A semiconductor device is manufactured using a SiC substrate. On a semiconductor region a region formed of SiC having an (11-20) face orientation is formed. A gate insulation layer is a gate oxidation layer. The surface of the semiconductor region is cleaned, and the gate insulation layer is formed in an atmosphere containing hydrogen or water vapor. After the gate insulation layer has been formed, the substrate is heat-treated in an atmosphere containing hydrogen or water vapor. This reduces the interface-trap density at the interface between the gate oxidation layer and the semiconductor region.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device on a silicon carbide substrate having a prescribed crystal plane orientation. It particularly relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device that uses a gate insulation layer, such as a metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitor or a MOS field-effect transistor (MOSFET).
2. Description of the Prior Art
The interface-trap density of an oxide-silicon carbide interface using a silicon carbide (SiC) substrate is roughly ten times higher than that of a silicon MOS transistor. This gives rise to the problem that a SiC substrate based MOSFET has a lower channel mobility than a silicon substrate based MOSFET. In particular, a bulk SiC substrate having the crystal structure referred to as 4H-SiC has about twice the channel mobility of a bulk SiC substrate having the crystal structure referred to as 6H-SiC, so it should be possible to utilize this to lower the on-resistance of a power MOSFET. However, a 4H-SiC oxide/SiC interface has more defects (a higher interface-trap density) than a 6H-SiC one, and as a result, the 4H-SiC structure has a lower channel mobility. Therefore, in order to realize a SiC MOSFET having a low on-resistance, it is critically important to reduce the interface-trap density of a 4H-SiC MOS structure. A SiC MOSFET formed on the (0001) face usually has a channel mobility of not more than 10 cm2/Vs.
There are reports of the channel mobility being improved to 30 cm2/Vs by reducing the interface-trap density by using H2O (water) to form a gate insulation layer on the (11-20) face of the SiC. It is already known that using the (11-20) face is more advantageous than using the (0001) face. However, this is still not enough, since a channel mobility of 100 cm2/Vs or more is required to reduce the SiC power MOSFET on-resistance to the theoretical value.
This being the case, efforts have focused on improving the interface between the semiconductor substrate and the gate insulation layer. In most cases, such efforts involve using heat treatment to reduce the interface-trap density. As described below, a number of disclosures have been made relating to the method of oxidizing the SiC substrate and the heat-treatment method used following the oxidation.
JP-A HEI 9-199497, for example, discloses a method of improving a thermal oxidation film of a SiC single-crystal substrate by following the oxidation step with an annealing step using hydrogen and an annealing step using inert gas, to thereby reduce hysteresis and flat band-shift. In particular, this publication describes a method in which the SiC oxidation is followed by hydrogen annealing at 1000xc2x0 C. This method relates to the (0001) face of a SiC substrate; the disclosure does not describe a method relating to the (11-20) face. Moreover, a temperature of 1000xc2x0 C. is too high, with the oxidation layer being reduced by the hydrogen, degrading the reliability of a device in which the oxidation layer is used as a gate oxidation layer.
JP-A HEI 10-112460 discloses a SiC semiconductor device fabrication method in which, to reduce the interface-trap density after forming a thermal oxidation layer, the thermal oxidation layer is subjected to less than two hours of annealing in an inert gas atmosphere and heat-treated at a low temperature of 300xc2x0 C. to 500xc2x0 C. in hydrogen or a gas, such as water vapor, containing hydrogen atoms. This is then followed by a cooling period, at least part of which takes place in a gaseous atmosphere containing hydrogen atoms. So, the publication specifically describes a method in which the gate oxidation layer is formed and heat-treated at 300xc2x0 C. to 500xc2x0 C. in an atmosphere containing hydrogen atoms, but it is a method that relates to the (0001) face of a SiC substrate, and contains no description relating to the (11-20) face. Also, the heat treatment temperature within the range 300xc2x0 C. to 500xc2x0 C. is too low for adequate heat-treatment.
JP-A HEI 11-31691 discloses a method of forming a thermal oxidation layer in a SiC semiconductor device in which, in order to reduce the interface-trap density after forming the layer, (1) in a method of forming a thermal oxidation layer in which the silicon dioxide is grown by a pyrogenic oxidation process that performs thermal oxidation introducing hydrogen and oxygen, a hydrogen-oxygen mixture is used, in which there is more oxygen than hydrogen, or (2) after oxidation, cooling is conducted in an atmosphere containing hydrogen atoms using a cooling rate within the range 0.3 to 3xc2x0 C./min, or (3) after oxidation and cooling, extraction is effected at a temperature of not more than 900xc2x0 C. While the disclosure does describe a method of cooling in an atmosphere containing hydrogen after the pyrogenic oxidation, it is a method that relates to the (0001) face of a SiC substrate, and does not describe the method with respect to the (11-20) face. Also, the described mixture ratio of hydrogen arid oxygen used in the pyrogenic method is not optimal.
JP-A 2000-252461 describes a semiconductor device fabrication method in which one, or two or more oxide and/or nitride gate insulation layers are formed on at least the topmost layer of a SiC semiconductor substrate and then annealed at 600xc2x0 C. to 1600xc2x0 C. in an atmosphere containing hydrogen. In this method, a good gate insulation layer-SiC interface able to adequately stand up to actual use can be obtained by using hydrogen to terminate silicon or carbon dangling bonds that exist in the interface to thereby adequately reduce the interface-trap density. While the disclosure does describe the use of heat-treatment in hydrogen after forming the oxide layer on the SiC substrate, the method relates to the (0001) face of a SiC substrate and is not described with reference to the (11-20) face.
JP-A HEI 7-131016 relates to a field-effect transistor formed of hexagonal SiC crystal having a high power conversion capacity and to a method for manufacturing the transistor, in which the high power conversion capacity is attained by reducing the leakage current between the source and the drain when the gate voltage is off and reducing the electrical resistance when the gate voltage is on. For this, the main current flow path, meaning the current flow between source and drain in the case of a field-effect transistor, is formed parallel to the (0001) face and the channel formation surface is formed parallel to the (11-20) face. While the disclosure does describe the fabrication of a MOSFET structure characterized by the channel formation surface being parallel to the (11-20) face of hexagonal single-crystal SiC substrate, it does not describe a method of forming the gate oxidation layer of a MOSFET.
United States of America Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,801) discloses a method of improving the performance of an oxide-based device by obtaining an improved oxide layer. The method reduces defects in the oxide layer on the SiC substrate by using a process in which the oxide layer is exposed to an oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature that is not high enough to cause further oxidation of the SiC substrate but is high enough for diffusing the oxidation source gas within the oxides, and for a time that is not long enough to cause further oxidation of the SiC substrate but is long enough to enhance the characteristics of the interface between the oxidation layer and the substrate by increasing the density of the oxidation layer. The disclosure describes a method of processing the formed gate oxidation layer at 600xc2x0 C. to 1000xc2x0 C. in an atmosphere containing H2O (water), but in this case the H2O used is not formed by the combustion of H2 and O2, but is H2O vapor produced by heating pure water. Moreover, the method as described does not relate to formation of a gate oxidation layer on the (11-20) face followed by heat-treatment.
Thus, SiC MOSFETs have usually been formed on the (0001) face, but the channel mobility of such devices has not exceeded 10 cm2/Vs. Also, the literature contains examples of channel mobility being improved to 30 cm2/Vs by reducing the interface-trap density by using H2O (water) to form a gate oxidation layer on the (11-20) face of the SiC, and it is known that it is more advantageous to use the (11-20) face than the (0001) face. The (0001) and (000-1) faces are typical SiC faces. The (0001) face is also called the Si face and the (000-1) face is also called the C face. The oxidation rate in the case of the (000-1) face is approximately ten times higher than that in the case of the (0001) face. The properties of the (11-20) face are midway between the Si face and the C face, and is also more or less midway between the Si and C faces in terms of oxidation rate. Therefore, in the case of the (11-20) face, it is necessary to optimize the oxidation conditions and post-oxidation annealing conditions.
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a SiC semiconductor device using a SiC substrate with an orientation of the (11-20) face superior to the (0001) face, in which the device is given high channel mobility by optimizing the method of heat-treatment used following gate oxidation.
The first gist of the present invention to attain the above object is to provide a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device relating particularly to heat treatment that follows formation of a gate insulation layer, and comprising a step of forming a gate insulation layer on a semiconductor region formed of SiC having an (11-20) face orientation, a step of forming a gate electrode on the gate insulation layer, a step of forming an electrode on the semiconductor region, a step of cleaning the semiconductor region surface, a step of forming a gate insulation layer, and a step of reducing interface-trap density of an interface between the gate insulation layer and the semiconductor region by following the forming of the gate insulation layer by heat-treatment in an atmosphere containing not less than 1% of H2 (hydrogen) or H2O (water).
The second gist of the invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device relating particularly to heat treatment that follows formation of a gate insulation layer, wherein in addition to the first gist, the atmosphere containing H2 (hydrogen) can be a mixture of H2 (hydrogen) and inert gas in which the H2 (hydrogen) has a predetermined concentration of from 1% to 100%.
The third gist of the invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device relating particularly to heat treatment that follows formation of a gate insulation layer, wherein in addition to the first gist, the atmosphere containing H2O (water) can be a mixture of H2O (water) and inert gas in which the H2O (water) has a predetermined concentration of from 1% to 100%
The fourth gist of the invention is to include, in addition to the first, second or third gist, a heat treatment step carried out in an inert gas atmosphere for a predetermined time at a predetermined temperature between the step of forming a gate insulation layer and the step of heat-treatment in an atmosphere containing H2 (hydrogen) gas or H2O (water) vapor.
The fifth gist of the invention is that in addition to any one of the first gist to fourth gist, the heat-treatment step carried out in an atmosphere containing H2O (water) vapor following the step of forming the gate insulation layer can be one carried out for a predetermined time at a predetermined temperature of from 650xc2x0 C. to 950xc2x0 C.
The sixth gist of the invention is that in addition to the first gist to the fifth gist, the gate insulation layer can be formed by the semiconductor substrate thermal oxidation method
The seventh gist of the invention is that in addition to the sixth gist, the semiconductor substrate thermal oxidation method can be carried out in an atmosphere containing H2O (water) vapor.
The eighth gist of the invention its that in addition to the seventh gist, the atmosphere containing H2O can be comprised of H2O, oxygen and inert gas in which the H2O has a predetermined concentration of from 1% to 100%.
The ninth gist of the invention is that in addition to any one of the first gist to the fifth gist, or either the seventh gist or the eighth gist, the H2O (water) vapor can be produced by reacting H2 (hydrogen) gas and O2 (oxygen) gas in the atmosphere in which the semiconductor substrate is placed.
The tenth gist of the invention is that in addition to the ninth gist, the ratio [O2]/[H2] between a flow rate [H2] of H2 (hydrogen) gas and a flow rate [O2] of O2 (oxygen) gas can be within a predetermined range of from 0.1 to 100.
The eleventh gist of the invention is that in addition to any one of the first gist to the tenth gist, the semiconductor substrate oxidation temperature can be in a predetermined range of from 1000xc2x0 C. to 1250xc2x0 C.
The twelfth gist of the invention is that in addition to any one of the sixth gist to the eleventh gist, when, following gate oxidation layer formation by thermal oxidation of the semiconductor substrate, the substrate is heat-treated in an atmosphere containing H2O, the heat treatment can be carried out at a temperature that is lower than the temperature at which the gate oxidation layer was formed, increasing the thickness of the gate oxidation layer.
The thirteenth gist of the invention is that in addition to any one of the first gist to the twelfth gist, the temperature at which the heat treatment is carried out in an atmosphere containing H2 (hydrogen) can be in a predetermined range of from 600xc2x0 C. to 900xc2x0 C.
The fourteenth gist of the invention is that in addition to any one of the first gist to the thirteenth gist, formation of the gate insulation layer and the following heat treatment in an atmosphere of H2 (hydrogen) gas, H2O (water) vapor or inert gas can be carried out as a continuous process inside an apparatus shut off from the outside air.
The fifteenth gist of the invention is that in addition to any one of the first gist to the fourteenth gist, the step of cleaning the surface of the semiconductor region can include a step of using ultraviolet irradiation to clean the semiconductor region placed in an ozone atmosphere.
The sixteenth gist of the invention is that in addition to any one of the first gist to the fifteenth gist, the step of cleaning the surface of the semiconductor region can also include a step of cleaning by heat treatment in a H2 (hydrogen) atmosphere.
The seventeenth gist of the invention is that in addition to the sixteenth gist, the step of cleaning the surface of the semiconductor region can also include a step of using ultraviolet irradiation to clean the semiconductor region placed in an ozone atmosphere, followed by a step of cleaning the semiconductor region by heat treatment in a H2 (hydrogen) atmosphere.
The eighteenth gist of the invention is that in addition to any one of the first gist to the seventeenth gist, the method of manufacturing a semiconductor device can also include a step of etching the semiconductor surface, using an (11-20) face formed by etching an (0001) face perpendicularly to the depth direction.
The nineteenth gist of the invention is that in addition to the steps included in any one of the first gist to the eighteenth gist of the above method of manufacturing a semiconductor device can also include a step of forming inter-layer insulation layer, a step of forming a wiring layer and a step of forming an insulation layer that protects the wiring layer.
The twentieth gist of the invention is that in addition to any one of the first gist to the nineteenth gist, the heat treatment in an atmosphere containing H2 (hydrogen) can be carried out after forming a gate electrode film on a layer that is higher than the gate insulation layer.
The twenty-first gist of the invention is that in or in addition to any one of the first gist to the twentieth gist, the method can also include a step of heat-treating in an atmosphere containing H2 (hydrogen), and this can also be followed by a step of heat-treating in an inert gas atmosphere at up to 600xc2x0 C.

Manufacturing method of semiconductor devices

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology


Components may be manufactured by co-extruding a polymer filament and a fiber filament from a nozzle. The polymer filament and the fiber filament may be heated within the nozzle, which may couple the polymer filament to the fiber filament. The co-extruded filament may result in long reinforcing fibers which provide strength to the components.

Fused filament fabrication is a three-dimensional printing process commonly used for modeling, prototyping, and production applications. A plastic filament may be unwound from a coil and supply material to produce a component. The plastic filament may be heated past its glass transition temperature and then deposited by a nozzle. The component may be built layer by layer from the bottom up. For example, the component may be produced by extruding thermoplastic material to form a layer as the previously deposited layer hardens after extrusion from the nozzle.

Methods for manufacturing fiber-reinforced polymeric components


Providing herein, among other things, is a method for preparing a nucleic acid for sequencing. In some embodiments, the method comprises a) amplifying a nucleic acid template using a dNTP mix that contains 5-methyl dCTP, thereby producing product nucleic acid molecules that contains methylcytosines; b) digesting the product nucleic acid molecules with a methylation-dependent restriction endonuclease, thereby cleaving the product nucleic acid molecules at sites that are adjacent to at least some of the methylcytosine and producing fragments of the product nucleic acid molecules; and c) ligating double-stranded adaptors onto the ends of the fragments to produce adaptor-ligated products.

A typical sequencing workflow proceeds via the following steps: a) fragmenting the target DNA to make fragments; b) ligating adaptors to the fragments; c) amplifying the adaptor-ligated fragments, and d) sequencing the amplification products. In some methods, the fragmenting and ligating steps are mediated by a transposase (see, e.g., Caruccio, Methods Mol Biol. 2011; 733:241-55). In other methods, the fragmenting is done mechanically (e.g., by sonication or shearing) or using a double stranded DNA "dsDNA" fragmentase enzyme. In these methods (e.g., the mechanical or fragmentase methods), after the DNA is fragmented, the ends are polished and ligated to the adaptor.
Methods that rely on mechanical fragmentation and enzymes that generate dsDNA breaks (e.g. NEBNext dsDNA Fragmentase, New England Biolabs) require additional steps to prepare the fragments for ligation. For example, in both cases the ends of the fragments need to be polished using a polymerase, and in some cases, the polished fragments need to be treatment with a kinase to ensure that all of the 5′ ends are phosphorylated. In addition, in many protocols the fragments are dA-tailed before ligation. These additional steps add significant technical complexity to the protocol.
Current fragmentation methods that rely on an enzyme (e.g., transposase or dsDNA fragmentase) are also limited because they are highly sensitive to the ratio of enzyme to DNA in the reaction. If too much DNA is included then the template is poorly fragmented. If too little DNA is included then the template is overly fragmented. This means that the amount template DNA must be carefully quantified before fragmentation and the reaction time and amount of enzyme should be carefully controlled to obtain a desired level of fragmentation. Finally, enzyme-based reactions are driven by an excess of enzyme and need to be quickly stopped to prevent excess fragmentation. This often involves addition of a stop buffer, which can adversely affect downstream processing steps or require extra cleanup steps. Further, when several samples are being processed, it can be difficult to ensure that fragmentation reaction time is uniform across the samples.
Moreover, transposase-mediated methods also have a bias for certain insertion sites (see, e.g., Green et al Mobile DNA 2012, 3:3) and, as such, the fragmentation is not truly random. Transposase-mediated methods also rely on conserved 'arm' sequences that contain sequence elements that are required for transposon-arm complex formation and the fragmentation/ligation reaction. This makes the adaptor sequences difficult to customize. While it is in theory possible to add molecular barcodes and the like 5′ of the arm sequences (outside of the transposase binding sites), this modification adds sequence freight to the resultant sequence reads, effectively shortening the length of the sequence reads.
Peters et al (Nature. 2012 487:190-5) developed a protocol called Controlled Random Enzymatic Fragmentation (CoRE) to randomly fragment DNA. This protocol involves incorporating dUTP into a product using a DNA polymerase, and then treating the product (which contains uracil) with uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) and an endonuclease (endonuclease IV) to fragment the product. The ratio of dUTP/dTTP controls the average fragment length after endonuclease treatment. However, the Peters protocol requires multiple enzymatic steps, including treatment by: (1) shrimp alkaline phosphatase (SAP), (2) UDG, (3) EndolV, (4) E. coli DNA polymerase I, (5) SAP and (6) ligase. Moreover, the ability of a polymerase to incorporate dUTP varies greatly from polymerase to polymerase and, indeed, there are many polymerases, including proofreading DNA polymerases, that cannot incorporate dUTP. Thus, Peter's method has limited utility.
Drmanac (US2011033854) describes a multi-step method for turning a "long" fragment into a population of smaller, blunt ended, fragments that can be ligated to adaptors, amplified and sequenced. The Drmanac method involves replacing nucleotides with nucleotide analogs, creating "gapped" nucleotides (i.e., nucleic acids that contain nicks or gaps), and nick translating (i.e., copying) the gaps using the other strand as a template, to produce blunt-ended fragments. In some cases, Drmanac performs his method by incorporating dUTP and dmCTP into the "long" fragment using a polymerase, deglycosylating the uridines (using UDG), removing the deglycosylated nucleotides (using an endonuclease), making double stranded breaks near the mCTPs (using McrBC), and then nick translating the digested product using a strand-displacing polymerase to blunt-ended fragments (see FIG. 2 and para. 82). Next, adaptors are ligated and the fragments can be amplified and sequenced. Variations of Drmanac's method include treatments by a kinase and/or an alkaline phosphatase, as well as polishing and A-tailing.
In addition to being difficult to implement because it is a technically complex, multi-step process, Drmanac's method also suffers from a number of acute problems, particularly for many sequencing applications.
For example, the Drmanac the method is complicated by the fact that while the nick translation step can, in theory, be done using a proofreading polymerase (i.e., the type that would be more suitable for sequencing applications because they have a higher fidelity, e.g., Pfu), the use of such a polymerase would lead to degradation of non-protected 3′ overhangs. This will result in problems with ligation and, in addition, would lead to products that can self-ligate (e.g., circularize). Drmanac points out that one could alternatively use a non-proofreading polymerase (e.g., Taq). However, as would be apparent, the use of a non-proofreading polymerase can lead to a product that contains lots of errors. Further, with respect to the use of non-proofreading polymerases in his method, Drmanac himself states that the process can be hard to control, and will often generate a mixed population of 3′ ends, resulting in a low adaptor-to-insert ligation yield. Drmanac proposes to solve some of these problems using special adaptors, ddNTPs, A-tailing, and/or an alkaline phosphatase treatment, effectively adding even more steps to an already complicated method.
In addition, many, if not most polymerases (including thermostable polymerases with the highest fidelity) either do not incorporate dUTP efficiently or do not recognize templates that contain dUTP, meaning that the initial step of Drmanac's method (i.e., producing a "long" fragment containing uridine and methylcytosine), can only be implemented using a restricted number of polymerase, many of which have a high error rate.
Finally, McrBC is a rather unusual restriction enzyme in that it cuts at an unspecified, variable, position between two methylated cytosines, and the type of ends that it produces are unknown and may vary from site to site. As such, in order to implement Drmanac's method, those sites would have to polished by filling in the 5′ overhangs and chewing back the 3′ overhangs, which further complicates Drmanac's method and, in addition, would lead to "gaps" in the sequence. Also, McrBC optimally cleaves when the spacing between adjacent methylcytosines cytosines is relatively close together (i.e., from 55 bp to 103 bp). This makes McrBC less than efficient for producing fragments for most sequencing applications (which generally require longer fragments).
The method described herein lacks at least some of the deficiencies listed above and, depending on how the method is implemented, can have other advantages as described below.

Method for fragmenting and ligating adaptors onto a nucleic acid, and kit for performing the same


The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a gallium nitride(GaN) based nitride layer including a step of forming a silicon carbide buffer layer on a substrate, a step of forming a wetting layer having a composition of In(x1)Ga(y1)N (0<x1≦1, 0≦y1<1, x1+y1=1) on the silicon carbide buffer layer, and a step of forming a nitride layer containing gallium and nitrogen on the wetting layer, thereby can implement an opto-electronic device of high efficiency and high reliability.

In a process of manufacturing semiconductor devices, in order to grow a gallium nitride (GaN) based nitride layer, i.e., a GaN-based nitride layer, substrates composed of, usually, sapphire (Al2O3), silicon carbide (SiC), or the like have mainly been used. They are different from the GaN-based nitride layer in terms of their physical properties such as lattice constant and coefficient of thermal expansion. Thus, it is difficult to grow the GaN-based nitride layer of a high quality. Therefore, lots of schemes for growing the GaN-based nitride layer have been presented continually.
The most representative one includes a method of using a buffer layer. In this method, an Al(x)Ga(y)In(z)N (0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1, 0≦z≦1, x+y+z=1) layer is grown alone or through several combinations at a temperature ranging from 450° C. to 600° C. The growth of the Al(x)Ga(y)In(z)N layer is stopped and the temperature is then increased. Then, Al(x)Ga(y)In(z)N (0≦x≦1,0≦y≦1,0≦z≦1, x+y+z=1) that has been grown at a low temperature becomes nuclei. A GaN-based nitride layer of a high quality is grown using the nuclei as a seed. This buffer layer includes an AlN buffer layer (U.S. Pat. No. 4,855,249), an AlGaN buffer layer (U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,393), an AlInN buffer layer (U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,878) and the like.
However, although the GaN-based nitride layer is grown by this method, there is a problem in that the GaN-based nitride layer has a dislocation density of about 1010 to 1012/cm2.
As an alternative, a buffer layer is not grown on a sapphire substrate at a low temperature as above, but a GaN-based nitride layer semiconductor is grown immediately on a substrate at a high temperature. However, this method has lots of room for improvement.
Meanwhile, researches on a method for growing silicon carbide (SiC) on a sapphire wafer have rarely been made. However, M. C. Luo demonstrated on his report that silicon carbide grown on (0001) sapphire has a 6H structure by means of Raman scattering measurement and X-Ray. Diffraction (XRD) analysis method. However, this experiment is directed to analysis into the structure of a formed silicon carbide layer, but not to a method for fabricating a GaN-based nitride layer having good physical properties on the silicon carbide layer.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 6,242,764 discloses a method in which an AlGaN layer of a high quality is grown on a sapphire or silicon carbide substrate using a single crystalline silicon carbide layer at a high temperature (>1300° C.) as a buffer layer. As in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,242,764, however, if the single crystalline silicon carbide layer is grown on sapphire, mismatch rate becomes great between the two materials. Therefore, this method has disadvantages that a silicon carbide layer having a pretty high thickness (approximately 5 μm) is needed in order to grow the AlGaN layer of a high quality, and the thickly formed silicon carbide layer has a low adhesive strength with sapphire.

Method for fabricating GaN-based nitride layer


Systems and methods for operating a graphical user interface with a dynamically sized group pill includes receiving a first indication of an opening of a context related to a first type of action in a graphical user interface. The group pill is expanded to an expanded size based at least in part on receiving the first indication. When a second indication of a closing of the context is received, the group pill is collapsed to a collapsed size displaying less information than the expanded size.

The present disclosure relates generally to a context-driven collapse and/or expansion of a group pill in a user interface.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Organizations, regardless of size, rely upon access to information technology (IT) and data and services for their continued operation and success. A respective organization's IT infrastructure may have associated hardware resources (e.g. computing devices, load balancers, firewalls, switches, etc.) and software resources (e.g. productivity software, database applications, custom applications, and so forth). Over time, more and more organizations have turned to cloud computing approaches to supplement or enhance their IT infrastructure solutions.
IT operations management may be used to view and/or manage multiple different types of information. For example, IT business management (ITBM) may be used to gain visibility into portfolio management and strategies and/or to optimize resources while reducing time to get products to market. IT service management (ITSM) may be used to consolidate legacy systems to elevate the service experience, increase productivity, and achieve insights into service operations. IT operations management (ITOM) may be used to gain visibility into operations footprint, manage IT service health, and optimize delivery and spend. Regardless of which aspect of the IT services are being managed, insights may be provided via a user interfaces. However, the IT systems may include large amounts of data to be presented in the UIs that may overload and/or clutter the UI. Alternatively, a portion of the data present may be omitted from the UI. However, such removals may eliminate or inhibit features of the UI.

Context-driven group pill in a user interface


Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for systems and methods for anonymization of user data for privacy across distributed computing systems. Example methods may include determining, by a first computer system, a request for content to present at a user device, wherein the request for content is associated with a user account, determining a first search query associated with the user account, and determining a first keyword associated with the first search query. Some methods may include generating a first hash value for the first keyword, sending the first hash value to a second computer system for identification of first content for presentation at the user device, and causing the second computer system to send the first content to the user device for presentation, wherein the first computer system does not receive the first content.

Digital content, such as images, videos, text, and other content, may be presented to users at electronic devices. Certain content may be targeted for presentation to certain users. For example, sports themed content may be presented to users that enjoy consuming sports themed content. However, users may desire privacy in addition to consuming content of interest. Accordingly, determining content of interest to users while maintaining user privacy may be desired.

Anonymization of user data for privacy across distributed computing systems


This application provides an error correction method and apparatus, relates to the field of communications technologies, so as to reduce a bit error rate of a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) and improve equalization performance. The method includes: obtaining a decision signal of a DFE; obtaining at least one of an input signal, an equalized output signal, and a difference of the DFE, where the difference is a difference between a level value of the decision signal and a level value of the equalized output signal; determining a symbol location of an end of burst error of the decision signal based on detection of at least one of the decision signal, the equalized output signal, and the difference; and when the symbol location is detected, performing error correction on the decision signal based on the at least one of the input signal, the equalized output signal, and the difference.

A high-speed link technology is a basic technology for chips and interfaces, including an electrical link and an optical link. In a high-speed electrical link, an insertion loss generated during insertion of a cable or an optical fiber into a transceiver leads to inter-symbol interference (ISI). In a high-speed optical link, dispersion of the optical fiber and bandwidth limitations of optical-to-electrical conversion components in the transceiver, such as a driver, a modulator), an optoelectronic detector (PIN/APD), and a transimpedance amplifier (TIA), also lead to ISI. Therefore, an equalizer needs to be disposed in the transceiver to compensate for the ISI caused by the insertion loss or the bandwidth limitations of the components.
Currently, a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) is a frequently used equalizer. As shown in FIG. 1, a structure of the DFE includes an adder (+), a subtractor (−), a register (D), a multiplier (×), and a decision maker (indicated by a broken line in FIG. 1). The DFE is a nonlinear feedback equalizer. After receiving an input signal, the DFE equalizes the input signal by using a decision signal of a previous signal, to obtain an equalized output signal. Then, the equalized output signal is decided by the decision maker to obtain a decision signal of the equalized output signal. In a case of no bit error, the DFE can accurately remove the ISI through equalization, without amplifying noise.
However, because the DFE is a feedback equalizer, a bit error caused by an erroneous decision made on a signal affects a decision of a next signal, causing bit error transfer and increasing a bit error rate of the DFE.

Error correction method and error correction apparatus


A retaining device for fastening a piece of equipment with a display inside a motor vehicle has a holding apparatus with a bearing surface and a holding space for holding the piece of equipment. The holding space extends in a first direction (R1) up to a first maximum extent, and extends in a second direction (R2) perpendicular to the first direction (R1). For pieces of equipment that are smaller, the amount by which the holding space extends in the first direction (R1) can be adjusted to the length of the piece of equipment and the amount by which the holding space extends in the second direction (R2) can be adjusted to its width. For pieces of equipment that are longer, the holding space can be adjusted to the width and the amount by which the holding space extends in the second direction (R2) can be adjusted to its length.

A wide range of devices are known from the prior art, by means of which pieces of equipment equipped with a display, for example navigation systems or mobile phones, can be fastened inside a motor vehicle. It is, for example, known to fasten such pieces of equipment to the windscreen of the motor vehicle by means of a retaining device via a suction pad. The pieces of equipment attached there can thereby be easily seen and operated by the driver of the motor vehicle so that he does not need to concentrate much on these pieces of equipment.
The pieces of equipment that need to be operated or consulted by the driver or front-seat passenger of a motor vehicle whilst driving are usually navigation systems or mobile phones. These pieces of equipment are handy, small and relatively light. The situation is different for passengers in a motor vehicle who are seated on the rear seat. Managers and businesspeople in particular use the time that they have to spend in a car to keep track of their work, for example to peruse documents and read and answer emails. Nowadays this is done, for example, on so-called tablet PCs or computers that are much bigger than the navigation systems and mobile phones used in the front part of the motor vehicle.
It can be useful for families, for example when driving on holiday, to allow the children sitting on the back seat to watch a film while driving, for example. Portable CD, DVD or Blu-Ray players are currently available to allow this. Like the abovementioned tablet PCs, these pieces of equipment also need to be arranged within the field of vision of the respective passenger on the back seat of the motor vehicle in such a way that they can be seen and operated easily whilst being securely and safely fastened in place.
Arrangement by means of a suction pad, for example on the side window of a motor vehicle, is extremely unsuitable for this.
A retaining system for a mobile phone is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,745 with a length, width and height that can be adapted to the dimensions of the mobile phone. However, because they are intended to hold only mobile phones, the range over which the retaining system can be adjusted is limited.
DE 10 2008 053 975 A1 discloses a retaining system for a portable computer that has two elongated telescopic columns with a corner insert. The computer rests on a bearing section and is then, after the telescopic columns have been adapted to the length of the computer, gripped by coupling sections that have straps. However, in this case too only portable computers can be used in the retaining system so that the range over which the telescopic columns can be adjusted is limited.
DE 20 2005 015 757 U1 discloses a retaining device in which a transportable piece of electronic equipment, for example an MP3 player, can be arranged, a connection being made with the data transmission interface and also being used to provide mechanical stabilization.
DE 10 2010 006 261 A1 discloses a device for attaching a tablet computer to the rear of the seat of a vehicle.
The retaining system has a holding part into which the tablet PC is fitted. It is then housed so that it can pivot and rotate so that it can be moved into a position that is as comfortable as possible for the user.


A wireless communication device, system and method. The device comprises a memory and processing circuitry coupled to the memory, the memory storing instructions, the processing circuitry to execute the instructions to decode an access point (AP) trigger frame from a coordinator AP including information on respective resource allocations to a plurality of APs (AP resource allocations) for simultaneous downlink (DL) data transmissions to a plurality of wireless stations (scheduled STAs). The processing circuitry is to cause transmission of a wireless frame to a plurality of scheduled STAs associated with the corresponding AP (associated scheduled STAs). The wireless frame includes information on a resource allocation by the coordinator AP to the corresponding AP for the simultaneous DL transmissions, and information on respective resource allocations to the associated scheduled STAs for data transmission from the corresponding AP.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11ax amendments envisage improving the overall system throughout for a Wi-Fi network by introducing the Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) technique, which affords an Access Point (AP) the ability to: (1) transmit downlink (DL) data frames to up to nine users over non-overlapping Resource Units (RUs) within a 20 MHz wireless channel simultaneously, up to 37 users over non-overlapping Resource Units (RUs) within a 80 MHz wireless channel simultaneously, and more for 80+80 MHz and 160 MHz wireless channels; and (2) trigger up to nine users within a 20 MHz channel, up to 37 users within a 80 MHz channel and more within 80+80 MHz and 160 MHz wireless channels, to transmit uplink (UL) data frames to the AP simultaneously.
However, existing Wi-Fi systems do not currently allow an effective and efficient mechanism to coordinate simultaneous transmissions from multiple APs to respective associated STAs.

Device, system and method to coordinate simultaneous downlink wireless transmissions


A user device may receive roaming policy information. The roaming policy information may identify a roaming network and one or more services available to the user device via the roaming network. The user device may determine that the user device is to connect to the roaming network. The user device may determine a service, of the one or more services, to be provided to the user device via the roaming network. The determination may be based on the roaming policy information. The user device may provide, to a network device associated with the roaming network, information identifying the service to be provided via the roaming network, based on determining that the user device is to connect to the roaming network.

A user device may connect to a roaming network when the user device is unable to connect to a home network associated with the user device (e.g., when the user device is outside of a geographical coverage area of the home network). The roaming network may determine which services are supported based on the capabilities of the roaming network and/or based on a roaming agreement between the roaming network and a home network, and may provide the supported services to the user device.

Roaming policy aware device capabilities


A multilayer thermoplastic container for storing and transporting liquid contents, especially combustible or explosive contents, is made of at least three superimposed layers and includes at least one layer for discharging an electric charge. The innermost layer of the container in contact with the liquid content is made of virgin material and a second integrated inner layer which is covered by the innermost virgin material layer is electrically conductive as a result of incorporated additives, e.g. conductive carbon black and is covered on the outside by another electrically non-conductive layer. Electric charge carriers that accumulate on the surface of the thin inner layer due to the friction with the content are “suctioned through” large areas of the inner, electrically non-conductive layer by the second, electrically conductive layer and discharged.

The present invention relates to a method for producing electrostatically non-chargeable and/or electrically discharging plastic containers, and a multilayer plastic container produced with this method.
The plastic container can be formed as a jerrican or fassett, as a closed bunged drum, as lidded drum with drum lid and tension ring closure, or as an inner container of a large-volume pallet container.
State-of-the-art:
Systems in commercial use and employed in explosion protection zones or to be filled with flammable contents are, for example, pallet containers with a inner plastic container produced by a multi-layer process with a conductive and/or permanently antistatic outer layer, wherein the content is grounded in the bottom region of the container by employing suitable measures, for example by using metal screws or conductive plastics on the discharge fitting. The corresponding inner plastic containers are predominantly produced by a three-layer or six-layer co-extrusion process and have a total wall thickness of about 2-3 mm. The residual insulating wall thickness remaining after subtraction of the conductive or permanently antistatic outer layer is hereby less than 2 mm.
According to the pertinent technical literature and standards (e.g., CENELEC TR 50404, Page 10) in the technical field relating to electric devices/electronics, a wall thickness of the insulating material of less than 2 mm in conjunction with a permanently connected electrical conductor is viewed as providing adequate safety for preventing charge buildup on the opposite surface of the insulator, which would ignite contents and gases of the explosion groups Group IIA and IIB with an adequate discharge.
The self-supporting plastic containers, for example drums or jerricans, designed for use in explosion protection zones or for filling with flammable contents, are predominantly produced by a multilayer process and use a conductive and/or permanently antistatic plastic material in the outer layer. If necessary, the contents are electrically grounded by way of additionally inserted grounding elements made of conductive materials, for example by a pump pipe inserted into the container and made of electrically conductive plastic, which is electrically connected with the conductive outer layer of the container (EP 1 497 188 A).
A dischargeable plastic container is known which has a strip, similar to a viewing strip, made of conductive plastic material and introduced in the container wall (DE 102 42 955). The strip is permanently connected with the conductive outer layer and has a thickness equal to the overall thickness of the three-layer container wall. Disadvantageously, the entire container wall is completely severed in the longitudinal direction at one or several locations, because the connection of the electrically conductive plastic strip with the plastic material of the multilayer container wall always represents a critical contiguous weak spot when the filled container is subjected to greater mechanical stress.
If the total wall thickness of a container has to be increased significantly above 2 mm to provide overall stability of the container (the average wall thickness of a 8.5 kg bunged drum in the surface region is approximately 3-3.5 mm), then the need for the insulating (inner) layers to be in direct contact with the conductive outer layer with a remaining residual thickness of maximally 2.5 mm can be attained only with a correspondingly thick outer layer made of conductive material. This has significant disadvantages both due to economic and mechanical reasons, because suitable conductive plastic materials (e.g., by addition of carbon black) are relatively expensive and have significantly inferior material properties, for example with respect to their stability at low temperatures.


A controller for a battery charger that includes a power converter has parametric sensors for providing a sensed Vin signal, a sensed Vout signal and a sensed Iout signal. A battery current regulator (BCR) is coupled to receive the sensed Iout signal and an Iout reference, and outputs a first duty cycle control signal. An input voltage regulator (IVR) receives the sensed Vin signal and a Vin reference. The IVR provides a second duty cycle control signal. A processor receives the sensed Iout signal and utilizes a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm, and provides the Vin reference to the IVR. A selection block forwards one of the first and second duty cycle control signals as a duty cycle control signal to the power converter. Dynamic switching between the first and second duty cycle control signals maximizes the power delivered to the battery.

A photovoltaic solar panel is ordinarily arranged as an array of cells (referred to as a solar array or solar panel) that directly converts solar energy (sunlight) into electrical energy. The electrical energy produced by the solar array can be extracted over time and used in the form of electric power, such as to recharge batteries. Power-Voltage (Power extracted versus Voltage; P-V) characteristics of solar cells are known to exhibit an IV droop characteristics that causes the output power sourced to change nonlinearly with the current drawn. Furthermore, there is a significant variation in the characteristics of the P-V curve for different solar array types.
Solar panels designed for charging a 12v battery or other batteries generate the most power when the output voltage is approximately 17v, this is known as the maximum power point (MPP). However, when a battery is directly connected to the solar panel, the loading due to the battery pulls the solar panel operating voltage down to the battery voltage, which is usually lower than the MPP. By using a DC/DC converter to connect the solar panel to the battery, the solar panel is allowed to run at a higher voltage so that its maximum power output is higher than when the solar panel is connected directly to the battery.
Solar battery chargers are known and some utilize a form of MPP tracker (MPPT) to maximize charging power. Such arrangements generally include a DC-DC power converter that is under control by a digital signal processor (DSP) that controls the duty cycle of the power converter in an attempt to maximize the power delivered to the battery or batteries being charged.

Controllers for battery chargers and battery chargers therefrom

University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.

Advanced Power Electronics Corporation (APECOR Corp.)


A sample positioning system is disclosed. The system may include an imaging detector. The system may further include a controller communicatively coupled to the imaging detector and a sample stage, the controller including one or more processors configured to execute program instructions causing the one or more processors to: receive a current position of a field of view of the imaging detector; receive a target position of the sample; receive locations of reference features along a path; direct the sample stage to translate the sample along the path; direct the imaging detector to capture images of the reference features along the path; determine positioning errors of the sample stage along the path based on the images of the reference features; and adjust at least one of a velocity of the sample stage or the path to the target location based on the positioning errors during translation.

As the demand for ever-shrinking semiconductor devices increases, so too does the demand for accurate and efficient characterization tools. Characterization tools typically generate characterization data associated with a sample by measuring or otherwise inspecting dedicated targets distributed across the sample. Some tools may be designed to inspect a target while the target is static within a field of view. Such tools may thus inspect multiple targets across a sample using a move-acquire-measure (MAM) mode operation. During the move step, the sample is translated to place a target of interest within a measurement field of view. During the acquire step, information about the target's focus position is acquired and a corrective motion is made to bring the target into focus. During the measure step, a measurement is taken while the sample is static, and the sample is then translated to place an additional target of interest in the measurement field of view. Other characterization tools may be designed to inspect a target while the sample is in motion (e.g., a scanning mode of operation). However, these characterization tools may provide inefficient characterization of targets distributed across the sample.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method that cure the shortfalls of the previous approaches identified above.


An automatic transmission includes first to third single-pinion planetary gearsets. The second ring gear and third sun gear are coupled to the first carrier and first ring gear respectively to constitute first and second rotor units. Input and output shafts are coupled to the second sun gear and third ring gear respectively. A first clutch selectively holds the first sun gear to the third carrier. A first brake selectively holds the first sun gear stationary. A second clutch selectively holds the second sun gear to the third carrier. A third clutch selectively holds the second carrier to the second rotor unit. A fourth clutch selectively holds the second carrier to the third carrier. A second brake selectively holds the first rotor unit stationary. At least eight gear ratios and one reverse gear ratio are obtained by simultaneous application of three of the clutches and brakes.

The present invention relates to multiple-speed automatic transmissions for motor vehicles.
There is demand for multiplication of gear ratios, and widening of overall gear ratio coverage in motor vehicles. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-182785 discloses an eight-speed automatic transmission which is composed of one double-pinion planetary gearset, one Ravigneaux planetary gearset, four clutches, and two brakes.


A nucleic acid fragment encoding a herbicide-resistant plant acetolactate synthase protein is disclosed. This nucleic acid fragment contains at least one nucleotide mutation resulting in one amino acid change in one of seven substantially conserved regions of acetolactate synthase amino acid homology. This mutation results in the production of an acetolactate synthase protein which is resistant to sulfonylurea herbicide compounds compared to the wild-type protein. Transformation of herbicide sensitive plants or plant cells with the fragment results in resistance to the herbicide.

Sulfonylurea herbicides such as sulfometuron methyl (I) and chlorsulfuron (II) inhibit growth of some bacteria, yeast and higher plants by blocking acetolactate synthase [ALS, EC 220.127.116.11], the first common enzyme in the biosynthesis of the branched-chain amino acids valine, leucine and isoleucine. The biosynthesis of branched-chain amino acids and, hence, the toxicity of sulfonylurea herbicides is restricted to plants and microbes. ALS is also inhibited by a structurally unrelated class of herbicides, the imidazolinones. ##STR1##
Three major isozymes of ALS, designated I, II and III, have been identified in enteric bacteria. Isozymes I and III, but not II, are sensitive to end-product inhibition by valine. Each of the three bacterial isozymes comprises a large and a small protein subunit. ALS enzymes from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and from some higher plants have been partially characterized and show some degree of end-product inhibition. It is not known if the yeast and plant ALS enzymes consist of one or more different polypeptides. Evidence suggests that the cellular locations of the yeast and plant ALS enzymes are in the mitochondria and chloroplasts, respectively.
Genes encoding ALS enzymes have been isolated from the enteric bacteria Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli, and the yeast S. cerevisiae. The nucleotide sequences of the genes coding for the two subunits of E. coli ALS isozymes I, II and III show that they are organized as operons ilvBN, ilvGM and ilvIH, respectively. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of the large subunits of the E. coli ALS isozymes shows three regions with about 50% conserved amino acids, comprising about two-thirds of the proteins, and separated by regions sharing little discernible homology. Amino acid sequence conservation, though less extensive, is also evident among the small subunits of the bacterial isozymes. In the yeast S. cerevisiae, a single gene, ILV2, essential for ALS activity was identified. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the ILV2 gene has revealed that the polypeptide encoded by it is homologous to the large subunits of the bacterial ALS isozymes. The deduced amino acid sequence of the yeast ALS shows the same degree of structural organization and the same degree of homology as is observed between the large subunits of the bacterial isozymes, except for about ninety amino acids at the amino terminus of the yeast protein that are believed to be involved in the translocation of the protein into the mitochondrion. No information on the structure of plant genes encoding ALS or the amino acid sequence of plant ALS enzymes was available prior to the inventions disclosed herein.
Enteric bacterial isozyme I is the only ALS in nature that is known to be insensitive to inhibition by sulfometuron methyl and chlorsulfuron. Therefore, enteric bacteria are sensitive to these herbicides only in the presence of valine, which inhibits isozyme I. Sulfonylurea herbicide-resistant mutant forms of the enteric bacteria Salmonella typhimurium and E. coli (selected in the presence of valine), the yeast S. cerevisiae and the higher plants Nicotaiana tabacum (tobacco), Arabidopsis thaliana and Zea mays (corn) have been identified. These mutant phenotypes cosegregate with herbicide-resistant forms of ALS through genetic crosses. In S. typhimurium the herbicide-resistance mutations are genetically linked to a gene encoding ALS, and in E. coli and S. cerevisiae these mutations reside in the structural genes for ALS. In the hiqher plants the mutations responsible for the resistance are inherited as single, dominant or semidominant nuclear traits. In tobacco, these mutations map to either of two unlinked genetic loci.
The chemical control of undesirable weeds associated with agronomically useful crops requires the use of highly selective chemical herbicides. In some cases, it is difficult to identify any chemical which kills weeds without injury to the crop plant. The introduction of herbicide-resistance as a biological trait in crop plants would overcome this difficulty.
Although many genes involved in the structure and function of differentiated plant tissues and organs are not expressed in undifferentiated tissues, those involved in basic cellular functions are expressed and can be selected for in a disorganized callus or cell suspension culture. This has been demonstrated in many cases by the selection of a phenotype in tissue culture from which plants expressing the same phenotype have been regenerated. Examples include the in vitro selection of plants resistant to herbicides, pathotoxins or diseases, antibiotics, amino acid analogues, salt tolerance, etc.
Since acetolactate synthase is an enzyme involved in the basic cellular metabolic activity of amino acid biosynthesis, it was expected and has been demonstrated that genes encoding this enzyme are expressed in callus tissue as well as the whole plant. The sulfonylurea resistant tobacco mutants described in this patent S4, C3 and Hra, were first selected in tissue culture and subsequently regenerated into whole plants in which the resistant phenotypes were retained in a genetically stable manner. Callus tissues derived from regenerated plants or their progeny continue to grow on concentrations of the herbicide which inhibit the growth of wild type callus. Thus resistance to a sulfonylurea herbicide at the plant cellular level is predictive of resistance at the whole plant level. In addition, it has been demonstrated in bacteria, yeast and higher plants that mutations resulting in the production of herbicide resistant ALS are sufficient to confer resistance at the cellular level and, in the case of plants, at the whole plant level. Therefore, the observation of herbicide-resistant ALS in extracts of plant cells is also predictive of herbicide resistant growth of cultured plant cells and herbicide resistant growth of whole plants.
Sulfonylurea herbicide resistant mutant tobacco and corn plants have been obtained by regeneration from mutant tissue culture cell lines and resistant Arabidopsis plants have been produced by seed mutagenesis. There are, however, significant advantages to be derived from isolation of a nucleic acid fragment able to confer herbicide resistance and its subsequent introduction into crops through genetic transformation. One can obtain cross species transfer of herbicide resistance, while avoiding potential limitations of tissue culture, seed mutagenesis, and plant breeding as techniques to transfer novel DNA fragments and traits. Plants exhibiting herbicide resistance achieved through transformation with a mutant ALS gene may possess distinct advantages relative to those regenerated after selection with a herbicide in tissue culture. The insertion of an additional gene or genes encoding an altered form of the ALS enzyme in the transformed plant can supply additional plant metabolic capabilities. It can also enable the plant molecular biologist to engineer desired selectivities into the added gene(s). Further, the insertion of the additional gene(s) in particular locations can result in enhanced levels of expression of the mutant ALS enzyme, as well as in different patterns of tissue or temporal expression of the gene. Such changes may result in production of new protein in root systems, for example. Tissue specific and/or temporal expression of the introduced gene can also be modulated through the substitution of specific gene regulatory sequences for the native gene regulatory sequences. Such substitutions can, for example, place gene expression under the control of chemical inducing agents. Finally, control of the chromosomal location of the inserted gene may avoid the complications of the native gene being linked to a disadvantageous allele which would require extensive plant breeding efforts to subsequently separate the traits. And, the absence of exposure of the plant tissues to mutagenic agents obviates the need for extensive back-crossing to remove undesirable mutations generated by these agents.
Although genes isolated from one plant have been introduced and expressed in other plants, non-plant genes have been expressed in plants only as chimeric genes in which the coding sequences of the non-plant genes have been fused to plant regulatory sequences required for gene expression. However, it would be difficult to introduce herbicide resistance into plants by introducing chimeric genes consisting of bacterial or yeast genes for herbicide-resistant forms of ALS, since (a) these microbial ALS enzymes are believed to lack a specific signal (transit) peptide sequence required for uptake into plant chloroplasts, the cellular location of plant ALS, (b) the bacterial isozymes consist of two different polypeptide subunits, and (c) the microbial ALS enzymes may not function optimally in the foreign cellular environment of higher plants. Therefore, there is a need for nucleic acid fragments (1) which encode a herbicide-resistant form of plant ALS, and (2) which can confer herbicide resistance when introduced into herbiclde sensitive plants.

Nucleic acid fragment encoding herbicide resistant plant acetolactate synthase


A server device receives a request for voicemail information from a user device, retrieves the voicemail information, performs data calls to another server device to obtain information to construct a visual user interface that includes data regarding the voicemail information, constructs the visual user interface using the obtained information, and transmits the constructed visual user interface to the user device.

Visual voicemail (VVM) is a user friendly application that adds a visual aspect to managing voicemail messages. Visual voicemail may enable users to manage voicemail messages in an order of their choice, e.g., in a user-selected order rather than a sequential order. However, VVM may place greater demand on the limited processing capacity of user devices and may consume additional bandwidth that may reduce VVM system performance.


In a solar cell, at least one of reinforcing material and buffering material is provided at least partially on at least one of a back surface, a front surface and a side surface of the solar cell. With these reinforcing material and/or buffering material, occurrence of cell fracture due to load imposed by external force can be decreased.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solar cell formed on a semiconductor substrate and a method of producing the same, and particularly to improvements in a solar cell formed on a thin semiconductor substrate liable to fracture and in a method of producing the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
A semiconductor silicon substrate for a solar cell is cut out from a monocrystalline or polycrystalline semiconductor ingot to a thickness of about 300 to 350 μm, using an inner-edge slicer, an outer-edge slicer, a wire saw, or the like. In producing the solar cell, a pn junction for causing photoelectric conversion is formed in the silicon substrate, and then an anti-reflection coating for increasing light entrance into the substrate, an electrode for efficiently extracting photoelectric conversion current, and the like are formed.
In FIGS. 25A to 25C, an example of a conventional solar cell is shown. FIG. 25A shows a front surface provided as a light-receiving face of the cell, FIG. 25B shows a back surface of the same, and FIG. 25C shows a cross-section taken along a line 25X-25X in FIG. 25A. When producing such a conventional solar cell 1, any damaged layer caused by slicing off a silicon wafer 1a is initially removed from the wafer by alkaline etching. An n-type impurity is then applied on a surface of silicon substrate 1a, and a pn junction is formed near the light-receiving face side by thermal diffusion. On the light-receiving face side of substrate 1a, an anti-reflection coating (not shown) is formed with plasma CVD (chemical vapor deposition), and on the back surface, a backside collector electrode 1c is formed by printing and baking aluminum paste with a screen process. Further, by printing and baking silver paste with the screen process, a comb-like collector electrode 1b is formed on the light-receiving face side of substrate 1a, and a connection electrode 1d is formed on the back surface. The surfaces of electrodes 1b, 1d composed of baked silver are coated with solder layers 1e by dip soldering.
Further, interconnectors made of conductive metal bands are connected between solar cells, to fabricate a solar battery module including several tens of solar cells. In the solar battery module, a glass plate is joined with transparent resin to the front side of the several tens of solar cells arranged in an array, and then an insulating film, a moisture-proof film and the like are provided on the backside. Terminals for externally extracting electric current are drawn from both ends of a solar cell circuit.
In order to reduce cost for such a solar battery module, it is necessary to make thinner semiconductor silicon substrates which account for a large part of the cost, so as to reduce usage of expensive silicon material. If silicon substrates are made thinner, however, fracture of solar cells will increase in production process of the solar cells and modules, resulting in lower production yield. That is, this will not necessarily lead to cost reduction. In addition, if the solar cells are made thinner, the fracture of the same will be liable to occur, for example, due to temperature cycles experienced during use of the completed solar battery modules, and hence the quality and reliability of the modules may be lowered. Therefore, the silicon substrates in the conventional mass-produced solar cells generally have a thickness of about 300 to 350 μm.
In other words, if silicon wafers cut out from a silicon ingot are made thinner, invisibly small cracks, flaws or chips will be liable to occur in edge portions of the wafers in production processes of the silicon substrates, the solar cells and the solar battery modules. Originating from those defects, larger cracks or fractures are likely to be developed. Fractures in the silicon substrates during the manufacturing process of the modules cause loss of substrate material, replacement of the cracked substrates and need for additional work for removing cracked pieces from manufacturing apparatus. As a result, the cost of the solar cells and the modules will be increased. In particular, if a solar cell substrate (a wafer) fractures during production of the solar battery module, the entire module will be defective and resulting in larger loss. Even if the solar battery module is flawless immediately after its completion, fractures may likely be caused later in the cells, for example, by temperature cycles during use of the module in the case that the solar cell substrates are thin.

Solar cell and method of producing the same


A valve includes a valve body and a handle operably connected to the valve body. The handle has a shut position that prevents fluid flow through the valve body and an open position that permits fluid flow through the valve body. A shut detent is configured to engage with the handle in the shut position, and the valve further includes structure for biasing the handle toward the open position.

Pneumatic and hydraulic systems commonly include valves to alternately permit or prevent fluid flow. For example, some valves may be normally open to permit fluid flow through the valves, while other valves may be normally shut to prevent fluid flow through the valves. In some fluid systems, the accurate position of one or more valves may be necessary to ensure the safe operation of the fluid system. For example, one or more valves may be intentionally or inadvertently repositioned during maintenance or other temporary operations, and the accurate repositioning of the valves may be necessary to ensure safe operation of the fluid system when the maintenance or temporary operations are complete.
As a specific example, modern trains often include air-operated brakes for each railcar. Pipe segments supply compressed air to each railcar along the length of the train, and each pipe segment includes an isolation valve at each end to alternately permit or prevent airflow through the pipe segment. The isolation valve is normally open when the railcar is in service to allow the compressed air to freely flow to each railcar in the train. Conversely, the isolation valve is normally shut when the railcar is taken out of service to prevent debris from entering the pipe segments.
Accidental or inadvertent repositioning of the isolation valve may prevent the air-operated brakes from working properly. For example, an isolation valve that is accidentally or inadvertently shut will prevent compressed air from being supplied to any railcars downstream from the shut isolation valve. Conversely, an isolation valve that is accidentally or inadvertently opened may allow debris to foul the pipe segment. As a result, a valve having additional safety features to lock the position of the valve and/or bias the valve to a particular position would be useful.


The invention relates to an interface pad comprising a stiffener supporting a resilient pad to cushion the panels in a grade crossing between and around the rails from impact with the underlying ties and to prevent the panels from moving. The pad may be flat or a cupped shape and may be of varying size to accommodate varying tie widths. The invention further comprises means to securely fasten such an interface pad to a railroad tie and minimize the possibility that the interface pad will be forcibly removed from the tie during installation of the rails or panels in the grade crossing.

In a grade crossing (also called a level crossing), gaps in the roadway around the railway tracks are filled in with large panels, which rest on wood or concrete ties and are approximately flush with the railheads. As vehicles pass over the crossing, the panels experience significant loading and will deflect downwardly. If a panel is not resting directly on a tie, which happens in situations where tie dimensions are not uniform, that deflection may push the panel sharply against the top surface of the tie, possibly damaging the panel, the tie or both. Repeated uncushioned impacts can eventually cause failure of the panel or tie.
It is therefore preferable to have a protective cushioning means between the panels and the ties, to act as both a shock absorber and to help absorb normal support surface variations. An interface pad is designed to cushion and support the panels and to compensate for any irregularities in the top surface of the tie that might otherwise provide a point of impact when the panels deflect against the ties as vehicles pass over.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,289 to Demers Jr. et al. discloses a grade crossing, and briefly refers to "known" interface pads for use between the tie and the panels, without providing any real details of the pads. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,666 to Hales et al. discloses a layer of elastomeric compound to separate the panels of a grade crossing from the ties, to provide flexibility to the panels and allow to adjustment of the height of the panels relative to the rail heads. However, not much more detail about the pad itself is provided.
It is known to simply place an elongated (i.e. covering substantially all of the exposed areas of the tie) interface pad over a tie once the tie is in place under a track. The drawback to this is that it creates an additional step in the installation process, as each pad, known as a conformal pad, must be hand-placed on each tie during installation. Further, because there is no physical connection between the pad and the tie, it is is difficult to ensure that the pads stay in place as the ties are installed under the rails, or as panels are installed on the ties because these situations generally require the ties or panels to be moved sideways, such that the rails or panels slide over the top surface of the ties. These sliding motions will tend to scrape any loose pads off the top of the tie.
These drawbacks have been addressed by creating shaped interface pads that interact with multiple surfaces of the tie, providing an improved fit between the tie and the pad. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,422,478 to Lucas Jr. and Canadian Patent No. 2281110 to Bruyn both show tie pads that are carefully shaped and engineered not only to provide cushioning pockets within the body of the interface pads, but also to fit over the top chamfers of a concrete tie, keeping the pad in place through friction and cooperation with the tie. Similarly, US Pat. App. No. 2007/0200005 to Corbett Jr. et al. describes several means to attach the pads to the tie, such as wrapping around the chamfered edges of the tie, direct attachment to the panels, and physical abutment with rail attachment hardware, ballast or roadway, but does not discuss mechanically fastening the pads to the ties. The main drawback to these shaped interface pads is that they do not address the issues of increased installation time for placing one or more pads on each tie during installation or of potential loss of the unsecured pads during or after installation.
In order to directly deal with this issue, it is known to glue an elongated interface pad, or one or more smaller interface pads, on top of the tie before shipping the tie to the installation site. However, glued-on interface pads are still highly susceptible to displacement during shipping or at any one of several points in the process involved in constructing grade crossings, which wastes money and materials.
More secure methods of connecting interface pads to ties have not gained widespread use, possibly because of the difficulties or costs associated with placing mechanical fasteners, such as bolts, into the top of a concrete tie. Further, simply bolting a flat rubber pad into the top of a tie still may not ensure that the pad stays in place during is installation, as the rubber pad can be torn off over the fastener if it is pulled with sufficient force.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an interface pad, specifically for use at grade crossings that overcomes one or more of the foregoing difficulties.
In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide a pre-attached interface pad for a grade crossing that eliminates the need to ship loose conformal pads to the site as well as on-site handling and installation of those conformal pads.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an interface pad that is mechanically attached to a tie, in order to eliminate undesirable movement of the pad during shipping, installation and service.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an interface pad that is manufactured and shaped for secure installation on a tie in a grade crossing.
These and other objects of the invention will be appreciated by reference to the summary of the invention and to the detailed description of the preferred embodiment that follow.


An axle coupler comprises driver teeth to engage teeth of a corresponding driver; a central aperture having a central axis and a circumference; and the central aperture including axle teeth circumferentially surrounding the central axis; each axle tooth having a first dimensional direction parallel to the central axis; each axle tooth having a second dimensional direction orthogonal to the first dimensional direction; a recess formed in each axle tooth to form a first axle tooth portion and a second axle tooth portion.

Conventionally, vehicle locking differentials have been provided for co-axial arrangements of two drivers, two axle couplers, and a locking mechanism subject to differential rotational forces provided by respective left and right axles, which provide a locking or unlocking effect by such members.
FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of a locking differential. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a splined inner end (teeth) of axle 120 engages mating splines (teeth) in an axle coupler 122. In the shown embodiment, the axle 120 is retained in position by a C-clip 124. It is noted that the axle retention mechanism may be realized by bearings adjacent to wheel ends of the axles or other means such as a snap ring.
The axle coupler 122 have a plurality of drive teeth 126 on the face thereof which may mate with corresponding teeth on faces 128 of drivers 130, depending upon the axial position of the drivers. The drivers 130, in turn, have saddle-like depressions 132 on the opposite faces thereof for loosely surrounding a pinion pin 134 driven by the differential case.
The driver 130 has a spring 136 in angled blind holes in the driver 130, the spring 136 acting on pin 134 to both elastically encourage the drivers 130 to a position having the pin 134 aligned with the center of the saddle-like depressions 132, and to elastically encourage the drivers 130 axially outward away from the pin 134 into engagement with the axle couplers 122.
Spacers 138, together with any shims or thrust washers that may be required (not shown), establish and retain the axle couplers 122 at the desired separation from pin 134.
It is noted that the C-clip 124, when the differential is assembled, is located in a recess or cavity 150 of the spacer 138. In other words, the retention mechanism (C-clip 124) is positioned between the axle coupler 122 and the driver 130.
Finally, pins 140 on the drivers 130 fit within slots 142 on the opposing face of the opposite driver and function to control the angular displacement of the drivers 130 relative to each other.
In the final assembly, the springs 136 encourage the toothed face of the drivers 130 into engagement with the toothed face of axle couplers 122, and there is sufficient clearance between the saddle-like regions 132 and pin 134 in the final assembly for either driver 130 to move toward the pin 134 sufficiently to allow the teeth of a driver 130 to ride over the teeth of the associated axle coupler 122.
The operation of the differential of FIG. 1 may be explained as follows. With the teeth of the corresponding driver and axle coupler pairs engaged, the differential housing may rotate, carrying the pin from contact with one side of the saddle to the other, a displacement of (depending on the size of the design) 4 to 7 degrees. This free travel, or backlash, is essential for correct positioning of the differential components during the transition from driving to coasting and vice versa.
The drivers are retained with respect to each other by the pins 134 and mating slots 142 for a total rotation, one relative to the other, approximately 1.5 degrees or less than one-half the total backlash described previously. When the pin 134 engages the saddle-like depressions 132 on either driver, the force of the contact, by design of the saddles 132, will be angled outward from the plane of the respective driver and will overcome the component of the reaction force acting opposite created by the inclined edges on the mating teeth on the drivers 130 and axle couplers 122.
For example, saddle angles ranging from 30 to 40 degrees are typically used and create outward axial forces that exceed the inward axial forces created by typical 20 to 25 degree inclines of the coupler and driver mating teeth that would otherwise work to separate the driver from the coupler.
Using the foregoing parameters, consider first the vehicle at rest. Assume the two drivers 130 each engage with the respective axle coupler 122, and for specificity in the starting condition, that the pin 134 is centered in the saddle-like depressions 132 in the drivers 130. With the vehicle in gear and engine driving, the pin 134 begins to rotate about the axis of the axle, through the backlash present and compressing against springs 136 to contact the edges of the saddle-shaped depressions 132 in the drivers, and then on further rotation, to force the drivers 130 and axle couplers 122, and thus the axles, into rotation.
Since the contact angle between the pin 134 and the saddle-shaped depressions 132 exceeds the angle of the edge of the teeth on the axle couplers 122 and drivers 130, the force between the pin 134 and the drivers 130 forcing the same into contact against the axle couplers 122 will exceed the force between the inclined edges of the teeth on the drivers 130 and axle couplers 122 otherwise tending to force the drivers 130 back toward pin 134, so that the drivers 130 and axle couplers 122 will remain in positive engagement, regardless of the torque applied to the differential.
If the vehicle now proceeds to drive around a curve, the wheel on the outside of the curve, and thus the axle coupler 122 associated with that wheel, will tend to rotate faster than the axle coupler 122 associated with the inside wheel.
Assuming power is still being applied, this causes the driver 130 associated with the outside wheel to begin "gaining" with respect to pinion shaft 134, the driver 130 rotating forward to a position wherein the saddle-like depressions 132 thereon are no longer in contact with pin 134.
At this point, pins 140 and mating depressions 142 prevent the further relative rotation of the two drivers 130 but allow coaxial translation. Further gaining of the outside wheel continues to rotate the outside axle coupler 122 at a speed higher than the other differential components. Now, however, the teeth on the driver 130 associated with the outside wheel are free to climb the inclined planes of the teeth on the driver 130 and axle coupler 122, with the driver 130 moving toward the pin 134 against the resistance of the associated springs 136 to allow the teeth of the respective driver 130 to slide over the teeth of the respective axle coupler 122, repeatedly as required so long as the difference in wheel rotation speeds exist.
If, when in a curve, the vehicle engine is throttled back to coast and use the engine as a braking or vehicle slowing device, the same basic interaction of parts described above will occur substantially in reverse, now however with the driver and axle coupler associated with the outer wheel of the curve being engaged, and the driver associated with the inner wheel of the curve climbing over the teeth on the associated axle coupler as required to allow the inner wheel on the curve to turn slower than the outer wheel.
Similarly, in backing around a curve such as backing out of a parking place, the inner wheel will be the drive wheel, as in powering forward, whereas use of the engine to retard the motion of the vehicle when backing will engage the wheel on the outer side of the turn engaged. However in any event, when power is applied while turning to the point that traction is lost by the drive (inside) wheel, the pin 134 will catch up to and forcibly engage the appropriate side of the saddle-shaped depression 132 on the outside wheel driver 130, forcing both drivers 130 into engagement with their associated axle couplers 122 to force rotation of both axles in unison.
When utilizing an axle retention mechanism, it is desirable to provide a mechanism that enables the axle retention mechanism to securely engage an axle and the axle coupler.
Moreover, it is desirable, when utilizing an axle retention mechanism, to provide mechanism that enables the axle retention mechanism to securely engage an axle and the axle coupler without interfering with the engagement of the drive teeth of the axle coupler and the drive teeth of the driver.
Furthermore, it is desirable, when utilizing an axle retention mechanism, to provide a mechanism, located within the central aperture of the axle coupler, that enables the axle retention mechanism to securely engage an axle and the axle coupler without interfering with the engagement of the drive teeth of the axle coupler and the drive teeth of the driver.


An image segmentation apparatus, preferably integrally implemented in a device such as an FPGA, including a buffer memory for storing pixel data, a digital filter in communication with the buffer memory, the digital filter having programmable coefficients, a histogram generating module in communication with the buffer memory that generates a histogram of the pixel data, a statistics generating module in communication with the buffer memory that generates statistics regarding the pixel data, a threshold select module for selecting one of a plurality thresholds and an apply threshold module for applying the selected threshold to data stored in the buffer to generate exceedance data that exceed the selected threshold. In a preferred embodiment, a control module controls each of the buffer, histogram, statistics and threshold modules to control data flow, program filter coefficients and select the appropriate threshold.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to digital signal processing. More specifically, the present invention relates to systems and methods for performing image segmentation using a plurality of functional units or modules, preferably implemented in an integrated electronic device, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).
2. Background of the Invention
Digital signal processing (DSP) is employed in many fields, one of which is image segmentation. Image segmentation is the ability to distinguish between, for example, an object of interest and a background, or another object that is not of interest. For example, image segmentation is often used in an image processing application that tracks or detects a particular object, such as lane markings on a road to perform automatic steering of a vehicle. In automatic steering, image processing must be rapid, especially if the vehicle is traveling at a relatively high speed.
Also, image processing in an automatic steering application preferably should be able to handle varying weather conditions and environments, such as rain, bright sunlight and night time driving. Such a range of possible driving conditions, however, poses significant problems to known image segmentation processes that rely on static processing techniques.

System and method for image segmentation


A diaper changing system for efficiently changing a diaper without having to carry a diaper bag. The diaper changing system generally includes a diaper having an exterior surface and an interior surface, a cavity beneath the interior surface, a plurality of dispensing openings extending through the interior surface to fluidly connect to the cavity, and a receiver opening extending through the interior surface to fluidly connected to the cavity. The receiver opening is adapted to removably receive a nozzle of a cream container to receive a cream for insertion into the cavity and later dispensing from the cavity through the dispensing openings to the skin of the baby. A bag is removably attached to the exterior surface of the diaper for storing the cream container and wipes until used. The bag is removed and used as a garbage container when the diaper is used.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a diaper and more specifically it relates to a diaper changing system for efficiently changing a diaper without having to carry a diaper bag.
Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Disposable diapers have been used for years for babies (e.g. newborns, infants and toddlers). While disposable diapers are useful and convenient for changing a soiled diaper, a parent still has to bring along a separate diaper bag that has various items such as diaper cream, wipes and related items to clean and prepare the baby prior to attaching the new diaper. Furthermore, once the soiled diaper is removed the caregiver needs to find a garbage and if a garbage is not nearby they have to keep the soiled diaper until a garbage can be found. In addition, when changing a diaper the caregiver often times will apply diaper cream to the baby resulting in the diaper cream being stuck to their fingers and under their nails resulting in an undesirable smell for the caregiver. In addition, it is time consuming to open the diaper bag, remove the contents, change the diaper, replace the contents to the diaper bag and find a nearby garbage container.
Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved diaper changing system for efficiently changing a diaper without having to carry a diaper bag.


A device having electrical and mechanical components. The device comprises multiple layers in which:

This invention relates to micro-electromechanical devices and, in particular, to devices, which are fabricated from several substrates and subjected to anodic bonding during their manufacture.
A number of micro-electromechanical devices, such as accelerometers, pressure sensors, angular rate sensors, inclineometers, etc, are known.
It is well known with such micro-electromechanical devices to provide a glass substrate cover over a semiconductor substrate. Such a cover provides mechanical protection to the device, and can provide a vacuum cavity. The glass can also provide a mount for some of the required electrical components. Placing electrical components on the glass substrate rather than the semiconductor substrate reduces the stray capacitance in the micro-electromechanical device. The glass is bonded to the semiconductor substrate by a process known as anodic bonding and this procedure is known to be harsh and potentially damaging to the components involved.
For example, due to the high temperatures involved, some of the materials may deform so causing defects, which adversely affect the performance of the micro-electromechanical device. Further, stress related effects may disrupt proper functioning of the device after the bonding process.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device comprising electrical and mechanical components comprising multiple layers in which:
a first layer or first set of layers is arranged to function as one or more electrodes or conductors; and
a second layer is arranged to function as one or more press contacts or wire bond pads, wherein the second layer has different physical properties than the first layer or first set of layers, wherein the first layer or set of layers is relatively hard or tough and the second layer is relatively soft or malleable.
Preferably, the first layer or first set of layers is formed from a titanium or, more preferably, from titanium and titanium nitride.
Preferably, the second layer is formed from one of aluminium or gold. The first and second layers may be formed on alkali containing borosilicate glass.
Preferably, the first layer is approximately 7000 xc3x85 thick and the second layer is approximately 5000 xc3x85 thick. The formation, and use of the press contacts as conductors, requires that the thickness of the layers is accurate and reproducible.
The present invention provides electrical and mechanical components which meets the diverse requirements of several functions within the micro-electromechanical device and which can withstand the harsh and potentially damaging environment during anodic bonding. In an embodiment of the invention the components mounted on the glass substrate include capacitor electrodes, conductors, press contacts, and wire bond pads. The conductors are both for electrical connection of the capacitor electrodes and the electric shields. The press contacts form electrical connection to conductors on the mating silicon substrate when the glass and silicon substrates are bonded together by the anodic bonding process.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming electrical and mechanical components in a micro-electromechanical device, the method comprising the steps of:
forming a first layer or set of layers which functions as one or more electrodes or conductors; and
forming a second layer which functions as one or more press contacts or wire bond pads, wherein
the second layer has different physical properties than the first layer or first set of layers, wherein the first layer or set of layers is relatively hard or tough and the second layer is relatively soft or malleable.
Preferably the first and second layers are etched to form the electrodes/conductors or bond pads/press contacts respectively. This process may include photolithography.
Preferably, the hard layer or set of layers is the first layer or set of layers to be deposited on the glass substrate and, subsequently, the second layer is deposited on top of the first layer. The layers may then be subjected to two or more photolithography steps which firstly pattern the wire bond pads and press contacts in to the second layer and, secondly, pattern the conductors and electrodes, as well as, the wire bond pads and press contacts, in to the first layer or set of layers. The pattern for the first layer must include all the features of the second layer because the first layer is under the second layer.
The first layer may be titanium.
The titanium may act as a getter to reduce the gas pressure in a sealed cavity after anodic bonding,and this preferably occurs at approximately room temperature.
Preferably, the titanium layer forms electrodes which remain flat during anodic bonding and which do not form permanent bonds to a flexible silicon structure during anodic bonding. This also applies to the titanium when used as one or more electrical conductors.

Abstract: a first layer or set of layers arranged is to function as one or more electrodes or conductors; and a second layer is arranged to function as one or more press contracts or wire contacts or wire bond pads. The second layer has different physical properties than the first layer, wherein the first layer or set of layers is relatively hard or tough and the second layer is relatively soft or malleable. A corresponding method is provided.