Vapor Depositing Patents (Class 427/166)
  • Patent number: 6495203
    Abstract: The invention relates to a glass substrate having on at least one of its faces an antireflection coating formed by a stack of thin dielectric material layers having alternately high and low refractive indices. To prevent the modification of the optical properties of the coating in the case where the substrate is subject toga heat treatment such as tempering, bending or annealing, the layer or layers of the stack which are liable to deteriorate on contact with alkali ions such as sodium ions are separated form the substrate by at least one layer forming part of the antireflection coating and forming a “shield” with respect to the diffusion of alkali.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Vitrage
    Inventors: Charles-Edward Anderson, Philippe Macquart
  • Patent number: 6478932
    Abstract: A combination process of vacuum sputtering and wet coating produces a high conductivity and light attenuation anti-reflection coating on a substrate of a CRT surface. The coating includes five layers by vacuum sputtering and one layer on top of the coating by conventional wet process. The layers produced by vacuum sputtering provides high anti-reflection, low resistivity, and light-attenuation effect. The layer produced by wet process provides fingerprint proof effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Applied Vacuum Coating Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jau-Jier Chu, Jau-Sung Lee, Cheng-Chen Shih, Shao-Chi Chang
  • Patent number: 6475620
    Abstract: A method for the deposition of a coating layer on an optical fiber while it is being drawn. The coating layer is designed to reduce the permeability of the optical fiber to water vapor and therefore to increase its lifetime. The method is characterized in that it consists in carrying out a decomposition of a gas mixture of boron halogenide and hydrogen and/or boron halogenide and ammonia gas by a microwave plasma-assisted addition of energy and in that the operation is conducted in the presence of a carrier gas in order firstly to carry the gas mixture to a reaction medium and secondly to activate the plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: France Telecom (SA)
    Inventors: Yves Ruello, Benoit Cadier
  • Patent number: 6447963
    Abstract: A light quantity correction filter that can implement the desired transmittance distribution precisely and easily without complicating an exposure system, a method of making the light quantity correction filter, and a method of manufacturing a color cathode ray tube using the light quantity correction filter are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiromi Wakasono
  • Publication number: 20020102412
    Abstract: A vapor-deposition material for the production of high-refractive-index optical layers of titanium oxide, titanium and lanthanum oxide under reduced pressure comprising a sintered mixture having the composition TiOx+z*La2O3, where x=1.5 to 1.8 and z=10 to 65% by weight, based on the total weight of the mixture. The constituents of the mixture are in the range of 10 to 65% by weight of lanthanum oxide, 38 to 74% by weight of titanium oxide and 2 to 7% by weight of titanium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Publication date: August 1, 2002
    Applicant: MERCK KGAA
    Inventors: Uwe Anthes, Martin Friz
  • Patent number: 6416890
    Abstract: A solar control transparent glass sheet is provided by a soda-lime glass sheet carrying a coating of at least two pyrolytically-formed layers, characterised by the presence in the coating of a conductive or semi-conductive layer having a thickness in the range 15 to 500 nm and formed of a material comprising a metal oxide containing a dopant in an amount of from 1 to 100 moles per 100 moles of the metal oxide, the said metal oxide being selected from one or more of tungsten trioxide (W03), molybdenum trioxide (MoO3), niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5), tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5), vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) and vanadium dioxide (VO2), whereby the so-coated sheet has a neutral or blue tint in transmission and in reflection, a luminous transmittance (TL) which is in the range 30 to 85% and a selectivity of greater than 1, preferably greater than 1.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Glaverbel
    Inventors: Robert Terneu, Eric Tixhon
  • Patent number: 6416814
    Abstract: Novel ligated compounds of tin, titanium, and zinc are useful as metal oxide CVD precursor compounds without the detriments of extreme reactivity yet maintaining the ability to produce high quality metal oxide coating by contact with heated substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: First Solar, LLC
    Inventor: Dean M. Giolando
  • Patent number: 6413579
    Abstract: The invention is a method of making a coated glass substrate having a low haze. A soda-lime glass substrate having at least one surface upon which a coating may be deposited is provided. The glass substrate is heated and maintained at a temperature sufficient to volatilize salts that may be formed during the depositing of a first coating on the glass substrate. A first gaseous precursor mixture including a halogen containing precursor, a metal precursor, an oxidizing agent, and an inert to carrier gas is directed toward and along the surface to be coated and reacting the mixture at or near the surface of the glass substrate to form a first coating containing a metal oxide coating. The glass substrate is cooled to a temperature to reduce crystalline growth in a second coating to be applied over the first coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Libbey-Owens-Ford Co.
    Inventors: Douglas Nelson, Steven Phillips
  • Patent number: 6375747
    Abstract: A distribution mask including at least two separate blanking panels (22), one of which is mounted mobile. The two blanking panels (22) are substantially coplanar, and, controlled by a common control unit (23), both mounted continuously mobile between two extreme positions, namely, a close position, and for which the space (E) between them is minimal, and a spaced position, for which the space (E) is on the contrary at its maximum. The invention is particularly applicable to antiglare treatment of ophthalmic lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Essilor International (Compagnie Generale d'Optique)
    Inventors: Olivier Beinat, Dominique Conte
  • Publication number: 20020045037
    Abstract: A glazing assembly is provided made of at least one transparent substrate having a stack thereon that includes an alternation of n functional layers and n−1 coatings, wherein the functional layers have reflection properties in the infrared and/or solar radiation and where n≧1 and where, in order to maintain the quality of the stack when the substrate is subjected to a heat treatment step, at least one of the following must be satisfied:
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Applicant: Saint-Gobain Vitrage
    Inventors: Philippe Boire, Fabrice Didier, Jean-Michel Grimal
  • Patent number: 6354109
    Abstract: The subject of the invention is a glazing panel comprising a transparent substrate (1) especially one made of glass, provided with at least one functional, conductive and/or low-emissivity, transparent thin film (3). In order to improve the optical and especially the calorimetric appearance of the glazing panel, at least one intermediate film (2) is placed between the substrate (1) and the functional film (3), this at least one intermediate film having a refractive index gradient decreasing through its thickness. The invention also relates to the device intended for manufacturing this type of glazing panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventors: Philippe Boire, Georges Zagdoun
  • Publication number: 20020012746
    Abstract: A vacuum deposition system has been designed to produce thin film based demultiplexers with high throughput and production yields of greater than 25% for use in Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexer (DWDM) systems. The system employs a dense array of high yield fixtures and an ion assisted movable dual electron beam evaporation system. The fixture array increases acceptable yields of narrow band pass filters to 25-75% compared to less than 5% in conventional coating systems used for DWDM. The movable e-beam system allows critical symmetry to be maintained while eliminating significant delays resulting from deposition of two materials from a single electron gun. The vacuum deposition system will enable production of more than 15,000 50-200 GHZ filters which meet specifications for DWDM demultiplexers every 48 hours.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Applicant: Atomic Telecom
    Inventors: Gerald T. Mearini, Laszlo Takacs
  • Publication number: 20020006469
    Abstract: The method comprises introducing into a reactor including a transparent polymer substrate containing a free plasticizer and the photochromic additive, supercritical fluid and maintaining this fluid in the reactor for the time necessary for incorporating the photochromic additive into the article, removing the supercritical fluid and recovering the ophthalmic article in which the photochromic additive has been incorporated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2000
    Publication date: January 17, 2002
    Inventors: Gilles Baillet, Jean-Paul Cano, Jean-Francois Magne
  • Patent number: 6338882
    Abstract: A method for applying a light-blocking layer between a photoconducting layer and a mirror when making an optically addressable spatial light modulator (OASLM) using a chemical vapor deposition process. The light-blocking layer and the photoconducting layer are applied in a shared process step in which both the thickness and composition of the photoconducting layer to be applied to the transparent electrode, as well as the thickness and composition of the light-blocking layer to be applied to the photoconducting layer are determined by a time-related change of the variation of the gas composition during the deposition process. The structure of the OASLM can be optimally adapted to a desired purpose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Dultz, Wolfgang Haase, Leonid Beresnev, Elena Konshina, Arkadii Onokhov
  • Patent number: 6327087
    Abstract: An optical-thin-film material comprising a metal oxide containing samarium and titanium, or having a compound represented by the following chemical formula: Sm1−xAl1+xO3 wherein −1<x<1 is disclosed. An optical device having an optical thin film formed of such a material is also disclosed. This optical-thin-film material does not cause any compositional deviation to enable continuous deposition when used as a vacuum deposition material, and does not cause any deterioration due to ultraviolet-light irradiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokiko Hashimoto, Takahiro Kato
  • Patent number: 6291031
    Abstract: In a pigment depositing device for forming a recording layer of an optical recording medium, there is used an organic pigment of powder state, in which the diameter of each of particles of the organic pigment is uniform. In consequence, occurrence of splash is prevented when the organic pigment is heated by an electrical heater so that it is prevented that the particles of the organic pigment adhere to a substrate. Moreover, fluidity of the organic pigment in an organic pigment feeding device is raised so that the organic pigment is smoothly fed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sadayuki Okazaki, Toshiaki Kunieda, Toshibumi Kamiyama
  • Patent number: 6277485
    Abstract: An antisoiling coating for an antireflective surface, particularly the outer surface of an antireflective film stack, wherein the antisoiling coating includes a fluorinated siloxane, preferably prepared by applying a coating composition of a fluorinated silane, having a number average molecular weight of at least about 1000, of the following formula: Rƒ—[—R1—SiY3−xR2x]y  (I) wherein: Rƒ is a monovalent or divalent polyfluoropolyether group; R1 is a divalent alkylene group, arylene group, or combinations thereof, R2 is a lower alkyl group; Y is a halide, a lower alkoxy group, or a lower acyloxy group; x is 0 or 1; and y is 1 or 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Judith M. Invie, Mark J. Pellerite
  • Patent number: 6268019
    Abstract: The present invention concerns the deposition of fluorine modified, titanium dioxide films (TiO2) onto hot glass by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) using TiCl4 vapor. The invention is also suitable for depositing other metallic oxide films from their metallic halides such as SnCl4, GeCl4, and VCl4. The present invention provides a process that deposits a novel, fluorine modified, titanium dioxide film (TiO2) onto hot glass by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition using TiCl4 vapor. The process uses injection of TiCl4 into a hot, nonoxygen containing carrier gas and blends the carrier gas and TiCl4 vapor with an oxygen containing gas stream containing a haze reducing quantity of a fluorine containing compound before contacting a surface of hot glass with the blended mixture. The process is capable of depositing a fluorine modified, TiO2 film at deposition rates exceeding 900 Å per second. The crystalline phase of the fluorine modified film is essentially anatase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: ATOFINA Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventor: Glenn P. Florczak
  • Patent number: 6242045
    Abstract: Metal nitrides are prepared by reacting a metal halide with an amine at an elevated temperature. The process is useful for depositing titanium nitride and vanadium nitride films onto glass, to make solar control automotive and architectural glazings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James William Proscia, Keith Brian Williams, Gene P. Reck
  • Patent number: 6238738
    Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition process for laying down a tin or titanium oxide coating on a glass substrate through the use of an organic oxygen-containing compound and the corresponding metal tetrachloride. The organic oxygen compound is preferably an ester having an alkyl group with a &bgr; hydrogen in order to obtain a high deposition rate. The resulting article has a tin or titanium oxide coating which can be of substantial thickness because of the high deposition rates attainable with the novel process, and, in the case of titanium oxide coating possesses a desirable refractive index greater than 2.4. The coating growth rates resulting from the method of the present invention may be at least 130 Å per second.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Libbey-Owens-Ford Co.
    Inventor: Richard J. McCurdy
  • Patent number: 6235343
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for depositing a layer based on a fluorine-containing metal oxide, especially a layer of fluorine-doped tin oxide F:SnO2, on a glass substrate by a chemical vapor deposition technique using at least two precursors, including at least one metal precursor and at least one fluorine precursor. According to the invention, the fluorine precursor consists essentially of nitrogen trifluoride NF3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Vitrage
    Inventors: Laurent Joret, Isabelle Berthelot
  • Patent number: 6235165
    Abstract: A light quantity correction filter that can implement the desired transmittance distribution precisely and easily without complicating an exposure system, a method of making the light quantity correction filter, and a method of manufacturing a color cathode ray tube using the light quantity correction filter are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hiromi Wakasono
  • Patent number: 6171457
    Abstract: In the method of fabricating a CRT including a sputtering method for forming an anti-static layer and a spin-coating or spray-coating method for forming an anti-reflection layer on a CRT panel, a method of fabricating a low-resistance, anti-reflection CRT is characterized by applying a silicon oxide (SiO2) coating between the anti-static layer and the anti-reflection layer by a sputtering method. As a result, the CRT has enhanced strength of layers and a low surface resistance. Also, the screen is provided with a charge protection function in the surface, with reflectivity of an external light being mitigated. As a result, it is possible to enhance the contrast characteristics of the screen, to avoid leaving fingerprints on the screen, and also to eliminate unpleasant feeling of static electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Yeoung-Ku Kim
  • Patent number: 6171646
    Abstract: A glass substrate is provided with a tin oxide coating. The tin oxide coating is then polished, preferably with alumina. The polishing removes the peaks from the tin oxide coating and produces a less abrasive coating. A coating of polymeric material may be applied after the polishing operation. The polymeric coating improves the lubricity of the surface of the glass substrate. The glass substrate is then heated so that the polymeric material adheres to the substrate. The invention provides greatly improved resistance to abrasion and scratching for a coated glass article. The invention may advantageously be used in automotive, architectual and bar code scanner applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Engineered Glass Products, LLC
    Inventor: Peter F. Gerhardinger
  • Patent number: 6162495
    Abstract: An overcoat protected diffraction grating. A replica grating having a thin aluminum reflective grating surface is produced by replication of a master grating or a submaster grating. The thin aluminum reflective surface may be cracked or have relatively thick grain boundaries containing oxides and hydroxides of aluminum and typically is also naturally coated with an aluminum oxide film. The grating is subsequently recoated in a vacuum chamber with a thin, pure, dense aluminum overcoat and then also in the vacuum the aluminum overcoat is coated with a thin film of MgF.sub.2. The grating is especially suited for use for wavelength selection in an ArF laser operating producing an ultraviolet laser beam at a wavelength of about 193 nm. The oxygen free aluminum overcoat prevents the ultraviolet light from causing damage by stimulating chemical reactions in grating materials under the aluminum grating surface or in the aluminum oxide film. The MgF.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Cymer, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard G. Morton
  • Patent number: 6159607
    Abstract: A heat treatable, durable and chemically resistant layer system for glasses used for automotive and architectural purposes includes a metallic layer of nickel or alloy thereof overcoated with silicon nitride (Si.sub.3 N.sub.4). The layer system may include an undercoat of silicon nitride (Si.sub.3 N.sub.4) and the metallic layer may also include silicon nitride. The metallic layer may be partially oxidized or surrounded by layers of stoichiometric oxides of the metal. The metallic layer, however, should not contain a nitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Klaus W. Hartig, Philip J. Lingle
  • Patent number: 6147809
    Abstract: A process for correcting optical aberration of a lens by depositing a coating on at least one of the face of the lens. The process varies a composition of the coating depending on its thickness, using at least two optical materials having different refractive indices and dispersion indices, the mutual proportions of which are varied during the deposition. Further, the coating is shaped in order to give it the shape of a lens. Such a process may find particular application in the manufacture of objectives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Angenieux S.A.
    Inventors: Gerard Corbasson, Jean-Marie Bacchus, Pierre Nory, Christophe Remontet
  • Patent number: 6145345
    Abstract: The deposition rate of MCVD processes is enhanced by applying at least a first and a second independently controlled heat source to a plurality of reactants which are used to form deposited particulate matter. The first heat source is adjusted so as to provide at least a specified rate of reaction for the reactants, and the second source is adjusted so as to provide at least a specified deposition rate for the particulate matter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Stanley F. Marszalek, Katherine Theresa Nelson, Kenneth Lee Walker, Kim Willard Womack, Man Fei Yan
  • Patent number: 6103363
    Abstract: The subject of the invention is a glass-, ceramic- or vitroceramic-based substrate (1) provided on at least part of at least one of its faces with a coating (3) with a photocatalytic property containing at least partially crystalline titanium oxide. It also relates to the applications of such a substrate and to its method of preparation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Recherche
    Inventors: Philippe Boire, Xavier Talpaert
  • Patent number: 6096371
    Abstract: A method of coating optical substrates with anti-reflection (AR) coatings is described. The thickness and composition of the coating is determined by minimizing the product of the Fresnel reflection coefficients for a coating with the angular- and wavelength-dependent sensitivity of the human visual system to minimize the perceived reflectance for the coated article. A compact chamber is evacuated and flushed with chemically inert gas such as argon or nitrogen. One or more molecular precursors are deposited using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) to form AR films. Single-layer AR coatings based on fluoropolymer films of controlled thickness, as well as organic, organosilicon, and/or inorganic multilayers are described. Also provided is a method for monitoring film growth optically, using a polarized, light-emitting diode, a polarizing optical filter, and a photodiode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Inventors: Peter D. Haaland, B. Vincent McKoy
  • Patent number: 6083341
    Abstract: A method for forming coatings of constant thickness on sheets of dielectric substrate (10), which may be curved, includes the step of adhesively applying foil (12) to one side of the dielectric substrate. An electrode (16) is set at a constant distance (D) from the side (10fs) of the substrate to be coated. If the substrate is curved, the electrode is preferably also curved. The region to be coated is evacuated, gaseous precursor materials are infused into the gap, and voltage is applied between the foil (12) and the electrode (16) sufficient to ionize the precursors to a plasma state, whereupon the deposition occurs. The foil may be applied as an adhesive-backed foil. The adhesive may be electrically conductive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corp.
    Inventors: Chang Wei, George Theodore Dalakos
  • Patent number: 6083561
    Abstract: An improved chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process which is capable of providing low-scatter water-clear zinc sulfide bulk material is described. The improved method also minimizes bowing, or induced curvature, in the product bulk material. The product zinc sulfide material can be processed into thicker windows and optical devices than was possible with the articles produced by the previous CVD process. The improved process provides for a controlled gradual initial ramping up of the deposition rate and a controlled initial ramping down of the substrate temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: CVD, Inc.
    Inventors: Jitendra Singh Goela, Zlatko Salihbegovic
  • Patent number: 6068738
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and carrier for coating a CRT screen after assembly. The method and apparatus includes isolating a surface portion of the CRT to be coated from the remaining surface to prevent or minimize coating problems resulting from outgassing or difficulty in controlling coating process parameters and to isolate noncompatible components from the deposition environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Inventors: Erik J. Bjornard, Clifford E. Taylor, Debra M. Steffenhagen, Eric W. Kurman
  • Patent number: 6066361
    Abstract: A method of coating a surface of a filament. In particular, the invention rotates a member (13) about a first axis (54), which will rotate a tubular member (16), which is rotatably coupled to the rotating member at an angle to the first axis, through a plane and about a longitudinal axis (56) of the tubular member that is co-planer to the plane. This is done to assist in the depositing of a uniform material onto the filament that extends through the tubular member and through a deposition area (40). It is important for the method to maintain the deposition area at an intersection of the first axis, longitudinal axis and plane, while the filament is being rotated in step. The method provides for adjusting the deposition area to expose a different length of the filament to the deposition of material thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Sarcos L.C.
    Inventors: Stephen C. Jacobsen, Michael R. McNeely, David L. Wells
  • Patent number: 6051310
    Abstract: An ophthalmic lens consisting of a substrate made of organic glass, of an abrasion-resistant coating, of a layer of impact-resistant primer and of an inorganic antireflective coating, wherein the surface of the said substrate is covered with the abrasion-resistant coating and in that the impact-resistant primer layer is inserted between the said abrasion-resistant layer and the anti-reflective coating, wherein the abrasion-resistant coating comprises a hydrolyzate or a mixture of hydrolyzates of a silane compound of formula: ##STR1## in which: R.sup.1 denotes an organic group containing an epoxy group;R.sup.2 is a hydrocarbon radical which has 1 or 2 carbon atoms; andR.sup.3 is a hydrocarbon group which has from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and a is 0 or 1 in value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Essilor International-Compagnie Generale D'Optique
    Inventors: Jean Paul Cano, Yves Leclaire, Anne Robert
  • Patent number: 6029476
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing optical fibers provided with hermetic coatings, wherein the bare fiber made from a heated preform advances through a stream of reactive gaseous medium which flows at a constant speed in the direction of advance of the fiber, which is then accelerated, and which is finally removed remote from the fiber by a stream of inert gas flowing in the opposite direction from the direction of the stream of reactive gaseous medium. Application is to manufacturing optical fibers for telecommunications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventors: Jean-Fran.cedilla.ois Bourhis, Jean-Pierre Bloas, Patrick Mac Kenzie, Max Matau
  • Patent number: 6030717
    Abstract: Multilayer antireflection coatings are disclosed for grazing incident ultraviolet light having a large angle of incidence. The coatings comprise, from the medium side, layers of high-refractive-index material alternating with layers of low-refractive-index material. Each layer of the high-refractive-index material has the same optical thickness, and each layer of the low-refractive-index material has the same optical thickness. The multilayer antireflection coatings are effective in preventing reflection of p-polarized light, from optical elements coated with such a coating, having a wavelength of 150 nm.ltoreq..lambda..ltoreq.250 nm in a range of angle of incidence of 70.degree..ltoreq..theta..ltoreq.80.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakamura, Takeshi Shirai
  • Patent number: 6025013
    Abstract: A PCVD process for producing coating layers of uniform thickness of domed substrates. The substrate surface to be coated is arranged in relation to the gas passage surface of a gas showerhead. In order to determine the appropriate processing parameters, in a first series of tests for one type of substrate to be coated, the size of the gas passage surfaces and the gas mass flows through the gas passage surfaces are kept constant, while the intervals between plasma impulses are gradually modified, from an initial value t.sub.A until an optimum value t.sub.eff is determined, and until the uniformity of the thickness profile of the layers generated on the substrate may no longer be improved. If required, during a second series of tests, the value t.sub.eff may be kept constant, while the thickness profile of the layers is further modified by further optimizing the local parameters and/or the gas mass flows until layer uniformity may no longer be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: Schott Glaswerke
    Inventors: Martin Heming, Ulrich Lange, Roland Langfeld, Wolfgang Mohl, Jurgen Otto, Volker Paquet, Johannes Segner, Martin Walther
  • Patent number: 6022598
    Abstract: A uniform film of sapphire and tungsten is deposited onto a surface of a substrate using the ionized cluster beam ("ICB") apparatus. During ICB deposition, a tungsten crucible containing sapphire is heated until a vapor of sapphire and tungsten is formed. The tungsten crucible is heated to form a tungsten vapor, which causes the crucible material to mix with the sapphire, thereby forming a vapor mixture of sapphire and tungsten. The vapor is ejected through a small nozzle into a vacuum region. The resulting adiabatic expansion of the vapor promotes formation of atomic clusters. Some of the clusters are ionized, and electrons are stripped off the clusters. The clusters are accelerated toward the substrate, which is also within the vacuum region. The clusters impact the surface of the substrate, where they are deposited to form the uniform sapphire/tungsten film. The film is deposited in an sapphire (aluminum oxide)/tungsten ratio of 2:1. The film has a relatively high index of refraction of approximately 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Scott M. Tyson, Richard Y. Kwor, Leonard L. Levenson, deceased
  • Patent number: 6017581
    Abstract: A fixture for releasably retaining at least one lenticular article in a fixed orientation while the article(s) is/are being subjected to one or more applications of a thin film coating process comprises a perforated metallic sheet having at least one aperture therein adapted to receive the article(s). The thickness of the metal fixture bears a ratio to the size of the articles being retained that is within a particular range. A method for applying thin film optical coatings to lenticular articles utilizing such a fixture is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Semi-Alloys Company
    Inventors: Daniel Roy Hooker, Daniel Matthew Hogan, Vincent O. Scarnecchia
  • Patent number: 6010756
    Abstract: The invention is a method of depositing a rugate filter coating on a substrate, with the coating having an index of refraction that varies with the depth thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Steven M. Gasworth
  • Patent number: 5993898
    Abstract: An optical anti-reflection coating having multiple layers, where at least some of the layers are formed by a dry coating process and other layers are formed by a wet coating process. This combination of different types of anti-reflection layers provides superior performance in terms of low reflectance over a wide bandwidth of incident light wavelengths, and also low reflectance over a wide range of incident light angles. This is accomplished using fewer layers than would be needed using all dry process layers in the ARC. Alternatively, one may obtain an ARC having performance equivalent to that of an all dry process layer ARC but using fewer layers by using the combination of a wet process and a dry process. Furthermore, this combination of wet process and dry process layers provides a high performance anti-reflection coating which cannot be fabricated using only a dry process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Nagatsuka
  • Patent number: 5989626
    Abstract: A composition of material of the formula MN.sub.x O.sub.y where M and N are metals selected from the group of elements consisting of Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Ac, Th, and U where O is oxygen and x and y have values such that the oxygen-to-metal ratio is less than 4 and the ratio of y/(1+x) is also less than 4, said material being in the form of a single oxide phase and having a crystal structure of a single type alone with no detectable crystal structure of a second type, said material being sub-stoichiometric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Flex Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul G. Coombs, Russell E. DeLong, Charlotte R. LeGallee
  • Patent number: 5942319
    Abstract: A light absorptive antireflector comprising a substrate, a light absorbing film formed on the substrate and a silica film formed on the light absorbing film, to reduce reflection of incident light from the silica film side, wherein the geometrical film thickness of the light absorbing film is from 5 to 25 nm, and the geometrical film thickness of the silica film is from 70 to 110 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuji Oyama, Yoshihito Katayama
  • Patent number: 5939201
    Abstract: The subject of the invention is a process for depositing, especially continuously, on a glass ribbon (10) of a float line, a reflective layer (3) based on a metal whose melting point is less than or equal to the temperature at which the glass ribbon acquires dimensional stability. The deposition is carried out in a controlled atmosphere, this being inert or reducing, when the glass ribbon (10) has already acquired its dimensional stability, by bringing the surface of the said ribbon into contact with the metal (22) in pulverulent form or in molten form, the temperature of the ribbon during contacting being chosen so that the powder melts and coalesces, or so that the molten metal forms a sheet, at the surface of the ribbon, leaving a solid continuous layer when the temperature of the ribbon is at a temperature of less than or equal to the melting point of the metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Vitrage
    Inventors: Philippe Boire, Laurent Joret
  • Patent number: 5928713
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a gradient index optical filter comprising a thin film having a low refractive index contrast and a specific reflectance function structured using the phase of the refractive index profile as a variable to permit closed form, constrained optimization of rugate filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Peter D. Haaland, Jeffrey J. Druessel
  • Patent number: 5922396
    Abstract: Electron transporting layers comprised of organic free radicals are disclosed for use as the electron transporting layer in multi-layer structures that are useful for fabricating organic light emitting devices (OLEDs). For example, the multi-layer structure may include an electron transporting layer containing an organic free radical comprised of a multi-aryl-substituted cyclopentadienyl free radical of formula (I): ##STR1## wherein Ar.sub.1, Ar.sub.2, Ar.sub.3, Ar.sub.4 and Ar.sub.5 each are, independently of the other hydrogen, an alkyl group or an unsubstituted or substituted aromatic group. More specifically, included among these materials are those which are comprised of an electron transporting material based on, the pentaphenylcyclopentadienyl Cp.sup..phi..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: The University of Southern California
    Inventor: Mark E. Thompson
  • Patent number: 5900289
    Abstract: A method of producing a thin coating by plasma-assisted chemical vapor phase deposition from a carbonaceous and metalliferous gas phase of a predetermined composition on a substrate surface especially in the form of a diamond-like carbon-silicon-hydrogen compound, wherein for the coloration the optical thickness of the coating or of one layer region or of a plurality of layer regions of the coating each, is predetermined in one single vacuum coating process in that due to interferences of the first order and/or of a higher order the desired color impression results at the coating or at its layer region(s) according to the principle of interference at thin films, and in the portion of the coating adjacent to the substrate surface first of all a non-colorating layer region, providing hardness and wear resistance of the complete coating, is produced with a larger thickness in relation to the colorating region or regions, wherein preferably shortly before achieving the total thickness of the coating the compositi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: ANTEC Angewandte Neue Technologien GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Hartmann, Werner Ronge, Armin Tschentscher
  • Patent number: 5891556
    Abstract: The invention relates to a glass substrate having on at least one of its faces an antireflection coating formed by a stack of thin dielectric material layers having alternately high and low refractive indices. To prevent the modification of the optical properties of the coating in the case where the substrate is subject to a heat treatment such as tempering, bending or annealing, the layer or layers of the stack which are liable to deteriorate on contact with alkali ions such as sodium ions are separated form the substrate by at least one layer forming part of the antireflection coating and forming a "shield" with respect to the diffusion of alkali.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Vitrage
    Inventors: Charles-Edward Anderson, Philippe Macquart
  • Patent number: 5865865
    Abstract: A process for production of a glass substrate coated with a patterned Nesa glass membrane which comprises, in sequence:the first step of coating a photoresist on a glass substrate to form a photoresist membrane, exposing the membrane to electromagnetic waves through a mask and then developing the photoresist to form a patterned photoresist membrane on the glass substrate;the second step of forming a Nesa glass membrane on the entire surface of the glass substrate thus provided with the patterned photoresist membrane; andthe third step of removing the patterned photoresist membrane together with the Nesa glass membrane thereon from the glass substrate to leave a patterned Nesa glass membrane on the glass substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Honjo Sorex Co., LTD
    Inventors: Gohei Yoshida, Toshio Minamigawa, Johji Matsumura