33780 results about "Surface layer" patented technology

An electrosurgical working end and method for obtaining a tissue sample for biopsy purposes, for example, from a patient's lung or a liver. The working end provides curved jaw members that are positioned on opposing sides of the targeted anatomic structure. The working end carries a slidable extension member that is laterally flexible with inner surfaced that slide over the jaw members to clamp tissue therebetween. As the extension member advances, the jaws compress the tissue just ahead of the advancing extension member to allow the laterally-outward portion of the extension member to ramp over the tissue while a cutting element contemporaneously cuts the tissue. By this means, the transected tissue margin is captured under high compression. The working end carries a bi-polar electrode arrangement that engages the just-transected medial tissue layers as well as surface layers to provides Rf current flow for tissue welding purposes that is described as a medial-to-surface bi-polar approach.

The present invention provides a surgical implant which can be made of a metal that corrodes while implanted in the tissue of a patient. The surgical implant can include a electrical insulator for reducing the conductivity of the implant. The surgical implant can be in the form of a staple, and insulator can be in the form of an anodized surface layer.

A universal, surgical prosthesis for hernia repair is provided in the form of a foldable sheet. The prosthesis includes a barrier layer formed of a material adapted to prevent biological adherence thereto, such as polytetrafluoroethylene, and a second surface layer formed of a material adapted to promote biological tissue adherence thereto, such as polypropylene. The second surface may be formed of a series of spaced projections. The prosthesis is adapted to be manipulated into an operative position to exhibit an appropriate exterior when in the operative position. In this manner, the universal, surgical prosthesis can be utilized for a wide range of surgical procedures.

The present invention provides a surgical implant which can be made of a metal that corrodes while implanted in tissue. The implant can include an electrical insulator, such as in the form of a film, coating, or surface layer, for reducing the conductivity of the implant. The surgical implant can include a electrical insulator for reducing the conductivity of the implant. By way of example, the surgical implant can be in the form of a staple, and insulator can be in the form of an anodized surface layer.

A medical treatment device to treat and join body tissues, includes at least a pair of holding members which is configured to hold the body tissues to be treated, an energy output portion provided in at least one of the pair of holding members and connected to an energy source to form a joined portion by supplying energy to the body tissues held by the pair of holding members to join the body tissues, and a discharge portion which is configured to discharge a substance to cover a surface layer of the joined portion of the body tissues with the substance which prevents infiltration of a fluid into the joined portion after the joined portion is formed.

Plasma-based atomic layer etching of materials may be of benefit to various semiconductor manufacturing and related technologies. For example, plasma-based atomic layer etching of materials may be beneficial for adding and / or removing angstrom thick layers from a surface in advanced semiconductor manufacturing and related technologies that increasingly demand atomistic surface engineering. A method may include depositing a controlled amount of a chemical precursor on an unmodified surface layer of a substrate to create a chemical precursor layer and a modified surface layer. The method may also include selectively removing a portion of the chemical precursor layer, a portion of the modified surface layer and a controlled portion of the substrate. Further, the controlled portion may be removed to a depth ranging from about 1 / 10 of an angstrom to about 1 nm. Additionally, the deposition and selective removal may be performed under a plasma environment.

An alkali aluminosilicate glass article, said alkali aluminosilicate glass having a surface compressive stress of at least about 200 MPa, a surface compressive layer having a depth of at least about 30 μm, a thickness of at least about 0.3 mm and an amphiphobic fluorine-based surface layer chemically bonded to the surface of the glass. In one embodiment the glass has an anti-reflective coating applied to one surface of the glass between the chemically strengthened surface of the glass and the amphiphobic coating. In another embodiment the surface of the chemically strengthened glass is acid treated using a selected acid (e.g., HCL, H2SO4, HClO4, acetic acid and other acids as described) prior to placement of the amphiphobic coating or the anti-reflective coating.

A time-temperature indicator label for measuring the length of time to which a product has been exposed to a temperature above a pre-determined temperature is provided. The period of time of exposure is integrated with the temperature to which the indicator is exposed. The label is a composite of a plurality of layers adapted to be adhered at its underside to a product container. The label includes a printable surface layer, a longitudinal wicking strip that is adhered underneath the surface layer substantially at the opposite extremities only of the wicking strip and a lower substrate layer forming an envelope with said surface layer. A heat-fusible substance, which melts and flows above a pre-determined temperature, is applied on the surface of the wicking strip contiguous to at least one of the ends of the wicking member. When the heat-fusible substance is exposed to a temperature above the pre-determined temperature, the heat-fusible substance flows along the length of the wicking member. The label has a printable surface layer and is sealed at its peripheral edge to the peripheral edge of the substrate layer. These layers encapsulate the wicking member and the heat-fusible substance. The surface layer is provided with a sight window at an intermediate location over the wicking member through which the progress of flow on the wicking member is observed.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: the first step of forming a gate electrode over a silicon substrate, with a gate insulating film; and the second step of digging down a surface layer of the silicon substrate by etching conducted with the gate electrode as a mask. The method of manufacturing the semiconductor device further includes the third step of epitaxially growing, on the surface of the dug-down portion of the silicon substrate, a mixed crystal layer including silicon and atoms different in lattice constant from silicon so that the mixed crystal layer contains an impurity with such a concentration gradient that the impurity concentration increases along the direction from the silicon substrate side toward the surface of the mixed crystal layer.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a silicon photodetector having a surface layer that is doped with sulfur inclusions with an average concentration in a range of about 0.5 atom percent to about 1.5 atom percent. The surface layer forms a diode junction with an underlying portion of the substrate. A plurality of electrical contacts allow application of a reverse bias voltage to the junction in order to facilitate generation of an electrical signal, e.g., a photocurrent, in response to irradiation of the surface layer. The photodetector exhibits a responsivity greater than about 1 A / W for incident wavelengths in a range of about 250 nm to about 1050 nm, and a responsivity greater than about 0.1 A / W for longer wavelengths, e.g., up to about 3.5 microns.

To provide a very-low-cost and short-TAT connection structure superior in connection reliability in accordance with a method for three-dimensionally connecting a plurality of semiconductor chips at a shortest wiring length by using a through-hole electrode in order to realize a compact, high-density, and high-function semiconductor system. The back of a semiconductor chip is decreased in thickness up to a predetermined thickness through back-grinding, a hole reaching a surface-layer electrode is formed at a back position corresponding to a device-side external electrode portion through dry etching, a metallic deposit is applied to the sidewall of the hole and the circumference of the back of the hole, a metallic bump (protruded electrode) of another semiconductor chip laminated on the upper side is deformation-injected into the through-hole by compression bonding, and the metallic bump is geometrically caulked and electrically connected to the inside of a through-hole formed in an LSI chip. It is possible to realize a unique connection structure having a high reliability in accordance with the caulking action using the plastic flow of a metallic bump in a very-low-cost short-TAT process and provide a three-dimensional inter-chip connection structure having a high practicability.

Floorboards for making a floating floor have a core ( 30 ) which comprises at least two layers of material (L 1, L 2 ), which are arranged at different distances from the surface layer ( 31 ), and which differ in respect of material properties or material composition. Semi manufactures for making such floorboards are also disclosed.

Disclosed are compositions and methods for alleviating the problem of reaction of lithium or other alkali or alkaline earth metals with incompatible processing and operating environments by creating a ionically conductive chemical protective layer on the lithium or other reactive metal surface. Such a chemically produced surface layer can protect lithium metal from reacting with oxygen, nitrogen or moisture in ambient atmosphere thereby allowing the lithium material to be handled outside of a controlled atmosphere, such as a dry room. Production processes involving lithium are thereby very considerably simplified. One example of such a process in the processing of lithium to form negative electrodes for lithium metal batteries.

A thin keypad including a top surface layer, a light guide layer, a capacitive sensing layer and a piezo layer provides for touch input, pressure input and haptic feedback.

The present invention provides methods of fabricating a radiation-absorbing semiconductor wafer by irradiating at least one surface location of a silicon substrate, e.g., an n-doped crystalline silicon, by a plurality of temporally short laser pulses, e.g., femtosecond pulses, while exposing that location to a substance, e.g., SF6, having an electron-donating constituent so as to generate a substantially disordered surface layer (i.e., a microstructured layer) that incorporates a concentration of that electron-donating constituent, e.g., sulfur. The substrate is also annealed at an elevated temperature and for a duration selected to enhance the charge carrier density in the surface layer. For example, the substrate can be annealed at a temperature in a range of about 700 K to about 900 K.

Implants and methods for augmentation, preferably by minimally invasive procedures and means, of body tissue, including in some embodiments repositioning of body tissue, for example, bone and, preferably vertebrae are described. The implant may comprise one or more chain linked bodies inserted into the interior of body tissue. As linked bodies are inserted into body tissue, they may fill a central portion thereof and for example in bone can push against the inner sides of the cortical exterior surface layer, for example the end plates of a vertebral body, thereby providing structural support and tending to restore the body tissue to its original or desired treatment height. A bone cement or other filler can be added to further augment and stabilize the body tissue. The preferred implant comprises a single flexible monolithic chain formed of allograft cortical bone having a plurality of substantially non-flexible bodies connected by substantially flexible links.

The present invention provides a decorative floor covering comprising a surface layer and a substrate layer underneath, wherein the surface layer comprises a polyethylene terephthalate film layer, and a method for preparing the same. Furthermore, the present invention provides a decorative floor covering comprising a surface layer and a substrate layer underneath, wherein a light weight back layer is further comprised under the substrate layer, and a method for preparing the same. A decorative floor covering of the present invention is a decorative floor covering which has superior surface heat resistance, printing sharpness and realism, and it can be installed conveniently since not only can non-foamed polyvinyl chloride resin be used as a substrate layer, but also the weight of a floor covering is light when a light weight back layer is comprised under the substrate layer.

A silicon-based electro-optic modulator is based on forming a gate region of a first conductivity to partially overly a body region of a second conductivity type, with a relatively thin dielectric layer interposed between the contiguous portions of the gate and body regions. The modulator may be formed on an SOI platform, with the body region formed in the relatively thin silicon surface layer of the SOI structure and the gate region formed of a relatively thin silicon layer overlying the SOI structure. The doping in the gate and body regions is controlled to form lightly doped regions above and below the dielectric, thus defining the active region of the device. Advantageously, the optical electric field essentially coincides with the free carrier concentration area in this active device region. The application of a modulation signal thus causes the simultaneous accumulation, depletion or inversion of free carriers on both sides of the dielectric at the same time, resulting in high speed operation.

Floorboards consisting of a core and a surface layer with decorative joint edge portions which are formed by removing the surface layer.

A tactile feedback actuator includes a first electrode and a second electrode separated by a gap, and a surface layer above the first and second electrodes. The first electrode receives a first stimulus voltage at a first frequency and the second electrode receives a second stimulus voltage at a second frequency, and the first and second electrodes superimpose the first and second stimulus voltages to generate a total voltage that has a beat frequency less than a perception threshold frequency. An object in contact with a portion of the surface layer is caused to vibrate at the beat frequency. The first electrode and the second electrode may constitute an electrode array including a plurality of column electrode segments, and a plurality of row electrode segments. An object in contact with a portion of the surface layer above one or more electrode segments is caused to vibrate at the beat frequency.

Floorboards comprising a core and a surface layer with curved edge portions, which are formed by a compression of the core.

A heart valve sewing prosthesis including an intrinsically conductive polymer. The invention includes annuloplasty rings and bands, and sewing rings or cuffs for prosthetic heart valves. Some annuloplasty rings and sewing rings include fabric that is coated with an intrinsically conductive polymer. The coating can be formed over individual filaments or fibers, or on the fabric surface as a surface layer. One intrinsically conductive polymer is polypyrrole. The intrinsically conductive polymer can be doped to facilitate the intrinsic conductivity. Some devices have a polypyrrole surface layer doped with dialkyl-napthalene sulfonate. The intrinsically conductive polymer can be deposited on a fabric using in-situ polymerization of monomeric or oligomeric species, together with a dopant. Animal studies using implanted annuloplasty rings having an intrinsically conductive polymer coating have demonstrated a substantial reduction in pannus formation and inflammatory response.

Disclosed are compositions and methods for alleviating the problem of reaction of lithium or other alkali or alkaline earth metals with incompatible processing and operating environments by creating a ionically conductive chemical protective layer on the lithium or other reactive metal surface. Such a chemically produced surface layer can protect lithium metal from reacting with oxygen, nitrogen or moisture in ambient atmosphere thereby allowing the lithium material to be handled outside of a controlled atmosphere, such as a dry room. Production processes involving lithium are thereby very considerably simplified. One example of such a process is the processing of lithium to form negative electrodes for lithium metal batteries.

Building panels with a thin and embossed surface layer and a sub layer between a surface layer and a core.

The invention relates to platinum-coated particles useful as fuel cell electrocatalysts. The particles are composed of a noble metal or metal alloy core at least partially encapsulated by an atomically thin surface layer of platinum atoms. The invention particularly relates to such particles having a palladium, palladium alloy, gold alloy, or rhenium alloy core encapsulated by an atomic monolayer of platinum. In other embodiments, the invention relates to fuel cells containing these electrocatalysts and methods for generating electrical energy therefrom.

Apparatus and processes for preparing heterostructures with reduced strain are disclosed. The heterostructures may include a semiconductor structure that conforms to a surface layer having a different crystal lattice constant than the structure to form a relatively low-defect heterostructure.

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is provided an electrostatic chuck comprising an electrode, and a surface layer activated by a voltage in the electrode to form an electric charge to electrostatically clamp a substrate to the electrostatic chuck. The surface layer includes a plurality of protrusions extending to a height above portions of the surface layer surrounding the protrusions to support the substrate upon the protrusions during electrostatic clamping of the substrate. The protrusions are substantially equally spaced across the surface layer as measured by a center to center distance between pairs of neighboring protrusions.

Extravascular implantable medical devices are described. The devices include a polymeric layer comprising a polymeric matrix and pores. Therapeutic agent is loaded in the matrix, in the pores, or in the matrix and the pores. The devices include a structural surface layer. Additional therapeutic agent may be loaded in or on the surface layer. The devices may also include one or more intermediate layer, into or onto which additional therapeutic agent may be loaded.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate insulating film, a gate electrode, a source / drain layer, and a germanide layer. The gate insulating film is formed on the semiconductor substrate. The gate electrode is formed on the gate insulating film. The source / drain layer is formed on both sides of the gate electrode, contains silicon germanium, and has a germanium layer in a surface layer portion. The germanide layer is formed on the germanium layer of the source / drain layer.

A method for optically coupling a thermoplastic material to an outer surface layer of an organic, dielectric, optical film and the resulting optical filter. Initially, a dielectric film is selected that includes (i) repeating optical layers of at least two polymers having different refractive indexes from each other, (ii) an exterior film surface, (iii) a refractive boundary along the exterior film surface, and (iv) a delamination threshold based on total thermal energy delivered to the film. A thermoplastic material which is miscible with the exterior film surface is fused to the refractive boundary with thermal energy below the delamination threshold to form a polydisperse region having a higher optical transmission than the refractive boundary. Add-on filters in the form of hardcoat layers, anti-reflection layers, holograms, metal dielectric stacks and combinations of these may be combined with the thermoplastic-film construct.