Abstract: Systems and methods for atomic layer deposition (ALD) on a flexible substrate involve guiding the substrate back and forth between spaced-apart first and second precursor zones and through a third precursor zone interposed between the first and second precursor zones, so that the substrate transits through each of the precursor zones multiple times. Systems may include a series of turning guides spaced apart along the first and second precursor zones for supporting the substrate along an undulating transport path. As the substrate traverses back and forth between the first and second precursor zones and through the third precursor zone, it passes through a first series of flow-restricting passageways of a first isolation region interposed between the first and third precursor zones and a second series of flow-restricting passageways of a second isolation region interposed between the second and third precursor zones.

Abstract: An atomic layer deposition (ALD) method is utilized to deposit a thin film barrier layer of a metal oxide, such as titanium dioxide, onto a substrate. Excellent barrier layer properties can be achieved when the titanium oxide barrier is deposited by ALD at temperatures below approximately 100° C. Barriers less than 100 angstroms thick and having a water vapor transmission rate of less than approximately 0.01 grams/m2/day are disclosed, as are methods of manufacturing such barriers.

Abstract: The invention is a surface coating which will reduce the aldehyde concentration in a room via a aldehyde reactive material contained in the coating. Upon reaction, the aldehyde becomes part of the reactive molecule and, thus, is permanently held within the coating.

Abstract: A composition which provides enhanced removal of aldehydes from the air of the building interior. The composition includes an amino silane and a multivalent metal carbonate and is especially suitable for adding to building product board substrates, such as acoustical ceiling panels and gypsum wallboards. The composition of the invention can be applied during manufacturing or can be post applied to already constructed room surfaces. The composition provides longevity of aldehyde removal heretofore unachieved.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for tuning demand coefficients. Transaction data for product categories is received from a store(s). Price elasticity and uncertainty values are selected for the product categories. This transaction data may be seeded with generic price elasticity and uncertainty values. Product categories where the transaction history is not sufficient enough to generate accurate demand coefficients may be identified. Tuning parameters for a product category are estimated using price elasticity and uncertainty values. The tuning parameters include price elasticity mean and price elasticity standard deviation. A modified likelihood function is generated by applying a normally distributed price elasticity term. The modified likelihood function may then be solved for its maxima, thereby generating tuned demand coefficients which may be output to a pricing optimization system for product price setting, and/or may be stored for later product categories.

Abstract: A tool for use in affixing an optical component, such as glass, to a liquid crystal display (LCD) using a silicone gel mixture includes, in one embodiment, a unitary metallic platen that is shaped to define a central window. A narrow shelf is defined around the central window to support the optical component during the application of the silicone gel thereon. A upwardly extending partition is formed onto the top surface of the platen around the shelf to retain the optical component fixed in place on the platen during the assembly process. A plurality of identical, spaced apart, upwardly extending standoffs are formed onto the free end of the partition to support the LCD a fixed distance away from the optical component. In this manner, the standoffs ensure that the layer of silicone gel deposited between the optical component and the LCD is uniform in thickness to optimize performance.

Abstract: Methods of constructing composite films including particles embedded in a filler matrix involve preparing a collection of stacked particles, then depositing a matrix material throughout the particle collection using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method so as to substantially completely fill the spaces between the particles with the matrix material. During matrix deposition, a vapor phase etch cycle may be periodically employed to avoid clogging of small pores in the particle collection. New composite materials formed by such methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A radical-enhanced atomic layer deposition (REALD) system and method involves moving a substrate along a circulating or reciprocating transport path between zones that provide alternating exposure to a precursor gas and a gaseous radical species. The radical species may be generated in-situ within a reaction chamber by an excitation source such as plasma generator or ultraviolet radiation (UV), for example. The gaseous radical species is maintained in a radicals zone within the reaction chamber while a precursor gas is introduced into a precursor zone. The precursor zone is spaced apart from the radicals zone to define a radical deactivation zone therebetween. Purge gas flowing through the various zones may provide flow and pressure conditions that substantially prevent the precursor gas from flowing into the radicals zone. In some embodiments, the system includes a partition having one or more flow-restricting passageways though which the substrate is transported.

Abstract: Systems and methods for atomic layer deposition (ALD) on a flexible substrate involve guiding the substrate back and forth between spaced-apart first and second precursor zones, so that the substrate transits through each of the precursor zones multiple times. Systems may include a series of turning guides, such as rollers, spaced apart along the precursor zones for supporting the substrate along an undulating transport path. As the substrate traverses back and forth between precursor zones, it passes through a series of flow-restricting passageways of an isolation zone into which an inert gas is injected to inhibit migration of precursor gases out of the precursor zones. Also disclosed are systems and methods for utilizing more than two precursor chemicals and for recycling precursor gases exhausted from the precursor zones.

Abstract: A tool for use in affixing an optical component, such as glass, to a liquid crystal display (LCD) using a silicone gel mixture of dimethyl siloxane and a vinyl terminated dimethyl polymer includes, in one embodiment, a unitary metallic platen that is shaped to define a central window. A narrow shelf is defined around the outer periphery of the central window, the shelf serving to support the optical component during the application of the silicone gel thereon. A upwardly extending partition is formed onto the top surface of the platen around the shelf, the partition serving, among other things, to retain the optical component fixed in place on the platen during the assembly process. A plurality of identical, spaced apart, upwardly extending standoffs are formed onto the free end of the partition and are designed to support the LCD a fixed distance away from the optical component.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a physical parameter comprises receiving a sensor signal representative of an actual value from each of a plurality of sensors. The method further comprises calculating confidence value for each sensed value and a weighted average of actual values of the sensor signal by weighting each sensed value by the respective confidence value. The weighted average is used to determine a corresponding value of the sensed parameter.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for operating a gas turbine engine without sustained detrimental levels of dynamic pressure are provided. The engine includes a combustor. The method includes determining the combustor acoustic level amplitude, comparing the acoustic level to a predetermined upper acoustic limit, and adjusting a fuel flow distribution to the combustor using a closed loop controller to facilitate reducing the acoustic level to a predetermined lower acoustic limit that is less than the upper acoustic limit.

Abstract: A thin film electroluminescent device has a bottom substrate and a first electrode layer deposited on the bottom substrate. The first insulating layer is deposited on the first electrode layer. A phosphor layer is deposited on the first insulating layer. A second insulating layer is deposited on the phosphor layer. A second electrode layer is deposited on the second insulating layer. In one aspect of the invention, at least a portion of the first insulating layer includes a layer of aluminum titanium oxide, and at least a portion of the second insulating layer includes a layer of a fusing dielectric material. In another aspect of the invention, the first insulating layer includes a layer of a refractory metal oxide, and the second insulating layer includes a layer of a fusing dielectric material.

Abstract: A full color TFEL display includes stacked panels emitting blue and a combination of red and green light. The panel nearest the viewer employs transparent electrodes on both sides and an insulator bridge structure for the scanning electrodes that alleviates the effect of pinhole defects. The panel farthest from the viewer employs transparent-top electrodes. Each row electrode on the scanning side includes an insulator bridge extending across the panel and then ITO pads extending laterally of the bridge onto the EL stack to form sub pixel points. A bus bar connects all the pixel pads in a row and provides the scanning voltage. The insulator bridge prevents the bus bars from shorting out and permits the pixel pads to fuse open in the event of a short circuit.

Abstract: A TFEl structure has a multi-layer construction which includes a bottom substrate layer, a lower electrode layer, a middle EL stack, and an upper electrode layer. Forward portions of the EL stack and the lower and upper electrode layers have formed therethrough a series of longitudinal channels and a transverse street connecting the channels and extending along a forward edge of the bottom substrate layer so as to define a plurality of pixels having light-emitting front edges setback from the forward edge of the bottom substrate layer by the width of the street. Rearward portions of the lower and upper electrode layers respectively underlie and overlie a rearward portion of the EL stack but not each other so as to electrically isolate the rearward portions of the lower and upper electrode layers from one another. Also, a bus bar layer overlies the rearward portion of the EL stack and crosses the rearward portion of the upper electrode layer.

Abstract: A thin film electroluminescent (TFEL) edge emitter module and packaging assembly is composed of a TFEL edge emitter module including an electroluminescent (EL) stack having a linear array of spaced-apart pixels with light-emitting front edges, an enclosure defining a sealed cavity which encloses at least a portion of the EL stack so as to sealably enclose the array of pixels in a contaminant-free environment, a thermally expansive and contractive liquid substantially filling the sealed cavity, and a cavity capacity expansion and contraction mechanism disposed in the enclosure in communication with the cavity and the liquid therein. In response to thermal expansion of the volume of the liquid filling the cavity, the capacity expansion and contraction mechanism is operable to change from a first condition toward a second condition and thereby increase the liquid-holding capacity of the enclosure cavity.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a TFEL panel having a plurality of side-by-side phosphor stripes of different colors includes the steps of placing a thin film phosphor layer of a first color producing phosphor on top of transparent electrodes covered by an insulator and subjecting the phosphor to an etching process to leave thin elongate stripes. A second phosphor layer is deposited over the first phosphor stripes and the etch is repeated to leave adjacent stripes of a second color-producing phosphor. An insulating layer and a second set of electrodes are placed atop the stripes to complete the panel which is supported on a glass substrate.

Abstract: A solid filler material is used to encapsulate active TFEL components supported by a substrate and disposed within a cavity. The cavity is created by affixing a rear cover plate to the substrate. The filler material is injected into the cavity as a liquid but cures to a solid under the influence of heat. This provides an effective moisture barrier and enhances the structural integrity of the panel rendering it immune to problems caused by changes in air pressure or caused by vibration.

Abstract: A hybrid full color TFEL display device includes a pair of independently addressable matrix arrays on stacked substrates wherein the front substrate includes patterned phosphors arranged as alternating stripes, and the rear substrate includes a single phosphor layer. The rear phosphor layer may be either a red or blue emitter and the front phosphor stripes are either red-green or blue-green. The space between the stacked substrates may be filled with a dyed filler material to improve the chromaticity of the rear substrate phosphor. To achieve a full color spectrum the fill factors of the various phosphors are adjusted to be inversely proportional to respective luminance of each at the driving frequency of the panels.

Abstract: A highly efficient, AC-excited, blue light-emitting phosphor for solid-state thin-film electro-luminescent (TFEL) devices is comprised of strontium sulphide (SrS) host material doped with cerium fluoride (CeF.sub.3) acting as an emitter providing a source of photons. The blue SrS:CeF.sub.3 phosphor is about one hundred times brighter than the brightest zinc sulphide/thulium fluoride (ZnS:TmF.sub.3) blue phosphor heretofore known. To increase brightness level, at some loss of energy efficiency, electron-injection layers of zinc sulfide (ZnS) are placed on either side of the SrS:CeF.sub.3 layer in the TFEL device.