1. A method for supplying conditioned air to an enclosure comprising the steps of:
a) conditioning an ambient air stream by:
i) cooling an ambient supply air stream to a first reduced temperature;
ii) passing the cooled ambient supply air stream through a refrigeration system cooling coil to reduce the temperature to a second reduced temperature;
iii) dehumidifying the thus cooled ambient supply air stream in a desiccant dehumidification device; and
iv) delivering the thus cooled and dried air to an enclosure; and
b) conditioning and using an exhaust air stream from an enclosure by:
i) increasing the temperature of the exhaust air stream,
ii) passing the exhaust air stream at said increased temperature over a condenser coil of the refrigeration system to raise its temperature and decrease its relative humidity;
iii) then passing the heated exhaust air stream through a regeneration portion of the desiccant dehumidification device to regenerate the desiccant device, and lower the temperature and increase the moisture content of the exhaust air stream;
iv) then passing the exhaust air stream from the desiccant device over a second condenser coil to further increase its temperature; and
v) then exhausting the exhaust air stream to the atmosphere.
2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of conditioning an ambient air stream includes the step of reducing the moisture content of the ambient air stream while cooling the ambient air stream to said first reduced temperature.
3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of conditioning an ambient air stream includes the step of reducing the moisture content of the ambient air stream while passing it through the refrigeration cooling coil.
4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of conditioning the exhaust air stream includes the step of reducing the moisture content of the exhaust air stream while increasing its temperature before passing it over a condenser coil of a refrigeration system.
5. The method as described in any one of claims 1-4 including the step of providing additional evaporative cooling in the exhaust air stream between the desiccant device and the second condenser coil.
6. The method as described in any one of claims 1-4 including the steps of using a desiccant wheel dehumidification device and selectively changing the speed of rotation of the desiccant wheel device to modulate the desiccant effect on the air stream to provide capacity control.
7. The method as described in any one of claims 1-4 including the step of selectively bypassing a portion of the supply air stream around the desiccant device to modulate the desiccant effect on the air stream.
8. The method of any of claims 1-4 including the step of selectively bypassing a portion of the exhaust air stream around the desiccant device to modulate the desiccant effect on the air stream.
9. The method of any of claims 1-4 including the step of selectively bypassing a portion of both the supply and exhaust air streams around the desiccant device to modulate the desiccant effect on the air stream.
10. The method of claim 5 including the step of recovering condensate from a cooling coil and pumping said condensate to the evaporative cooling device to allow for evaporative cooling effect.
11. The method as described in any of claims 1-4 including the step of providing additional cooling to the supply air after it passes through the desiccant dehumidification device to provide cooling capacity to the enclosure.
12. The method as described in any of claims 1-4 including the step of passing said ambient and exhaust air streams through said desiccant device in opposite directions.
13. A method for supplying conditioned air to an enclosure comprising the steps of:
a) conditioning an ambient air stream by:
i) cooling the ambient supply air stream in an energy recovery device to reduce its temperature and moisture content;
ii) passing the cooled and dried ambient air through a refrigeration system cooling coil to further reduce the temperature and moisture content of the ambient air to a predetermined condition,
iii) then passing the air through a segment of a desiccant dehumidification device to increase its temperature and decrease its moisture content;
iv) then delivering the thus treated ambient air to said enclosure; and
b) conditioning and using an exhaust air stream from an enclosure, by:
i) passing the exhaust air stream through said energy recovery device to increase its temperature and moisture content,
ii) then passing the exhaust air over a condenser coil in said refrigeration system to raise its temperature while decreasing its relative humidity,
iii) then passing the thus heated exhaust air through another segment of said desiccant dehumidification device to regenerate the desiccant device and lower the temperature and increase the moisture content of the exhaust air stream,
iv) then passing the exhaust air stream over a second condenser coil to further increase its temperature and
v) then exhausting the exhaust air stream to the atmosphere.
14. The method as described in claim 13 including the step of providing additional evaporative cooling in the exhaust air stream between the desiccant device and the second condenser coil.
15. The method as described in claim 13 including the steps of using a desiccant wheel dehumidification device and selectively changing the speed of rotation of the desiccant wheel device to modulate the desiccant effect on the air stream to provide capacity control.
16. The method as described in claim 13 including the step of selectively bypassing a portion of the supply air stream around the desiccant device to modulate the desiccant effect on the air stream.
17. The method of claim 13 including the step of selectively bypassing a portion of the exhaust air stream around the desiccant device to modulate the desiccant effect on the air stream.
18. The method of claim 13 including the step of selectively bypassing a portion of both the supply and exhaust air streams around the desiccant device to modulate the desiccant effect on the air stream.
19. The method of claim 14 including the step of recovering condensate from a cooling coil and pumping said condensate to the evaporative cooling device to allow for evaporative cooling effect.
20. The method as described in claim 13 including the step of providing additional cooling to the supply air after it passes through the dehumidification desiccant device to provide cooling capacity to the enclosure.
21. The method as described in claim 13 including the step of passing said ambient and exhaust air streams through said desiccant device in opposite directions.
22. A method for supplying conditioned air to an enclosure comprising the steps of:
a) conditioning an ambient air having a temperature in the range of about 60\xb0 F. to about 105\xb0 F. and a moisture content of between 70 to 180 grains per pound by:
i) supplying said ambient air stream to an energy recovery device to reduce the temperature and moisture content of he ambient air stream,
ii) passing the cooled and dried ambient air through a refrigeration system cooling coil to further reduce the temperature and moisture content of the ambient air to a predetermined condition,
iii) then passing the air through a segment of a desiccant dehumidification device to increase its temperature to a predetermined temperature range of about 70\xb0 F. to about 85\xb0 F. and decreasing its moisture content to about 45 to 65 grains per pound, and
iv) then delivering the thus treated air to said enclosure; and
b) conditioning and using an exhaust air stream from an enclosure by:
i) exhausting air from the enclosure,
ii) passing the exhausted air through said energy recovery device to increase its temperature and moisture content,
iii) passing the exhaust air over a condenser coil in said refrigeration system to raise its temperature while decreasing its relative humidity,
iv) then passing the thus heated exhaust air through another segment of said desiccant dehumidification device to refrigerate the desiccant device and lower the temperature and increase the moisture content of the exhaust air stream,
v) then passing the exhaust air stream over a second condenser coil to further increase its temperature and
vi) then exhausting the exhausted air stream to the atmosphere.
23. The method as described in claim 22 including the step of providing additional evaporative cooling in the exhaust air stream between the desiccant device and the second condenser coil.
24. The method as described in claim 22 including the steps of using a desiccant wheel dehumidification device and selectively changing the speed of rotation of the desiccant device to modulate the desiccant effect on the air stream to provide capacity control.
25. The method as described in claim 22 including the step of selectively bypassing a portion of the supply air stream around the desiccant device to modulate the desiccant effect on the air stream.
26. The method of claim 22 including the step of selectively bypassing a portion of the exhaust air stream around the desiccant device to modulate the desiccant effect on the air stream.
27. The method of claim 22 including the step of selectively bypassing a portion of both the supply and exhaust air streams around the desiccant device to modulate the desiccant effect on the air stream.
28. The method of claim 2 including the step of recovering condensate from a cooling coil and pumping said condensate to the evaporative cooling device to allow for evaporative cooling effect.
29. The method as described in claim 22 including the step of providing additional cooling to the supply air after it passes through the dehumidification desiccant device to provide cooling capacity to the enclosure.
30. The method as described in claim 22 including the step of passing said ambient and exhaust air streams through said desiccant device in opposite directions.
31. A device for supplying conditioned air to an enclosure comprising:
means for recovering thermal energy from an ambient supply air stream to cool the supply air stream to a first reduced temperature;
a refrigeration system including an evaporator coil for receiving the supply air stream from the thermal energy recovery means to reduce the temperature of the supply air stream to a second reduced temperature;
desiccant means for dehumidifying the cooled ambient supply air stream from the evaporator coil; and
means for delivering the thus cooled and dried air to an enclosure;
said means for recovering thermal energy from an ambient air stream being adapted to receive and increase the temperature of an exhaust air stream from an enclosure;
said refrigeration system including a condenser coil for receiving the exhaust air stream from said thermal energy recovery means and raising its temperature and decreasing its relative humidity;
said desiccant dehumidifying means including a regeneration portion for recovering exhaust air from said condenser coil for regenerating the desiccant device, and lowering the temperature and increasing the moisture content of the exhaust air stream; and
said refrigeration system including a second condenser coil for recovering the exhaust air stream from the desiccant dehumidifying means to further increase its temperature.
32. The device as defined in claim 31 wherein said means for recovering thermal energy reduces the moisture content of the ambient air stream while cooling the ambient air stream to said first reduced temperature.
33. The device as defined in claim 31 wherein said evaporator coil of the refrigeration system condenses moisture in the supply air stream to reduce the moisture content of the ambient air stream.
34. The device as defined in claim 31 wherein said means for recovering thermal energy reduces the moisture content of the exhaust air stream while increasing its temperature.
35. The device as defined in any one of claims 31-34 including evaporative cooling means in the exhaust air stream between the desiccant dehumidifying means and the second condenser coil.
36. The device as described in any one of claims 31-34 wherein said desiccant dehumidifying means is a desiccant wheel dehumidification device.
37. The device as described in claim 36 including means for selectively changing the speed of rotation of the desiccant wheel device to modulate the desiccant effect on the air stream to provide capacity control.
38. The device as described in any one of claims 31-34 including means for selectively bypassing a portion of the supply air stream around the desiccant device to modulate the desiccant effect on the air stream.
39. The device of any of claims 31-34 including means for selectively bypassing a portion of the exhaust air stream around the desiccant device to modulate the desiccant effect on the air stream.
40. The device of any of claims 31-34 including means for selectively bypassing a portion of both the supply and exhaust air streams around the desiccant device to modulate the desiccant effect on the air stream.
41. The device of claim 35 including means for recovering condensate from a cooling coil and pumping said condensate to the evaporative cooling device to allow for evaporative cooling effect.
42. The device as described in any of claims 31-34 including means for providing additional cooling to the supply air after it passes through the desiccant dehumidification device to provide cooling capacity to the enclosure.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of manufacturing a magnetoresistive device that includes a magnetoresistive stack, comprising:
etching a first portion of the magnetoresistive stack with a non-reactive etch to produce an etched first portion of the magnetoresistive stack having sidewalls, where the first portion of the magnetoresistive stack includes a first dielectric layer corresponding to a tunnel barrier layer for the device and at least one layer of magnetic material, wherein etching the first portion with the non-reactive etch prevents oxidation or other degradation of the tunnel barrier layer and the at least one layer of magnetic material during the etching of the first portion;
after etching the first portion of the magnetoresistive stack, encapsulating the sidewalls of the etched first portion of the magnetoresistive stack; and
after encapsulating the sidewalls of the etched first portion of the magnetoresistive stack, etching a second portion of the magnetoresistive stack with a reactive, corrosive etch to produce an etched second portion of the magnetoresistive stack, wherein the second portion of the magnetoresistive stack includes a layer of antiferromagnetic material, and where the first portion of the magnetoresistive stack is over the second portion of the magnetoresistive stack.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one layer of magnetic material includes a synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) structure, and wherein etching the first portion includes etching through the tunnel barrier layer and at least a portion of the SAF structure.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one layer of magnetic material includes a fixed layer, and wherein etching the first portion of the magnetoresistive stack further comprises etching at least a portion of the fixed layer.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the fixed layer is over the layer of antiferromagnetic material, and wherein etching the first portion further comprises etching through the fixed layer until reaching the layer of antiferromagnetic material.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to etching the first dielectric layer, etching a free layer.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the free layer is included in a synthetic ferromagnetic (SYF) structure.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein encapsulating the sidewalls includes at least one of oxidizing the sidewalls, nitridizing the sidewalls, and exposing the sidewalls to a corrosive gas to provide controlled corrosion of the sidewalls.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein encapsulating the sidewalls includes depositing a layer of liner material on the sidewalls, wherein the liner material is non-magnetic dielectric material.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
encapsulating sidewalls of the etched second portion of the magnetoresistive stack; and
after encapsulating the sidewalls of the etched second portion of the stack, etching a third portion of the magnetoresistive stack, where the second portion of the magnetoresistive stack is over the third portion of the magnetoresistive stack.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein etching the second portion of the magnetoresistive stack includes etching the second portion using a mixture of at least one noble gas and at least one corrosive gas.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein etching the first portion of the magnetoresistive stack includes etching the first portion using a non-oxidizing argon etch.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein etching the second portion of the magnetoresistive stack includes etching a lower layer of electrically conductive material to form a bottom electrode.
13. A method of manufacturing a magnetoresistive device, comprising:
etching an upper layer of electrically conductive material to form a top electrode;
etching an upper layer of magnetic material under the upper layer of electrically conductive material to form a first magnetic stack layer;
etching a dielectric layer under the upper layer of magnetic material to form a tunnel barrier;
etching at least a portion of a lower layer of magnetic material under the first dielectric layer using a non-reactive etch to form a second magnetic stack layer;
forming a protective layer on exposed sidewalls of at least the second magnetic stack layer; and
after forming the protective layer, etching additional device layers under the lower layer of magnetic material using a reactive, corrosive etch chemistry.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein etching the additional device layers under the lower layer of magnetic material includes etching at least a portion of a layer of antiferromagnetic material.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein etching the additional device layers under the lower layer of magnetic material includes etching a layer of platinum manganese.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein etching the additional device layers under the lower layer of magnetic material includes etching a lower layer of electrically conductive material to form a bottom electrode.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein:
etching the upper layer of magnetic material includes etching a free magnetic layer for the magnetoresistive device; and
etching the lower layer of magnetic material includes etching a fixed magnetic layer for the magnetoresistive device.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein forming the protective layer includes depositing non-magnetic dielectric material on the sidewalls.
19. The method of claim 13, wherein forming the protective layer includes exposing the sidewalls to a reactive gas.
20. The method of claim 13, wherein forming a protective layer on exposed sidewalls of at least the second magnetic stack layer further includes forming a protective layer on exposed sidewalls of the tunnel barrier.
21. A method of manufacturing a magnetoresistive device, comprising:
etching an upper layer of electrically conductive material to form a top electrode;
etching an upper layer of magnetic material under the upper layer of electrically conductive material to form a free layer;
etching a dielectric layer under the upper layer of magnetic material to form a tunnel barrier;
etching at least a portion of a lower layer of magnetic material under the dielectric layer using a non-reactive etch to form a fixed layer;
forming a protective layer on exposed sidewalls of at least the fixed layer; and
after forming the protective layer, etching an antiferromagnetic material under the lower layer of magnetic material using a reactive, corrosive etch chemistry.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein etching at least a portion of the lower layer of magnetic material includes etching the at least a portion of the lower layer of magnetic material using a noble gas that prevents oxidation or other degradation of the tunnel barrier layer and the at least a portion of the lower layer of magnetic material.
23. The method of claim 1, wherein etching the first portion of the magnetoresistive stack further comprises etching the first portion using a gas consisting of one of argon and xenon.
24. The method of claim 1, wherein etching the first portion of the magnetoresistive stack further comprises etching the first portion using a noble gas.