Patents Examined by Tabassom Tadayyon-Eslami
  • Patent number: 9044590
    Abstract: Polymer materials make useful materials as electrode array bodies for neural stimulation. They are particularly useful for retinal stimulation to create artificial vision. Regardless of which polymer is used, the basic construction method is the same. A layer of polymer is laid down. A layer of metal is applied to the polymer and patterned to create electrodes and leads for those electrodes. A second layer of polymer is applied over the metal layer and patterned to leave openings for the electrodes, or openings are created later by means such as laser ablation. Hence the array and its supply cable are formed of a single body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J Greenberg, Jerry Ok, Jordan Matthew Neysmith, Brian V Mech, Neil Hamilton Talbot
  • Patent number: 9040117
    Abstract: An adhesion promotion process and composition for enhancing adhesion between a copper conducting layer and a dielectric material during manufacture of a printed circuit board. The composition contains a corrosion inhibitor, an inorganic acid, and an alcohol which is effective to increase copper-loading in the composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Enthone Inc.
    Inventors: Abayomi I. Owei, Hiep X. Nguyen, Eric Yakobson
  • Patent number: 9028910
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for manufacturing spin transfer torque magnetic random access memory (STTMRAM) devices. The method, which utilizes in-situ annealing and etch-back of the magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) film stack, comprises the steps of depositing a barrier layer on top of a bottom magnetic layer and then depositing an interface magnetic layer on top of the barrier layer to form an MTJ film stack; annealing the MTJ film stack at a first temperature and then cool the MTJ film stack to a second temperature lower than the first temperature; etching away a top portion of the interface magnetic layer; and depositing at least one top layer on top of the etched interface magnetic layer. The method may further include the step of annealing the MTJ film stack at a third temperature between the first and second temperature after the step of depositing at least one top layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuchen Zhou, Yiming Huai
  • Patent number: 9029046
    Abstract: One embodiment disclosed includes a product comprising: a fuel cell component comprising a substrate and a first coating overlying the substrate, the coating comprising a compound comprising at least one Si—O group, at least one polar group and at least one group including a saturated or unsaturated carbon chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Gerhard Winter, Gayatri Vyas Dadheech, Thomas A. Trabold, Reena L. Datta
  • Patent number: 9017756
    Abstract: A specific embodiment of the present invention is a process for continuously producing a porous solid film of spacer-modified nano graphene platelets for supercapacitor electrode applications. This process comprises: (a) dissolving a precursor material in a solvent to form a precursor solution and dispersing multiple nano graphene platelets into the solution to form a suspension; (b) continuously delivering and forming the suspension into a layer of solid film composed of precursor material-coated graphene platelets overlapping one another, and removing the solvent from the solid film (e.g., analogous to a paper-making, mat-making, or web-making procedure); (c) continuously converting the precursor material into nodules bonded to surfaces of graphene platelets to form a porous solid film composed of spacer-modified graphene platelets; and (d) continuously collecting the porous solid film on a collector (e.g., a winding roller).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Nanotek Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Aruna Zhamu, Zenning Yu, Chen-guang Liu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 9005698
    Abstract: A process of forming an integrated circuit containing a piezoelectric thin film by forming a sol gel layer, drying in at least 1 percent relative humidity, baking starting between 100 and 225° C. increasing to between 275 and 425° C. over at least 2 minutes, and forming the piezoelectric thin film by baking the sol gel layer between 250 and 350° C. for at least 20 seconds, annealing between 650 and 750° C. for at least 60 seconds in an oxidizing ambient pressure between 700 and 1000 torr and a flow rate between 3 and 7 slm, followed by annealing between 650 and 750° C. for at least 20 seconds in a pressure between 4 and 10 torr and a flow rate of at least 5 slm, followed by ramping down the temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Asad Mahmood Haider
  • Patent number: 8993044
    Abstract: Capacitors and methods of forming capacitors are disclosed, and which include an inner conductive metal capacitor electrode and an outer conductive metal capacitor electrode. A capacitor dielectric region is received between the inner and the outer conductive metal capacitor electrodes and has a thickness no greater than 150 Angstroms. Various combinations of materials of thicknesses and relationships relative one another are disclosed which enables and results in the dielectric region having a dielectric constant k of at least 35 yet leakage current no greater than 1×10?7 amps/cm2 at from ?1.1V to +1.1V.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rishikesh Krishnan, John Smythe, Vishwanath Bhat, Noel Rocklein, Bhaskar Srinivasan, Jeff Hull, Chris Carlson
  • Patent number: 8993073
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention relates to a perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprising (1) a substrate, (2) an interlayer comprising hexagonal columns and (3) a magnetic layer, wherein the magnetic layer is deposited applying a bias voltage to the substrate such that the magnetic layer comprises magnetic grains having substantially no sub-grains within the magnetic layer, and the magnetic layer has perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Weilu Xu, Miaogen Lu, Mariana R. Munteanu, Michael Z. Wu, Shanghsien Alex Rou, Steve Kuo-Hsing Hwang, Ed Yen
  • Patent number: 8968820
    Abstract: This invention provides a process for producing a hybrid nano-filament composition for use in a lithium battery electrode. The process comprises: (a) providing a porous aggregate of electrically conductive nano-wires that are substantially interconnected, intersected, physically contacted, or chemically bonded to form a porous network of electrically conductive filaments, wherein the nano-wires have a diameter or thickness less than 500 nm; and (b) depositing an electro-active coating onto a surface of the nano-wires, wherein the electro-active coating is capable of absorbing and desorbing lithium ions and the coating has a thickness less than 10 ?m, preferably less than 1 ?m. This process is applicable to the production of both an anode and a cathode. The battery featuring an anode or cathode made with this process exhibits an exceptionally high specific capacity, an excellent reversible capacity, and a long cycle life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Nanotek Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang, Jinjun Shi
  • Patent number: 8956690
    Abstract: A laminated body which forms a resin mold by compression molding using a master mold, the laminated body having: a pair of mutually facing base materials, a layer of a liquid or gel-like curable resin material sandwiched between the pair of base materials, and one or more flow suppression bodies, which are composed of a cured product of the curable resin material and are sandwiched between the pair of base materials, wherein the layer of the curable resin material is sealed by the pair of base materials and the flow suppression bodies. Also, a method for manufacturing a resin mold using the laminated body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Showa Denko K.K.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Uchida, Tomokazu Umezawa, Masato Fukushima, Shunsuke Takeyama, Takanori Sakuragi
  • Patent number: 8951608
    Abstract: A plasma-shell for use in a gas discharge (plasma) display is formed by coating an organic core including a polymeric core with an aqueous suspension of inorganic particles. The coated core is heated to a temperature sufficient to remove the organic core and form a porous bisque shell of inorganic particles with a hollow center. The shell is submerged in an atmosphere of ionizable gas suitable for a gas discharge PDP device. The gas submerged porous shell is heated to an elevated temperature sufficient to sinter and seal the gas-filled shell. The result is a plasma-shell containing an ionizable gas at a predetermined pressure for use in a gas discharge PDP. The plasma-shell may be of any volumetric shape or geometric configuration. Plasma-shell includes plasma-sphere, plasma-disc, and plasma-dome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Imaging Systems Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Carol Ann Wedding, Oliver M. Strbik, III
  • Patent number: 8900655
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a patterned perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprises steps of: (a) providing a layer stack including a magnetically soft underlayer (“SUL”) and an overlying non-magnetic interlayer; (b) forming a masking layer on the non-magnetic interlayer; (c) forming a resist layer on the masking layer; (d) forming a pattern of recesses extending through the resist layer and exposing spaced apart surface portions of the masking layer; (e) extending the pattern of recesses through the masking layer to expose spaced apart surface portions of the interlayer; and (f) at least partially filling the pattern of recesses with a magnetically hard material to form a perpendicular magnetic recording layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Bing K. Yen, David S. Kuo, Dieter K. Weller, Kim Y. Lee, Koichi Wago
  • Patent number: 8889234
    Abstract: Provided is a method of printing a structural color. The method includes providing a first substrate, forming a layer of a composition for generating a structural color including magnetic nanoparticles and a curable material on the first substrate, applying a magnetic field to the layer of the composition for generating a structural color and exhibiting a structural color using a change in lattice spacing of a photonic crystal composed of magnetic nanoparticles depending on the magnetic field strength, and curing the layer of the composition for generating a structural color to fix the lattice spacing of the photonic crystal and to form a structural color printed layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: SNU R&DB Foundation
    Inventors: Sunghoon Kwon, Hyoki Kim
  • Patent number: 8889215
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for making a plurality of touch panels one time. The method includes following steps. A substrate is provided. The substrate has a surface defining a number of target areas with each including two areas: a touch-view area and a trace area. An adhesive layer is formed on the surface of the substrate. A carbon nanotube film is formed on the adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is solidified. An electrode and a conductive trace are formed on each target area so that part of the carbon nanotube film is exposed from a space between adjacent conductive lines of the conductive trace to form an exposed carbon nanotube film on each trace area. The exposed carbon nanotube film on each trace area is removed to obtain a plurality of transparent conductive layers spaced from each other. A number of touch panels is obtained by cutting the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Shih Hua Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Jia-Shyong Cheng, Hung-Yi Hung, Jeah-Sheng Wu
  • Patent number: 8883248
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for making a touch panel. The method includes following steps. A substrate is provided, wherein the substrate has a surface and defines two areas: a touch-view area and a trace area; applying an adhesive layer on the surface of the substrate. A carbon nanotube film is placed on a surface of the adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is solidified. An electrode and a conductive trace are formed on a surface of the carbon nanotube film so that part of the carbon nanotube film on the trace area is exposed from space between adjacent conductive lines of the conductive trace to form an exposed carbon nanotube film. The exposed carbon nanotube film is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Shih Hua Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Jia-Shyong Cheng, Hung-Yi Hung, Jeah-Sheng Wu
  • Patent number: 8871293
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for making touch panel. A substrate having a surface is provided. The substrate defines two areas: a touch-view area and a trace area. An adhesive layer is formed on the surface of the substrate. The adhesive layer on the trace area is solidified. A carbon nanotube layer is formed on the adhesive layer. The adhesive layer on the touch-view area is solidified. The carbon nanotube layer on the trace area is removed. At least one electrode and a conductive trace is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Shih Hua Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Jia-Shyong Cheng, Po-Shan Huang, Po-Sheng Shih, Chun-Yi Hu, Chih-Han Chao, Jeah-Sheng Wu
  • Patent number: 8852676
    Abstract: A spin toque transfer magnetic random access memory (STTMRAM) element and a method of manufacturing the same is disclosed having a free sub-layer structure with enhanced internal stiffness. A first free sub-layer is deposited, the first free sub-layer being made partially of boron (B), annealing is performed of the STTMRAM element at a first temperature after depositing the first free sub-layer to reduce the B content at an interface between the first free sub-layer and the barrier layer, the annealing causing a second free sub-layer to be formed on top of the first free sub-layer and being made partially of B, the amount of B of the second free sub-layer being greater than the amount of B in the first free sub-layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuchen Zhou
  • Patent number: 8828483
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium having a clear magnetic recording pattern through a simple process. The method includes: forming a magnetic layer on the non-magnetic substrate; forming a mask layer which covers a surface of the magnetic layer; forming a resist layer on the mask layer; patterning the resist layer using a stamp; patterning the mask layer using the resist layer, forming a recess by partially removing a portion of the magnetic layer not covered by the mask layer; forming a non-magnetic layer which covers a surface where a recess is formed; flattening a surface of the non-magnetic layer until the mask layer is exposed; removing an exposed mask layer; removing a protruding portion of the non-magnetic layer; and forming a protective layer which covers a surface where the protruding portion was removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Showa Denko K.K.
    Inventors: Shinichi Ishibashi, Manabu Ueda, Akira Sakawaki
  • Patent number: 8795788
    Abstract: A method for forming a conductive pattern on a substrate (208) includes providing an image pattern for imaging on the substrate; imaging the image pattern on the substrate creating imaged areas; spraying functional material (232) on the substrate that diffuse molecules of the functional material into the imaged areas; and applying electro-less copper coating that build conductive material traces on the imaged areas on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Israel Schuster
  • Patent number: 8790747
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing an insulated electric wire, in which a primary coating layer including at least an enamel-baking layer is formed on a metallic conductor to form a primary coated electric wire, and a secondary coating layer is extrusion-formed on the primary coating layer of the primary coated electric wire. The method includes an electric wire pre-heating process where a surface of the primary coating layer is pre-heated using an electric wire pre-heating unit, and a resin extrusion process where a secondary coating layer is extrusion-formed on the pre-heated primary coating layer using a resin extrusion unit. Further disclosed is an apparatus for producing an insulated electric wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kusaka, Koji Kuromiya, Satoshi Saito, Takashi Shigematsu, Akihiro Murakami, Shinji Ichikawa, Haruo Sakuma, Shingo Nishijima