The present invention prevents cross-linking between multiple resists that are used in the fabrication of a semiconductor device. In order to prevent resists in close proximity or contact with one another from cross-linking, a non-reactive separation layer is disposed between the resists. The separation layer prevents incompatible components of the resists from reacting with one another. Forming the separation layer between the resists allows a resist located above the separation layer to be polymerized and patterned as desired without patterning another resist located below the separation layer. Methods of patterning multiple resists are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the fabrication of semiconductor devices and, more specifically, to a method of preventing cross-linking between multiple photoresists used in fabrication of the semiconductor device and simultaneously present on a semiconductor device structure under fabrication.
2. State of the Art
Photoresist ("resist") layers are commonly used during semiconductor device fabrication to pattern a semiconductor substrate. A typical resist comprises a matrix or resin, a sensitizer such as a photoactive compound, and a solvent. When exposed to a specific wavelength of light, the photoactive compound initiates a photochemical reaction that causes the resist to cross-link. Images are patterned onto the semiconductor substrate by exposing portions of the cross-linked resist to the specific wavelength of light. The non-exposed and exposed portions are then developed to produce the desired pattern. Resists are also used to protect features during fabrication of the semiconductor device by covering those features with a resist layer.
Multiple resists may be used in the fabrication of a semiconductor device, with each resist formed on a portion of the semiconductor device. The resists may be simultaneously present on the intermediate semiconductor device structure. For example, a first resist may be used to protect features on the semiconductor device while a second resist may be formed over an active region of the semiconductor substrate to pattern the substrate. These resists may be formed in close proximity or contact with one another depending on the fabrication process being used. However, if the resists are in close proximity or contact, incompatible components of the resists may react with one another and cause the resists to react or cross-link. Cross-linking between resists is common between deep ultraviolet ("DUV"), I-line, and negative resists that are in close proximity or contact with one another. Cross-linking is especially common between I-line resists and negative resists. While cross-linking is common when at least one of the resists is unpolymerized, it may also occur when both of the resists are polymerized.
If resists in close proximity or contact cross-link with one another, they become unpatternable by conventional photolithographic processes because the resists are no longer selectively patternable. Therefore, in order to use two resists in close proximity or contact with one another, it would be desirable to be able to eliminate the potential for cross-linking between the resists.

Intermediate semiconductor device structure including multiple photoresist layers


A method and apparatus employing a microwave applicator for use with an ECR plasma source for applications including etching and chemical vapor deposition is provided. A magnetic field is generated by magnets circumferentially arranged about a chamber that is symmetrical about its longitudinal axis. The microwave applicator, which comprises at least one pair of coaxial resonant multiport microwave antenna arrays, injects and distributes microwave power about a plasma forming portion of the chamber. The antenna arrays include a plurality of radiating stubs for radiating microwave power. The stubs are positioned along the arrays at predetermined intervals and selected orientations relative to a coaxial transmission line, for efficiently distributing microwave power uniformly about the plasma forming portion. The position and orientation of the radiating stubs cause microwave power to be launched into the plasma in the form of propagating electromagnetic waves with a polarization suitable for electron cyclotron heating. The applicator is coupled to a microwave power source that preferably supplies microwave power at a frequency of 2.45 GHz. A magnetic-field free region produces uniformity of plasma distribution in a plasma stream that approaches an outlet in the chamber. The plasma stream flows through the plasma forming region toward the specimen with characteristics of high density, uniformity over transverse dimensions larger than the specimen, and low plasma temperature, while operating at gas pressures which can be varied over a wide range.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electron cyclotron resonance heated plasma source for producing a plasma stream for use in applications such as the treatment of specimens such as VLSI wafers, by processes including chemical vapor deposition, etching, and cleaning, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus employing a coaxial resonant multiport microwave applicator for use with an electron cyclotron resonance heated plasma source.
2. Description of Related Art
The present invention is based upon generation of cold plasma by electron cyclotron resonance heating in order to develop various desired characteristics within the plasma. More specifically, the present invention and related prior art are based upon the physical conditions governing the steady-state values of plasma density and composition, as well as the electron and ion temperatures, as determined by the applied microwave power, the ambient gas pressure and composition, and details of the magnetic field configuration, and the means of coupling the microwave power to the plasma. These conditions can be interpreted in terms of the processes responsible for particle and power balance for each of the coupled species; namely, electrons, ions, and neutral gas atoms.
Even in idealized point-model approximations of somewhat complete and realistic transport models of the plasma, the interrelated values of the basic plasma parameters characterizing such systems demonstrate several key dependencies. These dependencies identify some of the fundamental obstacles that make it difficult in practice to achieve large volumes of quiescent, homogeneous, low-temperature plasma containing the desired concentrations of reacting species believed to be essential in various applications, for example, the treatment of specimens such as wafers used for very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits. The applications may include chemical vapor deposition, etching, and cleaning, and more specifically, plasma assisted processing of semiconductor devices with submicron feature sizes.
Basic problems in forming suitable plasmas are noted in the following prior art references. The following discussion of the prior art and the following description of the embodiments of the present invention that is partially based upon a comparison with the prior art, are intended to demonstrate novelty in the method and apparatus of the present invention for overcoming disadvantages and obstacles, such as those generally referred to in the prior art.
In the semiconductor processing applications noted above, plasma sources employing electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) heating comprise an emerging or developing technology, that may be applied for example, in the cleaning, etching, and deposition of materials on very large scale integrated circuit (VLSI) wafers. Such applications are typical of other processing technologies requiring the capability of achieving submicron feature dimensions on these wafers, substantial processing rates, and the capability of uniformly processing large specimens. Any such technology must operate in a reproducible manner and be implemented in a cost-effective method. The general characteristics of these technologies are believed to be well understood by those skilled in the art and are accordingly not discussed in substantive detail herein.
Although the ECR plasma source of the present invention is contemplated for use in a wide variety of chemical vapor deposition or etching applications, the general parameters of applications are not a portion of the invention. Certain considerations in such applications are briefly summarized below in order to facilitate a better understanding the microwave applicator of the present invention.
ECR plasma sources such as those provided by the present invention and the prior art discussed below employ magnetic fields and microwave power to create chemically active plasmas over a range of gas pressures extending to very low values. Low-pressure operation may be desirable in order to permit the formation of anisotropic, highly directional streams of low-temperature ions, radicals, and other species of reactants which are uniform over transverse dimensions that are substantially larger than the specimen being processed.
In an ECR plasma source designed for plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition or reactive ion etching of VLSI wafers for example, a suitable mixture of gases is introduced into an evacuated chamber that is immersed in a suitably configured steady magnetic field and irradiated by electromagnetic radiation. The frequency of the radiation f.sub..mu. is selected to equal the electron gyrofrequency in a region of the steady magnetic field called the resonant interaction region. A resonance condition relates the strength of the steady magnetic field in the resonant interaction region, B.sub.res, to the frequency of the electromagnetic radiation; namely, f.sub..mu. =eB.sub.res /(2 .pi.m), where e is the magnitude of the electric charge and m is the mass of the electron.
Electrons in the resonant interaction region gain kinetic energy from the electromagnetic radiation, and if the radiated power and the gas pressure are suitably adjusted, the heated electrons can ionize the gas molecules to create a plasma. The plasma ions and electrons flow out of the resonant interaction region and impinge on the VLSI wafer, where the ions can deposit new materials, sputter existing materials, or participate in the etching of the existing film. If the plasma density is sufficiently high, the deposition, sputter, or etch rates can be substantially rapid. If the ion energies are sufficiently low, damage to the specimen being processed can be prevented, even if radio frequency (RF) bias of the specimen is employed. For etching narrow, deep, submicron-scale features, it is necessary for the ion trajectories to be highly directional. This is made possible by operating with an RF bias and at sufficiently low gas pressures, to ensure that the mean-free-path for ion scattering is longer than the length of the sheath region separating the specimen from the body of the plasma.
Additionally, if the temperature of the plasma ions is sufficiently low, and if there are no super-thermal groups of energetic ions, the specimen can be biased electrically, relative to the plasma interior for example, by applying RF power to the specimen. In this way, the specimen can be biased electrically to electrostatic potentials large enough to provide highly anisotropic processing, without exceeding a threshold ion energy above which excessive damage to the specimen may occur.
In order to process specimens of commercial interest, it is necessary to insure that the stream of plasma from the ECR source be uniform over transverse dimensions greater than 15 cm to 30 cm. The microwave applicator of the present invention addresses the need for large, uniform streams of low-temperature plasma, with high densities of ions and electrons in low-pressure mixtures of neutral gases.
In the prior art, one class of ECR plasma sources is generally referred to as a "Sumitomo source". The Sumitomo source is illustrated for example, by a plasma deposition apparatus of Matsuo et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,054, issued Aug. 30, 1983, and further discussed in T. Ono, in Proceedings of the Tenth Symposium on IISIAT, 1986 Tokyo, p. 471; and T. Ono, M. Oda, C. Takahashi, and S. Matsuo, J. Vac. Technol. B4, 696 (1986).
In the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,054, to Matsuo et al., plasma flows toward the specimen along magnetic lines of force. It is very difficult to achieve a desired degree of spatial uniformity in the plasma density using the disclosed apparatus. Further, since electrons heated in the resonant interaction region flow directly toward the specimen along the magnetic lines of force, it is necessary to limit the applied microwave power in order to avoid the creation of unstable bursts of energetic electrons and associated groups of energetic ions that might damage the specimen being processed.
The physical processes responsible for the generation of these unstable bursts of electrons, together with accompanying super-thermal groups of energetic ions, are discussed in a first reference, a paper by B. H. Quon and R. A. Dandl entitled "Preferential electron-cyclotron heating of hot electrons and formation of overdense plasmas", Phys. Fluids B 1 (10) October 1989; a second reference, a paper by G. E. Guest, M. E. Fetzer, and R. A. Dandl entitled "Whistler-wave electron cyclotron heating in uniform and nonuniform magnetic fields", Phys. Fluids B 2 (6) June 1990; and a third reference, a paper by R. A. Dandl and G. E. Guest entitled "On the low-pressure mode transition in electron cyclotron heated plasmas", J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 9 (6), November/December 1991.
Related prior art references include: U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,620, issued Jan. 8, 1985 to Matsuo et al. and entitled "Plasma Deposition Method and Apparatus" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,564,997, issued Jan. 21, 1986, to Matsuo et al. and entitled "Semiconductor Device and Manufacturing Process Thereof". The three preceding U.S. patents issued under assignment to Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Public Corporation. Additional related references that issued under common assignment include: U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,031, issued May 22, 1984, to Ono et al. and entitled "Ion Shower Apparatus"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,807, issued Mar. 12, 1985, to Nakayama et al. and entitled "Chemical Vapor Deposition Apparatus"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,940, issued Jan. 28, 1986, to Itsumi et al. and entitled "Manufacturing Process for Semiconductor Integrated Circuits".
Another design of an ECR plasma source (of a very different fundamental nature) originated in France and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,842, issued Aug. 13, 1985, to Arnal, et al. and entitled "Process and Device for Producing A Homogeneous Large-Volume Plasma of High Density and Low Electronic Temperature". In the disclosed process and device, plasma is accumulated in a large volume of a very low magnetic field strength, so as to enhance the spatial uniformity of the plasma. However, the resonant interaction region is localized to a small volume in the vicinity of metallic conducting antennas, that are placed close to a wall of a chamber. This approach of coupling the microwave power to the plasma provided limited efficiency for plasma generation and led to excessive generation of metallic impurities.
Various concepts for ion sources are disclosed in a number of U.S. patents that include: U.S. Pat. No. 3,571,734, issued Mar. 23, 1971; U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,001, issued Nov. 20, 1973; U.S. Pat. No. 3,790,787, issued Feb. 5, 1974; U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,178, issued Nov. 22, 1983; U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,216, issued Jan. 20, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 3,500,077, issued Mar. 10, 1970; U.S. Pat. No. 3,582,849, issued Jun. 1, 1971; U.S. Pat. No. 3,660,715, issued May 2, 1972; U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,360, issued May 16, 1972; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,219, issued Jun. 26, 1973. The above cited prior art, including references cited therein, are incorporated herein by reference in order to insure an understanding of the background of ECR plasma sources and applications therefor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,765 to Dandl, and references cited therein, discloses a method and apparatus where plasmas that are ideally suited to semiconductor processing applications can be created using an ECR plasma source, wherein a unique slotted-waveguide microwave applicator is matched to a novel magnetic configuration to provide spatially distributed, high-field launch of electron cyclotron heating power. Practical embodiments of the disclosed method and apparatus employ microwave power at relatively high frequencies so that the physical size of the applicator and the resulting plasma source match present day processing equipment designed for either 6 or 8 inch wafers. Readily available microwave power sources at frequencies near 6.2 GHz are utilized, together with high energy density permanent magnets, to create the requisite magnetic field strengths in excess of 2.2 kg, which is the cyclotron resonant magnetic field strength, B.sub.res, for a microwave frequency f.sub..mu. of 6.2 GHz.
The approach disclosed by Dandl was found to meet the need for an ECR plasma source capable of satisfying the requirements for a variety of applications. The disclosed method and apparatus is capable of producing large, uniform streams of quiescent, low-temperature plasmas with high densities of ions and electrons, especially in low-pressure mixtures of neutral gases so as to yield anistropic, highly directional plasma flow, as well as the desired composition of reactant species. Further, the disclosed approach can be implemented in a wide variety of configurations, including cylindrical and planar, as well as more generally shaped configurations. The chamber walls of the disclosed apparatus may be fabricated from fused quartz, alumina, stainless steel, nickel, or aluminum, for example, depending on the specific requirements of the process for which the plasma is to be employed.
However, it would be desirable to employ lower frequency microwave power, such as at the very common microwave frequency of 2.45 GHz. Employing a frequency of 2.45 GHz aids with achieving significant economic benefits that would result from using less expensive or lesser amounts, or both, of lower energy density permanent magnet materials. Further, a frequency of 2.45 GHz would enable the use of less expensive magnetron microwave sources and associated power supplies.
In order to operate at 2.45 GHz, the slotted-waveguide microwave applicator disclosed by Dandl would have to range from 5-8 in.sup.2 in cross-sectional area. A disadvantage of such an applicator would be that the applicator is substantially large and bulky, so that the associated magnetic field generating structure would be inefficient and generally unsuited to semiconductor processing applications as they are presently configured. An essential feature of the ECR plasma source disclosed by Dandl is a distributed microwave applicator that is suitably matched to a novel magnetic field configuration. A variant of the slotted-waveguide antenna disclosed by Dandl would be advantageous. In particular, it would be advantageous if the slotted-waveguide antenna could be replaced by a similarly functioning coaxial antenna, so that the size of the applicator could be reduced to a fraction of an inch in thickness, and the magnetic field generating structures could be made especially efficient as well as optimally effective in generating uniform plasmas.

Coaxial resonant multi-port microwave applicator for an ECR plasma source


Method and apparatus to avoid the code space and time overhead of the software-loop. Loops (repeatedly executed blocks of instructions) are often used in software and microcode. Loops may be employed for array manipulation, storage initialization, division and square-root interpretation, and microinterpretation of instructions with variable-length operands. Software creates loops by keeping an iteration count in a register or in memory. During each iteration of the code loop, software decrements the count, and then branches to the "top" of the loop is the count remains nonzero. This apparatus puts the decrement, compare, and branch-to-top into hardware, reducing the number of instructions in the loop and speeding loop execution. Hardware further speeds loop execution by eliminating the wait for the branch to the top-of-loop instruction. That is, it prefetches the top-of-loop instruction near the bottom of the loop. The loop may be initialized for a fixed iteration count, or can accept a variable count in the iteration count register. The apparatus consists of counters for the number of instructions in the loop, an iteration counter, a pointer to the top-of-loop location, and an instruction to initiate the loop.

An attempt to overcome these disadvantages was disclosed by Stanley Edward Ozga in U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,920 issued Jun. 27, 1978. In one of his embodiments, Ozga replaces the loop control (i.e., branch) instruction with a special bit added to each instruction of the loop. Presence of that special bit indicates that the corresponding instruction is located within the loop. Disadvantages of ozga include the need for an additional one bit field in each instruction to indicate the loop status. Also the end of the loop cannot be determined until the last loop instruction is at least partially decoded.
An improvement to Ozga is disclosed by Ysef Linde in U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,074 issued on Jul. 24, 1984. Linde discloses the use of a special register to store the address of the final loop instruction. Although this means that the final loop instruction can be identified without a special bit field or decoding of the final instruction, the operation involves a complex comparison between the final loop instruction address stored in the special register and the program counter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,422, issued to James F. Storer, et al. on Jul. 31, 1984, discloses an alternative to Linde which redefines an arithmetic instruction which performs branching as well. Though Storer et al., does not explain the method of implementing the new instruction, it is conceivably analogous to the ozga reference with the attendant advantages and disadvantages.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,997 issued to Kloker on Mar. 24, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,063 issued to Zolnowsky et al. on Jan. 21, 1986; U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,737 issued to Kim on Dec. 18, 1979; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,361 issued to Maccianti et al. on Jan. 31, 1984, all disclose additional embodiments of nested loop hardware, each of which having a combination of the disadvantages of Ozga and Linde.

Method and apparatus for counting remaining loop instructions and pipelining the next instruction

International Business Machines Corporation


An apparatus provides a single split-bus electrical panel with a first panel section that supplies power to non-critical loads and a second panel section to supply photoelectric power to critical loads. A patch panel associated with the split-bus electrical panel is configured to enable an installer to selectively connect factory installed connections to either: (1) connect each panel section directly to utility power for full utility power to both panel sections; (2) alternately to connect the second panel section to the utility power via a microgrid interconnection device when the second panel section is presently at least partially powered by back-up photovoltaic power, or (3) alternately connect both panel sections to full back-up photovoltaic power.

When an electrical utility outage occurs, critical loads such as pumps, security systems, refrigerators and electronics should ideally have an auxiliary source of power available. In residential applications, photovoltaic (PV) systems with battery back-up are available to provide limited auxiliary power, which is typically at a lower power level than is available from the utility. Thus, some means is required to allocate the reduced power to the critical loads. The installation of typical residential PV systems requires a separate back-up panel for the critical loads, so that the critical loads must be relocated to the separate back-up panel.
In typical residential photovoltaic/battery back-up systems, a decision needs to be made prior to installation of the system, as to whether a partial back-up system or full back-up system will be provided for the home. Once the choice is made to install either the partial back-up system or full back-up system, it would require significant labor to reconstruct and rewire the system if the choice of systems were to change.
What is needed is a convenient way for the installer implement either a partial back-up system or full back-up system at the time the home is being built, and moreover, to enable an electrician to later change the system, if desired by the home owner.

Patch panel for programming a split bus electrical panel for partial or full backup with PV and battery systems


An air bag system includes (i) a vehicle steering wheel having a structural frame which includes an integral retainer, (ii) a cover which together with the retainer forms a container, (iii) an inflator which is at least partially disposed within the container and which is coupled to the retainer, and (iv) an air bag which is disposed within the container and which includes a beaded perimeter that defines a gas inlet opening and that is captured between the inflator and the retainer thereby coupling the air bag to the retainer. To assemble the air bag system, the air bag is preassembled with the inflator by securing its beaded perimeter to the inflator. The inflator is then inserted into the retainer in such a manner that the beaded perimeter is captured intermediate the inflator and the retainer. Next, the inflator is coupled to the retainer and the cover is coupled to the steering wheel to form a container for the air bag.

A vehicle air bag system is typically manufactured as a module and thereafter installed in a vehicle. A standard air bag module includes a folded air bag, an inflator or gas generator for inflating the air bag, and a container which encloses the air bag. Upon actuation of the inflator, gas at relatively high pressure is directed into the air bag, thereby deploying it through a portion of the container and inflating it to a predetermined configuration. The container is usually comprised of a reaction device and a cover. During deployment of the air bag, reaction forces are absorbed by the reaction device.
On the driver side of vehicle, the air bag module is commonly incorporated into the steering wheel. For example, in FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,286 to Fohl, an air bag module is disclosed which includes an air bag, an inflator, and a container comprising a reaction plate and a cover. The module is preassembled as a unit and is thereafter attached to the vehicle steering wheel by bolting the reaction plate to a structural member of the wheel.
Because space requirements are increasingly important in vehicle design, it is important that an air bag system be constructed from a minimum number of components and be as compact as possible. Also, as the number of air bags being installed in vehicles increases, it becomes increasingly important to provide efficient and effective ways of mass producing these air bag systems.
In the past, suggestions have been made for air bag systems which reduce both the number of parts and the total number of procedures required to construct the system. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,264 discloses an air bag module and method of assembly wherein a single retaining ring is used to secure an air bag and an inflator to a mounting plate. The inflator is first centered on the mounting plate. Thereafter, an assembly comprising an air bag and a retaining ring is lowered over the inflator. The assembly is attached to the mounting plate by lockingly engaging the retaining ring to the mounting plate. In attaching the retaining ring to the mounting plate, both the air bag and the inflator are secured to the mounting plate without requiring any additional fasteners.
While the air bag module of U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,264 eliminates some of the components of a conventional air bag module, it still includes a separate mounting plate to which the remaining components of the module are attached. It also includes a separate air bag retaining device intermediate the inflator and the mounting plate. Each of these items adds size and weight to the air bag module. Moreover, the presence of these items increases the complexity of the module and, accordingly, the number of procedures required to assemble the module.

Driver side inflatable air bag system and method of assembly


An inspection system for internal pipe inspection, comprises a feed cable (30), and a camera in the inspection head (32) at a remote end of the feed cable. Optional additional components include an ultrasound system (40), a steering arrangement with the guide roller (35) for the camera, a product release system (repair head 60), and a magnetic drive system.

Within the water industry, there is an increasing demand for routine repair works and maintenance/inspection works to be carried out without disruption of the water network services. Thus, there is a desire to maintain operational pressures and flows. In addition, it is desirable to minimise the amount of excavation required to find the location of leaks in underground pipes.
It is known therefore to introduce a camera into a pipe for detecting leaks by means of visual internal inspection. However, many difficulties arise in the feeding of a camera over a long distance. Furthermore, visual inspection is not fully reliable in detecting leaks.


A discharge tube having a pair of opposite electrode assemblies disposed in a discharge space defined by a peripheral wall and charged with gas, and an a.c. source connected at one end to one of the pair of electrode assemblies and at the other end to the other of the electrode assemblies, each of said opposite electrode assemblies comprising a sintered metallic electrode for emitting electrons and a filament electrode disposed closely adjacent to the sintered metallic electrode, for emitting thermoelectrons, and the sintered metallic electrode and the filament electrode being electrically connected in parallel by means of the associated lead wires.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a discharge tube having a positive glow discharge characteristic in which the tube voltage increases as the discharge current increases and a negative arc discharge characteristic in which the tube voltage decreases as the discharge current increases due to an increase in emission of thermo-electrons.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that cold-cathode tubes, hot-cathode tubes and semi-hot cathode tubes are used in discharge-tube applications.
Cold-cathode tubes have positive discharge characteristics and have the advantages of long life, low power consumption, low heat dissipation, and the ability to be easily lit and quenched. The disadvantage of cold-cathode tubes is their low intensity. Hot-cathode tubes, which are known as fluorescent lamps, have negative thermionic discharge characteristics and the advantage of high intensity. Hot-cathode tubes, however, have the disadvantages of short life, high power consumption, high heat dissipation, and cannot be lit and quenched in themselves. Semi-hot-cathode tubes are arranged such that no filament electrode is energized by external circuits and have the disadvantage that a relatively long time is required to reach the desired intensity after energization. Also, semi-hot-cathode tubes are impractical in terms of life and intensity.
In Japanese Patent Application No. 63-172761, the present inventor proposes a discharge tube of the type having a discharge characteristic in which the negative discharge characteristic of a cold-cathode tube is combined with the positive discharge characteristic of a hot-cathode tube. More specifically, the proposed discharge tube comprises a pair of electrode assemblies which are disposed opposite to each other in a discharge space. Each of the electrode assemblies includes a cup-shaped electrode for glow discharge and, a filament electrode for arc discharge which is disposed in the cup-shaped electrode. This arrangement is intended to achieve a long life with glow discharges and very high brightness with arc discharges. However, it is necessary that such discharge tube be provided with an automatic control circuit for controlling discharge current in order to stably maintain the state of discharge. In this proposed type of discharge tube, several hours after energization the temperature of the cup-shaped electrode for glow discharge increases due to emission of thermoelectrons and a transition from glow discharge to arc discharge occurs. As a result, a phenomenon such as snaking or flickering takes place and the discharge becomes unstable. For this reason, the above electronic control circuit is used to control discharge current. However, the cost of the discharge tube becomes expensive due to the necessity of such control circuit and, even with this control circuit, it is still difficult to perfectly eliminate flickers of high frequency.


Hypodermic needle 2 is to be introduced between the skin and the tissue adjacent to the skin. To separate the skin from the tissue, cartilage or bone below the skin and to prevent the tip 6 of the needle 2 from piercing the tissue below the skin this invention discloses providing the extremity 6 of the needle with a protrusion 4. To prevent damage to the living being in which the needle 2 is introduced the transition of the protrusion 4 to the needle is smooth in all directions. The protrusion 4 is provided on that side of the needle which will be adjacent to the tissue, cartilage or bone of the living being.

The invention relates to apparatus for injection of solid non-deformable articles into living creatures and more specifically to the needles used in such apparatus.
In related apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,277,893, the protrusion described functions as a barb. The needle disclosed therein is designed to be shot in animals from a considerable distance. In that case it is important that the needle will remain in the skin of the animal. Normally such a needle is shot perpendicular to the surface of such an animal.
In the art, hypodermic needles are used to insert solids and fluids, such as transponders, or drugs immediately below the skin and parallel to the skin. To that end, an opening is pierced through the skin of the living being by the needle. After that, the needle is often tilted such that it is moved parallel to the skin. During this movement it is important that the skin is lifted from the underlying tissue, bone or cartilage. Furthermore, it is important that the tip of the needle will not pierce in the tissue below the skin. This means that the operator must be able to find his way below the skin of the living being with the needle without being able to see the tip of the needle.


A fluorochemical additive is the reaction product under polymerization conditions of monomers that include: (a) an aromatic polycarboxylic acid as an anhydride, ester, or ester chloride; (b) at least one fluorinated reactant; and (c) at least one aliphatic amine, mercaptan, or alcohol. Optionally, a crosslinking agent can be used. The components of the additive all can be viewed as contributing to the performance of the disclosed additive. The fluorine-containing component is generally insoluble in molten polymers and will tend to migrate to the cooled surface thereof where the fluorinated moieties provide repellency characteristics when used in adequate quantities, generally at least about 30 wt % depending on the fluorinated reactant used to make the additive. The aromatic component appears to facilitate solubility and speed up the orientation process of the additive within the molten polymer. The aliphatic component to the reaction mixture appears to assist in anchoring the reaction product additive in the bulk polymer structure. Together, the components form a fluorinated reaction product additive that can be added to a molten polymer for integration into the resulting product to impart improved resistance to oil, water, and alcohol.

Synthetic organic polymers are employed widely to create a variety of products. Included among such varied products are blown and cascade films, extruded sheets, foams, fibers, products made from foam and fibers, woven and knitted fabrics, non-woven fibrous webs and molded articles for garment, upholstery and medical uses, to name a few. Many polymers used in these products, such as polypropylene, exhibit some water and/or alcohol resistance but exhibit no oil resistance.
The use of various fluorochemical agents to topically treat a variety of fibers and fibrous substrates such as textiles, carpet, leather, paper and non-woven webs, to impart desirable properties to these materials, is known. See for example Mason Hayek, Waterproofing and Water/Oil Repellency, 24, Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, pp. 448-455 (3rd Edition 1979) or Banks, Ed., Organofluorine Chemicals and Their Industrial Applications, Ellis Horwood Ltd., Chichester, England, pp. 226-234 (1979). Such fluorochemical compositions include fluorochemical urethane and urea-based oligomers as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,398,182 of Guenthner et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,001,305 of Dear et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,205 of Landucci et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,737 of Stem; U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,406 of Chang; U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,354 of Matsuo et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,073 of Kirchner; compositions of cationic and non-cationic fluorochemicals as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,981 of Howells; and compositions containing fluorochemical carboxylic acid and epoxidic cationic resin as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,466 of Schwartz and U.S. Pat. No. 6,127,485 of Klun et al., as well as in PCT application WO 99/05345, also of Klun et al.
Also known are fluorochemical esters as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,063,474 of Raiford et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,859,126 of Anton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,715 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,585, both of Dettre; U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,401 of Axelrod; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,264,484 of Pattel; and fluorochemical esters derived from dimerized unsaturated fatty acids as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,006 of Langford and WO 93/10085 of Coppens et al. These fluorochemicals can be applied to various substrates by methods known in the art, including spraying, padding, and finish bath immersion, or can be applied directly to the fiber before the fiber is woven by incorporating the fluorochemical into the fiber spin finish.
Blending a variety of fluorochemicals with synthetic organic polymers and melt extruding fibers from the molten blend to produce fiber and fibrous substrates exhibiting hydrophobicity (water resistance) and oleophilicity (oil resistance) is also known. Such patents include U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,052 of Crater et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,778 of Buckanin; U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,622 of Boardman et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,576 of Jones et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,587 of Mascia et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,717 of Rolando et al.
While these various fluorochemical melt additives can in some cases impart satisfactory hydrophobicity and/or oleophobicity to resins, many suffer poor thermal stability above the 200° C. melt processing temperature which is often encountered in the industry. It would be desirable to have a fluorochemical additive that was stable at the temperatures used in commercial polymer processing and forming equipment.
Others, such as the melt additives of Klun et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,127,485 and WO 99/05345, are thermally stable at high processing temperatures but are required to be used in unacceptably high amounts so as to make them economically undesirable.
It would be desirable to have a fluorochemical additive that could be incorporated into molten polymers or curable thermoset polymers that could be formed into fibers, films, fabrics (woven or nonwoven) or cast articles to enhance the inherent water, oil, and/or alcohol resistance of the resulting product.

Hydrophobic, oleophobic and alcohol-resistant fluorochemical additive


The invention relates to a reflector for an electric lamp, and a reflector lamp having an improved fastening of the electric contacts. The reflector body consists of an electrically insulating plastic and, for the purpose of making electric contact with the lamp, has contact lugs that are fixed at least two different locations on the outer side of the reflector body with the aid of claws or barbs integrally formed on the contact lugs.

Such a reflector and such a reflector lamp are disclosed, for example, in the German utility model with the register number G 83 10 715.0. This utility model describes a reflector lamp having a parabolic aluminum reflector and a halogen incandescent lamp fixed therein. Serving to fix the lamp in the reflector is a ceramic base insulator on which there are fastened two electric contact lugs that, for their part, are respectively welded to a supply lead of the lamp that projects through a cutout in the reflector. The base insulator is fastened on the reflector by means of four lugs that are integrally formed on the reflector and angled off from the latter.

Reflector lamp having a plastic reflector supporting lugs coupled by barbs

Patent- Treuhand-Gesellschaft fur elektrische Gluhlampen mbH


In order to optimally control the charging of a rechargeable battery of one or more cells to ensure that full and rapid charge is achieved without damaging the battery, a maximum safe value (or sequence of values during the charging process) for one or more charging parameters is determined during a test charge, and subsequent charges of the battery are performed without exceeding the predetermined maximum value(s) for the charging parameter(s). Among the charging parameters contemplated for use are: the charging voltage potential placed across the battery terminals, the charging current supplied to the battery, the temperature of the battery cell and internal pressure of the battery cell as well as rates of changes of the parameters. In accordance with apparatus for practicing the invention, the value(s) of one or more predetermined maximum parameters are stored, and the corresponding actual charging parameter values are measured during the charging process and compared to the stored values to develop signals for controlling the charging process and thereby maintain the monitored parameter(s) no higher than the predetermined maximum value(s).

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for controlling the charging of a rechargeable battery and, more particularly, to optimizing the charging or discharging process of such batteries to ensure that full charge is achieved without damaging the battery.
Rechargeable storage cells or batteries are electrochemical devices for storing and retaining an electrical charge and later delivering that charge as useful power. A battery may typically have a number of storage cells connected together to form a battery having specific voltage or current delivery capability. A familiar example of a rechargeable battery is the nickel-cadmium, NiCd, battery used in portable electronic devices such as cameras and mobile telephones.
When charging a rechargeable battery, such as for example an NiCd battery, an electrical voltage greater than the terminal voltage of the battery is applied to the terminals of the battery, so that current flows through the battery. This current initiates a chemical process by which energy is stored in the battery.
When the battery has reached a full charge condition, the chemical process stops and the added energy is instead converted into heat. Because the battery is constructed as a sealed container, the pressure in the battery increases, and tends to cause mechanical and chemical destruction. Chemical destruction may reduce the capacity of the battery, and the capacity may eventually be reduced significantly after several such chargings. To optimize the battery utilization, it is therefore important to ensure not only that the battery will be charged fully, but also that charging is interrupted before the generation of heat becomes too great. Thus, it is desirable to accurately control the charging process to obtain an almost optimum charging and/or to interrupt charging at a proper time.
Accurate control of the charging process is especially important when it is desired to charge the battery as quickly as possible. Frequently, it is desirable that the charging period for a battery (the period of time necessary to charge the battery) be as brief as possible. This has led to the use of greater and greater charging currents. Higher levels of current, however, may tend to accelerate the heat-generating process within the battery. Because the heat-generating process may be accelerated, it is particularly important to interrupt (e.g., terminate) the charging at the proper time. If the charging is interrupted too late, the result is heat generation and mechanical and chemical destruction as mentioned, and if the charging is cut off too early, the battery will be charged only to part of its full capacity.
In a typical charging process, the voltage across the battery initially increases evenly as the battery is charged. However, as the battery approaches its full state of charge, the voltage increases more steeply to a peak (the full state of charge). The voltage then drops again; after the full charge is reached, temperature increases, and the temperature coefficient of the voltage is negative. Correspondingly, the charging current typically falls to a minimum at full charge and then increases.
A number of methods are known which attempt to terminate charging at the proper time. However, they have all been found to be lacking in precision.
For example, one known method comprises measuring the temperature of the battery and cutting off the charging when an increase in temperature is observed. However, by the time the increase in temperature is sufficiently high to measure, it is often too late. It is also difficult to measure the temperature with sufficient accuracy, because among other things, there may be variations in the ambient temperature. This is the case, e.g., if a battery from an automobile telephone is moved in winter from a cold car to a charger which is at room temperature.
Other known methods involve measuring the voltage across the battery or the magnitude of the charging current and terminating charging when the voltage or current assumes a specific level. However, it is very difficult to determine the voltage (or current) at which charging should be terminated. For example, voltage, at full capacity, often varies somewhat from battery to battery, even in case of batteries of the same type. Moreover, the voltage is temperature dependent. Similarly, it is possible to measure the charging current, and the same observations apply here as well.
Many known chargers use a fixed period of time; charging is simply terminated after the elapse of this time. However, the time period necessary to charge the battery is strongly dependent upon the initial charge on the battery (whether the battery is completely or only partially discharged), and the battery charge state. This might be solved by fully discharging the battery prior to the charging. However, such an approach is unsatisfactory, in addition to the waste of energy involved, it takes a certain time, and there will still be a good deal of difference between the necessary charging time from battery to battery.
A more advanced method is to measure the voltage change (or current change) as a function of time, i.e. the slope of a curve showing the voltage as a function of time. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,656 discloses a method which detects the point at which this slope is zero, corresponding to the peak occurring where the battery is fully charged. However, it is difficult to determine this point accurately since the curve approaching the peak may be very flat. Further, there may be other points on the curve where the slope is zero, resulting in premature termination of charging.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,854 describes a system which detects when the voltage curve assumes a negative slope exceeding a reference value. The observations made with respect to zero slope detection also apply here. Moreover, by the time the negative slope occurs, the battery may have already been overcharged to a point sufficient to damage the battery.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,582 similarly describes a system which measures the slope of the voltage curve to find the point where the slope of the curve begins to decrease after having been increasing. While the battery will rarely be overcharged using this method, the systems remain susceptible to premature termination of charging; the battery is often only charged to part of its full capacity. Further, there is also risk of incorrect measurements if, e.g., the charging current or the voltage supply is changed during charging.
Use of a combination of various of the above-mentioned methods is also known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,655 describes a system which uses four stop criteria, viz. a voltage limit, a predetermined time limit, a calculated increase on the voltage curve, as well as the point where the slope of the voltage curve is zero. The charging is interrupted if any one of these criteria is satisfied. The predetermined time limit is selected after the charging has begun; an initial voltage measurement is made, a short or a long charging time is selected, e.g., 1 hour or 1.75 hours on the basis of the measurement. The advantage of such an approach is that the battery discharge state and the number of cells in the battery can be taken into consideration from the beginning. However, such a system is rather imprecise, and remains susceptible to battery overcharging.

Method and apparatus for controlling the charging of a rechargeable battery to ensure that full charge is achieved without damaging the battery


A method is disclosed of forward-chaining inferencing in a rulebased system having a rulebase and a set of input facts, wherein new facts are inferred in accordance with variations to the rules or the input facts, the method including:                developing a computerized database containing a fact dependency tree for indicating which facts are used to produce other facts in accordance with respective rules in the rulebase;        sequentially ordering the facts in the fact dependency tree to produce a serialized fact dependency tree wherein for any given fact in the sequence, all facts which are used to produce that fact are facts which are earlier in the sequence than is the given fact, and        ordering the rules in the rulebase in accordance with the facts produced thereby to produce a serialized rulebase wherein the rules are in the same sequential order as the facts in the serialized fact dependency tree.

Expert systems are well known. They have been described as follows:
Expert System
A computer program that uses symbolic knowledge and inference to reach conclusions. It derives most of its power from its knowledge. The key components of an expert system are an inference engine and a knowledge base. The separation of control (the inference engine) from knowledge (knowledge base) is a hallmark of an expert system. Other components of an expert system include a user interface, a knowledge-acquisition module, and an explanatory interface.
An expert system derives most of its power from its knowledge rather than its inferencing ability. Expert systems are applied to the class of problems in which no simple algorithmic solution is known. To qualify as an expert system it must attain levels of performance roughly equivalent to a human expert. Most expert systems are able to explain their reasoning. Expert systems are generally able to reason about their own inference processes. Other advantages of expert systems are that they do not forget, they consider all details, they don't overlook remote possibilities and they do not jump to conclusions.
In contrast with ordinary computer programs, expert systems can be incrementally modified with little difficulty—at least as compared to conventional programs. The knowledge in an expert system is more available to scrutiny than it is in a conventional program where knowledge may be intertwined with procedure . . . Expert systems are more robust than conventional programs—they are more likely to be able to handle unexpected situations.
There are a number of criteria for the use of expert systems: One is the existence of expertise in the area. The task should be a complex problem with multiple interacting subtasks where there appears to be no fixed order of problem solution. It is useful when the solution needs to be explained, when what—if analysis is desirable, or when it is known that the system will be frequently revised.
Mercadal, D. 1990. Dictionary of Artificial Intelligence. p 96-97. NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold
It should be noted the term rulebase as used herein is synonymous with the expression knowledge base above.
The standard method used by expert systems for forward-chaining inferencing is known as the Rete algorithm and aims to minimize the amount of effort required for an inference cycle whenever input facts change. The Rete algorithm will be explained in more detail when describing the preferred embodiment of present invention.
The Rete algorithm was invented in 1979—a bygone era of computing. Since then, the application of expert systems, including the environment that they work within, has changed dramatically:    Systems must now provide high levels of scalability to support thousands of concurrent users, particularly through the use of stateless application development;    Today's Internet technologies mean that systems are largely transactional by nature;    Modern user interfaces are better at collecting many items of data per screen (or transaction);    Today's processors are much faster with large onboard caches.    Expert systems that perform batch processing and provide engine-based services are now a common requirement;    Integration of expert systems with corporate databases is a standard requirement.
The forward-chaining inferencing system and method of the present invention allows expert systems to better deal with these significant changes.


A methodology for spacer-last replacement metal gate (RMG) flow that exhibits reduced variability, and the resulting device are disclosed. Embodiments may include forming a dummy gate stack comprising a dummy nitride portion on a dummy oxide portion on a substrate, forming source/drain regions in the substrate at opposite sides of the dummy gate stack, depositing an insulating material over the source/drain regions, coplanar with the dummy gate stack, and replacing the dummy gate stack with a metal gate stack and spacers.

A conventional RMG process flow typically involves separate stages for gate processing, source/drain processing, and contact formation. The number of stages in such complex integration flows jeopardizes process uniformity and device yield. For instance, a conventional RMG front-end flow for a fin field effect transistor (FINFET) may include (i) a fin and shallow trench isolation (STI) module, (ii) a dummy gate module, (iii) a spacer module, (iv) source/drain processing steps, (v) an insulator encapsulation step followed by a poly exposure and pull step (hereinafter referred to as Poly-Open-Chemical-Mechanical-Polishing (Poly-Open-CMP) module), and (vii) a replacement high-K/metal gate (HK/MG) module. The integration of each module becomes more challenging in each node due to scaling according to Moore's Law. The incorporation of new performance elements such as a low-K dielectric spacer tends to make the integration even more complex from one technology node to the next. In particular, the need for gate length scaling increases the complexity of RMG module substantially along with the engineering of various metal gate stacks with appropriate work function.
A need therefore exists for methodology enabling a simplified and robust RMG process integration with reduced variability.

Spacer-last replacement metal gate flow and device


Integrated processes are provided for the bioconversion of syngas to oxygenated organic compound with the ability to recycle sulfur nutrient and generate sulfur nutrient to the syngas fermentation in a safe and cost-effective manner. In preferred aspects of the invention, an acidogenic digestion is used to provide a biogas containing hydrogen sulfide, and then a methanogenic fermentation can follow to provide a methane-containing biogas that has a low hydrogen sulfide concentration.

Microorganisms used in metabolic processes require nutrients and micronutrients. One of the required nutrients is a source of reduced sulfur, usually in the form of a sulfide such as cysteine. Hydrogen sulfide has been found in many instances to be a source of reduced sulfur for use by the microorganisms. Although hydrogen sulfide is less expensive than, say, cysteine, it is toxic and thus requires special handling and is particularly dangerous in pure form. Accordingly, if hydrogen sulfide is to be a viable source of reduced sulfur, generation at the site of the fermentation at the rate required to avoid significant storage of hydrogen sulfide would be desired.
Numerous processes exist that generate hydrogen sulfide, either as the sought product or as a contaminant in another process. For instance, Velt, et al., in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0221804 propose an integrated ethanol and biogas system where thin stillage is processed to generate a biogas. At paragraph 0028, the applicants state that the biogas contains methane and carbon dioxide and can also include hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide and ammonia. They suggest that the biogas can be used for heating or operating various types of engines to produce mechanical or electrical power.
Although hydrogen sulfide can be recovered from gas streams, processes for the recovery necessarily incur capital and operating costs. These costs thus reduce the attractiveness of these hydrogen sulfide-containing gas streams being a source of sulfur for fermentation processes.
Offerman, in U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2008/0220489 discloses a process in which biogas is generated from wastes, such as manure, and the biogas is converted to syngas for synthesis of liquid fuels. The applicant discusses the use of Fe+2 from iron-reducing microorganisms in the fermentation to generate the biogas or amine-containing resin to reduce the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the biogas, and thus in the ultimate fuel product.
Balmat, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,523 discloses processes for removing sulfate ions from dilute aqueous streams by contact with Desulfovibrio sulfate-reducing bacteria to convert the sulfate to sulfide and removing the sulfide ions. The use of an electron donor (gaseous hydrogen) is required.
Processes are sought to enhance the economics of syngas fermentation to produce oxygenated organic compound where reduced sulfur nutrient can be effectively and inexpensively supplied by the processes at an as needed rate.

Integrated processes for bioconverting syngas to oxygenated organic compound with sulfur supply


Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for detecting anomalous advertising content and taking or directing one or more actions to be taken to mitigate risk associated with anomalous advertising content. The anomalous advertising content indicates a deviation from an expected state of the advertising content. Various measures may be taken to determine whether the anomalous advertising content is reflective of malware.

Online advertising refers to the use of an online network such as the Internet to deliver promotional marketing messages to consumers. Online advertising may take on any of a variety of forms such as, for example, e-mail marketing, search engine marketing, social media marketing, various forms of display advertising (e.g., web banner advertising), mobile advertising, and so forth.
Malware (a shortened form for "malicious software") may include any software that disrupts the operation of a computing device, gathers sensitive information, or gains access to private computing systems. Malware may take on any suitable form including, for example, executable code, scripts, active content, or other software. Malware includes, for example, computer viruses, ransomware, worms, Trojan horses, rootkits, keyloggers, dialers, spyware, adware, malicious browser helper objects (BHOs), rogue security software, or other malicious software.
Malvertising (a shortened form for "malicious advertising") refers to the use of online advertising to spread malware. Malvertising may take on any of a variety of forms including, for example, pop-up advertisements for deceptive downloads (e.g., a fake anti-virus program that installs malicious software), drive-by downloads, web widgets that redirect to malicious sites, hidden iframes, malicious banner advertisements, and so forth. Malvertising may be particularly difficult to combat because infections delivered through malvertising may not require user action (e.g., a user click) to compromise a system and may not exploit identifiable vulnerabilities on a website or a server hosting the site.

Detection of anomalous advertising content


A reinforced closure anchor includes a first layer having an adhesive side, an opposite non-adhesive side, and an outer edge. An anchor member layer having a reinforcing structure is disposed on the first layer. The anchor member includes an adhesive side and an opposite non-adhesive side. The anchor member adhesive side is adhered to the first layer non-adhesive side. The anchor member is disposed within the outer edge of the first layer.

It is known in the art relating to medical dressings for the protection and securement of catheters to apply a dressing to a patient's skin to cover a catheter insertion site at which the catheter punctures a patient's skin. It is also common for medical clinicians (i.e., doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel) to alternatively or additionally apply strips of medical grade tape to attempt to secure the catheter or associated medical tubing. Another conventional clinical practice is to suture a catheter hub to a patient's skin to invasively and roughly secure the catheter to the patient. Further still, a variety of catheter and medical tubing securement devices are available for use in the medical field. These securement devices, however, are often bulky and cumbersome, hard to dress and/or remove with a dressing, may require a scissors or scalpel to physically cut them away risking catheter lumen or catheter pigtails damage in the process, may require two, three, or four pieces of tape to get reliable results, and may have costly and complex mechanical features; all of which can combine to both lower patient care clinical outcomes, and equally important, lead to higher healthcare costs due to added nursing costs.
It is also known in the medical field that poorly dressed and poorly secured catheters and associated tubing are likely to undesirably lead to irritation of both internal vascular wall damage at distal catheter tip due to in/out catheter tip motion at the insertion site, necessitating premature rotation and reinsertion of the catheter to a nearby new anatomical insertion site. Even worse, poorly secured catheters are susceptible to accidental dislodgement from the insertion site. For example, medical tubing connected to indwelling catheters, infusion needles and the like is often subjected to inadvertent but significant pulling forces either caused directly by patient movement or by snagging of the tubing on other objects. These pulling forces peel the medical tape or dressing securing the catheter and/or tubing off the patient's skin. This exposes the catheter, infusion needle, etc. to movement inward or outward, increasing the likelihood that the catheter, infusion needle, etc. will fail and have to be replaced and inserted into a new insertion site. Also, this may weaken the adhesion between the dressing and the patient's skin, potentially exposing the insertion site to harmful bacteria.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The buffer/driver for low dropout regulators (LDO) uses a feedback amplifier with low output impedance to drive the gate of the pass device MP6 of the regulator. This effectively pushes the gate pole out to a higher frequency. The feedback amplifier is designed for very high slew rate and high bandwidth while running at very low quiescent current. The circuit enhances the LDO performance, stability, and slew rate.

This invention generally relates to electronics and more particularly to buffer circuits for low dropout regulators.
In low voltage, low dropout linear voltage regulators (LDO), a large pass device (typically a FET) must be used to deliver high currents to a load. The size of this pass device results in a large parasitic capacitance seen from the gate of the device to AC ground. This capacitance must be charged and discharged as the load changes in order to keep the output voltage of the LDO constant. The performance of the LDO is therefore limited by how fast this capacitance can be charged and discharged (slew rate).
Additionally, the presence of the large parasitic capacitance results in a significant pole in the frequency response of the amplifier, which can make the amplifier more difficult to stabilize.
In most LDO amplifiers a source follower (or emitter follower) is used to drive the gate of the pass FET. Typical class A followers are slew rate limited in one direction by the biasing current source.
Prior art solutions to this problem typically involve using large amounts of quiescent current to decrease the output impedance of the driver (follower) and to push the gate pole to a higher frequency. Also, many other prior art designs achieve improved slew rate performance by increasing the bias current through the driver.
A buffer/driver for low dropout regulators (LDO) uses a feedback amplifier with low output impedance to drive the gate of the pass device of the regulator. This effectively pushes the gate pole out to a higher frequency. The feedback amplifier is designed for very high slew rate and high bandwidth while running at very low quiescent current. The circuit enhances the LDO performance, stability, and slew rate.

Buffer/driver for low dropout regulators


Various arrangements for managing access to unstructured data are presented. A plurality of access requests may be received from a plurality of remote computer systems to a plurality of business entities stored by a content management server. In response to receiving a request for access to a business entity of the plurality of business entities stored by a content management server from a remote computer system, an identifier request may be transmitted to the content management server. A response from the content management server may be received in response to the identifier request. A resource locator that comprises the identifier may be created. The resource locator may be transmitted to the remote computer system for use in accessing the business entity.

A content management system (CMS) may be used to store and control access to data items. Such data items may include unstructured data items, such as images of receipts, documents, invoices, etc. While a content management system may work well when a user directly interacts with an interface for the content management system, in some situations multiple applications may need to access the same data items stored by the CMS. Such applications may typically use their own data repositories to store data items. Further, each of these applications may have disparate security profiles for the same user. As such, access to the same stored data items may be governed by different security models depending on which application the data item is accessed through.

Systems and methods for integration of business applications with enterprise content management systems


A driving device for a wheelbarrow includes a motor assembly which has a shaft and a driving gear is connected to the shaft. The driving gear is engaged with planet gears of a gear set to drive a collar which is connected to a rim with a tire connected to the rim. Therefore, the wheel rotates when the motor assembly is activated. A brake mechanism an adjustment nut which is threadedly connected to a motor frame of the motor assembly such that when the user pulls a brake lever, the adjustment nut is moved to shift a brake lining to brake the wheel.

A conventional wheelbarrow for yard work or even for transporting bricks, sands or stones generally includes a bed with two handles on a rear end thereof and a support is connected to an underside of the rear end of the bed. A brace is connected to the underside of the bed and a wheel is connected to the brace. The user holds the handles and pushes the wheelbarrow so that the load in the bed can be moved form one place to another by the wheel. The support can be put on the ground to support the wheelbarrow to stop the wheelbarrow. However, the conventional wheelbarrow requires the user to move it by the user's own force and when the wheelbarrow is moved along an upward path, the user has to push hard to move the wheelbarrow. On the contrary, when the wheelbarrow is moved along a downward path, the user has to control the wheelbarrow not to move too fast or the wheelbarrow cannot be stopped.
The present invention intends to provide a driving device for driving the wheel of the wheelbarrow so that the user needs not push the wheelbarrow hard and can save a lot of energy to focus on other safety issues.


A recursive real time positioning system setup method for immediate convergence of functional system setup is disclosed. In one disclosed embodiment, a method for onboarding a set of positioning devices to a positioning system includes issuing a human-perceptible unconnected indicator from a first positioning device in the set of positioning devices. The method also includes detecting a connection using a wireless receiver on the first positioning device. The connection is between the first positioning device and a second positioning device in the set of positioning devices. The method also includes issuing, in direct and automatic response to the detecting of the connection, a human-perceptible connected indicator from the first positioning device.

Wireless positioning systems often require the use of multiple devices transmitting and receiving wireless signals to observe objects and determine their position within a given space. Information gleaned through the combined analysis of these signals is generally required to accurately determine the position of the object. In short, the devices need to work together to function properly. To work together properly, the devices need to be able to communicate. In many positioning applications, the devices need to be able to communicate directly via a straight-line wireless transmission, and they cannot function properly if they need to communicate through an intermediary or do not otherwise have a straight-line path of communication. The location of the individual positioning devices relative to the system overall is therefore important to consider when placing a system into service or trouble-shooting the performance of an existing system.
Placing a multi-device positioning system into service involves onboarding each of the constituent devices into the system. This can be a challenging procedure as the location of all the devices will set the range of observation available to the system and determine if the system is operable. Therefore, in a system of any appreciable size the devices will be located far apart, and the time spent moving back and forth among the devices to adjust them can be time consuming by itself. Furthermore, the appropriate position of each device depends in part on the position of every other device in the system such that the interrelationships of the multiple devices can explode the complexity of the system. Determining where each device should be placed, or determining which device is causing a system failure, can be difficult to troubleshoot as the web of interrelationships between their positions may be difficult to intuit from the information available to an installer. Furthermore, if there is any appreciable degree of flexibility in terms of where each individual device can be placed, the number of potential configurations of the system is likewise immense and testing all the different potential configurations, or even a subset of the configurations, can be time consuming. For these reasons, an ideal confirmation, or even a functional one, can be difficult to find.

Recursive real time positioning system setup method for immediate convergence of functional system setup


The invention relates to a signal peptide of the formula: EQU MXKSTLLLLFLLLCLPSWNAGA. and X represents a direct bond between M and K, an amino acid selected from the group comprising the 20 amino acids of the genetic code, or a peptide containing 2, 3 or 4 amino acids selected, each independently of the other, from the group comprising the 20 amino acids of the genetic code.

The present invention relates to a novel signal peptide, to the DNA sequences coding for the latter, to the expression vectors carrying one of these sequences, to the Gram-negative bacteria transformed by these vectors and to a process for the periplasmic production of a polypeptide with the aid of these bacteria.
It is known that Gram-negative bacteria naturally produce polypeptides synthesized in the form of a precursor in the cytoplasm and exported towards the periplasm--the space between the cytoplasmic membrane and the bacterial wall--where they accumulate in the form of a mature polypeptide, i.e. a polypeptide which is capable of ensuring its specific biological action. These polypeptides include enzymes in particular, such as alkaline phosphatase.
It is also known that Gram-negative bacteria can be made to produce, in their periplasm, a polypeptide which is foreign to them. This kind of periplasmic production is of definite interest because it is easier to separate said polypeptide from the other constituents of the periplasm than to separate the polypeptide from the other components of the cytoplasm, as is required in the case of a production with accumulation in the cytoplasm. It is also of interest because the polypeptide accumulates in its mature form without the addition of an N-terminal methionine, which would then have to be removed, and without the adoption of an unfavorable secondary conformation.
It is known that, for its production to be periplasmic, a polypeptide must be synthesized in the form of a precursor corresponding to the mature polypeptide extended at its N-terminal end by a peptide, called a signal peptide, which generally consists of 15 to 30 amino acids. This signal peptide, which has a decisive role in the secretion of the polypeptide, is cleaved during the process, thereby releasing the mature polypeptide in the periplasm.
The first studies concerned with adapting bacteria to the periplasmic production of a polypeptide which was foreign to them, and especially a polypeptide of eukaryotic origin, consisted in transforming the bacteria with the aid of an expression vector carrying a DNA sequence coding for a natural precursor of said polypeptide. This strategy has repeatedly proved to be rather unsuitable for industrial production in terms of quantity.
An attempt to provide a satisfactory solution consisted in replacing the natural signal peptide of the polypeptide with that of a bacterial polypeptide synthesized in the form of a precursor. European patent application A-0177343 gives Examples of how to use such signal peptides.

Signal peptide, DNA sequences coding for the latter, expression vectors carrying one of these sequences, gram-negative bacteria transformed by these vectors, and process for the periplasmic production of a polypeptide


A multiprocessor data processing system (10), and a method of operating same, so as to provide efficient bandwidth utilization of shared system resources (24, 26). The system includes a plurality of processor nodes, each of which includes a data processor (22a, 28a). A first step of a method buffers data written by a data processor to a first bus (23a), prior to the data being transmitted to a second bus (32). Also buffered are byte enable (BE) signals generated by the data processor in conjunction with the data written by the data processor. A next step performs a main memory (26) write operation by transmitting the buffered data to the second bus; responsive to the stored BE signals, also transmitting a control signal for indicating if a memory write is to be accomplished as a read-modify-write (RMW) type of memory operation; and transmitting the stored BE signals to the second bus. A further step couples the data, the RMW signal, and the BE signals from the second bus to a third bus (24) for reception by the main memory.

System requirements needed to interact with and visualize large, time-dependent data sets include a large, high-bandwidth disk array to store the entire data set being processed, a high speed network to download a problem set, a large, high-speed memory to buffer all data required to process a single simulation time step, computational power that is adequate to manipulate, enhance, and visualize the data sets, and a real-time, high resolution visual display. Furthermore, it is important that these functions be provided within a highly programmable and flexible user environment.
One fundamental problem encountered in multiprocessor systems is the provision of an efficient utilization of shared resources, such as a shared interconnect, or global bus, and a shared, global memory. It is desirable to operate such shared resources at their maximum bandwidth potential, while still providing reliable data transfers and storage. This problem is compounded when a variety of different types of agents, such as processors, I/O processors, and the like, are all coupled to the shared resources.
The following two commonly U.S. Patents are cited as showing multiple processor systems.
In commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,319, issued Apr. 5, 1988, entitled "Interrupt Mechanism for Multiprocessing System Having a Plurality of Interrupt Lines in Both a Global Bus and Cell Buses" to DasGupta et al. there is described a multiprocessing system that includes an executive processing element connected to a global bus. A plurality of cells, each of which includes plural processors, are connected through a plurality of bus interface systems to the global bus. A workstation is connected to the executive processor to input jobs into the multiprocessing system for execution.
In commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,350, issued Aug. 29, 1989, entitled "Architecture for a Distributive Microprocessing System" to Orr et al. there is described a shared memory system to interface a primary processor with a plurality of microprocessor control devices. The shared memory system includes a RAM and a dedicated processor for managing the RAM.
What is one object of this invention is to provide a multiprocessor system that efficiently utilizes shared system resources.
It is another object of the invention to provide a multiprocessor system optimized for providing high speed data interconnects enabling the real-time manipulation and display of complex, high resolution images.

Multiprocessor system having local write cache within each data processor node


An object of the invention is to provide a coated article having a protective member which is improved in light transparency, heat resistance, and weather resistance, and easy to manufacture, as typified by a solar battery module which experience no deterioration of performance during long-term outdoor installation; and to provide a coated article capable of protecting a functional film or device from water vapor and gases for dramatically improve the life of the functional film or device. These objects are achieved by a coated article having as a protective member a silica coating which is obtained by applying a polysilazane-containing coating solution on at least one surface of a resinous substrate having light transparency and heat resistance under atmospheric pressure, followed by steam oxidation and heat treatment.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a coated article comprising a member such as a protective member having light transparency, weather resistance, heat resistance and electrical insulation or a protective member having improved substrate passivation properties, and especially, to a solar battery module using the same.
2. Background Art
From the past, a variety of polymeric materials have been investigated as a protective member on module sheets requiring light transparency and weather resistance and themselves having flexibility, and having to be wound up and extended as used in solar batteries or the like.
For example, JP-A 1-198081 discloses an integrated a-Si solar battery in the form of a module sheet comprising a polymeric film support, thin film solar cells formed thereon, and a protective film layer stacked thereon with an intervening buffer adhesive film layer of a thermoplastic polymer, wherein the sheet has a thickness of less than 1000 xcexcm and a flexural modulus, as measured on a sample of 5 mm wide, of up to 100 kg-mm2, preferably up to 10 kg-mm2. The solar battery is repeatedly foldable and flexible so that the solar battery can be wound up into a compact roll when unnecessary without damaging the solar battery, and extended flat for operation when necessary.
Also, Japanese Patent Application No. 10-54498 of the present applicant describes a solar battery which is laminated to at least one surface of a substrate made of a resin having light transparency and heat resistance, using a hot melt member having a buffer adhesive layer containing a thermosetting resin.
These protective members of polymers (i.e., resins), however, sometimes fail to provide sufficient strength because polymers necessarily contain, by reason of synthesis, oligomers having a lower degree of polymerization which are considered to become sites where degradation begins. Also polymers have a limit on their heat resistance even when they are heat resistant. For example, when heated by direct exposure to sunlight, polymer film undergoes thermal shrinkage or expansion, which can eventually cause device deformation or delamination. When polymers are used in film form, problems of warp, crease, waviness and sagging occur. Further, since solar batteries to be installed outdoor for a long term are exposed to rain and wind as well as heat, they must be improved in weathering properties including water absorption, moisture permeability, oxygen permeability, barrier properties against gases including corrosive gases such as NOx, and hydrolytic degradation of polymers by interaction with UV light. Also, since solar batteries function upon receipt of light, typically sunlight, it is prohibited to use a material that can adversely affect the light transparency of a light receiving surface. Where flexibility must be maintained, it also becomes a restrictive factor.
When highly heat resistant films such as polyimide and aramides films are used as the substrate, these films which are strongly hydrophilic absorb water or moisture and give rise to outgassing in a vacuum deposition step of a solar battery module fabrication process. As a result of outgassing, electrodes and thin films such as photoelectric conversion films are deteriorated in quality; thin film laminates including substrates are curled, warped or waved; and factors associated with dimensions and shape deformation including a heat shrinkage factor and a coefficient of linear expansion are adversely affected.
Such protective members requiring light transparency, weather resistance, heat resistance, gas barrier properties, water (or moisture) non-absorbing properties, chemical separation resistance and the like are not only employed in solar batteries, but are also required in electronic device applications such as optical discs, liquid crystal panel displays, and EL displays and agricultural material applications such as vinyl chloride substitutes in agricultural green houses.
An object of the invention is to provide a coated article which is improved in light transparency, heat resistance, passivating properties (such as gas barrier properties, oligomer release prevention and outgassing minimization), water (or moisture) non-absorbing properties, stability against chemical degradation, dimensional shape stability, surface anti-reflection, electrical insulation, UV degradation resistance and weather resistance, and has such a member as a protective member featuring high productivity as typified by possible deposition under atmospheric pressure; and a coated article having such a member as a protective member imposing a minimized burden to the environment. Another object is to provide a solar battery module comprising a member such as a protective member as mentioned above, and experiencing little or no loss of performance for a long term of outdoor installation.
A further object is to provide a transparent flexible support suited for use in organic EL displays, and an organic EL display using the support.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved by the present invention which is defined below.
(1) A coated article comprising a substrate made of a resin having light transparency and heat resistance, stainless steel base metal material or glass, and a silica coating formed on at least one surface of the substrate by applying a polysilazane-containing coating solution under atmospheric pressure, followed by oxidizing treatment.
(2) The coated article of (1) wherein the polysilazane is perhydropolysilazane.
(3) The coated article of (1) wherein said silica coating has a thickness of 0.01 to 15 xcexcm.
(4) The coated article of (1) wherein said substrate is made of a resin having a glass transition temperature of at least 65xc2x0 C. or a heat resisting temperature of at least 70xc2x0 C.
(5) The coated article of (1) wherein said silica coating further has UV absorbing properties.
(6) The coated article of (1) wherein said silica coating further contains UV-absorbing inorganic microparticulates and/or an UV long wavelength-fluorescence converting organic compound or organic metal complex molecule.
(7) The coated article of (1) wherein said silica coating is stacked with an organic UV absorber-containing resin coating layer or a UV-absorbing polymer coating layer.
(8) The coated article of (1) wherein said substrate is made of at least a polymethyl methacrylate resin, polycarbonate resin, amorphous polyolefin resin or polyester resin.
(9) The coated article of (6) wherein said UV-absorbing inorganic microparticulates are ZnO microparticulates.
(10) The coated article of (1) wherein said silica coating is formed on one or either surface of said substrate for blocking the discharge of an outgassing component or oligomer in the substrate made of a water absorbing, moisture permeable or oxygen permeable resin film, so that the coated article functions as a passivation film and is used as a substrate for vacuum deposition.
(11) The coated article of (1) wherein said silica coating is formed on one or either surface of said substrate, wherein by virtue of the heat resistance, modulus of elasticity and low heat shrinkage factor of said silica coating, when another functional film is deposited and laid thereon under atmospheric pressure or vacuum, the coated article serves as a film depositing substrate capable of maintaining the dimensional precision, suppressing the heat deformation and maintaining the flatness of the substrate.
(12) A solar battery module comprising the coated article of (1).
(13) The solar battery module of (12) wherein said substrate has the silica coating on one surface thereof and a buffer adhesive layer on another surface thereof, and said module has the silica coat-bearing substrate attached as a protective member through the buffer adhesive layer.
(14) The solar battery module of (13) which has the protective member on at least a light-receiving side.
(15) The solar battery module of (14) which has the protective member on both the light-receiving side and an opposite side.
(16) The solar battery module of (12) which has a member comprising a substrate made of a stainless steel base metal material and a silica coating formed on one or either surface thereof as an insulating flat film.
(17) The solar battery module of (12) which has a member comprising a substrate made of soda glass and a silica coating formed on one or either surface thereof as a Na+ non-migrating film.


A method of singulating a wafer includes providing a wafer having a plurality of die formed as part of the wafer and separated from each other by spaces, wherein the wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces, and wherein a layer of material is formed along the second major surface. The method includes placing the wafer onto a carrier substrate. The method includes singulating the wafer through the spaces to form singulation lines after the placing the wafer on the carrier substrate, wherein singulating comprises stopping in proximity to the layer of material. The method includes applying a pressure to the entire wafer thereby separating the layer of material in the singulation lines, wherein applying the pressure comprises using a fluid. The method provide a way to batch separate layers of material disposed on wafers after singulating the wafers.

The present invention relates, in general, to electronics and, more particularly, to methods for forming electronic devices such as semiconductor dies.
In the past, the semiconductor industry utilized various methods and equipment to singulate individual semiconductor die from a semiconductor wafer on which the die was manufactured. Typically, a technique called scribing or dicing was used to either partially or fully cut through the wafer with a diamond cutting wheel along scribe grids or singulation lines that were formed on the wafer between the individual die. To allow for the alignment and the width of the dicing wheel each scribe grid usually had a large width, generally about one hundred fifty (150) microns, which consumed a large portion of the semiconductor wafer. Additionally, the time required to scribe each singulation line on the semiconductor wafer could take over one hour or more. This time reduced the throughput and manufacturing capacity of a production facility.
Other methods, which have included thermal laser separation (TLS), laser ablation dicing, and plasma dicing, have been explored as alternatives to scribing. Plasma dicing is a promising process compared to scribing and other alternative processes because it supports narrower scribe lines, has increased throughput, and can singulate die in varied and flexible patterns. However, plasma dicing has had manufacturing implementation challenges. Such challenges have included non-compatibility with wafer backside layers, such as back metal layers, because the etch process has been unable to effectively remove or separate the backside layers from the singulation lines. Removing or separating the backside layers from the scribe lines is necessary to facilitate subsequent processing, such as pick-and-place and assembly processes.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have a method of singulating die from a semiconductor wafer that removes or separates the backside layers from within the singulation lines. It would be beneficial for the method to be cost effective and to minimize any damage to or contamination of the separated die.
For simplicity and clarity of the illustration, elements in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and the same reference numbers in different figures denote the same elements. Additionally, descriptions and details of well-known steps and elements are omitted for simplicity of the description. For clarity of the drawings, certain regions of device structures, such as doped regions or dielectric regions, may be illustrated as having generally straight line edges and precise angular corners. However, those skilled in the art understand that, due to the diffusion and activation of dopants or formation of layers, the edges of such regions generally may not be straight lines and that the corners may not be precise angles. The terms first, second, third and the like in the claims or/and in the Detailed Description of the Drawings, as used in a portion of a name of an element are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking or in any other manner. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments described herein are capable of operation in other sequences than described or illustrated herein. Furthermore, the term "major surface" when used in conjunction with a semiconductor region, wafer, or substrate means the surface of the semiconductor region, wafer, or substrate that forms an interface with another material, such as a dielectric, an insulator, a conductor, or a polycrystalline semiconductor. The major surface can have a topography that changes in the x, y and z directions. Also, it is to be understood that where it is stated herein that one layer or region is formed on or disposed on a second layer or another region, the first layer may be formed or disposed directly on the second layer or there may be intervening layers between the first layer and the second layer. In addition, as used herein, the term formed on is used with the same meaning as located on or disposed on and is not meant to be limiting regarding any particular fabrication process.

Method of separating electronic devices having a back layer and apparatus

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