Daniel G. Stearns, Donald W. Sweeney, Paul B. Mirkarimi
Method for Fabricating Reticles for Extreme-Ultraviolet Lithography without the Use of a Patterned Absorber
U.S. Patent 6,635,391 B2
October 21, 2003
Absorber material used in conventional extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) reticles is eliminated by introducing a direct modulation in the complex-valued reflectance of a multilayer. A spatially localized energy source, such as a focused electron or ion beam, directly writes a reticle pattern onto the reflective multilayer coating. Interdiffusion is activated within the film by an energy source that causes the multilayer period to contract in the exposed regions. The contraction is accurately determined by the energy dose. A controllable variation in the phase and amplitude of the reflected field in the reticle plane is produced by the spatial modulation of the multilayer period. This method for patterning an EUVL reticle has the advantages of avoiding the process steps associated with depositing and patterning an absorber layer and providing control of the phase and amplitude of the reflected field with high spatial resolution.

Paul J. Weber, Steven R. Visuri, Matthew J. Everett, Luiz B. Da Silva, Alwin H. Kolster
Liposuction Cannula Device and Method
U.S. Patent 6,638,238 B1
October 28, 2003
A liposuction apparatus and method having an optional sonic or ultrasonic source with an axial lumen passage in which the shaft can be made to reciprocate (oscillate) in a nonrectilinear fashion. The apparatus may also contain the concomitant use of rectilinear reciprocation motion in addition to ultrasonic motion or energy along the shaft of the apparatus. The advantages of the liposuction apparatus are as follows: nonrectilinear single shaft reciprocating cannula; sonic or ultrasonic energy delivered to the distal tip; rectilinear reciprocating cannula with ultrasonic energy along a shaft from the handle; and any of the above reciprocating components powered by excess unused vacuum capacity in the liposuction aspirator (suction engine) apparatus. Three primary sources of energy are applied to the cannula shaft: the oscillating surgeon’s arm motion of approximately 1 to 2 hertz; the reciprocating motion of about 100 hertz; and the optional concomitant motion delivered by the ultrasonic energy of, for example, 25 kilohertz.

Alan F. Jankowski, Jeffrey D. Morse
MEMS-Based Thin-Film Fuel Cells
U.S. Patent 6,638,654 B2
October 28, 2003
A microelectromechanical systems– (MEMS-) based thin-film fuel cell for electrical power applications. The MEMS-based fuel cell may be of a solid-oxide type, a solid-polymer type, or a proton-exchange-membrane type. Each fuel cell basically consists of an anode and a cathode separated by an electrolyte layer. In addition, catalyst layers can separate the electrodes (cathode and anode) from the electrolyte. Gas manifolds are used to transport the fuel and oxidant into each cell and to provide a path for exhaust gases. The electrical current generated from each cell is drawn away by an interconnect and support structure integrated with the gas manifold. The fuel cells use integrated resistive heaters for efficient heating of the materials. By combining MEMS technology with thin-film deposition technology, thin-film fuel cells with microflow channels and fully integrated circuitry can be produced. These fuel cells will lower operating temperatures of the electrical power application and will yield an order-of-magnitude greater power density than currently known fuel cells.

Gary F. Stone, James E. Trebes
Optic for an Endoscope and Borescope Having High Resolution and Narrow Field of View
U.S. Patent 6,639,739 B1
October 28, 2003
An optic with optimized high spatial resolution, minimal nonlinear magnification distortion, and limited chromatic focal shift or aberrations. The optic located at the distal end of an endoscopic inspection tool allows for a high-resolution, narrow-field-of-view image for medical diagnostic applications as compared to conventional optics for endoscopic instruments that provide a low-resolution, wide-field-of-view image. The image coverage is over a narrow (less than 20 degrees) field of view with low optical distortion (less than 5 percent pin cushion or barrel distortion). The optic is also optimized for best color correction as well as to aid medical diagnostics.

Andy J. Bayramian, Raymond J. Beach, Eric Honea, James E. Murray, Stephen A. Payne
Compact Cladding-Pumped Planar Waveguide Amplifier and Fabrication Method
U.S. Patent 6,640,040 B2
October 28, 2003
A low-cost, high-performance, cladding-pumped planar waveguide amplifier and fabrication method for deployment in metro and access networks. The waveguide amplifier has a compact monolithic slab architecture preferably formed by first sandwich-bonding an erbium-doped core glass slab between two cladding glass slabs to form a multilayer planar construction, and then slicing the construction into multiple unit constructions. Using lithographic techniques, a silver stripe is deposited and formed at a top or bottom surface of each unit construction and over a cross section of the bonds. Heating the unit construction in an oven and applying an electrical field ion-diffuses the silver stripe to increase the refractive indices of the core and cladding regions, with the diffusion region of the core forming a single-mode waveguide and the silver diffusion cladding region forming a second, larger waveguide amenable to cladding pumping with broad-area diodes.

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