In one embodiment, a bus multiplexer is between a memory and a functional unit of the integrated circuit. An input of the bus multiplexer couples to a global bus having a bit width. A local bus having a lesser bit width couples to an output of the bus multiplexer. The bus multiplexer selectively multiplexes bits of data on the global bus onto bits of the local bus. In another embodiment, an integrated circuit comprises a memory, a global bus, and a functional unit coupled together. The functional unit includes a bus multiplexer with an input coupled to the global bus, and a local bus coupled to an output of the bus multiplexer. The bus width of the local bus is less than that of the global bus. The bus multiplexer selects data from a subset of bits of the global bus to couple onto the bits of the local bus.

The invention relates generally to the field of conserving power in integrated circuit devices. More particularly, the invention relates to power reduction design and circuitry in a digital signal processing integrated circuit.
Power consumption in an integrated circuit can be caused by many factors, including the power required to switch parasitic capacitance in the wiring of an integrated circuit. The equation for computing average power dissipated in a capacitor each time that it is switched is   P  =            1      2                  CV      2                  F      .
There are a number of well known ways to reduce power consumption in an integrated circuit. One well known way is to reduce the power supply voltage that is provided to the integrated circuit. Another well known way is to reduce the frequency F at which circuitry and any capacitance is switched. Usually this is done by shutting off clocks to certain clocked circuitry in unnecessary functional blocks.
As integrated circuits have become functionally more complex, it has become ever more important to reduce power consumption. This is particularly important in integrated circuits with many transistors, wide data buses and large memory arrays. Access to a memory array that stores operands may be very frequent, particularly in digital signal processing applications so it is important to reduce power consumption in these instances.
Power reduction is important in order to reduce the heating of the integrated circuit to avoid damage and lower packaging costs for the integrated circuit.

Selectively multiplexing memory coupling global bus data bits to narrower functional unit coupling local bus


A probe includes a plurality of optical fibers that includes an irradiation fiber and a light-receiving fiber; and an optical member of which a base end face is arranged to abut on leading end faces of the optical fibers, and a leading end face is exposed to an outer side. The leading end face of the optical member is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the probe. Light emitted from the irradiation fiber passes through a path inclined with respect to a perpendicular line of the leading end face.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a probe including a plurality of optical fibers of which at least leading end portions are arranged in parallel with each other and an optical member of which a base end face is arranged to abut on leading end faces the optical fibers, and a leading end face is exposed externally.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there is known a measurement method for measuring an optical characteristic of body tissue while a probe leading end directly makes contact with body tissue by inserting a probe into a forceps channel of an endoscope for observing internal organs such as digestive organs and protruding the probe leading end from the endoscope.
For example, there has been proposed an optical measurement apparatus using low-coherence enhanced backscattering (LEBS) technique for detecting properties of body tissue by irradiating low-coherent white light having a short spatial coherent length from an irradiation fiber leading end of a probe onto body tissue and measuring an intensity distribution of scattering light beams having a plurality angles using a plurality of light-receiving fibers (for example, refer to International Patent Publication Pamphlet No. W02007/133684 or U.S. Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008/0037024). In such an optical measurement apparatus, a transparent rod is provided in the probe leading end, and a distance between leading end faces of respective fibers and body tissue as a measurement target is regularized to obtain stability of measurement (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2002-535027). In addition, in the probe disclosed in Japanese Laid-open. Patent Publication No. 2002-535027, in order to prevent undesired light, which is reflected by the leading end face of the rod without reaching the body tissue, from reaching the light-receiving fiber, the leading end face of the rod is notched with an inclination relative to the longitudinal direction of the probe so that only the scattering light of the obtainment target is measured.


A system and method are disclosed to improve processing time of a database system by continuous automatic background optimization of a cache memory that is fragmented into a plurality of cache fragments. The system and method include collecting indicators about efficiency of individual cache fragments by at least one of measuring a cache hit ratio of each cache fragment, measuring a processing time that a CPU of the database system needs to prepare data in the individual cache fragments, and measuring execution time the CPU needs to process the data in accordance with a SQL query. The system and method include calculating and revising approximation curves for measured values of each cache fragment to find a combination of cache fragment sizes with a highest system throughput. The system and method include changing the sizes of the cache fragments to receive highest system throughput.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to database systems comprising at least one disk storage and/or at least one tape storage, a Central Processing Unit ("CPU") and an assigned Random Access Memory ("RAM"). The invention particularly relates to data caching in such database systems, and more particularly to optimization of sizes of cache fragments of a cache memory of a database system in order to optimize the data throughput in the database system. Thereby data throughput means the number of transactions per time unit. Transactions are sequences of Structured Query Language ("SQL") queries for modification or readout of data of the database system.
2. Description of the Related Art
To improve exposure to database systems, particularly to accelerate processing time of such database systems, it is known to cache data of the disk or tape storage or to cache prepared data for SQL query processing in the RAM. In the following, the part of the RAM used to cache data is called cache memory. Queries and modifications via Structured Query Language ("SQL") are carried out using the cached data. Thereby a problem arises that it is very time consuming to cache data that is used seldom or never. Furthermore it is costly to provide cache memory for all data of the database. Currently setting up data caching in a database cache memory is extremely difficult.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,749 it is known to use an optimizer for formulating an optimal buffer cache strategy for a given query. A buffer cache is a cache memory to be used to load and cache data from the disk or tape storage of a database system. Thereby the optimizer communicates with a buffer manager before a query plan is formulated. The optimizer queries the buffer manager for the purpose of determining whether the object of interest exists in its own cache fragment. If the object exists in its own cache fragment, the optimizer inquires as to how much of the cache fragment the object requires, together with the optimal Input/Output ("I/O") size for the cache fragment. Based on this information, the optimizer formulates the query plan with hints, which are ultimately passed to the buffer manager. Based on those hints received from the optimizer, the buffer manager can fine tune I/O, i.e. the cache management for the query. The drawback of this solution is, that the size of the cache memory and also its fragmentation, i.e. the number of cache fragments and also the size of the individual cache fragments has to be adjusted manually. Due to this, during usage of the database, the size of the cache memory and its fragmentation is fixed. The optimizer together with the buffer manager only decides in which order objects, or, if a cache fragment is smaller than an object, parts of objects are cached and how long they remain cached until they are deleted by reusing a particular cache fragment by caching another object.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,573 it is known to cache objects of a database system, wherein different, fixed cache fragments are used to cache objects that are selected randomly and to cache objects that are selected non-randomly. The cache fragments used to cache the objects that are selected non-randomly are larger than the cache fragments used to cache the objects that are selected randomly. Thereby no optimization of the sizes of the cache fragments and/or of the cache itself takes place during operation of the database system.
From Japan Patent No. 10 320 212 A2, a method for cache optimization based on a cache miss ratio prediction is known. Thereby a cache simulation object program is used to simulate the cache miss ratio of a database. During operation of the database the size of the cache fragments is fixed according to the prediction gained by the simulation.
Furthermore it is known to group single objects or groups of objects to so called working sets. Such working sets are also known for queries or groups of queries.
From Japan Patent No. 7 271 674 A2 and from U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,458 methods for cache optimization are known, wherein if a working set that comprises a plurality of objects is larger than a cache fragment to be used to cache the working set, the working set is subdivided into working sub sets that are cached in different cache fragments.
According to the state of the art, the cache memory used to cache data of a database system has a fixed size. Such a cache memory can be fragmented into a plurality of cache fragments, each one to be used to cache a single or a group of objects of the database. Changing sizes of the cache memory and/or of the cache fragments can result in tremendous changes in system performance.
According to the state of the art, during operation of the database those cache fragments have either a fixed size or are resized dynamically based on very limited algorithms, which try to improve the system throughput by changing the cache fragments in a kind of trial-and-error principle. A known method to do so is to simply reduce the size of the best performing cache fragment and to increase the size of the worst performing cache fragment in regular intervals. Thereby only two cache fragments are changed per transaction, wherein most of the cache fragments remain unchanged. Furthermore the changes take place independent from previous analysis cycles, meaning that in a following cycle, the changes might be counterproductive. Due to this, the known method is not applicable to improve performance of database systems.
Today, figuring out an optimal configuration requires either re-simulating the whole workload for different cache fragment sizes and choosing the optimal configuration, or estimating the impact of fragment size changes. The first option normally takes hours of processing on a workstation, which makes it impossible to be used for a desirable automatic continuous background optimization. The later option depends on multiple factors and must be done for all objects and statements in the database, like e.g. tables, Materialized Query Tables ("MQTs"), indexes and the like, which makes it normally impossible for continuous manual optimization. Even if a Data Base Administrator ("DBA") has figured out a good configuration, the database workload changes very often, which then results in poor system throughput.

System and method to improve processing time of databases by cache optimization

International Business Machines Corporation


A manual winch with dual locking dogs is designed to be easily retrofitted into existing winches. The design of the winch includes a housing supporting a rotatable drum upon which the cable is reeved. A pair of gears are attached to the drum with locking dogs that may be independently engaged with each gear, wherein the drum is prevented from unwinding with at least one locking dog engaged with a respective gear.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manual winch with a safe release mechanism, more particularly, the present invention relates to a manual winch with dual locking dogs and a method of retrofitting existing winches.
2. Prior Art
Winches are commonly used for winding and reeling cable and rope for lifting, pulling, towing, guiding and the like of any number of objects. A wide variety of powered and manual winches have been developed. Manual winches remain in common use where a powered winch would be impractical or inefficient. Even in a manual winch the operator, through various mechanical advantages, can generate a very large tension on the cable. Such high load manual winches are common in marine environments for towing barges and the like. Examples of manual winches are described in greater detail in U.S. Patent No. 5,947,450 which is incorporated herein by reference.
In a high load manual winch there is some concern to the operator in releasing the load and unwinding the reel, also called a drum. The high load manual winch will have some type of locking mechanism to hold the load and prevent the drum from unwinding. One typical locking mechanism is a pawl, also called a locking dog, which is engaged with a gear to prevent the gear and the associated drum from unwinding. Consequently, an engaged locking dog is essentially receiving the load of the cable through the drum and the associated gear. In one conventional design, a loading or actuating lever is coupled to the gear through further gearing for winding and unwinding, also called loading and unloading, of the drum and the locking dog. It is common for an operator to use an extension to the loading lever to increase the mechanical advantage provided. In the unwinding operation, the loading lever is moved, possibly with an extension, until the load on the locking dog is released. At this point, the locking dog can be moved into a disengaged position and the winch is able to be unwound or paid out. A handwheel, with a foot brake if needed, can be used for unwinding the drum. The concern in this pay out operation is that at the point that the locking dog is disengaged the entire load will be carried by the operator through the loading lever and the extension. Under high loads this may be difficult to control for the operator as he moves to the handwheel.
It is an object of the present invention to minimize the drawbacks of the existing manual winches and to provide a simple easier method of unwinding. A further object of the present invention is to provide a system which can be retrofitted onto existing manual winches.
In the development of the present invention satisfying the above objects, the Applicants have created a manual winch with dual locking dogs described hereinafter. Winches with two locking dogs operating on a ratchet wheel have been known in the prior art. One common version is to form a double-tipped brake pawl such that one end or the other end of the brake pawl, i.e., either of the two locking dogs is alternately engaged with the ratchet wheel. A ratchet wheel using this double dog technology is sold under the PNW-1000 manual ratchet. Another winch incorporating this design is the HD-100 and HD-300 of Fugi Seiko winch products. A separate two dog winch mechanism is to have dogs operating in opposite directions such that one of the dogs can be operated depending on in which direction the drum is being wound. Such a reverse dog assembly can be found in the Wintech spur gear series. A third type of winch utilizing two locking dogs is a W-100 barge connector winch manufactured by Blackburn. In this device, the two pawls are connected together by a linkage mechanism so that they alternatively engage the single gear. To some extent, in operation this is similar to the double-tipped brake pawl which pivots to selectively have one dog engage the wheel. The deficiency in all of the prior art dual dogs is that there is no independent operation of the dogs. In the double-tipped device and the Blackburn device, the dogs are connected such that only one of the dogs can be operated In the reverse dog configuration of Wintech, only one of the locking dogs can hold the load depending on the direction in which it is turning. This prior art does not solve the problems addressed with the present invention. There still remains a need in the industry for dual locking dogs where each locking dog is operated independently such that, selectively, either one, neither, or both can be biased towards and engaged position.
The objects of the present invention are achieved by a manual winch with dual locking dogs according to the present invention. The present invention is designed to be easily retrofitted into existing winches. The design of the present invention includes a housing supporting a rotatable drum upon which the cable is reeved. A pair of gears are attached to the drum with a locking dog that may be engaged with each gear, wherein the drum is prevented from unwinding with at least one locking dog engaged with a respective gear.
These and other advantages of the present invention will be clarified in the description of the preferred embodiments wherein like reference numerals represent like elements throughout.


A vehicle driving control device includes a target speed calculation unit configured to calculate a target speed on the basis of a target lateral acceleration and a curve radius; a speed control unit configured to control the speed of a vehicle on the basis of the target speed and a vehicle speed; and a lane determination unit configured to determine whether a lane on which the vehicle is driving is an overtaking lane on the basis of image information. The target lateral acceleration setting unit sets the target lateral acceleration to be higher than the target lateral acceleration when it is determined that the lane on which the vehicle is driving is not the overtaking lane in a case where it is determined that the lane on which the vehicle is driving is the overtaking lane.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates to a vehicle driving control device and a control device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vehicle driving control device that controls the speed of a vehicle on the basis of the shape (road curvature or curve radius) of a drive road in front of the vehicle is described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-48450 (JP 2003-48450 A). This device calculates a target speed at which the vehicle can drive without deviating from a drive lane on a curve in front of the vehicle, and performs deceleration control such that the speed of the vehicle coincides with the target speed on the curve in front of the vehicle, in a case where the current speed of the vehicle exceeds the target speed.
The device described in JP 2003-48450 A performs the same deceleration control irrespective of distinction between lanes for the vehicle, in a case where the speed of the vehicle exceeds the target speed. Meanwhile, it is considered that a driver driving on an overtaking lane intends to drive at a higher speed than that in other lanes. For this reason, in the present technical field, there is desired a vehicle speed control device that can make the vehicle drive at a higher speed than that when the vehicle is not driving on the overtaking lane when the vehicle drives on the overtaking lane in a case where the vehicle is decelerated according to the curve in front of the vehicle.

Vehicle driving control device and control device


A non-explosive downhole tool for creating openings in tubulars and or earthen formations includes a carrier holding a non-explosive material, such as thermate, a head connected with the carrier and having a port to eject a product of the ignited material from the head and a communication path extending from the material to the port and a moveable member in a closed position blocking the communication path and in an open position opening the communication path.

This section provides background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the disclosure. It should be understood that the statements in this section of this document are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Perforating techniques have been implemented in hydrocarbon wells to create a fluid communication channel between a pay zone and the wellbore, penetrating through a casing or liner that separates the wellbore from the formation. Common tools used in perforating operations include a gun that carries shaped charges into the wellbore and a firing head which initiates detonation of the shaped charges. A detonation cord may extend from the firing head to each of the shaped charges in a gun. The shaped charges are explosive and propel a jet outwardly to form perforations in the casing or liner and into the formation.
Various techniques and tools exist for cutting pipe. Selection of a particular tool or technique may depend on the type of pipe, the location of the pipe, as well as the ambient conditions surrounding the pipe. In the production of hydrocarbon fluids, such as oil and natural gas, wells may be drilled into which pipes, tools, and other items may be run. Occasionally, to enable at least partial removal of the pipes, tools, and other items, cutters may be deployed. Conventionally, two types of specially designed cutters have been employed: a jet cutter which projects a force from an explosion to cut the items, and a chemical cutter which may project a caustic acid to cut through the items. Use of these types of cutters, however, is limited due to high pressure and high temperature constraints.

Non-explosive downhole perforating and cutting tools


The invention relates to a method for generating at least one electrically contactable area on a polymer which is doped with a conductive substance, wherein a contact material is applied onto the polymer, which has a lower specific resistance at 23° C. than the polymer. According to the invention the contact material is applied onto the polymer so tightly that close contact between the contact material and the conductive substance is achieved. Due to the tight application of the contact material, which has a lower specific resistance than the polymer, the input resistance of the doped polymer is effectively reduced. The invention further concerns a formed body made of a polymer which is doped with a conductive substance, which has at least one contactable area, within which a contact material is applied onto the polymer, which has a lower specific resistance at 23° C. than the polymer. According to the invention the contact material is applied onto the polymer so tightly that it is in close contact to the conductive substance. Such formed body has a significantly reduced input resistance.

Electroconductive polymers are known and enjoy increasing popularity, in particular also as material for producing electrodes for generating electric fields in various applications.
For example, an assembly for electrical arrangements is known from EP 0 307 007 B1, which comprises conductive components having different specific resistances. A resistor made of a conductive polymer, i.e. a mixture of an organic polymer and a conductive filler, which has a relatively high specific resistance at 23° C. of 1-500.000 ohm×cm, is here provided with a contact layer consisting of a conductive material which has a specific resistance that is lower than the specific resistance of the resistor, i.e. a specific resistance between 2.5×10−5 and 1×10−3 ohm×cm. The contact layer also consists of a conductive polymer which is doped with a metal, e.g. silver, or a carbon-based material, e.g. graphite. The contact layer is disposed onto the resistor in the form of band-like electrodes which interlock like fingers. Conductor rails are provided as contacting elements, which consist of a stretched net made of metal and which are folded around the contact layer and the electrodes formed therefrom, respectively. The area at the edges of the electrodes acts as contact area. Although, with this solution, the input resistance of the resistance layer is reduced by application of a contact layer having lower specific resistance, this contact layer itself consists of a doped polymer and hence has still a relatively high input resistance as well. This is particularly true if demixing close to the surface occurs when the contact layer is injection-moulded. Furthermore, the contact layer is here contacted via close-fitting conductor rails, i.e. stretched metal nets, and is thus not comparable to a dot-like contact. But there are many applications wherein dot-like contacting, e.g. via spring contacts, is necessary due to specific requirements or constructive conditions. But in this case, dot-like contacting of the disclosed contact layer would result in a burn-in of the contacting elements to the contact points when very high voltages would be applied.
Since metal ions are emitted from electrodes made of metal during electric discharge, particularly in the field of biological applications, electrodes made of conductive synthetic material are advantageous compared to commonly used metal electrodes. With the treatment of living cells, for example with electroporation or electrofusion, metal ions emitted into the respective cell suspension can either cause undesirable stimulation of the cells at lower concentrations or, at higher concentrations, act toxic on the cells. For instance, when cuvettes made of aluminium are used a negative effect due to the release of Al3+ ions could be demonstrated (Loomis-Hasselbee et al., Biochem J 1991, 277 (Pt 3), 883-885). Furthermore, if using cuvettes having electrodes made of metal generation of metal hydroxides or complexes of metal ions with biological macromolecules may occur (Stapulionis, Bioelectrochem Bioenerg 1999, 48(1), 249-254), what is often undesirable as well.
DE 102 08 188 A1 discloses containers with electrodes made of doped polymers. The doped polymers are polymers which are blended with conductive substances such as carbon fibers, graphite, carbon black (soot) or carbon nanotubes. Although those doped polymers have lower conductivity compared to intrinsically conductive polymers, it is a benefit that they are mouldable, i.e. that processing by the use of injection-moulding is possible. Thus, such doped polymers are variously useful and allow a cost-effective production of electrodes by injection-moulding. But it is a problem with such electrodes that demixing occurs during the injection-moulding process so that the concentration of the conductive dope is relatively low at the surface of the electrodes. Therefore, respective electrodes have a very high input resistance so that very high voltages have to be applied in order to achieve a sufficient current flow. But when usual dot-like contacting of these electrodes is used, for example via spring contacts, the contacts burn-in to the surface of the electrodes due to the high voltages applied so that the electrodes become unusable.
DE 101 16 211 A1 discloses a device for fusing living cells within an electric field, wherein the electrodes are also made of a doped synthetic material, i.e. a plastic material which is blended with carbon. The electrodes are connected to a voltage source via dot-like contact points and corresponding lead wires. Thus, also in this case it is a disadvantage that burn-in to the surface of plastic electrodes would occur if voltages should be applied, which are higher than those necessary for electrofusion. For example, to reach field strengths which are sufficient for certain applications in electroporation significantly higher voltages have to be applied to the electrodes. Field strengths of 2-10 kV/cm may be necessary, for instance, for the transfer of biologically active molecules into the nucleus of living cells. The voltage necessary to reach such field strengths would also in this case result in a burn-in of the contact points if the known polymer electrodes are contacted dot-like.
It is thus an object of the invention to overcome the existing deficiencies and to provide a method as identified above, which allows an effective reduction of the input resistance of the polymer within the contactable area in a simple and cost-effective manner. It is a further object of the invention to provide a formed body of the initially mentioned kind, which has a low input resistance, and which can be produced easily and cost-effectively.

Method for generating an elecrically contactable area on a doped polymer and formed body produced by this method


The invention comprises a dynamic voltage state-saving latch electrical circuit comprising a charge device adapted as a storage element, an integrated recovery mechanism, a supply voltage rail connected to the charge device, a hold signal allocated to the integrated recovery mechanism, a data signal input allocated to said charge device, a data signal output distributed from the charge device, and a clock signal allotted to the charge device, wherein said integrated recovery mechanism maintains a state of the charge device independent of the charge device.

1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the invention generally relate to a state saving circuit, and, more particularly, to a high performance state saving latch.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the increasing popularity of portable electronic devices, such as laptops, cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), there is a growing need for systems that can reduce power consumption in order to extend energy storage times of the device's power supply (e.g., battery). Namely, applications that utilize CMOS integrated circuits (IC's) require circuits that utilize a minimal amount of power and have the capability to be powered down when not in use.
The term "dynamic latch," typically refers to an architecture of latch used for high performance designs where the latch node is pre-charged. Instead, the term "state-saving latch" is typically used to describe a power saving latch where at least part of the latch may be powered down. However, the state saving latches often have a multiple latch, e.g., a master and a slave latch, flip-flop, etc., configuration where only one latch is powered down. This still leaves one full latch powered up.
To save states, static latches with extra devices that are isolated and connected to an extra voltage rail are used to save the state during the period that a voltage island is disconnected. This overhead to the voltage islands increase power routing complexity, i.e., latch overhead, and generally reduces the advantage of using state saving latches and reduces the ability to effectively power down voltage islands.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,667,645 discloses a circuit comprising a dynamic latch controlled by a pulsed clock signal. U.S. Pat. No. 6,927,614 discloses a state saving circuit powered by an uninterruptible power supply.

Dynamic latch state saving device and protocol


The present invention provides methods for detecting activation of ATM kinase, DNA damage, and DNA damaging agents. Further provided are antibodies which specifically recognize the phosphorylation state of Ataxia Telangiectasia-Mutated (ATM) kinase. Methods of identifying agents which modulate the activation and activity of ATM kinase are also provided.

Eukaryotic cells have evolved complex mechanisms to deal with environmental stresses. Signal transduction pathways are rapidly activated following exposure to DNA damaging agents and other cellular stresses, and these pathways affect processes such as gene transcription and cell cycle progression (Hartwell and Weinert (1989) Science 246:629-634; Hartwell and Kastan (1994) Science 266:1821-1828; Elledge (1996) Science 274:1664-1672). The protein encoded by the Ataxia-telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) locus, is a kinase critical for the initiation of signaling pathways following exposure of mammalian cells to ionizing radiation (IR) and to other agents that introduce double-strand breaks into cellular DNA (Kastan and Lim (2000) Mol. Cell Biol. 1:179-186; Shiloh and Kastan (2001) Adv. Cancer Res. 83:209-254). Cells from Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) patients typically lack detectable ATM protein, contain abnormalities in telomere morphology, and exhibit abnormal responses to IR, including increased cell death, increased chromosomal breakage, and cell cycle checkpoint defects (Shiloh (1997) Ann. Rev. Genet. 31:635-662). In addition, A-T patients exhibit progressive cerebellar ataxia, immune deficiencies, gonadal atrophy, oculocutaneous telangiectasias, radiation sensitivity, premature aging and increased risk of cancers, particularly lymphomas.
The ATM gene encodes a 370-kDa protein (Accession No. Q13315; SEQ ID NO:1) that belongs to the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI-3K) superfamily (Savitsky, et al. (1995) Science 268:1749-1753) which phosphorylates proteins rather than lipids (Banin, et al. (1998) Science 281:1674-1677; Canman, et al. (1998) Science 281:1677-1679). The 350 amino acid kinase domain at the C-terminus of this protein is the only segment of ATM with an assigned function. Exposure of cells to IR triggers ATM kinase activity and this function is required for arrests in G1, S, and G2 phases of the cell cycle (Shiloh and Kastan (2001) Adv. Cancer Res. 83:209-254). Several substrates of the ATM kinase participate in these IR-induced cell cycle arrests. For example, phosphorylation of p53, mdm2, and Chk2 govern the G1 checkpoint (Banin, et al. (1998) Science 281:1674-1677; Canman, et al. (1998) Science 281:1677-1679; Maya, et al. (2001) Genes Dev. 15:1067-1077; Matsuoka, et al. (2000) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 97:10389-10394; Chehab, et al. (2000) Genes Dev. 14:278-288); Nbsl, Brcal,. FancD2, and SMC1 participate in the transient IR-induced S-phase arrest (Lim, et al. (2000) Nature 404:613-617; Wu, et al. (2000) Nature 405:477-482; Zhou, et al. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275:10342-10348; Taniguchi, et al. (2002) Cell 109:459-472; Kim, et al. (2002) Genes Dev. 16:560-570; Yazdi, et al. (2002) Genes Dev. 16:571-582; Xu, et al. (2002) Cancer Res. 62:4588-4591); and Brcal and hRad17 have been implicated in the G2/M checkpoint (Xu, et al. (2001) Mol. Cell. Biol. 21:3445-3450; Bao, et al. (2001) Nature 411:969-974).
The mechanisms by which eukaryotic cells sense DNA strand breaks is unknown, but the rapid induction of ATM kinase activity following IR indicates that it acts at an early stage of signal transduction in mammalian cells (Banin, et al. (1998) Science 281:1674-1677; Camnan, et al. (1998) Science 281:1677-1679). Transfected ATM is a phosphoprotein that incorporates more phosphate after IR treatment of cells (Lim, et al. (2000) Nature 404:613-617), suggesting that ATM kinase is itself activated by post-translational modification.
Inhibiting ATM for the treatment of neoplasms, particularly cancers associated with decreased p53 function, has been suggested (Morgan, et al. (1997) Mol. Cell Biol. 17:2020-2029; Hartwell and Kastan (1994) Science 266:1821-1828; Kastan (1995) New Eng. J. Med. 333:662-663; WO 98/56391). WO 98/56391 further provides genetically manipulated knock-out mice as a model for testing ATM inhibitors and suggests the use of an inhibitory antibody to ATM, a dominant-negative fragment of ATM or an ATM antisense strategy to inhibit ATM.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,387,640 discloses the use of an ATM kinase substrate recognition sequence in an assay system to screen for compounds that modulate ATM-mediated phosphorylation. The substrate recognition sequence provided comprises Xaa1-Xaa-Xaa2-Ser-Gln-Xaa-Xaa (SEQ ID NO:2) wherein Xaa1 is a hydrophobic amino acid, Xaa2 is a hydrophobic amino acid or aspartic acid, and Xaa is any amino acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,348,311 further discloses a method of identifying an inhibitor of ATM-mediated kinase activity by determining the extent of cell survival after HTLV infection.


A liquid crystal display apparatus, a source driver, and a method for controlling polarity of driving signals thereof are provided. The source driver includes a signal receiving interface, a decoder, and a controller. The signal receiving interface receives an image data stream or a data input/output indication signal. The decoder obtains polarity controlling information from the image data stream or the data input/output indication signal. The controller receives the polarity controlling information and decides driving polarities of a plurality of source driving signals generated by the source driver according to the polarity controlling information.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a liquid crystal display apparatus, a source driver and a method for controlling polarity of driving signals thereof, and more particularly, relates to a method for controlling polarity of driving signals without adding extra pins on a source driver.
Description of Related Art
In the existing technical field, a polarity sequence for the horizontal two dot (H2DOT) inversion cycles once per every four channels. Referring to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are schematic diagrams illustrating a method for controlling polarities of source driving signals in the conventional technology. In FIG. 1A, source drivers 110 and 120 connected in series with one another receive polarity controlling information POLA and POLB, respectively, so as to control polarities of source driving signals generated by these source drivers. Herein, the polarity controlling information POLA and POLB may be a digital signal having an N-number of bits to thereby control the source drivers 110 and 120 in order to generate various possible polarity sequences for the source driving signals. According to FIG. 1B, in the condition where driving channels provided by the source drivers 110 and 120 are not a multiple of 4, for maintaining the polarities of source driving signal in a variation sequence of +, −, −+ at an intersection area ITZ of the source drivers 110 and 120, a polarity variation generated by the source driver 120 must be different from that of the source driver 110. This results in an issue similar to a polarity discontinuation occurred when starting the horizontal two dot inversion.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1C which illustrates another method for controlling polarities of source driving signal in the conventional technology, in the recent conventional technology, an inversion technique known as the H4 Inversion that cycles once per every eight channels, is commonly used on a RGBW panel in order solve an image flicker phenomenon caused by the same polarity for neutral colors. Accordingly, it is obvious that the polarity discontinuation may also occur when a total of driving channels is not a multiple of 8.
Based on the above description, in a display of the conventional technology, in order to perform the horizontal two dot inversion mechanism and the H4 Inversion mechanism, it is required to dispose extra pins on the source drivers 110 and 120 to receive different polarity controlling information POLA and POLB, respectively. As such, a number of the pins of in a source driver chip may be increased to increase a layout area of the source driver chip which leads to increases in the circuit costs. Also, since extra transmitting lines are also required in order to provide a polarity control signal to the extra pins of the source driver chip, the circuit costs increase accordingly.

Liquid crystal display apparatus, source driver and method for controlling polarity of driving signals thereof


A combination window covering is constructed to include an elongated barrel fastened rolatably with a top side of a window, a bottom rail below the barrel, slats arranged in parallel between the barrel and the bottom rail, front and back ladder tapes connected in parallel between the barrel and the bottom rail at front and back sides of the slats and joining the slats, and a light-admitting flexible sheet. The flexible sheet has first and second ends respectively fixedly fastened to the barrel at two sides, a front half extended from the first end and suspended at the front side of the slats, a back half extended from the second end and suspended at the back side of the slats, and a middle part connected between the front half and the back half and moveably passing over the bottom rail.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a window covering and, more particularly, to a combination window covering which comprises a blind and a pair of non-opaque flexible sheets at front and back sides of the blind.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective (in an extended condition) and side views of a combination window covering according to the prior art. This structure of combination window covering 90 comprises a barrel 91 fastened transversely pivotally with the top side of the window and rotatable by hand or a motor drive, a bottom rail 92 suspending below the barrel 91, a plurality of flexible slats 93 arranged in parallel between the barrel 91 and the bottom rail 92, two pairs of ladder tapes 94 bilaterally joining the flexible slats 93, the ladder tapes 94 including two front ladder tapes 95 connected between the barrel 91 and the bottom rail 92 and joining the flexible slats 93 at the front side and two back ladder tapes 96 connected between the barrel 91 and the bottom rail 92 and joining the flexible slats 93 at the back side, and a pair of non-opaque flexible sheets (for example, meshed fabrics) 97A and 97B respectively provided at the front and back sides of the flexible slats 93 and connected between the barrel 91 and the bottom rail 92. The non-opaque flexible sheets 97A and 97B are rectangular sheet members fitting the size of the window (the non-opaque flexible sheets 97A and 97B are not bonded to the flexible slats 93; however, there are known combination blinds, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,385, in which the flexible sheets are respectively bonded to the flexible slats).
By means of the aforesaid arrangement, the flexible sheets 97A and 97B vaguely cover the slats 93 at the front and back sides, showing a particular light shading effect quite different from conventional blinds. This design of combination window covering builds up an elegant and graceful style. The user can regulate the light passing through the combination window covering 90 by rotating the barrel 91 through an angle to move the front ladder tape 95 and the back ladder tapes 96 longitudinally in reversed directions. When continuously rotating the barrel 91, the barrel 91 will roll up the flexible slats 93 and the flexible sheets 97A and 97b (see FIG. 8) to the top side of the window or to a particular elevation covering the upper part of the window.
The aforesaid combination window covering 90 is still not satisfactory in function. When the user rolling up the combination window covering 90 from its fully extended position (in the direction as shown in FIG. 8), the upper part of the back flexible sheet 97B will be rolled up by the barrel 91 prior to the front flexible sheet 97A. and, the back flexible sheet 97B will be covered on the front flexible sheet 97A over the periphery of the barrel 91, i.e., the diameter of the back flexible sheet 97B is greater than the front flexible sheet 87A when rolled up. Because the flexible sheets 97A and 97B have the same length and are rolled up at a different start point, the back flexible sheet 97B is smoothly stretched between the barrel 91 and the bottom rail 92 when the combination window covering 90 rolled up. At this time, the front flexible sheet 97A has a curved lower part 98 suspending below the bottom rail 92 at the front side, destroying the sense of beauty of the received status of the combination window covering 90.
It is therefore desirable to provide a combination window covering that eliminates the aforesaid drawback.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a combination window covering, which keeps the front and back flexible sheets in a well-balanced status, causing a sense of beauty.
To achieve this object of the present invention, the combination window covering comprises an elongated barrel fastened rotatably with a top side of a window for free rotation on an axis thereof; a bottom rail arranged in parallel to and spaced below the barrel; a plurality of slats arranged in parallel between the barrel and the bottom rail; front and back ladder tapes connected in parallel between the barrel and the bottom rail at front and back sides of the slats and joining the slats, and a light-admitting flexible sheet. The flexible sheet has first and second ends respectively fixedly fastened to the barrel at two sides, a front half extended from the first end and suspended at the front side of the slats, a back half extended from the second end and suspended at the back side of the slats, and a middle part connected between the front half and the back half and moveably passing over the bottom rail.


The present invention relates to a method for producing a prophylactically or therapeutically active protein, the syringe being filled with a body fluid and incubated, and the prophylactically or therapeutically active protein subsequently being formed in the body fluid.

The present invention relates to a method for producing prophylactically or therapeutically active proteins and to the means employed therefor, in particular syringes.
Therapeutically active proteins such as erythropoietin, insulin or interferons have been known for a long time. Many of these proteins have already been approved as medicaments and are accordingly employed frequently. Because of the large costs associated with the development and approval of these medicaments, however, there is a need for simple and cost-effective alternatives for the preparation of therapeutically active proteins. In addition, not all therapeutically active proteins are approved as medicaments. Nevertheless, however, there is frequently a need for these proteins also to be administered to the patient. Particularly important in this connection, because they are presumed to be well tolerated by the body, are autologous proteins, that is to say those intrinsic to the body. These proteins include the interleukin 1 receptor antagonist, interleukin 4, interleukin 10 and the type I or type II tumor necrosis factor receptor. Proteins intrinsic to the body moreover have the advantage that the natural post-translational modifications such as glycosylations are already present. This is not the case with most normally obtainable recombinant proteins because they are produced in prokaryotic hosts.
Stimulation of monoctyes by adherent immunoglobulin G to form the interleukin 1 receptor antagonist is described by Arend and Leung in Immunological Reviews (1994) 139, 71-78 and Moore et al. in Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol. (1992) 6, 569-575. Andersen et al. in Autommunity (1995) 22, 127-133 explains that the therapeutic effect of immunoglobulin G to be observed in vivo cannot be attributed to an enhanced formation of interleukin 1 receptor antagonist, and that the in vitro formation of the interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IRAP, IL-1Ra) by monocytes depends on serum and plasma constituents adsorbed on polypropylene. The therapeutic use of adsorbed serum and plasma constituents to stimulate the formation of therapeutically interesting proteins in therapies is not only very costly but also involves the risk of contamination with infectious particles with which the serum and plasma constituents may be contaminated. Methods for producing IL-1Ra which can be employed directly in the therapy without using adsorbed serum and plasma constituents are not described in the aforementioned publications.
The technical problem on which the present invention is based is thus to provide methods and means for producing IL-1Ra which serve as safe, cost-effective alternatives which can be carried out quickly for the use and for the production of conventional pharmaceutical products.
The invention solves this problem by providing a method for producing IL-1Ra in a syringe made of glass, quartz or a plastic, the syringe being filled with a body fluid from an organism, for example a human or animal body, and incubated, and the IL-1Ra being formed.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides for the internal structure of the syringe to consist of a special material, in particular a glass, plastic, quartz and/or corundum, whose surface is, in a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, modified, in particular with the aid of a corrosive agent, for example an acid or an alkali, in particular chromosulphonic acid, and subsequently, after removal of the agent and washing the syringe where appropriate, that is to say in a particularly preferred manner, the surface of the internal structure of the syringe is sterilized, in particular by autoclaving. The syringe is then filled with a patient""s body fluid and incubated, and IL-1Ra is formed thereby. The body fluid enriched with the protein can then be reinjected into the patient, for example into a diseased joint. However, to increase the purity of the IL-1Ra which has been formed, the body fluid is preferably centrifuged and the supernatant is sterilized by filtration, divided into aliquots and stored for a later treatment. The invention thus provides in a preferred embodiment in a first step of the method for the surface of the internal structure of the syringe to be modified, in particular with the aid of a corrosive agent, such as an acid or an alkali, in particular chromosulphonic acid, and then, if desired, the surface of the internal structures of the syringe is sterilized, in particular by autoclaving. A drying can be provided before and/or after the sterilization. After the modification and the sterilization which takes place where appropriate, the syringe is filled in a second step of the method with a body fluid, in particular blood, lymph, saliva or urine, and incubated. The body fluid is preferably taken from the patient directly with the syringe. The, preferably modified, surface of the internal structure of the syringe induces in the body fluid specifically, to an extent which differs quantitatively depending on the material employed, the internal structure of the syringe, modification employed, in particular etching of the internal structure, sterilization employed, in particular autoclaving, and body fluid employed, the formation of IL-1Ra which, accordingly, becomes enriched or is formed in the body fluid present in the syringe. The body fluid enriched in this way can be stored sterile in the syringe and be returned to the patient as required directly without further treatment or, preferably, after centrifugation and/or sterilization by filtration.
The invention thus also relates to a method for the prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of the human or animal body, for example for the treatment of rheumatism, osteoarthritis and/or back symptoms, wherein a body fluid, for example blood, is taken from the human or animal body by means of a syringe according to the present invention, this body fluid is incubated in the syringe, and IL-1Ra is formed or enriched thereby, and the body fluid is returned using this syringe to the same or a different human or animal body.
The IL-1Ra which is formed can advantageously be modified, for example glycosylated. It is self-evident that the invention also encompasses the formation of other modifications or variants of IL-1Ra, such as truncated forms, mutants or other derivatives.
In conjunction with the present invention, an internal structure of a syringe means any region or any structure of the syringe which is present in its interior, that is to say in the sample reception region and may come into contact with the body fluid to be received. The internal structure of a syringe is particularly advantageously its inner surface, preferably a surface with a texturing to increase the surface area. It is self-evident that the present invention can also be carried out using a commercially available syringe without a special configuration in its internal cavity. In such a case the internal structure is the inner surface of the syringe barrel and the part of the piston present in the barrel. The internal structure can, in a particularly preferred embodiment, additionally be formed by articles introduced into the interior of the syringe, such as particles, spheres, beads, gels, glass wool, corundum, quartz, sand, plastic or glass granules or powder or the like in order to enlarge the internal surface area of the syringe and thus provide a larger inducing surface. The material of which the internal structure consists or which is present in the internal structure can be a material different from that of which the remainder of the syringe consists. For example, the syringe may consist of plastic and parts of its internal structure may, for example, consist of glass granules.
Additional structures of these types, such as, for example, glass beads with a diameter of from 1 to 5 mm, should, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, however occupy not more than 50% of the internal volume of the syringes employed. The syringes employed may be, for example, 10 to 100 ml syringes.
In connection with the present invention, a modified surface of an internal structure of the syringe means a surface which has been treated with a corrosive agent and which is capable of inducing and/or enhancing the formation of IL-1Ra in a body fluid of a human or animal. The modified surface may be distinguished by a particularly great cleanliness, that is to say substantial or complete absence of contaminants and/or a chemical/physical modification of the surface properties and/or structure. The modified surface of the internal structure is preferably produced by employing an alkali or an acid, for example chromosulphonic acid, in particular 20 to 80% strength, particularly preferably 50% strength, chromosulphonic acid. The syringe is preferably incubated with the corrosive agent, in particular the chromosulphonic acid, for 5 to 30 min.
After removal of the agent it is possible and preferred to carry out one or more washing steps and, where appropriate, preferably a sterilization, for example by autoclaving, in particular autoclaving at 100xc2x0 C. to 150xc2x0 C. for 20 to 60 min under a pressure of from 1 to 5 bar. After the washing and before and/or after the autoclaving it is possible where appropriate also for one or more drying steps to take place at 60 to 150xc2x0 C., preferably 80xc2x0 C., for 30 to 120 min in, for example, a drying oven.
A particularly advantageous configuration of the invention provides for the syringe, in particular the internal structure of the syringe, to be produced from glass, for example quartz glass, corundum, quartz, a plastic such as polystyrene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, or a similar material, that is to say consists of these materials or essentially comprises these materials or mixtures thereof.
It has surprisingly been possible to show within the framework of the present teaching that a syringe made of glass, and/or an internal structure made of glass, in particular glass granules, displays a particularly strongly inducing effect.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, heated glass is used before the treatment, that is to say before removal of the body fluid, in particular glass which has been heated to 100xc2x0 C.-210xc2x0 C., in particular 170xc2x0-200xc2x0 C., preferably 180xc2x0 C., and which is, of course, cooled before the use according to the invention. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the glass can be in the form of glass powder or glass granules.
The internal structures may, however, also consist of quartz, for example quartz powder or quartz sand and/or corundum, for example in the form of a suspension in water, or comprise the latter.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, these materials display IL-1Ra-inducing properties after modification, in particular etching, has taken place where appropriate and after the sterilization has taken place where appropriate.
A further preferred embodiment of the invention provides for the internal structure of a syringe to be provided with a coating which can be modified and can be sterilized, and for the modification and, where appropriate, the sterilization to be carried out subsequently.
The present invention is advantageous inasmuch as it provides a method which is simple to carry out and with which it is possible to produce autologous IL-1Ra which can be produced by induction, in particular surface induction, and can, in the form thus produced, that is to say together with the other constituents of the fluid present in the syringe, be readministered to the patient directly, that is to say without further manipulation such as, for example, transfer into another container. In a preferred embodiment, a centrifugation and/or sterilization by filtration can be provided to remove solid constituents before the IL-1Ra which has been formed is administered. The use of commercially available, often costly, medicaments thus becomes redundant. Finally, the invention proves to be advantageous since it avoids contamination, pollution, infection or the like of the IL-1Ra which derives from a medicament production taking place outside the patient.
The present invention thus provides in a particularly preferred embodiment a method for producing the interleukin 1 receptor antagonist, where the internal structures of the syringe consist of a specially treated material, in particular glass, quartz or plastic, where the surface of the internal structures of the syringe has been modified, in particular with the aid of a corrosive agent, in particular chromosulphonic acid, where the surface of the internal structures of the syringe has, where appropriate, subsequently been sterilized, in particular by autoclaving, and where the syringe is filled with a body fluid, preferably blood, and incubated, and IL-1Ra is formed and enriched in the body fluid. Inter alia because of the special modification of the surface of the internal structures of the syringe, in particular etching, and the special sterilization of the surface, in particular autoclaving, the syringe of the invention is able to stimulate the monocytes present in the blood to form IL-1Ra so that the latter becomes enriched in the blood. The blood present in the syringe can, in one embodiment of the present invention, after incubation, that is to say after enrichment of the IL-1Ra, be returned to the patient from whom the blood introduced into the syringe was taken, directly, without further manipulation such as, for example, transfer.
It is possible and advantageous in a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention to provide a centrifugation and/or sterilization by filtration of the blood present in the syringe in order to remove solid constituents such as cells. It is then divided into aliquots where appropriate. It is thus also provided by the invention that the blood can be taken from the patient by means of the syringe equipped with a specially modified and sterilized, in particular autoclaved, surface of the internal structures, the blood can be incubated in the syringe and, after formation of IL-1Ra, can be returned to the same patient or another one with the syringe. Such a procedure is particularly advantageous for example in the area of neuroorthopedics, that is to say, for example, for back symptoms with a neurological causation. Suitable treatment for such symptoms to date has been only an intervertebral disk operation, cortisone treatment, irrigations with saline solutions or the like. The provision by the invention of IL-1Ra, that is to say, in particular, autologous IL-1Ra, also makes treatment of rheumatism and osteoarthritis possible in a particularly simple, cost-effective and efficacious way.
The invention provides in another embodiment for the internal structure of the syringe additionally to be coated with anticoagulants, in particular heparin, citrate, EDTA, CPDM or CPDA. It has surprisingly been possible to show within the framework of the present teaching that a good induction is achieved on use of heparin as anticoagulant. It is also possible to provide according to the invention for the anticoagulants to be employed not as coating but unbound in the container, for example put in the lyophilized or liquid state into the syringe.
However, in a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, no anticoagulant, in particular no heparin, is employed in the syringe. This leads to a further improvement in the incubation.
The invention provides in a further preferred embodiment for the incubation of the body fluid in the syringe to be carried out over a period of from 12 to 72 hours, preferably 24 hours, preferably at room temperature, that is to say 20xc2x0 C. to 41xc2x0 C., in particular at 37xc2x0 C.
The invention also provides in one configuration of the invention for the body fluid to be treated further after formation of the therapeutically or prophylactically active protein in the body fluid, in order, for example, to remove particular constituents of the latter, for example blood plasma or blood platelets. This removal can in a preferred embodiment of the invention be carried out by centrifugation or filtration.
The invention relates in a further embodiment to a method for producing a syringe which is suitable for the in vitro induction of prophylactically or therapeutically active proteins, in particular the interleukin 1 receptor antagonist, where the syringe is distinguished by the specially treated material of the internal structure of the syringe, in particular plastic or glass. The invention provides in particular for the surface of the internal structure of the syringe to be etched by a corrosive agent, in particular an alkali or an acid, in particular using chromosulphonic acid. After removal of the corrosive agent and washing of the syringe it can be provided for the surface of the internal structure to be sterilized, in particular autoclaved. It can preferably also be provided for a syringe, preferably produced from glass, to be heated before use thereof, for example to 100xc2x0 C. to 210xc2x0 C., in particular 170xc2x0-200xc2x0 C.
The invention of course also relates to the syringe produced in this way, which, in a particularly preferred embodiment, is produced from glass, quartz or plastic, in particular polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene or polypropylene, where the syringe is distinguished by the special treatment of the surface of the internal structure of the syringe, in particular produced from glass, quartz or plastic, which is carried out by exposure to a corrosive agent. In a preferred manner, the syringe has been heated before use thereof, preferably to 100xc2x0 C.-210xc2x0 C., for example 170xc2x0 C.-200xc2x0 C.
The invention also relates to the use of alkali or acid, in particular chromosulphonic acid, for modifying the surface of the internal structures of the syringes of the invention, preferably made of polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, quartz or glass, for the in vitro induction of prophylactically or therapeutically active proteins, preferably the interleukin 1 receptor antagonist.
The invention also relates to the use of devices or substances which enlarge the surface area, such as glass powder, glass granules, quartz powder, quartz sand, corundum, spheres, beads, sand etc. for use in an aforementioned method, that is to say in particular for use as inducer of IL-1Ra formation in a vessel, for example a syringe.
Further advantageous configurations of the invention are evident from the dependent claims.
The invention is illustrated in detail by means of figures and exemplary embodiments.

Method for producing interleukin 1 receptor antagonists, a therapeutic activity protein, from body fluids


A compact semiconductor structure having back gate(s) for controlling threshold voltages and associated method of formation is disclosed. Fabrication of the semiconductor structure starts with a semiconductor region formed directly on an underlying electrically isolating layer. Then, a mandrel and a spacer are formed on the semiconductor region. Next, a back gate region is formed separated from the semiconductor region by a back gate isolating layer and covered by an inter-gate isolating layer. Next, a portion of the semiconductor region beneath the mandrel is removed so as to form an active region adjacent to the removed portion of the semiconductor region. Finally, a main gate region is formed in place of the removed portion of the semiconductor region and on the inter-gate isolating layer. The main gate region is separated from the active region by a main gate isolating layer and separated from the back gate region by the inter-gate isolating layer.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to back gate transistors, and more particularly, to back gate transistors fabricated using FinFET technologies.
2. Related Art
Dopant fluctuations are becoming a serious problem in Vt (threshold voltage) control in advanced semiconductor devices. As semiconductor devices become smaller and smaller, Vt control becomes more difficult. A known solution is to use back gates in the semiconductor devices to control Vt. One serious problem with this solution is that the use of back gates in semiconductor devices results in increased layout complexity, and therefore, higher cost.
Therefore, there is a need for a novel semiconductor structure in which back gates are formed with relatively less layout complexity. Also, there is a need for a method for forming the novel semiconductor structure. In addition, there is always a need to increase the device density of the novel semiconductor structure.


A variable valve operating apparatus including an electric motor including a motor housing with a permanent magnet, and a speed reducing mechanism having a casing, the motor housing and the casing of the speed reducing mechanism being coupled to each other by a plurality of bolts, wherein the motor housing includes a convex portion formed in a portion of the motor housing which is opposed to one axial end of the permanent magnet, the convex portion having a threaded hole into which a tip end portion of each bolt is screwed, and a projection formed on an axial end surface of the convex portion in alignment with the threaded hole in an axial direction of the threaded hole, and wherein the axial end surface of the convex portion is located further spaced from the one axial end of the permanent magnet than the projection.

The present invention relates to a variable valve operating apparatus for an internal combustion engine which controls opening and closing timings of an engine valve, i.e., an intake valve and/or an exhaust valve of the internal combustion engine.
Recently, there has been proposed a valve timing control apparatus as a variable valve operating apparatus adapted to control opening and closing timings of an intake valve and/or an exhaust valve of an internal combustion engine by using a rotational driving force of an electric motor.
For instance, Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. 2011-231700 A recites a valve timing control apparatus including an electric motor and a speed reducing mechanism for reducing a rotational driving force of the electric motor. The electric motor is a DC motor with brushes which includes a cylindrical motor housing constituting a stator, permanent magnets disposed on an inner peripheral surface of the motor housing along a circumferential direction of the motor housing, and a core rotor disposed on an inner peripheral side of the permanent magnets, the core rotor being fixed on an outer periphery of a motor output shaft and equipped with coil windings.
Further, a partition wall made of a metal is disposed between the electric motor and the speed reducing mechanism to separate the electric motor and the speed reducing mechanism from each other. The partition wall has an annular convex portion on an outer peripheral side thereof which is formed integrally with the partition wall. The annular convex portion has a threaded hole into which a tip end portion of a bolt is screwed to couple the motor housing and a casing of the speed reducing mechanism to each other in an axial direction thereof.
Further, the partition wall is arranged as close to the electric motor as possible in an axial direction of the electric motor so that the valve timing control apparatus is reduced in axial length thereof to thereby be downsized.

Variable valve operating apparatus for internal combustion engine


Over a plug, a stopper insulating film made of an organic film is formed, followed by successive formation of an insulating film and a hard mask. In the presence of a patterned resist film, the hard mask is dry etched, whereby an interconnection groove pattern is transferred thereto. By ashing with oxygen plasma, the resist film is removed to form the interconnection-groove-pattern-transferred hard mask. At this time, the organic film constituting the stopper insulating film has been covered with the insulating film. Then, the insulating film, stopper insulating film and hard mask are removed to form the groove pattern of interconnection. Hydrogen annealing may be conducted after formation of the plug, or the stopper insulating film may be formed over the plug via an adhesion layer.

The present invention relates to a technique for the manufacture of a semiconductor device, and, more particularly, to a multilevel interconnection structure which is fabricated using the so-called damascene method and a technique which is effective when applied to a semiconductor device having such a multilevel interconnection structure.
As semiconductor devices tend to have a higher performance and a more miniaturized structure, a multilevel metallization technique has become necessary for their fabrication. For forming metallization layers in a semiconductor integrated circuit device, there is a known process of forming, over an interlayer insulating film, a thin film of a refractory metal, such as an aluminum (Al) alloy or tungsten; forming there over a resist pattern having the same shape as that of the interconnection pattern by photolithography; and, then etching the thin film using this resist pattern as a mask, thereby forming interconnection patterns. However, this process using an aluminum allo or the like has the inherent problem that there is a marked increase in the wiring resistance owing to the miniaturization of interconnections, which increases the wiring delay, thereby lowering the performance of the semiconductor device. Particularly, in a high-performance logic LSI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit), it causes a serious problem which represents a performance inhibiting factor.
A method (so-called damascene method) of forming an interconnection pattern in a groove, which has been made in an interlayer insulating film, by embedding therein an interconnection metal having copper (Cu) as a main conductor and removing an unnecessary portion of the metal outside the groove by CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) is therefore under investigation.
As an interlayer insulating film wherein a groove to be embedded with a copper interconnection is to be formed, a structure is proposed which has an etching stopper film and a TEOS oxide film stacked one after another in this order. The TEOS oxide film is formed by plasma CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) using a TEOS (Tetra Ethyl Ortho Silicate: Si (OC2H5)) gas and an ozone (O3) gas. As the etching stopper film, a silicon nitride film is usually employed, when the interlayer insulating film is made of a TEOS oxide film.
Since the dielectric constant of the silicon nitride film is as high as about 7, disposal of it in the interlayer insulating film, however, increases the dielectric constant of the whole interlayer insulating film. This problem causes a rise in the capacitance between interconnections, leading to deterioration in the acting speed of operation of the semiconductor device or an increase in the power consumption. A technique for incorporating a silicon nitride film in the interlayer insulating film is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,051,508.
Employment of a material which has a relatively low dielectric constant of about 2 to 3 and a high etching selectivity relative to the TEOS oxide film has been investigated; and, an organic SOG (Spin On Glass) film which is relatively stable to heat and has high resistance to humidity is regarded as promising for use as a material constituting the interlayer insulating film.
As a result of an investigation of a method of multilevel metallization in an interlayer insulating film, which has an organic SOG film as an etching stopper film, by the damascene method, the present inventors have found that such method involves a problem as described below.
When a groove pattern is formed by successively processing the TEOS oxide film and organic SOG film, using with the patterned resist film as a mask, and then the resist film is removed by oxygen plasma, an xe2x80x94OH group is formed in the organic SOG film and it roughens the film quality. Formation of the xe2x80x94OH group is accompanied by an increase in the water content in the organic SOG film, and when heat is applied thereto, film shrinkage due to a dehydration condensation reaction occurs, resulting in the appearance of cracks in the organic SOG film.
An object of the present invention is to provide a technique which is capable of improving the reliability of the damascene interconnection.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique which is capable of reducing the capacitance between interconnections, thereby improving the performance of the semiconductor device.
The above-described objects, further objects and novel features of the present invention will be apparent from the description herein and the accompanied drawings.
Among the aspects and features disclosed in the present application, typical ones will next be summarized below:
(1) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: (a) successively depositing, over a base having a plug or interconnection formed thereon, a first insulating film, a second insulating film having a lower etching resistance than the first insulating film, and a hard mask; (b) forming thereover a resist pattern; (c) etching the hard mask in the presence of the resist pattern, thereby transferring the pattern of the resist pattern to the hard mask; (d) removing the resist pattern; (e) etching the second insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby selectively transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the second insulating film; and (f) etching the first insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the first insulating film, wherein the first insulating film is an organic-functional-group-containing insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film and the second insulating film has a lower dielectric constant than a silicon nitride film.
(2) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: (a) successively depositing, over a base having a plug or interconnection formed thereon, a first insulating film, a second insulating film having a lower etching resistance than the first insulating film, and a hard mask; (b) forming thereover a resist pattern; (c) etching the hard mask in the presence of the resist pattern, thereby transferring the pattern of the resist pattern to the hard mask; (d) removing the resist pattern; (e) etching the second insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby selectively transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the second insulating film; and (f) etching the first insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the first insulating film, wherein the first insulating film is an organic-functional-group-containing insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film; the second insulating film has a lower dielectric constant than a silicon nitride film; and the first insulating film, the second insulating film and the hard mask are deposited to have thicknesses of about 50 to 200 nm, about 200 to 2000 nm, and about 50 to 200 nm, respectively.
(3) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: (a) successively depositing, over a base having a plug or interconnection formed thereon, a first insulating film, a second insulating film having a lower etching resistance than the first insulating film, and a hard mask; (b) forming thereover a resist pattern; (c) etching the hard mask in the presence of the resist pattern, thereby transferring the pattern of the resist pattern to the hard mask; (d) removing the resist pattern; (e) etching the second insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby selectively transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the second insulating film; and (f) etching the first insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the first insulating film, wherein the first insulating film is an organic-functional-group-containing insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film; the second insulating film has a lower dielectric constant than a silicon nitride film; and the first insulating film, the second insulating film and the hard mask are deposited to have thicknesses of about 200 to 3000 nm, about 100 to 500 nm, and about 50 to 200 nm, respectively.
(4) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: (a) successively forming, over a base having a plug or interconnection formed thereon, an adhesion layer, a first insulating film, a second insulating film having a lower etching resistance than the first insulating film, and a hard mask; (b) forming thereover a resist pattern; (c) etching the hard mask in the presence of the resist pattern, thereby transferring the pattern of the resist pattern to the hard mask; (d) removing the resist pattern; (e) etching the second insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby selectively transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the second insulating film; and (f) etching the first insulating film and adhesion layer in the presence of the hard mask, thereby transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the first insulating film and adhesion layer, wherein the first insulating film is an organic-functional-group-containing insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film; the second insulating film has a lower dielectric constant than a silicon nitride film; and the adhesion layer is a silicon oxide film having a thickness not greater than 50 nm.
(5) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: (a) after hydrogen annealing of a base having a plug or interconnection formed thereon, successively depositing over the base a first insulating film, a second insulating film having a lower etching resistance than the first insulating film, and a hard mask; (b) forming thereover a resist pattern; (c) etching the hard mask in the presence of the resist pattern, thereby transferring the pattern of the resist pattern to the hard mask; (d) removing the resist pattern; (e) etching the second insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby selectively transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the second insulating film; and (f) etching the first insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the first insulating film, wherein the first insulating film is an organic-functional-group-containing insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film; and the second insulating film has a lower dielectric constant than a silicon nitride film.
(6) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: (a) after hydrogen annealing of a base having a plug or interconnection formed thereon, successively depositing over the base an adhesion layer, a first insulating film, a second insulating film having a lower etching resistance than the first insulating film, and a hard mask; (b) forming thereover a resist pattern; (c) etching the hard mask in the presence of the resist pattern, thereby transferring the pattern of the resist pattern to the hard mask; (d) removing the resist pattern; (e) etching the second insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby selectively transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the second insulating film; and (f) etching the first insulating film and adhesion layer in the presence of the hard mask, thereby transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the first insulating film and adhesion layer, wherein the first insulating film is an organic-functional-group-containing insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film; the second insulating film has a lower dielectric constant than a silicon nitride film; and the adhesion layer is a silicon oxide film having a thickness not greater than 50 nm.
(7) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: (a) successively depositing, over a base having a plug or interconnection formed thereon, a first insulating film, a second insulating film having a lower etching resistance than the first insulating film, and a hard mask; (b) forming thereover a resist pattern; (c) etching the hard mask in the presence of the resist pattern, thereby transferring the pattern of the resist pattern to the hard mask; (d) removing the resist pattern; (e) etching the second insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby selectively transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the second insulating film; and (f) etching the first insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the first insulating film, wherein the first insulating film is an organic-functional-group-containing insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film; the second insulating film has a lower dielectric constant than a silicon nitride film; and the hard mask is a metal film or a metal compound.
(8) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: (a) successively forming, over a base having a plug or interconnection formed thereon, a first insulating film, a second insulating film having a lower etching resistance than the first insulating film, and a hard mask; (b) forming thereover a resist pattern; (c) etching the hard mask and the upper portion of the second insulating film in the presence of the resist pattern, thereby transferring the pattern of the resist pattern to the hard mask and the upper portion of the second insulating film; (d) removing the resist pattern; (e) etching the lower portion of the second insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby selectively transferring the pattern of the hard mask to lower portion of the second insulating film; and (f) etching the first insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the first insulating film, wherein the first insulating film is an organic-functional-group-containing insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film; the second insulating film has a lower dielectric constant than a silicon nitride film; and the hard mask is a silicon nitride film.
(9) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: (a) successively depositing, over a base having a plug or interconnection formed thereon, a first insulating film, a second insulating film having a lower etching resistance than the first insulating film, and a hard mask; (b) forming thereover a resist pattern; (c) etching the hard mask in the presence of the resist pattern, thereby transferring the pattern of the resist pattern to the hard mask; (d) removing the resist pattern; (e) etching the second insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby selectively transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the second insulating film; (f) etching the first insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the first insulating film; (g) successively depositing a barrier metal layer and a copper film over the whole surface of a substrate; and (h) removing the barrier metal layer and the copper film until the upper portion of the second insulating film is exposed; wherein the first insulating film is an organic-functional-group-containing insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film; and the second insulating film has a lower dielectric constant than a silicon nitride film.
(10) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: (a) successively depositing, over a base having a plug or interconnection formed thereon, a first insulating film, a second insulating film having a lower etching resistance than the first insulating film, and a hard mask; (b) forming thereover a resist pattern; (c) etching the hard mask in the presence of the resist pattern, thereby transferring the pattern of the resist pattern to the hard mask; (d) removing the resist pattern; (e) etching the second insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby selectively transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the second insulating film; (f) etching the first insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the first insulating film; (g) successively depositing a barrier metal layer and a copper film over the whole surface of a substrate; and (h) removing the barrier metal layer and the copper film until the upper portion of the second insulating film is exposed; wherein the first insulating film is an organic-functional-group-containing insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film; the second insulating film has a lower dielectric constant than a silicon nitride film; and the first insulating film, the second insulating film and the hard mask are deposited to have thicknesses of about 50 to 200 nm, about 200 to 2000 nm, and about 50 to 200 nm, respectively.
(11) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: (a) successively depositing, over a base having a plug or interconnection formed thereon, a first insulating film, a second insulating film having a lower etching resistance than the first insulating film, and a hard mask; (b) forming thereover a resist pattern; (c) etching the hard mask in the presence of the resist pattern, thereby transferring the pattern of the resist pattern to the hard mask; (d) removing the resist pattern; (e) etching the second insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby selectively transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the second insulating film; (f) etching the first insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the first insulating film; (g) successively depositing a barrier metal layer and a copper film over the whole surface of a substrate; and (h) removing the barrier metal layer and the copper film until the upper portion of the second insulating film is exposed; wherein the first insulating film is an organic-functional-group-containing insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film; the second insulating film has a lower dielectric constant than a silicon nitride film; and the first insulating film, the second insulating film and the hard mask are deposited to have thicknesses of about 200 to 3000 nm, about 100 to 500 nm, and about 50 to 200 nm, respectively.
(12) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: (a) successively depositing, over a base having a plug or interconnection formed thereon, an adhesion layer, a first insulating film, a second insulating film having a lower etching resistance than the first insulating film, and a hard mask; (b) forming thereover a resist pattern; (c) etching the hard mask in the presence of the resist pattern, thereby transferring the pattern of the resist pattern to the hard mask; (d) removing the resist pattern; (e) etching the second insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby selectively transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the second insulating film; (f) etching the first insulating film and adhesion layer in the presence of the hard mask, thereby transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the first insulating film and adhesion layer; (g) successively depositing a barrier metal layer and a copper film over the whole surface of a substrate; and (h) removing the barrier metal layer and the copper film until the upper portion of the second insulating film is exposed; wherein the first insulating film is an organic-functional-group-containing insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film; the second insulating film has a lower dielectric constant than a silicon nitride film; and the adhesion layer is a silicon oxide film having a thickness not greater than 50 nm.
(13) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: (a) after hydrogen annealing of a base having a plug or interconnection formed thereon, successively depositing over the base a first insulating film, a second insulating film having a lower etching resistance than the first insulating film, and a hard mask; (b) forming thereover a resist pattern; (c) etching the hard mask in the presence of the resist pattern, thereby transferring the pattern of the resist pattern to the hard mask; (d) removing the resist pattern; (e) etching the second insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby selectively transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the second insulating film; (f) etching the first insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the first insulating film; (g) successively depositing a barrier metal layer and a copper film over the whole surface of a substrate; and (h) removing the barrier metal layer and the copper film until the upper portion of the second insulating film is exposed; wherein the first insulating film is an organic-functional-group-containing insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film; and the second insulating film has a lower dielectric constant than a silicon nitride film.
(14) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: (a) after hydrogen annealing of a base having a plug or interconnection formed thereon, successively depositing over the ground an adhesion layer, a first insulating film, a second insulating film having a lower etching resistance than the first insulating film, and a hard mask; (b) forming thereover a resist pattern; (c) etching the hard mask in the presence of the resist pattern, thereby transferring the pattern of the resist pattern to the hard mask; (d) removing the resist pattern; (e) etching the second insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby selectively transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the second insulating film; (f) etching the first insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the first insulating film; (g) successively depositing a barrier metal layer and a copper film over the whole surface of a substrate; and (h) removing the barrier metal layer and the copper film until the upper portion of the second insulating film is exposed; wherein the first insulating film is an organic-functional-group-containing insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film; the second insulating film has a lower dielectric constant than a silicon nitride film; and the adhesion layer is a silicon oxide film having a thickness not greater than 50 nm.
(15) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: (a) successively depositing, over a base having a plug or interconnection formed thereon, a first insulating film, a second insulating film having a lower etching resistance than the first insulating film, and a hard mask; (b) forming thereover a resist pattern; (c) etching the hard mask in the presence of the resist pattern, thereby transferring the pattern of the resist pattern to the hard mask; (d) removing the resist pattern; (e) etching the second insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby selectively transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the second insulating film; (f) etching the first insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the first insulating film; (g) successively depositing a barrier metal layer and a copper film over the whole surface of a substrate; and (h) removing the barrier metal layer and the copper film until the upper portion of the second insulating film is exposed; wherein the first insulating film is an organic-functional-group-containing insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film; the second insulating film has a lower dielectric constant than a silicon nitride film; and the hard mask is a metal film or metal compound.
(16) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: (a) successively depositing, over a base having a plug or interconnection formed thereon, a first insulating film, a second insulating film having a lower etching resistance than the first insulating film, and a hard mask; (b) forming thereover a resist pattern; (c) etching the hard mask and the upper portion of the second insulating film in the presence of the resist pattern, thereby transferring the pattern of the resist pattern to the hard mask and the upper portion of the second insulating film; (d) removing the resist pattern; (e) etching the lower portion of the second insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby selectively transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the lower portion of the second insulating film; (f) etching the first insulating film in the presence of the hard mask, thereby transferring the pattern of the hard mask to the first insulating film; (g) successively depositing a barrier metal layer and a copper film over the whole surface of a substrate; and (h) removing the barrier metal layer and the copper film until the upper portion of the second insulating film is exposed; wherein the first insulating film is an organic-functional-group-containing insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film; the second insulating film has a lower dielectric constant than a silicon nitride film; and the hard mask is a silicon nitride film.
According to the above-described methods, the first insulating film is protected by the second insulating film upon removal of the resist pattern, which is to be used for transfer of the pattern to the hard mask, by oxygen plasma so that even if the first insulating film is made of an organic insulating film having a low resistance against oxygen plasma, the first insulating film is free from the influence of oxygen plasma, and a deterioration in the film quality of the first insulating film can be suppressed. In addition, since the first insulating film itself is etched using a hard mask, it is not exposed to oxygen plasma.
By the use of the first insulating film made of an organic insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film as an etching stopper for the second insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon nitride film, it becomes possible to constitute the insulating film, which surrounds the plug or interconnection, from an insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon nitride film and an organic insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film, thereby suppressing an increase in the capacitance between interconnections.
Moreover, by increasing the etching selectivity to the hard mask relative to the first insulating film, it becomes possible to thicken the first insulating film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film, thereby bringing about high effects for suppressing an increase in the capacitance between interconnections.
Furthermore, delamination of the first insulating film formed over the plug or interconnection can be prevented by subjecting the base-constituting plug or interconnection to hydrogen annealing treatment, thereby positively causing degassing from the gap of the plug or interconnection. By disposing an adhesion layer on the plug or interconnection, delamination of the first insulating film due to the influence of degassing can also be prevented even if degassing from the gap of the plug or interconnection occurs upon formation of the first or second insulating film.

Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device