Patent US5989626A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5989626A
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Mixed oxide high index optical coating material and method
Assignee: Flex Products Inc
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Filing: 1997-06-23
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Granted: 1999-11-23
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Expires: 2017-06-23
Abstract
Abstract A composition of material of the formula MN x O y where M and N are metals selected from the group of elements consisting of Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Ac, Th, and U where O is oxygen and x and y have values such that the oxygen-to-metal ratio is less than 4 and the ratio of y/(1+x) is also less than 4, said material being in the form of a single oxide phase and having a crystal structure of a single type alone with no detectable crystal structure of a second type, said material being sub-stoichiometric.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul G. Coombs
- 👤 Russell E. DeLong
- 👤 Charlotte R. LeGallee
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:00
CPC Classifications
C; C04; C04B; C04B35/00; C04B35/01; C04B35/48; C04B35/49; C04B35/46; C04B35/462; C04B35/495; C04B35/50; C04B35/505
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
A composition of material of the formula MN x O y where M and N are metals selected from the group Sc, Y, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Ta, Ac, Th, and U, where O is oxygen and x and y have values such that the oxygen-to-metal ratio is less than 4 and the ratio of y/(1+x) is also less than 4, said material being in the form of a single oxide phase and having a crystal structure of a single type alone without significant crystal structure of a second type, said material being sub-stoichiometric.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
107 words
A composition of material of the formula MN x O y where M and N are metals selected from the group Sc, Y, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Ta, Ac, Th, and U, where O is oxygen and x and y have values such that the oxygen-to-metal ratio is less than 4 and the ratio of y/(1+x) is also less than 4, said material being in the form of a single oxide phase and having a crystal structure of a single type alone without significant crystal structure of a second type, said material being sub-stoichiometric.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A material as in claim 1 wherein M is Zr and N is Ti and wherein the material has a crystal structure of the type of cubic zirconia with no significant structure of type ZrTiO 4 .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A material as in claim 2 wherein x is 1 and y is greater than 0 and less than 3.9.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
107 words
A composition of material of the formula MN x O y where M and N are metals selected from the group Sc, Y, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Ac, Th and U and where O is oxygen and x and y have values such that the oxygen-to-metal ratio is less than 4 and the ratio of y/(1+x) is also less than 4, said material being in the form of a single oxide phase and having a crystal structure of a single type alone without significant crystal structure of a second type, said material being sub-stoichiometric.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
107 words
A composition of material of the formula MN x O y where M and N are metals selected from the group Sc, Y, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Ac, Th and U and where O is oxygen and x and y have values such that the oxygen-to-metal ratio is less than 4 and the ratio of y/(1+x) is also less than 4, said material being in the form of a single oxide phase and having a crystal structure of a single type alone without significant crystal structure of a second type, said material being sub-stoichiometric.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
108 words
A composition of material of the formula MN x O y where M and N are metals selected from the group Sc, Y, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Ac, Th and U and whre O is oxygen and x and y have values such that the the oxygen-to-metal is less than 4 and the ratio of y/(1+x) is also less than 4, said material being in the form of a single oxide phase and having a crystal structure of a single type alone without significant crystal structure of a second type, said material being sub-stoichiometric.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
108 words
A composition of material of the formula MN x O y where M and N are metals selected from the group Sc, Y, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Ac, Th and U and whre O is oxygen and x and y have values such that the the oxygen-to-metal is less than 4 and the ratio of y/(1+x) is also less than 4, said material being in the form of a single oxide phase and having a crystal structure of a single type alone without significant crystal structure of a second type, said material being sub-stoichiometric.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
109 words
A composition of material of the formula MN x O y where M and N are metals selected from the group Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Ac, Th and U and whre O is oxygen and x and y have values such that the the oxygen-to-metal is less than 4 and the ratio of y/(1+x) is also less than 4, said material being in the form of a single oxide phase and having a crystal structure of a single type alone without significant crystal structure of a second type, said material being sub-stoichiometric.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
109 words
A composition of material of the formula MN x O y where M and N are metals selected from the group Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Ac, Th and U and whre O is oxygen and x and y have values such that the the oxygen-to-metal is less than 4 and the ratio of y/(1+x) is also less than 4, said material being in the form of a single oxide phase and having a crystal structure of a single type alone without significant crystal structure of a second type, said material being sub-stoichiometric.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
A material as in claim 6 wherein M is La and N is Zr.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
A material as in claim 6 wherein M is La and N is Hf.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
104 words
A composition of material of the formula LM x N z O y where L, M and N are metals selected from the group Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Ac, Th and U and where O is oxygen and x, z and y have values such that the oxygen-to-metal ratio is less than 4 and the ratio of y/(1+x+z) is also less than 4, said material having a crystal structure of a single oxide phase alone without significant crystal structure of a second type, said material being sub-stoichiometric.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
104 words
A composition of material of the formula LM x N z O y where L, M and N are metals selected from the group Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Ac, Th and U and where O is oxygen and x, z and y have values such that the oxygen-to-metal ratio is less than 4 and the ratio of y/(1+x+z) is also less than 4, said material having a crystal structure of a single oxide phase alone without significant crystal structure of a second type, said material being sub-stoichiometric.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A material as in claims 1, 4, 5, 6 or 9 which is suitable for use in the manufacture of optical thin film coatings.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
77 words
A method for producing an optical coating on a surface of a substrate comprising taking powders from at least two metals/metal oxides and mixing the same to provide a homogenous mixture, pressing the homogenous mixture of powders into tablets, melting the tablets, forming the melted tablets into ingots, crushing the ingots into granules and evaporating the granules in the presence of oxygen to yield a stoichiometric material in the form of an optical coating on the substrate.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
77 words
A method for producing an optical coating on a surface of a substrate comprising taking powders from at least two metals/metal oxides and mixing the same to provide a homogenous mixture, pressing the homogenous mixture of powders into tablets, melting the tablets, forming the melted tablets into ingots, crushing the ingots into granules and evaporating the granules in the presence of oxygen to yield a stoichiometric material in the form of an optical coating on the substrate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as in claim 11 wherein the step of taking powders consists of taking powders from three metals/metal oxides.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as in claim 11 wherein the evaporating step is performed by electron beam evaporation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as in claim 11 wherein the evaporating step is performed by thermal evaporation.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as in claim 11 wherein the metals/metal oxides for the powders are selected from the group consisting of the elements, Sc, Y, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Ac, Th and U and their respective oxides.
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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) | 2002-11-22 | 2003-05-24 | 2003-11-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-11-22 | 2007-05-24 | 2007-11-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-11-22 | 2011-05-24 | 2011-11-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |