Patents Examined by Marianne L Padgett
  • Patent number: 9758873
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a magnetic recording medium which includes a magnetic layer, a lower protective layer, an upper protective layer and a lubricating layer on a substrate, and in which the total film thickness of the lower protective layer and the upper protective layer is 2.5 nm or less, includes: 1) depositing the lower protective layer; 2) performing oxygen plasma treatment on the lower protective layer; 3) depositing the upper protective layer; and 4) performing nitrogen plasma treatment on the upper protective layer. It is preferable that the lower protective layer and the upper protective layer are formed of a carbon-based material, and it is further more preferable that the lower protective layer and the upper protective layer are formed of diamond-like carbon. Moreover, it is preferable that the contact angle of the lower protective layer with respect to water in the atmosphere is 25° or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Narumi Sato, Akiyasu Kumagai, Tomonori Katano, Katsumi Taniguchi, Hiromi Ono
  • Patent number: 9711263
    Abstract: A method comprising: providing a transparent electrically conductive film comprising: a transparent substrate (14); a composite layer (18) comprising: an electrically conductive layer disposed on at least a portion of a major surface of the transparent substrate (14) and comprising a plurality of interconnecting metallic nanowires (12); and a polymeric overcoat layer disposed on a portion of the electrically conductive layer, to provide a coated area of the electrically conductive layer; and patternwise exposing the coated area of the electrically conductive layer to a corona discharge to provide a patternwise exposed electrically conductive film comprising (1) an un exposed region (122) of the coated region having a first electrical resistivity, and (2) an exposed region (121) having a second electrical resistivity; wherein the exposed region is less electrically conductive than the unexposed region, and wherein there is a ratio of the second electrical resistivity over the first electrical resistivity of at
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Mark J. Pellerite, Seth M. Kirk, Hyacinth L. Lechuga
  • Patent number: 9701849
    Abstract: By using a coating method, which is a simple method of manufacturing a transparent conductive film at low cost, a transparent conductive film formed with heating at a low temperature, in particular, lower than 300° C. with both of excellent transparency and conductivity and also with excellent film strength and a method of manufacturing this transparent conductive film are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaya Yukinobu, Takahito Nagano, Yoshihiro Otsuka
  • Patent number: 9697856
    Abstract: A method of forming a near field transducer (NFT), the method including the steps of depositing a primary material; and implanting a secondary element, wherein both the primary material and the secondary element are chosen such that the primary material is densified via implantation of the secondary element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Techology LLC
    Inventors: Sethuraman Jayashankar, Sarbeswar Sahoo
  • Patent number: 9660111
    Abstract: Luminescent materials and methods of forming such materials are described herein. A method of forming a luminescent material includes: (1) providing a source of A and X, wherein A is selected from at least one of elements of Group 1, and X is selected from at least one of elements of Group 17; (2) providing a source of B, wherein B is selected from at least one of elements of Group 14; (3) subjecting the source of A and X and the source of B to vacuum deposition to form a precursor layer over a substrate; (4) forming an encapsulation layer over the precursor layer to form an assembly of layers; and (5) heating the assembly of layers to a temperature Theat to form a luminescent material within the precursor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: OMNIPV, INC.
    Inventors: Nemanja Vockic, Jian Jim Wang, William Pfenninger, John Kenney
  • Patent number: 9637819
    Abstract: Methods for depositing cobalt in features of a substrate include providing a substrate to a process chamber, the substrate having a first surface, a feature formed in the first surface comprising an opening defined by one or more sidewalls, a bottom surface, and upper corners, and the substrate having a first layer formed atop the first surface and the opening, wherein a thickness of the first layer is greater proximate the upper corners of the opening than at the sidewalls and bottom of the opening; exposing the substrate to a plasma formed from a silicon-containing gas to deposit a silicon layer predominantly onto a portion of the first layer atop the first surface of the substrate; and depositing a cobalt layer atop the substrate to fill the opening, wherein the silicon layer inhibits deposition of cobalt on the portion of the first layer atop the first surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Bhushan N. Zope, Avgerinos V. Gelatos
  • Patent number: 9604877
    Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to an improved method of strengthening glass substrates (e.g., soda lime silica glass substrates). In certain examples, a glass substrate may be chemically strengthened by creating an electric field within the glass. In certain cases, the chemical tempering may be performed by surrounding the substrate by a plasma including certain ions, such as Li+, K+, Mg2+, and/or the like. In some cases, these ions may be forced into the glass substrate due to the half-cycles of the electric field generated by the electrodes that formed the plasma. This may advantageously chemically strengthen a glass substrate on a substantially reduced time scale. In other example embodiments, an electric field may be set in a float bath such that sodium ions are driven from the molten glass ribbon into the tin bath, which may advantageously result in a stronger glass substrate with reduced sodium content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Vijayen S. Veerasamy, Xuequn Hu, Glenn A. Cerny
  • Patent number: 9556525
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a (shaped) ceramic or glass-ceramic article, involving the steps of: (a) providing a powder or a powder mixture comprising ceramic or glass-ceramic material, (b) depositing a layer of said powder or powder mixture on a surface, (d) heating at least one region of said layer by means of an energy beam or a plurality of energy beams to a maximum temperature such that at least a part of said ceramic or glass-ceramic material in said at least one region is melted and (e) cooling said at least one region of said layer so that at least part of the material melted in step (d) is solidified, such that the layer is joined with said surface in said at least one region. The invention also relates to ceramic or glass-ceramic articles and their use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignees: BEGO BREMER GOLDSCHLAEGEREI WILH, HERBST GMBH & CO. KG, NEDERLANDSE ORGANISATIE VOOR TOEGEPAST NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK TNO INNALOX BV, FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNGE E.V.
    Inventors: Stephan Dierkes, Anne Jans Faber, Jan Wilkes, Mark P. M. Welters, Wilhelm Meiners, Konrad Wissenbach
  • Patent number: 9553253
    Abstract: A lower electrode and an adhesive layer made of an insulator are formed on a back surface on the ion implantation layer side of a piezoelectric single crystal substrate. A supporting substrate in which sacrificial layers made of a conductive material have been formed is bonded to the surface of the adhesive layer. By heating the composite body including the piezoelectric single crystal substrate, the lower electrode, the adhesive layer, and the supporting substrate, a layer of the piezoelectric single crystal substrate is detached to form a piezoelectric thin film. A liquid polarizing upper electrode is formed on a detaching interface of the piezoelectric thin film. A pulsed electric field is applied using the polarizing upper electrode and the sacrificial layers as counter electrodes. Consequently, the piezoelectric thin film is polarized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Iwamoto, Hajime Kando
  • Patent number: 9527109
    Abstract: A coating process and coated article are disclosed. The coating process includes positioning an article relative to an inductor, heating the article with the inductor, then applying a coating material over the article to form a crystalline coating. The heating of the article increases a first temperature of a surface of the article to a second temperature favoring crystal formation. Another coating process includes positioning an article, uniformly heating a surface of the article to a second temperature favoring crystal formation, then applying an environmental barrier coating material over the surface of the article to form a crystalline environmental barrier coating. The application of the environmental barrier coating is performed through air plasma spray deposition. The coated article includes an article having a complex geometry, and a crystalline coating applied on a surface of the article. The crystalline coating includes increased resistant to delamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Joshua Lee Margolies, Theodore Robert Grossman
  • Patent number: 9512334
    Abstract: Provided are a modified polysilazane film that is preferable as an intermediate material for forming a predetermined gas barrier film, and a method for producing a gas barrier film having excellent gas barrier properties using such modified polysilazane film as an intermediate material. A modified polysilazane film comprising a substrate and a modified polysilazane layer formed thereon, and a method for producing a gas barrier film obtained through such intermediate material, wherein the modified polysilazane layer has a thickness of a value in the range of 10 to 500 nm, and the modified polysilazane layer has a refractive index of a value in the range of 1.48 to 1.63.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: LINTEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Naganawa, Yuta Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9508375
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming substrates having magnetically patterned surfaces is provided. A magnetic layer comprising one or more materials having magnetic properties is formed on the substrate. The magnetic layer is subjected to a patterning process in which selected portions of the surface of the magnetic layer are altered such that the altered portions have different magnetic properties from the non-altered portions without changing the topography of the substrate. A protective layer and a lubricant layer are deposited over the patterned magnetic layer. The patterning is accomplished through a number of alternative processes that expose substrates to energy of varying forms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Majeed A. Foad, Nir Merry
  • Patent number: 9487437
    Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to substrates or assemblies having laser-fused frits, and/or methods of making the same. In certain example embodiments, a pattern is formed or written on a stock glass sheet by laser fusing frit material to the glass sheet. An optional thin film coating is disposed on and supported by the stock glass sheet. The stock glass sheet with the pattern and the optional thin film coating is cut prior to heat treatment (e.g., heat strengthening and/or thermal tempering). A YAG or other type of laser source may be used to directly or indirectly heat the frit material, which may be wet applied to the substrate. In certain instances, the laser firing of the frit raises the temperature of the glass substrate to no more than 100 degrees C. and, preferably, the temperature is kept even lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventor: Matthew S. Walp
  • Patent number: 9455147
    Abstract: Methods of implanting boron-containing ions using fluorinated boron-containing dopant species that are more readily cleaved than boron trifluoride. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including implanting boron-containing ions using fluorinated boron-containing dopant species that are more readily cleaved than boron trifluoride. Also disclosed are a system for supplying a boron hydride precursor, and methods of forming a boron hydride precursor and methods for supplying a boron hydride precursor. In one implementation of the invention, the boron hydride precursors are generated for cluster boron implantation, for manufacturing semiconductor products such as integrated circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: ENTEGRIS, INC.
    Inventors: W. Karl Olander, Jose I. Arno, Robert Kaim
  • Patent number: 9453334
    Abstract: A method for producing a low-emissivity layer system includes the steps of forming at least one low emissivity layer on at least one side of the substrate by deposition, and subsequent brief tempering of a deposited low emissivity layer by electromagnetic radiation, avoiding an immediate heating up of the substrate. A device for performing the method includes a flash lamp arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: VON ARDENNE GMBH
    Inventors: Harald Gross, Udo Willkommen
  • Patent number: 9424873
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic recording medium 100 that includes forming a magnetic recording layer 122 on a disk base 110, then forming a resist layer 130 on the magnetic recording layer, and a patterning step of processing the resist layer so as to vary the thickness of the resist layer partially, thereby forming a predetermined pattern having a recessed part and a projected part. Finally, the method includes implanting ions into a plurality of layers including the magnetic recording layer with the resist layer interposed. At the ion implanting step, (1) one or more of said plurality of layers to be implanted with ions is determined by selectively applying an energy amount to implant ions, and (2) a total amount of ions to be implanted into each of said one or more of said plurality of layers is determined by selectively applying said energy amount for a respective time period for said one or more of said plurality of layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: WD Media (Singapore) Pte. Ltd
    Inventors: Masanori Aniya, Yoshiaki Sonobe
  • Patent number: 9422189
    Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to substrates or assemblies having laser-fused fits, and/or methods of making the same. In certain example embodiments, a pattern is formed or written on a stock glass sheet by laser fusing frit material to the glass sheet. An optional thin film coating is disposed on and supported by the stock glass sheet. The stock glass sheet with the pattern and the optional thin film coating is cut prior to heat treatment (e.g., heat strengthening and/or thermal tempering). A YAG or other type of laser source may be used to directly or indirectly heat the frit material, which may be wet applied to the substrate. In certain instances, the laser firing of the frit raises the temperature of the glass substrate to no more than 100 degrees C. and, preferably, the temperature is kept even lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventor: Matthew S. Walp
  • Patent number: 9404178
    Abstract: A method of forming a dielectric layer is described. The method first deposits a silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing (polysilazane) layer by radical-component chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer is formed by combining a radical precursor (excited in a remote plasma) with an unexcited carbon-free silicon precursor. A silicon oxide capping layer may be formed from a portion of the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer to avoid time-evolution of underlying layer properties prior to conversion into silicon oxide. Alternatively, the silicon oxide capping layer is formed over the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer. Either method of formation involves the formation of a local plasma within the substrate processing region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jingmei Liang, Xiaolin Chen, Nitin K. Ingle, Shankar Venkataraman
  • Patent number: 9394481
    Abstract: A new method to control the iridescence color of solid nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) films by ultrasound and high-shear (mechanical) energy input to the NCC suspension prior to film formation is provided. As the energy input to the NCC suspension increases, the resulting film color shifts from the ultraviolet region towards the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum; this wavelength shift lies in the opposite direction to that caused by the addition of electrolytes to NCC suspensions prior to film formation. No additives are required to achieve the changes in color; color changes can also be effected by mixing two suspensions exposed to different levels of sonication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: FPINNOVATIONS
    Inventors: Stephanie Beck, Jean Bouchard, Richard Berry
  • Patent number: 9337470
    Abstract: A method of drying casted slurries that includes calculating drying conditions from an experimental model for a cast slurry and forming a cast film. An infrared heating probe is positioned on one side of the casted slurry and a thermal probe is positioned on an opposing side of the casted slurry. The infrared heating probe may control the temperature of the casted slurry during drying. The casted slurry may be observed with an optical microscope, while applying the drying conditions from the experimental model. Observing the casted slurry includes detecting the incidence of micro-structural changes in the casted slurry during drying to determine if the drying conditions from the experimental model are optimal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: UT-BATTELLE, LLC
    Inventors: Beth L. Armstrong, Claus Daniel, Jane Y. Howe, James O. Kiggans, Jr., Adrian S. Sabau, David L. Wood, III, Sergiy Kalnaus