Patents Examined by Anita Alanko
  • Patent number: 9257271
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: accommodating a substrate having an oxide film formed thereon into a processing chamber; supplying a process gas to the substrate; performing a preprocessing step in which the process gas is excited in a state that a pressure within the processing chamber is kept at a first pressure and an electric potential of the substrate is kept at a first electric potential; and performing a main processing step by which the process gas is excited in a state that the pressure within the processing chamber is kept at a second pressure and the electric potential of the substrate is kept at a second electric potential, wherein the first pressure is lower than the second pressure and the first electric potential is lower than the second electric potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventor: Tatsushi Ueda
  • Patent number: 9251934
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a plurality of nanowires, the method including: providing a carrier comprising an exposed surface of a material to be processed and applying a plasma treatment on the exposed surface of the material to be processed to thereby form a plurality of nanowires from the material to be processed during the plasma treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Marko Lemke, Stefan Tegen, Uwe Rudolph
  • Patent number: 9238093
    Abstract: The invention describes a process to remove a recast layer and/or burrs from machining processes to provide a surface of a titanium medical device without dissipation of copper or zinc from the surface of the medical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc
    Inventors: Alan Shi, Bernard Q. Li, Daniel D. Sorensen, Darren A. Janzig
  • Patent number: 9233487
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a photoaligning integrated large area metallic stamp, which includes the following steps: making a unit device PLC mold pattern, and molding a unit PLC device pattern through a multistep imprinting method using the PLC mold pattern; heat treating the unit PLC device pattern to minimize scattering loss due to surface roughness; making a groove pattern for supporting an optical fiber; making an integrated PDMS mold for a unit device by aligning the unit PLC device pattern and the groove pattern; and repeatedly replicating the integrated PDMS mold for a unit device to make a large area PDMS pattern, and making a large area stamp through electroforming using the large area PDMS pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Pusan National University Industry-University Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: Myung Yung Jeong, Seung Hun Oh, Jin Hwa Ryu, Sang Uk Cho, Tae Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 9230825
    Abstract: A method for etching a tungsten containing layer in an etch chamber is provided. A substrate is placed with a tungsten containing layer in the etch chamber. A plurality of cycles is provided. Each cycle comprises a passivation phase for forming a passivation layer on sidewalls and bottoms of features in the tungsten containing layer. Additionally, each cycle comprises an etch phase for etching features in the tungsten containing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Ramkumar Subramanian, Anne Le Gouil, Yoko Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9229285
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a display device that includes a structure formed so as to protrude at least in a normal direction of a first substrate, and an electrode formed in a side wall surface of the structure, the method including: forming a transparent conductive film for the electrode; forming a low-affinity material having a low affinity for a resist film on an upper surface of the transparent conductive film formed in a head surface of the structure; forming a resist film by applying a liquid resist material to an upper layer of the transparent conductive film and then fixing the resist material; forming an opening that exposes the transparent conductive film in the resist film by removing the low-affinity material; etching the transparent conductive film which is a lower layer using the resist film as a protective film; and removing the resist film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
    Inventors: Masanao Yamamoto, Daisuke Sonoda, Osamu Itou, Takato Hiratsuka
  • Patent number: 9216570
    Abstract: A process for producing a liquid ejection head, comprising providing a substrate with an energy-generating element for ejecting liquid and a wiring; forming a flow path wall forming layer containing a negative photosensitive resin on the substrate; exposing a portion to be a flow path wall of the flow path wall forming layer; forming an ejection orifice forming layer containing a negative photosensitive resin on the flow path wall forming layer; applying a material for a water-repellent layer onto the ejection orifice forming layer; drying a solvent contained in the applied material to form the water-repellent layer; exposing another region than a portion to be an ejection orifice of the ejection orifice forming layer and the water-repellent layer; and dissolving and removing the non-exposed portions, wherein the boiling point of the solvent is not more than the drying temperature in the step to form the water-repellent layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keiji Matsumoto, Kazuhiro Asai, Kunihito Uohashi
  • Patent number: 9214335
    Abstract: The present invention describes a process to modify a top portion of a porous ultra low-k (ULK) material in order to maximize porosity filling with a filling material that initially displayed low compatibility with the ULK material. Surface modification is achieved by a plasma treatment, enhancing the compatibility between the ULK surface and the filling material. The invention obtains high filling levels with minimum modification to the ULK material, as only a thin top portion is modified without significant pore sealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert L. Bruce, Geraud J. Dubois, Theo J. Frot, Krystelle Lionti, Teddie P. Magbitang, Willi Volksen
  • Patent number: 9181618
    Abstract: Provided herein is a method including conformally depositing a first layer over a patterned resist; depositing a second, thicker layer over the first layer; etching the second layer to expose the first layer; and patterning a magnetic layer by ion implantation in accordance with the patterned resist to form a patterned magnet layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Michael Feldbaum, Koichi Wago, David Kuo
  • Patent number: 9182673
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for depositing a template for directed self-assembly of a self-assemblable block polymer on a surface of a substrate. The method involves providing a chemical epitaxy pattern of alternating first and second regions having differing chemical affinities for first and second blocks of the polymer on the surface by photolithography, and providing spaced graphoepitaxy features on the surface by photolithography. The chemical epitaxy pattern is aligned with and located between pairs of spaced graphoepitaxy features. The spaced graphoepitaxy features and chemical epitaxy pattern are arranged to act together to direct self-assembly of the self-assemblable block copolymer. The resulting template may be used to direct self-assembly of a suitable self-assemblable polymer and the resulting aligned and oriented self-assembled polymer may itself be used as a resist for lithography of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventor: Sander Frederik Wuister
  • Patent number: 9180519
    Abstract: A three-dimensional nanostructures and a method for fabricating the same, and more particularly to three-dimensional structures of various shapes having high aspect ratio and uniformity in large area and a method of fabricating the same by attaching a target material to the outer surface of patterned polymer structures using an ion bombardment phenomenon occurring during a physical ion etching process to form target material-polymer composite structures, and then removing the polymer from the target material-polymer structures. A three-dimensional nanostructures with high aspect ratio and uniformity can be fabricated by a simple process at low cost by using the ion bombardment phenomenon occurring during physical ion etching. Also, nanostructures of various shapes can be easily fabricated by controlling the pattern and shape of polymer structures. In addition, uniform fine nanostructures having a thickness of 10 nm or less can be formed in a large area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Hee-Tae Jung, Hwan-Jin Jeon, Kyoung-Hwan Kim, Youn-Kyoung Baek
  • Patent number: 9175418
    Abstract: A large area nitride crystal, comprising gallium and nitrogen, with a non-polar or semi-polar large-area face, is disclosed, along with a method of manufacture. The crystal is useful as a substrate for a light emitting diode, a laser diode, a transistor, a photodetector, a solar cell, or for photoelectrochemical water splitting for hydrogen generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Soraa, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark P. D'Evelyn, James S. Speck
  • Patent number: 9165759
    Abstract: An etching composition includes about 1 wt % to about 7 wt % of hydrogen peroxide, about 20 wt % to about 80 wt % of phosphoric acid, about 0.001 wt % to about 1 wt % of an amine or amide polymer, 0 wt % to about 55 wt % of sulfuric acid, and about 10 wt % to about 45 wt % of deionized water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang Won Bae, Yongsun Ko, Byoungho Kwon, Bo yun Kim, Hongjin Kim, Sungoh Park, Kuntack Lee, Hyosan Lee, Sol Han
  • Patent number: 9162514
    Abstract: A method includes producing an article having a substrate with a plurality of independent taggant layers that each include metal oxide nanocrystals doped with at least one Lanthanide element. Each taggant layer includes metal oxide nanocrystals doped with a different Lanthanide element than each other taggant layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Morgana M. Trexler, Dajie Zhang, Lisa A. Kelly, Jennifer L. Sample, John M. Brupbacher
  • Patent number: 9155209
    Abstract: A flex-rigid printed wiring board is provided which can retain flexibility of a flexible portion while increasing durability of the flexible portion against folding, and can ensure conduction in a rigid portion, and a method of manufacturing the printed wiring board. The flex-rigid printed wiring board includes a conductor layer provided on at least one face of a base film, one region of the wiring board containing the base film being a rigid region, an another region containing the base film being a flexible region. The average thickness “tf” of the conductor layer on the base film formed in the flexible region and the average thickness “tR” of the conductor layer on the base film formed in the rigid region satisfy the relationship of tf<tR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignees: DAISHO DENSHI CO., LTD., TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Akihiro Sato, Masahiro Sasaki, Tadahiro Ohmi, Akihiro Morimoto
  • Patent number: 9138977
    Abstract: There is provided a process for forming a laminated structure, the process comprising the step of bonding a polymer film to an array of structures disposed on a substrate, and wherein a plurality of cavities are formed between the polymer film and the array of structures during the bonding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: AGENCY FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH
    Inventors: Jarrett Dumond, Hong Yee Low
  • Patent number: 9139931
    Abstract: A heat exchanger system for use in a directional solidification furnace is disclosed. The heat exchanger includes a plate having a flow path formed in the plate for directing a flow of coolant. The flow path has an inlet positioned adjacent an outlet. A wall separates the inlet and the outlet of the flow path. The heat exchanger includes a cover having an opening in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet of the flow path. An inner conduit is connected to the inlet of the flow path and an outer conduit is connected to the outlet of the flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: MEMC Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Benjamin Michael Meyer, Lee William Ferry
  • Patent number: 9139915
    Abstract: A solution for removing an aluminum oxide film from an aluminum or aluminum alloy surface, which includes a salt or oxide of a metal capable of substituting aluminum, a solubilizing agent for ions of the metal, and an alkali, and which has a pH of 10 to 13.5. The removing solution makes it possible to form a film of the metal derived from the metal salt or oxide contained in the removing solution by dissolving away the oxide film from the aluminum or aluminum alloy surface at a low temperature and a high speed while restraining, as securely as possible, erosion of the aluminum or aluminum alloy surface. The removing solution ensures that even in the case where the thickness of the aluminum or aluminum alloy basis material is very small, the aluminum or aluminum alloy surface can be activated while assuredly leaving the aluminum or aluminum alloy basis material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: C. Uyemura & Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Uchida, Kazuki Yoshikawa, Toshiaki Shibata
  • Patent number: 9114032
    Abstract: A method of making a stent includes a three-dimensional printer receiving a dataset corresponding to a three-dimensional precursor stent. The three-dimensional printer forms a precursor stent. The precursor stent comprises a plurality of bands disposed adjacent to each other, wherein each band comprises a plurality of struts connected by a plurality of crowns, and a plurality of connectors connecting each band to an adjacent band. The precursor stent is processed to remove a selected number of the plurality of connectors between adjacent bands such that at least one connector between each set of adjacent bands is removed. In an embodiment, only one connector remains between each adjacent band after the selected number of connectors have been removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
    Inventor: Syamala Rani Pulugurtha
  • Patent number: 9117652
    Abstract: A method for forming porous metal structures and the resulting structure may include forming a metal structure above a substrate. A masking layer may be formed above the metal structure, and then etched using a reactive ion etching process with a mask etchant and a metal etchant. Etching the masking layer may result in the formation of a plurality of pores in the metal structure. In some embodiments, the metal structure may include a first end region, a second end region, and an intermediate region. Before etching the masking layer, a protective layer may be formed above the first end region and the second end region, so that the plurality of pores is contained within the intermediate region. In some embodiments, the intermediate metal region may be a nanostructure such as a nanowire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yann Astier, Jingwei Bai, Robert L. Bruce, Aaron D. Franklin, Joshua T. Smith