A particle beam irradiation apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a vacuum duct that forms a vacuum region through which the charged particle beam passes, a vacuum window through which the charged particle beam is launched from the vacuum region, a scanning electromagnet that scans the charged particle beam; a monitoring apparatus including a position monitor that detects the passing position of a charged particle beam and the beam size thereof, a low-scattering gas filling chamber including the monitoring apparatus, and an irradiation management apparatus that controls irradiation of the charged particle beam; the particle beam irradiation apparatus is characterized in that the low-scattering gas filling chamber is changeably disposed in such a manner that the beam-axis-direction positional relationship between the monitoring apparatus and the vacuum window is a desired one and in that the low-scattering gas filling chamber is filled with a low-scattering gas.

In general, a particle beam therapy system is provided with a beam generation apparatus that generates a charged particle beam, an accelerator that is connected with the beam generation apparatus and accelerates a generated charged particle beam, a beam transport system that transports a charged particle beam that is accelerated by the accelerator so as to gain predetermined energy and then emitted, and a particle beam irradiation apparatus, disposed at the downstream side of the beam transport system, for irradiating a charged particle beam onto an irradiation subject. Particle beam irradiation apparatuses are roughly divided into apparatuses utilizing a broad irradiation method in which a charged particle beam is enlarged in a dispersion manner by a scatterer, and the shape of the enlarged charged particle beam is made to coincide with the shape of an irradiation subject in order to form an irradiation field; and apparatuses utilizing a scanning irradiation method (the spot-scanning method, the raster-scanning method, and the like) in which an irradiation field is formed by performing scanning with a thin, pencil-like beam in such a way that the scanning area coincides with the shape of an irradiation subject.
In the broad irradiation method, an irradiation field that coincides with the shape of a diseased site is formed by use of a collimator or a bolus. The broad irradiation method is a most universally utilized and superior irradiation method where an irradiation field that coincides with the shape of a diseased site is formed so as to prevent unnecessary irradiation onto a normal tissue. However, it is required to create a bolus for each patient or to change the shape of a collimator in accordance with a diseased site.
In contrast, the scanning irradiation method is a high-flexibility irradiation method where, for example, neither collimator nor bolus is required. However, because these components for preventing irradiation onto not a diseased site but a normal tissue are not utilized, there is required a positional accuracy of beam irradiation that is the same as or higher than that of the broad irradiation method.
In recent years, in order to treat a complex-shape diseased site, the demand for the degree of freedom in forming a beam has become large. It is required to apply the scanning irradiation method to a craniocervical portion, because that portion includes major organs such as the eyeballs, the optic nerve, the spinal cord, the brain, and the like. Unlike a body portion, the size of a craniocervical portion is small; therefore, the depth to a diseased site is relatively small and hence the necessary beam energy is small. FIG. 17 represents the relationship between the energy of a charged particle beam and the beam size thereof. The abscissa denotes the beam energy E (MeV) of a charged particle beam, and the ordinate denotes the beam size S (mm) of the charged particle beam. The beam size is calculated in such a manner as a standard deviation is calculated. In FIG. 17, the beam size S denotes a beam size at an isocenter in water. A characteristic 92 denotes a beam size that is a physical limit caused by water scattering; a characteristic 91 denotes a beam size at a time when a charged particle beam that has been launched through the beam extracting window of a conventional particle beam irradiation apparatus passes through the air and enters the body of a patient. Because the irradiation characteristic of a radiation in a human body is almost the same as that of a radiation in water, an aquatic irradiation characteristic is examined.
For example, the range of a proton beam of 150 MeV is approximately 16 cm when the loss in a beam extracting window, a position monitor, the air, and the like is neglected; in many cases, the range of a craniocervical portion is shorter than the range of the proton beam. In other words, in the case of a conventional technology, even though considering the case, a particle beam having as low energy as 150 MeV and a small size, as represented in FIG. 17, is required, a particle beam of as low energy as 150 MeV is affected largely by scattering (angle) in a beam extracting window, a position monitor, and the air caused before the particle beam enters water; thus, the beam size thereof becomes extremely large. As a method of reducing the beam size, it is conceivable to reduce the distance between a material that scatters a charged particle beam and a to-be-irradiated body (diseased site).
Patent Document 1 discloses an invention in which in a particle beam therapy system utilizing a scanning irradiation method that requires a high accuracy in the beam irradiation position, an obstacle that causes beam scattering is placed at a position that is as downstream in the beam as possible so that the beam size is reduced. The invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 is provided with a beam scanning apparatus that scans a charged particle beam, a first duct in which a beam extracting window is provided at a position that is at the downstream side of the beam scanning apparatus, an irradiation apparatus that makes a charged particle beam pass through the first duct and that irradiates the charged particle beam onto an irradiation subject, a second duct, and a beam transport apparatus that makes a charged particle beam, launched from an accelerator, pass through the second duct and that transports the charged particle beam to the irradiation apparatus; a beam position monitor (referred to simply as a position monitor, hereinafter) that measures the position of a charged particle beam is mounted in the beam extracting window through the intermediary of a holding member; a vacuum region in the first duct and a vacuum region in the second duct communicate with each other.
The first duct includes two ducts; the two ducts are airtightly bonded with each other by use of a bellows. By use of a duct driving means and a duct expansion/contraction means that expands and contracts the first duct in the beam-axis direction, the bellows is expanded and contracted and the position monitor, which is provided at a position that is in the vicinity of and at the downstream side of the beam extracting window, is moved in the beam-axis direction of the duct, so that the air gap between a patient and the beam extracting window is suppressed from becoming unnecessarily large and hence the beam size is reduced.

Particle beam irradiation apparatus having adjustable low-scattering filling chamber and particle beam therapy system


Humanized forms of murine GHR106 monoclonal antibodies and methods of using them are described. Humanized GHR106 monoclonal antibodies have high affinity and specificity to the corresponding tumor-associated antigen, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor comparable to murine GHR106.

GHR106 monoclonal antibody was generated in mice immunized against synthetic peptides corresponding to the extracellular domains of human GnRH receptor and was found to behave as a GnRH agonist, but with a much longer half-life than agonists known in the art. GnRH agonists have been used to treat a variety of problems such as ovulation disorders, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, precocious puberty, and some types of cancers.
The murine mAb, GHR106, including the amino acid sequence of its variable regions, is described in PCT publication WO2011/026242, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, in particular as to uses of antibodies with specificity similar to that of GHR106.
Biochemical and immunological experiments demonstrate that GHR106 has high specificity and affinity to GnRH receptor. In vitro apoptotic and anti-proliferative assays were performed to document that GHR106 reacts with the surface of almost all cancer cells or cancerous tissues in humans. Complement-dependent cytotoxicity can be induced in cancer cells in the presence of GHR106 at concentrations in the range of μg/ml. In vivo growth inhibition by GHR106 of tumor cells implanted in model systems was also demonstrated in nude mouse experiments.
For use of GHR106-based anti-cancer drugs or fertility regulation drugs in humans, it is essential to modify the original murine GHR106 monoclonal antibody into humanized forms.
Disclosure of the Invention
The humanized versions of GHR106 of the invention were shown to have affinities and specificities to GnRH receptor which are comparable or equivalent to those of original murine GHR106.
Thus, in one aspect, the invention is directed to humanized antibodies or fragments that bind the epitope present in residues 1-29 in the extracellular domain of the human GnRH receptor, with specificities and affinities substantially equivalent to that of GHR106. In particular, the antibodies or fragments with variable regions shown in FIG. 6 are part of the invention.
For complete antibodies of the invention, it is preferred that the constant region of the heavy chain be IgG and the constant region of the light chain be kappa. However, other Ig forms, including IgM, IgA and IgE for example, are included as well as those embodiments that have lambda constant regions in their light chains.
In still other aspects, the invention is directed to methods to use the antibodies of the invention in the treatment of cancer and controlling reproduction in human subjects.

Humanized forms of monoclonal antibodies to human GnRH receptor


The present application relates to methods, compositions and systems for the specific, controllable degradation of targeted proteins. Typically, the target proteins have a function which has not yet been elucidated. The disclosure enables one to study the effect of degrading a targeted protein, which in turn, will lead to a characterization of its function. In one embodiment, the invention pertains to a composition comprising a construct wherein the construct includes a peptide including a degradation tag. The degradation tag includes a ClpX binding sequence appended to a protein, wherein the sequence is YALAA.

The interface between genetics and biochemistry sits at the level of translation wherein mRNAs are selected from a large pool of competing transcripts and fed into ribosomes for protein synthesis. Choosing which mRNAs enter a translation system out of the thousands of competing substrates is a highly-orchestrated process that requires the activities of factors that recognize sequence determinants in messages during translation initiation (Malys and McCarthy, 2011). Aside from the transcriptional regulation that synthesizes the RNA pool, important complementary control systems rapidly sculpt transcriptomes by promoting RNA turnover (Arraiano et al., 2010; Burger et al., 2011). Thus, transcribed genetic information flows from the genome and partitions either into a decoding event or into a decay event. Once a message has been translated, a partitioning decision is again made, so the entire proteome is a reflection of a single molecular event that decides the fate of mRNAs.
Of the ˜4,400 Escherichia coli (E. coli) open reading frames, roughly a third have not had their encoded protein functions experimentally verified (1-6). This collection of genes creates a significant black box in our understanding of fundamental cellular physiology, especially when considering those genes of unknown function that are essential for viability.
Much of what is known about gene function has followed from studies in bacteria where there are suites of powerful tools available that have been refined in model systems such as E. coli. Despite astounding advances in DNA sequencing and synthesis technologies, there is a remaining fundamental question that has piqued the interest of hundreds of investigators: what are the minimal requirements for life? The predominant approaches to answering this question have been to either computationally compare genomes and identify conserved core genes or to randomly disrupt the genomes using transposons and deduce which genes do not tolerate interruption this is often referred to as "genetic footprinting" (1,2,14-16). These combined strategies form the cornerstone of our understanding of what comprises an essential genome.
Numerous bacterial genera have had their genomes interrogated both computationally and experimentally in an effort to reveal what the most important features are in a genome. These include early comparisons of Mycoplasma and Haemophilus (14-18), followed by Bacillus (19,20), Mycobacterium (21,22), Pseudomonas (23,24), Helicobacter (25), Salmonella (26), and Escherichia (1,2,27). Using genetic tools to directly test the importance of protein-encoding genes, Baba et al. determined that approximately 300 ORFs appear to be essential for E. coli growth (1). The recent additions of open reading frames that were not annotated at the time the footprinting and recombineering studies were performed may be among the most dramatic changes to the list of E. coli genes. Many of these ORFs (˜60) are very small (<50 amino acids) yet clearly play a role in cellular physiology (3,4) Likewise, other genes (˜100) that encode small RNAs and appear to be important are also new additions (4,28,29). Thus, even the assignment of how many genes E. coli has is changing on a regular basis.
In bacteria, orthologs of the ribosomal protein S1 are the gatekeepers that shuttle mRNA into the translation pool by promoting associations with the small subunit during translation initiation. Of these, the S1 protein of Escherichia coli is the best characterized (Delvillani et al., 2011; Feng et al., 2001; Moll et al., 2002a; Nakagawa et al., 2010; Subramanian, 1983; Suryanarayana and Subramanian, 1983). Despite being the largest ribosomal protein in E. coli, it is a weakly-associated factor that may cycle on and off ribosomes during the translation cycle (Culver and Noller, 1999; Held et al., 1973; Subramanian, 1983). S1 is comprised of multiple RNA binding domains and tethers mRNAs to the small subunit via an interaction that requires the presence of ribosomal protein S2 (Boileau et al., 1981; Bollen et al., 1979; Moll et al., 2002a). An added feature of E. coli's S1 is that it also directly interacts with RNase E and PNPase, each components of the degradosome, which is responsible for bulk RNA turnover (Arraiano et al., 2010; Burger et al., 2011; Feng et al., 2001; Prud'homme-Généreux et al., 2004; Py et al., 1996).

Cellular depletion of biomolecular targets

University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.


A system for a product bundle for purchase may include a user device associated with a given user, and a promotional server. The promotional server may obtain historical online browsing data associated with the given user, and obtain historical shopping data associated with the given user. The promotional server may also generate the product bundle based upon the historical shopping data and the historical online browsing data. The product bundle may include complementary products for purchase each having a purchase price associated therewith. The product bundle may have a bundle price that is less than a sum of purchase prices of each of the complementary products. The promotional server may communicate the product bundle and the bundle price to the user device for display thereon, generate a digital promotion redeemable toward the purchase of the product bundle, and communicate the digital promotion to the user device.

Product bundling may be considered the offering of several products or services for sale as one combined product or service package. For example, a shopper may purchase a product bundle that includes several products that may be purchased individually. One example of a product bundle may be with respect to fast food, whereby a customer may purchase a "meal" instead of the items in the meal individually.
Sales of a particular product or service may be based upon how well that product or service is marketed to a consumer. One form of marketing is a coupon, typically in paper form, for a discount toward the product or service. Some coupons may be retailer-specific, for example, only redeemable for the discount at a particular retailer, while other coupons may be product-specific from a manufacturer and redeemable at any retailer.
A coupon, while typically in paper form, may be in digital form and may be referred to as a digital promotion. A digital promotion may be selected or "clipped" via a mobile phone and saved to a digital wallet for redemption at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, for example. A typical coupon is applicable to a given product and has a redeemable value that may vary based upon the quantity of a given item, for example, brand of item, size of the product in terms of packaging, and/or the price point of the given item. A typical coupon may also be redeemable only at a given retailer and/or within a threshold time period.

System for a product bundle and related methods


A motor vehicle seat having an underframe comprising at least one base and at least one rear rocker, which is connected to the base through a rear pivot axis, a seat carrier carried by the underframe, a seat back connected to the seat carrier, and a drive device. A crash sensor controls the drive device. In the event of a crash, the drive device pivots the seat carrier inclusive of the seat back about the rear pivot axis, and a seat front edge of the seat carrier is raised at least 10 mm relative to the base.

The invention relates to a motor vehicle seat with a) an underframe comprising at least one base and at least one rear rocker, which is connected to said base through a rear pivot axis, with b) a seat carrier carried by said underframe, and with c) a seat back connected to said seat carrier.
Such a motor vehicle seat is known from DE 10 2006 060 179 A1 for example. This known motor vehicle seat is what is termed an integrated seat.
In the event of an accident, in particular of a frontal crash, the seat occupant may slide through or submarine. With his or her thighs the passenger then slides forward on the seat part in substantially the x direction and so to say plunges at least partly through his or her safety belt.
Several propositions have been made to reduce this effect. It is known from DE 299 24 805 U1 to interpose a pair of knee levers in the front region of the seat, between underframe and seat carrier. This pair of knee levers is pulled into a stretched position in the event of a crash, so that the front seat edge is raised. Through a coupling rod, a tensile force derived from the tensile force in the safety belt is exerted onto the pair of knee levers. The tensile force occurring in the belt on a belt buckle is deviated and transmitted to the coupling rod.
An apparatus with a drive system is known from DE 100 11 819 A1, this apparatus has an arm disposed in the front region of the seat. In the event of a crash, the drive system actuates this arm; it causes it to rise upright so that the front part of the seat part is raised. A similar proposition is known from KR 10 2006 000 5427 A wherein a plate disposed in the front region of the seat is raised by a drive unit.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,185, it is known to raise a front seat part of a motor vehicle seat as soon as a crash occurs. In the event of a crash, a longitudinal guide is unlocked and a displacement path of the seat caused by the crash is used for erecting a front part of the seat pan. The reader is additionally referred to the following documents: DE 10 2005 055 975 A1, DE 203 02 628 U1 and DE 199 43 595 A1.
One objective is to keep, as far as practicable, the already existing structures for motor vehicles seats, in particular for integrated seats. These seats are intended to be developed without substantially intervening in the kinematics and in the construction in such a manner that an existing and proven motor vehicle seat as it has been indicated in the document mentioned herein above is additionally also equipped with improved protection against sliding through.

Motor vehicle seat with an underframe, a seat carrier and a seat back


A continuous mining machine is provided for mining ultra thin coal seams, e.g. seams having a thickness of about 24 inches or less. A chassis supported by crawler tracks has a substantially horizontal axis powered cutter head mounted to its front and a conveyor extending from a gathering head toward the rear of the chassis. The conveyor includes a conveyor chain driven by at least one motor near the rear of the chassis for driving a sprocket. The gathering head includes a pair of counter-rotating discs with upstanding vanes and a deck having a maximum angle of about 10.degree. with respect to the dimension of elongation of the chassis. A small diameter idler sprocket for the conveyor chain is mounted beneath the deck, and a small diameter drive sprocket is provided for the cutting chain of the cutting head. The mining machine is controlled to keep it within a coal seam to be cut by using a first color video camera scanning the ceiling of the bore cut by the miner, and a second color video camera facing the floor. The mining machine may be used in a method of mining in which, after formation of a main bore of about 300-600 feet long, during withdrawal the machine forms a number of angled bores each roughly as long as the length of the machine.

There are literally millions of tons of coal in the United States alone that are found in thin coal seams (having a thickness of about four feet or less), and ultra thin coal seams (having a thickness of around two feet or less). Utilizing conventional equipment and techniques the vast majority of this coal is unrecoverable. While auger miners can be successful in thin and ultra thin seams, augers are very limited in the depth of bore they can form (typically limited to about 150 feet), and because of the circular bores that they form leave a great deal of coal between penetrations. It was for that reason that the continuous mining machine in U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,735 (the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein) was developed. That mining machine, marketed in commercial form by Lee-Norse under the trade designations CM245 and CM285, is the shortest continuous miner (non-auger) believed to ever have been commercialized. For example the CM245 has a chassis height of only about 24 inches, and can be used in coal seams as thin as 30 inches. While that machine is a significant advance in the art and has great functionality for a number of thin coal seams, its design makes it--as a practical matter--impossible to reduce its size further to allow it to be used in ultra thin coal seams.
According to the present invention a continuous mining machine is provided which uses the same basic concepts of the CM245 and 285, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,735, but makes a few changes to the construction that allows it to be made even shorter, so that is can effectively mine coal seams having a thickness of about 24 inches or less. The continuous mining machine according to the invention has a chassis height of only about 19 or 20 inches, and a maximum cutter diameter of about 22 inches (preferably 21 inches), yet it can effectively mine coal in seams. The mining machine according to the invention is also preferably controlled utilizing color cameras which scan at least the ceiling and the floor of a bore being formed to ensure that coal is primarily being cut rather than surrounding rock. Also according to the present invention a continuous mining machine can be utilized in an unusual technique for recovering as much coal as possible from a single complete penetration by forming angled bores into the side walls of the main bore as the mining machine is being withdrawn. Utilizing the mining machine according to the invention rather than being restricted to a bore length of about 150 feet, such as is conventional with augers, bores from 300 to 600 feet may be constructed, with additional coal recovered during withdrawal.
According to one aspect of the present invention a continuous mining machine is provided comprising the following components: A chassis supported by crawler tracks, and having a front and a rear and elongated in a first dimension between the front and the rear. A substantially horizontal axis powered cutter head mounted to the front of the chassis. A conveyor mounted to the chassis and including an endless conveyor chain. The chain connected to first and second sprockets, the first sprocket mounted for rotation about a first shaft adjacent the rear of the chassis, and the second sprocket mounted for rotation about a second shaft adjacent the front of the chassis but between the first sprocket and the cutter head. The first; and second shafts rotatable about axes generally perpendicular to the first dimension. And, at least one motor mounted adjacent the rear of the chassis for driving the first shaft to thereby drive the first sprocket and the conveyor.
The second shaft preferably comprises an idler shaft, and the machine further preferably includes a gathering head mounted adjacent the front of the chassis and below the cutter head and at least partly to the rear of the cutter head, for gathering material cut by the cutter head and moving the cut material to the conveyor. The gathering head preferably comprises a pair of counter-rotating discs with upstanding vanes, and an angled deck substantially coplanar with the discs; and wherein the second shaft has first and second transmission elements connected thereto, the first and second transmission elements operatively connected to the discs for effecting counter-rotation driving thereof. The angled deck, during normal operation, makes a maximum angle of about 10.degree. with respect to the dimension of elongation of the chassis. The chassis has a maximum height of about 20 inches (e.g. a height of about 19 inches) and the cutter head has a maximum effective diameter of about 22 inches (e.g. about 21 inches), as further explained below. The second sprocket has a maximum diameter of about eight inches and is mounted beneath the deck, and preferably includes four tapered teeth. A plurality of cross bars are preferably connected to the chain for moving conveyed material (typically coal) from the gathering heads to the rear of the chassis.
The cutter head drive is also preferably specially constructed so that it is assured that a minimum height can be achieved. For example the drive sprocket or sprockets (typically two are provided adjacent opposite ends of a shaft) preferably comprises a five tooth sprocket having a maximum diameter of about 7.5 inches (e. g. about 7.02 inches) on about a four inch diameter shaft, with the cutting head effective diameter (the trace of the cutting chain bits) at that area of about 16 inches or less (e. g. about 15.3 inches). The driven sprocket at the front of the head, where the actual cutting is done, may comprise a ten tooth sprocket with a maximum diameter of about 14 inches (e. g. about 13.35 inches), and with the cutting head effective diameter a maximum of about twenty two inches (e. g. about 21.04 inches). The cutting chain may comprise a conventional cutting chain having alternating connector and cutting bit links, e. g. Number 73473 clearance chain available from The Cincinnati Mine Machinery Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio.
The mining machine further comprises a first color video camera mounted on the chassis or the cutter head in a position to scan material being cut above the cutter head and utilizable to determine the color thereof, the first video camera connected to a monitor to the rear of the chassis. The mining machine forms a floor during operation, and preferably further comprises a second color video camera mounted to the chassis or the cutter head in a position to scan the floor cut by the mining machine and utilizable to determine the color thereof, the second video camera connected to the monitor.
The second shaft typically has first and second transmission elements (preferably gears) connected thereto, the first and second transmission elements operatively connected (through other gears in the preferred embodiment) to the discs for effecting counter rotation driving thereof.
According to another aspect of the present invention a continuous mining machine is provided comprising the following components: A chassis supported by crawler tracks, and having a front and a rear and elongated in a first dimension between the front and the rear. A powered cutter head mounted to the front of the chassis. A conveyor mounted to the chassis and including an endless conveyor chain. The chain connected to first and second sprockets, the first sprocket mounted for rotation about a first shaft adjacent the rear of the chassis, and the second sprocket mounted for rotation about a second shaft adjacent the front of the chassis but between the first sprocket and the cutter head. The first and second shafts rotatable about axes generally perpendicular to the first dimension. At least one motor for driving one of the first and second shafts to thereby drive one of the sprockets and the conveyor. A gathering head mounted adjacent the front of the chassis and below the cutter head and at least partly to the rear of the cutter head, for gathering material cut by the cutter head and moving the cut material to the conveyor, the gathering head comprises a pair of counter-rotating discs with upstanding vanes, and an angled deck substantially coplanar with the disc. The second shaft having first and second transmission elements connected thereto, the first and second transmission elements operatively connected to the discs for effecting counter-rotation driving thereof. The angled deck during normal operation making a maximum angle of about 10.degree. with respect to the dimension of elongation of the chassis. And, the chassis having a maximum height of about twenty inches, and the cutter head having a maximum diameter of about twenty two inches. The second sprocket has a maximum diameter of about eight inches and is mounted beneath the deck.
The invention also relates to a method of mining coal in thin seams. The mining machine described above is particularly suited for practicing the method of the invention, although other mining machines also may be utilized. According to the method of the present invention seams having an average thickness of less than four feet may be mined utilizing a continuous mining machine having a chassis mounted by crawler tracks, a cutter head at the front of the chassis, an articulated rear end, a first conveyor for conveying cut coal from the cutter head to the rear of the chassis, and a second conveyor operatively associated with the rear end to convey coal from a bore toward a mouth of the bore, the continuous miner having a predetermined length from the cutter head to the rear of the chassis. The method preferably comprises the steps of: (a) Forming a main mine bore, having first and second side walls, a roof, and a floor, by powering the crawler tracks and cutter head to move the continuous miner through the mine mouth into the coal seam a depth of more than 150 feet in a first direction, while cutting coal and conveying the coal toward the mouth using the first and second conveyors. (b) After the practice of step (a), retracting the continuous miner a distance of greater than about ten feet. And, (c) after the practice of step (b), forming a secondary mine bore by powering the crawler tracks and the cutter head to move the continuous miner into the coal seam through the main mine bore side walls at an angle of greater than about 20.degree. and less than about 80.degree. (e.g. between about 30.degree.-50.degree.) to the first direction for a distance roughly equal to the predetermined length of the miner (e.g. between about 20-40 feet), while cutting coal and conveying cut coal toward the mouth using the first and second conveyors.
The method also preferably comprises the further step (d) of repeating steps (b) and (c) at least once during the practice thereof. Step (c) is typically practiced by moving the mining machine into contact with the first side wall of the main bore, and step (d) is practiced after (c) by moving the miner into contact with the second wall of the main bore. Step (d) is also practiced a plurality of times, alternating between moving the miner into contact with the first side wall and the second side wall of the main bore. The method may be practiced in coal seams having an average thickness of about three feet or less, and even in ultra thin coal seams having an average thickness of about two feet or less.
Preferably during the practice of step (a) the miner is remotely controlled by a human operator, and the miner has at least a first color video camera mounted thereon; and the method preferably comprises the further step (d) of scanning the roof of the bore adjacent the cutter head to determine the color thereof, and then the human operator adjusting, if necessary, the position of the cutter head and the vertical orientation of the miner in response to that scanning. The miner typically also has a second color video camera mounted thereon, and there is the further step (e) of scanning the floor of the bore with the second video camera to determine the color thereof, and then the human operator adjusting, if necessary, the position of the cutter head and the vertical orientation of the miner in response to that scanning.
Step (a) is typically practiced to penetrate the coal seam a distance of over 150 feet, typically between about 300-600 feet. The mining machine utilized in the practice of the method of the invention typically has a length of about 25 to 30 feet (e.g. about 28 feet), and in any event steps (c) and (d) are typically practiced to penetrate the coal seam a distance of between about 20-40 feet in forming each secondary bore.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a continuous miner, and mining method, that can mine ultra low thickness coal seams to a depth of more than 150 feet without putting a human operator at risk. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.


A cylinder head and internal combustion engine outfitted therewith, in which the cylinder head has a plurality of media passages, at least one of which is for conducting a corrosive medium. Each media passage has a media contact surface for conducting a medium. The cylinder head has a longer service life due to the media contact surface of the at least one media passage for conducting the corrosive medium being formed of a corrosion-resistant material.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a cylinder head and to an internal combustion engine outfitted with a cylinder head.
2. Description of the Related Art
A previously proposed cylinder head is described, for example, in German Published Patent Application No. 689 27 359 T2. Owing to the media flowing through the cylinder head, a cylinder head of this type is constantly exposed to wear, which can have a disadvantageous effect on the life of the cylinder head.

Cylinder head and internal combustion engine equipped therewith


Inbred maize lines designated as 4SQ601 and 4SQ602, plants and seeds of such maize lines, methods for producing maize plants by crossing said lines with themselves or another maize plant, and hybrid maize seeds and plants produced by crossing said inbred maize lines with another maize line or plant.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the production of maize, and more specifically to inbred maize lines designated 4SQ601 and 4SQ602, to parts thereof, and to maize plants produced using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
As further background, maize, often referred to in the United States as corn, has long been the subject of plant breeding. Maize can be bred by self-pollination and cross-pollination techniques, both of which are typically employed in plant breeding programs with the object of combining a set of desired traits in a single maize hybrid.
Maize plants which have been self-pollinated and selected for type for several generations become homozygous at almost all gene loci. Such maize plants produce a uniform population of true breeding progeny, often referred to as an inbred maize line. In turn, these inbred maize lines are used primarily in cross-pollination with other inbred maize lines, to produce hybrid maize seed for commercial sale.
In general, the development of a hybrid maize variety involves three steps. Plants from germplasm pools or breeding populations are first selected. The selected plants are then self-pollinated, or "selfed", for several generations and selected to produce a series of true-breeding inbred lines differing from one another. Finally, the inbred lines are crossed with other inbred lines to produce hybrid progeny, (F.sub.1).
It is known that during the maize inbreeding process, the vigor of the maize lines generally decreases. This vigor is then restored when two different inbred lines are crossed to produce the hybrid progeny (F.sub.1). Importantly, a hybrid between a defined pair of inbred lines will always be the same, due to the homozygosity and homogeneity of the inbred lines utilized. Thus, hybrid maize seed can be sold to the market which yields a reliable, reproducible maize plant.
One maize trait of interest is kernel oil content. Standard maize grain typically contains about 3 to 4% oil on a dry weight basis. Maize grain having an elevated oil concentration, referred to as "high oil maize", has a higher caloric content per unit weight and is thus particularly advantageous for use as animal feed, and for its reduced dusting during milling. Because more than half of the maize grain produced in the United States is used for animal feed, the use of high oil maize for feed is of substantial commercial interest. This is particularly so in view of the high caloric demands in feeding poultry (Gallus gallus domesticus), swine (Sus scrofa), and dairy cows (Bos taurus). As it is, broiler and swine diets regularly contain added oil. Further, the full potential of bovine growth hormone in dairy cows will be more readily exploited if caloric intake is increased beyond that encountered with regular maize rations. Similar advantages may be expected in swine treated with porcine growth hormone.
Despite the expected advantages of high oil maize hybrids, the commercialization of high oil maize has been slow in progressing. This may be due to the fact that in several prior studies, breeding for high oil content has reduced yield both of inbreds and of hybrids made using the inbreds. Thus, competitive high-oil hybrids have proven difficult to develop.
In light of this background, a need exists for an inbred maize line having an elevated oil content and good combining ability with elite lines to produce competitive high oil maize hybrids. The present invention is addressed to this need.


The present invention provides an inspection method and an inspection apparatus which can remove influence of rear surface reflection image and inspect characteristic of a front surface shape with good accuracy by an inexpensive apparatus construction. First of all, as a stripe pattern suitable for a transparent plate-shaped object 3 (object to be inspected), a stripe pattern 1 having a bright-dark pattern configured so that its reflection image produced by the front surface of the transparent plate-shaped object and its reflection image produced by a rear surface of the transparent plate-shaped object are separated in an image signal obtained by image-capturing, is determined. Thereafter, using the decided stripe pattern 1, the front surface shape of the transparent plate-shaped object 3 is evaluated by an image analysis using only a reflection image of the stripe pattern 1 produced by the transparent plate-shaped object 3.

As a method for inspecting a surface shape of an object, there is a method for evaluating a surface shape of an object to be inspected, by projecting a stripe pattern having periodical bright and dark lines on the object to be inspected and measuring deviation of the bright-dark period in a reflection image produced by reflection at a front surface of the object to be inspected (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). However, when such a method is applied to a transparent plate-shaped object such as a glass plate, not only a reflection image produced by a front surface of the transparent plate-shaped object but also a reflection image produced by a rear surface of the transparent plate-shaped object are captured at the same time. From now, a reflection image from a front surface of a transparent plate-shaped object is designated as a front surface reflection image, and a reflection image from a rear surface of a transparent plate-shaped object is designated as a rear surface reflection image.
FIG. 16 is an explanation view showing that a front surface reflection image and a rear surface reflection image are formed at the same time. As shown in FIG. 16, light emitted from a point 5 on a stripe pattern is reflected by a front surface 3a of a transparent plate-shaped object 3, and focused at a capturing point 10 on a photo-receiving plane 7 of a camera through an optical path 8. Further, light transmitted through the transparent plate-shaped object 3 is reflected by a rear surface 3b of the transparent plate-shaped object 3 and focused at a capturing point 11 on the photo-receiving plane 7 through an optical path 9.
Here, depending on a period or width of the stripe pattern, there is a case that the following problems occur to a captured image signal. FIG. 17 is a wave pattern view showing an example of image signal output from a camera. FIG. 17(a) shows an image signal of front surface reflection image, and FIG. 17(b) shows an image signal of rear surface reflection image.
Further, low level indicates a level of image signal of a dark portion of the stripe pattern, and high level indicates a level of image signal of a bright portion of the stripe pattern. If the width of a dark portion of the stripe pattern is wide, the width of a low level portion in the image signal becomes wide and there is a case that a low level portion of an image signal of front surface reflection image overlaps with a low level portion of an image signal of rear surface reflection image. In this case, an image signal output from the camera becomes a signal as shown in FIG. 17(c), and inspection of front surface shape is carried out based on the signal different from the image signal (FIG. 17(a)) of front surface reflection image that is essentially required.
Further, as shown in FIG. 18, even if the width of dark portions of the stripe pattern is sufficiently narrow, if the distance T between the positions of dark portions of an image signal of front reflection image and the positions of dark portions of an image signal of rear surface reflection image, is close to an integer times of a bright-dark period of the stripe pattern, an image signal as shown in FIG. 18(c) is output from the camera. Here, FIG. 18(a) shows an image signal of front surface reflection image, and FIG. 18(b) shows an image signal of rear surface reflection image. Also in this case, inspection of surface shape is carried out based on a signal different from an image signal of front surface reflection image, which causes a problem that the surface shape cannot be inspected accurately.
As a method for solving the above problem, there are methods of weakening or removing the rear surface reflection image. For example, a method of using ultraviolet rays is one of these methods (refer to Non-Patent Document 1). Since the ultraviolet rays are absorbed in a glass, contrast of a rear surface reflection image becomes sufficiently lower than the contrast of front surface reflection image, and even if the rear reflection image overlaps with the front surface reflection image, it is possible to reduce the influence of rear surface reflection image.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-11-148813 (paragraphs 0082 to 0083 and FIG. 24)
Non-Patent Document 1: "Hikari Gijutsu Contact" (Optical and Electrooptical Engineering Contact) (published by Japan Optomechatronics Association, Vol. 39, No. 2 (year 2001), pages 103 to 110)
However, in order to realize a method of using ultraviolet rays, it is necessary to use a UV light source and to constitute a camera by special materials transmitting ultraviolet rays, which increases the cost of inspection apparatus. Further, not all wavelength of ultraviolet rays is usable for the method but it is necessary to select a wavelength region that is sufficiently absorbable into a glass in order to weaken a rear surface reflection image. There is a type of glass having a specific composition which absorbs little ultraviolet rays, for which this method can not be applied.
Under these circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus for inspecting front surface shape, which has an inexpensive construction, which can remove the influence of rear surface reflection image, and which can accurately inspect characteristics of front surface shape.

Method and apparatus for inspecting front surface shape


A liquid ejection apparatus includes a liquid ejection head having a plurality of nozzle units, a plurality of capping devices, a movement mechanism, a plurality of suctioning tubes, a suctioning mechanism, a connection device, and a control device. The control device controls the suctioning mechanism to suction fluid in the capping device corresponding to one of the nozzle units and the capping device corresponding to a different one of the nozzle units. In response to expiration of a predetermined time period, which is a predetermined amount of time that the suctioning mechanism generates a suctioning force, the control device controls to disconnect the capping device corresponding to the one of the nozzle units from the suctioning mechanism.

An inkjet printer includes inkjet heads, each having a nozzle surface. The nozzle surfaces of the inkjet heads are covered or sealed with corresponding head caps. One suctioning pump is sequentially connected to the head caps to suction ink from nozzles of the inkjet heads. Viscous ink in internal passages of the inkjet heads, including the nozzles, is discharged into the head caps. Thus, ink ejection performance of the inkjet heads is improved.

Liquid ejection apparatus, method, and non-transitory, computer-readable medium for controlling liquid ejection apparatus


In a first aspect, a first method of creating a programmable link delay during cycle simulation of a system is provided. The first method includes the steps of (1) modeling a system for cycle simulation, wherein the system includes (a) a plurality of links; (b) link transmitting logic adapted to transmit data on the plurality of links; (c) link receiving logic adapted to receive data from the plurality of links; and (d) link training logic coupled to the link receiving logic and adapted to compensate for skew between links; and (2) employing delay logic, coupled to the plurality of links, in the modeled system to create a known skew between links during cycle simulation. Numerous other aspects are provided.

A cycle simulation tool (simulator) may be employed to test logic included in paths of an integrated circuit (IC) without considering propagation delay (e.g., introduced by wires and logic included in the path). In contrast, a timing simulator may be employed to account for timing while testing logic included in paths of the IC. However, owning and maintaining both a cycle simulator and timing simulator may be cost-prohibitive. For example, the cost of a timing simulator may prevent an owner of a cycle simulator from purchasing the timing simulator. Further, even if purchased, a large amount of time may be required to customize the timing simulator for the owner's intended application. Additionally, in some conventional systems, an array and pointers may be employed to simulate propagation delays in the system. However, maintaining the pointers may require a large amount of time and/or resources. Consequently, methods and apparatus for considering delay introduced by a logic path of an IC while testing the IC using a cycle simulator are desired.

Methods and apparatus for creating a programmable link delay

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention is a transferred or non-transferred plasma arc torch for use in a fuel gas generator system for generating electricity from waste, wherein the torch includes a torch housing, electrodes (one in a transferred torch, two in a non-transferred torch), a tubular sleeve member, a coolant flow path, a vortex mechanism, and a power supply circuit connected to the rear and front electrodes that generates an arc that is adapted to extend axially from the rear electrode through the vortical flow of gas and to an attachment located on the bore of the front electrode, and wherein the electrodes are metal coated in order to protect from wear during use.

Torches have been used in a variety of ways to cut and melt product. Plasma torches are known. Four-nozzle or four torch plasma generators are known, wherein each torch has an anode and an electrode chamber connected to a DC power source. The four-nozzle plasma generators create plasma jets whose shape and trajectory is controlled by an external magnetic field system.
Four nozzle generators are expensive. The four-nozzle plasma generator is described in the document entitled Basis For Implementation Of The Method For Dynamic Plasma Treatment Of The Surface Of A Solid Body, P. P. Koulik et al., Plasmochimie 87" Part 2, Moscow, 1987, pp. 58 to 96.
The construction of the electrode chambers (anode and cathode) for a plasma generator is described in the document entitled Twin Jet Plasmatron, I. I. Genbaiev, V. S. Enguelsht, Frounze, 1983.
A need had existed for a better combination of metals to coat the electrodes in the torches. The electrodes in torch tend to wear because of the severe conditions the electrodes are subjected to during use.
A need had existed for a cheaper two-nozzle generator with a specific configuration for the plasma streams that does not require the additional use of magnetic fields. A need has existed for a two-nozzle generator that enables efficient introduction and processing of different products, including waste from municipalities and from medical facilities. Traditionally, torches of the type needed in the two-torch generator have broken down and needed repair often. The maintenance costs have been high. A need has existed for a long lasting torch for the two-nozzle generator that provides high performance in output of plasma and high reliability.


A casino gambling card table game in which a player may bet that a next card dealt would provide a selected poker hand and/or a winning baccarat hand.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to casino gaming apparatus, in general, and to a casino gambling card table game, in particular.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known in the casino gaming industry, one of the most popular card table gambling games is 3 card poker in which a player attempts to obtain a higher valued poker hand than the dealer. As will also be appreciated, one of the most raucous of the card table gambling games is baccarat, where it is common for a player to vocally exhort the dealing of a winning card to his/her hand, and a vociferous rooting of a losing card to the Bank so as to attain the objective of having a card total closer to "nine" than the Bank. As will become clear from the following description, the present invention combines features of both 3 card poker and baccarat in making the combined game demonstrative in its play, while at the same time providing a multitude of betting options; as will be seen, this gives the combined game a flavor closer to that of craps, where others than the shooter are able to place individual bets on each roll of the dice. As in both 3 card poker and baccarat, the combined card game of the invention utilizes a standard 52 card deck (without jokers)—and as in baccarat, aces count as "one" and tens, jacks, queens, and kings count as "zero".
As distinct from the commonly played 3 card poker, however, cards may be drawn and/or options selected based on the cards to be dealt rather than just to bet on cards already received. In such manner, a player becomes actively involved in each deal, and involves a certain degree of thought throughout. Having to make decisions concerning a series of bets in any one game makes the play more varied than baccarat, and thus more enjoyable to the participant and more attractive to the casino as well. All that will be seen to be required in its play are the calculations of the odds to be offered by the casino for any bet to be paid (which can be determined by mathematical analysis). Once such odds are set, all that is needed is the standard deck, a table, a game design overlay to sit 6 or 7 players, and the participants with their betting chips themselves.

Combination 3 card poker-baccarat gaming method and apparatus


A method for detecting an anomaly on a top surface of a substrate comprises directing a first radiation beam having a first wavelength at the top surface of the substrate at a first angle measured from normal, and directing a second radiation beam having a second wavelength at the top surface of the substrate at a second angle measured from normal, wherein the second wavelength is not equal to the first wavelength. The method then comprises detecting scattered radiation from the first radiation beam and the second radiation beam to detect the presence of particles or COPs, and to differentiate between the two. Differences in the scattered radiation detected from the first radiation beam and from the second radiation beam provide the data needed to differentiate between particles and COPs.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of optical surface inspection, and more particularly, to illumination and light collection optics for inspecting semiconductor wafers, mask substrates, and other similar articles.
2. Background Information
Monitoring anomalies, such as pattern defects and particulate contamination, during the manufacture of unpatterned silicon wafers is an important factor in increasing production yields. Numerous types of defects and contamination, especially particles, can occur on a wafer's surface. Determining the presence, location and type of an anomaly on the wafer surface can aid in both locating process steps at which the anomaly occurred and determining whether a wafer should be discarded.
Originally, particles were monitored manually by visual inspection of wafer surfaces for the presence of particulate matter. These particles, usually dust or other microscopic particles, caused many of the wafer pattern defects. However, manual inspection proved time-consuming and unreliable due to operator errors or an operator's inability to observe certain defects.
To decrease the time required to inspect wafer surfaces, many automatic inspection systems were introduced. A substantial majority of these automatic inspection systems detect particles based on the scattering of radiation. These systems include two major components: illumination optics and collection-detection optics. Illumination optics generally consists of scanning a wafer surface with a coherent source of radiation, e.g., a laser. Particles present on the wafer's surface scatter incident radiation. The collection optics detect the scattered radiation with reference to the known beam position. The scattered radiation is then converted to electrical signals which can be measured, counted and displayed as bright spots on an oscilloscope or other monitor.
The sensitivity of systems that employ radiation to detect particles is based on a ratio of the photon flux detected by radiation striking a particle to the photon flux detected by radiation striking the surface of the wafer. The greater this ratio, the greater the sensitivity of the system. Therefore, many systems utilize radiation that is incident on the wafer's surface at an oblique angle. Obliquely incident radiation generates a larger ratio of photon flux from a particle to that from the surface of the wafer. These systems are then able to better detect smaller particles on a wafer surface.
Known sample inspection systems can detect particles as small as sixty nanometers in diameter while still gathering other data allowing them to differentiate between particles and crystal originated particles (also known as "COPs", which are surface breaking defects in a semiconductor wafer that were in the past classified as "particles" due to the inability of earlier inspection systems to distinguish them from real particles). An exemplary system of this type is the Surfscan® Sp1TB1 Wafer Inspection System by KLA-Tencor, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. The Surfscan® system uses two separate radiation beams to inspect a substrate, one radiation beam that is substantially normal to the sample surface, and one that is at an oblique angle in the range of 70 degrees from normal to the sample surface. The oblique radiation beam typically has a 488 nm wavelength. Although systems such as this one are available, it is desirable to provide sample inspection tools that can detect even smaller particles and COPs without compromising their ability to differentiate between particles and COPs. It is further desirable to provide inspection tools to detect defects that are strictly on the surface of semiconductor wafers and other samples, and to distinguish these from those defects that are within the samples.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for a wafer inspection system using multiple angles and multiple wavelength illumination


The construction of a vibration damping device includes a splined or generally spiral groove formed either in the outer periphery of a damper pin, which is inserted into a damper, or in the inner periphery of a hole formed in the damper for inserting the damper pin therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vibration damping device suitable mainly for a compact disk player or the like which is for use on a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are sectional views showing a conventional vibration damping device for an on-vehicle compact disk player. In these figures, the reference numeral 1 denotes a damper as a second member; numeral 2 denotes a damper pin as a first member; numeral 3 denotes a second vibration member for mounting the damper 1 to a fixed frame (not shown); numeral 4 denotes a first vibration member to which is attached the damper pin 2; numeral 5 denotes a hole into which is inserted the damper pin 2; and numeral 6 denotes a viscous oil as a vibration absorber sealed into the damper 1.
The operation of the conventional vibration damping device will now be described. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the damper pin 2 began to be inserted into the hole 5 of the damper 1 in the case where the second and first vibration members 3, 4 are to be mounted together.
In this state, the damper pin 2 is pushed to the inner part of the hole 5 until its front end assumes a completely inserted state in contact with the innermost wall of the hole 5, as shown in FIG. 2, and in this state the vibration applied to a fixed frame (not shown) to which is mounted the second vibration member 3, is absorbed effectively by the vibration absorber 6 sealed in the damper 1, to diminish the vibration exerted on the first vibration member 4, thereby attaining a desired vibration damping performance.
In such a conventional vibration damping device, it is necessary that the hole 5 and the damper pin 2 be kept in close contact with each other in order to exhibit the desired vibration damping performance. So if there is made an attempt to enhance the degree of such close contact, not only does it becomes difficult to effect the insertion of the damper pin 2 but also the air present in the hole 5 at the beginning of the insertion of the pin will not be exhausted and will stay within the hole, as shown in FIG. 3. As a result, the damper pin 2 can no longer be inserted into the hole to a complete extent and hence it is impossible to exhibit a satisfactory vibration damping performance.


A method in which the exhaust gas that is to be purified is passed through an exhaust-gas line containing a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) for the oxidation of residual gaseous hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) in order to form carbon dioxide (CO2) and for the at least proportional oxidation of the nitrogen monoxide (NO) contained in the exhaust gas in order to form nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is provided.

In today's EAT systems according to the state of the art such as, for instance, systems according to European patent specification EP-B-1 054 722, this means that the volume of the SCR catalytic converters has to be increased in order to achieve adequate nitrogen-oxide removal rates. As a rule, however, this cannot be reconciled with the installation space available.
Furthermore, a limit value for the number of particles applies to the new engine models. These limit values can no longer be met without introducing a closed wall flow filter.
German patent document DE 103 48 800 discloses a method to control a reductant feed system comprising at least one heating element. Upstream, the feed system is connected to an SCR catalytic converter. During the air-assisted injection of the reductant into the feed system, an evaporated mixture of air and reductant is formed over the heated element, and this mixture is introduced into an exhaust-gas mixture that is entering the SCR catalytic converter. An aqueous urea solution is employed as the reductant. The entire feed system, including the mixing unit for the urea-water solution and air as well as the heating element or evaporator unit, is integrated downstream from the SCR catalytic converter into the exhaust-gas carrying pipe downstream from the engine outlet. The amount of heat necessary to evaporate the mixture of urea-water solution and air is generated electrically by a 12-volt battery current.
German patent document DE 10 2007 029 674 discloses an assembly for nitrogen oxide reduction in a gas stream containing oxygen, especially in an exhaust-gas system of an internal combustion engine, comprising an SCR catalytic converter arranged in a gas line that carries nitrogen oxide and oxygen, a conversion reactor with which a solution containing an ammonia precursor is converted into an ammonia solution, and an evaporator unit configured as a separate component, which is located downstream from the conversion reactor and in which the ammonia solution is evaporated upstream from the SCR catalytic converter before being fed into the gas line. The conversion of the solution containing an ammonia precursor (preferably a urea-water solution) into an ammonia solution takes place according to the invention using microwaves. Upstream from the evaporator unit configured as a separate component, there can be a heat exchanger in order to heat up the ammonia solution so as to reduce the energy needed for the evaporation in that, for instance, the heat of the exhaust-gas return line is used. The evaporator itself is an electrically operated heating element.
German patent document DE 10 2007 042 836 discloses a device for the after-treatment of the exhaust gas of a motor vehicle using a liquid that releases ammonia, for example, a urea-water solution, comprising a reservoir to store the liquid, whereby a temperature-control device is provided for purposes of regulating the temperature of the liquid. In order to cool the liquid, the temperature-control device is associated with a cooling circuit of the motor vehicle. This can be the cooling circuit of the internal combustion engine or an air-conditioning circuit. The temperature-control device is configured as a separate component. Thanks to the temperature-control device, the liquid can be heated, thus preventing it from freezing, or else the liquid can be heated to a favorable temperature level that yields an excellent purification of the exhaust gas.
German patent document DE 10 2009 009 538 discloses a system to regulate the temperature of a fluid additive, preferably a urea-water solution, for the exhaust-gas system of an internal combustion engine, said system being characterized by means to bring about a heat exchange between the additive and a coolant circuit of a coolant installation, especially of an air-conditioning unit.
The development described in German patent document DE 10 2007 011 184 is based on the objective of further reducing the emissions of internal combustion engines, especially of diesel engines, and minimizing the installation space needed to treat the exhaust gas. For purposes of achieving this objective, a heat exchanger is disclosed for cooling the exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle in order to return the exhaust gas to the internal combustion engine. For cooling purposes, this heat exchanger has at least a first flow channel through which at least a first fluid flows, and at least a second flow channel through which a second cooling fluid flows, and this heat exchanger also has a housing to accommodate the at least one first flow channel and the at least one second flow channel. The housing has at least one inflow section through which the second fluid flows into the heat exchanger and at least one outflow section through which the second fluid flows out of the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is characterized by at least one device that converts a liquid urea solution into at least ammonia gas.
International patent WO 2012/022687 discloses a method for operating an exhaust-gas treatment device having at least one reservoir for a reducing agent and at least one feed device for the reducing agent, whereby the method encompasses at least the following steps: a) checking the filling level of the at least one reservoir; b) checking the current exhaust-gas mass flow; c) adding reducing agent whenever the filling level of the at least one reservoir falls below a minimum filling level and the exhaust-gas mass flow is within a low-load range. In a special embodiment, one of the following actions is carried out in step c): heating at least the exhaust-gas mass flow or the reducing agent and feeding in reducing agent. In this process, the heat feed leading all the way to the reducing agent can be ensured or improved by external electric heaters.
German patent document DE 10 2009 025 135 discloses a device for evaporating a urea-water solution, comprising a conveying channel for the urea-water solution extending through at least a first zone and a second zone in order to introduce thermal energy, whereby the two zones can be heated separately from each other and, in the second zone, the conveying channel at first has a meandering course in a second inlet area, and subsequently a straight course. In the first zone, the urea-water solution is preheated to a temperature within the range from 100° C. to 180° C. [212° F. to 356° F.], while in the second zone, it is evaporated at a temperature ranging from 420° C. to 490° C. [788° F. to 914° F.].
German patent document DE 10 2008 012 087 discloses an evaporator unit for generating a gas stream containing ammonia out of a urea-water solution, said unit being likewise configured as a separate component.
Industrial engines according to the state of the art are typically operated with catalytically active exhaust-gas after-treatment (ANB) systems according to the above-mentioned European patent EP-B 1 054 722—or also called "SCR® systems" consisting of DOC/(c)DPF+SCR/ASC where a urea-water solution (HWL) is metered in upstream from the SCR/ASC catalytic converter—in order to comply with the applicable emission regulations (Tier 4 Final (US)/Stage IV (EU) and subsequent regulations).
In order for the exhaust-gas after-treatment system to be able to operate with the requisite cleaning efficiency, minimum exhaust-gas temperatures and catalyst operating temperatures of 230° C. [446° F.] or more are necessary.
In low-load operating states, the required minimum exhaust-gas temperatures can only be provided by means of engine-related heating measures (for instance, throttling the engine). The energy that is introduced into the exhaust gas in order to attain the requisite exhaust-gas temperatures is no longer available to the drive train. This translates into a diminished degree of drive efficiency for the engine and into greater fuel consumption and thus also increased CO2 emissions.
Regeneration of the closed diesel particulate filter has a very detrimental effect on fuel consumption. Exhaust-gas temperatures of about 600° C. [1112° F.] are needed so that the soot deposited in the filter can be burned off in a controlled manner. In order to achieve such temperatures, in addition to the passive regeneration, as a rule there is a need to employ active measures such as, for example, additional fuel injection and exothermal conversion of the resultant unburned hydrocarbons on the DOC or else active regeneration measures, for instance, fuel-operated burners according to European patent applications EP-A 2 177 728, EP-A 2 192 279 or international patent document WO 2010/139429.
For the operation of the SCR system, a urea-water solution containing 32.5% urea is typically used as the reducing agent. In order to release ammonia from this, 67.5% of the water first has to be evaporated and the urea has to be hydrolytically converted into ammonia and CO2.

Method for the purification of diesel engine exhaust gases


A vehicle air-conditioning control method includes: calculating an air-conditioning reference temperature for an interior of a vehicle on the basis of an in-vehicle temperature measured by an in-vehicle temperature sensor provided inside a vehicle that runs between stations, an outside air temperature measured by an outside air temperature sensor provided on the exterior of the vehicle, an in-vehicle humidity measured by a humidity sensor provided inside the vehicle, and a vehicle occupancy rate measured by a load-compensating sensor provided in the vehicle; determining an air-conditioning control pattern for performing air-conditioning of the inside of the vehicle on the basis of the air-conditioning reference temperature; and controlling a vehicle air-conditioning apparatus on the basis of the air-conditioning control pattern, wherein the data of a preceding vehicle is received, and is used in air-conditioning control of a following vehicle.

Generally known examples of a vehicle air-conditioning control method include that shown in FIG. 10. That is, in the vehicle air-conditioning control method of the related art, as shown in FIG. 10, electric power input from a pantograph 23 is supplied to an auxiliary power-supply device 24, whereby an air-conditioning power is generated and is supplied to an air-conditioning apparatus 25. The air-conditioning apparatus 25 uses an air-conditioning control apparatus 26 so as to control the number of operating units, the operating frequency, and the running time of air-conditioning compressors inside the air-conditioning apparatus 25, or so as to control the running speed of an electric motor of an indoor fan, thereby performing air-conditioning performance control.
The air-conditioning control apparatus 26 has a microcomputer incorporated thereinto, and an air-conditioning reference temperature stored in a storage area is subjected to various corrections and is sequentially calculated. The various corrections are calculated on the basis of an in-vehicle temperature measured by an in-vehicle temperature sensor 28 provided inside the vehicle, an outside air temperature measured by an outside air temperature sensor 30 provided on the exterior of the vehicle, an in-vehicle humidity measured by a humidity sensor 29 provided inside the vehicle, and the occupancy rate of this vehicle, which is measured by a load-compensating sensor 31 provided in the vehicle.
Hitherto, regarding vehicle occupancy rate and outside air temperature, the vehicle occupancy rate and the outside air temperature when a vehicle is running are measured. Furthermore, there is a method in which inter-station vehicle occupancy rate information for each time zone, which is created in advance on the basis of actual results, has been stored in storage means as inter-station vehicle occupancy rate information on a day of the week basis, on a day of the month basis, on a vehicle operation form basis, or on a vehicle basis (see, for example, PTL 1).
In addition, there is a method in which control of air-conditioning performance is performed on the basis of an air-conditioning load, which is predicted on the basis of the environment information at the present time and the environment information stored in the past (see, for example, PTL 2).                In addition, there is a method in which data including the driving information on an air conditioner and the position information of the vehicle is transmitted periodically to a management computer, and the management computer stores the data and performs processing (see, for example, PTL 3).


A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a metal layer over a substrate, forming a capping layer over the metal layer, and densifying the metal layer through a heat treatment.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a method for removing a defect of a metal layer and a method for fabricating a semiconductor device using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the increase in integration degree of a semiconductor device, the difficulty level in fabricating the semiconductor device has also increased to approach its limit. DRAM, for example, may decrease the thickness of a high-k dielectric layer with the increase in the integration degree. Accordingly, a serious leakage current may occur. The leakage current is significantly affected by properties and interface defects of a metal layer as well as the dielectric layer forming a capacitor.
FIG. 1 is a transmission electron microscopy (TEM) photograph showing a metal layer of a conventional capacitor.
Referring to FIG. 1, the surface roughness of titanium nitride used as the metal layer of the capacitor is high, and uneven poly-crystal grains and micro-defects are found.
In particular, in a stacked structure of a high-k dielectric layer and a metal layer, the layers may contain a lot of defects and impurities occurring during a layer formation process. The defects and impurities may cause a secondary consideration.
FIGS. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views illustrating features of a conventional stacked structure of the metal layer and the high-k dielectric layer.
Referring to FIG. 2, defects such as dangling bonds may be formed in the metal layer during the layer formation and easily react with oxygen contained in the high-k dielectric layer. Accordingly, the oxygen escapes from the high-k dielectric layer to make vacancy defects inside the high-k dielectric layer. As a result, a leakage current occurs.
Referring to FIG. 3, a metal layer having a columnar structure has low energy at a grain boundary in a vertical direction, and the metal layer provides a path through which oxygen escapes much more easily. Accordingly, defects may increase. Furthermore, a large amount of carbon contained in the high-k dielectric layer and the metal layer easily reacts with oxygen, and the oxygen easily escapes through the grain boundary. Therefore, the occurrence of oxygen vacancies is accelerated. As a result, a leakage current occurs.
In order to improve the property of the metal layer or the high-k dielectric layer, a heat treatment is performed after the metal layer is formed. However, during the heat treatment, the occurrence of oxygen vacancies may be accelerated. Accordingly, even if the heat treatment is performed at an oxygen atmosphere to suppress the occurrence of oxygen vacancies, interface oxidation may occur due to permeation of the external oxygen. In this case, resistance may increase.

Method of fabricating semiconductor device


The purpose of the present invention is to provide a small-sized switch attaining high isolation of not less than 80 dB, maintaining low insertion loss also in high frequencies not less than 60 GHz. A semiconductor switch according to the present invention utilizes FETs a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode of each of which are formed on a semiconductor. The source electrode and the drain electrode are connected with the earth as well as are disposed in parallel to each other, and the gate electrode is formed between the source electrode and the drain electrode, and both the ends of the gate electrode are connected to the first input-output terminal 1 and the second input-output terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to semiconductor switches, and in particular to semiconductor switches for microwave as well as millimeter wave bands using a transmission line comprising a dielectric substance substrate and metal conductors, and diodes or field effect transistors (FETs) showing distributed parameter effect.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As a semiconductor switching circuit which is contemplated for use in microwave as well as millimeter wave bands, in particular with high frequencies not less than 60 GHz, various kinds of circuits have been proposed and manufactured for trial.
Single-pole 3-throw (SP3T) switches for the 77 GHz band (hereinafter to be referred to as Conventional example 1) were reported by M. Case et al. in "1997 MTT-S IMS Digest pp. 1047–1050" and can be nominated as an example of conventional switches.
An SP3T switch of Conventional example 1 comprises configuration as shown in FIG. 12. An input terminal 20 is connected with a signal junction N via a transmission line 21. One end of each transmission line 22–24 having length of a quarter of propagating wave length (a quarter wave length transmission line) is connected via capacitance C1, C2, and C3 for DC cutting respectively to each signal junction. The other end of each of a quarter wave length transmission lines 22–24 is connected respectively to one end of PIN diode D1, D2, or D3 as well as to the first, the second, or third output terminal 25–27. The other end of each PIN diode D1, D2, or D3 is connected with the earth. Capacitance C1, C2, and C3 for DC cutting, a quarter wave length transmission lines 22–24, diodes D1, D2, and D3, and the first, the second, and the third output terminals 25–27 form three output signal passes.
A diode can be expressed as a resistance for equivalent circuit thereof when the diode is biased forward, and can be expressed as a capacitance for equivalent circuit thereof when the diode is biased in the reverse direction. Accordingly, when a diode is biased forward, there exists little impedance, and the anode and cathode thereof may be regarded to be short-circuited. In addition, the impedance for frequencies in correspondence with propagating wave length when this diode is seen via a quarter wave length transmission line is close to infinite, and thus may be regarded as almost open. That is, a signal pass where a diode is biased forward will be seen as almost open from the signal junction, and as a consequence, an RF signal having propagated the signal pass will be almost totally reflected. On the other hand, since a diode which is biased in the reverse direction functions as a capacitance, the impedance will get high for low frequencies, and accordingly a signal pass where a diode is biased in the reverse direction is transparent. As the frequency gets higher, the impedance of a capacitance gets lower, and therefore, signal reflection at a signal junction will increase. As a result, a signal pass where a diode is biased in the reverse direction allows signals to travel transparently, but on the other hand, an increase in frequency will result in an increase in loss due to reflection.
Thus, in switches of Conventional example 1, among the three output signal passes, the signal pass to make signals travel transparently comprises a diode, which is biased in the reverse direction, and on the other hand, the other remaining signal passes comprise diodes, which are biased forward, to cut off signals on the other remaining signal passes, which will enable to switch the signal passes.
Insertion loss as well as isolation in a single-pole single-throw (SPST) of Conventional example 1 as described above can for the purpose of simplicity be supposed that characteristic impedance of the transmission line equals impedance of the input-output terminals, and then can be expressed as the equation (1) and the equation (2).
                    IL        =                  4                      4            +                                          ω                2                                                          C                2                                                          Z                0                2                                                                        (        1        )                                          I          SO                =                  4                      (                          2              +                                                Z                  0                                R                                      )                                              (        2        )
As apparent from the equation (2), isolation is expressed with the resistance R and the impedance Z0 of the input-output terminals, but does not depend on frequencies. In switches of Conventional example 1, however, when isolation of, for example, not less than 40 dB is to be attained, the resistance values of diode will have to be not more than 0.13 Ω. Here, in the disclosed document of Conventional example 1, the resistance value of the diode is described as 3 Ω. Accordingly, in switches of Conventional example 1, for the purpose of realizing a resistance value of 0.13 Ω, the anode electrode area to be multiplied approximately by 23 will do. However, the anode electrode area being 23 times as much means that the capacitance value will simultaneously be 23 times as much as well. As a result, since the capacitance value of the diode disclosed in the document is 33 fF, the capacitance to attain isolation of 40 dB will be 759 fF which is 23 times as much. Based on this, with reference to the equation (1), insertion loss for a capacitance of 33 fF (=33×10−15 F) is 0.6 dB, while insertion loss reaches as much as 19 dB when the anode electrode area is made 23 times as much. That is, in switching circuit of the above-described Conventional example 1, insertion loss and isolation are in a trade-off relationship, and high isolation characteristics such as 40 dB were not attainable.
In addition, single-pole single-throw (SPST) switches for the 94 GHz band (hereinafter to be referred to as Conventional example 2) were reported by H. Takasu et al. in "IEEE MICROWAVE AND GUIDED LETTERS, Vol. 6, pp. 315–316" and can be nominated, conventionally, as an example of another switch. This switch of Conventional example 2 is also one of possible circuits as switching circuits for high frequency bands not less than 60 GHz.
An SPST switch of Conventional example 2 comprises configuration as shown in FIG. 13. An SPST switch of Conventional example 2 comprises a field effect transistor (FET), an inductor, and a resistance. The input-output terminals 31, 32 are respectively connected with the source and drain of an FET, between which an inductor L configured with a microstrip line pass is connected in parallel. To the gate of FET, a resistance R of 2.5 kΩ is connected, and via the resistance a direct current bias is arranged to be applied to the gate. In the state that the channel of FET is closed, the FET can be treated equivalently as a capacitance C, which, therefore, as shown in FIG. 14, together with the inductance L connected with the FET in parallel, resonance takes place at a frequency obtainable from the equation (3), and as a consequence, resulting in high impedance so that signal propagation between the input-output terminals will be cut off. That is, the switch enters the off state.
                    f        =                  1                      2                                                                          π                                      LC                                                          (        3        )
FIG. 15 shows frequency characteristics on insertion loss as well as isolation in the switch of Conventional example 2. As obvious from FIG. 15, in the switching circuit of Conventional example 2, isolation characteristics around 30 dB are attainable with comparatively low insertion loss. However, since, as described before, the switching circuit of Conventional example 2 makes use of resonance, its frequency characteristics will fall in narrow band width. Moreover, for the purpose of making a resonance circuit start resonance at a desired frequency, it is necessary to accurately know LC being a constant of the circuit. Accordingly, for the purpose of using a switch of Conventional example 2, not only the capacitance C to appear at closure of the FET channel will have to be accurately estimated, but also as concerns the inductor L accurate modeling will become necessary. On the contrary, FETs as well as PIN diodes, etc., normally have variation of forming process to a certain extent, but for example, due to this variation, the value of capacitance C could deviate from the design, and as a result the resonance frequency will deviate from the design as well, and resonance will not be available at a desired frequency, which, as a consequence, will give rise to reduction of yield.
Switching circuits (hereinafter to be referred to as Conventional example 3) were conventionally proposed by H. Mizutani and Y. Takayama in "1997 MTT-S IMS Digest pp. 439–442" and can be nominated as technology to solve the problems with the aforementioned Conventional example 1 as well as Conventional example 2. The switching circuit of Conventional example 3 is a switching circuit utilizing an FET showing distributed parameter effect, and its wide band width characteristics were proved in the document. Incidentally, the contents of the document has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-41404 specification as well.
A switching circuit of Conventional example 3 comprises the configuration as shown in FIG. 16. As understandable with reference to FIG. 16, the switching circuit of Conventional example 3 comprises plural transmission lines and plural FETs. For the switching circuit of Conventional example 3 in detail, each transmission line as well as each FET is respectively defined per micro unit length, and transmission lines are connected in series, and the drain of each FET is connected to the respective junction of them. Incidentally, the source of each FET is connected with the earth. The configuration is made in an infinite connection of these transmission line as well as FET per micro unit length.
Such switching circuit of Conventional example 3 is implemented as a plane surface pattern, where each FET (hereinafter to be referred to as distributed parameter FET) comprises a source connected with the earth, a gate finger with a length of 400 μm, and a drain electrode, both longitudinal ends of which have been connected with the input-output terminals.
A switching circuit of Conventional example 3 comprising such a configuration acts equivalently as a transmission line without any loss as shown in FIG. 17 in the state that the channel of FET is closed. As apparent from FIG. 17, the switch enters the ON state, and insertion loss is expressed by the equation (4) through the equation (6).
                              S          21          ON                =                              2                                      ZZ              0                                                          2                                            ZZ                0                                          cos                                                                                β1                        +                                          j                                                  (                                                            Z                      2                                        +                                          Z                      0                      2                                                        )                                                          sin                                                                                β                                                                                1                                                          (        4        )                                β        =                  ω                                              (                              L                                                  (                                                            C                      IL                                        +                                          C                      FET                                                        )                                                                                (        5        )                                Z        =                              L                          (                                                C                  IL                                +                                  C                  FET                                            )                                                          (        6        )
Here, "Z" represents impedance of the switch, "1" represents length of a finger of an FET, Z0 represents impedance of the input-output terminal. In addition, "ω" represents angular frequency, and L, R, C, and G respectively represent inductance, resistance, parallel capacitance, parallel conductance per unit length of the switch.
On the other hand, an FET is equivalently expressed as a mere resistance in the state where its channel is open, thus, the equivalent circuit on the switch at that time will be as shown in FIG. 18. As understandable with reference to FIG. 18, a switching circuit of Conventional example 3 acts equivalently as a transmission line with loss in the state that the channel of FET is open, that is, the switch enters the OFF state, and its isolation can be expressed by the equation (7) through the equation (9).
                              S          21          ON                =                              2                                      ZZ              0                                                          2                                            ZZ                0                                          cosh                                                                                ψ                        +                                          (                                                      Z                    2                                    +                                      Z                    0                    2                                                  )                                          sinh                                                                                ψ                                                          (        7        )                                γ        ≡                  α          +                      j                                                                          β                          ≡                              j                                                                          ω                                                                                L                                            (                                                      j                                                                                ω                                                                                C                      IL                                                        +                  G                                )                                                                        (        8        )                                Z        =                                            j                                                                                ω                                                                                L                                                      j                                                                                ω                                                                                C                  IL                                            +              G                                                          (        9        )
From these equations, in a wide band as shown in FIG. 19, low insertion loss and high isolation are obtainable. As understandable from FIG. 19, frequency characteristics of isolation in the switching circuit of Conventional example 3 are in gradual increase.
However, not only in switching circuits of the above-described Conventional example 1 as well as Conventional example 2 without doubt, but also in switching circuit of Conventional example 3 it was practically difficult to maintain low insertion loss and realize high isolation in a wide band as a comparatively compact type. This point is explained in detail as follows.
In a switch according to Conventional example 3, the 0th digit term concerning the frequency of isolation is expressed by the equation (10).
                              IL          DC                =                              (                          2                              2                +                                                      Z                    0                                    r                                                      )                    2                                    (        10        )
As understandable from the equation (10), as resistance "r" of distributed parameter FET gets smaller, isolation gets greater. Incidentally, in the switching circuit using a distributed parameter FET, the 0th digit close resemblance on the isolation frequency corresponds with the isolation of the switching circuit with shunt configuration using a lumped constant FET expressed in the aforementioned equation (2).
Accordingly, for the purpose of attaining high isolation in the switching circuit of Conventional example 3, the gate finger length must be lengthened so that the resistance "r" of distributed parameter FET be reduced. In particular, for the purpose of attaining high isolation of not less than 80 dB in the switching circuit of Conventional example 3, the gate finger length must be lengthened to, for example, 1 mm so that the resistance "r" of distributed parameter FET be reduced. To extend the gate finger length like this means the chip size of microwave or millimeter wave single integrated circuit (MMIC) will get bigger.
As understandable from these features, in microwave or millimeter wave band switching circuits there was a problem that it was difficult for the prior art to realize high isolation of not less than 80 dB covering a wide band width with a comparatively small type configuration, while maintaining low insertion loss. This was originated in circuit configurations in the respective prior arts, such as, existence respectively of the trade-off relationship between insertion loss and isolation, narrow band width characteristics due to usage of resonance, or the trade-off relationship between resistance of distributed parameter FET and the chip size.

Semiconductor switches and switching circuits for microwave