In an ion generator, a high-voltage electrode with a contact portion is disposed on a first main surface of an insulating substrate and is connected to a wire electrode, and a ground electrode covered with an insulating film is disposed on a second main surface of the insulating substrate. The ground electrode is electrically connected to a contact portion on the first main surface via a through hole. By disposing the high-voltage electrode and the ground electrode on different surfaces, the occurrence of an undesirable leakage current flowing from the high-voltage electrode to the ground electrode is prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ion generators, and, more particularly, to an ion generator used in an air cleaner or an air conditioner.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, for environmental improvement, various ion generators have been provided. For example, an ion generator disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-63827 is known. As illustrated in FIG. 8, in this ion generator, a ground electrode 142 covered with an insulating film 144 is disposed on a substrate 141, and a wire electrode 145 is disposed between two legs 142a and 142b of the ground electrode 142. The wire electrode 145 is connected to a high-voltage electrode 143 disposed on the substrate 141. When a high-tension current is supplied to the wire electrode 145, a leakage current flows from the wire electrode 145 to the ground electrode 142, so that ions are generated.
In this ion generator, however, the ground electrode 142 and the high-voltage electrode 143 are close to each other since they are disposed on the same surface. As a result, an undesirable leakage current flows from the high-voltage electrode 143 to the ground electrode 142. This reduces the number of ions generated.


Generally, an end effector assembly for a substrate transfer robot is provided. In one embodiment, an end effector assembly for supporting a quadrilateral substrate during substrate transfer includes an end effector having an inner edge support disposed on a first end and a first outer edge support disposed on a distal end. The first end of the end effector is adapted for coupling to a robot linkage. The first inner edge support has a face that is oriented parallel to and facing the face of the first outer edge support. This configuration of edge supports captures the substrate to the end effector thereby minimizing substrate slippage during transfer. In another embodiment, lateral guides may be utilized to further enhance capturing the substrate along the edges of the substrate open between the inner and outer edge supports.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to an end effector assembly for supporting substrates.
2. Background of the Related Art
Thin film transistors (TFTs) are conventionally made on large glass substrates or plates for use in monitors, flat panel displays, solar cells, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cell phones and the like. TFTs are made in a cluster tool by sequential deposition of various films including amorphous silicon, doped and undoped silicon oxides, silicon nitride and the like in vacuum chambers typically disposed around a central transfer chamber. Production of good quality polysilicon precursor films utilized in these structures requires that the hydrogen content of the film be controlled below about 1 percent. In order to achieve this low hydrogen content, post deposition heat treatment of the film at temperatures of about 550 degrees Celsius is required.
Accordingly, robots utilized to move substrates in these cluster tools must have end effectors designed to withstand these high temperatures. Generally, conventional transfer robots are not suited for operation at such high temperatures. Particularly, the end effectors of vacuum robots utilized in flat panel processing systems typically include one or more rubber friction pads upon which the substrates rest. The friction pads generally prevent the substrate from sliding relative to the end effector as the robot transfers the substrate from chamber to chamber. Several high temperature rubber compounds are available but are typically limited to a maximum operating temperature of about 320 degrees Celsius, significantly lower than the 550 degrees Celsius desired in polysilicon heat treating processes. When the end effector of the robot is exposed to high temperature for more than ten seconds, these conventional rubber pads typically melt and stick to the substrate. The melted rubber stuck to the backside of the substrate is undesirable both due to potential contamination and subsequent processing issues. Moreover, once the rubber pad is removed from the end effector, scratching of the backside of the substrate by the end effector may occur which may lead to particulate generation and substrate damage or breakage. Furthermore, if the rubber pad melts, replacement of the pad is difficult.
Therefore, there is a need for an end effector suitable for use at elevated temperatures.

End effector assembly for supporting a substrate


A fluid pump has a cylinder supporting a plunger and a pump housing formed with dissimilar metals. A pressing mechanism presses the cylinder and the pump housing relative to each other so that a pressurizing chamber is sealed through a pressing surface between the pump housing and the cylinder. The number of seal points can be reduce, and a reduction in reliability can be eliminated while realizing a reduction in weight of the pump housing and a reduction in cost due to increase in cutting capability, by using a soft material such as an aluminum alloy for the pump housing.

In a conventional device, a hollow cylindrical part is provided in a pump housing (called a body or a base) of the pump as a first member. A cylinder (called a plunger support member, a plunger slide tube, or a cylindrical member) as a second member is made to fit the hollow cylindrical part. The pressurizing chamber that pressurizes the fuel is formed by closing the open end of the cylinder using a seal plate. A reciprocation plunger, having a point that goes into and out from the pressurizing chamber, is supported by this second member so as to go in and out.
Such a conventional device, for instance, is proposed as a high-pressure fuel feed pump for an internal combustion engine by Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 11-82236.
This document describes a high-pressure fuel feed pump that can decrease man-hour requirements, while ruining neither wear and abrasion resistance nor liquid seal properties, by making the second member, which keeps the slidable plunger wear and abrasion resistant, and the first member, into which the second member is inserted, of wear and abrasion resistant material like an aluminum alloy.
However, in this prior art, the pressurizing chamber and the low-pressure chamber are sealed by pressing a seal plate, provided at the open end of the cylinder, against the cylinder end surface. Further, the first member and the second member are almost contacted in the opening area of the periphery of the second member. Therefore, a difference in heat deformation amounts is caused according to the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients between both members. As a result, the cylinder receives stress and deforms locally when both members expand due to the effect of heat, and the plunger wears the cylinder. Further, the space between the plunger and the cylinder wall surface is about five microns. An average thermal expansion coefficient of the aluminum alloy member is 23×10−6. Moreover, an average thermal expansion coefficient of an iron system member is 10×10−6 for steel, and 17×10−6 for SUS. If the diameter (inside diameter or outside diameter) is 30Φ, thermal expansions of 7 microns, 3 microns, and 5 microns are caused, respectively, because the amount of thermal expansion is obtained by diameter×thermal expansion coefficient×temperature variation difference. These thermal expansions act on the outside wall of the cylinder, and cause deformation of the cylinder.
Moreover, because it is necessary to assemble the first and second members so that they do not come off, and with many seal rings installed between the first member and the second member, assembly of the first member and the second member is difficult, and not practicable.
Further, the plunger in the above-mentioned prior art document might be referred to as a piston or a reciprocating rod in other documents. The plunger of the present invention is the same as these members. Of course, it is possible to functionally refer to the element by which the fluid is pressurized. Therefore, both a plunger with a rod shape or another pressurizing element having the function of compressing the fluid can be used.
Both an element with the rod shape described and also an element of a shape having a pressurizing function that is not described are included in the term "pressurizing element" in this application.

Fluid pump and high-pressure fuel feed pump


An implantation step of a dopant ion for forming source and drain regions (S and D) is divided into one implantation of a dopant ion for forming a p/n junction with a well region (3), and one implantation of a dopant ion that does not influence a position of the p/n junction between the source and drain regions (S and D) and the well region with a shallow implantation depth and a large implantation amount. After conducting an activation heat treatment of the dopant, a surface of the source/drain region is made into cobalt silicide 12, so that the source/drain region (S and D) can have a low resistance, and a p/n junction leakage can be reduced.

At the present time, in order to realize high speed operation of a MOS transistor constituting a MOS LSI, it has became important to decrease the sheet resistance of the source and drain electrodes, the contact resistance of an electrode and wiring, and the parasitic capacitance of the source and drain.
In order to cope with the requirement, a structure, in which the source and drain surface is subjected at once to silicidation in a self-aligning manner, is applied particularly to a semiconductor device that must be operated at a high speed. In this structure, the surface of the electrodes is covered with a silicide having a low resistance, such as titanium silicide (TiSi2), cobalt silicide (CoSi2) and the like, to decrease the sheet resistance, and the contact resistance with wiring can also be decreased to a large extent in comparison with the conventional metal-semiconductor contact. Since the area of the source and drain can be reduced, the parasitic capacitance can also be reduced. Furthermore, the so-called salicide (self-aligned silicide) technique, in which, upon subjecting the surface of the source and drain to silicidation, the upper part of a gate electrode is also simultaneously subjected to silicidation in a self-aligning manner, is also widely employed.
In the case where TiSi2 is used, it is constituted with a metastable phase (C45 structure) having a relatively high specific resistance and a stable phase (C54 structure) having a relatively low specific resistance. The conversion of the metastable phase (C45 structure) to the stable phase (C54 structure) can be conducted by a heat treatment at about 800° C. However, the temperature must be increased with an increase in the fineness of the pattern. That is, it has been known that there is a thin line width effect, in which the phase transfer is difficult to achieve with a fine pattern (for example, 0.2 μm or less). Therefore, in order to realize a fine pattern having a gate line width of 0.2 μm or less, the heat treatment temperature for the phase transfer must be increased. Accordingly, the heat treatment temperature affects the fine source/drain diffusion layer.
A MOS LSI of recent years is constituted with a complementary MOS transistor for low electric power consumption. Therefore, it is necessary to form a silicide layer on silicon having various dopants, such as an N+-type single crystal silicon region (N-type source/drain), a P+-type single crystal silicon region (P-type source/drain), an N+-type polycrystalline silicon gate electrode and a P+-type polycrystalline silicon gate electrode. In the case of TiSi2, the formation temperature thereof is greatly influenced by the dopant. In general, the thickness on the N+-type silicon becomes from 60 to 70% of that on the P+-type silicon. This is because Ti attracts an N-type dopant, and, as a result, the silicidation reaction is inhibited.
On the other hand, instead of TiSi2 which has the above-mentioned problems, CoSi2 is being applied, since it has a small thin line effect and a small influence from the dopant.
A MOS type semiconductor device having a salicide structure, to which CoSi2 is applied, is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 186085/1996 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 274047/1996. According to these publications, the problems of increase in junction leakage electric current and deterioration in junction withstand voltage in applying CoSi2 and the solutions thereof are disclosed. The problems occur due to the following factors.
Before forming a cobalt film by sputtering, a spontaneous oxide film is formed on a surface of a diffusion layer, and when the formation of the cobalt layer and the first heat treatment are conducted under that condition, an interface between the diffusion layer and the CoSi film becomes non-uniform and uneven. An interface between the diffusion layer obtained by the second heat treatment and the CoSi2 film cannot escape from the influence of the form of the interface between the diffusion layer and the CoSi film. Furthermore, because an increase in volume is associated with the conversion from the CoSi film to the CoSi2 film, the distance between the PN junction interface of the diffusion layer and the uneven bottom surface of the CoSi2 film becomes small. Accordingly, an increase in junction leakage electric current and deterioration in junction withstand voltage in the diffusion layer are liable to occur.
According to the technique disclosed in the former publication, after removing the spontaneous oxide film on the surface of the diffusion layer by use of a hydrogen plasma in a vacuum apparatus, bis(methylcyclopentadienyl)cobalt is evaporated without breaking the vacuum, and a cobalt film is formed by a CVD method in which the gas is subjected to thermal decomposition.
According to the technique disclosed in the later publication, after removing the spontaneous oxide film on the surface of the diffusion layer by use of a hydrogen plasma in a vacuum apparatus, a cobalt film is formed by a CVD method in which an evaporated gas of bis(hexafluoroacetylacetonato)cobalt is reduced with a hydrogen gas without breaking the vacuum.
The present inventors have revealed that in the case of CoSi2, an increase in junction leakage electric current and deterioration in junction withstand voltage occurs due to the following problems that occur completely separately from the problem of increase in junction leakage electric current and deterioration in junction withstand voltage due to the spontaneous oxide film disclosed in the publications.
As one of the measures for preventing the junction leakage between the source/drain and the well when the source/drain is converted to CoSi2, a shut current experimentation has been conducted. As a result, it has been found that a sample having a large implantation energy to form concentrated p+ and n+ layers to a large depth exhibit a large amount of junction leakage. This is a result that is completely contrary to expectation. As a result of analysis, it has been found that the junction leakage is ascribed to defects due to ion implantation, and thus the sample subjected to ion implantation at a high energy and a high dose exhibits increased junction leakage.
Therefore, in the silicidation technique on the general source and drain (an Si semiconductor region), because a silicide is formed by reacting a metallic film formed on the Si semiconductor region with Si, silicide abnormally grown to be an acicular shape and a metallic atom diffused into the Si semiconductor region reach the p/n junction formed under the Si semiconductor region, or silicide is abnormally grown in the horizontal direction to reach the p/n junction at the edge part (the vicinity of the bird's beak) of the element isolation (LOCOS) region, so as to increase the junction leakage. This problem becomes severe when CoSi2 is selected as the silicide. The abnormal growth occurs due to ion implantation damage, so-called residual defects, that occurs by ion implantation in a high concentration (about 1×1020 atoms/cm2 or more) to a substrate for forming a source and drain, which is not recovered by the annealing performed later.
As one of the solutions thereof, it can be considered that the film thickness of the CoSi2 formed on the source and drain is made thin. In this case, while the junction leakage can be lowered, the object of decreasing the sheet resistance of the source and drain cannot be achieved. Furthermore, when the film thickness of the CoSi2 is decreased, the CoSi2 film is worn to the extent that it will disappear by over-etching on dry etching to form a contact hole, so as to increase the danger of increasing the contact resistance. Accordingly, the film thickness of the CoSi2 on the source and drain cannot be decreased without limitation.
Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a method of fabricating a semiconductor device that attains a silicide contact while suppressing any increase in junction leakage electric current and deterioration in junction withstand voltage.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method of fabricating a semiconductor device having a fine wiring pattern that can be operated at a high speed.
Furthermore, a further object of the invention is to provide a method of fabricating a CMOS semiconductor device having a fine wiring pattern that can be operated at a high speed.
Still further, a more specific object of the invention is to form a CoSi2 film on a source and drain without increasing the junction leakage of a p/n junction under the source and drain. In particular, it is an object to form a CoSi2 film having a sufficient thickness to decrease the sheet residence on the source and drain without increasing the junction leakage of a p/n junction under the source and drain.

Method of fabricating semiconductor device


A test pattern comprising a half-tone pattern portion and an edge pattern portion printed according to standard printing data is read by a CCD sensor. A pattern discriminator detects the positions of the half-tone pattern portion and the edge pattern portion. In accordance with a prescribed edge detection criteria using the primary differential data .DELTA.D of density determined by primary differential filters, the CPU determines whether the inputted image data correspond to a uniform density region or whether the inputted image data correspond to an edge portion. If the region discrimination result is different from the result of the pattern detection, the edge detection criteria are changed. The image data is then subjected to MTF correction, and conditions for smoothing or edge emphasizing are altered so that the difference between the corrected image data and the standard printing data remains within a allowable range.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as a digital color copying machine and a color facsimile machine, which reproduces a full-color image according to image data obtained by reading an original image.
(2) Related Art
In a copying machine which reproduces an image according to image data obtained by reading an original with a scanner, the digital image data of red (R), green (G), and blue (B), obtained from an original, are transformed into color reproduction data of cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) by an image signal processing unit. According to the color reproduction data, an image is formed on a printing paper by a printer.
During the data processing, however, image noise is caused by low scanning accuracy, poor color reproducibility of the printer, and other factors, and that is why an image forming machine needs a correction unit.
In a full-color reproduction image, unevenness is very noticeable in a uniform density region, where smoothness is an important factor as well as resolution. If the resolution is emphasized, however, the unevenness stands out even more in a uniform density region and makes the whole image unnatural. If smoothness is emphasized, the edge portion is blurred and the result is very poor resolution.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 4-342370 discloses an image processing method in which the edge portions and the uniform density regions are discriminated depending on changes in lightness. Here, the image data of the edge portions are subjected to edge emphasizing by an MTF (modulation transfer function) correction unit to reproduce a clearer image, while the image data of the uniform density regions are subjected to smoothing to obtain a smoother image. By doing so, both resolution and smoothness are improved, and image noise is reduced.
The conditions for MTF correction are optimized at the time of assembling or shipping of the copying machine.
The actual image quality, however, is not always as good as expected, despite the fact that the MTF corrective conditions have already been optimized at the time of assembling or shipping.
This is mainly because each component deteriorates with time. More specifically, the deterioration is due to declines in the sensitivity of the CCD image sensor, the irradiation by the exposure lamp, the sensitivity of the photosensitive drum, and the sensitizing ability of the sensitizing charger. The influence from a change in the surroundings and the characteristics of each copying machine may also be the cause of the deterioration.
In such case, optimizing the MTF corrective conditions is difficult, because it requires skill and complicated modulation processes.

Image forming device and method having MTF correction


A radiographic-image processing device executes image processing on radiographic image data obtained by radiographic imaging of a diagnostic target part as an imaging subject. The device includes a display unit and an enlargement display unit. The display unit displays a radiographic image based on the radiographic image data. The enlargement display unit enlarges a predetermined area including an interest area in the radiographic image and which displays the enlarged predetermined area on the display unit as an initial image which is the first to be displayed after radiographic imaging.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radiographic-image processing device.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, in relatively small medical facilities, all diagnostic target parts have tended to be imaged by X-ray detector of one size, such as a large FPD (Flat Panel Detector).
However, if all diagnostic target parts are imaged by X-ray detector of one size, sometimes imaging is carried out on a diagnostic target part which is too small for the X-ray detector. In this case, sometimes a problem occurs as follows. Since the image size of a diagnostic target part is too small in relation to a size of the whole image, when the whole image is displayed on a display unit, areas other than the diagnostic target part cover most of the display unit. It is not appropriate for diagnosis.
There has been a known technique for displaying an image of an appropriate size on a display unit while diagnosis is made. In this technique, a radiographic image which is obtained by imaging a diagnostic target part is trimmed such that the unnecessary area is deleted from the radiographic image, and then the image is displayed on a display unit as the diagnostic image (See Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-71039 for example).
However, the technique described in the above Japanese Patent Publication has a problem. In this technique, the area which is determined as unnecessary is deleted directly from the radiographic image which is obtained by imaging. Therefore, if a portion of an image included in the displayed diagnostic image does not meet one's intention, the original radiographic image must be read again and the scope for trimming must be designated again. It takes a lot of effort to adjust the scope of the diagnostic image.


A protective sleeve reduces electromagnetic energy propagation from the magnet bore of a magnetic resonance imaging device (MRD) to the surrounding environment and prevents electromagnetic energy in the surrounding environment from contaminating an MRI reading. The protective sleeve comprises a distal portion configured for insertion within the bore and a proximal portion attachable to the MRD aperture. The sleeve is configured for inserting a body part for insertion within the MRD's open magnet, with the imaged portion of the body part protruding from the distal end of sleeve into the MRD's volume of interest. The sleeve comprises, or is connected to, one or more sensors configured to detect movement, acceleration or dislocation of at least one portion or segment of the body part to be scanned.

This invention relates to the field of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), where radiofrequency (RF) magnetic fields are used to interrogate a region of interest. It is particularly directed towards the shielding of RF effects which occur from inside and outside of the MRI system.
One of the components in MRI systems is an RF coil, which is part of a typical MRI data gathering sequence. MRI RF signals of suitable frequencies are transmitted into the imaging volume and NMR responsive RF signals are then received from the imaging volume via one or more RF coils or antennae. Information encoded within the frequency and phase parameters of the received RF signals is then processed to form visual images representing the distribution of NMR nuclei within a cross-section or volume of the patient within the volume of interest (VOI) of the MRI system.
In MRI devices (MRDs) which are meant for imaging body extremities, only the portion to be examined in the MRI is located within the bore of the MRI system, whereas the rest of the body remains outside of the MRI. In such cases, RF signals from the volume outside the MRI may be collected through the conductive body and the extremity to be examined. The volume outside the MRI has dielectric properties and may serve as a transceiver of RF signals, thus causing noise in signal collection during an MRI examination.
Additionally, RF fields within the MRI can induce an electrical current in the body which is transformed into energy in the form of heat. Heating of tissues is due to resistance in the tissues is called "ohmic heating". Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) is key variable in determining patient heating potential in an MR scanner is the RF power absorbed by the body per unit mass, generally measured in the unit of W/kg. If the SAR exceeds the thermal regulation capacity the patient's body temperature will rise.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,932 is directed towards shielding an MRI RF coil from extraneous noise sources using an extremely thin conductive shield interposed between the RF coil and the static magnetic structure of an MRI system. To control eddy currents induced in such conductor by the changing magnetic flux of MRI gradient coils, the RF shield conductor thickness is less than three skin depths at the MRI RF operating frequencies of the RF coil. Preferably, the RF shield conductor thickness is on the order of only one skin depth or less
U.S. Pat. No. 7,801,613 is directed towards housing of implantable medical devices in a titanium alloy that provides improved electrical performance, mechanical strength, and reduced MRI heating.
There thus remains a long felt need for reducing the electromagnetic energy propagation from MRI's magnet bore to the outer environment surrounding the magnet and vice versa, for a protecting means providing effective Faraday shielding used as a barrier between the internal and external RF fields, and for reducing SAR of a non-examined portion of a body extremity in the vicinity of an MRD.
Subject motion and associated artifacts limit the applicability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the achievable quality of the images acquired, See Zaitsev et al., Magnetic resonance imaging of freely moving objects: prospective real-time motion correction using an external optical motion tracking system, Neurolmage 31(3), 1038-1050 (2006). Post-processing techniques have been developed to suppress MRI artifact arising from object planar rigid motion, See for example Zoroofi et al., IEEE Transaction on Medical Imaging, 15(6), 768-784 (1996). Moreover, a few patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,891, disclose computerized tomography (CT) scanners and functional MRI (fMRI) imaging apparatus with means for compensation object motion.
As presented by Ranieri (2011), during fMRI acquisition, light restraints (i.e. foam wedges, vacuum pillows, straps, etc.) are used to help limit head motion. These restraints are most effective in restricting motion in the medial-lateral direction, and less effective for motion in orthogonal directions. With the desire to keep patient discomfort and stress at a minimum, head restraint is only lightly used and is not an extremely effective technique for preventing motion in fMRI, See https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/29603/6/Ranieri_Shawn_M—201106_MHSc_thesis.pdf.
Hence, there remains a long-felt and unmet need for MRI devices configured for avoiding motion artifacts and specialized in producing an image sequence with reduced object-movement effects and artifacts, especially MRI systems adapted to image uncontrollably movable objects, such as neonates, premature babies and laboratory animals; and especially in those special cases were restraint is to be avoided.

Protective and immobilizing sleeves with sensors, and methods for reducing the effect of object movement during MRI scanning


Disclosed is a transformer for power line communication, capable of performing power line communication without being influenced by voltage attenuation due to voltage conversion. The transformer for power line communication includes: a transforming unit configured to convert a high primary voltage into a low secondary voltage, or convert a low secondary voltage into a high primary voltage; a separation unit configured to separate a data signal from a primary voltage input thereto; and a coupling unit configured to couple the data signal with the low secondary voltage.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates to power line communication, and more particularly, to a transformer for power line communication.
2. Background of the Disclosure
Generally, power line communication (abbreviated as PLC hereinafter) means a communication method using a power line for supplying electric power as a communication medium.
A power line signal is attenuated by about 40 dB while passing through a transformer disposed on an electric power pole. This may cause a difficulty in using power line communication at a front end of the transformer and a rear end of the transformer.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a transformer for power line communication in accordance with the conventional art.
Once a high primary voltage is applied to the transformer 100, the high primary voltage is converted into a low secondary voltage by a transforming unit 110. Then the low secondary voltage is applied to a PLC module 120, so that data can be extracted from the secondary voltage.
However, as aforementioned, voltage attenuation by about 40 dB occurs while a voltage is converted by the transforming unit 110. This may cause data attenuation, resulting in a difficulty in performing communication.
In an automatic meter reading (abbreviated as AMR hereinafter) system using power line communication, a data concentration unit (abbreviated as DCU hereinafter) is additionally mounted to a lower end of the transformer. This may require an additional communication line for main line communication between the DCU and the transformer. Thus, the fabrication cost may be increased.

Transformer for power line communication


A recording medium can store data which can be accessed exclusively by a particular person in a general circumstance of using a recording medium such as a personal computer circumstance. The recording medium stores the data having a directory structure. A first set of root directory information is recorded in a first section. A second set of root directory information is recorded in a second section located at a predetermined position different from the position of the first section. The first set of root directory information is a part of the second set of root directory information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a recording medium such as a compact disc and, more particularly, to a recording medium for storing information to be protected from an unauthorized access.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, portable optical discs having a large capacity have become popular as a recording medium used with a personal computer. A read only type compact disc (CD-ROM) has become very popular. A recordable compact disc (CD-R) or a rewritable compact disc (CD-RW) is a typical recordable recording medium used with a personal computer.
In many cases, information recorded on a recording medium such as a CD-R or a CD-RW is created by the owner of the recording medium so as to be used by the owner or limited persons authorized by the owner. Additionally, in some cases, information recorded on the recording medium contains very important contents such as secret business information. Thus, a damage due to lost of such a recording medium or an unauthorized access to such a recording medium is inestimable.
Additionally, it has become important to protect information recorded on a CD-ROM from an illegal copy in light of copyright.
Accordingly, various techniques have been suggested to prevent illegal use of such a recording medium. In order to prevent an illegal access to information (programs or data) recorded on a recording medium or an illegal copy of such information, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Applications No.5-257816 and No.6-295521 disclose protecting methods using a licensing key (individual number key) or an enciphering technique.
Additionally, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Applications No.11-134650, No.11-134719 and No.11-134813 suggest measures taken for a recording method of a recording medium or a recording and reproducing apparatus.
However, practically in a data processing apparatus such as a personal computer using an operating system, there are many cases in which a recording medium is mounted on an apparatus. In this case, the term "be mounted on" means that a recording or reproducing operation with respect a recording medium can be performed through a drive apparatus due to predetermined information (for example, root directory information defined as a normal file system) recorded at a predetermined position of the recording medium. That is, an access can be made to information recorded on a recording medium by controlling the drive apparatus for reading or writing the recording medium. Thus, the above mentioned methods using the licensing key or enciphering technique are not so effective. Additionally, enciphered information may be illegally used by analyzing the enciphering algorithm.
On the other hand, if the measures suggested in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Applications No.11-134650, No.11-134719 and No.11-134813 are to be taken, such measures cannot be applied to recording and reproducing apparatuses that are already on the market. Thus, such measures must be applied to a new apparatus, and there needs a time to introduce such a new apparatus into the market.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Recording medium having a plurality of sections storing root directory information


A method for employing certain cobalt complexes as electron donors and in combination with an electron acceptor is provided for preparing an active layer in a photovoltaic conversion cell, as well as to the photovoltaic conversion cell in which the electron donor of the active layer includes such cobalt complexes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of cobalt complexes as electron donor for the preparation of an active layer (heterojunction) in a photovoltaic conversion cell, and also to the multilayer photovoltaic conversion cell having an active layer comprising at least one such cobalt complex and at least one electron acceptor.
The field of the invention may be defined as that of organic semiconductors and in particular of heterojunctions.
2. Description of Related Art
The most common photovoltaic cells consist of semiconductors, mainly based on amorphous or monocrystalline silicon (Si). They are generally in the form of thin sheets having sides of about 10 cm, sandwiched between two metal contacts, for a thickness of the order of 1 millimeter. The best-performing silicon-based cells comprise an active layer of monocrystalline silicon, the conversion efficiency of which may achieve 40% in the laboratory.
Although they have a very high-performance, photovoltaic cells based on and in particular on monocrystalline silicon, have the major drawback of being expensive due to the high cost of this raw material. This is why some research turns to cells based on thin-film semiconductors.
Specifically, the thin-film technology makes it possible to reduce the amount of semiconductors used and furthermore enables the use of substrates of low cost and large surface area. In the thin-film cells, the silicon may be amorphous silicon or crystalline, in general polycrystalline, silicon. However, photovoltaic conversion cells based on thin films made of amorphous silicon are subject to stability problems when they are exposed to the sun. Furthermore, due to its disordered structure, the charge transport properties of the amorphous silicon are mediocre, hence a mediocre efficiency. Thus, a 10-50% drop in the efficiency of these cells occurs during the first hundreds of hours of exposure to light of the cells based on amorphous silicon.
Cells based on organic semiconductors, and in particular on organometallic compounds, the cost price of which is lower than that of silicon, have already been proposed. Their use in the photovoltaic field is based on the capacity of certain π-conjugated polymers and oligomers, or else of certain π-conjugated small molecules, to convert light energy into electrical energy. When a junction is formed that is composed of two semiconductors of different natures, at least one of which is an organic compound, a heterojunction is thus defined.
Heterojunctions comprising an organic semiconductor of p type and an organic or inorganic semiconductor of n type have for several years known many applications in the field of plastic electronics and especially in the particular field of photovoltaic conversion cells. Generally, in the latter, the π-conjugated polymer or oligomers, or the π-conjugated small molecule acts as a p-type donor and is brought into contact with an n-type acceptor such as for example fullerene, or a derivative thereof. Under light irradiation, an electron-hole pair is created (exciton) on the electron donor. This exciton is dissociated by capture of the electron by the acceptor. These charges are collected at the electrodes and generate an electric current.
Many heterojunctions have thus already been proposed in the literature.
Vanlaeka et al. (Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 2006, 90(14), 2150-2158) describe, for example, a heterojunction for organic photovoltaic cells, consisting of a mixture of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) as electron donor and of methyl[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyrate (PCBM) as electron acceptor. C. J. Brabec et al. (Synthetic Metals, 1999, 102, 861-864). F. Silvestri et al, (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2008, 130, 17640-17641) describe the preparation of heterojunctions of photovoltaic cells from a solution of certain squaraine derivatives used as electron donors, in combination with PCBM. However, these photovoltaic cells have conversion efficiencies which are around 50% lower than those of silicon-based cells.
It has already been envisaged to use certain metallic complexes in order to improve the performances of these photovoltaic cells. It is in this way that Z. Xu et al. for example (Journal of Applied Physics, 2008, 103, 043909-1-8) indicate that the conversion performances of a heterojunction composed of a mixture of poly[2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) and of PCBM can be improved by the presence of phosphorescent molecules such as Ir(ppy)3 which is a complex of iridium and of tris(2-phenylpyridine). Finally, it has also already been proposed, in particular by W. K. Chan et al. (Newsroom, 2009, 10.1117/2.1200908.1757) to use, as active compound (electron donor), a heterojunction of photovoltaic devices, certain ruthenium complexes, as a mixture with a fullerene as electron acceptor. These devices do not however have a good conversion efficiency of light energy into electric current. Iridium and ruthenium are furthermore extremely rare and expensive elements.
Finally, it has already been proposed to use certain cobalt-based metallic complexes for applications in photovoltaics such as for example cobalt phthalocyanines, however these compounds have proved to be less effective than other metallic complexes such as nickel, copper or zinc complexes (Chamberlain, G. A., Solar Cells, 1983, 8, 47-83).

Use of cobalt complexes for preparing an active layer in a photovoltaic cell, and corresponding photovoltaic cell

Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique

Universite Pierre Et Marie Curie (Paris 6)


A system for producing a flow of fine snow particles includes a conduit for providing a pressurized flow of a cryogenic liquid and a nozzle coupled to the conduit, the nozzle having an outlet and an inlet pathway in communication with the conduit. An expansion member is positioned within a the nozzle and covers the inlet pathway. The expansion member provides multiple fine channels for passage of the cryogenic fluid into a region of lower pressure, thereby enabling expansion of the cryogenic fluid during passage through the expansion member. In a preferred embodiment, the cryogenic fluid is carbon dioxide and the system parameters are set to enable the cryogenic fluid to enter a solid phase at or near the outlet surface of the expansion member and to exit therefrom as a fine snow particulate.

Snow particles produced from carbon dioxide are used in a wide variety of cooling and freezing applications. Carbon dioxide snow particles may be used, for instance, in refrigeration, for process cooling and freezing, as well as in the production of dry ice. More particularly, such snow particles are useful in both food and non-food applications, such as for example, in food cooling, freezing and refrigeration, and for rapid and/or spot cooling during the processing of various non-food materials.
Carbon dioxide snow particles are typically produced by rapid expansion of liquid carbon dioxide through a small orifice. The liquid carbon dioxide is obtained by compressing carbon dioxide gas and maintaining it under proper pressure and temperature conditions for refrigeration. In bulk storage tanks, for example, carbon dioxide stored at a pressure of approximately 300 lbs. per square inch and a temperature of about 0.degree. F. is in the form of a liquid. At the point of use, the liquid carbon dioxide is converted to a mixture of carbon dioxide snow and vapor by rapid expansion through a small orifice.
Prior art apparatuses for the production of carbon dioxide snow-making employ relatively simple orifices to enable an expansion to occur of the carbon dioxide liquid feed. However, typically, prior art expansion device/nozzles such as snow horns and orifices, create a spot impingement pattern, and are bulky and difficult to fit into small spaces. These prior art device/nozzles are also known to thrust the snow particles out of the snow horns and orifices at a high velocity. The high velocity of the carbon dioxide snow creates difficulty in applying an even snow blanket and can damage fragile items, such as cheese toppings on pizza or whipped toppings on bakery items. Furthermore, when used in process cooling applications, the high velocity can cause pitting on the surface, or even breakage, of fragile materials such as coated barrier materials. Moreover, the high velocity output of snow particles creates high noise levels that arise safety and environmental concerns with respect to personnel working in the vicinity.
Attempts have been tried to overcome the uneven application of carbon dioxide snow. For instance, specially shaped horns have been provided at the exit of an expansion orifice; fixed orifices have been used which discharge against a bounce plate; variable orifices have been used which discharge into closed containers and combinations of the above have all been attempted.
For instance, U. S. Pat. No. 3,667,242 to Kilburn describes a structure for producing carbon dioxide snow where liquid carbon dioxide is directed into an upper portion of a hollow, double-side-walled cylindrical horn which is provided with an open bottom and a closed top. A nozzle in the upper-most portion of the cylindrical horn imparts a swirling tangential movement to the snow formed in the horn.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,362 to Carter, Jr. describes a carbon dioxide snow making nozzle arrangement wherein pairs of carbon dioxide jets are transversely arranged so as to inject carbon dioxide into a horn region. The expanding jet mixtures of snow and vapor are directed into collision paths and thereby dissipate the energy of the jets.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,894 to Frank et al. describes a carbon dioxide snow production apparatus wherein liquid carbon dioxide is directed into a chamber through a nozzle. The resultant snow is dispersed by a motor driven drum with brush-like blades which pick up the snow and deposit it onto articles being moved along a conveyor belt.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,376,511 to Franklin, Jr. describes a carbon dioxide snow forming device wherein a manifold is positioned within a channel member and carbon dioxide snow is dispensed towards the sides of the channel member, thereby causing some of the kinetic energy of the carbon dioxide snow to be dissipated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,423 to Franklin, Jr. describes a carbon dioxide snow-forming header wherein plural nozzles are positioned along a header pipe to enable plural dispensing regions for carbon dioxide snow along the header.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,460 to Franklin, Jr., describes a carbon dioxide snow-forming header wherein a pair of nozzles are provided within a tank. A supply of liquid carbon dioxide at approximately 300 psi is fed to the inlet ends of the nozzles. In addition, liquid carbon dioxide is applied to the inlet ends of the nozzle through a supply line so as to chill the supply line to an extent sufficient to reduce the temperature of the liquid carbon dioxide being supplied to the triple-point.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,330 to Rhoades et al., describes a food freezer which includes one or more nozzles for directing carbon snow particles onto food products. The liquid carbon dioxide is piped so that it flows only upwardly and/or horizontally toward the spray nozzles. Thus, any solid carbon dioxide that may accumulate adjacent the upstream side of the orifices is melted by carbon dioxide vapor which gravitates upward in the piping.
There is a need for carbon dioxide snow dispensing heads and nozzles which produce a fine particulate snow, wherein high velocity snow particles are avoided. Further, such devices should produce carbon dioxide snow particles of relatively constant particle dimensions so as to assure a relatively even application of the particles across food or other products or materials being cooled.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved nozzle structure for production of fine carbon dioxide snow particles.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved structure for providing finely divided carbon dioxide snow particles wherein nozzle blockage by solidified carbon dioxide particles is avoided.

Apparatus for producing fine snow particles from a flow liquid carbon dioxide


Semiconductor device test structures and methods are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a test structure includes a feed line disposed in a first conductive material layer, and a stress line disposed in the first conductive material layer proximate the feed line yet spaced apart from the feed line. The stress line is coupled to the feed line by a conductive feature disposed in at least one second conductive material layer proximate the first conductive material layer.

Generally, semiconductor devices are used in a variety of electronic applications, such as computers, cellular phones, personal computing devices, and many other applications. Home, industrial, and automotive devices that in the past comprised only mechanical components now have electronic parts that require semiconductor devices, for example.
Semiconductor devices are manufactured by depositing many different types of material layers over a semiconductor workpiece or wafer, and patterning the various material layers using lithography. The material layers typically comprise thin films of conductive, semiconductive, and insulating materials that are patterned and etched to form integrated circuits (IC's). There may be a plurality of transistors, memory devices, switches, conductive lines, diodes, capacitors, logic circuits, and other electronic components formed on a single die or chip.
Semiconductor devices typically include one or more metallization layers that are usually formed in the upper material layers in a back end of the line (BEOL) of the fabrication process. The metallization layers include conductive lines comprised of conductive materials such as aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), and other metals, which are separated from other conductive lines by an insulating material such as silicon dioxide (SiO2).
Electromigration is a phenomenon that occurs in conductive materials that can become problematic in semiconductor devices having small conductive features. Electromigration is the transport of material caused by the gradual movement of atoms in a conductive material, due to a momentum transfer between conducting electrons and diffusing metal atoms. Electromigration occurs when electrons transfer momentum to atoms, which cause the atoms to move from their original positions.
Over time, the movement of atoms from their original positions due to electromigration can cause a break or gap in the conductive material, preventing or hindering the flow of electrical current. In narrow interconnect conductors, such as conductive lines linking transistors and other components in integrated circuits, this is known as a void or internal failure open circuit. Electromigration can also cause the atoms of a conductor to pile up and drift toward other nearby conductors, creating an unintended electrical connection known as a hillock or whisker failure, or a short circuit. Both voids and hillock failures can lead to a malfunction of an integrated circuit.
Electromigration is particularly a problem in applications where high direct current densities are used. With increasing miniaturization, the probability of failure due to electromigration increases in semiconductor devices, because smaller conductive lines have increased power density and current density. Electromigration can lead to the eventual loss of one or more connections, and to the intermittent failure and/or eventually permanent failure of an entire circuit.
Electromigration is an inherent limitation for very large scale integration (VLSI) interconnect systems, because electromigration reliability issues limit current density increase in ever-shrinking VLSI circuitry. Electromigration performance testing is consequently a very important factor during the development of technology and also in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices. One key cost issue facing semiconductor device designers is the acceleration of electromigration testing times, which currently may range from several hours to several days, for example.
Temperature and current density are two factors involved in the acceleration of electromigration testing times. Both factors are limited: increased temperature can initiate other non-electromigration degradation mechanisms, while increased current density tends to cause temperature inhomogeneities in test structures, deteriorating or inhibiting the electromigration assessment. Temperature inhomogeneities are especially pronounced in test structures involving both conductive lines and vias or contacts, for example. Via and contact issues may be independent from conductive line issues and have become critical issues for Cu and AlCu interconnect systems, for example.
Thus, what are needed in the art are improved structures and methods for testing electromigration in semiconductor devices.


When a write-back request for writing back new data in a cache memory to disk devices forming a redundant configuration of RAID is generated, a write-back processing unit, reserves a parity buffer area in the cache memory, generates new parity, and then, writes the new data and the new parity to the corresponding disk devices. When an error in which the consistency of RAID is broken occurs in a plurality of the disk devices upon write performed by the write-back processing unit, a recovery processing unit reserves, in the cache memory, a cache stripe area storing data of the entire stripe including the new data which is to be written back, and causes the cache control unit to manage it.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage system, a control method thereof, and a program for processing, via a cache memory, input/output requests from an upper-level device to storage devices of a RAID configuration; and particularly relates to a storage system, a control method thereof, and a program for writing back latest data which has been updated in a cache memory to storage devices which are forming a redundant configuration of RAID 5.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Conventionally, in a RAID device for processing input/output requests from a host, in the manner of FIG. 1, a cache memory 102 is provided in a control module 101 of a RAID device 100, and the input/output requests from a host to disk devices 104-1 to 104-4 which are constituting a RAID-5 group 105 are configured to be processed in the cache memory 102. Cache data of such RAID device 100 is managed in page units, and, in the manner of FIG. 2, a cache page 106 is managed such that, for example, 66,560 bytes serves as one page. The cache page 106 comprises user data in a plurality of block units serving as an access unit of a host, wherein one block of the user data is 512 bytes, 8-byte block check code (BCC) is added thereto at every 512 bytes, and a unit of 128 blocks of the 520-byte block is managed as one page, therefore, one page is 520×128=66,560 bytes. A cache management table called a cache bundle element (CBE) is prepared for managing the cache pages 106. In the cache management table, a management record corresponding to every one page is present, and the management record retains, for example, a logical unit number LUN, a logical block address LBA, and a dirty data bitmap of dirty data in which one block is represented by one bit. One page of the cache management table has the same size as the size of a strip area of each of the disk devices constituting a RAID group. Herein, when RAID 5 is used as the redundant configuration of the RAID device 100, a cache area 108 for storing cache data is provided in the cache memory 102, and, separate from the cache area 108, a data buffer area 110 for storing old data and old parity and a parity buffer area 112 for storing new parity are provided as work areas for generating new parity in a write-back process. In a write-back process, for example, if a request for writing back new data (D2) new which is present as one-page data in the cache area 108 to the disk device 104-2 is generated, the write-back process is carried on after the data buffer area 110 and the parity buffer area 112 are reserved in the cache memory 102. Herein, since the new data (D2) is written to one of the disk devices, this write-back process is called small write. In the small write, old data (D2) old is read out from the disk device 104-2 and stored in the data buffer area 110, and old parity (P) old is read out from the disk device 104-4 and stored in the data buffer area 110 as well. Subsequently, an exclusive OR (XOR) 116 of the new data (D2) new, the old data (D2) old, and the old parity (P) old is calculated, thereby obtaining new parity (P) new, and it is stored in the parity buffer area 112. Lastly, the new data (D2) new and the new parity (P) new is written to the disk devices 104-2 and 104-4, respectively, and the process is terminated. The write back in a case in which new data is present in the manner corresponding to all of the disk devices 102-1 to 102-3 (entire data of the stripe area) is called band-wide write; and in the band-wide write, new parity is calculated as the exclusive OR of all the data corresponding to the strip areas of the disk devices 104-1 to 104-3, and write to the disk devices 104-1 to 104-4 is performed so as to terminate the process. In either case, the data buffer area 110 and the parity buffer area 112 are released when write is completed. Incidentally, in such RAID device forming the redundant configuration of RAID 5, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, if errors occur in, for example, two disk devices 104-3 and 104-4 in a write-back process, there generated failure in which the consistency of data according to RAID 5 is broken in the stripe area of the disk devices 104-1 to 104-4. That is, as a result of the failure of the write-back process, merely the disk device 104-2 has the new data (D2) new, and the disk devices 104-3 and 104-4 remain to have the old data (D3) old and the old parity (P) old. In the state in which the consistency is broken in the above described manner, if the disk device 104-1 further fails in the manner of FIG. 4, thereby degenerating the RAID-5 group and resulting in a three-device configuration, since a request from a host 118 for reading the data D2 results in miss-hit in the cache memory 102, staging from the disk device 104-1 is attempted. However, since it is in a degenerated state in which the disk device 104-1 has failed and eliminated from the RAID-5 group 105, Regeneration Read for recovering the data D1 through exclusive OR of the data of the normal disk devices 104-2 to 104-4 and parity will be executed. However, since the consistency of the data of the disk devices 104-2 to 104-4 and the parity has been broken, garbled data (D?) may be restored through the exclusive OR. Incidentally, in the RAID device, control modules provided with cache memories are duplexed for ensuring reliability, and the parity generated in a write-back process is saved in a control module in the backup side. Therefore, when, like FIG. 4, a disk device fails, thereby causing degeneration in a state in which the consistency of the disk devices has been broken due to an error in a write-back process, in the manner of FIG. 5, a control module 101-1 obtains new parity (P) new which is saved in a control module 101-2 in the backup side, and performs write correction (Write Correct) for writing the new data (D2) new and D(3) new in the cache memory 102 to the corresponding disk devices 104-2 to 104-3, so as to recover the consistency of the disk devices 104-1 to 104-4.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. H05-303528
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. H08-115169
However, in such conventional cache control process, if there occurs degeneration in which failure occurs in the control module and the process is transferred to the backup control module, parity cannot be saved; therefore, if the consistency of the disk devices of the RAID group is broken, recovery of the consistency by means of write correction using parity such as that of FIG. 5 cannot be performed. Thereat, in the manner of FIG. 6, the control module 101-2, which has taken over the process as a result of the error of the control module 101-1, cannot obtain parity in the cache memory 102; therefore, parity (P) is recalculated (Recalculate) through exclusive OR of the data in the disk devices 104-1 to 104-3 and written to the disk device 104-3, thereby recovering the consistency of the disk devices 104-1 to 104-4, and then, in the manner of FIG. 7, after new parity (P) new is calculated from the new data (D2) new and (D3) new remaining in the cache memory 102, normal write back for performing write on the disk devices 104-2 to 104-4 is performed. However, if, in a state in which the control modules are degenerated like FIG. 7, the disk device 104-1 further fails and the RAID-5 group 105 is degenerated, recalculation of parity cannot be performed in the degenerated RAID-5 group 105 unlike FIG. 6; therefore, the consistency cannot be recovered, and, unless access to the entire stripe of the RAID-5 group is prohibited, risks of data garbling are generated, which is problematic. According to the present invention, there are provide a storage system, a control method thereof, and a program for recovering an error occurred in access in a case in which the consistency of the RAID-5 group has been broken and degeneration of the storage devices has occurred, thereby improving reliability of data with respect to accesses.

Storage system, control method thereof, and program


A template listing one or more associated tasks is distributed to one or more devices, each device having a respective user. A task is selectively designated as either shared or individual. When information indicating that an action associated with a particular task has been performed is received at a first one of the devices, the template is updated at the first device, and optionally at others of the devices to indicate to others of the users that the action has been performed. The associated action of a shared task is performed once for all users, and the associated action of an individual task is performed separately by one or more of the users. Task information is optionally communicated between a template on a particular one of the devices and a personal information manager of the respective user of a particular device.

There are many instances in which a group of people are each assigned a set of tasks, some of which are shared tasks that can be performed by one person on behalf of the whole group. For example, a group of people may all be traveling between the same two places to attend an out-of-town event. Typically, each person will need to make their own airline reservation and hotel reservation. However, each person does not need to make their own car reservation; instead, one person can reserve a car that can be used by other members of the group.
As plans are made and tasks are completed, entering information about those plans into each person's calendar is both a time-consuming and duplicated effort. Conventional software applications such as personal information managers (PIMs) may facilitate managing a calendar, but they do not address these problems.
In summary, there can be much duplication of effort in coordinating the efforts of a group of people such as the group in the example above. As such, an improved method and/or system for managing shared tasks would be advantageous.

Method for coordinating a set of related tasks and events by reducing duplicated effort


A vacuum pump includes a pump main body and a sound muffling device. The pump main body includes a housing including an intake port and an exhaust port, and a rotor that is rotatably arranged inside the housing and transports gas from the intake port to the exhaust port. The sound muffling device includes a casing, a first passage portion, and a second passage portion. The casing includes an opening end portion that is airtightly connected to an outer wall surface of the housing, a bottom wall portion that faces the opening end portion, and a peripheral wall portion, the casing defining an expansion chamber by the outer wall surface of the housing and respective inner wall surfaces of the bottom wall portion and the peripheral wall portion.

A two-spindle screw pump, for example, is known as a positive displacement type dry vacuum pump. The screw pump of this type includes a housing including an intake port and a discharge port and a pair of screw rotors housed in the housing. The screw pump of this type is configured to rotate the pair of screw rotors to thereby transport gas from the intake port to the discharge port.
Further, as the vacuum pump of this type, there is known one including a sound muffling device (silencer) in an exhaust port. For example, in Patent Literature 1, there has disclosed a vacuum pump apparatus in which an exhaust manifold including a common muffler chamber is connected to an exhaust port of each of first to third booster pumps.


An adjustable shirt collar has an integral tab extension on the stand element of the collar. The extension has a length to it to span the distance across the necktie space on the front of the shirt from underneath one end of the shirt collar element to a termination area underneath the other end of the collar element. An adjustable fastening apparatus is secured to the collar stand in the termination area to be connected to a connector element on the extension to permit the adjustment position to be effected. The tab extension is curved slightly upwardly above the upper edge of the stand element and the collar element to permit the collar element, the stand element and the tab extension to adjust to the curvature of the wearers neck and to dwell in substantially a common plane around the wearers neck.

Men's shirt collars are normally sized in half inch increments, which means that they are in the order of one-quarter inch too small or too large for many wearers. Compensating snaps, loops, and other extension devices have been created to cope with this problem, but all have proven to be generally impractical, and have never been generally accepted
It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a shirt collar that can have its circumferential size selectively adjusted.
A further object of this invention is to provide a size-adjustable shirt collar that will not interfere with the necktie space of the shirt.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a size adjustable shirt collar that will retain a neat and refined appearance regardless of the degree of the adjustment.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a size adjustable shirt collar which can be easily adjusted.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a size adjustable shirt collar wherein the adjustment elements are essentially hidden from view.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.