Ag-base Component Patents (Class 428/673)
  • Patent number: 5935702
    Abstract: A transparent substrate particularly of glass, provided with a stack of thin layers having at least one metallic layer (4) having properties in the infrared range particularly having low emissivity and two coatings having a base of dielectric material located one (8) under and the other (9) over the layer having properties in the infrared range, as well as a protective metallic layer (5) place immediately over an in contact with the layer having properties in the infrared range, characterized in that in order to prevent the modification of properties of the stack, particularly optical and thermal properties, in the case where the substrate is submitted to a thermal treatment of the tempering or bending kind, firstly the second coating (9) having a base of dielectric material, includes a barrier layer for the diffusion of oxygen chosen from the following materials: components of silicon SiO.sub.2, SiO.sub.x C.sub.y SiO.sub.N N.sub.y, nitrates such as Si.sub.3 N.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Vitrage
    Inventors: Philippe Macquart, Olivier Guiselin, Veronique Rondeau
  • Patent number: 5922479
    Abstract: A brazing alloy for joining a pair of members at least one of which is a metallic member, contains Ag, Cu, In and Ti, and further contains from 0.03 wt. % to 1.2 wt. % Ni. A composite assembly of members at least one of which is a metallic member aid which are joined with such a brazing alloy, is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Taniguchi, Osamu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5916696
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a lead frame in which the metal lead frame substrate is copper, copper alloy, or nickel alloy. The lead frame substrate is coated with a conformable nickel coating that is crack-resistant when the lead frame is bent to an angle of at least 82 degrees with a bend radius of about 150 .mu.m to about 300 .mu.m. Bending the lead frame in this manner causes surface deformations in the lead frame substrate. Cracks do not appear through the thickness of the conformable nickel coating of the present invention when the depth of the deformations that result from this bending do not exceed about 5 .mu.m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Anthony Abys, Chonglun Fan, Igor Veljko Kadija
  • Patent number: 5891586
    Abstract: A multilayer thin-film structure comprises at least one layered structure formed by depositing a nonmagnetic layer, a first ferromagnetic layer of a ferromagnetic metal or alloy having a positive saturation magnetostriction constant, a nonmagnetic layer and a ferromagnetic layer of a ferromagnetic metal or alloy having a negative saturation magnetostriction constant in that order, and a uniaxial stress is induced in the multilayer thin-film structure. The multilayer thin-film structure for magnetoresistive devices, comprises the magnetic layers which could not have been used for forming the prior art structures and having similar compositions which could not have been used for forming the prior art structure, has an MR ratio in the range of 10 to 20%, does not need the use of antiferromagnetic materials unsatisfactory in corrosion resistance and environment resistance, does not require the turning of a magnetic field when forming the thin films and does not require expensive manufacturing systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoya Hasegawa, Fumihito Koike
  • Patent number: 5882802
    Abstract: A multi-coating step immersion coating process for producing a coating of a noble metal on a non-noble metal substrate, wherein the noble metal is of a predetermined amount expressed as a percent of the total weight of coated product, and wherein the non-noble metal substrate is in the form of fine particles or a powder is disclosed. The process also utilizes inter-plating step and post-plating step rinsing step sequences which together with the use of the plurality of coating steps consistently results in high quality product having a uniform coating, excellent corrosion resistance and excellent electrical conductivity. Use of the coated products produced according to the process in a variety of electrically conductive compositions, including plastics, adhesives and inks, and in plastic and resin based electromagnetic shielding materials is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Inventor: Marian J. Ostolski
  • Patent number: 5879819
    Abstract: A sliding part has a film of an Ag-In alloy comprising 25 to 35 wt. % of In and the balance Ag and inevitable impurities and formed on a surface of a stainless steel main body thereof which surface is slidable on other stainless steel part. The Ag-In alloy has a close-packed hexagonal crystal structure of .zeta. phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignees: Japan Scientific Engineering Co., Ltd., Fujikin Incorporated
    Inventors: Chobee Taguchi, Akihiro Yukawa, Hironori Matsumoto, Nobukazu Ikeda, Akihiro Morimoto
  • Patent number: 5876862
    Abstract: Sliding contacts comprising alloys such as Pd/Cu/Ag, Pt/Cu/Ag, Pd/Cu/Ag/Ni, Pt/Cu/Ag/Ni, Ag/Pd/Cu,Au, Ag/Pt/Cu/Au and two-layered composites comprising a surface layer of one of the foregoing alloys and a base layer comprised of copper or a copper-containing alloy. Also, three-layered composites comprising a surface layer of one of the foregoing alloys, an intermediate layer of one of the foregoing alloys and a base layer comprised of copper or a copper-containing alloy as well as direct current motors comprising commutators comprising a three-layered composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignees: Mabuchi Motor Co., Ltd., Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.
    Inventors: Isao Shibuya, Toshiya Yamamoto, Takao Asada, Tetsuya Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5856026
    Abstract: A structure and method for fabricating circuits which use field effect transistors (FETs), bipolar transistors, or BiCMOS (combined Bipolar/Complementary Metal Oxide Silicon structures), uses low temperature germanium gas flow to affect metals and alloys deposited in high aspect ratio structures including lines and vias. By using a germanium gas flow, germanium (Ge) will be introduced in a surface reaction which prevents voids and side seams and which also provides a passivating layer of CuGe. If a hard cap is needed for surface passivation or a wear-resistance application, the GeH.sub.4 gas followed by WF.sub.6 can be used to produce an in-situ hard cap of W.sub.x Ge.sub.y. Further, high aspect ratio vias/lines (aspect ratio of 3 or more) can be filled by utilizing low pressures and high temperatures (i.e., below 450.degree. C.) without degrading the underlying metals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rajiv Vasant Joshi, Manu Jamnadaf Tejwani, Kris Venkatraman Srikrishnan
  • Patent number: 5840394
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic disk includes the step of providing first and second magnetic layers on a substrate. The first magnetic layer comprises Co. The portion of the first magnetic layer comprising Cr, Ta, Ti, W, Zr or Hf, if any, is less than 7.5 atomic % of the first magnetic layer (and preferably less than 5 atomic %). The second magnetic layer also comprises Co, and more than 7.5 atomic % of the second layer is Cr, Ta, Ti, W, Zr or Hf (and preferably more than 10 atomic %). We have discovered that the first and second magnetic layers can be made very thin without having a great reduction in coercivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Komag, Incorporated
    Inventors: Rajiv Yadav Ranjan, Miaogen Lu
  • Patent number: 5820963
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic disk includes the step of providing first and second cobalt alloy layers on a substrate. The first cobalt alloy layer is non-ferromagnetic, and the second cobalt alloy layer is ferromagnetic. The non-ferromagnetic layer is deposited on an underlayer. The non-ferromagnetic cobalt alloy provides a better crystal structure for depositing the subsequent ferromagnetic layer and thereby improves its magnetic properties. However, because the first cobalt alloy layer is not ferromagnetic, it does not adversely affect the magnetic characteristics of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Komag, Incorporated
    Inventors: Miaogen Lu, Rajiv Yadav Ranjan
  • Patent number: 5807626
    Abstract: A ceramic circuit board is characterized by being constituted by bonding a ceramic substrate 2 and a metal circuit plate 3 to each other through a silver-copper-based brazing material layer 5 containing at least one active metal selected from Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb and Ta, and wherein the Vickers hardness of a reaction product layer 6 generated by causing the silver-copper-based brazing material layer 5 and the ceramic substrate 2 to react with each other is 1,100 or more. At least one element selected from In, Zn, Cd, and Sn is preferably contained in the silver-copper-based brazing material layer 5. Further, 0.1 to 10.0 wt % of carbon powder is preferably contained in the brazing material layer 5. According to the above arrangement, there can be provided a ceramic circuit board in which cracks are effectively suppressed from being formed even after a thermal cycle is repeatedly applied for a long period of time, i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takayuki Naba
  • Patent number: 5800933
    Abstract: A low-E sputter-coated layer system for automotive and architectural purposes of the basic Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 /NiCr/Ag/NiCr/Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 type improved by either an undercoat of TiO.sub.2 or the use of stainless steel in the Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 layers, or both. By selection of appropriate thicknesses the layer coatings may be rendered heat treatable. I.G. units are an advantage product in which the coatings may be employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Klaus W. Hartig, Philip J. Lingle, Steven L. Larson
  • Patent number: 5800932
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electric contact material which comprises a contact substrate and a coating layer formed integrally on the surface of the contact substrate. The coating layer is formed of an Ag-Li-La alloy containing Au or/and Pd, and has a surface layer portion formed as a concentration gradient layer whose Au or/and Pd content decreases as a subsurface portion is approached. The Au or/and Pd concentration of the surface of the surface layer portion ranges from 50 to 95% by weight. The contact material is manufactured by forming an Au or/and Pd layer on the Ag-Li-La alloy and then heat-treating the whole resulting structure, thereby thermally diffusing the Au or/and Pd. This electric contact material has excellent corrosion resistance and lubricity, and its contact resistance changes little with time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Suzuki, Mitsuru Murakawa
  • Patent number: 5800931
    Abstract: The present invention provides a longitudinal magnetic recording media having a substrate, a sputter deposited MgO seed layer, a Co or Co alloy based magnetic layer and an underlayer disposed between the seed layer and the magnetic layer comprised of Cr, a Cr alloy or a material having a B2 ordered crystalline structure, preferably NiAl or FeAl. A thin Cr or Cr alloy intermediate layer of about 1.0 nm to 5.0 nm thick may be positioned between the underlayer and the magnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University
    Inventors: Li-Lien Lee, David N. Lambeth, David E. Laughlin, Byung-Ki Cheong
  • Patent number: 5792565
    Abstract: A unique multi-layered coating process that includes coating the base metal with a layer of strike copper, a subsequent layer of bright copper, a barrier layer of palladium or related element, and a thin surface layer of a precious metal such as gold. The bright copper layer is produced by a special acid copper bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Avon Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis A. Cupolo, Robert J. Teichmann, Ramona Cardona-Grajales
  • Patent number: 5783317
    Abstract: A multi-layer metal composite for microwave tubing and the like, which comprises a tubular shaped copper alloy base metal (e.g., brass or phosphorus bronze) lined with silver. A relatively thin interliner layer of a grain refiner containing copper alloy (e.g., copper-zirconium alloy (C15100), tellurium-copper (C14530), cadmium-copper (C14300), manganese-copper (C15500), alumina-copper (C157XX), beryllium-copper (C17410), or the like) is provided between the base metal and the silver, for limiting diffusion of impurities from the base metal into the silver coating and for maintaining a smooth, relatively constant cross section of silver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Brush Wellman Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph P. Mennucci, Robert P. Willis, James F. Fasino
  • Patent number: 5770321
    Abstract: A sputter-coated layer system on a glass substrate particularly useful in insulating glass (IG) units, enables normal emissivity values (E.sub.n) of 0.06 or less, good durability and neutral color. The layer system includes an undercoat of a transparent dielectric having an index of refraction between 2.5-2.6 at a wavelength of 550 nanometers, two layers of Si.sub.3 N.sub.4, and two layers of nichrome sandwiching a layer of silver to achieve its unique low-E, neutral color, non-mirrorlike solar management properties. An optional overcoat of a transparent dielectric material having an index of refraction of 2 at a wavelength of 550 nanometers may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Klaus W. Hartig, Steve L. Larson, Philip J. Lingle
  • Patent number: 5747178
    Abstract: A thin silver layer is deposited on the surface of a nonconducting substrate using an electroless process. The surface is cleaned and activated in aqueous solution containing stannous tin. The silver is deposited as a colloidal material from an aqueous solution of a silver-containing salt in the absence of an electric current, but in the presence of a deposition control agent. Optionally, the silver layer is stabilized with an aqueous solution of a platinum-group metal and/or gold. The resulting silver layer is uniform and of 2-2000 .ANG. thickness; it strongly adheres to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Adtech Holding
    Inventors: Billy Valter Sodervall, Thomas Lundeberg
  • Patent number: 5738929
    Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element includes a non-magnetic substrate, a ferromagnetic dispersion layer or a ferromagnetic layer, and a non-magnetic metal film. The ferromagnetic dispersion layer is a layer of a ferromagnetic metal or alloy that is independently and dispersedly formed on the substrate. The alternative ferromagnetic layer is a layer of a ferromagnetic metal or alloy that is formed on the substrate with a textured surface. The non-magnetic metal film is made of at least one atomic element having a non-soluble relation with the ferromagnetic metal or alloy, and is formed on the non-magnetic substrate and the ferromagnetic dispersion layer or the ferromagnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Maeda, Satoru Oikawa, Minoru Kume
  • Patent number: 5738947
    Abstract: Disclosed is a corrosion-resistant film for protecting the surfaces of Ag, which comprises an Ag--Mg alloy having an Mg content of from 1 to 10 atomic % and which is applied to an Ag substrate. Also disclosed is a corrosion-resistant composite structure composed of an Ag substrate and a protective film of an Ag--Mg alloy with an Mg content of from 1 to 10 atomic % formed on the surface of the Ag substrate. The corrosion-resistant film protects an Ag with a silver-white gloss from being blackened by sulfide components, etc. The adhesiveness between the film and the Ag substrate is good. The composite structure has a high reflectivity and is useful as a reflective film for photo-magnetic recording media, optical recording media, reflectors, illuminators, etc. The surface of the corrosion-resisting film is oxidized to form an MgO layer on the film, and the film exhibits a high protecting effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Hijikata, Rie Mori
  • Patent number: 5716719
    Abstract: A multilayer comprising magnetic layers and nonmagnetic layers, which are stacked in a manner to produce a magnetoresistance effect, is formed on a main surface of a substrate having at least the surface portion formed of a single crystal of cubic system. The (110) plane of said single crystal constituting the main surface of the substrate. The magnetic layers are distorted such that a uniaxial easy axis of magnetization is formed within a plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Saito, Koichiro Inomata, Susumu Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 5702834
    Abstract: Disclosed is a magneto-resistance effect element indicating a larger magneto-resistance effect at room temperature under impression of low magnetic field is obtained with the construction wherein the characteristics of artificial metallic lattice membrane are exploited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sakakima, Mitsuo Satomi, Hiroshi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 5700588
    Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element comprises the multilayer formed by alternately stacking magnetic and nonmagnetic layers. The magnetic layers containing three magnetic elements of Fe, Co and Ni. Any two magnetic layers adjacent to each other with one of the nonmagnetic layer interposed therebetween are antiferromagnetically coupled under a condition where a magnetic field is not substantially applied thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Saito, Shiho Okuno, Koichiro Inomata
  • Patent number: 5695864
    Abstract: In the present invention, electrons flow through a free or excitable magnet, or reflect from it, to make its magnetization respond. To accomplish this, the spin vectors of the flowing electrons are preferentially polarized by an auxiliary ferromagnet, whose moment orientation is fixed. The electrons flow between the fixed and free ferromagnets through a non-magnetic metallic spacer which is thick enough to make the static inter-magnetic exchange coupling negligible. While transmitting thru or reflecting from the free ferromagnet, the spins of the moving electrons interact by quantum-mechanical exchange with the local, permanently present, spontaneously-polarized electron spins of the free magnet. This interaction causes a transfer of vectorial angular momentum between the several metallic layers in the device which causes the magnetization vector of the free magnet to change its direction continually with time. Thus excited, the magnetization vector will precess about its original axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1997
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: John Casimir Slonczewski
  • Patent number: 5693426
    Abstract: The present invention provides a longitudinal magnetic recording media having a substrate, a Co or Co alloy based layer and an underlayer disposed between the substrate and the magnetic layer comprised of a material having a B2 ordered crystalline structure, preferably NiAl or FeAl. A thin Cr intermediate layer of about 1.0 nm to 5.0 nm thick may be positioned between the underlayer and the magnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University
    Inventors: Li-Lien Lee, David N. Lambeth, David E. Laughlin
  • Patent number: 5693203
    Abstract: A sputtering target assembly composed of a sputtering target and a backing plate with or without an insert or inserts interposed therebetween as necessary characterized by having solid-phase bonded interface accompanied with no appreciable thermal diffusion layer and by said sputtering target substantially maintaining the quality characteristics including metallurgical characteristics and properties that the sputtering target had before it was bonded to the backing plate intact. The sputtering target assembly is obtained by solid-phase bonding the target and backing plate, with or without one or more insert sandwiched therebetween, at a low temperature and a low pressure under a vacuum. The solid-phase bonded interface gives reliable bonds of a bonded area percentage of 100% without non-bonded portions such as pores. The uniformity of microstructure and crystal orientation etc. of a target material is maintained intact with the suppression of crystal grain growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Japan Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Tateo Ohhashi, Hideaki Fukuyo, Ichiroh Sawamura, Kenichirou Nakamura, Atsushi Fukushima, Masaru Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 5688605
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetoresistance effect element which has a film with a spin valve structure or an artificial lattice film having good soft magnetic characteristics, and which can be applied to a high-sensitivity magnetic head. The present invention provides a magnetoresistance effect element including a stacked film formed on a substrate by sequentially stacking a ferromagnetic film containing as its main constituents at least one elements selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, and Ni, a nonmagnetic film, and the ferromagnetic film, wherein the two ferromagnetic films are not coupled with each other, and the closest packed plane of each ferromagnetic film is oriented in a direction perpendicular to the film surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1997
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hitoshi Iwasaki, Yuichi Ohsawa, Reiko Kondoh, Susumu Hashimoto, Atsuhito Sawabe, Yuzo Kamiguchi, Masashi Sahashi
  • Patent number: 5679471
    Abstract: A thin film silver-nickel coating for use as a protective coating on electrical terminals of separable electrical connectors. The silver-nickel coating is a silver-nickel nano-composite material characterized by silver and nickel grains having an average grain size of about five to about fifty nanometers, yielding a silver-rich phase and a harder nickel-rich phase as a result of silver and nickel being immiscible. In accordance with this invention, the volume fraction of nickel significantly influences the fretting wear resistance of the coating, with a preferred nickel content being resulting in the presence of disconnected islands of the nickel phase dispersed within a relatively softer silver matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Yang-Tse Cheng, George Albert Drew
  • Patent number: 5665468
    Abstract: A magneto-optical recording medium in which direct overwriting can be done by only modifying the power level and/or the pulse width of applied optical pulses, and without changing the direction of the bias magnetic field. The recording layer comprises first and second magnetic recording layers. The first magnetic layer is a rare-earth transition metal-amorphous alloy and has a perpendicular easy magnetization axis, a thickness of 10 to 200 nm, and a compensation temperature above room temperature. The second magnetic layer comprises an alloy of a first component of Co and/or Fe and a second component of a rare earth metal and/or a noble metal or an alloy of Co and at least one metal selected from Ti, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ga and Ge. The second magnetic layer is a material having an in-plane easy magnetization axis such that it has a magnetization axis parallel to the second magnetic layer if formed independently on a dielectric layer, the second magnetic layer having a thickness of not more than 3 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Teijin Limited
    Inventors: Masahiko Sekiya, Tohru Horiguchi, Kiyoshi Chiba
  • Patent number: 5660930
    Abstract: A [(Pt/Co/Pt)/Pd] multilayer thin film (40) provides improved perpendicular anisotropy and magnetic coercivity relative to Pt/Co multilayer thin films (10) without reducing the Kerr rotations provided by the component Pt/Co layers (44, 48, 46). [(Pt/Co/Pt)/Pd] multilayer thin films (40) comprise a substrate (26), an optional underlayer (110) including a crystallographically textured layer (114) of Pt and a crystallographically textured layer (116) of Pd, and several quadlayers (42) of Pt, Co, and Pd forming a periodic array (43) in the direction of the normal to the substrate (26). Each quadlayer (42) of the periodic array (43) typically comprises a first layer (44) of Pt atoms approximately one to two atomic monolayers thick, a layer (46) of Co between one and three atomic monolayers thick, a second layer (48) of Pt of substantially the same thickness as the first layer (44) of Pt, and a layer (50) of Pd that is at least as thick as the Pt layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Gerardo A. Bertero, Robert Sinclair
  • Patent number: 5658658
    Abstract: In an artificial superlattice magnetoresistance effect element in which two or more of magnetic thin film layers having different coercive forces are stacked with intervening of a non-magnetic film layer and resistance changes depending on directions of magnetization in adjacent magnetic thin film layers by utilizing differences in the coercive forces, an anisotropy magnetic field Hk is increased by reducing a thickness of a soft magnetic layer, anisotropy in the magnetic thin film layer is obtained by forming the magnetic thin film layer in a magnetic field to thus increase the Hk, a material having large Hk is used as a soft magnetic material for the soft magnetic layer, and further the anisotropy is obtained by reducing a pattern width into 1-30 .mu.m to thus increase the Hk, whereby the resistance change is achieved in the neighborhood of a zero magnetic field and thus no bias mechanism is required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Hidefumi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 5648162
    Abstract: A magneto-optical recording medium including a base; a readout layer formed on the base; a recording layer formed on the readout layer; and an auxiliary recording layer formed on the recording layer, each of the readout layer, recording layer and auxiliary recording layer being made of an alloy of rare-earth metal and transition metal showing ferrimagnetism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junji Hirokane, Hiroyuki Katayama, Akira Takahashi, Kenji Ohta
  • Patent number: 5637392
    Abstract: Disclosed is a magneto-resistance effect element indicating a larger magneto-resistance effect at room temperature under impression of low magnetic field is obtained with the construction wherein the characteristics of artificial metallic lattice membrane are exploited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sakakima, Mitsuo Satomi, Hiroshi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 5633092
    Abstract: A magnetic material of at least two component parts arranged to have respective structures which mutually are not homogenous, the structure of one part cooperating with the structure of the other to assist the magnetostrictive behaviour of the material. The cooperation can be the structure of one part altering the atomic spacing of the other part. The alteration can be an increase from the usual atomic spacing. There can be contiguous component parts and the cooperation can be a pseudo free surface on at least one part or a reduced restriction of the local moment otherwise achieved by the contiguous component parts. A component can be at least partly an alloy and the alloy can have a ratio other than the usual one for the alloy. One of the components can be non-magnetic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: British Technology Group Ltd.
    Inventor: Michael R. J. Gibbs
  • Patent number: 5622788
    Abstract: Thermal expansion mismatch between solder and substrate can result in substrate cracking, especially in the case of brittle substrates, e.g., Si or glass. This problem can be substantially eliminated through use of a novel bonding pad structure that comprises a sacrificial layer and a confinement layer disposed on the former, with a window through the latter. The confinement layer (e.g., Ti or Cr) is selected to be substantially inert with respect to the solder (e.g, AuSn) at the soldering temperature, and the sacrificial layer (e.g., Au) is selected to interact with the solder at that temperature, such that the molten solder consumes at least some of the sacrificial material, with the interface between the molten material moving laterally underneath the confinement layer. After re-solidification of the molten material the structure effectively has a distributed interface between the resolidified material and the substrate, with attendant decrease of stress in the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: John V. Gates, II, Gerard E. Henein, Joseph Shmulovich
  • Patent number: 5614327
    Abstract: A process for protecting, especially against corrosion, a silver or silver-coated part, wherein a Cu--Sn alloy comprising from 53 to 75% copper and from 25 to 47% tin and optionally comprising up to 10% zinc is deposited on the said part over a thickness of less than 0.01 .mu.m. Another aspect of the invention is a silver or silver-coated part additionally having a protective coating formed from a Cu--Sn or Cu--Sn--Zn alloy, with a thickness of less than 0.01 .mu.m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Assignee: Sarthoise De Revetements Electrolytiques
    Inventor: Richard Morello
  • Patent number: 5580670
    Abstract: A heavily thermally stressable component comprising a graphite and a metal part, e.g., copper or a copper alloy, soldered together. Between the solder and the metal part there is an intermediate layer comprising chromium or an alloy containing a substantial proportion of chromium with copper and/or nickel additives. This special intermediate layer provides a good bond between the graphite and the metal which remains stable even under the heaviest cyclic thermal stresses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: Schwarzkopf Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Grill, Nikolaus Reheis, Michael Witwer
  • Patent number: 5578385
    Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element comprises the multilayer formed by alternately stacking magnetic and nonmagnetic layers. The magnetic layers containing at least two magnetic elements selected from a group of magnetic elements consisting of Fe, Co and Ni. Any two magnetic layers adjacent to each other with one of the nonmagnetic layer interposed therebetween are antiferro-magnetically coupled under a condition where a magnetic field is not substantially applied thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Saito, Shiho Okuno, Koichiro Inomata
  • Patent number: 5532086
    Abstract: An anode for use in an electrochemical cell comprising a current collector layer having a thickness less than about 10 mils, and desirably less than about 4 mils, and a rigid support extending adjacent one side of the current collector layer so that the current collector layer is sandwiched between the anodic layer of the anode and the rigid support. The rigid support maintains the current collector layer in the original configuration of the current collector layer during discharge and recharge cycles of the cell. A cell containing the anode is also disclosed. The rigid support for the anode current collector can be mounted in the electrochemical cell case so as to allow for the release from the cell of gas produced at the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: AER Energy Resources, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Thibault, Edward S. Buzzrelli
  • Patent number: 5525432
    Abstract: The invention relates to a composite body in which a ceramic component and a metal component are bonded to one another by internal soldering. The internal soldering is effected with soldering composition in a recess (2) within a component (1) of the one material in which there is arranged a component (3) of the other material which is shaped to fit accurately. The recess (2) is, at at least one end-face opening, surrounded by a chamfer (5) having an angle .phi. smaller than 35.degree. C., while the wetting angle .beta. between the soldering composition and the plane of the component surface in which the recess is located is smaller than 40.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Hoechst CeramTec Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Tha Do-Thoi, Gerd Meier, Klaus Popp, Peter Stingl
  • Patent number: 5523172
    Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element comprises the multilayer formed by alternately stacking magnetic and nonmagnetic layers. The magnetic layers containing at least two magnetic elements selected from a group of magnetic elements consisting of Fe, Co and Ni. Any two magnetic layers adjacent to each other with one of the nonmagnetic layer interposed therebetween are antiferromagnetically coupled under a condition where a magnetic field is not substantially applied thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Saito, Shiho Okuno, Koichiro Inomata
  • Patent number: 5510197
    Abstract: A lead frame material comprises a base plate consisting of copper or copper alloys, and a protective coating formed on the upper or the both surface of the base plate. The protective coating is composed of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of gold, gold alloy, silver, silver alloy, palladium and palladium alloy, and has a thickness of 10-500 angstrom. The protective coating is formed by means of vapor deposition. It is possible to form an intermediate coating of nickel or nickel alloys between the surface of the base plate and the protective coating, by means of vapor deposition or wet plating. The suitable thickness of the intermediate coating is within the range of 50-20000 angstrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Shindoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunji Takahashi, Seizo Masukawa, Rensei Futatsuka, Tetsuya Sugimoto, Takeshi SUzuki, Chuzo Azuma, Yuichi Kanda, Takao Fukatami
  • Patent number: 5482785
    Abstract: Thin film media characterized by the utilization of a substantially peritectic seed alloy layer which is sputter deposited so as to provide dispersed, substantially peritectic and homogenous globules underlying subsequently deposited media layers. These media layers may include a metal layer such as chrome and a magnetic layer such as an alloy of cobalt, chromium, and platinum and possibly other ingredients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: StorMedia, Inc.
    Inventors: Nader Mahvan, Atef H. Eltoukhy, Edward Teng, Hung-Chang W. Huang
  • Patent number: 5466538
    Abstract: There is disclosed a multi-layer sliding member having a back metal and a Cu--Zn-based alloy layer bonded to the back metal with a sufficiently high bonding strength. A method of producing such a sliding member is also disclosed. The multi-layer includes a back metal, a brazing material bonded to the back metal, a diffusion mixture layer bonded to the brazing material, and a Cu--Zn-based alloy layer bonded to the diffusion mixture layer. The diffusion mixture layer is a layer in which not less than 10 wt. % Ni, components of the Cu--Zn-based alloy and components of the brazing material are mixed with one another. The diffusion mixture layer has a thickness of 5.about.300 .mu.m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: Daido Metal Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Tanaka, Masaaki Sakamoto, Tohru Kato
  • Patent number: 5439732
    Abstract: In a ceramic multi-layer wiring board, a surface conductor layer is made of a copper-based material and an inner conductor in the ceramic multilayer is a non-copper metal having a melting point higher than a temperature at which the ceramic multilayer is fired, typically Ag. Cu and Ag form eutectic crystals when firing the surface conductor layer of Cu. This can be prevented by connecting the surface conductor layer and the inner conductor with Ag-Pd or a metal which is different from the materials of the surface wiring layer and the inner conductor and which does not form eutectic crystals with the material of the surface wiring layer at the temperature at which the surface wiring layer is fired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Nagasaka, Yuji Ontani, Mitsuhiro Saitou
  • Patent number: 5436082
    Abstract: A lead frame for a semiconductor device includes a base layer which is coated by a protective coating. The protective coating includes a layer of nickel, over which is coated a layer of copper. The layer of copper is coated by a layer of silver over which is coated a layer of palladium. Protective coatings constructed in this way are bondable, solderable, oxidation resistant, corrosion resistant, free of lead (Pb), resistant to high temperatures, cost effective, and cosmetically acceptable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Ranjan J. Mathew
  • Patent number: 5376455
    Abstract: A high performance, durable sputter coated, heat-treatable glass which after heat-treatment exhibits about 76% or more visible transmittance, a hemispherical emissivity (E.sub.h) of about 0.16 or less, and a normal emissivity (E.sub.n) of about 0.12 or less is formed by sputter coating a layer system on a glass substrate which includes an undercoat and overcoat of Si.sub.3 N.sub.4, a silver layer, and two nickel or nichrome layers on opposite sides of the silver layer, and wherein the lower nickel-based layer is about three times as thick as the other nickel based layer. The increased thickness of the lower nickel-based layer allows the coated glass article to be both heat-treatable, and "low-E" after the heat-treatment. This allows matching with other known glasses in the family of layer components by way of the heat-treatment process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Klaus W. Hartig, Philip J. Lingle
  • Patent number: 5364708
    Abstract: A recording layer 3 including shape-memory alloy thin films 311, 312 and a hydrogen storage alloy thin film 32, a dielectric thin film 4, and a reflective thin film 5 are stacked on a surface of a substrate 2 in the described order. Irradiation of recording light causes the hydrogen storage alloy thin film 32 to release hydrogen gas and contract in volume at the same time, creating a space 321 in the film. The shape-memory alloy thin films 311, 312 are deformed by the gas pressure in space 321, allowing space 321 to enlarge its thickness. Upon exposure to erasing light, shape-memory alloy thin films 311, 312 tend to restore their shape prior to deformation, applying pressure to the hydrogen gas in space 321 so that the hydrogen gas is occluded again and space 321 is substantially extinguished. Reversible release and occlusion of hydrogen gas enables to rewrite the recording information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: Junji Tominaga
  • Patent number: 5352542
    Abstract: Cadmium-free brazing solders which also have working temperatures under 630.degree. C. containing 45 to 80 wt. % silver, 5 to 25 wt. % copper, 10 to 25 wt. % gallium, and 0.1 to 5 wt. % indium and/or tin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1994
    Assignee: Degussa Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Alexander Voelcker, Joerg Beuers, Sigurd Joensson, Dieter Kaufmann, Georg Ptaschek, Wolfgang Kaster
  • Patent number: 5341981
    Abstract: Cadmium-free brazing solders with working temperatures under 630.degree. C. containing 45 to 80 wt. % silver, 5 to 13 wt. % copper, 10 to 25 wt. % gallium, 8 to 20 wt. % zinc, and 0 to 5 wt. % indium and/or tin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: Degussa Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Weise, Alexander Voelcker, Dieter Kaufmann, Willi Malikowski, Joerg Beuers, Harald Krappitz