US4520039A
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US
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Compositionally varied materials and method for synthesizing the materials
Assignee: Sovonics Solar Systems
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Filing: 1982-09-23
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Granted: 1985-05-28
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Expires: 2002-09-23
Abstract
Abstract Designed tailormade nonequilibrium synthetic disordered materials are provided containing nonperiodically distributed local environments whose position and type are controlled to obtain specific properties which can be coupled or decoupled one from another and collectively from the constraints implied by an ordered structure. Atoms or groups of atoms can be placed in the matrix in specific designed positions to compensate the spins to obtain unusual physical and chemical properties. The compositional variation which produces the required nonequilibrium "multi-disordered" materials is accomplished by selectively depositing desired atoms and groups of atoms into designed locations to permit the construction of a true three-dimensionally engineered material. Where order is an engineering need, it can be designed in a local scale or interspersed in varying amounts including layers through the material to create new material functions.
Inventors
- 👤 Stanford R. Ovshinsky
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:32
CPC Classifications
C; C30; C30B; C30B23/00; C30B23/02; C30B23/04; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/02; C23C14/04; C23C28/00; C30B23/002; C30B29/00; C30B29/10; C30B29/52
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 63
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of designing a compositionally varied material comprising: forming a matrix from at least a first type of atom having at least one physical property, designing a spatial pattern in said matrix, incuding at least a second type of atom or atoms or groups of said second type of atom or atoms at predetermined locations in said spatial pattern to form the material, forming nonequilibrium disordered local environments with at least some of said second type of atom or atoms or groups thereof and coupling or decoupling at least a second physical property of said second type of atom or atoms and said locations with said matrix physical property to produce one or more functions of said material.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of designing a compositionally varied material comprising: forming a matrix from at least a first type of atom having at least one physical property, designing a spatial pattern in said matrix, incuding at least a second type of atom or atoms or groups of said second type of atom or atoms at predetermined locations in said spatial pattern to form the material, forming nonequilibrium disordered local environments with at least some of said second type of atom or atoms or groups thereof and coupling or decoupling at least a second physical property of said second type of atom or atoms and said locations with said matrix physical property to produce one or more functions of said material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 including: forming said matrix in a periodic repeating spatial pattern and placing said second type of atom or groups of atoms in said matrix in nonperiodic locations.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 including: forming said matrix in a periodic repeating spatial pattern and placing said second type of atom or group of atoms in said matrix in periodic locations.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 including: forming said matrix in a periodic repeating spacial pattern and placing said disordered local environments in said matrix in nonperiodic locations.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 including: forming said matrix in a periodic repeating spatial pattern and placing said disordered local environments in said matrix in periodic locations.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 including: forming said matrix in a nonperiodic repeating spatial pattern and placing said second type of atom or groups of atoms in said matrix in nonperiodic locations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 including: forming said matrix in a nonperiodic repeating spatial pattern and placing said second type of atom or group of atoms in said matrix in periodic locations.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 including: forming said matrix in a nonperiodic repeating spatial pattern and placing said disordered local environments in said matrix in nonperiodic locations.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 including: forming said matrix in a nonperiodic repeating spatial pattern and placing said disordered local environments in said matrix in periodic locations.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 including: forming said matrix from at least a third type of atom and said first type of atom in a disordered atomic scale and in a periodic macroscopic scale.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 including: forming said matrix and said second type of atom or group of atoms in a disordered atomic scale and in a periodic macroscopic scale.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 including: forming said matrix from at least a third type of atom and said first type of atom in a periodic atomic scale and in a disordered macroscopic scale.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 including: forming said matrix and said second type of atom or group of atoms in a periodic atomic scale and in a disordered macroscopic scale.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 including: forming said second type of atom or group of atoms in a disordered atomic scale and in a periodic macroscopic scale throughout said matrix.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 including: placing the locations of said second type of atom or group of atoms within tunneling distance of one another.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 including: forming said second type of atom or group of atoms in different configurations in different locations throughout at least a portion of said matrix.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 including: freezing excited species of said second type of atom or group of atoms into at least some locations.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 including: directionally orienting local environments of said second type of atoms or groups of atoms in at least some locations different than in other locations.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 including: freezing free radicals of said second type of atom or groups of atoms into at least some locations.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 further including: forming at least a third type of atom or groups of atoms in said material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 including: forming said material homogeneous in two dimensions and nonhomogeneous in the third dimension.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 including: forming said material homogeneous in one dimension and nonhomogeneous in two dimensions.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 including: forming said material non-homogeneous in all three dimensions.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein: coupling or decoupling said properties include one or more electrical, optical, mechanical, magnetic or thermal functions.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
172 words
A method of designing a compositionally varied material comprising: forming a matrix from at least a first type of atom having at least one physical property and a second type of atom having at least a second physical property, said matrix including a plurality of layers of at least said first and second types of atom, designing a spatial pattern in said matrix, including at least a third type of atom or atoms or groups of said third type of atom or atoms at predetermined locations in said spatial pattern to form the material, said locations being at least in some of said plurality of layers or between succeeding ones of some of said plurality of layers, forming nonequilibrium disordered local environments with at least some of said third type of atom or atoms or groups thereof and coupling or decoupling at least a third physical property of said third type of atom or atoms and said locations with said matrix physical property to produce one or more functions of said material.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
172 words
A method of designing a compositionally varied material comprising: forming a matrix from at least a first type of atom having at least one physical property and a second type of atom having at least a second physical property, said matrix including a plurality of layers of at least said first and second types of atom, designing a spatial pattern in said matrix, including at least a third type of atom or atoms or groups of said third type of atom or atoms at predetermined locations in said spatial pattern to form the material, said locations being at least in some of said plurality of layers or between succeeding ones of some of said plurality of layers, forming nonequilibrium disordered local environments with at least some of said third type of atom or atoms or groups thereof and coupling or decoupling at least a third physical property of said third type of atom or atoms and said locations with said matrix physical property to produce one or more functions of said material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 25 including: forming said matrix in a periodic repeating spatial pattern and placing said third type of atom or groups of atoms in said matrix in nonperiodic locations.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 25 including: forming said matrix in a periodic repeating spatial pattern and placing said third type of atom or group of atoms in said matrix in periodic locations.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 25 including: forming said matrix in a periodic repeating spacial pattern and placing said disordered local environments in said matrix in nonperiodic locations.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 25 including: forming said matrix in a periodic repeating spatial pattern and placing said disordered local environments in said matrix in periodic locations.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 25 including: forming said matrix in a nonperiodic repeating spatial pattern and placing said third type of atom or groups of atoms in said matrix in nonperiodic locations.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 25 including: forming said matrix in a nonperiodic repeating spatial pattern and placing said third type of atom or group of atoms in said matrix in periodic locations.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 25 including: forming said matrix in a nonperiodic repeating spatial pattern and placing said disordered local environments in said matrix in nonperiodic locations.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 25 including: forming said matrix in a nonperiodic repeating spatial pattern and placing said disordered local environments in said matrix in periodic locations.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 25 including: forming said matrix in a disordered atomic scale and in a periodic macroscopic scale.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 25 including: forming said matrix and said third type of atom or group of atoms in a disordered atomic scale and in a periodic macroscopic scale.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 25 including: forming said matrix in a periodic atomic scale and in a disordered macroscopic scale.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 25 including: forming said matrix and said third type of atom or group of atoms in a periodic atomic scale and in a disordered macroscopic scale.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 25 including: forming said third type of atom or group of atoms in a disordered atomic scale and in a periodic macroscopic scale throughout said matrix.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 25 including: placing the locations of said third type of atom or group of atoms within tunneling distance of one another.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 25 including: forming said third type of atom or group of atoms in different configurations in different locations throughout at least a portion of said matrix.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 25 including: freezing excited species of said third type of atom or group of atoms into at least some locations.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 25 including: directionally orienting local environments of said third type of atoms or groups of atoms in at least some locations different than in other locations.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 25 including: freezing free radicals of said third type of atom or groups of atoms into at least some locations.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 25 including: forming said material homogeneous in two dimensions and nonhomogeneous in the third dimension.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 25 including: forming said material homogeneous in one dimension and nonhomogeneous in two dimensions.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 25 including: forming said material non-homogeneous in all three dimensions.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 25 wherein: coupling or decoupling said properties include one or more electrical, optical, mechanical, magnetic or thermal functions.
Claim 50
Independent Claim
160 words
A method of designing a compositionally varied material comprising: forming a matrix from at least a first type of atom having at least one physical property, said matrix including a plurality of layers of at least said first type of atom, designing a spatial pattern in said matrix, including at least a second and a third type of atom interleaved in a plurality of layers of at least said second type of atom and a plurality of layers of at least said third type of atom at predetermined locations in said spatial pattern to form the material, forming nonequilibrium disordered local environments with at least some of said second or third type of atoms and coupling or decoupling at least a second physical property of said second type of atom or at least a third physical property of said third type of atom and said locations with said matrix physical property to produce one or more functions of said material.
Claim 51
Independent Claim
160 words
A method of designing a compositionally varied material comprising: forming a matrix from at least a first type of atom having at least one physical property, said matrix including a plurality of layers of at least said first type of atom, designing a spatial pattern in said matrix, including at least a second and a third type of atom interleaved in a plurality of layers of at least said second type of atom and a plurality of layers of at least said third type of atom at predetermined locations in said spatial pattern to form the material, forming nonequilibrium disordered local environments with at least some of said second or third type of atoms and coupling or decoupling at least a second physical property of said second type of atom or at least a third physical property of said third type of atom and said locations with said matrix physical property to produce one or more functions of said material.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 48 including: forming said different atomic layers in a non-periodic spacing pattern.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 48 including: forming said matrix with at least three different compositional type layers and repeating said layers in a predetermined order.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 48 including: forming at least some non-epitaxial crystalline layers.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 48 including: forming at least a first set of polycrystalline layers interleaved with a least a second set of crystalline layers.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 48 including: forming at least a first set of polycrystalline layers interleaved with at least a second set of polycrystalline layers.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 48 including: forming at least a first set of polycrystalline layers interleaved with at least a second set of amorphous layers.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 48 including: forming at least a first set of crystalline layers interleaved with at least a second set of amorphous layers.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 48 including: forming at least a first set of amorphous layers interleaved with at least a second set of amorphous layers.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 48 including: spacing said layers to form a electronically homogeneous material with at least one other physical property being coupled or decoupled from said electronic property.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 48 including: forming said layers in a disordered atomic scale and in a periodic macroscopic scale.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 48 including: forming said layers in a periodic atomic scale and a disordered macroscopic scale.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 48 including: forming said layers of said third type of atom with at least a fourth type of atom or group of atoms designed into at least some of the layers.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-05-27 | 1988-11-26 | 1989-05-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-05-27 | 1992-11-26 | 1993-05-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-05-27 | 1996-11-26 | 1997-05-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |