An image processing apparatus includes an input unit for sequentially inputting image data and a display unit for displaying finder image data in the image data sequentially input from the input unit. The image processing apparatus also includes a processing unit that outputs encoded still-image data and the finder image data, the encoded still-image data being generated by compressing and encoding desired image data in the image data; an output unit for outputting the finder image data to the display unit; and a motion-picture compressing unit for compressing the finder image data into compressed and encoded motion-picture data and for outputting the compressed and encoded motion-picture data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method for efficiently compressing and encoding still images and motion pictures. More particularly, it relates to a process for efficiently compressing and encoding motion pictures by adding a simple structure to an apparatus including a general-purpose digital camera integrated circuit (IC) having a function of compressing and encoding still images.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image processing apparatus 700 shown in FIG. 1 is an example of known compact portable equipment with a general-purpose digital camera IC (IC having a function of compressing still images to JPEG-format images (ISO/IEC 10918)) (JPEG is an abbreviation of joint photographic experts group).
Referring to FIG. 1, the image processing apparatus 700 includes a lens unit 701, a charge-coupled device (CCD) 702, a CCD control unit 703, a digital camera IC 704, a work memory 705, a key switch group 706, a NTSC output IC 708, and a display 709.
The lens unit 701 includes lenses having a fixed focus, zoom lenses having a predetermined magnification, and so on. The CCD 702 is a typical imager, the number of pixels of which is determined based on the resolution.
The CCD control unit 703 has a timing generator for supplying transfer clock and shutter signals to the CCD 702, a correlated double sampling/automatic gain control (CDS/AGC) circuit for eliminating noise and controlling gain for image signals from the CCD 702, an A/D converter for converting analog image signals into 10-bit digital data, and so on (these components are hereinafter also referred to as a CDS/AGC and AD converter).
Image data is constantly output from the CCD control unit 703 at a rate of 30 frames per second (fps).
The digital camera IC 704 performs image processing, such as white balance adjustment and control of the shutter speed and the aperture, on the image data from the CCD control unit 703 and converts the processed image data into digital data having a luminance (Y) and chrominance (Cb and Cr) format to output the digital data to the NTSC output IC 708. The digital camera IC 704 has a function of compressing captured image data to the JPEG-format data, which is then output to the NTSC output IC 708.
The work memory 705 for a work area required for the above processing and the key switch group 706 including a shutter switch, a mode switch, and the like are connected to the digital camera IC 704.
Since NTSC signals are generally output for display, the NTSC output IC 708 for outputting the signals to the display 709 serving as display means is connected to the digital camera IC 704.
The following two processes performed in the image processing apparatus 700 will now be described:                (1) a display output process with the digital camera IC 704 and        (2) a motion-picture recording process with the digital camera IC 704.(1) Display Output Process with the Digital Camera IC 704
The following describes a case in which the image processing apparatus 700 is ordinarily set to a finder mode, that is, a mode in which images are only displayed on the display 709, without the shutter switch in the key switch group 706 being depressed.
First, the light reflected from an object is incident on the CCD 702 from the lens unit 701.
The CCD 702 converts the light into electrical signals in accordance with a timing specified by the timing generator in the CCD control unit 703 to output the converted signals to the CCD control unit 703.
The CDS/AGC and AD converter in the CCD control unit 703 converts the electrical signals from the CCD 702 into digital data to supply the converted data to the digital camera IC 704.
The digital camera IC 704 calculates parameters, such as AE, AF, and AWB, from the digital data (image data) supplied from the CCD control unit 703 to supply these new parameters to the CCD control unit 703.
The digital camera IC 704 processes image data in accordance with the parameter settings to compress the image data to a pixel size appropriate for display and outputs the compressed data to the NTSC output IC 708.
The digital camera IC 704, having a digital output function, ordinarily outputs YCbCr-format (4:2:2) digital data at a rate of 30 fps, one frame having 640×480 dots (a dot rate of 13.5 MHz).
Since an apparatus with an ordinary digital camera IC mainly uses display means conforming to the NTSC format, most digital camera ICs are constructed so as to not only output digital data but also display the NTSC-format image data.
Accordingly, the NTSC output IC 708 converts the NTSC signals from the digital camera IC 704 into the image data that is displayed on the display 709.
(2) Motion-picture Recording Process with the Digital Camera IC 704
When the shutter switch in the key switch group 706 is depressed while the image processing apparatus 700 is set to a motion-picture recording mode, the digital camera IC 704 compresses image data from the CCD control unit 703 into the JPEG format, generates a JPEG file and records it in the work memory 705, as in the finder mode described in section (1) Display Output Process with the Digital Camera IC 704.
The above processing is continuously performed while the shutter switch is being depressed. However, the capacity of the work memory 705 is limited. Therefore, limited specifications, such as the size of the image data to be recorded being not larger than the video graphics array (VGA) size (640×480 pixels), the frame rate being not higher than 15 fps, and the continuous photographing period being limited 30 seconds, are provided.
When the NTSC signals supplied from the image processing apparatus 700 (the output signals from the NTSC output IC 708) are input to a motion-picture capturing apparatus 800 in FIG. 2 with an MPEG4 IC including a coder/decoder (CODEC) conforming to the MPEG-4 standards (ISO/IEC 14496) (MPEG is an abbreviation of moving picture experts group), the motion-picture capturing apparatus 800 performs the following processing.
An encoding process conforming to the MPEG-4 standards is characterized in that motion pictures can be edited in encoded bit streams by encoding images for every object. Specifically, background images are encoded in accordance with a conventional encoding system for rectangular motion pictures, whereas foreground object images are encoded in accordance with an object-based encoding system. In the object-based encoding system, shape information, as well as luminance and color information, are encoded.
In the motion-picture capturing apparatus 800, an NTSC signal 801 input from the outside (the image processing apparatus 700) is supplied to an NTSC decoder 802.
The NTSC decoder 802 converts the NTSC signal 801 into YCbCr digital image data (4:2:2) conforming to the CCIR-656 and supplies the converted image data to an MPEG4 IC 803.
The MPEG4 IC 803 compresses the YCbCr digital image data from the NTSC decoder 802 in a work memory 804 under the control of a microcomputer 805.
Since a monitor outputs the YCbCr digital data (4:2:2) during compression processing and an MPEG-4 compressed file contains the YCbCr digital data, as for the input to the MPEG4 IC, an NTSC encoder 806 converts the YCbCr digital data into NTSC signals and supplies them as an NTSC output 807 to a television receiver or the like through an external terminal.
The microcomputer 805 controls, for example, the mode setting of the MPEG4 IC 803 based on key inputs by a user or the like.
In known compact portable equipment having a digital camera function, such as the image processing apparatus 700 in FIG. 1, when the motion pictures are compressed to a motion-JPEG format for recording, the amount of data per frame is very high owing to the low compression rate of the motion pictures. Hence, the resolution and the frame rate of the motion pictures are restricted because of the limited capacity of a work area or a detachable storage medium, such as a compact flash (CF) card or a secure digital (SD) card, and thus motion pictures can be captured only for a short period.
Accordingly, an image recording methods conforming to the MPEG-4 encoding system or the like are being adopted instead of the motion-JPEG image recording method. Since a known digital camera IC as shown in FIG. 1 is constructed so as to output only analog NTSC signals or an image file compressed to the JPEG format (JPEG file), it cannot produce the YCbCr-format image data required for the MPEG-4 compression.
Furthermore, a decoding IC only for the NTSC signals is necessary to generate the TCbCr-format image data from the NTSC signals.

Image processing apparatus and method for efficiently compressing and encoding still images and motion pictures


The present invention is directed to solid composites including colloidal nanocrystals within a sol-gel host or matrix and to processes of forming such solid composites. The present invention is further directed to alcohol soluble colloidal nanocrystals useful in formation of sol-gel based solid composites.

Semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs), often referred to as nanocrystal quantum dots (NQDs), are of interest for their size-tunable optical and electronic properties. Intermediate between the discrete nature of molecular clusters and the collective behavior of the bulk, NQDs are unique building blocks for the bottom-up assembly of complex functional structures. NQDs can be conveniently synthesized using colloidal chemical routes such as the solution-based organometallic synthesis approaches for the preparation of CdSe NQDs described by Murray et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 115, 8706 (1993) or by Peng et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 123, 183 (2001), such references incorporated herein by reference. Generally, these procedures involve an organometallic approach. Typically these chemical routes yield highly crystalline, monodisperse samples of NQDs. Because of their small dimensions (sub-10 nm) and chemical flexibility, colloidal NQDs can be viewed as tunable "artificial" atoms and as such can be manipulated into larger assemblies engineered for specific applications.
A significant challenge for obtaining stable optical properties and realizing optical applications of quantum dots is to incorporate the NQDs into a suitable transparent host matrix. Early attempts involved the direct growth of the nanoparticles within glassy matrices; however, the resulting materials were plagued by poorly controlled surface passivation, low filling factors and large size dispersities.
More recently, researchers have sought to decouple the synthesis of the nanoparticles from the fabrication of the composites. Selvan et al., Adv. Mater. v. 13, pp. 985–988 (2001) describe octylamine-passivated semiconductor quantum dots transferred into butanol prior to sol-gel processing with resultant volume fractions or loadings of only up to about 0.1 percent. Sundar et al., Adv. Mater., v. 14, pp. 739–742 (2002), describe incorporation of NCs wherein the surface-passivating ligands are replaced with tris(hydroxylpropyl)phosphine to stabilize the NCs in polar solvents such as ethanol and provide hydroxyl groups which can be reacted into a titania sol-gel matrix. Volume fractions or loadings as high as 10 to 12 percent were reported.
Despite the gradual progress, problems have remained. After long and careful research, new approaches have now been developed for the preparation of colloidal nanocrystal-containing composites.
It is an object of the present invention to provide new processes for preparing solid composites including colloidal nanocrystals and to provide the solid composites from such processes.
It is another object of the present invention to form solid composites with high volume loadings of the colloidal nanocrystals.
Still another object of the present invention is solid composites including colloidal nanocrystals where the solid composites are characterized by high refractive indices.
Still another object of the present invention is the preparation of alcohol-soluble colloidal nanocrystals including alcohol or carboxylic acid terminated groups thereon.


A wireless mouse includes a housing, a wireless signal receiver, a power switch, a carrier seat and a push-push element. The power switch is arranged inside the housing and includes a triggering part. The carrier seat is movably installed inside the housing for carrying the wireless signal receiver thereon and has a knob exposed outside a surface of the housing. The push-push element is arranged inside the housing and includes a clipping part for engaging with the carrier seat to fix the carrier seat in a first position or a second position. When the carrier seat is fixed in the first position, the carrier seat contacts the triggering part of the power switch to turn off the power switch.

Nowadays, wireless mice have experienced great growth and are rapidly gaining in popularity because no cables are required when they are operated. Since no power cable is communicated between the wireless mouse and the computer system, the wireless mouse fails to directly receive power from the computer system. In other words, during operation of the wireless mouse, the wireless mouse should have at least one built-in battery. As a consequence, it is an important issue to reduce power consumption of the wireless mouse.
Typically, the wireless mouse principally comprises two major parts, i.e. a mouse main body and a wireless signal receiver. The wireless signal receiver is electrically connected to the computer system, and thus the signals generated from the wireless mouse can be transmitted to the computer system via the wireless signal receiver. For power-saving purpose, the wireless mouse is powered off when it is not operated.
Conventionally, two approaches are used to selectively power on or power off the wireless mouse. In accordance with the first approach, a knob is protruded from a surface of the wireless mouse. By adjusting the knob to an "ON" position, the power switch of the wireless mouse is triggered so that the user can operate the wireless mouse. When the wireless mouse is not used, the knob can be adjusted to an "OFF" position to power off the wireless mouse. This approach is not feasible because the user may often forget to adjust the knob to the "OFF" position when the wireless mouse is not used.
In accordance with the second approach, the power switch of the wireless mouse is controlled through the wireless signal receiver. In a case that the wireless mouse is not used, the wireless signal receiver can be received in the storing portion of the wireless mouse. Under this circumstance, the power switch inside the wireless mouse is automatically powered off. Whereas, when the wireless signal receiver is withdrawn from the storing portion of the wireless mouse, the power switch of the wireless mouse is triggered and thus the wireless mouse is powered on.
The second approach still has some drawbacks. For example, even if the wireless mouse needs to be temporarily powered off, the wireless signal receiver needs to be detached from the connecting port of the computer and then inserted into the storing portion of the wireless mouse. That is, such an approach is not user-friendly and inconvenient.
In views of the above-described disadvantages resulted from the prior art, the applicant keeps on carving unflaggingly to develop a wireless mouse according to the present invention through wholehearted experience and research.

Wireless mouse having a power switch with dual engagement modes


There is provided a diffractive element including a first member 2, which includes a first resin 2a and has a predetermined refractive index, and a second member 3, which has the same refractive index as the first member 2 having the predetermined refractive index in one wavelength of light and has a refractive index different from the first member 2 having the predetermined refractive index in the other wavelength of light. The first member 2 and the second member 3 are alternately arranged within an incidence plane of the two wavelengths of light, thereby constituting a diffraction grating. The second member 3 includes a second resin 3a to dissolve an organic matter 5 having optical absorption in a predetermined wavelength range at a molecular level, whereby the refractive index of the second member 3 is formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a diffractive element which selectively diffract different wavelengths, to a method of manufacturing the diffractive element, and to an optical pickup device and an optical disc apparatus, which are equipped with the diffractive element.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in digital versatile discs (DVDs), recording or reproducing of information is performed by a wavelength λ1 (about 650 nm) of laser light. On the other hand, in compact discs (CDs), recording or reproducing of information is performed by a wavelength λ2 (about 780 nm) of laser light. In optical disc apparatuses which perform recording or reproducing on these two types of discs, a dual-wavelength laser light source which emits two wavelengths of laser light has been used. Diffractive elements with wavelength selectivity which transmit the wavelength λ1 of light for DVDs without any change as one beam without responding thereto and which split the wavelength λ2 of light for CDs (while serving as a diffractive element for this wavelength of light) into three beams have been needed for such a dual-wavelength laser light source. The diffractive elements having wavelength selectivity are exemplified in JP-A-2002-318306, JP-A-2002-360625, and US Publication No. 2004-0094699.
FIG. 24 is a plan view showing a diffractive element according to the related art. FIG. 24A shows that a wavelength λ1 of light for DVDs transmits through the diffractive element, and FIG. 24B shows that a wavelength λ2 of light for CDs transmits through the diffractive element.
As shown in FIG. 24, a first transparent 101 is a substrate made of optical glass, etc. A second member 103 includes a red organic pigment 105 and a resin 103a containing the organic pigment 105, and forms irregular shapes on the first transparent substrate 101. A first member 102 includes a resin 102a which is filled in the irregularities of the second member 103. The first member 102 and the second member 103 constitutes a diffraction grating. The second transparent substrate 104 is a substrate made of optical glass, etc., and protects the first member 102 and the second member 103. The organic pigment 105 has optical absorption in a range having a shorter wavelength than the wavelength λ1, but does not have optical absorption in the wavelength λ1 and the wavelength λ2.
It is known that the refractive index of general materials changes according to wavelengths. It is also known that, when a material absorbs light in a certain wavelength range, the refractive index of the material changes rapidly in a wavelength range having the optical absorption and in a wavelength range in the vicinity thereof. This phenomenon is referred to as abnormal dispersion phenomenon. In Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the abnormal dispersion is given to only the second member 103, using the organic pigment 105. And, by greatly changing the refractive index of the second member 103 in the wavelength λ1 and the wavelength λ2, the refractive index n1 (λ1) of the first member 102 in the wavelength λ1 and the refractive index n2 (λ1) of the second member 103 in the wavelength λ1 are made equal to each other, and the refractive index n1 (λ2) of the first member in the wavelength λ2 and the refractive index n2 (λ2) of the second member in the wavelength λ2 are made different equal to each other. Therefore, the wavelength λ1 of light is transmitted without any change as one beam because there is no difference in refractive index between the first member and the second member and the wavelength λ2 of light (here, the diffractive element serves as a diffractive element for this wavelength of light) is split into three beams because there is any difference in the refractive index. In other words, it is possible to obtain a diffractive element having wavelength selectivity.
Meanwhile, since the pigment is dispersed and suspended in particles in the second member, incident light is dispersed. Therefore, it is difficult to increase the transmittance of the second member including an organic pigment, in the wavelength λ1 of light for DVDs and the wavelength λ2 of light for CDs. Therefore, the light for DVDs and CDs which transmits through the diffractive element may be lost. It has been advanced to cope with miniaturizing the optical disc apparatus or the optical pickup device and increasing its processing speed to a high speed Increasing their speed to a high speed requires increasing the output of laser light to be radiated on an optical disc. Therefore, it is necessary to minimize a loss caused by the diffractive element.

Diffractive element, method of manufacturing the same, optical pickup device, and optical disc apparatus


A system, including: a subsea pressure vessel; and a passive heat transfer apparatus, wherein the passive heat transfer apparatus penetrates a hull or shell of the subsea pressure vessel.

The oil and gas industry has adapted electrical and mechanical equipment for service in a subsea environment. This adaptation involves the installation of heat producing equipment into pressure vessels which are have limited interior space. A pressure vessel, as used herein, is a closed container designed to hold gases or liquids in a pressurized environment. For example, an internal pressure of the subsea pressure vessel may be maintained at about 1 ATM, whereas the pressure outside the subsea pressure vessel may be many ATMs (which is dependent upon at least the depth of the water). The pressure vessel is configured to house a heat producing apparatus associated with oil and/or gas production.
Cooling of heat producing equipment, in a non-subsea environment, is conventionally provided by radiation or natural convection cooling to the surrounding air. Removal of heat can be critical to the reliability, longevity and performance of some equipment. Forced cooling methods (e.g. either liquid or air) require periodic intervention and maintenance, such as replacement of fans, the repairing of leaks, or the addition of coolant.
Conventional practice for adapting equipment for subsea applications includes the use of active heat transfer devices (e.g. pumps, and fans) and components (e.g. filters, fittings, valves, connectors, etc.). For example, interior cooling fans that circulate air as a cooling medium are used in combination with an "active" (meaning with moving mechanical parts and/or requiring electrical power) cooling means. The active cooling means often includes pumps and a heat collection system located on the interior side of the pressure vessel, a penetration through the pressure vessel, and a heat expulsion device (e.g. radiator, exchanger) in communication with the motive device (e.g. pump). These systems typically exchange heat via convection or radiation only via a medium in substantially a single phase only: liquid, in the case of a pump, and air (gas) in the case of fans. The active components contribute to high rates of failure and a need for periodic maintenance. These systems lack the reliability and the ultra-low maintenance requirements desired for subsea applications. The liquid cooling systems often utilize de-ionized water as the cooling medium due to its low electrical conductance as required to cool high power electronics, The use of de-ionized water in forced cooling systems, creates a need to control and maintain water quality and it's contamination levels, a task typically requiring manual intervention and maintenance. The reactive nature of de-ionized water also can cause corrosion leading to leaks and failure in cooling water containment systems, piping, fittings, pumps, seals and other components. Having a subsea system containing heat producing components with the passive cooling of this invention overcomes the issues created by systems requiring forced cooling medium. An advantage of liquid filling the subsea vessel with a dielectric fluid is that it extends the life of the contained equipment by improving heat transfer and by reducing oxygen levels thus reducing corrosion potential on components such as electrical terminations.

Multi-phase passive thermal transfer for subsea apparatus


Products are provided that improve overall plant vigor and yield by combining agriculturally effective amounts of at least one spore-forming bacterium and at least one optional insect control agent to a genetically modified plant, plant part, or seed. This product is particularly effective in the presence of plant parasitic nematode and fungal species. Use of the product leads to an overall reduction in crop losses caused by either plant parasitic nematodes or fungi and this reduction is much greater than using genetically modified seed with just an insect control agent. According to some embodiments, the use of the product results in about a 2%-10% increase in soybean bushel yield, 3%-6.5% increase in cotton yield, and 3%-8% in corn bushel yield. Methods for utilizing and manufacturing the combination are also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to products and methods for reducing overall damage and losses in plant health, vigor, and yield caused by plant parasitic nematode and fungi. More specifically, the invention relates to products comprising genetically modified seed and at least one agriculturally beneficial spore-forming bacterium combined with an optional insect control agent, and methods for utilizing the combination for treating genetically modified seeds, plants and plant parts.
2. Description of Related Art
Nematodes are microscopic unsegmented worms known to reside in virtually every type of environment (terrestrial, freshwater, marine). Of the over 80,000 known species, many are agriculturally significant, particularly those classified as pests. One such species is the root knot nematode which attacks a broad range of plants, shrubs, and crops. These soil-born nematodes attack newly formed roots causing stunted growth, swelling or gall formation. The roots may then crack open thus exposing the roots to other microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. With environmentally friendly practices such as reduced or no tillage farming, and various nematode species acquiring resistance to transgenic seed, nematode related crop losses appear to be on the rise.
Chemical nematicides such as soil fumigants or non-fumigants have been in use for many years to combat infestations. Such nematicides may require repeated applications of synthetic chemicals to the ground prior to planting. Due to their toxicity, chemical nematicides have come under scrutiny from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and in some cases their use has been limited or restricted by the EPA. As the use of traditional chemical nematicides such as methyl-bromide and organophosphates continue to be phased out, a need for the development of alternative treatment options has arisen. U.S. Pat. No. 6,593,273 discloses treatment of transgenic corn seeds with pesticides to treat nematode infestations.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,844,339 discloses using a neonicotinoid to control nematodes. The preferred compounds in the '339 patent are nitroimino or nitroguanidino compounds. The neonicotinoid can be applied to either the nematode environment or plant material itself. WO/2007/149817 discloses combining a biological control agent with a nematicide, such as avermectin, to enhance plant protection against pests and pathogens. This combination, however, does not address the toxicity of using certain chemical nematicides.

Genetically modified seed combined with spore forming bacterium and optical insect control agents and methods for treating plants


A high voltage power supply for use in a system such as a microfluidics system, uses a DC-DC converter in parallel with a voltage-controlled resistor. A feedback circuit provides a control signal for the DC-DC converter and voltage-controlled resistor so as to regulate the output voltage of the high voltage power supply, as well as, to sink or source current from the high voltage supply.

Microfluidics is the science dealing with manufacturing and operating devices and processes using very small volumes of liquids. Microfluidics systems operate at such small scales that the system behavior is dramatically altered. For example, capillary action changes the way liquid flows through microscopic-diameter tubes.
Microfluidics systems have diverse and widespread applications. Microfluidics systems include microchips or substrates that have networks that are connected by channels which have mesoscale dimensions, where at least one dimension is usually between 0.1 microns and SOD microns. Such substrates may be fabricated using photolithographic techniques similar to those used in the semiconductor industry, and the resulting devices can be used to perform a variety of sophisticated chemical and biological analytical techniques. Some of the processes that use this technology include ink jet printers, blood cell separation equipment, biochemical assays, chemical synthesis, genetic analysis, drug screening, surface micromachining, laser ablation and mechanical micromilling.
Many microfluidics systems use electrokinetic (EK) pumping of fluid. These applications generally require a high voltage at a low current. Typically large expensive laboratory power supplies are used for such microfluidics systems. Such laboratory power supplies are available from Bertran Associates of Hicksville, N.Y. and Stanford Research Systems (SRS) of Sunnyvale, Calif. The size and expense of such high voltage power supplies reduce the desirability of these power supplies for use in microfluidics systems that use EK pumping.

Modular high voltage power supply for chemical analysis


A method for reducing low frequency noise of a transistor operable at cryogenic temperatures includes a first step in which the transistor is illuminated with a light in a state that the transistor is activated and flowed current by supplying a power at a predetermined temperature, and a second step in which the transistor is operated at the predetermined temperature after the illumination of the light.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for reducing low frequency noise of a transistor operating at cryogenic temperatures, and a reading-out circuit, and particularly, to a method for reducing low frequency noise of transistor operating at cryogenic temperatures, which is allowed to be operable with low noise by illuminating light to the transistor operating at the cryogenic temperatures, and a reading-out circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
A transistor operating at cryogenic temperatures is used for a reading-out circuit of a cooled highly-sensitive photodetector, and the like, and the noise induced by the reading-out circuit frequently determines a limit of the optical detection. In the present invention, the noise of the reading-out circuit can be reduced, and an extremely-high sensitive photo-detecting technique can be realized.
An active noise reducing method for reducing the transistor operating at the cryogenic temperatures is limited. For example, the following is the noise reducing method which has been previously found by the present inventor. While drain current is flowing in the transistor, the operating temperature is increased up to the temperature at which a noise spectrum is changed, and is again cooled to the original operating temperature. Thereby, the noise can be reduced. Such a transistor operating at the cryogenic temperatures is, for example, disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3598377.
However, when the transistor, in which the noise needs to be reduced, is included in an integrated circuit, this method brings such a disadvantage that other transistors are also affected by a thermal cycle. For this reason, it is difficult to apply the optimum noise reducing method to each transistor whose gate size and operating condition are different from those of other transistors. Furthermore, since a load to a system is increased by increasing the operating temperature, this method has been able to be applied to limited cases.

Method for reducing low frequency noise of transistor

National Institute of Information and Communications Technology


Distributed valve simulated moving beds are described in which junctions located between successive columns interrupt the flow of process fluid between columns, and either transmit the process fluid through a zone bypass to a succeeding column within the same zone or, if the junction is located between zones, direct the process fluid to an input/output line that is dedicated to the particular zone that immediately follows the junction. At each step of the SMB's operation, the distribution of flows in each junction is modulated to accomplish movement of ports consistent with the SMB's design. Further described are simulated moving beds that contain one or more decoupled on-line regeneration zones. The regeneration zone is decoupled from the separation zones in the sense that it observes a step time (a “regeneration interval”) that is different than the step time observed by the separation zones of the SMB. Because the regeneration zone is “on-line,” the SMB need not be stopped to remove columns for regeneration. Because the regeneration zone is decoupled from the separation zones, the column can stay in the regeneration zone as long as needed to accomplish the regeneration, regardless of the step time observed by the SMB.

Simulated moving beds have lately been the method of choice for separating highly demanding and expensive products such as pharmaceuticals, biochemicals and fragrances. The technology has moved from its roots in the petrochemical industry to sugar separations, and is now making successful inroads into the drug industry. Guest (1997); Juza (1999); Juza (2000). This technology has received particular attention for separating enantiomers with minute differences in adsorbent selectivity. Miller, et al. (1999).
Chronologically, the first commercial simulated moving bed is credited to Broughton and Gerhold of Universal Oil Products (UOP) (Des Plaines, Ill.), whose 1961 U.S. Pat. No. 2,985,589 describes the idea of moving ports on fixed beds and an accompanying rotary valve to distribute stream flows among the fixed beds. The Simulated Moving Bed, referred to herein as "SMB," was presented as a distillation type column with downcomers and partitions with lines leading to the rotary valve. The simulated moving bed contained a check valve to control the direction of flow and a variable speed recycle pump to move process fluid through the system. UOP has since obtained various patents that introduce a number of slightly different rotary valve designs. See, e.g., Carson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,040,777, Gerhold et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,192,954, and Liebman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,422,848.
In 1972, de Rosset and Neuzil, both of UOP, obtained U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,812 which became the basis of current practicing lab and pilot scale SMB systems. The downcomer sections disclosed in Broughton's earlier patent were replaced with columns linked together through tees connected to rotary valves, as shown in FIG. 1. The disclosed system incorporated a check valve between each column and its tee to maintain correct directional flow. The '812 patent also disclosed the use of solenoid valves to move the ports through the columns.
While the SMB design disclosed in the '812 patent is generally considered a much improved system over Broughton's earlier design, is suffered from a number of significant drawbacks relating to cross-contamination. In particular, because the unused transit lines between the tees and the rotary valve admix into the inline flow through the tee, at a later switching time the desorbent is flushed into and contaminates the raffinate, and feed is flushed into and contaminates the extract. Similarly, the system relies upon a variable-speed pump that often disrupts separation profiles with its non-instantaneous response time and inherent mixing nature. Moreover, this system cannot be expanded or modified to fit different configurations; it cannot perform online decoupled regeneration; it does not accommodate variable zone lengths; and it does not accommodate open loop systems.
The valves employed in an SMB are critical to the expandability and flexibility of a simulated moving bed under design. SMB systems can generally be characterized by the types of valves employed in the SMB, and how the valves are arranged. The two types of valves used to switch the ports in an SMB are multi-position rotary valves and on-off valves. On-off valves include solenoid, gate, ball, plug, diaphragm (weir), butterfly and other types.
Rotary valve SMBs can generally be characterized either as centralized or distributed rotary valve systems. Centralized rotary valve systems usually rely upon a single specially designed rotary valve to distribute streams among the various columns and to implement column switching. The two rotary valves shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are examples of specially designed rotary valves for centralized systems. The two valves are marketed by Universal Oil Product (UOP) and Advanced Separation Technology (AST). Centralized rotary valve systems suffer from the disadvantage that they only work in systems that are designed for synchronous switching. In addition, while the designs minimize cross-contamination, valves designed for centralized rotary valve systems must be specially built to work with a particular zone/column configuration and thus lack flexibility for use in varied applications.
Distributed rotary valve systems rely upon multiple rotary valves interposed between columns. These valves, such as the SD valve discussed in greater detail below, are usually generic and adaptable to many SMB designs. Rotary valves contain a rotating piece and a static piece, respectively called the rotor and the stator. The rotor rotates on a single axis and aligns the various ports on the two pieces. The most common type of rotary-valve employs a single inlet with multiple outlets. Alternatively, the ports can be interchanged to obtain a single outlet with multiple inlets. The valve acts to select a single stream from a number of dead ended streams and directs it to the valve outlet, or vice-versa. This flowpath, shown in FIG. 3a, is called the SD for Select-Dead-end. FIG. 3 contains a series of figures obtained from the internet web-site of Valco Instruments Co. Inc. (Houston, Tex.).
A number of other flowpaths are available based on Valco rotary valves. The Select-Common-outlet (SC) flowpath shown in FIG. 3b allows the non-selected streams to share a common outlet instead of being dead ended as in an SD valve. In the Select-Flow-through (SF) flowpath, shown in FIG. 3c, the non-selected streams are allowed to flow out through individual outlets instead of a common outlet. In the Select-Trapping (ST) flowpath shown in FIG. 3d, there exists a single outlet and a single inlet. The ST flowpath acts to interrupt the flowpath of a stream. Flow from the inlet goes through one of a selected pair of ports and is returned into the valve via an external loop into the selected port's mate before finally leaving the valve through the outlet. As shown in FIG. 3d, the non-selected streams can be trapped in external loops while the selected loop allows flow from the inlet to the outlet. The flowpath in a Select-Trapping/Flow-through (STF) valve, as shown in FIG. 3e, is a combination of the ST and SF flowpaths. The STF valve is similar to the SF valve except that the non-selected streams are allowed to flow out through their own ports.
Advanced Separation Technologies (AST) (Whippany, N.J.) has a number of SMB rotary valve systems that essentially employ separate pieces of valves at each end of the columns. See, e.g., Berry et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,522,726 and 4,808,317. These systems evolved into the commercial CSEP systems which use the ISEP valve. The ISEP design is described by Rossiter and Riley in U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,826 (1997). As shown in FIG. 2, the ISEP design employs four constant speed pumps with two inlet pumps (feed and desorbent), an outlet (raffinate) pump and one recycle pump (Zone II).
The lower portion of the ISEP valve rotates together with the columns to achieve port switching, as shown in FIG. 2. This design avoids admixing in the tees that occurred in UOP's design, and is flexible in terms of port and zone configurations. Moreover, the design has high purity and low dead volume and is relatively simple to control. However, the system suffers from a number of drawbacks, including its high cost and the need to rotate the columns in operation. Additionally, configurations supported by the ISEP valve are limited, and because the ISEP valve employs synchronous switching it cannot be used for variable zone length and online decoupled regeneration operation. Other rotary valve systems are described by Matonte in U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,883, and Morita and Ohno in U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,475.
Multiple rotary valve systems use generic rotary valves such as the SD type (FIG. 3a) that are widely available and generally less expensive than their proprietary counterparts, though they typically have higher dead volume and more complex controls. There are two basic systems using multiple rotary valves, the one SD rotary valve per stream system (1SD1S) and the one SD rotary valve per column system (1SD1C).
The 1SD1S system in its simplest form consists of a single SD valve dedicated to each stream, as shown in FIG. 4. Priegnitz disclosed the system in U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,464. The 1SD1S design is popular for its low cost, simplicity and wide availability of parts. The SD valve is available commercially and because Valco's SD valves have up to 26 ports, which correspond to 26 columns, provides considerable flexibility. Nevertheless, while the design is efficient, it suffers from several significant drawbacks. In particular, the admixing of the stagnant lines at every manifold causes significant contamination of the inlet and outlet streams. Moreover, the design employs a variable speed pump for recycling the process stream.
A variant of the 1SD1S interrupts the raffinate and extract streams with a second SD rotary valve and incorporates additional on-off valves between the columns to create a Two SD Rotary Valve per Stream (2SD1S) system. This modification, as shown in FIG. 5, eliminates the need for a variable speed recycle pump, and instead only relies on constant speed pumps. This system is described by Negawa and Shoji in U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,825, and by Ikeda et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,088.
Priegnitz describes in U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,104 another variant of the basic 1SD1S where an STF (FIG. 3e) valve is added, as shown in FIG. 6. The STF valve allows a constant speed recycle pump to be used as in the 2SD1S system without the additional on-off valves. Storti, et al. (1992) used a slight variant of this system to withdraw an additional stream.
In the one SD Rotary Valve per Column design (1SD1C) a single SD valve is dedicated to each column. The SD valve selects the stream for its column, as seen in FIG. 7. U.S. Filter reportedly uses this design in their ADSEP SMB system, and Wu, et al (1998) reports having successfully used an ADSEP system in an amino acid separation. This system has several advantages over the 1SD1S system including: the capacity to perform variable step time operations; the ability to employ multiple desorbents within a zone; the ability to add additional columns to the system; and higher purity products due to lower volumes of admixing. The 1SD1C design suffers, however, from the fact that it requires a variable speed recycle pump and is limited to closed-loop binary separations.
A Four Two-way Valves per Column system (4-2W1C), as shown in FIG. 8, can be thought of as a replacement of each rotary valve on the 1SD1C design with a set of four two-way on-off valves. The system was first detailed by de Rosset and Neuzil in U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,812. It is often referred to as the "Sorbex" design in the literature, even though Sorbex is the trademark used by UOP for all their SMB technologies including the single rotary valve design. Novasep reportedly uses this system in their units. United States patents that disclose schemes containing "Sorbex" diagrams include Odawara et al., (U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,267), Yoritomi et al., (U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,051) and Schoenrock et al., (U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,866). "Sorbex" based SMB systems have also been mentioned in the literature by Beste, et al. (2000); Cavoy, et al. (1997) pp. 49–57; Ching, et al., (1993) pp. 1343–1351; Juza, M., (1999); Kawase, et al. (1996); Nagamatsu, et al. (1999); Navarro, et al. (1997); Pais, et al. (1997); and Pais, et al., (1998).
A variable speed recycle pump is required in the basic 4-2W1C system. Check valves, not shown on FIG. 8, are sometimes used to maintain correct directional flow. The 4-2W1C system is inherently flexible in terms of column number and zone configuration and can easily be modified to handle multi-solvent and multicomponent systems (Tanimura and Tamura (U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,546)). On the other hand, on-off valves inherently have cross-contamination and the large number of valves employed in a on-off-based system requires complex controls. The cross-contamination is more acutely felt with smaller scale systems.
Another on-off valve system, the Six Two-Way Valves per Column (6-2W1C) system, as shown in FIG. 9, removes the need for a variable speed pump. The constant speed recycle pump is placed in zone IV to minimize contamination. In a "Two Three-way Valves per Column" design (2-3W1C), the two pairs of two-way on-off valves in a 4-2W1C design are replaced by two three-way on-off valves to create the 2-3W1C system shown in FIG. 10. The 2-3W1C system and variants thereof can be found in United States patents from Golem (U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,051), Moran (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,635,072 and 5,705,061) and Green (U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,518), all of UOP. The inventors claim high purity in their system. However, the basic requirement of a transit line to the inline flow from the on-off valve remains, thus requiring a specialized flushing procedure which reduces yield, or a redesign of the on-off valve to merge with the tee, which defeats the purpose of using the lower cost generic valves.
Regeneration of Column Packing Material
Practical industrial considerations in the operation of simulated moving beds typically require column packing material to be regenerated periodically. In theory, regeneration can be accomplished using a stronger solvent, a temperature swing, a pH swing, or a pressure swing for supercritical and gas chromatography operations. Simple SMB gradient configurations have been published by Abel, et al., (2002); for solvent gradient SMB, Migliorini, et al., (2001), for temperature gradient SMB, and Mazzoti, et al., (1997), for a pressure gradient SMB. In addition, Antis, et al., (2001), recently reviewed gradient SMB in the literature.
Unfortunately, most SMB designs today are unable to handle periodic regeneration effectively. One way to integrate periodic regeneration into the SMB operation is to manually remove the column to be regenerated, and to replace the column with a fresh column. The removed column is attached to a separate system (offline) to be regenerated. Because the separate system is decoupled from the simulated moving bed, the length of time required to regenerate the column is not a significant factor. However, this method requires the SMB system to pause while in operation, which results in unwanted spreading of the bands, and the labor-intensive operation is unattractive at best. See Xie et al., (2002).
Another way to accomplish column regeneration has been to use multiple columns in an additional regeneration zone to the conventional four zones, which allows sufficient time for the columns to be regenerated. The regeneration zone step time is then coupled to that of the regular SMB operation step time. Because the length of time required to regenerate a column typically greatly exceeds the step time observed by the simulated moving bed, these systems typically require a large number of online columns in the regeneration zone. The large number of columns reduces the average throughput per bed volume of the system and can rarely offset the benefit of coupling the regeneration step to the SMB separation steps.
Variable Zone Length/Step Time Operations
Recently, U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,198 reported a new system, known as the Varicol process, which is based on a non-synchronous shift of inlet and outlet ports, such that the zone length and/or step time of the SMB varies during operation. They reported a mathematical model which predicts experimental results quite well for the chiral separation of the 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-napthol racemate for SMB and Varicol processes, and asserted that the performance of the Varicol process could exceed the performance of traditional SMB systems due to the flexibility offered by decoupling and varying the column switching times. The Varicol system is reported to offer a new dimension to SMB processing options. However, its potential use is severely hindered by the need for valve systems that can accommodate such a process.
It is also possible to maximize yield and purity, and to minimize solvent consumption, by varying the inputs, outputs and zone flowrates according to a prescribed method, basically by using variable speed pumps. Such a method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,553.
Summary and Comparison of Existing Systems
FIG. 11 divides existing SMB systems by valve types and arrangements. Table 1 compares the existing systems.
TABLE 1Comparison of Existing SMB Systems.UOP/SingleRotaryAST/Daicel/UOPCompanyValveKnauerUOPPurdueUS FilterNovasepSystemUOP1SEP1SDIS2SDIS1SDIC4-2WIC/2-3WICPumps*4C + 1V3C/4C4C + 1V3C/4C4C + 1V4C + 1V/3C/5CPressureTrade Secret<1400 psi<500 psi<500 psi<300 psi<5000 psiColumnsStationaryRotateStationaryStationaryStationaryStationaryColumnNoNoNoNoYesYesExpansionMultipleTradeGoodLimitedLimitedLimitedExcellentZonesSecretFlexibilityNumber ofBinaryMultipleBinaryMultipleBinaryMultipleSolutesSolutesSolutesSolutesPossiblePossiblePossibleAdmixingTrade SecretNoneSubstantialSubstantialSomeSubstantialCross MixingTrade SecretNoneNoneSomeSomeSubstantialOpen LoopTrade SecretYesNoYesNoYesZone BypassNoYesNoYesNoPotentialParallel SMBNoYesNoPotentialNoPotentialVariable StepNoNoPotentialPotentialPotentialYesTimesMultiple SMBNoNoNoNoNoNoSchemesMultipleNoNoNoNoPotentialPotentialDesorbentsWithin 1ZoneOnlineNoNoNoNoNoNoDecoupledRegenerationValving CostVery HighVery HighLowLowMediumLowNumber of11Depends on2 × # ofDepends on(2 or 4) × #Actuators(Simple)(Simple)# ofstreams + ## ofof columns-streams-of columnscolumns-usuallyusually 4usually 14–18usually16–48(Simple)(Complex)8–12(Very(Complex)Complex)Unsteady-NoNoNoNoNo4-2WIC/State2-3WICCapacitypotential*C refers to Constant Speed Pump and V to Variable Speed Pump


A system and method of multi-source communications, including a source provider, a transmitter, a receiver, a summing device, a plurality of delay devices, and a switch. The source provider provides a signal including a first and second signal. The transmitter is in communication with the source provider and the receiver. The receiver is in communication with the transmitter. The summing device combines the first and second signals received by the receiver. The delay device delays at least one of the first and second signals. The switch forms a bypass, such that at least one of the first and second signals bypasses one of the plurality of delay devices.

Vehicles can be equipped with a satellite radio receiver, which is typically fixedly installed in the vehicle, as an additional option or a replacement to terrestrial radio receivers. Generally, the satellite radio receivers receive at least one signal directed by a satellite, as compared to the terrestrial radio receiver that receives a terrestrial radio frequency (RF) signal. By transmitting the signal using the satellite, the range and quality of the signal received by the satellite radio receiver is generally increased.
Additionally, handheld satellite radio devices have been developed that function as the satellite radio receivers installed in vehicles. Typically, in both satellite radio receivers installed in vehicles and portable handheld satellite radio receivers, the receiving device receives multiple signals from the satellite and/or a terrestrial repeater signal which is a terrestrial RF signal. For example, the source provider producing the transmission transmits multiple signals that are received by the receiver at different times, which is typically known as time diversity. The time diversity phenomenon allows the satellite radio receiver to use one or a combination of the received signals in order to produce the output. Thus, whether the signals are both received directly from the satellite or one signal is received from a terrestrial repeater, the multiple signals can be combined if the multiple signals are received by the receiver, or the output can be produced by a single signal from either the satellite or the terrestrial repeater.
The time diversity phenomenon is further described in the following example. A satellite radio receiver in a vehicle is receiving two signals that correspond to one another and are delayed by four seconds. The vehicle can travel under a signal blocking obstruction, such as a tree, which prevents the satellite radio receiver from receiving a first signal, and within the four second period pass by the obstruction and receive the second signal. Thus, the receiver can produce an output based only on the second signal. Without using time diversity, the receiver would not be able to compensate for not receiving the first signal, which it did not receive while under the obstruction. Thus, the quality of the output of the receiver would be greatly reduced.
When utilizing time diversity to increase the quality of the signal, there is a substantial increase in the delay from the time the signal is transmitted from the station to the time the receiver receives the signal, when compared to the time it takes to transmit the signal from the station to the satellite and from the satellite to the receiver. Thus, the only delay in a signal that is transmitted without time diversity is the time it takes for the signal to pass from the transmitter, be directed by the satellite, received by the receiver, and the time for modulation and demodulation of the signal, which essentially results in the user receiving the output of the receiver in real-time. Typically, the broadcaster makes the determination of whether or not the signal is transmitted in time diversity and the end user does not have a choice.
Therefore, it is desirable to develop a satellite radio receiver that can be configured by the user to receive multiple signals in a time diversity format, or be configured to produce an output based on a single signal.

System and method for multi-source communications


A vehicle electrical system for a vehicle is described which includes an electrical energy source supplying a first vehicle electrical system branch and a second vehicle electrical system branch. The first vehicle electrical system branch include a first electrical consumer with an inrush current requirement and a first inductance connected in series with the first consumer. The second vehicle electrical system branch includes a second electrical system voltage-sensitive consumer with a minimum system voltage requirement and a second inductance connected to the second consumer in series or in parallel. The first vehicle electrical system branch and the second vehicle electrical system branch are connected electrically in parallel to one another, and the first inductance and the second inductance are magnetically coupled to one another.

From the publication DE10 2010 042 396 A1 a method for maintaining a predetermined voltage in a battery-supported electrical system of a vehicle during the operation of an electric starter motor is known. This conventional method includes the steps of: operating the electrical starter motor on the electrical system of the vehicle during a first period in series with a limiting resistor in order to limit the current flowing through the starter motor; and of operating the electric starter motor on the electrical system of the vehicle during a second period with a reduced limiting resistance in order to increase a power converted by the starter motor. Here, a transition from the first to the second period is controlled based on electrical characteristics sampled on the limiting resistor during the first period.


A method for assisting operations of a processor core coupled to a first memory and a second memory includes: examining instructions being filled from the first memory to the second memory to extract instruction information containing at least branch information of the instructions, and creating a plurality of tracks based on the extracted instruction information. Further, the method includes filling one or more instructions from the first memory to the second memory based on one or more tracks from the plurality of tracks before the processor core starts executing the instructions, such that the processor core fetches the instructions from the second memory for execution. Filling the instructions further includes pre-fetching from the first memory to the second memory instruction segments containing the instructions corresponding to at least two levels of branch target instructions based on the one or more tracks.

In general, cache is used to duplicate a certain part of main memory, so that the duplicated part in the cache can be accessed by a processor core or central processing unit (CPU) core in a short amount of time and thus to ensure continued pipeline operation of the processor core.
Currently, cache addressing is based on the following ways. First, an index part of an address is used to read out a tag from a tag memory. At the same time, the index and an offset part of the address are used to read out contents from the cache. Further, the tag from the tag memory is compared with a tag part of the address. If the tag from the tag memory is the same as the tag part of the address, called a cache hit, the contents read out from the cache are valid. Otherwise, if the tag from the tag memory is not the same as the tag part of the address, called a cache miss, the contents read out from the cache are invalid. For a multi-way set associative cache, the above operation is performed in parallel on each set to detect which way has a cache hit. Contents read out from the set with the cache hit are valid. If all sets experience cache misses, contents read out from any set are invalid. After a cache miss, cache control logic fills the cache with contents from lower level storage medium.
Cache miss can be divided into three types: compulsory miss, conflict miss, and capacity miss. Under existing cache structures, except a small amount of pre-fetched contents, compulsory miss is inevitable. But, the current pre-fetching operation carries a not-so-small penalty. Further, while multi-way set associative cache may help reduce conflict misses, the number of way set associative cannot exceed a certain number due to power and speed limitations (e.g., the set-associative cache structure requires that contents and tags from all cache sets addressed by the same index are read out and compared at the same time). Further, with the goal for cache memories to match the speed of the processor core, it is difficult to increase cache capacity. Thus, multiple layers of cache are created, with a lower level cache having a larger capacity but a slower speed than a higher level cache.

Low-miss-rate and low-miss-penalty cache system and method

SHANGHAI XINHAO MICROELECTRONICS CO. LTD.


A method and system for visualizing deviations on an actual surface 10, 30 from a nominal, or designed, surface 28 utilizes a system and method for mapping the spatial (e.g. x, y and z) coordinates of the actual surface 10, 30 into a computer 13, comparing the mapped actual surface to the nominal surface 28 to produce a three-dimensional distribution of deviation values (D), processing this distribution into a topographical pattern 34 of multiple contours or areas 34a . . . 34n, each contour or area having the same, or generally the same, deviation value (D), and optically projecting this topographical pattern 34 onto the actual surface 10, 30 in registry with the initial surface mapping to provide a display of the surface deviations (D) directly on the actual surface 10, 30. The deviations are measured along a direction D normal to the actual surface so that the three-dimensional distribution is given in x, y, D coordinates. The optical projection is preferably a laser projection 38. The mapping and projection onto the actual surface 10, 30 are made, and coordinated with one another, with respect to three reference points 32 on the surface 10, 30.

This invention relates in general to surface verification and correction in the process of manufacturing, and more specifically, to a method and system for producing an optical, topographical display of surface profile errors directly on the surface.
In the process of manufacturing a large part, such as a tool, a mold, or a stamped sheet metal panel where it is important that the surface be precisely shaped, e.g. as in the aerospace industry, it is usually required to verify and, if necessary, to accurately correct (rework) the shape of the surface. Obviously, the surface shape has to be compared with design specifications. In modern production, parts, tools, dies, and molds are usually designed based on computer-assisted design (CAD) models. In computer-aided manufacturing (CAM, for example, computer numerically-controlled (CNC) machine tools use the CAD design as an input to control the operation of the tool in machining a product.
There are a number of methods for precise verification of a surface shape using different profilometers, coordinate measuring machines (CMM's), laser trackers, 3D scanning measurement systems and other equipment.
Some manufacturers such as FARO Technologies, Inc. ("FARO") make manual CMM's that use an articulated arm with six degrees and a contact sensor attached to a free end of the arm. The arm is being moved over the surface by an operator in the manner of a pantograph. Transducers at the articulations supply angular positions which can be converted into surface profile information. Other manufacturers such as Brown and Sharp make automated CMM's based on multi-axis stages and gantries carrying contact or non-contact sensors capable to gather information about a surface profile. Conventional CMM's have limited usage in large scale manufacturing, for example, in aerospace or boat building industries. Most appropriate for large surface profile measurements in those industries are non-contact 3D scanning systems and laser trackers. The precision required for tool surface profiling in aerospace applications is quite high—usually several thousandths of an inch. Non-contact 3D scan measurement system capable of delivering such precision is manufactured by MetricVision. It is suitable for automated surface measurement, but this system is very expensive. Laser trackers generally provide the same high level of precision but they are less expensive and widely used in large scale industrial applications despite substantial manual labor involved in a surface scan.
High precision laser trackers are manufactured by Leica Geosystems AG ("Leica"), Automated Precision, Inc. ("API"), and FARO. Known laser trackers are single point devices. The tracker measures any surface point location by directing a laser beam toward a remote optical probe that touches the surface at a given point. The optical probe made as a ball, usually 0.5-1 inch in diameter, that has a very precise retro-reflective prism inside. The retro-reflective prism is facing away from the surface being measured and it returns the incident laser beam back to its source, which allows tracker's angular servo system to capture the direction of the beam and to follow (track) movement of the ball. Probes of this type are commonly termed a "pick-up ball". When acquiring the surface profile the pick-up ball is being moved by hand from point to point while keeping it in touch with the surface. This process, with periodic recordation of position information, creates so-called "cloud" of digitized surface data points.
Usually trackers or other surface scan measurement systems utilize integrated software capable of comparing measurement data with CAD model data, computing deviations between the actual surface shape and its model, and presenting results in graphic form on a computer screen or a plotter. It helps to analyze surface imperfections and to decide if the tested part is within specifications or not. Some of parts and, especially, large tools in aerospace industry are so expensive in production that it is often more reasonable to manually rework and correct their surface flaws rather to completely remake them. However, for the surface rework process it is not enough to see detected imperfections on a computer screen but it is absolutely necessary to map and locate those imperfections directly on the tested surface.
In today's industrial practice this mapping of the imperfections on the tested surface is done manually, literally with a ruler and a pencil, by drawing auxiliary lines on the surface and marking surface errors point-by-point. It is a very difficult and time-consuming process. For large precise parts it can take weeks of time to complete. And every time when a particular area on the surface is corrected by filling or grinding, all marks are being erased. So, if after second verification it is necessary to "touch up" or additionally correct that area, the manual mapping and marking has to be done again. Manual error mapping also includes a quite difficult procedure to reference the region of rework with respect to datum features of a part. That sometimes requires one to map out and mark an auxiliary mesh grid lined onto the surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,365,221 to Morton describes a computer controlled method for fairing and painting marine vessel surfaces. Morton uses multiple robots positioned on moveable transports. Arms have various attachments such as laser surface mapping systems, compound and paint sprayers, and milling and vacuum apparatus. No projection of information about surface variations onto the vessel is described, nor is there any disclosure of a comparison of the actual surface to a design surface. This system is limited to applications, such as marine vessel manufacturing and refurbishing, where a relatively coarse level of precision with respect to the surface, e.g. about ⅛ of an inch, is acceptable. This is an expensive system that is economically reasonable only for processing huge surfaces. In contrast, aerospace manufacturing processes, e.g., typically require 10 times better precision.
Thus there is a need to improve, accelerate, and reduce cost of the existing processes of manual surface correction in aerospace and other industries that demand a high degree of precision.
It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a method and system for visualizing errors of a surface shape by optically projecting onto the actual surface a topographical map of deviations of that surface from a nominal, design surface.
Another object of the invention is to continuously display on a surface a mapping in patterns (contours or areas) of the same or generally the same deviation over all, or significant portions of, the surface.
Another object of the invention is to reduce the time required to rework a surface, particularly a large surface such as on a mold, die, tool, or formed panel of a product such as an airplane fuselage.
Still another object is to provide such an on-surface projection without requiring an auxiliary mesh grid to be mapped onto the surface.
A further object is to provide a system that is comparatively compact, mobile, and readily removed from and repositioned with respect to the surface being tested and/or reworked.

Method and system for visualizing surface errors


The present invention provides a high frequency electronic ballast with rail voltage switching which adjusts the DC rail voltage output (208) to account for different voltages of mains power (210), improving efficiency. The rail voltage switching comprises a mains power supply (200) providing mains power (210) and a mains voltage signal (212); a ballast microcontroller (206) responsive to the mains voltage signal (212) and generating a power factor correction (PFC) voltage signal (214); and a converter (204) operably connected to the mains power supply (200) and responsive to the PFC voltage signal (214) to generate a DC rail voltage output (208). For an embodiment using power factor control, the converter (204) comprises a coil (218), power factor correction (224), a switch (220), and a rectifier (222).

The technical field of this disclosure is high frequency ballast systems, particularly, a high frequency electronic ballast with rail voltage switching.
High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps, such as mercury vapor, metal halide, high-pressure sodium, and low-pressure sodium, are used for a variety of lighting tasks. As HID lamps have become more popular, electronic ballasts for HID lamps have been developed.
One challenge with electronic ballasts for HID lamps is to improve efficiency. Typically, electronic ballasts receive power from a mains power supply at one mains voltage, which is converted to another DC rail voltage, which is modulated to power the HID lamp. Although the individual electronic ballast is usually designed to operate over a range of mains voltage, the DC rail voltage is held to a set value regardless of the mains voltage. The greater the difference between the mains voltage and the DC rail voltage, the greater the power losses and the lower the efficiency.
It would be desirable to have an electronic ballast with rail voltage switching that would overcome the above disadvantages.

Electronic ballast with rail voltage switching


Fast spin echo pulse sequences are adjusted to reduce, or eliminate image artifacts caused by Maxwell terms arising from the linear imaging gradients. The waveforms of the slice selection, phase encoding and readout gradients are adjusted in shape, size or position to eliminate or reduce the phase error caused by the spatially quadratic Maxwell terms.

The field of the invention is nuclear magnetic resonance imaging methods and systems. More particularly, the invention relates to correction of image artifacts caused by "Maxwell terms" produced by imaging gradients in MRI systems.
When a substance such as human tissue is subjected to a uniform magnetic field (polarizing field B.sub.0), the individual magnetic moments of the spins in the tissue attempt to align with this polarizing field. They also precess about it at their characteristic Larmor frequency. If the substance, or tissue, is subjected to a magnetic field (excitation field B.sub.1) which is in the x-y plane and which is near the Larmor frequency, the net aligned moment, M.sub.z, may be rotated, or "tipped", into the x-y plane to produce a net transverse magnetic moment M.sub.t. A signal is emitted by the excited spins, and after the excitation field B.sub.1 is terminated, this signal may be received and processed to form an image.
When utilizing these signals to produce images, magnetic field gradients (G.sub.x, G.sub.y and G.sub.z) are employed. Typically, the region to be imaged is scanned by a sequence of measurement cycles in which these gradients vary according to the particular localization method being used. The resulting set of received NMR signals are digitized and processed to reconstruct the image using one of many well known reconstruction techniques.
One method for producing images rapidly is the Rapid Acquisition Relaxation Enhanced (RARE) sequence which was described by J. Hennig et al in an article in Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 3, 823-833 (1986) entitled "RARE Imaging: A Fast Imaging Method for Clinical MR." The RARE sequence, as well as its variant known as a fast spin echo ("FSE") sequence, utilizes a Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill RF pulse train, to produce multiple spin echo signals from a single excitation in which each acquired echo signal is individually phase encoded. Each pulse sequence, or "shot," therefore results in the acquisition of a plurality of views. In the original RARE sequence, the number of views can be as many as 128. Thus, sufficient data for image reconstruction can be obtained in a single shot. In most clinical applications, however, a plurality of shots are typically employed to acquire a complete data set, as described by R. V. Mulkern et al. in Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Vol. 8, pp. 557-566, 1990.
It is well known that imperfections in the linear magnetic field gradients (G.sub.x, G.sub.y and G.sub.z) produce artifacts in the reconstructed images. It is a well known problem, for example, that eddy currents produced by gradient pulses will distort the magnetic fields and produce image artifacts. Methods for compensating for such eddy current errors are also well known as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,698,591; 4,950,994; and 5,226,418.
It is also well known that the gradients may not be perfectly uniform over the entire imaging volume, which may lead to image distortion. Methods for compensating this non-uniformity are well known, and for example, are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,789.
Other than uncompensated eddy current errors, and gradient non-uniformity errors that escape correction, it can be assumed that the magnetic field gradients (G.sub.x, G.sub.y and G.sub.z) produce linear magnetic fields exactly as programmed, thus spatially encoding the NMR data accurately. With these gradients, the overall magnetic field at location (x,y,z) is conventionally given as B.sub.0 +G.sub.x x+G.sub.y y+G.sub.z z, and the direction of the field is usually taken to be along the z-axis. This description, however, is not exactly correct. As long as a linear magnetic field gradient is applied, the overall magnetic field is nutated away from the z-axis and its amplitude exhibits higher-order spatial dependencies (x.sup.2, y.sup.2, z.sup.2, z.sup.3, . . . ). These phenomena are a direct consequence of the Maxwell equations which require that the overall magnetic field satisfy the following two condition: .gradient..multidot.B=0 and .gradient..times.B=0. The higher-order magnetic fields, referred to as "Maxwell terms" (or Maxwell fields), represent a fundamental physics effect, and are not related to eddy currents or imperfection in hardware design and manufacture. Although Maxwell terms have been known for at least a decade, their effect on imaging has been largely ignored because of their minute consequences under conventional imaging conditions.

Method for reducing Maxwell term artifacts in fast spin echo MR images


The fuel injected two-cycle internal combustion engine having an exhaust control valve and direct cylinder injection. The fuel injection timing and duration are increased at starting over idle and the exhaust control valve, which is normally closed at idle and opened at high speed is moved to its high speed condition during starting to assist in starting. In addition, when the engine is returned to an idle condition after racing, the engine idle speed is reduced in steps to prevent stalling and improve return to idle.

This invention relates to a combustion control system for an in-cylinder injection type of two-cycle engine and more particularly to an improved fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine and method for operating a fuel injection system for an engine.
In fuel injected internal combustion engines the injection strategy employed during starting is substantially the same as that during idle. That is, the fuel injection timing and duration during starting are generally the same as the injection timing and duration during idle. However, starting provides a different type of running characteristic than idle and the use of conventional injection techniques that employ the same fuel injection strategy for starting as at idle do not offer good starting characteristics. This is particularly true with two-cycle internal combustion engines.
As a basic reason why the same injection strategies do not offer good starting, there are certain characteristics of the engine that occur at starting which are true at idle. For example, when running at idle, generally the fuel injection is concluded at a very short time period before ignition occurs so as to insure that there will be a stoichiometric mixture present at the gap of the spark plug at the time of firing. However, during starting such retarded injection timing does not permit adequate fuel vaporization within the cylinder so as to insure combustion when the spark plug fires. Also, when injecting the fuel at a retarded period during starting, the fuel injection occurs at a time when the compression pressure is relatively high and the amount of fuel injected for a given time of opening of the injection valve may be reduced from that which occurs at idle operation.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved fuel injection system and method of operating a fuel injected engine that facilitates starting.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved starting fuel injection system and method of operation for a two-cycle internal combustion engine.
In conjunction with two-cycle internal combustion engines, it has also been proposed to provide an exhaust control valve which effectively changes the timing of opening and closing of the exhaust port while the engine is running. This permits the attainment of a high compression ratio to provide good fuel economy and emission control under low and mid-range conditions and a reduced effective compression ratio under high speed running so as to avoid overheating and overloading of the engine. The exhaust control valve is positioned in its compression ratio raising position when in the idle operation. However, this gives rise to starting problems.
It is, therefore, a still further object of this invention to provide an improved two-cycle engine exhaust control valve and operating system which will improve the starting of the engine without adversely affecting the performance of the engine under other running conditions.
There is another running condition of the engine which can also give rise to certain problems. This occurs when the engine is run at a rapid rate of speed that exceeds the normal speed at which the associated vehicle is being operated. This is a so called "racing engine" mode which commonly occurs. However, if the engine throttle valve is moved quickly to the idle position and the fuel control for the engine is also moved quickly to the idle condition, then uneven running and, in extreme cases, stalling may be encountered.
It is, therefore, a further object of this invention to provide an improved engine control which permits the engine to return to idle after a racing mode condition without stalling.

Combustion control system for in-cylinder injection type two-cycle engine


A base member for a blister package for the containment of a contact lens includes a planar flange extending outwardly about a cavity for housing the contact lens. Proximate the peripheral edge of the flange, there is formed a continuous groove into which there is pressed the material of a flexible cover sheet of the blister package so as to clampingly engage the base member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a packaging arrangement for the containment of at least one hydrophilic contact lens in a sterile aqueous solution. More specifically, the invention pertains to a packaging arrangement wherein a plurality of disposable hydrophilic contact lenses are contained in a specific number of individual packaging arrangements adapted to be collectively housed in a box-like container or carton so as to provide a specified or essentially measured supply of contact lenses for use by a consumer over a predetermined period of time.
In particular, the invention is directed to the aspect of providing an improved attachment between the base members of blister packages housing the contact lenses, and a flexible cover sheet utilized for sealing engagement with the base members.
The packaging of hydrophilic contact lenses in a sterile aqueous solution is well known in the contact lens manufacturing technology. In particular, such packaging arrangements generally consist of so-called blister packages which are employed for the storage and dispensing of the hydrophilic contact lenses by a medical practitioner or to consumer who intends to wear the contact lenses. Generally, such hydrophilic contact lenses, which may be disposable after a single wear or short-term use, are manufactured from suitable hydrophilic polymeric materials. These materials may be, amongst others, copolymers of hydroxyethyl methacrylate containing from about 20% to 90% or more of water, depending upon the polymer composition. Generally, such contact lenses must be stored in a sterile aqueous solution, usually in isotonic saline solution in order to prevent dehydration and to maintain the lenses in a ready-to-wear condition.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Heretofore, contact lens manufacturers normally utilized stoppered glass bottles containing sterile saline solutions in which the hydrophilic contact lenses were immersed as storage and shipping containers for individual contact lenses. Each bottle was sealed with a suitable silicone stopper and provided with a metal closure as a safety seal in the configuration of an overcap. When the contact lens was intended to be removed from the bottle for use by a patient, the metal closure safety seal was required to be initially torn off the bottle, thereafter the stopper withdrawn and the lens lifted out from the bottle through the intermediary of a suitable plastic tweezer or pouring the contents out. This entailed the implementation of an extremely complicated procedure, since the contact lens was difficult to grasp and remove from the saline solution contained in the bottle due to the transparent nature of the contact lens which rendered it practically invisible to the human eye.
More recently, containments in the form of blister packages have been developed for hydrophilic contact lenses, and which enable the storage and shipping of the hydrophilic contact lenses in a simple and inexpensive expedient manner, while concurrently facilitating the conveniently easy removal of the contact lens by a practitioner or a patient.
For instance, a blister package which is adapted to provide a sterile sealed storage environment for a disposable or single-use hydrophilic contact lens, wherein the lens is immersed in a sterile aqueous solution; for example, such as in an isotonic saline solution, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,820 to Martinez; which is assigned to the common assignee of the present application, and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Thus, in the above-mentioned Martinez U.S. patent, the blister package for storing and dispensing a hydrophilic contact lens includes an injection-molded or thermoformed plastic base portion incorporating a molded cavity which is surrounded by an outstanding planar flange about the rim of the cavity. A flexible cover sheet is adhered to the surface of the flange so as to sealingly enclose the cavity in a generally liquid-tight mode. Within the cavity of the base portion, a hydrophilic contact lens is immersed in a sterile aqueous solution, such as an isotonic saline solution. A portion of the side wall of the cavity is inclined to form a ramp extending upwardly towards the flange from the bottom of the cavity, and the cover sheet is adapted to be stripped from the flange in order to expose the cavity and inclined side wall thereof whereupon the lens may be readily manually removed by being slid upwardly and out of the cavity along the inclined ramp surface of the cavity.
Other embodiments of blister packages have the lens-containing cavity shaped to be of an essentially semi-spherical configuration which is dimensioned so as to be adapted to closely support the contact lens therein immersed in an aqueous solution for ease of removal and also to facilitate an inspection process, as disclosed in copending U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 08/414,513, now abandoned, and 08/414,515, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,088 (Attorney's Docket Nos. VTN-169, 9014Z-I and VTN-170, 9014Z-II), also commonly assigned to the assignee of the present application. Moreover, the foregoing construction primarily considers the utilization of such blister packages for the dispensing of individual contact lenses, with such blister packages being ordinarily separate or single packagings, which may then be housed in larger quantities in a further container, such as a rigid cardboard or paperboard carton of usual construction employed for the retail sales of the lenses.
It is an important aspect to be able to furnish a user of such disposable hydrophilic contact lenses with a specific supply of contact lenses, the latter of which are normally worn for only a single day; in essence, for ordinarily 8 to 18 hours within a 24-hour period and thereafter discarded. Hereby, the packaging of a supply of contact lenses should enable the user to store and provide indication for replenishing the supply of contact lenses at regular intervals; for example, at periods of 5, 10, 15, 30 days or even longer. Consequently, provision is made for packaging arrangements including specified quantities of such hydrophilic contact lenses contained in blister packages, such as being in suitable interconnected arrays, wherein these packaging arrangements are adapted to be boxed in a carton enabling a rapid and precise determination as to the quantity of hydrophilic contact lenses contained therein, and with such packaging arrangements being of a compact nature which is completely protective of the hydrophilic lenses.


A semiconductor device includes a bottom gate type thin film transistor, wherein the bottom gate type thin film transistor is characterized in that a gate electrode is composed of a first layer comprising titanium and a second layer comprising aluminum formed on the first layer.

The present invention relates to a bottom-gate-type, thin film transistor, and also to a method for producing it.
Known are thin film transistors (hereinafter referred to as TFT) having an active layer of a silicon film formed on a glass or quartz substrate.
Various types of thin film transistors are known, of which, at present, bottom-gate-type ones are being most industrialized for practical use.
In view of their productivity, it is desirable to develop much in future bottom-gate-type TFT to which the production process in part, the designing rule and the production equipment are common.
A bottom-gate-type, thin film transistor comprises a gate electrode, a gate-insulating film and an active layer of a silicon film as formed on a substrate in that order.
As the silicon film constituting the active layer, generally used is an amorphous silicon film. However, in order to obtain TFT of higher quality, it is desirable to use a crystalline silicon film.
To obtain a crystalline silicon film, much used is a technique of crystallizing an amorphous silicon film through exposure to laser radiations.
For the crystallization, also employable is heating, which, however, does not apply to the production of bottom-gate-type TFT.
This is because, in the process for producing bottom-gate-type TFT, the heating shall follow the formation of the gate electrode, by which the gate electrode material will diffuse unfavorably.
However, from the viewpoint of the quality of the crystalline silicon film produced and of the process of producing the film, heating is preferred to laser irradiation.
As the material of the gate electrode, most preferred is aluminum with low resistance.
However, the electrode material of aluminum is problematic in that it will diffuse, as being influenced by the heating of the active layer for crystallization and activation, to often form projections of so-called hillocks and whiskers.
In particular, in the production of bottom-gate-type TFT, the gate electrode is first formed and thereafter the active layer is formed thereon. In this, therefore, the influence of heat on the layers to be formed in different steps is often problematic.
The subject matter of the present invention disclosed herein is to provide a constitution of a bottom-gate-type TFT having an active layer of a crystalline silicon film.
It is also to provide a novel constitution of a bottom-gate-type TFT having a gate electrode comprising aluminum.
Specifically, the subject matter of the invention is to provide a constitution of a bottom-gate-type TFT having a gate electrode of an aluminum material and having an active layer of a crystalline silicon film.
One aspect of the invention disclosed herein is a semiconductor device, which comprises;
a gate electrode,
a gate-insulating film as formed over said gate electrode, and
an active layer of a crystalline silicon film as formed on said gate-insulating film,
and is characterized in that;
said active layer is so constituted that the crystal growth therein extends from the source and drain regions to the channel-forming region, and
said source and drain regions contain a higher concentration of a metal element capable of promoting the crystallization of silicon than said channel-forming region.
In that constitution, the metal element capable of promoting the crystallization of silicon is most preferably nickel.
Apart from nickel, the metal element may be selected from Fe, Co, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Cu and Au.
In place of the crystalline silicon film, employable is a compound film of silicon and germanium.
Another aspect of the invention is a method for producing a semiconductor device, comprising;
a step of forming a gate electrode on a substrate,
a step of forming a gate-insulating film on said gate electrode,
a step of forming an amorphous silicon film on said gate-insulating film,
a step of forming a mask on said amorphous silicon film above said gate electrode,
a step of introducing a metal element capable of promoting the crystallization of silicon, into said amorphous silicon film via said mask,
a step of heating the thus-layered substrate to induce crystal growth in said amorphous silicon film in the direction from the region into which said metal element has been introduced to the region below said mask,
a step of doping phosphorus into the region into which said metal element has been introduced, via said mask, and
a step of again heating the substrate to thereby concentrate said metal element in said phosphorus-doped region.
The invention disclosed herein is characterized in that the gate electrode has a laminate structure composed of a thin titanium film and a thick aluminum film, and that the aluminum film constituting the gate electrode is subjected to anodic oxidation.
In the process of producing the device having the constitution noted above, the layered substrate is heated prior to forming the oxide film through anodic oxidation to thereby intentionally make the aluminum film have projections of so-called hillocks and whiskers on its surface. This is to prevent the formation any other projections on the surface of the aluminum film in the subsequent steps.
In the process, in addition, the heating induces the crystallization of the aluminum film due to the action of the titanium film, thereby retarding the formation of hillocks and whiskers on the surface of the aluminum film in the subsequent steps.
Therefore, the constitution noted above is advantageous in that, even when the layered substrate is heated in the subsequent steps, aluminum elements constituting the aluminum film do not diffuse into any other films, or the aluminum film is not melted to flow out anywhere, or hillocks and whiskers are not formed on the surface of the aluminum film.
It is important to side-etch the titanium film and to fill the side-etched region with the aluminum oxide as formed through anodic oxidation. This is because the aluminum diffusion and melt flow to be caused by the heating occurs essentially in the interfacial boundary between the aluminum pattern and the substrate below the pattern.
The constitution of the invention disclosed herein is extremely useful in bottom-gate-type TFT in which the active layer is made of a crystalline silicon film. This is because the process of producing such bottom-gate-type TFT requires a step of forming the crystalline silicon film after the formation of the gate electrode.
In the invention disclosed herein, aluminum can be used to form the gate electrode, and the substrate having an aluminum pattern to be the gate electrode formed thereon can be heated.
Another aspect of the invention disclosed herein is a semiconductor device, which comprises;
a gate electrode of a laminate film composed of a titanium film and an aluminum film,
and is characterized in that;
said titanium film is side-etched via the mask of said aluminum film, and
said aluminum film is subjected to anodic oxidation to form an oxide film on its surface.
Still another aspect of the invention is a semiconductor device provided with a thin film transistor, which comprises;
a gate electrode of a laminate film composed of a titanium film and an aluminum film,
and is characterized in that;
said titanium film is side-etched via the mask of said aluminum film, and
said aluminum film is subjected to anodic oxidation to form an oxide film on its surface.
In those constitutions noted above, the aluminum film may contain impurities.
In those, the side-etched region of the titanium film is filled with the anodic oxide film of aluminum.
Still another aspect of the invention is a method for producing a semiconductor device, comprising;
a step of forming a pattern of a laminate film composed of a titanium film and an aluminum film,
a step of side-etching said titanium film,
a step of forming an oxide film on the surface of said aluminum film through anodic oxidation,
a step of forming an amorphous silicon film above said pattern, and
a step of crystallizing said amorphous silicon film under heat.
Still another aspect of the invention is a method for producing a semiconductor device, comprising;
a step of forming a pattern of a laminate film composed of a titanium film and an aluminum film,
a step of side-etching said titanium film,
a step of intentionally forming projections on the surface of said aluminum film under heat,
a step of forming an oxide film on the surface of said aluminum film through anodic oxidation,
a step of forming an amorphous silicon film above said pattern, and
a step of crystallizing said amorphous silicon film under heat.
In those constitutions, the heating may be effected in a heating furnace. It may also be attained through exposure to strong radiations.
The heating temperature is preferably not lower than 500xc2x0 C. to produce better results in the invention.
In the invention, it is desirable to use aluminum having an extremely high purity. Using aluminum having a higher purity retards the formation of hillocks and whiskers on the surface of the aluminum film.
In order to retard the formation of hillocks and whiskers, impurities may be added to the aluminum film in an amount not larger than a few % by weight. The impurities include, for example, Si, Sc, Ti and Y, and even other elements selected from lanthanides and actinides.

Semiconductor device comprising a bottom gate type thin film transistor

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.