Methods for manufacturing silicon carbide wafers having superior specifications for bow, warp, total thickness variation (TTV), local thickness variation (LTV), and site front side least squares focal plane range (SFQR). The resulting SiC wafer has a mirror-like surface that is fit for epitaxial deposition of SiC. The specifications for bow, warp, total thickness variation (TTV), local thickness variation (LTV), and site front side least squares focal plane range (SFQR) of the wafer are preserved following the addition of the epitaxy layer.

1. Field
This disclosure relates to fabrication of semiconductor wafers and, more specifically, to semiconductor wafers made of silicon carbide.
2. Related Arts
The semiconductor chip industry owes much of its success to the natural properties of silicon. These properties include the ease of growing native oxide (SiO2), the excellent insulating properties of its native oxide, and the relative ease of fabrication of silicon wafers and devices within the silicon wafers. For example, silicon and its native oxide are easily etched using either wet or dry plasma etch processes. Consequently, many processes have been developed for fabrication of highly pure (99.9999999% pure), monocrystalline, and relatively large (300 mm, with preparation underway for 450 mm) silicon wafers. Silicon wafers are the primary material used in the fabrication of chips for computing and power electronics.
Other materials, such as, e.g., Sapphire, GaN (Gallium Nitride), AlN (Aluminum Nitride) and SiC (silicon carbide), exhibit properties useful in fabrication of semiconductor devices such as detectors, light emitters and power devices; however, to date their adoption in main-stream fabrication has been hampered due to the difficulties in their fabrication. Generally, standard silicon processes cannot be implemented when working with these other semiconductor materials. For example, while pure monocrystalline silicon can be easily grown using the Czochralski growth method, such a growth method cannot be used for growing SiC. Instead, a high temperature sublimation method must be employed. Similarly, since SiC cannot be easily etched, standard silicon wafering techniques cannot be easily employed for wafering SiC.
On the other hand, high-temperature/high-voltage semiconductor electronics can benefit from the natural properties of SiC. For example, SiC is used for ultrafast, high-voltage Schottky diodes, MOSFETs and high-temperature thyristors for high-power switching, and high power LEDs. Therefore, increasing the availability of SiC can contribute to the development of such semiconductor devices. For example, current production of 100 mm SiC wafers lags far behind the standard 300 mm silicon wafer.
Additionally, in single crystal silicon carbide, complex doping profiles in transistors and diodes cannot be reliably formed by diffusion. Complex geometrical doping configurations must be accomplished using ion implantation thru micron/submicron geometry masks formed using stepper-based photolithographic methods. In order to realize the required implantation for the targeted dopant incorporation within the semiconductor, flat substrates must be used in the photolithographic process, especially as the geometric size of the device increases.
Generally, semiconductor substrates are characterized by several metrics when being assessed for flatness and roughness. These metrics include bow, warp, total thickness variation (TTV or Global Backside Indicated Reading—GBIR), local thickness variation (LTV or Site Backsurface-referenced Ideal Plane/Range—SBIR), and site front side least squares focal plane range (site flatness quality requirements—SFQR). (for definitions and calculations see, e.g., SEMI M1-1103, ASTM F657, ASTM F1390, ASTM F1530).
In addition to being flat, the substrates must also be smooth and free of mechanical damage on the surface. This requirement is mandatory, as part of the device fabrication process the substrate will be placed into a chemical vapor deposition epitaxy process, which is used to grow crystalline thin films. As the thin film grows, it replicates the crystal structure presented on the substrate's surface. Consequently, excessive roughness and mechanical damage on the substrate's surface would result in poor film quality.
The most common methods of producing flat and smooth substrates involve a sequential series of material cutting steps to gradually achieve a high level of flatness and low roughness. Each polishing step uses smaller and smaller abrasive particles to reduce the surface roughness to the target. Polishing pads with strategically chosen mechanical properties are chosen to control the "planarization length" which influences the final waviness of the substrate and achieve the local flatness objectives.
For example, in silicon substrate processing, wafers are sliced and then treated with a lapping or grinding process to make each face of the substrate parallel, achieving global flatness. But these processes result in a significant amount of mechanical damage to the surfaces of the substrate and can result in increased bow or warp of the substrate. To remove the damage, the silicon wafers are typically immersed in a chemical solution which is used to etch the surface damage. This process, generally referred to as saw damage removal, can render the substrate surface quite wavy, and subsequent flattening processes must be applied. Next, to bring the substrate to the targeted thickness range, a series of procedures known as stock removal are applied. In silicon processing, stock removal includes one or several polishing steps using chemical mechanical polishing processes which are used to efficiently reduce the thickness of the substrate to near the target thickness and reduce waviness. Next the wafer is further polished with finer abrasive chemical mechanical polishing processes, long planarization length polishing pads and with small removal targets, in order to achieve the required flatness and roughness specifications. While there are many steps, the duration of the process from lapping/grinding to completion is only several hours, and it can deliver silicon wafers having the flatness and roughness performance required to meet lithography targets, even after CVD (chemical vapor deposition) epitaxy layers are applied to the substrate.
Several publications describe methods to polish silicon wafers to achieve control of both global and local flatness. Most common among these methods for silicon wafers is a series of slicing, edge chamfering, lapping or grinding, etching, polishing, where the polishing steps are single or double side polishing—or both types used sequentially. Double side polishing is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,691,694. U.S. Pat. No. 6,583,050 details methods used to achieve control of silicon wafer flatness which employ double side polishing.
However, due to its nature as a hard and chemically resistant material, cutting, grinding and polishing methods for single crystal SiC resort to use of diamond and metal carbide abrasives for the primary shaping of the substrates. The chemical properties of SiC are such that it is not practical to etch the substrate to remove gross cutting related surface damage. When silicon wafers are polished, methods of chemical mechanical polishing are used and the removal of material is very efficient since the polishing chemistry can oxides etch and abrade the wafer at the same time. It is not practical to employ chemical enhanced mechanical polishing on SiC since the chemical reaction rates are very slow and the costs associated with the process become very high.
The diamond abrasives required to process SiC are very costly compared to the standard abrasives that are used to polish silicon substrates. The SiC polishing times are quite long even with diamond abrasives—the material removal rates for SiC are 5-20 times slower than the corresponding silicon substrate process. In fact, SiC is the abrasive material used to cut and polish silicon wafers. Inefficient removal rates and expensive abrasives make the process to polish SiC extremely costly, especially when conventional strategies to produce flat wafers are applied to SiC.
In order to meet the commercial and economic requirements for acceptance of SiC semiconductor devices, innovative methods to polish SiC substrates must be developed. Efficient methods of cutting and polishing SiC substrates with minimum use of abrasives and minimum intermediate steps must be realized. The polishing process duration must be practical for high volume manufacturing. The overall performance of the polishing strategy must also achieve the wafer surface crystal quality benefits (smooth and free of damage) that would normally be obtained by bulk chemical etch procedures like that used in silicon polishing. Finally the polished substrate must be suitable for epitaxy processes and the final substrate with epitaxy layer must meet the flatness requirements associated with the photolithography steps needed in the fabrication of the electrical device.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,436,366 describes a method to prepare SiC wafers that will result in control of the wafer global flatness during epitaxy and device fabrication. The method consists of slicing the SiC wafer followed by double-side grinding to adjust the flatness, double-side lapping with diamond slurry to reduce the roughness, double-side mechanical polishing with diamond slurry to further reduce the roughness and single side chemical mechanical polishing. The method states a sequence of steps targeted to control the bow and warp of the wafer, but does not detail the interplay between the steps which impact the wafer flatness parameter or the impact of each step on the final wafer shape, only double-side processing is cited as the key element. The method does not disclose means to control local flatness metrics or resulting performance of local flatness/thickness metrics. With the inclusion of many different material removal steps the result will be high manufacturing costs. This polished wafer is designed to have a flatness performance that is offset that is to compensate for undesirable bending of the wafer which can occur during the steps to manufacture a semiconductor device.
The unexpected result of the present invention is that a silicon carbide wafer can be polished with good global AND local flatness and thickness using a simple method. The method requires a lapping OR sequential two side grinding step to establish a low value global and local flatness, and to set the thickness, and a double side polish step to reduce roughness to an acceptable value. A key feature of this invention is the use of large diameter lapping and polishing equipment to simultaneously control and maintain both local and global flatness. Wafer etching is not required to achieve flatness or thickness control, nor is it necessary to use etching to remove mechanical damage. Both the global and local flatness performance achieved on the polished wafer of this invention can be maintained following chemical mechanical polish steps used to reduce the RMS roughness to small values and alternatively, after a gas phase etch is performed and SiC epitaxy film layer is applied to the surface of the polished wafer. As a result of the polished wafer manufacturing strategy, the final epitaxy wafer has favorable global and local flatness performance which will result in better utility to manufacture semiconductor devices with large active area.


A MEMS pumping device driven by electrostatic forces comprises a substrate having at least one substrate electrode disposed thereon. Affixed to the substrate is a moveable membrane that generally overlies the at least one substrate electrode. The moveable membrane comprises at least one electrode element and a biasing element. The moveable membrane includes a fixed portion attached to the substrate and a distal portion extending from the fixed portion and being moveable with respect to the substrate electrode. A dielectric element is disposed between the at least one substrate electrode and the at least one electrode element of the moveable membrane to provide for electrical isolation. In operation, a voltage differential is established between the at least one substrate electrode and the at least one electrode element which displaces the moveable membrane relative to the substrate to thereby controllably distribute matter residing between the substrate and the distal portion of the moveable membrane. In a further embodiment the MEMS pumping devices comprise more that two moveable membranes that are configured so as to maximize flow in a desired direction. Additional embodiments include more than one electrode element disposed within the moveable membrane that are capable of individual and sequential biasing to improve overall net flow in the desired flow direction.

The present invention relates to microelectromechanical system (MEMS) pumping devices, and more particularly to low-power, distributed MEMS pumping devices that are electrostatically actuated and the associated methods of using such devices.
Advances in thin film technology have enabled the development of sophisticated integrated circuits. This advanced semiconductor technology has also been leveraged to create MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) structures. MEMS structures are typically capable of motion or applying force. Many different varieties of MEMS devices have been created, including microsensors, microgears, micromotors, and other microengineered devices. MEMS devices are being developed for a wide variety of applications because they provide the advantages of low cost, high reliability and extremely small size.
Design freedom afforded to engineers of MEMS devices has led to the development of various techniques and structures for providing the force necessary to cause the desired motion within microstructures. For example, microcantilevers have been used to apply rotational mechanical force to rotate micromachined springs and gears. Electromagnetic fields have been used to drive micromotors. Piezoelectric forces have also been successfully been used to controllably move micromachined structures. Controlled thermal expansion of actuators or other MEMS components has been used to create forces for driving microdevices. One such device is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,318 entitled xe2x80x9cMicroprobexe2x80x9d issued Dec. 12, 1995 in the name of inventors Marcus et al., which leverages thermal expansion to move a microdevice. A micro cantilever is constructed from materials having different thermal coefficients of expansion. When heated, the bimorph layers arch differently, causing the micro cantilever to move accordingly. A similar mechanism is used to activate a micromachined thermal switch as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,233 entitled xe2x80x9cMicromachined Thermal Switchxe2x80x9d issued Oct. 31, 1995 in the name of inventor Norling.
Electrostatic forces have also been used to move structures. Traditional electrostatic devices were constructed from laminated films cut from plastic or mylar materials. A flexible electrode was attached to the film, and another electrode was affixed to a base structure. Electrically energizing the respective electrodes created an electrostatic force attracting the electrodes to each other or repelling them from each other. A representative example of these devices is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,339 entitled xe2x80x9cMethod for Making Rolling Electrode for Electrostatic Devicexe2x80x9d issued May 12, 1981 in the name of inventor Kalt. These devices work well for typical motive applications, but these devices cannot be constructed in dimensions suitable for miniaturized integrated circuits, biomedical applications, or MEMS structures.
MEMS electrostatic devices are used advantageously in various applications because of their extremely small size. Electrostatic forces due to the electric field between electrical charges can generate relatively large forces given the small electrode separations inherent in MEMS devices. An example of these devices can be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/345,300 entitled xe2x80x9cARC resistant High Voltage Micromachined Electrostatic Switchxe2x80x9d filed on Jun. 30, 1999 in the name of inventor Goodwin-Johansson and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/320,891 entitled xe2x80x9cMicromachined Electrostatic Actuator with Air Gapxe2x80x9d filed on May 27, 1999 in the name of inventor Goodwin-Johansson. Both of these applications are assigned to MCNC, the assignee of the present invention.
It would be advantageous to develop MEMS pumping devices using electrostatic actuation that are capable of providing both large displacements of matter (typically liquid but also gasses and semi-liquid/semi-solid compositions) and large forces. The electrostatic nature of the MEMS pumping device will allow for relatively low power consumption and, therefore, no unwarranted heating of the flowing gas or fluid would occur. Additionally, the electrostatic pumping device will provide for relatively fast operation, allowing for more precise control of the pumped volume and pumping rate. In addition, it would be advantageous to develop a MEMS pumping device that allows for flow in a single predetermined direction.
Additionally, a need exists to provide for MEMS pumping devices that are capable of being used in unison to provide highly directional flow in a predetermined direction and are also capable of being patterned in an array on a substrate so as to provide for comprehensive pumping of the fluid or gas. For example, by providing for pumping devices that can be shaped and oriented on the substrate it is possible to selectively power the different pumping elements in a predetermined sequence to result in fluid or gas flow in a desired direction. This type of highly directional flow is desired in many applications, including biomedical applications and the like. Additionally, by developing a MEMS pumping device capable of being distributed in patterned arrays over the entire interior surface of a chamber or conduit it is possible to effectively pump the entire matter since the boundary of the matter is moving where the drag force exists. The individual pumping device elements of an array could be individually addressable so that the pumping matter can be directed in different directions as the application warrants.
As such, MEMS electrostatic pumping devices that have improved performance characteristics are desired for many applications. For example, MEMS pumping devices capable of fast actuation, large pumping force and large displacements that utilize minimal power are desirable, but are currently unavailable. Such devices have immediate need in those applications that desire highly directed flow, comprehensive pumping throughout an enclosed region or the ability to change flow directions by sequencing the activation of the pumping devices.
The present invention provides for improved MEMS electrostatic pumping devices that can provide large pumping force, fast actuation and large displacement of pumped matter. Further, methods for using the MEMS pumping devices according to the present invention are provided.
A MEMS pumping device driven by electrostatic forces according to the present invention comprises a substrate having at least one substrate electrode disposed thereon. Affixed to the substrate is a moveable membrane that generally overlies the at least one substrate electrode. The moveable membrane comprises at least one electrode element and a biasing element. The moveable membrane includes a fixed portion attached to the substrate and a distal portion extending from the fixed portion and being moveable with respect to the substrate electrode. A dielectric element is disposed between the at least one substrate electrode and the at least one electrode element of the moveable membrane to provide for electrical isolation. In operation, a voltage differential is established between the at least one substrate electrode and the at least one electrode element which displaces the moveable membrane relative to the substrate to thereby controllably distribute matter residing between the substrate and the distal portion of the moveable membrane.
In a further embodiment of the invention the MEMS pumping devices comprises two moveable membranes adjacently positioned on the substrate so as to impart greater desired directional pumping capability. The moveable membranes may comprise more than one electrode element. Multiple electrode elements may be individually and sequentially biased to impart greater control of directional pumping capability. The fixed portion of the moveable membranes may be limited to a corner of the membrane to allow for the pumping cavity to fill from an upstream edge of the membrane and thereby impart greater overall net flow in the desired direction.
In another embodiment of the invention the MEMS pumping device comprises one rectangular plan view shaped moveable membrane and two triangular plane view shaped moveable membranes disposed adjacent to opposite sides of the rectangular plan view shaped membrane. The moveable membranes may comprise more than one electrode element. Multiple electrode elements may be individually and sequentially biased to impart greater control of directional pumping capability. The individual moveable membranes may be sequentially biased to impart greater control of directional pumping capability.
In yet another embodiment of the invention the MEMS pumping device comprises two rectangular plan view shaped moveable membrane and two triangular plane view shaped moveable membranes disposed adjacent to opposite sides of the rectangular plan view shaped membranes. The moveable membranes may comprise more than one electrode element. Multiple electrode elements may be individually and sequentially biased to impart greater control of directional pumping capability. The fixed portion of the moveable membranes may be limited to a corner of the membrane to allow for the pumping cavity to fill from an upstream edge of the membrane and thereby impart greater overall net flow in the desired direction.
The invention is also embodied in a MEMS pumping device array that incorporates more than one MEMS pumping device disposed on a substrate. The array may be configured so that it maximizes pumping force and requisite unidirectional or multidirectional pumping direction. The substrate will typically be flexible so that it may line or form the interior walls of a conduit, chamber or the like.
In yet another embodiment, the invention comprises a method for using a MEMS pumping device. The method comprises biasing a first electrode element in a MEMS electrostatic moveable membrane. The first electrode is disposed along an upstream flow edge of the moveable membrane creating an xe2x80x9cattachedxe2x80x9d edge. The biasing of the first electrode element is followed by biasing at least one second electrode element in the MEMS electrostatic moveable membrane. The at least one second electrode element is disposed in a distal portion of the moveable membrane. Once the moveable membrane has been fully biased the release process involves releasing bias on the first electrode element while maintaining bias on the at least one second electrode element. Releasing bias on the first electrode element allows for the pumped matter (e.g. fluids or gasses) to fill the pump region from the upstream flow edge of the moveable membrane. Lastly, bias is released on the at least one second electrode to allow for the matter to fully fill the pump region.
The MEMS electrostatic pumping devices of the present invention have improved performance characteristics that are highly desirable for many micro applications. The MEMS pumping devices of the present invention are capable of fast actuation, large pumping force and large displacements while utilizing minimal power. Such devices have immediate need in those applications that desire highly directed flow, comprehensive pumping throughout an enclosed region and/or the ability to change flow directions by sequencing the activation of the pumping devices.

Distributed MEMS electrostatic pumping devices


A system for a two dimension bar code for synchronous omni-directional information and its identifying method are disclosed with advantages of simple in identifying, low requirement on scanner synchronization and high in ability to identifying with anti-aberration. The system for the two dimension bar code is composed of units aligned in a matrix form and comprises a pair of vertical synchronous information units at two opposing borders in said matrix; a pair of horizontal synchronous information units at another two opposing border in said matrix; a directing information unit having a characteristic shape and/or optic characteristics for identifying a scanning direction and having a specific relative positional relationship between said vertical information synchronous units and horizontal information synchronous units; and a coding information unit inside said matrix, wherein the base of each unit is in the vicinity of the intersection of the central linking line of a pair of the vertical synchronous information units and the central linking line of a pair of horizontal synchronous information units.

A bar code is a special optical sign system readable to an optical scanning device, which can be divided into 1-dimensional or two dimension bar code according to its spatial dimensions involved.
A code form for a 1-dimensional bar code is a combination of color bars and space bars with different widths along one direction, and the method and system for its identification are simple and thus is widely adopted in various fields. A typical 1-dimensional bar code includes UPS-bar code, EAN-bar code and 128-bar code. Since a 1-dimensional bar code contains little information, it is jointly used as a piece of index information together with a database.
A two dimension bar code can have two categories: a stack bar code and a rectangular bar code hereinafter referred to as a matrix code. The stack bar code is a two dimension bar code developed from the 1-dimensional bar code and is constituted through stacking multiple sets of 1-dimensional bar codes and in this regard, it contains a little more information than that a two dimension bar code does. A typical stack bar code such as PDF417 may store alphas up to 1K and could be higher if "jointing" signs have been accounted for. The defect of a stack bar code could be large in area, low in information intensity and thus is not suited for a small object. The coding principle and its configuration for a matrix code is entirely different from a 1-dimensional bar code or a stack code with the former adopting "a cell" or "a block", hereinafter referred to as a matrix element, as a basic information unit. The binary optic characteristic of the matrix element represents a binary 0 or 1. A typical matrix code includes Data Matrix, MaxiCode and QR codes, etc. This kind of binary code has a major merit of high intensity of information, small area of code occupation and greater inclusion in printing and identifying due to its stronger error-correcting function provided through encoding.
To identifying a bar code normally requires adoption of a two dimension charge coupling device (CCD) as a scanner for an identifying device. During the identification, the light rays directed onto a heavily colored matrix element are absorbed but those directed onto a lightly colored matrix element are reflected back to the scanner. The scanner sequentially converts the intensity of the reflective light from each matrix element into a corresponding electrical signal and further into a digital signal by means of an analog to digital converter. A decoder translates these digital signals into message contents according to an algorithm.
Among these bar codes, in order for accurately locating each matrix elements, it is necessary to strictly synchronize the two mutually perpendicular scanning steps or otherwise the bar codes obtained through scanning will be distorted so as to affect the accuracy of the identification. This further leads to a very high requirement on the synchronism to the identifier and on the printing quality of a bar code, as well as expensive cost of the devices and the printing, and thus heavily block the popularization and the application of the two dimension bar code. This is the very reason the application of the two dimension bar code is only limited to high tech fields since its creation a decade ago.
To solve this problem in scanning synchronization, a special information unit for scanning synchronization, i.e. a synchronous information unit, is introduced into some rectangular bar codes. These units are disposed at a specific location where a rectangular bar code is located for embodying synchronous scanning along a longitudinal direction. To facilitating an identifying process, e.g. when in a Data Matrix bar code, the information synchronous unit is disposed at the two perpendicular neighboring borders of the bar code area. However these synchronous controlling information still can not lower any requirement on the scanner's synchronization. Taking a Data Matrix bar code as an example, in order for ensuring all coded information units in a scanned two dimension bar code to have identical size and a rectangular shape, it is required that the horizontal scanning of the scanner strictly synchronizes with its vertical scanning so as to ensure non-aberration and non-distortion of the image. This requires high accuracy in synchronization to the scanner and thus leads to a high cost to the identifying device.

Synchronous two-dimensional barcode system with all-around information, and reading method thereof


There is provided a system and method for a spot plated leadframe and an IC bond pad via array design for copper wire. There is provided a semiconductor package comprising a leadframe having a pre-plated finish and a spot plating on said pre-plated finish, a semiconductor die including a bond pad on a top surface thereof, and a copper wire bonded to said spot plating and to said bond pad. Optionally, a novel corner via array design may be provided under the bond pad for improved package performance while maintaining the integrity of the copper wire bond. The semiconductor package may provide several advantages including high MSL ratings, simplified assembly cycles, avoidance of tin whisker issues, and low cost compared to conventional packages using gold wire bonds.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to copper wire bonding for semiconductor devices.
2. Background Art
Conventionally, gold has been the material of choice for wire bonding, as gold is soft enough to bond readily to most integrated circuit (IC) pad surfaces while providing sufficient conductivity. Thus, IC pad surfaces have generally evolved in design to support gold wire bonds. However, with steadily increasing material costs for gold and ever increasing requirements for improved electrical and thermal performance, industry demands for suitable alternative materials are becoming increasingly urgent.
One particularly promising material is copper, which provides similar self-inductance and self-capacitance properties as gold while reducing electrical resistance and improving thermal conductivity. Additionally, the material cost of copper is much less compared to gold. However, due to the increased hardness of copper compared to gold, it is often difficult to provide a secure and reliable copper wire bond connection to IC pad surfaces that are generally designed for gold wire bonds. More specifically, the harder and less pliable copper wire ball bond on the IC pad surface creates issues such as first bond pad metal cracking or peeling and silicon or dielectric cratering and cracking. While IC wafers may be plated with electro-less Ni/Pd/Au for a thicker and more robust metal pad structure suitable for copper wire bonding, such a procedure may be impractical due to cost and limited availability of qualified sources.
Copper wire also presents technical challenges in applications where via arrays are desirable under a bond pad, for example to improve thermal and/or electrical conduction. The use of conventional grid via array designs with vias densely grouped under the copper wire bond at the bond pad creates stress risers. To avoid this issue, it is known to use a perimeter via array design by placing vias only at the perimeter of the metal pad under the passivation. However, the low via density of the perimeter via array compared to the grid via array results in higher resistance and significantly lower performance.
Furthermore, to provide advantages such as higher moisture sensitivity level (MSL) ratings and simplified package assembly cycles, it may be desirable to use leadframes with pre-plated finishes such as Ni/Pd/Au instead of conventional copper leadframes with Ag plating, which cannot reach high MSL ratings and further require a separate plating step. However, since copper wire does not readily bond to such pre-plated leadframes, it may prove difficult to connect ICs to the leadframe using copper wire.
Accordingly, there is a need to overcome the drawbacks and deficiencies in the art by providing a simple, cost effective, and reliable way to connect copper wire to IC bond pads and pre-plated lead frames.

Spot plated leadframe and IC bond pad via array design for copper wire


A composition of matter including a polymeric material which is either a plastic having carbon to carbon linkages or a binary blend of the plastic and starch, in which the plastic is at least 25% by weight of the binary blend; and an organic peracid compound dispersed in the polymeric material, the quantity of the peracid compound being 0.1 to 10% by weight of the polymeric material.

Starch-containing biodegradable plastics have been widely commercialized in environmental applications because of their low prices. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,016,117, 4,207,221 and 4,125,495, as well as British Patent 1,487,050, disclose the technologies of preparing starch-containing biodegradable plastics.
More specifically, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,016,117 and 4,207,221 teach the addition of low molecular weight compounds, such as unsaturated fatty acids/fatty acid esters and unsaturated wax, to plastic-starch blends. The unsaturated double bonds in the additives can react with transition metal salts in soil and water to initiate auto-oxidation, thereby improving degradability of the plastic-starch blends. However, this approach has a major drawback, i.e., the low molecular weight additives worsens the mechanical properties of the blends.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,495 and British Patent 1,487,050, on the other hand, utilize a silane coupling agent or isocyanate as graft-modifier to the starch surface to improve the compatibility of starch and plastics. The mechanical properties of the plastic-starch blends is thus improved. However, modified starch is quite expensive. Furthermore, the biodegradation rates of such blend systems are rather low. Consequently, addition of low molecular weight unsaturated fatty acids/fatty acid esters or unsaturated wax to plastic-starch blends remains in large part the method of choice.
Whether the plastic portion of the starch-containing biodegradable plastics can really degrade is an unsettled issue. The plastic ingredient of conventional starch-containing degradable plastics is supposed to degrade via an auto-oxidation mechanism. However, as a matter of fact, the degradation is too slow to be observed. Some researchers have asserted that the plastic ingredient does not degrade by auto-oxidation and therefore the starch-containing biodegradable plastics are at best destructible, rather than degradable.
In the present invention, the degradability of a plastic is improved by adding thereto a reactive functional compatibilizer, instead of low molecular weight unsaturated fatty acids/fatty acid esters or unsaturated wax. As a result, the mechanical properties only slightly deteriorate, if at all.

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A needle assembly having a telescoping shield that extends over the distal end of the needle when released by an actuator that is triggered during a standard sequence of operation of a medical procedure. For example, the telescoping shield extends by a compression spring from a starting retracted position to a venipuncture partially extended position during the standard sequence of operation of drawing a blood sample with an evacuated blood collection tube and needle holder. After the procedure is complete and the needle is removed from the patient the shield continues to extend to a fully extended and locked position over the distal end of the needle rendering the needle safe and preventing needle stick injuries.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safety needle with a telescoping shield that is triggered during a standard sequence of operation of a medical procedure and, more particularly, relates to a needle and hub assembly having a telescoping shield that is triggered when an evacuated tube is mounted in the evacuated tube needle holder.
2. Background Description
An evacuated collection tube, needle and needle holder are commonly used by a doctor, phlebotomist or nurse to draw a sample of body fluid from a patient in a hospital or doctor's office for diagnostic testing. During the use of such a needle holder, the distal end of the needle in the needle holder is inserted in a vein of the patient. The evacuated collection tube is then inserted into the proximal end of the needle holder until a needle within the holder pierces a closure on the end of the tube. The vacuum in the tube then draws a body fluid sample from the patient through the needle and into the tube. After the collection process is complete the needle is removed from the vein and disposed of.
Because of the great concern that users of such needles may be contaminated with the blood of a patient by accidental sticks from the contaminated needle, it is preferable to cover the contaminated needle as soon as it is removed from the vein. For this reason, many developments have been made to provide means for covering the contaminated needle, once it is removed from the patient. These devices usually involve some sort of shield arrangement that moves in place over the contaminated needle once it has been removed from the patient. However, these shield arrangements have required the use of one or two hands to perform the operation of moving the shield over the contaminated needle, which is a hindrance to the user.
Alternatively, needles with internal or external blunting cannulas have been used that extend from the needle to blunt the distal end. However, these devices require an additional manual operation to drive the blunting cannula over or out of the needle upon completion of blood drawing to protect the user from the sharp end of the needle and also allow the user to draw blood without triggering the safety device. Such devices also require the internal diameter of the needle to be decreased which may affect blood flow or require the external diameter of the needle to be enlarged which may cause unnecessary discomfort to the patient.
Other needles have shields that are activated during the venipuncture operation when the shield comes in contact with the skin. Using the skin to activate the device is not desirable since the device may not activate if the needle does not penetrate sufficiently or may cause the shield to inadvertently lock when probing for the vein. Such devices may also require excessive penetration into some patients to cause the triggering means to activate the device which will cause a phlebotomist to unnecessarily have to change their standard method or procedure.


A mixing type pixel driving method in an active display device includes generating a digital data for a selected pixel, first driving the selected pixel to be illuminated with a first illumination intensity, and second driving the selected pixel to be illuminated with a second illumination intensity in a second illumination interval. A relative ratio of the second illumination intensity to the first illumination intensity is changed according to the value of the digital data. The number of the converted bits by DAC is reduced. Therefore, the less bit DAC is adaptable for the mixing type pixel driving method and the layout area and the consumption current can be decreased.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an active display device and a driving method for a pixel of an active display device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an active display device and a driving method for a pixel of an active display device having a decreased layout area and consumption current.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, active display devices such as active matrix organic lighting emitting diodes ("AMOLEDs") are widely used for various electronic equipments. In the active display device, a pixel selected is driven to be illuminated for displaying an image data on a display panel. At this time, the illuminance is determined according to corresponding digital data.
Meanwhile, one of the conventional methods for driving the pixel is an 'analog type driving method'. According to the analog type driving method, the selected pixel is illuminated with a constant illumination intensity during one unit frame period, as shown in FIG. 1. In the analog type driving method, the number of the intensity levels to be selectable corresponds to the bit number of the digital data. For example, if the bit number of the digital data is 4, then the number of the intensity levels is 16 (=24).
In the analog type driving method, the bit number to be converted is the same as the bit number of the digital data. For example, if the bit number of the digital data is 4, then 4 bits are required to be converted. Thus, 4 bit digital to analog conversion ("DAC") is required for the analog type driving method.
In the analog type driving method, the bit number to be converted is increased as the bit number of the digital data is increased. Also, the layout area for DAC is increased as the number of the converted bits is increased. Furthermore, the consumption current for DAC is increased as the number of the converted bits is increased.

Active display device and mixing type pixel driving method in active display device


An Flat Bed-Multi Function Device includes an MPU, a reading section, a recording section, an operation section, an image memory, and a ratio changing section. In a reduction copy mode, the reading section reads an extended reading area of a document larger than a recording area of recording paper to generate image data. The ratio changing section reduces the image data at a predetermined reduction ratio. The recording section forms an image on a sheet of recording paper on the basis of the reduced image data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a copying machine including a reading unit for reading a document to generate image data, and a recording unit for recording an image on a recording medium based on the image data, and a copying method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the background art, there is known a multifunctional apparatus having a copying function for making a copy of a document. The multifunctional apparatus has an image reading section such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CIS (Contact Image Sensor) for reading while scanning a document to generate image data. The multifunctional apparatus also includes a recording section (such as a laser printer or an ink jet printer) for recording an image on a predetermined recording area of a sheet of recording paper on the basis of the image data. For example, MFC-9800 is a multifunctional apparatus made by Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha.
When this type multifunctional apparatus is applied to an A4 size, the maximum document size is an A4 size (document width: 210 mm) or a letter size (document width: 216 mm). As shown in FIG. 9A, only an area corresponding to the recording area of recording paper can be read from a document by the image reading section at the time of copying in order to reduce the data amount of image data. The width of the recording area (the horizontally recordable width in FIG. 9A) is 206 mm. Left and right margins (2 mm-wide margins in the A4 size or 5 mm-wide margins in the letter size) of the document are not read by the image reading section because images on the left and right margins cannot be recorded on a sheet of recording paper.
Also, top and bottom margins of the document are not read by the image reading section, either.
This is for the following reason. When the multifunctional apparatus is used as a facsimile machine or as a scanner, it is necessary to read all the designated area. However, when the multifunctional apparatus is used as a copying machine, it is wasteful to read the other area than the recordable area because the recordable area is known from the start. Accordingly, when the multifunctional apparatus is used as a copying machine, only the recordable area is read in order to improve both memory efficiency and processing speed.
When the multifunctional apparatus according to the related art is used as a copying machine, the image reading section does not read peripheral margins of the document as described above. Therefore, image data does not contain an image recorded on the peripheral margins. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 9B, images recorded on the peripheral margins of the document cannot be recorded on the sheet of recording paper when image data are reduced and recorded. There is a problem that a wide blank portion is produced in a peripheral portion of the recording area because image data are missing in the peripheral portion of the recording area.
Moreover, when the image reading section reads the document in the condition that the document is skewing, a certain portion that is supposed to be present in the area read by the image reading section originally (when the document is not skewing) may be out of the readable area. As a result, the certain portion cannot be recorded on the sheet of recording paper and is missing. There is a problem that copying loss increases.


The present invention is based on the discovery that hexosamine, and in particular the dynamic O-GlcNAcylation of proteins (modification of proteins by the sugar N-acetylglucosamine) both causes insulin-resistance (a hallmark of type II diabetes) and is responsible for glucose toxicity in the disease. Accordingly, the invention provides methods of diagnosing a subject as having or at risk of having pre-diabetes or diabetes. Also provided are methods of characterizing hyperglycemia in a subject, methods of identifying a protein as being associated with hyperglycemia, and kits for detecting pre-diabetes or diabetes.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to hyperglycemia and more specifically to methods of detecting pre-diabetes or diabetes in a subject using O-GlcNAc or an antibody that binds thereto.
2. Background Information
Diabetes is characterized by impaired glucose metabolism manifesting itself among other things by an elevated blood glucose level in the diabetic patient. Underlying defects lead to a classification of diabetes into two major groups. Type 1 diabetes, or insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), arises when patients lack insulin-producing beta-cells in their pancreatic glands. Type 2 diabetes, or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), occurs in patients with impaired beta-cell function and alterations in insulin action.
The current treatment for type 1 diabetic patients is injection of insulin, while the majority of type 2 diabetic patients are treated with agents that stimulate beta-cell function or with agents that enhance the tissue sensitivity of the patients towards insulin. The drugs presently used to treat type 2 diabetes include alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, insulin sensitizers, insulin secretagogues, and metformin.
Over time, almost one-half of type 2 diabetic subjects lose their response to these agents. Insulin treatment is instituted after diet, exercise, and oral medications have failed to adequately control blood glucose. The drawbacks of insulin treatment are the need for drug injection, the potential for hypoglycemia, and weight gain.
It has become clear that the development of IDDM is known to occur spontaneously in humans, rats and mice over an indeterminate period of time (months to years). Given that the "pre-diabetic" phase of IDDM is long in duration and clinically asymptomatic, one important opportunity for therapeutic intervention falls during this period. However, effective diagnostic assays that can identify people in this pre-diabetic phase are lacking.
There are major limitations in our current criteria for the diagnosis of diabetes. A Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)>125 mg/dl reflects only one aspect of glucose metabolism, which may be stated as the post-absorptive balance of hepatic glucose production and peripheral glucose uptake. It does not reflect the free-living, daily glycemic patterns, the prolonged fasted state or the even post-prandial state. The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), in addition to being clinically cumbersome, is also non-physiologic (assuming most meal ingestion does not include 75 gm of concentrated sucrose). Assessing glucose tolerance with the single measure of plasma glucose 2 hours after the oral glucose is therefore crude at best. And as noted, the original basis for defining diabetes was the association of FPG and 2-hour Plasma Glucose (PG), to epidemiologic data on microvascular complications of diabetes, mainly in Pima Indians.
The use of hemoglobin Alc (HbAlc) to diagnose diabetes (in addition to its regular use in following the efficacy of treatment) has long been a controversial issue. While important dissent has been raised, a major problem with assays depending upon non-enzymatic glycation and Amadori chemistry is that they are inherently insensitive and not so useful for detection of pre-diabetics and early-onset diabetes. Thus, the official recommendations have stressed the fact that while quite specific for diabetes, if elevated, HbAlc would be a relatively insensitive way to diagnose early diabetes. Therefore HbAlc has not at this point been accepted as part of the official diagnostic criteria.
The discovery of O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) more than 20 years ago disproved the long-held dogma that protein glycosylation is restricted to the luminal compartments of the secretory machinery and to the cell surface and extracellular matrix. Early studies of O-GlcNAc's subcellular localization in rat hepatocytes established that it is highly concentrated at the nuclear envelope, particularly at the nuclear pore complex, but is also abundant and widespread within chromatin. However, several cytosolic and cytoskeletal proteins were also found to be glycosylated with O-GlcNAc (O-GlcNAcylated). Later studies of Drosophila polytene chromosomes established that O-GlcNAcylated proteins are abundant throughout chromosomes. The carboxy-terminal domain of a subpopulation of RNA polymerase II is extensively O-GlcNAcylated, and almost all RNA polymerase II transcription factors are modified by the sugar. So far, more than 500 proteins have been identified to be O-GlcNAcylated, and these proteins are involved in almost all aspects of cellular metabolism.
O-GlcNAcylation not only has an important role in many fundamental cellular processes, but also its dysregulation contributes to the aetiology of important human diseases, particularly diabetes. Accordingly, there exists a need for methods that would enable identification of individuals predisposed to diabetes, and would allow treatment early in the disease process, which may help to avert life-long insulin dependence.


A sodium channel protein Nav1.4-targeting polypeptide is disclosed, which has an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1. The polypeptide includes a first disulfide bond between Cys-3 and Cys-17, a second disulfide bond between Cys-4 and Cys-23, and a third disulfide bond between Cys-12 and Cys-24. The polypeptide has a complex coiled structure consisting of a main chain and disulfide bonds, in which three key residues LYS10, ARG18, and ARG22 could interact with Nav1.4 and be essential to block its penetrability of sodium. The polypeptide can target sodium channel protein Nav1.4 to form a stable protein complex; compared with naturally extracted drugs, the polypeptide Nav1.4 is superior in terms of yield, production, and cost saving, making it a promising Nav-targeting drug with broad application prospects.

Voltage-gated sodium channels (Nav) are one type of important transmembrane proteins widely present in human body, regulating a variety of physiological processes such as the secretion of neurotransmitters, vasoconstriction, and skeletal muscle excitability, by generation of action potentials. So far, mutations of Nav channels have been found to be associated with several human diseases, such as epilepsy, arrhythmia, muscle paralysis, paramyotonia, pain syndrome, and autism. Among others, the voltage-gated sodium channel 1.4 (Nav1.4) is encoded by SCN4A and predominantly expressed in skeletal muscle. Nav1.4 can regulate generation of endplate potentials at neuromuscular junctions and the spread of depolarizations along the membranes of the T-tubules, and thereby initiate and regulate skeletal muscle contraction. So far, mutations in Nav1.4 have been found to be associated with at least five hereditary diseases including hyperkalemic periodic paralysis, hypokalemic periodic paralysis, paramyotonia, potassium-aggravated amyosthenia, and congenital myasthenic syndrome, and therefore it has been attracting focus as the target of therapeutic drugs.
Polypeptides have been promising approach of drug development for their highly specific targeting capacity and safety. Currently, predicting the binding mode and affinity between a polypeptide and a target protein through molecular simulation and docking has become an important technology in the field of computer-aided drug research.
There is an urgent need to study and develop compounds that can specifically target the sodium channel protein Nav1.4, which provides a basis for the development of new drugs for the treatment of human-related diseases in the future.

Sodium channel protein Nav1.4-targeting polypeptide and use thereof


In a plasma reactor including a vacuum chamber for containing at least a reactant gas at a selected pressure and a semiconductor wafer to be processed, a pair of electrodes for capacitively coupling radio frequency power into the chamber and a radio frequency source having a radio frequency power terminal, a circuit for coupling the radio frequency source to the pair of electrodes includes a coil having plural conductive windings and a pair of terminals bounding plural ones of the windings, the pair of terminals coupled to respective ones of the pair of electrodes, one of the windings connected to the power terminal of the radio frequency source, and a grounded conductive tap contacting the coil and slidable along the plural ones of the windings between the pair of terminals for varying a ratio of power apportioned between the pair of electrodes.

1. Technical Field
The invention is related to plasma reactors of the type having a pair of electrodes for capacitively coupling radio frequency (RF) power to a plasma and in particular to improvements for permitting use of high RF frequencies and high RF power.
2. Background Art
In plasma etching of a thin film (such as a metal layer) on a semiconductor wafer, the wafer is placed within a vacuum chamber, the chamber is filled with reactive gases and RF power is coupled to the gases within the chamber to ignite and maintain a plasma therein. The plasma etches the thin film. The RF coupling to the plasma may be either capacitive or inductive. Inductive coupling is typically carried out with an inductive coil wound around the chamber and connected to an RF source. Capacitive coupling is typically carried out by a pair of electrodes, namely a cathode at the bottom of the chamber serving as a wafer pedestal on which the wafer is placed and an anode at the top of the chamber. The anode can serve as a gas distribution plate over the wafer, in which case the anode has many orifices facing the wafer through which the reactive gases are introduced into the chamber in a uniform manner. The gas distribution plate can be either grounded or connected to RF power. If the gas distribution plate/anode is grounded, the chamber wall may also be grounded so that the entire chamber wall as well as the gas distribution plate functions as an anode. In this case, the effective area of the anode is much greater than the area of the cathode/wafer pedestal.
One problem is that in etching an oxide thin film (such as silicon dioxide) from the wafer, material derived from the oxide (such as silicon) is deposited on the surfaces within the chamber exposed to the plasma. Such deposition of contaminants will accumulate most rapidly on grounded surfaces, because such surfaces are subject to the least ion bombardment from the plasma. Thus, one way of minimizing accumulation of such contaminant deposition is to apply RF power to such surfaces. Therefore, in order to keep the gas distribution plate/anode clean, and thereby suppress particle contamination, it is desirable to apply RF power to the gas distribution plate/anode, so that RF power is applied to both the anode and cathode.
One way of applying RF power to the cathode and anode might be to connect separate RF sources to each electrode. One disadvantage of this approach is that the chamber side wall would serve as the common ground for both RF sources so that a large portion of the plasma ions, rather than being confined between the two electrodes, instead would drift toward the chamber wall and away from the wafer. The problem is that such off-normal ion directionality (relative to the plane of the wafer) results in severe non-uniform oxide etch patterns and lower oxide etch rates. This problem arises because the plasma-assisted oxide etch process is largely reactive ion-driven. One solution to this problem is to power both electrodes (anode and cathode) from the opposing terminals of the same RF source, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,312 to Tracy and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,421 to Ogle and Yin. A transformer can couple RF power to the anode and cathode, the RF source being connected across the primary winding and the anode and cathode being connected to opposite ends of the secondary winding.
There are three problems with the prior art exemplified by the patent to Tracy and the patent to Ogle and Yin. First, only low RF frequencies, on the order of 4 Mhz, may be employed. Otherwise, the power loss through the transformer would be prohibitive. A second problem is that the cathode-to-anode power ratio is not adjustable. This is a problem because in plasma etching of a dielectric or oxide thin film, a different cathode-to-anode power ratio is required, depending upon whether the process is (1) a reactive ion-driven plasma etch process or (2) a neutral species-driven ion-assisted plasma etch process (for example). In the patent to Tracy, the power ratio is floating and therefore not controllable while in the patent to Ogle and Yin the power ratio is permanently fixed at 50% (by the center ground tap on the transformer secondary winding) and therefore not adjustable. A third problem is that the ion energy is too high, resulting in unacceptably high incidence of device damage on the wafer. The high ion energy arises because the low RF frequency (which must be used to avoid power loss at the transformer) more readily accelerates the heavier plasma ions. Since the cathode/anode power ratio is not adjustable, ion energy at the cathode cannot be reduced to avoid device damage.

Broad-band adjustable power ratio phase-inverting plasma reactor


The invention provides a set of electrode positioners for skin-contacting surface electrodes used for electrical muscular stimulation in conjunction with a splint, the set including at least one electrode positioner in the form of a scoop-like structure, the concave surface of which substantially fits a first surface of a patient""s limb; at least one surface electrode of a predetermined size, location and orientation, fixedly attached to the concave surface, and a terminal element for connecting the at least one electrode to a source of stimulation current, the terminal element being accessible from the rear side of the concave surface, wherein the electrode positioner is configured to be introductive between the surface of the limb and an interior surface of the splint, an element is also provided to arrest the positioner in a predetermined and reproducible final position relative to the splint.

The present invention relates to a set of electrode positioners, in particular to electrode positioners for skin-contacting surface electrodes used for electrical muscular stimulation in conjunction with a splint.
Electrical stimulation is widely used for pain control (TENS), therapeutic exercise (TESS) and for activating a paralyzed limb (FEES) in order to restore functional activities, e.g., pretension-release of objects. A serious problem encountered by a patient is the need to position the electrodes on his limb each time he sets up the stimulation system. Electrode positioning requires considerable expertise and a great deal of time, especially when the stimulation system is required to activate several muscles in relatively complex movements, and even more so when the muscles are small and the musculature is crowded. For limbs such as the forearm, it is very difficult to position an array of surface electrodes sufficiently accurately to generate a prehension-release pattern in the hand which would facilitate grasp and manipulation of objects and utensils in daily use.
One solution to the above problem has been to arrange the electrodes on the inside surface of a splint, as shown, by way of example, in FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,516. During an initial clinical session with the patient, the clinician applies his expertise and arranges the electrode array on the splint. Thereafter, every time the patient uses the device, he places the splint on his arm and the entire electron array locates itself according to the clinician""s arrangement. The problem of this method resides in the fact that even for an experienced clinician, the positioning of electrodes for optimum results is a very time-consuming process, which is also correspondingly wearisome to the patient.
It is thus one of the objects of the present invention to provide a set of electrode positioners that enables a clinician to assess the efficiency of a diversity of electrode locations on the limb of a patient in rapid succession and that, after he has rapidly gone through and tested several or all of the electrode positioners of the set, allows him to attach permanent surface electrodes to the splint, the size, position and orientation of the, electrodes being precisely copied from those of the selected electrode positioners.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electrode positioner that will enable the patient himself to activate different muscles of his limb to carry out a variety of functional activities, as well as to exercise his limb using a selection of clinical protocols, choosing different muscles each time.
According to the invention, the above objects are achieved by providing a set of electrode positioners for skin-contacting surface electrodes used for electrical muscular stimulation in conjunction with a splint, said set comprising at least one electrode positioner in the form of a scoop-like structure, the concave surface of which substantially fits a first surface of a patient""s limb; at least one surface electrode of a predetermined size, location and orientation, fixedly attached to said concave surface; terminal means for connecting said at least one electrode to a source of stimulation current, said terminal means being accessible from the rear side of said concave surface, wherein said electrode positioner is configured to be introducible between the surface of said limb and an interior surface of said splint, means being provided to arrest said positioner in a predetermined and reproducible final position relative to said splint.
It will be appreciated that the electrode positioners described below are designed for use with splints intended for the activation, by electrical stimulation, of flexor and extensor muscles, the motor points of which are located in the palmar, respectively, the dorsal, portions of the forearm. Since any useful limb movement requires the action of a flexor as well as an extensor, it is obvious that such a splint must have stimulation electrodes on both the dorsal and palmar sides of the forearm and therefore requires at least two electrode positioners.
It will be further appreciated that a forearm splint was selected by way of example only, splints being feasible also for the lower limbs, the elbow, the shoulder, etc. In such cases, while the mounting and operating principles of the associated electrode positioners remain the same, their specific shape will obviously be dictated by their points of application.

Electrode positioner for a splint to be used for muscle stimulation

N.E.S.S. Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Systems Ltd.


A non-volatile memory device includes an upwardly protruding fin disposed on a substrate and a control gate electrode crossing the fin. A floating gate is interposed between the control gate electrode and the fin and includes a first storage gate and a second storage gate. The first storage gate is disposed on a sidewall of the fin, and the second storage gate is disposed on a top surface of the fin and is connected to the first storage gate. A first insulation layer is interposed between the first storage gate and the sidewall of the fin, and a second insulation layer is interposed between the second storage gate and the top surface of the fin. The second insulation layer is thinner than the first insulation layer. A blocking insulation pattern is interposed between the control gate electrode and the floating gate.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same. More specifically, the present invention is directed to non-volatile memory devices and methods of forming the same.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Non-volatile memory devices retain their stored data even when their power supplies are interrupted. Representative non-volatile memory devices are flash memory devices. Conventionally, flash memory devices have a stacked gate structure that is advantageous in high integration density. A flash memory cell of a typical stacked gate structure is disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 10-0396698, which will now be described with reference to FIG. 1.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a control gate electrode 5 is disposed on a semiconductor substrate 1. A floating gate 3 is interposed between the control gate electrode 5 and the semiconductor substrate 1. A tunnel oxide layer 2 is interposed between the floating gate 3 and the semiconductor substrate 1. A dielectric layer 4 is interposed between the control gate electrode 5 and the floating gate 3. The floating gate 3 is electrically isolated by the tunnel oxide layer 2 and the dielectric layer 4.
The conventional flash memory cell stores data of logic "1" or "0" based on the amount of charges stored in the floating gate 3.
Various issues arise as conventional flash memory cells are further developed for higher integration. For example, the width of a channel region below the floating gate 3 tends to decrease, so that the turn-on current of the flash memory cell may decrease sharply to increase the sensing margin of the flash memory device. Further, as the overlap area of the floating gate 3 and the control gate 5 decreases, the coupling ratio of the flash memory cell may decrease to increase the operation voltage of the flash memory cell. Due to the increase in the operation voltage, the power consumption of a device increases and a boundary portion of the substrate 1 may damage, causing the reliability of the flash memory cell to degrade.

Non-volatile memory devices and methods of forming the same


A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, which facilitates a terminal to be used in further consideration of user's convenience. The present invention includes saving a first memo sheet including at least one memo object and at least one audio memo object for the first memo sheet, displaying the first memo sheet to be displayed on a touchscreen, and when a prescribed memo object is selected from the at least one memo object displayed on the first memo sheet, controlling an audio memo object corresponding to the selected memo object to be outputted via an audio output unit. Accordingly, a voice memo content and other memo contents can be efficiently recorded and read.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more particularly, to a mobile terminal and controlling method thereof. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for facilitating a terminal to be used in further consideration of user's convenience.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A mobile terminal is a device which may be configured to perform various functions. Examples of such functions include data and voice communications, capturing images and video via a camera, recording audio, playing music files and outputting music via a speaker system, and displaying images and video on a display. Some terminals include additional functionality which supports game playing, while other terminals are also configured as multimedia players. More recently, mobile terminals have been configured to receive broadcast and multicast signals which permit viewing of contents, such as videos and television programs.
Generally, terminals can be classified into mobile terminals and stationary terminals according to a presence or non-presence of mobility. And, the mobile terminals can be further classified into handheld terminals and vehicle mount terminals according to availability for hand-carry.
There are ongoing efforts to support and increase the functionality of mobile terminals. Such efforts include software and hardware improvements, as well as changes and improvements in the structural components which form the mobile terminal.
Recently, in utilizing a memo function of a mobile terminal, various kinds of contents including photos, audio, video and the like can be saved together as well as a text memo. In order to facilitate the reading of a memo in which various kinds of the contents are combined together, many efforts need to be made to research and develop a method of arranging and saving the contents efficiently.

Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof


Apparatus for spectroscopic analysis of chemical compounds in samples released from a gas chromatograph is configured for placing the samples in matrix isolation for exposure to a beam of light generated from a spectrometer. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, housing a generally cylindrical, axially rotating sample disk having an axle and a mirrored surface, which is provided for receiving the samples from the gas chromatograph. A support block supports the rotating disk within the vacuum chamber. Also included in the apparatus is a cooling device which is in contact with the support block for cryogenically cooling the mirrored surface. Further, the disk is configured such that it rotates relative to the stationary cooling device. Also featured is a sample deposition apparatus which displaces a sample deposition nozzle to avoid contamination of the mirrored surface, and positions the deposition nozzle relative to the sample disk to obtain real time sample analysis.

The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for spectroscopic analysis of chemical compounds that have been separated by a gas chromatograph and suspended in a frozen matrix isolated state, and specifically to an arrangement for collecting, entrapping and displaying the separated compounds in a state of matrix isolation for spectroscopic analysis.
Conventionally, gas chromatographs been widely used in conjunction with various spectroscopic instruments, for example, mass spectrometers, for analysis of chemical compounds. In such systems, gas chromatographs, which are known instruments for separating mixtures of chemical compounds, separate the samples into their respective individual compounds. The separated compounds are then analyzed by the mass spectrometers to determine the identity of each compound.
While conventional mass spectrometers may be sufficient for supplying approximate analyses of the separated compounds, they are inadequate for distinguishing between compounds having molecules that are very similar, i.e., isomers. The problem is compounded when the quantity of a sample being analyzed is small. In addition, the mass spectrometer does not offer any means for preserving the samples for further analysis at a later time. For these reasons, the conventional gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer system is unsuited for identification of minute amounts of compounds requiring a high degree of specificity, such as when exact isomer identification is required.
To address the above-described shortcomings of the gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer system, a matrix isolation infrared spectroscopic technique has been developed to be used in conjunction with the gas chromatograph. In this system, a chemical sample is gas chromatographically separated, and mixed with an inert substance, such as argon or krypton gas. Both the sample and the inert gas are then deposited onto a smooth mirrored surface that is cryogenically cooled to about 10.degree. to 20.degree. K, which results in the molecules of each compound being entrapped within a frozen matrix of solidified inert gas. The infrared spectrum of each molecule is then measured for high resolution identification of each compound in the sample. In this manner, an accurate analysis of the chemical compounds is achieved with more certainty than from conventional mass spectrometers, particularly when it is important to distinguish among compounds that have very similar molecules and when small quantities of samples are being tested. An added advantage of this technique is that it permits retention of the sample in a suspended state over an extended period of time to allow a confirming analysis at a later time.
A known apparatus for incorporating the matrix isolation technique with a gas chromatograph is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,936 to the present inventor, which is incorporated by reference herein. That apparatus includes a sample collection vacuum chamber. Provided within the vacuum chamber is a specular carousel having a polished surface, upon which the gas sample from the gas chromatograph is deposited by a delivery nozzle. The specular carousel is configured to rotate in a helical pattern so that there is a continuous surface for the sample to be deposited. Coupled to the vacuum chamber is a vacuum pump for creating a high vacuum. The expander module of a closed cycle refrigerator, which is also coupled to the vacuum chamber, is included for supporting and cryogenically cooling the specular carousel. When a beam of infrared (IR) light enters the vacuum chamber, it is adjustably directed onto the sample deposited on the carousel surface by a first mirror. A second mirror, positioned adjacent to the first mirror, receives the IR beam reflected from the carousel surface and aims the IR beam to an infrared light detector.
One disadvantage of the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,936 is that the specular carousel is bolted to the expander module and its rotation is derived by rotating the entire expander module. This is an inefficient method of rotating the specular carousel, because the only function of the expander module is to cool the specular carousel, and therefore, configuring the expander module to also rotate the carousel unnecessarily complicates the cooling system and its manufacture. Moreover, the rotation of the carousel via the expander module, rather than rotating it independently, requires a much larger scale of motion, because the motion is transferred to a number of different components before actually reaching the carousel. Consequently, a precise rotation of the carousel is not achieved, and the sample is not deposited in a consistent helical pattern to be exposed by the IR beam.
A sample block that rotates independently of a cooling expander is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,772 to the present inventor. However, it has been found that the arrangement disclosed in that patent results in poor heat transfer between the cooling expander and the sample block. This is because the heat transfer is conducted through threads on which the sample block rotates and translates, resulting in limited contact between the sample block and the threads. In addition, the sample block of this patent is octagonally shaped, which reduces the availability of the sample collecting surfaces.
Another disadvantage of the above-identified prior art matrix isolation analysis systems is that the point of sample deposition on the carousel is 180 degrees away from the point where spectroscopic analysis is conducted. As a result, the recording of the IR beam for analysis is a "post-run" operation, in contradistinction to a "real time" operation. This drawback results in unwanted delay in the analysis.
Still another disadvantage of the prior art matrix isolation analysis systems is that the delivery nozzle is stationary, which results in unwanted excess sample being deposited on the sample block due to weeping. Another disadvantage of the systems having the stationary delivery nozzle is that unwanted solvent from the sample is discharged onto the sample block, i.e., an upstream valving operation for eliminating the solvent must be performed on the sample block. A displaceable delivery nozzle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,226 to the present inventor. However that delivery nozzle is not displaceable in a manner which would prevent unwanted excess sample from contaminating the carousel surface.
Yet another disadvantage of the prior art matrix isolation analysis system is that the first and the second mirrors are two separate pieces, and require adjustments relative to each other. In addition, the adjustment assembly on which the two mirrors are mounted for adjusting the two mirrors relative to the carousel surface only allows two dimensional adjustments.
Thus, it is a first object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for spectroscopic analysis of chemical compounds having a deposition surface that moves independently of the cryogenic cooling system, yet provides efficient heat transfer between the deposition surface and the cooling system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for spectroscopic analysis of chemical compounds having a sample deposition point at close proximity to the point of spectroscopic analysis to enable "real time" examination of the sample.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for spectroscopic analysis of chemical compounds having a sample delivery nozzle that can be rapidly displaced from the deposition surface to prevent excess sample and unwanted solvent component of the sample from contaminating the deposition surface.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for spectroscopic analysis of chemical compounds wherein the two mirrors for focusing and redirecting the IR beam are fabricated in a single block, and an adjustment assembly for adjusting the mirrors relative to deposition surface allows for three dimensional adjustments.

Matrix isolation apparatus for spectroscopic analysis of chemical compounds


A liquid crystal panel includes a first substrate having pixels defining a pixel region, and pixel electrodes and a common electrode disposed in the pixel region on the first substrate. The pixel electrodes are disposed for the respective pixels. The liquid crystal panel also includes a second substrate opposing the first substrate and a light-shielding film disposed on the second substrate. The light-shielding film includes a frame portion surrounding the pixel region and a middle portion disposed at least in the pixel region. The middle portion is made of a material having a higher specific resistance than the frame portion. The frame portion is made of a material having a higher light-shielding property than the middle portion.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to liquid crystal panels and projection liquid crystal display apparatuses, and particularly to a liquid crystal panel including a resin light-shielding film and a projection liquid crystal display apparatus using the liquid crystal pane.
2. Related Art
A twisted nematic (TN) or electrically controlled birefringence (ECB) liquid crystal panel has pixel electrodes and a common electrode that are disposed on their respective substrates. On the other hand, a fringe field switching (FFS) or in-plane switching (IPS) liquid crystal panel has pixel electrodes and a common electrode that are disposed on the same substrate.
In the TN type, a chromium (Cr) light-shielding film is generally formed as a black matrix on the substrate having the common electrode. Since chromium has a high light reflectance, the light-shielding film may be made of a composite including a chromium layer and a low-reflectance chromium oxide layer. In the FFS type, the light-shielding film is formed of a resin on the substrate having no electrode. This is because a metal layer of the substrate opposing the pixel electrodes and the common electrode with the liquid crystal layer therebetween, or electrification causes an electric field generated from this opposing substrate to affect the electric field between the pixel electrodes and the common electrode, thereby degrading the display quality.
The above-mentioned chromium light-shielding film and resin light-shielding film are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 9-258203.
Resins used for the light-shielding film have optical densities (OD) in the range of, for example, 3.0 to 4.0, and the OD values of resins are generally lower than those of chromium and chromium oxide. Chromium and chromium oxide can have OD values of, for example, 4.0 to 4.5. Therefore, the resin light-shielding film is liable to cause light leakage in comparison with the chromium light-shielding film. Light leakage tends to be conspicuous when a high-intensity backlight is used.
In general, organic resins have lower adhesion to glass, which is an inorganic material, than chromium and chromium oxide. Accordingly, the resin light-shielding film is liable to separate from the substrate. If the light-shielding film separates, moisture enters the liquid crystal panel through an edge of the panel to degrade the reliability.
If the resin light-shielding film is formed using a resist film, the above problems are liable to occur because of the low OD value and adhesion.

Liquid crystal panel and projection liquid crystal display apparatus having particular light-shielding film


Full capacity determination in a battery gas gauge. Operations include measuring instantaneous open circuit voltage levels during an open circuit time interval for a specific battery cell and correlating such measurements to estimate values. Such estimated values may then be correlated to associated relative state of charge levels. Finally, a full capacity calculation can be made based on the associated relative state of charge levels. A plurality of full capacity determinations may also be made and compared to each other to assess the reliability of such determinations.

A variety of electronic devices such as laptop computers, personal digital assistants, cell phones, etc. may be powered by a battery. The battery may be a rechargeable battery of a variety of types such as a nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, or lithium ion. Such rechargeable batteries may be recharged whenever a suitable DC power source, e.g., an AC/DC adapter, is coupled to the electronic device.
It is desirable for a user to be able to monitor the charge on the battery to know when recharging of the rechargeable battery is necessary. There are a variety of battery gas gauge devices known in the art for estimating the remaining capacity of the battery based on a variety of monitored conditions. Such gas gauges typically present the remaining capacity of the battery as a percentage of some full capacity determination.
When a battery cell is manufactured its initial full capacity can be directly measured. Thereafter, charge flow into and out of the cell can be measured by appropriate Coulomb counting circuitry. Unfortunately, factors such as cell aging may cause the full capacity level at some future time interval to be less than the initial full capacity level. Further factors such as cell self discharge may cause the current capacity level to become increasingly less accurate as time passes.
One typical solution to these accumulated inaccuracies is to discharge a cell to a point near a discharge cutoff voltage level, Vdc, (discharging below the Vdc level may damage the cell). When the cell is discharged to this point, the estimated remaining capacity (Cer) can be inferred from a voltage measurement at time t measured across the cell terminals at the current charge/discharge rate. If the cell is then charged without interruption to full capacity, the estimated remaining capacity, as previously determined, plus the charge accumulated during the charge cycle as measured by Coulomb counting for instance, equals the new full capacity. For example, at time t, the voltage may be 3.0 volts at a terminal discharge rate of about 2A. This data may then by used to index a lookup table to yield estimated remaining capacity at that point in time, e.g., 0.2 Ampere-hour (AH) for a 2 AH cell. Coulomb counting during charging may then show an accumulated charge of 1.75 AH so the full capacity determination would equal 0.2 AH plus 1.75 AH or 1.95 AH. This is sometimes referred to as a "qualified discharge/charge cycle."
However, this approach has several drawbacks. First, the estimated remaining capacity Cer inferred from the voltage measurement at the end of discharge may be considerably in error. This is because it depends on the behavior of the effective internal resistance of the cell, which can be difficult to predict in a practical gas gauge design. Second, this approach requires that the cell be discharged to a near empty state before measurement begins for Coulomb counting. If this does not occur within several cycles of normal usage, then the gas gauge may be required to request a "conditioning cycle" (forced qualified discharge cycle) to restore the gas gauge to the required accuracy. This requirement may add hardware cost and create user inconvenience. Third, the user might not be willing to wait for the cell to reach a completely charged state. If the user terminates the charge prematurely, the final charge capacity can be estimated but this introduces a source of error.


A method of coupling a mechanical power source through an electrical power generator to an electrical load is disclosed. A characteristic of an electrical output is measured from the electrical power generator produced during a power generation cycle during which there is a coupling of the mechanical power source through the electrical power generator to the electrical load. The coupling of the mechanical power source is adjusted through the electrical power generator to the electrical load during a subsequent power generation cycle based at least in part on the measured characteristic of the electrical output.

Electronic devices such as portable computers and portable communication devices require electrical power suitable for semiconductor and other electronics technologies. In some instances it is too difficult or too expensive to use regional power grids or local generators of electricity to power electronics devices. It would be useful if an electrical generator suitable for efficient and extended use with a human or animal providing mechanical input power could be developed.

Electrical power generator with adaptive coupling