Patents Examined by Robert Kunemund
  • Patent number: 7354477
    Abstract: A low dislocation density GaN single crystal substrate is made by forming a seed mask having parallel stripes regularly and periodically aligning on an undersubstrate, growing a GaN crystal on a facet-growth condition, forming repetitions of parallel facet hills and facet valleys rooted upon the mask stripes, maintaining the facet hills and facet valleys, producing voluminous defect accumulating regions (H) accompanying the valleys, yielding low dislocation single crystal regions (Z) following the facets, making C-plane growth regions (Y) following flat tops between the facets, gathering dislocations on the facets into the valleys by the action of the growing facets, reducing dislocations in the low dislocation single crystal regions (Z) and the C-plane growth regions (Y), and accumulating the dislocations in cores (S) or interfaces (K) of the voluminous defect accumulating regions (H).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kensaku Motoki, Ryu Hirota, Takuji Okahisa, Seiji Nakahata
  • Patent number: 7351282
    Abstract: Cutting method of ingot into wafers along cleavage plane. Onto surface of single crystal ingot 10 is implanted ion beam 23 to generate lattice defects in a direction defined by the crystal axes that corresponds to the cleavage plane. Cleavage is generated by applying a shock by a knife edge to the position of the lattice having a cutting face as a cleavage plane. Production time of waters is reduced with a more numbers of sliced wafers from one ingot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Y.Y.L.
    Inventor: Sataro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7351284
    Abstract: A production method of the present invention includes: a process of bringing a solution 12 and a second solvent 13 into contact with each other so that a liquid-liquid interface 14 is formed therebetween, where the solution 12 includes a first solvent containing a benzene derivative (A) whose content is at least 50 wt. % and fullerene dissolved in the first solvent, and the second solvent 13 has a lower solubility of the fullerene than that of the first solvent; and a process of allowing the solution 12 and the second solvent 13 to be mixed together through counter diffusion of the solution 12 and the second solvent 13 to deposit crystals of the fullerene. The benzene derivative (A) is at least one benzene derivative selected from the group consisting of a benzene derivative in which at least two hydrogen atoms of a benzene ring have been substituted, halogenated benzene, and alkoxybenzene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited
    Inventor: Tetsuro Yoshii
  • Patent number: 7351286
    Abstract: A method of producing a high quality bulk single crystal of silicon carbide in a seeded growth system is disclosed. The method includes positioning the seed crystal in a crucible while exerting minimal torsional forces on the seed crystal to thereby prevent torsional forces from warping or bowing the seed crystal in a manner that that would otherwise encourage sublimation from the rear of the seed crystal or undesired thermal differences across the seed crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Tyler Leonard, Adrian Powell, Stephan Georg Mueller, Valeri F. Tsvetkov
  • Patent number: 7351285
    Abstract: A method and system for forming a variable thickness seed layer on a substrate for a subsequent metal electrochemical plating process, where the seed layer thickness profile improves uniformity of the electroplated metal layer compared to when using a constant thickness seed layer. The method includes providing a substrate in a process chamber containing a showerhead, with the center of the substrate generally aligned with an inner gas delivery zone of the showerhead and the edge of the substrate generally aligned with an outer gas delivery zone of the showerhead. The method further includes depositing a seed layer on the substrate by exposing the substrate to a first gas containing a metal-containing precursor flowed through the inner gas delivery zone, and exposing the substrate to a second gas flowed through the outer gas delivery zone, whereby the seed layer is deposited with a thickness at the edge of the substrate that is less than the thickness at the center of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Tsukasa Matsuda
  • Patent number: 7347897
    Abstract: A crystallization apparatus of the present invention irradiates a non-single-crystal semiconductor film with a luminous flux having a predetermined light intensity distribution to crystallize the film, and comprises a phase modulation device comprising a plurality of unit areas which are arranged in a certain period and which mutually have substantially the same pattern, and an optical image forming system disposed between the phase modulation device and the non-single-crystal semiconductor film. The unit area of the phase modulation device has a reference face having a certain phase, a first area disposed in the vicinity of a center of each unit area and having a first phase difference with respect to the reference face, and a second area disposed in the vicinity of the first area and having substantially the same phase difference as that of the first phase difference with respect to the reference face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Advanced LCD Technologies Development Center Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoya Kato, Masakiyo Matsumura, Yukio Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 7344595
    Abstract: The method for producing single crystals includes drying crystal raw material by removing water, reaction of impurities with a scavenger, preferably a metal halide, and homogenizing the melt. The method is performed with the raw material in a melt vessel with a variable-sized through-going opening, in which drying occurs at 100° C. to 600° C. for at least 20 hours with a geometric conductance value for the through-going opening of 2.00 to 30.00 mm2; the reacting occurs at 600° C. to 1200° C. for at least nine hours with a geometric conductance value of 0.0020 to 0.300 mm2 and the homogenizing occurs at above 1400° C. for at least six hours with a geometric conductance value of 0.25 to 1.1 mm2. Alternatively the geometric conductance value is the same during drying, reacting and homogenizing and takes a value between 0.25 and 1 mm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Joerg Kandler, Lutz Parthier, Thomas Kaufhold, Gunther Wehrhan, Clemens Kunisch
  • Patent number: 7344598
    Abstract: A rotationally-vibrated unidirectional solidification crystal growth system comprises a furnace, a crucible, a rotational-vibration device including a mounting holder, a motor and a vibrating apparatus. The furnace contains a high temperature portion, a thermal isolation portion and a low temperature portion. The crucible connected to the rotational-vibration device within the furnace has a seed well down to a crystal growth arena. The crystal is grown as the ambient temperature profile moving from high to low, which can be achieved through a relative movement between the furnace and the crucible. That is either the furnace or the crucible is undergoing a top-down movement. The rotational-vibration device offers the crucible the required rotation and angular vibration, with a vibrating frequency no less than 0.2 Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: National Taiwan University
    Inventors: Chune-Wen Lan, Wan-Chin Yu
  • Patent number: 7338554
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for synthesizing nanorods of a carbide of one metal M1 on a substrate, which comprises: a) the deposition, on the substrate, of a layer of nanocrystals of oxide of the metal M1 and nanocrystals of oxide of at least one metal M2 different from metal M1, the M1 metal oxide nanocrystals being dispersed within this layer; b) the reduction of the M1 and M2 metal oxide nanocrystals into corresponding metal nanocrystals; and c) the selective growth of the M1 metal nanocrystals. The invention also relates to a process for growing nanorods of a carbide of one metal M1 on a substrate from nanocrystals of this metal, to the substrates thus obtained and to their applications: fabrication of Microsystems provided with chemical or biological functionalities, in particular the fabrication of biosensors; electron emission sources, for example for flat television or computer screens; etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Marc Delaunay, Francoise Vinet
  • Patent number: 7335258
    Abstract: Methods of forming a microelectronic structure are described. Embodiments of those methods include attaching at least one functional group to a chondroitin sulfate molecule, and then attaching the at least one functional group to a carbon nanotube, wherein the carbon nanotube is made soluble in a solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Yuegang Zhang, Robert J. Chen
  • Patent number: 7335261
    Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus for forming a semiconductor film having an excellent crystallinity from a non-single crystal semiconducting layer formed on a base layer made of an insulating material. The apparatus includes a light source, a homogenizer for homogenizing an intensity distribution of the emitted light, an amplitude-modulation means for performing the amplitude-modulation such that the amplitude of the light, of which the intensity distribution is homogenized, is increased in the direction of the relative motion of the light to the base layer, an optional light projection optical system for projecting the amplitude-modulated light onto the surface of the non-single crystal semiconductor such that a predetermined irradiation energy can be obtained, a phase shifter for providing a low temperature point in the surface irradiated by the light, and a substrate stage to move the light relative to the substrate thereby enabling scanning in the X and Y axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Ekisho Sentan Gijutsu Kaihatsu Center
    Inventors: Masakiyo Matsumura, Mikihiko Nishitani, Yoshinobu Kimura, Masayuki Jyumonji, Yukio Taniguchi, Masato Hiramatsu, Fumiki Nakano
  • Patent number: 7335259
    Abstract: The present invention provides nanowires which are substantially straight and substantially free of nanoparticles and methods for making the same The nanowires can be made by seeded approaches, wherein nanocrystals bound to a substrate are used to promote growth of the nanowire. Nanocrystals in solution may also be used to make the nanowires of the present invention. Supercritical fluid reaction conditions can be used in a continuous or semi-batch process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Inventors: Tobias Hanrath, Xianmao Lu, Keith Johnston, Brian Korgel
  • Patent number: 7335255
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for removing a metal element effectively from a crystalline semiconductor film obtained with the use of the metal element, without increasing the number of processes. In the present invention, an amorphous semiconductor film is formed on an insulating surface, a metal element for promoting crystallization is added to the amorphous semiconductor film, the amorphous semiconductor film is heated to form a crystallized semiconductor film, a continuous wave laser beam is irradiated to the crystallized semiconductor film, and an upper portion of the crystallized semiconductor film is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Maekawa, Hidekazu Miyairi
  • Patent number: 7332032
    Abstract: Methods of forming a layer on a substrate using complexes of Formula I. The complexes and methods are particularly suitable for the preparation of semiconductor structures. The complexes are of the formula LyMYz (Formula I) wherein: M is a metal; each L group is independently a neutral ligand containing one or more Lewis-base donor atoms; each Y group is independently an anionic ligand; y=a nonzero integer; and z=a nonzero integer corresponding to the valence state of the metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian A. Vaartstra
  • Patent number: 7332030
    Abstract: Process for the treatment of a component, at least one zone to be treated of which located in the depth of this component at a certain distance from the surface thereof, has at least one property that can be modified when this zone is subjected to a thermal energy density above a specified treatment level, comprises: placing the component to be treated at a thermal energy level below the specified level; and subjecting, through its aforementioned surface, for a specified time and in the form of at least one pulse, the component to a power flux generated by a particle emission unit, this emission unit being regulated so as to produce a thermal energy density that is concentrated on or has a localized maximum in the zone to be treated and reaching, in at least part of this zone, a level above the specified treatment level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Inventor: Michel Bruel
  • Patent number: 7326296
    Abstract: High throughput screening of crystallization of a target material is accomplished by simultaneously introducing a solution of the target material into a plurality of chambers of a microfabricated fluidic device. The microfabricated fluidic device is then manipulated to vary the solution condition in the chambers, thereby simultaneously providing a large number of crystallization environments. Control over changed solution conditions may result from a variety of techniques, including but not limited to metering volumes of crystallizing agent into the chamber by volume exclusion, by entrapment of volumes of crystallizing agent determined by the dimensions of the microfabricated structure, or by cross-channel injection of sample and crystallizing agent into an array of junctions defined by intersecting orthogonal flow channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignees: California Institute of Technology, The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Stephen R. Quake, Carl L. Hansen, James M. Berger
  • Patent number: 7326293
    Abstract: A patterned layer is formed by removing nanoscale passivating particle from a first plurality of nanoscale structural particles or by adding nanoscale passivating particles to the first plurality of nanoscale structural particles. Each of a second plurality of nanoscale structural particles is deposited on each of corresponding ones of the first plurality of nanoscale structural particles that is not passivated by one of the plurality of nanoscale passivating particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Zyvex Labs, LLC
    Inventors: John N. Randall, Jingping Peng, Jun-Fu Liu, George D. Skidmore, Christof Baur, Richard E. Stallcup, II, Robert J. Folaron
  • Patent number: 7323053
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a pulling-down apparatus that can breed a crystal having good characteristics of scintillation. The apparatus retains in a container that can control an atmosphere a melting pot having a narrow hole at the bottom side thereof, an induction heating device, and a seed-holding device that holds a seed and is pulled down so that a crystal formed successively to the seed is pulled down. Concurrently, imaging devices are arranged that can pick up images of a solid-liquid interface between the crystal and a melt material, from different directions, and the seed-holding device can be travel along directions perpendicular to respective image pickup directions in a horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Kazushige Tohta, Kou Onodera, Takeshi Ito, Tsuguo Fukuda, Akira Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 7323016
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of an optical line detector for regulating the position of the wash front and/or of the build-up front of the crystal bed of a wash column in a melt crystallization process and a corresponding regulation method. The line detector, for example a CCD camera or a linear array of reflection probes, is arranged in such a way that optical properties of the crystal bed can be detected continuously in a region running parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wash column, this region covering the desired setpoint position of the wash front or of the build-up front.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jörg Heilek, Bernd Eck, Dieter Baumann
  • Patent number: 7323052
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for growing bulk single crystals of silicon carbide is provided. The apparatus includes a sublimation chamber with a silicon vapor species phase outlet that allows the selective passage of atomic silicon vapor species while minimizing the concurrent passage of other vapor phase species. The apparatus can provide control of vapor phase stoichiometry within the sublimation chamber, which in turn can allow the production of bulk silicon carbide single crystals with reduced intrinsic point defects concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Valeri F. Tsvetkov, David Phillip Malta, Jason Ronald Jenny