Abstract: A metal gasket made of soft, malleable metals such as aluminum, copper, or shape memory metals formed with specified deformable geometric features that enable the gasket to form ultra high vacuum or ultra high purity hermetic seals with very low permeation. These features permit a simple shape that may be used in unique grooves, conventional elastomeric o-ring grooves, or independently.

Abstract: A hypobaric apparatus and methods capable of inducing and maintaining in stored horticultural cellular tissue controlled pervaporation of undesired chemical compounds without reaching the boiling point of intracellular water molecules, comprising a hypobaric chamber constructed to provide a leak rate of less than 4.0 mm Hg per hour, sensors and regulators coupled to the chamber and to a controller to measure and regulate target correlates. Commodities processed, including processing storage periods longer than any known involving controlled atmosphere, exhibit an absence of low oxygen injury, high carbon dioxide injury, chilling injury, leaf abscission, leaf de-greening, fungal decay, bacterial decay, gravitational curving, geotropic curvatures, leaf epinasty, stem epinasty, flower fading, senescence, live invertebrates at any life stage, fumigant chemical compounds, volatile fungicides, volatile bactericides; no advance in ripening; minimal water loss.

Abstract: A hypobaric apparatus and methods capable of inducing and maintaining in stored horticultural cellular tissue controlled pervaporation of undesired chemical compounds without reaching the boiling point of intracellular water molecules, comprising a hypobaric chamber constructed to provide a leak rate of less than 4.0 mm Hg per hour, sensors and regulators coupled to the chamber and to a controller to measure and regulate target correlates. Commodities processed, including processing storage periods longer than any known involving controlled atmosphere, exhibit an absence of low oxygen injury, high carbon dioxide injury, chilling injury, leaf abscission, leaf de-greening, fungal decay, bacterial decay, gravitational curving, geotropic curvatures, leaf epinasty, stem epinasty, flower fading, senescence, live invertebrates at any life stage, fumigant chemical compounds, volatile fungicides, volatile bactericides; no advance in ripening; minimal water loss.

Abstract: A connector for use in an ultra-high vacuum system that has a metal conduit section with a first hardness, a metal fitting member with a second hardness greater than the first hardness of the conduit section, and a metallic reaction-inhibiting barrier positioned between the conduit section and the fitting member to sealingly attach the conduit section and fitting member together. The metal conduit section has a first end, a second end, and a flow path between the first and second ends. The metal fitting member has a rear face proximate to the second end of the conduit section, a front face facing away from the rear face, and an opening between the front and rear faces aligned with the flow path of the conduit section. The reaction-inhibiting member also has an aperture aligned with the flow path of the conduit section and the opening of the fitting member.