By performing sophisticated anneal techniques, such as laser anneal, flash anneal and the like, for a metal silicide formation, such as nickel silicide, the risk of nickel silicide defects in sensitive device regions, such as SRAM pass gates, may be significantly reduced. Also, the activation of dopants may be performed in a highly localized manner, so that undue damage of gate insulation layers may be avoided when activating and re-crystallizing drain and source regions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure generally relates to the fabrication of integrated circuits, and, more particularly, to the fabrication of highly sophisticated field effect transistors, such as MOS transistor structures, requiring highly doped shallow junctions in combination with a low series resistance.
2. Description of the Related Art
The manufacturing process for integrated circuits continues to improve in several ways, driven by the ongoing efforts to scale down the feature sizes of the individual circuit elements. Presently, and in the foreseeable future, the majority of integrated circuits are, and will be, based on silicon devices, due to the high availability of silicon substrates and due to the well-established process technology that has been developed over the past decades. A key issue in developing integrated circuits of increased packing density and enhanced performance is the scaling of transistor elements, such as MOS transistor elements, to provide the great number of transistor elements that may be necessary for producing modern CPUs and memory devices. One important aspect in manufacturing field effect transistors having reduced dimensions is the reduction of the length of the gate electrode that controls the formation of a conductive channel separating the source and drain regions of the transistor. The source and drain regions of the transistor element are conductive semiconductor regions including dopants of an inverse conductivity type compared to the dopants in the surrounding crystalline active region, e.g., a substrate or a well region.
Although the reduction of the gate length is necessary for obtaining smaller and faster transistor elements, it turns out, however, that a plurality of issues are additionally involved to maintain proper transistor performance for a reduced gate length. One challenging task in this respect is the provision of shallow junction regions, i.e., source and drain regions, which nevertheless exhibit a high conductivity so as to minimize the resistivity in conducting charge carriers from the channel to a respective contact area of the drain and source regions. The requirement for shallow junctions having a high conductivity is commonly met by perform-ing an ion implantation sequence to obtain a high dopant concentration having a profile that varies laterally and in depth. The introduction of a high dose of dopants into a crystalline substrate area, however, generates heavy damage in the crystal structure and, therefore, one or more anneal cycles are typically required for activating the dopants, i.e., for placing the dopants at crystal sites, and to cure the heavy crystal damage. However, the electrically effective dopant concentration is limited by the ability of the anneal cycles to electrically activate the dopants. This ability in turn is limited by the solid solubility of the dopants in the silicon crystal and the temperature and duration of the anneal process that are compatible with the process requirements. Moreover, besides the dopant activation and the curing of crystal damage, dopant diffusion may also occur during the annealing, which may lead to a loss of dopant atoms in the extension regions, thereby "blurring" the dopant profile.
Thus, on the one hand, a high anneal temperature may be desirable in view of a high degree of dopant activation and re-crystallization of implantation-induced lattice damage, while, on the other hand, the duration of the anneal process should be short in order to restrict the degree of dopant diffusion, which may reduce the dopant gradient at the respective PN junctions and also reduce the overall conductivity due to reducing the averaged dopant concentration. Furthermore, very high temperatures during the anneal process may negatively affect the gate insulation layer, thereby reducing the reliability thereof. That is, high anneal temperatures may degrade the gate insulation layer and thus may influence the dielectric characteristics thereof, which may result in increased leakage currents, reduced breakdown voltage and the like. Therefore, for highly advanced transistors, the positioning, shaping and maintaining of a desired dopant profile are important properties for defining the final performance of the device.
In an attempt to reduce the overall series resistance of the current path in the transistor devices, not only the channel length is reduced but also the resistance of portions of the drain and source regions is lowered by the incorporation of metal silicide, which typically exhibits a lower sheet resistance compared to silicon, even if highly doped. For example, nickel is a refractory metal that is frequently used in advanced transistors for locally increasing the conductivity of doped silicon areas due to the moderately low resistance of nickel silicide compared to other metal silicides. For example, nickel silicide regions may be formed in restricted surface areas of the drain and source regions and in the gate electrode to provide increased conductivity in these areas. Unfortunately, the desired high conductivity of nickel silicide is typically accompanied with severe process non-uniformities occurring during the formation of respective nickel silicide regions, wherein a highly non-uniform interface is created between the doped semiconductor regions and the nickel silicide. Even so-called nickel pipes, i.e., silicide protrusions of significant length, may be created during the silicidation process. These silicide protrusions may extend into the channel region of the transistor and may therefore significantly affect the overall behavior of the transistor, which may even include a short of the PN junction, thereby causing a transistor failure. The non-uniformity of the nickel silicide process may, among others, depend on the diffusion conditions in the respective doped silicon areas, and, thus, the doped concentration, the crystallinity of silicon and the temperature may represent important factors for the result of the silicidation process. Thus, the degree of silicide failures due to nickel silicide tunnels in respective channel regions may depend on the complex history of the device and the respective silicidation parameters, wherein the silicidation defects may affect certain device areas more strongly compared to other device areas.
As is evident from the above-described situation during manufacturing sophisticated transistor devices, a plurality of complex interdependencies exist between many mechanisms for increasing the overall drive current capability of transistors, wherein the situation may even further increase in complexity when additional strategies for enhancing transistor performance are incorporated into the manufacturing sequence. For example, a certain type of strain may be intentionally created in the respective channel regions in order to increase the respective charge carrier mobility, which directly translates into a reduction of the channel resistance. In some approaches, stressed layers are provided in the vicinity of the channel regions to transfer stress forces into the channel region. In other strategies, strained semiconductor material may be used as strain-inducing sources. Also, in these cases, the provision of strained semiconductor materials, stressed overlayers and the like may have a significant influence on the previously described processes with respect to increasing the drive current capability by providing well-defined dopant profiles and highly conductive metal silicide regions, since, for instance, the diffusion behavior of a refractory metal may depend on the presence of non-silicon species, such as germanium, carbon and the like.
The present disclosure is directed to various methods that may avoid, or at least reduce, the effects of one or more of the problems identified above.

Technique for locally adapting transistor characteristics by using advanced laser/flash anneal techniques


First and second cylindrical members (1A) and (1B) are fitted into a wiring pass-through hole (H) in a wall board (Y) and engaged with each other in accordance with a thickness (D) of the wall board and first and second lid-like members (2A) and (2B) are fitted into openings of the first and second cylindrical members (1A) and (1B), respectively so as to be able to be removed out of the first and second cylindrical members (1A9 and (1B) whereby these cylindrical members are closed. A small quantity of wiring cord or cords pass through small quantity wiring pass-through openings (2a) and (2b) of the first and second lid-like members so as to arrange them in order. (By removing the first and second lid-like members (2A) and (2B) out of the first and second cylindrical members (1A) and (1B), a large quantity of wiring cords are allowed to pass through a large quantity wiring pass-through opening (4) defined by the first and second cylindrical members (1A) and (1B) so as to arrange them in order.

Conventionally, there are known various caps for wiring pass-through hole adapted to cover the wiring pass-though hole provided in a wall of a desk or the like and an example of the commercial available caps is illustrated in FIGS. 5(A) and 5(B). The cap a comprises a diameter-reduced engagement cylindrical part b fitted into the wiring pass-through hole B previously provided in a top board A of the desk D and a removal prevention peripheral edge cover part c for engaging the upper surface of the top board A. This cap a is attached to the top board A by the diameter-reduced cylindrical part b and the peripheral edge cover part c thereof. As understood from FIG. 5(B), the removal prevention peripheral edge cover part c is provided with a partially opened wiring pass-through opening d and an outer peripheral surface of the diameter-reduced cylindrical part b is provided with a plural of removal prevention peripheral striped protrusions e.
The conventional cap a for wiring pass-through hole is just loosely fitted into the wiring pass-through hole b in the top board A and therefore if this cap tries to be fitted into the wiring pass-through hole b provided in a vertical wall such as the side board, then the cap will be possibly reluctantly removed out of the side board due to vibration or other outer force applied thereto.
There is disclosed in Patent Document JU 7-24135 a cap for wiring pass-through hole suitable for being used for the side board of the desk or the like in which the aforementioned disadvantage is avoided and the brief construction thereof is illustrated in FIG. 6.
As shown in FIG. 6, the cap is provided with a duct f disposed along the bottom side of the top board of the desk D and both ends of the duct f are supported on both of the side boards g and k of the desk D while both ends of the duct f are faced to the wiring pass-through holes h provided in the side boards so as to be faced to each other. The frame-like cap i is inserted into the wiring pass-through hole h in one of the side boards g until an attaching frame portion i fully enters one of the ends of the duct f and then the frame-like cap i is fitted into the other wiring pass-through hole h in the other side board k in the same manner.
Since the caps having the construction of FIG. 6 are fitted into the duct f extending between the side boards g and k, they never fall out of the side boards g and k, but the wiring cord or cords have to pass through the duct f, which causes the flexibility to be restrained and the convenience for use to be deteriorated.
An object of the invention is to provide a cap for wiring pass-through hole adapted to be easily used not only on a horizontal surface of a top board or the like, but also on a vertical surface of a side board or the like by avoiding the disadvantage of the conventional cap for wiring pass-through hole.


An electromagnetic actuator, particularly for operating a cylinder valve of an internal-combustion engine, includes an electromagnet for generating an attracting electromagnetic force; an armature movable into contact with and away from the electromagnet; a spring arrangement connected to the armature and opposing the electromagnetic force; and a sound muffling device attached to the electromagnet for reducing sound transmission by body vibration from the electromagnet.

Electromagnetically operated actuators include at least one electromagnet and an armature which affects a setting member and which is connected with at least one resetting means so that, in response to the energization of the electromagnet, the armature is moved from a first setting position determined by the resetting means into a second setting position in which the armature abuts the pole face of the electromagnet. Electromagnetic actuators of this type are used, for example, for controlling the cylinder valves of a piston-type internal-combustion engine. For such an application, preferably two electromagnets are used between which the armature may be moved into the first and second setting positions back and forth against the force of the resetting means, such as a resetting spring, as the coil current of the holding electromagnet is turned off and the coil current of the capturing electromagnet is turned on. By a suitable actuation of the individual actuators of the cylinder valves, the inflow of the fluid medium into and its outflow from the cylinder may be controlled in such a manner that the work process is optimally influenced to meet any operational requirements. Electromagnetically operated actuators for cylinder valves are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,455,543.
In electromagnetic actuators of the above-outlined type the armature arrives in an abutting relationship with the pole face of the momentarily capturing electromagnet in each of the setting positions. Since for a secure capturing of the armature a minimum armature speed has to be present even as the armature reaches its end position, upon collision of the armature with the pole face of the capturing electromagnet an impact noise is generated which is not only transmitted as a sound wave to the environment but is also transmitted as a body vibration to the internal-combustion engine and, in case of vehicles, it is even transferred to the vehicle body.

Electromagnetic actuator, including sound muffling means, for operating a cylinder valve


A fabrication method for flash memory. The method comprises providing a substrate, and a first insulation layer, a first conductive layer, a second insulation layer thereon. The second insulation layer is patterned to form a first opening and reveal a part of the first conductive layer, and a third insulation layer is formed on the first opening sidewall to form a second opening. The first conductive layer and the first insulation layer beneath the second opening are etched to expose the substrate surface, and a spacer is formed on the second opening sidewall. A source region is formed in the exposed substrate and a source line with a concave surface is formed in the second opening. A mask layer is formed on the source line concave surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flash memory, and more particularly to a fabrication method for flash memory source line.
2. Description of the Related Art
A flash memory retains stored data without periodic electricity refresh and can be erased in blocks rather than one byte at a time. Each erasable memory block comprises a plurality of non-volatile memory cells arranged in rows and columns. Each cell is coupled to a word line, bit line and source line, with each word line coupled to a control gate of each cell in a row, each bit line coupled to a drain of each cell in a column, and the source line coupled to a source of each cell in an erasable block. The cells are programmed and erased by manipulating the voltages of the word lines, bit lines and source lines.
In FIG. 1, a conventional flash memory comprises a silicon substrate 10 and a source region S therein, with a source line 20 on the source region S. A floating gate 14 and silicon oxide layers 12 and 16 are disposed on the source line 20 sidewall, and the floating gate 14 is insulated from the source line 20 by a spacer 18. A control gate 24 is disposed on the outside of the floating gate 14, and the control gate 24 and the floating gate 14 are insulated by a silicon oxide layer 22.

Fabrication method for flash memory source line and flash memory

Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation


In a facility for checking large-volume goods, in particular freight goods, with an X-ray source, which emits X-rays for irradiating the goods, and with a detector arrangement aligned with the X-ray source, the detectors of the detector arrangement are designed or arranged in such a way that detector rows are produced with two row limbs which abut one another at right angles on their longitudinal sides, of which one limb is aligned parallel to the movement direction of the goods being checked, and the other is aligned perpendicular to this in the direction of the X-ray source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for inspecting large-volume goods, in particular freight goods, with an x-ray source, which emits x-rays for irradiating the goods, and with a detector arrangement aligned with the x-ray source.
2. Description of the Background Art
As is generally known, x-ray systems, which have an x-ray source and a detector arrangement aligned with the x-ray source, are employed to inspect large-volume freight goods such as truck or container loads. While the goods to be inspected are moved between the x-ray source and the detector arrangement relative to these, they are irradiated by x-rays and scanned in addition. For the relative movement between the inspection system and the inspection goods, either the inspection goods themselves, for example, a truck, move between the x-ray source and the detector arrangement, or the inspection system has its own drive by which it is moved relative to the inspection goods.
To inspect the inspection goods in a scanning process, it is known to arrange the detectors in the detector arrangement in corresponding detector rows. As described in DE 101 22 279 A, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 7,308,076, and which is incorporated herein by reference, the detector arrangement contains two detector rows at right angles to one another, one of which extends vertically upwards and the other horizontally above the inspection track.
Cargo scanning systems use mainly cesium iodide (CsI) scintillators for detecting transmitted x-rays. Ceramic scintillators are employed in part in baggage inspection systems. This has not been the case so far in freight scanning systems, because due to the large inspection surface and the huge number of required crystals the cost of the detectors would represent too great a share of the manufacturing costs.
High energy x-rays of, for example, 3.5 to 4 MeV are used to penetrate trucks and containers. The x-rays are generated by pulsed electron accelerators. Detectors with a specific depth are needed because of the high energies. The depth is measured here in the direction of the x-ray source and thereby perpendicular to the direction of movement of the inspection goods.
At higher relative speeds of the inspection goods it is difficult to generate good images without stripes, because to accomplish this the relative speed must be matched to the pulse rate dependent on detector dimensions.
In freight inspection systems, an increasingly better image resolution and a higher penetration are required. These can be achieved by improvements in the x-ray source and the detectors.

Facility for inspecting large-volume goods, in particular freight goods


A downhole tool for separating fluids into a liquid and a gas component are provided herein. The downhole tool includes an inlet for receiving a multiphase fluid, the multiphase fluid comprising a gas component and a liquid component. The tool also includes a hydrocyclone portion where the flow of the multiphase fluid is vortical and the liquid component migrates to an inner surface of the hydrocyclone portion and the gas component is forced to a central area of the hydrocyclone portion and exits the downhole tool via a gas outlet. The tool further includes a liquid outlet permitting the liquid component to exit the downhole tool.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a downhole tool that separates a multiphase fluid into its gas component and liquid component.
2. Description of the Related Art
Multiphase fluids are common in oil and gas operations. The gas component of a multiphase fluid can sometimes be problematic for some tools used in oil and gas operations.
Accordingly, there is a need for a downhole tool that can be used to separate the gas component of a multiphase fluid from the liquid component and provide the liquid component to other tools used in the oil and gas operations.


In a semiconductor memory of the present invention, a group of electrode pads for connecting the semiconductor memory to the outside and assigned to a plurality of same functions are arranged on the surface of a memory pellet in both of the first and second quadrants divided by the center line of the memory pellet. With a single semiconductor pellet, there can be implemented both of face-up and face-down pellet mounting on a package.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory with a semiconductor pellet on which electrode pads are arranged for connecting the integrated circuit of the pellet to a package and a wiring substrate. More particularly, in various kinds of packages including a ball grid array (BGA) package and a chip scale package (CSP) implementing a multipin configuration and desirable in the mounting aspect, the present invention is concerned with a semiconductor memory having a unique electrode pad arrangement which allows a single pellet to be mounted on a package face up or face down, as desired.
Generally, the pin arrangements of packages are standardized in the semiconductor industry including the users of semiconductor memories and vendors. If a BGA package directed toward a miniature product and a CSP directed toward a further miniature product are compatible with respect to the pin arrangement, then the CSP can be substituted for the BGA package in order to reduce the mounting area, as needed. In such a case, whether a pellet should be mounted on a package face up, i.e., with its front facing the same side as the front of the package or whether it should be mounted on a package face down, i.e., with its front facing the opposite side to the front of the package is sometimes unconditionally determined by the kind of the package. Specifically, a pellet is, in many cases, mounted on a BGA package face up and mounted on a CSP face down.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 63-267598, for example, discloses a semiconductor device allowing pad electrodes assigned to the same function to be connected to the outside terminals of a mounting substrate in either one of the face-up configuration and face-down configuration. Specifically, an electrode pad for the face-up position and an electrode pad for the face-down position are provided in a pellet for a single signal and electrically connected within the pellet. This device makes it needless to prepare different pellets each having a particular pad arrangement.
However, the semiconductor device taught in the above document has some problems left unsolved, as follows. The device doubles the number of electrode pads required and thereby increases the production cost as well as the area to be allocated to the pellet, compared to a pellet to be mounted only in a single position. For example, a thirty-two K words, thirty-six bit width SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) has sixty-two electrode pads relating to function pins, i.e., fifteen pads for addresses, thirty-six pads for data, and eleven pads for control. Taking the data function pins alone as an example, thirty-six additional pads are necessary in order to cope with both of face-up and face-down mounting, meaning an increase by about 60%. Further, an increase in the area of the pellet ascribable to wirings connecting the pads within the pellet is not negligible and has substantial influence on the production cost when it comes to products having small pellet areas, i.e., inexpensive general-purpose memories. In addition, as for a high-speed memory featuring high-speed access and high-speed operation, the wirings extending across the pellet critically aggravate a delay time. The above semiconductor device is therefore not feasible for inexpensive memory products or high-speed memory products.
To implement both of face-up mounting and face-down mounting with a single pellet, at least one additional wiring layer must be formed in the substrate of a CSP. This also results in an increase in the cost of a memory product.


To provide an oxygen-absorbing barrier resin composition which has excellent oxygen-barrier properties even under high-humidity conditions and can give a multilayer structure having excellent peel strength; an oxygen-absorbing barrier film comprising the oxygen-absorbing barrier resin composition; a multilayer structure including a layer comprising the oxygen-absorbing barrier film; and a packing container comprising the multilayer structure. The oxygen-absorbing barrier resin composition comprises a resin (A) having an oxygen permeability of at most 100 cc/m2-day-atm and a resin (B) having an oxygen absorption rate of at least 0.001 cc/cm2·day, wherein the resin (B) is dispersed in the matrix of the resin (A) and the resin (B) is in the form of rods in which the average of the maximum diameters of cross sections perpendicular to the lengthwise direction is at most 1.0 μm. The resin (B) preferably is a product of cyclization of a conjugated diene polymer, the cyclization product having an unsaturated bond reduction ratio of at least 10%.

The quality of foods, drinks, drugs and the like is deteriorated by oxygen, and therefore they are desired to be stored in the absence of oxygen or under the condition with an extremely small amount of oxygen.
Accordingly, for containers or packs for storing foods, drinks, drugs and the like, glass bottles and metal cans have been used. These containers do not let oxygen permeate therethrough, but are problematic in their distribution since they are readily broken or deformed and they are heavy. Accordingly, recently, various plastic containers that are lightweight and are relatively excellent in the impact resistance have become much used. However, plastic containers have a serious problem in that, since oxygen may readily permeate through the container wall, the contents therein are deteriorated by oxygen.
Against the problem, recently, resinous containers or packing materials are made to have oxygen absorbability by themselves, while, on the other hand, gas-barrier resins are tentatively used for those that constitute containers or packing materials.
For example, Patent Reference 1 discloses a film that comprises a matrix of a thermoplastic resin such as polyester resin and, dispersed as layers in the matrix, an aromatic polyamide resin.
Patent Reference 2 discloses a packing container having an oxygen-absorbing layer that comprises a substrate resin component such as a thermoplastic polyester resin to form a continuous layer, and an oxygen-absorbing functional component that comprises a polyamide resin, an oxidizing organic component and a transition metal catalyst to form a discontinuous layer.
These packing containers could exhibit gas-barrier properties on a certain level at high temperatures owing to the water resistance of the polyester resin therein, but since the continuous layer is composed of a polyester resin which has basically no gas-barrier properties, the gas-barrier properties of the containers could not be said sufficient.
On the other hand, an oxygen gas-barrier resin composition is known, which comprises a saponified product of an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer serving as a gas-barrier resin and contains an oxidation catalyst such as cobalt stearate added thereto (Patent References 3 and 4).
Polyvinyl alcohol polymers such as a saponified product of an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, a polyvinyl alcohol and the like are thermoplastic, to which, therefore, various shaping methods are applicable. Accordingly, they are useful as a packing container material; however, their water vapor permeability is high and their oxygen permeability greatly varies depending on humidity. Therefore, they are problematic in that their oxygen gas-barrier properties are poor especially in high-humidity environments. Films obtained by laminating such a polyvinyl alcohol polymer and a polypropylene film or the like have a problem in that the peel strength between them is low.    Patent Reference 1: JP-A 2001-164002    Patent Reference 2: JP-A 2005-112468 (WO2005/016782)    Patent Reference 3: JP-A 4-211444 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,438)    Patent Reference 4: JP-A 5-170980 (EP-A 0546546)

Oxygen-absorbing barrier resin composition, film comprising the same, multilayer structure, and packing container


Embodiments are directed to progressively migrating source computer nodes where the source computer nodes perform a computer-implemented service. In one embodiment, a computer system determines that execution of the performed service is to be migrated from the source computer nodes to target computer nodes. The computer system groups the source computer nodes into multiple source subgroups, where each source subgroup includes at least one source computer node. The computer system then schedules creation of target subgroups of target nodes. These target subgroups include at least one source computer node and, themselves, correspond to a source subgroup. The computer system activates a first target subgroup corresponding to a first source subgroup, and deactivates the first source subgroup. In this manner, the first target subgroup replaces the first source subgroup. Still further, the target subgroups are scheduled to be created only after the first source subgroup has been deactivated.

Computers have become highly integrated in the workforce, in the home, in mobile devices, and many other places. Computers can process massive amounts of information quickly and efficiently. Software applications designed to run on computer systems allow users to perform a wide variety of functions including business applications, schoolwork, entertainment and more. Software applications are often designed to perform specific tasks, such as word processor applications for drafting documents, or email programs for sending, receiving and organizing email.
In many cases, software applications are designed to interact with other software applications or other computer systems.
Computer databases have long been used to store and provide access to data. Computer databases allow users to enter queries and receive results that are intended to satisfy the query. Various types of queries may be entered, and the type of query may depend on which type of database is being used. For instance, relational databases may allow users to enter certain types of queries and receive the corresponding results.


A device for selectively inserting or removing cup liners having a generally elongated cylindrical body, a front cup and a rear lip from a milking cup apparatus. The device having a frame, a force-applying device pivotally connected to the frame and a liner holding device, connected in sliding engagement to the frame. The liner holding device is configured to connect with the liner and to pull the liner through the hard milk shell cup when activated by a user.

Field of the Invention. The present invention generally relates to vacuum operated milking machines and in particular those vacuum operated milking machines which utilize a rigid shell and a flexible inflation or liner.
Background of the Invention: Modern agriculture combines the use of technology with traditional farming practices to achieve greater yields in the production of food and crops. In the dairy industry, the mechanization of the milking process through the use of so called milking machines has been one of these great advances. These milking machines come in a variety of configurations, however one predominant configuration employs the use of a vacuum connected through tubes to a plurality of teat cup assemblies. Each of these teat cup assemblies is typically made up of a rigid outer shell which is hollow and a resiliently flexible inflation or liner portion which is configured to fit within the hollow rigid outer shell portion.
A typical milking assembly is made up of a device called a claw from which four milking cups extend. Each of these milking cups contain a rigid shell and a flexible inflator. These rigid shell portions are typically made from a strong rigid material such as stainless steel, which is able to withstand the force of the milking parlor including occasionally being kicked or stepped on by a cow. These rigid hard shells contain a tube for connection with the pulse system and an aperture through which a portion of the inflator called the short milk tube extends. This short milk tube is connected to the short milk tubes from the other three milking cups at the claw and a long milk tube extends from the claw to a collection device such as a tank at a distant location. The pulse system is also similarly connected to a long pulse tube, which provides the pulsing vacuum pressure to the milking cup. When the milking cup is connected to the pulsing system the pulsing system applies a vacuum at selected intervals. This alternating application of vacuum pressure through the tube causes the liner to alternatively constrict and relax its position around the teat. This alternative constriction and relaxation causes the liner to rhythmically pulsate, simulating the sucking of a calf upon the teat. This variation in the constriction of the teat by the liner causes milk to flow from the teat and to be collected through the milk tube lines.
The inflations or inner liners are typically made up of a tubular liner portion having one end configured to engage and hold the teat portion of an udder within the device, and a second portion which extends through the hard shell cup portion so as to hold the liner within the milking cup. This inflation is typically made from a resilient but flexible material such as rubber or plastic compositions which are resistant to tearing or cutting by impact. These liners or inflations are the only parts of the milking device which actually come into contact with the animal. Studies have shown that the configuration, construction, fit and placement of the liners upon the teat has a greater effect than almost any other factor in the efficiency of the milking process.
A variety of configurations, designs and formulations for teat liners have been invented. Examples of these various devices are found in U.S. Pat. No. D480,184, U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,378, U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,480, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,938. While the configuration and exact placement of these devices varies, all of these liners must be designed to provide certain features. These features include: the ability to provide an airtight joint at both ends of the shell, provide a mouthpiece and a barrel which fit on to the teat to minimize the slipping of the liner and the milking cups, and allow the claw of the milker to be interconnected to a designated location.
Regardless of the type of material that the liner is made from, no teat liner can last forever. Over time these liners will wear out, break or otherwise become useless. In addition, various modifications made to the liners may also cause the dairyman to wish to change out the liners which are in their milking cups.
The frequency at which such a replacement must take place is dependent upon a variety of factors. However, it is estimated that a typical liner will function within a milking machine for approximately 900 to 1800 milkings. After this quantity of milking these liners must be replaced. On the average most milking cup liners must be replaced at about 1200 milkings. Depending upon the size of the operation in which the device is being used, this means that these liners would have to be replaced approximately every 2-3 weeks. In as much as each milking station would require a replacement of 4 such liners, an operation that utilized 50 milking machines would have to replace 200 liners every two or three weeks. This process is typically done by hand and can be quite time consuming and expensive.
In order to insert the inflations or liners in to proper position within the rigid milking cup, the short milk tube portion of the liner must be pulled through an aperture of the base of the rigid milking cup. When the inflation is so positioned, the head of the liner covers the top portion of the rigid cup and the short milk tube is pulled through this smaller aperture at the base of the rigid milking shell. In order to remove the liner from this position, the liner must be pulled with sufficient force so as to pull this rear lip back out through the aperture and remove the liner from its location within the milking shell. Once these liners are removed, the old liners can then be thrown away and a new liner inserted into the hard shell milking cup and pulled through this smaller aperture.
In as much as the configuration of the materials which make up the liners vary, so also the flexibility varies between the liners themselves. This difference in flexibilities at times can be so great as to prevent a party attempting to insert or remove these liners from being able to adequately perform this task. Therefore what is needed is a device which is simply easier to use and which allows an operator to selectively place and remove liners within hard milk shell casings with increased efficiency as compared to currently existing methods which is listed in the prior art. What is also needed is a device which enables a user to simply and effectively remove and insert liners from within the milk casing and hard shell liners. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simple device to operate and to enable a user to selectively insert and remove plastic shell liners from within a hard shell milk cup device. An object of the present invention is to provide a device which will enable a user to place and remove these plastic shell liners from within a hard cup device.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Device for inserting and removing milking machine liners


A light-emitting diode has a GaAs substrate, and two ZnSe layers formed on the substrate and having a pn junction. An AuZn electrode is formed on the upper one of the ZnSe layers with a (ZnSe).sub.x (GaAs).sub.(1-x) ohmic contact layer interposed therebetween. The coefficient x of the composition formula is substantially continuously varied from 1.0 to 0 from the ZnSe layer side. An AuGe electrode is formed on the lower surface of the GaAs substrate. The (ZnSe).sub.x (GaAs).sub.(1-x) layer reduces the resistance between the ZnSe layer and AuZn electrode, and also prevents Ga atoms from diffusing into the ZnSe layer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor device with a chalcogenide layer containing zinc or cadmium.
2. Description of the Related Art
A chalcogenide semiconductor containing zinc or cadmium has a band gap corresponding to the visible light region, and hence is expected to be used as a visible light-emitting semiconductor device. In particular, in a material mainly consisting of a zinc compound, light emission of wavelengths ranging up to a blue region has been confirmed, and this material is now being developed as a material of a shorter-wavelength light-emitting device.
However, incomplete ohmic contact between a chalcogenide layer and an electrode metal arises as a serious problem in the chalcogenide semiconductor device. Specifically, good ohmic contact cannot be made between the chalcogenide layer and Au or Pt, which are now widely used as electrode metals. Thus, a high contact resistance may occur between the electrode metal and chalcogenide layer, necessitating an increase in the voltage applied therebetween. As a result, a great amount of heat may be generated, causing defects in the crystal and hence deteriorating the semiconductor device.
To solve the above problem, the following light-emitting device has been proposed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 1-187885. As is shown in FIG. 15 in the application, an n-type ZnSSe crystal layer 152, a p-type ZnSSe crystal layer 153, and a p-type GaAs crystal layer 154 are formed on an n-type GaAs substrate 151 in the order mentioned. Reference numerals 155 and 156 denote electrodes. In this light-emitting device, the contact resistance can be reduced by growing a III-V group semiconductor layer on a p-type II-VI group semiconductor layer, and forming an ohmic electrode on the III-V group semiconductor layer.
This device, however, has the following problems:
1) The degree of valence band discontinuity is high between the III-V group compound and the II-VI group compound, which makes it difficult for holes to flow, and hence reduces the light-emission efficiency; PA1 2) Since the GaAs crystal layer 154 is formed on the p-type ZnSSe crystal layer 153 as a p-type II-VI group semiconductor layer, Ga atoms in the GaAs layer 154 will diffuse into the layer 153, with the result that the conductivity type of the layer 153 will be shifted from the p type to the n type; and PA1 3) Since the growth temperature of a III-V group compound such as GaAs is higher than that of a II-VI group compound, mutual diffusion will be caused by heat at the pn junction between the II-VI group semiconductor layers while the III-V group semiconductor layer is being grown. This diffusion may adversely affect the pn junction. PA1 a p-type first layer consisting of a chalcogenide semiconductor containing zinc or cadmium; PA1 a semiconductor supporting layer consisting of an n-type semiconductor; PA1 a second layer formed on the first layer and between the first layer and the first electrode, the second layer being made of a mixed crystal semiconductor consisting of group II, III, V, and VI elements or being consisting of a II-V group compound semiconductor.

Electroluminescent semiconductor device having chalcogenide layer and mixed crystal layer


An antenna device is provided which is capable of saving space, of operating in wide bands (in a multi-band) and of achieving an excellent gain and maintaining non-directivity of vertically polarized waves in each band. The antenna device has a conductor antenna. An end portion 111a on one end side of the conductor antenna is mounted as a power feeding section and an end portion 112a on the other end side of the conductor antenna 110 is mounted as an open end terminal. The antenna device also has a base body made of an insulating material which is coupled to one end and other end of the conductor antenna. The base band is coupled in a place where an electric field strength of the conductor antenna having a folded-back portion is increased, thus achieving the wideband and high-gain antenna device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna device and more particularly to the antenna device that can operate in a plurality of bands (transmitting/receiving bands) and a multi-band wireless communication apparatus using the antenna device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a wireless communication apparatus such as a mobile phone or a like has become widespread and various bands are used in communications. In a recently-available mobile phone called a dual-band, triple-band, or quad-band type mobile phone in particular, one mobile phone is made to operate in a plurality of bands (transmitting/receiving bands). In such a circumstance, hurried development of an antenna device making up antenna circuits that can be embedded in a mobile phone or a like being capable of operating in a plurality of bands (transmitting/receiving bands) described above is needed. It is thus necessary that, in order to respond to needs for further miniaturization of a wireless communication apparatus such as a mobile phone and for operations in multi-bands, despite a tendency of an increase in antenna components, the antenna device not only can achieve its miniaturization but also can have high performance.
An example of such a conventional antenna device mounted on one wireless communication apparatus such as a mobile phone which can operate in a plurality of bands is disclosed in, for example, Patent Reference 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-363789) in which a dielectric antenna portion having a radiation electrode pattern and a plate antenna portion make up an inverted F antenna. Also, an antenna device is disclosed in Patent Reference 2 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-7803) in which a conductive plate-shaped auxiliary element is attached to a dielectric antenna portion with a radiation electrode pattern. Another antenna device is disclosed in Patent Reference 3 (International Publication No. WO 99/28990) in which an inverted F antenna is constructed by arranging a dielectric between a radiation conductor and a grounding conductor. Still another antenna device made up of only a dielectric is disclosed in Patent Reference 4 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-229365). Yet another antenna device is disclosed in Patent Reference 5 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei 3-502157) in which a dielectric core is mounted in a loop of a loop antenna.
However, the conventional antenna devices disclosed in the Patent References 1 and 2 have a problem in that fine adjustments are not easy since their impedance matching is performed by using the radiation electrode patterns formed on the dielectric antenna portion. The antenna device disclosed in the Patent Reference 3 has also a problem in that a bandwidth is made narrow and radiation efficiency is lowered since the dielectric is placed between the radiation conductor and a grounding conductor. The antenna device disclosed in the Patent Reference 4 has also a problem in that the radiation efficiency and sensitivity are lowered when compared with the antenna devices disclosed in the Patent References 1, 2, and 3. The antenna device disclosed in the Patent Reference 4 has another problem that an antenna needs to be installed for every band and space for the antenna device is greatly occupied by antenna circuits and its antenna gain is reduced due to fluctuations of directivity of the antenna and degradation in VSWR (Voltage Standing Wave Ratio) caused by interactions among the installed antennas for each band. The antenna device disclosed in the Patent Reference 5 has a problem that the antenna used is a single loop antenna in which its line length or electrical length consists of one wavelength and, therefore, space for the antenna is greatly occupied in the antenna device.

Antenna device and multi-band type wireless communication apparatus using same


To provide a manufacturing method of a highly reliable TFT, by which a more refined pattern can be formed through a process using four or three masks, and a semiconductor device. A channel-etched bottom gate TFT structure is adopted in which a photoresist is selectively exposed to light by rear surface exposure utilizing a gate wiring to form a desirably patterned photoresist, and further, a halftone mask or a gray-tone mask is used as a multi-tone mask. Further, a step of lifting off using a halftone mask or a gray-tone mask and a step of reflowing a photoresist are used.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing semiconductor devices, in particular, a method for manufacturing active matrix display devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, liquid crystal display devices utilizing, as switching elements, TFTs each formed using amorphous silicon have been often used as display devices which have been widely used, such as liquid crystal televisions, displays of personal computers, and cellular phones. A technique by which a TFT is formed using a semiconductor thin film formed over a substrate having an insulating surface has attracted attention. The TFT has been widely applied to electronic devices such as ICs and electro-optical devices and particularly developed as a switching element of an image display device.
For a TFT using amorphous silicon, a layered structure has been conventionally formed through a photolithography process using five or more photomasks. Reduction in photolithography process using photomasks has been desired. Heretofore, each of Patent Document 1 (Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2000-131719) and Patent Document 2 (Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2003-45893) has been known as a technique achieving reduction in number of steps in a photolithography process using photomasks.
FIGS. 10A to 10E are structural views illustrating a conventional TFT using amorphous silicon.
The manufacturing process thereof is described. A gate electrode 501 is formed over a glass substrate 500 by a photolithography step using a first photomask (FIG. 10A).
A gate insulating film 502, an i-type amorphous silicon layer 503, and an n+-type amorphous silicon layer 504 are formed. The i-type amorphous silicon layer 503 and the n+-type amorphous silicon layer 504 form an island region by a photolithography step using a second photomask (FIG. 10B).
A source electrode 508 and a drain electrode 509 are formed by a photolithography step using a third photomask. At that time, a photoresist formed by the third photomask is successively utilized to etch the n+-type amorphous silicon layer so that a channel region 505, a source region 506, and a drain region 507 are formed.
A protective film 510 is formed, and a contact hole through which a contact with a pixel electrode 511 is made is formed by a photolithography step using a fourth photomask (FIG. 10C).
Indium tin oxide (ITO) is formed, and the pixel electrode 511 is formed by a photolithography step using a fifth photomask (FIGS. 10D and 10E).
Photolithography steps using a photomask includes application of a photoresist, pre-baking, a step of light exposure using a metal photomask, a step of development, post-baking, a step of etching, a step of resist separation, and the like. In addition, many steps such as a step of cleaning and a step of inspection are included in the photolithography steps. Thus, performing the conventional process using five photomasks means that the steps are repeated five times, which is a significant factor in the decrease in throughput in the manufacturing process or the increase in manufacturing cost.

Method for manufacturing semiconductor device

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A passive optical network which employs multiple wavelengths to increase overall system bandwidth, with each wavelength being shared by multiple optical network units (ONUs) according to a time division multiple access (TDMA) protocol. The upstream TDMA traffic therefore includes multiple TDMA data streams at different wavelengths. An optical line terminal (OLT) preferably receives the multiple TDMA data streams and separates them to different detectors before ultimately combining all data into a single data stream using a multiplexer after performing clock and data recovery functions. In this manner, the upstream bandwidth in a passive optical network can be markedly increased without requiring an increase in data transmit speeds, and while using low cost/low speed detectors in the OLT, and low cost/low speed transceivers in the ONUs. System bandwidth can be further improved by using higher cost, higher speed components.

Point-to-multipoint passive optical networks are commonly deployed in telecommunications and cable television local access networks. As shown in FIG. 1A, a typical passive optical network includes an optical line terminal (OLT), often located in a Central Office, and multiple optical network units (ONUs) which are usually located near end-users/subscribers for delivering information (such as voice, data and/or video) services. One or more passive optical splitters are commonly used to distribute signals to/from the OLT from/to the ONUs. Because these optical networks do not require an optical-to-electrical-to-optical conversion at each node, but rather rely on passive optical components, they are considered more reliable than active optical networks.
In the downstream direction (i.e., from the OLT to the ONUs), the passive optical network is a broadcast system; traffic inserted at the OLT is sent to all ONUs. In the upstream direction (i.e., from the ONUs to the OLT), a time division multiple access (TDMA) protocol is frequently used to coordinate the sending of multiple signals to the same OLT point. This is shown generally in FIG. 1B, which illustrates the TDMA data stream received at the OLT.
In general, increasing the upstream communication bandwidth for a fully-loaded passive optical network requires an increase in data transmit speeds. However, higher data speeds typically require more complex and thus expensive electronics for managing packet alignment and performing packet tracking and synchronization. Further, higher data speeds usually require higher speed, higher cost optical transmitters in the ONUs. For these reasons, there are practical limitations on the extent to which bandwidth can be increased in passive optical networks employing current TDMA technology.
As an alternative to TDMA protocols, wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) can be used to provide an ONU with increased upstream bandwidth. However, a system employing WDM requires multiple optical transmitters with closely spaced wavelengths, with each ONU being assigned a unique wavelength. WDM is therefore an expensive solution to bandwidth problems because of the high cost of wavelength specific lasers and multi-channel demultiplexing equipment.

Multiple wavelength TDMA optical network


A mechanism is disclosed for automatically configuring a resource to interact with a network. In one embodiment, the mechanism takes the form of a configuration program executed by the resource being configured. The program obtains a set of configuration information, configures the resource using the configuration information, registers the resource with a domain, and creates a user account on the domain. In addition, the program copies a profile from one account to another to migrate an operating environment from an existing account into a new account. By automating the resource configuration process, the program transforms what currently is a time consuming task requiring potentially thousands of manhours into a simple task that takes just minutes.

This invention relates generally to networks, and more particularly to a mechanism for automatically configuring a resource to interact with a network.
To configure a resource (e.g. a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a server, etc.) to interact with a network, a number of tasks need to be performed. These tasks include, for example: (1) configuring the resource with all of the appropriate network settings to enable it to communicate with the other components on the network (e.g. domain controller, DNS server, WINS server, etc.); (2) registering the resource with the network to enable the network to recognize the resource; and (3) creating a user account on the network to enable a user to log on to the network using the resource.
Typically, these tasks are performed manually by a network administrator. That is, while sitting at the resource, the network administrator manually enters all of the network settings using various screens and utilities of the resource, registers the resource with the network, and creates all of the necessary user accounts. Because of the large amount of work involved, this process usually takes a considerable amount of time to complete. It is not uncommon, for example, for a network administrator to spend up to an hour configuring a resource. This is assuming that the administrator does everything properly the first time. If the administrator overlooks or incorrectly performs certain aspects of the process, thereby requiring all or parts of the process to be repeated, then the configuration of the resource can take even longer. Overall, configuring a resource is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process. Multiply the effort required on each resource by the number of resources and it becomes clear that in a large network, the task of configuring the individual resources can be a monumental one requiring hundreds or even thousands of manhours.
This problem is exacerbated by the fact that the configuration process may need to be performed more than once. Specifically, each time a significant change is made to a network, one or more resources may need to be reconfigured. For example, if a company decides to alter its network such that it becomes necessary to move some resources from one domain to another, then each of the resources being moved will need to be reconfigured. This means that the configuration process discussed above will have to be repeated for each of these resources, which in turn means that the cost of configuring the resources will have to be borne again. If yet another network change is implemented, the reconfiguration cost will have to be borne yet again. Over time, the cost of reconfiguring resources can become extremely high. Because of the high cost associated with reconfigurations, many companies choose to stay with their current network arrangements rather than move to newer arrangements, even if the newer arrangements would be more efficient. This is not a desirable result.
From the above discussion, it is clear that the cost associated with configuring network resources is inordinately high. Accordingly, an improved configuration methodology, which enables resources to be configured more cost-effectively and more efficiently, is needed.

Mechanism for automatically configuring a network resource


A chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) method includes applying a solid abrasive material to a substrate, polishing the substrate, flocculating at least a portion of the abrasive material, and removing at least a majority portion of the flocculated portion from the substrate. Applying solid abrasive material can include applying a CMP slurry or a polishing pad comprising abrasive material. Such a method can further include applying a surfactant comprising material to the substrate to assist in effectuating flocculation of the abrasive material. Such surfactant comprising material may be cationic which includes, for example, a quaternary ammonium substituted salt. Also, for example, the surfactant comprising material may be applied during polishing, brush scrubbing, pressure spraying, or buffing.

Chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP), also known as chemical-mechanical planarization, is widely used in a variety of industries, including the semiconductor processing industry. CMP can remove unwanted material from a substrate, planarize a substrate, and/or create a desired finish on a substrate. All of such intentions may be generically termed "polishing." Generally, the technology involves pressing some sort of solid abrasive material against the substrate to accomplish the polishing and/or planarization. The solid abrasive material may be applied in a CMP slurry of such material and liquid carriers and/or chemically active components as desired. Alternatively, abrasive material may be carried within a polishing pad. Still other techniques are encompassed within the technology.
One common byproduct of CMP is that abrasive material residues often remain on the substrate. In some applications, residual abrasive material can negatively influence subsequent processing and/or result in defective products. Accordingly, a variety of approaches have been attempted to resolve the problem of residual abrasive material.
One conventional approach is to use hydrofluoric acid-based chemistries to undercut particles attached to a silicon oxide substrate. A problem with hydrofluoric acid-based chemistries is that microscratches formed in the substrate as a result of CMP may be aggravated in the acidic conditions. Further, insoluble fluoride compounds may be formed from reactions of hydrofluoric acid with the abrasive material.
Another conventional approach includes application of ammonium hydroxide or tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) to disperse residual abrasive material. At a high pH, a silicon oxide surface and most abrasive material particles, including ceria, alumina, and silica exhibit a negative surface charge. Such charge characteristics provide electrostatic repulsion. Experimentally, such a method has produced limited benefits and appears to work much better for aluminum oxide particles in comparison to cerium oxide particles.
Still another conventional technique involves etching and/or dissolution of abrasive particles. For cerium oxide particles, such may be accomplished with the application of a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid. While this method exhibits some effectiveness experimentally, it is incompatible with any surface structures featuring exposed metal.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide a new method for removing CMP residual abrasive material from a substrate.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An evacuateable bag having a resealable access opening in which articles can be stored. The bag is made of thin flexible material with an air evacuation chamber located within. The evacuation chamber has reinforced resilient sidewalls with an inlet one-way valve in communication with the interior of the bag and an outlet one-way valve in communication with the atmosphere.

1. Technical Field
This device relates to flexible thin-walled containers that are used for storage that can be evacuated of ambient internal air to form a partial vacuum within. Containers of this type have one-way valves which upon closure can be used to withdraw the air using an auxiliary vacuum source.
2. Description of Prior Art
Prior art devices of this type have relied on a variety of different container configurations having large openings within which can be sealed. Vacuuming means are provided to allow for the connection of a vacuum pump or the like to withdraw the air from the interior of the container. Other examples of such evacuateable bags using oral means can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,240,112, 4,877,334, and 3,980,226.
In U.S. Pat. No 5,240,112 an evacuateable bag can be seen having a large opening and an offset air stem and pinch valve which the user uses to remove the air after the bag is sealed by using his or her own lungs to create a vacuum.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,334 a flexible bag is illustrated that can be inflated by use of an air pump.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,226 is disclosed an evacuateable bag that has a large opening for the insertion of material to be stored. An air removal stem in connection with the interior of the bag is provided to allow the user to orally create a vacuum to remove the air from the container after the opening has been sealed.


A sheet feeding device having; a mounting portion capable of accommodating a stack of sheets; a blowing device that blows air onto the stack placed in the mounting portion, thereby floating at least a top sheet from the stack; a suction/transportation mechanism that includes a suction belt provided above the mounting portion and attracting the top sheet floated by the blowing device to transport the attracted sheet toward a transportation path; an image pickup device disposed so as to capture an image of the floated top sheet and the next sheet therebelow; and an illuminating device that emits light toward an area to be captured by the image pickup device. The light emitted by the illuminating device illuminates a plane in a direction approximately normal thereto, the plane including the closest end surface of the stack of sheets to the image pickup device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet feeding device that pneumatically floats sheets to be picked up one by one from a sheet stack and fed into a transportation path, and the invention also relates to an image forming apparatus including the sheet feeding device.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional sheet feeding device is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-254462. In the sheet feeding device described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-254462, a stack of sheets (e.g., paper) is placed in a mounting portion of a feed tray or suchlike. The sheet feeding device blows air onto the stack of sheets from opposite sides, thereby separating and floating the top sheet. Simultaneously, air above the stack of sheets is sucked through a suction belt, so that the floated top sheet is attracted to the suction belt. The suction belt transports the attracted sheet to the transportation path, thereby feeding the sheet into the transportation path.
To adjust the amount of air to be blown onto the stack of sheets, the sheet feeding device uses an image pickup device to capture an image of the floated top sheet and the next sheet therebelow. Thereafter, edges of the sheets are detected from the captured image, and the gap between the sheets is calculated. Subsequently, the sheet feeding device adjusts the amount of air on the basis of the calculated gap.
However, the amount of light inside the sheet feeding device is insufficient for an image to be captured inside the sheet feeding device. Therefore, in some cases, edge detection might not be performed accurately. Moreover, during edge detection, at least the top sheet is floated, often with the result that its edges flap up and down. Consequently, depending on the degree of illumination, edge detection might not be performed accurately. As such, conventional sheet feeding devices have difficulty in calculating the exact gap between sheets.

Sheet feeding device and image forming apparatus


Indicator inks, indicators formed by printing or otherwise utilizing the inks and host products utilizing the indicators are disclosed. Reactivity-enhancing adjuvants stimulate enhanced thermal reactivity of diacetylenic or other indicator agents capable of responding to ambient thermal conditions with a visual change signaling an end point. The diacetylenic or other agents may be sensitive or relatively insensitive to ambient temperatures. Use of a reactivity-enhancing adjuvant provides a useful means for adapting the reactivities of indicator agents to the response characteristics of prospective host products, for example perishables such as vaccines or fresh fish and maturables such as fruit, cheese and wine. Some exemplary adjuvants include low-temperature polymerization initiators, for example methyl ethyl ketone peroxide and polymerization accelerators, for example cobalt compounds. Such initiators and accelerators can also be used in combination.

A variety of substituted acetylenic monomers that undergo a solid-state polymerization reaction which gives rise to color development, or other visually apparent change, in a predictable and irreversible manner, have long been used as active agents in time-temperature and other ambient condition indicators. Such indicators can provide a simple visual indication of the cumulative exposure of a host product to an environmental condition. They may be used to monitor the useful shelf life of perishable host products such as a foodstuff, vaccine, medicament or the like, which can be adversely affected by inappropriate ambient temperatures of their surroundings or storage environment. The indicator system may comprise a label affixed to the product or the product packaging or otherwise associated with the host product, or can be embodied in some other convenient form.
The color-forming, or other visual signaling reaction can be thermally or radiation induced, or may be induced by pressure, humidity, ambient gases or other factors. Many substituted diacetylenic monomers, for example diacetylenic urea compounds, show some sensitivity to both thermal and radiation stimuli. Some can be highly radiation sensitive, but are relatively insensitive to ambient thermal conditions, for example 5,7-dodecadiyn-1,12 diol bis (n-octadecyl urethane, also referenced "4DOD" herein and 5,7-dodecadiyn-1,12 diol bis (n-butoxycarbonyl urethane.
Useful diacetylenic compounds, being insoluble in water and many organic solvents, are formulated as ink dispersions. Also, the ink dispersions typically are applied to suitable substrates, by printing or the like.
Desirably, the visual change exhibited by the indicator system, such as a change of color or color density, can be readily detected or determined by human or machine inspection, upon the elapse of a given time-temperature integral representing the product's shelf life. Some embodiments of the invention employ indicator agents that can exhibit a visual change in an indicator which is clearly discernible by the naked eye, for example changes in hue, value, intensity or opacity. Other embodiments can employ other indicator agents that require a further agency to reveal the change. For example, such other indicator agents may respond to heat or another monitored ambient condition with a change in fluorescence, magnetic resonance, or other non-visual property.
To the end of providing a clearly discernible visual change, known indicator systems can comprise a chemical composition appropriately formulated to provide a color change response which develops substantially concurrently with elapse of the given time-temperature integral so as to be useful for indicating expiration of a predesignated shelf life. The chemical composition may include a suitable active indicator agent, for example a polymerizable diacetylenic monomer, as is known in the art.
Useful examples of such time-temperature indicators include, for example, indicators available from assignee hereof, TEMPTIME Corporation, Morris Plains N.J., under the trademark FRESH-CHECK®. The FRESH-CHECK® indicators can be employed to indicate the freshness and safety of foods in supermarkets and elsewhere and can conveniently be embodied in an adhesive label which may readily be applied to a host product or, more commonly, to its packaging. It is also known to use comparable time-temperature indicators ("TTIs") with appropriate algorithms to indicate the heat damage status of vaccines. For example, TEMPTIME Corporation supplies vaccine condition indicators which are at the date of this application specified for use by UNICEF in their vaccination programs.
Patel U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,999,946; 4,189,399 and 4,384,980 and Preziosi et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,789,637 and 4,788,151 disclose thermally responsive, color-changing diacetylenic compounds which can be employed as indicator agents in time-temperature indicators. In response to heat, polymerization of the diacetylenes, occurring in the solid state provides a change in color. These compounds include, for example, ethyl-, propyl-, and octyl-substituted 2,4-hexadiyn-1,6-bis(alkylurea) compounds.
It is usually desirable to match the thermal response characteristics of the acetylenic monomer to the changes that are expected to occur in a given host product. Thus, the acetylenic monomer exhibits a desired visual change as a result of a time-temperature exposure that relates predictably to the anticipated shelf life of a product. For example, to indicate the end of the useful life of a vaccine vial, it may be desirable for an initially light-colored time-temperature indicator to appear dark after a predetermined time temperature integral which is satisfied by an exposure of 10 days at 90° F. or an equivalent exposure of say 20 days at 75° F. or the like. Fresh fish may have a shelf life of days in a refrigerated supermarket display, or of only a few hours if left out at room temperature. Other host products may have other requirements.
For example, commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/119,650 filed May 2, 2005, the entire disclosure of which application is incorporated by reference herein for all purposes, discloses a maturity indicator which can utilize a thermally sensitive acetylenic monomer to provide a visual indication of the maturity of a wide range of different host products including fruits, cheeses, meats, wines and so on. These host products have a variety of desirable maturation periods ranging from a few days for some fruits to a number of years for some wines at temperatures that may range from near freezing to relatively warm to temperatures that may be elevated above room temperature.
To meet these diverse monitoring needs it would be desirable to have a family of indicator materials that have a diversified range of performance parameters. For example, it may be desirable for the worker in the field to have an extensive range of color-changing thermally sensitive monomer materials from which to select an appropriate material whose response characteristics would precisely fit a given need. While a wide range of such compounds is available to serve different purposes, desired temperature sensitivity characteristics, appropriate for a particular host product, may not be readily available or may only be achievable with difficulty. Furthermore, only limited means are available for adapting, or tailoring, the thermal response properties of these materials to specific needs. While believed satisfactory for their intended purposes, these means may in some cases be unduly cumbersome or may not be adequate to meet every market need.
It is known that the range of color change or the composition reactivity can be varied by co-deposition, or co-crystallization, of different acetylenic compounds (at least one of which contains at least two conjugated acetylene groups) or by the co-deposition of one or more acetylenic compounds which contain at least two conjugated acetylene groups with one or more compounds which have similar molecular shape and polarity as the acetylenic compound, but which do not contain reactive acetylenic functionalities. Such co-depositions can be made from the vapor, melt or solution phases, or from combinations thereof.
Some polymerizable diacetylenic monomers are substantially thermally insensitive or inactive at or near room and other common ambient temperatures and are therefore not per se useful as time-temperature indicator agents for indicator inks that are responsive to ambient temperatures.
For example, Yee et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,208 discloses a number of polyacetylenes that exhibit reversible color changes at transition temperatures in the range of 180 to 220° C. These thermochromic polyacetylenes are described as being useful in temperature-indicator and indicia-display device applications. One example of such compounds is the aforementioned 5,7-dodecadiyn-1,12 diol bis (n-octadecyl urethane. Yee et al. do not appear to suggest their compounds could be useful in cumulative time-temperature indicators and indeed the described reversibility of the color-changing phenomenon is generally not a desirable property of a substance to be employed as an indicator agent for a cumulative time-temperature indicator.
Also, Roth U.S. Pat. No. 6,524,000 discloses recording materials useful for forming time-temperature indicators in a direct thermal imaging or printing apparatus. The recording materials employ diacetylenic compounds that are thermally inactive under normal storage and shipping conditions and which are heat-activated by a thermal print head, described as having an operating temperature of 50° C. to 250° C. (column 2, lines 63-65) being a temperature above ambient (column 5, line 67 to column 6, line 3). Roth suggests that inactive compounds may be converted to active compounds through heat activation, i.e. at the operating temperature, of an initiator compound, for example, a peroxide which thermally decomposes into free radicals.
Roth suggests polymerization enhancers can be used to increase the reactivity of acetylenic compounds "of the invention" (i.e. of the Roth invention) and that other compounds can decrease the reactivity (column 4, lines 4-12). Absent further relevant disclosure, it may be understood that the polymerization enhancer is intended to be effective during the heat activation process. Whether the polymerization enhancers are effective in increasing diacetylenic reactivity after heat treatment is not disclosed by Roth. Heat activation using a print head or the like is a cumbersome process imposing its own limitations and is inappropriate for many applications.
Other fields of polymer chemistry employ catalysts, polymerization initiators, accelerators and the like to control, and increase the rate of, polymerization reactions, including various peroxides and other reactive materials. These compounds may help provide polymerizable compositions such as adhesives, caulks, sealing agents, fillers and the like that have a range of reactivities. Examples of these compositions include silicone caulks, epoxy adhesives and polyester resins. However, caulks, sealants, fillers and like are unrelated to indicator agents employed to indicate environmental condition exposure history.
There may be difficulties in chemically controlling the polymerization rate of diacetylenes. Patel and Miller in Polymer Journal, Vol 13, pages 1075-1083 (1980) teach, on page 1075, righthand column, that polymerization of diacetylenes is initiated by radicals. In addition, these authors teach that radical initiators such as dicumyl peroxide inhibit rather than initiate polymerization because they do not form a solid solution and the radicals do not become adjacent to the triple bonds.
It is known in the art, for example from Patel et al. J. Polymer Sci: Poly Letters Ed, Vol 19, 511-517(1981) that diacetylenes (R—C≡C—C≡C—R, where R is a substituent group) polymerize in the solid state. According to Patel et al., "no catalysts previously have been found suitable for this reaction," However, in a few acetylenes, polymerization was found by Patel et al. to have been accelerated by co-crystallization with other acetylenes.
Otherwise, there was "no report on catalytic polymerization of diacetylenes" according to Patel et al. Furthermore, the reference teaches that initiation of polymerization by radical initiators such as peroxides (e.g. dicumyl peroxide) or azo compounds (e.g. 2,2′-azobisisobutylnitrile), would be difficult because it is difficult to incorporate solid or liquid initiators in solid diacetylenes. Still further, the paper teaches that even if one were able to incorporate such initiators in solid diacetylenes, they would be unlikely to work because it is unlikely that such large molecular radicals would be positioned suitably, relative to the rodlike diacetylene molecules, to initiate polymerization. Patel et al. further assert that such initiators or sensitizers may act as impurities and block polymerization rather than initiate it. To overcome such problems the paper suggests using chlorine gas to initiate the polymerization reaction. Chlorine is hazardous to personnel, corrosiive and, being gaseous, is difficult to handle. Accordingly, chlorine gas is unsuitable for most commercial purposes. Nor do Patel et al. describe any commercial applications of their gas treatment method which is apparently merely a report on research work-in-progress.
It may be expected that were the initiators to be unable to react with the diacetylene, for steric or other reasons, they could undergo side reactions that would negatively impact the appearance or physical properties of an indicator in which they were incorporated. Also, for applications where the indicator is to be formed into a film, for example to be printed on labels, it may be expected that initiator radicals might react with themselves to generate cage product impurities that could have a detrimental impact on film appearance. Furthermore, where indicators incorporating the diacetylene employ a film former, there is a possibility that unreacted initiator radicals might react with the film-former, causing it to cross-link and possibly become brittle.
JP Laboratories' International Publication Number WO 2004/077097, inventor Patel, discloses a diacetylene-based personal dosimeter. The dosimeter employs a radiation-sensitive ink which provides a radiation-induced color reaction to indicate cumulative dosage. According to the reference, shelf life extenders can be added to reduce thermal reactivity purportedly without affecting the radiation sensitivity of the coating. This is described as an advantage for the dosimeter application, reducing thermally induced darkening and facilitating monitoring of radiation-induced color. Disclosed shelf-life extenders include compounds such as heat stabilizers, quenchers and inhibitors of reactive species, radical and oxygen scavengers, antioxidants and the like. The inhibitory function of such compounds is the antithesis of reactivity-enhancement of thermally sensitive diacetylenic materials.
The foregoing description of background art may include insights, discoveries, understandings or disclosures, or associations together of disclosures, that were not known to the relevant art prior to the present invention but which were provided by the invention. Some such contributions of the invention may have been specifically pointed out herein, whereas other such contributions of the invention will be apparent from their context. Merely because a document may have been cited here, no admission is made that the field of the document, which may be quite different from that of the invention, is analogous to the field or fields of the present invention.

Adjuvant-mediated reactivity enhancement of polymerizable diacetylenic materials


An ON/OFF detecting buckle switch includes: a case in a housing shape; a slider insertion port equipped in an upper face of the case; a support portion equipped in an inner side face of the case; a fixed terminal provided with a notched portion in one end in a strip shape and the other end fixed to the inner side face of the case; a movable terminal in a strip shape having one area fixed to the support portion; a slider provided with a terminal press portion that projects inside the case penetrating through the slider insertion port of the case and the notched portion of the fixed terminal, and when pressed down, presses down an end of the movable terminal; a spring that biases the slider upward; and bent portions in a hook shape in the notched portion of the fixed terminal and an end of the movable terminal.

On a seat of an automobile and the like, a seat belt device is mounted in order to protect an occupant at the time of emergency, such as collision. For easy insertion and removal of a seat belt device of this type, a buckle device is equipped in a seat of an automobile and the like. A buckle device is configured to spring bias a latch member that latches a tongue plate in a latching direction and also to use a locking member to hold the latch member in a state in which the tongue plate and the buckle main body are latched. In such a buckle device, it is required to indicate by a lamp that the tongue plate and the buckle main body are in a latched state, to control actuation of a belt winding power reduction mechanism and the like, or to enable transmission of information of insertion and removal of a seat belt to an air bag ECU (electronic control unit). Therefore, a buckle switch that detects a latched state is equipped inside the buckle. As a prior art related to a buckle switch of this type, there are, for example, Patent Literature 1 shown below and the like. Among buckle switches, there is a switch of a type that detects only a state of contact point conduction/opening at the time of insertion and removal (hereinafter, referred to as an ON/OFF detecting buckle switch).


An epitaxial structure including an epitaxial substrate, a first buffer layer, a first pattern mask layer, a second buffer layer and a second pattern mask layer. The first buffer layer is disposed on the epitaxial substrate. The first pattern mask layer is disposed on the first buffer layer. The second buffer layer is disposed on the first pattern mask layer and a part of the first buffer layer. The second pattern mask layer is disposed on the second buffer layer. A projection of the first pattern mask layer projected on the first buffer layer and a projection of the second pattern mask layer projected on the first buffer layer cover at least 70% of the total area of the first buffer layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an epitaxial structure, and particularly relates to an epitaxial structure having fewer defects.
2. Description of Related Art
Light emitting diodes (LED) are semiconductor devices manufactured by using compound (e.g., gallium nitride, gallium phosphide, and gallium arsenide) containing semiconductor materials in a Group III-V element. A lifetime of the LEDs may be as long as 100,000 hours. In addition, the LEDs have the advantages of a quick responding speed (approximately 10−9 seconds), smaller size, lower power consumption, low pollution, high reliability, as well as the capability for mass production. Thus, the LEDs are broadly used in many fields. For example, LEDs are used in luminaires, traffic signal lamps, cell phones, scanners, and fax machines.
Taking the gallium nitride semiconductor for example, in the manufacturing process of the gallium nitride semiconductor, due to the differences in lattice constant and thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) between the semiconductor layer and a hetero-substrate, misfit dislocations and the thermal stress caused by CTE mismatch of the semiconductor in the epitaxial process are commonly found. Therefore, the conventional nitride semiconductor may be severely bent due to the stress and the chance of generating cracks is thus increased.

Epitaxial structure with pattern mask layers for multi-layer epitaxial buffer layer growth


An underwater communications method and apparatus is provided for demodulating communications signals while compensating for the effects of range rate, i.e., relative velocity between the nodes of the communication system. The method of the invention is implemented in the DSP of an underwater bi-directional acoustic modem and method comprises the steps of generating a communication signal with an acquisition component for providing an initial estimate of the range rate. The acquisition component preferably is with a nonlinear frequency modulated acquisition component, preferably in the form of a hyperbolic frequency modulated signal, for providing the initial estimate of the range rate. Following this, a second set of signals, preferably a set of single frequency tonals, is generated and acquired using the initial estimate of range rate to obtain a more precise estimate of range rate. The communication signal is then demodulated using the more precise estimate of range rate to compensate for the effects of range rate on the communication signal so that the communication signal appears to have not been influenced by the effects of range rate.

Modems were developed to allow computers to exchange information over a network of telephone lines. To process information, a computer reduces data to a digital format of 1's and 0's, representing the two values by either the presence or absence of an electronic signal. The modem, which is short for modulation/demodulation, converts this digital representation to sounds which, in turn, are coded by the telephone lines as electrical signals. In this modulated or analog format, the digital 1's and 0's are represented by different frequencies within a defined bandwidth. At the receiving end of the transmission, another modem converts the signal from frequency form back to digital form so that the data can be accepted and processed by the receiving computer.
The key performance parameter for a modem is its data transfer rate, which is usually measured by baud rate, or the number of bits per second the modem can reliably generate and receive. Baud rates of 28,800 and 56,600 are now commonplace in PC communications.
On land, the medium between modems is the benign environment of a shielded wire or the sharply defined path of a microwave transmission. In these environments, it is relatively easy to achieve fast and reliable transmission of large amounts of data. Without much interference, the discrete signals can be sent out in very close proximity and still be properly understood at the receiving end. And, as signals begin to fade over distance, network facilities recondition the signals so that they arrive in a clear, unambiguous form.
Unfortunately, in many underwater applications, a wire connection with submerged instrumentation is either prohibitively expensive or not feasible. The solution is to use the water itself as the medium for the transmission of acoustic signals. However, this solution presents several problems. First, sound travels through water at a much slower speed—approximately 1,500 meters per second—compared to electrical transmissions on a phone line, which travel at the speed of light.
Secondly, the water is an open channel into which the acoustic signal is broadcast. Even when the transmission is a narrow beam aimed at its target, the sound wave fans out and generates echoes which arrive at the target destination shortly after the original signal. These multipath echoes require additional processing as the signal is received.
The open-channel broadcast also results in the need for additional signal processing with each transmission to assure that the target, and only the target, receives the message. Finally, water can be a much more hostile environment. The signal is affected by changes in water temperature, turbulence, objects in the water and a host of other factors, including any relative motion between communication nodes.
With any wireless communications system provisions must be made to accommodate rapid relative velocity between transmitters and receivers of the system. This is especially true of underwater communications, which have relatively limited bandwidths and otherwise difficult channels. All communications signals contain components used for acquisition and alignment, where, in the broadest sense, alignment pertains to both the temporal and spectral identification of the modulated portion of the larger signal. A typical signal component is a linear frequency modulated (LFM) waveform (also known as a chirp). This is processed with a "matched filter" technique using as a filter an exact replica of the transmitted LFM. The peak of the filtered output indicates the arrival time of the signal. When relative velocity (i.e., range rate) occurs, the waveform is distorted by temporal compression or dilation, which also has the effect of compressing/dilating the spectral content of the waveform. In this case, the basic filter is no longer a good "match" for the received signal. The distortion causes a decrease in the peak filtered response, as well as loss of precision in estimation of temporal alignment. Furthermore, the level of spectral distortion of the signal is not revealed. The issue here is to develop an acquisition/synchronization subsystem which can provide acquisition of a packet and provide satisfactory alignment with the modulated message over a wide span of range rates. At the same time the acquisition must provide initial estimation of the range rate so the remainder of the signal can be corrected to enable the demodulation to proceed as if there were no motion present.
The classic method for solving this problem is to form a multi-hypothesis, maximum likelihood estimator, wherein a "bank" of filters are formed, each reflecting a different hypothesis of range rate. The number of filters used must account for the degree of spectral distortion imposed by the motion. Typically, a new filter must be used when the adjacent filter peak is reduced by 50%. The system then observes all of the filtered outputs and chooses that one with the largest peak. This "best" choice of filter then determines the range rate, which can then be used to correct the remainder of the signal for the imposed spectral distortion.
The approach just described is considered optimal under typical conditions of an additive white Gaussian noise channel. However, the computational burden is very high, and, may be prohibitive for a small, battery-powered digital signal processor (DSP).
A principal purpose of this invention is to provide an alternative transmission/acquisition signal, which is robust in the presence of range rate, and which is combined with a secondary signal to identify the range rate where the combination of the two is used for purposes of both temporal and spectral alignment.
Another purpose of this invention is to provide improved underwater acoustic modems that can conduct bi-directional communication while moving at high speeds relative to one another.
Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious and will, in part, appear hereinafter when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the drawings.