5393results about "Surface layering apparatus" patented technology

Embolic protection filters and methods of making and using such devices are disclosed. An illustrative method of making a device for filtering embolic debris from a body may include the steps of molding a filter assembly that includes a distal tip and a filter portion, forming a plurality of apertures within the filter portion, and coupling a support member to the filter assembly that is adapted to shift the filter portion between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration.

Methods of processing films on substrates are provided. In one aspect, the methods comprise treating a patterned low dielectric constant film after a photoresist is removed from the film by depositing a thin layer comprising silicon, carbon, and optionally oxygen and / or nitrogen on the film. The thin layer provides a carbon-rich, hydrophobic surface for the patterned low dielectric constant film. The thin layer also protects the low dielectric constant film from subsequent wet cleaning processes and penetration by precursors for layers that are subsequently deposited on the low dielectric constant film.

Methods of forming garments having one or more stretchable conductive ink patterns. Described herein are method of making garments (including compression garments) having one or more highly stretchable conductive ink pattern formed of a composite of an insulative adhesive, a conductive ink, and an intermediate gradient zone between the adhesive and conductive ink. The conductive ink typically includes between about 40-60% conductive particles, between about 30-50% binder; between about 3-7% solvent; and between about 3-7% thickener. The stretchable conductive ink patterns may be stretched more than twice their length without breaking or rupturing.

Articles comprising a fibrous support of nanofibers and an interfacially polymerized polymer layer disposed on a surface of the fibrous support are useful, e.g., as fluid separation membranes.

The present invention relates to a method of applying absorbent gelling material (AGM) granules by indirect printing onto an carrier layer for use in an absorbent article, particularly diaper for babies or adults, training pants, pull-up diapers (diaper pants), sanitary napkins, panty liners or the like. These articles typically comprise the carrier layer with the AGM particles together with further layers, making up the complete article.

Methods of making an article having at least one toughened region and at least one untoughened region involving providing a material, applying a toughening agent to a portion of the material, shaping the material to produce a preform, applying an untoughened resin to the preform, and curing the preform having the applied untoughened resin to produce the at least one toughened region and the at least one untoughened region wherein the toughened region comprises a toughened resin having a fracture toughness of at least about 1.0 MPa-m1 / 2.

A manufacturing apparatus of a lighting device, including a vacuum chamber, an exhaust system by which the vacuum chamber is set to a reduced-pressure state, and a transfer chamber from which a substrate is transferred to the vacuum chamber is provided. The vacuum chamber of the manufacturing apparatus includes a plurality of deposition chambers in which a first electrode, a first light-emitting unit including at least a light-emitting layer, an intermediate layer, a second light-emitting unit including at least a light-emitting layer, a second electrode, a sealing film are formed, and a substrate transfer means by which the substrate is sequentially transferred to the deposition chambers.

The present methods provide tools for growing conformal metal thin films, including metal nitride, metal carbide and metal nitride carbide thin films. In particular, methods are provided for growing such films from aggressive chemicals. The amount of corrosive chemical compounds, such as hydrogen halides, is reduced during the deposition of transition metal, transition metal carbide, transition metal nitride and transition metal nitride carbide thin films on various surfaces, such as metals and oxides. Getter compounds protect surfaces sensitive to hydrogen halides and ammonium halides, such as aluminum, copper, silicon oxide and the layers being deposited, against corrosion. Nanolaminate structures incorporating metallic thin films, and methods for forming the same, are also disclosed.

A method of forming a single-metal film on a substrate by plasma ALD includes: contacting a surface of a substrate with a β-diketone metal complex in a gas phase; exposing molecule-attached surface to a nitrogen-hydrogen mixed plasma; and repeating the above steps, thereby accumulating atomic layers to form a single-metal film on the substrate.

Embodiments of the invention generally provide methods of filling contact level features formed in a semiconductor device by depositing a barrier layer over the contact feature and then filing the layer using an PVD, CVD, ALD, electrochemical plating process (ECP) and / or electroless deposition processes. In one embodiment, the barrier layer has a catalytically active surface that will allow the electroless deposition of a metal on the barrier layer. In one aspect, the electrolessly deposited metal is copper or a copper alloy. In one aspect, the contact level feature is filled with a copper alloy by use of an electroless deposition process. In another aspect, a copper alloy is used to from a thin conductive copper layer that is used to subsequently fill features with a copper containing material by use of an ECP, PVD, CVD, and / or ALD deposition process. In one embodiment, a portion of the barrier layer is purposely allowed to react with traces of residual oxide at the silicon junction of the contact level feature to form a low resistance connection.

The present invention provides an improved LbL-coating process for modifying the surface of a medical device, preferably an ophthalmic device, more preferably a contact lens. An LbL coating on a contact lens, which is prepared according to the process of the invention, can have increased hydrophilicity characterized by an averaged contact angle of about 80 degree or less, preferably about 50 degrees or less, while maintaining the desired bulk properties such as oxygen permeability and ion permeability of lens material.

In an immersion lithography apparatus, the immersion liquid is supplied from a tank via a flow restrictor. The liquid held in the tank is maintained at a substantially constant height above the flow restrictor to ensure a constant flow of liquid.

An apparatus (100) and method are provided for thermally processing substrates (108) held in a carrier (106). The apparatus (100) includes a vessel (101) having a top (134), side (136) and bottom (138), and a heat source (110) with heating elements (112-1, 112-2, 112-3) proximal thereto. The vessel (101) is sized to enclose a volume substantially no larger than necessary to accommodate the carrier (106), and to provide an isothermal process zone (128) extending throughout. In one embodiment, the bottom wall (138) includes a movable pedestal (140) with a bottom heating element therein (112-1), and the pedestal can be lowered and raised to insert the carrier (106) into the vessel (101). The apparatus (100) can include a movable shield (146) that is inserted between the pedestal (140) and the carrier (106) to shield the substrates (108) from the heating element (112-1) and to maintain pedestal temperature. A magnetically coupled repositioning system (162) repositions the carrier (106) during processing of the substrates (108) without use of a movable feedthrough into the volume enclosed by the vessel (101), and without moving the bottom heating element (112-1) in the pedestal (140).

Embodiments described herein provide a method for forming two titanium nitride materials by different PVD processes, such that a metallic titanium nitride layer is initially formed by a PVD process in a metallic mode and a titanium nitride retarding layer is formed over a portion of the metallic titanium nitride layer by a PVD process in a poison mode. Subsequently, a first aluminum layer, such as an aluminum seed layer, may be selectively deposited on exposed portions of the metallic titanium nitride layer by a CVD process. Thereafter, a second aluminum layer, such as an aluminum bulk layer, may be deposited on exposed portions of the first aluminum layer and the titanium nitride retarding layer during an aluminum PVD process.

An improved wire bonding process for copper-metallized integrated circuits is provided by a nickel layer that acts as a barrier against up-diffusing copper. In accordance with the present invention the nickel bath is placed and remains in hydrogen saturation by providing a piece of metal that remains in the nickel plating tank before and during the plating process.

Embodiments of the invention generally provide a cluster tool that is configured to electrolessly fill features formed on a substrate. More particularly, embodiments of the invention are used to integrate the filling of an interconnect or contact level feature using an electroless fill process and material removal steps. A typical sequence for forming an interconnect includes depositing one or more non-conductive layers, etching at least one of the layer(s) to form one or more features therein, depositing a barrier layer in the feature(s) and depositing one or more conductive layers, such as copper, to fill the feature.

Embodiments as described herein provide methods for depositing a material on a substrate during electroless deposition processes, as well as compositions of the electroless deposition solutions. In one embodiment, the substrate contains a contact aperture having an exposed silicon contact surface. In another embodiment, the substrate contains a contact aperture having an exposed silicide contact surface. The apertures are filled with a metal contact material by exposing the substrate to an electroless deposition process. The metal contact material may contain a cobalt material, a nickel material, or alloys thereof. Prior to filling the apertures, the substrate may be exposed to a variety of pretreatment processes, such as preclean processes and activations processes. A preclean process may remove organic residues, native oxides, and other contaminants during a wet clean process or a plasma etch process. Embodiments of the process also provide the deposition of additional layers, such as a capping layer.

A method for making a Si-containing material comprises transporting a pyrolyzed Si-precursor to a substrate and polymerizing the pyrolyzed Si-precursor on the substrate to form a Si-containing film. Polymerization of the pyrolyzed Si-precursor may be carried out in the presence of a porogen to thereby form a porogen-containing Si-containing film. The porogen may be removed from the porogen-containing Si-containing film to thereby form a porous Si-containing film. Preferred porous Si-containing films have low dielectric constants and thus are suitable for various low-k applications such as in microelectronics and microelectromechanical systems.

An apparatus configured for connection to a mixer for receiving a slurry and altering the flow characteristics of the slurry includes a conduit having a main inlet in slurry receiving communication with the mixer outlet and extending to a spout for discharging the slurry, at least one conduit restrictor associated with the conduit for creating back-pressure between the conduit restrictor and the mixer outlet for keeping the mixer full, and at least one pressure reducer associated with the discharge spout and configured for reducing the pressure of the slurry dispensed from the discharge spout. The apparatus is configured for maintaining a generally laminar flow from the mixer outlet to the discharge spout.

A system and method for the formation of novel small particles, thin films, and coatings of solid state metal boride material. The metal boride materials may be formed using aerosol methods and / or spray pyrolysis to form a generally uniform, thin film coating of boride compound spheres. Boride solutions or compounds are sprayed via a gas nebulizer in a reactor containing a substrate and heated to approximately 900° Celsius. The boride compounds form uniform, spherical particles of approximately one micrometer in diameter. The boride compounds are extremely strong, non-reactive, dense, and, when prepared as films or coating, adhere very well to substrates, such as metals.

The present invention is a method of applying Lotus Effect materials as a (superhydrophobicity) protective coating for various system applications, as well as the method of fabricating / preparing Lotus Effect coatings.

An improved method for high-volume production of coated stents with highly uniform stent coatings using a roll coating technique is provided. In a first embodiment, uncoated stents are placed onto rotating stent holders with automated stent handling equipment. The holders are mounted on an endless conveyer belt which advances the stents toward a stent coater. As the stents advance through the coater, the holders rotate, thereby rolling the stents about their longitudinal axes as coating material is sprayed toward them, ensuring the stents are uniformly coated on their exterior and interior surfaces. After the conveyer turns to carry the coated stents back toward the loading area, the rotating stents pass again through the coating spray, downstream of the initial coating location, thereby increasing the efficient utilization of the coating material. The conveyer then advances the coated stents to an unloading area for removal before the holders return to the stent loading area to receive new stents.