Ian G Brown, 4951 Surrey St, San Francisco, CA 94131

6465780, Oct 15, 2002

Mar 31, 2000

09/540679

Andre Anders - Albany CA
Robert A. MacGill - Richmond CA
Marcela M. M. Bilek - Engadine, AU
Ian G. Brown - Berkeley CA

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

B01D 5944

250298, 3151117

Cathodic arc plasmas are contaminated with macroparticles. A variety of magnetic plasma filters has been used with various success in removing the macroparticles from the plasma. An open-architecture, bent solenoid filter, with additional field coils at the filter entrance and exit, improves macroparticle filtering. In particular, a double-bent filter that is twisted out of plane forms a very compact and efficient filter. The coil turns further have a flat cross-section to promote macroparticle reflection out of the filter volume. An output conditioning system formed of an expander coil, a straightener coil, and a homogenizer, may be used with the magnetic filter for expanding the filtered plasma beam to cover a larger area of the target. A cathodic arc plasma deposition system using this filter can be used for the deposition of ultrathin amorphous hard carbon (a-C) films for the magnetic storage industry.

2004021, Nov 4, 2004

Mar 24, 2004

10/809269

Ian Brown - Berkeley CA, US
Eleanor Blakely - Oakland CA, US
Othon Monteiro - Oakland CA, US
James Galvin - Emeryville CA, US
Kathleen Bjornstad - Oakland CA, US

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

C12N005/08
H01L035/24

424/423000, 435/368000, 257/040000

Neuroelectronic devices are disclosed which use charge-coupled detector array devices to stimulate, monitor and record neural network activity and response. The method and apparatus described herein uses vacuum-arc-plasma based methods of surface modification as a tool for forming large patterned neuronal arrays on substrates. The basic device features a charge coupled detector device array (CCD) having a thin protective film over the CCD, a thin patterned film to promote neuron growth, and an insulator. Methods for stimulating and monitoring stimulated and spontaneous electrical activity in individual neurons of the array can be carried out by the apparatus described.

5851475, Dec 22, 1998

Jun 21, 1996

8/667502

Kyriakos Komvopoulos - Orinda CA
Ian G. Brown - Berkeley CA
Bo Wei - Daly City CA
Simone Anders - Albany CA
Andre Anders - Albany CA
C. Singh Bhatia - Morgan Hill CA

Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA
IBM - San Jose CA

B29C 7100

264430

A process for producing an article with improved ceramic surface properties including providing an article having a ceramic surface, and placing the article onto a conductive substrate holder in a hermetic enclosure. Thereafter a low pressure ambient is provided in the hermetic enclosure. A plasma including ions of solid materials is produced the ceramic surface of the article being at least partially immersed in a macroparticle free region of the plasma. While the article is immersed in the macroparticle free region, a bias of the substrate holder is biased between a low voltage at which material from the plasma condenses on the surface of the article and a high negative voltage at which ions from the plasma are implanted into the article.

5841236, Nov 24, 1998

Sep 14, 1994

8/326667

Ian G. Brown - Berkeley CA
Robert A. MacGill - Richmond CA
James E. Galvin - Emmeryville CA
David F. Ogletree - El Cerrito CA
Miquel Salmeron - El Cerrito CA

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

H01J 724

31511141

A miniature (dime-size in cross-section) vapor vacuum arc plasma gun is described for use in an apparatus to produce thin films. Any conductive material can be layered as a film on virtually any substrate. Because the entire apparatus can easily be contained in a small vacuum chamber, multiple dissimilar layers can be applied without risk of additional contamination. The invention has special applications in semiconductor manufacturing.

4952843, Aug 28, 1990

Mar 8, 1989

7/320475

Ian G. Brown - Berkeley CA
Robert A. MacGill - Richmond CA
James E. Galvin - Emeryville CA

H01J 724
H05B 3126

31511181

An ion source utilizing a cathode and anode for producing an electric arc therebetween. The arc is sufficient to vaporize a portion of the cathode to form a plasma. The plasma leaves the generation region and expands through another regon. The density profile of the plasma may be flattened using a magnetic field formed within a vacuum chamber. Ions are extracted from the plasma to produce a high current broad on beam.

4785220, Nov 15, 1988

Mar 13, 1987

7/025335

Ian G. Brown - Berkeley CA
Robert A. MacGill - Richmond CA

H01J 2904

31511181

An ion generating apparatus utilizing a vacuum chamber, a cathode and an anode in the chamber. A source of electrical power produces an arc or discharge between the cathode and anode. The arc is sufficient to vaporize a portion of the cathode to form a plasma. The plasma is directed to an extractor which separates the electrons from the plasma, and accelerates the ions to produce an ion beam. One embodiment of the appaatus utilizes a multi-cathode arrangement for interaction with the anode.

5827580, Oct 27, 1998

Mar 27, 1996

8/625270

Simone Anders - Albany CA
Andre Anders - Albany CA
Ian G. Brown - Berkeley CA
Frank R. McLarnon - Orinda CA
Fanping Kong - Berkeley CA

Regents of The University of California - Oakland CA

H01T 1400

427580

A low temperature process is disclosed for forming metal suboxides on substrates by cathodic arc deposition by either controlling the pressure of the oxygen present in the deposition chamber, or by controlling the density of the metal flux, or by a combination of such adjustments, to thereby control the ratio of oxide to metal in the deposited metal suboxide coating. The density of the metal flux may, in turn, be adjusted by controlling the discharge current of the arc, by adjusting the pulse length (duration of on cycle) of the arc, and by adjusting the frequency of the arc, or any combination of these parameters. In a preferred embodiment, a low temperature process is disclosed for forming an electrically conductive metal suboxide, such as, for example, an electrically conductive suboxide of titanium, on an electrode surface, such as the surface of a nickel oxide electrode, by such cathodic arc deposition and control of the deposition parameters. In the preferred embodiment, the process results in a titanium suboxide-coated nickel oxide electrode exhibiting reduced parasitic evolution of oxygen during charging of a cell made using such an electrode as the positive electrode, as well as exhibiting high oxygen overpotential, resulting in suppression of oxygen evolution at the electrode at full charge of the cell.

5838522, Nov 17, 1998

Feb 3, 1997

8/794672

Kyriakos Komvopoulos - Orinda CA
Ian G. Brown - Berkeley CA
Bo Wei - Albany CA
Simone Anders - Albany CA
Andre Anders - Albany CA
C. Singh Bhatia - Morgan Hill CA

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

G11B 5187

360122

Surface modification of magnetic recording heads using plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition is disclosed. This method may be carried out using a vacuum arc deposition system with a metallic or carbon cathode. By operating a plasma gun in a long-pulse mode and biasing the substrate holder with short pulses of a high negative voltage, direct ion implantation, recoil implantation, and surface deposition are combined to modify the near-surface regions of the head or substrate in processing times which may be less than 5 min. The modified regions are atomically mixed into the substrate. This surface modification improves the surface smoothness and hardness and enhances the tribological characteristics under conditions of contact-start-stop and continuous sliding. These results are obtained while maintaining original tolerances.