Powered surgical instrument

A powered surgical stapler comprising a handle including an electric motor configured to output rotary motions, a shaft extending from the handle, an end effector extending from the shaft, a staple cartridge including a plurality of staples, and a firing member operably responsive to the rotary motions is disclosed. The end effector comprises a first jaw and a second jaw movable relative to the first jaw between an open position and a closed position. The firing member is configured to move the second jaw into the closed position. The firing member is further configured to move distally within the end effector at a first rate to eject the plurality of staples from the staple cartridge. The firing member is further configured to move proximally within the end effector at a second rate that is different from the first rate.

Surgical instrument configured to operate in different states

A surgical instrument comprising a firing system configured to perform one or more staple firing strokes, a power system, and a control system is disclosed. The firing system comprises a cutting member and an electric motor configured to drive the cutting member through each staple firing stroke and retract the cutting member after each staple firing stroke. The control system comprises a powered operating state in which the power system has enough power to drive the cutting member through a staple firing stroke, a limited-power operating state for placing the surgical instrument in a default condition that has sufficient functionality to retract the cutting member, a firing system lockout configured to prevent the firing system from performing a staple firing stroke when the control system is in the limited-power operating state, and a display configured to indicate that the surgical instrument is in the limited-power operating state.

Surgical instrument including a variable speed firing member

A surgical instrument for cutting and stapling patient tissue is disclosed. The surgical instrument comprises an end effector including a staple cartridge and staples, a firing element configured to move through the staple cartridge to cut the patient tissue and eject the staples from the staple cartridge during a staple firing stroke, an elongate shaft extending from the end effector, and a handle extending from the elongate shaft. The handle comprises a motor configured to output a rotary motion. The firing element is operably responsive to the rotary motion. The firing element is further configured to be driven at different speeds during the staple firing stroke. The handle further comprises a display. The display is configured to display the different speeds of the firing element during the staple firing stroke as a graphical representation.

Surgical instrument system including a control system

A surgical instrument system comprising a handle, a motor, a control system, an elongate shaft, a first unfired end effector configured to releasably attach to the elongate shaft, a second unfired end effector configured to releasably attach to the elongate shaft in lieu of the first end effector is disclosed. The first end effector comprises a stored datum. The second end effector does not comprise any stored datum. The control system is configured to identify the first end effector via the stored datum when the first end effector is attached to the elongate shaft and supply the motor with a first operating parameter based on the stored datum. The control system is further configured to detect an absence of any stored datum when the second end effector is attached to the elongate shaft and supply the motor with a second operating parameter based on the absence of any stored datum.

Surgical instrument including a control system

A surgical instrument comprising an end effector, a firing member, an elongate shaft, and a handle is disclosed. The end effector comprises an anvil, a channel, and a staple cartridge. The firing member comprises a first camming member configured to engage the anvil during a staple firing stroke, a second camming member configured to engage the channel during the staple firing stroke, and a cutting member. The handle comprises a motor configured to output a rotary motion, a power source, a control system configured to control the speed of the rotary motion, a rotary drive member, and a control system. The firing member is operably responsive to the rotation of the rotary drive member. Torque is output from the motor to the rotary drive member. The control system is configured to limit the output from the motor to the rotary drive member.

Communication system having a cable with a plurality of stranded uninsulated conductors forming interstitial areas for guiding electromagnetic waves therein and method of use

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a communication system includes a launcher configured to generate first guided electromagnetic waves in response to a first communication signal conveying first data, wherein the first guided electromagnetic waves are guided by a structure within a cable and propagate within the cable without requiring an electrical return path; wherein the cable comprises a plurality of uninsulated conductors that are stranded together, wherein the plurality of uninsulated conductors form a plurality of interstitial areas that are bounded by conductive surfaces of at least three of the plurality of uninsulated conductors, and wherein the structure comprises one of the plurality of interstitial areas.

Methods and apparatus for creating interstitial areas in a cable

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a system can include a plurality of cables, wherein each cable of the plurality of cables includes an insulation layer comprising a helix structure. The helix structure of each cable of the plurality of cables can facilitate formation of a plurality of interstitial pathways between the plurality of cables. The system can further include communication device coupled to the plurality of cables, where the communication device facilitates generating electromagnetic waves that propagate along the plurality of interstitial pathways without requiring an electrical return path. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof

Disclosed are a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof. According to the semiconductor device and the manufacturing method thereof according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, after the dopant source layer is uniformly deposited on a channel layer of the device with the 3-dimensional vertical structure by the plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) method, the deposited dopant source layer is heat-treated so that the dopants are diffused into the channel layer to function as charge carriers, thereby preventing the charges in the channel layer from being reduced. According to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the diffusion speed and concentration of the dopant may be controlled by forming the barrier layer between the channel layer and the dopant source layer.

Deposition of SiN

Methods and precursors for forming silicon nitride films are provided. In some embodiments, silicon nitride can be deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD), such as plasma enhanced ALD. In some embodiments, deposited silicon nitride can be treated with a plasma treatment. The plasma treatment can be a nitrogen plasma treatment. In some embodiments the silicon precursors for depositing the silicon nitride comprise an iodine ligand. The silicon nitride films may have a relatively uniform etch rate for both vertical and the horizontal portions when deposited onto three-dimensional structures such as FinFETS or other types of multiple gate FETs. In some embodiments, various silicon nitride films of the present disclosure have an etch rate of less than half the thermal oxide removal rate with diluted HF (0.5%). In some embodiments, a method for depositing silicon nitride films comprises a multi-step plasma treatment.

Plasma processing method and plasma processing apparatus

The present invention provides a plasma processing method and a plasma processing apparatus. The plasma processing method enables consistent processing by realizing a high selectivity and a high etching rate when etching a laminated film using a boron-containing amorphous carbon film, realizes high throughput including prior and post processes by simplifying a mask forming process, and has shape controllability of vertical processing. In the present invention, in a plasma processing method for forming a mask by plasma-etching a laminated film including an amorphous carbon film containing boron, the boron-containing amorphous carbon film is plasma-etched by using a mixed gas of an oxygen gas, a fluorine-containing gas, a halogen gas, and a silicon tetrafluoride gas, or a mixed gas of an oxygen gas, a fluorine-containing gas, a halogen gas, and a silicon tetrachloride gas.