Abstract: The device of the invention consists of a plurality of tubular cannulae, which prior to the surgery, are linked together at their distal ends by flexible elements, such as wires or threads. All the threads, the number of which is one less than the number of the used cannulae, are passed through one of the cannulae and the distal ends of the threads are either attached to the walls of other cannulae, at their distal ends, or pulled back through one of the cannula forming the loop at the distal end and fixed at the proximal end of the cannula. During surgery, the cannulae with their distal ends being linked are inserted into the patient's body through an incision and then the cannulae are used for guiding various surgical tools. Due to flexible linking of the cannulae at their distal ends, the cannulae can be easily manipulated without disconnection and without a need for use extraneous X-raying for reorientation of the cannulae.

Abstract: The device of the invention consists of a plurality of tubular cannulae, consisting of stackable segments, which prior to the surgery, are linked together at their distal ends by flexible elements, such as wires or threads. All the threads, the number of which is one less than the number of the used cannulae, are passed through one of the cannulae and the distal ends of the threads are either attached to the walls of other cannulae, at their distal ends, or pulled back through one of the cannula forming the loop at the distal end and fixed at the proximal end of the cannula. During surgery, the cannulae with their distal ends being linked are inserted into the patient's body through an incision, then the surgeon makes additional incisions, disconnects some segments from selected cannulae, subcutaneously pulls them to the additional incisions, and reconnects previously disconnected segments. The surgery is then performed using the cannulae for guiding various surgical tools.

Abstract: A multiportal device for percutaneous surgery consists of a guiding device with a radial arm that supports an auxiliary guiding device, which can slide along the arm and can be fixed in a require angular position on the arm. The device also includes a first cannula, which can be inserted into the patient's body through the guiding device and can be fixed in a required axial position, and a second cannula, which can be inserted into the second guiding unit and fixed therein. The arch-shaped form of the arm ensures intersection of distal ends of both cannulae in one point aimed at the symptomatic site where surgery has to be done. The device is provided with a linking mechanism that links the distal ends of both cannulae in their position inside the body of a patient. In the engaged state of the linking device, the cannulae still have some freedom of relative movements that may be required for manipulation with cannulae during the surgery.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of the invention are intended for determining characteristics of thin films, layers and coatings on under-layers and substrates when the films, layers and coatings have electrical characteristics measurably different from those of the under-layers and substrates.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring a condition of a polishing plate, in particular for detecting the time for the polishing plate to be reconditioned or replaced, comprising a measuring unit containing at least one sensing unit and a signal-conditioning unit; and a data processing unit. The measuring unit is being in contact with the polishing plate and having a possibility to move relative to it. The sensing unit comprises a probing tip and a set of sensors attached to the back surface of the probing tip, and contains at least one sensor of the group of coefficient of friction sensor, acoustic emission sensor, wear sensor. All sensors work simultaneously and their measurement data is processed and analyzed by a data processing unit for obtaining accurate and reliable results.

Abstract: The device of the invention consists of a plurality of tubular cannulae, which prior to the surgery, are linked together at their distal ends by flexible elements, such as wires or threads. All the threads, the number of which is one less than the number of the used cannulae, are passed through one of the cannulae and the distal ends of the threads are either attached to the walls of other cannulae, at their distal ends, or pulled back through one of the cannula forming the loop at the distal end and fixed at the proximal end of the cannula. During surgery, the cannulae with their distal ends being linked are inserted into the patient's body through an incision and then the cannulae are used for guiding various surgical tools. Due to flexible linking of the cannulae at their distal ends, the cannulae can be easily manipulated without disconnection and without a need for use extraneous X-raying for reorientation of the cannulae.

Abstract: The device of the invention consists of a plurality of tubular cannulae, consisting of stackable segments, which prior to the surgery, are linked together at their distal ends by flexible elements, such as wires or threads. All the threads, the number of which is one less than the number of the used cannulae, are passed through one of the cannulae and the distal ends of the threads are either attached to the walls of other cannulae, at their distal ends, or pulled back through one of the cannula forming the loop at the distal end and fixed at the proximal end of the cannula. During surgery, the cannulae with their distal ends being linked are inserted into the patient's body through an incision, then the surgeon makes additional incisions, disconnects some segments from selected cannulae, subcutaneously pulls them to the additional incisions, and reconnects previously disconnected segments. The surgery is then performed using the cannulae for guiding various surgical tools.

Abstract: A multiportal device for percutaneous surgery consists of a guiding device with a radial arm that supports an auxiliary guiding device, which can slide along the arm and can be fixed in a require angular position on the arm. The device also includes a first cannula, which can be inserted into the patient's body through the guiding device and can be fixed in a required axial position, and a second cannula, which can be inserted into the second guiding unit and fixed therein. The arch-shaped form of the arm ensures intersection of distal ends of both cannulae in one point aimed at the symptomatic site where surgery has to be done. The device is provided with a linking mechanism that links the distal ends of both cannulae in their position inside the body of a patient. In the engaged state of the linking device, the cannulae still have some freedom of relative movements that may be required for manipulation with cannulae during the surgery.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting the presence of powdered materials in envelopes comprises a container with an envelope-positioning unit, envelope corner or edge cutter, a powder excitation and extracting means for shaking the contents of the envelope, and a powder detector with a particle intake device, and air circulation system for circulation of the particle-containing air through the powder detector. The detector can be placed inside or outside of the sealed container and is connected to the cutting zone via the particle suction device. In operation, the envelope is placed into the envelope-positioning unit. Either a corner or an edge of the envelope is cut off or perforated so as to allow a part of the powdered material to leave the envelope while maintaining the other contents, except for small particulates, intact and inside the envelope. The envelope is then subjected to vibration or impacts under the effect of the excitation means.

Abstract: A method and an indenter for microscratch test of durability properties of the materials, including resistance of coating films to delamination. The blade-like indenter has a prism-like body defined by a front side, a rear side, a first lateral side, and a second lateral side. The first lateral side and the second lateral side converge and form at their intersection an edge that extends from the front side to the rear side. An angle between the edge and the front side is sharp, and an angle between the first lateral side and the second lateral side is rounded with a radius. During the test, the blade-like indenter is installed at selected angles of attack to the surface of the test material; a relative movement is created between the indenter and the test material with simultaneous mechanical, electrical, and acoustical measurements.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a polishing process, in particular for detecting an end point of the polishing process, comprising a rotating or orbiting platen with a pad, a rotating head that supports an object to be treated, e.g., a semiconductor wafer, and performs radial movements with respect to the platen, and a polishing process control system comprising a plurality of groups of various sensing devices for detecting an end point of the process. In the illustrated embodiment one group of the sensing devices is a group of high-frequency acoustic emission sensors built on various levels into components of the rotating head. Another group of sensing devices is represented by force/torque sensors connected with various elements of the rotating head and the platen, respectively, and intended for direct measurement of compression force and friction response (force or torque) between the head and the platen and a coefficient of friction between the wafer and the polishing pad.

Abstract: The apparatus for polishing control with signal peak analysis consists of two major units: a polishing machine and a polishing process control and monitoring system which has sensors for sensing changes on the surface and/or inside the object during polishing. In response to the above changes the sensors generate operating data signals. The control and monitoring system, which also contains a signal conditioning unit and a control unit, amplifies the operating data signals and sends them to a signal analyzer, which determines average values and peaks of the conditioned signals. The analyzer also determines a ratio of the peak signal values to an average signal values and compares the obtained ratio with a preliminarily determined reference value optimized with regard to the specific CMP process carried out on the polishing machine.

Abstract: An indenter for microscratch test of durability properties of the materials, including resistance of coating films to delamination. The blade-like indenter has a prism-like body defined by a front side, a rear side, a first lateral side, and a second lateral side. The first lateral side and the second lateral side converge and form at their intersection an edge that extends from the front side to the rear side. An angle between the edge and the front side is sharp, and an angle between the first lateral side and the second lateral side is rounded with a radius. During the test, the blade-like indenter is installed at selected angles of attack to the surface of the test material; a relative movement is created between the indenter and the test material with simultaneous mechanical, electrical, and acoustical measurements.

Abstract: A universal friction tester for testing tribological properties of materials comprises a frame with a carriage sliding in vertical guides and supporting a slide moveable in a horizontal direction. The slide supports a stationary upper specimen, which engages a moveable lower specimen, located in a replaceable module attachable to a base plate of the frame. The modules may be of a rotary, reciprocating, a block-on-ring, or any other type, required for different test conditions. Testing can also be carried out with heating or with the supply of oil in the zone of contact between the specimens.

Abstract: The device of the invention is intended for measuring a loading force and a friction force in a tribological tester. The device consists of two deformation-sensitive sensors for simultaneous equal deformation in two opposite directions for eliminating misbalance created in the measurement system when a single sensor is used. Each sensor is a deformable beam having through longitudinal slots extending in different and non-parallel directions and overlapped within the body of the beam. The sensor deforms in one direction under the effect of a loading force measured by two pairs of strain gauges located on opposite sides of the beam near one end of the beam and in another direction under the effect of a friction force measured by another two pairs of strain gauges located on opposite sides of the beam near the other end of the beam.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a polishing process, in particular for detecting an end point of the polishing process, comprising a rotating or orbiting platen with a pad, a rotating head that supports an object to be treated, e.g., a semiconductor wafer, and performs radial movements with respect to the platen, and a polishing process control system comprising a plurality of groups of various sensing devices for detecting an end point of the process. In the illustrated embodiment one group of the sensing devices is a group of high-frequency acoustic emission sensors built on various levels into components of the rotating head. Another group of sensing devices is represented by force/torque sensors connected with various elements of the rotating head and the platen, respectively, and intended for direct measurement of compression force and friction response (force or torque) between the head and the platen and a coefficient of friction between the wafer and the polishing pad.

Abstract: The sensor of the invention comprises a flexible beam of a rectangular cross section with rigid solid end blocks at both ends for securing the sensor in a tester. The beam has two symmetrically-shaped through slots cut in mutually perpendicular directiors so that they are partially intersect within a body of the beam. Each slot has at its opposite ends notches which are wider than the slots so that the distance from the inner wall of the notch to the outer side surface of the beam is shorter than the distance to this surface from the inner wall of the slot. Strain gauges are attached to mutually perpendicular surfaces at the ends of the beam which are flexible in the direction of the force being measured and are rigid in the perpendicular direction. Under effect of the loading force and of the friction force, the flexible beam acts as a pair of overlapped and mutually perpendicular parallelograms.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a polishing process, in particular for detecting an end point of the polishing process, comprising a rotating platen with a pad, a rotating head that supports an object to be treated, e.g., a semiconductor wafer, and performs radial movements with respect to the platen, and an end-point control system comprising a plurality of groups of various sensing devices for detecting an end point of the process. In the illustrated embodiment one group of the sensing devices is a group of electrical-conductive elements located on the surface of the pad and connected via contact pins embedded in the material of the platen to respective resistance measurement unit. A second group of sensing elements is represented by capacitance probes having conductive elements on the surface of the pad and connected via contacts embedded in the body of the platen to the capacitance measurement unit.

Abstract: A tester of the invention has a horizontal base with a vertical column that supports vertical guides for guiding a carriage that supports a rotary drive mechanism for an upper specimen which is secured in a chuck and engages a lower specimen supported by an interchangeable bowl. The tester is also provided with a computerized measuring system for precisely measuring characteristics to be tested. The main distinguishing feature of the tester of the invention is a that a flexible coupling that may have at least one degree of freedom (preferably three) is installed in a link between a rotary motion unit and the chuck for fixing the upper specimen. In other words, the upper specimen is fixed in a self-aligning manner so that its flat working surface is always maintained in full surface-to-surface contact with the lower specimen.