Mark Alan Ray

US Patent:

7615931, Nov 10, 2009

Filed:

May 2, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/120153

Inventors:

William McClure Hooke - Chapel Hill NC, US
Allen Richard Martin - Sanford NC, US
Mark Alan Ray - Raleigh NC, US
Gary Elder McGuire - Chapel Hill NC, US

Assignee:

International Technology Center - Raleigh NC

International Classification:

H05B 31/26

US Classification:

31511121, 315291, 118723 E, 42218603, 427569, 204156

Abstract:

A dielectric barrier plasma discharge device consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention has a pair of electrodes spaced apart by an electrode gap. A dielectric is disposed between the electrodes. The electrode gap is provided with a gas at a specified pressure. A rapid rise time voltage pulse generator produces a voltage pulse across the electrodes to cause an extreme overvoltage condition, wherein the rapid rise time is less than a plasma generation time so that the extreme overvoltage condition occurs prior to current flow across the electrode gap. Due to the high voltages and high current densities, the product yields an extremely high instantaneous power density. This extreme overvoltage condition is also believed to lead to production of shock waves and runaway free electrons. The resulting plasma can be utilized to carry out many potential tasks including, but not limited to etching, deposition, and sterilization. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

US Patent:

7615933, Nov 10, 2009

Filed:

Oct 30, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/980034

Inventors:

William McClure Hooke - Chapel Hill NC, US
Allen Richard Martin - Sanford NC, US
Mark Alan Ray - Raleigh NC, US

Assignee:

International Technology Center - Raleigh NC

International Classification:

H05B 37/02

US Classification:

315209R, 315224, 315291, 315307

Abstract:

A method of generating a fast-rise time voltage step to produce an overvoltage condition for a dielectric barrier plasma discharge involves providing a pair of electrodes spaced apart by an electrode gap and at least one dielectric disposed in the gap; generating fast-rise time voltage step such that the rise time to achieve said overvoltage condition is equal to or less than the time required to generate the plasma thereby establishing the overvoltage condition prior to current flow across said electrode gap. Power from storage capacitor banks discharge into the electrode gap through a switch. The switch is capable of standing-off voltage sufficient to create the overvoltage condition when the switch is open. The discharge current pulse across the said electrode gap is terminated by charging properties of the said dielectric(s) in the said electrode gap. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

US Patent:

8084947, Dec 27, 2011

Filed:

Sep 24, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/586597

Inventors:

William McClure Hooke - Chapel Hill NC, US
Allen Richard Martin - Hingham MA, US
Mark Alan Ray - Raleigh NC, US
Gary Elder McGuire - Chapel Hill NC, US
Brian Douglas Schultz - Raleigh NC, US

Assignee:

International Technology Center - Raleigh NC

International Classification:

H05B 31/26

US Classification:

31511121, 315291, 118723 E, 204156

Abstract:

A method of generating a glow discharge plasma involves providing a pair of electrodes spaced apart by an electrode gap, and having a dielectric disposed in the electrode gap between the electrodes; placing the electrodes within an environment, wherein the electrode gap can be provided with a gas or gas mixture containing carbon at a specified pressure; and applying a rapid rise time voltage pulse across the electrodes to cause an extreme overvoltage condition, wherein the rapid rise time is less than a plasma generation time so that the extreme overvoltage condition occurs prior to current flow across the electrode gap. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

US Patent:

8344627, Jan 1, 2013

Filed:

Dec 19, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/329565

Inventors:

William McClure Hooke - Chapel Hill NC, US
Allen Richard Martin - Hingham MA, US
Gary Elder McGuire - Chapel Hill NC, US
Mark Alan Ray - Raleigh NC, US

Assignee:

International Technology Center - Raleigh NC

International Classification:

H05B 31/26

US Classification:

31511121, 315291, 118723 E, 204156

Abstract:

A method of generating a glow discharge plasma involves providing a pair of electrodes spaced apart by an electrode gap, and having a dielectric disposed in the electrode gap between the electrodes; placing the electrodes within an environment, wherein the electrode gap can be provided with a gas or gas mixture containing carbon at a specified pressure; and applying a rapid rise time voltage pulse across the electrodes to cause an extreme overvoltage condition, wherein the rapid rise time is less than a plasma generation time so that the extreme overvoltage condition occurs prior to current flow across the electrode gap. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

US Patent:

58584714, Jan 12, 1999

Filed:

Oct 3, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/724967

Inventors:

Mark A. Ray - Cary NC
Gary E. McGuire - Chapel Hill NC

Assignee:

Genus, Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

International Classification:

C23C 1400
C23C 1404
C23C 1414
H05H 102

US Classification:

427524

Abstract:

A deposition process provides selective areal deposition on a substrate surface having separate areas of different materials comprises forming a plasma over the substrate, injecting coating species into the plasma by either of sputtering or gaseous injection, adding a reactive gas for altering surface binding energy at the coating surface, and biasing the substrate during deposition to bombard the substrate with ionic species from the plasma. Surface binding energy is altered, in the general case, differently for the separate areas, enhancing selectivity. Bias power is managed to exploit the alteration in surface binding energy. In the case of gaseous injection of the coating species, and in some cases of sputtering provision of the coating material, the temperature of the substrate surface is managed as well. In an alternative embodiment, selectivity is to phase of the coating material rather than to specific areas on the substrate, and a selected phase may be preferentially deposited on the substrate.