Abstract: A method of producing a quartz glass crucible for pulling a single crystal comprising: providing a melting mold comprising a wall having passages between outside and inside; providing an outer layer granulation consisting of first coarser SiO2 particles and forming an outer granulation layer from the outer layer granulation on the inside of the melting mold wall; providing a barrier layer granulation consisting of second finer SiO2 particles and forming a barrier granulation layer from the barrier layer granulation on the outer granulation layer; applying a negative pressure to the outside of the melting mold wall; and heating the barrier granulation layer and the outer granulation layer with formation of a quartz glass crucible with transparent inner layer.

Abstract: In a known method for machine-cutting a plate-shaped workpiece, position and/or geometry and/or dimensions of the workpiece are detected without contact by means of a camera and the corresponding data are subjected to an evaluation by means of image processing. Starting from this, to permit a precise and reproducible detection of the position and/or geometry and/or dimensions of the workpiece to be treated without spending a lot of time, it is suggested according to the invention that the recording of the data should comprise a method step for the coarse localization of a workpiece edge, in which the camera is operated in a first operative mode with lower optical resolution, and a second method step for determining the exact positional data of the found workpiece edge, in which the camera is operated in a second operative mode with higher optical resolution.

Abstract: In a conventional method for the production of an optical component made from quartz glass, a coaxial arrangement with a core rod, surrounded by a quartz glass envelope tube comprising an evacuable inner drilling, is introduced in the vertical direction into a heating zone, softened therein by sections and, with formation of a drawing bulb, elongated to give the quartz glass component. According to the invention, a simple and cheap method based on the above, permitting the production of high-grade optical components by elongation of a coaxial arrangement of core rod and an enveloping tube with great economy, may be achieved, whereby a core rod is used, comprising at least two separate core rods arranged one above the other in the inner drilling and the weight of an upper core rod section is taken by a mounting or support region of the enveloping tube, provided above the drawing bulb.

Abstract: A mixed quartz powder contains quartz powder and two or more types of doping element in an amount of from 0.1 to 20 mass %. The aforementioned doped elements include a first dope element selected from the group consisting of N, C and F, and a second dope element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, Ti, Zr, Hf, the lanthanides and the actinides. The “quartz powder” is a powder of crystalline quartz or it is a powder of glassy SiO2 particles. It is made form natural occurring quartz or it is fabricated synthetically. The “quartz powder” may be doped. The compounding ratio of the total amount (M1) of the aforementioned first elements and the total amount (M2) of the aforementioned second elements as the ratio of the number of atoms (M1)/(M2) is preferably from 0.1 to 20. Al as well as the aforementioned doped elements is preferably included in a mixed quartz powder of this invention.

Abstract: A known SiO2 slurry for the production of quartz glass contains a dispersion liquid and amorphous SiO2 particles with particle sizes to a maximum of 500 ?m, wherein the largest volume fraction is composed of SiO2 particles with particle sizes in the range 1 ?m-60 ?m, as well as SiO2 nanoparticles with particle sizes less than 100 nm in the range 0.2-15% volume by weight (of the entire solids content). In order to prepare such a slurry for use, and to optimize the flow behavior of such a slurry with regard to later processing by dressing or pouring the slurry mass, and with regard to later drying and sintering without cracks, the invention suggests a slurry with SiO2 particles with a multimodal distribution of particle sizes, with a first maximum of the sizes distribution in the range 1 ?m-3 ?m and a second maximum in the range 5 ?m-50 ?m, and a solids content (percentage by weight of the SiO2 particles and the SiO2 nanoparticles together) in the range 83%-90%.

Abstract: In a known method for producing a tube of quartz glass by elongating a hollow cylinder of quartz glass having an outer diameter AD, said cylinder is continuously supplied to a heating zone with a vertically oriented heating tube having an inner diameter d, with the proviso that the diameter ratio d/AD is set to a value ranging from 1.02 to 1.7. The hollow cylinder is softened therein zonewise, and a tubular strand is drawn off from the softened region and shortened to obtain the tube. Starting therefrom, in order to optimize the dimensional stability of the quartz glass tube obtained, it is suggested according to the invention that the heating zone should have a length L which is set such that the ratio L/d is smaller than 0.9.

Abstract: In a known method for bonding components made of material with a high silicic acid content by means of a substance to substance bond, a SiO2-containing bonding mass is formed between connecting surfaces of the components. In order to provide for cost-efficient manufacture of a thermally stable composite, the invention proposes to generate a SiO2-containing bonding mass that is generic with regard to the material with a high silicic acid content, comprising the following procedural steps: provision of a slurry containing amorphous SiO2 particles; formation of a slurry mass between the connecting surfaces which are fixed in position with regard to each other; drying of the slurry mass; and solidification of the slurry mass by heating under formation of the SiO2-containing bonding mass. A component assembly manufactured according to the method of the invention shows high temperature resistance and thermal fatigue resistance and can also be used in contamination-sensitive applications.

Abstract: A one-piece back support apparatus comprises a belt portion being configured to provide back and abdominal support encircling a wearer's waist and a compression pants portion. The belt portion has a front portion, a back portion, a top portion, a bottom portion and an inner surface. The compression pants portion secured to the belt is configured to provide support for the wearer's pelvis, legs, and groin area. The inner surface of the belt has one or more pack support portions with slots for receiving one or more gel packs so as to maintain contact between the gel packs and the wearer's back. Slots in the belt portion may accommodate vertically extending inserts of rigid plastic to reinforce the belt portion over the lumbar region of the wearer.

Abstract: A low power self-organizing network is made up of a plurality of wireless communication nodes communicating wirelessly with each other. The nodes each have a sensor providing a respective sensor data value indicative of a physical parameter in the environment of that node. The wireless network discontinues communication with any nodes in which the sensor data value is outside a range of network sensor data values. The network is preferably a group of vehicles moving together, especially a train in which each node is associated with a respective wheel of a railroad car. The nodes are low-power devices that communicate using wireless communications according to a Zigbee protocol. The nodes each have an additional sensor sensing a physical parameter the respective wheel thereof and determines from said electrical signal a degree of degradation of a bearing of the wheel, and transmits data of the degree of degradation to the main node.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a material which shows low absorption for UV radiation having a wavelength below 250 nm, low birefringence, high chemical resistance and high radiation resistance and which is therefore particularly usable for making optical components for microlithography. According to the invention the material consists of synthetically produced quartz crystallites which form a polycrystalline structure and have a mean grain size in the range between 500 nm and 30 ?m. The method according to the invention for making a blank from the material comprises providing granules consisting of synthetically produced quartz crystals having a mean grain size in the range between 500 nm and 30 ?m, and sintering the granules to obtain a blank of polycrystalline quartz.

Abstract: A system displays video to a user and has a display device with a field of pixels. It displays video to the user in the form of a series of discrete sequential frame images each made up of a first predetermined number of bit planes in which the pixels of the display are either off or have a color and intensity that is uniform over the field of pixels. The apparatus detects when a movement condition is present, such as rapid head movement or an object in the video crossing the display rapidly, in which condition the user's eye may tend to track across the display device at a rate at which perception of the video displayed may be reduced in quality, and it generates a condition-present signal when such a movement condition is detected. Responsive to generation of said condition-present signal, the apparatus causes the display device to display the frame images using fewer bit planes for each frame image than when said movement condition is not detected.

Abstract: To provide an optical component of quartz glass for use in a projection lens system for immersion lithography with an operating wavelength below 250 nm, which is optimized for use with linearly polarized UV laser radiation and particularly with respect to compaction and birefringence induced by anisotropic density change, it is suggested according to the invention that the quartz glass should show the combination of several properties: particularly a glass structure essentially without oxygen defects, a mean content of hydroxyl groups of less than 60 wt ppm, a mean content of fluorine of less than 10 wt ppm, a mean content of chlorine of less than 1 wt ppm. A method for producing such an optical component comprises the following method steps: producing and drying an SiO2 soot body under reducing conditions and treating the dried soot body before or during vitrification with a reagent reacting with oxygen defects of the quartz glass structure.

Abstract: A toxicant detection system comprises at least one watertight chamber containing a mollusk. Water to be screened is introduced into the chamber. The mollusk is preferably supported on a mounting structure which facilitates quick mounting of the mollusk in the device, comprising a releasable element affixed to the shell of the mollusk, e.g., a bolt which is screwed into a nut affixed to the mollusk's shell. A sensing apparatus is provided which includes a movable member supported in the chamber so that it engages the shell of the mollusk, and moves when the shell opens and closes. The sensing apparatus detects the position of the mollusk shell based on the position of the movable member. The sensing apparatus preferably includes a Hall effect transducer which co-acts with a magnet carried on the movable member.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical synthetic quartz glass material which substantially does not cause changes in transmitted wave surface (TWS) by solarization, compaction (TWS delayed), rarefaction (TWS progressed) and photorefractive effect when ArF excimer laser irradiation is applied at a low energy density, e.g. at energy density per pulse of 0.3 mJ/cm2 or less. The present invention further provides a method for manufacturing the same. In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the optical synthetic quartz glass material of the present invention is characterized in that, in a synthetic quartz glass prepared by a flame hydrolysis method using a silicon compound as a material, the followings are satisfied that the amount of SiOH is within a range of more than 10 ppm by weight to 400 ppm by weight, content of fluorine is 30 to 1000 ppm by weight, content of hydrogen is 0.

Abstract: A quartz glass crucible for use in pulling up a silicon single crystal, wherein it has, at least in the curved portion thereof, a three-layer structure comprising a transparent inner layer being composed of a synthetic quartz glass and having a low Al concentration, a transparent or nontransparent intermediate layer being composed of a natural quartz glass or a mixture of natural and synthetic quartz glasses and having a high Al concentration, and a nontransparent outer layer being composed of a natural quartz glass and having an Al concentration higher than that of the intermediate layer. The quartz glass crucible is reduced in the deformation of the transparent inner layer, and allows the suppression of the change in the amount of dissolution of the quartz glass crucible associated with the pull-up of a single crystal and the achievement of the uniform oxygen concentration in the longitudinal direction of a single crystal.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for dynamically placing sensors in a 3D model is provided. Specifically, in one embodiment, the method selects a 3D model and a sensor for placement into the 3D model. The method renders the sensor and the 3D model in accordance with sensor parameters associated with the sensor and parameters desired by a user. In addition, the method determines whether an occlusion to the sensor is present.

Abstract: A known quartz glass crucible for crystal pulling consists of a crucible wall, having an outer layer which is provided in an external area thereof with a crystallisation promoter which results in crystallisation of quartz glass, forming cristobalite when the quartz glass crucible is heated according to specified use in crystal pulling. The aim of the invention is to provide a quartz glass crucible which has a long service life. As a result, the crystallisation promoter contains, in addition to a silicon, a first component which acts as a reticulating agent in quartz glass and a second component which is free of alkali metals and which acts as an agent forming separating points in quartz glass. The above mentioned components are contained and incorporated into a doping area (8) of the outer layer (6) having a layer thickness of more than 0.2 mm.

Abstract: Jacket tubes of synthetically produced quartz glass as a semi-finished product for producing an outer cladding glass layer of an optical fiber are generally known. The invention relates to an improvement of a jacket tube in terms of inexpensive producibility and of suitability as a semi-finished product for optical fibers having a low optical attenuation. According to the invention this object is achieved by a jacket tube in which the quartz glass has a content of metastable OH groups of less than 0.05 wt ppm and a content of anneal-stable OH groups of less than 0.05 wt ppm.

Abstract: An object is to provide a method for producing an optical synthetic quartz glass and an optical synthetic glass, having a birefringence of lower than 0.5 nm/cm and having favorable refractive index distribution, yet without lowering the productivity, as well as to provide an annealing furnace suitably used in practicing said method. In a step of raising the temperature of a columnar optical synthetic quartz glass preform to a temperature of from 800° C. to 1200° C., and after keeping for a definite time, lowering the temperature, the temperature is lowered with a temperature difference of from 1 to 20° C. between the temperature of the light transmitting surface of the optical synthetic quartz glass preform and the temperature of the outer peripheral side surface of the optical synthetic quartz glass preform at temperature-lowering rates of from 2 to 50° C./hour, respectively.