The use of 4-ethyloctanal as a flavor or fragrance chemical, suitable for use in creating fragrance and scents in items such as perfumes, colognes and personal care products, as well as a flavor ingredient for various products is disclosed.

The use of 4-ethyloctanal is disclosed as a fragrance and flavor chemical suitable for incorporation in fine fragrances, cosmetics, toiletries, food products and related applications.
There is an ongoing need in the fragrance and flavor industry to provide new chemicals to give perfumers and other persons ability to create new fragrances for perfumes, colognes and personal care products. There is a similar ongoing need for flavor chemicals that enhance or provide new flavors for food preparations.
The preparation of the compound 4-ethyloctanal is disclosed by Weitzel, G. et al; HSZPZAZ; Hoppe-Seyler""s Z. Physiol.Chem.; GE; 353; 1972, pages 641-653. The authors disclose the preparation of the compound by the dehydro-generation of the corresponding alcohol to the aldehyde. This article is silent as to odor of the compound or the suitability of the compound to be employed as a fragrance chemical.
The present invention is directed to the use of 4-ethyloctanal as a fragrance chemical to enhance fragrance in perfumes, toilet waters, colognes, personal products and the like. More specifically, the present invention is a method for enhancing a perfume by incorporating an olfactory acceptable amount of compounds of the formula:
In a second embodiment, the present invention provides the use of 4-ethyloctanal in an olfactory effective amount to food products to enhance the flavor of the food.
These and other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent by reading the following specification.
The present invention is directed to the use of the compound, 4-ethyloctanal in fragrance and flavor formulations. The preparation of the compound, 4-ethyl-octanal is described in Weitzel, G. et al; HSZPZAZ; Hoppe-Seyler""s Z. Physiol.Chem.; GE; 353; 1972, pages 641-653.
We have discovered that 4-ethyloctanal has an orange, costus odor or note, that is well suited for use as a fragrance chemical.
The use of this compound is widely applicable in current perfumery products, including the preparation of perfumes and colognes, the perfuming of personal care products such as soaps, shower gels, and hair care products as well as air fresheners, candles and cosmetic products. The compound can also be used to perfume candles and cleaning agents, such as, but not limited to soaps, detergents, dishwashing materials, scrubbing compositions, window cleaners, and the like.
In these preparations, the compound of the present invention can be used alone or in combination with other fragrance compositions, solvents, adjuvants and the like. Those with skill in the art will appreciate the nature and variety of the other ingredients that can be used in combination with the compound of the present invention.
Many types of fragrances can be employed in the present invention, the only limitation being the compatibility with the other components being employed. Suitable fragrances include but are not limited to fruits such as almond, apple, cherry, grape, pear, pineapple, orange, strawberry, raspberry; musk, flower scents such as lavender-like, rose-like, iris-like, and carnation-like. Other pleasant scents include herbal and woodland scents derived from pine, spruce and other forest smells. Fragrances may also be derived from various oils, such as essential oils, or from plant materials such as peppermint, spearmint and the like.
A list of suitable fragrances is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,891, the contents of which are incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety. Another source of suitable fragrances is found in Perfumes, Cosmetics and Soaps, Second Edition, edited by W. A. Poucher, 1959. Among the fragrances provided in this treatise are acacia, cassie, chypre, cyclamen, fern, gardenia, hawthorn, heliotrope, honeysuckle, hyacinth, jasmine, lilac, lily, magnolia, mimosa, narcissus, freshly-cut hay, orange blossom, orchid, reseda, sweet pea, trefle, tuberose, vanilla, violet, wallflower, and the like.
As used herein olfactory effective amount is understood to mean the amount of compound in perfume compositions the individual component will contribute to its particular olfactory characteristics, but the olfactory effect of the perfume composition will be the sum of the effects of each of the perfume or fragrance ingredients. Thus the compounds of the invention can be used to alter the aroma characteristics of the perfume composition by modifying the olfactory reaction contributed by another ingredient in the composition. The amount will vary depending on many factors including other ingredients, their relative amounts and the effect that is desired.
The level of compound of the invention employed in the perfumed article varies from about 0.005 to about 10 weight percent, preferably from about 0.1 to about 8 and most preferably from about 0.5 to about 5 weight percent. In addition to the compounds, other agents can be used in conjunction with the fragrance. Well known materials such as surfactants, emulsifiers, and polymers to encapsulate the fragrance can also be employed without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Another method of reporting the level of the compound of the invention in the perfumed composition, i.e., the compounds as a weight percentage of the materials added to impart the desired fragrance. The compounds of the invention can range widely from 0.005 to about 10 weight percent of the perfumed composition, and preferably from about 0.1 to about 5 weight percent. Those with skill in the art will be able to employ the desired level of the compound of the invention to provide the desired fragrance and intensity.
As used herein flavor effective amount is understood to mean the amount of compound in flavor compositions the individual component will contribute to its particular olfactory characteristics, but the flavor effect of the perfume composition will be the sum of the effects of each of the perfume or fragrance ingredients. Thus the compounds of the invention can be used to alter the taste characteristics of the flavor composition by modifying the taste reaction contributed by another ingredient in the composition. The amount will vary depending on many factors including other ingredients, their relative amounts and the effect that is desired.
The level of 4-ethyloctanal used in flavor compositions is greater than 100 parts per trillion, generally provided at a level of from about 150 to about 10 parts per billion in the finished food product, more preferably from about 500 parts per trillion to about 5 parts per billion. The compound has been found to enhance the flavors at levels greater than about 100 parts per trillion, including uses to enhance the flavor of fruit flavors such as strawberry or raspberry at levels as low as about 200 to about 500 parts per trillion by weight. Another preferred use of the compound of the present invention is with citrus products at levels of from about 1 to about 10 parts per billion. In meat products levels of from about 1 to about 5 parts per billion were found to enhance the meat flavor.
The term xe2x80x9cfoodstuffxe2x80x9d as used herein includes both solid and liquid ingestible materials for man or animals, which materials usually do, but need not, have nutritional value. Thus, foodstuffs include meats, gravies, soups, convenience foods, malt, alcoholic and other beverages, milk and dairy products, seafoods, including fish, crustaceans, mollusks and the like, candies, vegetables, cereals, soft drinks, snacks, dog and cat foods, other veterinary products and the like.
When the compounds of this invention are used in a flavoring composition, they can be combined with conventional flavoring materials or adjuvants. Such co-ingredients or flavor adjuvants are well known in the art for such use and have been extensively described in the literature. Requirements of such adjuvant materials are: (1) that they be non-reactive with the 4-ethyloctanal of our invention; (2) that they be organoleptically compatible with the 4-ethyloctanal derivative(s) of our invention whereby the flavor of the ultimate consumable material to which the 4-ethyloctanal are added is not detrimentally affected by the use of the adjuvant; and (3) that they be ingestibly acceptable and thus nontoxic or otherwise non-deleterious. Apart from these requirements, conventional materials can be used and broadly include other flavor materials, vehicles, stabilizers, thickeners, surface active agents, conditioners and flavor intensifiers.
Such conventional flavoring materials include saturated fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids and amino acids; alcohols including primary and secondary alcohols, esters, carbonyl compounds including ketones (other than the 4-ethyloctanal derivatives of our invention) and aldehydes; lactones; other cyclic organic materials including benzene derivatives, alicyclic compounds, heterocyclics such as furans, pyridines, pyrazines and the like; sulfur-containing compounds including thiols, sulfides, disulfides and the like; proteins; lipids, carbohydrates; so-called flavor potentiators such as monosodium glutamate; magnesium glutamate, calcium glutamate, guanylates and inosinates; natural flavoring materials such as cocoa, vanilla and caramel; essential oils and extracts such as anise oil, clove oil and the like and artificial flavoring materials such as vanillin, ethyl vanillin and the like.
Specific preferred flavor adjuvants include but are not limited to the following: anise oil; ethyl-2-methyl butyrate; vanillin; cis-3-heptenol; cis-3-hexenol; trans-2-heptenal; butyl valerate; 2,3-diethyl pyrazine; methyl cyclo-pentenolone; benzaldehyde; valerian oil; 3,4-dimeth-oxyphenol;amyl acetate; amyl cinnamate; xcex3-butyryl lactone; furfural; trimethyl pyrazine; phenyl acetic acid; isovaleraldehyde; ethyl maltol; ethyl vanilin; ethyl valerate; ethyl butyrate; cocoa extract; coffee extract; peppermint oil; spearmint oil; clove oil; anethol; cardamom oil; wintergreen oil; cinnamic aldehyde; ethyl-2-methyl valerate; xcex3-hexenyl lactone; 2,4-decadienal; 2,4-heptadienal; methyl thiazole alcohol (4-methyl-5-xcex2-hydroxyehtyl thiazole); 2-methyl butanethiol; 4-mercapto-2-butanone; 3-mercapto-2-pentanone; 1-mercapto-2-propane; benzaldehyde; furfural; furfuryl alcohol; 2-mercapto propionic acid; alkyl pyrazine; methyl pyrazine; 2-ethyl-3-methyl pyrazine; tetramethyl pyrazine; polysulfides; dipropyl disulfide; methyl benzyl disulfide; alkyl thiophene; 2,3-dimethyl thiophene; 5-methyl furfural; acetyl furan; 2,4-decadienal; guiacol; phenyl acetaldehyde; xcex2-decalactone; d-limonene; acetoin; amyl acetate; maltol; ethyl butyrate; levulinic acid; piperonal; ethyl acetate; n-octanal; n-pentanal; n-hexanal; diacetyl; monosodium gulatamate; monopotassium glutamate; sulfur-containing amino acids, e.g., cysteine; hydrolyzed vegetable protein; 2-methylfuran-3-thiol;2-methyldihydrofuran-3-thiol; 2,5-dimethylfuran-3-thiol; hydrolyzed fish protein; tetramethyl pyrazine; propylpropenyl disulfide; propylpropenyl trisulfide; diallyl disulfide; diallyl trisulfide; dipropenyl disulfide; dipropenyl trisulfide; 4-methyl-2-[(methylthio)-ethyl]-1,3-dithiolane; 4,5-dimethyl-2-(methylthiomethyl)-1,3-dithiolne; and 4-methyl-2-(methylthiomethyl)-1,3-dithiolane. These and other flavor ingredients are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,110,520 and 6,333,180 hereby incorporated by reference.
The 4-ethyloctanal derivative(s) of our invention or compositions incorporating them, as mentioned above, can be combined with one or more vehicles or carriers for adding them to the particular product. Vehicles can be edible or otherwise suitable materials such as ethyl alcohol, propylene glycol, water and the like, as described supra. Carriers include materials such as gum arabic, carrageenan, xanthan gum, guar gum and the like.
4-Ethyloctanal prepared according to our invention can be incorporated with the carriers by conventional means such as spray-drying, drum-drying and the like. Such carriers can also include materials for coacervating the 4-ethyloctanal of our invention to provide encapsulated products, as set forth supra. When the carrier is an emulsion, the flavoring composition can also contain emulsifiers such as mono- and diglycerides or fatty acids and the like. With these carriers or vehicles, the desired physical form of the compositions can be prepared.
The quantity of 4-ethyloctanal derivative(s) utilized should be sufficient to impart the desired flavor characteristic to the product, but on the other hand, the use of an excessive amount of 4-ethyloctanal is not only wasteful and uneconomical, but in some instances, too large a quantity may unbalance the flavor or other organoleptic properties of the product consumed. The quantity used will vary depending upon the ultimate foodstuff; the amount and type of flavor initially present in the foodstuff; the further process or treatment steps to which the foodstuff will be subjected; regional and other preference factors; the type of storage, if any, to which the product will be subjected; and the preconsumption treatment such as baking, frying and so on, given to the product by the ultimate consumer. Accordingly, the terminology xe2x80x9ceffective amountxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9csufficient amountxe2x80x9d is understood in the context of the present invention to be quantitatively adequate to alter the flavor of the foodstuff.
The following are provided as specific embodiments of the present invention. Other modifications of this invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of this invention. As used herein, both specification and following examples all percentages are weight percent unless noted to the contrary. IFF as used in the examples is understood to mean International Flavors and Fragrances Inc., DPG is understood to mean dipropylene glycol, DEP is understood to mean diethylphthalate.

Use of 4-ethyloctanal in perfume and flavor compositions


An LED package structure for preventing lateral light leakage includes a substrate unit, a light-emitting unit, a light-transmitting unit and a light-shielding unit. The substrate unit includes a circuit substrate. The light-emitting unit includes at least one LED chip disposed on the circuit substrate and electrically connected to the circuit substrate. The light-transmitting unit includes a light-transmitting gel body disposed on the circuit substrate for enclosing the LED chip. The light-transmitting gel body has a first light-transmitting portion disposed on the circuit substrate for enclosing the LED chip and at least one second light-transmitting portion projected upwardly from the first light-transmitting portion and corresponding to the LED chip, and the second light-transmitting portion has a light output surface. The light-shielding unit includes a light-shielding gel body disposed on the circuit substrate for exposing the light output surface of the second light-transmitting portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The instant disclosure relates to an LED package structures and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly to an LED package structures for preventing lateral light leakage and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, with rapid development of information technology industry, a portable electronic device, such as a notebook computer, a smart phone and so on, can be used in various circumstances. As for using a notebook computer in the dark circumstances, it is hard for a user to operate a keyboard since characters marked on the keyswitch might not be visible. Moreover, it might damage the user's sight during the process of using the notebook computer in the dark circumstances. In the prior art, a specific keyswitch equipped with indication light can improve the aforementioned problem. In addition, by various disposals of specific keyswitch equipped with indication light, it makes the portable electronic device equipped with the specific keyboard be able to have different visual effects, so as to enhance the market.
In the prior art, a base plate module of the keyboard with the specific keyswitch capable of emitting indication light includes a circuit board, a light source and a mylar. The light source is disposed on the circuit board, and the mylar covers the light source and the circuit board. In addition, a hole is formed on the mylar and located in a position corresponding to the light source. The keyswitch module is disposed on the mylar, and a keycap of the keyswitch module includes a transparent structure located in a position corresponding to the hole. Accordingly, light emitted from the light source can pass through the hole on the mylar and the transparent structure of the keycap, so as to be detected by the user.

LED package structures for preventing lateral light leakage and method of manufacturing the same

BRIGHTEK OPTOELECTRONIC (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD.


Clock pulses from a master oscillator are distributed in a multiprocessor computer system so that they arrive at a large number of utilization points located in operating clusters of modules within extremely tight time tolerances of each other. The delays associated with each component, electrical or optical connection, cable or the like are determined by direct measurement or by using known standard characteristics. A time delay budget for each complete clock pulse path from the point of initial divergence from the master clock source to the final chip delivery point is logged and summed. Components capable of introducing predetermined amounts of time delay are incorporated in some or all clock pulse paths. These components are adjusted so as to balance out the differences determined from the clock path budgets. The clock paths are implemented in electrical components either alone or in combination with optical components, or in substantially all optical configurations. One arrangement for controlling optical skew includes an arrangement of optical elements physically displaceable in a coaxial direction relative to one another. Skew adjustment networks employ a unique composition of coarse and fine selectable delay arrays implemented either by electrical components, optical components, or a combination thereof.

The present invention relates to apparatus and processes useful in multiple processor computer systems. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with methods and apparatus for controlling and/or accommodating the time delay associated with passage of a signal in the form of an electrical and/or optical pulse through a discrete component. Still further, the present invention accepts master clock pulses from a source and distributes a multiplicity of replications of the master clock pulses so as to allow distribution of those pulses throughout a complex system in a carefully controlled manner. This invention relates to devices and methods which assist in ensuring that timing pulses originating from a master clock pulse source are distributed for controlling a variety of electronic data handling and/or computer functions so as to arrive at a plurality of distribution points within an extremely close time tolerance and with well preserved signal integrity as compared to the master clock pulses.

Clock distribution apparatus and processes particularly useful in multiprocessor systems


A system, method, and computer program product are provided for inputting modified coverage data into a pixel shader. In use, coverage data modified by a depth/stencil test is input into a pixel shader. Additionally, one or more actions are performed at the pixel shader, utilizing the modified coverage data.

Pixel shaders are commonly used during graphics rendering. For example, pixel shaders may calculate effects on a per-pixel basis during the rendering process. In another example, coverage may be computed at multiple locations (e.g., subsamples, etc.) within a pixel, where such locations may then be forwarded to a Z/Stencil test to determine which samples are to be written. Additionally, the coverage may then be sent to one or more pixel shaders. However, current techniques for communicating data to pixel shaders have been associated with various limitations.
For example, current pixel shaders do not directly receive depth/stencil test information. As a result, certain graphics processing tasks performed by the pixel shader may not be optimized. There is thus a need for addressing these and/or other issues associated with the prior art.

System, method, and computer program product for inputting modified coverage data into a pixel shader


An auto focus camera includes a focus detecting circuit, a lens driving circuit for driving a taking lens to an in-focus position based on a focus detection result, a starting signal outputting circuit for outputting a starting signal which starts a focusing operation, an operating member to be operated by a user after the starting signal is outputted, and a controlling circuit for controlling the lens driving circuit so as to drive the taking lens in manners different between before and after an operation of the operation member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera, and more specifically, to a camera having an auto focus (AF) function.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A function called continuous AF has conventionally been known. Continuous AF is a function of repeating an AF operation such as focus detection and lens driving so that an in-focus condition is always obtained with respect to a subject moving along the optical axis.
On the other hand, while photometry and an AF operation are started by a halfway depression of a release button in conventional cameras, a camera has recently been proposed where photometry and an AF operation are started prior to the halfway depression of the release button in order to reduce time lag as much as possible. For example, a camera where photometry and an AF operation are started on it being sensed that a user is looking through the finder is proposed in Japanese laid-open Patent Application S64-42639.
In a camera of this type, since it is necessary to always obtain an in-focus condition during the whole time the user is looking through the finder, it is desirable to perform the above-mentioned continuous AF. In performing continuous AF under a condition where in-focus condition has been obtained, however, since variation in focus position which variation is caused as the subject moves is not so large, it is desirable to give priority to causing the user to be unconscious of an AF operation over the operation speed of the continuous AF. That is, a quiet continuous AF is desirable which causes the user to be unconscious of focusing.
On the contrary, if an AF operation is slowly performed on the user's looking through the finder, an amount of time is required from when the user starts to look through the finder to when an in-focus condition is obtained, which is inconvenient to the user. Moreover, it is required that focusing be immediately performed just before a release operation is performed.
As described above, concerning the cameras having the continuous AF function, a camera is demanded where lens driving control can be changed according to the situation.
On the other hand, continuous AF has another problem. Generally, focusing is performed with respect to a subject located in a predetermined area called a focus area in conventional cameras. With such an arrangement, when a main subject that the user intends to photograph is located outside of the focus area, an in-focus condition is obtained with respect to the background, not with respect to the main subject. Such a problem is also caused in performing a continuous AF operation. Particularly, in a case where the main subject moves out of the focus area just before a release operation, the moment the main subject moves out, in-focus condition is obtained with respect to the background in the continuous AF. As a result, a photograph is taken where the main subject is out of focus.

Auto focus camera having plural focussing modes


In accordance with an embodiment, a data processing apparatus includes a memory configured to store a determination table, a camera configured to image a commodity package, and a processor. The processor is configured to extract an area having a predetermined shape from the imaged commodity package, recognize characters in the extracted area; determine whether the recognized characters meet a criterion described in the determination table, and output the recognized characters to a display or a printer connected to the data processing apparatus when the recognized characters meet the criterion.

Generally, in a retail store which sells commodities, a commodity registration apparatus reads a barcode printed on the package of a commodity that a customer wants to purchase, and registers the commodity based on the commodity code indicated by the barcode. The commodity registration apparatus then retrieves the commodity master file stored in a database in which all commodity data is recorded and calculates the total price for checkout. In the checkout process, the commodity registration apparatus may display some useful information about the commodity purchased by the customer.
Such a conventional commodity registration apparatus requires a store worker to store the required information in the master file in association with an individual commodity code, leading to putting heavy burden on the retail store side. Moreover, such information displayed on the display is sometimes overlooked by the customer because of too much information available for the commodity.
Thus, there is need for a commodity registration apparatus that may display information about a commodity such that a customer can easily recognize only the useful information without requiring burdensome pre-registration process.

Data processing apparatus and method, and non-transitory computer readable medium


Structures and methodologies to obtain lasing in indirect gap semiconductors such as Ge and Si are provided and involves excitonic transitions in the active layer comprising of at least one indirect gap layer. Excitonic density is increased at a given injection current level by increasing their binding energy by the use of quantum wells, wires, and dots with and without strain. Excitons are formed by holes and electrons in two different layers that are either adjacent or separated by a thin barrier layer, where at least one layer confining electrons and holes is comprised of indirect gap semiconductor such as Si and Ge, resulting in high optical gain and lasing using optical and electrical injection pumping.

Lasing in direct energy gap semiconductors has been well known since the 1960s when low-temperature GaAs homojunctions lasers and subsequently room temperature AlGaAs—GaAs double heterojunction lasers were first reported. This was followed by the development of quantum well, quantum wire and more recently, quantum dot lasers. Both edge-emitting and surface-emitting configurations are also well known in the prior art. Semiconductor lasers are fabricated using direct gap materials active layers such as GaAs, InGaAs, InGaAsP, ZnCdSe, and GaN. Unfortunately, this precludes using widely used materials such as Si (the mainstay of integrated circuit industry), Ge, GaP, and other compound semiconductors for fabrication. While most of the semiconductor lasers were reported in inorganic semiconductors, organic semiconductor lasers have also been reported.
It should be appreciated that light emission in indirect energy gap semiconductors, such as Silicon, gallium phosphide (GaP) and other indirect energy gap materials, exhibit significantly lower quantum efficiency ηq and, hence, optical gain when p-n junctions are configured as lasers and result in impractical threshold current density values. In the case of indirect gap semiconductors, such as Si and Ge, on calculation determined that the free carrier absorption is considerably higher than the gain produced by the current injection. Recently, lasing in Ge film grown on Si is also reported with threshold current density over 100 kA/cm2. Additionally, Si Raman lasers operating at photon energies below the band gap have been reported using optical pumping. Tensile strained Ge lasers are also proposed. Unfortunately, the limitations associated with band-filling and tensile-strained Ge structures have not resulted in lasers with acceptable threshold current densities from practical on-chip integration perspective. Excitonic formation in GaP:N or GaAsP:N layers is well known to result in efficient light emission in p-n junctions (when the composition makes the band gap to be indirect, i.e. phosphorus in excess of 44%). However, the threshold current density is very high in this type of system, and as a result one has to operate at lower temperatures (below 77K) to obtain stimulated emission. Another way of looking at it is that the binding energy of excitons in bulk is about 4 meV. The threshold current density and operating temperature can be improved by enhancing the exciton binding energy. No reports are available which describes significant formation of excitons (and eventual lasing) without the doping of isoelectronic impurities such as nitrogen in GaP.
The optical gain has been shown to increase in active layers realized in indirect gap materials by introducing shallow iso-electronic impurities such as N and Bi in GaP or GaAsP. For these impurities, the electron states are highly localized forming bound excitons. The electronic state is primarily made of conduction band Bloch functions, relevant to the central region of the Brillouin zone. The electron-hole pairs, forming the excitons, recombine via vertical transitions, yielding low radiative lifetime τr and high internal quantum efficiency ηq. It has been demonstrated that the excitonic transition corresponding to A-line in InGaP:N can give lasing when the composition of the active layer is such that its energy gap crosses over slightly to the indirect side. Quantum Confined Stark Effect (QCSE), which depends on the existence of excitons, has not been observed in type-I SiGe/Si multiple quantum wells (MQWs). This is attributed to the lack of appropriate quantum well barrier heights (or offsets) for electrons (ΔEc) and holes (ΔEv) in the conduction and valence band, respectively. In the case of Si—Ge system, the magnitude of conduction and valence band offsets can be increased if type II heterojunctions are used. It has been reported that layering structure can be used to obtain these offsets. Active layers comprising of type-II strained-layer SiGe/Si quantum wells, wires and dots are described for obtaining lasing. Recently, lasing has been reported in Ge layers grown on Si at threshold current density of about 300KA/cm2. This threshold permits use as pulsed laser. In comparison to direct lasers, the threshold current density is about 3 orders of magnitude higher.

Enhanced optical gain and lasing in indirect gap semiconductor thin films and nanostructures


A conjugated diene rubber composition comprising (A) 5-95 wt. % of a conjugated diene rubber having a structure such that at least three conjugated diene polymer chains are bonded together through a specific polyorganosiloxane having groups containing alkylene glycol repeating units and (B) 95-5 wt. % of a conjugated diene rubber having reacted with a compound having in the molecule a functional group selected from >C═O, >C═S, amino, imino, epoxy, pyridyl, alkoxyl and halogeno. This rubber composition gives, when silica is incorporated therein, a vulcanizable rubber composition having good processability and giving a rubber vulcanizate exhibiting sufficiently reduced heat build up, and having good wet-grip property and good abrasion resistance.

In recent years, vehicle tires having a low fuel consumption are eagerly desired from the viewpoint of protection of environment and conservation of natural resources. Further, good wet-grip property and high abrasion resistance are required for the tires from a viewpoint of safety and durability, respectively.
A silica-incorporated rubber composition exhibits reduced heat build up as compared with the conventional rubber composition having carbon black incorporated therein. Therefore, a silica-incorporated rubber composition is suitable for the production of tires with a low fuel consumption.
Silica generally has a poor affinity for most conventional rubbers. Therefore most rubbers having silica incorporated therein exhibit poor processability and are not satisfactory in heat build up and abrasion resistance. To obviate this problem, a silane coupling agent is often used in combination with silica. However, a silane coupling agent improves the abrasion resistance sometimes only to a very minor extent as compared with the incorporation of carbon black. Further a silane coupling agent is expensive and the incorporation thereof in a sufficient amount is costly.
Attempts of modifying a rubber to enhance its affinity for silica have been made. For example, a silica-incorporated rubber composition is proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H10-7702 which is made by a diene polymer rubber is lithiated with an organic lithium compound and then the lithiated diene polymer rubber is allowed to react with s silicon-containing compound. A rubber composition comprising a diene polymer containing a silanol group, and a specific carbon black having silica fixed on the surface thereof is proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H10-316800. The above-proposed rubber compositions give a rubber vulcanizate exhibiting good reduced heat build up, but, the silica-incorporated unvulcanized rubber composition has poor processability and the rubber vulcanizate tends to exhibit poor balance between wet-grip property and abrasion resistance.
A rubber composition comprising a polyorganosiloxane-modified diene polymer rubber and silica is proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H9-110904. The polyorganosiloxane-modified diene polymer rubber is made by allowing a diene polymer having an active alkali metal terminal, which is prepared by polymerization using an alkali metal polymerization initiator, to react with 0.1 to 2 moles, per mole of the alkali metal polymerization initiator, of a polyorganosiloxane having a specific functional group.
A rubber composition comprising a silsesquioxane-modified diene polymer rubber and silica is proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-80534. The silsesquioxane-modified diene polymer rubber is made by allowing a diene polymer having an active alkali metal terminal, which is prepared by polymerization using an alkali metal polymerization initiator, to react with 0.1 to 1.5 moles, per mole of the alkali metal polymerization initiator, of a silsesquioxane compound having a polyhedron structure.
The above-proposed polyorganosiloxane-modified diene polymer rubber and the silsesquioxane-modified diene polymer rubber give a rubber vulcanizate having well balanced reduced heat build up and wet-grip property, but, its unvulcanized silica-incorporated rubber composition has poor processability and the rubber vulcaniate tends to have poor abrasion resistance.
Further in the case when a rubber is loaded with carbon black in combination with silica to impart an antistatic property, an abrasion resistance and driving controllability as tire, balance between reduced heat buildup and wet-grip property is not enhanced to the desired extent.

Conjugated diene rubber compostion, process for producing the same and rubber vulcanizate


Hardmask compositions having antireflective properties useful in lithographic processes, methods of using the same, and semiconductor devices fabricated by such methods, are provided. Antireflective hardmask compositions of the invention include:                (a) a polymer component including at least one polymer having a monomeric unit of Formula (I)

Due to the continuous demand for smaller microelectronic devices, there exists a need to reduce the size of structural shapes in microelectronics and other related industries. Toward this end, effective lithographic techniques are essential to achieve a reduction in the size of microelectronic structures.
Typical lithographic processes involve pattern-wise exposure of a photosensitive resist to radiation in order to form a patterned resist layer. Thereafter, the resulting image may be developed by contacting the exposed resist layer with a suitable developing substance (e.g. an aqueous alkaline developing solution) to remove certain portions of the resist pattern. The material underlying the resist may then be etched through the openings in the resist to transfer a pattern to an underlying substrate. After the pattern is transferred, the remaining portions of the resist may then be removed.
For better resolution in lithography, an antireflective coating (ARC) may be used to minimize the reflectivity between an imaging layer, such as a photosensitive resist, and an underlying layer. However, in some lithographic imaging processes, the resist does not provide sufficient etch resistance to effectively transfer the desired pattern to a layer underlying the resist. Therefore, a so-called hardmask layer may be applied as an intermediate layer between the patterned resist layer and the underlying material to be patterned. The hardmask layer receives the pattern from the patterned resist layer and should be able to withstand the etching processes needed to transfer the pattern to the underlying material.
Although a number of hardmask materials are known, there is a need for improved hardmask compositions. Since conventional hardmask materials are often difficult to apply to substrates, the use of chemical and physical vapor deposition, special solvents, and/or high-temperature baking may be required. A hardmask composition that may be applied by spin-coating techniques, and which does not require high-temperature baking, would be desirable. A hardmask composition that can be easily etched selective to the overlying photoresist, while being resistant to the etch process needed to pattern the underlying layer, would also be desirable. A hardmask composition that provides superior storage properties and avoids unwanted interactions with an imaging resist layer would further be desirable. A hardmask composition that is particularly resistant to radiation at shorter wavelengths, such as 157, 193, and 247 nm, would also be desirable.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Antireflective hardmask composition and methods for using same

Abstract: wherein R1 and R2 may each independently be hydrogen, hydroxyl, C1-10 alkyl, C6-10 aryl, allyl, or halo; R3 and R4 may be each independently be hydrogen, a crosslinking functionality, or a chromophore; R5 and R6 may each independently be hydrogen or an alkoxysiloxane having the structure of Formula (II), wherein at least one of R5 and R6 is an alkoxysilane;

Abstract: wherein R8, R9, and R10 may each independently be a hydrogen, alkyl, or aryl; and x is 0 or a positive integer; R7 may be hydrogen, C1-10 alkyl, C6-10 aryl, or allyl; and n is a positive integer;                (b) a crosslinking component; and        (c) an acid catalyst.


A method and apparatus of calculating data cubes is shown in which a data set is partitioned into memory sized data fragments and cuboid tuples are calculated from the data fragments. A search lattice of the data cube is used as a basis for ordering calculations of lower dimensional cuboids in the data cube. Identification of a minimum number of paths through the lattice that is sufficient to traverse all nodes in the lattice is achieved by iteratively duplicating twice all paths in a lower dimensional space, distributing a new attribute to the first duplicate, moving end points from paths of the second duplicate to a corresponding path in the first duplicate and merging the first and second duplicates.

The present invention relates to data cubes and methods of assembling data cubes from relational databases.
Data cubes represent an efficient data structure for analyzing large amounts of data. Often, practical advantages are obtained from analyzing raw data by a variety of data attributes or combinations of attributes. For example, a retail business may record data for every sales transaction the business completes. Significant advantages may be obtained by analyzing the recorded transactions to determine sales levels over time, by product, by geographic region or by a host of other attributes. Additionally, data may be analyzed by a combination of attributes instead of a single attribute. Data cubes are suited to such analysis.
The data cube was first introduced in Gray, et al., Data Cube: A Relational Aggregation Operator Generalizina Group-By, Cross-Tab, and Sub-Totals, Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Data Engineering, pp. 152-159 (1996) ("Gray"). The data cube may be envisioned as an n dimensional cuboid having n-1 and lower dimensional aggregates based upon the cuboid. Gray provides an example of a three dimensional data cube, reproduced in FIG. 1, tailored to a relational database containing transactions for sales of automobiles. The data cube includes a three dimensional core cuboid, three two dimensional cuboids, three one dimensional cuboids, and a zero dimensional cuboid. In the three dimensional cuboid, auto sales are grouped by make, color and by year. Each entry ("tuple") within the core cuboid contains a value for total sales for a particular make, color and year. These three attributes, make, color and year, are required to identify the tuples in the core cuboid of FIG. 1(a).
Lower dimensional aggregates reflect information from the database grouped by a fewer number of attributes than the tuples of the core cuboid. For example, a two dimensional data space, shown in FIG. 1(b), may be created to monitor sales by make and year, but across all colors. The two dimensional space is also a cuboid. The information contained within the two dimensional cuboid is derived from the information contained in the three dimensional cuboid. Further, a one dimensional cuboid may be created to monitor sales by year, across all makes and all colors. Again, the information contained within the one dimensional cuboid may be derived from the information contained in an adjacent two dimensional cuboid. Finally, a zero dimensional cuboid (a point cuboid) may be created from any adjacent one dimensional cuboid. In the example provided in Gray, the zero dimensional cuboid totals sales information across all makes, all colors and all years.
Virtually any type of data analysis may be performed to construct a data cube, not merely totaling. Accordingly, data cubes promise to be a very powerful means of analyzing large relational databases.
Costs associated with building data cubes are substantial. An n dimensional data cube possesses 2.sup.n cuboids. Each cuboid may contain a number of tuples equal to the product of the number of values that each attribute takes within the database. For example, if a business analyzed 1997 sales by state and by week, a two dimensional data cube generated therefrom may possess as many as 2600 (50*52) tuples. It is easy to imagine additional attributes (product, payment type, etc.) that would increase the volume of the data cube geometrically. Thus, efficiencies in generating data cubes must be realized.
Several techniques have been proposed to build data cubes. Many are predicated on search lattices which describe relationships among the cuboids of a data cube. An exemplary lattice is shown in FIG. 2 for a four dimensional data cube having attributes A, B, C, and D. Node (A,B,C,D) 100 references tuples of the core cuboid. Because four attributes are required to address tuples of that node, the (A,B,C,D) node 100 has the finest granularity. Conversely, node .phi.250 is said to have coarsest granularity because it describes a cuboid tuple indexed by the least number of attributes (zero attributes). Intermediate nodes reference cuboid tuples that are indexed by an intermediate number of attributes.
Interconnecting lines shown in FIG. 2 describe relations among the various cuboids. Lower dimensional cuboids may be calculated from certain higher dimensional cuboids. Interconnecting lines identify those cuboids that may be calculated from others. For example, the (A,B,C) 110 and (A,B,D) 120 cuboids each may be calculated from the cuboid (A,B,C,D) 100. Thus, (A,B,C,D) 100 is a "parent" of (A,B,C) 110 and (A,B,D) 120; they are the parent's "children." Cuboids (A,B) 150 and (A,D) 170, in turn, are children of cuboid (A,B,D) 120. However, cuboid (A,C) 160 is not a child of (A,B,D) 120. Tuples of cuboid (A,B,D) 120 are not grouped by attribute C and, therefore, cannot provide information necessary for tuples grouped by attributes A and C.
Data cubes may be calculated by a variety of means. A first technique is proposed by Gray. First, Gray passes through a relational database and calculates tuples for a core cuboid, the finest granularity cuboid. For each record in the database R, an array cell indexed by the values of the "group by" attribute is updated based on data of the new record. Second, Gray calculates lower dimensional cuboids. Gray achieves that computational savings by calculating tuples of each cuboid from the smallest available parent cuboid. While (B,C) may be computed from either (A,B,C) or (B,C,D), Gray selects the smallest of these parents based on the number of tuples of each.
Gray's technique suffers performance disadvantages because the core cuboid must fit entirely in main memory; often Gray's technique is inapplicable to databases which contain sparse data. Sparseness occurs when a small percentage of the space of possible tuples are actually present in a data cube. Real world data is frequently very large and very sparse. Thus, Gray's technique is of limited value.
A second technique, called "Pipesort," is found in Agarwal, et al., On the Computation of Multidimensional Aggregates, Proceedings of the 22nd VLDB Conference (1996). Pipesort follows paths in the search lattice of the data cube. In the example of FIG. 2, the raw data may be sorted first in a first attribute order, such as A-B-C-D. Having sorted the data, cuboids sharing some part of the sort order may be calculated. These cuboids are said to have a "prefix" common to the sort order. In this example, (A,B,C,D), (A,B,C), (A,B), A and .phi. are calculated. The sort order chosen is based on estimates of computational complexity and an attempt to incorporate the smallest-parent objective of Gray. Once the first path is computed, Pipesort sorts the highest dimensional cuboid (A,B,C,D) based on a second sort order to pursue a second path. Pipesort may perform as few as (.sub.[n/2].sup.n) sorts, where n is the number of attributes for the data cube, but the number of sorts performed in practice is often much higher. Pipesort does not guarantee that it follows a minimum number of paths through the lattice.
Pipesort incurs high computational expenses. Often, the cuboid to be sorted does not fit entirely into a computer's on-board memory. By sorting the cuboid using the slower external memory, Pipesort incurs high input/output costs. In an n dimensional data cube, the input/output costs are exponential in n (i.e., .congruent.2.sup.n).
There is a need in the art for a method of computing data cubes efficiently with low expense. There is a need in the art for a method of computing data cubes that minimize read/write operations. Further, there is a need in the art for a method of computing data cubes utilizing sort paths that traverse a minimal number of paths through a lattice of the cube.

Method of calculating tuples for data cubes


A dynamic RAM is provided with enhanced charge storage capacity by increasing the surface area between the two electrodes of the storage capacitor. The first electrode consists of a thick conductive layer whose vertical sidewalls provide the extra surface area for charge storage. The second electrode is used to partially planarize the surface topology. The first electrode can also be used as the gate of a sensing transistor in a signal amplifying cell, as well as in multiport and multistate dynamic RAM cells.

This invention relates to dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cells and in particular to a DRAM cell which has greatly enhanced storage capacity as well as immunity to alpha particles and which is highly scalable.
In recent years DRAM technology has progressed steadily to the point that 1 Megabit devices are presently mass produced while 4 Mbit and 16 Mbit devices are in advanced stages of development. These DRAM devices all employ a single transistor as a transfer device and a storage capacitor per bit. Each successive generation of DRAM cells has resulted in smaller device geometries, smaller cell sizes, a diminishing storage capacitance, and an increasing number of cells sharing a common bit line. To maintain an acceptable signal-to-noise level, the DRAM industry has focused the majority of its efforts on improving the charge storage efficiency per unit of silicon area for the storage capacitor.
One of the earliest commercial single transistor DRAM cells is shown in cross section in FIG. 1a. Cell 100 is known as a planar cell and includes an MOS transistor having drain 101, source 102, gate 103, and channel region 105. Storage capacitor C is formed between plate 104 and substrate 106 across a thin dielectric layer 109. Adjacent cells are isolated from each other via an isoplanar oxide 107 overlying a channel stop region 108. Each cell 100 in a memory array is uniquely accessed through a bit line 111 connected to drain 101 and an orthogonal word line connected to gate 103. Plate 104 of the storage capacitor is a conductive layer held at a fixed voltage, usually ground or the supply voltage. The cell is written by turning on the transfer transistor and either charging or discharging capacitor C. During reading, the contents of capacitor C is dumped onto the precharged bit line and is sensed at a sense amplifier (not shown) as either a low (if charge flows from the bit line into capacitor C) or as a high (if charge stored on capacitor C flows into the bit line). A high ratio of cell capacitance C to the parasitic capacitance of the bit line is key for the reliable operation of the DRAM cell over a wide range of operating temperatures. Typically, the bit line capacitance should not be more than approximately 15 times the cell capacitance C.
To enhance the storage capacitance C of cell 100, prior art devices have used techniques such as reducing the thickness of storage dielectric 109 to below 10 nanometers or have optimized the surface doping concentration of substrate 106--the so called HIGH-C cell, as described, for example in Chatterjee et al., "A Survey of High Density Dynamic RAM Cell Concepts," IEEE Trans Electron Devices, volume 26, number 6 (June 1979). However, for devices of greater than 1 Mbit, cell 100 and in particular planar capacitor C, are nearing the end of their usefulness due to the inability of a planar structure to provide adequate storage capacitance in an ever decreasing cell area.
A variation of the planar capacitor structure has been proposed by I. Lee et al., "A 64Kb MOS Dynamic RAM," IEEE Digest of Technical Papers from 1979 ISSCC, p. 146. This cell is known as the stacked capacitor cell, and is shown in cross section in FIG. 1b. A similar, more compact stacked capacitor cell has been proposed by M. Koyanagi et al in an article entitled "Novel High Density, Stacked Capacitor MOS RAM," Technical Digest of IEEE 1978 International Electron Devices Meeting, p. 348. Two variations of this cell are shown in cross section in FIGS. 1b and 1c. Cell 200 (FIG. 1b) and cell 300 (FIG. 1c) both have their storage capacitor C implemented across a thin dielectric film 209, 309 sandwiched between two storage electrodes consisting of a bottom plate of N+ doped polysilicon 214, 314 and a top plate of N+ doped polysilicon 204, 304, respectively. The bottom plate is electrically connected to source 202, 302 of the transfer transistor through a buried contact connection 215, 315. The main difference between cell 200 and cell 300 is that the latter folds part of the capacitor back over access gate 303, thereby using a greater part of the total available cell area for storage than the former. Cells 200 and 300 employ thicknesses of between 200 and 500 nanometers for all three polysilicon layers P.sub.1, P.sub.2, and P.sub.3, so as to minimize the metal step coverage problems inherent to a triple polysilicon layer surface topology.
The stacked capacitor cells provide somewhat greater storage efficiency than planar cells. They are also less susceptible to upset from local hits by high energy ionizing particles such as alpha particles. This is because only the relatively small area around junction 202 or 302 can collect charge carriers generated in substrate 213, 313 by an incident high energy particle. In contrast, the planar cell capacitor (FIG. 1a) stores its charge at the surface depletion layer 106 and is therefore quite susceptible to such alpha particle hits.
Despite these advantages the stacked capacitor DRAM cell has not seen wide acceptance. The main reason for this is that the stacked capacitor cell still employs a planar capacitor and therefore has limited scalability as the cell becomes smaller and smaller.
Because of area limitation of the planar and stacked capacitor DRAM cells, a major thrust has been undertaken by DRAM manufacturers to develop a third type of cell--the trench DRAM cell. An example of the simplest of such cells is given in the cross sectional view of FIG. 1d.
The prior art trench DRAM cell 400 of FIG. 1d includes an access transistor consisting of gate 403 which is part of a word line, drain 401 which is part of a bit line, storage node 402, and trench capacitor C which is electrically connected to storage node 402. Trench capacitor C consists of a deep trench etched into the silicon surface with essentially vertical walls 416, N+ diffused silicon region 414 serving as the first electrode of trench capacitor C, dielectric insulation layer 409, and polycrystalline silicon field plate 404 serving as the second electrode of the trench capacitor. The storage capacitance of trench capacitor C can be increased by making the trench deeper. Oxide isolation regions 407 are used to isolate cell 400 from adjacent cells and trenches in a memory array.
There are several other variations of the use of the trench structure for high density DRAM cells. A good review article of the various DRAM cells previously proposed is provided by P. Chatterjee et al., "Trench and Compact Structures for DRAMs", Technical Digests of IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting, December 1986, p. 128.
Although Trench DRAM cells offer much better area storage efficiency than the planar or stacked capacitor cells and are therefore more scalable, they are extremely complicated to manufacture.
An example of an extremely complex trench cell is provided by M. Inoue et al., "A 16 Mbit DRAM with an Open Bit Line Architecture," IEEE 1988 ISSCC Digest of Technical Papers, p. 246 Inoue achieves an exceedingly small cell (1.5 microns.times.2.2 microns=3.3 microns.sup.2) with a rather high storage capacity of 50 femtoFarad by using a narrow trench to completely surround the outer perimeter of the MOS transfer transistor, using the polysilicon plate which fills the trench also to serve as the device isolation area. This type of structure requires that the storage capacitor trench be submerged below the transfer transistor to a depth of more than 3.0 microns below the silicon surface, making the fabrication of this structure extremely difficult, and not realistically practical.
Some of the difficulties which are commonly encountered in forming trench DRAM cells are etch uniformity in etching the deep small diameter cylindrical trench cavities, keeping the inner vertical walls 416 clean from contamination, redeposition of etched material, growing or depositing uniform thin films of high quality dielectrics 409, assuring good vertical conformality of the polycrystalline plate 404, maintaining a flat surface topology and preventing leakage between adjacent trenches. These difficulties will become more severe with future generation trench DRAMs requiring ever deeper trench storage capacitors. For example, in etching 4 million trenches required for a 4 Mbit device, it is impossible to assure that all trenches have been etched to the same depth. Therefore, some memory cells may end up with shallower trenches, resulting in smaller storage capacitors than their neighboring cells.


Arranged are an optical element, a piezoelectric element arranged on the optical element, and an oscillation circuit for causing the piezoelectric element to vibrate so as to generate vibrational waves, wherein the volume of the piezoelectric element is determined based on density of the piezoelectric element, mass of the optical element, and vibration speed of the optical element, and made a size such that there is no wasteful consumption of energy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital camera having a dust reduction function, and to a dust reduction apparatus fitted to a digital camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
With a digital camera that acquires image data by making a subject image formed by a photographing lens incident on an image sensor, if dust is attached to optical elements such as the imaging surface of the image sensor, or protective glass etc, arranged in front of the imaging surface, shadows of the dust show up in images, spoiling their appearance. There have therefore been various proposals for digital cameras having a so-called dust reduction function, where an optical element for dust protection such as a glass plate for hermetically sealing the image sensor, a low pass filter, an infra-red cut filter etc., is arranged between the photographing lens and the image sensor, and dust that has become attached to the dust protection optical element is removed by subjecting the dust protection optical element itself to ultrasonic vibration.
For example, Japanese patent laid-open No, 2003-338965 (Laid open Nov. 28, 2003) discloses a digital camera that removes dust by arranging an annular piezoelectric element at a peripheral edge of a surface of a circular dust protection optical element that is orthogonal to the optical axis, and applying an alternating current to this piezoelectric element to cause vibration, thus generating vibrational waves in the dust protection optical element. Also, Japanese patent laid-open No. 2002-204379 (laid-open Jul. 19, 2002), discloses a digital camera that removes dust by arranging a pair of piezoelectric elements at the top and bottom or left and right of a rectangular dust protection optical element, and generating vibrational wave in the dust protection optical element.

Digital camera and dust reduction apparatus for digital camera


Methods of depositing a tantalum-nitride (TaN) diffusion barrier region on low-k materials. The methods include forming a protective layer on the low-k material substrate by performing plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) from tantalum-based precursor and a nitrogen plasma in a chamber. The protective layer has a nitrogen content greater than its tantalum content. A substantially stoichiometric tantalum-nitride layer is then formed by performing PE-ALD from the tantalum-based precursor and a plasma including hydrogen and nitrogen. The invention also includes the tantalum-nitride diffusion barrier region so formed. In one embodiment, the metal precursor includes tantalum penta-chloride (TaCl5). The invention generates a sharp interface between low-k materials and liner materials.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to diffusion barriers, and more particularly, to methods for plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition of a tantalum-nitride diffusion barrier region on low-k materials that generates a sharp barrier interface.
2. Related Art
Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been recently studied for semiconductor interconnect technology, especially for liner applications. ALD is a layer-by-layer thin film deposition technique that implements alternating exposure of chemical species. Among the various metal liners for copper (Cu) interconnect technology, tantalum-based (Ta) materials are one of the most widely used because they provide: high thermal and mechanical stability and diffusion barrier properties, and good adhesion, all of which result in good reliability. Conventional integration schemes include the deposition of a tantalum/tantalum nitride (Ta/TaN) bilayer for use as a copper (Cu) diffusion barrier by physical vapor deposition (PVD). One shortcoming of this approach, however, is that the poor conformality of the PVD technique, caused by the directional nature of the technique, has become a potential problem as device technology migrates toward a sub 100 nm regime.
Potential problems presented by ALD include contaminant incorporation and the potential reaction between precursor and substrate materials. One particular material type that exacerbates these problems is low thermal conductivity (low-k) dielectrics, such as SiLK from Dow Chemical. For example, it is generally difficult to grow tantalum-based (Ta) materials on low-k materials by conventional thermal ALD. In particular, it is difficult to grow the materials at a low enough temperature for interconnect technology, requiring growth temperature below 400° C.
In order to address the above-identified problem, plasma enhanced ALD (PE-ALD) has been suggested as an alternative approach. One possible problem of PE-ALD is the common use of atomic hydrogen (H) as a reducing agent to deposit liner materials. The use of atomic hydrogen is especially problematic for spin on low-k dielectrics. In particular, SiLK is widely known to be reactive with atomic hydrogen (H) such that etching occurs when exposed to atomic hydrogen (H). Similarly, the PE-ALD of tantalum-nitride (TaN) is known to create a reaction between metal precursors and a plasma including hydrogen.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for a technique to deposit liner material without using atomic hydrogen.

PE-ALD of TaN diffusion barrier region on low-k materials

International Business Machines Corporation


An intraluminar prosthesis which includes a tubular member having at least one end which is at an oblique angle to the lumen. The prosthesis is inserted into a body lumen, such as a blood vessel, while compressed. The prosthesis is expanded within the lumen, and the oblique end of the prosthesis contacts the lumen at an oblique angle. This oblique angle reduces the stenotic effects of hyperplasia which generally occurs at the ends of intraluminal prostheses.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to intraluminal prostheses and methods for their use. More particularly, the present invention relates to intraluminal grafts and stents having oblique ends to reduce stenosis, and methods for the treatment of defective body lumens using such prostheses.
Vascular diseases amenable to treatment by the devices and methods of the present invention include both occlusive diseases and aneurysms. Occlusive diseases are characterized by the build-up of stenotic materials in the affected blood vessel, resulting in partial or total occlusion of the blood vessel lumen.
Vascular aneurysms are the result of abnormal dilation of a blood vessel, usually resulting from disease and/or genetic predisposition which can weaken the arterial wall and allow it to expand. While aneurysms can occur in any blood vessel, most occur in the aorta and peripheral arteries, with the majority of aortic aneurysms occurring in the abdominal aorta, usually beginning below the renal arteries and often extending distally into one or both of the iliac arteries.
The use of stents is gaining widespread acceptance in the treatment of occlusive diseases. Usually, a stenotic lesion is treated by balloon angioplasty with the simultaneous or subsequent placement of a stent to maintain vessel patency. While holding great promise as an improvement over angioplasty alone, the use of stents can have drawbacks. Of particular concern to the present invention, stents can themselves provide initiation sites for hyperplasia, particularly at each end where the edge of the stent is exposed to the blood vessel lumen. It would therefore be desirable to provide improved stent designs which would lessen problems associated with post-placement hyperplasia.
Aortic aneurysms are most commonly treated in open surgical procedures where the diseased vessel segment is bypassed and repaired with an artificial vascular graft. While considered to be an effective surgical technique, particularly considering the alternative of a usually fatal ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, conventional vascular graft surgery suffers from a number of disadvantages. The surgical procedure is complex and requires experienced surgeons and well equipped surgical facilities. Even with the best surgeons and equipment, however, patients being treated frequently are elderly and weakened from cardiovascular and other diseases, reducing the number of eligible patients. Even for eligible patients prior to rupture, conventional aneurysm repair has a relatively high mortality rate, usually from 3% to 10%. Morbidity related to the conventional surgery includes myocardial infarction, renal failure, impotence, paralysis, and other conditions. Additionally, even with successful surgery, recovery takes several weeks, and often requires a lengthy hospital stay.
In order to overcome some or all of these drawbacks, endovascular graft placement for the treatment of aneurysms has been proposed. Although very promising, many of the proposed methods and apparatus suffer from other problems. In particular, hyperplasia (excessive cellular proliferation) may occur in blood vessels at the regions adjacent to the ends of an intraluminal graft, stent, or other prosthesis. Such hyperplasia within the lumen of a blood vessel is potentially stenotic, and therefore compromises the therapeutic value of the intraluminal graft.
For these reasons, it would be desirable to provide improved intraluminal prostheses, including both grafts and stents, and methods for treating aneurysms, stenosis, and other conditions using such prostheses. It would be particularly desirable if the prostheses would provide the therapeutic value of existing grafts and stents, but would reduce the stenotic effect of the hyperplasia which generally occurs at the ends of existing structures. It would be further desirable if such prostheses could be inserted and positioned using conventional delivery catheters and methods.
2. Description of the Background Art
Vascular graft prostheses having oblique ends for replacement or bypassing of diseased blood vessels in open surgical procedures are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,127,919 and 4,441,215. An intraluminal graft having a helical end is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,427. Intraluminal grafts having ends normal to the lumen are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,282,860; 5,211,658; 5,167,614; 5,156,620; 4,877,030; and 4,830,003.
Other designs for intraluminal prostheses are described in copending application Ser. Nos. 08/255,681 and 08/290,021, the full disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention provides intraluminal prostheses, including both grafts and stents, for the treatment of disease conditions, particularly aneurysms. The intraluminal prostheses provide a decreased risk of luminal occlusion (as discussed below) and comprise a tubular member which is insertable into a body lumen in a small diameter configuration and which can be expanded within the body lumen to an expanded mode. At least one of the ends of the tubular member will have a terminal edge which is disposed at least partially at an oblique angle relative to the lumen of the tubular member.
The intraluminal prostheses may be self-expanding, expandable by the application of a radially outward internal force, or a combination thereof. Self-expanding prostheses are typically delivered to a target location within the body lumen in a radially compressed configuration, e.g. within a tube or other constraining structure. Such self-expanding prostheses may be deployed by first positioning at the target location and subsequently releasing the constraint to permit the prosthesis to expand an anchor within the lumen. Expandable prostheses are delivered to the target location without the need for constraint and are deployed by internal radial expansion, usually by inflating a balloon or other expandable structure within the lumen of the prosthesis. Self-expanding prostheses will preferably be constructed from resilient materials, such as spring stainless steel, shape memory alloys, shape memory plastics, elastic (resilient) plastics, and the like. Expandable prostheses will be preferably constructed from malleable materials such as stainless steels, titanium alloys, tantalum alloys, plastics, and the like. Prostheses have both self-expanding and expandable properties and may be constructed from combinations of these materials.
The intraluminal prostheses of the present invention are suitable for a wide variety of therapeutic uses, including stenting of the ureter, urethra, biliary tract, and the like. The devices and methods will also be useful for the creation of temporary or long term lumens, such as the formation of fistulas. The present invention will find its greatest use, however, in the placement of endovascular grafts into blood vessels for the treatment of abdominal and other aneurysms, vascular stenoses, and the like.
The present intraluminal prostheses provide significant advantages over previously proposed designs, particularly for vascular uses. Any hyperplasia which occurs at the oblique ends of the present invention will occupy an oblique region of the lumen in which the present prosthesis is positioned. Although the total volume of hyperplasia may be the same or greater, the resulting occlusion is reduced, (i.e. effective residual lumen area is increased) because the hyperplasia is distributed axially over the surface of the lumen. In contrast, conventional prostheses having terminal edges perpendicular to the lumen axis will cause a greater degree of occlusion since the opposed regions of hyperplasia are axially aligned across a perpendicular cross section of the lumen. Thus the stenoses of the present intraluminal prostheses are effectively reduced over previous intraluminal prostheses designs.
An additional advantage results from the ability to orient the prosthesis to avoid blocking branch vessel(s). It will be appreciated that a prosthesis having normal ends must be axially positioned to one side of a branch artery to avoid partial or complete occlusion. This limitation can be a significant problem where there is a limited area of blood vessel wall for anchoring the prosthesis. The oblique end of the present invention allows the prosthesis to be anchored beyond the branch vessel without occlusions by properly turning the prosthesis to avoid blockage. This is a particular benefit in the treatment of aortic aneurysms where the graft may be oriented to avoid the renal arteries.
The present invention also provides graft prostheses which comprise a tubular member as described above and a liner covering at least a part of the inside of the lumen and/or the outside surface of the member. The tubular member is usually perforate, and the liner provides a barrier which permits use as a vascular graft for the treatment of aneurysms. Preferably, the ends of the liner are aligned with or parallel to the terminal edges of the tubular frame. The liner is tied, spot welded, or otherwise secured to the tubular member in such a way that the liner can radially expand with the member. Exemplary liner structures suitable for use with the present invention are described in copending application Ser. No. 08/255,681.
The present invention further comprises methods for treatment of disease conditions, particularly aneurysms and stenoses. The treatment method comprises inserting the intraluminal prosthesis into the body lumen while the prosthesis is in its reduced diameter configuration. The prosthesis is positioned within the diseased portion of the lumen, and is expanded to the expanded configuration, either resiliently or by application of an internal expansion force. The expanded prosthesis includes at least one end which is oblique to the lumen of the prosthesis, whereby any hyperplasia which occurs along the line defined by the oblique end will be axially distributed so that effective occlusion of the body lumen is reduced.

Tubular endoluminar prosthesis having oblique ends


A speed profile for an entire train trip includes a maximum allowable speed at each point of the entire trip, taking into account the ability of the train to comply with speed reductions encountered during the trip. The speed profile includes a braking curve that gradually reduces from a higher speed to a lower speed starting at a point at which the train must begin braking in order to be traveling at the lower speed when the train reaches the point at which the lower speed limit begins. The speed profile is generated on multiple wayside computers, cross checked, and then vitally transmitted to an onboard locomotive control system. The onboard control system includes redundant speed sensors with redundant vital circuits, and also includes redundant speed comparators to ensure that the train doesn't exceed the speed profile. A GPS receiver may be used for greater reliability.

Train safety is an important issue in the United States and throughout the world. This is true for both passenger trains and for freight trains. Although movement of a train can be directed by a computerized train system in some instances, the movement of the vast majority of trains is directed by a human operator. Reliance on a human operator necessarily creates the possibility of mistakes being made by that operator, and these mistakes can and often do lead to unsafe conditions and, in the worst case, accidents and loss of life and property.
One aspect of train safety is ensuring that trains do not exceed maximum allowable speeds. Maximum allowable speeds can include: 1) upper limits on train speed that may be applicable throughout an entire rail system; 2) permanent maximum speed limits applicable to a certain specific sections of track; and 3) temporary speed restrictions that may be applicable throughout an entire rail system (e.g., a lower speed on hot summer days when there is a possibility of track buckling) or a portion of a rail system (e.g., a restriction on a particular section of track that is undergoing repairs).
A second aspect of train safety is avoiding collisions between trains. Train operators are typically authorized by a signaling system or a dispatcher to move a train from one area (sometime referred to in the art as a "block") to another. The operator is expected to move the train in only those areas for which the train has been authorized to travel. When an operator moves a train outside an authorized area, the possibility that the train may collide with another train that has been authorized to move in the same area arises.
Concern over operator error in complying with speed restrictions and limits on authorized movement has led to a number of systems that attempt to prevent such operator errors. Early versions of such systems, such as the cab signal system, involve the transmission of signal information into a locomotive via a signal transmitted over an electrical power line through which the train receives electrical power for movement. Such systems will take preventive action (e.g., a "penalty" brake application) when the train is moving outside the authorized area. However, this can lead to unsafe conditions because the preventive action does not occur until after the authorized movement limit has been violated.
Other, more sophisticated systems, such as the TRAIN SENTINEL™ system marketed by the assignee of this application. Quantum Engineering, Inc., anticipate when a train will violate a limit on a movement authorization or exceed a speed limit, and take preventive action prior to a violation to ensure that the limit on a movement authorization or the speed limit is not violated. However, this system requires significant onboard computing capability.
An important issue with such train control systems is whether or not they are sufficiently reliable. A relevant industry standard is the IEEE 1483 "Standard for Verification of Vital Functions in Processor-Based Systems Used in Rail Transit Control." This standard includes a definition of what is necessary for a train control system to be considered as "vital."

Vital speed profile to control a train moving along a track


In the method and system for monitoring the fees arising for calls in a mobile radiotelephone system, billing data is offered and a charge limit (CL) is defined for every individual call, a limited calling time (TA) for the respective call being calculated on the basis thereof. In parallel to the limitation of the call to a specific time duration, a monitoring function is started at every call with which the call is automatically cleared down upon expiration of the limited calling time (TA). By the limitation of the calling time per call and by the monitoring function, the charges incurred during the respective call cannot exceed an upper limit and a misuse of the mobile radiotelephone system, particularly given forwarded or transferred calls, is avoided in a simple manner.

The present invention is directed to a method for monitoring the fees arising for calls in a mobile radiotelephone system.
It is known to levy the fees arising for calls in a telephone system as a function of the service respectively used by the subscribers, these fees being composed of fixed monthly charges and/or variable call charges. The payment ensues by cash payment, by employing telephone cards or by debiting from an account. In a mobile radiotelephone system, the charges arising during a call are evaluated, for example, in real time and are collected in a debit center for billing. This causes a considerable signalling load in the mobile radiotelephone system.
It is desirable to limit the fees that arise due to redirected and/or forwarded calls since mobile radiotelephone subscribers have themselves called by appointment in order to activate the destination number requested by a caller (for example, from a foreign country) to the which the call is to be redirected or forwarded. In this way, the mobile radiotelephone subscriber repeatedly appears as a switching center, so that potentially expensive call (for example, longer-duration international calls) are conducted via the subscriber without the operator of the mobile radiotelephone system being able to monitor the charges. When the caller making use of the call forwarding or the call transfer does not pay the charges, then the mobile radiotelephone system is being fraudulently used. A high signalling load arises when a call forwarding or a call transfer is active for mobile radiotelephone subscribers and every forwarded or transferred call must be reported to a central location in the mobile radiotelephone system for monitoring reasons.

Method and system for monitoring the fees arising for calls in a mobile radiotelephone system


Proposed is a trench falsework which includes a base box (3) made up of lining panels (5) held apart by braces (8). The panels making up the box have a flat edge (7) along the top and a cutting edge (6) along the bottom. The falsework system also includes at least one add-on box (4, 12) designed to be used as an extra tier and made up of lining panels (5) which meet flush with those of the base box (3). The invention calls for the lining panels (5) making up the raised box (4, 12) to be of the same design as those in the base box (3).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a trench lining device (lining box) consisting of a base box of lining plates, kept apart by braces, which have a blunt edge, in particular a square pressure cross beam, which is relatively stable against blows of an excavator bucket, on their upper edge, and on the underside of each lining plate a cutting edge for forcing the base box downward into the ground, and with at least one tier of lining plates of a raised box arranged aligned on the base box.
2. Description of the Related Art
A device for shoring trench walls with at least two support walls of wall sections disposed on top of each other is described in DE 20 57 263 C3. The walls are kept at a distance from each other with the aid of cross braces. The lower pair of support walls ("base box" for simplicity) has a cutting edge at the lower edge, which is intended to be driven into the ground, while the upper edge of the plate located opposite the cutting edge is embodied as a blunt edge, for example as a square pressure cross beam. The raised boxes, which are intended to be arranged in tiers above the base box of plates in essentially a vertically aligned manner and which consist of pairs of plates, have a blunt (straight or slightly arched) end profile or the previously mentioned blunt edge, on both the upper and the lower edges. i.e. no cutting edge. The lining plates of the raised boxes essentially differ from the lining plates of the base boxes only by a cutting edge being provided or not. The cutting edge makes it possible to press the base box into the ground. The raised box does not require this cutting edge because it rests on the base box, which has already cut the soil to the width of the trench.
The essential disadvantage when using special raised elements or boxes lies in that they are only used for raising, that is only with relatively deep trenches. The base box is always needed in contrast to this. The raised box only in rare cases, but then at least one raised box is needed for every base box. Therefore the building contractor is required to keep approximately as many raised boxes as base boxed in storage if he is to be prepared to fill orders flexibly, even though the raised boxes are not even required at normal trench depths.


This invention relates to a marking for painted objects, preferably motor vehicles, as well as to a method for producing the marking. For this purpose, a paint coat, preferably having several paint layers, is applied to the object and the spectral course of a partial spectrum of the electromagnetic spectrum of the paint coat arranged within an electromagnetic measuring range is changed in a targeted manner such that it has narrow-band extremes of at least 5% relative intensity change.

This invention relates to a marking for painted objects, wherein characteristics of the paint coat are used for the marking, and to a method for marking painted objects in which a paint coat which preferably has several paint layers is applied to the object and wherein characteristics of the paint coat are used for marking the object. According to the present invention, such markings can be used for motor vehicles.
Published German Patent Application DE 43 35 308 A1 discloses a marking for motor vehicles which is intended to make motor vehicle thefts more difficult and to thereby discourage them. According to DE 43 35 308 A1, the marking is hard to remove and can easily be identified. The marking takes place by applying special information to constituents of a coding layer of the paint coat, wherein the coding corresponds to pigments. The pigments, which are smaller than the mm-range, do not interfere with the appearance of the paint coat. However, the application of the marking is very expensive, particularly for motor vehicles, because each marking can only be applied to one vehicle. Additionally, the marking of older vehicles is very expensive. Repainting, which might be necessary after a repair for example, is also expensive, especially as the marking is to remain and retain its significance in the freshly painted areas.
German Patent Document DE 34 45 401 A1 discloses another marking for motor vehicles where, in the case of a multi-layer paint coat, a coding layer provided with a marking is arranged under a paint layer. In the visible spectral range, the paint layer has a reflective characteristic. In a wave length range outside the visible spectrum, in which the viewing of the marking of the coding layer is to take place, the paint layer is transparent. However, a disadvantage exists in that during the painting, the application of an additional layer, specifically a coding layer, and its subsequent coding is necessary. In addition, retouching the paint in the case of an accident is also expensive.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a marking that can be simply applied during the manufacture of objects to be marked. Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for applying a marking which is useful to recode older objects as well as to recode repaired objects.
The marking according to the present invention is characterized in that, in a measuring range of electromagnetic waves which is arranged within the electromagnetic spectrum of the paint coat, the paint coat has a largely constant spectral electromagnetic partial spectrum which, at certain frequencies, has narrow-band extremes of at least 5% relative intensity change. The method according to the present invention is characterized in that the spectral course of the partial spectrum of the electromagnetic spectrum of the paint coat arranged within an electromagnetic measuring range, is changed in a targeted manner such that it has narrow-band extremes of at least 5% relative intensity change.
As a result of the targeted introduction of narrow-bands and abrupt changes at defined frequencies within a measuring range of the electromagnetic spectrum of the paint coat, a specific code used for marking can be assigned to any painted object, particularly any motor vehicle, and the coding can take place in a simple manner. A further advantage is that older objects can also be marked without any significant change of the color impression of the paint coat.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Marking for painted objects and method of applying the marking


Embodiments of the present invention provide a substrate supporting edge ring for supporting a substrate. In one embodiment, a substrate support ring is provided. The substrate support ring comprises an annular body. The annular body comprises an outer band extending radially inward from an outer annular sidewall; and a substrate supporting region extending inward from an inner portion of the outer band, wherein the annular body comprises a first material that is exposed and at least a portion of the substrate supporting region is covered with a coating comprising a second material that is different than the first material.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods and apparatus for processing substrates, such as a semiconductor substrate. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide an edge ring for supporting a peripheral edge of a substrate in a processing chamber.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the processing of substrates, such as semiconductor substrates, wafers, and flat media in the production of flat panel displays, a substrate is placed on a supporting structure in a process chamber and stably supported while suitable processing conditions are maintained in the process chamber. When the substrate is supported in the process chamber, the substrate can be heated in a controlled heating cycle to thermally process the substrate. The substrate can be heated, for example, by an array of heating lamps disposed above or below the substrate in the process chamber. The thermal processing of the substrate can be used, for example, to anneal a layer that has been implanted on the substrate, perform thermal oxidation or nitridation processes on the substrate, or facilitate chemical vapor deposition processes on the substrate.
It is generally desirable to maintain uniform temperatures across the substrate during thermal processing to provide uniform processing results. However, variations in temperature gradients across the substrate can result in non-uniform processing of the substrate. Non-uniform temperatures occur at different substrate regions because of, for example, non-uniform convective or conductive heat losses from regions of the substrate in contact with the supporting structure or other chamber components, as well as regions of the substrate that are not in contact with the supporting structure. It is particularly difficult to achieve temperature uniformity across the substrate when the substrate is heated at rapid heating rates, such as in rapid thermal processing (RTP) systems and epitaxial deposition processing systems.
To reduce the temperature gradients present in the substrate during thermal processing thereof, various substrate supporting edge rings have been utilized. The edge ring is sized to surround a periphery of the substrate and is utilized to reduce convective and/or conductive heat transfer from the substrate to other chamber components. Various materials and constructions of edge rings have been investigated. However, even such edge rings can fail to provide adequate temperature uniformity across the substrate in high temperature heat soaking processes, for example, processes having temperatures greater than about 1150 degrees C. for extended time periods (e.g. about 30 seconds or greater). In these high temperature processes, the heat differential between the edge ring and the substrate provides temperature gradients within the substrate. These temperature gradients may cause undesirable conditions such as slip (e.g., dislocation lines and/or deformation in lattice structures), warping, as well as other defects.
Accordingly, what is needed is an improved edge ring that reduces the formation of temperature gradients in the substrate during thermal processing.

Substrate supporting edge ring with coating for improved soak performance


The present invention is a contamination measuring device and method of using the same according to a Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) brush cleaner equipment/technology. A collection device is mounted in a brush cleaning device for collecting effluent which flows off of a wafer. The effluent is passed to a particle counter which measures the contamination levels of the effluent. A computer stores the data collected by the particle counter and computes the particles per liter of effluent and provides real time data. The contamination of the effluent corresponds to the contamination of the brushes in the cleaning device and therefore is means for predicting when the brushes in the cleaning device should be replaced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) wafer cleaning and, in particular, an apparatus for measuring effluent contamination in order to predict contamination of brushes in a brush cleaning device.
2. Problem to be Solved
The current approach in post Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP), utilizing brush cleaning to clean the polished substrates or wafers, is not adequately controlled. Consumable brushes, or sponges, are loaded with abrasive particles which re-contaminate the wafers being cleaned.
Experience with post CMP cleaning has shown that mechanical brush cleaning is very costly due to the high cost of the consumable brushes. The present technique uses replacement of brushes after an arbitrarily set number of wafers have been cleaned.
In brush clean processes, CMP slurry loading of the brush can be problematic. Slurry loading occurs when particles accumulate in brush bristles which can result in contamination of wafers during the cleaning process.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for measuring effluent contamination in a brush cleaning device whereby brush contamination can be predicted.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for reducing the expense of frequent brush replacements in a brush cleaning device.
A further object of the invention is to provide a device for measuring real time contamination in a brush cleaning device.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a device for collecting effluent in a brush cleaning device, which effluent is a dependable vehicle for predicting contamination in the system.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.

Downstream monitor for CMP brush cleaners

International Business Machines Corporation


A transport roller is provided in a transport path in order to transport paper, the transport roller transporting the paper downstream in the transport path by making contact with the paper, and At least one contact portion that makes contact with the paper is provided in the transport roller. The contact portion is deformable in a direction that releases pressing force received from the paper when transporting the paper.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transport roller and a transport mechanism that are used in an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ordinarily, in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses such as copy machines, printers, and facsimile machines, a curling phenomenon ordinarily occurs in paper that has passed through a fixing portion that fixes developer on the paper.
This phenomenon is conceivable caused by a difference in temperature between a hot roller and a pressure roller in the fixing portion (amount of moisture evaporation at the paper surface). This temperature difference is produced for the following reasons. Generally, in order for the hot roller of the fixing portion to melt non-fixed developer on the paper to fix the developer to the paper, the hot roller has a heat source inside or near the outer circumferential face of the roller. On the other hand, the pressure roller is configured to receive heat from a contact portion that makes contact with the hot roller. Thus, the surface temperature of the hot roller is high (for example, 160 to 200° C.), while the surface temperature of the pressure roller is lower (for example, 110 to 150° C.), so that a temperature difference exists between the hot roller and the pressure roller.
More specifically, when paper having a constant moisture content receives a temperature history in the fixing portion after passing through a transfer process, a large amount of the moisture of the paper surface on the hot roller side evaporates, while a small amount of the moisture of the paper surface (paper back face) on the pressure roller side evaporates, so the amount of expansion or contraction of cellulose of the like constituting the paper is different for the front and back faces of the paper, and as a result, paper that has passed through the fixing portion is in a curled state.
Thus, when discharging paper curled in this manner onto a discharge tray using a discharge mechanism, there is a reduction in the stackability of the paper, and furthermore the paper is provided to a user in that curled state.
So, as conventional technology, discharge apparatuses have been disclosed that properly discharge paper with curling corrected (for example, see JP H11-65192A (hereinafter, referred to as "Patent Document 1")). In Patent Document 1, in a transport path that transports paper on which unfixed developer has been fixed by a fixing portion, a plurality of drive rollers, and idler rollers that form pairs with the drive rollers, are disposed in the transport direction, and by passing the paper through a nip portion between each of these drive rollers and idler rollers, paper that curled in the transport process is handled to correct its curling, and then that paper is discharged to a discharge tray.
According to the technology described in above Patent Document 1, the idler rollers that form pairs with the drive rollers press against the drive rollers with biasing force provided by respectively independent pressing means, thus correcting curling of stiff, thick paper.
However, with this technology, correction of curling of paper with a different thickness than thick paper such as standard paper or thin paper is performed with the same sort of pressing force. Thus, when using the technology described in above Patent Document 1, creases, tears, or other damage will occur in paper that is less stiff than thick paper.

Transport roller, transport mechanism, and image forming apparatus