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:
Jun. 26, 2007
Filed:
Aug. 06, 2003
Alan E. Delahoy, Rocky Hill, NJ (US);
Sheyu Guo, Wallingford, PA (US);
Alan E. Delahoy, Rocky Hill, NJ (US);
Sheyu Guo, Wallingford, PA (US);
Energy Photovoltaics, Inc., Lawrenceville, NJ (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides an improved hollow cathode method for sputter coating a substrate. The method of the invention comprises providing a channel for gas to flow through, the channel defined by a channel defining surface wherein one or more portions of the channel-defining surface include at least one target material. Gas is flowed through the channel wherein at least a portion of the gas is a non-laminarly flowing gas. While the gas is flowing through the channel a plasma is generated causing target material to be sputtered off the channel-defining surface to form a gaseous mixture containing target atoms that is transported to the substrate. In an important application of the present invention, a method for forming oxide films and in particular zinc oxide films is provided.