Silicon Containing Patents (Class 204/192.23)
  • Patent number: 6325901
    Abstract: At least an effective region of the face of a panel of a cathode ray tube is held within a vacuum chamber. After the vacuum chamber is hermetically sealed from the outside of the vacuum chamber, a thin film is formed on the face of the panel by using a film-forming means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazumasa Hirayama, Hitoshi Takeda, Hisashi Iijima, Takeo Ito, Sakae Kimura, Hisashi Chigusa, Yoshimitsu Aramaki
  • Patent number: 6322881
    Abstract: A glazing assembly is provided made of at least one transparent substrate having a stack thereon that includes an alternation of n functional layers and n-1 coatings, wherein the functional layers have reflection properties in the infrared and/or solar radiation and where n≳1 and where, in order to maintain the quality of the stack when the substrate is subjected to a heat treatment step, at least one of the following must be satisfied: the coating placed on top of at least one of the functional layers includes at least one barrier layer providing a barrier to at least oxygen and water; and at least one absorbent or stabilizing layer made of a material capable of absorbing or stabilizing the consituent material of the functional layer forms a part of either the coating placed on top of the functional layer and under the barrier layer or the coating placed beneath the functional layer; and a method for production of the glazing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Vitrage
    Inventors: Philippe Boire, Fabrice Didier, Jean-Michel Grimal
  • Patent number: 6287430
    Abstract: The present invention is drawn to an apparatus for forming a thin film. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber; a vacuum apparatus connected to the vacuum chamber; a holder placed in the vacuum chamber, which holder holds a substrate and is rotated by means of a rotating mechanism; a plasma CVD apparatus; and a sputtering apparatus, wherein the plasma CVD apparatus and the sputtering apparatus are placed in a single vacuum chamber and a thin film having an medium refractive index is formed on the substrate held by the holder, by means of the plasma CVD apparatus and the sputtering apparatus. The method making use of such an apparatus is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Shincron Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeharu Matsumoto, Kazuo Kikuchi, Yizhou Song, Takeshi Sakurai, Shinichiro Saisho
  • Publication number: 20010016262
    Abstract: A silicon target material is sputtered in a vacuum chamber having a controlled vacuum atmosphere in a reactive sputtering gas containing oxygen and nitrogen while varying the composition of the sputtering gas during the sputtering to thereby form a coating having a refractive index gradient due to a composition gradient in the thickness direction thereof on the substrate. The coating reduces the surface reflectance of glass to one-twentieth in a wavelength region of from 450 to 650 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2001
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Inventors: Takayuki Toyoshima, Toshiaki Anzaki
  • Patent number: 6274007
    Abstract: A process for controllably forming silicon nanostructures such as a silicon quantum wire array. A silicon surface is sputtered by a uniform flow of nitrogen molecular ions in an ultrahigh vacuum so as to form a periodic wave-like relief in which the troughs of said relief are level with the silicon-insulator border of the SOI material. The ion energy, the ion incidence angle to the surface of said material, the temperature of the silicon layer, the formation depth of the wave-like relief, the height of said wave-like relief and the ion penetration range into silicon are all determined on the basis of a selected wavelength of the wave-like relief in the range 9 nm to 120 nm. A silicon nitride mask having pendant edges is used to define the area of the silicon surface on which the array is formed. Impurities are removed from the silicon surface within the mask window prior to sputtering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Sceptre Electronics Limited
    Inventors: Valery K Smirnov, Dmitri S Kibalov
  • Publication number: 20010008206
    Abstract: Silicon-chromium cathode targets comprising 5 to 80 weight percent chromium are disclosed for sputtering absorbing coatings of silicon-chromium alloy in atmospheres comprising inert gas, reactive gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, and mixtures thereof which may further comprise inert gas, such as argon, to form nitrides, oxides, and oxynitrides as well as metallic films. The presence of chromium in the cathode target in the range of 5 to 80 weight percent provides target stability and enhanced sputtering rates over targets of silicon alone, comparable to the target stability and sputtering rates of silicon-nickel, not only when sputtering in oxygen to produce an oxide coating, but also when sputtering in inert gas, nitrogen or a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen to produce coatings of silicon-chromium, silicon-chromium nitride or silicon-chromium oxynitride respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 1997
    Publication date: July 19, 2001
    Inventor: JAMES J FINLEY
  • Patent number: 6251795
    Abstract: A method of forming a self-planarized HDPCVD oxide layer over a substrate having uneven topography in a process chamber is disclosed. The method comprising the steps of: depositing HDPCVD oxide over said uneven topography; and performing a sputter-only step in said process chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: WaferTech, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jesse C. Shan, Chang-Kuei Huang, Steve H. Y. Yang
  • Patent number: 6251231
    Abstract: A magneto-resistive (MR) head having a read element including two magnetic shield films, two magnetic gap films which separate the two magnetic shield films and which are held between the two magnetic shield films, and an MR element held between the two magnetic gap films, with the two magnetic gap films having a stress value of up to 200 MPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Mikiko Saito, Fujio Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6241859
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming a silicide layer on a silicon region. The method comprises the following steps. A first refractory metal layer is formed on the silicon region. The first refractory metal layer is made of a first refractory metal. A second refractory metal layer is formed on the first refractory metal layer. The second refractory metal layer is made of a second refractory metal and containing nitrogen. The second refractory metal layer has a film stress of not higher than 1×1010 dyne/cm2. A heat treatment is carried out in a first atmosphere substantially free of nitrogen so as to cause a silicidation of a lower region of the first refractory metal layer, whereby a C49-structured refractory metal silicide layer is formed on the silicon region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Yamada, Yoshihisa Matsubara, Takashi Ishigami
  • Patent number: 6242085
    Abstract: An underlying layer is formed of Cr or the like on a glass substrate, and a magnetic layer is formed on the underlying layer by simultaneously sputtering a magnetic substance and a non-magnetic substance that does not form a solid solution with the magnetic substance in an atmosphere having a pressure of 30 mTorr to 75 mTorr. The magnetic recording medium comprises clusters, each of which is formed of aggregated magnetic grains, and a non-magnetic substance between the clusters. Each magnetic grain has a grain diameter of 5 nm to 20 nm. An average gap between the clusters is 1.5 nm to 5 nm. Thus, the present invention can provide a magnetic recording medium having a high S/N ratio that is suitable for high density recording.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ryonai, Tatsuaki Ishida, Kiyokazu Tohma, Keizou Miyata, Taizou Hamada
  • Patent number: 6238527
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus for forming a minute thin film at a high depositing rate, which comprises a substrate holding means for holding a substrate, a target holding means for holding a target, a gas supply means for supplying a sputtering gas for sputtering the target into a reaction chamber, and an electric power supply means for supplying an electric power for causing an electric discharge between the target and the substrate, wherein a partition member having a plurality of openings provided between the target and the substrate, and wherein means for supplying a reaction gas and a microwave are provided in a space between the partition member and the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuho Sone, Nobumasa Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6217723
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a multilayer film consisting of a stack of primary soft-magnetic layers and secondary non-magnetic layers on a substrate by way of reactive sputtering, use is made of one type of target at least as regards composition for alternately depositing a primary and a secondary layer, which target is particularly made of an FeHf alloy. For performing a sputtering process, use is preferably made of a gas mixture of Ar and O2 in which the quantity of O2 in the gas mixture is controllable and is smaller for sputtering the soft-magnetic layers than for sputtering the non-magnetic layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Pascal J. H. Bloemen, Wilco Klaassens
  • Patent number: 6217969
    Abstract: A sputtering target disk is provided which is comprised of a sintered silicon carbide having a density of 2.9 g/cm3 or more and obtained by sintering a uniform mixture of a powder of silicon carbide and a nonmetallic auxiliary sintering agent. The sputtering target disk is advantageously used in a sputtering treatment to form thin films with high purity which are suitable for use in various parts of electronic devices. The sputtering target disk exhibits excellent mechanical properties, electric properties, and durability against uneven wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Takahashi, Hiroaki Wada, Akira Satou
  • Patent number: 6214177
    Abstract: A method of producing a silicon aluminum sputtering target is provided. The target is formed from a powder base of between about 80% to about 95% by weight silicon and about 5% to about 20% by weight aluminum which is placed in a containment unit, heated under vacuum and then sealed. The base is then subjected to a pressure greater than about 3000 psi and heated to a temperature between about 1076° F. and about 1652° F. such that some, but not more than 30%, of the resulting target is formed from liquid phase silicon-aluminum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Ultraclad Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph C. Runkle
  • Patent number: 6197471
    Abstract: A new photoreceptor is provided which comprises a conductive substrate and a photoconductive layer of 5 micra or less in thickness on the substrate. The photoreceptor has a dark decay greater than 20 seconds and contains less than 5% total hydrogen. The substrate is selected from the group consisting of alloys of aluminum, chromium, iron, molybdenum, nickel or tungsten. In addition, the substrate can be a nonconductive material, such as plastic, provided with an electrically conductive layer. A new method for making the improved photoreceptor comprises providing a conductive substrate and forming a photoconductive layer of 5 micra or less in thickness on said substrate by depositing an amorphous material containing silicon and hydrogen atoms wherein said substrate has a negative potential between −40 and −100 volts during the forming of said layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Coulter International Corp.
    Inventors: Marshall Donnie Graham, Gary L. Dorer
  • Patent number: 6187151
    Abstract: A method of in-situ cleaning and deposition of device structures in a high density plasma environment. A device structure is located in a reaction chamber containing a sputter target. An ion containing gas located in the reaction chamber is exposed to an RF voltage to generate a high density plasma containing ionized gas particles. The ionized gas particles are accelerated toward the device structure during a cleaning phase. By-products produced during the cleaning phase are either evacuated from the reaction chamber or platted to the chamber walls. Ionized gas particles are then accelerated toward the sputter target during a deposition phase so that a layer of the sputter target material is deposited on at least a portion of the device structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Shane P. Leiphart
  • Patent number: 6184158
    Abstract: A method of depositing a dielectric film on a substrate in a process chamber of an inductively coupled plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition reactor. Gap filling between electrically conductive lines on a semiconductor substrate and depositing a cap layer are achieved. Films having significantly improved physical characteristics including reduced film stress are produced by heating the substrate holder on which the substrate is positioned in the process chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Kevin Shufflebotham, Brian McMillin, Alex Demos, Huong Nguyen, Butch Berney, Monique Ben-Dor
  • Patent number: 6180185
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming a film on a substrate includes a gas inlet and an insert attached to the gas inlet, the insert including a deposition source material such as lithium. To form the film on the substrate, the substrate is mounted in a vacuum chamber. After the vacuum chamber is pumped down to a subatmospheric pressure, a first process gas such as argon is provided through the gas inlet and insert and into a plasma region proximate the substrate. Power is then coupled to generate a plasma inside of the insert which heats the insert and causes the deposition source material to vaporize. The deposition source material vapor is mixed with a plasma polymerizable material in the plasma region proximate the substrate causing a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) thin film such as silicon oxide including the deposition source material (e.g. lithium) to be deposited on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Inventor: John T. Felts
  • Patent number: 6177142
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming a film on a substrate includes a gas inlet and an insert attached to the gas inlet, the insert including a deposition source material such as lithium. To form the film on the substrate, the substrate is mounted in a vacuum chamber. After the vacuum chamber is pumped down to a subatmospheric pressure, a first process gas such as argon is provided through the gas inlet and insert and into a plasma region proximate the substrate. Power is then coupled to generate a plasma inside of the insert which heats the insert and causes the deposition source material to vaporize. The deposition source material vapor is mixed with a plasma polymerizable material in the plasma region proximate the substrate causing a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) thin film such as silicon oxide including the deposition source material (e.g. lithium) to be deposited on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Inventor: John T. Felts
  • Patent number: 6177302
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing thin film field effect transistors is described. The channel region of the transistors is formed by depositing an amorphous semiconductor film in a first sputtering apparatus followed by thermal treatment for converting the amorphous phase to a polycrystalline phase. The gate insulating film is formed by depositing an oxide film in a second sputtering apparatus connected to the first apparatus through a gate valve. The sputtering for the deposition of the amorphous semiconductor film is carried out in an atmosphere comprising hydrogen in order to introduce hydrogen into the amorphous semiconductor film. On the other hand the gate insulating oxide film is deposited by sputtering in an atmosphere comprising oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Hongyong Zhang, Takashi Inushima, Takeshi Fukada
  • Patent number: 6171454
    Abstract: Described is a method for coating surfaces using a facility having sputtering electrodes, which has at least two electrodes that are spaced apart from one another and arranged inside a process chamber, and an inlet for a process gas. The two sputtering electrodes are acted upon by a bipolarly pulsed voltage in such a way that they are alternately operated as cathodes and as anodes. In addition, the frequency of the voltage is set between 1 kHz and 1 MHz. Furthermore, and that the operating parameters are selected in such a way that in operation, the electrodes are at least partially covered by a coating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Weber, Johannes Voigt, Susanne Lucas
  • Patent number: 6171456
    Abstract: The present invention relates to post manufacturing operations for improving the working life of known bonding tools such as capillaries, wedges and single point TAB tools of the type used in the semiconductor industry to make fine wire or TAB finger interconnections. After the desired bonding tool is manufactured to predetermined specifications, dimensions and tolerances, it is placed in a sputtering chamber with hard target material with an ionizing gas. A controlled volume of sputtered hard material is generated at high temperature by plasma ion bombardment and deposited onto the working face of the bonding tool while the tool is held at a temperature that prevents distortion. A very thin amorphous hard layer is bonded onto the working face of the bonding tool which increases the working life of most tools by an order of magnitude and there is no requirement for additional processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Kulicke and Soffa Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Ilan Hadar, Beni Sonnenreich
  • Patent number: 6171457
    Abstract: In the method of fabricating a CRT including a sputtering method for forming an anti-static layer and a spin-coating or spray-coating method for forming an anti-reflection layer on a CRT panel, a method of fabricating a low-resistance, anti-reflection CRT is characterized by applying a silicon oxide (SiO2) coating between the anti-static layer and the anti-reflection layer by a sputtering method. As a result, the CRT has enhanced strength of layers and a low surface resistance. Also, the screen is provided with a charge protection function in the surface, with reflectivity of an external light being mitigated. As a result, it is possible to enhance the contrast characteristics of the screen, to avoid leaving fingerprints on the screen, and also to eliminate unpleasant feeling of static electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Yeoung-Ku Kim