Abstract: A plurality of different metals, including precious metals, platinum group metals, rare earth elements, alkaline earth metals, etc., can be electrochemically recovered from waste materials such as ashes and e-waste, e.g., printed circuit boards. Waste feed stocks are treated with supercritical CO2 (scCO2) and acid to produce a solid delaminated waste and a liquid delaminated waste for recovery of elemental metals and metal compounds from each. Carbonation reactions can be used to convert and recover alkaline earth metals from the liquid delaminated waste. The solid delaminated waste can yield a solid gold product, and be further treated along with the liquid delaminated waste via a solvent including one or more organic ligands that bind target metals to form metal-ligand complexes. Electrochemical separation of the different metals, e.g., via stepwise variation of pH to release the metals from organic ligands having different pKa values, yields high purity metal product streams.

Abstract: Local interconnect structures and fabrication methods are provided. A dielectric layer can be formed on a semiconductor substrate. A first film layer can be patterned on the dielectric layer to define a region surrounded by a local interconnect structure to be formed. A sidewall spacer can be formed and patterned surrounding the first film layer on an exposed surface portion of the dielectric layer. A second film layer can be formed on the exposed surface portion of the dielectric layer and can have a top surface substantially flushed with a top surface of the sidewall spacer. The patterned sidewall spacer can be removed to form a first opening. After forming the first opening, the dielectric layer can be etched to form a second opening through the dielectric layer. The second opening can be filled with a conductive material to form the local interconnect structure.

Abstract: Local interconnect structures and fabrication methods are provided. A dielectric layer can be formed on a semiconductor substrate. A first film layer can be patterned on the dielectric layer to define a region surrounded by a local interconnect structure to be formed. A sidewall spacer can be formed and patterned surrounding the first film layer on an exposed surface portion of the dielectric layer. A second film layer can be formed on the exposed surface portion of the dielectric layer and can have a top surface substantially flushed with a top surface of the sidewall spacer. The patterned sidewall spacer can be removed to form a first opening. After forming the first opening, the dielectric layer can be etched to form a second opening through the dielectric layer. The second opening can be filled with a conductive material to form the local interconnect structure.

Abstract: A system and method for generating and/or managing virtual network(s) is provided. The system provides an interface for end-user(s) to create a virtual network (e.g., on-demand). The virtual network comprises a plurality of servers that allow the user to, for example, develop and/or test software, migrate applications, apply tasks and/or troubleshoot scenarios in a simulated, distributed environment. A user can communicate with the system via an interface (e.g., web-based) to create and/or manage the virtual network. Additionally, the system can employ a common infrastructure to facilitate creation and/or management of a variety of virtual deployment configurations. The common infrastructure can be designed, for example, by administrator(s) having knowledge of hardware and/or software available for employment within the virtual network. The system can further provide a load-balancing mechanism to determine and/or distribute workload to computer(s) with available resource(s).

Abstract: A system and method for generating and/or managing virtual network(s) is provided. The system provides an interface for end-user(s) to create a virtual network (e.g., on-demand). The virtual network comprises a plurality of servers that allow the user to, for example, develop and/or test software, migrate applications, apply tasks and/or troubleshoot scenarios in a simulated, distributed environment. A user can communicate with the system via an interface (e.g., web-based) to create and/or manage the virtual network. Additionally, the system can employ a common infrastructure to facilitate creation and/or management of a variety of virtual deployment configurations. The common infrastructure can be designed, for example, by administrator(s) having knowledge of hardware and/or software available for employment within the virtual network. The system can further provide a load-balancing mechanism to determine and/or distribute workload to computer(s) with available resource(s).