Twin Creeks Technologies, Inc.

Gtat Corporation

Siemens Medical Solutions Usa, Inc.

Verily Life Sciences LLC

Kathy Jackson

Christopher John Petti

Theodore H Smick

Venkatesan Murali

Gopalakrishna B Prabhu

Mohamed M Hilali

Zhiyong Li

Aditya Agarwal

Igal Ladabaum

Paul Anthony Wagner

Gopal Prabhu

Huanfen Yao

Orion Leland

The present disclosure relates to neuromodulation electrodes, and in particular, to neuromodulation electrodes having a platinum/iridium surface etched with a pattern and methods of laser etching the pattern into the platinum/iridium surface of the neuromodulation electrodes to improve performance of the neuromodulation electrodes. Particularly, aspects are directed to an electrode including a base body having: (i) an interface surface that has an area of less than 50 mm, and (ii) an alloy including platinum and iridium. The interface surface has a surface topography including: (i) an artificial pattern, and (ii) a surface roughness having an arithmetical mean height (R) of greater than 0.8 &#x3bc;m.

Platinum/iridium surface patterning by laser to improve neuromodulation electrode performance

A donor wafer, for example of silicon, has an irregular surface following cleaving of a lamina from the surface, for example by exfoliation following implant of hydrogen and/or helium ions to define a cleave plane. Pinholes in the lamina leave column asperities at the exfoliated surface of the donor wafer, and the beveled edge may leave an edge asperity which fails to exfoliate. To prepare the surface of the donor wafer for reuse, mechanical grinding removes the column and edge asperities, and minimal additional thickness. Following cleaning, growth and removal of an oxide layer at the surface rounds remaining peaks. The smoothed surface is well adapted to bonding to a receiver element and exfoliation of a new lamina. A variety of devices may be fabricated from the lamina, for example a photovoltaic cell.

Method for preparing a donor surface for reuse

A semiconductor assembly is described in which a support element is constructed on a surface of a semiconductor lamina. Following formation of the thin lamina, which may have a thickness about 50 microns or less, the support element is formed, for example by plating, or by application of a precursor and curing in situ, resulting in a support element which may be, for example, metal, ceramic, polymer, etc. This is in contrast to pre-formed support element which is affixed to the lamina following its formation, or to a donor wafer from which the lamina is subsequently cleaved. Fabricating the support element in situ may avoid the use of adhesives to attach the lamina to a permanent support element. In some embodiments, this process flow allows the lamina to be annealed at high temperature, then to have an amorphous silicon layer formed on each face of the lamina following that anneal.

Method to form a device by constructing a support element on a thin semiconductor lamina

A semiconductor assembly is described in which a support element is constructed on a surface of a semiconductor lamina. Following formation of the thin lamina, which may have a thickness about 50 microns or less, the support element is formed, for example by plating, or by application of a precursor and curing in situ, resulting in a support element which may be, for example, metal, ceramic, polymer, etc. This is in contrast to a rigid or semi-rigid pre-formed support element which is affixed to the lamina following its formation, or to a donor wafer from which the lamina is subsequently cleaved. Fabricating the support element in situ may avoid the use of adhesives to attach the lamina to a permanent support element; such adhesives may be unable to tolerate processing temperatures and conditions required to complete the device. In some embodiments, this process flow allows the lamina to be annealed at high temperature, then to have an amorphous silicon layer formed on each face of the lamina following that anneal. A device may be formed which comprises the lamina, such as a photovoltaic cell.

A method is described to create a thin semiconductor lamina adhered to a ceramic body. The method includes defining a cleave plane in a semiconductor donor body, applying a ceramic mixture to a first face of the semiconductor body, the ceramic mixture including ceramic powder and a binder, curing the ceramic mixture to form a ceramic body, and cleaving a lamina from the semiconductor donor body at the cleave plane, the lamina remaining adhered to the ceramic body. Forming the ceramic body this way allows outgassing of volatiles during the curing step. Devices can be formed in the lamina, including photovoltaic devices. The ceramic body and lamina can withstand high processing temperatures. In some embodiments, the ceramic body may be conductive.

Formed ceramic receiver element adhered to a semiconductor lamina

Method to form a device including an annealed lamina and having amorphous silicon on opposing faces

In a capacitive membrane ultrasound transducer, one or more electrodes include multiple layers of conductive or semiconductive material. The layers may be positioned adjacent an insulator or cavity in an arrangement to reduce electrical degradation. For example, a conductive layer with less work function and less resistivity is spaced from an insulator by a conductive layer with more work function and more resistivity. The different layers of electrode material may provide for less electrical degradation due to the type of material used and relative location.

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Felton, CA, United States of America

Kathy Jackson