Patents by Inventor Michael P. Stewart
Michael P. Stewart 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).
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Publication number: 20100107927Abstract: Embodiments as described herein provide methods for depositing a material on a substrate during electroless deposition processes, as well as compositions of the electroless deposition solutions. In one embodiment, the substrate contains a contact aperture having an exposed silicon contact surface. In another embodiment, the substrate contains a contact aperture having an exposed silicide contact surface. The apertures are filled with a metal contact material by exposing the substrate to an electroless deposition process. The metal contact material may contain a cobalt material, a nickel material, or alloys thereof. Prior to filling the apertures, the substrate may be exposed to a variety of pretreatment processes, such as preclean processes and activations processes. A preclean process may remove organic residues, native oxides, and other contaminants during a wet clean process or a plasma etch process. Embodiments of the process also provide the deposition of additional layers, such as a capping layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2010Publication date: May 6, 2010Inventors: Michael P. Stewart, Timothy W. Weidman, Arulkumar Shanmugasundram, David J. Eaglesham
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Publication number: 20100055822Abstract: Embodiments of the invention contemplate the formation of a high efficiency solar cell using novel methods to form the active doped region(s) and the metal contact structure of the solar cell device. In one embodiment, the methods include the steps of depositing a dielectric material that is used to define the boundaries of the active regions and/or contact structure of a solar cell device. Various techniques may be used to form the active regions of the solar cell and the metal contact structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2009Publication date: March 4, 2010Inventors: Timothy W. Weidman, Rohit Mishra, Michael P. Stewart, Kapila P. Wijekoon, Yonghwa Chris Cha, Tristan Holtam, Vinay Shah
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Patent number: 7659203Abstract: Embodiments as described herein provide methods for depositing a material on a substrate during electroless deposition processes, as well as compositions of the electroless deposition solutions. In one embodiment, the substrate contains a contact aperture having an exposed silicon contact surface. In another embodiment, the substrate contains a contact aperture having an exposed silicide contact surface. The apertures are filled with a metal contact material by exposing the substrate to an electroless deposition process. The metal contact material may contain a cobalt material, a nickel material, or alloys thereof. Prior to filling the apertures, the substrate may be exposed to a variety of pretreatment processes, such as preclean processes and activations processes. A preclean process may remove organic residues, native oxides, and other contaminants during a wet clean process or a plasma etch process. Embodiments of the process also provide the deposition of additional layers, such as a capping layer.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2006Date of Patent: February 9, 2010Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Michael P. Stewart, Timothy W. Weidman, Arulkumar Shanmugasundram, David J. Eaglesham
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Publication number: 20100015751Abstract: Embodiments of the invention contemplate the formation of a high efficiency solar cell using a novel processing sequence to form a solar cell device. In one embodiment, the methods include the use of various etching and patterning processes that are used to define active regions of the device and regions where the device and/or contact structure is to be located on a surface of a solar cell substrate. The method generally includes the steps of forming one or more layers on a backside of a solar cell substrate to prevent attack of the backside surface of the substrate, and provide a stable supporting surface, when the front side regions of a solar cell are formed. In one embodiment, the one or more layers are a metalized backside contact structure that is formed on the backside of the solar cell substrate. In another embodiment, the one or more layers are a chemical resistant dielectric layer that is formed over the backside of the solar cell substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2009Publication date: January 21, 2010Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Timothy W. Weidman, Rohit Mishra, Michael P. Stewart, Yonghwa Chris Cha, Kapila P. Wijekoon, Hongbin Fang
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Publication number: 20100015756Abstract: Embodiments of the invention contemplate the formation of a high efficiency solar cell using a novel processing sequence to form a solar cell device. In one embodiment, the methods include forming a doping layer on a back surface of a substrate, heating the doping layer and substrate to cause the doping layer diffuse into the back surface of the substrate, texturing a front surface of the substrate after heating the doping layer and the substrate, forming a dielectric layer on the back surface of the substrate, removing portions of the dielectric layer from the back surface to from a plurality of exposed regions of the substrate, and depositing a metal layer over the back surface of the substrate, wherein the metal layer is in electrical communication with at least one of the plurality of exposed regions on the substrate, and at least one of the exposed regions has dopant atoms provided from the doping layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2009Publication date: January 21, 2010Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Timothy W. Weidman, Rohit Mishra, Michael P. Stewart, Yonghwa Chris Cha, Kapila P. Wijekoon, Hongbin Fang
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Publication number: 20090280597Abstract: Methods for surface texturing a crystalline silicon substrate are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a crystalline silicon substrate, wetting the substrate with an alkaline solution comprising a wetting agent, and forming a textured surface with a structure having a depth about 1 ?m to about 10 ?m on the substrate. In another embodiment, a method of performing a substrate texture process includes providing crystalline silicon substrate, pre-cleaning the substrate in a HF aqueous solution, wetting the substrate with a KOH aqueous solution comprising polyethylene glycol (PEG) compound, and forming a textured surface with a structure having a depth about 3 ?m to about 8 ?m on the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2009Publication date: November 12, 2009Inventors: Kapila Wijekoon, Rohit Mishra, Michael P. Stewart, Timothy Weidman, Hari Ponnekanti, Tristan R. Holtam
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Publication number: 20090269593Abstract: This invention is generally related to a method of making a molecule-surface interface comprising at least one surface comprising at least one material and at least one organic group wherein the organic group is adjoined to the surface and the method comprises contacting at least one organic group precursor with at least one surface wherein the organic group precursor is capable of reacting with the surface in a manner sufficient to adjoin the organic group and the surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2009Publication date: October 29, 2009Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: James M. Tour, Michael P. Stewart
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Publication number: 20090139568Abstract: Embodiments of the invention contemplate formation of a low cost solar cell using novel methods and apparatus to form a metal contact structure. The method generally uses a conductive contact layer that enables formation of a good electrical contact to the solar cell device. In one case, the contact layer is a nickel containing layer. Various deposition techniques may be used to form the metal contact structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2008Publication date: June 4, 2009Inventors: Timothy W. Weidman, Michael P. Stewart, Kapila P. Wijekoon, Rohit Mishra
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Patent number: 7521262Abstract: The present invention is directed to a silicon substrate having a monolayer formed by an electrochemically-induced reaction between silicon hydride moieties on the silicon surface and optionally substituted alkynes covalently bound to the surface of the silicon substrate and to a method for electrochemically producing such a functionalized silicon substrate. The method of forming a covalently bound monolayer on a silicon surface comprises the steps of contacting the silicon surface with a C2-C24 alkyne and electrografting optionally substituted alkynes to the silicon surface.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2004Date of Patent: April 21, 2009Assignee: Purdue Research FoundationInventors: Jillian M. Buriak, Michael P. Stewart, Edward Robins
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Publication number: 20080213162Abstract: The present invention is directed towards methods (processes) of providing large quantities of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) of defined diameter and chirality (i.e., precise populations). In such processes, CNT seeds of a pre-selected diameter and chirality are grown to many (e.g., hundreds) times their original length. This is optionally followed by cycling some of the newly grown material back as seed material for regrowth. Thus, the present invention provides for the large-scale production of precise populations of CNTs, the precise composition of such populations capable of being optimized for a particular application (e.g., hydrogen storage). The present invention is also directed to complexes of CNTs and transition metal catalyst precurors, such complexes typically being formed en route to forming CNT seeds.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2004Publication date: September 4, 2008Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Irene M. Marek, Robert H. Hauge, Andrew R. Barron, James M. Tour, Howard K. Schmidt, W. Edward Billups, Christopher A. Dyke, Valerie C. Moore, Elizabeth Whitsitt, Robin E. Anderson, Ramon Colorado, Michael P. Stewart, Douglas C. Ogrin
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Publication number: 20070243452Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the creation of fuel cell components and the method of forming the various fuel cell components that have an improved lifetime, lower production cost and improved process performance. The invention generally includes treating or conditioning a substrate surface by depositing a material layer, or layers, having good adhesion to the substrate, low electrical resistivity (high conductivity) and has good resistance to chemical attack during the operation of fuel cell. The substrate may be, for example, a fuel cell part, a conductive plate, a separator plate, a bipolar plate or an end plate, among others. In one embodiment, the substrate surface is treated or conditioned by exposing at least a portion of it to a gas or liquid comprising ruthenium tetroxide.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2007Publication date: October 18, 2007Inventors: Timothy W. Weidman, Karl J. Armstrong, David J. Eaglesham, Nety Krishna, Ralf Hofmann, Michael P. Stewart
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Patent number: 7176146Abstract: This invention is generally related to a method of making a molecule-surface interface comprising at least one surface comprising at least one material and at least one organic group wherein the organic group is adjoined to the surface and the method comprises contacting at least one organic group precursor with at least one surface wherein the organic group precursor is capable of reacting with the surface in a manner sufficient to adjoin the organic group and the surface.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2003Date of Patent: February 13, 2007Assignee: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: James M. Tour, Michael P. Stewart
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Patent number: 6846681Abstract: The present invention is directed to a silicon substrate having a monolayer formed by an electrochemically-induced reaction between silicon hydride moieties on the silicon surface and optionally substituted alkynes covalently bound to the surface of the silicon substrate and to a method for electrochemically producing such a functionalized silicon substrate. The method of forming a covalently bound monolayer on a silicon surface comprises the steps of contacting the silicon surface with a C2-C24 alkyne and electrografting optionally substituted alkynes to the silicon surface.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2002Date of Patent: January 25, 2005Assignee: Purdue Research FoundationInventors: Jillian M. Buriak, Michael P. Stewart, Edward Robins
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Publication number: 20040023479Abstract: This invention is generally related to a method of making a molecule-surface interface comprising at least one surface comprising at least one material and at least one organic group wherein the organic group is adjoined to the surface and the method comprises contacting at least one organic group precursor with at least one surface wherein the organic group precursor is capable of reacting with the surface in a manner sufficient to adjoin the organic group and the surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2003Publication date: February 5, 2004Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: James M. Tour, Michael P. Stewart
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Publication number: 20020197389Abstract: The present invention is directed to a silicon substrate having a monolayer formed by an electrochemically-induced reaction between silicon hydride moieties on the silicon surface and optionally substituted alkynes covalently bound to the surface of the silicon substrate and to a method for electrochemically producing such a functionalized silicon substrate. The method of forming a covalently bound monolayer on a silicon surface comprises the steps of contacting the silicon surface with a C2-C24 alkyne and electrografting optionally substituted alkynes to the silicon surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2002Publication date: December 26, 2002Inventors: Jillian M. Buriak, Michael P. Stewart, Edward Robins
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Patent number: 6485986Abstract: The present invention is directed to a silicon substrate having a monolayer formed by an electrochemically-induced reaction between silicon hydride moieties on the silicon surface and optionally substituted alkynes covalently bound to the surface of the silicon substrate and to a method for electrochemically producing such a functionalized silicon substrate. The method of forming a covalently bound monolayer on a silicon surface comprises the steps of contacting the silicon surface with a C2-C24 alkyne and electrografting optionally substituted alkynes to the silicon surface.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2000Date of Patent: November 26, 2002Assignee: Purdue Research FoundationInventors: Jillian M. Buriak, Michael P. Stewart, Edward Robins