Patents by Inventor Peter J. Hockley

Peter J. Hockley 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).

  • Sputter coating system
    Patent number: 7578908
    Abstract: A sputter coating system comprises a vacuum chamber, means for generating a vacuum in the vacuum chamber, a gas feed system attached to the vacuum chamber, a gas plasma forming system attached to the vacuum chamber, a system for confining and guiding a gas plasma within the vacuum chamber, and a prism-shaped sputter target assembly, with the material to be sputtered forming at least the outer surface of the target assembly and positioned such that the outer surface is surrounded by the plasma within the vacuum chamber. A negative polarity voltage is applied to the surface of the material such that sputtering occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Plasma Quest Limited
    Inventors: Peter J. Hockley, Michael Thwaites
  • Method of detecting the conductance state of a non-volatile memory device
    Patent number: 4747077
    Abstract: Method of determining the conductance state of a non-volatile memory device switchable between high and low conductance states. The device comprises at least one p-type amorphous or microcrystalline semiconductor and an n or i-type layer. The device is irradiated with light to produce a photovoltaic response which is used to determine the conductance state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1988
    Assignee: The British Petroleum Company p.l.c.
    Inventors: Peter J. Hockley, Michael J. Thwaites
  • Semiconductor device
    Patent number: 4665428
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure suitable for making a non-volatile memory comprises an electrically conducting substrate, at least two layers of different conductivity type selected from i, p and n-type amorphous or microcrystalline semiconducting material and an additional defect layer of amorphous or microcrystalline semiconductor material located between two of the said different layers. The defect layer reduces the voltage required to transform the structure to a memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1987
    Assignee: The British Petroleum Company p.l.c.
    Inventors: Peter J. Hockley, Michael J. Thwaites
  • Memory device containing electrically conducting substrate having deposited hereon a layer of amorphous or microcrystalline silicon-carbon alloy and a layer of amorphous or microcrystalline silicon-containing material
    Patent number: 4665504
    Abstract: A memory device comprises an electrically conducting substrate having deposited thereon a layer of an amorphous or microcrystalline silicon-carbon alloy and a layer of amorphous or microcrystalline silicon-containing material to form a junction. Preferably the silicon-containing material is silicon and the junction is a heterojunction.The device has fast switching characteristics and good stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1987
    Assignee: The British Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Peter J. Hockley, Michael J. Thwaites
  • Memory device
    Patent number: 4567499
    Abstract: Memory device comprises a glass substrate (1), a layer of indium tin oxide (2), a layer of p type semiconductor (3), a layer of i type semiconductor (4), a layer of n type semiconductor (5) and a layer of spots of an electrically conducting material (6). Silicon is the preferred semiconductor. The device is conditioned by the application of a voltage sufficiently large to cause the structure to be permanently modified to reduce the electrical resistance of the layers.It is a feature of the device that no p and n layers are adjacent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1986
    Assignee: The British Petroleum Company p.l.c.
    Inventors: Peter J. Hockley, Michael J. Thwaites