Abstract: Drilling an infected tooth root canal can leave some infected material behind. Heat delivered from within the tooth can be used to disrupt biofilm, disinfect, and/or seal. A cone-shaped flexible device can be inserted into or toward the root canal. The device can include a heating transducer, such as a DC resistive heating element, or an RF heating transducer that can generate heat in a dielectric or semiconductor or polymer active substrate, with a locus of the heat generation controllable by adjusting a frequency of an electrical input signal driving the heating transducer. Thermally conductive fluid can be introduced into the root canal to help distribute heat from the heating transducer to nearby portions of the root canal for heat disinfecting treatment of infected tissue. The active substrate can be heat-softenable, such as to help seal a target region of the tooth.

Abstract: A lossy dielectric heat source transducer or other transducer can be formed using a multi-layer substrate, such as can include a power layer (to receive an applied electromagnetic input signal), a polyurethane or other polymeric electromagnetic energy absorption layer, and a coupling layer therebetween. The absorption layer can be doped with carbon or another dopant material to increase electromagnetic energy absorption. The coupling layer can be doped with barium titanate or another dopant material to focus electromagnetic energy passing through the coupling layer toward the absorption layer. Frequency-selective addressing of particular transducers can include using a plurality of planar resonators, which can be configured to resonate at the same or different specified frequencies of the applied electromagnetic input. Such addressing of such frequency-sensitive structures can permit location-specific actuation of one or more transducers.

Abstract: A biocompatible medical device can be at least partially implantable into a living human or animal subject to provide active treatment of biofilm that can occur use within the subject. The medical device can include a catheter, including an interior conduit capable of permitting fluid flow. A heating device can be located on a portion of the catheter to be located within the subject, the heating device including at least a pair of electrodes having a variable spacing therebetween, the variable spacing specified to allow heat to be generated using a time-varying electromagnetic input signal providing a variable frequency to control a variable location along the electrodes at which heat is generated, such as can provide a virtual matrix of local heat sources.

Abstract: A lossy dielectric heat source transducer or other transducer can be formed using a multi-layer substrate, such as can include a power layer (to receive an applied electromagnetic input signal), a polyurethane or other polymeric electromagnetic energy absorption layer, and a coupling layer therebetween. The absorption layer can be doped with carbon or another dopant material to increase electromagnetic energy absorption. The coupling layer can be doped with barium titanate or another dopant material to focus electromagnetic energy passing through the coupling layer toward the absorption layer. Frequency-selective addressing of particular transducers can include using a plurality of planar resonators, which can be configured to resonate at the same or different specified frequencies of the applied electromagnetic input. Such addressing of such frequency-sensitive structures can permit location-specific actuation of one or more transducers.

Abstract: A biocompatible medical device can be at least partially implantable into a living human or animal subject to provide active treatment of biofilm that can occur use within the subject. The medical device can include a catheter, including an interior conduit capable of permitting fluid flow. A heating device can be located on a portion of the catheter to be located within the subject, the heating device including at least a pair of electrodes having a variable spacing therebetween, the variable spacing specified to allow heat to be generated using a time-varying electromagnetic input signal providing a variable frequency to control a variable location along the electrodes at which heat is generated, such as can provide a virtual matrix of local heat sources.

Abstract: A semiconductor or other substrate can include one or more electrodes, located directly or indirectly on the substrate, separated from each other and coupled to the substrate. At the two or more electrodes, non-zero frequency time-varying electrical energy can be received. The time-varying electrical energy can be coupled via the two or more electrodes to trigger a displacement current to activate free carriers confined within the semiconductor substrate to generate frequency-controlled heat in the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A lossy dielectric heat source transducer or other transducer can be formed using a multi-layer substrate, such as can include a power layer (to receive an applied electromagnetic input signal), a polyurethane or other polymeric electromagnetic energy absorption layer, and a coupling layer therebetween. The absorption layer can be doped with carbon or another dopant material to increase electromagnetic energy absorption. The coupling layer can be doped with barium titanate or another dopant material to focus electromagnetic energy passing through the coupling layer toward the absorption layer. Frequency-selective addressing of particular transducers can include using a plurality of planar resonators, which can be configured to resonate at the same or different specified frequencies of the applied electromagnetic input. Such addressing of such frequency-sensitive structures can permit location-specific actuation of one or more transducers.

Abstract: A semiconductor or other substrate can include one or more electrodes, located directly or indirectly on the substrate, separated from each other and coupled to the substrate. At the two or more electrodes, non-zero frequency time-varying electrical energy can be received. The time-varying electrical energy can be coupled via the two or more electrodes to trigger a displacement current to activate free carriers confined within the semiconductor substrate to generate frequency-controlled heat in the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Localized heating can use a fixed-frequency planar transmission line resonators arranged along a main-line, selected by tuning an electromagnetic input signal frequency applied to the main line for depositing heat in an adjacent active substrate. More generally, adjusting input signal frequency can be used to selectively address and energize an electromagnetic-to-heat, an electromagnetic-to-vibration, or other transducer to controllably direct energy toward a desired transducer load. Resonators or other electromagnetically energized transducers can be arranged to electromagnetically interfere, such that specifying or adjusting a relative phase of applied electrical signals can be used to specify or adjust the energy directed toward a desired transducer load. Temperature sensing can characterize a material in a target region near the transducer. A cold-hot-cold temperature profile can better manage temperature and avoid overheating a dielectric material such as the active substrate material.

Abstract: Localized heating can use a fixed-frequency planar transmission line resonators arranged along a main-line, selected by tuning an electromagnetic input signal frequency applied to the main line for depositing heat in an adjacent active substrate. More generally, adjusting input signal frequency can be used to selectively address and energize an electromagnetic-to-heat, an electromagnetic-to-vibration, or other transducer to controllably direct energy toward a desired transducer load. Resonators or other electromagnetically energized transducers can be arranged to electromagnetically interfere, such that specifying or adjusting a relative phase of applied electrical signals can be used to specify or adjust the energy directed toward a desired transducer load. Temperature sensing can characterize a material in a target region near the transducer. A cold-hot-cold temperature profile can better manage temperature and avoid overheating a dielectric material such as the active substrate material.

Abstract: Localized heating can use a fixed-frequency planar transmission line resonators arranged along a main-line, selected by tuning an electromagnetic input signal frequency applied to the main line for depositing heat in an adjacent active substrate. More generally, adjusting input signal frequency can be used to selectively address and energize an electromagnetic-to-heat, an electromagnetic-to-vibration, or other transducer to controllably direct energy toward a desired transducer load. Resonators or other electromagnetically energized transducers can be arranged to electromagnetically interfere, such that specifying or adjusting a relative phase of applied electrical signals can be used to specify or adjust the energy directed toward a desired transducer load. Temperature sensing can characterize a material in a target region near the transducer. A cold-hot-cold temperature profile can better manage temperature and avoid overheating a dielectric material such as the active substrate material.

Abstract: Localized heating can use a fixed-frequency planar transmission line resonators arranged along a main-line, selected by tuning an electromagnetic input signal frequency applied to the main line for depositing heat in an adjacent active substrate. More generally, adjusting input signal frequency can be used to selectively address and energize an electromagnetic-to-heat, an electromagnetic-to-vibration, or other transducer to controllably direct energy toward a desired transducer load. Resonators or other electromagnetically energized transducers can be arranged to electromagnetically interfere, such that specifying or adjusting a relative phase of applied electrical signals can be used to specify or adjust the energy directed toward a desired transducer load. Temperature sensing can characterize a material in a target region near the transducer. A cold-hot-cold temperature profile can better manage temperature and avoid overheating a dielectric material such as the active substrate material.

Abstract: A biocompatible medical device can be at least partially implantable into a living human or animal subject to provide active treatment of biofilm that can occur use within the subject. The medical device can include a catheter, including an interior conduit capable of permitting fluid flow. A heating device can be located on a portion of the catheter to be located within the subject, the heating device including at least a pair of electrodes having a variable spacing therebetween, the variable spacing specified to allow heat to be generated using a time-varying electromagnetic input signal providing a variable frequency to control a variable location along the electrodes at which heat is generated, such as can provide a virtual matrix of local heat sources.

Abstract: A semiconductor or other substrate can include one or more electrodes, located directly or indirectly on the substrate, separated from each other and coupled to the substrate. At the two or more electrodes, non-zero frequency time-varying electrical energy can be received. The time-varying electrical energy can be coupled via the two or more electrodes to trigger a displacement current to activate free carriers confined within the semiconductor substrate to generate frequency-controlled heat in the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Localized heating can be provided using fixed-frequency planar transmission line resonators arranged along a main-line, and tuning an electromagnetic input signal frequency applied to the main line to selectively address and energize one or more planar resonators for also addressing and energizing one or more correspondingly located active substrate transducer heat sources for depositing heat in an adjacent active substrate. More generally, adjusting input signal frequency to select one or more planar resonators arranged along a main line can be used to selectively address and energize an electromagnetic-to-heat, an electromagnetic-to-vibration, or other transducer to controllably direct energy toward a desired transducer load.

Abstract: Localized heating can be provided using fixed-frequency planar transmission line resonators arranged along a main-line, and tuning an electromagnetic input signal frequency applied to the main line to selectively address and energize one or more planar resonators for also addressing and energizing one or more correspondingly located active substrate transducer heat sources for depositing heat in an adjacent active substrate. More generally, adjusting input signal frequency to select one or more planar resonators arranged along a main line can be used to selectively address and energize an electromagnetic-to-heat, an electromagnetic-to-vibration, or other transducer to controllably direct energy toward a desired transducer load.

Abstract: A biocompatible medical device can be at least partially implantable into a living human or animal subject to provide active treatment of biofilm that can occur use within the subject. The medical device can include a catheter, including an interior conduit capable of permitting fluid flow. A heating device can be located on a portion of the catheter to be located within the subject, the heating device including at least a pair of electrodes having a variable spacing therebetween, the variable spacing specified to allow heat to be generated using a time-varying electromagnetic input signal providing a variable frequency to control a variable location along the electrodes at which heat is generated, such as can provide a virtual matrix of local heat sources.

Abstract: A semiconductor or other substrate can include one or more electrodes, located directly or indirectly on the substrate, separated from each other and coupled to the substrate. At the two or more electrodes, non-zero frequency time-varying electrical energy can be received. The time-varying electrical energy can be coupled via the two or more electrodes to trigger a displacement current to activate free carriers confined within the semiconductor substrate to generate frequency-controlled heat in the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor or other substrate can include one or more electrodes, located directly or indirectly on the substrate, separated from each other and coupled to the substrate. At the two or more electrodes, non-zero frequency time-varying electrical energy can be received. The time-varying electrical energy can be coupled via the two or more electrodes to trigger a displacement current to activate free carriers confined within the semiconductor substrate to generate frequency-controlled heat in the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A biocompatible medical device can be at least partially implantable into a living human or animal subject to provide active treatment of biofilm that can occur use within the subject. The medical device can include a catheter, including an interior conduit capable of permitting fluid flow. A heating device can be located on a portion of the catheter to be located within the subject, the heating device including at least a pair of electrodes having a variable spacing therebetween, the variable spacing specified to allow heat to be generated using a time-varying electromagnetic input signal providing a variable frequency to control a variable location along the electrodes at which heat is generated, such as can provide a virtual matrix of local heat sources.