Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring the level of a liquid in a vessel comprises at least one metallic probe hermetically sealed within the vessel, the probe having a sealing end and at least a portion of the probe constituting a first electrode, the sealing end of the probe being encased within a glass material, a second electrode spaced apart from said first electrode in a manner such that the first and second electrode together form part of a capacitor, a mechanism for supplying an electrical current from an applied electrical current source to the capacitor, and a mechanism for monitoring capacitance of the capacitor.

Abstract: PURPOSE: To improve the evaporation efficiency of a raw material by mounting an element of a porous sintered metal having the pore size smaller than the size of the solid raw material to a port for introducing a carrier gas into a bubbler vessel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the bulk delivery of a precursor, such as an organometallic compound, from a bulk container, such as a bubbler (1) to a plurality of reactor sites (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) wherein a carrier gas (2) is introduced into the container (1) of the precursor to pick up the precursor to form a gaseous mixture. The gaseous mixture is then selectively distributed to one or more of a plurality of reactor sites (12, 14, 16, 18, 20). The gaseous mixture may be stored in a reservoir (9) and be drawn by means of a pressure differential or under vacuum to each of the reactor sites, when required.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the continuous production of organometallic compounds from a metal precursor and an alkylating agent. The reactants are delivered separately to a reaction centre (26) in a distillation column (2) wherein the reaction is maintained at a predetermined temperature to allow collection of the vaporised organometallic compound from the top of the column and removal of the waste products from the bottom of the column.

Abstract: A method of depositing a tin oxide film onto a heated substrate is provided, by chemical vapor deposition using a tetraalkyoxy tin compound. Further provided is a method for doping the film with platinum or palladium using a .beta.-diketonate precursor thereof.