Patents by Inventor Michael T. Duignan
Michael T. Duignan 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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Patent number: 7106598Abstract: A method for manufacturing a modular electrical circuit includes the steps of pre-manufacturing a plurality of components having fine features such as resistors, capacitors, inductances, and conductors formed on a dielectric substrate. The pre-manufactured components are laminated each to the other in a predetermined order. Each pre-manufactured component includes one or more electrical elements of the same type coupled each to the other by conducting lines. Each dielectric substrate includes through vias filled with the conductive material which serve for cross-coupling of the elements of neighboring components. Position of the passive elements, as well as conductive lines and through vias, are pre-designed to allow precise coordination between the elements of different components in the multi-layered modular electrical circuit.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2004Date of Patent: September 12, 2006Assignee: Potomac Photonics, Inc.Inventors: David Liu, Chengping Zhang, Michael T Duignan
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Patent number: 6898846Abstract: A method for manufacturing a modular electrical circuit includes the steps of pre-manufacturing a plurality of components having fine features such as resistors, capacitors, inductances, and conductors formed on a dielectric substrate. The pre-manufactured components are laminated each to the other in a predetermined order. Each pre-manufactured component includes one or more electrical elements of the same type coupled each to the other by conducting lines. Each dielectric substrate includes through vias filled with the conductive material which serve for cross-coupling of the elements of neighboring components. Position of the passive elements, as well as conductive lines and through vias, are pre-designed to allow precise coordination between the elements of different components in the multi-layered modular electrical circuit.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2002Date of Patent: May 31, 2005Assignee: Potomac Photonics, Inc.Inventors: David Liu, Chengping Zhang, Michael T. Duignan
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Patent number: 6862490Abstract: Apparatus (10) for performing patterned cleaning of substrate surfaces (11) includes substrate (11), energetic beam (12) directed to the substrate (11), material carrier element (14) having a deposition layer (16), and a control unit (8) operating the apparatus (10) in either a “material removal” or a “material transfer” mode in a predetermined sequence. In the “material removal” mode, the following steps are followed which include the material carrier element (14) from the intersection with the energy beam (12) and allowing impinging of the energy beam (12) on the surface of the substrate in a predetermined patterned fashion so that the material of the substrate is disintegrated at predetermined locations of the substrate surface (11).Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2000Date of Patent: March 1, 2005Assignee: Potomac Photonics, Inc.Inventor: Michael T. Duignan
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Patent number: 6835426Abstract: Pulse-position synchronized deposition of a material in miniature structure manufacturing processes is carried out in a fabrication tool including a material carrier element, a source of energy generating pulses of energy, a substrate, and a control unit operatively coupled to the source of energy, substrate, and the material carrier element. The control unit exposes a first area of the material carrier element to a first pulse of energy, pauses the exposure while initiating relative motion between the source of energy and the substrate at a predetermined first speed and relative motion between the material carrier element and the energy source at a predetermined second speed which is a function of the first speed, and slowing (or stopping) relative motion between the energy source, material carrier element, and the substrate, while exposing the unablated area of the material carrier element adjacent to previously ablated area to a second pulse of energy.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2003Date of Patent: December 28, 2004Assignee: Potomac Photonics, Inc.Inventors: Michael T. Duignan, C. Paul Christensen
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Publication number: 20040233651Abstract: A method for manufacturing a modular electrical circuit includes the steps of pre-manufacturing a plurality of components having fine features such as resistors, capacitors, inductances, and conductors formed on a dielectric substrate. The pre-manufactured components are laminated each to the other in a predetermined order. Each pre-manufactured component includes one or more electrical elements of the same type coupled each to the other by conducting lines. Each dielectric substrate includes through vias filled with the conductive material which serve for cross-coupling of the elements of neighboring components. Position of the passive elements, as well as conductive lines and through vias, are pre-designed to allow precise coordination between the elements of different components in the multi-layered modular electrical circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2004Publication date: November 25, 2004Inventors: David Liu, Chengping Zhang, Michael T. Duignan
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Patent number: 6792326Abstract: A material delivery system is provided for miniature structures fabrication which has a substrate, a material carrier having a deposition layer, and a laser beam directed towards the material carrier element. A control unit is operatively coupled to the substrate, the material carrier element and laser beam for exposing respective areas of the deposition layer to the laser beam in a patterned manner so that the depositable material of the deposition layer is transferred to the substrate surface for deposition on its surface. The system operates in either an additive mode of operation, or a subtractive mode of operation so that a workpiece does not have to be removed from the tool when change of modes of operation takes place.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2001Date of Patent: September 14, 2004Assignee: Potomac Photonics, Inc.Inventor: Michael T. Duignan
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Publication number: 20040037061Abstract: A method for manufacturing a modular electrical circuit includes the steps of pre-manufacturing a plurality of components having fine features such as resistors, capacitors, inductances, and conductors formed on a dielectric substrate. The pre-manufactured components are laminated each to the other in a predetermined order. Each pre-manufactured component includes one or more electrical elements of the same type coupled each to the other by conducting lines. Each dielectric substrate includes through vias filled with the conductive material which serve for cross-coupling of the elements of neighboring components. Position of the passive elements, as well as conductive lines and through vias, are pre-designed to allow precise coordination between the elements of different components in the multi-layered modular electrical circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2002Publication date: February 26, 2004Inventors: David Liu, Chengping Zhang, Michael T. Duignan
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Publication number: 20040022947Abstract: A method of creating microstructures by contact transfer process includes the step of positioning a material covered ribbon in proximity with the surface of the substrate, directing a laser beam onto the material covered ribbon, so that the laser beam releases a portion of the material layer and transfers the released material onto the surface of the substrate. The material covered ribbon includes a transparent support and a material layer of the thickness in the range of 2-15 microns of highly homogeneous and uniformly distributed material, which includes a powder of very small particles the dimensions of which do not exceed 10 microns bound by a binder which provides a needed degree of viscosity to the material, which, being released from the material layer, is transferred to the surface of the substrate as a single piece. In order to create a microstructure, several repetitions of releasing the material and transferring the released material to the substrate is needed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2002Publication date: February 5, 2004Inventors: Michael T. Duignan, Scott A. Mathews
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Patent number: 6649861Abstract: An apparatus is provided for fabrication of miniature structures which includes a substrate, a controllable energetic beam, a deposition layer supported on a material carrier element and a control unit operating the apparatus in either of “material removal” and “material transfer” modes of operation. In the “material removal” mode of operation, the control unit displaces the material carrier element away from an interception path with the energetic beam so that the energetic beam impinges in patterned fashion onto the surface of the substrate and disintegrates the surface material of the substrate. In the “material transfer” mode of operation, the control unit displaces the deposition layer to intercept with the energetic beam so that the material contained in the deposition layer is transferred and deposited on the surface of the substrate in a patterned fashion.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2002Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: Potomac Photonics, Inc.Inventor: Michael T. Duignan
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Publication number: 20030178395Abstract: An apparatus is provided for fabrication of miniature structures which includes a substrate, a controllable energetic beam, a deposition layer supported on a material carrier element and a control unit operating the apparatus in either of “material removal” and “material transfer” modes of operation. In the “material removal” mode of operation, the control unit displaces the material carrier element away from an interception path with the energetic beam so that the energetic beam impinges in patterned fashion onto the surface of the substrate and disintegrates the surface material of the substrate. In the “material transfer” mode of operation, the control unit displaces the deposition layer to intercept with the energetic beam so that the material contained in the deposition layer is transferred and deposited on the surface of the substrate in a patterned fashion.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2002Publication date: September 25, 2003Inventor: Michael T. Duignan
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Publication number: 20030157271Abstract: Pulse-position synchronized deposition of a material in miniature structure manufacturing processes is carried out in a fabrication tool including a material carrier element, a source of energy generating pulses of energy, a substrate, and a control unit operatively coupled to the source of energy, substrate, and the material carrier element. The control unit exposes a first area of the material carrier element to a first pulse of energy, pauses the exposure while initiating relative motion between the source of energy and the substrate at a predetermined first speed and relative motion between the material carrier element and the energy source at a predetermined second speed which is a function of the first speed, and slowing (or stopping) relative motion between the energy source, material carrier element, and the substrate, while exposing the unablated area of the material carrier element adjacent to previously ablated area to a second pulse of energy.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2003Publication date: August 21, 2003Inventors: Michael T. Duignan, Susan Gordon, C. Paul Christensen
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Patent number: 6583381Abstract: An apparatus is provided for fabrication of miniature structures which includes a substrate, a controllable energetic beam, a deposition layer supported on a material carrier element and a control unit operating the apparatus in either of “material removal” and “material transfer” modes of operation. In the “material removal” mode of operation, the control unit displaces the material carrier element away from an interception path with the energetic beam so that the energetic beam impinges in patterned fashion onto the surface of the substrate and disintegrates the surface material of the substrate. In the “material transfer” mode of operation, the control unit displaces the deposition layer to intercept with the energetic beam so that the material contained in the deposition layer is transferred and deposited on the surface of the substrate in a patterned fashion.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2001Date of Patent: June 24, 2003Assignee: Potomac Photonics, Inc.Inventor: Michael T. Duignan