Abstract: Various examples are provided related to hydrogen plasma treatment of hafnium oxide. In one example, a method includes depositing a monolayer of a precursor on a first oxide monolayer; forming a second oxide monolayer by applying an oxygen (O2) plasma to the monolayer of the precursor; and creating oxygen vacancies in the second oxide monolayer by applying a hydrogen (H2) plasma to the second oxide monolayer. In another example, a device includes a hafnium oxide (HfO2) based ferroelectric thin film on a first side of a substrate and an electrode layer disposed on the HfO2 based ferroelectric thin film opposite the substrate. The HfO2 film includes a plurality of oxide monolayers including at least one HfO2 monolayer, each of the plurality of oxide monolayers having oxygen vacancies distributed throughout that oxide monolayer.

Abstract: A method and system for operating a neural feedback system is disclosed. The method includes recording brain waves of a user, recording sensor data measuring at least one of a physical state or an activity of the user, and generating recorded context-based brain wave information by detecting correlations between the recorded brain waves and the recorded sensor data. The method further includes identifying recorded context-based brain wave patterns in the recorded context-based brain wave information and associating at least one rule of at least one electronic device with at least one recorded context-based brain wave pattern.

Abstract: A liquid desiccant system including a high desorber, a low desorber, and an absorber that are in fluid communication with a working solution, where the high desorber provides rejected water vapor from the working fluid for condensation in a condenser of the low desorber that provides heat for rejection of additional water from the working solution in the low desorber effectively multiplying the heat provided for desorption. The low desorber provided the concentrated working solution to the absorber where water from ambient air is condensed into the concentrated working solution to provide a dilute working solution within a working solution conduit of the absorber that is thermally coupled to an internal cooler of the absorber. In some embodiments, the working solution can be an aqueous solution of at least one ionic liquid.

Abstract: A liquid desiccant system including a high desorber, a low desorber, and an absorber that are in fluid communication with a working solution, where the high desorber provides rejected water vapor from the working fluid for condensation in a condenser of the low desorber that provides heat for rejection of additional water from the working solution in the low desorber effectively multiplying the heat provided for desorption. The low desorber provided the concentrated working solution to the absorber where water from ambient air is condensed into the concentrated working solution to provide a dilute working solution within a working solution conduit of the absorber that is thermally coupled to an internal cooler of the absorber. In some embodiments, the working solution can be an aqueous solution of at least one ionic liquid.

Abstract: Various examples are provided related to dialysate-free renal replacement. In one example, a dialysate-free continuous renal replacement system includes a blood filtration stage (e.g., in a microfluidic membrane module). The blood filtration stage can include a blood filtration membrane configured to that can provide a filtered fluid by renal filtration of blood passing through the blood filtration stage at arterial pressure. The continuous renal replacement system can also include a salt recovery stage and a water recovery stage. The salt recovery stage can recover ions through separation from the blood filtration stage. The water recovery stage can separate water from the desalted fluid from the salt recovery stage, where the water is combined with the separated ions and reinfused into the blood after passing through the blood filtration stage.

Abstract: Various examples are provided related to hydrogen plasma treatment of hafnium oxide. In one example, a method includes depositing a monolayer of a precursor on a first oxide monolayer; forming a second oxide monolayer by applying an oxygen (O2) plasma to the monolayer of the precursor; and creating oxygen vacancies in the second oxide monolayer by applying a hydrogen (H2) plasma to the second oxide monolayer. In another example, a device includes a hafnium oxide (HfO2) based ferroelectric thin film on a first side of a substrate and an electrode layer disposed on the HfO2 based ferroelectric thin film opposite the substrate. The HfO2 film includes a plurality of oxide monolayers including at least one HfO2 monolayer, each of the plurality of oxide monolayers having oxygen vacancies distributed throughout that oxide monolayer.

Abstract: A high efficiency heat sink for the cooling of microelectronic devices involves a phase change from liquid fluid to fluid vapor with a vapor quality of 100%. The liquid fluid is provided to an active area that contains fins having micrometer dimension that support a membrane that is nanoporous. The membrane is effectively impermeable to liquid fluid but permeable to fluid vapor. The heat sink provides very high heat flux and coefficient of heat transfer at low mass flux over a broad range of surface superheat temperatures. The heat sink can be constructed of equi-spaced posts that separate liquid microchannels from vapor microchannels that are connected through capillary forced valves formed between adjacent equi-spaced posts.

Abstract: An absorption refrigeration system (ARS), includes a sorbent-refrigerant pair that has an ionic liquid (IL) sorbent and a refrigerant that displays a lower critical lower critical solution temperature (LCST) at a temperature of 50 to 100° C., wherein the separation of the sorbent from the refrigerant occurs upon heating the sorbent-refrigerant pair to a temperature above the LCST. This liquid-liquid phase separation requires significantly less energy to desorb the refrigerant from the sorbent than vapor-liquid phase separation in traditional ABSs.

Abstract: An absorber for an absorption refrigeration system for a vertically mounted plate absorber has fins positioned over the plate to promote distribution of a fluid under flow as a nearly continuous thin film. The absorber has rows of fins that are evenly spaced with the fins occupying a portion of the active width of the plate with adjacent rows offset by the width of the plate. A combined evaporator-absorber module is constructed with the absorbing face of the absorber parallel with an evaporating surface of an evaporator where absorber solution and refrigerant fall as parallel falling sheets of liquid. The absorber is covered with a porous hydrophobic membrane to isolate the falling absorber solution from the falling liquid refrigerant.

Abstract: A high efficiency heat sink for the cooling of microelectronic devices involves a phase change from liquid fluid to fluid vapor with a vapor quality of 100%. The liquid fluid is provided to an active area that contains fins having micrometer dimension that support a membrane that is nanoporous. The membrane is effectively impermeable to liquid fluid but permeable to fluid vapor. The heat sink provides very high heat flux and coefficient of heat transfer at low mass flux over a broad range of surface superheat temperatures. The heat sink can be constructed of equi-spaced posts that separate liquid microchannels from vapor microchannels that are connected through capillary forced valves formed between adjacent equi-spaced posts.

Abstract: An absorber or desorber contains one or more micro-channels that have a 3-D structured heat-exchanging surface and a membrane on the microchannel situated distal to the 3-D structured heat-exchanging surface, where the membrane is permeable to a solvent of a solution employed in the absorber or desorber. The 3-D structured surface promotes mixing of hot and cold solution between the 3-D structured heat-exchanging surface and a vapor-exchanging surface proximal to the membrane. The mixing reduces the differences in concentration and temperature of the bulk solution and the solution at the vapor-exchanging surface to enhance the efficiency and rate of absorption or desorption of the solvent.

Abstract: A high efficiency heat sink for the cooling of microelectronic devices involves a phase change from liquid fluid to fluid vapor with a vapor quality of 100%. The liquid fluid is provided to an active area that contains fins having micrometer dimension that support a membrane that is nanoporous. The membrane is effectively impermeable to liquid fluid but permeable to fluid vapor. The heat sink provides very high heat flux and coefficient of heat transfer at low mass flux over a broad range of surface superheat temperatures. The heat sink can be constructed of equi-spaced posts that separate liquid microchannels from vapor microchannels that are connected through capillary forced valves formed between adjacent equi-spaced posts.

Abstract: Various examples are provided for highly selective and ultra-high throughput filtration using bilayer two-dimensional (2D) material laminates and highly absorptive medium of 2D material laminates or solution dispersions. In one example, a 2D material bilayer membrane includes a first membrane layer; an interlinking layer of interlinking molecules disposed on the first membrane layer; and a second membrane layer disposed on the interlinking layer. The interlinking molecules electrostatically or covalently interlink the second membrane layer and first membrane layer.

Abstract: A liquid desiccant system including a high desorber, a low desorber, and an absorber that are in fluid communication with a working solution, where the high desorber provides rejected water vapor from the working fluid for condensation in a condenser of the low desorber that provides heat for rejection of additional water from the working solution in the low desorber effectively multiplying the heat provided for desorption. The low desorber provided the concentrated working solution to the absorber where water from ambient air is condensed into the concentrated working solution to provide a dilute working solution within a working solution conduit of the absorber that is thermally coupled to an internal cooler of the absorber. In some embodiments, the working solution can be an aqueous solution of at least one ionic liquid.

Abstract: A liquid desiccant system including a high desorber, a low desorber, and an absorber that are in fluid communication with a working solution, where the high desorber provides rejected water vapor from the working fluid for condensation in a condenser of the low desorber that provides heat for rejection of additional water from the working solution in the low desorber effectively multiplying the heat provided for desorption. The low desorber provided the concentrated working solution to the absorber where water from ambient air is condensed into the concentrated working solution to provide a dilute working solution within a working solution conduit of the absorber that is thermally coupled to an internal cooler of the absorber. In some embodiments, the working solution can be an aqueous solution of at least one ionic liquid.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for electrokinetic dewatering of suspensions such as, e.g., phosphatic clay. In one example, among others, a system for continuous dewatering includes a cake formation zone including a first anode and a first cathode each extending across a first portion of a separation chamber; a cake dewatering zone including a second anode and a second cathode; an inlet configured to supply a dilute feed suspension comprising solids suspended in water to the cake formation zone; and a conveying belt extending between the first anode and the first cathode and between the second anode and the second cathode. A first electric field between the first anode and the first cathode forms a cake on the conveying belt by consolidating the solids, and a second electric field between the second anode and the second cathode dewaters the cake on the conveying belt.

Abstract: An absorber for an absorption refrigeration system for a vertically mounted plate absorber has fins positioned over the plate to promote distribution of a fluid under flow as a nearly continuous thin film. The absorber has rows of fins that are evenly spaced with the fins occupying a portion of the active width of the plate with adjacent rows offset by the width of the plate. A combined evaporator-absorber module is constructed with the absorbing face of the absorber parallel with an evaporating surface of an evaporator where absorber solution and refrigerant fall as parallel falling sheets of liquid. The absorber is covered with a porous hydrophobic membrane to isolate the falling absorber solution from the falling liquid refrigerant.

Abstract: An absorption cycle system, which permits water heating, dehumidifying, and/or evaporative cooling, includes a desorber, absorber, heat exchanger, and, optionally, an evaporator, is constructed to heat a process water that is plumbed through the absorber, heat exchanger, and condenser. In the absence or isolation of the evaporator, the system can dehumidify ambient air to the absorber. The water vapor released by evaporative cooling at the evaporator can be provided to the absorber in a controlled manner to simultaneously maintain a desired humidity while cooling the air ambient by the evaporator. The absorption cycle system can be housed within a single unit or can be compartmentalized.

Abstract: Techniques for forming an electronic device having a ferroelectric film are described. The electronic device comprises a ferroelectric material having one or more crystalline structures. The one or more crystalline structures may comprise hafnium, oxygen, and one or more dopants. The one or more dopants are distributed in the ferroelectric material to form a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer. The second layer is positioned between the first layer and the third layer. Distribution of one or more dopants within the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer may promote a crystalline structure to have an orthorhombic phase.

Abstract: A method and system for operating a neural feedback system is disclosed. The method includes recording brain waves of a user, recording sensor data measuring at least one of a physical state or an activity of the user, and generating recorded context-based brain wave information by detecting correlations between the recorded brain waves and the recorded sensor data. The method further includes identifying recorded context-based brain wave patterns in the recorded context-based brain wave information and associating at least one rule of at least one electronic device with at least one recorded context-based brain wave pattern.