Abstract: An apparatus and method for the indirect determination of concentrations of additives in metal plating electrolyte solutions, particularly organic additives in Cu-metalization baths for semiconductor manufacturing. The apparatus features a reference electrode housed in an electrically isolated chamber and continuously immersed in the base metal plating solution (without the additive to be measured). An additive concentration determination method comprises electroplating a test electrode at a constant or known current in a mixing chamber wherein the base metal plating solution is mixed with small volumes of the sample and various calibration solutions containing the additive to be measured. Plating potentials between the electrodes are measured and plotted for each of the solution mixtures, and data are extrapolated to determine the concentration of the additive in the sample.

Abstract: A method of combating movement disorder in a patient experiencing or susceptible to same, by administerinig to the patient an effective amount of mirtazapine.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for a seal for a sterilizable bag. This seal is made between a first polymeric sheet material (5) and a second polymeric sheet material (3). The first sheet material (5) should be sufficiently porous so as to allow or permit gas or steam sterilization but substantially impervious to bacteria. The second sheet material (3) includes an outer heat sealable layer. The seal (4) is fabricated from a first thermal surface weld (15) between the heat sealable layer of the second sheet material (3) and the first sheet material (5), and a second thermal melt weld (12) between at least the heat sealable layer of the second sheet material (3) and the first sheet material (5). The thermal melt weld (12) may be narrower than the first weld (11) and lying within the boundaries of the first weld (11). Furthermore, seal (4) may be sufficiently flat in order to allow a cross-heat seal using conventional equipment.

Abstract: An air manager for the containment of hazardous fumes over a liquid chemical tank in exhausted equipment and systems in a clean room. A powered, filtered airflow source forces filtered air through a plenum coextensive with a transverse dimension of the chemical tank, in a sheet-like airflow stream over the liquid surface. The airflow is captured at the opposite side of the liquid chemical tank and directed to a powered exhaust. The air manager works cooperatively with the clean room laminar airflow, dramatically increasing the efficiency of the local exhaust. Critical Capture Velocity over the entire surface of the tank is maintained, assuring complete containment of chemical fumes. Optional airflow guides positioned along the sides of the chemical tank may be employed to confine the air stream to the area over the liquid surface.

Abstract: A liquid delivery MOCVD method for deposition of dielectric materials such as (Ba,Sr) titanates and (Zr,Sn) titanates, in which metal source compounds are dissolved or suspended in solvent and flash vaporized at temperatures of from about 100° C. to about 300° C. and carried via a carrier gas such as argon, nitrogen, helium, ammonia or the like, into a chemical vapor deposition reactor wherein the precursor vapor is mixed with an oxidizing co-reactant gas such as oxygen, ozone, N2O, etc., to deposit the high dielectric metal oxide film on the substrate at a temperature of from about 400° C. to about 1200° C. at a chemical vapor deposition chamber pressure of from about 0.1 torr to about 760 torr. Such process may for example be employed to form a (Ba,Sr) titanate dielectric material wherein at least 60 atomic % of the total metal content of the oxide is titanium.

Abstract: This invention relates to a storage container and to a stack of such containers, and in particular to a container for the storage of a number of similarly-sized articles such as compact disks or the like. According to the invention there is provided a storage container for compact disks or the like having a first connector part and a second connector part, the connector parts being adapted to interconnect the storage container with at least one adjacent storage container so that the container is stackable. There is also provided a stack of storage containers in which the first connector part of one storage container is interconnected with the second connector part of an adjacent storage container, and in which all of the storage containers in the stack are identically formed.

Abstract: In a conical friction ring gear having at least two conical friction wheels mounted on parallel axles and opposite one another, and a friction device effectively connecting both conical friction wheels, the risk of juddering is reduced when a torque acts on the friction device with a component which lies vertically on a plane set by both conical friction axles.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for purifying aqueous effluent streams to reduce chemical oxygen demand thereof, where the method comprises direct oxidation of water-soluble organic material in an electrochemical cell that incorporates stainless steel electrodes, whose stability and lifetime are enhanced by inclusion of circulating metal chips.

Abstract: Integrated circuits, including field emission devices, have a resistor element of amorphous SixC1-x wherein 0<x<1, and wherein the SixC1-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 dental appliance, such as of the orthodontic type, to be placed in the mouth and having an inorganic antimicrobial agent on a surface, the agent preferably being a zeolite. The dental appliance may comprise metal or a polymer and the agent may be present in a coating that is applied to the surfaces of the appliance that are to be contacted by liquids or solids in the mouth. The appliance can be of a polymer resin or an elastomer incorporating the agent. A preferred antimicrobial agent is ceramic particles (e.g., zeolite particles) containing antimicrobial metal ions, e.g., silver ions, as the active agent.

Abstract: A hydrogen sensor including a thin film sensor element formed, e.g., by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) or physical vapor deposition (PVD), on a microhotplate structure. The thin film sensor element includes a film of a hydrogen-interactive metal film that reversibly interacts with hydrogen to provide a correspondingly altered response characteristic, such as optical transmissivity, electrical conductance, electrical resistance, electrical capacitance, magnetoresistance, photoconductivity, etc., relative to the response characteristic of the film in the absence of hydrogen. The hydrogen-interactive metal film may be overcoated with a thin film hydrogen-permeable barrier layer to protect the hydrogen-interactive film from deleterious interaction with non-hydrogen species. The hydrogen sensor of the invention may be usefully employed for the detection of hydrogen in an environment susceptible to the incursion or generation of hydrogen and may be conveniently configured as a hand-held apparatus.

Abstract: A method of enriching fish food and live larval fish prey, especially Artemia nauplii and rotifers, with essentially highly unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, amino acids, carotenoids and pigments. The live prey are allowed to ingest/adsorb dry soap powders of highly unsaturated fatty acids obtained from the waste stream of marine algae oil extraction. The live prey can be highly enriched in docosahexaenoic acid obtaining ratios of docosahexaenoic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid greater than about 2.0 to 1.0.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for treating pollutants in a gaseous stream. The apparatus comprises tubular inlets for mixing a gas stream with other oxidative and inert gases for mixture within a reaction chamber. The reaction chamber is heated by heating elements and has orifices through which cool or heated air enters into the central reaction chamber. A process is also provided whereby additional gases are added to the gaseous stream preferably within the temperature range of 650 C.-950° C. which minimizes or alleviates the production of NOx.

Abstract: The radiation system has several radiation sources aimed toward a central point. These radiation sources are on arc element that pivots on an axis. The center can hence be irradiated from different sides. The radiation sources preferably have irregularly adjustable diaphragms. The system is suitable for irradiating any part of the human body. It is easy to manufacture and simple to used.

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: A method for removing from a microelectronic device structure a noble metal residue including at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, iridium and rhodium, by contacting the microelectronic device structure with a cleaning gas including a reactive halide composition, e.g., XeF2, SF6, SiF4, Si2F6 or SiF3 and SiF2 radicals. The method may be carried out in a batch-cleaning mode, in which fresh charges of cleaning gas are successively introduced to a chamber containing the residue-bearing microelectronic device structure. Each charge is purged from the chamber after reaction with the residue, and the charging/purging is continued until the residue has been at least partially removed to a desired extent. Alternatively, the cleaning gas may be continuously flowed through the chamber containing the microelectronic device structure, until the noble metal residue has been sufficiently removed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a membrane system for controlled tissue regeneration of the periodontium, comprising a resorbable polymer membrane and anti-adhesion molecules.

Abstract: This invention provides an antimicrobial high-pressure laminate which contains an inorganic antibiotic metal containing composition incorporated in an antimicrobially effective amount in its surface layer, which is preferably formed of melamine. The laminate can be bonded to appropriate substrates to form antimicrobial table tops, cabinets, wall paneling, and counter tops.

Abstract: A liquid delivery system (10) for vaporization of a liquid pecursor to form precursor vapor for transport to a deposition zone (36).

Abstract: Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic bladder disease for which the exact etiology is unknown and for which there is no reliably effective treatment. However, it is known that the bladder epithelium is often abnormal in IC. We discovered that human bladder epithelial cells from both normal controls and IC patients are inhibited from proliferating by an anti-proliferative factor (APF) present in IC urine specimens. Inhibited proliferation may cause epithelial abnormalities characteristic of IC such as ulcerations and multiple tears in the bladder epithelium.