Abstract:
The invention includes methods of forming pluralities of electrically conductive structures. The methods can include formation of a gradient-containing material across a substrate and in direct physical contact with conductive surfaces of nodes. The gradient-containing material can consist essentially of tantalum nitride at a lowermost portion in contact with the conductive surfaces, consist essentially of tantalum at an uppermost portion, and have a TaN/Ta gradient extending between the lowermost and uppermost portions. Alternatively, the gradient-containing material can have a Co/W gradient extending therethrough. Conductive structures can be formed over the gradient-containing material. The invention also includes constructions comprising electrically conductive lines over a material having a TaN/Ta gradient, or a W/Co gradient, extending therethrough.
Abstract:
A system and method for providing geographic location information to of at least one fixed reference device in a wireless network, the method comprising: determining a geographic location of the at least one fixed reference device within an image, such as a Geographic Information System (GIS) image, where the GIS image comprises a plurality of pixels each having an absolute geographic location value associated with it, and where the geographic location of the at least one fixed reference device is defined with respect to the absolute position values associated with at least one pixel that is proximal to an image of the at least one fixed reference device within the GIS image; and providing the determined geographic location information to the at least one fixed reference device.
Abstract:
Process of coating iron alloys to improve the corrosion resistance and adhesive bonding strengths. The process comprises treating the iron or iron alloys such as steel with an acidic aqueous solution comprising, per liter of solution, from about 0.01 to 22 grams of a water soluble trivalent chromium compound, about 0.01 to 12 grams of hexafluorozirconate, at least one tetrafluoroborate and/or hexafluorosilicate, at least one water soluble divalent zinc compound and from 0.0 to 10 grams of water soluble thickeners and/or water soluble surfactants.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to an orthopaedic implant, such as a bone plate, for the fixation of bone where the implant also has at least one microchip and at least one sensor connected to the microchip. The sensor or sensors are configured to receive physical stimulus from a portion of the implant or the patient's tissue such as temperature, pressure, and strain. The information received from the sensor or sensors is gathered by the microchip and transmitted to a receiver, such as a personal computer, outside the patient. This information enables doctors to diagnose the useful life of the implant, the load sharing of the bone plate, and possible complications typically associated with orthopaedic implants such as infection, fracture non-union, and fatigue. The implant may also have one or more electrodes located on its surface which emit an electric current to stimulate healing of the broken or fractured bone.
Abstract:
A high surface area capacitor structure includes a storage electrode with recesses. An upper surface of the storage electrode has a maze-like appearance. Low elevation regions of a hemispherical grain polysilicon layer may remain on the upper surface of the storage electrode. The storage electrode or portions thereof may be lined or coated with dielectric material. The dielectric material may space a cell electrode of the high surface area capacitor structure apart from the storage electrode. One or both of the storage electrode and the cell electrode may be formed from polysilicon. Intermediate structures, which include mask material over contiguous low elevation regions of a layer of hemispherical grain polysilicon, which may have a maze-like appearance, and apertures located laterally between the low elevation regions of the layer of hemispherical grain polysilicon, are also disclosed.
Abstract:
An integrated position and direction system is disclosed that includes a digital compass, a communication module, and a satellite positioning system having a receiver adapted to receive satellite position determining signals. Signals that are received from satellites are used to determine position of the integrated position and direction system. A method for updating data is disclosed in which the integrated position and direction system communicates with a remote site and sends a determined position to the remote site. A response is generated and is transmitted to the integrated position and direction system that includes data relating to features located near the determined position. The received data is used to generate a display that indicates the position and the orientation of the features relative to the integrated position and direction system.
Abstract:
Memory devices, such as DRAM memory devices, may include one or more metal layers above a local interconnect of the DRAM memory that make contact to lower gate regions of the memory device. As the size of semiconductor components decreases and circuit densities increase, the density of the metal routing in these upper metal layers becomes increasingly difficult to fabricate. By providing additional metal routing in the lower gate regions that may be coupled to the upper metal layers, the spacing requirements of the upper metal layers may be eased, while maintaining the size of the semiconductor device. In addition, the additional metal routing formed in the gate regions of the memory devices may be disposed parallel to other metal contacts in a strapping configuration, thus reducing a resistance of the metal contacts, such as buried digit lines of a DRAM memory cell.
Abstract:
In some embodiments, a host computer can be used by a user to arrange icons among a plurality of home screens or views. For example, a representation of each of the home screens available at a handheld device can be displayed on a host computer along with a representation of the available icons usable at the handheld device. A user can select representation of icons at the host computer and arrange the icons among the representations of the home screens. Icons and/or home screens can be added and/or removed. The arrangement created by the user at the host computer display can be sent to the handheld device when completed.
Abstract:
A method for use during fabrication of a semiconductor device comprises the formation of buried digit lines and contacts. During formation, a buried bit line layer may be used as a mask to etch one or more openings in a dielectric layer. A conductive layer is then formed in the one or more openings in the dielectric layer, and is then planarized to form one or more individual contact plugs. Next, the buried bit line layer is etched to recess the buried bit line layer, and a capacitor plate is formed to contact the contact plug.
Abstract:
This invention comprises an acidic aqueous solution for treating metal substrates to improve the adhesion bonding and corrosion protection which comprises effective amounts of water soluble trivalent chromium compounds, fluorozirconates, fluorometallic compounds, zinc compounds, thickeners, surfactants, and at least about 0.001 mole per liter of the acidic solution of at least one polyhydroxy and/or carboxylic compound as the stabilizing agent for the aqueous solution.