A pipe-connector molded part for pre-insulated pipe conduits consisting of plastic, whereby the pipe conduit is pre-insulated with polyurethane foam and the pipe-connector molded part is positioned so that it can be connected to the internal wall of the pipe conduits to be connected by a method for connecting pre-insulated pipe conduits consisting of plastic by way of the molded part.

The invention relates to a pipe-connection molded part for pre-insulated pipe conduits of plastic material, the pipe conduit being pre-insulated with polyurethane foam.
In pipe conduit construction, in particular in applications in which good insulation of the medium relative to the environment is required, such as, for example, in pipe conduit systems for the transport of refrigerants, pre-insulated pipe conduit sections are being increasingly used. A readily suitable material for the insulation of refrigerant pipe conduits is foamed polyurethane. Arranged around the pipe conduit is an outer pipe or a tubular outer casing which is kept at a uniform distance from the outer wall of the pipe conduit concentrically around the pipe conduit by means of spacers. The annular space between the inner wall of the casing and the outer wall of the pipe conduit is completely filled with polyurethane foam. The polyurethane foam is injected as a reactive foam-forming liquid, and the foam produced hardens. The foam readily adheres to the surfaces of the pipe conduit and the outer casing and also gives the pipe conduit pre-insulated in this way greater rigidity.
If a plurality of such pipe conduit sections have to be connected to one another, the effort required for preparing and producing the pipe conduit connection is relatively large. The pipe conduit itself must be exposed, cleaned of foam and connected to the next pipe conduit section by means of a sleeve. The outer casing must be made continuous again by means of a heat-shrinkable tube around the connection point, and the annular intermediate space between outer casing and the point connected to the sleeve must be filled with new foam.
EP182604 B1 discloses an arrangement and a method for connecting pipe conduits pre-insulated with polyurethane foam. In the insulating material in the intermediate space between pipe conduit and outer casing, an annular space is formed at the connection point. A special annular element which shrinks under the action of heat is introduced in this annular space. The special element consists of a nickel-titanium alloy. After the shrink-fit operation, the annular element exerts such a high force on the connection point between the two pipe conduits that no further connection of the pipe conduits is necessary.
Instead of the special element, a commercially available sleeve or adhesive sleeve may also be used. To this end, the polyurethane foam must also be removed from the connection region before the connection is produced. In order to obtain a sound connection between sleeve and pipe, the outside of the inner pipe must be peeled with a special peeling implement and cleaned.
Based on the prior art, the object of the invention is to provide a pipe-connection molded part for pre-insulated pipe conduits which permits a medium-tight, cost-effective and environmentally safe connection between two pipe conduit sections at any desired point of the pipe conduit.

Pipe-connector molded part for pre-insulated pipe conduits


A light-emitting unit includes a light-emitting component, a conductive device and a power source. The light-emitting component includes at least one end. The conductive device includes a tubular body having an opening and detachably telescoped to the end of the light-emitting component, and at least one abutting portion protruding toward the light-emitting component for abutting against the light-emitting component. The conductive device is utilized to excite the light-emitting component to emit lights via the power source.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a light-emitting unit and a conductive device thereof, and more particularly to a light-emitting unit providing a detachable conductive device.
2. Description of the Related Art
As illumination technology continues to advance, various illuminating or displaying equipment have been extensively applied in everyday life. One example is a liquid crystal display (LCD). LCDs, however, are not self-lighting display apparatuses. A light-emitting component provided must have lights for displaying images. In general, a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) is used as a light-emitting element for LCD.
For a modern light tube, power cords for the light tube have been omitted. That is, a light mask is further provided to serve as a conductive device between a light tube and a light-tube bracket for electrical conduction.
In FIG. 1, a conventional light-emitting unit 1 includes a cold cathode fluorescent tube 10 having a distal end and a light mask 20 jacketed to the distal end of the cold cathode fluorescent tube 10. The cold cathode fluorescent tube 10 includes a glass tube 11, and an electrode 12 disposed in the glass tube 11, and a lead wire 13 connected to the electrode 12 and partially extended through the glass tube 11. The light mask 20 is adhered to the cold cathode fluorescent tube 10 by gluing and connected to the extended lead wire 13. The light mask 20, the lead wire 13 and the light-tube bracket are made of conductive material. When a power source is connected to the light-tube bracket, the electrode 12 is excited by the power source via the light mask 20 and the lead wire 13, thereby generating electrons to impact idle gas received in the glass tube 11, thus, resulting in ultra violet (UV) light. As the ultra violet light is absorbed by the fluorescent agent coated on the glass tube 11, a visible light is formed.
When the light-emitting unit 1 lights, the light mask 20, the lead wire 13 and the electrode 12 of the light-emitting unit 1 are continuously conducted, and heat is generated from the contact area between the light mask 20 and the glass tube 11, thus resulting in that the electrode 12 might be damaged or efficiency of the light-emitting unit 1 might be decreased. Once the light mask 20 is connected to the glass tube 11, the light mask 20 and the glass tube 11 cannot be separated from each other, i.e., the light mask 20 and the glass tube 11 must be changed as a whole, if the glass tube 11 malfunctions. It is not economical to change both the light mask 20 and the glass tube 11 of the light-emitting unit, should only one malfunction.
Thus, it is essential to provide a conductive device suitable for a light-emitting unit, and capable of simplifying the assembly/disassembly process and increasing heat dissipation efficiency.

Light emitting unit and conductive device thereof


Hydrogen ions are implanted to a surface (main surface) of the single crystal Si substrate 10 to form the hydrogen ion implanted layer (ion-implanted damage layer) 11. As a result of the hydrogen ion implantation, the hydrogen ion implanted boundary 12 is formed. The single crystal Si substrate 10 is bonded to the quartz substrate 20 having a carbon concentration of 100 ppm or higher, and an external shock is applied near the ion-implanted damage layer 11 to delaminate the Si crystal film along the hydrogen ion implanted boundary 12 of the single crystal Si substrate 10 out of the bonded substrate. Then, the surface of the resultant silicon thin film 13 is polished to remove a damaged portion, so that an SOQ substrate can be fabricated. There can be provided an SOQ substrate highly adaptable to a semiconductor device manufacturing process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique of manufacturing a Silicon on Quartz (SOQ) substrate where a single crystal silicon thin film is formed on a quartz substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a Silicon on Sapphire (SOS) substrate has received attentions as a radio-frequency (RF) device substrate because a sapphire lattice constant is close to that of single crystal silicon, so heteroepitaxial growth can proceed and in addition, the substrate is suitable for fabrication of an RF device.
As compared with a Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) transistor fabricated on a silicon substrate, a MOS transistor having an SOS structure is advantageous in that a power of an RF signal that leaks to a ground side through a sapphire substrate (power loss/signal loss) is small because of a small source-ground/drain-ground stray capacitance of the transistor.
On the other hand, the sapphire substrate has a problem in that the substrate is very expensive and it is difficult to increase its diameter. As a conceivable alternative to the sapphire substrate, there is a quartz substrate that is inexpensive and can increase its diameter as compared with the sapphire substrate. However, if the quartz substrate is used as a Silicon on Insulator (SOI) substrate, since epitaxial growth cannot proceed in a single crystal silicon film on the quartz substrate, it is necessary to transfer the single crystal silicon film onto the quartz substrate by a so-called "bonding method" (see Japanese Patent No. 3048201 and A. J. Auberton-Herve et al., "SMART CUT TECHNOLOGY: INDUSTRIAL STATUS of SOI WAFER PRODUCTION and NEW MATERIAL DEVELOPMENTS" (Electrochemical Society Proceedings Volume 99-3 (1999) p. 93-106), for example).


A steerable vacuum cleaner comprises an upright body portion which is pivotally mounted at its lower end to the rear of a wheeled floor-engaging head portion. A catch is pivotally mounted intermediate its opposite ends to the upright body portion, the catch having a finger at a forward end arranged to engage a formation on the head portion. The rearward end of the catch defines a foot pedal for moving the forward end of the catch out of engagement with the formation. The catch on the body portion can engage the head portion to prevent the head portion from pivoting sideways and rearwards when the cleaner is not in use.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an upright vacuum cleaner and more particularly to an upright vacuum cleaner having a steerable head.
2. State of the Art
Conventional upright vacuum cleaners generally comprise an upright body portion having an upstanding handle. The lower end of the upright body portion is pivotally connected for forwards and rearwards movement to a wheeled floor-engaging head portion.
Upright vacuum cleaners are commonly provided with a lock which locks the body portion and head portion together, in order to maintain the body portion in an upright position when not in use or when using any elongate flexible cleaning hose of the kind provided on many vacuum cleaners. Typically, the lock comprises a foot pedal, which must be depressed to release the lock, although some vacuum cleaners incorporate a lock which is released by applying an excessive rearwards force to the body portion.
Conventional upright vacuum cleaners can sometimes be difficult to maneuver around obstacles such as furniture. An upright vacuum cleaner having a wheeled floor engaging head portion, which can be steered by twisting the handle on the body portion about its longitudinal axis is disclosed in EP7078613 and comprises an universal joint which couples the floor-engaging head portion to the body portion and which permits rotational movement in two orthogonal axes, so that the body portion can pivot sideways as well as forwardly and rearwardly.
Such so-called steerable vacuum cleaners are difficult to move sideways to lock the body portion in the upright position using a conventional locking mechanism.
WO2004/014211 discloses a steerable upright vacuum cleaner having a stand pivotally mounted to the rear of the cleaner which can be folded down to maintain the body portion in its upright position. This arrangement is complex, flimsy and unsightly.


A power supply includes a switch configured to control flow of current output from an inductor to an output of the power supply. The switch receives a switching signal from a control circuit. An auxiliary bias is generated to power the control circuit. A bias circuit outputs a bias signal that is used to generate the auxiliary bias. The bias circuit senses a level of the auxiliary bias to control output of the bias signal. Output of the bias signal may be controlled to maintain the level of the auxiliary bias at a target level or within a target range.

Power supplies may be used in electronic applications to convert an input voltage to a desired output voltage to power one or more electronic devices. Some power supplies may be classified as either a linear power supplies or a switch-mode power supply (SMPS). Switch-mode power supplies may be configured to operate more efficiently than linear power supplies. A switched-mode power supply may include a switch that, when switching on and off, stores energy in an inductor and discharges the stored energy to an output of the switched mode power supply. The switch may be controlled by a controller, which outputs switching signals to turn the switch on and off.

Power supply that maintains auxiliary bias within target range


Provided is a scanning jig capable of improving replacement accuracy of three-dimensional data. Provided is a scanning jig 10 for attaching to an analog 20 embedded in a model or to an artificial tooth root 30 embedded inside an oral cavity, the scanning jig including: a main body 11 formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape provided with a bottom to one end portion; a fixation member 12 of which one end side is inserted inside the cylindrical shape of the main body and the other end side is fixated to the analog or the artificial tooth root; and a magnet 13 arranged inside the cylindrical shape of the main body, wherein the main body is not provided with a hole or a groove on one end surface on a bottom side of the bottomed cylindrical shape, and the end surface is provided with an inclined surface.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scanning jig which is a member used in the field of dentistry for specifying a position of an embedded artificial tooth root (may be generally called an implant fixture or an implant body) to obtain a three-dimensional data.
Description of the Related Art
In the field of dentistry, a so-called dental implant technique has been largely applied as a prosthesis method for a defective tooth. The application of implant with the dental implant technique has more advantages compared with a conventional dental prosthesis, since it can make a state closer to that of a natural tooth.
A treatment with the implant is generally carried out by the following processes. That is: a hole is created to the jawbone at the defective site where the implant is to be applied; an artificial tooth root is embedded thereto; after the embedded artificial tooth root is sufficiently joined to the jawbone, an abutment which is a member for fixating a dental prosthesis is attached to the embedded artificial tooth root; then the dental prosthesis is arranged to the abutment.
The abutment is designed and produced individually for each patient in conformity with the depth and direction of the embedded artificial tooth root, and a state of the patient's oral cavity. In this regard, since the abutment has to be produced in conformity with a state of the artificial tooth root actually embedded, it is needed to know how the artificial tooth root is embedded before the abutment is produced. To this end, with an impression coping, information of the posture (depth and direction) of the artificial tooth root being embedded is transferred to an analog model which is a plaster model including an analog (a replica of the artificial tooth root). From the analogue model, the information of the artificial tooth root is obtained, whereby the abutment is produced.
Recently, the abutment is produced by means of an automatic cutting processing with three-dimensional shape data, and even an abutment having a complicated shape can be produced with a good accuracy. Therefore, in order to obtain the three-dimensional shape data for processing, it is needed to obtain a three-dimensional shape data including shapes of required parts in a person's oral cavity, an outer shape of the analog model, and postural information such as the depth and direction of the artificial tooth root.
However, among them, since the postural information (depth and direction) of the artificial tooth root is transferred to the analog and the analog is embedded inside the analog model, it is not possible to obtain the postural information of the artificial tooth root as a three-dimensional shape data as it is. On this issue, a scanning jig attached to the embedded analog in a manner to extend the analog, thereby being arranged such that one end side thereof projects from the analog model is used. That is, the scanning jig is attached coaxially to the analog, and an end portion of the scanning jig where the analog is not connected is exposed in a manner to project from the analog model. Therefore, it is possible to obtain the direction and positional information of the analog. By measuring three dimensionally the analog model with the scanning jig attached thereto to obtain a three-dimensional shape data, it is possible to obtain the orientation in a longitudinal direction of the analog embedded on an extension line of the scanning jig, and the positional information of the analog from a position of the end portion of the scanning jig (see Patent Document 1 for example).
In this regard, in order to obtain the three-dimensional shape data with an improved accuracy, in the obtained three-dimensional shape data of the analog model including the scanning jig, the three-dimensional shape data of the scanning jig is replaced with a three-dimensional shape data of the scanning jig which is prepared in advance.
Here, the term "scanning jig" is not necessarily widely used in the technical field of the present invention. However, since there is no unified name in the technical field, for a member which corresponds to the scanning jig having functions described above, the member is herein described as the "scanning jig".


A gas turbine engine includes a compressor, a combustor adjacent the compressor, a turbine adjacent the combustor, a shaft, a motor, a primary variable frequency drive, an auxiliary variable frequency drive, and an auxiliary motor. The motor is coupled to the shaft. The primary variable frequency drive is electrically connected to the motor and an AC power source. The auxiliary variable frequency drive is electrically connected to the primary frequency drive. The auxiliary motor is electrically connected to the auxiliary variable frequency drive.

Gas turbine engines include a starter motor electrically coupled to a variable frequency drive electrically connected to an alternating current (AC) power source. The AC power source is also electrically connected to other variable frequency drives electrically coupled to motors driving pumps, ventilation fans, and/or coolers of subsystems of the gas turbine engine. However, the AC power source may fail or become interrupted.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,250,688 to Scott Thomson et al. discloses a starter/generator system for a gas turbine engine used in aeronautical applications. In a starting mode, the starter/generator system couples a single dynamoelectric machine to the gas turbine engine through a torque converter in a starting mode. In a generating mode, the starter/generator system engages the engine to the dynamoelectric machine through a mechanical differential after the engine reaches self-sustaining speed. The starter/generator system combines the output of the engine and the torque converter to regulate the frequency of AC generated by the dynamoelectric machine within a range of frequencies suitable for on-board electrical equipment by dynamically regulating the flow of hydraulic fluid to the torque converter.
The present disclosure is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems discovered by the inventors.

Starter/generator combination with all variable frequency drives


A push-on switch includes a movable contact which has a projecting segment permanently connected with an outer contact and which is accommodated in a recess of a switch enclosure. A sheet with a center through hole for the movable contact is placed on the switch enclosure. The push-on switch also includes a metal cover with a cover terminal. The metal cover is attached to the switch enclosure such that a pressing segment faces a disc segment of the movable contact corresponding to the position of the center through hole with a predetermined vertical gap between the pressing segment and the disc segment. When a very low and weak force is applied on the pressing segment, the pressing segment comes into contact with the disc segment to change the state of a first-stage switch.

One conventionally known push-on switch of this type is a dual-stage switch in which a first-stage switch turns on when the switch is lightly pressed, and then a second-stage switch turns on when the switch is more firmly pressed. Such a push-on switch is frequently used in an input operation section, such as a shutter release button of a camera or a record start button of a video camcorder.
FIG. 11 is an exterior perspective view of a conventional push-on switch. FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the push-on switch of FIG. 11. FIG. 13A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line P-P shown in FIG. 11. FIG. 13B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line Q-Q shown in FIG. 11.
FIGS. 11 to 13B show substantially rectangular switch enclosure 1 that is made of resin and includes substantially circular recess 1A with an open upper side. On the inner bottom of substantially circular recess 1A, as shown in FIG. 14, which is described later, there are provided two electrically isolated peripheral contacts 2 and center contact 3 that has a slightly lower height than peripheral contacts 2. Those bare, fixed contacts are formed by insert molding.
Connection terminals 2A, 2B and 3A electrically continuous with respective fixed contacts are led out to outer sides of switch enclosure 1 and protrude therefrom. Connection terminal 6A, which is a dummy terminal, is also provided on an outer side of switch enclosure 1 and protrudes therefrom.
There are provided a pair of step-shaped movable contact receptacles 4 at opposite positions on side walls that form recess 1A. There are also provided a pair of oppositely positioned cutout grooves 5 along a line perpendicular to a center line connecting the two movable contact receptacles 4.
As shown in the plan and side views of FIGS. 15A and 15B, movable contact 7, which is formed by press working elastic sheet metal, includes spherically, upwardly curved center disc segment 8; circular ring segment 10 that is concentrically disposed outside disc segment 8 with a fixed distance therebetween; a pair of inclined connecting segments 9 that are disposed at symmetrical positions with respect to the center of movable contact 7 and that connect disc segment 8 and ring segment 10 such that disc segment 8 is higher than ring segment 10; and a pair of linearly projecting segments 11 that protrude outward from ring segment 10. Ring segment 10 is curved upward in a substantially V-shape such that two opposite positions disposed perpendicular to connecting segments 9 are two apexes 10B.
FIG. 16 is a plan view showing movable contact 7 mounted in switch enclosure 1. Projecting segments 11 are inserted in cutout grooves 5 such that the convexly curved side of movable contact 7 is oriented to project upwardly. Side sections 10A of the V-shaped bends of ring segment 10 are disposed in recess 1A of switch enclosure 1 such that they are mounted on movable contact receptacles 4, as shown in FIG. 13B.
The upper side of switch enclosure 1 is covered with flexible insulating film sheet 12, as shown in FIGS. 13A, 13B and 12. Metal cover 13 is attached to switch enclosure 1 via sheet 12. Sheet 12 is sandwiched between the lower side of metal cover 13 and the upper end face of switch enclosure 1 as well as low-profile projection 1B disposed on the upper end face of switch enclosure 1 such that projection 1B surrounds recess 1A.
As shown in FIG. 11 and other figures, metal cover 13 includes a pair of elastic arms 13B extending from flat frame-like segment 13A toward the center of metal cover 13, and center pressing segment 13C joined with flat frame-like segment 13A via elastic arms 13B. Pressing segment 13C has a substantially circular periphery and is provided with downward projection 13D at its center that protrudes downward.
The thus configured conventional push-on switch is normally of f because movable contact 7 is apart from peripheral contacts 2 and center contact 3, as shown in FIG. 13A.
The operation of the above push-on switch when it is pressed will be described with reference to cross-sectional views of FIGS. 17A, 17B, 18A and 18B. FIGS. 17A and 18A are cross-sectional views taken along the line P-P shown in FIG. 11. FIGS. 17B and 18B are cross-sectional views taken along the line Q-Q shown in FIG. 11. For clarity, these drawings only show main segments for metal cover 13.
When pressing segment 13C of metal cover 13 is lightly pushed from above, pressing segment 13C moves downward and downward projection 13D presses disc segment 8 of movable contact 7 via sheet 12. When the pressing force exceeds a predetermined value, as shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B, ring segment 10 of movable contact 7, supported by the portions of ring segment 10 placed on movable contact receptacles 4, provides a moderate click feeling as it changes from the convex shape to a concave shape while disc segment 8 keeps its spherical shape. At this point, disc segment-side base parts of two connecting segments 9 come into contact with two electrically isolated peripheral contacts 2, respectively. This first-stage action turns the first-stage switch on where two peripheral contacts 2, that is, connection terminals 2A and 2B (see FIG. 16) become electrically continuous with each other via movable contact 7.
When pressing segment 13C is further pushed downward from this state to push disc segment 8 of movable contact 7 downward via sheet 12, disc segment 8, which is now supported by its periphery placed on peripheral contacts 2, provides a moderate click feeling as it changes from the convex shape to a downward concave shape, as shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B, and the center lower side of disc segment 8 comes into contact with center contact 3. This second-stage action turns the second-stage switch on where center contact 3 as well as two peripheral contacts 2, which were already short-circuited when the first-stage switch was turned on, that is, connection terminal 3A as well as connection terminals 2A and 2B (see FIG. 16) become electrically continuous with each other.
Thereafter, when the pushing force on pressing segment 13C is removed, the pressing force on disc segment 8 of movable contact 7 is removed and disc segment 8 first restores its upward protruding spherical shape due to its elastic restoring force. Consequently, the center lower side of disc segment 8 separates from center contact 3 and the second-stage switch returns to its off-state, followed by the movement of connecting segments 9 returning to their inclined state in which their disc segment 8 side sections become higher than the other side. At the same time, disc segment-side parts of the connecting segments 9 separate from peripheral contacts 2 and the first-stage switch also returns to its off-state. When movable contact 7 is restored to its original shape, sheet 12 as well as elastic arms 13B joined with pressing segment 13C return to their original positions.
FIG. 19 shows the relationship between the travel in each operation described above and the timing of when the switch at each stage turns on.
Such a conventional push-on switch is equipped as a switch of a shutter release section of a digital still camera, for example, and an on-signal supplied from the first-stage switch by a light press operation activates focus adjustment for a subject. Another on-signal supplied from the second-stage switch by a firmer press operation fires the shutter.
A known related art document associated with the invention of this application is, for example, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 1999-232962.
The above-mentioned conventional push-on switch is equipped, for example, in shutter release sections of various cameras. On the other hand, as digital still cameras and video camcorders become commonplace, such cameras themselves have been modified in various ways and provided with enhanced functionality and user friendly features.
Under the current situation in which cameras with an anti-handshake function are especially well accepted in the market, when the above-mentioned conventional push-on switch is used as a shutter release button or a record start button of such a camera with an anti-handshake function, the on-signal from the first-stage switch activates the anti-handshake function as well as focus adjustment. To keep these functions activated, after the first moderate click feeling of the switch is provided, this pressed state must be retained. In this case, a relatively low operation force is sufficient to keep the first-stage switch on. However, when taking pictures while the user is moving, problems arise. For example, the finger may slightly come off the operation button or the above activated state may undesirably be released. Therefore, there is a desire to achieve a push-on switch that overcomes such problems.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A multiwall bag having a slider zipper and fin combination and methods of forming same are provided. The multiwall bag, for example, can include a tube body. A combination fin member, zipper track, and zipper block can be connected to an end of the tube body. The other end of the tube body can be filled with product so that the combination fin member, zipper track, and zipper block operate as a constructive bottom during filling. Then, the end of the tube body through which product is filled can be closed and sealed to provide a bag filled with product. The method can include forming a tube body and connecting a combination fin member, zipper track, and zipper block to the bag seal zone.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the packaging industry. In more specific aspects, the invention relates to multiwall packaging and methods for forming multiwall packaging that have zippers associated with the package.
2. Description of the Related Art
As more and more consumer products are packaged, the need for enhanced consumer end product packaging continues to grow. End product packaging not only has to keep the products fresh, the product packaging needs to protect the environment from the product contents and protect the product contents from the environment. The packaging must also be strong enough to hold materials of varying weights, without being damaged, in order to provide packaging for a vast array of consumer products. Of particular importance is the ease of access to the materials within the packaging. Another important aspect includes tamper resistance to prevent the likelihood of tampering with the contents within the bags.
To increase access to contents within a bag, others have developed many types of bags with many types of closures. Examples of user friendly bags can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,376,035 titled "Zipper Fins For Plastic Bags" by Dobreski et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,535 titled "Fins For Plastic Bags" by Dobreski et al. These plastic bags are provided with a zipper or a slider, a zipper track, and one or more fin members. The consumer can initially open the zippered bag, use a portion of the product, and then easily reclose the bag until the product is needed again. This zipper combination is easily operated and can withstand stronger forces applied thereto than zippers previously used on plastic bags. Applicants have recognized that these zipper combinations described in Dobreski are limited to plastic bags. Although plastic bags can provide adequate packaging for some products, they are simply not durable enough to provide adequate protection for many types of products.
Tampering with consumer goods has also become a problem throughout the years. Packaging producers have been developing better mechanisms to enable consumers to determine if the product within the packaging may have been subjected to some form of tampering or unwanted opening prior to customer purchase. Examples of bags with a tamper evident feature can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,999 by Catchman titled "Tamper-Evident Reclosable Bag" and U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,770 by Catchman titled "Reclosable Bags Having A Tamper-Evident Retaining Member Extending Through A Slider." These patents describe many types of devices that can be installed along the zipper track of zippered bags to determine if tampering has occurred. Examples include a removable cardboard, paper, or plastic member covering or adjacent to a zipper slider in the closed position and then attached to the bag in some way. If the zipper is moved, the removable member will show signs of tampering. Applicants have recognized that the tamper-evident features in the Catchman patents require the use of some additional element that has to be damaged in order to show signs of tampering.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Enhanced slider zipper multiwall bag and associated methods


Disclosed herein are systems and methods for using machine learning for managing application incidents. An embodiment takes the form of a method that includes receiving extracted data pertaining to one or more applications, Model-input data is generated from the extracted data. Model-output data is generated at least in part by processing the generated model-input data with one or more machine-learning models trained to make one or more application-incident predictions. Based at least in part on the model-output data, an application-incident-likely determination is made that a likelihood of an occurrence of an application incident exceeds an application-incident-likelihood threshold, where the application incident corresponds to a given application of the one or more applications. Responsive to making the application-incident-likely determination, one or more alerts of the likelihood of the occurrence of the application incident are output.

Billions of people around the world use various different communication and computing devices on a daily basis for many different purposes such as social networking, conducting personal business (e.g., financial transactions), conducting work-related activities, online shopping, browsing the web and/or engaging in other forms of Internet communication for entertainment purposes or to gather the news of the day, and/or the Like. Indeed, digital communications and computing have become increasingly ubiquitous presences in modern life, and that trend is only expected to continue.
With the increased use and pervasiveness of digital communications and computing comes increased complexity. As an example, a financial-services institution may interact with its customers many billions of times per year in ways such as in person at storefront locations (e.g., banks), online (via, e.g., web portals, mobile applications ("apps"), and/or the like), at automated teller machines (ATMs), on the telephone, and/or the like. There are many, organizations, such as large, complex, multinational corporations (including financial-services institutions), that operate and manage large, complex information technology (IT) ecosystems for both internal operations and for customer-facing activities, among other purposes. These ecosystems typically contain many different interoperating systems, servers, applications, interfaces, and the like. It is important to such organizations and their customers that these ecosystems operate reliably and effectively.

Systems and methods for using machine learning for managing application incidents


A reclining chair includes: a base; a seat; a backrest; and a reclining mechanism attached to the base, seat and backrest. The reclining mechanism comprises a plurality of pivotally interconnected links and is configured to move the seat and backrest relative to the base between a fully upright position, in which the seat is generally horizontally disposed above the base and the backrest is generally vertically disposed at a first angle to an underlying surface above a rear portion of the backrest, and one or more reclined positions, in which the backrest is disposed at a second angle to the underlying surface, the second angle being less than the first angle. One of the links of the reclining mechanism is a backrest support link that moves in concert with the backrest between the upright and reclined positions. The backrest support link includes a first longitudinally disposed panel pivotally interconnected with at least one other link of the reclining mechanism, and further includes a second transversely disposed panel to which the backrest attaches.

Conventionally, a recliner chair will move from an upright position, in which the backrest is generally upright, to one or more reclined positions, in which the backrest pivots to be less upright. The movement of the seating unit between the upright and reclined positions is typically controlled by a pair of synchronized reclining mechanisms that are attached to the seat, backrest and base of the chair. Many recliners will have an extendable footrest that provides support for the occupant's feet in the reclined position.
One particularly popular recliner is the "three-way" recliner, which has two reclined positions: a "TV position", in which the footrest or ottoman of the chair is projected forwardly from the chair while the backrest remains substantially upright; and a "fully reclined position", in which the backrest is less upright (i.e., it has been reclined to a shallower angle relative to the floor. In a "three-way" recliner, the backrest pivots relative to the seat as the chair takes its fully reclined position; this differs from a "two-way" recliner, in which the backrest and seat are rigidly fixed and do not pivot relative to one another as the chair moves to the fully reclined position.
Many recliner chairs, particularly older models, have been rather bulky. In many instances the bulk of the chair was necessary to cover the reclining mechanism when the chair was in the upright position. However, in some instances it has now become desirable to incorporate a slimmer, sleeker look into furniture, so designers of recliner chairs have responded with designs intended to present a more contemporary look. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,444 to Rogers, Jr. illustrates a three-way recliner with a "wrap-around" upholstery layer. The upholstery layer is attached at one end to the rear portion of the seat and at its other end to the front end of the footrest. In the upright position, the footrest folds under the front portion of the seat in a generally horizontal disposition, such that the upholstery layer covers the upper surface of the seat, the lower surface of the footrest, and the front surface of the chair between the seat and the footrest. As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,540,291 to Hoffman illustrates a contemporary "off-the-floor" style chair with three-way reclining capability.
One especially popular contemporary chair style is the "Eames" lounge chair. An Eames chair is characterized by a seat and a backrest having a relatively thin profile. In some instances the backrest is attached to the seat by one or more stems that emerge from the rear portion of the seat and attach to the rear surface of the backrest, which can provide a gap between the seat and the backrest for styling purposes. Often an Eames lounge chair will be accompanied by a separate ottoman or footstool.
Because of the thin seat and backrest profile and the styling gap, introducing reclining capability into an Eames chair presents difficulties. Given the popularity of this chair style, it would be desirable to provide an Eames chair or a similarly thin-profiled chair with reclining capability.

Reclining seating unit with backrest support frame


A loom cloth takeup having pivotally mounted arms A exerting a force upon a friction roll (F) has first and second control devices (E) and (H) respectively for controlling tension on the cloth ahead of the friction roll (F) and for controlling a motor (G) driving the friction roll (F) to afford full roll tension control during the build of the cloth roll.

This invention relates to control means for maintaining suitable tension in a center wound cloth roll takeup and the like. The tension applied to the cloth or other web by a friction roll is controlled so as to make possible the production of a tightly wound cloth roll during its full build. Such control, for example, may be especially useful for winding cloth manufactured from fiberglass or carbon yarn and the like.
Heretofore, compensator rolls for controlling tension in a surface wound cloth takeup have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,804. Cloth takeups having hold down arms and the like for applying tension to cloth by driven friction rolls as it is wound on a center wound roll are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,166. The following U.S. Pat. Nos. are further illustrative of the state of the art: 4,025,009; 3,858,820; 3,730,450; and 3,687,388. In the winding of tight cloth rolls for certain fabrics, it has been found that center wound rolls are preferable to surface wound takeup rolls. It is also desirable to control and thereby limit the tension exerted upon the fabric from the friction roll, as the cloth is being wound upon the center wound cloth roll, back to the loom. Otherwise, the weaving process may be disrupted due to the application of heavy tension tending to pull the warp yarns and the cloth out of the loom. Hold down rolls such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,166 have been provided on hold down arms held with a force as exerted by a cylinder provided with adjustable braking means to control tension in the cloth at the point of winding. However, it has not been possible to constantly and uniformly adjust the brake so as to constantly vary the tension exerted upon the cloth by the friction or rubber covered roll during the entire build of the cloth roll. Furthermore, since it is necessary to raise the hold down arm to remove the cloth during a doffing operation, control means which may be actuated by movement of the hold down arm during the build of the cloth roll have been limited in their controlling function during at least a portion of the build.
Accordingly, it is an important object of this invention to provide a cloth takeup having a friction roll applying tension to the cloth at the point of winding the cloth upon the takeup roll and for controlling tension from the friction roll back to the loom. By controlling the tension exerted by the friction roll during the build a uniform tight cloth roll is produced.
Another important object of the invention is to provide a cloth takeup producing a tight roll especially suitable for fiberglass fabric and fabrics constructed of carbon yarn and the like so as to avoid wrinkles and variations in tension upon the cloth throughout the build of the roll.
Still another important object of the invention is the provision of a hold down device for winding cloth affording full roll tension control during the entire build of the cloth roll.
Another important object of the invention is the provision of a center wound cloth roll takeup utilizing a hold down roll exerting constant tension where the cloth is being wound and a compensator roll for controlling tension back to the loom.


A scroll compressor has a recess communicating with a back pressure hole leading to a back pressure chamber. The recess may be formed in either the rear face of the orbiting scroll, or in the mating face of the crankcase. Preferably, the recess surrounds the orbiting axis of the orbiting scroll compressor, and may be circular. The recess serves to quickly supply fluid from the back pressure hole to the back pressure chamber. This is particularly valuable at startup of the scroll compressor. With the inventive recess, a test to determine whether the scroll compressor is capable of reaching its operative pressures may be performed more quickly and more accurately. The recess is preferably relatively shallow, and is preferably of a depth which is less than the diameter of the back pressure hole.

This invention relates to improvements in the back pressure hole for a scroll compressor.
Scroll compressors are becoming widely utilized in many compression applications. A scroll compressor typically includes fixed and orbiting scrolls having generally spiral wraps that interfit to define moving compression chambers.
Fluid pressure due to the compressed gas tends to force the orbiting scroll away from the fixed scroll. The prior art has tapped pressurized fluid to a chamber behind the orbiting scroll to create a force to bias the orbiting scroll back against the fixed scroll. In the prior art, the back pressure tap has typically utilized a series of interconnected small passages to tap fluid from a compression chamber through a crossing passage, through a back pressure hole and into a back pressure chamber behind the orbiting scroll. The passages have typically been formed by drilling or boring the passages into the orbiting scroll.
Drilling the back pressure hole has resulted in burrs at the end of the passage which extends through the rear of the orbiting scroll. To provide proper operation it is important that a rear face of the orbiting scroll be as smooth as possible. Thus, the provision of the back pressure hole through the rear of the orbiting scroll face has required a separate finishing operation to remove the burrs. It would be desirable to minimize the necessary manufacturing steps for manufacturing a scroll compressor, including eliminating this separate step.
In addition, scroll compressors are typically tested upon assembly to ensure they can reach a particular pressure within a particular period of time. This final test is one designed to ensure that the scroll compressor has been properly manufactured and is properly sealing the compression chambers. If the scroll compressor does not achieve the desired pressure within a particular period of time it is deemed to be unacceptable, and is identified as scrap. In the past, otherwise acceptable scroll compressors have sometimes been identified as unacceptable with this test.
A problem with this test, and a problem with scroll compressor operation in general, is that the back pressure hole has tended to be a single small hole extending through the rear of the orbiting scroll face. The hole may be closed by the crankcase upon start up, until pressure develops within the compression chamber to bias the orbiting scroll away from the crankcase. At that point, pressure from the hole forces the orbiting scroll away from the crankcase.
In addition, there is a condition known as "start-up wobble" wherein the orbiting scroll wobbles when initially started. This is believed to be a combined factor of the forces which are normally opposed by the back pressure developing more quickly than the back pressure in the back pressure chamber does, and further partially due to the back pressure hole being closed off.
Thus, there have been some undesirable features with the prior art back pressure fluid supply.

Scroll compressor with back pressure hole relief


The present invention provides a trench isolation method in a flash memory device, by which stability and reliability of the device are enhanced in a manner of forming a pad oxide layer thick in the vicinity of an edge of a trench isolation layer. The present invention includes forming a mask layer pattern on a semiconductor substrate to expose a device isolation area but to cover an active area thereof, the mask layer pattern comprising a first insulating layer pattern and a second insulating layer pattern stacked thereon, forming a trench in the semiconductor substrate corresponding to the device isolation area, removing an exposed portion of the first insulating layer pattern enough to expose a portion of the semiconductor substrate in the active area adjacent to the trench, forming a sidewall oxide layer on an inside of the trench and the exposed portion of the semiconductor substrate, filling up the trench with a third insulating layer to cover the sidewall oxide layer, and removing the mask layer pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a trench isolation method in a flash memory device.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Lately, an isolated distance between devices becomes shorter than ever according to the tendency of high integration of a semiconductor device. For the device isolation impossible for the conventional LOCOS (local oxidation of silicon) to achieve, trench isolation is used worldwide. Trench isolation is a method of isolating devices from each other in a manner of forming a trench in a semiconductor substrate and filling the trench with insulator such as silicon oxide and the like. Trench isolation is applicable to a flash memory device. Yet, such a characteristic of the flash memory device as retention and cycling depends on a thinnest part of a tunnel oxide layer and a thickness of the tunnel oxide layer is affected by a trench isolation manner.
Specifically, trench isolation in a flash memory device is carried out in a following manner.
First of all, a pad oxide layer pattern, a nitride layer pattern, and a TEOS oxide layer pattern are stacked on a silicon substrate to configure a mask layer pattern.
An etch process is carried out on the silicon substrate using the mask layer pattern as an etch mask to remove an exposed portion of the silicon substrate, thereby forming a trench in the silicon substrate.
After oxidation has been carried out on a surface of the trench, a nitride layer liner is formed over the silicon substrate.
And, the trench is filled up with a high density plasma oxide layer.
The high density plasma oxide layer is planarized to expose a surface of the nitride layer pattern.
Finally, the nitride pattern and the pad oxide layer pattern are removed to complete a trench isolation layer, which is shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1, the trench 102 provided to a device isolation area of the silicon substrate 100 is filled up with the high density plasma oxide layer 104 that electrically isolates an active area of the silicon substrate 100.
After completion of the trench isolation, the pad oxide layer 106 is formed on the active area.
However, in the related art method, the pad oxide layer 106 is formed relatively thinner on an edge A of the trench isolation layer 104. Specifically, since an electric field is intensively focused on the edge A of the trench isolation layer 104, the uneven configuration of the pad oxide layer 106 degrades stability and reliability of the device.

Trench isolation method in flash memory device


A facility providing a medical outcome prediction model data structure is described. The data structure constitutes a trained statistical model that can be applied to image data and electronic health record data for a patient to predict a cancer survival outcome for the patient.

Clinical trials are of great importance to study the effectiveness of new treatment regimens. During clinical trials, different groups of patients are subject to different types of drugs and the patients are made to undertake several clinical tests and are usually followed up multiple times. Events such as death, progression of disease, development of adverse reaction, etc., are of particular importance.

Multimodal learning framework for analysis of clinical trials


A system includes at least one wireless communications device having a standard wireless interface and a wireless provisioning device that provisions the wireless communications device. The wireless provisioning device uses the standard wireless interface to transfer the provisioning information, including an authentication key, to the wireless communications device when both devices are interconnected via a wireline link between a transceiver antenna of the wireless communications device and a communication unit of the provisioning device.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to wireless communications, and more particularly, to the use of a Wireless Universal Provisioning Device (WUPD) for the activation of wireless communication devices.
B. Description of the Related Art
After purchasing a wireless communication device, such as a cellular telephone, the user must have the device activated or provisioned for use. Provisioning is the programming of a wireless communication device for use by the owner. Several conventional systems have been proposed for inserting provisioning information (e.g., secret privacy and authentication keys, or unique operational information) into these devices.
The user/carrier key management infrastructure for the authentication-based wireless system uses a key hierarchy generated from a user""s unique authentication key (A-key). The A-key is, for example, a 64-bit value used to generate a user""s temporary authentication keys as well as privacy keys for data, voice, and messaging. There are currently several proposed and implemented approaches for A-key generation and distribution.
In one approach, the A-key is generated by the Service Provider and input to the device using either manual entry by the customer or electronic distribution at the point of sale. This approach requires training of sales agents, which is costly for stores, and extra time for each purchase, which can better be used for selling. Customers could manually enter the keys, but this method is considered unacceptable to the wireless industry because it leads to difficult key distribution mechanisms, and because the industry believes that many customers may find this extra task unacceptable.
In the case where the key is distributed through electronic mechanisms, wireless devices currently use a data port of the provisioning device to load and unload device information through a data cable. This data port is not standardized for most types of equipment, especially for wireless devices such as cellular telephones.
In the cellular industry, for example, cellular and Personal Communications System (PCS) telephone manufactures typically include data ports that are unique and proprietary in their handsets. In some instances, the same manufacturer will have different data port form factors for different models of their handsets. In order to provision multiple makes and models for cellular and PCS handsets, a provisioning device must have many connectors and/or adapters to enable activation of any particular telephone. Additionally, different makes and models of cellular and PCS telephones use different communication protocols for activating the telephones, requiring a provisioning device to support protocols for a wide variety of telephone models.
An example of one conventional provisioning device requires cables and protocol information for each wireless device to facilitate provisioning. Operators must sift through many connectors and follow an extensive and confusing menu to use the proper provisioning protocol. Additionally, some manufacturers refuse to provide programming protocol information for their wireless devices, thereby preventing the provisioning device from programming certain makes and models.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a conventional system 100 for provisioning a wireless communications device 108 using a conventional provisioning device 106. The system 100 includes a Service Provider 102, a provisioning device 106, and a wireless telephone 108. In general, the term xe2x80x9cService Providerxe2x80x9d refers to the computer that manages the network in which the wireless telephone operates, and the term xe2x80x9cprovisioning devicexe2x80x9d refers to an electronic device that programs the wireless telephone to activate the telephone for use.
In the conventional system 100, the Service Provider 102 generates the provisioning information to activate the wireless telephone 108. The Service Provider 102 sends the provisioning information to the provisioning device 106 via the PSTN 104. The provisioning device 106 downloads the provisioning information into the wireless telephone 108 (either cellular or PCS) through a physical connection.
Retailers found it cumbersome to use several different types of equipment for provisioning existing wireless equipment, while further requiring new devices to provision new telephone models. Since these different makes and models of telephones operate in the same network, using the same air-interface communications protocol, some systems found it more efficient to use the standard air interface to provision each telephone, thus eliminating the provisioning device""s need to handle multiple connectors and protocols.
One of these systems uses an Over-the-Air Service Provisioning (OTASP) approach. Using this approach, a cellular/PCS network service enables provisioning of telephones over the air using network protocols. FIG. 2 illustrates a system 200 that implements OTASP. The system 200 includes a Service Provider 202, a Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO) 210, a base station 212, and a wireless telephone 208. In general, the MTSO 210 is responsible for connecting all the wireless telephones 208 to the PSTN 204 in a cellular system, while the base station 212 serves as an interface between the MTSO 210 and the wireless telephone 208.
In the system 200 of FIG. 2, the Service Provider 202 sends encrypted provisioning information to the MTSO 210, via the PSTN 204. The MTSO 210 passes along the provisioning information to the base station 212 via a land line. Finally, the base station 212 sends the provisioning information (over the air) to the cellular telephone 208.
A major disadvantage of this approach is that the transmissions between the telephone 208 and the base station 212 are susceptible to eavesdropping. To prevent the successful interception of provisioning information, cellular networks usually employ computationally expensive and time consuming cryptographic processes to encrypt the provisioning information.
Specifically, OTASP uses collaborative key generation and dissemination by the wireless communication device 208 and the Service Provider 202, or carrier, after purchase. It does not require the manufacturer to perform unique operations for each telephone. The ultimate goal of OTASP is to enable a potential customer to purchase a wireless communication device that activates almost instantly without the hassle of waiting for or dealing with an activation agent. In order to activate the customer""s communication device, the carrier must input a unique A-key into the communication device in an unobtrusive, but secure manner.
Public-Key technologies, such as the RSA key exchange and the Diffie-Hellman key exchange, have been considered to provide secure A-key distribution in cellular networks. Although these public-key technologies have advantages, there are significant disadvantages to cellular telephone manufacturers, cellular switch manufacturers, cellular carriers, and most importantly cellular subscribers which affect the security, performance, and efficiency of the cellular network.
One such problem with these public-key technologies is their susceptibility to a man-in-the-middle (MIM) attack. In a MIM attack, a hacker uses a scanner to intercept the signal emitted from a wireless telephone in order to fraudulently obtain the telephone""s electronic serial number from the signal. The hacker can program a cellular telephone with the stolen serial number in order to charge another person for his personal telephone. Both the Diffie-Hellman key exchange and the RSA key exchange are susceptible to these attacks. A MIM attack is possible using existing commercial technology and could be implemented relatively inexpensively. Diffie-Hellman key exchange enables rapid determination of a MIM attack, but allows attacks by hackers which cause service to be denied to a new subscriber, which in turn may be unacceptable to Service Providers.
In both RSA and Diffie-Hellman key exchange, the encrypted A-Key is transmitted over the air interface between the Service Provider and the new subscriber. Because the A-key is being transmitted over the air, it may be susceptible to cryptanalysis. Both RSA and Diffie-Hellman key exchange also require exponentiation, which is computationally intensive for an 8 or 16-bit microcontroller within existing wireless communication devices (e.g., cellular telephones). For instance, each exponentiation in a Diffie-Hellman key exchange may require two or three minutes of computation time within a cellular telephone, forcing an OTASP session to last four to six minutes. This six minutes would essentially be dead time in which the new subscriber and carrier would have to wait for voice or message privacy before the subscriber can safely provide important personal information, such as a credit card number.
In these systems, each wireless communication device is required to perform computationally intensive exponentiations. In order to reduce exponentiation time and alleviate the main Central Processing Unit from excessive work, an Arithmetic Processing Unit or Public-Key Digital Signal Processor may be added to the device, increasing unit cost. Each wireless communication device may also use a dedicated Random Number Generator chip to provide the secure random number generation required by a Diffie-Hellman key exchange, also increasing unit cost. This additional hardware may reduce the battery life and performance of the devices. Also, additional hardware may be required at the switch to perform random number generation and exponentiation.
In view of the problems in the conventional systems, there is a need for a provisioning device that (1) reduces network loading and activation delays, without compromising provisioning information (e.g., A-key) transfer security; and (2) eliminates the need to handle multiple connectors and protocols.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to meet the foregoing needs by providing systems and methods that efficiently and securely perform provisioning of cellular telephones and other wireless communication devices.
Specifically, a system for meeting the foregoing needs is disclosed. The system includes at least one wireless communications device having a standard wireless interface, and a wireless provisioning device that provisions the wireless communications device. The wireless provisioning device uses the standard wireless interface to transfer the provisioning information to the wireless communications device when both devices are at close proximity. The provisioning device comprises a computer, having a memory and a processor, which executes a method for provisioning the wireless communications device, and a radio transceiver connected to the computer for transmitting the provisioning information to the wireless communications device.
Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description provide examples and explanations only. They do not restrict the claimed invention.


When erasing non-volatile storage, a verification process is used between erase operations to determine whether the non-volatile storage has been successfully erased. The verification process includes separately performing verification for different subsets of the non-volatile storage elements.

1. Field
The present invention relates to technology for non-volatile storage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor memory has become more popular for use in various electronic devices. For example, non-volatile semiconductor memory is used in cellular telephones, digital cameras, personal digital assistants, mobile computing devices, non-mobile computing devices and other devices. Electrical Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM) and flash memory are among the most popular non-volatile semiconductor memories.
Both EEPROM and flash memory utilize a floating gate that is positioned above and insulated from a channel region in a semiconductor substrate. The floating gate is positioned between the source and drain regions. A control gate is provided over and insulated from the floating gate. The threshold voltage of the transistor is controlled by the amount of charge that is retained on the floating gate. That is, the minimum amount of voltage that must be applied to the control gate before the transistor is turned on to permit conduction between its source and drain is controlled by the level of charge on the floating gate. Thus, a memory cell (which can include one or more transistors) can be programmed and/or erased by changing the level of charge on a floating gate in order to change the threshold voltage.
When programming an EEPROM or flash memory device, such as a NAND flash memory device, typically a program voltage is applied to the control gate and the bit line is grounded. Electrons from the channel are injected into the floating gate. When electrons accumulate in the floating gate, the floating gate becomes negatively charged and the threshold voltage of the memory cell is raised so that the memory cell is in a programmed state. More information about programming can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,859,397, titled "Source Side Self Boosting Technique For Non-Volatile Memory," and in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2005/0024939, titled "Detecting Over Programmed Memory," both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In many devices, the program voltage applied to the control gate during a program operation is applied as a series of pulses in which the magnitude of the pulses is increased by a predetermined step size for each successive pulse. Between programming pulses are one or more verify operations to determined whether the memory cell has been properly programmed.
Each memory cell can store data (analog or digital). When storing one bit of digital data (referred to as a binary memory cell), possible threshold voltages of the memory cell are divided into two ranges which are assigned logical data "1" and "0." In one example, the threshold voltage is negative after the memory cell is erased, and defined as logic "1." After programming, the threshold voltage is positive and defined as logic "0." When the threshold voltage is negative and a read operation is attempted by applying 0 volts to the control gate, the memory cell will turn on to indicate logic one is being stored. When the threshold voltage is positive and a read operation is attempted by applying 0 volts to the control gate, the memory cell will not turn on, which indicates that logic zero is stored.
A memory cell can also store multiple levels of information (referred to as a multi-state memory cell). In the case of storing multiple levels of data, the range of possible threshold voltages is divided into the number of levels of data. For example, if four levels of information is stored, there will be four threshold voltage ranges assigned to the data values "11", "10", "01", and "00." In one example, the threshold voltage after an erase operation is negative and defined as "11." Positive threshold voltages are used for the states of "10", "01" and "00." If eight levels of information (or states) are stored in each memory cell (e.g. for three bits of data), there will be eight threshold voltage ranges assigned to the data values "000", "001", "010", "011" "100", "101", "110" and "111." The specific relationship between the data programmed into the memory cell and the threshold voltage levels of the memory cell depends upon the data encoding scheme adopted for the memory cells. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,222,762 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0255090, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, describe various data encoding schemes for multi-state flash memory cells. In one embodiment, data values are assigned to the threshold voltage ranges using a Gray Code assignment so that if the threshold voltage of a floating gate erroneously shifts to its neighboring physical state, only one bit will be affected. In some embodiments, the data encoding scheme can be changed for different word lines, the data encoding scheme can be changed over time, or the data bits for random word lines may be inverted to reduce data pattern sensitivity and even wear on the memory cells. Different encoding schemes can be used.
Memory cells can be erased by raising the substrate to an erase voltage (e.g., 20 volts) for a sufficient period of time and grounding the word lines of a selected block while the source and bit lines are floating. Due to capacitive coupling, the unselected word lines, bit lines, select lines, and the common source line are also raised to a significant fraction of the erase voltage. A strong electric field is thus applied to the tunnel oxide layers of selected memory cells and the selected memory cells are erased as electrons of the floating gates are emitted to the substrate side, typically by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling mechanism. As electrons are transferred from the floating gate to the substrate, the threshold voltage of a selected cell is lowered. Erasing can be performed on the entire memory array, on individual blocks, or another unit of cells.
When memory cells are erased, it is important that they are not over-erased. That is, it is desired that the threshold voltage of an erased memory cell not be below a target range. Over-erasing could reduce performance of subsequent programming and may have a negative influence on the endurance of memory cells.

Verification process for non-volatile storage


Micro-regional force application improves the control of the orthodontic movement of teeth in all six degrees of freedom. Micro regional force application utilizes an elastic repositioning appliance, a tooth positioner, a polymeric shell, or preprogrammed series of polymeric shells. The key components of the invention are the envelope of freedom, the force applicators, force couplers, counterpart coupling, vector modifiers, seating guides, decouplers, and forced balance points. Further, computerized finite element analysis determines the center of resistance and the center of rotation for each tooth to be moved. The present invention gently rotates and translates one or more teeth to a desired straight position within a treatment plan.

This invention relates to realignment of teeth, and more specifically pertains to the micro-regional force applications that tighten the control of the orthodontic movement of teeth in multiple directions.
The field of dentistry known as orthodontics involves applying forces to teeth in their current positions to create stresses in the periodontal ligament which connects the teeth to the supporting bone. These stresses stimulate the apposition and resorption of the supporting bone matrix allowing the teeth to be repositioned in the matrix to the position desired by the treating dentist. The direction, magnitude, range and relative positions on a tooth of the forces applied, in combination with the properties of an individual tooth to be moved, determine the actual versus desired movement of the tooth.
Currently orthodontic forces are applied to teeth with a variety of force generators including wires, brackets and bands bonded to the teeth, springs, elastomerics, and elastic repositioning appliances or tooth positioners sometimes in the form of a polymeric shell or a series of polymeric shells. With conventional braces, a force is generated when a flexible arch wire is distorted and secured into a slot in a bracket bonded to a tooth. As the wire seeks its original shape, a force is created. Because the force is applied a distance from the center of resistance, CRes, of a tooth, a moment is created that induces the tooth to rotate. To control the rotation, the wire would be rectangular or square in cross-section and the rectangular slot in the bracket fits tightly around the wire. A controlling couple arises as the flat portions of the wire engage the flat portions of the bracket. The sum of the moment of the couple and the moment of the force determined if and how the tooth will rotate with positive and negative being assigned to the directions of rotation. The analysis of these forces centers upon the CRes. The forces generated by prior art elastic repositioning appliances, polymeric shells or tooth positioners are less controlled due to the difficulty in creating precise couples as a result of the imprecise location, magnitude and direction of the forces they generate.
Orthodontic tooth movement forces generated by elastic repositioning appliances, polymeric shells or tooth positioners as applied in the prior art are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,786,721; 6,783,360; 6,767,208; 6,722,880; 6,699,037; 6,685,469; 6,682,346; 6,629,840; 6,626,666; 6,582,227; 6,572,372; 6,554,611; 6,471,511; 6,454,565; 6,450,807; 6,406,292; 6,398,548; 6,318,994; 6,309,215; 6,299,440; 6,217,325; 5,975,893; 5,186,623; 5,059,118; 5,055,039; 5,035,613; 4,856,991; 4,798,534; 4,755,139. The preceding patents have the problem of controlling the tooth rotations created upon all axes generated by the unwanted moments induced by the imprecise forces applied to the teeth. These rotations and forces create unwanted side effects including deviating from the intended treatment path or plan. With early generations of these elastic repositioning appliances, movement was limited to one or two simple stages and the error introduced by rotation was of little importance to achieving the desired outcome.
Then U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,786,721; 6,783,360; 6,767,208; 6,722,880; 6,699,037; 6,685,469; 6,682,346; 6,629,840; 6,626,666; 6,582,227; 6,572,372; 6,554,611; 6,471,511; 6,454,565; 6,450,807; 6,406,292; 6,398,548; 6,318,994; 6,309,215; 6,299,440; 6,217,325; 5,975,893, all pertain to a system and method where the initial tooth position creates an initial digital data representation of the dentition, a final target tooth arrangement is created as a final digital representation, and intermediate transitional tooth arrangements are described digitally to plan an orthodontic treatment. The orthodontic treatment is established at the beginning of treatment and has many transitional tooth arrangements over an extended time period. A polymeric shell appliance is created to correspond to each transitional arrangement. Each appliance has a cavity to receive at least one tooth whose geometry corresponds to the next transitional tooth arrangement. The prior art has shortcomings explained below that the present invention overcomes.
In the prior art, the orthodontic force arises haphazardly by the poor fit of prior art appliances to the current arrangement of the teeth and with the location, magnitude, range and direction of the forces determined by the geometry of the next transitional stage regardless of the effectiveness of those forces. The present invention sets up effective forces and moments but not ideal or perfect forces and moments. Computer modeling of teeth, used to determine the final tooth arrangement from an orthodontic treatment path, excludes supporting structures such as root length, root shape, bone height, root surface area, and the position of forces applied to these structures.
When the appliance is installed, the poor fit of the appliance distorts its shape, which creates an orthodontic force as it tries to return to its shape. As the appliance approaches its undistorted geometry, the force dwindles because the magnitude of the force is a function of the degree of distortion. This decrease in orthodontic force can limit the intended movement, as the force drops below an effective therapeutic level before reaching the target transitional tooth position. This shortfall, as a result of inadequate force, though of little significance in a short sequence of appliances, may accumulate in a longer series of appliances thus deviating from the intended treatment path.
Controlling the rotational moment of the orthodontic force inherent in prior art flexible-positioning appliances that cause tooth rotation away from the intended treatment becomes more difficult by the cumulative effect of successive appliances, e.g. if each appliance creates a 2° unintended rotation, then over ten appliances the effect grows to 20°. A minor problem with one or two appliances now introduces a major error when applied over a greater number of appliances.
Referring to FIG. 3A, from the initial data of the tooth position, treatment is planned to advance the tooth bodily, with no rotation, to the final position. The long axis of the initial, and final tooth positions are preprogrammed to be parallel. If the tooth during treatment experiences unintended tipping, the long axis of the tooth will be inclined relative to the preprogrammed position. Because the existing polymeric shells were manufactured to fit a tooth with no rotation, and the tooth occupies a rotated position, a gap arises between the incisal edge of the tooth, and the polymeric shell creating the false appearance of intrusion. FIG. 3B shows where the teeth 1 have rotated around a different axis of rotation than planned in the appliances 2 creating the false appearance of intrusion with gaps 3 between the incisal edges of the teeth 1 and the appliances 2. This commonly occurs with a series of polymeric appliances, especially in the prior art. Accurate computer modeling of tooth movement from applied forces attempts to reduce false intrusion. However, common computer modeling in the absence of increased control of forces permits unwanted deviation from a narrow treatment path.
To prevent unwanted rotations and apparent intrusion the prior art has tightened the grip between the appliance and the tooth by adding protrusive attachments as later shown in FIG. 4 and varying the elastic modulus of the appliance; see U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,830,450; 6,705,863; 6,572,372; 6,524,101; 6,454,565; 6,309,215; and 5,176,517. This approach has seen marginal success because as a tooth rotates around a different axis of rotation than that of the polymeric appliance program, the grip of the attachment quickly loosens as it pulls out of the receptacle when the gingival portion of the tooth falls behind the rotating appliance. Once the attachment loosens unintended, unfavorable forces may arise and the options to recapture the tooth dwindle.
Controlling unwanted rotation with attachments also faces unfavorable physics. Referring to FIG. 5A, if the polymeric appliance apples 100 g of force on the attachment to move a tooth at 10 mm from the CRes, a moment of 1000 g*mm arises. To prevent tipping of a tooth, a couple must have equal magnitude and opposite direction to the moment. If the attachment is 4 mm long, and that all force applies at the ends, then an equal and opposite couple force is 1000 g*mm/4 mm or 250 g. This force exceeds that which the appliance can resist, the appliance displaces, and unwanted rotation occurs.
Rotation of a tooth around the vertical axis defies prediction in the prior art because the attachments commonly pull out of the polymeric shell. Effectively, the polymeric shell cannot distort in a mesial or distal direction. When using elastic repositioning appliances or tooth positioners in the form of polymeric shells, the predictable forces generated by the distortion of the appliance act buccally and lingually. FIG. 5B illustrates a poorly fit polymeric shell when placed over a tooth to be rotated, because the appliance cannot distort efficiently in a mesial or distal direction, the attachment will not fit into its concavity. The majority of force generated by the poorly fit appliance causes no orthodontic movement in the intended direction. The force generated in a therapeutic direction has no couple force to produce effective rotation and so the tooth falls behind the treatment plan.
In consequence, the above described deviations from the intended treatment path may cause the remaining appliances to have marginal effect or become unusable. Modifications to the prior art appliances is extremely limited. Reconfiguration of the appliance sequence to remedy the new, though unintended, tooth position calls for new impressions of the patient's teeth and expensive and lengthy rework of the appliance sequence.

System and method for improved control of tooth movement with elastic repositioning appliances


An object removal tool including a basket device having a basket section; a sheath on the basket device, where the sheath is adapted to longitudinally slide on the basket device; and a control connected to the basket device and the sheath. The control is configured to longitudinally move the sheath on the basket device to close the basket section on an object.

1. Technical Field
The exemplary and non-limiting embodiments relate generally to a device having a basket and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for a closable basket.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
U.S. Pat. No. 6,764,499 discloses a medical device with a basket. U.S. Pat. No. 8,211,115 discloses a variable size retrieval basket.


A theft protection system, particularly for textiles, leather goods and other products, wherein the products are provided with a function strip, such as a seam band, waste band, hanger, label or the like, and wherein the function strip is provided with an alarm tripping device. The theft protection system further includes at least one detector placed in the exit areas of the selling floor of a shop, department store of the like, wherein the detector responds when a products provided with the alarm tripping device is being moved past the detector. The alarm tripping device includes at least one linear alarm tripping component provided for detectability and mounted on a carrier. The linear alarm tripping component of the alarm tripping device is connected to the carrier in the manner of a thread by a textile manufacturing method.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a theft protection system, particularly for textiles, leather goods and other products, wherein the products are provided with a function strip, such as a seam band, waste band, hanger, label or the like, and wherein the function strip is provided with an alarm tripping device. The theft protection system further includes at least one detector placed in the exit areas of the selling floor of a shop, department store of the like, wherein the detector responds when a products provided with the alarm tripping device is being moved past the detector. The alarm tripping device includes at least one linear alarm tripping component provided for detectability and mounted on a carrier.
2. Description of the Related Art
In theft protection systems of the above-described type, an alarm tripping device, such as a transponder or a magnetic strip, is attached to a product. When a product secured in this manner is moved past a detector and the alarm tripping device has not been previously removed or made inoperative, the detector triggers an alarm. In alarm tripping devices of the above-mentioned type it is known in the art to mount the alarm tripping device, for example, a transponder, in a rigid plastic badge which is mounted visibly and detectably on a product, for example, on an article of clothing. In the transponder, a thread-shaped alarm tripping component, such as a coil of metal wire is connected to a capacitor to form an oscillation circuit. This oscillation circuit becomes active when an electromagnetic field acts from outside through the detector on the circuit and a current flow is produced inductively in the coil. In this manner, the alarm tripping device, in turn, produces an electromagnetic field which is sensed by the detector and the alarm is triggered as a result.
In a second type of alarm tripping devices, the thread-shaped alarm tripping component is mounted in the form of a magnetizable or a permanently magnetic strip onto an adhesive paper label. In the case of the embodiment using the magnetizable magnetic strip, the alarm tripping device must be magnetized prior to the sale of the product and the alarm tripping device is demagnetized once the product is sold.
Both alarm tripping devices of this type have in common that the weak magnetic field emanating from such a strip is sensed by a detector placed in an exit area when the product secured by such a label is moved past the detector and the detector then triggers an alarm.
It is known from German utility model G 9308632.6 to integrate an alarm tripping device, such as a transponder, in a function strip for textile products, wherein the alarm protection can then be removed again by an authorized person. Such a function strip may be, for example, the waist band of trousers, a hanger of a jacket or a label, etc. The function strip is sewn to the product, a piece of material of the article of clothing or the like, and the function strip cannot be removed without major effort. The function strip is constructed in two layers, wherein a free space, such as a pocket, exists between the two layers, wherein the alarm tripping device is placed in the free space.
The alarm tripping devices constructed as plastic badges can be seen very easily because of their configuration and size and, therefore, they can be easily identified and rendered useless by a potential burglar. In addition, the production cost of these alarm tripping devices is relatively high because of the number of necessary production steps.
The alarm tripping devices integrated in a function strip are also more difficult to produce because they require a separate manufacture of the alarm tripping device which is only subsequently integrated in the function strip.

Theft protection system, Particularly for textiles, leather goods and other products


A wide area lamp for use in hazardous locations includes a metal halide lamp excited by a ballast. The lamp is mounted within an explosion-proof transparent globe and metal lamp guard secured to a metal vault. The vault is divided into two compartments. One compartment houses a ballast for the lamp. That compartment is filled with a potting compound to eliminate any arcing in the high voltage excitation circuit. The other compartment is enclosed, but accessible for making necessary electrical connectors to a power feed cord.

In the past, it has been common to use incandescent lamps in wide area light fixtures for use in hazardous locations. One of the primary reasons favoring the use of incandescent lamps in such applications is that the only potential source for creating a spark is the terminal connections between the power cord and the light socket. The risk is minimal and the connections can be housed in a metal housing; and other precautions can be taken to minimize a potential hazardous occurrence. Moreover, by designing the interconnecting terminals to reduce the possibility of a spark, these designs have become more reliable through the years.
With the modem advent of improved light sources, particularly the introduction of metal halide and other high intensity discharge (i.e., HID) lamps, light production can be increased for the same electric power, but these lamps require use of ballasts and electronic excitation circuitry, increasing the risk of a spark. Thus, one cannot rely solely on the tried and reliable conventional simple terminal connections to reduce the hazard of a spark within the confines of a lamp fixture, and one must account for the possibility of arcing or sparks within the electronic circuitry energizing the lamp.
A portable hand lamp for hazardous locations using fluorescent lamps is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,304. While fluorescent lamps are suitable for hand lamp usage, they are not particularly suited for use as a "wide area" light--that is, one that can be hung in a location and transmit over a wide range area. Fluorescent lamps do not transmit as much light as HID lamps do for the same electrical power, and the light from fluorescent lamps is frequently focused by a reflector or the like, to concentrate the light to a localized area, not, for example, to light a room or large work area.
It is also important for commercial reasons to receive approval or listing with an independent testing organization, such as Underwriters Laboratories, for light fixtures for hazardous locations to assure potential users that safety precautions have been taken and to reduce insurance premiums for product liability. Heretofore it has been difficult, if not impossible, to achieve listing of portable HID light fixtures for hazardous locations with independent testing agencies because of the potential hazards.

Wide area light fixture for hazardous locations


A system for analyzing a thin film simultaneously applies a pulsed cleaning beam and a measurement beam to an analysis location on a test sample to enhance measurement accuracy. The pulsed cleaning beam prevents contaminant regrowth on the analysis location during the actual measurement. To minimize the effects of thermal transients from the pulsed cleaning beam on measurement data, cleaning pulses can be timed to fall between data samples. Alternatively, data sampling can be blocked during each cleaning operation (i.e., each cleaning pulse and subsequent cooldown period) or data levels can be clamped at measurement levels from just before the start of the cleaning operation for the duration of the cleaning operation. Alternatively, data samples taken during each cleaning operation can be discarded or replaced with data samples from just before the cleaning operation using post-processing techniques.

As the dimensions of semiconductor devices continue to shrink, accurate and efficient characterization of the components forming those devices becomes more critical. Typically, the manufacturing process for modern semiconductor devices includes the formation of a number of layers or "thin films" on a silicon wafer. The thin films can include oxide, nitride, and/or metal layers, among others. To ensure proper performance of the finished semiconductor devices, the thickness and composition of each thin film formed during the manufacturing process must be tightly controlled.
Modern thin films have reached the point where the accuracy and reproducibility of thin film metrology (i.e., measurement and/or inspection) can be limited by contamination on the surface of the thin film. For example, airborne molecular contamination (AMC) such as water and other vapors can be absorbed onto the thin film, creating a contaminant layer that adversely affects thin film analysis techniques such as optical ellipsometry, optical reflectometry, grazing-incidence x-ray reflectometry (GXR), x-ray fluorescence (XRF), electron microprobe analysis (EMP), and non-contact electrical analysis—all of which operate by directing a probe beam (optical, x-ray, electron or corona discharge) at the surface of the thin film to be measured. The contaminant layer can also interfere with measurements techniques that physically contact the surface of the thin film, such as contact-based electrical analysis (e.g., spreading resistance analysis).
Conventional methods for cleaning thin films include heating the entire wafer in an oven to a temperature of about 300° C. to vaporize any contaminant layer. FIG. 1a shows a conventional oven-based wafer cleaning system 100a used to prepare a wafer 110 for thin film analysis, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,325,078, issued Dec. 4, 2001 to Kamieniecki. Wafer 110 includes a thin film layer 112 formed on a silicon substrate 111, and a contaminant layer 113 formed on the surface of thin film layer 112. Wafer cleaning system 100a comprises a wafer stage 120, and multiple heat lamps 130. Wafer stage 120 positions wafer 110 under heat lamps 130, where thermal radiation from heat lamps 130 heats wafer 110 to vaporize contaminant layer 113. It is believed that this cleaning process is aided by optical photons from heat lamps 130 breaking bonds between contaminant layer 113 and thin film layer 112.
FIG. 1b shows another conventional wafer cleaning system 100b used to prepare wafer 110 for thin film analysis, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,853, issued Jul. 17, 2001 to Howell et al. Just as described with respect to FIG. 1a, wafer 110 includes a thin film layer 112 formed on a silicon substrate 111 and a contaminant layer 113 formed on the surface of thin film layer 112. Cleaning system 100b incorporates a stage 140 that includes a heating element 141. Heat generated by heating element 141 is conducted through stage 140 into wafer 110, thereby providing the heating required to vaporize contaminant layer 113. A heat exchanger can be coupled to stage 140 to capture excess heat from heating element 141 to minimize undesirable heating of cleaning system 100b itself and the surrounding environment.
Although wafer cleaning systems 100a and 100b use different thermal energy sources (i.e., heat lamps 130 and heating element 141, respectively), both systems perform a bulk heating operation to remove contaminant layer 113. The large thermal control components (e.g., lamps, heated stages, heat exchangers, etc.) typically used for bulk wafer heating undesirably increase the cleanroom space required for these conventional cleaning systems. Further exacerbating the problem of excess equipment size, conventional cleaning systems are sometimes stand-alone units used in conjunction with a thin film analysis tool. Therefore, conventional cleaning systems can significantly increase the total footprint required for a complete thin film analysis system. The use of a separate cleaning system also has an adverse effect on throughput, as time must be spent transferring the wafer to and from the cleaning system. In addition, contaminants can redeposit on the cleaned wafer while it is being transferred from the cleaning-system to the film analysis tool.
In an attempt to somewhat alleviate these equipment size and recontamination problems, attempts have been made to combine wafer cleaning and measurement capabilities in a single tool. For example, the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,853 describes integrating cleaning system 100b with an existing metrology tool (Opti-Probe 5240 from Therma-Wave, Inc.). Also, the Quantox XP tool from KLA-Tencor integrates a wafer cleaning system similar to cleaning system 100b with a non-contact electrical film measurement system. However, any bulk wafer heating system must still incorporate the aforementioned (large) thermal control components. Furthermore, even if a combined system is used, the bulk heating operation can significantly degrade overall wafer processing throughput. Several seconds are required to heat the wafer to the temperature required for removal of the contaminant layer, and another several seconds are required to cool down the wafer after cleaning. Any wafer handling operations that must be performed during and after the cleaning operation (e.g., transferring the wafer from the cleaning system to the thin film analysis system) further reduces the throughput. Note also that any delays after cleaning allow contaminant regrowth on the wafer.
To improve throughput and reduce system footprint, a laser cleaning system can be incorporated into a metrology system. FIG. 2a shows an integrated laser cleaning metrology system 200, which is described in detail in co-owned and co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/056,271. Metrology system 200 comprises a stage 220, an energy beam source 230, and an analysis module 240. The compact components used in an energy-beam based cleaning system (such as energy beam source 230) can be efficiently integrated into metrology system 200 to minimize system footprint.
Stage 220 holds a test sample 210 that comprises a thin film layer 212 formed on a substrate 211 and a contaminant layer 213 formed on the surface of thin film layer 212. Energy beam source 230 directs an energy beam 231 at a spot 214a on contaminant layer 213 to expose the underlying portion of thin film layer 212. Then in FIG. 2b, stage 220 positions test sample 210 under analysis module 240 so that a measurement beam 246 can be directed onto thin film layer 212 through an opening 214b formed by the laser heating of spot 214a during the preceding cleaning operation (as shown in FIG. 2a). Since only a localized portion of contaminant layer 213 is cleaned, the long heating and cooling times associated with conventional cleaning systems can be avoided to improve throughput, and the only delay between cleaning and measurement is the time required to reposition test sample 210 under analysis subsystem 240—typically 1–2 seconds.
However, as metrology parameters become ever more sensitive to AMC, even this 1–2 second delay between cleaning and measurement can allow an excessive amount of AMC recontamination onto the thin film layer. For example, many modern metrology operations require test sample surface stabilities on the order of a tenth of an angstrom. However, AMC regrowth rates can be in the 1 Å/sec range, in which case a repositioning delay of even a second can lead to significant measurement inaccuracies. Furthermore, since the measurement process itself can take a few seconds to complete, significant AMC regrowth can actually take place over the course of the measurement operation.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and system for performing thin film metrology that avoids the aforementioned problems associated with AMC contamination and regrowth.

Film measurement with interleaved laser cleaning