A method is for depositing silicon nitride by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). The method includes providing a PECVD apparatus including a chamber and a substrate support disposed within the chamber, positioning a substrate on the substrate support, introducing a nitrogen gas (N2) precursor into the chamber, applying a high frequency (HF) RF power and a low frequency (LF) RF power to sustain a plasma in the chamber, introducing a silane precursor into the chamber while the HF and LF RF powers are being applied so that the silane precursor forms part of the plasma being sustained, and subsequently removing the LF RF power or reducing the LF RF power by at least 90% while continuing to sustain the plasma so that silicon nitride is deposited onto the substrate by PECVD.

This invention relates to a method of depositing silicon nitride. More specifically, this invention relates to a method of depositing silicon nitride onto a substrate by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). This invention also relates to a plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) apparatus for depositing silicon nitride onto a substrate.
Silicon nitride films produced using low temperature plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) processes have uses in the semiconductor and microelectronics industry. For example, such silicon nitride films may be used as thin layers to control wafer stress and/or wafer bow in low temperature via reveal applications. It is essential for these silicon nitride films to exhibit excellent electrical properties whilst maintaining a low thermal budget. Known processes typically use a low temperature PECVD process with a high deposition rate (0.2-0.6 μm/min) to achieve the desired properties of the silicon nitride film.
However, the formation of unwanted silicon-rich particles has been observed during such low temperature PECVD processes. FIGS. 1A and 1B are SEM images of defects sectioned by focused ion beam (FIB) showing examples of silicon-rich particles formed on the surface of the substrate during the deposition of silicon nitride by PECVD. These particles may also bond together to form clusters of particles on the surface of the substrate (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3). FIG. 4 shows the distribution of 3-10 μm diameter particles formed across the surface of the substrate when silicon nitride was deposited by low temperature PECVD. These particles may impact the electrical and thermal properties of the resultant film. Additionally, these particles can cause irregularities in the substrate topography, which is undesirable. It is desirable to eradicate the formation of these particles during the deposition of silicon nitride by PECVD, in particular during low temperature PECVD.
In order to control the prevalence of the silicon-rich particles, known methods involve depositing successive thin layers of silicon nitride. This allows the silicon-rich particles to be pumped away before they adhere to the substrate surface. However, this approach is time consuming and costly.


A roll-to-roll rapid thermal processing (RTP) tool with multiple chambers for forming a solar cell absorber by reacting a precursor layer on a continuous flexible workpiece. The RTP tool includes an elongated housing having a heating chamber with a predetermined temperature profile, a supply chamber and a receiving chamber. The heating chamber includes a small process gap in which the precursor layer is reacted with a Group VIA material to form an absorber layer. The continuous flexible workpiece is unrolled and advanced from the supply chamber into the heating chamber, and the processed continuous flexible workpiece is taken up and rolled in the receiving chamber.

Solar cells are photovoltaic devices that convert sunlight directly into electrical power. The most common solar cell material is silicon, which is in the form of single or polycrystalline wafers. However, the cost of electricity generated using silicon-based solar cells is higher than the cost of electricity generated by the more traditional methods. Therefore, since early 1970's there has been an effort to reduce cost of solar cells for terrestrial use. One way of reducing the cost of solar cells is to develop low-cost thin film growth techniques that can deposit solar-cell-quality absorber materials on large area substrates and to fabricate these devices using high-throughput, low-cost methods.
Group IBIIIAVIA compound semiconductors comprising some of the Group IB (Cu, Ag, Au), Group IIIA (B, Al, Ga, In, Tl) and Group VIA (O, S, Se, Te, Po) materials or elements of the periodic table are excellent absorber materials for thin film solar cell structures. Especially, compounds of Cu, In, Ga, Se and S which are generally referred to as CIGS(S), or Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 or CuIn1-xGax (SySe1-y)k, where 0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1 and k is approximately 2, have already been employed in solar cell structures that yielded conversion efficiencies approaching 20%. Absorbers containing Group IIIA element Al and/or Group VIA element Te also showed promise. Therefore, in summary, compounds containing: i) Cu from Group IB, ii) at least one of In, Ga, and Al from Group IIIA, and iii) at least one of S, Se, and Te from Group VIA, are of great interest for solar cell applications.
The structure of a conventional Group IBIIIAVIA compound photovoltaic cell such as a Cu(In,Ga,Al)(S,Se,Te)2 thin film solar cell is shown in FIG. 1. The device 10 is fabricated on a substrate 11, such as a sheet of glass, a sheet of metal, an insulating foil or web, or a conductive foil or web. The absorber film 12, which comprises a material in the family of Cu(In,Ga,Al)(S,Se,Te)2, is grown over a conductive layer 13, which is previously deposited on the substrate 11 and which acts as the electrical contact to the device. The substrate 11 and the conductive layer 13 form a base 20. Various conductive layers comprising Mo, Ta, W, Ti, and stainless steel etc. have been used in the solar cell structure of FIG. 1. If the substrate itself is a properly selected conductive material, it is possible not to use a conductive layer 13, since the substrate 11 may then be used as the ohmic contact to the device. After the absorber film 12 is grown, a transparent layer 14 such as a CdS, ZnO or CdS/ZnO stack is formed on the absorber film. Radiation 15 enters the device through the transparent layer 14. Metallic grids (not shown) may also be deposited over the transparent layer 14 to reduce the effective series resistance of the device. The preferred electrical type of the absorber film 12 is p-type, and the preferred electrical type of the transparent layer 14 is n-type. However, an n-type absorber and a p-type window layer can also be utilized. The preferred device structure of FIG. 1 is called a "substrate-type" structure. A "superstrate-type" structure can also be constructed by depositing a transparent conductive layer on a transparent superstrate such as glass or transparent polymeric foil, and then depositing the Cu(In,Ga,Al)(S,Se,Te)2 absorber film, and finally forming an ohmic contact to the device by a conductive layer. In this superstrate structure light enters the device from the transparent superstrate side. A variety of materials, deposited by a variety of methods, can be used to provide the various layers of the device shown in FIG. 1.
In a thin film solar cell employing a Group IBIIIAVIA compound absorber, the cell efficiency is a strong function of the molar ratio of IB/IIIA. If there are more than one Group IIIA materials in the composition, the relative amounts or molar ratios of these IIIA elements also affect the properties. For a Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 absorber layer, for example, the efficiency of the device is a function of the molar ratio of Cu/(In+Ga). Furthermore, some of the important parameters of the cell, such as its open circuit voltage, short circuit current and fill factor vary with the molar ratio of the IIIA elements, i.e. the Ga/(Ga+In) molar ratio. In general, for good device performance Cu/(In+Ga) molar ratio is kept at around or below 1.0. As the Ga/(Ga+In) molar ratio increases, on the other hand, the optical bandgap of the absorber layer increases and therefore the open circuit voltage of the solar cell increases while the short circuit current typically may decrease. It is important for a thin film deposition process to have the capability of controlling both the molar ratio of IB/IIIA, and the molar ratios of the Group IIIA components in the composition. It should be noted that although the chemical formula is often written as Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2, a more accurate formula for the compound is Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)k, where k is typically close to 2 but may not be exactly 2. For simplicity we will continue to use the value of k as 2. It should be further noted that the notation "Cu(X,Y)" in the chemical formula means all chemical compositions of X and Y from (X=0% and Y=100%) to (X=100% and Y=0%). For example, Cu(In,Ga) means all compositions from CuIn to CuGa. Similarly, Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 means the whole family of compounds with Ga/(Ga+In) molar ratio varying from 0 to 1, and Se/(Se+S) molar ratio varying from 0 to 1.
One technique for growing Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 type compound thin films for solar cell applications is a two-stage process where metallic components of the Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 material are first deposited onto a substrate, and then reacted with S and/or Se in a high temperature annealing process. For example, for CuInSe2 growth, thin layers of Cu and In are first deposited on a substrate and then this stacked precursor layer is reacted with Se at elevated temperature. If the reaction atmosphere also contains sulfur, then a CuIn(S,Se)2 layer can be grown. Addition of Ga in the precursor layer, i.e. use of a Cu/In/Ga stacked film precursor, allows the growth of a Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 absorber.
Two-stage process approach may also employ stacked layers comprising Group VIA materials. For example, a Cu(In,Ga)Se2 film may be obtained by depositing In—Ga—Se and Cu—Se layers in an In—Ga—Se/Cu—Se stack and reacting them in presence of Se. Similarly, stacks comprising Group VIA materials and metallic components may also be used. Stacks comprising Group VIA materials include, but are not limited to In—Ga—Se/Cu stack, Cu/In/Ga/Se stack, Cu/Se/In/Ga/Se stack, etc.
Selenization and/or sulfidation or sulfurization of precursor layers comprising metallic components may be carried out in various forms of Group VIA material(s). One approach involves using gases such as H2Se, H2S or their mixtures to react, either simultaneously or consecutively, with the precursor comprising Cu, In and/or Ga. This way a Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 film may be formed after annealing and reacting at elevated temperatures. It is possible to increase the reaction rate or reactivity by striking plasma in the reactive gas during the process of compound formation. Se vapors or S vapors from elemental sources may also be used for selenization and sulfidation. Alternately, as described before, Se and/or S may be deposited over the precursor layer comprising Cu, In and/or Ga and the stacked structure can be annealed at elevated temperatures to initiate reaction between the metallic elements or components and the Group VIA material(s) to form the Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 compound.
Reaction step in a two-stage process is typically carried out in batch furnaces. In this approach, a number of pre-cut substrates with precursor layers deposited on them are placed into a batch furnace and reaction is carried out for periods that may range from 15 minutes to several hours. Temperature of the batch furnace is typically raised to the reaction temperature, which may be in the range of 400-600 C, after loading the substrates. The ramp rate for this temperature rise is normally lower than 5 C/sec, typically less than 1 C/sec. One prior art method described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,578,503 utilizes a rapid thermal annealing (RTP) approach to react the precursor layers in a batch manner, one substrate at a time. In this design the temperature of the substrate with the precursor layer is raised to the reaction temperature at a high rate, typically at 10 C/sec.
Design of the reaction chamber to carry out selenization/sulfidation processes is critical for the quality of the resulting compound film, the efficiency of the solar cells, throughput, material utilization and cost of the process. Present invention provides methods and apparatus to carry out reaction of precursor layers for CIGS(S) type absorber formation, in a roll-to-roll manner. Roll-to-roll or reel-to-reel processing increases throughput and minimizes substrate handling. Therefore, it is a preferred method for large scale manufacturing.

Reel-to-reel reaction of precursor film to form solar cell absorber


Within the scope of the present invention is a new pharmacological strategy for the treatment of tumors based on anti-tumoral immune responses.

Manipulation of the immune system to trigger anti-tumoral immune responses has revolutionized the therapeutic approach of a variety of cancers ([1], [2], and [3]). An immune checkpoint blockade unleashes naturally occurring T cells that are able to recognize cancer cells, by eliminating negative signals that normally hold those T cells in check to prevent autoimmune attack. Presently, two immunotherapeutic strategies are currently being used in the clinic. One targets cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein (CTLA)-4 [4]. The other targets the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/PD ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathway [4]. However, only a minority of patients treated with these drugs experience substantial clinical benefit.

Immunoresponsive methods of treating tumors


In a flat panel display in which low-voltage row and column address signals control a much higher pixel activation voltage by respectively gating at least one pair of series coupled MOSFETs to ground for each pixel, effective current regulation is achieved by placing a current-regulating resistor in series with each pair of the series-coupled MOSFETs. The resistor is coupled directly to ground and to the source of the MOSFET furthest from the emitter node. By coupling the current-regulating resistor directly to the ground bus, stable current values are achieved over a wide range of cathode voltages.

For more than half a century, the cathode ray tube (CRT) has been the principal device for displaying visual information. Although CRTs have been endowed during that period with remarkable display characteristics in the areas of color, brightness, contrast and resolution, they have remained relatively bulky and power hungry. The advent of portable computers has created intense demand for displays which are lightweight, compact, and power efficient. Although liquid crystal displays are now used almost universally for laptop computers, contrast is poor in comparison to CRTs, only a limited range of viewing angles is possible, and in color versions, they consume power at rates Which are incompatible with extended battery operation. In addition, color screens tend to be far more costly than CRTs of equal screen size.
As a result of the drawbacks of liquid crystal display technology, thin film field emission display technology has been receiving increasing attention by industry. Flat panel display utilizing such technology employ a matrix-addressable array of pointed, thin-film, cold field emission cathodes in combination with a phosphor-luminescent screen. Somewhat analogous to a cathode ray tube, individual field emission structures are sometimes referred to as vacuum microelectronic triodes. The triode elements are a cathode (emitter tip), a grid (also referred to as the gate), and an anode (typically, the phosphor-coated element to which emitted electrons are directed).
Although the phenomenon of field emission was discovered in the 1950's, extensive research by many individuals, such as Charles A. Spindt of SRI International, has improved the technology to the extent that its prospects for use in the manufacture of inexpensive, low-power, high-resolution, highcontrast, full-color flat displays appear promising. However, much work remains to be done in order to successfully commercialize the technology.
There are a number of problems associated with contemporary matrix-addressable field-emission display designs. To date, such displays have .been constructed such that a column signal activates a single conductive strip within the grid, while a row signal activates a conductive strip within the emitter base electrode. At the intersection of an activated column and an activated row, a grid-to-emitter voltage differential sufficient to induce field emission will exist, causing illumination of an associated phosphor on the phosphorescent screen. In FIG. 1, which is representative of such contemporary architecture, three grid (grid) strips 11A, 11B, and 11C orthogonally intersect a trio of emitter base electrode (row) strips 12A, 12B, and 12C. In this representation, each row-column intersection (the equivalent of a single pixel within the display) contains 16 field emission cathodes (also referred to herein as "emitters") 13. In reality, the number of emitter tips per pixel may vary greatly. The tip of each emitter tip is surrounded by a grid strip aperture 14. In order for field emission to occur, the voltage differential between a row conductor and a column conductor must be at least equal to a voltage which will provide acceptable field emission levels. Field emission intensity is highly dependent on several factors, the most important of which is the sharpness of the cathode emitter tip and the intensity of the electric field at the tip. Although a level of field emission suitable for the operation of flat panel displays has been achieved with emitter-to-grid voltages as low as 80 volts (and this figure is expected to decrease in the coming years due to improvements in emitter structure design and fabrication) emission voltages will probably remain far greater than 5 volts, which is the standard CMOS, NMOS, and TTL "1" level. Thus, if the field emission threshold voltage is at 80 volts, row and column lines will, most probably, be designed to switch between 0 and either + 40 or - 40 volts in order to provide an intersection voltage differential of 80 volts. Hence, it will be necessary to perform high-voltage switching as these row and column lines are activated. Not only is there a problem of building drivers to switch such high voltages, but there is also the problem of unnecessary power consumption because of the capacitive coupling of row and column lines. That is to say, the higher the voltage on these lines, the greater the power required to drive the display.
In addition to the problem of high-voltage switching, aperture displays suffer from low yield and low reliability due to the possibility of emitter-to-grid shorts. Such a short affects the voltage differential between the emitters and grid within the entire array, and may well render the entire array useless, either by consuming so much power that the supply is not able to maintain a voltage differential sufficient to induce field emission, or by actually generating so much heat that a portion of the array is actually destroyed.
A new field emission display architecture, which is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,210,472 overcomes the problems of high-voltage switching and emitter-to-grid shorts, which, in turn, ameliorates the problem of display power consumption. The new architecture (hereinafter referred to as the "low-voltage-switching field emission display architecture") permits the switching of a high pixel activation voltage with low signal voltages that are compatible with standard CMOS, NMOS, or other integrated circuit logic levels. Instead of having row and columns tied directly to the cathode array, they are used to gate at least one pair of series-connected field effect transistors (FETs), each pair when conductive coupling the base electrode of a single emitter node to a potential that is sufficiently low, with respect to a higher potential applied to the grid, to induce field emission. Each row-column intersection (i.e. pixel) within the display may contain multiple emitter nodes in order to improve manufacturing yield and product reliability. In a preferred embodiment, the grid of the array is held at a constant potential (V.sub.FE), which is consistent with reliable field emission when the emitters are at ground potential. A multiplicity of emitter nodes are employed, one or more of which correspond to a single pixel (i.e., row and column intersection). Each emitter node has its own base electrode, which is groundable through its own pair of series-coupled field-effect transistors by applying a signal voltage to both the row and column lines associated with that emitter node. One of the series-connected FETs is gated by a signal on the row line; the other FET is gated by a signal on the column line. Also in the preferred embodiment of the invention, each emitter node contains multiple cathode emitters. Hence, each row-column intersection controls multiple pairs of series coupled FETs, and each pair controls a single emitter node (pixel) containing multiple emitters.
The regulation of cathode-to-grid current has become a major issue in the design of field emission displays, as the issues of cathode life expectancy, low power consumption, and stability requirements are addressed.
The issue of current regulation has been addressed with respect to conventionally constructed flat panel field emission displays, such as the one depicted in FIG. 1. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,916, Michel Borel and three colleagues disclose a field emission display having a resistive layer between each cathode (emitter tip) and an underlying conductive layer. In a subsequent U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,704, Yoichi Bobori and Mitsuru Tanaka disclose a field emission display having a diode in series with each emitter tip.
The present invention is directed at reducing power consumption and enhancing reliability and stability in the low-voltage switching field emission display architecture by regulating cathode emission current.

Current-regulated field emission cathodes for use in a flat panel display in which low-voltage row and column address signals control a much higher pixel activation voltage


In a general aspect, a method can include producing, by an inductive antenna circuit, a first periodic signal that is based on an alternating external magnetic field; producing, by an oscillator circuit, a second periodic signal that is based on the first periodic signal; and transmitting, in correspondence with a data-carrying modulation signal, a sequence of data bits. The transmitting can include sequentially and repetitively: applying, with the oscillator circuit operating in a free oscillation mode, the second periodic signal to the inductive antenna circuit; and inhibiting, with the oscillator circuit operating in a synchronous oscillation mode, application of the second periodic signal to the inductive antenna circuit. The synchronous oscillation mode of the oscillator circuit can cause the second periodic signal to be synchronized to the first periodic signal.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for sending data by inductive coupling, including receiving an antenna signal by way of an inductive antenna circuit in the presence of an alternating external magnetic field, extracting from the antenna signal a first periodic signal, producing a second periodic signal by way of a synchronous oscillator having a synchronization input receiving the first periodic signal, placing the oscillator in a free oscillation mode and applying to the antenna circuit bursts of the second periodic signal to generate an active load modulation magnetic field.
Embodiments of the present invention also relate to a device for sending and receiving data designed to implement this method.
Generally speaking, the present invention relates to inductive coupling communication techniques, also known as "Near Field Communications" or NFC. A communication by inductive coupling generally involves a so-called passive device and a so-called active device. The two devices are equipped with an antenna coil. The active device emits a magnetic field oscillating for example at 13.56 MHz, and sends data to the passive device by modulating the magnetic field. This magnetic field is designated below "external magnetic field". The passive device sends data to the active device by load modulation.
The load modulation may be passive or active. Passive load modulation involves modifying the impedance of the antenna coil of the passive device at the rate of a data-carrying load modulation signal. This impedance modulation affects the impedance of the antenna coil of the active device, by inductive coupling. The active device may therefore extract from its antenna signal the load modulation signal used by the passive device, and deduce therefrom the data that the passive device sends it.
Active load modulation involves emitting bursts of alternating magnetic field, at the rate of the data-carrying modulation signal. The bursts of magnetic field are perceived by the active device as a passive load modulation. This technique was proposed by the applicant in European Patent EP 1 327 222 (U.S. Pat. No. 7,098,770B2), (see FIGS. 4A to 4E, page 8 table 4, paragraph [0074].
Compared to passive load modulation, active load modulation offers a greater communication distance and/or better data transmission in a hostile environment, for example an environment disturbed by metallic masses generating Foucault (Eddy) currents. However, active load modulation requires circuitry for driving the antenna coil and thus a current source, but consumes much less current than a continuous emission of magnetic field.
An active load modulation device cannot therefore be purely passive in terms of power supply (a purely passive device being electrically powered by the magnetic field emitted by the active device) but is nevertheless considered "passive" in that it does not emit the external magnetic field necessary for the communication.
To obtain a maximum communication distance, the active load modulation also requires that the load modulation magnetic field be in phase with the external magnetic field emitted by the active device. Phase rotations between the active load modulation magnetic field and the external magnetic field may cause undesirable fluctuations in the communication distance.
European Patent EP 1 801 741 describes an active load modulation NFC device using a phase locked loop to control the phase of the load modulation magnetic field (see e.g., FIG. 19). The phase locked loop includes a Voltage-Controlled Oscillator (VCO), a phase comparator, and a low-pass filter supplying a control voltage to the VCO. The phase comparator receives, as a reference frequency, a first periodic signal extracted from the antenna signal induced by the external magnetic field. The phase locked loop supplies a second periodic signal the phase of which is set on that of the first periodic signal. In data send mode, bursts of the second periodic signal are applied to the antenna circuit to generate the bursts of magnetic field.
When the device switches into the data send mode, the first periodic signal is no longer applied to the phase comparator and a sample hold circuit HLD maintains the control voltage applied to the VCO. The phase locked loop thus switches from a synchronous operating mode into a free oscillation mode and remains in this operating mode until the end of the data sending.
If it is desirable for the bursts of magnetic field to be in phase with the external magnetic field, the phase locked loop must have a very slight phase shift over the entire duration of the data send mode, which is at least equal to the duration of sending a data frame. In practice, the maximal phase shift tolerated over this period is generally in the order of ¼ of the period of the magnetic field oscillating at 13.56 MHz.
As an example, an ISO 14443-A frame has a duration in the order of 25.6 ms. As the frequency of the periodic signal is 13.56 MHz, the phase shift of the phase locked loop in free oscillation mode should preferably not be more than 18 ns, i.e. ¼ of the period of the magnetic field oscillating at 13.56 MHz.
Now, obtaining a stability greater than 18 ns over a duration of 25.6 ms means that the phase locked loop must offer extremely high precision, in the order of 0.7 ppm ((18×10−9/25.6×10−3)*106). Such precision requires very high quality and expensive circuitry.
It may thus be desired to provide a way of providing bursts of magnetic field having a small phase shift relative to the external magnetic field, without using extremely precise and expensive circuitry.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and device for modulating an active load


A method of manufacturing a magnetic rotor core member for a rotating-field dynamoelectric machine, particularly a small alternator, including the steps of hot forging a segment of steel bar stock into a core blank approximating the final volume desired for the rotor core member but with the pole piece finger angled outwardly from a central disc section at an angle of 45.degree. to 80.degree., the fingers being shorter than required for the finished pole pieces, de-burring the core blank and gradually cooling it. A shaft aperture is cold punched through the hub of the core blank, the pole piece fingers are bent into a vertical position relative to the rotor disc, and the pole piece fingers are ironed into close conformity with the required finished dimensions, in particular lengthening and shaping the fingers; this is all done in one step in a cold-forging press. The core blank is cold compressed to finished form as a rotor core member. Annealing is an optional step.

Automotive vehicles and small vessels use D.C. electrical power sources for operation of lights and controls; the traditional power source for these applications once was a D.C. generator driven from the vehicle engine. More recently, with major improvements in rectifier technology, the D.C. generator has been replaced by the combination of a small alternator and a rectifier. The most practical and most widely used type of alternator employs a rotating magnetic field, using a field coil mounted in a core formed by two magnetic steel core members with interleaved finger-like pole pieces. For these magnetic core members, precision manufacture is essential.
Processes that have been employed in the manufacture of magnetic rotor core members for alternators and like dynamoelectric machines include cold forging (or cold extrusion) processes, cold forming stamping processes, hot forging processes, and combinations of hot forging, cold forging, and machining processes. These manufacturing procedures have each incorporated methods and techniques that have been developed independently and separately for each. Though significant improvements and advances in all of these methods have been achieved during past years, each of the known processes nevertheless still presents drawbacks and disadvantages which have proved difficult or impossible to overcome. Accordingly, each of these methods still leaves much to be desired in terms of yield rate, productivity, equipment required, etc.
For instance, the cold forging or cold extrusion method requires a large scale, high capacity press that affords an extremely high processing force. This presents substantial problems with respect to operating life and productivity of the tooling employed in the press. The cold forming stamping process presents a distinct disadvantage with respect to excessive consumption of the material from which a preliminary core blank is punched and an undesirable low yield rate. Further, this process cannot create an integral hub section, as used in many rotor core members, so that a separate rotor core spacer or hub has to be manufactured by some other process.
The hot forging process is inherently a higher yield rate procedure that has the further advantage of requiring less processing force than cold forging. However, hot forging alone is inadequate in attaining high dimensional accuracy and also is poorly adapted to producing a shaft aperture in the hub of the rotor core member. Consequently, the basic hot forging process must be followed by a number of machining steps to achieve the required finished form with precision controlled dimensional tolerances.
The best previously known methods of manufacturing magnetic rotor core members for dynamoelectric machines are described in the inventor's earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,511 issued Dec. 17, 1985 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,117 issued July 26, 1988. Each employs a combination of hot forging and cold forging operations, and each has some operations like the present invention. Thus, each patented process, and the present invention, may employ the steps of cutting a segment from a steel bar, hot forging that segment to form a preliminary core blank with pole piece fingers, de-burring the preliminary core blank, gradually air cooling the blank, and cold compressing the blank. The prior patents also include a coining step.
According to the inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,511, the air-cooled blank may be directly cold-compressed; alternatively, rough machining may be needed. A problem with this process is that conventional hot-forged core blanks still include some excess volume even after being de-burred. These core blanks, more often than not, can be "die busters" when inserted directly into cold-compression dies. Thus, the alternative rough machining is most often necessary. At the same time, some parts of the core blank may be incomplete due to defects resulting from failure of the steel to flow into all parts of the die set during initial forging; this is a particular problem with the pole piece fingers. Rough machining is also used in the process of the inventor's later U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,117. In that process, the pole piece fingers start out shorter than required for the final rotor core, and are subsequently lengthened and ironed to final shape.

Method of manufacture of a rotor core member for a dynamoelectric machine


In described examples, a method for electroplating a semiconductor device includes: forming a metal foil; forming an inert anode support; attaching the metal foil to the inert anode support to form an anode; forming a cathode using a semiconductor substrate; immersing the anode and the cathode within an electrolyte solution; forming a circuit with a current source, the anode and the cathode; generating a current through the circuit; and electroplating a metal from the electrolyte solution onto the semiconductor substrate.

Semiconductors often include integrated devices fabricated using a substrate or wafer. Examples of typical materials include silicon and gallium arsenide. Semiconductor devices integrate various circuit elements, such as resistors, capacitors, transistors, inductors, insulators and different types of memory.
MEMS devices integrate small mechanical systems with semiconductors to form various devices, such as sensors (e.g., temperature, pressure, gas, moisture and motion sensors), accelerometers, valves, motors, actuators and micromirrors.
Electroplating is one method used in fabrication of electrical contact points for MEMS devices and in MEMS packaging. Electroplating may include selective or blanket deposition of metals. Compared to other coating methods, electroplating can accommodate a variety of process temperatures and deposition rates. Electroplating can also yield varied deposit morphologies to accommodate specific applications.
FIG. 1 (prior art) is an illustration of a typical semiconductor electroplating apparatus 100, which includes a vessel 102 with a reservoir containing an electrolyte solution 104, an anode 106 and a cathode 108. The cathode 108 and the anode 106 form an electrical circuit with the electrolyte solution 104 and a power supply 112.
The cathode 108 typically includes the semiconductor wafer to be metallized. The cathode 108 is held to a support 110 by a clamp. For precious metal electroplating, such as gold plating, the anode 106 is formed from a metal (such as titanium) that is coated with platinum.
The electrolyte solution 104 is selected according to the metal to be electroplated. In at least one example, the electrolyte solution 104 includes: a solution of copper sulfate for copper plating; or a different solution of sodium or potassium gold cyanide for gold plating.
Electroplating can be performed using either: inert anodes, such as titanium with a thin coating of platinum (platinized titanium); or soluble anodes. If electroplating using inert anodes, all of the deposited metal comes from the electrolyte solution. If electroplating using soluble anodes, the deposited metal comes from electrodissolution into the electrolyte solution of the metal being deposited from solid anodes of the same metal. Ideally, the mass of metal dissolved from the soluble anode exactly balances the amount of metal deposited. In one method, the soluble anodes are in contact with an inert supporting anode to facilitate electrical connection and replenishment of the soluble anodes as they are consumed.
In a system with a supporting inert anode (such as platinized titanium) and soluble anodes, such as for indium plating, slow consumption of the platinum coating may occur to expose the underlying titanium substrate to the indium sulfite electrolyte solution 104, and the electrolyte solution 104 pH increases over time. The increase in pH destabilizes the electrolyte solution 104. As the pH of the electrolyte solution 104 increases, an associated increase occurs in indium concentration, due to chemical and galvanic dissolution of indium ions from the solid indium shot soluble anode. These indium ions exceed the complexing capacity of the electrolyte solution. The excess uncomplexed ions then precipitate as In(OH)3, which forms a sludge within the electrolyte solution. Precipitation of In(OH)3 leads to instability of the electrolyte solution and variations in the deposit morphology. During the electroplating process, the cathode 108 or wafer is lowered into the reservoir and brought into contact with the electrolyte solution 104, and a direct electrical current (applied at a specific amperage or voltage) is applied using the power supply 112, which can be either a rectifier or a battery.
FIG. 2 (prior art) is a drawing of an anode 200, which is an inert metal, such as titanium or platinized titanium, approximately circular with a central opening 206. Multiple smaller openings 208 are disposed within the anode 200 to provide a path for fluid flow. The anode 200 may include one or more attachment points 210 to allow connection of the anode 200 to an external power source in the apparatus 100.
If a platinum metal coating 204 is consumed during the electroplating process, then the platinized titanium anode 200 may require periodic replacement. Consumption of the coating 204 exposes an underlying titanium substrate 202 to the electroplating solution 104. The electrolyte solution 104 includes a solution of metal ions to be electroplated. The metal ions are introduced through dissolution of the soluble anodes or chemical addition of metal salts.
In the electroplating process, the anode 200 is placed within the electrolyte solution 104 in the apparatus 100. The electrolyte solution 104 is agitated, stirred or circulated to provide an even distribution of metal ions from within the electrolyte solution 104 across surfaces and edges of the anode 200 and wafer to be electroplated.
In arrangement of FIG. 2, the anode 200 maintains its dimensional integrity, and wafers are electroplated with a uniform thickness of metal.
Small inherent cracks and pores within the platinum metal coating 204 further increase the area to which the electrolyte solution 104 can contact with the titanium substrate 202. The titanium forms a galvanic cell with the indium pellets in solution.

Method and system for electroplating a MEMS device


To constitute a poppet valve with a heater by providing a heater which heats a valve member at a fixed position inside valve casing without attaching the heater to the valve member, a rod or the like which is a movable member as necessary. In a valve casing 1 having main ports 11, 12, a flow path 13 which connects these main ports 11, 12, a valve seat 14 which is provided inside the flow path 13, a valve member 17 which opens/closes the valve seat 14, and a rod 18 which is coupled to the valve member 17, a cylindrical heat transfer body 28 is disposed at a fixed position therein so as to surround the rod 18, and the heat transfer body 28 is caused to house a first heater 31 therein, so that a poppet valve is constituted such that the valve member 17 comes in contact with the heat transfer body 28 at a time of opening of the valve member 17.

The present invention relates to a poppet valve which is directly used for supplying working fluid such as reaction gas or the like in physical and/or chemical machines or the like or which is used for pressure reduction of a vacuum chamber using such reaction gas or the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to a poppet valve with a heater that is constituted so as to prevent product from the working fluid from adhering to a valve member or the like by a heater.
In a manufacturing apparatus for semiconductors, for example, reaction gas with a high temperature is used for such a chemical processing as an etching which is transferred in a vacuum chamber, and a poppet valve is used for supplying the reaction gas or reducing pressure in the vacuum chamber. However, when the temperature of the reaction gas is lowered, the product is easy to deposit and the product adheres to respective members such as a valve member, a bellows and the like included in the poppet valve to lower an opening/closing accuracy of the valve. Therefore, in such a poppet valve, it is important that such a constitution is employed that deposition of product from the working fluid or adhesion thereof to the valve member and the like can be prevented.
For this reason, poppet valves with a heater which heats the interior of a casing, a valve member and the like by a heater to prevent adhesion of product have conventionally been proposed. In Japanese Patent No. 3005449 publication, there has been disclosed one where a band heater is wound on an outer face of a casing and a rod-shape heater is attached to a valve member for opening/closing a flow path through the interior of a hollow rod extending from the valve member. Also, in Japanese Patent No. 3012831, there has been disclosed one where a rubber heater is attached to an outer face of a casing and anther heater is attached an outer periphery of a cylindrical holding body integral with a valve member. Further, in JP-A 11-82807 publication, there has been disclosed one where a rubber heater is attached to an outer face of a casing and a flexible heater is housed in the interior of a hollow rod integral with a valve member.
However, in each of such conventional poppet valves, since a heater for heating a valve member is attached to the valve member or the rod which is a movable member, there is a problem that the weight of the entire movable member including the valve member or the rod is increased due to attachment of the heater so that a driving force required for opening/closing the valve must not only be increased correspondingly but also a response performance is deteriorated. In addition, since an impact generated for each of opening/closing operations of the valve member is directly transmitted to the heater, there is a drawback that the heater disconnects or breaks easily due to the impact. Also, since the valve member is always heated by the heater even when it is unnecessary to heat the valve member so strongly in a state where a large amount of working fluid is not flowing in the interior of the valve, there is a problem that a heat efficiency is poor and thermal deterioration of a rubber-made sealing member which is weak in heat occurs easily.
A technical object of the present invention is to provide a poppet valve with a heater which has an efficient and reasonable design structure and which has solved the above described conventional problems by employing such a constitution that a heater for heating a valve member is provided at a fixed position inside a valve casing without attaching the heater to the valve member, a rod or the like which is a movable member, thereby allowing transfer of much heat to the valve member as necessary.
According to the present invention for solving the above problem, there is provided a poppet valve with a heater, comprising: a valve casing which has a first main port and a second main port, a flow path connecting both the main ports to each other, and a valve seat provided inside the flow path; a cylinder which is coupled to the valve casing via a heat insulating portion; a valve member of a poppet type which is provided inside the valve casing to open/close the valve seat; a rod whose distal end portion is coupled to the valve member and whose proximal end portion extends into the interior of the cylinder via the heat insulating portion; a piston which is slidably disposed in the interior of the cylinder via a sealing member and is coupled to the proximal end of the rod; a heat transfer body which is disposed at a fixed position inside the valve casing along the rod and whose distal end portion is provided with a heat transfer face coming in contact with the valve member at a position of valve opening; first heater which is attached to the heat transfer body; and a second heater which is attached on an outer face of the valve casing.
According to the poppet valve of the present invention having the above constitution, since such a constitution is employed that the heat transfer body is provided at a fixed position inside the valve casing and the first heater for heating a valve member is attached to the heat transfer body so that the valve member comes in contact with the heat transfer body to be heated at a time of opening of the valve member, there does not occur such a problem that a driving force at a time of opening/closing is increased due to increase in weight of the valve member or a response performance is deteriorated like the case that the heater has been directly attached to the valve member or the rod. In addition, since such a system is employed that the valve member comes in contact with the heat transfer body to be directly heated at a time of valve opening when working fluid flows in the interior of the valve, an energy efficiency is high and the sealing member deterioration of the sealing member occurring in such a case that a direct heating is performed is hard to occur. Further, since an impact generated according to opening/closing of the valve member is not transferred to the heater, the problem of injury of the heater does not occur.
According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the heat transfer body takes a cylindrical shape and it is disposed so as to surround the rod, and the heater is housed in the interior of the heat transfer body.
Also, the heat insulating portion is formed of a cylindrical heat insulating plate having a plurality of vent holes, and the heat insulating plate is provided between the valve casing and the cylinder concentrically with the rod.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rod is partitioned to a first portion positioned on the side of the valve member and a second portion positioned on the side of the piston, and the second portion is formed of material having a heat transfer property lower than that of material of the first portion.
According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, a bellows is provided between a partition wall of an end portion of the valve casing and the valve member, and the heat transfer body is accommodated in the interior of the bellows and a heat receiving face coming in contact with a heat transfer face of the heat transfer body is formed at a portion of a back face of the valve member which is included in the bellows.


Non-contact connectivity testing of joints connecting circuit junctions are improved through knowledge of characteristics of semiconductor junctions connected to component nodes of components of a device under test (DUT) to allow detection of high-impedance joints.

Capacitive lead-frame sensing technologies are typically used to detect opens between an integrated circuit (IC) signal pin and a mounting substrate (e.g., a printed circuit board). The amplitude of the alternating current (AC) stimulus is normally set to a level that ensures that semiconductor junctions, from which the functional circuitry of the integrated circuit is formed, do not turn on. The primary concern with turning on semiconductor junctions is damage to the IC device being tested due to excessive current.
When semiconductor junctions are turned on, the current supplied from the stimulus must be limited in magnitude and duration to prevent damage. The traditional semiconductor junction turns on at an AC stimulus of approximately 700 mV peak. Thus, the typical AC test stimulus for capacitive lead-frame technologies has been set around 200 mV, at which it is assumed that the junction current is insignificant to device damage and measurement stability.
Semiconductor junctions in newer technologies do not necessarily turn on at the traditional 700 mV due to advancements in semiconductor processing technology (shrinking geometries, changes in doping materials and doping concentrations, etc.) Furthermore, the knee at which these newer semiconductor junctions turn on is not necessarily a sharp transition at a single threshold voltage, but instead is a curve that could transit a significant voltage range. It is also common for a single IC to contain multiple groups of pins that have different junction characteristics.
Almost all pins on modern ICs include some level of protection for electrostatic discharge (ESD). ESD protection circuits commonly incorporate one or more diodes (semiconductor junctions) designed to turn on and discharge energy before any damage is done to internal circuitry. A simple example of traditional ESD protection circuitry is shown in FIG. 1 for an example circuit device, shown at 1, that includes at least one input 2 and one output 8. As shown, the input 2 receives a signal INPUT to be driven to internal circuitry 5. ESD protection on the input 2 includes a first pair of diodes 3, 4 (one 3 forward biased from ground to the input node 2, and the other 4 forward biased from the input node 2 to the power source VCC), which protects the internal circuitry 5 connected to the input 2. ESD protection on the output 8 includes a second pair of diodes 6, 7 (one 6 forward biased from ground to the output 8, and the other 7 forward biased between from the output 8 to the power source VCC), which protects the internal circuitry 5 connected to the output 8.
When one refers to a diode "turning on", one is usually referring to the voltage level (typically referred to as the "threshold voltage") at which the forward conducting current becomes significant. In reality, diodes conduct some current even before the knee at which the current becomes exponentially greater. FIG. 2 shows the traditional diode curve that might be exhibited by the circuit in FIG. 1. Assuming that only one diode is forward conducting at once and that the other conducts a minuscule reverse current, the circuit in FIG. 1 reduces to a simple diode and can be understood using the simplified diode equation:
                    i        =                              I            0                                          (                                          e                                  qV                  nkT                                            -              1                        )                                              Equation                                                            (          1          )
where i is the diode current in amps, Io is the reverse saturation current in amps, q is the electron charge in coulombs, V is the diode voltage in volts, n is a dimensionless ideality factor, k is Boltzmann's constant, and T is the temperature in Kelvins.
As shown in FIG. 2, the circuit 1 in FIG. 1 has a recognizable forward conducting knee (shown at 15) of 700 mV at which the current is approximately 0.5 nA. The current at 200 mV (500 mV below the knee) is a mere 50 fA and unlikely to affect the capacitive lead-frame measurements.
The current-voltage (IV) curve of FIG. 2 is not necessarily representative of all semiconductor junctions in newer technologies. Moreover, not all newer technologies will use a simple protection circuit as shown in FIG. 1 because changing input/output (IO) standards may require protection of even lower voltage logic due to higher energy levels.
An alternative circuit shown in FIG. 3 employs a two-stage approach to ESD protection of sensitive circuits. The behavior of the circuit in FIG. 3 cannot be modeled by Equation 1. Even though ESD protection circuits for newer technologies are not predictable, however, at the basic level they almost invariably consist of one or more semiconductor junctions that either explicitly or implicitly carry some of the same characteristics as a diode. One characteristic is a non-linear current-voltage (IV) curve similar in shape to the curve in FIG. 2 that results from the cumulative effects of the current through one or more junctions.
A second characteristic is a dependence of the current on temperature. Equation 1 explicitly includes temperature in the denominator of the exponential term. This would seem to imply that an increasing temperature causes a decrease in current for the diode (and thus any semiconductor junction with diode characteristics). The reality is normally the exact opposite because the reverse saturation component Io is also temperature dependent. The closer the applied voltage is to the forward conducting knee of the diode curve, the greater effect temperature will have on the current.
Capacitive lead-frame testing techniques rely on the ability of the tester to distinguish between very small differences in measured capacitance or measured current flow to allow the device tester to distinguish between the presence or non-presence of open, shorted, or otherwise defective joints of components of a device under test. Non-contact capacitive sensing testing techniques are described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,209 to Crook et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,964 to Kerschner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,500 to Kerschner, U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,953 to Crook et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,660 to Cilingiroglu, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference for all that they teach. In the past, as described previously, the geometry of the junctions were such that the traditional semiconductor junctions were characterized by a single threshold voltage—that is, all semiconductor junctions on a given device under test could be relied upon to turn on at or within a margin of error of a single threshold voltage (typically at approximately 700 mV). During a non-contact capacitive sensing test, therefore, this allowed the use of a single universal stimulus voltage level for stimulating all nodes under test of the device. The typical AC test stimulus voltage for capacitive lead-frame technologies has been set around 200 mV, at which it could be assumed that the junction current is sufficiently low to eliminate risk of damage to the device under test.
However, because advancements in semiconductor processing technology (shrinking geometries, changes in doping materials and doping concentrations, etc.) has lead to semiconductor junctions that turn on not at a single threshold voltage (or sharp knee), but rather semiconductor junctions that may be characterized by different junction characteristics relative to one another, and that turn on over a significant range of the stimulus voltage, the use of a single universal value of the stimulus voltage applied to all nodes under test of a device during a capacitive lead-frame test may be inappropriate, inefficient, or even problematic.
A technique has been developed as described in U.S. Patent Ser. No. 11/170,366 (publication number US2007/001687) in which semiconductor junction characteristics are utilized to find open connections at junctions between device under test nodes and nodes of components on the device under test.
Open connections are only one of several different types of manufacturing defects. Typical defect mechanisms can produce resistive joints with an elevated DC impedance. Resistive connections will have an unacceptably elevated series resistance between board-level signals and the intended IC pin connections. A "good" connection may have a series resistance in the milli-ohm range. Defective joints, such as those that are cracked by board flexure or those improperly wetted during solder reflow, may have series impedances much higher than normal, perhaps into the tens, to hundreds or even thousands of ohms. Such impedances might be tolerable on high-impedance inputs to ICs that do not draw a significant current during operation, but these impedances cannot be tolerated anywhere that significant currents do flow between IC and board-level signals. Their inserted impedance will cause unacceptable voltage drops that compromise circuit behavior.
Whereas open connections caused by missing solder may be evident using visual or X-Ray inspection, a resistive joint is quite often invisible to inspection. Therefore, a practical means of testing for resistance joints between IC pins and board-level signals is needed. This has become more prominent now that the electronics industry has moved towards new soldering technologies using lead-free alloys that are more prone to cracking and wetting problems.

Method for non-contact testing of marginal integrated circuit connections


A method for adaptive language learning comprises receiving, by a processor, a response from a user in response to a first prompt. The first prompt is intended to test one or more language skills of the user. The method includes analyzing one or more characteristics of the response to determine one or more scores for the response. The one or more scores are determined based on a comparison of the one or more characteristics of the response to a predefined response to the prompt. The method includes determining a language proficiency for the user based on the determined one or more scores. The method includes dynamically selecting a second prompt to present to the user. The second prompt is selected based on the user's language proficiency and intended to further test the user's one or more language skills.

Learning a language often involves studying the language in a non-personalized fashion using textbooks, study guides, etc. While useful, conventional language learning resources fail to provide immediate and effective feedback on how well a user is progressing in learning the desired language. Furthermore, conventional methods for learning a language are typically not personalized and tailored for the user's skill set, strengths, and weaknesses.


A connector includes a one-piece rubber plug (30) arranged to cover a rear surface (10R) of an inner housing (10) and has seal holes (31) aligned with cavities 12. An outer housing (20) has a tubular portion (21) surrounding the inner housing (10) and a rear wall (24) covering a rear surface (30R) of the one-piece rubber plug (30). The rear wall (24) has insertion holes (25) aligned with the seal holes (31). Locking holes (26A, 26B) are open on a rear surface (24R) of the rear wall (24), and locks (17A, 17B) on the inner housing (10) engage with the locking holes (26A, 26B) to lock the housings (10, 20) in an assembled state.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-153072 discloses a connector formed by assembling an inner housing, an outer housing, terminal fittings and a one-piece rubber plug. Cavities are formed in the inner housing and the terminal fittings are inserted into the respective cavities from behind. The outer housing includes a tubular portion that surrounds the inner housing and a rear wall with insertion holes corresponding to the respective cavities. The one-piece rubber plug is mounted to cover the rear surface of the inner housing and has seal holes that align with the cavities. The rear wall is arranged to cover the rear surface of the one-piece rubber plug so that the insertion holes align with the seal holes.
The inner and outer housings are locked together by engaging a resilient locking piece on the outer periphery of a rear end part of the inner housing with a locking recess formed on the inner periphery of the tubular portion of the outer housing. The resilient locking piece is surrounded by the tubular portion of the outer housing. As a result, the resilient locking piece cannot be deformed to be disengaged from the locking recess from the outside of the outer housing.
The invention was completed in view of the above situation and an object thereof is to improve overall operability by easily unlocking a locking means for locking an inner housing and an outer housing in an assembled state.

Electrical connector with easily separable inner and outer housings


The strut of the leg has a lateral extension on its outside above the rotary sleeve, the cylinder of a steering actuator is suspended from the lateral extension by means of a universal joint, the end of the rod off said actuator is hinged to a lateral steering lug of the rotary sleeve. This flexible disposition puts fewer constraints on implementation of the scissor linkage, and it improves guidance of the rotary sleeve.

While an aircraft is taxiing, it is generally steered by the wheel set carried by the nose (or auxiliary) landing gear, and fitted to the bottom end of the telescopic leg of said landing gear. Steering by means of this wheel set thus requires the end rod of said leg to be drivable in rotation about its own axis, which rod is also axially slidable relative to a strut that contains, amongst other things, a shock absorber.
Landing gear is usually constituted by a leg essentially comprising a tubular strut hinged to the structure of the aircraft (which structure is the part that is driven to retract or extend the landing gear, and has landing gear drive members, side-brace members, and locking members coupled thereto), and a rod that slides axially inside the strut (said rod carrying the axle of the wheel set and co-operating with the shock absorber that is housed inside the strut).
It is thus possible to use landing gear in which the strut is not merely a force-transferring member, but serves also to contribute to guiding and shock absorbing functions for the rod which slides directly inside the strut.
In this case, a sleeve is provided mounted to rotate on the outside of the strut, the sleeve being connected by means of a scissor linkage to the bottom end of the sliding rod.
To rotate the rod about its axis, the mechanism normally implemented includes at least a steering actuator disposed transversely to the axis of the leg, which actuator has its cylinder hinged to the strut and its rod hinged to the rotary sleeve. For example, the state of the art is illustrated in the following documents: GB-A-901 836 and US-A-2 930 547.
The cylinder of the, or each, actuator is thus disposed between two parallel plates that project laterally from the strut in order to obtain a hinge for said cylinder about an axis parallel to the axis of the leg. The rotary sleeve is then necessarily disposed between the top plate(s) and the bottom plate(s), which puts a de facto limit on the height of said rotary sleeve, which sleeve is consequently implemented in the form of a cylindrical collar.
Under such circumstances, that arrangement can be considered to be restrictive insofar as the rotary sleeve runs the risk of being poorly guided (because of its limited height) and because the scissor linkage must be relatively long, thereby, de facto reducing its stiffness, and making the telescopic leg more sensitive to vibration. In addition, safety considerations cause manufacturers to dispose the scissor linkage in such a manner that its top branch is horizontal when the landing gear leg is under static load, and as a result the two branches of the scissor linkage are generally of different lengths.

Device for steering the wheels at the bottom end of an aircraft landing gear leg


The present invention makes it possible to connect to and communicate with a connect destination by using a temporary number. In the present invention, a temporary number user terminal (100) registers a temporary number acquired from a SIP account server (300) in a SIP proxy server (400), and connects to and communicates with a connected user terminal (200) by using the temporary number. After the communication is finished, the temporary number is unregistered from the SIP proxy server (400), thereby disabling a connection from the connected user terminal (200). Also, connection conditions are provided by specifying the validity period of connection using a temporary number, the number of times connection can be made, the connect destination to which connection can be made, and the like, and only those calls which meet the connection conditions are accepted, thereby making it possible to restrict the uses of the temporary number.

In the related art, when a user's telephone apparatus requests a center apparatus to issue a provisional number, the center apparatus issues a provisional number made up of a predetermined number of digits, notifies the telephone apparatus, and, at that time, registers the provisional number and the telephone number of the telephone apparatus in a conversion table in association with each other. A telephone number distribution system has been proposed in which when the user then tells the other party the provisional number notified from the center apparatus, and the other party places a telephone call by adding a specific number before the provisional number, a telephone number corresponding to the provisional number is retrieved from the conversion table in the center apparatus and transferred to the user's telephone apparatus, allowing the telephone call from the other party to be received by the provisional number. According to this system, it is possible to receive a telephone call from the other party without telling one's own telephone number to the other party (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Also, in recent years, moves toward building a next generation network (hereinafter referred to as NGN), in which an existing line-switching telephone network is replaced with a network based on the IP (Internet Protocol) technology, have become increasingly active. The NGN includes a bandwidth guarantee function and a security function in the network itself, and performs session control using SIP (Session Initiation Protocol).    Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-261935    Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-270800
Incidentally, the telephone number distribution system described in Patent Document 1 mentioned above has a problem in that an apparatus for transferring a telephone call is necessary, there is a constraint such that incoming using a provisional number is possible but outgoing is not possible and, moreover, no condition can be put on incoming to the provisional number, making flexible operation difficult.
Also, while the telephone number management apparatus described in Patent Document 2 allows outgoing using a provisional number and setting of connection conditions, an apparatus that performs retrieval of a provisional number and a normal number and transfer of a telephone call in a centralized manner is required, and thus there is a fear of excessive load and rigorousness of operation.

Temporary connection number management system, terminal, temporary connection number management method, and temporary connection number management program


A method of manufacturing a glass includes a conveying step of moving a conveyance sheet material that contacts a lower surface of a glass film, to thereby convey the glass film. The conveyance sheet material includes a first contact portion that contacts the lower surface of the glass film on an upstream side in a manufacture-related process step, a second contact portion that contacts the lower surface of the glass film on a downstream side in the manufacture-related process step, and a non-contact portion that is prevented from contacting the lower surface of the glass film. In this method, the manufacture-related process step includes subjecting the glass film to a predetermined process at a position corresponding to the non-contact portion between the first and second contact portions while simultaneously moving the first, second, and non-contact portions of the conveyance sheet material through the conveying step.

As is well known, thinning of glass sheets to be used in flat panel displays (FPD), such as a liquid crystal display and an OLED display, glass sheets to be used in OLED illumination, glass sheets to be used for manufacturing a tempered glass that is a component of a touch panel, and the like, and glass sheets to be used in panels of solar cells, and the like has been advancing.
For example, in Patent Literature 1, there is disclosed a glass film (thin sheet glass) having a thickness of several hundred micrometers or less. As described also in this literature, this kind of glass film is generally obtained through continuous forming with a forming device employing a so-called overflow down-draw method or a float method.
For example, an elongated glass film obtained by the continuous forming by the overflow down-draw method is changed in its conveying direction from a vertical direction to a horizontal direction, and is then continuously conveyed to a downstream side with a lateral conveying portion (horizontal conveying portion) of a conveying device. The lateral conveying portion is configured to convey the glass film through use of a belt conveyor as disclosed in Patent Literature 1 or through use of a conveyance sheet material as disclosed in Patent Literature 2. In the process of the conveyance, both end portions of the glass film in a width direction are cut and removed. After that, the glass film is taken up into a roll shape with a take-up roller. Thus, a glass roll is formed.
In Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2, as a method of cutting both the end portions of the glass film in the width direction, laser cleaving is disclosed. The laser cleaving involves forming an initial crack on the glass film by crack forming means, such as a diamond cutter, and then irradiating the portion with a laser beam to heat the portion, followed by cooling the heated portion by cooling means to develop the initial crack through a thermal stress generated in the glass film, to thereby cut the glass film.
As another cutting method, in Patent Literature 3, there is disclosed a cutting technology for a glass film utilizing a so-called peeling phenomenon. The technology involves irradiating the glass film (glass sheet) with a laser beam to melt-cut part of the glass film while conveying the glass film, and moving the melt-cut portion away from a laser beam irradiation region to cool the portion.
In this case, when the melt-cut portion is cooled, a substantially thread-like peeled material is generated (for example, see FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C of Patent Literature 3). A phenomenon in which the thread-like peeled material is peeled off from an end portion of the glass film is generally called peeling. When the thread-like peeled material is generated, a uniform cut surface is formed on the glass film after peeling.


The present invention provides a member for projection image display, including a reflection layer and a retardation layer, wherein the reflection layer includes a cholesteric liquid crystal layer exhibiting selective reflection in a visible light region, the cholesteric liquid crystal layer is a layer formed from a liquid crystal composition containing a discotic liquid crystal compound, and a front phase difference of the retardation layer is in a range of 50 nm to 400 nm; and a projection image display system which includes the above member for projection image display, wherein the retardation layer is disposed on an incident light side relative to the reflection layer, and the incident light is p-polarized light that vibrates in a direction parallel to a plane of incidence, which is capable of displaying a clear image having high reflectance and high transmittance, without a problem of a double image.

In a projection image display system, an image projected by a projector is displayed by a member for projection image display. For example, in a head-up display system, which is one of projection image display systems, a member for projection image display, which has a function of a combiner capable of displaying simultaneously an image being projected and a scenery ahead, is used. In a head-up display system using a wind shield glass as the member for projection image display, a double image caused by reflection of projection light on the surface or rear surface of glass tends to become remarkable, and various solution methods have conventionally been tried.
For example, in Patent Literature 1, a method of forming, into a wedge-like shape, the cross-section of an intermediate film of a wind shield glass that is a laminated glass, to thereby cause images reflected from glass plates on the outside and inside of a car, respectively, to coincide with each other, is proposed. Many technologies for allowing p-polarized light to enter a glass surface, and for bringing, close to zero, reflected light from the surface of a member for projection image display while utilizing Brewster's angle, to thereby eliminate a double image, are known (for example, Patent Literature 2).

Member for projection image display and projection image display system


A welding assembly is provided for welding a fastener to an object such as a vehicle body panel. The assembly includes a weld gun having first and second electrodes movable relative to one another between an open position and a closed position. The first electrode includes a housing assembly. A pin is received in the housing assembly and is movable when in said closed position between a desired nut position, and upside down nut position, and a no nut position. An optical sensor has a terminal end space from the pin for direction light thereon. The terminal end of the sensor received reflected light from the pin. A sensor control system processes the reflected light into a signal corresponding to one of the desired nut, upside down nut, and no nut positions.

This invention relates to a weld gun for resistance welding fasteners to a metallic object, and more particularly, this invention relates to a fastener detection sensor.
Weld gun assemblies are used to resistance weld fasteners to metallic objects such as body panels for vehicles. A fastener such as a weld stud or nut are loaded onto one of the electrodes. The electrodes are moved together with an actuator placing the fastener into engagement with the panel under pressure. Very high currents are applied to the electrodes, which welds the fastener to the panel.
The use of weld guns is typically an automated process in which the fasteners are loaded into the weld gun assembly. Occasionally the fastener is not properly loaded into the weld gun or the fastener may not be loaded into the weld gun at all. Under these circumstances, it is important to detect that there is a problem with the fastener so that the fastener can be properly welded to the panel. To this end, sensors have been used in an effort to determine the presence and orientation of the fastener in the weld gun. Typically, a linear variable displacement transducer has been connected to an electrode arm to measure the movement of the arm. If no nut is present the arm will move a greater amount than if a fastener is present and in the proper orientation. If the fastener is not in the proper orientation, then the electrode arm will move slightly less than if the fastener is in the proper orientation. In this manner, fastener presence and orientation has been detected. However, it has been difficult to accurately detect the proper orientation of the fastener for several reasons. First, the position of the electrode arm does not always correspond to whether the fastener is in the proper orientation. That is, the location of the position sensor cannot detect fastener orientation accurately because of tolerance stack-ups and variations in the fastener. Second, the high electrode currents introduce inaccuracies into the position sensor signal. Even with magnetically shielded cables, enough interference from the electrode current is introduced to give false fastener readings. Therefore, what is needed is a sensor that more accurately detects the orientation and presence of a fastener in a weld gun assembly.


Methods, systems, and media for authenticating users using blockchains are provided. In some embodiments, the method comprises: receiving, at a user device of a user, user credentials for authentication to an application associated with the user device; determining whether the user credentials are valid for the application using a local blockchain stored on the user device; in response to determining that the user credentials are valid, generating a new block to be added to the local blockchain; adding the new block to the local blockchain; and granting access to the application based on the validated user credentials.

People increasingly use multiple user devices and access multiple applications from each device. For example, a person may have multiple user devices (e.g., a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a desktop computer, etc.) and multiple Internet of Things (IoT) devices in their home or office that may each access different applications. Each user device may need to be authenticated to the application to access and use the application.
Using a distributed blockchain server to authenticate user devices can be time consuming and resource intensive. For example, to validate a user device on a distributed blockchain network, the user device must connect to a blockchain server of the blockchain network, which then updates a block of the blockchain to the rest of the blockchain servers of the blockchain network. Furthermore, using a distributed blockchain network can pose a security risk. For example, using blockchain servers that are controlled by consensus can allow a hacker to access a blockchain server of the blockchain network, which can leave the entire blockchain network vulnerable.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide new methods, systems, and media for authenticating users using blockchains.


A camera driving apparatus according to the present invention includes: a camera portion having an imaging plane; a movable unit incorporating the camera portion, including an attracting magnet, and having an outer shape formed as a convex partial spherical surface; a fixing unit which includes a magnetic body and a concave portion to which the movable unit is loosely fitted, and in which a magnetic attraction force of the attracting magnet with respect to the magnetic body causes the convex partial spherical surface of the movable unit and the concave portion to be held in point contact or linear contact with each other, thereby enabling the movable unit to freely rotate about a spherical center of the first convex partial spherical surface; a panning drive portion; a tilting drive portion; a rolling drive portion; and a detector for detecting a tilt angle of the camera portion in a panning direction with respect to the fixing unit, a tilt angle of the camera portion in a tilting direction with respect to the fixing unit, and a rotation angle of the camera unit to be rotated in a rolling direction with respect to the fixing unit.

Many of video cameras and digital cameras commercially available in recent years are provided with a camera-shake correction device for correcting image blurs of images-to-be-shot, which are caused by camera shake. In this camera-shake correction device, a lens, a lens barrel, a reflective mirror, an imaging element, and the like are tilted with respect to an optical axis of the camera, or two-dimensionally moved in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis.
For example, Patent Document No. 1 discloses a shake correction mechanism having a structure in which the lens barrel is elastically supported at one point and the lens barrel is tilted with respect to the optical axis. Patent Document No. 2 discloses a camera-shake correction device in which the mirror is supported by a pivotal structure and tilted with respect to the optical axis. Further, Patent Document No. 3 discloses an image pickup lens unit in which a spherical lens barrel is supported at three points, and is tilted while being moved along the optical axis.


In a method of manufacturing a detection device including pixels on a substrate, each pixel including a switch element and a conversion element including an impurity semiconductor layer on an electrode, which is disposed above the switch element and isolated per pixel, the switch element and the electrode being connected in a contact hole formed in a protection layer and an interlayer insulating layer, which are disposed between the switch elements and the electrodes, the method includes forming insulating members over the interlayer insulating layer between the electrodes in contact with the interlayer insulating layer, forming an impurity semiconductor film covering the insulating members and the electrodes, and forming a coating layer covering an area of the protection layer where an orthographically-projected image of a portion of the electrode is positioned, the portion including a level difference within the contact hole.

1. Field of the Invention
One disclosed aspect of the embodiments relates to a method of manufacturing a detection device that is applied to, e.g., a medical imaging diagnostic apparatus, a nondestructive inspection apparatus, and an analyzing apparatus using radiation. The disclosure further relates to the detection device and a detection system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, the thin-film semiconductor manufacturing technique has been utilized in the field of detection devices of the type including a pixel array in which switch elements, e.g., TFTs (thin film transistors), and conversion elements, e.g., photodiodes, for converting radiation or light to electric charges are combined with each other.
A related-art detection device disclosed in International Publication WO2007/01357 includes conversion elements disposed on electrodes, which are arrayed on a substrate, are isolated for each of pixels, and are made of a transparent conductive oxide. The related-art detection device further includes switch elements connected to the electrodes through contact holes formed in an interlayer insulating layer, which is disposed between the substrate and the electrodes and which is made of an organic material. Impurity semiconductor layers and semiconductor layers of the conversion elements are partly removed on the interlayer insulating layer such that the conversion elements are isolated per pixel.
In trying to manufacture the detection device disclosed in International Publication WO2007/01357, however, a manufacturing method includes an operation where the interlayer insulating layer is brought into an exposed state when an impurity semiconductor film becoming an impurity semiconductor layer of the conversion element later is formed. In some cases, therefore, the surface of the interlayer insulating layer is exposed when the impurity semiconductor film is formed. Accordingly, an organic material of the interlayer insulating layer may be partly scattered and mixed into the impurity semiconductor layer depending on the type of film forming process. This raises the problem that the impurity semiconductor layer of the conversion element is organically contaminated, and that defects in the impurity semiconductor layer and defects at the interface between the impurity semiconductor layer and the semiconductor layer are increased, whereby a dark current in the conversion element is increased.

Detection device manufacturing method using impurity semiconductor layer in arrayed pixels


A flip lid interlock that disables or locks out operation of non-GFCI duplex receptacles when, a generator is coupled to the wiring system of a building (and therefore is grounded). When the power cord that is interconnected with the building wiring system is engaged with the multipole locking receptacle, the flip lid is in an open position and prevents an electrical device from being powered by the generator using the duplex receptacles. When the power cord is not connected to the multipole locking receptacle, the flip lid is in a closed position and allows an electrical device to be powered by the generator using the duplex receptacles.

The present invention relates generally to electrical generators that can provide backup electrical power to an electrical system or that can be used as a stand-alone power supply for powered accessories, such as power tools. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a flip lid which covers a receptacle or socket of an electrical generator and allows or prevents electrical power flow through other receptacles via the pivoting movement of the cover between an open and closed position.
In today's electrical supply systems, there are occasions when alternate sources of electrical power are necessary or desirable. For example, the capability of switching from utility power to emergency generator power is extremely important for many businesses, hospitals and industries, as well as residential dwellings. Engine driven electrical generators are commonly used to provide backup or emergency electrical power in those instances when utility power is interrupted. Additionally, portable electrical generators allow electrical power to be provided at locations where utility power is not available.
Portable electrical generators will typically have a dedicated receptacle or socket that is designed for larger loads and to engage with a power cord that is electrically coupled either to the electrical system of the building, typically through a transfer switch and panel, or to some other distribution system such as a distribution box for a number of cord connected devices. For most portable electrical generators, a multipole locking receptacle is used to engage and lock the male end of the power cord to prevent accidental disconnection of the power cord from the electrical generator. Via the interconnection of the male end of the power cord with the multipole locking receptacle or socket, the live conductors of the electrical generator will be electrically connected to appropriate poles of the transfer switch and panel. When connecting a floating neutral generator to a building's wiring system as a non separately derived system, the neutral conductor will be electrically connected to the neutral bus of the service entrance or main panel generally through the transfer panel and the ground conductor will be connected to the ground bus of the service entrance or main panel also generally via the transfer panel. Thus, the electrical generator is "grounded" via electrical connection with the ground bus of the service entrance or main panel.
In a non-separately derived arrangement such as that described above, when a bonded neutral electrical generator is supplying electrical power to one or more loads of the building through the building wiring system, electrical current will return via the neutral conductor of the load to the neutral bus conductor of the main electrical panel. A first portion of electrical current then flows from the neutral bus conductor of the building back to the neutral conductor of the generator, thus completing a circuit path. A remaining portion of electrical current flows from the neutral bus conductor of the building to a neutral-to-ground tie bar at the electrical panel, through the grounding bus conductor, back through the safety ground-to-neutral bonding conductor of the generator, and then through the neutral conductor of the generator, completing another circuit path. As provided in the United States National Electrical Code, Article 250, a power system should be electrically grounded in such a manner that prevents a flow of electrical current via the neutral conductor of the building back to the safety grounding conductor of the generator, in all situations except for an electrical power fault (q.v., Article 250 of the National Electrical Code). The safety grounding conductor is expected to be pristine or absent of the normal flow of electrical current, and instead is to be used to conduct electrical current safely to ground only when there is an electrical fault occurrence. Thus, the use of bonded neutral generators to supply backup electrical power to the electrical system of a home or other building requires a system that switches the neutral, known as a separately derived system. This system is more costly to buy and install.
Portable electric generators will typically have one or more duplex receptacles in addition to the multipole locking receptacle for receiving the male end of an extension cord or the power cord of an electrical device. As known in the art, the duplex receptacles allow electrical devices to be powered directly by the electrical generator rather than through a building wiring system. In most instances, the duplex receptacles are designed to receive a three-prong plug of a power cord. In this regard, each socket of the duplex receptacle is designed to receive a hot conductor, neutral conductor, and ground conductor of a conventional male end of a three-prong plug. As is known, each socket of the duplex receptacle is also capable of receiving a non-grounded plug of a power cord.
Floating neutral electrical generators are typically not grounded, i.e., not only is the neutral not connected to the safety ground but the safety ground is also not connected to earth because the generator frame is not conductively connected to earth such as through a grounding rod. As a result, when the generator is used as a stand-alone power supply or providing electrical power directly to one or more electrical devices without an electrical connection to the electrical wiring system of the building, ground fault protection is unnecessary because a path for current to flow back to the generator does not exist through the ground. In other words, ground fault protection is built into the system through isolation of the neutral wire from the ground thereby eliminating the need for duplex receptacles incorporating ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) devices. However, when a floating neutral generator is connected to the electrical system of a building, the generator becomes grounded through its electrical connection to the electrical system of the building. As a result, there can be a ground fault risk when a floating neutral generator is connected to the electrical system of a building. One way to reduce this risk on floating neutral generators is to equip them with duplex receptacles that include GFCI devices, which can be costly and are only needed when the generator is connected to a building.
Increasingly, professionals and homeowners have demanded a single generator capable of being used for both construction and for backup power supply for the electrical system of a home, apartment, or other building when utility power is interrupted. They all would prefer to install the generator in a non separately derived, system as this is the most common and economical installation. For a floating neutral generator to accomplish this task, costly GFCI protected duplex receptacles should be used for ground fault protection when the generator is connected to the electrical system of the home or building. Since bonded neutral generators internally bond the neutral and ground conductors, costly GFCI devices are also used to provide ground fault protection primarily in construction applications where they are now required by the NEC. Moreover, it has been found that connecting a bonded neutral generator to the electrical system of a home or building as a non separately derived system can result in "false" triggering of ground faults. That is, the flow of electrical current to the safety grounding conductor of the generator has been known to trigger a ground fault circuit interrupter at the generator. When triggered, the ground fault circuit interrupter will de-energize the live conductors of the generator and prevent the supply of electrical power to the circuits connected to the transfer equipment. To avoid this nuisance tripping of the GFCI, the consumer must un-tie the bonding of the generator neutral and the generator ground. Many consumers are hesitant to tackle such a task and, moreover, it requires the consumer to remember to retie the generator neutral and the generator ground when the electrical generator is used to power electrical equipment directly rather than through the wiring of the home or building.
An interlock arrangement has been developed that allows a floating neutral electrical generator having a receptacle, such as a duplex receptacle, absent GFCI protection to be safely used to provide electrical power to the electrical system of a home or other building during utility power interruption. The interlock arrangement is described in co-pending application Ser. No. 13/038,881 filed Oct. 14, 2010 entitled "Interlock Arrangement for Controlling the Neutral Output of a Portable Generator", the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. In this system, the duplex receptacles cannot be used to power tools or other electrical devices when the generator is connected to supply power to the electrical system of the home or building. However, when the generator is physically disconnected from the electrical system of the home or building, the interlock arrangement exposes the duplex receptacles thereby enabling their use.
The present invention seeks to improve upon the prior art by providing a novel apparatus which prevents electrical power flow through selected receptacles by the opening and closing of a flip lid covering receptacles designed to interconnect with the electrical system of a building.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to utilize the mechanical action of a flip lid during normal operation of a portable generator to provide built in ground fault protection.