Abstract: A chemical vapor sterilization process is enhanced by concentrating a germicide via condensation and re-vaporization thereof, exploiting the difference between the vapor pressures of the germicide and its solvent to extract some of the solvent during the condensation process. A heat pump coupled with the condensation surface enhances the speed and efficiency of condensing and revaporizing the germicide.

Abstract: A system and method for evaluating hand decontamination compliance in a medical care facility includes a plurality of patient stations; a plurality of hand hygiene stations; personnel tags for personnel in the medical care facility; readers at the patient stations and at the hand hygiene stations capable of detecting the presence of personnel tags; and a controller for detecting whether a personnel tag accessed a hand decontamination station before presence at one of the patient stations. In an alternate embodiment, personnel tags of healthcare workers and patients are tracked in space within the facility to indicate contacts between the healthcare workers and the patients and whether the healthcare workers accessed hand hygiene prior to the contact. Hand hygiene stations include hand washing stations and antimicrobial hand rub dispensers.

Abstract: A sterilization container holds instruments during a sterilization process. It has an enclosure with an opening into the enclosure and an adapter at the opening. Various inserts such as semi-permeable filters and blocking plates may be placed into the adapter.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for sterilizing a lumen device. A lumen and a container having an interface on a wall of the container are enclosed in a chamber. The lumen is placed across the interface so that one end of the lumen is in the container and the other end is in the chamber. Germicide is introduced into the chamber, and a pressure difference is created between the two ends of the lumen, so that the germicide flows through the lumen. The lumen may alternatively be placed across an interface which separates the chamber into two areas. Germicide is introduced into the chamber, and a pressure difference is created between the two areas of the chamber, causing the germicide to flow through the lumen.

Abstract: A foamable instrument pretreatment composition includes hydrogen peroxide in a range of from 0.1% to 15% by weight, a surfactant in a range of from 0.5 to 20% by weight; and a foam boosting agent comprising a silicone of from 0.1% to 10% by weight. It is intended for pre-treating instruments after use in a medical procedure and before they are washed.

Abstract: Devices and methods for sterilizing lumens involve a booster that is attached to the lumen. In preferred embodiments, the contact area between the lumen and the booster enhances the penetration of an antimicrobial agent to the contact area.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for sterilizing a lumen device. A lumen and a container having an interface on a wall of the container are enclosed in a chamber. The lumen is placed across the interface so that one end of the lumen is in the container and the other end is in the chamber. Germicide is introduced into the chamber, and a pressure difference is created between the two ends of the lumen, so that the germicide flows through the lumen. The lumen may alternatively be placed across an interface which separates the chamber into two areas. Germicide is introduced into the chamber, and a pressure difference is created between the two areas of the chamber, causing the germicide to flow through the lumen.

Abstract: A method of treating an instrument after contamination of one of its surfaces includes the steps of placing the instrument into a container, covering the surface with a foam, maintaining the foam on the surface to keep the surface moist, after the foam has reduced in volume, reconstituting the foam. The foam keeps the instrument moist so that a subsequent cleaning will not be made more difficult by the contamination drying onto the surface.

Abstract: A method and system of treating an instrument after contamination of a surface thereof includes the steps of covering the surface with a hydrogen peroxide foam and then subsequently treating the foam with a defoaming agent and a neutralizing agent for hydrogen peroxide.

Abstract: A method and system of treating an instrument after contamination of a surface thereof includes the steps of covering the surface with a foam and then subsequently treating the foam with a defoaming agent.

Abstract: A system and method of treating an instrument after contamination of a surface thereof includes a dispenser for dispensing a pre-treatment foam, the dispenser having a first compartment having therein a first foamable solution of hydrogen peroxide and a second compartment having therein a second foamable solution of acetic acid and a dispensing head for dispensing the pre-treatment foam formed of the first foamable solution and of the second foamable solution.

Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing a mist or a foam includes a solution in the dispenser, a foaming nozzle on the dispenser for dispensing the foam from the solution and a misting nozzle on the dispenser for dispensing the mist from the solution. The solution can include hydrogen peroxide. Preferably, instructions are provided to foam the solution onto a contaminated surface of a medical instrument prior to cleaning of the instrument and to maintain the foam in contact with the surface until such time as the instrument is cleaned, and to apply the mist of the hydrogen peroxide solution into a lumen of the instrument prior to cleaning of the instrument.

Abstract: A method of treating an instrument after contamination of a surface thereof includes the steps of covering the surface with a foam and maintaining the foam on the surface to keep the surface moist prior to cleaning the instrument to prevent foreign matter thereon from becoming dried on and more difficult to remove during cleaning. The foam includes hydrogen peroxide, dissolves blood and provides antimicrobial effect.

Abstract: A method of treating an instrument after contamination of a surface thereof includes the steps of covering the surface with a foam and maintaining the foam on the surface to keep the surface moist prior to cleaning the instrument to prevent foreign matter thereon from becoming dried on and more difficult to remove during cleaning. The foam includes hydrogen peroxide, dissolves blood and provides antimicrobial effect.

Abstract: The invention is directed towards a method for immersion lithography by locally pre-treating the surface of the wafer. The surface of the wafer is treated locally with a pre-treatment process, so that the surface of the wafer is wettable to the later applied immersion liquid. The pre-treatment may includes applying a pre-treating liquid or performing a surface treatment to a predetermined region of the wafer surface or the photoresist layer to enhance the wettability of the surface of the wafer or the photoresist layer. The pre-treatment process is performed concurrently with the step of applying the immersion liquid for exposure.

Abstract: A sterilization container holds instruments during a sterilization process. It has en enclosure with an opening into the enclosure. A self-closing mechanism at the opening keeps the opening closed when not attached to a sterilant delivery source.

Abstract: To avoid the yield of wafers that undergo immersion lithography influencing by delay of post exposure baking (PEB), an operation system adjusts a speed of inputting the wafers to undergo immersion lithography according to a status of wafers that have finished exposure and are waiting for baking. Therefore, the wafers that have finished exposure are transmitted to be baked efficiently and on time.

Abstract: There is a grain phenomenon issue of rough sidewall for patterning. Thus, imprecise grain profiles would be observed. As the critical dimensions of integrated circuit microelectronics fabrication device have decreased, the effect of grain phenomenon have become more pronounced. A profile improvement method with a thermal-compressive material and a thermal-compressive process is provided to solve the grain phenomenon issue for baseline of 0.09 um generation and beyond. With this material, the profile can be improved no matter in top view or lateral view. Furthermore, there are 0.1 um IDOF improvement and better physical etching performance.

Abstract: A chemical vapor sterilization process is enhanced by concentrating a germicide via condensation and re-vaporization thereof, exploiting the difference between the vapor pressures of the germicide and its solvent to extract some of the solvent during the condensation process. A heat pump coupled with the condensation surface enhances the speed and efficiency of condensing and revaporizing the germicide.

Abstract: A method of improving the alignment accuracy of the semiconductor devices is described. The method is used for photolithography process, and the photolithography process is aimed at the dielectric layer covered by a hard mask layer, wherein alignment marks are formed under the dielectric layer. The hard mask layer has an absorption index and a thickness, and the product of the absorption index multiplied by the thickness is between 100 and 750. Thereby, the better range of the thickness can be determined to improve the accuracy of alignment.