Abstract:
A method for fabricating a suspended structure including a layer of membrane material over a substrate. The suspended structure overlies a cavity in the substrate. The method starts by generating a sacrificial layer comprising a first material that can withstand temperatures typically encountered in subsequent conventional semiconductor processing steps. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bond between sacrificial layer and the underlying substrate must be capable of withstanding temperatures greater than the Si—Al eutectic point. A layer of membrane material is then deposited over the sacrificial layer. The membrane material comprises a second material different from the first material. An opening is introduced in the layer of membrane material thereby exposing the sacrificial layer. A first etchant is applied to the sacrificial layer through the opening until the sacrificial layer is removed leaving a portion of the cavity. The first etchant is chosen such that the first etchant removes the first material more rapidly than the second material. Finally, a second etchant is introduced into the cavity to expand the cavity. The second etchant is chosen such that the second etchant removes the substrate more rapidly than the second material. The first material is preferably PSG, thermal silicon dioxide, low temperature oxide, or tungsten.
Abstract:
A thermally-activated gas extraction device that comprises a bubble capture chamber, an exhaust manifold, a tapered extraction chamber and an extraction heater associated with the tapered extraction chamber. The tapered extraction chamber extends from the bubble capture chamber towards the exhaust manifold and has a cross-sectional area that increases towards the exhaust manifold. A gas removal method in which the gas extraction device is provided, a bubble of gas is accumulated in the bubble capture chamber, a portion of the liquid in the tapered extraction chamber heated to nucleate a bubble of vapor, and the bubble of vapor is heated to explosively expand the bubble of vapor into contact with the walls of the tapered extraction chamber and into contact with the bubble of gas to form a composite bubble. Contact with the walls of the tapered extraction moves the composite bubble towards the exhaust manifold. Finally, heating of the composite bubble is discontinued to condense the vapor in the composite bubble.
Abstract:
An ink jet print head with a substrate defining an ink aperture. A number of ink energizing elements are located on the major surface of the substrate. A barrier layer is connected to the upper surface, and peripherally encloses an ink manifold. The barrier encompasses the ink aperture. An orifice plate is connected to the barrier layer, spaced apart from the substrate's major surface, enclosing the ink manifold. The plate defines a number of orifices, each associated with a respective ink energizing element. The ink manifold is an elongated chamber having opposed ends defined by end wall portions of the barrier layer. The barrier end wall portions each have an intermediate end wall portion protruding into the manifold.
Abstract:
A switching element defines a transmitting state and a reflecting state for a pair of intersecting waveguides that have a gap at their intersection. In the preferred embodiment, the switching element exhibits total internal reflection at the gap sidewall from one waveguide to the other when not in the transmitting state. In the transmitting state, index-matching liquid fills the gap, enabling light to continue in the original waveguide direction. The switching element may use ink jet techniques or bubble techniques to displace index-matching liquid. The index-matching fluid may be projected from a gap between the waveguides by a jet mechanism, or a vapor or dissolved gas bubble may be formed to fill the gap between the waveguides to provide the reflecting state for the switching element. Using either of the techniques, heaters are employed to initiate the switching operation. In some embodiments, more than one heater is utilized. In the preferred embodiment, waveguides are formed on one substrate and heaters are formed on another. Then the substrates are aligned and bonded together to position the heaters in very close proximity to the intersection between the waveguides. Preferably, the switching element is one element in a matrix of such elements for routing signals between arrays of input and output waveguides.
Abstract:
A process is disclosed for removing residual sulfur from a hydrotreated naphtha feedstock. The feedstock is contacted with molecular hydrogen under reforming conditions in the presence of a less sulfur sensitive reforming catalyst to convert trace sulfur compounds to H.sub.2 S, and to form a first effluent. The first effluent is contacted with a solid sulfur sorbent to remove the H.sub.2 S and form a second effluent. The second effluent is then contacted with a highly selective reforming catalyst under severe reforming conditions. Also disclosed is a method using a potassium containing sulfur sorbent made from nitrogen-free potassium compounds.
Abstract:
A process for removing residual sulfur from a hydrotreated naphtha feedstock is disclosed. The feedstock is contacted with molecular hydrogen under reforming conditions in the presence of a less sulfur sensitive reforming catalyst, thereby converting trace sulfur compounds to H.sub.2 S, and forming a first effluent. The first effluent is contacted with a solid sulfur sorbent, removing the H.sub.2 S and forming a second effluent. The second effluent is contacted with a highly selective reforming catalyst under severe reforming conditions.
Abstract:
A hydrocarbon conversion process is disclosed wherein a hydrocarbon feed is contacted with a reforming catalyst in the presence of a halogen at conditions which favor dehydrocyclization, isomerization, and dehydroisomerization of the hydrocarbon feed. The degree of the isomerization and dehydroisomerization is controlled by adjusting the amount of halogen present. The amount of halogen present can be adjusted on stream by the addition of halogen-containing gas or water. The reforming catalyst comprises a large-pore zeolite, containing at least one Group VIII metal. In one embodiment, the reforming catalyst comprises: (a) a large-pore zeolite containing barium and platinum; and (b) an acidic or acidifiable inorganic binder selected from the group consisting of silica-alumina, zirconia-silica and alumina.
Abstract:
A hydrocarbon conversion process is disclosed having a very high selectivity for dehydrocyclization. In one aspect of this process, a hydrocarbon feed is subjected to hydrotreating, then the hydrocarbon feed is passed through a sulfur removal system which reduces the sulfur concentration of the hydrocarbon feed to below 500 ppb, and then the hydrocarbon feed is reformed over a dehydrocyclization catalyst comprising a large pore zeolite containing at least one Group VIII metal to produce aromatics and hydrogen.
Abstract:
Embodiments generally relate to methods and apparatuses for generating ice. In one embodiment, at a generation location, a material is introduced to water, and the temperature of the combination of the water and the material is lowered until ice forms; then at a target location, the formed ice is deployed on a top surface of a body of water, or of a pre-existing body of ice, or of ground. The formed ice has an albedo greater than or equal to 0.15. The formed ice contains light scattering centers created by the introduced material. The material comprises hollow particles.
Abstract:
Embodiments generally relate to methods and apparatuses for conserving water in a reservoir. In one embodiment, the method comprises deploying onto the top surface of water in a reservoir a floatable device with a wettable lower surface. The device comprises a first element and a second element, the first element providing the device with a high albedo upper surface. In one embodiment the first element comprises a plurality of highly reflective particles and the second element comprises a binder configured to hold the reflective particles together.