Author: claimsbot

1. Signal transmission system, comprising a transmitter with a first LC circuit comprising a first coil intended to be fed with signals having a chosen carrier frequency, and a receiver with a second LC circuit comprising a second coil and coupled to a circuit front-end, said first coil being arranged to transfer energy to said second coil by magnetic induction in a near-field propagation mode, characterized in that said first LC circuit has an increased quality factor and is tuned to a first frequency which is shifted in a first direction from said carrier frequency, by a first value, and said second LC circuit has an increased quality factor and is tuned to a second frequency which is shifted in a second direction, opposite to the first one, from said carrier frequency, by a second value.
2. Signal transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that said first value is equal to said second value.
3. Signal transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that said first direction corresponds to an increase of said carrier frequency.
4. Signal transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that said first direction corresponds to a decrease of said carrier frequency.
5. Signal transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that said first and second values are contained between 10 kHz and 200 kHz.
6. Signal transmission system according to claim 5, characterized in that said first and second values are contained between 140 kHz and 180 kHz.
7. Signal transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that said quality factors of said first and second LC circuits are doubled.
8. Signal transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that said first coil is wound around a ferrite core.
9. Signal transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that said second coil is wound around a ferrite core.
10. Signal transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that said transmitter comprises a modulator arranged to feed said first LC circuit with modulated signals, and in that said receiver comprises a demodulator arranged to demodulate the signals captured by said second LC circuit.
11. Signal transmission system according to claim 11, characterized in that said modulator is arranged to output signals with a FSK modulation.
12. Signal transmission system according to claim 10, characterized in that said modulator is arranged to output signals with a MSK modulation.
13. Signal transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that said transmitter comprises an up-mixer arranged to translate the frequency of the signals intended for feeding said first LC circuit around said carrier frequency, and in that said receiver comprises a down-mixer arranged to translate the carrier frequency of the signals originating from said second LC circuit down to a lower frequency.
14. Signal transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that said receiver comprises an amplification means arranged to amplify said signals detected by said second LC circuit.
15. Wireless communication equipment, characterized in that it comprises a transmitter andor a receiver of a signal transmission system according to one of the preceding claims.

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 liquid crystal display device comprising a pair of spaced and opposed substrates, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on one substrate, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on the other substrate, a liquid crystal filled between said pair of substrates, and means for delimiting pixel display portions and non-display portions at least partly surrounding said pixel display portions, wherein said alignment layers are treated for realizing alignment so that the alignment of liquid crystal molecules in said pixel display portions is controlled by the alignment of liquid crystal molecules in said non-display portions.
2. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the alignment-treatment for said pixel display portions is different from the alignment-treatment for said non-display portions.
3. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein said alignment layers are made of a uniform alignment material.
4. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein said alignment layers are only rubbed in said pixel display portions, and are rubbed and irradiated with ultraviolet rays in said non-display portions.
5. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein said pixel display portion has at least two domains in which the liquid crystal molecules are oriented in directions opposite to each other.
6. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein said alignment layer comprises at least two material layers in said non-display portions.
7. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein said non-display portions only are rubbed.
8. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein said alignment layer is rubbed in at least two directions in said non-display portions.
9. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the electrode of one substrate comprises pixel electrodes, said one substrate is provided with a black matrix with black stripes and openings, and said pixel display portions are defined by the openings of said black matrix.
10. A liquid crystal display device comprising a pair of spaced and opposed substrates, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on one substrate, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on the other substrate, and a liquid crystal filled between said pair of substrates, wherein said alignment layer comprises an alignment layer having a vertically aligning property and realizes an alignment with a pretilt angle by irradiation with non-polarized ultraviolet rays in an inclined direction.
11. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 10, wherein the applied ultraviolet rays include components having wavelengths of equal to or shorter than 280 nm.
12. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 10; wherein the degree of parallelism of ultraviolet rays is within 10 degrees.
13. A liquid crystal display device comprising a pair of spaced and opposed substrates, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on one substrate, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on the other substrate, and a liquid crystal filled between said pair of substrates, wherein said alignment layers are rubbed and are irradiated with ultraviolet rays in an inclined direction.
14. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 13, wherein a pixel includes a plurality of domains in which the liquid crystal molecules at intermediate positions between the two alignment layers are tilted in different directions, and said alignment layers are uniformly rubbed and are irradiated with ultraviolet rays in inclined directions different for each of the domains.
15. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 13, wherein the applied ultraviolet rays include components having wavelengths of equal to or shorter than 280 nm.
16. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 13, wherein the degree of parallelism of ultraviolet rays is within 10 degrees.
17. A liquid crystal display device comprising a pair of spaced and opposed substrates, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on one substrate, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on the other substrate, and a liquid crystal filled between said pair of substrates, wherein said alignment layers realize an alignment with a pretilt angle of liquid crystal molecules neighboring said alignment layers by the irradiation of ultraviolet rays, and said substrates are made of a material that absorbs ultraviolet rays irradiated for realizing the alignment.
18. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 17, wherein the ultraviolet rays for realizing the alignment are irradiated in an inclined direction with respect to the substrate.
19. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 17, wherein the ultraviolet rays include light of wavelength shorter than 350 nm, and the substrates are made of a material selected from the group consisting of a soda-lime glass, a borosilicate glass, an alkali-free glass, a polycarbonate, a polyethylene and a polystyrene.
20. A liquid crystal display device comprising a pair of spaced and opposed substrates opposed to each other maintaining a distance, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on one substrate, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on the other substrate, and a liquid crystal filled between said pair of substrates, wherein the alignment layer of at least one of said substrates is treated so that the alignment layer is divided into a plurality of parallel extending stripe regions and that the direction of alignment of the liquid crystal molecules in one region is opposite to the direction of alignment of the liquid crystal molecules in the neighboring region and the directions of alignment are parallel to the stripes.
21. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 20, wherein each of the pixels of the alignment layers of said pair of substrates is divided into a plurality of stripe regions, and the direction of stripes of the alignment layer of one substrate is perpendicular to the direction of stripes of the alignment layer of the other substrate.
22. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 20, wherein each of the pixels of the alignment layers of said pair of substrates is divided into a plurality of stripe regions, and the direction of stripes of the alignment layer of one substrate is parallel to the direction of stripes of the alignment layer of the other substrate.
23. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 20, wherein the stripe regions with different alignments are formed on the alignment layer of only one of said pair of substrates.
24. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 20, wherein the alignment layers are oriented by the irradiation of ultraviolet rays.
25. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 24, wherein the alignment layers are oriented by the irradiation of ultraviolet rays in an inclined direction, and the azimuth of the direction in which the ultraviolet rays are irradiated is parallel to the azimuth of the direction of the stripes.
26. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 20, wherein in irradiating the substrate with the ultraviolet rays in an inclined direction, an optical mask having a stripe pattern is used, the azimuth of the alignment being defined by irradiating the ultraviolet rays in the inclined direction with the azimuth parallel to the stripes of the mask.
27. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 26, wherein, in irradiating the substrate with ultraviolet rays two times through a stripe mask, the substrate is irradiated with ultraviolet rays the first time and, thereafter the positions of the mask and the liquid crystal panel substrates are deviated relative to each other and the substrate is irradiated, through the same mask, with ultraviolet rays the second time from a direction opposite to the direction of ultraviolet ray irradiation of the first time.
28. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 27, wherein an apparatus having a lamp is used for ultraviolet ray irradiation, and after the irradiation with ultraviolet rays in the first time, the substrate or both the substrate and the mask are turned by 180 degrees to irradiate the regions, that were not irradiated with ultraviolet rays in the first time, with ultraviolet rays in the second time.
29. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 26, wherein the angle of inclination with respect to the vertical direction to the substrate is from 20 degrees to 70 degrees when the substrate is irradiated with ultraviolet rays in an inclined direction.
30. A liquid crystal display device comprising a pair of spaced and opposed substrates, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on one substrate, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on the other substrate, a liquid crystal filled between said pair of substrates, and a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel has four different alignment regions, and said four alignment regions are formed so that the liquid crystal molecules therein are oriented in four directions at 90 degrees relative to each other.
31. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 30, wherein said alignment layers are treated by irradiation with ultraviolet rays using a mask having stripe openings, and in irradiating the substrates with ultraviolet rays two times through the stripe mask, the substrate is irradiated with ultraviolet rays in the first time and, thereafter the positions of the mask and the liquid crystal panel substrates are deviated relative to each other and the substrates are irradiated, through the same mask, with ultraviolet rays in the second time from a direction opposite to the direction of ultraviolet ray irradiation of the first time.
32. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 30, wherein a liquid crystal having a dielectric constant of negative anisotropy is used.
33. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 30, wherein, when the width of the stripe is W and the length of the short side of the pixel is b, there exists the relationship, W({square root}{square root over (2)})3p.
34. A method for producing a liquid crystal display device comprising a pair spaced and opposed of substrates, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on one substrate, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on the other substrate, and a liquid crystal filled between said pair of substrates, said method comprising the step of realizing an alignment with a pretilt angle, by irradiating the alignment layer exhibiting a vertically orienting property with non-polarized ultraviolet rays in an inclined direction.
35. A method for producing a liquid crystal display device comprising a pair of spaced and opposed substrates, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on one substrate, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on the other substrate, and a liquid crystal filled between said pair of substrates, said method comprising the steps of rubbing the alignment layer and irradiating the alignment layer with ultraviolet rays in an inclined direction.
36. A method for producing a liquid crystal display device comprising a pair of spaced and opposed substrates, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on one substrate, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on the other substrate, and a liquid crystal filled between said pair of substrates, said method comprising the step of realizing an alignment with a pretilt angle of liquid crystal molecules neighboring said alignment layers by irradiating the alignment layers with ultraviolet rays, said substrates being made of a material that absorbs ultraviolet rays that are irradiated, for realizing the alignment.
37. A liquid crystal display device comprising a pair of spaced and opposed substrates, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on one substrate, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on the other substrate, and a liquid crystal filled between said pair of substrates, wherein said alignment layer is treated to realize an alignment with a pretilt angle by the irradiation of ultraviolet rays and formed so that one pixel has at least two regions having different threshold voltages.
38. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 37, wherein the amount of irradiation of the ultraviolet rays onto the one region of one alignment layer is substantially identical to the amount of irradiation of the ultraviolet rays onto the corresponding region of the other alignment layer.
39. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 37, wherein the amount of irradiation of the ultraviolet rays to the plurality of regions of one pixel of the alignment layer of one substrate is varied and the amount of irradiation of the ultraviolet rays to the plurality of regions of one pixel of the alignment layer of the other substrate is varied, whereby the combinations of sums of the amount of irradiation of the ultraviolet rays to the one region of one alignment layer and the amount of irradiation of the ultraviolet rays to the one region of the other alignment layer are different from each other.
40. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 37, wherein the irradiation of the ultraviolet rays is carried out such that the ultraviolet rays are first irradiated onto the entire surface of the alignment layer, and thereafter, the ultraviolet rays are irradiated onto alignment layer through a mask in the second time.
41. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 40, wherein the direction of the irradiation of the ultraviolet rays to the entire surface of the alignment layer is identical to the direction of the irradiation of the ultraviolet rays to the alignment layer through the mask.
42. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 40, wherein the direction of the irradiation of the ultraviolet rays to the alignment layer through the mask is perpendicular to the alignment layer.
43. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 37, wherein the irradiation of the ultraviolet rays is carried out such that the ultraviolet rays are first irradiated to the alignment layer through a mask, and thereafter, the ultraviolet rays are irradiated to the entire surface of the alignment layer in the second time.
44. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 43, wherein the direction of the irradiation of the ultraviolet rays to the entire surface of the alignment layer is identical to the direction of the irradiation of the ultraviolet rays to the alignment layer through the mask.
45. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 43, wherein the direction of the irradiation of the ultraviolet rays to the alignment layer through the mask is perpendicular to the alignment layer.
46. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 37, wherein the installed position of the mask for defining an ultraviolet ray irradiation region is not parallel to the substrates forming the liquid crystal panel.
47. A liquid crystal display device comprising a pair of spaced and opposed substrates, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on one substrate, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on the other substrate, and a liquid crystal filled between said pair of substrates, wherein said alignment layer is formed so that one pixel has four regions divided by a crosswise boundary line in which the alignments of the liquid crystal are mutually different, and a shading layer is provided to cover the crosswise boundary line.
48. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 47, wherein said alignment layer is treated to realize the alignment with a pretilt angle by irradiation with ultraviolet rays.
49. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 47, further comprising an auxiliary electrode and a black matrix, and wherein said shading layer comprises on of the auxiliary electrode and the black matrix.
50. A quartered, vertically aligned liquid crystal display device comprising a pair of spaced and opposed substrates, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on one substrate, an electrode and an alignment layer formed on the other substrate, a liquid crystal filled between said pair of substrates, and polarizers arranged outside said pair of substrates, wherein said alignment layer is formed so that one pixel has four regions divided by a crosswise boundary line in which the alignments of the liquid crystal are mutually different, and said polarizers are arranged in a cross-Nicol arrangement and in the predetermined directions deviated in the range from 5 degrees to 20 degrees relative to the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, and the directions of diagonally 45 degrees with respect to the vertical direction and the horizontal direction.

1. A device for sampling target tissue within a patient, comprising:
a coring component having:
a longitudinal lumen terminating in a distal opening; and
a distal region formed of one or more distally extending flexible blades each having a distal end positioned around said distal opening,
wherein the blades are configured to move toward each other when the coring component is penetrating into the target tissue along a longitudinal axis of the coring component;
wherein said blades are configured via the movement toward each other to substantially sever a tissue sample from the target tissue during penetration.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein said one or more blades are configured to penetrate
the target tissue such that a tissue sample having a cross-section defined by said distal ends of said one or more blades is received within said lumen of said coring component via said distal opening.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein each said blade has an approximate lunate cross-section along a lateral axis substantially parallel to said distal opening.
4. The device of claim 2, wherein said coring component comprises two or more elongate blades, at least one of said blades configured to flex inwardly towards a longitudinal axis of said coring component in response to penetration of the target tissue by said blades.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein a distal region of at least one of said blades opposing said lumen of said coring component comprises a beveled surface.
6. The device of claim 2, wherein said coring component comprises two or more elongate blades, each of said blades configured to flex inwardly towards a longitudinal axis of said coring component following penetration of the target tissue by said blades.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein at least one of said blades comprise a shape memory material responsive to a change in temperature that occurs following said penetration.
8. The device of claim 6, wherein at least one of said blades comprise a shape memory material responsive to an applied electrical current.
9. The device of claim 4, wherein said coring component comprises two or more separate elements defining said lumen, and wherein said elements are connected by a hinge arrangement.
10. The device of claim 9, wherein said hinge arrangement may be actuated so as to cause at least one of said blades to flex inwardly towards said longitudinal axis.
11. The device of claim 2, wherein said device further comprises an elongate catheter having proximal and distal ends and a lumen longitudinally extending there through, wherein said coring component is disposed at said distal end of said catheter, and wherein said lumen of said catheter that is operationally contiguous with said lumen of said coring component.
12. The device of claim 2, further comprising:
an anchoring element configured to secure the device to the target tissue.
13. The device of claim 12, wherein said anchoring element comprises an element disposed on a distal end of at least one of said one or more blades.
14. The device of claim 12, wherein said anchoring element is configured to be controllably extended from within said coring component to secure the device to the target tissue.
15. The device of claim 12, wherein said anchoring element is configured to be controllably extended around said coring component to secure the device to the target tissue.
16. The device of claim 14, wherein said anchoring element comprises an extendible needle.
17. The device of claim 12, wherein said anchoring element comprises an extendible needle.
18. The device of claim 11, wherein said anchoring element comprises a suction system configured to secure said catheter.
19. The device of claim 2, wherein said coring component further comprises at least one tissue retention feature configured to secure said tissue sample within said lumen of said coring component.
20. The device of claim 19, wherein said at least one tissue retention feature comprises:
a textured surface of a portion of at least one of said one or more blades adjacent said lumen of said coring component.
21. The device of claim 19, wherein said at least one tissue retention feature comprises:
an adhesive having an adhesion force that may be overcome with sufficient manual force.
22. The device of claim 19, wherein said at least one tissue retention feature comprises:
a barb disposed on at least one of said one or more blades adjacent said lumen of said coring component.
23. The device of claim 19, wherein said device further comprises an elongate catheter having proximal and distal ends and a lumen longitudinally extending there through, wherein said coring component is disposed at said distal end of said catheter, and wherein said at least one tissue retention feature comprises a suction system configured to provide suction via said catheter.
24. The device of claim 23, wherein said suction is provided through said coring component.
25. The device of claim 23, wherein said suction is provided around said coring component.
26. The device of claim 25, wherein a distal region of said sheath has a fixed radius of curvature.
27. The device of claim 2, wherein said blades are configured to anchor the device to the target tissue.
28. The device of claim 2, further comprising an endoscopic device having:
an elongate catheter having proximal and distal ends and a lumen longitudinally extending there through, wherein said coring component is disposed at said distal end of said catheter; and
a sheath configured to be inserted into the patient and configured to have said catheter inserted therein.
29. The device of claim 28, wherein a distal region of said sheath has a fixed radius of curvature.
30. The device of claim 29, further comprising:
one or more components configured to controllably curve a distal region of said sheath.
31. The device of claim 2, further configured to deliver a treatment to the target tissue.
32. The device of claim 31, wherein said treatment comprises hemostasis of the target tissue.
33. The device of claim 32, wherein said coring component is configured to cauterize the target tissue.
34. The device of claim 32, wherein said coring component is configured to apply a hemostasis coating to the target tissue.
35. The device of claim 31, wherein said treatment comprises delivery of a therapeutic agent to the target tissue.
36. A device For sampling target tissue within a patient comprising:
a coring component having:
a longitudinal lumen terminating in a distal opening: and
a distal region formed of one or more distally extending flexible blades each having a distal end positioned around said distal opening,
wherein said blades are configured to penetrate the target tissue such that a tissue sample having a cross-section defined by said distal ends of said blades is received within said lumen of said coring component via said distal opening, and
wherein said blades are configured to substantially sever said tissue sample from the target tissue, and
wherein said coring component further comprises two or more elongate blades, each of which is configured to flex inwardly towards a longitudinal axis of said coring component toward each other when penetrating said target tissue by said blades, and
wherein said coring component further comprises at least one tissue retention feature configured to secure said tissue sample within said lumen of said coring component.
37. A device for sampling target tissue within a patient, comprising:
a coring component having:
a longitudinal lumen terminating in a distal opening;
a distal region formed of distally extending flexible blades each having a distal end positioned around said distal opening, wherein the blades are configured to move toward each other when the distal region is penetrating into the target tissue along a longitudinal axis of the coring component;
wherein said blades are configured to substantially sever said tissue sample from the target tissue via movement of the blades toward each other during penetration into the target tissue; and
an elongate catheter having proximal and distal ends and a lumen longitudinally extending there through, wherein said coring component is disposed at said distal end of said catheter, and wherein said lumen is operationally contiguous with said lumen of said coring component.

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 making integrated circuit thin film resistor structures each including a body section and a head section, the method comprising:
(a) forming a first dielectric layer having a planar surface over a substrate;
(b) providing a structure to reduce variation of head resistivity of the head section by
i. forming a first dummy fill layer on the planar surface of the first dielectric layer, and
ii. forming a planar second dielectric layer over the first dummy fill layer;

(c) forming a thin film resistor on the second dielectric layer;
(d) forming a first inter-level dielectric layer on the thin film resistor and the second dielectric layer; and
(f) forming a first metal layer on the first inter-level dielectric layer, a first portion of the first metal layer extending to a portion of the thin film resistor through a contact opening in the first inter-level dielectric layer.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (b)(i) includes forming the first dummy fill layer as a repetitive pattern of sections, and wherein step (c) includes forming the thin film resistor such that the repetitive pattern is symmetrically aligned with respect to multiple edges of the thin film resistor.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein step (b)(i) includes forming the first dummy fill layer to extend sufficiently far beyond ends of the thin film resistor to ensure that there is only a negligible amount of systematic resistance error due to misalignment error between the thin film resistor and the first dummy fill layer.
4. The method of claim 1 including forming a second interlevel dielectric layer on the first interlevel dielectric layer and the first metal layer.
5. The method of claim 4 including forming a second metal layer on the second interlevel dielectric layer and electrically coupling a first portion of the second metal layer through a via to the first portion of the first metal layer.
6. The method of claim 5 including forming a dielectric cap layer on the second interlevel dielectric layer and the second metal layer.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first dummy fill layer is metal.
8. The method of claim 2 wherein step (b)(i) includes forming the first dummy fill layer as a repetitive pattern of sections such that the repetitive pattern is symmetrically aligned in two orthogonal directions with respect to orthogonal edges, respectively, of the thin film resistor.
9. The method of claim 1 including forming a third dielectric layer on the first dummy fill layer, chemicallymechanically polishing a surface of the third dielectric layer, and forming the second dielectric layer on the chemicallymechanically polished surface.
10. The method of claim 9 including forming the second dielectric layer as a TEOS layer.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the thin film resistor is SiCr and the first metal layer is TiN.
12. The method of claim 1 including forming a third dielectric layer on the substrate, wherein step (a) includes forming the first dielectric layer on the third dielectric layer, the method including forming a second dummy fill layer on the third dielectric layer.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first dummy fill layer is metal and the second dummy fill layer is polycrystalline silicon.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein thin film resistor is composed of material from the group including SiCr, alloys of SiCr, NiCr, alloys of NiCr, TaN, and alloys of TaN.
15. An integrated circuit thin film resistor structure including a body section and a head section having low head resistivity variance, made by the process comprising the steps of:
(a) forming a first dielectric layer having a planar surface over a substrate;
(b) providing a structure to reduce variation of head resistivity of the head section by
i. forming a first dummy fill layer on the planar surface of the first dielectric layer, and
ii. forming a planar second dielectric layer over the first dummy fill layer;

(c) forming a thin film resistor on the second dielectric layer;
(d) forming a first inter-level dielectric layer on the thin film resistor and the second dielectric layer; and
(f) forming a first metal layer on the first inter-level dielectric layer, a first portion of the first metal layer electrically contacting a portion of the thin film resistor through a contact opening in the first inter-level dielectric layer.
16. The integrated circuit thin film resistor structure of claim 15 wherein the first dummy fill layer is formed as a repetitive pattern of sections, and wherein the thin film resistor is formed such that the repetitive pattern is symmetrically aligned with respect to multiple edges of the thin film resistor.
17. The integrated circuit thin film structure of claim 16 wherein step (b)(i) includes forming the first dummy fill layer as a repetitive pattern of sections such that the repetitive pattern is symmetrically aligned in two orthogonal directions with respect to orthogonal edges, respectively, of the thin film resistor.
18. The integrated circuit thin film resistor structure of claim 15 wherein the first dummy fill layer is formed to extend sufficiently far beyond ends of the thin film resistor to ensure that there is only a negligible amount of systematic resistance error due to misalignment error between the thin film resistor and of the first dummy fill layer.
19. An integrated circuit thin film resistor structure including a body section and a head section having low head resistivity variance, comprising:
(a) a first dielectric layer disposed over a substrate, the first dielectric layer having a planar surface;
(b) a thin film resistor;
(c) an inter-level dielectric layer on the thin film resistor and the second dielectric layer;
(d) a metal layer on the first inter-level dielectric layer, a portion of the metal layer extending to a head portion of the thin film resistor through a contact opening in the first inter-level dielectric layer;
(e) a structure for reducing variation of head resistivity of the head section of the thin film resistor, the structure including a dummy fill layer on the planar surface of the first dielectric layer and a planar second dielectric layer over the first dummy fill layer, the dummy fill layer extending sufficiently far beyond ends of the thin film resistor to ensure that there is only a negligible amount of systematic resistance error due to misalignment error between the thin film resistor and the dummy fill layer.
20. The integrated circuit thin film resistor structure of claim 20 wherein the thin film resistor is composed of SiCr, and wherein the dummy fill layer extends sufficiently far beyond the ends of the thin film resistor to ensure that effects of stress associated with the portion of the metal layer on resistivity of the thin film resistor are negligible compared to effects of stress associated with the dummy fill layer on resistivity of the thin film resistor so as to reduce variance of the head resistivity.