Patents by Inventor James M. Best, JR.

James M. Best, JR. 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).

  • Ion beam materials processing system with grid short clearing system for gridded ion beam source
    Patent number: 10014164
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a grid short clearing system is provided for gridded ion beam sources used in industrial applications for materials processing systems that reduces grid damage during operation. In various embodiments, the ion source is coupled to a process chamber and a grid short clearing system includes methods for supplying a gas to the process chamber and setting the gas pressure to a predetermined gas pressure in the range between 50 to 750 Torr, applying an electrical potential difference between each adjacent pair of grids using a current-limited power supply, and detecting whether or not the grid shorts are cleared. The electrical potential difference between the grids is at least 10% lower than the DC electrical breakdown voltage between the grids with no contaminants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Boris Druz, Rustam Yevtukhov, Rhodri Elliott, James M. Best, Jr., Peter Porshnev
  • ION BEAM MATERIALS PROCESSING SYSTEM WITH GRID SHORT CLEARING SYSTEM FOR GRIDDED ION BEAM SOURCE
    Publication number: 20170330738
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a grid short clearing system is provided for gridded ion beam sources used in industrial applications for materials processing systems that reduces grid damage during operation. In various embodiments, the ion source is coupled to a process chamber and a grid short clearing system includes methods for supplying a gas to the process chamber and setting the gas pressure to a predetermined gas pressure in the range between 50 to 750 Torr, applying an electrical potential difference between each adjacent pair of grids using a current-limited power supply, and detecting whether or not the grid shorts are cleared. The electrical potential difference between the grids is at least 10% lower than the DC electrical breakdown voltage between the grids with no contaminants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Boris Druz, Rustam Yevtukhov, Rhodri Elliott, James M. Best, JR., Peter Porshnev