5023 results about "Layer thickness" patented technology

A semiconductor diffusion barrier layer and its method of manufacture is described. The barrier layer includes of at least one layer of TaN, TiN, WN, TbN, VN, ZrN, CrN, WC, WN, WCN, NbN, AlN, and combinations thereof. The barrier layer may further include a metal rich surface. Embodiments preferably include a glue layer about 10 to 500 Angstroms thick, the glue layer consisting of Ru, Ta, Ti, W, Co, Ni, Al, Nb, AlCu, and a metal-rich nitride, and combinations thereof. The ratio of the glue layer thickness to the barrier layer thickness is preferably about 1 to 50. Other alternative preferred embodiments further include a conductor annealing step. The various layers may be deposited using PVD, CVD, PECVD, PEALD and / or ALD methods including nitridation and silicidation methods.

A silicon dioxide-based dielectric layer is formed on a substrate surface by a sequential deposition / anneal technique. The deposited layer thickness is insufficient to prevent substantially complete penetration of annealing process agents into the layer and migration of water out of the layer. The dielectric layer is then annealed, ideally at a moderate temperature, to remove water and thereby fully densify the film. The deposition and anneal processes are then repeated until a desired dielectric film thickness is achieved.

A silicon dioxide-based dielectric layer is formed on a substrate surface by a sequential deposition / anneal technique. The deposited layer thickness is insufficient to prevent substantially complete penetration of annealing process agents into the layer and migration of water out of the layer. The dielectric layer is then annealed, ideally at a moderate temperature, to remove water and thereby fully densify the film. The deposition and anneal processes are then repeated until a desired dielectric film thickness is achieved.

A user can be challenged to provide at least one randomly selected biometric attribute. The randomly selected biometric attribute input by the user is automatically compared to a plurality of biometric attributes of the user contained in a user profile. The user can then be authenticated if the randomly selected biometric attribute input by the user matches at least one of the plurality of biometric attributes of the user contained in the user profile. Biometric attributes analyzed according to the methods and systems of the present invention, include, but are not limited to, for example, fingerprints, iris, retina, and / or tissue characteristics, such as skin morphology, skin layer thickness, collage density and orientation, tissue hydration, optical patent length differences, etc.

CIGS absorber layers fabricated using coated semiconducting nanoparticles and / or quantum dots are disclosed. Core nanoparticles and / or quantum dots containing one or more elements from group IB and / or IIIA and / or VIA may be coated with one or more layers containing elements group IB, IIIA or VIA. Using nanoparticles with a defined surface area, a layer thickness could be tuned to give the proper stoichiometric ratio, and / or crystal phase, and / or size, and / or shape. The coated nanoparticles could then be placed in a dispersant for use as an ink, paste, or paint. By appropriate coating of the core nanoparticles, the resulting coated nanoparticles can have the desired elements intermixed within the size scale of the nanoparticle, while the phase can be controlled by tuning the stochiometry, and the stoichiometry of the coated nanoparticle may be tuned by controlling the thickness of the coating(s).

Method and system for producing a selected pattern or array of at least one of a single wall nanotube and / or a multi-wall nanotube containing primarily carbon. A substrate is coated with a first layer (optional) of a first selected metal (e.g., Al and / or Ir) and with a second layer of a catalyst (e.g., Fe, Co, Ni and / or Mo), having selected first and second layer thicknesses provided by ion sputtering, arc discharge, laser ablation, evaporation or CVD. The first layer and / or the second layer may be formed in a desired non-uniform pattern, using a mask with suitable aperture(s), to promote growth of carbon nanotubes in a corresponding pattern. A selected heated feed gas (primarily CH4 or C2Hn with n=2 and / or 4) is passed over the coated substrate and forms primarily single wall nanotubes or multiple wall nanotubes, depending upon the selected feed gas and its temperature. Nanofibers, as well as single wall and multi-wall nanotubes, are produced using plasma-aided growth from the second (catalyst) layer. An overcoating of a selected metal or alloy can be deposited, over the second layer, to provide a coating for the carbon nanotubes grown in this manner.

The invention discloses a full-carbon coaxial line and a manufacturing method of the full-carbon coaxial line, and belongs to the technical field of integrated circuits. Graphene serves as a monatomic layer thickness, is coiled into a cylinder and form an inner conductor of the coaxial line with a small radius (can be as small as the nm level), and the inner conductor of the coaxial line transfers currents. Meanwhile, a signal layer or multiple layers of graphene serve(s) as an outer conductor of the coaxial line to form a boundary of electromagnetic waves in a space, and graphite oxide serves as medium materials between the inner conductor and the outer conductor to limit and guide oriented transmission of electromagnetic wave energy. The coaxial line is quite small in size and applicable to radio-frequency and microwave integrated circuits.

The invention discloses a SiGe (silicon germanium) source and drain area manufacturing method. A multi-layer structure which comprises alternately stacked buffer layers and main body layers is formed by a method that the SiGe epitaxial growth of the buffer layer and the main body layers is alternated repeatedly and accordingly the thickness of every high Ge concentration of SiGe main body layer is effectively reduced and shared into every layer of main body layer and accordingly the stress relaxation due to the fact that thickness of every main body layer exceeds the critical thickness is avoided; the Ge content of every layer of SiGe main body layer is further improved to enable the stress of the SiGe source leakage on a channel to be increased; an SiGe process window is enlarged due to the repeated epitaxy and accordingly the process stability is enhanced and accordingly the device performance is improved; the stress can be effectively improved without increase of the process difficulty and accordingly the process is stable and controllable and the cost is low.

Methods of fabricating medical vascular catheters adapted to be inserted into a blood vessel from an incision through the skin of a patient for introducing other devices or fluids for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes and particularly methods for fabricating such catheters with catheter bodies having catheter sections of differing flexibility are disclosed. Such catheter bodies having a proximal catheter body end and a distal catheter body end and formed of a proximal section and at least one distal section that have differing flexibilities are formed in a process comprising the steps of: (1) forming a continuous tubular inner jacket preferably of an inner liner and a reinforcement layer; (2) forming initial layer segments having an initial layer thickness along the length of the inner jacket from a material of first durometer hardness, whereby each initial layer segment is separated by a separation distance: (3) forming a final layer of a material of second durometer hardness with a second layer thickness over the tubular inner jacket along the separation distances and over and / or against the proximal and distal initial layer ends of the initial layer segments to form a continuous catheter body tubing; (4) severing the continuous catheter body tubing into catheter body lengths including a proximal catheter section formed of the material of second hardness and a distal catheter section of the material of first hardness; and (5) completing the catheter fabrication at the proximal catheter body end and the distal catheter body end. Centerless grinding of the catheter body or body tubing, formation of Intermediate catheter body sections, distal soft tips, and discontinuities in the reinforcement layer formed prior to step (2) are also disclosed.

Improved filtration media or filter bodies can be made from fine fiber and can be formed into a filtration structure having no internal defects. The filter media or filter body comprises a collection of spot in fiber with defined fiber diameter, layer thickness and media solidity. The fine fiber is formed into a media body and obtains substantial flux and filtration efficiency. The filtration media or body can comprise single or multiple layers of fine fiber combined into the improved filter body.

A method for manufacturing a component, in particular a component of a turbine or a compressor, in which at least these steps are carried out: application in layers of at least one powdered component material to a component platform in the area of a buildup and joining zone; melting and / or sintering locally in layers of the component material by supplying energy with the aid of at least one electron beam in the area of the buildup and joining zone; lowering of the component platform in layers by a predefined layer thickness; and repeating steps a) through c) until completion of the component. During the manufacturing, electrons emitted due to the interaction of the electron beam with the component material are detected, after which material information, characterizing the topography of the melted and / or sintered component material, is ascertained on the basis of the emitted electrons. Alternatively or additionally, the component material is melted and / or sintered by at least two, preferably at least four electron beams.

A spin valve device includes a non-magnetic enhancement layer adjacent an ultra thin free layer. The thickness of the free layer may be less than the mean free path of a conduction electron through the free layer. The GMR ratio is significantly improved for free layer thicknesses below 50 Å. The enhancement layer allows electrons to travel longer in their spin state before encountering scattering sites. The electronic properties of the enhancement layer material can be matched with the adjacent free layer without creating a low resistance shunt path. Because the free layer may be made ultra thin and the enhancement layer is formed of a nonmagnetic material, less magnetic field is required to align the free layer, allowing for improved data density. Also, the enhancement layer allows for effective bias point control by shifting sensor current density distribution.

A glass article exhibiting improved resistance to fictive surface damage and a method for making it, the method comprising removing a layer of glass from at least a portion of a surface of the article that is of a layer thickness at least effective to reduce the number and / or depth of flaws on the surface of the article, and then applying a friction-reducing coating to the portion of the article from which the layer of surface glass has been removed.

A method for manufacturing a thin film direct bandgap semiconductor active solar cell device comprises providing a source substrate having a surface and disposing on the surface a stress layer having a stress layer surface area in contact with and bonded to the surface of the source substrate. Operatively associating a handle foil with the stress layer and applying force to the handle foil separates the stress layer from the source substrate, and leaves a portion of the source substrate on the stress layer surface substantially corresponding to the area in contact with the surface of the source substrate. The portion is less thick than the source layer. The stress layer thickness is below that which results in spontaneous spalling of the source substrate. The source substrate may comprise an inorganic single crystal or polycrystalline material such as Si, Ge, GaAs, SiC, sapphire, or GaN. In one embodiment the stress layer comprises a flexible material.

A selective deposition modeling method and apparatus for dispensing a curable phase change material. The dispensing temperature of the material is set at or less than a thermally stable temperature value for the material in which the reactive component of the material remains substantially uncured when held at the temperature for a desired time period. The dispensed material is provided with an environment that enables the material to solidify to form layers of the object. The solidified material is normalized to a desired layer thickness and is then cured by exposure to actinic radiation. In a preferred embodiment a UV curable phase change material is dispensed at about 80° C. and has a viscosity of about 13 to about 14 centipoise at this temperature. The cured material provides substantially increased physical properties over thermoplastic phase change materials previously used in selective deposition modeling.

A layer thickness regulating blade 64 has a plate spring 64b and a pressing number 64a fixed thereto. The plate spring 64b is formed longer than the pressing member 64a so that both ends of the plate spring 64b are exposed. A front surface resilient foam seal 112 made from sponge is attached to the exposed portions, in contact with sides of the pressing member 64a. Further, a Teflon(TM) film 113 is attached on the plate spring 64b so as to cover the front surface resilient foam seal 112. A sponge side seal 111 is adhered to the rear surface of the plate spring 64b. A sponge side seal 107 is adhered to the developing case 51 at a position that confronts the blade side seal 111. An end seal 106 is adhered across a step portion E of the developing case 51 and the upper end of the base seal 104, and can compressing deform with the blade side seal 111 and the upper side seal 107.

The invention relates to a process for the production of a layer structure of a nitride semiconductor component on a silicon surface, comprising the steps:provision of a substrate that has a silicon surface;deposition of an aluminium-containing nitride nucleation layer on the silicon surface of the substrate;optional: deposition of an aluminium-containing nitride buffer layer on the nitride nucleation layer;deposition of a masking layer on the nitride nucleation layer or, if present, on the first nitride buffer layer;deposition of a gallium-containing first nitride semiconductor layer on the masking layer,wherein the masking layer is deposited in such a way that, in the deposition step of the first nitride semiconductor layer, initially separate crystallites grow that coalesce above a coalescence layer thickness and occupy an average surface area of at least 0.16 μm2 in a layer plane of the coalesced nitride semiconductor layer that is perpendicular to the growth direction.

An applicator for dispensing uniform thickness layers of liquid to surfaces and especially surgical sealants to surgical sites to create, in situ, a surgical incise drape is disclosed. The applicator employs a supported thin layer of foam which achieves layer thickness which are substantially independent of the pressure applied to the applicator during use. Methods of using the applicator are also disclosed.

A method or procedure for the construction of a laminated compound or mould made up of a number of layers of particle material on top of each other, which are hardened and joined to each other in predetermined onsite areas, which can differ from each other depending on position and expansion, so that from the predetermined hardened areas of the laminated compound at least one mould is formed. The layers are deposited individually one after another in predetermined layer thickness by the dispensing of particle material from a dispensing device during its movement above a working field and according to computer data in predetermined areas.

A selective deposition modeling method and apparatus for dispensing a curable phase change material. The dispensing temperature of the material is set at or less than a thermally stable temperature value for the material in which the reactive component of the material remains substantially uncured when held at the temperature for a desired time period. The dispensed material is provided with an environment that enables the material to solidify to form layers of the object. The solidified material is normalized to a desired layer thickness and is then cured by exposure to actinic radiation. In a preferred embodiment a UV curable phase change material is dispensed at about 80° C. and has a viscosity of about 13 to about 14 centipoise at this temperature. The cured material provides substantially increased physical properties over thermoplastic phase change materials previously used in selective deposition modeling.

Methods and systems for monolithic integration of photonics and electronics in CMOS processes are disclosed and may include fabricating photonic and electronic devices on a single CMOS wafer with different silicon layer thicknesses. The devices may be fabricated on a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) wafer utilizing a bulk CMOS process and / or on a SOI wafer utilizing a SOI CMOS process. The different thicknesses may be fabricated utilizing a double SOI process and / or a selective area growth process. Cladding layers may be fabricated utilizing one or more oxygen implants and / or utilizing CMOS trench oxide on the CMOS wafer. Silicon may be deposited on the CMOS trench oxide utilizing epitaxial lateral overgrowth. Cladding layers may be fabricated utilizing selective backside etching. Reflective surfaces may be fabricated by depositing metal on the selectively etched regions. Silicon dioxide or silicon germanium integrated in the CMOS wafer may be utilized as an etch stop layer.

Methods and devices measure eye blinks and tear film lipid and aqueous layer thickness before and following ophthalmic formula application onto the ocular surface, especially wherein the ophthalmic formula is an artificial tear. The methods and devices are suitable for dry eye diagnosis. The methods and devices are suitable for use to evaluate ophthalmic formula effects on the tear film and to use such information to diagnose ophthalmic formula treatment of ocular disease conditions such as dry eye in the absence of contact lens wear or post-surgical eye drop treatment and diagnosis. The methods and devices are also suitable for use in the optimization of ophthalmic drug dosage forms and sustained drug release.

Shaped glasses have curved surface lenses and spectrally complementary filters disposed on the curved surface lenses configured to compensate for wavelength shifts occurring due to viewing angles and other sources. The spectrally complementary filters include guard bands to prevent crosstalk between spectrally complementary portions of a 3D image viewed through the shaped glasses. In one embodiment, the spectrally complementary filters are disposed on the curved lenses with increasing layer thickness towards edges of the lenses. The projected complementary images may also be pre-shifted to compensate for subsequent wavelength shifts occurring while viewing the images.

A method for creating and preserving alignment marks used for aligning mask layers in integrated circuit formation including the steps of creating a first set of marks within a reference layer to form a basic alignment mark, creating a second set of marks overlapping the first set of marks and positioned perpendicular to the first set of marks in the same reference layer to form a preservation pattern, and etching the reference layer to form a substantially checkerboard-type pattern where portions of the first set of marks are recessed within a thickness of the reference layer. After creating the checkerboard-type pattern formed from the first and second marks, a first metal a layer may be deposited to fill in any recesses contained within the pattern. CMP follows without damaging the segmented portions of the first set of marks which lie recessed within a thickness of the reference layer. Finally, the preserved portions of the first set of marks are aligned with pattern marks for a second metal layer.

A liquid crystal device includes first and second substrates which are arranged so as to face each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, and first and second electrodes which are provided on the first substrate facing the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer is driven by electric fields generated between the first and second electrodes. A reflective display region for reflective display and a transmissive display region for transmissive display are provided in each of a plurality of subpixel regions. A liquid-crystal-layer-thickness-adjusting layer is provided in at least the reflective display region so as to vary the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the subpixel region. A gap between the first and second electrodes in a main direction of an electric field in the transmissive display region is narrower than a gap between the first and second electrodes in a main direction of an electric field in the reflective display region.