Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090148764 | METHOD FOR HIGH VOLUME MANUFACTURING OF THIN FILM BATTERIES - Concepts and methods are provided to reduce the cost and complexity of thin film battery (TFB) high volume manufacturing by eliminating and/or minimizing the use of conventional physical (shadow) masks. Laser scribing and other alternative physical maskless patterning techniques meet certain or all of the patterning requirements. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing thin film batteries comprises providing a substrate, depositing layers corresponding to a thin film battery structure on the substrate, the layers including, in order of deposition, a cathode, an electrolyte and an anode, wherein at least one of the deposited layers is unpatterned by a physical mask during deposition, depositing a protective coating, and scribing the layers and the protective coating. Further, the edges of the layers may be covered by an encapsulation layer. Furthermore, the layers may be deposited on two substrates and then laminated to form the thin film battery. | 06-11-2009 |
20090199768 | MAGNETIC DOMAIN PATTERNING USING PLASMA ION IMPLANTATION - A method for defining magnetic domains in a magnetic thin film on a substrate, includes: coating the magnetic thin film with a resist; patterning the resist, wherein areas of the magnetic thin film are substantially uncovered; and exposing the magnetic thin film to a plasma, wherein plasma ions penetrate the substantially uncovered areas of the magnetic thin film, rendering the substantially uncovered areas non-magnetic. A tool for this process comprises: a vacuum chamber held at earth potential; a gas inlet valve configured to leak controlled amounts of gas into the chamber; a disk mounting device configured to (1) fit within the chamber, (2) hold a multiplicity of disks, spacing the multiplicity of disks wherein both sides of each of the multiplicity of disks is exposed and (3) make electrical contact to the multiplicity of disks; and a radio frequency signal generator electrically coupled to the disk mounting device and the chamber, whereby a plasma can be ignited in the chamber and the disks are exposed to plasma ions uniformly on both sides. | 08-13-2009 |
20090293810 | ARRANGEMENT FOR COATING A SUBSTRATE - The invention relates to an arrangement for coating a substrate ( | 12-03-2009 |
20090293909 | ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR REMOVING ALKALI- OR ALKALINE EARTH-METALS FROM A VACUUM COATING CHAMBER - The invention relates to a cleaning method in which from a vacuum coating chamber ( | 12-03-2009 |
20100096256 | PATTERNING OF MAGNETIC THIN FILM USING ENERGIZED IONS AND THERMAL EXCITATION - A method for patterning a magnetic thin film on a substrate includes: providing a pattern about the magnetic thin film, with selective regions of the pattern permitting penetration of energized ions of one or more elements. Energized ions are generated with sufficient energy to penetrate selective regions and a portion of the magnetic thin film adjacent the selective regions. The substrate is placed to receive the energized ions. The portion of the magnetic thin film is subjected to thermal excitation. The portions of the magnetic thin film are rendered to exhibit a magnetic property different than selective other portions. A method for patterning a magnetic media with a magnetic thin film on both sides of the media is also disclosed. | 04-22-2010 |
20100098873 | PATTERNING OF MAGNETIC THIN FILM USING ENERGIZED IONS - A method for patterning a magnetic thin film on a substrate includes: providing a pattern about the magnetic thin film, with selective regions of the pattern permitting penetration of energized ions of one or more elements. Energized ions are generated with sufficient energy to penetrate selective regions and a portion of the magnetic thin film adjacent the selective regions. The substrate is placed to receive the energized ions. The portions of the magnetic thin film are rendered to exhibit a magnetic property different than selective other portions. A method for patterning a magnetic media with a magnetic thin film on both sides of the media is also disclosed. | 04-22-2010 |
20100101829 | MAGNETIC NANOWIRES FOR TCO REPLACEMENT - This invention provides an optically transparent conductive layer with a desirable combination of low electrical sheet resistance and good optical transparency. The conductive layer comprises a multiplicity of magnetic nanowires in a plane, the nanowires being aligned roughly (1) parallel to each other and (2) with the long axes of the nanowires in the plane of the layer, the nanowires further being configured to provide a plurality of continuous conductive pathways, and wherein the density of the multiplicity of magnetic nanowires allows for substantial optical transparency of the conductive layer. Furthermore, the conductive layer can include an optically transparent continuous conductive film, wherein the multiplicity of magnetic nanowires are electrically connected to the continuous conductive film. A method of forming the conductive layer on a substrate includes: depositing a multiplicity of magnetic conductive nanowires on the substrate and applying a magnetic field to form the nanowires into a plurality of conductive pathways parallel to the surface of the substrate. | 04-29-2010 |
20100175755 | COPPER DELAFOSSITE TRANSPARENT P-TYPE SEMICONDUCTOR THIN FILM DEVICES - Methods for fabrication of copper delafossite materials include a low temperature sol-gel process for synthesizing CuBO | 07-15-2010 |
20100190290 | SOLAR CELL PATTERNING AND METALLIZATION - Embodiments of the present invention generally provide methods for forming conductive structures on the surfaces of a solar cell. In one embodiment, conductive structures are formed on the front surface of a solar cell by depositing a sacrificial polymer layer, forming patterned lines in the sacrificial polymer via a fluid jet, depositing metal layers over the front surface of the solar cell, and performing lift off of the metal layers deposited over the sacrificial polymer by dissolving the sacrificial polymer with a water based solvent. In another embodiment, conductive structures are formed on the back surface of a solar cell by depositing a sacrificial polymer layer, forming patterned lines in the sacrificial polymer via a fluid jet, depositing a metal layer over the back surface of the solar cell, and performing lift off of the metal layer deposited over the sacrificial polymer by dissolving the sacrificial polymer with a water based solvent, and completing selective metallization of the remaining metal lines. | 07-29-2010 |
20100208326 | Laminated Electrically Tintable Windows - A method of manufacturing electrically tintable window glass with a variety of sizes and functionalities is described. The method comprises: (a) providing a large format glass substrate; (b) fabricating a plurality of electrically tintable thin film devices on the large format glass substrate; (c) cutting the large format glass substrate into a plurality of electrically tintable pieces, each electrically tintable piece including one of the plurality of electrically tintable thin film devices; (d) providing a plurality of window glass pieces; (e) matching each one of the plurality of electrically tintable pieces with a corresponding one of the plurality of window glass pieces; and (f) laminating each of the matched electrically tintable pieces and window glass pieces. The lamination may result in the electrically tintable device either being sandwiched between the glass substrate and the window glass piece or on the surface of the laminated pieces. The electrically tintable device is an electrochromic device. | 08-19-2010 |
20100252108 | COPPER DELAFOSSITE TRANSPARENT P-TYPE SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS FOR DYE SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS - Methods for fabrication of copper delafossite materials include a low temperature sol-gel process for synthesizing CuBO | 10-07-2010 |
20100261049 | high power, high energy and large area energy storage devices - A readily manufacturable, high power, high energy, large area energy storage device is described. The energy storage device may use processes compatible with large area processing tools, such as large area coating systems and linear processing systems compatible with flexible thin film substrates. The energy storage devices may include batteries, super-capacitors and ultra-capacitors. An energy storage device may include a multiplicity of thin film cells formed on a single substrate, the multiplicity of cells being electrically connected in series, each one of the multiplicity of cells comprising: a current collector on the surface of the substrate; a first electrode on the current collector; a second electrode over the first electrode; and an electrolyte layer between the first electrode and the second electrode. Furthermore, an energy storage device may include a plurality of thin film cells formed on a single substrate, the plurality of cells being electrically connected in a network, the network including both parallel and serial electrical connections between individual cells of the plurality of cells. | 10-14-2010 |
20100267191 | PLASMA ENHANCED THERMAL EVAPORATOR - The present invention generally provides a method for forming a photovoltaic device including evaporating a source material to form a large molecule processing gas and flowing the large molecule processing gas through a gas distribution showerhead and into a processing area of a processing chamber having a substrate therein. The method includes generating a small molecule processing gas, and reacting the small molecule processing gas with a film already deposited on a substrate surface to form a semiconductor film. Additionally, apparatuses that may use the methods are also provided to enable continuous inline CIGS type solar cell formation. | 10-21-2010 |
20110129594 | THIN-FILM BATTERY METHODS FOR COMPLEXITY REDUCTION - Thin-film battery methods for complexity reduction are described. Processing equipment arrangements suitable to support thin-film battery methods for complexity reduction are also described. Cluster tools to support thin-film battery methods for complexity reduction are also described. | 06-02-2011 |
20110304899 | LAMINATED ELECTRICALLY TINTABLE WINDOWS - A method of manufacturing electrically tintable window glass with a variety of sizes and functionalities is described. The method comprises: (a) providing a large format glass substrate; (b) fabricating a plurality of electrically tintable thin film devices on the large format glass substrate; (c) cutting the large format glass substrate into a plurality of electrically tintable pieces, each electrically tintable piece including one of the plurality of electrically tintable thin film devices; (d) providing a plurality of window glass pieces; (e) matching each one of the plurality of electrically tintable pieces with a corresponding one of the plurality of window glass pieces; and (f) laminating each of the matched electrically tintable pieces and window glass pieces. The lamination may result in the electrically tintable device either being sandwiched between the glass substrate and the window glass piece or on the surface of the laminated pieces. The electrically tintable device is an electrochromic device. | 12-15-2011 |
20120214047 | METHOD FOR HIGH VOLUME MANUFACTURING OF THIN FILM BATTERIES - Concepts and methods are provided to reduce the cost and complexity of thin film battery (TFB) high volume manufacturing by eliminating and/or minimizing the use of conventional physical (shadow) masks. Laser scribing and other alternative physical maskless patterning techniques meet certain or all of the patterning requirements. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing thin film batteries comprises providing a substrate, depositing layers corresponding to a thin film battery structure on the substrate, the layers including, in order of deposition, a cathode, an electrolyte and an anode, wherein at least one of the deposited layers is unpatterned by a physical mask during deposition, depositing a protective coating, and scribing the layers and the protective coating. Further, the edges of the layers may be covered by an encapsulation layer. Furthermore, the layers may be deposited on two substrates and then laminated to form the thin film battery. | 08-23-2012 |
20140017518 | PATTERNING OF MAGNETIC THIN FILM USING ENERGIZED IONS - A method for patterning a magnetic thin film on a substrate includes: providing a pattern about the magnetic thin film, with selective regions of the pattern permitting penetration of energized ions of one or more elements. Energized ions are generated with sufficient energy to penetrate selective regions and a portion of the magnetic thin film adjacent the selective regions. The substrate is placed to receive the energized ions. The portions of the magnetic thin film are rendered to exhibit a magnetic property different than selective other portions. A method for patterning a magnetic media with a magnetic thin film on both sides of the media is also disclosed. | 01-16-2014 |
20140072699 | THIN-FILM BATTERY METHODS FOR COMPLEXITY REDUCTION - Thin-film battery methods for complexity reduction are described. Processing equipment arrangements suitable to support thin-film battery methods for complexity reduction are also described. Cluster tools to support thin-film battery methods for complexity reduction are also described. | 03-13-2014 |
20140083363 | PATTERNING OF MAGNETIC THIN FILM USING ENERGIZED IONS AND THERMAL EXCITATION - A method for patterning a magnetic thin film on a substrate includes: providing a pattern about the magnetic thin film, with selective regions of the pattern permitting penetration of energized ions of one or more elements. Energized ions are generated with sufficient energy to penetrate selective regions and a portion of the magnetic thin film adjacent the selective regions. The substrate is placed to receive the energized ions. The portion of the magnetic thin film is subjected to thermal excitation. The portions of the magnetic thin film are rendered to exhibit a magnetic property different than selective other portions. A method for patterning a magnetic media with a magnetic thin film on both sides of the media is also disclosed. | 03-27-2014 |
20140287550 | PLASMA ENHANCED THERMAL EVAPORATOR - The present invention generally provides a method for forming a photovoltaic device including evaporating a source material to form a large molecule processing gas and flowing the large molecule processing gas through a gas distribution showerhead and into a processing area of a processing chamber having a substrate therein. The method includes generating a small molecule processing gas, and reacting the small molecule processing gas with a film already deposited on a substrate surface to form a semiconductor film. Additionally, apparatuses that may use the methods are also provided to enable continuous inline CIGS type solar cell formation. | 09-25-2014 |