Abstract: Multi-chamber suction cups, robotic gripper elements including the same and sensing methods are provided. A multi-chamber suction cup includes a single bellows suction cup structure, and at least one internal wall defining at least two internal chambers within the single bellows suction cup structure, each of the at least two internal chambers sharing a common port for connecting to a common vacuum source, and each of the at least two internal chambers including a port for connecting to separate pressure transducers. Using the novel suction cups, novel haptic exploration methods may be implemented that can estimate the surface texture of an object and the surface normal of a curved object using sliding and palpation motion, respectively. The suction cup can also be used to localize breaks in the suction seal when the suction cup is about to detach from an object.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition for the diagnosis of a degenerative brain disease, comprising hpmA, which is a substance derived from Proteus, Shigella, Klebsiella pneumoniae, or Citrobacter, preferably a Proteus mirabilis strain, from a biological sample of a subject. In addition, the present invention relates to a method for providing information for the diagnosis of a degenerative brain disease such as Parkinson's disease, brain neuritis (neuroinflammation), or Alzheimer's disease, by measuring the amount of hpmA.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for depositing a thin film, including a processing chamber having a film forming part and a deposition preventing part, the deposition preventing part being peripheral to the film forming part, an evaporation source in fluid communication with the processing chamber for accommodating a deposition material, and a heat absorbing plate formed in the deposition preventing part of the processing chamber, wherein the heat absorbing plate is positioned to surround a substrate placed in the film forming part of the processing chamber.

Abstract: A method for in-situ polycrystalline thin film growth is provided. A catalyst enhanced chemical vapor deposition (CECVD) apparatus is used to grow the polycrystalline silicon thin film. No subsequent annealing or dehydrogenating process is needed. The method comprises exhausting a chamber to form a vacuum chamber, and then purging vacuum chamber and introducing a catalyst. A substrate is then placed in the vacuum chamber and reaction gas is injected into the chamber. The reaction gas reacts with the catalyst in the chamber to grow a polycrystalline thin film on the substrate. The inventive method reduces processing time and production cost and can be used to fabricate larger devices due to the elimination of bulky annealing equipment.

Abstract: A vapor deposition source has a reduced size by disposing a crucible, a heating portion, and a nozzle portion in one defined space. A vapor deposition apparatus deposits deposition materials on a substrate using the vapor deposition source. The vapor deposition source includes a housing, and the crucible is mounted in the housing for vaporizing the deposition materials. The heating portion is installed adjacent to the crucible in the housing for heating the crucible. The nozzle portion injects the vaporized deposition materials into a substrate disposed at an exterior of the housing through an injection nozzle. The vapor deposition source is manufactured in a smaller and lightweight form in comparison with conventional vapor deposition sources in which a crucible and a nozzle portion are arranged in different spaces.

Abstract: The invention provides a chuck plate assembly that includes a shadow mask formed with a predetermined pattern; a shadow mask frame holding the shadow mask and having heat-radiating and cooling functions; a substrate aligned with the shadow mask and onto which deposition materials from a deposition source are deposited; and a chuck plate, attaching the substrate to the shadow mask, that includes a refrigerant circulating duct. The temperature of the substrate is optimized in consideration of the temperature of the shadow mask so that an alignment error due to thermal deformation is minimized. That is, the temperature of the shadow mask itself is prevented from rising, and thereby prevents deformation of the shadow mask due to thermal expansion, which improves the precision of a substrate pattern position.