Patents by Inventor Ronald A. Powell

Ronald A. Powell 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).

  • Publication number: 20150062688
    Abstract: Window units, for example insulating glass units (IGU's), that have at least two panes, each pane having an electrochromic device thereon, are described. Two optical state devices on each pane of a dual-pane window unit provide window units having four optical states. Window units described allow the end user a greater choice of how much light is transmitted through the electrochromic window. Also, by using two or more window panes, each with its own electrochromic device, registered in a window unit, visual defects in any of the individual devices are negated by virtue of the extremely small likelihood that any of the visual defects will align perfectly and thus be observable to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Robin Friedman, Sridhar Kailasam, Rao Mulpuri, Ronald Powell, Dhairya Shrivastava
  • Patent number: 8883637
    Abstract: A method for filling a recessed feature of a substrate includes a) at least partially filling a recessed feature of a substrate with tungsten-containing film using at least one of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD); b) at a predetermined temperature, using an etchant including activated fluorine species to selectively etch the tungsten-containing film more than an underlying material of the recessed feature without removing all of the tungsten-containing film at a bottom of the recessed feature; and c) filling the recessed feature using at least one of CVD and ALD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Esther Jeng, Anand Chandrashekar, Raashina Humayun, Michal Danek, Ronald Powell
  • Patent number: 8841240
    Abstract: Novel slick water fracturing fluid compositions are disclosed, where the compositions including with slick water fracturing compositions including a partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide polymer system within invert emulsion and an effective amount of a friction reducer booster system, where the effective amount is sufficient to reduce a drag friction of the composition by an additional amount of at least 5% in the first 30 seconds of evaluation in high salinity and low temperature environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Clearwater International, LLC
    Inventors: Sarkis R. Kakadjian, Frank Zamora, Ronald Powell, Erin Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 8617982
    Abstract: Certain embodiments pertain to local interconnects formed by subtractive patterning of blanket layer of tungsten or other conductive material. The grain sizes of tungsten or other deposited metal can be grown to relatively large dimensions, which results in increased electrical conductivity due to, e.g., reduced electron scattering at grain boundaries as electrons travel from one grain to the next during conduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michal Danek, Juwen Gao, Ronald A. Powell, Aaron R. Fellis
  • Publication number: 20130312835
    Abstract: A gas expansion module for use with semiconductor wafer loadlocks and other regulated-pressure components of semiconductor processing tools is provided. The gas expansion module may be barometrically isolated from the loadlock or other component and pumped down to a vacuum condition while the loadlock is performing operations at a higher pressure, such as ambient atmospheric conditions. After an initial pump-down of the loadlock is performed, the gas expansion module may be fluidly joined to the loadlock volume and the gases within each allowed to reach equilibrium. A further pump-down of the combined volume may be used to bring the loadlock pressure to a desired vacuum condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventors: Edmund B. Minshall, Victor F. Morris, Ram Charan, Ronald A. Powell, Mukul Khosla
  • Publication number: 20130005140
    Abstract: A method for filling a recessed feature of a substrate includes a) at least partially filling a recessed feature of a substrate with tungsten-containing film using at least one of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD); b) at a predetermined temperature, using an etchant including activated fluorine species to selectively etch the tungsten-containing film more than an underlying material of the recessed feature without removing all of the tungsten-containing film at a bottom of the recessed feature; and c) filling the recessed feature using at least one of CVD and ALD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Esther Jeng, Anand Chandrashekar, Raashina Humayun, Michal Danek, Ronald Powell
  • Publication number: 20120251271
    Abstract: A substrate handling robot includes an arm section and a wrist portion connected to the arm section. An end effector is connected to the wrist portion and is configured to support a substrate. A housing is arranged adjacent to the end effector and includes a gas outlet that directs gas onto an exposed surface of the substrate during transport.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mukul Khosla, Ronald Powell, Arun Keshavamurthy, Richard Blank
  • Publication number: 20120245061
    Abstract: Novel slick water fracturing fluid compositions are disclosed, where the compositions including with slick water fracturing compositions including a partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide polymer system within invert emulsion and an effective amount of a friction reducer booster system, where the effective amount is sufficient to reduce a drag friction of the composition by an additional amount of at least 5% in the first 30 seconds of evaluation in high salinity and low temperature environments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: CLEARWATER INTERNATIONAL, LLC
    Inventors: Sarkis R. Kakadjian, Frank Zamora, Ronald Powell, Erin Fitzgerald
  • Publication number: 20120080793
    Abstract: Certain embodiments pertain to local interconnects formed by subtractive patterning of blanket layer of tungsten or other conductive material. The grain sizes of tungsten or other deposited metal can be grown to relatively large dimensions, which results in increased electrical conductivity due to, e.g., reduced electron scattering at grain boundaries as electrons travel from one grain to the next during conduction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Inventors: Michal Danek, Juwen Gao, Ronald A. Powell, Aaron R. Fellis
  • Patent number: 8053861
    Abstract: Provided are methods and apparatuses for depositing barrier layers for blocking diffusion of conductive materials from conductive lines into dielectric materials in integrated circuits. The barrier layer may contain copper. In some embodiments, the layers have conductivity sufficient for direct electroplating of conductive materials without needing intermediate seed layers. Such barrier layers may be used with circuits lines that are less than 65 nm wide and, in certain embodiments, less than 40 nm wide. The barrier layer may be passivated to form easily removable layers including sulfides, selenides, and/or tellurides of the materials in the layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas W. Mountsier, Roey Shaviv, Steven T. Mayer, Ronald A. Powell
  • Publication number: 20100187693
    Abstract: Provided are methods and apparatuses for depositing barrier layers for blocking diffusion of conductive materials from conductive lines into dielectric materials in integrated circuits. The barrier layer may contain copper. In some embodiments, the layers have conductivity sufficient for direct electroplating of conductive materials without needing intermediate seed layers. Such barrier layers may be used with circuits lines that are less than 65 nm wide and, in certain embodiments, less than 40 nm wide. The barrier layer may be passivated to form easily removable layers including sulfides, selenides, and/or tellurides of the materials in the layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: Thomas W. Mountsier, Roey Shaviv, Steven T. Mayer, Ronald A. Powell
  • Publication number: 20080196628
    Abstract: Of the many methods and compositions provided herein, one method includes placing a cement composition in a subterranean formation, wherein the cement composition includes cement, rock-forming mineral materials, and water; and permitting the cement composition to set therein. Another method provided herein includes introducing a settable drilling fluid into a subterranean formation, wherein the settable drilling fluid includes cement, rock-forming mineral materials, water, and a set retarder; and permitting the settable drilling fluid to set in therein. A composition provided herein includes cement, rock-forming mineral materials and water. Another composition provided herein includes cement, rock-forming mineral materials, water, and a set retarder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventors: Ashok Santra, Ronald Powell, Rickey Morgan
  • Publication number: 20070267201
    Abstract: The present disclosure addressed apparatus and methods for forming an annular isolator in a borehole after installation of production tubing. Annular seal means are carried in or on production tubing as it is run into a borehole. In conjunction with expansion of the tubing, the seal is deployed to form an annular isolator. An inflatable element carried on the tubing may be inflated with a fluid carried in the tubing and forced into the inflatable element during expansion of the tubing. Reactive chemicals may be carried in the tubing and injected into the annulus to react with each other and ambient fluids to increase in volume and harden into an annular seal. An elastomeric sleeve, ring or band carried on the tubing may be expanded into contact with a borehole wall and may have its radial dimension increased in conjunction with tubing expansion to form an annular isolator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Applicant: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Brezinski, Gregory Chitwood, Ralph Echols, Gary Funkhouser, John Gano, William Henderson, Paul Herman, Marion Kilgore, Jody McGlothen, Ronald Powell, Alex Procyk, Thomas Ray, Michael Sanders, Roger Schultz, David Steele, Robert Taylor, Bradley Todd, Cynthia Tuckness
  • Publication number: 20070114044
    Abstract: The present disclosure addressed apparatus and methods for forming an annular isolator in a borehole after installation of production tubing. Annular seal means are carried in or on production tubing as it is run into a borehole. In conjunction with expansion of the tubing, the seal is deployed to form an annular isolator. An inflatable element carried on the tubing may be inflated with a fluid carried in the tubing and forced into the inflatable element during expansion of the tubing. Reactive chemicals may be carried in the tubing and injected into the annulus to react with each other and ambient fluids to increase in volume and harden into an annular seal. An elastomeric sleeve, ring or band carried on the tubing may be expanded into contact with a borehole wall and may have its radial dimension increased in conjunction with tubing expansion to form an annular isolator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Applicant: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Brezinski, Gregory Chitwood, Ralph Echols, Gary Funkhouser, John Gano, William Henderson, Marion Kilgore, Jody McGlothen, Ronald Powell, Alex Procyk, Thomas Ray, Michael Sanders, Roger Schultz, Robert Taylor, Bradley Todd, Cynthia Tuckness
  • Publication number: 20070114017
    Abstract: The present disclosure addressed apparatus and methods for forming an annular isolator in a borehole after installation of production tubing. Annular seal means are carried in or on production tubing as it is run into a borehole. In conjunction with expansion of the tubing, the seal is deployed to form an annular isolator. An inflatable element carried on the tubing may be inflated with a fluid carried in the tubing and forced into the inflatable element during expansion of the tubing. Reactive chemicals may be carried in the tubing and injected into the annulus to react with each other and ambient fluids to increase in volume and harden into an annular seal. An elastomeric sleeve, ring or band carried on the tubing may be expanded into contact with a borehole wall and may have its radial dimension increased in conjunction with tubing expansion to form an annular isolator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Applicant: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Brezinski, Ralph Echols, Gary Funkhouser, William Henderson, Marion Kilgore, Ronald Powell, Robert Taylor, Bradley Todd
  • Publication number: 20070042602
    Abstract: Methods are described for removing a material from a substrate by dissolving an etchant into a solvent to form a solution; and exposing the substrate to the solution so that the etchant in the solution removes material from the substrate; wherein during the exposure the solution is maintained in a supercritical or near-supercritical phase. The described methods can include additional steps, such as exposing a precursor of the material to a reagent to form the material, and depositing a second material onto the substrate after removing the material from the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Publication date: February 22, 2007
    Inventors: James Watkins, Patrick Cleemput, Ronald Powell
  • Publication number: 20060185846
    Abstract: This invention relates to subterranean treatment operations. More particularly, this invention provides methods that may be useful in providing void-free barriers between a subterranean formation and a portion of a well bore. A nonlimiting example of a method is a method of degrading a filter cake in a subterranean formation. Another nonlimiting example of a method is a method of producing hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2005
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Applicant: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES
    Inventors: Ronald Powell, Alexander Bismarck, Angelika Menner
  • Patent number: 7043148
    Abstract: A wafer, and a tungsten filament radiation heating source comprising at least one lamp arranged in a ring substantially surrounding the wafer edge. The radiation heating source irradiates the semiconductor wafer with radiation directed at the edge of the wafer, so that the radiation is adapted to penetrate the wafer edge and travel between the upper and lower surfaces into a central portion of the wafer sufficient to heat the wafer. The radiation-heating source may also have a reflector for reflecting radiation into the wafer edge, and at least one radiation and/or convection heating source mounted above or below the stage for directly heating one or both of the wafer upper and lower surfaces simultaneously with the radiation heating source surrounding the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems
    Inventor: Ronald A. Powell
  • Publication number: 20050205259
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a well. The method comprising the steps of: (a) forming a treatment fluid, and (b) introducing the treatment fluid into the well and into contact with the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventors: Ronald Powell, Robert Hauge
  • Publication number: 20050092485
    Abstract: The present disclosure addressed apparatus and methods for forming an annular isolator in a borehole after installation of production tubing. Annular seal means are carried in or on production tubing as it is run into a borehole. In conjunction with expansion of the tubing, the seal is deployed to form an annular isolator. An inflatable element carried on the tubing may be inflated with a fluid carried in the tubing and forced into the inflatable element during expansion of the tubing. Reactive chemicals may be carried in the tubing and injected into the annulus to react with each other and ambient fluids to increase in volume and harden into an annular seal. An elastomeric sleeve, ring or band carried on the tubing may be expanded into contact with a borehole wall and may have its radial dimension increased in conjunction with tubing expansion to form an annular isolator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2004
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Inventors: Michael Brezinski, Gregory Chitwood, Ralph Echols, Gary Funkhouser, John Gano, Paul Herman, Marion Kilgore, Ronald Powell, Thomas Ray, Michael Sanders, David Steele, Robert Taylor, Bradley Todd, Cynthia Tuckness