of the selected gas in the melt.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 1987Date of Patent: July 19, 1988Assignee: British Steel CorporationInventors: David S. Harvey, David T. Wilson
-
Patent number: 4199349Abstract: A process for producing feedstock of highly metallized reduced iron from a metalliferrous slurry in which the slurry is subjected to high pressure filtration (9) and the resultant filter cake is then broken up and fed into a kiln (10) for firing together with a reductant.The slurry may be ferruginous waste products from ironmaking/steelmaking processes i.e. in-plant fines and additions may be made to the slurry (1 to 7) to aid the reduction stage of the process or to aid the agglomeration stage.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 1977Date of Patent: April 22, 1980Assignee: British Steel CorporationInventors: Jonathan R. Wood, George A. Pickin, David S. Harvey