Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110045170 | IN-SITU DEPOSITION OF BATTERY ACTIVE LITHIUM MATERIALS BY THERMAL SPRAYING - A method and apparatus for forming an electrochemical layer of a thin film battery is provided. A precursor mixture comprising electrochemically active precursor particles dispersed in a carrying medium is provided to a processing chamber and thermally treated using a combustible gas mixture also provided to the chamber. The precursor is converted to nanocrystals by the thermal energy, and the nanocrystals are deposited on a substrate. A second precursor may be blended with the nanocrystals as they deposit on the surface to enhance adhesion and conductivity. | 02-24-2011 |
20110045206 | IN-SITU DEPOSITION OF BATTERY ACTIVE LITHIUM MATERIALS BY PLASMA SPRAYING - A method and apparatus for forming an electrochemical layer of a thin film battery is provided. A precursor mixture comprising precursor particles dispersed in a carrying medium is activated in an activation chamber by application of an electric field to ionize at least a portion of the precursor mixture. The activated precursor mixture is then mixed with a combustible gas mixture to add thermal energy to the precursor particles, converting them to nanocrystals, which deposit on a substrate. A second precursor may be blended with the nanocrystals as they deposit on the surface to enhance adhesion and conductivity. | 02-24-2011 |
20120064225 | SPRAY DEPOSITION MODULE FOR AN IN-LINE PROCESSING SYSTEM - In one embodiment, an apparatus for simultaneously depositing an anodically or cathodically active material on opposing sides of a flexible conductive substrate is provided. The apparatus comprises a chamber body defining one or more processing regions in which a flexible conductive substrate is exposed to a dual sided spray deposition process, wherein each of the one or more processing regions are further divided into a first spray deposition region and a second spray deposition region for simultaneously spraying an anodically active or cathodically active material onto opposing sides of a portion of the flexible conductive substrate, wherein each of the first and second spray deposition regions comprise a spray dispenser cartridge for delivering the activated material toward the flexible conductive substrate and a movable collection shutter. | 03-15-2012 |
20120082884 | ELECTROSPINNING FOR INTEGRATED SEPARATOR FOR LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES - Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to lithium-ion batteries, and more specifically, to batteries having integrated separators and methods of fabricating such batteries. In one embodiment, a lithium-ion battery having an electrode structure is provided. The lithium-ion battery comprises an anode stack, a cathode stack, and a porous electrospun polymer separator comprising a nano-fiber backbone structure. The anode stack comprises an anodic current collector and an anode structure formed over a first surface of the anodic current collector. The cathode stack comprises a cathodic current collector and a cathode structure formed over a first surface of the cathodic current collector. The porous electrospun polymer separator is positioned between the anode structure and the cathode structure. | 04-05-2012 |
20130008778 | PHYSICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION CHAMBER WITH CAPACITIVE TUNING AT WAFER SUPPORT - In a plasma enhanced physical vapor deposition of a material onto workpiece, a metal target faces the workpiece across a target-to-workpiece gap less than a diameter of the workpiece. A carrier gas is introduced into the chamber and gas pressure in the chamber is maintained above a threshold pressure at which mean free path is less than 5% of the gap. RF plasma source power from a VHF generator is applied to the target to generate a capacitively coupled plasma at the target, the VHF generator having a frequency exceeding 30 MHz. The plasma is extended across the gap to the workpiece by providing through the workpiece a first VHF ground return path at the frequency of the VHF generator. | 01-10-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090197419 | PROCESS FOR REMOVING HIGH STRESSED FILM USING LF OR HF BIAS POWER AND CAPACITIVELY COUPLED VHF SOURCE POWER WITH ENHANCED RESIDUE CAPTURE - A method of fabricating multilayer interconnect structures on a semiconductor wafer uses an interior surface of a metal lid that has been roughed to a surface roughness in excess of RA 2000 with a reentrant surface profile. The metal lid is installed as the ceiling of a plasma clean reactor chamber having a wafer pedestal facing the interior surface of the ceiling. | 08-06-2009 |
20090229969 | Physical vapor deposition method with a source of isotropic ion velocity distribution at the wafer surface - In a plasma enhanced physical vapor deposition of a material onto workpiece, a metal target faces the workpiece across a target-to-workpiece gap less than a diameter of the workpiece. A carrier gas is introduced into the chamber and gas pressure in the chamber is maintained above a threshold pressure at which mean free path is less than 5% of the gap. RF plasma source power from a VHF generator is applied to the target to generate a capacitively coupled plasma at the target, the VHF generator having a frequency exceeding 30 MHz. The plasma is extended across the gap to the workpiece by providing through the workpiece a first VHF ground return path at the frequency of the VHF generator. | 09-17-2009 |
20100039747 | ELECTROSTATIC CHUCK ASSEMBLY - Embodiments of the present invention provide a cost effective electrostatic chuck assembly capable of operating over a wide temperature range in an ultra-high vacuum environment while minimizing thermo-mechanical stresses within the electrostatic chuck assembly. In one embodiment, the electrostatic chuck assembly includes a dielectric body having chucking electrodes which comprise a metal matrix composite material with a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that is matched to the CTE of the dielectric body. | 02-18-2010 |
20100089315 | SHUTTER DISK FOR PHYSICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION CHAMBER - A shutter disk suitable for shield a substrate support in a physical vapor deposition chamber is provided. In one embodiment, the shutter disk includes a disk-shaped body having an outer diameter disposed between a top surface and a bottom surface. The disk-shape body includes a double step connecting the bottom surface to the outer diameter. | 04-15-2010 |
20100096261 | PHYSICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION REACTOR WITH CIRCULARLY SYMMETRIC RF FEED AND DC FEED TO THE SPUTTER TARGET - In a PVD reactor having a sputter target at the ceiling, a conductive housing enclosing the rotating magnet assembly has a central port for the rotating magnet axle. A conductive hollow cylinder of the housing surrounds an external portion of the spindle. RF power is coupled to a radial RF connection rod extending radially from the hollow cylinder. DC power is coupled to another radial DC connection rod extending radially from the hollow cylinder. | 04-22-2010 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120219841 | LITHIUM ION CELL DESIGN APPARATUS AND METHOD - A spray module for depositing an electro-active material over a flexible conductive substrate is provided. The spray module comprises a first heated roller for heating and transferring the flexible conductive substrate, a second heated roller for heating and transferring the flexible conductive substrate, a first spray dispenser positioned adjacent to the first heated roller for depositing electro-active material onto the flexible conductive substrate as the flexible conductive substrate is heated by the first heated roller, and a second spray dispenser positioned adjacent to the second heated roller for depositing electro-active material over the flexible conductive substrate as the flexible conductive substrate is heated by the second heated roller. | 08-30-2012 |
20130017340 | METHODS TO FABRICATE VARIATIONS IN POROSITY OF LITHIUM ION BATTERY ELECTRODE FILMS - A method and apparatus for forming lithium-ion batteries and battery cell components, and more specifically, to a system and method for fabricating such batteries and battery cell components using deposition processes that form three-dimensional porous structures are provided. One method comprises texturing a conductive substrate by calendering the conductive substrate between opposing wire mesh structures, forming a first layer of cathodically active material having a first porosity on the surface of the textured conductive substrate, and forming a second layer of cathodically active material having a second porosity on the first layer, wherein the second porosity is greater than the first porosity. | 01-17-2013 |
20130032085 | PLASMA ASSISTED HVPE CHAMBER DESIGN - Embodiments of the invention disclosed herein generally relate to a hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) deposition chamber that utilizes a plasma generation apparatus to form an activated precursor gas that is used to rapidly form a high quality compound nitride layer on a surface of a substrate. In one embodiment, the plasma generation apparatus is used to create a desirable group-III metal halide precursor gas that can enhance the deposition reaction kinetics, and thus reduce the processing time and improve the film quality of a formed group-III metal nitride layer. In addition, the chamber may be equipped with a separate nitrogen containing precursor activated species generator to enhance the activity of the delivered nitrogen precursor gases. | 02-07-2013 |
20130087093 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HVPE PROCESSING USING A PLASMA - Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) apparatus that utilizes a high temperature gas distribution device and plasma generation to form an activated precursor gas used to rapidly form a high quality compound nitride layer on a surface of a substrate. In one embodiment, plasma is formed from a nitrogen containing precursor within a gas distribution device prior to injection into a processing region of the HVPE apparatus. In another embodiment, plasma is formed from a nitrogen containing precursor within the processing region by using the gas distribution device as an electrode for forming the plasma in the processing region. In each embodiment, a second precursor gas may be separately introduced into the processing region of the HVPE apparatus through the gas distribution device without mixing with the nitrogen containing precursor prior to entering the processing region. | 04-11-2013 |
20130192629 | SUBSTRATE CLEANING CHAMBER AND CLEANING AND CONDITIONING METHODS - A substrate cleaning chamber includes a contoured ceiling electrode having an arcuate surface that faces a substrate support and has a variable cross-sectional thickness to vary the gap size between the arcuate surface and the substrate support to provide a varying plasma density across the substrate support. A dielectric ring for the cleaning chamber comprises a base, a ridge, and a radially inward ledge that covers the peripheral lip of the substrate support. A base shield comprises a circular disc having at least one perimeter wall. Cleaning and conditioning processes for the cleaning chamber are also described. | 08-01-2013 |