Apparatus and method of delivering a focused beam of a thermodynamically stable/metastable mixture of a functional material in a dense fluid onto a receiver

US6471327B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY · US

Inventors

• Ramesh Jagannathan · Rochester, US
• Glen Irvin · Rochester, US
• Seshadri Jagannathan · Rochester, US
• Sridhar Sadasivan · Rochester, US
• Suresh Sunderrajan · Rochester, US
• John E. Rueping · Spencerport, US
• Gary Edward Merz · Rochester, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 27, 2001
• Grant date: Oct 29, 2002
• Expiry date: Feb 27, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S977/773
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

An apparatus and method of focusing a functional material is provided. The apparatus includes a pressurized source of fluid in a thermodynamically stable mixture with a functional material. A discharge device having an inlet and an outlet is connected to the pressurized source at the inlet. The discharge device is shaped to produce a collimated beam of functional material, where the fluid is in a gaseous state at a location before or beyond the outlet of the discharge device. The fluid can be one of a compressed liquid and a supercritical fluid. The thermodynamically stable mixture includes one of the functional material being dispersed in the fluid and the functional material being dissolved in the fluid.