Patents by Inventor James Sheats
James Sheats 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).
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Patent number: 7964964Abstract: A semiconductor chip packaging on a flexible substrate is disclosed. The chip and the flexible substrate are provided with corresponding raised and indented micron-scale contact pads with the indented contact pads partially filled with a liquid amalgam. After low temperature amalgam curing, the chip and the substrate form a flexible substrate IC packaging with high conductivity, controllable interface layer thickness, micron-scale contact density and low process temperature. Adhesion between the chip and the substrate can be further enhanced by coating other areas with non-conducting adhesive.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2009Date of Patent: June 21, 2011Inventor: James Sheats
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Patent number: 7863762Abstract: A method is disclosed for packaging semiconductor chips on a flexible substrate employing thin film transfer. The semiconductor chips are placed on a temporary adhesive substrate, then covered by a permanent flexible substrate with a casting layer for planarizingly embedding the chips on the permanent substrate before removing the temporary substrate. With the surface of the chips coplanar with the surface of the complete structure without any gaps, interconnect metal lines can be easily placed on the uninterrupted surface, connecting the chips and other components.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2007Date of Patent: January 4, 2011Inventor: James Sheats
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Publication number: 20100038770Abstract: A semiconductor chip packaging on a flexible substrate is disclosed. The chip and the flexible substrate are provided with corresponding raised and indented micron-scale contact pads with the indented contact pads partially filled with a liquid amalgam. After low temperature amalgam curing, the chip and the substrate form a flexible substrate IC packaging with high conductivity, controllable interface layer thickness, micron-scale contact density and low process temperature. Adhesion between the chip and the substrate can be further enhanced by coating other areas with non-conducting adhesive.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2009Publication date: February 18, 2010Inventor: James Sheats
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Patent number: 7618844Abstract: A semiconductor chip packaging on a flexible substrate is disclosed. The chip and the flexible substrate are provided with corresponding raised and indented micron-scale contact pads with the indented contact pads partially filled with a liquid amalgam. After low temperature amalgam curing, the chip and the substrate form a flexible substrate IC packaging with high conductivity, controllable interface layer thickness, micron-scale contact density and low process temperature. Adhesion between the chip and the substrate can be further enhanced by coating other areas with non-conducting adhesive.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2005Date of Patent: November 17, 2009Assignee: Intelleflex CorporationInventor: James Sheats
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Patent number: 7334737Abstract: A thin film non volatile memory scalable to small sizes and its fabrication process are disclosed. The thin film memory includes a thin film transistor control circuitry fabricated on a flexible substrate, together with an optoelectronic cross bar memory employing a photoconducting material. The thin film non volatile memory can be used in RFID communication tag with the control circuitry further employing wireless communication circuitry such as an antenna, a receiver, and a transmitter.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2005Date of Patent: February 26, 2008Assignee: Intelleflex Corp.Inventor: James Sheats
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Patent number: 7335551Abstract: A thin film non volatile memory scalable to small sizes and its fabrication process are disclosed. The thin film memory comprises a thin film transistor control circuitry fabricated on a flexible substrate, together with an optoelectronic cross bar memory comprising a photoconducting material. The thin film non volatile memory can be used in RFID communication tag with the control circuitry further comprises wireless communication circuitry such as an antenna, a receiver, and a transmitter.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2005Date of Patent: February 26, 2008Assignee: Intelleflex Corp.Inventor: James Sheats
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Publication number: 20080036066Abstract: A method is disclosed for packaging semiconductor chips on a flexible substrate employing thin film transfer. The semiconductor chips are placed on a temporary adhesive substrate, then covered by a permanent flexible substrate with a casting layer for planarizingly embedding the chips on the permanent substrate before removing the temporary substrate. With the surface of the chips coplanar with the surface of the complete structure without any gaps, interconnect metal lines can be easily placed on the uninterrupted surface, connecting the chips and other components.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2007Publication date: February 14, 2008Inventor: James Sheats
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Publication number: 20080020503Abstract: Series interconnection of optoelectronic device modules is disclosed. Each device module includes an active layer disposed between a bottom electrode and a transparent conducting layer. An insulating layer is disposed between the bottom electrode of a first device module and a backside top electrode of the first device module. One or more vias are formed through the active layer, transparent conducting layer and insulating layer of the first device module. Sidewalls of the vias are coated with an insulating material such that a channel is formed through the insulating material to the backside top electrode of the first device module. The channel is at least partially filled with an electrically conductive material to form a plug that makes electrical contact between the transparent conducting layer and the backside top electrode of the first device module.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2007Publication date: January 24, 2008Inventors: James Sheats, Sam Kao, Gregory Miller, Martin Roscheisen
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Publication number: 20070295388Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for improved environmental protection for photovoltaic devices and assemblies. In one embodiment, a photovoltaic device module is provided comprising of a multi-ply module encapsulant, a bottom module layer, and a plurality of solar cells. The multi-ply module encapsulant includes one or more discrete layers comprising of at least a first module layer and at least a second module layer. The plurality of solar cells may be sandwiched between the multi-ply module encapsulant and the bottom module layer. At least one of the cells has a protective layer that provides a level of moisture resistance equal to or higher than any of the layers above the cells. The protective layer is typically above the solar cell and light passes through the multi-ply module encapsulant and the protective layer to reach the solar cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2006Publication date: December 27, 2007Applicant: Nanosolar, Inc.Inventors: Paul Adriani, Philip Capps, James Sheats
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Patent number: 7300824Abstract: A method is disclosed for packaging semiconductor chips on a flexible substrate employing thin film transfer. The semiconductor chips are placed on a temporary adhesive substrate, then covered by a permanent flexible substrate with a casting layer for planarizingly embedding the chips on the permanent substrate before removing the temporary substrate. With the surface of the chips coplanar with the surface of the complete structure without any gaps, interconnect metal lines can be easily placed on the uninterrupted surface, connecting the chips and other components.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2005Date of Patent: November 27, 2007Inventor: James Sheats
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Publication number: 20070186971Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for high-efficiency solar cells. In one embodiment, the device comprises of a solar cell having a high efficiency backside electrode configuration, wherein the solar cell comprises of: at least one transparent conductor, a photovoltaic layer, at least one bottom electrode, and at least one backside electrode. The device may include a plurality of electrical conduction fingers mounted to the transparent conductor in the solar cell. The device may include a plurality of filled vias coupled to the electrical conduction fingers, wherein the vias extend through the transparent conductor, the photovoltaic layer, and the bottom electrode, wherein the vias have a conductive core that conducts charge from the transparent conductor to the backside electrode. The via insulating layer may separate the conductive core in each via from the bottom electrode, wherein the insulating layer may be formed by a variety of techniques such as but not limited to aerosol coating of the via.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2006Publication date: August 16, 2007Applicant: Nanosolar, Inc.Inventors: Darren Lochun, James Sheats, Gregory Miller
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Publication number: 20070040258Abstract: A method is disclosed for packaging semiconductor chips on a flexible substrate employing thin film transfer. The semiconductor chips are placed on a temporary adhesive substrate, then covered by a permanent flexible substrate with a casting layer for planarizingly embedding the chips on the permanent substrate before removing the temporary substrate. With the surface of the chips coplanar with the surface of the complete structure without any gaps, interconnect metal lines can be easily placed on the uninterrupted surface, connecting the chips and other components.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2005Publication date: February 22, 2007Inventor: James Sheats
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Publication number: 20070040272Abstract: A semiconductor chip packaging on a flexible substrate is disclosed. The chip and the flexible substrate are provided with corresponding raised and indented micron-scale contact pads with the indented contact pads partially filled with a liquid amalgam. After low temperature amalgam curing, the chip and the substrate form a flexible substrate IC packaging with high conductivity, controllable interface layer thickness, micron-scale contact density and low process temperature. Adhesion between the chip and the substrate can be further enhanced by coating other areas with non-conducting adhesive.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2005Publication date: February 22, 2007Inventor: James Sheats
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Publication number: 20070009827Abstract: This invention discloses a releasable adhesion layer having good adhesion during high temperature fabrication process in the absence of light, and delaminating at a lower temperature in the presence of light. One embodiment of this invention is a film of polymer whose thermal decomposition temperature changes drastically upon photoexposure. These materials, prior to photoexposure, can withstand temperatures in the range of approximately 200° C. to 300° C. without decomposition, yet decompose at around 100° C. with photoexposure. The releasable adhesion layer can be used in a thermal transfer element, sandwiching a donor substrate and a transfer layer having a plurality of multicomponent transfer units. In the absence of light, the releasable adhesion layer can sustain high temperature processing of these multicomponent transfer units. By photoexposing according to a pattern, the photoexposed multicomponent transfer units can be selectively released at a low temperature to transfer to a receptor.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2006Publication date: January 11, 2007Inventors: James Sheats, Tue Nguyen
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Publication number: 20070000537Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for absorber layers formed on foil substrate. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing photovoltaic devices may be comprised of providing a substrate comprising of at least one electrically conductive aluminum foil substrate, at least one electrically conductive diffusion barrier layer, and at least one electrically conductive electrode layer above the diffusion barrier layer. The diffusion barrier layer may prevent chemical interaction between the aluminum foil substrate and the electrode layer. An absorber layer may be formed on the substrate. In one embodiment, the absorber layer may be a non-silicon absorber layer. In another embodiment, the absorber layer may be an amorphous silicon (doped or undoped) absorber layer. Optionally, the absorber layer may be based on organic and/or inorganic materials.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2006Publication date: January 4, 2007Inventors: Craig Leidholm, Brent Bollman, James Sheats, Sam Kao, Martin Roscheisen
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Patent number: 7141348Abstract: This invention discloses a releasable adhesion layer having good adhesion during high temperature fabrication process in the absence of light, and delaminating at a lower temperature in the presence of light. One embodiment of this invention is a film of polymer whose thermal decomposition temperature changes drastically upon photoexposure. These materials, prior to photoexposure, can withstand temperatures in the range of approximately 200° C. to 300° C. without decomposition, yet decompose at around 100° C. with photoexposure. The releasable adhesion layer can be used in a thermal transfer element, sandwiching a donor substrate and a transfer layer having a plurality of multicomponent transfer units. In the absence of light, the releasable adhesion layer can sustain high temperature processing of these multicomponent transfer units. By photoexposing according to a pattern, the photoexposed multicomponent transfer units can be selectively released at a low temperature to transfer to a receptor.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2003Date of Patent: November 28, 2006Assignee: Intelleflex CorporationInventors: James Sheats, Tue Nguyen
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Publication number: 20060157103Abstract: Optoelectronic device modules, arrays optoelectronic device modules and methods for fabricating optoelectronic device modules are disclosed. The device modules are made using a starting substrate having an insulator layer sandwiched between a bottom electrode made of a flexible bulk conductor and a conductive back plane. An active layer is disposed between the bottom electrode and a transparent conducting layer. One or more electrical contacts between the transparent conducting layer and the back plane are formed through the transparent conducting layer, the active layer, the flexible bulk conductor and the insulating layer. The electrical contacts are electrically isolated from the active layer, the bottom electrode and the insulating layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2005Publication date: July 20, 2006Applicant: Nanosolar, Inc.Inventors: James Sheats, Sam Kao, Martin Roscheisen
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Publication number: 20060160261Abstract: Series interconnection of optoelectronic device modules is disclosed. Each device module includes an active layer disposed between a bottom electrode and a transparent conducting layer. An insulating layer is disposed between the bottom electrode of a first device module and a backside top electrode of the first device module. One or more vias are formed through the active layer, transparent conducting layer and insulating layer of the first device module. Sidewalls of the vias are coated with an insulating material such that a channel is formed through the insulating material to the backside top electrode of the first device module. The channel is at least partially filled with an electrically conductive material to form a plug that makes electrical contact between the transparent conducting layer and the backside top electrode of the first device module.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2005Publication date: July 20, 2006Applicant: Nanosolar, Inc.Inventors: James Sheats, Sam Kao, Gregory Miller, Martin Roscheisen
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Publication number: 20060151616Abstract: A thin film non volatile memory scalable to small sizes and its fabrication process are disclosed. The thin film memory comprises a thin film transistor control circuitry fabricated on a flexible substrate, together with an optoelectronic cross bar memory comprising a photoconducting material. The thin film non volatile memory can be used in RFID communication tag with the control circuitry further comprises wireless communication circuitry such as an antenna, a receiver, and a transmitter.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2005Publication date: July 13, 2006Inventor: James Sheats
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Publication number: 20060152960Abstract: A thin film non volatile memory scalable to small sizes and its fabrication process are disclosed. The thin film memory comprises a thin film transistor control circuitry fabricated on a flexible substrate, together with an optoelectronic cross bar memory comprising a photoconducting material. The thin film non volatile memory can be used in RFID communication tag with the control circuitry further comprises wireless communication circuitry such as an antenna, a receiver, and a transmitter.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2005Publication date: July 13, 2006Inventor: James Sheats