A first-in-first-out (FIFO) device for a graphic drawing engine is provided. The (FIFO) device is connected to both a pipeline having a plurality of data processing devices for receiving graphic data from a graphic drawing engine and a drawing engine control portion for controlling the transmission of graphic data of the pipeline. The FIFO device includes a plurality of registers, the number of which is greater than the number of the data processing devices of the pipeline, wherein when the number of vacant registers in the FIFO device is less than that of the data processing devices, a control signal is generated, to thereby stop the operation of the pipeline. Thus, the loss of data stored in the FIFO device can be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a first-in-first-out (FIFO) device for a graphic drawing engine, and more particularly, to a FIFO device for a graphic drawing engine used in a computer for preventing loss of graphic data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a computer, a place for temporarily storing data, i.e., a register, is necessary. In order to store data in and retrieve data from the register, the first-in-first-out (FIFO) method or a first-in-last-out (FILO) method is used. In the FIFO method, the first stored data is withdrawn first while in the FILO method, the first stored data is withdrawn last. The FIFO method can be used for transmission of the graphic data.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional FIFO device for a graphic drawing engine. The FIFO device includes only one register 11 for storing data which is output during the application of a clock (CK) signal and a write enable (WEN) signal.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional graphic drawing engine using the FIFO device of FIG. 1. The graphic drawing engine includes a drawing engine portion 21 and a pipeline 23 for temporarily storing data transmitted from the drawing engine portion 21. A FIFO device 31 temporarily stores the data received from the pipeline 23. A drawing engine controller 33 receives a FIFO-full signal from the FIFO device 31 and controls the output of data stored in the pipeline 23. The pipeline 23 includes N data processing devices, with, for example, three data process devices 25, 27 and 29 being shown in FIG. 2.
Referring to FIG. 2, when the FIFO device 31 is not full of data, the FIFO-full signal is disabled and the WEN signal of the drawing engine controller 33 is enabled. The graphic data transmitted from the drawing engine portion 21 is stored in the pipeline 23, and the stored data is transferred to the FIFO device 31 according to the CK signal and the WEN signal input thereto.
When the FIFO device 31 is full of data, the FIFO-full signal is enabled, and the drawing engine portion 33 disables the respective WEN signals connected to registers 25, 27 and 29 in the pipeline 23. The operation of the pipeline 23 is terminated, and no data is transmitted to the FIFO device 31.
In the conventional FIFO device for a graphic drawing engine, when the FIFO device is full of data, during the time when graphic data is stored in the FIFO device, and when a FIFO-full signal is enabled, the data stored in the pipeline is continuously transmitted to the FIFO device, to thereby overlap with the data which has already been stored. Thus, part of the data may be lost.

First-in-first-out device for graphic drawing engine


A main body of a viewing optic comprising at least one void in the main body.

Today is the age of unprecedented technology—technology that makes our lives easier and more connected at the push of a touch-screen and glace of a monitor. For shooters, civilian or military, this is no less true. Shooters carry numerous components, each adding critical weight to gear bags. For the military, specifically, ruggedized (and oftentimes heavier) equivalents provide tactical awareness, allowing soldiers and Marines to see beyond their personal sight using GPS, smartphones, tablets, and even helmet-mounted screens. For shooters, one of the most significant limitations, and perhaps the most significant limitation for our soldiers, is how much they can carry, and thus, reducing the weight of each and every component is important.
Today the average US soldier carries at least 60 pounds of gear, with an extended patrol often doubling that weight. Specialized warfighters, such as Automatic Riflemen, Combat Medics, and Special Operations can see totals much higher. The average U.S. solider will have protective clothing, body armor and helmets, load carrying equipment, and a nick.
The bane of every soldier's and marine's existence, the rucksack can come in many different shapes and sizes, from a large pack that holds 100+ pounds of gear to a more modestly-sized patrol pack that holds 20 to 30 pounds of gear. The longer the duration and more specialized the soldier, the more gear that needs to be carried, especially if you're stepping out of an airplane inside enemy territory. In addition, the modern US soldier is bedecked in electronics, from night vision to radios, and new technology is coming using smartphones, tablets, and GPS.
The world has never seen better equipped warfighters, but it's now become clear that they are overburdened as well. The US Armed Forces and the Department of Defense have spearheaded initiatives to reduce weight in all categories, from case-less ammo to solar power.
Civilian shooters carry significantly lighter loads on average, but civilian shooters often prioritize certain pieces of gear over others in order to reduce the total load or avoid carrying a larger or secondary bag, resulting in a less-than-optimal set-up in some conditions.
For the reasons discussed above, having a viewing optic with reduced weight is advantageous. Thus, there is a large need for a viewing optic that addresses these concerns.


A method of operating a non-volatile memory comprising a substrate, a gate, a charge-trapping layer, a source region and a drain region is provided. The charge-trapping layer close to the source region is an auxiliary charge region and the charge-trapping layer close to the drain region is a data storage region. Before prosecuting the operation, electrons have been injected into the auxiliary charge region. When prosecuting the programming operation, a first voltage is applied to the gate, a second voltage is applied to the source region, a third voltage is applied to the drain region and a fourth voltage is applied to the substrate. The first voltage is bigger than the fourth voltage, the third voltage is bigger than the second voltage, and the second voltage is bigger than the fourth voltage to initiate a channel initiated secondary hot electron injection to inject electrons into the data storage region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of operating a memory device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of operating a non-volatile memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) is one type of non-volatile memory that permits multiple data input, readout and erasure. Furthermore, input data can still be retained after power supply to the device is removed. Therefore, EEPROM has become one of the mostly widely adopted memory devices for personal computer and electronic equipment.
Typically, each EEPROM cell has a floating gate and a control gate fabricated using doped polysilicon. In the process of programming the memory cell, electrons injected into the floating gate will distribute evenly over the entire polysilicon floating gate layer. However, if the tunneling oxide layer underneath the polysilicon floating gate has some defects, current may leak out from the device causing reliability problems.
To minimize the current leak in the EEPROM device, a conventional method includes replacing the polysilicon floating gate with a charge-trapping layer. The charge-trapping layer is fabricated using silicon nitride, for example. The silicon nitride charge-trapping layer is normally sandwiched between a top silicon oxide layer and a bottom silicon oxide layer to form a stacked gate structure comprising an oxide/nitride/oxide (ONO) composite dielectric layer. An EEPROM having such as stacked gate structure is frequently referred to as a nitride read-only-memory (NROM).
Since the NROM is normally programmed through the injection of hot electrons, a high operating voltage and a high power rating is required. However, as the size of non-volatile memory cells continues to shrink due to miniaturization, the length of the channel must be reduced. Therefore, a high operating voltage will intensify the punch-through effect and result in a higher leakage current and a lower programming efficiency.


The present systems combines a drug delivery catheter and a dilator apparatus for use in lysing of clots wherein an internal dilator has a central lumen and an outer catheter is arranged coaxially about said internal dilator. An annular space for fluid passage is sealingly formed between an outer wall of the internal dilator and an inner wall of the outer infusion catheter. Apertures are located in the outer wall of the outer catheter for distributing fluid from the annular space. The internal dilator has a tip element and the outer catheter has an end opening so that together the end opening is occluded by the tip element which protrudes beyond the outer catheter when the outer catheter is arranged coaxially about the internal dilator and additionally the internal dilator is removable from the outer catheter to enable the introduction of a larger guide wire for further medical procedures.

Thrombosis, or blood clot formation, is the most common cause of hemodialysis access graft failure. Graft thrombosis usually results from venous flow obstruction, or stenosis. The location of the stenosis is most commonly found at the graft-vein anastomosis. A narrowing at this area causes a slow down or obstruction of blood flow resulting in the formation of the thrombus within the graft. Venous stenosis is present in over eighty-five percent of clotted grafts. The underlying venous anastamotic stenosis must be corrected in order to avoid recurrence of the thrombus. The venous stenosis is usually treated with balloon angioplasty after the graft has been cleared of the thrombus.
Treatment options for thrombosed grafts include surgical thrombectomy, graft replacement, or percutaneous endovascular thrombolysis. Percutaneous thrombolysis is the least invasive treatment option and has rapidly become the preferred method of treatment at most institutions. It can be accomplished using mechanical thrombectomy devices that macerate the clot or by using a thrombolytic agent to dissolve the clot. Mechanical thrombectomy devices are expensive and often require capital investment. Thrombolytic agents provide a less expensive treatment option.
Tissue plasminogen activators, also known as TPA, are one of the most commonly used thrombolytic agents for clearing dialysis grafts. The drug is introduced into the clotted graft via an infusion catheter or a needle. TPA has a high affinity and specificity for fibrin, a major component of blood clots. It acts upon the clot by binding to the surface and dissolving it by an enzymatic reaction. Time until clot dissolution is dependent on the length and size of the clot, the amount of drug delivered, and method used for drug delivery.
With the "lyse and wait" technique of thrombolysis, TPA or other thrombolytic agent such as urokinase or retaplase is delivered to the graft by a small gauge needle or an infusion catheter. Manual compression is applied to the graft anastomoses during drug administration to ensure targeted drug delivery is restricted to the graft. The procedure is performed without the aid of fluoroscopic guidance. The therapeutic action of the lytic agent typically takes at least one hour depending on the effective distribution of the lytic agent. After clot dissolution, the patient typically is brought into the angiographic suite for fluoroscopic imaging of the graft to identify and visualize residual venous stenosis. Angioplasty of the stenosed segment can then be performed.

Combination thrombolytic infusion catheter and dilator system


A method includes (a) preparing a substrate, and (b) growing a ZnO-containing compound semiconductor layer above the substrate by supplying at the same time at least Zn and O as source gases and S as a surfactant.

A) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacture method for a ZnO-containing compound semiconductor layer.
B) Description of the Related Art
Zinc oxide (ZnO) is direct transition type semiconductor having a band gap of about 3.3 eV at a room temperature and an exciton binding energy of 60 meV higher than that of other semiconductors, and is expected as the material of a high efficiency light emitting device. Mixed crystal such as MgxZn1-xO is also used to adjust a band gap. ZnO and mixed crystal having the same crystalline structure as that of ZnO are herein called ZnO-containing compound semiconductor.
In manufacturing, for example, a ZnO-containing compound semiconductor light emitting device, it is very important to control epitaxial growth of a thin film at an atomic level in order to improve the function of the light emitting device. One of recent leading research approaches to epitaxial growth of a thin film is surfactant mediated epitaxy. This approach artificially changes a growth mode of a thin film by using surface active agent (atoms or molecules) called surfactant, and is a useful means for epitaxial growth control.
JP-A-2004-221352 (which is incorporated herein by reference) discloses techniques of using hydrogen as surfactant when a ZnO-containing compound semiconductor layer is grown.
JP-A-2007-128936 (US-2007-0134842, which is incorporated therein by reference) discloses a temperature range of two-dimensional growth when an undoped ZnO layer is formed on a Zn polar surface of a ZnO substrate. FIGS. 1A to 1D in this Publication are reproduced in FIGS. 11A to 11D of this application. FIG. 11A shows a relation between a substrate temperature and a growth rate. FIGS. 11B to 11D show RHEED images of ZnO layers grown at substrate temperatures of 800° C., 850° C. and 1000° C., respectively (RHEED images of ZnO layers corresponding to plots 1B, 1C and 1D in FIG. 11A). At a substrate temperature not lower than 850° C., the RHEED images indicate streak patterns and it can be known that two-dimensional growth occur (FIGS. 11C and 11D). At a substrate temperature lower than 850° C., the RHEED image indicates spot patterns and three-dimensional growth occurs (FIG. 11A).
This Publication further discloses the following knowledge regarding a relation between a ratio between Zn and O and a growth mode. A flux intensity of Zn is represented by JZn, and a flux intensity of O radical is represented by JO. A coefficient (Zn sticking coefficient) indicating a bonding feasibility of Zn to an O terminated plane of ZnO crystal is represented by KZn, and a coefficient (O sticking coefficient) indicating a bonding feasibility of O to a Zn terminated plane is represented by KO.
A product KZn·JZn of the Zn bonding coefficient KZn and the flux intensity JZn corresponds to the number of Zn atoms bonded in a unit area of a substrate per unit time. A product KO·JO of the O bonding coefficient KO and the flux intensity JO corresponds to the number of O atoms bonded in a unit area of a substrate per unit time. A ratio of the product KO·JO to the product KZn·JZn is defined as a flux ratio. The flux ratio larger than 1 is called an O rich condition, whereas the flux ratio smaller than 1 is called a Zn rich condition.
H. Kato. M, Sano, K, Miyamoto, T. Yao: Journal of Crystal Growth 265 (2004); pp. 375-381 which is incorporated herein by reference, reports that RHEED images of ZnO layers had streak patterns, the ZnO layers being formed under an extremely O rich condition (flux ratio ≧5.6) and at various flux ratios, and suggests a ZnO layer is likely to grow three-dimensionally if the O rich condition is not extreme.
For example, a ZnO-containing compound semiconductor light emitting device has a multi-layer structure laminating an n-type semiconductor layers an emission layer a p-type semiconductor layer and the like. Improving flatness of an interface between lower layers is desired to form upper layers by good epitaxial growth. Techniques of improving flatness of a ZnO-containing compound semiconductor layer has been long desired.

Manufacture method for ZnO-containing compound semiconductor layer


A technique for spread-spectrum communication which uses more than one mode and more than one frequency band. Selectable modes include narrowband mode and spread-spectrum mode, or cellular mode and microcellular mode. Selectable frequency bands include both licensed and unlicensed frequency bands, particularly frequency bands including the 902-928 MHz, 1850-1990 MHz, and 2.4-2.4835 GHz frequency bands. Spread-spectrum communication channels are 10 MHz or less in width. The frequency band onto which spread-spectrum signals are encoded may be changed upon a change in environment or other control trigger, such as establishment or de-establishment of communication with a private access network.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to spread-spectrum communication and, more particularly, to a communication system using multiple communication modes over multiple frequency bands.
2. Description of Related Art
Cellular telephony has been well known for many years, but with its growing popularity, more channels in the allocated cellular frequencies have become necessary. Among the proposed advances in the art have been a move from frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems using narrowband analog communication to digital voice communication using traditional narrowband FDMA techniques possibly coupled with time division multiple access (TDMA) techniques. Further proposed advances include the use of code division multiple access (CDMA) techniques such as spread spectrum systems. Examples of communication protocols include IS-45, IS-95, DCS1900 (otherwise known as GSM), DECT (Digital European Cordless Telephone), and AMPS.
Another approach to the problem of allowing increased numbers of users in a geographic location is the concept of personal communications systems, or PCN's, which utilize microcells. A microcell is similar to a cell in a traditional cellular system, except much smaller. Where a traditional cell may cover an area of several square miles, a microcell may only be a few hundred feet in diameter. By limiting transmit power, more microcells, and thus more users, may be co-located in a geographic area.
Prior art does not teach a method for operation of a single telephone which has the ability to function both as a narrowband frequency, time, and/or code division multiplexed cellular phone, as well as a microcellular telephone utilizing time, frequency, or code division multiplexing, where the cellular and microcellular functions either share the same frequency bands of operation or are offset from each other. Nor does the prior art teach such a system where the microcellular mode may employ a paging unit independent of the unit's telephone functionality.
For purposes of the present specification, "analog voice" is described as a system where an analog voice system directly modulates a radio frequency (RF) carrier or intermediate frequency (IF) signal, and digital voice is described as a system where the signal is first digitized, and possibly compressed through any number of methods common and well known in the art, and whose digital signal is then used for RF carrier or IF modulation. A narrow band modulation typically uses amplitude modulation (AM) or frequency modulation (FM), and has a bandwidth between 3 kHz and 30 kHz.
In spread-spectrum communication, the spread-spectrum signal which is generated and transmitted has a spreading bandwidth which exceeds the bandwidth of the data stream. When using spread-spectrum techniques for wireless communication, it may be necessary to avoid or minimize interference with other users of the electromagnetic spectrum. Some examples of such other users are microwave communication users (such as the Operational Fixed Services ("OFS") using microwave communication towers) and cellular communication users (such as those using cellular telephones). In particular, OFS services are critical to controlling, among other things, the nation's electric power grid, which makes the possibility of inadvertent OFS disruption extremely serious. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to avoid or minimize interference with microwave and cellular communication users.
In wireless communication, the transmitted signal may be subject to various forms of frequency-selective fading, which may cause the signal to fade or drop out over a localized range of frequencies. Although spread-spectrum signals are distributed over a wider range of frequencies than narrowband signals, they may also be subject to frequency-selective fading over a portion of their spreading bandwidth. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to mitigate the effect of frequency-selective fading.
Spread-spectrum modulation in more than one frequency band can be difficult due to the wide separation between frequency bands. For example, operation in the 900 megahertz and 1800 megahertz bands could require a synthesizer capable of covering approximately 1,000 megahertz in frequency spectrum. However, in hand-held equipment such as telephones, it is undesirable to use more than one synthesizer, or even more than one oscillator, due to increased cost, weight, and related considerations. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a spread-spectrum system in which a single, relatively narrow, synthesizer would serve more than one operating frequency band.

Multi-band, multi-mode spread-spectrum communication system


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided superior in planarization, crack resistance, and moisture resistance, and with no corrosion in wiring while the manufacturing cost is suppressed without increasing the number of manufacturing steps in forming an interlayer film therein. This method includes the step of forming a silicon oxide film on a substrate so as to cover a first wiring formed with a silicon oxide film therebetween. A thick-film inorganic SOG film is coated on the silicon oxide film, and then a thermal treatment is applied. Next, a silicon oxide film is formed, and a via hole is formed according to a predetermined mask. By carrying out a thermal treatment at the temperature of 150.about.550.degree. C. and at the pressure of not more than 10.sup.-3 Torr with a portion of the thick-film inorganic SOG film exposed at a side surface of the via hole, residual gas such as CO.sub.2, and H.sub.2 O adsorbed to the side surface of the via hole is released. Thus, corrosion of a wiring that is subsequently formed will be prevented to obtain a semiconductor device of high reliability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a semiconductor device having a planarized interlayer insulator film between, beneath, or above metal wirings, and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
In these few years, reduction in the difference in underlayer level and planarization of an insulator film between wirings have become one of the most critical processes in improving the yield and reliability of semiconductor devices corresponding to increase in the density and integration thereof. One of such processes includes the step of depositing a film by a spin-on-glass method with silicon polymer (referred to as "SOG film" hereinafter) and applying a thermal treatment.
The material to form an SOG film (referred to as "SOG material" hereinafter) is classified into two types, i.e., inorganic SOG material, and organic SOG material having a structure in which an alkyl group is directly bonded to silicon.
When difference in underlayer level is to be reduced using an inorganic SOG material, a step of applying an inorganic SOG film 5a on an underlying oxide film 4 as shown in FIG. 24, and a step of applying again an inorganic SOG film 5b for the sake of planarization as shown in FIG. 25 are required. The inorganic SOG film filling the space between the stepped portion receives a tensile stress due to shrinkage of the film at the time of film growth to result in a generation of a crack 20.
When an SOG film is used as a part of a passivation film on a metal wiring, this crack will adversely affect the moisture resistance. For example, a crack 21 is easily generated beneath the stepped portion of a silicon nitride film 11 formed on a metal wiring by plasma CVD as shown in FIG. 26. Although SOG film 5b is applied over the stepped portion, generation of another crack 20 in this SOG film 5b will degrade the moisture resistance in addition to crack 21 in silicon nitride film 11 to result in corrosion of metal wiring 7.
In contrast, there is an advantage that difference in underlayer level can be reduced by virtue of using an organic SOG film 5c as shown in FIG. 27 since a film of approximately 1.5 .mu.m in maximum thickness can be formed just by one coating.
This organic SOG material includes alkyl groups such as Si--CH.sub.3 and Si--C.sub.2 H.sub.5, which can be easily damaged by oxygen plasma. There is a problem that dry etching 22 occurs when a crack or peeling 23 of the film is generated in an etching step of a via hole as shown in FIG. 28.
A structure in which organic SOG film 5c is not exposed at the side surface of a via hole is therefore required. More specifically, overall etchback is carried out after applying a coat of organic SOG film 5c to remove the organic SOG film above the stepped portion as shown in FIG. 29. A structure in which organic SOG film 5c is not exposed at the side surface of a via hole is possible as shown in FIG. 30 by this additional process.
An inorganic SOG film that can be formed in greater thickness than a conventional inorganic SOG film (referred to as "thick-film inorganic SOG film" hereinafter) is a new material for solving the above-described problems of conventional SOG film. Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 5-121572 discloses an example of the material of a thick-film inorganic SOG film according to the formula of: ##STR1##

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing thereof


Examples are disclosed for beamforming to mitigate multi-user leakage and interference. The examples include an evolved node B (eNB) receiving feedback from user equipment (UEs) to indicate strongest or highest channel gains for various beams included in a plurality of beam sets. A selection process or scheme may then be implemented to select individual beams for a UE that minimizes or reduces leakage caused by the UE's use of a given beam. Reducing leakage may reduce interference to other UEs using other beams. Other examples are described and claimed.

Increasing demands on limited resources for wireless communication networks has led to innovative solutions such as multi-user and full-dimension multi-input and multiple-output (MU-MIMO and FD-MIMO) systems. FD-MIMO systems may include use of an antenna array at a base station that has many antennas to serve several users or user equipment (UE). A multi-user FD-MIMO system with an antenna array having many antennas has a potential to achieve higher spectral efficiency by co-scheduling a relatively large number of UEs at relatively high data or bit rates.

Techniques for beamforming to mitigate multi-user leakage and interference


An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier that carries a developer image; a transfer member that transfers the developer image carried on the image carrier onto an image forming surface of a recording medium being conveyed; a fixation member that is disposed downstream of the transfer member in a conveyance direction of the recording medium, and fixes the developer image transferred on the recording medium; a first member that is disposed between the transfer member and the fixation member to face the image forming surface of the recording medium; and a second member that is disposed between the transfer member and the fixation member to face a non-image forming surface that is opposite the image forming surface, wherein the first member is provided with a first electrically-conductive member having an electric conductivity and being grounded.

1. Field
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.
2. Related Art
Heretofore, in a laser printer, there has been provided a configuration wherein an electrically conductive member is disposed on the side of the non-image-forming surface of paper (a recording medium) in the conveyance path between transfer member and fixation member. A patent document JP-A-2002-328552, for example, discloses a configuration wherein the electrically conductive member (conveyance metal plate) which is earthed (grounded) to a conveyance guide (guide member) arranged on the side of the non-image-forming surface is disposed. According to the configuration, an appropriate potential difference can be established between the paper (recording medium) charged during transfer and the conveyance guide (guide member) arranged on the side of the non-image-forming surface of the paper, so that the paper can be stably conveyed.
Meanwhile, in the field of image forming apparatuses, a request for the reduction of a size has been more eagerly made at present. When the reduction of the size of the whole apparatus is to be realized for the purpose of meeting the request, various components need to be arranged more densely, and various members concentrate also in the vicinity of a conveyance path which is constructed between transfer member and fixation member. In such a situation, when the various members are charged, there is the problem that the behavior of the recording medium being conveyed cannot be stably controlled by the prior-art configuration wherein only the members on the side of the non-image-forming side of the recording medium are merely grounded. More specifically, in the case where the reduction of the size is intended, not only the members on the side of the non-image-forming surface of the recording medium, but also the members on the side of the image forming surface thereof need to be arranged nearer to the recording medium being conveyed, and hence, the problem occurs anew that the charging of the members on the side of the image forming surface become liable to exert influence on the behavior of the recording medium.


An ink jet printing method is described. It comprising the steps of: providing an ink jet printer that is responsive to digital data signals; loading the printer with ink receptive substrates; loading the printer with an aqueous ink jet ink, said ink A) comprising a pigment, an aqueous carrier and potassium N-methyl-N-oleoyl taurate; and B) having a surface tension of 20 to 60 dynes/cm at 25.degree. C., a viscosity of 1 to 10 centipoise at 25.degree. C. and a particle size of less than 1.0 .mu.m; and printing on the ink receptive substrate in response to the digital data signals.

Ink jet printing is a non-impact method for producing images by the deposition of ink droplets on a substrate (paper, transparent film, fabric, etc.) in response to digital signals. Ink jet printers have found broad applications across markets ranging from industrial labeling to short run printing to desktop document and pictorial imaging.
The inks used in ink jet printers are generally classified as either dye-based or pigment-based. In pigment-based inks, the colorant exists as discrete particles. These pigment particles are usually treated with addenda known as dispersants or stabilizers which serve to keep the pigment particles from agglomerating and settling out of the carrier. The process of preparing inks from pigments commonly involves two steps: (a) a dispersing or milling step to break up the pigment to the desired particle size, and (b) a dilution step in which the dispersed pigment concentrate is diluted with a carrier and other addenda to a working strength ink. In the milling step, the pigment is usually suspended in a carrier (typically the same carrier as that in the finished ink) along with rigid, inert milling media.
Mechanical energy is supplied to this pigment dispersion, and the collisions between the milling media and the pigment cause the pigment particles to be reduced in size. A dispersant or stabilizer, or both, is commonly added to the pigment dispersion to facilitate the deaggregation of the raw pigment, to maintain colloidal particle stability, and to retard particle reagglomeration and settling. Although there are known in the prior art a wide variety of dispersing agents for pigmented ink jet inks, they are not without certain problems. For example, many dispersing agents are very selective as far as being able to disperse pigments to sub-micron size. In many instances each class of pigments may require a specific dispersing agent. Another problem encountered with polymeric dispersing agents is that they tend to impart an undesirable high viscosity to the resulting inks. Thus there is a continuing need for improved dispersing agents for pigmented inks.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,968 discloses ammonium and sodium N-methyl-N-oleoyl taurate for use as dispersant in ink jet inks. The problem is that when sodium N-oleoyl-N-methyltaurate (NaOMT) the dispersion foams excessively. This requires use of a defoamer. Ammonium N-oleoyl-N-methyltaurate methyltaurate is not commercially available, and produces NH.sub.3 when the pH of the solution is raised.

Potassium N-methyl-N-oleoyl taurate as a dispersant in pigmented ink jet inks


The present invention is a generator control system where each generator in the system has an associated controller. Each controller communicates generator data or information with the other controllers in the generator control system. Each of the controllers includes a digital signal processor for analyzing the generator signal from the associated generator and information from the other controllers in the generator control system. The controllers each compare their generator signal with a system average and adjust the associated generator until the generators all supply equal amounts of power to the system.

The present invention is a system and method for controlling load division in multiple generator systems. More specifically the system utilizes digital signal processing to control load division.
Power systems with independent power supply units must be able to meet the highest load demands of the power system. To have the required capacity large power systems typically use multiple power generators arranged in parallel rather than one large generator. When using this method, the most efficient energy distribution occurs when the power supplied by each generator is equal. Variations in wiring, excitation characteristics and speed control mechanisms of the generators can cause the load on the generators to become unequal. Unequal loading creates unnecessary heat and mechanical wear on the generators, and results in inefficient operation and reduced reliability on heavily loaded generators. A control circuit is used to counter these problems and maintain even loading among the generators.
In order to equally distribute the power, known parallel power systems use a system of dedicated current transformers and breaker auxiliary contacts wired together to form a current transformer loop (CT loop). The CT loop generates a difference from average (DFA) current signal for each generator channel. Based upon the DFA current signal, further analog circuitry is used to determine the real and reactive components of the current for each generator channel. Once the real and reactive currents are found, the load division between the generators can be controlled. As long as the voltage of each generator is constant across all parallel channels, current alone is a reasonable parameter to use to control power. However, the current transformers require additional circuitry and hardware to determine the DFA and extract the real and reactive components of the current. The additional circuitry and hardware reduces the accuracy of the load division, adds expense and complexity, and reduces the system reliability. Also, impedance in the external current transformer loops can increase measurement error.
Thus, a system that eliminates the need for dedicated current transformers, and associated wiring, hardware, and circuitry is needed.

Digital real and reactive load division control


A computer system for conducting continuous assurance for internal control of financial transactions is disclosed. The computer system comprises a processor, a bus coupled to the processor, a memory coupled to the bus, a mass storage system coupled to the bus, and continuous assurance software resident in the memory. The continuous assurance software, when executed, performing the steps of accessing client database, downloading total population, performing analysis, evaluating analysis results, comparing total population to financial statements, determining risk ratings for each predetermined financial group, determining a materiality of anomalies, and displaying results.

In today's highly competitive and complex corporate world, companies must balance time and money spent insuring reporting accuracy with the need to provide to investors, managers, or government overseers, quality and control information for their financial transaction. To accomplish this necessary quality and control, many companies perform intermittent verifications of selected records to ensure the substantial accuracy of the data presented on behalf of the company.
Based upon the entity's specific systems of accounting, risk factors are identified. The company randomly identifies a sample set of data records based upon the total population of data records. The data records are statistically analyzed to determine the attributes of the total population of the database, which can then be examined with regard to the risk factors. For example, a Real Estate entity or division of the Real Estate entity pulls a sample set of data records regarding specific notes receivable amounts. A selection of on-line or electronic terms for the sample notes receivable are recomputed and/or are computed through the term of the note, thus calculating the balance due on the note. The hard copy (paper copy) is then pulled and compared to the terms and calculated data. A comparison is performed to determine the accuracy and existence of the calculated sample data with regard to the actual hard copy files. Further, a sampling of notes receivable in default over a specified term frame can be analyzed in a similar fashion. Once the entire sample has been analyzed, a statistical analysis of the findings from this series of samples results can be performed and the results are then applied across the total population of records to determine the estimated number of errors, risks associated with the records, and materiality of such risks.
This approach is used because the number of notes receivable exceed the number for which manual evaluation in a cost efficient manner can be done. With the advancement of technology, the ability and capacity to perform recompilation processes in an efficient and cost effective manner have increased to encompass all the notes receivable, while the general premise of attribute and random sampling as it pertains to original documentation has continued.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,166 entitled "Method for Analyzing Effectiveness of Internal Controls in a Model of an Accounting System," dated Oct. 30, 2001 and issued to Robert A. Nado et al., a method for providing for assessment of control is disclosed. A method is provided for assessing control risks in a model based reasoning system used for analyzing financial accounting systems by decomposing and quantifying the risk factors in the model so that the risk factors can be used to determine areas in the accounting system for sufficient controls lacking and to determine which controls are key and thus, should be subject to detailed testing. Factors identified are failure impact risk, failure coverage risk, allowable risk, control detection risk, control strength, control defeat factor, attenuation factor, and control contribution. The present invention is used to enhance a hierarchical flow chart generating system, such as the Comet system, by providing risk analysis operative on a particular class of hierarchical structured flow charts. (Abstract) However, this method is another variation of a sampling analysis.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,524 entitled "Parallel Processing Systems for Traversing a Transactional Database," issued on Sep. 9, 1997 to Douglas F. Kunkel et al., a method of traversing a large database based upon user defined criteria computing information from the database based upon user defined criteria and providing information in the user specified format is disclosed. This invention discloses a parallel processing system provided which traverses logical records of events or transactional database contained in two or more physical files in accordance with one or more viewed definitions specified by the user. Each view definition includes a set of processing parameters and may reference one or more of the physical files. While one or more view definitions are transformed into entries of a logic table, the logic table including a plurality of sets, each set corresponding to a respective physical file and containing entries corresponding to the view definitions which reference its respective physical file. Each set of the logic table is transformed into machine code instructions from a separate thread of the parallel processing system. Each thread operates on its respective physical file and parallel with one or more of the other threads to traverse the physical file to retrieve information based on the view definition corresponding to the thread and stored the retrieved information and extract files designated by the view definition and performs design by the view definitions. (Abstract)
Neither of these patents address the need for a more complete monitoring and testing of the total population of transactions throughout a designated period. Therefore, any improvement in the ability to provide continuous assurance of the total population of transaction records of an entity without incurring excessive expense would be greatly beneficial.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method of continuous assurance for internal control


A field oxide layer for a semiconductor device includes an upper portion of first thickness extending above the major surface of a semiconductor substrate, and a lower portion of second thickness extending below the major surface of the semiconductor substrate. The ratio of first thickness to second thickness is not less than 1 to 2.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and manufacturing method for same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device isolation layer formed in a semiconductor device, and a method for forming same this layer using oxygen ion implantation.
As semiconductor devices become ever more highly integrated, active devices formed on the semiconductor substrate have decreased to a size near or below 1 micron. This dramatic reduction in size has also taken place with respect to device isolation regions which electrically separate the active devices. The size and nature of a typical device isolation region, which is formed early in the manufacturing process of the overall semiconductor device, influence the size of the active regions subsequently formed on the semiconductor substrate, and margins between such devices. This fact requires semiconductor manufacturers to add a planarizing step to remove step differences, i.e., surface undulations, in many field insulating layers. The conventional method of local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) presently used by semiconductor manufacturers has several disadvantages including the "bird's beak phenomenon" caused by lateral oxidation, the formation of crystal defects in the substrate caused by heat stress, and undesired redistribution of implanted impurities used as a channel stopper. Accordingly, LOCOS fails to attain the improved electrical characteristics necessary for higher integration of semiconductor devices.
To overcome the disadvantages attendant to LOCOS, a trench isolation method has been proposed. In this method, a field oxide layer is not formed by thermal oxidation as in LOCOS. Thus, the disadvantages associated with the thermal oxidation step in LOCOS are somewhat reduced.
However, the trench isolation method is not without its own problems. For example, formation of the trench to a depth greater than the designed depth creates crystal defects in the silicon substrate. Additionally, when insulation material is filled into a broad trench, the insulation material often has an uneven profile. Such an uneven profile leads to unstable device isolation characteristics and structural step differences in the trench pattern.
The foregoing isolation methods, LOCOS and trench, will be explained in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, and FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views illustrating the conventional LOCOS isolation method. Referring to FIG. 1A, a pad oxide layer 3 and a silicon nitride layer 5 are sequentially formed on a semiconductor substrate 1. A portion of silicon nitride layer 5 in a field region 9 is then removed by photolithography. Thereafter, a channel stopper ion 7 is implanted into field region 9. Thus, an active region 11 is isolated by field regions 9.
Referring now to FIG. 1B, the semiconductor substrate having field regions 9 and active region 11 is placed in an oxidation furnace and subjected to thermal oxidation under predetermined conditions to form a field oxide layers 13 from field regions 9. A channel stopper region 15 of impurities redistributed by thermal diffusion is formed under each field oxide layer 13. Also, during thermal oxidation, the semiconductor substrate adjacent to field region 9 is oxidized in a direction towards the active region 11 which leads to the bird's beak phenomenon. Thus, the "actual" field region 20 extends laterally into regions 19 to form the bird's beak, rather than remaining within the originally intended field region 17. The bird's beak phenomenon may be seen as an undesired and uncontrolled expansion of the field region beyond its intended design rule margins. This phenomenon adversely impacts attempts to maintain the fine patterns required in highly integrated semiconductor devices.
Additionally, in LOCOS, the field oxide layer is thermally grown to not less than 3,000 .ANG. in thickness. Accordingly, the potential for crystal defect caused by the stress occurring around the boundary of the active region and the silicon nitride layer which is selectively covered on the semiconductor substrate can lead to increased leakage current between devices.
FIGS. 2A-2D are cross-sectional views sequentially illustrating the conventional trench isolation method.
Referring to FIG. 2A, a pad oxide layer 2 of about 240 .ANG. in thickness is formed over semiconductor substrate 1 by the thermal oxidation. A silicon nitride layer 4 of about 1,500 .ANG. thickness and a thermal oxide layer 6 of about 1,000 .ANG. thickness are sequentially formed by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD), and the thermal oxide layer over a field region is then removed by photolithography.
Referring to FIG. 2B, by using the thermal oxide layer remaining over the active region as an etching mask, silicon nitride 4 and pad oxide layer 2 is subjected to reactive ion etching and semiconductor substrate 1 is then dry etched to form a trench. At this time, a narrow trench region and a broad trench region coexist in the substrate in accordance with the design rule of the semiconductor device.
Thereafter, a side wall oxide layer 8 is formed inside the trench by the thermal oxidation, and polysilicon 10 is then deposited to a thickness not less than 5,000 .ANG., and is anisotropically etched to fill the trench with polysilicon. At this time, the narrow trench region is completely filled, but the polysilicon in the broad trench region is sunken in its center region. That is, varying loading effects occur wherein each trench depending upon the trench's size, and these loading effects determine the "filler" profile of the polysilicon.
Referring to FIG. 2C, a field oxide layer 12 is formed on the polysilicon filling the trench using a thermal oxidation process. Note that "filled" profile of the broad trench region remains sunken in its center region.
Referring to FIG. 2D, the buffer layers including the thermal oxide layer, the silicon nitride layer and the pad oxide layer, are wet etched using a buffered oxide etchant (B.O.E). The B.O.E. may comprise a mixed solution of fluoroammonium and fluorohydrogen (7:1), and phosphoric acid solution. A sacrificial oxide layer (not shown) is thereafter grown and then wet etched, whereby the formation of the device isolation process is completed.
In the trench isolation method, a gate line and bit line may be shorted, or an electrical interconnection characteristic be deteriorated by sunken center region phenomenon (indicated by the letter G in FIG. 2D) of polysilicon filling the broad trench region. At a minimum, this phenomenon reduces product yield.
The bird's beak phenomenon (indicated by the letter R in FIG. 2D) occurs during the formation of the field oxide layer and limits the reduction of the device isolation region size. Also, when the thermal oxide layer of the buffer layer is etched, the field oxide layer is simultaneously etched to a predetermined thickness. Therefore, the field oxide layer should be increased in thickness in consideration of the process margin. Accordingly, the bird's beak phenomenon is deepened, thereby precluding the desired higher integration of the semiconductor device.
In response to the foregoing problems arising in the trench isolation method, an improved trench isolation method incorporating a chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) step has previously been proposed. This improved trench method has been considered an ideal method for completely filling the trench, and thereafter etching the insulating material overfilling the trench, because the insulation material refilled in the trench is removed in the horizontal direction. However, the added CMP step also has disadvantages such as the "dishing" phenomenon, wherein the center of the broad trench region becomes hollowed out into a dish shape when the width of the wide trench is greater than several mm. Such adverse affects create unstable device isolation characteristics and the structural step differences.

Device isolation layer for a semiconductor device


In some embodiments of the invention, a system for managing resource use in a Distributed Antenna System is provided. The system may include: a plurality of Digital Remote Units (DRUs) configured to send and receive wireless radio signals; a plurality of sectors, each configured to send and receive wireless radio signals; and a plurality of inter-connected Digital Access Units (DAUs), each configured to communicate with at least one of the DRUs via optical signals, and each being coupled to at least one of the sectors.

A communication network is a means for conveying information from one place to another. The information can be digital data, audio, video, text, graphics, data, sign language, or other forms. Establishing and maintaining communication networks is one of the oldest known activities of mankind, ranging from the shouting and drum signals of prehistory through written messages, signal flags, signal fires, smoke signals, signal mirrors, heliographs, signal lanterns, telegraphs, radios, telephones, televisions, microwave signals, linked computers and the internet. Despite the advancements in communication networks, clients continue to seek new advancements in services that provide communication capabilities more reliably than current services.

Soft hand-off and routing data in a virtualized distributed antenna system


We have found an alkaline warewashing detergent composition that can contain a critical amount of a nonionic rinse agent that when used in automatic warewashing machines permits the use of a potable water rinse without the addition of a separate rinse agent. Sufficient residual nonionic surfactant from the alkaline detergent remains on the surface ware and internal machine and rack surfaces after washing to promote adequate sheeting in the rinse cycle. The residual nonionic surfactant on internal surfaces dissolves in the rinse water to create an effective aqueous rinse agent. The nonionic rinse agents can be a single nonionic for both foam reduction cleaning and sheeting or can be a blend of nonionic materials providing these functions. The detergent can be in the form of a particulate, pelletized or block solid. The detergent can be used in a variety of high temperature and low temperature automatic warewashing machines including large multizone conveyor machines, or relatively small institutional machines that have a single washing chamber.

A variety of warewashing detergents have been in common use in wash water solution at high temperature (temperature sanitizing) or low temperature (chemical sanitizing) for many years in both institutional and household automatic warewashing machines. Such detergents have taken the form of a thickened liquid, particulate solid, a pellet, aqueous solution or dispersion or in the form of a solid block detergent. In institutional warewashing, such particulate, pellet or solid block detergents are dispensed using an automatic dispenser that creates an aqueous concentrate (i.e.) an aqueous solution or suspension of the alkaline detergent using a water spray. The water spray dissolves a portion of the detergent when needed to for the aqueous concentrate. The aqueous concentrate is directed into a washing chamber in the automatic warewashing machine for a wash cycle. Such detergents have been based on a variety of sources of alkalinity including alkali metal hydroxide, alkali metal silicate, alkali metal carbonate or bicarbonate, etc.
During the wash cycle, the organic or inorganic components of the aqueous warewashing detergent effectively remove soil from ware. Detergent additives provide other functionality to the detergent such as water treatment, defoaming, etc. After cleaning with the detergent, the ware is commonly rinsed using an aqueous rinse composition made through the intentional combination of a rinse agent and an aqueous diluent. An aqueous rinse composition typically comprises a major proportion of water and about 50 to 400 parts of an active rinse agent per million parts of the rinse water. Rinse agents are commonly nonionic surfactants that adjust the surface energy of the ware with respect to the water to promote sheeting and complete rinse water removal. Ware free of rinse water can then dry without spotting or streaking. In typical detergent processing, the use of a water rinse without a rinse agent typically produces ware having substantial streaking and spotting caused by aqueous residue derived from the rinse remaining on the dishes after the rinse cycle ends.
In an institutional automatic warewashing machine, rinse agents and alkaline detergents are intentionally added separately using dispensers designed for either a specific rinse agent or a detergent. As set forth below, rinse agents are primarily nonionic surfactant materials. Rinse agents are typically a subset of the alkylene oxide polymeric nonionic materials and have unique properties that promote sheeting action in rinse water to avoid spotting and streaking. Not all nonionic materials are appropriate for rinsing use. Rinse agents should change the energy at the interface between the washed ware and the rinse water such that the rinse water is removed completely from the surface of the ware. Such an interface energy must be reduced to prevent the adhesion of water droplets to the washed ware surface. Further, rinse agents should be low foaming to prevent machine pump cavitation caused by high levels of foam.
Automatic warewashing machines used in a variety of institutional and industrial locations come in a large variety of embodiments. The simplest machines are typically machines operating at low temperature (less than 160.degree. F.) having a single tank for aqueous materials used in the wash cycle. Such low temperature machines typically use a washing cycle that uses a washing solution prepared from an alkaline detergent composition. Once the short washing cycle is complete, the washing liquid is typically dumped from the machine and the ware is rinsed using a rinse cycle. The rinse water is typically maintained in the machine for reuse in the next wash cycle. To create a proper wash water material, additional detergent is typically dispensed into the water to restore the appropriate concentration of the washing ingredient components. After the wash to washing and rinsing cycles are complete, the ware can be contacted with the sanitizer material to ensure complete safety. Larger multistation high temperature machines (greater than about 160.degree. C.) are also used in locations having a higher volume of ware cleaning. Such machines typically involve a conveyor system in which individual racks of ware are moved through the multistation machine for a complete washing regimen. Often such ware racks are prescrubbed to remove large gross soils in a prewasher/prescrape stage, the ware is contacted with water under pressure to remove all large food items prior to washing. In the large rack conveyor systems, the ware and rack are typically exposed to a prewash stage, a power wash stage, a power rinse stage, a final rinse stage and can be exposed to a blow dryer to complete the production of a clean dry dish. Prewash stage is often involved contacting the ware with aqueous streams containing moderate amounts of cleaner materials to clean or prepare soils for removal. In a power wash stage, the ware is contacted with aqueous detergents containing effective concentrations of alkaline materials, surfactants and other components to completely remove the soils and prepare for the power wash stage in the prewash stage. The ware is then often directed to a power rinse stage and a final rinse stage. In these rinse stages, the alkaline detergent materials are rinsed from the dishes and if necessary, the ware can be exposed to a sanitizer rinse. In order to ensure that no confusion results from the discussion of the warewashing machines, simple dump and fill, single zone dishwashers can be operated at both high and low temperature. Similarly, large conveyor systems can also be operated at high or low temperature. These warewashing machines can also have a variety of other elements including conveyor units, drive units, storage locations, waste system disposals, racks, etc. Further, the reuse or recycling of rinse water is also common in both high and low temperature machines. The relatively clean rinse water that remains after rinsing is complete is often recycled to a wash tank for the purpose of creating a wash solution using an alkaline concentrate containing the wash chemicals.
Rinse agents used in machine rinse cycles have a polymer composition that is optimized to provide rinsing properties that have relatively reduced surfactancy, soil removing properties or other properties common to nonionic materials in general. A conventional rinse agent is typically formulated as a concentrate in liquid or solid form which is diluted with water in a rinse aid dispenser to form an aqueous rinse composition used in a warewashing machine rinse cycle to ensure that dishes sheet cleanly. The requirement for a separate rinse dispenser adds additional expense and complexity to institutional warewashing machines. This is particularly true in smaller low temperature machines having a single station that is used for all cycles in a warewashing regimen. In the low temperature machine, a rinse cycle follows a wash cycle and the rinse water is typically retained, combined with detergent and used in the washing cycle. After the washing cycle is complete the water is then directed to a machine drain. Low temperature machines are typically used in relatively small volume warewashing locations. Such locations require relatively simple operating machines with minimal moving parts and minimal upkeep and maintenance. Larger installations, having conveyor type machines that clean a large volume of ware, often on a 24 hour a day basis, also have a need for an easily used warewashing machine and warewashing chemicals. Accordingly a need has existed in this art to reduce the amount of chemicals stored and used in warewashing locations using either a relatively simple low temp machine or a relatively complex high temp conveyor-type machine.

Warewashing system containing nonionic surfactant that performs both a cleaning and sheeting function and a method of warewashing


A method for forming a barrier layer inside a contact in a semiconductor wafer is disclosed herein. The forgoing semiconductor wafer includes a dielectric layer on a silicon contained layer. A portion of the silicon contained layer is exposed by the contact. The method mentioned above includes the following steps.. First, form a conductive layer on the topography of the semiconductor wafer by a method other than CVD to increase the ohmic contact to the exposed silicon contained layer. Thus a first portion of the conductive layer is formed on the dielectric layer, and a second portion of the conductive layer is formed on the exposed silicon contained layer. Next, remove the first portion of the conductive layer to expose the dielectric layer. Finally, use a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method to form the barrier layer on the dielectric layer and the first portion of the conductive layer to prevent said silicon contained layer from exposure.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for forming a barrier layer in a contact, and particularly relates to a method for forming a barrier layer in a contact of high aspect ratio.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To increase the ohmic contact between the barrier layer and the silicon containing layer, a Ti layer is frequently deposited between the silicon containing layer and the TiN layer. The TiN layer is used as a barrier layer between a metal layer and a silicon containing layer. When forming a plug in a contact, the barrier layer is usually used to prevent the spike produced at the interface of the plug (usually formed of metal tungsten or aluminum) and the silicon containing layer. The TiN (titanium nitride) is usually used to form the barrier layer mentioned above. So the Ti layer together with the TiN layer is frequently used before the deposition of plug or interconnection.
To form the TiN barrier layer and the Ti layer in a contact, the ionized PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) or the traditional collimator is frequently used in the semiconductor industry. Though the step coverage of the TiN layer and the Ti layer is improved, yet the step coverage of the TiN layer and the Ti layer in a contact of high aspect ratio is still a problem.
Take a tungsten plug fabricating process for example, before forming the tungsten plug, referring to FIG. 1, it is necessary to form a contact in the inter poly oxide layer 10 on the silicon contained layer 11, the inter poly oxide layer 10 is made of BPSG (Borophosphosilicate glass). Using the developed photoresist layer 13 as a mask, the etching stops at the surface of the silicon contained layer 11. The next step is to strip the photoresist layer 13, and to remove the residue polymer after forming the contact. The cross sectional view of the semiconductor wafer is shown in FIG. 2, in which the photoresist layer is removed, and a Ti layer 15 and a TiN layer 17 are subsequently formed on the topography of the semiconductor wafer. The silicon contained layer 11 can be a silicon substrate.
The method used to form the Ti layer and the TiN layer can be an ionized PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) or a traditional sputtering technology using collimator. As shown in FIG. 2, because the contact is of high aspect ratio, and the method to form the barrier layer is the traditional method mentioned above, the step coverage of the Ti layer 15 and the TiN layer 17 is very poor. To form the tungsten plug, a portion of the Ti layer 15 and the TiN layer 17 on the inter poly oxide layer 10 is removed. As shown in FIG. 3, a first portion of the silicon contained layer 11 is not covered by the Ti layer 15 and the TiN layer 17 at the bottom of the contact. Whereas a second portion of the silicon contained layer 11 is covered by the Ti layer 15 and the TiN layer 17 at the bottom of the contact. To form the tungsten plug in the contact, the WF.sub.6 is induced into the reaction chamber, as shown in FIG. 3. The WF.sub.6 penetrates the first portion of the silicon contained layer 11 in the contact to react with the exposed Si and the exposed Ti, so the worm hole 19 in the silicon contained layer 11 is thus produced. The problem mentioned above becomes very serious especially when the contact is of a bowing profile.
Because of the worm hole 19, the Si leakage become very serious, and the electric characteristic of the device using the plug becomes worse. Referring to FIG. 4, a tungsten plug 21 is formed in the contact. Because it is very difficult to form the PVD barrier layer at the bottom of the contact with good step coverage, the tungsten plug formed in the forgoing steps may have high resistivity because of the worm hole. Especially, in the high aspect ratio contact, the condition mentioned above becomes more serious. To improve the problems mentioned above, it is necessary to improve the step coverage of the TiN layer 17 to prevent the WF.sub.6 from reacting with the Si in the silicon contained layer 11 and the Ti in the Ti layer 15. Thus prevent the worm hole from being produced.

Method for forming a tungsten plug and a barrier layer in a contact of high aspect ratio


A semiconductor integrated apparatus, including: an SOI (Silicon On Insulator) substrate which has a support substrate and an embedded insulation film; an NMOSFET, a PMOSFET and an FBC (Floating Body Cell) formed on the SOI substrate separately from each other; a p type of first well diffusion region formed along the embedded insulation film in the support substrate below the NMOSFET; an n type of second well diffusion region formed along the embedded insulation film in the support substrate below the PMOSFET; and a conduction type of third well diffusion region formed along the embedded insulation film in the support substrate below the FBC.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated device including well diffused regions formed in a SOI (Silicon on Insulator) substrate.
2. Related Art
As for the conventional DRAM cell consisted of one transistor and one capacitor including a trench capacitor or a stacked capacitor, there is a concern that its fabrication may become difficult as it becomes finer. As a candidate for a future DRAM cell, a new memory cell FBC (Floating Body Cell) is proposed (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2003-68877 and 2002-246571). In the FBC, majority carriers are stored in a floating body of an FET (Field Effect Transistor) formed on SOI (Silicon on Insulator) or the like, to store information.
In such an FBC, an element unit for storing one bit information is formed of only one MISFET (Metal Insulator Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor). Therefore, the occupation area of one cell is small, and storage elements having a large capacity can be formed in a limited silicon area. It is considered that the FBC can contribute to an increase of the storage capacity.
The principle of writing and reading for an FBC formed on PD-SOI (Partially Depleted-SOI) can be described as follows by taking an N-type MISFET as an example. A state of "1" is defined as a state in which there are a larger number of holes. On the contrary, a state in which the number of holes is smaller is defined as "0".
The FBC includes an nFET formed on, for example, SOI. Its source is connected to GND (0 V) and its drain is connected to a bit line (BL), whereas its gate is connected to a word line (WL). Its body is electrically floating. For writing "1" into the FBC, the transistor is operated in the saturation state. For example, the word line WL is biased to 1.5 V and the bit line BL is biased to 1.5 V. In such a state, a large number of electron-hole pairs are generated near the drain by impact ionization. Among them, electrons are absorbed to the drain terminal. However, holes are stored in the body having a low potential. The body voltage arrives at a balanced state in which a current generating holes by impact ionization balances a forward current of a p-n junction between the body and the source. The body voltage is approximately 0.7 V.
A method of writing data "0" will now be described. For writing "0", the bit line BL is lowered to a negative voltage. For example, the bit line BL is lowered to −1.5 V. As a result of this operation, a p-region in the body and an n-region connected to the bit line BL are greatly forward-biased. Therefore, most of the holes stored in the body are emitted into the n-region. A resultant state in which the number of holes has decreased is the "0" state. As for the data reading, "1" and "0" is distinguished by setting the word line WL to, for example, 1.5 V and the bit line BL to a voltage as low as, for example, 0.2 V, operating the transistor in a linear region, and detecting a current difference by use of an effect (body effect) that a threshold voltage (Vth) of the transistor differs depending upon the number of holes stored in the body.
The reason why the bit line voltage is set to a voltage as low as 0.2 V in this example at the time of reading is as follows: if the bit line voltage is made high and the transistor is biased to the saturation state, then there is a concern that data that should be read as "0" may be regarded as "1" because of impact ionization and "0" may not be detected correctly.
A semiconductor storage device using the FBCs as memory cells (hereafter referred to as FBC memory) is formed by using an SOI substrate. If the film thickness of a buried oxide film is thick, however, it becomes impossible to secure a stabilizing capacitor formed between a body and a support substrate. This results in a problem that the signal quantity of the memory cells cannot be made large.
On the other hand, if the buried insulation film is thin, then a back channel is formed on a side (a region in the vicinity of the buried insulation film) opposite to channel regions of FBCs, NFETs and PFETs formed over the buried insulation film, and device characteristics of the peripheral circuit are degraded.
By the way, circuits that need a fixed reference voltage are included in the peripheral circuit of an FBC memory. Those circuits are, for example, a circuit for adjusting levels of various internal power supply voltages, and an input buffer circuit for determining input logic levels. Each of these reference voltages is required to have a fixed voltage value that is not affected by variations in power supply voltages, temperature variations and variations in characteristics of devices such as transistors.
A band gap reference (BGR) circuit is known as a circuit for generating a stable high-precision reference voltage. In such BGR circuits, pnp bipolar transistors are used in many cases. The pnp transistor is a structure in which a p-substrate is set equal to a ground voltage as its collector and a p+ diffused layer in an n-well is used as its emitter.
This structure forms a vertical bipolar transistor having multiple diffused layers. It is known that a large contact area between the diffused layers can be ensured and the width of the base can be narrowed and consequently a transistor having good characteristics can be implemented.
In forming such a bipolar transistor on a support substrate under the buried oxide film of SOI, however, it becomes difficult to form contacts if the buried oxide film is thick.


The present invention relates to a method for generating mechanical waves within a viscoelastic medium (11) comprising a step of generating an acoustic radiation force (15) within the viscoelastic medium (11) by application of acoustic waves focused on an interface (13) delimiting two zones (11, 14) having distinct acoustic properties.

The present invention relates to the general field of the medical imaging.
1. FIELD OF INVENTION
More particularly, the invention applies to the generation of mechanical waves in a viscoelastic medium, with such mechanical waves being likely to be imaged in order to determine the properties of the viscoelastic medium.
The present invention therefore relates more precisely to the field of elastography.
2. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
This medical imaging technique maps the mechanical properties of a viscoelastic medium and quantifies the rheology of the viscoelastic medium. According to this technique, a mechanical stimulus is generated and causes displacement of the tissues. The spatiotemporal response of the tissue to this mechanical excitation is then measured. The spatiotemporal response is advantageously measured using an imaging modality, for example by echography or magnetic resonance, etc.
Once the movement resulting from the mechanical excitation is known, it is possible to determine the mechanical properties of the medium.
In transitory elastography, the mechanical excitation consists of a short mechanical pulse or a low number of pulses created either on the surface of the body, or inside the tissue itself.
The quality of transitory elastography images depends crucially on the amplitude of the shifts possible to be generated by exciting mechanical stimulation.
It is evident in transitory elastography by external stress, that the amplitude in shift is limited only by the maximum surface vibration which can be induced at contact of the medium without damaging it. The resulting shifts in tissue easily have amplitudes of the order of 100 μm.
In this way, and in general, shifts resulting from mechanical excitation must be sufficient to be measurable with the fewest errors, at the same time being limited to avoid any harmful effect in the medium, especially in the case of biological tissue.
The generated power is therefore satisfactory, though it is known that use of external stress creates technical problems, such as the space requirement of the device necessary for this stress, synchronisation of the mechanical excitation with the imaging, localisation of the mechanical excitation, optimisation of the amplitude of the wave in the zones of interest in depth, etc.
There is also transitory elastography where the mechanical stress of the medium observed is created by an acoustic radiation force. This radiation force is obtained by focusing an ultrasound beam inside the medium. Focusing the beam can take place here in a single zone of the medium or successively in a plurality of zones of the medium.
The focal spot, on which the ultrasound beam converges, is then moved at a speed greater than the propagation speed of the elastic waves to generate an elastic shift wave of maximum amplitude of the order of 10 to 100 μm.
This shift wave propagates in the medium. Measuring the propagation properties of the wave, observed by echography, MRI or some other imaging modality, determines mechanical variables characteristic of the tissues investigated. It is possible to determine, inter alia, a shearing module or even viscosity, etc.
The shift engendered by the acoustic radiation force is connected to the energy deposited in the tissue, and the amplitude of the mechanical wave generated is therefore limited by the maximum acoustic power which can be sent in the observed medium without thermally or mechanically altering the tissue.
The ultrasound solution offers simple handling, reproducibility of the manner in which the stress is generated, assurance as to synchronisation of excitation with imaging and assurance as to localisation of the excitation, but suffers from a lack of power.

Method for generation mechanical waves by generation of interfacial acoustic radiation force


An image recording apparatus includes a controller configured to: determine whether a change of a signal from a sensor indicates a case where a recording medium is conveyed by a conveyance mechanism or a case where the recording medium is placed on a placement unit without conveying by the conveyance mechanism, based on whether the recording medium is conveyed by the conveyance mechanism; start, when the reading unit is operated to start reading the image within a first predetermined time after the signal from the sensor is changed, monitoring to determine whether the recording medium is placed on the placement unit without conveying by the conveyance mechanism; and store, when it is determined during the monitoring that the recording medium is placed on the placement unit without conveying by the conveyance mechanism, data indicating an irregularity reading in the storage unit.

In case that a plurality of terminals shares one printer, a time lag occurs from when a printing instruction is issued from the terminal to when a user moves to take a printed medium of the printer. During the time lag, another person takes out the printed medium, so that the information may leak out. In order to suppress this situation, there is a technology in which a mark indicating personal information of the user having issued the printing instruction is attached to the printed medium.

Image recording apparatus for monitoring unauthorized copy jobs


The present invention relates to compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein A is methylene, oxygen, sulfur or N-B wherein B is R.sub.1 or COR.sub.2 wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or an Ar-Z-group wherein Ar is aryl and Z is a C.sub.0 -C.sub.4 alkyl and R.sub.2 is a --CF.sub.3, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl or an Ar-Z group;. R is hydrogen or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl; and PA1 X and Y are each independently hydrogen, nitro or amino, with the proviso that when X is nitro or amino, Y must be hydrogen, and when Y is nitro or amino, X must be hydrogen; and. pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, which are inhibitors of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme

The compounds of the present invention are inhibitors of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE). ACE is a peptidyl dipeptidase which catalyzes the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II. Angiotensin II is a powerful vasopressor which also stimulates aldosterone secretion by the adrenal cortex.
Inhibition of ACE lowers levels of angiotensin II and thus inhibits the vasopressor, hypertensive and hyperaldosteronemic effects caused thereby It is known that inhibition of ACE is useful in the treatment of patients suffering from disease states such as hypertension and chronic congestive heart failure [See William W. Douglas, "Polypeptides - Angiotensin, Plasma Kinins, and Others", Chapter 27, in GOODMAN AND GILLMAN'S THE PHARMACOLOGICAL BASIS OF THERAPEUTICS, 7th edition, 1985, pp. 652-3, MacMillan Publishing Co., New York, N.Y.]. In addition, it has been disclosed that ACE inhibitors are useful in treating cognitive disorders [German Application No. 3901-291-A, published Aug. 3, 1989].
Certain tricyclic compounds such as that described by Flynn et al. [J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 109, 7914-15 (1987)] and Flynn and Beight [European Patent Application Publication No. 0 249 223 A2, published Dec. 16, 1987] are known as ACE inhibitors. The compounds of the present invention differ from these tricyclic inhibitors of ACE by having an amino or nitro substituent on the aromatic moiety of the tricyclic structure.
It has now been found that the amino or nitro substituted compounds of the present invention possess an unexpectedly prolonged duration of activity in comparison to other ACE inhibitors of similar structure.

Amino and nitro containing tricyclic compounds useful as inhibitors of ACE


A transferring apparatus carries out the method proposed by the invention, for transferring articles from a first conveying line to a second article conveying line by two manipulating members, operated independently from each other to pick up a corresponding pair of articles moving on the first conveying line, and to release them onto the second conveying line arranged at an angle with respect to a picking up configuration.

Known transferring apparatuses include manipulating means for picking up articles from a first conveying line, where they are placed within respective compartments or in bulk, and for moving them into corresponding boxes of a second conveying line, for feeding a boxing machine.
The manipulating means, moving along two or three axes, usually include arms, whose ends carry means for picking up/releasing the articles.
In case that the first conveying line is operated continuously, the arm follows the line keeping in registry with an article, then picks it up and subsequently releases it into a compartment of the second conveying line.
In case that the first conveying line is operated stepwise, the article is released into the compartment preferably during a dwelling, while in case of continuous operation, a two-step following motion is necessary, keeping in registry with the compartment first and subsequently releasing the article.
There are also manipulating means including two arms, acting onto each other or connected mechanically to each other, with corresponding article picking up means situated at their ends.
The main problem of the known transferring apparatuses derives from the limited production rate, which they can achieve in the system, incompatible with high standards, required at present by the market.
Another disadvantage of the known apparatuses lies in their insufficient flexibility during the article picking up/release, as far as possible changes of pace and/or of picking up/release configuration are concerned, as well as the change of articles size.

Method for transferring articles from a first conveying line to a second conveying line and an apparatus for carrying out the method


An outboard drive for boats, having a steerable underwater housing (1) which has a wing-profiled portion (2). Projecting at an approximately 90 degree angle from the aft part of one side face (31) of the wing profile is a face portion (32), the lateral extent of which amounts to about 1–2% of its distance to the steering shaft (36) of the wing profile. As a result of this construction, a lifting force will be generated during forward travel in the water. The face portion is configured on that side of the profile which produces a lifting force counter-directional to a steering force, deriving from the motor torque, upon the wing profile.

To a rotatable underwater housing of an outboard drive for boats, torque is transmitted from the motor coupled to the outboard drive via a bevel gear mounted on the inner side of the boat's hull, so that the underwater housing, under load, strives to rotate in the same direction as the rotational direction of the vertical drive shaft. Outboard drives of the type described above are used, in particular, in boats from 40 feet and upward, which have high-powered motors with high torque, for example from about 600 Nm and above. This means that the underwater housing is constantly subjected, while the boat is in motion, to a relatively high steering torque that somehow has to be balanced.
A simple and known method is, of course, quite simply to dimension the steering machinery of the drive large enough so that it is able to absorb the forces to which the motor torque gives rise, together with the steering forces when the boat yaws. This means, however, that the steering machinery has to be more generously proportioned than would be required if it merely needed to exert the force to rotate the underwater housing during yawing. Another way is to dimension the underwater housing with a very large surface area behind the steering shaft of the underwater housing. Finally, the underwater housing can be configured with an asymmetrical profile, for example with a curved aft part, which is also known.
To provide the drive with steering machinery that is more powerful than that required for the actual steering is an expensive solution. This also applies to an underwater housing having a large surface area.
Moreover, such an underwater housing increases the resistance in the water and is additionally given an unnecessary amount of weight. Also, a drive having a curved aft edge on the wing-shaped underwater housing is more difficult to produce than a symmetrical drive and the dimensional control is not as good.


A dispensing container is provided, the container including an outer shell comprising a top, a bottom, sidewalls extending between the top and bottom, and two ends, at least one end being open; an inner tray, slidably received within the outer shell, comprising at least one storage compartment adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed, and comprising at least one depressible detent, the detent comprising a raised surface that abuts the outer shell; wherein, in a closed configuration, the detent holds the inner tray within the outer shell, and wherein the at least one detent may be depressed by pressure to allow the inner tray to slide relative to the outer shell.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to containers and methods of use thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to containers that provide dispensing or dosing of the stored product.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of containers for dispensing solid objects, particularly solid products intended for human consumption, are known in the art. Such containers are often characterized by a hand-held size that can be easily stored and transported. Exemplary consumable products that are often packaged in such containers include pharmaceutical compositions, oral tobacco products, snacks, mints, gums, breath strips, candy, and the like. One form of container is a formed metal "tin" comprising a bottom enclosure and a tightly fitting lid. Such a container may be expensive to make and may not provide sufficient resistance against a child opening the container.
Certain consumable products, such as pharmaceutical products, require containers having a certain level of child resistance. Traditionally, pills have been packaged in a bottle having a cap that can only be removed by applying downward pressure while twisting the cap. However, this type of child resistance has certain disadvantages. For example, if a child does manage to open the bottle, immediate access is provided to the entire contents of the bottle. Further, if an adult user fails to place the cap in the properly secured position, there is no secondary mechanism for preventing access by a child.
Exemplary containers that provide a locking mechanism for enhancing child-resistance of a container can be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,175 to Gelardi; U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,149 to Gelardi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,976,576 to Intini; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,776 to Gelardi, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
There remains a need in the art for a container for storing and dispensing a product that combines various advantageous features, such as child resistance, ease of manufacturing, and convenient size.


An exercise device for conditioning and rehabilitation of the nerves, muscles, bones, and joints of the body by facilitating or limiting range of motion and biomechanical forces around the horizontal and vertical axes. The device includes a fulcrum connected to a first side of a base. The fulcrum extends outward from the base and provides a point about which the device pivots. Fulcrum includes a recess having a removable attachment. When the attachment is connected, the fulcrum has a rounded shape. A user positioned on the base can pivot about the fulcrum in substantially 360° of motion to fully work their body. When the attachment is removed, rails forming the recess limit the range of motion to a user to between substantially a first orientation and a second orientation. The range of motion with the attachment removed being less than the range of motion with the connected attachment.

So-called platform "wobble boards" and "rocker boards" are used to develop muscle strength, endurance, coordination and improve balance by training the nervous system and improving muscular responses to perturbed or unstable joint positions. The novice or unfit user may start using the device for range of motion control in a seated or non-weight bearing position. As the user becomes proficient in controlling the rocking motion of the platform in different planes (front/back, right/left oblique angles etc.), the attachment can achieve wobble movements in all directions (360°).
To have therapeutic effectiveness the device must have a degree of instability that provokes a quick muscle response. The device is intended to be useful for beginners all the way up to highly athletic individuals due to the inherent versatility of the device and the multiplicity of therapy variations. For instance the user may make the task more difficult or challenging by standing on one foot at a time and/or by closing the eyes.
The goal is to improve the neuromusculoskeletal response to labile surfaces which may provide a protective skill preventing future injuries. The somatosensory, vestibular, (inner ear) and visual systems of balance may be challenged in this manner. Standing on sufficiently unstable surfaces provokes strong muscle contractions. This produces a training effect for the feet/ankles, knees, hips, back, trunk, and head/neck regions as well as the upper extremities become engaged in the struggle to maintain balance, control body movements and posture. In short, the entire body may benefit from this movement therapy exercise device.
It has proven useful to increase the difficulty level as proficiency is obtained which has previously required multiple devices. Each device is often costly but required by the user if they desire to improve beyond certain introductory levels. Additionally, the devices are cumbersome to travel with such as taking them to an exercise facility or on vacation. The devices also require storage space in the user's home which is often at a premium.

Exercise device and method of using the same