Fully-sealed Or Vacuum-maintained Chamber (e.g., Ampoule) Patents (Class 117/109)
  • Patent number: 6562130
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for axially growing single crystal silicon carbide is provided. Utilizing the system, silicon carbide can be grown with a dislocation density of less than 104 per square centimeter, a micropipe density of less than 10 per square centimeter, and a secondary phase inclusion density of less than 10 per cubic centimeter. As disclosed, a SiC source and a SiC seed crystal of the desired polytype are co-located within a crucible, the growth zone being defined by the substantially parallel surfaces of the source and the seed in combination with the sidewalls of the crucible. Prior to reaching the growth temperature, the crucible is evacuated and sealed, either directly or through the use of a secondary container housing the crucible. The crucible is comprised of tantalum or niobium that has been specially treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: The Fox Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Yury Alexandrovich Vodakov, Evgeny Nikolaevich Mokhov, Mark Grigorievich Ramm, Alexandr Dmitrievich Roenkov, Yury Nikolaevich Makarov, Sergei Yurievich Karpov, Mark Spiridonovich Ramm, Leonid Iosifovich Temkin
  • Patent number: 6554897
    Abstract: A method of producing silicon carbide (SiC), by introducing into the interior of a furnace a quantity of relatively pure elemental silicon and a quantity of elemental carbon; subjecting the interior of the furnace to a vacuum; and heating the silicon and carbon to a temperature of 1500° C.-2200° C. to vaporize the silicon and to react it with the carbon to produce silicon carbide. Several embodiments are described for producing a heating or lighting element and a high temperature sensor, respectively, in which the carbon is in the form of a shaped body made of a mixture of finely-divided particles of carbon in a binder, and the silicon is in the form of finely-divided particles applied to the outer surface of the shaped body. A further embodiment is described for producing silicon carbide powder, in which the carbon and silicon are each in the form of finely-divided particles, and are physically separated from each other by a graphite sheet permeable to silicon vapor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Silbid Ltd.
    Inventor: Gady Golan
  • Publication number: 20030070611
    Abstract: A refined SiC single crystal that includes a small number of defects is provided as follows. At a first growth step, a first seed crystal is formed from a crude SiC single crystal, and a first grown crystal is formed on a first growth surface, which is a plane having an inclination of 20 degrees or smaller from a {1-100} plane or an inclination of 20 degrees or smaller from a {11-20} plane. At an intermediate growth step, an n growth crystal is formed on an n growth surface, which is a plane having an inclination of 45 to 90 degrees from an (n−1) growth surface and an inclination of 60 to 90 degrees from a {0001} plane. At a final growth step, a final SiC single crystal is formed on a final growth surface, which has an inclination of 20 degrees or smaller from a {0001} plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Inventors: Daisuke Nakamura, Tadashi Ito, Hiroyuki Kondo, Masami Naito
  • Patent number: 6547877
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for axially growing single crystal silicon carbide is provided. Utilizing the system, silicon carbide can be grown with a dislocation density of less than 104 per square centimeter, a micropipe density of less than 10 per square centimeter, and a secondary phase inclusion density of less than 10 per cubic centimeter. As disclosed, a SiC source and a SiC seed crystal of the desired polytype are co-located within a crucible, the growth zone being defined by the substantially parallel surfaces of the source and the seed in combination with the sidewalls of the crucible. Prior to reaching the growth temperature, the crucible is evacuated and sealed, either directly or through the use of a secondary container housing the crucible. The crucible is comprised of tantalum or niobium that has been specially treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: The Fox Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Yury Alexandrovich Vodakov, Evgeny Nikolaevich Mokhov, Mark Grigorievich Ramm, Alexandr Dmitrievich Roenkov, Yury Nikolaevich Makarov, Sergei Yurievich Karpov, Mark Spiridonovich Ramm, Leonid Iosifovich Temkin
  • Patent number: 6537371
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for axially growing single crystal silicon carbide is provided. Utilizing the system, silicon carbide can be grown with a dislocation density of less than 104 per square centimeter, a micropipe density of less than 10 per square centimeter, and a secondary phase inclusion density of less than 10 per cubic centimeter. As disclosed, a SiC source and a SiC seed crystal of the desired polytype are co-located within a crucible, the growth zone being defined by the substantially parallel surfaces of the source and the seed in combination with the sidewalls of the crucible. Prior to reaching the growth temperature, the crucible is evacuated and sealed, either directly or through the use of a secondary container housing the crucible. The crucible is comprised of tantalum or niobium that has been specially treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: The Fox Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Yury Alexandrovich Vodakov, Evgeny Nikolaevich Mokhov, Mark Grigorievich Ramm, Alexandr Dmitrievich Roenkov, Yury Nikolaevich Makarov, Sergei Yurievich Karpov, Mark Spiridonovich Ramm, Leonid Iosifovich Temkin
  • Patent number: 6508880
    Abstract: A low defect (e.g., dislocation and micropipe) density silicon carbide (SiC) is provided as well as an apparatus and method for growing the same. The SiC crystal, grown using sublimation techniques, is preferably divided into two stages of growth. During the first stage of growth, the crystal grows in a normal direction while simultaneously expanding laterally. Although dislocations and other material defects may propagate within the axially grown material, defect propagation and generation in the laterally grown material are substantially reduced, if not altogether eliminated. After the crystal has expanded to the desired diameter, the second stage of growth begins in which lateral growth is suppressed and normal growth is enhanced. A substantially reduced defect density is maintained within the axially grown material that is based on the laterally grown first stage material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: The Fox Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Yury Alexandrovich Vodakov, Mark Grigorievich Ramm, Evgeny Nikolaevich Mokhov, Alexandr Dmitrievich Roenkov, Yury Nikolaevich Makarov, Sergei Yurievich Karpov, Mark Spiridonovich Ramm, Heikki I. Helava
  • Patent number: 6497764
    Abstract: A method is described for growing at least one silicon carbide (SiC) single crystal by sublimation of a SiC source material. Silicon, carbon and a SiC seed crystal are introduced into a growing chamber. Then, the SiC source material is produced from the silicon and the carbon in a synthesis step that takes place before the actual growing. The growing of the SiC single crystal is then carried out immediately after the synthesis step. The carbon used is a C powder with a mean grain diameter of greater than 10 &mgr;m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Harald Kuhn, Rene Stein, Johannes Völkl
  • Publication number: 20020189531
    Abstract: The present invention refers to an ammonobasic method for preparing a gallium-containing nitride crystal, in which gallium-containing feedstock is crystallized on at least one crystallization seed in the presence of an alkali metal-containing component in a supercritical nitrogen-containing solvent. The method can provide monocrystalline gallium-containing nitride crystals having a very high quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Robert Tomasz Dwilinski, Roman Marek Doradzinski, Jerzy Garczynski, Leszek Piotr Sierzputowski, Yasuo Kanbara
  • Publication number: 20020189536
    Abstract: A silicon carbide single crystal which can be suitably used as a semi-insulating or insulating single crystal substrate and the like, and a method of efficiently producing the same, are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Otsuki, Takayuki Maruyama, Shigeki Endo
  • Patent number: 6488767
    Abstract: A high quality wafer comprising AlxGayInzN, wherein 0<y≦1 and x+y+z=1, characterized by a root mean square surface roughness of less than 1 nm in a 10×10 &mgr;m2 area at its Ga-side. Such wafer is chemically mechanically polished (CMP) at its Ga-side, using a CMP slurry comprising abrasive particles, such as silica or alumina, and an acid or a base. The process of fabricating such high quality AlxGayInzN wafer may include steps of lapping, mechanical polishing, and reducing internal stress of said wafer by thermal annealing or chemical etching for further enhancement of its surface quality. The CMP process is usefully employed to highlight crystal defects on the Ga-side of the AlxGayInzN wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Xueping Xu, Robert P. Vaudo
  • Patent number: 6464781
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method of suppressing convection of a fluid in a cylindrical vessel by means of realizing an environment under micro gravity which can be maintained for such a long time that growth of a large-sized crystal be economically effected. The feature of the present invention consists in a method of suppressing occurrence of natural convection of a fluid in a cylindrical vessel, when a density gradient due to difference in temperature, concentration or partial pressure is added to the gas or liquid filled in the cylindrical vessel along the central axis of the vessel, characterized by maintaining horizontal the vessel and rotating it around the central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinsuke Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20020144647
    Abstract: A method of producing silicon carbide (SiC), by introducing into the interior of a furnace a quantity of relatively pure elemental silicon and a quantity of elemental carbon; subjecting the interior of the furnace to a vacuum; and heating the silicon and carbon to a temperature of 1500° C.-2200° C. to vaporize the silicon and to react it with the carbon to produce silicon carbide. Several embodiments are described for producing a heating or lighting element and a high temperature sensor, respectively, in which the carbon is in the form of a shaped body made of a mixture of finely-divided particles of carbon in a binder, and the silicon is in the form of finely-divided particles applied to the outer surface of the shaped body. A further embodiment is described for producing silicon carbide powder, in which the carbon and silicon are each in the form of finely-divided particles, and are physically separated from each other by a graphite sheet permeable to silicon vapor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2000
    Publication date: October 10, 2002
    Applicant: SILBID LTD.
    Inventor: Gady Golan
  • Patent number: 6451112
    Abstract: A crucible for growing a single crystal therein has a seed crystal attachment portion and a peripheral portion surrounding the seed crystal attachment portion through a gap provided therebetween. The seed crystal attachment portion has a support surface for holding a seed crystal on which the single crystal is to be grown, and the support surface is recessed from a surface of the peripheral portion. The seed crystal is attached to the support surface to cover an entire area of the support surface. Accordingly, no poly crystal is formed on the seed crystal attachment portion, and the single crystal can be grown on the seed crystal with high quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kazukuni Hara, Kouki Futatsuyama, Shoichi Onda, Fusao Hirose, Emi Oguri, Naohiro Sugiyama, Atsuto Okamoto
  • Patent number: 6451113
    Abstract: A method for growing of oriented whisker arrays on a single-crystalline substrate consists in vapor-phase transport of the material to be crystallized from a solid-state source body of the same composition as the whiskers to the substrate coated with liquid-phase particles that serve as nucleation/catalyzing centers for the whisker growth. The source body has a plane surface that is faced to the substrate and parallel to it so that a vectorly-uniformn temperature field, whose gradient is perpendicular to both the substrate and the source, is created. The vectorly-uniform temperature field is realized by an apparatus with high-frequency heating of specially designed bodies that are arranged in a special position in respect to the high-frequency inductor. Laser and/or lamp heat sources can be also used either separately or in combinations with the high-frequency heater. In the apparatus, the material source is heated, while the substrate takes. heat from the material source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Inventor: Evgeny Invievich Givargizov
  • Patent number: 6440214
    Abstract: A method of growing a nitride semiconductor layer, such as a GaN layer, by molecular beam epitaxy comprises the step of growing a GaAlN nucleation layer on a substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. The nucleation layer is annealed, and a nitride semiconductor layer is then grown over the nucleation layer by molecular beam epitaxy. The nitride semiconductor layer is grown at a V/III molar ratio of 100 or greater, and this enables a high substrate temperature to be used so that a good quality semiconductor layer is obtained. Ammonia gas is supplied during the growth process, to provide the nitrogen required for the MBE growth process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Stewart Edward Hooper, Jennifer Mary Barnes, Jonathan Heffernan, Alistair Henderson Kean
  • Patent number: 6428621
    Abstract: A low defect (e.g., dislocation and micropipe) density silicon carbide (SiC) is provided as well as an apparatus and method for growing the same. The SiC crystal, growing using sublimation techniques, is preferably divided into two stages of growth. During the first stage of growth, the crystal grows in a normal direction while simultaneously expanding laterally. Although dislocation and other material defects may propagate within the axially grown material, defect propagation and generation in the laterally grown material are substantially reduced, if not altogether eliminated. After the crystal has expanded to the desired diameter, the second stage of growth begins in which lateral growth is suppressed and normal growth is enhanced. A substantially reduced defect density is maintained within the axially grown material that is based on the laterally grown first stage material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: The Fox Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Yury Alexandrovich Vodakov, Mark Grigorievich Ramm, Evgeny Nikolaevich Mokhov, Alexandr Dmitrievich Roenkov, Yury Nikolaevich Makarov, Sergei Yurievich Karpov, Mark Spiridonovich Ramm, Heikki I. Helava
  • Publication number: 20020083892
    Abstract: It is the purpose of the present invention to prevent a macroscopic defect in the production of an SiC single crystal. SiC source material powder and an SiC seed crystal are disposed inside a graphite crucible, and the SiC source material powder is thermally sublimated and recrystallized on a front surface of the SiC seed crystal to grow an SiC single crystal. In this sublimation-recrystallization method, a protection layer is provided on a back surface of the SiC seed crystal. The SiC seed crystal is mechanically supported by a supporting part disposed on the graphite crucible without bonding. Thereby, it is possible to improve the thermal maldistribution on the back surface of the SiC seed crystal and possible to suppress damage of the protection layer due to the thermal maldistribution. Thus, macroscopic defects in the grown SiC single crystal are preferably suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kondo, Emi Oguri, Fusao Hirose, Daisuke Nakamura, Atsuto Okamoto, Naohiro Sugiyama
  • Publication number: 20020069818
    Abstract: When a SiC substrate is heated up to around 1800° C., sublimation of SiC occurs from the SiC substrate. Moreover, temperature of the front surface of the SiC substrate is lower than that of the back surface of the SiC substrate. Therefore, sublimation gas sublimed from a back-surface vicinity of the substrate, where temperature is high, moves to a front-surface vicinity of the substrate, where temperature is low, through the hollow micro-pipe defect. Epitaxial growth proceeds on the front surface of the substrate while the sublimation gas is recrystallized at the front-surface vicinity of the substrate, so that the micro-pipe defect is occluded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventors: Masami Naito, Kazukuni Hara, Fusao Hirose, Shoichi Onda
  • Patent number: 6375739
    Abstract: Apparatus for bulk vapor phase crystal growth comprising: at least one source zone and at least one sink zone each associated with means for independent temperature control within the zone; and at least one passage means adapted for transport of vapor from source to sink zone; and additionally comprising means for in-situ monitoring of the sink zone; wherein means for monitoring is substantially non-intrusive in terms of temperature regulation within the sink zone; process for bulk vapor phase crystal growth employing the apparatus; method for starting up the process; method for controlling the process; use for any bulk vapor transport technique; equipment for monitoring growth using the apparatus or process; and crystal grown with the apparatus or process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: University of Durham
    Inventor: John Tomlinson Mullins
  • Patent number: 6336971
    Abstract: A silicon carbide single crystal is produced by allowing a vapor evaporated from a silicon raw material to pass through a heated carbon member and then reach a seed crystal substrate on which a silicon carbide single crystal grows. For this production, an apparatus is used, which has a reaction tube, a heating device and a graphite crucible, wherein the lower part of the crucible constitutes a silicon raw material-charging part; a seed crystal substrate is situated at the top of the crucible; and a carbon member, through which the vapor evaporated from a silicon raw material in capable of passing, is disposed intermediately between the silicon raw material-charging part and the seed crystal. As the carbon member, a porous carbon structure, a carbon plate having a plurality of through holes and a carbon particle-packed layer can be mentioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2002
    Assignee: Showa Denko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Nagato, Kunio Komaki, Isamu Yamamoto, Naoki Oyanagi, Shigehiro Nishino
  • Patent number: 6291319
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure comprises the steps of providing a silicon substrate (10) having a surface (12); forming on the surface of the silicon substrate an interface (14) comprising a single atomic layer of silicon, nitrogen, and a metal; and forming one or more layers of a single crystal oxide (26) on the interface. The interface comprises an atomic layer of silicon, nitrogen, and a metal in the form MSiN2, where M is a metal. In a second embodiment, the interface comprises an atomic layer of silicon, a metal, and a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen in the form MSi[N1−Ox]2, where M is a metal and X is 0≦X<1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhiyi Yu, Jun Wang, Ravindranath Droopad, Jamal Ramdani
  • Patent number: 6241821
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure comprises the steps of providing a silicon substrate (10) having a surface (12); forming on the surface of the silicon substrate an interface (14) comprising a single atomic layer of silicon, oxygen, and a metal; and forming one or more layers of a single crystal oxide (26) on the interface. The interface comprises an atomic layer of silicon, oxygen, and a metal in the form XSiO2, where X is a metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhiyi Yu, Ravindranath Droopad, Corey Daniel Overgaard, Jamal Ramdani, Jay A. Curless, Jerald A. Hallmark, William J. Ooms, Jun Wang
  • Patent number: 6238482
    Abstract: A method of making a wafer is provided. A first semiconductor film is formed onto a semiconductor substrate. An epitaxial film is formed onto an epitaxial wafer. The epitaxial wafer is placed with the epitaxial film on the first semiconductor film. The epitaxial film is debonded from the EPI wafer. The epitaxial film is bonded to the first semiconductor film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Brian S. Doyle, Kramadhati V. Ravi
  • Patent number: 6224669
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure comprises the steps of providing a silicon substrate (10) having a surface (12); forming on the surface of the silicon substrate an interface (14) comprising a single atomic layer of silicon, oxygen, and a metal; and forming one or more layers of a single crystal oxide (26) on the interface. The interface comprises an atomic layer of silicon, oxygen, and a metal in the form XSiO2, where X is a metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhiyi Yi, Ravindranath Droopad, Corey Daniel Overgaard, Jamal Ramdani, Jay A. Curless, Jerald A. Hallmark, William J. Ooms, Jun Wang
  • Patent number: 6139631
    Abstract: A crystal growth method having the steps of: preparing a growth container having a vapor generating chamber VC provided with a source material 14, a growth chamber GC provided with a seed crystal 12, and a coupling portion 18 having a cross sectional area narrower than a cross sectional area of each of the vapor generating chamber and the growth chamber, the coupling portion coupling the vapor generating chamber and the growth chamber; and vapor-phase growing a single crystal on the seed crystal by forming a temperature gradient in the growth container and by maintaining the seed crystal in the growth chamber at a growth temperature and the source material in the vapor generating chamber at a vapor supply temperature higher than the growth temperature. A crystal having a diameter larger than that of a seed crystal can be formed easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Kato
  • Patent number: 6113690
    Abstract: A method of preparing crystalline alkaline earth metal oxides on a Si substrate wherein a Si substrate with amorphous silicon dioxide on a surface is provided. The substrate is heated to a temperature in a range of 700.degree. C. to 800.degree. C. and exposed to a beam of alkaline earth metal(s) in a molecular beam epitaxy chamber at a pressure within approximately a 10.sup.-9 -10.sup.-10 Torr range. During the molecular beam epitaxy the surface is monitored by RHEED technique to determine a conversion of the amorphous silicon dioxide to a crystalline alkaline earth metal oxide. Once the alkaline earth metal oxide is formed, additional layers of material, e.g. additional thickness of an alkaline earth metal oxide, single crystal ferroelectrics or high dielectric constant oxides on silicon for non-volatile and high density memory device applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhiyi Jimmy Yu, Jerald A. Hallmark, Jonathan K. Abrokwah, Corey D. Overgaard, Ravi Droopad
  • Patent number: 6113692
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for forming SiC on a nucleus. The apparatus comprises a first enclosure (100) defined by at least one wall (102, 110, 112) and able to receive a SiC nucleus (122), a SiC powder reservoir (118) and means (120) for heating the enclosure and, according to the invention, the wall (102, 110, 112) is essentially covered by at least one SiC layer (116).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Claude Jaussaud, Roland Madard, Mikhail Anikin, Isabelle Garcon
  • Patent number: 6110279
    Abstract: A (111) cubic silicon carbide single-crystal layer is formed on a (111) silicon wafer, and then the silicon wafer is removed. Thus prepared (111) cubic silicon carbide single-crystal layer is disposed in a graphite crucible to function as a seed crystal. Silicon carbide source material powder is also held in the graphite crucible and sublimated in an atmosphere including inert gas, while controlling a temperature of the (111) cubic silicon carbide single-crystal layer to be lower than a temperature of the silicon carbide source material powder. As a result, a (0001) .alpha.-type silicon carbide single-crystal layer can be formed on the (111) cubic silicon carbide single-crystal layer with a large diameter and high quality at low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuo Kito, Youichi Kotanshi, Shoichi Onda, Tatuyuki Hanazawa, Eiji Kitaoka
  • Patent number: 6106616
    Abstract: A production method of a crystal structure oxide that includes the steps of evaporating the material by heating the material to generate a gas phase and precipitating crystals from the gas phase at a precipitating part so as to produce a layer crystal structure oxide. The precipitating part is provided away from the material in a range of greater than or equal to about 10 mm to about 30 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akio Machida, Naomi Nagasawa, Takaaki Ami, Masayuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6080240
    Abstract: Crystal of sublimable material is recovered by introducing a reaction gas containing sublimable material into a vertical recovery chamber kept at a temperature near a depositing temperature of the sublimable material to form a crystal deposit of the sublimable material on a surface of a wall of the chamber, and cooling the wall formed with the crystal deposit to a temperature below the previous temperature to cause a contraction difference between the crystal deposit and the wall formed with the crystal deposit, and break away the deposited crystal from the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Uchida, Hideki Sogabe, Teruaki Yabuuchi
  • Patent number: 6068698
    Abstract: The invention relates to a p-type silicon macromolecule, with a multifaceted structure in which silicon atoms form the corners of an inner multifaceted structure having sides. Attached to each silicon atom is a doping atom. The doping atoms are attached to the silicon atoms and radiate out from the center of the molecule to form an outer multi-faceted structure having sides parallel to the inner multifaceted structure. The macromolecule forms a base facility in a transistor that comprises an emitter layer, a collector layer, connected to the base facility, and a control input structure. The control input structure comprises a dipole connected to a boundary surface on the transistor and at least one external modulation capacitor connected to the dipole. The capacitor receives a carrier signal from a control input signal. The dipole is spaced from the center a boundary surface by half a wavelength of the carrier signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Inventor: Christian Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6036774
    Abstract: Methods of preparing metal oxide nanorods are described. The metal oxide nanorods have diameters between 1 and 200 nm and aspect ratios between 5 and 2000. The methods include the steps of generating a metal vapor in a furnace, exposing the nanorod growth substrate to the metal vapor within a growth zone in the furnace for a sufficient time to grow metal oxide nanorods on a surface of the nanorod growth substrate, removing the nanorod growth substrate from the growth zone after the sufficient time to grow metal oxide nanorods on a surface of the nanorod growth substrate, and removing the metal oxide nanorods from the furnace. The methods can be used to prepared large quantities of metal oxide nanorods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Peidong Yang
  • Patent number: 6033471
    Abstract: By using a dual ion-beam sputtering apparatus, an aluminum thin-film is formed on a glass substrate made of an amorphous material. While radiating an ion beam for assisting the film formation from an ion source onto the glass substrate, the aluminum thin-film is formed by depositing the sputtering ions which are generated by radiating an ion beam onto an aluminum target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidefumi Nakanishi, Atsushi Sakurai, Masato Kobayashi, Yukio Yoshino
  • Patent number: 6007623
    Abstract: A method for producing a horizontal magnetic recording medium that has as its magnetic film a granular film with grains of a chemically-ordered FePt or FePtX (or CoPt or CoPtX) alloy in the tetragonal L1.sub.0 structure uses an etched seed layer beneath the granular film. The granular magnetic film reveals a very high magnetocrystalline anisotropy within the individual grains. The film is produced by sputtering from a single alloy target or cosputtering from several targets. The granular structure and the chemical ordering are controlled by means of sputter parameters, e.g., temperature and deposition rate, and by the use of the etched seed layer that provides a structure for the subsequently sputter-deposited granular magnetic film. The structure of the seed layer is obtained by sputter etching, plasma etching, ion irradiation, or laser irradiation. The magnetic properties, i.e., H.sub.c and areal moment density M.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jan-Ulrich Thiele, Dieter Klaus Weller
  • Patent number: 5989511
    Abstract: An article and method of manufacture of a nanocrystalline diamond film. The nanocrystalline film is prepared by forming a carbonaceous vapor, providing an inert gas containing gas stream and combining the gas stream with the carbonaceous containing vapor. A plasma of the combined vapor and gas stream is formed in a chamber and fragmented carbon species are deposited onto a substrate to form the nanocrystalline diamond film having a root mean square flatness of about 50 nm deviation from flatness in the as deposited state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: The University of Chicago
    Inventors: Dieter M. Gruen, Alan R. Krauss, Ali Erdemir, Cuma Bindal, Christopher D. Zuiker
  • Patent number: 5964943
    Abstract: A CVD process or a sublimation process for doping an SiC monocrystal uses an organic boron compound whose molecules contain at least one boron atom chemically bonded to at least one carbon atom. Boron trialkyls are preferred organic boron compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Rene Stein, Roland Rupp
  • Patent number: 5958132
    Abstract: A method for the growth of a SiC single crystal comprisingintroducing a seed crystal of SiC single crystal having an exposed face deviating from the {0001} plane by an angle .alpha..sub.1 of about 60.degree. to about 120.degree., typically about 90.degree. and SiC powder as a raw material into a graphite crucible,elevating the temperature of the SiC powder in an atmosphere of inert gas to a level sufficient for sublimation, meanwhileelevating the temperature of the exposed face of the seed crystal to a level slightly lower than the temperature of the SiC powder, andkeeping the SiC powder and the seed crystal at the specific temperatures for a period enough for a SiC single crystal of the same polytype as the seed crystal to grow to a desired height on the exposed face of the seed crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Takahashi, Masatoshi Kanaya, Yuichiro Fujiwara, Noboru Ohtani
  • Patent number: 5940684
    Abstract: By (a) performing a first treatment process to a substrate in a first apparatus, (b) moving the substrate having undergone the first treatment process into an airtight passage communicating with the first apparatus and shut off from outside and thereafter, shutting off the communication between the passage and the first apparatus, (c) setting the passage to communicate with a second apparatus to move the substrate into the second apparatus, and (d) performing a second treatment process in the second apparatus, the treatment processes are performed in treatment apparatuses suitable therefor without the substrate being exposed to the outside air. As a result, the time between the treatment processes is reduced and the availability ratio of the expensive equipment is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Rohm, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio Shakuda, Haruo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5935324
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming I-III-VI.sub.2 thin-film layers has a reaction chamber made of a carbon material in which a precursor for forming a I-III-VI.sub.2 thin-film layer and a vapor source of an element of group VI of the periodic table are placed. The precursor and vapor source are heated under vacuum to form the I-III-VI.sub.2 thin-film layer. The reaction chamber is divided into a reaction compartment A having the precursor placed therein and a reaction compartment B having the vapor element of group IV placed therein. A communication channel C is provided between the reaction compartments A and B, and a heating unit controlled by a temperature control unit is provided exterior to each of the reaction compartments A and B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Shinnichi Nakagawa, Kenji Sato, Masami Nakamura, Kazuhiro Toyoda, Takeshi Kamiya, Kazue Suzuki, Hiroki Ishihara, Takeshi Ikeya, Masaharu Ishida
  • Patent number: 5919515
    Abstract: On a single crystal substrate such as silicon, a ferroelectric thin film having a YMnO.sub.3 hexagonal crystal structure, composed mainly of a rare earth element (inclusive of scandium and yttrium), manganese and oxygen, and c-plane oriented parallel to the substrate surface is formed, preferably with an epitaxial oxide film or conductive epitaxial film being interposed therebetween. It is suitable for gate type non-volatile memory devices having MFIS and MFMIS structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Yano, Takao Noguchi
  • Patent number: 5904771
    Abstract: A method of subliming material is provided for use in a CVD film preparation method wherein a CVD precursor is sublimed from its solid state by heating to a temperature not exceeding its melting point, thereby producing a vapor of the precursor, and the vapor of the precursor is transported to a reactor. The method of subliming material comprises the steps of forming the solid-state compound into a film, covering a back surface of the film with a non-reactive support and exposing a front surface of the film to an atmosphere as a sublimation surface. The method maintains the exposed surface area of the solid compound constant during processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignees: Dowa Mining Co., Ltd., Pioneer Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yuzo Tasaki, Mamoru Sato, Shuji Yoshizawa, Atsushi Onoe, Kiyofumi Chikuma, Ayako Yoshida
  • Patent number: 5900057
    Abstract: A planar waveguide and a process for making a planar waveguide is disclosed. The waveguide has a layer of dope host material formed on a substrate. The host material is a trivalent material such as a metal fluoride, wherein the metal is selected from the Group III B metals and the lanthanide series rare earth metals of the Mendeleevian Periodic Table. The dopant is a rare earth metal such as erbium. The waveguide has an emission spectrum with a bandwidth of about 60 nm for amplification of an optical signal at a wavelength of about 1.51 .mu.m to about 1.57 .mu.m. The waveguide is made by forming the layer of doped host material on a substrate. The film is formed by evaporating materials from two separate sources, one source for the dopant material and a separate source for the host material and forming a film of the evaporated materials on a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Christoph J. Buchal, Theo Siegrist
  • Patent number: 5753040
    Abstract: In one form of the invention, a method for the growth of an epitaxial insulator-metal structure on a semiconductor surface comprising the steps of maintaining the semiconductor surface at a pressure below approximately 1.times.10.sup.-7 mbar, maintaining the semiconductor surface at a substantially fixed first temperature between approximately 25.degree. C. and 400.degree. C., depositing an epitaxial metal layer on the semiconductor surface, adjusting the semiconductor surface to a substantially fixed second temperature between approximately 25.degree. C. and 200.degree. C., starting a deposition of epitaxial CaF.sub.2 on the first metal layer, ramping the second temperature to a third substantially fixed temperature between 200.degree. C. and 500.degree. C. over a time period, maintaining the third temperature until the epitaxial CaF.sub.2 has deposited to a desired thickness, and stopping the deposition of epitaxial CaF.sub.2 on the first metal layer.Other devices, systems and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Chih-Chen Cho
  • Patent number: 5725659
    Abstract: Apparatus for performing SPE deposition for growing layers of semiconductive material includes a reaction chamber and means for mounting a substrate wafer and a source wafer in the reaction chamber. The substrate wafer and the source wafer are maintained at a predetermined distance which is less than the mean free path of the reactive species of the oxido-reduction of the semiconductive material. A heater for heating the wafers maintains a temperature difference of 20.degree. C. to 40.degree. C. between the wafers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Inventor: Fareed Sepehry-Fard
  • Patent number: 5679153
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing epitaxial layers of silicon carbide that are substantially free of micropipe defects. The method comprises growing an epitaxial layer of silicon carbide on a silicon carbide substrate by liquid phase epitaxy from a melt of silicon carbide in silicon and an element that enhances the solubility of silicon carbide in the melt. The atomic percentage of that element predominates over the atomic percentage of silicon in the melt. Micropipe defects propagated by the substrate into the epitaxial layer are closed by continuing to grow the epitaxial layer under the proper conditions until the epitaxial layer has a thickness at which micropipe defects present in the substrate are substantially no longer reproduced in the epitaxial layer, and the number of micropipe defects in the epitaxial layer is substantially reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Cree Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir A. Dmitriev, Svetlana V. Rendakova, Vladimir A. Ivantsov, Calvin H. Carter, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5620512
    Abstract: A method and system for manufacturing diamond film. The method involves forming a fullerene vapor, providing a noble gas stream and combining the gas with the fullerene vapor, passing the combined fullerene vapor and noble gas carrier stream into a chamber, forming a plasma in the chamber causing fragmentation of the fullerene and deposition of a diamond film on a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Assignee: University of Chicago
    Inventors: Dieter M. Gruen, Shengzhong Liu, Alan R. Krauss, Xianzheng Pan
  • Patent number: 5603766
    Abstract: A method for making oriented thin films of a ternary intermetallic compound and such films having a tetragonal structure and generally uniaxial magnetic, optical, electronic, and mechanical properties, as well as a generally lower Curie temperature than oriented binary intermetallic films. The steps of the method involve selecting a substrate material for biasing the orientation of the ternary intermetallic compound and exhibiting no chemical reactiveness to the ternary intermetallic compound. Preferably, such substrate is a single crystal, such as MgO or Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, or an amorphous material such as pure SiO.sub.2, amorphous carbon, or glass. In a second step the substrate is heated to a temperature above 450.degree. C. and then, a first metal, a second metal, and a third metal are simultaneously deposited on the substrate material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Stanford Leland Junior University
    Inventors: Mark R. Visokay, Bruce M. Lairson, Robert Sinclair
  • Patent number: 5565030
    Abstract: A novel method is proposed for the preparation of a superlattice multilayered film, which has a multilayered structure alternately consisting of epitaxially grown layers of a metal and layers of a metal oxide formed on the surface of a substrate and is useful as high-speed electronic devices, soft X-ray reflectors, neutron beam polarizers and the like. According to the discovery leading to this invention, good epitaxial growth of the layers can be accomplished when the metal has a face-centered cubic lattice structure and the metal oxide has a sodium chloride-type cubic lattice structure and the difference in the lattice constant between the metal and the metal oxide is small enough as in the combinations of silver and nickel oxide or magnesium oxide and nickel and nickel oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Japan as represented by Director General of Agency of Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Tetsuo Kado, Shigeyuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 5483920
    Abstract: A novel method of forming large area single crystal cubic boron nitride films on a silicon substrate by first treating the surface of the substrate with atomic hydrogen and then depositing a cubic boron nitride film by a reactive biased laser ablation technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: Board of Governors of Wayne State University
    Inventor: Roger W. Pryor
  • Patent number: 5482003
    Abstract: A process and structure involving a silicon substrate utilize molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and/or electron beam evaporation methods and an ultra-high vacuum facility to grow a layup of epitaxial alkaline earth oxide films upon the substrate surface. By selecting metal constituents for the oxides and in the appropriate proportions so that the lattice parameter of each oxide grown closely approximates that of the substrate or base layer upon which oxide is grown, lattice strain at the film/film or film/substrate interface of adjacent films is appreciably reduced or relieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodney A. McKee, Frederick J. Walker