The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 25, 2006
Filed:
May. 03, 2002
Yixing Lin, Saratoga, CA (US);
Brian T West, San Jose, CA (US);
Shun Jackson Wu, Cupertino, CA (US);
Clifford C Stow, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Senh Thach, Union City, CA (US);
Hong Wang, Cupertino, CA (US);
Jennifer Y Sun, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Yixing Lin, Saratoga, CA (US);
Brian T West, San Jose, CA (US);
Shun Jackson Wu, Cupertino, CA (US);
Clifford C Stow, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Senh Thach, Union City, CA (US);
Hong Wang, Cupertino, CA (US);
Jennifer Y Sun, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
We have discovered that the formation of particulate inclusions at the surface of an aluminum alloy article, which inclusions interfere with a smooth transition from the alloy surface to an overlying aluminum oxide protective film, can be controlled by maintaining the content of mobile and nonmobile impurities within a specific range and controlling the particulate size and distribution of the mobile and nonmobile impurities and compounds thereof; by heat-treating the aluminum alloy at a temperature less than about 330° C.; and by creating the aluminum oxide protective film by employing a particular electrolytic process. When these factors are taken into consideration, an improved aluminum oxide protective film is obtained.