Abstract: Techniques for cooling in a data center are provided. In one aspect, a computer equipment rack is provided comprising one or more air inlets; one or more exhaust outlets; and one or more of: an air inlet duct mounted to the computer equipment rack surrounding at least a portion of the air inlets, the air inlet duct having a lateral dimension that approximates a lateral dimension of the computer equipment rack and a length that is less than a length of the computer equipment rack, and an air exhaust duct mounted to the computer equipment rack surrounding at least a portion of the exhaust outlets, the air exhaust duct having a lateral dimension that approximates the lateral dimension of the computer equipment rack and a length that is less than the length of the computer equipment rack.

Abstract: Techniques for cooling in a data center are provided. In one aspect, a computer equipment rack is provided comprising one or more air inlets; one or more exhaust outlets; and one or more of: an air inlet duct mounted to the computer equipment rack surrounding at least a portion of the air inlets, the air inlet duct having a lateral dimension that approximates a lateral dimension of the computer equipment rack and a length that is less than a length of the computer equipment rack, and an air exhaust duct mounted to the computer equipment rack surrounding at least a portion of the exhaust outlets, the air exhaust duct having a lateral dimension that approximates the lateral dimension of the computer equipment rack and a length that is less than the length of the computer equipment rack.

Abstract: Techniques for cooling in a data center are provided. In one aspect a computer equipment rack is provided comprising one or more air inlets; one or more exhaust outlets, and one or more of: an air inlet duct mounted to the computer equipment rack surrounding at least a portion of the air inlets, the air inlet duct having a lateral dimension that approximates a lateral dimension of the computer equipment rack and a length that is less than a length of the computer equipment rack, and an air exhaust duct mounted to the computer equipment rack surrounding at least a portion of the exhaust outlets, the air exhaust duct having a lateral dimension that approximates the lateral dimension of the computer equipment rack and a length that is less than the length of the computer equipment rack.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of preparing a dry deposited liquid-crystal alignment layer using one of a mechanical mask, photo-resist, UV treatment, and ridge and fringe field methods. The present invention further provides a multi-domain, wide viewing angle liquid-crystal display, comprising: a bottom substrate; a first transparent conductive layer; a top substrate; a color filter layer; a second transparent conductive layer; a first dry deposited liquid-crystal alignment layer; a second dry deposited liquid-crystal alignment layer, the second dry deposited liquid-crystal alignment layer being spaced adjacent to and facing the first dry deposited liquid-crystal alignment layer; spacers; and a liquid-crystal material.

Abstract: Techniques for cooling in a data center are provided. In one aspect a computer equipment rack is provided comprising one or more air inlets; one or more exhaust outlets, and one or more of: an air inlet duct mounted to the computer equipment rack surrounding at least a portion of the air inlets, the air inlet duct having a lateral dimension that approximates a lateral dimension of the computer equipment rack and a length that is less than a length of the computer equipment rack, and an air exhaust duct mounted to the computer equipment rack surrounding at least a portion of the exhaust outlets, the air exhaust duct having a lateral dimension that approximates the lateral dimension of the computer equipment rack and a length that is less than the length of the computer equipment rack.

Abstract: An apparatus for depositing and aligning an amorphous film in a single step, a method of forming an aligned film on a substrate in a single step by combining the deposition and alignment of an alignment layer into a single-step using ion beam processing and an amorphous film having an aligned atomic structure prepared by a method in which an aligned film is deposited and aligned in a single step are provided. The film is deposited and aligned in a single step by bombarding a substrate with an ion beam at a designated incident angle to simultaneously (a) deposit the film onto the substrate and (b) arrange an atomic structure of the film in at least one predetermined aligned direction.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a dry alignment film deposited over the substrate, a second substrate coupled to the first substrate with the dry alignment film deposited over the second substrate therebetween and forming a cell gap, and a liquid crystal material formed in the cell gap. The dry alignment film allows for a truly vertical alignment of molecules of the liquid crystal material such that the molecules form an angle of substantially 90° relative to the substrate. The dry alignment film can be an oxide layer, a nitride layer, an oxynitride layer or a silicon layer. This dry alignment layer can be treated to form a tilted homeotropic alignment, such that the liquid crystal molecules have a pretilt angle of 0.5 to 10 degrees from a substrate normal direction.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of forming an aligned film on a substrate. The film is deposited and aligned in a single step by a method comprising the step of bombarding a substrate with an ion beam at a designated incident angle to simultaneously (a) deposit the film onto the substrate and (b) arrange an atomic structure of the film in at least one predetermined aligned direction.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming an alignment layer for use in a liquid crystal cell layer for use in a liquid crystal cell using an ion beam source that includes the steps of: (1) providing a substrate having a surface; (2) providing an ion beam source that emanates an ion beam; (3) providing a mask layer disposed between the substrate surface and the ion beam source. The mask layer has at least two openings disposed between the ion beam source and the substrate surface. The shape and position of the openings reduce the irregularity of the beam exposure in a border region on the surface of the substrate resulting from the ion beam source. The present invention may be used in conjunction with substrate treatment using multiple sweeps with a single ion beam source, or with a substrate treatment using a single sweep with multiple ion beam sources. Also disclosed is an apparatus for practicing the disclosed method.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for forming an alignment layer for use in a liquid crystal display cell. The present invention includes a method of determining ion beam source operation parameters to provide a twist angle that is less than a predetermined maximum twist angle. The present invention also discloses a method for forming an improved liquid crystal display cell and an improved liquid crystal display.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device has first and second substrates, a first electrode layer overlying one surface of the first substrate, and a second electrode layer overlying one surface of the second substrate. A first alignment layer having a thickness of 100 Å or less overlies the first electrode layer, and a second alignment layer overlies the second electrode layer, and a liquid crystal material is disposed between the alignment layers. In one preferred embodiment, the second alignment layer also has a thickness of 100 Å or less, and each alignment layers is a polyimide layer. A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device is also provided. According to the method, first and second substrates are provided, a first electrode layer is deposited over the first substrate, and a second electrode layer is deposited over the second substrate.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming an alignment layer for use in a liquid crystal cell layer for use in a liquid crystal cell using an ion beam source that includes the steps of: (1) providing a substrate having a surface; (2) providing an ion beam source that emanates an ion beam; (3) providing a mask layer disposed between the substrate surface and the ion beam source. The mask layer has at least two openings disposed between the ion beam source and the substrate surface. The shape and position of the openings reduce the irregularity of the beam exposure in a border region on the surface of the substrate resulting from the ion beam source. The present invention may be used in conjunction with substrate treatment using multiple sweeps with a single ion beam source, or with a substrate treatment using a single sweep with multiple ion beam sources. Also disclosed is an apparatus for practicing the disclosed method.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming an alignment layer for use in a liquid crystal cell layer for use in a liquid crystal cell using an ion beam source that includes the steps of: (1) providing a substrate having a surface; (2) providing an ion beam source that emanates an ion beam; (3) providing a mask layer disposed between the substrate surface and the ion beam source. The mask layer has at least two openings disposed between the ion beam source and the substrate surface. The shape and position of the openings reduce the irregularity of the beam exposure in a border region on the surface of the substrate resulting from the ion beam source. The present invention may be used in conjunction with substrate treatment using multiple sweeps with a single ion beam source, or with a substrate treatment using a single sweep with multiple ion beam sources. Also disclosed is an apparatus for practicing the disclosed method.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device has first and second substrates, a first electrode layer overlying one surface of the first substrate, and a second electrode layer overlying one surface of the second substrate. A first alignment layer having a thickness of 100 Å or less overlies the first electrode layer, and a second alignment layer overlies the second electrode layer, and a liquid crystal material is disposed between the alignment layers. In one preferred embodiment, the second alignment layer also has a thickness of 100 Å or less, and each alignment layers is a polyimide layer. A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device is also provided. According to the method, first and second substrates are provided, a first electrode layer is deposited over the first substrate, and a second electrode layer is deposited over the second substrate.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display cell is includes a first substrate; a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer of liquid crystal molecules disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; a first alignment layer disposed between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer; and a second alignment layer disposed between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer; wherein a surface of at least one alignment layer is bombarded by a particle beam of an adjustable energy using a voltage less than 200 V so that the liquid crystal molecules proximate the surface are induced to a predetermined pretilt angle.

Abstract: A method of generating a patterned alignment direction on an alignment surface for a liquid crystal display cell is described. The cell is formed by forming a first alignment direction on an alignment surface, such as a polyimide surface of the cell. A second alignment direction is formed on the alignment surface. The first and second alignment directions are formed by a variety of sequences of treatments. An example of a first sequence is a first step of rubbing the alignment surface and thereafter a second step of selectively exposing (preferably using a mask) the alignment surface to a treatment selected from the group of exposure to electromagnetic radiation and exposure to a particle beam. Another example of a sequence is a first step of exposing the alignment surface to a treatment selected from the group of electromagnetic radiation and a particle beam thereafter selectively exposing (preferably through a mask) the alignment surface to another particle beam.

Abstract: Bombardment of the surface of a substrate with a film layer is used to create alignment layers for liquid crystal displays. By using bombardment of the surface at an angle, both direct creation of the alignment layer or indirect deposition of the alignment layer material onto a glass plate can be achieved.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for forming a liquid-crystal cell of a liquid-crystal display. Initially, a dry processed alignment film is deposited onto a first transparent substrate using a dry processing technique, such as plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The dry processed alignment film is then irradiated with a beam of atoms to arrange the atomic structure of the alignment film in at least one desired direction in order to orient the liquid-crystal molecules. Another dry processed alignment film is deposited on a second substrate using a dry processing technique and, likewise, irradiated with a beam of atoms. The first transparent substrate and the second substrate are then sandwiched together with their respective alignment films spaced adjacent to each other. The space between the films is then filled with a liquid-crystal material.

Abstract: Superconducting transition metal oxide films are provided which exhibit very high onsets of superconductivity and superconductivity at temperatures in excess of 40.degree. K. These films are produced by vapor deposition processes using pure metal sources for the metals in the superconducting compositions, where the metals include multi-valent nonmagnetic transition metals, rare earth elements and/or rare earth-like elements and alkaline earth elements. The substrate is exposed to oxygen during vapor deposition, and, after formation of the film, there is at least one annealing step in an oxygen ambient and slow cooling over several hours to room temperature. The substrates chosen are not critical as long as they are not adversely reactive with the superconducting oxide film. Transition metals include Cu, Ni, Ti and V, while the rare earth-like elements include Y, Sc and La. The alkaline earth elements include Ca, Ba and Sr.

Abstract: We have found that liquid crystals can be aligned on a polyimide surface exposed to a low energy and neutral Argon ion beam. The energy of the incident ions were varied between 75 and 500 eV, the integrated current density from 100 .mu.A/cm.sup.2 to 500 mA/cm.sup.2, and the angle of incidence over which alignment was measured was between 10 and 20 degrees. The pretilt angle of the liquid crystals could be varied between 0 and 8 degrees, by controlling the processing conditions. Degradation of the polyimide, which leads to charge migration, can be avoided by operating at low accelerating voltages.