Author: claimsbot

1. A system for soft tissue active release, the system comprising:
a wrap portion;
a strap coupled to the wrap portion, the strap having a fastening system attached thereto;
an attachment point coupled to the wrap portion; and
one or more pressure modules.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wrap portion is configured to be placed around one of an arm, hand or foot.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wrap portion is configured to be placed around a leg.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the wrap portion is configured to be placed around a torso.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the one or more pressure modules includes a generally wedge shaped member.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the one or more pressure modules includes a generally recessed circular shaped member.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the one or more pressure modules includes a generally pointed member.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the one or more pressure modules includes a generally star shaped member.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the one or more pressure modules includes a raised generally s-shaped member.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the one or more pressure modules includes a member having two raised generally s-shaped portions that intersect.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the one or more pressure modules includes a module having a plurality of raised portions each having a generally cylindrical shape.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of operating a micromechanical device comprising:
biasing one or more electrodes, wherein biasing the one or more electrodes causes a moveable component having a first contact surface to interact with a second contact surface;
biasing the one or more electrodes repeatedly until a stiction force prevents the first contact surface from being separated from the second contact surface; and
separating the first contact surface from the second contact surface by exposing the first and second contact surfaces to a gas-phase lubricant.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the gas-phase lubricant is a gas containing a haloalkane.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the gas-phase lubricant is selected from a group consisting of sulfur hexafluoride, silicon tetrafluoride and perfluorocyclobutane.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the gas-phase lubricant is a fluorinated compound that has a molecular weight greater than about 100 amu.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the moveable component comprises a mirror.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the micromechanical device is an optical image processor or a spatial light modulator.

1. A method of driving an electro-optic converter assembly with an information signal, such method comprising the steps of:
disposing a resistor having a resistance substantially equal to a resistance of the electro-optic converter adjacent the electro-optic converter;
coupling the electro-optic converter and resistor together, in series, to form a current loop;
driving the electro-optic converter end of the current loop with the information signal; and
driving the resistor end of the current loop with an opposite polarity of the information signal.
2. The method of driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 1 wherein the step of disposing the resistor adjacent the electro-optic converter further comprises fabricating the electro-optic converter and resistor on a common substrate.
3. The method of driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 2 further comprising fabricating the resistor and electro-optic converter on the common substrate as substantially identical structures.
4. The method of driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 3 wherein the step of coupling the electro-optic converter and resistor together to form a current loop further comprises coupling a substrate end of the electro-optic converter and resistor to the substrate.
5. The method of driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 4 further comprising coupling the substrate end to a ground potential.
6. The method of driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 2 further comprising etching a well between the electro-optical converter and resistor.
7. The method of driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 1 further comprising disposing a conductive trace across a top layer of the resistor interconnecting the top layer and an intrinsic layer of the resistor.
8. The method of driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 1 further comprising forming connections with the electro-optic converter and resistor on a common side of the substrate.
9. The method of driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 8 wherein the step of coupling the electro-optic converter and resistor to a differential amplifier further comprises coupling the electro-optic converter to a positive output of the differential amplifier and the resistor to a negative polarity output of the differential amplifier.
10. The method of driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 1 further comprising coupling the electro-optic converter and resistor to a differential amplifier.
11. An apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly with an information signal, such apparatus comprising:
a resistor having a resistance substantially equal to a resistance of the electro-optic converter disposed adjacent the electro-optic converter;
means for coupling the electro-optic converter and resistor together, in series, to form a current loop;
means for driving the electro-optical converter end of the current loop with the information signal; and
means for driving the resistor end of the current loop with an opposite polarity of the information signal.
12. The apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 11 further comprising the electro-optic converter and resistor disposed on a common substrate.
13. The apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 12 further comprising the resistor and electro-optic converter fabricated on the common substrate as substantially identical structures.
14. The apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 13 wherein the means for coupling the electro-optic converter and resistor together to form a current loop further comprises means for coupling a substrate end of the electro-optic converter and resistor to the substrate.
15. The apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 14 further comprising means for coupling the substrate and to a ground potential.
16. The apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 12 further comprising a well etched between the electro-optic component and resistor.
17. The apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 11 further comprising a conductive trace disposed across a top layer of the resistor interconnecting the top layer and an intrinsic layer of the resistor.
18. The apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 11 further comprising means for forming connections with the electro-optic converter and resistor on a common side of the substrate.
19. The apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 18 wherein the means for coupling the electro-optic converter and resistor to a differential amplifier further comprises means for coupling the electro-optic converter to a positive output of the differential amplifier and the resistor to a negative polarity output of the differential amplifier.
20. The apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 11 further comprising means for coupling the electro-optic converter and resistor to a differential amplifier.
21. An apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly with an information signal, such apparatus comprising:
the electro-optic converter;
a resistor having a resistance substantially equal to a resistance of the electro-optic converter disposed adjacent the electro-optic converter and operably coupled in series with the electro-optic converter to form a current loop; and
an amplifier adapted to drive the electro-optic converter end of the current loop with the information signal and the resistor end of the current loop with an opposite polarity of the information signal.
22. The apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 21 further comprising the electro-optic converter and resistor disposed on a common substrate.
23. The apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 22 further comprising the resistor and electro-optic converter fabricated on the common substrate as substantially identical structures.
24. The apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 23 wherein the current loop further comprises a connection between the electro-optic converter and resistor and the substrate.
25. The apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 24 further comprising a connection between the substrate and ground potential.
26. The apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 22 further comprising a well etched between the electro-optic converter and resistor.
27. The apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 21 further comprising a conductive trace disposed across a top layer of the resistor interconnecting the top layer and an intrinsic layer of the resistor.
28. The apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 21 further comprising a set of respective connections with the electro-optic converter and resistor disposed on a common side of the substrate.
29. The apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 28 wherein the coupling between the current loop and the differential amplifier further comprises a first conductor for coupling the electro-optic converter to a positive output of the differential amplifier and a second conductor for coupling the resistor to a negative polarity output of the differential amplifier.
30. The apparatus for driving an electro-optic converter assembly as in claim 21 further comprising a connection between the electro-optic converter and resistor and the differential amplifier.
31. An optical transmitter assembly comprising:
a substrate coupled to a ground potential;
an electro-optic converter disposed on the substrate with a ground connection of the electro-optic converter coupled to the substrate;
a resistor having a resistance value substantially equal to a resistance of the electro-optic converter disposed on the substrate adjacent the electro-optic converter with a ground end of the resistor coupled to the substrate; and
a differential amplifier with a first driving output of the differential amplifier operably coupled to an input of the electro-optic converter and a second driving output of the differential amplifier coupled to an input of the resistor.
32. A method of driving an electro-optic converter, such method comprising the steps of:
disposing the electro-optic converter on a grounded substrate;
disposing a resistor having a resistance substantially equal to a resistance of the electro-optic converter on the grounded substrate adjacent the electro-optic converter; and
differentially driving the resistor and electro-optic converter in parallel from opposite polarity outputs of a differential amplifier.
33. A method of driving an electro-optic converter through a differential amplifier, such method comprising the steps of:
disposing the electro-optic converter on a grounded substrate;
disposing a resistor having a resistance substantially equal to a resistance of the electro-optic converter on the grounded substrate adjacent the electro-optic converter; and
coupling a first polarity output of the differential amplifier to the electro-optic converter and an opposite polarity output of the differential amplifier to the resistor.
34. A method of providing an electro-optic converter assembly for transmitting an information signal, such method comprising the steps of:
disposing the electro-optic converter on a grounded substrate; and
disposing a resistor having a resistance substantially equal to a resistance of the electro-optic converter on the grounded substrate adjacent the electro-optic converter, said electro-optic converter being adapted to receive the information signal and said resistor being adapted to receive an opposite polarity of the information signal.
35. A method of driving an electro-optic converter through a differential amplifier, such method comprising the steps of:
disposing a first and second electro-optic converters having substantially equal resistance on a ground plane; and
coupling a first polarity output of the differential amplifier to the first electro-optic converter and an opposite polarity output of the differential amplifier to the second electro-optic converter.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:
depositing a first CVD dielectric layer on a surface of a semiconductor substrate;
depositing a first low-k layer on the first CVD dielectric layer from source materials and, immediately after depositing the first low-k layer, thermally treating the first low-k layer;
depositing a second low-k layer on the first low-k layer from the same source materials used to deposit the first low-k layer and, immediately after depositing the second low-k layer, thermally treating the second low-k layer;
depositing a second CVD dielectric layer on the second low-k layer;
forming a groove in the second CVD dielectric layer, the second low-k layer, and the first low-k layer;
depositing a metal layer on the second CVD dielectric layer and filling the groove; and
removing the metal layer from the second CVD dielectric layer by chemical mechanical polishing.
2. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1, including thermally treating the first and second low-k layers at temperatures of at least 100\xb0 C. and no more than 500\xb0 C.
3. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1, including using a methyl silsesquioxane resin as the first and second low-k layers.
4. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1, as including depositing as the first and second low-k layers, low-k layers having a composition ratio of silicon:oxygen:carbon=20% to 40%:40% to 60%:10% to 30%.
5. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising plasma treating after depositing the second low-k layer.
6. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the metal layer is a wiring layer and the first and second low-k layers are wiring dielectric films at a side of the wiring layer, on the substrate.
7. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1, including depositing the first and second low-k layers by spin coating.
8. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1, including thermally treating the first and second low-k layers in a nitrogen ambient.
9. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein thermally treating both of the first and second low-k layers includes thermally treating each of the first and second low-k layers at each of two different temperatures.