Patents Examined by Norman Morgenstern
  • Patent number: 4910042
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for coating electronic elements in particular semi-conductor wafers, circuit boards and the like are provided where the flow of the gaseous coating material is directed so that a contamination of the elements through deposited remains in the reaction tube from previous coating processes can be largely avoided. In addition, an integrated apparatus for cleaning the coating apparatus with a plasma is provided. In an in-situ cleaning method, a plasma generated with microwaves is fed into the reaction tube and the inner surfaces of the reaction tube are cleaned by dry etching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1990
    Inventor: Jiri Hokynar
  • Patent number: 4908226
    Abstract: A method for depositing metallic lines on an IC chip or mask is described using a focused ion beam (FIB) with a much lower ion dosage than previously required, on the order of 10.sup.14 -10.sup.15 ions/cm.sup.2. A substrate is scanned with the FIB to produce a series of nucleation sites on the substrate surface. These nucleation sites can be in an adlayer or can be produced by lattice damage or sputtering directly in the substrate material. The substrate is then exposed to a source gas containing the material to be deposited, while heated to a temperature slightly less than the spontaneous thermal decomposition temperature of the source gas. This results in a well-defined line of materials being deposited from the source gas along the line defined by the nucleation sites. The ratio of the spontaneous activation energy to the autocatalytic activation energy for the gases is preferably at least about an order of magnitude, and the FIB is preferably moved in multiple scans across the desired line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1990
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Randall L. Kubena, Thomas M. Mayer
  • Patent number: 4908346
    Abstract: Thick film circuit elements are disclosed comprised of an insulative substrate selected from the group consisting of strontium titanate, magnesia, alumina, and aluminum nitride, and providing a conductive path between at least two locations on the substrate, a crystalline rare earth alkaline earth copper oxide layer exhibiting a superconducting onset transition temperature in excess of 77.degree. C. comprised on an R.sub.1 A.sub.2 C.sub.3 crystalline phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1990
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Lauri A. Strom, Edward Carnall, Jr., Steven A. Ferranti, Jose M. Mir
  • Patent number: 4906609
    Abstract: A powder-in-tube method of producing an oxide superconduction wire is disclosed in which a preformed copper oxide superconducting powder is continuously filled into a tube precursor having a U shape cross-section formed from a long strip of metal material. The tube precursor is formed into a tube by bending and welding. The resulting tube is drawn to a reduced cross-section and further heated to sinter the packed powder to form the finished oxide superconducting wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1990
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Inc. Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Yamauchi, Kazuya Ohmatsu, Tetsuya Ishida, Tomoji Gotoh, Syuji Yazu, Tetsuji Jodai
  • Patent number: 4904498
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for controlling or limiting the formation of an oxide layer on a metallic substrate such as nickel or nickel alloy, over which a polymeric plating resist has been placed, then selectively removed by a focussed excimer laser beam applied thereto. The method comprises the steps of applying a carbon-containing polymeric plating resist to a metal substrate having an oxide layer thereon of a thickness between about 20 to 40.ANG.. Thereafter, a selected area of said resist coated metal substrate is subjected to a single shot from an excimer laser to ablate said resist from within said area, wherein the laser energy is absorbed primarily at the metallic substrate and the energy density of the said laser is in excess of that required to ablate so as to produce a thin uniform layer of oxide over said substrate, said oxide layer, principally nickel oxide, having a thickness no greater than about 7.ANG..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventor: Jeff C. Wu
  • Patent number: 4900716
    Abstract: The invention is an after-treatment of a compound oxide type superconducting material by oxygen plasma to improve the superconducting property of the material. The treatment by oxygen plasma is performed while the material is heated at 500.degree. to 1,000.degree. C.The material may have a form of bulky mass or a form of a thin film deposited on a substrate by physical vapor deposition technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Fujita, Hideo Itozaki, Saburo Tanaka, Shuji Yazu, Tetsuji Jodai
  • Patent number: 4900710
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for improving the properties of metal oxide superconductors said process comprising deposition an alkali metal layer having a thickness of less than about three monolayers onto the surface of an oxide superconductor by evaporation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: E. I. DuPont De Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Patrick Soukiassian, Robert V. Kasowski
  • Patent number: 4900583
    Abstract: In a method of producing cast coated paper in which a wet coating layer containing as its main components, pigment and adhesive, is heated to permit a gel state to be formed in the layer, or is dried and then rewetted, and then is pressed against a highly polished finishing surface of a heated drum so as to be provided with a glazed finish.The present invention provides an improvement wherein an apparatus for emitting near-infrared radiations into the wet coating layer is employed as a means for permitting a gel state to be formed in the layer or as a means for drying the wet coating layer. The apparatus emits near-infrared radiations having wave lengths of 0.75 to 2.0 .mu.m at the peak wave length of their range which are directed into the wet coating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: Kanzaki Paper Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Hirabayashi, Mikio Takahashi
  • Patent number: 4897287
    Abstract: A simple method for forming a metallization for an integrated circuit comprises depositing on a silicon substrate a first layer of refractory metal and nitrogen solid mixture and depositing thereon a second layer of refractory metal. The resulting structure is heated to convert the first layer to refractory metal nitride and the second layer to refractory metal silicide by flow of silicon from the substrate. By appropriate masking of the substrate, formation of silicide in the second layer can be blocked, thus permitting formation of self-aligned metallization by selective etching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry R. Berger, Gretchen M. Adema
  • Patent number: 4897378
    Abstract: Cations such as La, Sr, Cu, or Y, Ba, Cu are dissolved in an organic solvent such as ethylene glycol and citric acid. The solution is formed into either a free-standing or supported film which is dried to produce a solid organic polymer. The polymer is then fired in an oxidizing atmosphere (pyrolysis) to obtain the superconducting oxide. It is preferred that the film be spin coated on a substrate to produce uniform coatings of thicknesses less than one micrometer. The resulting superconducting oxide film is fully dense, of controlled microstructure, very homogeneous in composition and suitable for demanding electronic device purposes or as coatings to form superconducting wires or other current carrying components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Yet-Ming Chiang
  • Patent number: 4897282
    Abstract: Thin coatings of normally solid materials are applied to target substrates using an inductively coupled plasma. Particles of the coating material are vaporized by plasma heating, and pass through an orifice to a first vacuum zone in which the particles are accelerated to a velocity greater than Mach 1. The shock wave generated in the first vacuum zone is intercepted by the tip of a skimmer cone that provides a second orifice. The particles pass through the second orifice into a second zone maintained at a higher vacuum and impinge on the target to form the coating. Ultrapure coatings can be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Iowa State University Reserach Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard N. Kniseley, Frederick A. Schmidt, Brian D. Merkle
  • Patent number: 4894257
    Abstract: A tungsten-iridium billet is impregnated with a chemical mixture of barium xide, strontium oxide, and aluminum oxide, the impregnated billet heated, and the surface of the impregnated billet desired for emission exposed to an overcoating of rhodium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1990
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of America
    Inventors: Bernard Smith, Gerard L. Freeman, Louis E. Branovich
  • Patent number: 4892754
    Abstract: There is provided a process for preparing a water absorptive composite material, which comprises the combination of the following steps:(A) applying an aqueous solution of polymerizable monomers comprising as a main component acrylic acid, of which 20% or more of the carboxyl groups have been neutralized to its alkali metal salt or ammonium salt, to a prefabricated fibrous substrate;(B) polymerizing the polymerizable monomers applied to said fibrous substrate to form a composite of a polymer derived from said polymerizable monomers and said fibrous substrate; and(C) irradiating ultraviolet rays onto said composite with its water content being 0.01 to 40 parts by weight per 1 part by weight of said polymer to obtain a water absorptive composite having a lower content of unpolymerized monomers than said composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Petrochemical Company Limited, Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Kiichi Itoh, Takeshi Shibano
  • Patent number: 4892392
    Abstract: Picture display cell, method of forming an orientation layer on a substrate of the picture display cell and monomeric compounds for use in the orientation layer.The picture display cell comprising two transparent plates having an electrode with thereon an orientation layer and a sealing ring between the ends of the plates, a liquid crystalline material being present in the space between the plates and the ring, the orientation layer being formed from a monomer or a low molecular compound which is first oriented in a field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Dirk J. Broer
  • Patent number: 4888204
    Abstract: High purity gold films are photochemically deposited on substrates from the gold containing compound (CH.sub.3).sub.2 Au[CH(COCF.sub.3).sub.2 ]. A vapor of the gold containing organometallic compound, possibly mixed with a carrier gas, is flowed over the surface of the substrate, which is at 0.degree. C. to 160.degree. C., and preferably at ambient temperature. Photodissociation is induced with ultraviolet light, inasmuch as the organometallic compound is strongly absorbing in the range of from about 300 to 340 nanometers. Substantially no organic fragments are deposited upon the surface, so that the deposited gold film is of high purity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1989
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Lee W. Tutt, John E. Jensen
  • Patent number: 4885273
    Abstract: A method of producing a superconducting wire including A-B-C-D system oxide superconductor wherein A is an at least one element of group IIIa of the Periodic Table, B is an at least one alkali earth metal, C includes Cu and D includes O. In the method, a material containing at least one of both A and B is arranged inside or outside an elongated tubular coating layer, which includes a copper alloy and at least the other one, to form a composite element. Then, the composite element undergoes a heat treatment to produce the superconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1989
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Mamoru Sugimoto, Osamu Kohno, Yoshimitsu Ikeno, Nobuyuki Sadakata, Shin'ya Aoki, Mikio Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 4882198
    Abstract: A substrate holder is mounted within the vacuum chamber for carrying at least one substrate; an electrically conductive crucible is positioned within said vacuum chamber and is electrically insulated therefrom but has a low electrical resistance connection therebetween. The crucible is adapted to contain a preselected material for evaporation onto a substrate on the substrate holder. A high voltage electron beam source is positioned within said vacuum chamber in the vicinity of said crucible and includes a high voltage electron gun and a deflection magnet system arranged for bending electrons from said gun into said crucible for evaporating the preselected material therein, the magnet system forms a magnet field of prearranged characteristics in the region above said crucible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1989
    Assignee: Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Temple, Richard I. Seddon, Kim L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 4880770
    Abstract: A metalorganic deposition method is disclosed for manufacturing a superconducting oxide film on a substrate, in which a mixed metalorganic precursor is coated and heated to its thermal decomposition temperature to create an amorphous mixed metal oxide layer. The amorphous layer is then converted to a crystalline coating by further heating followed by cooling in the presence of O.sub.2 atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1989
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Jose M. Mir, John A. Agostinelli, David L. Peterson, Gustavo R. Paz-Pujalt, Brian J. Higberg, Gopalan Rajeswaran
  • Patent number: 4880475
    Abstract: Disclosed are optically transmissive conductors, particulary resistive electrodes for optical devices such as electroluminescent lamps and displays, comprising a thin layer of indium tin oxide (ITO) stabilized by a layer of a metal oxide, such as palladium oxide or nickel oxide. In the disclosed method, a thin layer of conductive ITO is coated with a metal layer and then oxidized by heating in air to 500.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1989
    Assignee: Quantex Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph Lindmayer
  • Patent number: 4879186
    Abstract: Photoluminescent materials useful for detection of infrared light are prepared using a base material, first and second dopants and a fusible salt. The base material is an alkaline earth metal sulfide such as calcium sulfide. Lithium fluoride is used to enhance the interdiffusion of materials. Samarium and a europium compound are used as the first and second dopants for providing electron traps. The photoluminescent material is made according to a process involving heating of the material to a fusing temperature, grinding the material after cooling, and reheating the material to below the fusing temperature, but sufficiently high to repair the crystal surfaces. The material is then placed in a transparent binder and applied to a substrate, or deposited as a thin film directly on a substrate for different uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1989
    Assignee: Quantex Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph Lindmayer