Specified Deposition Material Or Use Patents (Class 204/192.15)
  • Patent number: 9870902
    Abstract: Provided is a target assembly which is manufactured by bonding a Li-containing oxide sputtering target and an Al-based or Cu-based backing plate through a bonding material. The Li-containing oxide target assembly does not undergo warping or cracking during the bonding. The Li-containing oxide target assembly according to the present invention is manufactured by bonding a Li-containing oxide sputtering target to a backing plate via a bonding material, and has bending strength of 20 MPa or larger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: KOBELCO RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Yuichi Taketomi, Moriyoshi Kanamaru, Shintaro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9865478
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a physical vapor deposition system configured to heat a semiconductor substrate or wafer. In some embodiments the disclosed physical vapor deposition system comprises at least one heat source having one or more lamp modules for heating of the substrate. The lamp modules may be separated from the substrate by a shielding device. In some embodiments, the shielding device comprises a one-piece device or a two piece device. The disclosed physical vapor deposition system can heat the semiconductor substrate, reflowing a metal film deposited thereon without the necessity for separate chambers, thereby decreasing process time, requiring less thermal budget, and decreasing substrate damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Chin Tsai, Bo-Hung Lin, You-Hua Chou, Chung-En Kao
  • Patent number: 9864272
    Abstract: Disclosed are a photosensitive resin composition for a color filter including (A) an acrylic-based binder resin including at least one repeating unit represented by the following Chemical Formula 1, at least one repeating unit represented by the following Chemical Formula 2 and at least one repeating unit represented by the following Chemical Formula 3, (B) a photopolymerizable monomer, (C) a photopolymerization initiator, (D) a colorant, and (E) a solvent, and a color filter using the same. In the above Chemical Formulae 1 to 3, each substituent is the same as defined in the detailed description.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Se-Young Choi, Nam-Gwang Kim, Kyung-Hee Hyung, Gyu-Seok Han
  • Patent number: 9840765
    Abstract: A system for use in coating an interior surface of an object is provided. The system includes a vacuum chamber enclosure defining an interior configured to receive the object, and a cathode coupled to the vacuum chamber enclosure. The cathode is fabricated from a coating material and has an outer surface. The cathode is configured such that when a current is applied to the cathode, an arc is formed on the outer surface and the coating material is removed from the cathode to form a cloud of coating material. The system also includes a collimator configured to be positioned between the cathode and the object configured to focus the cloud into a beam of coating material and to direct the beam towards the object, and a magnet configured to alter a path of the beam such that the beam is directed towards the interior surface of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Andrew Weaver, Dennis Michael Gray
  • Patent number: 9840766
    Abstract: The invention relates to a component having a coating containing chromium, nitrogen and carbon. According to the invention the coating comprises a sliding layer having a ceramic phase and a carbon phase, the ceramic phase forms a crystalline ceramic phase from Crx(C1-yNy) with 0.8=x=1.2 and y>0.7, and the crystalline ceramic phase and the carbon phase form a layer system of alternating individual layers (A, B), wherein the carbon phase has interstices that are filled with the crystalline ceramic phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventors: Monika Lehnert, Kurt Maier
  • Patent number: 9822033
    Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to Ni-inclusive ternary alloy being provided as a barrier layer for protecting an IR reflecting layer comprising silver or the like. The provision of a barrier layer comprising nickel, chromium, and/or molybdenum and/or oxides thereof may improve corrosion resistance, as well as chemical and mechanical durability. In certain examples, more than one barrier layer may be used on at least one side of the layer comprising silver. In still further examples, a NixCryMoz-based layer may be used as the functional layer, rather than or in addition to as a barrier layer, in a coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Guardian Glass, LLC
    Inventors: Muhammad Imran, Bernd Disteldorf, Marcus Frank, Richard Blacker
  • Patent number: 9812299
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for pretreating and coating bodies by means of magnetron sputtering. In a vacuum chamber having a metallic chamber wall (26), magnetrons with sputter targets are arranged, at least one of which is an HPPMS magnetron to which electric pulses are fed by connecting a capacitive element (6) with the sputter target of the HPPMS magnetron via a switching element (5). To achieve effective pretreatment and coating of substrates it is provided according to a first aspect to arrange the switching element on the chamber wall. According to a second aspect, an electrode pair is provided, wherein a first electrode is an HPPMS magnetron (1) and the first and second electrodes are arranged in such a manner that a body (11) supported on a substrate table (4) is arranged between the active surfaces of the electrode pair or is moved through the space between the active surfaces of the electrode pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: CemeCon AG
    Inventors: Rainer Cremer, Walter May
  • Patent number: 9778560
    Abstract: A halftone phase shift film containing Si and N and/or O is deposited on a transparent substrate by reactive sputtering using a silicon-containing target with a reactive gas. Different powers are applied across a plurality of targets so that two different sputtering modes selected from metal, transition and reaction modes associated with a hysteresis curve are applied to the targets. The phase shift film exhibits satisfactory in-plane uniformity of optical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takuro Kosaka
  • Patent number: 9778559
    Abstract: A halftone phase shift film containing Si and N and/or O is deposited on a transparent substrate by reactive sputtering of a Si-containing target with a reactive gas containing N and/or O. One layer is sputter deposited while the reactive gas flow rate is set equal to or lower than the lower limit of the reactive gas flow rate in the hysteresis region, and another layer is sputter deposited while the reactive gas flow rate is set inside the lower and upper limits of the reactive gas flow rate in the hysteresis region. The phase shift film exhibits satisfactory in-plane uniformity of optical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuro Kosaka, Yukio Inazuki
  • Patent number: 9771648
    Abstract: A sputtering apparatus includes a chamber for containing a feed gas. An anode is positioned inside the chamber. A cathode assembly comprising target material is positioned adjacent to an anode inside the chamber. A magnet is positioned adjacent to cathode assembly. A platen that supports a substrate is positioned adjacent to the cathode assembly. An output of the power supply is electrically connected to the cathode assembly. The power supply generates a plurality of voltage pulse trains comprising at least a first and a second voltage pulse train. The first voltage pulse train generates a first discharge from the feed gas that causes sputtering of a first layer of target material having properties that are determined by at least one of a peak amplitude, a rise time, and a duration of pulses in the first voltage pulse train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: ZOND, INC.
    Inventors: Roman Chistyakov, Bassam Hanna Abraham
  • Patent number: 9767998
    Abstract: A sputtering target including a sintered body: the sintered body including: indium oxide doped with Ga or indium oxide doped with Al, and a positive tetravalent metal in an amount of exceeding 100 at. ppm and 1100 at. ppm or less relative to the total of Ga and indium, or Al and indium, the crystal structure of the sintered body substantially including a bixbyite structure of indium oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: IDEMITSU KOSAN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Ebata, Shigekazu Tomai, Shigeo Matsuzaki, Yuki Tsuruma
  • Patent number: 9758861
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a sputter chamber comprising both a target surface and an anode surface. The sputter chamber has both an ingress and an egress to allow passage of a gas. The sputter chamber further includes a target substrate. A secondary material flexibly changes the composition of the target substrate in-situ by changing coverage of the target by the secondary material. Gas entering the sputter chamber interacts with the changed composition of the target. The interaction discharges a plasma alloy and the alloy condenses on the anode surface in the sputter chamber. The condensed alloy produces an alloy film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hans-Juergen Eickelmann, Thorsten Muehge, Erik Rueger, Markus Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9752229
    Abstract: A film deposition device including a DMS target and a film-deposition power source, being capable of pre-sputtering the target by use of the film-deposition power source. The film deposition device includes: a film deposition chamber; first and second cathodes each having a target and disposed next to each other wherein surfaces of the target face a substrate; a magnetic-field formation unit forming a magnetic field in vicinity of the target surfaces; a film-deposition power source connected to both of the cathodes; and a shutter. The shutter makes an opening-closing action between a close portion at which the shutter is interposed between the substrate and the target surfaces of both cathodes to block the target surfaces collectively from the substrate and an open position to allow film deposition on the substrate through opening the space between the target surfaces and the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Hirota
  • Patent number: 9725801
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method of growing metal oxide nanowires by ion implantation, the method including the steps of: depositing a metal oxide thin film on a substrate; implanting ions into the metal oxide thin film; and heating the ion-implanted metal oxide thin film to grow metal oxide nanowires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION YONSEI UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Jongbaeg Kim, Hyungjoo Na, Dae-Hyun Baek, Kyoung Hoon Lee, Jungwook Choi, Jaesam Sim
  • Patent number: 9724847
    Abstract: The present invention provides a heat insulated mold having a zirconia insulated layer, the deterioration of which is effectively limited or prevented. The present invention relates to a heat insulated mold having a heat insulating layer between a metal mold base material and a metal film forming a molding surface, wherein: (1) the insulating layer contains zirconia; and (2) a water-blocking layer for blocking entrance of water from the metal film to the heat insulating layer is provided between the heat insulating layer and the metal film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: KOBE CERAMICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideo Torii, Takayoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9721770
    Abstract: A target for sputtering which enables to attain high rate film-formation of a transparent conductive film suitable for a blue LED or a solar cell. A oxide sintered body includes an indium oxide and a cerium oxide, and one or more oxide of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, molybdenum and tungsten. The cerium content is 0.3 to 9% by atom, as an atomicity ratio of Ce/(In+Ce), and the content of cerium is equal to or lower than 9% by atom, as an atomicity ratio of Ce/(In+Ce). The oxide sintered body has an In2O3 phase of a bixbyite structure has a CeO2 phase of a fluorite-type structure finely dispersed as crystal grains having an average particle diameter of equal to or smaller than 3 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tokuyuki Nakayama, Yoshiyuki Abe
  • Patent number: 9689066
    Abstract: The method for manufacturing a photomask blank according to the present invention, when manufacturing a photomask blank having at least one functional layer on a transparent substrate, in a step of film-formation of such a functional film where the functional film includes a chromium-containing element and an a metallic element that is capable of bringing a mixture of the metallic element and the chromium into a liquid phase at a temperature of 400° C. or lower, a chromium target (target A) and a target (target B) mainly containing at least one kind of the metallic element are simultaneously sputtered (co-sputtered). The present invention provides a technique for manufacturing a functional film having a small variation in its characteristics such as optical density and a low detect, and showing a high etching rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yoshikawa, Souichi Fukaya, Yukio Inazuki, Hideo Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 9689785
    Abstract: Disclosed is a metal oxide semiconductor gas sensor having a nanostructure, the metal oxide semiconductor gas sensor including: a substrate; a first electrode formed on the substrate; a gas sensing layer provided on the first electrode, made of a metal oxide semiconductor which has a nanostructure and of which electrical conductivity changes when the metal oxide semiconductor reacts with gas to be sensed, and formed by oblique angle deposition; a second electrode formed on the metal oxide semiconductor; and a control unit for measuring the electrical conductivity of the gas sensing layer to sense the gas by applying a predetermined amount of current through the first and the second electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: POSTECH ACADEMY-INDUSTRY FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Jong Kyu Kim, Hyun Ah Kwon, Sun Yong Hwang
  • Patent number: 9687818
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing a catalyst, at least comprising the steps of adding a protecting agent to an aqueous solution of a metal precursor to give a mixture (M1), adding a reducing agent to mixture (M1) to give a mixture (M2), adding a support material to mixture (M2) to give a mixture (M3), adjusting the pH of mixture (M3), and separating the solid and liquid phase of mixture (M3). Furthermore, the present invention relates to the catalyst as such and its use as diesel oxidation catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: Attilio Siani, Torsten W. Müller-Stach, Torsten Neubauer, Xinyi Wei
  • Patent number: 9689845
    Abstract: A tool for inspecting the integrity of fasteners in their environment of use and methods of performing such inspections are disclosed and claimed. The tool includes a probe that matches the internal socket by which the fastener is coupled to the workpiece. The probe contains ultrasonic transducers on flat portions corresponding to flat portions of the socket. The transducers induce angled ultrasonic beams into the fastener to detect flaws therein. The beams are angled so they can be directed to the areas of interest at the head to shank region of the fastener. The presence of a defect such as a crack is determined based on the reply/echoes of the imparted ultrasonic beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: AREVA Inc.
    Inventors: Michael G. Hacker, Michael W. Key
  • Patent number: 9677179
    Abstract: A method is provided of creating a pipe connector including a first connector member and a second connector member, said connector members being adapted to be connected and disconnected multiple times, the method comprising: a) providing at least one of the connector members with a contact surface; b) depositing particles of a galling resistant metal on each said contact surface; c) at least partially melting the particles of the galling resistant metal by subjecting the particles to a quantity of heat; and d) allowing the molten galling resistant metal to solidify thereby forming a galling resistant metal coating which is metallurgically bonded to the contact surface. The heat may be provided in the form of radiant energy, using a laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SHELL OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Petrus Cornelis Kriesels, Egbert Jan Van Riet, Mark Michael Shuster, Djurre Hans Zijsling
  • Patent number: 9670578
    Abstract: An oxide sintered body which, when made into an oxide semiconductor thin film by sputtering, can achieve low carrier density and high carrier mobility, and a sputtering target using said oxide sintered body are provided. This oxide sintered body contains indium, gallium and zinc as oxides. The gallium content is 0.08 or more and less than 0.20 in terms of Ga/(In+Ga) atomic ratio, and the zinc content is 0.0001 or more and less than 0.08 in terms of Zn/(In+Ga+Zn) atomic ratio. This crystalline oxide semiconductor thin film is formed with the oxide sintered body as a sputtering target, and can achieve a carrier density of 8.0×1017 cm?3 or less and a carrier mobility of 10 cm2/V·s or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tokuyuki Nakayama, Eiichiro Nishimura, Fumihiko Matsumura, Masashi Iwara
  • Patent number: 9670577
    Abstract: An oxide sintered body which, when made into an oxide semiconductor thin film by sputtering, can achieve low carrier density and high carrier mobility, and a sputtering target using said oxide sintered body are provided. This oxide sintered body contains indium, gallium and zinc as oxides. The gallium content is 0.20 or more and 0.49 or less in terms of Ga/(In+Ga) atomic ratio, and the zinc content is 0.0001 or more and less than 0.08 in terms of Zn/(In+Ga+Zn) atomic ratio. This amorphous oxide semiconductor thin film is formed with the oxide sintered body as a sputtering target, and can achieve a carrier density of 4.0×1018 cm?3 or less and a carrier mobility of 10 cm2/V*s or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tokuyuki Nakayama, Eiichiro Nishimura, Fumihiko Matsumura, Masashi Iwara
  • Patent number: 9640679
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device may include concurrently transforming a transparent conductive oxide layer from a substantially amorphous state to a substantially crystalline state and forming one or more semiconductor layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: FIRST SOLAR, INC.
    Inventors: Benyamin Buller, Markus Gloeckler, Rui Shao, Yu Yang, Zhibo Zhao, Chungho Lee
  • Patent number: 9631270
    Abstract: The invention relates to a carbon-based coating (2) which as well as carbon as principal ingredient has at least one first element selected from a group consisting of the transition metals from groups 3 to 10 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, the carbon in the coaling (2) being present predominantly in sp2-hybridized form, and the coating (2) comprising at least one further element from a group encompassing silicon, germanium, aluminum, and the transition metals from groups 3 to 10 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, with the proviso that said at least one further element is not the same as the first element, and the cumulative fraction of said at least one further element in the coating (2) is between 0.1 at % and 5 at %, and the cumulative fraction of said at least one first element is between 0.5 at % and 10 at %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: High Tech Coatings GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Draxler, Susan Field, Klaus Preinfalk
  • Patent number: 9624571
    Abstract: The invention relates to a PVD process for coating a substrate with a layer containing at least one microcrystalline metallic borocarbide phase. During the PVD process, the source output is pulsed such that the at least one peak of which the half intensity width allows conclusions to be drawn about the presence of a microcrystalline phase of the metallic borocarbide layer can be identified in the x-ray spectrum of a layer produced in this way at a substrate temperature below 600° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: OERLIKON SURFACE SOLUTIONS AG, PFÄFFIKON
    Inventors: Mirjam Arndt, Helmut Rudigier, Hamid Bolvardi, Jochen Schneider
  • Patent number: 9608262
    Abstract: A silicon composite comprises silicon particles whose surface is at least partially coated with a silicon carbide layer. It is prepared by subjecting a silicon powder to thermal CVD with an organic hydrocarbon gas and/or vapor at 900-1,400° C., and heating the powder for removing an excess free carbon layer from the surface through oxidative decomposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Aramata, Satoru Miyawaki, Hirofumi Fukuoka, Kazuma Momii, Kouichi Urano
  • Patent number: 9593416
    Abstract: A precursor source vessel comprises a vessel body, a passage within the vessel body, and a valve attached to a surface of the body. An internal chamber is adapted to contain a chemical reactant, and the passage extends from outside the body to the chamber. The valve regulates flow through the passage. The vessel has inlet and outlet valves, and optionally a vent valve for venting internal gas. An external gas panel can include at least one valve fluidly interposed between the outlet valve and a substrate reaction chamber. Gas panel valves can each be positioned along a plane that is generally parallel to, and no more than about 10.0 cm from, a flat surface of the vessel. Filters in a vessel lid or wall filter gas flow through the vessel's valves. A quick-connection assembly allows fast and easy connection of the vessel to a gas panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: ASM AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Kyle Fondurulia, Eric Shero, Mohith E. Verghese, Carl L. White
  • Patent number: 9593421
    Abstract: Methods for reducing particle generation in a processing chamber are disclosed. The methods generally include generating a plasma between a powered top electrode and a grounded bottom electrode, wherein the top electrode is parallel to the bottom electrode, and applying a constant zero DC bias voltage to the powered top electrode during a film deposition process to minimize the electrical potential difference between the powered top electrode and the plasma and/or the electrical potential difference between the grounded bottom electrode and the plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Jonghoon Baek, Soonam Park, Xinglong Chen, Dmitry Lubomirsky
  • Patent number: 9548445
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) apparatus includes a tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) enhancement buffer layer deposited between the tunnel barrier layer and the reference layers. An amorphous alloy spacer is deposited between the TMR enhancement buffer layer and the reference layers to enhance TMR. The amorphous alloy spacer blocks template effects of face centered cubic (fcc) oriented pinned layers and provides strong coupling between the pinned layers and the TMR enhancement buffer layer to ensure full perpendicular magnetization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Kangho Lee, Wei-Chuan Chen, Seung Kang
  • Patent number: 9543539
    Abstract: An OLED device and a manufacturing method thereof and a display apparatus are provided. The OLED device comprises: a substrate, and a first electrode, an organic material function layer and a second electrode which are sequentially provided on the substrate. The OLED device further comprises an uneven layer provided between the first electrode and the substrate, and a surface of the uneven layer corresponding to the first electrode and away from the substrate is not even. The first electrode and/or the second electrode provided on a light output side of the OLED device comprise(s) a metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Wenyu Ma
  • Patent number: 9533451
    Abstract: There are provided techniques for direct printing material into parts made by additive manufacturing, such as parts made by laser sintering. The direct printed material may be a metal, elastomer, ceramic, or any other material. Further, the direct printed material is typically different than the laser sintering material. Other aspects of the invention include using direct printed materials in the laser sintered parts to improve part strength, provide multi-materials, selectively provide electrical conductivity, and/or provide other desirable features to the parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Luis N Folgar, Christian E Folgar
  • Patent number: 9530629
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for the generation of multilayered coatings onto substrates. Typically the apparatus used is a closed field unbalanced magnetron configuration in conjunction with one or more cylindrical and rotatable shields and a substrate carrier on which the substrates to be coated are carried. The shields and substrate holder are provided for rotation about a common axis of rotation. The shields are provided with apertures to allow the selective positioning of the apertures to define a passage or passages along which material from the targets can pass onto the substrates. The targets can be cleaned prior to the coating stage by operation of the targets with the shields selectively positioned to prevent the deposited material from reaching the substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Applied Multilayers LLC
    Inventor: Dennis Teers
  • Patent number: 9496492
    Abstract: A resistance switching device having a high resistance variation ratio, an excellent response characteristic, an excellent resistance memory characteristic (retention characteristics) and an excellent repeat resistance. The resistance switching device comprises an n-type oxide semiconductor and first and second electrodes which are disposed so as to interpose at least a part of the n-type oxide semiconductor therebetween wherein a Schottky junction which provides resistance variation/memory characteristics by the application of voltage having different polarities between the first and second electrodes is formed at an interface between the n-type oxide semiconductor and the first electrode; and the first electrode is positioned such that it is in contact with the n-type oxide semiconductor, and has a lower layer which is formed from Au oxide or a Pt oxide or Au or Pt containing oxygen having the thickness of 1-50 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignees: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR MATERIALS SCIENCE
    Inventors: Sakyo Hirose, Naoki Ohashi, Hideki Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 9469765
    Abstract: A golden rigid decorative member in which scratch resistance and abrasion resistance are significantly improved and deterioration of appearance quality due to a flaw, abrasion, or the like is suppressed, and which has a pale color with a high quality feel is stably provided. A single layer or several layers of a coating including a reaction compound of an alloy of Ti and one or two or more metals selected from Nb, Ta, and V, and of one or two non-metallic elements mainly including nitrogen and selected from carbon and oxygen are stacked on a base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignees: CITIZEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD., CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Koutarou Takazaki
  • Patent number: 9450199
    Abstract: A method of forming nanocrystals and a method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting display apparatus that includes a metal compound thin film having the nanocrystals. The method of forming nanocrystals includes forming a metal compound thin film under a first pressure by using a reactive sputtering process, and forming the nanocrystals in the metal compound thin film under a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure by using the reactive sputtering process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Myung-Soo Huh, Cheol-Lae Roh, Seung-Ho Choi
  • Patent number: 9418830
    Abstract: A method of bonding a cap wafer to a device wafer includes heating the device wafer and the cap wafer in the chamber, cooling the device wafer and the cap wafer in the chamber, pressurizing the chamber, introducing gas into the chamber while the chamber is pressurized to accelerate a rate of one of a group consisting of the heating and the cooling, and applying pressure to the device wafer and the cap wafer while a bond is formed between the device wafer and the cap wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Hanna, Robert F. Steimle, Michael D. Turner
  • Patent number: 9408303
    Abstract: Coated articles are disclosed. The coated articles include a doped or alloyed silver layer sandwiched between two layers of transparent conductive oxide such as indium tin oxide (ITO). The doped silver or silver alloy layer can be thin, such as between 1. 5 to 20 nm and thus can be transparent. The doped silver or silver alloy can provide improved ductility property, allowing the conductive stack to be bendable. The transparent conductive oxide layers can also be thin, allowing the conductive stack can have improved ductility property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Intermolecular, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohd Fadzli Anwar Hassan, Guowen Ding, Minh Huu Le, Minh Anh Nguyen, Zhi-Wen Sun, Guizhen Zhang
  • Patent number: 9376745
    Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetron sputtering process that allows material to be sputtered from a target surface in such a way that a high percentage of the sputtered material is provided in the form of ions. According to the invention, said aim is achieved using a simple generator, the power of which is fed to multiple magnetron sputtering sources spread out over several time intervals, i.e. the maximum power is supplied to one sputtering source during one time interval, and the maximum power is supplied to the following sputtering source in the subsequent time interval, such that discharge current densities of more than 0.2 A/cm2 are obtained. The sputtering target can cool down during the off time, thus preventing the temperature limit from being exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: OERLIKON SURFACE SOLUTIONS AG, PFAFFIKON
    Inventors: Siegfried Krassnitzer, Kurt Ruhm
  • Patent number: 9359213
    Abstract: The physical properties of a diamond are altered by: applying a cationic elemental plasma to a diamond at a plasma temperature of less than 300° C.; allowing the cationic plasma to chemically bond with atoms in defects within the diamond; and removing the plasma from the diamond. The cationic elemental plasma may exemplary be selected from the group consisting of as H+, Na+, Li+ and K+. It is preferred that no plasma is projected from a source at the diamond and that the plasma is provided as an environment surrounding the diamond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: The Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education on Behalf of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
    Inventors: Zhiyong Wang, William Wang
  • Patent number: 9362098
    Abstract: An ion optical element that may be used as an ion guide in a mass spectrometer, as a reflectron in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer, as an ion mobility drift tube in an ion mobility spectrometer, or as a collision cell or reaction cell in a mass spectrometer. The ion optical element has an inner tube made of a first ceramic material within an outer ceramic tube made of a second ceramic material. The electrical resistivity of the second ceramic material is two orders of magnitude or more higher than the electrical resistivity of the first ceramic material. In certain embodiments, the thermal conductivity of the second ceramic material is at least about an order of magnitude higher than the thermal conductivity of the first ceramic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Waters Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph A. Jarrell
  • Patent number: 9353428
    Abstract: Various embodiments of zirconium based bulk metallic glass with hafnium are described herein. In one embodiment, an alloy composition includes zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), at least one element from a group consisting of niobium (Nb) and titanium (Ti), and at least one element from a group consisting of nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), and cobalt (Co).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Washington State University
    Inventors: Atakan Peker, Dongchun Qiao
  • Patent number: 9309597
    Abstract: A turbine component is provided, on which a protective layer is arranged, for example to avoid droplet impact erosion, wherein, in a first method step, a nanofilm is applied and a brazing metal is applied to the nanofilm, and the nanofilm chosen is one which, after initial ignition, leads to an exothermic reaction, whereby fusion of the brazing metal with the base material takes place to form a protective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Susanne Gollerthan, Torsten-Ulf Kern
  • Patent number: 9290839
    Abstract: The subject invention provides conductive stripes, suitable for use as electrodes, and methods of making conductive stripes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Inc.
    Inventors: Yi Wang, Timothy P. Henning, Edmund T. Marciniec
  • Patent number: 9269903
    Abstract: [Object] To provide a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a variable resistance element by which a metal oxide layer having a desired resistivity can be precisely formed. [Solving Means] The method of manufacturing the variable resistance element according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a step of forming a first metal oxide having a first resistivity and a step of forming a second metal oxide having a second resistivity different from the first resistivity. The first metal oxide is formed on a substrate by sputtering, while sputtering a first target made of an oxide of metal, a second target made of the metal with a first power. The second metal oxide layer is formed on the first metal oxide layer by sputtering the second target with a second power different from the first power while sputtering the first target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: ULVAC, INC.
    Inventors: Yutaka Nishioka, Kazumasa Horita, Natsuki Fukuda, Shin Kikuchi, Youhei Ogawa, Koukou Suu
  • Patent number: 9267200
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for supplying power impulses for PVD sputtering cathodes subdivided into partial cathodes. In said method, the power impulse intervals acting on the partial cathodes are selected in such a way as to overlap, thereby dispensing with the need to interrupt the drawing of power supplied by the generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: OERLIKON SURFACE SOLUTIONS AG, TRUBBACH
    Inventors: Siegfried Krassnitzer, Daniel Lendi, Markus Lechthaler, Kurt Ruhm
  • Patent number: 9228254
    Abstract: A cathode sputtering source comprises a heat sink comprising a substantially circularly-shaped planar disk formed of an electrically and thermally conductive material, with a circumferentially extending edge connecting first and second opposing major surfaces, the first major surface including a plurality of radially extending, recessed gas supply channels formed therein and extending from a central recess formed in the first major surface to the circumferentially extending edge; the second major surface including a gas inlet formed adjacent the circumferentially extending edge; a gas flow channel formed in the interior of the disk fluidly connects the gas inlet and central recess; and a substantially circular disk-shaped sputtering target is mounted on the first major surface, whereby gas supplied to the gas inlet is substantially uniformly distributed around the entirety of the circumferentially extending edge of the heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Chang Bok Yi, Tatsuru Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9224582
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for reducing particle contamination in a plasma processing chamber. In one embodiment, a pasting disk is provided which includes a disk-shaped base of high-resistivity material that has an electrically conductive pasting material layer applied to a top surface of the base so that the pasting material layer partially covers the top surface of the base. The pasting disk is sputter etched to deposit conductive pasting material over a wide area on the interior surfaces of a plasma processing chamber while minimizing deposition on dielectric components that are used to optimize the sputter etch process during substrate processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: John Forster, Anantha Subramani, Wei D. Wang
  • Patent number: 9212418
    Abstract: The invention relates to an Al—Ni—La system Al-based alloy sputtering target where a total area of an Al—Ni system intermetallic compound having an average particle diameter of 0.3 ?m to 3 ?m with respect to a total area of the entire Al—Ni system intermetallic compound is 70% or more in terms of an area fraction, and a total area of an Al—La system intermetallic compound having an average particle diameter of 0.2 ?m to 2 ?m with respect to a total area of the entire Al—La system intermetallic compound is 70% or more in terms of an area fraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignees: Kobe Steel, Ltd., KOBELCO RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Masaya Ehira, Katsutoshi Takagi, Toshihiro Kugimiya, Yoichiro Yoneda, Hiroshi Gotou
  • Patent number: 9175379
    Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, the following operations are performed while a substrate holder is being rotated at a fixed rotation speed with plasma being generated. Specifically, a first state where a substrate holding surface of the substrate holder is exposed to a target holder is formed to start a first deposition of divisional depositions, and a second state where the surface is shut off from the target holder is formed in T/X seconds after the start of the first divisional deposition. Moreover, the first state is formed to start an n-th deposition of the divisional depositions when a reference point set on the substrate holder arrived at a position rotated by (n?1)×360/X degrees from a position of the reference point located at the start of the targeted deposition, and the second state is formed in T/X seconds after the start of the n-th divisional deposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Anelva Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Nagamine, Hiroshi Tsunematsu