Patents by Inventor Robert C. Hendry
Robert C. Hendry 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: 7112536Abstract: A plasma processing system and method wherein a power source produces a magnetic field and an electric field, and a window disposed between the power source and an interior of a plasma chamber couples the magnetic field into the plasma chamber thereby to couple power inductively into the chamber and based thereon produce a plasma in the plasma chamber. The window can be shaped and dimensioned to control an amount of power capacitively coupled to the plasma chamber by means of the electric field so that the amount of capacitively coupled power is selected in a range from zero to a predetermined amount. Also, a tuned antenna strap having r.f. power applied thereto to produce a standing wave therein can be arranged adjacent the window to couple magnetic field from a current maximum formed in the strap to the interior of the chamber.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2003Date of Patent: September 26, 2006Assignee: Research Triangle InstituteInventors: Robert J. Markunas, Gaius G. Fountain, Robert C. Hendry
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Publication number: 20030106641Abstract: A plasma processing system and method wherein a power source produces a magnetic field and an electric field, and a window disposed between the power source and an interior of a plasma chamber couples the magnetic field into the plasma chamber thereby to couple power inductively into the chamber and based thereon produce a plasma in the plasma chamber. The window can be shaped and dimensioned to control an amount of power capacitively coupled to the plasma chamber by means of the electric field so that the amount of capacitively coupled power is selected in a range from zero to a predetermined amount. Also, a tuned antenna strap having r.f. power applied thereto to produce a standing wave therein can be arranged adjacent the window to couple magnetic field from a current maximum formed in the strap to the interior of the chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2003Publication date: June 12, 2003Applicant: Research Triangle InsituteInventors: Robert J. Markunas, Gaius G. Fountain, Robert C. Hendry
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Patent number: 6558504Abstract: A plasma processing system and method wherein a power source produces a magnetic field and an electric field, and a window disposed between the power source and an interior of a plasma chamber couples the magnetic field into the plasma chamber thereby to couple power inductively into the chamber and based thereon produce a plasma in the plasma chamber. The window can be shaped and dimensioned to control an amount of power capacitively coupled to the plasma chamber by means of the electric field so that the amount of capacitively coupled power is selected in a range from zero to a predetermined amount. Also, a tuned antenna strap having r.f. power applied thereto to produce a standing wave therein can be arranged adjacent the window to couple magnetic field from a current maximum formed in the strap to the interior of the chamber.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 1999Date of Patent: May 6, 2003Assignee: Research Triangle InstituteInventors: Robert J. Markunas, Gaius G. Fountain, Robert C. Hendry
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Patent number: 6552295Abstract: A method and apparatus for plasma waste disposal of hazardous waste material, where the hazardous material is volatilized under vacuum inside a containment chamber to produce a pre-processed gas as input to a plasma furnace including a plasma-forming region in which a plasma-forming magnetic field is produced. The pre-processed gas is passed at low pressure and without circumvention through the plasma-forming region and is directly energized to an inductively coupled plasma state such that hazardous waste reactants included in the pre-processed gas are completely dissociated in transit through the plasma-forming region. Preferably, the plasma-forming region is shaped as a vacuum annulus and is dimensioned such that there is no bypass by which hazardous waste reactants in the pre-processed gas can circumvent the plasma-forming region. The plasma furnace is powered by a high frequency power supply outputting power at a fundamental frequency.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2000Date of Patent: April 22, 2003Assignee: Research Triangle InstituteInventors: Robert J. Markunas, John B. Posthill, Robert C. Hendry, Raymond Thomas
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Publication number: 20020040889Abstract: A method and apparatus for plasma waste disposal of hazardous waste material, where the hazardous material is volatilized under vacuum inside a containment chamber to produce a pre-processed gas as input to a plasma furnace including a plasma-forming region in which a plasma-forming magnetic field is produced. The pre-processed gas is passed at low pressure and without circumvention through the plasma-forming region and is directly energized to an inductively coupled plasma state such that hazardous waste reactants included in the pre-processed gas are completely dissociated in transit through the plasma-forming region. Preferably, the plasma-forming region is shaped as a vacuum annulus and is dimensioned such that there is no bypass by which hazardous waste reactants in the pre-processed gas can circumvent the plasma-forming region. The plasma furnace is powered by a high frequency power supply outputting power at a fundamental frequency.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2000Publication date: April 11, 2002Applicant: Research Triangle InstituteInventors: Robert J. Markunas, John B. Posthill, Robert C. Hendry, Raymond Thomas
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Patent number: 6105518Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a work surface, wherein there is provided a chamber having a longitudinal axis and longitudinally extending electrically conductive sidewalls, at least one sidewall having at least one longitudinally extending gap that interrupts a current path through the sidewalls transverse to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the chamber is sealed to allow pressure inside the chamber to be controlled.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 1997Date of Patent: August 22, 2000Assignee: Research Triangle InstituteInventors: Anthony E. Robson, Ronald A. Rudder, Robert C. Hendry, Moses M. David, James V. Burt
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Patent number: 5874014Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a work surface, wherein there is provided a chamber having a longitudinal axis and longitudinally extending electrically conductive sidewalls, at least one sidewall having at least one longitudinally extending gap that interrupts a current path through the sidewalls transverse to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the chamber is sealed to allow pressure inside the chamber to be controlled.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: February 23, 1999Assignees: Berkeley Scholars, Inc., Research Triangle Institute, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Anthony E. Robson, Ronald A. Rudder, Robert C. Hendry, Moses M. David, James V. Burt
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Patent number: 5480686Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process and apparatus for the growth of diamond films using vapor mixtures of selected compounds having desired moieties, specifically precursors that provide carbon and etchant species that remove graphite. The process involves two steps. In the first step, feedstock gas enters a conversion zone. In the second step, by-products from the conversion zone proceed to an atomization zone where diamond is produced. In a preferred embodiment a feedstock gas phase mixture including at least 20% water which provides the etchant species is reacted with an alcohol which provides the requisite carbon precursor at low temperature (55.degree.-1100.degree. C.) and low pressure (0.1 to 100 Torr), preferably in the presence of an organic acid (acetic acid) which contributes etchant species reactant. In the reaction process, the feedstock gas mixture is converted to H.sub.2, CO, C.sub.2 H.sub.2, no O.sub.2, with some residual water. Oxygen formerly on the water is transferred to CO.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 1993Date of Patent: January 2, 1996Assignee: Research Triangle InstituteInventors: Ronald A. Rudder, George C. Hudson, Robert C. Hendry, Robert J. Markunas, Michael J. Mantini
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Patent number: 5418018Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique (process and apparatus) for the growth of diamond films using vapor mixtures of selected compounds having desired moieties, specifically precursors that provide carbon and etchant species that remove graphite disclosed. The selected compounds are reacted in a plasma created by a confined rf discharge to produce diamond films on a diamond or a non-diamond substrate. In a preferred embodiment a gas phase mixture including at least 20% water which provides the etchant species is reacted with an alcohol which provides the requisite carbon precursor at low temperature (300.degree.-650.degree. C.) and low pressure (0.1 to 10 Torr), preferably in the presence of an organic acid (acetic acid) which contributes etchant species reactant. In the preferred embodiment the volumetric mixtures have typically been 40-80% water and 60-20% alcohol. The gaseous mixture of H.sub.2 O and alcohol is dissociated to produce H, OH, and carbon radicals.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 1993Date of Patent: May 23, 1995Assignee: Research Triangle InstituteInventors: Ronald A. Rudder, George C. Hudson, Robert C. Hendry, Robert J. Markunas