Brewer Science, Inc.

Other

Robert Christian Cox

Douglas J Guerrero

Charles J Neef

Marc Weimer

Tony D Flaim

Rama Puligadda

Xie Shao

Vandana Krishnamurthy

Ryan E Giedd

Yubao Wang

Shreeram V Deshpande

Jonathan J Fury

Mary Ann Hockey

Alex Bruce Johnson

Louis McCarthy

Vijaya Kayastha

William J Stone

Raymond Devaughn

Joseph Demster

Marc W Weimer

An environmentally sealed connector for connecting a spring-loaded terminal to a flexible circuit includes a spring-loaded terminal and a connector cap having a terminal cavity receiving a portion of the spring-loaded terminal therein in order to electrically couple the spring-loaded terminal to the flexible circuit. A connector base is releasably coupled to the connector cap and covers the terminal cavity and the portion of the spring-loaded terminal therein. An elastic member is disposed between the connector cap and the connector base in sealing engagement therewith and surrounds the terminal cavity and the portion of the spring-loaded terminal.

Environmentally sealed, reusable connector for printed flexible electronics

Printed resistive-based sensors and transducers comprising a thin, electronically 'active' sensing layer within a dielectric and/or metallic layered structure are provided. The electronic resistance of the active sensing layer is measured during a change in the sensor environment. By utilizing a multi-layered architecture around the active sensing layer, the electronic signal of the sensing element can be improved. By carefully selecting the architecture and materials that surround the active sensing layer, the sensitivity, stability, and selectivity of the sensor to detect changes in the environment are improved. This design allows for a number of specific application areas for environmental sensing.

Thin-film resistive-based sensor

Novel hyper-branched, dense, high-refractive-index polymers, and compositions utilizing those polymers are provided, along with methods of forming high refractive index films with those compositions. The refractive index of the material is at least about 1.8 at 400 nm. Further, it can be made into optically transparent thin films of only a couple hundred angstroms thickness to thick films of several micrometers thick, as well as into 'bulk' solids. The use of a thermal acid or a photo acid generator facilitates crosslinking after the coating process.

All-organic high refractive index materials

Compositions for directed self-assembly patterning techniques are provided which avoid the need for separate anti-reflective coatings and brush neutral layers in the process. Methods for directed self-assembly are also provided in which a self-assembling material, such as a directed self-assembly block copolymer, can be applied directly to the silicon hardmask neutral layer and then self-assembled to form the desired pattern. Directed self-assembly patterned structures are also disclosed herein.

Silicon hardmask layer for directed self-assembly

Novel, wet developable anti-reflective coating compositions and methods of using those compositions are provided. The compositions comprise a polymer and/or oligomer having acid functional groups and dissolved in a solvent system along with a crosslinker and a photoacid generator. The preferred acid functional group is a carboxylic acid, while the preferred crosslinker is a vinyl ether crosslinker. In use, the compositions are applied to a substrate and thermally crosslinked. Upon exposure to light, the cured compositions will decrosslink, rendering them soluble in typical photoresist developing solutions (e.g., alkaline developers).

Anti-reflective coatings using vinyl ether crosslinkers

Anti-reflective compositions and methods of using these compositions to form circuits are provided. The compositions comprise a polymer dissolved or dispersed in a solvent system. In a preferred embodiment, the polymers are copolymers of a compound having the formulas  where: (1) each R is individually selected from the group consisting of &#x2014;OH, &#x2014;NH, hydrogen, aliphatics, and phenyls; and (2) L is selected from the group consisting of &#x2014;SO&#x2014; and &#x2014;CR'&#x2014;. The resulting compositions are spin bowl compatible (i.e., they do not crosslink prior to the bake stages of the microlithographic processes or during storage at room temperature), are wet developable, and have superior optical properties.

Spin bowl compatible polyamic acids/imides as wet developable polymer binders for anti-reflective coatings

Anti-reflective compositions and methods of using these compositions to form circuits are provided. The compositions comprise a polymer dissolved or dispersed in a solvent system. In a preferred embodiment the polymers of the composition include recurring monomers having the formulas where: (1) each R is individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, &#x2014;OH, aliphatics, and phenyls; and (2) L is selected from the group consisting of &#x2014;SO&#x2014; and &#x2014;CR'&#x2014;, where each R&#x2032; is individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, aliphatics, phenyls, and &#x2014;CX, where each X is individually selected from the group consisting of the halogens. The resulting compositions are spin bowl compatible (i.e., they do not crosslink prior to the bake stages of the microlithographic processes or during storage at room temperature), are wet developable, and have superior optical properties.

An improved light attenuating compound for use in the production of microdevices is provided. Broadly, the light attenuating compound is non-aromatic and can be directly incorporated (either physically or chemically) into photolithographic compositions such as bottom anti-reflective coatings (BARC) and contact or via hole fill materials. The preferred non-aromatic compounds of the invention are conjugated aliphatic and alicyclic compounds which greatly enhance the plasma etch rate of the composition. Furthermore, the light attenuating compounds are useful for absorbing light at shorter wavelengths. In one embodiment, the inventive compounds can be polymerized so as to serve as both the polymer binder of the composition as well as the light absorbing constituent.

Non-aromatic chromophores for use in polymer anti-reflective coatings

A portable ski clamping apparatus is described for rigidly supporting a ski for maintenance and repairs. The apparatus includes a base from which a ski is to be supported, a clamp projecting centrally from the base adapted to grip a ski by its side edges generally at the mid-portion of such ski, a pair of support standards projecting from the base on opposite sides of the clamp to be engaged by a ski gripped by the clamp, and means for reducing the distance of the clamp from the base relative to the distance therefrom at which the support standards engage the ski to thereby urge the ski against such support standards for lateral support at the locations of such standards. The standards define open-mouthed slots which are generally parallel to one another for simultaneous receipt of a ski on edge at spaced-apart locations. Each of such standards is mounted on the base for rotation about an axis extending through the bottom and mouth of its slot, and means are provided for maintaining each of said standards in a selected position of rotation in which the opposed sides of the slot frictionally engage any ski in such slot to grip such ski. Thus, the clamp cooperates with the standards for firmly supporting a ski with either its top or bottom surfaces facing upwardly, and the slots in the standards provide firm support of the ski with either of its edges facing upwardly to be worked on.

Growing community of inventors

Rolla, MO, United States of America

Robert Christian Cox