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2006

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Articles 31 - 60 of 3391

Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Risk Identification, Classification And Response Methods In The Sudanese Construction Industry, Zena Alwan Dec 2006

Risk Identification, Classification And Response Methods In The Sudanese Construction Industry, Zena Alwan

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

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Interface Characteristics Of Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanofibers For Interconnect Applications, Yusuke Ominami, Quoc Ngo, Makoto Suzuki, Alexander J. Austin, Cary Y. Yang, Alan M. Cassell, Jun Li Dec 2006

Interface Characteristics Of Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanofibers For Interconnect Applications, Yusuke Ominami, Quoc Ngo, Makoto Suzuki, Alexander J. Austin, Cary Y. Yang, Alan M. Cassell, Jun Li

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The authors characterize the detailed interface structure of Ni-catalyzed vertically aligned carbon nanofibers (CNFs) prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition for interconnect applications. Stacked graphitic layers and cup-shape structures of CNFs around the interface region have been observed using high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy. The interaction between the Ni catalyst and Ti layer dramatically affects the CNF structure during initial growth. The effect of interface nanostructures on contact resistance is also discussed.

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Elastic Degradable Polyurethanes For Biomedical Applications, Changhong Zhang Dec 2006

Elastic Degradable Polyurethanes For Biomedical Applications, Changhong Zhang

All Theses

Several series of polyurethanes were synthesized with linear or crosslinked structures by using different synthesis routes. Two studies are mentioned: (1) the synthesis of degradable polyurethanes with linear structure and the investigation of the elasticity and cytophilicity of the materials as function of the chain extender, and (2) the synthesis and the investigation of the biocompatibility, degradation, hydrophilicity and mechanical properties of the polyurethane-based hydrogels with crosslinked structure.

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Evidence Of Long-Wavelength Collective Excitations In Magnetic Superlattices, Nikolay I. Polushkin, Steven A. Michalski, Lanping Yue, Roger D. Kirby Dec 2006

Evidence Of Long-Wavelength Collective Excitations In Magnetic Superlattices, Nikolay I. Polushkin, Steven A. Michalski, Lanping Yue, Roger D. Kirby

Materials Research Science and Engineering Center: Faculty Publications

We report on a mechanism of dynamic dipolar coupling in magnetic superlattices via long-wavelength nonevanescent fields. In the spin excitation spectra of our heterophase stripe structures, such interactions mediate a singlet ↔ doublet crossover in the frequency regime driven by the orientation of an external static field. This crossover is a new feature observed in collective behavior of superlattices, though there is some analogy of this phenomenon with birefringence taking place in optical superlattices. We envision applying the collective effects described here in microwave photonic devices.

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Use Of Friction Stir Processing And Friction Stir Welding For Nitinol Medical Devices, Blair London, Murray Mahoney, Alan Pelton Dec 2006

Use Of Friction Stir Processing And Friction Stir Welding For Nitinol Medical Devices, Blair London, Murray Mahoney, Alan Pelton

Materials Engineering

Metallic materials may be joined utilizing a friction stir processing technique. The friction stir processing technique utilizes a shaped, rotating tool to move material from one side of the joint to be welded to the other without liquefying the base material.

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Structuring Emperical Methods For Reuse And Efficiency In Product Development Processes, Marshall Edwin Bare Dec 2006

Structuring Emperical Methods For Reuse And Efficiency In Product Development Processes, Marshall Edwin Bare

Theses and Dissertations

Product development requires that engineers have the ability to predict product performance. When product performance involves complex physics and natural phenomena, mathematical models are often insufficient to provide accurate predictions. Engineering companies compensate for this deficiency by testing prototypes to obtain empirical data that can be used in place of predictive models. The purpose of this work is to provide techniques and methods for efficient use of empirical methods in product development processes. Empirical methods involve the design and creation of prototype hardware and the testing of that hardware in controlled environments. Empirical methods represent a complete product development sub-cycle …

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Reconstructing Spectral Scenes Using Statistical Estimation To Enhance Space Situational Awareness, Travis F. Blake Dec 2006

Reconstructing Spectral Scenes Using Statistical Estimation To Enhance Space Situational Awareness, Travis F. Blake

Theses and Dissertations

A new sensor, the Advanced Electro-Optical System (AEOS) Spectral Imaging Sensor (ASIS) has been developed at the Maui Space Surveillance Complex (MSSC). ASIS is capable of collecting resolved imagery of space objects in 10's-100's of spectral bands while using an adaptive optics system. However, the stringent requirements of collecting ground-based images requires a sensor that induces spectral blurring. Post-processing algorithms to remove this blurring are required to fully exploit these spectral images. This research focuses on developing the reconstruction algorithms, based on proven estimation theories, required to spectrally deblur the images collected from ASIS. Additionally, the research will expand the …

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Wavefront Curvature Sensing From Image Projections, Jonathan C. Buffington Dec 2006

Wavefront Curvature Sensing From Image Projections, Jonathan C. Buffington

Theses and Dissertations

This research outlines the development and simulation of a signal processing approach to real time wavefront curvature sensing in adaptive optics. The signal processing approach combines vectorized Charge Coupled Device (CCD) read out with a wavefront modal estimation technique. The wavefront sensing algorithm analyzes vector projections of image intensity data to provide an estimate of the wavefront phase as a combination of several low order Zernike polynomial modes. This wavefront sensor design expands on an existing idea for vector based tilt sensing by providing the ability to compensate for additional modes. Under the proposed wavefront sensing approach, the physical wavefront …

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The Piezoresistive Effect In Microflexures, Gary K. Johns Dec 2006

The Piezoresistive Effect In Microflexures, Gary K. Johns

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research is to present a new model for predicting the piezoresistive effect in microflexures experiencing bending stresses. A linear model describing piezoresistivity exists for members in pure tension and compression. Extensions of this model to more complex loading conditions do not match experimental results. An accurate model of piezoresistivity in complex loading conditions would expand the design possibilities of piezoresistive devices. A new model to predict piezoresistive effects in tension, compression, and more complex loading conditions is proposed. The focus of this research is to verify a unidirectional form of this proposed model for microflexures in …

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Windmill Documentary, Timothy David Stoltenburg Dec 2006

Windmill Documentary, Timothy David Stoltenburg

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

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Grid-Connected Photovoltaic System Design Review And Approval, Florida Solar Energy Center, James Dunlop Dec 2006

Grid-Connected Photovoltaic System Design Review And Approval, Florida Solar Energy Center, James Dunlop

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This document provides details of operations and procedures for the approval of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system designs and documentation conducted by the Florida Solar Energy Center. The principal goal of this process is to help ensure the safety and quality of installed PV systems, and provides an assurance to installers, consumers and financiers that approved designs meet accepted codes and industry practices, and are accompanied by a complete System Manual that meets the minimum requirements outlined in this document.

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Test Method For Photovoltaic Module Ratings, Florida Solar Energy Center, Kevin Lynn Dec 2006

Test Method For Photovoltaic Module Ratings, Florida Solar Energy Center, Kevin Lynn

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This document describes the testing and reporting requirements for certification and labeling of photovoltaic modules (PV) for their power ratings. The test methods and procedures chosen for this purpose are based on consensus standards of relevant committees of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), or the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

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Executive Summary: Evaluation Of The Impact Of Vacant Home Space Conditioning Strategies On Summer Relative Humidity, Energy, And Peak Load; Phase Ii, Florida Solar Energy Center, James Cummings Dec 2006

Executive Summary: Evaluation Of The Impact Of Vacant Home Space Conditioning Strategies On Summer Relative Humidity, Energy, And Peak Load; Phase Ii, Florida Solar Energy Center, James Cummings

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The Vacant Home Space Conditioning Study was sponsored by Florida Power & Light (FPL) as part of its Conservation R&D Program and carried out by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC). In the US, about one in four retiree "snowbirds" make Florida their destination to escape the northern cold. Snowbird residents number more than 900,000 in Florida during the winter. In some counties of FPL's territory these seasonal residents compose up to 15% of the population (Shih, 1981). This pattern of seasonal occupancy creates a need for space conditioning guidelines for vacant homes to avoid mold problems while minimizing both …

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Trajectory Model Validation Using Newly Developed Altitude-Controlled Balloons During The International Consortium For Atmospheric Research On Transport And Transformations 2004 Campaign, Emily E. Riddle, Paul B. Voss, Andreas Stohl, Daniel Holcomb, Darren Maczka, K. Washburn, Robert W. Talbot Dec 2006

Trajectory Model Validation Using Newly Developed Altitude-Controlled Balloons During The International Consortium For Atmospheric Research On Transport And Transformations 2004 Campaign, Emily E. Riddle, Paul B. Voss, Andreas Stohl, Daniel Holcomb, Darren Maczka, K. Washburn, Robert W. Talbot

Engineering: Faculty Publications

During the summer of 2004, five altitude-controlled tracking balloons were flown as part of the International Consortium for Atmospheric Research on Transport and Transformations (ICARTT) campaign. These Controlled Meteorological (CMET) balloons, newly developed at the University of Massachusetts, are notable for their light weight (∼1 kg mass), efficient altitude control, case of launch, long-duration flight capability, and ability to perform repeated quasi-Lagrangian soundings. The balloons were embedded in urban plumes from New York and Boston which they tracked over New England, eastern Canada, and the Atlantic Ocean while maintaining a nearly constant altitude. The flights ranged from 10 to 111 …

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2006 Fall Engr333 Project Final Report, 2006 Fall Engr333 Dec 2006

2006 Fall Engr333 Project Final Report, 2006 Fall Engr333

ENGR 333

The objective of this project was to demonstrate Calvin’s interest in alternative energy. The development of a short-term plan to implement a demonstration wind turbine and a long-term plan to determine the feasibility of a larger turbine for the future demonstrates this interest. The class was divided into five teams: management, external relations, long-term technology, short-term technology, and campus infrastructure. While each team had its own objectives, everyone worked together to share information and accomplish the overall project goals. This management technique provided necessary structure and simulated an environment typically found in a career environment.

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Functional Model Of Cost And Time For Highway Construction Projects, Jin-Fang Shr, Wei-Tong Chen Dec 2006

Functional Model Of Cost And Time For Highway Construction Projects, Jin-Fang Shr, Wei-Tong Chen

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

It is commonly accepted that construction cost, time and quality performance has been regarded as the major success factors for a construction project. With the increasing use of innovative contracts in highway construction, the relationship between construction cost and time has become more crucial than ever. Improved control of time value has become necessary, for quantifying the functional relationship between construction cost and time. This study explores the functional relationship between highway construction cost and time. Data from projects of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) in the US is utilized to develop and illustrate the quantifying model. The proposed …

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Effect Of South Caroline Belt Law On Safety Belt Use, Sourabh Patki Dec 2006

Effect Of South Caroline Belt Law On Safety Belt Use, Sourabh Patki

All Theses

A number of factors and accessories help save lives and prevent injuries to road users, yet safety belts have become synonymous with automobile safety today, unlike any accessory before or since their introduction in automobiles. However, the scientific advances in automobile safety, followed by the acceptance of the necessity for safety in automobiles by both the manufacturers and the population, finally leading to the introduction of safety features and their incorporation within the laws occurred over a much longer span, continuing even today. Today's Safety movement aims at increasing safety belt using an awareness campaigns, accompanied by enforcement. Safety belt …

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Influence Of Socio-Economic And Demographic Factors On Crashes In Rural South Carolina At Sub-County Level, Sunil Jakhadi Dec 2006

Influence Of Socio-Economic And Demographic Factors On Crashes In Rural South Carolina At Sub-County Level, Sunil Jakhadi

All Theses

State of South Carolina ranks high in the fatality rates. The state is a predominately a rural state with more percentage of rural roads. This research focuses on the statistical variation of crash rates between the county and block-group, especially rural once to the state. Also, it focuses on the possibility of various socio-economic and demographic characters influence on the high crash rates particularly in rural South Carolina.
Crash database for the year 2004 was acquired from South Carolina Department of Transportation and was processed by the research team at Clemson University. This processed database was imported into GIS. Spatial …

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Emergence Of Attached Recirculating Eddy For Flow Around A Circular Cylinder Asymmetrically Placed In A Channel, Tsung-Chan Hsieh, Jiahn-Horng Chen Dec 2006

Emergence Of Attached Recirculating Eddy For Flow Around A Circular Cylinder Asymmetrically Placed In A Channel, Tsung-Chan Hsieh, Jiahn-Horng Chen

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

This study discusses the emergence and development of cylinder-attached recirculating regions appearing in a fully developed flow past a circular cylinder asymmetrically confined between two infinite parallel plates. We employed a finite-volume method with the SIMPLE algorithm to compute the flow fields for various sizes and asymmetrical settings of circular cylinders. Two geometrical parameters, the blockage and asymmetry coefficients, are varied in computations. A series of computations show that the flow evolves a single asymmetrical recirculating region for the Reynolds number beyond some critical value. Its development in length bears a linear relation to the Reynolds number. Its growth rate …

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Statistical Methods For Kinetic Modeling Of Fischer Tropsch Synthesis On A Supported Iron Catalyst, Brian L. Critchfield Dec 2006

Statistical Methods For Kinetic Modeling Of Fischer Tropsch Synthesis On A Supported Iron Catalyst, Brian L. Critchfield

Theses and Dissertations

Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) is a promising technology for the production of ultra-clean fuels and chemical feedstocks from biomass, coal, or natural gas. Iron catalysts are ideal for conversion of coal and biomass. However, precipitated iron catalysts used in slurry-bubble column reactors suffer from high attrition resulting in difficulty separating catalysts from product and increased slurry viscosity. Thus, development of an active and selective-supported iron catalyst to manage attrition is needed. This thesis focuses on the development of a supported iron catalyst and kinetic models of FTS on the catalyst using advanced statistical methods for experimental design and analysis. A high …

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Validation Of An Inertial Sensor System For Quantifying Knee Function, Aaron Koslin Dec 2006

Validation Of An Inertial Sensor System For Quantifying Knee Function, Aaron Koslin

All Theses

Gait analysis has become a useful tool for clinicians in evaluating the progression of pathologies through functional analysis. The high cost and dedicated laboratories associated with the traditional camera-based motion analysis systems present the need for an alternative system. Direct measurement of kinetic parameters using inertial sensors (gyroscopes and accelerometers), in place of indirect calculations from position data obtained using cameras, has been shown effective in resolving important gait parameters.
In order to directly compare gait parameters obtained using inertial sensors and a camera system, data was simultaneously collected from both systems for seven test subjects during normal gait. Three …

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Life Cycle Cost Analysis Of Pavements: State-Of-The-Practice, Zeynep Guven Dec 2006

Life Cycle Cost Analysis Of Pavements: State-Of-The-Practice, Zeynep Guven

All Theses

Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) is performed by transportation agencies in the design phase of transportation projects in order to be able to implement more economical strategies, to support decision processes in pavement type selection (flexible or rigid) and also to assess the relative costs of different rehabilitation options within each type of pavement. However, most of the input parameters are inherently uncertain. In order to implement the LCCA process in a reliable and trustworthy manner, this uncertainty must be addressed. This thesis summarizes a through research that aims at improving the existing LCCA approach for South Carolina Department of …

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A Case Study Of Inter-Arrival Time Distributions Of Container Ships, Tu-Cheng Kuo, Wen-Chih Huang, Sheng-Chieh Wu, Pei-Lun Cheng Dec 2006

A Case Study Of Inter-Arrival Time Distributions Of Container Ships, Tu-Cheng Kuo, Wen-Chih Huang, Sheng-Chieh Wu, Pei-Lun Cheng

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Given the recent prevalence of periodical container liners, the applicability of related models of widely applied queuing theory is left in doubt. Since they focus on marine liners, the distribution pattern is always considered to be a deterministic distribution for periodical schedule. In order to investigate the distribution patterns of container liners, observation units are segmented into single shipping liners, single berths, single container terminals and entire ports. The evolution of the ship arrival distribution pattern and the goodness-of-fit test for observation are based on the ship dynamic data of international harbors in Taiwan. This study aims to implement tests …

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Web Services Of Mms Applications On Mobile Devices, Cheng-Chih Yang, Cheng-Min Lin Dec 2006

Web Services Of Mms Applications On Mobile Devices, Cheng-Chih Yang, Cheng-Min Lin

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

This study develops the Web services that are applied in Multimedia Message Service (MMS) applications via the Internet and operated by mobile portable devices, such as Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) and cellular phone. First, a MMS system environment and architecture is modeled. Next, the operations and interface of the MMS system is defined by the Web Services Description Language (WSDL) to represent the web services on MMS application system. Finally, two system prototypes are described in this study that includes distance video cam monitor system and GPRS cellular phone MMS sender.

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Particle Swarm Optimization For Global Optimization Problems, Hsin-Chuan Kuo, Jiang-Ren Chang, Ching-Hsiang Liu Dec 2006

Particle Swarm Optimization For Global Optimization Problems, Hsin-Chuan Kuo, Jiang-Ren Chang, Ching-Hsiang Liu

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

In this paper, the particle swarm optimization (PSO), originated as a simulation of a simplified social system with swarm intelligence and having exploring and exploiting characteristics of the particle swarm, is adopted to deal with the global optimization problems. To begin with, four non-linear two-dimensional functions are adopted as benchmark examples for determining the suitable ranges of parameters in the PSO. It is found that uses of the PSO can make the search quickly converge to the global optimum. Then, several benchmark functions below ten-dimensions are adopted especially for comparisons of search efficiency on the PSO and other algorithms. Results …

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Branch Detonation Of A Pulse Detonation Engine With Flash Vaporized Jp-8, John David Slack Dec 2006

Branch Detonation Of A Pulse Detonation Engine With Flash Vaporized Jp-8, John David Slack

Theses and Dissertations

Pulse Detonation Engines (PDE) operating on liquid hydrocarbon fuels are limited to operating frequencies of 35 Hz due to long ignition times from a low energy ignition sources. This study shows ignition time of JP-8 can be nearly eliminated by igniting a thrust tube using a secondary detonation. A counter flow heat exchanger attached to a thrust tube utilized waste heat from the detonation process to heat JP-8 to supercritical conditions. The fuel flash vaporized when injected into the air stream of the engine. A detonation was produced by a spark in a 5 cm diameter, 1.37 m long tube. …

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Elevated Neutral-To-Earth Voltage In Distribution Systems Including Harmonics, Jian Jiang Dec 2006

Elevated Neutral-To-Earth Voltage In Distribution Systems Including Harmonics, Jian Jiang

All Dissertations

The elevated neutral-to-earth voltage (NEV), and the related phenomenon called stray voltage, is analyzed in multigrounded distribution systems. Elevated NEV is typically caused by fundamental frequency currents returning to the source via the neutral conductor and earth. However, harmonic distortion is also found to contribute to elevated NEV. A multiphase harmonic load flow algorithm is developed to examine the effects of various factors on the NEV, including unsymmetrical system configuration, load unbalance and harmonic injection. To fulfill this objective, the system modeling is adapted to include the neutral conductor into the component equivalent circuit. The overhead transmission line is remodeled …

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Optimizing Production Methods For Artifical Silk Proteins Through Bioreactor And Purification Studies Of Recombinant Proteins Expressed From Pichia Pastoris, Aaron Ramey Dec 2006

Optimizing Production Methods For Artifical Silk Proteins Through Bioreactor And Purification Studies Of Recombinant Proteins Expressed From Pichia Pastoris, Aaron Ramey

All Theses

Advancements in the field of biomaterials are being made to produce an artificial silk fiber. A gene was constructed which utilized components from both the dragline silk of Nephila clavipes and nematode collagen. For this engineered protein, the yeast strain Pichia pastoris was chosen to be the host organism. Previous research has shown P. pastoris to have comparatively low amounts of specific protein productivity. Therefore, this problem must be compensated for by obtaining extremely high cell densities. The main focus of this study was to optimize the fermentation parameters of transgenic yeast cultures within a bioreactor in order to increase …

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Design And Implementation Of A Modular Wireless Sensor Network Sniffer, John C. Mceachen, Teo Hong Siang, Georgios Kirykos Dec 2006

Design And Implementation Of A Modular Wireless Sensor Network Sniffer, John C. Mceachen, Teo Hong Siang, Georgios Kirykos

United States Navy: Publications

We present the design and implementation of a wireless packet sniffing application focused on the communications of TinyOS-based sensor networks. This modular, multi-threaded application allows robust analysis of transmitted frames in an easily understood format similar to tcpdump. The underlying software framework is presented and details of the implementation are discussed. Finally, verification of the application is performed using a basic TinyOS application.

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Influence Of Temperature And Polymer/ Mold Surface Interactions On Micro-Feature Replication At Ambient Pressure In Micro Injection Molding, Varun Thakur Dec 2006

Influence Of Temperature And Polymer/ Mold Surface Interactions On Micro-Feature Replication At Ambient Pressure In Micro Injection Molding, Varun Thakur

All Theses

This study assesses micro-feature replication at elevated mold temperature and ambient pressure using a variety of polymers. Moldings were made on the surface of stainless steel and silicon wafers containing features as small as 130 nm under isothermal conditions in a heated chamber by allowing polymer to spread over the features at ambient pressure. Feature replication was analyzed via AFM and SEM. Polymer behavior was characterized via melt contact angle and melt viscosity. While feature detail was well replicated, the moldings exhibited poor dimensional accuracy due to shrinkage. In general, polymers with low viscosity and surface tension comparable to the …

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