Author: claimsbot

1. A system, comprising:
an electronic controller; and
a time-of-flight mass analyzer in communication with the electronic controller, the time-of-flight mass analyzer comprising:
a pulsing region defining a channel that extends along an axis, the pulsing region comprising:
a first electrode extending along the axis, the first electrode defining one or more apertures;
a second electrode extending along the axis, the first and second electrodes being positioned on opposing sides of the axis in a first direction perpendicular to the axis;
a third electrode extending along the axis; and
a fourth electrode extending along the axis, the third and fourth electrodes being positioned on opposing sides of a plane defined by the axis and the first direction,
wherein:
the electronic controller is programmed to apply a first set of voltages to the electrodes to constrain a motion of ions propagating along the axis in a radial direction relative to the axis, and apply a second set of voltages to the electrodes to accelerate the ions out of the pulsing region through the one or more apertures, where the first set of voltages comprises RF voltages applied to the first and second electrodes, the RF voltages being in phase with each other.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the time-of-flight mass analyzer accelerates the ions in the first direction.
3. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional pairs of electrodes extending along the axis, each pair comprising electrodes on opposite sides of the plane.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the RF voltages applied to the one or more additional pairs of electrodes are in phase with RF voltages applied to the third and fourth electrodes.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of voltages further comprises RF voltages applied to the third and fourth electrodes that are in phase with each other.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the RF voltages applied to the first and second electrodes are out of phase with the RF voltages applied to the third and fourth electrodes.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of voltages comprises RF voltages that have square waveforms or sinusoidal waveforms.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second set of voltages comprises DC voltages that establish a potential gradient in the first direction.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic controller is programmed to sequentially apply the first set of voltages and then the second set of voltages to the electrodes.
10. A method, comprising:
directing ions into a channel extending along an axis in a pulsing region of a time-of-flight mass analyzer;
applying RF voltages to electrodes extending along the axis to constrain a motion of the ions in a radial direction relative to the axis; and
applying DC voltages to the electrodes to accelerate the ions out of the pulsing region in a direction orthogonal to the axis,
wherein applying the RF voltages comprises applying in-phase voltages to a first pair of electrodes positioned on opposing sides of the axis in a first direction perpendicular to the axis, the first pair of electrodes comprising an electrode that defines one or more apertures through which the ions exit the pulsing region.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein applying the RF voltages further comprises applying in-phase voltages to a second pair of electrodes positioned on opposing sides of a plane defined by the axis and the first direction.
12. The method of claim 10, further comprising detecting the ions accelerated out of the pulsing region.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the ions travel to a detector through a flight tube.
14. The method of claim 10, wherein the RF and DC voltages are repeatedly sequentially applied to the electrodes to direct a series of packets of ions out of the pulsing region.
15. A mass spectrometry system, comprising:
an ion source;
a time-of-flight analyzer assembly comprising a pulsing region, a flight tube and a detector;
an ion transport assembly arranged to receive ions from the ion source and direct the ions to the pulsing region of the time-of-flight analyzer assembly; and
an electronic controller in communication with the time-of-flight analyzer assembly,
wherein:
the pulsing region defines a channel that extends along an axis and the pulsing region comprises a first electrode extending along the axis, the first electrode defining one or more apertures,
a second electrode extending along the axis, the first and second electrodes being positioned on opposing sides of the axis in a first direction perpendicular to the axis;
a third electrode extending along the axis; and
a fourth electrode extending along the axis, the third and fourth electrodes being positioned on opposing sides of a plane defined by the axis and the first direction
during operation the electronic controller causes the pulsing region to operate sequentially in a first mode, in which ions in an ion beam are confined to trajectories along an axis of the pulsing region, and a second mode, in which the ions are accelerated in a direction orthogonal to the axis into the flight tube, where the first mode comprises applying a first set of voltages to the electrodes, the first set of voltages comprising applying to the first and second electrodes RF voltages that are in phase with each other, and the second mode comprises applying a second set of voltages to the electrodes.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the ion transport assembly comprises one or more ion guides.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more ion guides comprise one or more multiple ion guides.
18. The system of claim 15, wherein the ion transport assembly and the time-of-flight analyzer assembly are housed in one or more vacuum chambers.
19. The system of claim 15, wherein the ion source is a continuous ion source.
20. The system of claim 15, further comprising one or more additional pairs of electrodes extending along the axis, each pair comprising electrodes on opposite sides of the plane.
21. The system of claim 15, wherein the first set of voltages further comprises RF voltages applied to the third and fourth electrodes that are in phase with each other.
22. The system of claim 15, wherein the RF voltages applied to the first and second electrodes are out of phase with RF voltages applied to the third and fourth electrodes.
23. The system of claim 15, wherein the second set of voltages comprises DC voltages that establish a potential gradient in the first direction.
24. The system of claim 15, wherein the electronic controller is programmed to sequentially apply the first set of voltages and then the second set of voltages to the electrodes.
25. A method for analyzing ions using a time-of-flight mass analyzer, the method comprising:
ionizing a sample to generate ions;
directing the ions to a pulsing region of a time-of-flight mass analyzer;
providing a first electric field within the pulsing region to guide the ions along an axis within the pulsing region;
providing a second electric field within the pulsing region to accelerate the ions perpendicular to the axis and out of the pulsing region;
detecting the accelerated ions at a detector; and
analyzing a mass of the ions based on a time-of-flight from the pulsing region to the detector,
wherein providing the first electric field comprises applying a first RF voltage waveform to a first pair of the electrodes, the first pair of electrodes comprising an electrode that defines one or more apertures through which the ions exit the pulsing region.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein a second RF voltage waveform out of phase with the first RF voltage waveform is applied to a second pair of the electrodes.
27. The method of claim 25, wherein the second electric field is provided by applying a second set of voltages to the electrodes.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein the second set of voltages are DC voltages.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein the DC voltages cause the ions to exit the pulsing region through one or more apertures in one of the electrodes.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1-14. (canceled)
15. A method for preparing a drug-containing polymeric micelle composition in a lyophilized powder form, comprising:
dissolving a poorly water-soluble drug and an amphiphilic block copolymer into an organic solvent;
adding an aqueous solution to the resultant mixture in the organic solvent to form polymeric micelles; and,
dissolving a lyophilization aid in the micelle composition after the formation of the micelles, filtering the obtained composition and carrying out lyophilization of the filtered composition,
wherein the method requires no separate operation to remove the organic solvent,
wherein the organic solvent is used in an amount of 1 to 6.5 wt % based on the total weight of the composition,
wherein the dissolving a poorly water-soluble drug and an amphiphilic block copolymer into an organic solvent is carried out at 30\xb0 C. or more and less than 80\xb0 C., and
wherein the adding an aqueous solution to the resultant mixture in the organic solvent to form micelles is carried out at 0\xb0 C. or more and less than 40\xb0 C.
16. The method for preparing a drug-containing polymeric micelle composition according to claim 15, wherein the dissolving a poorly water-soluble drug and an amphiphilic block copolymer into an organic solvent comprises:
dissolving the amphiphilic block copolymer into the organic solvent; and
dissolving the poorly water-soluble drug into the resultant polymer solution.
17. The method for preparing a drug-containing polymeric micelle composition according to claim 15, wherein the drug has a solubility of 100 mgmL or less to water.
18. The method for preparing a drug-containing polymeric micelle composition according to claim 15, wherein the drug is a taxane anti-cancer agent.
19. The method for preparing a drug-containing polymeric micelle composition according to claim 18, wherein the taxane anti-cancer agent is at least one selected from the group consisting of paclitaxel, docetaxel, 7-epipaclitaxel, t-acetyl paclitaxel, 10-desacetyl-paclitaxel, 10-desacetyl-7-epipaclitaxel, 7-xylosylpaclitaxel, 10-desacetyl-7-glutarylpaclitaxel, 7-N,N-dimethylglycylpaclitaxel, 7-L-alanylpaclitaxel and a mixture thereof.
20. The method for preparing a drug-containing polymeric micelle composition according to claim 15, wherein the amphiphilic block copolymer is a diblock copolymer having a hydrophilic block (A) and a hydrophobic block (B),
the hydrophilic block (A) is at least one selected from the group consisting of polyalkylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylamide and derivatives thereof,
the hydrophobic block (B) is at least one selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyanhydride, polyaminoacid, polyorthoester, polyphosphazine and derivatives thereof.
21. The method for preparing a drug-containing polymeric micelle composition according to claim 20, wherein the hydrophilic block (A) has a number average molecular weight of 500-50,000 daltons, and the hydrophobic block (B) has a number average molecular weight of 500-50,000 daltons.
22. The method for preparing a drug-containing polymeric micelle composition according to claim 20, wherein the amphiphilic block copolymer comprises the hydrophilic block (A) and the hydrophobic block (B) in a weight ratio (A:B) of 3:7 to 8:2.
23. The method for preparing a drug-containing polymeric micelle composition according to claim 15, wherein the organic solvent is at least one selected from the group consisting of alcohol, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, acetic acid, acetonitrile and dioxane.
24. The method for preparing a drug-containing polymeric micelle composition according to claim 23, wherein the alcohol is at least one selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol and butanol.
25. The method for preparing a drug-containing polymeric micelle composition according to claim 15, wherein the drug-containing polymeric micelles comprise 0.1-30.0 wt % of the drug and 70-99.9 wt % of the amphiphilic block copolymer having a hydrophilic block and a hydrophobic block, based on the total dry weight of the composition.
26. The method for preparing a drug-containing polymeric micelle according to claim 15, wherein the organic solvent is used in an amount of 1.5 to 5 wt % based on the total weight of the composition,
27. The method for preparing a drug-containing polymeric micelle according to claim 15, wherein the dissolving a poorly water-soluble drug and an amphiphilic block copolymer into an organic solvent is carried out at 50\xb0 C. to 70\xb0 C.
28. The method for preparing a drug-containing polymeric micelle according to claim 15, wherein the adding an aqueous solution to the resultant mixture in the organic solvent to form micelles is carried out at 5\xb0 C. to 20\xb0 C.

1. A method of constructing a preformed solder bar made-ready for installing a microchip, comprising:
forming a socket on a first surface of a microchip, such that the socket has predetermined physical dimensions complementary to those of a microchip connection pad footprint occupied by at least one contact pad area on the microchip,
the socket presenting a conductive base capable of bonding to solder;
bonding solder to the conductive base to place a solder bar in the socket and place the microchip in made-ready condition for installation.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the microchip contains a silicon wafer and the step of forming the socket comprises
depositing an adhesion layer onto the wafer, and
depositing under-bump-metallization (UBM) material contacting the adhesion layer to complete formation of the conductive base.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of depositing the adhesion layer includes depositing a conductor selected from the group consisting of aluminum, nickel-vanadium, titanium, tungsten and copper.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of depositing the UMB material includes depositing a conductor selected from at least one of titanium, tungsten, vanadium, tin, copper, aluminum, gold, silver, and lead.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the socket includes the predetermined dimensions selected from the group consisting of rectangular, \u201cE,\u201d \u201cL,\u201d and \u201cU\u201d shapes.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the socket includes the physical dimensions selected from the group consisting of ring, square, and circular shapes.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the socket includes the physical dimensions being complimentary to the solder bar having a planar rectilinear configuration.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the socket includes the physical dimensions being complimentary to the solder bar having a planar curvilinear configuration.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the socket further comprising a step of forming a passivation layer on substantially all of the first surface, exclusive of an area where the socket is located.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of forming the passivation layer includes the steps of:
applying one or more layers of passivation material to the entire first surface; and
removing selected portions of the passivation material covering the area where the socket is to be located.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of applying one or more layers of passivation material includes applying at least one layer selected from the group consisting of polysilicon, silicon dioxide, and benzocyclobutane.
12. The method of claim 1, further comprises depositing a non-solder base metal in the socket after the step of forming the socket and prior to the step of bonding solder, such that the solder bar contains the non-solder base metal and the solder in respective layers.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of depositing the non-solder base metal includes electroplating the non-solder base metal.
14. A method of claim 12, wherein the step of depositing the non-solder base metal includes screen printing at least one base metal layer.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of depositing the non-solder base metal includes depositing the non-solder base metal layer selected from the group consisting of copper, gold, titanium, tungsten, and vanadium.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of bonding solder includes electroplating one or more solder layers onto the conductive base.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of bonding solder includes screen printing one or more solder layers onto the conductive base.
18. A chip scale package made-ready for installation of a microchip on a printed circuit board or chip-on-chip stack, comprising:
a microchip including a first surface having a connection pad area;
an adhesion layer contacting the connection pad;
an under bump metallization layer contacting the adhesion layer;
at least one passivation layer delineating an opening to the under bump metallization layer to define a socket; and
a solder bar in contact with the under bump metallization layer, the solder bar having dimensions complementary to the socket and a geometric configuration selected from the group consisting of planar curvilinear and planar rectilinear configurations.
19. The chip scale package of claim 18, wherein the solder bar includes a base metal layer in contact with the under bump metallization layer and the solder layer.
20. The chip scale package of claim 18, wherein the geometric configuration includes a geometry selected from the group consisting of rectangular, \u201cE,\u201d \u201cL,\u201d and \u201cU\u201d shapes.
21. The chip scale package of claim 18, wherein the geometric configuration includes a geometry selected from the group consisting of ring, square, and circular shapes.
22. The chip scale package of claim 18, wherein the solder bar comprises a plurality of sublayers having different characteristics.
23. The chip scale package of claim 18, wherein the solder bar contains a base metal layer and a solder layer 24. The chip scale package of claim 23, wherein the base metal layer is selected form the group consisting of copper, gold, silver, lead, tin, titanium, tungsten, and vanadium.

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. Method for degassing a liquid of a substantially closed liquid circulation system at a working pressure, comprising
passing at least a partial flow of the liquid through a restriction into a chamber,
allowing the chamber to become partially filled by the partial flow of liquid with a gas head above a level of the liquid accumulated inside the chamber,
maintaining a degassing pressure in the chamber, the degassing pressure being higher than atmospheric pressure and lower than the working pressure,
separating gas withdrawn from the partial flow of liquid from the partial flow,
removing the gas from the chamber, and
pumping the degassed partial flow of the liquid back into the substantially closed circulation system,
wherein the restriction comprises a nozzle, and the step of passing at least the partial flow of the liquid through the restriction into the chamber comprises
spraying at least the partial flow of the liquid through the nozzle into the chamber for obtaining a jet or a mist of the liquid in the chamber, wherein the step of removing the gas from the chamber is effected via a rise pipe having an entry opening allowing escape of gas when the liquid level is below the entry opening and allowing the gas to accumulate in the head when the liquid level is above the entry opening.
2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the chamber is at most partially filled with the liquid, and the nozzle is situated at a level higher than the liquid level.
3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of removing the gas from the chamber is effected via a float valve.
4. Method according to claim 1, comprising
adjusting a pump rate of the pump such that the degassing pressure is maintained substantially constant.
5. Method according to claim 1, comprising
adjusting a pump rate of the pump such that the liquid level is maintained substantially constant.
6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the degassing pressure is 0.1 to 0.5 bar higher than atmospheric pressure.
7. Device for degassing a liquid of a substantially closed liquid circulation system at a working pressure, comprising
a chamber for being partially filled by a liquid with a gas head above a level of the liquid accumulated inside the chamber,
a restriction, in fluid communication with the chamber for passing at least a partial flow of the liquid through the restriction into the chamber,
a pump for maintaining a degassing pressure in the chamber and feeding the liquid back into the substantially closed liquid circulation system, the degassing pressure being higher than atmospheric pressure and lower than the working pressure, and
an automatic valve for removing gas separated from the liquid out of the chamber when the amount of gas inside the chamber exceeds a predetermined amount,
wherein the restriction comprises a nozzle for spraying at least the partial flow of the liquid through the nozzle into the chamber for obtaining a jet or a mist of the liquid in the chamber,
the device further comprising a rise pipe for removing the gas from the chamber, the rise pipe having an entry opening allowing escape of the gas when the liquid level is below the entry opening and allowing the gas to accumulate in the head when the liquid level is above the entry opening.
8. Device according to claim 7, wherein the nozzle is situated in an upper part of the chamber.
9. Device according to claim 7, wherein the nozzle is arranged to spray in a direction away from the liquid surface in the chamber.
10. Device according to claim 7, wherein the automatic valve for removing gas comprises a flow switch arranged for switching off the pump to avoid degassing when the flow of gas is below a predetermined threshold level.
11. Heating or cooling system comprising a substantially closed liquid circulation system at a working pressure and a device for degassing according to claim 7.
12. Heating or cooling system according to claim 11, wherein a liquid flow path through the device for degassing forms a branch parallel to a portion of the substantially closed circuit.