Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100036371 | ELECTROSURGICAL INSTRUMENT AND SYSTEM - An electrosurgical instrument comprises a body portion, an actuator mechanism associated with the body portion, and first and second jaw members each having a jaw body. The first jaw member includes a first electrode having a relatively large area conductive seal surface and a relatively smaller area edge portion. The second jaw member includes a second electrode also having a relatively large area conductive seal surface and a relatively smaller area edge portion. The first jaw member comprises a third electrode associated with its jaw body, and an insulator separating the first electrode from the third electrode. Operation of the actuator mechanism moves one or both of the first and second jaw members between a first position in which the jaw members are open, a second position in which the first and second jaw members are sufficiently closed so as to be capable of grasping tissue therebetween, and a third position in which the first and second jaw members are further closed such that the conductive seal surfaces are adjacent to one another other such that predominantly the edge portions of one or both of the seal surfaces are exposed. The exposed area of the third electrode is greater than that of the exposed edge portions. When the electrosurgical instrument is connected to an electrosurgical generator, the electrosurgical generator is capable of directing a coagulating RF waveform between the first and second electrodes when the jaw members of the electrosurgical instrument are in their second position with tissue grasped therebetween. The electrosurgical generator is also capable of directing a cutting RF waveform between one or both of the first and second electrodes and the third electrode, when the jaw members of the electrosurgical instrument are in their third position. | 02-11-2010 |
20100057071 | ELECTROSURGICAL INSTRUMENT AND SYSTEM - An electrosurgical system for cutting and coagulating tissue includes a generator for generating radio frequency (RF) power, and an electrosurgical instrument. The instrument includes a pair of blades pivotally joined for relative movement in a scissors-like action between open and closed positions, each of said blades including a conductive blade member and a conductive electrode electrically isolated from the blade member by means of an insulation member. A first one of either the conductive blade member or the conductive electrode constitutes an inner electrode on each blade, which are disposed in face-to-face relationship. A second one of either the conductive blade member or the conductive electrode constitutes an outer electrode on each blade spaced from the inner electrode. The instrument further includes an actuation mechanism for effecting relative movement of the blades in said scissors-like action, the generator including at least one source of RF power and a controller such that the generator is capable of delivering a first cutting RF waveform to the electrosurgical instrument or a second coagulating RF waveform to the electrosurgical instrument. The system further includes a switching circuit such that the first cutting RF waveform is delivered between the inner and outer electrodes on each blade, and the second coagulating RF waveform is delivered between the outer electrodes on each blade. | 03-04-2010 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120064714 | CONTACT FORMATION METHOD INCORPORATING A PREVENTATIVE ETCH STEP FOR REDUCING INTERLAYER DIELECTRIC MATERIAL FLAKE DEFECTS - Disclosed are embodiments of a contact formation technique that incorporates a preventative etch step to reduce interlayer dielectric material flaking (e.g., borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) flaking) and, thereby to reduce surface defects. Specifically, contact openings, which extend through a dielectric layer to semiconductor devices in and/or on a center portion of a substrate, can be filled with a conductor layer deposited by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of the conductor layer can be performed to complete the contact structures. However, before the CMP process is performed (e.g., either before the contact openings are ever formed or before the contact openings are filled), a preventative etch process can be performed to remove any dielectric material from above the edge portion of the substrate. Removing the dielectric material from above the edge portion of the substrate prior to CMP reduces the occurrence of surface defects caused by dielectric material flaking. | 03-15-2012 |
20130147067 | LOCALLY TAILORING CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING (CMP) POLISH RATE FOR DIELECTRICS - A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes varying local chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) abrading rates of an insulator film by selectively varying a carbon content of the insulator film. | 06-13-2013 |
20130265068 | BUILT-IN SELF-TEST METHOD AND STRUCTURE - A method of testing a semiconductor wafer and a related structure. In various embodiments, a method includes: placing a probe on a first chip on the semiconductor wafer; testing a scribe line automatic built-in self-test (ABIST) for the first chip to search for a fault; progressively testing a subsequent scribe line ABIST for a subsequent chip on the semiconductor wafer in response to determining the ABIST for the first chip does not indicate the fault; moving the probe point to the subsequent chip and retesting the subsequent scribe line ABIST in response to determining the ABIST for the subsequent chip indicates a fault; and testing a further subsequent scribe line ABIST for a further subsequent chip on the semiconductor wafer in response to determining the retesting of the subsequent scribiline ABIST does not indicate a fault in the subsequent scribe line ABIST. | 10-10-2013 |
20130299939 | CHIP IDENTIFICATION PATTERN AND METHOD OF FORMING - Various embodiments disclosed include methods of performing a double exposure process on a level of an integrated circuit (IC) chip to form an IC chip having an embedded electrically measurable identifier. In some cases, the method includes: exposing a level of an integrated circuit (IC) chip using a first mask orientation; subsequently exposing the level of the IC chip using a second mask orientation distinct from the first mask orientation; and developing the level of the IC chip to form an electrically measurable identifier on the IC chip. | 11-14-2013 |
20150255404 | TSV WAFER FRACTURE STRENGTH - A method including forming a through-substrate via through a thickness of a substrate, the thickness of the substrate is measured from a front side of the substrate to a back side of the substrate, removing a first portion of the substrate to form an opening in the back side of the substrate such that a second portion of the substrate remains in direct contact surrounding a vertical sidewall of the through-substrate via, and filling the opening with an alternate material having a lower modulus of elasticity than the substrate. | 09-10-2015 |
20150348876 | TSV WAFER WITH IMPROVED FRACTURE STRENGTH - A method including forming a through-substrate via through a thickness of a substrate, the thickness of the substrate is measured from a front side of the substrate to a back side of the substrate, removing a first portion of the substrate to form an opening in the back side of the substrate such that a second portion of the substrate remains in direct contact surrounding a vertical sidewall of the through-substrate via, and filling the opening with an alternate material having a lower modulus of elasticity than the substrate. | 12-03-2015 |