Abstract: A fabrication method comprising: forming a mask of an amorphous material over a crystalline surface of a substrate, the mask having a pattern of openings defining areas of an active region in which one or more components of one or more active devices are to be formed, the mask further defining a non-active region in which no active devices are to be formed; and forming a deposition material through the mask by an epitaxial growth process. The deposition material thus forms in the openings of the active region. The pattern of openings through the mask further comprises one or more reservoirs formed in the non-active region, each of the reservoirs being connected by the pattern of openings in the mask to at least one of the areas in the active region, and the deposition material forming in the reservoirs as part of the epitaxial growth.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a device, comprising forming portions of electronic circuitry and a shadow wall structure over a substrate, and subsequently depositing a conducting layer over the substrate by angled deposition of a conducting material in at least a first deposition direction at an acute angle relative to the plane of the substrate. The shadow wall structure is arranged to cast a shadow in the deposition, leaving areas where the conducting material is not deposited. The shadow wall structure comprises one or more gaps each shorter than a shadow length of a respective part of the shadow wall structure casting the shadow into the gap, to prevent the conducting material forming in the gaps and to thereby create regions of said upper conducting layer that are electrically isolated from one another. These are arranged to form conducting elements for applying signals to, and/or receiving signals from, the electronic circuitry.

Abstract: A microfluidic device for analyzing permeability of substances through a membrane. Flow channels pass respective fluid flows with the substances through the housing between respective connectors. An access cavity extends from outside into the housing through the first flow channel and into the second flow channel for accessing an inside of the housing. The membrane can be placed over a cavity opening forming a fluid interconnection between overlapping areas of the flow channels A clamping ring in the first flow channel holds the sample membrane in place over the cavity opening while the membrane is exposed to the respective fluid flows through the flow channels on either sides of the membrane.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a device, comprising forming portions of electronic circuitry and a shadow wall structure over a substrate, and subsequently depositing a conducting layer over the substrate by angled deposition of a conducting material in at least a first deposition direction at an acute angle relative to the plane of the substrate. The shadow wall structure is arranged to cast a shadow in the deposition, leaving areas where the conducting material is not deposited. The shadow wall structure comprises one or more gaps each shorter than a shadow length of a respective part of the shadow wall structure casting the shadow into the gap, to prevent the conducting material forming in the gaps and to thereby create regions of said upper conducting layer that are electrically isolated from one another. These are arranged to form conducting elements for applying signals to, and/or receiving signals from, the electronic circuitry.

Abstract: A semiconductor-superconductor hybrid device comprises a semiconductor layer and a superconductor layer. The superconductor layer is arranged over an edge of the semiconductor layer so as to enable energy level hybridisation between the semiconductor layer and the superconductor layer. The semiconductor layer is arranged in a sandwich structure between first and second insulating layers, each insulating layer being in contact with a respective opposed face of the semiconductor layer. This configuration may allow for good control over the geometry of the semiconductor layer and may improve tolerance to manufacturing variations. The device may be useful in a quantum computer. Also provided is a method of manufacturing the device, and a method of inducing topological behaviour in the device.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the hydrogenation of a reactant selected from the group consisting of: at the ring-closing carbon atom and has a proton at a (a) a 5- or 6-membered lactone that is substituted carbon atom adjacent to the ring-closing carbon atom; (b) an ester of a carboxylic acid having a gamma-carbonyl group and a proton at a carbon atom adjacent to the carbon atom of the carbonyl group; and (c) a carboxylic acid having a gamma-carbonyl group and a proton at a carbon atom adjacent to the carbon atom of the carbonyl group, wherein the reactant is contacted with a strongly acidic heterogeneous catalyst comprising a hydrogenating metal, in the presence of hydrogen, at a temperature in the range of from 100 to 350° C. and a pressure in the range of from 1 to 150 bar (absolute). The invention further provides a fuel composition, preferably a diesel composition, comprising di-alkyl 4-methylnonanedioate or di-alkyl 3-ethyl-4-methylheptanedioate.

Abstract: A process for reactive distillation wherein a carboxylic acid is reacted in a reaction section of a reactive distillation column with an alcohol under esterifying conditions in the presence of a catalyst to form an ester, wherein a first supply stream comprising the carboxylic acid, a second supply stream comprising the alcohol and a third supply stream comprising an inert entrainer are supplied to the reactive distillation column, wherein the first supply stream is supplied to the column at a first entry level located just above or at the top of the reaction section, the second supply stream is supplied to the column at a second entry level located in or just below the reaction section and below the first entry level, and the third supply stream is supplied to the column at a third entry level located in or below the reaction section and not above the second entry level and wherein a bottom stream comprising the ester formed and unreacted carboxylic acid is obtained and a top stream comprising unreacted alco

Abstract: A hydrogenation process for the conversion of a reactant selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid having a carbonyl group and an ester of a carboxylic acid having a carbonyl group to form a carboxylic acid or an ester with a hydroxyl group or a lactone, wherein the reactant is contacted with a heterogeneous catalyst comprising a hydrogenating compound, in the presence of formic acid, at a temperature in the range of from 150 to 400° C. and a pressure in the range of from 1.0 to 150 bar (absolute).

Abstract: A process for reactive distillation wherein a carboxylic acid is reacted in a reaction section of a reactive distillation column with an alcohol under esterifying conditions in the presence of a catalyst to form an ester, wherein a first supply stream comprising the carboxylic acid, a second supply stream comprising the alcohol and a third supply stream comprising an inert entrainer are supplied to the reactive distillation column, wherein the first supply stream is supplied to the column at a first entry level located just above or at the top of the reaction section, the second supply stream is supplied to the column at a second entry level located in or just below the reaction section and below the first entry level, and the third supply stream is supplied to the column at a third entry level located in or below the reaction section and not above the second entry level and wherein a bottom stream comprising the ester formed and unreacted carboxylic acid is obtained and a top stream comprising unreacted alco

Abstract: A process for the liquefaction of lignocellulosic or cellulosic material, wherein solid lignocellulosic or cellulosic material is heated at a temperature in the range of from 100 to 300° C. in the presence of an acid catalyst and a solvent, wherein the solvent-to-solid material weight ratio is at most 50, the acid catalyst is present in a concentration of at most 50% by weight of acid based on the weight of solvent and acid, and the solvent comprises a compound having a gamma lactone group of the general molecular formula (1) wherein R1 to R6 each represent, independently, a hydrogen atom or an organic group connected with a carbon atom to the lactone group or the solvent comprises furfural, levulinic acid or a compound obtainable from furfural or levulinic acid by hydrogenation, dehydration, aldolcondensation, dimerisation or oligomerisation, esterification with an alcohol, or a combination of two or more of these reactions.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for organosolv pulping, wherein solid lignocellulosic feed material is heated at a temperature in the range of from 50 to 210° C. in a solvent to obtain a solid cellulosic fraction comprising at least 50 wt % of the cellulose present in the feed material and a liquid fraction, wherein the solvent comprises at least 10 wt % of a compound according to general molecular formula wherein R1 to R6 each represent, independently, a hydrogen atom or an organic group connected with a carbon atom to the lactone group. The invention further provides the use of a compound according to general molecular formula (1) in a solvent for organosolv pulping.

Abstract: A manufacturing process for the preparation of ?,?-branched alkane carboxylic acids, by reacting a mono-olefin or a precursor thereof, with carbon monoxide in the presence of a strong acid catalyst characterized in that the starting olefin is a dimmer C8 or trimer C12 derived from n-butene, which predominantly comprise 2-butene, that the acid catalyst is composed of BF3/H3PO4 in a molar ratio of BF3:H3PO4 in the range of from 0.5:1.0 to 5.0:1.0, or of CF3SO 3H, that the weight ratio of the catalyst relative to the mono-olefin is in the range of from 1:1 to 10:1, that the reaction is carried out at a temperature in the range of from 60 to 140° C., and with an initial water content in the catalyst system in the range of from 8 to 25 wt %; and vinyl esters and glycidyl esters derived from said carboxylic acids.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the hydrogenation of a reactant selected from the group consisting of: (a) a 5- or 6-membered lactone that is substituted at the ring-closing carbon atom and has a proton at a carbon atom adjacent to the ring-closing carbon atom; (b) an ester of a carboxylic acid having a gamma-carbonyl group and a proton at a carbon atom adjacent to the carbon atom of the carbonyl group; and (c) a carboxylic acid having a gamma-carbonyl group and a proton at a carbon atom adjacent to the carbon atom of the carbonyl group, wherein the reactant is contacted with a strongly acidic heterogeneous catalyst comprising a hydrogenating metal, in the presence of hydrogen, at a temperature in the range of from 100 to 350° C. and a pressure in the range of from 1 to 150 bar (absolute). The invention further provides a fuel composition, preferably a diesel composition, comprising di-alkyl 4-methylnonanedioate or di-alkyl 3-ethyl-4-methylheptanedioate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for dimerisation of levulinic acid, wherein an organic phase comprising levulinic acid is contacted, in the presence of hydrogen, with a strong acidic heterogeneous catalyst comprising a hydrogenating metal, at a temperature in the range of from 60 to 170° C. and a pressure in the range of from 1 to 200 bar (absolute). The invention further relates to dimers of levulinic acid and their esters, to a mixture comprising levulinic acid and its dimers obtainable by such process and to an ester mixture obtainable by esterifying such mixture of levulinic acid and its dimers.

Abstract: A manufacturing process for the preparation of a, a-branched alkane carboxylic acids, by reacting a mono-olefin or a precursor thereof, with carbon monoxide in the presence of a strong acid catalyst characterized in that the starting olefin is a dimmer C8 or trimer C12 derived from n-butene, which predominantly comprise 2-butene, that the acid catalyst is composed of BF3/H3PO4 in a molar ratio of BF3:H3PO4 in the range of from 0.5:1.0 to 5.0:1.0, or of CF3SO3H, that the weight ratio of the catalyst relative to the mono-olefin is in the range of from 1:1 to 10:1, that the reaction is carried out at a temperature in the range of from 60 to 140° C., and with an initial water content in the catalyst system in the range of from 8 to 25 wt %; and vinyl esters and glycidyl esters derived from said carboxylic acids.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for generating X-rays (57). The device comprises a source (7) for emitting electrons (53) and a liquid metal for emitting X-rays as a result of the incidence of electrons. The device further comprises a displacing member (11) for displacing the liquid metal through an impingement position (55) where the electrons emitted by the source impinge upon the liquid metal. As a result of the flow of liquid metal through the impingement position the heat, which is generated in the impingement position as a result of the incidence of the electrons upon the liquid metal, is transported away from the impingement position. According to the invention, the displacing member (11) has a contact surface (61), which is in contact with the liquid metal in the impingement position (55), and a driving member (31) for moving the contact surface in a direction which, in the impingement position, is substantially parallel to the contact surface.

Abstract: A filter arrangement for a recording/reproducing wherein an air filter is adapted to filter an air flow of ambient air present within the housing during operation of the device flowing over an information surface of a rotating information disc disposed adjacent to the information surface in parallel spaced relation thereto, a casing within the housing encasing an information surface of an information disc disposed on the disc driving arrangement and provided with an air inlet for air to be filtered and an air exhaust for filtered air.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for generating X-rays (57). The device comprises a source (7) for emitting electrons (53) and a liquid metal for emitting X-rays as a result of the incidence of electrons. The device further comprises a displacing member (11) for displacing the liquid metal through an impingement position (55) where the electrons emitted by the source impinge upon the liquid metal. As a result of the flow of liquid metal through the impingement position the heat, which is generated in the impingement position as a result of the incidence of the electrons upon the liquid metal, is transported away from the impingement position.

Abstract: A recording/reproducing device for recording/reproducing information on/from an information disc, which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, by means of a pick-up device movable over the rotating information disc comprises:

Abstract: A fast, novel method is disclosed which permits to determine the electrical features of an antenna. The antenna is excited with an ultra-short voltage pulse and the far field radiation pattern of the antenna is measured. The resulting time-varying field distribution across the antenna aperture is then reconstructed using time domain holography. A direct analysis of the holographic plot permits the determination a wide range of electrical properties of the antenna.