Abstract: A method of manufacturing an ultrasound transducer is provided. The ultrasound transducer is activated and the activity across the transducer is measured to determine whether the activity at any area does not meet an acceptance criteria. The transducer is then modified so that the area meets the acceptance criteria. The transducer may be modified with a laser which removes material from the area which does not meet the acceptance criteria.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an ultrasound transducer is provided. The ultrasound transducer is activated and the activity across the transducer is measured to determine whether the activity at any area does not meet an acceptance criteria. The transducer is then modified so that the area meets the acceptance criteria. The transducer may be modified with a laser which removes material from the area which does not meet the accceptance criteria.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring cervical diameter comprises a support structure and measurement devices for detecting changes in cervical diameter, either directly or indirectly through changes in the size of the support structure. The support structure may conform to a cervical surface, typically being a peripherally expansible lumen or expansible structure. Alternatively, the support structure may engage the vaginal wall or fornices. Measurement devices may include gages which determine change in sizes of an expansible loop, electronic devices for measuring changes in transmitted or reflected energy, or combinations thereof. The devices are suitable for use on ambulatory patients and in out-patient situations.

Abstract: An interconnect (16',18', 18"), whose interlevel contacts comprise refractory (10) to refractory or refractory to semiconductor substrate (13) interfaces, comprises patterned refractory core portions (10), consisting of tungsten or molybdenum, having top portions (10a) and opposed side portions (10b), provided with sidewall spacers (32a) of aluminum, gold or copper or alloys thereof and formed on surfaces (12a) of insulating layers (12). The sidewall spacers afford lateral low resistivity cladding of the refractory portions as well as suppression of the electromigration failure modes of voiding and whiskering, while leaving the top portion of the core portions available for refractory to refractory contacts and the bottom portion of the core portions available for refractory to refractory or refractory to silicon contacts.

Abstract: A stable, low resistance contact is formed in a contact hole (16) through an insulating layer (14), e.g., silicon dioxide, formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate (12), e.g., silicon, to a portion of a doped region (10) in said semiconductor surface. The contact comprises (a) an adhesion and contacting layer (18) of titanium formed along the walls of the insulating layer and in contact with the portion of the doped region; (b) a barrier layer (20) formed over the adhesion and contacting layer; and (c) a conductive material (22) formed over the barrier layer and at least substantially filling said contact hole. A patterned metal layer (26) forms an ohmic contact interconnect to other devices and external circuitry.The adhesion and contacting layer and barrier layer are either physically or chemically vapor deposited onto the oxide surface. The conductive layer comprises one of CVD or bias sputtered tungsten, molybdenum or in situ doped CVD polysilicon.

Abstract: A stable, low resistance contact is formed in a contact hole (16) through an insulating layer (14), e.g., silicon dioxide, formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate (12), e.g., silicon, to a portion of a doped region (10) in said semiconductor surface. The contact comprises (a) an adhesion and contacting layer (18) of titanium formed along the walls of the insulating layer and in contact with the portion of the doped region; (b) a barrier layer (20) formed over the adhesion and contacting layer; and (c) a conductive material (22) formed over the barrier layer and at least substantially filling said contact hole. A patterned metal layer (26) forms an ohmic contact interconnect to other devices and external circuitry. The adhesion and contacting layer and barrier layer are either physically or chemically vapor deposited onto the oxide surface. The conductive layer comprises one of CVD or bias sputtered tungsten, molybdenum or in situ doped CVD polysilicon.

Abstract: An interconnect (16', 18', 18"), whose interlevel contacts comprise refractory (10) to refractory or refractory to semiconductor substrate (13) interfaces, comprises patterned refractory core portions (10), consisting of tungsten or molybdenum, having top portions (10a) and opposed side portions (10b), provided with sidewall spacers (32a) of aluminum, gold or copper or alloys thereof and formed on surface (12a) of insulating layers (12). The sidewall spacers afford lateral low resistivity cladding of the refractory portions as well as suppression of the electromigration failure modes of voiding and whiskering, while leaving the top portion of the core portions available for refractory to refractory contacts and the bottom portion of the core portions available for refractory to refractory or refractory to silicon contacts.

Abstract: Reflection of incident optical radiation (18) from a highly reflective metal layer (12), such as aluminum or titanium, into a photoresist layer (14) is reduced by interposing a layer of titanium nitride (16) between the metal and photoresist layers. The thickness of the TiN layer depends on the wavelength of the optical radiation used to expose the photoresist and on the optical properties of the underlying metal layer. Reflectance of less than about 2% may be achieved using the TiN layer in conjunction with aluminum and less than about 5% in conjunction with titanium, in accordance with the invention. If left in place after patterning an underlying aluminum layer, the TiN layer also serves to suppress hillock formation in the aluminum layer.