Abstract: A method and system for retrofitting an integrated scrubber to provide maximum oxygen content in a controlled decomposition oxidation (CDO) abatement process including a thermal/wet integrated scrubber, and a compressed air supply for supplying air to an oxygen separation device that separates the air into a nitrogen-enriched component and an oxygen-enriched component. The oxygen separation device includes a module, such as a vessel containing ceramic-materials arranged in an adsorbent bed or coated on a substrate. The present invention uses a ceramic oxide material through which only oxygen can diffuse. The composition of the ceramic oxide adsorbent material is such that a significant number of oxygen vacancies exist in the material. By placing either a voltage potential or a pressure gradient across the membrane, oxygen is selectively diffused in and through the oxide material to separate the air supply into an oxygen component for introduction into the integrated scrubber.

Abstract: An air manager and/or chemical containment apparatus, for environmental control of fumes from wet bench units of semiconductor manufacturing facilities. The air manager system is suitable for installation in an open architecture wet bench or an enclosed mini-environment wet bench, and includes an air source and an air exhaust arranged for flowing air across an open chemical tank, to entrain fumes from chemical in the tank that otherwise may migrate from the immediate vicinity of the tank, and transport such fumes to the exhaust with the air flowed from the air source to the exhaust.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polypeptides exhibiting antibiotic, and anti-viral and anti-cancer effects. In particular, the invention relates to modified T4 lysozyme, polypeptides comprising fragments of T4 lysozyme and to the production and use thereof. The fields of application for this invention are wide-ranging, and include, for example, human and veterinary uses, resistance cultivation in plants and prevention of bacterial and/or fungal-mediated food spoilage.

Abstract: Synergistic combinations of guanosine nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors such as abacavir with inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase inhibitors such as mycophenolates, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such combinations, and therapeutic methods comprising administering the synergistic combinations to subjects in need thereof, for treating a viral infection, such as an HIV-1 infection.

Abstract: A dry preunit (10), includes a plurality of cells (110, 112, 114) in a true bipolar configuration, which are stacked and bonded together, to impart to the device an integral and unitary construction. Each cell (114) includes two electrically conductive electrodes (111A, 111B) that are spaced apart by a predetermined distance. The cell (114) also includes two identical dielectric gaskets (121, 123) that are interposed, in registration with each other, between the electrodes (111A, 11B), for separating and electrically insulating these electrodes. When the electrodes (111A, 111B), and the gaskets (121, 123) are bonded together, at least one fill gap (130) is formed for each cell. Each cell (114) also includes a porous and conductive coating layer (119, 120) that is formed on one surface of each electrode. The coating layer (119) includes a set of closely spaced-apart peripheral microprotrusions (125), and a set of distally spaced-apart central microprotrusions (127).

Abstract: A method of improving the physical and/or electrical and/or magnetic properties of a thin film material formed on a substrate, wherein the properties of the thin film material are stress-dependent, by selectively applying force to the substrate during the film formation and/or thereafter during the cooling of the film in the case of a film formed at elevated temperature, to impose through the substrate an applied force condition opposing or enhancing the retention of stress in the product film. The method of the invention has particular utility in the formation of ferroelectric thin films which are grown at temperature above the Curie temperature, and which may be placed in tension during the cooling of the film to provide ferroelectric domains with polarization in the plane of the film.

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: Disclosed is a polyimide coated shape memory material suitable for thermomechanical treatment to shape-set the material into the desired configuration and activate shape memory properties. The polyimide coating is subjected to a curing regime that imparts higher heat resistance in the polyimide coating to withstand the elevated temperatures required during the shape-setting treatment.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate processing system, including a single wafer reactor and a multi-wafer holder positionable in the reactor. The system also optionally includes an automated substrate transport assembly including a multi-wand array for transporting a corresponding plurality of wafers into and out of the reactor, and a multi-wafer cassette for simultaneously supplying multiple wafers to the multi-wand array. The multi-wafer modifications permit ready upgradeability to an existing single wafer reactor and markedly enhance the throughput capacity of the reactor while retaining the film uniformity and deposition process control advantages of the single wafer reactor system.

Abstract: A reinforced vitreous carbon composite suitable for use in the formation of wear-resistant assemblies, such as joint prosthetic devices, bearings, current collectors, sealing components, brake linings, electrical motor brushes, and other tribological products. The reinforced composite is formed by impregnating a metal reinforcement structure with a furfuryl alcohol resin, and polymerizing the resin while thermally managing the polymerization process, to produce a poly(furfuryl) alcohol continuous phase that is isotropic, homogeneous and essentially completely void-free, e.g., in a bulk composite form having dimensions greater than 25 millimeters in each of the x, y and z directions thereof.

Abstract: Corrosion management componentry for use in fibrous electrochemical systems for generation/conversion of energy. Fibrous structures are provided for enhanced resistance to oxidative degradation of microcell-based high voltage, high power density fuel cell and battery systems.

Abstract: A fluid containment system including a vessel for containing a fluid that is discharged from the vessel in use or operation of the system. A pressure monitoring assembly including a strain-responsive sensor is disposed on an exterior wall surface of the vessel, to sense dynamic strain on the wall surface of such vessel that is incident to discharge of fluid from the vessel, and to responsively output a pressure-indicative response. Such arrangement is particularly useful in application to fluid storage and dispensing vessels containing interiorly disposed pressure regulator assemblies and holding liquefied gases or compressed gases, e.g., for use in semiconductor manufacturing operations.

Abstract: An effluent abatement system for abating hydride species in a hydride-containing effluent, arranged for carrying out the steps of: (1) contacting the hydride-containing effluent with a dry scrubber material comprising a metal oxide that is reactive with the hydride species to remove the hydride species from the effluent, until the capacity of the dry scrubber material for hydride species is at least partially exhausted; and (2) contacting the at least partially exhausted capacity dry scrubber material with an oxidant to at least partially regain the capacity of the dry scrubber material for the hydride species. The system of the invention has particular utility in the treatment of effluent from III-V compound semiconductor manufacturing operations.

Abstract: Methods and combinations of an agent that promotes DNA synthesis in a virally-targeted cell and a nucleoside analogue having antiviral activity are provided for treating a viral infection in a subject in need thereof. Such compositions are particularly effective where the subject has resistance to a nucleoside analogue, where the subject has resting cellular reservoirs of such a virus, or to induce a post-treatment period of replication incompetence of such a virus.

Abstract: A fluid storage and dispensing system including a fluid storage and dispensing vessel enclosing an interior volume for holding a fluid. The vessel includes a fluid discharge port for discharging fluid from the vessel. A pressure regulating element in the interior volume of the fluid storage and dispensing vessel is arranged to flow fluid therethrough to the fluid discharge port at a set pressure for dispensing thereof. A controller external of the fluid storage and dispensing vessel is arranged to transmit a control input into the vessel to cause the pressure regulating element to change the set pressure of the fluid flowed from the pressure regulating element to the fluid discharge port. By such arrangement, the respective storage and dispensing operations can have differing regulator set point pressures, as for example a subatmospheric pressure set point for storage and a superatmospheric pressure set point for dispensing.

Abstract: A logic level detection circuit that includes a sense amplifier and a consumption equilibration circuit that is topologically distinct from the sense amplifier and that reduces and/or substantially eliminates data dependent electrical consumption by having a data dependent electrical consumption that compensates the data dependent electrical consumption of the sense amplifier. The sense amplifier may be implemented as a current-sensing sense amplifier, and the consumption equilibration circuit may be implemented as a selectively enabled current source that is responsive to a signal generated by the current-sensing sense amplifier. The consumption equilibration circuit may be implemented with a small number of transistors and in a small chip area compared to the number of transistors and chip area used for implementing the sense amplifier.

Abstract: An inflatable structure comprising an inflation compartment defining an enclosed interior volume and an anti-reflux valve having an outlet end positioned in the interior volume. The anti-reflux valve includes an elongate inflation passage including opposedly facing film layers that are bonded to one another at their edges to form an interior gas flow channel. The elongate inflation passage is bonded to the inflatable compartment to form an opening for introduction of gas into the passage, for inflation of the inflation compartment, and arranged so that upon termination of gas flow into the interior volume, after pressure in the interior volume has been raised above exterior pressure on the inflatable compartment, gas pressure in the interior volume collapses the opposedly facing film layers against one another to form a seal against the interior volume gas pressure and maintain the inflation compartment in an inflated state.

Abstract: A fluid distribution system for supplying a gas to a process facility such as a semiconductor manufacturing plant. The system includes a main fluid supply vessel coupled by flow circuitry to a local sorbent-containing supply vessel from which fluid, e.g., low pressure compressed gas, is dispensed to a fluid-consuming unit, e.g., a semiconductor manufacturing tool. A fluid pressure regulator is disposed in the flow circuitry or the main liquid supply vessel and ensures that the gas flowed to the fluid-consuming unit is at desired pressure. The system and associated method are particularly suited to the supply and utilization of liquefied compressed gases such as trimethylsilane, arsine, phosphine, and dichlorosilane.

Abstract: A method for producing porous structures in which a liquid or pasty mixture of substances is brought at least partially to solidification and subsequently freeze-dried.

Abstract: A III-V nitride homoepitaxial microelectronic device structure comprising a III-V nitride homoepitaxial epi layer on a III-V nitride material substrate, e.g., of freestanding character. Various processing techniques are described, including a method of forming a III-V nitride homoepitaxial layer on a corresponding III-V nitride material substrate, by depositing the III-V nitride homoepitaxial layer by a VPE process using Group III source material and nitrogen source material under process conditions including V/III ratio in a range of from about 1 to about 105, nitrogen source material partial pressure in a range of from about 1 to about 103 torr, growth temperature in a range of from about 500 to about 1250 degrees Celsius, and growth rate in a range of from about 0.1 to about 500 microns per hour. The III-V nitride homoepitaxial microelectronic device structures are usefully employed in device applications such as UV LEDs, high electron mobility transistors, and the like.