Abstract: The invention relates to a layer structure which is formed between an interconnect and a cathode of a solid oxide fuel cell and can be used for forming a ceramic layer structure between an interconnect and a cathode. In this respect, the interconnect comprises a metal alloy containing chromium. The object of the present invention is to provide a layer structure between an interconnect and a cathode of a solid oxide fuel cell with which a good protective function (from corrosion and from chromium vaporization), a high electrical conductivity and also a good thermal expansion behavior adapted to the materials of an interconnect and of a cathode can be achieved. The layer structure in the green state is formed by a powdery spinel as well as at least one of the below-named metal oxides CuO, NiO, CoOx and MnOx as a sintering additive and at least one powdery perovskite.

Abstract: The invention relates to a layer structure which is formed between an interconnect and a cathode of a solid oxide fuel cell and can be used for forming a ceramic layer structure between an interconnect and a cathode. In this respect, the interconnect comprises a metal alloy containing chromium. The object of the present invention is to provide a layer structure between an interconnect and a cathode of a solid oxide fuel cell with which a good protective function (from corrosion and from chromium vaporization), a high electrical conductivity and also a good thermal expansion behavior adapted to the materials of an interconnect and of a cathode can be achieved. The layer structure in the green state is formed by a powdery spinel as well as at least one of the below-named metal oxides CuO, NiO, CoOx and MnOx as a sintering additive and at least one powdery perovskite.

Abstract: A method of preparing a coating solution, comprising the steps of providing a first solution comprising a lower alcohol; a polyethylene glycol; a complexing agent; and water; providing a second solution comprising a higher alcohol; and at least one metal alkoxide, wherein the metal in said at least one metal alkoxide is selected from the group consisting of zirconium, aluminium, titanium, tantalum and yttrium; forming a sol-gel solution by mixing said first and second solutions and thereby hydrolyzing said at least one metal alkoxide to a metal oxide and an alcohol; forming a concentrated solution by removing said lower alcohol and the alcohol resulting from the hydrolysis of said at least one metal alkoxide; and forming a coating solution by adding a medium alcohol to said concentrated solution.

Abstract: A method for a disintegration of a thixotropic suspension by ultrasound, includes diverting at least one partial flow from a total suspension flow downstream of an ultrasonic treatment unit, increasing a flow rate of the at least one partial flow and mechanically stressing a thixotropic suspension flow. Additionally, the method includes adding the at least one partial flow to the stressed thixotropic suspension flow to establish the total suspension flow and ultrasonically treating the total suspension flow.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of biochemistry and relates to a method that is used in a biogas production plant. The object of the present invention is a method which realizes a shorter total retention time of the raw materials in the biogas plant and/or a higher quantity and/or quality of the biogas. The object is attained through a method in which renewable raw materials are placed in an at least first anaerobic fermenter/reactor together with liquid and further starting materials necessary for methanogenesis, and there subjected to a fermentation process. Subsequently the fermentation residue is subjected to a solid/liquid phase separation and the separated solid phase is subjected to thermopressure hydrolysis at temperatures of at least 170° C. and pressures of at least 1.0 MPa. The solid phase thus treated may either be returned to the first anaerobic fermenter/reactor or fed to a second anaerobic fermenter/reactor and subjected to a further fermentation process.

Abstract: A method of fermenting ensilaged renewable raw materials, wherein the method comprises washing and crushing ensilaged renewable raw materials, removing at least some water from the washed and crushed ensilaged renewable raw materials, subjecting the washed and crushed ensilaged renewable raw materials to hydrolysis, and subjecting hydrolysis products to a biogas production method in fermenters

Abstract: A method of preparing a coating solution, comprising the steps of providing a first solution comprising a lower alcohol; a polyethylene glycol; a complexing agent; and water; providing a second solution comprising a higher alcohol; and at least one metal alkoxide, wherein the metal in said at least one metal alkoxide is selected from the group consisting of zirconium, aluminium, titanium, tantalum and yttrium; forming a sol-gel solution by mixing said first and second solutions and thereby hydrolyzing said at least one metal alkoxide to a metal oxide and an alcohol; forming a concentrated solution by removing said lower alcohol and the alcohol resulting from the hydrolysis of said at least one metal alkoxide; and forming a coating solution by adding a medium alcohol to said concentrated solution.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring feature sizes having form birefringence.

Abstract: A trench capacitor having a conductive pillar in a central region of a trench. A first plate of the capacitor includes the substrate in the lower portion of the trench and the conductive pillar. The capacitor dielectric is disposed over the conductive pillar and the sidewalls of the trench lower portion. A second plate of the capacitor is a conductive material disposed over the dielectric material. The conductive pillar increases the surface area of the capacitor plates, increasing the capacitance of the capacitor. A top portion of the conductive pillar may be hollow, further increasing the surface area of the capacitor plates.

Abstract: A method for forming substantially uniformly thick, thermally grown, silicon dioxide material on a silicon body independent of bon axis. A trench is formed in a surface of the silicon body, such trench having sidewalls disposed in different crystallographic planes, one of such planes being the <100> crystallographic plane and another one of such planes being the <110> plane. A substantially uniform layer of silicon nitride is formed on the sidewalls. The trench, with the with substantially uniform layer of silicon nitride, is subjected to a silicon oxidation environment with sidewalls in the <110> plane being oxidized at a higher rate than sidewalls in the <100> plane producing silicon dioxide on the silicon nitride layer having thickness over the <110> plane greater than over the <100> plane.

Abstract: A method for eching a recess in a polysilicon region of a semiconductor device by applying a solution of NH4OH in water to the polysilicon.

Abstract: A method for forming substantially uniformly thick, thermally grown, silicon dioxide material on a silicon body independent of axis. A trench is formed in a surface of the silicon body, such trench having sidewalls disposed in different crystallographic planes, one of such planes being the <100> crystallographic plane and another one of such planes being the <110> plane. A substantially uniform layer of silicon nitride is formed on the sidewalls. The trench, with the substantially uniform layer of silicon nitride, is subjected to a silicon oxidation environment with sidewalls in the <110> plane being oxidized at a higher rate than sidewalls in the <100> plane producing silicon dioxide on the silicon nitride layer having thickness over the <110> plane greater than over the <100> plane.

Abstract: An a&pgr;&pgr;aratus and method for measuring feature sizes having form birefringence.

Abstract: A method for etching a recess in a polysilicon region of a semiconductor device by applying a solution of NH4OH in water to the polysilicon.

Abstract: A method for forming substantially uniformly thick, thermally grown, silicon dioxide material on a silicon body independent of bon axis. A trench is formed in a surface of the silicon body, such trench having sidewalls disposed in different crystallographic planes, one of such planes being the <100> crystallographic plane and another one of such planes being the <1 10> plane. A substantially uniform layer of silicon nitride is formed on the sidewalls. The trench, with the with substantially uniform layer of silicon nitride, is subjected to a silicon oxidation environment with sidewalls in the <110> plane being oxidized at a higher rate than sidewalls in the <100> plane producing silicon dioxide on the silicon nitride layer having thickness over the <110> plane greater than over the <100> plane.

Abstract: A method for clearing an isolation collar from a first interior surface of a deep trench at a location above a storage capacitor while leaving the isolation collar at other surfaces of the deep trench. A barrier material is deposited above a node conductor of the storage capacitor. A layer of silicon is deposited over the barrier material. Dopant ions are implanted at an angle into the layer of deposited silicon within the deep trench, thereby leaving the deposited silicon unimplanted along one side of the deep trench. The unimplanted silicon is etched. The isolation collar is removed in locations previously covered by the unimplanted silicon, leaving the isolation collar in locations covered by the implanted silicon.

Abstract: A semiconductor device formed by a method for aligning a strap diffusion, in accordance with the invention, includes the steps of providing a trench in a substrate, the trench having a storage node formed therein including a buried strap on top of the storage node, and depositing a dopant rich material on the buried strap. A trench top dielectric is formed on the dopant rich material, and portions of the dopant rich material are removed above the trench top dielectric. Dopants are outdiffused from the dopant rich material into an adjacent region of the substrate to form the strap diffusion by forming a gate in an upper portion of the trench such that the strap diffusion is operatively disposed relative to the gate.

Abstract: A method of using at least two insulative layers to form the isolation collar of a trench device, and the device formed therefrom. The first layer is preferably an oxide (e.g., silicon dioxide 116) formed on the trench substrate sidewalls, and is formed through a TEOS, LOCOS, or combined TEOS/LOCOS process. Preferably, both the TEOS process and the LOCOS process are used to form the first layer. The second layer is preferably a silicon nitride layer (114) formed on the oxide layer. The multiple layers function as an isolation collar stack for the trench. The dopant penetration barrier properties of the second layer permit the dielectric collar stack to be used as a self aligned mask for subsequent buried plate (120) doping.

Abstract: A method for forming an oxide collar in a trench, in accordance with the present invention, includes forming a trench in a silicon substrate, and depositing and recessing a nitride liner in the trench to expose a portion of the silicon substrate on sidewalls of the trench. An oxide is deposited selective to the nitride liner on the portion of the silicon substrate. Residue oxide is removed from surfaces of the nitride liner to form a collar in the trench.

Abstract: A system and method of forming an electrical connection (142) to the interior of a deep trench (104) in an integrated circuit utilizing a low-angle dopant implantation (114) to create a self-aligned mask over the trench. The electrical connection preferably connects the interior plate (110) of a trench capacitor to a terminal of a vertical trench transistor. The low-angle implantation process, in combination with a low-aspect ratio mask structure, generally enables the doping of only a portion of a material overlying or in the trench. The material may then be subjected to a process step, such as oxidation, with selectivity between the doped and undoped regions. Another process step, such as an etch process, may then be used to remove a portion of the material (120) overlying or in the trench, leaving a self-aligned mask (122) covering a portion of the trench, and the remainder of the trench exposed for further processing.