The present invention provides a laser ionization mass spectrometric apparatus comprising a sample introducing portion provided with a pulse valve which forms molecular jet, a pulsed laser beam oscillator, a vacuum ionization chamber or a corresponding portion thereto having a window capable of passing the laser beam radiated from the oscillator, and a mass spectrometer which analyzes the mass of molecules ionized by the laser beam, wherein said pulse laser oscillator has an ability of oscillating ultrashort pulsed laser beam having a peak output of 1 MW or more. The laser ionization mass spectrometric apparatus can use a turbo-molecular vacuum pump to evacuate the above vacuum ionization chamber and the above sample introducing portion can comprise two or more pinhole nozzles. The laser ionization mass spectrometric apparatus can have the above slit nozzle partitioned from the vacuum ionization chamber by a slit skimmer which inhibits a stream of molecules on the periphery of the molecular jet from entering the vacuum ionization chamber. The apparatus of the invention has a high sensitivity and high accuracy, and is rendered compact. Accordingly, the apparatus exercises its power in the rapid analysis of combustion exhaust gases and the like.

Combustion exhaust gases of coal, heavy oil, etc., combustion exhaust gases of municipal waste or industrial waste, gases generated by the pyrolysis of plastics and so on contain various compounds, such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, aromatic compounds, chlorine-containing organic compounds, chlorinated aromatic compounds and other halogen-containing compounds, although their contents are minor. In many cases, two or more of them coexist, i.e. exist in a mixed state. As a rapid measurement technique of these compounds, there is a method of laser multiphoton ionization mass spectrometry which has detection selectivity of the compounds to be measured.
An example of the technique for measuring a mixed gaseous sample by laser multiphoton ionization mass spectrometry is disclosed in Analytical Chemistry, vol. 66, pp 1062-1069, 1994. That is, according to the laser multiphoton ionization mass spectrometry having a conventional sample introduction system, peaks corresponding to each compound overlap with each other due to broad peaks, and therefore, quantitative analysis is difficult. Thereupon, a gaseous sample is introduced into a vacuum ionization chamber through a sample inlet valve having a small bore diameter. The gaseous sample is ionized by irradiating a laser beam, and measured by a mass spectrometer. At that time, since the gaseous sample is cooled to near zero degree of absolute temperature by adiabatic expansion, vibration and rotation of the molecules of each compound are inhibited. Accordingly, peaks corresponding to each compound are rendered sharp and separated from each other, resulting in the facilitation of quantitative analysis. Since the speed of the introduced molecules is about tens of times as much as sonic velocity, this method is also called supersonic molecular beam spectroscopy or supersonic molecular jet spectroscopy. In the document, it is described that a standard laser beam irradiation time is 10 ns.
In the sample introduction in the supersonic molecular jet, in general, there is a restriction of the introduction amount per unit time of a gaseous sample introduced continuously or intermittently in order to maintain high vacuum conditions of the ionization chamber. As a result, it is a problem that sensitivity on the whole is lowered due to a very small amount of sample to be measured. As a countermeasure, it has been considered to increase the laser beam irradiation energy.
However, when the laser beam energy is increased, a problem occurs that accurate determination cannot be made because of decomposition, i.e. fragmentation, of the molecules to be measured.
Another countermeasure against the above sensitivity reduction caused by minor amount of measuring objects, there is a method of introducing a sample at a laser beam passage by using a slit-shaped nozzle, as disclosed in Review Science Instrumentation, vol. 67, pp 410-416, 1996. In the method, the laser beam is irradiated perpendicular to a molecular jet jetted planar on the same plane, and thereby, the interacting space between molecules and laser beam increases to increase the production of ions.
Although this method is effective, however, in principle, ions are produced and exist in the space in proportion to the size of the slit opening and the diameter (size) of the irradiating laser beam. That is, to enlarge the slit opening relates to the space distribution of molecular ions being delivered in a mass spectrometer, and it does not contribute to the increase of signal/noise ratio (S/N ratio) by a portion in proportion to ion production. Moreover, the load on the exhaust system must be considered, and accordingly, the slit opening cannot be enlarged to an extreme. That is, only the central portion along the major axis of the slit opening contributes to the signal, and molecules existing on the periphery do not contribute to the signal, and, nevertheless, lower the degree of vacuum. Furthermore, since the cooling of the molecular jet is inferior, there is a possibility to lower the S/N ratio conversely. These matters are also problems induced by enlarging an opening for the purpose of introducing a sample in quantity, not only in a slit nozzle but also in a pinhole nozzle.
Accordingly, unless the sample flow is increased, the sensitivity cannot be improved. If sample flow is increased, it lowers the degree of vacuum of the mass spectrometer at a later stage to stop the mass spectrometer by working a safeguard for apparatus protection. This problem is especially remarkable when a measurement is conducted near full capacity of the exhaust system with pulse injection of a sample which brings a great pressure variation, in order to improve sensitivity.
On the other hand, in order to make the supersonic molecular jet, an ionization chamber, related portions thereto, and so on must be made in high vacuum conditions, and in general, a diffusion pump, i.e. oil diffusion pump, is frequently used for the exhaust system, as disclosed in Ed. by The Chemical Society of Japan, "Jikken Kagaku Koza", 4th Ed., vol. 8, p119, 1993.
An oil rotary pump or the like or a combination of both pumps are also used. The exhaust velocity of an oil diffusion pump and an oil rotary pump is, in general, high, i.e. high vacuum conditions can be maintained. However, the oil used in the pumps exists in the ionization chamber, although the amount is very small. As a result, it is a problem that the oil is ionized as it is or ionized through a decomposition reaction, by the irradiation of pulsed laser beam, and causes an increase in background noise.
An object of the invention is, in a laser multiphoton ionization mass spectrometry technique with a sample introducing system by a supersonic molecular jet, to provide an apparatus and a method capable of detecting in high sensitivity and measuring stably.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus, although intending to introduce a sample in quantity, capable of detecting in high sensitivity by not lowering a S/N ratio.
Still another object of the invention is, in a laser multiphoton ionization mass spectrometry technique with a sample introducing system by supersonic molecular jet, to provide a measuring apparatus which lowers background noise and thereby increases signal strength.

Laser ionization mass spectroscope and mass spectrometric analysis method


A process for preparing high absorptivity granular sodium phosphate mixtures made of sodium tripolyphosphate, pyrophosphates, metaphosphates and orthophosphates by hydrating and dehydrating a mixture comprising sodium tripolyphosphate in major proportion, and recovering the high absorptivity granular sodium phosphate mixture.

In the formulation of modern detergent compositions, ganular STP has come into widespread use as a phosphate "builder" which increases the cleaning ability of these detergent compositions. In formulating free-flowing, homogeneous detergent compositions containing a granular STP product, the STP employed has been manufactured so that its various physical properties suit the ultimate use. Physical properties which are generally important include bulk density, frangibility and absorptivity. U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,274 discloses a method of preparing granular STP, wherein dense rotary-dried STP is moisturized by adding from about 10% to 30% by weight water, then calcining at a temperature in the range of about 300.degree. to 600.degree. C. U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,498 discloses a method of preparing granular STP products wherein screen undersize STP particles are compacted, milled and moisturized by adding from about 15% to 35% by weight water, and then calcined at from about 300.degree. to 600.degree. C. Both patents claim to produce a granular STP product that has low frangibility, high absorptivity and a bulk density in the range of about 0.65 to 0.87 g/cc. Both of these processes have the disadvantage of having an energy intensive calcination step.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,214 discloses a method of preparing powdered STP hexahydrate by spraying phase 1 STP and phase 2 STP separately with water, combining the two phases, suspending the mixture in water, and, finally, atomizing the suspension to produce the powder. The STP powder produced is said to have high absorptivity, low frangibility and good flow properties. This complicated process requires five steps to produce the desired STP product. Neither process yields a high absorptivity STP.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,055 discloses a process for making a granular STP wherein STP fines are hydrated and compacted to produce granular STP. Preferably, phase 1 STP fines are used. U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,358 discloses a process to make granular alkali metal diphosphates or triphosphates by hydrating the fines of the above phosphates, then granulating them in the presence of water and an ammonium polyphosphate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,963 discloses a process to make low density granular STP by spraying STP fines with water in excess of that required for hydration to form an agglomerated product which is then calcined. U.S. Pat. No. 3,932,590 discloses a process for preparing medium density granular STP by spraying STP fines with a solution of sodium orthophosphate to prepare an agglomerated feed which is then calcined. These two processes also have the disadvantage of requiring calcination. None of the above patents disclose the present method of producing SP particles with high absorptivity.

Process for preparing high absorptivity granular sodium phosphates


Systems and methods for protecting a network including preventing data traffic from exiting the network unless a domain name request has been performed by a device attempting to transmit the data traffic. In an embodiment, a device within the protected network attempting to send data outside the protected network requests an address for a destination outside the protected network from a domain name server (DNS). In response, the DNS provides an address of the destination to the device and a gateway. In response to receiving the address, the gateway temporarily allows access to the address. In an embodiment, a DNS is coupled to a protected network and the gateway, the DNS provides an external address to a device in response to a request; and a mapping to the gateway; the gateway, coupled to a protected network and an external network, allows traffic according to the mapping.

There are many undesired network applications that can be difficult to block, such as peer-to-peer (P2P) network applications, TOR, BITTORRENT, and botnets. These applications may mask their traffic, change port and destination addresses, or masquerade as other protocols, making firewalls only a partial solution to the problem of preventing the application from performing undesired or unauthorized communications. Unauthorized communications may result in the unauthorized exfiltration of sensitive data or the infiltration of malware.

Destination address control to limit unauthorized communications


A method and apparatus for electronically performing a visual field test for a patient. A visual field test pattern is displayed to the patient on an electronic display device and the patient's responses to the visual field test pattern are recorded. A visual field representation is generated from the patient's responses. The visual field representation is then used as an input into a variety of automated diagnostic processes. In one process, the visual field representation is used to generate a statistical description of the rapidity of change of a patient's visual field at the boundary of a visual field defect. In another process, the area of a visual field defect is calculated using the visual field representation. In another process, the visual field representation is used to generate a statistical description of the volume of a patient's visual field defect.

This invention relates generally to the field of medical instrumentation and more specifically to the automated detection of defects of the retina, the optic nerve, and the brain's visual pathways.
A large number of medical ailments manifest themselves as defects in a patient's visual field. Patients suffering from, for example, macular degeneration, anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION), glaucoma, optic neuritis, detached retina, macular edema, central or branch retinal artery occlusion, some genetic impairments, and brain tumors may experience losses in visual acuity and visual field.
Non-invasive methods to measure a patient's visual field have been developed. For example, perimetry and campimetry provide information pertaining to the borderline between seeing and non-seeing areas within a patient's visual field.
Visual field tests employing visual field test patterns, such as an Amsler grid, have been developed to give a qualitative analysis of a patient's visual field. However such tests do not provide data of sufficient resolution or precision to perform a quantitative analysis of a patient's condition.
Recent developments of testing methods using visual field test patterns have included adjusting a patient's perception of the contrast levels within a visual field test pattern. For example, a method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,091, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, requires the use of eyeglasses with polarized lenses to adjust the apparent contrast level of an Amsler grid.
These methods suffer from a variety of problems. Some methods require a patient to endure a long and boring testing process during which time the patient's concentration may lag because of fatigue. Other methods, while capable of being quickly performed, do not provide the spatial and contrast resolution required for high quality quantitative analysis.
Therefore, a need exists for a method that is quicker, simpler and more revealing than existing methods for characterizing the visual field. The present invention meets such need.

Automated objective characterization of visual field defects in 3D


A flexible expandable automation device includes: a main control unit; and at least two I/O-units connected to the main control unit and to each other via an I/O-bus. The I/O-bus works according to a daisy-chain technique. The I/O-bus has a bus signal line and a daisy-chain-control-line. Each I/O-unit has a daisy-chain-control-IN-port for receiving a daisy-chain-control-signal as a daisy-chain-control-IN-signal and a daisy-chain-control-OUT port for delivering the daisy-chain-control-signal as a daisy-chain-control-OUT-signal to a next adjacent I/O-unit. Each I/O-unit has an I/O-module carrier and a pluggable and unpluggable I/O-module. The daisy-chain-control-IN-port and the daisy-chain-control-OUT-port are part of the I/O-module carrier. Each I/O-module-carrier has a hot-swap-control unit that, in case of an unplugged I/O-module creating an interrupted daisy chain, automatically bridges the interrupted daisy chain.

Flexible expandable automation systems are also known as programmable logic control systems or in short PLC systems. They can be adapted to a wide variety of automation tasks and are used, for example, in the field of industrial automation technology and in the field of switching and control technology. PLC systems are usually constructed in modular form, having a central subassembly, also known as main control unit comprising the PLC controller, further having communication couplers and expansion modules such as input/output units, or in short I/O-units.
An I/O-unit in the context of PLC systems is a unit which enables the PLC controller to receive signals from real-world field devices, such as sensors, or switches, or encoders etc., for interpreting these, and also enables the PLC controller to effect control over real-world control elements or actuators such as solenoids, valves, motors etc. This is generally known as input/output, or I/O, capability. Modular PLC systems use individual I/O-units to provide customized I/O capability. I/O-units for PLC-systems come in two basic varieties: digital or analogue.
In a modular PLC system the I/O-modules are connected to the main control unit and to one another with an I/O-bus, in a chain. This means, that the first of the I/O-modules is connected on its input side to the output side of the main control unit, and on its output side to the input side of the next adjacent I/O-unit, and the second I/O-unit is connected at its input side with the output side of the first I/O-unit and at its output side with the input side of the next adjacent I/O-unit and so forth.
An example for such a PLC system is shown in DE 10 2008 064 674 A1,
An exemplary example for such an I/O-bus is the so-called Serial-Peripheral-Interface Bus, in short SPI bus, which has been designed to connect electronic circuits according to the master-slave-principle. The I/O-bus is controlled by an I/O-bus master, which may be located in the main control unit. The I/O-bus works according to the daisy chain technique. As is known in electrical engineering, a daisy chain is a wiring scheme in which multiple devices are wired together in sequence.
The daisy chain I/O-bus in a flexible expandable automation system is supplemented by a daisy chain control signal which is transmitted on a daisy-chain-control-line. The first I/O-unit next to the main control unit gets the daisy-chain-control-signal as daisy-chain-control-IN-signal together with the telegram bytes of the information signal, which is transmitted on the bus-signal-line. After handling the telegram the first I/O-unit sets the daisy-chain-control-signal as daisy-chain-control-OUT-signal to indicate the next I/O-unit to be addressed. The telegram bytes are thus transported sequentially from one member of the daisy chain to the next.
If one I/O-unit in the chain is not available, be it because it has been unplugged or because it is erroneous or defect, the daisy chain is interrupted and no communication to the adjacent members of the daisy chain is possible any more. Additionally, in known daisy chain I/O-unit arrangements, exchanging the functional part of an I/O-unit requires a power down and a system reset, which is time consuming and laborious.

Flexible expandable automation device with hot-swappable I/O-units


A detection signal from a multi-wavelength detector provided in a liquid chromatograph is stored in a data storage part, and a chromatogram is formed from the stored data with respect to a specific wavelength, to detect a peak from the chromatogram. The spectrum at a top of the peak to be identified or a known spectrum of a component to be identified is used as a reference spectrum, to calculate the degree of coincidence between the spectrum at each position of the chromatogram peak and the reference spectrum as fraction purity at each position of the chromatogram peak. The calculated fraction purity values are classified in colors, for example, and displayed on a display part. Thus, it is possible to readily decide whether the measured peak consists of a single component or at least two components, and which time range consists of a single component.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring fraction purity of a chromatogram peak in liquid chromatography or flow injection analysis.
The present invention also relates to a fraction collector for separating a sample into fractions with a liquid chromatograph thereby collecting designated fractions.
2. Description of the Background Art
In liquid chromatography or flow injection analysis, a chromatogram peak is obtained with time. Even if such a peak has a simple configuration, however, it may consist of at least two components in an inseparated state.
In order to decide whether or not a chromatogram peak as obtained consists of only a single component, employed is a specific chromatogram method, which is adapted to obtain chromatograms with two different wavelengths through an optical detector and take the ratio of the two chromatograms, thereby measuring fraction purity values of peaks. A peak which consists of a single component has a constant wavelength characteristic in every position. Therefore, the ratio of two chromatograms taken with different wavelengths remains constant in all positions. If the peaks consist of at least two components, on the other hand, wavelength characteristics of spectra are varied with positions of the peaks due to difference of component rates, whereby the ratio of the chromatograms is varied with the positions of the peaks.
When the fraction purity is measured by such a specific chromatogram method, it is possible to decide whether the as-obtained peak consists of a single component or at least two components. However, it is difficult to decide the percentage of such a possibility that the peak consists of a single component in a certain range between its start and end points. Therefore, it is difficult to decide time range for fraction collecting, for example, by the specific chromatogram method.
In order to collect fractions of a sample by liquid chromatography, employed is a method of previously setting collecting times for the target components in response to the retention times of the components, or a method of checking the order of the peaks of the target components on the chromatogram for collecting fractions appearing on the peaks of the order upon peak detection.
In the method responsive to the retention times, the fractions may be erroneously collected in positions displaced from the peaks of the target components since the retention time of each component is varied with slight difference of temperatures or mobile phases, or difference between injection volumes of the sample. In the method responsive to the peak order, on the other hand, the order may be upset by contamination of an unexpected impurity such that other components are erroneously collected. Thus, it is difficult to correctly collect fractions by the conventional method.

Fraction purity measuring apparatus for chromatogram peak


A projection optical system of a projection exposure apparatus according to the present invention has a plurality of optical members made of glass materials at least one of which has a temperature characteristic of index of refraction different from that of the other glass material. Further, a temperature control device for controlling a temperature of at least one of the optical members is provided. An imaging characteristic of the projection optical system is controlled. The imaging characteristic to be controlled is a non-linear magnification or curvature of field. The temperature control device sets the temperature to be controlled to a variable target temperature determined in accordance with the imaging characteristic of the projection optical system. An exposing operation for transferring a mask pattern to a photosensitive substrate is started after the temperature of the optical member to be controlled reaches a predetermined allowable range of the target temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection exposure apparatus which is used in a lithography process for manufacturing semiconductor elements, imaging elements (CCD), liquid crystal display elements, thin film magnetic heads or the like, for example and in which a mask pattern is transferred onto a photosensitive substrate through a projection optical system.
2. Related Background Art
Projection exposure apparatuses for manufacturing a semiconductor element such as IC, LSI and the like are generally categorized into a projection exposure apparatus of step-and-repeat type in which a reticle as a mask and shot areas of a wafer (or glass plate and the like) as a photosensitive substrate are positioned relative to each other in a predetermined positional relation by using a projection optical system and pattern images on the reticle are collectively transferred to the entirety of each shot area, and a projection exposure apparatus of step-and-scan type in which the pattern images on the reticle are successively transferred to each of the shot areas of the wafer by scan-moving the reticle and the shot areas relative to the projection optical system. These two types are in common in the point that the reticle pattern is projected through the projection optical system. In this regard, it is important how the reticle pattern is correctly projected onto the wafer.
In general, although the projection optical system is designed so that various optical aberrations become substantially "zero" under a predetermined condition, if an atmospheric pressure and/or a temperature around the projection optical system is changed due to the change in the environment during the projection exposure or if heat absorption occurs due to the illumination of exposure illumination light, there will occur the change in index of refraction of fluid existing between lens elements of the projection optical system, expansion of the lens elements, the change in index of refraction of the lens elements, and expansion of lens barrel. As a result, when the reticle pattern is projected onto the wafer, a distortion phenomenon (that the projected image is deviated in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the projection optical system) occurs. Such distortion is categorized into a linear error (component that a focusing position is changed with respect to an image height in a linear function manner) and a non-linear error (components other than the linear error), and the linear error is also called as "linear magnification error" (component that the magnification is changed with respect to the image height in a linear function manner). In the past, in order to correct the linear magnification error, there has been utilized a lens control system in which some of lens elements in the projection optical system is driven or pressure of the fluid between some lens elements is controlled.
However, if the non-linear error exists in the projection optical system, in both projection optical systems of step-and-repeat type and of step-and-scan type, the projected image will be distorted, thereby worsening the aligning accuracy.
The present invention aims to eliminate the above-mentioned conventional drawback, and an object of the present invention is to provide a projection exposure apparatus in which the distortion that is worsened by the change in an environmental condition such as atmospheric pressure and a temperature around a projection optical system and the absorption of exposure illumination light (particularly, a non-linear magnification error (higher order error)) can be corrected.
If the above-mentioned change in index of refraction of the fluid existing between the lens elements of the projection optical system, expansion of the lens elements, change in index of refraction of the lens elements and expansion of lens barrel occur, when the reticle pattern is projected onto the wafer, a position (focus position) of an image plane (best focus plane) for the projected image is deviated or displaced in an optical axis of the projection optical system, thereby causing a defocus phenomenon in which the surface of the wafer is deviated out of the image plane. Such defocus is categorized into linear defocus (component that a defocus amount is changed with respect to the image height in a linear function manner) and non-linear defocus (components other than the linear defocus). In the past, in order to correct the linear defocus, there have been proposed an auto focus mechanism in which the focus position of the wafer is controlled along the direction of the image plane and an auto levelling mechanism in which an inclination angle of the wafer is controlled to be aligned with the image plane.
However, if the non-linear defocus such as curvature of field occurs in the image plane of the projection optical system, in both projection optical systems of step-and-repeat type and of step-and-scan type, focal depth of the eventually obtained image plane will be entirely narrowed, thereby deteriorating the resolving power.
The present invention aims to eliminate the above-mentioned conventional drawback, and another object of the present invention is to provide a projection exposure apparatus in which defocus of an image plane of a projection optical system that is worsened by the change in an environmental condition such as atmospheric pressure around the projection optical system, the absorption of exposure illumination light or flexure of a reticle (particularly, non-linear defocus such as curvature of field) can be corrected.
To solve the above problems, it is considered that a temperature of at least one lens element of the projection optical system is adjusted. When the lens element is heated or cooled to achieve a target temperature of the lens element, a predetermined time period is elapsed until the target temperature of the lens element is obtained. Accordingly, if the exposure is started before such time period is elapsed, the exposure will be effected before the imaging characteristic of the lens element is corrected. A further object of the present invention is to provide a projection exposure apparatus in which the exposure is effected after predetermined temperature adjustment is completed.
Regarding the temperature adjustment, not only it takes a long time to achieve the target temperature of the lens element, but also a device for effecting the temperature adjustment is complicated. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a projection exposure apparatus in which the imaging characteristic can be corrected without the temperature adjustment and the corrected condition is not substantially changed even if environmental conditions are changed. A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a projection exposure apparatus.
During the exposure, when the illumination light having high illumination energy is directed, the imaging characteristic is often gradually changed from an initial condition due to the absorption of the illumination light of the projection optical system. To eliminate this drawback, there have been proposed various methods for keeping the entire temperature of the projection optical system constant in order to maintain the initial condition of the imaging characteristic of the projection optical system. For example, a method in which temperature-adjusted air is supplied around the projection optical system to keep the temperature of the projection optical system constant has been proposed.
In the above-mentioned conventional techniques, since the entire projection optical system is uniformly cooled, the temperature of the projection optical system as a whole can be kept substantially constant. However, due to the difference in light paths for the illumination light beam in the projection optical system caused by the difference in illumination condition and/or the difference in kind of patterns to be exposed, it is inevitable that temperature distribution occurs in the projection optical system. And, as the reduction of a line width achieved by remarkable progress of the recent high density integrated circuits is advanced, the fluctuation in the focusing ability of the projection optical system becomes innegligible more and more.
Further, as the reduction of the line width is advanced, illumination light having a short wavelength (for example, ultraviolet light which can provide high resolving power, far-ultraviolet light such as ArF excimer laser light (having a wavelength of 193 nm) and the like) has been used. However, since such short wavelength includes an oxygen absorption band, there arises a problem that a part of illumination energy of the illumination light which should be used to effect the exposure is absorbed to the oxygen in air. Further, illumination light beams having a wavelength shorter than the ultraviolet zone tend to cause a photochemical reaction for changing the oxygen in air to ozone. The illumination energy of the illumination light is also absorbed to the ozone generated by such a photochemical reaction.
When the illumination light having the wavelength shorter than the ultraviolet zone is used, for example, in an apparatus having a pellicle (dust-proof film) for protecting the pattern area of the reticle, the oxygen is changed to the ozone by the illumination light within a closed space defined by a pellicle frame and the reticle, and the generated ozone tends to be accumulated without dispersion. Thus, there arises a problem that the energy loss due to the absorption of the illumination light is gradually increased.
The present invention aims to eliminate the above-mentioned conventional drawback, and an object of the present invention is to provide a projection exposure apparatus in which illumination energy of exposure illumination light is hard to be absorbed.

Projection exposure apparatus wherein focusing of the apparatus is changed by controlling the temperature of a lens element of the projection optical system


This invention discloses a releasable adhesion layer having good adhesion during high temperature fabrication process in the absence of light, and delaminating at a lower temperature in the presence of light. One embodiment of this invention is a film of polymer whose thermal decomposition temperature changes drastically upon photoexposure. These materials, prior to photoexposure, can withstand temperatures in the range of approximately 200° C. to 300° C. without decomposition, yet decompose at around 100° C. with photoexposure. The releasable adhesion layer can be used in a thermal transfer element, sandwiching a donor substrate and a transfer layer having a plurality of multicomponent transfer units. In the absence of light, the releasable adhesion layer can sustain high temperature processing of these multicomponent transfer units. By photoexposing according to a pattern, the photoexposed multicomponent transfer units can be selectively released at a low temperature to transfer to a receptor.

In the manufacturing of thin film device products, thin film devices such as field effect transistors (FET), thin film transistors (TFT), light emitting diodes (LED), memory circuits, display circuits or optical devices are fabricated on a substrate through various processes such as chemical vapor deposition, etching, oxidation, and annealing. Since the fabrication processes often involve high temperature treatment, one of the substrate requirements is high temperature heat resistance, meaning the substrate must have a high softening temperature and a high melting temperature. To minimize film stress and maintain good alignment of different patterned layers, it should also have a low coefficient of thermal expansion and low distortion after thermal cycling.
Thin film transistor (TFT) processes for liquid crystal displays currently use quartz glass substrates to provide heat resistance up to approx. 1000° C., or heat-resistant glass substrate to provide heat resistance up to approx. 500° C. However, quartz and heat resistant glass substrates are expensive, heavy and fragile.
Low temperature thin film transistor processes on plastic substrate have been demonstrated, for example,                U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,075, "Amorphous Silicon on Insulator VLSI Circuit Structures" by Stanley G. Burns et al;        U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,121, "Thin Film Transistors Fabricated on Plastic Transistors", by Stephen McConnell Gates, and        U.S. Pat. No. 5,817,550, "Method for Formation of Thin Film Transistors on Plastic Substrates", by Paul G. Carey et al.,but in general, temperatures up to around 200–300° C. may be required to get good device performance as indicated by charge carrier mobility or low interface state density. Polymer substrates which can tolerate these temperatures do exist; for example, polyimides, poly(ether sulphone)s, polycarbonates, polyaramids. But these polymer substrates are often colored, very expensive, have high water absorbance and less than ideal thermal and mechanical properties.
In contrast, the ideal product substrate is preferably as inexpensive as possible, light weight, transparent, resistant to deformation to a certain extent, and invulnerable to dropping. Thus there is a difference between the requirements of a substrate for fabrication processes and the characteristics desirable for a product substrate. It has been extremely difficult to satisfy both these required process conditions and desirable product characteristics.
The substrate transfer method can be used to address the above problems. The thin film devices are fabricated on a donor substrate having the desired optimal properties for fabrication processes in which the donor substrate has been first coated with a suitable releasable adhesion layer. Then the fabricated thin film devices are transferred to a target substrate (or a receptor) having the desired product characteristics. For example, see Wolk et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,114,088, and its divisions, U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,553 and U.S. patent publication 2001/0036561, "Thermal transfer element for forming multilayer devices", and Inoue et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,521,511, "Thin film device transfer method, thin film device, thin film integrated circuit device, active matrix board, liquid crystal display, and electronic apparatus".
However, the most difficult aspect of the substrate transfer method is the selection of the releasable adhesion layer. Currently to the best of our knowledge, there is no suitable releasable adhesion layer, one that can provide good adhesion during high temperature fabrication processing and at the same time can delaminate at a low temperature for transferring to a target substrate.

Lamination and delamination technique for thin film processing


An improved extended auger arrangement and an improved asphalt paver with a tractor unit and a screed assembly, including a main screed and extendable screeds, having such an improved extended auger arrangement, the extendable screeds extending laterally outwardly from the main screed such that the screed assembly spans a width substantially greater than the width of the tractor unit. The extended auger arrangement includes a pair of opposing, oppositely pitched, inner augers, rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis oriented perpendicularly to the direction of travel of the tractor unit and approximately spanning the width of the tractor unit, and a pair of oppositely pitched outer augers, rotatable about respective horizontal axes oriented substantially non-perpendicularly to the direction of travel of the tractor unit and approximately spanning the difference between the width of the tractor unit and the width of the screed assembly. Each of the outer augers is drivingly and pivotally connected by a universal joint to a respective one of the inner augers. A supporting structure provides fore-and-aft support for the outer augers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to asphalt pavers and, more particularly, to asphalt pavers having laterally extendable screeds.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most paving machines for laying bituminous or asphaltic material roadways are of the so-called "floating screed" type. Each employs a tracked or wheeled tractor unit having a pair of rearwardly extending screed pull arms pivotally attached to the sides of the tractor unit. A screed assembly of the paving machine is attached to rearwardly projecting distal ends of the pull arms.
For this type of paving machine, the texture and density of a mat of asphaltic material placed by the paving machine is influenced by the weight of the screed assembly, which "floats" upon the asphaltic material therebeneath, and by the angular attitude of the underlying screeding surface of the screed assembly relative to the roadway, commonly referred to as the "attack angle" of the screed. For a given speed of the paving machine and the thicker the mat being laid by the machine, the greater the attack angle must be in order to achieve a desired density of the mat being placed by the machine. Hence the screed assembly, in turn, should be pivotally adjustable about a transverse horizontal axis such that the attack angle can be dynamically adjusted as operating conditions dictate.
A typical width of a main screed of the screed assembly of a paving machine for highway construction and the like approximates the overall width of the paving machine, or approximately ten feet for example. In order to lay a mat of greater width and thereby reduce the number of passes needed for a particular project, laterally extendable screed assemblies are commonly used.
Such extendable screed assemblies generally include a pair of shorter screeds, or "screed extensions", carried by and disposed rearwardly of the main screed. The screed extensions are generally attached to the main screed such that one or both of the screed extensions can be slidably adjusted outwardly from the main screed, thereby extending the effective width of the screed assembly. For example, the screed extensions may be extended outwardly such that the overall width of the screed assembly--the main screed plus two screed extensions, one to the left and one to the right--ranges up to approximately twice the width of the main screed, or approximately twenty feet for example. The overall width of the mat laid in a single pass of the paving machine is thereby increased. As a result and in terms of time and therefore cost of paving a given roadway, the efficiency of the paving machine is also increased by utilizing the extendable screeds.
Prior art paving machines utilizing screed extensions typically use an opposing pair of augers situated at the rear of the paver and extending perpendicularly outwardly to laterally distribute asphaltic material from immediately behind the paving machine to approximately the paths to be traversed by the outer extremities of the auger extensions. The outer ends of these augers generally are either unsupported or are supported off of the paving machine. The augers are generally pitched and rotated such that the asphaltic material is urged outwardly and forwardly relative to the direction of travel of the paving machine.
Various interrelated factors contribute to distribution of asphaltic material to the outer extremities of the auger extensions. Such factors include the rate at which asphaltic material is deposited by the paving machine on the subgrade at the rear of the paving machine, the speed of the paving machine, the extent to which the perpendicularly oriented auger extensions reach outwardly from the paving machine, the screw pitch of the augers, the rate of rotation of the augers, the thickness of the mat being laid by the paving machine, etc.
Due to the forward motion of the paving machine, the farther the auger extensions extend outwardly from the paving machine, the greater the amount of asphaltic material that must be accumulated and pushed in front of the augers in order for sufficient asphaltic material to be urged laterally in order to reach the outer extremities of the auger extensions in sufficient quantity to provide a mat of asphaltic material having the desired thickness at those outer extremities of the screed extensions. Unfortunately, the greater the quantity of asphaltic material that must be accumulated and pushed in front of the augers as aforesaid, the greater the power demands placed on the prime mover of the paving machine. Further, the greater the power demands placed on the paving machine for conveying the asphaltic material to the outer reaches of the screed extensions, the less the power available for desired traction requirements and for propulsion of the paving machine.
What is needed is an asphalt paving machine having means to laterally distribute asphalt material to outer extremities of extendable screeds thereof without unnecessarily loading a prime mover of the paving machine which, otherwise, would reduce the power available for traction requirements and propulsion of the paving machine.

Asphalt paver having auger extensions for extended screeds


A method and device for adaptively adjusting sound effect, and the method comprises: obtaining an energy value of the current ambient noise; receiving a first trigger instruction and adjusting the current output volume based on the energy value of the current ambient noise; while judging that the energy value of the current ambient noise is bigger than a first threshold, processing treble enhancement; while judging that the energy value of the current ambient noise is less than a second a sound threshold, processing bass enhancement. By collecting the voice data and detecting the speech activity on the voice data, when the first trigger instruction is received, the method can adjust the current volume and adjust the frequency response by the treble enhancement or the bass enhancement based on the energy value of the current ambient noise, thereby obtaining the better sound effect and easy to achieve.

With the development of wireless communication technologies, wireless apparatuses such as an intercom, a mobile phone, a television are applied widely. Usually, in using the wireless apparatuses, acoustic effects of the apparatuses need to be adjusted based on the change of the ambient. For example, the ambient where the user is located generally changes continuously in using the intercom. In the case that the user moves from a quiet place to a noisy place, the user usually needs to manually turn up the volume to obtain a good acoustic effect and to improve an intelligibility of a voice. The method for manually adjusting the volume by the user is inconvenient, with which the user can not focus on his work, thereby decreasing the user experience.
In conventional technologies, there is a method for automatically adjusting an audio frequency response to improve the intelligibility. With the method, the audio frequency response is automatically adjusted based on an ambient noise level, to improve the intelligibility of a radio receiver in a region with a loud ambient noise. In the method, the ambient noise level is measured, and the audio frequency response is adjusted by accessing an audio parameter array in the case that there is the loud ambient noise. In practical adjusting, a relative gain at a high audio frequency is increased at the cost of a low frequency response to improve the intelligibility. In this case, a high intelligibility obtained by increasing a high frequency gain is at the cost of decreasing the fidelity.
In a process for implementing the disclosure, the inventor finds that in the conventional technologies, there are at least the following disadvantages. With the method provided in the conventional technologies, the audio frequency response is adjusted by detecting the ambient noise level, to improve the intelligibility of the radio receiver in the region with the loud ambient noise. With the method, only the intelligibility of the radio receiver may be adjusted, while an output volume of the radio receiver cannot be automatically adjusted. Hence, the adjusted acoustic effect is not ideal. In the conventional technologies, there is no method with which both the volume and the audio frequency response can be adjusted in case of a changing ambient.
In another aspect, with the method provided in the conventional technologies, the audio frequency response is adjusted by detecting the ambient noise level, while in a background, a real noise cannot be well distinguished from a voice interference in detecting the ambient noise level. It is easy to wrongly determine the voice as the noise. Hence, the obtained ambient noise level cannot truly reflect the change of the ambient noise, and accordingly, the result of the acoustic effect adjustment is not accurate.

Method and device for adaptively adjusting sound effect


A laser diode applies a laser beam through a grating, a beam splitter, and an objective to a compact disc. A laser beam reflected by the compact disc is applied through the objective and the beam splitter to a photodiode. The objective has a large numerical aperture of 0.6 in order to be able of play back a digital video disc that has a thin substrate and contains information recorded at a high density. To prevent the photodiode from suffering aberrations caused due to the large numerical aperture of the objective, the photodiode has a relatively small photodetector unit having a normalized detector size ranging from 3 .mu.m to 16 .mu.m, for detecting only returning light up to a numerical aperture of 0.3 and not detecting light of greater numerical aperture values.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for and a method of recording information on or reproducing information from a recording medium and, more particularly, to an apparatus for and a method of recording information on or reproducing information from a plurality of disk-shaped recording mediums having different substrate thicknesses.
2. Description of the Related Art
Compact discs (CDs) have been widely used as a recording medium from which recorded information is reproduced with light. In recent years, a new recording medium, known as digital video disc (DVD), has been used for digitally recording video images over a long period of time.
For reading recorded digital information from an optical recording medium, a laser beam is applied to the optical recording medium, light reflected from the optical recording medium is detected, and the level of the reflected light is converted into binary data.
FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows an optical pickup device for use with a CD. As shown in FIG. 1, a laser diode (LD) 1 emits a laser beam having a wavelength of 780 nm. The laser beam emitted from the LD 1 is divided into a plurality of laser beams, e.g., three laser beams, by a grating 2. One of the three laser beams is used to read recorded information and to control the optical pickup device in focusing servo operation. The remaining two laser beams are used to control the optical pickup device in tracking servo operation. The three laser beams will also be referred to collectively as light.
A beam splitter 3 that comprises a transparent planar plate reflects the laser beams from the grating 2 toward an objective 4. Light (converged light) reflected from a CD 10 and transmitted through the objective 4 passes through the beam splitter 3 toward a photodiode (PD) 5 that serves as a photodetector. While the reflected light is passing through the beam splitter 3, the reflected light is given astigmatism by the beam splitter 3.
The objective 4 converges the laser beams onto an information recording layer 12 that comprises minute pits on the CD 10. The objective 4 also converges light reflected from the information recording layer 12 of the CD 10 through the beam splitter 3 onto the photodiode 5.
The larger the numerical aperture (NA) of the objective 4, the larger the angle through which the objective 4 converges light into a smaller spot. In FIG. 1, the objective 4 has an NA of 0.45.
The photodiode 5 detects the returning light reflected from the CD 10. Since the laser beam emitted from the LD 1 is divided into three laser beams, the photodiode 5 has three corresponding photodetector units. One of the photodetector areas serves to detect the laser beam that is used to read recorded digital information. The remaining two photodetector areas serve to detect the two laser beams for tracking servo control. Specifically, based on the difference between the optical energy quantities of the two tracking laser beams, the objective 4 is controlled to apply the laser beam used to read recorded digital information to a predetermined track on the CD 10 in tracking servo operation.
Since the light reflected from the information recording layer 12 and applied to the photodiode 5 passes as converged light through the beam splitter 3, the light is subject to astigmatism. The objective 4 is controlled in focusing servo operation based on the astigmatism thus produced.
The CD 10 has a transparent substrate 11 having a thickness t of 1.2 mm with the information recording layer 12 disposed thereon and a protective film 13 disposed on the information recording layer 12. The laser beams from the LD 10 are converged by the objective 4 and pass through the transparent substrate 11 to the information recording layer 12 that has minute pits representative of recorded information. When the laser beams are applied to pits, they are diffracted, causing the returning light that is reflected by the recording medium and applied to the photodiode 5 to be reduced in intensity. When the laser beams are applied to a pit-free area of the information recording layer 12, they are reflected, and hence the returning light has a high intensity. The returning light from the CD 10 is detected by the photodiode 5, which converts higher and lower intensities of the returning light into respective binary levels of "1" and "0", thereby reading the digital information recorded as pits on the CD 10.
While the objective 4 is being thus controlled in tracking and focusing servo modes, the laser beams are applied to a given position on the CD 10, and the returning light is detected to read the recorded digital information from the CD 10.
FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a digital video disc (DVD) 20 that has been proposed recently. The DVD 20 has digital information recorded in a double-sided structure, whereas the CD 10 has digital information recorded in a single-side structure. Specifically, the DVD 20 includes a first disc member comprising a substrate 21, an information recording layer 22 disposed on the substrate 21, and a protective film 23 disposed on the information recording layer 22, and a second disc member comprising a substrate 31, an information recording layer 32 disposed on the substrate 31, and a protective film 33 disposed on the information recording layer 32, the first and second disc members being bonded to each other through the protective films 23, 33. Therefore, the DVD 20 is symmetrical with respect to a median plane thereof.
Since digital information is recorded with high density on the DVD 20, the substrates 21, 31 are thinner than the substrate 11 of the CD 10 in order to minimize skews and errors of substrate thicknesses. Specifically, while the substrate 11 of the CD 10 has a thickness of 1.2 mm, each of the substrates 21, 31 of the DVD 20 has a thickness of 0.6 mm. The length of and intervals between the pits on the DVD 20 are smaller than those of the CD 10.
Inasmuch as the recording density of the DVD 20 is greater than the recording density of the CD 10, an LD 41 of an optical pickup device for use with the DVD 20 emits a laser beam having a shorter wavelength of 650 nm than the LD 1 of the optical pickup device for use with the CD 10. The optical pickup device for use with the DVD 20 has other components including a grating 42, a beam splitter 43, an objective 44, and a photodiode (PD) 45 that are identical to those of the optical pickup device for use with the CD 10.
However, because the DVD 20 has pits smaller than the CD 10 due to the larger recording density, the objective 44 has a numerical aperture (NA) of 0.6, which is greater than the objective 4 (NA=0.45) of the optical pickup device for use with the CD 10. The objective 44 with the larger numerical aperture is capable of converging a laser beam into a smaller spot to read smaller pits.
As described above, the CD 10 and the DVD 20 are structurally different from each other. Usually, therefore, it is necessary to use different optical systems (optical pickup devices) for reading recorded information from the CD 10 and the DVD 20.
If the optical pickup device for use with the DVD 20 is applied to the CD 10, for example, as shown in FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings, then since the optical pickup device for use with the DVD 20 is designed to read the recorded information from the DVD 20 under optimum conditions, it suffers spherical aberration due to the difference between the thicknesses of the substrate 11 of the CD 10 and the substrates 21, 31 of the DVD 20 and the difference between the numerical apertures of the objectives 4, 44 when reading the recorded information from the CD 10.
For example, when a CD whose substrate has a thickness of 1.2 mm is played back using an objective having a numerical aperture of 0.6 which is optimized for a DVD whose substrate has a thickness of 0.6 mm, the amount of spherical aberration that is produced reaches 3.6 .mu.m in terms of a fourth-order Seidel spherical aberration coefficient W.sub.40. If this amount of spherical aberration is expressed by a root-mean-square value, it is 0.268 rms.mu.m (which is 0.412 rms.lambda. if normalized at a wavelength .lambda. of 650 nm). Generally, all optical systems for use with optical discs are required to have the sum of root-mean-square values of aberrations equal to or smaller than the Marechal's criterion of 0.07 rms.lambda.. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately read the recorded information from the CD 10 with the optical system arrangement shown in FIG. 3.
It has been proposed to adjust the numerical aperture of an objective to the types of different recording mediums for making an optical pickup device for use with a DVD applicable to a CD, as disclosed, for example, in Japanese patent application No. 6-277400 (which corresponds to copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/555,339).
FIGS. 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings show an optical system based on the principles of the above proposal. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the optical system comprises a diaphragm 51, an actuator 53 for actuating the diaphragm 51, and a sensor 52 for detecting the type of recording medium which is used, in addition to the optical pickup device for use with a DVD, as shown in FIG. 2.
The sensor 52 detects the type of recording medium used, and the actuator 53 actuates the diaphragm 51 based on a detected signal from the sensor 52. Specifically, for reading the recorded information from the DVD 20, the actuator 53 actuates the diaphragm 51 to increase the opening thereof until the numerical aperture of the objective 44 becomes 0.6, as shown in FIG. 4. For reading the recorded information from the CD 10, the actuator 53 actuates the diaphragm 51 to reduce the opening thereof until the numerical aperture of the objective 44 becomes 0.45, as shown in FIG. 5. The opening of the diaphragm 51 is thus reduced to minimize the spherical aberration (the fourth-order Seidel spherical aberration coefficient W.sub.40 is proportional to the fourth power of the numerical aperture NA) for reading the recorded information from the CD 10.
However, because the mechanical diaphragm 51 is newly added, the optical system is made up of an increased number of parts, expensive to manufacture, and large in size and complex in structure. Since the diaphragm 51 is mechanically operated, it is not resistant to vibrations, cannot operate quickly, and tends to cause a fault in the optical system.

Apparatus and method for recording and reproducing information from a plurality of recording medium having different thickness and recording densities


A solid catalyst component for polymerization of olefins prepared by reacting a titanium halide, a diester of aromatic dicarboxylic acid and a dialkoxymagnesium having a bulk density of at least 0.25 g/ml and an average particle size of 1 to 100 .mu.m. The average rate of temperature rise from the temperature at which the titanium halide is allowed to come in contact with the dialkoxymagnesium to the temperature at which the reaction is initiated is in a range of from 0.5 to 20.degree. C./min. Such catalyst can further comprise an organic aluminum compound and an organic silicon compound. The use of said catalyst makes it possible to efficiently obtain a polyolefin having a high stereoregularity, a high bulk density and excellent particle properties.

Many proposals have been made for a solid catalyst component for polymerization of olefins comprising magnesium, titanium, an electron donor compound and a halogen as essential components, a catalyst for polymerization of olefins comprising said solid catalyst component, an organic aluminum compound, an organic silicon compound, etc., and a process for the polymerization of olefins which comprises polymerizing or copolymerizing olefins in the presence of said catalyst.
For example, JP-A-63-3010 (The term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") proposes a catalyst for polymerization of olefins comprising a solid catalyst component prepared by a process which comprises allowing a dialkoxymagnesium, a diester of aromatic dicarboxylic acid, an aromatic hydrocarbon and a titanium halide to come in contact with one another, and then subjecting the product to heat treatment in powder form, an organic aluminum compound and an organic silicon compound, and a process for the polymerization of olefins.
Further, JP-A-1-315406 proposes a catalyst for polymerization of olefins comprising a solid catalyst component prepared by a process which comprises allowing a suspension of diethoxymagnesium in an alkylbenzene to come in contact with titanium tetrachloride, adding phthaloyl dichloride to the suspension for reaction to obtain a solid product, and then allowing the solid product to come in contact with titanium tetrachloride in the presence of an alkylbenzene, an organic aluminum compound and an organic silicon compound, and a process for the polymerization of olefins in the presence of said catalyst.
The foregoing various conventional techniques focus on the development of a catalyst component which is active enough to allow the omission of a so-called deashing step, i.e., step of removing catalyst residues such as chlorine and titanium remaining in the polymer produced as well as on the enhancement of the yield of stereoregular polymer and the maintenance of the catalytic activity during polymerization. These techniques can provide excellent results on these purposes. However, if a polymerization catalyst having a composition comprising this kind of a high activity type catalyst component, an organic aluminum compound and an electron donor compound such as a silicon compound is employed to polymerize olefins, the polymer thus produced contains much fine powder derived from fine solid catalyst component itself or obtained by fragmentation due to reaction heat developed during polymerization. Thus, the polymer tends to have a broad particle size distribution. If the content of the fine particle size polymer is raised, it causes the inhibition of the process. For example, the continuance of uniform reaction can be inhibited. Further, the pipe in the polymerization process can be blocked during the transfer of the polymer. In addition, if the particle size distribution is widened, it eventually gives undesirable effects on the molding of the polymer. This is the reason why a polymer having as small fine particle size polymer content as possible, a uniform particle size and a narrow particle size distribution has been desired.
In order to solve these problems, many methods have been proposed. For example, JP-A-6-157659 proposes a catalyst for polymerization of olefins made of a solid catalyst component obtained by a process which comprises adding a suspension of a spherical particulate dialkoxymagnesium, an aromatic hydrocarbon and a diester of phthalic acid to a mixed solution of an aromatic hydrocarbon and titanium tetrachloride so that they are reacted, and then reacting the reaction product with titanium tetrachloride.
For example, JP-A-6-287225 proposes a solid catalyst component for polymerization of olefins obtained by a process which comprises adding a suspension of a spherical particulate dialkoxymagnesium, an aromatic hydrocarbon and a diester of phthalic acid to a mixed solution of an aromatic hydrocarbon and titanium tetrachloride so that they are reacted, washing the reaction product with an aromatic hydrocarbon, and then again reacting the reaction product with titanium tetrachloride to obtain a solid component which is then dried and freed of fine powder.
Further, JP-A-6-287217 proposes a solid catalyst component for polymerization of olefins obtained by a process which comprises adding a suspension of a spherical particulate dialkoxymagnesium, an aromatic hydrocarbon and a diester of phthalic acid to a mixed solution of an aromatic hydrocarbon and titanium tetrachloride so that they are reacted, washing the reaction product with an aromatic hydrocarbon, again reacting the reaction product with titanium tetrachloride, drying the solid component thus obtained, removing fine powder from the solid component, and then adding a powdered nonionic surfactant to the solid component.
The foregoing technique can remove the fine powder derived from the solid catalyst component itself, eventually exerting an effect of reducing the content of fine powder in the polymer thus produced. However, the effect of the foregoing technique does not go so far as to control the generation of fine powder due to fragmentation of particles by the reaction heat developed during polymerization. Thus, a fine powder is still present in the polymer thus produced. Further, the polymer produced according to the foregoing techniques is nearly spherical and has a good morphology but has a low bulk density. In the production of a polyolefin, the amount of a polymer to be produced per unit volume in the polymerization tank is reduced, and the amount of the polymer to be processed during transportation or pelletizing step is limited. As a result, such a problem that the productivity throughout the entire process for the production of polyolefin is reduced is left unsolved.
On the other hand, a process for the production of a block copolymer of propylene has been known which comprises producing a crystalline polymer of propylene alone in the presence of a solid catalyst component or catalyst of the various conventional types at a first stage, and then copolymerizing propylene with another olefin such as ethylene and 1-butene in the copresence of said propylene homopolymer at a second stage. Such a block copolymer contains a rubber-like copolymer in a certain proportion in the composition and thus exhibits an enhanced impact strength while maintaining an excellent rigidity characteristic of crystalline polypropylene. Therefore, such a block copolymer has found wide application, e.g., to container, automobile parts such as bumper, household appliance, furniture.
In order to further enhance the impact strength of such a block copolymer, the proportion of a rubber-like copolymer (e.g., ethylene-propylene rubber) to be produced in the block copolymer needs to be raised. However, as the production ratio of rubber-like copolymer increases, the stickiness of the particulate block copolymer thus produced increases. As a result, the flowability of the particulate polymer thus produced shows a remarkable deterioration in the gas phase polymerization process or bulk polymerization process. Further, the polymer particles stick to each other to agglomerate or stick to the inner wall of the polymerization apparatus, causing serious troubles in the process operation.
For the purpose of eliminating these difficulties, JP-A-61-69821 and JP-A-61-69822 propose the supply of an active hydrogen compound such as ethanol or an oxygen-containing compound such as oxygen gas into the polymerization system at the second stage, i.e., stage of producing a rubber-like copolymer. However, such an active hydrogen compound or oxygen-containing compound originally causes deterioration of the activity of the catalyst in the polymerization of olefins. In this process, the amount of such an active hydrogen compound or oxygen-containing compound to be supplied needs to be closely controlled. Further, the apparatus to be used for this process needs to be improved.
The inventors made studies of the solution to the foregoing problems of the prior art techniques. As a result, it was found that these problems can be effectively solved by the polymerization or copolymerization of olefins in the presence of a solid catalyst component prepared from a dialkoxymagnesium having a bulk density of at least a predetermined value, or a catalyst comprising the solid catalyst component, a specific organic silicon compound and a specific organic aluminum compound. Thus, the present invention has been worked out.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a solid catalyst component and catalyst for polymerization of olefins which can provide a polymer having a high bulk density and a small content of fine powder while maintaining the desired high polymerization activity and high yield of a high stereoregularity polymer. It is another object of the present invention to provide a solid catalyst component and catalyst for polymerization of olefins which can maintain its good particle properties even if the production ratio of rubber-like copolymer is raised in block copolymerization.

Solid catalyst component and catalyst for polymerization of olefins


A touch-control method of an LCD is provided. During the idling time in-between the writing periods, the first touch-position sensing step detects the values of liquid crystal capacitances formed between the scan lines and the counter electrode, and detects a scan-line-direction touch position (Y) according to the values of the liquid crystal capacitances formed between the scan lines and the counter electrode. The charging step charges a voltage signal into each of the data lines needed to be detected after the scan-line-direction touch position (Y) is detected. After the voltage signal is charged, the second touch-position sensing step detects the values of liquid crystal capacitance formed between the data lines and the counter electrode, and detects a data-line-direction touch position (X) according to the values of the liquid crystal capacitance formed between the data lines and the counter electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a display and a touch-control method thereof, and in particular, to an LCD (liquid crystal display) and a touch-control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Regarding conventional touch panel technologies, capacitive touch panels, touch-pen touch panels, resistive touch panels, and the like are mainly involved. In such cases, the capacitive touch panels utilize the human body static electricity for sensing, and are mainly employed in ATMs (automated teller machines) or stock exchange systems. The touch-pen touch panel is an extension of the above-mentioned capacitive touch panel, and can sense a hand or a specific touch-pen. The sensing mode of the touch-pen touch panel can be set as a finger only mode, a pen only mode, or both. The resistive touch panel senses the touch point by sensing pressure, so that there is no limitation to the materials of the touching media, which can be used with the resistive touch panel. In general, the resistive touch panel has a top-sheet, which is made of polyatomic lipid material. A transparent electro conductive layer is formed on the inner surface of the top-sheet, which is kept by a distance with a glass sheet having another transparent electro conductive layer on its surface. Accordingly, when the top-sheet is charged with a current and is touched, the transparent electro conductive layer on the polyatomic lipid material contacts the transparent electro conductive layer on the glass, so that the charged current flows through the transparent electro conductive layer on the glass to the corners of the touch panel. A controller then retrieves the current values from the corners so as to calculate the coordinates of the touch point.
Considering the above-mentioned touch-control technologies, although they offer their own advantages, they also share the same drawbacks, which are described in the following:
All of the above-mentioned touch-control technologies require an additional touch plate, a controller, and the like on a conventional screen or panel such as an LCD or CRT display, so that the display can be equipped with a touch-control function. In other words, the present display with a touch-control function actually includes a display panel and an additional touch-control device so as to carry out the touch-control function, as the display panel itself does not provide the touch-control function.
Since the touch-control device such as the touch plate is not an integral part of the display, to achieve the accuracy of the screen coordination, it must be carefully calibrated.
Moreover, since the touch-control device such as a touch plate is not an integral part of the display, it may partially block the light intensity of the display, so that the brightness of the entire display is reduced.
Furthermore, since the touch-control device such as the touch plate is not an integral part of the display, the manufacturing cost thereof is increased.
Therefore, it is a subjective of the invention to provide a display, which does not require an additional touch plate, does not affect the brightness of the display, has lower manufacturing cost, and has accurate coordination of the screen without requiring adjustment.


A passive radiator comprising a chassis, a mass element suspended within the chassis, and a suspension means for flexibly suspending the mass element from the chassis. In order to obtain a large amplitude of the mass element, a sub-chassis extends between the chassis and the mass element, first flexible connecting elements connecting the mass element to the sub-chassis, and second flexible connecting elements connecting the sub-chassis to the chassis.

The invention relates to a passive radiator comprising a chassis, a mass element having a front part and a back part and disposed within the chassis, and a suspension means for movably suspending the mass element from the chassis.
Such a passive radiator is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,215 and is intended for use in a bass-reflex loudspeaker system. The known passive radiator comprises a mass element having a disc-shaped part and a conical part, the conical part being connected to a front part of a chassis via a deformable suspension rim and the disc-shaped part being connected to a back part of the chassis via elastic wire elements. The suspension used, comprising the deformable suspension rim and said elastic wire elements, allows only limited axial excursions of the mass element, i.e. excursions in directions transverse to the disc-shaped part, relative to the chassis. As a result of this, a comparatively large mass element, particularly as viewed in the transverse direction, is necessary in order to achieve an effect requiring a large volume displacement.

Passive radiator and system comprising the passive radiator


The invention is based on the discovery that fruit pomace, the solid waste presscake left behind after fruit processing, can be used as a growth substrate for microorganisms that inhibit plant pathogens or degrade pollutants, or both. A composition can be made from fruit pomace by adding nitrogen, adjusting the pH, inoculating the pomace with a selected microorganism, and allowing the microorganism to grow in the pomace. The pomace composition is then used as a vehicle for suppression of plant pathogens or bioremediation.

The invention relates to new fruit pomace compositions and methods of using these compositions, e.g., for plant pathogen control and bioremediation.
Pomace is the solid waste presscake left behind after fruit processing. It is difficult to dispose of because its high water content prevents it from composting well. Further, pomace also has a low pH, and high carbohydrate and low protein content, limiting its usefulness as an animal feed. Over one million metric tons of apple pomace alone are produced each year in the United States, and disposal fees are estimated to exceed $10 million. The grape industry produces nearly five million tons of grapes each year, over 40% of which is used for processing purposes. Pomace accounts for as much as 20% of the wet weight of the fruit, and annual production of pomace is over 400,000 tons per year.
Fruit pomace has been used as a raw material to produce certain commercial products, such as ethanol, acetic acid, citric acid, and some dyes and colorants. Pomace has also been inoculated with fungi, such as Trichoderma reesei, Saccharomyces lipolytica, and others, as a means to increase the protein content in the pomace, and increase its value as a cattle feed. Edible mushrooms such as shiitake and oyster mushrooms have also been grown on a pomace substrate, but there is still far more pomace produced than can be used in these ways.
Trichoderma is a fungus known to parasitize a number of other soil-borne fungi that are pathogenic to plants. Much research has been done to determine ways to exploit this natural inhibition of plant pathogens. Few practical applications have resulted, however, mostly because the beneficial fungi are out-competed by other native fungi under typical field conditions.
Many other organisms have been shown to parasitize plant pathogens, including Pythium nunn, which attacks P. ultimum (damping-off of cucumber), Rhizoctonia solani (root rot), and Phytophthora parasitica (buckeye rot of tomato). Talaromyces flavus is particularly aggressive, and suppresses R. solani root rot, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum wilt of sunflowers, and Verticillium spp., which causes devastating wilts in a wide variety of crops. Experiments also have been done using Sporidesmium sclerotivorum against Sclerotinia minor, which causes lettuce drop, but current methods of culturing Sporidesmium have proved uneconomical for field use. Several fungi, including Teratosperma oligocladum, Suillus granulatus, Peniophora spp., and Pisolithus tinctorius are thought to have potential uses in forestry applications, in preventing root rot in pine species from Rhizoctonia spp. and Phytophthora spp.
Bioremediation is the use of organisms to remove pollutants from the environment. Several naturally-occurring microorganisms exist that degrade organic pollutants, such as Phanerochaete chrysosporium strain BKM-F-1767, Trametes spp., and Bjerkandera adusta. These three fungi are known to degrade polycyclic hydrocarbons, including fluorene and benzoa! pyrene, and have potential use in bioremediation of contaminated soil. Strains of Pseudomonas spp., Alcaligenes, spp., Acinetobacter spp., and Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus have been found growing in petroleum-contaminated marine sediments, and could be used to clean up oil spills. In the field, however, additives must usually be applied to the substrate to promote the growth of these microorganisms. Oleophilic fertilizers are often used, because the nutrients dissolve into the oil and also allow microbial growth at the oil-water boundary (LaCotte, et al., 1995, Chemosphere 31:4351).

Fruit pomace compositions and uses thereof


A method of producing photographic prints in a printer is provided, in which it is possible to adjust at least the color composition of the light to be emitted by an exposure means of the printer, an image of a master photographic image being reproduced on the screen of a color monitor by making use of an image converter means, which is adapted to be introduced temporarily into the ray path of the printer. The monitor image is calibrated at least with regard to the color of a first optimized print while maintaining the copying light constant. An exposure means suitable for carrying out this method is also described.

The present invention relates to a method of producing photographic prints in a printer, which is adapted to be adjusted with regard to a color composition of a light to be emitted by an exposure means, an f-number and/or an exposure time. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an exposure means for a method of producing photographic prints.

Method of producing photographic prints and an exposure means for carrying out said method


Technologies for emotion prediction based on breathing patterns include a wearable device. The wearable device includes a breathing sensor to generate breathing data, one or more processors, and one or more memory devices having stored therein a plurality of instructions that, when executed, cause the wearable device to calibrate a personalized emotion predictive model associated with the user, collect breathing data of the user of the wearable device, analyze the breathing data to determine a breathing pattern, predict, in response to an analysis of the breathing data, the emotional state of the user using the personalized emotion predictive model, and output the emotional state of the user.

Bio-signals, such as heart rate and galvanic skin response, have been used to detect valence of an emotion of human subject. For example, changes in respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) have been monitored to detect changes due to emotional variations of human subjects. RSA is defined as the periodic fluctuations in the heart rate related to breathing due to the physical connection between the vagal nerve, the lungs, the heart, as well as with the other organs. As such, metabolic activities and/or individual differences in bio-signals may affect detecting valence of an emotion of a human subject.


The invention relates to a novel composition comprising at least one polyphthalamide reactively extruded with at least one other polyamide, a polyester, and a modifier. The composition can be further modified with fillers to add increased strength. Other additives such as colorants, flame retardants, and UV degradation inhibitors are also contemplated. This composition exhibits superior barrier to organic vapors, impact strength and heat distortion temperatures. Also disclosed are articles using this novel composition such as fuel tanks for gasoline engines used to power lawn mowers and garden machinery.

In the automotive industry polymeric fuel containers are being used because they can be manufactured in a cost-efficient manner, are of high mechanical stability and readily deformable in accidents, and greatly inhibit hydrocarbon permeation. The best results as to the overall qualities of the polymeric fuel containers have been obtained by a six-layer so-called COEX-structure. This is a multi-layer system manufactured in a single process (co-extrusion) and including two layers of high density polyethylene (HDPE) which enclose a barrier-layer of an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) and a layer of treated, recycled or "re-grind" plastic material.
The EVOH-layer, which is not directly connectable to the HDPE, has an adhesive layer provided on both of its sides for connection to the adjacent layers so that the total structure comprises six layers. The layer of recycled or re-grind material is of a thickness which is about 35 to 45% of the total thickness of the fuel container wall and consists of a mixture of scrap materials resulting from the manufacturing of containers, i.e. it is both of HDPE and of EVOH. While HDPE is cheap and has good mechanical characteristics, it is a poor barrier against permeation of hydrocarbons. This is why the relatively thin EVOH-layer is used, which while being expensive, is an excellent barrier against permeation of hydrocarbons. Additional techniques include fluorinating the polyethylene to make it inherently more impermeable to fuel vapors.
Presently, the State of California generally has the most stringent requirements for the reduction of total vehicle hydrocarbon emissions. As a general rule the other states in the U.S. and many other countries will adopt the Californian regulations after some time. Under the provisions of such future regulations the level of total vehicle hydrocarbon permeation must not exceed 0.5 g per day. To achieve this level, it has been estimated that the hydrocarbon emissions from the vehicle fuel system must not be more than 150 mg per day, which would result in a static permeation of less than 55 mg per day when production and durability parameters are considered. However, the fuel container is only a part of the total fuel system, and further estimates have shown that permeation through the container wall should not exceed 5 mg per day in order to meet the above requirements. The above described typical six-layer COEX-structure, however, only provides permeation levels of about 20 mg or less per day. One possibility to improve the performance of the six-layer COEX-structure would be to increase the thickness of the EVOH-layer from about 150 micrometers to about 1.0 mm. Apart from substantially increased costs this would cause production problems and deteriorate the mechanical properties of the fuel container because EVOH has relatively poor impact resistance. This structure also has a permeation window which results when the two wall halves are welded together by pinching under heat.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,163 teaches eliminating the 6 layer co-extruded structure and its associated permeation window, with a multilayer structure containing two separately manufactured halves with the barrier layer on the outside of the structure. U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,163 teaches the layers of its fuel tank be made of high density polyethylene and a compound impermeable to fuel such as ethyl vinyl alcohol (EVOH).
European Patent EP 742 236 describes petrol tanks consisting of five layers which are, respectively: high density polyethylene (HDPE); a binder; a polyamide (PA) or a copolymer containing ethylene units and vinyl alcohol units (EVOH); a binder; and HDPE.
A sixth layer can be added between one of the layers of binder and one of the HDPE layers. This sixth layer consists of manufacturing scraps following molding of the tanks, and to a much smaller extent of non-compliant tanks. These scraps and non-compliant tanks are then ground until granules are obtained. This ground material is then re-melted and extruded directly at the tank co-extrusion plant. This ground material may also be melted and re-granulated by means of an extruding machine such as a twin-screw extruder, before being reused.
According to one variant, the recycled product can be mixed with the HDPE from the two extreme layers of the tank. It is possible, for example, to mix the granules of recycled product with granules of virgin HDPE of these two layers. It is also possible to use any combination of these two recyclings. The content of recycled material can represent up to 50% of the total weight of the tank.
European Patent EP 731 308 describes a tube comprising an inner layer comprising a mixture of polyamide and of polyolefin with a polyamide matrix and an outer layer comprising a polyamide. These tubes based on polyamide are useful for transporting petrol and more particularly for bringing the petrol from the motor vehicle tank to the motor and also, but in larger diameter, for transporting hydrocarbons in service stations between the distribution pumps and the underground storage tanks
According to another form of the tube, a layer of a polymer comprising ethylene units and vinyl alcohol units (EVOH) can be placed between the inner and outer layers. The structure: inner layer/EVOH/binder/outer layer is advantageously used.
The tanks described in EP 742 236 which do not have the barrier layer in direct contact with the petrol do admittedly have barrier properties, but they are not sufficient when very low petrol losses are desired. EP 731 308 describes tubes whose outer layer is made of polyamide and the barrier layer is in direct contact with the petrol, wherein the layer made of polyamide is necessary for the mechanical strength of the assembly.
United States Patent Application No. 20030198768 proposes a plastic fuel tank having a multilayer wall structure, wherein a barrier layer forms an exposed face of the wall and preferably is in direct contact with the fuel contained therein. The barrier layer of the structures of the invention constitutes one of the exposed faces of the structure, i.e. it is not an interior layer of the wall structure. Fuel tank structures embodying the invention have walls with HDPE/barrier layer or HDPE/binder/barrier layer, in which "HDPE" denotes high density polyethylene.
The preferred fuel tank of United States Patent Application No. 20030198768, comprises successively: a first layer of high density polyethylene (HDPE), a layer of binder, a second layer of EVOH or of a mixture based on EVOH, and optionally a third layer of polyamide (A) or a mixture of polyamide (A) and polyolefin (B).
The polyamides proposed in United States Patent Application No. 20030198768 are those in which the term "polyamide" means the following products of condensation of one or more amino acids, such as aminocaproic acid, 7-aminoheptanoic acid, 11-aminoundecanoic acid and 12-aminododecanoic acid of one or more lactams such as caprolactam, oenantholactam and lauryllactam; and of one or more salts or mixtures of diamines such as hexamethylenediamine, dodecamethylenediamine, meta-xylylenediamine, bis(p-aminocyclohexyl)methane and trimethylhexamethylenediamine with diacids such as isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid, adipic acid, azelaic acid, suberic acid, sebacic acid and dodecanedicarboxylic acid.
As examples of polyamides, United States Patent Application No. 20030198768 mentions PA 6 and PA 6-6 and copolyamides. United States Patent Application No. 20030198768 also mentions copolyamides resulting from the condensation of at least two α,{acute over (ω)}-aminocarboxylic acids or of two lactams or of one lactam and one α,{acute over (ω)}-aminocarboxylic acid. Also included in United States Patent Application No. 20030198768 are the copolyamides resulting from the condensation of at least one α,{acute over (ω)}-aminocarboxylic acid (or a lactam), at least one diamine and at least one dicarboxylic acid.
United States Patent Application No. 20030198768 prefers lactams containing from 3 to 12 carbon atoms on the main ring and which can be substituted. Examples of such lactams are β,β-dimethylpropiolactam, α,α-dimethylpropiolactam, amylolactam, caprolactam, capryllactam and lauryllactam.
Aminoundecanoic acid and aminododecanoic acid are examples of α,{acute over (ω)}-aminocarboxylic acids and adipic acid, sebacic acid, isophthalic acid, butanedioic acid, 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, terephthalic acid, sodium or lithium salts of sulphoisophthalic acid, dimerized fatty acids (these dimerized fatty acids have a dimer content of at least 98% and are preferably hydrogenated) and dodecanedioic acid HOOC—(CH2)10—COOH are examples of dicarboxylic acids.
The diamine noted in United States Patent Application No. 20030198768 can be an aliphatic diamine containing from 6 to 12 atoms and can be arylic and/or saturated cyclic. Hexamethylenediamine, piperazine, tetramethylenediamine, octamethylenediamine, decamethylenediamine, dodecamethylenediamine, 1,5-diaminohexane, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,6-diaminohexane, diaminepolyols, isophoronediamine (IPD), methylpentamethylenediamine (MPDM), bis(aminocyclohexyl)methane (BACM) and bis(3-methyl-4-aminocyclohexyl)methane (BMACM) are examples of such diamines.
Copolymers of caprolactam and of lauryllactam (PA 6/12), copolymers of caprolactam, of adipic acid and of hexamethylenediamine (PA 6/6-6), copolymers of caprolactam, of lauryllactam, of adipic acid and of hexamethylenediamine (PA 6/12/6-6), copolymers of caprolactam, of lauryllactam, of 11-aminoundecanoic acid, of azelaic acid and of hexamethylenediamine (PA 6/6-9/11/12), copolymers of caprolactam, of lauryllactam, of 11-aminoundecanoic acid, of adipic acid and of hexamethylenediamine (PA 6/6-6/11/12) and copolymers of lauryllactam, of azelaic acid and of hexamethylenediamine (PA 6-9/12) are examples of copolyamides. The problem with the use of most polyamides is high shrinkage from the mold. Polyamides also present a problem of high moisture absorption which can result in broken seals at the welds and seams of the two halves of the fuel tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,781 teaches a multi-layer plastic fuel tank comprising (A) a gas barrier layer having on at least one side thereof (B) an adhesive layer and further thereon (C) a high-density polyethylene layer, the gas barrier layer (A) comprising a resin having gas barrier properties, the adhesive layer (B) comprising a resin having adhesiveness to both of the gas barrier layer (A) and the high-density polyethylene layer (C), the high-density polyethylene layer (C) comprising high-density polyethylene having an intrinsic viscosity of from 2 to 6 dl/g, a density of from 0.940 to 0.970 g/cm3, and a zero shear viscosity of from 2.0×107 to 1.0×108 poise at 190° C.
The multi-layer plastic fuel tank according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,781 comprises gas barrier layer (A) having laminated on at least one side thereof high-density polyethylene layer (C) via adhesive layer (B).
Resins with gas barrier properties are used in gas barrier layer (A). Examples include a modified polyamide composition comprising a mixture of (1) an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid-modified ethylene-α-olefin copolymer prepared by grafting an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid or a derivative thereof to an ethylene-. α-olefin copolymer at a grafting ratio of from 0.05 to 1% by weight, preferably from 0.2 to 0.6% by weight, based on the ethylene-. α-olefin copolymer and (2) a polyamide. The ethylene-α-olefin copolymer, preferably has a degree of crystallinity of from 1 to 35%, more preferably from 1 to 30%, and a melt index of from 0.01 to 50 g/10 min, more preferably from 0.1 to 20 g/10 min. Examples of the α,β.-unsaturated carboxylic acid or a derivative thereof include monocarboxylic acids, such as acrylic acid and methacrylic acid, their derivatives, dicarboxylic acids, such as maleic acid, fumaric acid and citraconic acid, and their derivatives. Preferred examples of the α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid or a derivative thereof include maleic anhydride.
Examples of the α-olefins in the ethylene-α-olefin copolymer (1) include propylene, butene-1, hexene-1, etc. The α-olefin is generally copolymerized with ethylene at a ratio of not more than 30% by weight, and preferably from 5 to 20% by weight, based on the total amount of the copolymer.
The polyamide (2) generally has a relative viscosity of from about 1 to 6. Examples of the polyamide include polyamides obtained by polycondensation of a diamine and a dicarboxylic acid, polyamide obtained by polycondensation of an aminocarboxylic acid, polyamide obtained by polycondensation of a lactam, and copolyamide thereof.
Examples of the diamine includes aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic diamines, such as hexamethylenediamine, decamethylenediamine, dodecamethylenediamine, trimethylhexamethylenediamine, 1,3-bis(aminomethyl)cyclohexane, 1,4-bis(aminomethyl)cyclohexane, bis(p-aminocyclohexylmethane), m-xylylenediamine, and p-xylylenediamine. Examples of the dicarboxylic acid includes aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic dicarboxylic acids, such as adipic acid, suberic acid, sebacic acid, cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, terephthalic acid, and isophthalic acid. Examples of the aminocarboxylic acid includes ε-aminocaproic acid and 11-aminoundecanoic acid. Examples of the lactam includes ε-caprolactam and .ε-laurolactam.
Specific examples of the polyamide include nylon 6, nylon 66, nylon 610, nylon 9, nylon 11, nylon 12, nylon 6/66, nylon 66/610, and nylon 6/11.
From the standpoint of moldability, a polyamide having a melting point of from 170 to 280° C., and particularly from 200 to 240° C., is typical. Nylon 6 is quite suitable for the use.
The α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid-modified ethylene-α.-olefin copolymer is generally mixed with the polyamide in an amount of from 10 to 50 parts by weight, and preferably from 10 to 30 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the polyamide.
Other solutions to increasing the barrier of fuel tanks can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,544 which teaches a laminate structure with a chemical resistant layer such as nylon 12 and Teflon. U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,096 teaches a fuel tank of an inner and outer shell where the outer shell is electroplated with successive layers of copper, nickel and chrome. U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,040 teaches injection molding two halves where the barrier layer is formed on the outer wall as a coat of paint.
There therefore exists, the need for a single composition which can be used as a monolayer or as a barrier layer in the multilayer structure which is impermeable to fuel vapors and has the necessary mechanical strength to function as a fuel container.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

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