Patents by Inventor Siegfried Krassnitzer

Siegfried Krassnitzer 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: 20070175748
    Abstract: Sputtering is performed by making use of a stationary magnetic field (Hs). Uneroded areas of the sputtering surface (3) which are subject to re-deposition are minimized or omitted by modulating the stationary magnetic field (Hs) adjacent to one of the magnetic poles responsible for the stationary magnetic field, by superimposing a modulating magnetic field (Hm) to said stationary field (Hs).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Publication date: August 2, 2007
    Applicant: OC OERLIKON BALZERS AG
    Inventors: Fachri Atamny, Stanislav Kadlec, Siegfried Krassnitzer, Walter Haag, Pius Gruenenfelder
  • Publication number: 20050051423
    Abstract: Method for manufacturing magnetron sputter-coated workpieces includes placing a substrate adjacent a magnetron source having a target cathode, generating above the target cathode, at least one plasma loop by an electron trap established by generating a magnetic field which forms, in top view on the target cathode, a magnetfield loop and, viewed in cross-section on the target cathode, a tunnel-shaped arc field and, an electric field which crosses the magnetic field of the magnetfield loop. Plasma density distribution above the target cathode is controlled by interacting a control anode with the electron trap in a control segment area of the plasma loop. Magnetron sputter-coating the substrate by the magnetron sputter-source then takes place.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Inventor: Siegfried Krassnitzer
  • Patent number: 6860977
    Abstract: A workpiece is manufactured using a magnetron source that has an optimized yield of sputtered-off material as well as service life of the target. Good distribution values of the layer on the workpiece are obtained that are stable over the entire target service life, and a concave sputter face in a configuration with small target-to-workpiece distance is combined with a magnet system to form the magnetron electron trap in which the outer pole of the magnetron electron trap is stationary and an eccentrically disposed inner pole with a second outer pole part is rotatable about the central source axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Unaxis Balzers Limited
    Inventors: Bernd Heinz, Martin Dubs, Thomas Eisenhammer, Pius Grunenfelder, Walter Haag, Stanislav Kadlec, Siegfried Krassnitzer
  • Patent number: 6821397
    Abstract: A method for controlling plasma density distribution over a target of a magnetron sputter source has at least one electron trap generated with a magnetic field over the target. The field forms a closed circulating loop and, viewed in cross section, has a tunnel shape. Due to the loop of the tunnel-shaped magnetic field as well as of an electric field that is at an angle to it and which is generated between an anode and the target acting as the cathode, an electron current is formed, which forms along and in the loop current loop. In a region along the loop of the magnetic field, the field conditions are locally varied under control. With changes of field conditions, the component of the loop electron current is varied which is anodically coupled out of the loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Unaxis Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Siegfried Krassnitzer
  • Publication number: 20040149565
    Abstract: A workpiece is manufactured using a magnetron source that has an optimized yield of sputtered-off material as well as service life of the target. Good distribution values of the layer on the workpiece are obtained that are stable over the entire target service life, and a concave sputter face in a configuration with small target-to-workpiece distance is combined with a magnet system to form the magnetron electron trap in which the outer pole of the magnetron electron trap is stationary and an eccentrically disposed inner pole with a second outer pole part is rotatable about the central source axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Applicant: Unaxis Balzers Limited
    Inventors: Bernd Heinz, Martin Dubs, Thomas Eisenhammer, Pius Grunenfelder, Walter Haag, Stanislav Kadlec, Siegfried Krassnitzer
  • Patent number: 6682637
    Abstract: To optimize the yield of sputtered-off material as well as the service life of the target on a magnetron source, in which simultaneously good attainable distribution values of the layer on the substrate, stable over the entire target service life, a concave sputter face 20 in a configuration with small target-substrate distance d is combined with a magnet system to form the magnetron electron trap in which the outer pole 3 of the magnetron electron trap is disposed stationarily and an eccentrically disposed inner pole 4 with a second outer pole part 11 is developed rotatable about the central source axis 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Unaxis Balzers Limited
    Inventors: Bernd Heinz, Martin Dubs, Thomas Eisenhammer, Pius Grunenfelder, Walter Haag, Stanislav Kadlec, Siegfried Krassnitzer
  • Patent number: 6679977
    Abstract: A method for producing flat panels for TFT or plasma display applications includes forming a sputter source within a sputter coating chamber, the source having at least two electrically mutually isolated stationery bar-shaped target arrangements. A controlled magnet arrangement provided under each target with a time-varying magnetron field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Unakis Trading AG
    Inventors: Walter Haag, Pius Grunenfelder, Urs Schwendener, Markus Schlegel, Siegfried Krassnitzer
  • Publication number: 20030136671
    Abstract: To optimize the yield of sputtered-off material as well as the service life of the target on a magnetron source, in which simultaneously good attainable distribution values of the layer on the substrate, stable over the entire target service life, a concave sputter face 20 in a configuration with small target-substrate distance d is combined with a magnet system to form the magnetron electron trap in which the outer pole 3 of the magnetron electron trap is disposed stationarily and an eccentrically disposed inner pole 4 with a second outer pole part 11 is developed rotatable about the central source axis 6.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Inventors: Bernd Heinz, Martin Dubs, Thomas Eisenhammer, Pius Grunenfelder, Walter Haag, Stanislav Kadlec, Siegfried Krassnitzer
  • Publication number: 20030075522
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a procedure for the production of a plasma that is at least co-produced in the vacuum chamber (1a) of a vacuum recipient (1) of a device suitable for plasma processing with at least one induction coil (2) carrying an alternating current, where the gas used to produce the plasma is fed into the vacuum chamber (1a) through at least one inlet (3) and the vacuum chamber (1a) is subject to the pumping action of at least one pump arrangement (4), and where a possibly pulsed direct current is also applied to the induction coil (2) in order to influence the plasma density.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Applicant: Unaxis Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jurgen Weichart, Dominik Wimo Amman, Siegfried Krassnitzer
  • Publication number: 20030062255
    Abstract: A method for producing flat panels for TFT or plasma display applications includes forming a sputter source within a sputter coating chamber, the source having at least two electrically mutually isolated stationery bar-shaped target arrangements. A controlled magnet arrangement provided under each target with a time-varying magnetron field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Inventors: Walter Haag, Pius Grunenfelder, Urs Schwendener, Markus Schlegel, Siegfried Krassnitzer
  • Publication number: 20030042130
    Abstract: A method for controlling plasma density distribution over a target of a magnetron sputter source has at least one electron trap generated with a magnetic field over the target. The filed forms a closed circulating loop and, viewed in cross section, has a tunnel shape. Due to the loop of the tunnel-shaped magnetic field as well as of an electric field that si at an angle to it and which is generated between an anode and the target acting as the cathode, an electron current is formed, which forms along and in the loop current loop. In a region along the loop of the magnetic field, the field conditions are locally varied under control. With changes of field conditions, the component of the loop electron current is varied which is anodically coupled out of the loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Inventor: Siegfried Krassnitzer
  • Patent number: 6454920
    Abstract: A sputter source has at least two electrically mutually isolated stationar bar-shaped target arrangements mounted one alongside the other and separated by respective slits. Each of the target arrangements includes a respective electric pad so that each target arrangement may be operated electrically independently from the other target arrangement. Each target arrangement also has a controlled magnet arrangement for generating a time-varying magnetron field upon the respective target arrangement. The magnet arrangements may be controlled independently from each others. The source further has an anode arrangement with anodes alongside and between the target arrangements and/or along smaller sides of the target arrangements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Unaxis Trading AG
    Inventors: Walter Haag, Pius Grunenfelder, Urs Schwendener, Markus Schlegel, Siegfried Krassnitzer
  • Publication number: 20020036133
    Abstract: A sputter source has at least two electrically mutually isolated stationar bar-shaped target arrangements mounted one alongside the other and separated by respective slits. Each of the target arrangements includes a respective electric pad so that each target arrangement may be operated electrically independently from the other target arrangement. Each target arrangement also has a controlled magnet arrangement for generating a time-varying magnetron field upon the respective target arrangement. The magnet arrangements may be controlled independently from each others. The source further has an anode arrangement with anodes alongside and between the target arrangements and/or along smaller sides of the target arrangements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Applicant: Unaxis Trading AG
    Inventors: Walter Haag, Pius Grunenfelder, Urs Schwendener, Markus Schlegel, Siegfried Krassnitzer
  • Patent number: 6284106
    Abstract: A method for producing flat panels for TFT or plasma display applications includes forming a sputter source within a sputter coating chamber, the source having at least two electrically mutually isolated stationery bar-shaped target arrangements. A controlled magnet arrangement provided under each target with a time-varying magnetron field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Unaxis Trading AG
    Inventors: Walter Haag, Pius Grunenfelder, Urs Schwendener, Markus Schlegel, Siegfried Krassnitzer
  • Patent number: 6093293
    Abstract: A sputter source has at least two electrically mutually isolated stationary bar-shaped target arrangements mounted one alongside the other and separated by respective slits. Each of the target arrangements includes a respective electric pad so that each target arrangement may be operated electrically independently from the other target arrangement. Each target arrangement also has a controlled magnet arrangement for generating a time-varying magnetron field upon the respective target arrangement. The magnet arrangements may be controlled independently from each other. The source further has an anode arrangement with anodes alongside and between the target arrangements and/or along smaller sides of the target arrangements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Balzers Hochvakuum AG
    Inventors: Walter Haag, Pius Grunenfelder, Urs Schwendener, Markus Schlegel, Siegfried Krassnitzer