69 results about "Compositional variation" patented technology

A device for measuring fluid flow rates over a wide range of flow rates (<1 nL / min to >10 μL / min) and at pressures at least as great as 2,000 psi. The invention is particularly adapted for use in microfluidic systems. The device operates by producing compositional variations in the fluid, or pulses, that are subsequently detected downstream from the point of creation to derive a flow rate. Each pulse, comprising a small fluid volume, whose composition is different from the mean composition of the fluid, can be created by electrochemical means, such as by electrolysis of a solvent, electrolysis of a dissolved species, or electrodialysis of a dissolved ionic species. Measurements of the conductivity of the fluid can be used to detect the arrival time of the pulses, from which the fluid flow rate can be determined. A pair of spaced apart electrodes can be used to produce the electrochemical pulse. In those instances where it is desired to measure a wide range of fluid flow rates a three electrode configuration in which the electrodes are spaced at unequal distances has been found to be desirable.

A method of measuring the thickness or the rate of change of thickness of a layer as the layer is being formed on a substrate, includes illuminating the layer through the substrate with low coherence light that transmits through the layer; collecting a portion of the reflected light from each optical interface of the substrate and layer with a low coherence interferometer; and, calculating the thickness or the rate of change of thickness of the layer according to the obtained interferometric data.

A method of measuring the thickness or the rate of change of thickness of a layer as the layer is being formed on a substrate, includes illuminating the layer through the substrate with low coherence light that transmits through the layer; collecting a portion of the reflected light from each optical interface of the substrate and layer with a low coherence interferometer; and, calculating the thickness or the rate of change of thickness of the layer according to the obtained interferometric data.

A method and system for estimating native hydrocarbons from oil-based drilling muds with the aid of NMR data. Adaptive echo stacking may be used to balance between precision and sensitivity to changes in the fluid composition. Apparent T2 decay time and effective diffusion constants derived from the NMR data may be transformed into an indication of native hydrocarbon type, using known diffusion constants, fuzzy logic, and neural networks.

A method of measuring the thickness or the rate of change of thickness of a layer as the layer is being formed on a substrate, includes illuminating the layer through the substrate with low coherence light that transmits through the layer; collecting a portion of the reflected light from each optical interface of the substrate and layer with a low coherence interferometer; and, calculating the thickness or the rate of change of thickness of the layer according to the obtained interferometric data.

A method for determining reservoir architecture using modeling of a non-equilibrium distribution of at least one analyte in reservoir fluids. The analyte(s) of the analysis preferably has (have) significant compositional variation in the reservoir. For example, the analyte can be a later charging single gas component (such as methane, carbon dioxide, or hydrogen sulfide) in a multi-component fluid system. In this case, the model can assume that the components of the early charge are in a stationary state or in equilibrium, whereas the later charge is in a state of non-equilibrium. The non-equilibrium distribution of the analyte(s) derived from the model is compared to the distribution of the analyte(s) derived from downhole or laboratory fluid analysis of reservoir fluid, and the architecture of the reservoir is determined based upon such comparison.

Methods and apparatuses are disclosed that can introduce deliberate semiconductor film variation during semiconductor manufacturing to compensate for radial processing differences, to determine optimal device characteristics, or produce small production runs. The present invention radially varies the thickness and / or composition of a semiconductor film to compensate for a known radial variation in the semiconductor film that is caused by performing a subsequent semiconductor processing step on the semiconductor film. Additionally, methods and apparatuses are disclosed that can introduce deliberate semiconductor film variations to determine optimal device characteristics or produce small production runs. Introducing semiconductor film variations, such as thickness variations and / or composition variations, allow different devices to be made. A number of devices may be made having variations in semiconductor film. Because the semiconductor film has variations between the devices, device characteristics of the devices should be different. By measuring the device characteristics of devices having the variations, the device with the optimum device characteristic may be chosen, thereby indicating the appropriate semiconductor film thickness and / or composition. Moreover, small production runs of the same devices, having different characteristics, will allow the end user to select the appropriate devices for their needs.

Provided is a surface-coated cutting tool in which a hard coating layer has excellent hardness and toughness and exhibits chipping resistance and defect resistance over a long period of use. The surface-coated cutting tool comprises a (Ti1-xAlx)(CyN1-y) layer (wherein the average content ratio Xavg of Al and the average content ratio Yavg of C satisfy 0.60<=Xavg<=0.95 and 0<=Yavg<=0.005) that is formed by coating the surface of a tool base body. The crystal grains of this layer have a NaCl-type face-centered cubic structure and a [111] orientation. The average particle width W of each of the crystal grains having a NaCl-type face-centered cubic structure is 0.1-2.0 [Mu]m and said crystal grains have a columnar structure in which the average aspect ratio A is 2-10. In addition, periodic compositional variation of the Ti and the Al is present in the compositional formula (Ti1-xAlx)(CyN1-y) within each of the crystal grains having a NaCl-type face-centered cubic structure. The difference [Delta]x between the average of the maximum values and the average of the minimum values of x, which varies periodically, is 0.03-0.25.