Advanced mask aligner lithography (AMALITH) for thick photoresist

Advanced mask aligner lithography (AMALITH) is a holistic approach to improve shadow printing (contact and proximity lithography) in mask aligners. AMALITH is based on two tools, the MO Exposure Optics^®, a new illumination system allow shaping the angular spectrum of the illumination light, and LAB, a software tool for full 3D simulation of the shadow printing process. MO Exposure Optics^® is provided by SUSS MicroTec AG (http://www.suss.com), as an upgrade for all current and older mask aligner models. MO Exposure Optics^® decouples the illumination from lamp misplacement (self-calibrated light source), improves the light uniformity, provides telecentric illumination and enables customized illumination in mask aligners. LAB is a software tool provided by GenISys GmbH (http://www.genisys-gmbh.com), and allows simulating the complete chain from illumination, mask pattern, photoresist and resist processing. The combination of both tools allows optimizing mask aligner lithography beyond today’s limits.     

Preparation and characterization of safe microparticles based on xylan

This work describes the preparation and evaluation of safe xylan-based microparticles prepared by cross-linking polymerization using sodium trimetaphosphate. The resulting microparticles were evaluated for morphology, particle size, polymer-cross-link agent interaction, and in vitro toxicity. The microparticles showed narrow monodisperse size distributions with their mean sizes being between 3.5 and 12.5?µm in dried state. FT-IR analyzes confirmed the interaction between sodium trimetaphosphate and xylan during the cross-linking process with formation of phosphate ester bonds. Additionally, the X-ray diffraction patterns and FT-IR analyzes suggested that little or no cross-linking agent remained inside the microparticles. Furthermore, the in-vitro studies using Artemia salina and human erythrocytes revealed that the microparticles are not toxic. Therefore, the overall results suggest that these xylan microparticles can be used as a platform for new drug delivery system.     

Optimization of Extreme Load and Break-in Period in Plain ZDDP Oil with FeF3 Catalyst Using Design of Experiment and Fundamental Study under Different Speeds

The mechanism of tribofilm formation and breakdown was carefully followed and studied in 0.1 P% (percentage phosphorus content) plain zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) oil in the presence of iron fluoride (FeF₃) catalyst under extreme Hertzian contact pressure (3.0 GPa) and two different rotational speeds or variable speed with break in period (100 rpm for the first 5,000 revolutions and a 700 rpm until failure or 100,000 revolutions, whichever comes first). At the onset of large frictional fluctuations, the contact surface temperature increased significantly and reached 90°C ± 5°C. The present article describes an innovative method of reducing the surface temperature by using a break in period of 2 or 3 min and rerunning the test until failure. The two different rotational speeds or variable speed will be compared to a steady-state speed of 700 rpm.

Thermal decomposition of ZDDP is examined in the presence of powder and dispersed FeF₃ using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Surface analyses were carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with X-ray of the wear tracks, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Results showed that submicrometer dispersed FeF₃ provided excellent wear protection when combined with ZDDP in the variable-speed test with break-in by forming a tribofilm that is amorphous in nature and rich in phosphorus, which was shown by the TEM and X-ray analyses.     

Empirical model for the quantitative prediction of losses of radial fans based on CFD calculations

In a classical layout process of a fan the quantity of losses is estimated as a sum and expressed in the overall efficiency rate η. However the characteristic of the pressure rise, the losses and the efficiency rate beside the design point is not known. Against this background a numerical model was developed to calculate quantitative values of occurring losses at radial fan impellers at an early stage in the design process. It allows to estimate the pressure rise and efficiency rate of a given fan geometry at and beside the design point. The physics of losses are described in literature, but obtaining quantitative values is still a challenge. As common in hydraulic theory the losses are calculated with analytic formulas supported by coefficients and efficiency rates, which have to be determined empirically. This paper shows the method how to determine the coefficients for a given radial fan. Therefore a representative radial fan with backward curved blades was designed in reference to classical design guidelines. Performance measuring was done conform to ISO 5801. The flow was calculated at 8 different operation points using CFD methods. The RANS equations are solved by using the SST-k-omega turbulence model. The flow domain consists of one blade section including inlet channel and outflow chamber. Spatial discretization is done by a block-structured mesh of approx. 1.8 million cells. Performance data show a very good agreement between measurement and calculation.     

Effects of impurities on the lattice dynamics of nanocrystalline silicon for thermoelectric application

Doped silicon nanoparticles were exposed to air and sintered to form nanocrystalline silicon. The composition, microstructure, and structural defects were investigated with TEM, XRD, and PDF and the lattice dynamics was evaluated with measurements of the heat capacity, of the elastic constants with resonant ultrasound spectroscopy and of the density of phonon states (DPS) with inelastic neutron scattering. The results were combined and reveal that the samples contain a large amount of silicon dioxide and exhibit properties that deviate from bulk silicon. Both in the reduced DPS and in the heat capacity a Boson peak at low energies, characteristic of amorphous SiO₂, is observed. The thermal conductivity is strongly reduced due to nanostructuration and the incorporation of impurities.     

Is the Management of the Future Internet Ignored? A Report on ManFI 2009

This report summarizes the presentations and discussions at the 1st IFIP/IEEE International Workshop on Management of the Future Internet (ManFI 2009). This report provides a broad, high-level view of key requirements, challenges, strategies and R&D results associated with the current state-of-the-field in Future Internet management.     

Thermoelectric Properties of Nanocrystalline Silicon from a Scaled‐Up Synthesis Plant

Silicon based thermoelectrics are promising candidates for high temperature energy scavenging applications. We present the properties of thermoelectrics made from highly boron doped silicon nanoparticles. The particles were produced by a continuous gas phase process in a scaled‐up synthesis plant enabling production rates in the kg h^?1 regime. The silicon nanoparticles were compacted by direct current assisted sintering to yield nanocrystalline bulk silicon with average crystallite size between 40 and 80 nm and relative densities above 97% of the density of single crystalline silicon. The influence of the sintering temperature on the thermoelectric properties is investigated. It was found that high sintering temperatures are beneficial for an enhancement of the power factor, while the thermal conductivity was only moderately affected. The optimization of the compaction procedure with respect to the transport properties leads to zT values of the p‐type nanosilicon of 0.32 at 700 °C, demonstrating the potential of our method.     

Full-scale field tests of concrete slabs subjected to blast loads

This paper describes full-scale field explosion tests on protected and unprotected concrete slabs. The experiments were performed by the Protective Technologies Research & Development Center of the Faculty of Engineering Sciences of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU-PTR&DC) under a contract with the Israeli Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the supervision of the IDF Steering Committee for R&D of Protective Structures. The aims of the tests were to: (1) extract data on the dynamic response of an elementary concrete structure to blast loads in order to verify and validate (V&V) our corresponding computer codes; and (2) check the ability of aluminum foams to mitigate blast wave loads. Time-dependent measurements of the response of the concrete slabs to the blast wave loads were successfully recorded using a variety of measurement devices. The obtained data have been used to verify and validate our computer codes.     

Investigations on the flow field in an unshrouded pump impeller geometry

Transient CFD simulations are performed to investigate the flow behaviour inside an unshrouded pump using the SAS method. Two blade designs are compared at two different tip clearances and the results are validated by measurements. The detected vortex structure is visualized by the normalized helicity, further discussed regarding its development and behaviour and finally implicated to the efficiency of the two different blade designs.     

Novel transparent hybrid polymer working stamp for UV-imprinting

Transparent stamps are an integral and crucial part of the UV-imprinting. Time consuming fabrication of quartz stamps increases the price of the technology. In the presented work a thermally stable transparent imprint stamp made of a novel hybrid polymer system is demonstrated. As a low-cost and highly efficient alternative the hybrid polymer stamp contributes to the acceptance and application of the nanoimprint technology. By using the UV-patternable inorganic–organic hybrid polymer quartz stamps might become superfluous in the UV-imprint process entirely, because transparent working stamps can be manufactured also with use of opaque silicon master stamps.