Patents by Inventor Thomas P. Thorpe

Thomas P. Thorpe 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: 5804321
    Abstract: A unitary article that is solid at a temperature in excess of about 1100.ree. C. which includes a diamond, a metal, and a brazing material brazing the diamond and the metal. The brazing material includes a metal carbide adhering to the diamond and a platinum family metal or nickel adhering to the metal. The platinum family metal has dissolved therein carbide forming metal and contains particles of metal carbide. The article is made by depositing a platinum family metal or nickel on a metal melting above the melting point of the platinum family metal or nickel, depositing a carbide forming metal which is soluble in molten platinum family metal or nickel, heating the assembly until platinum family metal or nickel is in a molten state, and cooling the molten platinum family metal or nickel to a solid state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Thomas P. Thorpe, Keith A. Snail
  • Patent number: 5527392
    Abstract: One of the critical experimental parameters affecting the quality and gro rate of chemical vapor deposition species, such as, diamond is the substrate temperature. An apparatus and technique for the precise control of the substrate temperature in a chemical vapor deposition environment has been developed. In a preferred embodiment, the technique uses a variable gas mixture in conjunction with the disclosed apparatus of the present invention to precisely control the temperature of the substrate to within at least .+-.20.degree. C. for extended periods of time and over large area substrates on the order of 1" in diameter or larger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Keith A. Snail, Thomas P. Thorpe
  • Patent number: 5505158
    Abstract: A novel apparatus and method for the cyclic growth-etch deposition of diamond on a substrate by flame chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is developed. The cyclic growth-etch diamond deposition is accomplished by placing a suitable substrate to be coated under a CVD flame and providing a disk or face plate or other shapes having one or more teeth (or holes) wherein upon rotation of the disk, or face plate, or other shape, the teeth attached to the disk, or face plate, or other shape obstruct the path of the CVD flame from contacting the substrate at a desired time scale of .tau..sub.growth and t.sub.cycle to produce high quality (FWHM of 1-3.5 cm.sup.-1) diamond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Thomas P. Thorpe, Jr., Ronald A. Weimer
  • Patent number: 5318801
    Abstract: One of the critical experimental parameters affecting the quality and gro rate of chemical vapor deposition species, such as, diamond is the substrate temperature. An apparatus and technique for the precise control of the substrate temperature in a chemical vapor deposition environment has been developed. In a preferred embodiment, the technique uses a variable gas mixture in conjunction with the disclosed apparatus of the present invention to precisely control the temperature of the substrate to within at least .+-.20.degree. C. for extended periods of time and over large area substrates on the order of 1" in diameter or larger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1994
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Keith A. Snail, Thomas P. Thorpe