Epitaxially coated silicon wafers, are coated individually in an epitaxy reactor by a procedure in which a silicon wafer on a susceptor in the epitaxy reactor, is pretreated in a first step with a hydrogen flow rate of 1-100 slm and in a second step with hydrogen and an etching medium at a hydrogen flow rate of 1-100 slm, and an etching medium flow rate of 0.5-1.5 slm, at an average temperature of 950-1050° C., and is subsequently coated epitaxially, wherein, during the second pretreatment step, the power of heating elements is regulated such that there is a temperature difference of 5-30° C. between a radially symmetrical central region of the silicon wafer and an outer region of the silicon outside the central region.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for producing epitaxially coated silicon wafers.
2. Background Art
Epitaxially coated silicon wafers are suitable for use in the semiconductor industry, in particular for the fabrication of large scale integrated electronic components such as microprocessors or memory chips. Starting materials (substrates) for modern microelectronics are required to meet stringent requirements for global and local flatness, thickness distribution, single-side-referenced local flatness (nanotopology) and freedom from defects.
Global flatness relates to the entire surface of a semiconductor wafer minus an edge exclusion to be defined. It is described by the GBIR ("global backsurface-referenced ideal plane/range"=magnitude of the positive and negative deviation from a backside-referenced ideal plane for the entire front side of the semiconductor wafer), which corresponds to the TTV ("total thickness variation") specification that was formerly customary.
The LTV ("local thickness variation") specification that was formerly customary is nowadays designated according to the SEMI standard by SBIR ("site backsurface-referenced ideal plane/range"=magnitude of the positive and negative deviation from a backside-referenced ideal plane for an individual component area of defined dimension) and corresponds to the GBIR or TTV of a component area ("site"). Therefore, in contrast to the global flatness GBIR, the SBIR is referenced to defined fields on the wafer, that is to say for example to segments of an area grid of measurement windows having a size of 26×8 mm2 (site geometry). The maximum site geometry value SBiRmax specifies the maximum SBIR value for the component areas taken into account on a silicon wafer.
Maximum site-referenced flatness or geometry values such as the SBiRmax are usually determined taking account of a certain edge exclusion (EE="edge exclusion") of 3 mm, by way of example. An area on a silicon wafer within a nominal edge exclusion is usually referred to as "Fixed Quality Area", abbreviated to FQA. Those sites which have part of their area lying outside the FQA, but the center of which lies within the FQA, are called "partial sites". The determination of the maximum local flatness often does not involve using the "partial sites", but rather only the so-called "full sites", that is to say the component areas lying completely within the FQA. In order to be able to compare maximum flatness values, it is essential to specify the edge exclusion and thus the size of the FQA and furthermore to specify whether or not the "partial sites" have been taken into account.
Furthermore, with regard to optimizing costs, it is frequently customary nowadays not to reject a silicon wafer owing, for example, only to a component area that exceeds the SBIRmax value specified by the component manufacturer, but rather to permit a defined percentage, e.g. 1%, of component areas with higher values. The percentage of the sites which lie or are permitted to lie below a specific limit value of a geometry parameter is usually specified by a PUA ("Percent Useable Area") value, which, e.g. in the case of an SBIRmax of less than or equal to 0.7 μm and a PUA value of 99%, states that 99% of the sites have an SBIRmax of less than or equal to 0.7 μm while higher SBIR values are also permitted for 1% of the sites ("chip yield").
According to the prior art, a silicon wafer can be produced by a process sequence of separating a single crystal of silicon into wafers, rounding the mechanically sensitive edges, and carrying out an abrasive step such as grinding or lapping followed by polishing. EP 547894 A1 describes a lapping method; grinding methods are disclosed in applications EP 272531 A1 and EP 580162 A1.
The final flatness is generally produced by the polishing step, which may be preceded, if appropriate, by an etching step for removing disturbed crystal layers and for removing impurities. A suitable etching method is known from DE 19833257 C1, by way of example. While the traditional single-side polishing methods generally lead to poorer plane-parallelisms, polishing methods acting on both sides ("double side polishing") make it possible to produce silicon wafers with improved flatness.
In the case of polished silicon wafers, therefore, the aim is to achieve the required flatness by suitable processing steps such as grinding, lapping and polishing. However, the polishing of a silicon wafer usually gives rise to a decrease in the thickness of the planar silicon wafer toward the edge ("edge roll-off"). Etching methods also tend to attack the silicon wafer to a greater extent at the edge and to produce such an edge roll-off.
In order to counteract the edge roll-off caused by etching and polishing, it is customary for silicon wafers to be polished concavely or convexly. A concavely polished silicon wafer is thinner in the center, then increases in its thickness toward the edge and has a decrease in thickness in an outer edge region. By contrast, a convexly polished silicon wafer is thicker in the center, then decreases in its thickness toward the edge and exhibits a pronounced decrease in thickness in an outer edge region.
DE 19938340 C1 describes depositing a monocrystalline layer on monocrystalline silicon wafers, the layer being composed of silicon with the same crystal orientation, a so-called epitaxial layer, on which semiconductor components are later applied. Systems of this type have certain advantages over silicon wafers made of homogeneous material, for example preventing charge reversal in bipolar CMOS circuits followed by short circuiting of the component ("latch-up"), lower defect densities, for example a reduced number of COPs ("crystal-originated particles"), and also the absence of an appreciable oxygen content, whereby it is possible to preclude a short-circuit risk caused by oxygen precipitates in component-relevant regions.
According to the prior art, epitaxially coated silicon wafers are produced from suitable intermediates by means of a process sequence of removal polishing—final polishing—cleaning—epitaxy.
DE 10025871 A1, for example, discloses a method for producing a silicon wafer with an epitaxial layer deposited on its front side, the method comprising the following process steps:    (a) a removal polishing step as the sole polishing step;    (b) (hydrophilic) cleaning and drying of the silicon wafer;    (c) pretreatment of the front side of the silicon wafer at a temperature of 950 to 1250 degrees Celsius in an epitaxy reactor; and    (d) deposition of an epitaxial layer on the front side of the pretreated silicon wafer.
It is customary, in order to protect silicon wafers from particle loading, to subject the silicon wafers to a hydrophilic cleaning after polishing. The hydrophilic cleaning produces native oxide on the front and rear sides of the silicon wafer which is very thin (approximately 0.5-2 nm, depending on the type of cleaning and measurement). This native oxide is removed in the course of a pretreatment in an epitaxy reactor under a hydrogen atmosphere ("H2 bake").
In a second step, the surface roughness of the front side of the silicon wafer is reduced and polishing defects are removed from the surface by usually small amounts of an etching medium, for example gaseous hydrogen chloride (HCl), being added to the hydrogen atmosphere.
Sometimes, besides an etching medium such as HCl, a silane compound, for example silane (SiH4), dichlorosilane (SiH2Cl2), trichlorosilane (TCS, SiHCl3) or tetrachlorosilane (SiCl4), is also added to the hydrogen atmosphere in an amount such that silicon deposition and silicon etching removal are in equilibrium. Both reactions proceed at a sufficiently high reaction rate, however, so that silicon on the surface is mobile and the surface is smoothed and defects are removed on the surface.
Epitaxy reactors, which are used in particular in the semiconductor industry for the deposition of an epitaxial layer on a silicon wafer, are described in the prior art. During all coating or deposition steps, one or more silicon wafers are heated by means of heating sources, preferably by means of upper and lower heating sources, for example lamps or lamp banks, and subsequently exposed to a gas mixture, comprising a source gas, a carrier gas and, if appropriate, a doping gas.
A susceptor, which may be composed of graphite, SiC or quartz, for example, serves as a support for the silicon wafer in the process chamber of the epitaxy reactor. During the deposition process, the silicon wafer rests on this susceptor or in milled-out portions of the susceptor in order to ensure uniform heating and to protect the rear side of the silicon wafer, on which usually there is no deposition, from the source gas. In accordance with the prior art, the process chambers are designed for one or more silicon wafers.
In the case of silicon wafers having relatively large diameters (greater than or equal to 150 mm), single wafer reactors are usually used and the silicon wafers are processed individually, since this results in a good epitaxial layer thickness regularity. The uniformity of the layer thickness can be established by various measures, for example by altering the gas flows (H2, SiHCl3), by incorporating and adjusting gas inlet devices (injectors), by changing the deposition temperature, or by modifications to the susceptor.
In epitaxy it is furthermore customary, after one or more epitaxial depositions on silicon wafers, to carry out an etching treatment of the susceptor without a substrate, in the course of which the susceptor and also other parts of the process chamber are freed of silicon deposits. This etch, using hydrogen chloride (HCl), for example, is often carried out after the processing of only a small number of silicon wafers (e.g. after 1 to 5 silicon wafers) for single wafer reactors, and is not carried out in part until after the processing of more silicon wafers (e.g. after 10 to 20 silicon wafers) when depositing thin epitaxial layers. Usually, only an HCl etching treatment is used, or else an HCl etching treatment followed by brief coating of the susceptor.
The production of epitaxially coated silicon wafers with good global flatness proves to be extremely difficult since, as mentioned above, a concavely or convexly polished silicon wafer is usually present as the substrate.
Although the deposition of a thicker epitaxial layer in the center of the concavely polished silicon wafer, where the thickness of the layer decreases outwardly in the direction of the wafer edge could compensate for the originally concave form of the silicon wafer and thus also improve global flatness, this is not considered in the epitaxy of silicon wafers since an important specification of an epitaxially coated silicon wafer, namely a limit value for the uniformity of the epitaxial layer, will be exceeded. The same applies to methods which aim to first deposit a uniform epitaxial layer on a concave or convex polished wafer without influencing the geometrical form of the wafer, and subsequently to "etch into shape" the epitaxial layer or, by means of other material removal methods such as polishing, for example, in this way to improve the overall geometry of the epitaxially coated wafer. In this case, too, depending on the extent of the material removals required, an epitaxially coated wafer having an inhomogeneous epitaxial layer thickness results, which constitutes an unacceptable disadvantage. Therefore, methods of this type play practically no part in the epitaxy of monocrystalline silicon wafers having diameters of 300 mm or 450 mm for very modern applications in the semiconductor industry.
DE 102005045339 A1 discloses a method for producing epitaxially coated silicon wafers in which a multiplicity of silicon wafers, polished at least on their front sides, are successively coated individually in an epitaxy reactor by a procedure in which a respective one of the silicon wafers is placed on a susceptor in the epitaxy reactor and pretreated under a hydrogen atmosphere at a first hydrogen flow rate of 20-100 slm in a first step, and with addition of an etching medium to the hydrogen atmosphere at a second, reduced hydrogen flow rate of 0.5-10 slm in a second step, is subsequently coated epitaxially on its polished front side and then removed from the epitaxy reactor, and an etching treatment of the susceptor is furthermore effected in each case after a specific number of epitaxial coatings.
DE 102005045339 A1 likewise discloses a silicon wafer having a front side and a rear side, wherein at least its front side is polished and an epitaxial layer is applied at least on its front side, and which has a global flatness value GBIR of 0.07 0.3 μm, relative to an edge exclusion of 2 mm. The comparatively good geometry of this epitaxially coated silicon wafer results from the fact that the reduction of the hydrogen flow rate in the second step of the pretreatment with addition of an etching medium makes it possible to etch away material at the edge of the silicon wafer in a targeted manner and to actually globally level the silicon wafer before the epitaxial-coating step. Disadvantages of the method disclosed in DE 102005045339 are that although the reduced hydrogen flow rate intensifies the etching effect at the edge of the polished wafer, the gas flow over the semiconductor wafer is not laminar.

Method for producing epitaxially coated silicon wafers


An exercising balance board includes a pedal, and a plurality of balance seats selectively mounted on the bottom of the pedal. Thus, the exercising balance board has an adjustable height by the balance seats and an adjustable curvature by the convex portion of each of the balance seats, so that the exercising balance board is available for users of different statures and requirements, thereby enhancing the versatility of the exercising balance board.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a balance board, and more particularly to an exercising balance board.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional exercising balance board 10 in accordance with the prior art shown in FIG. 7 comprises a pedal 11, and a convex portion 12 integrally formed on the bottom of the pedal 11. Thus, when a user steps on the top of the pedal 11, he has to change his center of gravity to balance the pedal 11, thereby achieving an amusement effect, and thereby exercising his body. However, the convex portion 12 is fixed on the pedal 11, so that the exercising balance board 10 has fixed height and curvature. Thus, the exercising balance board 10 is not available for users of different statures and requirements, thereby limiting the versatility of the exercising balance board.


A heat-fusion bonding adhesive is prepared by heating a thermoplastic resin to a temperature of no less than the softening temperature of the resin and then dispersing the resin in the softened state in an aqueous medium. Dispersing the thermoplastic resin in the aqueous medium is conducted, for example, by applying a shear force to the aqueous medium by stirring. In this case, stirring of the aqueous medium is preferably conducted till the thermoplastic resin is divided into particles with a weight-average particle size of 0.1-20 xcexcm.

The present invention relaters to a method for the manufacture of a heat-fusion bonding adhesive. Further, the present invention also relates to a heat-fusion bonding adhesive obtained by this method. Moreover, the present invention also relates to a heat-fusion bonding adhesive obtained by thermally fusing the heat-fusion bonding adhesive to the surface of a base fabric.
Base materials of various types have been provided with a variety of functional properties such as oil resistance, solvent resistance, chemical resistance, wear resistance, gas shielding ability, adhesive properties, and the like by coating a thermoplastic resin thereon and forming a coating film. Among them, adhesive fabrics obtained by using a fiber-containing cloth or nonwoven fabric as a base fabric and coating a thermoplastic resin on the surface of the base fabric have been used mainly as adhesive interlinings in the field of clothing.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H6-145413 disclosed an adhesive interlining fabricated by the following method. First, a composition prepared by adding silica and a silane coupling agent to an acrylic polymer emulsion such as acrylate resin was coated on a fiber-containing nonwoven fabric serving as a base fabric and dried. Then, a powder of a thermoplastic resin such as a polyamide resin, polyester resin, polyethylene resin, ethylene-vinyl acetate resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, and the like was scattered over the coating and melted to obtain an adhesive interlining.
A variety of methods such as a scattering method, powder dot method, spray method, paste dot method, double dot method, and the like are employed for heating and fusing the thermoplastic resin powder to the base fabric surface, and the appropriate method is selected according to the type of base fabric. With the scattering method, a thermoplastic resin powder is uniformly scattered over the base fabric surface, heated, and fused. With the powder dot method, a thermoplastic resin powder is first caused to adhere to a gravure roll, then transferred to the base fabric surface, heated, and fused. With the spray method, a paste prepared by dispersing a thermoplastic resin powder in water is sprayed as-is on the base fabric surface, thermally dried, and fused. With the paste dot method, a paste prepared by dispersing a thermoplastic resin powder in water is dot-like coated on the base fabric surface by using a coating screen having fine holes, thermally dried, and fused. The double dot method comprises the steps of dot-like coating an acrylic emulsion on the base fabric surface by using a coating screen having fine holes, scattering a thermoplastic resin powder over the obtained dot-like coating, removing the excess thermoplastic resin powder, and thermally drying and fusing the thermoplastic resin powder remaining on the base fabric. The thermoplastic resin powder thermally fused to the base fabric surface by those methods is used as a heat-fusion bonding adhesive and thermally fuses the base fabric to a surface fabric when reheated during usage.
Adhesive fabrics, in particular, adhesive interlinings mainly serve to supplement the properties of the surface fabrics in order to give a final three-dimensional touch to a dress, to facilitate sewing and also to provide shape stability so as to prevent loss of shape in wearing or washing and dry cleaning. They are usually used for collars, cuffs, lapels of men""s business suits, women""s suits and the like and the required properties thereof differ depending on the application and place where they are used. For this reason, the optimum adhesive interlining is selected upon consideration of various conditions such as the type of thermoplastic resin powder, heat sealing method, type of base fabric, and the like.
The thermoplastic resin powder can be prepared by a mechanical grinding method by which a thermoplastic resin such as a copolyamide resin, copolyester resin, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin, polyethylene resin, polyurethane resin, and the like is mechanically ground at normal temperature, or by a freeze grinding method by which grinding is conducted under freezing.
In recent years, in addition to the above-mentioned application to women""s suits, thin cloths for women have been actively developed and a need has increased for adhesive interlinings which do not degrade aesthetic shaping ability that provides feel and draping ability necessary to obtain beautiful silhouette and aesthetic functions especially required for clothing. However, when a thermoplastic resin powder is used as a hot-sealable adhesive, the resin powder is required to have a weight-average particle size of no more than 20 xcexcm if an adhesive interlining with a satisfactory feel is to be obtained. However, such a fine resin powder is very difficult to manufacture by the mechanical grinding method or freeze grinding method.
Adhesive interlining prepared by thermally fusing a thermoplastic resin powder with relatively coarse particles having a size within a range of 60-500 xcexcm to the surface of a base fabric, for example, by a scattering method is typically used in clothing such as women""s suits. However, if such an adhesive interlining is used for thin cloths, in particular, thin cloths for women, satisfactory feel is difficult to obtain. Thus, the cloths become rigid to the touch and problems are associated with their draping ability.
Furthermore, in the powder dot method, in order to improve powder separation when the powder is transferred from the gravure roll onto the base fabric, the base fabric has to be preheated to a temperature of 180-250xc2x0 C. Certain basic fabrics are shrunk by such preheating and the feel thereof is degraded.
On the other hand, the paste dot method uses a paste of a resin powder with a comparatively small particle size within a range of 5-80 xcexcm, which somewhat improves the feel. However, though the particle size range is referred to as a 5-80 xcexcm range, the peak of particle size distribution within the range is actually shifted to a large size. As a result, the weight-average particle size is usually about 30-50 xcexcm, easily causing clogging of fine openings in the coating screen. For this reason, it is difficult to employ the screens with fine holes having a diameter of no more than 200 xcexcm. As a result, dot spacing is increased which results in a decreased adhesive force and degraded feel.
Furthermore, paste-like adhesives used in the spray or paste dot method are manufactured by dispersing a thermoplastic resin powder in water. As a result, it is difficult to increase the resin concentration to more than 40 wt %. Therefore, drying is time consuming and productivity is poor.
The double dot method resolves the above-described problems. With this method, a resin powder is scattered over an acrylic resin coating obtained by dot-like coating and the resin powder which adhered only to the zones coated with the acrylic resin is used as a hot-sealable adhesive. If the excess powdered resin is removed by suction after scattering, the resin powder should remain only on the acrylic resin dots. However, in reality, the powder cannot be completely removed by suction and the powder remaining outside the dots degrades the feel. Another problem is that the resin powder that adhered to the acrylic resin can peel therefrom, decreasing the adhesive strength.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a heat-fusion bonding adhesive suitable for obtaining adhesive interlinings which do not degrade the feel of the clothing, maintain shape stability, and demonstrate sufficient draping ability even when the adhesive is used for thin cloths, in particular, thin cloths for women.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a heat-fusion bonding adhesive obtained by such manufacturing method.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an adhesive fabric obtained by heating and fusing such heat-fusion bonding adhesive to the surface of a base fabric.
In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for manufacturing a heat-fusion bonding adhesive for thermally fusing a base fabric to a surface fabric, comprising the steps of heating a thermoplastic resin to a temperature of no less than the softening point of the resin and dispersing it in the softened state in an aqueous medium.
In accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, it provides a heat-fusion bonding adhesive consisting of the aqueous dispersion of a thermoplastic resin obtained by the above-described manufacturing method.
No specific limitation is placed on the thermoplastic resin used in accordance with the present invention. Examples of suitable resins include copolyamide resins, copolyester resins, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resins, polyethylene resins, polyurethane resins, and the like. Those resins may be used individually or in a mixture thereof. When a thermoplastic resin is used in a heat-fusion bonding adhesive for the fabrication of an adhesive fabric, it is preferred that copolyamide resins, copolyester resins, and mixtures thereof be used because of their capability to maintain a good thin cloth feel and resistance to dry cleaning and washing.
No specific limitation is placed on copolyamide resins. Suitable examples include copolyamide resins comprising structural units of at least two types selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94[NH(CH2)5CO]xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94[NH(CH2)6NHCO(CH2)4CO]xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94[NH(CH2)6NHCO(CH2)8CO]xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94[NH(CH2)10CO]xe2x80x94, and xe2x80x94[NH(CH2)11CO]xe2x80x94. Specific examples include 6/66 copolymer nylon, 6/610 copolymer nylon, 6/11 copolymer nylon, 6/12 copolymer nylon, 6/66/610 copolymer nylon, 6/66/11 copolymer nylon, 6/66/12 copolymer nylon, 6/66/11/12 copolymer nylon, 6/66/610/11/12 copolymer nylon, and polyamide elastomers which are the copolymers of those copolymer nylons and polyesters or polyalkylene ether glycols. Among them, 6/66/11 copolymer nylon, 6/66/12 copolymer nylon, and 6/66/11/12 copolymer nylon are preferred, and 6/66/12 copolymer nylon is especially preferred.
No specific limitation is placed on the copolyester resins. Examples of suitable copolyester resins include copolyester resins obtained by polycondensation of (A) an acid component comprising terephthalic acid and isophthalic acid and (B) a diol component such as ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, 1,4-butane diol or 1,6-hexane diol. Specific examples include terephthalic acid/isophthalic acid/1,4-butane diol copolyester resin, terephthalic acid/isophthalic acid/1,6-hexane diol copolyester resin, terephthalic acid/isophthalic acid/polyethylene glycol copolyester resin, terephthalic acid/isophthalic acid/ethylene glycol/1,4-butane diol copolyester resin, terephthalic acid/isophthalic acid/adipic acid/1,4-butane diol copolyester resin, and terephthalic acid/isophthalic acid/1,4-butane diol/diethylene glycol copolyester resin. Among them, terephthalic acid/isophthalic acid/1,4-butane diol copolyester resin, terephthalic acid/isophthalic acid/ethylene glycol/1,4-butane diol copolyester resin, and terephthalic acid/isophthalic acid/1,4-butane diol/diethylene glycol copolyester resin are preferred, and terephthalic acid/isophthalic acid/1,4-butane diol copolyester resin is especially preferred.
In the manufacturing method in accordance with the present invention, the thermoplastic resin can be dispersed in an aqueous medium by heating the thermoplastic resin to a temperature of no less than the softening point thereof to obtain a softened state and then applying a shear force to the aqueous medium. In this process, the thermoplastic resin preheated to a temperature of no less than the softening point thereof may be added to the similarly heated aqueous medium under stirring, or the thermoplastic resin may be added to the aqueous medium under stirring and then heated together with the aqueous medium to a temperature of no less than the softening point thereof. Furthermore, when the thermoplastic resin is an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin, a polyethylene resin which is not terminated with a functional group, and the like, a surfactant or a dispersing agent may be added, if necessary, to the aqueous medium to accelerate the dispersion process. Furthermore, when the thermoplastic resin is a copolyamide resin or copolyester resins terminated with a carboxyl group, a basic substance may be added to the aqueous medium in addition to or instead of the surfactant or dispersing agent.
Examples of the surfactants include anionic surfactants (for example, rosin acid salts, fatty acid salts, alkylbenzenesulfonates), cationic surfactants (for example, dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride), nonionic surfactants (for example, ethylene oxide-propylene oxide block copolymer, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, glycerin fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene fatty acid ethanolamides), amphoteric surfactants (for example, N-alkyl-N,N-dimethylammonium betaine).
Examples of dispersing agents include polymer dispersing agents such as polyacrylic acid salts, polystyrenesulfonic acid salts, polystyrene maleic anhydride salts, polyvinyl alcohol, hydroxyethyl cellulose, and the like, and inorganic dispersing agents such as alumina sol, silica sol, calcium phosphate, and the like.
Examples of basic substances include alkali metal hydroxides, such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, ammonia, and amines. From the standpoint of dispersing effect, alkali metal hydroxides such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide are preferred.
In the manufacturing method in accordance with the present invention, good results are obtained if dispersing of the thermoplastic resin in the aqueous medium is conducted at a temperature of no less than the softening point thereof, usually, at 50-300xc2x0 C., preferably, 70-220xc2x0 C. When the temperature is less than 50xc2x0 C., softening of the thermoplastic resin in the aqueous medium is insufficient and, therefore, homogeneous dispersion cannot be obtained. When the temperature is higher than 300xc2x0 C., the thermoplastic resin is degraded which is undesirable.
Furthermore, the amount of the aqueous medium used in the manufacturing method in accordance with the present invention is usually 30-1500 weight parts, preferably, 100-500 weight parts per 100 weight parts of thermoplastic resin. If the amount of water used is less than 30 weight parts, the thermoplastic resin cannot be completely dispersed in water, and if the amount is above 1500 weight parts, the concentration of the obtained aqueous dispersion thermoplastic resin is low which is undesirable for usage.
In the manufacturing method in accordance with the present invention, the weight-average particle size of resin particles in the aqueous dispersion of thermoplastic resin can be randomly adjusted, for example, by controlling heating or stirring conditions. It is usually adjusted to 0.1-20 xcexcm, preferably, 0.1-10 xcexcm. If the weight-average particle size of resin particles in the aqueous dispersion of thermoplastic resin is less than 0.1 xcexcm, the particles cohere and gelling easily occurs. As a result, a high resin concentration is difficult to obtain. If the weight-average particle size of resin particles in the aqueous dispersion of thermoplastic resin is more than 20 xcexcm, fine holes in the screen used for coating are easily clogged and the adhesive force of the base fabric is decreased or the feel is degraded which is undesirable.
The heat-fusion bonding adhesive in accordance with the present invention is usually used upon compounding a viscosity-adjusting agent and adjusting the viscosity to 5000-50,000 mPaxc2x7sec. If the viscosity is less than 5000 mPaxc2x7sec, the amount infiltrated into the base fabric becomes too high, the fabric feels rigid, and the formation of dots is insufficient. If the viscosity is higher than 50,000 mPaxc2x7sec, coating on the base fabric becomes difficult.
The compounded amount of the viscosity-adjusting agent is usually 0.01-5 weight parts based on 100 weight parts of the aqueous dispersion of thermoplastic resin, so as to obtain the above-described viscosity range. Examples of viscosity-adjusting agents include natural or synthetic polymeric thickening agents such as polyacrylamides, sodium polyacrylate, carboxymethyl cellulose, carboxyethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, polyacrylic acid esters, polyethylene oxide, and ethylene oxide-propylene oxide random copolymer. If necessary, a plasticizer, a dispersing enhancer, an antifoaming agent, a softening agent, a stabilizer, and the like may be also compounded.
Furthermore, the concentration of the obtained aqueous dispersion of thermoplastic resin may be randomly adjusted by using an appropriate concentration means, for example, by using a semipermeable membrane. Alternatively, the aqueous dispersion of thermoplastic resin can be used after finely powdering it with drying means, for example, by conducting spray drying of the aqueous dispersion of thermoplastic resin (with or without concentration) as is or upon solid-liquid separation by a centrifugal separation process or by filtration.
In accordance with the third aspect of the present invention, it provides an adhesive fabric obtained by coating the hot-sealable adhesive on the surface of a base fabric and thermally fusing. The adhesive fabric thus obtained can be advantageously used, in particular, as an adhesive interlining which does not degrade the feel of thin cloth.
No specific limitation is placed on the base fabric used as the adhesive fabric in accordance with the present invention. Thus, cloths or nonwoven fabrics using various fiber materials can be used. Examples of fiber materials include natural fibers such as cotton, hemp, silk, wool, and the like, regenerated fibers such as rayon, cupra, and the like, semisynthetic fibers such as acetate, triacetate, and the like, and synthetic fibers such as polyesters, nylon, acryl, urethane, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and the like. Examples of woven fabrics include fabrics or cloths produced from the fiber materials, and examples of nonwoven fabrics include webs in which fiber materials are interwoven by chemical methods, mechanical methods, or combinations thereof.
No specific limitation is placed on the method for coating the heat-fusion bonding adhesive on the base fabric. However, since the heat-fusion bonding adhesive in accordance with the present invention is obtained as an aqueous dispersion, the especially preferred results are obtained when it is thermally fused to the base fabric surface by the paste dot method. With the paste dot method, a heat-fusion bonding adhesive is introduced into a rotary screen having a plurality of fine holes and extruded onto a base fabric through the fine holes of the rotary screen to obtain a dot-like coating.
The diameter of fine holes in the rotary screen is usually about 200 xcexcm. Utilizing the heat-fusion bonding adhesive in accordance with the present invention makes it possible to use a screen with a mesh size of about 50-200 xcexcm. Furthermore, the dot density is usually 50-120 dots/cm2 of base fabric, but utilizing the heat-fusion bonding adhesive in accordance with the present invention makes it possible to obtain a coating with a maximum of about 4000 dots/cm2. The coating weight is usually 10-20 g/m2, but utilizing the heat-fusion bonding adhesive in accordance with the present invention makes it possible to obtain a sufficient adhesive force even at a coating weight of no more than 5 g/m2, the result depending on the type of base fabric.
If the base fabric is heated to a temperature of 80-150xc2x0 C. upon coating the heat-fusion bonding adhesive on the base fabric, the heat-fusion bonding adhesive is dried, melted, and fused to the base fabric, producing the target adhesive fabric. The obtained adhesive fabric can be adhesively bonded, for example, as an adhesive interlining, with an iron or a hot press to a variety of different surface fabrics, providing for a very good finish feel when used for thin cloth, in particular, thin cloth for women.

Process for producing adhesive for fusion bonding, adhesive for fusion bonding obtained by the process, and adhesive fabric containing the adhesive for fusion bonding


An optical magnetometer comprising: a response frequency measurement unit comprising a vapor cell, a pulsed-mode pump laser and a probe laser; and a computing unit configured to compute a magnetic field change based on a difference between at least two temporally-distinct response frequency values received from the frequency measurement unit. Optionally, the response frequency measurement unit is magnetically non-shielded.

Optical magnetometers are used for the accurate measurement of magnetic fields. These magnetometers utilize a phenomenon known as Larmor precession, in which metal atom spins have a precession at a frequency proportional to the ambient magnetic field. The atoms are optically pumped by a pump laser beam, and their spin rotation frequency is measured by a probe laser beam. Usually, these magnetometers are used to measure absolute values of certain magnetic fields in a controlled environment and thus, they are often magnetically shielded to avoid the effect of external interferences (e.g. the earth's magnetic field). They are also commonly big and expensive, due to the laser components and shielding they comprise.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the figures.

Device and methodology for measuring minute changes in ambient magnetic field

BEN GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY


A universal game pedal controller and method of emulating the output of multiple game pedal controllers in a universal game pedal controller are disclosed. A universal game pedal controller according to the present invention provides a microcontroller-based interface board for mapping the inputs from multiple pedal sensors to analog outputs of a primary game controller interface having a common adapter cable port, and adapter cables configured to connect the interface board to different primary game controllers. A USB interface may also be provided, permitting connection of the universal game pedal controller to a personal computer. The method provides for calibration of the input signals to the full range of the outputs, whether analog or digital, for increased accuracy and responsiveness.

With simulation games providing an ever more realistic in-game environment, with better graphics and better gameplay physics, there has been a demand by some gaming enthusiasts for more realistic controls that add to the immersive experience, by providing such features as force-feedback and more accurate subjective "feel" which is provided using controllers having similar mechanical properties to their real world counterparts. Such premium controllers are available for use with personal computers, where a universal serial bus (USB) interface has long been standard, but in the console gaming market, manufacturers of various consoles have their own proprietary interfaces for compatible controllers, and charge substantial licensing fees for the ability to connect directly to the console. Manufacturers producing controller sets for racing games, for example, have often provided a primary controller, or steering wheel, which interfaces directly to the console, and a secondary controller, or set of pedals, which interfaces with the primary controller. The interfaces provided on the primary controller for these secondary controllers differ among various manufacturers, and there is a need for a universal game pedal controller in the console gaming market, capable of interfacing with a variety of primary game controllers and facilitating a more immersive experience and better "feel" than the pedal controllers provided in existing console gaming controller sets.

Universal game pedal controller and method therefor


A packaged, sterilized intraocular lens prepared by a process comprising providing a hydrophobic acrylic, or low water acrylic, intraocular lens and positioning the acrylic lens in a lens enclosure with an aqueous solution to provide a lens package. The lens package is then heated to a temperature sufficient for sterilization, however, the heating of the lens package must begin before the acrylic lens reaches an equilibrated, hydrated state following contact of the lens with the aqueous solution. The resulting sterilized acrylic intraocular lens will have less than sixty percent of total volume of disc-like features, or less than forty percent of total volume of water vacuoles, after 60 days following sterilization compared to an acrylic lens of the same composition, which was sterilized under the same conditions, but in an equilibrated, hydrated state.

Since the 1940s IOLs have been utilized as replacements for diseased or damaged natural ocular lenses. In most cases, an IOL is implanted within an eye at the time of surgically removing the diseased or damaged natural lens, such as for example, in the case of cataracts. For decades, the preferred material for fabricating IOLs was poly(methyl methacrylate), which is a rigid, glassy polymer.
As the technology in IOL materials progressed, softer, more flexible IOLs have gained acceptance because of their ability to be compressed, folded, rolled or otherwise deformed. As a result, the IOLs can be deformed prior to insertion of the lens through an incision in the cornea and into the eye. Once inserted, the IOL is carefully unfolded by the surgeon and the lens returns to its original pre-deformed shape. These softer IOLs can be inserted into an incision of less than 3.0 mm, whereas the earlier, more rigid IOLs required an incision size of 5 to 7.0 mm, i.e., an incision size slightly larger than the diameter of the optic portion of the IOL. Since larger incisions lead to an increased incidence of postoperative complications, the softer, more flexible IOLs are typically preferred by ocular surgeons.
The refractive power of a lens is a function of its shape and the refractive index of the material of which it is made. Accordingly, a lens made from a material having a higher refractive index can be thinner and provide the same refractive power as a lens made from a material having a relatively lower refractive index. For IOLs designed to be rolled or folded for insertion through a small incision, a lens of thinner cross section is inhere more flexible and can be rolled or folded to a smaller cross section.
In general, the materials of current commercial IOLs fall into one of three general categories: silicones, low-water hydrophilic acrylics and hydrophobic acrylics. Hydrophobic acrylic materials with a relatively low glass transition temperature (Tg ° C.) possess important material characteristics—they typically have a high refractive index and unfold with a greater degree of control. Low Tg, hydrophobic acrylic materials contain little or no water at the point of manufacture, however they do absorb small amounts of water over time if stored in an aqueous medium or following ocular insertion. The absorbed water often leads to pockets of water or vacuoles within the polymeric matrix, which leads to a reduction in the visual quality of the lens. Low Tg, hydrophobic acrylic materials also are known to develop disc-like features, which also lead to a reduction in the visual quality of the lens. The use of low water, hydrophilic acrylics minimizes the formation of these disc-like features and vacuoles.
Accordingly, there is an interest to develop a manufacturing process that minimizes the formation of the disc-like features and vacuoles in hydrophobic acrylic and low water, hydrophilic acrylic IOLs.


After a field oxide is formed, only a bird's beak is removed by wet etching while a resist which exposes only the bird's beak is used as a mask. When the field oxide is formed, a latent stress acts on a semiconductor substrate under the bird's beak. Since the latent stress is released when the bird's beak is removed, crystal defects do not occur. Since the mask is used, the thickness of the field oxide except for the bird's beak is not decreased. In addition, since the wet etching is performed, crystal defects do not occur during the removal of the bird's beak.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same in which isolation is performed by a field oxide.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Although isolation methods are roughly classified into PN junction isolation and dielectric isolation, the dielectric isolation has been popularly used compared with the PN junction isolation. In the dielectric isolation, oxide isolation performed by a field oxide formed by local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) method is most popularly used.
FIGS. 1A and 1B show the steps in manufacturing a conventional stacked capacitor DRAM in which isolation is performed by a field oxide formed by the above LOCOS method. In order to manufacture the conventional DRAM, as shown in FIG. 1A, an SiO.sub.2 film 12 serving as a field oxide is formed on the surface of the isolation region of an Si substrate 11 by the conventional known process of the LOCOS method first, and an SiO.sub.2 film 13 serving as a gate oxide is formed on the surface of an active region.
As shown in FIG. 1B, a gate electrode (i.e., a word line) of a MOS transistor 14 constituting a memory cell is formed by a polysilicon film 15 on the SiO.sub.2 films 12 and 13. Thereafter, N.sup.- -type layers 16 and 17 each serving as the source/drain of the MOS transistor 14 are formed in a P-type well of the Si substrate 11 while the polysilicon film 15 and the SiO.sub.2 film 12 are used as masks.
An insulating film 21 is deposited on the entire surface of the resultant structure, and the entire surface of the insulating film 21 is etched back to form side walls constituted by the insulating films 21 on the side portions of the polysilicon films 15. Thereafter, a capacitor constituting a memory cell, bit line, and the like are formed to complete the conventional stacked capacitor DRAM. Note that, after the SiO.sub.2 film 12 is formed by the LOCOS method, the entire surface of the SiO.sub.2 film 12 may be etched without using a mask.
When the SiO.sub.2 film 12 is formed by the LOCOS method, however, it is known that a bird's beak 12a is formed at an end of the SiO.sub.2 film 12. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1A, the Si substrate 11 under the bird's beak 12a has a latent stress 22 or microdefects such as heavy metal contamination and cleavage of the bonds between atoms.
For this reason, when the Si substrate 11 is damaged by etchback for forming the side walls constituted by the insulating films 21, crystal defects 23 such as dislocation and stacking faults occur. As shown in FIG. 1B, the crystal defect 23 may cross the junction between the N.sup.- -type layer 16 and the Si substrate 11.
As a result, junction leakage occurs at a portion where the crystal defect 23 crosses the junction between the N.sup.- -type layer 16 and the Si substrate 11, poor data retention characteristics are obtained in the conventional stacked capacitor DRAM.
As described above, after the SiO.sub.2 film 12 is formed by the LOCOS method, when the entire surface of the SiO.sub.2 film 12 is etched without using a mask, the position of the bird's beak 12a which is the thin portion of the SiO.sub.2 film 12 is recessed to release the latent stress 22, and the occurrence of the crystal defects 23 is suppressed. In this case, however, the thickness of the SiO.sub.2 film 12 except for the bird's beak 12a is also decreased, thereby degrading isolation characteristics.

Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device


The present invention is directed to modified antibodies, including anti-TNFα antibodies, in which C-terminal amino acids of heavy chain sequences are modified from a native sequence of proline-glycine-lysine (“PGK”) to one that includes a proline positioned between the glycine and lysine, resulting in a C-terminal sequence of proline-glycine-proline-lycine (“PGPK”). The invention further provides methods of producing and using such antibodies.

Large-scale production of antibodies for biopharmaceutical applications involves the use of cell cultures that are known to produce antibodies, and antigen-binding portions thereof, exhibiting varying levels of heterogeneity. This heterogeneity may comprise isoforms of the antibody wherein the difference between the isoforms is dependent on charge. Some of these charge variants (or isoforms) may lead to decreased product efficacy and stability. Alternatively, adding a basic overall charge to an antibody may contribute positive attributes to the antibody such as increased tissue penetration.
One source of antibody heterogeneity involves C-terminal lysine residues, such as those typically found on the heavy chains of antibody molecules, which can be lost during both the purification process and/or storage of the final composition, resulting in compositions comprising antibody species that can vary at their C-terminus as to whether a lysine residue is present. For example, C-terminal lysines can potentially be present on both the heavy chains of an antibody (Lys 2), on either one of the heavy chains (Lys 1), or neither of them (Lys 0). Since lysine carries a positive charge, antibodies lacking the basic C-terminal lysine(s) differ in their charge state from ones that contain the lysine, so that the distribution of lysine variants (% Lys 0, % Lys 1, % Lys 2 of the total Lysine Sum) can be detected by ion-exchange chromatographic methods, for example, using a ProPac WCX-10 Weak Cation-Exchange column for the high-resolution separation of protein isoforms (Dionex, Calif.), and subsequently quantified.
The development of compositions comprising antibodies, or antigen-binding portions thereof, with either higher or lower levels of lysine variants to increase efficacy and stability of antibody products is an important, to date unmet, need in the biopharmaceutical industry.

Mutated anti-TNFα antibodies and methods of their use


A microfluidic device for conducting a fluid assay includes an injection-molded (or “molded”) fluidics layer having at least one microfluidic channel configured to allow assay fluids to flow there-along, the channel having channel side walls, a channel bottom, and a channel 3D geometry, and the fluidics layer being made from injection-molded liquid silicone (or PDMS). Having the fluidics layer made from injection molded liquid silicone enables smaller-sized channel features, such as microfluidic valves and pistons, smaller channel dimensions and spacing (providing smaller device footprint, higher device capacity and other benefits), and various geometries for the channels and channel features.

It is common practice to perform assays, such as an ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay), using a multiwell plate or Microtiter™ plate or microplate, which have multiple small wells, e.g., 96, 384, or 1536, arranged in a 2:3 rectangular matrix. The microplate may be constructed to use the entire plate in an assay, or may provide a capability to use a single row or "strip" of wells out of the microplate matrix, to run a smaller assay. This strip capability permits a single microplate to be used multiple times, using different wells (or groups of wells) each time. In that case, a row or strip of wells may be separated from the matrix and used to run the desired assay. Some products provide a tray, crate or support frame to hold the multiwell plate and the separated strips of wells.
Microplates having "strip" capability (or format) offer the advantage of greater flexibility in testing or diagnostics. They permit the number of tests or assays performed to be adjusted to the number of samples desired to be tested, and not predetermined by the size of the multiwell plate being used.
Examples of multiwell plates having strip capability include: 96 Well Polystyrene Stripwell® Microplate, sold by Corning (including Strip Holder "egg crate" and 96 Well Strip Ejector, and custom multi-color strips); Pierce™ 8-Well Polystyrene Strip Plate, sold by ThermoFisher Scientific; Immulon® Microtiter™ 96-Well Plates and Strips, sold by ThermoScientific (including Removawell™ Assemblies and Strips, and Dividastrips™ Assemblies with 2×8 strips that separate into two 1×8 strips, and Removawell™ Holder that holds eight 12-well or twelve 8-well strips); and 96 Well F8 Strip High Binding ELISA Microplate, sold by Greiner Bio-One GmbH.
However, multi-well plates for running assays are very manual intensive, prone to human error, and do not provide highly precise, repeatable, automated, quantitative assay results for ELISAs and other assays. Thus, it would be desirable to have a device that provides high quality assay results and also provides the scalable flexibility offered by multiwell "strip" capability.

Microfluidic device having injection-molded fluidics layer, and method of making same


A system including at least two parts or stations wherein a transaction or connection between any two or more of the parts or stations is conducted or established with an access code, the access code being available to an accessed part or station and requiring an identical access code to be provided to an accessing part or station at the time of conducting the transaction or establishing the connection. The system is characterised in that the access code is one of a plurality of codes provided to the accessed part or station and available to the accessing part or station. The system is further characterised in that the access code is selected from the plurality of codes at the time of conducting the transaction or establishing the connection, such that no two transactions are conducted or no two connections are established with the same access codes.

Systems in which transactions or connections between two or more parts or stations of the system are conducted or established by means of an access code are known. Such systems include computer terminals wherein the access code is a password, bank terminals such as ATM machines wherein the access code is a personal identification number (PIN) and communications terminals such as mobile telephones wherein the access code is an electronic serial number (ESN). Typically the access code is provided by a user to an accessing part or station of the system and is verified against a duplicate version of the access code available to an accessed part or station of the system, before an authority to perform the transaction or to establish the connection between the stations or parts is given.
A disadvantage of such systems is that the security of future transactions or connections becomes seriously compromised if the access code is detected by or otherwise becomes known to unauthorised persons i.e. Persons other than the person or persons authorised to perform the transactions or establish the connection.
An object of the present invention is to provide a code based access system which alleviates the disadvantages of the prior art or at least provides the public with a choice.


Mobile device auto responders that dynamically send customized automated messages that depend on the identity of an incoming call, on the location of the mobile device, on the speed of the mobile device, on the acceleration of the mobile device, and/or on the time of day. The automated message can be customized to include the location, speed, heading and/or acceleration of the mobile device as well as an estimated time of arrival over a predetermined stored route to a predetermined location. The automated message may be audio, video, email, iMessage™, instant message, or SMS message.

Mobile devices such as cellular telephones, smart phones, GPS systems, and cellular-enabled personal computers have become very common and very powerful. This combination of ubiquity and capability has created an ongoing demand for even more capable devices and even more complex and enhanced applications.
Part of the power and capabilities of mobile devices are based on the existence of various infrastructures such as communication networks provided by mobile telephone operators. Such networks enable not only cellular communication links, but they also support "basic" services such as time keeping and access to the public telephone network. Other infrastructures include the United States Government operated global positioning system (GPS), which enables easily accessible position sensing, and ultra-accurate time signals that can be used by communication networks and mobile devices to synchronize signals and operations.
The power and capabilities of mobile devices are also based on using fast, powerful semiconductor devices such as very large scale integrated (VLSI) chips, their supporting components such as resistors, inductors, capacitors, and antennas, and software development and support tools. Such enable the development and use of powerful application software ("Apps") that can run on mobile devices to implement various features.
State-of-the-art mobile devices, sometimes referred to as smartphones, use the available infrastructures, devices, and software to implement a wide range of built-in features and capabilities. For example, communication ports, touch screen displays, keyboards, on/off sensors, compass orientation sensors, accelerometers, magnometers, light sensors, proximity sensors, cameras, timers, microphones, audio outputs, memory card readers, internal memory, specialized software, GPS, and capabilities such as programmability, identifying cell towers, ascertaining cell tower signal strengths, identifying WiFi networks, and determining battery levels (strength).
Much of the capabilities of mobile devices are implemented using specialized software applications, referred to hereinafter as "apps" that extend the basic features of mobile devices. Apps are available to enhance telephone communications, electronic texting, data communications, social networking, calendars, alarms, memo and note recording, GPS navigation, location tracking, music (MP3) and video (MP4) playback, video calling, conference calling, movie playback, picture taking and sending, games, emails, audio and video downloading, internet access and browsing, specialized advertising, short range communications such as Bluetooth™, mobile banking, instant messaging and the ever-popular specialized ringtones.
The immense power, speed, and capabilities of mobile devices can at times become breathtaking. But, mobile devices have so much capability and power, they at times become so burdensome and intrusive that their use is legally restricted. For example, many states have implemented laws that restrict the use of mobile devices when driving. At other times a user may decide that the use of a mobile device is not warranted. For example, some drivers would rather not use a mobile device when driving, even if such is legal. At other times some users may not wish to be interrupted. However, most users would like to know who called even if they do not wish to actually answer a call.
To assist users in avoiding illegal driving activity related to mobile devices, and to assist other users from being distracted, a company, Location Labs, has developed a "Safe Driving" product for smart phones that automatically detects when a user is driving, and that automatically sets the mobile device into a "Driving Mode" which disables most texting and calling features, sends all incoming calls directly to voicemail, and hides text messages while driving. In emergencies, the "Driving Mode" can be overridden but, if overridden, a text message or an e-mail can be sent to a selected party (such as a parent). This "Safe Driving" product has proven itself to be a useful feature that enhances safety.
Some users may want to automatically "answer" an incoming call and send a message even if they cannot or will not personally handle the incoming call. The solution to the conflict of answering without answering is the auto responder.
An auto responder is a computerized system that automatically responds to incoming signals. Auto responders have proven themselves over the years to be very useful in automatically addressing problems with e-mails. For example, the rather basic automatically generated response from a service provider that an email could not be sent is one type of auto responder.
However, auto responders have proven themselves useful in other contexts such as automatically answering phones and responding with messages such as "X is not available and will return on Monday, please leave a message." Auto responders have also been used by marketers to leave automated messages while collecting phone numbers and the times of incoming calls. Later, pre-planned messages can be sent to the collected phone numbers.
While auto responders are known and have been used successfully, in the context of mobile devices the use of auto responders has been more limited. Mobile device auto responders that send "canned" messages in response to an incoming signal are known. For example, the foregoing Location Labs "Safe Driving" product when in "Driving Mode" can send an auto-response to alert an incoming caller that the call recipient is unavailable. However, enhanced mobile device auto responders that make use of the power of modern mobile devices would be useful.


A control device for an electrical switch is suggested, which is composed, among other things, of an actuation element (1) as well as at least one latching pin (3) that is under the effect of a compression spring (2) and a system having at least one latching track (4) interacting with the latching pin (3). In the latching track (4), at least one molded pathway (7) lying inclined to the actuation directions is present, which upon a displacement of the latching pin (3) in one of the actuation directions necessarily produces a simultaneous displacement of the latching pin (3) in the other actuation direction. The control device designed in such a way serves the purpose of realizing the functions of both angular and axial displacement and in addition, of insuring that the electrical switch can only be brought into permissible switching positions by movement of the actuation element (1).

1. Field of Invention
The invention described here is based on a control unit for an electrical switch.
2. Related Art Statement
Control devices of the type with which this invention is concerned make it possible for a user of an electrical switch to purposefully bring it into various switch settings via an actuation element. In addition, control devices of this type have a predetermined system of rest positions, which is perceptible to the user and, via a defined setting of the actuation element, makes perceptible to the user what switch setting the electrical switch is moving into and/or which switch setting the electrical switch is in at any given time.
A control unit for an electrical switch that contains some features of the present invention has been disclosed in DE-GM 71 11 751. In this rotary light switch with an additional setting option in the axial direction, a molded control track is integrated in the switch shaft. Two control elements that are formed as balls, are mounted opposed to each other, are each under the effect of a compression spring, and engage in the control track. In this design, the control track is formed in such a way that during angular or axial displacement of an actuation element, only one displacement of the control elements in an angular or axial direction occurs, exclusively. However, in that version of the control device, in a combined light--fog light--rear fog light switch for automobiles, the electrical switch could be brought into a switching position that has a non-permissible function. This is the case for example, if the electrical switch is in a position in which the fog light and/or fog light-rear fog light function is switched on without the parking light and/or dimmed light functions being switched on at the same time.
In addition, an automobile rotary light switch with an additional axial displacement option for the fog light and rear fog light functions has been disclosed in DE-AS 26 31 144. In this switch, automatic retention in non-permissible switch settings is prevented by an automatic return of the control device to its starting switch setting. However, it is not possible while switching on the fog light and/or fog light-rear fog light function (axial displacement of the actuation element) to automatically switch on the parking light function (angular displacement of the actuation element) and thus to automatically achieve only permissible switch settings. In addition, a separate control device each for the angular and for the axial displacement is necessary, which results in the entire switch being relatively expensive, due to the number of required components and the multiple manufacturing processes involved.

Control device for use in an electrical switch


Provided herein is a blend composition useful as a cross-linkable encapsulant layer and consisting essentially of two ethylene copolymers and optionally one or more additives. The first ethylene copolymer comprises copolymerized units of ethylene, optionally a first olefin having the formula CH2═C(R1)CO2R2, and a second olefin having the formula CH2═C(R3)COOH. At least a portion of the carboxylic acid groups have been neutralized to form carboxylate salts. The second ethylene copolymer consists essentially of copolymerized units of ethylene, optionally a first olefin having the formula CH2═C(R1)CO2R2, and a third olefin having the formula CH2═C(R4)D. R1, R3 and R4 represent hydrogen or an alkyl group; R2 represents an alkyl group; and D represents a moiety containing an epoxy group. Further provided are solar cell modules comprising the encapsulant layer. The encapsulant layer comprises the blend composition or the product of cross-linking the blend composition, in which some carboxylate groups of the second olefin have reacted with some epoxy groups of the third olefin.

Several patents and publications are cited in this description in order to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains. The entire disclosure of each of these patents and publications is incorporated by reference herein.
Because solar cells provide a sustainable energy resource, their use is rapidly expanding. Solar cells can typically be categorized into two types based on the light absorbing material used, i.e., bulk or wafer-based solar cells and thin film solar cells.
Monocrystalline silicon (c-Si), poly- or multi-crystalline silicon (poly-Si or mc-Si) and ribbon silicon are the materials used most commonly in forming the more traditional wafer-based solar cells. Solar cell modules derived from wafer-based solar cells often comprise a series of about 180 to about 240 μm thick self-supporting wafers (or cells) that are soldered together and electrically connected. Such a panel of solar cells, along with a layer of conductive paste and/or connecting wires deposited on its surface, may be referred to as a solar cell assembly. The solar cell assembly may be encapsulated by, sandwiched between, or laminated between polymeric encapsulants. The resulting structure may be further sandwiched between two protective outer layers (i.e., front sheet and back sheet) to form a weather resistant module. The protective outer layers may be formed of glass, metal sheets or films, or plastic sheets or films. In general, however, the outer layer that faces to the sunlight needs to be sufficiently transparent to allow photons reach the solar cells.
In the increasingly important alternative, thin film solar cells, the commonly used materials include amorphous silicon (a-Si), microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si), cadmium telluride (CdTe), copper indium selenide (CuInSe2 or CIS), copper indium/gallium diselenide (CulnxGa(1-x)Se2 or CIGS), light absorbing dyes, organic semiconductors, etc. By way of example, thin film solar cells are described in e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,507,881; 5,512,107; 5,948,176; 5,994,163; 6,040,521; 6,123,824; 6,137,048; 6,288,325; 6,258,620; 6,613,603; and 6,784,301; and U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 20070298590; 20070281090; 20070240759; 20070232057; 20070238285; 20070227578; 20070209699; 20070079866; 20080223436; and 20080271675.
Thin film solar cells with a typical thickness of less than 2 μm are produced by depositing the semiconductor materials onto a substrate, generally in multiple layers. Further, connecting wires, metal conductive coatings, and/or metal reflector films may be deposited over the surface of the thin film solar cells to constitute part of the thin film solar cell assembly. The substrate may be formed of glass or a flexible film and may also be referred to as superstrate in those modules in which it faces towards the sunlight. Similarly to the wafer-based solar cell modules, the thin film solar cell assemblies are further encapsulated by, laminated between, or sandwiched between, polymeric encapsulants, which are further laminated or sandwiched between protective outer layers. In certain embodiments, the thin film solar cell assembly may be only partially encapsulated by the encapsulant, which means that only the side of the thin film solar cell assembly that is opposite from the substrate (or superstrate) is laminated to a polymeric encapsulant and then a protective outer layer. In such a construction, the thin film solar cell assembly is sandwiched between the substrate (or superstrate) and the encapsulant.
Encapsulants fulfill several important functions in the solar cell module. For example, they encase and protect the solar cell materials, which may be brittle or otherwise susceptible to physical insults, such as abrasion. In addition, in some solar cell modules the encapsulant adheres the solar cells to the module's outer layers. The need for durable, transparent, easily processible encapsulants has led to the investigation of thermoplastic polymers, such as ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB), and the ionomers of ethylene acid copolymers. These materials have a long history of use as interlayers in safety glass laminates, and therefore the advantages of their use as encapsulants in solar cell modules are readily apparent. These advantages include, for example, one or more of good optical properties, suitable stability, durability, ease of processability, resistance to penetration, and favorable economic factors. Moreover, those who manufacture safety glass laminates are well-suited to develop the skills and equipment necessary to laminate solar cell modules that incorporate these familiar materials as encapsulants.
In addition, cross-linking reactions have been investigated as a means to further improve the stability, durability and penetration resistance of thermoplastic polymeric encapsulants. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 2003-212967 describes a thermosetting resin which, before being thermally cured, is fluid and can be formed into a thin film.
Cross-linkable ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) has also been widely used as an encapsulant material in solar cell modules due to its low cost, high clarity, low modulus, low initial viscosity, low equilibrium moisture level, and good heat resistance. The use of cross-linkable EVA as encapsulant materials is not without disadvantages, however. For example, the liberation of acetic acid by EVA can lead to corrosion and yellowing of the EVA encapsulant. Also, peroxides are often incorporated in the EVA encapsulant as a reagent of the cross-linking reaction. Thus, the shelf life of the EVA encapsulant may be reduced by the peroxides' decomposition. Further disadvantageously, peroxides decompose to evolve oxygen, which may cause optical flaws such as bubbles to form in the EVA encapsulant.
Finally, these EVA sheets must be produced at comparatively low extrusion temperatures to prevent premature cross-linking, that is, cross-linking prior to lamination to form the solar cell module. Premature cross-linking may render the EVA unprocessible so that the lamination of the solar cell modules cannot take place at typical temperatures. A prematurely cross-linked EVA will not flow to conform to the solar cells and other components of the solar cell module, nor will it adhere the solar cells to the outer layers of the module.
It is therefore apparent that a need exists for a cross-linkable thermoplastic polymeric encapsulant material that can be processed in the melt at typical extrusion temperatures and typical lamination temperatures.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Cross-linkable ionomeric encapsulants for photovoltaic cells


A golf ball having certain relationships and values of its initial velocities at various club head speeds is provided. The golf ball may achieve an initial velocity of at least about 173 mph at a club head speed of about 125 mph, therefore achieving an increased total shot distance. The golf ball has multiple layers making up its core, and the golf ball may be a four piece golf ball.

The present invention relates generally to golf balls. In particular, the present disclosure relates to golf balls with a core made of up at least two structural components with certain values of its initial velocity off the tee, and certain relationships among the initial velocity values.
Golf is an increasing popular sport at both the professional and amateur levels. Generally, a mass produced golf ball should be able to meet the requirements of golfers of a wide variety of ability levels. One important difference between recreational golfers and professional golfers is the speed at which they swing the club during a drive, known as club head speed. Recreational players usually have a driver club head speed of lower than 100 mph. On the other hand, professional players usually have a driver club head speed of higher than 125 mph.
The golf club speed is related to a golf ball's initial velocity. Initial velocity is the measure of a golf ball's instantaneous speed immediately after being struck by a golf club off of the tee. Initial velocity is often related to the distance the shot will travel. Golfers generally prefer golf balls that achieve a higher initial velocity in order for their shots to achieve longer distances.
Some premium balls currently known and commercially available can satisfy the needs of low club head speed players, and mid club head speed players. However, these balls may not have a good initial velocity under a head speed of 125 mph or more.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a golf ball that satisfies the need of golfers having different ability levels by achieving a bigger difference of golf ball initial velocity between low and high head speed.

Multi-core golf ball having increased initial velocity


A method and system for presenting an MRT for an IM is provided. In an Instant Messaging Application Server (IM-AS), an MRT presenting rule of the IM is set for a user; when the IM-AS receives an IM from the user, the IM-AS determines, according to the MRT presenting rule of the IM, whether an MRT is to be presented for a receiver of the IM, selects an MRT to be presented from MRT resources of the user when the MRT needs to be presented, and sends address information of the MRT to be presenting in a Resource Server (RS) along with the IM to the IM receiver; and the IM receiver downloads the MRT from the RS according to the address information and presents the MRT.

With the development of the communication technology, various types of message services have emerged to meet the communication requirements of users. The message services include a Short Message Service (SMS), a Multimedia Message Service (MMS) and an IM service. Among the message services above, the IM service is initially applied to the internet field and then gradually extended to the telecommunication field; as operators construct their networks and capabilities of the mobile terminals are enhanced, the IM service has become an important means for communication between users; and users' demand for the IM service also leads to a rapid development of the IM service.
On the other hand, in an MRT service, after a calling user calls a called user and before the called user answers the call, the terminal of the called user presents the MRT resources obtained from the network to the called user. The MRT resources may include images, texts, videos, audios and other resources preset by the calling user, or the combination thereof. At present, the MRT service is mainly used for enabling a called user to experience, before the call is formally established, personalized MRT resources set by the calling user.
Meanwhile, a user, when sending an IM to his/her receiver, may wish to present some personalized MRT resources set by himself/herself, such as texts, images or his/her vCard, to the message receiver, especially when the first message among message interactions performed during a period of time is sent. In addition, the user may set different resources to be presented according to different moments, the emotions of the user and different IM receivers, such that good service experiences may be brought to the user.
Unfortunately, currently, the MRT service has not been applied to the IM domain. The above service demands have not been developed, and no technical solution for presenting an MRT service to an IM receiver has been proposed yet.

Method and system for representing multimedia ring tone for IM


A fixing device includes a heat roller and an opposing component. The heat roller extends in an axial direction and includes a cylindrical-shaped roller section and a coil. The heat roller section has an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface. The coil is spirally wound along the inner circumferential surface and including a first portion and a second portion other than the first portion, the first portion being configured of such a number of turns of the coil, the number being a natural number greater than zero, the first portion having a first coil pitch length in the axial direction, and the second portion being configured of at least one turn of the coil and having a second coil pitch length in the axial direction greater than the first coil pitch length. The opposing component confronts the outer circumferential surface of the roller section and is exclusively superposed with an entire first portion via the roller section.

A conventional fixing device includes a heat roller and a heater. The heat roller is configured of a roller section having a thin-walled cylindrical shape and a coil wound along an inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical roller section. The thin-walled roller section results in a smaller heat capacity, thereby enabling the roller section to be heated promptly. The coil is wound relatively coarsely so as to suppress increase in heat capacity of the entire heat roller.

Fixing device having heat roller reinforced by coil


A plate (1) for carrying at the same time a combination of food (29), condiments (30), beverage container (3), knapkin/towelettes (9) or other items having a plurality of different shaped recesses in a top surface (25) and a hand sleeve on a bottom surface (24) into which one hand (12) can be inserted for carrying purposes. The food and condiment (2, 4, 5, 7 & 14) recesses may be arranged symmetrically around a central recess (23) for better balance. The central recess (23) may have a ridge (6) around its circumference to more firmly hold a beverage container (3) and keep it from tipping. A substantially horseshoe-shaped hand sleeve (26) on the bottom surface (24) is designed so that the plate (1) can be carried in one hand (12) by either a left or right-handed person. The horseshoe-shaped sleeve (26) has a flat base attached to the bottom surface (24) at each leg (31a & 3b) by a pillar (8 &15) which fits between a thumb (18) and first index finger (27), a support (20a & 20b) on a backside of each leg to contain the fingers of the hand and a wedge (16) in the middle of the back portion to fit between the second and third index finger (19 & 32) for better balance. The bottom surface (24) may be convex shaped to better fit within a palm of the hand and to enable the recesses on the top surface of the plate to be made deeper to hold more food, condiments and other items.

This invention relates to serving trays and plates more particularly a combination food, beverage and utensil plate for parties and other social gatherings which can be held easily in only one hand.
Normally, plates made of paper or styrofoam or some type of plastic are used by attendees to hold food. Such plates are often flimsy and require both hands to carry them. Furthermore, such plates do not contain a place to carry beverages and therefore attendees must use both hands to carry both a plate and a beverage. Additionally, utensils have to be carried in the pockets or on the food and then after party-goers have their food and drink, an even more precarious situation arises if there is no seat and the attendees have to stand to eat and drink.
Thus, the need exists for a plate or holder that will help resolve the above problems. Some attempts have been made in the prior art but none like the present invention. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,162,344 by Sabol, issued Dec. 22, 1964, teaches a bottom tray that allows a person to carry it like a catchers mitt. However, Sabol does not have the same structure nor utility as the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,331 by Task, issued Sep. 19, 1989, teaches a combination food, drink and utensil holder but again it has a substantially different structure and does not have the utility of the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,396 by Harper, issued Jul. 24, 1984, teaches a plate that is designed to hold a glass but again it has an altogether structure than the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,297 by Doty, issued Oct. 30, 1990, teaches a stackable food and drink tray that has an entirely different structure than the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 2,042,801 by Pittman issued Jun. 2, 1936 teaches a dish with a glass holder. U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,286 by Perkins issued Mar. 2, 1976 shows a serving tray with an arm support carried with one hand, however, it has a different structure than the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,758 by Stevens, issued Aug. 26, 1986, teaches a two compartment serving tray that carries food in one compartment and holds a glass in the other but still has a different structure than the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 2,240,020 by Raiser, issued Apr. 29, 1941, teaches a plate and hors d'oeuvres tray having a cup holder in the center. U.S. Des. Pat. No. 305,192 by Van Erkel, issued Dec. 26, 1989, teaches a party plate with separate compartments to hold food and drink having some features that the present invention, but is still substantially different in structure and other respects from the present invention.
Contrary to the patented inventions in the prior art, the present invention provides a party or utility plate that can be carried in one hand which can hold simultaneously food, beverage cup, utensils, knapkin or towelette having a preferably convex-shaped bottom surface which fits comfortably into one hand and has a hand sleeve mounted to the bottom surface by pillars and supports. Thus, the plate, even when fully loaded can be balanced so that spillage will be lessened and from which one can eat even while standing.


A method for forming a set of DFB lasers includes the steps of forming active layers having different peak gain wavelengths, measuring the peak gain wavelengths of the active layers, and forming diffraction gratings having periods based on the measured peak gain wavelengths, the periods allowing the detuning amount of the DFB laser device to fall within a design value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a set of distributed feedback (DFB) semiconductor laser devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for fabricating on a single wafer a plurality of DFB semiconductor laser devices, designed to emit laser beams having desired wavelengths different from one another by short step differences. In addition, the present invention relates to a method for fabricating a set of DFB semiconductor lasers best suited for light sources for use in a wavelength division multiplexing scheme in optical transmission systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical transmission system transmits optical signals having a plurality of different wavelengths via a single optical fiber to greatly expand the capacity of the optical transmission system. As the light source for use in the optical transmission system, a DFB semiconductor laser device is generally employed due to the excellent wavelength selectivity thereof.
The WDM optical transmission system mainly employs wavelength bands in the ranges of 1530 nm to 1565 nm (C-band wavelengths) and 1565 nm to 1625 nm (L-band wavelengths). Each band requires a set of DFB lasers that provide a lineup of a few tens of wavelengths different from one another by a 100 GHz (about 0.8 nm) or 50 GHz (about 0.4 nm) step wavelength in accordance with the ITU Grid.
The lasing wavelength xcexDFB of a DFB laser device can be set independently of the peak gain wavelength of the active layer, which corresponds to the photoluminescence wavelength xcexPL, and thus the peak gain wavelength is assumed the same as xcexPL hereinafter. Assuming that xcex9 is the spatial period of the diffraction grating and neff is the effective refractive index of the waveguide, the lasing wavelength xcexDFB is expressed by
xcexDFB=2xcex9neff.
The difference xcex94xcex between the peak gain wavelength xcexPL and the lasing wavelength xcexDFB should fall within a certain range to provide an excellent lasing property of the DFB laser device. The difference xcex94xcex (=xcexDFBxe2x88x92xcexPL) is generally called amount of detuning or xe2x80x9cdetuning amountxe2x80x9d.
The optimum detuning amount depends on the purpose. For example, the desired detuning amount for lasing at a lower threshold current is preferably xe2x88x9210 nm to +10 nm. On the other hand, to provide a higher-speed operation and achieve a reduced spectrum width, the detuning amount is preferably xe2x88x9220 nm to 0 nm, whereas the detuning amount is preferably 0 nm to +20 nm to provide an improved operation at high temperatures and a higher optical output.
In this context, extensive studies are conducted on the method for fabricating a plurality of DFB lasers on a single wafer at a time, in which the DFB laser devices satisfy the predetermined detuning condition and provide the lineups of C-band and L-band wavelengths.
One of the methods is described in JP Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-101187. FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view illustrating the main configuration of the DFB laser devices described therein, wherein diffraction gratings 24 are first formed on an InP substrate 12 of a 2-inch wafer, to have respective periods which increase along with the radial position of the wafer and concentrically with the wafer. Then, by using a semiconductor epitaxial growth system, active layers 16 of strained InGaAsP multi-quantum well (MQW) structures having bandgap wavelengths that satisfy the above detuning condition are formed in accordance with the lasing wavelength distribution, the lasing wavelengths being generally determined by the periods of the diffraction gratings 24. Thus, the DFB laser devices having the structure as shown in FIG. 1 are fabricated. As shown in FIG. 1, the diffraction grating 24 is formed in the vicinity of the InP substrate 12 with respect to the active layer 16.
It is recited in the publication that the above arrangement makes it possible to efficiently fabricate a plurality of DFB laser devices on a single wafer, each of the DFB laser devices having a unique emission wavelength.
In the method described in the publication, the diffraction gratings 24 each having a unique period are first formed within the surface of a wafer. Then, the active layers 16 having bandgap wavelengths that satisfy the specified detuning condition is formed in accordance with the lasing wavelength distribution of the diffraction gratings 24. The method described in the publication, however, involves the following problems.
First, in the current epitaxial growth techniques, it is practically difficult to fabricate active layers having a specified composition, with a suitable reproducibility in the mass production. This in turn makes it difficult to allow the detuning amounts of the DFB lasers to fall within the range of the specified detuning amount.
Second, when the active layers formed do not provide the predetermined distribution of bandgap wavelengths, the detuning amounts are to be different from the predetermined detuning amount, because the diffraction gratings are fabricated prior to the active layers. As a result, it is necessary to iterate the fabrication process of the DFB laser devices from the beginning, including the formation of the active layer and the diffraction gratings. This makes it difficult to improve the productivity of the DFB laser devices.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for fabricating a plurality of DFB laser devices on a single wafer at a time with ease, in which each DFB laser device satisfies the specified detuning condition and emits a laser beam at a unique wavelength.
The present invention provides a method for fabricating a plurality of DFB semiconductor laser devices on a single wafer at a time. Each of the DFB semiconductor laser devices emits a laser beam having a unique wavelength which differs from another wavelength by a certain step. The method includes the steps of measuring peak gain wavelengths of the active layers within the wafer surface, and forming diffraction gratings based on the measured distribution of the peak gain wavelengths of the active layers within the wafer surface, the diffraction gratings having specified periods that allow the detuning amounts of the active layers to fall within a specified range.
According to the method of the present invention, in-plane variances in the bandgap wavelengths of the active layers can be evaluated in advance prior to the formation of the diffraction gratings. Thus, in consideration of the results of the evaluation, the periods of the diffraction gratings can be designed, thereby making it possible to control the lasing frequencies with a high degree of reproducibility within the wafer surface.
In accordance with the method of the present invention, since the detuning amount is controlled to fall within the specified range across the wafer surface, it is possible to provide a plurality of DFB laser devices which are fabricated uniformly within the wafer surface and operative at a lower threshold current and a higher efficiency.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description, referring to the accompanying drawings.

Method for fabricating a set of distributed feedback semiconductor lasers


The invention refers to an apparatus for testing a circuit, including: an interrupter configured for interrupting based on a circuit model describing at least a part of the circuit a connection between two components of the circuit, wherein the circuit model describes the two components connected by the connection, an inserter configured for inserting based on the circuit model a test element model into the interrupted connection, and an evaluator configured for evaluating based on the circuit model and the test element model a response of the circuit model to the inserted test element model. The invention also refers to a corresponding method.

There is an increasing complexity of systems or circuits consisting of analogue and digital hardware and embedded software. The physical environment has to be taken into consideration during the verification and validation phase of the systems. However, verification is not only involved for the nominal behavior. The behavior also has to be checked in case of faulty components. This ensures that not only the fulfilment of functional requirements is inspected but also the fulfilment of safety requirements. Verification tools and methods have to support the design of functional correct, robust, and safe systems. Especially, the automotive industry expects solutions that are in compliance with the ISO 26262 functional safety standard.
A simulation approach based on SystemC/SystemC AMS—SystemC is a set of C++ classes and macros providing an event-driven simulation interface while Analog Mixed Signal (AMS) is an extension of SystemC—is a possibility to validate the nominal behavior. It guarantees a high simulation speed while maintaining appropriate accuracy. Software development aspects can be included into the design and verification process. The approach also closes the bridge to Hardware-in-the-Loop (HiL) simulation and, therefore, to the lab validation.
So far little effort was spent in the improvement of the consideration of failure aspects and appropriate methods to model failure behavior.

Apparatus and method for testing a circuit

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.