Methods, systems, and apparatuses are disclosed for conducting reconnaissance marine seismic surveys. In one example method of acquiring a marine seismic survey, a plurality of streamers are towed behind an acquisition vessel, the plurality of streamers defining a swath. An independent source is towed by an independent source vessel above one or more of the plurality of towed streamers.

The present invention relates to seismic acquisition in general and, in particular, to methods and systems for conducting reconnaissance marine seismic surveys.
Petrochemical products such as oil and gas are ubiquitous in society and can be found in everything from gasoline to children's toys. Because of this, the demand for oil and gas remains high. In order to meet this high demand, it is important to locate oil and gas reserves in the Earth. Scientists and engineers conduct "surveys" utilizing, among other things, seismic and other wave exploration techniques to find oil and gas reservoirs within the Earth. These seismic exploration techniques often include controlling the emission of seismic energy into the Earth with a seismic source of energy (e.g., dynamite, air guns, vibrators, etc.), and monitoring the Earth's response to the seismic source with one or more receivers in order to create an image of the subsurface of the Earth.
Conventional marine seismic surveys generally involve towing one or more streamer cables with a plurality of receivers behind an acquisition vessel. Each receiver includes, for example, a pressure sensor and/or a particle motion sensor in proximity to one another. The pressure sensor may be, for example, a hydrophone that records scalar pressure measurements of a seismic wavefield. The particle motion sensor may be, for example, a three-component geophone that records vectorial velocity measurements of the seismic wavefield. By observing the reflected seismic wavefield detected by the receiver(s) during the survey, the geophysical data pertaining to reflected signals may be acquired and these signals may be used to form an image indicating the composition of the Earth near the survey location.
It can be very expensive to acquire and process the data collected in towed-streamer marine seismic surveys. The acquisition can be expensive because of the large amount of equipment and coordination required to plan and carry out a towed-streamer survey. Conventional 3D towed-streamer acquisition geometries typically include 5-15 streamers towed, together with one or more sources, behind an acquisition vessel, with the streamers spaced at 50-100 meters and towed at a depth of about 10 meters. The vessels usually tow the streamers in a "racetrack" geometry, with swaths defined by the streamers overlapping by 50% or more in successive acquisition lines. In many cases, the reason for such large overlap is because of the relatively sparse coverage in the near offset range (i.e., for the receivers closest to the vessel and source) that needs to be infilled in subsequent acquisition lines.

Methods and systems for conducting reconnaissance marine seismic surveys


A semiconductor package includes a substrate, a grounding layer, a chip, a package body, and a shielding layer. The substrate includes a lateral surface and a bottom surface. The grounding layer is buried in the substrate and extends horizontally in the substrate. The chip is arranged on the substrate. The package body envelops the chip and includes a lateral surface. The shielding layer covers the lateral surface of the package body and the lateral surface of the substrate, and is electrically connected to the grounding layer, where a bottom surface of the shielding layer is separated from a bottom surface of the substrate.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor package and a method of fabricating the same, and more particularly to a semiconductor package including a grounding layer extending horizontally and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
To meet demands in terms of process speed and size reduction, semiconductor elements become very complex. As the process speed increases and improvements in efficiency of small sizes are realized, semiconductor elements also encounter problems in characteristics. Especially, operations at a high clock speed result in more frequent transitions between signal levels, and therefore result in high-intensity electromagnetic emission at high frequencies or short wavelengths. The electromagnetic emission may be radiated from a semiconductor element that is adjacent to another semiconductor element. If the adjacent semiconductor element has a high intensity of electromagnetic emission, the electromagnetic emission adversely affects the operation of the other semiconductor element. If semiconductor elements are distributed with higher density in an entire electronic system, electromagnetic interference between semiconductor elements becomes more severe.
Therefore, it is desirable to reduce electromagnetic interference in the technical field and industry.

Semiconductor package with grounding and shielding layers

ADVANCED SEMICONDUCTOR ENGINEERING, INC.


A combination dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and static random access memory (SRAM) (150) array, includes a plurality of DRAM sense amplifiers (82, 84), each coupled to at least one DRAM bitline (86), with a plurality of DRAM memory cells selectively coupled to each of the bitlines (86). The sense amplifiers (82, 84) are organized into groups, with each group of sense amplifiers (82, 84), selectively coupled to respective true and complement I/O lines (102, 104). For each pair of the true and complement I/O lines (102, 104), an SRAM latch (150) is coupled to the pair.

Conventional dynamic random access memories (DRAMs) allow for the fast access of data using a page mode access scheme. This means that with sense amplifiers already sensed, data are read from the selected amplifier simply by toggling the common address. Although in the past this has been sufficient, several problems have arisen with respect to this approach.
First, the amount of data available in one page is not enough. For a 64 MEG DRAM, only 8K bits of data are available if an 8K refresh cycle is used. For an 8 bit output DRAM, this represents only 1K words. Second, the page mode operation is interrupted by the need to do a data refresh of the DRAM. Thus, the operating system must allow for interruption of the page mode. For those systems in which one large high density DRAM is a substantial fraction of the total memory, this becomes a bigger problem. A need is therefore arisen for a DRAM which can appear as a fully static SRAM from the point of view of the I/O pins and column and row address pins.


A cargo support device in the form of a pallet or a container includes a platform having a cargo support surface, at least one base member for ground support projecting from the platform, the at least one base member having a curved recess formed therein for external access thereto, the curved recess being defined by walls extending into the base member and defining a positioning surface, a receiving surface and a lifting surface.

The present invention relates broadly to cargo pallets, collapsible containers, and fixed wall containers and, more particularly, to a molded cargo support device having curved recesses formed therein to accept lifting implements.
When transporting cargo, such as food and other supplies for shipboard, industrial or commercial use, it is common practice to stack the cargo on pallets or within standard containers that are made of wood or other suitable material. Unless specifically stated otherwise herein, with respect to the present invention, the terms pallet and container are generally interchangeable, as the present invention has application with both pallets and containers, both collapsible and fixed-wall. Therefore, for clarity, the term "pallet" will be employed herein and should be generally understood to encompass both pallets and pallet boxes, also known as containers, both collapsible and fixed-wall, and with distinctions being made when necessary.
When cargo loaded onto the pallet must be lifted, such as when loading it onto a ship, or vehicle bed, a crane will usually be used to lift the pallet. The interface between the pallet and a crane hook can include straps, chains, cables, round bars, tubes or combinations thereof for pallet engagement.
Such a wooden pallet is illustrated in FIG. 6, labeled prior art, which depicts a cross section of a wooden pallet 50 that includes top pallet planks 52, bottom pallet planks 54 and joiner boards 56. The way the joiner boards 56 are placed intermediate the top and bottom pallet planks 52, 54, creates a cavity 58 at the end of the pallet 50. Therefore, one or more of the various lifting devices described above may be fitted within the cavities and the pallet raised by the crane. When the wood pallets and associated corrugated boxes are empty, they are generally ground up and discarded at sea.
In order to eliminate this waste, it would be desirable to provide a pallet that is formed from polymer material which may be reused. Such reusable cargo support devices should be compatible with wooden pallets, thereby giving rise to several requirements for the reusable pallet. First, the reusable cargo support device should have the ability to be handled in the same manner that the wooden pallets are handled. They also need to work with the wooden pallets during handling.
One method of cargo handling involves the use of a "straddle truck." The straddle truck has a body supported well off the ground by elongate legs to define a cargo handling space under the body and between the legs. The straddle truck also includes two generally L-shaped arms that project down from the truck body into the cargo handling space. The arms are laterally movable for pallet gripping, and vertically movable for pallet lifting.
The straddle truck driver sits about ten feet off the ground and the entire truck generally has enough height from the ground up to the truck frame to clear a two-high stack of 39 inch tall containers or pallets, or to accommodate a 40″ container and 26″ container, stacked. Arms of the straddle truck are laterally displaceable from a disengaged position to a position wherein horizontally projecting members projecting from the arms engage the cavities 58 in the pallets. Accordingly, any substitute would necessarily have to provide some form of spacing for straddle truck engagement.
Once the straddle truck delivers the pallets to the dock, the pallets are hoisted onto the supply ship decks or on vehicle beds. They can be hoisted using slings, cables or steel bars and straps, accommodated by the cavity 58 in the wooden pallet 50.
The pallets are also used to get supplies from a supply ship to another ship during underway replenishment. When this occurs, the transfer at sea can be done using different methods. One method includes the ships moving side by side. There, a cable system is erected between the ships and the goods are transferred via high line using the cable system. Another way is to use helicopters to move the cargo from one ship to another. Once again, straps, slings or other lifting elements are provided to move the pallet between ships on the high line or via helicopter, with the lifting elements engaging the cavities in the pallets. All such devices, including the straddle truck engaging members, configured for engaging a cargo support device for lifting may be collectively referred to herein as "lifting support implements". The use of this term is for clarity and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a usable cargo support device that can be moved in the manner of a wooden pallet and can work freely with the same systems as a wooden pallet, with or without wooden pallets present.


An inner rotor shaft for use in a small twin spool gas turbine engine, the inner rotor shaft having a hollow middle section formed of a smaller diameter hollow section on a compressor end and a larger diameter hollow section on the turbine end of the shaft. Solid shaft end extend from the hollow section to form a forward solid shaft end to secure the fan rotor disk and an aft solid shaft end to secure the turbine rotor disk. A parabolic shaped transition section joins the forward shaft end to the smaller diameter hollow section, and a conical shaped transition section joins the aft shaft end to the larger diameter hollow section. A conical shaped transition piece joins the two hollow sections together to form an inner rotor shaft that can fit within a minimal space between the compressor rotor disk and the annular combustor assembly of the engine. The conical shaped transition section on the turbine end is so shaped in order to fit within a space formed inside the high pressure turbine rotor disk of the engine in order to minimize the axial spacing between the bearings that support the inner rotor shaft and raise the critical speed of the shaft to a safe level above the operating speed of the engine in order to make such a small twin spool gas turbine engine possible.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a small twin spool gas turbine engine, and more specifically to a hollow rotor shaft.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
A gas turbine engine is a very efficient power plant and is used to power an aircraft such as a commercial or military aircraft or an unmanned aero vehicle (UAV). The PW4000 series engine made by Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Group is a large commercial turbofan engine with a dual-shaft (twin spool) and high bypass front fan. This engine produces 60,000 pounds of thrust and weighs 9,200 pounds dry. It is a very efficient engine. A twin spool engine has about two times the efficiency of a single spool engine and therefore the twin spool engine is used when efficiency is an important factor.
Recent developments in small unmanned aircraft, such as a UAV, have led to the use of small gas turbine engines to power these small aircraft. The more efficient the engine is in the UAV, the longer will be the loiter time. Small single spool gas turbine engines have been around for years to power small radio controlled planes or even a UAV such as a cruise missile or a video surveillance aircraft. With the demand for longer loiter times, a more fuel efficient gas turbine engine is desirable.
It has been common in the art of gas turbine engine design to scale down larger engines to the size needed. A small UAV only requires a few hundred pounds of thrust to power the aircraft. One major problem in the design of small gas turbine engines is scaling the larger engine down to the smaller size. As the size of the engine decreases, the rotational speed of the rotor shaft must increase in order to retain the high overall efficiency for a gas turbine engine. As the rotor shaft speed increases, the rotor dynamics becomes a major problem. A large gas turbine engine such as the PW4000 series engine cannot be scaled down below a certain size before the rotor dynamics and natural frequency problems start to cause problems. The low speed rotor shaft in the PW4000 series engine can be scaled down only so far before the bending mode (third mode) of the rotor shaft coincides with the natural frequency of the shaft. This is referred to in rotor dynamics as the critical speed. At the critical speed, a rotary shaft would break apart from the high bending stresses developed at the critical speed. The bending displacement would be infinite without adequate damping of the bearings. Engineers attempt to design the rotor shaft to operate below the critical speed so that these rotor dynamic problems do not occur.
In a twin spool gas turbine engine, a low pressure fan or compressor and a low pressure turbine are rotatably attached to the inner or low speed rotor shaft. A high pressure compressor and high pressure turbine are rotatably attached to the outer or high speed rotor shaft. Each shaft is rotatably supported by bearings on the shaft ends. The natural frequency of a rotating shaft is directly proportional to a ratio of the stiffness to the mass of the shaft. Thus, the natural frequency of the rotating shaft can be increased by either increasing the stiffness of the shaft, decreasing the mass of the shaft, or both.
Also, in the rotating shaft supported by bearings on both ends, as the length of the rotating shaft between bearings increases, the natural frequency decreases. If the shaft is lengthened, the natural frequency will be lowered. Thus, to produce a small gas turbine engine useful for a UAV or other small aircraft with a thrust of less than around 300 pounds, and to provide for a twin spool gas turbine engine in order to significantly improve the fuel efficiency of the engine, a new design is required for the inner or low pressure rotor shaft to make such an engine operational. The inner or low speed rotor shaft in a twin spool gas turbine engine requires a new design since the prior art twin spool engines cannot be scaled down to this level without the rotor dynamics problems occurring that limit the size of the shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,222 issued to Dev on Oct. 3, 1995 and entitled SMALL GAS TURBINE ENGINE HAVING ENHANCED FUEL ECONOMY discloses a gas turbine engine having twin spools that has a smaller size and lesser weight than current turbine engines having the same power (at the time of the Dev invention) with a core engine having a diameter of about 0.35 meters (about 14 inches) that operates at about 54,000 rpm. As can be seen from the figures in the Dev patent, the inner or low speed rotor shaft is a straight solid shaft while the outer or high speed rotor shaft is solid but somewhat curved to conform to the radial compressor and turbine on the shaft. The twin spool engine of the Dev patent would be typical of the prior art twin spool gas turbine engines in that these engines cannot be scaled down any further because the rotor shafts would have to operate at higher speeds which would then produce the rotor dynamics problems discussed above. The limit of size for the Dev engine is reached.
It is an object of the present invention to provide for a rotor shaft that can operate at a higher rotational speed than the prior art rotor shafts without reaching the critical point for that shaft.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for a small twin spool gas turbine engine that can be scaled down to about 4 inches in diameter.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for a process for making a hollow rotor shaft that is capable of high speed rotation while not exceeding the critical speed for that shaft.

Low speed rotor shaft for a small twin spool gas turbine engine


A chemical reaction between molten aluminum and an oxygen carrier such as water to do useful work is disclosed, and in particular two chemical methods to obtain aluminum in its molten state. One is to detonate a HE/Al mixture with surplus Al in stoichiometry, and the other is to use an oxidizer/Al mixture with surplus Al in stoichiometry. Additionally, there is a physical method of shocking and heating Al using high temperature reaction products. The produced Al in its liquid form is forced to react with an oxygen carrying liquid (e.g. water), giving off heat and releasing hydrogen gas or other gaseous material. A water solution of some oxygen-rich chemicals (e.g. ammonium nitrate) can be advantageously used in place of water. A shaped charge is also disclosed having a liner that contains aluminum, propelled by a high explosive such as RDX or its mixture with aluminum powder. Some aluminum in its molten state is projected into the perforation and forced to react with water that also enters the perforation, creating another explosion, fracturing the crushed zone of the perforation and initializing cracks. Another shaped charge is shown having a liner of energetic material such as a mixture of aluminum powder and a metal oxide. Upon detonation, the collapsed liner carries kinetic and thermal energy. Also shown are methods to build and to detonate or fire explosive devices in an oxygen carrying liquid (e.g. water) to perforate and stimulate a hydrocarbon-bearing formation.

Aluminum ("Al"), the most abundant metallic element in the earth's crust, is a light weight, silver metal. Its atomic weight is 26.9815, and its specific gravity is 2.7. The element melts at 660° C. and boils at 2467° C. In today's explosives and ordnance industries, aluminum is used in its powder form in explosives and propellants due to the high heat value it generates when it reacts with oxygen. The heat released by oxidizing 1 gram of aluminum into aluminum oxide is 30.95 KJ, compared to the detonation heat of some most often used high explosives, for example, the tested detonation heat of RDX (Hexogen, Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine) is 6.32 KJ/gram, and that of HMX (Octogen, Cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine) is 6.19 KJ/gram. Aluminum-oxygen reactions are widely used in metallurgy, fireworks, metal welding and in various other industries. When aluminum powder is mixed with a main explosive such as RDX, TNT (Trinitrotoluene), HMX or ANFO (Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil, an explosive used in rock blasting), it reacts with the detonation products from the main explosives such as H2O and CO2, giving off extra heat to do useful work. The addition of aluminum powder in propellants increases the heat generated by combustion of a propellant and helps to stabilize the combustion process.
The present invention uses aluminum's reactivity in its molten form with some commonly seen oxygen-carrying chemicals like water or metal oxides. When Al is heated to above its melting point (660° C.), it reacts with water and gives off a large amount of energy. In such a reaction molten aluminum is fuel, and water functions as an oxidizer. Such a reaction proves to be a hazard in the aluminum casting industry. Known as steam explosion, it is a leading cause of fatalities and serious injuries among workers and of property damage in the metal-casting industry worldwide. It has been reported that from 1980 through 1995, the aluminum industry experienced several hundred explosions during casting operations. Three devastating explosions occurred in 1986 alone. Technologies have been developed to suppress such reactions from happening in the workplace and will not be discussed here. The present invention is concerned with the exploitation of such a reaction to do useful work in engineering. The intentional use of aluminum-water reaction for engineering purposes is rarely seen in today's industries. However, there are some patents that involve the use of such a reaction. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,280,409 and 4,372,213 to Rozner et al. disclose a molten metal-liquid explosive device and method. The patents teach the use of a pyrotechnic mixture such as a metal-oxidizer mixture that upon ignition heats a solid metal liner that in turn reacts with water to create an explosion event.
There are some patents concerning the use of the aluminum-water reaction to launch projectiles in the ordnance industry. U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,272 to Lee discloses the use of aluminum powder/water reaction to generate hydrogen gas and use it to propel projectiles. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,712,442 and 5,789,696 to Lee and Ford describe the use of an aluminum (or aluminum-lithium, aluminum-magnesium) wire placed in water and be energized by electrical energy, reacting with water to generate hydrogen gas and to launch a projectile.
Recently, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the United States found that the aluminum-water mixture can be used as a propellant to replace commonly used gunpowder. According to Dr. Taleyarkhan, the ORNL program manager, when aluminum mixes with water at high temperatures, the aluminum combines with the oxygen atoms in the water, releasing hydrogen and a great deal of energy, potentially four times greater than TNT. The aluminum-water mixture has been used as a new propellant for a specially made gun by the ORNL. The speed of the bullet launched by this gun is adjustable by controlling the strength of the reaction that launches the bullet, turning from deadly force into minor injury and saving lives. The new weapon fueled by aluminum-water mixture is said to be very suitable for law enforcement and defense, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,056 to Taleyarkhan.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,859,383 to Davison et al. discloses a method to construct an explosive device such as a shaped charge for oil well casing perforation. The device uses energetic, electrically activated reactive blends such as an aluminum-water blend in place of high explosives, and the said reactive blends are activated by inputting electric energy through electric leads. According to the inventors of that patent, the electrically activated reactive composites such as an aluminum-water blend are potentially safe, energetic, environmentally benign alternatives to conventional explosives. Practical devices will contain filaments, foils, or sintered particles with dimensions of approximately 10 microns. They will be activated by electrical pulses produced by capacitors or by generators driven rapidly rotating devices.
In the oil and gas industry, an explosive device called a shaped charge or oil well perforator is used to establish a communication channel between the oil well and a hydrocarbon bearing formation. Typically, the device comprises three parts, namely a machined steel case, a generally cone-shaped liner and a certain amount of explosives sandwiched between the case and the liner. The liner turns into a high velocity metal jet upon detonation of the explosives, penetrating through the steel casing of the oil well, the concrete lining and into the formation. The perforation created in such a manner bears a layer of material hardened by the perforating process. Often called a "crushed zone", this layer hinders the flow of hydrocarbons into the oil well. Its permeability is much lower than that of the formation in its virgin state. To improve the oil flow, the crushed zone needs to be broken down using different stimulation techniques, including acidizing, hydraulic fracturing and fracturing using explosives or propellants.
Well stimulation using explosives has a long history. According to Watson, S. C. et al., as early as 1864, E. L. Roberts applied for a patent for increasing oil well productiveness with gun-powder explosions (U.S. Pat. No. 47,485, 1865, details unavailable). The patent also includes the use of NG (nitro-glycerine) because its velocity of detonation was 5˜10 times faster, and its shattering effect was much greater, allowing the creation of more fissures through which the oil flowed into the well. Another purpose of explosives stimulation is to remove the paraffin that would clog the perforations after the well is put into production for some time. The heat generated by the detonation of explosives (or the combustion of propellants) melts the paraffin, removes it and cleans the perforations, increasing production.
A major problem with explosives stimulation is the shattering effects on the well. Due to the high detonation velocity and high percentage of shock wave energy associated with high explosives, a great area is crushed and sloughs into the well. Therefore, it generally needs lengthy cleanout time after the shot to resume production. According to Stoller, H. M., explosive fracturing creates a highly fractured region around the well bore; the gas pressure extends a few of these fractures further into the reservoir. The extremely high pressure results in permanent rock compaction and a very low permeability barrier at the well bore. Due to the shattering effects of an explosive event, explosive fracturing is suitable for uncased wells only. In practical applications, it has been realized that the highly dynamic process of explosive stimulation has an overly rapid pressure rise time, and too much shock energy is transmitted into the formation, creating a large quantity of small cracks.
The other method commonly used in well stimulation is hydraulic fracturing. Compared to the highly dynamic explosive fracturing, the loading process of hydraulic fracturing is much slower and can be regarded as a quasi-static process. It needs lengthy setup time and the operating cost is high. Nevertheless, it generally creates only a single crack into the formation from a perforation. Based on a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages between explosive stimulation and hydraulic fracturing, it is apparent that a process that can be used to create a network of multiple fractures with an operating cost similar to that of explosive stimulation would be most desirable and such a process would be associated with the use of propellants. It is assumed that such a network of multiple fractures is more likely to intersect with far-field natural fractures than the fractures created by explosive or hydraulic fracturing processes.
The original well stimulation technology that uses propellant gas generators to create and extend multiple fractures has been studied and applied in engineering with substantial success. The technology has many names in practical applications, such as tailored pulsed loading, controlled pulse pressurization, high energy gas fracturing, controlled pulse fracturing and dynamic gas pulse loading. When used in oil well stimulation, the basic requirements for the process and the propellant include:    1) The pressure generated by the combustion of propellant should be so that it exceeds the tensile strength but be lower than the compressive strength of the formation to be fractured. Also the pressure must be lower than the safety pressure of tubular goods, packers and valves;    2) The pressure rise time should allow it to create multiple fractures and to stay in zone but not at a rate in excess of the acceptable loading rate of the well equipment.    3) The generated gas has a volume big enough to extend the fracture to an effective length.
Propellant used in place of high explosives has been found to be the most suitable to create such a network of multiple fractures in the formation. There are numerous patents concerning the use of propellants in stimulating subterranean hydrocarbon bearing formations as well as the efforts to perforate and stimulate a formation in a single operation (to complete perforating and stimulating of a hydrocarbon bearing formation concurrently). Cited below are just some examples.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,426 to Snider et al. describes a method to use perforating charges and propellant stimulation simultaneously. Shaped charges are loaded in a perforating gun and a shell, sheath or sleeve of solid propellant material is used to cover the exterior of the gun. Upon detonation of the charges, the high velocity jets penetrate through the gun, the casing and into the formation. At the same time, the jets, high pressure and high temperature ignite the propellant. The high-pressure gas generated by the combustion of the propellant is forced to enter into the perforations created by the jets, creating multiple fractures from each perforation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,523 to Isben discloses the use of shaped charges in a perforating gun which is filled with secondary explosives with lower detonation velocity. According to the inventor, upon detonation of the shaped charge in the gun, it penetrates into the formation, creating a perforation. The shock wave of that secondary explosive will follow the perforation and will continue through the constant diameter perforated cavity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,337 to Ford et al. describes an integrated jet perforation and controlled propellant fracture device and method for enhancing production in oil and gas wells. The device is loaded with perforating charges and fuel packs. Upon detonation of the perforating charges, the fuel packs are ignited. Then the high-velocity penetrating jet is instantaneously followed by a high-pressure gas propellant such that geological fracturing initiated by the action of the penetrating jet is enhanced and propagated by the gas propellant.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,935 to Mohaupt provides a gas generating charge that is placed in the oil well bore and activated to generate a controlled surge of gas pressure-volume of a known magnitude-time profile and directed perpendicular to the side of the well bore to flush clogged material away from the well bore and open up clogged passages for the greater flow of the oil into the well bore without damaging the well.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,171 to Winch et al. describes a device comprising a pipe having a plurality of weakened portions and containing a propellant material. When the propellant is ignited it produces rapidly expanding gaseous combustion products that puncture the weakened portions of the pipe. The expanding gas fractures the surrounding formation, thereby stimulating the formation to production.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,802 to Petitjean describes a method to perforate and fracture a formation in a single operation. The method includes the use of propellant canisters and shaped charges in a perforating tool, and the proper procedures of igniting the propellant and detonating the shaped charges.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,344 to Couet et al. discloses the use of propellant or compressed gas along with a liquid column. Upon ignition of the propellant or the activation of the compressed gas, the high-pressure gas released drives the liquid into the formation to propagate the fracture.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,031 to Mohaupt describes the use of a chemical gas generating charge activated to provide a controlled surge of gas pressure-volume of a known magnitude-time characteristic and directed to flush away clogged material in the well-bore and open-up clogged passages for the greater flow of oil into well bore without damaging the well.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,951 to P. Pathak et al. discloses a method to enhance the effective permeability of subterranean hydrocarbon bearing formations by proceeding the surfactant fluid injection step with creation of multiple formation fractures using tailored pressure pulses generated by propellant canisters disposed in the injection well. Fluid injectivity rates are increased by subsequent fracture extensions provided by repeated steps of generating high-pressure gas pulses at selected intervals.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,679 describes the use of a liquid explosive that has a small critical diameter, is safe to handle to fracture well formation for enhancing well productivity.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,391 to Cammarata et al. seems to show an example of the use of aluminum as shaped charge liner material in the purpose to project some liner material into the target upon collapse of the liner. Disclosed by Cammarata et al. is a multiple shaped charge bomlet having a plurality of shaped charges. Each charge has a bimetallic liner (the air side being the high density metal such as copper and the explosive side being the pyrophoric metal such as aluminum, magnesium, zirconium). The charges have the capability of penetrating hard structures and propelling incendiary particles through the perforations made in the target by the shaped charge jet. Since the referenced patent is used in an environment without the presence of water, the exothermic reaction of the incendiary particles should be between the said pyrophoric metal such as aluminum with oxygen in air, and obviously not with an oxygen carrying liquid like water.
Due to the relatively high cost associated with the use of a propellant in oil well stimulation, there have also been efforts to find a substitute for it. U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,615 to McLaughlin et al. discloses the use of aluminum alkyls to react with water within a confined space. The gas-generating chemical reaction can build up substantial pressure, and the pressure can be used to fracture rocks around a borehole, and hence stimulate water, oil or gas wells in tight rock formations. According to the inventors, the pressure can also be used to fracture coal seams for enhanced in-situ gasification or methane recovery. The aluminum alkyls are organo-metallic compounds of the general formula AlR3, where R stands for a hydrocarbon radical. These compounds react violently with water to release heat and the hydrocarbon gas. Some aluminum alkyls are available commercially at low cost. However, the tendency of the aluminum alkyls to ignite spontaneously in air would make it very difficult to handle in practical applications, and the pressure increase in the order of 3000 psi (210 bars) seems to be too low to fracture most of the rock formations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,832 to Jennings et al. teaches a method for increasing the permeability of a formation where high impulse fracturing device is used in combination with an inhibited acid. The inhibited acid is directed into a well bore contained in the formation. A two-stage high impulse device is then submerged within the acid. After the high impulse-fracturing device is ignited, activating the retarded acid by the heat generated; then the fractures in the formation are induced and simultaneously forcing said activated acid into the fractures.

Use of aluminum in perforating and stimulating a subterranean formation and other engineering applications


A ventilator apparatus is disclosed for supplying air from a source of pressurized air between a dryer and a web supported by a felt extending around a roll of a single tier drying section. The apparatus includes a housing which is connected to the source of pressurized air. The housing defines a nozzle for directing a flow therethrough of a current of air. The flow is directed from the nozzle towards a diverging nip defined between the dryer and the web supported by the felt when the felt diverges away from the dryer prior to the felt extending around the roll. The arrangement is such that the flow of air compensates for an underpressure generated by the felt when diverging away from the dryer so that fluttering of the web is inhibited.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ventilator apparatus for supplying air from a source of pressurized air between a dryer and a web supported by a felt extending around a roll.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a ventilator apparatus for supplying air from a source of pressurized air between the dryer and a web supported by a felt extending around a roll of a single tier drying section of a paper machine.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
In the operation of a Bel-Champ type single tier drying section, the web supported by a dryer felt extends around a heated drying cylinder. Subsequently, the dryer felt diverges relative to the surface of the drying cylinder and thereafter extends around a roll such as a vacuum roll. Bel-Champ is a common law trademark of Beloit Corporation.
The web follows the felt when the felt diverges relative to the drying cylinder. However, there is a tendency for a slight underpressure to be generated at the diverging nip defined between the surface of the dryer and the diverging dryer felt. Such slight underpressure tends to cause a flow of ambient air toward such diverging nip and such flow of ambient air is detrimental to the movement of the web contiguously with the felt.
Additionally, such flow of ambient air flows in from the edges of the felt and has a tendency to generate edge flutter of the web.
Also, there exists a tendency of the web to follow the heated surface of the dryer cylinder rather than the surface of the diverging felt.
The present invention overcomes the aforementioned problems associated with the prior art arrangements by the provision of a ventilator apparatus, disposed in the vicinity of the aforementioned diverging nip. The ventilator apparatus which is connected to a supply of pressurized air generates a current of air which is directed into the diverging nip. The current of air compensates for any underpressure generated by the felt when diverging away from the dryer so that fluttering of the web is inhibited.
Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a ventilator apparatus which overcome the problems associated with the prior art drying section arrangements and which makes a considerable contribution to the art of drying paper.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art by a careful consideration of the detailed description contained hereinafter taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings.

Ventilator apparatus for inhibiting flutter in a web dryer


The present invention provides an MRI apparatus with selective saturation without affection to the integral value of gradient magnetic field in 1TR. The MRI apparatus comprises a signal acquisition device for applying static field, gradient magnetic field pulses and RF pulses to an object to acquire magnetic resonance signals therefrom, an image reconstruction device for reconstructing an image based on the magnetic resonance signals acquired, and a controller device for controlling both device. The controller device directs the signal acquisition device to apply gradient magnetic field pulses and RF pulses for selective saturation for a number of times prior to applying gradient magnetic field pulses and RF pulses for signal acquisition.

The present invention relates to an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) apparatus, more specifically to an MRI apparatus which acquires magnetic resonance signals in combination with the spatial selective saturation.
In the MRI apparatus, magnetic resonance signals are acquired in combination with the spatial selective saturation when performing blood vessel imaging. More specifically, spatial selective saturation is performed at the upstream of the blood flow outside of the imaging area, prior to the signal collection for the imaging area (patent reference 1, for example).
[Patent reference 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 10(1998)-33498 (pp. 4-5, FIGS. 1-3)
For the spatial selective saturation, RF pulses for spin excitation and the gradient magnetic field pulses for spatial selection and killer are respectively used. When combining with the pulse sequence for the magnetic resonance signal collection, it is impossible for the integral value of the gradient magnetic field within 1TR (repetition time) to be 0.
For this reason, the pulse sequence as in the steady state free precession (SSFP), in which the gradient magnetic field integral value must be 0 within 1TR, may not perform the spatial selective saturation for 1TR.

MRI apparatus and method for performing spatial selective saturation

GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC


A first-conductivity-type thin film transistor and a second-conductivity-type thin film transistor are formed using a plurality of single crystal grains, the plurality of single crystal grains being formed substantially centered on each of a plurality of starting-point portions disposed on an insulating surface of a substrate, the plurality of single crystal grains being composed of at least a first single crystal grain and a second single crystal grain adjacent to each other, with a crystal grain boundary therebetween, the first-conductivity-type thin film transistor includes at least a first-conductivity-type drain region formed adjacent to the crystal grain boundary in the first single crystal grain, the second-conductivity-type thin film transistor includes at least a second-conductivity-type drain region formed adjacent to the crystal grain boundary in the second single crystal grain, and a common electrode is provided on the crystal grain boundary to lead out outputs from the first-conductivity-type drain region and the second-conductivity-type drain region.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a complementary thin film transistor circuit (hereinafter, referred to as a CMOS circuit) including thin film transistors (TFTs). More particularly, the present invention relates to a complementary thin film transistor circuit including thin film transistors using a substantially monocrystalline semiconductor film made by performing laser irradiation on a semiconductor film, an electro-optical device using the same, and an electronic apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
As a method to fabricate a thin film transistor on a general purpose glass substrate at a low temperature, a related art method is disclosed in which a hole is punched in an insulating film on a substrate, an amorphous silicon film is formed on this insulating film and in the hole, and thereafter laser light is irradiated on the amorphous silicon film, while maintaining an unmelted amorphous silicon in the bottom portion of the hole and a melted amorphous silicon film in the other portions, in order to generate a crystal growth using the amorphous silicon that is maintained in the unmelted state as a crystal nucleus, thereby providing a region centered on the hole in a surface of the amorphous silicon film as a substantially monocrystalline silicon film, as described in "Single Crystal Thin Film Transistors" (IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin August 1993 pp 257-258) and "Advanced Excimer-Laser Crystallization Techniques of Si Thin-Film For Location Control of Large Grain on Glass" (R. Ishihara et al., proc. SPIE 2001, vol. 4295, p 14-23.) described below.
Because this substantially monocrystalline semiconductor film has no crystal grain boundaries or less crystal grain boundaries, when carriers, such as electrons or holes flow, a barrier is significantly reduced as compared to a polycrystalline semiconductor film.
By constructing a semiconductor device using this substantially monocrystalline semiconductor film in the semiconductor thin film, an off-current suppressing effect or mobility thereof is excellent, thereby being capable of easily realizing a thin film transistor that is compatible with a high-speed operation.
When a CMOS circuit including the thin film transistor formed using this substantially monocrystalline thin film is constructed, two contacts are required for leading out an output electrode from each of the two thin film transistors constituting the CMOS circuit. However, the spacing between the transistors tends to be reduced and the thin film transistors used in a driver circuit or the like also tend to become small as a result of the recent trends towards miniaturization of electronic devices. This is also the case in the CMOS circuits. In this case, because the output contact region becomes narrow, this prevents the realization of good contacts, which in turn causes a problem of hindering miniaturization. Further, in case of not attempting miniaturization, good contacts in which the output contact region becomes narrow may not be obtained depending on constructions.

Complementary thin film transistor circuit, electro-optical device, and electronic apparatus


A process for making a synthetic melt spun polyamide filament in a solid phase polycondensation apparatus is disclosed. The flow rate of the purge (make-up) gas to the apparatus is increased, and the overall pressure in the apparatus is decreased, as compared to solid phase polycondensation apparatus of the prior art. As a result, the removal of the thermal degradation impurity from the polymer flake contributes to improving the yarn quality and at the same time, extends the spinneret wipe life.

This invention relates to an improved process for production of polyamide yarns and to an improved polyamide yarn for use in apparel applications.
More particularly the invention relates to an improved process for spinning polyamide yarns using a polymer flake (also called polymer chips or granulate) remelting process. In many prior art polymer flake remelt processes a solid phase polymerizer is used to build the polymer relative viscosity (RV) to a higher level for spinning yarns of higher tenacity and toughness. Yarn quality is directly affected by its tenacity and toughness providing a product which is more widely acceptable in variety of apparel applications.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,952,345; Rao et al. disclose a control method to use a solid phase polymerizer or SPP (also known as a solid phase polycondensation apparatus) with a polyamide flake remelt process to build the polymer RV in a highly uniform and reproducible way. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,235,390; Schwinn et al. disclose an SPP method and apparatus for building very high RV polyamide polymer filaments by treating the polymer before extrusion with a very low dew point gas. While these prior means to build polymer RV and control the polymer RV to highly uniform value, neither means address the problems problem of process interruptions and fundamental spinning process productivity.
In the manufacture of polyamide yarns, especially nylon 66 yarns, the winding of the yarn is stopped frequently to remove undesirable deposits found around the capillary exit side of the spinneret plate. If not removed these deposits build up to a thickness of a "few millimeters (per) week" according to Fourné (Synthetic Fibers, Chapter 4, page 359, C. Hanser Publishers, Munich 1998.) Such deposits cause the filaments to bend or "knee." Bending of a majority of the filaments, if not remedied, ultimately leads to filaments breaks, yarn defects or unscheduled process interruptions. Increasing numbers of process interruptions especially, lead to the yarn spinning process becoming less efficient.
The problem of bent filaments tends to increase with increasing filament delusterant content. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a commonly employed delustering pigment. A TiO2 content in the range of 0.03 to about 1.0 per cent by weight in the polyamide polymer provide so-called bright to mid-dull luster in to the filaments. However, a TiO2 content in the range of greater than 1 to about 3 per cent by weight in the polyamide polymer provide dull or "fully dull" luster filaments, desirable in many apparel applications. It is dull luster filament yarns which tend to present more process problems relating to bent filaments.
For a polyamide yarn manufacturing process the cleaning the spinneret plate on the capillary exit face is often referred to in the art as "spinneret wiping." The time between spinneret wiping events, where each event is necessitated by a build up of the undesirable deposits, is called the wipe cycle time or wipe life. A longer spinneret wipe cycle, the time between cleaning the spinneret face, is more desirable. Means to increase this time needed between spinneret wiping events, the wipe cycle, and in turn the productivity of the a polyamide yarn spinning process; have been sought for many years. There has been a long felt need in the art to provide a polyamide yarn spinning process of higher productivity. While it has been known to those skilled in the art that reducing the numbers of filament breaks, yarn quality defects and unscheduled process interruptions has a direct effect on productivity, means to leverage or remedy such defects have been heretofore elusive.
With this objective in mind, other objects of the invention will be clear from the following description.


A lighting system is described that includes a first lighting device, a second lighting device and a pattern element. The first lighting device includes at least one individual light-emitting element configured to emit light with a first beam profile. The second lighting device includes at least one individual light-emitting element configured to emit light with a second beam profile such that a third beam profile, different from the first beam profile and the second beam profile, is provided as a combination of the first beam profile and the second beam profile. The pattern element is configured to generate a pattern on at least one of the first beam profile and the second beam profile and a pattern on the third beam profile.

In recent years, 3D imaging has become increasingly important in industrial and consumer applications. 3D imaging can be used for a wide range of applications, such as identification, authentication and/or machine vision. Means to perform 3D imaging have already been incorporated in mobile devices.
For illumination in 3D imaging, various types of light patterns are used, for example dot patterns, crosses, grids and lines. Such light patterns are typically generated by laser devices such as VCSEL arrays. The distortion of the light pattern on an object under investigation may be analysed to obtain depth information, from which a 3D representation of the object may be derived.
In principle, as an alternative for laser light sources, light emitting diodes (LEDs) could provide suitable light sources for 3D imaging. While LEDs may emit sufficient intensities for 3D imaging, LED devices are typically subject to high heat loads. In case a large range of distances of the object under investigation and the light source is needed, a lighting device with a wider angle emission angle and high flux is required, significantly increasing the drive current and heat generation when LEDs are used. Further, the precision in depth sensing based on optical methods may still be further improved.
US 2014/197314 A1 discloses a method for generating an infrared (IR) beam for illuminating a scene to be imaged, the method comprising providing at least two IR emitters, including a first IR emitter operable to emit a wide beam component of the IR beam, and a second IR emitter operable to emit a narrow beam component of the IR beam, wherein the wide beam component has a linear profile that has a lower standard deviation than a linear profile of the narrow beam component. The method also comprises selecting a desired linear profile for the IR beam, and selecting a power ratio of power directed to the first IR emitter and power directed to the second IR emitter that produces the IR beam with the desired linear profile when the narrow beam component and wide beam component are combined; and directing power to the first and second IR emitters at the selected power ratio to generate the wide and narrow beam components, and combining the generated wide and narrow beam components to produce the IR beam.


Disclosed are a method and a system for the securing of the transmission of data elements between a sensor delivering pulses and a recorder processing these pulses. This method and system are applicable especially to a chronotachograph for heavy road vehicles. The principle of the disclosed method relies on a permanent exchange of enciphered data elements between a recorder module comprising the recorder and a sensor module comprising the sensor. The exchange is done at the initiative of the recorder module which sends command messages XC(M.sub.C)! enciphered according to a first code C to the sensor module. The sensor module acknowledges the command and then, in turn, generates enciphered return messages XC'(M.sub.R)!, either in order to indicate the acknowledgement of the command or to transmit pulses from the sensor with a view to their processing by the recorder. The recorder module then deciphers and verifies the return messages (M.sub.R) firstly to check the coherence of these messages and secondly to restore the transmitted pulses to the recorder. The disclosed method and system enable the detection and recording of any attempt to falsify the link between the sensor and the recorder.

1. Field of the Invention
An object of the present invention is a method by which it is possible to secure the transmission of data elements between a sensor delivering pulses and a recorder processing these pulses, as well as a system to implement the method.
The field of application that is a particular object of the invention is that of chronotachographs used in heavy road vehicles to verify their speed of movement and check compliance by truck drivers with the regulations on time.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At present, chronotachographs consist essentially of a tachometric sensor that transmits one or more pulses by a differential electrical link to a recorder, for example a disk, each time that the wheels of the heavy road vehicle have made one revolution. By examining the period of repetition of the recorded pulses, the speed of the vehicle in motion is deduced.
The sensor and the recorder are generally separated by a distance of 2 to 10 meters.
For the time being, there is no security system provided on existing chronotachographs. This enables all types of fraudulent activity: it is possible in particular to set up a parallel connection of a false sensor on the link between the existing sensor and recorder. This false sensor modifies (in this case reduces) the number of pulses transmitted.
The aim of the present invention is to secure the transmission of data elements between the sensor and the recorder, and to do this at several levels:
First of all it is sought to secure the transmission at the level of the link, on the one hand to prevent false information from being transmitted to the recorder and, on the other hand, to prevent a falsified sensor from being connected instead of the one that has been certified by the checking organization.
More specifically, an aim of the invention is to detect and record any attempt to falsify the link between the sensor and the recorder.
Then, with regard to the information transmitted, the invention is designed to prevent the data elements of the sensor from being modified.
The present invention may be extended to any type of transmission between a sensor delivering pulses and a recorder in charge of processing them.

Method and system to secure the transmission of data elements between a sensor and a recorder


A noise reduction apparatus includes a noise reduction amount calculator. The noise reduction amount calculator includes a difference calculator that obtains a difference between a level of the noise detected by a first noise detecting microphone and a level of the noise detected by a second noise detecting microphone when control sound is not output, a storage unit that stores the difference, an estimated noise value calculator that estimates a noise level that is to be detected by the second noise detecting microphone when the control sound is output, based on the level of the noise detected by the first noise detecting microphone when the control sound is output and the difference, and a reduction amount calculator that calculates a noise reduction amount on the noise reduction target position, based on the estimated noise value and the level of the noise detected by the second noise detecting microphone when the control sound is output.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a noise reduction apparatus for reducing noises.
2. Related Art
JP-A-2-285799 (Patent Document 1) discloses a basic configuration of a noise reduction apparatus. This noise reduction apparatus outputs a control sound of which phase is opposite to a noise from a noise source in a noise reduction position (control point). As a result, noises at the control point are reduced.
JP-A-7-253788 (Patent Document 2) discloses a noise reduction apparatus that estimates a noise reduction amount and controls an ON/OFF state of the noise reduction apparatus according to the estimated noise reduction amount. Specifically, the noise reduction apparatus has a speaker for outputting a control sound, a first microphone provided on a noise source side of the speaker, and a second microphone provided on an opposite noise source side (for example, the control point) of the speaker. The noise reduction apparatus detects a noise when the noise source operates and a noise (dark noise) when neither the noise source nor the noise reduction apparatus operates through the respective microphones, and estimates the noise reduction amount based on the detected noises. The noise reduction apparatus controls the ON/OFF state of the noise reduction apparatus according to the estimated noise reduction amount.

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


Novel utilization of sucralose which is a high intense sweetener. Compositions containing sucralose including: sweetening compositions having excellent sweetness qualities based on the characteristics of sucralose; foods with a masked unpleasant smell and unpleasant taste; performance food compositions (viscous food compositions, gel food compositions, emulsified food compositions); foods with improved flavors; preservatives and foods with improved quality of taste; and flavor compositions with improved flavors. Novel utilization of sucralose as a sweetness improver, a masking agent for unpleasant smell/unpleasant taste, a flavor improver, a function improver (viscosity, gelling properties, emulsification properties), a taste characteristic improver, and a flavor improver/enhancer.

Sucrose have been widely used as a sweetener because of its characteristics such as good sweetness, rich (full-bodied) taste, water retentivity, ability to give thickness and the like. In recent years, however, general health-consciousness and orientation to low calorie diet are making consumers avoid sucrose which can cause obesity and decayed teeth, especially in the area of beverages, desserts and other refreshments where low-calorie products are increasing.
Thus, various high intense sweeteners have been studied and developed as substitute sweeteners for sucrose. Among the high intense sweeteners, sucralose, which is 600 times sweeter than sucrose, is attracting attention since it is non-cariogenic and non-metabolizable, i.e., having no calorie.

Compositions containing sucralose and application thereof


An enclosure for a portable computing device is disclosed. The enclosure includes a top case and a bottom case. The bottom case includes a retention feature that receives a snap member. The top case includes a tapered protrusion that is received by the snap member in order to secure the top case to the bottom case. Other features may be included. For example, the retention feature may also receive a tab member that secures the snap member to the retention feature. The retention feature and the tapered protrusion allow for alternate securing means between the top case and the bottom case. As a result, fewer fasteners are required to secure the top case with the bottom case.

Portable computing devices, such as laptop computers, generally include an enclosure or housing designed to enclose several internal components. In some cases, the enclosure includes a top case secured to a bottom case. The top case may be secured to the bottom case using several fasteners. For example, the fasteners may extend through an opening in the bottom cases and engage the top case, or a threaded region of the top case.
However, an enclosure with multiple fasteners has drawbacks. For example, removing these fasteners corresponds to additional time dedicated to rework or repair operations, as all of the fasteners by be required to be removed. Also, several openings may expose the internal components to contaminants (e.g., liquids, dust). Other issues, such as additional machining time and additional parts, can be associated with multiple fasteners.

Enclosure features of a portable computing device


There are provided a bi-directional transceiver module and a method for driving the same. The bi-directional transceiver module includes a 1.3 μm Distributed Bragg Reflection Laser Diode (DBR LD) including an active layer which performs light-emission in response to a light at 1.3 μm and a DBR mirror formed near the active layer. The DBR mirror is formed to prevent an upstream signal emerging from the 1.3 μm DBR LD from being deleted by a PD. A monitoring PD and a PD for detecting an optical signal are integrated and mounted behind the DBR mirror using a butt-joint method. The 1.3 μm DBR LD, the monitoring PD, and the PD for detecting the optical signal are electrically isolated by insulated areas. To drive the bi-directional transceiver module, a forward bias (+) is applied to a p-electrode formed on the 1.3 μm DBR LD, a backward bias (−) is applied to p-electrodes formed on the monitoring PD and the PD for detecting the optical signal, and a n-electrode as a common electrode is grounded.

This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 2002-76212, filed on Dec. 3, 2002, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transceiver for an Asynchronous Transfer Mode Passive Optical Network (ATM-PON), and more particularly, to a transceiver for an Optical Network Unit (ONU), the transceiver including a Laser Diode (LD) as a transmitting device at 1.3 μm and a Photo Diode (PD) as a light receiving device at a 1.55 μm, the LD and the PD being integrated into one chip.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an Asynchronous Transfer Mode Passive Optical Network (ATM-PON) recommended in ITU-T G.983.1, bi-directional communications are carried out for transmitting an upstream signal at 1.3 μm and a downstream signal with a wavelength of 1.55 μm. A conventional transceiver module for bi-directional optical communication includes a transmitting module and a receiving module which respectively transmit and receive a signal through separate optical fiber lines. Recently, a transceiver module in which the transmitting module and the receiving module have been integrated into one package has been developed. However, this transceiver module also transmits and receives a signal through separate optical fiber lines. To reduce the number of optical components and the installation costs thereof, and to thereby implement an economical optical communication network, a transceiver module performing bi-directional communication through a single optical fiber line and a method therefor have been developed. Such a conventional transceiver module comprises a Y-shaped light division waveguide, a Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) filter, a semiconductior laser as a light-emitting device, and an optical detector as a light-receiving device, all these components being integrated in a hybrid manner.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a conventional transceiver module for an ONU, wherein optical devices are integrated in a hybrid manner.
Referring to FIG. 1, an optical signal at a 1.55 μm input through a line of an optical fiber is divided by a Y-shaped light division waveguide 10 and transferred to an optical detector 14 consisting of a PD via a WDM filter 12. Then, the optical detector 14 detects the optical signal. Also, an optical signal at 1.3 μm, output from a LD 22 as a light source, is coupled with the Y-shaped light division waveguide 10, passed through a Y-shaped light division point, and input to the optical fiber 30 via a common waveguide. The WDM filter 12 is mounted to prevent the optical signal at 1.3 μm from being reflected and input to the optical detector 14. In FIG. 1, a reference number "24" represents a monitoring PD.
To fabricate the transceiver module shown in FIG. 1, a light-emitting device, a light-receiving device, a WDM filter, a Y-shaped light division waveguide, etc. are packaged together using a precision optical arrangement method. However, such a fabrication method has a disadvantage, in that insertion loss is large and the outputs of transmitted lights and receiving sensitivities of the received lights are low, since optical couplings using the precision optical arrangement method are required many times between the Y-shaped light division waveguide and the respective optical devices. Furthermore, since the optical devices of the transceiver module are separately fabricated and optically coupled to each other using a precision optical arrangement packaging process, a packaging cost is high, and accordingly, low cost type module cannot be fabricated. In addition, minimization of the transceiver module is difficult.
To overcome these disadvantages, a method to integrate a semiconductor laser, an optical detector, a light division waveguide, etc., on one substrate, in a semiconductor process, has been developed. An integrated device fabricated using this method has an excellent performance, compared to the case where independent devices are used. Also, because the method requires only an arrangement of optical fibers, without other frequent optical arrangements, the packaging process is simplified. However, this method also results in large insertion loss, and the transceiver module is difficult to minimize and integrate into one chip. In addition, the method requires a complicated fabrication process, thereby not allowing a high yield.
FIG. 2 shows another example of a conventional bi-directional transceiver module.
Referring to FIG. 2, a bi-directional optical device 110 is flip-chip bonded on a manual arrangement type substrate 141 such that a light-receiving device 110a faces downward. An optical fiber 120 is arranged and fixed in a V-groove so that an end of the optical fiber 120 is polished inclinedly and an acute portion of the end faces the light-receiving device 110a. The space between the optical device 110 and the optical fiber 120 is filled with a refraction index controlling medium 125 such as silicon gel. A reflection device 133 is mounted behind the monitoring PD 136 of the optical device 110.
In the construction of FIG. 2, a laser as a light source, a monitoring PD, and a light signal detection PD are integrated in a vertical direction. This construction is designed so that a light output from the laser is input to the optical fiber core, while a signal light output from the optical fiber is input to the light receiving device for detecting the signal. This is achieved by polishing the end of the optical fiber into an appropriate angle (35°) according to the Snell's law for an optical fiber to be optically arranged in the integrated optical communication module. According to this method, since the laser and the light-receiving device are integrated in a vertical direction using a semiconductor growth technique, the optical module can be easily fabricated and the precision optical arrangement using the Y-shaped light division waveguide and various optical devices is unnecessary. However, since this method must use a special optical fiber polished to a desired angle and an optical arrangement between an optical fiber and a module is difficult, a packaging cost is high. Also, in a case where a signal light output from the laser is reflected by the optical fiber and input to the light-receiving device, a transmitting light and a receiving light are mixed, and thus, received information can be incorrectly interpreted. Therefore, an output of the transmitting light reflected by the optical fiber must be lower than the receiving sensitivity (−40 dBm) of the light-receiving device. This requires very complicated optical arrangements and precision treatments of the optical fibers, thereby increasing the packaging cost and resulting in a low yield.
FIG. 3 shows a bi-directional transceiver module 200 published in the OFC/IOOC 1999 Technical Digest by Alcatel, as still another example of a conventional bi-directional transceiver module.
The bi-directional transceiver module 200 shown in FIG. 3 includes three parts, i.e., a DFB laser 210 at a 1.3 μm, an absorber 220 at 1.3 μm, and a light-receiving device 230 at 1.55 μm. Referring to FIG. 3, a receiving light signal of 1.55 μm as a downstream signal is not absorbed by the 1.3 μm DFB laser 210 and the 1.3 μm absorber 220 and is detected by the light receiving device 230. A transmitting signal from the 1.3 μm DFB laser 210 is transmitted in a upward direction through the optical fiber, and an optical signal output from the rear-end of the 1.3 μm DFB laser 210 is absorbed by the 1.3 μm absorber 220. However, the absorber 220 at the center portion must completely absorb the transmitting signal from the 1.3 μm DFB laser 210 so that the output power of the transmitting signal is lower than the receiving sensitivity (−40 dBm) of the light-receiving device 230 as an optical detector, in order to divide the optical transmitting signal from the optical receiving signal and correctly transfer received information. However, it is very difficult for the absorber 220 to completely absorb a transmitting light with a very high output. Accordingly, the structure described above is very difficult to be implemented in spite of its simple arrangement.
As described above, to reduce installation costs of optical fibers and the number of optical components needed for optical communication, research on a bi-directional transceiver module that transmits and receives a signal on one line of optical fiber have been carried out. However, a proposed technique for integrating various optical components in a hybrid manner increases the size of the resultant transceiver module, increases insertion loss, requires a precision optical arrangement, has low economy, and results in a low yield. Also, single integration techniques proposed heretofore are still problematic in view of dividing an optical transmitting signal from an optical receiving signal and correctly obtaining received information.

Bidirectional transceiver and method for driving the same

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A hollow magnetic member includes a plurality of separate magnetic pieces. A parting surface between such pieces is defined by a plane parallel to or defining an angle of not more than forty-five (45) degrees with a center axis of the magnetic member. A holder for supporting a polarizer has such a cross section defined by a part of a cylinder cut away along a plane parallel to or defining an angle of not more than forty-five (45) degrees with the center axis thereof. A notched portion is formed in a cutting surface for containing the polarizer. A jig for assembly includes a base for holding the holder and a plate for positioning optical elements such as the polarizer. The holder is disposed in a recess in the base with the notched portion directed upward. A bonding material is applied to the notched portion prior to installation of the polarizer. The plate is placed on the base by inserting pins through holes, and then a screw is engaged with a tapped hole. The polarizer is inserted through an opening in the plate and is received in the notched portion positioned just below the opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to structures and assembling methods for an optical passive device including optical components such as a magneto-optical crystal which has a Faraday effect (hereinafter referred to as a "Faraday component") and a polarizer.
2. Background Art
An optical passive device is a type of optical component interposed in an optical network so that an optical signal transmitted therethrough can be distributed and controlled with respect of its transmission direction. Recently, such devices have been widely put into use as a result of the prevalence of optical transmission lines.
An example of such an optical passive device is an optical isolator that is a device for selectively controlling the passage of a light ray according to the transmission direction of light, by utilizing the Faraday effect, i.e., a rotating effect of a plane of polarization by a Faraday rotator. FIGS. 17(a) and 17(b) illustrate conventional basic structures of optical isolators. In the structure shown in FIG. 17(a), a Faraday component 2 is placed in a hollow portion of a hollow cylindrical magnetic member 1, and polarizers 3 are attached at opposite ends of the magnetic member 1. Though either polarizer is usually called an analyzer, a polarizer and an analyzer are basically the same optical elements. Thus, the term "polarizer" is employed throughout this specification for avoiding awkwardness of distinguishing an analyzer from a polarizer. The Faraday component 2 is supported in the magnetic member 1 and rotates the plane of polarization of an incident light ray by forty-five (45) degrees by the effect of the magnetic field of the magnetic member 1. The combination of the magnetic member 1 and the Faraday component 2 constitutes a Faraday rotator.
As for the structure in FIG. 17(b), a circular yoke 4 is disposed around the Faraday component 2. The yoke 4 is integrally assembled with two cylindrical magnetic members 1a, 1b fastening the yoke 4 therebetween. The polarizers 3 are attached on the ends of the cylindrical magnetic members 1a and 1b, respectively.
FIG. 18 illustrates an optical isolator with holders which support the polarizers 3. The optical isolator 6 includes a hollow cylindrical magnetic member 1, a Faraday component 2, polarizers 3 and polarizer holders (hereinafter referred to as a "holder") 5. Holders 5 are disposed at opposite axial ends of the magnetic member 1. Each holder 5 contains a respective polarizer 3. The polarizers 3 are so disposed that an angular difference of the planes of polarization thereof is forty-five (45) degrees around the optical axis.
FIGS. 19(a) and 19(b) are sectional views of typical conventional holders. The holder 5 in FIG. 19(a) is a circular cap with a recessed cross section and a slanted inner bottom surface inclined to the center axis thereof. Accordingly, the polarizer 3 fixed at the bottom of the holder 5 also has a certain amount of slant or incline to the axis. The holder 5 in FIG. 19(b) has a hollow cylindrical shape unlike the holder for the isolator shown in FIG. 18. The holder 5 in FIG. 19(b) holds the polarizer 3 in the hollow portion thereof. The polarizer 3 is connected to the inner surface of the holder 5 so that the polarizer 3 may have a certain amount of slant or incline to the center axis thereof.
FIG. 20 illustratively shows the installation of the polarizer 3 into the holder 5 in FIG. 19(b). In this example, a jig 7 with a cylindrical projection 7a mating with the hollow portion of the holder 5, is used for installation of the polarizer 3 into the holder 5. The holder 5 is placed around the projection 7a and the polarizer 3 is put on the top surface of the projection 7a. Then, the polarizer 3 and the holder 5 are fastened together. For fastening, various methods and materials may be employed, such as fastening with organic adhesive, solder or bonding glass. As described above, it may be common to place optical elements, for example, the polarizer 3, with a certain amount of slant or incline to the optical axis so as to avoid disturbance to the incident light by direct reflection from the element. In this case, the projection 7a may be so formed that the top surface thereof has a certain amount of slant or incline to the center axis of the holder 5.
Considering these structures of conventional optical isolators, the isolator in FIG. 17(a) may have a shortcoming in that it is awkward to dispose and fix the Faraday component 2 in the hollow portion of the cylindrical magnetic member 1, and thus is not suitable for mass production. Particularly, when the design policy of the isolator is strongly oriented to miniaturization, it may become difficult not only to assemble the elements but also to form a cylindrical magnetic member 1. For example, in the case of forming a miniature cylindrical magnetic member, the outer diameter of which is not more than five (5) millimeters, relatively expensive ways of manufacturing such as wire cutting must be employed instead of ordinary press working. Thus, mass production may not be easily achieved.
As for the structure shown in FIG. 17(b), because the Faraday component 2 is placed between the cylindrical magnetic members 1a and 1b, magnetic flux generated by the magnetic members 1a, 1b may not be efficiently used. As a result, stronger and larger magnetic members than those in other structures must be employed. As a result, optical isolators of this type cannot easily be miniaturized.
On the other hand, the holder 5 described in FIG. 19(a) may have following problems. Because the optical surface, i.e. the surface through which a light ray passes, of the polarizer 3 also constitutes a surface to be mounted to the holder 5, the optical surface is sometimes damaged by contact with the holder 5. The optical surface of the polarizer 3 also may be contaminated by bonding material such as adhesive agent fastening the polarizer 3 to the holder 5. Furthermore, because the length of the holder 5 is increased due to thickness of the inner bottom of the holder 5, the optical isolator including this type of holder may not be sufficiently miniaturized. In addition, it may be less effective to manufacture the cap-shaped holder 5 having a slanted or inclined inner bottom surface because of manufacturing costs.
In FIG. 19(b), the holder 5 does not have a positioning portion for the polarizer 3. Therefore, it may be difficult to support the polarizer 3 at a predetermined position so as to maintain a certain angle of incline to the optical axis. Thus, assembling efficiency may not be sufficient.

Structure of optical passive device and assembling method therefor


The present invention relates to a metal paste including: a first metal powder including nickel (Ni); a second metal powder including at least one selected from the group consisting of tin (Sn), zinc (Zn), bismuth (Bi), and indium (In); and a dispersing agent, and to a thermoelectric module which adopts a bonding technique using the metal paste.

If there is a temperature difference between both ends of materials in a solid state, a difference in the concentration of carriers (electrons or holes) having thermal dependence occurs, leading to an electrical phenomenon called a thermal electromotive force, that is, a thermoelectric effect. As such, the thermoelectric effect means reversible and direct energy conversion of a temperature difference to an electrical voltage. The thermoelectric effect may be classified into thermoelectric power generation that produces electrical energy, and in contrast, thermoelectric cooling/heating that induces a temperature difference between both ends by electricity supply.
A thermoelectric material exhibiting the thermoelectric effect, that is, a thermoelectric semiconductor, has been extensively studied because it has the advantage of being eco-friendly and sustainable during power generation and cooling. Moreover, since the thermoelectric material is capable of directly producing power from industrial waste heat, vehicle waste heat, etc., and thus is useful for improving fuel efficiency or reducing CO2, etc., the thermoelectric material has gained more and more attention.
A thermoelectric module has, as a basic unit, one pair of p-n thermoelectric elements including a p-type thermoelectric element (TE) in which holes move to transfer thermal energy, and an n-type thermoelectric element in which electrons move to transfer thermal energy. Further, the thermoelectric module may include an electrode that connects the p-type thermoelectric element and the n-type thermoelectric element.
In the case of a conventional thermoelectric module, soldering has been widely used to bond an electrode with a thermoelectric element. Conventionally, the electrode and the thermoelectric element are generally bonded using, for example, a Sn-based solder paste or a Pb-based solder paste.
However, such a solder paste has a limitation in driving a thermoelectric module in a high-temperature condition because of its low melting point. For example, it may be difficult to drive a thermoelectric module using an Sn-based solder paste for bonding a thermoelectric element and an electrode at a temperature of 200° C. or higher. Further, it may be difficult to drive a thermoelectric module using a Pb-based solder paste at a temperature of 300° C. or higher.
Accordingly, there is a need to develop a novel bonding material having excellent thermal and electrical properties so that a thermoelectric module can be stably driven at a temperature of 300° C. or higher.


Contrasted to the prior art, the present invention presents a path for the cycle steam having the fewest possible changes in direction to minimize parasite pressure losses. This invention accommodates proportioning the flow areas of the moisture separator—reheater(s) assembly to optimize performance of extracting the maximum energy from the cycle steam and in view of the economics of first cost and operating cost. The reheater tubes are straight, not U-tubed, and sloped towards the reheat steam condensate discharge. It utilizes an internal baffle in the reheating steam manifold, features which would mitigate tube binding, steam distribution to the tube bundles, flow oscillations, etc. which are expensive and difficult to alleviate.

The subject of this invention is utilized in the steam cycle of a nuclear power plant. The heat exchangers in moisture separator and reheaters have, typically, employed a U-tube bundle for each stage of reheat. The aforementioned has given rise to problems of mal-distribution of the heating medium (steam) inside the tubes and instability of flow as well as binding of the tubes in the vicinity of the U-bend. These problems have been mitigated by elaborate and costly schemes affecting manufacturing cost as well as operating cost. The arrangement of various components through which cycle steam flows has been subject to uncontrolled or excessive pressure loss of a parasitic nature. The current invention effectively claims to obviate or mitigate the aforementioned problems by accommodating a means to optimize the physical arrangements of drying and reheating cycle steam.


A method of generating a diagnosis image includes receiving signals reflected from a subject; calculating a beamforming coefficient using the received signals; synthesizing each of the plurality of low resolution images using the calculated beamforming coefficient; and synthesizing a high resolution image using the synthesized plurality of low resolution images.

1. Field
This disclosure relates to a method and an apparatus for generating a diagnosis image, a diagnosis system, and a medical image system for performing the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image system using a synthetic aperture method may use a fixed beamforming method or an adaptive beamforming method. The fixed beamforming method uses a Hamming window or a Hann window regardless of an input signal, and is also referred to as a data-independent beamforming method. However, a diagnostic image generated according to the fixed beamforming method does not have a good contrast or a good resolution, and therefore the adaptive beamforming method may be used to obtain a high quality image. A diagnostic image generated according to the adaptive beamforming method has a high resolution, but is difficult to implement the adaptive beamforming method since data processing requirements are remarkably high.

Method and apparatus for generating diagnosis image, diagnosis system, and medical image system for performing the method


The present disclosure relates to an oral, extended release, abuse deterrent dosage form containing a controlled release agent, a second agent and/or polyethylene glycol, and at least one active pharmaceutical ingredient susceptible to abuse. The dosage form is stable at high temperatures and abuse deterrent to oral and parenteral administration via dose dumping, extraction, and purification. The present disclosure also relates to processes of preparing the dosage form.

FDA-approved drugs are provided in many different forms based on the type of active substance, the indication treated and the preferred route of administration. These forms include enteral formulations (e.g., tablets, capsules or pills), parenteral formulations (e.g., injectable formulations such as intravenous, subcutaneous, intramuscular and intraarticular), liquid formulations (e.g., elixirs), lyophilized formulations and topical formulations. A majority of the FDA-approved drugs are currently available in enteral form, as either a tablet or capsule. Several formulations have been investigated for deterring abuse, either by oral ingestion of the drug with alcohol, or by non-oral administration routes such as intranasal and/or intravenous administration. However a need still exists for extended release abuse deterrent dosage forms.

Extended release abuse deterrent liquid fill dosage form

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Research Services, Inc.


The disclosure relates to a method of fabricating an interconnection structure of an integrated circuit, comprising the steps of: forming a first conductive element within a first dielectric layer; depositing a first etch stop layer above the first conductive element and the first dielectric layer; forming an opening in the first etch stop layer above the first conductive element, to form a first connection area; depositing a second dielectric layer above the etch stop layer and above the first conductive element in the connection area; etching the second dielectric layer to form at least one hole which is at least partially aligned with the connection area; and filling the hole with a conductive material to form a second conductive element in electrical contact with the first conductive element.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a method of fabricating an integrated circuit comprising an interconnection structure, and to an integrated circuit fabricated by this method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Interconnection structures comprise conductive lines and conductive vias connecting the conductive lines and traversing a dielectric material. Aluminum or copper are conventionally used to form conductive lines and vias. Copper is increasingly replacing aluminum due to its better resistance to electromigration and higher conductivity, allowing for smaller conductive lines and vias and lower power consumption.
FIGS. 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views of an integrated circuit showing different steps of fabricating a conventional interconnection structure I1. In FIG. 1A the interconnection structure I1 comprises, from bottom to top, a base L0, an etch stop layer S0, a first dielectric layer D1, an etch stop layer S1, a second dielectric layer D2, and a mask layer M2.
The integrated circuit also comprises a conductive line F1 (shown in lateral cross-section) and a conductive line F1′ (shown in longitudinal cross-section) made of a first conductive material C1, embedded in the dielectric layer D1, and surrounded on the bottoms and sides by diffusion barriers B1, B1′. At the step shown in FIG. 1A, two patterned openings P2, P2′ have been made in the mask layer M2. The patterned openings P2, P2′ have a misalignment error E1 (shown from center of desired location to center of actual location) with respect to lines F1, F1′, such as due to photolithographic limitations.
During steps shown in FIG. 1B, two holes H2, H2′ are made in the dielectric layer D2, through the openings P2, P2′ of the mask M2. Typically, the dielectric material D2 is first etched (shown as arrows) using a first chemical reagent until the etch stop layer S1 is reached, then a second chemical reagent is used to etch the etch stop layer S1 to reach the underlying conductive lines F1, F1′. An "overetch" step is often performed to ensure that no residue remains on the top surfaces of the conductive lines. Due to the misalignment error E1, the underlying dielectric layer D1 to the side of the conductive line F1 is also etched while the conductive lines are being overetched, causing a lateral etch region E2 in the dielectric material.
During steps shown in FIG. 1C, diffusion barriers B2, B2′ are deposited on the sidewalls and bottoms of holes H2, H2′. Due to the deep depth and small size of the lateral etch region E2, a thin or non-existent diffusion barrier B2″ is deposited on the walls of the lateral etch region E2. The barriers B2, B2′, B2″ are then generally covered with a "seed layer" of a conductive material (not shown), and then the holes H2, H2′ are filled with a conductive material C2 to form conductive vias F2, F2′ in electrical contact with lines F1, F1′ at contacts N1, N1′. Barrier B2″ may further cause a poor adherence of the "seed layer" in the lateral etch region E2, which leads to a poor-filling of the conductive material C2 in the lateral etch region E2, creating a void E3. Furthermore, barrier B2″ allows conductive material to diffuse from via F2 into the dielectric material D1, such that line-to-line leakage may occur, causing a time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) test failure.
In addition, a critical distance CD between lines F1, F1′ is not met due to the lateral etch region E2. As a result, an electrical field between lines F1, F1′ may increase, also with an increased possibility of breakdown. Additionally, contact N1 between line F1 and via F2 is smaller than desired, causing higher local current density, which may lead to an increased rate of electromigration and an earlier formation of another void, such that line F1 will no longer be connected to via F2.
It may be desired therefore to provide an alternate method for manufacturing an integrated circuit comprising an interconnection structure.

Interconnection structure for an integrated circuit