An improved sensing method is provided for rapid analyte detection. The method includes: applying an AC excitation signal to the channel region of the transistor; applying an AC drive signal to the transistor; delivering an analyte of interest to a channel region of a transistor; and monitoring a mixing current of the excitation signal and the drive signal through the transistor, where a change in the mixing current is indicative of the concentration of the analyte of interest.

Systems and methods for retrieving equipment from a wellbore of a subterranean well include an overshot housing having a central axis. The overshot housing is a tubular shaped member with a housing bore. An internal sleeve is located within the overshot housing. The internal sleeve is a tubular shaped member with a sleeve bore. The internal sleeve is axially moveable within the overshot housing. A catching net is located radially outward of the internal sleeve, within the overshot housing. The catching net moveable between a contracted position and an extended position. The catching net has a shorter axial length and a wider radial width in the contracted position than in the extended position. An anchoring assembly is located at a downhole end of the catching net. The anchoring assembly is actuable to releasably secure the downhole end of the catching net to the equipment.

A method and apparatus for removing a volatile component from a mixture are disclosed. The method and apparatus employ a crosslinked elastomer with a glass transition temperature +25 C. as the sorbent.

Adsorbent materials are disclosed, along with filter elements containing the adsorbent materials methods of using adsorbents to remove siloxane contaminants from a gas stream. The method includes providing an adsorbent material that has been washed with an acid and passing a gas through the adsorbent material so as to reduce siloxane levels in the gas. A filter element for reducing siloxane levels in a gas includes a first adsorbent material, the first adsorbent material comprising an acid-washed adsorbent; and a second adsorbent material, the second adsorbent material comprising an acid-impregnated adsorbent.

An air intake system for directing intake air to an internal combustion engine of a machine is disclosed. The air intake system may comprise an air compressor configured to increase a pressure of the intake air, and a membrane unit downstream of the air compressor and having a membrane with selectivity for siloxanes. The membrane may have a first side and a second side, and the first side may be exposed to a higher pressure than the second side when the air compressor is operating. The membrane may be configured to separate the intake air into a permeate that traverses the membrane from the first side to the second side, and a retenate that remains on the first side. The permeate may have a higher siloxane content than the retenate. The retenate may be directed to the internal combustion engine for combustion.

A plasma abatement process for abating effluent containing compounds from a processing chamber is described. A plasma abatement process takes gaseous foreline effluent from a processing chamber, such as a deposition chamber, and reacts the effluent within a plasma chamber placed in the foreline path. The plasma dissociates the compounds within the effluent, converting the effluent into more benign compounds. Abating reagents may assist in the abating of the compounds. The abatement process may be a volatizing or a condensing abatement process. Representative volatilizing abating reagents include, for example, CH.sub.4, H.sub.2O, H.sub.2, NF.sub.3, SF.sub.6, F.sub.2, HCl, HF, Cl.sub.2, and HBr. Representative condensing abating reagents include, for example, H.sub.2, H.sub.2O, O.sub.2, N.sub.2, O.sub.3, CO, CO.sub.2, NH.sub.3, N.sub.2O, CH.sub.4, and combinations thereof.

Provided is a gas detector which has a high durability to silicone poisoning and of which power consumption is reduced. The gas detector includes a contact combustion-type gas sensor and detects a paraffinic hydrocarbon gas, a solvent gas, and a hydrogen gas. The contact combustion-type gas sensor is configured to include two gas detection elements that are disposed in two detection chambers partitioned from each other, respectively, and the gas inlet of one detection chamber is provided with a silicone removal filter. The paraffinic hydrocarbon gas is detected by one gas detection element disposed in the one detection chamber which is provided with the silicone removal filter. Furthermore, the solvent gas is detected by the other gas detection element which is disposed in the other detection chamber. Still furthermore, the hydrogen gas is detected by either the one gas detection element or the other gas detection element.

Embodiments disclosed herein include a method for abating compounds produced in semiconductor processes. The method includes energizing an abating agent, forming a composition by reacting the energized abating agent with gases exiting a vacuum processing chamber, and flowing the composition through a plurality of holes formed in a cooling plate. By cooling the composition with the cooling plate, damages on the downstream pump are avoided.

Organosilicon compounds in a process exhaust stream from silicone production are removed by contacting the exhaust stream with a semipermeable silicone membrane which is selectively permeable to organosilicon compounds and oxygen relative to nitrogen. The pressure on the permeate side of the membrane is preferably less than the pressure on the retentate side.

A vacuum pump with abatement function is used for evacuating a chamber of a manufacturing apparatus. The vacuum pump with abatement function includes a vacuum pump having a discharge port to which at least one abatement part for treating an exhaust gas discharged from the vacuum pump to make the exhaust gas harmless is attached. The abatement part is selected from a plurality of abatement parts having different treatment types of exhaust gas and/or different treatment amounts of exhaust gas and/or different treatment performances of exhaust gas.