In the programming of a non-volatile memory device, such as a NAND flash memory device 100, a positive bias voltage V.sub.bias is applied to a bit line 44 to set a respective memory gate 44a in a programmed state. In a further embodiment, the positive bias voltage V.sub.bias is obtained by dividing the select drain gate voltage V.sub.cc using two resistors 56 and 58 connected in series.

Non-volatile memory devices have been developed by the semiconductor integrated circuit industry for various applications such as computers and digital communications. Examples of non-volatile memory devices include conventional flash electronically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs). A conventional EEPROM typically includes a plurality of NAND gates arranged in an array on a semiconductor chip.
A conventional NAND gate typically has a dual gate structure which includes two field oxide regions on a silicon substrate, a thin tunnel oxide layer between the two field oxide regions, a polysilicon floating gate which comprises a first polysilicon (POLY-1) layer on the tunnel oxide layer, an interpolysilicon dielectric stack such as an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) stack on the floating gate, and a polysilicon control gate which comprises a second polysilicon (POLY-2) layer on the dielectric stack. This dual gate structure of a conventional NAND flash memory device is known to a person skilled in the art.
FIG. 1 shows a typical circuit diagram of an array of NAND flash memory gates 2a, 2b, 4a, 4b, 6a and 6b as part of a non-volatile memory device on a semiconductor integrated circuit. The NAND gates 2a, 2b, 4a, 4b, 6a and 6b each have a conventional dual gate structure with a POLY-1 floating gate and a POLY-2 control gate. The floating gates of the NAND gates 2a and 2b are connected together in series along a first bit line 2, the floating gates of the NAND gates 4a and 4b are connected together in series along a second bit line 4, and the floating gates of the NAND gates 6a and 6b are connected together in series along a third bit line 6. The control gates of the NAND gates 2a, 4a and 6a are connected along a first word line 7, and in a similar manner, the control gates of the NAND gates 2b, 4b and 6b are connected along a second word line 8.
The word lines 7 and 8 are implemented to program the respective words comprising the respective bits represented by the memory states stored in the NAND gates 2a, 4a, 6a and 2b, 4b, 6b along the word lines 7 and 8, respectively. When a specific word is being programmed, a "program" voltage V.sub.1 on the order of about 20 V is applied to the word line to enable the bits of the word along the word line to be programmed by the respective bit lines. FIG. 1 shows an example in which the word represented by the memory states of the NAND gates 2a, 4a, 6a, . . . on the word line 7 is being supplied with the "program" voltage V.sub.1 signifying that the word along the word line 7 is being programmed.
A word line which is not being programmed is applied a "no program" voltage V.sub.2 on the order of about 10 V representing a "no program" state for the word represented by the memory states of the NAND gates along the word line to boost the channel potential of the inhibited bitlines. FIG. 1 shows an example in which the word represented by the memory states of the NAND gates 2b, 4b and 6b along the word line 8 is being supplied with the "no program" voltage V.sub.2 signifying that the word along the word line 8 is not being programmed. In a conventional NAND non-volatile memory device, the word line voltage V.sub.1 signifying a "programmed" state for a word line is typically on the order of about 20 V, whereas the word line voltage V.sub.2 signifying a "no program" state for the word line is typically on the order of about 10 V.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional NAND flash memory device further includes a plurality of select drain gates 2c, 4c and 6c connected along a voltage line 10 and a plurality of select source gates 2d, 4d and 6d connected along another voltage line 12. The select drain gates 2c, 4c and 6c and the select source gates 2d, 4d and 6d each have a single polysilicon gate structure. The voltage line 10, which is connected to the polysilicon gates of the select drain gates 2c, 4c and 6c, is supplied with a DC voltage V.sub.cc which is constantly maintained on the select drain gates 2c, 4c and 6c during the operation of the NAND flash memory device. In a conventional NAND flash memory device, the DC voltage V.sub.cc for the select drain gates 2c, 4c and 6c is typically on the order of about 3.3 V. In a conventional NAND flash memory device, the select source gate voltage line 12, which is connected to the polysilicon gates of the select source gates 2d, 4d and 6d, is connected to ground. The DC select source gate voltage V.sub.ss is therefore 0 V.
To program a particular bit of a word on a particular word line, such as the word line 7 in FIG. 1, the bit lines 2, 4 and 6 are each supplied with either a "program" voltage or a "program-inhibit" voltage such that the NAND gates 2a, 4a and 6a on the respective bit lines 2, 4 and 6 are programmed with memory states each representing either a logic bit "1" or a logic bit "0". In a conventional NAND flash memory device, a NAND gate is not programmed if the bit line to which the NAND gate is connected is supplied with a "no program" bit line voltage V.sub.cc, which is the same as the DC voltage for the select drain gates 2c, 4c and 6c.
FIG. 1 also shows an example of a self-boosting operation of an inhibited bit line. When the voltage V.sub.cc is applied to the bit line 2, which is an inhibited bit line, the NAND gate 2a on the word line 7 maintains a "program-inhibited" or "no program" state. In a conventional NAND flash memory device, an inhibited state typically signifies a logic bit "1", which is the default bit for NAND gates not being programmed.
Furthermore, in the conventional NAND flash memory device as shown in FIG. 1, a "program state" typically represents a logic bit "0". When the bit line 6 is supplied with the DC select drain gate voltage V.sub.cc, the NAND gate 6a on the word line 7 maintains a "no program" state which signifies a logic bit "1". The bits of the binary word stored on the word line 7 along which the NAND gates 2a, 4a, 6a . . . are disposed are thus programmed with logic bits 101 . . . . The applications of the bit line voltages V.sub.cc and V.sub.ss do not affect the NAND gates 2b, 4b and 6b on the word line 8 because it is applied the "no program" word line voltage V.sub.2. Each of the words on the respective word lines and each of the bits on the respective bit lines can thus be programmed with logic bits "1" and "0", depending upon whether the "program" voltage V.sub.1 or the "no program" voltage V.sub.2 is applied to each of the word lines while the select drain gate voltage V.sub.cc or the select source gate voltage V.sub.ss of 0 V is applied to each of the NAND gates along the respective bit lines.
FIG. 2 is a simplified plan view of a typical physical layout of the conventional NAND flash memory device of FIG. 1 implemented as a semiconductor integrated circuit 14. A first polysilicon (POLY-1) layer 16 is formed on an oxide layer 15 which has been provided on a semiconductor substrate (not shown). The POLY-1 layer 16 has a pattern of vertical strips which serve as the bit lines 2, 4 and 6, respectively. The POLY-1 layer 16 also includes a horizontal polysilicon strip which serves as the select drain gate voltage line 10 for supplying the DC drain gate voltage V.sub.cc to the select drain gates 2c, 4c and 6c in FIG. 1. Referring back to FIG. 2, the POLY-1 layer 16 further includes another horizontal polysilicon strip 12 to serve as the select source gate voltage line 12, which is grounded, for maintaining the select source gates 2d, 4d and 6d at 0 V. The select drain gates 2c, 4c, 6c and the select source gates 2d, 4d, 6d are shown in the physical layout of FIG. 2 as rectangular portions 2c, 4c, 6c and 2d, 4d, 6d of the POLY-1 layer 16 along the select drain gate strip 10 and along the select source gate strip 12, respectively.
The POLY-1 layer 16 has a pattern of channel stop openings, also called channel stop implant windows 21 and 23, between the bit lines 2 and 4 and between the bit lines 4 and 6, respectively. Core field oxide regions 20 and 22, which are portions of the oxide layer 15, are exposed through the respective channel stop implant windows 21 and 23. The channel stop implant window 21 has edges 31 and 33 adjacent the select drain gate strip 10 and the select source gate strip 12, respectively. Similarly, the channel stop implant window 23 has edges 34 and 36 adjacent the select drain gate strip 10 and the select source gate strip 12, respectively. The polysilicon gates of the select drain gates 2c, 4c and 6c are connected to the single select drain gate strip 10, and the polysilicon gates of the select source gates 2d, 4d and 6d are connected to the single select source gate strip 12.
A second polysilicon "POLY-2" layer 26 has a pattern of horizontal strips including strips 7 and 8 which serve as the word lines 7 and 8 in FIG. 1, respectively. As shown in FIG. 2, the horizontal POLY-2 layer strips 7 and 8 serving as the respective word lines are provided on top of the POLY-1 layer 16 and the core field oxide regions 20 and 22. The areas in which the horizontal strips 7 and 8 of the POLY-2 layer 26 overlap the vertical strips 2, 4 and 6 of the POLY-1 layer 16 form the respective NAND gates 2a, 4a, 6a, 2b, 4b and 6b. In a conventional NAND flash memory device, an interpolysilicon dielectric stack such as an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) trilayer stack (not shown) is provided between the POLY-1 layer 16 and the POLY-2 layer 26 in the areas 2a, 4a, 6a, 2b, 4b and 6b to form the respective NAND gates. The interpolysilicon dielectric stack is conventional and is known to a person skilled in the art. The select drain gates 2c, 4c and 6c and the select source gates 2d, 4d and 6d each have only one polysilicon layer, and therefore no interpolysilicon dielectric stack is provided on these select gates.
The dimensions of NAND flash memory devices have been aggressively shrunk down in recent years in order to provide larger scale integration. When the dimensions of the NAND devices are shrunk down to a very small size, the physical distance between adjacent bit lines becomes short and the channel stop implant window between the adjacent bit lines becomes narrow. A field turn-on in the substrate region under the field oxide region beneath the polysilicon select drain gate strip 10 may be effected by applying the DC select drain gate voltage V.sub.cc to one of the bit lines 2, for example, and grounding another bit line 4, for example, adjacent to the bit line 2 which is applied the voltage V.sub.cc, during the programming of the bits stored in the NAND memory gates 2a and 4a on the respective bit lines 2 and 4. The field turn-on in the substrate region under the select gate transistor field oxide region may cause the bits which are supposed to be program-inhibited with logic bit "1" to be "turned on" to a programmed memory state indicating logic bit "0". Therefore, a field turn-on is undesirable in that it causes a program disturbance during the programming of the NAND memory gates in a conventional non-volatile memory device.
In a conventional NAND non-volatile memory device, as the field regions are shrunk, there could be a leakage path between bit lines which results from a relatively low doping concentration in the substrate region under the select drain gate transistor field oxide region. When a field turn-on occurs, an excess leakage current will flow between the bit lines during the programming of the NAND device, thereby causing program disturbance and product failure. Therefore, there is a need for a NAND flash memory device and a method of programming the memory device to eliminate the program disturbance caused by the field turn-on when some of the bit lines are applied the voltage V.sub.cc while others are grounded.

Bit line biasing method to eliminate program disturbance in a non-volatile memory device and memory device employing the same


A microscope plate indexing apparatus includes a base platform and an indexing platform. The indexing platform has a slideway to slidingly receive a crystallography or other microscope plate. The indexing platform includes two projecting pins, one of which is a guide pin received in a guide groove in the base platform and the other of which is an indexing pin received in one of a plurality of indexing holes in the base platform. The indexing holes are preferably located in an indexing groove. The guide groove keeps the indexing platform aligned with the base platform during movement of the indexing pin from one indexing hole to the other and maintains the indexing platform in substantially fixed position in relation to the base platform when the indexing pin is in a selected indexing hole to insure correct alignment of the two platforms. The row of wells in the microscope plate is selected by selecting the indexing hole into which the index pin is inserted and the particular well of the row is selected by sliding the microscope plate in the slideway.

1. Field
The invention is in the field of apparatus to aid in viewing plates with a plurality of separate sample locations with separate samples at a plurality of the sample locations to be individually aligned with a viewing field of a microscope so that each sample can be selectively and separately viewed under the microscope.
2. State of the Art
Various microscope plates are available which have a plurality of separate sample locations for separate samples at each of the separate sample locations to be separately view under a microscope. Each sample location with a sample must be individually aligned with a viewing field of the microscope used so that each sample can be selectively and separately viewed under (through) the microscope. Many of these plates are referred to as "microplates" and/or "crystallography plates" and are used in the biotechnology field for growing protein and other biological crystals. Such plates are available from Hampton Research, C. A. Greiner & Sohne Gesellschaft m.b.H., and Corning Incorporated. These plates have a plurality of sample wells therein with each well having a relatively small reservoir for receiving a protein solution and a reagent solution (the Greiner wells have three small reservoirs) and a relatively large reservoir for receiving a reagent solution that has a higher concentration than the reagent solution within the relatively small reservoir. The protein solution and reagent solution in the relatively small reservoir interact with the reagent solution in the relatively large reservoir via a vapor diffusion process which enables the formation of protein crystals within the relatively small reservoir. The relatively small reservoirs are then inspected, either by automated equipment or manually under a microscope, to determine the results of the process taking place in wells. The plates are generally of rectangular configuration with the wells arranged in a grid having a plurality of rows and columns. The number of wells in a plate vary, with each of the manufacturers mentioned above making plates with 96 wells, arranged in rows and columns, which are each individually examined when the plate is examined manually under a microscope. For such examination, the plate has to be moved in relation to the microscope so that each of small reservoirs of each of the 96 wells is moved into viewing position and viewed by the microscope. Examples of the identified plates are shown in U.S. Published Patent Application Pub. No. US 2002/0141905 A1.
A new plate available from Corning, the Corning CCP 384 NT Crystallization Plate, has 192 wells each having a relatively small reservoir and a relatively large reservoir. The wells are arranged in the plate in sixteen rows and twelve columns. The sixteen rows are identified by letters A through P and the columns are identified by numbers 1 through 12. Thus, there are 192 wells to be individually examined when the plate is examined under the microscope. The plate is the same overall size as the 96 well plate so the wells are smaller and closer together than are the 96 wells in the 96 well plates. There are twice as many rows of wells in the 192 well plate than in the 96 well plate. With the 192 well plate, the plate has to be moved in relation to the microscope so that each of the 192 wells is moved into viewing position and viewed by the microscope. With either plate, the viewing operation is time consuming when the plate is merely placed on the microscope base and the plate is move manually on the base to align the individual wells with the viewing path of the microscope.
An indexing apparatus for use with the 96 well Corning and Greiner plates has been manufactured by DeBolt Machine & Fabrication of San Jose, Calif. and available for several years under the trademark SPEEDVIEW from Hampton Research of Aliso Viejo, Calif. The Speedview apparatus has a base platform which is secured to the microscope base and an index platform that is adjustably secured to the base platform. The index platform has a slideway in which the plate is placed and along which it slides in one plane. The plate slides in the one plane to move from well to well along a single row of wells in the plate. The index platform is adjustably moved with respect to the base platform once the base platform is secured to the microscope base to select a particular row. A column of indexing holes on each side of a view through area (where the microscope views the sample in the plate through holes in the platforms of the indexing apparatus) of the indexing platform receives a pin extending from the base platform on each side of a view through area of the base platform to secure the index platform on the base platform in a selected position so that a row of wells can be viewed through the microscope by sliding the plate in the slideway. The pins are of one quarter inch diameter and the receiving holes are of mating diameter to provide proper movement of the indexing platform in relation to the base platform to move the indexing platform and slideway therein the proper distance to align adjacent rows of wells for microscope viewing. Further, the size of the pins and receiving holes ensure that the pins can only be placed in opposite holes of the columns to prevent the angling of the indexing platform on the base platform to ensure proper alignment of the rows of wells under the viewing area of the microscope. While the original Speedview apparatus works well for the 96 well plates, it does not work for the new 192 well Corning plate. The new 192 well plate has more rows that are closer together so requires smaller adjustment capabilities.


Techniques are described for determining a duration for a transition and alteration of the appearance of a user interface (UI) from a first UI state to a second UI state over the transition duration according to a timing function that specifies different rates of change in appearance over the course of the transition and is derived by adjusting a master timing function that is used to control a plurality of transitions in the UI to span the transition duration for the transition. A time value of an inflection point within the timing function is determined and the transition duration is divided into a first portion and a second portion so that the first portion extends from the beginning of the transition duration to the time value of the inflection point, and the second portion extends from the time value of the inflection point to the end of the transition duration.

Given the ubiquity of various types of computing devices used for work, leisure, commerce, and social interaction, many people spend much of their time looking at a user interface presented on one computing device or other. Accordingly, designers and developers of application interfaces strive to provide interfaces that are easy to use, intuitive, visually pleasing, and/or otherwise provide a positive user experience. In some instances, to maintain user focus and prevent disorientation, operating systems and/or applications provide animated transitions between static states of the interface. To be perceived as continuous and easily comprehensible to the user, such transitions may coordinate the sequencing of the movement, appearance, and/or disappearance of elements that are presented in the interface. Such sequencing may also be referred to as choreography. Generally, each transition may be individually designed (i.e., choreographed) and specified by the application developer and/or operating system.

Dynamically generated interface transitions


The disclosure illustrates a NFC antenna. The NFC antenna includes a first radiating portion and a second radiating portion. The first radiating portion is formed by a first conducting wire surrounding an axis core. The second radiating portion is formed by a second conducting wire surrounding the same axis core based on a surrounding direction which the first radiating portion surrounds the axis core. A second signal input terminal of the second radiating portion is electrically connected to a first signal input terminal of the first radiating portion. An open end of the second radiating portion is disposed proximately to a first signal output terminal. Thus, the NFC antenna can reduce the interferences affected from surrounding metal elements, and improve a quality factor of the NFC antenna.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a NFC antenna, in particular, to a NFC antenna reducing interferences affected by metal elements.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional near field communication (NFC) antenna can be formed by ring type conductors and disposed surrounding a screen and a keyboard of an electronic device, such that the electronic device can communicate with other electronic devices by using a point-to-point contactless communication.
For example, refer to FIG. 1A, which shows a schematic diagram of the conventional NFC antenna. The conventional NFC antenna 1 includes a radiating portion 11 and a dielectric layer 10. The radiating portion 11 is disposed on one side of the dielectric layer 10. The radiating portion 11 includes a signal input terminal 111, a conducting wire 112 and a signal output terminal 113. The conducting wire 112 is electrically connected to the signal input terminal 111 and the signal output terminal 113. The conducting wire 112 surrounds an axis core 12 with multiple circles and formed a spiral structure. The signal input terminal 111 is not electrically connected to the signal output terminal 113.
Furthermore, referring to FIG. 1B, which shows an equivalent circuit of the conventional NFC antenna. In FIG. 1B, the equivalent circuit of the conventional NFC antenna 1 is mainly formed by an inductor Lx. However, the inductor Lx is not an ideal inductor, such that the conventional NFC antenna 1 exists also as a parasitic capacitor Cx and a parasitic resistor Rx. Hence, when the electronic device disposed with the conventional NFC antenna 1 communicates with a reader disposed with the conventional NFC antenna 1, if the conventional NFC antenna 1 has a low quality factor (Q factor) and the conventional NFC antenna 1 of the reader is affected by metal elements surrounding the reader, both of the quality factor of the conventional NFC antenna 1 and a transmission distance between the electronic device and the reader are decreased.

UNIVERSAL SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIAL (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.

UNIVERSAL GLOBAL SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.


A cam follower disposed on a limit switch utilized in elevator systems comprises a tire and a hub. The tire comprises a torus and a web, wherein the web includes a plurality of elongated slots that allow free movement of the tire within the hub. The hub comprises two portions that snap fit together securing the tire therebetween so that when the tire of the cam follower is impacted, the tire absorbs the impact shock and minimizes noise caused by the impact. The cam follower design also allows an inexpensive fabrication and assembly.

Conventional elevator systems utilize limit switches disposed on each floor inside an elevator hoistway. Each limit switch comprises a box-like enclosure and an arm. The arm further comprises a cam follower mounted on a spindle. As an elevator car reaches a certain floor, a cam disposed on a side of the elevator car comes into a contact with the cam follower to move the arm. The limit switch is activated by the arm movement to send a signal to a computer to let it know the exact location of the elevator cab at that particular time.
The cam followers are repeatedly impacted and must withstand much abuse. The cam followers are typically fabricated from either foam or hard rubber. The cam followers may also include a roller bearing or a similar device to absorb the impact of the elevator cam and to resume its original shape.

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Valve arrangement for a pressurized fluid container, consisting of a valve disc which may be sealingly connected to the fluid container, a valve body made of plastics which may be secured in an opening of the valve disc, a valve piston made of plastics which is guided in a through-channel of the valve body and cooperates with a sealing surface of the valve body and a spring arrangement cooperating with the valve body, which presses the valve piston against the sealing surface of the valve body, the valve body comprising a neck defining the through-channel and at least one collar segment, an annular groove being formed between the neck and the at least one collar segment, and into the annular groove a press ring being introduced, of which the thickness in the radial direction is such that the at least one collar segment is pressed in a spread-apart manner against the opening of the valve disc.

The present invention relates to a valve arrangement for a pressurized fluid container for discharging foam and other media.
Valve arrangements for pressurized fluid containers, for example aerosol containers or the like, but also pressurized containers for more viscous media, such as gels or foams are also known in different embodiments.
In valve arrangements for fluid containers, a differentiation is made between spring-actuated valve pistons or closure members and so-called tilt valves. The valve arrangement according to the invention refers to spring-actuated valves.
It is known to arrange between the valve piston and valve body a helical spring, which pretensions the valve piston against a sealing surface or a valve seat. A valve arrangement has become known from DE 197 10 541, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference, in which the valve piston is pretensioned upwards by a spring tongue against a sealing seat. The spring tongue is part of a clip which is attached to the valve body. The valve body consists of plastics, whilst the clip is formed from spring metal.
A valve arrangement is known from EP 1 300 617, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference comprising a valve disc, a valve body attached in an opening of the valve disc, a valve piston guided in a through-channel of the valve body, and a valve cap. A portion of the base of the cap and a lower portion of the piston cooperate in a telescopic manner such that, due to the elastic deformation, a spring force is produced on the piston which presses the piston against a sealing surface of the valve body.
In the known valve arrangements, an annular groove of the valve body engages in an internal portion of the opening of the valve disc. In this connection, however, when filling the container with propellant the valve body may be ejected inwards by high filling pressure. The connection of the valve body to the valve disc may loosen when subjected to greater loads.

Valve arrangement for a pressurised fluid container


The present invention is an electronically controlled battery contactor that opens (disconnects) or closes (connects) the battery circuit from the other parts of a motor vehicle electrical system based on measured or sensed data derived from monitoring the electrical system, communicating with other on-board control units, and pre-programmed requirements specific to the vehicle operation. The primary functions are to protect the battery from excessive current drain when the vehicle is parked, protect against short circuits across the main electrical feed, and provide emergency disconnect for vehicle impact, rollover or sensed thermal events. A programmed delay function controls the opening of the contactor in conjunction with other electronic control units that may require electrical power for a period of time after vehicle shutdown. A master electrical disconnect switch is provided for manual override for servicing the vehicle or during an emergency.

The present invention is designed for vehicle applications where electrical power may or may not be routinely disconnected at the time of vehicle shutdown. The apparatus provides an intelligent monitoring of the electrical usage of a vehicle, particularly after engine shutdown, so that ample battery energy can be preserved to restart the vehicle at a later time. The apparatus can also provide catastrophic event monitoring for the vehicle to disconnect the battery or batteries in the event of a fire or vehicular accident.
Large commercial motor vehicles, such as heavy trucks that are powered by diesel engines, may be parked for extended periods of time. If the engine is permitted to remain operating after the vehicle is parked, the alternator should be sufficient to keep the vehicle's battery charged. However, if the engine is turned off, either intentionally by the operator, or automatically by a device such as an idle shut-down timer, while a number of electrical devices and circuits remain operational on the vehicle, the battery will begin to drain through those circuits. For example, an ignition switch will typically remain in the "on" position after an idle shut-down timer has timed out and the engine is shut down. Any circuit or electrical device that is connected through the ignition switch, which electrical device may have been left "on," will continue to draw current and deplete the battery.
The vehicle battery must be able to provide sufficient cranking power to start the vehicle engine after a shutdown. A battery of a large vehicle typically comprises multiple storage batteries arranged in a parallel circuit array to provide greater starting current. If the battery is permitted to drain to the point where it cannot deliver the large cranking power necessary for restarting the engine, the vehicle cannot be operated. Due to the fact that a large vehicle, such as a heavy truck, may be parked for an extended time, it is appropriate to guard against the possibility that its battery will be drained to the point that will not permit the engine to be started or cranked for failure to turn off all electrical devices and disconnect the battery from the vehicle's electrical circuits. This type of circumstance may also exist in medium duty trucks used for inter- and intra-city deliveries.
It is known to place a disconnect switch in the vehicle electrical circuit between the battery and the remainder of the vehicle's electrical system for use in disconnecting the battery to prevent battery current draw that, if allowed to continue for an extended time could drain the battery to the point that the engine could not be restarted or cranked without an external source of electrical power. A battery disconnect device is typically a mechanical rotary type switch or an electro-mechanical device, such as a latching relay, which is capable of carrying relatively heavy current loads, and requires no power to remain open or closed. The battery disconnect device may be activated manually or actuated in response to conditions detected on the vehicle such as an idle shutdown timer, an accident detection system (possibly coupled to the airbag deployment circuit), a battery voltage monitoring circuit, etc.
Some examples of these automated disconnect circuits are as follows. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,460,344 [Hastings, et al.] a battery disconnect circuit is described that operates in response to a manual on/off signal or to automatically sense an arc fault, overload condition, or short circuit to disconnect the batteries from the electrical load. Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 7,612,524 [Howell, et al.] that describes a series of solid state switches mounted in parallel between the battery and the electrical load of the vehicle. The switches are associated with different power sources, i.e., direct battery fed, accessory fed and ignition fed, and are controlled by a microprocessor that uses vehicle sensors, data links, etc. to automatically control the electrical power to the various loads. These systems fail to include the vehicle alternator, starter motor and key switch from the battery as part of the control process. Their purpose is to monitor, control and protect the vehicle electrical loads. The earlier devices protected the electrical wiring and loads but failed to disconnect the battery from the alternator and starter circuits.
In some instances, solid-state devices have replaced the analog control circuitry of electro-mechanical relays. But solid-state devices have not fully replaced the electro-mechanical devices in the automotive industry and electro-mechanical devices continue to enjoy significant usage in that industry. However, none of the earlier known devices can provide precise, sensor driven control over the battery disconnect switch with the increasing use of on-board computing devices programmed to control the overall functioning of the vehicle, its engine and associated electro-mechanical and electrical subsystems.
It is one object of the present invention to monitor the electrical system of a heavy vehicle to recognize "key switch" closure while the battery is disconnected from the electrical loads. It is another object of the invention to automatically connect the battery when "key switch" closure is detected. It is also an object of the invention to continually monitor the status of the vehicle electrical system, i.e., charge, discharge, engine running, fault conditions, etc., and take appropriate actions based upon the sensed conditions. It is yet another object to electronically log and provide to the operator of the vehicle electrical system health information, e.g., charging and start system condition, wiring deterioration, as well as diagnostics and prognostics information. It is yet another object to disconnect the battery, protecting the electrical system for certain conditions; e.g. low voltage disconnect, over charge protection, short circuit protection, delayed battery disconnect after engine shutdown.
It is an additional object of the present invention to monitor onboard data from other vehicle monitoring systems to assist in fire prevention and accident detection. In monitoring the vehicle sensors the present invention responds to rollover detection or severe accident occurrence by automatically disconnecting the battery. It is a still further object of the invention to provide a manual override master switch that disables the present invention monitoring and opens the battery contactor disabling the entire vehicle electrical system. It is yet another object of the invention to provide an alarm, audible, visual, or both, to the vehicle operator immediately prior to battery disconnect either in response to a detected emergency, a sensed fault, or in response to a normal shutdown. Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a programmable time delay to allow for the transfer of data from on-board data compilers and storage devices to download their information prior to battery disconnect.
Other objects will appear hereinafter.


Each ECU in a system configuration based on a motorized seatbelt retractor having an ECU combined with a motor shortens the harness length along which many currents flow as much as possible. A main ECU and a subsidiary ECU each have functions corresponding to those are provided to a control unit for controlling a motor for a motorized seatbelt retractor. The main ECU determines output start conditions and transmits commands, and the subsidiary ECU autonomously performs detailed motor current control and the like.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safety system for vehicles and, more particularly, to a motorized seatbelt retractor capable of retracting a seat belt by a motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
An automatic motorized seatbelt retractor capable of automatically retracting a seat belt is one of protective devices for protecting the passengers of a vehicle in the case of an accident. The automatic motorized seatbelt retractor applies a strong tension to the seat belt to retract the seat belt instantly when a collision is detected. To retract the seat belt by a high pulling force, the set belt retractor uses an explosive, a spring or a motor.
Whereas a motorized seatbelt retractor using an explosive can execute a set belt retracting operation only once, a motorized seatbelt retractor using a motor for retracting a seat belt can repeat a seat belt retracting operation any number of times. To make the best use of the distinctive feature of the motorized seatbelt retractor, trials have been made to apply the motorized seatbelt retractor to other purposes other than retracting the seat belt when collision occurs. A motorized seatbelt retractor disclosed in JP-A 2001-114069 retracts a seat belt for warning when collision is predicted.


Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a system and method for validating adcopy instructions. A user selection of an advertising client may be received. One or more advertising orders associated with the advertising client are identified in an order management system. A selection of an advertising order is received from the user. A set of adcopy instructions to be associated with the selected advertising contract is received from the user. The set of adcopy instructions are validated based on one or more rules associated with each of the order management system and a traffic and billing system. When the adcopy instructions are validated, the adcopy instructions are stored in a database associated with the traffic and billing system.

Today, a television provider, such as a cable network, may use separate order management systems and traffic and billing systems to successfully present an advertisement ordered by a client at one or more requested time(s), on one or more requested network(s), and in one or more requested zone(s). However, advertising orders may not include all of the adcopy information the cable network requires to successfully present the requested advertisement. Order information and adcopy information may be entered into different systems, at different times, by different users, and in accordance with different business rules and requirements which may create errors or inconsistencies between the data in each system.
Certain implementations will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which various implementations and/or aspects are shown. However, various aspects may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the implementations set forth herein; rather, these implementations are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

Systems and methods for communicating and validating adcopy instructions


A kit including a medical guide template, and a sterilizable receptacle accommodating the guide template, the kit being configured to allow deformation of the template into an operational medical guide.

Some surgical interventions are performed inside the body with the aid of a surgical guide. In spinal surgeries a correct trajectory for a medical device is usually crucial, whereas in surgeries of small regions in the body an accurate targeting distance from the device to the target is particularly important. In addition, stereotaxic systems may be used in the intervention. Stereotaxy is a minimally invasive form of surgical intervention which makes use of a three-dimensional coordinate system to locate small targets or trajectories inside the body and to perform on them some medical action. In theory, any part inside the body can be subjected to stereotactic surgery, such as cranial, neurological, spinal, dental, orthopaedic, and ENT (ear, nose and throat) systems.
Plain X-ray images, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and other imaging methods can be used to guide the procedure. Typically, the images of anatomical structure (for example, a human brain), are collected and related to a coordinate system. A guide calibrated to the same coordinate system may be used to direct a medical device to the target or along a certain trajectory. In most stereotactic brain surgeries locators/markers/fiducial-points serve as relative locations for the guide engagement.
Adjusting the guide to provide the correct distance of a medical device to a target and/or the correct trajectory within the body can be complex and time consuming. Moreover, in some procedures multiple targets or trajectories must be determined. For example, in spinal stereotactic surgery, multiple trajectories on different spinal segments are used. One option to align the guide includes providing an adjustable instrument guide. However, the adjustments of the adjustable guide require careful manual manipulations which significantly prolong the operation, and might be difficult to perform in some procedures, such as in dental operations wherein the maneuverability is severely limited and the guide parts are miniature. Another option includes providing a customized guide that is fabricated for a particular patient, such that targeting is unnecessary or greatly simplified.
EP 1094760 describes a method for forming a surgical guide (guide) for attaching to a body and providing a reference structure for precisely locating a target within the body, the method including: processing a three-dimensional scanned image of the body, the scanned image including the target within the body and a mounting location of the body; determining a structure of the surgical guide such that when attached at the mounting location of the body the guide provides a reference structure in a determined location and orientation with respect to the target within the body.
One of the method options described in EP 1094760 involves selecting a model of a standard guide and deforming the model to match the model to the target and the mounting location. As further described in EP 1094760, the structure of the guide can be determined in terms of a solid model of the guide which defines the volume enclosed by the surface of the guide. The solid model is computed so that the resulting guide can be precisely attached to the body. The method can then also include fabricating the guide according to the solid model. Clearly, therefore, the "solid" model that is described in EP 1094760 is actually a software representation of the guide.
Some medical procedures, such as deep brain surgery, involve trial-and-error location of the target, which in some operations entails remanufacturing or reconfiguration of the guide or the stereotactic guiding system, as well as resterilization. In such cases, the method described in EP 1094760 does not prevent rescheduling of the operation to a different day.
One object of the invention is to allow reforming a guide quickly enough to allow the operation to continue; preferably a new guide would be formed within mere minutes or even seconds.
Medical robotic systems such as ROSA allow frameless stereotactic procedures and thus does not require fabrication of a guide. Instead, stereotactic reference points for the robot are determined from images and quickly adjusted if the target is discovered to be at another location. However, the robotic system has a number of disadvantages as well: engagement of the robot with the patient is uncomfortable and highly complex; the robot needs to be sterilized before each operation; the robotic system is expensive and occupies a large space in the operating room; the accurate positioning of the system requires considerable skill; the system is dedicated to one patient during one operation session. For operations such as installing screws in the spine the robot needs to be repositioned many times, which prolongs the operation and the time the robot is needed per patient.
The Da Vinci Surgical System is another robotic surgical system, made by Intuitive Surgical. The system is controlled by a surgeon from a console. Although the system can multitask with a number of arms, nevertheless readjustment of positions in real-time throughout the operation requires dedication of the system to the operation and the system has other disadvantages similar to ROSA. The da Vinci system has particularly been criticized for its cost and for a number of issues with its surgical performance. The present invention intends to address these problems.

Custom three dimensional forming of surgical guides


A method and apparatus are provided for determining a network interface preference policy. An example method may include determining a network address family preference policy signaled to a host apparatus by an access point for a first network interface. The example method may additionally include selecting an interface from the first network interface and a second network interface for network traffic of the host apparatus based at least in part on the signaled preference policy. A corresponding apparatus is also provided.

The modern communications era has brought about a tremendous expansion of wireline and wireless networks. Computer networks, television networks, and telephony networks are experiencing an unprecedented technological expansion, fueled by consumer demand. Wireless and mobile networking technologies have addressed related consumer demands, while providing more flexibility and immediacy of information transfer and providing convenience to users.
Some mobile network providers allow multi-mode communication devices to access mobile network services, including for example, voice calls, data transfer, Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem/Session Initiation Protocol (IMS/SIP) and/or similar services, over a plurality of network interfaces. For example, a dual-mode communication device may access network services over both a cellular network connection through a base station (for example, connected using cellular access) and over a wireless local area network (WLAN) connection through a WLAN access point (for example, connected through WLAN access). This dual mode capability, which allows dual mode capable communication devices to access mobile network services over a WLAN is sometimes referred to as Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) technology and in Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standards is referred to as Generic Access Network (GAN) standards.

System, method, and apparatus for determining a network interface preference policy


A strainer provided in a refrigerant piping of an air conditioning device through which refrigerant flows includes a cylindrical shell disposed in the refrigerant piping, a cage type filter which includes an opening at one end and a bottom at the other end facing with each other relative to the flowing direction of the refrigerant and a meshed circumferential portion for allowing the refrigerant to pass through, but preventing sludge to pass through an annular passage provided between an outer circumferential portion of the filter and an inner circumferential portion of the cylindrical shell for the refrigerant to flow through and a leading pipe inserted into the refrigerant piping for letting the refrigerant and sludge and having an opening disposed in the cylindrical shell adjacent and opposing to the bottom of the filter and an inner circumferential wall along which sludge flows.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a general electric heat pump type air conditioning device. In this system, an electric motor is housed within a closed receptacle for driving the compressor. According to this type, when a deteriorated oil remains in refrigerant pipes or containers, insulation function may be damaged due to moisture or liquid remains in the deteriorated oil. In order to avoid such possible damages, the refrigerant pipes and containers are cleaned upon renewal construction of the heat pump.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a general gas heat pump type air conditioning device. According to this type, different from the electric heat pump type, the compressor is of open type and is separately located from the gas engine (power source). Since this open and independent type structure would not damage any insulation, no cleaning process is needed upon renewal construction of the gas heat pump. For example, pipes and containers are not cleaned when the internal or outdoor unit is exchanged but using existing piping.
According to a patent document 1 (Japanese patent publication No. 3402686), a strainer is proposed which is suitable to be incorporated into a refrigerant recirculation circuit of an air conditioning device. This strainer is formed by a mesh type cage structure and is disposed in the refrigerant piping to catch any foreign materials flowing in the piping.
According to a patent document 2 (Japanese Patent Application publication No. 2001-46811), a filter is proposed which is suitable for filtering a high viscous fluid such as polymer liquid (acetyl-cellulose, acrylic liquid or polyester). This filter is formed with a cylindrical shape having a leading portion at one end thereof and a plurality of cylindrical filter members with different cross sectional sizes provided in pile on the common centerline. Each one end of the cylindrical filter member is detachably connected at one end of an adjacent inner side filter member and each the other end of the cylindrical filtering member is detachably connected to the other end of an adjacent outer side filter member.
When the strainer or filtering member according to the one disclosed in the patent document 1 is used for the air conditioning device, foreign materials may stuck on the mesh cage to reduce the effective refrigerant passing area, which may increase the pressure loss to eventually reduce the cooling function of the air conditioning device. Particularly, when sludge, which is composed by mixed foreign materials such as, remained deteriorated oil and oxidized film in the piping, is generated, the mesh portion of the strainer may be covered with such sludge to greatly reduce the refrigerant passing area.
The filter used in the patent document 2 has a complex structure as explained above and a big pressure loss is expected because of such complex structure if a mesh type is used for filtering.
A need thus exists for a strainer for the air conditioning device that can effectively catch the sludge or foreign materials passing through the piping to prevent or reduce the pressure loss.


A security door phone device, to enable a user to speak with a person at their front door regardless of whether the user is in their home at the time, the device including a solid, durable, weather-resistant casing adapted to be securely mounted to a wall surface, the casing including a securely attached cover panel, a speaker and a microphone, a telephone line connection utilizing the speaker and microphone for normal two-way telephone communication, a memory adapted to store a selection of predetermined telephone numbers corresponding with select time periods, and a dialing button protruding through the cover panel and being structured and disposed to auto dial one of the predetermined numbers corresponding with the time period when the button is pushed. The device is easily programmed such that when the dialing button is pushed, the predetermined number will be called. A key pad and display enable the phone numbers and corresponding select time periods to be entered into memory.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a security door phone device, to be installed at a residence or any other location where the identity of a visitor is desired before allowing entry, which enables a user to speak directly with a visitor at their door from any location, either in their home or at another location where there is a telephone, thereby providing an effective means of screening visitors or assuring that expected visitors are not missed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Even with all of today's technological advances, one of the greatest problems and/or inconveniences encountered by every individual involves the greeting of visitors at their door. It may be merely a matter of inconvenience in trying to be rid of a persistent salesman, or the dangers of a stranger and potentially dangerous criminal who only needs an opened door. Additionally, there are the problems of not being home when wanted visitors come to the door. Examples of this can include friends or relatives who stop by and have no means of leaving a message if you are not home, or delivery or repairmen who often give imprecise estimates of when they will arrive, and who usually leave if no one is home. Almost everyone has had the experience of being in the yard or at a nearby neighbor's home when a welcomed caller came to the door and you wished you had known they were there. The device of the present invention attempts to meet the needs of all of these problems in a single device. In the past, there have been many intercom-type doorbell systems which will enable a person to speak to a visitor at the front door, however, these devices are limited, requiring the user to be home to receive notification. The device of the present invention enables a user in their home, or at another location, to be notified that there is someone at the door. Further, since most individuals have numerous telephones throughout their homes, the chance that a doorbell or buzzer will not be heard will be minimized. Once notified, an individual may screen the visitor by using an answering machine, much like when screening a normal telephone call and letting the answering machine take a message, or speaking to the person in a more comfortable communicative manner without having to speak through a door or actually open the door to speak to an unknown visitor. Additionally, the device of the present invention will enable a user who must leave their home, to program telephone numbers at which they may be reached at particular times such that when a visitor comes to the door, the phone number corresponding with the time the visitor is calling will be called so that the user can be reached to speak to a visitor. In this manner, a visitor will not know if the user is home or not, and welcomed visitors can be given instructions or be asked to wait if the user will arrive shortly. Such a use is of particular convenience with repair or delivery persons wherein homeowners are usually forced to remain in their home awaiting the imprecise arrival of the delivery o repair person. No door monitoring device known in the art is adapted to effectively enable a user to monitor and speak to a person at their door, wherein the user can be reached at various locations during predetermined time periods throughout the day.


A functional device comprising a semiconductor material, wherein the functional device contains a compound not substantially undergoing oxidation-reduction reaction but having at least one lone electron pair and in which adding the compound negatively changes a flat band potential of the semiconductor material with respect to a case not adding it.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a functional device such as batteries, capacitors, sensors, photoelectric conversion devices, photoelectrochemical cells, recording devices, electrochromic devices. Precisely, the invention relates to a functional device in which the flat band potential (Vfb) of the semiconductor is controlled as containing a specific compound.
In particular, regarding the electrochromic device for it, the invention relates to an optical device that comprises an electromotive force-generating element capable of generating an electromotive force in accordance with the intensity of electromagnetic waves, and an electrochromic device, and relates to an image-taking unit that comprises the optical device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a functional device such as batteries, capacitors, sensors, photoelectric conversion devices, photoelectrochemical cells, recording devices, electrochromic devices, the reaction with the functional material that may occur in the semiconductor surface may often have some significant influences on the quality of the devices. Typical examples of a color-sensitized photoelectric conversion device are in U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,721 and JP-A 1-220380; and typical examples of an electrochromic device are in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,067,184, 6,426,827, 6,605,239, 673,405, and JP-T 2003-511837. For the reaction on a semiconductor surface, the flat band potential of the semiconductor material is important. This is because, when a semiconductor material and a functional material undergo electron transfer on a semiconductor surface, then the electron shall pass through the valence band end (that is, the flat band potential) of the semiconductor material.
It is known that the flat band potential of a semiconductor material is intrinsic to the semiconductor material and it may change depending on pH (for example, Hiroshi Tubomura, Photoelectrochemistry and Energy Conversion, published by Tokyo Kagaku Dojin, and S. Roy Morrison, Electrochemistry at Semiconductor and Oxidized Metal Electrodes, published by Plenum Press). However, the method of flat band potential control is not always satisfactory.
The flat band potential may be controlled by selecting a semiconductor material, but even though the flat band potential of the selected material is on a suitable level and the improvement in the quality of functional devices could be expected from it, the semiconductor material would be of no use if it is expensive or is a dangerous substance. On the contrary, even though a semiconductor material could be produced relatively inexpensively and is safe and stable, its expression effect in functional devices may be small if its flat band potential is not on a suitable level. A method is desired capable of controlling the flat band potential of a semiconductor material independently of the semiconductor material itself.
The potential control may be possible by pH control. However, an organic solvent is often used in functional devices because of the functional limitation thereon, and a control method except pH is desired.
In a color-sensitized photoelectric conversion device, when a pyridine compound-containing electrolyte is used as in JP-A 2004-47229, JP-A 2004-171821 and JP-A 2004-273272, then it is reported that the inverse current is prevented and the open-circuit voltage rises. However, the prevention of inverse current is not always satisfactory, and a better method of inverse current prevention is desired. As will be obvious from the examples of a color-sensitized photoelectric conversion device, desired in the art are an all-purpose semiconductor flat band potential control method and a semiconductor flat band potential-controlled device of general applicability to all functional materials including semiconductor materials.

Functional device, electrochromic device, optical device, and image-taking unit


A deaeration assembly for removal of air or other gases dissolved in a liquid. The assembly includes a deaeration element having a gas-channel-forming component enclosed and sealed within an envelope which includes a nonporous fluoropolymer film. The assembly also includes a liquid-channel-forming component which can be positioned on the outside of the element, or can be enclosed with the gas-channel-forming component within the element. The assembly can be formed in spiral-wound or folded configurations for installation in a deaeration module or apparatus. The deaeration assembly is useful for removal of gases dissolved in chemically aggressive liquids, high-purity liquids, and other special liquids.

That corrosive, oxidative, reactive, and contaminating properties harmful to certain products and equipment is associated with air or other gases dissolved in liquids is well known. To reduce or minimize these harmful effects are among many reasons why it is sometimes desirable to remove air and/or other gases dissolved in a liquid.
Known apparatus for performing such deaeration or degassing operations are modules which use a porous polymeric membrane material through which the dissolved gas can permeate as the means for removing the gas from the liquid. Typically, in this type of apparatus, deaeration is accomplished by having one side of the membrane contact the liquid to be deaerated, and on the other side of the membrane provide a gas channel, usually under reduced pressure, to draw away the gas permeating through the membrane. Such systems are quite effective in deaerating water of normal purity.
However, a problem with the above-mentioned deaeration apparatus in which a porous polymeric membrane material is used is that, when the liquid to be deaerated is a solvent, a liquid fat or oil, or an aqueous liquid that contains a surfactant, the liquid tends to wet the membrane material and penetrate through the pores, thus precluding deaeration.
In an effort to solve this problem, there have been proposals for a deaeration apparatus that makes use of a nonporous membrane material, for example, one obtained by coating the surface of a porous polymeric support membrane with a silicone resin, or other polymer resin through which gases can permeate at acceptable rates. While this apparatus does indeed allow deaeration to be performed when the liquid to be deaerated is a relatively mild solvent, liquid fat or oil, or aqueous liquid that contains a surfactant, they are not successfully used when the liquid to be deaerated is of exceptionally high purity or is chemically aggressive. For example, liquids such as the deionized water required for semiconductor processing, or special liquids such as photoresist liquids or developing fluids used in the manufacture of semiconductor products. Such liquids tend to leach substances from the separation membranes which then contaminate the liquids; or the liquids may cause the membranes to degrade and fail.
An object of the present invention is to provide an assembly for use in a deaeration apparatus with which such special high purity and aggressive liquids can be deaerated.


An array substrate for a liquid crystal display device, including: a substrate; a gate line on the substrate; a data line crossing the gate line to define a pixel region; a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line, the thin film transistor including a gate electrode connected to the gate line, a semiconductor layer whose boundary is within the gate electrode, a source electrode connected to the data line and a drain electrode spaced apart from the source electrode; a passivation pattern covering the data line and the thin film transistor; and a pixel electrode extending from the drain electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and a method of fabricating the liquid crystal display device, and more particularly, to an array substrate for a liquid crystal display device having a passivation pattern and a method of fabricating the array substrate through a three-mask process.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Liquid crystal display (LCD) devices use the optical anisotropy and polarization properties of liquid crystal molecules to produce an image. The liquid crystal molecules have long, thin, shapes, and have an initial alignment direction, including initial pretilt angles. The alignment direction can be controlled by applying an electric field. Due to an optical anisotropy property of liquid crystal, the refraction of incident light depends on the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules. Thus, by properly controlling the applied electric field, an image having a desired brightness can be produced.
Among the known types of liquid crystal displays (LCDs), active matrix LCDs (AM-LCDs), which have thin film transistors (TFTs) and pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix form, are the subject of significant research and development because of their high resolution and superior ability in displaying moving images. An array substrate for a liquid crystal display (LCD) device may be fabricate through a four-mask process and the fabrication method will be illustrated hereinafter.
FIG. 1 is a schematic top view showing an array substrate for a liquid crystal display device according to the related art. In FIG. 1, a gate line 20, a gate electrode 25 and a gate pad 52 are formed on a substrate 10. The gate electrode 25 extends from the gate line 20 and the gate pad 52 is formed at one end of the gate line 20. Further, a data line 30, a source electrode 32, a drain electrode 34 and a data pad 62 are formed on the substrate 10. The data line 30 crosses the gate line 20 to define a pixel region P. The source electrode 32 extends from the data line 30 and the drain electrode 34 is spaced apart from the source electrode 32. The data pad 62 is formed at one end of the data line 30. A gate pad terminal 54 on the gate pad 52 is connected to the gate pad 52 through a gate pad contact hole CH2, and a data pad terminal 64 on the data pad 62 is connected to the data pad 62 through a data pad contact hole CH3.
FIGS. 2A to 2I are schematic cross-sectional views taken along the line II-II′ of FIG. 1, showing a fabricating method of an array substrate for a liquid crystal display device using a four-mask process according to the related art.
A thin film transistor (TFT) T is connected to the gate line 20 and the data line 30. The TFT T includes the gate electrode 25, a semiconductor layer 42 (of FIG. 2I), the source electrode 32 and the drain electrode 34. The semiconductor layer 42 is formed over the gate electrode 25, and the source and drain electrodes 32 and 34 contact the semiconductor layer 42. The semiconductor layer 42 includes an active layer 40 of intrinsic amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and an ohmic contact layer 41 (of FIG. 2I) of an impurity-doped amorphous silicon (n+ a-Si:H). In addition, the semiconductor layer 42 has the same shape as and is formed under the data line 30, the data pad 62, the source electrode 32 and the drain electrode 34. Specifically, the active layer 40 is exposed out of the data line 30, the source electrode 32 and the drain electrode 34. Moreover, the active layer 40 is exposed between the source electrode 32 and the drain electrode 34 by partially removing an ohmic contact pattern 41b (of FIG. 2F) to define a channel region ch (of FIG. 2G) for current flow.
A pixel electrode 70 is formed in the pixel region P and connected to the drain electrode 34 through a drain contact hole CH1. The pixel electrode 70 overlaps the gate line 20 corresponding to a neighboring pixel region to define a storage capacitor Cst including an overlapped portion of the gate line 20 as a first capacitor electrode and an overlapped portion of the pixel electrode 70 as a second capacitor electrode.
FIG. 2A shows a first mask process, a gate line 20, a gate electrode 25 and a gate pad 52 are formed on a substrate 10 having a pixel region P by depositing and patterning a conductive metallic material such as copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), aluminum (Al) alloy or chromium (Cr). Although not shown in FIG. 2A, the gate electrode 25 extends from the gate line 20 and the gate pad 52 is formed at one end of the gate line 20. A gate insulating layer 45 is formed on the gate line 20, the gate electrode 25 and the gate pad 52. The gate insulating layer 45 includes an inorganic insulating material such as silicon nitride (SiNx) and silicon oxide (SiO2).
FIGS. 2B to 2G show a second mask process. In FIG. 2B, an intrinsic silicon layer 40a and a doped silicon layer 41a are sequentially formed on the gate insulating layer 45. The intrinsic silicon layer 40a includes intrinsic amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and the doped silicon layer 41a includes impurity-doped amorphous silicon layer (n+ a-Si:H). For example, the intrinsic silicon layer 40a and the doped silicon layer 41a may be sequentially formed in the chamber where the gate insulating layer 45 is formed using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. Next, a source drain metal layer 75 is formed on the doped silicon layer 41a. The source drain metal layer 75 includes a conductive metallic material such as copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), aluminum (Al) alloy or chromium (Cr).
In FIG. 2C, a photoresist (PR) layer 80 is formed on the source drain metal layer 75 and a mask HTM is disposed over the PR layer 80. The mask HTM has a transmissive area A, a half-transmissive area B and a blocking area C. Transmittance of the half-transmissive area B is smaller than transmittance of the transmissive area A and greater than transmittance of the blocking area C. The transmittance of the half-transmissive area B is obtained by forming a half-transmissive film or forming a slit pattern. Accordingly, when the PR layer is exposed to light through the mask HTM, the PR layer 80 corresponding to the half-transmissive area B is incompletely exposed. In addition, the PR layer corresponding to the transmissive area A is completely exposed and the PR layer corresponding to the blocking area C is not exposed. The blocking area C is disposed to correspond to a data line 30 (of FIG. 2E), a data pad 62, a source electrode 32 (of FIG. 2G) and a drain electrode 34 (of FIG. 2G) formed in a subsequent process, and the half-transmissive area B is disposed to correspond to a channel region ch (of FIG. 2G) between the source and drain electrodes 32 and 34 formed in a subsequent process.
FIG. 2D shows first, second and third PR patterns 82, 84 and 86 formed on the source drain metal layer 75 by exposing and developing the PR layer 80. The first PR pattern 82 has a first portion 82a corresponding to the half-transmissive area B (of FIG. 2C) and second 82b portions corresponding to the blocking area C (of FIG. 2C). Accordingly, the first portion 82a between the second 82b portions has a first thickness t82a smaller than the second thickness t82b of the second portions 82b. Further, since the second and third PR patterns 84 and 86 correspond to the blocking area C (of FIG. 2C), the second and third PR patterns 84 and 86 have the second thickness t82b. The second and third PR patterns 84 and 86 correspond to the data line 30 (of FIG. 2E) and the data pad 62 (of FIG. 2C), respectively. The PR layer 80 (of FIG. 2C) corresponding to the transmissive area A (of FIG. 2C) is completely removed to expose the source drain metal layer 75 (of FIG. 2D).
In FIG. 2E, the source drain metal layer 75 (of FIG. 2D) is patterned by using the first, second and third PR patterns 82, 84 and 86 as an etching mask to form a source drain metal pattern 72, the data line 30 and the data pad 62. The source drain metal pattern 72, the data line 30 and the data pad 62 correspond to the first, second and third PR patterns 82, 84 and 86, respectively. Further, the source drain metal layer 75 (of FIG. 2D) corresponding to the transmissive area A (of FIG. 2C) is completely removed to expose the doped silicon layer 41a. Although not shown in FIG. 2E, the source drain metal pattern 72 is electrically connected to the data line 30.
The doped silicon layer 41a (of FIG. 2D) and the intrinsic silicon layer 40a (of FIG. 2D) are patterned by using the first, second and third PR patterns 82, 84 and 86 as an etching mask to form an active layer 40 and an ohmic contact pattern 41b. As a result, the active layer 40 and the ohmic contact pattern 41b have the same shape as and are formed under the source drain metal pattern 72, the data line 30 and the data pad 62. Although the active layer 40 and the ohmic contact pattern 41b are required to have an island shape only under the source drain metal pattern 72, the active layer 40 and the ohmic contact pattern 41b are formed under the data line 30 and the data pad 62 as well as the source drain metal pattern 72. The active layer 40 and the ohmic contact pattern 41b under the data line 30 and the data pad 62 also extend from the active layer 40 and the ohmic contact pattern 41b under the source drain metal pattern 72 because the source drain metal layer 72, the doped silicon layer 41a and the intrinsic silicon layer 40a are patterned altogether.
In FIG. 2F, the first, second and third PR patterns 82, 84 and 86 have been partially removed by an ashing. As a result, the first portion 82a (FIG. 2E) of the first PR pattern 82 having the first thickness t82a is completely removed to expose the source drain metal pattern 72. In addition, the second portions 82b (FIG. 2E) of the first PR pattern 82, the second PR pattern 84 and the third PR pattern 86 having the second thickness t82b are partially removed to have a reduced thickness tr smaller than the second thickness. Since the ashing is an isotropic process, side portions of the first, second and third PR patterns 82, 84 and 86 are also removed to expose first edge portions F at outer edges of the source drain metal pattern 72, the data line 30 and the data pad 62. Further, second edge portions G (of FIG. 2E) inside the source drain metal pattern 72 are also exposed.
In FIG. 2G, the source drain metal pattern 72 and the ohmic contact pattern 41b have been patterned by using the partially removed first, second and third PR patterns 82. 84 and 86 to form a source electrode 32, a drain electrode 34 and an ohmic contact layer 41. The active layer 40 and the ohmic contact layer 41 are defined as a semiconductor layer 42, and the gate electrode 25, the semiconductor layer 42, the source electrode 32 and the drain electrode 34 define a thin film transistor (TFT) T. The active layer 40 exposed between the source and drain electrodes 32 and 34 is used as a channel region ch. Since the ohmic contact pattern 41b in the first edge portions F is eliminated, the active layer 40 in the first edge portions F is protruded beyond the outer edges of the data line 30, the data pad 62, the source electrode 32 and the drain electrode 34. In addition, since the ohmic contact pattern 41b in the second edge portions G is eliminated, the channel region ch of the active layer 40 has a length greater than a designed value. This may cause deterioration of the TFT T. Next, the first, second and third PR patterns 82, 84 and 86 are removed by a stripping.
FIG. 2H shows a third mask process. In FIG. 2H, a passivation layer 55 is formed on the data line 30 and the TFT T by depositing and patterning one of an inorganic insulating material such as silicon nitride (SiNx) and silicon oxide (SiO2) and an organic insulating material such as benzocyclobutene (BCB) and acrylic resin. The passivation layer 55 has a drain contact hole CH1 exposing the drain electrode 34, a gate pad contact hole CH2 exposing the gate pad 52 and a data pad contact hole CH3 exposing the data pad 62. The gate pad contact hole CH2 is formed in the gate insulating layer 45 and the passivation layer 55, while the drain contact hole CH1 and the data pad contact hole CH3 are formed in the passivation layer 55. Accordingly, the gate pad 52 may be incompletely exposed, or the drain electrode 34 and the data pad 62 may have etch damage due to the length of exposure. The incomplete exposure and the damage may cause deterioration in contact property.
FIG. 2I shows a fourth mask process. In FIG. 2I, a pixel electrode 70, a gate pad terminal 54 and a data pad terminal 64 are formed on the passivation layer 55 by depositing and patterning a transparent conductive material such as indium-tin-oxide (ITO) and indium-zinc-oxide (IZO). The pixel electrode 70 is connected to the drain electrode 34 through the drain contact hole CH1. In addition, the gate pad terminal 54 is connected to the gate pad 52 through the gate pad contact hole CH2 and the data pad terminal 64 is connected to the data pad 62 through the data pad contact hole CH3. The pixel electrode 70 overlaps the gate line 20 corresponding to a neighboring pixel region to define a storage capacitor Cst having overlapped portions of the gate line 20 and the pixel electrode 70 as first and second capacitor electrodes, respectively, and the gate insulating layer 45 and the passivation layer 55 as a dielectric layer.
In the array substrate for an LCD device fabricated through a four-mask process according to the related art, since the data line 30, the source electrode 32, the drain electrode 34 and the semiconductor layer 42 are formed again using the same mask (the second mask), the semiconductor layer 42 is formed under the data line 30, the source electrode 32 and the drain electrode 34. Specifically, since the active layer 40 under the source electrode 32 is connected to the active layer 40 under the data line 30, the active layer 40 of the TFT T is protruded beyond the gate electrode 25. As a result, a photocurrent is generated in the protruded portion of the active layer 40 of the TFT T due to exposure to a backlight unit and causes deterioration in the electrical properties of the TFT T.
In addition, the active layer 40 under the data line 30 is protruded beyond the outer edges of the data line 30. The photocurrent may be generated in the protruded portion of the active layer 40 under the data line 30. Further, since the active layer 40 under the data line 30 is closer to the pixel electrode 70 than the data line 30, a coupling capacitance between the active layer 40 under the data line 30 and the pixel electrode 70 is greater than a coupling capacitance between the data line 40 and the pixel electrode 70. The increased coupling capacitance between the active layer 40 under the data line 30 and the pixel electrode 70 causes a wavy noise that ripple patterns are displayed.

Array substrate for liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same


A semiconductor device includes a substrate formed with a predetermined trench, a plurality of devices fixed into the trench, an etch stop layer on an entire surface of the substrate including the devices while selectively exposing the devices, an interlayer dielectric layer on the etch stop layer, in which the interlayer dielectric layer includes a predetermined via hole and a predetermined trench, and a via plug and a metal line formed on the interlayer dielectric layer while filling the via hole and the trench.

With the development of a semiconductor IC technology, a system on a chip (SoC) technology has been examined in an attempt to integrate analog and radio frequency (RF) functions, a central processor unit (CPU), and CMOS sensors on one chip. However, it has proven difficult to integrate various types of devices having various design rules on one chip, so that the SoC process is faced with various difficulties.
Recently, a "system in package" (SIP) technology has been developed to vertically integrate devices using a through electrode. However, SiP technology, itself, has many problems in terms of fabrication of the through electrode and heat dissipation of the interlayer devices.
In instances when horizontal integration is employed instead of the vertical integration, devices are integrated on a printed circuit board (PCB) after sawing and wire bonding. In such cases, the horizontal integration scheme has a limitation preventing high integration of the devices due to the occupation of a large space, and may have problems relative to noise in wire bonding and interconnection of a PCB substrate.

Semiconductor and method for manufacturing the same


A method and system (10) for producing a composite material (108) from particles (102) and binder (104), is described. The system includes a feed zone (12), a unilayering zone (14), a mat reforming zone (16) and a compaction zone (18) all closely coupled to reduce time and allow the use of fast setting binders. A preformed feed mat (100) is fed into the spike wheels (22 and 24) of the feed zone. The spike wheels extract particles from the premat and impinge the particles onto an oscillating shield (26) in the layering zone. The oscillating shield moves across the thickness of the mat-forming zone depositing the particles uniformly on the trailing edge of the reformed mat (106) at the top (48A) of the tunnel conveyor (48) of the mat reforming zone. As the particles move past the lower end (26B) of the shield a binder is added to the particles. Overlays or release films (50) are introduced at the top of both sides of the tunnel conveyor so as to engage the surfaces of the reformed mat. When the reformed mat of particles and binder exits from the bottom (48B) of the tunnel conveyor, the mat immediately enters the converging conveyors (54 and 56) of the compaction zone. The converging conveyors compact the mat to the final thickness of the composite material.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for making composite materials. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and system for making composite materials using wood particles and a binder. The method and system allows for controlled, simultaneous feeding of the particles and binder to form a uniform mat. The system and method also provides for compaction of the mat immediately after formation of the mat prior to setting of the binder.
(2) Description of the Related Art
The related art has shown various types of apparatuses and methods for making composite panels from particles. In general these processes provide means for mixing binder with particles, producing a uniform mat with this furnish, and then consolidating it with pressure. Many processes also combine heat with pressure not only to cure the binder but also to make the particles more compliant to compression. The related art thus contains different means for mixing ingredients, forming into mats, and applying pressure, with or without introducing heat. Illustrative are U.S. Pat. No. 2,854,372 to Yan et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,256,215 to Knox; U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,218 to Wiegand et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,965 to Gotchel et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,108 to Bleymaier et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,701,294 to Radwanski et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,788 to Davis; U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,595 to Tilby; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,678 to Hirasaka et al.
Yan et al describe a method of forming a board with elongate particulates which are deposed essentially parallel to the surfaces and one edge of a panel. The method involves edge-forming as opposed to conventional flat-forming. Particles previously coated with binder, are dropped into a hopper fitted with baffles that disperse the particles as they fall between two moving endless parallel steel bands spaced apart vertically. Thus confined, the elongate particles are forced to orient themselves essentially parallel to the surfaces of the belts as well as parallel to the continuously forming edge of the mat. The mat is then conveyed into a hot press for consolidation with pressure in the face direction.
Knox shows a process for incorporating finely ground fillers to a polyurethane froth by comixing during formation of the froth. Alternatively, for coarser fillers, a froth is added as a layer to the top of a preformed mat of the filler and driven in by platen or mold pressure.
Wiegand et al describe an air-lay system for forming a fibrous mat in which a tackifying material is added to prevent intermeshing and thereby produce a low density mat for later consolidation by normal means.
Gotchel et al describe an apparatus and method for dry-forming fibrous structures by a system of drums with projections that individualize fibers from a laminate feed and blends different length fibers into a uniform mat using air flow to control the passage of fibers.
Bleymaier et al in eliminating the use of pneumatic transport and felting, utilize a system of brush rolls to distribute finely comminuted fiber into a mat suitable for later alignment by electric field means into a final mat for consolidating into fiberboard with directional properties.
Radwanski et al describe an apparatus and method for individualizing fibers from a fiberizable feed material and forming a pad of varying cross sections for use where absorbent materials are needed. The apparatus includes a drum surfaced with projections that disintegrate the feed material into fibers which are air entrained and blown into a forming zone with a compressed gas where other baffle-controlled gas streams direct the fibers to selected areas on a moving foraminous web, below which is a suction box to remove air from the system.
Davis describes a system of picker rolls to break up and meter bales of different types of fiber to form separate but superposed layers composed of different fibers which are then fed through blender rolls to thoroughly mix them. It is reformed into a mat with the aid of spike wheels and air pressure, given a dusting of a powdered binder and reblended through another set of picker rolls. Reformed again with spike wheels and air pressure, the mat then is overlayed with a non-woven scrim which is needled into the mat to improve properties of the product and to impart temporary integrity for handling into molds.
Tilby describes an apparatus and method for composing a mat of relatively long, straight strands such as rind strands from sugar cane processing which is comprised of a feed conveyor moving the long strands, already dried and coated with binder, to a drop zone over a pair of counter rotating rolls fitted with flicker tines which fling the strands randomly and uniformly over a moving conveyor below, ready for consolidation by conventional pressing.
Also of interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,557,263, 3,671,377 and 4,172,056 all to Marra. '263 and '377 relate to a rigid composite product and to the process for preparation thereof. The process for preparing the composite product involves adding a foam precursor to a loosely formed mat of fibrous strands and allowing the expanding foam to disperse itself throughout the mat and upon curing without the introduction of heat, consolidate the product. '056 describes products of wood and resinated cement in which the components are wet-mixed mechanically and charged batch-wise to a mold for forming to a product.
Only of minimal interest are U.S. Pat. No. 1,931,570 to Brown et al; U.S. Pat. No. 2,067,251 to Taylor; U.S. Pat. No. 2,736,362 to Slayter et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,096,227 to Van Elten; U.S. Pat. No. 3,346,682 to Thomson and U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,631 to Nyssen et al.
Brown et al show a means of forming panels with excelsior and a cementitious binder in which the long strands are first reduced in length, gathered into a fluffy mat by spike wheels and air pressure, gradually compressed between roll-backed belts, flooded with excess binder which is squeezed out by opposed rollers, cut to length, and stacked in a batch press under pressure until the binder sets.
Taylor shows a method of extruding molten plastic through nozzles to produce fibers which are then collected loosely on a rotating drum for later spinning into yarn.
Slayter et al shows a method of making fiberglass insulating mats by first producing mineral fibers and forming them directly into a veil by feeding them between cooperating rollers. The veil is diffused with powdered binder blown in and vibrated to improve distribution and then folded on itself to produce a continuous batt. The later heating operation cures the binder.
Thomson shows a method of making a cigarette filtering medium by first extruding very fine plastic filaments and then forming them with roller pressure into a tape which is later expanded to a bulky material for fashioning into a filter.
Nyssen et al describe a process for making non-woven fabrics by spinning molten polymer under supply pressure radially from a plurality of openings mounted on a rotating nozzle head. A hot gas stream aids in propelling the spun fibers onto a circulating, air-permeable carrier.
The above representative review of related art describes various ways of forming composites from fibrous particles. There remains a need for a method and system for producing composite materials comprised of particles which allows for the simultaneous deposition of particle and binder into a mat so that immediate consolidation can occur without further manipulation, thus permitting the use of fast, selfcuring binders to achieve a more versatile and more efficient processing system in which an oscillating shield is used to create a unilayer stream of particles for easy coating with binder and for uniform distribution of furnish in the forming zone.
Further, there remains a need for an apparatus and method for forming composites from fibrous particles which, in conjunction with co-pending applications relating to the production of fibrous strands from waste or unwanted wood, would allow small businesses to utilize such unused resources, scattered and essentially worthless "as is, where is", thus contributing to a local economy while promoting environmentally favorable practices.

Method and apparatus for producing composites

Forest Products Development Laboratories, Inc. L.L.C.


A semiconductor device according to this invention comprises a substrate 100 in which semiconductor elements are formed, a first conductor 301 at least a portion of the peripheral surface of which is made of a material comprising copper as a main ingredient, and a first insulative diffusion barrier layer 203 covering at least a portion of the first conductor 301. The first insulative diffusion barrier layer 203 is formed by using a gas mixture at least containing an alkoxy silane represented by the general formula (RO)nSiH4−n (n is an integer in a range from 1 to 3, R represents an alkyl group, an aryl group or a derivative thereof), and an oxidative gas by a plasma CVD. Thus, a semiconductor device comprising copper wiring of high reliability and with less wiring delay time can be provided.

Heretofore, as wiring materials for LSI (Large Scaled Integrated Circuits), aluminum or an aluminum alloy has been used predominantly. However, since aluminum has a low melting point (660° C.) and is poor in migration resistance, it is difficult to cope with a higher integration degree and higher operation speed of LSI.
On the contrary, since copper has a melting point of 1083° C. which is higher than the melting point of aluminum and also has low electric resistivity (about ⅔ of aluminum as a bulk value), it is expected as LSI wiring materials for the next generation. However, implementation of copper wiring has several subjects and one of them is an improvement in the reliability of wiring insulative films. It has been known that copper diffuses easily into a dielectric film to lower the reliability (dielectric breakdown voltage) of an insulative film. A method of overcoming the problem has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Sho 63-76455. In this method, diffusion of copper is prevented by disposing a metal layer as a diffusion barrier on the periphery of copper wiring. However, this method requires steps of forming a metal film as a diffusion barrier layer over the entire upper surface of copper wiring and then removing the metal film of unnecessary portions in order to prevent a short circuit between adjacent wiring. When the distance between the adjacent copper wiring is narrowed, for example, to 0.25 μm or less, it is difficult to remove the unnecessary metal film between the wiring with good accuracy but no consideration has been taken therefor.
The technique as the countermeasure is described in Proceedings of VLSI Multilevel Interconnection Conference, 1993, pp 15. This is a method of covering the upper surface of copper wiring buried in an insulative film with a silicon nitride film as a diffusion barrier layer. Since the silicon nitride film is insulative, there is no requirement for the step of removing the silicon nitride film formed between adjacent copper wiring. In addition, there is no worry of a short circuit between the wiring even when the distance between the copper wiring is narrowed. However, since the specific dielectric constant of the silicon nitride film is as high as about 8 compared with the dielectric constant of general dielectric films (about 4) used in LSI wiring steps, a parasitic capacitance between the adjacent wiring is increased and the propagation speed of electric signals is lowered, but no consideration has been taken therefor.
The technique as the countermeasure is introduced in Proceedings of the 1999 International Interconnect Technology Conference, 1999, pp 109. This is a method of using a BLOk film (BLOk is the trade name of products manufactured by Applied Materials, Inc.) comprising silicon carbide as a main ingredient by using a plasma CVD as a diffusion barrier layer for copper. Since the BLOk film is insulative like the silicon nitride layer, it is not necessary for the step of removing the BLOk film formed between adjacent copper wiring. Further, since the specific dielectric constant of the BLOk film is about 5, an increase in the parasitic capacitance between the adjacent wiring can further be decreased compared with silicon nitride.
Further, another technique as the countermeasure against the increase in the parasitic capacitance between the wiring that is caused when the silicon nitride film is used as the diffusion barrier layer for copper is introduced in Applied Surface Science, Vol. 91 (1995) pp 303–307, and IEEE Electron Device Letters, Vol. 17, No. 12 (1996) pp 549–551. They comprise a method of using an insulative film comprising oxygen, nitrogen and silicon (hereinafter referred to simply as an SiON film) as the diffusion barrier layer for copper. Since the SiON film is also insulative like the silicon nitride layer, it is not necessary for the step of removing the SiON film formed between adjacent copper wiring. Further, since the leak current of the SiON film is relatively approximate to that of the silicon oxide film formed by the usual manufacturing method, there is less worry that the leak current increases between the copper wiring to lower the LSI performance. Further, since the specific dielectric constant of the SiON film is about 5.1 to 5.6, an increase in the parasitic capacitance between the adjacent wiring can further be reduced compared with silicon nitride.
Then, a description is made of another problem that occurs when a silicon nitride film is used as the diffusion barrier layer. In a case where a plurality of layers of copper wiring are integrated on one identical LSI, to establish electrical conduction between different wiring layers, it is necessary to bore a via hole in the insulative film between the wiring layers and bury the hole with a conductor. For this purpose, it is necessary to make an opening in the silicon nitride film as the diffusion barrier layer formed on the upper surface of the copper wiring. However, since the etching rate of the silicon nitride film is lower than that of general insulative films, two major problems arise. A first problem arises in some cases where alignment error is present between the copper wiring and the via hole made thereon. In a case where the via hole has an opening also in a region other than the copper wiring, if the silicon nitride film formed on the copper wiring is etched excessively, since the etching rate of the inter-wire insulative film below the silicon nitride film is high, the interlayer insulative film is engraved. If such phenomenon should occur, burying may sometimes be insufficient upon burying the via hole with the conductor thereby causing conduction failure, or the insulative film of low dielectric constant, when used for the inter-wire insulative film, is denatured to possibly deteriorate the wiring performance. A second problem arises when the thickness of the fabrication mask for the via hole is insufficient upon making the via hole on the copper wiring. When the silicon nitride film on the copper wiring is etched upon making the via hole, the fabrication mask is etched simultaneously. In this case, when the thickness of the fabrication mask is insufficient, the interlayer insulative film below the fabrication mask is etched possibly making the wiring resistance not uniform or the insulative film of low dielectric constant when used below the fabrication mask is denatured to deteriorate the wiring reliability.

Semiconductor device and method manufacturing the same