Patents by Inventor Mark A. Bernick
Mark A. Bernick 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: 9812304Abstract: A magnetron sputtering electrode for use in a rotatable cylindrical magnetron sputtering device, the electrode including a cathode body defining a magnet receiving chamber and a cylindrical target surrounding the cathode body. The target is rotatable about the cathode body. A magnet arrangement is received within the magnet receiving chamber, the magnet arrangement including a plurality of magnets. A shunt is secured to the cathode body and proximate to a side of the magnet arrangement, the shunt extending in a plane substantially parallel to the side of the magnet arrangement. A method of fine-tuning a magnetron sputtering electrode in a rotatable cylindrical magnetron sputtering device is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2015Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: ANGSTROM SCIENCES, INC.Inventors: Mark A. Bernick, Richard Newcomb
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Patent number: 9349576Abstract: A magnet arrangement which is usable as both a retrofit magnetic arrangement in a rotatable cylindrical magnetron sputtering electrode as well as a drive assembly in communication with the electrode for delivering high current into a target surface without adding highly incremental cost to the overall design of the electrode. The electrode includes a cathode body defining a magnet receiving chamber, a rotatable cylindrical target surrounding the cathode body, wherein the target is rotatable about the cathode body. The cathode body further defines a magnet arrangement received within the magnet receiving chamber, wherein the magnet arrangement comprised of a plurality of magnets wherein at least one of the magnets is a profiled magnet having a contoured top portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2007Date of Patent: May 24, 2016Assignee: Angstrom Sciences, Inc.Inventors: Mark A. Bernick, Richard Newcomb
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Publication number: 20150194294Abstract: A magnetron sputtering electrode for use in a rotatable cylindrical magnetron sputtering device, the electrode including a cathode body defining a magnet receiving chamber and a cylindrical target surrounding the cathode body. The target is rotatable about the cathode body. A magnet arrangement is received within the magnet receiving chamber, the magnet arrangement including a plurality of magnets. A shunt is secured to the cathode body and proximate to a side of the magnet arrangement, the shunt extending in a plane substantially parallel to the side of the magnet arrangement. A method of fine-tuning a magnetron sputtering electrode in a rotatable cylindrical magnetron sputtering device is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2015Publication date: July 9, 2015Inventors: Mark A. Bernick, Richard Newcomb
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Patent number: 8951394Abstract: A magnetron sputtering electrode for use in a rotatable cylindrical magnetron sputtering device, the electrode including a cathode body defining a magnet receiving chamber and a cylindrical target surrounding the cathode body. The target is rotatable about the cathode body A magnet arrangement is received within the magnet receiving chamber, the magnet arrangement including a plurality of magnets. A shunt is secured to the cathode body and proximate to a side of the magnet arrangement, the shunt extending in a plane substantially parallel to the side of the magnet arrangement. A method of fine-tuning a magnetron sputtering electrode in a rotatable cylindrical magnetron sputtering device is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2010Date of Patent: February 10, 2015Assignee: Angstrom Sciences, Inc.Inventors: Mark A. Bernick, Richard Newcomb
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Patent number: 8500972Abstract: A rotatable cylindrical magnetron sputtering device that includes a cathode body defining a magnet receiving chamber and a cylindrical target assembly surrounding the cathode body, wherein the cylindrical target assembly is rotatable around the cathode body. The cylindrical target assembly includes a hollow mandrel and a target portion mounted around and spaced away from the hollow mandrel portion so as to create a space gap between the hollow mandrel and the target portion, wherein the space gap may be greater than 0.002 inch and less than 0.020 inch.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2009Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Angstrom Sciences, Inc.Inventor: Mark A. Bernick
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Patent number: 8470141Abstract: A magnetron sputtering electrode for use within a magnetron sputtering device that includes a cathode body, a target receiving area defined adjacent the cathode body, a plurality of magnets received within a magnet receiving chamber and an anode shield surrounding the cathode body. At least a portion of a coolant passageway is defined by the anode shield, whereby the coolant passageway is adapted to receive coolant to circulate therethrough thereby cooling the anode shield.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2006Date of Patent: June 25, 2013Assignee: Angstrom Sciences, Inc.Inventor: Mark A. Bernick
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Publication number: 20110186427Abstract: A magnetron sputtering electrode for use in a rotatable cylindrical magnetron sputtering device, the electrode including a cathode body defining a magnet receiving chamber and a cylindrical target surrounding the cathode body. The target is rotatable about the cathode body A magnet arrangement is received within the magnet receiving chamber, the magnet arrangement including a plurality of magnets. A shunt is secured to the cathode body and proximate to a side of the magnet arrangement, the shunt extending in a plane substantially parallel to the side of the magnet arrangement. A method of fine-tuning a magnetron sputtering electrode in a rotatable cylindrical magnetron sputtering device is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2010Publication date: August 4, 2011Applicant: Angstrom Sciences, Inc.Inventors: Mark A. Bernick, Richard Newcomb
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Publication number: 20090314631Abstract: A magnet assembly for a magnetron sputtering device having circular, linear or other types of planar targets including two permanent magnets and an electromagnet, e.g., electromagnetic coil between the permanent magnets associated with a sputtering target of a target assembly. An electrical control circuit is arranged to selectively adjust at least the current level and the direction of current to the electromagnet to alter the magnetic fields of the magnet assembly thereby encompassing the entire portions of the sputtering target, including the extreme inner and outer portions of the sputtering target to optimize the target uniformity and the sputtered film uniformity on a substrate. Methods for operating the magnet assembly of the magnetron sputtering devices, for optimizing the target utilization and sputtered film uniformity on a substrate, and for operating the magnetron sputtering process in a reactive gas environment to form an insulating or dielectric thin film are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2009Publication date: December 24, 2009Applicant: ANGSTROM SCIENCES, INC.Inventors: Mark A. Bernick, Richard Newcomb
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Publication number: 20090260983Abstract: A rotatable cylindrical magnetron sputtering device that includes a cathode body defining a magnet receiving chamber and a cylindrical target assembly surrounding the cathode body, wherein the cylindrical target assembly is rotatable around the cathode body. The cylindrical target assembly includes a hollow mandrel and a target portion mounted around and spaced away from the hollow mandrel portion so as to create a space gap between the hollow mandrel and the target portion, wherein the space gap may be greater than 0.002 inch and less than 0.020 inch.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2009Publication date: October 22, 2009Applicant: ANGSTROM SCIENCES, INC.Inventor: Mark A. Bernick
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Publication number: 20080012460Abstract: A magnet arrangement which is usable as both a retrofit magnetic arrangement in a rotatable cylindrical magnetron sputtering electrode as well as a drive assembly in communication with the electrode for delivering high current into a target surface without adding highly incremental cost to the overall design of the electrode. The electrode includes a cathode body defining a magnet receiving chamber, a rotatable cylindrical target surrounding the cathode body, wherein the target is rotatable about the cathode body. The cathode body further defines a magnet arrangement received within the magnet receiving chamber, wherein the magnet arrangement comprised of a plurality of magnets wherein at least one of the magnets is a profiled magnet having a contoured top portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2007Publication date: January 17, 2008Applicant: Angstrom Sciences, Inc.Inventors: Mark Bernick, Richard Newcomb
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Patent number: 7223322Abstract: A magnetron sputtering electrode for use with a magnetron sputtering device, wherein the magnetron sputtering electrode comprises a cathode body, a drive unit coupled to the cathode body, a target received by the cathode body, and a closed loop magnet arrangement received within a magnet receiving chamber and coupled to the drive unit. The closed loop magnet arrangement is comprised of a plurality of magnets adapted for motion relative to the target by the drive unit, wherein at least one of the plurality of magnets is a profiled magnet having a contoured top portion. A method of improving target utilization in sputtering applications is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2003Date of Patent: May 29, 2007Assignee: Angstrom Sciences, Inc.Inventor: Mark A. Bernick
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Publication number: 20040129556Abstract: A magnetron sputtering electrode for use with a magnetron sputtering device, wherein the magnetron sputtering electrode comprises a cathode body, a drive unit coupled to the cathode body, a target received by the cathode body, and a closed loop magnet arrangement received within a magnet receiving chamber and coupled to the drive unit. The closed loop magnet arrangement is comprised of a plurality of magnets adapted for motion relative to the target by the drive unit, wherein at least one of the plurality of magnets is a profiled magnet having a contoured top portion. A method of improving target utilization in sputtering applications is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2003Publication date: July 8, 2004Applicant: Angstrom Sciences, Inc.Inventor: Mark A. Bernick
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Patent number: 6171461Abstract: A magnetron sputtering electrode for use within a magnetron sputtering device having more uniform cooling of the target with the use of a water chamber including water diverters to establish a turbulent water flow within the water chamber. The electrode also includes a direct power coupling to the cathode body to avoid degradation of the power supplied to the electrode. The electrode further includes introduction of process gas in an interstitial space between the anode shield and the cathode shield. The electrode also includes the use of removable shaped magnets providing improved target utilization and run times and a choice of erosion pattern and balanced or unbalanced sputtering by simple magnet substitution. In one embodiment, the invention includes the use of a threaded anode shield and a threaded cathode shield which significantly reduces the overall electrode size for a given target diameter.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 1998Date of Patent: January 9, 2001Inventor: Mark A. Bernick
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Patent number: 5736019Abstract: A magnetron sputtering electrode for use within a magnetron sputtering device having more uniform cooling of the target with the use of a water chamber including water diverters to establish a turbulent water flow within the water chamber. The electrode also includes a direct power coupling to the cathode body to avoid degradation of the power supplied to the electrode. The electrode further includes introduction of process gas in an interstitial space between the anode shield and the cathode shield. The electrode also includes the use of removable shaped magnets providing improved target utilization and run times and a choice of erosion pattern and balanced or unbalanced sputtering by simple magnet substitution. In one embodiment, the invention includes the use of a threaded anode shield and a threaded cathode shield which significantly reduces the overall electrode size for a given target diameter.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 1996Date of Patent: April 7, 1998Inventor: Mark A. Bernick