Fabrication of recessed channel array transistors (RCAT) with a corner gate device includes forming pockets between a semiconductor fin that includes a gate groove and neighboring shallow trench isolations that extend along longs sides of the semiconductor fin. A protection liner covers the semiconductor fin and the trench isolations in a bottom portion of the gate groove and the pockets. An insulator collar is formed in the exposed upper sections of the gate groove and the pockets, wherein a lower edge of the insulator collar corresponds to a lower edge of source/drain regions formed within the semiconductor fin. The protection liner is removed. The bottom portion of the gate groove and the pockets are covered with a gate dielectric and a buried gate conductor layer. The protection liner avoids residuals of polycrystalline silicon between the active area in the semiconductor fin and the insulator collar.

A semiconductor memory cell typically includes a storage device for storing data and an access device for accessing the data stored in the storage device.
In DRAM memory cells, data is stored by charging or discharging a storage capacitor. In stacked capacitor type memory cells, the capacitors are placed above the access devices. In trench capacitor type memory cells, the storage devices are buried in the substrate in which the access transistors are formed.
Typically the access devices are field-effect transistors (FETs). Active areas of the access transistors are formed in a single crystalline semiconductor substrate such as a silicon wafer. The active areas comprise a first doped region defining a first source/drain region, a second doped region defining a second source/drain region and a channel region between the first and the second source/drain-region. The first and the second doped region are of a first conductivity type. The channel region is not doped or is of a second conductivity type that is the opposite of the first conductivity type.
The first doped region forms a bit line contact section and is coupled to a bit line. The bit line transmits data to and from the memory cell. The second doped region forms a storage node contact section and is connected to a storage node electrode of the capacitor.
The access transistor is controlled by a voltage applied to a gate electrode, which for planar transistor devices is arranged above a pattern surface of the substrate and which is adjacent to the respective channel section. A gate dielectric insulates the gate electrode from the channel region. The electric potential of the gate electrode controls the charge carrier distribution by capacitive coupling in the adjoining channel section. The gate electrodes of the access transistors of a plurality of memory cells are connected and form a connectivity line (word line) for addressing a group of memory cells within a memory cell array.
When a voltage higher than a threshold voltage is applied to the gate electrode, an enhancement zone of mobile charge carriers is induced in the channel section, wherein the charge carriers form a conductive channel in the channel section between the storage node contact section and the bit line contact section. The conductive channel connects the storage node electrode of the capacitor to the bit line. When a voltage lower than the threshold voltage is applied to the gate electrode, the storage node electrode of the capacitor remains insulated from the bit line.
Planar field effect transistors do not scale down well to sub 100 nanometer technologies, which use a feature size of photolithographic patterns of less than 100 nanometers. A maximum packaging density requires a maximum channel length, which corresponds to the minimum feature size. At channel lengths below 100 nanometers, short channel effects occur, for example sub-threshold leakage current.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,945,707, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, a recessed channel array transistor (RCAT) with enhanced effective channel length is described. The first and second source/drain regions are arranged in a horizontal plane parallel to the pattern surface of the semiconductor substrate. Between the first and the second source/drain region a gate groove is etched into the semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode is disposed within the groove. A gate dielectric extends along the semiconductor sidewalls of the gate groove and separates the gate electrode from the channel region. In a conducting state of the RCAT, the channel extends in a first vertical section from the first doped region downwards along the first sidewall of the gate groove, crosses beneath the gate groove in horizontal direction and extends then in a second vertical section along a second sidewall of the gate groove upwards to the second doped region. The effective channel length of a RCAT is a function of the depth of the gate groove and the planar distance between both source/drain regions.
A sphere-shaped RCAT (S-RCAT) with enhanced effective channel length is described in "High-Density Low-Power-Operating DRAM Device Adopting 6F2 Cell Scheme with Novel S-RCAT Structure on 80 nm Feature Size and Beyond"; by H. J. Oh et al.; IEEE Proceedings of ESSDERC; Grenoble, France; 2005. The gate groove is expanded in the bottom section. The effective channel length of the S-RCAT is enhanced, whereas the planar dimensions remain unmodified, such that the S-RCAT enables further enhanced packaging densities.
At maximum packaging density, the effective channel width of a RCAT is equal to the minimum lithographic feature size. The effective channel width corresponds to the resistance of the transistors in the conducting state (Ron) and affects the switching characteristics of the memory cell.
A RCAT with corner gate device is therefore proposed in German Patent No. DE 103 61 695 B3, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Corner sections of a gate electrode partly wrap around a semiconductor fin, which comprises the active area. The corner sections of the gate electrode extend along sections of vertical sidewalls of the semiconductor fin. In the conducting state of the RCAT, the channel is formed both along the sidewalls of the gate groove and along the sidewalls on the long sides of the semiconductor fin. The channel width is increased by the portion of the channel that extends along the sidewalls of the semiconductor fin. Due to the increased channel width, RCATs with FinFET-like corner gate devices, also known as extended U-groove transistors (EUT), show a lower On-Resistance Ron and faster switching properties.
A method of manufacturing a RCAT with corner gate device is described in German Patent No. DE 103 61 695 B3. According to that method, a stripe-shaped semiconductor fin with a first and a second vertical sidewall on the long sides of the fin is formed in a single crystalline silicon substrate. Shallow trench isolations made of silicon oxide are formed on both long sides of the fin. The short sides of the fin define a first and a second end of the fin. Between the first and the second end of the fin, a gate groove is etched into the semiconductor fin, which extends from one long side of the fin to the other. An isotropic oxide etch process is performed. The etching pulls back the shallow trench isolations from the long sides of the semiconductor fin, wherein the pullback starts from the intersecting plane between the gate groove and the shallow trench isolations. The recess leaves pockets in the shallow trench isolation, which are adjacent to the gate groove. A gate oxide is grown on the semiconductor fin. The gate groove and the pockets are filled with a gate conductor material. In the upper section of the fin, the first source/drain region is formed at the first end of the fin, and the second source/drain region is formed at the second end of the fin by implanting ions.
Capacitive coupling between the gate electrode and the source/drain regions deteriorates the switching characteristics of the transistor.
A method for fabricating an insulator collar between the source/drain regions and the gate electrode of a RCAT with corner gate device is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/222,613, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
A first gate conductor material is recessed after deposition such that the first gate conductor material fills only a bottom portion of the gate groove and the pockets respectively. An insulator collar is provided on the exposed portions of the semiconductor fin above the recessed first gate conductor material. The thickness of the insulator collar is greater than the thickness of the gate oxide. Then, a second gate conductor material is deposited on top of the recessed first gate conductor material. When polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) is used as the first and the second gate conductor material, a polysilicon-polysilicon interface within the gate groove results from this method, wherein the polysilicon-polysilicon interface disadvantageously deteriorates the electrical resistance of the gate electrode structure.
Experimental results for RCATs fabricated according to the described method show inferior switching characteristics and a wider range for the switching characteristics among a plurality of devices that emerge from the same substrate than expected. Therefore a need exists for a method of fabricating a recessed channel array transistor with corner gate device which provides enhanced switching characteristics and which reduces a deviation of the switching characteristics among the members of a plurality of RCATs formed on the same substrate.

Method of manufacturing a field effect transistor device with recessed channel and corner gate device


A buffer logic circuit having a lightly doped drain structure, comprising a power source potential, a ground potential, first and second Field Effect Transistors having drain electrodes, gate electrodes supplied with first input signal and a second input signal, respectively, source electrodes being connected to each other, and the drain electrodes for generating output signals corresponding to the input signals, respectively, device, having an end connected to the source electrodes of the first and second FETs, for reducing the potential of the drain electrodes, and device, connected between the other end of the drain electrode potential reducing device and the ground potential, for supplying a constant-current regulated power.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a source electrode-connected type logic circuit (SCFL) employing a field effect transistor, and more particularly to an SCFL for use in a high frequency digital circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
A buffer circuit for use in a digital circuit which must operate at high frequency, such as a multiplexer for optical communication or a divider for satellite broadcast, has a source coupled FET logic circuit (SCFL) of a LDD (Lightly Doped Drain) structure made of GaAs. The reason why the buffer circuit has the LDD structure is that the structure enhances high frequency characteristics thereof.
The LDD structure, however, makes it difficult to broaden the distance between the gate and drain, thereby reducing the breakdown voltage of the circuit. For example, a circuit of a non-LDD structure has a breakdown voltage of 6-10V or more, whereas a circuit of the LDD structure has a breakdown voltage of approximately 4V. Further, in recent years, power consumption has been required to be reduced.

Source electrode-connected type buffer circuit having LDD structure and breakdown voltage protection


This invention provides antibodies that bind brain endothelial cell receptors resulting in endocytosis/transcytosis of the receptor and bound ligands. In some embodiments, the ligand comprises the antibody in combination with a pharmaceutically active compound and the antibody directs delivery of the compound across the blood brain barrier (BBB). The invention also provides methods of identifying endothelial cell specific antibodies by panning the library against cultured cell monolayers. The invention further allows for identifying endothelial cell receptors that bind the antibody thereby providing target receptors against which to isolate further cognate ligands and their associated transport systems and by which to identify transcytosis transporters targeted by the antibodies.

Treatment modalities for brain and neurological diseases are extremely limited due to the impermeability of the brain's blood vessels to most substances carried in the blood stream. The blood vessels of the brain, referred to collectively as the blood-brain barrier (BBB), are unique when compared to the blood vessels found in the periphery of the body. Tight apposition of BBB endothelial cells (EC) to neural cells like astrocytes, pericytes and neurons induces phenotypic features that contribute to the observed impermeability. Tight junctions between ECs comprising the BBB limit paracellular transport, while the lack of pinocytotic vesicles and fenestrae limit non-specific transcellular transport. These factors combine to restrict molecular flux from the blood to the brain to those molecules that are less than 500 daltons and also lipophilic. Thus, using the large mass transfer surface area (over 21 m2 from 400 miles of capillaries in human brain) of the bloodstream as a delivery vehicle is largely infeasible except in those circumstances where a drug with the desired pharmacological properties fortuitously possesses the size and lipophilicity attributes allowing it to pass freely through the blood vessel. Because of such restrictions, it has been estimated that greater than 98% of all small molecule pharmaceuticals and nearly 100% of the emerging class of protein and gene therapeutics do not cross the BBB.
In addition to the physical barrier presented by the BBB, efflux transporters such as p-glycoprotein (MDR1) and members of the multi-drug resistance-associated protein family (MRP) serve to further limit brain uptake of even those small molecules that are small and lipophilic. FIG. 1A is a micrograph of a section of rat brain (V=ventricle) illustrating the sequestration of horseradish peroxidase in vessels, while in small brain regions perfused by capillaries lacking the BBB, the protein diffuses readily into brain tissue. FIG. 2A also illustrates the impermeable nature of the BBB: histamine (111 Da) remains sequestered within the blood vessels and does not enter the brain interior.
Although neurological diseases such as brain cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and stroke continue to afflict people worldwide, there has been a paucity of new therapies to treat such diseases. Lack of treatment modalities can, in part, be attributed to the lack of effective brain delivery strategies. Due to this lack of treatment methods the National Institutes of Health tumor and stroke progress review groups have even identified the search for innovative strategies for drug or gene targeting through the blood-brain barrier as a top research priority. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines instruct that such breakthroughs in basic neuroscience can be delivered to the clinic and "require an agent delivery strategy and/or the ability to target specific areas of the brain". Thus, in the absence of appropriate vehicles for targeting and trans-BBB transport, the pipeline of new CNS medicines will likely continue to be inadequate for the people suffering from neurological disorders. As examples, protein therapeutics known as neurotrophins have been investigated recently for their protective capacity in stroke, reversal of Parkinson's disease symptoms after direct infusion into the brains of human subjects, and for their ability to direct specialized differentiation of neural stem cells for potential treatment of Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease and multiple Sclerosis. Although extremely promising therapeutics, these trophic factors do not readily cross the BBB and will require a noninvasive delivery system for widespread, effective administration.
Present brain delivery strategies are particularly invasive and require circumvention of the BBB. Strategies requiring neurosurgery are used for implantation of polymer particles infused with drug, but the treatment volume is limited because the extracellular fluid in brain tissue is quiescent, and simple molecular diffusion only allows for a modest penetration distance of 2-3 mm. A similar method is direct injection of a drug into the brain ventricles, but the penetration into brain tissue is also limited for such intraventricular injections because the cerebral spinal fluid is rapidly cleared and is turned over 4-5 times daily. In addition, protein therapeutics, such as, for example, Glial-cell Line-Derived, Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF) for Parkinson's disease have been delivered through neurosurgically implanted catheters with continual drug infusion by a peripheral pump. Disruption of the BBB has been investigated using hyperosmolar solutions and vasoactive agents like serotonin and bradykinin peptides to allow free passage of molecules from the blood to the brain. This method is primarily used clinically only in terminal patients because alterations in the BBB can lead to toxic effects due to the free access of solutes and immune factors that are normally excluded from brain.
The aforementioned invasive strategies can have success for those diseases with limited treatment volumes, such as, for localized, non-metastatic brain tumors. However, for chronic conditions requiring a repetitive treatment regimen, or for those diseases present in large portions of the brain such as Alzheimer's disease, a noninvasive drug delivery strategy would be substantially more preferable and practical.
A variety of noninvasive brain drug delivery methods have been investigated that make use of the brain blood vessel network to gain widespread drug distribution. The brain capillary network has an average spacing of just 40 microns between capillaries and is sufficiently dense that each brain cell essentially has its own vessel for nutrient supply (FIG. 2). In addition, if the endothelial barrier of the BBB can be overcome such that a drug is deposited on the brain side of the BBB, the diffusion distance is short enough that each brain cell should be accessible to the drug. As a result, in contrast to invasive methods, a comprehensive treatment volume can result. These noninvasive transport systems/mechanisms can be generally clustered into three groups: 1, non-specific uptake; 2, carrier-mediated transport; and 3, receptor-mediated transport (FIG. 3).
Non-specific uptake mechanisms, while allowing some transport across the BBB, lack sensitivity and specificity. Cationic protein transduction domains fall into the realm of non-specific carriers, and although the HIV TAT peptide was shown to gain access to the brain interstitium after intraperitoneal injection, subsequent pharmacokinetic analysis indicated that the rapid clearance and broad organ uptake would necessitate very high doses to gain a pharmacologic effect. Another non-specific uptake mechanism is the surfactant coating of nanoparticles with polysorbate 80. Although the mechanism of brain uptake is still unresolved, the labile nature of the particles in vivo leads to short-lived pharmacologic effects and possible BBB permeabilization. Both of these non-specific methods suffer from a lack of selective targeting and result in widespread distribution of the active compound throughout the body with concomitant systemic effects.
Carrier-mediated drug transport relies on the presence of endogenous transmembrane proteins that are selective and stereospecific for small molecule solutes. For instance, L-dopa, administered to treat Parkinson's disease gains entry to the brain by utilizing the large amino acid transporter (LAT-1). The successful transport through the blood-brain barrier is a result of L-dopa mimicking the structure of phenylalanine with only the substitution of two hydroxyl groups on the aromatic ring of phenylalanine. Utilization of the saturable biotin transport system for delivery of biotinylated drugs has also been attempted. In addition, it is likely that the efflux of the AIDS drug AZT progresses in a carrier-mediated fashion. However, due to the stereospecificity and steric constraints imposed by these selective membrane pores, applications are potentially limited.
Receptor-mediated transport involves the binding of an exofacial epitope of a cell surface receptor and triggering of an energy intensive transcellular transport process known as transcytosis (FIG. 3). Drugs can be delivered using these portals if conjugated to the natural ligand or an antibody that can trigger the transcytosis process. This method has been successful in allowing for non-invasive transport of small molecules, proteins, genes, nanoparticles, and liposomes up to 100 nm in size. The receptors that are commonly targeted for transcytosis are the low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor, the transferrin receptor, and the insulin receptor. Similar less specific processes involving absorptive-mediated transcytosis have been used with cationized proteins that promote receptor clustering and activation of the transcytosis pathway. Strategies oftentimes target the cell surface receptor in ways that do not disrupt the normal transport of endogenous ligand. Therefore the impact on normal metabolic pathways is limited. In addition, since transcytosis employs the vesicular trafficking system, this strategy is not nearly as limited by the size and shape constraints of carrier-mediated transport.
Antibodies are particularly well suited for targeting BBB receptor-mediated transcytosis systems given their high affinity and specificity for their ligands. As examples, appropriately-targeted antibodies that recognize extracellular epitopes of the insulin and transferrin receptors can act as artificial transporter substrates that are effectively transported across the BBB and deposited into the brain interstitium via the transendothelial route. Additionally, when conjugated to drugs or drug carriers of various size and composition, the BBB targeting antibodies mediate brain uptake of the therapeutic cargo. Noninvasive transport of small molecules such as methotrexate has been achieved using anti-transferrin receptor antibodies. Proteins such as nerve growth factor, brain derived neurotrophic factor, and basic fibroblast growth factor were delivered to the brain after intravenous administration by using an anti-transferrin receptor antibody. The latter two cases promoted reduction in stroke volume in rat middle cerebral artery occlusion models. Liposomes and liposomes containing genes have also been delivered to the brain in vivo using anti-transferrin receptor antibodies. In particular, gene-containing antibody-targeted liposomes have been targeted to rat brain for restoration of tyrosine hydroxylase activity in an experimental Parkinson's disease model and to primate brain using a humanized anti-insulin receptor antibody. In addition, brain delivery of the new class of RNA interference drugs via pegylated immunoliposomes has been demonstrated to increase survival of mice implanted with an experimental human brain tumor model. Further, anti-transferrin receptor conjugated nanoparticles have been produced. Finally, even if an antibody binds to the brain microvsculature or internalizes without full transcytosis, it can have drug delivery benefits. When conjugated to a liposome or nanoparticle loaded with lipophilic small molecule drugs, it might be possible to raise the local BBB concentration of drug and help circumvent brain efflux systems, thereby facilitating brain uptake. Finally, in the event binding occurs without transcytosis or even internalization, the identification of BBB-specific antibody receptors or ligands will further help to characterize and identify components of the transporter system and help to further optimize antibodies that do internalize and trancytose. Taken together, these results indicate the potential utility of antibody-targeted transcytosis systems for noninvasive trafficking of drugs into the brain.
Regardless of the promise shown for antibody mediated transport in prior studies, the current antibody targeting reagents lack specificity and transport efficiency. Although early results derived from the receptor-mediated transcytosis process are promising due to its robustness in delivery of drugs or drug carriers in many formats, it also has some serious drawbacks that need to be addressed for general clinical success. The present methods rely on receptors that are ubiquitously expressed like the transferrin and insulin receptors. This leads to mis-targeting of potentially expensive drugs that also may have unwanted side effects in tissues other than the brain. In addition, the present methodologies generally result in a low fraction (1-4%) of the injected dose actually reaching the brain target as a consequence of poor targeting and nonideal BBB permeability. This loss of between 96-99% of the administered therapeutic could hamper the development of these delivery approaches given the cost of drug manufacture, especially for protein and gene-based medicines that currently comprise nearly 700 drugs in various stages of clinical trials. Finally, the antibodies used in the aforementioned proof-of-concept experiments are either of murine origin or partially humanized, and this could lead to unwanted immunogenic reactions in human patients. Therefore, the identification of fully human antibodies that specifically recognize brain endothelial receptors would vastly improve the targeting and efficiency of drug delivery while minimizing side-effects.

Blood-brain barrier targeting antibodies


The invention relates to a thermosetting reactive resin mixture of. a) at least one organic compound, which possesses at least two epoxide groups, PA1 b) at least one carbamate compound of the formulae I, II, III or IV, such as can be quoted from the claim petitions, PA1 c) at least one basic catalyst, PA1 d) other processing aids and/or additives.. and with or without. The thermosetting reactive resin mixture according to the present invention are used for chemically resistant coatings, as cross-linked, no longer soluble and infusible moulded articles, for the production of cathodically precipitable electrophoretic enamels, and for the production of coating powders and automobile paints.

The invention relates to thermosetting reactive resin mixtures and moulded articles and coatings made therefrom.
Large numbers of thermosetting resin mixtures, which form cross-linked systems at raised temperatures, are known.
Paint binders, which contain carbamate groups--especially hydroxyalkyl carbamate derivatives--are likewise known and are relatively often used.
In such cases the function of the carbamate compounds used is quite varied.
Thus many binders for coatings, which contain low molecular weight hydroxyalkyl carbamates have been described. For example, such systems are the object of U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,167, EP 212 380, EP 302 222, WO 87/00851 and WO 88/02766. Similar thermosetting mixtures are described by W J Blank (J Coat. Technol. 60, (1988) No. 764, 43 and Proc. Water-Borne Higher Solids Coatings Symp. New Orleans, 1989, 332). All the stated publications concern paint binders which essentially harden by the reaction between hydroxy-functionalised polymers and amine resin or isocyanate cross-linkers; the low molecular weight hydroxyalkyl carbamates used are only used as reaction diluents and do not take part in the actual cross-linking reaction.
Another group of carbamate-containing binders are the polyfunctional hydroxyalkyl carbamates, which also fall within the known state of technology. In such binders, the hydroxyalkyl urethane function is linked to a polymeric system. This chiefly relates to:
a) Modified amine resins or mixtures with melamine resins (e.g. EP 152 820, EP 245 700, EP 245 701, EP 246 483, EP 257 848),
b) Acrylic resins with at least two hydroxyalkyl carbamate groups (e.g. EP 152 820, U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,632),
c) Polyfunctional hydroxyethyl carbamates based on amidoamines (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4 588 783),
d) Modified epoxyresins (e.g. EP 119 769, DE-OS 3 311 517, DE-OS 3 311 518, U.S. Pat. No. 4 484 994).
All of the hydroxyalkyl carbamates of this group are used as activated hydroxy-functionalised polymers. At high temperature they cross-link with normal amine resin cross-linkers, e.g. with melamine resins. With suitable catalysts these resins are also capable of self-crosslinking.
In hardening paint systems, similar functions are performed by hydroxyalkyl urethanes derived from low molecular weight di- or polyamines and ethylene or propylene carbonate (e.g. V V Mikheev et al., Lakokras. Mater. Ikyh Primenen. 1983, No. 6, 5; G G Parekh, Proc. Water-Borne Higher-Solids Coatings Symp. New Orleans, 1987, 492), which are also used for cross-linking with polyfunctional hydroxycompounds.
It is also known that carbamates can react with epoxy groups. Y Iwakura and S Izawa describe reactions of N-aryl urethanes with arylglycidyl ethers (J Org. Chem. 29, (1964) 379; J Polym. Sci. A-14, (1966) 751). With the use of bifunctional starting compounds, linear polymers can be prepared. After a number of attempts, it had to be stated that N-alkyl carbamates do not undergo this reaction.
Linear polymers from bifunctional epoxides and bifunctional carbamates were obtained by Z N Pazenko et al. (Sintez i fizikochimija polimerow 7, (1970) 42; 8, (1971) 45) In these cases also, N-aryl carbamates were used. The polymers obtained have low molecular weights, melt easily and dissolve well in most polar solvents.
The same authors also state (Sintez i fizikochimija polimerow 6, (1970) 42), that under severe reaction conditions (ca. 1-2 hours at ca. 160.degree. C.) unsubstituted aliphatic carbamates can also be made to react with epoxides. In the process readily melting and easily soluble--therefore linear--polymers with low molecular weight are likewise obtained.
Cross-linking systems from hydroxyethyl urethanes and epoxy resins were obtained by G Rokicki and R Lazinski (Angew. Makromol. Chem. 170 (1989) 211). Here epoxides were cross-linked with aliphatic polyamines (e.g. triethylenetetramine), which were partially modified with cyclic carbonates. The modified polyamines contain hydroxyethyl urethane groups, however also at the same time adequate amounts of reactive aliphatic H-N-functions, through which the actual cross-linking reaction proceeds--at room temperature. This case involves classical epoxide hardening by aliphatic polyamines: the hydroxyalkyl urethane groups serve only to improve the properties of the products obtained, without strictly speaking being involved in the cross-linking reaction.
Attempts to prepare three-dimensional networks from polyfunctional epoxides (epoxyacrylates) and bifunctional hydroxyalkyl carbamates are described by V V Mikheev et al. (Lakokras. Mater. Ikh Primenen. (1987), No. 5, 13; (1987), No. 6, 26). It seems that here one is dealing with a reaction between the epoxy groups and the hydroxyurethane functions, since the resulting products are cross-linked. However, the cross-linking reaction--which is catalysed by organotin compounds--requires high temperatures of ca. 160.degree. to 180.degree. C. and quite long reaction times (up to 2 hours or more). Under these very severe conditions, undesired decomposition processes of the polymeric system, e.g. a marked yellowing in the case of stoving enamels, are often observed.
The known state of technology therefore offers no convenient possibility for the production of cross-linked systems from epoxide resins and carbamates, in particular hydroxyalkyl urethanes or derivatives thereof.

Thermosetting reactive resin mixture, moulded article and coating made therefrom


A tape cassette includes a first guide member provided between a feed portion and a discharge slot, and positioned on or immediately before the discharge slot, on an upstream side in a travel direction of a ink ribbon, wherein the first guide member bends and guides travel of the ink ribbon in the predetermined direction while making contact with a reverse side of a inked surface of the ink ribbon and a second guide member provided between the feed portion and the discharge slot, and positioned on an upstream side in the travel direction of the ink ribbon with respect to the first guide member, wherein the second guide member bends and guides the travel of the ink ribbon in the predetermined direction while making contact with the reverse side of the inked surface of the ink ribbon.

In a tape cassette mounted in a tape printing apparatus, at printing, an ink ribbon is conventionally drawn out from a ribbon feed spool and travels on a print head of the tape printing apparatus.
It has become a rare case that misalignment or a crease occurs during travel of an ink ribbon, however, should some factor cause such misalignment or a crease, it will adversely affect the print quality resulting in such as a blurred print. Therefore, further improvement of travel performance of an ink ribbon has been awaited.


The brake lining and wear estimation system operates using extant vehicle sensors such as those used to implement height and stability control systems or anti-lock brake systems. This minimizes, or eliminates, the need to modify the brake units themselves. Compressed air systems used on heavy duty vehicles to support the operation of various systems, including air brakes, provide pressure monitoring features in various pneumatic circuits, which can be monitored to estimate brake lining application pressure or vehicle loading. Vehicle speed and brake actuation periods are derived from other commonly employed sensors. Data collected from the sensors is supplied to a central, programmable computer over a data bus to generate the heat and wear estimates.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a system for brake lining wear and temperature estimation and more particularly to such a system implemented using extant sensing elements of an air brake system, of an air suspension system, or both.
2. Description of the Problem
Effective brakes are essential to safe motor vehicle operation. Primary brake systems dissipate vehicle kinetic energy through brake friction linings/pads as heat. These brake pads have a relatively short life and require regular replacement. Heavy vehicles have historically exhibited problems with brake overheating and fade, especially when the vehicles are descending along long grades. Overheating reduces stopping ability and accelerates brake pad wear.
Inspection of the brake system has traditionally involved disassembly of the wheel mechanism and visual examination of the pads. It has long been recognized that it would be desirable to incorporate some kind of sensor into the brake pads that monitor wear of the pads without the need to disassemble the brake system. Were the same sensor used to monitor brake temperature the addition to vehicle complexity would be minimized.
Various brake lining wear detection systems and brake temperature measurement systems are known in the art. Indirect wear or temperature estimation systems which minimize, or avoid alteration of the brake system are less usual. In principal, brake wear has been related to three variables in brake operation: (1) the pressure at which the brakes are actuated; (2) the length of time that the brakes are actuated; and (3) the rotational speed of the brake disc or drum relative to the wearable friction elements. These factors were applied in a system for determining lining condition as described in German Laid Open Application DE 34 07 716 A1 to Maurer, et al. The apparatus described by Maurer, et al. provides a pressure sensor and a timer disposed in operational cooperation with at least one of the brake lining installations for a vehicle. The rotational velocity of the disc (or brake drum) is provided by a velocity sensor. Beginning with a new installation of brake linings the signals generated by the various sensors are supplied to a plotting device which in turn generated a wear index (tracking an internal model) for display to the vehicle operator. Estimation of the brake lining wear was indirect, but the system still relied on additional sensors placed in close proximity to the brake lining.
In European Patent Application 0 594 113, temperature calculation was made fully indirect. The signal generated by a pressure sensor such as might be placed on a brake control valve was used as an indicator of brake pressure. This signal and a speedometer signal were used as inputs to an incremental brake temperature calculation algorithm as long as the signal of the pressure sensor was high. Brake temperature was incrementally decremented when the pressure sensor signal indicated that the brake was off. The algorithm operated cyclically.

Vehicle onboard brake pad/lining wear estimators with temperature estimations

International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC


A vehicle lamp includes a lamp unit which in turn includes a first lamp unit and a second lamp unit each provided with a light transmitting member and is configured to irradiate light emitted from a light emitting element toward a front of the vehicle lamp through the light transmitting member. In each of the first and second lamp units, the light transmitting member includes a direct light controller that directly emits light incident from the light emitting element onto the light transmitting member, toward the front of the vehicle lamp, and a total reflection controller that totally reflects the light and then emits the light toward the front of the vehicle lamp. A total reflection surface of the total reflection controller is divided into a plurality of reflection regions in a circumferential direction around the direct light controller.

In the related art, as a configuration of a vehicle lamp, a vehicle lamp including a lamp unit configured to irradiate light emitted from a light emitting element toward the front of a lamp through a light transmitting member has been known.
Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration of a light transmitting member of a lamp unit of a vehicle lamp including a direct light controller that directly emits light incident from a light emitting element onto the light transmitting member toward the front of a lamp, and a total reflection controller that totally reflects the light incident from the light emitting element onto the light transmitting member, and then emits the light toward the front of the lamp.
Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration of a light transmitting member in which the total reflection surface of the total reflection controller is divided into a plurality of reflection regions in a circumferential direction around the direct light controller.


An apparatus for producing a fiber reinforced synthetic resin provides a fiber feed passage through an outer chamber to which the synthetic resin for feed. A feed passage for the fiber extends concentrically in this chamber and has a tubular formation of a diameter less than that of a cleaning piston which is displaceable in the annular space between this tubular formation and the inner wall of the chamber.

In the production of plastic parts by the reaction casting process, the reaction mixture is combined with fillers like, for example, glass fibers or carbon fibers to improve the mechanical properties of the finished parts. For this purpose, one or both of the chemically reactive components of the plastic have fibers mixed therewith. However, only very short fibers (about 0.2 mm in length) can thus be incorporated since otherwise the viscosity of the reactive plastic component will be increased to the point that, with high pressure injection, there is not sufficient admixing of the components. Furthermore, when long fibers are used in a high pressure injection of the plastic components into the mixing chamber, fiber breakage occurs.
From DE-OS 28 23 189 it is already known to feed glass fiber into the mixing chamber of a polyurethane apparatus via a supply passage, together with a portion of one of the components of the chemically reactive plastic. Since this component of the material charged with glass fibers can only be fed to the mixing chamber in a pumping process with the pressure prevailing in the mixing chamber, only short fibers can be used if breakage of the fibers during the pumping process and upon injection into the mixing chamber is to be avoided. The material stream fed additionally into the mixing chamber via the feed passage also creates problems with the maintenance of precise stoichiometric proportions which must be insured in the mixture of the chemically reactive plastic components so that there is no guarantee of a constant quality of the end products.
From German Patent Document 44 17 596 it is known, further, to introduce via a device of the aforedescribed type, the filler via a separate passage into the calming chamber by means of a fluidizing gas. The introduction of the filler is thus effected, however, only at one location along the edge region of the flow of the reaction mixture which can result in a nonuniform distribution of the filler in the finished part.
It is also known from DE 33 13 042 A1 to introduce fillers, e.g. pigments, by means of a bore provided with a throttle device into the reaction mixture. The introduction of the filler is here at the throttle location can give rise to strong pressure fluctuations resulting in damage to pressure-sensitive fillers. Since the introduction is also effected counter to the flow direction of the reaction mixture, this device is also not suitable for the introduction of long fiber fillers.
Further from DE-OS 29 24 554, it is known to mix the filler substances with the reaction mixture in the mixing chamber via an axial bore in which a piston is arranged. The piston is reversibly displaced in a cylindrical chamber from which the reaction mixture is ejected at intervals into the interior of a mold. The displacement of the filler, e.g. of glass fibers, through the axial bore and a lateral supply duct is not simple to accomplish. It can be effected only via a pressurization of the filler in which case it is advantageous to provide the filler in a liquid or doughy state so that it can be forced into the chamber by pumping. With this feed device, however, only short fiber fillers can be fed. Since the glass fibers and possibly the flowable medium transporting the glass fibers are introduced directly into the mixing chamber, there is also the danger that the mixing of the chemically-reactive components will be disturbed and that the required precise stoichiometric mixing ratio for generating a uniform quality of the end products cannot be established.
In the same way there is according to GB 1 245 216 the drawback that a direct introduction of the additive substances into the mixing chamber will interfere with the mixing and give rise to quality defects in the end products.
Furthermore, it is known in the production of plastic parts composed of thermoplastic synthetic resins to feed a melt of a thermoplastic synthetic resin generated in a plastifying unit by means of a movable injection unit via an open mold to thereby obtain a strand of a flowable melt, whereby in the mold ahead or following strand formation, a plaited mat of long reinforcing fibers is laid into the open mold. The mat is then pressed together with a strand-shaped melt to a plastic part reinforced with the elongated reinforcing fibers. This fabrication process is relatively expensive since the plaited mat must be trimmed to the contour of the mold before it is fed into the mold.
It can be necessary, further, to preform the plaited mat in a previous molding process in which case the plaited mat may have to be supplied with a finely divided particulate thermoplastic so that the preformed plaited mat can retain its shape for the next working step.

Process and device for manufacturing plastic parts with reinforcement fibers


A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system for providing a beam of radiation, and a support structure for supporting a patterning device. The patterning device serves to impart the projection beam with a pattern in its cross-section. The apparatus also includes a substrate table for holding a substrate, and a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate. At least one of the patterning device, or the projection system, and the illumination system includes a reflector assembly that includes a reflector substrate with a reflective surface for reflecting part of incident radiation, and a heat exchanger system that is constructed and arranged to exchange heat with the reflector substrate. The heat exchanger system includes a thermally active element that is disposed in a recess of the reflector substrate at a side of the reflector substrate that is different from the reflective surface.

A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a target portion of a substrate. Lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In that circumstance, a patterning device, such as a mask, may be used to generate a circuit pattern corresponding to an individual layer of the IC, and this pattern can be imaged onto a target portion (e.g. comprising part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a silicon wafer) that has a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist). In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively exposed. Known lithographic apparatus include so-called steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion in one go, and so-called scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through the projection beam in a given direction (the "scanning"-direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction.
In general, in the optical system of a lithographic apparatus reflectors, such as mirrors, are used to reflect a beam of radiation, in order to shape or focus the radiation beam. In lithographic apparatus using EUV radiation, mirrors are used, for example, to shape the radiation beam and manipulate the radiation beam otherwise. However, mirrors have limited reflectivity. Thus, not all of the incident radiation is reflected by the mirror but a part of the incident radiation is absorbed by the mirror. The absorbed part of the incident radiation energy is converted into heat, which gives rise to a temperature increase of the mirror. This increase in temperature may have a negative effect, such as an unwanted deformation of the mirror. In a systems using one or more mirrors, the effects of deformation of the mirrors on the optical performance are larger compared to systems using defractive options, such as lenses. Accordingly, in a lithographic apparatus using mirrors, the thermal aspects of the mirror(s) need specific attention.
It is known from the Patent Abstracts of Japan 2002-100551 to provide a reflector with a piezoelectric element that can apply a compensating force to the reflector to correct the thermal deformations. However, the piezoelectric element has the disadvantage that complex and expensive (piezo)electric circuitry has to be provided.
Another manner of counteracting thermal deformation of a reflecting mirror is known from the Patent Abstracts of Japan 2000-036449. In this prior art document, a mirror with heating elements positioned against a back of the mirror is described. The mirror is selectively heated by the heating element, in order to provide a uniform heating of the mirror, and thus reduce thermal deformations of the mirror. However, this solution requires a complex system of control circuits and heating devices to apply an appropriate heating.
Moreover, in both prior art devices, only the local deformation is prevented.

Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method


Golf balls consisting of a core and a cover are disclosed. The core is a solid, single-layer core formed from a rubber composition comprising a catechol. The core has a positive hardness gradient such that the difference between the core's surface hardness and the core's center hardness is 25 Shore C units or greater and/or the core has a diameter of from 1.51 inches to 1.59 inches.

The primary source of resilience, as measured by coefficient of restitution ("COR"), in commercially available golf balls is polybutadiene rubber, which is generally used to form all or part of the core. It is known that the resilience of a golf ball core, at a given compression, may be increased by forming a core layer from a rubber composition comprising an organosulfur compound. However, organosulfur compounds can be expensive and can cause processing difficulties.
Rubber compositions comprising catechols have been disclosed as useful in a variety of golf ball layers, including, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0213144 to Comeau et al., the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
While the use of catechols in rubber golf ball compositions has been disclosed, there is a need in the industry to broaden the applicability of such compositions to particular golf ball constructions having desirable spin, feel, and distance properties. The present invention provides such golf ball constructions through the use of a solid-single layer core formed from a rubber composition comprising a catechol.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A plastically deformable aqueous ceramic slurry wherein the ceramic particles have on the surfaces thereof a closely-packed anionic surfactant bilayer or an anionic/nonionic surfactant bilayer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to plastically deformable aqueous ceramic slurries and methods of making such compositions. In particular, this invention relates to making aqueous ceramic slurries or mixtures of oxide and nonoxide ceramic particles that demonstrate a high degree of plasticity to enable such compositions to be formed or shaped into useful articles or structures having intricate shapes by conventional plastic deformation processes, e.g., injection molding and extrusion.
2. Prior Art
Plastic-forming methods, such as injection molding and extrusion, are essential to fabricating ceramic objects with intricate shapes. While known mixtures of clay and water are plastic and can be easily formed into useful shapes, aqueous slurries of advanced ceramics do not show such plasticity.
Typically, to obtain a plastically deformable ceramic composition of nonplastic ceramic powders dispersed in a carrier medium, binders are added to the composition. For example, Mutsuddy, xe2x80x9cInjection Molding,xe2x80x9d pp. 173-80 in Engineered Materials Handbook Vol.4, Ceramics and Glasses, ASM Int., 1991, describes making such plastically deformable ceramic compositions by adding clay, a polymer solution, and thermal plastics to the ceramic composition. There are several problems associated with such compositions. In particular, adding clay into the formulation changes the final composition, thus limiting the applications for the ceramic materials, the removal of the polymeric binders tends to induce defects in the ceramic product that is produced and the use of such polymeric binders can create health and environmental risks.
Berstrxc3x6m et al., xe2x80x9cConsolidation Behavior of Flocculated Alumina Suspensions,xe2x80x9d J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 75 [12] 3305-14 (1992) attempted to overcome these problems by endowing plasticity to ceramic slurries through the control of the interparticle forces. This was done by modifying the surface of the alumina powders by adsorbing a monolayer of fatty acid in decaline. Bergstrxc3x6m et al. demonstrated that when the chain length of the adsorbed fatty acid reached a critical value, the resulting interparticle forces consisted of weakly attractive forces that became strongly repulsive forces at shorter interparticle separations. The suspensions produced by Bergstrxc3x6m et al. could be packed to high density (xcx9c60 vol % solids loading) by centrifugation and the cakes produced by such centrifugation were plastic and extrudable. See also, Schilling, et. al., xe2x80x9cParticle Attraction Effects on the Centrifugal Casting and Extrusion of Aluminaxe2x80x9d; pp. 35-51 in Handbook on Characterization Techniques for the Solid-Solution Interface. Edited by J. H. Adair, J. A. Casey, and S. Venigalla. Am. Ceram. Soc., Westerville, Ohio, 1993. However, although these formulations had certain advantages over, for example, the compositions of Mutsuddy, they can only be formulated with nonpolar organic solvents, which posehealth and environmental risks.
In order to avoid such risks, attempts have been made to induce plasticity to aqueous slurries of advanced ceramics by using xe2x80x9chydration forcesxe2x80x9d or a lipid bilayer. Velamakanni, et al., xe2x80x9cNew Method for Efficient Colloidal Particle Packing via Modulation of Repulsive Lubricating Hydration Forcesxe2x80x9d, Langmuir 6 1323-25 (1990). E. P. Luther, et. al., xe2x80x9cThe Development of Short-Range Repulsive Potentials by Short-Chain Surfactants in Aqueous Si3N4 Slurriesxe2x80x9d, submitted to the Journal of the American Ceramic Society. However, the consolidated slurries were either nonextrudable Schilling, et. al. or fluid-like Luther, et. al.
Additionally, it is known that ceramic particles can be dispersed in water by the adsorption on the particles of an ionic/nonionic surfactant bilayer. Somasundaran et al., xe2x80x9cCoadsorption of anionic and nonionic surfactant mixtures at the alumina-water interface.,xe2x80x9d Langmuir 8 [4] 1065-69 (1992); Fu et al, xe2x80x9cThermodynamic Study of Adsorption of Anionic-Nonionic Surfactant Mixture at the AluminaWater Interface,xe2x80x9d pp. 366-76 in Mixed Surfactant Systems, ACS symp. Series 501. Edited by P. M. Holland and D. N. Rubingh, Amer. Chem. Soc., Washington, D.C., 1992; and Esumi et al, xe2x80x9cMixed bilayers of anionic and nonionic surfactants on alumina.,xe2x80x9d J. Colloid Interface Sci. 134 [1] 283-88 (1990).
It is an object of this invention to provide a plastically deformable aqueous ceramic slurry.
It is a further object of this invention to provide aqueous slurries of ceramics that can be molded into intricate shapes by injection molding or extrusion.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide ceramic slurries that can be molded into intricate shapes by injection molding or extrusion, but do not use polymeric binders, thus reducing defects in the final ceramic product and reducing health and environmental risks caused by the use of such binders.
It is still another object of this invention to provide such ceramic slurries without using nonpolar organic solvents, thereby reducing the health and environmental risks caused by the use of such solvents.
All of the foregoing objects are obtained by the plastically deformable aqueous ceramic slurries of this invention wherein the ceramic particles have on the surfaces thereof a closely-packed anionic surfactant bilayer oran ionic/nonionic surfactant bilayer. Optionally, such ceramic particles have on the surfaces thereof a closely-packed cationic surfactant bilayer or a cationic/nonionic surfactant bilayer. Such slurries are produced by:
a) dispersing an amount of ceramic particles in an amount of water to form an aqueous ceramic slurry;
b) adding an amount of an anionic surfactant or a mixture of an anionic surfactant and nonionic surfactant to such slurry;
c) adjusting the pH value of such slurry to adsorb on the ceramic particle surfaces a closely-packed anionic surfactant bilayer or anionic/nonionic surfactant bilayer.
Optionally, a cationic surfactant may be used instead of an anionic surfactant. Preferably a mixture of surfactants is used, with a mixture of anionic and nonionic surfactants being highly preferred. Examples of preferred combinations are mixtures of the anionic surfactant (SDS) and a nonionic surfactant selected from octylphenol polyether alcohols (OPE), in particular C8H15Ph(EO)Rxe2x80x94 wherein R was 3, 5, 9.5 and 12.5.
Both the pH value and surfactants are selected so that the formed bilayer is tenaciously adsorbed onto the ceramic particle surface.
The dispersed or weakly flocculated ceramic suspensions can then be packed by high density centrifugation or pressure filtration to form consolidated ceramic cakes which are plastic and extrudable allowing them to be shaped into complicated structures by various plastic forming methods.
The compositions and processes of this invention are advantageous in that water is used instead of organic solvents, thus minimizing environmental and health hazards, the total amount of organic additives used is generally less than 1 wt % of the ceramic slurry, thus reducing costs and avoiding problems associated with binder burnout; and the surfaces of the ceramic particles are coated with hydrophobic layers, allowing aqueous colloidal processing of water-sensitive ceramic powders.

Plastically deformable aqueous ceramic slurries and methods of making such compositions

Abstract: Such slurries are produced by:

Abstract: Preferably a mixture of surfactants is used, with a mixture of anionic and nonionic surfactants being highly preferred. Examples of preferred combinations are mixtures of the anionic surfactant SDS and a nonionic surfactant selected from octylphenol polyether alcohols (OPE), in particular C8H15Ph(EO)Rwherein R was 3, 5, 9.5 and 12.5.


An acoustic wave filter includes: at least a parallel resonator, wherein at least one of the parallel resonator includes a piezoelectric substance, an IDT located on the piezoelectric substance, and reflectors located on the piezoelectric substance so as to sandwich the IDT, and a distance between a first electrode finger that is an electrode finger closest to the reflector among electrode fingers of the IDT and a second electrode finger that is an electrode finger closest to the IDT among electrode fingers of the reflector is less than 0.25(λIDT+λref) where a period of the electrode fingers of the IDT is λIDT and a period of the electrode fingers of the reflector is λref.

Acoustic wave filters such as surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters have been often used as filters used in communication devices such as mobile phones. The SAW filter includes a piezoelectric substrate and an IDT (Interdigital Transducer: comb-shaped electrode) located on the upper surface of the piezoelectric substrate. In addition, a duplexer and a module including filters may be installed in the communication device. The filter is required to have frequency characteristics achieving low-loss in the passband and high suppression outside the passband. The low-loss frequency characteristic enables to reduce the electrical power consumption of the communication device, and improve the speech quality. Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 9-284091 and 8-298430 disclose resonators that adjust the distance between the IDT and the reflector.
The loss in the passband is in a trade-off relationship with the degree of suppression outside the passband. For example, when the loss of a signal is reduced, the degree of suppression decreases.

Acoustic wave filter, duplexer, and module


A thermally conductive sheet includes a thermally conductive layer and an insulation layer laminated onto the thermally conductive layer. The thermally conductive layer includes matrix containing thermally conductive filler having an electrical conductivity. The insulation layer contains thermally conductive filler having an insulating property. The thermally conductive sheet is disposed so that the insulation layer covers the terminal of the electronic component and the electric circuit. At this time, the thermally conductive layer covers and closely contacts with the insulation layer and the electronic component. The heat generated by the electronic component is conducted to a cooling member through the thermally conductive layer and is ultimately dissipated.

The present invention relates to a method for cooling electronic components used within information instruments, imaging instruments, mobile telecommunication instruments, and other electronic instruments. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for cooling electronic components by conducting the heat to a cooling member, such as a radiator and a thermally conductive metal plate, and a thermally conductive sheet for use with such a method.
As the performance of electronic components, such as CPUs, integrated in electronic instruments improves, the amounts of electric power consumption and heat generation have increased significantly. Consequently, cooling these electronic components has become an urgent problem that must be addressed in order to maintain the performances of the electronic components. For this reason, a demand exists for thermally conductive sheets having a high heat conductivity that are placed between an electronic component and a cooling member to conduct heat generated by the electronic component to the cooling member.
To meet such a demand, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-001616 discloses a method for densely filling a thermally conductive sheet with thermally conductive filler. Also, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-345040 describes a method in which a stick-shaped thermally conductive filler is oriented in a particular direction to increase the heat-conductivity in that direction to achieve an even high heat-conductivity.
In addition to high thermal conductivity, a thermally conductive sheet is required to have a high electrical resistance to serve as a good electrical insulator. For instance, when several electronic components are mounted adjacent to one another, a single thermally conductive sheet sufficiently large to cover all of the components is often used rather than using separate thermally conductive sheets, each having the substantially same size as the component, one for each component. When used in this fashion, the thermally conductive sheet comes into contact not only with the intended electronic components but also with other electrically conductive components, such as connection terminals and electronic circuits. For this reason, the thermally conductive sheets must have a high electrical resistance. Specifically, such a thermally conductive sheet must have an electrical resistance of 1.0×1010 Ω·cm or higher. To this end, conventional thermally conductive sheets included thermally conductive fillers having a high electrical resistance, such as alumina and magnesia.
However, recently developed high-performance electronic components generate significant amounts of heat. The conventional thermally conductive sheets that contain thermally conductive fillers having a high electrical resistance, such as alumina and magnesia, fail to provide a sufficiently high heat conductivity, in particular a heat conductivity of 6 W/m·K or more, to effectively conduct the heat generated by the high-performance electronic components to a cooling member.
A different type of conventional thermally conductive sheet contains thermally conductive filler of graphitized carbon powder and/or metal powder, each of which is a highly thermally conductive material. The thermally conductive sheet thus achieves a high heat conductivity of 6 W/m·K or higher. This type of thermally conductive sheet, however, has a low electrical resistance and may allow an undesirable electrical conduction near terminals and electronic circuits of the electronic components. As a result, such a thermally conductive sheet has a limited range of applications.
The high performance electronic components are densely integrated in newly developed electronic instruments and, therefore, a novel approach is demanded for effectively cooling these electronic components, such as a thermally conductive sheet that has a high heat conductivity of 6 W/m·K or higher as well as a high electric resistance of 1.0×1010 Ω·cm or higher.

Method for cooling electronic components and thermally conductive sheet for use therewith


A removable magnetic storage device uses an optical drive interface to appear to the operating system as an optical drive. Thus, a removable magnetic drive appears to the operating system as a large optical device similar to DVD/CD, and receives similar functionality. By appearing as an optical device, the removable magnetic storage device can use many features not currently available to magnetic storage devices, such as autorun, multiple volume sets, larger capacity, and efficient space allocation.

Removable magnetic media support is generally lacking on most platforms. The Microsoft family of Windows operating systems current support for large magnetic removable media is insufficient for good customer experience. Optical removable media is receiving much more industry support in terms of operating system usage.
In September 1995, the Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA), published specifications for a read/write file system known as Universal Disk Format (UDF), designed to be a single file system interchange standard for computer-based applications. An implementation of the International Standards Organization (ISO) interchange standard for non-sequential recording of data (ISO 13346), UDF was engineered to make optical storage solutions independent of the data system. Universal Disk Format is a universal vendor-independent file system for optical media designed for data interchange and portability, allowing an operating system to read, write and modify data stored on optical media that was created by another operating system. The UDF is defined by the Universal Disk Format® Specification, Revisions 1.0 to 2.50, with the latest published Apr. 30, 2003 by the Optical Storage Technology Association, which is incorporated by reference herein.
What is needed is support for large magnetic removable devices by treating the removable magnetic media as if it were a removable optical device. Moving to an optical interface puts removable magnetic media on par to compete with the Optical drive industry such as CD/DVD type devices, rather than being compared to the hard drive industry.

Use of an optical interface for removable magnetic media


An ignition coil includes a primary coil, a secondary coil, a spool, and a center core. The primary coil and the secondary coil are arranged substantially coaxially with each other. The secondary coil is on an inner side of the primary coil. The secondary coil is wound around the spool. The center core is inside of the spool. The spool has a tapered inner surface, which is axially defined at least partially in the spool. The tapered inner surface has the diameter that increases as being distant from a high voltage tip end of the secondary coil on the high voltage side of the secondary coil. The center core has a tapered outer surface, which is axially defined at least partially in the center core. The tapered outer surface has the diameter that increases as being distant from the high voltage tip end of the secondary coil.

An ignition coil 91 shown in FIG. 36 is used for energizing a spark plug, thereby generating spark in the spark plug. The ignition coil 91 is received in a plughole of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle, or the like. The ignition coil 91 includes a cylindrical portion 92 that accommodates a primary coil 921, a secondary coil 922, and a center core 94, which are coaxially arranged. The cylindrical portion 92 has a tip end 901, in which a plug holder 971 is formed. The cylindrical portion 92 has a rear end 902, to which an igniter 972 is provided for supplying electricity to the primary coil 921. As shown in FIG. 37, the secondary coil 922 is wound around a secondary spool 93, which is formed of resin to be in a cylindrical shape. The secondary spool 93 has a tapered inner surface 931, which is formed as a matter of convenience in a forming process of the secondary spool 93. The tapered inner surface 931 has the inner diameter that increases as being distant from the tip end 930 of the secondary spool 93. The center core 94 is arranged inside of the secondary spool 93. The center core 94 is constructed of multiple silicon steel plates, which are stacked in the radial direction of the center core 94. The center core 94 has the outer diameter that is axially constant. The outer diameter of the center core 94 corresponds to the inner diameter smallest of the secondary spool 93. The center core 94 and the secondary spool 93 defines a gap therebetween. This gap becomes large, as being distant from the tip end 930 of the secondary spool 93.
The igniter 972 inputs an ignition timing signal from an electronic control unit (ECU) of the engine, so that the igniter 972 supplies electricity to the primary coil 921. Thus, the primary coil 921 generates magnetic flux passing through the center core 94, thereby causing an interlinkage with respect to the secondary coil 922. The secondary coil 922 generates induced electromotive force by electromagnetic induction, thereby generating spark in the sparkplug mounted to the plug holder 971. Magnetic flux generated using the primary coil 921 passes through the center core 94, thereby being enhanced.
According to JP-A-10-41152, the outer diameter of the center core is increased for enhancing induced electromotive force generated in the secondary coil. Conventionally, when the outer diameter of the center core is increased, the ignition coil is jumboized. Consequently, the inner diameter of the plughole of the engine needs to be increased. However, it is difficult to increase the outer diameter of the plughole, in a downsized engine.
In addition, according to JP-A-8-167518, a center core having an enhanced magnetic property is disclosed. However, it is still demanded to produce a center core, which is capable of producing high power, and to restrict manufacturing cost of the center core from increasing.
In recent years, a high power ignition coil having a downsized structure is demanded. An ignition coil has a center core and an outer core, which are separated from each other. In this structure, the ignition coil has an open magnetic circuit, in which magnetic efficiency may decrease due to leakage of magnetic flux. Particularly, when the center core and the outer core interpose an air space therebetween, leakage of magnetic flux in the air space becomes large, because of a large magnetic resistance in the air space. According to JP-A-11-87157, an ignition coil has a structure, in which magnetic flux is restricted from leaking. However, even in this structure, it is difficult to restrict magnetic flux from leaking.


A support mechanism for protecting an object is described. The support system includes at least one support ring for providing dynamic protection to the object. One embodiment includes a support ring having corrugated bumps. Another embodiment includes multiple support rings axially separated by spacers. A compound optical coupler is also described, which has a self-wetting clear optical coupling gel and an elastomeric load ring.

The invention generally relates to a protective mechanism and an optical coupler for use in systems for detecting the presence of hydrocarbons during mining or drilling operations. In the prior art, special optical couplers using Sylgard along with optical coupling oil have been employed with prior support systems to couple light from a scintillation element into a light detector device. Such an optical coupler is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,465,788, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. One drawback to this approach is that, under some extreme cases of high loads, uneven loads, or high vibration, oil used in the optical coupling may migrate out over time and result in degraded detector performance. Another drawback is that precision fabrication and/or assembly tolerances must be maintained to prevent loss of oil and degraded performance. Yet another drawback is that particulate contamination of the optical coupler can also cause loss of oil and degraded performance.
Optical couplers made from self-wetting type materials (e.g., Wacker) have also been used. A drawback to these concepts is that the self-wetting materials exhibit viscous behavior and tend to flow outward from the optical interface, allowing the optical interface retaining force to be lost, and thus resulting in degraded performance.
Nuclear detectors, such as gamma detectors, have been used in mining applications and oil drilling operations for many years. In particular, gamma detectors have been used to measure the radiation that emanates from the formations surrounding the mining or drilling equipment. Such gamma detectors operate by utilizing the differences between the natural radioactivity of the target formation and the natural radioactivity of the adjacent formations to determine the boundaries between these formations.
Gamma detectors are sensitive and must be protected from harsh environments to survive and to produce accurate, noise free signals. This protection must include protection from physical shock and stress, including force, vibration, and abrasion, encountered during solid mineral mining and oil drilling operations. However, the closer in proximity the gamma detector is to the mineral being mined or drilled, the greater is the shock, vibration and stress to which the detector is subjected.
The presence of armor, which is required to protect the detector, further limits the available space. An explosion-proof housing takes up even more of the available space, and often results in reducing the diameter of the photomultiplier tube. When light detecting devices of relatively low mass density are used in connection with scintillation elements having a relatively high mass density, a specials means of support is needed to reduce rotation moments when under high vibration or high shock. Lower cost for providing protection for the detector is also needed.
A support system must be very effective in protecting the detector from the harsh vibrations and shock, but must also do so while consuming a small amount of space. Similarly, in mining operations, the outer portions of the detector and the armor must provide a high level of shielding from unwanted radiation and must protect the detector from impact and abrasion, all with a minimal use of space.
In the prior art, detectors have been protected by a plurality of springs which extended along the axial length of the detector or its scintillation element. An example of such a support system is a flexible dynamic housing, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,452,163, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. One drawback of such systems is that the springs extend along the axial length of the scintillation element and as such can block radiation from reaching the scintillation element. Another drawback is that such a mechanism uses a plurality of parts around the circumference of the detector. Moreover, the springs of the flexible housing have to be custom made for this specific industrial application. Also the annular gap that exists between the scintillation element and its rigid housing is not always uniform, such as because of dimensions of tolerance. This may complicate the installation or sizing of the system. Moreover, if the gap is not uniform, the dynamics of the system along the length may not be uniform or may be affected.
Another support mechanism for a detector is disclosed in pending application Ser. No. 10/270,148, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This type of support mechanism is a flexible support sleeve which extends along the length of the detector or scintillation element, and suffers from the same drawbacks discussed above with respect to the springs.
There remains a need for an optical coupling system that is less sensitive to fabrication/assembly tolerances, high/uneven loads, and high vibrations. There is also a need for a simplified, lower cost structure and method for supporting instrumentation packages and sensors, such as gamma detectors. A means for supporting sensitive elements, which have substantially a cylindrical shape, is needed to work in cooperation with other suitably chosen support elements. A more suitable method of supporting sensitive elements so as to produce less compression of optical reflecting material is also needed.

Compound optical coupler and support mechanism


A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for accessing user data and determining one or more nearby individuals at a first time, receiving one or more device identifiers transmitted from other computing devices, and mapping the one or more device identifiers with the one or more nearby individuals. The method, apparatus, and computer program product may also be configured for determining whether each of one or more device identifiers are mapped to a specific individual, and if not, access stored data from previous occurrences in order to map the device identifiers to specific individuals.

The need for collecting information about the user's ambient environment is essential to automated algorithms that deduce the user's current context. Determining that context is important for next generation user experiences. For example, a restaurant locating app may return a different result if a user is with a spouse versus if a user is with a co-worker. A user's ambient environment includes the unique identifiers that can be sensed in use in proximity to the user's device. Uses of those unique identifiers being sent by a transmitter with a static physical location are well known.
A need exists for sensing the unique identifiers of mobile device being carried on the person of individuals in proximity to the user and being able to determine the frequency and time of day that the user is in proximity with the people he/she interacts with. This information is very valuable, for example, in determining a metric called "social distance." Social distance may be used to estimate how close your ties are with that individual and whether they are professional and or personal (e.g. which coworkers your regularly go to lunch with).
To sense unique identifiers in proximity to a user's mobile device, RF based communications methods may be utilized. Mobile devices incorporate a number of RF-based digital communications methods. Examples include various cellular voice and data technologies, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and proprietary standards such as ANT. These standards broadcast the signal in an omni-directional pattern, since there is no fixed relationship between the transmitter and receiver, and therefore any appropriately equipped receiver within range can receive the signal. These RF-based digital communication methods incorporate two unique identifiers, so that a transmitter can indicate whom the transmission is intended for, and where the intended receiver should send the response (if any). Collecting the identifiers of RF-based devices that have a fixed physical location (cell towers, Wi-Fi access point in buildings) and correlating these with additional information about geo-location is also well known (e.g. skyhook and similar) to improve the accuracy of positioning, particularly indoors. This may be a database of cell tower locations and triangulation, or last know GPS locations for a mobile device. Digital implementations for multi-user shared calendars are also well known and understood. Support for this functionality is also commonplace on mobile devices.
Currently, a user's mobile device may sense the unique identifiers, but does not know what individual's device the transmission is coming from. And therefore, the unique identifiers alone are not capable of providing any information that may help determine a user's current context. Furthermore, a user's mobile device may know what individuals a person is with if a calendar entry is made, but without the calendar entry, is unable to determine what individuals are in proximity.
Consequently, a need also exists for a method to utilize accessible information regarding who a user is with in conjunction with sensed unique identifiers to map those unique identifiers to specific individuals in order to provide a user's current context.

Method and apparatus for mapping of mobile devices unique identifiers to individuals


The present invention features methods of treating a cancer in a subject by administering an effective amount of a beta-lactone to the subject. The invention also features methods of inhibiting angiogenesis in a subject by administering an effective amount of an inhibitor of fatty acid synthase to the subject. These methods can be used to treat a variety of cancers and other diseases and conditions. The invention also features methods of identifying beta-lactones and other compounds that can be used in the methods of the invention for the treatment of tumors, inhibition of angiogenesis, and the treatment of diseases and conditions that involve pathological angiogenesis. The invention also features methods of synthesizing beta-lactones and features novel beta-lactone compounds.

Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is a multifunctional enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of long-chain fatty acids from small carbon substrates. The enzyme contains six separate enzymatic pockets along with an acyl carrier protein, which act sequentially to perform repeated condensations of acetyl CoA and malonyl CoA, yielding predominantly palmitate, a sixteen-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acid. Following seven such condensation cycles, palmitate remains covalently attached to the acyl carrier protein of the enzyme until it is liberated by the final enzymatic pocket on the enzyme, the intrinsic thioesterase.
Fatty acid synthesis has long been thought unimportant in most normal tissues, and the enzyme is down-regulated by dietary lipid. However, increased FAS expression and activity in tumors is well documented. Tumor cell dependence on de novo fatty acid synthesis is viewed as a metabolic anomaly, with the endogenously-synthesized fatty acids apparently incorporated into membrane phospholipids in preparation for cell division.
Given the prevalence of cancer that is refractory to current therapies, there is a need for new cancer treatment strategies.
Moreover, there is a need for new compounds useful for providing cancer therapy treatments.

Method for the asymmetric synthesis of beta-lactone compounds

The Burnham Institute for Medical Research


An exchange system for intangible goods comprises a first user system, a second user system, a registry system, a clearinghouse system and a hash module coupled for communication with each other. The first and second user systems includes a content module for acting as a repository for intangible goods, a pricing module for setting the price of intangible goods, a transaction generator module for creating transactions between seller and buyer, and a transaction log module for recording any transaction in which the user system participates. These systems are used to consummate transactions with other users for exchanging intangible goods. As part of each transaction, the user and the transaction must be entered or registered in the registry system. The registry system comprises an account module and a transaction log module for maintaining the anonymity of the sellers and buyers. The hash module is used by the other modules to generate unique hash codes that are used to access transactions and to validate users. The clearinghouse system includes an account module, an audit module, and a transaction log module for clearing and posting transactions once they have been verified between two users.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for performing trades or exchanges. In particular, the present invention relates to a system and method for the efficient exchange and pricing of services, digital goods, and intangible works.
2. Description of the Background Art
With the development of the personal computer and the Internet, there are now more ways than ever to distribute and sell intangible works. Intangible works can be any digital work such as digital files that include music, audio books, movies and video content, software applications and programs, or any information. Moreover, there are many more individuals with computers and access to the Internet that can create, produce, distribute and sell intangible works. For example, there has been a dramatic rise in the number and types of intangible goods and services that are exchanged. Such intangible goods are oftentimes exchanged without charge because there is not a mechanism to fairly and adequately compensate the creators or owners of digital content for their efforts. While there have been some attempts in the prior art to solve this problem, they have not been successful.
There currently exist a variety of systems for exchanging goods and services for other goods and services or even money or other types of credits. For example, credit card transactions are well known. Also, with the development of the Internet commerce, there are a variety of services such as PayPal® that will arrange for the payment of goods and services. There has also been a change in how banking is conducted, with the major banks offering electronic payment via the Internet for many goods and services. However, all of these conventional methods require some affiliation or relationship to a bank or financial institution that converts the price to a currency and handles the exchange. Furthermore, none of the existing systems provides a model for pricing intangible works to account for inherent characteristics that allows simultaneous use and low cost of production. While there are currently some bartering systems that have become electronic, they typically involve a party-to-party transaction with no underlying system to price items and exchange credits electronically. Thus, there is a need for a system and methods for the exchange of intangible goods and services.
Yet another problem with existing systems is the potential for fraud and identity theft. With a small amount of information, a fraudulent user can perform any variety of transactions. In transactions involving digital goods, the risks of fraud are even greater because once the intangible goods have been sent there is typically little recourse for the seller or owner. Thus, buyers have become reluctant to provide personal information to sellers that could in turn be fraudulently used. Thus, there is also a need for a system for a blind method for registering and validating a single identifier for a user such as an email address.
Therefore, what is needed is a system and methods for implementing an exchange system for intangible goods that overcomes the limitations found in the prior art.

System and method for the efficient exchange and pricing of services and intangible works


A mobile terminal including a wireless communication unit configured to provide wireless communication; a display unit; and a controller configured to receive a fingerprint input on the display unit matching at least one of a first user's fingerprint and a second user's fingerprint, said first user being a main user of the mobile terminal and being different than the second user, and control at least one of the mobile terminal of the first user and a terminal of the second user based on the received fingerprint input.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more particularly, to a mobile terminal capable of fingerprint recognition and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Terminals can be classified into two types, such as a mobile or portable terminal and a stationary terminal based on its mobility. Furthermore, the mobile terminal can be further classified into two types, such as a handheld terminal and a vehicle mounted terminal based on whether or not it can be directly carried by a user.
As it becomes multifunctional, for example, such a terminal is allowed to capture still images or moving images, play music or video files, play games, receive broadcast and the like, so as to be implemented as an integrated multimedia player. Moreover, the improvement of structural or software elements of the terminal may be taken into consideration to support and enhance the functions of the terminal.
Owing to the enhancement, a mobile terminal may recognize a user's fingerprint entered thereto. However, only a limited feature such as implementing a lock release using a fingerprint input for the owner of the terminal has been mostly performed.

Mobile terminal and control method thereof


A system and method is provided of generating a map. In one aspect, the map is selected based on a location provided by a user and listings are selected based on their proximity to the location, whether they match a query provided by the user, and the number of matching listings within regions of the map.

Services such as Google Maps (maps.google.com) allow users to conduct searches that are limited to particular geographic areas. For example, while viewing a street or satellite map of New York City on a web browser such as Google Chrome, a user may search for the word "pizza". In response, the servers cause the user's computer to display icons indicating the positions of listings that match the query, such as restaurants that have "pizza" in their name.
The results of the query may be sent in a way that permits a great deal of interactivity. For example, the map is sent as tiles of images and descriptions of the results and their positions are sent as text (such as data formatted as JSON (Javascript Object Notation) or HTML). This allows the user's computer to display icons on the map and a text listing of the results next to the map. Using Javascript provided by the server, the client computer can determine whether the user has clicked an area of the map occupied by an interactive icon and perform a number of actions in response, such as displaying a balloon containing even more information about the listing.
Google Maps also permits layers. For example, it is capable of showing icons for entries on Wikipedia.org that are associated with latitude/longitude coordinates matching the geographic area currently being viewed (e.g., http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Geographica 1_coordinates). The icons of entries are sent as an image to be overlaid on the map, along with information relating to the entries. The information is sent in JSON with information identifying the entry's position on the map and an identification of the entry. The position information may be used by the user's computer to determine whether the user actuated the icon (such as by clicking it or hovering a mouse cursor over it) and the identification information may be used to obtain more information from a server if the icon is actuated. YouTube results may also be shown as a layer. These results are not filtered based on the query but, rather, show all entries in the area covered by the map.
Google Maps also features a "Places of Interest" layer that allows users to display icons associated with all businesses falling within certain pre-selected categories sent by the server, such as "Italian" and "Pizza" restaurants, banks, gas stations, and the like. Although the user may collectively display search results from the pre-selected categories and from searches based on custom search terms that are not pre-selected, the results are separate, i.e., the preselected category icons do not change based on the user-defined term and vice versa. For example, the user may check a box next to "pizza" and type in the term "vegetarian", in which case Google Maps combines and displays the search results together; however, the results associated with "pizza" are not selected based on the "vegetarian" query nor are the results associated with the "vegetarian" query selected based on the selection of "pizza" from the list. Sites such as www.tavernoxoros.gr (showing many locations on a map in response to a user's selection of pre-selected categories) and www.smalltownbrooklyn.com (which may be capable of showing all businesses on a map) are similarly able to show all results associated with pre-selected categories.

System and method of displaying search results based on density