A cabinet for a reach-in cooler includes at least one door and a window located within the at least one door. The window is sized to be no larger than one third the surface area of the door.

The present invention generally relates to cabinets for reach-in coolers, and more particularly to a cabinet door having a window for viewing the contents of the cabinet, but minimizing heat loss to the environment.
Refrigerators and freezers are usually designed without windows to minimize the heat loss to the outside environment. The contents of household refrigerator and freezer units are sufficiently known, and energy conservation is sufficiently important, to negate the need for continuous viewing access to the interior of the units. In commercial and merchandiser designs, however, refrigerators and freezers often include glass doors to allow patrons to see the types and brands of food stocked therein. While providing a convenience to patrons of commercial establishments, these glass doors allow significant heat loss to occur. Examples of such doors are shown or described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,416,122 to Johnson, 4,941,289 to Rolek, and 3,712,078 to Maynard. Additionally, storage and food service coolers used, for example, in grocery store storage rooms and restaurants usually do not include glass doors. While the absence of glass doors minimizes heat loss to the environment, lack of knowledge regarding the contents of the coolers may actually cause a greater heat loss than would providing the storage cooler with a glass door. For instance, in a grocery store, and most especially in a restaurant, employees often open and close cooler doors while looking for a certain food or other stock. Due to the constant flow of stock into and out of storage coolers, it may be impractical for one to reliably know the contents of a storage cooler at any given time. This is especially true when shift work is involved at the establishment. In that case, employees on one shift may have no idea what types of food or other stock was used or stocked, or where the stock was placed, on an earlier shift. Also, when numerous identical or similar coolers are located side-by-side, one may forget in which cooler it was that one placed a food or other stock. Therefore, to determine whether a certain food or other stock is located within a storage cooler, one must open the cooler door and look into the cooler. Opening the cooler door allows refrigerated air to escape from the cooler to the environment, thereby increasing the amount of energy required to maintain the cooler at the necessary temperature. This problem is exacerbated when there are numerous storage coolers within which stock is stored.
The use or absence of glass doors in merchandiser, food service and household refrigeration units provokes divergent problems in the refrigeration art. For example, while it is desirable to have continuous viewing access to the interior of refrigeration units, the heat loss associated with glass doors makes their implementation impractical in household and food service units, and a necessary inefficiency in merchandiser units. Thus, it is desirable to develop a refrigerator and freezer cabinet that will permit one to view the interior thereof, without excessive heat loss from the cabinet to the environment.


Provided is a method for cooling an electric generator including the steps of: monitoring the temperature of the end winding and of the magnet through said first and second temperature sensors, if the temperatures of the end winding and/or of the magnet rises and reaches a first upper limit, operating the plurality of cooling fans for providing a first cooling power to the electric generator, if, while the first cooling power is provided, the temperature of the magnet reaches the second maximum acceptable temperature and the temperature of the end winding is lower than the first maximum acceptable temperature, operating the plurality of cooling fans for providing a second cooling power to the electric generator, the second cooling power being lower than the first cooling power.

Electric generator of the kind above and cooling methods thereto are generally known. By means of the fans, air is blown through the rotor stator gap and the stator air ducts to cool the generator, in particular the end windings of the stator and the permanent magnets of the rotor.
During operation the machine is monitored and a control strategy is in place to maximize the power production. The end winding temperatures are measured to control the fans used for cooling. When the temperature reaches a first predefined upper limit value, two strategies are normally possible:
in the so-called Large Drive (LD) generators a portion of a plurality fans which are installed are switched on,
in the so-called Small Drive (SD) generators, all the fans of a plurality fans which are installed are switched on at Low speed.
When the temperature reaches a second predefined upper limit value, higher than the first upper limit, the two strategies respectively comprises:
LD generators: switching on further fans of the plurality fans which are installed;
SD generators: running the fans at a higher speed.
In addition to measuring the end winding temperatures, also the generator current and the rotor permanent magnet temperatures are measured. When the latter also reach a certain predefined upper limit values, the control strategy currently in place reduces the power production in order to be able to maintain the end winding temperatures and the magnets below their maximum acceptable temperatures. The maximum acceptable temperature on the windings depends on the insulation class and the maximum acceptable temperature on the magnets on the percentage of alloy element preventing demagnetization. Typically, maximum acceptable temperature on the winding is higher than the maximum acceptable temperature on the magnets.
In this condition, when the electrical generator is derated, all the cooling fans are running (LD generators) or they are running at full speed (SD generators) because they are controlled by the maximum end winding temperature, which has reached the above defined second upper limit.
There are, however, situations where the cooling air circulated in the generator has a temperature comprised between the maximum acceptable temperature of the permanent magnets and the maximum acceptable temperature of the end windings. In these cases, temperatures of the end windings may be well below their limit and the permanent magnet temperature becomes the limiting factor because the circulated air which is cooling the stator tends also to heat up the permanent magnets.
Typically, this happens at low torque, hence low current and high ambient temperature, but it may also happen at full power.


In a data recording apparatus for recording control parameters in a control unit in a vehicle, it is determined whether or not the control unit has terminated an operation for outputting control parameters to be recorded. Then, when it is determined that the control unit has terminated the operation, shut-down processing is executed at a timing at which the termination of the operation is determined for shutting down a power supply to the data recording apparatus.

The invention relates to a data recording apparatus and a shut-down method for a data recording apparatus, and more particularly, to a technique for shutting down an apparatus for recording control parameters in a control unit mounted in a vehicle.
Conventionally, a data recording apparatus, for loading and recording control parameters of a control unit mounted in a vehicle in order to identify a faulty condition of the vehicle, is known. For example, JP-A-2002-070637 discloses a data recording apparatus which effectively utilizes a limited storage capacity to reliably and efficiently record data for a control unit. This data recording apparatus chronologically samples a variety of data (i.e., control parameters) in the control unit of a vehicle. Then, a sequence of sampling data is stored in a data recording section upon establishment of a predetermined trigger condition which corresponds to a condition under which effective data can be acquired for identifying a faulty condition of the vehicle. The data recording apparatus continues to executes such a recording operation over operation cycles of the vehicle, and switches to a sleep mode in four minutes after an ignition switch is turned off for power saving.
However, if the data recording apparatus switches to the sleep mode in a predetermined time after the ignition switch of the vehicle is turned off, it is difficult to achieve the compatibility between an improvement in the reliability of recorded data and a reduction of power consumption in a battery. This is because a situation takes place where a timing at which the data recording apparatus switches to the sleep mode is different from a timing at which the controller terminates the operation. Each controller contained in a vehicle terminates its operation at a timing which is set on an individual basis. Thus, when a controller terminates the operation before the data recording apparatus switches to the sleep mode, the power stored in the battery will be consumed for nothing. On the other hand, when the data recording apparatus switches to the sleep mode even though a controller is still operating, a situation takes place where the data recording apparatus terminates a recording operation even though data should be still recorded.

Data recording apparatus and shut-down method for data recording apparatus


A liquid vapor dispenser is disclosed that includes a two-compartment reservoir for retaining a quantity of liquid to be dispensed, and an integral wick/emanator assembly. The assembly includes a wick, which extends into the reservoir to conduct the liquid out from the reservoir. An emanator is formed integrally with the wick and provides an evaporative surface to dispense the liquid conducted from the reservoir.

The present invention is directed to the field of liquid dispensing devices, particularly those of the type used to dispense a scent-producing air freshener. Many liquid vapor dispensers are known which dispense a fragrance into an ambient environment for purposes of air-freshening. However, most of the previous dispensers dispense fragrance at a non-uniform rate, initially emitting a very strong scent, and subsequently emitting a very weak scent.
A liquid dispenser is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,111 to the present inventor, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. In this device, liquid vapor is dispensed at a slow uniform rate, permitting constant reliable use over a long period of time. This previous dispenser includes a liquid reservoir, preferably a thin, impermeable, plastic bag, which retains an active liquid to be dispensed. A sheathed wick extends out of the reservoir and conducts the liquid to a large-surface emanator via capillary action, where it is evaporatively dispersed into the ambient environment. The reservoir bag is sealed around its perimeter, and fluid egress can only occur along the wick, which is retained inside a tube. As liquid evaporates, the bag collapses internally to maintain equalized atmospheric pressures.
The previous dispenser is formed of a number of components, including a bag, wick, wick tube, emanator and various connecting structures. All of these components require separate manufacture, and assembly of the finished dispenser involves a number of production steps, thus adding to the overall cost of manufacture. Also, since the various elements are discretely formed, they can become disconnected from each other, resulting in the failure of the dispenser.

Liquid dispenser with integral wick/emanator assembly


A program viewing control apparatus includes: a detection unit for detecting rating information regarding a viewing lock level of contents, which is added to data of the contents; a storing unit for storing rating information regarding the viewing lock level; a control unit for locking the contents based on comparison between the rating information detected by the detection unit and the rating information stored in the storing unit; a selection unit for inputting a selection signal for selecting whether to limit viewing of the contents or not when contents video based on data of the contents is displayed on a display section; and an update unit for updating the rating information stored in the storing unit based on the selection signal inputted from the selection unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a program viewing control apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a television broadcasting reception apparatus in which in order to prevent a program including a violent expression or a pornographic expression from being viewed by children, a broadcasting station adds viewing lock level information (rating information) to a broadcasting signal of the program to limit the viewing of the program based on this rating information, has been known. For example, a television broadcasting recording apparatus for carrying out the viewing lock even in fast play or slow play operation, has been known (see Patent Publication 1 for example).
When such a viewing lock is set, an adult user always must change the setting of the viewing lock in order to view a broadcasting program. Therefore, it is inconvenient. To prevent this, another television broadcasting reception apparatus in which a set viewing lock can be temporarily invalidated without changing the setting information of the viewing lock, has been known (Patent Publication 2 for example). Further, another apparatus in which a set viewing lock can be invalidated by inputting a password, also has been known (Patent Publication 3 for example).    [Patent Publication 1] Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2001-016565    [Patent Publication 2] Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2000-134554    [Patent Publication 3] Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2002-199367
Each user sets a viewing lock by selecting a viewing lock level based on the age of his or her child or the like. However, the user cannot know which viewing lock level a program to be locked has. Thus, there is some possibility that a selected viewing lock level is different from a viewing lock level of the program to be locked. As a result, a problem that a program to be locked cannot be securely locked is caused.


A method and apparatus for texturing the air bearing surface (ABS) of a magnetic head of a hard disk drive includes juxtaposing the ABS with an ultrasonically-driven sonitrode having a diamond die end. An alumina slurry is disposed between the sonitrode and ABS at a slight pressure, with the slurry having a grit size of less than one micron. The sonitrode is then vibrated to agitate the slurry and thereby texture the head. If desired, a cavity can be formed in the die, with the cavity being a mirror image of a portion of the head, e.g., the sensing element, that is not intended to be textured.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to magnetic heads for data storage devices, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for reducing stiction between the air bearing surface (ABS) of a magnetic head and the storage medium of a data storage device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In data storage devices such as computer hard disk drives, inductive thin film magnetic head assemblies are normally used for implementing read/write functions. When the disks of a hard disk drive are rotated, a surface of each disk carries a thin film of air, referred to in the art as an "air bearing". This air bearing supports the magnetic head assembly, and more particularly it supports the surface of the head assembly that is most closely juxtaposed with the disk. Accordingly, the surface of the head assembly closest to the disk is referred to as the "air bearing surface" (ABS) of the head. The head's sensing element itself usually is recessed a short distance from the ABS of the head assembly. Although in reality the disk rotates past the head, the head, from the point of view of the disk, "flies" over the disk at some height, referred to as the "flying height".
It happens that it is desirable that the sensing element and, thus, the ABS, of the head be positioned as closely as possible above the disk during read/write operations, because the data capacity of the disk drive increases as the distance between the sensing element and disk decreases. In other words, it is advantageous that the flying height in a hard disk drive be as low as possible. Accordingly, methods and apparatus have been developed for lowering the height at which the ABS of a head "flies" above a disk of a disk drive.
An example of such is disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,270, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention and incorporated herein by reference. In my above-incorporated patent, I disclose a method employing ultrasonic means for precisely machining complex patterns of slider rails at the substrate level to establish the ABS of a head, the complex patterns permitting very close juxtaposition of the ABS and a disk of a disk drive. The high precision of the rail patterns supports a very low flying height and, thus, increases the data capacity of the hard disk drive.
One significant problem in disk drives that incorporate sliders with very planar surfaces is the stiction caused by contact or close proximity of the slider and disk surfaces. Stiction can cause drive failure.
One way to reduce stiction between the ABS of a head and the surface of a disk is to slightly texture, i.e., roughen, the surface of the disk. As can be readily understood, such texturing must be very precisely accomplished, to avoid damaging the disk.
As an alternative to texturing the entire disk, previous attempts have been made to texture only the ABS of a head. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,412 attempts to texture a head by sputtering or by making the head from a two-phase, intrinsically textured material. In contrast, U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,657 contemplates chemical etching methods. I, however, have recognized that while the ultrasonic method and apparatus disclosed in my above-incorporated patent were directed to lapping the ABS to a very smooth finish, and then subsequently machining a pattern in an ABS, the principles of my previous invention as inventively modified herein can also be used to slightly roughen the ABS with a high degree of precision and uniformity. Indeed, as recognized by the present invention, ultrasonic texturing of a head has the advantage of being inexpensive yet precise in texturing only the ABS of a head while avoiding unwanted texturing of the sensing element itself, unlike other methods which rely on sputtering or dual-phase ABS.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for ultrasonically texturing the ABS of a magnetic head. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for uniformly texturing the ABS of a magnetic head. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for texturing the ABS of a magnetic head, without unduly damaging sensitive portions of the head, such as the sensing element. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for texturing the ABS of a magnetic head that is easy to use and cost-effective.

Method and apparatus for ultrasonically texturing ABS of magnetic head of hard disk drive

International Business Machines Corporation


A magnetic detector which includes a first thin-layer element and a second thin-layer element made of magnetic material with magnetic anisotropy in the plane possessing, in this plane, two easy axes of magnetization. A coercive field of one of the first and second thin-layer elements has a value different from that of the other thin-layer element. The two thin-layer elements have elongated and mutually parallel shapes perpendicular to their direction of easy magnetization in the absence of a magnetic field. The width of these thin-layer elements is such that it obliges at least one of the thin-layer elements to have its magnetization oriented along the length of the thin-layer element when there is no external magnetic field. Such a magnetic field sensor may find particular application to the measurement of magnetic fields.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a magnetoresistive sensor using the magnetoresistance of ferromagnetic materials. A sensor of this kind is designed to detect magnetic fields. In the field of low frequencies (continuous frequencies at 100 Hz typically), the two noise sources that limit the resolution of this type of sensor are the resistance fluctuation noise or Johnson noise and the thermal drift noise. Furthermore, in this type of sensor, two different magnetoresistive effects can be used: anisotropic magnetoresistance and giant magnetoresistance.
2. Discussion of the Background
The anisotropic magnetoresistance effect results from the dependence of the resistivity of a ferromagnetic material on the angle between its magnetization and the direction of the current. Owing to the anisotropic character of this physical effect, two measurement geometries can be considered: longitudinal geometry and the transversal geometry (planar Hall effect). The French patents 92 15551, 95 05659 and 96 08385 describe planar Hall effect sensors, especially with respect to the reduction of thermal drift noise. The total exploitable effect is in the range of 1% of the resistance of the active zone. The Johnson noise is associated with the same resistance which is in the range of the resistance per square unit of the film in terms of planar Hall effect geometry.
The effect of giant magnetoresistance was discovered in 1988 (see M. Baibich et al., Physic Review Letters, 61, 2472 (1988)) and results from the spin dependence of the resistance of a magnetic structure that can have an arrangement of magnetizations that differs according to the external magnetic field. The total exploitable effect may be in the range of 10% of the resistance of the active zone. Furthermore, since the geometry of measurement of this effect is necessarily longitudinal, the active zone can be sized in such a way that its resistance attains several tens of times the resistance per square unit of the film, the voltage equivalent of the Johnson noise increasing as the square root of the resistance. It can therefore be seen that the use of the giant magnetoresistance effect, especially with respect to sensors using the planar Hall effect, has two main advantages: an increase in the amplitude of the useful signal that is certainly capable of attaining one order of magnitude as well as an increase in the signal-to-noise ratio which too can attain a factor of ten.
The invention proposes to use the technique of giant magnetoresistance to obtain a linearizing of the signal and reduce the noise of thermal drift.
The invention therefore relates to a magnetic detector comprising a first thin-layer element made of magnetic material with magnetic anisotropy in the plane of the thin layer possessing, in this plane, an easy magnetization axis, characterized in that it comprises a second thin-layer element parallel to the first element, this second element being made of magnetic material with magnetic anisotropy in the plane and having, in this plane, an easy magnetization axis parallel to that of the first element, the coercive field of the second element having a value different from that of the first element, the two elements having elongated and mutually parallel shapes perpendicular to their direction of easy magnetization in the absence of a magnetic field and the width of these elements being such that it obliges at least one of the elements to have its magnetization, when there is no external magnetic field, oriented along the length of the element.

Magnetic field sensor using magneto-resistance of ferromagnetic layers with parallel magnetic axes


A disk drive including a disk storing a defect log including one or more defect records, wherein each of the defect records spans multiple words and comprises chunks which are word aligned, each chunk comprising one or more record fields, and a controller configured to read the defect records on a word basis. A method for performing a defect process on the disk drive including selecting a defect record from the defect log, selecting record fields in the selected defect record, reading the selected defect record on a word basis, and searching the selected record fields which are located in a same chunk of the selected record at a same time to determine when the selected defect record matches a target defect record.

A disk drive comprises a disk which may contain defects from a manufacture of the disk or through wear and tear over time. Such defects may make portions of the disk unusable and are mapped in a defect log to prevent accidental storage of data in the defect. The defect may be a physical defect in the disk. In such a case, areas near the physical defect may also be considered to be a defect as a precautionary measure. The areas near the physical defect may therefore be margined and also be identified as a defect in the defect log.
To identify the defects, the defect log contains defect records. Each of the defect records contains record fields. In some situations such as during failure analysis, it may be beneficial to search for a specific defect record in the defect log, or many defect records which match certain search criteria. To search the defect records in the defect log, selected record fields in each of the defect records are searched to determine when the desired defect records have been found.
However, the defect records are read on a word by word basis and the record fields may span multiple words. Thus, multiple words of the defect record may need to be read, when the selected record fields span multiple words. Furthermore, multiple words may need to be read, even when only a single record field need be utilized, if the single record field spans multiple words. This can increase, for example, an amount of time needed to search the defect records in the defect log.
Furthermore, the record fields in the defect records may contain too little, or too much information for relevant failure analysis of the disk drive. Thus, the bits in the defect record may not be efficiently used. In such a case, each of the defect records in the defect log may utilize a large amount of space in the defect log, resulting in less defect records being stored in the defect log.

Method and apparatus for performing a defect process on a data storage device


An electromagnetic shielding film for plasma display which is excellent in electromagnetic shielding characteristics for effectively shielding electromagnetic waves, near infrared rays, stray light, external light, and the like and even when stored under a wet heat condition, is small in change of color tint and good in adhesion, with a blackening layer hardly peeled away, is provided by a transparent electromagnetic shielding film including a transparent support having thereon a conductive metal layer in a pattern-like state having an electromagnetic shielding ability and having a surface covered by a blackening layer, with the blackening layer made of an alloy of nickel and zinc in a nickel/zinc mass ratio of from 0.5 to 50.

In recent years, following an increase in utilization of various electrical equipment and electronic application equipment, electromagnetic interference (EMI) increases rapidly. It is pointed out that EMI not only becomes a cause of malfunction or interference of electronic or electric appliances but also gives health interference to an operator of such a device. For that reason, in electronic or electric appliances, it is required that the intensity of electromagnetic wave discharge is controlled within the standards or regulations.
For a countermeasure against the EMI, electromagnetic waves must be shielded. In order to achieve this, it is self-explanatory to utilize such properties of a metal that it does not penetrate electromagnetic waves therethrough. For example, there are employed a method of forming a casing by a metal material or a highly conductive material; a method of inserting a metal plate between a circuit board and a circuit board; and a method of covering a cable by a metallic foil. However, in CRT, PDP, etc., since an operator must recognize letters or the like displayed on a screen, the transparency of the display front face is required. According to all of the foregoing methods, the display front face often becomes opaque. Thus, these methods are often inadequate as an electromagnetic shielding method to be applied to display appliances.
In addition, since PDP emits large quantities of electromagnetic waves as compared with CRT, etc., it is required to have a stronger electromagnetic shielding ability. For example, in an optically transparent electromagnetic shielding material for CRT, if its surface resistivity value is not more than approximately 300 Ω/sq, there is no hindrance. On the other hand, in an optically transparent electromagnetic shielding material for PDP, a surface resistivity value of not more than 2.5 Ω/sq is required. In order to meet such a requirement of high conductivity, a method of applying an opening pattern by a photolithographic measure to a metal foil with sufficient conductivity is employed.
However, for example, a copper foil which becomes a material for forming the foregoing shielding layer has a metallic luster. Accordingly, there is involved a problem that not only light from the outside of the panel is reflected, whereby the contrast of the screen is deteriorated, but also the reflected color of the copper foil is viewed. Furthermore, there is involved a problem that light emitted within the screen is reflected, too, whereby the image display quality of the display panel is deteriorated.
In order to effectively prevent all of the reflection of emitted light within the screen and incident light from the outside and leakage of electromagnetic waves, it is known that blackening treatment of a shielding film such as a copper foil is effective.
In particular, as a blackening treated film of copper foil for plasma display panel, it is desired that the surface of the blackening treated film is uniform and free from or extremely low in the generation of streak unevenness; that etching properties are good; that discoloration with time is small; and that the blackening treated layer is hardly peeled away (excellent in adhesion).
Patent Document 1 discloses an electromagnetic shielding film for plasma display panel, which is provided with a black nickel plated layer containing from 500 to 20,000 μg/dm2 (from 0.05 to 2 g/m2) of zinc and from 100 to 500 μg/dm2 (from 0.01 to 0.05 g/m2) on a surface of a copper foil and describes that a surface of a blackening treated film is uniform and small in streak unevenness. Patent Document 2 discloses an electromagnetic shielding plate which is configured to stack successively a blackening layer, a conductive pattern layer and a blackening layer in this order. Though the electromagnetic shielding has a complicated configuration, the generation of moiré is prevented by stacking the blackening layers. Also, Patent Document 3 discloses a shielding material in which visibility is improved by blackening both surfaces and side faces of a metal layer pattern to control reflection of both outgoing light and incident light. In addition, Patent Document 4 discloses an electromagnetic shielding filter having an improved contrast ratio by controlling reflected light by a blackening layer formed on a surface of a conductive pattern. All of the blackening layers disclosed in Patent Documents 2 to 4 are formed by a mixed layer of nickel and zinc.
Also, Patent Document 5 mentions that when plating with zinc or a zinc alloy is applied onto a glossy surface of a copper foil for printed circuit and the surface is then treated with benzotriazole or a benzotriazole derivative, the adhesion of a resist during photolithography is improved. This patent document is characterized in that the zinc used herein is extremely thinly formed in a deposition amount of from 100 to 500 μg/dm2 (from 0.01 to 0.05 g/m2). If it is intended to apply this as an electromagnetic shielding film for PDP, discoloration with time is large, and therefore, such was problematic.
On the other hand, the development of technologies for forming a metallic conductive thin film on an insulator film with high productivity, such as an electromagnetic shielding film which is used in a flexible wiring plate to be used in electronic appliances or a plasma display is desired.
For example, Patent Document 6 discloses a method of manufacturing an electromagnetic shielding film by exposing and developing a photosensitive material containing a silver salt and further applying physical development or plating treatment to the developed silver. According to Patent Document 6 it is described that as compared with other systems, a fine line pattern can be precisely formed, thereby obtaining an excellent electromagnetic shielding film such that it is high in transparency and that it is able to be mass-produced inexpensively.
[Patent Document 1] JP-A-2004-145063
[Patent Document 2] JP-A-11-266095
[Patent Document 3] JP-A-2002-9484
[Patent Document 4] JP-A-2004-320025
[Patent Document 5] JP-A-6-85417
[Patent Document 6] JP-A-2004-221564

Conductive film and manufacturing method thereof, and transparent electromagnetic shielding film


A palladium paste is utilized for forming a palladium film on a ceramic substrate. The paste includes a sinterable palladium powder dispersed in a vaporizable liquid vehicle. The paste also includes minor additions of titanium dioxide powder and a metal titanate powder. A preferred titanate powder is composed of strontium calcium titanate. It is found that the additions remarkably improve adhesion of the palladium film to the substrate.

This invention relates to a paste of the type used to apply a layer of sinterable palladium particles that are subsequently sintered to form a palladium film on a ceramic substrate. More particularly, this invention relates to a palladium paste that includes additions of a titanium dioxide powder and a metal titanate powder to enhance adhesion of the film to the substrate. In one aspect, this invention relates to a co-firing process in which the paste is applied to a ceramic powder base, and the coated base is heated to sinter the ceramic powder to complete the substrate and to concurrently sinter the palladium powder to form a film bonded to the substrate.
In the manufacture of an electronic component or the like, it is known to utilize a co-firing process to form a metal film onto a ceramic substrate. The substrate is derived from a base of ceramic powder and an expendable organic binder. The metal film is formed from metal powder that is suspended in a liquid vehicle to form a paste that permits the powder to be applied by convenient techniques, such as spraying or screen printing. The paste is applied to the base and dried to form a particulate layer. An expendable organic binder may be included in the paste to improve bonding of the particles within the layer. The base and the applied layer are heated to a temperature and for a time sufficient to sinter the ceramic powder to form the substrate and concurrently to sinter the metal powder to form a film bonded to the substrate.
Substrates formed of a metal titanate compound, such as strontium calcium titanate (SCT), may require relatively high sintering temperatures greater than about 1,250.degree. C. Many metals have melting points less than this higher sintering temperature and are not suitable for forming co-fired films on titanate substrates. Palladium is sinterable at the higher temperature, but tends to form a film having poor adhesion to the underlying ceramic. Therefore, there is a need to improve adhesion of a palladium film formed from a paste applied to a ceramic substrate and, in particular, to a substrate that is concurrently formed in a co-firing process carried out at a relatively higher temperature.

Palladium paste and process for forming palladium film onto a ceramic substrate utilizing the paste


Systems, program product, and methods related to dynamic Internet security and risk assessment and management, are provided. For example, a system, program product, and method of identifying and servicing actual customer requests to a defended or protected computer or server can include the steps/operations of receiving by the defended computer, a service request from each of a plurality of IP addresses associated with a separate one of a plurality of service requesting computers, sending an inspection code adapted to perform a virtual attack on each existing service requesting computers at each respective associated IP address, and restricting provision of services from the defended computer to a subset of the service requesting computers identified for restriction when a security feature of the respective service requesting computer is determined to have been defeated by the virtual attack.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to Internet security, and particularly to systems, program product, and methods of preventing and defeating network attacks, such as denial of service or other similar network attacks.
2. Description of Related Art
As more and more computer networks are linked to each other through open computer connections such as the Internet, computer network security has become increasingly more important. As such, when using a computer network, most computer users, including both home and business users, want to protect their computer systems from unauthorized accesses or to prevent their computers or computer networks from being disrupted. Current attempts to keep computer systems secure involve both hardware and software solutions. Hardware solutions have typically included filtering mechanisms which block access from users outside of a trusted computer user group and/or network. Software solutions have typically included monitoring network data, requiring/performing authentication, and monitoring network traffic to detect unauthorized intrusion and resource overload attempts. Notably, such strategies are exclusively defensive in nature.
Despite such efforts used to secure the computer network, the number of attacks on computer networks has continued to rise. Skillful attackers, e.g., hackers, continuously find ways to gain illegal access and/or cause disruption. As such, computer owners must continuously update their hardware and/or software in order to repel such attackers to thereby prevent the attacker from denying the computer owners access/use of resources, and/or preventing unauthorized use of such resources.
In order to reduce the probability of illegal access and/or disruption to a computer or computer network, system developers have created tools to test computer and/or network security. These tools include such things as vulnerability scans which identify potentially compromised ports, the revision levels of the software running on a system, etc. Developers may also simulate the actions of an unauthorized user to determine their system's potential vulnerabilities. It is assumed, or at least surmised, that the resulting test data provides sufficient information to allow the computer/computer network developer to locate potential network security loopholes/vulnerabilities within the computer/computer network. Computer/computer network administrators, or authorized third parties have taken to using these same tools for testing the integrity and/or vulnerability of their computer systems/networks. The methods or patches developed to close such security loopholes/vulnerabilities are typically disseminated to other computer or computer network owners, administrators, either through security service providers and/or various websites. Not all computer or computer network owners and administrators, however, stay vigilant in maintaining their systems in order to close any existing and/or newly discovered security loopholes.
Unfortunately, malicious individuals also have access to these same tools that can allow them to identify computers having potential vulnerabilities. Accordingly, such individuals can readily determine which computers/computer networks can be breached in order to gain access to the data and/or to take remote control of such computers. Such remotely controlled computers are often called "robot computers" or simply "bot" computers.
Gaining access to a computer system is not the only way malicious individuals are able to cause disruption to a computer or computer network. One methodology of disrupting the computer or computer network is called a denial of service attack (or more correctly, distributed denial of service attack) whereby multiple computers, typically geographically spaced apart, begin sending multiple service requests to a target computer or network to overwhelm the target computer or network, causing the target computer or network to be unable to continue to provide services to legitimate users.
Malicious individuals' who have taken remote control of a computer system may use it as a robot (i.e., "bot") without the owner's knowledge and/or permission to attack a third party computer system and/or network. Combinations of these remotely controlled "bot" systems may be formed into networks (i.e., "botnets") to increase the effectiveness of an attack on a third party system and/or network. One manner in which such bot networks have been utilized by malicious individuals has been to launch denial of service attacks on specific targeted computers and/or networks. Such has been accomplished by causing the bot controlled computers in the bot network to each generate multiple service requests to the specific target computer or computer network, thus, causing the target computer or network to be overwhelmed to a point of having to terminate providing services. The bot network typically consists of a relatively large number of remotely controlled ("hijacked") computers. To establish the bot network, an attacker uses some type of malicious software code such as, for example, a Trojan horse application or other virus or worm, etc., to take control of a multitude of vulnerable computers.
An example of a broad spectrum, geographically distributed, denial of service attack occurred in Estonia beginning on Apr. 27, 2007, and lasted for months, effectively shutting down certain Estonian government computers. Such attack used multiple global bot networks, proxy servers located in third countries, and nonexistent or spoofed IP addresses. The initial attack was fairly unsophisticated; however, as the attack progressed, so did the level of sophistication. As Estonian authorities blocked major portions of the Internet, the attacks began shifting to other computers and other geographic locations, rendering the targeted computers unable to provide services to legitimate users. The Estonian government was kept constantly on the defensive as the attackers changed the resources used in mounting the attack over time. This example demonstrated critical weaknesses in a purely defensive security strategy with limited automated responses.
Accordingly, recognized by the inventor is the need for an offense strategy that can allow the protected computer or computer network to automatically overcome a denial of service attack, and continue to provide services to a substantial portion of the authorized users and/or legitimate customers. Also, recognized is the need for an automated way of identifying actual customer requests while blocking spoofed, nonexistent and/or bot service requests. Further, recognized by the inventor is the need for a system, program product, and methods that, during a denial of service type attack, can identify computers requesting service from the target computer or computer network that are not only potentially vulnerable, but proven vulnerable to being controlled, so that such bot controlled or bot controllable computers can be selectively blocked and/or targeted for shutdown in order to allow for the provision of continued service to authorized users and/or legitimate customers having computers which are not vulnerable to bot control. Also recognized is the need for a system, program product, and methods that can utilize secondary computers allied with the protected computer to perform the function of determining whether or not a service requesting computer is an authorized user and/or legitimate customer computer, to free up the resources of the protected computer. Also recognized is the need for a system, program product, and methods that can: recognize the existence of a denial of service attack embedded in communications from a plurality of IP addresses; initially block the plurality of IP addresses; call back each of the IP addresses to re-establish communications to thereby initiate an offense strategy (e.g., either submit an authentication request or initiate a virtual attack on the computer system associated with each IP addresses); determine whether or not the computer system associated with each of the IP addresses is vulnerable to malicious code; and for each computer system found to be vulnerable, restrict access to a protected computer system.

Internet security dynamics assessment system, program product, and related methods


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having an n-type FET and p-type FET, each formed over a semiconductor substrate, calls for (a) forming, over the n-type FET and p-type FET, a first insulating film, for generating a tensile stress in the channel formation region of the n-type FET, to cover gate electrodes of the FETs, while covering, with an insulating film, a semiconductor region between the gate electrode of the p-type FET and an element isolation region of the semiconductor substrate; (b) selectively removing the first insulating film from the upper surface of the p-type FET by etching; (c) forming, over the n-type and p-type FETs, a second insulating film, for generating a compressive stress in the channel formation region of the p-type FET, to cover gate electrodes of the FETs; and (d) selectively removing the second insulating film from the upper surface of the n-type FET.

One example of a field effect transistor installed on a semiconductor device is an insulated gate field effect transistor called a "MISFET" (Metal Insulator Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor). Owing to the characteristics of this MISFET that allow it to be readily applicable to high integration, it has been used widely as a circuit element constituting an integrated circuit.
Irrespective of whether it is of an n-channel conductivity type or p-channel conductivity type, a MISFET usually has a channel formation region, a gate insulating film, a gate electrode, a source region and a drain region. The gate insulating film is disposed in an element formation region on the circuit formation surface (main surface) of a semiconductor substrate, and it is formed, for example, of silicon oxide. The gate electrode is disposed over the element formation region of the circuit formation surface of the semiconductor substrate via the gate insulating film, and it is formed, for example, of a polycrystalline film having a resistance reducing impurity introduced therein. The channel formation region is disposed in a region (just below the gate electrode) of the semiconductor substrate opposite to the gate electrode. The source and drain regions are formed in semiconductor regions (impurity diffused regions) which are disposed on both sides of the channel formation region in the channel length direction.
A MISFET having, as a gate insulating film, a silicon oxide film is usually called a "MOSFET" (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor). The term "channel formation region" refers to a region in which a current passage (channel) connecting the source region and drain region is to be formed. A MISFET permitting a current flow in the thickness direction (depth direction) of the semiconductor substrate is called a "vertical type", while a MISFET permitting a current flow in the plane direction (surface direction) is called a "horizontal type". A MISFET permitting formation of a channel of electrons (conduction path) in the channel formation region between the source region and drain region (below the gate electrode) is called an n-type (or n-channel conductivity type), while that permitting formation of a channel of an electron hole is called a p-type (or p-channel conductivity type).

Semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same


A method embodiment for patterning a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of mandrels over a substrate, and forming a multilayer spacer layer over the plurality of mandrels. The multilayer spacer layer is formed by conformably depositing a spacer layer over the plurality of mandrels and treating the spacer layer with plasma. The plurality of mandrels is exposed by etching a top portion of the multilayer spacer layer, thereby forming a multilayer spacer.

With the increasing down-scaling of semiconductor devices, various processing techniques, such as, photolithography are adapted to allow for the manufacture of devices with increasingly smaller dimensions. However, as semiconductor processes require smaller process windows, the manufacture of these devices have approached and even surpassed the theoretical limits of photolithography equipment. As semiconductor devices continue to shrink, the spacing desired between elements (i.e., the pitch) of a device is less than the pitch that can be manufactured using traditional optical masks and photolithography equipment.
One approach used to achieve the higher resolutions to manufacture smaller devices is to use multiple pattern lithography. For example, a half pitch (i.e., half of the minimum photolithographic pitch achievable in a traditional photolithography system) can be achieved by forming mandrels (e.g., at a minimum available pitch), conformably forming a sidewall aligned spacer over the mandrels, anisotropically etching top portions of the spacer to expose the mandrels, removing the mandrels while leaving the spacer, and then using the spacer as a patterning mask to transfer the desired pattern to underlying layers. In this manner, line spacing at approximately half the minimum pitch can be achieved.
An issue with this approach is the anisotropic etching of the spacer may create spacer footing due to process limitations for uniform etching. That is, bottom portions of spacer may not be substantially perpendicular to underlying layers and may include a large fillet that extends excessively outwards in a horizontal direction. Spacer footing creates reliability issues for using the spacer as a mask to transfer a desired pattern to the underlying layer.

Lithography using multilayer spacer for reduced spacer footing

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


An air vent assembly includes an air inlet, an air outlet, and two or more channels that are positioned between the air inlet and the air outlet. The air vent assembly also includes moveable vanes that are interconnected to an actuator that is configured to move each of the moveable vanes in unison. The vanes may be positioned in the channels or upstream of the channels. The air vent assembly also includes a valve that is positioned between the air inlet and the vanes, and which is configured to selectively increase or decrease air flow to at least one of the channels when moved. Optionally, the vanes may be positioned at least partially behind a fixed divider so that they are not typically visible via the air outlet.

Vehicle instrument panels (such as dashboards) are including larger and more electronic screens (such as multi-information displays and touch-screens) with sensor readouts and equipment control inputs. For example, in a truck, van or automobile, sensor readouts may include a speedometer, tachometer, odometer, engine temperature, oil level, warning lights and the like. Example equipment controls may be for vehicle climate, radio, windshield wipers, engine gear selection, interior and exterior lights, and the like. Other types of vehicles, such as boats, airplanes and the like, also are increasingly using larger and more electronic screens in the instrument panel.
To assist with climate control inside of a vehicle, air vents may be positioned at various locations on the instrument panel to accommodate the vehicle driver and other passengers in the vehicle. The surface area of each air vent is in direct competition with the desire for larger electronic screens on the instrument panel. Thus, there is a desire to provide an air vent with a slim design. There is also a desire to provide air vents in a vehicle instrument panel with no manual controls. Automobiles with autonomous driving capabilities would require air vents to be positioned at various locations within the vehicle cabin instead of the traditional locations such as the vehicle instrument panel. The slim air vent design may provide the flexibility to be installed at various locations within the vehicle cabin.
This document describes a novel solution that addresses at least some of the issues described above.

Multi-channel air vent assembly with narrow profile

JOYSONQUIN AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS NORTH AMERICA, LLC


Apparatus and methods for monitoring, analyzing, and/or discriminating molecular species, preferably a biomolecule, within a medium using a multisensor array (MSA) and multivariate processing. Biological compounds such as nucleotides and polynucleotides can be detected and analyzed. A reaction process such as an accumulation cycle of nucleic acids can be monitored, analyzed, and controlled using a multisensor array (MSA) and multivariate processing. Monitoring a biomolecule includes interrogating the medium, and preferably its gas phase, by coupling a sensor responsive to any changes of the medium and or biomolecule and its secondary products when, for example, an amplification reaction is proceeded. It is also a scope of the present invention to use direct detection and monitoring of biomolecular reactions in real-time without radioactive or fluorescent labeling. A preferred application is real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection.

Several sensor technology developments have been described in the art. In particular, arrays of semiconductor sensors having sensitive and chemically-diverse interface materials capable of interacting with analytes of complex mixtures have previously been used. These can incorporate many operating, principles including: doped tin-oxide gas sensors, doped conductive polymers, field effect transistor (FET) devices, and optical fiber devices.
Some sensors are based on a more specific chemical adsorption. For example, enzymes or antibodies can provide a more selective response when incorporated with sensors such as immunoFET's, redox enzyme electrodes, ion-channel simulating devices or antibody-coated piezoelctric or surface acoustic wave devices [review by Gardner J. W., Barlett P. N., Sensors Actuators, B18-19, 211-220, 1994]. Recently, mass sensing quadrupole transducers (e.g., using mass spectrometers (MS)) have been commercially available for the application in food quality control. MS can analyze sample headspace [U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,707 to Augenblick, et al.].
Generally, multisensor arrays do not include only biosensors. All the wells of a 96 well plate can be viewed concurrently with a charge coupled device (CCD) camera. For example, see Atwood in U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,889. One example of DNA detection by arrays of biosensors uses a fiber optic bundle to screen or analyze a surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) surface [U.S. Pat. No. 5,814,516 to Vo-Dinh, Tuan]. Another example of biosensor arrays uses a fiber optic bundle modified with compounds that bind biological species [U.S. Pat. No. 5,837,196 to Pinkel, Daniel]. These examples do not use multivariate processing. Furthermore, these examples have large complex fiber optic bundles. Better MSAs (though not necessarily optical) have smaller and easier to replace sensors. This is important due to fouling of the sensors surfaces.
Other work and examples of devices used in the art of chemical sensing are described into the following references, which illustrate some of the major transducing systems such as (i) resonant microstructures [U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,346 to Tang, Williams C. and Howe, Roger T.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,008 to Wachter, Eric A. and Thundat (using a micro-cantilever), Thomas G.; Barnes J. R., et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum., 65(12), 3793-98, 1994], (ii) amperometric, conductivity/capacitance sensing platforms [U.S. Pat. No. 5,801,297 to Mifsud J.-C. and Moy L] or (iii) optical detection [U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,707 to Prass Werner, et al.,; U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,490 to Walt David R. and Kauer John S.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,914 to Vali, Victor, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,167 to Robillard Jean J.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,843, Seitz, William R. and McCurley, Marian F.].
In particular, the last approach can be illustrated by the development efforts of Walt, et al. [Dickinson T. A., White J., Kauer J. S., Walt D. R., Nature, 382, 697-700, Aug. 22, 1996] employing a miniaturized array of fibers containing a special fluorescent dye (Nile Red) embedded in a polymer matrix. Such a strategy is based on the use of a dye exhibiting large wavelength shift in its strong fluorescent response to various vapors. The dye is photochemically stable and can be immobilized in polymers. The art uses a configuration of nineteen 300 μm optical fibers with their flat sensing ends coated with the dye (i.e., Nile Red) encapsulated in various polymers. A video frame grabber permits fluorescent intensity versus time data to be recorded. From the variations in response time and the individual fiber light output, the system can be trained to recognize these differences and identify specific vapors. One particular problem with the above-described system involves the photobleaching of the dye molecules. This limits the reliability and reproducibility of the sensor system.
Efforts to date in the art of gas sensor technology have centered upon the field of applications of the detection of toxic substances and smells for the evaluation of odor properties in consumer products, environmental science, and medicine [U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,801,297 and 5,563,707]. For example, microorganism detection in the manner described by Payne, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,701, uses an array of. conducting polymer sensors to sample vapor associated with the microorganisms. Payne discloses detection of organisms, but not of biomolecules and/or PCR products.
Almost all analytical techniques or process monitoring techniques are based on one or two variables at a time. For example, these variables can be an analytical signal representing absorbance, chromatographic retention time, or electrochemical response. These variables can be time-based as in process control. These traditional analytical techniques usually give acceptable results when analyzing simple systems with only a few components with variables (e.g., analytical signals) that do not interact with each other. Multicomponent mixtures such as solutions, gases, solids, process streams, effluents, and contents of reaction chambers usually have many variables that interact with each other. For example, absorbance peaks of several components can overlap each other. These variables should be analyzed simultaneously to optimize the useful analytical data that would be obscure in traditional analytical techniques.
As explained below, multicomponent mixtures or solutions can be analyzed by a multivariate analysis based on the reference data. {H. M. Heise, A. Bitner, "Multivariate calibration for near-infrared spectroscopic assays of blood substrates in human plasma based on variable selection using partial least squares (PLS) regression vector choices, Fresenius' Joumal of Analytical Chemistry, 362(1) (1998) 141-147}. Nonlinear multivariate calibration methods have been reviewed by Sekulic, et al. (Analytical Chemistry, 65 (1993) 835A-845A).
Multivariate analysis techniques include many artificial intelligence techniques. Some examples include artificial neural networks (ANN), expert systems (ESs), fuzzy logic (FL), genetic algorithms (GAs). ANNs learn by training. ESs are based on defined rules. FL systems are based on uncertainty and partial truths. These techniques can be used in concert. New techniques will also be developed, and are contemplated to be used in this invention.
Isidore Rigoutsos and Andrea Califano in U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,019 and related references describe a family of new techniques using probabilistic indexing algorithms such as Fast Look-up Algorithm for String Homology (FLASH), hash algorithms, and data mining algorithms. Paul Stolorz, et al. describe Bayes algorithms (also called Bayesian statistical methods) in "Predicting Protein Secondary Structure Using Neural Net and Statistical Methods" J. Mol. Biol. 225 (1992) 363.
Multivariate analysis reconstructs analytical data from several variables. Multivariate process monitoring handles noise and drift better with fewer false alarms than univariate monitoring. For example, multivariate analysis can determine an analyte's concentration from several of its absorbance peaks. Theoretically, multivariate analysis can be applied to most analytical and process control techniques. Examples include: fluorescence, chromatography, absorption spectroscopy, emission spectrscopy, X-ray methods, radiochemical methods, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, electron spin resonance spectroscopy, surface science techniques, refractometry, interforometry, mass spectrometry, gas density, magnetic susceptibility, electrochemistry, surface acoustic wave sensors, sensor arrays, ultrasonic sensors, and thermal analysis.
Multiple variables can be converted into useful analytical data by multivariate analysis. This multivariate analysis or multivariate technique can relate instrumental response to the concentrations, physical, chemical, or physico-chemical properties at several wavelengths. The most commonly used multivariate techniques with FTIR spectroscopy are classical least squares (CLS) and inverse least squares (ILS). CLS is a limited method in the sense that the concentrations of all component analytes must be known exactly. ILS is a wavelength limited method because the number of wavelengths used must be smaller than the number of samples. These two methods lack the power to handle data with similar spectral features. {D. Qin and P. R. Griffiths, SPIE, 2089, p. 548 (1994)}. There are also the factor-based or bilinear projection methods of PLS, sometimes called Projection to Latent Structures, Principal Components Analysis (PCA), and Principle Components Regression (PCR). PLS is a good technique for process control when both process and product data are used to control the process. {Stone, M. Brooks, R. J. (1990) "Continuum Regression: Cross-validated Sequentially Constructed Prediction Embracing Ordinary Least Squares, Partial Least Squares and Principal Components Regression", Joumal of the Royal Statistical Society B, 52, 237-269}. Nonlinear Principle Components Regression (NLPCR) and Nonlinear Partial Least Squares (NLPIS) can model nonlinear responses. {Sekulic, et al., Analytical Chemistry, 65 (1993) 835A-845A}. Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogy (SIMCA) is another of several more multivariate methods.
The results of the multivariate analysis are usually used directly to give concentration values for the measured analyte. Multivariate techniques can be used or infrared and near-infrared spectroscopy. See James M. Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,337; Bruce N. Perry, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,962. Perry, et al. claim non-linear multivariate methods. Multivariate techniques can be used for hyphenated chromatography like GC-MS. Ashe, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,270. Multivariate techniques can be used for surface acoustic wave (SAW) vapor sensors. Lokshin, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,45,608. Some references describe applying other properties to the data such as octane values. Bruce N. Perry, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,962; Maggard, U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,189, freezing point depression in milk, Arnvidarson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,739,034, and cancerous stages of tissue samples Haaland et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,992. There is little art on fitting the data from multivariate analysis to an algorithm to determine other properties. For example, there is little art on joining multivariate analysis with monitoring of any PCR process.
DNA and similar large biomolecules are hard to detect in gas phase. These large biomolecules are hard to volatilize and are subject to degradation. There are only a few methods that can safely break up large biomolecules into detectable fragments such as fast atom bombardment (FAB) and Cf-252 mass spectrometry. For example, see "Fragmentation of Proteins in the 13-29 kDa Mass Range Observed by 252Cf-Plasma Desorption Mass Spectrometry" D. M. Bunk, and R. D. Macfarlane. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. (USA) 89 (1992) 6215. Other methods use thermospray or electrospray. For example see Kaufman et al. in "Analysis of Biomolecules using Electrospray", J. Aerosol Sci., 29, p. 537 (1998), and by Jarell, J. A. and Tomany, M. J. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,828,062. Combining these methods would greatly benefit the detection of large biomolecules such as DNA and RNA.
The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique was devised by Kary Mullis in the mid-1980s and, like DNA sequencing, has revolutionized molecular genetics by making possible a whole new approach to the study and analysis of genes. A major problem in analyzing genes is that they are rare targets in a complex genome that in mammals may contain as many as 100,000 genes. Molecular genetics techniques currently used to overcome this problem are very time-consuming, involving cloning and methods for detecting specific DNA sequences. The Polymerase Chain Reaction has changed all this by enabling production of enormous numbers of copies of a specified DNA sequence without resorting to cloning.
The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) exploits certain features of DNA replication. DNA polymerase uses single stranded DNA as a template for the synthesis of a complementary new strand. These single-stranded DNA templates can be produced by simply heating double-stranded DNA to temperatures near boiling. DNA polymerase also requires a small section of double-stranded DNA to initiate ("prime") synthesis. Therefore the starting point for DNA synthesis can be specified by supplying an oligonucleotide primer that anneals to the template at that point. In this important feature of the PCR, DNA polymerase can be directed to synthesize a specific region of DNA.
Both DNA strands can see as templates for synthesis, provided an oligonucleotide primer is supplied for each strand. For a PCR, the primers are chosen to flank the region of DNA that is to be amplified so that the newly synthesized strands of DNA, starting at each primer, extend beyond the position of the primer on the opposite strand. Therefore new primer binding sites are generated on each newly synthesized DNA strand. The reaction mixture is again heated to separate the original and newly synthesized strands, which are then available for further cycles of primer hybridization, DNA synthesis, and strand separation. The net result of a PCR is that by the end of n cycles, the reaction contains a theoretical maximum of 2n double-stranded DNA molecules that are copies of the DNA sequence between the primers. This second important feature of PCR results in the "amplification" of the specified region.
A number of amplification reaction assays have been developed, such as the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) described above and in the following references [N. Amheim, H. Erlich, Ann. Rev. Biochem., 1992, 61, pp. 131-56; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,202; 4,683,195; and 4,965,188 to Mullis, Kary]. In the most commonly used sequencing methods, a target-specific sequence is amplified by enzyme cycle reactions ultimately effecting an increase in the amount of amplification unit or amplicon produced. In addition to the target sequence of a typical amplification, additional components and/or reagents can be consumed limiting the amplification of PCR products. Several improvements of the standard PCR method have been reported into literature for various specific applications, such as in-situ, reverse transcriptase, hot start, long and accurate or even touch down methods [Dan R. H., Cox P. T., Wainwright B. J., Baker K., Mattick J. S., 1991, "Touchdown PCR to circumvent spurious priming during gene amplification", Nucleic Acids Res., 19, 4008; Rodriguez I. R., Mazuruk K. S., Schoen T. J., Chadler J. G., 1994, "Structural analysis of the human hydroxyindole-O-methyl transferase gene; presence of two distinct promoters", J. Biol. Chem., 269, 31969-31977; Birch D. E., Kolmodin L., Laird W. J., McKinney N., Wong J., Young K. K. K, Zangenberg G. A., Zoccoli M. A., "Simplified hot start PCR", Nature 381, 445-446, 1996]. Among such efforts to date in the prior art, and for the sack of clarity, standard PCR is described in the present invention. Currently, the most common methodology for PCR involves sample preparation having a master mix and primers [Mullis K. B; Faloona F. A; Scharf S; Saiki R. K; Horn G; Erlich H. A., Specific enzymatic amplification of DNA in vitro: the polymerase chain reaction. Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology, 1986; and Scharf S. J; Horn G. T; Erlich H. A. Direct cloning and sequence analysis of enzymatically amplified genomic sequences. Science, 1986 Sep. 5, 233(4768):1076-8.], followed by detection and analysis of the reaction products. Real-time quantitative monitoring of PCR kinetics have been reported [Higuchi R; Fockler C; Dollinger G; Watson R. Kinetic PCR analysis: real-time monitoring of DNA amplification reactions. Biotechnology NY, September, 11(9), 1026-30 (1993)] but one important drawback is the requirement for target-specific fluorogenic probes. Several labeling strategies have been reported into literature including radiolabeling, enzyme-linked colorimetry [Yu, H., et al., Cyanine Dye dUTP Analogs for Enzymatic Labeling of DNA Probes, Nucleic Acids Research, 22 (15), pp. 3226-3232, 1994], silver staining, fluorescent staining, and chemoluminescent staining [Zhu, A, et al., Directly labeled DNA probes using fluorescent nucleotides with different length linkers, Nucleic Acids Research, 22 (16), pp. 3418-3422, 1994].
Higuchi, et al. [1993] described an assay for any amplifiable DNA sequence that uses a video camera to monitor multiple polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) simultaneously over the course of thermocyding. The video camera detects the accumulation of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) in each PCR using the increase in the fluorescence of ethidium bromide (EtBr) that results from its binding with duplex DNA. The kinetics of fluorescence accumulation during thermocycling are directly related to the starting number of DNA copies. The fewer cycles necessary to produce a detectable fluorescence, the greater the number of target sequences. Results obtained with this approach indicated that a kinetic approach to PCR analysis can quantitate DNA sensitively, selectively, and over a large dynamic range. A commercially available system was developed for real-time PCR assay exclusively exploiting the fluorescence measurement of a pair of reporter-quencher fluorescent probes during thermal cycling reaction [U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,723,591 and 6,210,015].
The basic stages of PCR typically comprise: (1) synthesis of primers complementary to a target piece of DNA, (2) separating strands of DNA target by thermal cycling and attaching primers to each end of the target sequence, (3) extending strands by adding ATP and the enzyme polymerase and then repeating the above steps typically after 25-30 cycles until the replication produces a useful amount of target DNA (e.g., 108 copies). The widespread way to check for the presence of these fragments of DNA of defined length is to load a sample taken from the reaction product, along with appropriate molecular-weight markers, onto an agarose gel which typically contains 0.8-4% EtBr.
DNA bands are then visualized under UV illumination and identification of any product can be done by comparing product bands with reference bands of known molecular-weight markers [Sambrook, et al., Handbook Mol. Biol., Spring Harbor; Gelfand, D. H. and White, T. J. In PCR Protocols, A Guide to Methods & Applications, ed. M. A. Innis, D. H. Gelfand, J. J. Sninsky, T. J. White,129-41, New-York Academic Press, 1990]. More recently, developments have been reported into the prior art and in particular the introduction of automated DNA synthesizer and new synthesis reagents exploiting multiple fluorophore markers for which changes in fluorescent signal can be proportional to the number of amplification cycles [Handbook of Fluorescent Probes and Research Chemicals, 1996, 6th edition, Molecular Probes Inc. Eugene Oregon; PCR Systems, Reagents and Consumables, Perkin-Elmer catalog, 1996-1997].
Atwood discloses determination of concentration growth of nucleic acids in PCR using a group of concurrent reaction vessels monitored concurrently by a charge coupled device (CCD) camera [U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,889 to Atwood, John G.]. Atwood disclosures a label-based fluorescence technique.
PCR is the basis of many of today's biotechnology advances. Any improvement in the PCR process has an enormous impact on our lives through biotechnological advances. A MSA combined with a multivariate process would drastically improve PCR performance. Improvements can include better time control, better selectivity, higher purity and lower error rates by not exclusively using tags, and lower cost.
References listed herein are incorporated by reference.

Method for monitoring molecular species within a medium


A voltage down converter (VDC) applicable to high-speed memory devices. The VDC includes a steady driver and active driver along with at least one additional transistor. The steady driver and active driver are coupled by a transistor switch during device start-up to provide fast ramp-up to operating voltage and current. After start-up, the steady driver and active drive function to maintain a steady operating voltage and current. An additional transistor is digitally controlled to drive up operating voltage and current upon issuance of an active command representing read, write, and/or refresh of memory. In this manner, the additional transistor provides fast compensation for fluctuations in operating voltage and current brought on by activity in the memory array.

Voltage Down Converters (VDCs) are used to lower the level of an external power supply voltage (e.g., Vddq) provided to a semiconductor device to a desired internal power supply voltage (e.g., Vdd). For example, a voltage down converter in a semiconductor integrated circuit may lower an external power supply voltage to the level of an internal power supply voltage, so that each component element within the integrated circuit may be operated with the internal power supply voltage to reduce power consumption and secure sufficient reliability of each component element. Another use of the VDC in the area of high-speed memory devices such as dynamic random access memories (DRAM), is the generation of a substantially constant high supply voltage that is greater than the logic "1" voltage level stored in a memory cell.
A fast voltage down converter can be used as a substantially constant high voltage supply for providing a power supply voltage (e.g., Vpp) to the memory device. This is particularly important within high speed embedded memory devices having small die area available on a system-on-a-chip (SOC) application. When the die area is small, i.e. in an embedded memory implementation, there is inadequate capacitive loading on a high voltage supply output in order to store the charge necessary to maintain a substantially constant supply voltage. Moreover, the operating frequency of current memory devices now exceeds 800 MHz in most leading edge embedded memory applications. A fast response of the voltage down converter is an important factor in providing a substantially constant high supply voltage Vpp to the memory. The stability of the substantially constant high supply voltage Vpp during the different modes of operation of the memory, greatly depends on the capacitive loading and the reservoir capacitance of the voltage supply output. The capacitive loading is created by the sum of all elements having an inherent capacitance (for example transistor gates) that are mutually connected to the Vpp output node.
The reservoir capacitance is typically a separate dedicated large capacitance that is connected to the Vpp output to provide further capacitive loading and stability on the output in addition to the inherent aforementioned capacitive loading on the Vpp output. However, the small size of embedded memory devices creates some problems of stability in the required internal level supply. Active operations that take place in the memory, i.e. read, write and/or refresh operations, contribute to create a ripple effect on the voltage level Vpp given the current load that such operations provide. The voltage ripple level is affected by the total capacitance such thatVripple˜ILOAD*T/(CLOAD+CRESVOIR),where ILOAD is the leakage or operating current and CLOAD is the total loading of the Vpp voltage. Since the load and reservoir capacitances are small in embedded memory applications, the ripple voltage level becomes very dependent on fluctuations in load current, which can occur based on different current loading scenarios. Because of this problem, embedded memories experience significant voltage supply fluctuation.
The common solution for this fluctuation problem has been to insert as large a reservoir capacitor as possible in order to hold the voltage level provided by the voltage down-converter VDC as stable as possible. One such conventional solution 100 is shown in FIG. 1A. However, a key issue of embedded memory is their small size that does not allow adequate space in order to place such a large reservoir capacitor. In such instance as in FIG. 1A, either CLOAD or CM would have to be adjusted to be a very high capacitance in order to provide the necessary stability for the voltage-down conversion. Because CLOAD represents the whole memory array and such arrays are becoming increasingly smaller, the result is that CM would need to be increased significantly. However, increasing CM results in an increased penalty area that, in the case of embedded applications, is one of the major design constraints.
An alternative approach as shown in a prior art voltage down converter FIG. 1B is to add an additional transistor to the output of the voltage down converter in order to supply fluctuating current demands of the memory. However, this solution is not appropriate for embedded memories that have many diverse operations such as single read and write or read or write concurrent with a refresh operation, each type of operation sinking different amounts of current depending on the process, voltage, or temperature variations. Furthermore, the inherent delay of the comparators used in this approach is not sufficient to maintain a steady voltage level in the voltage down converter output. This is especially the situation in memories operating at high frequencies.
Several other conventional VDCs are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,806,692 issued to Lee. In such memory devices, a VDC may be used in various applications to supply large amount of "AC" type current (e.g., alternating or fluctuating current) while sustaining the necessary "DC" type current (e.g., a fixed current) and a steady DC voltage level. The conventional VDC design has some drawbacks when employed in modern applications, which often require large, fluctuating output currents. To provide a large current, the VDC will typically require a relatively large source follower transistor. In order to drive such a large transistor, a corresponding comparator has to be relatively powerful. The relatively large transistor and comparator size results in substantial and undesirable current consumption for the VDC. Also, the feedback or coupling capacitor must be relatively large in size to stabilize the VDC. The performance-to-power ratio of this type of conventional VDC diminishes with increasing current supply requirements. In the presence of increasing current demands and high frequencies of operation, the conventional VDC eventually becomes sluggish to supply adequate AC current for digital circuits. When such a scenario occurs, the VDC cannot maintain the output voltage Vpp at a steady level and voltage level dipping occurs. In a DRAM chip, a large dip in voltage level can cause memory cells to fail. Accordingly, there is a need to keep Vpp stable even while the memory device is operated at high frequencies for various operations each requiring high current demands.
The VDC 110 in prior art FIG. 1B includes comparators 170 and 171, a relatively large PMOS (positive channel metal oxide semiconductor) transistor 151 and a relatively small PMOS transistor 152, and a feedback compensation or coupling capacitor Pcc. Comparators 170 and 171 receive two inputs, a reference voltage (Vref) input and feedback loop input (Vfb). The output of the comparator 170 is coupled to the gate of transistor 151 while the output of the comparator 171 is coupled to the gate of transistor 171 and to the gate of transistor 153. Transistor 170 has a high gain but a low speed response to the signal that it receives in its gate, while transistor 171 has a low gain but a high frequency response.
The prior art VDC 110 as shown in FIG. 1B does not operate well for high frequency memories. This is due to the fact that the analog circuit shown by VDC 110 is inherently slow and cannot function well within ever increasing memory speeds where activity on the load is quickly changing. More specifically, the comparator requires a minimum difference between the reference voltage and the feedback voltage in order to change its output and to increase or decrease the current provided to the output node D1.
There is therefore a need for a new and improved voltage down converter for use with high speed memory devices, which can provide relatively large output currents and voltages, which minimizes voltage variations during operation, and which has improved stability and robustness.

Voltage down converter for high speed memory


A flux-containing composition for brazing aluminum containing a fluoride flux, a binder of an alkyd resin, a mixture of an acrylic resin and a butyl rubber (or a petroleum resin), and/or a polyethylene resin, an organic solvent, and optionally a metallic powder for brazing is easy for handling and plastic working of a product coated with it, gives brazed areas (fillets) of good appearance, has low cost and better operating environment, and is capable of application to members having complicated shapes.

The present invention relates to a flux-containing composition comprising a metallic powder for brazing (also referred to as a brazing powder) useful for brazing aluminum materials to be jointed. The term xe2x80x9caluminumxe2x80x9d referred to herein includes pure aluminum and its alloys otherwise specifically described.
Further, the present invention relates to an undried film resulting from a composition for brazing useful for brazing aluminum materials to be jointed and a brazing method through the undried film.
In order to braze aluminum, brazing sheets have been often used. The brazing sheets used comprise cores made of alloys such as 3003 alloy, 3N03 alloy or the like clad with brazing materials such as 4343 alloy or 4045 alloy on either or both surfaces thereof. These numbers of four ciphers are as specified in JIS. Since such a clad brazing material is indispensably applied to areas other than those to be brazed, a cost of a final product is increased. And, a thickness of a clad material is limited by problems in the preparation of the clad material. The minimum thickness is about 60 xcexcm since it is very difficult to industrially prepare a thinner clad material. Even prepared, the resultant clad material has a skin with an uneven thickness and therefore, its qualities and properties are not constant.
When brazing sheets are brazed, fluxes are essential. One type is fluxes to be applied to areas to be brazed immediately before brazing. However, it is difficult that most of the fluxes are completely dried due to their compositions. Even if dried, the flux is readily peeled off and dropped so that it is impossible to store and transport for a long period before brazing. And, processing, assembly and the like are also impossible.
Generally, a suspension comprising a flux mixed with water is applied by spraying or using any other means and dried before a brazing operation (step). However, the application of the suspension may scatter the flux over undesirable areas, which is not preferable for operating environment and health. On the other hand, when the drying before the brazing step is incomplete, water is left in a brazed area which may lower a brazing property and produce defects in the brazed area. Moreover, when water is contained as a medium, a flux is not well adhered to a brazing sheet. And, it is not evenly coated. Excess flux in areas to which much amounts of the flux are adhered may form gray or white stains, while areas to which less amounts of the flux are adhered may have an insufficient brazing property.
For overcoming the problems mentioned above, a method comprising adding a water soluble resin as a binder was proposed as disclosed in JP 6285682A. This method gives a final product with a commercially unattractive appearance since the reaction of the binder with the flux during brazing makes brazed areas dark. Even if the water soluble resin was used, the resultant film was readily peeled off and dropped due to its poor film-forming property. Thus, processing and assembly after the application of the flux were substantially impossible. The use of the resin of solvent type is not suitable for industrial preparation since the change in color of brazed areas and the production of cracks may occur irrespective of drying of the resultant film.
Recently, a brazing method in which an area to be brazed of an aluminum material is coated with a mixture of an aluminum-silicon brazing powder and a flux in place of the use of a brazing sheet has been proposed. This method solves the problem of costs, but the other problems mentioned above cannot be solved thereby.
The present inventors completed the present invention via repeated study. Thus, the present invention is directed to a composition, a film and a method as defined by the preferable embodiments A to D below.
A1. A flux-containing composition for brazing aluminum comprising:
a) 10 to 70% by weight of a metallic powder for brazing,
b) 2 to 50% by weight of a fluoride flux, and
c) 1 to 15% by weight of at least one binder selected from the group consisting of an alkyd resin, a mixture of an alkyd resin and a butyl rubber, a mixture of an alkyd resin and a petroleum resin, a mixture of an alkyd resin, a butyl rubber and a petroleum resin, a mixture of an acrylic resin and a butyl rubber, a mixture of an acrylic resin and a petroleum resin and a mixture of an acrylic resin, a butyl rubber and a petroleum resin,
the balance being substantially an organic solvent provided that the total is not more than 100% by weight.
A2. A flux-containing composition for brazing aluminum as defined in (A1) wherein the metallic powder for brazing is a powdery mixture of a pure aluminum powder and a silicon powder.
A3. A flux-containing composition for brazing aluminum as defined in (A1) wherein the metallic powder for brazing is a powdery mixture of a pure aluminum powder, a silicon powder and a zinc powder.
A4. A flux-containing composition for brazing aluminum as defined in (A1) which comprises a coupling agent.
A5. A film obtained by coating at least a part of a surface of an aluminum material with a paste composition as defined in (A1) to (A4) and then drying.
A6. An aluminum material coated with a paste composition as defined in (A1) to (A4) onto at least a part of its surface and then dried.
A7. A method of brazing an aluminum material comprising:
coating at least a part of a surface of the aluminum material with a paste composition for brazing aluminum comprising a) 10 to 70% by weight of a metallic powder for brazing, b) 2 to 50% by weight of a fluoride flux, and c) 1 to 15% by weight of at least one binder selected from the group consisting of an alkyd resin, a mixture of an alkyd resin and a butyl rubber, a mixture of an alkyd resin and a petroleum resin, a mixture of an alkyd resin, a butyl rubber and a petroleum resin, a mixture of an acrylic resin and a butyl rubber, a mixture of an acrylic resin and a petroleum resin and a mixture of an acrylic resin, a butyl rubber and a petroleum resin, the balance being substantially an organic solvent provided that the total is not more than 100% by weight;
drying; and then
brazing any other aluminum material.
B1. A flux-containing composition for brazing aluminum comprising a) 10 to 50% by weight of a fluoride flux and b) 0.1 to 10% by weight of at least one binder selected from the group consisting of a polyethylene resin, a mixture of a butyl rubber and a polyethylene resin, a mixture of a petroleum resin and a polyethylene resin and a mixture of a butyl rubber, a petroleum resin and a polyethylene resin,
the balance being substantially an organic resin provided that the total is not more than 100% by weight.
B2. A flux-containing composition for brazing aluminum as defined in (B1) wherein the fluoride flux is at least one selected from the group consisting of AlF3-KF, KAlF4-K3AlF6, K3AlF6 and KAlF4.
B3. A film obtained by coating at least a part of a surface of an aluminum brazing sheet with a flux composition as defined in (B1) or (B2) and then drying.
B4. An undried film obtained by coating at least a part of a surface of an aluminum brazing sheet with a flux composition as defined in (B1) or (B2).
B5. An aluminum brazing sheet having a film as defined in (B3) or (B4) onto at least a part of its surface.
B6. A method of brazing an aluminum material comprising:
coating at least a part of a surface of an aluminum brazing sheet with a flux composition for brazing aluminum comprising a) 10 to 50% by weight of a fluoride flux and b) 0.1 to 10% by weight of at least one binder selected from the group consisting of a polyethylene resin, a mixture of a butyl rubber and a polyethylene resin, a mixture of a petroleum resin and a polyethylene resin and a mixture of a butyl rubber, a petroleum resin and a polyethylene resin, the balance being substantially an organic resin provided that the total is not more than 100% by weight;
drying; and then
brazing any other aluminum material.
B7. A method of brazing as defined in (B6) which is conducted in a close or open condition.
B8. A method of brazing an aluminum material comprising:
coating at least a part of a surface of an aluminum brazing sheet with a flux composition for brazing aluminum comprising a) 10 to 50% by weight of a fluoride flux and b) 0.1 to 10% by weight of at least one binder selected from the group consisting of a polyethylene resin, a mixture of a butyl rubber and a polyethylene resin, a mixture of a petroleum resin and a polyethylene resin and a mixture of a butyl rubber, a petroleum resin and a polyethylene resin, the balance being substantially an organic resin provided that the total is not more than 100% by weight; and then
brazing any other aluminum material through the resultant undried film.
B9. A method of brazing as defined in (B8) which is conducted in a close or open condition.
C1. A flux-containing composition for brazing aluminum comprising:
(a) 10 to 70% by weight of an alloy powder for brazing,
(b) 2 to 50% by weight of a fluoride flux, and
(c) 1 to 15% by weight of at least one binder selected from the group consisting of an alkyd resin, a mixture of an alkyd resin and a butyl rubber, a mixture of an alkyd resin and a petroleum resin, a mixture of an alkyd resin, a butyl rubber and a petroleum resin, a mixture of an acrylic resin and a butyl rubber, a mixture of an acrylic resin and a petroleum resin and a mixture of an acrylic resin, a butyl rubber and a petroleum resin,
the balance being substantially an organic solvent provided that the total is not more than 100% by weight.
C2. A paste composition for brazing aluminum as defined in (C1) wherein the alloy powder for brazing is an aluminum-silicon alloy powder of an average particle size ranging from 2 to 100 xcexcm.
C3. A flux-containing composition for brazing aluminum as defined in (C1) wherein the alloy powder for brazing is an aluminum-silicon-zinc alloy powder of an average particle size ranging from 2 to 100 xcexcm.
C4. A flux-containing composition for brazing aluminum comprising:
(a) 10 to 70% by weight of a powdery mixture comprising an aluminum-silicon alloy powder of an average particle size ranging from 2 to 100 xcexcm and a zinc powder,
(b) 2 to 50% by weight of a fluoride flux, and
(c) 1 to 15% by weight of at least one binder selected from the group consisting of an alkyd resin, a mixture of an alkyd resin and a butyl rubber, a mixture of an alkyd resin and a petroleum resin, a mixture of an alkyd resin, a butyl rubber and a petroleum resin, a mixture of an acrylic resin and a butyl rubber, a mixture of an acrylic resin and a petroleum resin and a mixture of an acrylic resin, a butyl rubber and a petroleum resin,
the balance being substantially an organic solvent provided that the total is not more than 100% by weight.
C5. A flux-containing composition for brazing aluminum as defined in any one of (C1) to (C4) which comprises a coupling agent.
C6. A film obtained by coating at least a part of a surface of an aluminum material with a paste composition as defined in any one of (C1) to (C5) and then drying.
C7. An aluminum material coated with a paste composition as defined in any one of (C1) to (C5) onto at least a part of its surface and then dried.
C8. A method of brazing an aluminum material comprising:
coating at least a part of a surface of the aluminum material with a paste composition for brazing aluminum comprising (a) 10 to 70% by weight of an alloy powder for brazing or a powdery mixture of an alloy powder for brazing and a zinc powder, (b) 2 to 50% by weight of a fluoride flux, and (c) 1 to 15% by weight of at least one binder selected from the group consisting of an alkyd resin, a mixture of an alkyd resin and a butyl rubber, a mixture of an alkyd resin and a petroleum resin, a mixture of an alkyd resin, a butyl rubber and a petroleum resin, a mixture of an acrylic resin and a butyl rubber, a mixture of an acrylic resin and a petroleum resin and a mixture of an acrylic resin, a butyl rubber and a petroleum resin, the balance being substantially an organic solvent provided that the total is not more than 100% by weight;
drying; and then
brazing any other aluminum material.
D1. An undried film for brazing obtained by coating at least a part of an aluminum material with a composition comprising
a) 10 to 70% by weight of a metallic powder for brazing, b) 2 to 70% by weight of a fluoride flux, and c) 0.1 to 10 % by weight of at least one binder selected from the group consisting of a butyl rubber, a petroleum resin and a polyethylene resin,
the balance being substantially an organic solvent provided that the total is not more than 100% by weight.
D2. An undried film for brazing as defined in (D1) wherein the metallic powder for brazing is a powdery mixture of a pure aluminum powder of an average particle size ranging from 1 xcexcm to 10 xcexcm and a silicon powder of an average particle ranging from 0.1 xcexcm to 10 xcexcm.
D3. An undried film for brazing as defined (D1) wherein the metallic powder for brazing is a powdery mixture of a pure aluminum powder of an average particle size ranging from 1 xcexcm to 10 xcexcm, a silicon powder of an average particle size ranging from 0.1 xcexcm to 10 xcexcm and a zinc powder of an average particle size ranging from 0.1 xcexcm to 10 xcexcm.
D4. An undried film for brazing as defined in (D1) wherein the metallic powder for brazing is an aluminum-silicon alloy powder of an average particle size ranging from 2 to 100 xcexcm.
D5. An undried film for brazing as defined in (D1) wherein the metallic powder for brazing comprises an aluminum-silicon alloy powder of an average particle size ranging from 2 to 100 xcexcm and a zinc powder of an average particle size ranging from 0.1 xcexcm to 10 xcexcm.
D6. An undried film for brazing as defined in (D1) wherein the metallic powder for brazing comprises an aluminum-silicon-zinc alloy powder of an average particle size ranging from 2 to 100 xcexcm.
D7. An aluminum material having an undried film for brazing as defined in any one of (D1) to (D6).
D8. A method of brazing an aluminum material comprising:
coating at least a part of a surface of an aluminum material with a composition comprising a) 10 to 70% by weight of a metallic powder for brazing, b) 2 to 70% by weight of a fluoride flux, and c) 0.1 to 10% by weight of at least one binder selected from the group consisting of a butyl rubber, a petroleum resin and a polyethylene resin, the balance being substantially an organic solvent provided that the total is not more than 100% by weight; and then
brazing any other aluminum material through the resultant undried film.
D9. A method as defined in (D8) wherein the brazing is conducted in a close or open condition.

Flux-containing compositions for brazing aluminum, films and brazing method thereby