Abstract: An apparatus and a method comprising same for removing metal oxides from a substrate surface are disclosed herein. In one particular embodiment, the apparatus comprises an electrode assembly that has a housing that is at least partially comprised of an insulating material and having an internal volume and at least one fluid inlet that is in fluid communication with the internal volume; a conductive base connected to the housing comprising a plurality of conductive tips that extend therefrom into a target area and a plurality of perforations that extend therethrough and are in fluid communication with the internal volume to allow for a passage of a gas mixture comprising a reducing gas.

Abstract: Ultrasonic probe comprising an elongate body having a first end and a second end, an ultrasonic transducer attached to the probe at or adjacent the first end, and an enlarged support section intermediate the ultrasonic transducer and the second end, wherein the enlarged support section has an equivalent diameter greater than an equivalent diameter of the body at any location between the enlarged support section and the ultrasonic transducer. The probe may be used to introduce ultrasonic energy into ultrasonic cleaning systems.

Abstract: A configurable Viterbi decoder to decode a coded signal for inclusion in a radio receiver for implementing the physical layer receiving function (PHY) of a wireless data network. The decoder includes a branch metric generator with an input to the coded signal, an ACS subsystem coupled to the branch metric generator, and a survivor memory unit coupled to the ACS subsystem. The decoder includes a plurality of outputs each providing a decoded version of the input signal decoded to a distinct decision depth such that the Viterbi decoder is programmable to decode the signal to one of a plurality of decision depths.

Abstract: Ultrasonic probe comprising an elongate body having a first end and a second end, an ultrasonic transducer attached to the probe at or adjacent the first end, and an enlarged support section intermediate the ultrasonic transducer and the second end, wherein the enlarged support section has an equivalent diameter greater than an equivalent diameter of the body at any location between the enlarged support section and the ultrasonic transducer. The probe may be used to introduce ultrasonic energy into ultrasonic cleaning systems.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for removing metal oxides from a substrate surface. In one particular embodiment, the method comprises: providing a substrate, a first, and a second electrode that reside within a target area; passing a gas mixture comprising a reducing gas through the target area; supplying an amount of energy to the first and/or the second electrode to generate electrons within the target area wherein at least a portion of the electrons attach to a portion of the reducing gas and form a negatively charged reducing gas; and contacting the substrate with the negatively charged reducing gas to reduce the metal oxides on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Power consumption that occurs in response to software errors may be reduced. In one example a system tracks a number of occurrences a first set of code causes a system to perform one or more reset actions, determines whether the number of occurrences exceeds a threshold, and selects a second set of code to execute in place of the first set of code, if the quantity exceeds the threshold.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for removing metal oxides from a substrate surface. In one particular embodiment, the method comprises: providing a substrate, a first, and a second electrode that reside within a target area; passing a gas mixture comprising a reducing gas through the target area; supplying an amount of energy to the first and/or the second electrode to generate electrons within the target area wherein at least a portion of the electrons attach to a portion of the reducing gas and form a negatively charged reducing gas; and contacting the substrate with the negatively charged reducing gas to reduce the metal oxides on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Power management for a computing device is described based on idle thread code execution and other conditions. In one example, a controller is operated at a first power state. Then the controller is transitioned from the first power state to a second lower power state after it starts executing idle thread code. As an additional optional feature it may be determined whether any one or more of a plurality of conditions is true and the controller may be transitioned from the first power state to the second power state if one or more of the plurality of conditions is true.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improvement in apparatus and process for the formation of a complex of Lewis acidic or Lewis basic gases in a reactive liquid of opposite character and for the breaking (fragmentation) of said complex associated with the recovery of the Lewis gas therefrom. The improvement resides in forming finely divided droplets of reactive liquid and controlling the temperature, pressure and concentration of said Lewis gas of opposite character to provide for (a) the formation of said complex between said gas and reactive liquid or (b) the breaking of said complex and the recovery of the atomized droplets of reactive liquid.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for the dry fluxing of at least one component and/or solder surface via electron attachment. In one embodiment, there is provided a method for removing oxides from the surface of a component comprising: providing a component on a substrate wherein the substrate is grounded or has a positive electrical potential to form a target assembly; passing a gas mixture comprising a reducing gas through an ion generator comprising a first and a second electrode; supplying an amount of voltage to at least one of the first and second electrodes sufficient to generate electrons wherein the electrons attach to at least a portion of the reducing gas and form a negatively charged reducing gas; and contacting the target assembly with the negatively charged reducing gas to reduce the oxides on the component.

Abstract: Method for processing an article by contacting the article with a dense fluid. The article is introduced into a sealable processing chamber and the processing chamber is sealed. A dense fluid is prepared by introducing a subcritical fluid into a pressurization vessel and isolating the vessel, and then heating the subcritical fluid at essentially constant volume and essentially constant density to yield a dense fluid. At least a portion of the dense fluid is transferred from the pressurization vessel to the processing chamber, wherein the transfer of the dense fluid is driven by the difference between the pressure in the pressurization vessel and the pressure in the processing chamber, thereby pressurizing the processing chamber with transferred dense fluid. The article is contacted with the transferred dense fluid to yield a spent dense fluid and a treated article, and the spent dense fluid is separated from the treated article.

Abstract: Method for processing an article with a dense processing fluid in a processing chamber while applying ultrasonic energy during processing. The dense fluid may be generated in a separate pressurization vessel and transferred to the processing chamber, or alternatively may be generated directly in the processing chamber. A processing agent may be added to the pressurization vessel, to the processing chamber, or to the dense fluid during transfer from the pressurization vessel to the processing chamber. The ultrasonic energy may be generated continuously at a constant frequency or at variable frequencies. Alternatively, the ultrasonic energy may be generated intermittently.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and apparatus for delivering an ultra high purity fluid comprising at least one component to a point of use at a required pressure without mechanical pumping. In one embodiment, a high purity feed comprising at least one component in gaseous or liquid form is charged into a vessel and at least partially converted to a solid phase source. As the feed is converted to a solid phase source, additional feed may be added until the vessel is at least substantially filled with a solid phase source or slush. Once filled, the solid phase source or slush may be isochorically heated whereby the solid phase source is converted to a product at an elevated pressure.

Abstract: Method for removing flux residue and defluxing residue from an article using a dense processing fluid and a dense rinse fluid is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, there is provided a method comprising: introducing the article comprising contaminants into a processing chamber; contacting the article with a dense processing fluid comprising a dense fluid, at least one processing agent, and optionally a cosolvent to provide a partially treated article; and contacting the partially treated article with a dense rinse fluid comprising the dense fluid and optionally the cosolvent to provide a treated article wherein an agitation source is introducing during at least a portion of the first and/or the second contacting step.

Abstract: A configurable Viterbi decoder to decode a coded signal for inclusion in a radio receiver for implementing the physical layer receiving function (PHY) of a wireless data network. The decoder includes a branch metric generator with an input to the coded signal, an ACS subsystem coupled to the branch metric generator, and a survivor memory unit coupled to the ACS subsystem. The decoder includes a plurality of outputs each providing a decoded version of the input signal decoded to a distinct decision depth such that the Viterbi decoder is programmable to decode the signal to one of a plurality of decision depths.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for the dry fluxing of at least one component and/or solder surface via electron attachment. In one embodiment, there is provided a method for removing oxides from the surface of a component comprising: providing a component on a substrate wherein the substrate is grounded or has a positive electrical potential to form a target assembly; passing a gas mixture comprising a reducing gas through an ion generator comprising a first and a second electrode; supplying an amount of voltage to at least one of the first and second electrodes sufficient to generate electrons wherein the electrons attach to at least a portion of the reducing gas and form a negatively charged reducing gas; and contacting the target assembly with the negatively charged reducing gas to reduce the oxides on the component.

Abstract: A configurable Viterbi decoder to decode a coded signal for inclusion in a radio receiver for implementing the physical layer receiving function (PHY) of a wireless data network. The decoder includes a branch metric generator with an input to the coded signal, an ACS subsystem coupled to the branch metric generator, and a survivor memory unit coupled to the ACS subsystem. The decoder includes a plurality of outputs each providing a decoded version of the input signal decoded to a distinct decision depth such that the Viterbi decoder is programmable to decode the signal to one of a plurality of decision depths.

Abstract: Instead of alternatively utilizing only one fabric or the other fabric of a redundant pair, both fabrics simultaneously transmit duplicate information, such that each packet forwarding module (PFM) receives the output of both fabrics simultaneously. In real time, an internal optics module (IOM) analyzes each information chunk coming out of a working zero switch fabric; simultaneously examines a parallel output of a working one duplicate switch fabric; and compares on a chunk-by-chunk basis the validity of each and every chunk from both switch fabrics. The IOM does this by examining forward error correction (FEC) check symbols encapsulated into each chunk. FEC check symbols allow correcting a predetermined number of bit errors within a chunk. If the chunk cannot be corrected, then the IOM provides indication to all PFMs downstream that the chunk is defective. Under such conditions, the PFMs select a chunk from the non-defective switch fabric.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for the dry fluxing of at least one component and/or solder surface via electron attachment. In one embodiment, there is provided a method for removing oxides from the surface of a component comprising: providing a component on a substrate wherein the substrate is grounded or has a positive electrical potential to form a target assembly; passing a gas mixture comprising a reducing gas through an ion generator comprising a first and a second electrode; supplying an amount of voltage to at least one of the first and second electrodes sufficient to generate electrons wherein the electrons attach to at least a portion of the reducing gas and form a negatively charged reducing gas; and contacting the target assembly with the negatively charged reducing gas to reduce the oxides on the component.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method comprising same for removing metal oxides from a substrate surface are disclosed herein. In one particular embodiment, the apparatus comprises an electrode assembly that has a housing that is at least partially comprised of an insulating material and having an internal volume and at least one fluid inlet that is in fluid communication with the internal volume; a conductive base connected to the housing comprising a plurality of conductive tips that extend therefrom into a target area and a plurality of perforations that extend therethrough and are in fluid communication with the internal volume to allow for a passage of a gas mixture comprising a reducing gas.