Abstract: Processes and compounds are described herein for single polymer composites based on a process for making the single polymer composites that includes the steps of heating a matrix material to create polymer melt, cooling the polymer melt to below its Tm to create an undercooled polymer melt, or quasi-melt, and combining the melt with an enhancing or reinforcing material to produce a single polymer composite. The process can produce materials that do not have any degradation of the polymer characteristic of the enhancing material due to melting of the polymer in the enhancing material.

Abstract: Disclosed are a positive active material for a rechargeable lithium battery that includes: a core including a lithium metal composite oxide having a layered structure; and a shell including a lithium metal composite oxide having a layered structure and having a different composition from the core, a lithium metal composite oxide having a spinel structure, or a combination thereof, wherein the shell is positioned on the surface of the core, a method of preparing the same, and a rechargeable lithium battery including the same.

Abstract: A head for dispensing a thin film of a fluid over a substrate is disclosed. The head includes a body assembly that extends between a first and a second end that is at least a width of the substrate. The body includes a main bore that is defined between the first and the second ends, the main bore connected to an upper side of a reservoir through a plurality of feeds that are defined between the main bore and the reservoir. The body also includes a plurality of outlets connected to a lower side of the reservoir and extends to an outlet slot. The plurality of feeds has a larger cross-sectional area than the plurality of outlets and the plurality of feeds are fewer than the plurality of outlets. The fluid is configured to flow through the main bore, through the plurality of feeds along the bore and fill the reservoir up to at least the threshold level before fluid is evenly output as a film out of the outlet slot onto the substrate.

Abstract: An exemplary method is directed to powering heaters in a substrate support assembly on which a semiconductor substrate is supported. The support assembly has an array of heaters powered by two or more power supply lines and two or more power return lines wherein each power supply line is connected to a power supply and at least two of the heaters and each power return line is connected to at least two of the heaters, and a switching device which independently connects each one of the heaters to one of the power supply lines and one of the power return lines so as to provide time-averaged power to each of the heaters by time divisional multiplexing of switches of the switching device. The method includes supplying power to each of the heaters sequentially using a time-domain multiplexing scheme.

Abstract: Described herein are improved methods of forming polymer films, the polymer films formed thereby, and electronic devices formed form the polymer films. The methods generally include contacting a polymer with a solvent to at least partially solvate the polymer in the solvent, exposing the at least partially solvated polymer and solvent to ultrasonic energy for a duration effective to form a plurality of ordered assemblies of the polymer in the solvent, and forming a solid film of the polymer, wherein the solid film comprises the plurality of ordered assemblies of the polymer.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and systems for physically confining a liquid medium applied over a semiconductor wafer include a chemical head. The chemical head including multiple first return conduits formed from a first flat region in a head surface and multiple second return conduits formed from a second flat region in the head surface. The second flat region being disposed immediately adjacent to the first flat region and the second flat region being in a plane substantially parallel to and offset from the first flat region. At least one of the first return conduits and the second return conduits being formed at a first angle relative to the head surface and the first angle being greater than about 20 degrees to a meniscus plane normal.

Abstract: Methods for the prevention and/or alleviation of androgen-mediated disorders treatable by administering a chroman-derived anti-androgen compound are provided by the present invention. The invention further provides pharmaceutical and nutraceutical compositions containing chroman-derived anti-androgen compounds useful in the prevention and/or alleviation of androgen-mediated disorders, particularly prostate cancer.

Abstract: A system for cleaning a fiber cap including a first fixture configured to hold the fiber cap, the fiber cap having an internal cavity with an opening therein. The fiber cap also includes a first axis generally aligned with the central axis of the fiber cap and internal cavity, a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, and a third axis orthogonal to the first and second axes. The system further includes a second fixture configured to hold a particulate collecting member (1) to receive and hold an electrical charge and (2) for insertion into the opening of the fiber cap.

Abstract: Improved methods and apparatus to secure a urethral sling to pubic bone in a sub-urethral location to support the urethra and alleviate incontinence are disclosed. The urethral sling is preferably formed of a flexible sheet material extending between opposed first and second sling ends and bounded by opposed first and second sling sides. The urethral sling is selectively tensioned in a central portion intermediate the first and second sling ends and/or in one or both of end portions bracketing the central portion. In one embodiment, pre-positioned plicating lines in the central portion are selectively drawn and tied to slacken the central portion and tension the end portions. In further embodiments, bone anchor lines passed through locations displaced from the sling ends are drawn and fixed to tension the central portion between the displaced locations and slacken the end portions.

Abstract: A test system for facilitating determining whether a plasma processing system (which includes a plasma processing chamber) is ready for processing wafers. The test system may include a computer-readable medium storing at least a test program. The test program may include code for receiving electric parameter values derived from signals detected by at least one sensor when no plasma is present in the plasma processing chamber. The test program may also include code for generating electric model parameter values using the electric parameter values and a mathematical model. The test program may also include code for comparing the electric model parameter values with baseline model parameter value information. The test program may also include code for determining readiness of the plasma processing system based on the comparison. The test system may also include circuit hardware for performing one or more tasks associated with the test program.

Abstract: A based device for use as tissue repair includes a median part between two end parts. The median and end parts have a different tensile stiffness.

Abstract: An optical microscope system for 3D surface deformation and morphology measurement that can serve as a powerful tool in quality engineering and control, as well as in biological and materials research is described. The system was developed in part by combining the DAIC technique with optical microscopy. Decoding algorithms were derived for calculating the 3D displacement or profile of a micro-sized test sample from the in-plane displacement components of it first-order diffracted views.

Abstract: A bevel etcher incorporating a vacuum chuck used for cleaning the bevel edge and for reducing the bending curvature of a semiconductor substrate. The bevel etcher includes a vacuum chuck and a plasma generation unit which energizes process gas into a plasma state. The vacuum chuck includes a chuck body and a support ring. The top surface of the chuck body and inner periphery of the support ring form a vacuum region enclosed by the bottom surface of a substrate mounted on the support ring. A vacuum pump evacuates the vacuum region during operation. The vacuum chuck is operative to hold the substrate in place by the pressure difference between the top and bottom surfaces of the substrate. The pressure difference also generates a bending force to reduce the bending curvature of the substrate.

Abstract: A method is provided which includes forming a metal layer and converting at least a portion of the metal layer to a hydrated metal oxide layer. Another method is provided which includes selectively depositing a dielectric layer upon another dielectric layer and selectively depositing a metal layer adjacent to the dielectric layer. Consequently, a microelectronic topography is formed which includes a metal feature and an adjacent dielectric portion comprising lower and upper layers of hydrophilic and hydrophobic material, respectively. A topography including a metal feature having a single layer with at least four elements lining a lower surface and sidewalls of the metal feature is also provided herein. The fluid/s used to form such a single layer may be analyzed by test equipment configured to measure the concentration of all four elements. In some cases, the composition of the fluid/s may be adjusted based upon the analysis.

Abstract: A chuck for a plasma processor comprises a temperature-controlled base, a thermal insulator, a flat support, and a heater. The temperature-controlled base has a temperature below the desired temperature of a workpiece. The thermal insulator is disposed over the temperature-controlled base. The flat support holds a workpiece and is disposed over the thermal insulator. A heater is embedded within the flat support and/or disposed on an underside of the flat support. The heater includes a plurality of heating elements that heat a plurality of corresponding heating zones. The power supplied and/or temperature of each heating element is controlled independently.

Abstract: In some embodiments, energy is released by converting the bonding potential energy between two electropositive masses capable of forming a stable bond between them into the kinetic energy of an electron quasiparticle initially captured between them by the coulomb potential. The electron quasiparticles form transient bonds with delocalized ions and other reactants in or on a reaction particle where reaction rates and branches are controlled by the choice of electron quasiparticle effective mass. Methods and apparatus for stimulating and controlling such association reactions are shown and described. Thermionic and semiconductor methods and apparatus convert the electron quasiparticle energy directly into electricity. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide a conduit system including an outer lumen (810), an inner lumen (805), and an attaching device (820). In other embodiments, a multiple access port device adapted for communication with at least one of an outer lumen, an inner lumen, or an attaching device of a conduit system is provided. In yet other embodiments, a system including an inner lumen that is collapsible is provided. Means for closing a conduit system are also provided, including a plug for insertion through an attaching device and a variable radius coiled member associated with an attaching device.

Abstract: A time-dependent substrate temperature to be applied during a plasma process is determined. The time-dependent substrate temperature at any given time is determined based on control of a sticking coefficient of a plasma constituent at the given time. A time-dependent temperature differential between an upper plasma boundary and a substrate to be applied during the plasma process is also determined. The time-dependent temperature differential at any given time is determined based on control of a flux of the plasma constituent directed toward the substrate at the given time. The time-dependent substrate temperature and time-dependent temperature differential are stored in a digital format suitable for use by a temperature control device defined and connected to direct temperature control of the upper plasma boundary and the substrate. A system is also provided for implementing upper plasma boundary and substrate temperature control during the plasma process.

Abstract: A two piece edge ring assembly is configured to surround a semiconductor substrate in a plasma processing chamber wherein plasma is generated and used to process the semiconductor substrate. The edge ring assembly comprises upper and lower rings which have an outer protective coating. The upper and lower rings are configured such that the upper ring is supported on an outer portion of the upper surface of the lower ring and the protective coatings are on plasma exposed surfaces of the upper and lower rings.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention is a method of processing a substrate. In one embodiment, the method comprises forming an electrical conductor on or in the substrate by providing a mixture comprising metal particles and an electroless deposition solution and electrolessly depositing a metal matrix and co-depositing the metal particles. In another embodiment, the method comprises forming an electrical conductor on or in the substrate by providing a mixture comprising metal particles and an electrochemical plating solution and electrochemically plating a metal matrix and co-depositing the metal particles. Another aspect of the present invention is a mixture for the formation of an electrical conductor on or in a substrate. Another aspect of the present invention is an electronic device.