Patents by Inventor Francis C. Burns

Francis C. Burns 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).

  • Patent number: 5505320
    Abstract: A pattern is provided on a substrate by providing the substrate with at least two layers of material thereon and providing a layer of dry imaging polymer compositions thereon. The layer of the dry imaging polymer composition is laser ablated to provide the desired personality pattern. The top exposed portion of at least the top layer is removed and the desired select pattern is laser ablated. The exposed portions of said first layer is removed and the pattern is completed through the other layers of material to thereby expose the substrate surface, without the substrate surface being subjected to laser ablating to thereby provide the desired pattern on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Francis C. Burns, Robert L. Lewis, Steven W. Opie, Robert D. Sebesta
  • Patent number: 5172473
    Abstract: A method of making an electrical contact comprised of at least one, and preferably several, conical projections, is provided. The individual conical projections are comprised of an ablative material, and at least some of the conical projections include a surface which is substantially comprised of material in a thickness capable of making ohmic contact, either by wiping with an intermeshing like structure or by contacting a substantially flat contact pad. An interconnection, in this invention, is the combination of at least one contact having individual conical projections and another contact, optionally having individual conical projections. The conical projections are formed by laser. The conical projections are optionally formed on the head of a contact pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1992
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Francis C. Burns, John J. Kaufman, David E. King, Alan D. Knight
  • Patent number: 5118299
    Abstract: An electrical interconnection, which includes a method for fabricating the device, is disclosed. The interconnection comprises two contact surfaces, on at least one of which is disposed at least one conical projection in predetermined dimension and location. Rather than being permanently cojoined, the contact surfaces are attachable and detachable when desired. The individual conical projections are comprised of an ablative material, and at least some of the conical projections include a surface which is substantially comprised of material in a thickness capable of making ohmic contact, either by wiping with an intermeshing like structure or by contacting a substantially flat contact pad. An interconnection, in this invention, is the combination of at least one contact having individual conical projections and another contact, optionally having individual conical projections. The conical projections are formed by laser. The conical projections are optionally formed on the head of a contact pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1992
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Francis C. Burns, John J. Kaufman, David E. King, Alan D. Knight
  • Patent number: 4906803
    Abstract: A flexible supporting cable for an electronic device which includes a steel foil substrate, a layer of polymer on portions of the substrate, circuit pads on the polymer layer having both the bottom and top surfaces of the pads exposed; circuit lines extending from the top surface of the pads, a window free from steel beneath a portion of the circuit lines, and a second, smaller window free from both steel and the polymer beneath a portion of the circuit lines. Methods are provided for fabricating these flexible supporting cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1990
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stanley M. Albrechta, Francis C. Burns, Gary R. Carden, William T. Chen, Andrew R. Gresko, John J. Kaufman, Eugene P. Skarvinko, Nadia Tonsi
  • Patent number: 4687539
    Abstract: An end point detection technique indicates when a pulsed excimer laser, operating on a chromium clad copper substrate in the presence of chlorine gas, has etched through the chromium layer. The excimer laser vaporizes successive layers of the chromium chloride reaction product, which form on the region being etched, until, when all of the chromium has been removed from the region, a copper chloride reaction product layer forms on the region and is vaporized. A dye laser directs a probe beam into a zone spaced above the region being etched and is pulsed about 12 microseconds after each pulse of the excimer laser to allow time for the vaporized reaction products to reach the zone. The probe beam has a first wavelength of 433.3 nm. which induces the vaporized copper chloride in the zone to fluoresce at a second wavelength of 441.2 nm. A narrow band photodetector detects the fluoresced 441.2 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1987
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corp.
    Inventors: Francis C. Burns, Russell W. Dreyfus, John R. Susko
  • Patent number: 4684436
    Abstract: A method for performing differential etching of material by using electromagnetic radiation. Material having two predetermined regions is provided. A beam of electromagnetic radiation is generated. The energy intensity of predetermined areas within the beam of electromagnetic radiation is selectively varied so that both of the predetermined regions of the material are etched simultaneously and each of the predetermined regions is etched at a rate independent of the etching rate of the other of the predetermined regions. In an alternate embodiment, a substance having at least two materials is provided. A beam of electromagnetic radiation is generated. The energy intensity of predetermined areas within the beam of electromagnetic radiation is selectively varied so that the time required to etch one of the materials is substantially equal to the time required to etch any selected combination of the materials remaining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1987
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corp.
    Inventors: Francis C. Burns, Gary R. Carden