The present invention relates to a process by which whey permeates or blends thereof can be converted to a modified whey powder (MWP) having low mineral content, low hygroscopicity, and advantageous organoleptic properties using a combination of ion-exchange demineralization and crystallization. The modified whey powder thus obtained is suitable for dry applications in the production of food products. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a modified whey powder (MWP) obtainable by said process and to products comprising said modified whey powder (MWP), such as confectionery, biscuits, and powdered soft drinks.

There are, in general, two kinds of whey that are produced as by-products during processing of milk in the manufacture of dairy products such as cheese and curd. These are commonly referred to as sweet whey and sour whey.
Sweet whey is also termed cheese whey and is produced during cheese making, when rennet (an enzyme derived from a calf's stomach) is used for curdling. The pH value of sweet whey can range between 5.2 and 6.7.
Sour whey comprises the whey type commonly known as acid whey and curd or cottage-cheese whey. Acid whey, also known as casein whey, originates from the manufacture of casein by means of lactic acid, lactic acid generating bacteria or hydrochloric acid. As suggested by their names, curd or cottage-cheese whey are produced during the manufacture of quark and cottage-cheese. Lactic acid generated by natural fermentation imparts a high acidity to the whey such that the pH values of these types of whey typically range from 3.8 to 4.6.
In some cases, sour sweet whey is also considered encompassed by this term although this may appear incorrect. If insufficient care is given to sweet whey (cheese whey) it becomes sour by continued natural fermentation and is then referred to as sour sweet whey. This additional fermentation process is usually not desired.
Typical compositions of these types of whey are shown in the following table:
SWEETSOURWHEYWHEYSolids (% by weight)6.4-6.86.8Lactose (% by weight)4.84.3-4.4Protein (% by weight)0.750.8Fat (% by weight)0.05<0.01Ash (% by weight)0.60.80pH6.14.6Reference: Zadow, J. G.: Whey and lactose processing, Elsevier Applied Science, 1992
If the whey is treated by means of ultrafiltration to recover valuable proteins, the product stream with lower protein content is the so-called whey permeate. Whey permeate is therefore also a by-product of cheese manufacture which accrues during protein recovery from whey by means of ultrafiltration.
Its use in downstream dairy processes and food production is limited due to the high mineral content and the poor sweetness. Therefore, so far whey permeate is brought to the market as a very low value product, being used in fertilizer and animal feed.
Applications of whey permeate creating more value are desirable. This could be accomplished by providing a method to transform whey permeate into a raw material for "dry applications" such as confectionery, biscuits, powdered soft drinks and other categories.
In the past, sweet whey powder (SWP) has been employed as a low-price substitute for sucrose in confectioneries and, in particular, in chocolate. However, any further increase of the SWP content and, thus, a further reduction of the costs of the ingredients is limited by                the mineral content which leads to undesirable off-flavours,        the high content of α-lactose which is the crystalline form of lactose usually resulting from spray-drying and which causes a powdery mouthfeel and lack of sweetness, both of which is undesirable in chocolate products, and, independently,        the whey proteins present in SWP are not available for other economically more beneficial applications such as valuable nutrition products although they appear to have no functionality in chocolate products.
In particular in view of the latter issue, it is desirable to replace the SWP in chocolate products by another raw material that is available at lower costs, for instance, a powdery raw material derived from whey, in particular, whey permeate.
It is essential that such a raw material for dry applications has immaculate flavour properties and processability, i.e. no salty or metallic off-flavour and a low tendency of caking. The latter is important not only for later applications but also during manufacture, for instance, by spray-drying. Advantageous caking properties can be achieved if the formation of amorphous forms of lactose during drying is avoided. Furthermore, whey permeates originating from cottage cheese and casein production is known to be difficult to dry due to its high content of lactic acid. It tends to agglomerate and form lumps upon spray-drying. Independently, a method has to be found to lower the mineral content of whey permeate.
Removal of minerals in whey and whey permeate has, for instance, been addressed in the following prior art documents:
Zadow (in "Whey and Lactose Processing", Elsevier 1992, pages 83-85) discloses the processes of ion-exchange, lactose crystallization and spray-drying and shows some linkage between them. The reference mentions the influence of crystallization on the hygroscopicity of the product and, hence, on the processability during spray-drying, but the reference does not teach that this step is not sufficient to achieve good processability, but a previous demineralization step is necessary.
WO 02/50089 discloses a method for purification of lactose in a whey product using two demineralization steps and an additional crystallization step. The second demineralization step includes the addition of alcohol in order to precipitate minerals. This reference is related to the production of edible high-purity lactose (99.8%). Treating the whey with ion-exchange resin(s) is mentioned as a method suitable for the first demineralization step in order to remove divalent ions, although disadvantages of an ion-exchange step are discussed.
US Patent Publication 2003/0000894 discloses a process for treating liquids, such as a citric acid fermentation broth, including a nanofiltration step and an ion-exchange step.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,475,390 and EP-A-01541032, both emanating from PCT/AU98/00588, disclose a process for purifying biological molecules, such as lactose, from dairy streams, such as sweet cheese whey permeate or acid whey permeate, which combines two demineralization steps. A cation exchanger is used to remove the divalent cations in the first step and nanofiltration is used to remove monovalent ions in the second step. The permeate of the nanofiltration step is used to regenerate the ion exchanger resins.
EP-A-0083325 discloses a process for the manufacture of a sweetener, in which lactose is dissolved in water and subsequently hydrolyzed to glucose and galactose by means of a strongly acidic cation exchanger.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,701, U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,700, EP-A-0315135, and EP-A-0835610 disclose processes for removing at least a portion of salts contained in whey by means of electro-deionization using ion-exchange membranes. U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,700 and EP-A-0835610 mention that demineralized milk and milk derivatives may be useful for replacing skimmed milk in the manufacture of confectionery-chocolate. Acid whey and sweet whey obtained from an ultrafiltration step are mentioned as starting materials for the disclosed deionization process. However, neither of these prior art references contain any teaching regarding the organoleptic properties of the obtained demineralized whey products and their suitability in confectionery such as chocolate and other products. Thus, there still remains a need for solutions to the problems outlined hereinabove, viz. to provide a process for producing whey powder from whey permeate suitable to be used in biscuits, powdered soft drinks, and confectionery products, including chocolate products.

Modified whey powder and process for producing the same


A nozzle assembly that produces a cone-shaped spray pattern of entrained liquid droplets is disclosed. The nozzle includes an ultrasonic atomizer for atomizing a liquid on an atomizing surface located at the end of an atomizing stem. The nozzle assembly is supplied pressurized air that is directed to the atomizing surface by intercommunicating ports, chambers and/or channels. To provide the cone-shaped spray pattern, the ports, chambers and/or channels cause or direct the pressurized gas to rotate about the atomizing stem. When the rotating pressurized gas exits the nozzle assembly via proximate the atomizing surface, atomized liquid droplets become entrained in the gas. The rotating pressurized gas propels the droplets forward and moves at least some droplets circumferentially outward in the cone-shaped spray pattern. In various embodiments, the pressure of the gas can be adjusted to control the size and shape of the cone-shaped pattern and the distribution of droplets.

It is known to use spray nozzles to produce a spray for a wide variety of industrial applications including, for example, coating a surface with a liquid. Typically, in a spray nozzle coating application, liquid is atomized by the spray nozzle into a mist or spray of droplets which is directed and deposited onto a surface or substrate to be coated. The actual droplet size of the atomized liquid and the shape or pattern of the spray discharged from the nozzle can be selected depending upon a variety of factors including the size of the object being coated and the liquid being atomized. Other applications for nozzles may include cooling applications or mixing of gases.
One known technique for atomizing liquids into droplets is to direct pressurized gas such as air into a liquid and thereby mechanically break the liquid down into droplets. In such gas atomization techniques, it can be difficult to control and/or minimize the size and consistency of the droplets. Another known type of spray nozzle is an ultrasonic atomizing nozzle assembly that utilizes ultrasonic energy to atomize a liquid into a cloud of small, fine droplets which is almost smoke-like in consistency. However, because of the fine size of the droplets and mist-like consistency of the atomized droplets, it can be difficult to control and direct them as a spray towards the surface to be coated. Moreover, because the fine droplets have little mass, the droplets may drift or become thinly dispersed shortly after discharge from the spray nozzle. The uniformity and/or distribution of the droplets within a pattern may be difficult to control and may deteriorate rapidly after discharge from the nozzle assembly making it difficult to coat a surface evenly. Because ultrasonically produced spray patterns made up of such fine droplets are difficult to shape and control, their use in many industrial applications is disadvantageously affected.

Ultrasonic atomizing nozzle with cone-spray feature


A copper-alloy foil used for a laminate sheet achieves 5.0N/cm or more of 180xc2x0 peeling strength when thermally fusion-bonded with liquid crystal polymer. The copper-alloy foil contains one or more of from 0.01 to 2.0% of Cr and from 0.01 to 1.0% of Zr. An oxide layer and occasionally a rust-proof film present on the outermost surface is 10 nm or less. The electrical conductivity is 50% IACS.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a copper-alloy foil to be used for a laminate sheet of a printed circuit board.
2. Description of Related Art
The printed circuit board, which is frequently used for the electronic circuit of electronic machines, is roughly classified, depending upon the kind of base resin, as a rigid board comprising glass-epoxy material or paper-phenol, and a flexible board comprising polyimide or polyester. Copper foil is mainly used as the conducting material of the printed circuit board. The copper foil is classified, depending upon the production process, as electro-deposited copper foil and wrought copper foil. The electro-deposited copper foil is produced by means of electrolytically precipitating copper from a copper sulfate bath on a titanium or stainless-steel drum. The wrought copper foil is produced by means of plastically forming copper by rolling rolls. A characteristic of the wrought copper foil resides in that the surface profile of the rolling rolls is printed on the surface of a foil, so that the foil has a smooth surface. Incidentally, a sheet having 100 xcexcm or less of thickness is generally referred to as the foil.
Resin substrates and copper foils are laminated by using a binder, followed by heating and exerting pressure to the binder to cure it. A printed circuit board is thus manufactured. Polyimide resin film and polyester resin film have heretofore been mainly used as the resin substrate of a flexible board. Wrought copper foil is mainly used as the foil of a flexible board, because it has good flexibility.
A binder consisting of a thermosetting resin such as epoxy resin and the like is used for laminating a copper foil and the resin. The laminated copper foil and resin is heated and subjected to pressure at 130 to 170xc2x0 C. for 1 to 2 hours. The binder is thus cured. The copper foil is then etched to form it into various circuit patterns. The electronic parts are connected and mounted on the conductor patterns by solder. Since the materials of the printed circuit board are repeatedly exposed to such high temperature, they are required to be heat-resistant. Lead-free solder is used in recent years in the light of anti-environmental pollution concerns. The melting point of the lead-free solder becomes accordingly high with the result that higher heat-resistance is required for the printed circuit board. Polyimide, which exhibits higher heat resistance than polyester, is therefore broadly used.
The flexible substrate is characterized by its flexibility. The flexible substrate is, therefore, used for the conductors of movable parts and can, thus, be mounted in the electronic machines in a bent state. The flexible board is, therefore space-saving material. In addition, since the flexible substrate is thin, it is used for the interposer of a semiconductor package or an IC tape carrier of a liquid-crystal display. The width of the conductors and the inter-conductor spacing of an electronic circuit are narrowed, since high-density mounting is required in these applications. However, since the polyimide resin used broadly in the flexible substrate is hygroscopic, it may detrimentally absorb moisture of the atmosphere and deform, unless it is handled under a dry state subsequent to laminating the copper foil to the polyimide by heating and pressure application. When the printed circuit board, for which the polyimide is used, is delineated to such fine pitch as required in recent years, a problem in dimensional stability arises. The frequency of electric signals is increased in personal computers and communication from a traveling body. The resin substrate having a small relative dielectric constant is required to cope with the frequency increase mentioned above.
Employment of liquid crystal polymer is considered to meet the requirements of a resin substrate used in the printed circuit board described above. The liquid crystal polymer is a super-engineering plastic and is classified as thermotropic type and lyotropic type. The thermotropic liquid crystal is used for the printed circuit board. The thermotropic liquid crystal is characterized by high strength, chemical resistance, lower hygroscopicity and superior dimension as stability compared to the polyimide. The relative dielectric constant of the liquid crystal is approximately 3.0 and is thus lower than the approximately 3.5 of polyimide. The liquid crystal is, therefore, suitable for the resin substrate used under high frequency. Although the liquid crystal belongs to the aromatic polyester-based thermoplastic resin, the liquid crystal exhibits excellent heat resistance and can be used for such an application to be solder-bonded. Meanwhile, since the liquid crystal softens upon heating to the melting point or higher, when the copper foil as the conductor material and the liquid-crystal polymer are heated and subjected to pressure, they can be laminated under thermal fusion-bonding without a binder.
Regarding the polyimide resin broadly used at present for the printed circuit board, its coefficient of thermal expansion is 2.7xc3x9710xe2x88x925/xc2x0 C. and is different from that of copper, i.e., 1.6xc3x9710xe2x88x925/xc2x0 C. The printed circuit board is, therefore, liable to deflect during heating. On the other hand, the molecules of the liquid crystal are in the form of thin rods, and hence the coefficient of thermal expansion is different in the directions of longitudinal axis and the short axis of molecules. It is, therefore, possible to control the orientation of the molecular arrangement of the liquid crystal and to utilize these properties thus to adjust the coefficient of thermal expansion. The thermal coefficient of the liquid crystal can be made to agree with that of the copper, i.e., the conductor material. As a result, the printed circuit board becomes difficult to deflect. Although the liquid crystal and the copper foil can be laminated with a binder, when the binder having a different coefficient of thermal expansion from that of the liquid crystal and copper is sandwiched between them, the dimensional stability is impaired. Desirably, the liquid crystal and the copper foil are directly laminated to retain high dimensional stability of the printed circuit board.
Pure copper or a copper alloy with small additive elements is used as the copper foil-conductors. Since the fine pitch of copper conductors, narrowing and thinning of electronic circuits are concurrently realized, the copper foil is required to have small loss of direct-current resistance and high electrical conductivity. Copper is a material having excellent electrical conductivity. In the application, where importance is attached to the electrical conductivity, pure copper having 99.9% or more of purity is generally used. However, the heat resistance of copper is drastically lowered with the increase in purity. When copper having higher purity is laminated on a resin substrate such as polyimide substrate or is heated during the solder bonding, the copper foil more detrimentally deforms or fractures, thereby lowering its reliability Therefore, both electrical conductivity and heat resistance are required.
It has been attempted to thermally fusion-bond the liquid crystal resin-substrate and copper foil without a binder as follows. A film of the liquid crystal polymer and a wrought copper foil are heated to the melting point of the liquid crystal polymer or higher and are subjected to pressure by means of a heating press machine or heating rollers. The adherence of the liquid crystal and the wrought copper foil turned out, however, to be poor, and they were likely to peel. Specifically, when the liquid crystal having the structural formula given below and copper foil are thermally fusion-bonded at 345xc2x0 C., the 180xc2x0 peeling strength (according to the stipulation of JIS C 5016) of the resultant laminate is only approximately 4N/cm.
The copper foil conductor is likely to peel from the liquid crystal of the printed circuit board. Such problems as fracture of the conductor are likely to arise. The printed circuit board, in which the liquid crystal polymer is used, has, therefore, not be practically used.
The peeling strength required for a printed circuit board is dependent upon the conditions of process and the environment in which the electronic machines are used. However, generally speaking, 5.0N/cm or more of 180xc2x0 peeling strength is considered to enable practical application of the printed circuit board. Therefore, the target value of 180xc2x0 peeling strength according to the present invention is 5.0N/cm or more. In addition, the target value of electrical conductivity is 50% IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard) or more. The target value of heat resistance is determined by consideration for taking soldering with electronic parts or thermal fusion-bonding with the liquid crystal polymer. The thermal resistance is defined by the value of the heating temperature, at which the tensile strength after heating for 1 hour is reduced to an intermediate level between that of prior to heating and that after fully annealed. The target value of heating temperature is 350xc2x0 C. or more.
It is an object of the present invention to improve the adherence to such a level that the liquid crystal polymerxe2x80x94copper foil laminate can be practically used as the printed circuit board.
It is a specific object of the present invention to provide a copper-alloy foil exhibiting improved adherence with respect to the liquid crystal polymer.
The present inventors added a small amount of additive element(s) to pure copper, exhibiting excellent electrical conductivity and discovered that adherence with respect to the liquid crystal polymer is improved by the additive element(s). More specifically, there is provided the following copper foils exhibiting both high electrical conductivity and improved adherence with respect to the liquid crystal polymer.
(1) Copper-alloy foil used for a laminate sheet contains, by weight percentage, one or more of from 0.01 to 2.0% of Cr and from 0.01 to 1.0% of Zr, the balance being copper and unavoidable impurities, and comprises on the outermost surface a 10 nm or less (excluding 0 nm) thick oxide layer and occasionally a rust-proof film, and 50% IACS or more of electrical conductivity, and 5.0N/cm or more of 180xc2x0 peeling strength when thermally fusion-bonded with the liquid crystal polymer.
(2) Copper-alloy foil used for a laminate sheet contains, by weight percentage, one or more of from 0.01 to 2.0% of Cr and from 0.01 to 1.0% of Zr, and further contains from 0.005 to 2.5% in total of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ag, Al, Be, Co, Fe, Mg, Ni, P. Pb, Si, Sn, Ti and Zn, the balance being copper and unavoidable impurities, and comprises on the outermost surface a 10 nm or less (excluding 0 nm) thick oxide layer and occasionally a rust-proof film, and 50% IACS or more of electrical conductivity, and 5.0N/cm or more of 180xc2x0 peeling strength when thermally fusion-bonded with the liquid crystal polymer.
(3) Copper-alloy foil according to (1) or (2) has 350xc2x0 C. or more of heating temperature, at which the tensile strength after heating for 1 hour is intermediate between that prior to heating and that after fully annealed.
The reasons for limiting the alloy composition as mentioned above are hereinafter described.
(1) Cr, Zr: Cr and Zr are known to have a catalytic effect to promote polymerization of resin. This effect of Cr and Zn added to the copper may enhance the adherence of the copper alloy with respect to the liquid crystal. Since Cr and Zr are active elements, they seem to promote bonding between the metal and resin. When the addition amounts Cr and Zr are too small, the catalyzing effect and hence the bonding between the metal and resin is unsatisfactory. Improvement in the adherence is, therefore, slight. In order to attain 5.0N/cm or more of 180xc2x0 peeling strength, which is necessary for the practical printed circuit board, 0.01% by weight or more of at least one of Cr and Zr must be added. The greater the addition amount of Cr and/or Zr, the better is the adherence.
On the other hand, Cr and Zr may segregate during casting along with the increase in their addition amounts, with the result that coarse crystals may be formed. The metallic material, including the coarse crystals, has poor hot-workability and may be fractured during the hot-rolling. The upper limits of Cr and Zr are, therefore, 2.0% by weight and 1.0% by weight, respectively. A copper-alloy foil laminated with liquid crystal polymer to form a printed circuit board should contain the alloying elements, within the following ranges i.e., from 0.01 to 2.0% by weight of Cr and from 0.01 to 1.0% by weight of Zr.
(2) Ag, Al, Be, Co, Fe, Mg, Ni, P, Pb, Si, Sn, Ti and Zn: Any one of Ag, Al, Be, Co, Fe, Mg, Ni, P, Pb, Si, Sn, Ti and Zn is effective for enhancing heat resistance of the copper alloy. One or more of these elements are added if necessary. When the total amount of these elements is less than 0.005% by weight, the achievements due to the above effects fall short of the desired levels. On the other hand, when the total amount of these elements exceeds 2.5% by weight, the electrical conductivity, soldering property and workability are seriously impaired. The total content of Ag, Al, Be, Co, Fe, Mg, Ni, P, Pb, Si, Sn, Ti and Zn is, therefore, from 0.005 to 2.5% by weight.
Incidentally, the epoxy resin, which is generally used in the plastic semiconductor package, attains high adherence even if an oxide film (layer) is present on the surface of the copper alloy. The epoxy resin has the following structural formula.
For example, Japanese Patent Publication Kokai No. 10-93006 describes that the material of the lead frame is a copper alloy, which contains from 0.05 to 0.4% of Cr, from 0.03 to 0.25% of Zr, and from 0.06 to 2.0% of Zn, the balance being copper and unavoidable impurities, and which has an oxide film on the surface thereof. The adherence of the plastic semiconductor package is high due to the copper alloy mentioned above. This is attributable to the fact that the adherence of the epoxy resin and copper alloy is enhanced due to the hydrogen bond between the hydroxyl group contained mainly in the epoxy resin and the oxygen atoms of the oxide formed on the copper alloy. The additive elements improve the adherence between the copper material and the oxide film.
However, it was discovered that a thick oxide-layer of the copper alloy impedes the catalytic effect mentioned above to polymerize liquid crystal having the structural formula (1) mentioned above. Improvement of adherence with the resin is, therefore, not realized. In addition, benzotriazole or the like is usually applied to the foil to prevent further oxidation of the foil surface from advancing. A rust-proof film is thus formed on the foil surface. When the rust-proof film is too thick, it decomposes during the heating of the resin and laminating with the foil. The rust-proof film is, therefore, liable to peel from the foil. As a result, the adherence with the resin is, therefore, lowered. Based on the researches by the present inventors, the thickness of the oxide layer should be limited to 10 nm or less measured from the surface of the foil material, so as to prevent the decrease of adherence. In a case that a rust-proof layer is present, its thickness should also be limited to 10 nm or less measured from the surface of the foil, as well.
The thickness of the oxide layer and the rust-proof film from the surface of the foil can be quantitatively measured by means of Auger electron spectroscopy. That is, the Auger electron spectroscopy is carried out in the depth direction. The xe2x80x9cthickness of the oxide layerxe2x80x9d is the thickness of the layer from the surface, where the detection intensity of oxygen becomes to an identical level as that of the background. The measurement is converted to SiO2. The xe2x80x9cthickness of the rust-proof filmxe2x80x9d is the thickness of the layer from the surface, where the detection intensity of nitrogen, i.e., a constituent atom of the rust-proof film, becomes to an identical level as that of the background. The measurement is converted to SiO2.

Copper-alloy foil to be used for laminate sheet


A process for producing an isotopically enriched compound of a desired isotope includes (a) providing a cryogenic reaction zone containing a catalyst adapted to catalyze an isotope exchange reaction at a cryogenic reaction temperature, (b) feeding to the cryogenic reaction zone an enriched mixture comprising at least a compound containing the desired isotope, wherein the enriched mixture is enriched in the desired isotope above a natural abundance of the desired isotope, (c) reacting the enriched mixture in the cryogenic reaction zone thereby forming a resulting mixture containing the isotopically enriched compound, and (d) separating the resulting mixture into an enriched product which is enriched in the isotopically enriched compound and a depleted product which is depleted in the isotopically enriched compound.

The present invention relates to a process for producing an isotope of an element and more particularly to isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen, specifically deuterium (D2) and 18O.
Deuterium is a naturally occurring, stable isotope of hydrogen. Deuterium is found in very low concentrations in the environment; its concentration is only 150×10−6 atomic fraction (natural abundance). The nucleus of deuterium contains one additional neutron, which results in differences in the physical and atomic properties when compared to hydrogen.
Deuterium can be made by the following exchange reaction: 2(HD)=H2+D2.
Deuterium is useful in the following applications:
1. Replacement of hydrogen in any molecule due to the same electronic structure as hydrogen; deuterium is often used as a tracer atom to discern the reaction mechanism for chemical reactions. See Melander et al., Reaction Rates of Isotopic Molecules, Wiley, New York (1980).
2. Nuclear fuel in fusion nuclear reactors.
3. Preparation of heavy water; deuterated water (D2O) is used in heavy water nuclear reactors. Deuterated water has less of a tendency to slow down neutron emitted during the fission reaction, thereby allowing the use of lower purity uranium fuel.
4. Replacement of hydrogen in annealing the silicon/silicon oxide gate interface in integrated circuits as described in WO 94/19829 to Lisenker et al. The bond dissociation energy of the Si-D bond is 72.3 Kcal/mol as compared to 71.5 Kcal/mol for the Si—H bond. This slight difference in bond energy is enough to prevent bond dissociation in the presence of high-energy electrons at the silicon/silicon oxide interface. This leads to substantially longer device lifetime for circuits annealed in deuterium versus those annealed in hydrogen.
5. Annealing optical fibers. The presence of O—H in glass fibers leads to substantial loss of signal in the near IR (1.3 to 1.55 μm). Fibers annealed in deuterium have O-D bonds, which are transparent in this region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Isotopes can be produced by a variety of methods. One such method is a reactive separation process, which utilizes isotope-exchange-reaction equilibrium between gas and liquid components to affect isotope enrichment. The Girdler-Sulfide (GS) process is the most common method of deuterium enrichment to produce heavy water. The process utilizes the reaction between water and H2S as described by Rae, H. K. (1978), "Selecting Heavy Water Processes" in Separation of Hydrogen Isotopes, ACS Symposium Series 68, ACS, Washington, pp. 1–26. This process requires high liquid and gas flowrates (i.e. large vessels). In addition, the process requires handling corrosive streams.
Other reactive separation processes utilize H2/D2 gas mixtures reacting with ammonia, methylamine, or water in the presence of a catalyst to facilitate the exchange reaction. The exchange rate constant, even in the presence of the catalyst, is a factor of 10 to 100 times slower than the GS process. Thus, these reactive separation processes are less useful.
Another method for producing isotopes uses inorganic gas separation membranes comprising Pd at elevated temperatures. See, Sanchez et al., "Current Developments and Future Research in Catalytic Membrane Reactors," in Fundamentals of Inorganic Membrane Science and Technology Ed. by A. J. Burggraaf and L. Cot, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 529–568 (1996); Suzuki et al., J. At Energy Soc. Jpn., 26 (1984), pps. 802 and 999; Suzuki et al., Nuclear Technology, 103 (1993), pp. 93–100.
Isotopes can also be produced by cryogenic processes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,871 to Bartlit et al. describes a cryogenic distillation process for the separation of a mixture of hydrogen, D2 and T2 in which the concentration is approximately 50% D2, 50% T2 and 1% H2. The system consists of four cryogenic distillation columns and two catalytic reactors for isotope exchange at room temperature. In the process, the overhead product containing HD is removed as waste, while the bottom output, HT and D2, are removed and sent to a second reactor.
Embury et al., AlChE Symposium Series (251), vol. 82 (1986), pp. 13–18 described a cryogenic distillation process for recovering three isotopes of hydrogen from a mixed feed. The process is used to recover tritium from nuclear reactor waste streams. The process consists of three interconnected distillation columns and two catalytic isotope exchange reactors. The distillation columns are operated at about 24° K., and the exchange reactors filled with a platinum catalyst are operated at 300° K. Embury et al. does not disclose using a reactive distillation or a cryogenic exchange reaction.
Clusius et al., Z. Naturforsch, 4 A: 549 in Nuclear Chemical Engineering (1949) describe feeding cold hydrogen to a primary column and concentrate HD to 5%–10%. The HD-free hydrogen distillate is compressed and returned to the first column as reflux after first being used as a heat source for the reboilers. A smaller double column downstream purifies the HD in the bottom of the upper column in preparation for the exchange reaction. The HD exchange reaction was done in a separate fixed bed at room temperature. The reactor effluent is fed to the lower column where D2 is recovered as a bottom output and the H2—HD distillate is recycled back to the upper column. Several shortcomings of this process are inability to produce liquid H2 and inability to use structured packing instead of trays in the distillation column.
Similar pilot plant experiments concentrating HD from natural hydrogen feed are further described. See, Timmerhaus et al., "Low Temperature Distillation of Hydrogen Isotopes", Chem. Engr. Prog., 54(6) (1958), pp. 35–46; Timmerhaus et al., Cryogenic Process Engineering, Plenum Press, (1989), pp. 358–359. However, none of the above references disclosed a process wherein both the distillation and the exchange reaction are conducted at cryogenic temperatures.
The process disclosed in Timmerhaus et al. (1989) does not use a deuterium-depleted reflux in the distillation column. This results in deuterium losses due to immediate flash of the feed on the top tray. In addition, the overhead of the first column is used to condense the feed to the column, so that only gaseous hydrogen is produced. The feed is partly expanded to provide the reboiler duty to the first column and partly used to provide the reboiler duty in the D2-sump of the second column.
Kanda et al., "Experimental Research on the Rectification of Liquid Hydrogen to Obtain Deuterium" in Proceedings of the Second United Nations International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy 4:550 (1958) uses hydrogen as the cooling fluid and the primary column only achieves 90%–95% yield of HD from H2.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,216,800 to Stouls describes a double distillation column to concentrate HD from 290 ppm to approximately 4 mol %. A second double column concentrates HD in the upper column and recovers D2 and T2 as a side stream and a bottom output of the lower column. The HD exchange reaction was done in a separate fixed bed at non-cryogenic temperatures. Deuterium yield was less than 50%.
Oxygen exchange reactions are known in the literature and oxygen isotope separation by distillation is also known in the prior art. The oxygen exchange reaction is analogous to the H2 exchange reaction and can be described by the following equation:2(16O18O)=2(16O)+2(18O)
Naturally existing O2 contains 99.76% (16O), 0.21% (18O) and trace amounts of (17O).
Gorgoraki et al. (1964) studied oxygen exchange on zinc oxide at 79° K (see "A Study of the Homomolecular Exchange of Oxygen on ZnO at Low Temperatures" Kinetics and Catalysis 5(1), pp.120–127). Gorgoraki et al. reported stable activity over several hours and an apparent activation energy of 0.18 kcal/mol. This activation energy is comparable to that of the hydrogen exchange reaction at 22° K. The ZnO catalyst was treated in vacuo at 400° C. for 6 hours, then the reaction vessel was cooled to −194° C. A non-equilibrium mixture of isotopic oxygen was introduced at −194° C. The initial rate is very high but after 2 minutes, the activity becomes stable and unchanged for 3 hours. The rate of exchange was 0.026 e−4 mol/m2 hr.
Sazonov et al. (1966) studied oxygen exchange on gadolinium oxide (see "Homomolecular and Isotopic Exchange of Oxygen on Gadolinium Oxide" Kinetics and Catalysis 7(2), pp. 284–288). Sazonov et al. reported an increase in reaction rate from upon change in temperature from 242° K to 195° K. The rate at 195° K is equivalent to that measured on ZnO. Sazonov et al. suggest that the rate of exchange at low temperatures is a function of the amount of adsorbed oxygen on the catalyst, which increases with decreasing temperature.
SandIer et al., (1969) observed that under certain pretreatment conditions of oxidized palladium, the oxygen equilibrium is reached within 7 minutes at both 273° K and 195° K ("The Low-Temperature Isotopic Oxygen Equilibration on Oxidized Palladium" J. Phys. Chem. 73(7), pp. 2392–2396). This experiment was done with an oxygen pressure of 3.6 Torr (0.48 KPa). A different pretreatment scheme resulted in the exchange reaction half-life of 10 minutes at 195° K and 5.2 Torr (0.69 KPa).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,321,565 by Kihara et al., and EP 1092467 by Kihara et al., disclose cryogenic distillation of oxygen isotopes. A closed loop heat integration scheme using nitrogen, oxygen, air or ASU exhaust gas as heat transfer fluid is disclosed.
EP 1092467 discloses an isotope "scrambler" for improving isotope enrichment and is placed intermediate in the oxygen distillation sequence. The "scrambler" is used to temporarily convert enriched heavy oxygen gas to enriched heavy water by an oxidation reaction occurring at non-cryogenic temperatures under an argon atmosphere. Then, the enriched heavy water was immediately dissociated by electrolysis, scrambling the isotopic composition. The resulting heavy oxygen gas was fed to the next cryogenic distillation column in the sequence for further purification. The 18O yields were less than 10%.
Despite the foregoing developments, there is a need to provide an improved cost-efficient process of producing isotopes, particularly isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in an improved yield.
All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.


A nanotip, is fabricated by modifying a precursor nanotip having an apex and a shank by applying an electric field in the presence of a reactive gas to perform field-assisted etching wherein atoms are preferentially removed from the shank by chemical interaction with the reactive gas, and controlling the reactive gas pressure and/or tip voltage to vary the electric field so as to promote field evaporation of apex atoms during fabrication of the nanotip and thereby control the overall profile of the resulting nano-tip. The method permits shaping of the overall tip profile.

The fabrication and characterization of nano-scale tips is an important issue for scientists seeking maximum information from any of the various scanned probe microscopes. Nano-tips are required for well-defined studies of point contacts to metals or semiconductors as well as for manipulation and examination of atoms, molecules and small particles. Nano-tips are demanded for future multiprobe experiments where limits on probe-to-probe spacing are a direct function of the tip shape, needed as a source of coherent and bright electron beams for high-resolution electron microscopy, required for use as gas field ion sources (GFISs) for scanning ion microscopes (SIMs), and desired for applications involving high resolution AFM (atomic force microscope) and STM (scanning tunneling microscope) imaging and atom scale manipulation for pattern fabrication. In all of these cases, well defined, easily formed, clean and ultra-sharp tips will be advantageous. To our knowledge several techniques have been developed by other researchers to fabricate nano-tips: (1) the deposition technique, (2) the build-up technique, (3) the pseudo-stationary profile technique, (4) the field-surface-melting technique, and (5) the field-enhanced diffusion-growth technique. (6) Apex faceting has also been employed to try to shape nano-tips. Faceting can involve the deposition of additional metals or gas adsorbates following by an annealing procedure. (7) Proprietary process to fabricate a trimer-based or (8) field assisted gas etching.
There has been significant and recent interest in developing nanotips for gas field ion sources (GIFSs) for scanning ion microscopy (SIM) applications. The GFISs rely on principles of field ion microscopy (FIM), which was widely used and studied in the 1960s [E. W. Muller and T. T. Tsong. Field Ion Microscopy. Elsevier, New York, 1969]. In FIM, a sharp tip is placed in a vacuum chamber while high positive bias voltage is applied. When an imaging gas (usually He) is introduced into the chamber, an FIM pattern is observed on a fluorescent screen. A schematic diagram of a typical FIM set up is shown in FIG. 1. Each spot on the fluorescent screen (see FIG. 2) represents an individual ion beam generated by a single surface atom. In SIM, a single surface atomic site is selected by an aperture to be an imaging beam of the microscope. Atomically defined tips are desired for SIM operation to achieve high ion current and brightness since imaging gas is shared among fewer atomic sites.
The GFISs are well suited for imaging as well as for nano-machining application using non-staining ion He+ and Ne+ beams, and are considered for replacement of LMIS (liquid metal ion sources) in FIB (Focused Ion Beam) microscopes in order to perform imaging or nano machining. The LMIS is a very sharp metal tip with a Ga metal coating. At high voltage, Ga ions are emitted. LMISs are currently found in most FIB microscopes and can produce a beam of approximately 5 nm width. Moreover, conventional LMIS-based ion microscopes are primarily used for machining but have the undesired trait of "staining" samples under study with residual gallium. As a result, dual beam electron imaging and ion milling machines are required and most commonly used. A helium-based GFIS microscope will leave little to no residual helium on the sample. A GFIS is also based upon a sharp metal tip but atoms arriving from the surrounding gas phase are ionized and emitted. A microscope based upon GFIS can produce a beam of approximately 1 Angstrom width. An ion beam of neon or argon could be used for nano machining without undesirable staining effect.
There are also a number of advantages SIM offers over conventional SEM including (i) better depth of focus due to a highly collimated ion beam, (ii) better ultimate resolution due to shorter wavelength and lower spherical and chromatic aberrations, and (iii) superior element and surface sensitivity. However, the development of a scanning ion microscope has been hampered by the lack of an acceptable gas field ion source (GFIS). In order to achieve the potential of the SIM, some ideal characteristics of GFISs for SIM need to be achieved: 1) the ion sources must be easy to fabricate, 2) the sources should be readily rebuilt without removal from the microscope, 3) ideally, each rebuild should result in a functionally identical apex structure such that emission properties, including the emission axis, remain unchanged, thereby eliminating the need for substantial gun alignment, 4) the source must support large ion currents and be stable for extended periods of time, and 5) in order to improve performance of the microscope, it is also desirable that angular current intensity of the ion beam be as large as possible to maximize probe current.
The field assisted chemical etching method has been described and involves the adsorption of a gas species, typically nitrogen, on the surface, e.g. tungsten. The adsorption of molecular nitrogen on tungsten surfaces has been thoroughly investigated [T. Tamura and T. Hamamura, Surf. Sci. 95, L293, 1980]. It has been found that several adsorption states are formed; among these is the "strong-bond" state. This state arises from the dissociation of N2 on the tungsten surface followed by diffusion into the top atomic layer of W. This causes a protrusion of W atoms, which results in a weak surface structure. Early FIM studies of nitrogen gas on tungsten tips found that the nitrogen reaction only occurs in low field regions, where it can penetrate the ionizing barrier. K. D. Rendulic and Z. Knor [Surf. Sci. 7, 205, 1967] also showed that when a W tip was exposed to nitrogen gas, holes developed on the (111) and (001) planes, resulting from the removal of W atoms. This corrosive reaction of nitrogen was explained as follows: the protrusion of W atom from the metal surface, caused by the adsorption of N2, leads to an enhanced electric field, which becomes adequate to ionize and then evaporate the protruding W atoms. [G. Cranstoun, J. Anderson, Surface Science v 35, p 319. 1973].
U.S. Pat. No. 7,431,856 covers the fabrication of nanotips using a field assisted etching process to create single atom tips. Once this process was made public, other gases have also now been used to create nanotips through the chemical assisted field induced etching mechanism. Oxygen has been shown to be viable etchant gas for the creation of nanotips and a constant voltage etching method has been described for the creation of nanoprotrutions [Y. Sugiura et al. e-J. Surf. Sci. Nanotech. Vol. 9 (2011) 344-347]. Water has also been found to aggressively etch tungsten tips and has been used with a constant voltage etching method for the preparation of tips for field emission studies [Jo Onoda, Seigi Mizuno. Applied Surface Science 257 (2011) 8427].
U.S. Pat. No. 7,431,856, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference, describes a method of fabricating SATs (Single Atom Tips) using field-assisted ion etching. There remain, however, some outstanding issues. In particular, it would be desirable to develop a method to prepare SATs with different global shapes. The global shape is an important parameter since it controls beam divergence angle of charged particle beams as well as modifies tip-sample interactions in scan probe applications. For instance, (i) in the SIM application and ion beam generation, the ability to increase the angular current intensity (brightness), ideally using a SAT on a broad base, is important in order to improve the microscope performance. (ii) In point-projection electron holography a divergent electron beam, such as obtained from a tall, narrow tip, is desirable to improve resolution. (iii) In scan probe microscopy (e.g. AFM) various shaped tips provide different advantages via shape dependent tip-sample interactions.
In an operating SIM, SAT ion sources fail over time. It would also be desirable to prepare and subsequently rebuild SATs in situ with a consistent tip position/beam orientation so as to maintain the existing alignment. This ensures identical emission character with respect to peak angular emission. Such source emission angle consistency eliminates the requirement of gun realignment. The development of an acceptable SAT for operation with gas supplies other than helium, including neon, would also be useful.
Trimer tips have found a commercial application and offers reasonable structural stability and robustness. However, W (111) trimer-based GFISs may require elaborate alignment procedure to select one of the three ion beams. Moreover, all three atomic sites at the tip apex have to share helium gas supply, limiting the potential current. As well, poor stability while creating neon ion beams, crucial for performing ion milling (machining) at the nanometer scale, has been observed. On the other hand, single atom tips (SATs) allow all available imaging gas atoms to be ionized at the single apex atom offering the largest ion current per atom. Also, the nitrogen assisted etching and evaporation process provides that every subsequent tip rebuilding process results in the SAT with the exact same apex atom lateral placement and orientation and can prepare stable beams of neon for imaging and nanomachining.

Method of fabricating nanotips with controlled profile

The Governors of the University of Alberta


The technology disclosed herein enables retention of a speaker on a mounting surface using a clip and a flange. In a particular embodiment, an apparatus includes a speaker comprising a substantially elliptic speaker frame. The apparatus further includes a mounting surface comprising a substantially cylindrical flange into which the speaker frame is positioned. Also, the apparatus includes a substantially elliptic clip positioned in the flange between the speaker frame and a retaining rim of the flange.

Traditionally, speakers have been retained on a mounting surface of a product using rear supports from a rear cover of the product or by screwing down a bracket that surrounds a perimeter of a speaker. In other cases, a speaker is fastened with adhesives on the perimeter of the speaker's frame or by screws into the mounting surface through holes in the speaker's frame. These above examples tend to require many parts (e.g., brackets, gaskets, screws, etc.), which adds to cost and amount of labor needed for assembly. Some of these examples, such as retention of a speaker using a rear cover of the product, also transmits undesirable vibrations from the speaker to the rear cover of the product. These vibrations can lead to audio distortions and require greater efforts to compensate for the loss of fidelity. Furthermore, vibrations to the rear cover can cause rattles in other components of the product.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Clip based speaker retention to a mounting surface


An unmanned aerial system and a method are disclosed. An unmanned aerial system may include: a telematics service server; an unmanned aerial apparatus; and a vehicle. In particular, the telematics service server obtains a destination of the unmanned aerial apparatus, a movement path of the vehicle, a current location of the unmanned aerial apparatus, and a current location of the vehicle, and also searches for the vehicle with which the unmanned aerial apparatus is able to move in collaboration. The telematics service server controls a collaborative movement between the unmanned aerial apparatus and the vehicle, and the unmanned aerial apparatus transmits and receives information for the collaborative movement from the telematics service server. In addition, the vehicle carries the unmanned aerial apparatus according to a request from the telematics service server, and moves together with the unmanned aerial apparatus.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
An unmanned aerial apparatus capable of flying and photographing images has been developed and supplied. An unmanned aerial apparatus that can fly and be controlled by the guidance of radio waves and has rotary wings is called a drone.
Recently, the drone is being used in various fields, such as aerial photography and delivery. However, the drone has a limit on a flight distance due to its battery level limit, and is allowed to fly only in specific regions due to flight regulations.

Vehicle, and unmanned aerial system and method including the same


A method for securely running industry software. Industry software and data are stored in an internal storage medium of a wireless communication terminal. A user interface (UI) of the wireless communication terminal includes a UI-customized Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) instruction processing module, and the wireless communication terminal includes a customized SCSI instruction processing module in the wireless communication terminal. The UI sends a customized SCSI instruction from the UI-customized SCSI instruction processing module to interact with the customized SCSI processing module in the wireless communication terminal, so as to load the industry software and the data into a memory of a Personal Computer (PC) to run the industry software and the data in the memory of the PC. After the data are updated, the UI sends a customized SCSI instruction to write updated software or the updated data back into the storage medium of the wireless communication terminal.

As 3G is commercially applied on a large scale, wireless-data-card-type communication products are being used more and more widely. Most of data cards have a self-starting installation function, with which a data card is enumerated as an installation disc when inserted into a Personal Computer (PC) installed with no driver and User Interfere (UI), so that an installation program in the disc runs automatically to install a driver and a UI.
Industry software refers to software which is specially developed for a certain industry and therefore has an obvious industrial feature. Industry software, which has characteristics including high pertinence and operational ease, is specifically classified into: financial software, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, design software, project cost software, construction material software and the like
Existing industry software, before being used, need to be installed in a disc of a PC to install software and relevant data in the disc of the PC, and the software and the relevant data, when being run, are loaded from the disc of the PC into a memory and run in the memory. As the Internet is being used more and more widely, the categories of new computer viruses increase and the computer viruses spread at a much higher speed, which makes the industry software and data stored in the disc of the PC easily destroyed or stolen by viruses and Trojans.

Wireless communication terminal and method for securely running industry software


Liquid crystalline compounds useful in super twisted nematic liquid crystal displays are described and have the formula: ##STR1##. wherein. n is 1-5; PA1 m is 0-5; PA1 p is 0, 1 or 2; PA1 q is 0, 1 or 2 PA1 p+q is less than or equal to 3; PA1 A.sub.1, A.sub.2, A.sub.3 are independently chosen from 1,4-disubstituted benzene, 2,5-disubstituted pyrimidine, 1,5-disubstituted pyridine, 2,6-disubstituted naphthalene which may be laterally substituted with F, Cl, Br or CN, trans-1,4-disubstituted cyclohexane, 2,5-disubstituted dioxane, 2,5-disubstituted thiophene, 2,5-disubstituted furan, 2,5-disubstituted thiodiazole PA1 Z.sub.1 may be COO, OOC, OCH.sub.2, O; PA1 Z.sub.2, Z.sub.3 are independently chosen from a direct bond, COO, OOC, C.sub.2 H.sub.4, CH.sub.2 O, OCH.sub.2, PA1 C.sub.4 H.sub.8, C.sub.3 H.sub.6 O, (E)--CH.dbd.CHC.sub.2 H.sub.4, (E)--CH.dbd.CHCH.sub.2 O, --C.ident.C--; PA1 R.sub.1 is alkyl, and may contain up to 20 carbon atoms and may be branched or a straight chain; provided that at least one of, A.sub.1, A.sub.2, A.sub.3 is selected from 1,4-disubstituted thiophene.

LCDs, such as multiplexed Twisted Nematic TN-LCDs, Super Twisted Nematic STN-LCDs, Super Birefringent SBE-LCDs, Electrically Controlled Birefringence ECB-LCDs, or flexoelectric LCDs are currently used or being developed for computer monitors, laptop or notebook computers, portable telephones, personal digital assistants, etc. The optical, electrical and temporal performance, e.g., contrast, threshold and driving voltages, and response times, of such displays depends crucially on the ratios of the elastic constants (k.sub.33, k.sub.22, k.sub.11) and the cell gap, d. Currently commercially available nematic mixtures for sophisticated high-information-content LCDs, such as STN-LCDs, incorporate trans-1,4-disubstituted-cyclohexyl derivatives with a terminal alkenyl chain (i.e., incorporating a carbon-carbon double bond) directly attached to the cyclohexane ring in order to produce the necessary elastic constant ratios for short response times, high multiplexing rates and low driving voltages. Such materials are costly and difficult to synthesise due to the requirement for a trans configuration of the 1,4-disubstituted cyclohexane ring and the necessity of synthesising the carbon-carbon double bond stepwise from this trans-1,4-disubstituted-cyclohexyl intermediate. If the carbon-carbon double bond is substituted at both carbon atoms, it must have a trans (E) configuration in order to exhibit an advantageous combination of elastic constants and to have an acceptably high nematic-isotropic transition temperature (N-I). The trans configuration is then generally produced by isomerisation of the cis (Z) form generated by the preceding Wittig reaction. These materials exhibit low or intermediate values of birefringence (.DELTA.n) due to the presence of the saturated cyclohexane rings. As the ratio d..DELTA.n determines the optical properties of TN-LCDs and is fixed for driving the LCD in the first or second minimum, it is clear that higher values of .DELTA.n would allow smaller cell gaps. As the response time, t.sub.on of TN-LCDs is inversely proportional to d.sup.2, smaller cell gaps have a dramatic effect on t.sub.on. Low values of t.sub.on also allow the use of colour or more shades of colour due to the shorter frame times.
Liquid crystals with a (E, E)-butadiene chain are known and are described in, for example W. Meier and K. Markau Z. Phys. Chem. N. F., (1961), Vol. 28, pp 190, Y. Goto and T. Ogawa, EPA 0 280 902 (1988).
For all the above applications it is not usual for a single compound to exhibit all of the properties highlighted, normally mixtures of compounds are used which when mixed together induce the desired phases and required properties.

Liquid crystalline (E,E)-butadiene compounds and mixtures and devices containing such compounds


A integrated device including a non-volatile memory (NVM) and a nanosheet field effect transistor (FET) and a method of fabricating the device include patterning fins for a channel region of the NVM and the FET. The method also includes depositing an organic planarization layer (OPL) and a block mask to protect the fins for the channel region of the FET, conformally depositing a set of layers that make up an NVM structure in conjunction with the channel region of the NVM while protecting the fins for the channel region of the FET with the OPL and the block mask, and removing the OPL and the block mask protecting the fins for the channel region of the FET. Source and drain regions of the NVM and the FET are formed, and a gate of the FET is formed while protecting the NVM by depositing another OPL and another block mask.

The present invention relates to electronic devices with embedded non-volatile memory (NVM), and more specifically, to an integration scheme for NVM on a gate-all-around structure.
Electronic devices with embedded NVM are desirable in mobile and automotive applications, because of their high speed, low power consumption, and reliability. In a nanosheet field effect transistor (nanosheet FET), the channel region between the source and drain regions is defined by horizontal silicon sheets, called nanosheets or a nanosheet stack. A fin FET, which has a channel region defined by a fin, is an example of a tri-gate FET, because the gate contacts three surfaces (top and two sides) of the fin-shaped channel. The nanosheet FET is a gate-all-around (GAA) FET, because the gate contacts all four surfaces of each of the nanosheets in the stack that defines the channel region.

Integration scheme for non-volatile memory on gate-all-around structure

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A method and system for visualizing regions in an image is provided. The method comprises computing a regional response around a region in the image, deriving a region score based on from the regional response for the region and labeling the region in the image by comparing the region score to a plurality of probabilistic models.

The invention relates generally to methods and an apparatus for identifying regions in images, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for labeling anatomical structures in medical images.
In many imaging applications, specifically medical imaging applications, the images are often analyzed to identify various anatomical structures such as organs, lesions, etc. For example, a chest X-ray radiograph or a computed tomography (CT) image can be employed to facilitate the detection of lung cancer. Specifically, CT images advantageously provide a description of anatomy in great detail and consequently is being increasingly are used for detecting and following the evolution of lesions that may lead to potential cancers.
For example, for the detection of lung and colon cancer, radiologists search for the presence of nodules and polyps in the lung and colon using advanced lung analysis (ALA) and computed tomographic colonography (CTC) techniques. Radiologists detect nodules in the lung by viewing axial slices of the chest. However, CT systems generally provide several images for a single CT scan. Consequently, a considerable amount of information is presented to the radiologist for use in interpreting the images and detecting suspect regions that may indicate disease. The considerable amount of data associated with a single CT scan presents a time-consuming process to the radiologist. Furthermore, this substantial amount of data may disadvantageously lead to missed cancer detection, as it is difficult to identify a suspicious area in an extensive amount of data. In addition, the sheer size of the CT volumes results in significant variability in radiological readings and clinically important nodules are missed.
Techniques variously described as computer aided detection, or computer assisted detection or computer assisted diagnosis, and often referred to by the acronym "CAD" have emerged as a viable approach for aiding the radiologists in the detection of lung nodules in chest radiographs and thoracic CT scans, as well as for detecting and diagnosing other anatomies and disease states.
Several CAD techniques have been developed to highlight the anatomical structures present in various regions in the image. In one specific technique, the regions are identified and labeled according to the local shape of their surrounding structures. In one more specific technique used to identify lung cancer, an Eigen analysis of a Hessian matrix is used as a tool to classify voxels as belonging to a vessel or a nodule. However, such techniques consider a very small neighborhood of each voxel needed to compute image derivatives and thus are not very robust and/or accurate in identifying the structures.
It may therefore be desirable to develop a robust technique and system for processing image data that advantageously facilitates substantially superior initial shape-based identification of regions in an image that can be consequently used for the analysis of the object being examined.

Method and system for identifying regions in an image


A method for providing a preliminary diagnosis of skin cancer, more specifically a screening risk assessment of pigmented lesions receiving digital photographs of skin abnormalities from a plurality of consumers at a server, receiving medical information related to each of the plurality of consumers at the server, assigning an identification to at least one of the consumers and the digital photographs, reviewing the digital photographs and categorizing the digital photographs into at least three categories so as to define category information, the at least three categories including a first category of a first risk, a second category of risk lower than the first category and a third category of insufficient photograph quality, and providing the category information as a function of the identification. The digital photographs may be of pigmented skin lesions and may be clinical photographs or may utilize the optical technique of epiluminescence microscopy (ELM) to visualize pigmented or capillary structure below the skin surface that are not visible to the naked eye.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to dermatology and more particularly to a method and device for aiding in screening populations of patients for skin cancer.
2. Background Information
Skin cancer, the most deadly form of which is melanoma, typically is diagnosed by a dermatologist examining pigmented skin lesions (colloquially known as "moles") and/or other skin abnormalities on a patient. Typically, a dermatologist makes a determination based on visual inspection of each skin lesion's morphology, whether it is likely to be skin cancer or a potential precursor of skin cancer. This determination is made in the context of a patient's clinical history, risk factors for skin cancer, and other information. The dermatologist then decides if a pigmented lesion should the excised for histopathological evaluation.
Cutaneous melanoma starts growing in the top layer of the skin—the epidermis. If it is detected and completely removed while still confined to the epidermis, it can be completely cured, and has a very high cure rate if it has just entered the next skin layer, the papillary dermis. Thus screening and early detection are critical to lowering the morbidity and mortality of this cancer that has been increasing rapidly in incidence and is one of the most common cancers of young people, especially young women.
In 1992 a Consensus Conference sponsored by the National Institutes of Health recommended that skin cancer screening be initiated in the United States, but recognized that primary care physicians do not have sufficient training to perform it well.
If screening is attempted by those without sufficient experience, early melanomas may be missed and too many unnecessary biopsies may be performed.

Method and device for skin cancer screening


A model-based channel estimator for correlated fading channels adapted to a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system, estimates a coefficient vector of a channel matrix for a given angle of departure (AoD) according to a plurality of received signals, a plurality of transmit pilots, a plurality of known model orders, and a plurality of predetermined bases for exploiting time, frequency, spatial channel correlation among a transmit antenna array, and spatial channel correlation among a receive antenna array, then estimates a mean AoD based on the estimated channel matrix. The channel estimator estimates iteratively the coefficient vector and the mean AoD until a stop criterion is met. Then, it reconstructs a channel estimate by using the plurality of predetermined bases, the coefficient vector, and the mean AoD.

Increasing demand for higher wireless system capacity has catalyzed several ground-breaking transmission techniques. In wireless communication systems, recent developments have been made using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) technologies. In OFDM schemes, the sub-carrier frequencies are spaced apart by precise frequency differences and make efficient use of the spectrum by allowing overlap. Besides, channel equalization becomes simpler than by using adaptive equalization techniques with single-carrier systems. By using multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) schemes in OFDM systems, it is possible to increase the capacity of data. The MIMO technology has attracted the great part of recent attention. FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a typical MIMO system having M transmit antennas and N received antennas at k-th sub-carrier. As shown in FIG. 1, both transmit and receive sides have multiple antennas. Transmit data X is transmitted through M×N wireless channels H then received by a receiver's multiple antennas as observation data Y.
It has been shown that significant capacity gains are achievable when multi-element antennas (MEA) are used at both the transmitting and receiving sides. Spatial multiplexing techniques, for example the BLAST (Bell-labs Layered Space-Time) system, were developed to attain very high spectral efficiencies in rich scattering environments. Ideal rich-scattering environments may decorrelate channels between different pairs of transmit and receive antennas.
In practice, however, spatial correlations do exist and should be considered when designing a MIMO receiver for evaluating the corresponding system performance. Spatial correlation depends on physical parameters such as antenna spacing, antenna arrangement, and scatters' distributions. Antenna correlations reduce the number of equivalent orthogonal sub-channels, decrease spectral efficiency, making it more difficult to detect the transmitted data. A coherent MIMO receiver requires an accurate channel estimate to perform critical operations and provide satisfactory performance. Not only is reliable channel estimation mandatory in guaranteeing signal reception quality but it is also needed in designing an adequate precoder at the transmitting side to achieve maximum throughput or minimum bit error rate in feedback MIMO systems.
Various pilot-assisted MIMO channel estimators have been disclosed. For example, one disclosed method exploits the sparsity structure of MIMO channels. A channel estimation process or a pilot placement and pilot allocation process can be taken for the sparse channel estimation of MIMO inter-symbol interference (ISI) channels in MIMO-OFDM systems. The front or back end of a channel estimator may utilize the channel estimation output by the scheme. In the scheme, there is no fixed basis for precoder at the transmitter end or for codebook selector at the receiver end.
Another document disclosed estimating channel parameters in MIMO systems. Referring to FIG. 2, one embodiment performed by the channel parameter estimator includes calculating coarse channel estimates using an least square (LS) method and/or a Zero forcing method (step 202), performing a frequency domain interpolation procedure (step 204) to the subcarriers that were not excited, and reducing the mean square error (step 206). In addition to the estimation of channel parameters, the parameter estimator may further calculate estimates of the "noise variance," which is a parameter representing the power of the extraneous unwanted noise present in the signal. An exemplary embodiment for noise variance estimation includes calculating a noise term from coarse and final channel estimates (step 212), multiplying the noise term with a signal transmission matrix for each tone (step 214), and converting the frequency domain coefficients to the time domain (step 216), and calculating noise variance estimate for each receive antenna (step 218). There is also no fixed basis for precoder at the transmitter end or for codebook selector at the receiver end. While only one frequency basis is used for the channel estimator.
Yet another document disclosed a technology for reduced rank channel estimation in a communication system. Referring to FIG. 3, the technology exploits redundant and/or a priori knowledge within a system to simplify the estimation calculation including estimating significant delays of the channel (step 310), producing full dimension channel estimates (step 312), and calculating a covariance matrix of channels (step 314). The covariance matrix is further analyzed to determine if the channel parameters may be reduced for channel estimation. If not, use the full rank of the system to model the channel (step 320), otherwise a reduced rank matrix is used for the calculation including estimating the channel subspace (step 322) and reduced rank channel parameters (step 324), and transforming channel parameters back to full dimension (step 326). There is also no fixed basis for precoder at the transmitter end or for codebook selector at the receiver end. While spatial basis is provided in real time for the channel estimation.
In conventional designs, closed-loop MIMO systems provide high capacity and robust performance when accurate channel state information (CSI) is available (often through feedback). Codebook-based solutions are used to reduce the CSI bandwidth requirement. Few estimators are specifically designed for correlated MIMO channels, and those few exploited only channel's time and frequency correlation characteristics by approximating the time- and/or frequency-domain response by an analytic model. In fact, no method or apparatus exists for MIMO system that is capable of using spatial, frequency and time correlation as well. Thus a need exists for a method and apparatus that is capable of using time/frequency/spatial correlation and may further provide accurate estimates, compact and useful CSI, and potential post processing complexity cutbacks.

Model-based channel estimator for correlated fading channels and channel estimation method thereof

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A power supply module for a vehicle comprises a battery system (13) including a first output terminal (Out 1) and a second output terminal (Out 2), wherein the battery system (13) is connected with a AC/DC converter (12) of the vehicle, the AC/DC converter (12) includes a DC terminal (DC) and an AC terminal (AC), the DC terminal (DC) is connected with the first output terminal (Out 1) of the battery system (13) and the AC terminal (AC) is connected to a motor generator (11) of the vehicle cooperating with the power supply module (10), so as to form a first output (i1), wherein the second output terminal (Out 2) is connected to a power supply distribution center (17) of the vehicle, so as to form a second output (i2), and wherein the battery system (13) includes a lead-carbon battery. There are also provided a power supply system comprising the power supply module for a vehicle, a vehicle comprising the power supply system for a vehicle, and a method of arranging a power supply module for a vehicle. The lithium ion battery and the battery management system in the prior art are replaced with the lead-carbon battery. As the working environment temperature has little influence on the lead-carbon battery, the freedom for the arrangement position of the lead-carbon battery is increased. It is no longer necessary to arrange the lead-carbon battery away from the engine, or additionally take heat preservation factors into account. The lead-carbon battery may be arranged under the engine hood or next to the engine. As a result, the length of the cable required for connection will be greatly shortened, which effectively lowers the manufacturing cost.

A DC power supply (i.e., "battery") is required during use of a vehicle. For example, when the vehicle starts, the battery is required to provide a large current (hundreds of amperes) within a short time (several seconds), driving a kilowatt-class starting motor to bring an engine (an internal combustion engine using gasoline, diesel or natural gas) to a particular rotation speed, and then leading to spark ignition (gasoline) or compression ignition (diesel) of the engine. For a long time, on-road light vehicles (with a total weight less than or equal to 3.5 ton, also referred to as "passenger vehicles") across the world have been using 12V lead acid batteries. For nearly the last hundred years, the lead acid battery has been the sole choice for the starter battery of the vehicle because of its excellent low-temperature discharge performance and cost-effectiveness. Considering comprehensively many aspects, such as performance, cost and safety, the passenger vehicle power supply system has a maximum current that should be generally controlled to less than or equal to 250 amperes. Correspondingly, an upper limit of the steady-state output power of the 12V lead acid battery of the passenger vehicle is usually 3.0 kilowatts. The big commercial vehicles (medium-sized/heavy trucks and coaches etc.) tend to use 24V lead acid batteries because their starting motors require a DC supply power much higher than 3.0 kilowatts.
Along with the continuous development of automobile technologies in recent years, automobile manufacturers have already replaced the traditional mechanical pieces with an increasing number of new electrical devices, so that the vehicles are equipped with more and more electrical devices. The on board power supply is required in many technologies, e.g., active suspension, electric power steering, electric braking vacuum pump, electric heater, front-seat heating, heatable windshield, rear shock absorber, information entertainment system, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning system, blind spot monitoring and micro-hybrid system etc. The total requirement of the electric power consumption of these electrical devices is much greater than 3.0 kilowatts, above the traditional 12V power supply system power ceiling. Therefore, the traditional 12V power supply system can hardly satisfy the ever-increasing power supplying demand of modern vehicles.
For this, the automobile industry turns to seek on board power supplies with higher voltage, among which a 48V/12V dual-voltage power supply system is a relatively successful solution. So as to maintain compatibility, the 48V/12V dual-voltage power supply system employs one 48V lithium ion battery accompanied with one 12V lead acid battery to meet the requirements of both numerous traditional 12V sub-kilowatt low-power electrical devices and various emerging kilowatt-class high-power electrical devices. In case that the maximum current of the system cable is held at 250 amperes, the 48V power supply can support the power requirement of 12.0 kilowatt power consumption.
Initiated by five big automobile manufacturers in Germany, Light Hybrid Technical Specification LV148 for 48V Passenger Vehicles was formulated in 2011 and adopted the above 12V/48V dual-voltage power supply system. The formulation of this technical specification embodies another advantage of the 12V/48V dual-voltage power supply system: cost-effective and energy-conserving and emission-reducing. Compared with the high-voltage (greater than 100V) full hybrid system for vehicles, the 48V light hybrid system can achieve approximate 70% of the oil-saving effect at 30% of the cost.
In June 2013, the European Union approved the carbon dioxide emission standard for the year of 2020 and this standard requires that the average carbon dioxide emission level for new vehicles should be limited to 95 g/km (corresponding to 4.0 L/100 KM) by 2020. This compulsory standard forces the original equipment manufacturers and the component suppliers to lower the oil consumption of the vehicles from different technical lines among which the 48V light hybrid technical solution is considered as an important part. In America, the light vehicle regulations for 2025 stipulate the fuel economy to be 54.5 miles/gallon (corresponding to 3.9 L/100 KM). Meanwhile, to meet the standard of the average oil consumption within 5.0 L/100 KM as required by China for 2020, a majority of the original equipment manufacturers, which either produce or sell the passenger vehicles in China, are planning to launch the 48V light hybrid system in the following years. Starting from 2017, the major automobile groups across the world also launched the 48V light hybrid vehicle type in Europe and America. It is anticipated that most of the light hybrid vehicles sold in Europe, North America and China will adopt the 48V system by 2025.
As described above, the currently used 12V/48V dual-voltage power supply system incorporates a new 48V lithium ion battery in addition to the traditional 12V lead acid battery. FIGS. 1a and 1b show an example 100 of the above power supply system, wherein 106 represents a traditional 12V lead acid battery; 103 represents a newly added 48V lithium ion battery; 101 is a motor generator, which charges the lithium battery 103 when the vehicle is driven by the engine or in a mode of regenerative braking; 102 is a bidirectional AC/DC converter; 105 is a 48V/12V bidirectional DC/DC converter; 104 is a battery management system for the lithium battery; 107 is a 12V power supply distribution center for connecting the power supply to the respective 12V electrical devices; 108 is a 48V power supply distribution center for connecting the power supply to the respective 48V electrical devices. It can be seen from the figures that in this solution, the 12V power supply is connected to traditional loads, e.g., watt-class low-power electrical devices, such as illumination, ignition, entertainment, sound system and electronic modules etc., so that the traditional vehicle electrical devices can be directly connected to the 12V power supply without any modifications. The new 48V power supply is mainly provided for supporting kilowatt-class high-power electrical devices, such as active chassis system, air condition compressor and regenerative braking system etc.

Vehicle power supply module and arrangement method therefor


A steering wheel assembly for a motor vehicle comprising a steering wheel that can be mounted rotatably about a steering axle on a motor vehicle is provided. The steering wheel assembly comprises an airbag module disposed in a pre-determinable use position on the steering wheel, and an adjusting device disposed on the steering wheel assembly. Said adjusting device is adapted and provided for adjusting the spatial position of the airbag module relative to the steering wheel for the purposes of compensating for tolerances perpendicular to the steering axle. In the process, the adjusting device comprises adjusting means for generating an adjusting force that has at least one force component along the adjusting direction of the airbag module and also a guide device for guiding the airbag module along the adjustment direction thereof.

Such a steering wheel assembly comprises a steering wheel that can be mounted rotatably (around a steering axle) on a motor vehicle with at least one functional component in form of an airbag module disposed in a predetermined use position on a steering wheel.
It is known to dispose additional functional components on steering wheels which do not directly serve the steering of the motor vehicle but rather take over additional functions, amongst them an airbag module that serves the protection of a driver of the motor vehicle in the event of a crash and which is further more (optional) provided for activating a honking function of the motor vehicle by acting on the front side of the airbag module facing the driver by (manual) exerting pressure.
In case of an airbag module disposed on the steering wheel it can be suitable or even necessary to separate that airbag module from further areas of the steering wheel by at least one (optionally circumferential) gap in order to achieve specific design effects and/or to allow for a desired movement of the airbag module doing its operation—for instance in case of the mentioned honking function, a movement of the airbag module along the steering wheel by impact of the vehicle passenger via the hand whereby a gap revolving on the outer edge of the airbag module allows simultaneously also a certain tilting of the airbag module (as consequence of an unsymmetrical forced transmission).
In case of such a steering wheel assembly, it is important to positioning the airbag module disposed thereon correctly in a predetermined use position on the steering wheel, for instance so that the gap dimensions of the gap separating the airbag module from the steering wheel reach their predetermined values.

Steering wheel assembly for a motor vehicle


A flexible apparatus for metering agricultural chemicals in a wet blade chemical distribution system consists of a modular peristaltic pump delivery apparatus (24) having an impeller (38) and a mounting bore (30) in a computer-controlled servomechanism that meters the correct amount of a wide variety of agricultural chemical regardless of equipment speed. It is especially well suited for easy field chemical change over and maintenance. A method for metering agricultural chemicals in a wet blade mower chemical distribution system is also disclosed

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing controlled rate distribution of liquids or liquid suspensions of fine solids for such agricultural purposes. Such purposes include fertilization and growth regulation of crops and eradication of unwanted plant life in a crop field.
Wet blade agricultural liquid distribution systems rely on the rapid uptake of liquids that occurs in freshly cut plants at the wound. An order of magnitude reduction in the concentration of agricultural liquids is possible by applying the liquids essentially simultaneously with cutting. To accomplish this, liquid dispersal mechanisms have been incorporated into mowers. The advantages of this system are described in pending patent application PCT/US96/13362.
Peristaltic pumps are pumps of choice when flow rates are moderate and either corrosive, toxic or sterile liquids are pumped. The peristaltic pump utilizes the fact that the liquid to be pumped resides in a flexible tube. A length of tube is placed inside a rigid semi-cylinder. See FIG. 1. A rotating hub at the center of the cylinder drives a roller against the tube causing a flexure in the tube to travel in the direction in which the impeller hub rotates. For clarity, an impeller with a single roller is illustrated. As the flexure of the tube is relieved after the compression of the passing roller, a partial vacuum forms, drawing liquid from the intake side. The flow rate of liquid through the tube depends on the size and elastic properties of the tube, the hub rotation speed, the number of rollers, the viscosity of the fluid being pumped and the amount of tube compression. Tube compression depends on the size of the roller and the impeller arm dimension relative to the center of the cylinder.
This pumping system is preferable for use with vegetation control liquids because it can handle a variety of liquids and because human contact with some liquids is undesirable for safety reasons. If a conventional pumping system were used for both herbicides and fertilizers, extensive flushing of the system would be required between application of the two materials. With a peristaltic pump, the tubing associated with each chemical can be changed. The pump mechanism never directly contacts the pumped material. The part most subject to wear is the tubing, which is inexpensive to replace when necessary.
Field experience with this system resulted in the identification of several problems. Normally, peristaltic pumps run at a constant rate. In this agricultural application, the rate must change as the mower slows to turn or in response to variable terrain. A first solution of this problem was to replace the motor driving the peristaltic pump with a stepper motor. Step pulses drive the motor in harmony with the motion of the mower. With this improvement, wet blade distribution was practical. With varying materials, large changes in flow rates are often needed. To achieve integer multiples of a base flow rate for a given tube size, a plurality of tubes may be stacked in the cylinder. A tube coming from the source tank can be split into a manifold. The stack of tubes may be introduced into the cylinder. The number of tubes in the stack are limited by the height of the cylinder and roller. The output side of each tube can be distributed to appropriate nozzles or recombined with a manifold for material application.
Different size tubes can be used to achieve flow rates intermediate to the multiple tube manifold approach. A larger tube and compatible smaller diameter roller can be used to adjust flow rates.
Currently available peristaltic pumps are not designed for the field conditions encountered in the wet-blade distribution of agricultural chemicals. Even with the stepping motor regulator, there are problems in maintenance, set up and fine flow regulation. To make modifications in the field, the peristaltic pump is disassembled. The disassembly/reassembly process is problematic even for simple periodic maintenance like pump lubrication. Access to the pump mechanism requires removal of multiple machine-screws. Reassembly requires thumb screw adjustment of ferrules through which the tube is threaded. Too much pressure on the thumb screw causes the tube to constrict changing pump characteristics; too little pressure causes loss of control of the loop size within the pump. In addition, the screw mars the tube surface and if over tight, cuts the surface unacceptably. Disassembly to change tube size requires removing many small machine-screws.
The principal object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for metering agricultural chemicals in a wet blade distribution system that can be easily set up in the field to handle a wide variety of distribution rates and fluid viscosities.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus that can react to various mower speed over the terrain.
Another object of this invention is to provide a modular peristaltic pump unit that is readily interchangeable.
A further object of this invention is to provide a peristaltic pump apparatus that is easy to maintain in the field.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method for metering agricultural chemicals in a wet blade distribution system.
The invention consists of a modular peristaltic pumping system that uses an associated microprocessor-based servomechanism for controlling fluid chemical distribution. The microprocessor stores: the number of modules attached, the roller axis setting, the elastomeric properties of the tubes used, the fluid properties of the material being pumped and the desired distribution rate for the agricultural objective. Real time inputs to the processor include the ground speed of the mower and the angular velocity of the impellers. From this data, the required impeller speed can be continuously calculated. This data and the characteristics of a DC motor are continuously used to calculate a data stream representing the needed motor speed. A digital-to-analog converter with appropriate buffering then drives the motor. The motor shaft drives the impellers in each pump module. The peristaltic modules are mounted on a frame. The motor is mounted to the frame. The motor shaft ends in a bit, similar to a screwdriver bit, that engages a mating slot in the first module. The shaft of the module engages the module""s impeller and exits the module in a bit that is appropriate to engage a mating slot in the next module. Thus, modules can be ganged to permit an integer number of base distribution rates. Modules can be assembled on the frame without tools. Modules may be lubricated without tools. Modules can be disassembled without tools to change the tube or modify the effective impeller arm length.
Alternatively, a transmission may be provided between the motor shaft and the drive shaft of the peristaltic pump stack. The transmission may consist of a gear train or one or more pulleys and belts. In this case, the drive shaft of the transmission ends in a bit that engages a mating slot in the first module.

Peristaltic pump having a variable effective radial length impeller for metering liquid chemicals