Patents by Inventor Brian McMullen

Brian McMullen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Producing a ribbon or wafer with regions of low oxygen concentration
    Patent number: 11885036
    Abstract: A ribbon is formed such that the ribbon floats on a melt using a cold initializer facing an exposed surface of the melt. The ribbon is single crystal silicon. The ribbon is pulled from the silicon melt at a low angle off the melt surface. The ribbon is formed at a same rate as the pulling. The ribbon is separated from the melt at a wall of the crucible where a stable meniscus forms. The ribbon has a thickness between a first surface and an opposite second surface from 50 ?m to 5 mm. The ribbon includes a first region extending a first depth from the first surface. The first region has a reduced oxygen concentration relative to a bulk of the ribbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Inventors: Jesse S. Appel, Alison Greenlee, Nathan Stoddard, Peter Kellerman, Parthiv Daggolu, Alexander Martinez, Saeed Pirooz, Brandon Williard, Charles Bowen, Brian McMullen, David Morrell, Dawei Sun
  • PRODUCING A RIBBON OR WAFER WITH REGIONS OF LOW OXYGEN CONCENTRATION
    Publication number: 20220316087
    Abstract: A ribbon is formed such that the ribbon floats on a melt using a cold initializer facing an exposed surface of the melt. The ribbon is single crystal silicon. The ribbon is pulled from the silicon melt at a low angle off the melt surface. The ribbon is formed at a same rate as the pulling. The ribbon is separated from the melt at a wall of the crucible where a stable meniscus forms. The ribbon has a thickness between a first surface and an opposite second surface from 50 ?m to 5 mm. The ribbon includes a first region extending a first depth from the first surface. The first region has a reduced oxygen concentration relative to a bulk of the ribbon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2020
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Alison Greenlee, Nathan Stoddard, Jesse S. Appel, Peter Kellerman, Parthiv Daggolu, Alexander Martinez, Saeed Pirooz, Brandon Williard, Charles Bowen, Brian McMullen, David Morrell, Dawei SUN
  • Single-Sided Textured Sheet Wafer
    Publication number: 20100055398
    Abstract: An apparatus for texturing two-sided wafers has a body capable of containing texturing chemistry (i.e., not necessarily containing the chemistry at this time), and a transport mechanism for transporting wafers through the texturing chemistry. The transport mechanism is configured to substantially wet no more than one side of wafers, transported through the body, with texturing chemistry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: EVERGREEN SOLAR, INC.
    Inventors: Guenther Grupp Mueller, Brian McMullen