Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Duane S Boning

Hayden Kingsley Taylor

Brian W Anthony

Herbert H Sawin

Francis X Pink

Duran Karakas

Minh Le

Kuang Han Chen

Taber H Smith

John Haeseon Lee

Ilhan Olmez

The systems and methods of the present disclosure are directed to ultrasound-based concentration measurement techniques in which both scatterer count and image volume are measured concurrently to provide absolute concentration measurements. In particular, through the techniques of the present disclosure, the effective thickness of an ultrasound beam can be determined based on the spreading of individual scatterers within ultrasound images. Based on the effective thickness of the ultrasound beam, the volume of the image and, thus, the concentration of particles in the image can be determined directly, without the need for estimation, approximation, or use of a reference sample.

Ultrasound image-based concentration measurement

A deformable body is embossed using a stamp as a function of a pressure distribution. The pressure distribution is obtained by running a deformation model determined based on convolving a contact pressure distribution with a mechanical response of a surface topography of the deformable body and convolving the pressure distribution with a point load response of the stamp.

Method and apparatus for embossing a deformable body

Hot embossing may be more advantageous than other polymer microfabrication processes. An example embodiment of the present invention relates to a method and corresponding apparatus for developing a computationally inexpensive viscoelastic model for the hot embossing of complex patterns. These developed models may help engineers refine their selection of processing parameters based upon successive simulations of the embossing process. The example embodiment models deformation of a deformable body embossed with a stamp as a function of convolving a point-load-time response and a contact pressure distribution. In order to generate the point-load-time response, a time-dependent response of a surface of the thermoplastic to system inputs applied to an elemental region of the surface of the thermoplastic may be employed. The example embodiment generates an estimate of the contact pressure distribution as a function of the point-load-time response and an average pressure applied to the stamp.

Method and apparatus for modeling deformation of a deformable body embossed with a stamp

A method for the removal of copper from waste waters includes providing a solution to be treated, the solution comprising copper; introducing a source of ferric ions and a source of ferrous ions into the solution; and adjusting the pH of the solution to promote formation of a copper-containing ferrite precipitate, whereby the solution is depleted in copper. In instances where the solution contains ferric ions, the method includes introducing a source of ferrous ions into the solution to obtain a solution comprising ferric ions and ferrous ions; and adjusting the pH of the solution to promote formation of a copper-containing ferrite precipitate, whereby the solution is depleted in copper. The method may include a step for removing oxidizers by introducing a source of ferric ions or ferrous ions to the solution to decomposed the oxidizer; introducing a source of ferric ions or ferrous ions to the solution to obtain a solution comprising ferric ions and ferrous ions; and adjusting the pH of the solution to promote formation of a copper-containing ferrite precipitate, whereby the solution is depleted in copper. The method may be applied to other aqueous systems for the removal of a variety of metals from waste water. Ferrite may be removed by magnetic separation.

Removal of contaminant metals from waste water

Plasma process analysis techniques are provided. The intensity of each of a number, P, of a plurality of radiation wavelengths that are emitted from a plasma process are monitored as the process proceeds. Indications of P-dimensional correlations between the intensities of the P monitored wavelengths are produced as the process proceeds. Then the produced correlation indications are compared with a prespecified correlation indication generated based on historical conditions for the plasma process, to determine the status condition of the process as the process proceeds. With this technique, the use of a priori, expected, specific templates is not required for evaluating radiation emission data during a plasma process. Instead the techniques investigate and discover the multiple complex correlations that form between various radiation emission wavelengths during a plasma process, and do not impose an expectation for a specific correlation or trend between the various wavelengths. The discovered correlations found to exist between the radiation wavelengths are then employed for monitoring a plasma process based on the discovered correlations. The analysis techniques enables evaluation of interactions occurring across the entire spectrum of detected radiation emission wavelengths, and thus can accomplish detection and analysis of changes in a given plasma process due to shifts in the electrical and physical process environment as well as changes in a given process due to procession through stages of the process.

Growing community of inventors

Belmont, MA, United States of America

Duane S Boning