The Boc Group, Inc.

Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc.

Sohrab Zarrabian

Frank Jansen

Abraham I Belkind

John D Sonderman

Joseph Countrywood

Fred J Van Milligen

Kevin Gibbons

Robert Terry

Charlie Sherwood

Kenneth P Rosenberg

An optical spectrometer uses a tapered Fabry-Perot type variable optical filter in conjunction with an optical detector array. The filter can be a long-pass, short-pass, or narrow bandpass filter. The stability of the variable optical filter allows high resolution, depending on the number and spacing of the detectors used. In a further embodiment, signal-processing techniques are used to enhance the resolution of the spectrometer beyond the measured response.

Variable filter-based optical spectrometer

A gas purged counter-electrode prevents the counter-electrode from being covered with dielectric material by flowing gas past a surface of a metal element. The gas purged counter-electrode produces a relatively high-density plasma which effectively acts as the counter-electrode for a coating system. The gas purged counter-electrodes can be used with PECVD or sputtering systems.

Plasma apparatus and method

The present invention is a cascade control system for reactive sputtering deposition. A first control loop modifies the power supply in order to keep a monitored value nearly constant. This first control loop can be done relatively quickly. A second control loop monitors a second measure parameter in order to control the reactive gas flow to the system. In a preferred embodiment, the slower control loop is used to maintain a relatively constant power at the power supply.

Method and apparatus for reactive sputtering employing two control loops

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Santa Rosa, CA, United States of America

Sohrab Zarrabian