Patents by Inventor Tuomo Suntola

Tuomo Suntola 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: 8507039
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for growing a thin film onto a substrate, in which method a substrate placed in a reaction space (21) is subjected to alternately repeated surface reactions of at least two vapor-phase reactants for the purpose of forming a thin film. According to the method, said reactants are fed in the form of vapor-phase pulses repeatedly and alternately, each reactant separately from its own source, into said reaction space (21), and said vapor-phase reactants are brought to react with the surface of the substrate for the purpose of forming a solid-state thin film compound on said substrate. According to the invention, the gas volume of said reaction space is evacuated by means of a vacuum pump essentially totally between two successive vapor-phase reactant pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventors: Tuomo Suntola, Sven Lindfors
  • Publication number: 20090181169
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for growing a thin film onto a substrate, in which method a substrate placed in a reaction space (21) is subjected to alternately repeated surface reactions of at least two vapor-phase reactants for the purpose of forming a thin film. According to the method, said reactants are fed in the form of vapor-phase pulses repeatedly and alternately, each reactant separately from its own source, into said reaction space (21), and said vapor-phase reactants are brought to react with the surface of the substrate for the purpose of forming a solid-state thin film compound on said substrate. According to the invention, the gas volume of said reaction space is evacuated by means of a vacuum pump essentially totally between two successive vapor-phase reactant pulses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicant: ASM AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Tuomo Suntola, Sven Lindfors
  • Patent number: 7498059
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for growing a thin film onto a substrate, in which method a substrate placed in a reaction space (21) is subjected to alternately repeated surface reactions of at least two vapor-phase reactants for the purpose of forming a thin film. According to the method, said reactants are fed in the form of vapor-phase pulses repeatedly and alternately, each reactant separately from its own source, into said reaction space (21), and said vapor-phase reactants are brought to react with the surface of the substrate for the purpose of forming a solid-state thin film compound on said substrate. According to the invention, the gas volume of said reaction space is evacuated by means of a vacuum pump essentially totally between two successive vapor-phase reactant pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventors: Tuomo Suntola, Sven Lindfors
  • Patent number: 7404984
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for growing a thin film onto a substrate, in which method a substrate placed in a reaction space (21) is subjected to alternately repeated surface reactions of at least two vapor-phase reactants for the purpose of forming a thin film. According to the method, said reactants are fed in the form of vapor-phase pulses repeatedly and alternately, each reactant separately from its own source, into said reaction space (21), and said vapor-phase reactants are brought to react with the surface of the substrate for the purpose of forming a solid-state thin film compound on said substrate. According to the invention, the gas volume of said reaction space is evacuated by means of a vacuum pump essentially totally between two successive vapor-phase reactant pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventors: Tuomo Suntola, Sven Lindfors
  • Publication number: 20080138518
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for growing a thin film onto a substrate, in which method a substrate placed in a reaction space (21) is subjected to alternately repeated surface reactions of at least two vapor-phase reactants for the purpose of forming a thin film. According to the method, said reactants are fed in the form of vapor-phase pulses repeatedly and alternately, each reactant separately from its own source, into said reaction space (21), and said vapor-phase reactants are brought to react with the surface of the substrate for the purpose of forming a solid-state thin film compound on said substrate. According to the invention, the gas volume of said reaction space is evacuated by means of a vacuum pump essentially totally between two successive vapor-phase reactant pulses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventors: Tuomo Suntola, Sven Lindfors
  • Patent number: 6630030
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for producing a thin film on a substrate. A substrate is placed in a reaction space and is subjected to alternately repeated surface reactions with at least two different reactants. The reactants are fed in the vapor phase repeatedly and alternately into the reaction space through tree-like piping having a plurality of channels and nozzle orifices, where the nozzle orifices are arranged in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the substrate. The apparatus includes a reaction chamber in which the substrate is placed, inflow piping having a plurality of channels and nozzle orifices, and outlet passages for removing the reaction products and excess reactants. The inflow piping has a tree-like shape and is contained in a plurality of interconnected plates. The nozzle orifices are arranged in an essentially planar fashion in a plane essentially perpendicular to the plane of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: ASM Microchemistry Ltd.
    Inventors: Tuomo Suntola, Pekka Soininen, Niklas Bondestam
  • Patent number: 6572705
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for growing a thin film onto a substrate, in which method a substrate placed in a reaction space (21) is subjected to alternately repeated surface reactions of at least two vapor-phase reactants for the purpose of forming a thin film. According to the method, said reactants are fed in the form of vapor-phase pulses repeatedly and alternately, each reactant separately from its own source, into said reaction space (21), and said vapor-phase reactants are brought to react with the surface of the substrate for the purpose of forming a solid-state thin film compound on said substrate. According to the invention, the gas volume of said reaction space is evacuated by means of a vacuum pump essentially totally between two successive vapor-phase reactant pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventors: Tuomo Suntola, Sven Lindfors
  • Patent number: 6534431
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process and to an apparatus for preparing a heterogeneous catalyst having at least one catalytically active species bound to the surface of a support material. According to the process, the surface of the support is first pretreated. A catalyst reagent containing the catalytically active species or its precursor is vaporized and the vapor is routed into a reaction chamber where it is brought to interact with the support material. The catalyst reagent not bound to the support is withdrawn from the reaction chamber in gaseous form. If necessary, the species bound to the support is posttreated in order to convert it into a catalytically active form. According to the invention, the amount of catalyst reagent brought into the reaction chamber is at least equal to, preferably in excess of the number of available binding sites on the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Fortum Oil and Gas Oy
    Inventors: Tuomo Suntola, Eeva-Liisa Lakomaa, Hilkka Knuuttila, Pekka Knuuttila, Outi Krause, Sven Lindfors
  • Patent number: 6500780
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for preparing heterogeneous catalysts. According to the method, preparation is carried out under such process conditions in which the bonding of compounds from the gas phase onto the surface of a support material is primarily determined by the properties of the support surface. The constituents contained in the reagent are then selectively bonded to the bonding sites of the support material surface, thus forming stable surface bonds. According to the invention, the number of surface-bond sites available for preparing a stable product with surface bonds is controlled by varying the reaction temperature and/or selecting a suitable reagent. The invention makes it possible to control the metal content of the end product at a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Neste Oy
    Inventors: Tuomo Suntola, Suvi Haukka, Arla Kytökivi, Eeva-Liisa Lakomaa, Marina Lindblad, Jukka Hietala, Harri Hokkanen, Hilkka Knuuttila, Pekka Knuuttila, Outi Krause, Lars Peter Lindfors
  • Publication number: 20020041931
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for growing a thin film onto a substrate, in which method a substrate placed in a reaction space (21) is subjected to alternately repeated surface reactions of at least two vapor-phase reactants for the purpose of forming a thin film. According to the method, said reactants are fed in the form of vapor-phase pulses repeatedly and alternately, each reactant separately from its own source, into said reaction space (21), and said vapor-phase reactants are brought to react with the surface of the substrate for the purpose of forming a solid-state thin film compound on said substrate. According to the invention, the gas volume of said reaction space is evacuated by means of a vacuum pump essentially totally between two successive vapor-phase reactant pulses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Publication date: April 11, 2002
    Inventors: Tuomo Suntola, Sven Lindfors
  • Patent number: 6015590
    Abstract: A method for growing a thin film on a substrate. A substrate is placed in a reaction space. The substrate is subjected to at least two vapor phase reactants in the form of vapor phase pulses, repeatedly and alternately. Gas within the reaction space is purged between two successive vapor phase pulses essentially entirely by use of a pump connected to the reaction space. The reaction space is purged between two successive vapor phase pulses such that less than 1% of the residual components from the first vapor phase pulse remains prior to the inflow of the second vapor phase pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2000
    Assignee: Neste Oy
    Inventors: Tuomo Suntola, Sven Lindfors
  • Patent number: 5711811
    Abstract: The invention relates to equipment for growing a thin film onto a substrate. The equipment suited to implement the invention comprises a reaction space having a reaction chamber therein into which a substrate is placed and is subjected to alternately repeated surface reactions of at least two vapor-phase reactants for the purpose of forming a thin film. The equipment further comprises recesses/openings communicating with the reaction space to form gas inflow and outflow channels. The reactants are fed in the form of vapor-phase pulses repeatedly and alternately into the reaction space through the inflow channels, each reactant separately from its own source. The vapor-phase reactants are brought to react with the surface of the substrate for the purpose of forming a solid-state thin film compound on said substrate. The gaseous reaction products and possible excess reactants are removed in gas phase from the reaction space via the outflow channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Mikrokemia Oy
    Inventors: Tuomo Suntola, Sven Lindfors, Pekka Soininen
  • Patent number: 4388554
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electroluminescent display component, which may be provided as a unified, large-scale device mounted on a substrate. Electroluminescent material is sandwiched between two electrodes, each of which may be formed in spaced lines, perpendicular to the lines of the other electrode, to form a matrix. At each portion wherein the electrodes are disposed in opposition to each other, each electrode is formed with elongated parallel gaps, divergent from the gaps of the opposed electrode, thus providing a screen effect and minimizing the unified areas at which the electrodes are opposed to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1983
    Assignee: Ou Lohja Ab
    Inventors: Tuomo Suntola, Jorma O. Antson
  • Patent number: 4058430
    Abstract: A method is provided for growing highly oriented compound thin films on a substrate by subjecting the substrate to the vapor of a first single element which can react with the surface at a temperature sufficiently high for the reaction to occur which forms a single atomic layer of the first single element on the surface and then subjecting the thus formed surface with a first single element atomic layer thereon to the vapor of a second single element which can react with the first single element at a temperature sufficiently high for the reaction to occur so that a single atomic layer of the second single element is formed on the surface bound to the first single element. This procedure can then be repeated alternately subjecting the surface to the vapors of the first single element then to the second single element, etc. until the compound film reaches a desired thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1977
    Inventors: Tuomo Suntola, Jorma Antson