Abstract: An airfoil of a turbine blade is provided. At least one sensor element is integrated into the material of the turbine blade airfoil in order to directly determine the progress of erosion of the turbine blade airfoil.

Abstract: A guide vane of a condensation turbine steam turbine is provided, wherein the guide vane includes a heating resistor. The guide vane includes fiber composite material at least in some regions. The heating resistor may be embodied as a heating wire or as a heating film. A condensation steam turbine having a guide vane as described above is also provided.

Abstract: A turbine blade, a turbine and a method of manufacturing a damping zone of a turbine blade are provided. The turbine blade includes a damping zone with a damping layer and the damping layer has a fiber matrix system. The fiber matrix system has a thermoplastic matrix. Reinforcing fibers are embedded in the thermoplastic matrix.

Abstract: A method of minimizing stress within large area semiconductor devices which utilize a GaAs substrate and one or more thick layers of AlxGa1-xAs is provided, as well as the resultant device. In general, each thick AlxGa1-xAs layer within the semiconductor structure is replaced, during the structure's fabrication, with an AlxGa1-xAszP1-z layer of approximately the same thickness and with the same concentrations of Al and Ga. The AlxGa1-xAszP1-z layer is lattice matched to the GaAs substrate by replacing a small percentage of the As in the layer with P.

Abstract: A spoken request for directory assistance is placed through a mobile telephone in a conventional manner and data representing information responsive to the request is placed in an easily accessible and actionable database for subsequent retrieval. Actions designed for the type of information, including navigation directions for information which includes a location, are associated with the information and made available to the mobile telephone. Each of these actions are available to the user with only a few key clicks on the reduced keypad of the mobile telephone and initial specification of the place of interest using the same reduced keypad is avoided by allowing the user to simply speak to identify the place of interest.