A method for producing a gas comprising at least 80 vol % carbon monoxide from a Fischer-Tropsch off-gas comprises: (1) feeding Fischer-Tropsch off-gas through a column comprising an adsorbent bed at high pressure and discharging effluent; (2) reducing the pressure in the column and the bed slightly; (3) rinsing the column and the adsorbent bed with methane or a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide; (4) reducing the pressure of the column and adsorbent bed to a low pressure; (5) rinsing the column and adsorbent bed with a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen; (6) pressurizing the column and adsorbent bed to a high pressure using a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen. The product stream obtained in step (3) comprising at least 80 vol % carbon monoxide can be sent as feed to a Fischer-Tropsch reaction. In an embodiment, a gas comprising at least 80 vol % hydrogen is also produced.

A methanol synthesis process includes reacting a process gas containing hydrogen, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide over a catalyst including shaped units formed from a reduced and passivated catalyst powder the powder including copper in the range 10-80% by weight, zinc oxide in the range 20-90% by weight, alumina in the range 5-60% by weight and optionally one or more oxidic promoter compounds selected from compounds of Mg, Cr, Mn, V, Ti, Zr, Ta, Mo, W, Si and rare earths in the range 0.01-10% by weight, to form a product gas, and condensing methanol, water and oxygenate by-products therefrom, wherein the total oxygenate by-product level in the condensate is below 500 ppm.

Systems and methods are provided for enhancing the integration of processes for recovering products from algae-derived biomass. The enhanced process integration allows for increased use of input streams and other reagents that are derived from renewable sources. This increases the overall renewable character of the products extracted from the algae-derived biomass. The process integration can include exchange of input streams or energy between an algae processing system and a system for processing non-algal biomass. One example of improving process integration is using oxygenates that are generated in a renewable manner as a reagent for enhancing the algae processing system.

A fuel processing system for converting a logistical fuel and air into a liquid product comprising methanol. One such system comprises a fuel injection system configured to combine a logistical fuel and ambient air to produce a logistical fuel and air mixture, a synthesis gas production system configured to convert the logistical fuel and air mixture to synthesis gas, and a methanol synthesis system configured to convert the synthesis gas to a crude methanol liquid. Related methods are additionally disclosed.

In a process for the production of substitute natural gas, a feed gas is provided to a first and/or second and/or subsequent bulk methanator. The feed gas is subjected to methanation in the presence of a suitable catalyst. An at least partially reacted stream from the first bulk methanator is removed and supplied to the second and/or subsequent bulk methanator where it is subjected to further methanation. A product stream from the final bulk methanator is passed to a trim methanator train where it is subjected to further methanation. A recycle stream is removed downstream of the first, second or subsequent bulk methanator, and, in any order, passed through a compressor, subjected to cooling and then supplied to a trim and/or recycle methanator for further methanation before being recycled to the first and/or second and/or subsequent methanator.

In a synthesis gas methanation process, at least one first fraction of synthesis gas to treat is fed, together with steam, to a shift reactor where a shift reaction occurs; the gas flow produced in the shift reactor is then fed to a first methanation reactor where a methanation reaction occurs and then to further second methanation reactors in series, where further methanation reactions, performed with the addition of fresh synthesis gas which has not been subjected to the shift reaction.

A system and process for removing catalyst fines from a gas stream overhead the slurry in a Fischer-Tropsch slurry bubble column reactor. The gas phase at the top of the slurry bubble column reactor containing small amounts of entrained liquid and catalyst particles. The unreacted gases are passed through a demister, which removes larger droplets and catalyst particles. Smaller droplets and catalyst fines are conveyed to a secondary gas cleaner, such as a cyclone, whereby substantially all remaining particles are removed from the gas phase. A particle-containing liquid produced in the secondary gas cleaner can be further subjected to a filtrate cleaning unit to filter out fine catalyst particles and produce a substantially particle-free liquid product stream and a slurry stream of liquid product containing catalyst particles.

A process for improving the hydrogen content of a synthesis gas stream to a synthesis loop, comprising the steps of: (a) removing a purge stream comprising hydrogen and hydrocarbons from a synthesis loop; (b) separating hydrogen from the purge stream; (c) passing the purge stream to a reformer and reacting with steam and oxygen to produce a stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide; (d) subjecting the reformed reaction product stream to a shift reaction to produce a stream comprising carbon dioxide and hydrogen; (e) subjecting the product stream from the shift reaction to separation to separate hydrogen from carbon dioxide; (f) supplying the separated hydrogen to the synthesis loop; and (g) removing the carbon dioxide.

A method for producing synthetic hydrocarbons from at least one carbonaceous material is provided. The method includes evaluating the resources of the carbonaceous material available on a determined territory; determining from the resources a total production capacity of synthetic hydrocarbons; determining from the total production capacity, a number of elementary production units required for obtaining the total production capacity, each elementary production unit having an elementary production capacity between a 100 and a 1,000 barrels a day of synthetic hydrocarbons; building the number of elementary production units on the territory; transporting the carbonaceous material from the territory as far as the elementary production units; producing the synthetic hydrocarbons in the elementary production units from the transported carbonaceous material.

The disclosed invention relates to a process for conducting a Fischer-Tropsch reaction, comprising flowing a reactant mixture comprising fresh synthesis gas and tail gas in a microchannel reactor in contact with a catalyst to form at least one hydrocarbon product, the catalyst being derived from a catalyst precursor comprising cobalt and a surface modified catalyst support.

Disclosed are hybrid Fischer-Tropsch catalysts containing cobalt deposited on hybrid supports. The hybrid supports contain an acidic zeolite component and a silica-containing material. It has been found that the use of the hybrid Fischer-Tropsch catalysts in synthesis gas conversion reactions results in high C5+ productivity, high CO conversion rates and low olefin formation.

A synthesis gas conversion process and system are disclosed. Fresh syngas from a methane reformer is used as a sweep zone gas feed which is caused to flow across a water permselective membrane in a membrane reactor. The water permselective membrane is adjacent a synthesis gas conversion reaction zone in which synthesis gas is contacted with a catalyst and converted to effluent including water. Water is removed from the reaction zone through the membrane and passes out of the reactor with the sweep zone gas. The water is then removed from the sweep zone gas forming a modified gas feed which is fed to the reaction zone. The modified gas feed has a preferred H2/CO ratio to feed into the reaction zone.

The present invention is directed to a process for the production of hydrocarbon product from two different hydrocarbonaceous feedstocks comprising the steps of preparing a feed syngas having a hydrogen/carbon monoxide [H2/CO] molar feed ratio suitable for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, wherein the feed syngas is prepared by combining a first syngas having a H2/CO molar ratio below the molar feed ratio and a second syngas having a H2/CO molar ratio above the molar feed ratio; the first syngas is prepared from a liquid hydrocarbon comprising feedstock as the sole source of carbon in a first syngas manufacturing process comprising a non-catalytic partial oxidation step; the second syngas is prepared from a methane comprising feedstock as the sole source of carbon in a second syngas manufacturing process comprising a heat exchange reforming step and an auto-thermal reforming step; and the first and second syngas manufacturing processes are operated in parallel.

A process for the synthesis of methanol, comprising the steps of reforming a hydrocarbon source obtaining a make-up gas feed (101), feeding said make up gas to a synthesis loop (L), converting said make up gas to methanol (108) in a substantially isothermal catalytic environment, wherein said catalytic environment comprises a plurality of isothermal catalytic beds (11, 12, 21) preferably arranged in series, and at least a portion of make-up gas (101) is mixed with recycle gas (112) from the loop (L), obtaining a gaseous mixture of fresh gas and recycle gas, and at least a portion of said gaseous mixture is directed between two consecutive catalytic beds acting as a quench gas. A related plant is also disclosed.

Methods and systems are provided for executing a simulation of an operation in a data processing system. In one implementation, the method includes executing an operation under a first set of conditions, determining a characteristic associated with the execution of the operation under the first set of conditions, and executing a simulation of the operation under a second set of conditions different from the first set of conditions. The simulation of the operation is constrained by the determined characteristic. The method can further include determining a cost/benefit of executing the operation under a set of conditions different from the first set of conditions based at least in part on the simulation.

A device for the collection and processing of information relating to the exposure of one or more persons to one or more products of chemical or biological origin has: at least one coded sensor for automatic or semi-automatic identification of a person likely to be exposed to at least one product,at least one coded sensor for the collection of information relating to the handling of at least one product by the person likely to be exposed to the product,at least one sensor for validating the information collected by the identification and collection sensors,at least one module for reading at least one coded sensor, anda module for processing information collected by the sensors.

A method (and system) of emulation in a multiprocessor system, includes performing an emulation in which a host multiprocessing system of the multiprocessor system supports a weak consistency model, and the target multiprocessing system of the multiprocessor system supports a strong consistency model.

The present disclosure relates to a method of melt processing an active agent. The method may include encapsulating an active agent in a first polymer material exhibiting a first processing temperature T1 and forming capsules including the active agent. The method may also include melt processing the capsules with a second polymer material exhibiting a second processing temperature T2, wherein T1>T2.

A solution-processed organic electronic structural element has an improved electrode layer. Located between the active organic layer and the electrode layer there is either an interface or an interlayer containing a cesium salt.

Methods for formation of silicon carbide on substrate are provided. Atomic layer deposition methods of forming silicon carbide are described in which a first reactant gas of the formula SinHaXb wherein n=1-5, a+b=2n+2, a>0, and X=F, Cl, Br, I; and a second reactant gas of the formula MR3-bYb, wherein R is a hydrocarbon containing substituent, Y is a halide, hydride or other ligand and b=1-3 are sequentially deposited on a substrate and then exposed to a plasma. The process can be repeated multiple times to deposit a plurality of silicon carbide layers.

A method and apparatus are provided for automatic and hands-free threading of an elastomeric mix into a calender set of rolls comprising one or more pairs of rolls that have a nip between them. A stripper roll is positioned next to one of the rolls forming the nip and is rotated so that the outer surface of the stripper roll moves in a direction opposite to the outer surface of the adjacent roll. The stripper roll removes all or a desired portion of the elastomeric mix from the adjacent roll and causes the same to transfer to another roll. Variables such as e.g., the relative surface speed of the stripper roll, diameter of the stripper roll, and distance of the outer surface of the stripper roll from the adjacent roll can be manipulated to control the amount of the elastomeric mix that is stripped by the stripper roll.

A method is provided for the automated setup of a metered combustion control system for controlling operation of a boiler combustion system. The automated setup process includes both commissioning and controller tuning, rather than tuning the carbon monoxide and/or oxygen trim controller after the commissioning process has been completed. The oxygen trim controller or the carbon monoxide trim controller is used to identify the air/fuel ratio.

Improved fidelity to an integrated circuit pattern design in a semiconductor structure ultimately produced is achieved by modeling material removal and deposition processes in regard to materials, reactant, feature size, feature density, process parameters and the like as well as the effects of such parameters on etch and material deposition bias due to microloading and RIE lag (including inverse RIE lag) and using the models to work backward through the intended manufacturing method steps, including hard mask pattern decomposition, to morphologically develop feature patterns for use in most or all process steps which will result in the desired feature sizes and shapes at the completion of the overall process. Modeling of processes may be simplified through use of process assist features to locally adjust rates of material deposition and removal.

An extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) process is performed on a target, such as a semiconductor wafer, having a photosensitive layer. The method includes providing a one-dimensional patterned mask along a first direction. The patterned mask includes a substrate including a first region and a second region, a multilayer mirror above the first and second regions, an absorption layer above the multilayer mirror in the second region, and a defect in the first region. The method further includes exposing the patterned mask by an illuminator and setting the patterned mask and the target in relative motion along the first direction while exposing the patterned mask. As a result, an accumulated exposure dose received by the target is an optimized exposure dose.

Provided are an electrophotographic photosensitive member in which leakage doesn't easily occur, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus each including the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a method of manufacturing the electrophotographic photosensitive member. The electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a conductive layer including titanium oxide particle coated with tin oxide doped with a hetero element. When an absolute value of a maximum current amount flowing through the conductive layer in a case of performing a test of applying −1.0 kV including DC voltage to the conductive layer is defined as Ia, and an absolute value of a current amount flowing through the conductive layer in a case where a decrease ratio of a current amount per minute reaches 1% or less for the first time is defined as Ib, the relations of Ia≦6000 and 10≦Ib are satisfied. A volume resistivity of the conductive layer before the test is 1.0×108 Ω·cm to 5.0×1012 Ω·cm.

To provide an amine compound, represented by General Formula (I) below: [In General Formula (I), R1 and R2 represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group, which may be identical or different; m and n are an integer of 1 or 0; Ar1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group; Ar2 and Ar3 represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group; and Ar1 and Ar2 or Ar2 and Ar3 may bind to each other to form a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group including a nitrogen atom.]

The present invention provides a polymerizable tertiary ester compound represented by the following general formula (1a) or (1b). There is provided a polymerizable ester compound useful as a monomer for a base resin of a resist composition having a high resolution and a reduced pattern edge roughness in photolithography using a high-energy beam such as an ArF excimer laser light as a light source, especially in immersion lithography, a polymer containing a polymer of the ester compound, a resist composition containing the polymer as a base resin, and a patterning process using the resist composition.

An additive polymer comprising recurring styrene units having an ester group bonded to a CF3—C(OR2)—R3 group (wherein R2 is H, acyl or acid labile group, R3 is H, CH3 or CF3) such as 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol is added to a polymer capable of increasing alkali solubility under the action of acid to formulate a resist composition. The resist composition can minimize outgassing from a resist film during the EUV lithography and form a resist film having a hydrophilic surface sufficient to prevent formation of blob defects on the film after development.

A method of tilting liquid crystal molecules is presented. The method entails providing a substrate including a photoalignment layer on top of a layer of liquid crystal molecules. The photoalignment layer is exposed to patterned light that is incident on the substrate at a substantially normal angle. The patterned light is polarized in a polarization direction that is non-parallel to an incident surface of the substrate.

External sound signal coupled through a MIC IN terminal is fed through an operating switch panel section to an A/D converter for conversion to a digital signal. The digital signal is stored in a record memory through a waveform R/W controller under the control of a CPU. The digital signal stored in the record memory is read out from the CPU according to control data stored in a work memory to be fed to an external sound system for sounding.

A signal processing apparatus executes a plurality of microprograms stored in a microprogram memory device in a time-sharing manner, so as to perform arithmetic operations on a digital signal entered by a signal input device. A delay memory device that delays the digital signal. The delay memory device has a plurality of delay areas that are independently provided for the respective microprograms, such that each of the microprograms that is being executed uses a corresponding one of the plurality of delay areas so as to delay the digital signal, and a common area that can be accessed by all of the microprograms. As a result, data such as tables for use in common by the plurality of microprograms can be stored, and the stored data can be easily used by each microprogram, without making the system complicated or increasing the cost of the apparatus.

Game processing apparatus comprising: an indication generator operable to generate an indication of a sequence of target actions to be executed by a user;a detector operable to detect user actions executed by said user;comparison logic operable to compare said target actions with said user actions to determine whether said target actions have been successfully completed by said user actions; andscoring logic operable, when in a non-scoring mode, to detect a first pattern of target actions that have been successfully completed with respect to target actions that have not been successfully completed, as determined by said comparison logic, said scoring logic entering a scoring mode upon detection of said first pattern, said scoring logic operable, when in said scoring mode, to detect a second pattern of target actions that have been successfully completed with respect to target actions that have not been successfully completed, as determined by said comparison logic, said scoring logic entering said non-scoring mode upon detection of said second pattern, said scoring logic operable to generate a score for said user when said scoring logic is in said scoring mode, said score being dependent upon said determination by said comparison logic.

An abnormality detection unit provided in at least one node among a plurality of nodes included in an information processing apparatus detects abnormality in a data transmission path of data transmission using a shared memory area sharable in a single node and other node, which is included in the storage unit provided in the single node or other nodes. An error information generation unit provided in the single node generates error information, based on the abnormality detected by the abnormality detection unit, and generates an interrupt with respect to a processor within a self node. The processor provided in the single node performs recovery processing, based on the error information according to the interrupt.

A device mixing ingredients for coloring hair includes a mixing bowl and a housing removably placed atop the mixing bowl so that a pair of agitators rotatably and coaxially mounted within the housing extend downward into the mixing bowl, being driven in opposite directions at the same speed by a mechanism powered by a hand crank, which can be turned in either direction to cause one of the agitators to move a liquid inward within the mixing bowl while the other agitator moves the liquid outward. In an alternative version of the device, the agitators are driven by an electric motor.

The invention provides a process of preparing an intermediate useful in the synthesis of biphenyl-2-ylcarbamic acid 1-(2-{[4-(4-carbamoylpiperidin-1-ylmethyl)benzoyl]methylamino}ethyl)piperidin-4-yl ester, and a process of preparing a crystalline freebase of the ester.

A process for preparing the compound of the following formula (E): wherein Bn represents a benzyl group, and tBu represents a tert-butyl group, the process including: (a) subjecting the following compound (B) to trifluoroacetylation, wherein tBu represents a tert-butyl group to produce the following compound (C): wherein tBu represents a tert-butyl group, and TFA represents a trifluoroacetyl group; (b) reacting the compound (C) with benzyloxyamine in the presence of a hydroxyl group activating agent to produce the following compound (D): wherein Bn represents a benzyl group, tBu represents a tert-butyl group, and TFA represents a trifluoroacetyl group; and (c) subjecting the compound (D) to detrifluoroacetylation.

The present invention is concerned with a process for preparing 5-(2{[6-(2,2-difluoro-2-phenylethoxy)hexyl]amino}-1(R)-hydroxyethyl)-8-hydroxyquinolin-2(1H)-one or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a process for producing 4-carbonyl oxyquinoline derivatives useful as agricultural and horticultural pesticides and fungicides. The objective can be attained by a process for producing 4-carbonyl oxyquinoline derivatives represented by general formula (1), the process including reacting a quinolone derivative with a halogenated compound or an acid anhydride in the presence of a phase transfer catalyst and a base.

A combined processing tool includes a shank of a cylindrical shape, a mandrel fixed to the shank, a frame rotation-universally fitted outside the mandrel, a burnishing unit for performing a burnishing to an inner peripheral surface of a workpiece by rolling members, a dimple forming unit for performing a dimple forming to the surface of the workpiece by surface compression members so as to universally appear from and disappear in the frame, a body fixed to a top portion of the shank, and a skiving unit for performing a cutting, wherein, on an outer peripheral region of the mandrel, an outer peripheral surface 31c and a concave and convex shape area which consists of concave parts and convex parts alternately arranged along an outer peripheral direction of the mandrel are formed, and wherein the concave and convex parts are alternately engaged in the compression members with being rotated.

Particularly, a thin-film solar cell panel or the like is processed without necessity of attaching and detaching of mask and washing steps with respect to a workpiece in a fine blasting employing a fine abrasive. A negative pressure space (20) and an opposing negative pressure space (40) having openings (22, 42) are opposed by being spaced at a movement allowable interval of the workpiece such as a thin-film solar cell panel or the like and so as to face one side edge in the same direction as a moving direction of the workpiece. Further, a fine abrasive is injected while relatively moving the workpiece in a moving direction (T) with respect to a blast gun (30) in which an injection hole (31) is disposed within the negative pressure space (20), and the fine abrasive injected into the negative pressure space (20) and/or the opposing negative pressure space (40) and a cut and removed cut scrap such as a thin film layer or the like are sucked and recovered through the intermediary of suction devices (21a, 21b) and/or an opposing suction device (41) respectively communicating with the spaces (20) and/or (40).

The present invention provide a two-component anti-seizure agent for hot metal working process comprising the first aqueous solution and the second aqueous solution, wherein the first aqueous solution contains 10˜30 mass % of sodium silicate equivalent to anhydride to 100 mass % of total mass of the first aqueous solution, and the second aqueous solution contains at least one kind selected from a group consisting of: an organic acid and water-soluble amine salts thereof, an inorganic acid and water-soluble amine salts thereof, a water-soluble amine, a water-soluble alcohol, and a water-soluble metal chloride. When the two-component anti-seizure agent is applied onto disk-roll type guide shoes, it can be provided and maintained on the circumferential surface of the disk-roll type guide shoes without washed away by rolls' cooling water. Thereby, the anti-seizure agent does not adhere to rolls and the rolls and a pipe material do not cause slippage each other. Thus, it is capable to carry out piercing-rolling of the pipe material.

Systems and methods are provided for hydroprocessing a petroleum fraction, such as a bottoms fraction from a fuels hydrocracking process, to generate a lubricant base oil. A fuels hydrocracking process typically has less stringent requirements for the sulfur and nitrogen content of a feed as compared to a lubricant base oil. Additionally, depending on the nature of the feed for the fuels hydrocracking process, the bottoms fraction may contain a relatively high level of aromatics compounds. The aromatic content of such a petroleum fraction can be reduced using a aromatic saturation stage with multiple catalyst beds, or alternatively using a reactor (or reactors) with multiple aromatic saturation stages. The catalysts in the various beds or stages can be selected to provide different types of aromatic saturation activity. An initial bed or stage can provide activity for saturation of 1-ring aromatics in the petroleum fraction. One or more subsequent beds or stages, operating at successively lower temperature, can then be used to reduce the multiple-ring aromatic content of the petroleum fraction.

The invention relates to a process for producing ketones or hydrocarbon base oil from fatty acids preferably derived from a biological origin or other renewable source. The process is directed at making an aliphatic ketone or a mixture of aliphatic ketones having 14 to 52 carbon atoms, comprising a ketonization reaction of a fatty acid in a vapor phase with a decarboxylation-coupling catalyst to provide ketones, which can be deoxygenated to give saturated hydrocarbons, unsaturated hydrocarbons, and mixtures thereof. Base oils and transportation fuels may be produced from the process herein.

The invention provides optical interconnects of data-processing cores of multicore chips by means of digital planar holographic microchips. The method comprises delivering “N” laser lights to “N” data-processing cores on the host chip, coding the obtained optical signals by modulating them with the core-generated data, and then delivering the modulated and coded optical signals to a holographic microchip formed on the same substrate of the host chip as the data-processing cores, splitting the modulated and coded optical signals into (N−1)N modulated optical copy signals, delivering the copy signals to all data-processing cores except the one that generates the copy signals, and decoding the data obtained from the output signals delivered to the processing cores by the receivers. The method is efficient in that it allows replacing electrical interconnects between the cores with optical interconnects and can be matched to current semiconductor production technology.

Systems and methods for processing and analyzing samples are disclosed. The system may process samples, such as biological fluids, using assay cartridges which can be processed at different processing locations. In some cases, the system can be used for PCR processing. The different processing locations may include a preparation location where samples can be prepared and an analysis location where samples can be analyzed. To assist with the preparation of samples, the system may also include a number of processing stations which may include processing lanes. During the analysis of samples, in some cases, thermal cycler modules and an appropriate optical detection system can be used to detect the presence or absence of certain nucleic acid sequences in the samples. The system can be used to accurately and rapidly process samples.

An estimation device is configured to estimate a feature value of a specific component contained in a sample and includes: a spectral estimation parameter storage module; a calibration parameter storage module; a multiband image acquirer; an optical spectrum operator configured to compute an optical spectrum from a multiband image using a spectral estimation parameter; and a calibration processor configured to compute the feature value from the optical spectrum using a calibration parameter.

A biochip for the integration of all steps in a complex process from the insertion of a sample to the generation of a result, performed without operator intervention includes microfluidic and macrofluidic features that are acted on by instrument subsystems in a series of scripted processing steps. Methods for fabricating these complex biochips of high feature density by injection molding are also provided.

A high voltage full wave rectifier and doubler circuit having complementary serially connected low voltage MOSFET stacks to provide high voltage capability. The state of the MOSFETs in the MOSFET stacks is controlled by means of resistors coupled between the circuit's outputs and a time varying input signal. The resistance values of the resistors are selected to maintain operation of the stacked MOSFETs below their breakdown voltages.

A plasmon generator (PG) is disclosed with a laminated structure of non-planar X and Y layers formed between a waveguide and write pole. Each X layer is made of a noble metal such as Au while each Y layer is a non-noble metal or dielectric material to improve durability. As a result, the PG has a peg portion at an air bearing surface with improved reliability compared with pegs made entirely of a noble metal. Non-planarity of X and Y layers improves diffusion of Y material between X grains thereby minimizing X grain growth to enhance thermal stability. The laminated PG is formed by a process sequence that involves forming and filling a cavity, and concludes with a chemical mechanical polish process to form a planar top PG surface that faces a write pole leading side.

A wireless media player and a related system and methodology are disclosed. One aspect of the wireless media player system pertains to a virtual connector system, apparatus, and method for the automatic establishment of wireless connectivity with other electronic devices. In one embodiment, the media player device employs the use of integrated Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to exchange communication settings, media capability, and other parameters with an external device that also has integrated RFID technology. The automatic exchange of settings and other information via a proximity-based RFID data exchange allows a media player to quickly establish a secure communication link with another device via a commonly supported wireless protocol such as Ultra Wideband (UWB) or Bluetooth. Another aspect of the media player system pertains to a method of using the captured media capability of the connecting device to customize certain menu options and software parameters in the media player.