Patents Assigned to Unaxis Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
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Patent number: 6821397Abstract: A method for controlling plasma density distribution over a target of a magnetron sputter source has at least one electron trap generated with a magnetic field over the target. The field forms a closed circulating loop and, viewed in cross section, has a tunnel shape. Due to the loop of the tunnel-shaped magnetic field as well as of an electric field that is at an angle to it and which is generated between an anode and the target acting as the cathode, an electron current is formed, which forms along and in the loop current loop. In a region along the loop of the magnetic field, the field conditions are locally varied under control. With changes of field conditions, the component of the loop electron current is varied which is anodically coupled out of the loop.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2002Date of Patent: November 23, 2004Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventor: Siegfried Krassnitzer
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Patent number: 6818108Abstract: A vacuum chamber for transporting at least one workpiece has two or more openings defining respective opening areas for treating or handling the at least one workpiece. A transport device is arranged relative to the openings and includes a drive shaft rotatable around a drive shaft rotational axis. Two or more conveyors transport at least one workpiece. A linear driver is operationally independent to linearly move respective ones of the two or more conveyors relative to the drive shaft, with a drive component in a radial direction relative to the axis. An obstructing member is provided for closing the openings when one of the conveyors is positioned adjacent to the openings by rotating the transport device and is moved by the linear drive towards the opening.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2001Date of Patent: November 16, 2004Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventor: Roman Schertler
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Patent number: 6814838Abstract: The invention relates to a vacuum treatment chamber for work pieces which comprises at least one induction coil for at least co-generating a treatment plasma in a discharge chamber which is located in the interior of the coil. It also comprises a screen which is arranged between the discharge chamber and the coil, and which is coaxial in relation to the axis of the coil. The screen comprises slots which have a directional component which is parallel to the coil axis. The screen is formed by a self-contained body. The slots are provided along at least the main part of the body's circumference in a slot density per circumferential length unit of S=(number of slots)/cm equaling 0.5≦S.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2001Date of Patent: November 9, 2004Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventor: Juergen Weichart
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Patent number: 6790482Abstract: An arrangement and method orients the magnetization direction of magnetic layers on a plate shaped substrate on a mounting. The mounting defines a positioning plane for the substrate and a magnet arrangement is on one side of the positioning plane. The magnet arrangement has at least three electromagnets whose dipole axes are at least approximately parallel to the positioning plane and, viewed perpendicularly to the positioning plane, define a closed surface.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2003Date of Patent: September 14, 2004Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventor: Wolfram Maass
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Patent number: 6781765Abstract: A projector arrangement has a light-splitting and recombining device that divides white light into red, green and blue light output at respective surfaces, and recombines red, green and blue light input to these respective. A transparent base body of the arrangement contains a layer of a material with lower refractive index and at least one layer of a material with higher refractive index. The lower refractive index is selected so that 1.7≦NLS≦2.1 and the refractive index of the transparent base body is selected so that 1.52≧NK≧1.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2002Date of Patent: August 24, 2004Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventors: Johannes Edlinger, Claus Heine
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Patent number: 6776881Abstract: For optimizing the yield of atomized-off material on a magnetron atomization source, a process space, on the source side, is predominantly walled by the atomization surface of the target body. The magnetron atomization source has a target body with a mirror-symmetrical, concavely constructed atomization surface with respect to at least one plane and a magnetic circuit arrangement operable to generate a magnetic field over the atomization surface. The magnetic circuit arrangement includes an anode arrangement, a receiving frame which extends around an edge of the target body and is electrically insulated with respect thereto. The receiving frame has a receiving opening for at least one workpiece to be coated. The magnetron source can be used to provide storage disks, such as CDs, with an atomization coating.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2002Date of Patent: August 17, 2004Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventors: Pius Gruenenfelder, Hans Hirscher, Urs Schwendener, Walter Haag
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Patent number: 6776882Abstract: Method for producing hybrid disks has a first substrate that is transparent in a given spectral band. A layer system that is semi-transparent in the given band succeeds the first substrate and is followed by a further substrate that is transparent in the given band. Next, is a reflection layer system which is in the semi-transparent layer system and is deposited by a vacuum coating method of identical type. The first substrate is covered by a moisture protection layer system that is transparent in the given spectral band and has at least one layer deposited by a vacuum coating method of identical type.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2001Date of Patent: August 17, 2004Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventor: Martin Dubs
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Publication number: 20040145706Abstract: A spectral light division and recombination configuration and method has an incident face for light to be divided and at least one emergent face for recombined light. A spectrally selective light division system selectively separates light of a first spectral range from light of a second and of a third spectral range left combined. A recombining system recombining light of the first spectral range with light of the second and third spectral ranges are also included and the first spectral range is green light and is spectrally located between the second and the third spectral ranges.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2004Publication date: July 29, 2004Applicant: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventor: Claus Heine
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Patent number: 6761772Abstract: In order to ensure uniform coating of workpieces, workpiece holders carrying said workpieces are rotatably mounted at the edge of a turntable, a plurality of which are fastened in succession at adjustable distances to a drivable shaft. In order to trigger intermittent rotations of the workpiece holders, a driver finger of a driving device engages in each case a drive wheel thereof on each revolution of the turntable, so that the workpiece holders are rotated relative to the turntable through a specific angle in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of said turntable. In order that no readjustment of the driver finger is required, for example in the case of a change of distances between the turntables, said driver finger is fastened to an extension of a rotating ring, which is mounted on the turntable itself so as to be non-displaceable in the direction of the shaft but rotatable about said shaft.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2002Date of Patent: July 13, 2004Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventors: Laurent Giacri, Anton Kunz
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Publication number: 20040096583Abstract: A method for manufacturing workpieces treated in a vacuum includes providing first and second vacuum chambers having first and second vacuum pumps, respectively. A vacuum is generated in the first and second vacuum chambers using the second vacuum pump. The second vacuum pump is connected by valves between the first vacuum chamber through the first vacuum pump and the second vacuum chamber. The valves are operated to evacuate the second vacuum chamber, followed by processing the workpieces in the first vacuum chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2003Publication date: May 20, 2004Applicant: Unaxis Balzers Aktiengesellschaft of Balzers, Liechtenstein.Inventors: Franz Josef Schaefer, Helfried Weinzerl
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Publication number: 20040087150Abstract: A method for manufacturing structural elements provides a first part with a surface that is substantially copper and a second part with a surface of a metal. The surface of the first part is coated with a hard layer which is stable at a temperature of at least 80° C. and which, at this temperature, forms an oxygen diffusion barrier when exposed to ambient. The layer has a barrier effect similar to that of an aluminum oxide layer formed in a standard environment on aluminum. The surfaces are connected to each other by bonding with heating to at least 80° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2003Publication date: May 6, 2004Applicant: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventor: Jurgen Ramm
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Patent number: 6730194Abstract: Method for manufacturing two disk-shaped workpieces using a sputter station includes providing a load-lock chamber and a sputtering source with a sputter surface. A transport chamber interlinks the chamber and source at an opening from the transport chamber to the load-lock chamber and at an opening from the transport chamber to the sputtering source. These openings are opposite each other. A rotatable transport arrangement in the transport chamber rotates around an axis extending between the openings and can carry only two workpieces at a time. The transport arrangement has an extendable/retractable arm arranged radially with respect to the axis. The arm is workpiece carrier to the two disk-shaped workpieces.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2002Date of Patent: May 4, 2004Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventor: Roman Schertler
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Patent number: 6703081Abstract: Vacuum treatment installation with a vacuum treatment chamber containing a plasma discharge configuration as well as a gas supply configuration. The plasma discharge configuration has at least two plasma beam discharge configurations with substantially parallel discharge axes and a deposition configuration is positioned along a surface which extends at predetermined distances from the beam axes and along a substantial section of the longitudinal extent of the discharge beam.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2002Date of Patent: March 9, 2004Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventors: Johann Karner, Mauro Pedrazzini
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Patent number: 6685994Abstract: Method for coating workpieces generates a beam of a plasma in an evacuated container. A region of highest plasma density is at the beam axis and workpieces having surfaces to be coated, are radially offset from, and extend along the axis with the surfaces facing the axis and being in the container. Fresh reactive gas is inlet into the container and consumed gas is removed from the container. Coating material is deposited upon the surfaces with a deposition rate of at least 400 nm/min and at a maximum temperature of the surfaces being 550° C.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2002Date of Patent: February 3, 2004Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventors: Johann Karner, Mauro Pedrazzini, Christoph Hollenstein, David Franz
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Publication number: 20040003992Abstract: Coating apparatus for disk-shaped workpieces has a transport chamber with a workpiece transport configuration having two linearly driven transport rams connected to a rotational axis. The rams are within shell lines of a rotation body about the axis and are extended/retracted in the same direction as the axis. A workpiece receiver is at the ends of each ram and two operating openings communicate the transport chamber with stations of the apparatus including a coating station. Surface normals of the openings are in the direction of shell lines. A pump with pump opening communicates with the transport chamber and coating station. At least one of the rams has a closure for closing the pump opening and forming a seal therefor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2003Publication date: January 8, 2004Applicant: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventor: Thomas Matt
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Patent number: 6673255Abstract: An apparatus for plasma treating workpieces in vacuum comprises a stack of plasma chambers (20). Handling of workpieces to and from the plasma chambers of the stack is performed in parallelism by one handling device and through lateral handling openings of the plasma chambers. The handling device is rotatable around an axis parallel to the handling openings of the plasma chambers and comprises transport means simultaneously movable radially with respect to the axis of rotation towards and from the handling openings.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2001Date of Patent: January 6, 2004Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventors: Alexander Marxer, Andreas Meyerhans, Fredy Zuend
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Patent number: 6669987Abstract: A lock chamber (1) is isolated from the environment (U) by a lock-valve (3) and from a vacuum chamber configuration (7) by a lock valve (5). A turbo vacuum pump (13) acts upon the vacuum chamber configuration (7). An additional pump (9/15) is switchably (17) connected downstream from the pump, which switchably operates either as a prevacuum pump for the turbo vacuum pump (13) or as lock chamber pump.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2002Date of Patent: December 30, 2003Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventors: Franz Josef Schaefer, Helfried Weinzerl
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Patent number: 6669170Abstract: A vacuum valve comprising valve housing (1), a continuous line (3) in the valve housing (1) the conductance of which is to be set; a movably supported valve body (5) extending into the line (3) and having a position (H) which defines a conductance through line (3). A setting device (11) is connected to the valve body (5) and having a setting displacement. Locally offset snap-in devices (22; 29, 30) along this setting displacement and effective for snap receiving the setting device (11) for setting displacement positions, the snapping-in at each of the snap-in devices (22; 29, 30) being releasable again by increasing a driving force acting on the setting device (11).Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2001Date of Patent: December 30, 2003Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventors: Heinz-Hermann Kersken, Willy Maurer
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Patent number: 6656330Abstract: A method for manufacturing a coated substrate disk, comprises linearly bringing the substrate on a mounting, into an evacuated transport chamber and rotating the mounting in the chamber. The mounting is then extended into a coating position and coating of the substrate takes place. The mounting is then linearly retracted into the chamber again and rotated into a position for guiding the substrate out of the chamber. These steps are repeated for several substrates and then a pump opening into the chamber is closed by means of the mounting or the substrate. The chamber is then flooded and vacuum-tightly closed and the pump opening is released. The chamber is evacuated and the substrate moving and coating steps are repeated for more substrates.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2001Date of Patent: December 2, 2003Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventor: Thomas Matt
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Publication number: 20030209424Abstract: A method of manufacturing a coated workpiece utilizes a target made of an alloy which is substantially a one phase. Coating is achieved by cathodic arc evaporation of the target in an oxygen atmosphere.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2003Publication date: November 13, 2003Applicant: Unaxis Balzers AktiengesellschaftInventors: Hans Brandle, Erich Bergmann