A water jacket includes a channel which accommodates MCM and through which a coolant runs, and the channel has a throttle part of which a flow passage sectional area is smaller than other parts and which is at the upstream of the MCM.

In the process of production of various electronic devices such as semiconductor integrated circuit devices (below, also simply referred to as DUTs (devices under test)), an electronic device test apparatus is used to test the DUTs for performance and function. This electronic device test apparatus comprises: a tester body sending a test signal to a DUT and inspecting a response signal; a test head connected to this tester body and having a socket for electrically contacting the DUT; and a handler successively conveying DUTs over the test head and classifying DUTs finished being tested according to test results. Tests by this electronic device test apparatus are conducted in a state with the handler giving the DUT a high temperature or low temperature thermal stress.
The test head of such an electronic device test apparatus comprises a large number of pin electronics cards used as electrical interfaces between DUTs and the tester body. Each of the pin electronics card comprises a board on which a large number of test use high frequency circuits, power circuits, and various other types of test devices are mounted.
Among the test devices mounted on the pin electronics cards, there are ones which become high in temperature when testing the DUTs due to their self generated heat. As opposed to this, in order to cool the test devices becoming high temperature due to the self generated heat by direct immersion in a coolant, a water jacket covering the test devices mounted on the pin electronics card has been conventionally known (for example, see Patent Citations 1 and 2).
In the above water jacket, the channel through which the coolant runs has a constant flow passage sectional area. For this reason, when the flow volume of the coolant supplied to the water jacket is limited to a certain volume, there has been a limit to the improvement of the cooling efficiency.
[Patent Citation 1] Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 10-51169
[Patent Citation 2] Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 10-303586

Water jacket for cooling an electronic device on a board


A system for underfilling in a chip package includes an underfill mixture that ameliorates the CTE mismatch that typically exists between a packaged die and a resin-impregnated fiberglass mounting substrate. In one embodiment, the system includes an underfill mixture that alone exhibits a CTE that is characteristic of an inorganic-filled underfill composite previously known. An embodiment is also directed to the assembly of a flip-chip package that uses an underfill mixture.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a packaged semiconductive die with integrated circuitry. More particularly, an embodiment relates to bonding a packaged die to a board with an underfill mixture that includes properties similar to a particulate-filled underfill composite.
Flip-chip technology is well known in the art for electrically connecting a die (hereinafter, a xe2x80x9cchipxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cflip-chipxe2x80x9d) to a mounting substrate such as a printed wiring board.
The active surface of the die is subject to numerous electrical couplings that are usually brought to the edge of the chip. Heat generation is significant at the active surface of the die, and consequently at the active surface of the chip. Electrical connections, referred variously to as balls, bumps, and others, are deposited as terminals on the active surface of a flip-chip. The bumps include solders and/or plastics that make mechanical connections and electrical couplings to a substrate. The chip is inverted (hence, xe2x80x9cflip-chipxe2x80x9d) onto a mounting substrate with the bumps aligned to bonding pads on the mounting substrate. If the bumps are solder bumps, the solder bumps on the flip-chip are soldered to the bonding pads on the substrate. A gap exists between the flip-chip active surface and the mounting substrate.
One electronic device includes a flip-chip and mounting substrate, among other things. One characteristic of flip-chip technology is shear stress on the solder joints during temperature cycling of the device. This shear stress is partially a result of a difference in the coefficients of thermal expansion (xe2x80x9cCTExe2x80x9d) of the flip-chip and the mounting substrate. Die materials such as silicon, germanium, and gallium arsenide, along with their packaging materials, may have CTEs in a range from about 3 ppm/xc2x0 C. to about 6 ppm/xc2x0 C. Mounting substrates are usually composites of organic-impregnated fiberglass dielectrics and metallic circuitry. These substrates may have CTEs in a range from about 15 ppm/xc2x0 C. to about 25 ppm/xc2x0 C. Consequently, a mismatch in the CTEs exists between the flip-chip and the mounting substrate.
To reduce solder joint failures due to stress during thermal cycling, the solder joints are reinforced by filling the space between the flip-chip and the mounting substrate, and around the solder joints, with an underfill composite. The two main processes that are commonly used to underfill the flip-chip include the capillary underfill process and the no-flow underfill process.
A capillary underfill process typically proceeds by first aligning the solder bumps on a flip-chip with the pads on a substrate and the solder is reflowed to form the solder joints. After forming the interconnect, the underfill is flowed between the flip-chip and the mounting substrate. Thereafter, the underfill composite is cured. Capillary underfilling can be assisted by pumping the underfill composite between the flip-chip and the mounting substrate, or by vacuum-assisted drawing the underfill composite between the flip-chip and the mounting substrate.
The effectiveness of an underfill composite depends on its chemical, physical, and mechanical properties. Properties that make an underfill composite desirable include low CTE, low moisture uptake, high adhesion, high toughness, high glass transition (Tg) temperature, high heat distortion temperature, and others. The underfill composite includes particulate filler inorganics such as silica or the like, and metal flakes or the like. The particulate filler increases the modulus and acts as a CTE intermediary for the mismatched CTEs of flip-chip and the mounting substrate. An example of a silica-filled composite is silica-filled, epoxy-based organics. However, the capillary underfill process that includes silica-filled composites or the like has technical challenges that are tedious, expensive, and sensitive to process rules and to chip size and shape. For example, particulate fillers in the underfill composite cause flowability to decrease between the flip-chip active surface and the mounting substrate upper surface. Further, flow around the electrical bumps is also hindered by the increasingly smaller pitch and the increasingly smaller spacing between the flip-chip and the mounting substrate.
The no-flow underfill process avoids some challenges in the capillary flow underfill processes. In a no-flow underfill process, the underfill composite is dispensed on the mounting substrate or the flip-chip, and the flip-chip and the mounting substrate are brought into contact. The solder bumps on the chip and the pads on the substrate are aligned. Next, the underfill composite is cured prior to or substantially simultaneously with reflowing the solder to create the solder joints.
The no-flow underfill process also has technical challenges. The no-flow underfill material also must be made into a composite with the addition of a filler of silica or the like. Silica filler reduces the bump interconnection yield, because the filler gets deposited between the bumps and the pads such that electrical connections are not achieved.

Flip-chip system and method of making same


A filter having a gravel-less underdrain and a filter layer installed directly on top of the gravel-less underdrain. The filter layer is designed such that when fluid is directed through the filter layer at controlled rates a protective barrier is formed by the larger particles of the filter layer directly above the gravel-less underdrain to prevent clogging and/or structural failure of the gravel-less underdrain thereby obviating the need for one or more layers of gravel or torpedo sand.

A variety of systems have been developed for filtering water and/or wastewater. Typical filter systems include but are not limited to an upflow filter, a downflow filter, a combined upflow filter and downflow filter and multiple downflow filters connected in series. The term upflow filter is given to a filter in which the liquid or influent to be filtered is directed in an upward path to remove impurities. Conversely, a downflow filter is a filter in which the influent is directed in a downward path to remove impurities.
In a combined upflow/downflow filter system, influent is directed upwardly through the upflow filter to remove a predetermined percentage of the impurities in the influent and then the influent is directed downwardly through the downflow filter to remove the remaining impurities to within an acceptable level. The upflow filter, in this combined system, is referred to as a roughing filter or clarifier. The downflow filter, in this combined system, is referred to as a polishing filter. One noticeable difference between a roughing filter and a polishing filter is the size of the filter media. The filter media in the polishing filter is considerably smaller than the filter media in the roughing filter.
The most common methodology utilized to specify the size of media in the filtration industry is through effective size and uniformity coefficient. The American Water Works Association (AWWA) B100 standard defines effective size (also known as d10) as "the size of opening that will just pass 10 percent (by dry weight) of a representative sample of filter material; that is, if the size distribution of particles is such that 10 percent (by dry weight) of a sample is finer than 0.45 mm, the filter material has an effective size of 0.45 mm. " As used herein "effective size" has the same meaning as the AWWA B100 standard.
The AWWA B100 standard defines uniformity coefficient as "a ratio calculated as the size opening that will just pass 60 percent (by dry weight) of a representative sample of the filter material divided by the size opening that will just pass 10 percent (by dry weight) of the same sample." As used herein "uniformity coefficient" has the same meaning as the AWWA B100 standard.
A typical specification for filter sand used in a polishing filter is an effective size ranging from 0.45 mm to 0.55 mm with a uniformity coefficient of less than 1.7. The effective size of the filter sand used in a roughing filter is considerably larger and can have an effective size well in excess of 1.0 mm. The smaller particles in the filter sand used in polishing filters can lead to clogging of the underdrain. For example, one common type of underdrain includes a plurality of underdrain blocks arranged in parallel rows across the bottom of the filter. The underdrain blocks act to direct and receive fluids including influent, effluent and air during operation of the filter system. The underdrain blocks typically include multiple apertures through which the fluids are directed and received. The apertures are typically larger than the smaller particles of the filter sand used in polishing filters. Accordingly, it has been necessary to employ some means to prevent clogging and/or structural failure of the underdrain.
One or more gravel support layers have been used between the filter sand and the underdrain to prevent clogging. Referring to FIG. 1, a prior art filter is depicted using a gravel support layer 2 between the underdrain blocks 4 and the filter sand 6 to prevent clogging of the underdrain blocks 4. The gravel in the support layer 2 is larger than the apertures in the underdrain blocks and, therefore, does not pass there through. The smaller particles of the filter sand will embed in the support gravel rather than pass through or obstruct the apertures in the underdrain blocks. However, gravel support layers have a number of disadvantages. Specifically, gravel support layers are expensive and time consuming to install. Further, gravel support layers consume a significant portion of the filter chamber thus reducing the filtering capacity of the bed. Also, gravel support layers are subject to being upset when uncontrolled air enters the filter bed due to installation of the air system or operator error. Moreover, in filter beds using granular activated carbon such must occasionally be removed from the filter and placed in a reactivation furnace. During removal of the granular activated carbon, the gravel becomes intermixed and is deposited in the reactivation furnace. At the extreme temperatures necessary to reactivate the granular activated carbon the gravel can explode damaging the furnace.
To overcome the disadvantages of gravel support layers, porous plates have been used with underdrain blocks. The porous plates obviate the need for the gravel support layers because they prevent the filter media from passing through or lodging in the apertures in the underdrain blocks. Referring to FIG. 2, a prior art filter is depicted using a porous plate 8 between the underdrain blocks 10 and the filter sand layer 12. Porous plates are typically formed from sintering plastic beads such as high-density polyethylene into an open-celled structure. The porous plates typically have a thickness ranging from ¾″ to 1″ and have an average pore size of 300 to 700 microns.
Porous plates are typically attached to the upper surface of an underdrain block with screws, a rails system or other attachment means. In most cases, the filter sand having an effective size ranging from 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm is placed directly on top of the porous plate. The fine particles in the filter sand will nest in the pores of the porous plate and eventually pass through the porous plate. The presence of the fine filter media particles embedded in the pores of the porous plate can accelerate clogging and lead to structural failure of the plate. A two or three inch layer of torpedo sand having an effective size ranging from 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm has been used between the porous plate and the filter sand layer to prevent the fine particles from embedding in the porous plate. However, the torpedo sand suffers from problems similar to those associated with one or more gravel support layers. Further, members in the water filtration community are reluctant to add additional layers of media, substitute a layer of torpedo sand for the corresponding depth of filter media or otherwise alter the filter media specifications.
Accordingly, there is a present need for a filter that does not use either torpedo sand or gravel and yet still prevents clogging and/or structural failure of the porous plate or other gravel-less underdrain.

Filter having a filter layer that forms a protective barrier to prevent clogging of a gravel-less underdrain and method of making the same


An airbag control apparatus includes: an airbag, an airbag driver that deploys the airbag, and a processor that estimates a vehicle momentum and a crash progress degree based on a longitudinal acceleration and a vehicle speed upon a vehicle crash, determines deployment of the airbag based on the vehicle momentum and the crash progress degree and controls the airbag driver when the deployment of the airbag is determined.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
In general, an airbag is a safety device for protecting a driver or an occupant from an impact caused by a vehicle crash. Such an airbag system detects a crash based on a measurement value (acceleration sensor value) of an acceleration sensor mounted on a vehicle and deploys the airbag when the measurement value exceeds a threshold. The acceleration sensor value is measured in proportion to a vehicle speed because the acceleration sensor value is proportional to the kinetic energy of the vehicle. However, we have discovered that the acceleration sensor value measured at the time of a vehicle crash may vary depending on a crash speed, a vehicle mass, the shape of a crash barrier and/or a crash portion even under the same conditions. Thus, when the airbag is deployed using only the acceleration sensor value, the airbag is unnecessarily deployed or the airbag is undeployed with respect to an impact amount due to the crash, deteriorating the safety of a vehicle occupant.

Airbag control apparatus and airbag control method


An air conditioning apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit, an operation controlling device and a liquid refrigerant accumulation determining device. The refrigerant circuit has an accumulator. The operation controlling device performs normal operation control where each device of the heat source unit and the utilization unit are controlled in accordance with operating load of the utilization unit, and refrigerant quantity determination operation control where properness of quantity of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit is determined while performing the cooling operation. The liquid refrigerant accumulation determining device determines whether or not liquid refrigerant is accumulating in the accumulator. When it has been determined that liquid refrigerant is accumulating in the accumulator, liquid refrigerant accumulation control is performed to eliminate liquid refrigerant accumulation in the accumulator.

Generally, there is known an air conditioning apparatus configured as a result of a heat source unit having a compressor and a heat source-side heat exchanger and a utilization unit having a utilization-side expansion valve and a utilization-side heat exchanger being interconnected via a liquid refrigerant connection pipe and a gas refrigerant connection pipe. Additionally, in determination of the properness of the quantity of refrigerant inside a refrigerant circuit of this air conditioning apparatus, the determination is performed by performing operation of the air conditioning apparatus under a predetermined condition and detecting the degree of supercooling of refrigerant in an outlet side of the heat source-side heat exchanger. As this operation under a predetermined condition, there is, for example, operation where the degree of superheating of the refrigerant in the outlet of the utilization-side heat exchanger functioning as an evaporator of the refrigerant is controlled such that it becomes a positive value and where the pressure of the refrigerant on a low pressure side of the refrigerant circuit resulting from the compressor is controlled such that it becomes constant (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-023072).


A power conversion circuit has an inverter circuit including a first node and a second node that output a voltage according to an input voltage, a resonant circuit connected to the first node and the second node and including a third node and a fourth node that output a resonant voltage; and an output circuit connected to the third node and the fourth node and configured to output a DC voltage, wherein the resonant circuit includes a first inductor having one end connected to the third node, a first capacitor connected between the first node and another end of the first inductor, a second capacitor connectable between the second node and the fourth node, a second inductor connectable between the third node and the fourth node, and a first switch that switches whether or not to connect the second inductor between the third node and the fourth node.

A resonant converter using a transformer is known. The resonant converter of this type includes a resonant circuit including an excitation inductor, a leakage inductor, and a capacitor of a transformer on a primary side, and is also referred to as an LLC resonant converter.
The LLC resonant converter is currently widely used because of its good power conversion efficiency. However, the LLC resonant converter includes the transformer and causes a power loss when converting electric energy into magnetic energy. In addition, while the transformer has an advantage that a transformation ratio can be arbitrarily adjusted, there is a problem that it takes time to design the transformer.

Power conversion circuit and power conversion device


A valve installed in the flow line of a flammable or other hazardous flowable material which normally open but will be automatically closed to interrupt the flow of flammable or hazardous material to a discharge point in the event of a hazardous condition occurring. The valve is held in an open position by a fusible link which retains a pivotal latch in engagement with a spring biased valve to retain the valve in open position. The fusible link will melt when subjected to predetermined conditions such as a high temperature condition which occurs in the event of a fire thereby releasing the latch and valve for movement to a closed position for stopping flow of flammable material in order to control the fire or other hazardous condition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a fire control valve and more particularly a valve installed in the flow line of a flammable or other hazardous flowable material which is normally open but will be automatically closed to interrupt the flow of flammable or hazardous material to a discharge point in the event of a hazardous condition occurring. The valve is held in an open position by a fusible link which retains a pivotal latch in engagement with a spring biased valve to retain the valve in open position. The fusible link will melt when subjected to predetermined conditions such as a high temperature condition which occurs in the event of a fire thereby releasing the latch and valve for movement to a closed position for stopping flow of flammable material in order to control the fire or other hazardous condition.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
Automatically operated valves are well known in various flow lines with such valves being moved from one position to another in response to various ambient conditions. Included in such valves are valves which are located in water supply lines associated with sprinklers or the like so the valves will be automatically opened to discharge water from a plurality of sprinkler heads in the event the ambient temperature becomes elevated above a certain unsafe level. The prior art cited in the aforementioned parent application and made of record herein does not include a structure equivalent to the structure of this invention.


A water block heat dissipation on a probe card interface for cooling active components and other devices requiring heat dissipation on the probe card is presented.

This invention relates to the field of devices, systems and methods for testing electronic circuits by applying and measuring electrical signals, and more particularly to devices, systems and methods for supporting automated test equipment (ATE). The ensure proper functionality and reliability, manufacturers typically test wafers, memory devices (such as DRAM and Flash) or other integrated circuits (ICs) at various stages of manufacturing and before shipping to customers.
In recent years, device testers have undergone many changes in order to handle tester of denser, faster and higher volumes of devices. Speed and density have increased by multiple orders of magnitude with testers changing to keep up with the devices. However, as speeds increased, signal path length has become a critical issue. Minimizing path length to achieve high speeds has led to miniaturization by a factor of over 1000 in less than five years. As test electronics is forced to ever greater speeds and densities, one major limitation is the removal of the internal heat generated by the tester. In prior generations of automated test equipment, air cooling was sufficient. However, recent generations of machines are too fast and densely packed for air cooling to be practical and water cooling has been employed for many areas of ATE machines.
A typical tester 100 is illustrated in FIG. 1 with a system bay or upright support rack 140, which houses the support devices for the test head 110, a cooling unit, power supplies and controller for the test electronics. Large bundles of electrical cables and cooling water hoses 160 connect the system bay 140 to the test head 110. The test head 110 is a relatively small enclosure that houses all the tester electronics. The actual signal generation and analysis are performed in the test head 110. Attached to the test head 110 is an interface 120, which is an electromechanical assembly that is essentially a very large connector that permits various probe cards 150 to be attached to the test head 110. The probe card 150 contacts a wafer (not shown) under test and makes electrical contact with the metallic pads on the wafer's surface.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a typical probe card 150 has an array of contacts (not shown) that make temporary electrical contact with the device under test (not shown). Generally these contacts are some type of spring contact that contacts metallic pads on the device. There are many companies manufacturing probe cards, each with different contact construction and design. The common denominator of any probe card to be interfaced with a particular ATE tester, is a set of proprietary contacts 105 that interface the probe card 150 to the test head 110 via proprietary connections 108 on the interface 120 and the overall dimensions of the probe card 150, which are governed by the tester interface 120 geometry and limitations of the device prober (not shown).
As new and cost effective solutions for the ATE industry are developed, functionality is being added to many devices that heretofore were totally passive, necessitating novel approaches to cooling. One problem in the testing of at least one type of Flash memory (NOR) at the wafer level is that the resources of the tester are too expensive to devote entirely to one IC. Therefore, a means of sharing the tester resources among many devices under test is being developed, resulting in a type of multiplexing scheme, in which tester resources are dynamically switched among many die. Due to the timing accuracy required, using current technology, this switching must take place a very short distance from the die. Currently, due to interconnect limitations and signal path considerations, to accomplish this necessitates putting active components on the probe card 150. One can envision many other types of circuits that would be useful to locate on a probe card 150, for timing or precision measuring considerations, etc.
However, one limitation to mounting active circuitry on the probe card 150 is the heat generated by the devices. Some designs using active signal conditioning dissipate substantial amounts of power, so a probe card may dissipate upwards to a half a kilowatt or more. Heat inputs of this magnitude to the interior of the prober cannot be tolerated, so some method of active cooling to remove heat from the probe card 150 is necessary moving forward.
Although many current ATE testers make extensive use of water cooling, this method of cooling the probe card may be problematic. Water blocks are used in ATE testers to which various PCBs are attached in order to transfer heat into the water. One problem with using this method to cool the probe card 150 is due to potential leakage or spillage of the cooling fluid when installing or removing the probe card 150 from the interface 120. Probers (not shown) are made so that a probe card is inserted into the prober, then internal automation (not shown) mates the probe card 150 to the interface 120 and latches it. The electrical connections in present generations of testers are often made using pneumatically activated connectors 108, which occurs after the probe card 150 is latched to the tester interface 120.
A water cooled probe card 150 would need to make and break a connection to the water path using automated quick disconnects. All such fittings leak a slight amount when breaking the connections. This would not be acceptable in the confines of current probers, which are very sensitive mechanical systems that position wafers with accuracies in the micron range. The option of removing the test head 110 from the prober to change probe cards 150 is not feasible, because this is a manual operation. Since probe cards 150 may cost more than one hundred thousand dollars, they are always handled using automation.
Therefore, there is a need to cool electronic devices and active circuit elements on probe cards or on the interface more reliably than traditional water cooling techniques.

Liquid cooled DUT card interface for wafer sort probing


RhlR modulators including agonist and antagonists which are useful for modulating QS phenotypes in Gram-negative bacteria. Certain compounds of general formula A-W-HG having various carbocyclic ad heterocyclic head groups (HG) and various tail groups (A), where —W— is —CO—NH—, —SO2—NH—, —CO—NH—CH2—, or —SO2—NH—CH2— are RhlR agonists or antagonists. The compounds are useful in methods of modulating quorum sensing in Gram-negative bacteria, particularly in Pseudomonas. Compositions including certain RhlR modulators are useful for decreasing the virulence of Gram-negative bacteria. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising certain RhlR modulators are useful for treatment of infections of Gram-negative bacteria.

Many bacterial species are capable of coordinating population density with genome expression using an intercellular signaling process known as quorum sensing (QS). Generally, QS bacteria use small-molecule signals to synchronize the display of group-beneficial phenotypes only at high populations.1, 2 In Gram-negative bacteria, this cell-cell communication mechanism is commonly mediated by N-acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs), which are constitutively synthesized by LuxI-type synthases.3 These small molecules freely diffuse across the cell membrane (though in select cases, export is facilitated by efflux pumps),4 and as population density increases, the AHLs reach a concentration at which they productively bind LuxR-type receptors. The ligand-activated QS receptors then serve as transcriptional factors capable of activating gene expression. Pathogenic bacteria use QS throughout the process of infecting host organisms: at early stages of infection, the pathogen produces few virulence factors in order to evade the immune response of a host, and only at sufficiently high populations do the bacteria begin to produce invasive machinery capable of degrading host tissue.5 During later stages of chronic infections, QS often heavily regulates architecture and integrity of biofilms, which can be responsible for infection persistence.6, 7 Increasing numbers of bacterial infections are becoming resistant to traditional antibiotic therapies;8 thus, QS systems that are closely tied to virulence have emerged as attractive alternative targets for infection treatment.9, 10 Additionally, recent studies indicate that applying such "antivirulence" approaches to treating infections—as opposed to targeting whole-cell growth—minimize selective pressure for resistant mutants to emerge.11-13 More fundamentally, chemical interventions provide novel insights—ones that might not be readily elucidated using traditional genetic methods14, 15—into the molecular mechanisms of QS. This disclosure identifies new small-molecule modulators that target the QS systems in certain virulent bacterial species, particularly Gram-negative bacteria, including bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas and more specifically of the species Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
The Gram-negative pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium well known for its complex QS circuitry, has been heavily studied due to its remarkable recalcitrance to antibiotic treatment, most notably in chronic infections located in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients.16-18 P. aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen; thus, it commonly affects immunocompromised patients (those suffering from HIV, burn wounds, chronic wounds, etc.).19 In fact, P. aeruginosa is the leading cause of hospital-acquired pneumonia.20 Many virulence factors produced by P. aeruginosa are controlled by a complex network of QS circuits (FIG. 1). This pathogen uses multiple LuxI/LuxR pairs to regulate virulence factor expression during the course of infection: The LuxI-type synthase LasI produces N-(3-oxododecanoyl) HL (OdDHL; FIG. 2), and RhlI produces N-butanoyl HL (BHL; FIG. 2).21 These two signaling molecules are recognized by the receptors LasR and RhlR, respectively. Both QS circuits regulate a large number of virulence factors—for example, the Las system regulates the production of elastase, alkaline protease, and exotoxin A;22 and the Rhl system regulates rhamnolipid production (a rhamnose-based biosurfactant) and the toxic exofactors hydrogen cyanide and pyocyanin.23 In addition to culture-based virulence factor assays, studies using animal models have shown that genetic mutation of these circuits attenuates virulence in vivo;24-26 thus, disruption of QS using small-molecule modulators is of significant clinical importance.
Adding to the complexity of the P. aeruginosa QS system, each of the QS circuits is intertwined, allowing intricate genome regulation based on social and environmental cues.27, 28 Generally considered to be at the top of the P. aeruginosa QS hierarchy is LasR, which regulates the rhl circuit by activating both the rhlI and rhlR genes.29, 30 Because effectively antagonizing LasR could feasibly inhibit multiple QS circuits, this receptor has been the primary target of chemical modulation research. There are multiple literature report concerning the generation and/or screening of libraries to find small molecules capable of modulating LasR.31, 32 A large subsection of these molecules are higher in molecular weight (generally >250 Da), designed to fit the larger binding pocket (which accommodates OdDHL) of LasR.
Fewer research efforts have been directed toward RhlR, likely due to its perceived lower position in the P. aeruginosa QS hierarchy. However, a number of reports have begun to upend this traditional view of the QS regulatory blueprint. Broadly, both the nutrient conditions and stage of bacterial growth are influential in rerouting QS regulatory circuitry. It has been reported that starvation can restore phenotypes known to be controlled by RhlR.33 More recently, it has been reported that pyocyanin can be expressed in lasR mutants and that RhlR in particular (in late stationary phase) is able to overcome the absence of the las system by activating functions previously thought to be regulated solely by LasR.34 It has also been reported that though las function is lost in mid-stage infection of cystic fibrosis patients, virulence factors are still produced via the rhl system.17, 35 Very recently, the discovery of a new signaling molecule, IQS, that facilitates the activation of the rhl system (independently of LasR) under phosphate-limited conditions was reported.36 Finally, studies using small-molecule modulators have reported that the rhl system is implicated in the direct regulation of virulence factors. In a study using halogenated thiolactone AHL mimics, it has been reported that these mimics exert their phenotypic effect by primarily acting upon the rhl system.37 The compound mBTL, a RhlR partial agonist, was reported to reduce P. aeruginosa virulence in a C. elegans infection model. We have more recently shown that small-molecule inhibition of pyocyanin can be achieved via agonism of RhlR.38 This inverse phenotypic effect occurs through RhlR's downstream repression of the pqs quorum sensing circuit (FIG. 1).
As a whole, the RhlR receptor presents a significantly underdeveloped opportunity for P. aeruginosa virulence phenotype modulation; furthermore, agonism of this receptor can decrease virulence factor production and overall pathogenicity. Additional synthetic agonists and antagonist of RhlR are of interest in the art for modulation of virulence in Gram-negative bacteria, particularly bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas and more specifically of the species Pseudomonas aeruginosa. New modulators of RhlR are useful in various applications including therapeutic applications and as research tools for the further investigation of Quorum sensing systems.

Synthetic ligands that modulate the activity of the RhlR quorum sensing receptor


The present description concerns a comparator (1) of a first voltage (V+) and of a second voltage (V−), comprising first (100) and second (102) branches each comprising a same succession of alternated first (106) and second (108) gates in series between a node (104) and an output (1002; 1022) of the branch (100; 102), wherein: each branch starts with a first gate (106), each gate (106; 108) has a second node (114) receiving a bias voltage, the second node (114) of each first gate (106) of the first branch (100) and of each second gate (108) of the second branch (102) receives the first voltage (V+), the second node of the other gates receiving the second voltage (V−), and an order of arrival of the edges on the outputs (1002; 1022) of the branches determines a result of a comparison.

Dynamic comparators have the function of performing the comparison of two signals, in synchronization with a signal, typically a clock signal, and of generating a binary signal having its binary state indicating the result of this comparison.
Dynamic comparators are for example used in successive approximation analog-to-digital converters. In such a converter, the dynamic comparator synchronously generates an output signal representative of the comparison of an analog signal with a quantization threshold voltage. This enable to quantify the residue of the analog signal which is digitized by the converter, at each step of the dichotomizing search of the digital code associated with the analog signal.
As an example, a successive approximation analog-to-digital converter comprises a load distribution node having first electrodes of a plurality of capacitive elements of increasing values connected thereto. The node is loaded with the analog signal to be digitized while a given low voltage, typically a zero voltage, is applied to the second electrodes of the capacitive elements. Then, a high voltage is applied to the second electrode of the capacitive element of highest value and the voltage on the load distribution node is compared, by a dynamic comparator, with a quantization voltage. If the voltage of the load distribution node is higher than the quantization voltage, the second electrode which was biased by the high voltage is rebiased to the low voltage, otherwise the high voltage is maintained. Then, these operations are repeated from the highest capacitance to the lowest capacitance, to obtain the digital code associated with the analog signal to be digitized, from the high or low biasing applied to each of the second electrodes of the capacitive elements.
Among dynamic comparators, dynamic latched comparators are known. A dynamic latched comparator, for example, the dynamic latched comparator illustrated in the English Wikipedia web page relative to comparators, typically comprises two inverters in negative feedback having their outputs set to a high level during a preliminary phase, and a differential pair coupling the inverters to ground, the two input transistors of the differential pair receiving the two signals to be compared. Thus, the signal of highest value received by the input transistors of the differential pair induces a stronger current in the corresponding inverter, which causes a faster switching of the output of this inverter to the low level, and the holding at the low level of the output of the other inverter.
However, in a dynamic latched comparator, manufacturing dispersions between the transistors, in particular between the input transistors of the differential pair, result in comparison errors, and thus in quantization errors when the comparator is implemented in a successive approximation analog-to-digital converter. Further, the gate-drain capacitance of each of the input transistors of the differential pair induces a charge inrush on the input of the comparator, which depends on the switching of the inverter of the comparator associated with this transistor. This charge inrush, commonly called kick-back effect, adversely affects the accuracy of the comparator, and thus of the quantization of an analog signal when the comparator is implemented in a successive approximation analog-to-digital converter.
Among dynamic comparators, edge pursuit dynamic comparators are also known.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a dynamic comparator of edge pursuit type. More particularly, FIG. 1 corresponds to FIG. 2 of M. Shim et al.'s article entitled "Edge-Pursuit Comparator: An Energy-Scalable Oscillator Collapse-Based Comparator With Application in a 74.1 dB SNDR and 20 kS/s 15 b SAR ADC" and published in the IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 52, No. 4, April 2017.
The comparator of FIG. 1 relies on an elementary inverting structure formed of a standard CMOS ("Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor") inverter biased by a first N-channel MOS transistor connected between the source of the N-channel MOS transistor of the inverter and a reference potential, and by a second P-channel MOS transistor connected between the source of the P-channel MOS transistor of the inverter and a power supply potential. The gates of these first and second transistors receive a same bias voltage, selected from among two voltages VINP and VINM compared by the comparator. By cascading two of these elementary structures and by alternating the bias voltage VINP or VINM of the cascaded elementary structures, for example, so that the upstream elementary structure is biased by voltage VINP and that the downstream elementary structure is biased by voltage VINM, the four following cases can be observed:                rising input edge ("E1" in FIG. 1) on the upstream elementary structure and VINP greater than VINM ("VINP>VINM" in FIG. 1): fast decrease ("F1-d" in FIG. 1) of the output of the upstream elementary structure and fast rise ("F1-u" in FIG. 1) of the output of the downstream elementary structure,        rising input edge on the upstream elementary structure and VINP smaller than VINM: slow decrease of the output of the upstream elementary structure and slow rise of the output of the downstream elementary structure,        falling input edge ("E2" in FIG. 1) on the upstream elementary structure and VINP greater than VINM ("VINP>VINM" in FIG. 1): slow rise ("S2-d" in FIG. 1) of the output of the upstream elementary structure and slow decrease ("S2-u" in FIG. 1) of the output of downstream elementary structure, and        falling input edge on the upstream elementary structure and VINP smaller than VINM: fast rise of the output of the upstream elementary structure and fast decrease of the output of the downstream elementary structure.
The comparator of FIG. 1 comprises two branches, each comprising four elementary structures. The two branches are connected in a loop by two NAND-type gates A and B, to form a ring-shaped structure. In one of the branches (the top branch in FIG. 1), the elementary structures are alternately biased by voltages VINP and then VINM, while the inverse occurs in the other branch (the bottom branch in FIG. 1). Further, the input of each NAND gate which is not connected to the output of a branch receives a synchronization signal START.
This comparator operates as follows. In the initial state, signal START is in the low state, whereby the output of each logic gate A and B is in the high state and the output of each branch, including the comparator output COMP, is also in the high state. The switching to the high state of signal START, that is, a rising edge on signal START, causes the switching to the low state of each gate A and B, that is, a falling edge is supplied to the ring-shaped structure of the comparator by each of gates A and B. These two edges will propagate at different speeds in the ring, which depend on bias voltages VINP and VINM. The two edges then propagate through the ring (arrow 11 in FIG. 1) of the comparator until the fast edge reaches, or catches up with, the slow edge, which results in a stabilization of the outputs of the elementary structures of the two branches, of the outputs of logic gates A and B, and of the comparator output COMP. For example, in the configuration of FIG. 1, output COMP stabilizes at the high level when voltage VINP is greater than voltage VINM, and at the low level when voltage VINP is smaller than voltage VINM.
In a comparator of edge pursuit type, the sequence of fast transitions on the two branches tends to average the kick-back effect. This enables to decrease the negative influence of this kick-back effect with respect to the case of a dynamic latched comparator. Similarly, the comparison errors induced by manufacturing dispersions, as well as the temporal noise, are decreased with respect to a dynamic latched comparator. More exactly, the more the number of elementary structures per branch increases, the more these comparison errors and this temporal noise are smoothed.
However, a disadvantage of the comparator of FIG. 1 is that the stabilization time of its ring, and thus of its output COMP, increases with the decrease of the interval between the voltages VINP and VINM which are compared. The increase of the stabilization time is not desirable, particularly since it induces an increase in the power consumption.

Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives


Increase in combustion noise and deterioration of exhaust gas performance caused by inter-cylinder correction are prevented, and decrease in temperature rise performance of a diesel particulate removal device caused by inter-cylinder correction is prevented. A fuel injection control device of an engine comprises inter-cylinder correction amount calculation means 5 for calculating, for each cylinder, an inter-cylinder correction amount for correcting by increasing/decreasing a fuel injection amount in each cylinder according to a difference in engine revolution speed between the cylinders, inter-cylinder correction amount division means 6 for dividing the inter-cylinder correction amount into a first divided inter-cylinder correction amount for correcting by increasing/decreasing the basic injection amounts of main injection and sub-injection and a second divided inter-cylinder correction amount for correcting by increasing/decreasing only the basic injection amount of main injection, first correction means 7 for distributing the first divided inter-cylinder correction amount to main injection and sub-injection according to the basic injection amount of main injection and sub-injection, and second correction means 8 for adding the second divided inter-cylinder correction amount to the basic injection amount of main injection.

In an engine having a plurality of cylinders (multicylinder engine) such as a diesel engine, a difference in fuel injection amount between the cylinders can be caused by aging deterioration of fuel injection devices (injectors) provided in the cylinders or individual differences therebetween. The difference in fuel injection amount between the cylinders is demonstrated as fluctuations of engine revolution speed such that the engine revolution speed attained when combustion takes place in each cylinder is different for each cylinder.
In order to inhibit such fluctuations of engine revolution speed occurring among the cylinders, correction of fuel injection amount among the cylinders is performed by increasing or decreasing the fuel injection amount in each cylinder in response to fluctuations of engine revolution speed among the cylinders (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-349243).
For example, when multistage injection (main injection, sub-injection) is implemented in one cycle, a basic injection amount of main injection and a basic injection amount of sub-injection (pilot injection, post injection) are calculated according to the engine operation state, and an inter-cylinder correction amount for conducting increase-decrease correcting the fuel injection amount in each cylinder is calculated for each cylinder according to a difference in engine revolution speed detected between the cylinders,
(Correction A) correction of fuel injection amount (main injection, sub-injection) among the cylinders is performed by distributing the inter-cylinder correction amounts of cylinders to main injection and sub-injection according to the basic injection amount of main injection and sub-injection, or
(Correction B) correction of fuel injection amount (only main injection) among the cylinders is performed by adding all the inter-cylinder correction amounts of cylinders to the basic injection amount of main injection.


The present invention provides an IGZO transistor and a manufacturing method for the same. Wherein, the method comprises forming a source electrode, a drain electrode, and an IGZO layer on a substrate; forming a protect layer at a channel of the IGZO layer; performing N-type doping to a contact region of the source/drain electrodes and the IGZO layer to form a n+IGZO region through plasma treatment; and forming a gate insulation layer and a gate electrode. The IGZO transistor structure and method for the same provided by the present invention can prevent the channel of the IGZO layer from damage during N-type doping through the plasma treatment. It can improve the ohmic contact and increase device characteristics.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the image display field, and more particular to an IGZO transistor structure and manufacturing method for the same.
2. Description of Related Art
The thin-film field-effect transistor (TFT) based on oxide semiconductor is a hot spot for the display field in the future, and in recent years, it has been widely studied and developed. Wherein, the amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) compound film as the active channel has a high mobility up to 80 cm2/Vs (the mobility of the amorphous silicon (a-Si) is only 0.5˜0.8 cm2/Vs), and it is compatible with the large scale and mass production process for the a-Si. Therefore, the indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) semiconductor has potential application for next-generation LCD and organic light emitting diode (OLED).
When a metal is contacting with IGZO, the semiconductor energy band at the interface is bend, which forms the potential barrier. The existence of the potential barrier will result in a large interface resistance, i.e., the Schottky contact. The Schottky resistance will cause insufficient current at on-state of a TFT component and too large sub-threshold swing, and decreasing the stability of the component in order to affect the display quality. Therefore, to reduce the contact resistance of the metal and the IGZO to form the ohmic contact is an important factor in determining the quality a semiconductor element. One way to form a good ohmic contact with the semiconductor region is performing heavy doping at the semiconductor region contacted with the metal such that the depletion region of the interface is narrowed and the electrons have more opportunities for direct tunneling (tunneling effect)
FIG. 1 shows a standard top-gate-bottom-contact structure for a TFT, and includes a substrate 1′, a source electrode 2′, a drain electrode 3′, a gate electrode 4′, an insulation layer 5′, and an IGZO layer 6′. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the top-gate-bottom-contact structure through heavy doping, wherein a contact region of the source/drain electrodes and IGZO layer 6′ forms a n+IGZO region 7′.
However, in the conventional manufacturing method, in particular by the method of plasma treatment to perform the N-type doping on IGZO layer, it ignores the protection of the channel of the IGZO layer so that it is easily damage the channel of the IGZO layer in order to affect the performance of the ohmic contact.

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.


A reactor including: a coil including a pair of winding portions that are arranged side by side; a magnetic core including inner core portions that are provided inside the winding portions, and an outer core portion that is exposed to the outside from the winding portions; and a casing that houses a combined member that includes the coil and the magnetic core combined with each other. The casing includes: a bottom plate on which the combined member is placed; and a side wall that stands on the bottom plate, and the side wall is provided with a cutout for the core, through which at least a portion of the outer core portion is exposed to the outside of the casing.

JP2013-128084A discloses a reactor that includes: a coil that has a pair of winding portions that are arranged side by side; and a magnetic core with which a closed magnetic circuit is formed. The reactor is used as a constituent component of a convertor of a hybrid electric vehicle, for example. The magnetic core can be divided into an inner core portion that is disposed inside the winding portion, and an outer core portion that is disposed outside the winding portion. A combined member that includes the above-described coil and magnetic core combined with each other is housed in a casing.
A casing is used to physically protect a combined member, and is also used to fix the reactor to an installation target. However, in the reactor according to JP2013-128084A, the entire combined member is surrounded by the casing, and there is a problem in that its properties of dissipating heat from the combined body to the outside are unsatisfactory.
One objective of the present disclosure is to provide a reactor that has excellent heat dissipation properties despite being provided with a casing.


A frequency band of an audio input signal is analyzed to determine if a transient is present. When transients are detected, modifications are made to the intensity levels corresponding to the frequency band for a brief time period.

Audio signals or streams typically may be rendered to a listener, such as by using a speaker to provide an audible rendering of the audio signal or stream. An audio signal or stream so rendered may have one or more characteristics that may be perceived and, in some cases, identified and/or described by a discerning listener. For example, a listener may be able to detect how sharply or clearly transient audio events, such as a drumstick hitting a drum, are rendered.
Different audio playback equipment presents different rendering characteristics. For example, "high end" audio equipment may render audio in a different manner than lower cost audio equipment. In the former case, the audio signals may be rendered in a way that permits audio characteristics such as transient audio events to be perceived to a greater extent than from the use of less expensive audio equipment.
Different listeners may have different preferences and/or tastes with respect to such identifiable perceptual characteristics. One listener may prefer that transient audio events, such as drum hits, be enhanced or otherwise emphasized, whereas another might instead prefer that such transient events be suppressed to some extent or otherwise de-emphasized. In addition, an individual listener may prefer that such transients be enhanced for certain types of audio data (e.g., rock music), and suppressed or softened to a degree for other types (e.g., classical music or non-music recordings).
It is therefore desirable to provide improved control over transients and other characteristics in an audio stream.


An access control method includes: receiving, by a network device, an access request message from user equipment (UE); determining, by the network device based on the access request message, a network slice that the UE requests to access; and when the network device determines to reject an access request of the UE for accessing the network slice, returning, by the network device, a rejection response message to the UE, where the rejection response message includes back-off condition information, and the back-off condition information indicates a condition under which the UE requests again to access the network slice.

As a mobile communications network evolves and a large quantity of new applications continuously emerge, a communication operator puts forward a requirement of deploying network slices (NS) for different service scenarios. A 5G mobile communications system introduced by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) organization is used as an example, and mobile broadband (MBB), vehicle to vehicle (V2V) communication, machine type communication (MTC), an industry control system (ICS), and an intelligent transport system (ITS) will become main service scenarios in a new generation communications system. Because these service scenarios have different communication requirements, the communication operator may deploy a dedicated network slice for each service scenario, the network slice dedicatedly used in each service scenario may provide a customized mobile management service, a customized security service, a customized session management service, and the like. A user equipment (UE) having a communication feature is registered on a network slice. As shown in FIG. 1, all UEs having a V2V function are registered on a network slice 2 dedicatedly used in a V2V service scenario, and all UEs having an MTC function are registered on a network slice 3 dedicatedly used in an MTC service scenario. A network slice is equivalent to a private network that is deployed by the operator in a public land mobile network (PLMN) for a type of UE having a same or similar service requirement. The network slice includes network functions customized for the type of UE, and these network functions may provide a customized quality of service (QoS) guarantee, a customized service-level agreement (SLA) guarantee, and the like for the UE. The operator may deploy a plurality of dedicated core networks to implement a network slice having a core network function.
By deploying the network slices used in different service scenarios, the communication operator may pertinently manage and maintain different types of user equipments, so as to implement dedicated use of the private network, provide a differentiated service, and reduce network maintenance costs.
When access to a network by UE needs to be controlled in the prior art, a congestion control technology based on a mobility management entity (MME) is usually used. Congestion control is performed based on an MME granularity by using the technology, and the UE cannot initiate an access request for the MME within a back-off time period set on a network side.
In the foregoing solution in the prior art, once the MME rejects an access request from UE, the UE cannot use any network service. This reduces user service experience.


A portable electronic device includes a battery, a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) circuit, a power management circuit, a first output unit, and a second output unit. The TENS circuit provides a TENS electrical current. The power management circuit is coupled to the battery and the TENS circuit for managing a power distribution of the portable electronic device. The first output unit receives the TENS electrical current from the TENS circuit and outputs the TENS electrical current to a user. The second output unit receives a power signal from the battery and outputs the power signal to an external electronic device.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is the use of electric pulse produced by a device to stimulate the different locations of body for therapeutic purposes. TENS covers the complete range of transcutaneously applied currents used for nerve excitation, and sometimes TENS is used with a more restrictive intent, namely to describe the kind of pulses produced by the stimulators used to treat pain.
TENS is widely used to treat disorders such as chronic pain and depression. TENS is usually connected to superficial electrodes, which provide stimulation to treat disorders. TENS machine works by sending stimulating pulses across the surface of the skin and along the nerve strands. Sometimes, by using different frequency, TENS can also produce similar effect as massage. When attached to needle, TENS can be used to apply electroacupuncture stimulation.
However, in the present market, TENS machine has only the stimulation function. TENS machine does not provide functions other than an electroacupuncture device or an electrical massage device. In addition, the user has to carry the conventional TENS machine and other electronic, devices such as the power bank or the cell phone, separately, and the size and the weight of multiple devices bring the user inconvenience. Hence, it is greatly desired to integrate the function of TENS with other portable electronic devices to extend the efficiency and convenience of the consuming electronics.

Portable electronic device with TENS function


A system includes a cold cell tube configured to receive a mixture of a target gas and a buffer gas to cool the target gas to a temperature at which a partial pressure of the target gas is greater than the saturated vapor pressure of the target gas while maintaining at least a portion of the target gas in the gas phase. The system also includes a spectroscopic module configured to detect the cooled target gas in the cold cell tube; and an analysis module configured to determine a characteristic of the target gas based on the results of the detecting.

The accurate and sensitive analysis of complicated gas mixtures has many applications in industry, process control, forensics, pharmacology, medicine, and environmental science.
Mixture analysis is also an essential tool in biological, chemical, and physics research. Examples of unsolved, or imperfectly solved, problems are easy to find: over 1000 compounds are known to exist in human breath, including compounds which are markers of health risks, cancer, and environmental hazards; a wide variety of organic amines and carboxylic acids, present in nanomolar concentrations in seawater, are important intermediates in decomposition processes and provide a quantitative measure of marine ecosystem metabolic cycles; the pheromones of butterflies and moths include at least hundreds of different compounds, many of them isomers differing only by the position of a double bond; and human blood and urine contain at least dozens and likely hundreds of biologically important hormones.
Complex gas mixtures are generally analyzed using ion mobility spectrometry, gas chromatography (GC), and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS). In gas chromatography, a gas sample to be analyzed is mixed with an inert carrier gas, such as helium or nitrogen, and flowed through a capillary containing a liquid or polymer coated substrate. Different contaminants elute at different times, effectively sorting the contaminants by time as they exit the end of the capillary column. GC alone can resolve a mixture component with a fraction as low as 10−9 (parts per billion range) in specialized cases, but generally operates in the 10−6 range or lower. For complex mixtures, GC is often combined with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to further resolve mixture components. In this case, molecules are ionized as they elute from the GC column and the ions are detected by a mass spectrometer; the combination of elution time and charge-to-mass ratio can be used to uniquely identify the mixture component. Ion mobility spectrometry, in which a sample is ionized and then allowed to drift through a stationary gas in an electric field, is significantly more sensitive, and is the industry standard when there are a small number of very dilute targets of interest (e.g., for bomb sniffing applications). However, ion mobility spectroscopy is not generally well suited to resolving complex mixtures. In general, gas mixture analysis techniques operate at or near the 10−9 level, although sensitivities as low as 10−12 have been achieved for a few specific molecules.
UV spectroscopy of room temperature or warmer gas-phase samples is generally ineffective at resolving complex mixtures. Both absorption and emission spectra are composed of hundreds or thousands of unresolved rotational lines for each vibrational line. In many cases, this broad manifold of lines overlaps with nearby vibrational manifolds; in the case of a mixture, these broad features generally overlap with the spectrum of another mixture component. The 'confusion limit,' at which the spectrum of one component of a mixture overlaps with another component, is reached almost immediately.
At lower temperatures, the confusion limit is radically suppressed; rotational manifolds and hot vibrational bands are suppressed and individual rotational lines can often be resolved. Referring to FIG. 1B, narrow features in the 2 K spectrum of a naphthalene gas produced by a seeded supersonic jet are resolvable into many discrete vibrational lines, such as a peak corresponding to the strong 801 transition 100 and peak corresponding the weaker 800 transition 102. Referring to FIG. 1A, in the 300K spectrum of naphthalene gas, only a few vibronic lines can be resolved, and these features are considerably broader than the corresponding low temperature peaks. For instance, only the 801 transition 100 is resolvable, and the peak is significantly broader than the corresponding cold sample peak.
Ultraviolet/visible emissions spectra are similarly simplified at low temperature. Referring to FIG. 1C, at low temperatures (2 K) at least 10 separate vibronic lines of Perylene can be resolved in the emission spectrum (solid line 104). In the warm (290° C.) spectrum (dashed line 106), no vibronic lines can be resolved.
Microwave (rotational) absorption and emission spectroscopy of room temperature gases is generally somewhat ineffective at resolving mixtures containing large molecules (e.g., more than 10 atoms). For smaller molecules, individual rotational lines can typically be resolved, but large molecules at 300 K or above occupy so many rotational states that the rotational lines overlap and become unresolvable. This broadening is compounded when complex mixtures of many cold molecules are studied. Microwave spectra of large molecules are also drastically simplified at low temperature, as many fewer rotational states are occupied.
Samples of cold molecules with atom number higher than five have been produced using seeded supersonic jets, which produce translationally and rotationally cold molecules moving at high velocity (e.g., 300 m/s or higher). The beam produced by a seeded supersonic jet evolves spatially with a rapidly decreasing density as the molecules move farther away from the beam orifice. Seeded supersonic jets have been used for the analysis of unknown gas mixtures, but experimental sensitivity is limited by the low density and high velocity of the target gas. Typical densities in the cold portion of supersonic beams are more than 105 times lower than in the room temperature input stage of the beam. Simply cooling a warm gas-phase mixture is not generally effective; few molecules have significant vapor pressure below 200 K, and the mixture will simply condense into a liquid or a solid. Spectroscopic features of such condensed phases are generally quite broad.

President and Fellows of Harvard College


A mold for making articles that are interconnected by a lanyard, such as inflator parts. A mold base has a channel formed in it, and a first block is slidably mounted in that channel. A groove formed in the block defines the contour of a first article produced by the mold when plastic is injected into the groove and a mating groove formed in a mold cover that overlies the base. A stationary second block, also disposed in the channel, has a cavity formed in it that defines the contour of a second article. Opposite ends of the lanyard are positioned in the respective areas bounded by the grooves and cavity so that the opposite ends of the lanyard are embedded in the articles produced by the mold. The length of the interconnecting lanyard is adjusted by adjusting the position of the moveable block within the channel. The movable block may also be stationery.

Inflators are devices used for the rapid inflation of inflatable articles such as life vests, rafts and the like.
A common inflator screw threadedly receives a gas cartridge therein; the cartridge is pierced by a pin, slidably disposed within the inflator, that is driven into piercing engagement with the cartridge when a lanyard is pulled. More specifically, a first or trailing end of the lanyard is attached to a handle and a second or leading end of the lanyard is attached to a bell crank that is pivotally mounted to the inflator. In prior art inflators, the lanyard is tied or crimped to the bell crank. Typically, the bell crank has an aperture through which the leading end of the lanyard is passed and a knot or other suitable means, such as a crimping means, is employed to prevent separation of the lanyard from the bell crank. Thus, the lanyard and bell crank are separate components that require attachment to one another; since the bell crank is metallic and the lanyard is a cord means, the lanyard becomes frayed and worn from its abrasive contact with the bell crank. Similarly, the trailing end of the lanyard is attached to the handle by a similar tying or crimping technique.
Pulling the lanyard by pulling the handle thus rotates the bell crank about its pivot shaft and an arm of the bell crank cammingly engages and drives the pin into the gas cartridge. The escaping gases are routed to an inflation manifold confluent with the inflatable article and the article is rapidly inflated.
The length of the lanyard can vary several inches depending upon the application. Thus, most inflator manufacturers produce inflators having differing lanyard lengths. However, the art has never developed a method for the mass production of handles and bell cranks connected to one another by lanyards of differing lengths. Even more importantly, the art has never developed an apparatus or method for producing handle, lanyard and bell crank assemblies that are integrally formed as a monolithic unit. The prior art, when considered as a whole, neither teaches nor suggests how the limitations of the art could be overcome.


A sewing machine has at least one rotating top thread hook, the hook enclosing a bobbin housing which accommodates a bottom thread. A spring bar is mounted in the base of the sewing machine and has a free end for bearing against the bobbin housing. The free end of the spring bar is displaceable by the top thread as it is being looped. To prevent unwanted displacement or oscillation of the spring bar, a cam is disposed in the base closely adjacent to the free end of the spring bar. The cam prevents displacement of the free end beyond a predetermined range of displacement.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bobbin housing assembly in a sewing machine having at least one hook, and a tension spring which rests against the bobbin housing, and advantageously relates to a lockstitch sewing machine of this type.
2. Description of Related Art
A lockstitch sewing machine having a hook, a bobbin housing assembly which includes the hook, and a spring bar, is disclosed in Federal Republic of Germany Patent 34 46 547, having a U.S. counterpart U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,650. In this device, the spring bar rests against the bobbin housing. The spring bar is fastened to a carrier which, in turn, is fastened to the base plate of the lockstitch sewing machine. The carrier furthermore has two cams which are arranged essentially in the center region of the loop press-off side of the bobbin housing and which receive the spring bar between them. The obliquely directed spring bar assumes a position with respect to the cam which is towards the rear in the direction of rotation of the hook body, so that a larger clearance is always present between the free end of the spring bar and the surface of the rear cam facing it.
This device has the following disadvantage. In a lockstitch sewing machine operating with a high stitching rate, the spring bar begins to oscillate, and as a result, the position of the bobbin housing, which itself is held by the spring bar, becomes unstable. As a result of this, defects can arise in the sewing.
Another lockstitch sewing machine having a hook and a spring bar resting against the bobbin housing is disclosed in Federal Republic of Germany Patent 26 16 738, having U.S. counterpart U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,858. In this device, the bobbin housing has a holding finger which is received by two stops provided on a bottom side of the throat plate of the lockstitch sewing machine. Because of the relatively narrow passage clearances between the two stops and the holding finger, passage of the loop of the needle thread (top thread) can be impeded. Furthermore, the manner of operation of this spring bar is also not substantially vibration-free.

Bobbin housing assembly in a sewing machine having at least one hook


A plasma separator and mass filter system is described. In some aspects the system is designed and configured to cause a plasma in a vacuum chamber and to move charged particles therein axially and circumferentially towards one or more sets of collectors. Waste material is ejected from the system while the one or more collectors yield one or more corresponding products.

Rare earth elements (REEs) and other high value strategic materials are elements whose unique properties are essential to the manufacture of high-tech industrial, medical, and military technology. The REE group is considered to include the lanthanide elements: lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, promethium (does not occur naturally), neodymium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium. The elements yttrium and scandium are also included as they have similar chemical properties. Other materials to which aspects of this application is directed include tantalum, titanium, tungsten, niobium, lithium, palladium, vanadium, zirconium, beryllium, thorium and uranium. The above materials are referred to herein as strategic materials for simplicity. Those skilled in the art will appreciate analogous and similar materials to which the present disclosure can be applied as well.
The REEs and the other strategic materials are used in our cell phones, computers, and televisions, as well as in hybrid automobiles, high speed trains, wind turbines, lasers, sonar and fiber optics. They are also important to national security, as they are used in the manufacture of guided missiles, communications satellites, radar, early warning systems, and countless other military and defense items.
Tantalum metal is an example of a high value material that is widely used in its elemental form but found in nature in the form of a salt or oxide compound. Tantalum is used to make steels with desirable properties such as high melting point, high strength, and good ductility. These find use in aircraft and missile manufacture. Tantalum is relatively inert and thus useful in the chemical and nuclear industries. The metal is also highly biocompatible, therefore, tantalum has widespread use for surgical use. For instance, it can be used in sutures and as cranial repair plates. The metal is also used in the electronics industry for capacitors.
Uranium, in its enriched form, is of particular interest as a fuel for nuclear reactors in both commercial and military applications. The overall flow sheet for Uranium includes mining, milling (to produce yellow cake), conversion, and fabrication. Each comprises a number of sub-steps. Following use of the finished product in a nuclear reactor, spent fuel may be reprocessed and/or stabilized and stored. Means for reprocessing spent fuel and management of high level nuclear waste is of substantial consequence.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,429,691 is directed to a method for reducing titanium dioxide powder to elemental titanium. The method combines titanium dioxide powder melted into droplets, and hydrogen plasma, producing liquid titanium and water at the other end of the chamber. The injected hydrogen plasma serves to both heat the titanium dioxide and remove the oxygen from the titanium by reduction. The reaction occurs in a compressing magnetic field in order to prevent the contents from contacting the sides and melting them.
In one example of current practice, Tantalum is produced by metallothermic reduction of one of its salts. At approximately 800° C., solid potassium heptafluorotantalate (K2TaF7) and liquid sodium are added to a halide melt (known as a "diluent") where they react to produce solid tantalum in the form of powder. The process involves many unit operations prior to the reduction step in order to convert ore to high quality feed. Then, the reduction step relies on a batch process involving very dangerous liquid sodium at temperatures approaching its boiling point (883° C.). The sodium is delivered to the reactor in large vessels (railway tank cars) and stored on site. In this reactor it is difficult both to control particle size and to prevent particle agglomeration, which is critical to the production of high-grade powder for use in capacitors.
The above systems generally require highly reactive liquid sodium and costly potassium heptafluorotantalate double salt feedstock, and lack continuous throughput, and are based on batch operation methods, and further lack the capability to control particle size in the product tantalum powder.
Generally, when the constituents of a mixture or the elements within a compound have an electric charge, one method of separating them relies on accelerating the charged particles and passing them through a magnetic field that is perpendicular to their velocity. This technique of separation separates the particles based on their mass-to-charge ratio.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,677 is directed to a device for causing particles to move along curved paths inside a cylindrical chamber using perpendicular electric and magnetic fields, for the purpose of separating the particles. In this invention electrodes can be placed at one or both ends of the confined volume. The positively charged particles will rotate around the central axis and impart this motion to the uncharged particles through collisions. The concentration of heavier particles will be greater at greater radial distances, thus allowing separation.
One way of creating charged particles in a mixture or a chemical compound is by raising the temperature of the material to above that of its gas phase. This transforms it to a state of matter called plasma that is similar to the gas phase except that it has been heated to the degree that some portion of the molecular constituents have lost some of their electrons and are said to be "ionized". The chemical bonds are broken thermally—the degree of ionization depends on the temperature. A plasma is thus comprised of charged particles—generally positive ions and negative electrons.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,220 ("Plasma Mass Filter"), a drawing from which is reproduced in FIG. 1, which is directed to a process and device 10 for filtering low mass particles from high mass particles in a plasma by means of injecting the plasma into a cylindrical chamber having a magnetic field aligned with the axis, and a perpendicular electric field so as to cause a rotational movement of charged particles in the chamber. The magnitude of the magnetic and electric fields are adjusted such that the high mass particles escape radially and collide with the cylindrical wall, while the low mass particles are confined to travel within the walls.
The general function of a filter is quite different from that of a separator. While the former generally requires only that all particles above a certain mass are trapped and all below such a mass pass through—momentum resolution is not a critical design or performance issue. The latter must cleanly separate and collect specific particles that represent the ionic constituents of a particular metal product. Moreover, it is often the case that there is not a large difference in the relative mass of the product particles. For these applications it may be helpful to obtain a measure or parameter related to momentum resolution.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,240 is a continuation in part of U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,220 and discusses a non-cylindrical chamber and a plasma source being located midway down the chamber. In addition it provides a method for maintaining a multi-species plasma at a low enough density such that collisions between the particles are relatively infrequent, and introduces one or more collectors positioned to intercept high mass particles.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,235,202 is another continuation in part of U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,220, which discusses injecting vaporized material into the chamber, and then ionizing it inside the chamber to create a plasma.
In some aspects, the present systems and methods improve mineral extraction efficiency, reduce the price of REEs and other high value strategic materials, and reduce the time required to bring a new ore body into production.

Magneto-plasma separator and method for separation


The present disclosure aims to provide a communication system capable of achieving advanced security in a 5G communication system. The communication system according to the present disclosure includes: a communication terminal (10); an Access and Mobility Management (AMF) entity (20) configured to execute Mobility Management (MM) processing regarding the communication terminal (10); and a Session Management Function (SMF) entity (30) configured to execute Session Management (SM) processing regarding the communication terminal (10), in which the communication terminal (10) sends an MM message used in the MM processing, a first security key having been applied to the MM message, between the communication terminal and the AMF entity (20), and sends an SM message used in the SM processing, a second security key having been applied to the SM message, between the communication terminal and the SMF entity (30) via the AMF entity (20).

In recent years, as a radio communication system used between a communication terminal and a base station, Long Term Evolution (LTE), which is a standard defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), has become widespread. LTE is a radio communication system used to achieve high speed and large capacity radio communication. Further, as a core network that accommodates a radio network that uses LTE, a packet network called System Architecture Evolution (SAE), Evolved Packet Core (EPC) or the like is defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).
In the 3GPP, a radio communication system that achieves a higher speed and a larger capacity than those in LTE has been discussed, and a method of achieving a core network that accommodates a radio network that uses this radio communication system has also been discussed. This communication system may be referred to as a Next Generation (NextGen) System, a 5G communication system or the like. Further, the radio network used in the NextGen System may be referred to as Next Generation (NG) Radio Access Network (RAN).
Non-Patent Literature 1 discloses, in Sections 5.3 and 5.4, a configuration of a next-generation communication system. Non-Patent Literature 1 defines contents of processing regarding Mobility Management (MM) and Session Management (SM) regarding User Equipment (UE), which is a communication terminal.
Specifically, MM may include registration of a UE or a user who manages the UE in a mobile network and support of reachability for enabling mobile terminated communication. Further, MM may include detection of unreachable UE, allocation of a network function regarding Control (C)-Plane and User (U)-Plane, limitation of mobility or the like.
Further, the SM is to perform configuration of IP connectivity or non-IP connectivity for UE. In other words, the SM may include management or control of connectivity of the U-Plane.
In regard to the 3GPP, a discussion regarding Internet of Things (IoT) service has been taking place. In the IoT service, a large number of terminals that autonomously execute communication (hereinafter these terminals will be referred to as IoT terminals) without requiring a user's operation are used. In order to enable a service provider to provide the IoT service using a large number of IoT terminals, it has been desired to efficiently accommodate a large number of IoT terminals in a mobile network managed by a communication carrier or the like. The mobile network is a network including a radio network and a core network.
Non-Patent Literature 1 discloses, in Annex B, a configuration of a core network to which network slicing is applied. The network slicing is a technique for dividing a core network for each service to be provided in order to efficiently accommodate a large number of IoT terminals. Further, Non-Patent Literature 1 discloses, in Section 5.1, that customization and optimization are necessary for each divided network (a network slice system or a network slice).

Communication system, communication terminal, AMF entity, and communication method


A rolling block restraint connector for forming a moment resisting connection at a joint intersection between a continuous column and at least a first continuous beam that intersects the continuous column is disclosed. The connector includes a first restraint assembly, a second restraint assembly, wherein the second restraint assembly is configured to be located diagonally across the joint intersection from the first restraint assembly, a first linkage that couples the first restraint assembly with the second restraint assembly, the first linkage including (i) a first saddle configured to couple with an exterior of a first end of a first tubular shaft of the first restraint assembly, and (ii) a second saddle configured to couple with an exterior of a first end of a second tubular shaft of the second restraint assembly, and a second linkage that couples the first restraint assembly with the second restraint assembly.

Connections are formed and made to hold the structural framing members together to build physical structures such as walls, floors, roofs, towers, bridges, toys, and furniture. Various methods are utilized to form and make connections at the joints where structural framing members cross. Rigid moment connection joints made by processes such as welding, bolting or gluing are time consuming, complicated to make and need to be specifically designed on a case by case basis for the specific materials, size and sectional shapes to be joined. A connector that relies on external forces applied to the outside surface of structural members provides a moment resisting rigid connection independent of size, sectional shape and material joined. Such a connection would be highly valued to the general public for use as an element for structural framing and, in particular, for wood member connections.
Current RBR connectors that utilizing single-rod linkage are not clamped together laterally as a block shaft of an RBR connector has a linkage rod inserted through an aperture of the block shaft that acts as an obstruction for any clamping device. Additionally, the presence of an aperture in the block shaft weakens the block shaft, is difficult to properly fabricate, makes the block shaft usable for only one configuration and with the linkage rod installed obstructs the inside of the block shaft for lateral passage of a threaded rod. The disclosure presents an alternative to a RBR connector that utilizes a single-rod linkage.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Rolling block restraint connector for external restraint moment connections


A device for stabilizing catheters such as delivery catheters is disclosed. The device includes a radially expandable structure which extends from a proximal end to an opposing distal end. The expandable structure is secured to a stabilizer catheter at its proximal end. The device includes means to position the delivery catheter relative to the expandable structure. The means may include one or more attachment members arranged to extend distally from the distal end of the expandable structure. Each attachment member is coupleable to a connector projecting near a distal tip of the delivery catheter. The means may alternatively include one or more sleeves, each arranged for the respective one of the delivery catheters to insert therethrough. A retractable catheter sheath is moveable along the longitudinal axis of the expandable structure to extend the expandable structure between a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration. A kit for stabilizing catheters is also enclosed. The kit includes a delivery catheter. The delivery catheter may comprise a connector projecting near a distal end thereof for coupling the attachment member. A method of use of the device for the delivery of biocompatible materials is also disclosed.

It is known in the art to use catheters for delivery of biocompatible materials into tissues of a subject. For example, it is known in the field of cardiology to use anchor delivery catheters to deliver ventricular anchors in the myocardium in the left ventricle of the heart. It is desirable for a device to stabilize delivery catheters which can provide for precise, controlled and/or atraumatic delivery of biocompatible materials into a specific implantation location in the subject.

Device for stabilizing catheters and method of use thereof


A method of fabricating an integrated circuit chip package is provided in which a multi-chip module is formed by mounting a plurality of IC chips on a single silicon circuit board by means of flip-chip interconnection. Compared with a conventional multi-chip module in which, in order to obtain a uniform gap between IC chips and a silicon circuit board, metal bumps provided on both the silicon circuit board and the IC chips are used, such gap is defined in the present method by thicknesses of organic insulating films formed on both the IC chips and the circuit board. That is, height of metal bumps is selected such that it is smaller than a sum of the thicknesses of the insulating films and that closed spaces due to melting of solder for metal bump connection is prevented from being formed between the organic insulating films.

The present invention relates to a method of fabricating an integrated circuit (IC) chip package and, particularly, to a method of fabricating a multi-chip module using flip-chip bonding technique (interconnection).
As a means for increasing electronic circuit density, a printed-circuit board (PCB) has been used heretofore. A number of IC devices (including LSIs, VLSIs), together with other circuit elements and interconnections between such IC devices and circuit elements, are mounted on a PCB and connections to external circuits are realized by printed wirings on the PCB and/or connectors provided thereon. Each of such IC devices is provided as a single chip package which contains a single IC chip which is usually sealed. Therefore, in order to increase the electronic circuit density on a PCB, it is necessary to increase the wiring density on the PCB so that a larger number of single chip IC devices can be mounted on the PCB. However, since respective IC devices have certain size and the wirings have certain width, it is impossible to increase the circuit density of the PCB beyond a certain limit. Therefore, it is difficult to make a PCB-based device sufficiently compact. Further, in the PCB-based device, it is difficult to dissipate heat generated in respective IC devices. Further, since it is difficult to shorten signal paths within the device, the upper limit of the signal bit rate capable of being processed in that device is low.
As a means for solving these problems, a multi-chip IC package has been proposed, which comprises a ceramic substrate having a multi-layered wiring and a plurality of IC chips mounted thereon and connected to the wiring. In such ceramic substrate-based multi-chip package, the requirements of compactness, improved reliability and shortened signal path can be achieved. However, the problem of heat dissipation can not be fully solved due to the low thermal conductivity of the ceramic substrate. In addition to this, a problem of destruction of IC chips occurs due to differences in thermal expansion between the IC chips and the ceramic substrate.
In view of these difficulties with the ceramic substrate, the use of a silicon substrate rather than the ceramic substrate has been proposed. A silicon wiring substrate has a heat conductivity high enough to solve the problem of heat dissipation and hence the problem of thermal expansion difference. In addition, the use of a silicon substrate is advantageous since the state-of-art techniques for fabricating IC chips which includes lithography technique, inter-layer wiring technique, etc., can be directly used for processing of the silicon circuit substrate. Further, since respective IC chips to be mounted on the silicon circuit substrate in accordance with the multi-chip scheme may be tested after their diffusion processes, the reliability of an assembled multi-chip module becomes high. Further, IC chips to be mounted on the circuit board can be flexibly combined. For example, a combination of MOS IC chips and bipolar IC chips, a combination of MOS IC chips and compound semiconductor IC chips, etc., may be possible. (The above-mentioned prior arts are disclosed in John K. Hagge, "Ultra-Reliable Packaging for Silicon-on-Silicon WSI", IEEE Transactions on Components, Hybrids, and Manufacturing Technology, Vol. 12, No. 2 (Jun. 1989), P. 170 to 179.)
In order to effectively dissipate heat, it is usual to attach a member such as a heat sink intimately onto a surface of a silicon circuit board which is opposite to that on which IC chips are mounted, by means of suitable adhesive. With this construction, heat produced in a plurality of IC chips is transmitted through the silicon circuit board to the heat sink, resulting in insufficient heat dissipation. Particularly, in a multi-chip module having a structure in which a gap is left as it is between the IC chips and the silicon circuit board, the heat dissipation effect is usually insufficient.
A module construction in which a plurality of IC chips are mounted on a silicon circuit board through flip-chip interconnection in face-down configuration and in which the heat sink member is intimately attached to a rear surface of the chip may be optimum for heat dissipation. However, in order to assure the heat dissipation effect, it is necessary that the rear surfaces of the IC chips mounted on the silicon circuit board in a face-down manner are coplanar and the intimate contact of the respective rear surfaces of the IC chips with the heat sink is maintained. That is, it is necessary that the respective IC chips are uniformly fixed on the silicon circuit board. However, when the chips are not uniformly positioned on the substrate but, for example, are tilted relative to the plane of the substrate, a gap may be left between the heat sink men%her and the IC chips, resulting in a degraded thermal conduction therebetween and hence degraded heat dissipation.
The arrangement of the plurality of IC chips fixed on the silicon circuit board with a uniform gap therebetween in thickness direction of the chips is usually realized by using metal bumps provided on either or both of the IC chips and the circuit board for interconnection of the flip-chip. According to the method disclosed in, for example, Japanese Kokai (P) 63-141356 published on Jun. 13, 1988, metal bumps each of Cu or Au whose height is larger than a thickness of a surface insulating film of SiO.sub.2 or SiN formed on an IC chip are formed. On the other hand, the insulating film is formed with holes at positions corresponding to these ]Dumps and solder of Sn, Pb and In, etc., is disposed in each of the holes. The solder is melted when the holes and the bumps are mated with each other, so that the IC chips are fixed to the silicon circuit board. The metal bumps substantially define the gap between the IC chips and the silicon circuit board and the solder contributes to finely regulate the gap.
A technique in which electric connection between IC chips and a silicon circuit board is performed by using not solder but the shrinking effect of photo-polymerizing resin with light illumination has been proposed (cf. R. Harada et al., "Applications of New Assembly Method "Micro Bump Bonding Method"", International Electronic Manufacturing Technology symposium, from P. 47). In this technique, a gap between the IC chip and the silicon circuit board is mainly determined by a sum of heights of metal bumps of Au provided on both the IC chip and the silicon circuit board and the photo-polymerizing resin is used such that the metal bumps are reliably connected electrically when the bumps are mated with each other. As is clear from this construction, it is impossible to finely regulate the gap between the chip and the circuit board after the adhesive resin is photo-polymerized.
The technique disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Kokai is advantageous over other prior art techniques in that the gap between the IC chip and the silicon circuit board can be regulated finely by means of the solder disposed in the holes of the surface insulating film. However, there remains the disadvantage that, when the metal bumps of the IC chips are fitted in the holes of the insulating film on the silicon circuit board, a hollow cylindrical gap whose boundary is defined by the molten solder, the side wall of the hole and the bottom portion of the metal bump, is formed in each hole. Air enclosed in these cylindrical gaps may expand by temperature increase after assembling of a multi-chip module, deforming the members defining the space or, in the worst case, destroying a portion of these members. In the conventional technique using solder, the connection and fixing of the IC chips are performed in a single step and, after being fixed, it is difficult to selectively replace a defective IC chip or chips with new one or ones when such defect is detected.

Method of fabricating integrated circuit chip package