Each of a pair of differently configured like-polarity insulated-gate field-effect transistors (40 or 42 and 240 or 242) in a semiconductor structure has a channel zone of semiconductor body material, a gate dielectric layer overlying the channel zone, and a gate electrode overlying the gate dielectric layer. For each transistor, the net dopant concentration of the body material reaches multiple local subsurface maxima below a channel surface depletion region and below largely all gate-electrode material overlying the channel zone. The transistors have source/drain zones (60 or 80) of opposite conductivity type to, and halo pocket portions of the same conductivity type as, the body material. One pocket portion (100/102 or 104) extends along both source/drain zones of one of the transistors. Another pocket portion (244 or 246) extends largely along only one of the source/drain zones of the other transistor so that it is asymmetrical.

An IGFET is a semiconductor device in which a gate dielectric layer electrically insulates a gate electrode from a channel zone that extends between a source and a drain in a semiconductor body. The channel zone in an enhancement-mode IGFET is part of a body region, commonly termed the substrate or substrate region, that forms respective pn junctions with the source and drain. In an enhancement-mode IGFET, the channel zone consists of all the semiconductor body material situated between the source and drain. During operation of an enhancement-mode IGFET, charge carriers move from the source to the drain through a channel induced in the channel zone along the upper semiconductor surface. The channel length is the distance between the source and drain along the upper semiconductor surface.
Over the last forty years, the minimum value of IGFET channel length has decreased generally in the manner prescribed by Moore, "Progress in Digital Integrated Electronics," Tech. Dig., 1975 Int'l Elec. Devs. Meeting, 1-3 Dec. 1975, pages 11-13. Per Moore's "law", the minimum channel length decreases roughly in proportion to a factor of 1/√{square root over (2)} (approximately 0.7) every three years. IGFETs employed in state-of-the-art integrated circuits ("ICs") manufactured at volume-production quantities today have minimum channel lengths considerably less than 1 μm, typically 0.25 μm and moving towards 0.18 μm. The minimum channel length for volume-production ICs is expected to be roughly 0.1 μm in eight to ten years.
An IGFET that behaves generally in the way prescribed by the classical model for an IGFET is often characterized as a "long-channel" device. An IGFET is described as a "short-channel" device when the channel length is shortened to such an extent that the IGFET's behavior deviates significantly from the behavior of the classical IGFET model. Both short-channel and long-channel IGFETs are variously employed in ICs. Because drive current generally increases with decreasing channel length, the great majority of IGFETs used in very large scale integration applications are laid out to have as small a channel length as can be reliably produced with the available lithographic technology.
One short-channel effect is roll-off of the threshold voltage. See (a) Yau, "A Simple Theory to Predict the Threshold Voltage of Short-Channel IGFET's", Solid-State Electronics, October 1974, pages 1059-1069, and (b) Liu et al, "Threshold Voltage Model for Deep-Submicrometer MOSFET's", IEEE Trans. Elec. Devs., Vol. 40, No. 1, January 1993, pages 86-95. The threshold voltage is the value of gate-to-source voltage at which an IGFET switches between its on and off states for given definitions of the on and off states.
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical example of how threshold voltage VT rolls off for a conventional n-channel enhancement-mode IGFET whose parameters, other than channel length L, are fixed. As FIG. 1 indicates, threshold voltage VT has relatively little variation in the long-channel regime where channel length L is greater than transition value LX approximately equal to 0.4 μm here. When channel length L drops below LX, the IGFET enters the short-channel regime in which threshold voltage VT rolls off sharply to zero.
In designing IGFETs with increasingly reduced channel length, an important trade-off is between drive current and leakage current. The drive current, preferably high, is the current that flows between the source and drain when the IGFET is turned fully on. The leakage current, preferably low, is the current that flows between the source and drain when the IGFET is turned off with the gate electrode electrically shorted to the source. Decreasing the channel length typically leads to an increase in the drive current. However, the leakage current also typically increases when the channel length is reduced.
Due to the foregoing trade-off, a short-channel IGFET is typically designed so that channel length L is of a value close to where threshold voltage VT starts to roll off sharply to zero. An L value of 0.25 μm satisfies this requirement in FIG. 1. The resulting VT value of slightly more than 0.5 V is sufficiently high to enable a 0.25-μm n-channel IGFET to switch reliably between its on and off states. However, threshold voltage VT for an n-channel IGFET having an L value of 0.18 μm, as occurs in the next generation of IGFETs, is approximately 0.2 V. This is too low to be able to reliably turn such a 0.18-μm IGFET off at zero gate-to-source voltage, especially in light of typical manufacturing variations.
The scaling principles developed by Dennard et al, "Design of Ion-Implanted MOSFET's with Very Small Physical Dimensions" IEEE J. Solid-State Circs., Vol. SC-9, No. 5, October 1974, pages 256-268, have been utilized in downsizing IGFETs. In brief, Dennard et al specifies that IGFET dimensions are to be reduced approximately in proportion to a given scaling factor as the average net dopant concentration in the channel zone, i.e., the semiconductor body material situated between the source and drain in an enhancement-mode IGFET, is increased by the scaling factor. The voltages across various parts of the reduced-dimension IGFET are also generally to be reduced in proportion to the scaling factor.
The scaling theory of Dennard et al functions relatively well down to channel length in the vicinity of 1 μm. Unfortunately, certain scaling limitations are encountered when the channel length is reduced significantly below 1 μm. For example, electron tunneling effects preclude reducing the gate dielectric thickness to the value prescribed by the scaling theory.
Also, when the threshold voltage is to be adjusted by simply implanting the channel zone with ions of the same conductivity type as the channel zone, it is typically preferable that the threshold adjust implant be distinguishable from the vertical dopant profile in the bulk of the channel zone. In scaling an IGFET to channel length significantly less than 1 μm according to the theory of Dennard et al, the threshold adjust implant merges inseparably into the vertical dopant profile in the bulk of the channel zone, thereby simply raising the average net dopant concentration in the channel zone by an approximately fixed amount that is largely independent of channel length. Attempting to extend the scaling theory to channel length significantly less than 1 μm does not work well.
Various techniques have been utilized to improve the performance of IGFETs, including those operating in the short-channel regime, as IGFET dimensions are reduced. One performance-improvement technique involves providing an IGFET with a two-part drain for reducing hot carrier injection. FIG. 2 illustrates such a conventional n-channel enhancement-mode IGFET 10 created from a monocrystalline silicon semiconductor body having region 12 of lightly doped p-type body material. IGFET 10 has n-type source 14, n-type drain 16, intervening p-type channel zone 18, gate electrode 20, gate dielectric layer 22, and gate sidewall spacers 24 and 26. Drain 16 consists of heavily doped main portion 16M and more lightly doped extension 16E. Source 14 similarly consists of heavily doped main portion 14M and more lightly doped extension 14E. When IGFET 10 is turned on, electrons travel from source 14 to drain 16 by way of a thin channel induced in channel zone 18 along the upper semiconductor surface.
A pair of depletion regions extend respectively along the drain/body and source/body junctions. Under certain conditions, especially when the channel length is small, the drain depletion region can extend laterally to the source depletion region and merge with it below the upper semiconductor surface. This phenomenon is termed punchthrough. If the drain depletion region punches through to the source depletion region, the operation of the IGFET cannot be controlled with the gate electrode. Accordingly, punchthrough normally needs to be avoided.
One conventional technique for inhibiting punchthrough as channel length is reduced, and also for shifting threshold voltage roll-off to shorter channel length, is to increase the dopant concentration of the channel zone in a pocket portion along the source. See Ogura et al, "A Half Micron MOSFET Using Double Implanted LDD," IEDM Tech. Dig., Int'l Elec. Devs. Meeting, 11-15 Dec. 1982, pages 718-721. As an artifact of creating the increased-concentration pocket portion along the source, the dopant concentration in the channel zone is commonly increased in a corresponding pocket portion along the drain. Per Codella et al, "Halo Doping Effects in Submicron DI-LDD Device Design," IEDM Tech. Dig., Int'l Elec. Devs. Meeting, 1-4 Dec. 1985, pages 230-233, the pocket portions are commonly referred to as "halo".
Increasing the dopant concentration in a halo pocket along the source reduces the thickness of the channel-zone part of the source depletion region, thereby deferring the onset of punchthrough. As the channel length is reduced, the halo pockets along the source and drain get closer together so as to increase the average net dopant concentration in the channel zone. This causes the threshold voltage to increase, thereby partially counteracting threshold voltage roll-off at short channel length.
FIG. 3 depicts a conventional n-channel enhancement-mode halo IGFET 30 as configured in Ogura et al or Codella et al. Except as described below, IGFET 30 contains the same regions as IGFET 10 in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 3, channel zone 18 in n-channel IGFET 30 includes a pair of p-type halo pocket portions 31 and 32 doped more heavily than the remainder of channel zone 18. Halo pockets 31 and 32 are situated along the inner boundaries of source 14 and drain 16 so as to inhibit punchthrough. Metal silicide layers 33, 34, and 35 respectively contact main source portion 14M, main drain portion 16M, and gate electrode 20.
Halo pockets 31 and 32 can be created in various ways. For example, p-type halo dopant is typically ion implanted through the upper semiconductor surface into the semiconductor body using gate electrode 20 as an implantation shield. The halo implant can be performed roughly perpendicular to the upper semiconductor surface as indicated in Ogura et al.
The halo implant can also be performed at a substantial angle to a perpendicular to the upper semiconductor surface. In this regard, see (a) Su, "Tilt Angle Effect on Optimizing HALO PMOS Performance," 1997 Int'l Conf. Simulation Semicon. Procs. and Devs., 8-10 Sep. 1997, pages 33-36, (b) Rodder et al, "A Sub-0.18 μm Gate Length CMOS Technology for High Performance (1.5 V) and Low Power (1.0 V)," IEDM Tech. Dig., Int'l Elec. Devs. Meeting, 8-11 Dec. 1996, pages 563-566, (c) Hori, "A 0.1-μm CMOS Technology with Tilt-Implanted Punchthrough Stopper (TIPS)," IEDM Tech. Dig., Int'l Elec. Devs. Meeting, 11-14 Dec. 1994, pages 75-78, and (d) Hwang et al, "Degradation of MOSFETs Drive Current Due to Halo Ion Implantation," IEDM Tech. Dig., Int'l Elec. Devs. Meeting, 8-11 Dec. 1996, pages 567-570.
The threshold voltage of n-channel IGFET 30 is adjusted by introducing p-type dopant, typically boron, into a portion 36 of channel zone 18. The threshold adjust dopant typically has a retrograde dopant concentration profile in that the maximum concentration of the threshold adjust dopant occurs below the upper semiconductor surface. The maximum concentration of the threshold adjust dopant may occur in, or below, a depletion region that extends across channel zone 18 along the upper semiconductor surface during IGFET operation. For example, the information presented in Ogura et al indicates that the maximum concentration of the threshold adjust dopant in Ogura et al occurs in the surface depletion region slightly more than 0.1 μm below the upper semiconductor surface. As a result, the magnitude of the threshold voltage adjustment in Ogura et al is determined primarily by the dosage of the p-type dopant.
Shahidi et al, "High Performance Devices for a 0.15 μm CMOS Technology," IEEE Elect. Dev. Lett., Vol. 14, No. 10, October 1993, pages 466-468, and Taur et al, "High Performance 0.1 μm CMOS Devices with 1.5 V Power Supply," IEDM Tech. Dig., Int'l Elec. Devs. Meeting 1993, pages 127-130, describe embodiments of IGFET 30 in which p-type dopant is introduced into channel zone 18 in such a manner that the maximum concentration of the implanted dopant occurs 0.07-0.10 μm below the upper semiconductor surface. Instead of boron, Shahidi et al employs indium, a slow-diffusing species, as the p-type dopant for the implant into channel zone 18. Shahidi also employs indium for the halo pockets. While indium may provide profile steepness and better short-channel behavior, indium is not commonly used in semiconductor manufacturing processes and may cause process implementation difficulties.
Hwang et al, cited above, describes an n-channel IGFET in which a p-type implant is performed relatively deep into the channel zone in order to alleviate punchthrough. The depth of the maximum concentration of the p-type anti-punchthrough implant in this IGFET of Hwang et al appears to occur below the channel surface depletion region. In comparing a halo IGFET to an IGFET having an anti-punchthrough implant but no halo pocket(s), Hwang et al determines that less threshold voltage roll-off occurs in the halo IGFET.
Conventional semiconductor manufacturing processes achieve varying degrees of success in avoiding punchthrough and alleviating threshold voltage roll-off. It is desirable to have an IGFET structure and fabrication technique for overcoming these problems. In so doing, it is desirable to avoid use of semiconductor dopants which are not widely employed in volume-production IC fabrication and which could cause manufacturing difficulties. It is also desirable to have a semiconductor structure in which different IGFETs can readily be provided with different threshold voltages.

Semiconductor structure in which like-polarity insulated-gate field-effect transistors have multiple vertical body dopant concentration maxima and different halo pocket characteristics


A method includes: receiving an FM radio signal including an analog-modulated portion; digitally sampling an analog-modulated portion of the radio signal to produce a plurality of samples; using a ratio between an average magnitude and an RMS magnitude of a block of the samples to compute a signal quality metric; detecting sum and difference components of the baseband multiplex signal content; using the baseband content to produce an output signal; and blending the output signal from stereo to monaural as the signal quality metric falls below a threshold value.

Digital radio broadcasting technology delivers digital audio and data services to mobile, portable, and fixed receivers. One type of digital radio broadcasting, referred to as in-band on-channel (IBOC) digital audio broadcasting (DAB), uses terrestrial transmitters in the existing Medium Frequency (MF) and Very High Frequency (VHF) radio bands. HD Radio™ Technology, developed by iBiquity Digital Corporation, is one example of an IBOC implementation for digital radio broadcasting and reception.
IBOC DAB signals can be transmitted in a hybrid format including an analog modulated carrier in combination with a plurality of digitally modulated carriers, or in an all-digital format wherein the analog modulated carrier is not used. Using the hybrid mode, broadcasters may continue to transmit analog AM and FM simultaneously with higher-quality and more robust digital signals, allowing themselves and their listeners to convert from analog to digital radio while maintaining their current frequency allocations. IBOC DAB hybrid and all-digital waveforms are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,933,368, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
IBOC DAB technology can provide digital quality audio, superior to existing analog broadcasting formats. Because each IBOC DAB signal is transmitted within the spectral mask of an existing AM or FM channel allocation, it requires no new spectral allocations. IBOC DAB promotes economy of spectrum while enabling broadcasters to supply digital quality audio to the present base of listeners.
The National Radio Systems Committee, a standard-setting organization sponsored by the National Association of Broadcasters and the Consumer Electronics Association, adopted an IBOC standard, designated NRSC-5, in September 2005. NRSC-5, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, sets forth the requirements for broadcasting digital audio and ancillary data over AM and FM broadcast channels. The standard and its reference documents contain detailed explanations of the RF/transmission subsystem and the transport and service multiplex subsystems. iBiquity's HD Radio Technology is an implementation of the NRSC-5 IBOC standard.
FM analog receivers implemented with digital signal processor (DSP) algorithms offer high performance, and are common for car radio receivers. They generally offer low distortion, good stereo separation, and often high sensitivity and selectivity. However, IBOC signals may create some new digital interference conditions that were not anticipated by the designers of the FM analog demodulators. Although this digital interference is generally limited to localized reception areas, or occurs infrequently under special signal conditions, there may still be concern about the impact on analog service. Furthermore, the FCC has authorized an increase in digital signal injection power from presently 20 dB below the analog FM host, to 10 dB, potentially increasing the interference.
It would be desirable to have an FM demodulator that is effective in eliminating the effects of interference from IBOC signals.

FM analog demodulator compatible with IBOC signals


Stable attraction of the transfer paper and stable toner transfer are ensured by preventing an electrostatic attracting force of transfer paper from lowering as charge accumulated on the transfer paper moves through ends of a transfer drum thereby declining. The transfer drum provided in a transfer section is composed of a dielectric layer, a semi-conductive layer, and a conductive layer laminated in this order from a transfer paper side, and there are further provided a power source section for applying a predetermined voltage to the conductive layer, and a grounded conductive roller which comes into contact with a surface portion, on an upstream side to a transfer point, of the dielectric layer with the transfer paper therebetween. Further, an insulating material is applied to ends of at least one of the dielectric layer, the semi-conductive layer, and the conductive layer.

There has conventionally been an image forming apparatus which is arranged so that to visualize an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive drum, toner is adhered thereto, and a resultant toner image is transferred onto a transfer material wound around a transfer drum.
As shown in FIG. 19, such an image forming apparatus includes a cylinder 101 having a dielectric layer 101a, in which corona chargers 102 and 104 are separately provided. The corona charger 102 is intended to attract a transfer material P, while the corona charger 104 is intended to transfer a toner image formed on a surface of the photosensitive drum 103 onto the transfer material P, and with these charger 102 and 104, the attraction of the transfer material P and the transfer operation are independently performed.
As shown in FIG. 20, there has also been another image forming apparatus which includes a double-layer cylinder 201 and a grip system 202. The cylinder 201 has an outer semi-conductive layer 201a and an inner base 201b, and the grip system 202 is intended to hold the transfer material P transported thereto along a circumferential surface of the cylinder 202. In this image forming apparatus, an edge of the transfer material P transported to the grip system 202 is caught by the grip system 202 so that the transfer material P is held along the surface of the cylinder 201, and thereafter the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 103 is transferred onto the transfer material P. In this case, the surface of the cylinder 201 is charged either by applying a voltage to the semi-conductive layer 201a as the outer layer of the cylinder 201 or by causing a charger disposed inside the cylinder 201 to discharge.
In the case of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 19, however, the following problem arises: since the cylinder 101 serving as a transfer drum has a single-layer structure including only the dielectric layer 101a, the corona chargers 102 and 104 need to be provided inside the cylinder 101, thereby necessarily limiting the size of the cylinder 101 and making the apparatus bulkier.
The image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 20 needs less chargers, since the cylinder 201 serving as a transfer drum is arranged in the double-layer structure so that the cylinder 201 is charged for transferring the toner image to the transfer material P. The overall structure of this image forming apparatus, however, is complicated since it is equipped with the grip system 202.
Meanwhile, the Japanese Publication for Laid-Open Patent Application No.173435/1993 (Tokukaihei 5-173435) has disclosed an image forming apparatus provided with a transfer drum having a conductive drum base, a resilient layer, and a dielectric layer. The resilient layer is formed on the conductive drum base and is made of a foam material, and the dielectric layer covers the resilient layer. This image forming apparatus has a mechanism with which toner images of respective colors which are sequentially formed on the photosensitive drum are sequentially transferred onto transfer paper attracted to the transfer drum so as to be superimposed on one another, thereby producing a full-color image on the transfer paper.
In this image forming apparatus, an attracting roller as charging means is disposed close to the transfer drum. By applying a voltage to the attracting roller, discharge is caused in a gap between the drum base and the dielectric layer, thereby generating electric charge. As a result, the transfer paper is electrostatically attracted onto the dielectric layer. Here, the foam material serves as a gap keeping material.
The foregoing image forming apparatus, however, has a drawback in the number of power sources. Specifically, at least two power sources are necessitated. One is a power source for causing the attracting roller to attract the transfer paper to the transfer drum, and the other is a power source for applying to the transfer paper a voltage with an opposite polarity of that of the toner so that the toner image is transferred to the transfer paper wound around the transfer drum.
To solve the drawback, the applicant of the present application has proposed an image forming apparatus (for example, the Patent Application No. 295194/1994 (Tokuganhei 6-295194)) having (1) a photosensitive drum (image carrying body) on which a toner image is formed, (2) a transfer drum (transfer means main body) composed of a dielectric layer, a semi-conductive layer, and a conductive layer formed in this order from a surface of contact with the transfer paper, (3) a power source (voltage applying means) for applying a predetermined voltage to the conductive layer, and (4) a ground roller (potential difference producing means) for pressing the transfer paper against the surface of the dielectric layer and for producing a potential difference between the voltage-applied conductive layer and the transfer paper. The ground roller is disposed on an upstream side, in the transfer paper transporting direction, to a position at which the transfer is performed.
In the image forming apparatus, a potential difference is produced between the conductive layer and the transfer paper by applying a voltage to the conductive layer of the transfer drum while pressing the ground roller against the transfer drum with the transfer paper therebetween, and this potential difference causes local discharge in a region (hereinafter referred to as a contact region) where the ground roller is brought into contact with the transfer drum by pressure, thereby causing injection of charge. As a result, charge with a polarity opposite to that of the voltage applied to the conductive layer is induced on the transfer paper and accumulated thereon, whereby the transfer paper is electrostatically attracted to the dielectric layer. Further, the voltage applied to the conductive layer causes the toner image to be transferred onto the transfer paper.
With this arrangement, the voltage required may be lower and the control of voltage is easily performed, since the attraction of and the transfer with respect to the transfer paper are executed by the local discharge occurring in the contact region and the accompanying injection of charge. Besides, the image forming apparatus can be manufactured at a lower cost, since the power source for causing the transfer paper to adhere to the surface of the dielectric layer, that is, the surface of the transfer means, and the power source for causing the toner image formed on the image carrying body to be transferred onto the transfer paper may not be separately formed.
Tokuganhei 6-295194, however, does not explain in detail an arrangement of ends, in a direction of a rotational axis thereof (a direction orthogonal to a rotational direction), of the transfer drum. The applicant has eagerly studied for further perfection of the image forming apparatus of that invention, and as a result it was discovered that under conditions of high temperature and high humidity, the electrostatic attractive force exerted to the transfer material might lower thereby causing imperfect transfer. This is explained as follows: since under the condition of high temperature and high humidity, respective surface electric resistances of the layers constituting the transfer drum lower, the electric charge accumulated on the transfer paper moves through the surface of the dielectric layer and the ends of the transfer drum to the semi-conductive layer, and then, to the conductive layer through a surface of the semi-conductive layer.


A method of producing an Indium Tin Oxide powder is described. A method of producing an Indium Tin Oxide powder comprising the steps of: (1) mixing a raw aqueous solution containing indium ions and tin ions and having a proportion of divalent tin ions in the tin ions of 50 wt % or more with an alkali aqueous solution, (2) separating the product into solid and liquid, and (3) calcinating the resulted solid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing Indium Tin Oxide (hereinafter, referred to as ITO) powder. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of producing ITO powder suitable for production of an ITO sintered body of high density.
2. Prior Art
An ITO powder is used for production of an ITO sintered body, and contains tin oxide in an amount of usually from 2 to 20 wt %. An ITO sintered body is used as a target for producing an ITO thin film by a sputtering method. An ITO thin film is utilized, because of its high electric conductivity and excellent transparency, as a transparent electric conductive film for a liquid crystal display.
When a target made of an ITO sintered body of high density is used, an ITO thin film having high electric conductivity can be obtained, therefore, it is known that a high density sintered body having a relative density of 99% or more is suitable as an ITO sintered body used for a target.
Since an ITO sintered body is produced by sintering an ITO powder, an ITO powder giving a high density ITO sintered body is required.
An ITO powder for production of an ITO sintered body is produced by obtaining a precipitate containing indium and tin from an aqueous solution containing indium ions and tin ions, then, filtrating this, and calcinating the resulted precipitate. In conventional methods of producing an ITO powder, an aqueous solution prepared by dissolving InCl3 and tetravalent tin salt SnCl4 in water is used as the aqueous solution containing indium ions and tin ions, an alkali aqueous solution such as ammonia water and the like is dropped on this aqueous solution to obtain a precipitate containing indium and tin, then, this is filtrated, and the resulted precipitate is calcinated to obtain an ITO powder (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) Nos. 7-21831 and 7-247162). However, ITO powders produced by these methods are not sufficient for production of a high density ITO sintered body.

Method of producing Indium Tin Oxide powder


At least one dielectric pad layer is formed on a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. A deep trench is formed in the SOI substrate, and a combination of an outer electrode, a node dielectric, and an inner electrode are formed such that the top surface of the inner electrode is recessed below the top surface of a buried insulator layer of the SOI substrate. Selective epitaxy is performed to fill a cavity overlying the inner electrode with an epitaxial semiconductor material portion. A top semiconductor material layer and the epitaxial semiconductor material portion are patterned to form a fin structure including a portion of the top semiconductor material layer and a portion of the epitaxial semiconductor material portion. The epitaxial semiconductor material portion functions as a conductive strap structure between the inner electrode and a semiconductor device to be formed on the fin structure.

The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor structure, and particularly to an epitaxial strap structure between a fin field effect transistor (FET) and a trench capacitor, and a method of manufacturing the same.
Deep trench capacitors are used in a variety of semiconductor chips for high areal capacitance and low device leakage. Typically, a deep trench capacitor provides a capacitance in the range from 4 fF (femto-Farad) to 120 fF. A deep trench capacitor may be employed as a charge storage unit in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which may be provided as a stand-alone semiconductor chip, or may be embedded in a system-on-chip (SoC) semiconductor chip. A deep trench capacitor may also be employed in a variety of circuit applications such as a charge pump or a capacitive analog component in a radio-frequency (RF) circuit.
As dimensions of semiconductor devices scale, providing a robust low resistance path for electrical conduction between an inner electrode of a transistor and the source of an access transistor becomes a challenge because available area for forming a conductive strap structure decreases. Conventional processes for forming a conductive strap structure as known in the art introduces additional complexity when such a conductive strap structure needs to be formed between the inner electrode and a three-dimensional field effect transistor such as a fin field effect transistor (finFET).

Integrated fin and strap structure for an access transistor of a trench capacitor

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESSS MACHINES CORPORATION


The present invention relates to devices for treating or managing fecal or bowel incontinence and methods employing them. In an embodiment, such a device can form a seal with at least a portion of the bowel to prevent unwanted discharge of fecal matter from the rectum.

Fecal incontinence is a physically and psychologically debilitating disease affecting an estimated 1-2% of the general population living independently and nearly 40-50% of those living in long term care facilities While the condition affects men and women alike, it is more prevalent in women, in the elderly, and in nursing home patients. Whether living independently or institutionalized, the effects of fecal incontinence can cause significant psychological damage as well as consume significant health care resources.
People living with fecal incontinence are often embarrassed due to the social stigma attached to the affliction. This not only leads to delayed treatment, but not surprisingly, to damaging psychological issues which may include self-imposed social isolation, severe depression, personal and family strains, and increased anxiety. The very real problem of social isolation can have a significant effect on persons suffering from fecal incontinence resulting in a detrimental impact on their quality of life. For example, many people with this condition will refrain from going out in public or interacting with friends and loved ones leading to a sedentary lifestyle and loss of meaningful relationships and/or intimacy.
Further, the cost of care for treating and/or managing the condition for patients who are institutionalized is significant not only in regard to the personnel resources required, but also due to increased risk of infection, bed sores, and even increases in the length of stay for temporarily institutionalized patients. Fecal incontinence is often cited as one of the leading causes of permanent institutionalization.
Fecal or bowel incontinence is the inability to control the discharge of fecal matter through the rectum. There are three clinical subtypes related to fecal incontinence; 1) passive incontinence—an involuntary discharge of stool or gas without awareness, 2) urge incontinence—the discharge of fecal matter in spite of active attempts to retain bowel contents, and 3) fecal seepage—the leakage of stool following otherwise normal evacuation.
At the end, the human bowel includes a system that regulates the expulsion of fecal matter or feces. The fecal control system includes three functional portions, the Houston valve (or flap) region, the rectal bladder neck, and two sphincters, internal and external. The sphincters are the outermost portion of the control system. The rectal bladder neck is adjacent the sphincter area and above or internal to the sphincters. The Houston valves or flaps are above or internal to the rectal bladder neck. The Houston valves or flaps are believed to act to modulate or slow the descent of fecal matter so that it does not immediately descend into the rectum and toward the rectal neck. Most humans have three Houston valves or flaps.
Age or disease can result in one or more problems that can cause a loss of function and fecal incontinence. For example, one or both of the anal sphincters can lose the ability to seal. They can become weak or distended often to the point where the canal remains open—defined as a Patulous Anal Canal. The rectal neck can weaken and become distended or loose. One or more of the Houston valves or flaps can weaken or reduce their function.
Generally, the treatment of fecal incontinence is divided into two categories; conservative management and surgical intervention. Current treatment options include products such as: diaper or absorbents, electrical neuro stimulation, bulking agents, plugs, artificial sphincters, collection kits, and pessaries. The most common treatment option for both men and women, whether in a facility or living independently, are absorbents. These products are bulky, inconvenient, and may result in embarrassing situations for the user if not attended properly. Further, use of these products can increase the likelihood of infection and bed sores while requiring a large amount of resources to change, clean, and reapply the product, to say nothing of dealing with the significant odor problems and the indignities that relate to that issue.
Other options for patients are more invasive such as sphincter repair, the use of artificial sphincters, injectable bulking agents, neuro stimulation, and collection kits. These options are usually reserved for those who have more severe fecal incontinence issues.
Current products and treatment methods are inadequate and do not address the negative impact on a person's quality of life or risk of infection. There remains a need for devices and methods to effectively treat fecal incontinence.

Device for controlling fecal incontinence


A method of determining the angular position of a roll includes: (a) detecting signals generated by an accelerometer attached to an end of a rotating roll; (b) determining whether a signal generated in step (a) has reached a pre-trigger threshold, and repeating step (a) if the signal has not reached the pre-trigger threshold; (c) if the signal is determined in step (b) to have reached the pre-trigger threshold, detecting a subsequent signal generated by the accelerometer; (d) determining whether the signal detected in step (c) has reached a trigger threshold, and repeating step (c) if the signal has not reached the trigger threshold; and (e) if the signal has reached the trigger threshold, establishing the angular position of the roll based on the signal that has reached the trigger threshold.

In a typical papermaking process, a water slurry, or suspension, of cellulosic fibers (known as the paper "stock") is fed onto the top of the upper run of an endless belt of woven wire and/or synthetic material that travels between two or more rolls. The belt, often referred to as a "forming fabric," provides a papermaking surface on the upper surface of its upper run which operates as a filter to separate the cellulosic fibers of the paper stock from the aqueous medium, thereby forming a wet paper web. The aqueous medium drains through mesh openings of the forming fabric, known as drainage holes, by gravity or vacuum located on the lower surface of the upper run (i.e., the "machine side") of the fabric.
After leaving the forming section, the paper web is transferred to a press section of the paper machine, where it is passed through the nips of one or more presses (often roller presses) covered with another fabric, typically referred to as a "press felt." Pressure from the presses removes additional moisture from the web; the moisture removal is often enhanced by the presence of a "batt" layer of the press felt. The paper is then transferred to a dryer section for further moisture removal. After drying, the paper is ready for secondary processing and packaging.
Cylindrical rolls are typically utilized in different sections of a papermaking machine, such as the press section. Such rolls reside and operate in demanding environments in which they can be exposed to high dynamic loads and temperatures and aggressive or corrosive chemical agents. As an example, in a typical paper mill, rolls are used not only for transporting the fibrous web sheet between processing stations, but also, in the case of press section and calender rolls, for processing the web sheet itself into paper.
Typically rolls used in papermaking are constructed with the location within the papermaking machine in mind, as rolls residing in different positions within the papermaking machines are required to perform different functions. Because papermaking rolls can have many different performance demands, and because replacing an entire metallic roll can be quite expensive, many papermaking rolls include a polymeric cover that surrounds the circumferential surface of a typically metallic core. By varying the material employed in the cover, the cover designer can provide the roll with different performance characteristics as the papermaking application demands. Also, repairing, regrinding or replacing a cover over a metallic roll can be considerably less expensive than the replacement of an entire metallic roll. Exemplary polymeric materials for covers include natural rubber, synthetic rubbers such as neoprene, styrene-butadiene (SBR), nitrile rubber, chlorosulfonated polyethylene ("CSPE"—also known under the trade name HYPALON® from DuPont), EDPM (the name given to an ethylene-propylene terpolymer formed of ethylene-propylene diene monomer), polyurethane, thermoset composites, and thermoplastic composites.
In many instances, the roll cover will include at least two distinct layers: a base layer that overlies the core and provides a bond thereto; and a topstock layer that overlies and bonds to the base layer and serves the outer surface of the roll (some rolls will also include an intermediate "tie-in" layer sandwiched by the base and top stock layers). The layers for these materials are typically selected to provide the cover with a prescribed set of physical properties for operation. These can include the requisite strength, elastic modulus, and resistance to elevated temperature, water and harsh chemicals to withstand the papermaking environment. In addition, covers are typically designed to have a predetermined surface hardness that is appropriate for the process they are to perform, and they typically require that the paper sheet "release" from the cover without damage to the paper sheet. Also, in order to be economical, the cover should be abrasion- and wear-resistant.
As the paper web is conveyed through a papermaking machine, it can be very important to understand the pressure profile experienced by the paper web. Variations in pressure can impact the amount of water drained from the web, which can affect the ultimate sheet moisture content, thickness, and other properties. The magnitude of pressure applied with a roll can, therefore, impact the quality of paper produced with the paper machine.
It is known to include pressure and/or temperature sensors in the cover of an industrial roll. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,729 to Moschel et al. describes a roll with a helically-disposed leads that includes a plurality of pressure sensors embedded in the polymeric cover of the roll. The sensors are helically disposed in order to provide pressure readings at different axial locations along the length of the roll. Typically the sensors are connected to two leads or an optical fiber which transmit sensor signals to a processor that processes the signals and provides pressure and position information.
Because multiple sensors are attached to the two common leads or fiber, the signals from different sensors travel along the same leads or fiber. Therefore, the processor should have some way to distinguish which sensor has produced a particular signal; otherwise, the processor does not recognize the axial position of the sensor providing the signal. One common technique is the use of a "trigger" signal that alerts the processor to each revolution of the roll. This technique, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,729, supra, employs a trigger signal generator that provides a signal every time a particular position on the roll passes a particular location. However, this technique can be susceptible to false readings due to noise in the signal. As such, it may be desirable to provide a technique for employing a trigger signal that addresses the signal noise inaccuracy.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method of determining the angular position of a rotating roll


An image capturing apparatus includes an image capturing unit and an image processing unit. The image capturing unit captures a subject by an image sensor including focus detection pixels. The image processing unit includes a correction range determination unit configured to determine a range of a correction coefficient based on an optical condition of a photographing optical system, and a correction coefficient calculation unit configured to calculate the correction coefficient based on pixel data of a pixel positioned near the focus detection pixel, and a pixel correction unit configured to correct the pixel data of the focus detection pixel based on the correction coefficient and the range.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image capturing apparatus and image processing method for processing a pixel output from an image sensor which detects a focus state by using some pixels as phase difference focus detection elements.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, Japanese Patent No. 3592147 has proposed an image capturing apparatus which detects a focus state by using some pixels of an image sensor as focus detection elements. In the image capturing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3592147, some pixels of an image sensor are set as focus detection pixels. Subject beams having passed through different pupil regions symmetrical with respect to the center of the optical axis of a photographing lens are formed into images on a plurality of focus detection pixels. The phase difference between these subject beams is detected to detect the focus state of the photographing lens.
A partial region of the focus detection pixel is shielded from light. Hence, a pixel output from the focus detection pixel is a pixel output of attenuated light in comparison with a normal pixel. It is known that the light attenuation amount in the focus detection pixel changes depending on optical characteristics regarding the focus detection pixel. In an image capturing apparatus disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2010-62640, a pixel output from a focus detection pixel is corrected by gain adjustment, or corrected by using pixel outputs from pixels around a focus detection pixel.

Image capturing apparatus and image processing method


An assembly structure of an airbag case includes a steering wheel core mounted to a hub of a steering wheel, the hub having an open top part and a retainer attached to the steering wheel core that retains an airbag and an inflator supplying a high-pressure gas to the airbag. An airbag cover is disposed on the hub of the steering wheel so that the airbag cover covers the open top part of the hub of the steering wheel and has a tear line formed thereat, the airbag cover being severed along the tear line when the airbag is expanded, and a plurality of hooks are formed at the edge of the airbag cover.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an airbag device for vehicles, and more particularly to an assembly structure of an airbag case wherein the edge of an airbag cover is hooked on a steering wheel, and a retainer is attached to a steering wheel core by means of bolts.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an airbag device is a device mounted to a steering wheel of a vehicle for protecting a driver from injury when a collision of the vehicle occurs. Also, the airbag device is mounted to the steering wheel in such a manner that it is vertically moved, whereby the airbag device serves to turn on/off a horn switch mounted in the steering wheel.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional assembly structure of an airbag case, and FIG. 2 is a side view, in section, of the conventional assembly structure of the airbag case.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conventional airbag device for vehicles comprises: an airbag case 10 to 13 mounted to a hub 2 of a steering wheel 1; an inflator 14 for supplying a high-pressure gas when a vehicle collision is detected by means of an impact sensor; and an airbag 16 expanding toward a passenger when the gas is supplied from the inflator 14 to the airbag 16.
The hub 2 of the steering wheel 1 is formed in such a manner that the width of the hub 2 is gradually increased from the lower part thereof to the upper part thereof. The hub 2 has an open top part and a bottom part, through which a hub hole 2A is formed. Inside the hub 2 is mounted a steering wheel core 4, which is extended to a rim 3 of the steering wheel 1.
The airbag case 10 to 13 comprises: an airbag cover 10 for covering the open top part of the hub 2 of the steering wheel 1; a retainer 11 disposed on the steering wheel core 4 for retaining the inflator 14 and the airbag 16; a rib 12 protruded from the airbag cover 10 in such a manner that the rib 12 surrounds the retainer 11, the rib 12 being attached to the retainer 11 by means of rivets 20; and brackets 13 attached to the rib 12 and the retainer 11 by means of the rivets 20 and attached to the steering wheel core 4 by means of bolts 22.
At the airbag cover 10 is formed a tear line 17. More specifically, the tear line 17 is formed at the rib-inside area 10A of the airbag cover 10, which is placed inside the rib 12. Consequently, the airbag cover 10 is severed along the tear line 17 when the airbag 16 is expanded.
The retainer 11 is mounted coaxially with the airbag cover 10. In other words, the retainer 11 and the airbag cover have the same central axis C. The width 11W of the retainer 11 is approximately ½ of the width 10W of the airbag cover 20. The rib 12 is formed halfway between the central axis C and the edge of the airbag cover 10 so that the rib 12 comes in contact with a sidewall 11A of the retainer 11. Consequently, the rib-inside area 10A of the airbag cover 10, which is placed inside the rib 12, corresponds exactly to the area where the tear line is formed. In other words, the area of the airbag cover 10 within the tear line 17 is approximately ½ of the area of the entire airbag cover 10.
The operation of the conventional assembly structure of the airbag case with the above-stated construction will now be described.
When a vehicle collision is detected by means of the impact sensor, the high-pressure gas is supplied from the inflator 14 to the airbag 16. As the gas is filled in the airbag 16, the airbag 16 is expanded so that the airbag cover 10 is severed along the tear line 17, and is then fully expanded toward a passenger.
In the conventional assembly structure of the airbag case, the shape of the tear line 17 is experimentally designed since the expansion performance of the airbag 16 is affected by the shape of the tear line 17. However, the area of the airbag cover 12 within the tear line 17 is limited to approximately ½ of the area of the entire airbag cover 10 due to the rib 12. Consequently, the expansion performance of the airbag 16 may be improved only restrictively.
To the airbag cover 10 is mounted a membrane type horn switch 18, by which a horn sounding an alarm is operated. The horn switch 18 is disposed inside the rib 12 so that interference between the horn switch 18 and the rib 12 is prevented. As a result, an area in which the horn switch 18 can be disposed and operated is limited.
The conventional assembly structure of the airbag case provides no additional supporting member for supporting the edge of the airbag cover 10. As a result, the edge of the airbag cover 10 is loosened from the steering wheel 1, which leads to poor appearance. The rib 12 is formed at a distance from the edge of the airbag cover 10, and therefore the edge of the airbag cover 10 in not securely and reliably supported by the rib 12.
In the conventional assembly structure of the airbag case, the rib 12, the retainer 11, and the brackets 13 are fastened together by means of the rivets 20, and then the brackets 13 are attached to the steering wheel core 4 by means of the bolts 22. In this way, the airbag case 10 to 13 is assembled with the steering wheel 1, whereby the number of the parts to be assembled is large, additional tools for rivet 20 and bolt 22 works are required, and thus the cost and time of assembly are increased.


Disclosed is a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. A semiconductor device may include an insulating layer and a metal interconnection. An insulating layer may include a first layer including fluorine and a second layer including SRO (silicon rich oxide) having a dangling bond. A metal interconnection may be formed over the insulating layer.

Semiconductor devices may electrically connects layers using metal interconnections. Metal interconnections may be formed from metallic thin films (e.g. aluminum, aluminum alloys, copper, and/or other similar material). Metal interconnections may have multi-layer structures. An inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer may have a via hole formed between a first metal interconnection and a second metal interconnection.
The inter-metal dielectric layer may include a material having a low-dielectric (low-k) constant. An inter-metal dielectric layer may have a via hole for electrically connecting a first metal interconnection and a second metal interconnection. An inter-metal dielectric layer may insulate a first metal interconnection from a second metal interconnection to minimize parasitic capacitance caused by overlapping of the first metal interconnection and second metal interconnection. An inter-metal dielectric layer may insulate a first metal interconnection from a second metal interconnection to reduce cross-talk noise.
An inter-metal dielectric layer may be formed using FSG (fluorine-doped silicate glass) including fluorine (F). Fluorine may have a desirable hydrophilic property in certain applications. Fluorine may react with air or moisture to produce hydrogen fluoride (HF). Hydrogen fluoride may lower adhesion properties. Adhesive forces between an inter-metal dielectric layer and a metal interconnection may be lowered due to hydrogen fluoride, which may cause defects in the metal interconnection. Since fluorine may have a relatively high diffusivity, fluorine may diffuse into a metal interconnection adjacent to an inter-metal dielectric layer. A metal interconnection may be eroded, degrading the quality and/or lowing the reliability of a semiconductor device.
A peeling process may be performed to remove hydrogen fluoride. However, a peeling process may cause a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device to be complicated.

Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices


Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for scheduling user notifications to maximize short-term and long-term benefits from sending the notifications. One method includes an operation for identifying features of a state used for reinforcement learning. The state is associated with an action to decide if a notification to a user is to be sent and a reward for sending the notification to the user. Further, the method includes capturing user responses to notifications sent to users to obtain training data and training a machine-learning (ML) algorithm with reinforcement learning based on the features and the training data to obtain an ML model. Additionally, the method includes receiving a request to send a notification to the user, and deciding, by the ML model, whether to send the notification based on a current state. The notification is sent to the user based on the decision.

Mobile notifications have taken a major role in driving and maintaining user engagement with companies and online services. With the right content and the right timing, notifications can inform users of timely messages, making the notification service valuable to the user.
Typically, senders of notifications measure success by looking at the near-term impact through signals such as click-through-rates and time-to-visits. However, notification decisions may have a long-term impact that may be negative for the service provider. For example, sending too many or too frequent notifications may benefit the short-term engagement, but it may hurt long-term user engagement if users start reacting negatively to too many notifications, which may cause canceling future notifications. Even with a fixed delivery schedule over a time period, deferring non-time-sensitive notifications to a future time may improve the overall user satisfaction and engagement.


Process for the catalytic hydrotreating of a hydrocarbon feed stock containing silicon compounds comprising the steps of    contacting the feed stock in presence of hydrogen with a first hydrotreating catalyst being arranged in at least two reactors being connected in series at an outlet temperature of up to 410° C. to reduce content of the silicon compounds in the feed stock;    cooling of the feed stock such treated to a temperature of between 280° and 350° C.; and    contacting the cooled feed stock with a second hydrotreating catalyst at conditions being effective in reduction of sulphur compound and nitrogen compound concentration.

The present invention relates to a process for the catalytic hydrotreating of silicon containing hydrocarbon feed stock.
A catalytic reformer and its associated hydrotreater are found in every modern refinery. With the advent of bimetallic reforming catalysts, sulphur and nitrogen are required to be very low in the reformer feed normally less than 0.5 ppm. Naphtha hydrofiner, processing straight-run feeds, meet these requirements while achieving cycle lengths of greater than 3 years even with low activity or regenerated catalysts.
Because of its low installation cost relative to other options, the delayed coker is often the system of choice for upgrading residual oils. However, delayed coker products cause additional processing difficulties in downstream units, particularly hydrotreaters and reforming catalysts are found to be sensitive to silicon deposits. For example, the residue from silicone oils used to prevent foaming in coker drums largely distils in the naphtha range and can cause catalyst deactivation in downstream naphtha hydrofiners and reforming units.
As further an example, naphtha is contaminated by silicon when silicone oil is injected in the well during petroleum extraction in deep water.
The origin of silicon deposits on naphtha hydrotreating catalysts can be traced back to the silicone oil added to the heavy residue feed of the delayed coker or to the silicone oil added to the silicone dwell (Kellberg, L., Zeuthen, P. and Jakobsen, H. J., Deactivation of HDT catalysts by formation of silica gels from silicone oil. Characterisation of spent catalysts from HDT of coker naphtha using 29Si and 13C CP/MAS NMR, J. Catalysis 143, 45-51 (1993)).
Because of gas formation, silicone oil (polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS) is usually added to the coker drums to suppress foaming. This silicone oil usually cracks or decomposes in the coker to form modified silica gels and fragments. These gels and fragments mainly distil in the naphtha range and are passed to a hydrotreater together with the coker naphtha. Other coker products will also contain some silicon, but usually at lower concentrations than in naphtha products.
Silica poisoning is a severe problem when hydroprocessing coker naphthas. The catalyst operation time will typically depend on the amount of silicon being introduced with the feedstock and on silicon "tolerance" of the applied catalyst system. In absence of silicon in the feed, most naphtha hydroprocessing catalyst cycle lengths exceed three years. Deposition of silicon in form of a silica gel with a partially methylated surface from coker naphthas deactivates the catalyst and reduces the typical HDS/HDN unit cycle lengths often to less than one year.
By selection of an appropriate catalyst, unit cycle lengths can be significantly extended over most typical naphtha hydrotreating catalysts.
Typical conditions for naphtha pre-treatment reactors are total pressures between 15 and 50 bars; average reactor temperature between 50° C. and 400° C. The exact conditions will depend on type of feedstock, the required degree of desulphurisation and the desired run length. The end of the run is normally reached when the naphtha leaving the reactor contains detective amounts of silicon.
For a refiner, the run length is a very important consideration. A shorter run length incurs high cost due to frequent catalyst replacement and extended downtime (time off-stream) for catalyst replacement resulting in loss of revenue because of less production of naphtha and feed to the reforming unit.
It is known from EP 1,188,811 to increase operation time of hydrotreating reactors for treatment of silicon containing feedstock, when moistening the hydrotreating catalyst is moisturised with an amount of water added to the feed stock.
Silicon uptake depends on type of catalyst and temperatures in the hydrotreater. An increase in temperature results in a higher uptake of the contaminants.
In a hydrotreating unit employing a single reactor, however, the inlet temperature is controlled by the sulphur removal reactions, which at a reactor outlet temperature of above 350° C. will result in recombination of sulphur compounds depending on the feed stock composition.
In the known hydrotreaters with a single reactor for the removal of silicon compounds and HDS/HDN, the process fluid leaving the silicon removal catalyst bed has to be cooled by quenching with cold hydrogen make-up gas and with cooled liquid product. Quenching with liquid product disadvantageously reduces the actual hydrogen partial-pressure, which must be compensated by raising the total operation pressure.
The general object of the invention is to improve efficiency and to increase operation time of hydrotreating reactors for treatment of silicon containing feedstock by improving run time length and silicon capacity of hydrotreating catalysts.

Process for the catalytic hydrotreating of silicon containing hydrocarbon feed stock


Methods and systems are described that enhance a user's experience when playing a DVD through an enabled media player. One or more databases, managed by a server, maintain metadata associated with DVDs. When a DVD is loaded using the enabled media player, a DVD ID is automatically determined and used to search the metadata database. A user can confirm metadata that is found, causing the metadata to be stored in a local media library. Alternatively, the user can enter other search criteria to be used to locate different DVD metadata. Additionally, a user can either edit metadata that is returned from the metadata database, or manually enter metadata to be associated with a particular DVD. The user-edited or user-entered metadata can then be stored in the local media library.

With the technological advance of computers and the software that runs on computers, users are now able to enjoy many features, which just a few years ago, did not exist. For example, users can now play various media and multimedia content on their personal or laptop computers, thus providing an improved user experience. For example, most computers today are able to play compact discs (CDs) so that a user can listen to a favorite artist or artists while working on their computer. Additionally, many computers are equipped with a digital versatile disc (DVD) drive so that the user can watch movies on their personal computer.
As users become more used to advanced features on their computers, such as those mentioned above, their expectations of the various additional innovative features will undoubtedly continue to grow. For example, many systems enable a user to play a DVD, but a user may also be interested in viewing other information (referred to herein as "metadata") that is associated with a movie being played from a DVD.


This curable resin film forms a first protective film on a surface having bumps of a semiconductor wafer by being attached to the surface and being cured, in which a cured material of the curable resin film has a Young's modulus of equal to or greater than 0.02 MPa and a peak value of a load measured by a probe tack test at 80° C. is equal to or less than 500 g. A first protective film forming sheet is provided with a first supporting sheet, and the curable resin film is provided on one surface of the first supporting sheet.

In the related art, in a case in which a multi-pin LSI package, which is used in MPU or a gate array, is mounted on a printed wiring board, a flip chip mounting method in which a semiconductor chip in which convex electrodes (bumps) made of eutectic solder, high-temperature solder, gold, or the like are formed in connection pad portions is used, and these bumps are made to face, brought into contact with, and melting/diffusion-joined to the corresponding terminal portions on a chip mounting substrate using a so-called face down method has been employed.
The semiconductor chip that is used in this mounting method is obtained by, for example, grinding a surface opposite to a circuit surface of a semiconductor wafer having bumps formed on the circuit surface and dicing the semiconductor wafer into pieces. In the process of obtaining the above-described semiconductor chip, generally, for the purpose of protecting the circuit surface and the bumps of the semiconductor wafer, a curable resin film is attached to the bump-formed surface, and this film is cured so as to form a protective film on the bump-formed surface. As a protective film forming sheet provided with the thermosetting resin film containing a thermosetting component in the above curable resin film, a protective film forming sheet formed by stacking a thermoplastic resin layer having a predetermined thermal elastic modulus on the film and further stacking a thermoplastic resin layer which is not plastic at 25° C. on the uppermost layer of the thermoplastic resin layer has been disclosed (refer to Patent Document 1). In addition, according to Patent Document 1, this protective film forming sheet is excellent in terms of the bump filling property of the protective film, the wafer workability, the electric connection reliability after resin sealing, and the like.
On the other hand, as described above, the semiconductor wafer on which the protective film is formed is divided by dicing with the protective film so as to form a semiconductor chip. Dicing is performed by several methods, for example, a method of cutting the semiconductor wafer together with the protective film using a dicing blade, but depending on the type of the protective film, cutting wastes are generated at the time of cutting the protective film, and the cutting wastes may be attached to a side surface of the semiconductor chip after dicing. When extra deposits are present on the semiconductor chip as described above, problems on processes or qualities occur, for example, process troubles may be caused between bonding of the semiconductor chip and obtaining of the semiconductor device, or the reliability of the semiconductor device is deteriorated.
In contrast, it is not certain whether the occurrence of such a problem is suppressed in the conventional protective film including the protective film disclosed in Patent Document 1.

Curable resin film and first protective film forming sheet