32242 results about "Atmospheric pressure" patented technology

Apparatus and method for atomic layer deposition on a surface of a substrate (6) in a treatment space. A gas supply device (15, 16) is present for providing various gas mixtures to the treatment space (1, 2). The gas supply device (15, 16) is arranged to provide a gas mixture with a precursor material to the treatment space for allowing reactive surface sites to react with precursor material molecules to give a surface covered by a monolayer of precursor molecules attached via the reactive sites to the surface of the substrate. Subsequently, a gas mixture comprising a reactive agent capable to convert the attached precursor molecules to active precursor sites is provided. A plasma generator (10) is present for generating an atmospheric pressure plasma in the gas mixture comprising the reactive agent, the plasma generator being arranged remote from the treatment space (1, 2).

A semiconductor processing system includes an intermediate structure disposed between an atmospheric pressure entrance transfer chamber and a vacuum common transfer chamber. The intermediate structure includes a transfer passage for a target substrate to pass therein. The transfer passage includes a first buffer chamber a middle transfer chamber and a second buffer chamber detachably connected. An additional processing apparatus is detachably connected to the middle transfer chamber. The intermediate structure is selectively arranged in first or second state. In the first state, the additional processing apparatus performs a vacuum process, while the first buffer chamber is a load-lock chamber. In the second state, the additional processing apparatus performs an atmospheric pressure process, while the second buffer chamber is a load-lock chamber.

A process for depositing polycrystalline silicon on substrates, including foreign substrates, occurs in a chamber at about atmospheric pressure, wherein a temperature gradient is formed, and both the atmospheric pressure and the temperature gradient are maintained throughout the process. Formation of a vapor barrier within the chamber that precludes exit of the constituent chemicals, which include silicon, iodine, silicon diiodide, and silicon tetraiodide. The deposition occurs beneath the vapor barrier. One embodiment of the process also includes the use of a blanketing gas that precludes the entrance of oxygen or other impurities. The process is capable of repetition without the need to reset the deposition zone conditions.

Embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to apparatus and methods for a plasma-processing chamber requiring less maintenance and downtime and possessing improved reliability over the prior art. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a substrate support resting on a ceramic shaft, an inner shaft allowing for electrical connections to the substrate support at atmospheric pressure, an aluminum substrate support resting on but not fixed to a ceramic support structure, sapphire rest points swaged into the substrate support, and a heating element inside the substrate support arranged in an Archimedes spiral to reduce warping of the substrate support and to increase its lifetime. Methods include increasing time between in-situ cleans of the chamber by reducing particle generation from chamber surfaces. Reduced particle generation occurs via temperature control of chamber components and pressurization of non-processing regions of the chamber relative to the processing region with a purge gas.

The present invention relates to a method of coating fluorocarbon or hydrocarbon on the surface of a workpiece using atmospheric pressure plasma. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of coating hydrocarbon or fluorocarbon on the surface of a workpiece using plasma generated under atmospheric pressure such that the workpiece can have a hydrophobic or super-hydrophobic surface.The method of coating a surface of a workpiece with fluorocarbon to be hydrophobic or super-hydrophobic according to the present invention comprises the steps of generating first atmospheric pressure glow plasma by supplying a reaction gas into a discharge space formed between a first electrode and a second electrode, the reaction gas containing hydrogen gas, fluorocarbon gas and inert gas, the first and second electrodes being connected to an RF power supply of an atmospheric pressure plasma generator; and approaching the workpiece to the first electrode downstream of a reaction gas flow passing through the discharge space, such that the plasma created in the discharge space is transferred into a space between the first electrode and the workpiece to generate a second atmospheric pressure glow plasma therein, whereby a fluorocarbon coating layer can be formed on the surface of the workpiece.

To form a microcrystalline semiconductor with high quality which can be directly formed at equal to or less than 500° C. over a large substrate with high productivity without decreasing a deposition rate. In addition, to provide a photoelectric conversion device which employs the microcrystalline semiconductor as a photoelectric conversion layer. A reactive gas containing helium is supplied to a treatment chamber which is surrounded by a plurality of juxtaposed waveguides and a wall, the pressure in the treatment chamber is maintained at an atmospheric pressure or a subatmospheric pressure, microwave is supplied to a space sandwiched between the juxtaposed waveguides to generate plasma, and a photoelectric conversion layer of a microcrystalline semiconductor is deposited over a substrate which is placed in the treatment chamber.

A vacuum processing apparatus includes a plurality of vacuum containers; a vacuumized transfer unit connected with the vacuum containers and having a transfer chamber; a plurality of lock chambers connected to the vacuumized transfer unit; a vacuumized transferring section arranged in the transfer chamber to transfer the sample between each of the lock chambers and each of the processing chambers inside the plurality of vacuum containers; an atmospheric transfer container having a space through which the sample is transferred under the atmospheric pressure; an atmospheric transfer unit arranged in the atmospheric transfer container and adapted to transfer the sample from a cassette; and a controller operative on the basis of schedule information of a plurality of operations to adjust the operations, the information including times of stagnation of the plurality of samples and set therefor.

A semiconductor manufacturing method includes forming an oxide film on a substrate by performing a first cycle a predetermined number of times, including supplying a first source gas, an oxidizing gas and a reducing gas to the substrate heated to a first temperature in a process container under a sub-atmospheric pressure; forming a seed layer on a surface of the oxide film by supplying a nitriding gas to the substrate in the process container, the substrate being heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the first temperature and equal to or lower than a second temperature; and forming a nitride film on the seed layer formed on the surface of the oxide film by performing a second cycle a predetermined number of times, including supplying a second source gas and the nitriding gas to the substrate heated to the second temperature in the process container.

A plasma processing apparatus including powered electrodes having elongated planar surfaces; grounded electrodes having elongated planar surfaces parallel to and coextensive with the elongated surfaces of the powered electrodes, and spaced-apart a chosen distance therefrom, forming plasma regions, is described. RF power is provided to the at least one powered electrode, both powered and grounded electrodes may be cooled, and a plasma gas is flowed through the plasma regions at atmospheric pressure; whereby a plasma is formed in the plasma regions. The material to be processed may be moved into close proximity to the exit of the plasma gas from the plasma regions perpendicular to the gas flow, and perpendicular to the elongated electrode dimensions, whereby excited species generated in the plasma exit the plasma regions and impinge unimpeded onto the material.

Apparatus and method for atomic layer deposition on a surface of a substrate (6) in a treatment space. A gas supply device (15, 16) is present for providing various gas mixtures to the treatment space. The gas supply device (15, 16) is arranged to provide a gas mixture with a precursor material to the treatment space for allowing reactive surface sites to react with precursor material molecules to give a surface covered by a monolayer of precursor molecules attached via the reactive sites to the surface of the substrate. Subsequently, a gas mixture comprising a reactive agent capable to convert the attached precursor molecules to active precursor sites is provided. A plasma generator (10) is present for generating an atmospheric pressure plasma in the gas mixture comprising the reactive agent.

A simple microfluidic actuator includes a sealed vacuum chamber actuated by providing a current to a thin film heater, which in turn weakens and, under the atmospheric pressure differential, breaks a diaphragm sealing said vacuum chamber whereby the vacuum inside said chamber is released. By applying the microfluidic actuator to a microfluidic network the resulting pressure differential can be used to generate a pumping force with the microfluidic network. The chamber may be prepared in a silicon, glass, or plastic substrate. The diaphragm may be a metallic gas-impermeable film. A releasing member comprising a thin-film metallic heater is then microfabricated on the diaphragm. The assembly so prepared may be bonded to a glass or plastic substrate that contains a network of microchannels. The microfluidic actuator is suited for a microfluidic platform in generating driving powers for operations including pumping, metering, mixing and valving of liquid samples.

An apparatus and method that generates plasma using a microwave radiation supply. The plasma is used to treat a surface of a workpiece at approximately atmospheric pressure. Plasma excites a working gas to create an excited gaseous species without degradation from undue heat caused by the plasma. The gaseous species exit an outlet of the apparatus to treat the surface of a workpiece when the outlet is juxtaposed with the workpiece.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for forming a plasma in the exhaust line of a primary process reactor. The plasma is generated in an inductive source (5) to examine the chemical concentrations of the waste or exhaust gas in vacuum lines that are below atmospheric pressure. The optical radiation emitted by the plasma is analyzed by an optical spectrometer (9) and the resulting information is used to diagnose, monitor, or control operating states in the main vacuum vessel.

Improved integrity test, priming sequence and bag height detection tests, apparatuses and methods for a medical fluid delivery system are provided. The integrity test includes a plurality of air pressure decay tests, using positive and negative pressure. The priming sequence includes pumping fluid through a portion of a patient line to be primed to overcome air in the line and other potential obstacles. The head height test measures a pressure build-up or drop-off within a pump chamber of a membrane pump. The measured pressure corresponds to a head height between a fluid supply and the pump or between the pump and a fluid drain. A determination is made whether the corresponding head height is acceptable.

An Atomic Layer CVD process and apparatus deposits single and or multiple minelayers of material sequentially at atmospheric pressure. Sequential monolayer depositions are separated in time and in space by combinations of physical barriers and / or gas curtains and / or by physical movement of substrates from one deposition chamber or location to another Pulse and / or continuous flows of reactant and purge gases are used in alternate embodiments of the present invention. Reactant injection, purge gas flow and exhaust flows at separated deposition chambers or locations are controlled by coordination of dedicated gas manifolds and control systems for each spatially or temporally separated deposition process or location.

A filter making apparatus includes a positioning device having a passageway therethrough, with the passageway guiding a continuous flavor element such as a continuous strand of textile material from an inlet of the passageway to an outlet of the passageway. A liquid flavorant is introduced into the passageway at a desired flow rate and the strand of material carries the supplied liquid flavorant out of the positioning device at a rate substantially equal to the desired flow rate. A portion of the passageway can form a bath of the liquid flavorant supplied to the passageway through a separate inlet at approximately atmospheric pressure. A portion of the positioning device guides the continuous strand of material through the bath, or guides the strand to pass along the bottom of the passageway, and the saturated or partially saturated strand of material then exits from an outlet of the passageway to a point in the path of filter tow material that is being converged to form a filter rod.

A safety indicator monitors environment conditions detrimental to humans e.g., hazardous gases, air pollutants, low oxygen, radiation levels of EMF or RF and microwave, temperature, humidity and air pressure retaining a three month history to upload to a PC via infra red data interface or phone link. Contaminants are analyzed and compared to stored profiles to determine its classification and notify user of an adversity by stored voice messages from, via alarm tones and associated flashing LED, via vibrator for silent operation or via LCD. Environmental radiation sources are monitored and auto-scaled. Instantaneous radiation exposure level and exposure duration data are stored for later readout as a detector and dosimeter. Scans for EMF allow detection with auto scaling of radiation levels and exposure durations are stored for subsequent readout. Electronic bugs can be found with a high sensitivity EMF range setting. Ambient temperature measurements or humidity and barometric pressure can be made over time to predict weather changes. A PCS RF link provides wireless remote communications in a first responder military use by upload of alarm conditions, field measurements and with download of command instructions. The link supports reception of telemetry data for real time remote monitoring of personnel via the wrist band for blood pressure, temperature, pulse rate and blood oxygen levels are transmitted. Commercial uses include remote environmental data collection and employee assignment tasking. GPS locates personnel and reporting coordinates associated with alarm occurrences and associated environmental measurements.

The invention provides a method for correspondingly marking the most protuberant part of the deformed rubber corresponding to the outer side of an automobile tire with a white fluorescent paint line and coating a red fluorescent paint line in the position which is one second distance below from the white line as a safety mark according to the allowable normal inflation pressure standard range calibrated when the tires of sedans and miniature vehicles leave the factory (for example, the allowable normal inflation pressure standard ranges of a 1.5t FIAT sedan, a 0.6t CHANG'AN STAR miniature minibus and a 1.0t LINGYANG sedan are respectively 2.3 to 2.8 Kg / cm<2>, 2.2 to 2.5Kg / cm<2> and 2.2 to 2.6Kg / cm<2>). When the red fluorescent paint line disappears and the most protuberant part of the deformed rubber on the outer side of the tire is above the white fluorescent paint line, the tire pressure is indicated to be too low, and measures, such as inflation, tire repair, etc., should be carried out. When the most protuberant part is below the white fluorescent paint line and above the red fluorescent paint line, the tire pressure is indicated to be too high, and the measure of deflation should be carried out. The method has the advantages of visibility, rapidness, convenience, safety, practicality and low cost, and is easily accepted by drivers and tire manufacturers, completed at one time in the tire manufacturer and easily generalized and applied.

A self-powered pacemaker uses the variations of blood pressure inside the heart or a major artery to create a periodic change in the magnetic flux inside a coil. The pressure variations compress a bellows carrying a magnet moving inside a coil. The inside of the bellows is evacuated to a partial or full vacuum, and a spring restores the bellows to the desired equilibrium point, acting against the blood pressure. The current pulses are stored in a capacitor. Eliminating the battery allows dramatic miniaturization of the pacemaker to the point it can be implanted at the point of desired stimulation via a catheter. The invention includes means of compensating for atmospheric pressure changes.

A pressure-equalizing vial access device and method providing closed and sealed reconstitution of vial contents. A rigid container with a fixed internal volume is connected with a vent lumen extending into the vial. As pressure in the vial increases, the pressure is equalized with atmospheric pressure by varying the volume of a compartment within the rigid container. The compartment is formed with a volume control device that automatically varies the volume of the compartment in the rigid container to accommodate and equalize the pressure in the vial by increasing or decreasing the volume of the compartment. In one case the volume control device comprises a sliding disk and in another, a bladder that compresses with an increase in volume in the container and expands with a decrease.

A sealed electronic equipment enclosure with a dedicated cooling system is fitted with movable louvers in the enclosure walls. During normal operation, air pressure developed by the dedicated cooling system keeps the louvers closed and maintains the enclosure sealed to the computer room environment. If the dedicated cooling system fails, the internal air pressure developed by the cooling system is reduced and air movers in the electronic equipment force the louvers open, thereby allowing the air movers to draw cooled air from the computer room into the enclosure. This cooled air prevents the equipment from overheating at least for a time period long enough to allow the dedicated cooling system to be replaced or repaired.

The invention discloses a system and a method for instant hydrogen production and power generation. The system comprises a hydrogen production subsystem, an air pressure adjusting subsystem and a power generation subsystem, wherein the hydrogen production subsystem is used for preparing hydrogen from methanol water and transmitting the prepared hydrogen to the power generation subsystem in real time through a transmission pipeline; the transmission pipeline is provided with the air pressure adjusting subsystem for adjusting air pressure inside the transmission pipeline; the power generation subsystem is used for generating power by virtue of hydrogen prepared by the hydrogen production subsystem; the air pressure adjusting subsystem comprises a microprocessor, an air pressure sensor, a valve controller and an air outlet valve; the air pressure sensor is arranged in the transmission pipeline, and is used for sensing data of the air pressure inside the transmission pipeline and sending the data of the air pressure to the microprocessor; the microprocessor is used for controlling the on and off of the air outlet valve according to the data of the air pressure sensed by the air pressure sensor. Power can be generated by instantly prepared hydrogen, a hydrogen buffer tank is not required, and thus the portability and mobility of the hydrogen production and power generation system can be improved.

A dressing for an open wound includes a cover layer dimensioned for positioning relative to a wound bed. The cover layer permits an evacuation of the space around the wound bed such that a sub-atmospheric pressure may be established to stimulate healing and facilitate the removal of fluid from the wound. Multiple performance zones in the cover layer allow the wound dressing to remain in position through repeated cycles of evacuation without placing undue strain on the wound bed. An outer peripheral zone may include a high peal-strength adhesive while an intermediate zone may include a shear resistant adhesive. A central zone may be devoid of any coating to maximize moisture transmission through cover layer.

The present invention is a method, process and apparatus for selective cleaning, drying, and modifying substrate surfaces and depositing thin films thereon using a dense phase gas solvent and admixtures within a first created supercritical fluid antisolvent. Dense fluids are used in combination with sub-atmospheric, atmospheric and super-atmospheric plasma adjuncts (cold and thermal plasmas) to enhance substrate surface cleaning, modification, precision drying and deposition processes herein. Moreover, conventional wet cleaning agents such as hydrofluoric acid and ammonium fluoride may be used with the present invention to perform substrate pre-treatments prior to precision drying and cleaning treatments described herein. Finally, dense fluid such as solid phase carbon dioxide and argon may be used as a follow-on treatment or in combination with plasmas to further treat a substrate surface.

A device for providing improved wound healing is described. The device includes a vacuum system for applying a sub-atmospheric pressure to the wound, a gas supply system for applying a gaseous wound healing agent to the wound, and a controller connected with the vacuum system and the gas supply system that controls the applications of the sub-atmospheric pressure and the application of the gaseous wound healing agent to the wound. A method of using the device for improved wound healing is also described.

An imaging device includes an image sensor chip and a package for containing the image sensor chip. Formed in the package is a vent hole that is connected to an air pump. In a light receiving area of the image sensor chip, there are photodiodes and microlenses above them. The microlenses are made of a gel-like transparent material. When the internal air pressure of the package is changed by the air pump, each microlens transforms in response to the change of the internal air pressure, and thereby changes the surface curvature thereof.

A method and apparatus for boosting the performance of gas turbine engines, pipelines, and other applications using gas turbine engine systems. A pressurizing device or other source is preferably used to deliver an intake air stream to the gas turbine engine at at least 2% above atmospheric pressure. The pressurizing device of other source is preferably not mechanically driven by the gas turbine engine itself.

A multiple function atmospheric pressure ion source interfaced to a mass spectrometer comprises multiple liquid inlet probes configured such that the sprays from two or more probes intersect in a mixing region. Gas phase sample ions or neutral species generated in the spray of one probe can react with reagent gas ions generated from one or more other probes by such ionization methods as Electrospray, photoionization, corona discharge and glow discharge ionization. Reagent ions may be optimally selected to promote such processes as Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization of neutral sample molecules, or charge reduction or electron transfer dissociation of multiply charged sample ions. Selected neutral reagent species can also be introduced into the mixing region to promote charge reduction of multiply charged sample ions through ion-neutral reactions. Different operating modes can be performed alternately or simultaneously, and can be rapidly turned on and off under manual or software control.

A tissue treatment apparatus and method are provided for treating tissue by the application of the time-varying sub-atmospheric pressure. The apparatus includes a cover adapted to cover a wound and adapted to maintain sub-atmospheric pressure the site of the wound. The apparatus further includes a source of suction configured to generate a time-varying sub-atmospheric pressure having a periodic waveform comprising a gradual change in pressure. The suction source cooperates with the cover to supply the time-varying sub-atmospheric pressure under the cover to the wound. The time-varying sub-atmospheric pressure may vary between a first pressure value below the inherent tissue tension of the wound tissue and a second pressure value above the inherent tissue tension of the wound tissue.

A composite multi-layer barrier is produced by first vapor depositing a barrier under vacuum over a substrate of interest and then depositing an additional barrier at atmospheric pressure in a preferably thermoplastic layer. The resulting multi-layer barrier is then used to coat an article of interest in a lamination process wherein the thermoplastic layer is fused onto itself and the surface of the article. The vacuum-deposited barrier may consists of a first leveling polymer layer followed by an inorganic barrier material sputtered over the leveling layer and of an additional polymeric layer flash evaporated, deposited, and cured under vacuum. The thermoplastic polymeric layer is then deposited by extrusion, drawdown or roll coating at atmospheric pressure. The resulting multi-layer barrier may be stacked using the thermoplastic layer as bonding agent. Nano-particles may be included in the thermoplastic layer to improve the barrier properties of the structure. A desiccant material may also be included or added as a separate layer.