Patent US4569719A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4569719A
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Glow discharge method and apparatus and photoreceptor devices made therewith
Assignee: PLASMA PHYSICS Corp P O BOX 548 LOCUST VALLEY NY 11560
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Filing: 1984-08-02
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Granted: 1986-02-11
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Expires: 2004-08-02
Abstract
Abstract Glow discharge method and apparatus useful for coating electrophotographic photoreceptors in the form of drums and plates are described. Improved photoreceptors using amorphous silicon which accepts a high surface voltage in the dark and discharges to a low residual voltage under illumination are also described.
Inventors
- 👤 John H. Coleman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 22:36
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/50; G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/13; G02F1/133; G02F1/135; G03; G03G; G03G5/00; G03G5/02; G03G5/04; G03G5/08; G03G5/082; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S156/00; Y10S156/913
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
Apparatus for producing a semiconductor film on the surface of a substrate comprising an evacuable enclosure, means for evacuating said enclosure, means for introducing into the evacuated enclosure a gaseous semiconductor film forming material at subatmospheric pressure in the region of said substrate, counter-electrode means disposed within said enclosure in the region of said substrate, a source of electrical potential for providing an electric field between said counter electrode means and said substrate, means for controlling the pressure of said gaseous semiconductor film forming material so as to maintain a glow discharge in the region of said substrate, and means for heating said counter-electrode means so as to increase the conductivity of said semiconductor material so as to increase the uniformity of the glow discharge so as to produce a substantially uniform semiconductor film on the surface of said substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
Apparatus for producing a semiconductor film on the surface of a substrate comprising an evacuable enclosure, means for evacuating said enclosure, means for introducing into the evacuated enclosure a gaseous semiconductor film forming material at subatmospheric pressure in the region of said substrate, counter-electrode means disposed within said enclosure in the region of said substrate, a source of electrical potential for providing an electric field between said counter electrode means and said substrate, means for controlling the pressure of said gaseous semiconductor film forming material so as to maintain a glow discharge in the region of said substrate, and means for heating said counter-electrode means so as to increase the conductivity of said semiconductor material so as to increase the uniformity of the glow discharge so as to produce a substantially uniform semiconductor film on the surface of said substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus of the type described in claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises a cylinder, and further comprising means for rotating said cylindrical substrate about its axis so as to provide a uniform semiconductor coating on the surface of said cylindrical substrate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus of the type described in claim 2 wherein said counter-electrode means comprises a plurality of anode members, each of said anode members being individually ballasted.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus of the type described in claim 2 wherein said counter-electrode means comprises a second cylinder.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
121 words
Apparatus for producing a semiconductor film on the surfaces of articles comprising an evacuable enclosure, means for evacuating said enclosure, electrode means for holding within said enclosure a plurality of articles separated from each other by a distance, means for introducing into the evacuated enclosure a gaseous film forming material at subatmospheric pressure in the region of the articles, counter-electrode means for applying an electric field to a pair of the said articles within said enclosure, means for controlling the pressure to maintain the negative glow region of a glow discharge adjacent the surfaces of the articles, the distance separating the articles being sufficiently short that the negative glow regions interact to reduce the voltage required to maintain the glow discharge.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
121 words
Apparatus for producing a semiconductor film on the surfaces of articles comprising an evacuable enclosure, means for evacuating said enclosure, electrode means for holding within said enclosure a plurality of articles separated from each other by a distance, means for introducing into the evacuated enclosure a gaseous film forming material at subatmospheric pressure in the region of the articles, counter-electrode means for applying an electric field to a pair of the said articles within said enclosure, means for controlling the pressure to maintain the negative glow region of a glow discharge adjacent the surfaces of the articles, the distance separating the articles being sufficiently short that the negative glow regions interact to reduce the voltage required to maintain the glow discharge.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus of the type described in claim 5 wherein one of said articles comprises a cylindrical substrate and further comprising means for rotating said cylindrical substrate abou its axis so as to provide a uniform semiconducting coating on the surface of said cylindrical substrate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus of the type described in claim 5 wherein said articles are planar members.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein heating means maintains the temperature of said articles in a range to produce a high dark resistivity in said film.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus of the type described in claim 5 wherein said gaseous film forming material comprises silicon and hydrogen.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
103 words
The method of producing a film on a plurality of articles in an evacuable enclosure, which includes the steps of evacuating said enclosure, introducing a gaseout material at subatmospheric pressure in the region of said articles, applying an electric field between a counter electrode and a pair of said articles spaced apart by a separation, and controlling said pressure in relation to said separation to maintain negative glow region of a glow discharge adjacent the surfaces of said articles, the distance separating said articles being sufficiently short that the negative glow regions interact to reduce the voltage required to maintain the glow discharge.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
103 words
The method of producing a film on a plurality of articles in an evacuable enclosure, which includes the steps of evacuating said enclosure, introducing a gaseout material at subatmospheric pressure in the region of said articles, applying an electric field between a counter electrode and a pair of said articles spaced apart by a separation, and controlling said pressure in relation to said separation to maintain negative glow region of a glow discharge adjacent the surfaces of said articles, the distance separating said articles being sufficiently short that the negative glow regions interact to reduce the voltage required to maintain the glow discharge.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of heating the articles to be coated.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said gaseous film forming material comprises silicon and hydrogen.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
105 words
The method of etching a plurality of articles in an evacuable enclosure which includes the steps of evacuating said enclosure, introducing a gaseous material comprising a reaction gas at subatmospheric pressure in the region of said articles, applying an electric field between a counter electrode and a pair of said articles spaced apart by a separation, and controlling said pressure in relation to said separation to maintain the negative glow region of a glow discharge adjacent the surfaces of said articles, the distance separating said articles being sufficiently short that the negative glow regions interact to reduce the voltage required to maintain the glow discharge.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
105 words
The method of etching a plurality of articles in an evacuable enclosure which includes the steps of evacuating said enclosure, introducing a gaseous material comprising a reaction gas at subatmospheric pressure in the region of said articles, applying an electric field between a counter electrode and a pair of said articles spaced apart by a separation, and controlling said pressure in relation to said separation to maintain the negative glow region of a glow discharge adjacent the surfaces of said articles, the distance separating said articles being sufficiently short that the negative glow regions interact to reduce the voltage required to maintain the glow discharge.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said articles comprise silicon wafers.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
95 words
Apparatus for etching a plurality of articles comprising an evacuable enclosure, means for introducing into said enclosure gaseous material comprising a reactive gas at subatmospheric pressure in the region of said articles, counterelectrode means for applying an electric field to a pair of the said articles within said enclosure, means for controlling the pressure to maintain the negative glow region of a glow discharge adjacent the surfaces of the articles, the distance separating the articles being sufficiently short so that the negative glow regions interact to reduce the voltage required to maintain the glow discharge.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
95 words
Apparatus for etching a plurality of articles comprising an evacuable enclosure, means for introducing into said enclosure gaseous material comprising a reactive gas at subatmospheric pressure in the region of said articles, counterelectrode means for applying an electric field to a pair of the said articles within said enclosure, means for controlling the pressure to maintain the negative glow region of a glow discharge adjacent the surfaces of the articles, the distance separating the articles being sufficiently short so that the negative glow regions interact to reduce the voltage required to maintain the glow discharge.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said articles comprise silicon wafers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-02-10 | 1989-08-12 | 1990-02-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-02-10 | 1993-08-12 | 1994-02-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-02-10 | 1997-08-12 | 1998-02-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |