Abstract: An energy storage system can comprise a stack of multiple battery modules, a plurality of ultrasound emitter transducers, a plurality of ultrasound receiving transducers, one or more excitation modules, one or more capture modules, and an ultrasound battery management system. Each ultrasound emitter transducer and each ultrasound receiving transducer can be acoustically coupled to a surface of a respective one of the battery modules. The excitation module(s) can be electrically interfaced with the plurality of ultrasound emitter transducers, and the capture module(s) can be electrically interface with the plurality of ultrasound receiving transducers. The ultrasound battery management system controller can be configured to initiate battery module ultrasound interrogation sequences.

Abstract: An energy storage device management system can include a management portion for charging/discharging an energy storage device and an ultrasound interrogation portion for passing ultrasound energy through the energy storage device during charge/discharge cycles. A memory stores a stream of capture data instances derived from ultrasound energy exiting the energy storage device and baseline ultrasound data instances corresponding with the energy storage device during normal charging/discharging thereof. A processor can compare each capture data instance with the baseline ultrasound data and detect abnormal operating states of the energy storage device. A warning system can issue a notification when abnormal operating states are detected.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) and method are provided for thermally processing substrates (108) held in a carrier (106). The apparatus (100) includes a vessel (101) having a top (134), side (136) and bottom (138), and a heat source (110) with heating elements (112-1, 112-2, 112-3) proximal thereto. The vessel (101) is sized to enclose a volume substantially no larger than necessary to accommodate the carrier (106), and to provide an isothermal process zone (128) extending throughout. In one embodiment, the bottom wall (138) includes a movable pedestal (140) with a bottom heating element therein (112-1), and the pedestal can be lowered and raised to insert the carrier (106) into the vessel (101). The apparatus (100) can include a movable shield (146) that is inserted between the pedestal (140) and the carrier (106) to shield the substrates (108) from the heating element (112-1) and to maintain pedestal temperature.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, apparatus and article of manufacture for capturing three-dimensional (3D) model data and structure maintained by a computer-implemented graphics program for display and manipulation. Calls made by the graphics program to a graphics library for displaying and manipulating the 3D model data are captured, and the captured calls are translated into a structure associated with the 3D model data, wherein the structure is saved for subsequent display and manipulation. The structure associated with the 3D model data comprises an assembly hierarchy associated with the 3D model data, wherein the assembly hierarchy is comprised of one or more parts and a hierarchical organization of the parts.

Abstract: Thermal treatment is an important process in the manufacture of integrated circuits. As integrated circuits evolve to become smaller and faster, there is an increasing need to for higher precision thermal treatment systems that can efficiently and uniformly heat these circuits without damaging them. Accordingly, the present inventors devised, among other things, an exemplary thermal treatment system that includes a microwave-reflective containment chamber, an inner microwave-transparent process chamber within the containment chamber, a microwave-transparent wafer carrier within the process chamber; and a 5.8 Gigahertz microwave source for introducing microwave radiation within the outer chamber. The system can be used to efficiently oxidize a batch of vertically stacked of silicon wafers using a 10% concentration of ozone.

Abstract: A double wall reaction chamber assembly comprising a cylindrical inner wall and a cylindrical outer wall axially parallel thereto, the inner wall having an annular junction with a thickened annular junction flange on the outer surface thereof. The lower end of the outer wall being fused to the outer surface of the thickened annular junction. The outer surface of the inner wall and the inner surface of the annular junction flange define a sloping annular drainage channel to a downwardly sloping drainage port, enabling liquid to drain from the junction. The double wall reaction chamber assembly has a cylindrical inner wall and a cylindrical outer wall axially parallel thereto. It has a lower end fused to the inner wall. A gas distribution tube has a gas inlet end and a gas distributor end, the gas distributor end comprising a split tee having a junction.