Patents by Inventor Ian Friel

Ian Friel 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: 11825286
    Abstract: A non-planar chemical vapour deposition polycrystalline diamond body has a dome body having an apex and an outer periphery. The dome body has an average radius of curvature in a range of 4 mm to 25 mm and a maximum linear dimension at the outer periphery of the dome body of no more than 26 mm. The average radius of curvature is no less than 0.6 times the maximum linear dimension at the outer periphery. A method of fabricating the non-planar diamond body is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Element Six Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Benjamin Wickham, Ian Friel
  • Patent number: 11746436
    Abstract: A coloured single crystal CVD synthetic diamond material comprising: a plurality of layers, wherein the plurality of layers includes at least two sets of layers which differ in terms of their defect composition and colour, wherein defect type, defect concentration, and layer thickness for each of the at least two sets of layers is such that if the coloured single crystal CVD diamond material is fabricated into a round brilliant cut diamond comprising a table and a culet, and having a table to culet depth greater than 1 mm, the round brilliant cut diamond comprises a uniform colour as viewed by naked human eye under standard ambient viewing conditions in at least a direction through the table to the culet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Element Six Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Harpreet Kaur Dhillon, Ian Friel, Daniel James Twitchen, Sarah Louise Geoghegan, Helen Jennifer Gallon, Neil Perkins, Philip Maurice Martineau
  • Publication number: 20230272551
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing synthetic diamond material using a chemical vapour deposition process, and a diamond obtained by such a method are described. The method comprises providing a freestanding synthetic single crystal diamond substrate wafer having a dislocation density of at least 107cm?2. The synthetic single crystal diamond substrate wafer is located over a substrate holder within a chemical vapour deposition reactor. Process gases are fed into the reactor, the process gases including a gas comprising carbon. Crack-free synthetic diamond material is grown on a surface of the single crystal diamond substrate wafer at a temperature of at least 900° C. to a thickness of at least 0.5 mm and with lateral dimensions of at least 4 mm by 4 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Applicant: ELEMENT SIX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: IAN FRIEL, KATHARINE LOUISE ATKINSON, DANIEL JAMES TWITCHEN
  • Patent number: 11643750
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing synthetic diamond material using a chemical vapour deposition process, and a diamond obtained by such a method are described. The method comprises providing a freestanding synthetic single crystal diamond substrate wafer having a dislocation density of at least 107 cm?2. The synthetic single crystal diamond substrate wafer is located over a substrate holder within a chemical vapour deposition reactor. Process gases are fed into the reactor, the process gases including a gas comprising carbon. Crack-free synthetic diamond material is grown on a surface of the single crystal diamond substrate wafer at a temperature of at least 900° C. to a thickness of at least 0.5 mm and with lateral dimensions of at least 4 mm by 4 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Element Six Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Ian Friel, Katharine Louise Atkinson, Daniel James Twitchen
  • Publication number: 20220369038
    Abstract: A non-planar chemical vapour deposition polycrystalline diamond body has a dome body having an apex and an outer periphery. The dome body has an average radius of curvature in a range of 4 mm to 25 mm and a maximum linear dimension at the outer periphery of the dome body of no more than 26 mm. The average radius of curvature is no less than 0.6 times the maximum linear dimension at the outer periphery. A method of fabricating the non-planar diamond body is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: ELEMENT SIX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Benjamin Wickham, Ian Friel
  • Publication number: 20210395916
    Abstract: A method of fabricating synthetic diamond material using a microwave plasma activated chemical vapour deposition technique is provided which utilizes high and uniform microwave power densities applied over large areas and for extended periods of time. Products fabricated using such a synthesis technique are described including a single crystal CVD diamond layer which has a large area and a low nitrogen concentration, and a high purity, fast growth rate single crystal CVD diamond material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: ELEMENT SIX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: RIZWAN KHAN, STEVEN COE, JONATHAN WILMAN (DECEASED), DANIEL TWITCHEN, GEOFFREY SCARSBROOK, JOHN BRANDON, CHRISTOPHER WORT, MATTHEW MARKHAM, IAN FRIEL, KATHARINE ROBERTSON
  • Publication number: 20210285125
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing synthetic diamond material using a chemical vapour deposition process, and a diamond obtained by such a method are described. The method comprises providing a freestanding synthetic single crystal diamond substrate wafer having a dislocation density of at least 107 cm?2. The synthetic single crystal diamond substrate wafer is located over a substrate holder within a chemical vapour deposition reactor. Process gases are fed into the reactor, the process gases including a gas comprising carbon. Crack-free synthetic diamond material is grown on a surface of the single crystal diamond substrate wafer at a temperature of at least 900° C. to a thickness of at least 0.5 mm and with lateral dimensions of at least 4 mm by 4 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: ELEMENT SIX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: IAN FRIEL, KATHARINE LOUISE ATKINSON, DANIEL JAMES TWITCHEN
  • Patent number: 10734198
    Abstract: A microwave plasma reactor for manufacturing synthetic diamond material via chemical vapour deposition, the microwave plasma reactor comprising: a plasma chamber defining a resonant cavity for supporting a primary microwave resonance mode having a primary microwave resonance mode frequency f; a plurality of microwave sources coupled to the plasma chamber for generating and feeding microwaves having a total microwave power P? into the plasma chamber; a gas flow system for feeding process gases into the plasma chamber and removing them therefrom; and a substrate holder disposed in the plasma chamber and comprising a supporting surface for supporting a substrate on which the synthetic diamond material is to be deposited in use, wherein the plurality of microwave sources are configured to couple at least 30% of the total microwave power P? into the plasma chamber in the primary microwave resonance mode frequency f, and wherein at least some of the plurality of microwave sources are solid state microwave sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Element Six Technologies Limited
    Inventors: John Robert Brandon, Ian Friel, Michael Andrew Cooper, Geoffrey Alan Scarsbrook, Ben Llewlyn Green
  • Patent number: 10011491
    Abstract: A polycrystalline CVD diamond material comprising a surface having a surface roughness Rq of less than 5 nm, wherein said surface is damage free to the extent that if an anisotropic thermal revealing etch is applied thereto, a number density of defects revealed by the anisotropic thermal revealing etch is less than 100 per mm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Element Six Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Chee-Leong Lee, Erdan Gu, Geoffrey Alan Scarsbrook, Ian Friel, Martin David Dawson
  • Publication number: 20170040145
    Abstract: A microwave plasma reactor for manufacturing synthetic diamond material via chemical vapour deposition, the microwave plasma reactor comprising: a plasma chamber defining a resonant cavity for supporting a primary microwave resonance mode having a primary microwave resonance mode frequency f; a plurality of microwave sources coupled to the plasma chamber for generating and feeding microwaves having a total microwave power P? into the plasma chamber; a gas flow system for feeding process gases into the plasma chamber and removing them therefrom; and a substrate holder disposed in the plasma chamber and comprising a supporting surface for supporting a substrate on which the synthetic diamond material is to be deposited in use, wherein the plurality of microwave sources are configured to couple at least 30% of the total microwave power P? into the plasma chamber in the primary microwave resonance mode frequency f, and wherein at least some of the plurality of microwave sources are solid state microwave sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Applicant: ELEMENT SIX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: JOHN ROBERT BRANDON, IAN FRIEL, MICHAEL ANDREW COOPER, GEOFFREY ALAN SCARSBROOK, BEN LLEWLYN GREEN
  • Publication number: 20170009376
    Abstract: A method of fabricating synthetic diamond material using a microwave plasma activated chemical vapour deposition technique is provided which utilizes high and uniform microwave power densities applied over large areas and for extended periods of time. Products fabricated using such a synthesis technique are described including a single crystal CVD diamond layer which has a large area and a low nitrogen concentration, and a high purity, fast growth rate single crystal CVD diamond material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: ELEMENT SIX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: RIZWAN KHAN, STEVEN COE, JONATHAN WILMAN, DANIEL TWITCHEN, GEOFFREY SCARSBROOK, JOHN BRANDON, CHRISTOPHER WORT, MATTHEW MARKHAM, IAN FRIEL, KATHARINE ROBERTSON
  • Publication number: 20150266741
    Abstract: A polycrystalline CVD diamond material comprising a surface having a surface roughness Rq of less than 5 nm, wherein said surface is damage free to the extent that if an anisotropic thermal revealing etch is applied thereto, a number density of defects revealed by the anisotropic thermal revealing etch is less than 100 per mm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Inventors: Chee-Leong Lee, Erdan Gu, Geoffrey Alan Scarsbrook, Ian Friel, Martin David Dawson
  • Patent number: 9133566
    Abstract: The invention relates to a single crystal CVD diamond material, wherein the extended defect density as characterized by X-ray topography is less than 400/cm2 over an area of greater than 0.014 cm2. The invention further relates to a method for producing a CVD single crystal diamond material according to any preceding claim comprising the step of selecting a substrate on which to grow the CVD single crystal diamond, wherein the substrate has at least one of a density of extended defects as characterized by X-ray topography of less than 400/cm2 over an area greater than 0.014 cm2; an optical isotropy of less than 1×10-5 over a volume greater than 0.1 mm3; and a FWHM X-ray rocking curve width for the (004) reflection of less than 20 arc seconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: ELEMENT SIX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Daniel James Twitchen, Grant Charles Summerton, Ian Friel, John Olaf Hansen, Keith Barry Guy, Michael Peter Gaukroger, Philip Maurice Martineau, Robert Charles Burns, Simon Craig Lawson, Timothy Patrick Gerard Addison
  • Publication number: 20150240382
    Abstract: A coloured single crystal CVD synthetic diamond material comprising: a plurality of layers, wherein the plurality of layers includes at least two sets of layers which differ in terms of their defect composition and colour, wherein defect type, defect concentration, and layer thickness for each of the at least two sets of layers is such that if the coloured single crystal CVD diamond material is fabricated into a round brilliant cut diamond comprising a table and a culet, and having a table to culet depth greater than 1 mm, the round brilliant cut diamond comprises a uniform colour as viewed by naked human eye under standard ambient viewing conditions in at least a direction through the table to the culet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventors: Harpreet Kaur Dhillon, Ian Friel, Daniel James Twitchen, Sarah Louise Geoghegan, Helen Jennifer Gallon, Neil Perkins, Philip Maurice Martineau
  • Patent number: 9034200
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a diamond surface including the steps of providing an original diamond surface, subjecting the original diamond surface to plasma etching to remove at least 2 nm of material from the original surface and produce a plasma etched surface, the roughness Rq of the plasma etched surface at the location of the etched surface where the greatest depth of material has been removed satisfying at least one of the following conditions: Rq of the plasma etched surface is less than 1.5 times the roughness of Rq of the original surface, or Rq of the plasma etched surface is less than 1 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Element Six Limited Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Chee-Leong Lee, Erdan Gu, Geoffrey Alan Scarsbrook, Ian Friel, Martin David Dawson
  • Patent number: 9017633
    Abstract: Single crystal diamond material produced using chemical vapour deposition (CVD), and particularly diamond material having properties suitable for use in optical applications such as lasers, is disclosed. In particular, a CVD single crystal diamond material having preferred characteristics of longest linear internal dimension, birefringence and absorption coefficient, when measured at room temperature, is disclosed. Uses of the diamond material, including in a Raman laser, and methods of producing the diamond are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Element Six Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Ian Friel, Sarah Louise Geoghegan, Daniel James Twitchen, Joseph Michael Dodson
  • Patent number: 8986645
    Abstract: A method of producing a CVD single crystal diamond layer on a substrate includes adding into a DVD synthesis atmosphere a gaseous source comprising silicon. The method can be used to mark the diamond material, for instance to provide means by which its synthetic nature can more easily be determined. It can also be exploited to generate single crystal diamond material of high color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Element Six Limited
    Inventors: Daniel James Twitchen, Geoffrey Alan Scarsbrook, Philip Maurice Martineau, Paul Martyn Spear, Stephen David Williams, Ian Friel
  • Patent number: 8648354
    Abstract: Electronic field effect devices, and methods of manufacture of these electronic field effect devices are disclosed. In particular, there is disclosed an electronic field effect device which has improved electrical properties due to the formation of a highly mobile two-dimensional charge-carrier gas in a simple structure formed from diamond in combination with polar materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Diamond Microwave Devices Limited
    Inventors: Christopher John Howard Wort, Geoffrey Alan Scarsbrook, Ian Friel, Richard Stuart Balmer
  • Patent number: 8362492
    Abstract: Electronic field effect devices, and methods of manufacture of these electronic field effect devices are disclosed. In particular, there is disclosed an electronic field effect device which has improved electrical properties due to the formation of a highly mobile two-dimensional charge-carrier gas in a simple structure formed from diamond in combination with polar materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Diamond Microwave Devices Limited
    Inventors: Christopher John Howard Wort, Geoffrey Alan Scarsbrook, Ian Friel, Richard Stuart Balmer
  • Publication number: 20120241763
    Abstract: Electronic field effect devices, and methods of manufacture of these electronic field effect devices are disclosed. In particular, there is disclosed an electronic field effect device which has improved electrical properties due to the formation of a highly mobile two-dimensional charge-carrier gas in a simple structure formed from diamond in combination with polar materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Christopher John Howard Wort, Geoffrey Alan Scarsbrook, Ian Friel, Richard Stuart Balmer