Abstract: A method of making a filtering face piece respirator, which method includes: providing a cup shaped mold 20; providing a forming chamber 24 where the mold 20 is located and where loose fibers 22 are introduced into air in the forming chamber 24; causing the loose fibers 22 to be accumulated 10 on the mold 20 in the forming chamber 24; and bonding 12 the accumulated fibers to each other at points of fiber intersection, The inventive method thus is beneficial in that it eliminates steps in the manufacturing process. The fibers also are uniformly distributed throughout the mask body, and because the webs do not have to be cut during respirator manufacture, less web waste is generated.

Abstract: Methods, systems and platforms for digital imaging of multiple regions of an array, and detection and counting of the labeled features thereon, are described.

Abstract: A method for determining existence of a fracture in a formation surrounding a wellbore drilled through subsurface rock formations includes calculating vertical resistivity, horizontal resistivity, apparent formation dip, apparent formation azimuth and axial resistivity for a plurality of longitudinal instrument spacings using measurements from a triaxial induction well logging instrument disposed in the formation. A spread in the axial resistivity values is determined and the axial resistivity spread threshold therefrom. Fracture indicator values and fracture orientation values are calculated from transverse components of the triaxial induction measurements. Presence of a fracture is indicated when at least one of the fracture indicator value exceeds a selected threshold, the axial resistivity spread exceeds the spread threshold and when the apparent formation dip exceeds a selected threshold.

Abstract: A method for making downhole electromagnetic logging measurements includes using an electromagnetic measurement tool to acquire the measurements while rotating in a subterranean wellbore. Received electromagnetic waves are processed to obtain harmonic voltage coefficients, ratios of which are in turn further processed to compute gain compensated measurement quantities. The gain compensated measurement quantities are further processed to compute at least one of an apparent formation azimuth of the formation through which the wellbore traverses, an apparent tool eccentering azimuth, and an eccentering distance of the logging tool in the wellbore.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus including a fiber opening chamber having an open upper end and a lower end, at least one fiber inlet for introducing a multiplicity of fibers into the opening chamber, a first multiplicity of rollers positioned within the opening chamber wherein each roller has a multiplicity of projections extending outwardly from a circumferential surface surrounding a center axis of rotation, at least one gas emission nozzle positioned substantially below the first multiplicity of rollers to direct a gas stream generally towards the open upper end of the opening chamber, and a forming chamber having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the upper end of the forming chamber is in flow communication with the open upper end of the opening chamber, and the lower end of the forming chamber is substantially open and positioned above a collector having a collector surface.

Abstract: Methods, systems and platforms for digital imaging of multiple regions of an array, and detection and counting of the labeled features thereon, are described.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods related to use of hollow core photonic crystal fibers. A system includes a tube and a collimating lens configured in a first end of the tube, wherein a single mode fiber is coupled to a first end of the collimating lens. A second lens is supported by a structure at a second end of the tube, the second lens receiving a first signal from a second end of the collimating lens and outputting a second signal that is coupled into a first end of a hollow core photonic crystal fiber. A first gas tube is configured to introduce gas through the structure into a chamber and a sealant seals at least one of the collimating lens and the structure within the tube. An output signal is received at a detector that catches the entire beam to suppress multiple-mode beating noise.

Abstract: A method for identifying fractures from measurements made by a multi-axial electromagnetic induction tool in a wellbore traversing subsurface formations includes determining a value of a fracture orientation indicator from in line components of the multi-axial electromagnetic inducion measurements mode transverse to a tool axis, and parallel to the tool axis. The tool axis is sub-stantially parallel to a bedding plane of the subsurface formations. A value of a vertical fracture indicator is determined using the in line components of the multi-axial electromagnetic induction measurements made transverse to the tool axis, and parallel to the tool axis.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method to determine a formation property of a subsurface formation. A downhole logging tool having two or more tri-axial antennas is provided and used to obtain azimuthally sensitive data. Borehole correction is performed on the obtained data and a ZD-inversion is performed on the borehole corrected data for all antenna spacing groups. A formation indicator flag is determined and, depending on the determined formation indicator flag, a 1D-axial inversion and/or a 1D-radial inversion is performed over selected zones, or neither is performed. The best ZD-inversion results are selected and the 1D-axial inversion results and/or the 1D-radial inversion results, if any, are combined with the selected best ZD-inversion results to form a composite inversion result. The formation property of the subsurface formation is determined using the composite inversion result.

Abstract: Nonwoven fibrous webs including a multiplicity of randomly oriented discrete fibers and a multiplicity of chemically active particulates secured to the web, and methods of making and using same. In some embodiments, more than 0% and less than 10% wt. of the nonwoven fibrous web is made of multi-component fibers having at least a first region exhibiting a first melting temperature and a second region exhibiting a second melting temperature greater than the first melting temperature. In other embodiments, the discrete fibers include a first population of monocomponent thermoplastic fibers having a first melting temperature, and a second population of monocomponent fibers having a second melting temperature greater than the first melting temperature. In certain embodiments, at least some of the particulates are bonded to the fibers. In other embodiments, at least some of the particulates are secured within interstices of the fibrous web, without substantial bonding to the fibers.

Abstract: A method for characterizing fractures traversing a wellbore includes input to a computer multiaxial electromagnetic induction measurements corresponding to measurements made along two mutually orthogonal magnetic dipole moment axes perpendicular to an axis of the wellbore. The measurements correspond to at least one receiver spacing from a transmitter. The measurements represent induced voltage in a receiver having a same dipole moment direction as a dipole moment direction of a transmitter. A first derivative with respect to wellbore depth of the multiaxial electromagnetic induction measurements is calculated. At least one peak and an amplitude thereof of the first derivatives is calculated. The peak and the amplitude are used to determine a location and an aperture of at least one fracture traversing the wellbore.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus including a chamber having a substantially open lower end positioned above a collector surface, at least one fiber inlet positioned above the lower end, a first multiplicity of rollers positioned within the chamber wherein each roller has a multiplicity of projections extending outwardly from a circumferential surface surrounding a center axis of rotation, a second multiplicity of rollers positioned within the chamber above the first multiplicity of rollers wherein each of the second multiplicity of rollers has a multiplicity of projections extending outwardly from a circumferential surface surrounding a center axis of rotation, the second multiplicity of rollers positioned so at least a portion of the projections extending outwardly from the circumferential surfaces of each of the second multiplicity of rollers vertically overlaps with at least a portion of the projections extending outwardly from the circumferential surface of at least one of the first multiplicity of rollers.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate inspection system includes an e-beam inspection system configured to deliver electrons to a specimen semiconductor substrate. A sensor is configured to detect reflected electrons that reflect off the surface of the specimen semiconductor substrate. An analysis unit is configured to determine a number of electrons received by the semiconductor substrate, and to determine at least one target region including at least one defect of the semiconductor substrate. A reference image module is in electrical communication with the analysis unit. The reference image module is configured to generate a first digital image having a plurality of pixels, and to adjust a gray-scale level of the pixels included in the target region based on the number electrons included in each pixel to generate a second digital image that excludes the at least one defect.

Abstract: A method for drilling a wellbore includes drilling a well along a path substantially along a bedding direction of a selected subsurface formation having at least one substantially vertical fracture therein. A direction of the at least one substantially vertical fracture is determined with respect to a direction of the prior to drilling therethrough. A direction of the path is adjusted so that the well will intersect the at least one substantially vertical fracture substantially perpendicularly to the direction.

Abstract: A method uses multiaxial electromagnetic measurements corresponding to measurements made along two mutually orthogonal axes perpendicular to and parallel to an axis of a wellbore corresponding to at least one receiver spacing from a transmitter. An initial orientation of a fracture with respect to the axis of the wellbore and a distance from the fracture are calculated using the multiaxial electromagnetic measurements. An initial model of subsurface formations is made using the initial orientation, distance and formation resistivity adjacent the fracture. An expected response of an electromagnetic instrument to the initial model is generated. The expected response is compared to measurements made by the electromagnetic instrument and a parameter of the initial model is adjusted. The expected response is repeated and the model adjusted until a difference between the expected response and the measurements either (i) falls below a selected threshold or (ii) exceeds a predetermined number of repetitions.

Abstract: A method for estimating fracture aperture from multi-axial electromagnetic induction measurements made in a wellbore includes determining a fracture indicator and a fracture orientation indicator. The value of the fracture indicator is determined from components of the measurements made transverse to the tool axis. A relationship between the value of the fracture indicator and the fracture aperture for the subsurface formation is determined by estimating the fracture indicator using a plurality of values of fracture aperture and a resistivity of drilling fluid in the wellbore over a background formation with estimated horizontal resistivity and vertical resistivity. The fracture aperture is determined using the determined fracture indicator and the determined relationship.

Abstract: Methods, systems and platforms for digital imaging of multiple regions of an array, and detection and counting of the labeled features thereon, are described.

Abstract: A method for correcting formation properties due to effects of a borehole is disclosed. The method includes obtaining voltage measurements using a logging tool disposed in a borehole penetrating a subsurface formation. The method further includes using a processor to: determine a tensor for the formation using the voltage measurement. For a given set of parameters, the processor determines, based upon the voltage measurements, a parameter value for each parameter in a subset of the set of parameters.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate inspection system includes an e-beam inspection system configured to deliver electrons to a specimen semiconductor substrate. A sensor is configured to detect reflected electrons that reflect off the surface of the specimen semiconductor substrate. An analysis unit is configured to determine a number of electrons received by the semiconductor substrate, and to determine at least one target region including at least one defect of the semiconductor substrate. A reference image module is in electrical communication with the analysis unit. The reference image module is configured to generate a first digital image having a plurality of pixels, and to adjust a gray-scale level of the pixels included in the target region based on the number electrons included in each pixel to generate a second digital image that excludes the at least one defect.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided to enable precision and fast laser frequency tuning. For instance, a fast tunable slave laser may be dynamically offset-locked to a reference laser line using an optical phase-locked loop. The slave laser is heterodyned against a reference laser line to generate a beatnote that is subsequently frequency divided. The phase difference between the divided beatnote and a reference signal may be detected to generate an error signal proportional to the phase difference. The error signal is converted into appropriate feedback signals to phase lock the divided beatnote to the reference signal. The slave laser frequency target may be rapidly changed based on a combination of a dynamically changing frequency of the reference signal, the frequency dividing factor, and an effective polarity of the error signal. Feed-forward signals may be generated to accelerate the slave laser frequency switching through laser tuning ports.