What is disclosed is a display apparatus that introduce an electronic image that is generated electronically into a viewing optical system through which an object is viewed to make the electronic image viewable in such a way as to be superimposed on an image of the object. The electric image forming apparatus has a light source, a micro lens array and scanning means for scanning light from the light source to form an image on the micro lens array. There is disclosed a scanning display apparatus that introduces an image formed on the micro lens and superimpose it on an image of an object and a camera in which an object image formed optically and an electronic image are made viewable in a superimposed manner using the scanning display apparatus.

There are known conventional information display apparatuses that display in an optical path of a viewing optical system information on the viewing optical system etc. so that the information can be observed together with an optical image formed by the viewing optical system. In particular, a scanning display apparatus that forms an electronic image on the retina of a viewer's eye using a scanning optical system to make it possible to view an electronic image together with an optical image has been proposed. (See for example, United States Patent Application No. 20010034077.)
However, the above-mentioned example of the scanning display apparatus suffers from a first problem that it is so large in size that it is difficult to build it in an small-size viewing optical system (such as a viewfinder) of a camera or a telescope or the like, since the scanning display apparatus is composed of optical components including a plurality of reflecting mirrors.
Furthermore, in conventional digital single lens reflex cameras, users take a photograph while viewing an image of the subject through a viewfinder, and have an image picked up by an image pickup element displayed in the viewfinder by means of a display device such as a liquid crystal display to check it (see for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 6-245114). In this display method, since what is used for displaying photographed images is a liquid crystal display device, there is a second problem that resolution and saturation reproducibility are not good, and it is difficult for the user to examine whether or not a picked up image has desired image quality.
Still further, a conventional apparatus that displays an electronic image in an optical path of a viewing optical system to make it possible to view the electronic image together with an optical image formed by the viewing optical system is known from Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-174367. However, since the display apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-174367 utilizes internal reflection of a prism member, it suffers from a third problem that light such as undesired reflected light from a reflection surface of the prism member that is not intended is incident on a view's eye and seen as a ghost.
In view of the above-mentioned first problem, a first object of the present invention is to provide a compact scanning display apparatus that can be built in an optical path of a viewing optical system and a camera equipped with such a scanning display apparatus.
In view of the above-mentioned second problem, a second object of the present invention is to provide a camera equipped with a display apparatus having high image quality.
In view of the above-described third problem, a third object of the present invention is to provide a compact display apparatus in which ghost is not formed.
To achieve the first object, according to the first aspect of the present invention there is provided a scanning display apparatus comprising superimposition means disposed in an optical path of a viewing optical system through which an image of an object is viewed, the superimposition means making an electronic image viewable in such a way as to be superimposed on said image of the object, a micro lens array disposed on an incidence end surface of said superimposition means on which said electronic image is incident, a light source for said electronic image, light condensing means for condensing light from said light source onto said micro lens array, and scanning means for scanning said micro lens array with said light, wherein an image formed on said micro lens array is made viewable.
To achieve the above-mentioned first object, according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a scanning display apparatus comprising, superimposition means disposed in an optical path of a viewing optical system through which an image of an object is viewed, the superimposition means making an electronic image viewable in such a way as to be superimposed on said image of the subject, a light source for said electronic image, light condensing means for condensing light from said light source onto an incidence end surface of said superimposition means, and scanning means for scanning said incidence end surface with said light, wherein said superimposition means includes a polarizing beam splitter disposed in the optical path of said viewing optical system that reflects light from said incidence end surface, a reflecting condenser member disposed in the optical path of said viewing optical system that transmits light of said viewing optical system and reflects light from said polarizing beam splitter., and a quarter-wave plate disposed between said polarizing beam splitter and said reflecting condenser member.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the scanning display apparatus according to the first aspect, it is preferred that said superimposition means includes a polarizing beam splitter disposed in the optical path of said viewing optical system that reflects light from said incidence end surface, a reflecting condenser member disposed in the optical path of said viewing optical system that transmits light of said viewing optical system and reflects light from said polarizing beam splitter, and a quarter-wave plate disposed between said polarizing beam splitter and said reflecting condenser member.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the scanning display apparatus according to the first or third aspect, it is preferred that said superimposition means includes a reflection type hologram disposed in the optical path of said viewing optical system, said reflection type hologram reflecting light from said micro lens array.
In the scanning display apparatus according to the first, third or fourth aspect of the present invention, it is preferred that said micro lens array be carved on said incidence end surface of a plane parallel optical member, or said micro lens array be molded and attached on said incidence end surface.
In the scanning display apparatus according to the first, third or fourth aspect of the present invention, it is preferred that said micro lens array be composed of a hologram device.
In the scanning display apparatus according to the second or third aspect of the present invention, it is preferred that said reflecting condenser member be composed of a hologram device.
In the scanning display apparatus according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, it is preferred that said scanning means be composed of a movable mirror or an acoustooptic device.
In the scanning display apparatus according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, it is preferred that the axis of incidence of light from said light source to said scanning means and the optical axis of said viewing optical system be oriented in substantially the same direction.
In the scanning display apparatus according to the first or second aspect of present invention, it is preferred that the axis of incidence of light from said light source to said scanning means and the optical axis of said viewing optical system be substantially perpendicular, and a half-wave plate be provided between said scanning means and said polarizing beam splitter.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera equipped with said scanning display apparatus.
To achieve the above-mentioned second object, according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera comprising a viewing optical system that makes an image of a subject formed through a taking optical system viewable, an image pickup means for picking up said image of the subject, reproduction means for reproducing an image of the subject picked up by said image pickup means, introduction means disposed on the optical axis of said viewing optical system for introducing an image reproduced by said reproduction means onto the optical axis of said viewing optical system to make it viewable, and limiting means for limiting a light flux entering said viewing optical system from said taking optical system.
In the camera according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is preferred that said image of the subject and said reproduced image be viewable in a superimposed manner.
In the camera according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is preferred that said limiting means be composed of a quick return mirror that selectively guides a light flux from said taking optical system to said viewing optical system, and that when an image is introduced into said viewing optical system by said introduction means, said limiting means blocks a light flux traveling from said taking optical system to said viewing optical system.
In the camera according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is preferred that said limiting means be light quantity limiting means for limiting the quantity of a light flux that forms said image of the subject, and that when an image is projected in said viewing optical system by said introduction means, said limiting means limits a light flux traveling from said taking optical system to said viewing optical system.
In the camera according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is preferred that the camera further comprise image processing means for applying characterization on at least a part of said reproduced image.
In the camera according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is preferred that said display member can display an image representing control information of said camera.
To achieve the above-mentioned third object, according to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display apparatus comprising, an optical member having a flat-plate shape disposed in an optical path of a viewing optical system in such a way that its flat surface is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of said optical path, said flat surface constituting an optical waveguide, image forming means disposed in the vicinity of an end surface of said optical member, a polarizing plate disposed between said image forming means and the end surface of said optical member, a polarizing beam splitter for separating, among image light fluxes entering into said optical member from said image forming means, a light flux that is polarized in a predetermined direction by said polarizing plate, and a quarter-wave plate disposed on said flat surface, wherein among light fluxes propagating in said optical member, a reflected light flux that has passed through said quarter-wave plate is separated by said polarizing beam splitter toward a direction that is different from the direction of said separation.
To achieve the above-mentioned third object, according to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display apparatus comprising an optical member having a flat-plate shape disposed in an optical path of a viewing optical system in such a way that its flat surface is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of said optical path, said flat surface constituting an optical waveguide, image forming means disposed in the vicinity of an end surface of said optical member, a reflection member that reflects an image light flux entering into said optical member from said image forming means toward said viewing optical system, and a light regulating member disposed on said flat surface that transmits a light flux incident on said flat surface substantially perpendicularly and reflects a light flux incident on said flat surface at a predetermined angle to a direction different from the direction of incidence, wherein among light fluxes propagating in said optical member, a light flux traveling toward said flat surface is separated by said light regulating member toward a direction different from said reflection member.
To achieve the above-mentioned third object, according to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display apparatus comprising an optical member having a flat-plate shape that constitutes an optical waveguide, a polarizing beam splitter formed inside said optical member that reflects, among light fluxes propagating in said optical member, a light flux that is polarized in a specific direction, and a quarter-wave plate disposed on a surface of said optical member, wherein among light fluxes propagating in said optical member, a reflected light flux that has passed through said quarter-wave plate is transmitted through the polarizing beam splitter.
To achieve the above-mentioned third object, according to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display apparatus comprising an optical member having a flat-plate shape that constitutes an optical waveguide, a polarizing beam splitter formed inside said optical member that transmits, among light fluxes propagating in said optical member, a light flux that is polarized in a specific direction, and a quarter-wave plate disposed on a surface of said optical member, wherein among light fluxes propagating in said optical member, a reflected light flux that has passed through said quarter-wave plate is reflected by the polarizing beam splitter.
To achieve the above-mentioned third object, according to a eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display apparatus comprising an optical member having a flat-plate shape that constitutes an optical waveguide, a polarizing beam splitter formed inside said optical member that separates, among light fluxes propagating in said optical member, a light flux that is polarized in a specific direction, and a quarter-wave plate disposed on a surface of said optical member, wherein among light fluxes propagating in said optical member, a reflected light flux that has passed through said quarter-wave plate is separated by said polarizing beam splitter toward a direction that is different from the direction of said separation.

Image display apparatus and camera capable of having an electronic image superimposed on an optical image


The high pressure discharge lamp has a discharge vessel (1) mounted in an outer envelope (4) in which an oxygen dispenser (30) is disposed. The oxygen dispenser (30) contains silver oxide and may be disposed at a location where it obtains a temperature of at least 340.degree. C. during operation of the lamp, at which temperature the oxide is decomposed and oxygen is released. The deposit of black coatings originating from hydrocarbon contaminations is thereby prevented.

The invention relates to a high pressure discharge lamp comprising:
a light-transmitting discharge vessel, which is sealed in a gas-tight manner, which has an ionizable gas filling and in which discharge electrodes are present, connected to current supplies entering the discharge vessel; PA1 a light-transmitting outer envelope, which is sealed in a gas-tight manner and which surrounds the discharge vessel; PA1 current conductors entering the outer envelope and being connected to a respective current supply; PA1 an oxygen dispenser containing an oxygen compound disposed in the outer envelope, to release oxygen into the outer envelope upon the oxygen compound being decomposed by heat.
Such a high pressure discharge lamp is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,352.
The known lamp has in the outer envelope either an oxygen containing gas filling or an oxygen dispenser, which releases oxygen by heat evolved upon the lamp being switched on. According to said patent specification said measure is taken to oxidize the surface of the current conductors and thereby to prevent the loss of sodium from the gas filling of the discharge vessel.
It is a disadvantage of gaseous oxygen being present inside the outer envelope immediately after completing the lamp manufacture, that the gas-tightness of the outer envelope can not be verified by generating a glow discharge inside the outer envelope. So, an oxygen dispenser would be advantageous, which releases oxygen only upon being heated after the gas tightness of the outer envelope has been verified. The said patent specification does, however, unfortunately not mention any oxygen compound pound which could be used for said purpose.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,396, it is known to be advantageous to have a slightly oxidizing gas filling in the outer envelope due to the presence of a trace of oxygen, in order to prevent a phosphor coating on the inside surface of the outer envelope to become reduced and as a result to become blackened. Blackening causes a decrease of the luminous maintenance of the lamp. The presence of oxygen gas in the outer envelope immediately after the completion of the lamp manufacture to prevent this, is a disadvantage, however.
Nevertheless, there is a strong felt need to obviate blackening of the outer envelope of high pressure discharge lamps. Such blackening may occur as a result of hydrocarbons being present in the outer envelope. Already during the first hours of operation of lamps hydrocarbons are decomposed to give carbon which deposits as a black layer on the outer envelope and/or the discharge vessel. A black layer does not influence the luminous maintenance, only, but also the temperature of the discharge vessel, which may result in a color shift. As these deposits occur within a few hours of operation already, they have a long lasting negative effect on the properties of lamps. So, it is highly desirable to combat the occurrence of carbon deposits as fast as is possible.
Hydrocarbons in lamps may originate from several sources. They may have been introduced into the outer envelope as contaminations on lamp parts, e.g. on its current conductors, or originate from the oil in the vacuum pump used to evacuate the outer envelope, eventually prior to it being filled with inert gas, such as e.g. Ne/N.sub.2. They also may be a residue of a binder, e.g. a binder used to bring about a coating, such as a heat conserving coating, such as a coating of zirconium oxide, on end portions of the discharge vessel, or a binder to make a phosphor coating. Apart from causing a black deposit which hampers the transmission of light and reduces the luminous maintenance, and which possibly causes a color shift, carbon originating from hydrocarbons may reduce the phosphor coating, if present, causing the coating to blacken and making the coating less effective.
APL Engineered Materials, Inc, of Illinois U.S.A. discloses in its Product Development Information Bulletin: Metal Halide Lamp Getter, of Dec. 1, 1989, a metal halide lamp being provided in its outer envelope with a stainless steel case having a porous cover and containing a disc of barium peroxide disposed at a temperature of between 200 and 360.degree. C. The getter maintains a slightly oxidizing atmosphere within the outer envelope. This is said to be particularly advantageous for lamps that are sensitive to hydrocarbon contamination, such as lamps with a phosphor coated outer envelope.
BaO.sub.2 as an oxygen generator in an oxygen dispenser was found to be of little value. BaO.sub.2 releases oxygen that reacts with hydrocarbons according to the following reactions: EQU BaO.sub.2 .fwdarw.BaO+1/2O.sub.2 (I) EQU C.sub.n H.sub.m+(n+1/4 m)O.sub.2 .fwdarw.n CO.sub.2 +(m/2) H.sub.2 O (II)
The use of BaO.sub.2 has, however, some technical drawbacks.
First, BaO.sub.2 reacts with hydrogen, generally present in lamps, according to the reaction: EQU BaO.sub.2 +H.sub.2 .fwdarw.Ba(OH).sub.2 (III)
The use of BaO.sub.2 in lamps had been originally proposed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,519,864, with the very aim of absorbing hydrogen which has negative effects on the discharge voltage in the discharge vessel.
Thus formed Ba(OH).sub.2, in turn, may decompose according to the reaction: EQU Ba(OH).sub.2 BaO+H.sub.2 O (IV)
which reaction is undesirable.
Moreover, reactions (I), (III) and (IV) may take place simultaneously, thus making difficult an exact dosing of BaO.sub.2. Dosing is made even more complicated by the fact that the rate of these reactions have a different temperature dependency. To obviate this problem, APL commercial bulletin states that BaO.sub.2 container positioning inside the lamp must be such that BaO.sub.2 is kept at a temperature comprised between about 250 and 360.degree. C. BaO.sub.2 should be best kept below 325.degree. C. That is, however, all but easy to realize, as the temperature profile inside the lamp depends in a complex way on factors such as working position: horizontal, vertical or any intermediate position, and dimensions and constituting materials of possible lamp housings.
Finally, the oxygen release rate of BaO.sub.2 is high only at temperatures in excess of 500.degree. C., so that the maximum allowed temperature of 360.degree. C. is against the request of a rapid release of oxygen at the beginning of lamp life.


Lancets comprising a piercing element for puncturing the skin of a patient, a test region containing detection reagents for determining an analyte concentration of a body fluid sample, a capillary structure arranged in the piercing element for transporting a body fluid sample to the test region, and a sterile protection element, which encloses the tip of the piercing element. The capillary structure is blocked in a section surrounded by the sterile protection element. Also provided are methods for producing a lancet, comprising: producing a piercing element, which on the upper side has an upwardly open capillary structure; covering a section of the upper side of the piercing element and blocking the capillary channel in this section using a first material; covering a section of the underside using a second material; sterilizing the piercing element; and attaching a test region containing detection reagents to the piercing element.

The invention relates to lancets for determining the concentration of an analyte concentration in a body fluid sample. The invention further relates to methods for producing such a lancet having a sterile protection element.
Lancets are known which comprise integrated test regions that contain detection reagents for determining an analyte concentration, for example the glucose concentration. See, European Patent Application Publication No. EP 1360935 A1, Olson et al., published Nov. 12, 2003. The lancets are individually sealed in chambers of a carrier strip and thereby protected from harmful influences of the environment. However, sterilizing the lancets has the risk of impairing the test regions.
It is therefore the object of the invention to cost-effectively produce and store lancets that have a test region containing detection reagents and a capillary structure for transporting a body fluid sample to the test region.

Lancet having capillary channel and sterile protection element and method for producing such a lancet


Apparatus for electronically quantifying conditions of a person and an environment containing the person, as well as a sequence of positions occupied by the person and a direction the person faced at those positions. Wireless communications track a series of positions over time and provide user interfaces indicating where a person has been and who the person has come within a minimum distance of. Sensors may be operative to provide ongoing evaluation of a condition of the person, such as a body temperature and heartrate which may trigger an alarm state if the body temperature rises above a specified value. Electronic sensors may also be quantify environmental conditions over time and present the conditions in the user interface.

It has long been recognized that it is valuable to be aware of who is in a defined area such as a building or on a job site. Typically, control has been at an entry point where authorized people are admitted and unauthorized people are prevented from entry. Control over who is allowed in a workplace, for example, provides peace of mind to workers and security for the company assets. Company management and workers have a level of confidence that other persons on a campus are either fellow employees or authorized visitors.
Entry point control provides the confidence that who is on a campus belongs on a campus. It cannot provide further control and assurance that those on campus will only access areas related to their purpose for being on campus, and cannot provide feedback as to behavior during a person's time on the campus.
In addition, in more recent times, it has become important to ascertain not only who is within an area, such as a campus, but whether people in the area pose a health threat to themselves or others while in the area. Even if a person appears healthy at a time of entry, there is no ongoing assessment of the person's health and no record of where a sick person has been, which people they have been in critical contact with, and which equipment they may have infected.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A single-component, moisture-curing composition, including at least one polyisocyanate, a polyaldimine, an α-functional organoalkoxysilane, and an acid in special proportions that can be matched to one another. An exemplary composition cures by moisture as much as possible without forming bubbles. In the curing of the composition by atmospheric humidity, an anisotropic material is produced with a predominantly elastic sheath that is virtually tack-free on the surface and a predominantly plastic core. An exemplary composition can be especially well suited as a flexible sealant.

Single-component, moisture-curing polyurethane compositions have been used as adhesives, sealants, and coatings. For the application as sealants for expansion joints on structures, compositions are used that cure without forming bubbles and are flexible after their curing in a broad temperature range; i.e., in the low expansion range, they have the lowest possible values for the tensile stress and at the same time have a high shape recovery. As a result, such sealants are able to supplement expansion or compression of the joints that is induced by movements or temperature differences in a reversible manner and with low power transmission to the joint substrates and thus to stress or to damage the latter as little as possible.
Single-component polyurethane compositions that contain long-chain polyaldimines and that are suitable as flexible sealants are known from WO 2007/104761 A1. The compositions that are described cure without forming bubbles and have low values for 100% tensile stress both at room temperature and at −20° C. Like other flexible polyurethane compositions, they also tend to form a more or less strongly adhesive surface, which easily becomes dirty, during curing, however. Expansion joints in the outside area of structures are in most cases readily visible to the observer and are matched in color to the front of the building. They often have, moreover, a bright color tone, such as white, light gray, or concrete gray; their soiling is thus often quickly visible and therefore distracting.
Single-component polyurethane compositions that contain special polyaldimines, which are suitable as sealants that do not tend to get dirty, are known from WO 2008/116900 A1 and WO 2008/116902 A1. The compositions that are described have a low surface adhesiveness after curing but do not show any anisotropic material properties.
Polyurethane compositions that contain at least one polyurethane prepolymer that has isocyanate groups, at least one catalyst that accelerates the reaction of NCO groups with water, and at least one compound that contains at least one α-silane group and that are suitable as adhesives for gluing in car windows are known from WO 2006/130592 A1. The described compositions do not show any anisotropic material properties, however.

Polyurethane composition that contains alpha-silane and that has anisotropic material properties


A memory cell structure including a semiconductor substrate, a deep (e.g., longitudinal) trench in the semiconductor substrate, the deep trench having a plurality of sidewalls and a bottom, a buried strap along a sidewall of the deep trench, a storage capacitor at the bottom of the deep trench, a vertical transistor extending down the sidewall of the deep trench above the storage capacitor, the transistor having a diffusion extending in the plane of the substrate adjacent the deep trench, a collar oxide extending down another sidewall of the deep trench opposite the capacitor, shallow trench isolation regions extending along a surface of the substrate in a direction transverse to the sidewall where the vertical transistor extends, a gate conductor extending within the deep trench, a wordline extending over the deep trench and connected to the gate conductor, and a bitline extending above the surface plane of the substrate having a contact to the diffusion between the shallow trench isolation regions. The deep trench has a perimeter in a direction normal to its depth, and the buried strap extends a distance along the perimeter, the distance being only within a range of 5% to 20% of the entire linear distance along the perimeter, and being less than one lithographic feature size. Preferably, the strap in a direction along the perimeter is curved and is disposed along only one corner of the perimeter. The structure is particularly useful for a sub-8F2 cell.

The present invention relates to semiconductor memory structures and, more particularly, to memory structures having vertical transistors and trench capacitors with buried straps.
Semiconductor memory structures including vertical transistors and trench capacitors with buried straps along all side walls or only one side wall of a deep trench (DT) are known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,288,422; 6,339,241; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,426,526, entitled xe2x80x9cSingle Sided Buried Strap,xe2x80x9d by Divakaruni et al., filed May 30, 2001, which are all incorporated in their entireties herein by reference. See also the publications: U. Gruening et al., xe2x80x9cA Novel Trench DRAM Cell with a VERtIcal Access Transistor and BuriEd Strap (VERI BEST) for 4 Gb/16 Gb,xe2x80x9d 1999 IEEE, IEDM 99-25, pps. 2.1.1 to 2.1.4; C. J. Radens et al., xe2x80x9cAn Orthogonal 6F2 Trench-Sidewall Vertical Device Cell for 4 Gb/16 Gb DRAM,xe2x80x9d Proceedings of IEDM, San Francisco, Calif., Dec. 10-13, 2000, pps. 15.1.1 to 15.1.4; and T. Rupp et al., xe2x80x9cExtending Trench DRAM Technology to 0.15 xcexcm Groundrule and Beyondxe2x80x9d, 1999 IEEE, IEDM 99-33, pps. 2.3.1 to 2.3.4, which all are also, incorporated in their entireties herein by reference.
In a figure of the ""241 patent, as reproduced in FIG. 13 herein, there is shown a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a known memory cell structure of a type to which the present invention relates. From the ""241 patent, FIG. 15 further clarifies FIG. 13. FIG. 14 also clarifies FIG. 13. The memory cell structure 20 illustrated in FIG. 13, FIG. 14 and FIG. 15 is formed in a known manner in a semiconductor substrate. A buried N plate 22 is arranged in the substrate. Deep trenches 24, 26 are formed in the substrate into the buried N plate.
Collar oxide 28 is formed on a sidewall of each deep trench. The collar oxide 28 may extend about the entire deep trench in certain regions of the deep trench as indicated by collar oxide portions 30. Node dielectric 32 is provided on portions of the deep trench walls and collar oxide regions 30. The bottom portion of the trench is filled with N+ doped polysilicon 34.
On top of this region of polysilicon lies trench top oxide region 36. Buried strap 37 is arranged as shown in FIG. 13 and 14, between the collar oxide region 36 and the trench top oxide 36. The strap 37 includes doped polysilicon. A buried strap out diffusion 38 lies adjacent to the trench top oxide region and part of the collar oxide region 30. The strap (heavy line 37 of FIG. 15) extends along a distance of the perimeter of the deep trench 26, the distance being approximately 25% (i.e., approx. one lithographic feature size F) of the entire trench 26 perimeter P lying in a plane parallel to the plane of FIG. 1. The plane in which the trench perimeter P lies is also normal to the depth direction of the trench 26.
Portions of the deep trench above the trench top oxide region 36 are also filled with N+ doped polysilicon 40, which serves as a gate conductor. Gate oxide 42 is provided between the N+ doped polysilicon 40 region and the wall of the deep trench.
P-type channel doping profile (VA/P) regions 44 for the channel of the vertical MOSFET lie adjacent to the portion of the deep trench down to the level of the bottom of the N+ doped polysilicon regions 40. N+(XA/N+) regions 46, which define the bitline contact diffusion, lie above VA/P regions 44 adjacent to the deep trench regions illustrated in FIG. 13, while XA region 48 lies above the VA/P region 44 between the two deep trenches 24, 26 in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13.
Tungsten and silicon regions 52 overlie the top of the deep trenches 24, 26. On top of and adjacent to sides of the tungsten and polysilicon regions 52 lie Si3N4 regions 54. Nitride liner 56 merges into nitride spacer/sidewall oxide region 58 adjacent to sides of the tungsten and polysilicon and Si3N4 regions 54 as well as overlying the Si3N4 regions 54.
Borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) regions 60 overlie the nitride liner. Overying the BPSG and nitride spacer/sidewall oxide region 58 is a layer of tetraethyl ortho silicate (TEOS) 62.
Contact-to-bitline (CB) polysilicon regions 64, which provide a conductive stud between bitline contact diffusion XA and bitline metal MO 68, extend out through the TEOS and BPSG layers to the level of XA regions 48, 46. CB TEOS liner regions 66 surround the CB polysilicon region 64. The bitline metal/metal level 0 (MO) 68 overlies portions of the TEOS layer 62 as well as the CB polysilicon and CB TEOS liner regions 164 and 66.
The process for forming the memory cell structure of FIGS. 13. 14 and 15 is well known from, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,339,241, xe2x80x9cStructure and Process for 6F2 Trench Capacitor DRAM Cell with Vertical MOSFET and 3F Bitline Pitchxe2x80x9d, issued Jan. 15, 2002, by Mandelman et al. (hereinafter ""241 patent), and need not be further discussed.
The continued scaling of advanced trench-capacitor-sidewall transistor memory (e.g., DRAM) cells is constrained by the electrical interaction between adjacent memory elements, and exacerbated by decoupling of the array well from a Vbb supply.
An adjacent wordline disturb mechanism, and a strap-to-strap interaction mechanism, have been identified by the present inventors as scaling limitations for back-to-back trench-capacitor sidewall transistor DRAM cells sharing a single bitline diffusion in the sub-90 nm groundrule generations.
The known memory cell structure such as shown in the ""241 patent or in U.S. Pat. No. 6,288,422, may continue to exhibit undesirable strap-to-strap interaction can be minimized further.
Also, the process for forming the buried strap can be improved.
It is a principal object of the present invention to reduce strap-to-strap interaction over that interaction known in the prior art.
It is a further object of the present invention to confine the buried strap to a distance along the circumference of the deep trench which is substantially less than the known distance.
It is an additional object of the present invention to reduce the interaction between adjacent transistors caused by the extent of buried strap out diffusion over that known in the prior art.
It is an additional object of the present invention to improve a process for forming the buried strap.
According to the present invention, a memory cell structure includes
a semiconductor substrate,
a deep trench in the semiconductor substrate, the deep trench having a plurality of sidewalls and a bottom,
a storage capacitor at the bottom of the deep trench,
a vertical transistor extending down a sidewall of the deep trench above the storage capacitor, the transistor having a diffusion extending in the plane of the substrate adjacent the deep trench,
a collar oxide extending down the sidewall of the deep trench opposite the storage capacitor,
shallow trench isolation regions extending along a surface of the substrate in a direction transverse to the sidewall where the vertical transistor extends,
a gate conductor extending within the deep trench,
a wordline extending over the deep trench and connected to the gate conductor, and
a bitline extending above the surface plane of the substrate having a contact to the diffusion between the shallow trench isolation regions, and
a buried strap along the sidewall of the deep trench,
wherein the deep trench has a perimeter lying in a plane oriented in a direction normal to its depth, and the buried strap extends a distance along the perimeter, the distance being only within a range of 5% to 20% of the entire linear distance of the perimeter, and less than one lithographic feature size F. Preferably, the strap in a direction along the perimeter is curved and is disposed along only one corner of the perimeter. The corner lies, for example, within a sector of an imaginary closed curve containing the corner, the sector being defined by two radii separated by greater than 0xc2x0 and not greater than 90xc2x0.
According to the present invention, the buried strap (capacitor contact) is formed by the novel application of two separate patterning steps, and hence the extent of the impurity dopant out diffusion from the buried strap is reduced relative to sub-8F2 prior art. The reduced out diffusion (n+ region) in proximity to the adjacent cell reduces the interaction between adjacent cells and enables a scaling reduction relative to sub-8F2 prior art (e.g., ""241 patent).
A novel dielectric isolation between adjacent rows is provided by merging the isolation trench (H) and wordline (WL) structure using a damascene wordline process.
The strap delineation and wordline/isolation masking levels are simple line/space patterns.
Further and still other objects of the present invention will become more readily apparent in view of the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawing figures.

Memory cell with vertical transistor and trench capacitor with reduced burried strap

International Business Machines Corporation


A machine vision image acquisition system is provided with a housing or enclosure that protects the acquisition system components from an industrial environment. The machine vision image acquisition system has a focusing mechanism that can be actuated externally to the housing. The focusing mechanism uses a gear drive to transmit externally actuated focus adjustments to the optical components of the acquisition system.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to industrial machine vision inspection of objects, and more particularly to a focus adjustment mechanism that permits focus adjustment of optical components of a vision detector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Industrial manufacturing relies on automatic inspection of objects being manufactured. One form of automatic inspection that has been in common use for decades is based on optoelectronic technologies that use electromagnetic energy, usually infrared or visible light, photoelectric sensors, and some form of electronic decision making.
One well-known form of optoelectronic automatic inspection uses an arrangement of photodetectors. A typical photodetector has a light source and a single photoelectric sensor that responds to the intensity of light that is reflected by a point on the surface of an object, or transmitted along a path that an object may cross. A user-adjustable sensitivity threshold establishes a light intensity above which (or below which) an output signal of the photodetector will be energized.
One photodetector, often called a gate, is used to detect the presence of an object to be inspected. Other photodetectors are arranged relative to the gate to sense the light reflected by appropriate points on the object. By suitable adjustment of the sensitivity thresholds, these other photodetectors can detect whether certain features of the object, such as a label or hole, are present or absent. A decision as to the status of the object (for example, pass or fail) is made using the output signals of these other photodetectors at the time when an object is detected by the gate. This decision is typically made by a programmable logic controller (PLC), or other suitable electronic equipment.
Automatic inspection using photodetectors has various advantages. Photodetectors are inexpensive, simple to set up, and operate at very high speed (outputs respond within a few hundred microseconds of the object being detected, although a PLC will take longer to make a decision).
Automatic inspection using photodetectors can be difficult since simple sensing of light intensity reflected from a point on the object is often insufficient for inspection. Instead it may be necessary to analyze a pattern of brightness reflected from an extended area. For example, to detect an edge it may be necessary to analyze a pattern of brightness to see if it corresponds to a transition from a lighter to a darker region.
Further, it may be hard to arrange the photodetectors when many points on an object need to be inspected. Each such inspection point requires the use of a separate photodetector that needs to be physically mounted in such a way as to not interfere with the placement of the other photodetectors. Interference may be due to space limitations, crosstalk from the light sources, or other factors.
Manufacturing lines are usually capable of producing a mix of products, each with unique inspection requirements. An arrangement of photodetectors is very inflexible, so that a line changeover from one product to another would require the photodetectors to be physically moved and readjusted. The cost of performing a line changeover, and the risk of human error involved, often offset the low cost and simplicity of the photodetectors.
Using an arrangement of photodetectors requires that objects be presented at known, predetermined locations so that the appropriate points on the object are sensed. This requirement may add additional cost and complexity that can offset the low cost and simplicity of the photodetectors.
Another well-known form of optoelectronic automatic inspection uses a device that can capture a digital image of a two-dimensional field of view in which an object to be inspected is located, and then analyze the image and make decisions. Such a device is usually called a machine vision system, or simply a vision system. The image is captured by exposing a two-dimensional array of photosensitive elements for a brief period, called the integration or shutter time, to light that has been focused on the array by a lens. The array is called an imager and the individual elements are called pixels. Each pixel measures the intensity of light falling on it during the shutter time. The measured intensity values are then converted to digital numbers and stored in the memory of the vision system to form the image, which is analyzed by a digital processing element such as a computer, using methods well-known in the art to determine the status of the object being inspected.
In some cases the objects are brought to rest in the field of view, and in other cases the objects are in continuous motion through the field of view. An event external to the vision system, such as a signal from a photodetector, or a message from a PLC, computer, or other piece of automation equipment, is used to inform the vision system that an object is located in the field of view, and therefore an image should be captured and analyzed. Such an event is called a trigger.
Machine vision systems avoid the disadvantages associated with using an arrangement of photodetectors. They can analyze patterns of brightness reflected from extended areas, easily handle many distinct features on the object, accommodate line changeovers through software systems and/or processes, and handle uncertain and variable object locations.
Machine vision systems have disadvantages compared to an arrangement of photodetectors, including:                They are relatively expensive, often costing ten times more than an arrangement of photodetectors.        They can be difficult to set up, often requiring people with specialized engineering training.        They operate much more slowly than an arrangement of photodetectors, typically requiring tens or hundreds of milliseconds to make a decision. Furthermore, the decision time tends to vary significantly and unpredictably from object to object.
Machine vision systems have limitations that arise because they make decisions based on a single image of each object, located in a single position in the field of view (each object may be located in a different and unpredictable position, but for each object there is only one such position on which a decision is based). This single position provides information from a single viewing perspective, and a single orientation relative to the illumination. The use of only a single perspective often leads to incorrect decisions. It has long been observed, for example, that a change in perspective of as little as a single pixel can in some cases change an incorrect decision to a correct one. By contrast, a human inspecting an object usually moves it around relative to his eyes and the lights to make a more reliable decision.
Also, the limitations of machine vision systems arise in part because they operate too slowly to capture and analyze multiple perspectives of objects in motion, and too slowly to react to events happening in the field of view. Since most vision systems can capture a new image simultaneously with analysis of the current image, the maximum rate at which a vision system can operate is determined by the larger of the capture time and the analysis time. Overall, one of the most significant factors in determining this rate is the number of pixels comprising the imager.
The availability of new low-cost imagers, such as the LM9630 from National Semiconductor of Santa Clara, Calif. that operate at a relatively low-resolution (approximately 100×128 pixels), high frame rate (up to 500 frames per second) and high sensitivity allowing short shutter times with inexpensive illumination (e.g., 300 microseconds with LED illumination), have made possible the implementation of a novel vision detector that employs on-board processors to control machine vision detection and analysis functions. A novel vision detector using such an imager, and overall inspection system employing such a vision detector, is taught in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/865,155, entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VISUAL DETECTION AND INSPECTION OF OBJECTS, by William M. Silver, filed Jun. 9, 2004, and the teachings of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.
An advantage to the above-incorporated-by-reference detection and inspection METHOD AND APPARATUS is that the vision detector can be implemented within a compact housing that is programmed using a PC or other Human-Machine Interface (HMI) device (via, for example a Universal Serial Bus (USB)), and is then deployed to a production line location for normal runtime operation. The outputs of the apparatus are (in one implementation) a pair of basic High/Low lines indicating detection of the object and whether that object passes or fails based upon the characteristics being analyzed. These outputs can be used (for example) to reject a failed object using a rejection arm mounted along the line that is signaled by the apparatus' output.
By way of example, FIG. 1 shows an illustrative embodiment of a vision detector 100 according to the above-incorporated-by-reference METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VISUAL DETECTION AND INSPECTION OF OBJECTS inspecting objects on a production line. A conveyor 102 transports objects to cause relative movement between the objects and the field of view of vision detector 100. Objects 110, 112, 114, 116 and 118 are shown. In this example, the objects include exemplary features upon which location and inspection are based, including a label 120 and a hole 124. More particularly, the exemplary vision detector 100 detects the presence of an object by visual appearance and inspects it based on appropriate inspection criteria. If an object is defective (such as the label-less object 116), the vision detector 100 sends a signal via link 150 to a reject actuator 170 to remove the object (116) from the conveyor stream. An encoder 180 operatively related to the motion of the conveyor (or other relative motion) sends a signal 160 to the vision detector 100, which uses it to insure proper delay of signal 150 from the encoder count where the object crosses some fixed, imaginary reference point 190, called the mark point. If an encoder is not used, the delay can be based on time instead.
In an alternate example, the vision detector 100 sends signals to a PLC for various purposes, which may include controlling a reject actuator. In another exemplary implementation, suitable in extremely high-speed applications or where the vision detector cannot reliably detect the presence of an object, a photodetector is used to detect the presence of an object and sends a signal to the vision detector for that purpose. In yet another implementation, there are no discrete objects, but rather material flows past the vision detector continuously—for example a web. In this case the material is inspected continuously, and signals are send by the vision detector to automation equipment, such as a PLC, as appropriate.
Basic to the function of the vision detector 100 in the above-incorporated-by-reference METHOD AND APPARATUS is the ability to exploit the abilities of the imager's quick-frame-rate and low-resolution image capture to allow a large number of image frames of an object passing down the line to be captured and analyzed in real-time. Using these frames, the apparatus' on-board processor can decide when the object is present and use location information to analyze designated areas of interest on the object that must be present in a desired pattern for the object to "pass" inspection.
With brief reference to FIG. 2, a timeline is shown, which illustrates a typical operating cycle for a vision detector in visual event detection mode. A portion 200 of the exemplary timeline corresponds to the inspection of a first object, and contains the capture and analysis of seven frames by the vision detector. A second portion 210 corresponds to the inspection of a second object, and contains five frames.
Boxes labeled "c", such as box 220, represent image capture by the vision detector 100. Boxes labeled "a", such as box 230, represent image analysis. It is desirable that capture "c" of the next image be overlapped with analysis "a" of the current image, so that (for example) analysis step 230 analyzes the image captured in capture step 220. In this timeline, analysis is shown as taking less time than capture, but in general analysis will be shorter or longer than capture depending on the application details. If capture and analysis are overlapped, the rate at which a vision detector can capture and analyze images is determined by the longer of the capture time and the analysis time. This is the "frame rate". The above-incorporated-by-reference METHOD AND APPARATUS allows objects to be detected reliably without a trigger signal, such as that provided by a photodetector.
Each analysis step "a" first considers the evidence that an object is present. Frames where the evidence is sufficient are called active. Analysis steps for active frames are shown with a thick border, for example analysis step 240. In an exemplary implementation, inspection of an object begins when an active frame is found, and ends when some number of consecutive inactive frames are found. In the example of FIG. 2, inspection of the first object begins with the first active frame corresponding to analysis step 240, and ends with two consecutive inactive frames, corresponding to analysis steps 246 and 248. Note that for the first object, a single inactive frame corresponding to analysis step 242 is not sufficient to terminate the inspection.
At the time that inspection of an object is complete, for example at the end of analysis step 248, decisions are made on the status of the object based on the evidence obtained from the active frames. In an exemplary implementation, if an insufficient number of active frames were found then there is considered to be insufficient evidence that an object was actually present, and so operation continues as if no active frames were found. Otherwise an object is judged to have been detected, and evidence from the active frames is judged in order to determine its status, for example pass or fail. A variety of methods may be used to detect objects and determine status within the scope of the invention; some are described below and many others will occur to those skilled in the art. Once an object has been detected and a judgment made, a report may be made to appropriate automation equipment, such as a PLC, using signals well-known in the art. In such a case a report step would appear in the timeline. The example of FIG. 5 corresponds instead to a setup such as shown in FIG. 1, where the vision detector is used to control a downstream reject actuator 170 via signal 150. By considering the position of the object in the active frames as it passes through the field of view, the vision detector 100 estimates the mark time 250 and 252 at which the object crosses the mark point 190 (FIG. 1). Note that in cases where an encoder 180 is used, the mark time is actually an encoder count; the reader will understand that time and count can be used interchangeably. A report 260, consisting of a pulse of appropriate duration to the reject actuator 170, is issued after a precise delay 270 in time or encoder count from the mark time 250.
Note in particular that the report 260 may be delayed well beyond the inspection of subsequent objects such as object 110 (FIG. 1). The exemplary vision detector 100 uses well-known first-in first-out (FIFO) buffer methods to hold the reports until the appropriate time.
Once inspection of an object is complete, the vision detector 100 may enter an idle step 280. Such a step is optional, but may be desirable for several reasons. If the maximum object rate is known, there is no need to be looking for an object until just before a new one is due. An idle step will eliminate the chance of false object detection at times when an object couldn't arrive, and will extend the lifetime of the illumination system because the lights can be kept off during the idle step.
The processor of the exemplary METHOD AND APPARATUS is provided with two types of software elements to use in making its decisions: "Locators" that locate the object and "Detectors" that decide whether an object feature is present or absent. The decisions made by both Locators and Detectors are used to judge whether an object is detected and, if so, whether it passes inspection. In one example, Locators can be simply described as a one-dimensional edge detector in a region of interest. The vision detector is configured for locating objects by placing Locators at certain positions in an image where an edge feature of the object can be seen when the object is in the field of view. The Locator can be oriented with respect to the direction the object is moving, and sized to ensure that the edge feature of the object can be located at multiple positions while in the field of view. During analysis, the location of the edge feature of the object within the Locator can be reported, as well as a logical output state that the location is known.
Detectors are vision tools that operate on a region of interest that produce a logical output state that detects the presence or absence of features in an image of the object. The vision detector is configured for detecting features of an object by placing Detectors at certain positions in an image where object features can be seen when the object is located by the Locators. Various types of Detectors can be used, such as Brightness Detectors, Edge Detectors, and Contrast Detectors.
Detectors can be linked to the location of the feature determined by a Locator to further refine the presence detection and inspection of the object. Accordingly, in each frame where the object may be viewed at a different perspective, the location of the object determined by the Locator will be different, and the position of the Detectors in the image can be moved according to the location determined by the Locator. The operation of the vision detector at high frame rates, therefore permits the vision detector to capture and analyze multiple images of the object while it passes through the field of view.
The above-discussion of Locators and Detectors is further illustrated by way of example in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3, thus, represents an image of the object 110 from FIG. 1, containing label feature 120 and hole feature 124, with superimposed graphics (termed "Photos" in the above-incorporated METHOD AND APPARATUS) representing a region of the frame whose output can be used to base decisions and is displayed (at appropriate time, such as during vision detector setup—see below) as an "image view" on a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) for a user to view and manipulate. See FIG. 1, for example, showing a detachable or remote HMI 194 with Graphical User Interface (GUI) screen 196 and image view window 198 which displays an associated image view (300) of an object (120, for example) within the vision detector's (100) field of view. Accordingly, FIG. 3 represents an image view, showing the object 300 containing an image of a label 310 and a hole 312. The object in this example contains six visible features to be inspected, corresponding to the two exemplary Locators and four Detectors further described below.
The Locator 320 is used to detect and locate the top edge of the object, and the Locator 322 is used to detect and locate the right edge. A Brightness Detector 330 is used to help detect the presence of the object. In this example the background is brighter than the object, and the sensitivity threshold is set to distinguish the two brightness levels, with the logic output inverted to detect the darker object and not the brighter background. Together the Locators 320 and 322, and the Brightness Detector 330, provide the evidence needed to judge that an object has been detected, as further described below. A Contrast Detector 340 is used to detect the presence of the hole 312. When the hole 312 is absent the contrast would be very low, and when present the contrast would be much higher. A Spot Detector could also be used. An Edge Detector 360 is used to detect the presence and position of the label 310. If the label 310 is absent, mispositioned horizontally, or significantly rotated, the analog output of the Edge Detector would be very low. A Brightness Detector 350 is used to verify that the correct label has been applied. In this example, the correct label is white and incorrect labels are darker colors.
As the object (110 in FIG. 1) moves from left to right through the field of view of the vision detector 100, the Locator 322 tracks the right edge of the object and repositions Brightness Detector 330, Contrast Detector 340, Brightness Detector 350, and Edge Detector 360 to be at the correct position relative to the object. Locator 320 corrects for any variation in the vertical position of the object in the field of view, repositioning the Detectors based on the location of the top edge of the object. In general Locators can be oriented in any direction. A user can manipulate Photos in an image view by using well-known HMI techniques. A Photo can be selected by clicking with a mouse, and its ROI can be moved, resized, and rotated by dragging. Additional manipulations for Locators are described below.
FIG. 4 shows a logic view containing a wiring diagram corresponding to the example setup of FIG. 3. A wiring diagram shows a series of features (termed "Gadgets" in the above-incorporated METHOD AND APPARATUS) 420, 422, 430, 440, 450 and 460 being used to inspect objects and interface to automation equipment, and the connections between logic inputs and outputs of the Gadgets. A wiring diagram may be displayed on an HMI for a user to view and manipulate. A display of Gadgets and their logic interconnections on an HMI is called a logic view. A Locator 420 named "Top", corresponding to Locator 320 in the image view of FIG. 15, is connected to AND Gate 410 by wire 424. Similarly, "Side" Locator 422 corresponding to Locator 322, and "Box" Detector 430, corresponding to Brightness Detector 330, are also wired to AND Gate 410. The logic output of "Box" Detector 430 is inverted, as shown by the small circle 432, and as described above, to detect the darker object against a lighter background. The logic output of AND Gate 410 represents the level of confidence that the top edge of the object has been detected, the right edge of the object has been detected, and the background has not been detected. When confidence is high that all three conditions are true, confidence is high that the object itself has been detected. The logic output of AND Gate 410 is wired to the ObjectDetect Judge 400 to be used as the object detection weight for each frame. Since the logic input to the ObjectDetect Judge in this case depends on the current frame, the vision detector is operating in visual event detection mode. Note, when operating in external trigger mode, an Input Gadget would be wired to ObjectDetect. To operate in continuous analysis mode, nothing would be wired to ObjectDetect.
The choice of Gadgets to wire to ObjectDetect is made by a user based on knowledge of the application. In the example of FIGS. 3 and 4, a user may have determined that detecting just the top and right edges was not sufficient to insure that an object is present. Note that Locator 322 might respond to the label's left edge just as strongly as the object's right edge, and perhaps at this point in the production cycle Locator 320 might occasionally find some other edge in the background. By adding Detector 330, and requiring all three conditions by means of AND Gate 410, object detection is made reliable. In the wiring diagram, Contrast Detector "Hole" 440, corresponding to Contrast Detector 340, Brightness Detector "Label" 450, corresponding to Brightness Detector 350, and Edge Detector "LabelEdge" 460, corresponding to Edge Detector 360, are wired to AND Gate 412. The logic output of AND Gate 412 represents the level of confidence that all three image features have been detected, and is wired to ObjectPass Judge 402 to provide the object pass score for each frame.
The logic output of ObjectDetect Judge 400 is wired to AND Gate 470. The logic output of ObjectPass Judge 402 is inverted (circle 403) and also wired to AND Gate 470. The ObjectDetect Judge is set to "output when done" mode, so a pulse appears on the logic output of ObjectDetect Judge 400 after an object has been detected and inspection is complete. Since the logic output of ObjectPass 402 has been inverted, this pulse will appear on the logic output of AND Gate 470 only if the object has not passed inspection. The logic output of AND Gate 470 is wired to an Output Gadget 480, named "Reject", which controls an output signal from the vision detector than can be connected directly to a reject actuator 170 (FIG. 1). The "Reject" Output Gadget 480 is configured by a user to perform the appropriate delay (270 in FIG. 2) needed by the downstream reject actuator.
To aid the user's understanding of the operation of the exemplary vision detector 100, Gadgets and/or wires can change their visual appearance to indicate fuzzy logic values. For example, Gadgets and/or wires can be displayed red when the logic value is below 0.5, and green otherwise. In FIG. 4, wires 404 and 472 are drawn with dashed lines to indicate a logic value below 0.5, and other wires, for example wire 424, are drawn solid to indicate logic values equal to or greater than 0.5. One skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of objects can be detected and inspected by suitable choice, configuration, and wiring of Gadgets. One skilled in the art will also recognize that the Gadget class hierarchy of the above-incorporated-by-reference METHOD AND APPARATUS is only one of many software techniques that could be used to practice the invention.
Machine vision systems and vision detectors can be configured with focus-adjustable lenses so that a properly focused image of the object can be acquired. Typical installations require a focus adjustment step is during setup, or during operation, such as when line configuration changes are made. In prior art machine vision system implementations, a focus setting is determined while a sample object is placed in a fixed position in the field of view. If a focus adjustment is necessary subsequent to initial setup or during run-time, the machine vision system is taken off line while the focus adjustment is performed. If the system is installed on a moving production line, safety requirements typically dictate that the line be stopped for a camera adjustment such as a focus setting.
Further, if a machine vision imager is provided in a sealed housing to protect the imager components from the production environment, the housing seal must be temporarily broken to permit focus adjustment. Typically, focus adjustment of a sealed imager requires opening the housing to adjust the focus setting, and re-sealing the housing.
Vision detectors, as described above, are capable of being configured and setup on a running line. Vision detectors acquire multiple images, any one of which can be used for configuration and initial setup. Configuration and setup of a vision detector does not typically require stopping a production line once the unit is installed. However, if a focus adjustment is necessary, access to the vision detector for such an adjustment may require production line interruption.
Accordingly, a need exists for an imaging device in a machine vision system or a vision detector that permits focus adjustment without disturbing a production environment.

Focusing mechanism for a vision detector

Cognex Technology and Investment Corporation


A light projector assembly for irradiating the interior of a bin when the bin is in a predetermined position, the bin having walls and a ceiling. A bin interior may include a plant-growing zone proximate a bottom of the bin. The walls may include one or more light-transmissive windows above the plant-growing zone. The light projector assembly may comprise a light projector and a support structure. A light projector may be supported outside of the bin position and proximate to and spaced from one of the one or more windows when the bin assembly is in the predetermined position. The light projector may be configured to project light upwardly through the one window and toward the ceiling. A support structure may support the light projector. The support structure may be spaced from a vertical extension of the predetermined position, unobstructive of vertical access to the bin.

The economics connected with the growth or tending of plants or other organisms in enclosed controlled environments depends in part on the amount of space that must be utilized per unit of produce, the efficiency with which energy-intensive requisites such as light and climate control can be applied, and the amount of labor required to tend to the developing produce. Existing practice includes the growth of plants in planters situated on floors, tables, or shelves. Light sources are positioned above the plants and are either spaced uniformly or configured with optics to provide uniform light deposition over the plants. In some cases the planters may be placed on pallets. The planters or pallets are placed, removed, accessed, or transported manually by humans, mechanically by forklifts, or automatically by robots. The light sources are usually stationary, and any access to or movement of the pallets or planters must avoid contact or collision with the light sources. Open space is required to allow access by humans, fork lifts, or robots and to allow pallets or trays to be pulled completely out from under the light sources for transport.

Apparatus, systems, and methods for laterally sourced lighting


A system includes sending of requests to a computing system based on a first number of users associated with a load test, evaluation of one or more characteristics of the computing system while sending the requests, determination to modify the first number of users to a second number of users based on the one or more evaluated characteristics, and sending of requests to the computing system based on the second number of users.

Conventional testing systems apply loads to target computing systems based on predefined schedules. That is, a testing system may simulate activity of a certain number of users during a first predefined time period, and then, during a second predefined time period, may simulate the activity of a second number of users.


An ophthalmic apparatus capable of alignment in total automation and manual alignment with an examinee's eye comprising an ophthalmic examination unit, a unit detecting an alignment state of the examination unit with the eye, a main base, a mobile base on which the examination unit is mounted and moved horizontally on the main base through operation of a control member, driving mechanisms moving the examination unit vertically and horizontally with respect to the mobile base, means switching a mode between a manual mode of performing alignment of the examination unit with each eye in sequence through the operation and a fully automatic mode of performing the alignment through driving of the driving mechanisms, and a control unit controlling the driving based on the detection result which starts in the fully automatic mode the driving based on a predetermined trigger signal so as to perform the alignment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ophthalmic apparatus which performs examination or measurement of an examinee's eye.
2. Description of Related Art
For an ophthalmic apparatus which performs alignment of an ophthalmic examination unit with respect to an examinee's eye and performs examination of the eye, there is known an ophthalmic apparatus comprising an alignment mechanism which is provided in order to mechanically perform horizontal movement of a mobile base on which an ophthalmic examination unit is mounted with respect to a fixed main base. In addition, there is known an ophthalmic apparatus arranged to perform automatic precise alignment after manual rough alignment by comprising a driving mechanism capable of moving an ophthalmic examination unit independently in a back/forth direction, aright/left direction and an up/down direction with respect to a mobile base on which the ophthalmic examination unit is mounted (see Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. Hei08-98808). In the apparatus having such a configuration, a movable range of the driving mechanism extends only for 5 mm both in the back direction and the forth direction and both in the right direction and the left direction from a reference position (for 16 mm both in the up direction and the down direction).
In recent years, there is known an apparatus in which a movable range of a driving mechanism arranged to move an ophthalmic examination unit with respect to examinee's eyes is established to be more than a pupillary distance between the eyes for the purpose of total automation of alignment including rough alignment. In this case, the alignment of the ophthalmic examination unit with respect to each eye is automatically performed in sequence (see Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. Hei10-216089).
However, even in the case of the alignment including the rough alignment in total automation, automatic measurement of each eye cannot be made for every type of examinee. For example, if the eye involuntarily moves very rapidly, the movement of the ophthalmic examination unit by the driving mechanism sometimes cannot track the movement of the eye. In preparation for such a case that an examinee has an eye on which the automatic alignment is difficult to be performed, the above-described apparatus is equipped with an electric control member (e.g., an electric joystick, a trackball) which is operated by an examiner. The driving mechanism is driven and controlled in accordance with an amount and a direction of the operation of the control member, and thereby alignment of the ophthalmic examination unit with respect to the eye can be performed manually. However, the manual alignment using the electric control member is difficult in the operation of the control member, which could take time and trouble to perform alignment tasks.


Disclosed is an enhanced infinity mirror with an application interface for controlling and/or changing the illumination, reflection, and/or other effects produced by the enhanced infinity mirror. The enhanced infinity mirror may include a first reflective surface, a second reflective surface positioned relative to the first reflective surface, and light sources that generate an infinity effect based on reflections off the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface. The application interface may receive a pattern, and may control illumination of different sets of the light sources at different times according to the pattern by illuminating a first set of the light sources with first colors for a first duration as defined in a first step of the pattern, and a second set of the light sources with second colors for a second duration as defined in a second step of the pattern.

An infinity mirror positions two or more mirrors or reflective surfaces relative to one another to create an illusion of depth with smaller and smaller reflections that appear to pass through the back of the mirror. The infinity mirror and the static effect that it produces may serve as the foundation for various other lighting, reflection, and/or other effects.

Systems and methods for generating customizable mirrored effects with interchangeable and programmable infinity mirrors


Computer resource utilization modeling for multiple workloads includes a computer obtaining resource utilization data, the resource utilization data having groups of computer resource utilization measurements made during time intervals for a plurality of workloads. The computer determines parameters representing a distribution of the computer resource utilization measurements for each of the groups to generate a baseline of distributions across the time intervals for each of the plurality of workloads. The computer sums the baselines of distributions for the plurality of workloads to generate a combined baseline of distributions across the time intervals for a combination of the plurality of workloads.

Capacity planning for computer systems involves determining the amount of resources needed to host a proposed amount of work. The proposed amount of work can include a workload, which is a particular unit of work for which utilization of computer resources can be quantified. For example, a workload can be a process or set of processes executing in an operating system (OS) (e.g., a database application). In another example, a workload can be a complete operating environment that includes an OS and applications, such as a virtual machine. Computer resources can include central processing unit (CPU), memory, network, storage, and like type resources included in a computer or multiple computers. Capacity planning software models computer resource utilization for the proposed amount of work. The model attempts to predict if a proposed amount of work can execute given a proposed amount of computer resources without encountering any bottlenecks. A bottleneck can occur if the demand for any computer resource, such as a CPU, exceeds the capacity of the proposed computer resources.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A coating apparatus has a spin chuck for attracting and holding a semiconductor wafer in a horizontal state by means of vacuum. A movable beam is arranged above the spin chuck. The movable beam includes first and second nozzles integrally formed. The first nozzle is used for supplying a photo-resist liquid while the second nozzle is used for supplying a solvent for the photo-resist liquid. When a coating process is performed, the movable beam above the wafer is horizontally moved in one direction. The solvent is first supplied onto the wafer from the second nozzle, and the coating or photo-resist liquid is then supplied from the first nozzle, following the solvent. Wettability of the wafer relative to the photo-resist is increased by the solvent, prior to supply of the photo-resist liquid.

The present invention relates to a coating method and apparatus for a semiconductor process, and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for coating a target substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer or an LCD substrate, with a coating liquid, such as a photo-resist liquid or a developing liquid. The semiconductor process includes various kinds of processes which are performed to manufacture a semiconductor device or a structure having, for example, wiring layers and electrodes to be connected to a semiconductor device on a target substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer or an LCD substrate, by forming semiconductor layers, insulating layers, and conductive layers in predetermined patterns on the target substrate.
In a process of manufacturing a semiconductor device or an LCD, coating apparatuses are utilized in various steps. A representative one of them is a coating apparatus of a photo-resist liquid, employed in a coating and developing system of the photo-resist. The photo-resist liquid is applied onto a target layer to be pattern-etched, such as a semiconductor, insulating, or conductive layer on a semiconductor, so as to form a photo-resist film on the target layer. The photo-resist film is exposed to light through a predetermined mask and is developed so that the film is patterned to copy the mask. Then, the target layer is etched, using the patterned photo-resist film as a mask.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication Nos. 7-8879, 7-8880, 7-8034, 7-80385, and 7-80386, and Jpn. U.M. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 7-31168 disclose a coating method of a certain type for applying a photo-resist liquid. In this coating method, a target substrate and a nozzle for delivering the photo-resist liquid in a band shape are moved relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the band of the photo-resist liquid, so that the top surface of the target substrate is coated overall with the photo-resist liquid.
However, this method entails the following problems. First, since a solvent contained in the photo-resist liquid is evaporated while the liquid is applied onto the target substrate from its one end to the other, there is a difficulty in forming a thin film, and the necessary amount of the photo-resist liquid is relatively large. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, more photo-resist liquid is applied at the start and end points of the coating process, thereby bringing about a difficulty in forming a film having a uniform thickness. Furthermore, the surface of the target substrate occasionally has a bad wettability relative to the photo-resist, depending on the properties of the surface, thereby bringing about difficulties in forming a film having a uniform thickness and in performing a process with a small amount of the photo-resist liquid.
An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a coating method and apparatus for a semiconductor process, which can form a coating film having a uniform and thin thickness, and can decrease the necessary amount of a coating liquid.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coating method for a semiconductor process, of coating a target region of a substrate with a coating liquid, comprising:
a pre-coating step of coating the target region of the substrate with a solvent for the coating liquid, by supplying the solvent onto the target region from a solvent supply port while supporting the substrate by a support which supports the substrate substantially horizontal; and
a main coating step of coating the target region of the substrate with the coating liquid after the pre-coating step, by supplying the coating liquid onto the target region from a coating liquid supply port while moving the substrate supported by the support and the coating liquid supply port relative to each other in a first direction.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coating apparatus for a semiconductor process, for coating a target region of a substrate with a coating liquid, comprising:
a support for supporting the substrate substantially horizontal;
a solvent supply port for supplying a solvent for the coating liquid onto the target region of the substrate supported by the support;
a coating liquid supply port for supplying the coating liquid onto the target region of the substrate supported by the support; and
first sifting means for moving the substrate supported by the support and the coating liquid supply port relative to each other in a first direction.
In the present invention, a coating liquid is supplied after wettability of the surface of a target substrate is enhanced relative to the coating liquid, so that the coating liquid is not repelled even if its amount is small, thereby forming a coating film having a uniform and thin thickness. Further, since the coating liquid can be supplied in an optimum mixing ratio relative to a solvent when the coating film is formed, the necessary amount of the coating liquid to be used is decreased. Furthermore, since the solve and the coating liquid are brought into contact and mixed with each other, it is possible to cause the coating liquid to have a uniform viscosity and to prevent bubbles from being produced in the coating liquid.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Coating method and apparatus for semiconductor process


The invention concerns a method for decontaminating a used photographic processing bath.. This method consists of putting the processing bath in contact with a heat-reversible hydrophilic polymer which becomes hydrophobic above a temperature lower than the temperature of the processing bath.. The tars and other organic contaminants present in the used photographic processing bath can be removed by cooling the heat-reversible polymer below the temperature where it becomes hydrophilic.

Conventionally, silver halide photographic materials, after exposure, are developed in a plurality of photographic processing baths. The processing of black and white photographic materials generally comprises a black and white development step, a fixing step and a washing step. The processing of colour photographic materials comprises a colour development step, a bleaching step, a fixing step and a washing step.
During the processing of these photographic materials, the composition of the processing bath changes. In particular, the photographic baths become loaded with chemical substances such as gelatin, latex, polymers, surfactant, and numerous other organic substances either initially incorporated into the photographic materials or released upon the reactions at the time of development. These substances contaminates the baths and reduces their efficacy. In addition, the presence of these contaminants in the photographic processing baths results not only in a variation in the sensitometry of the photographic materials but also a fouling of the processing machine and therefore of the materials which are processed therein. This phenomenon is all the more significant since photographic materials are generally processed in automatic processing machines. The machines which make it possible to develop photographic materials quickly are also fouled more quickly. In particular, there appear, in the photographic processing baths of these automatic machines, tars which originate from organic constituents of the photographic materials and which are deposited on the photographic material in the course of the processing and foul the machine. The presence of these tars requires a significant amount of maintenance of the processing machines, an earlier replacement of the baths and, in extreme cases, several successive steps of washing the photographic materials.
It is known from the art that this drawback can be remedied by adding surfactants to the baths during the processing with a view to dissolving the tars present. However, large amounts of these agents must be used and this modifies the stability and efficacy of the processing bath.
The accumulation, in the washing and/or stabilising baths, of substances resulting from the previous steps of the processing is not only prejudicial to the stability of the photographic images developed, to the obtention of unvarying sensitometric characteristics and to the maintenance of the equipment, but also interferes with the possibility of recycling these washing and stabilising baths or of discharging them to the drains. At the end of processing, compounds which contribute to raise the COD of the solution are found in the washing and stabilising baths.
The effluent can for example be subjected to electrolytic oxidation, dialysis, reverse osmosis (as described in the German patent application 3 246 897), flocculation, or oxidation with hydrogen peroxide, optionally coupled with UV treatment, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,599 of Gehin et al. It is also possible to combine non-catalytic oxidation with catalytic oxidation and biological treatment, as described in European patent application 690 025.
The treatments described in the literature usually recommend combining two or more techniques in order to obtain satisfactory decontamination of the effluent, enabling it to be discharged, or to eliminate the substances which would be prejudicial to re-use of the effluent. Some of these techniques also have a high cost of application. This is because it is desirable to develop a method which makes it possible to eliminate these substances and tars economically and rapidly, without impairing the sensitometric properties of the photographic materials processed and without modifying the stability or efficacy of the photographic processing baths.
The object of the present invention is to solve the afore mentioned problems associated with the presence of the organic substances and tars in the photographic processing baths.
Another object of the invention is to reduce the fouling of automatic processing machines and thus to make maintenance operations on these machines less frequent.

Method of decontaminating a photographic bath with heat-reversible polymers


The invention relates to a gas turbine assembly which substantially includes at least one compressor, at least one first burner, at least one second burner that is connected downstream of the first burner, and at least one turbine that is connected downstream of the second burner. At least the first and second burner form a component of a tubular or quasi-tubular combustion chamber element in the flow direction of the combustion path of the burners. The combustion chamber element being closed or quasi-closed and extending between the compressor and the turbine. The combustion chamber elements are arranged around the rotor of the gas turbine assembly in the shape of a ring.

EP 0 620 362 B1 discloses a gas turbine assembly of the type initially mentioned, this publication forming an integral part of the present description. This comprises at least one compressor, a first combustion chamber arranged downstream of the compressor, a first turbine arranged downstream of the first combustion chamber, a second combustion chamber arranged downstream of the first turbine and a second turbine arranged downstream of the second combustion chamber. Thus, by means of the known gas turbine assembly, a gas turbine process can be implemented which operates with sequential combustion via two combustion chambers and with two turbines. The emission values can be extremely improved with the aid of sequential combustion.
A further gas turbine assembly became known from DE 103 12 971 A1, forming an integral part of the present description, and is based on the general idea of carrying out two-stage combustion in a gas turbine assembly, without a turbine, that is to say a high-pressure turbine, being interposed. Here, this gas turbine assembly puts into practice the recognition that, in a lean-burn combustion chamber, so much oxidizer usually remains in the combustion exhaust gases that, for a subsequent additional combustion stage, only a fuel still has to be supplied per se, in which case there is then only ever a lean fuel/oxidizer mixture. In the absence of a turbine between the two combustion stages or combustion chambers, as is also the case in EP 0 620 362 B1, however, relatively high exhaust gas temperatures occur downstream of the first combustion chamber and, when fuel is admixed, would lead to an immediate ignition, that is to say in the case of insufficient intermixing, to an unstructured combustion reaction during which adverse high emission values arise.
In order to avoid this problem, the publication DE 103 12 971 A1 mentioned proposes to cool the hot combustion exhaust gases of the first combustion chamber before the further fuel is introduced into the combustion exhaust gases, in order thereby to form the fuel/oxidizer mixture for the second combustion chamber. By the combustion exhaust gases of the first combustion chamber or of the first combustion stage being cooled, the exhaust gas temperature can be lowered to an extent such that the ignition of the fuel introduced is delayed until sufficient mixture formation can take place in order to form the desired lean fuel/oxidizer mixture between the combustion exhaust gases of the first combustion chamber and the fuel additionally supplied.
It is especially important in this case that the fuel taking effect in the second combustion stage can be introduced into the cooled exhaust of the first combustion stage directly, that is to say without a premix being formed. In this respect, for the supply of fuel in the second combustion stage, in particular, the proven technology, as gathered from EP 0 620 362 B1, will be adopted.
By means of the two-stage lean/lean combustion, without an interposed turbine, as may be gathered from DE 103 12 971 A1, it is possible at nominal operating point of the gas turbine assembly to achieve especially favorable emission values. Furthermore, considerable advantages for transient operating states are afforded. For example, in part-load operation, the second combustion chamber can be deactivated, while the first combustion chamber operates, as before, in its nominal operating state. The first combustion stage can thereby operate optimally with regard to emission values and efficiency, as a result of which, in these transient operating states, the gas turbine assembly possesses, overall, favorable values for emission and efficiency. Moreover, it is possible, particularly when the gas turbine assembly is being run up or for peak loads, to use the second combustion stage as a "booster", in that correspondingly increased fuel quantities are supplied to the second combustion stage.
In this case, the combustion gases of the first combustion chamber can be cooled by means of heat transmission. Heat is thus extracted from the combustion gases and transmitted to another medium, so that it is possible to use elsewhere the heat which has been extracted from the gas turbine process. For example, the extracted heat may be used for generating steam for a steam turbine.
Alternatively, the cooling of the combustion gases of the first combustion chamber may also be achieved in that a suitable cooling medium is introduced into the combustion gases. In this procedure, the decrease in temperature of the combustion gases occurs because of intermixing with the cooler cooling medium. During such cooling, however, the mass flow is increased because of the cooling, and this may at the same time entail an increase in output of the gas turbine assembly. Cooling by a controlled introduction or injection of the cooling medium may also be utilized correspondingly as a "booster", in order, particularly for a short time, to regulate the output of the gas turbine and assembly.
It is nevertheless still desirable, in a gas turbine assembly of the type initially mentioned, to improve the emission values and combustion chamber design even further. In combustion chamber design, it is important, in particular, to influence positively the relatively long axial length of the two sequentially arranged combustion chambers which consequently govern the distance between bearings. In particular, those combustion-related bottlenecks and interferences which are found in the case of continuous ring-shaped combustion chambers and which occur in gas turbine assemblies with high outputs are to be avoided. In summary, it can be said that it is also a primary gain in the design of such sequential combustion systems to have improved compactness of the entire gas turbine assembly.
Moreover, the following publications likewise form an integral part of the present description:                EP 0 321 809 A and B        EP 0 704 657 A and B        EP 0 646 705 A and B        EP 0 646 704 A and B        EP 0 718 470 A and BRelevant publications which contain one or more developments of one of the publications mentioned likewise form an integral part of the present description.

Gas turbine assembly and corresponding operating method


Palatable ibuprofen aqueous base solutions are described which contain dissolved therein ibuprofen and hydroxypropyl beta cyclodextrin, which form an inclusion complex, and sweeteners to mask the sour taste common to organic acids.

Liquid ibuprofen compositions for oral administration are known in the art. One approach to such a formulation is to suspend the finely divided ibuprofen, which is essentially insoluble in water, in an aqueous medium with suspending agents and sweetening agents to mask the bitter taste of any dissolved ibuprofen.
One such composition is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,666 as a stabilized liquid ibuprofen syrup suitable for oral administration comprising from 50 to 400 mg of ibuprofen per 5 ml of syrup, the ibuprofen being suspended in an aqueous liquid having more than 50% by weight of a polyhydric alcohol bodying agent, a sweetening agent and a pH of higher than 7.0 and below 7.7. Another such composition is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,220 wherein the ibuprofen is maintained in suspension by the primary suspending agents xanthan gum, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and polysorbate 80, wherein the ibuprofen is taste-masked with sucrose and sorbitol solution and the pH is maintained at about 3.5 to 5. Another approach is to form a salt of ibuprofen with, for example, aluminum as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,580. Such aluminum ibuprofen salts, which are essentially tasteless are not soluble in water and are also formulated with suspending agents and sweeteners.