Abstract: Substrate loading and unloading apparatus for automated loading and unloading of substrates (S) in a vacuum environment, for example the work region (A) of an electron beam lithography machine, comprises a substrate holder (13) with a substrate support table (17) and locating means (18 to 21) co-operable with the table to cause a supported substrate (S) to be pressed against and thereby located on the table (17). A vacuum vessel (10) defines a loading and unloading chamber (11) with a transfer port (12) which is communicable with the evacuated region (A) of the machine and permits transfer of the holder (13) between the chamber (11) and the region (A) entirely within the vacuum environment. Release means (22, 23; 28 to 33) are present to withhold the co-operation of the table and locating means and to provide a temporary substrate support clear of the table so that substrates can be transferred to and from the table.

Abstract: A scanning microscope including a light source for generating an illumination light beam, a beam deflection apparatus for guiding solely the illumination light beam via an illumination light path over and/or through a sample, at least one objective for focusing the illumination light beam onto and/or into the sample, components for generating a manipulation illumination pattern, components for imaging the manipulation illumination pattern onto and/or into the sample via a manipulation light path, and a detection device that receives detected light emanating from the sample. The manipulation light path omits the beam deflection apparatus and is separate from the illumination light path.

Abstract: X-ray amorphous carbon is formed by evaporating carbonic material. The evaporation of carbonic material is conducted in a helium atmosphere at a supply energy flow in the range of 50 to 300 W/mm2. The energy is generated, for example, by means of an electric arc. The X-ray amorphous carbon has a starting temperature of an air oxidation, Tso, ?320° C.; a temperature of maximal rate of an air oxidation, Tomr, ?590° C.; a temperature of end of an air oxidation, Teo, ?630° C.; an initial rate of non-catalytic hydrogenolysis by molecular hydrogen at 700° C., Vhin, ?2.08% mass of carbon/h. Upon contact in a solution, 1 g of X-ray amorphous carbon consumes an amount equal to or greater than 16 mmole of MnO4? ions. Catalysts based on the X-ray amorphous carbon are used in hydrocarbon dehydrogenation and dehydrocyclization reactions.

Abstract: An imaging system and method are presented. The system comprises an imaging lens unit, an imaging detector, and a birefringent element located between the imaging lens unit and the imaging detector. The system is thus configure and operable to provide in-focus imaging of objects located at both near-field and far-field ranges. Also provided is an optical device configured to be mounted on an imaging lens, being one of the following: a lens of an individual's glasses, on a contact lens, and an eye internal lens. The optical device is configured to be located between the imaging lens and the retina and comprises a birefringent element, to thereby provide in-focus imaging onto the retina of the objects located at both near-field and far-field ranges therefrom.

Abstract: A method for generating an output image by reducing the size of an input image by determining for a pixel location (i,j) in the output image a corresponding areaxy in the input image, fetching the input image areaxy pixel values, calculating an output pixel value Dij for the pixel location (i,j) using a size reducing algorithm, inserting Dij in the output image and repeating the previous steps for each pixel location (i,j) in the output image. The value Di,j is obtained by adding to the lower resolution background representation A of the input image area pixel values with a value obtained by amplifying MED, representing the pixel value in the input image area that most deviates from said lower resolution background representation A, by means of a significance factor SF.

Abstract: A probe of a Raman spectroscopy system has a wavelength and/or amplitude referencing system for determining a wavelength of the excitation signal. Preferably, this referencing system is near an output aperture, through which the excitation signal is transmitted to the sample. In this way, any birefringence or polarization dependent loss (PDL) that may be introduced by optical elements in the system can be compensated for since the wavelength reference system will detect the effect or impact of these elements.

Abstract: The hybrid wire of the present invention comprises approximately 1% Wt to 30% Wt of non-metallic ingredients, with the preferred concentrations selected from the range from about 5% Wt to about 15% Wt. Non-metallic compounds and metallic oxides, which were added to the tubular wires and found to perform well in the SAW process, are CaO, MgO, MgAl, K2O, CaF2, MnO, NaAlF6, and K2AlF6. Adding one or more of the listed compounds to the core composition of the tubular wires leads to an improvement of the welding performance in a SAW process due to the properties of core of the wire, while reducing the importance of the granular flux.

Abstract: A system of gas property monitoring comprises a gas cell for containing a gas of interest and a semiconductor tunable laser spectroscopy system for generating a tunable signal that is transmitted through the gas of interest in the gas cell and detecting the tunable signal after transmission through the gas of interest. An analyzer is provided for relating a spectral response of the gas of interest to a property of interest, such as an energy content of the gas of interest.

Abstract: A microscope with a light source that produces an illumination light beam for evanescently illuminating a sample includes an adjustment mechanism with which the polarization of the illumination light beam may be changed.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing scaleable flow based application control in private and public Internet. A flow table can be used to control the application and subscriber traffic for communication flows in access networks. The flow table entry can provide granular, unidirectional packet transmission of data for all or a subset of all host and application communications originating from or destined to network hosts in the access network. Using a flow table entry for multiple unidirectional packet transmissions of data provides efficient use of flow table entries and allows varying operator control of application communication exchanges between network hosts and applications. By using variable masking techniques, the flow table can be used for varying degrees of control over the packet transmissions in the network.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for the removal of a heart valve stenosis, in which a filter catheter is arranged in a vessel section located downstream of the heart valve, and a valvuplasty catheter is arranged in the area of the heart valve. The filter catheter has in one embodiment of the invention at its distal end a radial filter which is unfolded radially until it fits up against the vessel wall. The catheter lumen is closed in such a way that blood must flow through the filter. After the filter has been unfolded, the valvuplasty catheter is inflated in the area of the heart valve to remove the heart valve stenosis, while debris and plaque which are released are collected in the filter. In an alternative membrane, the filter catheter may be sealed relative to the vessel wall by means of a sealing element, while an external filter is connected to the filter catheter to filter debris and plaque from the blood.

Abstract: Application: in electric equipment as a secondary current source (storage battery).

Abstract: Many points on a sample are tested simultaneously in parallel in an FCS method with multifocal illumination and/or detection.

Abstract: The pixel for use in an image sensor comprises a low-doped semiconductor substrate (A). On the substrate (A), an arrangement of a plurality of floating areas e.g., floating gates (FG2-FG6), is provided. Neighboring floating gates are electrically isolated from each other yet capacitively coupled to each other. By applying a voltage (V2-V1) to two contact areas (FG1, FG7), a lateral steplike electric field is generated. Photogenerated charge carriers move along the electric-field lines to the point of highest potential energy, where a floating diffusion (D) accumulate the photocharges. The charges accumulated in the various pixels are sequentially read out with a suitable circuit known from image-sensor literature, such as a source follower or a charge amplifier with row and column select mechanisms. The pixel of offers at the same time a large sensing area, a high photocharge-detection sensitivity and a high response speed without any static current consumption.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser diode using the aluminum gallium, arsenide, gallium indium arsenide phosphide, indium phosphide, (AlGaInAs/GaInAsP/InP) material system and related combinations is disclosed. Both the design of the active layer and the design of the optical cavity are optimized to minimize the temperature rise of the active region and to minimize the effects of elevated active layer temperature on the laser efficiency. The result is a high output power semiconductor laser for the wavelengths between 1.30 and 1.61 micrometers for the pumping of erbium doped waveguide devices or for direct use in military, medical, or commercial applications.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for eliminating sources of error in the system correction of a coordinate measuring machine. Herein, a number j of reference structures 33 on a rigid reference object 30 are measured in a starting orientation k=0, and the starting coordinates and the reference coordinates of the reference structures 33 on the reference object 30 are determined in a number k?3 of mutually different orientations.

Abstract: The engineering problem of the claimed invention is to enhance wear-resistance of drill pipe tool joints. The proposed drill pipe consists of a body with upset ends and tool joints connected by means of friction welding, having tapered thread and a double coating, the first layer being applied by means of thermo-diffusion zincing and the second one, by means phosphate treatment. Enhancement of tool joint life, as compared to the tool joints with phosphate coating only, allows no overdimension to be stipulated for future repair purposes, which saves up to several kilos of metal per tool joint, decreasing the drill string weight by several tons. With a view to increasing the joints' durability and reliability of welding seams the thickness ? of the first coating layer as function of thread conicity K is adjusted according to the following formula: ?=0.09 . . . 0.13 K. The segment at 15 to 25 mm from the welding spot on joints is coated with phosphate only.

Abstract: Recovery of nonferrous, rare and precious metals from sulfide minerals and concentrates is described. The hydrometallurgical method of sulfide minerals and concentrates processing, involving sulfide minerals oxidation in aqueous medium using nitrogen oxides, provides that the sulfide materials containing slurry are subjected to oxidation of the sulfide which is realized under controlled conditions of the slurry acidity. Constant neutralization of sulfuric acid formed as a result of the sulfides oxidation is provided. The sulfuric acid is neutralized to acidity level, at which no formation of elementary sulfur occurs, while natural or artificial substances, such as CaC03, MgC03, Ca(OH)2, CaO, NaOH, CaHP04 etc., are used as acidity neutralizers. Oxidation of sulfide minerals is realized under agitation. Oxidation is realized in the range of 20-90° C., mainly in the range of 65-85° C.

Abstract: Methods and systems for transmitting a discrete information over a communication path comprising analogue communication lines and a pulse-code modulation (PCM) channel are considered, which methods and systems allow to increase the data transfer rate over the entire path up to the data transfer rate in the PCM channel irrespective of the quality of analogue communication lines really employed. In this case, the spectrum of signal being transmitted over the analogue communication line is selected such that the information transfer rate over this analogue communication line is equal to the information transfer rate over the PCM channel, and the number of quantization levels for samples being transmitted over the analogue communication line is the least possible for this analogue communication line.

Abstract: The method and extractor relate to dentistry and are intended for extraction of metal instruments fragments from a root canal of the tooth, as these instruments may be broken and may get stuck here, for example, during endodontic treatment. According to the invention, two insulated metal electrodes assembled as a cylinder are inserted into the root canal until electric contact with the fragment to be extracted. Then electric current impulse is ran through the circuit formed by the first electrode, metal fragment and second electrode; the intensity and duration of the electric impulse shall be sufficient for welding of the fragment to the electrodes by means of heating at the contact points; this time a heating of the surrounding tissues remains at the physiologically acceptable level; afterwards the electrodes are extracted from the root canal together with the fragment. Depending on a clinical situation, electrodes of various size and configuration are used.