Sigma Laboratories of Arizona, Inc.

Spectrum Control, Inc.

Sigma Technologies International, Inc.

E.i. Dupont De Nemours and Company

Other

Sigma Labs, Inc.

Sigma Technologies Int'l, LLC

Astenjohnson, Inc.

Asten, Inc.

Sigma Laboratories, Inc.

Polycharge America, Inc.

Angelo Yializis

Michael G Mikhael

Richard E Ellwanger

David G Shaw

Ioannis V Bletsos

Mooyoung Ham

Donald S Strycker

Gordon Goodyear

Wolfgang Decker

Jose Manuel Rodriguez-Parada

Joseph Anthony King, Jr

Edmee Lydie Marie-Jeanne Devaquet

Shahid Ali Pirzada

Gale Shipley

C Barry Johnson

Theodore A Miller

Timothy D O'Brien

John G Keimel

John James Barnes

Alvin S Rhorer

Trey William Huntoon

Ali Boufelfel

Jose Manuel Rodrigues-Parada

Vladimir Gordyienko

Marlowe Engquist

Joseph King

Prismatic polymer monolithic capacitor structure that includes multiple interleaving radiation-cured polymer dielectric layers and metal layers. Method for fabrication of same. The chemical composition of polymer dielectric and the electrode resistivity parameters are chosen to maximize the capacitor self-healing properties and energy density, and to assure the stability of the capacitance and dissipation factor over the operating temperature range. The termination electrode that extends beyond the active capacitor area and beyond the polymer dielectric layers has a thickness larger than that used industrially to provide resistance to thermomechanical stress. The glass transition temperature of the polymer dielectric is specifically chosen to avoid mechanical relaxation from occurring in the operating temperature range, which prevents high moisture permeation (otherwise increasing a dissipation factor and electrode corrosion) into the structure. The geometry and shape of the capacitor are appropriately controlled to minimize losses when the capacitor is exposed to pulse and alternating currents.

Polymeric monolithic capacitor

Nano-thick flakes that are either flat, and specularly-reflective in visible light or that have microroughness intentionally controlled to disperse or interfere with visible light. Coatings and inks utilizing such flakes. Method for fabrication of such flakes in partial vacuum includes the repeated multiple times deposition of a release layer over a substrate surface and a flake layer over the release layer to form a multilayer structure further reduced to individual flakes. Reactive metal is passivated inline with the deposition of the flake layer for superior corrosion resistance. Chemically-functional materials are optionally added to the release material to transfer their functionality to the surface of flake layer to create unique functional properties on a flake surface before the multilayer structure is removed from the substrate.

Ultra-bright passivated aluminum nano-flake pigments

Prismatic polymer monolithic capacitor structure operating at temperatures exceeding 140&#xb0; C. and including multiple interleaving radiation-cured polymer dielectric layers and metal layers. Method for fabrication of same. The geometry of structure is judiciously chosen to increase sheet resistance of metal electrodes while reducing the capacitor's equivalent series resistance. Metal electrode layers are provided with a thickened peripheral portion to increase strength of terminating connections and are passivated to increase corrosion resistance. Materials for polymer dielectric layers are devised to ensure that the capacitor's dissipation factor remains substantially unchanged across the whole range of operating temperatures, to procure glass transition temperature that is no less than the desired operating temperature, and to optimize the absorption of ambient moisture by the polymeric layers.

Prismatic polymer monolithic capacitor structure including multiple interleaving radiation-cured polymer dielectric layers and metal layers. Method for fabrication of same. The chemical composition of polymer dielectric and the electrode resistivity parameters are chosen to maximize the capacitor self-healing properties and energy density, and to assure the stability of the capacitance and dissipation factor over the operating temperature range. The glass transition temperature of the polymer dielectric is specifically chosen to avoid mechanical relaxation from occurring in the operating temperature range, which prevents high moisture permeation into the structure (which can lead to higher dissipation factor and electrode corrosion). The geometry and shape of the capacitor are appropriately controlled to minimize losses when the capacitor is exposed to pulse and alternating currents.

A method for creating a functional coating on a substrate in vacuum from a deposited monomer material in absence of oxygen and/or radiation from a radiation source. The substrate may be preliminarily activated with inert gas to form an activated layer thereon. The method may include depositing a fluorine containing monomer having a first CF:CFratio, and forming, on the substrate, the self-assembled polymer coating that has a second CF:CFratio, where the first and second CF:CFratios are equal.

Functional coating

Nanothick flakes that are either flat and specularly-reflective in visible light or that have microroughness intentionally controlled to disperse or interfere with visible light. Coatings and inks utilizing such flakes. Method for fabrication of such flakes in partial vacuum includes the repeated multiple times deposition of a release layer over a substrate surface and a flake layer over the release layer to form a multilayer structure further reduced to individual flakes. Reactive metal is passivated inline with the deposition of the flake layer for superior corrosion resistance. Chemically-functional materials are optionally added to the release material to transfer their functionality to the surface of flake layer to create unique functional properties on a flake surface before the multilayer structure is removed from the substrate.

An organic release agent is vacuum deposited over a substrate and surface treated with a plasma or ion-beam source in a gas rich in oxygen-based functional groups to harden a very thin layer of the surface of the deposited layer in passivating environment. Aluminum is subsequently vacuum deposited onto the hardened release layer to form a very flat and specular thin film. The film is exposed to a plasma gas containing oxygen or nitrogen to passivate its surface. The resulting product is separated from the substrate, crushed to break up the film into aluminum flakes, and mixed in a solvent to separate the still extractable release layer from the aluminum flakes. The surface treatment of the release layer greatly reduces wrinkles in the flakes, improving the optical characteristics of the flakes. The passivation of the flake material virtually eliminates subsequent corrosion from exposure to moisture.

A high surface area valve-metal capacitor electrode is formed on a moving substrate in vacuum by a continuous multilayer vapor-phase deposition process under conditions of substrate temperature and speed that produce continuously growing, uninterrupted dendritic structures. The process is carried out in an atmosphere of inert gas, preferably including He or Ar, with or without an impurity gas such as oxygen. The substrate may be a valve-metal foil or wire, a metal screen, a polymer film, an organic or inorganic fiber, or a composite material. The direction of motion of the moving substrate may be reversed during the deposition process in order to increase the porosity of the dendrites. The electrode may be passivated using an oxygen-containing plasma before exposure to air. The process may also be carried out under conditions that produce boundary-layer turbulence in order to promote the continuously growth of uninterrupted dendritic structures.

High-Surface Capacitor Electrode

An organic release agent is vacuum deposited over a substrate and surface treated with a plasma or ion-beam source in a gas rich in oxygen-based functional groups to harden a very thin layer of the surface of the deposited layer in a passivating environment. Aluminum is subsequently vacuum deposited onto the hardened release layer to form a very flat and specular thin film. The film is exposed to a plasma gas containing oxygen or nitrogen to passivate its surface. The resulting product is separated from the substrate, crushed to brake up the film into aluminum flakes, and mixed in a solvent to separate the still extractable release layer from the aluminum flakes. The surface treatment of the release layer greatly reduces wrinkles in the flakes, improving the optical chracteristics of the flakes. The passivation of the flake material virtually eliminates subsequent corrosion from exposure to moisture.

Functionalized multilayer structures are manufactured by a process whereby a substrate material is treated with a reactive-gas plasma to form an activated layer on the surface thereof, and then by depositing a liquid functional monomer on the activated layer to form a self-assembled functional layer. Any excess liquid monomer must be allowed to re-evaporate in order to obtain optimal functionality on the surface of the resulting structure. The deposition of the liquid layer is preferably carried out with high kinetic energy to ensure complete penetration of the monomer throughout the body of the substrate. For particular applications, prior to formation of the reactive layer the substrate may be coated with a high glass-transition temperature polymer or a metallic layer.

Self-assembled functional layers in multilayer structures

Polymer-based optically-variable devices (OVDs) for security applications and methods for producing the same. The uniformity of thickness of the structure of such devices is optimized by controlling previously neglected process parameters such as the temperature distribution of the deposition nozzle, the substrate and the deposition drum, their emissivities, the micro-roughness of the substrate, and the rate of monomer re-evaporation. Re-evaporation is minimized by initiating radiation-curing within two seconds of monomer deposition. A method includes equipment reducing all sources of emissivity non-homogeneities, such as surface blemishes in the surface areas exposed to the substrate to preferentially fabricate substrates with haziness less than 5% and gloss greater than 90%. Controlling, a maximum variation of thickness of the transmissive layer of an OVD ensures that no appreciable color-shift variation is visible to the naked eye.

Methods for fabrication of polymer-based optically variable devices

A multilayer dielectric structure is formed by vacuum depositing two-dimensional matrices of nanoparticles embedded in polymer dielectric layers that are thicker than the effective diameter of the nanoparticles, so as to produce a void-free, structured, three-dimensional lattice of nanoparticles in a polymeric dielectric material. As a result of the continuous, repeated, and controlled deposition process, each two-dimensional matrix of nanoparticles consists of a layer of uniformly distributed particles embedded in polymer and separated from adjacent matrix layers by continuous polymer dielectric layers, thus forming a precise three-dimensional nanoparticle matrix defined by the size and density of the nanoparticles in each matrix layer and by the thickness of the polymer layers between them. The resulting structured nanodielectric exhibits very high values of dielectric constant as well as high dielectric strength.

Nano-structured dielectric composite

A moisture vapor permeable metalized composite sheet is formed by coating a moisture vapor permeable sheet with at least one metal layer and at least one outer organic coating layer. The moisture vapor permeability of the composite sheet is at least about 80% of the moisture vapor permeability of the starting sheet. The composite sheet provides a barrier to air and liquid water infiltration while having high moisture vapor permeability and good thermal barrier properties. The composite sheet material is suitable for use as a building construction wrap such as roof lining and house wrap.

Growing community of inventors

Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Angelo Yializis