Abstract: A slip ring system of an electrically excited dynamoelectric machine can be designed to be closed or open and includes a carrier segment configured to include a brush holder which includes a brush pocket for receiving a brush. The brush holder includes means for cooling the brush in the brush holder and/or for cooling the brush holder and has a surface-enlarging structure so as to enable a cooling air flow to be guided within the slip ring system and thereby cool the brush holder and/or brush pocket.

Abstract: A control valve for controlling a gas throughflow having an elongated housing which delimits a flow channel and which is divided into an inflow portion, a drive portion, and an outflow portion. A gear mechanism device has a drive shaft and a round slider element which is arranged in a displaceable manner along the longitudinal axis and which has an external valve seat face which closes an annular gap between itself and an internal face of the outflow portion, and a flow element that faces the inflow portion and has a spherical cap-like external face which directs the gas which comes from the inflow portion into an annular gap between the gear mechanism device and the internal face of the drive portion. A flotation installation having at least one such control valve and the use of such a control valve in a flotation installation are also disclosed.

Abstract: Structures for a ferroelectric field-effect transistor and methods of forming a structure for a ferroelectric field-effect transistor. The structure comprises a gate stack having a ferroelectric layer, a first conductor layer, and a second conductor layer positioned in a vertical direction between the first conductor layer and the ferroelectric layer. The first conductor layer comprises a first material, the second conductor layer comprises a second material different from the first material, and the second conductor layer is in direct contact with the ferroelectric layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a valve apparatus for a gaseous medium, having a valve body with an opening which can be flowed through in the flow direction by the medium and is delimited by way of a circumferential face in the valve body. An orifice is arranged in a gap within the valve body such that it can be displaced perpendicularly with respect to the flow direction, in order to influence the flow through the opening. The gap divides the circumferential face into an inlet-side and an outlet-side part circumferential face. The outlet-side part circumferential face has a first edge which faces the orifice and a second edge which faces away from the orifice. The first edge is assigned at least one geometrical feature which is configured to make the first edge non-uniform.

Abstract: The invention relates to a valve mechanism (1; 1?) for controlling a fluid, comprising a housing (2; 2?) that has a fluid duct (3), further comprising a valve body (5) that is mounted on the housing (2) so as to be adjustable between an open position in which the valve body allows the fluid (F) to flow through the fluid duct (3) and a closed position in which the valve body fluid-tightly seals the fluid duct, and comprising a membrane-like sealing element (13) which is secured to the housing (2) at a first end portion (14) and to the valve body (5) at a second end portion. In the open state of the valve body (5), a side of the sealing element (13) that faces away from the fluid duct (3) rests against a wall section (17) between the two end portions (14, 15).

Abstract: The invention relates to a valve apparatus for a gaseous medium, having a valve body with an opening which can be flowed through in the flow direction by the medium and is delimited by way of a circumferential face in the valve body. An orifice is arranged in a gap within the valve body such that it can be displaced perpendicularly with respect to the flow direction, in order to influence the flow through the opening. The gap divides the circumferential face into an inlet-side and an outlet-side part circumferential face. The outlet-side part circumferential face has a first edge which faces the orifice and a second edge which faces away from the orifice. The first edge is assigned at least one geometrical feature which is configured to make the first edge non-uniform.

Abstract: A regulating slide valve apparatus having a housing which forms a duct through which a gaseous or liquid medium can flow having an inlet longitudinal portion, an outlet longitudinal portion, and an adjustable regulating element for varying the flow cross section of the duct and adjusting the throughflow rate. A seat ring element is provided in the duct, the regulating element has a first longitudinal portion which has a circular cross section with diameters that vary in the longitudinal direction, and the regulating element is adjustable in the longitudinal direction of the duct along an adjustment travel. In a closure position the regulating element lies against the seat ring element and closes the duct and, in an open position, forms an annular gap through which flow can pass, with the seat ring element.

Abstract: The invention relates to a valve mechanism (1; 1?) for controlling a fluid, comprising a housing (2; 2?) that has a fluid duct (3), further comprising a valve body (5) that is mounted on the housing (2) so as to be adjustable between an open position in which the valve body allows the fluid (F) to flow through the fluid duct (3) and a closed position in which the valve body fluid-tightly seals the fluid duct, and comprising a membrane-like sealing element (13) which is secured to the housing (2) at a first end portion (14) and to the valve body (5) at a second end portion. In the open state of the valve body (5), a side of the sealing element (13) that faces away from the fluid duct (3) rests against a wall section (17) between the two end portions (14, 15).

Abstract: An illustrative method includes providing a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes an active region and an electrically insulating structure. The active region includes a source region, a channel region and a drain region. The electrically insulating structure includes a recess over the channel region. A work function adjustment layer is deposited over the semiconductor structure. A portion of the work function adjustment layer is deposited at a bottom surface of the recess. The work function adjustment layer includes at least one material other than titanium nitride. A titanium nitride pre-wetting layer is deposited over the work function adjustment layer. A titanium wetting layer is deposited directly on the titanium nitride pre-wetting layer. After the deposition of the titanium wetting layer, the recess is filled with aluminum.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device comprising a substrate, an undoped HfO2 layer formed over the substrate and a TiN layer formed on the HfO2 layer. Herein, the undoped HfO2 layer is at least partially ferroelectric. In illustrative methods for forming a semiconductor device, an undoped amorphous HfO2 layer is formed over a semiconductor substrate and a TiN layer is formed on the undoped amorphous HfO2 layer. A thermal annealing process is performed for at least partially inducing a ferroelectric phase in the undoped amorphous HfO2 layer.

Abstract: A regulating slide valve apparatus having a housing which forms a duct through which a gaseous or liquid medium can flow having an inlet longitudinal portion, an outlet longitudinal portion, and an adjustable regulating element for varying the flow cross section of the duct and adjusting the throughflow rate. A seat ring element is provided in the duct, the regulating element has a first longitudinal portion which has a circular cross section with diameters that vary in the longitudinal direction, and the regulating element is adjustable in the longitudinal direction of the duct along an adjustment travel. In a closure position the regulating element lies against the seat ring element and closes the duct and, in an open position, forms an annular gap through which flow can pass, with the seat ring element.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device comprising a substrate, an undoped HfO2 layer formed over the substrate and a TiN layer formed on the HfO2 layer. Herein, the undoped HfO2 layer is at least partially ferroelectric. In illustrative methods for forming a semiconductor device, an undoped amorphous HfO2 layer is formed over a semiconductor substrate and a TiN layer is formed on the undoped amorphous HfO2 layer. A thermal annealing process is performed for at least partially inducing a ferroelectric phase in the undoped amorphous HfO2 layer.

Abstract: A method for producing a steering wheel (10) including a multilayered decorative trim (16) comprises the following steps: providing a multilayered body composed of flat layers joined to each other, the body being bent transversely or perpendicular to the plane of the layers into a shape adapted to the geometry of a steering wheel body part (14), cutting off a thin arcuate decorative layer (26) from a lateral surface of the body, in particular essentially perpendicular to the bending axis, and adapting said decorative layer (26) to and applying it onto said steering wheel body part (14).

Abstract: Methods for fabricating integrated circuits are provided. In an embodiment, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes providing a semiconductor substrate and forming a gate structure on the semiconductor substrate. The gate includes a high-k dielectric material. In the method, a fluorine-containing liquid is contacted with the high-k dielectric material and fluorine is incorporated into the high-k dielectric material.

Abstract: Generally, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to modern sophisticated semiconductor devices and methods for forming the same, wherein a reduced threshold voltage (Vt) may be achieved in HK/MG transistor elements that are manufactured based on replacement gate electrode integrations. One illustrative method disclosed herein includes forming a first metal gate electrode material layer above a gate dielectric material layer having a dielectric constant of approximately 10 or greater. The method further includes exposing the first metal gate electrode material layer to an oxygen diffusion process, forming a second metal gate electrode material layer above the first metal gate electrode material layer, and adjusting an oxygen concentration gradient and a nitrogen concentration gradient in at least the first metal gate electrode material layer and the gate dielectric material layer.

Abstract: Methods are provided for fabricating an integrated circuit that includes metal filled narrow openings. In accordance with one embodiment a method includes forming a dummy gate overlying a semiconductor substrate and subsequently removing the dummy gate to form a narrow opening. A layer of high dielectric constant insulator and a layer of work function-determining material are deposited overlying the semiconductor substrate. The layer of work function-determining material is exposed to a nitrogen ambient in a first chamber. A layer of titanium is deposited into the narrow opening in the first chamber in the presence of the nitrogen ambient to cause the first portion of the layer of titanium to be nitrided. The deposition of titanium continues, and the remaining portion of the layer of titanium is deposited as substantially pure titanium. Aluminum is deposited overlying the layer of titanium to fill the narrow opening and to form a gate electrode.

Abstract: The work function of a high-k gate electrode structure may be adjusted in a late manufacturing stage on the basis of a lanthanum species in an N-channel transistor, thereby obtaining the desired high work function in combination with a typical conductive barrier material, such as titanium nitride. For this purpose, in some illustrative embodiments, the lanthanum species may be formed directly on the previously provided metal-containing electrode material, while an efficient barrier material may be provided in the P-channel transistor, thereby avoiding undue interaction of the lanthanum species in the P-channel transistor.

Abstract: The work function of a high-k gate electrode structure may be adjusted in a late manufacturing stage on the basis of a lanthanum species in an N-channel transistor, thereby obtaining the desired high work function in combination with a typical conductive barrier material, such as titanium nitride. For this purpose, in some illustrative embodiments, the lanthanum species may be formed directly on the previously provided metal-containing electrode material, while an efficient barrier material may be provided in the P-channel transistor, thereby avoiding undue interaction of the lanthanum species in the P-channel transistor.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating integrated circuits are provided. In an embodiment, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes providing a semiconductor substrate and forming a gate structure on the semiconductor substrate. The gate includes a high-k dielectric material. In the method, a fluorine-containing liquid is contacted with the high-k dielectric material and fluorine is incorporated into the high-k dielectric material.

Abstract: Methods are provided for fabricating an integrated circuit that includes metal filled narrow openings. In accordance with one embodiment a method includes forming a dummy gate overlying a semiconductor substrate and subsequently removing the dummy gate to form a narrow opening. A layer of high dielectric constant insulator and a layer of work function-determining material are deposited overlying the semiconductor substrate. The layer of work function-determining material is exposed to a nitrogen ambient in a first chamber. A layer of titanium is deposited into the narrow opening in the first chamber in the presence of the nitrogen ambient to cause the first portion of the layer of titanium to be nitrided. The deposition of titanium continues, and the remaining portion of the layer of titanium is deposited as substantially pure titanium. Aluminum is deposited overlying the layer of titanium to fill the narrow opening and to form a gate electrode.