A method for forming a composite part involves forming a layup comprising (a) preforms/flat form-factor feedstock, either of which includes a plurality of fibers and a matrix precursor, and (b) a differential-melt polymer. The matrix precursor and the differential-melt polymer differ as to at least one of thermal properties and rheological properties. The layup is subjected to controlled application of heat and pressure to melt the matrix precursor and differential-melt polymer. The polymers are then cooled to form a composite part that displays properties attributable to all the constituents. As a function of a variety of factors, the resulting part can be homogenous or heterogenous, and the properties can be localized or global throughout the part.

A key aspect of composite materials is the interplay between the associated constituents; typically, a matrix material and a fibrous material. The matrix, which is formed from a polymer resin, surrounds and supports the fibrous material (fibers) by maintaining their relative positions and preventing abrasion and environmental attack of the fibers. The combination is synergistic; the composite possesses material properties unavailable from the individual constituents, such as a very high strength-to-weight ratio.
Although composites offer highly desirable material properties for many applications, there are certain use cases where they fall short. For example, there are use cases in which a part, or different regions of the part, are required to accommodate different and somewhat mutually exclusive requirements. For example, a bracket within an airplane requires high strength, low weight, and damping properties. The strength satisfies loading requirements, the low weight facilitates fuel economy, and the damping improves the life of the bracket by reducing vibratory fatigue. These are all independent optimization problems with no single solution.

Method for in-situ differential melting of polymers and parts formed therefrom


Apparatus and methods to characterize fluid valves are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a fluid valve having a valve seat and a flow control member to sealingly engage the valve seat. The apparatus includes a sensor to detect a change in position of the flow control member. The apparatus includes a processor to determine at least one of a seating point or a breakout point corresponding to the flow control member based on the change in position.

In recent years, industrial plants and manufacturers have developed and implemented advanced fluid valve controllers for production and workflow control. These known fluid valve controllers monitor and control fluid valves to govern process fluids (e.g., natural gas, water, etc.) within a process control system. In particular, the valve controllers control flow of the process fluids by moving or displacing valve plugs (e.g., via actuators) based on settings and/or parameters that may be manually programmed. Such valve plugs have associated implementation and/or design parameters such as seating forces/torques, breakout forces/torques, breakout times, etc. These parameters are typically determined or calculated based on manual measurements, which can be time consuming and/or labor intensive to perform.

Apparatus and methods to characterize fluid control valves


Building control systems that include a user interface that is configured to help manage relatively large amounts of building control data in an efficient and intuitive manner. In some cases, subsets of building control information can be associated with display elements such as windows or tabs, which can then be docked to provide a convenient way to selectively display only certain subsets of the building control information.

Building control systems may provide a large amount of data pertaining to HVAC equipment, security alarms, refrigeration monitoring and/or the like. In some instances, building control systems may provide such information for a large number of sites that can be within different portions of a building or within different buildings. The buildings may even be geographically scattered. Individuals charged with operating these building control systems, such as alarm managers or building superintendents, for example, may have to monitor events at multiple sites and/or diagnose and/or fix a large number of potential problems in a short amount of time.
It will be appreciated that the amount of information presented to the individual may become overwhelming. There is a need for a building control system that provides the individual with organizational tools that help manage the relatively large amounts of building control data in an efficient and intuitive manner.

Building control system user interface with docking feature


Conventional archive and retrieval systems inadequately identify the archival data with sufficient granularity to associate data items with retrieval performance, and do not define a recourse following loss of archived data. A method for file archiving, identification, and failure recourse facilitates successive disposition by generating an authenticated receipt of files transferred for storage via an authentication instrument that is verifiable towards both the data stored and a corresponding agreement. The authenticated receipt provides nonrepudiation assurances about the content of the file and the contractual terms under which the file was stored via an authenticating signature of the archive storage server which associates the file content with the contractual terms. The nonrepudiation assurances allow verification of the content of the archived file through a checksum or hash, and the authenticated receipt further indicates the terms of the contractual agreement for recourse by the client depositor in the event of loss of the file.

Conventional content delivery networks (CDNs) provide access methods to published data objects, such as documents, files, graphical entities, and other media. In such a network, data is typically written once and retrieved many times by a plurality of users. For example, a large corporation may establish a CDN for customer service, operable to store entities such as user manuals, FAQs (frequently asked questions), technical service bulletins, historical reference documents for obsolete products, and other support items. A content provider typically outsources a conventional CDN to a service provider host responsible for maintaining the CDN. A service level agreement (SLA) defines the responsibilities of the CDN host to provide timely content to requesting users, and defines specific performance criteria that the host will achieve for retrieval requests. For example, a SLA may specify that a CDN website is to respond to a volume of 1000 requests an hour each in 5 seconds or less.
A similar model is applicable to a long-term archive or backup environment. A system operator or other support entity typically provides backup for conventional information systems according to a periodic schedule to guard against data loss from accidental deletions, hardware failure, and user error. Often, an organization delegates the archive task to a third party according to an SLA. A conventional SLA may specify a certain volume of data and duration of archive during which the archiver is expected to maintain and retrieve requested data as needed.
One method of providing content is shown by "FreeFlow", a CDN product marketed commercially by Akamai Technologies, Inc. of Cambridge Mass. FreeFlow establishes a CDN including fast access cache servers which store content of requested web pages to offload processing demands from hits on a main target website. This system uses fingerprinting of the data to identify and maintain cache copies in the fast access cache servers distinct from the main website. The FreeFlow system, therefore, maintains high speed cache data proximate to a requester, and invokes fingerprinting to avoid staleness of the data. Therefore, the FreeFlow system appears to identify the content of the web page data for fast access, independently of an association to other extrinsic data or information objects.
Other systems that purport to provide backup services include STORos storage manager for backup, available commercially by StorageNetworks of Waltham, Mass., which suggests a unified view of backup architectures across multiple backup servers, software packages, and locations. Another entity concerned with services according to SLAs includes Scale8, Inc. of San Francisco, Calif., which provides Scale8 Global Storage Service and a family of Network-Attached Storage (NAS) products.

Reliable embedded file content addressing


The invention relates to a DC voltage network having a plurality of sections (1) which can be connected together and separated from one another individually or in groups via a respective switch element (5). A pre-charging circuit (10) has diode groups (11), a switch device (12), an energy transmission path (13), and a controller (14). Each of the sections (1) of the DC voltage network is coupled to the energy transmission path (13) via at least one respective diode group of the diode groups (11). The energy transmission path (13) is consistently the same for the diode groups (11). The controller (14) transmits a control signal (S) to the switch device (12) in order to pre-charge sections (1), and the switch device (12) thereby switches the energy transmission path (13) for all of the sections (1) coupled to the energy transmission path (13) so as to be conductive.

The present invention relates to a pre-charging circuit for a plurality of sections of a DC voltage network, wherein said sections can be connected together and separated from each other individually or in groups via a respective switch element.
The present invention further relates to a DC voltage network,                wherein the DC voltage network has a plurality of sections,        wherein the DC voltage network has a switch element for each of the sections, via which the respective section can be connected to and separated from the other sections,        wherein the DC voltage network has such a pre-charging circuit.
DC voltage networks are used in many cases for energy distribution within closed systems (for example within manufacturing installations). Energy distribution via DC voltage has a number of advantages over energy distribution via AC voltage. The exchange of energy between individual sections of the network is simpler, for example. In particular, reciprocal coordination of frequency and phase position of the individual sections is not required.
Such a DC voltage network usually consists of a plurality of sections, which can be separated from each other and connected together by a switch element in each case. Said sections can have the widest variety of energy sources (for example a photovoltaic installation) or energy stores (for example batteries) and the widest variety of consumer units. Also present in many cases is a connection via a voltage converter to a three-phase voltage network which feeds the DC voltage network. The connection to the three-phase voltage network can also be considered as a section within the meaning of the present invention.
When the DC voltage network is shut down or separated from the three-phase network, or when various sections of the DC voltage network are separated from each other, the situation can arise that the individual sections have differing voltages. In such instances, the sections must not be simply connected together since this would at least briefly result in extremely high equalizing currents.
In order to keep the equalizing currents low or even prevent these completely if possible, the sections can have capacitive energy stores which are pre-charged before the connection of a respective section to the other sections. The voltage of the respective section is thereby adapted so closely to the voltage of the other sections that the connection of the respective section to the other sections then results in only a low equalizing current.
In the prior art, pre-charging circuits are used to pre-charge the capacitive energy stores. For the purpose of pre-charging the capacitive energy store, a respective pre-charging circuit is customarily connected in parallel with the switch element for the respective section. The pre-charging circuit usually consists of a series circuit of an electronic or electromechanical switch and a resistor.
This solution according to the prior art has various disadvantages. Firstly, a dedicated pre-charging circuit is required for each section. Furthermore, electrical losses occur in the resistor when pre-charging. Furthermore, the capacity of the resistor must be adapted to the section of the DC voltage network to be charged in each case, both in relation to the maximum charging current and in relation to the power loss occurring in the resistor.
A further solution according to the prior art proposes the pre-charging of a section by means of a voltage source, for example an AC/DC converter or a DC/DC converter. In this case, the electrical losses can be reduced. However, a controllable converter is still required for each section. The converter must be fed from that section which is intended to deliver the required energy. This means that the configuration must be defined specifically for each DC voltage network. The capacity of the converter must be adjusted to the requirements of the section that is to be pre-charged, and to those of the section which feeds the section that is to be pre-charged.
The object of the present invention is to provide possibilities by means of which the pre-charging of the sections can be realized in a simple, efficient and economical manner.

Efficient pre-charging of sections of a DC voltage network


A plasma-polymerized film covers a surface of a medium related member which constructs or is disposed in a casing in which a tape or disk-shaped recording medium is receiving for travel or rotating motion. The film contains C, F and at least one element of Si, B, P and N. The total content of F and at least one element of Si, B, P, and N ranges from 5 to 40 atom % of the film, and the atomic ratio of (Si+B+P+N)/F ranges from 2/10 to 5/1.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to members having a plasma-polymerized film as a surface coating for use with media capable of recording and/or reproduction of information utilizing magnetism, light or the like, for example, casings or cartridges for video, audio and computer tape and disks.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Various information recording/reproducing carriers including video cassettes, audio cassettes, computer cartridges, video floppy disks, and laser vision disks are of the design that a tape or disk-shaped recording/reproducing medium is received in a casing such that the medium may travel or rotate in the casing or recording/reproducing equipment. More particularly, within these recording/ reproducing carriers, the recording/reproducing medium moves in sliding contact with members constructing or disposed in the casing, and these members in the casing make mutual slide contact during operation.
In the case of video tape cassettes, for example, the cassette casing has received therein a recording medium in the form of video tape and various members including reels on which the tape is wound, brakes for locking the reels, and guide posts and tape guides for guiding the tape during operation. When the recording/reproducing equipment is loaded with the medium for operation, the video tape makes slide contact with the tape travel guide members such as guide posts and tape guides, and the reels make contact with reel-retaining leaf springs.
To ensure that the travel or rotation of the medium in the form of tape or disk be accurate, smooth and stable, these members have to meet the following requirements:
(A) a low coefficient of friction,
(B) sufficient abrasion resistance and surface hardness to minimize abrasion of the members and the tape which would cause dropouts, and
(C) antistatic properties to prevent build-up of static charge which would cause recording/reproducing malfunctions.
In the prior art, the casing members are formed from resinous material because of ease of molding and light weight. To meet the above requirements, the members are provided with antistatic coatings on the surface, replaced by abrasion resistant metal parts for the necessary portions, or provided with metal coatings. However, formation of an antistatic coating has problems including difficulty of coating a uniformly thin film and blooming. Partial replacement of the members by metal parts has problems including an increased number of steps, increased cost, and difficulty of processing a complex shape.
Under the circumstances, the inventors previously proposed to form plasma-polymerized films of organometallic compounds (Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 222115/ 1983) and silicon compounds (Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 222114/1983) on such members. For these films, nevertheless, only antistatic property is taken into account while no evaluation is made on dynamic friction during operation.


A method, apparatus, and computer instructions are provided for deploying and instantiating multiple instances of applications in automated data centers using an application deployment template. A first mechanism is provided to deploy multiple instances of applications using an application deployment plan template. The first mechanism uses deployment parameter sets to generate corresponding deployment plans based on the deployment template. A second mechanism is provided to instantiate multiple instances of applications using deployment plan templates. A service catalog that is exposed to consumers for selection of catalog items is built on top of the second mechanism. During the cataloging and order fulfillment process, the second mechanism instantiates multiple instances of applications using the generated deployment plans and an application model to deploy multiple application instances. An existing order may also be modified or terminated responsive to a user request or service term expiration.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an improved data processing system. In particular, the present invention relates to deployment of applications in automated data centers. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to deploying and instantiating multiple instances of applications in automated data centers using an application deployment template.
2. Description of Related Art
In a data center, resources and deployment of a distributed application or available service may be represented using a deployment plan. Deployment plans may be translated into operations needed to automatically provision or deploy the defined application or service within the data center. As described in the related patent application entitled "Method and System for Managing Application Deployment", which is incorporated by reference above, a deployment plan may be developed containing an outline of resources and configurations used for deployment based on resource dependency characterization of application to enable deployment, logical characterization, and network characterization of desired deployment.
In particular, as described in the related patent application entitled "Method and System for Establishing a Deployment Plan for an Application", which is incorporated by reference above, a deployment plan describes dependencies between an application's elements and physical and networking components of a deployment. The deployment plan also provides a framework of steps for realizing application deployment within a system for managing deployment of an application. The deployment plan may be established by a user provided logical application structure for an application to be deployed and a chosen application deployment template comprising a logical deployment template and a network topology template. The logical deployment template defines nodes for supporting deployment and the network topology template defines configuration elements for resolving dependencies between nodes.
In existing data center management systems, a deployment plan is used mostly to deploy a single instance of a defined application or service. No existing mechanism is present that deploys multiple instances of an application or a service using the deployment plan.
In addition, no existing mechanism is present that exposes the deployment of applications or services as a catalog item in a service catalog. A service catalog is a collection of services that users may select for deployment. With only the capability of selecting a single application deployment, it is difficult for the user to instantiate more than one application instance.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method that deploys multiple instances of applications using an application deployment template and exploits the template to instantiate multiple service instances in automated data centers.

Deploying and instantiating multiple instances of applications in automated data centers using application deployment template

International Business Machines Corporation


A reinforcement system for a vehicle comprising side walls and a floor extending therebetween and meeting with each side wall along an intersection line dividing the side wall into an upper and a lower side wall section. The vehicle further comprises a belly attached to the lower side wall section at a location thereof spaced from the intersection line. The reinforcement system comprises a central reinforcement assembly configured for reducing deformation of the floor due to torque generated along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The reinforcement system further comprises a peripheral reinforcement assembly configured for localizing bending of the side wall at the lower side wall portion due to movement of the belly towards the floor.

It is known that if a vehicle is subjected to sudden external forces, such as those caused when an outer surface of the vehicle is impacted by an explosion, damage to objects and injury to occupants within the vehicle can occur. Thus, in the field of armored vehicles, it is known to provide vehicles with belly armor against explosion/blast taking place under the vehicle (e.g. when the vehicle is positioned on the ground in its standard position, and either located or passing above an explosive device).
In general, most such vehicles comprise a floor, forming the bottom portion of a space in which the occupants are contained within the vehicle. Under the effect of such an explosion/blast, the floor tends to deform in an upward direction. The purpose of belly armor is to reduce, as much as possible, the deformation of the floor under the forces of an explosion/blast.
A common explosive threat used against a vehicle, such as an armored personnel carrier, is a mine planted on a ground surface, above which the vehicle is likely to pass. When the vehicle passes over the mine, the mine detonates, causing extremely high forces and shrapnel to be projected at a belly of the vehicle. The forces applied on the belly can cause at least a part of it which is closest to the source of the explosion to be violently projected in a direction towards a floor of an occupant compartment in the vehicle, for example a passenger compartment containing passengers. Additionally, motion of the belly can cause it to apply a moment to connected side walls of the vehicle, which in turn are cause them to bend. Such bending of the side walls can cause undesired motion and/or damage of the floor and or detachment of the floor of the compartment, to which the side walls are directly or indirectly connected. Such undesired motion and/or damage and/or detachment of the floor of the compartment can cause injury to occupants within the compartment and damage objects therein.
In addition, since most vehicles have a length greater than their width, the moment of inertia is such that deformation along the longitudinal direction (i.e. between the front and the rear of the vehicle) tends to be greater than deformation along the width direction (between a left side and a right side of the vehicle).


The objective of this invention is to provide a drive circuit and display system that can efficiently transfer prescribed information indicating an abnormality in the drive current supplied to the display elements to a control device. The control data used for controlling the turning on and off of LEDs are shifted sequentially from the first section to the final section of LED drivers 10-1-10-K connected in cascade. In the drive circuit of each section, the control data input from the previous section are held in the first data holding means synchronously with clock signal CLK. Then, the data held in the first data holding means are held in the second data holding means synchronously with latch signal XLAT. Current corresponding to the control data of the second data holding means is supplied to LEDs 40-1-40-M. On the other hand, when new control data are held in the second data holding means, the data indicating prescribed information concerning abnormal functioning of the LED, etc. are held in the first data holding means. The data are output sequentially from the drive circuit in the final section and are input into control device 20.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the part used for driving one line of LEDs on a screen in a general LED display system.
The LED display system shown in FIG. 10 has K (K is an integer of 2 or more) LED drivers U-1, . . . U-K and controller 1 used to control the drivers.
Although not indicated in the figure, the cathodes of the LEDs of the drive objects are connected to the drive signal output terminals Td1-Td16 of LED drivers U-1, . . . , U-K, and the power supply voltage is supplied to the anodes of the LEDs.
LED driver U-k (k is an integer in the range of 1-K) has 16 terminals Td1, . . . Td16 connected to the cathodes of the LEDs, terminal Ta for inputting the on/off control data for the LEDs, terminal Tc for outputting the control data, terminal Tb for inputting clock signal CLK, terminal Tc for inputting latch signal XLAT used for holding the control data, and terminal Tf for outputting an error signal.
K LED drivers U-1-U-K are connected in cascade via terminals Ta and Te. In other words, control data Din output from controller 1 is input to the terminal Ta of LED driver U-1 in the first section. The control data output from the terminal Te of the LED driver in the previous section is input to the terminal Ta of LED drivers U-2-U-K that follow the first section.
Also, clock signal CLK and latch signal XLAT generated by controller 1 are input to LED driver U-k in each section.
In the example shown in FIG. 10, LED driver U-k has flip-flops FF1, . . . , FF16, latch circuits LA1, . . . LA16, drive signal output circuit O1, OR-gate OR1, and transistor Q1.
16 flip-flops FF1-FF16 are connected in cascade between terminals Ta and Te and operate as shift registers. In other words, the control data input to terminal Ta is sequentially shifted from the flip-flop in the first section FF1 to the flip-flop in the final section FF16 connected in cascade synchronously with clock signal CLK and is finally output from terminal Te.
Latch circuit LAi (i is an integer in the range of 1-16) holds the data held in flip-flop FFi synchronously with latch signal XLAT.
In other words, when latch signal XLAT is at the high level, the input data are output directly. When latch signal XLAT changes from the high level to the low level, the data being input are held. When latch signal XLAT is at the low level, the output data are held continuously.
Drive signal output circuit O1 controls the LED drive current flowing to terminal Tdi corresponding to the data held in latch circuit LAi. For example, when the data held in latch circuit LAi is '1,' current for turning on the LED is supplied to output terminal Tdi. When the held data is '0,' the current is cut off to turn off the LED.
Also, drive signal output circuit O1 checks for abnormalities in the drive signal caused by damage to an LED or problems in the current drive circuit for each output channel and, if there are any abnormalities, outputs an error signal Err. Said error signal Err is a 16-bit signal. The bit of the output channel with a detected abnormality goes to the high level.
OR-gate OR1 outputs the logical sum of error signal Err output from the drive signal output circuit. Consequently, if an abnormality is detected in any of the 16 output channels, the output of OR-gate OR1 goes to the high level.
The output signal of OR-gate 1 is input to the base of transistor Q1. The emitter of the transistor is connected to a reference potential line, and its collector is connected to terminal Tf. Consequently, if an abnormality is detected in any of the 16 output channels, transistor Q1 will turn on, and terminal Tf will be connected to the reference potential line.
The terminals Tf of LED drivers U-1-U-16 are connected to a common line L1. The wiring is connected to power supply line Vcc via resistor Ra. Consequently, line L1 is at the high level in the normal state. If an abnormality in the drive signal is detected in any of the output channels of any of the LED drivers, line L1 goes to the low level. Controller 1 detects the abnormality in the drive signal based on the level of line L1.
The LED display system with the configuration shown in FIG. 10 operates as follows.
First, in controller 1, the control data for turning each LED on or off that constitutes a pixel is generated corresponding to the image to be displayed. The generated control data Din is sequentially output from controller 1 synchronously with clock signal CLK. The output control data Din is sequentially shifted in the shift registers comprised of flip-flops FF1-FF16 from the LED driver in the first section U-1 to the final section U-16 connected in cascade. When the desired control data is held in the flip-flops FF1-FF16 of each LED driver as a result of the aforementioned shifting, a high level pulse is output as latch signal XLAT from controller 1. As a result, the control data of flip-flops F1-F16 are held in latch circuits LA1-LA16, and each LED is turned on or off corresponding to the control data.
Also, the level of line L1 is monitored by controller 1. When that level goes low, an abnormality in the drive signal is detected. When an abnormality is detected, for example, details concerning the abnormality are displayed on the display device, and a prescribed process is executed.
However, the error signal transmitted from the LED driver to controller 1 via line L1 indicates only whether there is an output channel with an abnormal drive signal among any of the output channels of any of the LED drivers. It is unable to specify which LED driver or associated output channel has the abnormality by using the aforementioned error signal alone. In order to obtain more specific information about the location of the abnormality, for example, it is necessary to transmit various test signals from controller 1 to investigate the error signal of line L1.
As described above, in the LED display system shown in FIG. 10, it is difficult to obtain the specific information concerning the abnormality of the drive signal of the LED drivers.
In another method, all of the error signals output for each LED driver or its output channel are input into controller 1. In this case, however, when there is a large number of LEDs, the number of the error signals to be checked is also increased, and the number of lines becomes very large.
A general object of the present invention is to solve the aforementioned problems by providing a drive circuit that can efficiently transfer the abnormality of drive signal or other specific information to the external device without increasing the number of lines.
The present invention may also provide a display system that can efficiently obtain the abnormality of drive signal or other specific information from the drive circuits of the display elements while having a simple configuration without increasing the number of lines.

Drive circuit and display system with said drive circuit


A home elevator system consisting of a combination of a single vertical guide rail consisting of two C-shaped channels that are interconnected along the entire vertical height of the guide rail, an elevator platform having a central portion which is slidably mounted within the single vertical guide rail, a hydraulic jack, and a rope and pulley arrangement interconnecting the platform, guide rail and hydraulic jack comprising a first pulley mounted on the top of the single vertical guide rail, a second pulley adjacent the bottom of the hydraulic jack, a third pulley connected to the outer end of the hydraulic jack and a rope travelling over pulleys.

The home elevator systems currently on the market are bulky and require a considerable amount of space in order to accommodate guide rails, a hydraulic jack, a pit, an elevator supporting mechanism, etc. The object of the present invention is to provide an elevator arrangement that requires a minimum of space, is simple to install and easy to maintain.


According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a substrate, a stacked body, a semiconductor pillar, and a charge storage film. The stacked body is provided on the substrate. The stacked body includes a plurality of first insulating films and a plurality of electrode films alternately stacked one layer by one layer. The semiconductor pillar is provided inside the stacked body and extends in a stacking direction of the stacked body. The charge storage film is provided between the semiconductor pillar and each of the electrode films. The plurality of first insulating films include a first portion surrounding the semiconductor pillar and a second portion provided between the first portion and the semiconductor pillar, the second portion having a dielectric constant higher than a dielectric constant of the first portion.

A semiconductor memory device having a three-dimensional structure has been proposed in which memory holes are made in a stacked body in which electrode films are multiply stacked with insulating films interposed, and a silicon body used to form a channel is provided with a charge storage film interposed inside each memory hole. The columnar body that includes the charge storage film and the silicon body pierces each of the insulating films and each of the electrode films; and a memory cell that includes the charge storage film is formed at each intersection between the silicon bodies and the electrode films. The electrode film functions as a control gate of the memory cell.
In such a semiconductor memory device, the insulating film that is positioned between the electrode films opposes a portion of the silicon body connecting the memory cells in series. There is a risk that the channel resistance of the silicon body opposing the insulating film may become higher than the channel resistance of the silicon body opposing the electrode film. Thereby, there is a risk that the current may no longer flow easily in the silicon body; and problems may occur in the memory operations.


A source synchronous external memory device returns data to a memory controller of an electronic device with its own clock signal, which allows the returned data to be captured with a high degree of accuracy. The captured data must then be resynchronized with the clock signal which controls the other components of the electronic device. This problem is particularly acute in the case of high speed memory devices, such as DDR (Double Data Rate) memory devices, and similar memory devices. Test data is written to the external memory device, and is then read back several times. Attempts are made to resynchronize the captured data with the system clock, with different relative variations in the phase of the captured data and the system clock, in order to select a value for the relative phase, which allows for optimum resynchronization.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a memory controller, and to a method for use in a memory controller, in order to synchronize captured data with a system clock signal.
2. Background of the Invention
In many electronic devices, it is common for a separate memory device to be provided. Data must then be written to, and read from, this separate memory device, by way of a memory interface.
A source synchronous external memory device returns data with its own clock signal, which allows the returned data to be captured with a high degree of accuracy. However, there then remains the problem of resynchronizing the captured data with the clock signal which controls the other components of the electronic device. This can be difficult because, although the clock signal accompanying the returned data is derived originally from the system clock, it is offset by a variable delay.
For example, this time delay depends upon the length of the data paths to and from the memory device. In addition, even in devices which have been manufactured to the same specification, the time delay can vary from one device to another, because of manufacturing process variations. Further, the time delay can vary in use of a single device, because of changes in the supply voltage and/or the operating temperature of the device.
The problem of resynchronization of the captured data with the system clock is particularly acute in the case of high speed memory devices, such as DDR (Double Data Rate) memory devices, and similar memory devices.
One solution to this problem is disclosed in the document 'DDR SDRAM Controller MegaCore Function User Guide, version 1.2.0', published by Altera Corporation, at pages 78-86, which describes a timing analysis to resynchronize the captured data with the system clock.
However, it is time consuming to perform this analysis. Further, changes in the time delay resulting from changes in the operating voltage and temperature cannot be compensated in this way.

Dynamic phase alignment for resynchronization of captured data


A display panel includes a first substrate and a second substrate. The second substrate disposes opposite to the first substrate and has multiple data lines and multiple scan lines disposed as a matrix. The first substrate at least divides into a first region and a second region. The first region of the first substrate disposes correspondingly to the scan lines and/or data lines on the second substrate, and the second region of the first substrate is disposed correspondingly to a remaining region which is located outside the scan lines and/or data lines on the second substrate. The first region of the first substrate and the scan lines and/or data lines forms a non-capacitance or a low capacitance structure. Therefore, the present invention can reduce the capacitance generated by the scan lines and/or the data lines so as to reduce the signal delay.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display field, and more particular to a substrate, a display panel and a display device.
2. Description of Related Art
In the current display device, the more widely used is the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), and particularly the Thin Film Transistor (TFT) Liquid Crystal Display (referred to as TFT-LCD). With reference to FIG. 1, generally, the TFT-LCD includes a color filter substrate 110, an array substrate 120 and a liquid crystal 130. The color filter substrate 110 includes a glass substrate 111, a color resist layer 112, and an indium tin oxide (ITO) film 113. The array substrate 120 includes multiple scan lines 121, data lines 122, and multiple TFTs 123 connected with the scan lines 121 and the data line 122. The liquid crystal 130 is interposed between the color filter substrate 110 the array substrate 120. The TFT-LCD provides electrical signal to the TFTs 123 through the scan lines 121 and the data lines 122. An electric field is formed between the TFTs 123 and the ITO film 113 of the color filter substrate 110 to drive the liquid crystal 130 so as to achieve display.
Capacitors generated by the scan lines 121 or the data lines 122 may cause a signal delay at the scan lines 121 or the data lines 122. When the capacitors are larger, the signal delay at the scan lines 121 or data lines 122 is more critical correspondingly. At this time, it may cause undesirable phenomena such as an uneven brightness (mura) of the TFT-LCD.
In the conventional TFT-LCD, the main reason that the capacitor generated by the scan line 121 and/or data line 122 is that a capacitor will be formed between the ITO film 113 and the scan line 121 and/or data line 122. When the TFT-LCD is operating, because the electric signal of the scan line 121 of the array substrate 120 are changed, when a voltage of the scan line 121 and/or the data line 122 is different from a voltage of the ITO film 113 which is located above them, a capacitor will be formed between the ITO film 113 and the scan line 121 and/or the data line 122, which will generate a load so as to cause the signal delay.

Substrate, display panel and display device

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd


A heat-sensitive recording material is disclosed, which comprises a support having provided thereon a transparent heat-sensitive layer comprising color former-containing microcapsules and at least one color developer, wherein the color developer contains a compound represented by formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkoxy group, an alkyl group, or a phenyl group; Ar represents a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group; and n is an integer of from 2 to 10.. The heat-sensitive recording material provides a heat-sensitive layer having high sensitivity and good transparency.

The heat-sensitive recording method has the following advantages:
(1) Developing is not required;
(2) When the support is a paper sheet, the quality of the paper may be near that of conventional paper;
(3) Handling of the product is easy;
(4) Coloring density is high;
(5) The recording device is simple and cheap;
(6) There is such an advantage that no noise is generated in the time of recording; and the like.
Due to such advantages, in recent years the heat-sensitive recording method has been used widely in the fields of facsimile and printers.
Under such a background as described above, there is a need for developing a heat-sensitive recording material of improved transparency, which can be directly used for recording with a thermal head, including multi-color process application, or to be used in an over-head projector (abridged as OHP).
However, the conventional transparent heat-sensitive recording material is a so-called transparent heat-sensitive film, which is brought into close contact with a manuscript and then irradiated with light to let the image part of the manuscript absorb infra-red rays, whereby the temperature of the image part is raised, causing corresponding parts of the heat-sensitive recording film to be colored. Therefore, it does not have such heat sensitivity for direct recording with a thermal head as used in a facsimile or the like.
Also, the type of heat-sensitive layer of the heat-sensitive recording material adapted for thermal recording with a thermal head becomes devitrified, so the desired transparency could not be obtained.
The present inventors have developed a novel transparent heat-sensitive material which overcomes the defects of conventional heat-sensitive recording materials. The basic heat-sensitive system used is a combination of a colorless or pale colored base dye precursor (color former) and a color developer as the color-forming system. This type of system is described in JP-A-63-265682 (the term "JP-A" as used herein refers to an "unexamined published Japanese patent application"). According to that document, a transparent heat-sensitive recording material can be obtained by a process comprising the steps of introducing the base dye precursor into microcapsules, dissolving the color developer into an organic solvent difficultly soluble or insoluble in water, emulsifying and dispersing in a water phase the color developer dissolution product, mixing the base dye precursor-containing microcapsules with the dispersion and then coating the mixture on a support.
However, it was found that the transparency of the above-described heat-sensitive recording material depends markedly on the emulsion stability of the color developer of the heat-sensitive layer. For example, when p-hydroxy benzoic acid benzyl ester, which is known as a color developer of high sensitivity in a heat-sensitive recording material, was used, it was liable to crystallize out and to be fogged, thereby adversely affecting transparency.


Near-infrared pulses are emitted from a pulsed light source. A scanner directs the near-infrared pulses as scanned light. An optical element directs the scanned light into the eye. The scanned light is scanned in two dimensions to form an image on the eye. Photon-pairs of the near-infrared pulses deliver a photon energy that is perceived as visible light.

Vision is initiated when light from the world is captured by the optics of the eye, focused at the retina by the cornea and lens and is eventually detected by photoreceptors. But, the first step in seeing occurs when photons in the visible spectrum are absorbed by photosensitive molecules in the outer segments of photoreceptors. Photoreceptors are of two types: cones and rods which contain photopigments which are sensitive to different wavelengths. Conventional display and imaging systems present images to a viewer by directing visible light to the eye.


Described are cyclobexylamine derivatives of Formula I, Formula II, or Formula III and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof:

The invention pertains to cyclohexylamine derivatives as N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Antagonists (NMDA).
Over excitation of NMDA receptor channel complexes on postsynaptic neurons following excessive release of glutamic acid from synaptosomes and glutamic acid from synaptosomes and glial cells result in a massive calcium ion influx into the neuronal cells, which leads to their death. This is believed to occur under ischemic or hypoxic conditions such as stroke, hypoglycemic, cardiac arrest and physical trauma. An NMDA receptor antagonist might be therapeutically useful because it may minimize damage of the central nervous system (CNS) induced by ischemic or hypoxic conditions. The NMDA receptor channel complex consists of at least three binding domains including glutamic acid (or NMDA) recognition site, channel blocking binding site, and strychnine-insensitive glycine binding type. Physiologically, a blockade of at least one of these sites terminates the channel opening of the NMDA receptor to prevent a calcium ion influx (Nagata R. et al., J. Med. Chem., 1994;37:3956-3968).
Excessive excitation by neurotransmitters may be responsible for the loss of neurons in cerebral vascular disorders such as cerebral ischemia or cerebral infauxtion resulting in a range of conditions such as thromboembolic or hemorrhagic stroke, cerebral vasospasm, hypoglycemia, cardiac arrest, status epilepticus, perinatal, asphyxia anoxia, such as from near drowning, pulmonary surgery and cerebral trauma, as well as lathyrism, Alzheimer""s disease, and Huntington""s disease. Such conditions likewise suggest the use of agents that may act as antagonists in the receptors identified above may lead to treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), schizophrenia, parkinsonism, epilepsy, anxiety, pain, and drug addiction (PCT/EPO 94/01492 having publication number WO 94/26747 published Nov. 24, 1994, Watjen et al.).
L-glutamic acid, L-aspartic acid, and a number of other closely related amino acids have the ability to activate neurons in the nervous system and therefor the vast majority of excitatory neurons in the mammalian CNS. Interaction with glutamic acid mediated neurotransmission is considered a useful approach in the treatment of neurological and psychiatric diseases (WO 94/26746, published Nov. 24, 1994, Jacobsen et al.).
Excitatory amino acid receptor antagonists that block NMDA receptors are recognized for usefulness in the treatment of a variety of disorders. NMDA receptors are intimately involved in the phenomenon of excitotoxicity, which may be a critical determinant of outcome of several neurological disorders. Disorders known to be responsive to blockade of the NMDA receptor include acute cerebral ischemia (stroke or cerebral trauma, for example), muscular spasm, convulsive disorders, neuropathic pain and anxiety, and may be a significant causal factor in chronic neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson""s disease (Klockgether T., Turski L., Ann. Neurol., 1993;34:585-593); human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) related neuronal injury, amyotrophic laterial sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer""s disease (Francis P. T., Sims N. R., Procter A. W., Bowen D. M., J. Neurochem., 1993;60(5):1589-1604); and Huntington""s disease (see Lipton S., TINS, 1933;16(12):527-532; Lipton V, Rosenberg P. A., New Eng. J. Med., 1994;330(9):613-622; and Bigge C. F., Biochem. Pharmacol., 1993;45:1547-1561, and references cited therein). NMDA receptor antagonists may also be used to prevent tolerance to opiate analgesia or to help control withdrawal symptoms from addictive drugs (European Patent Application 488,959A).
Many of the properties of native NMDA receptors are seen in recombinant homomeric NR1 receptors. These properties are altered by the NR2 subunits. Recombinant NMDA receptors expressed in Xenopus Oocytes have been studied by voltage-clamp recording, and has developmental and regional expression of the mRNAs encoding NMDA receptor subunits. Electrophysiological assays were utilized to characterize the actions of compounds at NMDA receptors expressed in Xenopus Oocytes. The compounds were assayed at four subunit combinations at cloned rat NMDA receptors, corresponding to three putative NMDA receptor subtypes (Moriyoshi et al., Nature, 1991;354:31-37; Monyer et al., Science, 1992; 256:1217-1221; Kutsuwada et al, Nature, 1992;358:36-41; Sugihara et al., Biochem. Biophys Res. Commun., 1992;185:826-832).
Expression cloning of the first NMDA receptor subunit, NMDAR1 (NR1) in Nakanishi""s lab in 1991 provided an initial view of the molecular structure of the NMDA receptor (Moriyoshi, supra., 1991). There are several other structurally related subunits (NMDAR2A through NMDAR2D) that join NR1 in heteromeric assemblies to form the functional ion channel complex of the receptor (Annu. Rev. Neurosci., 1994; 17:31-108). The molecular heterogeneity of NMDA receptors implies a future potential for agents with subtype selective pharmacology.
Described are cyclohexylamines derivatives of Formula I and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof
wherein:
Ar is substituted or unsubstituted aryl or substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl, which heteroaryl is from 5 to 14 atoms having from 1 to 2 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of N, O, and S with from 0 to 2 substituents for each; the substituents are from the groups F, Cl, Br, I, CN, NO2, OCH3, OC(O)CH3, CF3, OCH2CH2OH or N(CH3)2;
or entgegen or zusammen xe2x80x94CH(R1)xe2x95x90CH(R2)xe2x80x94,
E is hydrogen or OH;
d is an integer of from 0 to 2;
n is an integer from 1 to 6;
q is an integer from 0 to 6;
R1 and R2 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, OH, hydroxyalkyl, aminoalkyl, aralkyl, or N(R4)(R5) wherein R4 and R5 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, aralkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaralkyl, aminoalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, and thioalkyl;
R is hydrogen, alkyl, C(O)R6, C(O)OR6, C(O)NHR6, H2NC(O)-alkyl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl (3-7 carbon atoms) alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, aminoalkyl, amino(hydroxy)alkyl, carboxyalkyl, heteroaralkyl, alkenylalkyl, or OH wherein R6 is alkyl or aralkyl;
X is independently selected from hydrogen or an electron withdrawing group;
Y is a hydrogen bond donor group; and
* denotes cis or trans or a mixture thereof.
The invention also relates to compounds of Formula II
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof wherein:
Ar is substituted or unsubstituted aryl or substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl, which heteroaryl is from 5 to 14 atoms having from 1 to 2 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of N, O, and S with from 0 to 2 substituents for each; the substituents are from the groups F, Cl, Br, I, CN, NO2, OCH3, OC(O)CH3, CF3, OCH2CH2OH, or N(CH3)2;
E is hydrogen or OH;
xe2x80x83d is an integer from 0 to 2;
t is an integer from 1 to 3;
R1 and R2 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, OH, hydroxyalkyl, aminoalkyl, thioalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaralkyl, guanidinyl, (aminocarbonyl)alkyl-, carboxyalkyl-, (methylthio)-alkyl-, or N(R4)(R5) wherein R4 and R5 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, aralkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaralkyl, ureidoalkyl, aminoalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, or thioalkyl;
R3 is hydrogen, alkyl, OH, or aralkyl;
R is hydrogen, alkyl, C(O)R6, C(O)OR6, C(O)NHR6, H2NC(O)-alkyl, aralkyl, hydroxyalkyl, aminoalkyl, amino(hydroxy)alkyl, carboxyalkyl, heteroaralkyl, alkenylalkyl, or OH wherein R6 is alkyl or aralkyl;
X is independently selected from hydrogen or an electron withdrawing group;
Y is a hydrogen bond donor group; and
* denotes cis or trans or a mixture thereof.
The invention is also concerned with a pharmaceutical composition useful for treating disorders responsive to the selective blockade of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subtypes in a mammal, including a human, suffering therefrom which comprises a therapeutically effective amount of at least one compound of Formula I, or Formula II or Formula III, and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The composition is useful for treating optionally disorders such as stroke, cerebral ischemia, trauma, hypoglycemia, neurodegenerative disorders, anxiety, depression, migraine headache, convulsions, aminoglycoside antibiotic-induced hearing loss, psychosis, glaucoma, CMV retinitis, opioid tolerance or withdrawal, chronic pain, or urinary incontinence.
The invention is also concerned with a method of treating disorders responsive to the selective blockade of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subtypes in a mammal, including a human, suffering therefrom which comprises administering in unit dosage form, at least one compound represented by Formulas I-III or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

Cyclohexylamine derivatives as subtype selective nmda receptor antagonists

Abstract: The compounds are antagonists of NMDA receptor channel complexes useful for treating cerebral vascular disorders such as, for example, cerebral ischemia, cardiac arrest, stroke, and Parkinson""s disease. The substituents are described in the specification.


An apparatus includes a multi-axis interferometer for measuring a relative position of a reflective measurement object along multiple degrees of freedom, wherein the interferometer is configured to produce multiple output beams each comprising information about the relative position of the measurement object with respect to a different one of the degrees of freedom. Each output beam includes a beam component that contacts the measurement object at least one time along a common path, and at least one of the beam components further contacts the measurement object at least a second time along a first path different from the common path.

Displacement measuring interferometers monitor changes in the position of a measurement object relative to a reference object based on an optical interference signal. The interferometer generates the optical interference signal by overlapping and interfering a measurement beam reflected from the measurement object with a reference beam reflected from the reference object.
In many applications, the measurement and reference beams have orthogonal polarizations and different frequencies. The different frequencies can be produced, for example, by laser Zeeman splitting, by acousto-optical modulation, or internal to the laser using birefringent elements or the like. The orthogonal polarizations allow a polarizing beam splitter to direct the measurement and reference beams to the measurement and reference objects, respectively, and combine the reflected measurement and reference beams to form overlapping exit measurement and reference beams. The overlapping exit beams form an output beam that subsequently passes through a polarizer.
The polarizer mixes polarizations of the exit measurement and reference beams to form a mixed beam. Components of the exit measurement and reference beams in the mixed beam interfere with one another so that the intensity of the mixed beam varies with the relative phase of the exit measurement and reference beams. A detector measures the time-dependent intensity of the mixed beam and generates an electrical interference signal proportional to that intensity. Because the measurement and reference beams have different frequencies, the electrical interference signal includes a xe2x80x9cheterodynexe2x80x9d signal having a beat frequency equal to the difference between the frequencies of the exit measurement and reference beams. If the lengths of the measurement and reference paths are changing relative to one another, e.g., by translating a stage that includes the measurement object, the measured beat frequency includes a Doppler shift equal to 2vnp/xcex, where v is the relative speed of the measurement and reference objects, xcex is the wavelength of the measurement and reference beams, n is the refractive index of the medium through which the light beams travel, e.g., air or vacuum, and p is the number of passes to the reference and measurement objects. Changes in the relative position of the measurement object correspond to changes in the phase of the measured interference signal, with a 2xcfx80 phase change substantially equal to a distance change L of xcex/(np), where L is a round-trip distance change, e.g., the change in distance to and from a stage that includes the measurement object.
Unfortunately, this equality is not always exact. In addition, the amplitude of the measured interference signal may be variable. A variable amplitude may subsequently reduce the accuracy of measured phase changes. Many interferometers include non-linearities such as what are known as xe2x80x9ccyclic errors.xe2x80x9d The cyclic errors can be expressed as contributions to the phase and/or the intensity of the measured interference signal and have a sinusoidal dependence on the change in optical path length pnL. In particular, the first harmonic cyclic error in phase has a sinusoidal dependence on (2xcfx80pnL)/xcex and the second harmonic cyclic error in phase has a sinusoidal dependence on 2(2xcfx80pnL)/xcex. Higher harmonic cyclic errors and sub-harmonic cyclic errors can also be present.
There are also xe2x80x9cnon-cyclic non-linearitiesxe2x80x9d such as those caused by a change in lateral displacement (i.e., xe2x80x9cbeam shearxe2x80x9d) between the reference and measurement beam components of an output beam of an interferometer when the wavefronts of the reference and measurement beam components have wavefront errors. This can be explained as follows.
Inhomogeneities in the interferometer optics may cause wavefront errors in the reference and measurement beams. When the reference and measurement beams propagate collinearly with one another through such inhomogeneities, the resulting wavefront errors are identical and their contributions to the interferometric signal cancel each other out. More typically, however, the reference and measurement beam components of the output beam are laterally displaced from one another, i.e., they have a relative beam shear. Such beam shear causes the wavefront errors to contribute an error to the interferometric signal derived from the output beam.
Moreover, in many interferometry systems beam shear changes as the position or angular orientation of the measurement object changes. For example, a change in relative beam shear can be introduced by a change in the angular orientation of a plane mirror measurement object. Accordingly, a change in the angular orientation of the measurement object produces a corresponding error in the interferometric signal.
The effect of the beam shear and wavefront errors will depend upon procedures used to mix components of the output beam with respect to component polarization states and to detect the mixed output beam to generate an electrical interference signal. The mixed output beam may for example be detected by a detector without any focusing of the mixed beam onto the detector, by detecting the mixed output beam as a beam focused onto a detector, or by launching the mixed output beam into a single mode or multi-mode optical fiber and detecting a portion of the mixed output beam that is transmitted by the optical fiber. The effect of the beam shear and wavefront errors will also depend on properties of a beam stop should a beam stop be used in the procedure to detect the mixed output beam. Generally, the errors in the interferometric signal are compounded when an optical fiber is used to transmit the mixed output beam to the detector.
Amplitude variability of the measured interference signal can be the net result of a number of mechanisms. One mechanism is a relative beam shear of the reference and measurement components of the output beam that is for example a consequence of a change in orientation of the measurement object.
In dispersion measuring applications, optical path length measurements are made at multiple wavelengths, e.g., 532 nm and 1064 nm, and are used to measure dispersion of a gas in the measurement path of the distance measuring interferometer. The dispersion measurement can be used in converting the optical path length measured by a distance measuring interferometer into a physical length. Such a conversion can be important since changes in the measured optical path length can be caused by gas turbulence and/or by a change in the average density of the gas in the measurement arm even though the physical distance to the measurement object is unchanged.
The interferometers described above are often crucial components of scanner systems and stepper systems used in lithography to produce integrated circuits on semiconductor wafers. Such lithography systems typically include a translatable stage to support and fix the wafer, focusing optics used to direct a radiation beam onto the wafer, a scanner or stepper system for translating the stage relative to the exposure beam, and one or more interferometers. Each interferometer directs a measurement beam to, and receives a reflected measurement beam from, a plane mirror attached to the stage. Each interferometer interferes its reflected measurement beams with a corresponding reference beam, and collectively the interferometers accurately measure changes in the position of the stage relative to the radiation beam. The interferometers enable the lithography system to precisely control which regions of the wafer are exposed to the radiation beam.
In many lithography systems and other applications, the measurement object includes one or more plane mirrors to reflect the measurement beam from each interferometer. Small changes in the angular orientation of the measurement object, e.g., pitch and yaw of a stage, can alter the direction of each measurement beam reflected from the plane mirrors. If left uncompensated, the altered measurement beams reduce the overlap of the exit measurement and reference beams in each corresponding interferometer. Furthermore, these exit measurement and reference beams will not be propagating parallel to one another nor will their wave fronts be aligned when forming the mixed beam. As a result, the interference between the exit measurement and reference beams will vary across the transverse profile of the mixed beam, thereby corrupting the interference information encoded in the optical intensity measured by the detector.
To address this problem, many conventional interferometers include a retroreflector that redirects the measurement beam back to the plane mirror so that the measurement beam xe2x80x9cdouble passesxe2x80x9d the path between the interferometer and the measurement object. The presence of the retroreflector insures that the direction of the exit measurement is insensitive to changes in the angular orientation of the measurement object. When implemented in a plane mirror interferometer, the configuration results in what is commonly referred to as a high-stability plane mirror interferometer (HSPMI). However, even with the retroreflector, the lateral position of the exit measurement beam remains sensitive to changes in the angular orientation of the measurement object. Furthermore, the path of the measurement beam through optics within the interferometer also remains sensitive to changes in the angular orientation of the measurement object.
In practice, the interferometry systems are used to measure the position of the wafer stage along multiple measurement axes. For example, defining a Cartesian coordinate system in which the wafer stage lies in the x-y plane, measurements are typically made of the x and y positions of the stage as well as the angular orientation of the stage with respect to the z axis, as the wafer stage is translated along the x-y plane. Furthermore, it may be desirable to also monitor tilts of the wafer stage out of the x-y plane. For example, accurate characterization of such tilts may be necessary to calculate Abbe offset errors in the x and y positions. Thus, depending on the desired application, there may be up to five degrees of freedom to be measured. Moreover, in some applications, it is desirable to also monitor the position of the stage with respect to the z-axis, resulting in a sixth degree of freedom.
To measure each degree of freedom, an interferometer is used to monitor distance changes along a corresponding metrology axis. For example, in systems that measure the x and y positions of the stage as well as the angular orientation of the stage with respect to the x, y, and z axes, at least three spatially separated measurement beams reflect from one side of the wafer stage and at least two spatially separated measurement beams reflect from another side of the wafer stage. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,801,832 entitled xe2x80x9cMethod of and Device for Repetitively Imaging a Mask Pattern on a Substrate Using Five Measuring Axes,xe2x80x9d the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Each measurement beam is recombined with a reference beam to monitor optical path length changes along the corresponding metrology axes. Because the different measurement beams contact the wafer stage at different locations, the angular orientation of the wafer stage can then be derived from appropriate combinations of the optical path length measurements. Accordingly, for each degree of freedom to be monitored, the system includes at least one measurement beam that contacts the wafer stage. Furthermore, as described above, each measurement beam may double-pass the wafer stage to prevent changes in the angular orientation of the wafer stage from corrupting the interferometric signal. The measurement beams may generated from physically separate interferometers or from multi-axes interferometers that generate multiple measurement beams.
The invention features multiple degrees of freedom measuring interferometers, such as ones that measure multiple degrees of freedom of a plane mirror measurement object. For example, the interferometers may be combined into single optical assemblies. Information about changes in position of the measurement object are derived from multiple ouput beams that each include a component that makes one pass to the measurement object along a common measurement beam path. As a result, such interferometer systems can exhibit reduced non-cyclic errors in certain of the measured degrees of freedom that arise from different sources, e.g., relative misalignments of measurement beams with corresponding differing cosine or cosecant correction factors, wave front errors in the presence of beam shears, non-homogeneities in glass in the presence of beam shears, and temperature gradients. Moreover, spatial separations of certain of the measurement beams contacting the plane mirror measurement object need not be determined by the locations of one or more retroreflectors. Also, the interferometer systems generally involve a reduced number of optical elements.
The interferometer systems may be configured so that the measured multiple degrees of freedom are based on combinations of angular and/or linear displacements of the plane mirror measurement object.
The interferometer systems may further be configured such that the directions of input beams to the multiple degree of freedom measuring interferometers are controlled by one or more dynamic beam steering elements to reduce (e.g., substantially eliminate) beam shear in the interferometers and at detectors as the plane mirror measurement object, thereby reducing one source of non-cyclic errors. The interferometer systems may also be configured such that both the directions of input and output beams to and from the multiple degree of freedom measuring interferometers are controlled by one or more beam steering elements to reduce (e.g., substantially eliminate) the beam shear and changes in the angles of incidence of output beams at detectors as the plane mirror measurement object is tilted.
The multi-axis interferometry system can be incorporated into a lithography system for making semiconductor chips. The multi-axis interferometry system can also be incorporated into a beam writing system.
We now summarize different aspects and features of the invention.
In general, in one aspect, the invention features an apparatus including a multi-axis interferometer for measuring a relative position of a reflective measurement object along multiple degrees of freedom, wherein the interferometer is configured to produce multiple output beams each including information about the relative position of the measurement object with respect to a different one of the degrees of freedom. Each output beam includes a beam component that contacts the measurement object at least one time along a common path, and at least one of the beam components further contacts the measurement object at least a second time along a first path different from the common path.
Embodiments of the apparatus may include any of the following features.
The output beam including the beam component that contacts the measurement object along the common path and along the first path may further include a second beam component that does not contact the measurement object.
One of the degrees of freedom may be distance to the measurement object along a first measurement axis. For example, the output beam including information about the distance to the measurement object along the first measurement axis may include the beam component that contacts the measurement object along the common path and along the first path. In such embodiments, the first measurement axis may be defined by the common path and the first path. For example, each point on the first measurement axis may be equidistant to corresponding points on the common path and the first path.
Furthermore, in addition to the distance measurement along the first measurement axis, another of the beam components may further contacts the measurement object at least a second time along a second path different from the common path. The output beam including the beam component that contacts the measurement object along the common path and along the second path may include information about distance to the measurement object along a second measurement axis defined by the common path and the second path, the second measurement axis being different from the first measurement axis. Moreover, a third of the beam components may further contact the measurement object at least a second time along a third path different from the common path. The output beam including the beam component that contacts the measurement object along the common path and the third path may include information about distance to the measurement object along a third measurement axis defined by the common path and the third path, the third measurement axes being different from the first and second measurement axes. For example, the first and second measurement axes may define a first plane, and the second and third measurement axes may define a second plane different from the first plane.
In addition to the distance measurement along the first measurement axis, a second one of the output beams may include information about an angular orientation of the measurement object with respect to a first rotation axis. For example, the second output beam may include the first-mentioned beam component that contacts the measurement object along the common path and another beam component different from the first beam component, wherein the other beam component contacts the measurement object along a second path different from the common path. The first path may different from the second path, or it might be the same as the common path. The first rotation axis may normal to a plane defined by the common path and the second path. Furthermore, a third one of the output beams may include information about an angular orientation of the measurement object with respect to a second rotation axis different from the first rotation axis. The third output beam may include the first-mentioned beam component that contacts the measurement object along the common path and another beam component different from the first beam component, wherein the other beam component in the third output beam contacts the measurement object along a third path different from the common path. For example, the second rotation axis may be normal to the first rotation axis.
The multi-axis interferometer may produces at least four output beams each including information about a different one of the multiple degrees of freedom. Furthermore, the multi-axis interferometer may provides information with respect to at least five degrees of freedom, or even with respect to at least seven degrees of freedom.
The measurement object may include a plane mirror.
The apparatus may further include a light source configured to direct an input beam into the multi-axis interferometer, the input beam including two components having a heterodyne frequency splitting. Each output beam that contacts the measurement object along the common path is derived from one of the components in the input beam, and each output beam further includes a second component derived from the other one of the components in the input beam. For example, the components of the input beam may have orthogonal polarizations.
The apparatus may further include detectors configured to receive the output beams and generate electrical signals indicative of the information about the relative position of the measurement object with respect to the different degrees of freedom. Moreover, the apparatus may further include a polarization analyzer positioned prior to each detector and configured to pass an interfermediate polarization to those of the components in each of the output beams. Also, the apparatus may further include a fiber-optic pick-up for coupling each output beam to a corresponding detector after it passes through the corresponding polarization analyzer.
The interferometer may be configured to direct a first beam derived from an input beam to contact the measurement object along the common path and separate the first beam into multiple sub-beams after it contacts the measurement object, wherein the sub-beams correspond to the beam components in the output beams that contact the measurement object along the common path. Furthermore, the interferometer may be configured to further direct at least one of the sub-beams to contact the measurement object at least a second time along the first path to define the beam component that contacts the measurement object along the common path and along the first path. Moreover, the interferometer may be configured to derive another sub-beam from the input beam and combine the sub-beam that contacts the measurement object at least twice with the other sub-beam to produce a first one of the output beams, wherein the first output beam includes information about distance to the measurement object along a measurement axis defined by the common path and the first path.
Also, the interferometer may be configured to further direct at least another one of the sub-beams to contact the measurement object at least a second time along a second path different from the common path and different from the first path. For example, the interferometer maybe configured to derive another set of sub-beams from the input beam and combine each of the sub-beams that contacts the measurement object at least twice with a corresponding sub-beam from the other set to produce a corresponding one of the output beams.
The interferometer may also be configured to derive another set of sub-beams from the input beam, combine the sub-beam that contacts the measurement object at least twice with one of the sub-beams from the other set to produce one of the output beams, direct another one of the sub-beams from the other set to contact the measurement object along a second path different from the common path, and combine another one of the sub-beams that contact the measurement object along the common path with the sub-beam that contacts the measurement object along the second path to produce another one of the output beams.
In any of the embodiments in which the sub-beams are referred to, the interferometer may further be configured to: i) combine the first beam after it contacts the measurement object with a primary reference beam to define an intermediate beam; ii) separate the intermediate beam into a set of secondary measurement beams and a set of secondary reference beams; iii) direct each of the secondary measurement beams to contact the measurement object; and iv) recombine each secondary measurement beam after it contacts the measurement object with a one of corresponding secondary reference beams to produce a corresponding one of the output beams, wherein each of the sub-beams corresponds to a different one of the secondary measurement and reference beams.
The interferometer may include: a common polarizing beam-splitter positioned to direct a primary measurement beam derived from an incident input beam to contact the measurement object along the common path; and a return beam assembly configured to receive an intermediate beam including the primary measurement beam from the polarizing beam-splitter, separate the intermediate beam into multiple beams, and direct the multiple beams back to the polarizing beam-splitter. The polarizing beam-splitter may be further positioned to direct a primary reference beam derived from the incident input beam to contact a reflective reference object, wherein the primary measurement beam and primary reference beam correspond to orthogonal polarization components of the incident input beam. The polarizing beam-splitter may be further positioned to recombine the primary measurement and reference beams to form the intermediate beam after they contact the measurement and reference objects, respectively.
In addition, the polarizing beam-splitter may be is positioned to: i) separate the multiple beams into a set of secondary measurement beams and a set of secondary reference beams; ii) direct each of the secondary measurement beams to contact the measurement object; iii) direct each of the secondary reference beams to contact the reference object; and iv) recombine each secondary measurement beam with a corresponding one of the secondary reference beams after they contact the measurement and reference objects, respectively, to form a corresponding one of the output beams.
In such embodiments, each secondary measurement beam may contact the measurement object along a path different from the common the path. Furthermore, the interferometer may include the reference object. Alternatively, the reference object may correspond to another measurement object, such as in a differential plane mirror interferometer. In either case, the reference object may include a plane minor.
The interferometer may further includes a measurement quarter-wave retarder positioned between the polarizing beam-splitter and the measurement object and also a reference quarter-wave retarder positioned between the polarizing beam-splitter and the reference object.
The interferometer further may include an input beam optical assembly including a non-polarizing beam-splitter, wherein the input beam optical assembly is configured to separate a progenitor input beam into the first-mentioned input beam and a second input beam propagating parallel to the first input beam and direct the first and second input beams to the polarizing beam-splitter.
The return beam assembly may include at least one set of fold optics and at least one non-polarizing beam-splitter positioned to separate the intermediate beam into the multiple beams. For example, the set of fold optics may include a retroreflector positioned to receive the intermediate beam prior to any of the non-polarizing beam-splitters. The return beam assembly further may include a beam-splitting assembly including the at least one non-polarizing beam-splitter, wherein the beam-splitting assembly receives the intermediate beam from the retroreflector, generates the multiple beams, and directs the multiple beams back to the polarizing beam splitter along directions parallel to that of the intermediate beam. Moreover, the beam-splitting assembly may include multiple non-polarizing beam-splitters. Also, the return beam assembly further may include a retardation plate positioned between the retroreflector and the beam-splitting assembly, wherein the retardation plate is oriented to reduce polarization rotation of the intermediate beam caused by the retroreflector.
In other embodiments, the set of fold optics may include angle-measuring fold optics and distance-measuring fold optics, wherein the angle-measuring fold optics includes a half-wave retarder positioned to rotate the polarization of at least one of the multiple beams. The angle-measuring fold optics may further include a penta-prism and the distance-measuring optics may include a retroreflector. The non-polarizing beam-splitter may be positioned to receive the intermediate beam before or after any of the fold optics.
In general, in another aspect, the invention features a method including interferometrically producing multiple output beams each including information about a relative position of a measurement object with respect to a different degree of freedom. Each output beam includes a beam component that contacts the measurement object at least one time along a common path. Furthermore, at least one of the beam components further contacts the measurement object at least a second time along a first path different from the common path.
Embodiments of the method may further include any of the features corresponding to those described above for the apparatus.
In general, in another aspect, the invention features an apparatus including a multi-axis interferometer for measuring a relative position of a reflective measurement object along multiple degrees of freedom, wherein the interferometer is configured to produce multiple output beams each including information about the relative position of the measurement object with respect to a different one of the degrees of freedom. Each output beam includes a beam component that contacts the measurement object at least one time along a common path. At least one of the output beams includes another beam component different from the first-mentioned beam component. The other beam component contacts the measurement object at least one time along a first path different from the common path.
Embodiments of the second-mentioned apparatus may include any of the following features.
The output beam including the first beam component that contacts the measurement object along the common path and the other beam component that contacts the measurement object along the first path may include information about the angular orientation of the measurement object with respect to a first rotation axis. For example, the first rotation axis may be normal to a plane defined by the common path and the first path. Furthermore, a second one of the output beams may include information about an angular orientation of the measurement object with respect to a second rotation axis different from the first rotation axis, wherein the second output beam includes the first-mentioned beam component that contacts the measurement object along the common path and another beam component different from the first beam component, wherein the other beam component in the second output beam contacts the measurement object along a second path different from the common path. For example, the second rotation axis may be normal to the first rotation axis.
Further embodiments of the second-mentioned apparatus may include any of the additional features described above for the first-mentioned apparatus.
In general, in another aspect, the invention features a method including interferometrically producing multiple output beams each including information about a relative position of a measurement object with respect to a different degree of freedom, wherein each output beam includes a beam component that contacts the measurement object at least one time along a common path. At least one of the output beams includes another beam component different from the first-mentioned beam component. The other beam component contacts the measurement object at least one time along a first path different from the common path.
Embodiments of the second-mentioned method may further include any of the features corresponding to those described above for the first-mentioned and second-mentioned apparatus.
In another aspect, the invention features a lithography system for use in fabricating integrated circuits on a wafer. The lithography system includes: a stage for supporting the wafer; an illumination system for imaging spatially patterned radiation onto the wafer; a positioning system for adjusting the position of the stage relative to the imaged radiation; and any of the interferometric apparatus described above for monitoring the position of the wafer relative to the imaged radiation.
In another aspect, the invention features another lithography system for use in fabricating integrated circuits on a wafer. This lithography system includes: a stage for supporting the wafer; and an illumination system including a radiation source, a mask, a positioning system, a lens assembly, and any of the interferometric apparatus described above. During operation the source directs radiation through the mask to produce spatially patterned radiation, the positioning system adjusts the position of the mask relative to the radiation from the source, the lens assembly images the spatially patterned radiation onto the wafer, and the interferometry system monitors the position of the mask relative to the radiation from the source.
In another aspect, the invention features a beam writing system for use in fabricating a lithography mask. The beam writing system includes: a source providing a write beam to pattern a substrate; a stage supporting the substrate; a beam directing assembly for delivering the write beam to the substrate; a positioning system for positioning the stage and beam directing assembly relative one another; and any of the interferometric apparatus described above for monitoring the position of the stage relative to the beam directing assembly.
In another aspect, the invention features a lithography method for use in fabricating integrated circuits on a wafer. The lithography method includes: supporting the wafer on a moveable stage; imaging spatially patterned radiation onto the wafer; adjusting the position of the stage; and monitoring the position of the stage using any of the interferometric methods described above.
In another aspect, the invention features another lithography method for use in the fabrication of integrated circuits. This lithography method includes: directing input radiation through a mask to produce spatially patterned radiation; positioning the mask relative to the input radiation; monitoring the position of the mask relative to the input radiation using any of the interferometry methods described above; and imaging the spatially patterned radiation onto a wafer.
In another aspect, the invention features a third lithography method for fabricating integrated circuits on a wafer including: positioning a first component of a lithography system relative to a second component of a lithography system to expose the wafer to spatially patterned radiation; and monitoring the position of the first component relative to the second component using any of the interferometric methods described above.
In another aspect, the invention features a method for fabricating integrated circuits, the method including any of the lithography methods described above.
In another aspect, the invention features a method for fabricating integrated circuits, the method including using any of the lithography systems described above.
In another aspect, the invention features a method for fabricating a lithography mask, the method including: directing a write beam to a substrate to pattern the substrate; positioning the substrate relative to the write beam; and monitoring the position of the substrate relative to the write beam using any of the interferometry methods described above.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. In case of conflict with publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned incorporated herein by reference, the present specification, including definitions, will control.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

Multiple degree of freedom interferometer


A method and system of visual inspection for use with a gamma system includes a monitoring device connected within a housing proximate to a mechanical indicator of the rotating gamma system for capturing data comprising at least one of positional and operational data associated with the mechanical indicator. A control center monitors the captured data which is provided by a communication device connected between the monitoring device and the control center. Upon display of the captured data a user is able to review, monitor and maintain operation of the gamma system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to gamma systems and, more specifically, to an improvement and additional safety feature for a rotating gamma system. A rotating gamma system is an instrument for performing radiosurgery on lesions in the brain and possibly other body parts. The present invention is a live video camera and appropriate lighting mounted within the housing of the gamma system to provide visual inspection of the mechanical indicator, which cannot be viewed by an operator from the control area during the radiation process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other radiation therapy devices. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,898 issued to Sundqvist on Oct. 25, 1988.
Another patent was issued to Kerjean on Sep. 5, 1995 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,611. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,653 was issued to Song, et al. on Jun. 18, 1996 and still yet another was issued on Jul. 16, 1996 to Shepherd, et al. as U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,452.
Another patent was issued to Kopecky on May 6, 1997 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,627,870. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,757,886 was issued to Song on May 26, 1998. Another was issued to Rousseau, et al. on Mar. 28, 2000 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,044,126 and still yet another was issued on Jan. 28, 2003 to Krispel, et al. as U.S. Pat. No. 6,512,813.

Rotating gamma system visual inspection camera


The present invention discloses an optical connector comprising a first connector and a second connector. The first connector includes: a first space to accommodate a first fiber joint and a part of a first optical transmission line; a first front opening to expose a first signal transmission interface of the first fiber joint; a first rear opening through which the first optical transmission line connects with the first fiber joint; and a first fastening. The second connector includes: a second space to accommodate a second fiber joint and a part of a second optical transmission line; a second front opening to expose a second signal transmission interface of the second fiber joint; a second rear opening through which the second optical transmission line connects with the second fiber joint; and a second fastening to be fixed to the first fastening in a nondestructive detachable way.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical connector, an optical transmission device and an assembly method for an optical transmission device, especially to an optical connector, an optical transmission device and an assembly method capable of nondestructive detachment.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, as the demand for data throughput and transmission speed rises day by day, the traditional way in using copper cables as the data transmission medium is gradually out of date; therefore fiber transmission has taken the place of copper transmission and becomes the major medium for high speed transmission. However, compared with copper transmission, fiber transmission asks for extremely high precision in the alignment of assembly. If some influence such as an external force to a certain degree, user's improper operation or a great amount of insertion/desertion actions happens, the transmission end, relay end or reception end of fiber transmission will be out of normal operation. In order to tackle the above-mentioned problems for a short-distance wired connection such as the indoor connection or the connection between devices, a known solution is to replace the whole fiber transmission line and the transceiver components at the terminals of the fiber transmission line. But if the wire layout is invisible or hard to be detached and reinstalled, the said replacement will be a tough job and lead to a significant cost. Seeing that the overall replacement solution is problematic, another known solution simplifies the detachment and reinstallation of the fiber transmission line and the transceiver components thereof by using a connector. One type of the connector is a multi-fiber push-on/push-off connector (MPO connector). Unfortunately, MPO connector is an independent adaptor; although it is operable to carry out the optical coupling between two fiber transmission lines, it can't be integrated with the terminals of the fiber transmission lines; besides, it is complicated in its structure and components and therefore only applicable to some specific optical transmission products, which thereby leads to a higher cost; moreover, it also leaves users the concern of insertion loss and reflection loss. Another type of said connector is a mechanically transferable connector (MT connector) which allows two fiber transmission lines to couple with each other by the corresponding structure design of the terminals of the two fiber transmission lines. However, MT connector needs a pinch clamp to immobilize the two transmission lines. For some applications requiring a lot of detachment and reinstallation actions, the design with the pinch clamp is annoying and its volume consumes much space; accordingly, this solution will also cause a lot of inconvenience in wiring working.
People who are interested in the prior arts may refer to the following document: "Naoko Shimoji, Jun Yamakawa and Masato Shiino: "Development of Mini-MPO Connector", Furukawa Review, No. 18, 1999.".

Optical connector, optical transmission device and assembly method for optical transmission device