Abstract: A method of manufacturing a decorative article, the method including: choosing a non-silicon substrate material which will form the substrate for the decorative article; coating the substrate with a photoresist material; forming a decorative graphic art image pattern in the photoresist coating; transferring the decorative graphic art image pattern in the photoresist coating to the substrate; and removing the photoresist coating.

Abstract: A method for making an article from rhenium and in particular a rocket nozzle. First a molybdenum mandrel is formed with a portion having the desired shape of the nozzle. A layer of rhenium is deposited over the nozzle portion, and then rhenium wire is wrapped around this rhenium layer. A second rhenium layer or a layer of ruthenium is then deposited over the layer of rhenium wire. Alternating layers of rhenium wire and deposited rhenium or ruthenium are applied until a desired thickness is obtained. A layer of molybdenum is applied to can the assembly and the assembly is subject to hot isostatic pressing. Finally, the molybdenum is etched away leaving the rhenium nozzle.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic disk substrate includes a step of polishing a glass-ceramic having a crystal phase consisting of crystal grains having an average diameter of less than 3 .mu.m with a polishing material having a grain diameter smaller than the diameter of the crystal grain. In one aspect of the invention, the glass-ceramic includes lithium disilicate (Li.sub.2 O--2SiO.sub.2) and alpha-quartz (alpha-SiO.sub.2) as predominant crystal phases and grown crystal grains of the alpha-quartz each have a globular grain structure consisting of aggregated particles and have a diameter within a range of 0.3 .mu.m-3.0 .mu.m.

Abstract: A method for forming a tubular article having a perforated annular wall, such as a surgical stent, includes coating the exterior and interior cylindrical surfaces of a tubular member with a photoresist, exposing selected portions of the photoresist coated surfaces to light, developing the coating, and then etching the coating to remove unexposed portions of the coating and immediate underlying portions of the annular wall, thereby forming a tubular article having a wall structure defined by a skeletal framework. An apparatus for exposing a light-sensitive coating to a tubular article includes means for rotating and translating the article with respect to a light source, along a longitudinal axis and simultaneously exposing aligned portions of the interior and exterior cylindrical surfaces of the tubular member. The method and apparatus embodying the present invention are particularly suitable for forming stents that support the walls of weak human arteries.

Abstract: A micromechanical component includes a fixed micromechanical structure having a pair of capacitor plates being formed of one or more conductive layers, and a movable micromechanical structure being formed of a dielectric layer to be introduced into or removed from an interstice between the plates. A capacitance change is obtained through the resilient or freely movable dielectric, so that the component can be inserted as a proportional or a non-proportional force sensor. A microsystem with an integrated circuit and a micromechanical component with a movable dielectric, as well as a production method for the component and the microsystem, are also provided.

Abstract: An etchant gas and process for using the etchant gas is provided for removing a spin-on glass (SOG) material. The gas composition is chosen as a combination of CHF.sub.3, O.sub.2 and Ar inserted into a parallel electrode reactor. The reactor pressure is maintained between 755 to 845 mTorr while the rf power is maintained at approximately 400 watts. CHF.sub.3 flow rate is optimally chosen between 55 and 65 sccm, with O.sub.2 flow rate approximately equal to 15 sccm and Ar flow rate approximately equal to 266 sccm. The processing parameters are optimally chosen to remove SOG at a rate exceeding 1.5 times the rate in which underlying TEOS-based oxide is removed. Accordingly, the present gas composition and processing methodology ensures SOG is completely removed in thicker areas overlying sparsely spaced interconnect, and that underlying oxide is not removed beneath thinner SOG residing above densely spaced interconnect.

Abstract: A method for a hole inclined relative to the direction of thickness of a workpiece by light energy. A groove is formed in an energy-concentrated portion of a plate as a workpiece for opening on a major surface of a plate operating as a light energy irradiated surface for forming an irregular surface portion. The light energy is illuminated on this irregular surface portion from the major surface of the plate in an oblique direction relative to the direction of thickness of the plate. The irregular surface portion of the workpiece is formed integrally with the workpiece by injection molding. The irregular surface portion may also be formed by sand-blasting, chemical etching or by an abrasive brush. The light energy is a laser, especially an excimer laser. The workpiece may be formed of an inorganic material, an organic material or a metallic material. The hole of a larger angle of inclination is formed by employing the light energy.

Abstract: An array of thermal sensitive elements (16) may be formed from a pyroelectric substrate (46) having an infrared absorber and common electrode assembly (18) attached thereto. A first layer of electrically conductive contacts (60) is formed to define in part masked (61) and unmasked (68) regions of the substrate (46). A second layer of electrically conductive contacts (62) may be formed on the first layer of contacts (60). A mask layer (66) is formed to encapsulate the exposed portions of the second layer of contacts (62). The unmasked regions (68) are exposed to an etchant (70) and irradiated to substantially increase the reactivity between the unmasked regions (68) and the etchant (70) such that during irradiation, the etchant (70) removes the unmasked regions (68) substantially faster than the first layer of contacts (60) and the mask layer (66).

Abstract: An object is to densify an internal conductor of a multilayer ceramic part to thereby reduce a line loss, improve operating properties such as Q value, and reduce a variation thereof. To this end, an internal conductor paste which is composed of conductor powder, preferably silver or copper powder and optionally, a glass frit is stacked with dielectric ceramic material layers and co-fired at or above the melting point of the conductor.

Abstract: An improved method of manufacturing is provided for making an improved merged MR head. The method employs a photoresist mask with appropriately-sized openings for simultaneously etching numerous vias to various depths over a set time period. After formation of the vias, a single photoresist mask is employed to pattern in one step gap layers G3, G2, G1 and a first shield layer S1 to the desired lateral configuration for the merged MR head. Subsequent to patterning these thin film layers, double insulation layers I2 and I3 are individually soft baked on top of the coil structure of the head followed by patterning of the layers I2/I3 by a single photoresist mask. These layers are then hard baked to retain the desired smooth configuration of the layers. The improved merged MR head has a smooth configuration to its top pole piece P2 because of the smooth configuration of the I2/I3 layer so that flux leakage and saturation problems are minimized.

Abstract: A porcelain coated sign comprises a steel plate reverse etched to form raised indicia, including Braille, against an etched background area. The plate is coated with a porcelain slurry and fired to form a porcelainized surface. The raised indicia may be tipped with one or more additional pigmented porcelain enamels to provide contrasting colors if desired.

Abstract: A method for etching a layer stack structure on a substrate is provided. The method includes a step of etching the layer stack to a predefined stopping point using a reverse etch rate loading inducing chemistry. The method also includes a step of etching said layer stack through a target layer in the layer stack structure using a natural etch rate loading chemistry.

Abstract: A method is provided for inhibiting stiction of suspended microstructures during post-release-etch rinsing and drying. The microstructures are shaped to include additional convex corners at regions of the released portion of the microstructure that can undergo substantial displacement toward the substrate. A stiction-inhibition method also includes incorporating clefts between the microstructure and adjacent field regions at regions of the microstructure which cannot undergo substantial displacement toward the substrate. Methods for inhibiting stiction are also provided wherein high-temperature rinse liquid is used and wherein a high-temperature anneal follows a rinsing step.

Abstract: In an ashing method for ashing a wafer having an aluminum wiring layer etched by a chlorine containing gas, the wafer is ashed under the conditions that a mixture gas composed of an oxygen gas and at least one kind of alcohol gas selected from CH.sub.3 OH, C.sub.2 H.sub.5 OH, n--C.sub.3 H.sub.7 OH, and i--C.sub.3 H.sub.7 OH is used as an ashing gas, a flow ratio between the alcohol gas and the oxygen gas is set in the range of 1:1 to 1:5, pressure in an ashing chamber is set to 200 Pa or more, and temperature in the ashing chamber is set in the range of 200.degree. C. to 270.degree. C. Accordingly, corrosion in the aluminum wiring layer due to a residual component of the chloride containing gas in a photoresist film can be prevented.

Abstract: Surgical needles are fabricated by masking and etching a plurality of the needle blanks from one side of a base material, such as a metal sheet, after applying an etchant resistant adhesive backing to the other side and then etching the one side of the sheet as a chemical milling process. The resultant needles are unattached to each other or to the sheet and individually removable from the backing. This increases the speed of manufacturing while maintaining the ease of use.

Abstract: A nozzle plate free from stray fly and defective jetting is achieved by a method which has a first step of putting a photosensitive resin film 5 in pressure contact with a back surface of a nozzle plate 1. A part of the photosensitive resin film 5 is caused to step into a nozzle 4 by controlling the viscosity thereof by changing temperature. Then, the thus processed photosensitive resin film 5 is hardened by injecting ultraviolet rays thereto. Next, a front surface 2 of the nozzle plate 1 is subjected to a eutectoid plating 6 process. By regulating a step coverage d of a part of the eutectoid plating 6 into the nozzle 4 by the hardened photosensitive resin film 5, a nozzle plate having a consistent nozzles, each being free from stray fly and defective jetting can be formed.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of dynamically mixing a slurry for a chemical mechanical polish includes pumping an abrasive (33) and an oxidizer (37) into a first portion (19) of a slurry mixer (11), using a magnetically coupled stirrer (17) to blend the abrasive (33) and the oxidizer (37) into a slurry (41) in the first portion (19) of the slurry mixer (11), transporting the slurry (41) through a diffuser (21) and into a second portion (22) of the slurry mixer (11), keeping the slurry (41) in the second portion (22) of the slurry mixer (11) for a residence time, and, subsequently, using the slurry (41) to chemical mechanical polish a semiconductor substrate (43). The diffuser (21) reduces air entrainment of the slurry (41), and the residence time enables the slurry (41) to be used when it has a maximum polishing rate.

Abstract: Manufacturing processes for apparatus, including slotted hypotube, for use as a catheter, a guidewire, a catheter sheath for use with catheter introducers or a drug infusion catheter/guidewire are disclosed. The manufacturing process includes creating a pattern of slots or apertures in a flexible metallic tubular member, by processes including but not limited to, electrostatic discharge machining (EDM), chemical milling, ablation and laser cutting. These slots or apertures may be cut completely or partially through the wall of the flexible metallic tubular member. These manufacturing processes may include the additional step of encasing the flexible metallic member such that a fluid tight seal is formed around the periphery of the tubular member.

Abstract: An improved method for specifying and reliably detecting endpoints in processes such as plasma etching, where the signal-to-noise ratio has been severely degraded due to factors such as "cloudy window" and low ratio of reactive surface area to non-reactive surface area. The improved method of the invention samples signals produced by photo sensitive equipment, digitally filters and cross-correlates the data, normalizes the data using an average normalization value, and provides further noise reduction through the use of three modes of endpoint specification and detection. The three modes of endpoint specification and detection require a pre-specified number of consecutive samples to exhibit a certain behavior before the endpoint is deemed detected and the process terminated as a result. The three modes of endpoint specification and detection also permit a very fine control of the etch time by permitting the user to adjust the specified endpoint by gradations of the sampling period.

Abstract: A phase grating mask is placed in-contact or near contact with an optical waveguide to make a blazed grating in the waveguide. A band of grating elements are defined across a surface of the mask such that in the plane of the surface each element is formed at a predetermined blaze angle to a central longitudinal axis of the band. The grating is made by aligning the waveguide with the axis of the band and irradiating the phase mask. Gratings may be formed in a single step, or in several steps by moving the mask relative to the waveguide after each irradiation. The mask may be formed on a substrate by electron beam lithography.