scholarly journals Effects of Electrical Pulse Polarity Shape on Intra Cochlear Neural Responses in Humans: Triphasic Pulses with Anodic and Cathodic Second Phase

2021 ◽  
pp. 108375
Author(s):  
Katharina V.A. Kretzer ◽  
David P. Herrmann ◽  
Sabrina H. Pieper ◽  
Andreas Bahmer
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharina Kretzer ◽  
David P. Herrmann ◽  
Sabrina H. Pieper ◽  
Andreas Bahmer

Modern cochlear implants employ charge-balanced biphasic and triphasic pulses. However, the effectiveness of electrical pulse shape and polarity is still a matter of debate. For this purpose, in a previous study (Bahmer & Baumann, 2013) electrophysiological and psychophysical measurement after triphasic pulse stimulation with cathodic second phase was determined. Depending on the pulse shape configuration, the stimulation effectiveness differed similarly for electrophysiological and psychophysical measurements. However, the experiments were limited to stimulation pulses with cathodic second phase. In this study, cathodic and anodic second phase stimulation was applied. Evoked compound action potentials (ECAPs) and psychophysical responses were recorded in eleven cochlear implant recipients (SYNCHRONY/SONATAti100/PULSARci100 devices, MED-EL Innsbruck). We compared the strength of the ECAP responses with individual psychophysical threshold levels depending on the pulse shape. Results for pulses with cathodic second phase showed the weakest ECAP response and highest psychophysical thresholds for symmetric triphasic pulse shapes, and the strongest ECAP response and lowest psychophysical thresholds for biphasic pulses. The ECAP responses for anodic second phase differed from the results of triphasic stimulation with cathodic second phase. The U-shape of the ECAP response with increasing phase amplitude ratio (PAR) for cathodic second phase could not be observed for the anodic second phase. Instead, a flat curve was observed. In contrast, psychophysical threshold curves with increasing PAR were similar between cathodic and anodic second phase stimulation.


Author(s):  
B. B. Rath ◽  
J. E. O'Neal ◽  
R. J. Lederich

Addition of small amounts of erbium has a profound effect on recrystallization and grain growth in titanium. Erbium, because of its negligible solubility in titanium, precipitates in the titanium matrix as a finely dispersed second phase. The presence of this phase, depending on its average size, distribution, and volume fraction in titanium, strongly inhibits the migration of grain boundaries during recrystallization and grain growth, and thus produces ultimate grains of sub-micrometer dimensions. A systematic investigation has been conducted to study the isothermal grain growth in electrolytically pure titanium and titanium-erbium alloys (Er concentration ranging from 0-0.3 at.%) over the temperature range of 450 to 850°C by electron microscopy.


Author(s):  
H.-J. Kleebe ◽  
J.S. Vetrano ◽  
J. Bruley ◽  
M. Rühle

It is expected that silicon nitride based ceramics will be used as high-temperature structural components. Though much progress has been made in both processing techniques and microstructural control, the mechanical properties required have not yet been achieved. It is thought that the high-temperature mechanical properties of Si3N4 are limited largely by the secondary glassy phases present at triple points. These are due to various oxide additives used to promote liquid-phase sintering. Therefore, many attempts have been performed to crystallize these second phase glassy pockets in order to improve high temperature properties. In addition to the glassy or crystallized second phases at triple points a thin amorphous film exists at two-grain junctions. This thin film is found even in silicon nitride formed by hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) without additives. It has been proposed by Clarke that an amorphous film can exist at two-grain junctions with an equilibrium thickness.


Author(s):  
C.T. Hu ◽  
C.W. Allen

One important problem in determination of precipitate particle size is the effect of preferential thinning during TEM specimen preparation. Figure 1a schematically represents the original polydispersed Ni3Al precipitates in the Ni rich matrix. The three possible type surface profiles of TEM specimens, which result after electrolytic thinning process are illustrated in Figure 1b. c. & d. These various surface profiles could be produced by using different polishing electrolytes and conditions (i.e. temperature and electric current). The matrix-preferential-etching process causes the matrix material to be attacked much more rapidly than the second phase particles. Figure 1b indicated the result. The nonpreferential and precipitate-preferential-etching results are shown in Figures 1c and 1d respectively.


Author(s):  
Ernest L. Hall ◽  
Shyh-Chin Huang

Addition of interstitial elements to γ-TiAl alloys is currently being explored as a method for improving the properties of these alloys. Previous work in which a number of interstitial elements were studied showed that boron was particularly effective in refining the grain size in castings, and led to enhanced strength while maintaining reasonable ductility. Other investigators have shown that B in γ-TiAl alloys tends to promote the formation of TiB2 as a second phase. In this study, the microstructure of Bcontaining TiAl alloys was examined in detail in order to describe the mechanism by which B alters the structure and properties of these alloys.


Author(s):  
R. E. Franck ◽  
J. A. Hawk ◽  
G. J. Shiflet

Rapid solidification processing (RSP) is one method of producing high strength aluminum alloys for elevated temperature applications. Allied-Signal, Inc. has produced an Al-12.4 Fe-1.2 V-2.3 Si (composition in wt pct) alloy which possesses good microstructural stability up to 425°C. This alloy contains a high volume fraction (37 v/o) of fine nearly spherical, α-Al12(Fe, V)3Si dispersoids. The improved elevated temperature strength and stability of this alloy is due to the slower dispersoid coarsening rate of the silicide particles. Additionally, the high v/o of second phase particles should inhibit recrystallization and grain growth, and thus reduce any loss in strength due to long term, high temperature annealing.The focus of this research is to investigate microstructural changes induced by long term, high temperature static annealing heat-treatments. Annealing treatments for up to 1000 hours were carried out on this alloy at 500°C, 550°C and 600°C. Particle coarsening and/or recrystallization and grain growth would be accelerated in these temperature regimes.


Author(s):  
E. Sukedai ◽  
H. Mabuchi ◽  
H. Hashimoto ◽  
Y. Nakayama

In order to improve the mechanical properties of an intermetal1ic compound TiAl, a composite material of TiAl involving a second phase Ti2AIN was prepared by a new combustion reaction method. It is found that Ti2AIN (hexagonal structure) is a rod shape as shown in Fig.1 and its side surface is almost parallel to the basal plane, and this composite material has distinguished strength at elevated temperature and considerable toughness at room temperature comparing with TiAl single phase material. Since the property of the interface of composite materials has strong influences to their mechanical properties, the structure of the interface of intermetallic compound and nitride on the areas corresponding to 2, 3 and 4 as shown in Fig.1 was investigated using high resolution electron microscopy and image processing.


Author(s):  
Frances M. Ross ◽  
Peter C. Searson

Porous semiconductors represent a relatively new class of materials formed by the selective etching of a single or polycrystalline substrate. Although porous silicon has received considerable attention due to its novel optical properties1, porous layers can be formed in other semiconductors such as GaAs and GaP. These materials are characterised by very high surface area and by electrical, optical and chemical properties that may differ considerably from bulk. The properties depend on the pore morphology, which can be controlled by adjusting the processing conditions and the dopant concentration. A number of novel structures can be fabricated using selective etching. For example, self-supporting membranes can be made by growing pores through a wafer, films with modulated pore structure can be fabricated by varying the applied potential during growth, composite structures can be prepared by depositing a second phase into the pores and silicon-on-insulator structures can be formed by oxidising a buried porous layer. In all these applications the ability to grow nanostructures controllably is critical.


Author(s):  
M.G. Burke ◽  
M.K. Miller

Interpretation of fine-scale microstructures containing high volume fractions of second phase is complex. In particular, microstructures developed through decomposition within low temperature miscibility gaps may be extremely fine. This paper compares the morphological interpretations of such complex microstructures by the high-resolution techniques of TEM and atom probe field-ion microscopy (APFIM).The Fe-25 at% Be alloy selected for this study was aged within the low temperature miscibility gap to form a <100> aligned two-phase microstructure. This triaxially modulated microstructure is composed of an Fe-rich ferrite phase and a B2-ordered Be-enriched phase. The microstructural characterization through conventional bright-field TEM is inadequate because of the many contributions to image contrast. The ordering reaction which accompanies spinodal decomposition in this alloy permits simplification of the image by the use of the centered dark field technique to image just one phase. A CDF image formed with a B2 superlattice reflection is shown in fig. 1. In this CDF micrograph, the the B2-ordered Be-enriched phase appears as bright regions in the darkly-imaging ferrite. By examining the specimen in a [001] orientation, the <100> nature of the modulations is evident.


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