Abstract: The disclosure relates to chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) polishing compositions including proline and a fluorochemical surfactant. The wafer polishing composition may be used as a solution substantially free of abrasive particles, the composition of which can be adjusted to control Oxide Removal Rate and oxide over nitride Selectivity Ratio in Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) processing of semiconductor wafers using a fixed abrasive CMP process. In certain embodiments, the disclosure provides a working liquid for fixed abrasive CMP including proline and a fluorochemical surfactant at a pH from 9 to 11. When used in a fixed abrasive CMP system and method for STI, exemplary working liquids may yield an Oxide Removal Rate of at least 500 angstroms per minute, and an oxide over nitride Selectivity Ratio of at least 5.

Abstract: An electric wire whose outer surface has a portion to be colored as required is manufactured by forming a plurality of recesses on the portion of the outer surface of the electric wire, which has a core wire and an insulating jacket that covers an entire periphery of the core wire, and then applying a coloring material to the portion of the outer surface of the electric wire. The recesses may be provided by blowing abrasive grains against the portion or by pricking the portion with one or more needles.

Abstract: A crystallization method, including: depositing a thin film of a crystalline material on a substrate; heating the substrate and the crystalline material deposited on the substrate to a first temperature for a time enabling internal strains present in the crystalline material to be relaxed; after the heating, subjecting the substrate and the crystalline material to a second temperature and to a uniform bending by placing the substrate on a bending bench, a quantity of bending and a difference between the first and the second temperature having values determined from elastic bending constants, thermal deformations and thermal expansion coefficients to favor a particular crystallographic orientation of the crystalline material along an azimuth direction in relation to a direction normal to the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of forming an electrolyte membrane comprising forming a mixture; the mixture comprising a polyhydroxy compound, an aromatic polyhalide compound and an alkali metal hydroxide; disposing the mixture on a porous substrate; reacting the mixture to form a crosslinked proton conductor; and sulfonating the proton conductor. Disclosed herein too is an article comprising a porous substrate; and a sulfonated crosslinked proton conductor disposed within pores of the porous substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for incorporating discrete passive components into an integrated circuit package. A metal layer is formed over a surface of a substrate. A layer of photosensitive material is then formed over the metal layer. Using standard photolithographic processing, a pattern is formed with the photosensitive material to expose at least one region of the metal layer. The remaining photosensitive material protects the underlying metal during metal etching. The substrate is then subjected to a metal etching process to remove the metal that is not protected by the photosensitive material. The remaining photosensitive material is then removed from each remaining area of the metal layer. The discrete passive components can then be attached to the formed metal lands.

Abstract: Provided are a substrate structure and method of forming the same. The method of forming the substrate structure may include etching a substrate to form an etched portion having a vertical surface, forming a diffusion material layer on the whole substrate or in part of the substrate; annealing the diffusion material layer to form a seed layer diffused downward toward the surface of the etched portion, and forming a metal layer on the seed layer. Accordingly, surface characteristics of the etched portion of the substrate may be enhanced by the seed layer, and therefore, a metal layer with improved adhesion and a uniform thickness may be formed on the vertical surface of the etched portion.

Abstract: A porous silicon zone is metallized by performing in situ reduction of metallic ions dissolved in an aqueous solution and fixing of the metallic particles obtained on said zone in a single step. This step consists in particular in bringing the solution containing the metallic ions into contact with the zone to be metallized, the surface whereof has previously been functionalized to enable in situ reduction of the metallic ions and fixing of the metallic particles. Functionalization of the porous silicon zone is achieved by grafting two particular and distinct types of chemical functions. The first function used is a chelating chemical function for the metallic ions and/or for the metal corresponding to the metallic ions, whereas the second function is a reducing chemical function for the metallic ions. Such a metallization can be used for producing an electrically conducting porous diffusion layer of a fuel cell.

Abstract: The present invention provides a layer acoustic wave device that is formed without requiring a bonding process to attach a secondary substrate. In particular, the layer acoustic wave device is formed from a substrate, an interdigital transducer created on the substrate, a dielectric layer formed over the interdigital transducer and substrate, and at least one isolation layer formed over the dielectric layer. The at least one isolation layer has sufficient properties to minimize particle displacement on a top surface of the at least one isolation layer. The at least one isolation layer has a greater acoustic impedance than that of the dielectric layer.

Abstract: Polymer materials make useful materials as electrode array bodies for neural stimulation. They are particularly useful for retinal stimulation to create artificial vision. Regardless of which polymer is used, the basic construction method is the same. A layer of polymer is laid down. A layer of metal is applied to the polymer and patterned to create electrodes and leads for those electrodes. A second layer of polymer is applied over the metal layer and patterned to leave openings for the electrodes, or openings are created later by means such as laser ablation. Hence the array and its supply cable are formed of a single body.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to large-area transparent conductive coatings (TCCs) including carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and nanowire composites, and methods of making the same. The ?dc/?opt ratio of such thim films may be improved via stable chemical doping and/or alloying of CNT-based films. The doping and/or alloying may be implemented in a large area coating system, e.g., on glass and/or other substrates. In certain example embodiments, a CNT film may be deposited and then doped via chemical functionalization and/or alloyed with silver and/or palladium. Both p-type and n-type dopants may be used in different embodiments of this invention. In certain example embodiments, silver and/or other nanowires may be provided, e.g., to further decrease sheet resistance. Certain example embodiments may provide coatings that approach, meet, or exceed 90% visible transmission and 90 ohms/square target metrics.

Abstract: A magnetic storage medium is formed of magnetic nanoparticles that are encapsulated within nanotubes (e.g., carbon nanotubes), which are arranged in a substrate to facilitate the reading and writing of information by a read/write head. The substrate may be flexible or rigid. Information is stored on the magnetic nanoparticles via the read/write head of a storage device. These magnetic nanoparticles are arranged into data tracks to store information through encapsulation within the carbon nanotubes. As carbon nanotubes are bendable, the carbon nanotubes may be arranged on flexible or rigid substrates, such as a polymer tape or disk for flexible media, or a glass substrate for rigid disk. A polymer may assist holding the nano-particle filled carbon-tubes to the substrate. Magnetic fields may be applied to draw the carbon nanotubes into data tracks and orient the carbon nanotubes within the data tracks.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, a method for making microfluidic structures in bulk titanium is disclosed. Specific microfluidic structures include HPLC structures.

Abstract: A dispenser for fabricating a liquid crystal display panel and a method for controlling a gap between a nozzle and a substrate by using the same are disclosed in the present invention. The dispenser for fabricating a liquid crystal display panel includes a syringe having a nozzle at one end and separated from a substrate, a vertical driving motor driving the syringe in a vertical direction, a contact type switch switching on/off the vertical driving motor depending on whether the nozzle and the substrate are in contact with each other, and a first sensor detecting an initial value between the nozzle and the substrate by switching on and off the contact type switch.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium having a magnetically separated magnetic recording pattern is provided, in which the surface of a magnetic layer is not oxidized or halogenated, the surface is not contaminated with dust, and the manufacturing process is not complex. The method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium having a magnetically separated magnetic recording pattern includes forming a magnetic layer on a nonmagnetic substrate, forming a mask layer made of carbon to form the magnetic recording pattern on the magnetic layer, forming cobalt carbide as a nonmagnetic material in the magnetic layer by irradiating a region of the magnetic layer not covered by the mask layer with ion beams including carbon hydride ions, and removing the mask layer in this order.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing discrete track media and patterned media is disclosed which enables a magnetic recording layer having excellent magnetic characteristics to be obtained without imparting damage to a crystal orientation control layer which is at the surface when forming the magnetic recording layer. The method for manufacturing magnetic recording media comprises a process of forming a soft magnetic layer on a substrate; a process of forming a first crystal orientation control layer on the soft magnetic layer; a process of providing a depression in at least a portion of the first crystal orientation control layer; a process of performing heat treatment of the first crystal orientation control layer; and a process of forming a magnetic recording layer on the first crystal orientation control layer.

Abstract: An improved patterned magnetic bit data storage media and a method for manufacturing the same is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the improved patterned magnetic bit data storage media may comprise an active region exhibiting substantially ferromagnetism; and an inactive region exhibiting substantially paramagnetism, the inactive region comprising at least two grains and a grain boundary interposed therebetween, wherein each of the at least two grains contain ferromagnetic material, and wherein the at least two grains are antiferromagnetically coupled.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to large-area transparent conductive coatings (TCCs) including carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and nanowire composites, and methods of making the same. The ?dc/?opt ratio of such thin films may be improved via stable chemical doping and/or alloying of CNT-based films. The doping and/or alloying may be implemented in a large area coating system, e.g., on glass and/or other substrates. In certain example embodiments, a CNT film may be deposited and then doped via chemical functionalization and/or alloyed with silver and/or palladium. Both p-type and n-type dopants may be used in different embodiments of this invention. In certain example embodiments, silver and/or other nanowires may be provided, e.g., to further decrease sheet resistance. Certain example embodiments may provide coatings that approach, meet, or exceed 90% visible transmission and 90 ohms/square target metrics.

Abstract: Disclosed is a high sensitive gas sensor using a carbon material containing an ionized metal catalyst and a method of manufacturing the same. The method includes the steps of: (1) preparing a hydroxide solution by dissolving a hydroxide in a distilled water; (2) dissolving a metal catalyst in the hydroxide solution; (3) immersing the carbon material in a solution obtained through step (2) and stirring the carbon material; (4) heat-treating a mixture obtained through step (3); (5) cleaning the heat-treated carbon material obtained through step (4); (6) drying the carbon material cleaned through step (5); and (7) manufacturing the gas sensor by loading the carbon material obtained through step (6) on a substrate. The gas sensor having high sensitivity and responsiveness with respect to a target gas even in a normal temperature is obtained.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to non-lithographic patterning by laser (or similar-type energy beam) ablation, where the ablation system ultimately results in circuitry features that are relative free from debris induced over-plating defects (debris relating to the ablation process) and fully additive plating induced over-plating defects. Compositions of the invention include a circuit board precursor having an insulating substrate and a cover layer. The insulating substrate is made from a dielectric material and also a metal oxide activatable filler. The cover layer can be sacrificial or non-sacrificial and is used to remediate unwanted debris arising from the ablation process.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a diamond UV sensor element improved with a UV/visible light blind ratio using a diamond single crystal as a light receiving portion and detecting a light based on the change of electric resistance caused by a light irradiated to the light receiving portion is provided, the method, including (1) a step of hydrogenating the surface of the diamond single crystal in an atmosphere substantially containing hydrogen, and (2) a step of forming a light receiving portion by exposing the hydrogenated surface of the diamond single crystal into an atmosphere containing ozone or active oxygen.