An electronic warfare (EW) devices and a method of providing jamming techniques are generally described. Firmware is updated by eliminating an existing jamming technique, adding a new technique and/or changing parameters of one of the techniques in the firmware. Changing the technique parameters includes adding a new parameter, deleting an existing parameter, changing the range of values for an existing parameter and changing the order of the parameters to be transmitted by an Operational Flight Program (OFP) to the firmware to generate the technique. The OFP reads a published a register mapping specifying parameters to use in generating the jamming techniques in the EW firmware, a range of the parameters and an order of the parameters. The jamming techniques are generated using parameters transmitted by the OFP to the firmware. The same OFP is used to trigger generation of jamming techniques prior to and after the updating of the firmware.

Electronic Warfare (EW) systems are typically embedded within an aircraft used to gather intelligence data and perform other missions. EW systems may include specialized hardware, Operational Flight Program (OFP) mission processor software running on the hardware and firmware controlled by the OFP. During missions, the EW system may be used offensively or defensively. For example, the data gathered by the EW system may be used for assessment of target emitters to determine whether to take countermeasures, such as jamming, against the emitters. EW techniques, in each of which the frequency, phase, and amplitude parameters of a waveform are defined as a function of time, may be used to produce the countermeasures. The EW techniques may be capable of having different parameters, parameter ranges and parameter order. The firmware EW techniques may be stored in a register mapping.
While the hardware in the EW system may be able to store a large number of EW techniques in practice, the firmware may be hardware limited to being able to store a limited number of register mappings used to produce a few EW techniques. Thus, to provide effective countermeasures, the firmware in the EW system may be updated from time to time. This may be particularly useful during long missions in which a large number of emitters and other targets on which to take countermeasures may change. When the firmware is reloaded with a new register mapping, however, the OFP is changed. Undesirably, changes to the OFP are expensive and time consuming.
It would thus be desirable to reload the firmware of the EW system without changing the OFP, while still permitting the OFP to operate the new firmware loading with the new register map.


An OFDM transmitter (100) is disclosed. The OFDM transmitter comprises: a sorter (103-1) for sorting plural input complex signals and partitioning them into plural groups; plural IFFTs (103-2) for performing inverse Fourier transform on the input complex signals in groups; a peak reducer (103-4) for performing peak reduction, based on outputs from at least one of the IFFTs; and a multiple discrete signal generator (103-5) for generating a designated number of discrete signals from outputs of the peak reducer.

The present invention generally relates to a transmitter and transmission control method in radio communication.
The OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) transmission system is a promising system since it makes it possible to receive radio signals without interference between codes even under a multi-path environment. A transmission structure employed in the OFDM transmission system is explained with reference to FIG. 1.
A transmitter 1 comprises a symbol generator 2 receiving information bits, a serial-to-parallel (S/P) converter 3 connected to the symbol generator 2, an inverse fast Fourier transformer (IFFT) 4 connected to the S/P converter 3, a parallel-to-serial (P/S) converter 5, a GI adder 6 connected to the P/S converter 5 and an antenna 7 connected to the GI adder.
The information bits are input to the symbol generator 2. Similar to single carrier transmission, the symbol generator 2 performs error correction encoding, interleaving, symbol mapping, etc., on the received information bits to generate transmission symbols, and provides the generated transmission symbols to the S/P converter 3. The S/P converter 3 performs serial-to-parallel conversion of the received transmission symbols, and provides the parallel signals to the IFFT 4. The IFFT 4 converts the input signals to orthogonal multi-carrier signals, and provides the resultant signals to the P/S converter 5. The P/S converter 5 performs parallel-to-serial conversion of the received signals, and provides the serialized signals to the GI adder 6. The GI adder 6 makes a partial copy of the received signals and adds the partial copy to the received signals as a guard interval. The signals accompanied by the guard interval are transmitted via the antenna 7.
The above mentioned OFDM transmission system has a PAPR (Peak to Average Power Ratio) problem, in which signals whose amplitudes are significantly large compared with average amplitude appear in the OFDM modulated signals, which are output signals of the IFFT 4.
This problem is unique to multi-carrier modulation systems. When separately modulated, many carriers are synthesized in the same phase, and the added outputs may become very large and have a peak that is very high compared with the average output. The maximum peak power can be a value of the average power multiplied by the maximum number of used sub-carriers.
A transmission amplifier has a limited linear region where its input and output are linear. When a signal exceeding the linear region is input to the amplifier, an output waveform becomes distorted, resulting in problems such as transmission quality degradation, power radiation to outside of the bandwidth, etc. On the other hand, if the linear region is widened, amplification efficiency becomes lower. Therefore, the amplitude (power) distribution of transmission signals is desired to be rather flat without a high peak. In order to reduce PAPR, a partial transmit sequence (PTS) method and a cyclic shift method are proposed.
Next, a transmitter performing peak reduction is explained with reference to FIG. 2.
The transmitter 1 shown in FIG. 2 has a low peak IFFT unit 8 to which the PTS method or the cyclic shift method is applied, instead of the IFFT 4 used in the above explained transmitter shown in FIG. 1 (See Non-Patent Document #1).
The structure of the low peak IFFT unit 8 is explained below with reference to FIG. 3, in which the input signals are divided or partitioned into two groups for inverse fast Fourier transform.
The low peak IFFT unit 8 comprises partitioned IFFT 8-1, and a peak reducer 8-2 connected to the partitioned IFFT 8-1. The peak reducer 8-2 comprises peak reduction processors 8-21 and 8-22 connected to the partitioned IFFT 8-1, a peak reduction controller 8-23 connected to the partitioned IFFT 8-1 and the peak reduction processors 8-21 and 8-22, and an adder unit 8-24 connected to the peak reduction processors 8-21 and 8-22. The adder unit 8-24 is equipped with plural adders connected to the peak reduction processors 8-21 and 8-22. An output signal from the adder unit 8-24 is input to the P/S converter 5.
In this structure, the partitioned IFFT 8-1 receives plural sub-carriers, divides them into plural groups, for example, NG groups (NG is an integer larger than 2), and perform inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) on the sub-carriers in groups.
The structure of the partitioned IFFT 8-1 is explained below with reference to FIG. 4, in which 8 point inverse fast Fourier transform is performed divided into two parts.
The partitioned IFFT 8-1 comprises a first IFFT 8-11 and a second IFFT 8-12. When generating time domain signals corresponding to f(0)˜f(3), for example, signals on which inverse fast Fourier transform should be performed are input to terminals f(0)˜f(3) of the first IFFT 8-11, and zeros are input to terminal f(4)˜f(7). In this structure, two IFFTs are used and therefore twice the amount of calculation is needed, compared with no partitioned structure.
The time domain signals output from the first IFFT 8-11 correspond to the sub-carriers f(0)˜f(3). The time domain signals output from the second IFFT 8-12 correspond to the sub-carriers f(4)˜f(7). In normal IFFTs, the signals from the first and second IFFTs and having the same timing point are added.
In this PAPR method using the cyclic shift method and the PTS method, the peak reduction processors 8-21 and 8-22 perform cyclic shift or phase rotation on these signals [F(0), F(1), . . . F(NFFT-1)], and thereafter the adder unit 8-24 adds them together and outputs the results. The NFFT (NFFT is an integer larger than 1) means the total number of the Fourier transform points. The peak reduction controller 8-23 controls the amount of the cyclic shift or phase rotation so as to lower peaks in the output signals. In this manner, high peak occurrence is suppressed.
When employing the PTS method or the cyclic shift method, the amount of the phase rotation or the cyclic shift should be sent to a receiver as control information. In order to do this, a control signal can be used as disclosed in Non-Patent Documents #3, #4.
[Non-Patent Document #1]
L. J and N. R. Sollenberger, "Peak-to-Average power ratio reduction of an OFDM signal using partial transmit sequences", IEEE Commun. Lett., vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 86-88, March 2000.
[Non-Patent Document #2]
Seog Geun Kang, et. al. "A Novel subblock partition scheme for partial transmit sequence OFDM", IEEE Trans. on Broadcasting vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 333-338. Sep. 1999
[Non-Patent Document #3]
Wong Sai Ho et. al., "Peak-to-average power reduction using partial transmit sequence: a suboptimal approach based on dual layered phase sequencing", IEEE Trans. on Broadcasting, vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 225-231, June 2003
[Non-Patent Document #4]
A. D. S. Jayalath et. al., "Reduced complexity PTS and new phase sequences for SLM to reduce PAP of an OFDM signal", Proc. of IEEE VTC 2000, vol. 3, pp. 1914-1917.
However, the above explained related art examples have the following problems.
When plural sub-carriers are divided into plural groups and receive IFFT processing, the calculation amount required for the IFFT is increased by a multiple of the number of divided groups.
The peak reduction control becomes complicated depending on the number of input symbols.

Transmitter and transmission controlling method


An exemplary method includes a remote control management system detecting that a user wearing a wearable computer system that includes an optical head-mounted display is looking through the optical head-mounted display at a display screen associated with a media content processing device, determining, in response to the detecting, that the media content processing device is executing an application that is controllable by the wearable computer system, determining that the user is authorized to interact with the application being executed by the media content processing device, and establishing, in response to the determining that the media content processing device is executing the application and the determining that the user is authorized to interact with the application, a remote control session between the wearable computer system and the application. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.

Media content processing devices, such as set-top box devices and television devices, are often configured to execute applications associated with media services (e.g., subscription-based media content streaming services) that allow users to access content provided by the media services. Users typically interact with such applications (e.g., by navigating through various on-screen menus, options, and other graphical content provided by the applications) using hand-held remote control devices. Unfortunately, because of the complexity of many hand-held remote control devices, it is often cumbersome, time consuming, and/or difficult for users to interact with applications executed by media content processing devices in this manner.

Methods and systems for facilitating remote control by a wearable computer system of an application being executed by a media content processing device


A duty-cycle corrector circuit produces a clock signal with a given duty cycle (e.g., fifty percent) or with a substantially given duty cycle. The DC corrector circuit includes a delay-locked loop (DLL) circuit and a duty-cycle correction (DCC) circuit. The DLL circuit is operable to adjust a delay between local clock signals until the phase difference between the local clock signals equals or is substantially equal to zero. The DCC circuit is operable to adjust the duty cycles of the local clock signals until the duty-cycle error equals or is substantially equal to zero. The duty-cycle error equals or substantially equals zero when the duty cycles of the local clock signals equal or are substantially equal to fifty percent.

The number of high-speed circuits and high-speed systems continues to increase. Generally, the duty cycle of a clock signal in a high-speed circuit should be at fifty percent. However, due to variations in process, voltage, and temperature (PVT), the duty cycle of the clock signal is usually above or below fifty percent. In some instances, the duty cycle may deviate greatly from fifty percent, even when the duty cycle of the clock source is at fifty percent.
Additionally, determining and applying corrections to a duty-cycle error can be challenging. For example, a traditional analog duty-cycle corrector circuit uses an analog integrator to detect the duty cycle error. However, the analog integrator can only be used in low-speed applications. A digital duty-cycle corrector circuit typically uses two delay lines to correct the accuracy. The use of the two delay lines requires a complicated circuit and results in relatively high-power consumption. For example, a comparator circuit may be used to compare the signal levels of the two delay lines. The comparator circuit is generally complex (e.g., many transistors) and consumes a large amount of area on a die.

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.


The application discloses a method for calibrating a temperature sensor located in a process of automation technology, wherein the calibration method comprises method steps as follows: specifying or ascertaining a temperature measuring range, which is passed through in the process of automation technology; specifying or ascertaining a reference temperature arising in the temperature measuring range; determining temperature measured values by means of the temperature sensor; detecting whether temperature measured values are at least approximately constant in the temperature measuring range during a specified time span; correcting the at least approximately constant, measured value of temperature in the temperature measuring range to the reference temperature.

Temperature sensors are used in automation technology in the most varied of applications. A large number of different temperature sensors are produced and sold by the applicant. Often, temperature sensors are secured on a container wall (tube, or pipe, wall, tank wall) in such a manner that the temperature sensitive component of the temperature sensor is in thermal contact with a process-located medium, whose temperature is to be determined or monitored.
A basic problem for a stable and reliable temperature measurement is drift of the temperature sensors. This drift means that the temperature sensors have to be calibrated in certain time intervals. In such case, the time intervals between the calibrations are strongly dependent on the particular embodiment of the temperature sensor and the conditions, which reign at the location of use of the temperature sensor in the process.
For purposes of the calibration, a temperature sensor must usually be deinstalled and brought in contact with a suitable calibration medium of defined temperature, e.g. ice water. If the temperature value of the temperature sensor measured in the calibration medium deviates from the known reference temperature of the calibration medium, then the measured temperature value is corrected to the reference temperature. The deinstallation of the temperature sensor is problematic, since it often makes an interruption of the process necessary—and a shutdown of a plant is usually connected with costs for the plant operator. Additionally, in the case of the deinstallation, a sealed connection between temperature sensor and container wall is opened and must subsequently be re-created.
Known from patent EP 1247268 B2 is an in situ calibrating with a number of integrated temperature sensors. Installed in a measuring insert is, supplementally to a primary temperature sensor, one or more reference temperature sensors. A reference temperature sensor differs as regards construction and utilized materials from the primary temperature sensor. Apart from the fact that, in the case of the known solution, a number of temperature sensors must be applied, in the case of a reference temperature sensor, aging effects and characteristic line drifts can occur, which deviate from those of the primary temperature sensor. Thus, according to an embodiment, used in parallel with a primary Pt100 resistance sensor as reference temperature sensors are semiconductor temperature sensors—so-called NTC/PTC resistors. In order that the temperature measurement work reliably in the case of the known solution, the characteristic lines and the aging characteristics of the reference temperature sensors must be known very exactly; at least, however, the characteristic line changes of the reference temperature sensors must be lower than in the case of the primary temperature sensor to be monitored.
Known from DE 10 2010 040 039 A1 is a temperature sensor with a reference element. The reference element is composed partially of a ferroelectric material. Ferroelectric materials experience a phase transformation at a certain, defined temperature value (Curie temperature). As a result of the phase transformation, the electrical conductivity changes abruptly. If the known temperature sensor is working in a temperature range, in which the phase transformation occurs, then this can be detected and the measured temperature value, in the case of a deviation, is calibrated, i.e. corrected, to the certain, defined temperature. From the preceding description, it can be seen that the known in situ calibration solutions only function with specially manufactured temperature sensors.

Method for calibrating a temperature sensor located in a process of automation technology


An overcurrent protection apparatus for a secondary battery includes a main relay, an auxiliary relay connected in parallel with the main relay, a current limiting resistor connected in series with the auxiliary relay and a controller for detecting an overcurrent and protect the battery module. The controller turns on the main relay and turns off the auxiliary relay in a normal state where the battery module is recharged by the generator. When the overcurrent is detected, the controller turns on the auxiliary relay and turn off the main relay so that a limited current flows through the current limiting resistor.

Wide use of mobile devices, such as video cameras, mobile phones, or portable PCs, increases adoption of secondary batteries as a driving power source. Due to high energy density per unit weight and quick recharging capability, lithium-based secondary batteries draw much attention compared to other types including existing Pb batteries, Ni—Ca batteries, Ni—H batteries, or Ni—Zn batteries.
Unlike primary batteries without recharging capability, secondary batteries can be recharged or discharged. In expectancy of various applications, a lot of research efforts have been dedicated to the secondary batteries. Among others, lithium-based secondary batteries exhibit higher operating voltage and per-unit energy density.
Such lithium-based secondary batteries can be classified into lithium ion batteries and lithium ion polymer batteries. The former type adopts liquid electrolyte, and the latter adopts solid polymer electrolyte. Depending on the type of solid polymer electrolyte, the lithium ion polymer batteries can be separated into a full solid type with no electrolyte liquid and a gel polymer type with slight liquid electrolyte.
Subjected to overvoltage or overcurrent state, the secondary batteries cannot guarantee stability, and various efforts are thus attempted to sense and protect such negative situation.
Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2005-72276 discloses a "overvoltage and overcurrent preventing circuit for terminals" which shields overcurrent by a diode and a comparison circuit.
Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2011-54965 discloses a "one-chip battery protecting apparatus" which uses an LDMOS (Laterally Diffused Metal Oxide Semiconductor) to implement a power-off circuit.
In general, secondary batteries used for electric vehicles need to provide a high current ranging from 100 A to 300 A. Accordingly, there is a need for preventing a high-capability secondary battery from being damaged due to overcurrent.

Overcurrent protection apparatus for secondary battery, protection method and battery pack


A multiprocessor system (20, 102, 110) uses multiple operating systems or a single operating system uses xcexcTLBs (36) and a shared TLB subsystem (48) to provide efficient and flexible translation of virtual addresses to physical addresses. Upon misses in the xcexcTLB and shared TLB, access to a translation table in external memory (54) can be made using either a hardware mechanism (100) or a software function. The translation can be flexibly based on a number of criteria, such as a resource identifier and a task identifier. Slave processors, such as coprocessors (34) and DMA processors (24) can access the shared TLB 48 without master processor interaction for more efficient operation.

Not Applicable
1. Technical Field
This invention relates in general to multi-processor architectures and, more particularly, to a shared translation lookaside buffer in a multi-processor architecture.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many new electronic devices make use of a multi-processor environment that includes DSPs (digital signal processors), MPUs (microprocessor units), DMA (direct memory access units) processors, and shared memories.
The types of tasks performed by a device often have specific real time constraints due to the signals that they are processing. For example, DSPs are commonly used in devices where video and audio processing and voice recognition are supported. These functions can be significantly degraded if part of the multi-processor system must suspend processing while waiting for an event to occur. Performing memory address translations from virtual address used by a task to physical addresses necessary to access the physical memory can be time consuming and degrade performance for a real-time task. To reduce the latencies caused by address translation, a TLB (translation lookaside buffer) is commonly provided as part of a MMU (memory management unit). The translation lookaside buffer caches recently accessed memory locations. At the beginning of a memory access, the TLB is accessed. When a TLB (translation lookaside buffer) cache does not contain the information corresponding to the current access (i.e., a TLB-xe2x80x9cmissxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cpage faultxe2x80x9d), the information must be retrieved from tables (xe2x80x9ctable walkingxe2x80x9d), located in main memory. This operation takes tens to hundreds of microprocessor cycles. While the MMU is walking the tables, the operation of the core is blocked, resulting in degraded or errant performance of the processor.
In a multiprocessor system, several separate processing devices may be performing virtual address translation in order to access the physical memory. In one solution shown in FIG. 1, of the type used by the ARM MEMC2, a multiprocessor device 10 uses a shared TLB 12 accessible by multiple processing devices 14 (individually referenced as processing devices 14a-c). Each processing device 14 has a unique requester identifier that is concatenated to a virtual address to form a modified virtual address. The concatenation is performed in order to present unique virtual addresses to the shared TLB 12, since the virtual address range used by the various processors that access the shared TLB 12 may otherwise overlap, thereby presenting a possibility that the wrong physical address may be retrieved from the TLB 12.
If there is a miss in the shared TLB 12, the virtual address is translated to a physical address through translation tables 16 (individually referenced as translation tables 16a-c in FIG. 1) in the physical memory 18. The requester identifier in the concatenated address provides a starting base address in the external memory""s translation table section. Thus, each potential requester has its own translation table under this approach, which is an inefficient use of memory and provides no flexibility in translating a virtual address.
Accordingly, there is a need for a flexible method and circuit for translating virtual addresses to physical addresses in a multiprocessor device.
In the present invention, an integral multiprocessing device comprises a plurality of processing devices, where two or more of the processing devices operate respective operating systems. A shared translation lookaside buffer is coupled to the processing devices for storing information relating virtual addresses with physical addresses in a main memory. The shared translation lookaside buffer generates a fault signal if a received virtual address is not related to an entry in the shared translation lookaside buffer. Responsive to a fault signal, translation logic determines physical address information based on the received virtual address, and criteria relating to the virtual address
The present invention provides significant advantages over the prior art. First, the invention provides for flexible determination of a physical address. Second, the invention does not require separate translation tables for each processing device to be stored in the external memory.

Processing system with shared translation lookaside buffer


A household appliance includes a processing chamber having a front loading opening, a door, and hinges to join the door to a remaining structure of the household appliance and to enable the door to horizontally pivot for closing the loading opening. At least one of the hinges is floatingly joined to the remaining structure of the household appliance.

The invention relates to a household appliance that has a processing chamber with a front loading opening and a horizontally pivoting door for closing the loading opening, which door is joined to the remaining household appliance by hinges. The invention can be particularly advantageously applied to cooking appliances, in particular ovens with a horizontally pivoting oven door.
In the case of ovens, horizontal hinges are known for horizontally opening oven doors, that are anchored both in a frame of the oven and also in a door leaf. A disadvantage is that distance tolerances caused by production which arise between an oven front and the door leaf are not balanced. The results of endurance tests have shown that when hinges are installed under tension, component wear of the mechanically moving parts found in the hinge is very high and can result in emissions of noise and even failures at an early stage. Particularly affected by this are guide rollers, axles and sliding systems that no longer withstand the increased stresses on one side. The hinges can for example be tensioned due to mounting tolerances and/or component tolerances, e.g. due to a door bent out of its door plane.
DE 10 2008 010 523 A1 discloses a household appliance apparatus with a household appliance door and at least one household appliance door mounting unit which mounts the household appliance door so that it can pivot about an axis. To achieve coordinated mobility of the household appliance door, it is proposed that the household appliance apparatus has at least one locking unit which is provided to fix the household appliance door mounting unit in at least one pivot position.
DE 199 23 994 A1 discloses a household appliance hinge apparatus with locking surfaces which hold the door in a horizontal open position counter to a spring door closing force, even if a glass plate of the door is removed for cleaning, wherein however the retaining force can be overcome by a manual force exerted on the door in the closing direction.
DE 199 23 996 A1 discloses a household appliance hinge apparatus with a damping means for damping a collision of stop surfaces.
EP 1 961 901 B1 discloses a hinge for wings or doors, in particular of electrical appliances, comprising a first element and a second element, a lever for connecting the first and second elements, the lever pivoting on the second element by means of a pin rendering the first and second elements movable relative to one another with a tilting action, wherein the first and second elements can be fixed, one to a frame and the other to a wing or door, so that the wing or door can move relative to the frame between a closed position and an open position, wherein the second element is box-shaped and contains elastic means connected to the lever by a rod which slides inside the second box-shaped element, wherein the hinge further comprises friction means for applying a braking action to the reciprocal sliding of the rod relative to the second box-shaped element, wherein the friction means comprises a friction element inserted between the rod and the second box-shaped element and connected to the latter, wherein the second box-shaped element comprises two walls extending longitudinally opposite one another, wherein the hinge is characterized in that the opposite longitudinal walls of the second box-shaped element comprise respective recesses forming a zone for housing the friction element, wherein the friction element does not apply any friction to the longitudinal walls in the zone.
EP 2 620 576 A2 discloses a hinge mechanism which has a friction system in the interior which is used in oven doors. This friction system helps the door to stay in a balanced position during opening and closing with the aid of the friction force.


In the case of a brake for an open-end spinning rotor which, by a shaft, is disposed in a wedge-shaped gap of at least one pair of supporting disks, two mirror-symmetrically arranged tong arms are provided which can each be swivelled around an axle extending in parallel to the shaft. The double-armed tong arms, at one arm, are equipped with brake linings which can be applied to the shaft. The arms facing away from the shaft are spread apart by a common actuating element. The actuating element can be moved freely in moving direction of the arms.

The invention relates to a brake for an open-end spinning rotor which is disposed by means of a shaft in a wedge-shaped gap of at least one pair of supporting disks. The brake has two mirror-symmetrically arranged double-armed tong arms, which can each be swivelled around an axle extending in parallel to the shaft, which carry brake linings at arms that can be applied to the shaft, and which, at the arms that face away from the shaft, can be spread apart by means of a common actuating element.
In a known brake of the initially mentioned type disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,616, the actuating element is a bent leaf spring which is pressed in the direction toward the shaft and which deforms in the process and presses apart the arms of the tong arms which are connected with it. In order to ensure in this type of a brake without any high technical expenditures that the shaft of the spinning rotor is securely held in the wedge-shaped gap, it is also known from commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,450 to construct the brake shoes in such a manner, and/or arrange them relative to one another in such a manner, and/or actuate them in such a manner that the brake shoe, which during the braking moves in moving direction of the tangential belt, comes to rest against the shaft first.
In the case of a brake of a slightly different type disclosed in European Patent Application (EP-A) 0148,468, in which two tong levers are provided which are constructed as simple arms, these tong levers are held by means of a spreading element in an unbraked operating position and, by means of a spring, are changed to a braking position when the spreading element is moved away from the arms.
An object of the invention is to construct a brake of the initially mentioned type in such a manner that it is reliably ensured that the brake linings press against the shaft with equally high forces.
This object is achieved in that the actuating element is arranged to be freely movable in moving direction of the arms.
By means of this construction, it is ensured that the spreading forces are introduced into the tong arms by an equal amount, because these tong arms mutually support one another by means of the freely movable actuating element on the one side, and by means of the shaft, on the other side. The forces exercised on the shaft by the two brake linings are therefore always the same so that it is also possible to do without an asymmetrical arrangement and/or an asymmetrical actuating, and to apply the brake linings to the shaft simultaneously.
In a further development of preferred embodiments of the invention, it is provided that the arms of the tong arms facing away from the shaft are provided with sliding surfaces which enclose a preferably acute angle between one another and between which a spreading element can be inserted which is centered by the sliding surfaces. In order to ensure that the loading of the spreading element does not result in any varying introduction of force, it is further provided in an expedient development that the spreading element is supported by a loading element in such a manner that the direction of force from the loading element to the spreading element extends in the median line of the sliding surfaces.
In particularly advantageous embodiments of the invention, it is provided that the spreading element is a rotationally symmetrical body which is disposed opposite the sliding surfaces and the loading element at angular distances of 120.degree.. This development ensures that, also during an adjusting movement of the actuating devices, the relationships and directions of force remain the same.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the actuating element is a cylindrical body. In a particularly simple manner, it is provided that the actuating element is disposed in a U-shaped guide which is formed by a swivelling lever, which can be swivelled around an axle which is in parallel to the axles of the tong arms, and which carries the loading element. This actuating element is basically inserted only loosely and is held in the respective required position by the loading element and the sliding surfaces.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


A urinary catheter (20) includes a shaft (22) having a hydrophilic material and a distal end and a proximal end with a lumen running between the two. The proximal end includes an eyelet (24) that is in fluid communication with the lumen. A handle is attached to the distal end of the shaft and includes a first grip member (28) and a second grip member (32) configured so that the first grip member pivots relative to the second grip member. A sleeve (34) defines an interior chamber (45), and the shaft is positioned within the interior chamber. The sleeve is sealed to the first grip member so that when the first grip member is pivoted, the sleeve is torn open.

Catheters are used to treat many different types of medical conditions and typically include an elongated shaft that is inserted into and through a passageway or lumen of the body. Urinary catheters, and in particular intermittent urinary catheters, are commonly used by those who suffer from various abnormalities of the urinary system, such as urinary incontinence. With the advent of intermittent urinary catheters, individuals with urinary system abnormalities can self-insert and self-remove catheters several times a day.
Urinary catheters typically include a shaft that is sufficiently flexible to navigate the curves of the urethra (especially catheters intended for male users), yet rigid enough to be pushed through the urethra without collapsing or "snaking" before an end of the catheter reaches the bladder. A distal end of the catheter (the end inserted into the urethra) includes draining holes or eyelets for the drainage of bodily fluids therethrough and into an internal conduit or lumen of the catheter. The proximal end of the catheter (the end grasped by the user) typically includes a handle with a connecting member, such as a funnel, for fluidly connecting the catheter to a collection container, such as a collection bag into which urine drains.
Urinary catheters for draining the bladder through the urethra are commonly packaged in a sterile and pre-lubricated condition in containers. More specifically, the shaft of the catheter is typically provided with a hydrophilic coating that provides the shaft with a lubricated surface in the presence of a hydration source. As a result, the container must provide the shaft of the catheter with a sterile, hydration environment. Oftentimes the catheters are intended to be fully removed from such containers at the time of catheterization.
The containers for catheters are often molded of a rigid or semi-rigid material and enclose the catheter shaft as well as a pre-attached urine collection bag. Such an arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2014/0194841 A1 to Matthiassen et al., and results in bulky packaging which takes up an undesirable amount space during storage and carrying.
In packaging where sealed flexible containers are used, a user may experience difficulty in tearing open the container, both in terms of the effort required and consistency in properly tearing the container to permit removal of the catheter.
The urinary catheter with hydration chamber of the present disclosure addresses at least some of the above issues.

Urinary catheter with sealed chamber and method


A tire inflation pressure sensing apparatus includes a transmitter provided on a wheel of a vehicle and a receiver provided on a body of the vehicle. The transmitter includes a pressure sensor working to generate a pressure signal and a charging unit configured to be charged with electrical power via a radio wave from the receiver. The transmitter is configured to be triggered to send out the pressure signal by a change of operation of the receiver from an ON-mode, in which the receiver sends out the radio wave, to an OFF-mode in which that stops sending out the radio wave. The receiver works to change the operation thereof alternately between the ON-mode and OFF-mode in accordance with predefined processes, so that reliable transmissions of both the radio wave and the pressure signal between the transmitter and receiver are ensured without determining the relative position of the transmitter and receiver.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to tire inflation pressure sensing apparatuses or sensors. More particularly, the invention relates to a direct-type tire inflation pressure sensing apparatus which is configured to be supplied with electrical power via wireless communication.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional direct-type tire inflation pressure sensing apparatuses generally include a transmitter and a receiver. (For example, Japanese Patent No. 3212311, an English equivalent of which is U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,524, discloses such an apparatus.)
The transmitter is directly installed to a wheel of a vehicle and includes a pressure sensor working to sense an inflation pressure of a tire mounted on the wheel. The transmitter is configured to send out a pressure signal representative of the inflation pressure of the tire sensed by the pressure sensor.
The receiver is installed to the body of the vehicle and includes an antenna. The receiver is configured to receive the pressure signal from the transmitter through the antenna and determine the inflation pressure of the tire based on the received pressure signal.
In the above arrangement, the wireless communication between the transmitter and the receiver may be achieved by applying an interrogator/transponder method.
According to the interrogator/transponder method, the receiver (i.e., the interrogator) sends out through the antenna thereof a radio wave for charging the transmitter (i.e., the transponder) with electrical power. After being charged via the radio wave, the transmitter is then activated by the charged electrical power and works to send out the pressure signal toward the receiver.
Such an interrogator/transponder method is generally used in the filed of wireless ID cards. The application of the method to the direct-type tire inflation pressure sensing apparatuses provides an advantage of supplying electrical power to the transmitter without any battery being provided in the transmitter.
However, in the case of supplying electrical power by the method, the possible range of angular position of the transmitter for charge, within which the level of the radio wave received by the receiver is above a necessary level for charging the transmitter with electrical power, is very small when the transmitter rotates with rotation of the wheel.
Further, in the above case, the electrical power available for the transmitter is considerably smaller than in the case of supplying electrical power by a battery. Consequently, the level of the pressure signal sent out from the transmitter becomes considerably lower than in the letter case. As a result, the possible range of angular position of the transmitter for reception, within which the level of the pressure signal received by the receiver is above a necessary level for accurate recognition of the pressure signal, also becomes considerably small.
Accordingly, the possible range of angular position of the transmitter for communication, within which levels of the radio wave received by the transmitter and the pressure signal received by the receiver are above a necessary level for establishing a desired communication between the transmitter and the receiver, is very small.
FIGS. 9A-9B illustrates the position of the transmitter relative to the antenna of the receiver. In the figures, the antenna J1 of the receiver is installed to a fender J3 of the vehicle body such that a vertical centerline C-C of the wheel J4 passes through the antenna J1.
In this case, when the transmitter J2 rotates to, for example, an angular position where the transmitter J2 is opposed to the antenna J1 with the wheel J4 positioned therebetween, both the radio wave for electrical power charge from the antenna J1 and the pressure signal from the transmitter J2 cannot pass through the wheel J4 which is made of a metal material.
According to the results of an investigation by the inventors, in this case, the possible range of angular position of the transmitter for communication (to be referred to as possible range for communication hereinafter) may be defined as the angular range A-O-B of about 80°, which spreads out from the shaft of the wheel J4 and is symmetrical with respect to the vertical centerline C-C.
In other words, when the transmitter J2 is within the above angular range A-O-B, the transmitter J2 can reliably receive the radio wave for electrical power charge from the antenna J1 and the receiver can accurately recognize the pressure signal received thereby through the antenna J1.
Accordingly, it is required for the transmitter J2 to be charged with electrical power and triggered to send out the pressure signal toward the antenna J1 when it rotates in the angular range A-O-B. Further, it is required for the transmitter J2 to complete the sending out of the pressure signal before it passes over the angular range A-O-B.
However, it is difficult for the receiver to accurately determine the angular position of the transmitter J2 when the transmitter J2 rotates together with the wheel J4.
Moreover, to accurately determine the angular position of the transmitter J2, additional sensors or devices are required. However, this will increases the manufacturing cost and electrical power consumption of the tire inflation pressure sensing apparatus.

Tire inflation pressure sensing apparatus supplied with electrical power via wireless communication


A system and method directed to using a PV array and laser beamed-power for aircraft and satellites is provided. More specifically, a system and method directed to a PV receiver that reduces power losses caused by variations in irradiance is provided. The use of a sloped array with a grooved cover glass coated with reflective coating allows the system and method to receive the laser beamed power at an angle and reduce any losses while producing a maximum power output. In addition, the use of capacitors in parallel with the PV cells in the array reduces resistive losses caused by short-term optical fluctuations and assists in maximizing power output for the array.

Currently, aircraft are limited in flight range and flight duration because of fuel capacity and fuel consumption. These limits require aircraft to return for refueling and also prevent them from unlimited flight ranges. Further, aircraft are also limited by weight constraints, such as the weight of the fuel necessary for travel that limits the speed and cargo capacity of the aircraft. Some airplanes use solar power to eliminate these issues, however solar power systems experience power reductions due to weather and atmospheric changes, the Earth's annual and diurnal cycles, or solar eclipses. Therefore, aircraft that use solar power require supplemental or alternate sources of energy. Laser or microwave power beaming from the Earth's surface, from other aircraft, or from satellites orbiting the Earth can be used to supplement the solar power to aircraft.
Current systems that provide laser-beamed power to aircraft by using photovoltaic (PV) arrays and receivers have problems with obtaining uniformity of power transfer across the PV array. A PV array designed for solar powered applications includes PV cells arranged on a flat planar surface. In solar powered spacecrafts or terrestrial solar power applications, the planar PV array experiences generally uniform, steady irradiance across all the cells in the array. However, the planar PV array does not experience a uniform irradiance across all the cells in the array when illuminated with laser-beamed power. The intensity of the laser varies across the width of the beam, with higher intensity at the center of the beam and generally weaker intensity away from the center. The irradiance received by a planar laser-power PV receiver is therefore non-uniform, with the strongest rays at the center of the PV array and weaker rays impinging upon the PV cells toward the edges of the PV array.
Currently, planar PV arrays or receivers that are designed for use with solar power have rows of identical photovoltaic cells arranged on a flat surface. With uniform illumination, all of the PV cells in the PV array receive the same irradiance of light and produce approximately the same output power. The PV cells are connected in series in a string, and the strings are then connected in parallel with other strings to form the PV array. The PV cells are connected in series to produce a sufficient voltage. Within a string, all of the PV cells conduct the same amount of current. Multiple strings are connected in parallel to produce adequate current at the selected voltage. When the PV array is illuminated with uniform solar rays, each string of PV cells produces the same current. Further, since every PV cell in the array has roughly the same internal resistance, the resistive loss in each cell is approximately the same.
Unlike sunlight, a long-range laser beam illuminating a planar PV array has a roughly Gaussian time-averaged intensity profile. The Gaussian average intensity profile results in varied irradiance across the PV cells. The PV cells at the center of the PV array have much higher irradiance than the PV cells at the edge of the array. If a PV array is designed for optimum efficiency at the lower irradiance levels at the edges, the PV array will likely experience overheating at the center of the array, because the PV cells in the center are not rated for the higher irradiance beams incident on the center. The overheating of the PV cells at the center increases their electrical resistance and therefore increases resistive losses for the array. Conversely, a PV array designed for optimum efficiency at the high irradiance in the center of the PV array results in reduced average power production per PV cell, i.e. the PV cells at the edge do not receive the total irradiance for which they are rated, resulting in reduced power output. In either case, costly resources, i.e. PV cells, are used below their optimum capacity. Therefore, a system and method is needed for achieving uniform irradiance on all PV cells in a laser-powered PV array.
Another deficiency in current planar PV arrays systems is that atmospheric inhomogeneities create rapid variations in refractivity across the width of the laser beam. These variations in refractivity cause variations in irradiance across the surface of the PV array. Short-term variations in irradiance caused by inhomogeneities of the atmosphere affect the current produced by each cell in the array. Greater current from one cell increases the I2 R losses of all cells in the string and results in greater overall average losses for the entire array. Therefore, a system and method of adjusting for the variations in irradiance across the array cells is needed.
Thus, in view of the disadvantages of the current methods and systems, and in view of the current demand in the relevant art, what is needed is a method and system to provide PV laser-beamed power to satellites and aircraft while mitigating the effects of the current unsteady, non-uniform illumination in these systems.


An image capturing optical lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element and a fifth lens element. The first lens element has positive refractive power. The second lens element has positive refractive power. The third lens element has negative refractive power. The fourth lens element has positive refractive power. The fifth lens element with negative refractive power is made of plastic material, and has an image-side surface being concave at a paraxial region and being convex at a peripheral region, wherein at least one of an object-side surface and the image-side surface of the fifth lens element is aspheric.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image capturing optical lens to assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to a compact image capturing optical lens assembly applicable to electronic products and three-dimensional (3D) image applications thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, with the popularity of mobile products with camera functionalities, the demand of miniaturized optical lens systems is increasing. The sensor of a conventional photographing camera is typically a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) sensor. As the advanced semiconductor manufacturing technologies have allowed the pixel size of sensors to be reduced and compact optical lens systems have gradually evolved toward the field of higher megapixels, there is an increasing demand for compact optical lens systems featuring better image quality.
A conventional compact optical lens system employed in a portable electronic product mainly adopts a structure of four-element lens such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,869,142. Due to the popularity of mobile products with high-end specifications, such as smart phones and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), the requirements for high resolution and image quality of modern compact optical lens systems has been increasing significantly. However, the conventional four-element lens structure cannot satisfy these requirements of the compact optical lens system.
Although other conventional optical lens systems with five-element lens structure such as the ones disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,030 enhances image quality; however, the optical lens system has a first lens element with positive refractive power and a second lens element with negative refractive power, so that the telephoto functionality cannot be obtained. Therefore, the total track length of the optical lens system cannot be reduced easily and will be hard to apply to the compact electronic products.


A configurable manual controller for manipulating images or symbols on a display is adapted for construction with matable building elements arranged by a user. The user forms the manual controller to exhibit a customized ornamental appearance reflecting the user's creative design preferences.

Manual controllers for manipulating images or symbols on a visual display of a computer device include, for example, joysticks, game pads, steering wheels, guns, mice, remote devices for television, stored multi-media display and recording machines, cellular telephones, portable video game systems, and portable multi-media devices. One prevalent type of manual controller comprises a control section having a plurality of buttons that the user presses to enter commands and hand grips that the user holds when the user operates the manual controller. Conventional manual controllers are distributed with a predetermined appearance and ergonomic structure. Manual controllers are operated by a variety of users with different hand sizes. Moreover, each user has different ergonomic and style preferences.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of facilitating user preference in creative design of a controller


Various embodiments of pressure bandages use a balloon for applying pressure to a wound through a pad. A cover that is attached to the body by any of several different means holds the balloon against the body, and it contains an open space, or window, providing access to the wound area for wound inspection, pad replacement, observation of bleeding, etc. The window can be closed by a door.

The invention arises because of difficulties I noticed in dressing many of my patients. In many cases we had to spend time and effort to prevent bleeding after certain procedures when a vessel was poked, or a part of a body was cut and operated on and had to be dressed in order for the bleeding to stop. The time that a physician and nurses spends to prevent bleeding using present, and often poorly effective, methods made me think about a better way to do the job. I am glad to say that I believe I have the answer. I have previously asked for patent in my pending allowed application Ser. No. 07/800,085. The present invention would be using the same idea in different places and ways for more expanded use. Basically, this invention introduces the use of pressurized air inside a balloon to be used for dressing the cut area and preventing, decreasing, and controlling the bleeding in different circumstances (especially after surgeries); also to diminish swelling, and to promote ease of mind and good feeling of patients after many surgeries and cases. The problems I have seen with known dressing of a surgical wound have made me present new ideas system after surgeries to help the wound be dressed and the site to be protected from bleeding. In such cases, the balloon will be situated over the bleeding area and over a hydrophilic dressing such as sterile gauze, which may cover the surface of the balloons and be part of the balloon's structure. The balloon will be held in place by various methods such as taping, strapping, wrapping, etc.


A method and apparatus is provided to analyze a dual wall structure having at least one hollow core therein and having the same unknown material sound velocities in walls and in post as well. A transducer is located in at least two different positions with respect to the structure, whereby the transducer propagates an ultrasonic wave toward the dual wall structure. A portion of the ultrasonic wave is reflected back to the transducer. One wave traverses a portion of the dual wall structure that has a core filled with a medium having a known material acoustic property. A second wave traverses a portion of the post that has an unknown material sound velocity. From time of flight measurements of the above mentioned waves, the wall thickness and core shift, if any, can be determined.

This invention generally relates to a method for non-destructively measuring the wall thickness or core shift of dual wall structures having a single crystal or oriented polycrystalline structure. More particularly, this invention relates to using ultrasonic wave propagation and reflection to determine the thickness of dual wall structures and to determine core shift when knowledge of the material sound velocity is not necessary.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0261532 discloses the principle of measuring the thickness of a solid injection molded layered material by the use of multiple transducers. This publication does not disclose how to determine core dimensions, or how to obtain thickness data from a material of unknown sound velocity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,907,098 discloses an apparatus and method to determine the thickness and defects for an object, such as a turbine blade, by vibrating the turbine blade. This patent does not disclose how to determining dual wall thickness or hollow core dimensions from a core or material of unknown sound velocity.
Advances in turbine blade design have led to internal geometries, such as dual wall construction having hidden wall thicknesses that conventional ultrasonic wall thickness measurement techniques cannot efficiently measure. This is because the knowledge of material sound velocity is needed in the prior art.
Computer axial tomography (CAT) scanning is currently the most prevalent practice used to inspect dual wall turbine blades in the prior art. This inspection technique includes the determination of the thickness of dual walled turbine blades and is expensive and requires use of specialized and costly equipment. In the prior art, a single wall turbine blade or single wall workpiece to be analyzed may typically be immersed into a water tank for ultrasonic evaluation by an immersion transducer. Typically, an immersion transducer may be designed to operate in a liquid environment, such as a water tank. The immersion transducer may not usually contact the workpiece. The immersion transducer may send and receive ultrasonic waves via water as a couplant.
As can be seen, there is a need for improved apparatus and methods to analyze dual walled structures, such as turbine blades at a cost of less than what can be done using CT technology. Furthermore, there is a need to improve product development cycle time and reduce field failures due to thin walls or core breakout.

Dual wall turbine blade ultrasonic wall thickness measurement technique


A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium including a servo pattern, comprising steps of:

The present invention relates to methods for forming servo patterns in substrates for magnetic recording media utilized in high areal, high track density applications, and to magnetic recording media produced thereby. The invention has particular utility in the manufacture of magnetic data/information storage and retrieval media, e.g., hard disks, utilizing very hard-surfaced, high modulus substrates such as of glass, ceramic, and glass-ceramic materials.
Magnetic recording media are widely used in various applications, particularly in the computer industry. A portion of a conventional recording medium 1 utilized in disk form in computer-related applications is schematically depicted in FIG. 1 and comprises a non-magnetic substrate 10, typically of metal, e.g., an aluminum-magnesium (Al-Mg) alloy, having sequentially deposited thereon a plating layer 11, such as of amorphous nickel-phosphorus (NiP); a seed layer 12A of an amorphous material, e.g., NiAl; a polycrystalline underlayer 12B, typically of chromium (Cr) or a Cr-based alloy; a magnetic layer 13, e.g., of a cobalt (Co)-based alloy; a protective overcoat layer 14, typically containing carbon (C), e.g., diamond-like carbon (xe2x80x9cDLCxe2x80x9d); and a lubricant topcoat layer 15, typically of a perfluoropolyether compound, applied by dipping, spraying, etc.
In operation of medium 1, the magnetic layer 13 can be locally magnetized by a write transducer or write head, to record and store data/information. The write transducer creates a highly concentrated magnetic field which alternates direction based on the bits of information being stored. When the local magnetic field produced by the write transducer is greater than the coercivity of the recording medium layer 13, then the grains of the polycrystalline medium at that location are magnetized. The grains retain their magnetization after the magnetic field produced by the write transducer is removed. The direction of the magnetization matches the direction of the applied magnetic field. The pattern of magnetization of the recording medium can subsequently produce an electrical response in a read transducer, allowing the stored medium to be read.
Thin film magnetic recording media are conventionally employed in disk form for use with disk drives for storing large amounts of data in magnetizable form. Typically, one or more disks are rotated on a central axis in combination with data transducer heads. In operation, a typical contact start/stop (xe2x80x9cCSSxe2x80x9d) method commences when the head begins to slide against the surface of the disk as the disk begins to rotate. Upon reaching a predetermined high rotational speed, the head floats in air at a predetermined distance from the surface of the disk due to dynamic pressure effects caused by the air flow generated between the sliding surface of the head and the disk. During reading and recording operations, the transducer head is maintained at a controlled distance from the recording surface, supported on a bearing of air as the disk rotates, such that the head can be freely moved in both the circumferential and radial directions, allowing data to be recorded on and retrieved from the disk at a desired position. Upon terminating operation of the disk drive, the rotational speed of the disk decreases and the head again begins to slide against the surface of the disk and eventually stops in contact with and pressing against the disk. Thus, the transducer head contacts the recording surface whenever the disk is stationary, accelerated from the static position, and during deceleration just prior to completely stopping. Each time the head and disk assembly is driven, the sliding surface of the head repeats the cyclic sequence consisting of stopping, sliding against the surface of the disk, floating in air, sliding against the surface of the disk, and stopping.
It is considered desirable during reading and recording operations, and for obtainment of high areal recording densities, to maintain the transducer head(s) as close to the associated recording surface(s) as is possible, i.e., to minimize the xe2x80x9cflying heightxe2x80x9d of the head(s). Thus a smooth recording surface is preferred, as well as a smooth opposing surface of the associated transducer head, thereby permitting the head and the disk surface to be positioned in close proximity, with an attendant increase in predictability and consistent behavior of the air bearing supporting the head during motion.
Disk drives typically comprise a magnetic head assembly mounted on the end of a support or actuator arm which positions the head radially over the disk surface. If the actuator arm is held stationary, the magnetic head assembly will pass over a circular path on the disk surface known as a track, and information can be read from or written to that track. Each concentric track has a unique radius, and reading and writing information from or to a specific track requires the magnetic head to be located above the track. By moving the actuator arm, the magnetic head assembly is moved radially over the disk surface between tracks.
The disk drive must be able to differentiate between tracks on the disk and to center the magnetic head over any particular track. Most disk drives use embedded xe2x80x9cservo patternsxe2x80x9d of magnetically recorded information on the disk. The servo patterns are read by the magnetic head assembly to inform the disk drive of the track location. Tracks typically include both data sectors and servo patterns. Each data sector contains a header followed by a data section. The header may include synchronization information to synchronize various timers in the disk drive to the speed of disk rotation, while the data section is used for recording data. Typical servo patterns are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,961, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Servo patterns are usually written on the disk during manufacture of the disk drive, after the drive is assembled and operational. The servo pattern information, and particularly the track spacing and centering information, needs to be located very precisely on the disk surface. However, at the time the servo patterns are written, there are no reference locations on the disk surface which can be perceived by the disk drive. Accordingly, a highly specialized device known as a xe2x80x9cservo-writerxe2x80x9d is used during writing of the servo-patterns. Largely because of the locational precision needed, servo-writers are expensive, and servo-writing is a time-consuming process.
One approach (i.e., xe2x80x9cPERMxe2x80x9d disks, manufactured by Sony Corp.) to avoid traditional servo-writing has been to injection mold or stamp servo patterns on a polymer-based substrate disk. A constant thickness layer of magnetic recording material is then applied over the entire disk surface, including the depressions and protrusions of the servo patterns. After all of the constituent layers of the medium have been applied to the disk, a magnetic bias is recorded on the servo patterns. For example, a first magnetic field may magnetically initialize the entire disk at a one setting. Then a second magnetic field, located at the surface of the disk and e.g., provided by the magnetic head of the disk drive, is used to magnetize the protruding portions of the servo patterns relative to the depressions. Because the protrusions are closer than the depressions to the magnetic initialization, the magnetization carried by the protrusions may be different than the magnetization carried by the depressions. When read, the resulting disk servo patterns show magnetic transitions between the depressions and the protrusions.
Meanwhile, the continuing trend toward manufacture of very high areal density magnetic recording media at reduced cost provides impetus for the development of lower cost materials, e.g., polymers, glass, ceramics, and glass-ceramics composites as replacements for the conventional Al alloy-based substrates for magnetic disk media. However, poor mechanical and tribological performance, track mis-registration (xe2x80x9cTMRxe2x80x9d), and poor flyability have been particularly problematic in the case of polymer-based substrates fabricated as to essentially copy or mimic conventional hard disk design features and criteria. On the other hand, glass, ceramic, or glass-ceramic materials are attractive candidates for use as substrates for very high areal density disk recording media because of the requirements for high performance of the anisotropic thin film media and high modulus of the substrate. However, the extreme difficulties encountered with grinding and lapping of glass, ceramic, and glass-ceramic composite materials have limited their use to only higher cost applications such as mobile disk drives for xe2x80x9cnotebookxe2x80x9d-type computers.
Sub-micron flyability (e.g., less than 0.5 xcexcinch) of the recording transducer or head over a patterned media surface is a stringent requirement for obtainment of very high areal density recording media. However, attempts to achieve the requisite surface topography on glass, ceramic, or glass-ceramic composite substrates have been unsuccessful due to their extreme hardness (e.g., glass substrates have a Knoop hardness greater than about 760 kg/mm2 compared with about 550 kg/mm2 for Al alloy substrates with NiP plating layers). In addition, the low flowability and extreme hardness of these substrate materials effectively precludes formation of servo patterns in the surfaces thereof by injection molding or stamping, as has been performed with polymer-based substrates.
A recently developed approach for forming servo patterns in hard-surfaced, high modulus alternative substrate materials, such as the glass, ceramic, and glass-ceramic materials described above, is based upon the discovery that the surfaces of such materials may be modified, i.e., reduced in hardness, so as to facilitate formation of servo patterns therein, as by a simple and conveniently performed embossing process. According to this methodology, modification (i.e., reduction) of surface hardness of high modulus substrates for use in the manufacture of thin film magnetic recording media is obtained by first forming a relatively soft coating layer on the substrate surface, embossing the desired servo pattern in the exposed upper surface of the relatively soft coating layer, and then converting the relatively soft layer to a relatively hard layer while retaining the embossed servo pattern therein. The thus-formed substrate with embossed servo pattern in the exposed surface thereof is then subjected to thin film deposition thereon for forming the layer stack constituting the magnetic recording medium. Thus, the method advantageously provides servo-patterned magnetic recording media without requiring servo-writing subsequent to media fabrication.
More specifically, according to the above methodology, a relatively soft layer of a sol-gel is initially formed on the surface of the high modulus glass, ceramic, or glass-ceramic composite substrate, e.g., in disk form. By way of illustration, but not limitation, a sol-gel layer having a thickness of from about 0.2 to about 1 xcexcm may be formed on the substrate surface by any convenient technique, e.g., spin coating of a solution of the sol-gel. A suitable sol-gel solution for use according to the invention may be prepared by mixing an alkoxide, e.g., a silicon alkoxide such as tetraethoxysilane (xe2x80x9cTEOSxe2x80x9d) or tetramethoxysilane (xe2x80x9cTMOSxe2x80x9d), water, and nitric acid at molar ratios of TEOS or TMOS/H2O/HNO3 of 1/4-30/ greater than 0.05. The nitric acid acts as a catalyst for conversion of the TEOS or TMOS to a SiO2 sol according to the following reaction (1), illustratively shown for TEOS:
nSi(OC2H5)4+2nH2Oxe2x86x92nSiO2+4nC2H5OHxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
with ethanol (C2H5OH) being produced as a reaction product in solution. After completion of reaction, butanol (C4H9OH) is added to the solution as a drying retardation agent at molar ratios of TEOS/H2O/HNO3/C4H9OH of e.g., 1/5/0.05/ greater than 4. Such solution, when applied to the substrate surface as by spin coating, forms a very smooth film with a minimum amount of surface microwaves. The spin coating process effects removal, e.g., as by centrifugation and evaporation, of a portion of the solvents from the initially applied solution. The resultant partially dried film or layer is glass-like, principally comprised of silica (SiO2) molecular clusters together with the various solvents (H2O, C2H5OH, C4H9OH), and adheres well to the substrate surface. The sol-gel film or layer is of a porous structure with the solvents saturated in the micropores thereof.
The as-deposited, relatively soft sol-gel film or layer applied to the hard-surfaced substrate is then subjected to an embossing process for forming a servo pattern in the surface thereof, comprising a patterned plurality of depressions and protrusions, e.g., by utilizing a stamper having a negative image of the desired servo pattern or an equivalently performing device. The exposed, upper surface of the relatively soft sol-gel layer may also be subjected to mechanical texturing (after drying in air but prior to sintering), e.g., as by a standard NiP texturing process utilizing an abrasive size of about 0.25 xcexcm, in order to enable formation of oriented media critical for achieving high areal density recording.
Subsequent to servo pattern formation (and mechanical texturing, if desired) of the as-deposited, partially dried, relatively soft sol-gel film or layer, a sintering process is performed at an elevated temperature of from about 300 to above about 1000xc2x0 C. (depending upon the withstand temperature of the substrate material, i.e., which temperature is higher for ceramic-based substrates than for glass-based substrates) at e.g., a ramping rate from about 0.5 to about 10xc2x0 C./min. and a dwell time of about 2 hrs., to evaporate the solvents so as to effect at least partial collapse of the micro-pores, with resultant densification of the sol-gel film or layer into a substantially fully densified glass layer having a density and hardness approaching that of typical silica glass ( less than 1.5 g/cm3), or into a partially densified xe2x80x9cglass-likexe2x80x9d layer. The embossed servo pattern (and mechanical texturing) formed in the exposed upper surface of the relatively soft sol-gel layer is preserved in the corresponding exposed upper surface of the sintered glass or glass-like layer.
Formation of thin film magnetic media on the thus-formed glass-coated, servo patterned/mechanically textured substrates is accomplished utilizing conventional thin film deposition techniques, e.g., sputtering, for forming the layer stack comprising a seed layer, polycrystalline underlayer, magnetic layer, and protective overcoat layer.
The above-described sol-gelxe2x80x94based process combines the advantages of low-cost processing with the superior optical, mechanical, and chemical properties of silica glass (SiO2) for fabricating high performance, servo-patterned magnetic recording media, and thus is an attractive candidate for future disk-based magnetic recording media and systems. In order to achieve high areal density magnetic recording utilizing such alternative substrate materials with embossed servo patterns formed in spin-coated sol-gel layers and with read/write transducers operating at very low flying heights, extremely precise (or faithful) replication of the servo master pattern on the imprinting surface of the stamper is required. However, the requisite degree or precision of servo pattern replication is generally not realized when a stamper is utilized to imprint/emboss the pattern in the surface of a sol-gel coated disk substrate, even when the imprinting/embossing is performed under a high pressure. It is believed that the poor replication quality arises from difficulty in compressing the partially dried sol-gel layer to the extent necessary for complete, i.e., faithful, replication of the topographical features, e.g., depressions and protrusions, in the imprinting surface of the stamper. For example, the depths of depressions and the wall angles of the features of servo patterns formed by pressure-induced embossing/imprinting of sol-gel coated disk substrates generally do not replicate the depths and sharpness of the corresponding features of the imprinting surface of the stamper. In particular, desired wall angles  greater than 45xc2x0 and flat lands between adjacent grooves are generally not obtained.
In view of the above, there exists a need for improved methodology and means for providing disk substrates for magnetic recording media, which substrates are constituted of high modulus, very hard materials such as of glass, ceramic, or glass-ceramic, with at least one major recording surface having requisite topography for enabling operation with flying head read/write transducers/heads operating at very low flying heights and with very precisely contoured patterns, e.g., servo patterns, provided therein. More specifically, there exists a need for an improved method for rapidly and cost effectively forming patterned sol-gel films or layers on substrate surfaces, e.g., servo patterned films or layers, which patterns faithfully replicate master patterns. In addition, there exists a need for an improved, high areal density magnetic recording medium including a high hardness, high modulus substrate having a servo pattern integrally formed therewith in the surface of a densified, glass-like sol-gel layer, and capable of operation with read/write transducers operating at sub-micron flying heights.
The present invention addresses and solves problems and difficulties attendant upon the formation of faithfully replicated patterns, e.g., servo patterns, in the surfaces of sol-gel films on the surfaces of very hard materials, e.g., of glass, ceramic, or glass-ceramic, utilized as substrates in the manufacture of very high areal density magnetic recording media, while maintaining full capability with substantially all aspects of conventional automated manufacturing technology for the fabrication of thin-film magnetic media. Further, the methodology and means afforded by the present invention enjoy diverse utility in the manufacture of various other devices and media requiring formation of surfaces with precisely replicated formed therein.
An advantage of the present invention is an improved method of manufacturing a patterned magnetic recording medium.
Another advantage of the present method is an improved method of forming a magnetic recording medium including an integrally formed servo pattern.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is an improved patterned magnetic recording medium.
Still another advantage of the present invention is an improved magnetic recording medium including an integrally formed servo pattern.
Additional advantages and other aspects and features of the present invention will be set forth in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from the practice of the present invention. The advantages of the present invention may be realized and obtained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the foregoing and other aspects and advantages are obtained in part by a method of manufacturing a patterned magnetic recording medium, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a non-magnetic substrate including at least one major surface;
(b) providing a stamper having a recess-patterned surface comprising a negative image of a pattern of recesses to be formed in the medium;
(c) forming a layer of a material having a first surface in conformal contact with the recess-patterned surface of the stamper and an exposed second surface opposite the first surface;
(d) placing the major surface of the substrate in contact with the exposed second surface of the layer of material; and
(e) removing the recess-patterned surface of the stamper from contact with the first surface of the layer of material;
whereby the layer of material is transferred to the major surface of the substrate, such that the second surface of the layer of material is in contact with the major surface of the substrate, and the first surface of the layer of material is exposed and includes a positive image of the pattern of recesses.
According to embodiments of the present invention, step (a) comprises providing a disk-shaped, high modulus substrate having a pair of major surfaces and comprised of a glass, ceramic, or glass-ceramic material; and step (b) comprises providing a stamper wherein at least the patterned surface is comprised of a metal, polymer, or carbon.
In accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention, step (b) comprises providing a stamper having a recess-patterned surface comprising a negative image of a servo pattern to be formed in said magnetic recording medium.
According to further embodiments of the present invention, step (c) comprises forming a layer of a partially dried sol-gel material in conformal contact with the recess-patterned surface of the stamper; and according to preferred embodiments of the present invention, step (c) comprises forming a layer of a partially dried sol-gel material comprising a micro-porous structure of silica (SiO2) particles with solvents saturated in the micro-pores thereof, e.g., by spin coating a layer of a SiO2-containing sol solution on the recess-patterned surface of the stamper.
In accordance with still other embodiments of the present invention, step (a) comprises providing a non-magnetic substrate wherein a spin-coated, partially dried layer of a sol-gel material comprising a micro-porous structure of silica (SiO2) particles with solvents saturated in the micro-pores thereof comprises the at least one major surface of the substrate.
Certain embodiments of the present invention comprise the further step of:
(f) converting the layer of partially dried sol-gel material to a glass or glass-like layer while preserving the pattern of recesses in the exposed first surface thereof, e.g., by sintering the layer of partially dried sol-gel material at an elevated temperature.
Yet other embodiments of the present invention comprise the still further step of:
(g) forming a laminate of thin film layers including in sequence: seed, underlayer, magnetic recording, protective overcoat, and lubricant topcoat layers over the exposed first surface of the glass or glass-like layer including the positive image of the pattern of recesses.
According to further embodiments of the present invention, step (d) comprises urging the major surface of the substrate into contact with the second surface of the layer of material by application of pressure; and step (e) comprises separating the recess-patterned surface of the stamper from the first surface of the layer of material while maintaining the second surface of the layer of material in contact with the major surface of the substrate.
Another aspect of the present invention is a structure for use in the manufacture of a patterned thin film magnetic recording medium, comprising:
a non-magnetic substrate including at least one major surface; and
a layer of a glass or glass-like material on the major surface of the substrate, the layer of glass or glass-like material including an exposed surface having a pattern of recesses formed therein by a process comprising steps of:
(a) providing a non-magnetic substrate having a major surface;
(b) providing a stamper having a recess-patterned surface comprising a negative image of the pattern of recesses to be formed in the medium;
(c) forming a layer of a spin-coated, partially dried sol-gel material on the recess-patterned surface of the stamper, the layer comprising a micro-porous structure of silica (SiO2) particles with solvents saturated in the micro-pores thereof, the layer having a first surface in conformal contact with the recess-patterned surface of the stamper and an exposed second surface opposite the first surface;
(d) urging the major surface of the substrate into contact with the exposed second surface of the layer of partially dried sol-gel material;
(e) removing the recess-patterned surface of the stamper from contact with the first surface of the layer of partially dried sol-gel material while leaving the second surface of the layer of partially dried sol-gel material in contact with the major surface of the substrate, whereby the layer of partially dried sol-gel material is transferred to the major surface of the substrate, such that the first surface of the layer of partially dried sol-gel material is exposed and includes a positive image of the pattern of recesses; and
(f) converting the layer of partially dried sol-gel material to a glass or glass-like layer while preserving the pattern of recesses in the exposed first surface thereof.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the non-magnetic substrate comprises a disk-shaped, high modulus substrate having a pair of major surfaces and is comprised of a glass, ceramic, or glass-ceramic material; and the pattern of recesses in the exposed surface of said glass or glass-like layer forms a servo pattern for said magnetic recording medium.
In accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention, the recesses forming the servo pattern are from about 1 to about 500 nm deep, from about 0.001 to about 1 xcexcm wide, and adjacent recesses are spaced apart at least about 0.001 xcexcm.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is a servo-patterned magnetic recording medium, comprising the above structure and a laminate of thin film layers formed thereover, the laminate including seed, underlayer, magnetic recording, protective overcoat, and lubricant topcoat layers sequentially formed over the exposed first surface of the glass or glass-like layer including the positive image of the servo pattern formed therein.
Still another aspect of the present invention is a magnetic recording medium, comprising:
a non-magnetic substrate having a surface; and
sol-gel-based or derived means for providing a servo pattern which precisely replicates a master servo pattern formed in a surface of a stamper.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sol-gel-based or derived means comprises a glass or glass-like layer on the surface of the nonmagnetic substrate.
Additional advantages and aspects of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein embodiments of the present invention are shown and described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated for practicing the present invention. As will be described, the present invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are susceptible of modification in various obvious respects. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as limitative.

Servo pattern formation via transfer of sol-gel layer and magnetic media obtained thereby

Abstract: (b) providing a stamper having a surface with a plurality of recesses forming a negative image of a servo pattern;

Abstract: (c) forming a layer of a partially dried sol-gel material having a first surface in conformal contact with the recess-patterned surface of the stamper and an exposed second surface opposite the first surface;

Abstract: (d) urging the major surface of the substrate into contact with the exposed second surface of the sol-gel layer;

Abstract: (e) removing the stamper from contact with the layer of sol-gel material to expose the recess-patterned surface thereof;

Abstract: (f) converting the partially dried sol-gel layer to a glass-like layer while preserving the recess pattern in the surface thereof; and

Abstract: (f) forming on the recess-patterned surface a laminate of layers constituting a servo-patterned magnetic recording medium.


Pattern for the lost foam casting process including a pouring-basin-forming portion, a sprue-forming portion, a runner-forming portion, a gate-forming portion, and an inline-riser-forming portion. The runners formed by the pattern each have an inline riser through which melt flows between an inlet to and outlet from the riser during pouring, and in which melt is stored to feed the casting with melt during cooling/shrinkage of the casting. A sand dam surrounds the mouth of each gate and traps particulates from a liquid styrene layer that precedes the melt front in the riser.

The so-called "lost-foam" casting process is a well-known technique for producing metal castings wherein a fugitive, pyrolizable, polymeric, foam pattern (including casting, gating, runners and sprue) is covered with a thin (i.e. 0.25-0.5 mm), gas-permeable, refractory (e.g. mica, silica, alumina, alumina-silicate, etc.) coating/skin, and embedded in compacted, unbonded sand to form a pattern-filled, mold cavity within the sand. Molten metal (hereafter "melt") is then introduced into the pattern-filled mold cavity to melt, pyrolyze, and displace the pattern with melt. Gaseous and liquid decomposition/pyrolysis products escape through the gas-permeable, refractory skin into the interstices between the unbonded sand particles. The casting rate (i.e. the rate at which the metal enters the mold cavity) is limited by the rate the advancing melt front can displace the pattern from the cavity, which, in turn, is affected by the thickness and permeability of the refractory skin/coating. Typical fugitive polymeric foam patterns comprise expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) for aluminum castings, and copolymers of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and EPS for iron and steel castings.
The polymeric foam pattern is made by injecting pre-expanded polymer beads into a pattern mold to impart the desired shape to the pattern. For example, raw expandable polystyrene (EPS) beads (ca. 0.2 to 0.5 mm in diameter), containing a blowing/expanding agent (e.g. n-pentane), are: (1) first, pre-expanded at a temperature above the softening temperature of polystyrene and the boiling point of the blowing agent; and (2) then, molded into the desired configuration in a steam-heated pattern mold which further expands the beads to fill the pattern mold. Complex patterns and pattern assemblies are made by molding several individual mold segments, and then gluing them together to form the finished pattern/assembly.
The melt may be either gravity-cast (i.e. poured from an overhead ladle or furnace), or countergravity-cast (i.e. forced upwardly by vacuum or low pressure into the mold cavity from an underlying vessel, e.g. a furnace). In gravity-cast lost-foam processes, the metallostatic head of the melt in the sprue and pouring basin is the driving force for filling the mold cavity with melt. Gravity-cast, lost-foam processes are known that: (1) top-fill the mold cavity by pouring the melt into a basin overlying the pattern so that the melt flows downwardly into the mold cavity through a gating system (i.e. one or more gates) located above the pattern; (2) bottom-fill the mold cavity by pouring the melt into a vertical sprue that lies adjacent the pattern and extends from above the mold cavity to the bottom of the mold cavity for filling the mold cavity from beneath through a gating system located beneath the pattern so that the melt flows vertically upwardly into the mold; and (3) side-fill the mold cavity by pouring the melt into a pattern that forms a vertical sprue that lies adjacent the mold cavity, and communicates with the mold cavity via a plurality of vertically aligned runners and gates that horizontally fill the mold cavity from the side thereof. The vertical sprue may be flanked by two or more mold cavities for making multiple castings with a single pour.
Faster casting rates result in less heat loss from the melt. Less heat loss during pouring keeps the melt hotter, which, in turn, reduces the formation of "folds" (i.e. pyrolysis products trapped at the confluence of cold metal fronts), and "cold-shuts" (i.e. sites where metal that does not completely fill the pattern due to premature solidification) in the casting.
Casting rates have heretofore been increased by providing one or more melt flow-channels (i.e. foam-free shafts) that extend into the pattern, and through which the melt can rush into selected portions of the pattern. Such flow channels are often called "lighteners" (which term shall be used herein), and are typically formed in the pattern at the joints where individual pattern segments are glued together to form a complete pattern. Alternatively, for straight lighteners, the pattern may be molded around an insert (e.g. a rod) that is subsequently withdrawn from the pattern leaving the lightener. Lighteners can classified both as to their "type" (i.e. their configuration), and as to their "application" (i.e. their location in the pattern). For example, one "type"-classified lightener is a so-called "pencil"-lightener which is a long, slender, cylindrical or polygonal, foam-free shaft formed in the pattern. One "application"-classified lightener, for example, is a so-called "sprue"-lightener which is a lightener used in a sprue-forming portion of the foam pattern. See also "runner"-lighteners, for lighteners used in runner-forming portions of a pattern.
The side-fill lost foam process has heretofore been used commercially to manufacture cylinder heads for internal combustion engines. Patterns therefor have heretofore had a central, vertical, rectangular (ca. 4.3 cm.×4.1 cm.), sprue-forming portion (i.e. for forming a sprue in the compacted sand) flanked by a pair casting-forming mold cavities (i.e. for forming/shaping the heads), each coupled to the central sprue-forming portion by fourteen vertically arranged, runner-forming and gate-forming portions (i.e. for forming runners and gates respectively). Pencil-type lighteners extend the length of the sprue-forming portion (i.e. a sprue-lightener), and into the top four of the fourteen runner-forming portions (i.e. runner-lighteners). A pouring-basin-forming portion of the pattern forms a pouring basin that overlies the sprue-forming portion, and receives melt from a ladle, furnace etc. for gravity delivery to the sprue formed by the sprue-forming portion. A fugitive plug, made from the same foam as is used to make the pattern, is positioned between the pouring basin and the upper end of the sprue, and serves to delay outflow of melt from the basin into the sprue sufficient to provide enough residence time (i.e. 1-2 secs) for a prescribed amount of melt to accumulate in the pouring basin. The prescribed amount is sufficient to allow the melt therein to become quiescent, degas, and build-up a metallostatic head sufficient to cause the melt to gush forcefully out of the basin, and into the sprue, when the plug releases (i.e. evaporates), so as to quickly (ca. 1 sec) fill the sprue-lightener and force any air or pyrolysis gases that might otherwise be trapped in the sprue-lightener into the surrounding sand without creating any bubbles in the melt.


Apparatus for processing substrates are provided herein. In some embodiments, plasma processing apparatus may include a process chamber having a dielectric lid and an interior processing volume beneath the dielectric lid, a first RF coil to couple RF energy into the processing volume, and an RF shielded lid heater coupled to a top surface of the dielectric lid. The RF shielded lid heater may include an annular member, and a plurality of spokes, wherein each of the plurality of spokes includes one of (a) a first portion that extends downward from the annular and couples the annular member to a second portion of the spoke that extends radially inward, or (b) a first portion that extends radially outward from the annular member.

Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) process reactors generally form plasmas by inducing current in a process gas disposed within the process chamber via one or more inductive coils disposed outside of the process chamber. The inductive coils may be disposed externally and separated electrically from the chamber by, for example, a dielectric lid. When radio frequency (RF) current is fed to the inductive coils via an RF feed structure from an RF power source, an inductively coupled plasma can be formed inside the chamber from an electric field generated by the inductive coils.
AC/DC driven heaters are widely used to control surface temperature of the ceramic window isolating the process chamber from the ICP source, mainly to control the overall deposition on the dielectric window facing the plasma in the process chamber. In order to eliminate RF coupling of the ICP source to the AC/DC powered heated elements, the heaters are embedded within a aluminum or any conductor shield to prevent any interference of the RF to the AC/DC heaters. The aluminum shield also acts as partial RF shield between the ICP power coupled to the vacuum chamber and controls the overall sputter rate at the window due to voltages developed at the shield assuming the shield is floating (i.e., the shield is not grounded). However, power coupling to some conventional shield reduces the overall power coupled to the vacuum chamber in situations when the shield consists of a closed loop that current might be induced in. In particular when dual mode ICP coils are used, the coupling in the out-of-phase case may be significant due to the intensity of the magnetic field, leading to higher power losses, and lower power coupling efficiency compared to the in-phase case. The out-of-phase coupling is mainly used to eliminate or reduce M-shape signatures leading to non-uniformities.
Accordingly, the inventors have devised a substrate processing apparatus to better control RF coupling and substrate processing uniformity at the substrate surface level.

High efficiency inductively coupled plasma source with customized RF shield for plasma profile control