Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of forming a pattern, the method including: providing a substrate in which a pattern is to be formed; forming a silicon photoresist layer over the substrate; exposing the silicon photoresist to activating wavelengths of radiation; curing the silicon photoresist; developing the cured silicon photoresist to remove the portion of the photoresist that was exposed to the activating wavelengths of radiation and etching the substrate to form the pattern.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method including forming a first layer of a dielectric precursor composition on a substrate, the dielectric precursor composition including a silicon-containing polymeric resin, a catalyst capable of catalyzing condensation reaction of silicon-containing polymeric resin, and a photoacid generator, wherein the catalyst is deactivated by the presence of acid; exposing a portion the first layer of the dielectric precursor composition to radiation in a first image-wise manner to generate acid in the portion exposed to the radiation; heating the exposed first layer to form a cured dielectric resin in a portion of the first layer not exposed to the radiation; after heating, removing the dielectric precursor composition in the portion exposed to radiation; and filling the portion where the dielectric precursor has been removed with a metal. After cure, the cured resin of the dielectric precursor composition may include greater than 42 weight percent elemental silicon.

Abstract: Floating slow-release fertilizer is designed to significantly reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This granulated fertilizer has a density lighter than seawater. Therefore its pellets can float on the surface of seawater. After being dispensed into water, the pellets are able to continually release certain nutrients for a period of time. During this period, an otherwise inanimate water region is temporarily suitable for plant growth. Floating slow-release fertilizer enables the growth of planting phytoplankton in ocean to remove CO2 from atmosphere. The advantages of the fertilizer are as following: all nature, effective, no byproduct, no land using, no pollution, using solar energy mainly, small investment, easy to control, low operation cast.

Abstract: Novel, developer-soluble, hard mask compositions and methods of using those compositions to form microelectronic structures are provided. The composition comprises the compound a compound for controlling development rate, and a crosslinking agent in a solvent system. The methods involve applying the composition to a substrate and curing the composition. An imaging layer is applied to the composition, followed by light exposure and developing, during which the light-exposed portions of the imaging layer are removed, along with portions of the hard mask composition adjacent said light-exposed portions. The size of the hard mask composition structures are controlled by the development rate, and they yield feature sizes that are a fraction of the imaging layer feature sizes, to give a pattern that can ultimately be transferred to the substrate.

Abstract: Processes for obtaining lignan extracts from plant materials are disclosed. Compositions including lignan extracts as well as uses of the lignan extracts are also disclosed.

Abstract: Compositions are provided that includes a lignan, and an additional compound such as an isoflavone, a tocopherol, a phytosterol, a polyphenol, a catechin, an anthocyanin, an astaxanthin, or a glucosamine. The compositions can be formulated as a dietary supplement, in tablet, powder or liquid form, or can be incorporated into a food product. Methods of treating various diseases by administering the compositions are also provided.

Abstract: A novel process for using a hard mask or protective layer in conjunction with an extremely thin photoresist is provided. In this process, a thin film of the protective layer is coated on the surface of a substrate that is to be selectively modified by reactive ion etch (RIE). The protective layer is photosensitive and anti-reflective. An extremely thin photoresist layer is coated on top of the protective layer. The stack of the films is selectively exposed to actinic radiation at a wavelength determined by the sensitivities of the protective layer and photoresist layer. The latent images on the photoresist and protective layers resulting from the exposure are developed with a common alkaline developer. The three dimensional patterns of photoresist and underlying protective layer are formed simultaneously by the single exposure and single development. When the underlying substrate is etched by RIE, the protective layer is the masking layer, not the photoresist.