Abstract: A method of making a magnetic tunnel junction device is disclosed. The magnetic tunnel junction device includes a magnetic tunnel junction stack and an electrically non-conductive spacer in contact with a portion of the magnetic tunnel junction stack. The spacer electrically insulates a portion of the magnetic tunnel junction stack from an electrically conductive material used for a via that is in contact with the magnetic tunnel junction stack and a top conductor. The spacer can also prevent an electrical short between a bottom conductor and the top conductor. The spacer can prevent electrical shorts when the magnetic tunnel junction stack and a self-aligned via are not aligned with each other.

Abstract: A conductive memory stack is provided. The memory stack includes a bottom electrode, a top electrode and a multi-resistive state element that is sandwiched between the electrodes. The bottom electrode can be described as having a top face with a first surface area, the top electrode has a bottom face with a second surface area and the multi-resistive state element has a bottom face with a third surface area and a top face with a fourth surface area. The multi-resistive state element's bottom face is in contact with the bottom electrode's top face and the multi-resistive state element's top face is in contact with the top electrode's bottom face. Furthermore, the fourth surface area is not equal to the second surface area.

Abstract: A high emission electron emitter and a method of fabricating a high emission electron emitter are disclosed. A high emission electron emitter includes an electron injection layer, an active layer of high porosity porous silicon material in contact with the electron injection layer, a contact layer of low porosity porous silicon material in contact with the active layer and including an interface surface with a heavily doped region, and an optional top electrode in contact with the contact layer. The contact layer reduces contact resistance between the active layer and the top electrode and the heavily doped region reduces resistivity of the contact layer thereby increasing electron emission efficiency and stable electron emission from the top electrode. The electron injection layer is made from an electrically conductive material such as n+ semiconductor, n+ single crystal silicon, a metal, a silicide, or a nitride.

Abstract: A method of forming a hardened nano-imprinting stamp is disclosed. The hardened nano-imprinting stamp includes a plurality of silicon-based nano-sized features that have an hardened shell of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, or silicon carbide nitride. The hardened shell is made harder than the underlying silicon by a plasma carburization and/or a plasma nitridation process. During the plasma process atoms of carbon and/or nitrogen bombard and penetrate a plurality of exposed surfaces of the nano-sized features and chemically react with the silicon to form the hardened shell of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, or silicon carbide nitride.

Abstract: A device for precision alignment of a write element of a tape head to a transport direction of a media that is transported across the tape head is disclosed. The tape head includes at least one alignment element that is cofabricated with the write element so that both the write element and the alignment element have a fixed orientation with respect to a magnetic axis of the tape head. The alignment element and the write element can be fabricated on the tape head using standard microelectronic photolithographic processes. Preferably, the tape head includes a plurality of alignment elements. Those alignment elements are operative to write alignment transitions onto the media. The alignment transitions can be observed to determine if they are indicative of the write element having a predetermined orientation with respect to the transport direction.

Abstract: A system of linked digital cameras for an image capture system is disclosed. A first and second digital camera can be linked to capture a first images and a second image that are used to form a stereo image. A first data port on the first digital camera and a second data port on the second digital camera intercommunicate data between each other when the cameras are linked. The data can include the first and second image data, camera control data, and camera synchronization data. After capturing the first and second images, the image from one of the cameras can be transferred to the other camera so that both the first and second images reside in the other camera. The system allows a user who wishes to capture stereo images the ability to do so with out having to purchase two digital cameras. A compatible digital camera can be borrowed from another user for the purpose of stereo image capture. After the stereo image is captured, the user transfers both images to his camera and returns the borrowed camera.

Abstract: A side flow cooling device is disclosed. The side flow cooling device includes a heat mass with arms extending therefrom and a mounting surface for connecting the heat mass with a component to be cooled. The heat mass and the arms include a plurality of fins extending outward therefrom and aligned with a vertical axis of the heat mass. The fins have cooling surfaces and a slot between adjacent fins that are aligned with a longitudinal axis of the heat mass. A fan or the like can be connected with a side face of the cooling device to generate an air flow that is substantially along the longitudinal axis. The air flow wets over the cooling surfaces of the fins, on exposed portions of the heat mass, and on exposed portions of the arms to dissipate heat from the heat mass. The heat mass is not covered by the fan and therefore the fins can populate a substantial portion of a surface area of the heat mass thereby increasing the surface area available for cooling.

Abstract: A method of treating an electrically non-conductive tunnel barrier layer through an overlayer of a tunnel junction device with ultra-violet light is disclosed. The method includes irradiating a tunnel barrier layer with ultra-violet light through at least one overlayer that covers the tunnel barrier layer to activate oxygen or nitrogen atoms disposed in the barrier layer so that those atoms will react with a target material of the tunnel barrier layer to form a uniformly oxidized or nitridized tunnel barrier layer having minimal or no defects therein and/or a desired breakdown voltage. The ultra violet light can irradiate the tunnel barrier layer during or after the formation of the overlayer. Heat can be applied before, during, or after the irradiation step to increase the activation rate and to further reduce defects. The method is applicable to any tunnel junction device including a magnetic field sensitive memory device such as a MRAM.

Abstract: A low-cost, fan assisting cooling device is disclosed and includes a heat mass, a thermal core, a vapor chamber, and a phase change liquid sealed in the vapor chamber at a low pressure. Waste heat in the thermal core boils the phase change liquid and converts it into a vapor that rises to contact surfaces of the vapor chamber where it is cooled down and converted back into the phase change liquid. A plurality of vanes and fins are connected with the heat mass and an air flow over the vanes and fins dissipates heat from the heat mass. Consequently, the heat mass is convection cooled by the air flow and evaporatively cooled by the boiling of the phase change liquid.

Abstract: A low-cost, fan assisted cooling device is disclosed. The cooling device includes a heat mass with a taper bore therein adapted to receive a heat spreader that has a shape that complement the taper bore. The heat mass and the heat spreader are made from dissimilar materials. A fastener or the like can be used to urge the heat spreader and the mass into contact with each other. A plurality of vanes are connected with the heat mass and an inside surface of the vanes define a chamber that surrounds the heat mass. A portion of each vane is split into a plurality of fins and both the vanes and the fins have a surface area that increase in a radially outward direction from the axis of the heat mass.

Abstract: A cooling device with an air shower is disclosed. The cooling device includes a heat mass with a plurality of spaced apart fins connected therewith. An air shower including an injector face with a plurality of disrupter orifices is positioned over the fins so that the disrupter orifices direct a second air flow into slots between adjacent fins. A first air flow flowing through the slots is impinged upon and is disrupted by the second air flow resulting in the generation of turbulence in the first air flow. Consequently, a thermal boundary layer in the first air flow is disrupted and a rate,of heat transfer from the fins and the heat mass are increased.

Abstract: A high emission electron emitter includes an electron injection layer, an active layer of high porosity porous silicon material in contact with the electron injection layer, a contact layer of low porosity porous silicon material in contact with the active layer and including an interface surface with a heavily doped region, and an optional top electrode in contact with the contact layer. The contact layer reduces contact resistance between the active layer and the top electrode and the heavily doped region reduces resistivity of the contact layer thereby increasing electron emission efficiency and stable electron emission from the top electrode. The electron injection layer is made from an electrically conductive material such as n+ semiconductor, n+ single crystal silicon, a metal, a silicide, or a nitride.

Abstract: A micro-casted silicon carbide nano-imprinting stamp and method of making a micro-casted silicon carbide nano-imprinting stamp are disclosed. A micro-casting technique is used to form a foundation layer and a plurality of nano-sized features connected with the foundation layer. The foundation layer and the nano-sized features are unitary whole that is made entirely from a material comprising silicon carbide (SiC) which is harder than silicon (Si) alone. As a result, the micro-casted silicon carbide nano-imprinting stamp has a longer service lifetime because it can endure several imprinting cycles without wearing out or breaking. The longer service lifetime makes the micro-casted silicon carbide nano-imprinting stamp economically feasible to manufacture as the manufacturing cost can be recouped over the service lifetime.

Abstract: A low heat loss and small contact area electrode structure for a phase change media memory device is disclosed. The memory device includes a composite electrode that includes a dielectric mandrel that is connected with a substrate and having a tapered shape that terminates at a vertex. An electrically conductive material conformally covers the dielectric mandrel and terminates at a tip. A first dielectric layer covers all of the composite electrode except an exposed portion of the composite electrode that is adjacent to the tip. A phase change media is in contact with the exposed portion. The exposed portion is only a small percentage of an overall surface area of the composite electrode so that a contact footprint between the exposed portion and the phase change media is small relative to a surface area of the phase change media and Joule heat transfer from the phase change media into the composite electrode is reduced.

Abstract: A wide-area nano-size imprinting stamp is disclosed. The wide-area nano-size imprinting stamp includes a substrate having a base surface upon which is formed a plurality of micro-features. Each micro-feature includes a plurality of spacers disposed on opposed side surfaces thereof. The spacers extend laterally outward of the opposed side surfaces and the micro-features and the spacers extend outward of the base surface. The micro-features and the spacers are selectively etched to differing heights to define an imprint stamp having an imprint profile. The imprint stamps can be formed on substantially all of a useable area of the substrate and can have complex shapes that vary among the imprint stamps. The imprint stamps can be used as a template for transferring the imprint profile to a mask layer in which the imprint profile will be replicated.

Abstract: An asymmetric cladded conductor structure for a magnetic field sensitive memory cell is disclosed. One or both of the conductors that cross the memory cell can include an asymmetric cladding that covers a top surface and only a portion of the opposed side surfaces of the conductors such that the cladding on the opposed side surfaces is recessed along those opposed side surfaces in a direction away from a data layer of the memory cell. The cladding is recessed by an offset distance. The asymmetric cladding increases a reluctance of a closed magnetic path with a resulting decrease in magnetic coupling with the data layer. An aspect ratio of the memory cell can be reduced thereby increasing areal density.

Abstract: A method of fabricating high density sub-lithographic features is disclosed. The method includes the use of common microelectronic processes including sub-lithographic spacer formation and Damascene processes to form a plurality of sub-lithographic spacers on vertical side wall surfaces of features carried by a substrate. The sub-lithographic spacers have a period that is less than a minimum resolution of a lithographic system. The density of features, including the sub-lithographic spacers, within a minimum resolution of the lithographic system, can be increased by subsequent depositions of material, followed by anisotropic etching to selectively remove horizontal surfaces of the deposited material. Optionally, the spacer materials can be conformally deposited.

Abstract: An attachment mechanism for connecting a cooling device with a component to be cooled and carried by a connector is disclosed. The attachment mechanism includes a plate, a bore that connects with a portion of the cooling device, a hinge that can be removably hinged on the connector, and a latch assembly that includes tilt relief profiles that allow the latch assembly to pivot on the plate so that a latch profile on the latch assembly can be removably latched on the connector. The latch assembly further includes a spring locator and a spring that are positioned within a slot in the latch assembly and hold the spring pre-loaded in compression. When the latch assembly is tilted on the plate, the latch profile is pivoted outward to facilitate latching onto the connector. After latching onto the connector, the spring is further compressed and exerts a load between the cooling device and the component to be cooled such that contact resistance is reduced and thermal transfer is increased.

Abstract: A device for precision alignment of a write element of a tape head to a transport direction of a media that is transported across the tape head is disclosed. The tape head includes at least one alignment element that is cofabricated with the write element so that both the write element and the alignment element have a fixed orientation with respect to a magnetic axis of the tape head. The alignment element and the write element can be fabricated on the tape head using standard microelectronic photolithographic processes. Preferably, the tape head includes a plurality of alignment elements. Those alignment elements are operative to write alignment transitions onto the media. The alignment transitions can be observed to determine if they are indicative of the write element having a predetermined orientation with respect to the transport direction.