A racquet for use in racquet sports is disclosed. In the preferred and illustrated embodiment, a composite racquet construction is set forth which utilizes an extruded metal frame which accepts multilayered, laminated, fiber reinforced, resin material typically including an epoxy base with graphite or fiberglass therein. The extruded section receives the laminate material prior to curing wherein the metal extruded section serves as a mold. After curing, the composite frame has improved properties over the metal extrusion, alone, and enhances frame strength, rigidity and flexure characteristics. The extruded frame incorporates a central webbing which is subsequently drilled with holes for stringing the racquet.

This disclosure is directed to an improved composite construction in game racquets. It can be used for racquetball, squash, tennis and other sports which utilize a stringed racquet.
Laminated wood racquets are believed outdated. Extruded metal frames utilizing aluminum and plastic inserts are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,260 of the same inventor. Such devices are exposed to rather rugged use and, therefore, must be fairly rigid. Even the gentlemanly play of racquet sports imparts fairly severe shock stresses to a racquet. There is, therefore, a tendency to deform the racquet frame during use. Deformation as a result of the continual pounding which occurs in use is resisted by the frame structure, provided it has the ability to absorb the energy that is created in use. When the racquet strikes a ball, the energy stored in the swinging racquet and the arm of the player places a substantial bending stress in the frame.
The referenced patent is directed to a composite, extruded metal channel which encloses or houses an extruded central core formed of plastic materials. The central core is attached to the surrounding metal channel by a suitable adhesive, thereby achieving a bonded material. This is said to provide improved strength and durability. The present invention is patentably different from the referenced disclosure. This invention is directed to a racquet which is much easier to manufacture and is made in a different manner.
Costs of manufacture are surprisingly high for molded composite material tennis racquets of equal playing characteristics. It is difficult to form racquets from a metal conduit or channel which is first bent into some particular shape and which is also bonded to the plastic core.
The apparatus of this disclosure is relatively easier to construct. One of the benefits of the present structure is the ability to form the laminated structure with reduced equipment costs. It is relatively more difficult and ordinarily more expensive in equipment and labor to bend channel material into the shape of a frame. The manufacturing cost of composite racquets known heretofore have been largely devoted to overcoming these fabrication difficulties. In particular, relatively greater manufacturing costs have been devoted to expensive molds. The present invention avoids the necessity of constructing that kind of mold. Rather, the aluminum section in this disclosure is first shaped to the desired frame size and shape; thereafter, open passages in the channel material are filled with the unset laminate material. The next step in the fabrication of the apparatus is to set the laminate material as by a combination of elevated pressure, elevated temperature and the passage of significant time.
This disclosure thus accomplishes composite material tennis racquet fabrication at a reduced cost and still has great frame structural integrity and ability to withstand the shock loading which occurs during use.
One feature of the present disclosure is to provide an extruded metal frame which supports multiple layers of laminated material. The laminated material is received in the extruded frame, thereby avoiding the necessity for more expensive molds. The composite frame is formed with a central metal webbing enabling quick and easy drilling of holes to string the racquet. The composite constructed frame has structural integrity enabling the frame to withstand the shock of rigorous use.

Method of making composite racquet construction


A Fresnel lens system, comprising at least two tooth faces located on the same light path; each of the tooth faces comprises at least one Fresnel unit, each Fresnel unit being a Fresnel refraction surface formed by an original curved surface; at least one of the two tooth faces is a complex Fresnel refraction surface or a filled Fresnel refraction surface, or the two tooth faces are at a same physical interface and an element located thereon has a reflective back surface. The Fresnel lens system can adequately utilize the advantage of thinness of Fresnel lens, thus better adjusting the light path without a significant increase in the thickness of the system.

Fresnel lens is a thin lens. A Fresnel lens may be obtained by segmenting a continuous curved surface of an ordinary lens into a plurality of segments and arranging, after reducing the thickness of each segment, the segments on a same plane or on a substantially smooth curved surface. The refraction surface of the Fresnel lens is generally discontinuously stepped or dentate. In the present disclosure, the curved surfaces (non-smooth surfaces) of the lens are referred to as refraction surfaces.
FIG. 1 shows an ordinary configuration of the Fresnel lens. In FIG. 1, the dash line represents the center of the curved surface. The original curved surface 101 of an ordinary lens 100 may be segmented into a plurality of concentric lens rings 201. After the thickness of each lens ring is reduced, the plurality of lens rings may be arranged on a same plane to form a Fresnel lens 200. Such discontinuous refraction surface evolved from the original curved surface may be referred to as Fresnel refraction surface. Since the refraction of light occurs on the curved surface of the lens and is independent of the thickness of the lens, the Fresnel refraction surface theoretically has optical performance similar to that of corresponding original curved surface, but with greatly reduced thickness. The reduction in thickness can reduce the absorption and attenuation of light energy, which is an important advantage of the Fresnel lens in many applications.
The Fresnel refraction surface generated from one original curved surface may be referred to as one Fresnel unit. A Fresnel unit may be described using five groups of basic parameters: center location, area, focal length, refraction surface shape, and locations and number of segmentation rings.
For simplicity, in the present disclosure, the side on which the Fresnel refraction surfaces are arranged is referred to as "tooth side", the other side which is relatively smooth and flat is referred to as "back side", and the Fresnel lens which has a tooth side on one side and a back side on the other side is referred to as "single-sided Fresnel lens".
The Fresnel lens can not only be used to focus light signals (for example, infrared) to facilitate the detection of the sensor (for example, the passive infrared detector "PIR" shown in FIG. 2), but also be used to focus other electromagnetic wave signals, such as microwaves, radio, X-rays and Gamma rays, etc. Therefore, the "light" herein may refer to electromagnetic wave in any spectrum band of the entire electromagnetic spectrum.
The focus range of single Fresnel unit is limited. In order to increase the signal sensing range, it is also possible to arranging a plurality of Fresnel units on the tooth side. The tooth side on which only one Fresnel unit is arranged may be referred to as "simple Fresnel refraction surface". The single-sided Fresnel lens using such tooth side may be referred to as "single-sided simple Fresnel lens". Correspondingly, the tooth side on which two or more Fresnel units are arranged may be referred to as "composite Fresnel refraction surface", and the single-sided Fresnel lens using such tooth side may be referred to as "single-sided composite Fresnel lens".
The back side of the single-sided composite Fresnel lens is generally a macroscopic surface, such as plane, coaxial surface (including rotation surface, such as sphere, ellipsoid, cylindrical surface, parabolic cylindrical surface, hyperbolic cylindrical surface and high order polynomial surface, etc.), multi-plane surface formed by splicing a plurality of planes, and trapezoidal table surface, etc. FIG. 2 shows the configuration of several single-sided composite Fresnel lens, where the dash lines represents the light paths passing through the centers of the Fresnel units. In FIG. 2(a), the tooth side includes three Fresnel units arranged horizontally, and the back side is a plane (rectangular). In FIG. 2(b), the tooth side includes five Fresnel units, one of which is located at the center and the other four are distributed around, and the back side is a plane (circular). In FIG. 2(c), the back side is a circular cylindrical surface. In FIG. 2(d), the back side is a sphere. In FIG. 2(e), the back side is a multi-plane surface formed by splicing three planes. In FIG. 2(f), the back side is a trapezoidal table surface.
Currently, the existing Fresnel lenses are generally single-sided simple Fresnel lens and single-sided composite Fresnel lens. The performance of these lenses is greatly limited. Therefore, further research and development to Fresnel lens system are needed.


A digital imaging device provides for different exposure times for each of a set of color components, the exposure time of each color component being inversely related to its strength relative to the other color components in a pre-exposure frame. By compensating for color imbalance in the scene during exposure, the digital imaging device improves the signal-to-noise ratio and, hence, the quality of the resulting digital image.

Digital imaging devices such as digital cameras typically include an area-array imaging sensor such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) or CMOS sensor. Such a sensor has a color filter array that produces picture elements ("pixels") for each of a set of color components (typically red, green, and blue). The amount of signal in each color component depends on the color balance of the scene. Color balance is determined not only by the colors of objects in the scene but also by the color of the illuminant. For example, pictures taken in the shade on a sunny day have a strong blue cast due to the blue sky illuminating the scene. Pictures taken indoors under incandescent lighting have a reddish or yellowish cast.
Once a digital imaging device has captured a raw image, the raw data from the sensor must be processed to produce a finished image. One part of this process is a "color balance" step that removes most or all of the effect of the illuminant on the colors in the image. This process mimics the way the brain compensates for the illuminant the eye sees. That is, humans see white as white independent of the color of the illuminant. Likewise, a digital imaging device post-processes images to ensure that white is reproduced as white independent of the illuminant.
Unfortunately, strongly colored illuminants result in large imbalances in the three color components of the sensor. The exposure time is set based on the strongest color component to avoid saturating pixels of any color. The result is that the other two color components are much smaller than the dominant color component. The weaker colors can be amplified before, during, or after conversion from the analog to the digital domain. However, "gaining up" the weaker color components of the image amplifies the noise in those colors as well.
It is thus apparent that there is a need in the art for an improved method and apparatus for controlling color balance in a digital imaging device.

Method and apparatus for controlling color balance in a digital imaging device

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A membrane electrode assembly comprises an anode electrode comprising an anode gas diffusion layer and an anode catalyst layer; a cathode electrode comprising a cathode gas diffusion layer and a cathode catalyst layer; and a polymer electrolyte membrane interposed between the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer; wherein the cathode catalyst layer comprises: a first cathode catalyst sublayer adjacent the polymer electrolyte membrane, the first cathode catalyst sublayer comprising a first catalyst supported on a first carbonaceous support and a second catalyst supported on a second carbonaceous support; and a second cathode catalyst sublayer adjacent the cathode gas diffusion layer, the second cathode catalyst sublayer comprising a third catalyst supported on a third carbonaceous support; wherein the first carbonaceous support is carbon black and the second and third carbonaceous supports are graphitized carbon.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to catalyst layers for electrochemical cells, in particular, cathode catalyst layers of membrane electrode assemblies for electrochemical fuel cells.
Description of the Related Art
Electrochemical fuel cells convert fuel and oxidant into electricity. Solid polymer electrochemical fuel cells generally employ a membrane electrode assembly that includes a solid polymer electrolyte membrane disposed between two electrodes. The membrane electrode assembly is typically interposed between two electrically conductive flow field plates to form a fuel cell. These flow field plates act as current collectors, provide support for the electrodes, and provide passages for the reactants and products. Such flow field plates typically include fluid flow channels to direct the flow of the fuel and oxidant reactant fluids to an anode and a cathode of each of the membrane electrode assemblies, respectively, and to remove excess reactant fluids and reaction products. In operation, the electrodes are electrically coupled for conducting electrons between the electrodes through an external circuit. Typically, a number of fuel cells are electrically coupled in series to form a fuel cell stack having a desired power output.
The anode and the cathode each contain a layer of anode catalyst and cathode catalyst, respectively. The catalyst may be a metal, an alloy or a supported metal/alloy catalyst, for example, platinum supported on carbon black. The catalyst layer may contain an ion conductive material, such as NAFION® (provided by E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.) and/or a binder, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Each electrode further includes an electrically conductive porous substrate, such as carbon fiber paper or carbon cloth, for reactant distribution and/or mechanical support. The thickness of the porous substrate typically ranges from about 50 to about 250 microns. Optionally, the electrodes may include a porous sublayer disposed between the catalyst layer and the substrate. The sublayer usually contains electrically conductive particles, such as carbon particles, and, optionally, a water repellent material for modifying its properties, such as gas diffusion and water management. The catalyst may be coated onto the membrane to form a catalyst-coated membrane (CCM) or coated onto the sublayer or the substrate to form an electrode.
The catalyst is one of the most expensive components in a fuel cell due to the noble metals that are typically used. Such noble metals include platinum and gold, which are often mixed with or alloyed with other metals, such as ruthenium, iridium, cobalt, nickel, molybdenum, palladium, iron, tin, titanium, manganese, cerium, chromium, copper, and tungsten, to enhance preferred reactions and mitigate unwanted side reactions, which are different for the anode and the cathode.
The anode and cathode half-cell reactions in hydrogen gas fuel cells are shown in the following equations:H2→2H++2e−  (1)½O2+2H++2e−→H2O  (2)
On the anode, the primary function is to oxidize hydrogen fuel to form protons and electrons. Depending on the fuel source, the anode catalyst may need to be tolerant to impurities. For example, carbon monoxide poisoning of the anode catalyst often occurs when operating on a reformate-based fuel. To mitigate carbon monoxide poisoning, a platinum alloy catalyst, such as platinum-ruthenium, is preferable on the anode.
On the cathode, the primary function is to reduce oxygen and form water. This reaction is inherently much slower than the anode reaction and, thus, the cathode catalyst loading is typically higher than the anode catalyst loading. One way of enhancing the cathode half-cell reaction is to improve the electrochemical activity and catalyst utilization of the catalyst layer, thereby reducing voltage losses related to catalytic kinetics. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,419,740 discloses membrane electrode assemblies having increased activity and improved utilization of the noble metal catalyst. In particular, the membrane electrode assemblies have reaction layers containing a noble metal catalyst supported on carbon and a proton-conducting polymer, wherein the reaction layer on the cathode side comprise at least two sublayers, a first sublayer and a second sublayer, on top of each other, wherein the first sublayer is in direct contact with the polymer electrolyte membrane and contains a noble metal black and a noble metal catalyst supported on carbon and the second sublayer contains a further supported noble metal catalyst. However, using noble metal blacks is not desirable because it is difficult to achieve low catalyst loadings, which is required to reduce cost, and tends to be create denser layers, which creates water management and gas diffusion issues due to the decrease porosity.
At the same time, catalysts in the anode and cathode need to be able to withstand degradation that may occur during fuel cell operation and fuel cell start-up and shutdown. Typical catalyst degradation modes include corrosion of the catalyst support material and platinum dissolution and agglomeration, which leads to a decrease in fuel cell performance due to the decreased platinum surface area. Catalyst degradation is an important issue because it has a detrimental impact on fuel cell lifetime and overall costs. To mitigate corrosion, graphitized carbon supports are preferable over carbon black supports because graphitized carbon supports are more stable and less susceptible to corrosion. According to M. Murthy and N. Sisofo ("Investigation of Degradation Mechanisms Relevant to Automotive Fuel Cells", 3rd European PEFC Forum, Session B03, File No. B031 (2005)), it is believed that the graphitization process removes surface functional groups, which reduces the extent of carbon corrosion. However, graphitized carbon supports also have a lower surface area, which makes it difficult to homogeneously disperse noble metal catalysts onto graphitized carbon supports. Therefore, catalysts having noble metals dispersed on graphitized carbon supports typically show a lower electrochemical activity and fuel cell performance than catalysts having noble metals dispersed on high surface area supports, such as carbon black.
As a result, there still exists much research in catalyst and catalyst layer designs to improve performance and durability of the catalysts while reducing costs. The present description addresses these issues and provides further related advantages.

Cathode design for electrochemical cells


A data extraction/insertion device in a digital signal processor and a method thereof are provided. The data extraction/insertion method is performed in a digital signal processor including a source register and a destination registr. In this digital signal processor, data is extracted from the source register and inserted into the destination register using a position value, which represents the reference position of data extraction, and an offset value, which represents the size of data to be extracted. Accordingly, a sequence of data packets, the size of which are given in neither byte nor word unit, are effectively extracted or inserted, thus saving the space of a memory.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of digital signal processors, and more particularly, to a data extraction/insertion method and device capable of effectively utilizing a memory by consecutively extracting and inserting data packets.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In general, recent digital signal processors (hereinafter referred to as DSP) can process packet-unit communication data through a data extraction and data insertion process.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are conceptual diagrams of a data extraction and insertion process performed in a DSP. Referring to FIG. 1A, data extraction denotes extracting data of a predetermined size from a source register S_REG and storing extracted data in a destination register D_REG. Data extraction is performed using a position value POS that represents a reference position in the source register from which data is to be extracted, and an offset value WTH that represents a size of data to be extracted.
Data of a predetermined size corresponding to the offset value WTH is extracted from a particular position in the source register S_REG corresponding to the position value POS.
Referring to FIG. 1B, data insertion denotes inserting data of a predetermined size in the source register S_REG into a particular position in the destination register D_REG. The particular position in the destination register D_REG is determined depending on a position value POS that represents a reference position in the destination register into which data is to be inserted.
Data of a predetermined size corresponding to the offset value WTH is inserted into a particular position in the destination register D_REG corresponding to a position value POS that represents the size of data to be inserted.
However, such data extraction and insertion is not suitable for a sequence of data packets a size unit of which is not based on bytes or words. In this case, a memory is ineffectively utilized and memory space is wasted, because bytes or words data packets cannot be stored in the memory without leaving empty spaces.
A need, therefore, exists for a data extraction/insertion method or device capable of saving the space of a memory by effectively extracting and inserting a sequence of data packets a size unit of which is not based on bytes or words.

Data extraction/insertion method and device in digital signal processor


Techniques are described for automatically selecting between multiple image capture subsystems with overlapping fields of view but different optical properties. A selection may be made by estimating a plurality of operational characteristics of an image capture event, and, based on those estimates, selecting a primary image capture subsystem for the image capture event. For example, in a device such as a cellphone comprising two capture subsystems, each subsystem including a lens system and sensor system where each subsystem has a different fixed optical zoom parameter, a subsystem can be chosen based on a combination of desired zoom value, estimated focus distance, and estimated scene brightness.

The present disclosure is directed to control systems for multi-camera electronic devices.
There are a wide variety of camera designs that find application in modern consumer electronic devices. For example, compact cameras and single-lens reflex cameras tend to be fairly complex camera systems that provide control over a relatively wide range of operational parameters, such as focus distance, zoom, exposure time, iris control, shutter speed and the like. Other camera systems, particularly those that integrate a camera system into a multifunction consumer electronics device such as a smartphone, tablet computer or notebook computer, tend to be much simpler. They may provide a degree of control, for example, over focus distance and/or exposure time but their designs may not permit variation of other parameters such as optical zoom or iris aperture. The level of complexity of an individual camera system often dictates a cost associated with that camera system.
Traditionally, multifunction consumer electronics devices employed either a single camera system or multiple camera systems looking in opposite directions to capture image data. The cameras of such devices were very simple, with limited focus capability and often no control over optical zoom or other operational parameters. Recently, some consumer devices have integrated multiple camera systems that have overlapping fields of view, each with different, fixed optical properties. For example, one camera system may have a relatively wide field of view and another camera system may have a narrower field of view. In such cameras, users must expressly select which of the camera systems is to be used for image capture. Such selections are cumbersome for users and introduces delay into image capture operations, which can cause image capture opportunities to be lost if an imaging subject changes.
The inventors propose techniques to remedy these disadvantages.

Switchover control techniques for dual-sensor camera system


A lighting system and protection means are disclosed. In particular, a Zener diode with pre-selected characteristics is used in parallel with an LED such that current will continue to flow through the circuit in case of LED failure. This adaptation in turn may be used in a series string combination.

The present invention relates to lighting systems circuits. In particular, the present invention relates to circuitry to allow a lighting system to continue operation in case of failure of one or more of its light emitting elements.
The use of LED lighting technology is well known in the lighting art. However, rarely will one LED suffice to provide satisfactory illumination. As is common in the art, often multiple LEDs are electrically connected in series to provide illumination. However, the series arrangement is vulnerable to failure of one or more LED elements along the series string. If an LED fails so as to present a substantially higher resistance or open circuit, the remaining LED elements along the string will ordinarily cease to emit light.
Still, good reasons exist to place increased numbers of LEDs in series. For example, it may be advantageous to run a series circuit of many low current LEDs to reduce conductor cross-section. Additionally some power supplies may intrinsically produce high voltage output, requiring many LEDs in series to insure the individual voltage drop across each LED remains at a safe value. However, with increased numbers of LEDs in series, the possibility of at least one LED failure increases, thus posing a reliability risk.
One approach to minimize risk of light string failure due to just one failed LED or subset of failed LEDs along the string is to prevent LED damage through adding a protective element in parallel with each LED. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,054,716 issued to Sonobe et al on Apr. 25, 2000 discloses a parallel zener diode connected within an LED package to protect the LED from transient voltage.
Ideally, circuitry in parallel with a failed LED would allow current to flow through remaining LEDs despite the failed LED. The Sonobe patent discloses use of a zener diode to prevent LED failure but not to pass current around the LED in case of LED failure. Consequently in case of LED failure in Sonobe's circuit, there is no guarantee that any other LEDs connected in series with Sonobe's circuit would stay lit.
Accordingly, there remains a need for simple circuitry to economically sustain lighting system illumination in case of one or more LED failures along a series string.

Unlit LED circuit bypass element with system and method therefor


A system and method are disclosed for providing in-situ monitoring of an oxidized ARC layer disposed over an ARC layer. By monitoring the thickness of the oxidized portion of the ARC layer during semiconductor processing, one or more process control parameters may be adjusted to help achieve a desired oxidized portion thickness. As a result, the number of process steps required to achieve the desired oxidized portion thickness may be reduced, providing a more efficient and economical process

The present invention generally relates to semiconductor processing and, more particularly, to a system and method for optimizing oxidation of an anti-reflective coating layer.
In the semiconductor industry, there is a continuing trend toward higher device densities. To achieve these high densities there has been and continues to be efforts toward scaling down device dimensions (e.g., at submicron levels) on semiconductor wafers. In order to accomplish such high device packing density, smaller and smaller feature sizes are required. This may include the width and spacing of interconnecting lines, spacing and diameter of contact holes, and the surface geometry such as corners and edges of various features.
The requirement of small features with close spacing between adjacent features requires high resolution photolithographic processes. In general, lithography refers to processes for pattern transfer between various media. It is a technique used for integrated circuit fabrication in which a silicon slice, the wafer, is coated uniformly with a radiation-sensitive film, the resist, and an exposing source (such as optical light, x-rays, or an electron beam) illuminates selected areas of the surface through an intervening master template, the mask, for a particular pattern. The lithographic coating is generally a radiation-sensitive coating suitable for receiving a projected image of the subject pattern. Once the image is projected, it is indelibly formed in the coating. The projected image may be either a negative or a positive image of the subject pattern. Exposure of the coating through a photomask causes the image area to become either more or less soluble (depending on the coating) in a particular solvent developer. The more soluble areas are removed in the developing process to leave the pattern image in the coating as less soluble polymer.
Present techniques in optical projection printing can resolve images of sub-micron when photoresists with good linewidth control are used. However, reflection of light from substrate/resist interfaces produce variations in light intensity and scattering of light in the resist during exposure, resulting in non-uniform photoresist linewidth upon development. Constructive and destructive interference resulting from reflected light is particularly significant when monochromatic or quasi-monochromatic light is used for photoresist exposure. In such cases, the reflected light interferes with the incident light to form standing waves within the resist. In the case of highly reflective substrate regions, the problem is exacerbated since large amplitude standing waves create thin layers of underexposed resist at the wave minima. The underexposed layers can prevent complete resist development causing edge acuity problems in the resist profile.
Antireflective coatings are known and used to mitigate the aforementioned problems. However, the antireflective coatings (ARC) layers are not sufficient during employment of Deep Ultraviolet (DUV) type resist due to the acid formation in the resist when exposed. Therefore, when utilizing DUV resist, the top portions of the ARC layer is oxidized to mitigate footing of the patterned features after development of the photoresist layer. The thickness of the oxidized ARC layer compared to the thickness of the non-oxidized portion of the ARC layer is critical. Insufficient oxidization results in problems with critical dimension control, which results in costly rework or scrapping of the patterned wafer. Therefore, there is an unmet need for a system and method for determining and controlling the appropriate oxidation of an ARC layer during a photoresist process.
The present invention relates to a system and method for providing in-situ thickness and process monitoring to help achieve a desired thickness of an oxidized ARC portion disposed over an ARC layer. By monitoring the thickness of the oxidized portion of the ARC layer during semiconductor processing, one or more process control parameters may be adjusted to help achieve a desired oxidized portion thickness. As a result, the number of process steps required to achieve the desired oxidized portion thickness may be reduced, providing a more efficient and economical process.
One aspect of the present invention provides a semiconductor processing system. The system includes a processing chamber operable to form an oxidized ARC layer or portion over an ARC layer on a substrate located in the chamber. A spectroscopic ellipsometry system performs in-situ thickness measurements of the oxidized portion being formed and provides a measurement signal indicative of the measured thickness. Alternatively, a spectroscopic reflectometry system can be employed alone or in combination with the spectroscopic ellipsometry system. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the thickness of the ARC layer may also be monitored and controlled. A signature is then generated utilizing the measurement signal and the signature is compared with a library of signatures to determine the thickness of the oxidized portion.
Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a method to facilitate formation of an oxidized portion of an ARC layer on a substrate. The method includes forming an oxidized portion of an ARC over an ARC layer disposed on the substrate. A polarized broadband light beam is transmitted at the oxidized portion and a measurement signal is generated based on the reflected portion of the polarized broadband light beam. The thickness of the oxidized portion is then determined based on the measurement signal while the oxidized portion is being formed at the substrate.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the invention are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed and the present invention is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

System to determine suitability of sion arc surface for DUV resist patterning


A method for forming an isolation trench in a semiconductor substrate that is substantially free of voids. The method includes forming a dielectric masking layer above a semiconductor substrate. An opening is preferably formed through the masking layer and partially into the semiconductor substrate forming a shallow trench within the semiconductor substrate. Optionally, thermal oxidation of the trench may be performed to form an oxide layer within the trench. A spacer layer is preferably deposited across the exposed surface of the topography. The spacer layer is preferably etched to form spacers directly adjacent to opposed sidewall surfaces of the trench. The isolation trench may then be filled with an isolation dielectric. The presence of the spacers within the isolation trench preferably causes the lower portions of the trench to fill up faster than the upper portions. In this manner the trench may be filled without the formation of voids.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to integrated circuit fabrication and, more particularly, to an improved process for filling shallow trench isolation structures to minimize void formation therein.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
The fabrication of an integrated circuit involves placing numerous devices in a single semiconductor substrate. Select devices are thereafter interconnected by a conductor which extends over a dielectric which separates or "isolates" the individual devices. Implementing an electrical path across a monolithic integrated circuit thereby involves selectively connecting isolated devices. When fabricating integrated circuits it must therefore be possible to isolate devices built into the substrate from one another. From this perspective, isolation technology is one of the critical aspects of fabricating a functional integrated circuit.
A popular isolation technology used for an MOS integrated circuit involves the process of locally oxidizing silicon. Local oxidation of silicon, or LOCOS, involves oxidizing field regions between devices. The oxide grown in field regions is termed field oxide, wherein field oxide is grown during the initial stages of integrated circuit fabrication, before source and drain implants are placed in device areas or active areas. By growing a thick field oxide in field regions pre-implanted with a channel-stop dopant, LOCOS processing serves to prevent the establishment of parasitic channels in the field regions.
While LOCOS has remained a popular isolation technology, there are several problems inherent with LOCOS. First, a growing field oxide extends laterally as a bird's-beak structure. In many instances, the bird's-beaks structure can unacceptably encroach into the device active area. Second, the pre-implanted channel-stop dopant often redistributes during the high temperatures associated with field oxide growth. Redistribution of channel-stop dopant primarily effects the active area periphery causing problems known as narrow-width effects. Third, the thickness of field oxide causes large elevational disparities across the semiconductor topography between field and active regions. Topological disparities cause planarity problems which become severe as circuit critical dimensions shrink. Lastly, thermal oxide growth is significantly thinner in small field (i.e., field areas of small lateral dimension) regions relative to large field regions. In small field regions, a phenomenon known as field-oxide-thinning effect therefore occurs. Field-oxide-thinning produces problems with respect to field threshold voltages, interconnect-to-substrate capacitance, and field-edge leakage in small field regions between closely spaced active areas.
Many of the problems associated with LOCOS technology are alleviated by an isolation technique known as the "shallow trench process". Despite advances made to decrease bird's-beak,channel-stop encroachment and non-planarity, it appears that LOCOS technology is still inadequate for deep sub-micron MOS technologies. The shallow trench process is better suited for isolating densely spaced active devices having field regions less than one micron in lateral dimension.
The trench process involves the steps of etching a silicon substrate surface to a relatively shallow depth, e.g., between 0.05 to 0.5 microns, and then refilling the shallow trench with a deposited dielectric. Some trench processes include an interim step of growing oxide on trench walls prior to the trench being filled with a deposited dielectric. After the trench is filled, it is then planarized to complete the isolation structure.
The trench process eliminates bird's-beak and channel-stop dopant redistribution problems. In addition, the isolation structure is fully recessed, offering at least a potential for a planar surface. Still further, field-oxide thinning in narrow isolation spaces does not occur and the threshold voltage is constant as a function of channel width.
The refilling of the isolation trench with a dielectric tends to be performed by a number of chemical vapor deposition ("CVD") techniques, including atmospheric CVD, low-pressure CVD, and plasma-enhanced CVD. The deposition of films by these methods generally exhibit good electrical and physical properties, however, silane-based CVD tends to have a number of problems. These problems may include, (i) non-conformal coverage, (ii) reentrant angles at the base of the trench, and (iii) void formation during the process of filling the trench. Void formation may occur in shallow trenches with a lateral distance at or below a 0.6 micrometer feature size. Formation of voids within these trenches tends to cause a number of problems. In particular, such voids may open up during the etchback step and subsequently trap moisture, photoresist, or metal from the next deposition. Additionally, voids tend to cause irregularities on the surface of the substrate. These non-planar regions may cause layers subsequently formed above the void to also be non-planar, leading to step coverage problems as more layers are formed.
The formation of voids may occur when deposition of a dielectric is performed on trenches with relatively high aspect ratios. Aspect ratio is defined as the ratio of depth to width. A trench having an aspect ratio of 0.5 has a depth which is half the width of the trench. Void formation typically occurs in trenches having an aspect ratio of greater than 0.8, i.e., when the trench depth approaches the width (or longer).. As depicted in FIG. 1A-1C, filling a high aspect ratio isolation trench under a number of CVD conditions may lead to void formation in the trench. As depicted in FIG. 1A, a deposition of a fill dielectric within a trench 120 may lead to unequal film thickness in which the film thickness at the top surface 110 of the substrate 100 and upper corners 112 of the trench exceeds that on the bottom 114 and lower walls 116 of the trench 120. If the sidewalls of the trench 120 are spaced close to each other, deposition of the dielectric upon the comers 112 may occur such that the corners meet before the trench is completely filled, as depicted in FIG. 1B, forming a void 118 within the isolation trench. During a subsequent etchback or polish procedure void 118 may be opened, as depicted in FIG. 1C.
It is therefore desirable to develop a technique for forming a trench isolation structure of narrow lateral distances in which the isolation structure is substantially free of voids. Such a technique is necessary to allow the formation of narrow isolation structures that are substantially free of voids that may compromise the ability of these structures to isolate the individual devices. In addition, this technique would help avoid step coverage problems in subsequent layers, which may be caused by the presence of voids.

High density trench fill due to new spacer fill method including isotropically etching silicon nitride spacers


In this process, cyclic polyimino ethers with a .DELTA..sup.2 -oxazoline or .DELTA..sup.2 -5,6-dihydro-4H-1,3-oxazine structure are polymerized by heating them alone or together with cyclic monoimino ethers of the same type, or with lactones, plus cationic polymerization catalysts. The new polymers are suitable for use as raw materials, foil materials, molding materials and hot-setting adhesives.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for the production of crosslinked polymers from cyclic iminoethers and to the new polymers themselves.
2. Statement of Related Art
It is known that crosslinked polymers can be produced from compounds containing a cyclic iminoether group several times in the molecule. Various properties have been attributed to the polymers, depending on the type of starting materials used. Thus, according to EP 273 368, DE 20 29 524 and DE 35 39 593, they may be used as plastics, resins and adhesive compounds. However, apart from the difficulties involved in their production, the often inadequate properties of the polymers were a disadvantage in most cases.

Crosslinked polymers and process for their production


A handle actuator is provided for a circuit interrupter that has a handle or toggle pivotally movable between operative positions. The handle actuator has a pair of pins that fit tightly on the handle, a pair of retainers coupling the pins in a rigidly spaced parallel relationship, and a pair of flanges fixed to the circuit interrupter via a base. The flanges are disposed on opposite sides of the handle and have arcuate slots that guide the pins coaxially with the pivot axis of the handle. The ends of the pins extend through the arcuate openings of the flanges and are received in the retainers. Connecting links pivotally couple the pins with a drive input for selectively driving the pins against the handle to move the handle between the operative positions. The relative position of the pins on both sides of the handle is constant, preventing wear on the handle due to rolling of the pins against the handle, impacts with the handle permitted by lost motion, or bending and twisting forces.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an actuator for displacing the toggle or handle of a circuit interrupter, and more particularly relates to a handle actuator that includes a pair of spaced opposed abutment surfaces for bearing against the handle along an arcuate path coincident with the motion of the handle, to thereby move the handle between progressive positions in a positive motion that does not wear the handle.
2. Prior Art
Circuit interrupters characteristically have OPEN and CLOSED positions at which an electrical circuit coupling a power-supplying source or line to a power-consuming load is broken or made, respectively. In some circuits, circuit interrupters are used simply as manual switches, while in other circuits they are used in conjunction with switching controls and/or circuit protection devices operable to open or close the circuit automatically.
Circuit interrupters characteristically include some form of handle or toggle. Despite having handles, certain large circuit interrupters are generally unsuitable for manual operation because substantial force is needed to operate them. For example, 150 to 300 pounds may be needed to move the handle of a high power interrupter between the OPEN and CLOSED positions, to overcome the force of springs and the like arranged to force the contacts together when closed and/or to drive them apart when opened. Such circuit interrupters may require that the electrician (or perhaps an electrically powered operator) have the aid of some mechanical advantage to move the handle, such as a lever arm extension.
In some applications for circuit interrupters, a handle actuator is provided. The handle actuator typically has a pair of opposed and rigidly spaced abutment surfaces disposed on opposite sides of the handle in the directions of movement, bearing against the handle to drive the handle from one position to the other. The abutment surfaces are moved, with the handle between them, one of the abutment surfaces bearing against the rear side of the handle in the direction of movement, forcing the handle from one position to the other. The handle actuator can be coupled to a drive input that is operable either remotely, manually, or both ways, although not generally at the same time.
The drive unit can be coupled mechanically to a drive means, or an electrically driven arrangement can be provided. A remotely-operated drive input is often plugged into a network of several interrupters that are centrally controlled elsewhere, for example by a computer or the like. A manually-operated drive input is advantageous for allowing an electrician (or other operator) to override the central controller, on site. It may also be appropriate to use a mechanical or electromechanical drive unit to gang together a plurality of circuit interrupters, for coordinated switching of loads. Examples of handle actuators include the transfer switches disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,778,633--DeVisser et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,097--Schell et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,278--Thomson and U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,367--Smith et al. All of those patents involve either a pair of molded-case switches or a pair of molded-case circuit breakers.
These known handle actuators have several deficiencies, in part because the means engaging the handle does not complement the movement of the handle accurately. The handle actuators have handle-engaging abutment surfaces which slide or roll relative to the handle bearing against the handle for driving between the open and closed positions. This sliding and/or rolling erodes the handle, and with continued operation causes the handle to break.
Whereas the means engaging the handle does not complement the handle movement, the spaced abutment surfaces must define a space larger than the dimensions of the handle. That is, the handle-engaging abutment surfaces are spaced such that the handle fits loosely between them. The loose fit is necessary to avoid the abutment surfaces binding the handle as the handle moves between its positions. However, the loose fit results in lost motion, and when the beating direction of the abutment surfaces is flipped-flopped, the loose fit causes one of the abutment surfaces to strike the handle, or vice versa. Impacts between the actuator and the handle aggravate the wear and erosion of the handle.
Known handle actuators may have bulky and involved mechanisms, which are relatively expensive and inconvenient to mount for operatively engaging the handle actuator and the circuit interrupter. Mounting is a particular problem for the popular molded-case type of circuit breaker.
Known handle actuator mechanisms may be too flimsy for heavy duty circuit interrupters. Known manually-operated handle actuators also are prone to twisting between the handle and the abutment surfaces because the abutment surfaces are coupled to the drive input asymmetrically. Twisting further shortens the life of the handle, which already has a limited life due to erosion and the like from wear against the actuator abutment surfaces.
What is needed is an improvement over the known handle actuators for overcoming these and other deficiencies, in a durable and inexpensive actuator arranged to minimize wear on the circuit interrupter handle or toggle.

Handle actuator for a circuit interrupter handle

N. Huntingdon Township, Westmoreland County


A method and apparatus is proposed for producing one-piece hard gelatin capsules, intended in particular for the reception of liquid medicines. The formation of the capsules takes place according to the method by means of the uniform distribution of a predetermined quantity of gelatin or of another formable substance which is susceptible to use in the packaging of medicines, on the inner jacket surface of a closed form. An apparatus suitable for the performance of this method is revealed in the claims.

Hard gelatin capsules are used in great numbers for the packaging of pulverized, granulated or pelletized medicines. Such capsules are typically made in two halves which can be joined together, that is, a lower capsule portion and an upper capsule portion. The benefits provided by this form of packaging medicines are two fold, first, the production of the hard gelatin capsules can be done in an economical manner and, second, very precise dosing of the medicine to be packaged is possible. Other advantages provided are the possibility of filling a hard gelatin capsule with substances of various types; and that the production of the hard gelatin capsules, and the filling and sealing of the same, can be performed in different manufacturing locations. The medicine packager orders the two-piece hard gelatin capsules from specialized production firms, and the capsules are then processed by the packager on machines designed for filling and sealing hard gelatin capsules. In contrast, a completely different methodology has been previously used in the packaging of liquid medicines. In order to capsulate liquid medicines, soft gelatin capsules were preferably used, so that the fluid was filled in the capsule in the same single processing operation as that in which the capsules were produced (as described, for instance, in the British Pat. No. 564,538). Thus, to package liquid medicines, the medicine producer had only two alternatives, either procurement of expensive machines of this kind for production of soft gelatin capsules himself at his manufacturing plant--with all of the attendant problems involved in the manufacture of gelatin capsules--or contracting out the packaging of liquid medicines to places of business specially set up for filling gelatin capsules.
A challenge was thus created within the pharmiceutical industry to develope new technology which would improve upon the method then available for filling liquid medicines in hard gelatin capsules. Besides the elimination of the difficulties described above, such a novel method would provide the further advantage that the machinery previously used for filling these capsules with powders, or other solids, could also be put to use for filling liquid medicines into hard gelatin capsules. A method and an apparatus for filling liquid medicines into hollow containers, which were either prefabricated or created by the joining together of two halves of hard gelatin capsules, has been disclosed in the German Offenlegunschrift No. 26 50 649. In this known method, the filling of a two-piece hard gelatin capsule, which is sealed at the juncture between the two capsule halves is accomplished according to the injection principle. It has been demonstrated that this mode of operation enables the attainment of very good results in the filling of liquid medicines into hard gelatin capsules. Inspite of this advance, the sealing of the two-piece hard gelatin capsule remains a problem. In order to alleviate this seal problem and attain optimal results in the filling of liquid medicines into hard gelatin capsules, it is extremely desirable to develop a one-piece capsule which could be produced by simple means.

Method and apparatus for producing one-piece capsules


A supporting system is disclosed for taking up the weight components of large astronomical telescopes. The weight components act in the mirror plane and load-relieving devices are arranged at the rear side of the mirror. The load-relieving devices are arranged in concentric circles and act on the outside of the rear surface of the mirror whereat supporting forces are introduced outside of the gravity plane of the mirror. Each load-relieving device applies a compensating moment to the particular portion of the mirror to which it corresponds which counteracts the disturbing moment resulting from the force of the weight of the particular portion and the supporting force.

Previously, and for larger astronomical telescopes, these forces were taken up almost exclusively by load-relieving devices which supported the mirror at its outer edge where the gravity plane of the mirror intersects the outer periphery thereof. In the following, these forces will be referred to as radial weight components.
Examples of such edge supporting systems are described in published German patent applications DE-A-33 13 324, DE-A-29 03 805 and DE-A-24 14 266.
This type of radial load relief of the body of the mirror cannot be used without more if the diameter of the mirror exceeds a predetermined amount or for so-called segment mirrors whose individual segments are to be positioned one next to the other so that no space is available at its edges for the load-relieving devices.
Further, it is known to relieve the radial weight loads by systems which engage bores on the rear side of the mirror which penetrate up to the gravity plane of the mirror. Secondary mirrors of a 3.5 m telescope such as the MPIA on Calar Alto as well as the main mirror of the 5 m telescope on Mount Palomar are journalled in this manner for example.
The last-mentioned type of radial load relief is schematically shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing of this application. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 104 designates the bores which penetrate up to the gravity plane 106 of the mirror body 101. An end of a two-arm lever 105 engages in each bore. The lever 105 is pivotably journalled about an axis 108 on the mirror frame 109 and carries a counterweight 107 at its other end.
The disadvantage of this solution is that the bores on the rear side 103 of the mirror body cause disturbances in the elastic behavior which can bring about changes in the mirror surface 102. This effect is especially noticeable in thin mirrors. It is however not possible without more to do without the bores in the mirror body and to allow the radial load relief to act on the rear side of the mirror. This is true because when the mirror body is supported outside of its gravity plane, a disturbing moment develops which likewise causes form changes of the mirror surface.

Supporting system for a telescope mirror


A novel dust and debris removal and collection system including a distributed vacuum transport system is provided for connection to a plurality of machines located in one or more shop areas. The central vacuum airflow generation equipment is preferably remotely operated to ensure vacuum generation when a machine is being operated for which dust and debris removal is desired. In order to prevent undesired loss of vacuum, a central valve is used having a outlet port for connection to one or more vacuum sources, and a plurality of inlet ports, each associated with one of a plurality of machines located in the one or more shop areas. The central valve is operated to apply vacuum from the one or more vacuum sources to only that one of the plurality of machines which is in operation, thereby preventing a loss of vacuum to other, non-operating machines. In one embodiment, a plurality of such central valves are used to enable a plurality of machines to be used simultaneously and receive vacuum, each of the machines being operated at any given time being associated with different banks of machines, each bank of machine being associated with its own one of the central valves.

2. Description of Prior Art
Vacuum cleaners are well known and serve an important function in gathering dust and debris in a variety of situations. Household vacuum cleaners, for example, may employ beaters for working dust and debris out of a carpet for removal to a canister or upright style vacuum cleaner collection bag. In certain household systems, a centralized vacuum is provided, wherein the collection-bag and vacuum motor and generation system are located centrally, perhaps in the garage, with the vacuum being routed to various rooms within the house utilizing fixed airflow conduits installed within the walls and accessible in each room utilizing an outlet to which a hose or other vacuum cleaning device can be attached in order to make use of the distributed vacuum. In order to prevent a loss of vacuum from access ports which are not being used for actual vacuum cleaning in a particular time, those ports include covers which serve to block the port, thereby maintaining system vacuum. Vacuum debris removal and collection systems are also useful in shop areas, for example, a home workshop, or industrial shops, such as woodworking shops and machine shops. For example, a number of tools employ dust removal and collection systems. One such tool is a belt driven portable sander, which includes a dust collection bag mounted on it so that as sanding takes place, saw dust is collected within the bag. Other, larger shop machines are designed for permanent or temporary placement at a fixed location, such as a table saws, drill presses, milling machines, joiners, planers, sanders, radial arm saws, and the like. Each of these machines is capable of generating a significant amount of debris and dust in its operation. For this reason, a number of such machines are designed to possibly collect such dust and debris, for example by including within a table saw a box or bin for collecting dust and debris which fall by gravity.
Other ones of these machines are available which include a port for the attachment of a vacuum cleaner hose, such as might be attached to a standard canister-type shop vac which, by means of the vacuum airflow, remove and collect dust and debris. As depicted in FIG. 1, such machines are operated so that the user will manually move the canister-type vacuum cleaner to the general location of the machine to be used and manually attaches a flexible vacuum hose from the canister vacuum cleaner to the machine to be used. The user then turns on the vacuum cleaner and then turns on and utilizes the shop machine, with the vacuum cleaner removing and collecting the dust and debris so generated.
This sort of system is used both in the home or small industrial workshop, for example, by utilizing machines available from Sears Roebuck & Company of Chicago, Ill. which include the vacuum port for the manual attachment of a vacuum hose. This system is also used in larger industrial applications, such as in cabinet making and woodworking shops, in which a canister-type vacuum cleaner or a more sophisticated and expensive sawdust and debris collection machine including a vacuum airflow generator is used in the same fashion, i.e. manually transported through the shop area to the machine to be used, manually connected, manually turned on and off.
As a purported advancement over this prior art, Sears Roebuck & Company has made available, as depicted in FIG. 2, implements for connecting in a permanent fashion a vacuum distribution system capable of supplying a vacuum from a centrally located vacuum airflow device such as a canister-type vacuum cleaner 20 to a plurality of machines 21, 22, 23 located in a small shop area, including manually operated cut-off valves 25, 26, 27 at each machine in order to maintain system vacuum by not applying the system vacuum to other than the single machine being utilized at any given time. However, this system requires each cutoff valve to be manually closed when not in use, a step which is often forgotten. This system also requires each cutoff valve to be manually opened when a machine is turned on, another step which is often forgotten. Yet another disadvantage of this system is that the centrally located vacuum cleaner must be turned on at that central location in order for the debris removal and collection system to operate. Yet another disadvantage is the inconvenient placement of the cutoff valves which, due to the configuration of the carrier ducting, are not easily accessible by the machine operator. This requires extra steps or reaching over or behind a machine to manually operate the cutoff valve, which is likely to be a hazard. In practice, as determined by operational testing, such manually operated cutoff valves are likely to be left open, even when the associated shop tool is not in use, thereby decreasing the amount of vacuum available to shop tools that are actually in use. Such systems also require the vacuum source to be located in or near the shop tool area, to allow for relative ease in allowing a user to manually control the electrical power to the vacuum source. This takes up valuable shop area floor space, and increases the noise in the shop area due to the proximity of the vacuum source.
Larger, more expensive systems include a central vacuum generator and ducting connecting to a plurality of shop machines, and including automatic dampers for connecting the vacuum duct to a specific shop machine only when that machine is turned on. Such electrically or pneumatically controlled dampers are available from Northfab Systems, Inc., of Thomasville, N.C. Such industrial systems are quite bulky and expensive and are designed for use with a large vacuum generation source with large ducting, such as 6 inches or larger for connecting a significant number of machines, any number of which can be in operation at any given time. These automatic dampers are large and expensive, and require pneumatic or electronic controls built in to the rather sophisticated shop tools of such an establishment in order to function properly and automatically.
While the removal and collection of debris and dust may seem merely a nicety, it should be understood that such debris and dust can contribute to a number of significant and costly problems. First of all, dust build-up is a fire and explosion hazard. Secondly, health is adversely effected by breathing and ingesting quantities of dust. Dust and perhaps more significantly small bits of debris flying around a shop area can be a significant nuisance by covering workers with this dust and debris and perhaps cause eye and sinus problems as well. Furthermore, dust covered floors and other surfaces cause safety hazards, such as slippage, and provide an unprofessional appearance to customers and employees. OSHA and other safety standards usually require face masks to reduce such risks but even these requirements, if used at all, are inconvenient and not foolproof.

Vacuum operated dust and debris removal and collection system


A method and an apparatus for inspecting surface conditions of an object, on which a pattern is formed, by detecting scattered light generated by the surface of the object using a detection optical system. The method includes the steps of illuminating the surface of the object, providing first and second photodetectors on a pupil plane of the detection optical system, generating a first signal corresponding to the sum of the outputs of the first and second photodetectors, and a second signal corresponding to the difference between the outputs of the first and second photodetectors, and comparing the first signal with a first threshold value and the second signal with a second threshold value to obtain the logical product of the results of the comparisons for inspecting the surface of the object. The apparatus includes a detection optical system for detecting scattered light generated by the object illuminated by an illuminating device, first and second photodetectors provided at the pupil plane of the detection optical system, a device for comparing a signal corresponding to the sum of outputs of the first and second photodetectors with a first threshold value, and for comparing a signal corresponding to the difference between the outputs of the first and second photodetectors with a second threshold value, and a device for detecting the logical product of the results of the comparison by the comparison device.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a surface-condition inspection method and apparatus for inspecting conditions of a surface to be inspected, and more particularly, to a surface-condition inspection method and apparatus for discriminating the presence of defects or foreign particles on a reticle (photomask) used when manufacturing devices, such as semiconductor memories, liquid-crystal displays, magnetic heads or the like, or on a pellicle for protecting the reticle from foreign particles.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, in the IC (integrated circuit) production process, circuit patterns formed on a substrate, such as a reticle, a photomask or the like, are transferred onto the surface of a wafer coated with a resist using a printing apparatus (e.g., a stepper or a mask aligner).
If foreign matter, such as pattern defects, dust particles or the like, is present on the surface of the substrate at the time of circuit pattern transfer, the foreign matter is also transferred, causing a decrease in the yield of the IC production.
In particular, when circuit patterns are printed onto the surface of a wafer by a step-and-repeat method using a reticle, if even one harmful foreign matter particle is present on the surface of the reticle and is printed onto the entire surface of the wafer, a great decrease in the yield of the IC production is caused.
Accordingly, the ability to detect the presence of foreign matter on a substrate in the IC production process is indispensable, and various kinds of inspection methods have been proposed for that purpose. In general, a method which utilizes the property that foreign matter isotropically scatters light has been used.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a principal part of a conventional surface-condition inspection apparatus.
In FIG. 1, light beam 1a emitted from laser 1 is incident upon beam expander 3 via pinhole plate 2. Expander 3 transforms the incident light beam 1a into a parallel light beam while increasing the beam's diameter, and the resultant light beam is incident upon polygonal mirror 4. After being reflected by polygonal mirror 4, light beam 1a is condensed onto reticle 6 by scanning lens 5. By rotating polygonal mirror 4, light beam 1a scans the surface of reticle 6 in a direction orthogonal to the plane of FIG. 1. Reticle 6 moves in the direction of two-headed arrow S.sub.1 in synchronization with the scanning by the polygonal mirror 4. The entire surface of reticle 6 is thereby subjected to optical scanning.
If light beam 1a hits foreign matter, such as a pattern defect, a dust particle or the like, on the surface of reticle 6, scattered light is generated from the foreign matter. Light-receiving lens 7 of detection system BD condenses back-scattered light from the foreign matter.
The object field of light-receiving lens 7 includes the beam scanning line on reticle 6. The amount of light received by light-receiving lens 7 is limited by aperture stop 8 which defines the entrance pupil of the lens 7. Scattered light passing through aperture stop 8 is condensed onto the surface of field stop 10, and imaging lens 9 images reticle 6 on the surface of field stop 10. Field stop 10 has a slit-like opening, and has a function of blocking flare light and the like other than scattered light from the foreign matter, passing only scattered light from the beam scanning line, and guiding the light to light-receiving unit 12 via condenser lens 11. The scattered light from the foreign matter is detected by light receiving unit 12.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the directional property of circuit patterns on the surface of a reticle in an actual production process. Typical conventional circuit patterns mainly comprise pattern A, pattern B and pattern C whose directions with respect to the x axis are 90 degrees, 0 degree and 45 degrees, respectively. The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 receives a greater amount of diffracted light from pattern A than from the other patterns.
FIG. 3 shows a portion of the optical path of the apparatus of FIG. 1 when pattern A is formed on the surface of the reticle 6. In FIG. 3, to ease understanding of the paraxial relationship between the light-projecting system and the light-receiving system, the light-projecting system and the light-receiving system are illustrated on a straight line.
FIG. 4 illustrates a state in which pattern-diffracted light S.sub.PO, though weak, appears on the surface of aperture stop 8 of detection system BD as a one-dimensional point sequence. The diameter .phi..sub.s of one spot of the pattern-diffracted light in the direction of the incident cross section (incident plane) depends on the line width and the pitch of a repeated pattern within the diameter of the inspection beam 19 when the beam 19 stands still, the wavelength of the inspection beam 19, and the focal length fd of light-receiving lens 7. On the other hand, the diameter .phi..sub.m of the one spot of the pattern-diffracted light in the scanning direction of the inspection beam 19 is determined by the product of the opening angle of the incident beam (i.e., the numerical aperture NAj of the light projecting system) and the focal length fd of light receiving lens 7.
Accordingly, when pattern A is present at central portion P.sub.O of the scanning line on the reticle 6, the pattern-diffracted light S.sub.PO can be blocked by providing light-blocking plate 13 as shown in FIG. 5 in front of aperture stop 8.
However, the following problems arise when the aperture of aperture stop 8 is partly limited by light-blocking plate 13.
That is, when inspection is performed in a state in which the reticle 6 has rotated by an error amount within the horizontal plane because of a mechanical positioning error, pattern-diffracted light S.sub.PO laterally deviates on the surface of aperture stop 8 by an amount determined by the product of the error and the focal length fd. As a result, the pattern-diffracted light passes through light-blocking plate 13, and is erroneously detected by light-receiving unit 12.
When a circuit pattern is disposed at a portion around the beam scanning line (portion P.sub.L in FIG. 3), pattern-diffracted light S.sub.PL on aperture stop 8 laterally deviates from the central portion. In general, this occurs when accuracy in the alignment of the pupils of the light projecting system and the light-receiving system is insufficient. In primary approximation, such lateral deviation does not occur if the reflecting point P.sub.R of polygonal mirror 4 and the central point P.sub.f of aperture stop 8 are in a conjugate relationship, and pattern-diffracted light S.sub.PL coincides with pattern-diffracted light S.sub.PO on the stop. This corresponds to a case in which the pupils are in alignment.
Actually, however, an adjustment for maintaining such a relationship requires accuracy, and a residual component usually remains. For example, as is apparent from FIG. 3, if point P.sub.f ' is conjugate to point P.sub.R, pattern-diffracted light S.sub.PL laterally deviates on the surface of aperture stop 8, and passes through light-blocking plate 13.
Even though point P.sub.f ' is present at an ideal paraxial position, the diffracted light in some cases passes through light-blocking plate 13 due to the aberration of light-receiving lens 7. Strictly speaking, the reflecting point itself of the polygonal mirror laterally deviates in accordance with the rotation of the mirror. This lateral deviation corresponds to deviation on light-blocking plate 3. This is one of the factors which causes difficulty in adjustment.
In accordance with an increase in the degree of integration of semiconductor chips, circuit patterns having directions other than 0 degree, 90 degrees and 45 degrees have been used. For example, a circuit pattern D shown in FIG. 2 slightly rotates by an angle .theta. with respect to circuit pattern A. As shown in FIG. 17, diffracted light S.sub.PO generated by such a circuit pattern appears accompanied by lateral deviation and rotation on aperture stop 8.
If the size of light-blocking plate 13 is increased in order to overcome the above-described problems, the amount of blocking of scattered light from foreign matter also increases, causing a decrease in the S/N ratio.

Surface-condition inspection method and apparatus including a plurality of detecting elements located substantially at a pupil plane of a detection optical system


A method of discharging articles from a container into a defined vertical aperture in a wall or processing machine by rapidly tilting a lifting platform during a first lifting segment. This rapid tilting positions a discharge chute interior of the vertical aperture and then maintains the insertion of the discharge chute, during at least one subsequent lifting segment, as and when the lifting platform is brought to a fully lifted and tilted condition. A similar method using the first segment provides for the subsequent charging of a suitable container with articles emerging from a vertical aperture.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
With respect to the classification of art as established in and by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, this invention is believed to be found in the general class entitled as "Material or Article Handling" and particularly in the subclasses pertaining to the method of rotating and aligning the mouth of a container with a vertical aperture.
The present invention is particularly directed to use in the process of applying a coating to molded or compressed articles such as caplets, tablets, pills, candy, chewing gum, and the like. It is also anticipated that other industries, such as those in the reclaiming, cleaning, or deburring of articles, may also utilize the method disclosed in the present invention.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
The lifting and rotating of containers is the subject of several prior patents. Several patents representative thereof are:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,492,675 as issued to Clark et al on May 6, 1924; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 1,912,816 as issued to Anthony on June 6, 1933; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,131,771 as issued to Turnbull on Oct. 4, 1938; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,411,228 as issued to Poulsen on Nov. 19, 1946; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,647,651 as issued to Vincent on Aug. 4, 1953; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,657,815 as issued to Collins on Nov. 3, 1953; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,693,891 as issued to English on Nov. 9, 1954; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,797,835 as issued to Avery et al on July 2, 1957; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,888,157 as issued to Riley on May 26, 1959; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,298,552 as issued to Kuhner et al on Jan. 17, 1967; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,003 as issued to Le Duff on Feb. 25, 1975; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,663 as issued to Wentzel on Mar. 9, 1976, PA0 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,050 as issued to Habicht on Jan. 10, 1989.
The Turnbull patent discloses a device for discharging articles, carried by a bucket, into a vertical opening. Turnbull teaches an arrangement of spaced guiding tracks and cables to lift and rotate the bucket. The balance of the referenced patents disclose devices which begin and complete the rotational movement between the mid-point and the upper extent of the lifting movement. U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,050 has been issued to the present inventor and is incorporated by reference into this specification.
In the previously referenced patents and as far as it is known, a method for lifting, tilting, and aligning a container with a vertical opening as herein described and shown, is not shown or suggested. This novel method of the present invention provides for discharging of articles from the container into an associated processing machine or mill by way of a vertical aperture or charging of a container from an associated processing machine by way of a vertical opening.
As far as it is known the transfer of articles to and/or from coating machines is a manual operation. This manual operation utilizes scoops, small pails and the like for the transfer.
It has been therefore determined that there is a need to provide a novel and efficient method for charging and discharging containers. This method should require a minimum amount of manual labor and handle the articles in a gentle manner to minimize breakage.

Method for aligning, lifting and tilting a container relative to a vertical aperture


Knowledge-based interpretable predictive modeling is provided. Expert knowledge is used to seed training of a model by a machine. The expert knowledge may be incorporated as diagram information, which relates known causal relationships between predictive variables. A predictive model is trained. In one embodiment, the model operates even with a missing value for one or more variables by using the relationship between variables. For application, the model outputs a prediction, such as the likelihood of survival for two years of a lung cancer patient. A graphical representation of the model is also output. The graphical representation shows the variables and relationships between variables used to determine the prediction. The graphical representation is interpretable by a physician or other to assist in understanding.

The present embodiments relate to predictive modeling for disease. For example, survival from lung cancer is predicted.
Survival or survivability from lung cancer, such as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), is relatively low as compared to some other cancers. One common treatment is surgery to resect tumors. Accordingly, various prognosis techniques are directed to patients to be treated with surgery. However, these techniques may not apply to lung cancer patients treated with radiation and/or chemotherapy. An accurate personalized prediction of survival may stratify cancer patients into different risk groups and help in formulating more personalized treatment strategies.
Patients with stage I-IIIB lung cancer may be treated with curative intent without surgery. Currently, prediction of survival outcome for NSCLC patients treated with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy is mainly based on clinical factors using TNM staging. However, clinical TNM staging may be inaccurate for survival prediction of non-surgical patients, and alternatives are currently lacking.
To improve risk stratification for non-surgical patients, a number of variables associated with survival have been identified. At present, the generally accepted prognostic factors for survival of inoperable patients are performance status, weight loss, presence of comorbidity, use of chemotherapy in addition to radiotherapy, and tumor size. Retrospective studies suggest that a higher radiation dose leads to improved local control and better survival rates. For other factors, such as sex and age, the literature shows inconsistent results, making it impossible to draw definitive conclusions.
Statistical and data-mining based models for predicting survival may have a promising predictive accuracy given that all the variables needed by the model are known. In reality, predictor variables are usually incomplete due to the data collection process, lack of accurate assessment and knowledge of tumor and patient related factors, or cost limitations related to equipment.

Knowledge-based interpretable predictive model for survival analysis


The present invention is directed to a method, and associated apparatus, for modifying a radio frequency (RF) response. An exemplary method includes establishing an RF response in a signal path of a device; and controlling an actuator to structurally alter the signal path and dynamically change an impedance of the signal path to alter the RF response.

1. Field
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for modifying a radio frequency response.
2. Background Information
Millimeter wave seekers and advanced radio frequency (RF) concepts have used broadband and agile waveforms in space constrained packages. Dynamically tunable devices have been used to support these waveforms. Broadband and frequency agile systems have used switched banks of RF devices to support the radar waveforms.

Method and apparatus for modifying a radio frequency response


A venetian blind and a tilting mechanism for fitting in a venetian blind headrail for tilting the slats of a venetian blind, in which a rotary drive shaft having a worm drivingly engages a rotary wormwheel, these parts being enclosed in a housing which is formed as a one-piece stamping of two identical mirror image parts which are hinged with a solid hinge to one another, and are provided with bearing parts on each portion which together form a rotary bearing for the drive shaft and worm and rotary bearing for the wormwheel, the mounting bracket serving to hold the two housing portions together in the closed position of the hinge and retain the mechanism as a single assembly.

The present invention relates to a tilting mechanism for fitting in a venetian blind headrail for tilting the slats of the venetian blind.
Such tilting mechanisms have been known for many years and usually comprise a drive shaft provided with a worm which is engageable with a wormwheel, which usually has a central non-circular cross-section aperture therein for the passage of the tilting rod, which connects the tilting mechanism to two or more ladder means tilting rolls positioned within the venetian blind headrail. With some of these tilting mechanisms the worm is operated by means of a long shaft or "wand". The headrail itself usually consists of a channel section member having a lower web and front and rear flanges, each provided at their top edges with inturned rims.
The known tilting mechanisms are relatively complex in their structure and their assembly is difficult. Additionally, the method of fixing is difficult and time consuming as the mechanism has to be mounted securely to withstand operating forces.

Venetian blind and tilting mechanism therefor


A device and method for harvesting, generating, storing, and delivering energy to a load, particularly for remote or inaccessible applications. The device preferably comprises one or more energy sources, at least one supercapacitor, at least one rechargeable battery, and a controller. The charging of the energy storage devices and the delivery of power to the load is preferably dynamically varied to maximize efficiency. A low power consumption charge pump circuit is preferably employed to collect power from low power energy sources while also enabling the delivery of higher voltage power to the load. The charging voltage is preferably programmable, enabling one device to be used for a wide range of specific applications.

1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention is related to miniature systems for harvesting, generating, storing, and delivering energy, and implementation thereof.
2. Background Art
Note that the following discussion refers to a number of publications and references. Discussion of such publications herein is given for more complete background of the scientific principles and is not to be construed as an admission that such publications are prior art for patentability determination purposes.
Wireless sensors and networks of wireless sensors will be used to 1) monitor the structural health of buildings, bridges and aircraft, etc.; 2) monitor the environment, such as in domestic and commercial buildings, and military and homeland security installations; and 3) control industrial processes for increased autonomy, as well as for other tasks. These systems will find use in factory automation, process and environmental control, security, medicine, and condition-based maintenance, as well as in defense applications and intelligence gathering. Widespread use of wireless sensors will improve safety, increase security, lower heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) costs, and increase manufacturing efficiency.
Such wireless sensor systems will typically: 1) require numerous individual devices (known as nodes or motes) to provide comprehensive monitoring capability; 2) be located in inaccessible places and 3) require long intervals between scheduled maintenance. Periodic maintenance, such as replacing batteries, would clearly increase operating costs (often to prohibitive levels), and could be inconvenient, at best, if it required interruption of a continuous process. For some remote, hostile, or inaccessible locations, any maintenance may be impossible to perform. In the immediate future, energy management and improved battery technologies may mitigate some of these issues, but in the long term there is clearly a need to develop an energy source that can last years with little or no maintenance.
Miniaturized turbines and micro-fuel cells have been proposed as means of meeting long term energy delivery needs for wireless devices. While these systems exploit the high energy density of hydrocarbon fuels, for example, these systems are inherently limited by the need for a means of storing and delivering a consistent fuel supply, as well as advanced thermal management to safely remove waste heat. These challenges can be overcome; however, the plumbing and additional system engineering (also known as the balance of plant) adds considerably to the overall size and complexity of such systems.
There are additional challenges with micro-fuel cells. Most types use hydrogen fuel, as protons diffuse through an electrolyte more easily than other ions. Storing molecular hydrogen presents significant scientific and engineering challenges, and so most systems use other fuels such as hydrocarbons, methanol or formic acid, or natural gas that must be reformed with steam at high temperature (600° C.) to yield hydrogen and CO. These reformers again add engineering complexity and require extensive insulation for both safety and efficient operation. Furthermore, reported data for micro-fuel cells indicate maximum peak power densities on the order of 50 mW/cm2 but with a duration of less than 100 ms. These challenges ensure that combustion and micro-fuel cell power systems will be unable to meet the volumetric energy and power densities needed for severely volume-constrained applications.
Energy harvesters that garner ambient environmental energy (such as light, vibrations, etc.) and convert it to electrical energy are attractive solutions for wireless sensors as they do not need to be replaced, recharged or refueled. Of course, they do not function in the absence of ambient energy (analogous to solar cells at night), and so an energy harvesting power supply must be designed to include some kind of energy storage that can provide back-up power in such situations.
Storage of the energy generated may be accomplished using conventional capacitors, which have very limited energy storage capability (E=½ CV2, where the capacitance, C, is typically on the order of a few hundred microfarads, and V=3-5V). This approach leaves the system vulnerable to interruptions in the ambient energy source. Although batteries and or supercapacitors have been proposed as alternative storage devices, no design has effectively accommodated the low power available from small energy harvester devices. Conventional battery chargers, for example, will not operate at the low power levels delivered by energy harvesters, and, besides, even in they could, they would waste too much of the input energy. Further, no existing system discloses the use of optimum energy storage elements for different functions (e.g. back-up power, pulse power, etc.).
Finally, a major challenge that faces wireless sensor nodes is the asymmetry of the power demands of sensing, processing, communication and sleep functions—on the order of four orders of magnitude. Because communication functions draw relatively high power levels (typically from tens to a few hundred milliWatts), wireless sensor nodes are designed to communicate infrequently (for example, once a minute to once an hour), reverting to a low-power sleep state to extend battery life. In order to meet high power communications loads, the usual approach is to design a power source large enough to handle the highest power load. Unfortunately, energy harvesting devices and batteries typically have low power densities, and so power sources are typically oversized for most of the operating needs of the system.
There is, therefore, a need for a simple and compact system which combines energy generation via harvesting of ambient energy sources with energy storage to provide back-up power, and deliver high power pulses as needed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System for energy harvesting and/or generation, storage, and delivery


An electrical connection system is provided with two electrical connectors and a mounting track. The mounting track is adapted to be connected to a frame. The connectors are slidingly mounted onto the mounting track and into electrical connection with each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to a system for connecting electrical connectors to each other on a mounting track.
2. Prior Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,576,520 and 4,090,764 disclose mounting of electrical connectors to mounting tracks or channels. U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,858 discloses a support section bar for supporting a terminal block. The following U.S. Patents disclose various different systems for connecting electrical connectors to each other: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,993,967; 5,015,199; 4,370,013; 4,787,860; and 4,946,404.

Electrical connection system with mounting track


A radio back-end integrated circuit that includes a blanking switch having a signal input which receives an IF signal, a control input, and a signal output. Also included is a demodulator having an input coupled to the output of the blanking switch, and an output. The radio back-end also has a sample and hold switch having a signal input coupled to the output of the demodulator, a control input, and an output. Combined with the switch is a noise impulse detector having an input coupled to the IF signal and an output coupled to the control inputs of the blanking switch and the sample and hold switch. A sample and hold/de-emphasis circuit has an input coupled to the output of the sample and hold switch, and an output. The sample and hold/de-emphasis circuit has a high input impedance amplifier, a resistor, and only one capacitor.

The present invention relates generally to radio systems and more particularly to an improved back end for radio signal control.
Radio systems are known in the art of communications between communication devices. One type of radio receives analog radio signals through an antenna where the analog signals are coupled to a front end of the radio. The front end communicates with back-end circuitry to assist the back-end to convert the received analog signal into audio or data information. The back-end is controlled in part by a micro-processor, micro-controller, or other type of processing circuitry.
As an analog radio signal passes through a communications channel, various signal impairments are introduced into the analog signal and interfere with desired radio outputs. This is true whether the analog radio signal is an amplitude modulated (AM) or frequency modulated (FM) signal. Those skilled in the art recognize the existence of signal impairments and past efforts to remove the impairments have not been completely satisfactory.
Regarding removal of the impairments, the prior art fails to disclose, teach, or otherwise suggest a radio back-end integrated circuit that includes a blanking switch, a demodulator, a sample and hold switch, a noise impulse detector, and a sample and hold/de-emphasis circuit, wherein the sample and hold/de-emphasis circuit includes a high input impedance amplifier, a resistor, and only one capacitor to assist in minimizing the impairments.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional systems will become apparent to one of skill in the art through comparison of such systems with the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.


A novel method of forming high strength, fiber reinforced, high temperature thermoplastic panels is provided which entails placing at least one layer of metal mesh or screen adjacent the vacuum probes in a vacuum bagging apparatus. Additionally, caul plates are placed as needed around the thermoplastic workpiece and metal mesh is positioned on the plates to promote uniform vacuum drawing on the entire panel and complete consolidation.

A well known method of forming thermoplastic polymers involves placing a sheet of resin over a male tool, placing a vacuum impervious layer or bag over the sheet and tool, sealing the edges of the bag, heating the thermoplastic to a temperature above its glass transition temperature, drawing a vacuum through the tool or vacuum ports to pull the sheet onto the tool, and cooling the assembly to fix the shape of the formed thermoplastic sheet.
In order to fully form a sheet by this method, it is necessary that a vacuum can be pulled continuously through the bag on both the tool and bag sides of the sheet to be formed. In the past, this has been accomplished by pulling a vacuum through small orifices in the tool and/or interposing one or more layers of fiberglass between the bag or tool and the sheet to be molded. An example of such a method is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,422 which describes the manufacture of honeycomb panels by gluing polyimide face sheets onto honeycomb core. A breather layer of glass or metal mesh, coated with a non-stick release agent, is provided above and below the laminate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,815 shows interleafing a metal mesh strip between layers of polyacrylic and polycarbonate sheet to make clear laminated windows for aircraft. The sheet becomes embedded in the laminated panels and is cut off as scrap.
This invention relates particularly to bonding fiber-reinforced, high temperature thermoplastic preforms by a vacuum bagging method to achieve structural panels without the use of adhesives. We found that prior art methods of vacuum bagging high temperature thermoplastics were unsuccessful because the breather layer would deteriorate at the temperatures needed to fuse preforms and layups of reinforced thermoplastic. In particular, coatings on the breathers would themselves fuse and prevent uniform vacuum over the entire panel during the forming process and cool down.

Edge and surface breather for high temperature composite processing