A pivoting strain relief bar assembly that is comprised of a patch panel rotatably coupled to a strain relief bar, where the patch panel and strain relief bar are also coupled to a conventional rack capable of supporting telecommunications or other electronic equipment. Cables that are to be terminated to the patch panel are secured to and supported by the strain relief bar. The strain relief bar is capable of locking in a substantially horizontal position and thus remains fixed while supporting a large number of network cables. The strain relief bar can also be unlocked and rotated, allowing a technician to access the patch panel without having to unnecessarily disconnect cables.

Local area networks and telecommunications connections often use data patch panels to enable inter or cross-connection between telecommunications equipment. Patch panels typically comprise a frame member having a plurality of connector locations wherein any of a plurality of jacks may be mounted. The jacks allow for rapid connection and disconnection of network cable between jacks in the same patch panel or between jacks located on different patch panels.
If network cables are haphazardly connected directly into the patch panel, many problems would result. Typically, the terminations at the terminal end of network cables are designed only to maintain a mating relationship with the jack. Excessive loads, such as a downward shear force due to the unsupported weight of the loose network cable, can overstress the cable terminations, causing them to break or disengage from the jack, resulting in the need to repair or replace the termination or the entire cable. Additionally, due to the heavy weight of the network cable, a small bending radius results where the cable bends downward under the influence of gravity near the point where the cable termination is connected to the jack. This tight bending radius can result in physical damage to the cable itself, or can lead to cable performance degradation. Finally, when a large number of cables are haphazardly routed to the patch panels, technicians would be unable to quickly disconnect and reconnect a group of cables and, thus, valuable time and money would be wasted whenever routine maintenance tasks were undertaken.
Various means have been developed to physically support and assist in the organization of network cables routed to a patch panel, such as the device illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,600,106, entitled "Cable Management Bar and Patch Panel," filed on 11 Jul. 2001 and issued to Standish et al. on 29 Jul. 2003 (the "'106 patent"). The '106 patent discloses a support bar that extends horizontally from the patch panel and is disposed in a direction that is generally normal to the longitudinal axis of the individual network cable strands. Network cable is connected to the support bar using conventional fasteners and is thus supported at a location near the point where the cable plug is inserted into the patch panel jack. As a result of this support, the cable does not sag at the point of entry into the jack and the large stresses on the cable plug, as well as the tight bending radius in the cable, are eliminated. Additionally, the support bar of the '106 patent allows for the cables to be organized, providing for the speedy identification of the terminal end of a particular cable and resulting in a reduction in the overall volume of the cable bundle, conserving valuable storage space.
However, the device of the '106 patent, and similar variants, is not without shortcomings. Specifically, the fixed horizontal bar blocks access to the jacks on the patch panel. When a technician must connect or disconnect cables from the jacks of the patch panels, the support bar of the '106 patent must be removed, requiring the disconnection, and ultimate reconnection, of all cables connected to the support bar from the jacks. This process is cumbersome and time-consuming for the technician, who often must consult a diagram to ensure that the correct cables are inserted into the correct jacks.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,665, entitled "Patch Panel with Hinged Tie Bar," filed on 1 Dec. 1995 and issued to Shramawick et al. on 19 Nov. 1996 (the "665 patent"), attempted to overcome the problems associated with the '106 patent. The '665 patent discloses a horizontally disposed support bar that is rotatably coupled to a fixed hinge on the patch panel. The '665 patent is designed to allow the support bar to be rotated, thus moving the cables away from the patch panel and allowing the technician to access a specific area on the patch panel without removing unnecessary cables.
However, the '665 patent suffers from several drawbacks. Specifically, resistance to the rotation of the support bar is provided by friction and the support bar is thus unable to lock in any position. When using heavier network cable, such as Cat6 cable, the weight of the cable tends to pivot the support bar downward during normal operation of the support bar. This gradual downward rotation could block access to adjacent patch panels, resulting in the need for a technician to reposition multiple support bars in order to access a specific patch panel. Additionally, this gradual rotation of support bars could result in the pinching of network cables between adjacent support bars. Since the support bars are typically constructed from stamped sheet metal, the pinching of the cables could result in damage to the cables, requiring costly cable repair or replacement.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide an inexpensive and convenient means to quickly organize and support groups of cables that are routed into a patch panel using a pivoting support bar, and to additionally provide a means to prevent gradual rotation of the support bar while allowing for a fast and convenient method to unlock the support bar and rotate it to a convenient position.

Pivoting strain relief bar for data patch panels


The present invention discloses a method and a system for managing cache memory. The system comprising a processor is configured to receive datasets from one or more applications, segregate the received datasets into one or more data blocks, identify a checkpoint from previously created checkpoints stored in a virtual cache corresponding to the one or more data blocks, wherein the checkpoints are previously created based on frequency of repetition of each of the one or more data blocks and association between the each of the one or more data blocks, recall a sequence of previously stored data blocks from main memory based on the identified checkpoint, and send the sequence of previously stored data blocks to the one or more applications for execution, thereby managing cache memory.

Conventional data storage systems include high speed, short term cache memory which can be accessed much more rapidly by a coupled computer system, commonly referred to as a host system, without delays associated with the mechanical motion and time delay inherent in a long term storage device such as a disk drive. Thus, if data requested by a host is stored in cache instead of the disk drive, performance can be increased tremendously. Cache memory, however, is a finite resource. More particularly, the size of cache memory relative to the capacity of disk drives is generally low. Moreover, the cache memory is typically more expensive than storage subsystem memory. Thus, in the absence of the cache memory, the data needs to be retrieved every time from the data storage system, which further increases the latency. Moreover, when data transaction is frequent and random, in response to said data transaction, the cache may snoop its cached data and provide a response in a response phase of the data transaction. Since, the conventional cache is typically short, delayed reporting of the state of cached data may result in increased latency for the data transaction.
In order to overcome the problem of the limited memory for the conventional cache, an existing cache memory management system includes one or more methods of deriving the expanded memory for the conventional cache memory by the mechanism of using the limited memory and virtualization of at least one memory to derive a virtual cache. However, the virtual cache for the known cache memory management system has a problem in which the underlying memory is consumed in the same manner as consumed in the conventional cache memory. Hence, the known mechanism of the virtualization of the at least one memory does not significantly expand the cache memory. Further, the known virtual cache for the cache memory management system does not include any mechanism which can be adapted to reduce the consumption of the underlying memory. Therefore, there is a need for an improved cache memory management that facilitates enhanced memory expansion for the conventional cache and additionally, provides mechanism for reducing the underlying memory consumption.
The information disclosed in this background of the disclosure section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

System and method for managing cache memory


For runtime dynamic performance skew elimination in a computer environment, an exemplary computer environment is configured for calculating a rank heats by utilizing a plurality of fine-grained statistics collected at an extent granularity, including considering bandwidth (BW) and input/outputs per second (IOPS) metrics. An adaptive data placement plan is generated to relocate the data. The data is placed among data storage ranks. The data storage ranks are balanced according to the adaptive data placement plan.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computers, and more particularly, to runtime dynamic performance skew elimination in a computing storage environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
In today's society, computer systems are commonplace. Computer systems may be found in the workplace, at home, or at school. Computer systems may include data storage systems, or disk storage systems, to process and store data. A storage system may include one or more disk drives. The disk drives may be configured in an array, such as a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) topology, to provide data security in the event of a hardware or software failure. The data storage systems may be connected to a host, such as a mainframe computer. The disk drives in many data storage systems have commonly been known as Direct Access Storage Devices (DASD). DASD devices typically store data on a track, which is a circular path on the surface of a disk on which information is recorded and from which recorded information is read. In order to achieve higher throughput in systems where multiple concurrent IO requests are processed simultaneously, data may be distributed across multiple physical devices (such as disk drives, adapters etc.) so that requests accessing different data locations may be served simultaneously. However, over time, the workload may be such that some devices may be over-utilized while some are under-utilized. Moreover, in the data storage systems the workload of the disk storage subsystems may fluctuate over time and may develop natural skew(s). The skew may create an imbalance along both bandwidth (BW) and input/outputs (I/O) per second (IOPS) dimensions and thus fail to deliver acceptable performance.

Runtime dynamic performance skew elimination

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for forming a gate silicide portion comprising the following steps. A substrate having a gate oxide layer formed is provided. A gate layer is formed over the gate oxide layer. An RPO layer is formed over the gate layer. A patterned photoresist layer is formed over the RPO layer exposing a portion of the RPO layer. The portion of the RPO layer having a patterned photoresist residue thereover. The structure is subjected to a dry plasma or gas treatment to clean the exposed portion of the RPO layer and removing the patterned photoresist residue. The RPO layer is etched using the patterned photoresist layer as a mask to expose a portion of the gate layer. The dry plasma or gas treatment preventing formation of defects or voids in the RPO layer and the poly gate layer during etching of the RPO layer. A metal layer is formed over at least the exposed portion of the gate layer. The structure is annealed to convert at least a portion of the metal layer and at least a portion of the underlying portion of the gate layer to form a gate silicide portion.

As semiconductor devices and circuits are scaled down to sub-0.25 xcexcm for VLSI technology, the gate oxide is thinner than about 50 xc3x85 and its quality becomes more and more important. However, it has been found that the polysilicon/silicon gate is etched and penetrated after HF solution etch processes. This attacks the gate oxide film and results in gate oxide failure making is difficult to maintain device control and the device easily breaks down or becomes leaky. Thus, in order to improve device performance and reliability, gate oxide integrity improvement becomes very important.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,207,492 to Tzeng et al. describes a salicide process and a rapid process oxidation (RPO) process in forming logic devices with salicide shapes on gate structures and on heavily doped source/drain regions with simultaneously forming embedded DRAM devices with salicide shapes only on gate structures.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,218,311 to McKee et al. describes a post-etch treatment of an etch-damaged semiconductor device that includes forming a protective cover over an oxidizable section of the semiconductor device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,292 to Black et al. describes a method for interconnecting, through high-density micro-post wiring, multiple semiconductor wafers with lengths of about a millimeter or below.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,194,296 to Lien describes polycide structures and method for making the same.
Accordingly, it is an object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide an improved cleaning process to improve device gate oxide integrity.
Other objects will appear hereinafter.
It has now been discovered that the above and other objects of the present invention may be accomplished in the following manner. Specifically, a substrate having a gate oxide layer formed is provided. A gate layer is formed over the gate oxide layer. An RPO layer is formed over the gate layer. A patterned photoresist layer is formed over the RPO layer exposing a portion of the RPO layer. The portion of the RPO layer having a patterned photoresist residue thereover. The structure is subjected to a dry plasma or gas treatment to clean the exposed portion of the RPO layer and removing the patterned photoresist residue. The RFO layer is etched using the patterned photoresist layer as a mask to expose a portion of the gate layer. The dry plasma or gas treatment preventing formation of defects or voids in the RPO layer and the poly gate layer during etching of the RPO layer. A metal layer is formed over at least the exposed portion of the gate layer. The structure is annealed to convert at least a portion of the metal layer and at least a portion of the underlying portion of the gate layer to form a gate silicide portion.

Dry clean process to improve device gate oxide integrity (GOI) and reliability

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company


Systems and methods can provide for improved impairment discovery for broadband communication systems. In some implementations, such systems and methods can provide cluster outage detection and/or time-stamped outage data and visualization. Improved outage discovery can help operators plan repair and thereby reduce truck rolls and decrease network down-time.

Impairment discovery is increasingly problematic as cable infrastructure becomes more ubiquitous. Network impairments can cause noisy or blocky TV pictures, unintelligible telephone conversations, slow web page downloads, or impaired 2-way communications. Outages are one of several types of impairments. Other types of impairments are high transmit level, low receive level, low modulation error rate (MER), continuous wave interference, and non-linear and linear distortions.
Currently, the most popular cable architecture is a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) architecture. An HFC architecture can employ fiber optic cable for the long distance from a hub (or headend) site to a node. A hub site is a source point for downstream signals and a destination point for upstream signals. A node is a grouping of approximately 500 homes. Inside a node the signals are distributed via coaxial cable to a terminal device, which is typically located inside a home, apartment, or office. A terminal device can be a cable modem (CM), multimedia terminal adapter (MTA), set-top box (STB), or gateway device. A coaxial portion of the cable plant is built with a tree-and-branch architecture, so an impairment on a branch can potentially affect multiple subscribers.
Impairments can be discovered using a network monitoring software, which communicate with the subscriber's equipment. One current method to find impairments is to provide a connectivity database where a list of terminal devices attached to each branch is supplied. When an impairment occurs, a defective branch can be located using a list of affected customers. However, connectivity databases can be costly to maintain and are frequently out-of-date.
Another method to find impairments uses colored pins on a map to identify subscribers without service. Cable operator databases show addresses for subscribers and can also show latitude and longitude coordinates. If a number of colored pins are noticed to form a cluster, an impairment can be declared. However, this method requires operators to stick the pins into a map and visually identify an impairment. Random isolated outages are generally ignored because they can be caused by a subscriber unplugging the terminal equipment to save electricity.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.

Impairment discovery using automatic geographical clustering


A turbine engine is provided with a longitudinal rotation axis having at least one shaft with a radial axis, in particular a pitch change system for the blades of a propeller, said shaft traversing a radial passage of a substantially cylindrical case around the longitudinal axis. The turbine engine includes an annular oil guiding device around the radial shaft. The device has first and second annular parts nested in one another and secured to one another by hooping. The first part is secured by hooping to the radial shaft, and the second part is configured so as to be separated from the first part under the action of a force oriented along the radial axis and exerted on the second part by a member of the turbine engine forming a stop during a radial movement of the radial shaft.

The change of pitch or variable setting of blades of a turbine engine propeller is one way for improving the performance and output of turbine engines under different flight conditions.
It is known turbine engine such as turboprops, for example with pairs of despun propellers, referred to by the expressions "open rotor" and "unducted fan", equipped with these pitch change systems are known. Turboprops differ from turbojet engines by the use of a propeller outside the nacelle (unducted) instead of a fan. The pitch change system may also apply to a turboprop with a propeller or adapt indifferently to several propellers.
In a turboprop of the open rotor type, a gas-generating part and a propulsion part are aligned and arranged in a stationary cylindrical nacelle supported by the structure of the aircraft. The gas-generating part can be arranged upstream or downstream from the propulsion part. The terms "upstream" and "downstream" are defined relative to the circulation of the gases in the turbine engine. The propulsion part includes a pair of coaxial and despun propellers, upstream and downstream, respectively, that are rotated in opposite directions relative to one another by a turbine, in particular a low-pressure turbine, of the gas-generating part via a reduction gear, for example an epicyclic gear set. The propellers extend substantially radially across from the transmission shaft with a longitudinal axis to the outside the nacelle. In general, each propeller comprises a substantially cylindrical rotary case bearing an outer polygonal hub received rotatably around the longitudinal axis in the stationary nacelle. The hub includes radial cylindrical housings distributed on its periphery around the longitudinal axis. Shafts with radial axes, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the turbine engine, secured to roots of the blades, are received in the housings of the polygonal rings and also traverse radial passages of the cylindrical case. Rotational guide bearings housed in these radial passages keep the radial shafts in their passages.
An example system for changing the pitch of each propeller is known from document WO2013/050704. In FIG. 2, this pitch change system 23A is installed in the core of the rotary parts, for example with an annular control cylinder 25A rotating the roots of the blades. The annular control cylinder 25A includes a cylinder 27A mounted on a stationary case 13A and a piston 29A connected to a connecting mechanism 26A that is connected to each shaft 47A having a radial axis. A cylindrical rotary case 11A rotates around the stationary case. To that end, at least one bearing 12A is arranged between the stationary case 13A and the rotary case 11A. The system further comprises a load transfer bearing 34A whereof the inner ring is secured to the piston 29A and the outer ring is connected to the connecting mechanism 26A and lubricating means for said bearing 34A. The movement of the piston following the fluid command of the annular control cylinder 25A ensures the desired angular pivoting of the blades by the connecting mechanism 26A by pivoting the radial shafts 47A connected to the blades. The radial shafts 47A convert the force generated by the annular control cylinder 25A into a torque directly on the module of the propeller. These shafts 47A traverse the rotating parts, on the same occasion traverse at least one ventilation duct 22A, a primary air duct 20A in which hot air circulates and a lubricant oil enclosure 23A in which the oil that made it possible to lubricate the load transfer bearing 34A propagates, under the effect of the rotation thereof, in the form of mist or droplets of oil. This oil enclosure 23A is situated near the primary air ducts 20A and zones with a high temperature gradient.
Sealing problems may arise at the passage of the radial shaft due to the forces applied on the rotary part and, in particular, the movements of the radial shafts during the movement of the pitch change system of the blades. These forces are multiplied when the control cylinder is such that it plays a structural role. The radial shafts 47A can thus move radially and axially in the rotary part.
It is therefore known, as shown in FIG. 3, to use annular sealing means 10A between the radial shaft 47A and a peripheral edge 35A of the passage of the rotary case 11A to limit, or even avoid, the risks of pollution or oil leakage. However, some sealing means are not effective, since they do not accept the radial movements of the radial shaft. Thus, the ventilation duct 22A, traversed by the radial shaft 47A, can be polluted due to the oil stored in the oil enclosure 23A and able to penetrate the ventilation duct due to the movements of the radial shaft. The sealing means 10A can also break, causing oil leaks that may lead to a fire in the turbine engine, in light of the substantial heat of this environment. It is also known to use an oil deflector 11A in case of failure of the sealing means. However, the integration of the deflector on the radial shaft in such a cluttered zone is problematic in terms of the disassembly of the radial shaft, since this would involve using the oil deflector to remove the rotational guide bearings 15A of the radial shaft or the destruction of the deflector.

Turbine engine with an oil guiding device and method for disassembling the turbine engine


A method for protecting a dynamically reconfigurable computing system includes generating an encoding key and passing the encoding key, through a system level bus, to at least one field programmable logic device and to a function library included within the system. The function library contains a plurality of functions for selective programming into the at least one field programmable logic device. A lock is generated so as to prevent external resources with respect to the system from accessing the encoding key during the passing thereof.

The present invention relates generally to dynamically reconfigurable hardware and computing systems, and, more particularly, to a method for system level protection of field programmable logic devices.
The development and execution of processing algorithms may be classified under two broad categories of implementation: software and hardware. An algorithm implemented in software utilizes a set of general purpose instructions that provide a high degree of flexibility in implementing a wide variety of processing tasks. However, a processor used in such software implementations has a fixed architecture, and the overhead associated with supporting its large number of general purpose instructions decreases overall performance. An algorithm implemented in hardware, on the other hand, such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), is optimized for a single or limited number of processing task(s) and is dedicated to those tasks. While such hardware implementations can provide a higher performance solution, they also have the disadvantages of lower flexibility and longer time to market.
Traditional software implementations provide many advantages to the developer, including reusable processing platforms that can perform many tasks and an iterative design approach. However, these advantages come at the expense of performance. Such traditional software implementations work on an instruction basis, which limits throughput. Moreover, they suffer due to their very limited form of parallelism, a lack of dynamic reconfigurability. Microprocessor architectures used with such software implementations are not well suited for efficiently dealing with many applications that require concurrent processing, such as multimedia data and processing network protocols.
Traditional hardware implementations are optimized to provide efficient processing of a single (or a limited number of) algorithm(s). This provides a high level of performance, but since the hardware is fixed, there is limited reuse of the processing platform and the development platform does not allow for iterative development because changes to the hardware are costly and time consuming.
Since the early 1980's, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) have been used to provide a partial solution to the limitations encountered in traditional software and hardware implementations. FPGAs are computing devices that can implement virtually any digital circuit in hardware. In addition, many of them can be reconfigured simply by loading them with a different "hardware" program. This allows them to implement many processing algorithms with performance that approaches that of dedicated hardware while retaining the flexibility to dynamically reconfigure the implementation when necessary. This hybrid technology of reprogrammable hardware can provide many of the advantages of both hardware and software.
However, since Programmable Logic Structures (PLS), such as FPGAs, have become more pervasive as reprogrammable logic sources on larger, system-on-chip (SOC) structures, the programming of a PLS may become susceptible to subversion by programming for uses not intended by the designer of the system. In particular, a PLS may be vulnerable to a software virus type of attack. Because a PLS may define a function that, in turn, controls an outside function (e.g., motor control of a manufacturing robot), the security of the PLS can become a serious concern in designing a PLS in an SOC.
The art of using a library to store multiple functions that can then be transported across a system bus and subsequently programmed into a PLS is known in the art, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,307 to Davis, et al. Accordingly, given such a system architecture, it becomes desirable to be able to allow only correct programming information to be written into the PLS.

Method for system level protection of field programmable logic devices


A method of dynamically controlling pressure to a torque converter clutch (TCC) of a torque converter coupled to a transmission is provided. The method includes: monitoring throttle position; monitoring engine speed; controlling pressure to the torque converter clutch to increase slip after the throttle position indicates a tip-in has occurred and when engine speed is low; regulating at least one of a transmission steady state pressure to the transmission and pressure to the torque converter to maintain the increased slip; and controlling pressure to the torque converter to reduce slip by engaging the torque converter clutch.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Automatic transmissions use a fluid clutch known as a torque converter to transfer engine torque from the engine to the transmission. The torque converter operates through hydraulic force provided by pressurized fluid from the automatic transmission. The torque converter multiplies engine torque and directs it through the transmission.
A conventional torque converter includes a sealed chamber filled with hydraulic fluid. The chamber includes a pump (or impeller) driven by the engine, a turbine connected to an output shaft, and a stator that provides torque multiplication. As the impeller rotates, the centrifugal force pushes the pressurized fluid outward, causing the turbine to rotate. Fluid exiting the turbine strikes the stator. Blades of the stator act to reverse the radial direction of the fluid's motion so that the fluid is moving the same direction as the impeller when it reenters the impeller chambers. This reversal of direction greatly increases the efficiency of the impeller. The force of the fluid striking the stator blades also exerts torque on the turbine output shaft, providing additional torque multiplication equivalent to a higher numerical gear ratio.
A torque converter is said to "slip" when the impeller speed and the turbine speed are not equivalent. High slip rates reduce the efficiency of the torque converter and may generate excessive heat. Some converters incorporate a lockup mechanism such as a mechanical clutch that engages at cruising speeds to physically link the impeller with the turbine. The physical link causes the impeller and the turbine to rotate at the same or near the same speed, thereby reducing or eliminating slip. The clutch is applied and released via fluid supplied through a hollow shaft at the center axis of the rotating converter assembly.
Engaging the torque converter clutch is not desirable in all modes of vehicle operation. Lockup conditions prevent the torque converter from providing torque multiplication. Instances may occur, for example, when driving along the highway and the driver steps on the accelerator pedal to pass another vehicle (referred to below as a throttle tip-in). The vehicle is operating in a higher gear with low engine speed (i.e. less than 2000 rpm) and the torque converter clutch is locked. If the current speed is above the requisite speed to initiate a downshift, the engine will remain at the low speed and the lockup will prevent torque transfer that is sufficient to accelerate the vehicle.


A therapeutic treatment system and method are provided. The therapeutic system includes a light source adapted to irradiate at least a portion of the brain with light and a non-light energy source adapted to apply non-light energy to the at least a portion of the brain. The therapeutic treatment method includes irradiating at least a portion of a patient's brain with light and applying a non-light energy to the at least a portion of the patient's brain. The therapeutic treatment method provides therapeutic treatment without damaging the scalp tissue of the patient.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to phototherapy, and more particularly, to novel apparatuses and methods for phototherapy of brain tissue affected by stroke.
Description of the Related Art
Stroke, also called cerebrovascular accident (CVA), is a sudden disruption of blood flow to a discrete area of the brain that is brought on by a clot lodging in an artery supplying that area of that brain, or by a cerebral hemorrhage due to a ruptured aneurysm or a burst artery. The consequence of stroke is a loss of function in the affected brain region and concomitant loss of bodily function in areas of the body controlled by the affected brain region. Depending upon the extent and location of the primary insult in the brain, loss of function varies greatly from mild or severe, and may be temporary or permanent. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet, level of physical activity and high cholesterol increase the risk of stroke, and thus stroke is a major cause of human suffering in developed nations. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in most developed nations, including the United States.
Until recently, stroke treatment was restricted to providing basic life support at the time of the stroke, followed by rehabilitation. Recently, new drug therapies have taken the approach of breaking up blood clots or protecting surviving at-risk neurons from further damage.
Thrombolytic therapy includes aspirin or intravenous heparin to prevent further clot formation and to maintain blood flow after an ischemic stroke. Thrombolytic drugs include tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) and genetically engineered versions thereof, and streptokinase. However, streptokinase does not appear to improve the patient's outlook unless administered early (within three hours of stroke). TPA when administered early appears to substantially improve prognosis, but slightly increases the risk of death from hemorrhage. In addition, over half of stroke patients arrive at the hospital more than three hours after a stroke, and even if they arrive quickly, a CT scan must first confirm that the stroke is not hemorrhagic, which delays administration of the drug. Also, patients taking aspirin or other blood thinners and patients with clotting abnormalities should not be given TPA.
Neuroprotective drugs target surviving but endangered neurons in a zone of risk surrounding the area of primary infarct. Such drugs are aimed at slowing down or preventing the death of such neurons, to reduce the extent of brain damage. Certain neuroprotective drugs are anti-excitotoxic, i.e., work to block the excitotoxic effects of excitatory amino acids such as glutamate that cause cell membrane damage under certain conditions. Other drugs such as citicoline work by repairing damaged cell membranes. Lazaroids such as Tirilazed (Freedox) counteract oxidative stress produced by oxygen-free radicals produced during stroke. Other drugs for stroke treatment include agents that block the enzyme known as PARP, and calcium-channel blockers such as nimodipine (Nimotop) that relax the blood vessels to prevent vascular spasms that further limit blood supply. However, the effect of nimodipine is reduced if administered beyond six hours after a stroke and it is not useful for ischemic stroke. In addition, drug therapy includes the risk of adverse side effects and immune responses.
Surgical treatment for stroke includes carotid endarterectomy, which appears to be especially effective for reducing the risk of stroke recurrence for patients exhibiting arterial narrowing of more than 70%. However, endarterectomy is highly invasive, and risk of stroke recurrence increases temporarily after surgery. Experimental stroke therapies include an angiography-type or angioplasty-type procedure using a thin catheter to remove or reduce the blockage from a clot. However, such procedures have extremely limited availability and increase the risk of embolic stroke. Other surgical interventions, such as those to repair an aneurysm before rupture remain controversial because of disagreement over the relative risks of surgery versus leaving the aneurysm untreated.
Against this background, a high level of interest remains in finding new and improved therapeutic apparatuses and methods for the treatment of stroke. In particular, a need remains for relatively inexpensive and non-invasive approaches to treating stroke that also avoid the limitations of drug therapy.

Method for providing phototherapy to the brain


A system and method for providing real-time alert message to one or more subscribers in a service provider network is provided. The service provider network may be an enterprise, a communication service provider or a hosted service. A throttler application receives request for alert message generated by an alert originator application and relays the request to a gateway of an alert notification module. A token associated with the request is validated. Based on token parameter values which includes subscriber identities, delivery channel specifications, alert originator application priorities and end point identities, the alert message is customized and is presented to one or more appropriate delivery channel servers. The alert message is then delivered to the one or more subscribers.

Alert messaging is the process of reliably and securely circulating messages associated with an event to interested users. Due to the growth of Information Technology (IT) and telecommunications sectors in the recent past, the dissemination of alert messages has become prompt and easier.
Since existing business environment faces the challenge of reaching increasingly segmented markets, the design, delivery, and analysis of business communications needs to be tightly integrated across multiple alert notification channels. Telecommunication channels through which subscribers can receive alert messages may include email, fax, text messaging, instant messaging, broadband network and the like. Due to myriad software applications implemented by businesses and the vast demographics of customers, it may become necessary to segment alert messages so that the messages can be sent through channels based on business needs as well as customer preferences. Further, in order to maintain strong customer relationships, businesses need to time the messages precisely.
In light of the above, there exists a need for a system and method to provide real-time alert notification to subscribers.

Method and system for providing real-time alert notification


Provided are compositions and methods for treating, ameliorating and preventing various infections, disorders and conditions in mammals, including genetically-predisposed and chronic disorders, where a microbial or bacterial flora is at least one causative or symptom-producing factor, where exemplary compositions are products of manufacture, a food, a drink, a nutraceutical, a dietary supplement, a formulation, a pharmaceutical or a pharmaceutical preparation comprising at least one or several of a plurality of isolated, or substantially purified bacteriophages or prophages, or bacteriophage subunits, a milk, a milk product, milk lipid, milk fat globule (MFG) macromolecule, a milk mucin, a milk glycolipid, a milk free glycan, a milk mucin-like glycoprotein, a milk protein, a milk sugar or lactose, a milk fat or butterfat, a milk vitamin. In alternative embodiment, provided are compositions and methods for treating, preventing or ameliorating an infection, for example, an infection in the gastrointestinal tract, or bowel.

Mucosal surfaces are the primary zones where animals meet their environment, and thus also the main points of entry for pathogenic microorganisms. The mucus layer is heavily colonized by bacterial symbionts that provide additional genetic and metabolic potentials to the host (1, 2). Bacterial symbionts are associated with a variety of host surfaces, providing beneficial goods and services, e.g., nutrients (3-6), bioluminescence (7, 8), and antibiotics (9, 10). The resident symbiotic bacteria benefit from the available nutrients, as well as the opportunity for both vertical transmission and increased dissemination (11-13).
Within the mucus, the predominant macromolecules are the large (up to 106-109 Da) mucin glycoproteins. The amino acid backbone of these proteins incorporates tandem repeats of exposed hydrophobic regions alternating with blocks with extensive O-linked glycosylation (14). Hundreds of variable, branched, negatively-charged glycan chains extend 0.5-5 nm from the peptide core outward into the surrounding environment (14, 15). In addition to mucins, DNA, proteins and other cellular debris are also present. Continual secretion and shedding of mucins maintains a protective mucus layer from 10 to 700 μm thick, depending on species and body location (16-19).
By offering both structure and nutrients, mucus layers commonly support higher bacterial concentrations than the surrounding environment (20, 21). Secretions produced by the underlying epithelium influence the composition of this microbiota (22-24). Of necessity, hosts employ a variety of mechanisms to limit microbial colonization (23, 25-27). When invaded by pathogens, the epithelium may respond by increased production of anti-microbial agents, hypersecretion of mucin, or alteration of mucin glycosylation patterns to subvert microbial attachment (28-30).
Also present in the mucus environment are bacteriophage (phage), the most common and diverse biological entities. As specific bacterial predators, they increase microbial diversity through Red Queen/Kill-the-Winner dynamics (31, 32). Many phages instead establish symbiotic relationships with their bacterial hosts through lysogeny. As integrated prophages they often express genes that increase host fitness or virulence (33-35) and protect their host from lysis by related phages. As free phages they aid their host strain by killing competing strains (36-38). Phages participate, along with their bacterial hosts, in tripartite symbioses with metazoans that affect metazoan fitness (39-42). However, no direct symbiotic interactions between phage and metazoans are known.
Recently, Minot et al. showed that phages in the human gut encode a population of hypervariable proteins (43). For 29 hypervariable regions, evidence indicated that hypervariability was conferred by targeted mutagenesis through a reverse transcription mechanism (43, 44). Approximately half of these encoded proteins (14) possessed the C-type lectin fold previously found in the major tropism determinant protein at the tip of the Bordetella phage BPP-1 tail fibers (45); six others contained Ig-like domains. These Ig-like proteins, similar to antibodies and T-cell receptors, can accommodate large sequence variation (>1013 potential alternatives) (46). Immunoglobulin-like (Ig-like) domains are also displayed in the structural proteins of many phage (47, 48). That most of these displayed Ig-like domains are dispensable for phage growth in the laboratory (44, 48) led to the hypothesis that they aid adsorption to their bacterial prey under environmental conditions (48). The possible role and function of these hypervariable proteins remain to be clarified.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Products of manufacture comprising bacteriophages

SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY (SDSU) FOUNDATION

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OE CALIFORNIA


The surface of red meat is treated with an trialkali metal orthophosphate to reduce, remove, retard or control salmonella, campylobacter, E. coli, and spoilage bacteria without causing organoleptic depreciation of the meat, including color change.

The invention relates to a treatment step made during slaughter of fresh meat and more particularly to treating pork, beef, veal, mutton, lamb and goat carcasses with a solution of alkali metal orthophosphate to remove, retard or reduce bacterial contamination and/or growth without causing substantial organoleptic depreciation of the meat.
Red meat, during and after slaughter, may contain or become contaminated with certain undesirable bacteria such as salmonella, campylobacter, listeria, E. coli, spoilage bacteria, and the like. The red meat is processed by removing the hide, eviscerating, cooling and cutting into larger cuts for fresh, cured meat or boxed meat. The fresh red meat obtained after evisceration is chilled by hanging the sides of red meat at a temperature usually below 10.degree. C. Beef is hung for a considerable period to allow natural enzymes to tenderize the beef. Pork is simply cooled. For certain primal cuts, such as ham, bacon, corned beef and pastrami the cuts are cured by chilling below 10.degree. C. followed by injection of a solution containing salt, nitrite and/or nitrate, sweetener, cure accelerator, one or more polyphosphates, spices and flavorings. The meat is prepared to 105% to 130% of its weight with curing solution. Boxed meat is cut into primal cuts after chilling, vacuum packaged and boxed.
As disclosed in Zyss U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,975, primal cuts of red meat are maintained between 32.degree.-42.degree. F. (for about 3 to 5 days). During that period, the sodium nitrite reacts with the myoglobin of the meat to form nitrosomyoglobin which insures good color to the meat. The addition of the curing solution to the primal cuts imparts improved texture, tenderness, flavor and color that would be lacking if the curing brine was not added to the meat. Zyss teaches that for people with a sodium problem, a pumping solution of potassium salts including potassium orthophosphates could be employed.
A second patent to Zyss, U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,543, suggests the addition of phosphate compositions including potassium orthophosphates to processed meats as a binding agent in from 0.2 to 2.0% by weight of the mix. Zyss clearly avoids alkaline pH since he indicated that alkaline pH decreases the meat's shelf life. Zyss neutralizes with acid to pH 6.4 to 6.8. In example II, Zyss prepares a bologna product using about 1% tripotassium orthophosphate. Surprisingly, we have found that surface orthophosphate treatment increased shelf life.
Ueno, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,892, uses ethanol to sterilize certain food and processing machinery and may employ a carbonate and/or trialkali orthophosphate combined with the ethanol to enhance the ethanol's effectiveness.
Several patents to Swartz, U.S. Pat. No. 3,493,392, U.S. Pat. No. 3,620,767, and Canadian Patent No. 847,280, use phosphates including sodium orthophosphate as a processing aid for fish.
Bynagte, U.S. Pat. No. 3,705,040, uses phosphates to help remove shrimp from their shells. Sodium orthophosphate at 2-15% with other ingredients can be employed.
Cheng, U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,139, teaches a process for obtaining prepackaged fresh meat at retail wherein the shelf life of the meat is increased by treatment with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal salt of certain phosphate compounds, a reducing compound such as ascorbic acid and a sequestering or chelating agent such as citric acid. The phosphate can be an orthophosphate, pyrophosphate, tripolyphosphate or hexametaphosphate. Meat pH is below neutral.
Szczesniak et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,357, teaches salt combined with a secondary salt selected from alkali metal salts of organic acids and trisodium orthophosphate, polyphosphate, metaphosphate and ultraphosphate. Citrates are preferably combined with sodium chloride. These mixtures are used to control water activity in intermediate moisture cooked food.
Kohl, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,681,091, teaches treating foods including fish fillet with 10% solutions of medium chain length polyphosphates.
Freund, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,957,770, teaches improving the properties of meat with a casein composition which can include inorganic orthophosphates such as disodium hydrogen orthophosphate.
Many treatment systems for poultry have been suggested. It has been reported that the thermal death rate of salmonellae can be increased during scalding by elevating the pH of the scald water to pH 9.0+0.2. Agents such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, and trisodium phosphate have been reported as effective pH adjusting agents for use in increasing the thermal death rate of the bacteria. Trisodium phosphate was reported as least effective in increasing the death rate. See "The Effect on pH Adjustment on the Microbiology of Chicken Scald-tank Water With Particular Reference to the Death Rate of Salmonellae", T. J. Humphrey, et al., Journal of Applied Bacteriology 1981, 51 pp. T. J. Humphrey, et al. have also reviewed the pH effect of scald water on Salmonella on chicken skin. See "The Influence of Scald Water pH on the Death Rates of Salmonella typhimurium and Other Bacteria Attached to Chicken Skin", Journal of Applied Bacteriology 1984, 57 (2), pp. 355-359. Scald water adjusted to pH 9.+-.0.2 as in the 1981 paper can help to reduce external and internal cross-contamination of carcasses by salmonellas.
"Phosphate and Heat Treatments to Control Salmonella and Reduce Spoilage and Rancidity on Broiler Carcasses", J. E. Thompson, et al., Poultry Science, 1979, 58, 139-143 teach kenaphosphate, a blend of 90% sodium tripolyphosphate and 10% sodium hexametaphosphate did not consistently or effectively effect either salmonella survival or total bacterial count.
Attempts have been made to pasteurize poultry meat by treating the meat with a solution containing agents such as lactic acid, acetic acid, sodium carbonate, sodium borate, sodium chloride, potassium hydroxide, chlorine and EDTA. All treatments, except sodium borate, sodium chloride, and sodium carbonate reduced the visual acceptability of the meat. Chlorine failed to destroy bacteria on the surface of the poultry but would be expected to control salmonellae in water. See Chemical Pasteurization of Poultry Meat, J. S. Teotia, Disseration Abstracts Int'l. B., 1974, 34(a), 4142. It is known that the shelf life of chicken carcasses can be increased 1 to 2 days by chilling the poultry in a solution of 6% sodium tripolyphosphate/0.7% tetrasodium pyrophosphate (Kena-available from Rhone-Poulenc, Inc., Food Ingredients Division). See The Antimicrobial Effect of Phosphate With Particular Reference To Food Products, L. L. Hargreaves, et al., The British Food Manufacturing Industries Research Association, Scientific and Technical Surveys, No. 76, April 1972, Pages 1-20 at Page 12. Many patents and articles suggest the use of polyphosphates in preserving meat and fish products.
In addition, it is also stated in the Hargreaves reference at page 7 that G. Pacheco and V. M. Dias in an article entitled Bacteriolytic Action of Phosphates, Mems Institute Oswaldo Cruz, 52 (2) ppg. 405-414, reported on the bacteriolytic action of solutions of monosodium, disodium, trisodium and dipotassium orthophosphates on dead and living cells of Salmonella typhosa, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Trisodium phosphate dodecahydrate is stated to have the greatest lytic action. The reference does not relate to treating meat or fish.
British patent 935,413 teaches treating raw poultry in the chill tank with a non-cyclic polyphosphate. It is taught that this method provides increased preservation of the poultry flesh by decreasing exudate and thereby decreasing spread of bacteria.
Trisodium phosphate has also been found to be effective in inhibiting the growth of blue mold in cuts and bruises in fruit by treating the broken surface with the solution of trisodium phosphate (U.S. Pat. No. 1,774,310 ).
Trisodium orthophosphate is also a known and widely used anticaking agent (see U.S. Pat. No. 2,770,548).

Process for treating red meat to control bacterial contamination and/or growth


An adaptive cruise control for a motor vehicle includes a detection module for detecting a vehicle ahead, a production module capable of producing a setpoint, a storage module configured to store a value corresponding to the setpoint, a chronometer configured to be initialized and activated at a moment when the vehicle stops, and a reinitialization module for reinitializing the storage module. This cruise control includes a setup module capable of determining a limit according to the environment of the vehicle. The reinitialization module reinitializes the value stored by the storage module if the chronometer provides a duration greater than the limit.

Devices for aiding motor vehicle driving comprise adaptive cruise controllers also known by the term "Adaptive Cruise Control Stop And Go systems" or by the corresponding acronym "ACCS&G". An adaptive cruise controller incorporated in a follower vehicle makes it possible to control the cruising of the follower vehicle by taking account of a lead vehicle situated in front of the follower vehicle. The expression "control the cruising" is understood to mean to control the speed of the follower vehicle or the distance between the follower vehicle and the lead vehicle. When the lead vehicle stops, the adaptive cruise controller detects this stopping and orders the stopping of the follower vehicle. When the lead vehicle restarts, the adaptive cruise controller stops ordering the stopping of the follower vehicle.
In a conventional manner, an adaptive command controller is capable of storing a control setpoint before the instant of stopping of the follower vehicle. When the lead vehicle restarts, control resumes with the stored setpoint. For example, the adaptive cruise controller keeps in memory a setpoint for activation of a speed control of the follower vehicle at a setpoint speed. When the lead vehicle restarts, the speed control is automatically activated at the setpoint speed.
Such a design does not afford full satisfaction however. Indeed, when the lead vehicle stops at a traffic light, at a stop signal or at a roundabout, the resumption of control with the stored setpoint can generate dangerous situations, such as the absence of the marking of stopping at the traffic light, at the stop signal, or else the breaching of a priority rule.
To alleviate these drawbacks, it has been proposed to reinitialize the stored setpoint if the stopping of the lead vehicle exceeds a limit of the order of a few seconds.
Although such a solution makes it possible to limit the danger occasioned by storing the setpoint, it constrains the driver to reactivate the control in situations not exhibiting any particular danger, for example in stop-start traffic on a highway.
In view of the foregoing, the aim of the invention is to allow adaptive cruise control alleviating the aforementioned drawbacks.

Adaptive cruise control for motor vehicle


A system comprises a reflective optical element with a reflective surface that is configured to reflect a radiation beam. The reflective optical element also has a body. The system includes a thermal conditioning mechanism operative to thermally induce a deformation of the body under control of a controller. By means of controllably deforming the body, the shape of the reflective surface can be adjusted in a controlled manner.

A lithographic apparatus is a machine constructed to apply a desired pattern onto a substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). A lithographic apparatus may, for example, project a pattern at a patterning device (e.g., a mask) onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on a substrate.
To project a pattern on a substrate a lithographic apparatus may use electromagnetic radiation. The wavelength of this radiation determines the minimum size of features which can be formed on the substrate. A lithographic apparatus, which uses extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation, having a wavelength within the range 4-20 nm, for example 6.7 nm or 13.5 nm, may be used to form smaller features on a substrate than a lithographic apparatus which uses, for example, radiation with a wavelength of 193 nm.
The lithographic apparatus may comprise a radiation source operable to produce radiation (for example EUV radiation). The radiation source may be of the form of a laser produced plasma (LPP) source. The radiation source may, for example, comprise a laser system (which may, for example, include a CO2 laser), arranged to deposit energy via a laser beam into a fuel so as to produce EUV radiation.
The laser system may be spatially separated from the radiation source. Where this is the case, the laser beam may be passed from the laser system to the radiation source with the aid of a beam delivery system comprising, for example, suitable directing mirrors and/or a beam expander, and/or other optics.
It may be desirable to provide laser delivery systems and/or optical elements for laser delivery systems that at least partially address one or more problems associated with prior art arrangements, whether identified herein or otherwise.

Reflective optical element for a radiation beam


A method, system, backend, terminal, and computer program product are disclosed for producing a secure communication channel for a terminal, the method having the following method steps. A first method step for setting up a secure communication channel between a communication partner and a backend by a communication protocol. A second method step for producing a communication channel between the communication partner and the terminal. A third method step for transmitting the channel binding information. A fourth method step for storing the channel binding information on the terminal. A fifth method step for creating a data structure and a first digital signature across the data structure y. A sixth method step for sending the data structure and the digital signature from the backend to the terminal. A seventh method step for checking authenticity of the data structure.

Security credentials such as, in particular, digital certificates, a security token or a security ticket are needed to support security services in particular scenarios. Such security services may be, for example, the establishment of a communication channel between two partners or else the transport of a license ticket between two or three participating parties. A security infrastructure usually provides such security credentials.
In a specific application which comprises the communication between three parties, there is a need to ensure that security credentials have firstly been transported in a cryptographically correct manner, but also via a secured communication channel.

Method and system for producing a secure communication channel for terminals


Unused thread is automatically removed from a spool by a device which holds the spool in position for a thread cutting operation. A clamping device is provided to maintain the unused thread on the spool during the cutting operation. A cutting device is movable into engagement with the thread and movable axially along the spool for cutting the unused thread. The clamping device is then actuated to release the cut thread and permit the same to separate from the spool.

This invention relates generally to cutting and more particularly to removing unused thread from a spool.
Nylon and other types of thread are commonly used in the production of carpet. The thread is supplied to carpet making machinery from large spools. Substantially all of the thread is used from the spool, however, a small portion of unused thread still remains on the spool at the time it is replaced by another spool which contains a replenished supply of thread. Since these spools are to be rewound with a replenished supply of thread, the small portion of unused thread must be removed from the spool before the spool can be rewound.
Removal of the unused thread must be accomplished with the least amount of damage to the spools so as to prolong re-use of the spools. It is difficult to avoid damaging the spools since cutting devices are commonly used to remove the thread from the spools. Accomplishing the thread removal automatically by the use of machinery is preferable but it is difficult since through re-use, the spools gradually change shape and therefore the machinery must be adaptable to the changing shapes.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present devices and methods. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.

Apparatus for removing unused thread from a spool


Disclosed is a damping force control device for a vehicle that controls the damping coefficient of a damping force generation device on the basis of a final target control amount that is based on the target control amount for attitude control, which suppresses changes in the vehicle body attitude in at least the rolling direction, and the target control amount for riding comfort control, which increases riding comfort with regards to vehicle body vibrations in at least the rolling direction. The target control amount for riding comfort control is a control amount calculated as the total of a fixed basic control amount and a variable control amount. The target control amount and the variable control amount for attitude control are calculated, a post-correction basic control amount, which is nearer to the target control amount for attitude control than the basic control amount, is calculated, and the total of the post-correction basic control amount and the variable control amount is set as the final target control amount, thereby excellently achieving both the suppression of attitude changes and an increase in riding comfort.

There have been proposed various damping force control devices which control damping coefficient of a damping force generation device installed corresponding to each vehicle wheel. For example, there has already been known a damping force control device which controls a damping coefficient of each damping force generation device based on a target control amount for suppressing changes in a vehicle body attitude and a target control amount for increasing riding comfort of a vehicle (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-44523).
In the case where a damping coefficient of each damping force generation device is controlled based on the total of a target control amount for attitude control and a target control amount for riding comfort control, a requirement of control amount may become too large, which may rather deteriorate riding comfort of a vehicle. On the other hand, in the case where a damping coefficient of each damping force generation device is controlled based on the higher one of a target control amount for attitude control and a target control amount for riding comfort control, it may be difficult to effectively enhance riding comfort of a vehicle.

Damping force control device for vehicle


A mobile antenna system for use at frequencies in and above the 800 MHz band having a collinear radiator mounted on one surface of a dielectric such as the window of a vehicle. A coupling system is affixed to a second surface of the dielectric. The coupling system includes a counterpoise for coupling RF energy between the radiator and a transmission line connected to a suitable transceiver. Decoupling members connected to the counterpoise minimize coupling of radio frequency energy to defogger wires on the window.

The recent introduction of cellular telephone services which utilize frequencies in the 800 MHz frequency band and above, has increased interest in efficient mobile antenna systems for those frequencies. Such services typically utilize a fairly broad bandwidth. For example, existing and/or proposed systems operate over frequency bands of about 800-870 MHz, 820-900 MHz, and 860-940 MHz. Different parts of each band are for transmission and reception. As can be seen by the above figures, the bandwidth of such operating systems ranges from between about 60 to about 80 MHz. Thus, any antenna designed for use with such systems should provide efficient radiation characteristics and low VSWR over these bandwidths In addition, the same antenna shjould be suitable for reception on frequencies adjacent to the transmission frequencies.
In addition, mobile antennae for such communications systems are designed to be mounted on vehicles. A form of permanent installation on the vehicle is often necessary. Preferred locations provide the uniform radiation patterns, such as vehicle rooftops. Roof mounting requires cutting holes in the body of the vehicle to permanently mount the antenna in place. This is not always a satisfactory arrangement for vehicle owners.
Alternate mounting locations, such as fenders or trunk lids, which may allow for different mounting techniques, result in deterioration in the desired uniformity in the radiation pattern. It would be desirable, therefore to have an antenna which could operate at these ultra-high frequencies with the required 60 MHz-80 MHz bandwidths and which at the same time could provide the desired operating characteristics without requiring vehicle marring mounting arrangements that require body repair when the antenna system is removed from the vehicle.
The mounting of a communications antenna on insulated surfaces such as the windshield or other window of an automotive vehicle is known for much lower frequencies. One such antenna system is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,799, which issued to Parfitt on Dec. 9, 1980. The disclosure of that patent is incorporated herein by reference.
The antenna system of the Parfitt patent is particularly adapted for operation in the CB and related bands at frequencies of about 28-29 MHz. These frequencies are well below the frequencies used for cellular phone communication systems. Further, the required bandwidth is not as great.
Antennae similar to and adapted from the antenna disclosed in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,799 have been designed and operated at somewhat higher frequencies than those disclosed in that patent. However, as frequencies increase and reach the frequencies utilized in cellular phone systems, those at and above the 800 MHz band, structures utilized for lower frequencies are no longer appropriate.
Furthermore, the antenna disclosed in the Parfitt patent is a relatively narrow band antenna which does not operate satisfactorily over the wide frequency bands which are required for cellular phone systems.
Known cellular mobile on-glass antennae, such as those disclosed in the parent application hereto, Ser. No 799,202, entitled Cellular Mobile Communications Antenna, are often mounted on vehicle rear windows. It has been discovered that on occasion previously used, on-glass cellular mobile antennas physically overlapped the defogger wires on some vehicle rear windows. This overlap can result in undesirable coupling between the antenna and the defogger wires. The coupling results in degradation of the performance of the antenna, e.g. a reduction in radiated power.
There is thus a continuing need for cellular mobile antennae which are mountable on a vehicular dielectric member and which are decoupled from defogger wires located in or on the dielectric member.
In addition, the antenna of the above noted patent application is tunable. While a tunable antenna can provide excellent performance, the possibility of detuning by accident exists. Thus, there is a need for cellular mobile antennae that are not inadvertently detunable.


A method and device are presented for producing an intensive flow of atoms from an input flow of a molecular gas. Effects of ignition of a gas discharge of a complex type and dissociation of the gas molecules by electron impact in a discharge cell are utilized. The flow of atoms is output from the discharge cell through at least one emitting aperture. The complex gas discharge is composed of a main discharge and two auxiliary discharges of different types ignited in substantially coinciding zones of the discharge cell. The main discharge is an arc Penning discharge ignited in the vicinity of at least one emitting aperture. The first auxiliary discharge is a magnetron discharge with heated cathode, and the second auxiliary discharge is either a Penning discharge, or a Penning discharge with hollow cathode. The dissociation of the gas molecules is thereby carried out in the complex discharge and results in creation of the flow of hot and thermally atoms.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing flows of molecular gas atoms, in particular an atomic hydrogen flow. The invention is particularly useful in the manufacture, of semiconductor devices and integrated circuits.
The following is a list of references, which is intended for a better understanding of the background of the present invention.
1. Leone S., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 1995, 34. p. 2073-2082;
2. Orlikovsky A. A., Microelectronics, 1999, 28(5), p. 344-362;
3. Roussean A. et al., Pulsed microwave discharge: a very efficient H atom source, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys., 1994, 27, p.2439-2441;
4. Popov O. A., Waldron H., J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A., 1989, 7(3), p. 914-917;
5. Kroon R., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 1997, 36, p. 5068-5071;
6. Bardos L., Barankova H., Berg S., Appl. Phys. Lett., 1997, 70(5), p. 577-579;
7. Lepert G., Thieme H. J., Osten H. J., J. Electrochem. Soc. 1995, V. 142. 1, p. 191-195;
8. Sugaya T., Kawabe M., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 1991, 30(3A), p. L402-L404;
9. Wolan J. P., Mount C. K., Hoflund G. B., J. Vac. Sci. Technol., A., 1997, 15(5), p. 2502-2507;
10. D. Korzec et al., J. Vac. Sci. Technol., A, 13(4), 1995, p. 2074-2085;
11. U.S. Pat. No. 5,693,173;
12. Applications Note. EPI MBE Production Group. August/September, 1994;
13. Applications Note. EPI MBE Production Group. Jan. 1, 1996;
14. Livshits A. I., Balghiti F. El., Bacal M., Plasma Source Sci. Technol., 1994, 3, p. 465-472;
15. Hoflund G. B., Weaver J. F., Meas. Sci. Technol. 1994, 5, pp. 201-204;
16. Merfy E., Brofy D., Convenient source with a SHF-discharge in an elongated resonator for producing streams of of hydrogen atoms, Devices for Scientific Investigations, 1979, 5, p. 121-122;
17. Geddes J. et al., Plasma Source Sci. Technol., 1993, 2, p. 93-99;
18. RF Gas Cracker/Reactive Atom Sourcexe2x80x94HD Series, The product of Oxford Applied Research;
19. U.S., Pat. No. 5,336,533:
20. Goodman R. S., Materer N., Leone S. R., J. Vac. Sci. Technol., B., 1997, 15(4), p. 971-9982;
21. Sherman A., J. Vac. Sci. Thechnol., B, 1990, 8 (4), p.656-657;
22. Samano E. C. et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum., 1993, 64(10), p.2746-2752;
23. Goorrier S. et al., Thin Solid Film, 1981, 84, p. 379-388;
24. RU2088056;
25. Handbook of Ion Sources, Ed. by Bernhard Wolf, CRC Press, 1995, p.544;
26. Gabovich M. D., Pasechnik L. L., Dozovaya E. A., xe2x80x9cOutput of plasma with high concentration of charged particles into vacuumxe2x80x9d, Journal of technical physics, 1961, V. 31, No. 9, pp. 1049-1055;
27. Ito M., Yamamato M., Nakamura S., Hattori T., xe2x80x9cPurification of diamond films by applying into the plasma stream in the cathode arc discharge plasma jet chemical vapor deposition techniquexe2x80x9d, J. Appl. Phys., 1995, 77(12), pp.6636-6640.
The manufacture of semiconductor devices and integrated circuits utilize the treatment of semiconductor structures in aqueous chemical solutions (the so-called xe2x80x9cwetxe2x80x9d methods) and in plasma of various gases (xe2x80x9cdryxe2x80x9d methods). Lately, there has been significant increase in the use of dry methods as compared to that of wet methods, and treatment in plasma is being replaced by treatment in xe2x80x9cremotexe2x80x9d plasma.
Dry treatments of semiconductor structures used in the industry utilize known sources of plasma and particles beams based on various configurations of radio-frequency (RF) discharge [2,3], microwave discharge under the condition of electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) [2, 4], glow and arc discharges of direct current [5,6].
A dry treatment technique based on the use of a flow of neutral kinetically enhanced chemically active particles (atoms, radicals and excited particles), and particularly, a flow of atomic hydrogen, has also been developed [1]. This technique is characterized by the minimal level of introduced defects and contaminations, and a high degree of the reproducibility and controllability of a treatment process, and is therefore considered as a perspective technology in the manufacture of semiconductor devices with critical dimensions less than 0.18 xcexcm. The successive realization of this technique and provision of high rates of treatment of semiconductor wafers requires sources of particles that form flows of hot (E less than 10 eV) neutral particles of high intensity (1015-1016 cmxe2x88x922sxe2x88x921) at a gas working pressure of less than 10xe2x88x922 Pa in a vacuum camera. However, the sources of neutral chemically active particles were less developed, as compared to the sources of plasma and charged particles.
Mostly developed sources of the kind specifies are sources of atomic hydrogen. The production of hydrogen atoms utilizes several effects as follows:
dissociation of molecules of hydrogen while heating a gas, for example, by laser emission [1],
dissociation by means of high-energy photons, for example, in the UV spectral range [7],
dissociation of molecules on a heated metal surface [8],
dissociated adsorption of molecules followed by electron-stimulated desorption of atoms [9], and
dissociation by electron impact [10].
In the atomic hydrogen sources based on the dissociation of hydrogen on a heated metal surface [11, 12], a dissociator is usually implemented either as a spiral-like tungsten wire heated by the electric current passage therethrough, or as a metal tube heated by electron bombardment. Molecules of hydrogen adsorb on the heated metal surface and dissociate into atoms, which can then leave the surface either as atoms, or, after the recombination, as molecules. Desorption results in the formation of a flow of particles composed of a mixture of atoms and molecules of hydrogen. The effectiveness of such sources at a working pressure of about 10xe2x88x922 Pa is limited to 3% [12] or 15% [13], and, being defined by a sticking coefficient of molecule, does not exceed 25% [14]. Effectiveness of the sources significantly reduces with the increase of the pressure of hydrogen in the source. This prevents formation of intensive flows of atomic hydrogen. The density of atoms"" flow in such a source is typically about 1014 cmxe2x88x922sxe2x88x921. Additionally, this source suffers from incapability of obtaining hot atoms, because of a low temperature of the heated metal surface (xcx9c2000 K).
An atomic hydrogen source based on electron-stimulated desorption of atoms enables formation of atom"" flow with the flow density not exceeding 1014 cmxe2x88x922 Sxe2x88x921 [9, 15] and utilize several sequential physical processes. Initially, the dissociated adsorption of hydrogen molecules takes place on the outer surface of a metal membrane. Then, the atoms diffuse through the membrane, and propagate onto the inner surface of the membrane (in a vacuum). Thereafter, if the atoms are not subjected to any external effect, they will associate into molecules and desorb into vacuum, thereby forming a flow of molecular hydrogen. In order to cause desorption of the atoms from the membrane""s surface, the known effect of stimulated desorption under electron bombardment is used. This results in the formation of a flow composed of hydrogen atoms and molecules. Estimations have shown that the atomic hydrogen source of this kind enables obtaining a flow of hot atoms with the energy of 1 eV [9]. However, the effectiveness of such an atomic hydrogen source is limited by a small cross-section of electron-stimulated desorption of atoms. Hence, in order to obtain an atom flow of 1014 cmxe2x88x922sxe2x88x921, a wide-aperture electron beam with a high current density (more than 10 mAcmxe2x88x922) has to be used. This, in turn, requires using a thermionic emitter of a large surface area heated to a temperature significantly higher than that required in a source utilizing a heated wire. This leads to an increase of the pollution of a semiconductor structure under treatment by tungsten vapor and other products of the desorption process. To provide further growth of the density of an atomic hydrogen flow, the density of the electron current has to be increased even more.
The most effective methods for producing atomic hydrogen are those utilizing dissociation of molecules by an electron impact. Various forms of gas discharge are usually employed in these methods. The techniques of controlling the parameters of gas discharge plasma are well developed, and therefore conditions for effective dissociation of molecules in plasma can be realized. Hot atoms can be obtained by using the dissociation of molecules by electron impact. The dissociation of a molecule into one or two hot atoms is possible in the case, when electron interacting with this molecule has energy higher than the energy required for the molecule dissociation. The transition of the molecule from a highly excited stated, caused by the electron impact, is followed by the molecule dissociation and a partly transform of the redundant energy of electron excitation into kinetic energy of atom(s).
Various sources of this kind have been developed, such as sources of radicals and atomic hydrogen based on radio-frequency discharge [3, 16, 17, 18], microwave discharge under the ECR conditions [19], DC glow discharge [20], and DC arc discharge [21]. Although all these sources are practically capable of creating intensive flows of atoms, they differ from each other in the extent of dissociation of molecules in the discharge. The known atomic hydrogen sources utilizing a gas discharge suffer from the following drawbacks:
An RF discharge based source [18] has a high working pressure, thereby limiting its technological application and impeding the use thereof in super-high-vacuum systems and systems with a relatively low exhaust rate, and consequently, reducing the possibility of obtaining hot atoms (since a high number of interactions between the atoms and molecules in a gas phase results in the reduction of the average energy of atoms). Additionally, this source is characterized by a high energy of ions in the plasma of RF discharge, which may lead to sputtering of the constructional elements of the source and contamination of the surface of a semiconductor structure under treatment, as well as radiation damage and charging of the structure during the ion bombardment thereof.
Sources of the kind utilizing microwave ECR discharge [19] are operable in a wide range of pressure, and are characterized by lower energy of the ions, as compared to that of the RF discharge based sources. Nevertheless, microwave ECR discharge based sources have a complicated construction of both a discharge cell and its power supply source. The need for a discharge cell that meets the specific requirements of geometry, and the need for a strong magnetic field in plasma impede the integration of these sources with standard vacuum equipment. The average energies of Ar, N2 and Cl2 atoms obtained with the ECR based source are about 0.04-0.45 eV [20].
An atomic hydrogen source based on a DC glow discharge is simpler than that of the RF and ECR discharge types. Reference is made to FIG. 1, illustrating this type of source [21]. A discharge cell used therein comprises a hollow cylindrical water-cooled cathode made of molybdenum, and a flat anode made of stainless steel. The cathode and anode are accommodated opposite to each other in the butt-ends of a cylindrical insulator made of aluminum oxide based ceramics. Molecular hydrogen H2 is supplied into the discharge cell through an opening in the butt-end of the hollow cathode. The diameter of the output opening is 2.5 mm, which enables for maintaining the gas pressure drop between the discharge cell and a vacuum chamber. The pressure of hydrogen in the vacuum chamber is maintained at a level of 30 Pa, the pressure inside the discharge cell being about 300 Pa. When direct voltage is supplied to the electrodes, a hollow cathode discharge is ignited in the discharge cell. This discharge is characterized by the growing volt-ampere curve: the growth of the discharge current is followed by an increase of the discharge voltage. When discharge is operating, a flow composed of a mixture of molecular and atomic hydrogen emerges from the cell through an emitting aperture in the flat anode.
Typical values for the discharge current and discharge voltage are, respectively, 0.1 A (too low) and 600V (too high). High voltage leads to the high probability of contamination of a semiconductor structure under treatment by the cathode ion sputtering products, as well as the increased probability of defects formation in near-surface layers of the structure (as a result of ion bombardment thereof). Low values of the discharge current prevent obtaining a high degree of dissociation of molecules of hydrogen in discharge plasma. Additionally, an atomic hydrogen source of this kind can effectively operate only in a narrow range of working pressure values, both in the discharge cell and in the vacuum chamber, and is characterized by a high working pressure.
The electrodes"" geometry used in the source of FIG. 1 provides for a short path of electrons in the volume of the discharge cell, which prevents the effective use of the entire electron energy on the processes of ionization of atoms (molecules) and the dissociation of molecules. Gas dissociation in a discharge cell can be increased by increasing the discharge current. However, in the case of a glow discharge, this causes a growth of discharge voltage and formation of cathode spots, which increases the probability of contamination and damages of the surface of a semiconductor structure.
It has been proposed [22] to overcome the above drawback of the glow discharge based source by using an arc discharge with heated electrode. The arc discharge has a falling volt-ampere characteristic, and the growth of discharge current is followed by a decrease of the discharge voltage. FIG. 2 illustrates the atomic hydrogen source [22] having a discharge cell formed of two electrodes, a pin-like cathode made of thorium-coated tungsten, and a cylindrical anode made of molybdenum, which is water-cooled during operation of the source. The cathode is by its one end supported in water-cooled holder, and by its free end, located in the vicinity of the anode, such that the space between the cathode and anode does not exceed 6.5 mm. A plate made with a conically shaped emitting aperture is located adjacent to the lower butt-end of the anode. The emitting aperture has the following geometry: a length of 1.2 mm, a minimal diameter of 0.4 mm and a solid angle of 30xc2x0. Such an emitting aperture allows for maintaining a large gas pressure drop between a vacuum chamber and the discharge cell. In operation, the discharge cell is placed in a transverse longitudinal magnetic field of 230G. The working pressure inside the discharge cell is (15-25)xc3x97102 Pa, the pressure in the vacuum chamber being 10xe2x88x921-10xe2x88x922 Pa. When a direct voltage is supplied to the electrodes, a glow discharge is first ignited in the discharge cell, which is then, as a result of a specific procedure, transformed into an arc discharge with a self-heating cathode. Transition from the glow discharge into arc discharge causes an increase in the discharge current by 100. Typical values of a discharge current and discharge voltage are, respectively, 15 A and 105V Such regime of discharge operating enables producing an intensive flow of atoms of hydrogen. This source, however, suffers from too high a working pressure of hydrogen in the discharge cell, and too narrow range of working pressure values. Due to the above geometry of electrodes, the following sequence of operations has to be followed when putting the source into operation: creating weak-current glow discharge in the cell at a starting pressure of (20-25)xc3x97102 Pa; slowly increasing the discharge current and pressure of hydrogen to create the abnormal glow discharge; increasing the pressure up to 75xc3x97102 Pa to enable transformation into arc discharge with a heated cathode. Thereafter, the pressure is to be reduced to the working one, (15-25)xc3x97102 Pa, to start the technological treatment. Moreover, the process should be controlled to prevent both the leaps of pressure and leaps of discharge voltage, to thereby avoid discharge variation from the working mode. Incapability of this source for operating at reduced pressure values renders it impossible for use in super-high-vacuum systems and systems with low pumping rate.
According to another technique [24], developed by the inventors of the present application, an atomic hydrogen source based on low pressure arc discharge, schematically illustrated in FIG. 3, comprises a thin-wall hollow cathode 1, a cylindrical anode 2, a flat cathode 3 formed with an emitting aperture 6, and a magnetic field source 4. A magnetic field produced by the magnetic field source provides a Penning discharge in the cell. The hollow cathode partly penetrates into the anode cavity 5, thereby causing creation of a magnetron discharge between the outer surface of the hollow cathode and inner surface of the anode. This magnetron discharge causes heating and creation of thermionic emission from the hollow cathode, thereby causing intensive injection of thermionic electrons into plasma. This source, however, does not provide a sufficiently high density of the output atomic hydrogen flow. Additionally, it is characterized by a short operational time with the same electrodes.
It have been known that effective gas ionization can be obtained by using such forms of gas discharge that utilize crossing electric and magnetic fields (Exc3x97H), i.e., magnetron and Penning discharges, as well as forms of gas discharge utilizing oscillation of electrons between cathodes, i.e. reflective discharge and discharge with hollow cathode [25]. Moreover, such a phenomenon as a plasma jet emerging from the region of a gas discharge into the source surrounding space through a small-diameter aperture has been known from the physics of gas discharge and techniques of plasma and charged particles sources [26]. This phenomenon is used for obtaining plasma flows [27].
There is a need in the art to facilitate the production of atomic particle flow by providing a novel source device for transforming a supplied molecular gas into an intensive flow of atomic particles.
The inventors have found that insufficient density of the atomic hydrogen flow obtained with the earlier source model [24] developed by them is caused by the fact that the hollow self-heating cathode (1 in FIG. 3) is too far from the flat cathode 3. As a result, the plasma density in the zone of emitting aperture is small, that zone of the discharge cell in which hydrogen atoms are mostly generated is at a large distance from the emitting aperture, and atoms on their way to the emitting aperture undergo a large number of collisions with the cold walls of the cell and recombine into molecules. The factor that the source quickly goes out of use is associated with the destroy of that part of the self-heating thin-wall hollow cathode which penetrates into the anode cavity. The hollow cathode is destroyed by ion sputtering, as well as by quick breaking of the electrode material due its over-heating caused by insufficient heat conductance through the thin walls of the hollow cathode.
The inventors take an advantage of the fact that the nature of the mechanisms of dissociation and ionization of molecules are close to each other, and propose obtaining a highly-dissociated gas using the forms of gas discharge utilizing crossing electric and magnetic fields (magnetron and Penning discharges), and forms of gas discharge utilizing oscillation of electrons between cathodes (reflective discharge and discharge with hollow cathode). Additionally, the inventors propose using a plasma jet as an auxiliary source of atomic particles. Experimental results have shown the possibility of realization of these proposals in a new method and device for producing an intensive flow of atoms.
The present invention provides for overcoming the above and other drawbacks of the convention techniques of the kind specified. The source of the present invention can be used for producing atomic hydrogen, nitrogen or oxygen, as well as for producing excited atoms of atomic gas, such as argon or xenon.
According to the present invention, intensive flows of atoms of molecular gases and excited atoms of atomic gases are obtained from plasma of gas discharge. The present invention utilizes several original approaches for solving the problem of optimizing the parameters of the plasma and geometry of the discharge cell""s electrodes, as well as for satisfying the requirements of the sources of neutral particles.
There is thus provided according to one aspect of the present invention, a method of producing an intensive flow of atoms from an input flow of a molecular gas with a source comprising a discharge cell connectable to a direct current source and defining at least one emitting aperture through which the flow is output from the cell, the method utilizing ignition of a gas discharge in said discharge cell and dissociation of the gas molecules by electron impact, and comprising:
providing ignition of the gas discharge of a complex type composed of a main discharge and two auxiliary discharges of different types ignited in substantially coinciding zones of the discharge cell, wherein
said main discharge is an arc Penning discharge ignited in a zone of the vicinity of said at least one emitting aperture,
the first auxiliary discharge is a magnetron discharge with heated cathode, and
the second auxiliary discharge is one of the following: a Penning discharge, and a Penning discharge with hollow cathode,
the dissociation of the gas molecules being thereby carried out in said complex discharge and resulting in creation of the flow of hot and thermally atoms.
The hot atoms are atoms with the energy of about 0.1-10 eV, and the thermally atoms are those with the energy less than 0.1 eV.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a source device for producing an intensive flow of atomic or excited particles, the device being connectable to a direct current source and comprising an electrodes"" arrangement and a magnetic field source, wherein the electrodes"" arrangement comprises a cylindrical anode and a multiple-electrode cathode which are axially aligned and define an inter-electrode space for a longitudinal magnetic field region, wherein
the multiple-electrode cathode comprises a first elongated self-heating electrode, a second flat reflective electrode in which at least one opening forming at least one emitting aperture is made, and a third reflective electrode the first electrode being electrically connected to the third electrode, when the device is put in operation;
the first self-heating elongated electrode is axially aligned with the cylindrical anode and penetrates into the anode cavity at a predetermined distance;
a butt-end of the first electrode located inside the anode cavity, a part of the surface of the second electrode opposite a butt-end of the first electrode and the
cylindrical anode form a cell of a main arc Penning discharge ignitable in at least one zone in the vicinity of said at least one emitting aperture;
the first electrode and the cylindrical anode form a cell of a first auxiliary discharge, which is a magnetron discharge with heated cathode; and
the second and third reflective electrodes and the cylindrical anode form a cell of a second auxiliary discharge, which is one of the following: a Penning discharge, and a Penning discharge with hollow cathode.
The invented method for obtaining intensive flows of atoms provides significant prevalence of the rate of generation of atomic particles in plasma of gas discharge by means of molecules dissociation by electron impact (bombardment), over the rate recombination of atoms into molecules. The flow of atomic particles is separated from plasma of a combined form of arc discharge with heated cathode. A region of dense plasma is created in a discharge cell, wherein this region is characterized by a high concentration of fast, as well as thermionic electrons, emitted from the surface of the heated cathode. The dense plasma region is located in the vicinity of an emitting aperture in a flat cathode, through which atoms forming the flow are output. The probability of atoms"" recombination into molecules on the surface of the emitting aperture can be reduced by making the emitting aperture in the foil of a refracting metal. Such a refractory metals may be Re, W, Mo, or WRe alloy. This results in that the surface of the cathode in the vicinity of the emitting aperture is heated up to a high temperature by ion bombardment. The main Penning discharge with self-heated electrode (cathode) is used to form the dense plasma region. To maintain the main discharge and effective heating of the self-heated electrode, two auxiliary discharged with somewhat less dense plasma are used: the magnetron discharge with heated cathode and Penning discharge with hollow cathode (or Penning discharge without hollow cathode). The auxiliary discharges operate at a certain distance from the emitting aperture. A molecule gas is input into the discharge cell from a side opposite to the emitting aperture, and enters the regions (zones) of the auxiliary discharges, where a part of molecules dissociate into atoms. Most of these atoms recombine on cold walls of the electrodes of the discharge cell, and an insignificant part of the atoms, that has not undergone a large number of interactions with the cold walls, is output into the flow of atoms. The entire gas that has passes the zones of the auxiliary discharges, enters the zone of the main discharge, where the most of the remaining molecules dissociate into atoms, which are output into the flow substantially without losses associated with recombination.
Thus, the main idea of the present invention consists of creating the region of dense plasma in the vicinity with a high concentration of fast electrons in a small xe2x80x9cpoint-likexe2x80x9d volume in the vicinity of the emitting aperture. In this region, conditions for a high rate molecule"" dissociation and a small rate atom"" recombination are provided, and the entire gas is pumped through this region.
To even more increase the effectiveness of the source (i.e., increase of the degree of gas dissociation), additional dissociation of molecules can be provided in the region of atoms"" flow emerged from the source. To this end, a plasma jet can be formed propagating into vacuum through the emitting aperture. Fast thermionic electrons coming from the self-heated electrode oscillate in the plasma jet and produce effective dissociation of the remaining molecules. Gas dissociation in the region of the main discharge and in the plasma jet by the fast thermionic electrons leads to the increase of the part of hot atoms in the entire flow of particles emerging from the source. By supplying an atomic gas into the discharge cell, flows of excited atoms can be obtained.
The present invention can be used for treatment of a semiconductor structure aimed at modifying the properties of surface and/or near-surface layers of the structure. For example, this can be used for cleaning the surface of a semiconductor structure from oxides, organic, metal and other contaminations, as well as for residual photoresist removal; hydrogenation of near-surface layers of a semiconductor structure; assisting in thin-film deposition processes; treatment of semiconductor structures based on mono-crystal, poly-crystal and amorphic substrates and/or layers fabricated from elementary semiconductors, semiconductor compounds and/or solid solutions.

Method and apparatus for producing atomic flows of molecular gases