Patents by Inventor Helmut Rudigier

Helmut Rudigier 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: 20030178300
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an object in a vacuum treatment apparatus having a vacuum recipient for containing an atmosphere, includes the steps of supporting a substrate on a work piece carrier arrangement in the recipient and treating the substrate to manufacture the object in the vacuum recipient. The treating process includes generating electrical charge carriers in the atmosphere and in the recipient which are of the type that form electrically insulating material and providing at least two electroconductive surfaces in the recipient. Power, such as a DC signal, is supplied to at least one of the electroconductive surfaces so that at least one of the electroconductive surfaces receives the electrically insulating material for covering at least part of that electroconductive surface. This causes electrical isolation of that electroconductive surface which leads to arcing and damage to the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2003
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Inventors: Hans Signer, Eduard Kugler, Klaus Wellerdieck, Helmut Rudigier, Walter Haag
  • Patent number: 6610222
    Abstract: Proposed is a waveguide which is formed on a substrate (2) of a polymer. For that purpose, provided between the substrate (2) and the waveguide layer (1) is an intermediate layer (8) of an inorganic material which prevents a substantial amount of energy from penetrating into the relatively highly absorbent polymer material. That minimizes the waveguide losses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Unaxis Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Johannes Edlinger, Helmut Rudigier
  • Patent number: 6506288
    Abstract: A method for producing a layer of a metal oxide with optical losses of 15 dB/cm, at most, for light with a wavelength of 633 nm, includes depositing the layer using magnetic field enhanced reactive DC-sputtering, from a metallic target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Unaxis Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Johannes Edlinger, Eduard Kügler, Helmut Rudigier
  • Publication number: 20020153242
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an object in a vacuum treatment apparatus having a vacuum recipient for containing an atmosphere, includes the steps of supporting a substrate on a work piece carrier arrangement in the recipient and treating the substrate to manufacture the object in the vacuum recipient. The treating process includes generating electrical charge carriers in the atmosphere and in the recipient which are of the type that form electrically insulating material and providing at least two electroconductive surfaces in the recipient. Power, such as a DC signal, is supplied to at least one of the electroconductive surfaces so that at least one of the electroconductive surfaces receives the electrically insulating material for covering at least part of that electroconductive surface. This causes electrical isolation of that electroconductive surface which leads to arcing and damage to the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Applicant: Unaxis Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans Signer, Eduard Kugler, Klaus Wellerdieck, Helmut Rudigier, Walter Haag
  • Patent number: 6342970
    Abstract: A dielectric interference filter system with at least filter elements of different spectral characteristics on the same carrier substrate is provided. The filter elements have the same height and/or adjoin each other without gaps. The system is used for, inter alia, interference color filter systems in the form of an LCD-display or CCD-arrangement. A process for manufacturing the system includes preparing at least one filter element by coating and subsequent etching, and preparing at least one subsequent filter element by coating and subsequent structuring utilizing lift-off in which the etching mask is used as the lift-off mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: Unaxis Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Reinhard Sperger, Helmut Rudigier, Peter Wierer, Helmut Schoech
  • Patent number: 6176979
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an object in a vacuum treatment apparatus having a vacuum recipient for containing an atmosphere, includes the steps of supporting a substrate on a work piece carrier arrangement in the recipient and treating the substrate to manufacture the object in the vacuum recipient. The treating process includes generating electrical charge carriers in the atmosphere and in the recipient which are of the type that form electrically insulating material and providing at least two electroconductive surfaces in the recipient. Power, such as a DC signal, is supplied to at least one of the electroconductive surfaces so that at least one of the electroconductive surfaces receives the electrically insulating material for covering at least part of that electroconductive surface. This causes electrical isolation of that electroconductive surface which leads to arcing and damage to the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans Signer, Eduard K{umlaut over (u)}gler, Klaus Wellerdieck, Helmut Rudigier, Walter Haag
  • Patent number: 6149783
    Abstract: A vacuum treatment apparatus (FIG. 13) includes a vacuum recipient or chamber (3) for containing an atmosphere. A mechanism (50,52) for generating electrical charge carriers in the atmosphere is provided in the recipient, the electrical charge carriers being of the type that form electrically isolating material. The recipient also contains a work piece carrier arrangement (1) and at least two electroconductive surfaces (2a, 2b) which are mutually electrically isolated from each other. A DC power supply (8) is operationally connected to the electroconductive surfaces by respective electrical conductors with an inductor (L.sub.66) in one of the conductors. A parallel switching arrangement is connected between the electrical conductors to control a current path between the conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans Signer, Eduard Kugler, Klaus Wellerdieck, Helmut Rudigier, Walter Haag
  • Patent number: 5948224
    Abstract: A vacuum treatment apparatus eliminate arcing in a vacuum recipient for containing an atmosphere and having a mechanism for generating electrical charge carriers in the atmosphere. A workpiece carrier arrangement and at least two electro-conductive surfaces are in the recipient and a generator unit having an output is connected to the electro-conductive surfaces. The generator includes a DC generator with an output, and a controlled adjusting unit with an input connected to the output of the DC generator. The controlled adjusting unit generates a first output signal in dependency on an output signal of the DC generator during first timespans, and a second output signal during second timespans. The unit may also have a time-controlled discharge or charge current loop connected from one of the electro-conductive surfaces to the other, with a higher ohmic resistance during the first timespans and a lower ohmic resistance during the second timespans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Balzers Aktiengsellschaft
    Inventors: Hans Signer, Eduard Kugler, Klaus Wellerdieck, Helmut Rudigier, Walter Haag
  • Patent number: 5738825
    Abstract: A detection cell which is used as a component of an optical biosensor comprises a transparent base plate and a sample plate on the base plate. The sample plate has a matrix of wells extending through it to each to receive a sample. The base plate includes a waveguiding film and a diffraction grating means to in couple an incident light field into the waveguiding film beneath a well to generate a diffracted light field to enable detection of a change in the effective refractive index of the waveguiding film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignees: Balzers Aktiengesellschaft, Artificial Sensing Instruments ASI AG
    Inventors: Helmut Rudigier, Roland Pfefferkorn, Kurt Tiefenthaler, Veronique Briquet, Alois Zetting, Peter Marbach, Francois Legay, Peter End
  • Patent number: 5675691
    Abstract: A diffraction grating structure for coupling light into or out of a high refractive index waveguide layer on a carrier substrate is formed by irradiating the carrier substrate and/or the layer with UV laser light that is subject to simultaneous, spatially periodic intensity modulation. The modulation may be achieved, for example, by a biprism. The modulated UV light has the effect of periodically modulating the local refractive index of the waveguide layer or of the surface of the substrate to form the diffraction grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Johannes Edlinger, Helmut Rudigier
  • Patent number: 5667700
    Abstract: A process for the fabrication of a structural element, in particular an optical element comprises a carrier substrate as well as a layer system, with at least one dielectric layer stepped with respect to its thickness in at least one region opposite at least one second region. The dielectric layer is of the type MeO.sub.x and is applied onto a base, where Me is a metal whose atomic mass is at least 44, and x is selected so that the coefficient of absorption of the layer material at light of wavelength .lambda.=308 nm is k.sub.308 .ltoreq.0.01. The layer is built up through reactive etching by means of an activated gas for the step formation of the thickness. Other related processes and examples of the elements themselves are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Helmut Rudigier, Johannes Edlinger
  • Patent number: 5622606
    Abstract: At least one gas inlet arrangement with several gas outlet openings supplies a working gas and/or a reactive gas to a chamber through a line system with at least one gas source, and at a given gas pressure. The chamber is provided for the treatment of substrates, such as, in particular, by physical or chemical coating processes or by etching processes. The resistance coefficients of the outlet openings are so dimensioned with respect to the sites in the line system at the given gas pressure, that at each outlet opening, a controlled gas flow exits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Eduard Kugler, Jakob Stock, Helmut Rudigier
  • Patent number: 5537257
    Abstract: An optical structural element has a substrate and includes at least one wear protection system built up of one or several layers on the substrate. The layers are of at least one of the materials ZrO.sub.2, AlN,(Al,Cr).sub.2 O.sub.3, BN and diamond. A total thickness of the layers is more than about 100 nm and the mean transmission of the wear protection system is at least 10% in a spectral band of 10 nm within the visible light spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Helmut Rudigier
  • Patent number: 5473468
    Abstract: A coated wear resistant and transparent glass substrate has a multi-layer system with at least one layer of an oxynitride of one of hafnium, zirconium, tantalum and titanium, and with no metal layer. The substrate with multi-layer system has a reduced sun energy transmittance and anti-reflective effect in the visual spectral range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Helmut Rudigier, Reinhard Sperger
  • Patent number: 5464683
    Abstract: A coated transparent substrate is composed of a multi-layer layer-system on at least one of its sides with at least one layer of the oxynitride of hafnium, the layer-system comprising a sequence of hafnium-oxynitride layer and silicon-oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1995
    Assignee: Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Helmut Rudigier, Reinhard Sperger
  • Patent number: 5238546
    Abstract: In order to ignite a vaporizing arc on a target which includes at least at its surface a material of a high melting point to be vaporized, and to stabilize and guide same, an electron beam gun or a laser is forseen for generating of a local vapor cloud or a premelted spot on the surface of the target in order to therewith ignite and guide the arc spot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Erich Bergmann, Helmut Rudigier