Patents by Inventor Christoph Hollenstein

Christoph Hollenstein 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).

  • Publication number: 20130316085
    Abstract: A method of modifying a boundary region (9) of a substrate (3) bounded by a surface (10), wherein an evacuated process chamber (2) is provided having a plasma source (4) for generating a directed plasma jet (5), and wherein furthermore a reactive component is supplied into the process chamber (2) with a flow of a predefined size, and wherein the substrate (3) is heated to a predefined reaction temperature, characterized in that the reactive component is diffusion-activated by the directed plasma jet (5) such that the reactive component diffuses into the boundary region (11) of the substrate (3) at a predefinable diffusion rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventors: Malko Gindrat, Philippe Guittienne, Christoph Hollenstein
  • Publication number: 20120100300
    Abstract: A plasma coating plant for coating or treating the surface of a substrate having a work chamber which can be evacuated and into which the substrate can be placed, and having a plasma torch for generating a plasma jet by heating a process gas, wherein the plasma torch has a nozzle through which the plasma jet can exit the plasma torch and can extend along a longitudinal axis (A) into the work chamber, wherein a mechanical limiting apparatus is provided downstream of the nozzle in the work chamber, which mechanical limiting apparatus extends along the longitudinal axis (A) and protects the plasma jet against an unwanted lateral intrusion of particles. A corresponding method is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Inventors: Malko Gindrat, Philippe Guittienne, Christoph Hollenstein
  • Patent number: 8001927
    Abstract: The invention relates to a plasma spraying device (1) for spraying a coating (2) onto a substrate (3) by a thermal spray process. Said plasma spraying device (1) includes a plasma torch (4) for heating up a plasma gas (5) in a heating zone (6), wherein the plasma torch (4) includes a nozzle body (7) for forming a plasma gas stream (8), and said plasma torch (4) has an aperture (9) running along a central longitudinal axis (10) through said nozzle body (7). The aperture (9) has an convergent section (11) with an inlet (12) for the plasma gas (5), a throat section (13) including a minimum cross-sectional area of the aperture, and a divergent section (14) with an outlet (15) for the plasma gas stream (8), wherein an introducing duct (16) is provided for introducing a liquid precursor (17) into the plasma gas stream (8). According to the invention a penetration means (18, 161, 181, 182) is provided to penetrate the liquid precursor (17) inside the plasma gas stream (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Sulzer Metco AG
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Dorier, Christoph Hollenstein, Gérard Barbezat, Arno Refke
  • Publication number: 20090252945
    Abstract: For the coating and for the surface treatment of substrates by means of a plasma beam a working chamber (2) with a plasma torch (4) is made available, a plasma beam (5) is produced in that a plasma gas is directed through the plasma torch (4) and is heated in the same by means of electrical gas discharge, electromagnetic induction or microwaves, and the plasma beam (5) is directed onto a substrate (3) introduced into the working chamber, wherein the plasma torch (4) which is made available has a power for the thermal plasma spraying of solid material particles. During the coating and/or the surface treatment, the pressure in the working chamber (2) amounts to between 0.01 and 10 mbar, and at least one reactive component in liquid or gaseous form is injected into the plasma beam (5) in order to coat the surface of a substrate (3) or to treat it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Inventors: Arno Refke, Christoph Hollenstein
  • Publication number: 20090127673
    Abstract: A semi-conducting device has at least one layer doped with a doping agent and a layer of another type deposited on the doped layer in a single reaction chamber. An operation for avoiding the contamination of the other layer by the doping agent separates the steps of depositing each of the layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: OERLIKON TRADING AG, TRUEBBACH
    Inventors: Ulrich Kroll, Cedric Bucher, Jacques Schmitt, Markus Poppeller, Christoph Hollenstein, Juliette Ballutaud, Alan Howling
  • Patent number: 7504279
    Abstract: A semi-conducting device has at least one layer doped with a doping agent and a layer of another type deposited on the doped layer in a single reaction chamber. An operation for avoiding the contamination of the other layer by the doping agent separates the steps of depositing each of the layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Oerlikon Trading AG, Trubbach
    Inventors: Ulrich Kroll, Cedric Bucher, Jacques Schmitt, Markus Poppeller, Christoph Hollenstein, Juliette Ballutaud, Alan Howling
  • Publication number: 20080076237
    Abstract: A semi-conducting device has at least one layer doped with a doping agent and a layer of another type deposited on the doped layer in a single reaction chamber. An operation for avoiding the contamination of the other layer by the doping agent separates the steps of depositing each of the layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: OC Oerlikon Balzers AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Kroll, Cedric Bucher, Jacques Schmitt, Markus Poppeller, Christoph Hollenstein, Juliette Ballutaud, Alan Howling
  • Patent number: 7344909
    Abstract: A semi-conducting device has at least one layer doped with a doping agent and a layer of another type deposited on the doped layer in a single reaction chamber. An operation for avoiding the contamination of the other layer by the doping agent separates the steps of depositing each of the layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: OC Oerlikon Balzers AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Kroll, Cédric Bucher, Jacques Schmitt, Markus Poppeller, Christoph Hollenstein, Juliette Ballutaud, Alan Howling
  • Publication number: 20080057212
    Abstract: The invention relates to a plasma spraying device (1) for spraying a coating (2) onto a substrate (3) by a thermal spray process. Said plasma spraying device (1) includes a plasma torch (4) for heating up a plasma gas (5) in a heating zone (6), wherein the plasma torch (4) includes a nozzle body (7) for forming a plasma gas stream (8), and said plasma torch (4) having an aperture (9) running along a central longitudinal axis (10) through said nozzle body (7). The aperture (9) has an convergent section (11) with an inlet (12) for the plasma gas (5), a throat section (13) including a minimum cross-sectional area of the aperture, and a divergent section (14) with an outlet (15) for the plasma gas stream (8), wherein an introducing duct (16) is provided for introducing a liquid precursor (17) into the plasma gas stream (8). According to the invention a penetration means (18, 161, 181, 182) is provided to penetrate the liquid precursor (17) inside the plasma gas stream (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: Sulzer Metco AG
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Dorier, Christoph Hollenstein, Gerard Barbezat, Arno Refke
  • Publication number: 20040135221
    Abstract: A semi-conducting device has at least one layer doped with a doping agent and a layer of another type deposited on the doped layer in a single reaction chamber. An operation for avoiding the contamination of the other layer by the doping agent separates the steps of depositing each of the layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventors: Ulrich Kroll, Cedric Bucher, Jacques Schmitt, Markus Poppeller, Christoph Hollenstein, Juliette Ballutaud, Alan Howling
  • Patent number: 6685994
    Abstract: Method for coating workpieces generates a beam of a plasma in an evacuated container. A region of highest plasma density is at the beam axis and workpieces having surfaces to be coated, are radially offset from, and extend along the axis with the surfaces facing the axis and being in the container. Fresh reactive gas is inlet into the container and consumed gas is removed from the container. Coating material is deposited upon the surfaces with a deposition rate of at least 400 nm/min and at a maximum temperature of the surfaces being 550° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Unaxis Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Johann Karner, Mauro Pedrazzini, Christoph Hollenstein, David Franz