Abstract: High performance thin film thermoelectric couples and methods of making the same are disclosed. Such couples allow fabrication of at least microwatt to watt-level power supply devices operating at voltages greater than one volt even when activated by only small temperature differences.

Abstract: An edge-sealed barrier film composite. The composite includes a substrate and at least one initial barrier stack adjacent to the substrate. The at least one initial barrier stack includes at least one decoupling layer and at least one barrier layer. One of the barrier layers has an area greater than the area of one of the decoupling layers. The decoupling layer is sealed by the first barrier layer within the area of barrier material. An edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device is provided. A method of making the edge-sealed barrier film composite is also provided.

Abstract: A tool for depositing multilayer coatings onto a substrate. In one configuration, the tool includes a includes an in-line organic material deposition station operating under at least one of a pressure or temperature controlled environment. In another, it further is of a hybrid design that incorporates both in-line and cluster tool features. In this latter configuration, at least one of the deposition stations is configured to deposit an inorganic layer, while at least one other deposition station is configured to deposit an organic layer. The tool is particularly well-suited to depositing multilayer coatings onto discrete substrates, as well as to encapsulating environmentally-sensitive devices placed on the flexible substrate.

Abstract: High performance thin film thermoelectric couples and methods of making the same are disclosed. Such couples allow fabrication of at least microwatt to watt-level power supply devices operating at voltages greater than one volt even when activated by only small temperature differences.

Abstract: An apparatus for delivering a medical device onto a heart includes a housing within which is releasably disposed the medical device. The housing in one embodiment comprises inner and outer deflectors between which is delivered the medical device. Both deflectors are self-expanding. A deflector compression sheath is slidable longitudinally over the housing to a delivery position at which it moves the deflectors to a collapsed configuration. The compression sheath is retracted to a deployment position to permit the deflectors to deploy by self-expanding to their larger diameters. The outer deflector has an expanded diameter sufficient to engage the inner surface of the pericardium to hold it away from the delivery site while the second deflector guides the medical device into position over the heart while protecting the heart. In another embodiment, the housing includes only an outer deflector.

Abstract: An edge-sealed barrier film composite. The composite includes a substrate and at least one initial barrier stack adjacent to the substrate. The at least one initial barrier stack includes at least one decoupling layer and at least one barrier layer. One of the barrier layers has an area greater than the area of one of the decoupling layers. The decoupling layer is sealed by the first barrier layer within the area of barrier material. An edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device is provided. A method of making the edge-sealed barrier film composite is also provided.

Abstract: A durable coating made up of superimposed microlayers of preselected materials, and a method of making and utilizing such a coating. In one embodiment of the invention, at least 200 microlayers of at least one transparent material, having a thickness of less than 50 nms are superimposed in a sequential manner so as to obtain a desired arrangement between the layers. This structure then forms a transparent coating that has strength characteristics that are substantially greater than the strength of a layer of the coating material alone.

Abstract: High performance thin film thermoelectric couples and methods of making the same are disclosed. Such couples allow fabrication of at least microwatt to watt-level power supply devices operating at voltages greater than one volt even when activated by only small temperature differences.

Abstract: An edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device. The device includes an environmentally sensitive device, and at least one edge-sealed barrier stack. The edge-sealed barrier stack includes a decoupling layer and at least two barrier layers. The environmentally sensitive device is sealed between an edge-sealed barrier stack and either a substrate or another edge-sealed barrier stack. A method of making the edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides for carbon dioxide removal and fixation using a cell incorporating a carbon dioxide selective film for active/passive transport while simultaneously producing oxygen and an air bladder for use in battlefield applications and the like where oxygen requirements are often extreme.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of preparing a cardiac harness for use in controllably delivering a medicament such as an mTOR inhibitor or aldosterone blockade from the surface of the cardiac harness to the epicardium of a patient's heart for the site-specific treatment of cardiac and non-cardiac maladies. The delivery of the medicament from the cardiac harness is achieved by: coating the medicament on the surface of the cardiac harness; coating the cardiac harness with a polymer material or dielectric material and impregnating the coating with the medicament; or by loading the medicament into an implant attached to the cardiac harness.

Abstract: An edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device. The device includes an environmentally sensitive device, and at least one edge-sealed barrier stack. The edge-sealed barrier stack includes a decoupling layer and at least two barrier layers. The environmentally sensitive device is sealed between an edge-sealed barrier stack and either a substrate or another edge-sealed barrier stack. A method of making the edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device is also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for delivering a medical device onto a heart includes a housing within which is releasably disposed the medical device. The housing in one embodiment comprises inner and outer deflectors between which is delivered the medical device. Both deflectors are self-expanding. A deflector compression sheath is slidable longitudinally over the housing to a delivery position at which it moves the deflectors to a collapsed configuration. The compression sheath is retracted to a deployment position to permit the deflectors to deploy by self-expanding to their larger diameters. The outer deflector has an expanded diameter sufficient to engage the inner surface of the pericardium to hold it away from the delivery site while the second deflector guides the medical device into position over the heart while protecting the heart. In another embodiment, the housing includes only an outer deflector.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a single step design for carbon dioxide removal and fixation using a cell incorporating a carbon dioxide selective film tor active/passive transport while simultaneously producing oxygen.

Abstract: A method of making an edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device. The method includes providing an environmentally sensitive device on a substrate; depositing a decoupling layer through one mask, the decoupling layer adjacent to the environmentally sensitive device, the decoupling layer having a discrete area and covering the environmentally sensitive device; increasing the distance between the one mask and the substrate; and depositing a first barrier layer through the one mask, the first barrier layer adjacent to the decoupling layer, the first barrier layer having an area greater than the discrete area of the decoupling layer and covering the decoupling layer, the decoupling layer being sealed between the edges of the first barrier layer and the substrate or an optional second barrier layer.

Abstract: Methods of making an edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device. One method includes providing an environmentally sensitive device with a contact on a substrate; depositing a decoupling layer adjacent to the environmentally sensitive device, the decoupling layer having a discrete area and covering the environmentally sensitive device and not covering the contact, the decoupling layer deposited using a printing process; depositing a first barrier layer adjacent to the decoupling layer, the first barrier layer having a first area greater than the discrete area of the decoupling layer, and the first barrier layer having a second area covering the decoupling layer and the contact, the decoupling layer being sealed between the edges of the first barrier layer and the substrate or an optional second barrier layer; and removing the second area of the first barrier layer from the contact.

Abstract: A method of making an encapsulated plasma sensitive device. The method comprises: providing a plasma sensitive device adjacent to a substrate; depositing a plasma protective layer on the plasma sensitive device using a process selected from non-plasma based processes, or modified sputtering processes; and depositing at least one barrier stack adjacent to the plasma protective layer, the at least one barrier stack comprising at least one decoupling layer and at least one barrier layer, the plasma sensitive device being encapsulated between the substrate and the at least one barrier stack, wherein the decoupling layer, the barrier layer, or both are deposited using a plasma process, the encapsulated plasma sensitive device having a reduced amount of damage caused by the plasma compared to an encapsulated plasma sensitive device made without the plasma protective layer. An encapsulated plasma sensitive device is also described.

Abstract: High performance thin film thermoelectric couples and methods of making the same are disclosed. Such couples allow fabrication of at least microwatt to watt-level power supply devices operating at voltages greater than one volt even when activated by only small temperature differences.

Abstract: A durable coating made up of superimposed microlayers of preselected materials, and a method of making and utilizing such a coating. In one embodiment of the invention, at least 200 microlayers of at least one transparent material, having a thickness of less than 50 nms are superimposed in a sequential manner so as to obtain a desired arrangement between the layers. This structure then forms a transparent coating that has strength characteristics that are substantially greater than the strength of a layer of the coating material alone.

Abstract: A multilayer plastic substrate. The substrate comprises a plurality of thin film layers of at least one polymer, the plurality of thin film layers being adjacent to one another and having sufficient strength to be self-supporting, wherein the multilayer plastic substrate has an average visible light transmittance of greater than about 80%.