Abstract: A fluid storage and dispensing system including a vessel for holding a fluid, an adjustable set point pressure regulator in the interior volume of the vessel, a dispensing assembly in fluid flow communication with the regulator for dispensing fluid at a pressure determined by the set point of the regulator, and an adjusting assembly exterior to the vessel for in situ adjustment of the set point of the internally disposed regulator. By such arrangement, fluid storage and dispensing operations can have respectively differing regulator set point pressures, as for example a sub-atmospheric pressure set point for storage and a super-atmospheric pressure set point for dispensing.

Abstract: An electrochemical sensor is described for the analysis of ammonia in air functioning in an amperometric measuring operation. The cell consists of either an immobilized organic electrolyte or a water based electrolyte having in both cases a dissolved Mn2+ salt, which is immediately oxidized by an electrochemical process at a measuring electrode of the cell to Mn4+ ion, if a pH-shift of the electrolyte in the presence of ammonia takes place. The sensor consists of three electrodes comprising a catalytic active carbon measuring electrode, a second carbon auxiliary electrode (counter electrode) in contact with the electrolyte and a third electrode in contact with the electrolyte, which acts as reference electrode. The sensor can be used for ammonia over a wide range and can be adapted for other uses, such as volatile amines.

Abstract: A microcontroller software testing tool is disclosed for testing and debugging software for a semiconductor circuit. The microcontroller software testing tool includes a simulator for simulating the execution of the software program on the target semiconductor circuit and an emulator to permit emulation before the actual silicon exists. The emulator utilizes the same high definition language specification, such as VHDL models, that define the silicon during the fabrication process plus additional logic to model behavior of the emulated processor. In a simulation mode, the microcontroller software testing tool simulates the target semiconductor circuit on a general purpose computing device, by interpreting the instructions in the software using an instruction set of the target semiconductor circuit, and otherwise behaving like the target semiconductor circuit; and executes and evaluates the software on the simulated semiconductor circuit.

Abstract: An emulator is used to debug software operating on a target micro-controller in a target circuit environment. The emulator contains a field programmable gate array that is programmed to contain an emulated target micro-controller and an emulated monitoring circuit which monitors the operations of the micro-controller. The emulated target micro-controller receives signals from the target circuit environment. The signals from the target circuit environment are communicated to the emulated target micro-controller by one or more channels, such as a data channel and a timing channel. The number of channels is limited so that signals from the target environment do not degrade the performance of the emulator. A host computer contains a software debug program which works with the emulated monitoring circuit to monitor the emulated micro-controller.

Abstract: Anhydrous mononuclear Lewis base adducted tris(.beta.-diketonato) bismuth complexes, useful as precursors for chemical vapor deposition of bismuth, for producing Bi-containing films of significantly improved stoichiometry, morphology and functional character, as compared to films obtained from dinuclear tris(.beta.-diketonato) bismuth complexes of the prior art.

Abstract: A smart card having integrated circuitry including a single chip embedded microcontroller for controlling all processes and transactions that take place on the card. The single chip embedded microcontroller comprises a processor, a non-volatile erasable PROM communicating with the processor for reading and writing information to and from the PROM, and an error check and correction circuit cooperating with the PROM to correct errors occurring during the read and write operations after the PROM has performed a greater number of read and write cycles than its endurance. By such arrangement, the accuracy of the read and write operations on the smart card is maintained beyond the endurance of said PROM, enabling PROM-based smart cards having endurance on the order of 100,000 read and write cycles.

Abstract: A fluid storage and dispensing system comprising a vessel for holding a fluid at a desired pressure. The vessel has a pressure regulator associated with a port of the vessel, and set at a predetermined pressure. A dispensing assembly, e.g, including a flow control means such as a valve, is arranged in gas/vapor flow communication with the regulator, whereby the opening of the valve effects dispensing of gas/vapor from the vessel. The fluid in the vessel may be constituted by a liquid which is confined in the vessel at a pressure in excess of its liquefaction pressure at prevailing temperature conditions, e.g., ambient (room) temperature. A phase separator such as a gas/vapor-permeable liquid-impermeable membrane, may be associated with the regulator, as a barrier to flow of liquid into the regulator, when the contained fluid in the vessel is in a liquid state.

Abstract: The present invention is a method related to the deposition of a metallization layer in a trench in a semiconductor substrate. The focus of the invention is to sequentially perform heated deposition and etch unit processes to provide a good conformal film of metal on the inner surfaces of a via or trench. The deposition and etch steps can also be performed simultaneously.

Abstract: An integrated circuit capacitor in which a first conductive plate, a layer of ferroelectric material, and a second conductive plate are deposited and formed in sequence. Thereafter a diffusion barrier material and an insulative material are deposited either as a layered dielectric stack with alternating layers of the diffusion barrier material and the insulative material with tensile and compressive stresses in the alternating layers offsetting one another, or as a graded diffusion barrier material varying from a binary oxide of Ta, Nb, or Zr at the surface of the ferroelectric material to SiO.sub.2 at a distance above the surface of the ferroelectric material.

Abstract: Integrated circuits, including field emission devices, have a resistor element of amorphous Si.sub.x C.sub.1-x wherein 0<x<1, and wherein the Si.sub.x C.sub.1-x incorporates at least one impurity selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogens, nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur, selenium, transition metals, boron, aluminum, phosphorus, gallium, arsenic, lithium, beryllium, sodium and magnesium.

Abstract: A method is described for the nucleation controlled deposition of ferroelectric thin films by chemical vapor deposition in a novel processing sequence wherein a higher density of bismuth nucleation sites is achieved either by the use of a substrate member which has been treated in a manner to yield a controllably and reproducible rough surface on which SBT films with excellent properties may be produced or by using a chemically modified substrate surface upon which surface chemical properties are modified. Typical techniques for achieving surface roughening include reactive ion etching, inert ion milling and chemical mechanical polishing, each of which may be used to delineate patterned bottom electrodes. The chemical properties of the substrate may be modified by alloy deposition, deposition of seed layers which are then partially or completely in-diffused ion implantation with or without heat treatment and changing the chemistry of the surface by a pre-exposure to chemical agents prior to deposition.

Abstract: Electron field emission devices (cold cathodes), vacuum microelectronic devices and field emission displays which incorporate cold cathodes and methods of making and using same. More specifically, cold cathode devices comprising electron emitting structures grown directly onto a substrate material. The invention also relates to patterned precursor substrates for use in fabricating field emission devices and methods of making same and also to catalytically growing other electronic structures, such as films, cones, cylinders, pyramids or the like, directly onto substrates.

Abstract: A gas/liquid interface structure for transport of a gas stream from an upstream source of same to a downstream processing unit, comprising first and second flow passage members defining an annular volume therebetween, with the second flow passage member extending downwardly to a lower elevation than the lower end of the first flow passage member, with an outer wall member enclosingly circumscribing the second flow passage member and defining therewith an enclosed interior annular volume, and with a liquid flow port in the outer wall member for introducing liquid into the enclosed interior annular volume. The second flow passage member includes an upper liquid-permeable portion in liquid flow communication with the enclosed interior annular volume, whereby liquid from such volume can "weep" through the permeable portion and form a falling liquid film on interior surface portions of the second flow passage member, as a protective liquid interface for the second flow passage member.

Abstract: A platinum source reagent liquid solution, comprising:(i) at least one platinum source compound selected from the group consisting of compounds of the formulae:(A) RCpPt(IV)R'.sub.3 compounds, of the formula: ##STR1## wherein: R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, i-propyl, n-propyl, n-butyl, i-butyl, t-butyl, trimethylsilyl and trimethylsilyl methyl; and each R' is independently selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, i-propyl, n-propyl, n-butyl, i-butyl, t-butyl, trimethylsilyl and trimethylsilyl methyl; and(B) Pt(.beta.-diketonates).sub.2 of the formula: ##STR2## wherein: each R" is independently selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, n-butyl, i-butyl, t-butyl, trifluoromethyl, perfluoroethyl, and perfluoro-n-propyl, and(ii) a solvent medium therefor.

Abstract: A system for the storage and on-demand dispensing of a fluid that is sorbable on a physical sorbent and that subsequent to sorption is desorbable from the sorbent by pressure-mediated desorption and/or thermally-mediated desorption.

Abstract: Provided is a powder and binder system for manufacturing sintered parts from particulate material, and a method of injection molding parts for sintering. The particulate material includes ceramic, metallic and intermetallic powders. Preferably, selected powder particles are coated with one or more additives depending on their shape and surface chemistry to create a powder system. The additives may include antioxidants, coupling agents, surfactants, elasticizing agents, dispersants, plasticizer/compatibilizers and lubricants. The surface active additives are designed to improve the interface between the powder and the binder. The powder system may be mixed or compounded with a binder system in an inert atmosphere to form a powder and binder system, or feedstock, for powder molding. The binder system, may contain one or more components which are removed prior to the sintering the powder. The powder and binder system may also be molded about an expendable core which is extracted prior to sintering.