The performance of capacitor-grade tantalum powder that is vacuum packaged is enhanced. Preventing contact with air reduces the quantity of oxygen that passes through the oxide film and dissolves in the substrate. Lower oxygen in the powder can lower DC leakage in the capacitor made from the powder. Over a 4-month period, vacuum/argon packaging reduces oxygen pick-up in a 50K-class powder by over 200 ppm compared with the same powder stored in conventional packaging.

Provided herein is a wafer carrier comprising a disk and a pocket, wherein the pocket is centered in the disk and holds a wafer. Also provided is a method of processing or testing a wafer for a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of placing the wafer in the wafer carrier disclosed herein; loading the wafer carrier in a loadlock chamber; and transferring the wafer carrier from the loadlock chamber to a process chamber for processing or testing.

A coffee storage container, for storing a quantity of coffee within a jar having a bottom and a side wall, and using a piston having a top and bottom, and a one-way valve. The quantity of coffee is placed in the jar bottom. The piston extends within the jar and defines a storage volume beneath the piston bottom. A stem is selectively attached to the piston top to push the piston downward to allow air to escape through the one-way valve so that the storage volume becomes substantially the coffee ...

A package and method for the packaging of contents at a reduced pressure which provides for improved protection of said materials from contamination. The method includes hermetically sealing a gas and vapor impermeable packaging containing both the material, object, and/or device and an adsorbent at elevated temperature. Subsequent cooling of the adsorbent results in the production of a partial vacuum within the packaging. Alternatively, if the packaging is evacuated prior to sealing by use of s...

An apparatus for exchanging a first gas contained in a sealed container for a second gas. The apparatus comprises a vacuum chamber for receiving the container and for maintaining a controlled pressure about the container, a gas exchange head for exchanging gas in the container while maintaining a seal between the container and the chamber, and a vacuum source coupled to the gas exchange head and to the vacuum chamber for evacuating the first gas from the container and air from the chamber. The a...

A method or process for substituting an inert gas or blend of inert gases for ambient air in the head space of a container filled with leftover oil-based finish prior to sealing the lid. Even a tightly sealed container of leftover paint, stain, varnish, or other oil-based finish, will thicken, gel, or skin over with time. This occurs because the oxygen that is sealed in the storage container continues to react with oil-based finishes. The process involves using an aerosol can filled with the ine...

A method for long term storage of a bulk commodity utilizes a flexible, low gas-permeability sheet material enclosure in which the bulk commodity is hermetically sealed. The atmosphere in the sealed flexible sheet material enclosure is substantially evacuated to establish a vacuum therein. The vacuum is maintained during at least a portion of the long term storage of the bulk commodity. At least a portion of the bulk commodity is removed from the flexible, low gas-permeability sheet material enc...

A method for controlling an apparatus for exchanging a first gas contained in a sealed container for a second gas while the container is in a chamber. The method comprises the steps of withdrawing the first gas from the container for a predetermined period of time and approximating the head space volume of the container based directly or indirectly upon a change in headspace pressure in the container. The method further includes the step of withdrawing the first gas from the container and air fr...

A controlled environment sealing apparatus includes a reciprocating seal head positioned above an intermittent conveyer carrying product-filled trays, a film feeder to dispense film between the tray and reciprocating seal head, and at least one seal head gassing assembly positioned in the seal head and oriented to direct a flow of controlled environment gas through a cut-out portion of the film into a product-filled tray positioned beneath the seal head. The seal head gassing assembly may prefer...

Apparatus and method for exposing product to a controlled environment. The apparatus includes a distribution chamber with an inlet for receiving controlled environment or combination of gases, and a region of flow resistance. A plurality of jet nozzles are surrounded by the flow resistance region and provide high velocity streams of controlled environment which are surrounded by the low velocity streams from the resistance region. For some applications, a section of chamber immediately preceding...