284results about "Electrets" patented technology

An electret filter media, and mask, that is made of a nonwoven web of thermoplastic microfibers. The thermoplastic microfibers are of substantially the same composition, are nonconductive, and have an effective fiber diameter less than about 15 micrometers. The nonwoven web also has sufficient unpolarized trapped charge to exhibit an initial filtration quality factor of at least 0.31 when measured under the DOP Penetration and Pressure Drop Test.

Electret filter media comprising a nonwoven web of thermoplastic nonconductive microfibers having trapped charge, said charge provided by (1) subjecting the nonwoven web to a corona treatment, followed by (2) impingement of jets of water or a stream of water droplets on the web at a pressure sufficient to provide the web with filtration enhancing electret charge and (3) drying the web. This electret filter media may be used in a respiratory mask to provide extraordinarily good filtration properties.

An acoustic transducer comprising a substrate; and a diaphragm formed by depositing a micromachined membrane onto the substrate. The diaphragm is formed as a single silicon chip using a CMOS MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) semiconductor fabrication process. The curling of the diaphragm during fabrication is reduced by depositing the micromachined membrane for the diaphragm in a serpentine-spring configuration with alternating longer and shorter arms. As a microspeaker, the acoustic transducer of the present invention converts a digital audio input signal directly into a sound wave, resulting in a very high quality sound reproduction at a lower cost of production in comparison to conventional acoustic transducers. The micromachined diaphragm may also be used in microphone applications.

A movable device simultaneously enabling reduction of size down to the submicron level, higher speed operation, a streamlined production process, low costs, and greater reliability. A movable device provided with bottom electrodes and a basic conductive layer fixed to a substrate, an elastic shaft of a carbon nanotube with a bottom end fixed on the basic conductive layer and standing up, and a top structure including a top electrode spaced away from the bottom electrode and fixed to a top end of the elastic shaft, wherein when applying voltage between a bottom electrode and the top electrode, the top electrode displaces relatively to the bottom electrodes within an allowable range of elastic deformation of the elastic shaft.

A dielectric coating is provided which has both a dielectric constant greater than 2.5 and a hydrophobic surface. The dielectric coating may be provided by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of organosilane, organosiloxane, organosilazane, organometallic, and / or hydrocarbon precursors. Methods are also provided for altering the contact angle of a liquid in contact with the dielectric coating, e.g., for electrowetting applications.

A low maintenance AC gas-flow driven static neutralizer, comprising at least one emitter and at least one reference electrode; a power supply having an output electrically coupled to the emitter(s) and a reference terminal electrically coupled to the reference electrode(s) with the power supply disposed to produce an output waveform that creates ions by corona discharge and to produce an electrical field when this output waveform is applied to the emitter(s); a gas flow source disposed to produce a gas flow across a first region that includes these generated ions and the emitter(s), the gas flow including a flow velocity; and wherein, during a first time duration, the output waveform decreases an electrical force created by the electrical field, enabling the gas flow to carry away from the emitter(s) a contamination particle that may be located within a second region surrounding the emitter(s), and to minimize a likelihood of the contamination particle from accumulating on the emitter(s). The first region may include the second region.

An electrostatic air cleaning device includes an array of electrodes. The electrodes include corona electrodes connected to a suitable source of high voltage so as to generate a corona discharge. Laterally displaced collecting electrodes include one or more bulges that have aerodynamic frontal “upwind” surfaces and airflow disrupting tailing edges downwind that create quite zones for the collection of particulates removed from the air. The bulges may be formed as rounded leading edges on the collecting electrodes and / or as ramped surfaces located, for example, along a midsection of the electrodes. Repelling electrodes positioned between pairs of the collecting electrodes may include similar bulges such as cylindrical or semi-cylindrical leading and / or trailing edges.

The present invention is directed to a semiconductor processing apparatus and a method for clamping a semiconductor substrate and controlling a heat transfer associated therewith. According to one aspect of the present invention, a multi-polar electrostatic chuck and associated method is disclosed which provides a controlled and uniform heat transfer coefficient across a surface thereof. The multi-polar electrostatic chuck comprises a semiconductor platform having a plurality of protrusions that define gaps therebetween, wherein a distance or depth of the gaps is uniform and associated with a mean free path of the cooling gas therein. The electrostatic chuck is permits a control of a backside pressure of a cooling gas within the plurality of gaps to thus control a heat transfer coefficient of the cooling gas. The plurality of protrusions further provide a uniform contact surface, wherein a contact conductivity between the plurality of protrusions and the substrate is controllable and significantly uniform across the substrate.

An electret condenser microphone includes: a substrate 13 in which an opening 25 is formed; an electret condenser 50 connected to one face of the substrate 13 so as to close the opening 25 and having an acoustic hole 12 and a cavity 2; a drive circuit element 15 connected to the one face of the substrate 13; and a case 17 mounted over the substrate 13 so as to cover the electret condenser 50 and the drive circuit element 15. Electric contact is established at a joint part between the electret condenser 50 and the substrate 13. The acoustic hole 12 communicates with an external space through the opening 25. The cavity 2 and an internal region of the case 17 serve as a back air chamber for the electret condenser 50.

Systems and methods for removing residual charge from a processed wafer are described. Removal of residual charge eliminates de-chucking failure that may break or damage the wafer. Residual charge is removed by applying a reverse polarity discharging DC voltage to an electrode embedded in an electrostatic chuck (ESC) supporting the wafer, and providing an outlet to the residual charge to ground via a lift pin assembly. Lift pin assembly is kept at the same potential with respect to a pedestal of the ESC to avoid sparking during the application of RF power to generate plasma. A residual charge sensor is included to sense and measure the amount of residual charge, so that the parameters of the reverse polarity discharging voltage can be adjusted in a subsequent de-chucking operation.

An air gap is formed between a first film having a first electrode film and a second film having a second electrode film. The first film has a stopper protruding toward the second film, and a recess communicating with the air gap is provided in the center of the stopper.

A flexible film interposer for stacking a flip chip semiconductor die onto a second (bottom) semiconductor die, semiconductor devices and stacked die assemblies that incorporate the flexible film interposer, and methods of fabricating the devices and assemblies are provided. The incorporation of the flexible film interposer achieves densely packaged semiconductor devices, without the need for a redistribution layer (RDL).

Disclosed is an electrowetting device. The electrowetting device includes a conductive or polar liquid material, and an electrode applying voltage to the liquid material through a dielectric layer. In the electrowetting device, the dielectric layer is formed as an anodized portion made of a metal oxide formed by anodizing the electrode, and a voltage applying unit applying voltage between the electrode and the liquid material and a polar capacitor are placed between the electrode and the liquid material.

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switch that includes a signal contact, an actuation electrode and a beam that engages the signal contact when a voltage is applied to the actuation electrode. The signal contact includes a first portion and a second portion. The actuation electrode is positioned between the first and second portions of the signal contact.

An electrostatic air cleaning device includes an array of electrodes. The electrodes include corona electrodes connected to a suitable source of high voltage so as to generate a corona discharge. Laterally displaced collecting electrodes include one or more bulges that have aerodynamic frontal “upwind” surfaces and airflow disrupting tailing edges downwind that create quite zones for the collection of particulates removed from the air. The bulges may be formed as rounded leading edges on the collecting electrodes and / or as ramped surfaces located, for example, along a midsection of the electrodes. Repelling electrodes positioned between pairs of the collecting electrodes may include similar bulges such as cylindrical or semicylindrical leading and / or trailing edges.

An apparatus comprising a substrate having a surface with electrically connected and electrically isolated fluid-support-structures thereon. Each of the fluid-support-structures have at least one dimension of about 1 millimeter or less. The electrically connected fluid-support-structures are taller than the electrically isolated fluid-support-structures.

Signal-processing devices having memristors are described for performing frequency-discrimination functions, amplitude-discrimination functions, and time-oriented functions. In each case, the time-domain behavior of the memristors described herein enables these functions to be performed. In one embodiment, memristance of an arrangement of memristors of a device is, after an initial transitional period, predominantly at a first level if frequency of an input signal of the device is less than a first frequency and predominantly at a second level if the frequency of the input signal is greater than a second frequency.

There is provided a transparent conductor including conductive nanoparticles and at least one of (a) a fluorinated acid polymer and (b) a semiconductive polymer doped with a fluorinated acid polymer. The nanoparticles are carbon nanoparticles, metal nanoparticles, or combinations thereof. The carbon and metal nanoparticles are selected from nanotubes, fullerenes, and nanofibers. The acid polymers are fluorinated or highly fluorinated and have acidic groups including carboxylic acid groups, sulfonic acid groups, sulfonimide groups, phosphoric acid groups, phosphonic acid groups, and combinations thereof. The semiconductive polymers comprise homopolymers and copolymers derived from monomers selected from substituted and unsubstituted thiophenes, pyrroles, anilines, and cyclic heteroaromatics, and combinations of those. The compositions may be used in organic electronic devices (OLEDs).

A switching transformer applies an alternating high voltage across an internal electrode and an external electrode which face each other with a glass tube as a dielectric body between them. The anode side of a diode is connected to the external electrode which is not a voltage supply side electrode, while the cathode side is grounded. When a relay connected to both the terminals of the diode is turned on, substantially equal amounts of positive ions and negative ions are generated, and a bacteria removal / disinfection effect can be obtained by emitting these positive ions and negative ions into the air. When the relay is turned off, a relatively small amount of positive ions and a relatively large amount of negative ions are generated, and a relaxation effect given by negative ions can be obtained by emitting these positive ions and negative ions into the air.

A surface structure for contacting a workpiece includes a flexible layer adhered to a support element and a coating on the flexible layer. The coating has ripples on its surface. The flexible layer may be thermally conductive. The ripples on the surface enhance thermal transfer from the workpiece and are characterized by low particle generation and low particulate contamination of the workpiece. The ripples in the coating may be formed by expanding the flexible layer, applying the coating to the expanded flexible layer and then contracting the flexible layer. In one application, the surface structure is utilized in an electrostatic wafer clamp. The surface structure provides high efficiency thermal transfer in a vacuum processing system when utilized in conjunction with a low pressure cooling gas between the workpiece and the surface structure.

An electrostatic chuck includes an array of independently biased conductive chuck elements, an array of sensor-conductor assemblies, and / or a combination of an array of sensor-conductor assemblies and at least one motorized chuck. Conductive chuck elements, either standing alone or embedded in a sensor-conductor assembly, are independently biased electrostatically to compensate for bowing and / or warping of a substrate thereupon so that the substrate can be bonded with a planar surface. A single electrostatic chuck can be employed to reduce the bowing and warping of one of the two substrates to be bonded, or two electrostatic chucks can be employed to minimize the bowing and warping of two substrates to be bonded.

A wafer processing apparatus is fabricated by depositing a film electrode onto the surface of a base substrate, the structure is then overcoated with a protective coating film layer comprising at least one of a nitride, carbide, carbonitride or oxynitride of elements selected from a group consisting of B, Al, Si, Ga, refractory hard metals, transition metals, and combinations thereof. The film electrode has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that closely matches the CTE of the underlying base substrate layer as well as the CTE of the protective coating layer.

A system is disclosed for converting energy from the electromagnetic quantum vacuum available at any point in the universe to usable energy in the form of heat, electricity, mechanical energy or other forms of power. By suppressing electromagnetic quantum vacuum energy at appropriate frequencies a change may be effected in the electron energy levels which will result in the emission or release of energy. Mode suppression of electromagnetic quantum vacuum radiation is known to take place in Casimir cavities. A Casimir cavity refers to any region in which electromagnetic modes are suppressed or restricted. When atoms enter into suitable micro Casimir cavities a decrease in the orbital energies of electrons in atoms will thus occur. Such energy will be captured in the claimed devices. Upon emergence form such micro Casimir cavities the atoms will be re-energized by the ambient electromagnetic quantum vacuum. In this way energy is extracted locally and replenished globally from and by the electromagnetic quantum vacuum. This process may be repeated an unlimited number of times. This process is also consistent with the conservation of energy in that all usable energy does come at the expense of the energy content of the electromagnetic quantum vacuum. Similar effects may be produced by acting upon molecular bonds. Devices are described in which gas is recycled through a multiplicity of Casimir cavities. The disclosed devices are scalable in size and energy output for applications ranging from replacements for small batteries to power plant sized generators of electricity.

In a plasma reactor having an electrostatic chuck, wafer voltage is determined from RF measurements at the bias input using previously determined constants based upon transmission line properties of the bias input, and this wafer voltage is used to accurately control the DC wafer clamping voltage.