Patent US4537670A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4537670A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for making a stamping master for video disk replication
Assignee: Energy Conversion Devices Inc
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Filing: 1984-04-25
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Granted: 1985-08-27
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Expires: 2004-04-25
Abstract
Abstract There is disclosed a new and improved apparatus for making a stamping master for video disk replication wherein a film of material which is reversibly convertible between two stable states, one having a high electrical conductivity and the other having a low electrical conductivity, is deposited on a substrate while in one of the states. The material is then imaged with information in coded form by converting selected areas of the film to the other state in a predetermined pattern corresponding to the coded information. The conversion can be accomplished by light, electromagnetic energy or heat. At this stage, an intermediate subassembly, composed of the imaged film on the substrate, is formed which can be read for accuracy by detecting the state of the selectively converted areas with respect to the rest of the film. Corrections can be made by converting the state of selected areas of the film as required. A metal, such as nickel, is then electroplated onto the areas of the film which are in the high conductivity state. The plating is continued until the nickel spans the areas of the film on which it did not directly plate. In this way a continuous backing layer which is integral with the plated nickel is formed. The nickel is then separated from the imaged material to provide a first stamping master which is used to form a second stamping master of opposite polarity to the first, preferably by a similar plating onto the first master. The second stamping master is used directly for video disk replication.
Inventors
- 👤 David A. Strand
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 19:42
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B23/00; G11B23/0057; G11B7/00; G11B7/24; G11B7/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
An apparatus for making a stamping master to facilitate video disk replication comprising: (a) thin film deposition means for depositing a thin film of material over a substrate, said material being reversibly convertible at least twice between a first state and a second state, said means depositing said film in one of said states; (b) converting means for converting selected areas of said film from one of said states to the other said state in a predetermined pattern; (c) means for depositing at least one additional material onto at least a portion of the areas of said film corresponding to one of said states; (d) means for forming a continuous backing layer over at least part of said additional material; and (e) means for separating said backing layer and said additional material from said film, said backing layer and said additional material forming a first stamping master.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
147 words
An apparatus for making a stamping master to facilitate video disk replication comprising: (a) thin film deposition means for depositing a thin film of material over a substrate, said material being reversibly convertible at least twice between a first state and a second state, said means depositing said film in one of said states; (b) converting means for converting selected areas of said film from one of said states to the other said state in a predetermined pattern; (c) means for depositing at least one additional material onto at least a portion of the areas of said film corresponding to one of said states; (d) means for forming a continuous backing layer over at least part of said additional material; and (e) means for separating said backing layer and said additional material from said film, said backing layer and said additional material forming a first stamping master.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first state of said film is a state of high electrical conductivity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said second state of said film is a state of low electrical conductivity.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said thin film deposition means include means for depositing said film in said high electrical conductivity state.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for converting selected areas of said film from one of said states to the other said state are adapted to convert said selected areas from said high electrical conductivity state to a low electrical conductivity state.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said means for depositing said additional material are adapted to deposit said additional material only onto at least a portion of said areas of high conductivity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said thin film deposition means include means for depositing said thin film in said low electrical conductivity state.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said thin film deposition means include means for depositing said thin film in an amorphous state.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 8 further comprising means for converting said deposited amorphous film in bulk to a crystalline state.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said means for converting said selected areas of said film from said first state to said second state include means for converting said selected areas from said crystalline state to said amorphous state.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said means for deposition of said additional material are adapted to deposit said additional material only onto at least a portion of said areas in said crystalline state.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 7 further comprising means for converting said deposited low electrical conductivity film in bulk to a high electrical conductivity state.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said means for converting said selected areas of said film from said first state to said second state include means for converting said selected areas from said high conductivity state to said low conductivity state.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said means for deposition of said additional material are adapted to deposit said additional material only onto at least a portion of said areas of high conductivity.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said high conductivity state of said thin film is approximately four orders of magnitude greater than said low conductivity state.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said thin film deposition means are adapted to deposit said film to a thickness of from about 300 Å to about 3000 Å.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for converting selected areas of said film from one of said states to the other said state further comprises means for applying electromagnetic energy to said film in said predetermined pattern.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for converting said selected areas of said film from said first state to said second state include means for converting micro-sized areas to said second state.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for depositing said additional material include means for electroplating.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said backing layer forming means are adapted to continue the deposition of said additional material until said deposited additional material forms said continuous layer over those areas of said film on which said additional material is not deposited.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising means for forming a reversed duplicate from said first stamping master to provide a second stamping master of opposite polarity.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
82 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein said means for forming said duplicate of opposite polarity further comprise: (a) means for depositing further material onto said additional material of said first stamping master; (b) means for forming a continuous support layer over at least part of said further material; and (c) means for separating said further material and said continuous support layer from said first stamping master to form said reversed duplicate to provide said second stamping master of opposite polarity.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 22 wherein said further material includes a metallic material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 23 wherein said metallic material includes nickel.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 22 wherein said means for depositing said further material onto said additional material of said first stamping master are adapted to deposit said further material only onto at least a portion of said additional material of said first stamping master.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 25 wherein said means for depositing said further material are adapted to deposit said further material only onto that portion of said additional material of said first stamping master which corresponds to said selected areas of said thin film in one of said states.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 22 wherein said means for forming said continuous support layer are adapted to continue the deposition of said further material until said deposited further material forms said continuous support layer over those areas of said first stamping master which correspond to those areas on said thin film on which said additional material was not deposited.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said additional material includes a metallic material.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 28 wherein said metallic material includes nickel.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said substrate further comprises glass.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said glass substrate includes a surface having a flatness of approximately one-half wave per inch.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising means for depositing a delaminating layer on said substrate.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 32 wherein said delaminating layer includes polyurethane.
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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) | 1988-08-26 | 1989-02-25 | 1989-08-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-08-26 | 1993-02-25 | 1993-08-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-08-26 | 1997-02-25 | 1997-08-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |