Patents by Inventor James M. Zahler

James M. Zahler 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: 10374120
    Abstract: A method of making a virtual substrate includes providing a donor substrate comprising a single crystal donor layer of a first material over a support substrate, wherein the first material comprises a ternary, quaternary or penternary semiconductor material or a material which is not available in bulk form, bonding the donor substrate to a handle substrate, and separating the donor substrate from the handle substrate such that a single crystal film of the first material remains bonded to the handle substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Harry A. Atwater, Jr., James M. Zahler, Anna Fontcuberta i Morral, Tom Pinnington, Sean Olson
  • Patent number: 9377912
    Abstract: An electronic device comprising a cover plate is disclosed. The cover plate comprises at least one layer of modified sapphire having a dielectric constant that is higher than the dielectric constant of sapphire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: GTAT Corporation
    Inventors: David B. Joyce, John Q. Dumm, James M. Zahler
  • Patent number: 9369553
    Abstract: An electronic device comprising a cover plate is disclosed. The cover plate comprises one or more sapphire layers having a thickness of less than 50 microns. Also disclosed are methods for preparing these ultrathin sapphire layers using an ion implantation/exfoliation method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: GTAT Corporation
    Inventors: James M. Zahler, Christopher J. Petti
  • Publication number: 20140160649
    Abstract: An electronic device comprising a cover plate is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: GT CRYSTAL SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: David B. Joyce, John Q. Dumm, James M. Zahler
  • Publication number: 20140133074
    Abstract: An electronic device comprising a cover plate is disclosed. The cover plate comprises one or more sapphire layers having a thickness of less than 50 microns. Also disclosed are methods for preparing these ultrathin sapphire layers using an ion implantation/exfoliation method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: GTAT CORPORATION
    Inventors: James M. Zahler, Christopher J. Petti
  • Patent number: 8101498
    Abstract: An intermediate substrate includes a handle substrate bonded to a thin layer suitable for epitaxial growth of a compound semiconductor layer, such as a III-nitride semiconductor layer. The handle substrate may be a metal or metal alloy substrate, such as a molybdenum or molybdenum alloy substrate, while the thin layer may be a sapphire layer. A method of making the intermediate substrate includes forming a weak interface in the source substrate, bonding the source substrate to the handle substrate, and exfoliating the thin layer from the source substrate such that the thin layer remains bonded to the handle substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Inventors: Thomas Henry Pinnington, James M. Zahler, Young-Bae Park, Charles Tsai, Corinne Ladous, Harry A. Atwater, Jr., Sean Olson
  • Publication number: 20110117726
    Abstract: A method includes growing a first epitaxial layer of III-nitride material, forming a damaged region by implanting ions into an exposed surface of the first epitaxial layer, and growing a second epitaxial layer of III-nitride material on the exposed surface of the first epitaxial layer. A level of defects present in the second epitaxial layer is less than a level of defects present in the first epitaxial layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: AMBERWAVE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas Henry Pinnington, James M. Zahler, Young-Bae Park, Corinne Ladous, Sean Olson
  • Patent number: 7755109
    Abstract: Ge/Si and other nonsilicon film heterostructures are formed by hydrogen-induced exfoliation of the Ge film which is wafer bonded to a cheaper substrate, such as Si. A thin, single-crystal layer of Ge is transferred to Si substrate. The bond at the interface of the Ge/Si heterostructures is covalent to ensure good thermal contact, mechanical strength, and to enable the formation of an ohmic contact between the Si substrate and Ge layers. To accomplish this type of bond, hydrophobic wafer bonding is used, because as the invention demonstrates the hydrogen-surface-terminating species that facilitate van der Waals bonding evolves at temperatures above 600° C. into covalent bonding in hydrophobically bound Ge/Si layer transferred systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Harry A. Atwater, Jr., James M. Zahler
  • Patent number: 7732301
    Abstract: A method of making a bonded intermediate substrate includes forming a weak interface in a GaN source substrate by implanting ions into an N-terminated surface of the GaN source substrate, bonding the N-terminated surface of the GaN source substrate to a handle substrate, and exfoliating a thin GaN single crystal layer from the source substrate such that the thin GaN exfoliated single crystal layer remains bonded to the handle substrate and a Ga-terminated surface of the thin GaN single crystal layer is exposed. The method further includes depositing a capping layer directly onto the exposed surface of the thin GaN single crystal layer, and annealing the thin GaN single crystal layer in a nitrogen containing atmosphere after depositing the capping layer. The in-plane strain present in the thin GaN single crystal layer after the annealing is reduced relative to an in-plane strain present in said layer prior to the annealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Inventors: Thomas Henry Pinnington, James M. Zahler, Young-Bae Park, Corinne Ladous, Sean Olson
  • Publication number: 20090278233
    Abstract: A method includes growing a first epitaxial layer of III-nitride material, forming a damaged region by implanting ions into an exposed surface of the first epitaxial layer, and growing a second epitaxial layer of III-nitride material on the exposed surface of the first epitaxial layer. A level of defects present in the second epitaxial layer is less than a level of defects present in the first epitaxial layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas Henry PINNINGTON, James M. Zahler, Young-Bae Park, Corinne Ladous, Sean Olson
  • Publication number: 20080211061
    Abstract: A method of making a virtual substrate includes providing a device substrate of a first material containing a device layer of a second material different from the first material located over a first side of the device substrate, implanting ions into the device substrate such that a damaged region is formed in the device substrate below the device layer, bonding the device layer to a handle substrate, and separating at least a portion of the device substrate from the device layer bonded to the handle substrate along the damaged region to form a virtual substrate comprising the device layer bonded to the handle substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE of TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Harry A. Atwater Jr, James M. Zahler
  • Patent number: 7341927
    Abstract: A heterostructure device layer is epitaxially grown on a virtual substrate, such as an InP/InGaAs/InP double heterostructure. A device substrate and a handle substrate form the virtual substrate. The device substrate is bonded to the handle substrate and is composed of a material suitable for fabrication of optoelectronic devices. The handle substrate is composed of a material suitable for providing mechanical support. The mechanical strength of the device and handle substrates is improved and the device substrate is thinned to leave a single-crystal film on the virtual substrate such as by exfoliation of a device film from the device substrate. An upper portion of the device film exfoliated from the device substrate is removed to provide a smoother and less defect prone surface for an optoelectronic device. A heterostructure is epitaxially grown on the smoothed surface in which an optoelectronic device may be fabricated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Harry A. Atwater, Jr., James M. Zahler, Anna Fontcubera I Morral
  • Publication number: 20070243703
    Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device includes providing a laminate substrate made by bonding a II-VI or III-V semiconductor laminate film to a support substrate, and preparing the laminate film to enable growth of a II-VI or III-V semiconductor device layer on the laminate substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Inventors: Thomas Pinnington, Sean Olson, James M. Zahler, Charles Tsai
  • Patent number: 7238622
    Abstract: A method of forming a virtual substrate comprised of an optoelectronic device substrate and handle substrate comprises the steps of initiating bonding of the device substrate to the handle substrate, improving or increasing the mechanical strength of the device and handle substrates, and thinning the device substrate to leave a single-crystal film on the virtual substrate such as by exfoliation of a device film from the device substrate. The handle substrate is typically Si or other inexpensive common substrate material, while the optoelectronic device substrate is formed of more expensive and specialized electro-optic material. Using the methodology of the invention a wide variety of thin film electro-optic materials of high quality can be bonded to inexpensive substrates which serve as the mechanical support for an optoelectronic device layer fabricated in the thin film electro-optic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Harry A. Atwater, Jr., James M. Zahler, Anna Fontcuberta i Morral
  • Patent number: 7141834
    Abstract: Ge/Si and other nonsilicon film heterostructures are formed by hydrogen-induced exfoliation of the Ge film which is wafer bonded to a cheaper substrate, such as Si. A thin, single-crystal layer of Ge is transferred to Si substrate. The bond at the interface of the Ge/Si heterostructures is covalent to ensure good thermal contact, mechanical strength, and to enable the formation of an ohmic contact between the Si substrate and Ge layers. To accomplish this type of bond, hydrophobic wafer bonding is used, because as the invention demonstrates the hydrogen-surface-terminating species that facilitate van der Waals bonding evolves at temperatures above 600° C. into covalent bonding in hydrophobically bound Ge/Si layer transferred systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Harry A. Atwater, Jr., James M. Zahler
  • Patent number: 7019339
    Abstract: Ge/Si and other nonsilicon film heterostructures are formed by hydrogen-induced exfoliation of the Ge film which is wafer bonded to a cheaper substrate, such as Si. A thin, single-crystal layer of Ge is transferred to Si substrate. The bond at the interface of the Ge/Si heterostructures is covalent to ensure good thermal contact, mechanical strength, and to enable the formation of an ohmic contact between the Si substrate and Ge layers. To accomplish this type of bond, hydrophobic wafer bonding is used, because as the invention demonstrates the hydrogen-surface-terminating species that facilitate van der Waals bonding evolves at temperatures above 600° C. into covalent bonding in hydrophobically bound Ge/Si layer transferred systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Harry A. Atwater, Jr., James M. Zahler
  • Publication number: 20040214434
    Abstract: A method of forming a virtual substrate comprised of an optoelectronic device substrate and handle substrate comprises the steps of initiating bonding of the device substrate to the handle substrate, improving or increasing the mechanical strength of the device and handle substrates, and thinning the device substrate to leave a single-crystal film on the virtual substrate such as by exfoliation of a device film from the device substrate. The handle substrate is typically Si or other inexpensive common substrate material, while the optoelectronic device substrate is formed of more expensive and specialized electro-optic material. Using the methodology of the invention a wide variety of thin film electro-optic materials of high quality can be bonded to inexpensive substrates which serve as the mechanical support for an optoelectronic device layer fabricated in the thin film electro-optic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventors: Harry A. Atwater, James M. Zahler, Anna Fontcuberta i Morral
  • Publication number: 20020190269
    Abstract: Ge/Si and other nonsilicon film heterostructures are formed by hydrogen-induced exfoliation of the Ge film which is wafer bonded to a cheaper substrate, such as Si. A thin, single-crystal layer of Ge is transferred to Si substrate. The bond at the interface of the Ge/Si heterostructures is covalent to ensure good thermal contact, mechanical strength, and to enable the formation of an ohmic contact between the Si substrate and Ge layers. To accomplish this type of bond, hydrophobic wafer bonding is used, because as the invention demonstrates the hydrogen-surface-terminating species that facilitate van der Waals bonding evolves at temperatures above 600° C. into covalent bonding in hydrophobically bound Ge/Si layer transferred systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Harry A. Atwater, James M. Zahler