Patents by Inventor Donald W. Ahern

Donald W. Ahern 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).

  • Multisurface simultaneous sputtering and shuttering
    Patent number: 10774417
    Abstract: A deposition system comprises a vacuum chamber having a cylindrical inner wall, a cylindrical parts carousel disposed concentrically inside the cylindrical inner wall of the vacuum chamber, and one or more deposition sources arranged to flow deposition material onto the cylindrical parts carousel. A cylindrical shutter assembly is disposed concentrically inside the cylindrical inner wall of the vacuum chamber, and has (1) a shuttered position in which the cylindrical shutter assembly blocks the one or more deposition sources from depositing onto the parts carousel and (2) an unshuttered position in which the cylindrical shutter assembly does not block the one or more deposition sources from depositing onto the parts carousel. A drive train rotates the cylindrical shutter assembly between the shuttered and unshuttered positions. The drive train not operatively connected to rotate the cylindrical parts carousel. The deposition sources may include inner and outer sputter sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: MATERION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Zan Aslett, Michael P. Newell, Donald W. Ahern
  • MULTISURFACE SIMULTANEOUS SPUTTERING AND SHUTTERING
    Publication number: 20170350003
    Abstract: A deposition system comprises a vacuum chamber having a cylindrical inner wall, a cylindrical parts carousel disposed concentrically inside the cylindrical inner wall of the vacuum chamber, and one or more deposition sources arranged to flow deposition material onto the cylindrical parts carousel. A cylindrical shutter assembly is disposed concentrically inside the cylindrical inner wall of the vacuum chamber, and has (1) a shuttered position in which the cylindrical shutter assembly blocks the one or more deposition sources from depositing onto the parts carousel and (2) an unshuttered position in which the cylindrical shutter assembly does not block the one or more deposition sources from depositing onto the parts carousel. A drive train rotates the cylindrical shutter assembly between the shuttered and unshuttered positions. The drive train not operatively connected to rotate the cylindrical parts carousel. The deposition sources may include inner and outer sputter sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Zan Aslett, Michael P. Newell, Donald W. Ahern