There is disclosed an exposure method for transferring, using an optical system for illuminating a mask having patterns to be transferred on a substrate and a projection optical system for projecting images of the patterns to the substrate, the patterns to the substrate through the projection optical system by means of scanning the mask and the substrate synchronously relative to the projection optical system. The method comprises the steps of providing a plurality of measuring marks on the mask formed along a relative scanning direction, and providing a plurality of reference marks formed on the stage corresponding to the measuring marks, respectively, moving the mask and the substrate synchronously in the relative scanning direction to measure successively a displacement amount between the measuring marks on the mask and the reference marks, and obtaining a correspondence relation between a coordinate system on the mask and a coordinate system on the stage according to the displacement amount.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of exposing and an apparatus therefor. More particularly, the present invention relates to an exposure apparatus of, for example, a slit scanning exposure type and an exposure method advantageously applicable to such apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
Projection type exposure apparatus has been used in manufacturing semiconductor devices, liquid crystal displays and thin-film magnetic heads through a photolithography process, in which patterns of a photomask or a reticle (hereinafter, referred generally to as xe2x80x9creticlexe2x80x9d) are transferred to the surface of a substrate (wafer, glass plate, etc.) coated with a photosensitive coating.
The conventional projection type exposure apparatus commonly used is a reduction projection type exposure apparatus (stepper) that moves individual shots on the wafer successively to an exposing field of a projection optical system to reproduce pattern images of the reticle on the shots using a photographic step-and-repeat process.
In the typical steppers, a wafer coordinate system is corresponded to a reticle coordinate system (reticle alignment).
Some steppers comprise an alignment microscope of an off-axis type provided at one side surface of the projection optical system to detect a position of the alignment mark (wafer mark) formed as a correspondence to each shot on the wafer. In such a case, the shot on the wafer is determined within the exposing field of the projection optical system according to the position of the associated wafer mark detected on the alignment microscope. Accordingly, so-called base line amount should be obtained previously that represents a distance between a reference point (such as an exposure center) within the exposing field of the projection optical system and a reference point in an observing field of the alignment microscope of the off-axis type.
The reticle alignment and the base line measurement are disclosed in detail in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-324923 (corresponding to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 872,750 (filed on Apr. 21, 1992)).
In recent years, fine patterns for the semiconductor devices require resolution of the projection optical system to be improved. To improve the resolution, exposing light may be shifted to a shorter wavelength or alternatively, the number of openings of the projection optical system may be increased. In any event, it has been difficult to maintain an image quality (such as distortion and image plate deformation) on the entire exposing field with a predetermined accuracy when it is intended to ensure as same exposing field as conventional arts. With this respect, the projection type exposure apparatuses based on so-called slit scanning exposure type have taken a favorable turn.
In the projection type exposure apparatus of the slit scanning exposure type, the reticle and the wafer are scanned relative to and synchronous with a rectangular or arc-shaped illumination field (hereinafter, referred to as a xe2x80x9cslit-shaped illumination fieldxe2x80x9d) to transfer the patterns of the reticle on the wafer. The slit scanning exposure type thus makes it possible to reduce the exposing field of the projection optical system as compared with the stepper type, provided that the reproduced patterns are equal in area to those reproduced using the stepper type. This may improve the accuracy of the image quality within the exposing field. A six-inch size is dominant for the conventional reticles while a one-fifth factor is dominant as the projection magnification of the projection optical system. At the magnification of one-fifth factor, the six-inch reticle may sometimes be insufficient for recent circuit patterns of the semiconductor device having the increased area. As a result, the projection optical systems should so designed that the projection magnification of the projection optical system is changed to, for example, quarter factors. To comply with requirements for such reproduced patterns having the increased areas the slit scanning exposure type can advantageously be applied.
In this event, the alignment method based on the reticle and wafer coordinate systems used in the conventional steppers may be unfavorable when being applied to the projection type exposure apparatus of the slit scanning type. The projection magnification of quarter factors adversely affects the accuracy of the alignment because the alignment becomes more sensitive to writing errors of the circuit patterns on the reticle.
A technique has been suggested in the above mentioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 872,750 (filed on Apr. 21, 1992) to measure a rotation angle of the reticle by means of measuring simultaneously the amount of displacement of two or more measuring marks rather than moving the wafer stages in the wafer. However, the idea of measuring the rotation angle using the simultaneous measuring of the measuring marks cannot be applied to scanning directions of the projection type exposure apparatus of the slit scanning exposure type. Thus, there is a disadvantage that it is impossible to measure the rotation angle of the reticle and wafer coordinate systems and orthogonal amount of the coordinates of these coordinate systems.
As for the method of measuring the base line amount between the reference position within the exposing field of the projection optical system and the reference position of the alignment system of the off-axis type, the conventional measuring method using a pair or marks on the reticle in the stepper is disadvantageous, when it is applied to the projection type exposure apparatus of the slit scanning exposure type with no modification, in that the writing error of the reticle significantly affects the measurements.
With respect to these problems, the present invention is directed to provide an exposure method and an exposure apparatus capable of reducing affect of the writing error between the patterns on the reticle (mask), allowing positive alignment of the reticle coordinate system (mask coordinate system) and the wafer coordinate system (substrate coordinate system) in the exposure apparatus of the slit scanning exposure type.
In light of this, speed of operation may sometimes be considered to be more important than the accuracy of alignment depending on the process. With this respect, another object of the present invention is to provide an exposure method and an exposure apparatus capable of aligning the reticle coordinate system (mask coordinate system) with the wafer coordinate system (substrate coordinate system) at a higher throughput.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an exposure method and an exposure apparatus capable of reducing affect of the writing error between the patterns on the reticle (mask), allowing positive measurement of the base line amount between the reference point in the exposing field of the projection optical system and the reference point of the alignment system in the exposure apparatus of the slit scanning exposure type.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an exposure method and an exposure apparatus in which the alignment between the reticle coordinate system (mask coordinate system) and the wafer coordinate system (substrate coordinate system) as well as the base line amount are obtained for exposure.
In a case where the base line measurement is performed for every predetermined number of wafer replacements, speed of operation may be considered to be more important than the accuracy of alignment. At the same time, the reticle coordinate system (mask coordinate system) is preferably aligned to the wafer coordinate system (substrate coordinate system). With this respect, another object of the present invention is to provide an exposure method and an exposure apparatus capable of aligning the reticle coordinate system (mask coordinate system) to the wafer coordinate system (substrate coordinate system) and of measuring the base line therefor at a higher throughput for every predetermined number of wafer replacements.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an exposure method and an exposure apparatus using a plurality of measuring reticle marks to reduce affect of, for example, the writing errors between patterns on the reticle (mask).
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an exposure method and an exposure apparatus capable of aligning the reticle coordinate system (mask coordinate system) to the wafer coordinate system (substrate coordinate system) and of measuring the base line therefor with a high accuracy in consideration of an error component to a relative scanning direction of the mask to the wafer.
In an exposure method according to a first aspect of the present invention, it is provided with an exposure method of transferring, using an optical system for illuminating a mask having patterns to be transferred to a substrate and a projection optical system for projecting images of the patterns to the substrate, the patterns on the mask to the substrate on a stage through the projection optical system by means of scanning the mask and the substrate synchronously relative to the projection optical system, wherein the method comprises the steps of: providing a plurality of measuring marks on the mask formed along a relative scanning direction, and providing a plurality of reference marks formed on the stage corresponding to the measuring marks, respectively; moving the mask and the substrate synchronously in the relative scanning direction to measure successively a displacement amount between the measuring marks on the mask and the reference marks; and obtaining a correspondence relation between a coordinate system on the mask and a coordinate system on the stage according to the displacement amount.
In an exposure method according to a second aspect of the present invention, it is provided with an exposure method of transferring, using an exposure apparatus having an optical system for illuminating a mask having patterns to be transferred to a substrate, a mask stage for holding the mask, a substrate stage for holding the substrate, a projection optical system for projecting images of the patterns to the substrate, and an alignment system having its detection center at a position away from the optical axis of the projection optical system at a predetermined distance, the patterns to the substrate through the projection optical system by means of scanning the mask and the substrate synchronously relative to the projection optical system, wherein the method comprises the steps of providing a plurality of measuring marks formed on the mask along a relative scanning direction;. providing first reference marks corresponding to a part of the measuring marks and second reference marks corresponding to the first reference marks, respectively, the first and the second reference marks being formed on the stage, the second reference marks being away from the first reference marks at a given distance that is recognized previously; moving the mask to the relative scanning direction with the second reference marks observed through the alignment system to measure successively a displacement amount between the measuring marks on the mask and the first reference marks; and obtaining a distance between a reference point within an exposing field of the projection optical system and the detection center according to the displacement amount between the measuring marks and the first reference marks, to a displacement amount of the second reference marks observed through the alignment system, and to the given distance previously recognized.
In an exposure method according to a third aspect of the present invention, it is provided with an exposure method of transferring, using an exposure apparatus having an optical system for illuminating a mask having patterns to be transferred to a substrate, a mask stage for holding the mask, a substrate stage for holding the substrate, a projection optical system for projecting images of the patterns to the substrate, and an alignment system having its detection center at a position away from the optical axis of the projection optical system at a predetermined distance, the patterns to the substrate through the projection optical system by means of scanning the mask and the substrate synchronously relative to the projection optical system, wherein the method comprises the steps of providing a plurality of measuring marks formed on he mask along a relative scanning direction; providing first reference marks corresponding to each of the measuring marks and second reference marks corresponding to the first reference marks, respectively, the first and the second reference marks being formed on the stage, the second reference marks being away from the first reference marks at a given distance that is recognized previously; moving the mask and the substrate to a scanning direction to measure successively a displacement amount between the measuring marks on the mask and the first reference marks; moving the mask and the substrate relatively to the scanning direction to measure successively a displacement amount of the second reference marks; and obtaining, a distance between a reference point within an exposing field of the projection, optical system and the detection center according to the displacement amount between the measuring marks and the first reference marks, to a displacement amount of the second reference marks observed through the alignment system, and to the given distance previously recognized.
In an exposure method according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, it is provided with an exposure method of transferring, by means of illuminating an illumination area of a predetermined shape using an illumination light to scan a mask and a substrate synchronously relative to the illumination area of a predetermined shape, patterns on the mask within the illumination area of the predetermined shape through a projection optical system to the substrate on a stage, wherein the method comprises, with a plurality of measuring marks formed on the mask along a relative scanning direction and reference marks formed on the stage corresponding to the measuring marks, a first step for measuring a displacement amount between a part of the measuring marks and the reference marks corresponding to the part of the measuring marks, respectively; a second step for moving the mask and the substrate synchronously to the relative scanning direction to measure successively a displacement amount between the measuring marks on the mask and the reference marks corresponding to the measuring marks; and a third step for selecting one of the first and the second steps to obtain a corresponding relation between a coordinate system on the mask and a coordinate system on the stage according to the displacement amount between the measuring marks and the reference marks, respectively, obtained at the selected step.
In an exposure method according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, it is provided with an exposure method of transferring, using an exposure apparatus having an optical system for illuminating an illumination area of a predetermined shape using an illumination light, a mask stage for holding a mask provided with patterns to be exposed, a substrate stage for holding a substrate, a projection optical system for projecting the patterns on the mask to the substrate, an alignment system having its detection center at a position away from the optical axis of the projection optical system at a predetermined position, the patterns on the mask in the illumination area of the predetermined shape through the projection optical system to the substrate by means of scanning the mask and the substrate synchronously relative to the illumination area of the predetermined shape, wherein the method comprises, with a plurality of measuring marks formed on the mask along a relative scanning direction and a plurality of first reference marks corresponding to the measuring marks and second reference marks corresponding to the first reference marks, the first and the second reference marks being formed on the stage, the second reference marks being away from the first reference mark at a given distance that is recognized previously, a first step for measuring a displacement amount between a part of the measuring marks on the mask and the first reference marks corresponding to the part of the measuring marks, respectively, and measuring a displacement amount between the second reference marks corresponding to the part of the first reference mark; a second step for moving the mask and the substrate in synchronism with the scanning direction to measure successively a displacement amount between the measuring marks and the first reference marks corresponding to the measuring marks, respectively, and a displacement amount of the second reference marks; a third step for selecting one of the first and the second step; and a fourth step for obtaining a corresponding relation between a coordinate system on the mask stage and a coordinate system on the substrate stage and a distance between a reference point within an exposing field of the projection optical system and the detection center according to information obtained during the step selected at the third step and a given distance previously recognized.
In an exposure method according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, it is provided with an exposure method of transferring, using an exposure apparatus having an optical system for illuminating an illumination area of a predetermined shape using an illumination light, a mask stage for holding a mask provided with patterns to be exposed, a substrate stage for holding a substrate, a projection optical system for projecting the patterns on the mask to the substrate, an alignment system having its detection center at a position away from the optical axis of the projection optical system at a predetermined position, the patterns on the mask in the illumination area of the predetermined shape through the projection optical system to the substrate by means of scanning the mask and the substrate synchronously relative to the illumination area of the predetermined shape, wherein the method comprises, with a plurality of measuring marks formed on the mask along a relative scanning direction and a plurality of first reference marks corresponding to the measuring marks and second reference marks corresponding to the first reference marks, the first and the second reference marks being formed on the stage, the second reference marks being away from the first reference mark at a given distance that is recognized previously, for every replacement of predetermined number of substrates, a step for measuring a displacement amount between a part of the measuring marks on the mask and the first reference marks corresponding to the part of the measuring marks, respectively, and measuring a displacement amount between the second reference marks corresponding to the part of the first reference mark; and a step for obtaining a corresponding relation between a coordinate system on the mask and a coordinate system on the stage and a distance between a reference point within an exposing field of the projection optical system and the detection center according to a displacement amount between one measuring mark and one first reference mark, to a displacement amount of the second reference marks, and to the given distance recognized previously.
According to the first exposure method of this invention, it is possible to reduce affect of the writing error of the measuring marks on the mask by means of obtaining a parameter (such as the magnification, a scaling in the scanning direction, rotation, degree of parallelism in the scanning direction, and offsets in an X direction and a Y direction) for use in aligning the mask coordinate system with the substrate coordinate system by using the least square approximation by means of, finally, matching the displacement obtained, for example, at each position of the measuring mark on the mark.
According to the second exposure method, it is possible to measure positively the base line amount or the distance between the reference point of the projection optical system and the reference point of the alignment system by means of reducing the writing error of the measuring marks on the mask through measurement regarding to the measuring marks on the mask side.
According to the third exposure method, a plurality of first reference marks are formed on a reference mark member with being correspondent with the measuring marks, respectively, on the mask. In addition, a plurality of second reference marks are formed at such a distance that corresponds to the distance between the reference point within the exposing field of the projection optical system and the reference point of the alignment system from the first reference marks. Accordingly, the base line amount can be measured more positively because the balancing is made across the reference marks.
According to the fourth exposure method, a simple measuring steps based on a quick mode are selected, which allows calculation of the corresponding relation between the coordinate system on the mask and the coordinate system on the stage at a higher throughput depending on the necessities.
According to the fifth exposure method, a simple measuring steps based on a quick mode are selected, which allows calculation of the corresponding relation between the coordinate system on the mask and the coordinate system on the stage as well as the base line amount at a higher throughput depending on the necessities.
According to the sixth exposure method, a simple measuring steps based on a quick mode are performed for every exposure of a predetermined number of substrates, which allows calculation of the corresponding relation between the coordinate system on the mask and the coordinate system on the stage as well as the base line amount at a higher throughput when many substrates are subjected to exposure continuously through the scanning method.
In an exposure method according to a seventh aspect of the present invention, it is provided with an exposure method for transferring, by means-of illuminating an illumination area of a predetermined shape using an illumination light and scanning a mask and a substrate synchronously relative to the illumination area of the predetermined shape, patterns on the mask in the illumination area of the predetermined shape to the substrate on a stage through a projection optical system, wherein the method comprises, with a plurality of measuring marks formed on the mask along a relative scanning direction and a plurality of reference marks formed on the stage corresponding to a part of the measuring marks, the steps of moving the mask to the relative scanning direction to measure successively a displacement amount between the measuring marks on the mask and the reference marks; and obtaining a corresponding relation between a coordinate system on the mask and a coordinate system on the stage.
In an exposure method according to an eighth aspect of the present invention, it is provided with an exposure method for transferring, using an exposure apparatus having an optical system for illuminating an illumination area of a predetermined shape using an illumination light, a mask stage for holding a mask provided with patterns to be exposed, a substrate stage for holding a substrate, a projection optical system for projecting the patterns on the mask to the substrate, an alignment system having its detection center at a position away from the optical axis of the projection optical system at a predetermined position, the patterns on the mask in the illumination area of the predetermined shape through the projection optical system to the substrate by means of scanning the mask and the substrate synchronously relative to the illumination area of the predetermined shape, wherein the method comprises the steps of forming on the substrate stage a reference mark detectable by the alignment system to measure a displacement amount of the reference marks by the alignment system; entering a mark error of the mask; and obtaining a corresponding relation between a coordinate system on the mask stage and a coordinate system on the substrate stage, and a distance between a reference pint within an exposing field of the projection optical system and the detection center.
In an exposure apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention, it is provided with an exposure apparatus comprising a mask stage for holding a mask provided with patterns to be transferred; a substrate stage for holding a substrate; an optical system for illuminating the mask using an illumination light; a projection optical system for projecting images of the patterns on the mask to the substrate; and a first mark detecting system for detecting a mask mark formed at a predetermined position on the mask within an exposing field of the projection optical system, the exposure apparatus being for use in scanning the mask and the substrate synchronously relative to the projection optical system to transfer the patterns on the mask to the substrate through the projection optical system, wherein the apparatus further comprises a reference plate provided on the substrate stage, the reference plate comprising a plurality of first reference marks detectable by the first mark detecting system through the projection optical system; a plurality of measuring marks provided on the mask, each of the measuring marks being provided along a relative scanning direction with being correspondent with the reference mark; a driving control system for use in observing a part of the first reference marks and a part of the measuring marks through the first mark detecting system to move the mask stage and the substrate stage to the relative scanning direction such that a displacement amount between the measuring marks on the mask and the reference marks is measured successively; and calculating means for calculating a corresponding relation between a coordinate system on the mask stage and a coordinate system on the substrate stage.
In an exposure apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention, it is provided with an exposure apparatus comprising a mask stage for holding a mask provided with patterns to be transferred; a substrate stage for holding a substrate; an optical system for illuminating the mask using an illumination light; a projection optical system for projecting images of the patterns on the mask to the substrate; and a first mark detecting system for detecting a mask mark formed at a predetermined position on the mask within an exposing field of the projection optical system, the apparatus being for use in scanning the mask and the substrate synchronously relative to the projection optical system to transfer the patterns on the mask to the substrate through the projection optical system, wherein the apparatus further comprises a reference plate provided on the substrate stage, the reference plate comprising a plurality of first reference marks detectable by the first mark detecting system through the projection system and second reference marks provided with being away from the first reference marks at a given distance that is recognized previously; a plurality of measuring marks provided on the mask, each of the measuring mask being provided along the relative scanning direction with being correspondent with the first reference mark; a driving control system for use in moving the mask stage and the substrate stage to the relative scanning direction such that the part of the measuring marks and the part of the reference marks are observed through the first mark detecting system and a displace amounts are measured successively between the measuring marks on the mask and the reference marks as well as between the second reference marks with one of a plurality of second reference marks being observed through a second mark detecting system; and calculating means for calculating a corresponding relation between a coordinate system on the mask stage and a coordinate system on the substrate stage and a distance between a reference point within an exposing field of the projection optical system and the detection center according to the displacement amounts measured.

Method of exposing and apparatus therefor


A computer graphical image manipulation and transmission system which enables a user to create a composite image by using a positional input device to select individual elements of the composite image to be changed. The system automatically presents alternative image elements in a predetermined sequence each time a given zone of the composite image is specified. The image modification proceeds by simply selecting image areas with a mouse or the like, eliminating the need for pop-up or drop-down menus, dialog boxes, tool boxes, or drag-and-drop image palettes. The selection of any image element may also cause an ancillary function to be performed, including the automatic alteration of the image elements associated with another zone of the image. The image composite image thus created may be converted into a standard bitmap file for use in other programs, or may take the form of an data structure containing zone coordinates and image identifiers, allowing the image modification session to be resumed and further allowing the transfer of an complex image by sending a relatively small amount of data when the individual image elements from which the image is constructed are available to both the transmitting and receiving station. The image manipulation and viewing mechanism may be utilized in standard applications adapted to receive and manipulate composite image applications in container documents, and is adapted for use with web browsers capable of displaying the composite images as imbedded images in web documents.

Powerful computerized image editing tools are currently available which enable a graphics artist to produce sophisticated digital images for almost any purpose. These programs frequently provide a robust set of image creation tools for creating precise geometric shapes, adding freehand image segments, modifying and manipulating digital photographs, composing and shaping lettering, and adding fill solid, gradient and patterned fill colors. Such programs do not, however, eliminate the need for artistic talent, and the rich assortment of illustration tools built into the more powerful image creation programs requires a significant investment of time before even a skilled artist or illustrator can become fully proficient with such a tool.
Those without the time or skill needed to create original drawings can instead rely upon a rich assortment of previously created "clip art" which is made available in purchasable libraries, frequently stored on CD ROM disks whose large storage capacity is often needed to store the large data files needed, particularly for bit-mapped images. Clip art often takes the form of image segments, such as borders and iconic symbols which are often combined with text to form a composite image tailored to the particular needs.
To form such an composite image, the clip-art image elements are normally specified by their file name using a dialog box and inserted into the target page, then moved into the desired position and sized as needed. This use of insertable clip-art files, although requiring less artistic skill that the creation of original images, remains a time consuming process which often falls short of producing the most pleasing result, particular when many image elements must each be chosen from many alternatives. As a consequence, unskilled users frequently resort to the use of a limited number of standard graphical templates which are used for all purposes, simply because the creation of specially tailored images to suit particular circumstances is a time consuming process which often yields unsatisfactory images that reveal that their creator is an amateur.

System for manipulating graphical composite image composed of elements selected by user from sequentially displayed members of stored image sets


A high-voltage cable connection (10) includes a standard terminal (12) which fits into a female receptacle in a. power supply or x-ray tube to make an electrical connection. A cable (14) is routed through a proximal end (30) of the terminal (12). A clamp (18) secures a jacket (42) of the cable (14) to a cap (16) at the prominal end (30). A boot (20) envelops the cable (14) at a point where the cable (14) enters the terminal (12). A collar (22) which is split into halves or segments (22A, 22B) fits conformably about a boundary formed between the proximal end (30) of the terminal (12) and the boot (20). A ring (24) fits about the collar (22) to hold the segments (22A, 22B) together. A nut (26) having an external thread portion fits over the collar (22) and the ring (24), the nut (26) being rotatable about the collar (22) and the ring (24) and mating with internal threads which form a part of the female receptacle in the power supply or the x-ray tube.

In the use of equipment which employs x-ray tubes or other devices which require high voltages (on the range of 75 kilovolts), cable connections to such devices include a female insulating receptacle on the x-ray tube or high-voltage power source, and an insulating male sleeve which terminates the end of the high-voltage cable. The male sleeve is inserted into the female receptacle to make the electric connection, and the female receptacle and male sleeve are basically conventional components of high-voltage connectors. A fluid or viscus dielectric medium may be used in the small clearance space between the receptacle and sleeve to displace air which would otherwise provide a path for high voltage arcing and breakdown.
The high-voltage cable may extend one hundred feet or more between the high-voltage power source and the x-ray tube or other device, and the x-ray cable needs to be flexible for routing of the cable and to enable the operator to move the equipment to which the cable is connected without excessive effort. In facilitating the routing and movement of the cable, it is desireable that the junction between the cable and the male sleeve accommodates a wide range of cable movement. High-voltage cables of the prior art, therefore, incorporate a U-joint, pivot, or similar means which enables the operator to readily move or manipulate the cable. These means of joining the cable and male sleeve are not without their limitations, however.
Accordingly, a need has arisen for a high-voltage cable connection which is flexible at the junction between the male sleeve and the cable to accommodate a wide range of movement, and which is easily assembled, disassembled and repaired.


Disclosed herein is a method of forming a microcrystalline silicon film by using a raw gas containing at least a silicon compound by a high-frequency plasma CVD method, wherein the formation of the film is conducted in such a manner that the residence time, xcfx84 (ms) of the raw gas in a film deposition chamber, which is defined as xcfx84 (ms)=78.9xc3x97Vxc3x97P/M, in which V is a volume (cm3) of the deposition chamber, P is a deposition pressure (Torr), and M is a total flow rate (sccm) of the raw gas, satisfies xcfx84 less than 40. The method permits the formation of a good-quality microcrystalline silicon film at low cost.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of forming a microcrystalline silicon film, a method of fabricating a photovoltaic device using this method, and a photovoltaic device fabricated thereby, and particularly to a method of forming a microcrystalline silicon film using a plasma CVD method, a method of fabricating a photovoltaic device using this method, and a photovoltaic device fabricated thereby.
2. Related Background Art
Since the valence electron control of a thin amorphous silicon film became feasible in the latter half of 1970s, headway has come to be made in research and development for applying the thin amorphous silicon film to photovoltaic devices typified by a solar cell. As a process for fabricating a photovoltaic device having a thin amorphous silicon film or the like, there has heretofore been widely known a plasma CVD method utilizing radio frequency (RF) typified by 13.56 MHz.
According to the photovoltaic device having the thin amorphous silicon film or the like fabricated by the RF plasma CVD method, a comparatively good photoelectric conversion efficiency is achieved with a less material compared with bulk-monocrystalline or polycrystalline silicon. However, there is room for improvement in process speed. More specifically, the thickness of the amorphous silicon layer used in an active layer of the photovoltaic device is required to be about several thousands xc3x85. In order to obtain a good-quality amorphous silicon layer suitable for use in the photovoltaic device, however, it must be deposited at an extremely low rate. It has thus been difficult to reduce process cost.
By the way, in the plasma CVD method using 13.56 MHz, it has been confirmed that the quality of a thin film formed tends to be more rapidly deteriorated as the deposition rate of the film is increased, and so it is difficult to enhance throughput upon mass production.
A plasma CVD method using a microwave (MW) typified by 2.45 GHz has also been known as a method capable of forming a comparatively good-quality thin film even when the deposition rate of the thin film is comparatively high. For example, xe2x80x9ca-Si Solar Cell according to Microwave plasma CVD Methodxe2x80x9d, Kazufumi Azuma, Takeshi Watanabe, and Toshikazu Shimada, Preprints in 50th Science Lecture Meeting of Applied Physics Society, pp. 566 is mentioned as an example where an i- type layer is formed by the microwave plasma CVD method.
It has also been known that the use of the frequency of about 100 MHz within the VHF band is effective from the viewpoints of the provision of a high-quality thin amorphous silicon film and the high-speed formation of the film. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,203 describes the fact that xe2x80x9ca good-quality amorphous silicon film is obtained at a ratio, f/d of frequency, f (MHz) to an interelectrode distance, d (cm) of from 30 to 100 in a frequency range of from 25 to 150 MHzxe2x80x9d.
In this publication, the relationship between the frequency and the interelectrode distance is defined with respect to the production process of an amorphous silicon film. However, it describes neither the production process of a microcrystalline silicon film nor the deposition pressure and raw gas residence time in a frequency range higher than 150 MHz.
By the way, the thin film photovoltaic device using the thin amorphous silicon film generally has a pin junction structure, and the photoelectric conversion thereof is mainly conducted in an i-type layer. Many attempts to microcrystallize a p-type layer and/or an n- type layer in order to improve junction characteristics have been made to date. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-187971 discloses a method of improving output current and output voltage by forming an i-type layer with amorphous silicon and forming at least a layer of a p-type layer and an n-type layer, which is situated on the side struck by light, with microcrystalline silicon having an average grain size of at most 100 xc3x85.
However, at the present time, in any forming process, a phenomenon (the so-called Staebler-Wronski effect) that the defect density of an i-type layer is increased upon exposure to light to cause the reduction of photoelectric conversion efficiency has become a great problem in practical use in pin-type solar cells using amorphous silicon for the i-type layer.
In recent years, it has been attempted to use i-type microcrystalline silicon for a photoelectric conversion layer of an amorphous silicon type thin film photovoltaic device. For example, in 25th IEEE PV Specialists Conference, Washington, May 13-17, 1996, a group of Shah et al. in Neuchatel University has reported a pin-type microcrystalline silicon solar cell having a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 7.7% without being attended with deterioration by light, which was fabricated by using microcrystalline silicon for all the layers of a p-type layer, an i-type layer and an n-type layer.
A process for forming the microcrystalline silicon layers adopted by this group is basically the same as the constitution of the conventional RF plasma CVD method and does not use a high-temperature process above 500xc2x0 C. required for the formation of a thin crystalline silicon film such as a thin polycrystalline silicon film. It is also characterized in that the frequency of 110 MHz within the VHF band is adopted as plasma forming frequency.
As described above, the pin-type solar cell using the i-type microcrystalline silicon film formed by using the frequency within the VHF band has a great advantage in that the solar cell is not attended with deterioration by light though it may be fabricated by a low-temperature process.
According to the above-described report from the group of Shah et al. in Neuchatel University, the deposition rate of the i-type layer of microcrystalline silicon was 1.2 xc3x85/s, and the thickness thereof was 3.6 xcexcm. It is found by a simple calculation that the time required to form the i-type layer of microcrystalline silicon is as long as at least 8 hours. Therefore, its throughput is very small though it has a comparatively high conversion efficiency and is not attended with deterioration by light. As a result, it is difficult for such a process to reduce its production cost.
In order to realize the mass production of the pin- type solar cell using microcrystalline silicon for an i- type layer, it is essential to enhance the deposition rate of the i-type layer of microcrystalline silicon by leaps and bounds. However, pin-type solar cells using the microcrystalline silicon for the i-type layer and having a comparatively good photoelectric conversion efficiency have been comparatively lately fabricated, and so the technique for forming the i-type microcrystalline silicon layer at a high speed has been scarcely known under the existing circumstances.
For example, when a high-temperature process above 500xc2x0 C. is used, it is expected that energy for crystallization can be obtained as thermal energy from a substrate, and so the formation of a film at a high speed can be conducted with comparative ease. However, the use of the high-temperature process incurs a possibility that the deterioration of cell characteristics may occur due to mutual diffusion at a cell interface, and involves a problem that process cost is increased.
The present invention has been completed in view of the foregoing circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of forming a microcrystalline silicon film having excellent semiconductor characteristics.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of forming a microcrystalline silicon film, by which a microcrystalline silicon film having good characteristics can be formed even when the formation is conducted at a low temperature and a high deposition rate.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of forming a microcrystalline silicon film, by which a microcrystalline silicon film suitable for use in an i-type layer of a pin-type solar cell can be formed at a high rate of from 2 to several tens xc3x85/s even by a low-temperature process of, for example, 150 to 500xc2x0 C. without using the high-temperature process above 500xc2x0 C.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method of fabricating a photovoltaic device using any one of the forming methods of a microcrystalline silicon film by which the above objects can be achieved, and a photovoltaic device having a microcrystalline silicon film obtained by such a forming method as a component.
A yet still further object of the present invention is to provide a method of forming a microcrystalline silicon film with a raw gas containing at least a silicon compound by a high-frequency plasma CVD method, wherein the formation of the film is conducted such that the residence time xcfx84 (ms) of the raw gas in a film deposition chamber, which is defined as xcfx84 (ms)=78.9xc3x97Vxc3x97P/M in which V is a volume (cm3) of the deposition chamber, P is a deposition pressure (Torr) and M is a total flow rate (sccm) of the raw gas, satisfies xcfx84 less than 40.
A yet still further object of the present invention is to provide a method of fabricating a photovoltaic device utilizing the forming method described above, and a photovoltaic device having a microcrystalline silicon film obtained according to the above film forming method.
As described above, the present invention relates to novel methods of forming a microcrystalline silicon film, and photovoltaic devices having the microcrystalline silicon film formed by such a method as a photoelectric conversion layer. The constitution and action of the present invention will hereinafter be further described.
In the high-frequency plasma CVD method using a silicon compound such as silane as a raw gas, the crystallinity, defect density, photosensitivity and the like of a film deposited can be controlled by changing forming conditions (frequency of high frequency, high-frequency power, substrate temperature, deposition pressure, distance between a substrate and an electrode, flow rate of the raw gas, dilution rate of the raw gas, etc.).
As described above, the present inventor has gone ahead with the research and development of methods for forming a microcrystalline silicon film suitable for use in an i-type layer of a pin-type solar cell at a high rate of 2 to several tens xc3x85/s even by a low-temperature process of 150 to 500xc2x0 C.
As a result, it has been found that the range (xcfx84 less than 40) of the residence time of the raw gas exists as forming conditions for forming a good-quality microcrystalline silicon film, particularly, in a high deposition rate region of at least 5 xc3x85/s.
Here, the residence time, xcfx84 (ms) is defined in the following manner. Incidentally, deposition pressure, the total flow rate of the raw gas and the volume of a deposition chamber are regarded as P (Torr), M (sccm) and V (cm3), respectively.
When P1=760 (Torr), V1=M/60 (cm3/s), P2=P (Torr), V2=V (cm3)/xcfx84 (ms)xc3x97103 are substituted into the relational expression (Boyle""s law), P1V1=P2V2 between volume and pressure of a gas at the same temperature, xcfx84 (ms)=78.9xc3x97Vxc3x97P/M is derived.
In general, the decomposition of the raw gas is accelerated, and at the same time energy of ions and electrons present in plasma is also increased as frequency, f is increased under conditions that the pressure, P is fixed. It is therefore considered that a film deposited can receive energy from the ions and electrons in the plasma, thereby accelerating lattice relaxation to improve crystallinity.
When the frequency, f is continuously increased while keeping the distance, d between the substrate and the electrode constant, however, the energy applied to the deposited film from the plasma becomes too great, so that the defect density in the deposited film is increased, and in some cases the deposited film itself may not be formed due to etching effect. Therefore, the value of the distance, d (cm) between the substrate and the electrode, at which a good-quality film can be formed, increases with the increase in the frequency, f.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,203 described above, the condition range of the ratio, f/d of the frequency, f and the distance, d (cm) between the substrate and the electrode for forming a good-quality film is defined. However, U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,203 describes the optimum conditions for forming good-quality amorphous silicon films and alloy films thereof, but refers to neither the formation of a microcrystalline silicon film nor the residence time.
According to the results of the research and development performed by the present inventor, a good-quality microcrystalline silicon film was able to be formed in the frequency, f ranging from 50 to 550 MHz in the formation of the microcrystalline silicon film by the high-frequency plasma CVD method using a silicon compound such as silane as a raw gas at a low temperature of 500xc2x0 C. or lower. However, the optimum conditions in the respective forming conditions thereof varied between the low-frequency side and the high-frequency side within the range of from 50 to 550 MHz.
It has however been found that when the relational expression, xcfx84 (ms)=78.9xc3x97Vxc3x97P/M of the residence time is used, the range of the conditions for forming a good quality microcrystalline silicon film can be defined over substantially the whole region of from 50 to 550 MHz, and the range falls within the range of xcfx84 less than 40. Incidentally, the residence time is desirably at least 0.5 ms. The reason for it is that if the residence time of the raw gas is too short, the application of energy to the raw gas is decreased to fail to sufficiently decompose the raw gas, so that the utilization efficiency of the raw gas is reduced to decrease the deposition rate of the film.
In order to obtain a good-quality microcrystalline silicon film at low cost, it may be preferred that the frequency of a high-frequency power source be 50 or more and does not exceed 550 MHz, the temperature of a substrate be 150xc2x0 C. or more and does not exceed 500xc2x0 C., the deposition pressure be 0.01 Torr or more and does not exceed 0.5 Torr, and the making power density of the high frequency be 0.001 or more and does not exceed 0.5 W/cm3.
It may be more preferred that in the frequency of the high-frequency power source being 50 MHz or more and not exceeding 200 MHz, the temperature of a substrate be 150 or more and doesnot exceed 500xc2x0 C., the deposition pressure be 0.1 Torr or more and does not exceed 0.5 Torr, and the making power density of the high frequency be 0.001 W/cm3 or more and does not exceed 0.2 W/cm3.
It may also be more preferred that in the frequency of the high-frequency power source being 200 MHz or more and not exceeding 550 MHz, the temperature of a substrate be 150xc2x0 C. or more and does not exceed 500xc2x0 C., the deposition pressure be 0.01 Torr or more and does not exceed 0.3 Torr, and the making power density of the high frequency be 0.01 W/cm3 or more and does not exceed 0.5 W/cm3.
Referring to the raw gas from the viewpoint of the formation of a good-quality film at a high speed, it may be preferred that the total flow rate of the raw gas comprising a silicon compound gas and a diluent gas be at least 500 sccm, and a ratio of the diluent gas to the silicon compound gas be at least 20.
In particular, it may be more preferred that the total flow rate of the raw gas be at least 1,000 sccm, and a ratio of the diluent gas to the silicon compound gas be at least 25. The ratio may be desirably at most 60. The reason for it is that in the case of dilution with H2 gas, the amount of H2 is increased, and so the quality of the film deposited may be deteriorated due to damage by etching effect, H ions and the like.
The methods of forming a crystalline silicon film according to the present invention feature that the characteristics of a film formed are scarcely deteriorated, particularly, even upon the formation of the film at a high deposition rate of at least 5 xc3x85/s.
In particular, the formation of a film at a deposition rate of at least 10 xc3x85/s is very preferred, because it is related to the great shortening of process time. The methods of forming a crystalline silicon film according to the present invention may provide films having characteristics comparable with those in a low deposition rate of about 1 to 2 xc3x85/s even when they are formed at a considerably high deposition rate of at least 10 xc3x85/s.
From the viewpoint of the enhancement of film quality of the resulting microcrystalline silicon film, it may also be preferred that a second high frequency, which does substantially not contribute to the decomposition of the raw gas, is superimposed on the plasma.
It may also be preferred that supply powers from first and second high-frequency power sources be controlled in such a manner that the self-bias voltages of the first and second high frequencies become respective fixed values, since the deposition rate and characteristic distribution of a film to be formed in the direction of its thickness can be improved.
According to the methods of forming a crystalline silicon film according to the present invention, as described above, good-quality microcrystalline silicon films may be formed at low cost and a high speed. The detailed forming mechanism of the microcrystalline silicon film is not known, but may be expected to be as follows.
In the range of the above-described forming conditions,
1) a film can be formed at a low temperature and a high speed, since the frequency range is higher than 13.56 MHz in the conventional RF plasma CVD method, and so the decomposition efficiency of the raw gas and the plasma electron temperature are high.
2) The amounts of radicals and ions arrived at the growth surface of a microcrystalline silicon film can be controlled by selecting the pressure, frequency, gas flow rate, supply power, etc., thereby changing the forming conditions to amorphous film forming conditions, microcrystalline film forming conditions or etching conditions.
In particular, it has been confirmed that when the microcrystalline film is formed in a high rate region of at least 5 xc3x85/s, it is effective to limit the residence time, xcfx84 (ms) of a raw gas, which is defined as xcfx84 (ms)=78.9xc3x97Vxc3x97P/M, in which V is a volume (cm3) of a deposition chamber, P is a deposition pressure (Torr), and M is a total flow rate (sccm) of the raw gas (silicon compound gas and diluent gas), to the range of xcfx84 less than 40.
It is considered that since the supply of the raw gas is sufficiently conducted within the range of xcfx84 less than 40, the forming conditions become conditions under which ions and radicals accelerating crystal growth are moderately incident while sufficiently supplying film forming species without exhausting gas species. It is also considered that when such a comparatively high flow rate as the total flow rate of the raw gas amounts to at least 500 sccm is used, an effect to prevent the raw gas in a discharge space from being excessively decomposed is brought about.
As a result, it is possible to prevent a malignant precursor, which forms the main cause of deterioration in the film quality of a film deposited, from increasing. It is considered that the prevention of increase in the malignant precursor is extremely important to the formation of a good-quality microcrystalline film, in particular, at a high rate of at least 5 xc3x85/s.
3) It is considered that when the ratio of the diluent gas to the silicon compound gas is controlled to at least 20, the effect of hydrogen abstraction in the film by a hydrogen radical is accelerated, whereby microcrystallization is accelerated.
4) The potential distribution of the plasma can be controlled by superimposing the second high frequency, which does substantially not contribute to the decomposition of the raw gas, on the plasma, whereby the ion species arrived at the growth surface of a film deposited can be changed to control the film quality of the deposited film.
5) Supply powers from the first and second high-frequency power sources are controlled in such a manner that the self-bias voltages of the first and second high frequencies become respective fixed values, whereby the power substantially applied to the plasma can be kept constant, and so the deposition rate and characteristic distribution of a film to be deposited in the direction of its thickness can be controlled with high precision.
A photovoltaic device having, as a photoelectric conversion layer, a microcrystalline silicon film formed by any one of the methods of forming a microcrystalline silicon film according to the present invention has a high conversion efficiency and high stability to light at low cost.
The photovoltaic device according to the present invention has excellent sensitivity to long wavelength and is hence suitable for use as a lower cell of a stacked type thin film photovoltaic device.
The photovoltaic device according to the present invention can be continuously formed on a substrate in the form of a band by a roll to roll system to reduce production cost to a great extent.

Method of forming microcrystalline silicon film, method of fabricating photovoltaic cell using said method, and photovoltaic device fabricated thereby


An image forming system includes a plurality of image forming devices connected in data communication with each other via a network. Each of the image forming devices includes a storage unit, an operational unit, and a controller. If one user logs into a first image forming device among the image forming devices, a controller of the first image forming device checks for the existence of a second image forming device into which the user has logged. If the controller of the first image forming device determines the second image forming device into which the user has logged, the controller transmits a logout instruction of the user to the second image forming device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming system and an image forming device.
2. Description of Related Art
Nowadays, a plurality of image forming devices are connected to one another via a network so as to be properly used depending on installation sites, functions, and properties such as output speed of the image forming devices. In some cases, a login operation is required before use of an image forming device to permit only a registered user to use the image forming device.
For example, an accounting management apparatus has been proposed for appropriate accounting control in the case of concurrent login of one user to a plurality of image forming devices (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-176631).
In addition, a print job authentication apparatus has been proposed, which transfers a print job to a proxy printer if an original printer receiving the print job is unavailable due to failure or other reasons and outputs the print job, and informs a user of such a state (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-327123).
In addition, an image-forming-device network system has been proposed, which can select data encryption in the transfer of image information of a document read by any one of a plurality of image forming devices to another one (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-079681).
In addition, an image processing system has been proposed, which searches for an available image forming device if an original image forming device is unavailable due to failure or its insufficient capacity, and allows the found image forming device to operate as a proxy (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-135508).
If a user logs into an image forming device and then to another image forming device without logout of the former image forming device and leaves the image forming device, another user can use the former image forming device. This disadvantageously eliminates the effect of exclusive permission to registered users, leading to a security problem. In addition, unnecessary login of an off-site user to an image forming device inconveniently disables login of another user to the image forming device, thus inhibiting proper use of the image forming device.
Even if a user logs into a certain image forming device and starts setting to execute a job, the image forming device sometimes does not have desired functions such as a double-sided printing function and a stapling function. In such a case, the user must move to another image-forming device having these functions and requires troublesome reset.

Image forming system and image forming device for performing control in accordance with user authentication information


A magnetic holding device comprises a housing (2) and includes a number of magnetic regions. Each magnetic region has a rare earth or bimetallic disc magnet (9) and a ferromagnetic plate (10) located within an aperture within the housing (2). A filling material (11) surrounds both the magnet (9) and disc (10).

1. Field of the Invention
It is preferred that said magnetic field providing means comprise a permanent magnet. Alternatively, said magnetic field providing means may comprise an electromagnet.
2. Description of Related Arts; and
It is preferred that each magnetic field providing means be disc shaped and be mounted within a hole. It is further preferred that:
It is preferred that any voids in each hole be filled with a filling material.
It is preferred that the heat conductivity of said housing, said magnetic field providing means, said plates and said filling material be substantially equal.
It is preferred that said housing consist of aluminium, said magnetic field providing means be rare earth magnets or bi-metal magnets, said filling material consist of an epoxy resin optionally containing metallic oxides and said plate consist of mild steel. It is further preferred that said magnetic holding device, or a portion thereof, be anodised to increase resistance to wear or corrosion.
It is preferred that said attachment surface be smooth and flat across each of said magnetic regions.
It is preferred that said magnetic regions be distributed substantially uniformly across the attachment surface. Alternatively, said magnetic regions may be uniformly distributed across one portion of the attachment surface, and distributed in higher and/or lower concentrations across other portions of said attachment surface.


The pillow includes first and second fabric layers and third and fourth fabric layers, all of which are identical and secured together around the peripheries thereof. Positioned between the first and second fabric layers is a baffle structure which includes first and second lateral baffles extending across the width of the pillow and positioned at approximately one-third and two-thirds of the longitudinal distance (dimension) of the pillow. The baffle structure includes two central baffles, two first end baffles and two second end baffles, arranged to define baffle boxes of approximately equal size. The two central baffles extend longitudinally from one lateral baffle, leaving a space between the free ends thereof and the other lateral baffle to permit filling of the pillow. The first end baffles extend from the one lateral baffle a selected distance, leaving a space between the first end baffles and one lateral edge of the pillow to permit filling of the pillow. The second end baffles extend from the opposing lateral edge of the pillow toward the other lateral baffle, leaving a space between the second end baffles and the other lateral baffle to permit filling of the pillow.

Pillows filled with small particulate material, such as feathers, down or fragments of foam material, while providing generally superior comfort, have the disadvantage of the fill shifting during use of the pillow, which can decrease comfort and/or support. Some pillows have used various baffle arrangements to reduce such shifting of the fill. An example of such a pillow is U.S. Pat. No. 7,562,405, which is owned by the assignee of the present invention. However, such pillow baffle structures are often limited because of the manufacturing requirement of fast and convenient blow-in of the fill, to completely fill the pillow, including around all the baffle members.
Accordingly, a pillow with a baffle structure which provides protection against shifting of the filling in use, while still being convenient to fill, is desirable.


The inventive concepts provide package-on-package (PoP) devices. In the PoP devices, an interposer substrate and a thermal boundary material layer may be disposed between a lower semiconductor package and an upper semiconductor package to rapidly exhaust heat generated from a lower semiconductor chip included in the lower semiconductor package. The interposer substrate may be formed of one or more insulating layers, conductive vias, heat dissipating members, protection layers, and various conductive patterns.

The inventive concepts relate to package-on-package devices.
High performance, high speed, and small electronic components have been increasingly demanded with the development of an electronic industry. Semiconductor mounting techniques involving stacking semiconductor chips on one package substrate and stacking a package on a package have been suggested in order to satisfy such demands. Since each package included in a package-on-package (PoP) device includes a semiconductor chip and a package substrate, the PoP device may become thicker. Additionally, it is difficult to exhaust heat generated from semiconductor chips of the PoP device to outside of the PoP device. Thus, the PoP device may malfunction or an operating speed of the PoP device may be impacted.


A cooling module for an automotive vehicle is disclosed. The module includes a pair of bypass doors for directing a flow of air around either of the condenser or radiator in the module depending upon the demands for engine cooling, air conditioning, and any other cooling requirements. Under suitable conditions, the radiator bypass feature or the condenser bypass feature will open, providing additional cooling for the condenser or radiator respectively, in order to satisfy given cooling requirements more efficiently.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cooling modules for automotive applications. More particularly, the present invention relates to cooling modules having airflow by-pass features.
2. Disclosure Information
Cooling modules used in automotive applications typically consist of a condenser, auxiliary heat exchangers, an engine cooling fan, and a radiator. Ambient air from the surrounding environment travels through the cooling module, whereupon the engine is cooled by the action of the radiator, and climate control of an enclosed space can be provided by the action of the condenser in conjunction with other known air conditioning system components.
Because the cooling module is enclosed, the same amount of air must flow through both the radiator and the condenser. Thus if the airflow required by the radiator and the condenser to satisfy the need for engine cooling and climate control respectively are different from one another, the engine cooling fan must provide for the greater airflow requirement. If these two requirements for airflow differ greatly, the efficiency of the cooling module could decrease dramatically. Airflow through each heat exchanger, the radiator and condenser, not only sees the pressure drop associated with that heat exchanger, but also the pressure drop associated with the other heat exchanger. In most applications, the radiator is positioned downstream of the condenser. Thus, the air which flows through the radiator is not at ambient temperature, as it has already been heated by the condenser. The radiator and condenser also provide resistance to the airflow drawn by the cooling fan, thus the cooling fan requires greater energy to overcome this resistance. Because of all of these effects, there is an inherent drop in efficiency associated with having the radiator and condenser positioned in-line with one another, as the cooling fan must consume more power. The operation of the cooling fan then becomes louder.
Prior art devices have overcome the problem of this decrease in efficiency by having two heat exchangers in separate airstreams. The inventors of the present invention have found disadvantages with the prior approach. For example, not only does this approach require the use of two fans rather that one, thereby increasing the production cost, but it also forces the cooling module to occupy more space. In order for such an approach to occupy the same amount of space as the conventional approach of placing the condenser and radiator in-line with one another, the core face area of each heat exchanger would need to be cut in half. This decrease in core face area would also result in a decrease in heat exchange. Concerns regarding cost and space, such as the limited space under a hood in an automotive application of a cooling module, dictate that the condenser and radiator be placed in line with one another.

Axial fan sandwich cooling module incorporating airflow by-pass features


A guide post, guide sleeve, and ball bearing assembly especially for a die set has a leak proof seal contained within one end of the guide sleeve for slidably sealing the interface between the guide post and guide sleeve and slidingly cleaning the surface of the guide post during relative reciprocal movements of the guide post and guide sleeve. The assembly maintains optimal lubrication of the ball bearing assembly while providing a cleaner, more frictionless configuration.

Bearing assemblies are well known. An example of a ball bearing assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,534 dated May 12, 1987, and issued to the present inventor. The ball bearings within the ball bearing assembly must be lubricated to reduce the friction within the system to a minimum. The open ended guide sleeve of the U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,534 bearing assembly limits how and where the lubrication can be maintained in the system. Typically, the guide sleeve was maintained in a lower die shoe with a seal at the bottom thereby providing a reservoir for lubricating fluid, such as oil, to lubricate the ball bearings. In such a configuration, there were limitations on the amount of lubrication provided to the ball bearing cage. In the typical configuration, the lubricating fluid reservoir was only at the bottom of the guide sleeve. Therefore, the top portion of the ball bearing cage, which engages the guide post more often than the lower portion, did not receive optimal lubrication throughout its stroke.
Further, the open ended guide sleeve reservoir requires a spatial orientation including horizontal die shoes with the guide sleeve set vertically within the lower shoe. Any other orientation would result in the lubricating fluid leaking out of the reservoir, defeating the intended purpose and potentially interfering with the die casting, stamping or injection molding. Additionally, any debris or dirt in the system potentially could collect on the ball bearing assembly or the guide post thereby causing additional friction and wear leading to untimely loss of precision of the tooling and accuracy in the manufactured component.
Previously with guide post, guide sleeve and ball bearing assemblies there was not known any means for positively assuring an adequate lubrication of the ball bearing cage and maintaining a relatively dirt free environment for the ball bearings to act upon the guide post within the guide sleeve.

Guide sleeve with seal, guide post and ball bearing assembly


A method of assaying an endotoxin using the limulus amebocyte lysate component which comprises pretreating whole blood with nitric acid and a surfactant selected from among polyoxyethylene ethers represented by the following formula: ##STR1## wherein n is an integer of from 8 to 40; or: ##STR2## polyoxyethylene sorbitans, n-alkylglucopyranosides, sodium dodecylsulfate and lithium dodecylsulfate, which enables an efficient and accuate assay of an endotoxin.

There has been known a process for assaying an endotoxin contained in a vital sample with the use of a component of limulus amebocyte lysate [limulus test (LAL-Test)]. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,294 corresponding to JP-B-63-55671 discloses an assay method wherein a vital sample containing protein cell granules (for example, plasma, serum, albumin, globulin, ascites, articular fluid or external or internal exudation or excretion such as urine), which has been treated with an acid having a pKa of 3 or less at 25.degree. C. at pH 3 or below, is assayed with the use of the limulus amebocyte lysate component (the term "JP-B" as used herein means an "examined Japanese patent publication").
However, it is found that the detection ratio of an endotoxin in whole blood assayed by the method described in the aforesaid patent is not as high as expected (i.e., 50 to 60%).
Under these circumstances, the present invention aims at providing a process for efficiently assaying an endotoxin in whole blood at an extremely high detection ratio.
On the other hand, there has been known that it is very difficult to accurately assay an endotoxin in a protein solution.
The present invention further aims at providing a process for accurately assaying an endotoxin contained in a solution of, for example, protein, protease or protease inhibitor.

Method for assaying endotoxin in a whole blood sample or protein solution containing the same


An energy management system having a centralized site controller is provided with thermostats in multiple zones, each thermostat having the capability of acting as a remote terminal to the controller. Each thermostat provides an interface to the site controller while simultaneously acting as the thermostat for each zone. The thermostat can display information concerning the state of the building's lighting and HVAC systems for any zone and allow the local user to initiate local overrides of set points. In an embodiment, override requests are received by the central controller and merged with the settings for the current control algorithms.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to systems and methods of monitoring, controlling, and managing energy usage. More specifically, the invention relates to systems and methods for reviewing and overriding energy management system parameters using a remote terminal unit such as a thermostat.
2. Description of the Related Art
Energy management systems (EMS's) typically control and monitor multiple endpoints such as HVAC units, lighting panels, and/or other power consuming devices, typically located in different areas (zones) of a building. If endpoints are monitored and controlled by a centralized EMS, some local control is also desirable in order to provide local users a system status review and the ability to initiate temporary control overrides in a particular zone.
Local monitoring and control can be performed in several ways. In some systems, the site controller has a display that shows the status and other data associated with all of the energy management equipment. To make a change or to view status and data, an individual must be present at the location of the central site controller. However, it is often difficult to find a single location for the controller/display that allows convenient access by personnel from each zone. In the case of lighting control, many systems employ electromechanical switches and status indicators. To override a lighting group, a switch would be pressed or pushed and the state of the group would change. An indicator would reflect the changed status accordingly. Electromechanical solutions, however, lack the flexibility of a full digital solution. In some systems, particularly ones where the site controller lacks a display, users are provided with a web portal or other software residing at an onsite computer. However, many businesses do not allow all employees to use the computers, thus preventing some employees from initiating local overrides when necessary.


A low-noise multi-propeller system includes at least two propellers, each propeller including at least two blades. The propellers rotate in a first direction and define an angular phase relative to one another. A drive system corotates the propellers at substantially equal rotational rates in the first direction. The propellers are substantially phase-locked at a predefined relative phase offset that reduces the overall sound power of the fundamental tone at a blade passage frequency.

Various types of manned and unmanned aerial vehicles have been developed. Aerial vehicles may be configured to provide forward flight and/or to take-off and land vertically. This may be achieved with one or more rotors, propellers, or fans to provide lift or thrust. Depending on the vehicle configuration, vehicle body, and flight condition, the rotating actuators, (collectively "propellers" herein) may operate in a range of conditions from axial to nonaxial flight with the freestream flow substantially parallel or perpendicular with the propeller axes, respectively. Noise from the propellers may be significant, and may constitute a barrier for operations, particularly in populated areas.
Propeller noise may be broadly divided into three categories including: 1) impulsive noise; 2) rotational noise; and 3) broad band noise. Rotational noise is caused by both the thrust (and torque) produced by the propeller and by the displacement of air as the blades rotate. Rotational noise can be steady (relative to an observer) on the rotating blade, or unsteady due to a non-zero in-flow angle or flow restriction for example. Rotational noise is tonal, with well-defined peaks in the measured sound pressure spectrum at the blade passage frequency and at its harmonics. In general, the blade passage frequency (in Hertz) is equal to the product of the rotational rate (in revolutions per minute, RPM) and the number of blades divided by 60.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA


The present invention relates to methods of preparing a purified non-covalent heat shock protein 70-peptide complex capable of eliciting an immune response in a mammal comprising purifying heat shock protein 70-peptide complexes from mammalian tumor cells or mammalian cells infected with a virus, bacteria, or other infectious agent in the absence of ATP.

The observation that inbred mice and rats can be immunized against their own tumors or tumors of the same genetic background have led to a hypothesis that tumor-specific antigens exist. In essence, these studies showed that mice vaccinated with inactivated cancer cells are immune to subsequent challenges of live cancer cells. The phenomenon was shown to be individually tumor-specific, in that mice were immune specifically to the tumors used to immunize them and not to other tumors. The demonstration of immunogenicity of cancer cells led to a search for the cancer-derived molecules which elicit resistance to tumor challenges. The general approach in these experiments was to fractionate cancer-derived proteins and test them individually for their ability to immunize mice against the cancers from which the fractions were prepared.
One of the major difficulties in cancer immunotherapy has been the possibility that similar to the situation among animal cancers, each human cancer is different from all other cancers, i.e., human cancers, like cancers of experimental animals, are antigenically distinct. Clearly, there is some recent evidence for existence of common human tumor antigens (Kawakami et al., 1991, Darrow et al., 1989), and this augurs well for prospects of cancer immunotherapy. Nonetheless, in light of the overwhelming evidence from experimental and human systems, it is reasonable to assume that at the very least, human tumors would show tremendous antigenic diversity and heterogeneity.
The prospect of identification of the immunogenic antigens of individual tumors from cancer patients (or even of `only` several different types of immunogenic antigens in case the antigens are shared), is daunting to the extent of being impractical. Numerous studies on vaccination against infectious diseases have shown that it is necessary to first identify and characterize the immunogenic antigens.
For the reasons described above, such a strategy is impractical for vaccination or other forms of immuno-therapy against human cancers. Thus, there is a need to develop alternate methods for obtaining antigenic preparations which do not require such daunting identification of specific antigens from tumors of individual patients and avoids the difficulties and hazards associated with attenuation and inactivation of viruses.

Method of preparation of heat shock protein 70-peptide complexes

Mount Sinai School of Medicine of the City University of New York


The present invention relates generally to devices for measuring an analyte in a host. More particularly, the present invention relates to devices for measurement of glucose in a host that incorporate a cellulosic-based interference domain.

Diabetes mellitus is a disorder in which the pancreas cannot create sufficient insulin (Type I or insulin dependent) and/or in which insulin is not effective (Type 2 or non-insulin dependent). In the diabetic state, the victim suffers from high blood sugar, which can cause an array of physiological derangements associated with the deterioration of small blood vessels, for example, kidney failure, skin ulcers, or bleeding into the vitreous of the eye. A hypoglycemic reaction (low blood sugar) can be induced by an inadvertent overdose of insulin, or after a normal dose of insulin or glucose-lowering agent accompanied by extraordinary exercise or insufficient food intake.
Conventionally, a person with diabetes carries a self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) monitor, which typically requires uncomfortable finger pricking methods. Due to the lack of comfort and convenience, a person with diabetes normally only measures his or her glucose levels two to four times per day. Unfortunately, such time intervals are so far spread apart that the person with diabetes likely finds out too late of a hyperglycemic or hypoglycemic condition, sometimes incurring dangerous side effects. It is not only unlikely that a person with diabetes will take a timely SMBG value, it is also likely that he or she will not know if his or her blood glucose value is going up (higher) or down (lower) based on conventional method. This inhibits the ability to make educated insulin therapy decisions.
A variety of sensors are known that use an electrochemical cell to provide output signals by which the presence or absence of an analyte, such as glucose, in a sample can be determined. For example, in an electrochemical cell, an analyte (or a species derived from it) that is electro-active generates a detectable signal at an electrode, and this signal can be used to detect or measure the presence and/or amount within a biological sample. In some conventional sensors, an enzyme is provided that reacts with the analyte to be measured, and the byproduct of the reaction is qualified or quantified at the electrode. An enzyme has the advantage that it can be very specific to an analyte and also, when the analyte itself is not sufficiently electro-active, can be used to interact with the analyte to generate another species which is electro-active and to which the sensor can produce a desired output. In one conventional amperometric glucose oxidase-based glucose sensor, immobilized glucose oxidase catalyses the oxidation of glucose to form hydrogen peroxide, which is then quantified by amperometric measurement (for example, change in electrical current) through a polarized electrode.
One problem with electrochemical sensors is that they can electrochemically react not only with the analyte to be measured (or by-product of the enzymatic reaction with the analyte), but additionally can react with other electroactive species that are not intentionally being measured (for example, interfering species), which causes an increase in signal strength due to these "interfering species." In other words, interfering species are compounds with an oxidation or reduction potential that overlaps with the analyte to be measured (or by-product of the enzymatic reaction with the analyte). For example, in a conventional amperometric glucose oxidase-based glucose sensor wherein the sensor measures hydrogen peroxide, interfering species such as acetaminophen, ascorbic acid, and uric acid, are known to produce inaccurate glucose signal strength when they are not properly controlled.

Cellulosic-based interference domain for an analyte sensor


An image capture device provided with a first memory unit, which memorizes position information of non-continuous defective pixels of a solid-state image capture component, and a second memory unit with a higher access rate than the first memory unit, which memorizes position information of continuous defective pixels. When a continuous photography mode or a video photography mode is set, defective pixel correction processing is carried out on image data corresponding to each of defective pixels according to the defective pixel position information stored at the second memory unit. Alternatively, when a still photography mode is set, image data corresponding to all defective pixels is corrected, based on both the defective pixel position information stored at the first memory unit and the defective pixel position information stored at the second memory unit. As a result, it is possible to correct defective pixels with high efficiency in accordance with conditions of photography.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image capture device and an image data correction process at the image capture device, and more particularly to an image capture device such as a digital camera or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, solid-state image capture components of digital cameras, which serve as image capture devices, convert light corresponding to subjects to electronic signals by photoelectric conversion with pluralities of photoelectric conversion elements, and output the electronic signals. Among such photoelectric conversion elements, there may be defects (defective pixels) due to adhesion of dust, damage and the like, and due to crystal defects and the like. Hence, it may not be possible to output signals which accurately correspond to light amounts of incident light with these defective pixels. Among such defective pixels, a defective pixel which is caused by dust, damage or the like is a defective pixel with a static characteristic, which is not affected by conditions of operation of the image capture device. On the other hand, a defective pixel which arises due to a crystal defect is a defective pixel with a dynamic characteristic, in which there is a greater effect of deterioration in image quality when a duration of exposure of the solid-state image capture component is longer.
Techniques for performing corrections of image data that corresponds to these various types of defective pixels have been known (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2000-101925).
In the technique disclosed in JP-A No. 2000-101925, in accordance with conditions of photography, such as shutter speed, ambient temperature and so forth, position information representing each of positions of defective pixels caused by dust, damage and the like and positions of defective pixels caused by crystal defects is memorized in a lookup table for a plurality of values of each of the conditions of photography. Hence, position information of defective pixels is selected from the lookup table in accordance with an ambient temperature and shutter speed or the like at a time of photography, and correction of the defective pixels is carried out in accordance with the thus-specified position information.
However, although it is possible to perform correction for defective pixels in accordance with conditions of photography with the conventional technique described above, when image data corresponding to the defective pixels is to be corrected, it is necessary to select the position information of the defective pixels corresponding to the conditions of photography from among a large amount of pre-memorized position information representing defective pixel positions. Therefore, when photography conditions which require high-speed image processing are specified, an amount of time for reading the information relating to defective pixels may be a problem.

Image capture device correcting defective pixel information


A method of locating a single particle on a target surface includes the steps of providing, on the target surface, a droplet of a liquid capable of wetting the surface of the particle, causing the particle to come into contact with the liquid, and allowing the liquid to evaporate. The method has particular application to the testing of the strength of a diamond and other abrasive particles.

This invention relates to a method of locating a particle on a surface. For quality control and also research purposes, it is necessary to be able to evaluate the strength of a particle such as a diamond particle. A crushing machine is used for this purpose. In use, the particle to be tested is placed between opposed anvils, the anvils brought together and a load applied. The particle will fracture and crush at a given load and from the data derived therefrom the strength of the particle can be determined.
It is important in the practical operation of a machine of this nature that a single particle be accurately placed between the anvils. This may be achieved by use of a vacuum needle which picks up a sample from a source of the particles. Vacuum needles rarely pick up a single particle alone. The extra, unwanted particles may be removed by repeating the process of vibrating the needle and then passing the needle carefully over a prepared brush which physically removes stubborn particles.
The needle, now carrying the single particle, is moved to a target area where the vacuum is released. However, owing to the electrical or mechanical attraction between the particle and the needle the particle remains attached to the needle. A small jet of air may be used to dislodge the particle but this usually results in the particle bouncing away from the target area. A further problem with this method is that the positioning of the particle on the target area is random. The particle can end up on an edge or a flat surface, or a point and will not always be centrally located in the target area. This can affect the results which are obtained.

Method of locating a particle on a surface


Thalidomide derivative (I) and their bases or salts are new: where R represents CHR1NR2R3, CHR1NR4C(O)CHR5NR2R3, W or CHR5NR4C(O)W, where R1, R4 and R5 represent independently each other H, C1-4 alkyl, R2 is a C1-4 alkyl, R3 is a C1-4 alkyl, or R2 and R3 together represents 1,3-propylene, 1,4-butylene, 1,5-pentylene, 1,6-hexylene, W represents 4-, 5-, 6-, 7-, or 8-mumbered, saturated or unsaturated heterocycle. The invention also relates to processes of production thereof and the use of thereof as an active pharmaceutical ingredient.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to thalidomide derivatives, the method of producing thereof, and the application thereof as an active pharmaceutical ingredient.
2. Description of Related Arts
In 1953, thalidomide was synthesized and extensively used as a depressant and preventive medicine for vomiting in pregnant women. In the early 1960s, the serious reproductive toxicity had been identified. However, some of the properties of thalidomide, such as the inhibition in the releasing of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNFα), anti-angiogenesis and anti-inflammatory characteristics, make it more effective in the treatment of erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL), cutaneous erythematosus lupes (Arch. Dermatol, 1993, Vol. 129 P. 1548-1550), persistent erythematosus lupes (The Journal of Rheumatology, 1989, 16, P. 923-92), Behcet's syndrome (Arch. Dermatol. 1990, vol. 26, P. 923-927), Crohn's disease (Journal of Pediatr. Gastroenerol. Nurt. 1999, vol. 28, P. 214-216) and rheumatoid arthritis (Journal of Rheumatology, 1988, vol. 25, P. 264-969). Furthermore, thalidomide has been extensively used in clinical trials for the treatment of malignant tumors when these tumors show strong angiogenesis and chemotherapy refractory. In 1998, the FDA of the United States approved the use of thalidomide for treating ENL. In addition, the reproductive toxicity of thalidomide has been completely controlled by birth-control, especially in those patients who are in critical condition. However, since thalidomide is only slightly soluble in water (0.012 mg/mL, Arch. Pharm., 321, 371 (1988)), the bioavailability of thalidomide was poor, and posed a barrier for the administration of thalidomide extra-gastrointestinally. Also, the pharmacological research of thalidomide was affected.
Snider et al. tried to improve the solubility of the thalidomide by directly linking amino acids onto it, although such method can generate compounds with increased water-solubility. Nonetheless, even if the water-solubility of some compounds even increase to 300 mg/ml (CN1215397A), these precursors of thalidomide were not stable in the water (Bioorganic and Med. Chem. 9 (5), 1297-1291, 2001), and can only be injected immediately after the solution was prepared. Dr. Eger's group had linked the thalidomide with p-dialkylamino benzoates and got their hydrochloride salts (DE 4211812 A1). Although the water solubility of these hydrochloride salts of the thalidomide derivatives are much higher than that of thalidomide, they are easy to be de-salted and precipitated out as their correspond bases from their aqueous solutions at pH 7.5, indicating a decrease of their water solubility in condition close to physiological pH.


A content delivery system and method that receives a request for a content stream that includes splice points. The method receives a playlist that includes an ordered list of media segment files that represent the content stream, and splice point tags, where generation of the media segment files aligns segment boundaries with the splice points in the content stream, and where each splice point tag is in a location in the playlist that corresponds to the position of one of the splice points in the content stream. The method identifies an insertion position in the playlist based on the location of the splice point tags, selects an advertisement segment, inserts the advertisement segment at the insertion position to create a modified playlist, removes the splice point tags from the modified playlist, and sends the modified playlist to the video display device.

HTTP live streaming is a media streaming communications protocol for delivering video content using extended M3U playlists and a list of multimedia chunk files. The multimedia data is specified by a Universal Resource Identifier (URI) to a playlist file (i.e., an ordered list of media URIs and informational tags). Each media URI refers to a media file which is a segment of a single contiguous stream. To play the stream, a client device first obtains the playlist file and then obtains and plays each media file in the playlist. HTTP live streaming does not describe or address the replacement or substitution of the multimedia chunk files, or advertisement insertion in the list of multimedia chunk files.
A current focus for the MSO is the development of targeted advertisement technology (i.e., advertisements that are placed so as to reach consumers based on various traits such as demographics, purchase history, or observed behavior). The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) developed and published SCTE 35, the standard that defines the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) format MPEG-2 stream splicing for the purpose of digital program insertion. SCTE 35 defines the messages and structure that allow a multiple system operator (MSO) to insert (i.e., splice) advertisements and other content types into a video broadcast stream.
There is a need for a method and system to translate splice points in a content stream into playlist tags for HTTP live streaming, to align the splice points with the segment media file during encoding or transcoding, and to support the implementation of advertisement insertion or replacement by inserting advertisement segments or replacing an existing advertisement segments with targeted advertisement segments. The presently disclosed invention satisfies this demand.

Method of targeted ad insertion using HTTP live streaming protocol