Abstract: A device for damping torsional vibrations in internal combustion piston engines having three or fewer cylinders is provided. The device includes a crankshaft having at least one detachable counterweight. The counterweight is a shiftable, torsional pendulum de-tuner. The pendulum de-tuner is configured to balance at least one order of acceleration of the crankshaft.

Abstract: An engine with a hybrid crankcase includes the crankcase being a composite construction having an exoskeleton formed of a non-ferrite material having no defined endurance limit as a material, the non-ferrite exoskeleton encapsulating a load bearing skeleton formed of a ferrite material, the ferrite material having a well defined endurance limit, whereby the skeleton acts to carry the highest engine loadings. A method of forming such an engine is further included.

Abstract: The present invention is an engine, including two banks of cylinders in a flat, opposed cylinder arrangement and a crankshaft having a plurality of paired throws, the two throws of each respective pair of throws being disposed adjacent to each other and coplanar with respect to each other.

Abstract: A method to detect metal contamination on a semiconductor topography is provided. The semiconductor topography may include a semiconductor substrate or a dielectric material disposed upon a semiconductor substrate. The metal contamination may be driven into the semiconductor substrate by an annealing process. Alternatively, the annealing process may drive the metal contamination into the dielectric material. Subsequent to the annealing process, a charge may be deposited upon an upper surface of the semiconductor topography. An electrical property of the semiconductor topography may be measured. A characteristic of at least one type of metal contamination may be determined as a function of the electrical property of the semiconductor topography. The method may be used to determine a characteristic of one or more types of metal contamination on a portion of the semiconductor topography or the entire semiconductor topography.

Abstract: A method to detect metal contamination on a semiconductor topography is provided. The semiconductor topography may include a semiconductor substrate or a dielectric material disposed upon a semiconductor substrate. The metal contamination may be driven into the semiconductor substrate by an annealing process. Alternatively, the annealing process may drive the metal contamination into the dielectric material. Subsequent to the annealing process, a charge may be deposited upon an upper surface of the semiconductor topography. An electrical property of the semiconductor topography may be measured. A characteristic of at least one type of metal contamination may be determined as a function of the electrical property of the semiconductor topography. The method may be used to determine a characteristic of one or more types of metal contamination on a portion of the semiconductor topography or the entire semiconductor topography.