Abstract: Apparatus and a method for separating gases and vapors from a geopressure or hydropressured brine without allowing precipitation of scale deposits on the walls of vessels and pipes. The apparatus includes a reactor having an inlet pipe provided with a Venturi throat and an expansion nozzle coupled with the throat to depressurize the brine to cause separation of the gases and vapors from the liquid and solid fractions of the brine. The gases and vapors travel out of the reactor through a central pipe extending downwardly and through the reactor. The brine in the form of a slurry gravitates in the reactor toward a first outlet pipe while clarified brine rises past an internal baffle and leaves the reactor through a second outlet pipe.

Abstract: A quartz arsenic cell having a stabilizing valve used to generate hot arsenic vapor which is flowed into liquid gallium, to provide a melt of liquid gallium arsenide from which a crystal can be pulled. The stabilizing valve prevents negative relative pressure from occurring in the quartz arsenic cell, and thus prevents the molten material from being sucked back up into the quartz arsenic cell.

Abstract: A method for growing large, shaped, oriented crystals and an apparatus for cooling the seed crystal so that a portion thereof remains solid throughout the crystal growth process. The critical and time consuming process of seeding crystals under continuous supervision is eliminated. The unmelted portion of the seed crystal is maintained at a temperature below its melting point through a seed temperature control apparatus which utilizes a pool of a substantially liquid metallic material as a heat transfer medium. The pool is contained in a reservoir formed in a thermal energy conductive base member in which the growth vessel is disposed.

Abstract: Semiconductor thin films are produced using plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition on alkali halide single crystal substrates. Deposition is formed at relatively low temperatures so that sublimation of the substrate is not a problem. The invention process permits at high rate deposition of high quality semiconductors.

Abstract: A method of growing patterned films on a substrate in a deposition chamber without masking, the method consisting of the following steps: pressurizing the chamber with a fluid medium to form a thin absorption layer on the substrate; evacuating the chamber to remove excess fluid medium; prenucleating portions of the substrate with a focused energy beam; repressurizing the chamber with a fluid medium; and inducing deposition of material from the fluid medium and thereby growing a patterned film with deposition occurring primarily on the prenucleated portions of the substrate.

Abstract: A mixed aluminum oxide having the following formula:X.sup.1.sub.(x.sbsb.1.sub.-x.sbsb.2.sub.) X.sup.2.sub.(x.sbsb.2.sub.) M.sup.1.sub.(y.sbsb.1.sub.-y.sbsb.2.sub.) M.sup.2.sub.(y.sbsb.2.sub.) Al.sub.(z.sbsb.1.sub.-z.sbsb.2.sub.) M.sup.3.sub.(z.sbsb.2.sub.) O.sub.19wherein X.sup.1 and X.sup.2, which can be the same or different, represent a metal selected from the group consisting of lanthanum, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium and gadolinium, provided that X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 are different when X.sup.1 or X.sup.2 represents lanthanum or gadolinium; M.sup.1 and M.sup.2, which can be the same or different, each represent a metal selected from the group consisting of magnesium and divalent transition metals; M.sup.3 represents a trivalent transition metal; x.sub.1 represents a number from 0.8 to 1; y.sub.1 represents a number from 0.7 to 1; z.sub.1 represents a number from 10 to 12; x.sub.2 represents a number from 0 to x.sub.1 ; y.sub.2 represents a number from 0 to y.sub.1 ; and z.sub.

Abstract: A molecular beam epitaxy system wherein the molybdenum substrate holder and the molybdenum ring which assembles to the substrate holder to hold the wafer are kept in vacuum essentially all the time. Wafers are not pre-mounted to substrate holders, but the wafer mounting step is performed in ultrahigh vacuum after a cassette of wafers has already been loaded and outgassed, under ultrahigh vacuum. Thus, the substrate holder can be outgassed separately at high temperatures, and can remain under high vacuum.

Abstract: An apparatus and method pulling a shaped crystalline fiber of a given crystal-forming material from a liquid reservoir of the material. The apparatus includes a vessel in which the liquid material is maintained as a liquid reservoir at a temperature above the melting point or crystal-forming temperature of the material. A die is provided having an inner-tubular surface which includes a crystal shaping portion which is tapered. The liquid flows from the reservoir through the die so that the liquid flows from the narrow end of the shaping portion to the wide end of the shaping portion. The temperature of the liquid crystal growth material is selectively lowered at the top end of the die to form crystalline material which is continually pulled from the crystal-liquid interface.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an apparatus for measuring the size of gas entrained particles by detecting the rate of incandescent burning of the particles. Entrained particles are passed at a controlled velocity through a heated zone where they are gradually consumed. The radiant energy emitted by the burning particles is detected at varying locations along the path of flow through the heated zone. An indication of particle size distribution is obtained by deriving the third derivative of detected radiant energy intensity with respect to distance of flow through the heated zone.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for improving the crystallinity of semiconductor ribbon material while increasing the material throughput and decreasing energy requirements. The crystallinity of a ribbon of semiconductor material can be improved by forming a localized molten zone in the material and sweeping this molten zone along the length of the material. As the molten zone refreezes, the material is locally recrystallized with enhanced grain size. In accordance with the invention, two ribbons are positioned back-to-back with a slight spacing between the ribbons. Energy sources are focused on the outer surfaces of the two ribbons to create a molten zone in each of the ribbons. Because of the close proximity between the ribbons, much of the energy reradiated from each molten zone is absorbed by the adjacent ribbon. The molten zones are then swept along both of the ribbons to simultaneously cause crystal improvement in both ribbons.

Abstract: This invention describes a modified method of growing high purity, compositionally ungraded, single crystals of multicomponent solid solutions by the Czochralski, Kyropoulos, Bridgman or other related melt growth technique. In the method of this invention, the container or crucible used to contain the multicomponent crystal growing melt is fabricated from the higher melting point component of the multicomponent melt while lower melting point components are positioned within the crucible. The temperature of the crucible is then raised beyond the melting point of the lower melting point component to a temperature which is the exact melting point of the solid solution, or crystal alloy desired. This will dissolve an amount of the crucible material (higher melting point component) equal to the exact amount required to produce a solid solution having the desired composition.

Abstract: Thermal degradation of compound single crystal substrates (e.g., InP) containing a relatively volatile element (e.g., P) prior to LPE growth has been virtually eliminated by an improved protection technique. A partial pressure of the volatile element is provided by a solution (e.g., Sn-In-P) localized inside a chamber which is external to the LPE boat and which surrounds substrate prior to growth, thereby preventing thermal damage to the substrate surface. Applicability of the technique to other epitaxial growth processes (e.g., VPE and MBE) is also discussed.

Abstract: This invention encompasses methods and reagents for inactivation of bacterial growth inhibitors present in blood, serum or plasma. It has been found that salicylates and closely related compounds will neutralize bacterial growth inhibitors present in the blood of many patients. The addition of salicylate to conventional growth medium also provides a reagent for monitoring the antibiotic levels in blood by enabling measurement of the effect of the antibiotic against a standard test organism without interference from the bacterial growth inhibitor present in sera.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for the vacuum distillation of volatile organic pollutants contained in various environmental sample matrices, such as sediments, soils, water and fish is connected to a cryogenic concentrating means. The volatile organic pollutants in the sample are first separated from the water vapors in the mixture which emanates from a sample chamber by condensing the water vapors in a precooling trap. The volatile organic compounds are first condensed in a cryogenic concentration trap which is subsequently warmed to transfer the volatile organic vapors to a cryogenic focusing trap cooled to -196.degree. C. A series of manually activated or automatically solenoid activated valves controls passage of the various fluids through a conduit network selectively connecting the various cooling traps and the outlet of a sample chamber to one another. A cooled pump oil trap may be connected into the conduit network to condense pump oil vapors and thus prevent pump oil contamination of the apparatus.

Abstract: A multi-channel pipetter having a case generally in the form of a pistol grip. A block having a plurality of cylinders is mounted in the case adjacent the bottom and a piston plate is mounted for reciprocal motion in the case with its pistons in the cylinders. A finger actuated slide in the case engages the plate and moves the pistons so as to fill and discharge the contents of the cylinders.

Abstract: In a low angle silicon sheet growth process, a puller mechanism advances a seed crystal and solidified ribbon from a cooled growth zone in a melt at a low angle with respect to the horizontal. The ribbon is supported on a ramp adjacent the puller mechanism. Variations in the vertical position of the ribbon with respect to the ramp are isolated from the growth end of the ribbon by (1) growing the ribbon so that it is extremely thin, preferably less than 0.7 mm, (2) maintaining a large growth zone, preferably one whose length is at least 5.0 cm, and (3) spacing the ramp from the growth zone by at least 15 cm.

Abstract: On a semiconductor substrate surface, a plurality of polycrystalline or amorphous silicon films and a plurality of insulator films which are substantially transparent to an irradiating energy beam and each of which has an opening are formed so as to be alternately stacked. Thereafter, the plurality of polycrystalline or amorphous silicon films are turned into a single crystal by irradiating them with the energy beam.

Abstract: A process is provided for the processing of certain organic agricultural foodstuff by-products normally having little commercial value to produce a cellulosic product suitable for human consumption or use in various products. The process of the present invention is characterized by subjecting a variety of certain agricultural by-products having little commercial value, such as, for example, soybean hulls, to a series of separate steps utilizing certain chemical treating to effect a solubilizing and removal of the non-cellulosic components of the by-product agricultural material to produce residue solids which consist essentially of cellulose. The cellulose residue solids are subjected to specified purification procedures and thereafter dried to produce a short, fine fibered cellulose which may be processed to a fine powdered state suitable for use as a component part in a wide variety of edible or otherwise useable products by humans, an example of such a product being a low calorie bread.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a silicon wafer includes growing a layer of low-resistivity crystalline silicon upon a precision-ground slice of single-crystal, high-resistivity silicon. The slice of single-crystal silicon has a thickness sufficient to withstand handling during the initial part of the processing. The crystalline silicon is built up to a thickness which is sufficient to withstand handling and processing of the finished wafer. The layer of single-crystal silicon is thereupon precision ground to reduce its final thickness to a value required for the devices to be formed thereon. The crystalline layer performs gettering to remove impurities from the single-crystal silicon during normal heating attendant to the formation of the solid-state devices thereon. The present invention further includes a silicon wafer made by the process of the invention.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for growth of material on substrates. A substrate at temperature T.sub.2 is placed with a surface in contact with solution in streamline flow through a narrow channel. The solution enters the channel with a temperature, T.sub.1, which is above its saturation temperature, T.sub.s, T.sub.2 is below T.sub.s, so material will deposit on the substrate surface. The flow of solution is maintained high enough to avoid the onset of constitutional supercooling.