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Apparatus and method for trapping bead based reagents within microfluidic analysis systems

Patent Number: RE43122
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventors: Harrison, D. Jed; Oleschuk, Richard; Lockyear, Loranelle L.; Skinner, Cameron; Li, Paul

The present invention provides an on-chip packed reactor bed design that allows for an effective exchange of packing materials such as beads at a miniaturized level. The present invention extends the function of microfluidic analysis systems to new applications including on-chip solid phase extraction (SPE) and on-chip capillary electrochromatography (CEC). The design can be further extended to include integrated packed bed immuno- or enzyme ...

Heat-reduction methods and systems related to microfluidic devices

Patent Number: 8110158
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventor: Handique, Kalyan

A system and method for preventing or reducing unwanted heat in a microfluidic of the device while generating heat in selected regions of the device. In one example, current is supplied to a heating element through electric leads, wherein the leads are designed so that the current density in the leads is substantially lower than the current density in the heating element. This maybe accomplished using conductive leads which have a cross-sectional area which is substantially greater than the ...

Arbitrary and simultaneous control of multiple objects in micro-fluidic systems

Patent Number: 8110083
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Probst, Roland; Shapiro, Benjamin; Chaudhary, Satej V.; Armani, Michael D.

In a microfluidic device, respective motion of a plurality of objects along corresponding trajectories is achieved by determining a force field, such as an underlying fluid flow which, when applied to the plurality of object, moves each object along its corresponding trajectory. The force field is a linear superposition of a subset of all force fields supported by the physical characteristics of the microfluidic device. Once the fields have been ascertained, a plurality of actuation signals ...

Photoelectrochemical molecular comb

Patent Number: 8110082
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Brown, Gilbert M.; Thundat, Thomas G.; Ferrell, Thomas L

A method, system, and apparatus are provided for separating molecules, such as biomolecules. The method, system, and apparatus utilize an electrochemical cell having at least two electrodes, one electrode comprising a photo-sensitive material capable of generating a photopotential. Molecules are moved through an electrolyte medium between the at least two electrodes based upon localized ...

Oxygen sensor improvement method

Patent Number: 8110081
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Howard, C. Peter; Fitzgerald, Timothy P.

A method for improving the performance of a galvanic fuel cell type oxygen sensor comprises providing a pressure equalization port leading to the interior of an inner core housing that contains the membrane, the electrolyte and the anode and cathode electrodes and hermetically sealing the sensor housing except for its sample inlet port and its sample outlet port. By connecting the same vacuum source to both the pressure equalization port and the sample outlet port, the device's membrane is ...

Method for improving performance and longevity of solid electrolyte gas sensor

Patent Number: 8110080
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventor: Farber, Boris

A method is provided for activating a zirconia oxygen sensor which detects the oxygen concentration of an ambient atmosphere by means of a zirconia element that has a porous electrode formed on both sides of an impervious oxygen ion conductor. An electrical current is applied as a pulsed, square wave, direct current during heat up, heat soak, and cool down of the ionic conductor that is applied to ceramic substrate, thereby causing oxygen ions to flowing through the sensor body and pumping ...

Electrochemical sensor

Patent Number: 8110079
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Gooding, John Justin; Liu, Guozhen

Disclosed herein is an electrochemical sensor for detecting an analyte. The sensor comprises an electrode, a redox active species that is electrochemically accessible to the electrode, and a binding moiety capable of associating with the analyte, wherein association of the binding moiety with the analyte affects the electrochemistry of the redox active species. Also disclosed herein is a method for detecting the presence of an analyte in a ...

Substrate supporting device and sputtering apparatus including the same

Patent Number: 8110078
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Ito, Kaoru; Matsui, Hirotoshi

A substrate supporting device for forming a coating film having a maximally even and necessary thickness with a sufficiently strong adhesiveness and a good film quality on a substrate, and a sputtering apparatus including such a substrate supporting device. The substrate supporting device for supporting a substrate on which a coating film is formed by sputtering is disposed in a vacuum chamber so as to be opposed to a sputtering target. The substrate supporting device is rotatable around a ...

Sealing jig and plating treatment apparatus

Patent Number: 8110077
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Suzuki, Manabu; Kunioka, Seiya; Ogawa, Masahiro; Muramatsu, Hitoshi; Suzuki, Nobuyuki; Ishibashi, Akira; Imai, Minoru

A sealing jig comes into contact with a cylinder inner peripheral surface as a surface to be processed of a cylinder block and seals the cylinder inner peripheral surface in introducing treatment liquid to the cylinder inner peripheral surface. The sealing jig includes: a sealing member made of an expandable material and having a ring-buoy shape; a lower plate for supporting a lower side of the sealing member; and a seal base disposed so as to face the lower plate and to support an upper ...

Apparatus and foam electroplating process

Patent Number: 8110076
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventor: Ettel, Victor

An improved apparatus and method of producing metal foam is provided which involves optimizing the natural convection of electrolyte through a foam being electroplated by inclining the foam during plating. A diagonal flow of electrolyte though the foam enhances electrolyte turnover within the foam while increasing electroplating efficiency. Further increases in plating efficiency are provided by shifting current density from higher plating zones to lower plating ...

Coated cutting tool for general turning in heat resistant super alloys (HRSA)

Patent Number: 8110075
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Sundstrom, Erik; M'Saoubi, Rachid; Andersson, Jon

Coated cemented carbide inserts are particularly useful in general turning of superalloys. The inserts are formed from a cemented carbide of WC about 5.0-7.0 wt-% Co, and about 0.22-0.43 wt-% Cr, where the substrate has a coercivity (Hc) of about 19-28 kA/m. The coating contains a single layer of (Ti_xAl_1-x)N-layer, where x is 0.25-0.50, with a crystal structure of NaCl type, a total thickness of about 3.0-5.0 μm, (200)-texture, and a compressive residual strain of ...

Photochemical method for producing hydrocarbons

Patent Number: 8110074
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventor: Neckers, Douglas C.

The present invention relates to a method of using radiation and (in one embodiment) solar energy and UV radiation to convert natural products, for example derivatives of vegetable oils, to lower molecular weight hydrocarbons. The invention further relates to a process whereby these hydrocarbons can be converted to vinyl monomers and used in the formation of plastics, solvents, fuels and the ...

Nanofluidics for bioseparation and analysis

Patent Number: 8105471
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Ivory, Cornelius F.; Petsev, Dimiter N.; Brueck, Steven R. J.; Han, Sang M.; Lopez, Gabriel P.

The invention includes nanochannel devices and methods for using such nanochannel devices for separating molecules, ions and biomolecules. The nanochannel devices have at least one nanochannel through which fluid can move, wherein ionic double layers form in the fluid near walls of the nanochannel and those ionic double layers overlap within the nanochannel. Electrical voltage can be applied to the nanochannel to modify an electrostatic potential in the nanochannel and thereby control ...

Sensor

Patent Number: 8105470
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Nakamura, Tomohiro; Matsui, Noboru

A sensor (1) including a plate-shaped sensor element (21) extending in a front-rear direction and having at least 3 electrode terminals (25) provided on at least one side surface (24) of the sensor element at intervals in a lateral direction; a plurality of metallic terminal members (51a, 51b) connected to the electrode terminals (25) of the sensor element (21); and a separator (71) surrounding and insulating the ...

Microelectrode array

Patent Number: 8105469
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Whitehead, Andrew John; Yost, III, William Joseph; Scarsbrook, Geoffrey Alan; MacPherson, Julie Victoria; Newton, Mark; Unwin, Patrick Robert

Microelectrode comprising a body formed from electrically non-conducting material and including at least one region of electrically conducting material and at least one passage extending through the body of non-conducting material and the region of conducting material, the electrically conducting region presenting an area of electrically conducting material to a fluid flowing through the passage in use. An electrochemical cell which includes such a microelectrode is also ...

Method for forming tantalum nitride film

Patent Number: 8105468
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Ushikawa, Harunori; Gonohe, Narishi; Toyoda, Satoru; Nakamura, Kyuzo; Kondo, Tomoyasu

A tantalum nitride film-forming method comprises the steps of introducing, into a vacuum chamber, a raw gas consisting of a coordination compound constituted by elemental Ta having a coordinated ligand represented by the general formula: N═(R,R′) (in the formula, R and R′ may be the same or different and each represents an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms) to thus adsorb the gas on a substrate; then introducing an NH₃gas and then activated H radicals derived from a ...

High strength sputtering target for forming phosphor film in electroluminescence element

Patent Number: 8105467
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Mishima, Akifumi; Zhang, Shoubin; Komiyama, Shozo

Provided is a sputtering target for forming a phosphor film in an electroluminescence element, which can maintain high strength even when it is allowed to stand in the atmosphere for a long time. The target has a chemical composition of Al: 20 to 50 mass %, Eu: 1 to 10 mass %, and the remainder containing Ba and inevitable impurities, and has a structure wherein Ba in which Eu is solid-solubilized and Al form an intermetallic compound phase, wherein the intermetallic compound phase of Ba in ...

Biased pulse DC reactive sputtering of oxide films

Patent Number: 8105466
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Narasimhan, Mukundan; Mullapudi, Ravi B.; Zhang, Hongmei; Demaray, Richard E.

A biased pulse DC reactor for sputtering of oxide films is presented. The biased pulse DC reactor couples pulsed DC at a particular frequency to the target through a filter which filters out the effects of a bias power applied to the substrate, protecting the pulsed DC power supply. Films deposited utilizing the reactor have controllable material properties such as the index of refraction. Optical components such as waveguide amplifiers and multiplexers can be fabricated using processes ...

Method for depositing conformal amorphous carbon film by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD)

Patent Number: 8105465
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Lee, Kwangduk Douglas; Padhi, Deenesh; Kim, Bok Hoen; Seamons, Martin Jay; Rathi, Sudha; Morii, Takashi; Suzuki, Yoichi; Pagdanganan, Cynthia

Methods and apparatus for depositing an amorphous carbon layer on a substrate are provided. In one embodiment, a deposition process includes positioning a substrate in a substrate processing chamber, introducing a hydrocarbon source having a carbon to hydrogen atom ratio of greater than 1:2 into the processing chamber, introducing a plasma initiating gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, helium, argon, nitrogen, and combinations thereof into the processing chamber, with the ...

Analysis instrument

Patent Number: 8101137
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventors: Lamb, Urs; Macnamara, Kenneth G.; Polwart, Stuart; Fearnley, Joel

An analysis instrument for processing a microfluidic device, having sample storage means, a microfluidic device holder, sample loading means for loading sample into a microfluidic device disposed in the holder, processing means for enabling a reaction in a microfluidic device, and detection means for detecting and/or measuring the reaction is disclosed. The microfluidic device holder is adapted to hold the microfluidic device including a tape in position for processing and/or detection. A ...

Apparatus for fluid purification

Patent Number: 8101058
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventors: Montminy, Emile O.; Liang, Li-Shiang

The present invention generally relates to devices able to purify fluids electrically that are contained within pressure vessels, as well as to methods of manufacture and use thereof. Liquids or other fluids to be purified enter the purification device and, under the influence of an electric field, are treated to produce an ion-depleted liquid. Species from the entering liquids are collected to produce an ion-concentrated liquid. Increasing the exterior pressure on the device may reduce the ...

Concentration and cleanup of nucleic acid samples

Patent Number: 8101057
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventor: Voss, Karl

Methods and devices are described for concentration and cleanup of samples containing bio-molecule analytes (e.g., polynucleotides, such as DNA, RNA, PNA). Various embodiments provide for pH-mediated sample concentration and cleanup of nucleic acid samples with channel devices (e.g., cross-T format, microchannel ...

Electrochemical cell

Patent Number: 8101056
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventors: Beck, Thomas William; Johansen, Oddvar; Hodges, Alastair McIndoe

A hollow electrochemical cell is provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a hollow electrochemical cell includes two sets of electrodes and an opening for admitting an analyte to the cell. At least one of the two sets of electrodes can be in fluid communication with the opening. Further, a first set of electrodes can include a working electrode spaced from a counter or counter/reference electrode by less than 500 μm one embodiment the working and counter or counter/reference electrodes are ...

Sputtering apparatus and method for forming coating film by sputtering

Patent Number: 8101055
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventors: Ito, Kaoru; Matsui, Hirotoshi

A sputtering apparatus for forming a coating film made of a metallic film on a coating surface of a substrate by sputtering to have such a film thickness that gradually increases or gradually decreases from its one end side to the other end side. The apparatus comprising at least one supporting means supporting at least one substrate such that a coating surface thereof is opposed to an emission surface of a sputtering target at an angle, and at least one shielding member for preventing part ...

Magnetic particle trapper for a disk sputtering system

Patent Number: 8101054
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventors: Nippa, Kinya; Chen, Jinliang

A magnetic particle trapper for use in a sputtering system includes a roller cover plate having a plurality of openings arranged and dimensioned to accommodate a plurality of rollers associated with a mechanical transport mechanism of the sputtering system, and a plurality of magnets to trap magnetic particles, the plurality of magnets being attached to the roller cover plate in locations proximate to the plurality of ...

Axial flow electrolytic cell

Patent Number: 8101053
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventor: Adams, Pete

An axial flow electrolytic cell includes an outer layer made of a polyolefin material and formed as a tube. An outer layer liner lines an inside surface of the outer layer. The outer layer liner is formed as a metal tube. A middle layer is mounted inside the outer layer. The middle layer further includes a middle flow inlet and a middle flow outlet. The middle layer is formed as a metal tube. An inside layer is mounted inside the middle layer. The inside layer has an inside flow inlet and ...

Adjustable anode assembly for a substrate wet processing apparatus

Patent Number: 8101052
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventors: Hsiao, Yi-Li; Sheu, Lawrance; Wang, Jean; Yu, Chen-Hua

An adjustable anode assembly for a wet processing apparatus to allow selective tuning of the electrical field density distribution within a wet process chemical of the apparatus, which in turn allows the process specification or specifications to be selectively varied across the process surface of a wafer when processed by the apparatus. The adjustable anode assembly includes an anode which may be divided into several plates, at least one of which is capable of being moved from a first ...

Combustion gas generation device and on-vehicle combustion gas generation device using electrolysis

Patent Number: 8101051
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventor: Yang, Binglin

A large amount of a gas mixture of hydrogen and oxygen can be effectively generated over a long time. A positive electrode and a negative electrode are immersed in an electrolytic cell filled with an electrolytic solution, and a DC or AC voltage is applied across the two electrodes. A plurality of intermediate electrodes are arranged between the two electrodes. The electrolytic cell is sealed by a sealing cover. The gas mixture of hydrogen and oxygen generated by electrolysis is taken out ...

System, method, and apparatus for continuous electroplating of elongated workpieces

Patent Number: 8101050
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventors: Ellis, Fife B.; Jennings, Charles E.

A system electroplates the interior or exterior cylindrical surfaces of an elongated workpiece, such as a pipe or shaft. The workpiece is continuously electroplated with metallic solutions via a traveling anode that gradually plates along the axial length of the workpiece instead of plating the entire part or large portions of the part at one ...

Method for producing low cost media

Patent Number: 8101049
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventors: Reiter, Jeffrey Shane; Barlow, Steven Eric; Cross, Matthew James

Disclosed is a method for the low cost manufacturing a plurality of rigid sputtered magnetic media disks of one or more sizes from a rigid sheet, in which one or more initial steps of preparing the media are performed while the media is in sheet form. The individual disks are then removed from the sheet, and final processing is performed individually on the ...

Flow dielectrophoretic separation of single wall carbon nanotubes

Patent Number: 8097141
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventors: Schmidt, Howard K.; Peng, Haiqing; Mendes, Manuel Joao; Pasquali, Matteo

According to some embodiments, a method for separating a first fraction of a single wall carbon nanotubes and a second fraction of single wall carbon nanotubes includes, but is not limited to: flowing a solution comprising the nanotubes into a dielectrophoresis chamber; applying a DC voltage, in combination with an AC voltage, to the dielectrophoresis chamber; and collecting a first eluent from the dielectrophoresis chamber, wherein the first eluent comprises the first fraction and is ...

Liquid sample analysis methods

Patent Number: 8097140
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventors: Manz, Andreas; Valussi, Silvia

A method for collecting an analyte species from a sample is provided, the method of collection potentially being supplemented to give a method of preparing a sample for analysis and/or a method of analysis. The method including providing part of a sample in a substrate, causing the sample to migrate to an interface between the substrate and a second substrate due to the action of an electrical potential difference, the electrophoretic velocity of the analyte species of the second substrate ...

Sensor element, gas sensor, and method of manufacturing the sensor element

Patent Number: 8097139
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventors: Nasu, Mineji; Oya, Seiji; Wakazono, Tomohiro

A sensor element having a plate-like shape and extending in a longitudinal direction and having a chamfered portion at an edge between a main surface and a rear-end surface or between a main surface and a side surface of the sensor element. The sensor element includes a solid electrolyte layer, an insulating layer disposed on the solid electrolyte layer and constituting at least part of the main surface, and an electrode pad disposed away from the chamfered portion for connection to an ...

Oxygen partial pressure control apparatuses and methods of using solid electrolytes for oxygen partial pressure control

Patent Number: 8097138
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventors: Ikeda, Shinichi; Shirakawa, Naoki; Uchida, Katsuhide

The present invention provides oxygen partial pressure control apparatuses that can control the partial pressure of oxygen in atmospheric gases in processing apparatuses or the like to within the range of 0.2 to 10⁻³⁰atm, while maintaining low material and operational cost conditions. The present invention provides oxygen partial pressure control apparatuses in which air or pure oxygen is supplied to the inside of a heating furnace that can heat and maintain solid electrolytes ...

Gas sensor element and gas sensor

Patent Number: 8097137
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventors: Shiono, Koji; Imai, Kunio

To provide a gas sensor element having a base body whose durability is unlikely to deteriorate during the use and exhibiting excellent endurance and responsiveness.

[Means for Solution] A gas sensor element 2 comprising: a closed-bottomed cylindrical base body 28 made of solid electrolyte which contains zirconia as a principal component; an outer electrode 26 formed on an outer surface of the base body 28; an inner electrode 27 formed on an inner ...

Hydrogen gas sensor

Patent Number: 8097136
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventors: Suda, Tsuyoshi; Harada, Shuji

A first electrode and a second electrode are provided, and an electrolyte is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode and the second electrode are made of corresponding different materials in chemical potential for hydrogen gas. The first electrode includes higher chemical potential material and the second electrode includes lower chemical potential material. The first electrode functions as a detecting electrode for hydrogen gas, and the second ...

Reversible electrochemical sensors for polyions

Patent Number: 8097135
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventors: Bakker, Eric; Shvarev, Alexey

The present invention is directed to a reversible electrochemical sensor for polyions. The sensor uses active extraction and ion stripping, which are controlled electrochemically. Spontaneous polyion extraction is suppressed by using membranes containing highly lipophilic electrolytes that possess no ion-exchange properties. Reversible extraction of polyions is induced by constant current pulse of fixed duration applied across the membrane. Subsequently, polyions are removed by applying a ...

Addressable chem/bio chip array

Patent Number: 8097134
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventor: Li, Changming

Addressable bio/chem chips include a plurality of isolated test cells, each addressable by at least two electrodes for measuring electrical characteristics of probe/test molecule interactions. In one embodiment, electrodes are located within a channel to allow for four terminal measurement. In another embodiment, electrodes are arranged in rows and columns and interconnected with electrolyte pads used as test sites. In yet another embodiment, electrodes are arranged in cells, with each cell ...

Evacuable magnetron chamber

Patent Number: 8097133
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventor: Inagawa, Makoto

A vacuum pumping system and method in conjunction with a sputter reactor having a vacuum-pumped magnetron chamber sealed to the target backing plate. A main sputter chamber is vacuum sealed to the target front and cryo pumped. A bypass conduit and valve connect the magnetron and main chambers. A mechanical roughing pump connected to the magnetron chamber pumps the main chamber through the bypass conduit to less than 1 Torr before the bypass valve is closed and the cryo pump is opened and ...

Process and device to obtain metal in powder, sheet or cathode from any metal containing material

Patent Number: 8097132
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventor: Canales Miranda, Luis Antonio

A metal-containing material is introduced in the container with an anode inserted therein, the container is introduced in a tank filled with an electrolyte, with a cathode opposed to it, and direct current is passed through ((+) anode and (−) cathode) to recover the desired ...

Electrochemical machining method and electrochemical machining device

Patent Number: 8097131
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventors: Inoue, Masaaki; Watanabe, Mitsutoshi; Matsuo, Toshiyuki; Yoshiwaki, Kazuhiko; Fujihara, Yasuo

A method and a device for electrochemically machining workpiece having blade end plates at the longitudinal both ends of a blade-shaped portion having aerofoil shape in cross section by extending and retracting divided electrodes. A part of the blade-shaped portion and one blade end plate continued therewith are electrochemically machined by advancing the main electrode in an acute angle direction relative to the longitudinal direction of the blade-shaped portion. At the same time or ...

Integrated water treatment system

Patent Number: 8097130
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventors: Cline, David J.; Koerber, Gregory G.

An integrated water treatment system for sanitizing the water in a water system and reducing scaling includes an electrolytic cell through which water is passed. An electronic control system is coupled to the electrolytic cell, to provide a drive current to the cell to generate a sanitizer by electrolysis. The control system applies a variable frequency alternating voltage drive to said cell to reduce scaling build-up in the ...

Multilayer nitride-containing coatings

Patent Number: 8097129
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventors: Feuerstein, Albert; Albert, Thomas

This invention relates to erosion resistant coatings comprising at least 2 sublayer systems in which each sublayer system is separated from another by an interlayer, wherein (i) each sublayer system is the same or different and comprises at least 4 layers, (ii) said layers comprise alternating layers of a nitride-containing compound of stoichiometric composition and a nitride-containing compound of nonstoichiometric composition, (iii) each sublayer system has a thickness of greater than ...