Apparatus and methods for performing MRI are disclosed wherein the encoding field has a multidimensional, preferably periodic, dependence. Two dimensional image information can be obtained without the necessity for switching the encoding field. Further, velocity information can be obtained. Preferred coil structures for providing preferred encoding fields are described.

MRI is a relatively recent diagnostic imaging modality. In addition to providing contrast resolution and spatial resolution, MRI offers tissue information and data about metabolic processes in the body. MRI provides multiple parameters for obtaining image information, some of which carry a great deal of information, and some of which can be manipulated to obtain a tissue diagnostic image. These parameters are: (1) pro,on density, (2) tissue relaxation parameters T1 (spin lattice) and T2 (spin-spin) and (3) motion, which provides information about blood flow.
Thus, MRI has been developed as an imaging modality used to obtain images of anatomical features of human patients as well as some aspects of the functional activity of biological tissue. The images have medical diagnostic value in determining the state of health of the tissue examined. To obtain images, typically, the patient is aligned to place the portion of the anatomy to be examined in the imaging volume of a MRI apparatus. The apparatus typically comprises a primary magnet for supplying a constant magnetic field (B.sub.o) which by convention is along the z-axis and is substantially homogeneous over the imaging volume and secondary magnets that can provide linear magnetic field gradients along each of three principal Cartesian axes in space (generally x, y, and z, or x.sub.1, x.sub.2 and x.sub.3, respectively). A magnetic field gradient (.delta.B.sub.z /.delta.x.sub.i) refers to the variation of the field along the direction parallel to B.sub.o with respect to each of the three principal Cartesian axes, x.sub.i. The apparatus also comprises one or more RF (radiofrequency) coils which provide excitation and detection of the NMR signal.
A number of methods have been proposed and used to spatially encode the NMR signal in order to perform MRI. These techniques can be classified as follows.
1. Fourier Encoding. Perhaps the most basic of methods to obtain one dimensional spatial information is to apply a magnetic field gradient to excited nuclear spins. The Larmor precession frequency is then linearly related to position in the gradient. The observed signal, when Fourier transformed, gives a projection of the object in the direction of the gradient. PA1 2. Field Profiling Techniques. These methods create a small region where the field is homogeneous, "sweet spot", with the field rapidly decreasing at the edges such that the NMR signal within a limited bandwidth (i.e. limited frequency range) is limited to the small homogeneous region. This technique is also known as topical magnetic resonance TMR. To image the object, it is moved so that different regions of the object are located in the "sweet spot" and hence imaged in a sequential way. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,932,805, which is hereby incorporated by reference. PA1 3. Sensitive Point Techniques. These techniques create a "sweet spot" by oscillating the magnetic field gradients as a function of time. In the sensitive point method, all three gradients are modulated such that there is one point where the field from each gradient is zero and does not change as a function of time. The NMR signal, when averaged as a function of time, is finite only in a small region surrounding this point. This sensitive point is then electronically moved to different regions of the object to be imaged in order to obtain the NMR signal from different spatial regions. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,192, which is hereby incorporated by reference. PA1 4. Sensitive Line Techniques. This method is similar to the sensitive point technique except that only two gradients are modulated such that a "null line" is defined. The signal obtained is from a small cylindrical region whose axis is defined by this null line. The line is then scanned across the plane to be imaged. Spatial information along the line is resolved by having a constant linear magnetic field gradient applied in the direction of the line such that the NMR Larmor precession frequency depends linearly on position along the line. Hence, simple Fourier transformation of the NMR signal resolves position along the line. PA1 5. Selective Techniques Which Use Magnetic Field Gradients. These include sequential application of orthogonal linear gradients and bandwidth limited excitation pulses to first excite a plane, then a line in the plane, and "reading out" the NMR signal in the presence of a third orthogonal linear gradient. The observed NMR signal is Fourier transformed to obtain spatial information along the final selected "line". See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,726, which is hereby incorporated by reference. PA1 6. Rotating Frame Zeugmatography. In this method, a radio frequency field which has a spatial gradient is applied to the object to be imaged. By varying the amount of amplitude or duration of RF energy applied to the coil, material in the object being imaged is excited by varying amounts. As the amount of energy applied to the RF gradient coil increases, the magnetization components at a given point in the object undergo a sinusoidal variation. The larger the RF field is in the object, the faster the sinusoidal variation. Hence, the signal, which is proportional to the transverse magnetization, is "phase encoded". A Fourier transform of multiply obtained sets of data (i.e. each with a different amplitude of excitation of The RF coil) provides spatial discrimination along The gradient of the RF field. (See, D. I. Hoult, Journal of Magnetic Resonance, 33, 183-197 (1979))which is hereby incorporated by reference.
An extension of this method to more than one dimension is often referred to as the SPIN WARP METHOD. Different lines of k-space (i.e. The multidimensionai Fourier transform of image space) are acquired on different excitations of the nuclei. K-space is a multidimensional space in which The data is acquired. For example, consider the two dimensional case, say k.sub.x and K.sub.y. K.sub.x is defined as the phase per unit position in x and k.sub.y is the phase per unit position in y. During each excitation, a linear readout gradient is always applied during data acquisition to spatially discriminate the NMR signal along its direction (say x) and Thus acquire different k.sub.x data. In subsequent excitations an incremental phase shift in the orthogonal direction y is applied prior To the data acquisition in order to change the value of k.sub.y for the next k.sub.x line. A two dimensional Fourier transfer (2DFT) is performed on the data to give the resultant image. See, Edelstein, W. A., Hutchison, J. M. S., Johnson, G., Redpath, T. W., Phys. Med. Biol, 25:751, 1980, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Imaging data for construction of MRI images can be collected using one of many available techniques such as, for example, those described above. Typically, such techniques use a pulse sequence which generates a plurality of sequentially implemented views. Each view comprises a field gradient pulse to encode spatial information into the NMR signal which is collected during that view. Each view may be prepared by RF excitation pulses and/or field gradient pulses prior to the collection of that view. All currently known MRI imaging techniques employ views which by themselves are one dimensional. Therefore, to obtain multidimensional information, requires the acquisition of many views. To go from one view to another in conventional techniques requires modulation of the magnetic field gradient pulses between views. The NMR signal may be a free induction decay (FID) or a spin echo signal (SE). In most of the currently adopted techniques for MRI, the signal is received in the form of a spin echo. The encoding field gradient which is present during the detection of the SE is denoted as the view or readout gradient. Two or more dimensional images are obtained by acquiring multiple views with each view spatially encoded in a different manner. Well known techniques are then applied to the multiple views in order to reconstruct an image of the tissue. The fastest MRI method available today is known as "Echo Planar Imaging" (EPI). EPI is capable of providing the data for a single planar image in approximately 100 milliseconds (ms). Multiple planar images can be collected and later combined to provide a three dimensional image. In another implementation, an additional phase encoding linear field gradient may be added to provide spatial encoding along a third spatial direction. The image is then reconstructed using three dimensional Fourier transform (3DFT) methods to provide a 3D image.
EPI is fast because it acquires all of the different phase encoded views required for a 2D image in one excitation of the nuclei. To achieve this, EPI methods require that the encoding field gradients be switched very. quickly, on the order of hundreds of microseconds (.mu.s). The speed of EPI is also dependent on the strength of the encoding fields, and further decreases in imaging time can be accomplished by using larger field gradients. The switching of large field gradients requires expensive and sophisticated amplifier technology. In addition, transitory fields induce eddy currents in the surrounding metallic structures as well as in the patient, which causes image distortion. Typically, manufacturers minimize the eddy currents in the surrounding metallic structures by employing what is known as actively shielded gradients. An actively shielded gradient coil see is carefully designed to minimize the magnetic flux extending beyond the gradient coil structure into the surrounding metallic structures of the magnet. Consequently, eddy currents are substantially reduced which allows the implementation of EPI methods. Eddy currents induced in the patient cannot be minimized except by limits imposed on the switching times of the gradient fields. Hence, the speed of EPI techniques is then limited by the time the technology permits in switching the readout and phase encoding gradients to go from one view to another.
Rapid imaging techniques have found clinical use in imaging rapidly moving structures such as The heart, in following bolus injections of contrast agents (for example to measure tissue perfusion) as well as decreasing the patient examination time. New imaging techniques are desirable for further advances in MRI.


Wrap-around contact structures for semiconductor fins, and methods of fabricating wrap-around contact structures for semiconductor fins, are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor fin having a first portion protruding through a trench isolation region. A gate structure is over a top and along sidewalls of the first portion of the semiconductor fin. A source or drain region is at a first side of the gate structure, the source or drain region including an epitaxial structure on a second portion of the semiconductor fin. The epitaxial structure has substantially vertical sidewalls in alignment with the second portion of the semiconductor fin. A conductive contact structure is along sidewalls of the second portion of the semiconductor fin and along the substantially vertical sidewalls of the epitaxial structure.

For the past several decades, the scaling of features in integrated circuits has been a driving force behind an ever-growing semiconductor industry. Scaling to smaller and smaller features enables increased densities of functional units on the limited real estate of semiconductor chips. For example, shrinking transistor size allows for the incorporation of an increased number of memory or logic devices on a chip, lending to the fabrication of products with increased capacity. The drive for ever-more capacity, however, is not without issue. The necessity to optimize the performance of each device becomes increasingly significant.
In the manufacture of integrated circuit devices, multi-gate transistors, such as tri-gate transistors, have become more prevalent as device dimensions continue to scale down. In conventional processes, tri-gate transistors are generally fabricated on either bulk silicon substrates or silicon-on-insulator substrates. In some instances, bulk silicon substrates are preferred due to their lower cost and because they enable a less complicated tri-gate fabrication process.
Scaling multi-gate transistors has not been without consequence, however. As the dimensions of these fundamental building blocks of microelectronic circuitry are reduced and as the sheer number of fundamental building blocks fabricated in a given region is increased, the constraints on the lithographic processes used to pattern these building blocks have become overwhelming. In particular, there may be a trade-off between the smallest dimension of a feature patterned in a semiconductor stack (the critical dimension) and the spacing between such features.
Device density in integrated circuits (ICs) has increased for decades in conformance with Moore's law. However, as the lateral dimensions of a device structure shrink with each technology generation, it becomes increasingly difficult to further reduce structural dimensions. Three-dimensional (3D) scaling is now of considerable interest as reductions in z-height (device thickness) offer another avenue of increasing overall device density and IC performance. 3D scaling may be in the form of chip stacking or packaged IC stacking, for example. Known 3D integration techniques are expensive and may offer only incremental improvements in z-height and device density. For example, the majority of the thickness of a chip may be inactive substrate material. A stack of such chips may employ through-substrate via (TSV) technology as a means of vertically interconnecting the chip stack. A TSV typically extends through 20-50 μm, or more, of substrate material and therefore is generally limited to via diameters on the micron-scale. As such, TSV density is limited to far below the density of most device (e.g., transistor, memory) cells. Also, the final z-height of a chip-stack employing TSV technology may be hundreds of microns thicker than the actual device layers employed by the stacked device.
3D scaling may also be in the form of vertically-oriented devices, for example where a transistor channel length is substantially normal to a surface of a substrate rather than parallel to that surface for the more common laterally-oriented transistor. One problem faced by many vertically-oriented device architectures is how to fabricate terminals on opposite ends of the device, which is more readily done for laterally-oriented devices.


An integrated circuit which has two separate paths for two different data widths. The first processing path processes data up to n bits in a n multiplier. A second path operates in parallel with the first path, and includes smaller units which process data up to n 2 bits. The two paths can operate in parallel, but since the two paths have different data widths, they can more effectively operate with the different data sizes.

This invention relates to digital signal processors, and more particularly to digital signal processors for processing reduced data sizes.
Digital signal processing is concerned with the representation of signals in digital form and the transformation or processing of such signal representation using numerical computation. Digital signal processing is a core technology for many of today""s high technology products in fields such as wireless communications, networking, and multimedia. One reason for the prevalence of digital signal processing technology has been the development of low cost, powerful digital signal processors (DSPs) that provide is engineers the reliable computing capability to implement these products cheaply and efficiently. Since the development of the first DSPs in the early 1980""s, DSP architecture and design have evolved to the point where even sophisticated real-time processing of video-rate sequences can be performed.
Typically, DSPs are constructed of a fixed size. The size of a DSP is selected based on the maximum size of the data to be processed. For example, a DSP that will be used to process 16 bit data needs multipliers and accumulators of a specific size to ensure that the data is processed correctly.
While these DSPs can process data having less than 16 bits, doing so causes a portion of the DSP hardware to remain unused. This decreases the efficiency of the DSP.

Selectively processing different size data in multiplier and ALU paths in parallel


In one characterization, the present invention relates to a radiation-shielding assembly for holding a container having a radioactive material disposed therein. The assembly may, at least in one regard, be referred to as an elution shield and/or a dispensing shield. The assembly includes a body at least partially defining a cavity. There is at least one opening through the body into the cavity. The assembly may include a cap that at least generally hinders escape of radiation from the assembly through the opening. The cap may be releasably attached to the body in one orientation and may establish non-attached engagement with the body in another orientation. The assembly may include an adjustable spacer system for adapting the assembly for use with containers having different heights.

Nuclear medicine is a branch of medicine that uses radioactive materials (e.g., radioisotopes) for various research, diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Radiopharmacies produce various radiopharmaceuticals (i.e., radioactive pharmaceuticals) by combining one or more radioactive materials with other materials to adapt the radioactive materials for use in a particular medical procedure.
For example, radioisotope generators may be used to obtain a solution comprising a daughter radioisotope (e.g., Technetium-99m) from a parent radioisotope (e.g., Molybdenum-99) which produces the daughter radioisotope by radioactive decay. A radioisotope generator may include a column containing the parent radioisotope adsorbed on a carrier medium. The carrier medium (e.g., alumina) has a relatively higher affinity for the parent radioisotope than the daughter radioisotope. As the parent radioisotope decays, a quantity of the desired daughter radioisotope is produced. To obtain the desired daughter radioisotope, a suitable eluant (e.g., a sterile saline solution) can be passed through the column to elute the daughter radioisotope from the carrier. The resulting eluate contains the daughter radioisotope (e.g., in the form of a dissolved salt), which makes the eluate a useful material for preparation of radiopharmaceuticals. For example, the eluate may be used as the source of a radioisotope in a solution adapted for intravenous administration to a patient for any of a variety of diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedures.
In one method of obtaining a quantity of the eluate from the generator, an evacuated container (e.g., an elution vial) may be connected to the generator at a tapping point. For example, a hollow needle on the generator can be used to pierce a septum of an evacuated container to establish fluid communication between the elution vial and the generator column. The partial vacuum of the container can draw eluant from an eluant reservoir through the column and into the vial, thereby eluting the daughter radioisotope from the column. The container may be contained in an elution shield, which is a radiation-shielding device used to shield workers from radiation emitted by the eluate after it is received in the container from the generator.
After the elution is complete, the activity of the eluate may be calibrated by transferring the container to a calibration system. Calibration may involve removing the container from the shielding assembly and placing it in the calibration system to measure the amount of radioactivity emitted by the eluate. A breakthrough test may be performed to confirm that the amount of the parent radioisotope in the eluate does not exceed acceptable tolerance levels. The breakthrough test may involve transfer of the container to a thin shielding cup (e.g., a cup that effectively shields radiation emitted by the daughter isotope but not higher-energy radiation emitted by the parent isotope) and measurement of the amount of radiation that penetrates the shielding of the cup.
After the calibration and breakthrough tests, the container may be transferred to a dispensing shield. The dispensing shield shields workers from radiation emitted by the eluate in the container as the eluate is transferred from the container into one or more other containers (e.g., syringes) for use later in the radiopharmaceutical preparation process. Dispensing shields are generally lighter weight and easier to handle than elution shields for the dispensing process because each of the containers may be used to fill multiple containers (e.g., off and on over the course of a day) and it is generally desirable to place the shielded container upside down on a work surface (e.g., tabletop surface) during the idle periods between transfer of the eluate into one container and the next. Prior art elution shields are generally not conducive for use as dispensing shields because, among other reasons, they may be unstable when inverted. For example, some elution shields have a heavy base that results in a relatively high center of gravity when the elution shield is upside down. Further, some elution shields have upper surfaces that are not adapted for resting on a flat work surface (e.g., upper surfaces with bumps that would make the elution shield unstable if it were placed on a flat surface upside down). Radiopharmacies have addressed this problem by maintaining a supply of elution shields and another supply of dispensing shields. This solution necessitates a transfer of the container from an elution shield to a dispensing shield, which can undesirably expose a worker to radiation.
The same generator may be used to fill a number of containers before the radioisotopes in the column are spent. The volume of eluate needed at any time may vary depending on the number of prescriptions that need to be filled by the radiopharmacy and/or the remaining concentration of radioisotopes in the generator column. One way to vary the amount of eluate drawn from the column is to vary the volume of evacuated containers used to receive the eluate. For example, container volumes ranging from about 5 mL to about 30 mL are common and standard containers having volumes of 5 mL, 10 mL, or 20 mL are currently used in the industry. A container having a desired volume may be selected to facilitate dispensing of a corresponding amount of eluate from the generator column.
Unfortunately, the use of multiple different sizes of containers is associated with significant disadvantages. For example, a radiopharmacy must either keep a supply of labels, rubber stoppers, flanged metal caps, spacers and/or lead shields in stock for each type of container it uses, or use shielding devices that can be adapted for use with containers of various sizes. One solution that has been practiced is to keep a variety of different spacers on hand to occupy extra space in the radiation shielding devices when smaller containers are being used. Unfortunately, this adds to the complexity and increases the risk of confusion because the spacers can get mixed up, lost, broken, or used with the wrong container and are generally inconvenient to use. For instance, some conventional spacers surround the sides of the containers in the shielding-devices, which is where labels may be attached to the containers. Accordingly, the spacers may mar the labels and/or adhesives used to attach the labels to the container resultantly causing the spacers to stick to the sides of the container or otherwise gum up the radiation-shielding device.
Thus, there is a need for improved radiation-shielding assemblies and methods of handling containers containing one or more radioisotopes that facilitates safer, more convenient, and more reliable handling of radioactive materials produced for nuclear medicine.

Radiation-shielding assemblies and methods of using the same


An image forming apparatus includes a base member where a plurality of recording heads is provided, the recording heads being configured to jet liquid drops onto a recording medium; a carriage configured to elevatably support the base member; and an elevating part configured to elevate the base member relative to the carriage, wherein the elevating part is a plurality of slide cam members provided movably in a horizontal direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to image forming apparatuses. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including a carriage with a recording head configured to eject liquid drops.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an image forming apparatus such as a printer, facsimile machine, copier, plotter, or a multiple function processing machine including the printer, facsimile machine, copier, and the plotter, an inkjet recording apparatus is known. The inkjet recording apparatus is a liquid jet recording type image forming apparatus using a recording head configured to jet ink liquid drops.
In this liquid jet recording type image forming apparatus, the ink liquid drops are jetted from the recording head onto a conveyed sheet so that image forming such as recording or printing is performed. In the liquid jet recording type image forming apparatus, there are two kinds of image forming apparatuses. One is a serial type image forming apparatus configured to jet liquid drops so that an image is formed while a recording head moves in a main scanning direction. The other is a line type image forming apparatus using a line type head whereby liquid drops are jetted while the recording head does not move so that an image is formed.
Hereinafter, the "image forming apparatus" means an apparatus configured to jet liquid onto a medium such as a paper, thread, fiber, leather, hides, metal, plastic, glass, wood, or ceramic so that images are formed. The image forming apparatus includes a mere liquid jetting apparatus. In addition, "image forming" means not only providing an image of characters, figures, or the like on the medium but also providing an image such as a pattern having no meaning on the medium. "Image forming" includes adherence of the liquid drops onto the medium.
Furthermore, "ink" is not limited to the recording liquid or the ink and any liquid that is a fluid when being jetted can be applied as the liquid such as fixing liquid. In addition, "sheet" is not limited to a paper but includes an OHP sheet or leather. In other words, the sheet means a subject where the ink drop is adhered. The sheet includes a recorded medium, a recording medium, a recording paper, and a recording sheet.
In the serial type inkjet recording apparatus, a carriage having a recording head is slidably held by primary and secondary guide members. The carriage is moved in a main scanning direction by a main scanning moving mechanism such as a driving motor, a timing belt and a pulley.
In such an inkjet recording apparatus, it is necessary to keep a distance (gap) between the sheet and a nozzle surface of the recording head constant. If the gap is not constant, positional precision of adherence of the liquid drop onto the medium is degraded by, for example, reciprocating printing. In addition, since the thickness of the sheet is not always constant depending on kinds of the sheet, it is necessary to adjust the gap between the sheet and the nozzle surface of the recording head.
Because of this, a structure where a gap adjusting mechanism is provided has been known conventionally. As the gap adjusting mechanism, for example, i) a structure where a height position of the carriage is changed by elevating a frame and a guide member movably holding the carriage, ii) a structure where a height position of the carriage is changed by elevating a guide member of the carriage, iii) a structure where a conveyance belt configured to convey the sheet elevates, iv) a structure where a platen member facing the recording head and configured to guide the sheet elevates, or the like has been suggested.
In addition, the following structure has been also suggested. Plural shafts, a power transmitting member, and a rotating member are provided on a carriage. Each of the plural shafts has the same configuration where a part for providing a head holder holding the recording head is eccentric. The power transmitting member is provided between the plural shafts and configured to transmit a driving force. The driving part is configured to rotate the eccentric shaft. The plural shafts are arranged in parallel with each other. By rotating the rotating part, the plural shafts are rotated at the same angle so that the head holder goes upward and downward.
As shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2007-223232 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2007-152792, a structure where the carriage is elevated for every main scanning guide member or the frame so that the gap between the recording head and the sheet conveyance surface is adjusted, is proper for a small sized inkjet recording apparatus.
However, in a recording apparatus for forming an image on a so-called large size and wide width medium, since the length in the main scanning direction is greater than 1000 mm and equal to or greater than 1500 mm, the weight of the entire carriage including the main scanning guide member or the frame and the carriage is equal to or greater than 10 kgf. Hence, it is difficult to elevate the carriage for every main scanning guide member or the frame with high precision.
The following structure has been suggested in Japanese Patent No. 3617626. The head holder configured to hold the recording head can be elevated relative to the carriage. The head holder hangs at the slider due to an energizing force of the spring. By using the cam mechanism, the head holder is elevated relative to the slider. With this structure, although the weight of a part which is elevated can be made light, if the number of the heads provided at the carriage is increased, the weight of the head holder is increased. Hence, it is difficult to stably hold the head.
The following structure has been suggested in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-271531. The holder configured to hold the head is provided in the carriage. The holder is provided on plural eccentric cams provided in parallel in the carriage. The eccentric cams are simultaneously rotated at the same angle so that the head with the holder is elevated. In this structure, if the number of the heads is increased, the weight of the head holder is increased. Hence, it is necessary to increase a diameter of the shaft of the eccentric cam. If the diameter of the shaft of the eccentric cam becomes larger, the width of the carriage becomes larger so that it is difficult to perform the driving control of the carriage. In addition, the width of the carriage becomes large so that the size of the apparatus becomes large.


A method for manufacturing a photoelectric transducer, comprising: forming a first electrode on a substrate; forming a first conductivity-type semiconductor layer on the first electrode; forming an I type semiconductor layer on the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer; forming on the I type semiconductor layer a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer that is different from the first conductivity-type; and forming a second electrode on the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer, wherein the forming of the I type semiconductor layer includes: forming a precursor film of the I type semiconductor layer on the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer by arranging droplets containing a silicon compound in an island shape; and converting the precursor film into the I type semiconductor layer by carrying out heat treatment or photoirradiation treatment to the precursor film.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a photoelectric transducer using a liquid containing a silicon compound, and to an electronic apparatus provided with the photoelectric transducer manufactured with this method.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, as an environment-friendly power supply, photoelectric transducers such as a solar battery have been attracting the attention, and single crystal silicon type solar batteries used for satellite batteries or the like, and solar batteries using polycrystal silicon or amorphous silicon are widely used for industries and homes.
The amorphous-silicon solar battery typically has a structure, the so-called PIN structure, in which a first conductivity-type semiconductor layer and a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer (e.g., a P type semiconductor layer and an N type semiconductor layer) sandwich a light absorption layer composed of an I type semiconductor layer, and photocurrent and photo electromotive force are taken out from electrodes using the internal electric field generated in an I type semiconductor layer.
As a method for manufacturing solar batteries at low cost without using large-scale equipments, there has been proposed in the example of the related art a method in which a liquid coating composite containing a silicon compound is applied onto a substrate thereby to form a coated film, and a silicon film, which is formed carrying out heat treatment and/or photo-treatment to this coated film, is used as a semiconductor layer.
International Publication WO 00/59044 is an example of related art.
In the method for applying the liquid coating composite containing a silicon compound onto a substrate, it is known that although 200 through 300 nm thin film can be formed, cracks occur or the film peels off from the substrate when attempting to form a film of the thickness greater than 200 through 300 nm.
However, in the solar batteries of a PIN structure, in order to obtain high photoelectric-conversion efficiency, it is conceived desirable that the thickness of the I layer be on the order of 2 μm. For this reason, the method for applying the coating composite onto a substrate is not suitable, and the forming is usually carried out with a relatively costly method such as CVD.

Method for manufacturing photoelectric transducer, and electronic apparatus


A knee brace for treating hyperextension in a patient's knee. The knee brace includes two lateral uprights and a back support positioned horizontally to and generally at a middle portion of the lateral uprights. The lateral uprights and the back support define an integral frame. A plurality of straps includes a thigh, shin and patella strap connected at opposed ends to the frame for securing the brace to the patient. A plurality of cushion pads is disposed along inner surfaces of the lateral uprights and the thigh and shin straps for providing comfort and for mitigating brace migration. An inflatable air bladder is located on an inner surface of the back support for positioning behind the knee. The air bladder has an inflation tube for increasing or decreasing the air volume within the air bladder to affect a range of motion for the patient's knee.

Orthotic devices and appliances commonly referred to as "orthotics," are known in the prior art and have been utilized for many years by doctors, orthotists, physical therapists and occupational therapists. They are primarily used to protect an injured or surgically repaired ankle or knee joint or a weakened joint caused by neurological disability or physiological deformity.
One such deformity is known as genu recurvatum of the knee. Genu recurvatum is a sustained posteriorly directed hyperextension moment of the knee joint (i.e., the knee bends backwards) occurring throughout the loading period of gait, from initial contact through forward progression. The posterior deviation of the knee joint (specifically in the tibiofemoral joint) disrupts normal gait and can negatively affect step length, stride length, gait velocity, walking cadence, increased lateral trunk displacement, and increased energy consumption while walking. If untreated, genu recurvatum can lead to significant knee joint deformities, which negatively affects walking ability and can predispose a patient to serious knee injury, knee pain and even cause knee osteoarthritis. Normal range of motion (ROM) of the knee joint is from 0 to 135 degrees in an adult. Full knee extension should be 0 degrees. In genu recurvatum normal extension is increased past 0 degrees.
The Swedish Knee Cage designed in the mid-1960s was the initial prefabricated commercially available knee brace to help control genu recurvatum. A typical Swedish Knee Cage brace design is a rigid "cage-like" unit that includes two upper lateral and medial uprights, two lower lateral and medial uprights and a generally U-shaped fixed posterior padded metal bar extending behind the knee. Also included are straps or cuffs and straps that secure the cage brace to the thigh and shin of a patient's leg. The padded metal bar is suppose to "block" or inhibit posterior movement of the knee joint. The metal "hyperextension stop" bar in some models is adjustable so that the brace fitter can stop the hyperextension of the knee at various positions depending on patient needs. Swedish Knee Cage designs all work as a physical block with a bar directly behind the knee to prevent movement backwards of the knee joint to simply control posterior movement of the knee. A typical Swedish Cage Knee Brace can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,637 to Janke et al.
The Swedish Knee Cage design is essentially a static-design brace since the rigid component positioned behind the knee joint simply "blocks" the posterior movement of the knee joint. During the loading phase of gait, the knee joint of a genu recurvatum patient will move past neutral (i.e., straight leg) with the knee hyper-extending backwards away from the midline of the body. The rigid block positioned behind the knee stops posterior movement of the knee joint. The patient at the hyperextension moment of the "block" loses all inertia and must push off of the "block" to move forward. This creates a "halting" gait, wherein more time is spent on the affected leg with weight bearing than the unaffected leg during gait. This disrupts a normal gait pattern, requires significant additional energy to ambulate and can result in significant discomfort behind the knee when ambulating over extended distances.
Improvements are clearly needed in Swedish Knee Cage designed knee braces used in the treatment and support of the genu recurvatum.


Crystalline silicon carbide wherein at least 90 weight percent of the silicon carbide is formed from a plurality of hexagonal crystal lattices wherein at least 80 weight percent of the crystals formed from the lattices contain at least a portion of opposing parallel base faces separated by a distance of from 0.5 to 20 microns. The crystals may be in the form of separate particles, e.g. separate platelets, or may comprise an intergrown structure. The crystalline silicon carbide of the invention is produced by heating a porous alpha silicon carbide precursor composition comprising silicon and carbon in intimate contact to a temperature of from 2100.degree. C. to 2500.degree. C. in a non-reactive atmosphere. The materials are high performance materials finding use in reinforcing, high temperature thermal insulating, improvement of thermal shock resistance, and modification of electrical properties.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to silicon carbide used as a reinforcing material for other materials and more particularly relates to a previously unknown form of silicon carbide usable for this and other purposes, to a method for the manufacture of such novel silicon carbide, to a method for using same, and to the resulting novel reinforced products.
2. Background of the Invention
There is presently an ongoing worldwide research effort to utilize silicon carbide whiskers and fibers as reinforcing agents. Presently known whiskers, usually single crystals having a high aspect ratio, are based on beta phase or cubic structure silicon carbide and as a result are not well suited for fabrication of ceramic composites which require processing temperatures above 1800.degree. C. due to the limited thermal stability of beta phase silicon carbide.
Nevertheless, attempts have been made to use such beta phase silicon carbide as reinforcing materials.
Examples of such prior art are discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,410,635, to Brennan et al., discloses discontinuous silicon carbide fiber reinforced ceramic composites which are formed by starting with the ceramic matrix material in a glassy state and converting it from a glassy state to a ceramic state after densification of the composite.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,231, to Prewo et al., discloses discontinuous silicon carbide fiber reinforced glass composites in which the silicon carbide fibers are laid up in substantially in-plane random direction orientation through utilization of a silicon carbide paper.
.U S- Pat. Nos. 4,387,080; 4,467,647; and 4,467,042, to Hatta et al., disclose the manufacture of flaky beta silicon carbide from an organic silicon polymer containing a metallic or non-metallic element such as Si, B, Ti, Fe, Al, Zr, Cr, and the like. The organic silicon polymer is molded into a thin sheet which is thereafter subjected to an anti-fusion treatment. This sheet is thereafter heated to a high temperature in an atmosphere of non-oxidative gas such as N.sub.2, H.sub.2, NH.sub.3, Ar, and CO. The thermal treatment is carried on at a temperature not exceeding 1800.degree. C. The resulting product is flaky beta silicon carbide. The infusible sheet of organic silicon polymer can be cut into small flaky pieces, each of which has a length and breadth 10-100 times greater than the thickness thereof, and these pieces may be converted to flakes of beta silicon carbide. Alternatively, flaking may be effected after heat treatment of a larger sheet. Also disclosed is the application of thin sheets or flaky materials for dispersion of thermal stress in composite materials such as rubber, plastics, metals, and concretes. Flaky beta silicon carbide having a width and length in the range of 10-100 times greater than the thickness thereof is taught as resisting breakage in an extrusion molding machine. Such beta silicon carbide does not, however, have high temperature resistance.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,661,662, to Allen, discloses a process for making sheets of material in which flakes of silicon carbide or boron carbide are floated on a pool of liquid metal which is inert to the flakes and bonding the concentrated flakes together on the surface of the pool to form a sheet thereof which is withdrawn from the surface of the pool. The bonding material is an organic resin.
Alpha silicon carbide including alpha silicon carbide of a hexagonal crystal structure is known. Such materials have not, however, been particularly suitable for use as reinforcing materials because in the prior art it was not possible to, or at least not practical to consistently make silicon carbide having a structure which was sufficiently pure and flawless to act as a good reinforcing material.
Individual large, typically between 0.1 and 3 cm, and usually intergrown hexagonal crystals sometimes spontaneously appear during synthesis of silicon carbide by Acheson electrofurnacing. Such crystals are, however, generally too large and too few relative to total silicon carbide prepared in the furnace, to be used as reinforcing materials. Even if such crystals were individually collected and crushed to smaller sized, the result would not be a good reinforcing material since such crushing operations result in a large number of flaws in the particles of the finished, crushed materials and also results in particles having an undesirable shape and size.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,406, to Knippenberg et al., discloses an inefficient method of manufacturing silicon carbide crystals in which a core of silicon dioxide is embedded in a mass of granular silicon carbide, or materials which form silicon carbide. Heating this mass to a temperature at which silicon dioxide volatilizes, i.e. above about 1500.degree. C., results in formation of a cavity surrounded by silicon carbide. After formation of the cavity, heating is continued at a temperature above about 2500.degree. C., at which silicon carbide crystals of plate shape are formed on the walls of the cavity.
Another patent disclosing the manufacture of hexagonal silicon carbide crystals is U.S. Pat. No. RE 26,941 to Lowe. This patent describes the preparation of large, ultrapure crystals by a slow andarduous vapor deposition process for electronic purposes for rectifiers and transistors. The crystals are up to 0.75 inches across with thicknesses. of from 1 to 100 mils (25 to 2540 microns), see e.g. column 5, lines 59-61. Such materials are generally too large for most reinforcing applications.
American Matrix, Inc., formerly Phoenix International, of Knoxville, Tennessee, has recently announced the availability of particles of alpha silicon carbide for reinforcement of composite materials. The manner in which this material is made, however, has, not been published. These particles under a microscope appear to be the result of crushing large particles. The product appears to be a mixture of various structures of various shapes, e.g. needles, powder, and fragments, including some hexagonal crystal material. The particles have a large number of faults and analysis indicates a low purity.
In summary, there are known to those skilled in the art many routes for the preparation of alpha or beta type silicon carbide from a variety of raw materials. However, there is no teaching or suggestion that thin single crystal, hexagonally shaped platelets of the more stable alpha type silicon carbide could intentionally be formed, nor is there any teaching as to how this may be accomplished on demand, nor that such platelets would have any unexpected utility.
Additionally, there is no teaching or suggestion of a porous silicon carbide matrix of small hexagonal crystal structure, i.e. where the base faces are separated by from 0.5 to 20 microns, nor any teaching or suggestion of a use for such a matrix.

Hexagonal silicon carbide platelets and preforms and methods for making and using same


A transportable water treatment system includes: a lower cage housing a water purifying apparatus, a middle cage housing a first water storage tank, and an upper cage housing a second water storage tank. The transportable water treatment system has a footprint approximate to the area of the lower cage. A chlorinator may be used in the water purifying apparatus that includes a bowl having an inlet at the bottom and an outlet on its side. A channel is around the inlet forcing fluid to flow to the top of the channel and over its edges. A flow diverter is positioned above the inlet adapted to transfer the flow of fluid to a substantially horizontal direction. A platform is positioned within the channel being adapted to position a single chlorine tablet within the channel. The lid is adapted for holding a plurality of chlorine tablets above the platform.

One fifth of all people on earth have no access to safe drinking water. That means more than 1.2 billion people use contaminated water to meet their everyday needs. Contaminated water takes a terrible toll. Each day 25,000 people die from cholera, typhoid, dysentery and other diseases caused by micro-organisms in the water they drink. On a yearly basis the sum is an astonishing 9 million deaths of which more than 3 million are children under the age of five. This water problem does not stand still. The World Health Organization estimates that in the next twenty five years there will be some two billion people without safe drinking water.
In developing countries waterborne diseases often present the greatest risk to human health. Water supplies may be biologically contaminated by sewage effluents that mix with floodwaters, or physically contaminated with soil and mud that enter the water supply and hinder disinfection efforts. Further, in addition to waterborne pathogens, harmful chemicals (e.g., nitrates and pesticides) are also typically found in flood water under such conditions. Yet this is not limited to only third world countries, in the developed world water supplies may also be compromised by, for example, natural disaster.
Contaminated water can have two components of contamination. These two contamination components are referred to as a biological load and a physical load. Biological load of the water is a reference to the level of biological contaminants in the water. The physical load of the water refers to the total level of suspended solids, dissolved solids, organic carbon, and turbidity in the water.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,936,176 teaches a transportable water treatment system, which is incorporated herein by reference. This system includes: an inlet adapted to receive water having a pressure of between 10 to 60 psig, a primary regenerable filter connected so as to receive water that has flown through the inlet, the primary regenerable filter configured to separate solids from water flowing therethrough, a secondary regenerable filter, the secondary regenerable filter connected downstream from the primary regenerable filter, and a chemical feed unit connected downstream of the secondary regenerable filter. The chemical feed unit is configured to treat water flowing through introduction of chemicals to the water. A water discharge pipe is adapted to discharge treated water from the chemical feed unit, where the inlet, the primary regenerable filter, the secondary regenerable filter, the chemical feed unit, and the discharge pipe make up a transportable water treatment system that is adapted to fit within a bed of a sub-compact pickup truck.
However, this system can be improved. For example, the footprint of the system, i.e., the amount of floor space the system takes up, is rather large (see FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,936,176). Thus, there is a need to create a system that has a smaller footprint and takes up less floor space. In addition, this system requires it to be setup once on site, which typically takes two to three hours (see Column 2, Lines 6-7 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,936,176). This is obviously not ideal in some remote locations. Thus, there is a need for a system that may be assembled and shipped ready to use from the factory.
US Patent application no. 2006/0191833 teaches a pressurized erosion chlorinator, which is incorporated herein by reference. This chlorinator was designed to operate in a water treatment system. This erosion chlorinator has a contact chamber with a water inlet flow orifice at the first end and a water discharge orifice in the side wall. Both orifices are in communication with the contact chamber. Seated within the contact chamber is an inverted cone having a narrow end and a wide end. The orifice at the narrow end is in communication with the water inlet orifice. An elongated chlorine tablet chamber is provided, the first end of which is in communication with the second end of the contact chamber and extends into the contact chamber, but is spaced from the wide end of the inverted cone. The second end of the elongated chlorine chamber has a flange around the circumference, an O-ring and an end plate where the O-ring is engaged between the flange and the end plate. This configuration of the chlorinator allows it to be used in a pressurized system.
However, this erosion chlorinator can be improved. For example, the erosion of the chlorine tablets within the chlorinator has been found to be irregular which makes the chlorination or treatment of the water irregular. Thus, in order to regulate the treatment of the water, the erosion of the chlorine tablets needs to be improved. Another problem with this chlorinator is that the tube that holds the chlorine tablets and its associated lid are very difficult to close and seal. Thus, there is a need for a device that holds the chlorine tablets that is easier to close and seal the tablets.
The instant invention is designed to address the above mentioned problems.

Transportable water treatment system and chlorinator


An electronic high frequency induction heater driver, for a variable spray fuel injection system, uses a scalable array of zero-voltage switching oscillators that utilize full and half-bridge topology with inductors between semiconductor switches wherein the semiconductor switches are synchronous within each bridge for function, and each bridge is synchronized for function along the entire array. The induction heater driver, upon receipt of a turn-on signal, multiplies a supply voltage through a self-oscillating series resonance, wherein one component of each tank resonator circuit comprises an induction heater coil magnetically coupled to an appropriate loss component so that fuel inside a fuel component is heated to a desired temperature.

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to heated tip fuel injectors, and more particularly, to controlling and driving an induction-heated fuel injector.
There is a continued need for improving the emissions quality of internal combustion engines. At the same time, there is pressure to minimize engine crank times and time from key-on to drive-away, while maintaining maximum fuel economy. Those pressures apply to engines fueled with alternative fuels such as ethanol as well as to those fueled with gasoline.
During cold temperature engine start, the conventional spark ignition internal combustion engine is characterized by high hydrocarbon emissions and poor fuel ignition and combustibility. Unless the engine is already at a high temperature after stop and hot-soak, the crank time may be excessive, or the engine may not start at all. At higher speeds and loads, the operating temperature increases and fuel atomization and mixing improve.
During an actual engine cold start, the enrichment necessary to accomplish the start leaves an off-stoichiometric fueling that materializes as high tail-pipe hydrocarbon emissions. The worst emissions are during the first few minutes of engine operation, after which the catalyst and engine approach operating temperature. Regarding ethanol fueled vehicles, as the ethanol percentage fraction of the fuel increases to 100%, the ability to cold start becomes increasingly diminished, leading some manufacturers to include a dual fuel system in which engine start is fueled with conventional gasoline and engine running is fueled with the ethanol grade. Such systems are expensive and redundant.
Another solution to cold start emissions and starting difficulty at low temperature is to pre-heat the fuel to a temperature where the fuel vaporizes quickly, or vaporizes immediately ("flash boils"), when released to manifold or atmospheric pressure. Pre-heating the fuel replicates a hot engine as far as fuel state is considered.
A number of pre-heating methods have been proposed, most of which involve preheating in a fuel injector. Fuel injectors are widely used for metering fuel into the intake manifold or cylinders of automotive engines. Fuel injectors typically comprise a housing containing a volume of pressurized fuel, a fuel inlet portion, a nozzle portion containing a needle valve, and an electromechanical actuator such as an electromagnetic solenoid, a piezoelectric actuator or another mechanism for actuating the needle valve. When the needle valve is actuated, the pressurized fuel sprays out through an orifice in the valve seat and into the engine.
One technique that has been used in preheating fuel is to inductively heat metallic elements comprising the fuel injector with a time-varying magnetic field. Exemplary fuel injectors having induction heating are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,677,468, U.S. Patent Application No's: 20070235569, 20070235086, 20070221874, 20070221761 and 20070221747, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. The energy is converted to heat inside a component suitable in geometry and material to be heated by the hysteretic and eddy-current losses that are induced by the time-varying magnetic field.
The inductive fuel heater is useful not only in solving the above-described problems associated with gasoline systems, but is also useful in pre-heating ethanol grade fuels to accomplish successful starting without a redundant gasoline fuel system.
Because the induction heating technique uses a time-varying magnetic field, the system includes electronics for providing an appropriate high frequency alternating current to an induction coil in the fuel injector.
Conventional induction heating is accomplished with hard-switching of power, or switching when both voltage and current are non-zero in the switching device. Typically, switching is done at a frequency near the natural resonant frequency of a resonator, or tank circuit. The resonator includes an inductor and capacitor that are selected and optimized to resonate at a frequency suitable to maximize energy coupling into the heated component.
The natural resonant frequency of a tank circuit is fr=1/(2π√{square root over (LC)}), where L is the circuit inductance and Cis the circuit capacitance. The peak voltage at resonance is limited by the energy losses of the inductor and capacitor, or decreased quality factor, Q, of the circuit. Hard-switching can be accomplished with what are called half-bridge or full-bridge circuits, comprising a pair or two pairs of semiconductor switches, respectively. Hard-switching of power results in the negative consequences of switching noise, and high amplitude current pulses at resonant frequency from the voltage supply, or harmonics thereof. Also, hard switching dissipates power during the linear turn-on and turn-off period when the switching device is neither fully conducting nor fully insulating. The higher the frequency of a hard-switched circuit, the greater the switching losses.
The preferred heater circuit therefore provides a method of driving a heated fuel injector wherein switching is done at the lowest possible interrupted power. This heater circuit was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,628,340, Title: Constant Current Zero-Voltage Switching Induction Heater Driver for Variable Spray Injection. Ideally, energy should be replenished to the tank circuit when either the voltage or the current in the switching device is zero. It is known that the electromagnetic noise is lower during zero-voltage or zero-current switching, and is lowest during zero-voltage switching, this is the method of U.S. Pat. No. 7,628,340. It is also known that the switching device dissipates the least power under zero switching. That ideal switching point occurs twice per cycle when the sine wave crosses zero and reverses polarity; i.e., when the sine wave crosses zero in a first direction from positive to negative, and when the sine wave crosses zero in a second direction from negative to positive.
It is preferable to reduce the size of inductive components and in some cases, eliminate the impedance-matching transformer, while maintaining the minimum necessary connections to the inductive heater coil on the injector. It is further preferable to reduce the overall quantity of components in repetitive function circuits by combining compatible functions of adjacent circuits. The Embodiments of the invention continue to provide for the elimination of the hard-switching and its negative consequences, replace it with zero-voltage switching, and further apply this method in a full-bridge topology while advantageously eliminating the impedance matching transformer and overcoming the difficulties of alternative solutions.
The elimination of the impedance matching transformer and elimination of the center-tap of the induction heating coil such that only two conductors are used for transmission of power has been disclosed separately. Additionally, forced current sharing through the induction heating coil while allowing for flexibility and suitable inductance and ampere-turns of the induction heater coil has been disclosed separately.

Synchronized array power oscillator with leg inductors


A recording medium, apparatus and method for recording a digital data stream on the recording medium are discussed. The method according to an embodiment includes recording the digital data stream by dividing the digital data stream into stream objects; recording common information for the stream objects; and recording stream time map information in a stream information file of the recording medium, the stream time map information including a time mapping list having time search information for searching the stream objects.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, apparatus and recording medium for recording a digital data medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional analog television broadcast, video signals are transmitted over the air or through cables after being AM or FM modulated. With the recent advance of digital technologies such as digital image compression or digital modulation/demodulation, standardization for digital television broadcast is in rapid progress. Based upon the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) format, the satellite and cable broadcast industries are also moving towards digital broadcasts.
The digital broadcast offers several advantages that its analog counterpart cannot provide. For example, the digital broadcast is capable of providing services with far more improved video/audio quality, transmitting several different programs within a fixed bandwidth, and offering enhanced compatibility with digital communication media or digital storage media.
In the digital broadcast, a plurality of programs encoded based upon the MPEG format are multiplexed into a single transport stream before they are transmitted. The transmitted transport stream is received by a set top box at the receiver and demultiplexed into the original programs. If a program is chosen from among the demultiplexed programs, the chosen program is decoded by a decoder in the set top box and original audio and video signals are retrieved. The retrieved audio and video signals can be presented by an A/V output apparatus such as a TV.
It is also possible to record the received digital broadcast signals on a storage medium instead of directly outputting the received broadcast signals to A/V output devices. The stored digital broadcast signals can be edited and retrieved afterwards. For example, a digital data stream received by the set top box can be transmitted to a streamer such as a digital video disk (DVD) recording apparatus through communication interfaces such as an IEEE-1394 serial bus and stored in the streamer. The stored digital data stream can be edited and transmitted back to the set top box so that the digital audio and video data can be presented.
For recording a received digital broadcast stream on a recording medium, it is necessary to develop schemes to organize the digital data stream on the recording medium and to create management information for rapid access to the recorded data stream.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method, apparatus and recording medium for recording digital data stream


A method for purifying a biologically active ligate. In this method, a ligand bonded to a first phase and having a specific affinity for the ligate is provided. The ligate is provided with a second phase. The first and second phases are then contacted together under conditions in which the ligand and ligate form a complex bonded to the first phase, with the ligand and ligate held together only by one or more non-covalent pressure sensitive bonds. At least a part of the second phase is then separated from the first phase to provide a purified first phase, and the purified first phase subjected to a pressure of at least 300 atmospheres under conditions sufficient to cause release of the ligate from the complex, but not sufficient to cause significant release of the ligand from the first phase. These conditions do not irreversibly cause biological activity of the ligate to be significantly reduced. The ligate released from the complex is then separated from the immediate vicinity of the ligand, and recovered in its biologically active form.

The invention was supported in part by grant number CDR-88-03014 from the National Science Foundation. The U.S. government has rights in the invention.
This invention relates to processes for purifying a biologically active ligate. An example of such a process includes affinity chromotography.
Affinity chromatography is a procedure commonly used for purifying a biologically active ligate, for example, a protein, such as an antibody or antigen, or a nucleic acid. Generally, in this procedure a ligand capable of specifically binding to the ligate is bound to a solid phase, such as a glass bead or nitrocellulose membrane. The ligand is bound in a manner which allows the specific binding of the ligate to the ligand. The ligate is then contacted with the bound ligand under conditions in which a ligand/ligate complex is formed on the solid phase, and the solid phase is washed to remove contaminating substances. During washing the complex remains bound to the solid phase. Subsequently, the ligate is caused to separate from the ligand, and thus the solid phase, by provision of an eluting solution. The ligate is then recovered from the eluting solution.
This procedure exploits the specificity of biological interaction between a ligand and a ligate, and is a highly specific method for isolating a biological material. Only a ligate having a sufficient affinity for the ligand on the solid support is retained on that solid support. Other compounds within the sample containing the ligate are not bound to the ligand, and are washed from the solid support during the procedure.
A suitable eluting solution is chosen from a variety of buffers, including solutions containing high concentrations of an acid, a base, a chaotropic salt, or a denaturing agent. This solution causes the ligand/ligate complex to become unstable, and thus release of the ligate into the eluting solution.

Method for purifying biologically active ligate


Provided is a method of depositing a polythiophene semiconductor on a substrate. First, the semiconductor is dissolved in a solvent comprising a halogen-containing aromatic compound. Then, the resulting solution is ink-jet printed onto the substrate. The method is useful in the production of microelectronic components such as thin film transistor devices.

Semiconductor materials have many applications in modern technology. In particular, semiconductor materials are useful in the production of microelectronic components such as transistors and diodes. Whilst inorganic semiconductors such as elemental silicon have traditionally been employed in the production of these microelectronic semiconductor components, recently other materials having semiconducting properties have become available and are being increasingly adopted by the microelectronic industry.
One such class of semiconductor materials is that of organic semiconductor materials. These materials are associated with a number of advantages over traditional silicon semiconductors. One such advantage is that organic semiconductor materials can be processed in simpler, less expensive ways. For instance, organic semiconductor materials can be dissolved in certain organic solvents enabling controlled deposition of the semiconductor in the manufacture of microelectronic components. This is advantageous because solution processing is relatively cheap so that a significant saving can be made as compared to the production facilities required to process for example a silicon semiconductor which requires high capital investment in complex vacuum deposition equipment.
Whilst the above-mentioned considerations of how a semiconductor can be processed are important in choosing a semiconductor material from which to produce microelectronic components, a critical characteristic of a semiconductor material is its electronic properties which allow the device to function. Two of the most important characteristics of a semiconductor material which determine its applicability in the production of microelectronic devices are its bulk conductivity and field effect mobility. When a semiconductor is incorporated into a transistor, the bulk conductivity of the semiconductor material determines the conductivity through the semiconductor when the transistor is off (the "off" state). Meanwhile, the field effect mobility determines the conductivity through the semiconductor when a voltage is applied through the gate electrode of the transistor (the "on" state). In terms of the electrical properties of a semiconductor, it is important for proper functioning of a microelectronic device produced using the semiconductor that the on/off ratio (that is, the ratio of the conductivity of the "on" state to the "off" state) is high.
One class of organic semiconductors which fulfils the criteria for applicability in microelectronic components, in particular that of having a high on/off ratio, is the class of polythiophenes. Polythiophenes generally exhibit low bulk conductivities and high field effect mobilities making these materials good candidates for the production of microelectronic components and in particular for the production of thin-film transistors (TFTs).
As explained above, it is highly desirable when processing organic semiconductors to make use of solution processing in which the semiconductor is dissolved in a solvent which is then deposited to produce areas or an extensive layer of the semiconductor. One particularly promising technique for depositing such solutions of semiconductors is ink-jet printing. This is because ink-jet printing conveniently allows relatively precise deposition of liquids onto a substrate in an automated manner. It would be highly desirable to be able to produce microelectronic semiconductor components such as for example TFTs by ink-jet printing a solution of polythiophene onto a suitable substrate.
However, a number of problems are encountered when trying to put this into practice. The key problem is that whilst it is possible to dissolve polythiophenes in solvents commonly used in organic semiconductor processing (e.g. toluene and xylene), the resulting solutions are not ideal for use in ink-jet printing. In order to be able to ink-jet print a solution, it is important that the solution maintains a constant viscosity over time. This is because if the solution does not have a constant and appropriate viscosity, the ink-jet printer cannot maintain the required droplet volume and ejection velocity over time. In addition to this, it is important that a solution to be printed does not contain particulate material above a certain size as such material tends to clog the nozzles of the ink-jet printer. It is also important that the solvent has an appropriate boiling point so that it will quickly evaporate after printing. This is particularly important if multiple overlying layers are to be printed.
In view of these requirements, solutions of polythiophene-based semidonductors in toluene and xylene have not been found to be suitable for ink-jet printing. Although polythiophenes are initially quite soluble in these solvents, there is a strong tendency for gels to form in the solution or for solid material to be precipitated therefrom after just a few days of storage. It is believed that this aggregation of polymer material in the solvent occurs due to interaction between the polythiophene chains. This tendency for the polythiophene chains to interact has been studied in the past because it is this property which results in polythiophenes having semiconducting properties. It is this interaction between adjacent chains which allows charge carriers to travel not only along the delocalised π-electrons along the polymer backbone but also to "jump" from chain to chain particularly when the chains are held close to each other due to strong inter-chain interaction.
For these reasons, there is at present no commercially viable way of ink-jet depositing a polythiophene semiconductor solution on a substrate.
In view of the various deficiencies of known methods of processing polythiophene semiconductor materials, there has been a need for the development of a new method of depositing polythiophene on a substrate. Accordingly, the present inventors set out to develop a new method of doing this which avoids the problems discussed above.

Method of depositing polythiophene semiconductor on a substrate


A method comprises off-loading data traffic from user equipment in a coverage area of a cell from a first band to second band. The off-loading comprises building a probability distribution function of a transmit configuration for power levels of sub-bands for first bands and second bands in the cell and updating the probability distribution function being configured at an end of a selected time interval.

This section is intended to provide a background or context to the invention disclosed below. The description herein may include concepts that could be pursued, but are not necessarily ones that have been previously conceived, implemented, or described. Therefore, unless otherwise explicitly indicated herein, what is described in this section is not prior art to the description in this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
A cellular telecommunications network is a network distributed over land areas divided into cells, each cell being served by at least one fixed-location transceiver or base station. In a cellular telecommunications network, each cell uses a defined set of frequencies of radio spectrum. When joined together, these cells provide radio coverage over a wide geographic area to enable portable transceivers (e.g., mobile communications devices such as phones, walkie-talkies, laptops, tablets, and the like) to communicate with each other.
Each cell is a macrocell that is configured to provide the radio coverage based on the defined set of frequencies via the base station. Radio coverage within each macrocell may have a range of up to several miles. Due to variations in geography (e.g., hills) and the presence of man-made structures (e.g., buildings), radio coverage may not be consistent throughout a macrocell. This inconsistency in radio coverage may be perceived as an inefficient use of the radio spectrum.
To compensate for this inconsistency, small cells are configured to operate within the macrocells, each small cell generally having a range of about 30 feet to about 200 yards. With mobile service providers (MSPs) attempting to support the growth in mobile data traffic, many MSPs are using mobile data off-loading techniques (namely, the transfer of data to lesser used portions of the radio spectrum) to increase efficiency. Thus, small cells are becoming a common element used for data off-loading in current and past generation communication systems, and many mobile service providers (MSPs) see small cells as playing an increasingly important role in the management of more advanced communication systems currently under development. By some estimates, the number of small cells put into service to accommodate mobile telecommunications traffic is expected to double within a few years.

Method and apparatus for inter-RAT integration


The present invention relates to automatic gain control methods and apparatus for controlling a signal level of a signal at a predetermined location in a signal path of a receiver chain. An automatic gain controller comprises a local signal modifier device for selecting based on an error signal and an oscillator signal from a plurality of alternative oscillator signals, and for providing the selected oscillator signal to a signal mixer located in the receiver chain upstream of said predetermined location for frequency translation of an input signal to said signal mixer.

A radio receiver must be able to handle both weak and strong signals. Most often the amplitude detector in the final stage in the receiver must have its input signal at a specific amplitude for optimal performance. This problem is often solved according to prior art by inserting amplifiers having Automatic Gain Control, AGC, functionality into the signal path through the radio receiver. The AGC will change the gain of the amplifier when the strength, i.e. the level, of the input signal changes to keep the detector signal at a predetermined level. The gain change can be achieved in a continuous manner or in discrete steps.
Existing technologies for implementing AGC functions with discrete steps uses switches in some form to realize programmable gain amplifiers, PGA, or programmable attenuators. The switches are usually implemented in FET or MOS technologies or with PIN diodes. The switches can be used to switch in attenuator steps in the signal path, switch in more or less feedback in an amplifier or switching on and off whole amplifier stages. All those methods change the total gain in the receiver.
US patent publications U.S. No. 2009/0079501, denoted ref [1], and U.S. No. 2009/0108931, denoted ref [2], describe circuits with programmable gain implemented with switches.
Ref [1] teaches different automatic gain control designs. Further, a method to compensate the on resistance problem by having "dummy" switches that should track the ones in the feedback. This shows that on resistance is a problem when using switches.
Also Ref [2] teaches automatic gain control comprising switches for setting the attenuation level.
The use of switches for implementing AGC functions has several disadvantages, especially if the radio receiver is implemented at an integrated circuit, e.g. an ASIC, Application Specific Integrated Circuit.
Switches may be implemented in an ASIC by means of Positive Intrinsic Negative, PIN, diode technology, but said diodes are known for consuming a lot of current in some design conditions, and they are therefore not power efficient. When using PIN diodes as switching elements means they are either reversed biased, which will not consume any current, or forward biased, which will consume current. The current is usually large since the trans-conductance, gm, of the diode must be large, which is defined by the diode equation. The trans-conductance must be large to make the PIN-switch having a low on resistance. The following equations shows the relationship between trans-conductance and bias current ID.
            I      D        =                            I          S                ·                  (                                    ⅇ                                                qV                  D                                /                                  (                  kT                  )                                                      -            1                    )                    ≈                        I          S                ·                  ⅇ                                    qV              D                        /                          (              kT              )                                                      g      m        =                            ⅆ                      I            D                                    ⅆ                      V            D                              ≈                        I          D                          kT          /          q
The use of Field Effect Transistor, FET, or Metal Oxide Semiconductor, MOS, technology for implementing the switches in the signal path of a receiver chain involves a trade-off between low resistance in on state and low capacitance in off state. Both FET and MOS transistors works with a channel. When they are used as switches the channel is completely open or closed.
To minimize the on resistance and parasitic capacitance the length of the transistor is made as small as the technology allows. Making the switch wide will lower the on resistance but will also increase the parasitic capacitance that will limit the high frequency performance.
FET and MOS switches have a maximum voltage they can handle. Often large signal amplitudes need to be handled. This can limit the usage of a FET or MOS switches.
As described, the use of amplifier circuits having automatic gain control functionality in the signal path of a receiver chain may introduce a number of problems to be solved or avoided.

Method and apparatus relating to signal control


A method of converting piston driven engines to operate on electricity. The head is removed from the engine. A solenoid tube, approximately twice as long as the stroke of the engine piston, for identification purposes, called a Double Length Solenoid Tube (13) or DLST (13) is fitted with flanges approximately on each end and in the middle, and is wound with suitable wire in layers from end flanges to middle making two separate magnetic coils on the DLST (13) a bar, which can be temporarily magnetized, for identification purposes is called the power magnet, PM (16) is attached to a rod, which cannot be magnetized, for identification purposes, called the Power Rod, PR (21) is fastened to the top of the engine piston (31). When the engine piston (31) approaches Top Dead Center, TDC, the PM (16) is in the top half of the DLST (13) approximately at this position the bottom magnetic coil (85) is energized pulling the PM (16) and the PR (21) down; pushing the engine piston (31) down; turning the crankshaft (34) from 0 degree to 180 degrees. When the engine piston (31) is at Bottom Dead Center, BDC, the PM (16) is as close to the center of the crankshaft (34) as it can be. The top coil is energized, magnetically pulling the PM (16) the PR (21) and the engine piston (31) up; turning the crankshaft from 180 degrees to 360 degrees, completing the cycle. Therefore, by using a double length solenoid tube with two coils, a solenoid magnet bar 16 pushes down on the downstroke and pulls up on the upstroke to the engine piston delivering power to the crankshaft on every stroke. Included in specifications is an electrical switching system, two cooling systems and a lubrication system. This method can be applied to any piston driven engine.

The growing energy crisis has caused many people to try to convert gasoline engines to run batteries. I discovered a method to convert a garden tractor engine to operate on a car battery. Then I had a patent search made. I had not been influenced by other inventions. Several patents regarding electrifying engines have been granted. My invention differs from all I saw in several ways. I found no patent using a double length solenoid tube having two separate coils to produce power on the down stroke and the up stroke. I found no patents using the flywheel or crankshaft pulley to host devices used in electrical switching systems to have the magnets pulling on every stroke. I found no patents that claimed to have a working model. My conversion method does all of the above listed, and the conversion can be made with parts easily obtainable.

Method of converting piston driven engines to operate on electricity


A flexible display module according to the present application includes a number of module material layers superposed; and at least one strain isolation layer disposed between the two adjacent the module material layers. The strain isolation layer includes a chamber and an elastic material layer surrounding an outer periphery of the chamber.

A flexible display module is a display module that can be bendable and deformable, and display modes of the flexible display module include a plurality of types such as an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED), an Electrophoretic Display (EPD), a Liquid Crystal Display Device (LCD) and the like. The flexible display module that is bendable and deformable may bring a disruptive usage experience for users. However, when the flexible display module is bent and deformed, components of the flexible display module, such as a Thin Film Transistor (TFT), a conductive wiring and the like, may be ruptured due to stress concentration, and the flexible display module may also be delaminated due to uneven force, thereby display failure of the flexible display module is caused. On the other hand, laminate structure of a flexible module is complicated, and each bonding process is prone to failure, resulting in that a good rate of the flexible display module is decreased.

Flexible display module, flexible display device and method for preparing the flexible display module


There is provided a sheet post-processing device that has a first tray, outlet rollers, and a control section. The first tray holds sheets for post-processing with respect to the sheets supplied from an image forming device. The outlet rollers discharge the sheet to the first tray. The control section controls a rotational speed of the outlet rollers to be decelerated after a leading end portion of the sheet passes through the outlet rollers and before the leading end portion of the sheet comes into contact with the first tray.

A Multiple Function Peripheral (MFP) of the related art includes a sheet post-processing device that post-processes sheets transported from an image forming device. The sheet post-processing device includes a processing tray that holds the sheets for post-processing of the sheets, inlet rollers through which the sheet is input from the image forming device, and outlet rollers that output the sheet input from the inlet rollers to the processing tray. The sheet post-processing device controls a transport speed of the sheet when discharging the sheet from the outlet rollers to the processing tray. The control of the transport speed is performed at timing near the exit of a trailing end of the sheet from the outlet rollers after a leading end of the sheet comes into contact with the processing tray. In addition, in the transport speed of the sheet, there are a first transport speed that is a speed for transporting the sheet and a second transport speed (first transport speed>the second transport speed) that is a speed suitable for discharging the sheet to the processing tray. The sheet post-processing device performs control to decelerate the transport speed of the sheet from the first transport speed to the second transport speed in the vicinity of the exit of the trailing end of the sheet from the outlet rollers. However, in the control of the transport speed of the sheet in such a sheet post-processing device, the speed (=first transport speed) of the sheet in the middle of discharging the sheet from the outlet rollers to the processing tray is large and the sheet may be buckled and the like. Thus, positions of the sheets discharged on the processing tray may be varied.


Memory management circuitry and processes operate to improve reliability of a group of memory stacks, providing that if a memory stack or a portion thereof fails during the product's lifetime, the system may still recover with no errors or data loss. A front-end controller receives a block of data requested to be written to memory, divides the block into sub-blocks, and creates a new redundant reliability sub-block. The sub-blocks are then written to different memory stacks. When reading data from the memory stacks, the front-end controller detects errors indicating a failure within one of the memory stacks, and recovers corrected data using the reliability sub-block. The front-end controller may monitor errors for signs of a stack failure and disable the failed stack.

Stacked memory refers to designs in which memory chips are assembled in a stack, vertically atop one another. Current stacked dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) designs include the Hybrid Memory Cube (HMC) and High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), and these designs are attractive for many applications. The appeal of three-dimensional (3D) stacked DRAM is its ability to deliver far greater memory bandwidth to processors that need it. However, stacked DRAM comes with new challenges. First, the stacking introduces new error models, including the potential failure of through silicon vias (TSVs) and failure of a chip in the stack (whose failure has a different impact than the failure of a DRAM chip in traditional two-dimensional (2D) DRAM). Second, the traditional solution to DRAM errors—Hamming error correcting codes (ECC) with the error correcting bits on a dedicated DRAM chip—are a poor fit in 3D stacked DRAM.
In order to maximize the benefits of the stacked arrangement, multiple stacks are sometimes connected to a single compute unit, such as a graphics processing unit (GPU), creating a stack group. However, a failure in any of those stacks during the life of a product can result to substantial capacity loss, bandwidth loss, and data loss that can result in significant reliability and performance overheads. Replacing the faulty HBM stack on a silicon interposer is practically impossible.
The current second-generation HBM standard (HBM2) introduces stack memory that has data-co-located ECC syndrome bits. In other words, the ECC is located at the same memory location as the data. The ECC is checked and generated by the memory controller. Although this option is good in terms of energy efficiency, it provides weak fault tolerance. In the case of a high granularity failures, like row, bank, channel, die or stack failure the memory is often unable to recover, resulting in significant amount of data loss.
In the following description, the use of the same reference numerals in different drawings indicates similar or identical items. Unless otherwise noted, the word "coupled" and its associated verb forms include both direct connection and indirect electrical connection by means known in the art, and unless otherwise noted any description of direct connection implies alternate embodiments using suitable forms of indirect electrical connection as well.

Tolerating memory stack failures in multi-stack systems


Herein is provided a fiber length including a doped fiber core extending over the fiber length. First and second cladding regions radially surround the core. At least one pump light input site is arranged to accept input pump light into the first cladding region. A low-absorption length over which the first cladding region has a first cross-sectional geometry produces a first level of absorption of input pump light from the first cladding region to the core, extending from a pump light input site for an extent over which the doped core can absorb at least about 10% of input pump light from the first cladding region. A high-absorption section over which the first cladding region has a second cross-sectional geometry produces a second level of absorption of input pump light from the first cladding region to the core, greater than the first level of absorption of input pump light.

This invention relates generally to optical fiber, and more particularly relates to active, doped optical fiber.
The development of doped, actively-pumped optical fiber has been fundamental for enabling the application of optical fiber systems, such as fiber-based laser systems, to the fields of telecommunications, sensor systems, and electro-optic systems, as well as for industrial applications such as high-speed material cutting, welding, and micromachining, among other applications. In one example, a doped, actively-pumped optical fiber generally consists of a fiber core region including a core material that is doped with a selected dopant for causing lasing of the core material at a selected wavelength. The fiber core region is surrounded by a first cladding region though which pump light is introduced to the fiber, e.g., from one or both ends of the fiber. The pump light in the first cladding region is absorbed by the core region along the fiber length, causing population inversion and lasing of the material in the core region, with the core region carrying the laser light through the fiber. The first cladding region is typically surrounded by a second cladding region that is provided as an outer protective layer for the fiber and to confine the pump light to the first cladding and core regions.
In operation, the core region of a doped, actively-pumped optical fiber generates heat as the input pump signal is converted to a laser signal, and this heating primarily occurs in the core material, due to, e.g., quantum defects of the lasing process and the degree of pump and signal absorption. Because the core region generally has a very large surface-to-volume ratio in a conventional fiber geometry, the heat generated in the core region dissipates to the outer cladding regions of the fiber. This heat generation and dissipation can result in thermal damage of the fiber core material as well as the materials of both the first fiber cladding and second fiber cladding. Heat generation and dissipation can also cause detrimental thermo-optical effects during fiber laser operation, such as multi-mode instability, also referred to as transverse mode instability and modal instability, of the laser signal in the core of the fiber.
Conventionally, a lasing pump signal is introduced into a doped, actively-pumped fiber system through the first cladding layer of the fiber, from one or both ends of the fiber, with the pump light crossing into the fiber core as the pump light progresses down the length of the fiber. In the doped fiber core, the pump energy is absorbed and converted to the target laser wavelength. The geometry and material composition of the fiber core region and the fiber cladding regions are generally homogeneous along substantially the entire length of the fiber, resulting in nonuniform, with respect to length, distribution of pump energy and correspondingly non uniform heat dissipation along the fiber length. The magnitude of this absorption and heating depends on the doping and other characteristics of the fiber materials as well as the choice of pump and target laser wavelengths. The heat that is generated in the doped fiber core occurs at regions of highest signal power and highest gain, i.e., the site of highest conversion of pump to signal power. This is in general relatively near to locations along the length of the doped fiber where pump power is introduced into the first cladding region of the fiber. Thus, there can be regions of fiber along which heat generation is pronounced, and there can exist specific sites along the fiber length at which heat generation is extreme.
Many fiber laser applications, e.g., multi-kW fiber lasers and multi-W amplifiers for industrial material processing and telecommunications, require robust and sustained fiber operation over long durations. But as a result of heating during fiber laser operation, the requirements of many such applications are not attainable with conventional fiber systems. As a result, the design and system limitations imposed by the need to prohibit thermal damage of fiber lasers prohibits the ability to achieve the reliable optical power scaling required by many important fiber applications.

Control of heating in active doped optical fiber


A method and apparatus for forming a titanium doped tantalum pentaoxide dielectric using a CVD process. According to the present invention a substrate is placed in the deposition chamber. A source of tantalum, a source of titanium, and an oxygen containing gas are then fed into the chamber. Thermal energy is used to decompose the source of tantalum to form tantalum atoms, and decompose the source of titanium to form titanium atoms in the deposition chamber. The titanium atoms, tantalum atoms and the oxygen containing gas then react to form a tantalum pentaoxide dielectric film doped with titanium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of dielectric layer formation and more specifically to a method and apparatus for forming a titanium doped tantalum pentaoxide dielectric layer.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Integrated circuits are made up of literally millions of active and passive devices such as transistors, capacitors and resistors. In order to provide more computational power and/or more storage capability in an integrated circuit, device features are reduced or scaled down in order to provide higher packing density of devices. An important feature to enable scaling of devices is the ability to form high quality, high dielectric constant films for capacitor and gate dielectrics.
One high dielectric constant film that has been proposed is titanium doped tantalum pentaoxide. A conventional method of forming a titanium doped tantalum pentaoxide film is to first deposit a tantalum pentaoxide (Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5) film and then use ion implantation to dope the film with titanium atoms. A problem with doping the film with ion implantation is that the doping profile for flat surfaces (horizontal surfaces) will differ from that on side surfaces (vertical surfaces). Such differences in doping can cause the different areas to have different electrical properties which makes the process unacceptable in the manufacture of high density capacitors which utilize electrode designs with large aspect ratio openings (greater than 2:1). Additionally, ion implanting titanium atoms into a tantalum pentaoxide film can cause lattice destruction resulting in poor electrical performance such as high leakage currents.
Thus, what is desired is a method and apparatus for forming a titanium doped tantalum pentaoxide film.

Method and apparatus for forming a titanium doped tantalum pentaoxide dielectric layer using CVD