1461168376-1b903fc3-fbd7-4059-b07f-2c8c5501e2a7

1. A method for forming through-substrate conductor filled vias for back-side electrical or thermal interconnections or both on a thinned substrate, comprising:
providing desired device regions with contacts on a front surface of an initial substrate having a back side;
forming via cavities to depth d\u2032 from the front surface partly through the initial substrate in desired locations;
filling the via cavities with a conductive material coupled to some device region contacts;
mounting the initial substrate with its front surface coupled to a support structure;
thinning the initial substrate from the back side to provide a final substrate that is thinner than the initial substrate and on whose back surface are exposed internal ends of the conductive material filled vias;
applying any desired back-side interconnect region coupled to the one or more exposed ends of the conductive material filled vias; and
removing the support structure and separating individual device or IC assemblies of the final substrate so as to be available for mounting on a further circuit board, tape or larger circuit.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the filling step, providing one or more refractory liners in the via cavities.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more refractory liners comprise a dielectric liner.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more refractory liners comprise a barrier layer for inhibiting diffusion of the conductive material into the final substrate.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more refractory liners comprise an adhesion layer for attachment of the conductive material to the final substrate in the via cavities.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein the via cavities have a width w and the one or more refractory liners have a thickness less than about 20% of w.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the final substrate has a thickness of about 20 micrometers or less and the back-side interconnect region has a thickness of at least about 30% to 50% of the final substrate thickness.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial substrate has a first thickness and the final substrate has a second thickness and the second thickness is less than or equal about 20% of the first thickness.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the initial substrate has a first thickness and the final substrate has a second thickness and the second thickness is less than or equal about 10% of the first thickness.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the initial substrate has a first thickness and the final substrate has a second thickness and the second thickness is less than or equal about 5% of the first thickness.
11. An electronic assembly formed by a process, comprising:
providing an initial substrate having an active device region proximate a first surface thereof;
forming via cavities extending part-way through the initial substrate from the first surface;
filling the via cavities with a conductive material at least partly coupled to some part of the active device region;
mounting the initial substrate on a temporary support structure with the first surface facing the temporary support structure and a rear face of the initial substrate exposed;
removing material from the rear face until a new surface is reached of a thinned substrate on which interior ends of the via cavities filled with the conductive material are exposed;
providing a further interconnect region on the new surface making contact to at least some of the interior ends of the via cavities filled with the conductive material; and
removing the temporary support structure.
12. The device of claim 11, wherein the thinned substrate has a thickness less than or equal to about 20% of a thickness of the initial substrate.
13. The device of claim 11, wherein the via cavities have a refractory liner.
14. The device of claim 13, wherein the refractory liner comprises one or more of an insulating material, a barrier material, or an adhesion material.
15. The device of claim 11, wherein the further interconnect region has a thickness of 30% to 50% of the thickness of the thinned substrate.
16. A method for forming electronic assemblies, comprising:
providing an initial semiconductor substrate of a first thickness and having a region of active devices proximate a first surface thereof;
forming via cavities extending part-way through the initial semiconductor substrate from the first surface;
filling the via cavities with a conductive metal coupled to some of the active devices;
mounting the initial semiconductor substrate on a temporary support structure with the first surface facing the temporary support structure and a rear face of the initial semiconductor substrate exposed;
removing material from the rear face until a new surface is reached on which interior ends of the metal filled via cavities are exposed, thereby forming a thinned semiconductor substrate of a second thickness and still having the region of active devices proximate the first surface;
providing a further interconnect region on the new surface making contact to some or all of the interior ends of the via cavities filled with the conductive metal; and
removing the temporary support structure.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising, during or after the providing the initial semiconductor substrate step, forming one or more interconnect levels on the first surface coupling some of the active devices to each other or to locations that can be contacted by part of the conductive metal during the filling step or both.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the removing material step removes at least 80% of the first thickness.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein the further interconnect region has a third thickness at least equal to 30% to 50% of the second thickness.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein the removing material step comprises chemical-mechanical-polishing.

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 system of fluid containment for use in hydraulic fracturing (fracking), the system comprising:
a plurality of fluid containment structures configured to store fluid, each fluid containment structure comprising a flexible body;
a first fluid transportation structure coupled to the first fluid containment structure;
a second fluid transportation structure coupled to the second fluid containment structure; and
a backflow preventer comprising:
a forward port coupled to the first fluid transportation structure and configured to receive drilling fluid from the first fluid containment structure,
a primary port coupled to a well, the primary port configured to provide the drilling fluid to the well and receiving waste fluid from the well,
a return port coupled to the second fluid transportation structure and configured to provide the received waste fluid from the well to the second fluid transportation structure, and
a flow control mechanism to substantially prevent the flow of waste fluid through the forward port and substantially prevent the flow of drilling fluid through the return port.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first fluid containment structure comprises a port disposed in the flexible body and coupled to the first fluid transport structure, the port configured to release fluid out of the fluid containment structure.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second fluid containment structure comprises a port disposed in the flexible body and coupled to the second fluid transport structure, the port configured to receive fluid for storage in the fluid containment structure.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein each fluid containment structure comprises a first port and second port, each port disposed in the flexible body and comprising a valve configured to receive fluid and prevent release of the fluid from the tube, and wherein at least one port comprises a locking mechanism configured to engage the valve and release the fluid from the tube.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second fluid containment structure is coupled to purification equipment configured to extract recycled drilling fluid from drilling waste fluid, the first fluid containment structure coupled to the purification equipment to receive the recycled drilling fluid.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein a first flow meter coupled to the forward port of the backflow preventer transmits a first signal corresponding to the volume of drilling fluid received from the first fluid containment structure, a second flow meter coupled to the return port of the backflow preventer transmits a second signal corresponding to the volume of waste fluid provided to the second fluid containment structure, and a third flow meter coupled to the first fluid containment structure transmits a third signal corresponding to the volume of drilling fluid received at the first fluid containment structure.
7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a monitoring system configured to determine a volume of drilling fluid available in the first fluid containment structure.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the flow control mechanism comprises:
a forward backflow preventer that activates to substantially prevent drilling waste from entering the forward port, and
a flow arrest that activates to substantially prevent transfer of drilling fluids received at the forward port to the return port.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the flow control mechanism comprises:
a return backflow preventer that activates to substantially prevent drilling waste from received from the well to flow back through the return port to the primary port.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein each fluid containment structure is approximately 100\u2032 long with a diameter of approximately 36\u2032.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second fluid containment structure is contained within a plurality of interlocked fluid containment structures.
12. A method of fluid containment for use in hydraulic fracturing (fracking), the method comprising:
receiving an initial amount of drilling fluid in a first flexible containment tube for use in a fracking process;
receiving the drilling fluid at a forward port of a backflow preventer coupled to the first flexible containment tube, the backflow preventer providing the received drilling fluid to a well coupled to a primary port of the backflow preventer;
receiving drilling waste fluid from the well at the primary port of the backflow preventer, the backflow preventer providing the received drilling waste fluid to a second flexible containment tube coupled to a return port of the backflow preventer;
providing the drilling waste fluid to purification equipment coupled to the second flexible containment tube, the purification equipment generating recycled drilling fluid; and
receiving the recycled drilling fluid at the forward port of the backflow preventer.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining an amount of drilling fluid to receive at the first flexible containment tube from an external source based on one or more measurements corresponding to a volume of recycled drilling fluid generated, a volume of drilling fluid provided to the well, and a capacity of the first flexible containment tube.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein each flexible containment tube is approximately 100\u2032 long with a diameter of approximately 36\u2032.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein the backflow preventer comprises a flow control mechanism that substantially prevents the flow of waste fluid through the forward port and substantially prevents the flow of drilling fluid through the return port.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the flow control mechanism comprises:
a forward backflow preventer that activates to substantially prevent drilling waste from entering the forward port, and
a flow arrest that activates to substantially prevent transfer of drilling fluids received at the forward port to the return port.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the flow control mechanism comprises:
a return backflow preventer that activates to substantially prevent drilling waste from received from the well to flow back through the return port to the primary port.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein a first flow meter coupled to the forward port of the backflow preventer transmits a first signal corresponding to the volume of drilling fluid received from the first flexible containment tube, a second flow meter coupled to the return port of the backflow preventer transmits a second signal corresponding to the volume of waste fluid provided to the second flexible containment tube, and a third flow meter coupled to the first flexible containment tube transmits a third signal corresponding to the volume of drilling fluid received at the first fluid containment structure.
19. The method of claim 12, wherein a plurality of linked flexible fluid containment structures are coupled to the first flexible fluid containment structure to store the recycled drilling fluid, the plurality of linked flexible containment tubes coupled to the purification equipment to receive the recycled drilling fluid.
20. The method of claim 12, wherein a plurality of linked flexible fluid containment structures are coupled to the second flexible fluid containment structure to store the drilling waste received from the well.

1461168366-d6c63c83-e3ec-4be1-a075-4bdbd92fc308

What is claimed is:

1. An array antenna which comprises:
an array of radiator elements;
a stripline feed for the radiator elements;
a metal component which includes a first portion having an upwardly facing surface at a first level, and a second portion having a downwardly facing surface at a second level, the radiator elements being above the first portion, the second level being higher than the first level, and the stripline feed being at a third level between the first and second levels.
2. An antenna according to claim 1 wherein the metal component is in the form of a metal sheet which is shaped to form said first portion, said second portion, and an intermediate portion which extends from the first portion to the second portion.
3. An antenna according to claim 2, wherein the metal sheet is of an un-annealed aluminium.
4. An antenna according to claim 3, wherein the metal sheet is formed by pressing, in a deep drawing tool.
5. An antenna according to claim 2, wherein, in respect of each of the radiator elements, there is an opening in the intermediate portion, the stripline feed having an extension which passes through the opening to the respective radiator element.
6. An antenna according to claim 2, wherein said second portion is between a pair of said radiator elements, and wherein there is a said first portion and a said intermediate portion on each opposite side of the second portion, thereby to form a channel in the underside of the metal sheet, the stripline feed being in the channel.
7. An antenna according to claim 6, which further comprises a sheet of conductive foil which extends across the channel on the underside of the metal sheet, said second portion forming an upper ground plane for the stripline feed and said sheet of conductive foil forming a lower ground plane for the stripline feed.
8. An antenna according to claim 7, wherein said sheet of conductive foil has opposite edge portions which overlie and are adhesively secured to the underside of the respective first portions.
9. An antenna according to claim 1, wherein each radiator element is separated from said first portion by a spacer element which is of an extruded plastics material having a cellular configuration in cross-section.
10. An antenna according to claim 1, wherein the stripline feed is held between spacer strips which are of an extruded plastics material having a cellular configuration in cross-section.
11. An array antenna which comprises:
a metal sheet having an upper side and a lower side;
an array of radiator elements on the upper side of the metal sheet, each radiator element being separated from the metal sheet by a spacer element of dielectric material; and
a stripline feed for the radiator elements, the stripline feed being on the lower side of the metal sheet;
the metal sheet being shaped to have a first portion which is at a low level, a second portion which is at a high level, and an intermediate portion which extends from the first portion to the second portion; and
the arrangement of the radiator elements and the stripline feed in relation to the metal sheet being such that said first portion forms a ground plane for the radiator elements, and said second portion forms an upper ground plane for the stripline feed.

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 lighting control device for controlling luminance of a lighting means by performing pulse width modulation control on voltage applied to the lighting means comprising:
a current detecting means for detecting a load current applied to the lighting means;
a duty ratio deciding means for deciding a duty ratio used in the pulse width modulation control such that the duty ratio is (A1Ap)2, based on a theoretical value electric current A1 set based on a predetermined luminance factor provided for the lighting means and a load current Ap detected by the lead current detecting means; and
a modulation controlling means for performing the pulse width modulation control on the voltage applied to the lighting means using the duty ratio decided by the duty ratio deciding means.
2. The lighting control device according to claim 1, comprising:
a luminance factor deciding means for deciding a luminance factor of the lighting means based on an external switch state and a signal from an external sensor.
3. The lighting control device according to claim 1, wherein the luminance factor is consecutively changed by an external unit.
4. The lighting control device according to claim 1, wherein:
a plurality of lighting means is provided;
the current detecting means is provided for each of the plurality of lighting means; and
the duty ratio deciding means decides a duty ratio used in the pulse width modulation control for each of the plurality of lighting means such that a difference in luminance among the plurality of lighting means is minimal, based on luminance factors of the plurality of lighting means and each load current of the plurality of lighting means detected by the current detecting means.
5. The lighting control device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a storing means for storing characteristic constant numbers related to different kinds of lighting means; and
a luminance factor deciding means for acquiring a characteristic constant number of the lighting means from the storing means based on the type of lighting means specified externally and deciding the luminance factor of the lighting means based on the characteristic constant number, an external switch state, and a signal from an external sensor.
6. A lighting control method for controlling a luminance of a lighting means by performing pulse width modulation control on voltage applied to the lighting means comprising the steps of:
detecting a load current applied to the lighting means;
deciding a duty ratio used in the pulse width modulation control such that the duty ratio is (A1Ap)2, based on a theoretical value electric current A1 set based on a predetermined luminance factor provided for the lighting means and a load current Ap detected by the lead current detecting means; and
performing the pulse width modulation control on the voltage applied to the lighting means using the duty ratio decided by the duty ratio deciding means.