All The Claims

1. A method of detecting a nonuniformity in a material, component, or structure, the method comprising inducing changes in strain state in a material, component, or structure and measuring magnetic flux leakage that is synchronous with the changes in strain state.
2. A method of detecting a nonuniformity in a material, component, or structure, the method comprising changing the magnetic moment of a material, component, or structure through the Villari effect and measuring magnetic flux leakage that is synchronous with changes in the magnetic moment.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
applying periodic mechanical force to a material, component, or structure in a manner sufficient to induce changes in strain state in the material, component, or structure.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
exciting a material, component, or structure with periodic waves of ultrasonic energy in a manner sufficient to induce cycles of compression and tension in the material, component, or structure; and
measuring magnetic flux leakage that is synchronous with the cycles of compression and tension.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
applying an external magnetic field to a material, component, or structure;
inducing periodic changes in strain state in the material, component, or structure.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
applying an external magnetic field to a material, component, or structure;
applying periodic mechanical force to the material, component, or structure in a manner sufficient to induce changes in strain state in the material.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
applying an external magnetic field to a material, component, or structure;
exciting the material, component, or structure with periodic waves of ultrasonic energy in a manner sufficient to induce cycles of compression and tension in the material, component, or structure; and
measuring magnetic flux leakage that is synchronous with the cycles of compression and tension.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
applying an external magnetic field to a material, component, or structure;
inducing a cycle of tension and compression in the material, component, or structure; and
measuring magnetic flux leakage that is synchronous with the cycles of compression and tension.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic flux leakage is measured by:
capturing a first scan of the material when the material is in compression;
capturing a second scan of the material when the material is in tension;
and differentiating the first and second scans.
10. The method of claim 2, wherein the magnetic flux leakage is measured by:
capturing a first scan of the material when the material is in tension;
capturing a second scan of the material when the material is in compression; and
differentiating the first and second scans.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the phase of the synchronous magnetic flux leakage is characterized.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein amplitude and phase of the synchronous magnetic flux leakage are characterized.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the changes in strain state are a mechanically-induced non-uniform strain.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnitude of the flux leakage is modulated through use of an exterior magnetic bias field.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the nonuniformity is a surface crack, strain, or corrosion; subsurface crack, strain, or corrosion; occluded crack, strain, or corrosion; dissimilar material joint; coating; alloy precipitate, inclusion, or slag; or any combination thereof.
16. The method of claim 9, wherein multiple scans are performed at different x, y and z coordinates to create a 3D image.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein a Fourier transformation is used to create a 3D image.
18. The method of claim 14, wherein the exterior magnetic bias field is induced by a Helmholtz coil.
19. The method of claim 14, wherein the exterior magnetic bias field is induced by a permanent magnet.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the exterior magnetic bias field is induced by a Halbach array of permanent magnets.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein the exterior magnetic bias field is induced by an array of permanent magnets.
22. The method of claim 13, wherein application of ultrasonic energy produces the mechanically-induced non-uniform strain.
23. The method of claim 13, wherein application of acoustic energy produces the mechanically-induced non-uniform strain.
24. The method of claim 1, wherein the material comprises a ferrous material.
25. The method of claim 1, wherein the material is a non-ferrous material.
26. The method of claim 1, wherein the material has been manufactured through an additive manufacture process.
27. A system for detecting a nonuniformity in a material, component, or structure, the system comprising:
an ultrasound source;
one or more magnetometers; and
a magnetic field source;
wherein the ultrasound source is configured to induce a cycle of compression and tension in a test sample and the one or more magnetometers are configured to scan the test sample when it is in compression and when it is in tension; and
wherein the magnetic field source is configured to control the relative magnitude of any flux leakage in the test sample.
28. The system of claim 27, wherein the ultrasound source comprises an electronic transducer.
29. The system of claim 27, wherein the electronic transducer comprises a piezoelectric material.
30. The system of claim 27, wherein the magnetic field source comprises a Helmholtz coil.
31. The system of claim 27, wherein the magnetic field source comprises a permanent magnet.
32. The system of claim 27, wherein the magnetic field source comprises a set of permanent magnets configured in a Halbach array.
33. The system of claim 27, wherein the magnetic field source comprises a set of permanent magnets configured in a magnetic circuit.
34. The system of claim 27, wherein the magnetic field source comprises a wound-wire solenoid.
35. The system of claim 27, further comprising an imaging device configured for displaying an image of the test sample.
36. The system of claim 27, further comprising a processor and a set of computer-executable instructions configured to obtain a 3D image of the test sample from multiple scans by the one or more magnetometers.

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 semiconductor device comprising:
an oxide semiconductor layer including indium, gallium, and zinc;
a first conductive layer including aluminum;
a second conductive layer including a high-melting-point metal material over the first conductive layer; and
a barrier layer including aluminum oxide,
wherein the barrier layer is formed in an edge portion of the first conductive layer, and
wherein the oxide semiconductor layer is provided in contact with the second conductive layer and the barrier layer.
2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the barrier layer including aluminum oxide has a thickness of greater than 0 nm and less than or equal to 5 nm.
3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the high-melting-point metal material includes at least one selected from the group consisting of titanium, tantalum, tungsten, molybdenum, chromium, neodymium, and scandium.
4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor device is one selected from the group consisting of an e-book, a television set, a digital photo frame, a portable amusement machine, a slot machine, and a phone.
5. A semiconductor device comprising:
a gate insulating layer;
a gate electrode layer provided on one side of the gate insulating layer;
an oxide semiconductor layer provided on the other side of the gate insulating layer; and
a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer, each comprising a first conductive layer including aluminum in contact with the gate insulating layer, a second conductive layer including a high-melting-point metal material over the first conductive layer, and a barrier layer a barrier layer including aluminum oxide at an edge portion of the first conductive layer,
wherein the oxide semiconductor layer is in contact with the second conductive layer and the barrier layer.
6. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein the barrier layer including aluminum oxide has a thickness of greater than 0 nm and less than or equal to 5 nm.
7. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein the high-melting-point metal material includes at least one selected from the group consisting of titanium, tantalum, tungsten, molybdenum, chromium, neodymium, and scandium.
8. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein the semiconductor device is one selected from the group consisting of an e-book, a television set, a digital photo frame, a portable amusement machine, a slot machine, and a phone.
9. A semiconductor device comprising:
a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer, each comprising a first conductive layer including aluminum, a second conductive layer including a high-melting-point metal material over the first conductive layer, and a barrier layer a barrier layer including aluminum oxide at an edge portion of the first conductive layer;
an oxide semiconductor layer covering end portions of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer;
a gate insulating layer covering the oxide semiconductor layer; and
a gate electrode layer overlapping the end portions of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer with the oxide semiconductor layer and the gate insulating layer interposed therebetween,
wherein the oxide semiconductor layer is in contact with the second conductive layer and the barrier layer.
10. The semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein the barrier layer including aluminum oxide has a thickness of greater than 0 nm and less than or equal to 5 nm.
11. The semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein the high-melting-point metal material includes at least one selected from the group consisting of titanium, tantalum, tungsten, molybdenum, chromium, neodymium, and scandium.
12. The semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein the semiconductor device is one selected from the group consisting of an e-book, a television set, a digital photo frame, a portable amusement machine, a slot machine, and a phone.
13. A manufacturing method of a thin film transistor, comprising:
forming a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer, each comprising a first conductive layer including aluminum, and a second conductive layer including a high-melting-point metal material over the first conductive layer;
forming a barrier layer including aluminum oxide by performing an oxidation treatment on an exposed edge portion of the first conductive layer; and
stacking an oxide semiconductor layer including indium, gallium, and zinc so that the oxide semiconductor layer is in contact with the second conductive layer and the barrier layer.
14. The manufacturing method of a thin film transistor according to claim 13, wherein the barrier layer including aluminum oxide has a thickness of greater than 0 nm and less than or equal to 5 nm.
15. The manufacturing method of a thin film transistor according to claim 13, wherein the high-melting-point metal material includes at least one selected from the group consisting of titanium, tantalum, tungsten, molybdenum, chromium, neodymium, and scandium.
16. The manufacturing method of a thin film transistor according to claim 13, wherein the thin film transistor is incorporated in one selected from the group consisting of an e-book, a television set, a digital photo frame, a portable amusement machine, a slot machine, and a phone.

We claim:

1. An expandable stent for implantation in a patient comprising a tubular metal body having open ends and a sidewall structure having openings therein and a coating disposed on a surface of said sidewall structure, said coating comprising a hydrophobic biostable elastomeric material and a biologically active material, wherein said coating continuously conforms to said structure in a manner that preserves said openings.
2. The stent of claim 1, wherein said coating is about 20 to about 200 m in thickness.
3. The stent of claim 1, wherein the coating continuously conforms to the structure in a manner that preserves said openings when the stent expanded.
4. The stent of claim 1, wherein the coating is applied to the surface of the sidewall structure by spraying a coating composition comprising a mixture of finely divided biologically active species and an about 4 to 6 wv % dispersion of uncured hydrophobic biostable elastomeric material in a solvent.
5. The stent of claim 1, wherein said coating is about 75 to about 200 m in thickness.
6. The stent of claim 1, wherein said coating is applied with said stent fully expanded.
7. The stent of claim 1, wherein said coating is applied with said stent rotated.
8. The stent of claim 1, wherein said stent is a self-expandable stent.
9. The stent of claim 1, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, titanium alloys, tantalum, and cobalt-chrome alloys.
10. The stent of claim 1, wherein the biostable elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of polysiloxanes, polyurethanes, thermoplastic elastomers, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers, polyolefin elastomers, ethylene-propylene terpolymer rubbers and combinations thereof.
11. The stent of claim 1, wherein the biostable elastomeric material is a polysiloxane and wherein said biologically active species is selected from the group consisting of heparin and dexamethasone.
12. An expandable stent for implantation in a patient comprising a tubular metal body having open ends and a sidewall structure having openings therein and a coating on a surface of said sidewall structure, said coating comprising a hydrophobic biostable elastomeric material and a biologically active material, wherein said openings are substantially free of webbing.
13. The stent of claim 1, wherein said coating is about 20 to about 200 m in thickness.
14. The stent of claim 12, wherein said openings are substantially in the shape of a parallelogram with first and third sides that are substantially parallel and second and fourth sides that are substantially parallel, and wherein said openings are substantially free of webbing such that any imaginary line extended orthogonally from said first side to said third side does not intersect said coating extending between said second and fourth sides.
15. The stent of claim 12, wherein the coating is applied to the surface of the sidewall structure by spraying a coating composition comprising a mixture of finely divided biologically active species and an about 4 to 6 wv % dispersion of uncured hydrophobic biostable elastomeric material in a solvent.
16. The stent of claim 12, wherein said coating is about 75 to about 200 m in thickness.
17. The stent of claim 12, wherein said coating is applied with said stent fully expanded.
18. The stent of claim 12, wherein said coating is applied with said stent rotated.
19. The stent of claim 12, wherein said stent is a self-expandable stent.
20. The stent of claim 12, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, titanium alloys, tantalum, and cobalt-chrome alloys.
21. The stent of claim 12, wherein the biostable elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of polysiloxanes, polyurethanes, thermoplastic elastomers, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers, polyolefin elastomers, ethylene-propylene terpolymer rubbers and combinations thereof.
22. The stent of claim 12, wherein the biostable elastomeric material is a polysiloxane and wherein said biologically active material is selected from the group consisting of heparin and dexamethasone.
23. A self-expandable stent for implantation in a patient comprising a tubular metal body having open ends and a sidewall structure having openings therein and a coating of about 75 to about 200 m in thickness on a surface of said sidewall structure, said coating comprising a biologically active material and a hydrophobic biostable elastomeric material selected from the group consisting of polysiloxanes, polyurethanes, thermoplastic elastomers, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers, polyolefin elastomers, ethylene-propylene terpolymer rubbers and combinations thereof, wherein said coating continuously conforms to said structure in a manner that preserves said openings.
24. The stent of claim 23, wherein the coating continuously conforms to the structure in a manner that the openings are substantially free of webbing.
25. The stent of claim 23, wherein the coating continuously conforms to the structure in a manner that preserves the openings when the stent expanded.
26. The stent of claim 23, wherein said coating is applied to the surface of the sidewall structure while the stent is fully expanded and rotated by spraying, with an air brush with its pressure adjusted to from about 15 to about 25 psi, a coating composition comprising a mixture of finely divided biologically active species and a dispersion of uncured hydrophobic biostable elastomeric material in a solvent and then cured.
27. The stent of claim 23, wherein the stent is rotated at the speeds in the range of about 30 to about 50 rpm.
28. The stent of claim 23, wherein the coating composition is sprayed at a spray nozzle flow rate in the range of about 4 to about 10 ml.
29. The stent of claim 23, wherein the coating comprises more than one coating layer.

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

What is claimed is:

1. An erectable, collapsible shelter having a collapsed configuration and an extended configuration, comprising:
a canopy having at least three sides and three corners;
a leg assembly having at least three legs supporting said canopy, said legs having an upper end and a lower end;
a perimeter truss linkage assembly having a plurality of perimeter truss pairs of link members connected to said leg assembly; and
a canopy peak support assembly movable between a raised position and a lowered position, said canopy peak support assembly supporting said canopy above the top of the leg assembly in said raised position.
2. The erectable, collapsible shelter of claim 1, wherein each of said legs comprise telescoping upper and lower sections, with said lower section being adapted for engagement with the ground.
3. The erectable, collapsible shelter of claim 1, wherein said leg assembly comprises a slider member slidably mounted to each of said legs.
4. The erectable, collapsible shelter of claim 1, wherein each of said perimeter truss pairs includes first and second link members pivotally connected together in a scissors configuration, said first and second link members having inner and outer ends, said outer end of each said first link member connected to the upper end of one said leg, and said outer end of each second link slidably connected to said leg.
5. The erectable, collapsible shelter of claim 1, wherein said canopy peak support assembly comprises a plurality of telescoping pole members having first and second ends, said first ends of said telescoping pole members being pivotally connected together, and said second ends of said telescoping pole members being pivotally connected to the leg assembly such that said telescoping pole members can moved between a downwardly directed position and an upwardly directed position supporting said canopy.
6. The erectable, collapsible shelter of claim 5, wherein said first ends of said telescoping pole members are pivotally connected together by a bracket member adapted for supporting said canopy.
7. The erectable, collapsible shelter of claim 5, wherein each of said telescoping pole members comprises hollow first and second telescoping sections, said first telescoping section slidably disposed within said second telescoping section and having a distal end for supporting said canopy and a proximal end, said second telescoping section having a spring loaded detent pin and an aperture for receiving said spring loaded detent pin, said first telescoping section having a corresponding medially located aperture located medially of said proximal end for receiving said spring loaded detent pin, whereby when said apertures of said first and second telescoping sections are aligned, said first and second telescoping sections are locked together by said detent pin.
8. The erectable, collapsible shelter of claim 7, wherein said first telescoping section further comprises a weighted internal stop member slidably disposed within said first telescoping section for movement between a first position blocking said detent pin when said first telescoping section is below said second telescoping section and a second position not blocking said detent pin when said first telescoping section is above said second telescoping section.
9. The erectable, collapsible shelter of claim 8, wherein said weighted internal stop member being retained in said first telescoping section between first and second stop members disposed within said first telescoping section
10. The erectable, collapsible shelter of claim 7, wherein said first telescoping section comprises a second aperture for receiving said spring loaded detent pin proximal to said medially located aperture, said surface of said first telescoping section defining a second aperture and a ramped channel for receiving said detent pin extending and becoming shallower distally from said second aperture, such that when said detent pin is received in said second aperture, said detent pin locks said first and second telescoping sections from being disengaged, and said detent pin can slide distally from said second aperture along said channel.
11. An erectable, collapsible shelter having a collapsed configuration and an extended configuration, comprising:
a canopy having at least three sides and three corners;
a leg assembly having at least three legs supporting said canopy, said legs having an upper end and a lower end;
a perimeter truss linkage assembly having a plurality of perimeter truss pairs of link members connected to said leg assembly; and
a canopy peak support assembly movable between a raised position and a lowered position, said canopy peak support assembly supporting said canopy above the top of the leg assembly in said raised position, said canopy peak support assembly including a plurality of telescoping pole members having first and second ends, said first ends of said telescoping pole members being pivotally connected together, and said second ends of said telescoping pole members being pivotally connected to the leg assembly such that said telescoping pole members can moved between a downwardly directed position and an upwardly directed position supporting said canopy..
12. The erectable, collapsible shelter of claim 11, wherein each of said legs comprise telescoping upper and lower sections, with said lower section being adapted for engagement with the ground.
13. The erectable, collapsible shelter of claim 11, wherein said leg assembly comprises a slider member slidably mounted to each of said legs.
14. The erectable, collapsible shelter of claim I 1, wherein each of said perimeter truss pairs includes first and second link members pivotally connected together in a scissors configuration, said first and second link members having inner and outer ends, said outer end of each said first link member connected to the upper end of one said leg, and said outer end of each second link slidably connected to said leg.
15. The erectable, collapsible shelter of claim 11, wherein said first ends of said telescoping pole members are pivotally connected together by a bracket member adapted for supporting said canopy.
16. The erectable, collapsible shelter of claim 11, wherein each of said telescoping pole members comprises hollow first and second telescoping sections, said first telescoping section slidably disposed within said second telescoping section and having a distal end for supporting said canopy and a proximal end, said second telescoping section having a spring loaded detent pin and an aperture for receiving said spring loaded detent pin, said first telescoping section having a corresponding medially located aperture located medially of said proximal end for receiving said spring loaded detent pin, whereby when said apertures of said first and second telescoping sections are aligned, said first and second telescoping sections are locked together by said detent pin.
17. The erectable, collapsible shelter of claim 16, wherein said first telescoping section further comprises a weighted internal stop member slidably disposed within said first telescoping section for movement between a first position blocking said detent pin when said first telescoping section is below said second telescoping section and a second position not blocking said detent pin when said first telescoping section is above said second telescoping section.
18. The erectable, collapsible shelter of claim 17, wherein said weighted internal stop member being retained in said first telescoping section between first and second stop members disposed within said first telescoping section
19. The erectable, collapsible shelter of claim 16, wherein said first telescoping section comprises a second aperture for receiving said spring loaded detent pin proximal to said medially located aperture, said surface of said first telescoping section defining a second aperture and a ramped channel for receiving said detent pin extending and becoming shallower distally from said second aperture, such that when said detent pin is received in said second aperture, said detent pin locks said first and second telescoping sections from being disengaged, and said detent pin can slide distally from said second aperture along said channel.