An apparatus for electroplating metal on a substrate while controlling plating uniformity includes in one aspect: a plating chamber having anolyte and catholyte compartments separated by a membrane; a primary anode positioned in the anolyte compartment; an ionically resistive ionically permeable element positioned between the membrane and a substrate in the catholyte compartment; and a secondary electrode configured to donate and/or divert plating current to and/or from the substrate, wherein the secondary electrode is positioned such that the donated and/or diverted plating current does not cross the membrane separating the anolyte and catholyte compartments, but passes through the ionically resistive ionically permeable element. In some embodiments the secondary electrode is an azimuthally symmetrical anode (e.g., a ring positioned in a separate compartment around the periphery of the plating chamber) that can be dynamically controlled during electroplating.

The transition from aluminum to copper in integrated circuit (IC) fabrication required a change in process "architecture" (to damascene and dual-damascene) as well as a whole new set of process technologies. One process step used in producing copper damascene circuits is the formation of a "seed-" or "strike-" layer, which is then used as a base layer onto which copper is electroplated ("electrofill"). The seed layer carries the electrical plating current from the edge region of the wafer (where electrical contact is made) to all trenches and via structures located across the wafer surface. The seed film is typically a thin conductive copper layer, though other conductive materials can be used depending on application. It is separated from the insulating silicon dioxide or other dielectric by a barrier layer. The seed layer deposition process should yield a layer which has good overall adhesion, excellent step coverage (more particularly, conformal and continuous layers of metal should be deposited onto the sidewalls of an embedded recessed feature), and minimal closure or "necking" of the top of the embedded recessed feature.
Market trends of increasingly smaller features and alternative seeding processes drive the need for a capability to plate with a high degree of uniformity on increasingly thin seed layers. In the future, it is anticipated that the seed film may simply be composed of a plateable barrier film, such as ruthenium, or a bilayer of a very thin barrier and copper (deposited, for example, by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) or similar process). Such films present the engineer with an extreme terminal effect situation. For example, when driving a 3 ampere total current uniformly into a 30 ohm per square ruthenium seed layer (a likely value for a 30-50 Å film) the resultant center to edge (radial) voltage drop in the metal will be over 2 volts. To effectively plate a large surface area, the plating tool makes electrical contact to the conductive seed only in the edge region of the wafer substrate. There is no direct contact made to the central region of the substrate. Hence, for highly resistive seed layers, the potential at the edge of the layer is significantly greater than at the central region of the layer. Without appropriate means of resistance and voltage compensation, this large edge-to-center voltage drop could lead to an extremely non-uniform plating rate and non-uniform plating thickness distribution, primarily characterized by thicker plating at the wafer edge. This plating non-uniformity is radial non-uniformity, that is, uniformity variation along a radius of the circular wafer.
Another type of non-uniformity, which needs to be mitigated, is azimuthal non-uniformity. For clarity, we define azimuthal non-uniformity, using polar coordinates, as thickness variations exhibited at different angular positions on the workpiece at a fixed radial position from the wafer center, that is, a non-uniformity along a given circle or portion of a circle within the perimeter of the wafer. This type of non-uniformity can be present in electroplating applications, independently of radial non-uniformity, and in some applications may be the predominant type of non-uniformity that needs to be controlled. It often arises in through resist plating, where a major portion of the wafer is masked with a photoresist coating or similar plating-preventing layer, and the masked pattern of features or feature densities are not azmuthally uniform near the wafer edge. For example, in some cases there may be a technically required chord region of missing pattern features near the notch of the wafer to allow for wafer numbering or handling. The radially and azimuthally variable plating rates inside missing region may cause chip die to be non-functional, therefore methods and apparatus for avoiding this situation are needed.
Electrochemical deposition is now poised to fill a commercial need for sophisticated packaging and multichip interconnection technologies known generally as wafer level packaging (WLP) and through silicon via (TSV) electrical connection technology. These technologies present their own very significant challenges.
Generally, the processes of creating TSV are loosely akin to damascene processing but are conducted at a different, larger size scale and utilize higher aspect ratio recessed features. In TSV processing a cavity or a recess is first etched into a dielectric layer (e.g. a silicon dioxide layer); then both the internal surface of the recessed feature and the field region of the substrate are metallized with a diffusion barrier and/or adhesion (stick) layer (e.g. Ta, Ti, TiW, TiN, TaN, Ru, Co, Ni, W), and an "electroplateable seed layer" (e.g. Cu, Ru, Ni, Co, that can be deposited for example by physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), ALD, or electroless plating processes). Next, the metallized recessed features are filled with metal, using, for example, "bottom up" copper electroplating. In contrast, through resist WLP feature formation typically proceeds differently. The process typically starts with a substantially planar substrate that may include some low aspect ratio vias or pads. The substantially planar dielectric substrate is coated with an adhesion layer followed by a seed layer (typically deposited by PVD). Then a photoresist layer is deposited and patterned over the seed layer to create a pattern of open areas, free of plating-masking photoresist in which the seed layer is exposed. Next, metal is electroplated into the open areas to from a pillar, line, or another feature on the substrate, which, after stripping of the photoresist, and removal of the seed layer by etching, leaves various electrically isolated embossed structures over the substrate.
Both of these technologies (TSV and through resist plating) require electroplating on a significantly larger size scale than damascene applications. Depending on the type and application of the packaging features (e.g. through chip connecting TSV, interconnection redistribution wiring, or chip to board or chip bonding, such as flip-chip pillars), plated features are usually, in current technology, greater than about 2 micrometers in diameter and typically are 5-100 micrometers in diameter (for example, pillars may be about 50 micrometers in diameter). For some on-chip structures such as power busses, the feature to be plated may be larger than 100 micrometers. The aspect ratios of the through resist WLP features are typically about 2:1 (height to width) or lower, more typically 1:1 or lower, while TSV structures can have very high aspect ratios (e.g., in the neighborhood of about 10:1 or 20:1).
Given the relatively large amount of material to be deposited, not only feature size, but also plating speed differentiates WLP and TSV applications from damascene applications. For many WLP applications, plating must fill features at a rate of at least about 2 micrometers/minute, and typically at least about 4 micrometers/minute, and for some applications at least about 7 micrometers/minute. The actual rates will vary depending on the particular metal being deposited. But at these higher plating rate regimes, efficient mass transfer of metal ions in the electrolyte to the plating surface is very important. Higher plating rates present numerous challenges with respect to maintaining suitable feature shape, as well as controlling the die and wafer scale thickness uniformity.
Another uniformity control challenge is presented by dissimilar substrates that may need to be sequentially processed in one electroplating tool. For example, two different semiconductor in-process wafers, each targeted for a different product, may have a substantially different radial distribution of recessed features near the edge region of the semiconductor wafer, and therefore would require different compensations to achieve the desired uniformity for both. Therefore, there is a need for an electroplating apparatus that will be capable to sequentially process dissimilar substrates with excellent plating uniformity and minimal plating tool downtime.

Apparatus and method for dynamic control of plated uniformity with the use of remote electric current


Systems and methods provide for a power management unit and its operation. The power management unit includes: a step-down power converter configured to receive a first voltage and output a second voltage, wherein the second voltage is less than the first voltage and at least one step-up power converter configured to receive the second voltage and output a third voltage, wherein the third voltage is greater than the second voltage. It also includes an inductive element connected to the step-down power converter and the at least one step-up power converter and configured to store energy and selectively release the stored energy, wherein the inductive element is time shared by both the step-down power converter and the at least one step-up power converter; and a finite state machine configured to control the time sharing of the inductive element.

Ongoing technological developments have led to an increasing number of portable, battery-operated electronic products which in turn is generating a growing demand for energy efficient, low-power power supplies. Such products are either intrinsically low-powered or incorporate so-called "idle" or "sleep" modes of operation during which power consumption is reduced significantly compared to the power consumption of such products during their normal operating mode. Many such products generate multiple regulated direct current (DC) voltages derived from one common internal or external power source, such as a battery or a power adaptor, to comply with the power requirements of the products' internal subsystems. For example, a power supply voltage could have a voltage of 12 volts, however, an internal subsystem, e.g., a processor, might need only 2 volts. Two conventionally used devices for obtaining a desired voltage for an internal subsystem from a power supply are a step-down DC-DC power converter which is also known as a buck convertor, or a step-up DC-DC power converter which is also known as a boost converter.
The conventional buck converter 100 will now be described with respect to FIG. 1. The buck converter 100 includes a feedback amplifier 102, a finite state machine (FSM) 104, switch Sp 106, switch Sn 108, inductor 114 and a capacitor 116. Feedback amplifier 102 compares a sensed proportion of the output voltage, shown as Output Sense 110, with a reference voltage Vref 112 and provides a control input to the FSM 104 based upon the comparison. Based on the received control input, the FSM 104 drives switches Sp 106 and Sn 108. When switch Sp 106 is closed and switch Sn 108 is open, the input voltage Vdd 120 goes through the inductor 114 substantially without ohmic loss and charges capacitor 116. When switch Sp 106 is open and switch Sn 108 is closed, the buck converter 100 maintains a circulating charge to Ground 118. A typical example of an output voltage obtained from a conventional buck converter 100 can be Vout=1.2 Volts when the source voltage Vdd=5.5 Volts.
The conventional boost converter 200 will now be described with respect to FIG. 2. The boost converter 200 includes a feedback amplifier 202, a FSM 204, switch Sp 206, switch Sn 208, an inductor 210 and a capacitor 212. The feedback amplifier 202 compares a sensed proportion of the output voltage, shown as Output Sense 214, with a reference voltage Vref 216 and provides a control input to the FSM 204 based upon the comparison. Based on the received control input, the FSM 204 drives switches Sp 206 and Sn 208. When switch Sn 208 is closed and switch Sp 206 is open, the current flows from the input voltage Vdd 218 through inductor 210 to ground 220. The amount of the current and the correspondingly stored energy in the inductor 210 increases over the time for which Sn 208 remains closed. When switch Sn 208 is open and switch Sp 206 is closed, the energy stored in the inductor 210 can be transferred to the capacitor 212 and/or a load at the output 222 of the boost converter 200. A typical example of an output voltage obtained from a conventional boost converter 200 can be Vout=6.5 Volts when the source voltage Vdd 218 is 3.6 Volts.
In conventional designs of buck converters 100 and boost converters 200, as described above, each converter uses its own dedicated inductor 114, 210. Each inductor 114, 210 is relatively expensive and also occupies scarce circuit board real-estate. For applications which require multiple, regulated DC voltages derives from a common internal or external power source, such as a battery or a power adaptor, these cost and space issues can become aggravated.
Accordingly, systems and methods for improving the use of power converters which use inductors are desirable.

Power management unit systems and methods


In a method for manufacturing a piezoelectric device while stably achieving strong bonding, a moisture-absorbing layer is formed on a bonding surface side of a piezoelectric single-crystal substrate. The moisture-absorbing layer is allowed to absorb moisture. A binder layer is formed on a bonding surface side of a supporting substrate. The moisture-absorbing layer is placed on the binder layer. A silica precursor in the binder layer is converted into silica through a hydrolysis reaction with moisture in the moisture-absorbing layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a piezoelectric device that includes a piezoelectric substance thin film bonded to a supporting substrate and a method for manufacturing the piezoelectric device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, many piezoelectric devices that include a piezoelectric substance thin film have been developed (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 6-326553). In general, in piezoelectric devices that include a piezoelectric substance thin film, the piezoelectric substance thin film is bonded to a supporting substrate. Various methods for bonding a piezoelectric substance thin film to a supporting substrate have been proposed and used.
For example, in a bonding method referred to as hydrophilic bonding (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 6-326553), an inorganic oxide layer is formed on both the bonding surface of a mirror-finished piezoelectric thin film and the bonding surface of a supporting substrate. Hydroxy groups are then formed on the surface of the inorganic oxide layer. The surface of the inorganic oxide layer on the piezoelectric thin film side is then brought into contact with and is bonded to the surface of the inorganic oxide layer on the supporting substrate side through hydrogen bonding between the hydroxy groups. The bonding strength between the inorganic oxide layer on the piezoelectric thin film side and the inorganic oxide layer on the supporting substrate side is significantly improved by heat treatment at 200° C. or more for eliminating H2O from the hydrogen-bonded hydroxy groups.
In a bonding method referred to as activated bonding, the bonding surface on a mirror-finished piezoelectric thin film side and the bonding surface on a supporting substrate side are sputter-etched in an inert gas atmosphere or in a vacuum to remove contaminants from the surface and activate the surface. The bonding surface on the piezoelectric thin film side is then brought into contact with and is firmly bonded to the bonding surface on the supporting substrate side through an amorphous layer.
In a bonding method using a resin adhesive layer, the adhesive layer is formed on the bonding surface on the piezoelectric thin film side or on the supporting substrate side, and the bonding surface on the piezoelectric thin film side and the bonding surface on the supporting substrate side are then joined together and hardened to firmly bond the bonding surface on the piezoelectric thin film side to the bonding surface on the supporting substrate side.
In a bonding method that involves heat treatment at a relatively high temperature, such as 200° C. or more, as in hydrophilic bonding, a large difference in coefficient of linear expansion between the piezoelectric thin film and the supporting substrate results in a failure, such as separation of the piezoelectric thin film from the supporting substrate, due to thermal stress resulting from the heat treatment, and therefore it is impossible to stably achieve strong bonding.
On the other hand, unlike hydrophilic bonding, activated bonding can achieve strong bonding without high-temperature heat treatment. Thus, activated bonding is not substantially limited by the difference in coefficients of linear expansion between the piezoelectric substance and the supporting substrate.
However, activated bonding has a low resistance to surface contamination and requires strict management of the bonding environment. Thus, it is difficult to stably achieve strong bonding. Furthermore, it is impossible to achieve sufficient bonding strength with a certain combination of materials, for example, a LN substrate and a substrate having a silicon nitride film on the surface thereof.
In a bonding method using a resin adhesive, since the application of heat softens the adhesive, a difference in coefficients of linear expansion between the supporting substrate and the piezoelectric thin film may cause a misalignment between the supporting substrate and the piezoelectric thin film after heating, causing the surface to become undulated.

Piezoelectric device and method for manufacturing piezoelectric device


A saddle structure for a jack device is provided with a rotatable saddle mounted to the fixed saddle of an extension member of a jack device. The rotatable saddle is retained, at least partially, within the fixed saddle for structural reinforcement. The Rotatable saddle provides an interface between the extension member of the jack device and the object to be lifted. The rotatable saddle is freely rotatable about a central axis of the extension member to allow the jack device to be independently oriented with respect to the object to be lifted. The fixed saddle structurally supports the rotatable saddle and is rigidly fixed to the extension member. Such an arrangement provides an adjustable interface between the jack device and the object to be lifted while maintaining the structural integrity of the interface.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a jack device and more particularly to a structurally reinforced saddle structure for a conventional jack device.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
Numerous jack devices are well known in the art. Hydraulic, scissor, ratchet and pawl, screw, as well as other mechanical lifting devices have existed for a long time. In each of these devices, it is necessary to provide an interface between the jack device and the object to be lifted. Usually a planar or non-smooth substantially flat member is provided for this interface. However, in these prior art devices it is often necessary to rotate or turn the entire jack device to provide a good interface between the jack an object to be fitted. Such is particularly necessary when the interface is provided with longitudinal projections to prevent relative rotation between the object to be lifted and the jack by having the object disposed between these projections. In order to properly orient the object with the interface, the jack is necessarily rotated. This is undesirable, as larger floor type jacks are not always able to be fully rotated such as when poised underneath an automobile. Furthermore, while the properly positioned jack device may facilitate a good interface, it can cause the jack handle to be inconveniently located thus limiting range of motion.
Simply providing a known rotatable connection between the saddle and extension member may not be sufficient to alleviate the drawbacks of the prior art jack devices. Providing a conventional rotation connection will inherently induce substantial bending moments and stress concentrations about the rotation connection when even attempting to lift light loads.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention not only to provide a conventional jack device with a rotatable saddle, but to maintain and/or strengthen the structural integrity as well.


A power tool cooling system comprises a cooling fan disposed on a motor in a position between the upper field coil and the lower commutator. A transmission housing encapsulates the transmission mechanism. During operation, the fan is driven by the motor and draws air axially through the motor and expels the air radially outwardly through holes in the outer housing of the motor. This causes air to be drawn in through the air vents formed on the top of a tool housing, in the side of the housing and between the housing and a battery pack. The cool air flows outside of the transmission housing, but inside the tool housing such that air does not pass through the transmission mechanism. A plurality of motor openings are also formed in the outer housing of the motor to enable cool air to pass into the motor to cool the motor.

Hammer drills are power tools that can generally operate in three modes of operation. Hammer drills have a tool bit that can be operated in a hammer mode, a rotary mode and a combined hammer and a rotary mode.
Hammer drills, like many power tools, generate a lot of heat during use. In particular, the electric motor of the hammer drill generates large amounts of heat and needs to be cooled. Prior art hammer drill cooling systems are known in which air is drawn into the outer housing of the hammer drill to cool the motor. Prior art hammer drill cooling systems can suffer from the drawback that the air that is drawn into the tool may be contaminated with dust and other materials formed during use of the tool, and if this dust and dirt gets into the moving parts of the transmission mechanism, damage can be caused to the power tool.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to overcome the above disadvantage of the prior art.


A clock circuit includes a latch circuit, a memory state latch circuit, a memory state trigger circuit and a clock trigger circuit. The latch circuit is configured to latch an enable signal, and to generate a latch output signal based on a first clock signal. The memory state latch circuit is coupled to the latch circuit, and generates an output clock signal responsive to a first control signal. The memory state trigger circuit is coupled to the memory state latch circuit, and adjusts the output clock signal responsive to the latch output signal or a reset signal. The clock trigger circuit is coupled to the latch circuit and the memory state trigger circuit by a first node, configured to generate the first clock signal responsive to a second clock signal, and configured to control the latch circuit and the memory state trigger circuit based on the first clock signal.

The semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) industry has produced a wide variety of digital devices to address issues in a number of different areas. Some of these digital devices, such as clock circuits, are configured to generate one or more clock signals. As ICs have become smaller and more complex, operating voltages of these digital devices continue to decrease affecting IC performance.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Clock circuit and method of operating the same

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.


A method for collapsing a target vein in a patient. The method comprises providing an intravascular irritation element having a plurality of mechanical irritating objects, inserting the intravascular irritation element into a venous lumen of a target vein, and irritating the target vein by moving the plurality of mechanical irritating objects in contact with the inner surface thereof, thereby triggering a collapse of the target vein.

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to method and device for vein treatment and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to a method and a device for vein ablation.
Varicose veins occur when weak veins near the surface of the leg stretch, bulge, and twist. Varicose veins can be visible through the skin. In varicose veins, the valves arc malfunctioning or destroyed so that the veins balloon at the lower ends. This condition can be particularly pronounced in certain leg veins. Various methods have been developed for performing varicose vein ablation.
For example, one commonly used treatment is known as stripping surgical procedure. In a conventional stripping for the treatment of varicose veins, two incisions are made in a vein, one at the ankle and one at the groin. An elongate stripper instrument is then inserted through the ankle incision and passed through the vein to the groin. At the groin, a cup is attached to the distal end of the stripper. Subsequently, the stripper is pulled down the leg so that the cup rips out the vein. In this procedure, other veins connecting to the varicose vein are torn.
Another commonly used treatment is based on laser, electric or radio-frequency energy. When laser is used, bursts of radiofrequency or laser energy are sent through a catheter; the resulting heat intentionally destroys vein wall tissues along the length of the vein.
Other methods have been developed during the years. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,745 issued on Jun. 11, 202 describes an intravenous surgical instrument comprises an inner shaft or post and an outer sheath. A spring-tail or whip-like electrode is disposed at a distal end of the inner post, substantially in a sagittal plane, or one perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the shaft. Following an insertion into a human vein or other circulatory vessel the distal end of the shaft is protruded from the sheath; thereafter sheath, post and electrode are simultaneously withdrawn from the vein, with a relative rotatory motion being imparted to the electrode. A current flow is preferably simultaneously imposed across the electrode into an inner surface of the surrounding vessel, facilitating a damaging of the vessel inner surface and a collapse of the vessel. This description applies primarily to veins, which may be drained of blood prior to a start of a collapsing procedure; for use in arteries a modified embodiment is disclosed employing a compound construction electrode tip which facilitates a limiting of current flow to a region of direct electrode contact with a circulatory vessel wall, and a reduction of stray currents conduction into the blood.
Another example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,326,206, issued on Feb. 5, 208, that describes brush electrode catheter and a method for using the brush electrode catheter for tissue ablation. The brush electrode catheter comprises a plurality of flexible filaments or bristles for applying ablative energy (e.g., RF energy) to target tissue during the formation of spot or continuous linear lesions. Interstitial spaces are defined among the filaments of the brush electrode, and the interstitial spaces are adapted to direct conductive or nonconductive fluid, when present, toward the distal ends of the brush filaments. The brush electrode facilitates electrode-tissue contact in target tissue having flat or contoured surfaces. The flexible filaments may be selectively trimmed to give a desired tip configuration or a desired standoff distance between the tissue and the conductive filaments in the brush electrode. Also, the filaments may be grouped into clusters. A shielded-tip brush electrode, including a flexible boot, is also disclosed.


A switched current temperature sensor circuit with compounded .DELTA.V.sub.BE includes an amplifier having an inverting input with a corresponding non-inverting output, and a non-inverting input with a corresponding inverting output; a first PN junction connected to the non-inverting input through a first input capacitor and a second PN junction connected to the inverting input through a second input capacitor; a current supply including a low current source and a high current source; a switching device for applying in the auto zero mode the high current source to a first terminal of the first PN junction and the low current source to a first terminal of the second PN junction for providing the V.sub.BE1 of the first junction to the first capacitor and for providing the V.sub.BE2 of the second junction to the second capacitor and for applying in the temperature measurement mode the low current source to the first terminal of the first PN junction and the high current source to the first terminal of the second PN junction for providing the negative .DELTA.V.sub.BE1 of the first PN junction to the first capacitor and the positive .DELTA.V.sub.BE2 of the second PN junction to the second capacitor. The first feedback capacitor interconnected between the inverting output and non-inverting input and a second feedback capacitor interconnected between the non-inverting output and inverting input in the amplifier to define the gain on each of the .DELTA.V.sub.BE inputs to produce a differential voltage across the outputs representative of the average temperature of the PN junctions; and first and second reset switching devices for discharging the first and second feedback capacitors, respectively, and for enabling the amplifier to equalize its input in the auto-zero mode.

Temperature sensing circuits which use .DELTA.V.sub.BE to measure the temperature of a PN junction are known both in the discrete time or switched construction and in the continuous time construction and in various fabrication technologies including CMOS. One problem with such circuits is that the .DELTA.V.sub.BE signal used to measure the junction temperature is small giving rise to low signal to noise ratios and consequent noise problems. One approach is to use sufficient filtration and amplification to obtain a strong clean signal, but this requires more complex, larger and more expensive circuitry. Another approach is to increase the current density ratio by increasing the current or the size of the junction area, but this solution is limited as the increase in .DELTA.V.sub.BE with current density ratio falls off rapidly.

Switched current temperature sensor circuit with compounded .DELTA.V.sub.BE


A method and/or system for assessing the security situation in a building through an evaluation of sensor values provided by activity sensors situated in the building, in particular, in the accommodation region, an estimate of the number of persons actually present in the building, determining the number of persons to be expected in the building by an evaluation of administrative data (HR, Outlook, events, occupancies, etc.). Based upon a comparison of the number of persons to be expected with the number of actual persons, an indicator is determined for assessing the actual security situation in the building or in the accommodation region.

"Security situation" is used to mean whether unauthorized persons (theft) or authorized persons at an unusual time are present in a building. The European patient specifications EP 275793B1 and EP 2751794B1 disclose methods and systems for assessing the security situation in a building, the building having accommodation regions with access authorization for authorized persons, each of whom carries with them an identification label (badge) readable by means of radio (RFID). A notification is emitted if the number of persons physically present in the accommodation regions deviates from the number of identification labels detected by means of RFID. The physical detection takes place either by means of a spatially resolving floor sensitive to pressure and/or proximity, by means of a radio tomographic location and detection method with the aid of RFID reading devices (WLAN) or by means of IR cameras and RFID reading devices in the form of a point detector. The latter can also be a smoke detector with the IR camera and the RFID reading device. It is disadvantageous that the aforementioned systems and methods require RFID reading devices and additional facilities for the physical detection of the persons. This is complex and expensive.

Assessing the security situation by means of IoT activity sensors


A clamping device (1) for receiving and for the clearance-free prestressing of a wheel bearing comprises a clamping mechanism (3) which radially prestresses the wheel bearing (8) from the outside.

Such a device is described in DE 199 83 909 T1 wherein a wheel bearing with an axle spindle is received, which initially still has a clearance between the inner ring and the roller bodies as well as the outer ring and a flange of the wheel bearing arrangement is fixedly connected to the inner ring of the wheel bearing. For this purpose, the flange extends fixedly within a hollow cylindrical section, formed integrally on the flange, into the bore of the inner ring. The axle spindle, and consequently the outer ring, are secured on the device rotationally fixed with respect to the rotational axis of the wheel bearing. An arbor is disposed concentrically to the bearing rings and to the flange through the bore of the flange denoted in DE 199 83 909 by wheel hub.
The device exerts a clamping force on the wheel hub and on the inner ring of the wheel bearing to generate the prestress in the wheel bearing, which prestress corresponds to the conventional factory prestressing of the wheel bearing on the vehicle. After the generation of such a prestress on the inner ring, the arbor is set in rotation and then carries along the flange rotating about the axis of rotation of the wheel bearing arrangement. The flange of the wheel bearing with the wheel bearing arrangement prestressed in such a manner can now be worked with a precision corresponding to the motor vehicle operation with respect to the axial run-out or the lateral run-out deviations. However, with this solution, satisfactory per se, the danger exists that during axial prestressing of the inner ring, the weakest sites of the inner ring on the raceways will be deformed such that the closeness required for optimum roller contact in the raceways to the roller bodies is disadvantageously deformed. Simultaneously, the danger exists that the ball[s] in the axial deformation of the inner ring and during the radial prestressing of the bearing rings with respect to one another, leave markings generated by plastic deformation, which disadvantageously shorten the service life of the wheel bearing.

Device for pre-stressing a wheel bearing


A placement apparatus for an optical component includes: a suction nozzle that includes a nozzle main body having a suction surface having a suction port, an optical component being sucked to the suction port, a plurality of nozzle electrodes disposed on the suction surface, each of the nozzle electrodes being brought into contact with a corresponding one of a plurality of component electrodes provided on the optical component so as to establish electrical conduction between each of the plurality of nozzle electrodes and a corresponding one of the plurality of component electrodes.

A related art printed circuit board in which an optical waveguide is incorporated includes an optical element such as a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) or an optical module that includes the optical element.
The optical waveguide receives light emitted from the optical element at a 45-degree mirror (entrance) thereof formed at an end of a core such that the 45-degree mirror is inclined relative to the core by 45-degree. The light received at the 45-degree mirror (entrance) exits the optical waveguide from a 45-degree mirror (exit) formed at the other end of the core. Thus, an optical interconnect is realized.
An optical component is placed at a target position on a board, by, for example, being sucked by a pick and place machine, by being sucked by a flip chip bonder, or by being clamped by a mechanical chuck.
In general, a light emitting component is very small, and accordingly, use of passive alignment, in which an image of something serving as a mark on the component is recognized so as to position the component, is limited. Thus, a method so-called active alignment is used, in which the component is caused to emit light, a position where the amount of light is the largest is recognized (alignment), and the component is placed at the recognized position.
Nowadays, as transmission rates and transmission distances are increasing, in order to suppress optical losses, the diameter of the core of the optical waveguide is decreasing. The diameter of the core is, for example, 30 to 50 μm. When the diameter of the core is set to such a size, it is desirable that the positioning accuracy be equal to or less than about ±3 to 5 μm so that the light does not fail to strike the 45-degree mirror.
In order to suppress optical losses caused by the 45-degree mirror as much as possible, it is desirable that an angle of an optical path between the core and the optical component relative to the core be almost exactly 90-degree. For this purpose, it is desirable that there be no inclination of the component (mounting inclination).
Regarding the above-described active alignment, in a known technique, a sucked component is brought into contact with a power supply member, thereby supplying power to the component so as to cause the component to emit light (see, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-188451, International Publication Pamphlet No. WO 2005/029658, and Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2011-9654).
There also is a known technique, in which power is supplied to a light emitting element with a mounting tool used for suction, a probe, and the like (see, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2002-9380).
In a known technique not using suction, active alignment is performed by supplying power to an optical element through a clamp that holds a sub-mount, in which the optical element is placed (see, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-285889).
In order to realize high positional accuracy of an optical component relative to a board, in a known method, a light emitting optical component is placed, for example, by a flip chip bonder having a capability of placing a component with high placement positional accuracy. In a flip chip bonder, the optical component is uniformly pressed at its upper surface. This allows the horizontality of the optical component to be maintained to some degree. However, in order to achieve, for example, a positional accuracy of 3 to 5 μm, which is a desirable value for an optical interconnect, the flip chip bonder does not necessarily have capability sufficient to satisfy the above-described desirable value. Furthermore, also in the flip chip bonder, when a joining material is solidified, it is desirable that the optical axis of the optical component be determined while the optical component is held in a state in which a high horizontality of the optical component is maintained.
When a probe is brought into contact with a surface of the optical component to be sucked to a suction nozzle, a sufficient suction area is not allocated for sucking the optical component to the suction nozzle. When the suction area is not sufficiently allocated, it is difficult to apply a sufficient suction force. Furthermore, when the suction area is not sufficiently allocated, it is impossible to reliably maintain the high horizontality of the optical component due to non-uniform pressure while pressing the suction nozzle against the optical component. Nowadays, since the size of the optical component is decreasing, it becomes more difficult to allocate a sufficient suction area.
When a power supply member, for example, a probe, is brought into contact with the optical component so as supply power to the optical component, the sucked optical component may be removed due to the probe being brought into contact with the optical component. In order to avoid the removal of the sucked optical component, the probe may be slowly moved to and in contact with the optical component. However, in this case, contact operation takes time.
In a method in which the optical component is clamped by arms, it is difficult to uniformly press the optical component against the board from immediately above, and accordingly, it is difficult to obtain the horizontality of the optical component. When the optical component is secured to the board in a reflow process, the optical element becomes unclamped before joining material is solidified, that is, in a state in which the optical component is not joined to the board. In this state, in order to release the optical component from the clamp without a shift in position of the optical component, a significantly sophisticated arm and clamp mechanism is desired. When a mechanical chuck is used, placement time is increased compared to a case in which the optical component is sucked.
In an aspect of the embodiment, a placement apparatus for an optical component, a suction nozzle for an optical component, and a method of producing an electronic device are provided. With the placement apparatus, the suction nozzle, or the method, when adjusting a placement position, an optical component may be reliably sucked while light is emitted from or received by the optical component.

Placement apparatus and a suction nozzle for an optical component


Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for controlling a process, such as a chemical reaction, that emits a multi-component mixture of gases; and for controlling a device to which is transmitted a product of a chemical reaction that emits a multi-component mixture of gases.

There are many examples of a process that emits a multi-component mixture of gases. One such process, combustion in an internal combustion engine, is a chemical reaction that has substantial practical importance and has consequently been studied in detail. The combustion that occurs within the cylinder of an engine is a chemical reaction in which a hydrocarbon fuel is oxidized. A multi-component mixture of gases is emitted by this reaction in the form of the engine exhaust. The products of this reaction, however, include not only the exhaust gases themselves but also the work done in moving the piston in the cylinder. Various components of an engine, including the emissions control devices, thus each acts as a device to which a product of the chemical reaction is transmitted. Although combustion of a hydrocarbon fuel is a relatively simple type of chemical reaction, the manner in which the force of the gases produced by that reaction expand against a piston to power an engine and all of its associated components is more complicated and requires control. In the case of a modern automotive engine, control is accomplished by digital processing computers in an engine control unit ("ECU") that rely on inputs from a variety of sensors and actuators.
The underlying objective of the ECU is to provide performance that optimizes fuel efficiency, drivability and reduction of harmful emissions. Signals concerning the state or condition of various operating characteristics of the engine are fed to the ECU. Typical engine operating characteristics as to which signals are inputted to the ECU are throttle position, intake manifold pressure, intake airflow, crank position, engine torque and air-to-fuel ratio (referred to as "lambda") value. Engine operating characteristics that may be adjusted for control in view of such inputs include fuel injection timing, spark advance, air-to-fuel ratio, exhaust gas recycle ("EGR") and idle air control motor. Although an engine is essentially a chemical plant oxidizing fuel with air into water, carbon dioxide and other chemical species, the only sensor currently capable of providing any information about the chemical status of the combustion process is the lambda sensor, which is limited to inferring a value for the air-to-fuel ratio of the engine based on measurements made in the stream of exhaust gases.
Much work has been done to develop relationships between the signals inputted to an ECU, and the operating characteristics that are thereby controlled, to optimize engine performance. This work is based on theoretical models of the combustion process, engine dynamics and other power train components. See, for example, Arsie, Pianese and Rizzo, Models for the Prediction of Performance and Emissions in a Spark Ingnition Engine—A Sequentially Structured Approach, SAE Paper 980779, 1998. Heywood, J. B., Internal Combustion Engine Fundamentals, McGraw Hill (1988). Pulkrabek, W. W., Engineering Fundamentals of the Internal Combustion Engine, Prentice Hall (1997). These models attempt to predict both the engine operating characteristics and the chemical components of the exhaust stream, but they tend to be quite complex and yield only approximate results. For this reason, an empirical system of control has been adopted that uses engine mapping.
Calibrating engine operation, either with or without an attached transmission, creates a map, which records empirically-observed relationships between one or more operating characteristics as to which information is gathered and inputted to the ECU, and one or more operating characteristics that are adjusted in view of the inputted information. For example, FIG. 4 shows a map relating speed to load to measurements concerning the presence of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the engine exhaust. It may be seen how moving along the surface defined by the map can move an engine from one operating state to another. In doing so, the value of at least one of the parameters may be held constant, if desired.
In current engine design technology, a map that includes engine exhaust gases is commonly used to estimate the emission of pollutants over a wide range of conditions. The assumption is made that the map obtained during original calibration is either stable or undergoes predictable change, in which case adaptive algorithms are used to estimate the model change. By using the relationship between input signals, controlled operating characteristics, and the mapped emission levels, engines have been operated on the assumption that the predicted relationship between mechanical performance and exhaust content is accurate, and thus that emission control of a desired nature results from control of the same operating characteristics that control mechanical performance of the engine.
It has been found, however, that control systems using engine mapping provide control only as good as the input signals and the validity of the map. As engines wear, sensors lose calibration, fuel compositions change, and the assumption made that the fundamental combustion process and the content of the exhaust stream remain stable becomes invalid. Precision analytical equipment that could provide a complete analysis of the engine exhaust gasses, and that could provide information that remains accurate during service of the engine in real time, is not practical for use for such purpose except during the original calibration of a map in a laboratory.
These deficiencies are particularly acute with respect to a map that incorporates lambda, the air-to-fuel ratio, as an input. There are two common types of lambda sensors: step-change lambda sensors and wide-range lambda sensors. The step-change lambda sensor is based on a zirconia concentration cell and operates between λ=0.95 and λ=1.05. This sensor is used for air/fuel ratio control in engines that operate around stoichiometry (λ=1). It is desirable to operate at λ=1 because the catalytic converter operates best with a stoichiometric mixture. The wide-range lambda sensor operates over a much wider range of lambda, and it enables the closed-loop control of lean-burn engines. Running lean (oxygen-rich) is important to ensure that all of the fuel is combusted.
A lambda sensor such as described above generates a single signal that indicates whether the exhaust gas is rich or lean (and in the case of the wide-range sensor, indicates to what extent rich or lean). This single signal is derived from a composite of all gases in the exhaust stream, reflecting the ratio of oxidizing to reducing gases therein. This type of lambda sensor is not capable of providing detailed information about the gas composition of an exhaust stream, and a lambda value derived from this sensor is not an indication of a unique gas composition. Different combinations of gases can produce the same lambda value. This type of lambda sensor is sometimes also referred to as an oxygen sensor because oxygen diffuses readily through the zirconia cell, but this sensor does not furnish any information about the individual concentration of oxygen as an individual component within a stream of exhaust gas. Even when a metal oxide film that has a high diffusion coefficient for oxygen is used as a lambda sensor, the resulting lambda value does not furnish useful information about the individual concentration of oxygen as an individual component within a stream of exhaust gas because the cross-sensitivity of the metal oxide film requires that assumptions be made about the extent to which other components may be present in the exhaust stream, or about the conditions under which combustion has occurred.
A lambda sensor may also be used in the monitoring and control of a nitrogen oxide (NOx) absorber in a lean-burn engine. As described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,448, an oxygen deficiency in the exhaust gas downstream of a two part catalytic converter, which contains an upstream conventional oxygen storage section and a downstream NOx storage section, only occurs when the oxygen-storage locations as well as the nitrous oxide storage locations in the NOx storage catalytic converter are empty. These locations are emptied by the passage through them of a rich mixture. The time difference in the response of upstream and downstream sensors to the rich exhaust mixture is used as a measure of the NOx, storage capacity. This is not, however, a measurement of NOx content in the exhaust gas stream.
It would therefore be desirable to have methods and apparatus for controlling a process (such as a chemical reaction) that emits a multi-component mixture of gases, or a device (such as an internal combustion engine) to which is transmitted a product of a chemical reaction that emits a multi-component mixture of gases. These methods and apparatus receive as an input, and optionally utilize in a map, information about the individual concentration within the emitted gas stream of one or more individual component gases, or subgroups of gases, therein.

Method and apparatus for controlling a gas-emitting process and related devices


A program voltage of a first level is applied to the control gate of a PMOS floating gate memory cell to realize an injection of hot electrons induced by band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) into the floating gate of the cell. As the threshold voltage of the cell increases due to the accumulation of charge on the floating gate, the injection of BTBT induced hot electrons subsides. The program voltage is reduced to a second level which induces the injection of channel hot electrons (CHE) into the floating gate, thereby boosting the rate of charge accumulation on the floating gate.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to semiconductor memories and specifically to a method of programming a PMOS floating gate memory cell.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional memories such as EEPROM and Flash EEPROM typically employ as a memory cell an N-channel floating gate transistor of the type shown in FIG. 1. The NMOS floating gate memory cell 10 is formed in a p-substrate 12 and includes an n+ source 14 and an n+ drain 16. A channel 18 extends within the substrate 12 between the n+ source 14 and the n+drain 16. A thin gate dielectric layer 20 separates a polysilicon floating gate 22 from the substrate 12. The gate dielectric 20 may be, for instance, a layer of silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2), having a thickness of approximately 100 .ANG.. A second dielectric layer 24 separates a control gate 26 from the floating gate 22. Although not illustrated in FIG. 1, a protective insulating layer is typically formed over the cell 10, and electrical contacts are made to the n+ source 14, the n+ drain 16, and the control gate 26.
To program the cell 10, approximately 5 volts and 12 volts are applied to the drain 16 and the control gate 26, respectively, for a few milliseconds, while the source 14 is held at a low potential, e.g., ground potential. In response thereto, electrons accelerate across the channel 18 and, colliding with electrons and lattice atoms proximate the drain 16, generate hot electrons. The hot electrons are attracted to the high positive voltage on the control gate 26 and tunnel into the floating gate 22. The resulting accumulation of negative charge within the floating gate 22 increases the threshold voltage of the cell 10, thereby programming the cell 10.
The cell 10 may be erased by floating the drain 16, grounding the control gate 26, and applying approximately 12 volts to the source 14. Electrons within the floating gate 22 tunnel through the gate dielectric 20 and into the source 14, thereby restoring the threshold voltage to its original level and, thus, erasing the cell 10.
To read the cell 10, the source 14 is grounded, the drain 16 is held at between approximately 1 and 2 volts, and the control gate 26 is held at approximately 5 volts. Under these bias conditions, the cell 10 will conduct a channel current only if in an erased state.
Technological improvements have led to the development of a PMOS floating gate memory cell, as disclosed in the commonly owned and co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/557,589 entitled "A PMOS Memory Cell with Hot Electron Injection Programming and Tunneling Erasing," filed Nov. 14, 1995, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,118 to Chang and incorporated by reference herein. FIG. 2 illustrates a PMOS floating gate memory cell 30 of the type disclosed in the Chang patent. The cell 30 is formed in an n- well region 32 of a p- substrate 34. A p+ source 36 and a p+ drain 38 are formed in the n- well region 32. A channel region 40 extends within the n- well 32 between the p+ source 36 and the p+ drain 38. A polysilicon floating gate 42 is insulated from the n- well region 32 by a thin oxide layer 44. Preferably, the oxide layer 44 is approximately between 80-130 .ANG. thick and extends over the entire length of the channel region 40 and portions of both the p+ source 36 and the p+ drain 38. A control gate 46 is insulated from the floating gate 42 by an insulating layer 48. In its intrinsic state, the memory cell 30 has a threshold voltage V.sub.T of between approximately -1.5 and -2.0 volts.
The cell 30 may be programmed, for instance, by applying approximately 6.5 volts to the p+ source 36, grounding the p+ drain 38, and ramping the control gate 46 from a first voltage to a second voltage. These bias conditions cause positively charged holes to accelerate across the channel 40 towards the p+ drain 38. These accelerating holes collide with electrons and lattice atoms in a drain depletion region 50 proximate the p+ drain 38, thereby resulting in impact ionization. High energy electrons generated from the impact ionization are attracted to the ramped voltage on the control gate 46 and are thereby injected into the floating gate 42. The resultant negative charge on the floating gate 42 shifts the threshold voltage V.sub.T of the cell 30 to a more positive potential, thereby programming the cell 30.
To erase the cell 30, approximately 9 volts is applied to the p+ source 36, to the p+ drain 38, and to the n- well 32, while the control gate 46 is grounded. Electrons within the floating gate 42 tunnel through the oxide layer 44 and into the p+ source 36, the p+ drain 38, and the channel 40 of the cell 30, thereby returning the threshold voltage V.sub.T of the cell 30 to its normal level. This erasing technique is known as a channel erase.
The binary state of the cell 30 is read by applying, for instance, a supply voltage V.sub.CC of approximately 3 volts to the p+ source 36 and to the n- well 32. The control gate 46 is coupled to a potential between ground potential and V.sub.CC and the p+ drain 38 is coupled to a voltage slightly less than V.sub.CC. Under these bias conditions, the cell 30 conducts a channel current only if in a programmed state, i.e., only if the floating gate 42 is negatively charged. Thus, unlike NMOS memory cells, the PMOS memory cell 30 of FIG. 2 does not suffer from read disturb problems. The cell 30 is advantageous in numerous other ways over conventional NMOS memory cells, as discussed in the Chang patent.
However, in spite of the advantages realized by the recently developed PMOS floating gate memory cell, demand for faster programming speeds and higher endurance necessitates continual improvements in memory. Thus, it would be desirable to increase the speed with which a floating gate memory cell, e.g., cell 30, is programmed while also improving the endurance of the cell.

Apparatus and method for programming PMOS memory cells


An automatic mirror rotation assembly for a vehicle including a tractor and semi-detached trailer is provided. A control wheel is mounted in a structure connecting to a chassis of the tractor, and is raised into engagement with a lower surface of the trailer. As the vehicle turns, the rotation of the trailer with respect to the tractor is measured by counting rotations or partial rotations of the wheel against the underside surface of the trailer. A corresponding degree of passenger-side rear view mirror is calculated, and a motor automatically rotates the mirror.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an assembly for automatically rotating a vehicle rear view mirror. More specifically, the invention relates both to an assembly for automatically rotating a rear view mirror mounted on a passenger side of a vehicle comprising a tractor hauling a semi-detached trailer, and to the rear view mirror itself.
2. Description of the Related Art
Trailered vehicles are well-known. Referring to FIG. 1, a trailered vehicle 20 comprises a semi-detached trailer 22 mounted to a tractor 24. Trailer 22 is mounted at a hitching point 26, typically referred to as a "fifth wheel," positioned at a rear end 28 of the tractor's chassis 30. The tractor and trailer generally align to define an imaginary axis 32. A passenger-side rear view mirror 34 typically is mounted on a passenger-side door of the tractor, and positioned generally in alignment with the axis 32, so that the driver can see the passenger-side rear corner 36 of the trailer 22. The driver typically adjusts this passenger-side mirror 34 either electrically, or by hand, according to the length of the trailer 22. The above-described relationship is shown in FIG. 1(a), depicting the right hand side as the passenger side, as is common for example in the United States, Canada and continental Europe. The driver's field of vision in the passenger-side mirror is depicted by reference numeral 38.
A problem occurs when the driver enters a turn, either going forward or reversing. As the tractor turns, the trailer pivots with respect to the tractor, forming an angle therebetween. The passenger-side rear view mirror, however, remains stationary. The trailer 22 therefore blocks the field of vision 38, causing the driver to lose sight of the passenger-side rear corner 36 of the trailer, along with any object in the vicinity. This problem is depicted in FIG. 1(b). Tighter turns obviously exacerbate this problem.
The resultant loss of rear visibility creates potentially dangerous situations. Whether driving on winding roads, or attempting to back the trailer into a parking lot or a loading dock, the driver's inability to see other vehicles, persons, or other objects in his passenger-side mirror can result in property damage or more serious accidents.
Reports published in 1994 indicate that out of 330,000 reported truck crashes in the U.S. in 1991, 19.1% (approximately 198,000) of these accidents involved backing, turning, lane-changing, or merging maneuvers by trailered vehicles. These crashes accounted for 1.0% of all fatalities, 10.8% of injuries, and 6.3% of costs for trailered vehicle accidents that year, with total direct monetary losses estimated at over $250 million.
A number of commercially available warning systems exist that give a driver a warning of objects behind his truck during a turn. Despite the desirability of such systems, surveys of professional truck drivers have noted several shortcomings with the available systems. For example, existing devices are not easy to install. Another problem exists with the reliability of the existing systems, including damage to the systems while in use. Another problem is the difficulty of using the existing systems. In short, existing systems to detect and warn drivers of objects behind a truck have limited areas of coverage, provide inconsistent warnings, and rarely are used.
A better solution is to enable the driver to rely on his passenger-side rear view mirror, by providing the mirror with the capability to rotate in response to a vehicle turn. Past attempts to provide such a device have met with limited success, as evidenced by the fact that no such device is in widespread use in the trucking industry.
An automatically adjustable passenger-side rear view mirror assembly is desired for trailered vehicles that is easy to install and operate, and is reliable under normal truck-driving conditions and environments.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the combinations described in the attached claims.

Automatically adjustable passenger mirror assembly for a trailered vehicle


An electro-optic modulator is described which uses periodic inverted domain regions to permit it to be able to handle high powered optical light.

It is highly desirable to vary the sections of phase fronts of a light beam. For example, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,904, there is a device having a crystal formed of electro-optic material such as lithium niobate and lithium tantalate and a patterned array of electrodes formed on the crystal surface. By changing electrical signals to the electrodes, an electric field is selectively produced inside the crystal which alters the refractive index by the electro-optic effect and which selectively modifies the phase front of the incident light beam within the crystal. The modified phase front of the exiting light beam from the crystal is focused to a light stop or to an aperture, which selectively removes portions of the light beam. Thus, the beam of light can be used to print an extended line. It is well known that optical power densities in excess of a few hundred watts/cm.sup.2 gives rise to optical damage within the crystal and can cause nonlinear effects in such crystals. For applications that require high optical power levels, this device as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,904, is ineffective. This is particularly so in printing applications which require high optical power densities necessary for thermal dye transfer printing applications.
More particularly, the apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,904 modulates a plurality of regions along a line of light by varying the voltage on the electrodes formed on a TIR (total internal reflection) device are well known. In particular, an electrical signal pattern, which includes a plurality of separate electrical signals, is converted to a selected light intensity profile determined by the electrical signal pattern to achieve a visible display of the signal pattern. The individually addressed element of the electro-optic device acts as a light modulator or gate for one picture element along the recording line. As noted above, this device will have serious optical damage problems when used with a high power or intensity optical light beam.
Referring to FIG. 1, a typical prior art TIR modulator 10 consists of electro-optic material formed of a LiNbO.sub.3 crystal 12. The crystal 12 has three polished surfaces 14, 16, and 18. The surfaces 14 and 16 are arranged such that a collimated beam of light of single wavelength incident at an angle to the plane of the surface 18 is refracted at the surfaces 14 and 16 to incur TIR at the surface 18. It will be appreciated that other crystal shapes are possible to achieve the TIR.
An electrode pattern is deposited on the surface 18 as an array (shown in FIG. 2) with the electrodes 22 parallel to the incident light beam 24. A voltage V, generated by voltage source 25, is applied to the electrode pattern and includes an electric field to adjacent the surface 18 which alters the refractive index of the crystal. With the pattern shown, the modulator 10 behaves in a similar manner to a phase diffraction grating to alter the light output beam, the interdigitating electrodes 22 introducing a periodic electric field which penetrates the electro-optic material 12.
The output beam is diffracted into a series of orders as shown, separated by approximately 2-6 milliradians, whose intensities vary with electrode voltage. For example, if a typically full modulation voltage V of 70 volts is applied to the electrodes, the output light beam contains minimal zero order energy, the energy being transferred to the other orders. Thus, if these orders are stopped by suitable obstacles (a stop or aperture), the incident or original beam direction can be seen to be intensity modulated by the application of the voltage.
As a typical example, the electrodes are 12 .mu.m wide and 3.5 mm long, and the pitch between individual electrodes is 50 .mu.m. Suitable electro-optic materials include LiNbO.sub.3, LiTaO.sub.3, BSN, ADP, KDP, KTP, and Ba.sub.2 NaNb.sub.5 O.sub.15.
In the TIR configurations which have been made available, all the electrodes are joined into two conducting electrode blocks 26 and 28. A signal drive potential V is then applied to electrode blocks 26 and 28. A periodic light phase front with constant magnitude over the area of electrode pattern results from the drive signal.
FIGS. 3 and 4 are top and side views, respectively, illustrating TIR modulator 29 of another prior art device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,904. In particular, each electrode is connected to its own individual drive voltage while the other ground 33 is grounded or set to some other common voltage. Specifically, individual interdigitated electrodes 30, 32, 34 . . . 36 and 38 have separate drive voltage signals V.sub.1, V.sub.2, V.sub.3 . . . V.sub.j-1 and V.sub.j, respectively, applied thereto and electrodes 40, 42 . . . 48 are connected together and coupled to a common voltage, ground in the embodiment illustrated. It should be noted that the basic structure of modulator 29 is identical to modulator 10 described hereinabove except for the arrangement of the individually addressed electrodes.
Application of different voltage levels to each of the electrodes 30, 32, 34 . . . 36 and 38 will produce a phase modulation of the beam at the location of each electrode, the magnitude of which is related to the individually applied voltage.
It should be noted that the incident light beam 24 preferably spans the electrodes 30, 32, 34 . . . 36 and 38 to essentially fill the full width of the modulator 29. In a preferred embodiment, the light beam 24 is substantially collimated lengthwise of the modulator 29 and is brought to a wedge shaped focus on an internal surface of the modulator 29 which extends widthwise along the electrodes 30, 32, 34 . . . 36 and 38.
To use the phase front modulations to achieve intensity variations in the output (i.e. to provide the line composer), phase microscopy techniques may be used so that each electrode affects the image intensity distribution within a localized region of the image line. This region of the image line corresponds directly to the location of the electrode within the array of electrodes.
Phase microscopy techniques for such conversion are described, for example, in J. W. Goodman, Introduction to Fourier Optics, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 1968, pps. 141-146, including the central dark ground technique described therein. All phase microscopy techniques convert a phase front modulation into a corresponding intensity modulation by spatial filtering, the various techniques differing in the spatial filtering function used.
In TIR devices described above have inherent problems in handling higher light power densities causing beam distortion. These power densities are dependent upon the wavelength of light. For example, in Bulmer et al, "Linear Interferometric Modulators in Ti:LiNbO.sub.3 ", Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol. LT-2, No. 4, August 1984, describes that optical damage in channel waveguides was observed at 300 W/cm.sup.2 at wavelength at 0.84 .mu.m. Such optical damages is unacceptable in printing devices and other applications.
Davis et al (Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion, SPIE, Vol. 2700, January, 1996) observed a significant decrease in optical damage by periodic reversal of ferroelectric domains.

Addressable electro-optic modulator with periodically poled domain regions


A tool for cutting and slitting the shielding of an electrical cable includes a cutting platform configured to engage the shield of the cable. A driven cutting blade is mounted for movement past the cutting platform into the shield. A fixture is provided for supporting the cable in a desired orientation during a cutting or slitting operation. The fixture includes a first cable support that defines a ring cut plane and a second cable support that defines a slitting plane.

Cables used for conducting power often have a plurality of insulated conductors surrounded by a metal shield or cover to protect the conductors. One type of such cable is known as metal clad armored cable and includes an elongated outer metal shield or sheath that serves to protect insulated conductors that extend through the inner passageway defined by the shield. The metal shield is typically formed with a helically wound shape with adjacent convolutions overlapping and interlocking with one another to provide a flexible metal conduit that facilitates installation and routing of the cable. Some cables include an insulator surrounding the metal shield and/or uninsulated conductors within the shield for grounding purposes. In some applications, the cables may be configured for use in hazardous locations. Still further, shields may be formed of steel (including hardened steel) or aluminum and, in come cases, the convolutions may be welded together. Removing a section of the metal shield from such a cable to expose the conductors may be performed using hand-held or hand tools or with more highly complex tools such as those configured to be positioned at a bench or a work station.
U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2007/0144011 A1 discloses a tool having a rotating cutting wheel for cutting the shield of a cable and also cutting the core of the cable. A cutting operation is performed by pivoting the spindle unit on a support unit to move the cutting wheel towards the cable. The depth that the cutting wheel extends into the cable may be adjusted through the use of a thumb screw.

Cutting tool for cable with a metal shield


A system for pumping or mixing a fluid using a rotating pumping or mixing element and various other components for use in a pumping or mixing system are disclosed.

Most pharmaceutical solutions and suspensions manufactured on an industrial scale require highly controlled, thorough mixing to achieve a satisfactory yield and ensure a uniform distribution of ingredients in the final product. Agitator tanks are frequently used to complete the mixing process, but a better degree of mixing is normally achieved by using a mechanical stirrer or impeller (e.g., a set of mixing blades attached to a metal rod). Typically, the mechanical stirrer or impeller is simply lowered into the fluid through an opening in the top of the vessel and rotated by an external motor to create the desired mixing action.
One significant limitation or shortcoming of such an arrangement is the danger of contamination or leakage during mixing. The rod carrying the mixing blades or impeller is typically introduced into the vessel through a dynamic seal or bearing. This opening provides an opportunity for bacteria or other contaminants to enter, which of course can lead to the degradation of the product. A corresponding danger of environmental contamination exists in applications involving hazardous or toxic fluids, or suspensions of pathogenic organisms, since dynamic seals or bearings are prone to leakage. Cleanup and sterilization are also made difficult by the dynamic bearings or seals, since these structures typically include folds and crevices that are difficult to reach. Since these problems are faced by all manufacturers of sterile solutions, pharmaceuticals, or the like, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has consequently promulgated strict processing requirements for such fluids, and especially those slated for intravenous use.
In an effort to overcome these problems, others have proposed alternative mixing technologies. Perhaps the most common proposal for stirring a fluid under sterile conditions is to use a rotating, permanent magnet bar covered by an inert layer of TEFLON, glass, or the like. The magnetic "stirrer" bar is placed on the bottom of the agitator vessel and rotated by a driving magnet positioned external to the vessel. An example of such an arrangement where the vessel is not a flexible bag is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,703 to Nojiri et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Of course, the use of such an externally driven magnetic bar avoids the need for a dynamic bearing, seal or other opening in the vessel to transfer the rotational force from the driving magnet to the stirring magnet. Therefore, a completely enclosed system is provided. This of course prevents leakage and the potential for contamination created by hazardous materials (e.g., cytotoxic agents, solvents with low flash points, blood products, etc.), eases clean up, and allows for the desirable sterile interior environment to be maintained. all of which are considered significant advantages.
Despite the advantages of this type of mixing systems and others where the need for a shaft penetrating into the vessel or dynamic seal is eliminated, a substantial, but heretofore unsolved problem with such systems is the difficulty in coupling a fluid-agitating element with an external motive device providing the rotation and/or levitation force. For example, when a vessel in the form of a flexible bag containing an unconfined fluid-agitating element is positioned in proximity to the motive device, the relative location of the fluid-agitating element is generally unknown. In the case of a small (10 liter or less) transparent bag, it is possible to manipulate the bag relative to the motive device in an effort to ensure that the fluid-agitating, element is "picked up" and the desired coupling, is formed. However, this is considered inconvenient and time consuming, especially if fluid is already present in the bag. Moreover, in the case where the bag is relatively large (e.g., capable of holding 100 liters or more) or formed of an opaque material (e.g., black), achieving the proper positioning of the fluid-agitating element relative to the external motive device is at a minimum difficult, and in many cases, impossible. In the absence of fortuity, a significant amount of time and effort is required to lift and blindly reposition the bag relative to the motive device, without ever truly knowing that the coupling is properly formed. Also, even if the coupling is initially formed, the fluid-agitating element may become accidentally decoupled or disconnected from the motive device during the mixing operation. In view of the semi-chaotic nature of such an event, the ultimate resting place of the fluid-agitating element is unknown and, in cases where the fluid is opaque (e.g., blood) or cloudy (e.g. cell suspensions), not easily determined. If the coupling ultimately cannot be established in the proper fashion, the desired fluid agitation cannot be achieved in a satisfactory manner, which essentially renders the set up useless. These shortcomings may significantly detract from the attractiveness of such fluid agitation systems from a practical standpoint.
In many past mixing arrangements, a rigid vessel is used with a fluid-agitating element directly supported by a post carrying a roller bearing, with the rotational force being supplied by an external device (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,259 to Rains et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference). While this direct support arrangement prevents the fluid-agitating, element from being lost in the event of an accidental decoupling, the use of such post or like structure in a bag for receiving and holding a fluid-agitating element has not been proposed. The primary reason for this is that, in a typical flexible bag, neither the sidewalls nor any other structure is capable of providing the direct support for the fluid-agitating element or a corresponding bearing.
Thus, a need is identified for an improved manner of ensuring that the desired coupling may be reliably achieved between a fluid-agitating element in a vessel such as a bag and an external motive device. such as one supplying the rotational force that causes the element to agitate the fluid, even in large, industrial scale mixing bags or vessels (greater than 100 liters), opaque bags or vessels, or where the fluid to be agitated is not sufficiently clear, and even after an accidental decoupling occurs. The improvement provided by the invention would be easy to implement using existing manufacturing techniques and without significant additional expense. Overall, a substantial gain in efficiency and ease of use would be realized as a result of the improvement, and would greatly expand the potential applications for which advanced mixing systems may be used.

Systems using a levitating, rotating pumping or mixing element and related methods


In a method for producing a three-dimensional object (6) wherein the object is produced by successive solidification of individual layers (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 64) of a liquid or powderous material (3) by action of electromagnetic radiation (8, 10) and a supporting structure (20, 21) for supporting the object (6) is co-solidified together with the object (6), the supporting structure (20, 21) is decomposed in a three-dimensional fashion into an inner core region (22) an an outer envelope region (23) and the irradiation is varied for producing different characteristics of both regions.

A method for producing a three-dimensional object is known as "stereolithography". In this method a layer of a liquid or a powderous material is applied to a support or a previously solidified layer and thereafter solidified by irradiating a focused light beam, for example a laser beam, at the points corresponding to the object. The object is produced in a layerwise fashion by successively solidifying a plurality of layers one after the other.
The EP-A-0 338 751 discloses such a method whereby supporting structures for supporting portions of the object or the entire object, respectively, are solidified together with the object itself.
When constructing supporting structures, however, the following problems are encoutered.
At filigree structures as well as intersections of planes several individual supports are generated because of the separate surface compounds in the CAD-model. The individual supports can be closely adjacent to each other and/or intersect or penetrate each other. For exposing the supporting structure the contour lines of the individual supports are scanned at an extremely small spacing which causes them to melt together. It is not possible or very difficult to remove the thus produced supporting structure without destroying the component.
In order to prevent the closely adjacent contour lines of individual supports from melting together, it is possible to scan the supports without contour. In this case, however, the exposure of the supports must be very hard i.e. a high degree of solidification must be produced to prevent the supports from fraying at the edges. Again, it is very labour-intensive to remove the thus produced supporting structure from the component, or it may even be impossible to remove it without destruction thereof. The DE 43 09 524 discloses a method for producing a three-dimensional object whereby the entire object or each layer of the object to be formed, respectively, is decomposed into an inner core region and an outer envelope region and the irradiation is controlled in the core region and in the envelope region so as to produce different characteristics in both regions. The decomposition of the object to be formed into an envelope region and a core region is made in a computer. Object data corresponding to the decomposition of the object to be formed into core and envelope region are provided to a further computer which controls an irradiation device for solidifying the layers of the object to be formed. The decomposition allows to construct an object using constructional forms which are different from each other and advantageous corresponding to the respective requirements.
The WO 94/07 681 discloses a method for producing a three-dimensional object by successive solidification of overlying layers of the object, whereby at first partial regions of a layer are solidified and joined with respective partial regions of the previously solidified layer therebelow to form multilayered cells and thereafter adjacent partial regions of one layer are joined by solidifying narrow web regions. It is thereby intended to reduce the deformation of the object.

Method for producing a three-dimensional object


A microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based electrical switch. The electrical switch includes a moveable electrode, a dielectric layer positioned adjacent the moveable electrode on a first side of the dielectric layer and spaced apart from the moveable electrode when the moveable electrode is in an inactivated position and in contact with the moveable electrode when the moveable electrode is in an activated position, and a substrate attached to the dielectric layer on a second side opposite to the first side, the moveable electrode is configured to brake prior to coming in contact with the dielectric layer when the moveable electrode is switched between the inactivated state and the activated state.

Radio frequency-microelectromechanical systems (RF-MEMS) capacitive switch (CS) based systems have attracted a significant interest in recent years. These RF-MEMS CS systems provide excellent RF characteristics (such as high linearity and low losses), as well as low power consumption.
A typical RF-MEMS CS system 10 found in the prior art is depicted in FIG. 10. Such an RF-MEMS CS may find diverse applications in radar systems, wireless communication, instrumentation, etc. Compared to solid state switches, RF-MEMS switches offer the advantages of low power consumption, low insertion and return loss, extremely high linearity, and excellent isolation. Several disadvantages have been well documented in the prior art including but not limited to reaching and maintain a high level of reliability. One source of degradation of RF-MEMS CSs is the result of dielectric charging by virtue of a built-in charge that causes a shift in the capacitance-voltage characteristics. Additionally, poor reliability related to mechanical creep, and fatigue amongst other issues, continue to hinder the large scale deployment of RF-MEMS switches. Another key reliability concern is the impact velocity—the velocity with which a movable electrode 12 (see FIG. 10) impacts a dielectric layer 14 in an electrostatically actuated (voltage source 16) RF-MEMS CS. This impact damages the dielectric layer 14 and increases the adhesion forces which may eventually lead to malfunction of the switch due to stiction.
To address the challenges in reliability of a CS, novel approaches are needed to address the above-described dielectric degradation caused by impacting of a moveable electrode against a dielectric layer.

Capacitive microelectromechanical switches with dynamic soft-landing


Provided is a register that can more surely suppress abnormal noise caused by air passing through a space between a damper and a retainer. An inner wall of an upper side wall of the retainer is formed with a plurality of rib parts provided on a downstream side relative to an outer periphery on the downstream side of a plate member in a closed state of a damper. The plurality of rib parts is arranged in a direction parallel to a turning axis of the damper, and adjacent rib parts are formed into different shapes. A soft seal member is provided with a plurality of protrusion parts on an upper surface of the outer periphery on the downstream side of the plate member.

Conventionally, a register is arranged in an instrument panel of a vehicle such as an automobile. The register blows out air conditioning air from an air blow outlet into a cabin of the vehicle. A ventilation flue to blow the air conditioning air is formed in a retainer of the register. A damper to control air conditioning air is provided inside the retainer disclosed in the Patent Literature 1. The damper disclosed in the Patent Literature 1 includes a plate part pivotally supported by left and right side walls of the retainer and a damper seal provided around the plate part. The damper is turned inside the retainer by the damper opening/closing mechanism and blows out the air conditioning air and stops the air blowout.
Specifically, when the damper stops blowing out the air conditioning air, the damper is turned so that an upper inner wall and a lower inner wall of the retainer are elastically brought into contact with each other. Thus, the ventilation flue inside the retainer can be closed by the damper. In contrast, when the air conditioning air is allowed to blow out, the damper is turned to form a space between the damper seal and the upper inner wall, the lower inner wall of the retainer, thereby blowing out the air conditioning air from the air blow outlet into the cabin of the vehicle through the formed space.
When such a small space is formed between the damper and the inner wall of the retainer in the register provided with this type of the damper, abnormal noise such as wind noise may be generated when the air conditioning air passing through the formed space. In the damper disclosed in the Patent Literature 1, the damper seal attached to outer periphery of the damper has a rugged shape. Since the damper seal has the rugged shape, vortex flows are generated by a flow of the air conditioning air passing between the damper and the inner wall of the retainer to suppress generation of the abnormal noise. Also, in a register disclosed in the Patent Literature 2, protrusion parts are formed on an upper side inner wall of a retainer. The protrusion parts are formed into a rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in a direction parallel to an end on the downstream side of a damper. The protrusion parts interrupt a flow of air conditioning air passing between a space between the damper and an inner wall of a retainer and suppresses generation of the abnormal noise.
[Patent Literature 1] Japanese Examined Utility Model (Registration) Application Publication No. 2570855 (paragraph 0006)
[Patent Literature 2] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 1991-200418