Patents by Inventor Michael C. Driver

Michael C. Driver 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: 5923058
    Abstract: A heat tolerant, frequency responsive transistor for use in the microwave region includes a collector region, a base region overlying the collector region, and an emitter region including an AlGaN layer overlying at least part of said base region, forming a heterojunction between said base region and said emitter region. The emitter region may include two layers. The HBT may be mounted on a SiC or sapphire substrate. The HBT may include a buffer layer between the substrate and the collector region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Anant K. Agarwal, Rowan L. Messham, Michael C. Driver
  • Patent number: 5641975
    Abstract: A heat tolerant, frequency responsive transistor for use in the microwave region includes a collector region, a base region overlying the collector region, and an emitter region including an AlGaN layer overlying at least part of said base region, forming a heterojunction between said base region and said emitter region. The emitter region may include two layers. The HBT may be mounted on a SiC or sapphire substrate. The HBT may include a buffer layer between the substrate and the collector region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Anant K. Agarwal, Rowan L. Messham, Michael C. Driver
  • Patent number: 5198695
    Abstract: A bonded structure is described consisting of a semiconductor wafer, preferably gallium arsenide, soldered to a substrate material. A method for forming the structure is also described. The structure provides mechanical support and thermal conductivity for the wafer, as well as a multitude of connections through the substrate material at predetermined locations on the wafer. The substrate material and the soldering process are selected to minimize the resulting stresses in the wafer. A pattern of pads consisting of a refractory metal covered by a solder material is formed on the substrate to maintain space for excess solder in order to avoid the shorting of the individual connections on the wafer, and to control the size and location of voids in the solder upon solidification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Maurice H. Hanes, Rowland C. Clarke, Michael C. Driver
  • Patent number: 4922253
    Abstract: A radio frequency transmitting shutter operable at low power and high speed for use in the protection of a radar or electronic warfare array comprising a multiplicity of individual conductive beam members interconnected by electrostatic switches formed using high yield, common photolithographic methods is disclosed. Further, a photosensitive embodiment of this device which would allow activation of the shutter wherever the light falls upon the shutter during radar protection, is disclosed and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Harvey C. Nathanson, Michael C. Driver, Regis J. Betsch
  • Patent number: 4904831
    Abstract: An improved phased-array active antenna transmit-receive means utilizing a multiplicity of individual transmit-receive cells positioned in an array format upon a common wafer of semiconductor material. Each transmit-receiver cell, comprises a multiplicity of redundant, integrated circuit, electronic devices implanted upon the common semiconductor substrate. The transmit-receive cells utilize novel mitered mechanical switches to permanently interconnect individual electronic devices into either transmit or receive circuits during the fabrication and test of the transmit-receive cells. Radio frequency and direct current input and output vias formed from a novel metal evaporation technique connect the devices upon the surface of the common semiconductor wafer to underlying, insulated direct current distribution circuits and a radio frequency manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Harvey C. Nathanson, Michael C. Driver, Michael W. Cresswell, Ronald G. Freitag, Donald K. Alexander, Daniel F. Yaw
  • Patent number: 4894114
    Abstract: An improved phased-array active antenna transmit-receive means utilizing a multiplicity of individual transmit-receive cells positioned in an array format upon a common wafer of semiconductor material. Each transmit-receive cell, comprises a multiplicity of redundant, integrated circuit, electronic devices implanted upon the common semiconductor substrate. The transmit-receive cells utilize novel mitered mechanical switches to permanently interconnect individual electronic devices into either transmit or receive circuits during the fabrication and test of the transmit-receive cells. Radio frequency and direct current input and output vias formed from a novel metal evaporation technique connect the devices upon the surface of the common semiconductor wafer to underlying, insulated direct current distribution circuits and a radio frequency manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1990
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Harvey C. Nathanson, Michael C. Driver, Michael W. Cresswell, Ronald G. Freitag, Donald K. Alexander, Daniel F. Yaw
  • Patent number: 4823136
    Abstract: An improved phased-array active antenna transmit-receive means utilizing a multiplicity of individual transmit-receive cells positioned in an array format upon a common wafer of semiconductor material. Each transmit-receive cell, comprises a multiplicity of redundant, integrated circuit, electronic devices implanted upon the common semiconductor substrate. The transmit-receive cells utilize novel mitered mechanical switches to permanently interconnect individual electronic devices into either transmit or receive circuits during the fabrication and test of the transmit-receive cells. Radio frequency and direct current input and output vias formed from a novel metal evaportion technique connect the devices upon the surface of the common semiconductor wafer to underlying, insulated direct current distribution circuits and a radio frequency manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1989
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Harvey C. Nathanson, Michael C. Driver, Michael W. Cresswell, Ronald G. Freitag, Donald K. Alexander, Daniel F. Yaw
  • Patent number: 4769883
    Abstract: A method of tuning a microwave integrated circuit by trimming desired film-type circuit patterns included therein by a cold-pressure bonding technique is disclosed. More specifically, intercoupled circuit patterns are formed on a semi-insulating substrate with some circuit patterns having impedance characteristics of a desired nominal value. Each circuit pattern may comprise a plurality of conductive paths of malleable metal. Gaps are provided at appropriately chosen places in the conductive paths of predetermined circuit patterns. Selected ones of the gaps of the conductive paths are bridged to adjust the impedance characteristics of the associated predetermined circuit pattern by wiping with a probe the malleable metal of the conductive path at one end of the gap, across the gap to make contact with the malleable metal of the conductive path at the other end of the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Harvey C. Nathanson, James G. Oakes, Varley L. Wrick, Michael C. Driver, Joseph C. Kotvas
  • Patent number: 4381341
    Abstract: Electrical interconnection paths or vias are provided through relatively thick type III/V semiconductive substrates, such as gallium arsenide, to permit through the substrate electrical interconnection of planar transistor devices. The vias are etched in a two-step process which ensures that the via lateral dimensions are less than the transistor contacts with which they are aligned. The first step comprises selectively thinning the thick substrate from the back surface over an area which encompasses the transistor array formed in the front surface of the substrate. The second step is to etch the individual vias through this prior thinned substrate at areas aligned with the transistor contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1983
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: John X. Przybysz, Michael C. Driver, Harvey C. Nathanson
  • Patent number: 4176295
    Abstract: A high peak power microwave generator is disclosed in which a plurality of transmission lines are connected to an output wave guide at predetermined intervals along the direction of propagation. Each transmission line is periodically charged, and this electromagnetic energy is released into the wave guide upon the actuation of a light activated silicon switch (LASS) diode connected to the transmission line. The LASS diodes are actuated simultaneously by a laser beam which traverses equal optical paths to each switch. The coincident switching of the transmission lines enables the power in each line to be additive in the wave guide, and much higher output pulses can be obtained. Further, the high speed switching capabilities afforded by the LASS diodes means that the resulting high power can be obtained at a much higher frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1979
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Michael C. Driver, James G. Oakes, John R. Davis
  • Patent number: 4077111
    Abstract: A self-aligned gate field effect transistor is described which is capable of operating at high frequencies. A method for making the transistor is described which comprises plating metal partially over an oxide layer, then removing the oxide to produce an overlapping metal portion and then plating again to produce a gate contact between the overlapping metal portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1978
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Michael C. Driver, He B. Kim
  • Patent number: 3943622
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and particularly a self-aligned Schottky barrier gate field-effect transistor is made by epitaxial growth of facets corresponding to the source and drain regions on a surface of a semiconductor body through spaced apart preferably elongated windows in a masking layer and overgrowing edge portions of the masking layer at the windows to form overgrown portions on the facets. The channel region of the transistor is previously formed in the semiconductor body, preferably by epitaxial growth of a layer on a surface of a semiconductor body having a semi-insulating layer adjoining the surface. After removal of the masking layer, the Schottky barrier gate is self-aligned by deposition of metal on the unshielded portions of the planar surface between the facets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1974
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1976
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: He B. Kim, Michael C. Driver
  • Patent number: 3942186
    Abstract: A high frequency, Schottky barrier gate, field-effect transistor is provided with a substantially constant impedance over a broadband of frequencies. The transistor is comprised of a thin dielectric layer providing an effective dielectric constant at gate and drain contacts greater than .sqroot.2. The dielectric layer is supported on the major surface of a conductor substrate, and is preferably 5 microns in thickness and has a dielectric constant greater than about 5. The transistor is also comprised of a thin semiconductor layer of less than about 2 microns in thickness at least at gate portions with an N-type concentration of between about 5 .times. 10.sup.14 and 5 .times. 10.sup.17 carriers/cm.sup.3. The gate contact of the transistor is an elongated Schottky barrier contact adjoining the semiconductor layer spaced between elongated source and drain contacts which make ohmic contact with the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1976
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce R. McAvoy, Michael C. Driver