A composite material having a fiber system embedded in a host matrix material. The fiber system has a protective reaction barrier around the embedded fibers to prevent deleterious chemical or mechanical reaction between the fiber and matrix. The fiber coating is applied by immersion of the fiber system into an alkoxide solution of the desired oxide precursor with controlled immersion and withdrawal rates with subsequent drying, heating to convert to a pure oxide state, and where required, post processing, to convert the oxide coating to a carbide or nitride, for example.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention in general relates to composite materials and particularly to an improved method for fabricating such materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A composite material, or structure, is one wherein a fiber system is embedded in a host material, also known as a matrix. The fiber system, which may be a woven cloth, individual parallel oriented or cross-plied fibers or randomly oriented short fibers or whiskers, by way of example, is introduced into the host material which is provided in liquid or powdered form. After combining, the mixture is subjected to further processing such as heat and/or pressure treatment resulting in the formation of a dense composite material.
The fibers, which are of high strength and stiffness, are utilized to reinforce the matrix which, in the case of metal matrices, results in increased creep and stress-rupture properties. In the case of ceramic matrices, the ceramic becomes less brittle, with greatly improved fracture toughness capabilities.
Such composite materials are used, and have potential uses in military as well as innumerable industrial applications such as in the building industry, chemical or other processing plants, air, surface and subsea vehicles, appliances, automotive parts, turbines and electrical components such as printed circuit boards, to name a few.
Various fiber-matrix combinations have resulted in composite materials which have failed to meet expectations, particularly in elevated temperature environments. The major cause of composite failure is an incompatibility between a particular fiber and a particular matrix, both from a chemical and mechanical standpoint. By way of example, at elevated operating temperatures, or at the temperatures needed to densify the material during fabrication of the composite, chemical reactions may occur between the fiber and the matrix which may actually corrode the surface of the fiber thereby reducing its strength by many orders or magnitude. In some cases, chemical reactions may also cause debonding between the fiber and matrix so as to prevent or inhibit the stress transfer mechanism which gives the composite its desired properties. In other cases, e.g., high toughness ceramic matrix/ceramic reinforced composites in which debonding is desirable, the chemical reactions may promote bonding. Problems also arise from a mismatch of thermal expansion coefficients between the fiber and host material.
To obviate these disadvantages, some composites are made by coating the fibers with an interface or barrier layer that is compatible with both the fiber and matrix so that the fiber properties are not degraded during processing or use. In addition, this barrier layer may be fabricated with a desired controlled expansion coefficient.
Presently, protective coatings, or barrier layers, are deposited on the fibers by techniques such as rf sputtering or vapor deposition. These processes, in addition to being relatively expensive, do not always uniformly coat the fibers such that uncoated or exposed portions will objectionably react with the host material.
Another method of barrier formation is by the addition of certain chemicals to the host material to hopefully react with the fiber to form a desired coating thereon. This technique requires ultra-precise control of the uniformity of the additives as well as precise control over processing temperature vs. time relationships.
In the composite material of the present invention, a protective barrier coating is formed on the fibers by a process which is simple, inexpensive and ensures for a controlled uniform coating on the fiber.

Fiber-reinforced metal or ceramic matrices


A temporary cosmetic dental coating has a transparent resin matrix containing embedded glass microspheres. The refractive index of the microspheres is at least 0.03 greater than the refractive index of the transparent resin matrix. Incoming light is reflected back in the same direction as it was emanated, providing a lustrous dental coating that is cosmetically appealing and covers dental defects and discoloration. The transparent resin matrix with glass microspheres is formed by mixing together a methacrylate based liquid monomer of methyl methacrylate or BIS-GMA and glass microspheres coated with activators/catalysts. The user applies the mixed composition to the teeth to form a temporary cosmetic dental coating, which is readily removed using a dental pick. A lac resin dissolved in ethyl alcohol is optionally mixed with glass microspheres and applied to teeth surfaces. The coating is hardened by alcohol evaporation and removed by alcohol dissolution.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to temporary coatings for teeth, that enhance their cosmetic appearance; and more particularly, to a coating comprising non-toxic components that is applied by the user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dentist applied procedures have long been available for improving the cosmetic appearance of teeth. Such procedures are recognized by the American Dental Association. They are typically applied at the dentist's office using commercially available preparations; and the cosmetic treatments are generally permanent. Such treatments include bleaching as discussed at http://www.ada.org/public/topics/whitening.asp using chairside bleaching procedures wherein the dentist applies a chemically oxidizing solution. The dentist may optionally use a special light or a laser light beam to activate the painted oxidizing agent. This chairside treatment takes typically 30 minutes, and several chairside procedures may be needed to achieve adequate teeth whitening. In an alternate bleaching procedure, the dentist prepares a custom fitted mouth guard that holds a bleaching gel suited for nighttime bleaching. This nighttime bleaching procedure may require repeated applications over several nights to achieve adequate teeth whitening.
Bonding techniques are commonly employed by the dentist wherein a matching tooth colored commercial preparation is applied to an etched enamel surface of the tooth to bond and cover discoloration, repair chips, breaks or cracks and fill in gaps as discussed at http://www.ada.org/public/topics/veneers.asp. With these bonding techniques a composite resin is shaped and hardened, using special ultraviolet light or chemical processes. The tooth with the hardened composite resin is smoothened and polished to appear natural. When properly applied such a bonding typically has a life expectancy of three to five years. Representative patents that disclose bonding procedures are discussed below.
Veneer is another technique used by dentists. It involves the use of a custom made shell that matches the color of the tooth, as discussed at http://www.ada.org/public/topics/veneers.asp. The veneer is fabricated by a dental technician or a commercial dental laboratory from a model provided by the dentist. Veneers are used to close gaps or cover teeth that are stained, poorly shaped or slightly crooked. Placing veneer is often an irreversible process, because small amounts of enamel are usually removed to accommodate the thickness of the veneer shell. The teeth underneath the veneer sometimes begin to decay, at which point a new replacement veneer is needed. Prior art teachings related to veneers wherein a glue or cement is used to attach a veneer and are discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,959 to Faunce discloses composite laminate dental veneer containing color systems. A composite laminate dental veneer is provided for attachment to the labial enamel surface of a human tooth. The dental veneer comprises an outer lamination composed of stain-resistant, chemical-resistant and erosion-resistant material, and an inner lamination composed of a material having the capability of efficient bonding to the labial enamel surface of the tooth. The inner lamination is adapted for permanent attachment to the outer lamination in such manner as to define an integral veneer mass. The laminate veneer also employs a color system embodying an additive color system which includes color pigments of an enamel blend and a subtractive color system which includes color pigments of a dentin color blend. These color pigments are distributed in color centers or microdots of color that are layered within a matrix. The veneer is glued to a prepared tooth surface. It does not form a coating applied by the user to unetched teeth.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,473,353, 4,822,279 to Greggs disclose a method for cosmetic restoration of anterior teeth, wherein a glazed porcelain veneer is bonded to a patient's tooth. A method and article for the cosmetic restoration of anterior teeth is provided whereby a glazed porcelain labial veneer is custom-made for a patient's tooth and thereafter chemically and mechanically bonded to such tooth, so as to provide a healthful and long-lasting cosmetic restoration of desired color, shape and esthetic appearance. This veneer is glued to a prepared tooth surface; it does not form a coating applied by user to unetched teeth.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,950 to Dragan discloses a device and method of bonding and veneering dental material to a tooth. An applicating device is used to cosmetically bond and veneer the teeth with composite dental material. A disposable syringe tip defines a reservoir that contains a predetermined amount of composite dental material. Connected to the syringe tip is a discharge end portion which narrows to a rectangularly shaped discharge orifice having a width of approximately 0.5 mm and a length of approximately 4 to 6 mm. The '950 patent discloses a permanent veneer of a thick strip, which is applied over surfaces of the teeth. No disclosure is contained therein concerning a temporary cosmetic coating for the teeth.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,049 to Weissman discloses a method for applying a veneer facing to a tooth. A veneer is secured onto a tooth substrate by a method comprising the steps of: 1) removing enamel in a matrix pattern, to a predetermined depth, from the lingual or buccal surfaces of the tooth; 2) removing the remaining outer enamel layer intermediate the matrix pattern, to the predetermined minimum depth, to provide a first, substantially level excavated enamel surface; 3) further excavating a plurality of compact areas on the first excavated enamel surface to an additional predetermined depth therebelow, but without exposing dentin, to form an indexed enamel surface; 4) taking an impression of such indexed enamel surface; and 5) obtaining from the mold a dental veneer, which can mate with such indexed excavated enamel surface and adhering the indexed veneer surface to the indexed enamel surface so as to accurately place the veneer on a tooth as an attractive outer labial or buccal surface. Preferably, the indexing grooves are undercut to improve adhesion. This veneer requires substantial preparation of tooth surface including excavation. The veneer application is permanent. It does not form a temporary cosmetic coating, which can be applied by the user.
Polymeric compositions have been proposed for use in dental applications. Representative patents disclosing such polymeric compositions are discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,066,112 to Bowen discloses dental filling material comprising vinyl silane treated fused silica and a binder consisting of BIS phenol and glycidyl acrylate. The composition has 70% of fused silica and 30% of polymer. Also disclosed are binder systems composed of the monomers, referred to in the art as BIS-GMA, admixed with other active monomers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,994 to Reaville et al discloses a dental restorative composition containing glycidyl methacrylate derivative of bisphenol-A, sometimes referred to as bisphenol-A-bis-(3-methacrylato-2-hydroxypropyl) ether or, more conveniently, as oligomeric BIS-GMA resin and a ultraviolet photosensitizer, 4,4′-bis (dimethylamino) benzophenone, which also is known as Michler's ketone. Also disclosed is a dental restorative composition and tooth coating comprising the combination of an adhesive resin of the oligomeric BIS-GMA type, a low molecular weight reactive extender or diluent acrylate, an organic peroxide catalyst or free radical initiator and, as a photosensitizer, Michler's ketone. A rapidly photopolymerizable composition of the oligomeric BIS-GMA type suitable for dental restorative and tooth coating purposes is provided. Cure to a tack-free surface is obtained by the use of a particular ultraviolet sensitizer together with a peroxide catalyst. Exposure of the composition to actinic radiation produces singlet oxygen, which enters into the cross-linking reaction. However, because polymerization also takes place in the absence of oxygen, it is believed that an additional mechanism is operative. This BIS-GMA adhesive with ultraviolet sensitizer and peroxide catalyst requires UV radiation to effectively cure and harden the resin.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,973 to Hasegawa, et al. discloses a dental cold-polymerizing resin composition. In a powder-liquid type of dental cold-polymerizing resin composition, the powder component comprises a specific polymer such as polymethylmethacrylate containing a pyrimidinetrione derivative and an organometallic compound mixed at a specific proportion. The liquid component comprises a radical polymerizable compound containing an organic halogen compound and an aromatic tertiary amine mixed at a specific proportion used with a polymerization inhibitor.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,583,164 and 5,968,998 to Jochum, et al discloses dental compositions comprising bifunctional or polyfunctional acrylic-acid esters or methacrylic-acid esters. The dental compositions are based on an at least bifunctional or polyfunctional acrylic-acid and/or methacrylic-acid esters, which contain an initiator system for radical polymerization and which additionally contain a compound (1) of the general formula

in which: Ar represents aryl or substituted aryl, R1, R2 and R3 represent hydrogen, aryl or substituted aryl, straight-chain or branched chain C1-18-alkyl, C1-18-alkoxyl or C1-17-alkoxycarbonyl, in which alkyl and alkoxyl can be substituted by halogen or aryl, in which, R1 or R2, when represented by aryl or substituted aryl, C1-18-alkyl or C1-18-alkoxyl, can be linked with Ar by a single-bond and in which, Ar, when represented by phenyl, C1-18-alkylphenyl, C1-18-alkoxylphenyl, carboxyl-C1-17-alkylphenyl or halogenphenyl, R2 can be represented by —O—, which is linked with the phenyl or phenyl moiety of Ar to a benzofuran, and in which at least one of R1 to R3 represents H, and at least one of R1 to R3 represents aryl or aryl substituted by a straight-chain or branched-chain C1-18-alkyl, C1-18-alkoxyl, carboxyl-C1-17-alkyl or halogen. As a result of the content of a compound (I) the setting phase of the dental compositions is lengthened.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,584 to Cooper, et al. discloses multilayer light-reflecting film having a high refractive index thermoplastic polyester as the component of a system in which two or more resinous materials form a plurality of layers. A transparent thermoplastic resinous laminate film has at least 10 very thin layers of substantially uniform thickness. The layers are generally parallel, the contiguous adjacent layers are of different transparent thermoplastic resinous materials one of which is a thermoplastic polyester or copolyester resin having a refractive index of 1.55–1.61, and the adjacent resinous material has a refractive index which is lower by at least about 0.03. The contiguous adjacent layers differ in refractive index by at least about 0.03.
Representative patents disclosing application of a whitening coating to the surfaces of teeth are discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,627 to Suchan, et al. discloses a tooth whitening cosmetic composition. The tooth whitening covering cosmetic composition comprises Zinc Oxide, Water, Concentrated Ammonium Hydroxide and Ammonium Carbonate. It is used to form a complex system to cross-link the acrylic film forming resin Carboset Resin 514-A (B. F. Goodrich Chemical Co., of Cleveland, Ohio), which is used as a film former. After cross-linking and hardening of the resin, the free excess ammonium hydroxide is removed. Methyl cellulose (Methocel HG) is also disclosed for use as a film forming and pigment suspending agent. Ethanol is used as a solvent. The compound is said to have an extended wearing time. In practice, however, the composition is readily worn off by the abrasive action of food eaten after the compound is applied to the teeth, due to inherent softness of zinc oxide and cross-linked Carboset resin. The softness of the resin is also affected by the inability of the user to remove all the excess ammonium hydroxide following the cross-linking reaction of the Carboset Resin 514-A.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,144 to Lustgarten discloses a dental material and method for controlling tooth lustre. The dental material comprises a polymerizable binder, a polymerization agent and an additive comprising finely divided flakes of muscovite mica in a range of from about 1 to 20 percent by weight of the dental material for direct dental filling and restoration applications and in a range of from about 1 to 30 percent for cosmetically treating the surface of a tooth as a veneer or paint-on. The polymerizable resinous binder is 2,2-bis[4-3-methacryloxy-2-hydroxypropoxy)-phenyl]propane (BIS-GMA) with a reactive diluent; an activator and a peroxide catalyst. The use of muscovite mica provides a cosmetic treatment that is not durable due to the inherently low hardness of muscovite mica.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,743 to Santuchi et al. discloses a method for masking discoloration of teeth. The tooth surface is first etched with phosphoric acid to allow bonding to the composition. The polymerizable masking composition comprises liquid polymerizable acrylic monomer, a polymerization initiator for the monomer, sub-micron silica, and pigments, and is employed as a dental veneer to mask tooth discoloration. The polymerizable composition is a peroxide-catalyzed liquid difunctional acrylic ester composition comprising BIS-GMA, triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDM), fumed silica, pigments, a peroxide catalyst, and an accelerator for the catalyst. The monomer BIS-GMA is the diglycidyl dimethacrylate derivative of bisphenol-A; more precisely: 2,2-bis[4-(3-methacryloxy-2-hydroxypropoxy)phenyl]propane. The procedure is carried out in a dentist office; is not amenable to implementation by the user, since surface etching of teeth is involved. The fumed silica is extremely fine and does not reflect incident light with sufficient lustre.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,494 to Cohen discloses a composition and method for improving, altering, and treating teeth. The tooth is etched to create a bond with the composition, which covers discolorations or stains on the tooth's surface. The composition contains BIS-GMA polymer, an activator or catalyst such as benzoyl peroxide, and silica or titanium dioxide pigments. The tooth can be coated without etching procedure using glass ionomeric compound, which comprises pulverized fluoroaluminosilicate glass powder, carboxylic acid polymer, polymerizable unsaturated organic compound, and a polymerization catalyst. This glass ionomeric compound is light cured as discussed in Silverman E, et al., "A New Light-Cured Glass Ionomer Cement That Bonds Brackets To Teeth Without Etching In The Presence Of Saliva". Am. Jorthod Dentofac Orthop 1995; 108:231–6. and Silverman E. et al., "Bonding Of Orthodontic Attachments Using Ultraviolet Light Polymerized Adhesives". Buonocore M G (Ed.), "The Use Of Adhesives In Dentistry", Charles C. Thomas, Publisher, Springfield, Ill., 1975:372–88. Both procedures require assistance of a dentist to apply the dental coating, since etching is involved in the first procedure and ultraviolet curing is needed in the second procedure. The glass ionomeric compound in these procedures is crushed fine powder of fluoroaluminosilicate glass, which is opaque and does not reflect light.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,163 to Cohen discloses a composition and method for cosmetically improving and altering the appearance of teeth. The teeth are first etched by the user. Weak acids such as citric acid and/or polyacrylic acid prepare the teeth surface to receive the lac based coloring compound. The lac based covering composition comprises a pigment compound selected from titanium dioxide, pulverized fluroaluminosilicate glass particles colorized by food coloring dye covered with a lac composition. This lac-based covering composition is opaque and covers stains or disclorations of the teeth. No disclosure is contained by the '163 patent concerning a composition containing a transparent glass which reflects light, thereby providing a lustrous coating for the teeth, and which can be applied to the teeth without need for etching or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,652,280, to Cohen discloses a composition and method for improving, altering, and treating teeth. The teeth are first etched by the user with weak acids such as citric acid and/or polyacrylic acid, thereby preparing the teeth surfaces to receive a lac based coloring compound containing sodium fluoride to protect teeth dentin. The lac based covering composition comprises a pigment compound selected from titanium dioxide, pulverized fluroaluminosilicate glass particles colorized by food coloring dye covered with a fluoride containing lac composition. This lac based covering composition is opaque and covers stains or disclorations of the teeth. The composition does not contain a transparent glass, which reflects light, providing a lustrous coating to the teeth; it is not applied to the teeth without any etching requirement.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,652,281 to Eckhardt, et al. discloses dental materials. The dental materials contain monomers and/or prepolymers that can be subjected to a polymer-forming reaction. The dental materials comprise at least one initiating system and optionally comprise fillers, colorants, flow modifiers, stabilizers, ion-releasing substances as well as compounds which increase X-ray capacity or other modifiers. The dental materials are characterized by the presence of an initiating system proportioned such that the dental materials are sufficiently capable of flowing for at least 10 seconds after exposure to oxygen, whereupon they subsequently harden into a solid material. Polymer hardening occurs by oxidation. The dental material does not form a temporary surface coating for the teeth.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,709,271 to Yin, et al. discloses a low shrinkage dental composite, dental composite compositions, restorative compositions, and methods for their use. The compositions can contain (a) from about 1 to about 35 weight percent of a monomer portion capable of undergoing polymerization; (b) from about 75 to about 95 weight percent of a filler portion, the filler portion containing at least a spherical filler portion having at least one spherical filler particle component; and (c) from about 0.01 to about 10 weight percent of a polymerization catalyst portion capable of assisting in the polymerization and hardening of the composite. The spherical filler portion is present in an amount sufficient to reduce shrinkage of the composite after polymerization to about 1.8 percent or less. Compositions according to the invention are useful in Class I, II, IV, V, Core build-ups, and other types of dental restorations where maximum strength and polishability are desired. The spherical particles do not provide reflectivity of the incident light, and the composition is a permanent buildup composition, effected by cross-linking. It does not produce a temporary coating on the teeth surfaces.
Internet documents "Make Me Smile, Tooth Colored Fillings", www.smiledentalcare.net/makemesmiletoothcoloredfillings.htm, and www.dochowell.com/2whitfil.htm, disclose that white fillings are made from a tooth colored plastic mixture filled with microscopic glass beads (silicon dioxide) called composite resin. Such Internet documents teach a teeth-filling composition; but do not disclose or suggest a temporary cosmetic teeth coating, especially suited for application by the user.
Notwithstanding the efforts of prior art workers to provide cosmetic improvements to the teeth, the methods and means heretofore developed require tooth etching procedures that must be performed in a dentist office and result in permanent bonding of applied materials. It would be particularly desirable if a temporary coating could be safely applied by the user, at home, in a matter of minutes, to enhance reflectivity and appearance of the teeth.

Temporary cosmetic dental surface coating


A programmable logic device has a plurality of super-regions of programmable logic disposed on the device in a two-dimensional array of intersecting rows and columns of super-regions. Each super-region may be like a small or moderately sized programmable logic device and may include a two-dimensional array of intersecting rows and columns of regions of programmable logic. Each region may in turn include a plurality of subregions of programmable logic. Horizontal and vertical inter-super-region interconnection conductors are associated with the rows and columns of super-regions. These conductors are selectively connectable to horizontal and vertical inter-region interconnection conductors in the super-regions.

This invention relates to programmable logic devices, and more particularly to the manner in which the regions of programmable logic on such devices are organized and interconnected.
Many current programmable logic integrated circuit devices have a plurality of regions of programmable logic disposed on the device in a two-dimensional array of intersecting rows and columns of such regions. Examples of such devices are shown in Pedersen et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,610, Cliff et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,611, Cliff et al. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/442,795, filed May 17, 1995, and Cliff et al. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/672,676, filed Jun. 28, 1996, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. In such devices horizontal interconnection conductors may be associated with each row of regions for conveying signals to, from, and between the regions in that row. Vertical interconnection connection conductors may be associated with each column of regions for conveying signals to, from, and between the rows.
There are demands for programmable logic devices with more and more programmable logic regions. It may not be desirable, however, to provide more logic regions by simply increasing the number of logic regions in each row and/or increasing the number of rows. This is so because this expedient increases the number of programmable connections to and/or from the horizontal and/or vertical conductors. The loading on these conductors may therefore become undesirably large and signal propagation speed along them undesirably slow. The large number of programmable connections to the horizontal and/or vertical conductors also requires a correspondingly large number of programmable memory elements for controlling those connections. These numerous programmable connections and associated memory elements may result in an inefficient use of silicon area.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of this invention to provide improved organizations for the logic regions and interconnection conductors of programmable logic devices.
It is a more particular object of this invention to provide organizations for programmable logic devices which allow the number of regions on the device to be greatly increased without excessively increasing the loading on any one type of interconnection conductor.

Architectures for programmable logic devices


A coax connector bay and drawer maintain cable routing along sides of vertical array of drawers. When in a closed position, the drawers have access opening on opposite sides of the drawers to permit cables to be routed along the sides of the drawers and into the access openings for coupling to coax couplers. The drawers are slidable to open positions to permit a technician to have access to an interior of the drawers.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to frames and associated bays for use in the telecommunications industry. More particularly this invention pertains to a bay for providing connection between coaxial cables.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the telecommunications industry, high frequency signals are commonly transmitted across coax cables. From time to time, such cables must be interconnected. For example, it is desirable to provide an interconnection point between two pieces of telecommunications equipment to provide a convenient location in a telecommunications system for accessing signals as well as monitoring signals from time to time.
Locations for interconnecting coaxial cables are commonly housed in large fixtures referred to as a "bay." Such bay will have multiple locations for interconnecting coaxial cables. As a result of the multiple locations, the organization of the coax connector bay becomes important to avoid an unwieldy jumble of cables. It is also desirable that such bays have sufficient flexibility to permit functional modifications over time to permit monitoring of signals as desired as well as access to cables.


A semiconductor device of this invention includes: a semiconductor substrate; a gate electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate; a pair of source and drain electrodes respectively formed in regions of the semiconductor substrate situated on opposite sides of the gate electrode in a plan view; and a germanium-containing channel layer situated below the gate electrode to sandwich an gate insulator therebetween and intervening between the pair of source and drain electrodes, wherein a silicide layer forming at least a part of the source and drain electrodes has a lower germanium concentration than the channel layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a fabrication method thereof and, more particularly, to a transistor including a semiconductor layer containing germanium.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS2001), not only alteration of design rule generations but also introduction of new materials and structures will be accelerated after the 65 nm-generation process. One of the causes of such acceleration is that it becomes more difficult to obtain satisfactory drive current than before due to source voltage scaling, deterioration of carrier mobility and the like. In attempt to solve these problems, a proposal has been made of a device in which a new material having a high carrier mobility such as strained silicon or silicon-germanium (SiGe) is introduced into the channel thereof (see J. L. Hoyt and seven others, "Strained Silicon MOSFET Technology", International Electron Device Meeting (IEDM) 2002, P23–26 for example.)
Silicon-germanium has a higher carrier (hole) mobility than silicon. For this reason, the use of silicon-germanium for the p-channel of a field effect transistor makes it possible to realize a higher-speed operation without relying upon miniaturization.
A heterojunction dynamic threshold MOS transistor has been proposed as the art of enhancing the performance of a transistor having a heterojunction channel containing a silicon-germanium layer (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-314089.)
Also, a proposal has been made of a technique on a high-performance transistor with a strained silicon channel formed by adopting a silicon-germanium layer as a substrate.
Also, a germanium-containing cobalt silicide phase formation technique has been reported such that the value of resistance of a silicide layer can be lowered by simply raising the annealing temperature (see R. A. Donaton and six others, "Co silicide formation on SiGeC/Si and SiGe/Si layers", Applied Physics letter 70(10), 10 Mar. 1997, P1266–1268.)
Also, a proposal has been made of a source and drain structure raised up by selective epitaxial growth of a silicon layer as a technique of reducing the parasitic resistance of source and drain (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 2964925.)
At present, however, silicon-germanium for use in channels is different from silicon in the reaction temperature causing reaction with cobalt, which is frequently used as a silicide material for forming source and drain electrodes. As a result, the annealing temperature need to be 100–200° C. higher than the conventional annealing temperature (about 600–700° C.) in order to obtain a Co(SiGe) phase having a resistance as low as that of a CoSi2 phase. Accordingly, the process temperature hysteresis becomes undesirably higher, causing impurity diffusion, lattice strain relaxation and the like to occur, which might result in a failure to obtain desired impurity concentration profile and electrical characteristics. On the other hand, a special relaxed silicon-germanium substrate is presently needed in fabricating a transistor employing strained silicon. Since a silicon-germanium layer having a μm-order thickness is present in such a substrate underlying a strained silicon layer as thin as about 20 nm, a problem arises such that the temperature for forming a low-resistant silicide layer also becomes higher.
Further, germanium is a contamination source against the silicon process and, hence, its influence on the device reliability is concerned about. Therefore, device structure and fabrication process contrived to prevent germanium contamination are indispensable for such devices as mentioned above.

Semiconductor device and fabrication method thereof

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


An application binary is received at an intermediate federated service layer before deployment of the application binary at the application store. At the intermediate federated service layer multiple copies of application binaries are generated concurrently. At the intermediate service layer, program code of the copies of application binaries is concurrently parsed and features of copies of application binaries are matched with features of operating system. If the features match, corresponding program codes are flagged to switch off, and re-generated as custom application binary and deployed in application store. The custom application binary and a container along with features corresponding to operating system of a mobile device are downloaded to a mobile device. A request to access a set of features is received from the custom application binary at the container. If the set of features match the features of the operating system request is allowed through the container else it's blocked.

Mobile applications are developed to execute on different kinds of client devices such as mobile phones, electronic tablets, portable computers, etc. Typically, the mobile applications are developed for specific versions of operating system or platform. The development effort is directly proportional to the number of versions of operating systems. If an application is developed for a latest version of an operating system, the application may support or be compatible with one or more earlier versions of the operating system, however, for the application to be compatible with a complete set of earlier versions of the operating systems, the application may have to be developed for the individual earlier versions of the operating systems. It is challenging to develop an operating system version agnostic application that is compatible across operating systems versions or platforms.

Federated services to dynamically switch features in applications


A system and computer program product for obtaining a value via a rule engine implemented by a collection object associated with an object-oriented application. A request for the value includes a key, is received from the application, and is directed to a method of the collection object. The collection object is capable of storing the key and associated data, and providing the data in response to receiving the request. An overriding of the method of the collection object replaces the provision of the data by the collection object with a processing of the request by a rule engine external to the application. The rule is identified in a rule definition file external to the application based on an association between the rule and the key. An algorithm associated with the rule and included in the rule definition file is executed to provide the requested value.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a technique for obtaining a value via a rule engine, and more particularly to a technique for obtaining a value via an external rule engine implemented by a collection object in an object-oriented application.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, an object-oriented application that utilizes rules to obtain values includes rule definitions within the code of the application and/or is customized to interact with a specific external rule engine. The inclusion of rule definitions within the code and the customization of the application to work with the particular rule engine create obstacles for maintaining the application and updating the rule definitions. Thus, there is a need for an improved technique for obtaining a value by utilizing a rule engine in an object-oriented application.

Obtaining a value via a rule engine implemented by a collection object

International Business Machines Corporation


Small quantities of liquid are conveyed, either for the purpose of filling micropipettes or to function as an electrolyte in an ion selective electrode, in a flexible non-metallic capillary tube which is mounted, at a first end, in an adapter fitting. The fitting defines a socket for coupling to a source of liquid, a hypodermic syringe for example, or for receiving an electrochemical half-cell which will contact an electrolyte in the tube. A filter may be interposed between the fitting and hypodermic syringe so as to frictionally engage both when the device is employed for filling micropipettes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to miniaturized apparatus for conveying small quantities of liquid and particularly to fluid filling devices and miniaturized electrodes. More specifically, this invention is directed to techniques for conveying minute quantities of liquids and especially for techniques for filling small capillary tube micropipettes and other tiny chambers or vessels with a liquid. Accordingly, the general objects of the present invention are to provide novel and improved devices and methods of such character.
2. Description of the Prior Art
While not limited thereto in its utility, as will become apparent from the discussion below, the present invention is particularly useful in the filling of small capillary tube micropipettes and other small volume chambers or vessels that are normally difficult to fill completely with fluid because of narrow, deep or convoluted fluid passageways. Micropipettes, usually fabricated from glass and having microscopically small tips, find widespread usage in biological and chemical research for injecting fluid material into living cells and organelles in order, for example, to permit measurement of the electrical properties of such cells. Micropipettes are also employed to deliver minute amounts of fluid for microchemical analysis. The filling of micropipettes with the fluid material to be injected without the inclusion of air bubbles and dust particles is a problem of long standing in the art. The clogging of the micropipette tip by particles present in the injecting solution is one of the major causes of failure in microinjection experiments.
The technique for filling micropipettes most commonly employed prior to the present invention involves the use of a long, stainless steel hypodermic needle. However, the KCl solution used in the filling process can corrode and plug such stainless steel needles within a few days if the needle is not thoroughly cleaned after each use. Further, for micropipettes which are used in the study of ion channels, e.g., patch pipettes, the use of a metallic needle to fill the micropipette may have the undesirable result of introduction of metal ions into the filling solution. It is also to be noted that, when a metal needle is filled with a solution containing EDTA or EGTA, the solution can become very acidic within several minutes because EDTA chelates metal ions from the needle and therefore releases protons into the solution.
To summarize, there has been a long standing need in the art for a method of and apparatus for filling micropipettes easily and reliably. A filling technique and apparatus which meets the requirements of the art must eliminate air bubble formation and clogging due to the washing down of dust particles. The filling apparatus must also be nonmetallic, be reasonably durable and be sufficiently stiff to not bend significantly under its own weight while at the same time having enough flexibility to insure against easy fracture.
Filling apparatus in accordance with the present invention also has utility as a microelectrode and particularly an ion selective microelectrode. Such electrodes contain a liquid electrolyte selected as a function of the intended application. The same problems associated with the filling of micropipettes, as discussed above, are encountered when attempting to fill a microelectrode with an electrolyte. These problems have previously not been solved in a manner which is conducive to the efficient production of microelectrodes having a long service life.

Miniaturized fluid conveying device and methods of use thereof


Oxygen is separated from air by pressure swing adsorption in plant 2. The oxygen is passed through an ozone generator 4. The resulting ozonated oxygen is passed upwardly through a contactor 6 countercurrently to the flow of a side stream of water to be treated with ozone. The side stream containing dissolved ozone flows from the contactor 6 to a mixer 8 in which it is mixed with a main stream of water. The effluent gas from the contactor 6 contains air displaced from the water and undissolved oxygen. It is divided into two parts. One part flows to the pressure swing adsorption plant 2 and is separated therein with the air. The other part is dried by temperature swing adsorption in drier 20 and the resulting dried gas is ozonated in the ozone generator 4 with the oxygen from the plant 2.

The term "water" as used herein includes within its scope any source of water which is liable to be impure or to contain bacteria or other organisms that are susceptible to being treated with ozone. The water may for example include solids. Indeed, it may be sewage, or sewage sludge or other aqueous effluent.
Ozone is an oxidizing agent which finds use in the treatment of water, for example to produce a potable product. Since ozone is relatively unstable compared with other widely used industrial gases, such as oxygen and nitrogen, it is produced in commercial practice at the site of its use. The production method is the creation of an electrical discharge in a volume of gas comprising molecules of oxygen. The electrical discharge creates excited and unstable species of oxygen that react with unexcited oxygen molecules to form ozone. Typically, the source of gas comprising molecules of oxygen is air. There are, however, advantages in using, instead, a source of oxygen that has been separated from air, that is to say either pure oxygen or oxygen-enriched air. Firstly, the yield of ozone obtained increases with an increasing oxygen partial pressure. Secondly, a smaller ozonator is required for a given rate of production of ozone.
Although oxygen is soluble in water to a significant degree, ozone has a greater solubility. It is therefore typical that the effluent gas from the treatment of water with ozonized oxygen includes an enhanced mole ratio of oxygen to ozone. In order for oxygen to be preferred to air as the feed gas of choice for preparing ozone, it is desirable to put to good use the oxygen that is not converted to ozone. For example, either the residual gas formed after contacting the water with the ozonated oxygen can be passed to another treatment process for use as a treatment gas or it can be recycled to an apparatus or plant which produces the ozone. Since the water that is being treated with the ozone normally contains dissolved air, nitrogen is displaced from solution by the ozonated oxygen and thus the residual gas comprises a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen together with any undissolved ozone and it is desirable that a "recycle" ozonation plant should be designed on a basis that takes account of this dilution with nitrogen of the oxygen that is not converted to ozone.
Various different systems have been proposed for recycling the vent gas from an apparatus in which ozone is contacted with water. A general summary of such systems is provided in Chapter VI entitled "Ozone Generation and its Relationship to the Economical Application of Ozone in Waste Water Treatment" by Harvey M Rosen, edited by Evans and published by Ann Arbor Science, 1972. In a first system, air is compressed and oxygen is separated from the compressed air by pressure swing adsorption. The resulting oxygen gas is passed through an ozonator and the resulting ozonated oxygen is contacted with water to be treated. The undissolved gas from the contactor is then recycled to the compression stage. In an alternative scheme, a stream of oxygen is compressed and dried, and the resulting dried oxygen contacted with the waste water to be treated. Upstream of such contact, the waste water is subjected to vacuum degassing. Accordingly, the undissolved gas from the contactor is relatively free of nitrogen. The undissolved gas is recycled to the compressor. The latter process suffers from the disadvantage that it is necessary to degas the water to be treated. The former process suffers from the disadvantage that in the absence of any degassing of the waste water, the recycle gas from the contactor typically contains in the order of 40% by volume of components other than oxygen, and in particular contains nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide and water vapor. The resultant size of the apparatus or plant for separating the mixture of air and recycle gas by pressure swing adsorption is therefore considerably greater than it would be were the recycle gas to contain a much lower proportion of nitrogen.
In a paper entitled "Ozone Generation Utilizing a Purity Oxygen Feed Gas", by A Warakomski, Proceedings of the Ninth World Ozone Congress, New York 1989 (Editor: L J Bollky; Publisher: International Ozone Association) there is an assessment of the operation of an apparatus including a first stage for separating oxygen from air by pressure swing adsorption and a second stage for ozonating the resulting oxygen. The assessment includes a discussion of the operation of the apparatus as part of a `classical recycle system`. The paper identifies the relationship between the energy demand of the ozonator and the ozone concentration in the product gas for a number of different feed gas compositions. It is disclosed that for any particular ozone concentration in the product gas, the ozone generation energy demand decreases with increasing oxygen concentration in the feed gas. In addition, the adverse effect of decreasing feed gas oxygen concentration is said to be relatively small at low ozone concentrations in the product gas. Hence the adverse effect is relatively large at high ozone concentrations. Further, it is disclosed that the feed gas in the `classical recycle system` contains about 55 to 65% by volume of oxygen. This implies that the `classical recycle system` involves recycling the effluent gas from the contactor directly to the ozonator inlet without first performing any separation of this gas to increase its oxygen concentration. Accordingly, such recycle processes are unfavorable in terms of the economics of ozone production.
GB-A-1 521 166 discloses a process for the treatment of water, which comprises contacting a partial stream of the water under pressure in a packed column with an oxygen-ozone mixture from an ozonator, mixing the partial stream with the water to be treated and recycling oxygen which is not dissolved in the column to the ozonator. The pressure of the contact column is adjusted so that the ozonator, the content of nitrogen in the recycled oxygen is in an amount which permits substantially optimum operation of the ozonator. For example, the feed gas to the ozonator may include between 2 and 11% by volume of nitrogen. It is disclosed that typically a pressure of 5 bar is needed to provide a percentage of nitrogen in the recycle gas as low as about 15% by volume. The requirement to operate the ozone generator at super atmospheric pressure is however disadvantageous since it greatly increases power consumption and since it creates an inherent risk of ozone leaking into the atmosphere.
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for the treatment of water with ozone which reduces the disadvantages associated with the known processes discussed hereinabove.
According to the present invention there is provided a method of treating with ozone a volume of water, containing dissolved air, comprising separating oxygen from air in a first region and ozonating the resulting oxygen in a second region; countercurrently contacting the ozonated oxygen with part of the water to be treated thereby to form an ozonated stream of water and an effluent gas comprising firstly undissolved oxygen and secondly gas displaced from solution in the water by the ozonated oxygen; mixing the ozonated stream of water with another part of the water to be treated; and recycling a first stream of the effluent gas to the second region and a second stream of the effluent gas to the first region.
The invention also provides apparatus for treating with ozone a volume of water containing dissolved air, comprising means for separating oxygen from air; an ozonator for ozonating the resulting oxygen; a contactor for countercurrently contacting the ozonated oxygen with part of the water to be treated whereby in use to form an ozonated stream of water and an effluent gas comprising firstly undissolved oxygen and secondly gas displaced from solution in the water by the ozonated oxygen; a device for mixing the ozonated stream of water with another part of the water to be treated; and means for recycling a first stream of the effluent gas to the ozonator and a second stream of the effluent gas to the said separation means.
Preferably, oxygen is separated from the air by pressure swing adsorption. The oxygen is preferably not pure. In general, the penalty attached to the production of pure oxygen in terms of yield of oxygen and specific power consumption, that is the power consumption per volume of oxygen produced, more than counteracts any benefit to be gained in the ozonator from the absence of nitrogen or argon impurities. Typically, the product oxygen from commercially available pressure swing adsorption plants has a purity of from 90 to 95% and such a product is suitable for use in the invention. It must be borne in mind, however, that recycling the second stream of effluent gas in effect increases the oxygen concentration of the air that is separated by pressure swing adsorption and thereby makes possible a reduction in the size and capital cost of apparatus or plant required to give oxygen of a given purity.
Preferably, the choice of adsorbent and operating parameters for the separation of the air is such as to enable the air to be dried during the separation of oxygen therefrom.
Countercurrent contact between the ozonated oxygen and water may, for example, be performed in a packed column. Typically, the volume of water to be treated is divided into two streams, the first being contacted with the ozonated oxygen and the second being mixed with the ozonated first stream. In this way, by treating only part of the flow of water with the ozonated oxygen, it becomes possible to minimize both the amount of nitrogen and other gases that are stripped from the water and the amount of oxygen that is dissolved so as to produce a vent gas with a relatively high proportion of oxygen (typically at least 75% by volume).
The contacting device preferably has a plurality of stages so as to maximize the dissolution of the ozone. Typically it has from 3 to 10 theoretical stages, but it can alternatively have fewer such stages, say from 2 to 3. Typically, the vent gas contains less than 0.5% by volume of ozone.
Typically, the rate of flow of water through the contacting device is from 10 to 70% (and preferably 25 to 30%) of the total flow of water to be treated.
Residual ozone in the vent gas is preferably decomposed upstream of division of the vent gas into the first and second streams. Such ozone decomposition may be accomplished by known means. Preferably, liquid water is disentrained from the vent gas upstream of the decomposition of the ozone.
There is no need to operate the countercurrent contactor with a super atmospheric gas head space. Indeed, it is preferred to run the countercurrent contactor with a head space pressure below atmospheric pressure. Such an arrangement minimizes ozone loss to the ambient air. The sub-atmospheric pressure may be maintained by a downstream blower used to recycle effluent gas from the countercurrent contactor.
The first stream of effluent gas is desirably dried upstream of its ozonation. Thorough drying is desirable since even small quantities of water vapor have a markedly adverse effect on the production of ozone. Preferably the first stream of effluent gas is dried by temperature swing adsorption. The effluent gas from the countercurrent contactor may be divided into the first and second effluent gas streams upstream or downstream of the drier.
Preferably the method according to the invention is controlled so as to maintain a substantially constant oxygen composition downstream of where the oxygen is mixed with the first stream of effluent gas and upstream of where ozonation takes place. Preferably, the rate at which the first effluent gas stream is recycled is varied as necessary so as to attain such a constant gas composition.


A method of determining calibration test patterns to be utilized to calibrate a model for simulating the imaging performance of an optical imaging system. The method includes the steps of defining design rules associated with a given imaging process; defining a model equation representing the imaging performance of the optical imaging system; determining a boundary of an imaging signal space based on the design rules; selecting calibration patterns based on the boundary of the imaging signal space such that the calibration patterns are on the boundary or within the boundary of the imaging signal space; and storing the selected calibration test patterns, where the calibration test patterns are utilized to calibrate the model for simulating the imaging performance of the optical imaging system.

Lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In such a case, the mask may contain a circuit pattern corresponding to an individual layer of the IC, and this pattern can be imaged onto a target portion (e.g., comprising one or more dies) on a substrate (silicon wafer) that has been coated with a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist). In general, a single wafer will contain a whole network of adjacent target portions that are successively irradiated via the projection system, one at a time. In one type of lithographic projection apparatus, each target portion is irradiated by exposing the entire mask pattern onto the target portion in one go; such an apparatus is commonly referred to as a wafer stepper. In an alternative apparatus, commonly referred to as a step-and-scan apparatus, each target portion is irradiated by progressively scanning the mask pattern under the projection beam in a given reference direction (the "scanning" direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate table parallel or anti-parallel to this direction. Since, in general, the projection system will have a magnification factor M (generally >1), the speed V at which the substrate table is scanned will be a factor M times that at which the mask table is scanned. More information with regard to lithographic devices as described herein can be gleaned, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 6,046,792, incorporated herein by reference.
In a manufacturing process using a lithographic projection apparatus, a mask pattern is imaged onto a substrate that is at least partially covered by a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist). Prior to this imaging step, the substrate may undergo various procedures, such as priming, resist coating and a soft bake. After exposure, the substrate may be subjected to other procedures, such as a post-exposure bake (PEB), development, a hard bake and measurement/inspection of the imaged features. This array of procedures is used as a basis to pattern an individual layer of a device, e.g., an IC. Such a patterned layer may then undergo various processes such as etching, ion-implantation (doping), metallization, oxidation, chemo-mechanical polishing, etc., all intended to finish off an individual layer. If several layers are required, then the whole procedure, or a variant thereof, will have to be repeated for each new layer. Eventually, an array of devices will be present on the substrate (wafer). These devices are then separated from one another by a technique such as dicing or sawing, whence the individual devices can be mounted on a carrier, connected to pins, etc.
For the sake of simplicity, the projection system may hereinafter be referred to as the "optics;" however, this term should be broadly interpreted as encompassing various types of projection systems, including refractive optics, reflective optics, and catadioptric systems, for example. The radiation system may also include components operating according to any of these design types for directing, shaping or controlling the projection beam of radiation, and such components may also be referred to below, collectively or singularly, as a "lens." Further, the lithographic apparatus may be of a type having two or more substrate tables (and/or two or more mask tables). In such "multiple stage" devices the additional tables may be used in parallel, or preparatory steps may be carried out on one or more tables while one or more other tables are being used for exposures. Twin stage lithographic apparatus are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,441, incorporated herein by reference.
The photolithographic masks referred to above comprise geometric patterns corresponding to the circuit components to be integrated onto a silicon wafer. The patterns used to create such masks are generated utilizing CAD (computer-aided design) programs, this process often being referred to as EDA (electronic design automation). Most CAD programs follow a set of predetermined design rules in order to create functional masks. These rules are set by processing and design limitations. For example, design rules define the space tolerance between circuit devices (such as gates, capacitors, etc.) or interconnect lines, so as to ensure that the circuit devices or lines do not interact with one another in an undesirable way. A critical dimension of a circuit can be defined as the smallest width of a line or hole or the smallest space between two lines or two holes. Thus, the CD determines the overall size and density of the designed circuit.
In advanced photolithography, model based optical proximity correction (Model OPC) has become a necessity in order to achieve images with better fidelity and more robust process. The parameters in the OPC model must be determined by calibrating the model against experimental data on a set of test structures. Since the physical and chemical processes involved in photolithography process is rather complicated, an exact model formula/equation from first principles is difficult to achieve. In addition, optical proximity correction on a full chip imposes calculation speed requirements on any model of practical use. The complicated nature of the underlying processes together with the high speed requirement forces the model to be "empirical" in nature. This "empirical" component of the model causes the model parameters to be more sensitive to the test structures selected for the model calibration process.
Currently, the selection of test patterns for calibrating the simulation model is typically performed by an experienced designer. For example, the designer may select patterns comprising some frequently occurring features found in typical target patterns, and some features that historically have caused problems (experience), as well as some new features that are critical to the design. However, a selection of calibration or test patterns guided only by experience and intuition may not adequately calibrate the simulation model for all of the patterns and features the model may be utilized to actually simulate during operation.
Accordingly, there is need for a method for selecting/determining the calibration or test patterns to be utilized to calibrate the simulation model which optimizes the usefulness or robustness of the resulting model.

Method, program product and apparatus for translating geometrical design rules into boundary conditions in the imaging space so as to define test patterns for use in optical model calibration


A gas meter is configured for diagnostics using differential pressure (DP) measurements. The configurations include executable instructions to actively manage the DP sensor. These instructions active the DP sensor only during stable flow and, where applicable, for a defined test time period. This feature manages power consumption to maintain battery life with acceptable standards or regulations.

Flow meters are valuable to natural gas and other "resource" distribution companies. Utilities may install the devices at various locations along distribution lines to generate data that corresponds with flow of a resource, like water or natural gas. This data may, in turn, find use to calculate values that the utilities can leverage to bill customers or to manage inventory. Gas meters may employ electronics to "correct" these values for variations in properties of natural gas that occur naturally in respect of temperature and pressure at the gas meter. These electronics may also serve as a platform to monitor performance of the gas meter as it operates in the field. Data from this platform may help utilities diagnose potential or real-time performance issues that may arise from time-to-time on these machines. Where applicable, the utility may rely on these diagnostics to efficiently allocate labor (and other company resources) to attend to difficult gas meters in the field that might become a liability because of their diminished ability to accurately or reliability measure volumetric flow of gas.

Monitoring rotary gas meter health by analyzing differential pressure across the rotating element

Natural Gas Solutions North America, LLC


An electrical connector includes a female component having one or more receptacles, a first test receptacle, and a second test receptacle. The electrical connector also includes a male component having one or more terminals configured to engage the one or more receptacles, a first test pin configured to engage the first test receptacle, and a second test pin configured to engage the second test receptacle. The first test receptacle is electrically connected to the second test receptacle, and at least one of the first test pin and the second test pin is shorter in length than the one or more terminals.

Nearly every electrical system has one or more electrical connectors that enable the establishment of electrical connections between various portions of the system. These electrical connectors may include male and female components that, when connected, may be configured to pass various types of electrical signals, including DC voltage potentials and AC voltage signals. In certain embodiments, it may be desirable to know whether the male and female components of the electrical connector are engaged (e.g., connected such that at least one electrically conductive path is established between the male and female components).
Determining whether an electrical connector is properly engaged, however, can be difficult. For example, many electrical connectors may include a housing, locking mechanisms, and other structures that may shield the electrical conductors of the connector from view. Thus, a visual inspection of the outside of an electrical connector may not be determinative of whether the male and female components are properly and/or fully engaged.
At least one electrical connector has been proposed that enables, through visual inspection, a determination of whether the male and female components of the connector are fully engaged. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,368 ("the '368 patent") issued to Schildkraut discloses an electrical connector having a full mate indicator. This indicator may take the form of a button that extends outward from the connector when the male and female components are fully mated.
While the electrical connector of the '368 patent may include an indicator for determining whether the connector components are fully engaged, the connector of the '368 is problematic. For example, the mating condition of the electrical connector may only be determined through visual inspection. Thus, unless the connector is readily viewable during operation, the mating condition of the connector cannot be ascertained. Further, the connector of the '368 patent provides no way, other than through visual inspection, to actively monitor its connectivity during operation. Thus, monitoring the connection condition of the electrical connector of the '368 patent may be difficult or impossible if the connector is embedded within an electrical system or otherwise hidden from view.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems or disadvantages existing in the electrical connectors of the prior art.


A semiconductor optical device 100 has an n-type semiconductor layer 2, an active layer 3, and a p-type semiconductor portion 4 provided in order on a principal surface 1a of a substrate 1. The p-type semiconductor portion 4 has a ridge portion 40 and a base portion 42, and a contact layer 5 is formed on the ridge portion 40. A first portion 60 of an insulating layer 6 extends along a plane intersecting with the principal surface 1a of the substrate 1, on a side face 4b of the ridge portion 40 and on a side face 5b of the contact layer 5. An end 6a of the first portion 60 is higher than an edge 5c of the side face 5b of the contact layer 5.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor optical device and a method of making the same.
2. Related Background Art
Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-3362) describes a semiconductor optical device having a ridge type waveguide structure. In this ridge type semiconductor optical device, a contact layer is formed on the ridge. An insulating layer covering the ridge and contact layer has an aperture (window) at which a portion of the contact layer is exposed. The aperture is formed, for example, by photolithography using a photomask. However, if the alignment of the photomask is inaccurate, the aperture is not formed at a desired position. Further, the use of the photomask complicates a process of fabricating the semiconductor optical device and increases production cost.
Document 2 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 08-078784) and Document 3 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 09-331104) describe that an insulating layer on the contact layer has an aperture formed by a self-alignment method without using the above mask alignment and that the contact layer is exposed at the aperture. The self-alignment method is free of misalignment because of no need for the alignment of the mask. In the self-alignment method, the insulating film is formed on a substrate and a photoresist film is formed onto the insulating film. Since the thickness of the photoresist film becomes smaller on the ridge, the photoresist film on the ridge can be selectively removed.

Semiconductor optical device and method of making the same


A mobile apparatus is adapted to be handheld and configured for electronic processing of blood sugar affecting factors includes a first central processing unit arranged for processing of patient critical information objects, at least one memory comprising a plurality of in advance stored food units and values of at least one related blood sugar affecting parameter, an input unit arranged to provide user input such as a choice of food units and an amount thereof, a display arranged for visualization of food units for said user input, and for visualization of summed up blood sugar affecting parameters, and a second central processing unit arranged for processing of patient non-critical information objects.

Characterizing blood glucose or blood sugar response in an individual is an issue in many areas of human life. For instance in the treatment of diabetes, in order to estimate an amount of insulin required by a diabetic person to normalize the blood sugar level, is critical to maintaining health.
World Health Organization (WHO) has categorized the rapid increase of diagnosed diabetics in the world as epidemic. The alarming trend increases the costs of diabetes (a medical state with costly known health care side effects for the society and the affected individuals). This is a significant health care burden in the world that increases every day. WHO estimates the number of diagnosed diabetics to reach 300 millions by the year 2025 (the diabetes industry estimates that there is one undiagnosed diabetic on every diagnosed diabetic, the number in risk zone of developing diabetes over time increases with a factor×3 du to i.e. over weight and food habits etc). With the apparatus diabetics can be guided and fine tune their lifestyle end her by decrease their need for insulin with ˜30% and some individuals can completely end their medication (proven by studies in Sweden).
The intake of food influences the blood sugar level. Foodstuff is characterized, among other things, in terms of the carbohydrate content or the Glycemic Index (GI) thereof. Attempts have been made to relate the level of blood sugar to the food intake calculated in GI. However, this method is highly inaccurate. Furthermore, the intake of food is only one of many parameters that influence the blood sugar level.
According to the prior art, various types of systems are known for monitoring food intake for an individual.
Such a system is disclosed in US2005/0266385. US2005/0266385A1 discloses a computer program, method, and system for monitoring nutrition content of consumables and for facilitating menu planning. A hand-held apparatus for providing nutrition content information is disclosed, which comprises a computer-readable memory within housing to allow a user to monitor, tailor, plan or review their intake in light of a health-related interest or concern, such as, for example, weight-loss, food allergies, or diabetes or other nutrition affected illnesses or disabilities. Consumables are categorized and displayed in lists associated with an appropriate color to draw attention to relative nutrition content and to facilitate quicker and easier evaluation of a consumable of interest. Summaries are provided of a user's actual intake in light of a pre-established target intake for a particular day. Detailed reports may be generated showing consumption over a user-specifiable time period.
A problem with this type of previously known systems for monitoring and compiling food based nutrition intake for an individual, is that it lacks the ability to, in a precise manner, provide glycemical indexes and other blood sugar affecting factors in combination. Furthermore, the systems lack the possibility to, in an uncomplicated manner, compile and analyze glycemical indexes and others blood sugar affecting factors. However, these factors are not sufficient for a reliable analysis of the status of a patient.
In WO06079124A2 an insulation bolus dosage calculating device. Insulin boluses for Type 1 diabetics are calculated to improve their blood glucose control. An algorithm is implemented as either a portable electronic device (PED) or a slide rule device. Further operation of an insulin dosage calculation device is controlled.
A system for assisting a person to maintain blood glucose level between predetermined limits is disclosed in WO0205702A2. The system comprises an electronic device that has a display, a clock, a memory, and a processor; and a software program executable by the processor of the electronic device. The electronic device receives nutritional data of food consumed by the person, for calculating a blood glucose level for the person using the nutritional data and a glycemic response model for the person. The blood glucose level is presented to the person on the display of the electronic device.
A disadvantage with this type of systems for monitoring and compiling food nutrition intake for an individual is that they are restricted to specific areas of usage, e.g. weight loss or control of insulin bolus of a diabetic. With this respect, an undesired inclination of the food based compilation towards such an area of usage results.
An issue with this type of known systems is that they give an unsatisfactory monitoring and lack analysis of for example a diabetic's health condition. A disadvantage with such systems for monitoring and compiling only food nutrition intake is the risk of not noticing conditions with increased risk for hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia.
A system and method for registering, predicting and/or preventing inadvertent conditions of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, would be advantageous for preventing potentially dire consequences.
Further, the systems and methods known in the prior art are rather complicated and not user friendly and flexible in every day life. Furthermore, reliability of the systems has potential for improvement, as well as patient safety thereof.
Hence, there exists a need to process, visualize, calculate and to put together blood sugar affecting parameters, e.g. for a plural of ingested or select food units since food units properties in cooperation influences the result or the over all blood sugar level.
Therefore, an improved device and method for processing blood sugar affecting factors would be advantageous and in particular allowing for increased flexibility, reliability, patient safety, and/or cost-effectiveness would be advantageous.

Mobile apparatus, method and system for processing blood sugar affecting factors


An object of the present invention is to provide the resin composition for electro-photographic toner, which the electro-photographic toner to be obtained by it is superior to low temperature fixing properties and a hot offset resistance, and the electro-photographic toner thereof. To be achieved this purpose, multi-branched state polyester structure having a structure representing the following structural formula (1) as a repeating unit, is made into a main skeleton (In the formula, R expresses an aliphatic hydrocarbon group, and n shows the number of repeating units of a branched structure and is an average of 1-5.) *a is a node of the carbon atom of a carbonyl group, *b is a node of an oxygen atom, and *b is bonded to *a in the other repeating unit of the structural formula (1)). In addition, polyester resin (A) having a ratio of 25 to 95% of the weight for alkyl group of the number of carbon atoms 20-80 or alkenyl group of the number of carbon atoms 20-80 to the molecular terminal and aliphatic series crystalline polyester resin (B) is contained. The electro-photographic toner containing the resin composition for electro-photographic toner and this composition is provided.

In recent years, to archive low-power consumption of a laser printer or a copy machine, improvement in performance for fixing at low temperature (low temperature fixing properties) is demanded for toner for electro photography.
In order to raise low temperature fixing properties, a polyester-based resin is generally used as binder resin in toner, and further improvement in low temperature fixing properties is designed by reducing the softening point of the resin.
However, when improvement in the low temperature fixing properties of electro-photographic toner is designed by lowering the softening point of binder resin, a hot offset resistance will decline significantly.
Therefore, the method to include a wax in electro-photographic toner is generally used.
However, generally, the compatibility between a wax and polyester-based binder resin is extremely poor, so a wax cannot be included in binder resin, for example, only about 2 to 3% of the weight.
Even if it can include a wax about 2 to 3% of the weight in binder resin, the wax dispersion in toner will not be uniform, and the hot offset will be occurred.
Thus, to obtain the electro-photographic toner that was superior in low temperature fixing properties and in a hot offset resistance was difficult.
As a method to improve the dispersibility of a wax, it is attempted to raise the compatibility between a wax and polyester-based binder resin; and for example, manufacturing electro-photographic toner by using the composition containing binder resin and a wax with a compatibilizer that further makes compatible for these is known.
As such a composition, in the concrete, for example, a composition, which contains binder resin of polyester-based resin, a wax, and the compatibilizer obtained by reacting maleic anhydride denaturation polyolefin with polyester resin, is disclosed (for example, see patent documents 1.).
This compatibilizer has a formation adding polyolefin that is superior in compatibility with a wax to a similar-based polyester resin of a binder resin.
The compatibility between the wax and the polyester-based resin as binder resin improves by using this compatibilizer, and the wax can be used about 5% of the weight to the weight of binder resin, which is much more than former.
However, about 5% of the weight is insufficient for the content of a wax to the weight of binder resin in order to obtain the toner that is superior in a hot offset resistance, and it may be necessary to be about 10% of the weight.
In the patent documents 1, the polyester resin used for preparing the compatibilizer is about 0.02-1 mmol/g in hydroxyl group (about 1-70 mg KOH/g as in hydroxyl value,) and it is a polyester resin generally used in the field of the electro-photographic toner. However, in such polyester resin, little quantity of the hydroxyl group exists for binding of polyolefin.
For this reason, polyolefin for sufficient quantity cannot be applied, which the content of a wax to be used about 10% of the weight to the weight of binder resin.
Even if it tried to increase the amount of the compatibilizer used and to increase in the quantity of the wax which can be dispersed in binder resin, since the molecular weight of the polyolefin chain added to the compatibilizer is as large as 1000-20000, the compatibility between the compatibilizer and the binder resin does not be satisfactory. Thus, to mix with binder resin in large quantities is difficult.
Patent documents 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No 2005-316378

Resin composition for electrophotographic toners and electrophotographic toners


A door security system is used in conjunction with a lock such as a deadbolt lock having an "inside" located actuating handle, of the type used in hotel rooms, having a major and a minor dimensional axis. The security device has a baseplate that fits beneath the faceplate of the lock and which can be oriented during installation in relation to the shaped actuating handle of the lock. The baseplate of the security device extends eccentrically off center and supports a pivot post that carries a latch locking plate. The locking plate is pivotally supported on the pivot post, for pivotal rotation thereabout, and has an arcuate passage off-set from the pivot post, in use to receive the lock actuating handle. In use, with the baseplate installed beneath the faceplate of the lock and the lock handle rotated to extend the bolt, the locking plate may be rotated about the pivot post, swinging the arcuate passage over the lock handle in immobilizing relation therewith. In this condition the shaped lock handle cannot be rotated, and the lock is restrained in a locked condition despite the use of a proper key, externally.

The problem of maintaining personal security against unauthorized entry is a longstanding problem.
In instances such as hotel rooms or in the case of condominium dwellings occasions arise when the privacy and security of an occupant is compromised by the entry of a third party, using a duplicate key.
Many solutions have been advanced, or are in wide spread use, such as safety chains, in the case of hotels and apartments. These have aesthetic disadvantages, as well as requiring the user to perform a sometimes difficult operation, in applying the chain. Also, in the case of fire or other emergency, the safety chain may present a serious obsticle to the occupant in exiting the room.
Many previous efforts have been made with a view to immobilizing the lock handle, such as:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,455,627, Lawson--May 1923; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,700,135, Lanes--Jan. 1929; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,423,974, Bernsley--Jan. 1969; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,263,462, Suroff et al.--1966; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,882, Dusault et al.--Jul. 1973; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,423, Hollins--Nov. 1975; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,014, Moses--Jan. 1976; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,483, Lupton et al.--Jan. 1980; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,137, Cook--Jul. 1981; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,202, Willis--Jun. 1987; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,745, Baugh--May 1989; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,086, Richards--Sep. 1989; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,663, Yeager--Aug. 1990; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,498, Upchurch--Mar. 1991; and PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,263, Taylor--Apr. 1991.
Prior arrangements are generally characterized by their complexity; their need, usually, for separate mounting and attachment; and their expense. Also, in most cases the prior arrangements depend for their successful operation upon the particular orientation of the main axis of the door lock handle, when in the locked condition, in order to ensure engagement of the locking device, to immobilize the lock handle.


A method for controlling a loss of reliability of a non-volatile memory (NVM) included in an integrated circuit card (ICC) may include determining whether the NVM is reliable at the operating system (OS) side of the ICC, and generating an event associated with the reliability of the NVM at the OS side for an application of the ICC, if the NVM is determined to be unreliable.

As may be known, Integrated Circuit Cards (ICCs) comprise at least a CPU, a volatile memory, and a non volatile memory (NVM). ICCs are used for a wide range of applications involving different devices. For example, when used for telecommunication applications, ICCs are coupled to a GSM/UMTS handset device including a man to machine interface which allows a user to manage the ICC. The ICC may also be used in a machine-to-machine (M2M) application, wherein a system device is coupled to the ICCs and no man to machine interface is provided. Moreover, ICC machine-to-machine (M2M) applications generally comply with different hardware and/or software requirements with respect to ICCs incorporated into handset devices, depending on the specific application they serve.
For example, an emergency ICC device reporting failures of a lift in a building has a stable voltage supply, and the internal ICC is continuously powered on, for example for several years. Moreover, the reliability requirement of the ICC should be very high since it is desirable that it not be replaced even for several years. An ICC device installed inside a car device for phone calls may also be used to generate alerts in case of theft or a car accident. In this case, the ICC is usually not continuously powered on, and the voltage supply is substantially not stable. Still further, a gas meter device storing an ICC may be used to send the gas meter measurement on a regular basis or upon a specific event. This information may automatically be transmitted via an SMS or a data protocol. All the applications referred above, i.e. man-to-machine applications, such as a telecommunication applications and M2M applications, suffer from the limitations that the loss of reliability of the non volatile memory of the ICC is not controlled at application layer.
For clarity, below are some examples of loss of reliability. Non-volatile memory typically cannot guarantee that memory cells not updated for more than a predetermined time period, for instance for more than ten years, correctly store data. This problem is also known as reliability on data retention of the non-volatile memory. For example, in a flash memory, the electric charges of memory cells are associated with respective bits and thus to corresponding data stored in the flash memory. However, if a cell is not updated for some time to restore the corresponding electric charge, this charge slowly dissipates and data associated therewith is lost.
Non-volatile memory reliability also involves other factors, for example, a limitation on the number of writing cycles supported by the memory. In fact, after a predetermined number of writing cycles on a same memory cell, further operations on such cell, i.e. reading access or writing access, may not be executed correctly. Thus, data previously stored may be lost. Other factors involving reliability of memory are the deterioration of the hardware or connection between the ICC and the device thereto coupled, i.e. the handset or the system device.
As cited above, the current methods for controlling loss of reliability are not available or managed from the applications of the ICC. This is due to the fact that typically only the operating system has the control of the hardware, and thus on the non volatile memory, and the applications are coupled to respective portions of such non-volatile memory generally only through the operating system. This serves to increase the portability of applications on different operating systems, in compliance with predetermined interfaces between the core operating system and the applications, such as Java Card and ETSI TS 102 241.
Thus, at the application layer, it may be desirable to detect or interpret the status of the non-volatile memory, due to the nature of the above mentioned interface, and thus control the reliability of the non-volatile memory. That is to say, the ICC operating system (OS) merely provides the application program with interfaces for accessing and updating data in memory, and the ICC OS is responsible for managing the physical aspect of memory, for example, memory refreshing and the memory page table.
For example, the application generally has no way to understand if the memory is losing reliability due to the limited data retention or to the limited writing cycles. Thus, controlling, from the application, the reliability of a non-volatile memory associated with or coupled to the application itself may be a relevant technical problem in the field of ICCs.
Moreover, the ICC operating system cannot measure time because the ICC is not always powered on. Thus it cannot determine whether a predetermined time period, for example, five years, has elapsed to alert the application of a potential data retention problem.
On the other end, measuring the time based upon a request to the handset device, for example, requesting a current date or time with a "provide local information proactive command" as specified in 3GPP TS 31.111, may not be safe because it depends on the reliability of date or time returned by the handset device. Neither receiving an SMS nor data over other bearers on a regular basis, to detect the elapse of time, is secure. In fact, the ICC should rely on an external bearer. Moreover, this approach typically involves undesired costs for transmitting the SMS to the ICC. Thus, it may be desirable to manage the loss of reliability due to the data retention at application level, and such problem of data retention is not easily detected at the operative system layer, since the operating system cannot measure the elapsed time. Moreover, applications do not have any means to request specific actions to increase memory reliability, e.g., no way exists for an application to request the refreshment of all memory areas to extend data retention in case a data retention problem is identified.
With respect to deterioration of the hardware or connection between the ICC and the system device, in traditional machine-to-man systems, the handset may send through the corresponding machine-to-man interface a message associated with the reliability of the non-volatile memory, allowing the user to substitute the ICC. However, if the ICC is connected to a system device with a M2M interface, no machine-to-man interface is available to alert a user to substitute the ICC. Thus, the known method cannot react to a loss of reliability of the memory when the ICC is used for a M2M application.
In other words, the problem of the prior art lies in that although the non-volatile memory (NVM) in the ICC has constraints on a limited number of updates and a limited time for data retention, the application has no way of knowing the status of the NVM because no interfaces are provided by the ICC OS.
Thus, it may be desirable to provide a method and a system for controlling possible loss of reliability of non-volatile memories incorporated into an ICC, especially due to the limited data retention of such memory, to the limited writing cycles of the memory, and to possible deterioration of the hardware or connection with the device coupled to the ICC. It may also be desirable to improve the reliability of the non-volatile memory in a plurality of scenarios in which the corresponding ICC is used, including man-to-machine applications and machine-to-machine applications.

Method and system for controlling loss of reliability of non-volatile memory


A metallic alloy having a semi-solid range between the liquidus temperature and the solidus temperature of the metallic alloy is processed by cooling the metallic alloy from an initial metallic alloy elevated temperature to a semi-solid temperature of less than the liquidus temperature and more than the solidus temperature, and maintaining the metallic alloy at the semi-solid temperature for a sufficient time to produce a semi-solid structure in the metallic alloy of a globular solid phase dispersed in a liquid phase. The cooling may be accomplished by providing a crucible at a crucible initial temperature below the solidus temperature, pouring the metallic alloy into the crucible, and allowing the metallic alloy and the crucible to reach a thermal equilibrium between the liquidus temperature and the solidus temperature of the metallic alloy. The method further includes removing at least some, but not all, of the liquid phase present in the semi-solid structure of the metallic alloy to form a solid-enriched semi-solid structure of the metallic alloy, and forming the metallic alloy having the solid-enriched semi-solid structure into a shape.

This invention relates to solidification processing of metallic alloys, and, more particularly, to semi-solid processing of metallic alloys.
The casting of a metal into a useful shape involves heating the metal to a temperature above its melting point, placing the molten metal into a form termed a mold, and cooling the metal to a temperature below its melting point. The metal solidifies in the shape defined by the mold, and is thereafter removed from the mold. Within these general guidelines, a wide variety of casting technologies are known.
When most metallic alloys are cooled from the molten state, they do not solidify at a single temperature, but over a temperature range. As the metal is cooled, it first reaches a liquidus temperature at which the alloy begins to freeze. As the temperature is further reduced, an increasing fraction of the metal becomes solid, until the metal is entirely solid below a solidus temperature.
In conventional casting practice, the metal is cooled from the molten state above the liquidus temperature to the solid state below the solidus temperature, without being held at a temperature between the liquidus temperature and the solidus temperature. However, it is known to cool the metal to a semi-solid temperature range between the liquidus temperature and the solidus temperature and hold the metal at that temperature, so that the metal is in a semi-solid state. Alternatively, the metal may be heated from a temperature below the solidus temperature to the semi-solid temperature range between the liquidus temperature and the solidus temperature. By whatever path the metal reaches this semi-solid temperature range, the semi-solid material is then processed to produce a structure of solid globules in a liquid matrix. This process may involve intensive stirring, but if suitable conditions are achieved to give many crystallization nuclei (for example by rapid cooling or using suitable grain refinement techniques) the process may involve only an aging step. The semi-solid mixture is then forced into a mold while in this semi-solid state, typically by die casting.
In the conventional semi-solid casting technique, careful control is required over the heating and cooling parameters, specifically the holding temperature at which the processing apparatus is maintained. The present inventors have realized that for commercial purposes the conventional approach is confined to use with alloys having a low rate of increase of the fraction of solids with decreasing temperature, at the semi-solid processing temperature. Consequently, many alloys are excluded from practical commercial semi-solid processing, unless a high degree of control on temperature (requiring expensive equipment) is achieved. This high degree of control is not possible or not practical for many commercial semi-solid casting operations
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved approach to the semi-solid casting of metallic alloys, which is less restrictive on processing parameters and produces a better-quality final product. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.

Semi-solid concentration processing of metallic alloys


A method of sensing movement or proximity of objects by optical reflection is provided. The method includes the steps of transmitting a train of optical pulses towards a destination, sensing optical pulses reflected from the destination, and sensing and evaluating movement or proximity characteristics of objects at the destination with reference to variation in pulse width between transmitted and reflected optical pulses.

Optical sensing techniques are widely used in automation and other applications. For example, optical sensors are used for detection of movement, presence and absence, and position, of objects in industrial automation process. An example of optical sensors known for such applications is the PX series photo-sensors by Keyence Corporation of the USA.
In a typical optical sensing arrangement, an optical source is arranged on one side of an object for projecting an optical beam towards a destination. An optical detector is positioned on the other side of the object to monitor the detection or reception of optical signals originated from the optical source which are not blocked or intercepted by the objects. Spatial information of the objects, e.g., information on movement, presence and absence, and location, can be obtained from the received optical information. However, such an optical arrangement is known to be bulky and requires expensive components. Further, the reliability of conventional optical sensing arrangements is vulnerable to interference by ambient light noise such as interference from fluorescent lamp and background light. Therefore, it-will be beneficial if there can be provided methods and apparatus of optical sensing to alleviate shortcomings of conventional optical sensing arrangements.

Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.