Energy Conversion Devices, Inc.

Ovonic Synthetic Materials Company Inc.

Sovonics Solar Systems

Ovonic Synthetic Materials, Inc.

David D Allred

Stanford R Ovshinsky

Stephen J Hudgens

Lee Walter

Jaime M Reyes

Gregory Demaggio

On Van Nguyen

Wolodymyr Czubatyj

Joachim Doehler

James D Flasck

Erwin Eichen

Russell C Custer

Alan M Kadin

Jesus Gonzalez-Hernandez

Purnachandra Pai

Krystyna Dec

Nancy Jackett

Rajendra Singh

A multilayered article includes at least one periodically repeating set including a layer of amorphous crystallizable material and a layer of crystallization inhibiting material in generally superposed relationship. The layer of crystallizable material has its crystallization temperature raised by the presence of the inhibiting layer. Also disclosed are methods for the fabrication of the multilayered article.

Multilayered article including crystallization inhibiting layer and

A method of forming a magnetic material. The magnetic material is a solid mass of grains, and has magnetic parameters characterized by: (1) a maximum magnetic energy product, (BH).sub.max, greater than 15 megagaussoersteds; and (2) a remanence greater than 9 kilogauss. The magnetic material is prepared by a two step solidification, heat treatment process. The solidification process is carried out by growing microwave powder or snow. The microwave powder or snow is grown by introducing a reaction gas comprised of precursor compounds of the magnetic material into a substantially enclosed reaction vessel. The reaction gas is energized by providing a source of microwave energy coupled to the substantially enclosed reaction vessel while maintaining the reaction gas pressure high enough to form the powdery microwave polymerizate, condensate, or precipitate, i.e., microwave snow. The solid particles of microwave snow have a morphology characterized as being one or more of (i) amorphous; (ii) microcrystalline; or (iii) polycrystalline. The grains within the solid have, at this stage of the process, an average grain characteristic dimension less than that of the heat treated magnetic material. In the second, or heat treating, stage of the process, the atomized solid particles are heat treated to form a solid material comprised of grains meeting at grain boundaries. The grains and grain boundaries have the morphology of the magnetic material.

Method of preparing a magnetic material

An improved method of fabricating the thin film layers of an electrostatic image producing device utilizing microwave energy by operating at substantially the minimum of the pressure-power curve for the particular geometry of reaction vessel and composition of reaction gases being utilized.

Method of fabricating electrostatic drums using microwave energy

A method of forming a magnetic material. The magnetic material is a solid mass of grains, and has magnetic parameters characterized by: (1) a maximum magnetic energy product, (BH).sub.max, greater than 15 megagaussoersteds; and (2) a remanence greater than 8 kilogauss. The magnetic material is prepared by a two step solidification, heat treatment process. The solidification process is carried out by: (a) forming a solution of reducible precursor compounds of the magnetic material; and (b) thereafter reducing the reducible, precursor compounds and forming a precipitate thereof. The precipitate has a morphology characterized as being one or more of (i) amorphous, (ii) microcrystalline, or (iii) polycrystalline. The grains within the precipitate have, at this stage of the process, an average grain characteristic dimension less than that of the heat treated magnetic material. In the second, or heat treating, stage of the process, the precipitated solid is heat treated to form a solid material comprised of grains meeting at grain boundaries. The grains and grain boundaries have the morphology of the magnetic material.

A method of forming a magnetic material. The magnetic material is a solid mass of grains, and has magnetic parameters characterized by : (1) a maximum magnetic energy product, (BH).sub.max, greater than 15 megagaussoersteds; and (2) a remanence greater than 9 kilogauss. The magnetic material is prepared by a two step solidification, heat treatment process. The solidification process is carried out by controlled vaporization of precursor elements of the alloy into an inert atmosphere, with subsequent controlled vapor phase condensation. This may be accomplished by vaporizing a precursor type alloy in a plasma torch, such as an argon torch, a hydrogen torch, or other electro-arc torch to form a particulate fine grain alloy. The resulting product of this alternative method is a particulate fine grain alloy. The solid particles have a morphology characterized as being one or more of (i) amorphous; (ii) microcrystalline; or (iii) polycrystalline. The grains within the solid have, at this stage of the process, an average grain characteristic dimension less than that of the heat treated magnetic material. In the second, or heat treating, stage of the process, the fine grain solid particles are heat treated to form a solid material comprised of grains meeting at grain boundaries. The grains and grain boundaries have the morphology of the magnetic material.

A coated article, for example an architectural transparency, including a vehicular transparency, or a reflecting article, as a decorative article. The article has a substrate, e.g., a substantially transparent or substantially opaque substrate. The substrate has an optical coating on it, that is a coating having a thin film of an oxide of a transition metal, the thin film having a thickness corresponding to a constructively interfering function of a wavelength of interest. The optical coating, having a thin film of a transition metal, enhances the reflectivity of some wavelengths of the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and the reflectivity of other wavelengths of the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Multilayer decorative coating

An improved method of depositing thin films onto a substrate with microwave energy by operating at substantially the minimum of the pressure-power curve for the particular geometry of reaction vessel and composition of reaction gases being utilized.

Method of depositing thin films using microwave energy

A surface mounted circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes an insulating substrate, a chemical vapor deposited interconnect layer of conductive metal, as Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, W, Mo, Mn or mixtures thereof, and at least one circuit element. The surface mounted circuit includes an interfacial layer of W, Mo, Mn, or a mixtures thereof, chemical vapor deposition of an interconnect layer of Cr, Fe, Ni, Co, Mn, W, Mo, or mixtures thereof, and bonding of a circuit element atop the interconnect layer. Also disclosed is a support, adapted for use as a circuit board for a surface mounted circuit.

Surface mounted circuits including hybrid circuits, having CVD

A method of depositing a semiconductor alloy film onto a substrate by activating at least one group of free radicals and incorporating desired ones of the activated group into the film.

Method of depositing semiconductor films by free radical generation

Disclosed are a thermoelectric device and method of making the device. The device has a plurality of thermoelectric elements electrically in series and thermally in parallel, where the individual thermoelectric elements have a thermoelectric body formed of macroscopically disordered material with electrical contact surfaces at opposite ends and a multi-layered diffusion barrier coating on the electrical contact surfaces.

Method of manufacturing a thermoelectric element

A method of depositing a semiconductor alloy film onto a substrate by activating groups of free radicals and incorporating desired ones of the activated groups into the film.

Disclosed is a valve cross head adapted for mechanically translating valve opening impulses from the rocker arm of an internal combustion engine to the valve stem of the internal combustion engine. The cross head has a metal body portion and a ceramic wear pad. The ceramic wear pad includes a chemical vapor deposited transition metal film on the surface thereof whereby to permit adhesion thereof by brazing or soldering between the wear pad and the body portion.

Cross head for internal combustion engine

A process for making amorphous semiconductor alloy films and devices at high deposition rates utilizes microwave energy to form a deposition plasma. The alloys exhibit high quality electronic properties suitable for many applications including photovoltaic applications. The process includes the steps of providing a source of microwave energy, coupling the microwave energy into a substantially enclosed reaction vessel containing the substrate onto which the amorphous semiconductor film is to be deposited, and introducing into the vessel reaction gases including at least one semiconductor containing compound. The microwave energy and the reaction gases form a glow discharge plasma within the vessel to deposit an amorphous semiconductor film from the reaction gases onto the substrate. The reactions gases can include silane (SiH.sub.4), silicon tetrafluoride (SiF.sub.4), silane and silicon tetrafluoride, silane and germane (GeH.sub.4), and silicon tetrafluoride and germane. The reaction gases can also include germane or germanium tetrafluoride (GeF.sub.4). To all of the foregoing, hydrogen (H.sub.2) can also be added. Dopants, either p-type or n-type can also be added to the reaction gases to form p-type or n-type alloy films, respectively. Also, band gap increasing elements such as carbon or nitrogen can be added in the form of, for example, methane or ammonia gas to widen the band gap of the alloys.

Method of making amorphous semiconductor alloys and devices using

A low pressure process for making amorphous semiconductor alloy films and devices at high deposition rates and high gas conversion efficiencies utilizes microwave energy to form a deposition plasma. The alloys exhibit high-quality electronic properties suitable for many applications including photovoltaic and electrophotographic applications. The process includes the steps of providing a source of microwave energy, coupling the microwave energy into a substantially enclosed reaction vessel containing the substrate onto which the amorphous semiconductor film is to be deposited, introducing into the vessel at least one reaction gas and evacuating the vessel to a low enough deposition pressure to deposit the film at high deposition rates with high reaction gas conversion efficiencies without any significant powder or polymeric inclusions. The microwave energy and the reaction gases form a glow discharge plasma within the vessel to deposit an amorphous semiconductor film from the reaction gases onto the substrate. The reaction gases can include silane (SiH.sub.4), silicon tetrafluoride (SiF.sub.4), silane and silicon tetrafluoride, silane and germane (GeH.sub.4), and silicon tetrafluoride and germane. The reaction gases can also include germane or germanium tetrafluoride (GeF.sub.4). To all of the foregoing, hydrogen (H.sub.2) can also be added. Dopants, either p-type or n-type can also be added to the reaction gases to form p-type or n-type alloy films, respectively. Also, band gap increasing elements such as carbon or nitrogen can be added in the form of, for example, methane or ammonia gas to widen the band gap of the alloys.

A process and apparatus for depositing a film from a gas involves introducing the gas to a deposition environment containing a substrate, heating the substrate, and irradiating the gas with radiation having a preselected energy spectrum, such that a film is deposited onto the substrate. In a preferred embodiment, the energy spectrum of the radiation is below or approximately equal to that required to photochemically decompose the gas. In another embodiment, the gas is irradiated through a transparent member exposed at a first surface thereof to the deposition environment, and a flow of substantially inert gaseous material is passed along the first surface to minimize deposition thereon.

Growing community of inventors

Troy, MI, United States of America

David D Allred