Effect of catch cup geometry on 3D boundary layer flow over the wafer surface in a spin coating

Recently, development of high technology has been required for the formation of thin uniform film in manufacturing processes of semiconductor as the semiconductor instruments become more sophisticated. Spin coating is usually used for spreading photoresist on a wafer surface. However, since rotating speed of the disk is very high in spin coating, the dropped photoresist scarers outward and reattaches on the film surface. A catch cup is set up outside the wafer in spin coating, and scattered photoresist mist is removed from the wafer edge by the exhaust flow generated at the gap between the wafer edge and the catch cup. In the dry process of a spin coating, it is a serious concern that the film thickness increases near the wafer edge in the case of low rotating speed. The purpose of this study is to make clear the effect of the catch cup geometry on the 3D boundary layer flow over the wafer surface and the drying rate of liquid film.     

Numerical study on particle motions in swirling flows in a cyclone separator

The purpose of this study is to establish the high-accurate prediction method of particle separation in a cyclone separator. Numerical simulation of the swirling flows in a cyclone separator is performed by using a large eddy simulation (LES) based on a Smagorinsky model. The validity of the simulation and the complicated flow characteristics are discussed by comparison with experimental results. Moreover, particle motions are treated by a Lagrangian method and are calculated with a one-way method. A performance for particle separation is predicted from the results of the particle tracing. As results of our investigation, the influences of the inserted height of the outlet pipe on the performance for particle separation of cyclone separator are shown.     

Variation,Modification and Engineering of Lipid A in Endotoxin of Gram-Negative Bacteria

Lipid A of Gram-negative bacteria is known to represent a central role for the immunological activity of endotoxin. Chemical structure and biosynthetic pathways as well as specific receptors on phagocytic cells had been clarified by the beginning of the 21st century. Although the lipid A of enterobacteria including Escherichia coli share a common structure, other Gram-negative bacteria belonging to various classes of the phylum Proteobacteria and other taxonomical groups show wide variety of lipid A structure with relatively decreased endotoxic activity compared to that of E. coli. The structural diversity is produced from the difference of chain length of 3-hydroxy fatty acids and non-hydroxy fatty acids linked to their hydroxyl groups. In some bacteria, glucosamine in the backbone is substituted by another amino sugar, or phosphate groups bound to the backbone are modified. The variation of structure is also introduced by the enzymes that can modify electrostatic charges or acylation profiles of lipid A during or after its synthesis. Furthermore, lipid A structure can be artificially modified or engineered by the disruption and introduction of biosynthetic genes especially those of acyltransferases. These technologies may produce novel vaccine adjuvants or antagonistic drugs derived from endotoxin in the future.     

Soil stiffness as a function of dry density and the degree of saturation for compaction control

A data set of the coefficient of vertical subgrade reaction for a plate diameter of 30 cm, K_P.FWD, measured by Portable Falling Weight Deflectometer tests in full-scale compaction tests on sandy soil using various types of compaction machines was analysed. Based on this analysis and the previous analysis of a CBR data set from another full-scale compaction test series, a set of conclusions could be drawn. The soil stiffness indexes (SSIs), CBR and K_P.FWD, can be expressed by, respectively, an empirical equation multiplying a function of ρ_d and another of S_r, where CBR and K_P.FWD decrease significantly as S_r increases. As such, ρ_d values cannot be estimated from SSI alone. By fixing the field ρ_d – w compaction curve by keeping the soil type and the field compaction energy level, CEL_f, to those in the field compaction tests in which the SSI – ρ_d – S_r correlation has been calibrated, field compacted ρ_d & w states can be estimated by measuring the SSI values. Then, by the upper-bound and lower-bound control of SSI, the field compacted states approach the specified target, where, typically, ρ_d = the maximum dry density for CEL_f and S_r = the optimum degree of saturation, (S_r)_opt. A method to incorporate this indirect but fast SSI-based compaction control into the conventional ρ_d & w-based compaction control is proposed.     

Recent developments of shearing in Japan

In this article, leading research and development activities of shearing in Japan are reviewed. Main contents are elucidation of shearing mechanism, theoretical analysis, tool life, burr-free blanking, precision shearing, bar cropping, pipe cutting, slitting, shearing of non-metallic materials, tool making, shearing of extremely thin sheets, etc.     

Electronic structures of polyacenacene and polyphenanthrophen anthrene. Design of one-dimensional graphite

The electronic structures of polyacenacene (PAA) and its geometrical isomer, polyphenanthrophenanthrene (PPhP) have been studied using the tight-binding SCF-CO (self consistent field-crystal orbital) method with respect to a design of one-dimensional (1D) graphite. The geometry of each polymer is optimized from the energetic point of view. It has been found that from the analysis of the electronic structure of its optimized geometry, PAA favours the structure without the carbon-carbon bond alternations, yielding no band gap. In this sense, PAA is a typical 1D-graphite. On the other hand, it is predicted that the magnitude of the band gap of PPhP in its optimized geometry is almost equal to that of trans-polyacetylene.     

Preparation of Fe-Al Binary System Intermetallic Compounds by Multi-Layered Roll-Bonding

Iron aluminides exhibit good resistance to high-temperature sulfidizing and oxidizing environments and potential for structural applications at high temperatures under corrosive environments. In this study, Fe-Al intermetallic compound was prepared by multi-layered roll-bonding of elemental Fe and Al foils. The process consisted of the accumulative roll-bonding (ARB) for making a laminated Fe/Al sheet and the subsequent heat treatment promoting a solid phase reaction in the laminated Fe/Al sheet. The microstructures produced at each processing stage were characterized by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Vickers microhardness testing was used for hardness determination. A homogeneous intermetallic compound of Fe3Al or FeAl could be obtained after the subsequent heat treatment for 1.8 ks at 973 K and for 10.8 ks at 1123 or 1173 K.