Abstract: Ion implantation may be used to break up a dielectric layer that forms during the fabrication of a memory array. More specifically, during the fabrication of wordline stacks, a nitride layer may form between the polysilicon layer and the conductive metal layers above the polysilicon layer. While the nitride layer may be desirable during the fabrication process, it may inhibit electrical conductivity between the polysilicon layer and the conductive metal layers. A two step etch process may be implemented wherein the wordline stacks are etched into the polysilicon layer in the first etch and etched down to the substrate during the second etch. An angled implant may be used to break up the nitride layer between the first etch and the second etch.

Abstract: A technique is provided for installing circuit components, such as memory devices, in a support, such as a socket. The device to be installed is supported in a holder or shell. The holder is positioned over a support region in the receiving socket. A manual actuator is pressed into the holder to eject the device from the holder and to install the device in the support. The holder may be configured to hold a single device, or multiple devices aligned in slots defined by partitions. A multi-device tray may be provided for indexing devices toward an ejection slot, through which the devices are installed by manual actuation of an ejecting actuator. The technique provides protection for the device prior to and during installation, and facilitates manual installation of such devices without requiring direct hand contact with the device either prior to or during installation.

Abstract: Ambient light can saturate the light detectors of a touch screen and cause unreliable operation. To address this concern, one or more filters may be placed proximate the detectors. A first filter may be a spatial filter, such as a microlouvre filter. A microlouvre filter is arranged so that it passes light transmitted by the light detectors and rejects off-axis light. Another filter may be a narrow band optical filter, such as a dichroic notch filter. Such an optical filter passes light having wavelengths within a narrow band selected to correspond to the spectral characteristics of the light emitters, while it rejects light of other wavelengths. The spatial filter and the narrow band optical filter may be used separately or in combination.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprised of a substantially conformal layer of titanium silicon oxide deposited on a semiconductor substrate. The layer of titanium silicon oxide is substantially free of chlorine related impurities. The layer of titanium silicon oxide may have a ratio of silicon to titanium from about 0.1 to about 1.9. The layer of titanium silicon oxide may have a dielectric constant from about 10 to about 30, and a thickness from about 15 angstroms to about 500 angstroms.

Abstract: A memory device wherein a diode is serially connected to a programmable resistor and is in electrical communication with a buried digit line. An electrically conductive plug is electrically interposed between the digit line and a strapping layer, thereby creating a double metal scheme wherein the strapping layer is a second metal layer overlying metal wordlines. In a method of a first embodiment the strapping material is electrically connected to the digit line through a planar landing pad overlying the conductive plug. An insulative material is sloped to the planar landing pad in order to provide a surface conducive to the formation of the strapping material.

Abstract: A technique for calculating actual b-values in a diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging system and of adjusting the observed b-value until it is within a tolerance range of the prescribed b-value. A diffusion weighted image with the desired diffusion sensitivity may then be produced. Calculation of the actual b-value is accomplished by integrating the linear segments of the gradient waveform. Adjustment of observed b-value is accomplished by initially scaling the diffusion lobe amplitude and comparing a recalculated b-value to the prescribed b-value. Additional adjustment is provided by means of a numeric search iteratively performed until the recalculated b-value is within tolerance of the prescribed b-value.

Abstract: A method of forming electrical contacts includes the step of implanting ions into a contact hole at an angle to create an enlarged plug enhancement region at the bottom of a contact hole. Thus, even if the contact hole is misaligned, over-sized, or over-etched, the enlarged plug enhancement region contains subsequently formed barrier layers and other conductive materials to reduce current leakage into the underlying substrate or into adjacent circuit elements.

Abstract: An electrocardiogram processing technique for measuring T-wave alternans by which the alternating electrocardiogram signals are aligned to a target cubic spline. The target cubic spline is calculated on base of three isoelectric points namely a point before the P-wave, a point before the QRS-complex and a point after the T-wave. The aligned signals may then be further analyzed for variations such as T-wave alternans which are only present in alternating beats and which have diagnostic significance.

Abstract: Sunlight can damage a conventional touch screen display and cause the display to be quite difficult to read. Furthermore, conventional touch screen displays are easily damaged, and, once damaged, the entire touch screen is replaced. To address these concerns, a touch panel includes anti-reflective coatings on the surfaces of the top plate and the base plate that are open to the air. These coatings substantially reduce reflections and make the touch screen easier to read in direct sunlight. In particular, the anti-reflective coating used on the upper surface of the base plate is dielectric in nature to reduce reflectivity even further. This dielectric coating includes openings to an underlying conductive layer so that an electrical contact is made when a user deflects the top plate into the base plate. Also, the top plate may be detachably coupled to the base plate, advantageously by double stick adhesive tape, so that only the top plate is replaced when damaged.

Abstract: The present technique provides a variety of processing schemes for decomposing soft tissue and bone images more accurately from low and high-energy images acquired from an imaging system, such as a dual-energy digital radiography system using flat-panel technology. In particular, a pre-decomposition process is provided for spatially matching, or registering, low and high-energy images using warping registration prior to dual energy image decomposition, which creates the soft tissue and bone images. Accordingly, the pre-decomposition process reduces motion artifacts between the low and high-energy images, thereby improving image clarity of the decomposed soft tissue and bone images.

Abstract: The invention relates to a manual grinder for mounting on the neck (C) of a receptacle for foodstuffs in the form of grains, the grinder being characterized in that it comprises firstly a fixed ring (1) provided with a flange (11) for supporting it on the receptacle, which flange is downwardly extended by an inner sleeve (12) that is engaged in said neck (C) and that presents a toothed inner side wall (12a), and secondly a cap (2) rotatably mounted on said neck (C) covering said ring (1) and including a peripheral skirt (21) radially connected to a central bushing (22) having a toothed outer side wall (22a) that is engaged coaxially in said sleeve (12), so as to define between them a peripheral grinding zone (10).

Abstract: A vertically oriented diode for use in delivering current to a multi-state memory element in a memory cell. A vertical diode may be disposed in a diode container extending downwardly from a top of a silicon or oxide layer, and may be formed of a combination of silicon and/or metal layers disposed proximate to inner surfaces of a diode container. A multi-state memory element may be formed of a multi-state material, such as a chalcogenide, above a diode to complete a memory cell.

Abstract: A memory device wherein a diode is serially connected to a programmable resistor and is in electrical communication with a buried digit line. An electrically conductive plug is electrically interposed between the digit line and a strapping layer, thereby creating a double metal scheme wherein the strapping layer is a second metal layer overlying metal wordlines. In a method of a first embodiment the strapping material is electrically connected to the digit line through a planar landing pad overlying the conductive plug. An insulative material is sloped to the planar landing pad in order to provide a surface conducive to the formation of the strapping material.

Abstract: A welding system having a welding gun. The welding gun having a neck, a handle and a retaining nut for securing the neck to the handle. The retaining nut consists essentially of a polymeric material. The polymeric material may be polyphenylene sulfide (PPS).

Abstract: A welding gun includes a welding handle and at least one interchangeable assembly. A plurality of interchangeable assemblies are securable to the welding handle to enable the welding gun to be configured for operation in a plurality of welding applications. A first interchangeable assembly enables the welding gun to receive gas and wire. A second interchangeable assembly enables the welding gun to receive flux and wire. The welding gun is coupled to a power source. The welding gun may be coupled to a flux reservoir or a source of gas. The welding gun may be coupled to the system by a cable operable to convey wire, gas, and flux to the welding handle.

Abstract: A system and method for developing a heat treatment process using a model radiative-heating oven, which repeatably and accurately simulates an industrial heat treatment system. In order to simulate the industrial heat treatment system, the model radiative-heating oven uses a variety of scaling factors, such as heating density parameters. The model radiative-heating oven also may have a quickly openable and closable object carrier, which facilitates a timely start and end of a desired heat treatment process. An oven temperature stabilizer also may be provided for thermally stabilizing the model radiative-heating oven prior to the desired heat treatment process. The present technique also may utilize a variety of heat profile controls, such as time, temperature, and power levels, to provide the desired heat profile in the heat treatment process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for combining the respective readout signals for a loop and butterfly coil pair of a quadrature phased array used for magnetic resonance imaging. The technique used to combine the signals introduces a 180 degree phase shift, or multiple thereof, to the loop coil signal, thereby allowing the loop coil signal to be decoupled from other loop coil signals by a low input impedance preamplifier in series with the signal.

Abstract: An ultra-small electrode or plug contact for use in chalcogenide memory cells specifically, and in semiconductor devices generally. The ultra-small electrode is fabricated by a technique in which disposable spacers are utilized to fabricate ultra-small pores into which the electrodes are formed. The electrodes thus defined have minimum lateral dimensions ranging from approximately 500 to 4000 Angstroms. The pores thus defined may then be used to fabricate a chalcogenide memory cell or other semiconductor devices.

Abstract: A picture archiving and communication system includes an image data compression station which received image, data files and compresses the image data. The compression is performed via one or more optimal compression algorithms for subregions of the image data. Hybrid compressed data files are created including a descriptive header and the optimally compressed image data. Code identifying the selected algorithms is inserted into the hybrid files. A server receives and stores the hybrid files, and access the files upon demand for client stations, wherein the hybrid compressed files are decompressed for viewing of the encoded images. Rapid data exchange within the system are facilitated by the use of compressed data and by the availability of descriptive data from the header portions of the files.

Abstract: A method of forming electrical contacts includes the step of implanting ions into a contact hole at an angle to create an enlarged plug enhancement region at the bottom of a contact hole. Thus, even if the contact hole is misaligned, over-sized, or over-etched, the enlarged plug enhancement region contains subsequently formed barrier layers and other conductive materials to reduce current leakage into the underlying substrate or into adjacent circuit elements.