Abstract: An inventive method is described for chemically machining rhenium, rhenium and tungsten alloy, and group 5b and 6b crucibles or molds from included ingots and castings comprised of oxide crystals including YAG and YAG based crystals, garnets, corundum crystals, and ceramic oxides. A mixture of potassium hydroxide and 15 to 90 weight percent of potassium nitrate is prepared and maintained at a temperature above melting and below the lower of 500 degrees centigrade or the temperature of decomposition of the mixture. The enveloping metal container together with its included oxide crystal object is rotated within the heated KOH-KNO.sub.3 mixture, until the container is safely chemically machined away from the included oxide crystal object.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for removing metal ions, particularly sodium, potassium and/or aluminum ions, from the thin outermost layer of items of glass or ceramic materials with enrichment by silicon dioxide, the items being subjected for a pre-specified time to a plasma - low-pressure plasma or corona discharge-induced plasma - , hydrogen, nitrogen or a noble gas being used as discharge gas.

Abstract: A process for producing an electric circuit board comprises utilizing a transfer sheet, bearing an electric circuit pattern composed of a metal foil adhered onto a sheet substrate by means of an adhesive material, and transferring said electric circuit pattern onto a surface of an insulating resin substrate simultaneously with the molding thereof.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rapid analysis of a sample medium, particularly a flowing sample medium employ light of a defined wavelength which is guided onto a luminescent layer in contact with the sample medium, the luminescent properties of the layer varying in dependence upon characteristics of the sample medium which are to be analyzed. The luminescent light is monitored by detectors, the detector signals being a measure for the characteristic of interest. For undertaking identification of a particular characteristic with very short follow-up time, even in the presence of a number of other characteristics which influence the luminescent properties, the luminescent intensity is identified for a number of different wavelength regions corresponding in number to the number of characteristics, each characteristic differently influencing the luminescent properties in at least one wavelength region.

Abstract: In the P.C.V.D. process, in principal the quartz tube need not be rotated during the deposition of the glass layers. However, it has been found in practice that an improvement in the quality of the glass fibers can be obtained if the quartz tube is rotated regularly over an angle of 360.degree./n. n is preferably equal to an integer from 2 to 12.

Abstract: In a method for planarizing an insulating layer, the height of steps in a layer of insulating material are reduced while tapering side walls of the steps by forming a layer of sacrificial material between the steps and etching the insulating material and the sacrificial material in a low pressure plasma comprising reactive ions and facetting ions. This method combines many of the advantages of Resist Etch Back (REB) and argon facetting techniques while reducing the deleterious effects of macroloading and microloading.

Abstract: A heating oven is provided for processing glass materials from which optical waveguide fibers are prepared. The oven includes a vertically oriented, elongated cylindrical muffle for receiving the glass material which is to be processed. The supporting structure for the upper end of the muffle is thermally independent of the supporting structure for the remainder of the oven. In this way, the expansion and contraction of the muffle can be compensated for independently of the expansion and contraction of the oven's main support frame.

Abstract: A quantitative dispenser for a liquid includes a pipette having a downwardly directed nozzle which serves to pick up and deliver a predetermined quantity of a liquid and a mechanism for moving the pipette downwardly to dip the lower end of the pipette into the liquid supply. A detector is provided for detecting reflection of light which is projected downwardly to the surface of the liquid while the pipette is moved downwardly to approach the surface. A control circuit is connected to the detector to determine the stop point for the downwardly moving pipette with the aid of information received from the detector. The detector is provided with a spot type reflection sensor having a light convergent optical element having a focal point at a certain distance below the detector whereby the stop point of the downwardly moving pipette is determined so as to correspond to a point of maximum intensity of the incoming reflected light.

Abstract: A wet chemical etchant for etching chromium films that have been patterned with positive photoresist comprising about 3 to about 9 grams potassium hydroxide per liter of water and about 15 to about 25 grams potassium permanganate per liter of water.

Abstract: A solid phase N-hydroxysuccinimide reagent having the general formula: ##STR1## where X is particulate silica gel or controlled pore glass; n=3-7; Y is either (CH.sub.2).sub.n' or (CH.sub.2).sub.n' --NH--CO--CH.sub.2 wherein n'=2-6; Z may be in the form of OCOR, OSO.sub.2 R and OCO.sub.2 R, and Z' may be either Z or OH, wherein R is a chromophore, fluorophore or electrophore capable of detection in chromatographic separation technology is disclosed. Also disclosed is the method for making compounds of this type and the method for using these compounds to identify and quantitate analytes having primary or secondary amine or thiol functionalities.

Abstract: A plasma etch process and apparatus is disclosed in which a gas mixture comprises CF.sub.3 Br, xenon or krypton, and oxygen. The plasma reactor includes a sacrificial element, preferably in the form of a graphite ring, on the lower electrode of a parallel plate reactor.