Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling the temperature of a component of an internal combustion engine is provided. The apparatus may be used to cool the combustibles such as the fuel, gasoline, diesel or alcohol or the inhaled air that is mixed with the fuel before the air and fuel, charge, enters the combustion chamber of the engine. Moreover, the apparatus may be used to cool fluids of an engine or transmission.

Abstract: An integrated microelectronic circuit has a multi-layer interconnect structure overlying the transistors consisting of stacked metal pattern layers and insulating layers separating adjacent ones of said metal pattern layers. Each of the insulating layers is a dielectric material with plural gas bubbles distributed within the volume of the dielectric material to reduce the dielectric constant of the material, the gas bubbles being formed by ion implantation of a gaseous species into the dielectric material.

Abstract: One method of performing plasma immersion ion implantation on a workpiece in a plasma reactor chamber includes initially depositing a seasoning film on the interior surfaces of the plasma reactor chamber before the workpiece is introduced, by introducing a seasoning film precursor gas into the chamber and generating a plasma within the chamber, performing plasma immersion ion implantation on the workpiece by introducing an implant species precursor gas into the chamber and generating a plasma, and then removing the workpiece from the chamber and removing the seasoning film from the chamber interior surfaces.

Abstract: A method of performing plasma immersion ion implantation on a workpiece in a plasma reactor chamber, includes placing the workpiece on a workpiece support in the chamber, controlling a temperature of the wafer support near a constant level; performing plasma immersion ion implantation on the workpiece by introducing an implant species precursor gas into the chamber and generating a plasma while minimizing deposition and minimizing etching by holding the temperature of the workpiece within a temperature range that is above a workpiece deposition threshold temperature and below a workpiece etch threshold temperature.

Abstract: A process for conformally doping through the vertical and horizontal surfaces of a 3-dimensional vertical transistor in a semiconductor-on-insulator structure employs an RF oscillating torroidal plasma current to perform either conformal ion implantation, or conformal deposition of a dopant-containing film which can then be heated to drive the dopants into the transistor. Some embodiments employ both conformal ion implantation and conformal deposition of dopant containing films, and in those embodiments in which the dopant containing film is a pure dopant, the ion implantation and film deposition can be performed simultaneously.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides an improved pedestal for supporting a substrate. The pedestal has greatest application during a plasma etching process, such as for a quartz photomask, or “reticle.” The pedestal defines a body, and a substrate support base along an upper surface of the body. The substrate support base has an outer edge, and an intermediate substrate support ridge for receiving and supporting the substrate. At least a portion of the substrate support base outside of the intermediate substrate support ridge is fabricated from a dielectric material. The purpose is to couple greater RF power through the reticle in order to enhance the plasma etching process.

Abstract: A septic tank effluent distribution device, which is comprised of an influent collection chamber, a novel automatic dosing mechanism in conjunction with a pressure distribution chamber. The equal distribution of effluent resulting from this invention greatly improves the efficiency of gravity flow distribution systems. This device is intended to install as the distribution box for any slow-flow soil absorption system, transforming the distribution efficiency of the system to that of a powerful dose, using a simple and reliable technology.

Abstract: A closed loop heat exchange catheter can be placed in the rectum of a patient to cool or warm the patient.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor-on-insulator structure from a pair of semiconductor wafers, includes forming an oxide layer on at least a first surface of a first one of the wafers and performing a bonding enhancement implantation step by ion implantation of a first species in the first surface of at least either of the pair of wafers. The method further includes performing a cleavage ion implantation step on one of the pair of wafers by ion implanting a second species to define a cleavage plane across a diameter of the wafer at the predetermined depth below the top surface of the one wafer. The wafers are then bonded together by placing the first surfaces of the pair of wafers onto one another so as to form an semiconductor-on-insulator structure.

Abstract: A method for implanting ions in a surface layer of a workpiece includes placing the workpiece on a workpiece support in a chamber with the surface layer being in facing relationship with a ceiling of the chamber, thereby defining a processing zone between the workpiece and the ceiling, and introducing into the chamber a process gas which includes the species to be implanted in the surface layer of the workpiece. The method further includes generating from the process gas a plasma by inductively coupling RF source power into the processing zone from an RF source power generator through an inductively coupled RF power applicator, and applying an RF bias from an RF bias generator to the workpiece support.

Abstract: A system for processing a workpiece includes a plasma immersion implantation reactor with an enclosure comprising a side wall and a ceiling and defining a chamber, and a workpiece support pedestal within the chamber having a workpiece support surface facing the ceiling and defining a process region extending generally across the wafer support pedestal. The reactor includes a gas distribution apparatus for introducing a process gas containing a first species to be ion implanted into a surface layer of the workpiece, and inductively coupled source power applicator, and an RF plasma source power generator coupled to the inductively coupled source power applicator for inductively coupling RF source power into the process zone. The reactor further includes an RF bias generator having an RF bias frequency and coupled to the workpiece support pedestal for applying an RF bias to the workpiece.

Abstract: Goods are delivered to recipients during, e.g., isolation or quarantine during an epidemic such as SARS such that the contents of a package, once sterile, remain sterile until opened. Also, the external surface of the package remains free of infectious agents since it is not touched by anyone after sterilization other than the intended recipient. To do this, delivery personnel do not have to touch or otherwise interact with the distribution system in a way that could contaminate the packages through direct or indirect contact.

Abstract: A closed loop heat exchange catheter can be placed in a patient suffering from cardiac arrest or myocardial infarction to cool the patient. Oxygen is infused into the patient to provide extra oxygen to the heart. Both modalities reduce infarct volume.

Abstract: A tethering system according to the present invention comprises a housing having front and back surfaces and a tether internal to the housing. A spring is also internal to the housing and arranged to allow the tether to be extended from the tether housing against the force of the spring, with the spring urging the tether to retract into the housing. A mounting apparatus is included on the back surface of the tether housing and is arranged to mount the tether housing to a person. A holstering system is included on the front surface of the tether housing and arranged to allow a personal device to be mounted to the tether housing with the tether attached to the personal device. The tether is extendable to allow use of the personal device by the person. The spring and tether also preventing the personal device from falling to the ground.

Abstract: A closed loop heat exchange catheter can be placed in the rectum of a patient to or warm the patient.

Abstract: An introducer sheath for a catheter includes an angling membrane formed at its distal end and an inflate/deflate mechanism formed at its proximal end to deploy the angling membrane. The sheath further includes two hollow body shafts connected at the distal end and can concentrically accommodate the catheter inside the shafts for positioning the catheter in a patient's vena cava system. The introducer sheath is used for positioning at least a portion of the catheter in the inferior vena cava from a chest or neck insertion point. Once the catheter's heat exchange elements are firmly positioned in the inferior vena cava, the angling membrane can be deflated and the angling introducer sheath removed leaving the catheter in place.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling the temperature of a component of an internal combustion engine is provided. The apparatus may be used to cool the combustibles such as the fuel, gasoline, diesel or alcohol or the inhaled air that is mixed with the fuel before the air and fuel, charge, enters the combustion chamber of the engine. Moreover, the apparatus may be used to cool fluids of an engine or transmission.

Abstract: Catheters adapted to exchange heat with a body fluid flowing through a body conduit employ helical elongate lumens for heat transfer with the body fluid. The helical elongate lumen of a catheter forms multiple turns extending longitudinally of a portion of the catheter with the turns each being bonded to the catheter along a fraction of the length of the turn. The length of the lumen and its orientation in each turn has the lumen otherwise displaced over a major portion of its length from the elongate body. The turns of the helical lumen can be arranged in sets having different lengths to encounter all areas of the flow. One or more infusion lumens may also extend to an infusion port or ports. The helical elongate lumen is defined by an elongate, thin-walled element. This lumen is in fluid communication with a heater/chiller supplying a working fluid for heat transfer through the wall of the elongate element defining the helical elongate lumen.

Abstract: There is disclosed a plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor workpiece such as a wafer, including a chamber having an overhead ceiling with a three-dimensional shape such as a hemisphere or dome. The reactor further includes an inductive antenna over the ceiling which may be conformal or nonconformal in shape with the ceiling. The ceiling may be a semiconductor material so that it can function as both a window for the inductive field of the antenna as well as an electrode which can be grounded, or to which RF power may be applied or which may be allowed to float electrically. The reactor includes various features which allow the radial distribution of the plasma ion density across the wafer surface to be adjusted to an optimum distribution for processing uniformity across the wafer surface.

Abstract: The invention is embodied in a plasma reactor including a plasma reactor chamber and a workpiece support for holding a workpiece near a support plane inside the chamber during processing, the chamber having a reactor enclosure portion facing the support, a cold body overlying the reactor enclosure portion, a plasma source power applicator between the reactor enclosure portion and the cold body and a thermally conductor between and in contact with the cold body and the reactor enclosure. The thermal conductor and the cold sink define a cold sink interface therebetween, the reactor preferably further including a thermally conductive substance within the cold sink interface for reducing the thermal resistance across the cold sink interface. The thermally conductive substance can be a thermally conductive gas filling the cold body interface. Alternatively, the thermally conductive substance can be a thermally conductive solid material.