Abstract: An apparatus which can control thickness uniformity during deposition of conductive material from an electrolyte onto a surface of a semiconductor substrate is provided. The apparatus has an anode which can be contacted by the electrolyte during deposition of the conductive material, a cathode assembly including a carrier adapted to carry the substrate for movement during deposition, and a conductive element permitting electrolyte flow therethrough. A mask lies over the conductive element and has openings permitting electrolyte flow. The openings define active regions of the conductive element by which a rate of conductive material deposition onto the surface can be varied. A power source can provide a potential between the anode and the cathode assembly so as to produce the deposition. A deposition process is also disclosed, and uniform electroetching of conductive material on the semiconductor substrate surface can additionally be performed.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a heat resistant resin film with a metal thin film is configured to include the steps of: biasing a conductive material to one surface of the heat resistant resin film; and applying electrolytic plating to the heat resistant resin film while using the conductive material biased to the one surface of the heat resistant resin film as an electrode, so as to form a metal thin film on the heat resistant resin film.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining organic additive concentrations in a sample electrolytic solution, preferably a copper electroplating solution, by measuring the double layer capacitance of a measuring electrode in such sample solution. Specifically, the present invention utilizes the correlation between double layer capacitance and the organic additive concentration for concentration mapping, based on the double layer capacitance measured for the sample electrolytic solution.

Abstract: Bipolar wave current, with both positive and negative current portions, is used to electrodeposit a nanocrystalline grain size deposit. Polarity Ratio is the ratio of the absolute value of the time integrated amplitude of negative polarity current and positive polarity current. Grain size can be precisely controlled in alloys of two or more chemical components, at least one of which is a metal, and at least one of which is most electro-active. Typically, although not always, the amount of the more electro-active material is preferentially lessened in the deposit during times of negative current. The deposit also exhibits superior macroscopic quality, being relatively crack and void free.

Abstract: Provided are electron-emitting devices improved in durability during concentration of an electric field and thus rarely suffering chain discharge breakdown. An electron-emitting device has an electroconductive film, a layer placed on the electroconductive film and containing aluminum oxide as a main component, a pore placed in the layer containing aluminum oxide as a main component, and an electron emitter placed in the pore and containing a material of the electroconductive film, and the electron emitter is porous and is electrically connected to the electroconductive film.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a ferroelectric film includes the steps of causing, in a solution containing sol-gel raw materials, hydrolysis and polycondensation to the sol-gel raw materials to form a liquid containing particulate gels dispersed therein, and forming a ferroelectric film by a migration electrodeposition method, using the liquid containing particulate gels, through electrodepositing the particulate gels on an electrode.

Abstract: A gold plating solution comprising iodide ions, gold iodide complex ions and a non-aqueous solvent, which is less toxic and stable, while having a performance comparable to a cyanide type gold plating solution. The present invention further provides a gold plating solution comprising iodide ions, gold iodide complex ions, a non-aqueous solvent and a water-soluble polymer, which is less toxic and stable, while having a performance comparable to a cyanide type gold plating solution and which is capable of forming a gold plating film in which gold crystal particle sizes are very fine and grain boundaries are dense. The present invention further provides a gold plating method employing such a gold plating solution.

Abstract: A novel anode structure for making a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) tolerant to incidences of cell reversal includes an electrocatalyst layer having at least one electrocatalyst and at least one proton conducting polymer. The anode structure also includes one or more water retaining material(s), such as carbon nanofibers, embedded within the electrocatalyst layer.

Abstract: A fuel cell apparatus includes a heat exchange unit including a laminated structure, a water entrance provided at the laminated structure and through which the water from the hot water storage unit flows into the laminated structure, and a water exit provided at the laminated structure and through which the water is discharged out of the laminated structure after the water passes through the laminated structure. The laminated structure is integrally formed into lamination by a heat exchanger for the fuel cell cooling water for recovering heat in the fuel cell cooling water and at least any one of a first heat exchanger for eliminating moisture contained in the fuel-containing material through the heat exchange, a second heat exchanger for eliminating moisture contained in a fuel off-gas through the heat exchange, and a third heat exchanger for eliminating moisture contained in an air off-gas through the heat exchange.

Abstract: An electrochemical reformer 1 using reactant feed structures having both hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions to provide mechanisms for the wicking of liquid reactants into reformer 1 and for the separation and removal of gaseous products from reformer 1. The electrical reformer 1 may be combined with a fuel cell, a portion of the output of which is used to power reformer 1, to create a compact, portable power source.

Abstract: In a battery cooling structure, a battery case housing a large number of battery modules is formed into the shape of a rectangular tube having a cooling air inlet and a cooling air outlet, and V-shaped cooling air guide channels having a decreasing flow-path cross sectional area are provided on inner faces of air guide plates that define upper and lower faces of the rectangular tube. The flow of cooling air is deflected by these V-shaped cooling air guide channels toward a central part on the downstream side, thus effectively cooling the battery modules disposed in the central part, for which the cooling effect is poor to make uniform the temperature of the battery modules, resulting in a suppressed variation in capacity and lifetime. Moreover, since it is not necessary to provide a bypass passage in the battery case, it is possible to simplify the structure of the battery case, reduce the dimensions, and improve the degree of freedom in the layout.

Abstract: A power production unit onboard a motor vehicle, including a fuel cell including at least one orifice for evacuating off-gases, in particular of air and water vapor, which are discharged into a discharge pipe. A condenser liquefies the water vapor, and a compressor is interposed upstream of the condenser, liquid water being diverted from the discharge pipe to a liquid water circuit. The compressor compresses the off-gases so that the dew point of the water vapor is higher than the temperature of the condenser.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (10) comprises an anode electrode (12), a cathode electrode (14) and an electrolyte (16) between the anode electrode (12) and the cathode electrode (14). A gaseous fuel is supplied to an anode chamber (18) partially defined by the anode electrode (12) and a gaseous oxidant is supplied to a cathode chamber (20) partially defined by the cathode electrode (14). The electrolyte (16) comprises a first dense non-porous layer (22), a second porous layer (24) on the first dense non-porous layer (22) and a third dense non-porous layer (26) on the second porous layer (24). The anode electrode (12) is arranged on the first dense non-porous layer (22) and the cathode electrode (14) is arranged on the third dense non-porous layer (26). The second porous layer (24) acts as a buffer between the first dense non-porous layer (22) and the third dense non-porous layer (26) to prevent defects propagating between the layers (22,26) and to prevent fuel and oxidant leaking through the electrolyte (16).

Abstract: A soft magnetic film is formed of a CoFe alloy having an Fe content in the range of 68 to 80 mass %, thereby having a saturation magnetic flux density of 2.0 T or more. The center lain average roughness of the film surface is 9 nm or less. The soft magnetic film can achieve a corrosive resistant magnetic head with a high recording density.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of anodising magnesium material which includes anodising the magnesium while it is immersed in an aqueous electrolyte solution having a pH above 7, and in the presence of a phosphate, the electrolyte solution also containing a sequestering agent. The method may further include the provision of a plasma suppressing substance within the electrolyte solution. Furthermore, the electrolyte solution may also preferably include a tertiary amine such a TEA, and the current passed through the electrolyte solution may preferably be a straight DC current.

Abstract: A sealed rechargeable battery includes: a metal case having an elliptical or rectangular cross section; a metal sealing plate for sealing an opening at one end of the case; and an electrode plate assembly being housed in the case with an electrolyte solution. In this configuration, a plurality of projecting ridges are formed in a continuous or discontinuous manner on both longer side faces of the case between a bottom face and the opening so as to enhance the cooling performance and to improve the strength of the side faces of the case.

Abstract: Electrolytic solutions containing organic additive(s) selected from a described class of additives (e.g., 4,6-dihydroxypyrimidine) reduce overall applied electrical potential of electrolytic cells and/or reduce gas formation at the anode(s) or increase copper production rate. Benefits include reducing overall power consumption and reducing acid mist during electrolytic processes.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack (50) includes fuel cells (16, 18, 19) with anode and cathode water transport plates (23, 31, 34, 37) having porosity of at least 50%, thereby to significantly increase the amount of water stored within the water transport plates when the stack is shut down, which doubles the heat of fusion as the ice in the pores melts during a startup following freeze. This extends the period of time before the water in the pores reaches a hard freeze at ?20° C. from 180 hours to 280 hours. A controller (60) controls the bypass (55) of a heat exchanger (54) to cause the temperature of the stack to reach a temperature sufficient to raise the sensible heat of the stack by 20%-40% above what it is with the fuel cell power plant operating steady state, prior to being shut down, thereby increasing the hours required for the fuel cell to cool down to 0° C. in ?20° C. environment from 60 hours to 90 hours, allowing easier startups when shut down for less than 90 hours.

Abstract: A thin film solid oxide fuel cell (TFSOFC) having a porous metallic anode and a porous cathode is provided. The fuel cell is formed by using a continuous metal foil as a substrate to epitaxially deposit a thin film electrolyte on one surface of the foil. The metal foil may then be made porous by photolithographically patterning and etching the other surface of the foil to form holes extending through the foil to the electrolyte/foil interface. The cathode is then formed on the electrolyte by depositing a second thin film using known film deposition techniques. Further processing may be used to increase the porosity of the electrodes. The metal foil may be treated before film deposition to have an atomically ordered surface, which makes possible an atomically ordered thin film electrolyte.

Abstract: A PEM fuel cell power plant system (10) has a process air pump (26), which may be a fan, a blower or a compressor, with an adiabatic efficiency of between 40% and 70%. The process air at the inlet 27 of the cathode reactant gas flow field 16 is between 1.07 atmospheres and 1.85 atmospheres, and may be at an optimal pressure for maximum overall system efficiency P={0.45+2.6E?1.8E2} atms±0.2 atms where P is the air inlet pressure and E is the adiabatic efficiency of the process air pump.