A method for examining images on a computer display comprising the steps of: a) defining a geographic area of interest for a plurality of images; b) selecting a set of images from the plurality of images within the geographic area of interest for display; c) ordering the set of images according to their acquisition date and/or acquisition time; d) examining the set of images across a spatial domain; and e) examining the set of images across one or more time domains.

Commercial satellite imagery is steadily becoming more accessible in terms of ground coverage, distribution, and cost. A key aspect the latest commercial satellite imagery is the large area, high-resolution coverage contained in a single image acquisition. This broad area of coverage, when combined with previously unobtainable resolution, allows the imagery to be used for analysis in new and powerful ways, including: emergency response, urban planning, and damage assessment. Such imagery can also be used in more traditional methods such as environmental assessment, but at a much finer level of detail than previously achievable. As computer processing and display capabilities improve, these satellite images can be quickly geo-registered or orthorectified, and then mosaicked into even larger areas of coverage.
A similar situation exists for airborne imagery that is captured on film and then digitized, or imagery that is directly captured in digital form using new large format digital cameras. In both cases the imagery is usually rectified and mosaicked to provide larger areas of coverage.
Imagery mosaics provide large area coverage by combining several adjacent, partially overlapping images in a continuous, and often seamless, presentation. As the images may have been taken at different times, the tone of the individual images is adjusted and then balanced across the mosaic. If the output of this process is written to a single image file, the result is referred to as a true mosaic.
An alternative concept, possible only in softcopy application, is to form an image mosaic for presentation, but never to form the single aggregate image, either in memory or written to a file. This process is referred to as forming a "virtual" mosaic. When viewing a virtual mosaic, the image processing system computes the extent of the image view based on the geographic location and magnification factor selected by the user. Only those pixels required to fill the image view are processed. In the interest of processing efficiency, virtual mosaics are typically not seamless. Image overlap is retained and in overlap areas one of the images is viewed as the default (i.e., on top of the stack). The user may choose a different image to be viewed on top, or the images can be blended in the overlap area.
The advantage of the virtual mosaic approach is that while the mosaic may include tens or hundreds of images (involving hundreds of megabytes of data), the system only has to address and process those pixels required to fill the selected view. On most image processing systems this is limited to a few megabytes of data. The virtual mosaic approach greatly reduces the processing and memory demands on the image processing system. It also reduces storage requirements in that the full mosaic file is never formed (which, in general, is close in size to the sum of all the component images), yielding an approximately fifty percent savings in storage.
Another advantage of the virtual mosaic concept is improved performance when "roaming" the image view across the coverage area. Roaming is typically used in image review and in area search operations, e.g., looking for specific objects in mosaic area. While many image processing systems have been optimized to roam well across a single image, they do not perform well when presented with a traditional mosaic. The file is simply too large and overwhelms the system memory and processor capabilities. The virtual mosaic approach alleviates these issues by only accessing the data required to fill the instantaneous view.
A necessary step to forming either a traditional or virtual mosaic is to perform some level of geo-registration on the images involved. This process places the images in their proper geographic position with respect to some projection space, enabling the mosaic process, and allows them to be presented in a desired orientation on the viewing screen, typically north-is-up. Geo-registration may be as simple as using geographic coordinates of 2 or more image corners to place the images in the projection space. Images are often provided with metadata that may include polynomial coefficients that allow the imagery to be warped into the desired projection space. A level of accuracy above this would be to place each image pixel using an explicit sensor projective model accounting for the particular acquisition geometry and assuming a flat terrain surface. The highest level of accuracy is achieved via a process called orthorectification. This process uses a projective model to place each pixel while correcting for all known sources of geometric error including terrain variation. The correction for terrain variation is accomplished by projecting each pixel to a model of the terrain surface. The terrain model is typically a matrix of regularly spaced elevation points (or posts). Some form of interpolation is used to determine the proper terrain elevation value when the pixel falls between the posts. Terrain models are produced at various sampling densities, e.g. 100 m spacing or 10 m spacing between posts. A terrain model that does not include man made objects or tall vegetation is referred to as a "bare-earth" model. More accurate, and more expensive, models include elevation information for buildings, bridges, overpasses, etc.
In the interests of cost and computation efficiency, traditional mosaics are usually made with imagery that has been orthorectified to a bare-earth terrain model. This results in errors in areas of varying elevation and in urban areas. The image seams must usually be placed in areas of locally flat terrain. The virtual mosaic process, which does not remove seams, typically uses a polynomial approach to place the images in the desired projection space.
An important issue when searching or roaming through an image mosaic is to maintain geographic context for the user. The geo-registration process described above allows the images to be presented in a consistent projection space, regardless of the specific acquisition conditions for each image. The geo-registration process takes out image differences such as scale and look azimuth.
The task of maintaining geographic context is further supported by simultaneous use of maps and other cartographic data. Raster maps, vector data, cadastral data, and point data are all used to assist the user in understanding the imaged scene. Raster maps are typically standard map sheets that have been scanned and digitized, as an image would be, resulting in a raster file format. Vector maps are used to represent data that is primarily linear in form such as roads, rail lines, and power lines. Vector data stores the vertices of the linear segments and in some cases associated attribute data, rather than a raster "image" of the feature, and therefore requires much less data storage to represent a typical feature. Cadastral data refers to ownership maps and can be in either raster or vector format. Point information such as cell tower location is stored in vector form.
Map data may be presented in the same display window as the imagery, in a separate display window, or on a completely separate display. In the first case, the map data may be used as a background layer for the imagery, blended in with the imagery, or presented in a flicker mode with the imagery. When presented in a separate window or display, it is common to have some form of real time linkage between the map and imagery windows, so that as the user moves in one window, the equivalent position is automatically indicated in the other. In each of these cases, the objective is to provide the user with an easily understood geographic reference that can assist the interpretation task.
The imagery interpretation task can be performed entirely by the user through visual inspection and analysis, or with some level of automation provided by the image processing system. One such process is change detection. Change detection refers to the process of comparing imagery over an area of interest taken at two different times. Images are compared either manually or automatically to determine those places where some change in the scene content has occurred. Imagery based change detection can be performed on a variety of image types including panchromatic, color, IR (infrared) and multi-spectral. Change detection can be performed at a number of "levels".
The simplest form is performed by a human analyst by comparing the before and after images, usually in some form of alternating presentation between the two images. The alternating presentation may be "flicker" mode wherein each image is presented alternatively for a few seconds (or some portion of a second) each. Other methods include: fading the images from a full presentation of the first to a full presentation of the second—this is sometimes referred to as a blend; swipe or wiping, wherein one image is incrementally replaced by the other in a wiping motion across the image format (the motion can be horizontal or vertical).
The most common automated method is gray-scale based change detection wherein the pixel values of the registered before and after images are compared at each location using a simple subtraction method. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,163,620, an improvement over this simple subtraction method is discussed wherein a search is performed for the best "match" at each location before the subtraction is performed. The result is a method that is notably resistant to registration errors between the two images. Preparatory techniques such as histogram equalization can help improve the result of any gray-scale based approach. Overall, this level of change detection provides results indicating that some form of change has likely occurred in a particular spot.
A "higher" level of change detection is based on image features. In this context features may be: entities that can be computed from the image pixels such as edges and textures (no understanding of the edge or texture implied); presumed man made objects such as roads, edges of fields, etc.; multi-spectral features such as computed band ratios [e.g. (band1−band2)/(band3)] where the feature may or may not have physical meaning. Overall, this level of change detection provides a result indicating that some form of man made change has likely occurred in a particular spot, or perhaps that the ground cover in a particular spot has changed from one material to another.
An even "higher" level of change detection is performed using 3-dimensional analysis of the imaged scene to determine change. This approach assumes that a 3-dimensional model of the scene, particularly of man-made objects such as buildings, exists prior to analysis. This model is compared to 3-dimensional data extracted from a recent image, or images in the case of stereo acquisitions. This level of change detection can provide a result indicating for example that a certain building has changed in size.
Example applications of change detection include: environmental assessment, ascertaining crop health, determining the presence of certain species of flora or fauna, monitoring encroachment of human activities on utility right-of-ways, pollution detection (water turbidity, dumping activities).
A frequent goal of such investigations is to determine not only where a problem exists, but also when the problem first became apparent. In this case the analyst is attempting to build a historical record of the "event", and the challenge is to conduct the search while maintaining context spatially—"Where is this?"—and temporally—"When is this?'


Provided is a frequency sensing method and apparatus in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system. Provided is a method of sensing a frequency of a received signal that is received from an outside in order to perform one of a plurality of radio communications. An OFDM apparatus may need to inspect a required frequency band before or after performing one of the plurality of radio communications, and to determine whether the frequency band is being used by another radio communication.

To efficiently use limited frequency resources, there has been constructed a communication environment that may support different radio communication systems in the same frequency band and support different communication schemes in a single terminal.
When a predetermined radio communication system desires to operate, it may be difficult for the radio communication system to be aware of an environment of a frequency band that the radio communication system desires to use, which may interfere with a communication of another radio communication system.
To solve the above issue, a conventional radio communication system may need to inspect in advance a frequency band to be used and may pre-determine whether the frequency band is being used by another radio communication system, prior to initiating a communication of the radio communication system.

Method and device for sensing frequency for OFDM systems

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A manuscript conveyer guide wherein its upper surface includes a narrow partial guide surface extending from an end of the guide surface on the side of the contact glass in a direction to separate away from the contact glass, which is in a direction in which the manuscript is discharged, and non-guide surfaces continuous to the partial guide surface, and the partial guide surface forms an inclined surface which is low at an end of the inclined surface on the side of the contact glass and becomes high as it goes away from the contact glass, and the inclined surface is relatively higher than the non-guide surfaces, permitting the manuscript discharged from the contact glass plate to come into contact with the partial guide surface and, further, permitting the manuscript to be guided upward along the partial guide surface. The manuscript conveyer guide is arranged neighboring the contact glass plate on the manuscript discharge side and effectively suppresses the occurrence of unevenness in reading of the manuscript.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manuscript conveyer guide used for a manuscript reader unit in image-forming machines such as a copier, a facsimile, a printer and a scanner. More specifically, the invention relates to a member used as a guide for conveying a manuscript, that is placed adjacent to a contact glass plate and for guiding the manuscript discharged from the contact glass plate at the time when the manuscript moving on the contact glass plate is read out by using an optical system arranged under the contact glass plate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the image-forming apparatus based on the electrophotographic method, the surface of the photosensitive material is uniformly charged to a predetermined polarity, an electrostatic image is formed by being exposed to image-bearing light irradiated based upon predetermined manuscript data, a toner image is formed by developing the electric charge image, and the toner image is transferred onto a predetermined paper and is fixed thereon to thereby form the image. In this image-forming apparatus, the manuscript data are obtained by irradiating the manuscript with light and by reading the reflected light by a CCD element. This holds in the image reader unit such as a scanner, too.
In the apparatus that reads image as described above, it is a widely accepted practice to read the manuscript image by automatically feeding the manuscript and irradiating the manuscript passing on the contact plate with light. Most of the facsimiles and copiers for business use are provided with the above reader mechanism. When the manuscript image of the manuscript passing on the contact glass plate are to be read out as described above, a manuscript conveyer guide is usually provided neighboring the contact glass on the side of discharging the manuscript (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 9-37023).
In the above conveyer guide, the upper surface is an inclined guide surface, the manuscript that has passed on the contact glass plate is fed upward along the guide surface and is discharged onto a predetermined manuscript tray.
When the conveyer guide (hereinafter often referred to as downstream conveyer guide) is provided neighboring the contact glass plate on the manuscript discharge side, however, there arouses a problem in that the manuscript is not evenly read out. This tendency becomes conspicuous particularly when the guide surface of the downstream conveyer guide is steeply inclined relative to the contact glass surface (horizontal surface) or when the manuscript is conveyed at an increased speed on the contact glass. From the standpoint of realizing the apparatus in a small size, it is desired that the guide surface of the downstream conveyer guide is an inclined surface that is steeply inclined. From the standpoint of increasing the reading speed, further, it is desired to improve the uneven reading of the manuscript since the manuscript is conveyed at a high speed.

Manuscript conveyor guide used for a manuscript reader unit


A method and system for converting speech to tones and transmitting the tones to another device are disclosed. The method can include determining when a communication is initiated, automatically launching a speech-to-tone application on the communication device, determining when pre-defined words are spoken, performing one or more of converting the pre-defined words to a signal comprising a tone using the communication device and converting a stored key sequence to a signal comprising a tone using the communication device, and transmitting the signal to another device. The system can include one or more devices to perform the method.

Interactive voice response (IVR) systems allow users to interact with a computer via use of dual-tone multifrequency (DTMF) tones input on a user's device and/or via speech recognition. IVR systems often provide pre-recorded or dynamically generated audio information to a user. Users can respond to the audio information by selecting numbers on a keypad of the user's device, such as a phone, or, if the IVR is capable of speech recognition, by speaking the response. In the case of selecting numbers (e.g., using a keypad on the device or phone application), the user device can send a signal, comprising DTFM tones, corresponding to the selected number(s), to the IVR.
Responding to an IVR by selecting numbers on a keypad may be undesirable in a number of cases. For example, users may not want to select numbers on a keypad while driving, operating machinery, in other situations where the user does not want the added distraction, and the like. And, using a keypad to respond to an IVR request may be dangerous and/or undesirably cumbersome. Further, some users may be tactile challenged and have a difficult time selecting numbers on a keypad.
To overcome some of these problems, some systems allow a user to select a key, e.g., 0, on a keypad to speak to an operator. Other systems may detect long no response times and switch the call to an operator if the period of no response is longer than a predetermined time. While such techniques can work in some situations, the techniques can require undesired wait times for the user, expense for the service provider, and in the first situation, still require activation of a key on a device. For at least these reasons, improved methods and systems that allow users to respond to IVR requests, particularly to IVR requests that do not recognize voice commands, are desired.
Upgrading IVR systems that do not include speech recognition can be expensive and time consuming. Accordingly, improved systems and methods that can economically address the issues noted above are further desired.
It will be appreciated that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of illustrated embodiments of the present invention.

Speech to dual-tone multifrequency system and method


A drive control device of motor capable of starting up even a motor of such a type that the polarity of induced voltage does not switch every 180° of electrical angle or the polarity, positive or negative, does not occur with accuracy without causing a reverse rotation is provided. In a start-up control of motor, the following operation is performed: a current is passed through any coils in two phases, and the polarity of voltage induced in the non-conducting phase is detected. A conducting phase at start-up is determined based on the detected polarity of induced voltage. The average value of induced voltages in non-conducting phase detected with respect to the coils in respective phases is determined. The average value and the detected induced voltages are compared with each other, and relative polarities are determined from the magnitude relation with the average value to determine a conducting phase at start-up.

The present invention relates to a drive control technology for brushless motors and a technology effectively applicable to start-up control on three-phase direct-current motors. More particularly, it relates to a technology that can be effectively utilized for a drive control device of a spindle motor that rotatably drives storage media in a desk-type storage device, such as a hard disk unit (hard disk driver).
To rotate a magnetic disk as storage media in a hard disk unit, a brushless three-phase direct-current motor designated as spindle motor is in general use. A magnetic disk is rotated at high speed by a spindle motor, and a magnetic head for read/write is brought close to the surface of the rotating magnetic disk and moved in the radial direction to write or read information.
The following method has be conventionally used in drive control on a brushless motor: the positional relation between rotor and stator is detected using a Hall element; a coil phase with which energization should be started is determined from the detected positional relation to prevent the reverse rotation of the motor. However, sensorless motors have been brought into greater use with respect to hard disk units. This is because, when a motor is provided with a rotor position detector using a Hall element, it is difficult to reduce the size of the equipment. Such sensorless motors have a problem. If the positional relation between rotor and stator is unknown when the rotation of a motor is started, the rotor can make a reverse rotation.
To cope with this, the present applicants proposed the following control method: so short a pulse current that a rotor does not react is passed through any coils in two phase; the polarity of an induced voltage that occurs in the non-conducting phase is detected to determine the positional relation between rotor and stator; the characteristic that the polarity of an induced voltage is switched every 180° of electrical angle is utilized to determine a phase with which energization should be started; the reverse rotation of this sensorless motor at start-up is thereby avoided. (Refer to Patent Document 1.)    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-275387    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-140975

Drive control device of motor and a method of start-up


An electronic device is provided that includes a first component generating heat, a second component to be heated, a heating part configured to heat the second component, and a case containing the first component, the second component, and the heating part. The second component is heated with the heating part and the heat generated by the first component.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electronic devices, and more particularly to an electronic device having a heating component that generates heat and a heated component that needs to be heated provided together in the same case.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, electronic devices have various heating components as represented by semiconductor devices on a board provided inside a case. If the temperature of a heating component is not maintained at a predetermined operating environment temperature, other electronic components mounted on the board may be damaged or the heating component (such as a semiconductor device) itself may be prevented from operating properly by heat.
Therefore, in an electronic device having a heating component, a heat dissipation part that dissipates heat generated in the heating component is provided as described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-159560 or the heating component is cooled with a Peltier element as described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 11-026852. Further, the electronic device is configured to discharge the heat radiated from the heating component outside the case with efficiency.
Optical fiber amplifiers (hereinafter referred to as "optical amplifiers") are known as electronic devices. Some optical amplifiers employ an optical fiber doped with a rare-earth element for long-range light signal communications. Of these, erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) are well known.
The erbium-doped optical fiber (EDF) has a disposition to amplify a light signal having a wavelength in the 1.5 μm wavelength range with light having a wavelength in the 0.98 μm or 1.48 μm range (referred to as "pump light"). By inputting the light signal and the pump light to the erbium-doped optical fiber, the signal light is amplified and output. The characteristics of the erbium-doped optical fiber depend on the length, the dopant and doping density, the pump light wavelength, the pump light power, the temperature, etc., of the erbium-doped optical fiber.
In practical use, an erbium-doped optical fiber having a length corresponding to a dopant and doping density is provided in an optical amplifier so as to achieve desired amplification characteristics, and a laser used for pump light also is controlled to be constant in wavelength and output. However, with respect to temperature, the dependence on use environment temperature causes amplification characteristics to vary depending on the use environment temperature. Therefore, it is necessary to keep amplification characteristics constant by keeping constant the temperature of the erbium-doped optical fiber.
It is known to keep constant the temperature of the erbium-doped optical fiber by keeping it constant at the upper limit of the use environment temperature with a heater. In order to keep the erbium-doped optical fiber at a constant temperature, the erbium-doped optical fiber is wound around inside a metal having good heat transfer characteristics, and a heater is attached to the metal to increase the temperature. Further, it is necessary to cover the metal with a heat insulator or provide the metal in a closed space where a sufficient heat insulation distance is ensured in order to prevent heat from escaping around or prevent the temperature from varying.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional optical amplifier 1 to which an erbium-doped optical fiber is applied. The optical amplifier 1 includes a first board 2 and a second board 16 in a case 15. A laser diode (LD) 3, an LD drive unit 4, and an LD temperature controller 8 are provided on the first board 2. Further, an optical amplification element 17, a heater drive unit 20, and a heater temperature controller 22 are provided on the second board 16.
The LD 3 generates pump light for an amplifying operation. Normally, the required output power of the LD 3 is several tens to several hundreds of mW. It is desirable to dissipate heat generated in the LD 3 with efficiency in order to obtain this output stably. Therefore, radiating (heat dissipating) fins 14 are thermally coupled to the LD 3, so that the heat is directly dissipated through these radiating fins 14.
Further, the optical amplifier 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a Peltier element 9 provided on the LD 3 so as to forcibly cool the LD 3 with the Peltier element 9 in order to further improve its heat dissipation characteristics. The heat generated in the Peltier element 9 by the cooling of the LD 3 is dissipated outside using the radiating fins 14.
On the other hand, the optical amplification element 17 provided on the second board 16 has an erbium-doped optical fiber wound around an EDF reel 19. In this case, it is desirable to wind the erbium-doped optical fiber with a radius of, for example, 20 mm or more in view of its bending loss characteristics, and it is desirable to contain the optical fiber for a length of, for example, several tens of meters or more because of gain. Therefore, the range that requires increases in temperature widens. Further, in the case of a use environment temperature range of 0° C. to 65° C., it is necessary to increase temperature from 0° C. to 65° C. if the environmental temperature is 0° C.
Therefore, a heater 18 is provided in the optical amplification element 17, so that the optical amplification element 17 is heated to the use environment temperature with this heater 18. Further, the optical amplification element 17 is housed inside a heat insulator 24 so as to prevent the applied heat from escaping outside.
FIG. 2A is a block diagram showing a system for controlling the temperature of the LD 3. FIG. 2B is a block diagram showing a system for controlling the temperature of the heater 18. As shown in FIG. 2A, the LD 3 is driven by an LD oscillation control circuit 5 and an LD driver circuit 6 forming the LD drive unit 4 (FIG. 1). Further, the driving increases the temperature of the LD 3, which is detected by an LD temperature sensor 11 provided near the LD 3 as shown in FIG. 1.
The temperature detected by the LD temperature sensor 11 is fed to an LD temperature monitoring circuit 12 forming the LD temperature controller 8 (FIG. 1), and the LD temperature controller 8 determines based on this fed temperature whether it is necessary to drive the Peltier element 9. If the LD temperature controller 8 determines that the radiating fins 14 alone do not dissipate heat sufficiently, the LD temperature controller 8 drives the Peltier element 9 through a device driver circuit 10 to forcibly cool the LD 3. The starting and stopping of this driving of the Peltier element 9 is suitably performed in accordance with the temperature of the LD 3 fed from the LD temperature sensor 11.
Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, the temperature of the heater 18 is controlled based on a signal fed from a heater temperature sensor 21 (also shown in FIG. 1) that measures the temperature of the EDF reel 19 (around which the erbium-doped optical fiber is wound) provided inside the optical amplification element 17. A heater temperature monitoring circuit 23 forming the heater temperature controller 22 controls the heater drive unit 20 based on the temperature of the EDF reel 19 transmitted from the heater temperature sensor 21, so that the temperature of the EDF reel 19 is controlled to the above-described predetermined environmental temperature.
As shown in FIG. 1, the optical amplification element 17 having the erbium-doped optical fiber serving as an amplification medium provided therein and the LD 3 serving as a pump light source are often housed inside the single (same) case 15 as the optical amplifier 1. Therefore, the optical amplification element 17 (erbium-doped optical fiber) desired to be kept at high temperature and the LD 3 desired to be cooled or have its heat dissipated are provided close to each other.
Conventionally, the heat transfer channel for the heat generated from the LD 3 and the heat transfer channel for the heat fed to the optical amplification element 17 are separated and cut off from each other. That is, in the LD 3, the heat generated therein and the heat discharged from the Peltier element 9 are guided to the radiating fins 14 so as to be discharged outside the case 15 from the radiating fins 14. Therefore, the radiating fins 14 are often provided external to the case 15.
On the other hand, the optical amplification element 17 is housed inside the heat insulator 24 to thermally separate the inside of the LD drive unit 4 and the optical amplifier 17 so that the heat generated by the heater 18 is prevented from being dissipated outside the case 15.
Thus, according to the conventional optical amplifier 1, since it is necessary to mount components having conflicting thermal channels of heat dissipation and heat application, electric power is consumed to control their respective temperatures. Therefore, there is a problem in that the difference between the temperature of the optical amplification element 17 and the ambient temperature grows to increase the electric power for heating particularly at a low-temperature time.


An electronic ballast (100) for powering at least one gas discharge lamp (10) comprises an inverter (200) and an output circuit (300). Output circuit (300) comprises a resonant inductor (310), a resonant capacitor (330), a DC blocking capacitor (360), a first rectifier (350), and a second rectifier (370). Output circuit (300) prevents excessive current flow and power dissipation in the event of lamp removal or failure, and provides automatic ignition following lamp replacement. In an alternative embodiment, a ballast (160) for powering two lamps (10,20) includes a pair of modified output circuits (500,600) and a ground-referenced lamp return wire (504) for accommodating conventional instant-start type wiring.

Electronic ballasts typically include an inverter that provides high frequency current for efficiently powering gas discharge lamps. Inverters are generally classified according to switching topology (e.g., half-bridge or push-pull) and the method used to control commutation of the inverter switches (e.g., driven or self-oscillating). In many types of electronic ballasts, the inverter provides a square wave output voltage. The square wave output voltage is processed by a resonant output circuit that provides high voltage for igniting the lamps and a magnitude-limited current for powering the lamps in a controlled manner.
Several types of existing electronic ballasts employ a driven inverter and a series resonant output circuit. In such ballasts, the inverter and output circuit must be protected from the potentially damaging voltages and currents that may result when a lamp fault condition occurs. Common lamp fault conditions include lamp removal, lamp failure (e.g. degassed lamp), and failure of the lamp to conduct current in a substantially normal manner (e.g., diode-mode lamp).
Many existing protection circuits are quite complex and require a large number of components. As a result, the ballast tends to be costly and difficult to manufacture. A number of protection circuits have functional limitations as well. For example, many do not provide automatic ignition of a replaced lamp. Further, for ballasts that power multiple lamps, a number of existing protection circuits do not accommodate "true-parallel" operation of the lamps. For example, removal or failure of a single lamp is often responded to by either shutting down the inverter or operating the inverter at an elevated frequency. In either case, the remaining "good" lamps are prevented from continuing to provide a normal level of useful illumination.
It is therefore apparent that a need exists for an electronic ballast that is protected against various lamp fault conditions, that provides automatic ignition of replaced lamps, and that accommodates true-parallel operation of multiple lamps, but that does not require extensive protection circuitry. Such a ballast would be highly cost-effective, manufacturable, and reliable, and would therefore represent a significant advance over the prior art.

Electronic ballast with fault-protected series resonant output circuit


A video-on-demand (VOD) service provider is configured to select advertising to provide with video-on-demand content, the advertising selected at least in part according to at least one of content metadata, ad schedules, or subscriber profile information, and to signal when the advertising is unavailable. The VOD service provider is configured to identify ad break points for the video-on-demand content to generate a playlist identifying the video-on-demand content and when the video-on-demand content is to be provided, and identifying content corresponding to selected advertising and when the content corresponding to the selected advertising is to be provided. The VOD server receives from a set top box a signal to pause or stop providing of the content to the set top box, and receives from the set top box a signal to resume providing the content to the set top box, and selects different advertising at least in part according to changed conditions when the signal to resume is received, and modifies the playlist to reference the different advertising.

Video-on-demand (VOD) service enables people to select the content they wish to experience, in their own homes or elsewhere (such as in hotel rooms), often at a time and date of their choosing. Video-on-demand may be offered on a pay-as-you-go basis, subscription basis, or combinations thereof. A person placing an order, e.g. request, for VOD content may be referred to as a subscriber, requestor, client, or purchaser of the content. Certain types of pay-per-view are examples of VOD service. Network personal video recording (nPVR) provides another example.
Broadcast content distribution models often involve the delivery of advertising in conjunction with program content. Often in such models, the advertising to provide with particular programming (a.k.a. asset content or video-on-demand content) is determined manually or in a static fashion that proves inflexible to meet the dynamic, personal nature of VOD service.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,659,539, 6,112,226, and 6,578,070 describe methods and systems for delivering digital data. However, none of these references describe inserting digital advertising into digital data.

Digital ad insertion for video-on-demand


An inductor element comprises: a ceramic base member; and a coil composed of a conductor having a shape complementary to the ceramic base member. In the inductor element, a prescribed plural number of steps are formed on at least an inner wall surface of the ceramic base member facing to the coil in one direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inductor element as a base part for configuring an electric/electronic circuit, and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the advancement in the weight lightening and the multi-functionality in the mobile devices such as a cellular phone, the mobile devices become an indispensable tool for daily life. As a consequence, electric/electronic parts constituting the mobile device are under developing, with aiming at enhancing the response speed, minimizing the size, thinning the thickness, and saving the energy more as a main technical theme. This phenomenon is also applicable to the inductor as one of the fundamental parts for the mobile devices, which ranks with the resistor and the capacitor.
Examples of the related art regarding the inductor include JP-A-2001-167930, and JP-A-2004-253684 and Japanese Patent No. 3662749. JP-A-2001-167930 discloses an inexpensive inductor coil that allows a large current to flow therethrough and has a large sectional area. This inductor coil is a developed one of the conventional wound inductors, which is manufactured by a method of laminating metal conductive plates into a spiral shape in place of winding wire so as to reduce a wiring resistance.
Further, JP-A-2004-253684 proposes a high-density inductor. This high-density inductor increases a longitudinal sectional area of the coil to reduce a wiring resistance and repeating a photo-etching step and a plating deposition step to laminate wiring layers to attain a high-density coil structure. Further, Japanese Patent No. 3662749 proposes a method of manufacturing a laminate inductor, which involves forming spiral coil patterns and through-holes on a ceramic green sheet by screen printing and then laminating the patterns one on top of the other, followed by a backing to complete an inductor element.

Inductor element and method of manufacturing the same


A method for dual manufacture of reclosable packages on a horizontal-form, vertical fill machine. The method comprising the following steps: extending a web of bag making film under tension in a machine direction; joining one zipper tape to the web along a first zone of joinder generally aligned with the machine direction; joining another zipper tape to the web along a second zone of joinder generally parallel to the first zone of joinder and spaced apart therefrom; and folding the web in first, second and third mutually parallel zones extending in the machine direction. The first zone of folding is disposed between a first edge of the web and the one zipper tape, the second zone of folding is disposed between the two zipper tapes, and the third zone of folding is disposed between the other zipper tape and a second edge of the web. The resulting folded web with attached zippers has a generally W-shaped profile. The two halves of the W-shaped web are cross-sealed, filled, and then top-sealed to form respective chains of filled receptacles. The completed packages are then severed from the respective chains of receptacles.

This invention generally relates to reclosable packaging and methods for manufacturing reclosable packaging. In particular, the invention relates to the manufacture of reclosable packages on a horizontal-form, vertical fill (HFVF) machine.
Reclosable bags are finding ever-growing acceptance as primary packaging, particularly as packaging for foodstuffs such as cereal, fresh vegetables, snacks and the like. Such bags provide the consumer with the ability to readily store, in a closed, if not sealed, package any unused portion of the packaged product even after the package is initially opened. To gain acceptance as a primary package for foodstuffs, it is virtually mandatory that the package exhibit some form of tamper evidence to protect the consumer and maintain the wholesomeness of the contained product. In addition, in many cases it is necessary that food product be hermetically packaged.
Reclosable fastener assemblies are useful for sealing thermoplastic pouches or bags. Such fastener assemblies typically include a plastic zipper and a plastic slider. Typically, the plastic zippers include a pair of interlockable profiled members that fasten together to form a closure. As the slider moves across the profiles, the profiles are opened or closed. The profiles in plastic zippers can take on various configurations, e.g. interlocking rib and groove elements having so-called male and female profiles, interlocking alternating hook-shaped closure members, etc. Reclosable bags having slider-operated zippers are generally more desirable to consumers than bags having zippers without sliders because the slider eliminates the need for the consumer to align the interlockable zipper profiles before causing those profiles to engage.
Methods and apparatus for manufacturing reclosable plastic bags on form-fill-seal (FFS) machines are well known in the art. The use of high-speed automated equipment to form, fill and seal a reclosable package is quite common in the industry.
One known type of FFS machine is a horizontal-form, vertical fill (HFVF) machine that places slider-zipper tape proximal to a fold in a web of bag making film, forms receptacles, and then fills the receptacles through an open package bottom at the top of folded web. This machine typically operates as follows. A pull roller of the HFVF machine draws a continuous length of bag making film dispensed from a supply roll in a machine direction. As the bag making film is dispensed in the machine direction, a flattening roller positions the film on a horizontal plane. At the same time, a continuous length of interlocked zipper tape assembly (without sliders) is unwound from a coil and passed through a slider insertion device. Also a chain or series of sliders is unwound from a coil or supplied by a vibratory hopper and fed to the slider insertion device. The slider insertion device inserts sliders onto the zipper tape at regular spaced intervals corresponding to the length of a zipper in each package. The resulting slider-zipper assembly is placed on the bag making film in alignment with the machine direction. The continuous length of zipper tape assembly with sliders inserted thereon is longitudinally positioned on the bag making film in parallel with and offset from a line where the film will be folded. At a first sealing station, one zipper half is permanently sealed to the film by conduction heat sealing. These permanent seals and the mutual engagement of the zipper profiles maintain the alignment of the slider-zipper assembly with the fold line as the film with attached slider-tape assembly is drawn around a folder plow or board. The folder plow folds the film lengthwise along the fold line. Optionally, as the bag making film is fed over the folder plow, a perforator perforates the film below the interlocking zipper profiles to form respective parallel lines of preferential tearing, where a bag header can be torn off of the package. At a second sealing station, the other zipper half is permanently sealed to the bag making film. At the next station, the opposing walls of the bag making film are cross sealed along a zone transverse to the direction of film movement, the seal zone having sufficient width to form respective side seals on successive packages when the seal zone is cut down the middle by a cutter. The cross seals form discrete receptacles that can be filled before or after the cutting station. After filling, the opposing top edges of the folded web (representing the bottom of the packages) are sealed together at another sealing station, forming a bottom seal. If the bags have been filled before the cutting station, the bag making film is then cut along a side seal to separate the filled package from the web of bag making film.
In accordance with variations of the foregoing machine, the slider-zipper tape assembly can be attached proximal to the top edge of the folded web, i.e., opposite the fold, and the package can be filled either by moving the slider to open the zipper (when both zipper halves are sealed to the film) or by separating the slider-zipper tape assembly from an adjacent unsealed wall of the bag making film, filling the receptacle through the resulting gap, and then sealing the unsealed film wall to the slider-zipper tape assembly. Similar methods of manufacture can be used to make zippered bags that do not have sliders for operating the zipper.
There is a need for a method of manufacture and an apparatus for increasing the production capacity of such HFVF machines.

Method for dual manufacture of reclosable bags of HFVF machine


A pitch bearing is described for connecting a blade of a wind turbine to a hub of the wind turbine to allow a rotation of the blade about a longitudinal axis, which pitch bearing includes a console housing arranged at a conjunction of the hub and an end section of the blade, which console housing encloses a plurality of planar sliding surfaces arranged around an opening in the hub. Further described is a wind turbine including at least one blade attached to a hub via such pitch bearing. A method of performing maintenance on a pitch bearing is described where a part of the pitch bearing is removed while leaving the blade and the remaining parts of the pitch bearing in place; and the part is replaced after a maintenance step has been carried out.

A wind turbine generally has several blades connected to a hub, so that the blades cause the hub to rotate during operation. To alter the angle of pitch of a blade, it can be connected to the hub using a pitch bearing. A pitching system, usually installed in the hub, can drive the pitch bearing to adjust the pitch of the blade. In prior art systems, the pitch bearing is a roller or ball bearing. The roller bearings must be precisely machined using a high quality steel in order to ensure a satisfactorily long lifetime. The race is sealed to keep the lubricant in and moisture out. In order to replace a damaged bearing, the blade must be removed. This can be very time-consuming and expensive. While the bearing is being repaired, the blade must be supported, for example by a crane.
However, the increasing size of wind turbines and increasing trend toward offshore turbines puts high demands on serviceability and robustness that the prior art roller bearing systems cannot satisfy. A roller bearing is only practicable for blades up to a certain length and/or weight, since the load exerted on the bearing by a very long and/or heavy blade is correspondingly high. The large dynamic loads and corresponding structural deflections combined with strict requirements for quality and handling make the prior art roller bearings problematic and costly. Furthermore, the necessity of a crane to support a blade while the roller bearing is being repaired is even more costly for an offshore turbine.


The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a rare-earth bonded magnet as follows: A compound 10, prepared by pelletizing a kneaded mixture of a rare-earth-bonded-magnet composition containing a rare-earth magnet powder, a binder resin and an antioxidant, is stored in a hopper 91, and fed into a cylinder 3 through a feeding pipe 92. Meanwhile, piston 81 is extended by driving an oil-hydraulic cylinder 8, and moved downward to compact the compound 10 fed into the cylinder 3 while gradually transferring the compound downward inside the cylinder 3. The cylinder 3 and a heating portion 41 are heated by heaters 5, the compound 10 passing therethrough is heated to become a melted material 11, and the melted material 11 is continuously extruded out from a die 4 in the downward-vertical direction, and is then cooled and solidified when passing through a tip portion 43, thus obtaining a molded body 12 of a rare-earth-bonded-magnet.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a rare-earth bonded magnet, and a rare-earth bonded magnet manufactured according to the method.
In general, a rare-earth bonded magnet is manufactured by molding a mixture or a kneaded mixture (compound) of a rare-earth magnetic powder and a binder resin (organic binder) into a desired magnet shape. For molding, compaction molding, injection molding or extrusion molding is employed.
In compaction molding, such a compound is placed into a mold and press-molded to obtain a green compact, and the compact is then heated to harden a thermosetting resin contained as a binder resin in the compound, thus manufacturing a bonded magnet. Since compaction molding is applicable to a composition including a smaller amount of the binder resin than that for other molding methods, the resin content in the obtained magnet can be reduced, and therefore, magnetic properties of the obtained magnet can be advantageously enhanced. In compaction molding, however, the variety of moldable magnet shapes is restricted, and productivity is low.
In injection molding, a compound is heat-melted so as to be sufficiently fluidized, and injected into a mold to be molded into a predetermined magnet shape. According to injection molding, versatility of shape can be high, and therefore, even irregular shaped magnets can be readily molded. In injection molding, however, since high fluidity is required of the melted compound, a large amount of binder resin must be added. The binder resin content in the obtained magnet therefore increases, which results in low magnetic properties.
In extrusion molding, a compound fed into an extruder is heat-melted, solidified by cooling in a die of the extruder, and extruded to obtain a long molded body. The molded body is then cut into magnet products having a desired length. According to extrusion molding, the advantages of both compaction molding and injection molding can be achieved. More specifically, the magnet shape can be relatively freely designed by appropriately selecting a die, namely, thin magnets and long magnets can be readily manufactured. Further, since such a high fluidity as is required of the melted compound in injection molding is not necessarily required, the amount of binder resin added to the compound can be smaller than that in injection molding, and therefore, the obtained magnet can exhibit enhanced magnetic properties.
Hitherto, screw extruders are used for extrusion molding. Such a screw extruder has a screw disposed in a heated cylinder, and raw material is forwarded while being kneaded by the rotation of the screw. Although such a screw extruder can extrude a compound continuously and quickly its generatable extruding pressure is relatively low (for example, approximately 200 to 500 kg/cm2). Due to this, in order to cope with such a low extruding pressure, the viscosity of the heat-melted compound in the extruder should be to some extent adjusted to a low level.
As a measure for reducing the compound viscosity, for example, the material temperature (die temperature) may be raised. This measure may, however, be restricted from matter concerning the composition, properties and the like of the binder resin, and thermostability and oxidation resistance of the magnetic powder.
Further, although the viscosity of heat-melted compound can be reduced in proportion to the content of the binder resin in the compound, magnetic properties of the obtained magnet will be lowered when the content of the binder resin is increased, as described above. As a result, the advantages of extrusion molding cannot be sufficiently exhibited.
Moreover, in such extrusion molding, since the raw material is horizontally extruded, the molded body may be deformed under the influence of gravity in the cross-sectional direction of the body (shearing stress).
In particular, when a round-rod or hollow cylindrical rare-earth bonded magnet is manufactured by such extrusion molding, the roundness of the magnet is reduced. Additionally, rare-earth bonded magnets having plate or thinner shapes, which generally have low strength, are readily deformed by the action of gravity during the manufacturing process, and in such cases, the obtained magnets exhibit lowered dimensional accuracy.
The object of the present invention is to provide a rare-earth bonded magnet having superior magnetic properties and dimensional precision and a method for manufacturing the same while taking advantage of the benefits of extrusion molding.
(1) The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a rare-earth bonded magnet, comprising extruding a rare-earth-bonded-magnet composition containing a rare-earth magnetic powder and a binder resin using an extruder, wherein the extruding direction by said extruder is substantially vertical.
(2) Preferably, said extruder is a ram extruder.
(3) Further, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a rare-earth bonded magnet, comprising extruding a rare-earth-bonded-magnet composition containing a rare-earth magnetic powder, a binder resin and an antioxidant using an extruder, wherein the extruding direction by said extruder is substantially vertical.
(4) Preferably, said extruder is a ram extruder.
(5) Preferably, the total content of said binder resin and said antioxidant in said rare-earth-bonded-magnet composition is 10.0 to 22.4 vol %.
(6) Preferably, the content of said antioxidant in said rare-earth-bonded-magnet composition is 1.0 to 12.0 vol %.
(7) The content of said rare-earth magnetic powder in said rare-earth-bonded-magnet composition is 77.6 to 90.0 vol %.
(8) Moreover,the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a rare-earth bonded magnet containing a rare-earth magnetic powder and a binder resin, comprising:
a step of mixing a rare-earth magnetic powder and a binder resin to obtain a rare-earth-bonded-magnet composition;
an extrusion-molding step-in which said rare-earth-bonded-magnet composition is substantially vertically extruded using an upright extruder to obtain a long molded body; and
a step of cutting said extrusion-molded long body, wherein, in said extrusion-molding step, said binder resin which has been melted or softened is solidified in the outlet portion of a die.
(9) Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a rare-earth bonded magnet containing a rare-earth magnetic powder and a binder resin, comprising:
a step of mixing a rare-earth magnetic powder and a binder resin;
a step of kneading the thus obtained mixture at a temperature equal or higher than the thermal deformation temperature or softening temperature of said binder resin to obtain a rare-earth-bonded-magnet composition;
an extrusion-molding step in which said rare-earth-bonded-magnet composition is substantially vertically extruded using an upright extruder to obtain a long molded body; and
a step of cutting said extrusion-molded long body, wherein, in said extrusion-molding step, said binder resin which has been melted or softened is solidified in the outlet portion of a die.
(10) Preferably, said rare-earth-bonded-magnet composition comprises pellets or granules of the kneaded mixture.
(11) Preferably, said extruder is a ram extruder.
(12) Preferably, said rare-earth magnetic powder contains, as the main ingredients, rare-earth elements principally including Sm, and transition metals principally including Co.
(13) Preferably, said rare-earth magnetic powder contains, as the main ingredients, R (at least one element selected from rare-earth elements including Y), transition metals principally including Fe, and B.
(14) Preferably, said rare-earth magnetic powder contains, as the main ingredients, rare-earth elements principally including Sm, transition metals principally including Fe, and interstitial elements principally including N.
(15) Preferably, said rare-earth magnetic powder is a mixture comprising at least two rare-earth magnetic powders selected from those described in the above paragraphs (12), (13) and (14).
(16) Preferably, the extruding direction in said extrusion-molding step is downward-vertical.
(17) The present invention also provides a rare-earth bonded magnet characterized by being manufactured according to any one of the methods described in the above paragraphs (1) to (16).
(18) Preferably, said rare-earth bonded magnet has avoid ratio of 2 vol % or less.
(19) Preferably, said rare-earth bonded magnet has a round-rod shape or a hollow cylindrical shape, and a periphery Roundness of 5/100 mm or less [wherein, Roundness=(Maximum Outer Diameterxe2x88x92Minimum Outer Diameter)xc3x971/2].

Method of manufacturing bonded magnets of rare earth metal, and bonded magnet of rare earth metal


An apparatus and method for melt spinning polymeric yarns, wherein a main melt flow is generated by an extruder and supplied to a spin head. The spin head is enclosed in a heated spinning beam and comprises a mixer, a distributor pump and a plurality of spinnerets. A feed device generates a secondary flow which is supplied to the main melt flow for the purpose of additive admixture. The secondary flow and the main melt flow are combined inside the spinning beam.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for spinning polymeric yarn of the type wherein an extruder heats and melts a polymeric material and delivers the resulting melt to a spin head which includes one or more spinnerets. The melt is extruded through each of the spinnerets to form a downwardly advancing bundle of filaments, and the filaments are gathered together to form a yarn which is wound into a package.
A melt spinning apparatus as described above is described, for example, in the detailed conference report on the 33rd International Manmade Fibre Symposium, Dornbirn, 1994, pages 1-11. In this described apparatus, additives, e.g. for ultraviolet stabilization or spin-dyeing, are supplied through an auxiliary extruder to the melt in the main extruder. Feeding of the additives is effected at the end of the main extruder into a dynamic mixer. From there the melt passes through a melt line to a spin head, which comprises an extrusion pump and a spinneret.
In spinning installations, the main extruder simultaneously supplies a plurality of spinnerets of a spin head disposed in a spinning beam. In so doing, the melt is directed from the main extruder to a distributor pump. Such a distributor pump, of the type known from WO 94/19516 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,331, divides the main melt flow into a plurality of individual partial flows and directs each of the latter to a spinneret.
With the known apparatus the problem arises that a change of additives, e.g. a change of color, results in extended non-productive periods for the installation. In order to be able to spin the new grade of yarn, the installation has to be rinsed from the end of the main extruder to the spinning head.
Such spinning installations have the added drawback that the entire spinning installation may simultaneously produce only yarns of a typical melt composition.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a melt spinning apparatus and method wherein the admixture of the additives may occur as late as possible in the processing sequence of the melt.
A further object of the invention is to design the apparatus and method in such a way that the spinning installation may be operated with the maximum degree of flexibility.

Apparatus and method for spinning polymeric yarns


A fluorescent article includes an underlayer colored fluorescent film and an overlayer colored fluorescent film, which is provided over the underlayer colored fluorescent film. The underlayer colored fluorescent film includes a first fluorescent colorant in an underlayer polymer matrix. The overlayer colored fluorescent film includes a second fluorescent colorant in an overlayer polymer matrix. The second fluorescent colorant in the overlayer film at least partially blocks light in a first wavelength range while allowing transmission of an amount of light in a second wavelength range effective to make the first fluorescent colorant fluoresce.

Articles incorporating fluorescent colorants into polymeric matrices can be used for various applications including signage, vehicle markings, roadway markings, and other applications where high visibility is desired, such as information dissemination, visibility, visual signaling, and quick detection. The extraordinarily bright appearance of fluorescent materials is what provides this enhanced visibility, which is especially pronounced at dawn and dusk.
Fluorescent colorants that can be potentially used in outdoor signage can have poor UV-light stability and can fade upon exposure to certain wavelengths of visible light. This can potentially degrade the long-term outdoor durability of the signage. A UV-light screening layer can be provided on a base fluorescent polymer matrix layer to mitigate exposure to UV-light and enhance outdoor durability. The UV-light screening layer can be made by dissolving UV-light absorbing compounds into a transparent polymer matrix. U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,458 and Japan Patent Publication No. 2-16042 (Application No. 63-165914) disclose fluorescent articles consisting of an ultraviolet light screen layer disposed in front of a fluorescent color layer. The screen layer contains UV absorbing compounds that absorb a defined range of UV-light (e.g., wavelength of about 290 nm to about 400 nm). The screen layer, however, does not substantially block visible light that can cause substantial fading of fluorescent colorants in the polymer matrix.
To date, fluorescent colorants are available in only a limited range of hues. For example, fluorescent colorants are commercially available in hues, such as fluorescent red, fluorescent orange, fluorescent pink, and fluorescent yellow-green. A fluorescent yellow that meets the chromaticity requirements of the Commission Internationale de l'eclairage (CIE) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is not readily available.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Fluorescent article having multiple layers


A foot base for assistive device includes a base body having a receiving space, a top opening and multiple foot pads; a flexible sleeve disposed in the receiving space to protrude from the base body; a support rod having a lower end received in the receiving space and provided with a stop plate, and an upper end extended through the flexible sleeve for joining with an assistive device; and a spring received in the receiving space and fitted around the flexible sleeve with two ends pressed against the stop plate and an edge of the opening. With the flexible sleeve and the spring, the support rod can conically swing relative to a centerline of the foot base, allowing the assistive device to swing forward and backward when a user shifts body gravity center during walking. The foot pads enable the foot base to provide anti-skidding, buffering and shock-absorbing effects.

Assistive devices, such as walking sticks, canes, crutches, walkers and the like, are important means for assisting the aged, patients with leg problem, the disabled and climbers, hereinafter generally referred to as the user, in standing and walking stably and safely. The assistive devices are mainly used to provide the user with a support and form a supporting point to reduce the load of the user's legs. Conventionally, according to different manners of use, the assistive devices are generally classified into some different types, such as walking sticks gripped by a user with one hand and underarm crutches held between the user's armpit and ribcage. The walking stick includes a handle provided on a top thereof, and the user grips at the handle when standing or walking with the aid of the walling stick, so that force applied by the user against the handle is transmitted to the ground. The underarm crutch includes a curved pad provided on a top thereof for pressing against the user's armpit, and the user clamps the curved pad between the armpit and the ribcage while grips at a handgrip when standing or walking with the aid of the crutch, so that force applied by the user against the handgrip can be transmitted to the ground.
The conventional assistive devices, such as the walking sticks and the underarm crutches, can have a single-point or a four-point lower end. When the assistive device touches the ground, there is produced a ground reaction force. To reduce the impact of the ground reaction force on the user and to prevent the assistive device from skidding, a rubber ferrule is usually fitted onto the lower end of the assistive device. The rubber ferrule generally has a truncated conical shape or a barrel shape and provides a degree of elasticity. The elasticity of the rubber ferrule buffers the ground reaction force when the assistive device touches the ground, making the assistive device more comfortable and safer for use. Meanwhile, the rubber ferrule increases a frictional force between the lower end of the assistive device and the ground surface to thereby provide an anti-skidding effect.
The single-point assistive device has the advantages of small in volume and convenient to handle, but it provides only one supporting point when the user walks and the single-point lower end of the assistive device touches the ground. With the help of the only one supporting point, the user shifts his or her body gravity center during moving. In the course of shifting the body gravity center, the user handles the assistive device to touch the ground surface, and uses the ground-touching point as a supporting point to shift the body. The rubber ferrule has a thickness and a configuration that can only provide the assistive device with very limited swinging span and buffering effect. As a result, the assistive device just could not be smoothly and conveniently handled by the user. Further, the rubber ferrule is subject to elastic fatigue and wearing after frequent use over a long time, and therefore requires checking and replacement now and then.
On the other hand, the four-point assistive device provides four supporting points, and is therefore more stable and easier for use, compared to the single-point assistive device. A problem in using the four-point assistive device is that the user can exert force and shift his or her body gravity center only when all the four points of the lower end of the assistive device touch the ground surface, lest the user should lose balance and fall down. Further, the four-point assistive device does not swing forward and backward when the user exert force to shift the body gravity center, and is therefore not so convenient for handle in a smooth way.


An improved plant tray formed of sturdy, injection-molded plastic. The plant tray is a precision-molded grid-like structure, having a series of individual plant cells arranged in side-by-side relationship with each other and having open tops and bottoms. A solid plastic wall separates each plant cell from an adjacent plant cell. Each cell wall has a varying thickness, tapering from a relatively thick top edge to a relatively thin bottom edge, to impart a progressively increasing cross-sectional area to the individual plant cells, from top to bottom. In each cell, there are reinforcing gussets at the corner junctures of adjacent cell walls. A perforated bottom screen retains young plants in the cells and is reinforced by relatively thick plastic runners that form a grid on its lower surface. In the one embodiment, the plant tray includes 432 individual plant cells so that the plant tray is compatible with conventional plant flats having 24, 36, 48, or 72 individual plant receiving cavities.

Plant trays have long been widely used in plant nurseries and greenhouses for initially growing seedlings prior to subsequent transplanting into plant flats, other conventional plant receptacles, or directly into a field or planting bed. These prior art plant trays include an array of individual plant cells. Each plant cell holds growth media such as soil or peat and a young, small plant. Some of these prior art plant trays are typically designed to be used in conjunction with automatic transplanters that automatically eject the small plants through an open bottom formed in the plant tray of each plant cell. To facilitate plant ejection, the plant cells of prior art plant trays have included a truncated pyramid shape, wherein the bottom of the cell has a greater cross-sectional area than the top. This enables the plant and associated media to be induced through the open bottom of the plant tray by vacuum.
A problem that has arisen with prior art plant trays is their durability during use with automatic transplanters. Typical prior art plant trays are formed from relatively flimsy, lightweight vacuum-molded plastic. The individual plant cells are therefore easily damaged or broken during transplanting. In addition, the flimsy, flexible nature of typical vacuum-molded plant trays often results in deformation or flexing of the cells as plants are ejected during transplanting. This can result in damage to the young, fragile plants and can also effect the ability of a transplanter to carry out precision planting.
One reason that prior art plant trays are not always compatible with automatic transplanters is that they are not precision molded. Automatic transplanters typically use indexing grooves formed on the sides of the plant tray to move the plant tray in small increments. A plant ejection mechanism typically induces the plant out through the bottom of the tray. If the plant tray is not precision molded and is resultingly misaligned on the automatic transplanter, then ejection from the tray is virtually impossible.
Also, typical vacuum-molded plant trays are not readily reusable because in part they are not easily cleaned. Therefore, because of their fragile construction and the need to clean them, typical plant trays are generally not reused but are used only once and then discarded.
Yet another problem that exists with typical prior art plant trays is that they are not designed to be numerically compatible with conventional plant flats, which typically have 24, 36, 48, or 72 individual plant receiving cavities. Typical prior art plant trays do not have a number of plant cells that is divisible by each of these numbers. Therefore, when a typical prior art plant tray is used with an automatic transplanter and a conventional plant flat, some plants may have to be transplanted by hand if the plant tray runs out of plants before the plant flat is completely filled. Alternately, an odd number of plants may remain in the plant tray after the plant flats are completely filled.
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a rugged plant tray with greater strength and durability than previously designed vacuum-molded plant trays so that the plant tray better protects plants during transplanting and so that the plant tray can be cleaned and reused.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a plant tray that resists deformation and flexing during use with an automatic transplanter for precise transplanting.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a plant tray that is precision molded so that it may be properly aligned on an automatic transplanter such that the plant cells of the tray will automatically and repeatedly align with an existing opening associated with the transplanter.
Still another object of the present invention is provide a plant tray that includes a predetermined number of plant cells that is divisible by 24, 36, 48, and 72 so that the plant tray is numerically compatible with conventional plant flats.


A clip for attaching a second member such as an insulator to a first member such as a car body, includes a first clip component attached to the first member and a second clip component working with the first clip component to support the second member. The first clip component has a flange for contacting the first member, a leg extending from the flange for insertion into a mounting hole in the first member, and a shank extending from the flange in a direction opposite to the leg for engaging the second clip component. The second clip component has a flange for contacting the second member, a tube for receiving the shank, and pawls inside the tube. The end of the shank has a portion for engaging the pawls to clamp the second member between the flanges.

The present invention relates to a clip for attaching a second member such as an insulator to a first member such as a car body.
An insulator is often attached to a car body, such as in the dashboard, to provide sound proofing or heat insulation to the car, and the insulator is attached using a clip. In Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication 1-87310 (Patent Document 1: Corresponding to Examined Utility Model Application Publication 4-29123), the clip is attached to the insulator beforehand so that the clip with attached insulator can be inserted into a mounting hole in the car body and attached to the car body on an assembly line, thereby simplifying the attachment of an insulator to a car body.
A joining pin is disclosed in Design Registration 827022 (Patent Document 2) for connecting two members. This joining pin is attached to one member and then joined at a predetermined interval to the other member. The clip disclosed in Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication 7-12611 (Patent Document 3: Corresponding to Utility Model Registration 2599660) is used to attach a decorative member such as door trim to a car body. This clip is designed to be able to block the mounting hole for the decorative member.
The clip in Patent Document 1 allows for greater assembly line efficiency because the clip is attached to an insulator beforehand at a site other than an assembly line. However, because of the configuration of the clip, the manner in which the clip is inserted into a mounting hole is critical and relies on the technical expertise of the operator to insert the clip properly into the mounting hole. The joining pin in Patent Document 2 is designed for attachment to one member and then joined at a predetermined interval to another member. This joining pin is not appropriate for attaching an insulator to a car body. The clip in Patent Document 3 is designed to attach a decorative member such as door trim to a car body and seal the mounting hole for the decorative member. As a result, it has an intricate configuration and is not designed to be attached beforehand to the decorative member.


A method of manufacturing a thin film transistor array panel is provided, which includes: forming a gate line on a substrate; forming a gate insulating layer; forming a semiconductor layer; forming a lower data line; forming an upper data line including a source electrode and a drain electrode, the upper data line including a portion disposed on the semiconductor layer without interposing the lower data line; forming a passivation layer having a first contact hole exposing the drain electrode at least in part; and forming a pixel electrode on the first contact hole to contact the drain electrode.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film transistor array panel and a manufacturing method thereof.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display (LCD) is one of the most widely used flat panel displays since it is lightweight and occupies less space than conventional cathode ray tube (CRT) displays. An LCD generally includes a liquid crystal (LC) layer that is interposed between a pair of panels including field-generating electrodes such as pixel electrodes and a common electrode. The LC layer is subjected to an electric field generated by the field-generating electrodes and variations in the field strength change the molecular orientation of the LC layer. For example, upon application of an electric field, the molecules of the LC layer change their orientation to change polarization of incident light. Appropriately arranged polarizers partially or fully block the light, creating gray or dark areas that can represent desired images.
One panel for the LCD generally includes a plurality of pixel electrodes, a plurality of thin film transistors (TFTs) for controlling signals to be applied to the pixel electrodes, a plurality of gate lines transmitting control signals for controlling the TFTs, and a plurality of data lines transmitting data voltages to be supplied to the pixel electrodes. The TFTs include gate electrodes connected to the gate lines, source electrodes connected to the data lines, and drain electrodes connected to the pixel electrodes. The other panel generally includes a common electrode disposed on an entire surface thereof.
The TFT array panel including the TFTs includes several conductive films and insulting films. The gate lines, the data lines, and the pixel electrodes are formed of different films and they are separated by insulating films and sequentially arranged from bottom to top. The gate electrodes of the TFTs are branches or portions of the gate lines, the source electrodes are branches or portions of the data lines, and the drain electrodes are usually made of the same films as the data lines.
The gate lines and the data lines are preferably made of low resistivity material such as aluminum (Al) containing metal (e.g. Al or Al alloy) in order to minimize signal delay or voltage drop. However, Al containing metal cannot form a contact with semiconductor doped with impurity and thus Al containing metal is usually used in the data lines and the drain electrodes along with another metal having good contact characteristics with semiconductor and materials such as transparent conductive materials.
In a bottom gate thin film transistor, good contact material is usually disposed under Al containing metal since the data lines and the drain electrodes are disposed on the semiconductor. However, since Al containing metal has poor contact characteristics with transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO) such that the contact resistance thereof is large and Al containing metal are corroded at the contacts. Therefore, the surface of Al containing metal of the drain electrodes must be etched to expose the good contact material for contact with the pixel electrodes usually made of ITO or IZO.
Since the multi-layered structure of the data lines and the drain electrodes is usually patterned by a lithography step, the data lines and the drain electrodes may be often disconnected. In addition, the removal of Al containing metal at the contacts may generate undercut that causes the disconnection of the pixel electrodes at the contacts.

Thin film transistor array panel and manufacturing method thereof


A first gas including a silicon-containing compound is introduced into a vacuum chamber, to expose a semiconductor substrate placed in the chamber to the first gas atmosphere (silicon processing step). Then the pressure inside the vacuum chamber is reduced to a level lower than the pressure at the time of starting the silicon processing step (depressurizing step). Thereafter, a second gas including a nitrogen-containing compound is introduced into the vacuum chamber, and the semiconductor substrate is irradiated with the second gas plasma (nitrogen plasma step).

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and to a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Related Art
The ongoing reduction in spacing width between interconnects in semiconductor devices has originated various issues that lead to degradation in reliability of the semiconductor devices. One of such issues is Time Dependent Dielectric Breakdown (hereinafter, TDDB). The TDDB resistance between the interconnects is degraded as the spacing between the interconnects becomes narrower. In other words, the narrower the spacing between the interconnects is, the less resistant the resist employed in the formation of the interconnects becomes against the etching process. This makes the formation process more difficult, leading to an increase in line edge roughness (LER) of the interconnects, which often provokes the TDDB.
The TDDB resistance can be enhanced by an ammonia plasma process, i.e. irradiating a semiconductor substrate having the interconnects exposed on its surface with an ammonia plasma. In this process, however, a stress induced void (hereinafter, SIV) is prone to take place when the semiconductor device includes copper interconnects. The SIV is another factor that leads to the degradation in reliability of the semiconductor devices.
To cope with such problems, Japanese Laid-open patent publications No. H10-189604, No. H11-204523 and No. 2004-193544 propose performing the ammonia plasma process on a semiconductor substrate having a copper interconnect exposed on its surface, after a silane process of exposing the semiconductor substrate in silane atmosphere. A method of performing the both before and after the silane process is disclosed in the documents: Laurent G. Gosset et al., "Integration and characterization of a self-aligned barrier to Cu diffusion based on copper silicide", 2003 Advanced Metallization Conference Proceedings, USA, Materials Research Society, Oct. 21, 2003, p. 321-328; and L. G. Gosset et al., "Integration and performances of an alternative approach using copper silicide as a self-aligned barrier for 45 nm technology node Cu interconnects", 2004 International Interconnect Technology Conference Proceedings, USA, IEEE, June 2004. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 6,599,827 proposes executing the ammonia plasma process only before the silane process.

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same


A perpendicular magnetic recording medium having good perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The magnetic recording medium includes a tantalum (Ta) seedlayer and a ruthenium (Ru) underlayer. The magnetic recording layer can be fabricated from cobalt (Co) alloys. With the Ta seedlayer, the perpendicular anisotropy and c-axis orientation of the magnetic recording layer are greatly enhanced. Unity squareness is achievable as is a negative nucleation field. The magnetic recording medium can be formed by sputtering the various layers onto a substrate. Thus, a perpendicular magnetic recording medium suitable for mass production is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improved perpendicular magnetic recording media. In particular, the present invention relates to perpendicular recording media having a magnetic recording layer with improved magnetic properties, including improved perpendicular coercivity, to enhance the areal density of the perpendicular recording media.
2. Description of Related Art
Thin film magnetic recording media are typically composed of multiple layers, including one or more magnetic recording layers, disposed on a rigid substrate. Traditionally, the magnetic layer includes magnetic grains that are oriented longitudinally (i.e., in plane) with respect to the magnetic layer. The areal density of longitudinal magnetic recording disks has been increasing at a compounded growth rate of about 60% per year and areal densities as high as 100 Gbit/in2 have been demonstrated. However, with an increase in areal density, the volume of magnetic material within a single bit is reduced and the bit becomes highly susceptible to damage from thermal fluctuations, a phenomena referred to as a 'superparamagnetic' limit. This superparamagnetic limit places a constraint on increasing the areal density for longitudinal recording media beyond about 100 Gbit/in2.
To go beyond areal densities of 100 Gbit/in2, perpendicular magnetic recording media have been proposed. Perpendicular magnetic recording media include a magnetic recording layer having an easy magnetization axis that is perpendicular to the magnetic recording layer. Among the desirable properties for the magnetic recording layer used for perpendicular recording media are high perpendicular coercivity and anisotropy, a negative nucleation field and unity vertical squareness. Coercivity is a measure of the magnetization field that must be applied to reduce the remnant magnetization to zero, i.e., to reverse the direction of magnetization. A high perpendicular coercivity assures that the magnetic layer will have a high resistance to demagnetization by stray magnetic fields in the perpendicular direction. High perpendicular anisotropy means that the perpendicular coercivity is substantially higher than the horizontal coercivity. The nucleation field is the magnetic field that is necessary to begin to reduce the magnetization of the material to less than the saturation value. A material with a negative nucleation field has a highly stable remnant magnetization. Unity vertical squareness refers to a material property wherein the ratio of remnant to saturation magnetization (Mr/Ms) is one.
Cobalt-based alloys such as CoCr are typically utilized for the perpendicular magnetic layer. However, it is difficult to fabricate these and similar metal alloys such that all of the above magnetic properties are maintained in the magnetic layer.
It is known to use an underlayer disposed between the substrate and the magnetic layer in thin film recording media. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,883 by Howard et al. discloses the magnetic properties of a thin film alloy magnetic recording disk made with a CoCrX(X=Ta, Ti, Nb, Mo or W) magnetic layer and a β-Ta underlayer. The β-Ta underlayer has preferred [00.2] orientation and the vertical recording disk has an improved perpendicular coercivity (Hc⊥) of 1500 Oersted (Oe) and a horizontal coercivity (Hc∥) of 350 Oe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,491 by Asada et al. discloses a perpendicular magnetic recording medium having an iron nitride (FexN) magnetic layer, an intermediate layer and an underlayer made of at least one element selected from the group consisting V, Ru, Zn, Os, Rh, Ir, Mo, W, Re, Pt, Nb, Ta, Sn, Al, Au, Ag, Ti, or electrically conductive nitrides and oxides of these elements.
There is a need for perpendicular recording media having improved magnetic properties to enable increased areal density. It would be advantageous to provide a perpendicular magnetic recording medium wherein the magnetic recording layer has high perpendicular coercivity, high perpendicular anisotropy, a negative nucleation field and unity vertical squareness.

Layered thin-film media for perpendicular magnetic recording


A Faraday dose and uniformity monitor can include a magnetically suppressed annular Faraday cup surrounding a target wafer. A narrow aperture can reduce discharges within Faraday cup opening. The annular Faraday cup can have a continuous cross section to eliminate discharges due to breaks. A plurality of annular Faraday cups at different radii can independently measure current density to monitor changes in plasma uniformity. The magnetic suppression field can be configured to have a very rapid decrease in field strength with distance to minimize plasma and implant perturbations and can include both radial and azimuthal components, or primarily azimuthal components. The azimuthal field component can be generated by multiple vertically oriented magnets of alternating polarity, or by the use of a magnetic field coil. In addition, dose electronics can provide integration of pulsed current at high voltage, and can convert the integrated charge to a series of light pulses coupled optically to a dose controller.

(1) Field
The disclosed methods and systems relate generally to plasma doping systems used for ion implantation of workpieces and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for measuring the dose and uniformity of the dose implanted into the workpiece.
(2) Description of Relevant Art
Ion implantation is a standard technique for introducing conductivity-altering impurities into semiconductor wafers. In a conventional ion implantation system, a desired impurity material is ionized in an ion source, the ions are accelerated to form an ion beam of prescribed energy, and the ion beam is directed at the surface of the wafer. The energetic ions in the beam penetrate into the bulk of the semiconductor material and are embedded into the crystalline lattice of the semiconductor material to form a region of desired conductivity.
In some applications, it is necessary to form shallow junctions in a semiconductor wafer, where the impurity material is confined to a region near the surface of the wafer. In these applications, the high energy acceleration and the related beam forming hardware of conventional ion implanters are unnecessary. Accordingly, it has been proposed to use plasma doping systems for forming shallow junctions in semiconductor wafers. In a plasma doping system, a semiconductor wafer is placed on a conductive platen which functions as a cathode. An ionizable gas containing the desired dopant material is introduced into the chamber, and a high voltage pulse is applied between the platen and an anode or the chamber walls, causing formation of a plasma having a plasma sheath in the vicinity of the wafer. The applied voltage causes ions in the plasma to cross the plasma sheath and to be implanted into the wafer. The depth of implantation is related to the voltage applied between the wafer and the anode. A plasma doping system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,381 issued Oct. 11, 1994 to Sheng.
In the plasma doping system described above, the high voltage pulse generates a plasma and accelerates positive ions from the plasma toward the wafer. In other types of plasma systems, known as plasma immersion systems, a continuous plasma, typically generated by applying radio frequency (RF) power, is sustained between the platen and the anode. At intervals, a high voltage pulse is applied between the platen and the anode, causing positive ions in the plasma to be accelerated toward the wafer.
Exacting requirements are placed on semiconductor fabrication processes involving ion implantation with respect to the cumulative ion dose implanted into the wafer and dose uniformity across the wafer surface. The implanted dose determines the electrical activity of the implanted region, while dose uniformity is required to ensure that all devices on the semiconductor wafer have operating characteristics within specified limits. Accurate measurement of the ion current impacting the target or wafer is required to control the implantation process time so as to obtain a repeatable ion implantation dose, without degrading the process performance. The measurement is complicated by the fact that it must be performed at or very near the ion implantation target, which is being pulsed with a negative DC bias to accomplish the implantation of positive ions from the plasma. Consequently, the ion current signal information, which is measured at a high potential, must be coupled to ground voltage for use by a control system that is controlling the implant process time. Ideally, the uniformity measurement can be incorporated into the ion current measurement structure.
One prior art approach to dose measurement in plasma doping systems involves measurement of the current delivered to the plasma by the high voltage pulses, as described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,381. However, this approach is subject to inaccuracies. The measured current includes electrons generated during ion implantation and excludes neutral molecules that are implanted into the workpiece, even though these neutral molecules contribute to the total dose. Furthermore, since the measured current passes through the wafer being implanted, it is dependent on the characteristics of the wafer, which may produce errors in the measured current. Those characteristics include emissivity, local charging, gas emission from photoresist on the wafer, etc. Thus, different wafers give different measured currents for the same ion dose. In addition, the measured current pulses include large capacitive or displacement current components which may introduce errors in the measurement.
A technique for plasma doping dosimetry is described by E. Jones et al. in IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, Vol. 25, No. 1, February 1997, pp. 42–52. Measurements of implanter current and implant voltage are used to determine an implant profile for a single implant pulse. The implant profile for a single pulse is used to project the final implant profile and total implanted dose. This approach is also subject to inaccuracies, due in part to the fact that it depends on power supply and gas control stability to ensure repeatability. Furthermore, the empirical approach is time consuming and expensive.
In conventional ion implantation systems which involve the application of a high energy beam to the wafer, cumulative ion dose is typically measured by a Faraday cup, or Faraday cage, positioned in front of the target wafer. The Faraday cage is typically a conductive enclosure, often with the wafer positioned at the downstream end of the enclosure and constituting part of the Faraday system. The ion beam passes through the Faraday cage to the wafer and produces an electrical current in the Faraday. The Faraday current is supplied to an electronic dose processor, which integrates the current with respect to time to determine the total ion dosage. The dose processor may be part of a feedback loop that is used to control the ion implanter.
Various Faraday cage configurations for ion implanters have been disclosed in the prior art. Faraday cages positioned in front of semiconductor wafers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,097 issued Jan. 16, 1979 to Forneris et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,247 issued Feb. 21, 1984 to Turner; U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,988 issued Dec. 20, 1983 to Robertson et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,255 issued Jul. 31, 1984 to Robertson et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,762 issued Nov. 30, 1982 to Douglas; U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,814 issued Nov. 22, 1988 to Kolondra et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,837 issued Jun. 17, 1986 to Wu et al. Faraday cages positioned behind a rotating disk are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,358 issued Oct. 14, 1980 to Ryding; U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,797 issued Nov. 18, 1980 to Ryding; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,433 issued May 6, 1986 to Farley.
Dose and dose uniformity have also been measured in conventional high energy ion implantation systems using a corner cup arrangement as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,393 issued Jun. 14, 1988 to Corey, Jr. et al. A mask having a central opening is positioned in the path of the ion beam. The beam is scanned over the area of the mask with the portion passing through the central opening impinging on the wafer. Small Faraday cups are located at the four corners of the mask and sense the beam current at these locations.
Other Faraday cup configurations are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,218 issued Apr. 18, 2000 to Chen, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,971 issued Aug. 15, 2000 to Denholm, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,592 issued Feb. 1, 2000 to Liebert, et al. Chen et al. and Denholm et al. describe the use of electrostatic suppression for a Faraday cup, which can cause particle contamination through "micro-arcing". Liebert et al. describe the use of a magnetic field positioned between a mask and an entrance to a Faraday cup to provide magnetic suppression of secondary electrons. However, magnetic field perturbations can result in measurement errors.

Faraday dose and uniformity monitor for plasma based ion implantation

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.