Abstract:
An apparatus, and particularly, a wafer carrier for polishing the face of a semiconductor wafer are provided. The wafer carrier forms a first cavity which can be pressure controlled to vary the shape of a face of a platen which contacts the wafer during polishing. A second cavity within the first cavity is provided. The second cavity can be independently pressure controlled to form a vacuum for holding the wafer against the platen surface or for forming a pressure stream to separate the wafer from the platen and/or to purge the holes in the surface of the platen. A non-contact displacement sensor capable of measuring a distance between the wafer carrier mount and the platen, may be provided. An endpoint detector capable of detecting a relative surface roughness of the wafer, to determine when the wafer has been sufficiently polished, may also be provided. A ring is peripherally located about an outer edge of the platen, and is mounted and positioned to resist lateral forces on the wafer during polishing. The ring is adjustably mounted so as to be variably and controllably vertically positioned, with respect to the wafer to help control standing waves in the polishing media and uneven polishing of the wafer surface.
Abstract:
An anonymous trading system includes a prime broker facility that allows a third party to trade on behalf of an institution. A deal is executed between the third party and a counter-party and a further deal is then executed between the third party and the party on whose behalf it has traded. The second deal may be for the same amount as the first deal or may be altered to include the third party's fee for conducting the first deal. Clients of the third party have prices available to them for trades made via the third party which are displayed at their trader terminals. The client sees that a better price is available though the third party than by dealing direct and selects to conduct a deal through the third party.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for controlling a fuel pump assembly comprising a plurality of pump elements, each pump element comprising a cam-driven plunger to perform at least one pumping event per engine revolution and a control valve. Each pumping event corresponds to an associated cam lobe of the associated cam. The method comprises, for each pumping event of each pump element, controlling the control valve of said pump element in response to an output control signal derived from at least one previous pumping event. Fuel pressure is measured within a rail volume and compared with a demanded rail pressure value to derive a rail pressure error. A proportional term and an integral term for the rail pressure error are derived and combined to derive the output control signal. Monitoring of the integral term for each pumping event provides a means for identifying and diagnosing a fault condition.
Abstract:
An anonymous trading system includes a prime broker facility that allows a third party to trade on behalf of an institution. A deal is executed between the third party and a counter-party and a further deal is then executed between the third party and the party on whose behalf it has traded. The second deal may be for the same amount as the first deal or may be altered to include the third party's fee for conducting the first deal. Clients of the third party have prices available to them for trades made via the third party which are displayed at their trader terminals. The client sees that a better price is available though the third party than by dealing direct and selects to conduct a deal through the third party.
Abstract:
An anonymous trading system includes a prime broker facility that allows a third party to trade on behalf of an institution. A deal is executed between the third party and a counter-party and a further deal is then executed between the third party and the party on whose behalf it has traded. The second deal may be for the same amount as the first deal or may be altered to include the third party's fee for conducting the first deal. Clients of the third party have prices available to them for trades made via the third party which are displayed at their trader terminals. The client sees that a better price is available though the third party than by dealing direct and selects to conduct a deal through the third party.
Abstract:
Methods and devices for controlled evaporation of solvent from a solution are provided. In one embodiment, the device can control evaporation of different solutions comprising solvents of dissimilar volatilities simultaneously. In another embodiment, control over the flow of solvent vapor out of the device is provided by selecting the pressure at an inlet port and an exhaust port of the device. In yet another embodiment, control over the flow of solvent vapor out of the device is provided by selecting the size of a disk flow control orifice positioned between the wells and a vapor removal outlet of the device. In still another embodiment, control over the flow of solvent vapor out of the device is provided by the opening and closing of the vapor removal outlet of the device. In yet a further embodiment, the rate of evaporation of solvent is controlled by controlling the temperature of the solution. The flow rate control mechanisms can be used alone or in any combination to control evaporation of one or more solvents from solutions.
Abstract:
A deflection sensor for a taut wire perimeter fence detection system, which can be installed after the fence wire has been installed easily, and the sensor the operates in line with the wire tension. The sensor includes a plate member adapted to be pivotally mounted, a first wire attachment point at one end of said plate member, a second wire attachment point remote from said first wire attachment point and a transducer or sensor element located on said plate member between the attachment points. The taut wire type detection system including at least one taut wire for a perimeter fence supported by a plurality of posts, at least one deflection sensor being pivotally mounted to one of the posts or a support thereon and a sensor processing circuit for interrogating the at least one deflection sensor and to provide an alarm indication on tampering of the at least one taut wire or the at least one deflection sensor.