Device to simulate the flow of a fluid for calibrating a laser velocimetric device. This device, able to simulate the flow of a fluid in order to calibrate a laser beam velocimetric chain, comprises a mobile element (8) for simulating the flow of a fluid intercepting at least one laser beam (34, 40) of the velocimetric chain, means (16) for moving the mobile element (8), and means (24) for controlling the movement means (16) so as to apply to the simulation element (8) a movement with a speed varying according to a distribution of speeds selected by an operator.

So as to eliminate any disturbing elements introduced into the flow of a fluid by using traditional means for measuring the flow speed of the fluid, such as Pitot tubes or hot wire devices, laser beam velocimeters are preferably being increasingly used.
Devices for measuring the flow rate by a laser beam make it possible to, not merely avoid disturbing the flow, but also carry out measurements in normally inaccessible flow regions. For example, it is possible to measure through transparent cabin windows the flow rate of a fluid close to a wall of the pipe which carries the flow.
The velocimetric device generally comprise optical elements, an electric unit for processing the signal and a portion for computer-processing the measuring results. All these elements form a unit requiring a fine setting up and complex adjustments to draw up accurate measurements.
Current velocimetric device possess a certain number of adjustable parameters so as to correspond to various measurement applications.
As the estimates of uncertainties regarding the measurements of these devices provided by the manufacturer are often inadequate, it is necessary to calibrate and/or adjust the parameters of the device.
For devices operating on known flows, such as flows around an infinite containment cylinder or calculation modelizable flows, the adjustment and calibration of the velocimeter are obtained simply by comparing the experimental measuring results and the theoretical calculation.
On the other hand, so as to obtain extreme measurement accuracy for an unknown flow, it is essential to refer to a fully known flow simulation device so as to optimize the adjustments of the velocimeter.
Known calibration devices able to simulate a flow may generally be classed into two categories corresponding to the functioning of velocimeters.
The velocimeters of a first category emit two laser beams which interfere in a measuring zone. The passage of a particle of a fluid in a network of fringes of the interference region makes it possible to calculate the speed of this particle. This technique shall be expanded on in more detail in the continuation of the description.
For example, the simulation devices comprise a rough surface or surface with fine wires mounted on a rotating disk and pass into the interference region so as to simulate particles of the fluid.
The American patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,301 illustrates this calibrating device. The device described comprises wires stretched on a disk along beams, the disk being driven in rotation by a motor so as to make the wires reel off in the measuring zone.
This patent also refers to a device including a rough surface on a rotating disk simulating the passage of small particles in the measuring zone.
A second category of velocimeters emitting only a single beam function via the Doppler effect, that is by measuring the shift between the transmission frequency and the receiving frequency, this shift being caused by the speed of a particle, for example. As illustrated, in the American patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,950, the device comprises a velocimetric device emitting a single laser beam which traverses an optical path between the transmitter and a reflection mirror. Placed on the optical path is a block of a material transparent to the laser light and mounted on the shaft of a motor.
The rotating of the motor and the block causes a periodic and continuous modification of the optical path, thus making it possible to detect the receiving frequency and simulate a flow and able to be profitably used to calibrate the chain.
The devices for calibrating velocimeters of the first category functioning on an interference principle are unable to account for real flow conditions. In fact, the three-dimensional measuring volume defined by the intersection of the interfering beams is intercepted by a rough surface or wire extending inside a bidimensional plane. Thus, only one plane of the measuring volume is active. These devices are incompatible with certain "Doppler burst" detection methods (in which account is taken of an instantaneous multiplication of the number of events measured).
Furthermore, the device possesses a simulation element equipped with a rough surface resulting in a rapid saturation of the photomultipliers which are generally equipped with the velocimetric chains, as a rough surface, as it were, represents a continuous environment with a significant concentration of the measuring particles.
In this respect, the calibration devices of the second category are better adapted to the extent that they are freed from the physical simulation of particles.
At best, the simulation devices are able to account for flows with speeds satisfying a sinusoidal law. Moreover, the devices described earlier and comprising a transparent block rotating in the optical path of the laser beam are unable to simulate a flow other than a flow with a nil average speed.
Now, in order to accurately calibrate the velocimeter, it is essential to refer to a flow simulation as close as possible to a real flow. Real flows are generally characterized by an average non-nil speed and by a statistical distribution around the average speed. This is particularly the case with turbulent flows.
The aim of the present invention is to therefore provide a device for simulating and a device for calibrating velocimeters, said devices not possessing the drawbacks or limitations of the known devices described earlier but being able to calibrate the velocimeters with extremely high accuracy by simulating any real flow and in particular a turbulent flow.

Device to simulate the flow of a fluid so as to calibrate a laser velocimetric device


A coated ceramic matrix composite component and a gas turbine assembly are provided. The coated ceramic matrix composite component comprises a substrate comprising an endface surface and a hot gas path surface. The hot gas path surface is arranged and disposed to contact a hot gas path when the component is installed in the gas turbine assembly. The endface surface is disposed at an endface angle to the hot gas path surface and opposing at least one adjacent component when the component is installed in the gas turbine assembly. The coated ceramic matrix composite component further comprises an environmental barrier coating on at least a portion of the endface surface.

Certain components such as ceramic matrix composite (CMC) components for a gas turbine operate at high temperatures and pressures. In particular, recession, off-gassing of silicon hydroxides in the presence of water vapor at high temperatures and pressures, can occur at temperatures above 1500° F. Purge flow may be formed to help cool the surface of components below the recession temperature. However, purge flow may lead to undesirable reduction in turbine aerodynamics and overall turbine efficiency.

Coated ceramic matrix composition component and a method for forming a coated ceramic matrix composition component


A receiving apparatus 10 includes a stereo blend control unit 21 for carrying out a stereo blend process according to the reception state of a broadcast wave, a pilot detecting unit 18 for detecting a pilot signal included in the broadcast wave, and a high cut control unit 22 for carrying out high cut control according to the reception state of the broadcast wave and for carrying out the high cut control when the pilot signal is not detected by the pilot detecting unit.

In general, a receiving apparatus (a radio receiver) which receives a radio broadcast wave (e.g., an AM broadcast wave and an FM broadcast wave) is mounted in a moving object, such as a vehicle. In such a vehicle-mounted receiving apparatus, because the surrounding environment of the moving object varies from moment to moment according to the movement of the moving object, there occurs a situation in which the vehicle-mounted receiving apparatus cannot receive a radio broadcast excellently while receiving the radio broadcast because of noise mixed into the radio broadcast, the noise resulting from a change in the received field strength, neighboring interference, multipath interference, and so on.
In order to avoid the occurrence of such a situation, a vehicle-mounted radio receiver reduces the noise by performing functions, such as so-called high cut control (High Cut Control), stereo blend control (Stereo Blend Control) and softmute control (Softmute Control).
For example, there has been provided a vehicle-mounted radio receiver which, in order to implement an appropriate operating state irrespective of the presence or absence of an adjacent station, detects an adjacent station having a carrier frequency adjacent to the reception frequency by using an adjacent station detector, and, when detecting such an adjacent station, changes the control of input/output characteristics, such as a channel separation characteristic, a blend characteristic, a high cut characteristic, and a softmute characteristic (for example, see patent reference 1).
[Patent reference 1] JP,2005-5819,A (pp. 5 to 9 and FIGS. 1 to 13)
Because conventional receiving apparatuses are constructed as mentioned above, if noise which disables them to detect the received field strength, the neighboring interference, and the multipath interference is mixed, the high cut control does not work and, as a result, the noise cannot be cut and therefore the audibility is impaired. For example, because the neighboring interference becomes low inevitably when the received field strength is high (medium field strength or high field strength), it is determined whether to perform the high cut control according to the multipath interference, and, when the received field strength is high, the high cut control becomes difficult to run and therefore it becomes impossible to cut the noise excellently.
A further problem is that when the received field strength is high and the multipath interference is low, the high cut control does not run even in a state in which stereo demodulation cannot be performed excellently, and, as a result, mixing of noise occurs and the audibility is impaired.
The present invention is made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a receiving apparatus which carries out noise cut excellently according to the state of the stereo demodulation irrespective of the neighboring interference and the multipath interference without impairing the audibility.


An apparatus for sterilizing water by anodic oxidation. A reactor contains a plurality of anodes (3) and cathodes (4) arranged as parallel plates within the reactor. The anodes and cathodes are arranged in series within four modules (2). Each module includes two draw bolts (34, 44) extending through bores in the anodes and cathodes and threadably engaged to contact bolts (7) on either side of the module. The contact bolts provide high surface pressure to the anodes and cathodes so that high electrical currents can be conducted through the reactor. The anodes each consist of materials that provide a greater overvoltage with respect to oxygen generation than with respect to chlorine generation. Thus, the reactor can produce a sufficient quantity of oxidants to sterilize the water without adding chlorine compounds to the water.

The invention relates to an apparatus for the sterilization of water by means of anodic oxidation comprising a reactor through which water flows and which has at least one anode and one cathode and also a power supply means.
Apparatus of this kind is for example known from DE-OS 2757 854. There the anodes and cathodes are formed by bars which are arranged in a grid-like manner and extend transversely through the reactor. The bars of the anode and of the cathode are respectively electrically combined with one another by a connection element which is connected in each case to the power supply. Between the bar grid of the anode and the bar grid of the cathode there are arranged a plurality of subsidiary electrode bar grids which extend parallel to the bars of the anode and the bars of the cathode. In this arrangement bar grid planes which lie behind one another in the flow direction are displaced in such a way that one bar of a subsequent bar grid plane is laterally displaced approximately into the centre of the spacing between two bars of a preceding bar grid plane.
This arrangement of electrodes or subsidiary electrodes is intended to ensure that the liquid passes through a region of changing potentials with turbulence.
A reactor is known from DE-PS 28 61 889 in which the electrodes are formed as bar or grid-like individual elements and through which water flows in cross-flow. In this manner, a turbulent flow is obtained in the reactor to improve the convective material exchange at the electrode-phase boundary.
These known devices bring about considerable generation of electrolysis gases in addition to sterilization and these electrolysis gases adhere to the electrode surfaces and are intended to be carried away by the eddying of the flow.

Apparatus for the sterilization of water


Various human monoclonal antibodies that bind to human LOX-1 and inhibit the binding of in-vivo LOX-1 ligands to LOX-1, and the LOX-1-mediated incorporation of the ligands into cells, were obtained by immunizing human antibody-producing transgenic mice (created by genetic engineering) with soluble human oxidized LDL receptor (LOX-1). Furthermore, the human monoclonal antibodies were found to be effective in preventing and treating a variety of diseases.

The various types of cholesterols (free, long chain fatty acid-type, and ester-type), found in a variety of tissues and in blood, are primarily biosynthesized in the liver. Free cholesterol biosynthesized in the liver binds to very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and is metabolized by lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hepatic triglyceride lipase (HTGL) in blood into low-density lipoprotein (LDL) via intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL). IDL is incorporated into peripheral cells via the LDL receptor and plays an important role in the in-vivo constitution of the cell membrane.
However, LDL is oxidized by cells, such as vascular endothelial cells, various chemical and physical factors, and other factors such as heat, resulting in the generation of modified LDL, which is also referred to as "oxidized LDL", in blood. Since the vascular flow normally contains a sufficient amount of antioxidants, oxidized LDL is hardly generated therein. Even when oxidized LDL is generated, most of it is metabolized in the liver.
On the other hand, oxidized LDL is produced in the vascular endothelium and vascular wall through chemical modifications due to cell-independent actions, such as the action of Fe3+, as well as chemical modifications by cells, such as vascular endothelial cells and macrophages. However, unlike that generated in the vascular flow, oxidized LDL generated in the vascular endothelium and vascular wall accumulates within macrophages.
The accumulation of oxidized LDL in macrophages results due to the incorporation of oxidized LDL, generated as described above, into cells via the cell surface scavenger receptor on macrophages, which serves as a receptor for various modified LDLs (oxidized LDL, acetyl LDL, succinyl LDL, and malondialdehyde LDL) (Nature, Vol. 343, p. 531-535, 1990; Nature, Vol. 343, p. 570-572, 1990; Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, Vol. 87, p. 9133-9137, 1990; Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, Vol. 87, p. 8810-8814, 1990; Curr. Opin. Lipodol., Vol. 2, p. 295-300, 1991; and J. Clin. Invest., Vol. 90, p. 1450-1457, 1992).
Unlike the LDL receptor, the macrophage scavenger receptor is not down regulated in an intracellular cholesterol-dependent manner. Thus, macrophages migrating into the vascular endothelium or vascular wall take in a large quantity of modified LDL and accumulate a large quantity of cholesterol to become "foamy cells" (See section 4 "Inflammatory Cells: 1. Scavenger Receptor" in "The molecular atherosclerology", pp. 249-258, 1995, Medical Review Co.).
The above-mentioned macrophages, that creep into the vascular endothelium or vascular wall, originally derive from macrophages that migrate from the vascular flow in response to oxidized LDL generation signals generated at various sites, such as in the vascular flow, vascular endothelium, and vascular wall. Specifically, such macrophage accumulation is based on the following characteristics of oxidized LDL; its chemotactic effect on macrophages and monocytes in the vascular flow; the accumulation of monocytes and macrophages on vascular endothelial cells; the induction of the migration of the accumulated monocytes and macrophages into the vascular endothelium and vascular wall; the induction of the differentiation of migrated monocytes into macrophages; and the suppression of the migration of completely differentiated macrophages.
A recently identified oxidized LDL receptor (also referred to as the Ox-LDL Receptor and LOX-1; Nature, Vol. 386, p. 73-77, 1997; Biochemical Study on Lipids, Vol. 39, p. 83-84, 1997; Genomics, Vol. 54, No. 2, p. 191-199, 1998; Biochem. J., Vol. 339, Part 1, p. 177-184, 1999; Biochem. J., Vol. 330, Part 3, p. 1417-1422, 1998) expressed on the surface of vascular endothelial cells has been demonstrated to be deeply involved in such accumulations of monocytes and macrophages on vascular endothelial cells.
Earlier studies demonstrated that the intracellular production of nitrogen monoxide (NO) is inhibited by the oxidized LDL receptor-mediated incorporation of oxidized LDL into vascular endothelial cells from the vascular flow, which results in the expression of cell adhesion molecules on the surface of vascular endothelial cells. This suggests that the expression of cell adhesion molecules results in the entrapment of macrophages and monocytes on vascular endothelial cells, and then the entrapped macrophages and monocytes migrate into the vascular endothelium and vascular wall. Then, the macrophages in the vascular endothelium and vascular wall presumably become "foamy cells", due to the macrophage scavenger receptor-mediated incorporation of oxidized LDL, as described above.
The conversion of macrophages to foamy cells in the vascular wall is a major cause of arteriosclerosis. Thus, the above-mentioned accumulation of monocytes and macrophages in the vascular endothelial cells is believed to trigger the onset of arteriosclerosis.
Intensive research has been made into the biological function of oxidized LDL receptor (LOX-1), which is deeply involved in the accumulation of monocytes and macrophages on vascular endothelial cells, and its involvement in various diseases. Recent studies have reported the following:                (1) The expression level of LOX-1 is markedly higher in arteriosclerotic lesions (Circulation, Vol. 99, No. 24, p. 3110-3117, 1999);        (2) The expression level of LOX-1 is higher in the high blood-pressure rat model (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Conmun., Vol. 237, No. 3, p. 496-498, 1997);        (3) Shear stress increases the expression level of LOX-1 (Circ. Res., Vol. 83, No. 3, p. 328-333, 1998);        (4) LOX-1 is expressed in macrophages as well as in vascular endothelial cells and the expression levels are elevated following TNFα stimulation (FEBS Lett., Vol. 440, No. 1-2, p. 29-32, 1998);        (5) The expression level of LOX-1 is elevated by angiotensin II (Circ. Res., Vol 84, No 9, p. 1043-1049, 1999; Circulation, Vol. 100, No. 9, p. 899-902, 1999); and        (6) Not only oxidized LDL, but also in-vivo spodogenous cells, such as apoptotic cells (cells programmed to die through apoptosis), senescent erythrocytes, and activated blood platelets, are incorporated into cells via the oxidized LDL receptor (LOX-1) (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA., Vol. 95, p. 9535-9540, 1998; Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA., Vol. 97, No. 1, p. 360-364, 2000).
Previously reported antibodies against human oxidized LDL receptor (LOX-1) were all derived from non-human mammals only. No report has been published on the preparation of human monoclonal antibodies or on therapeutic approaches for various diseases using such human monoclonal antibodies.

Uses of human monoclonal antibodies against oxidized LDL receptor


A system is provided for batch loading semiconductor wafers into a load lock from a portable carrier used for supporting a plurality of the wafers in spaced relationship and transporting them in a particle free environment. The carrier is supported adjacent a load lock chamber which also has a particle free environment. A multilevel end effector associated with the load lock chamber includes a plurality of spaced end effector sets, each set being adapted to support a wafer thereon and aligned with an associated wafer supported in the carrier. The plurality of wafers are engaged and simultaneously retrieved as a grouping, then held in the load lock chamber awaiting further processing. A variety of mechanisms are provided for moving the end effector sets, both elevationally and into and out of the carrier and load lock chamber, and for moving a carrier door and a load lock door between closed, sealed, positions and open positions and to a parked position remote from the region between the carrier and the load lock chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to standardized mechanical interface systems for reducing particle contamination and more particularly to apparatus employing sealed containers suitable for use in semiconductor processing equipment to prevent particle contamination. Still more particularly, the invention relates to such systems enabling transfer of multiple semiconductor wafers at a time between a transportable container or carrier and a load lock chamber with a controllable environment as they await further transfer to a processing station, or elsewhere. Throughput of the manufacturing process is thereby significantly increased.
Throughout this disclosure, the term "wafer" will be used for purposes of consistency to refer to planar substrates such as silicon wafers and glass flat panels, but it will be understood that it is intended to be used in the broad context so as to be applicable to all substrates. Typically, such substrates are circular and have a diameter of 200 mm and a thickness of approximately 0.760 mm although, more recently, the diameter of choice has evolved to 300 mm with the same thickness.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Control of particulate contamination is imperative for cost effective, high-yielding and profitable manufacturing of VLSI circuits. Because design rules increasingly call for smaller and smaller lines and spaces, it is necessary to exert greater and greater control on the number of particles and to remove particles with smaller and smaller diameters.
Some contamination particles cause incomplete etching in spaces between lines, thus leading to an unwanted electrical bridge. In addition to such physical defects, other contamination particles may cause electrical failure due to induced ionization or trapping centers in gate dielectrics or junctions.
The main sources of particulate contamination are personnel, equipment, and chemicals. Particles given off by personnel are transmitted through the environment and through physical contact or migration onto the wafer surface. People, by shedding of skin flakes, for example, are a significant source of particles that are easily ionized and cause defects.
Modern processing equipment must be concerned with particle sizes which range from below 0.01 micrometers to above 200 micrometers. Particles with these sizes can be very damaging in semiconductor processing. Typical semiconductor processes today employ geometries which are 1 micrometer and under. Unwanted contamination particles which have geometries measuring greater than 0.1 micrometer substantially interfere with 1 micrometer geometry semiconductor devices. The trend, of course, is to have smaller and smaller semiconductor processing geometries.
In the recent past, "clean rooms" were established in which through filtering and other techniques, attempts were made to remove particles having geometries of 0.03 micrometer and above. There is a need, however, to improve the processing environment. The conventional "clean room" cannot be maintained as particle free as desired. It is virtually impossible to maintain conventional clean rooms free of particles of a 0.01 micrometer size and below. Although clean room garments reduce particle emissions, they do not fully contain the emissions. It has been found that as many as 6,000 particles per minute are emitted into an adjacent one cubic foot of space by a fully suited operator.
To control contamination particles, the trend in the industry is to build more elaborate (and expensive) clean rooms with HEPA and ULPA recirculating air systems. Filter efficiencies of 99.999% and up to ten complete air exchanges per minute are required to obtain an acceptable level of cleanliness.
Particles within the equipment and chemicals are termed "process defects." To minimize process defects, processing equipment manufacturers must prevent machine generated particles from reaching the wafers, and suppliers of gases and liquid chemicals must deliver cleaner products. Most important, a system must be designed that will effectively isolate wafers from particles during storage, transport and transfer into processing equipment. The Standard Mechanical Interface (SMIF) system has been devised, and used, to reduce particle contamination by significantly reducing particle fluxes onto wafers. This end is accomplished by mechanically ensuring that during transport, storage and processing of the wafers, the gaseous media (such as air or nitrogen) surrounding the wafers is essentially stationary relative to the wafers and by ensuring that particles from the ambient outside environment do not enter the immediate internal wafer environment.
The SMIF concept is based on the realization that a small volume of still, particle-free air, with no internal source of particles, is the cleanest possible environment for wafers.
A typical SMIF system utilizes (1) minimum volume, dustproof boxes or carriers for storing and transporting (2) open rack wafer cassettes, and (3) doors on the boxes or carriers designed to mate with doors on the interface ports on the processing equipment and the two doors being opened simultaneously so that particles which may have been on the external door surfaces are trapped ("sandwiched") between the doors.
In a typical SMIF system, a box or carrier is placed at the interface port and latches release the box door and the port door simultaneously. A mechanical elevator lowers the two doors, with the cassette riding on top. A manipulator picks up the cassette and places it onto the cassette port/elevator of the equipment. After processing, the reverse operation takes place.
SMIF systems have proved to be effective and this fact has been shown by experiments using SMIF components both inside and outside a clean room. The SMIF configuration achieved a ten-fold improvement over the conventional handling of open cassettes inside the clean room.
Using SMIF systems, it was customary to carry a large number of the wafers within the box or carrier by supporting them in a spaced relationship by means of a cassette. Using this technique, the cassette would be loaded with a supply of wafers, transported into the box or carrier, then subsequently wafers would be removed from the cassette in the carrier one by one for placement into a reception chamber at the site of further processing.
Unfortunately, the use of cassettes required additional equipment inventory, increased the volume requirement for the box or carrier, added to the complexity of the system, increased its cost for original equipment and for upkeep of the equipment of the system.
It was in light of the foregoing state of the art that the present invention has been conceived and is now reduced to practice. Specifically, the invention results from efforts to reduce equipment inventory and therefore initial cost, provide a simpler and more compact construction, reduce the cost of maintenance, and increase throughput of processed items.

Batchloader for substrate carrier on load lock


This invention concerns methods of treating mast-cell mediated conditions in mammals, the methods comprising administering to the mammals pharmacologically active fragments or muteins of SLPI; methods of treating asthma or allergic rhinitis in mammals, the methods comprising administering to the mammals SLPI or pharmacologically active fragments or muteins thereof; methods for inhibiting tryptase; methods for identifying inhibitors of tryptase; and certain fragments and muteins of SLPI.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a bronchorelaxant which is absent from or present only at relatively low levels in the lungs of asthmatics, but present in lungs of nonasthmatics. See Ollerenshaw et al., N. Engl. J. Med., 320, 1244-1248 (1989). This implies that VIP is a factor in normal lung function and that its depletion may play a causal role in the pathogenesis of asthma. VIP is degraded by tryptase, a serine protease which is found in large quantities in mast cells and is released upon mast cell degranulation. See Tam and Caughey, Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., 3, 27-32 (1990); and Wenzel et al., Am. Rev. Respir. Dis., 137, 1002-1008 (1988). Thus, it has been hypothesized that if tryptase action in the lung could be inhibited, VIP levels would be higher than if the action of tryptase were not inhibited. Tryptase inhibition logically provides a method of treatment for mast-cell mediated diseases, e.g., asthma.
The activities of extracellular proteases are usually tightly controlled through the secretion of protein-based inhibitors. See Travis et al., Ann. Rev. Biochem., 52, 655-709 (1983). No biological inhibitors for tryptase have been disclosed in the literature to date. Many known serine protease inhibitors, including secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI, also known as human seminal inhibitor-I (HUSI-I) and antileukoprotease-1 (ALP-1)) have been tested as tryptase inhibitors. See Smith et al., J. Biol. Chem., 259, 11046-11051 (1984); Hochstrasser et al., Eur. Arch. Otorhinolaryngol., 249, 455-458 (1993); and Alter et al., Arch. Biochem. and Biophys., 276, 26-31 (1990). Little or no tryptase inhibitory activity has been reported, however.
It would be desirable to have tryptase inhibitors, a procedure for identifying such inhibitors, and means for treating mast cell- and/or tryptase-related disorders. Such advances in the art are the subject of the present invention.

Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor as an inhibitor of tryptase


To provide tissue paper with an excellent “moist texture” and high “smooth texture.”

Tissue paper can be roughly classified into lotion tissue paper in which a moisturizer is contained in tissue base paper after papermaking, moisturizing tissue paper called e.g. chemicals applied type, a general-purpose type which does not contain a moisturizer, and non-moisturizing tissue paper called e.g. a general type.
Moisturizing tissue paper is used mainly to directly touch the skin, for example blowing nose and removing makeup, and is particularly required to have a good texture to the skin during use.
Incidentally, the quality characteristics of tissue paper include mainly "soft texture," "smooth texture," a "moist texture," a "sticky texture," a "thick texture" and "toughness (strength⋅a relief feeling)."
The moisturizing tissue paper is more excellent in "soft texture," "smooth texture" and a "moist texture" due to the effect of a moisturizer than those of the non-moisturizing tissue paper; however, there are no conventional moisturizing tissue paper in which particularly both "smooth texture" and a "moist texture" are satisfied at a high level. In addition, users require further improvement of good texture to the skin; however, it is very difficult to improve both "smooth texture" and a "moist texture."
That is, in conventional moisturizing tissue paper, "soft texture" and a "moist texture," are improved by raising water retention properties in paper because of the moisture absorption action of the moisturizer. With this change, "smooth texture" can be felt, too. However, in the case of conventional moisturizers, for example, when increasing the content thereof, a "moist texture" is increased, and simultaneously a "sticky texture" is also increased. Following this, the "smooth texture" on the surface is reduced and is not easily felt. In addition, containing excessive moisturizer can be a factor of lowering resilience of paper, and this can be a factor of not feeling "smooth texture" easily.

Abstract: 2-ply tissue paper is characterized by the basis weight per ply being 15 to 18 g/m2, the 2-ply paper thickness being 135 to 160 μm, and containing 2.9 g/m2 or more and 8.0 g/m2 or less of chemical agent which contains glycerin and 1,3-propanediol in a total amount of 83.7 mass % or more, wherein the mass ratio of glycerin and 1,3-propanediol is 1:0.04 or more and 1:5.58 or less.


Antisense compounds, compositions and methods are provided for modulating the expression of PEPCK-cytosolic. The compositions comprise antisense compounds, particularly antisense oligonucleotides, targeted to nucleic acids encoding PEPCK-cytosolic. Methods of using these compounds for modulation of PEPCK-cytosolic expression and for treatment of diseases associated with expression of PEPCK-cytosolic are provided.

Gluconeogenesis is the metabolic pathway for the biosynthesis of glucose from non-carbohydrate precursors including pyruvate, lactate, and citric acid cycle intermedates. This pathway occurs predominantly in the liver and to a lesser extent in the kidney and is triggered by a fall in blood glucose concentration. Gluconeogenesis meets the needs of the body for glucose when there is insufficient intake of carbohydrates in the diet. It is also critical to the maintenance of a continuous energy supply, in the form of glucose, to red blood cells and tissues of the central nervous system, which do not undergo gluconeogenesis. In addition, gluconeogenesis represents a mechanism by which products of metabolism from other tissues are cleared from the blood and converted back into glucose. Under fasting conditions glucose production through this pathway maintains the basal glucose concentrations necessary to sustain primary physiologic functions. The gluconeogenic pathway is essentially glycolysis (the breakdown of glucose received predominantly from the diet) in reverse. There are four enzymes necessary to bypass the thermodynamically unfavorable steps of glycolysis. These enzymes are pyruvate carboxylase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, and glucose-6-phosphatase. The rate-limiting step of gluconeogenesis is catalyzed by phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and this enzyme has been well characterized in several species. Two forms (isozymes) of the enzyme have been isolated and the total enzyme activity displayed in humans is equally divided between the cytosolic and mitochondrial forms (Hanson and Patel, Adv. Enzymol. Relat. Areas Mol. Biol., 1994, 69, 203-281).
Cytosolic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (also known as PCK1, cyPCK and PEPCK-C) is expressed predominantly in liver where it acts in the gluconeogenic pathway and in kidney where it acts in the gluconeogenic pathway as well as being glyceroneogenic and ammoniagenic (Hanson and Reshef, Annu. Rev. Biochem., 1997, 66, 581-611). PEPCK-cytosolic also exhibits significant expression in white and brown adipose tissue, lactating mammary gland and the small intestine where it is thought to supply glycerol for triglyceride synthesis (glyceroneogenesis) in these tissues (Hanson and Reshef, Annu. Rev. Biochem., 1997, 66, 581-611).
Studies using transgenic mice have shown that different cis acting elements are required to drive the expression of PEPCK-cytosolic in hepatocytes, renal tubule epithelial cells and adipocytes (Beale et al., Faseb J., 1992, 6, 3330-3337).
The overall expression of PEPCK-cytosolic is controlled entirely at the level of transcription by a wide variety of physiological stimuli including dietary carbohydrate, hormones, and cellular intermediates (Hanson and Patel, Adv. Enzymol. Relat. Areas Mol. Biol., 1994, 69, 203-281). It is expressed in the periportal region of the liver and is therefore sensitive to oxygen concentration. Studies of rat hepatocytes demonstrated that the glucagon-dependent activation of the PEPCK-cytosolic gene is modulated by oxygen and that this process is mediated by hydrogen peroxide (Kietzmann et al., Kidney Int., 1997, 51, 542-547; Kietzmann et al., FEBS Lett., 1996, 388, 228-232). Other factors have also been shown to impair the glucagon-induced increase in PEPCK-cytosolic including interleukin-1-beta, tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-6 (Christ and Nath, Biochem. J., 1996, 320, 161-166; Christ et al., Hepatology, 1997, 26, 73-80).
In the liver, PEPCK-cytosolic is negatively regulated by insulin and has therefore been considered a potential contributing factor to hyperglycemia in diabetics (Sutherland et al., Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B. Biol. Sci., 1996, 351, 191-199). Studies using various kinase inhibitors demonstrated a link between PEPCK-cytosolic gene regulation by insulin and the protein kinase phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3-kinase). In these studies, it was shown that insulin inhibition of PEPCK-cytosolic gene expression requires PI3-kinase but that the signal is not mediated by MAP kinases nor transmitted through protein kinase B or protein kinase C (Agati et al., J. Biol. Chem., 1998, 273, 18751-18759; Sutherland et al., Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B. Biol. Sci., 1996, 351, 191-199).
PEPCK-cytosolic gene expression is also sensitive to other regulatory stimuli including cell volume. It has been shown that in rat and human hepatocytes, changes in cell volume alter the rate of transcription and mRNA stability of PEPCK-cytosolic (Kaiser, Am. J. Physiol., 1998, 274, G509-517).
Currently, there are no known therapeutic agents which effectively inhibit the synthesis of PEPCK-cytosolic and to date, strategies aimed at investigating PEPCK-cytosolic function have involved the use of chemical inhibitors and transgenic mice.
Consequently, there remains a long felt need for agents capable of effectively inhibiting PEPCK-cytosolic function.
Antisense technology is emerging as an effective means for reducing the expression of specific gene products and may therefore prove to be uniquely useful in a number of therapeutic, diagnostic, and research applications for the modulation of PEPCK-cytosolic expression.

Antisense modulation of pepck-cytosolic expression


A wireless communications device comprises a common amplifier for amplifying a plurality of high-frequency signals of different communications systems, a plurality of signal channels provided subsequent to the common amplifier, each of the plurality of high-frequency signals being passed through the respective signal channels, and a switch circuit provided between the plurality of signal channels and the common amplifier, for connecting the common amplifier and one of the plurality of signal channels. Each of the plurality of signal channels is provided with a power amplifier having power amplification efficiency optimal with respect to a high-frequency signal passed through the signal channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless communications device which can be used in common to different communications systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a plurality of communications systems are used in the field of mobile communications, such as representatively mobile telephone services. For example, in Japan, the Personal Digital Cellular (PDC) system employing Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) and the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system are mainly used. In other countries, GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) employing TDMA and UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) employing CDMA are used. To establish compatibility between these different coexisting communications systems, various techniques have been proposed.
Conventionally, in dual-mode communications devices (or transmitters) which can be used in common to two different communications systems, when one of the communications systems is being selected, the device is generally not operated in the other communications system. Most of the dual-mode communications devices select the systems by changing paths through which a signal is transferred, using a switch or the like.
Hereinafter, an exemplary wireless communications device will be described with reference to FIG. 7, in which communication is performed, switching between an full-duplex analog mode in which transmission and reception are simultaneously performed as in the CDMA technology, and a half-duplex digital mode in which transmission and reception are alternately performed as in the TDMA technology (see, for example, WO01/80436).
FIG. 7 illustrates a block configuration of a conventional dual-mode wireless communications device. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the conventional wireless communications device comprises a transmitter 110 which generates a transmit signal, a receiver 120 which processes a received signal, an antenna assembly 130 which is connected to the transmitter 110 and the receiver 120, and a controller 140 which controls the transmitter 110 and the antenna assembly 130.
The transmitter 110 includes a high frequency amplifier 111 which modulates and amplifies input transmit data to generate a transmit signal. The high frequency amplifier 111 is controlled in accordance with a gain control signal from the controller 140. An operating state, a gain, or the like of the high frequency amplifier 111 are changed between an analog mode and a digital mode, thereby generating a transmit signal different between the analog mode and the digital mode.
The transmit signal output from the high frequency amplifier 111 is input to a common terminal A of a first path select switch 131 (single-pole double-throw switch) provided in the antenna assembly 130. The first path select switch 131 is switched in accordance with a switch control signal from the controller 140 so that continuity is established between the common terminal A and a terminal B in the analog mode, and between the common terminal A and a terminal C in the digital mode.
The terminal C of the first path select switch 131 is connected to a terminal F of a the second path select switch 132 (single-pole double-throw switch) which is switched in association with the first path select switch 131. In an operation in the digital mode, there is continuity between the terminal F of the second path select switch 132 and a common terminal D to which an antenna 134. Therefore, in the case of the digital mode, a transmit signal input to the common terminal A of the first path select switch 131 is transferred via the terminal C of the first path select switch 131 and the terminal F of the second path select switch 132 to the antenna 134 connected to the common terminal D of the second path select switch 132, and is transmitted from the antenna 134.
In an operation in the analog mode, the common terminal A of the first path select switch 131 is connected to the terminal B, and the common terminal D of the second path select switch 132 is connected to a terminal E, in accordance with a switch control signal from the controller 140. The terminal B of the first path select switch 131 is connected to a transmit signal input terminal of a duplexer 133, and the terminal E of the second path select switch 132 is connected to an antenna terminal of the duplexer 133. Therefore, in the case of the analog mode, a transmit signal input to the common terminal A of the first path select switch 131 is output via the duplexer 133 from the antenna 134.
Also in the case of the analog mode, a receive signal is received through the antenna 134 at the same time when a transmit signal is transmitted. The received signal is transferred via the common terminal D and the terminal E of the second path select switch 132 into the antenna terminal of the duplexer 133. The duplexer 133 extracts a required frequency from the received signal, separates the frequency signal from a transmit signal, and outputs the frequency signal through a received signal output terminal of the duplexer 133. The received signal output from the duplexer 133 is demodulated by an amplifier/demodulator 121 provided in the receiver 120, and the resultant signal is output as received data.
As described above, by switching the first path select switch 131 and the second path select switch 132 in accordance with a control signal from the controller 140, a signal channel including the duplexer 133 is selected in the case of the analog mode (full-duplex, i.e., a simultaneous transmission and reception operation), and a signal channel not including the duplexer 133 is selected in the case of the digital mode (half-duplex, i.e., an alternate transmission and reception operation).
Also, by controlling an operating point of the high frequency amplifier 111 in accordance with a gain control signal from the controller 140, the high frequency amplifier 111 is nonlinearly operated in the analog mode, and the high frequency amplifier 111 is linearly or quasi-linearly operated in the digital mode. Further, a gain of the high frequency amplifier 111 is adjusted in accordance with the gain control signal so as to prevent a power difference from occurring in a signal to be transmitted through the antenna 134, depending on the presence or absence of the duplexer 133.
However, the conventional exemplary wireless communications device has the following problems.
Firstly, the high frequency amplifier 111 is nonlinearly operated in the analog mode, and the high frequency amplifier 111 is linearly or quasi-linearly operated in the digital mode, so that it is difficult to maximize the power efficiency of the high frequency amplifier 111 in both the modes, i.e., the power efficiency of the high frequency amplifier 111 decreases in at least one of the modes.
Next, in the analog mode, a transmit signal from the high frequency amplifier 111 is attenuated when the transmit signal is passed through the duplexer 133. When an optimal size of the high frequency amplifier 111 is designed, taking into consideration the attenuation of a transmit signal in the duplexer 133, the power efficiency decreases in a digital mode in which there is not the attenuation of the transmit signal due to the duplexer 133.
Further, in a digital mode in which an amplitude-modulated component is included in a transmit signal, since the linearity of the high frequency amplifier 111 is important in terms of the characteristics of the modulation technique, the high frequency amplifier 111 needs to be operated in a region slightly below a saturated power point, so that the power efficiency further decreases.
In addition, not only when an analog mode and a digital mode coexist, but also when there are different digital modes, since required transmit power varies among the modes, it is considerably difficult to operate the high frequency amplifier 111 with maximum efficiency in all the modes.


An apparatus for pattern matching encoding includes a pattern extracting unit for extracting patterns in input binary or multi-level image data, an accumulating/match-checking unit for accumulating each extracted pattern and executing a match-check thereof with patterns that have been accumulated, a line segment checking unit for checking each pixel in the match pattern or the extracted pattern as to which line segment in directions the pixel is positioned on, and an encoding unit for encoding the extracted pattern by selecting a template having an optimum form according to the result of the line segment checking. The codes in pattern matching encoding are reduced, and the efficiency of code transmission and code accumulation is improved.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image data encoding system, and more particularly to a method and an apparatus for pattern matching encoding in which the number of codes can be reduced.
(2) Description of the Related Art
An example of the technique of the kind to which the present invention relates is disclosed under the title xe2x80x9cLossless and Lossy Compression of Test Images by Soft Pattern Matchingxe2x80x9d by Paul G. Howard (AT and T Bell Labs.) in ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 29/WGI N205, issued on Jun. 30, 1995, pp. 1-29).
The above technique is an effective encoding method mainly for binary image data including letter images, and adopts pattern matching for the encoding. In this method, patterns are extracted in small units, such as a letter or letters, from an image (the extracted images being hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cpatternsxe2x80x9d). The pattern extraction is made by a well-known method such as a boundary tracing method.
The extracted patterns are compared with letter image data (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9clibraryxe2x80x9d) having been preliminarily prepared and stored. When the same letter image as the pattern exists in the library, the library image is simultaneously referred to during the encoding of the pattern. The reference to the pattern and library is made at a region of pixels (a dozen or so) called a template. The region is shifted for the entire pattern (and library) to carry out sequential encoding.
The template adopts a form which has proven to be highly efficient through experiments. Even such a highly efficient template form, however, may not be optimum depending on the characteristics of the letter image, and in such a case the encoding efficiency is deteriorated.
Thus, in the prior art, when the encoding is carried out utilizing the pattern matching, the form that the template adopts cannot be optimum depending on the pattern characteristics thus resulting in unsatisfactory encoding efficiency.
An object of the present invention, therefore, is to overcome the problems existing in the prior art, and to provide a method and an apparatus for pattern matching encoding in which the number of codes can be reduced, thus improving the efficiency of code transmission and also the efficiency of code accumulation.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for pattern matching encoding of patterns in input binary or multi-level image data, the method comprising the steps of:
segment-checking as to which line segments in directions in an image a pixel being processed is positioned on; and
encoding by switching templates with optimum forms based on a result of the segment-checking such that efficiency of the encoding is enhanced.
More specifically, the method for pattern matching of the invention comprises:
a first step of extracting patterns from the image data supplied from an input terminal;
a second step of accumulating each extracted pattern and executing a match check thereof with patterns that have been accumulated;
a third step of checking, when a match pattern is found, for each pixel in the match pattern as to which line segments in directions the pixel is positioned on;
a fourth step of selecting an optimum template according to the line segment determined as a result of the segment checking; and
a fifth step of encoding the extracted pattern by an arithmetic encoding method with the selected template.
The step for checking the line segments may be made with respect to at least a horizontal line segment, a vertical line segment and a slanted line segment.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is also provided an apparatus for pattern matching encoding of patterns, comprising:
a pattern extracting unit for extracting patterns from input binary or multi-level image data;
an accumulating/match-checking unit for accumulating each extracted pattern and executing a match check thereof with patterns that have been accumulated;
a line segment checking unit for checking each pixel in the match pattern or the extracted pattern as to which line segment in directions the pixel is positioned on; and
an encoding unit for encoding the extracted pattern by selecting a template having an optimum form according to the result of the line segment checking.
In the above apparatus, the line segment check in the line segment checking unit may be made at least with respect to a horizontal line segment, a vertical line segment and a slanted line segment.
In the above apparatus, the encoding unit includes a first signal switching unit for sorting out match patterns, a second signal switching unit for sorting out extracted patterns, a plurality of template units corresponding to the horizontal, vertical and slanted line segments, and an arithmetic encoding unit. The first signal switching unit supplies the match pattern to either one of the template units according to the result of the line segment checking. The second signal switching unit supplies the extracted pattern to either one of the template units according to the result of the line segment checking. The template units output a template value by referring simultaneously to the match and extracted patterns. The arithmetic encoding unit arithmetically encodes the template value received from the template units and outputting code data.

Method and apparatus for pattern matching encoding


The present invention relates to a method of preparing a multilayer phosphor (film) product on a substrate. The method comprises adding solid particulate precursor to a solution of an alkoxide precursor and a dopant precursor before hydrolysis is allowed to occur. The mixture is then allowed to hydrolyze, resulting in a sol-gel condensation reaction. The solid particulate precursor can be fumed silica, and acts as a nucleation site for the sol-gel reaction product. After the sol-gel reaction, the mixture is dried and fired to form a multilayer phosphor (film). The phosphor film is especially suitable for applications in which there is low voltage operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to methods for preparing cathodoluminescent phosphors using a sol-gel condensation technique, as well as to products made from these methods. In particular, the present invention relates to methods for preparing cathodoluminescent phosphors (e.g., orthosilicate-based phosphors) exhibiting superior brightness and efficiency, making them especially suitable for low voltage operation in various applications such as flat panel displays, field emitter displays (FEDs), electroluminescent displays (ELDs), TVs, and the like.
2. Description of the Background Art
Phosphors in general comprise a wide band gap semiconductor matrix with homogeneously dispersed activator ions within. Currently accepted mechanisms of light output in cathodoluminescence phosphors, though not well understood, include electron-induced creation of excitons, which can result in photon emission through recombination of the holes and electrons. However, lattice defects, impurities, charge traps, etc. can impede the efficient recombination of these charge carriers, thus causing the nonradiative decay of the excited states. It is believed that the phosphor crystal structure should be as close to perfect as possible to achieve efficient emission of light.
Current commercially-available cathodoluminescent phosphors are made for high voltage (i.e., approximately 5-20 kV) applications. On information and belief, bright and efficient phosphors that are especially suited for low voltage operation (at or below about 1-6 kV, preferably 2-3 kV) do not exist in the prior art. Thus, it would be very desirable to provide cathodoluminescent phosphors having superior brightness and efficiency at low voltages (e.g., below about 2000 volts) for field emitter displays mainly due to the requirement of the very close proximity of the phosphor screen to the electron source (i.e., the field emitter arrays). Low bias voltages reduce the serious problems of electrical insulation breakdown and arcing.
Many conventional cathodoluminescent phosphors, such as those based on orthosilicates with grain sizes of a few micrometers, are prepared by mixing is micron-sized or larger precursor particles and firing at high temperatures to induce solid reactions. For example, to make green Mn-doped zinc-orthosilicate phosphors, particles of Mn-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) are mixed with SiO2 particles and fired at high temperatures to produce the phosphor compound Zn2SiO4:Mn via solid reaction. The objective of this conventional method would be to cause homogeneous fusion of the precursor components, uniform incorporation of the activator (or dopant) species, and good crystal structure formation. However, due to the slowness of solid fusion/reactions, especially between large particles, good homogeneity is not easily achieved. Lattice defects and even non-stoichiometrical components can result, leading to poor semiconductor electronic band structures, including gap states that can easily cause nonradiative decay. Furthermore, portions that have an activator (e.g., Mn) deficiency can be formed, contributing to a "dead layer" that gives no light output. Other portions can potentially have excess amounts of the activator species which can quench each other, resulting in decreased light output.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,985,176 to Rao discloses Mn2+-activated zinc orthosilicate phosphors having the empirical formula:Zn(2−x)MnxSiO4 wherein 0.005<×<0.15. The phosphors described in this patent are said to exhibit the properties of "improved brightness and decreased persistence" (column 3, lines 3-12) and are made by using the sol-gel process (column 3, lines 13-24 and column 5, line 7 to column 6, line 11). According to the patent, a high degree of homogeneity is achievable because the starting materials are mixed at the molecular level in a solution (column 3, lines 27-29). Unlike the present invention, however, this patent discloses the use of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) instead of a solid precursor.
Commonly-owned, copending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/398,947, filed on Aug. 2, 1998, which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes, discloses phosphor nanoscale powder prepared by forming a solution or slurry comprising phosphor precursors and then firing the solid residue of the solution or slurry. In Example I of the '947 application, a mixture of Zn and Mn(II) or Cu(II) precursors (e.g., zinc and manganese(II) acetates) is refluxed in ethanol to obtain a mixed solution of alkoxides/acetates of 1 wt.% Zn, with the amount of Mn being in the range of 1-4% with respect to the weight of Zn. The mixed alkoxide/acetate is then cooled and hydrolyzed with tetramethylammonium hydroxide to form a sol comprising of a suspension of mixed nanoparticles of metal oxides. After that, AEROSIL® fumed silica (7 nm in diameter, Degussa Corporation) is introduced into the sol to form a suspension of the particle precursors. Following ultrasonication, cooling, and drying, the resulting mixed gel is then pre-fired, cooled, ground, and fired. In contrast, in a typical embodiment of the present invention, a Zn-Mn alkoxide solution is first prepared from Zn and Mn alkoxide precursors without hydrolysis or forming particles. In fact, an inhibitor such as nitric acid is typically added to prevent premature (i.e., before introduction of the second precursor particles) precipitation of particles. The second precursor particles (e.g., fumed silica) are then added to the solution of the Zn-Mn alkoxide mixture, followed by induced precipitation of the first precursor by sol-gel condensation reaction, the precipitated first precursor being in intimate contact with and around the second precursor particles.

Method for preparing efficient low voltage multilayer phosphor films

The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


Color CRT having a rectangular panel with an outer surface with a radius of curvature greater than 30,000 mm, an inner surface with a fixed curvature, and a skirt extended substantially perpendicular to the inner and outer surfaces, and a funnel connected to a skirt seal edge part of the panel, to meet conditions of 0.18xe2x89xa6OAH/(USD/2)xe2x89xa60.29, where USD denotes a diagonal effective screen size of the panel, OAH denotes a distance from a center of an outer surface to an extension plane of a skirt seal edge part, OMH denotes a distance from an outer surface molded match line of the panel to the skirt seal edge part, and OSH denotes a distance from the outer surface molded match line of the panel to a skirt brake line, thereby reducing a panel weight compared to the same size of tube for the same effective screen size, that reduces weights of components, resulting to reduce a flat CRT weight in overall, and reduces thermal breakage in a furnace, by adjusting correlations of OAH, OMH, and OSH of an outer surface of a panel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flat color CRT, and more particularly, to a flat color CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), in which a flat panel structure is improved, for reducing breakage in a furnace during heat treatment and a weight thereof, to provide a flat color CRT having a weight lighter than CRTs of the same kind, a lower cost, and a shorter tube axis.
2. Background of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a section a related art color CRT schematically, provided with a panel 1, front glass, welded to a funnel 2, a rear glass, a fluorescent film on an inside surface of the panel 1 for emitting a light, an electron gun which is a source of electron beams 11 for emitting the fluorescent film, a shadow mask 3 for selecting a color so that a desired fluorescent film emits a light, and a main frame 5 for supporting the shadow mask 3.
There are springs 6 for fastening the main frame 5 having the shadow mask 3 fitted thereto to the panel, and an inner shield 7 fixed to the main frame 5 for shielding the CRT from an influence of an external geomagnetism, both of which are enclosed under a high vacuum.
The operation principle of the color CRT in FIG. 1 will be explained. The electron beams 11 emitted from the electron gun built in the funnel 2 are landed on the fluorescent film surface formed on an inside surface of the panel 1 by an anodic voltage applied to the CRT, when the electron beams are deflected in an up, down, left, or right direction, to form a picture.
Since the CRT is at a high vacuum, susceptible to implosion by an external impact, the panel 1 is designed to sustain the atmospheric pressure. Also, the panel 1 is strapped with a reinforcing band 12 at an outer surface of a skirt, for spreading stress to the CRT under the high vacuum, to secure an anti-impact performance.
The related art CRT is provided with the panel 1 and the funnel 2, with the electron gun inserted in a neck part of the funnel 2, which are sealed by evacuation. Under the high vacuum, a substantial tensile, or compression force is exerted on the panel 1 and the funnel 2, to cause an excessive tensile stress at a particular position of a screen of the panel 1.
Currently, it is a trend that the panel 1 is fabricated larger and flatter. FIGS. 2A and 2B respectively illustrate a form of the panel having curves at inside/outside surfaces thereof, and having almost no curve at an outside surface thereof, with a thicker, and heavier panel to cost higher and unfavorable as components, such as the panel, become larger.
FIG. 3 illustrates a flat type panel having no curvature at an outer surface thereof on the left, and a no flat type panel having curvatures at inside and outside surfaces thereof on the right, wherefrom it can be known that the flat type panel has a distance OMH from a molded match line to a seal edge line greater than the same of the no flat type on the right. Thus, the greater overall thickness of the related art flat type panel causes the panel to exceed a critical stress due to a difference of thermal expansion between inside and outside surfaces thereof coming from thermal conduction in a furnace.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a flat color CRT that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a flat color CRT, in which a structure of a panel is improved for reducing a ratio of damage of the color CRT in a furnace, and providing a lighter color CRT.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the color CRT having a rectangular panel with an outer surface with a radius of curvature greater than 30,000 mm, an inner surface with a fixed curvature, and a skirt extended substantially perpendicular to the inner and outer surfaces, and a funnel connected to a skirt seal edge part of the panel, to meet conditions of 0.18xe2x89xa6OAH/(USD/2)xe2x89xa60.29, where USD denotes a diagonal effective screen size of the panel, OAH denotes a distance from a center of an outer surface to an extension plane of a skirt seal edge part, OMH denotes a distance from an outer surface molded match line of the panel to the skirt seal edge part, and OSH denotes a distance from the outer surface molded match line of the panel to a skirt brake line, thereby reducing a panel weight compared to the same size of tube for the same effective screen size, that reduces weights of components, resulting to reduce a flat CRT weight in overall, and reduces thermal breakage in a furnace, by adjusting correlations of OAH, OMH, and OSH of an outer surface of a panel.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.


A method of fabricating complementary insulated gate field effect transistors of LOCOS (Local Oxide of Silicon) construction comprising the steps of selectively forming an SiO.sub.2 film on an N type semiconductor substrate, introducing P type impurities in the substrate through the substrate surface which is not covered with the SiO.sub.2 film so as to form a P type well region, selectively forming Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 films on the P type well region, introducing P type impurities in the P type well region through the region surface which is not covered with the Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 film to form a P.sup.+ type channel stopper, and selectively forming a field oxide film on the P.sup.+ type channel stopper by using the Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 film as the oxide mask. The method can also include steps for forming an N.sup.+ type channel stopper under the field oxide film.

The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a semiconductor device and, more particularly, to a method of fabricating a complementary insulated gate field effect transistor (referred to as CIGFET, hereinafter) of LOCOS (Local Oxide of Silicon) construction.
Semiconductor memory devices of LOCOS construction constituted by CIGFETs are well known. In such semiconductor memory circuit devices, a multiplicity of wiring layers are formed on a thick oxide film (referred to as the field oxide film, hereinafter) for isolation between transistors. The threshold voltage of the parasitic metal-insulator-semiconductor field effect transistor (referred to as the parasitic MISFET, hereinafter) formed with the gate constituted by these wiring layers is one of the most critical features which limit the operation voltage of the semiconductor memory circuit device. Namely, if the threshold voltage of the parasitic MISFET is low, it is necessary to use a low power supply voltage. Consequently, the use of the semiconductor device is undesirably limited.
It has been previously proposed, therefore, to form a channel stopper just beneath the field oxide film to increase the threshold voltage of the parasitic MISFET as in, for example, the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4,110,899. According to the technique disclosed in this Patent for forming the channel stopper, it is possible to partly make use of the mask (Si.sub.3 N.sub.4) for forming the field oxide film. Therefore, the technique disclosed in this prior Patent offers an advantage of higher density of integration than the conventional method for forming a channel stopper in an ordinary planar CMISFET. However, this technique requires steps of treatment with photoresist masks, for selectively forming channel stoppers of different conduction types on the substrate surface and on the well regions. Accordingly, the treatment with photoresist masks in turn requires a highly precise alignment of the masks. For these reasons, the process in accordance with the technique disclosed in the aforementioned Patent is undesirably complicated.

Method of fabricating a semiconductor device having channel stoppers


An additional function is provided to an otherwise conventional operating system for superimposing visibility windows on the GDT and the LDTs for the purpose of memory protection. In a first embodiment, the operating system is also provided with a first additional control logic for selectively invoking the visibility window function to impose visibility windows of different window sizes for different tasks. In a second embodiment, the operating system is provided with a second additional control logic for selectively invoking the visibility window function to impose visibility windows of different window sizes for different operating system functions. In a third embodiment, the operating system is provided with the first as well as the second additional control logic.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of computer systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to memory protection on these computer systems.
2. Background Information
Various techniques for protecting memory of computer systems from "unauthorized" usage by executing programs are known in the art. These protection techniques include restricting access to and/or operations that can be performed against certain parts of memory. For examples, executing programs may be denied access unless the executing programs are trustworthy such as supervisory programs, or executing programs may be prevented from performing write operations unless the targeted memory locations are "writeable". These access and operational controls may be implemented at the memory segment as well as memory page level.
Today, most modern computer systems including Intel Architecture based computer systems employ multiple memory protection schemes. One of the key element employed in Intel Architecture based computer system for providing memory protection is the Segment Descriptor Table, wherein segment protection attributes are stored in the segments' corresponding descriptors. Each Intel Architecture based computer system may include one global Segment Descriptor Table, known as GDT, and/or one or more local Segment Descriptor Tables, known as LDTs. The GDT is applicable to/shared by all tasks, whereas a LDT may be applicable to/used by only one task or applicable to/shared by multiple tasks also.
One particular problem of memory protection that is of particular interest is to shield certain segments of system memory from selected executing tasks or functions at selected times. For example, an operating system may want to make available certain memory segments having extra sensitive data to only selected trustworthy tasks at selected times. As a further example, an operating system may want to reserve certain memory segments for special usage under certain execution condition such as executing application in place, as described in the copending U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 08/394,619, filed contemporaneously, entitled Method and Apparatus for Executing Application In Place from ROM, Flash Memory and the like, or executing certain "highly sensitive" functions.
The typical prior art approach is to have the operating system zeroes out the corresponding descriptors of these memory segments in the applicable GDT/LDT(s) (and "set them aside" if they are to be reserved for special use). In the case of "exclusive" LDTs (i.e. one LDT per task), the same segment selector may be included in multiple LDTs, therefore multiple zeroed out operations would have to be performed. In the case of the GDT and a LDT shared by multiple tasks, the zeroing out of the segment descriptors has to be performed each time an "untrusted" task is switched in, and the zeroed out segment descriptors have to be restored either when the "untrusted" task is switched out or when the next "trusted" task is switched in. In either case, if visibility is to be different for functions of different trustworthiness, similar zeroing out and restoration operations would have to be performed each time the trustworthiness of the "current" function changes.
Typically, a fixed overhead cost of 12 clock cycles and a variable cost of 3 clock cycles per segment descriptor are required each time a block of segment descriptors in the GDT or a LDT have to be zeroed out. Since, zeroing out of segment descriptors have to be performed multiple times or repetitively, this prior art approach of selectively shielding certain segments of system memory from executing tasks/functions is costly and inefficient. Thus, a less costly or more efficient approach is desirable. As will be disclosed in more detail below, the method and apparatus of the present invention achieves these and other desired results.

Method and apparatus for protecting memory with variable visibility of segment descriptor tables


An organic light-emitting device is provided, which increases the proportion of available light as much as possible and which produces higher brightness with less input power. The light-emitting device comprises: (a) a base having a surface; (b) a first electrode and a second electrode formed on the surface of the base; the first and second electrodes being located to be opposite to each other; (c) a light-emitting material layer located between the first and second electrodes; the light-emitting material layer having a first part and a second part; the first part being inclined with respect to the surface of the base at an inclination angle within a range from 45xc2x0 to 90xc2x0; the second part being approximately parallel to the surface of the base; and (d) a carrier-blocking layer formed between the first electrode and the second part of the light-emitting material layer; the carrier-blocking layer having a function of blocking carriers emitted from the first electrode into the light-emitting material layer. The first part of the light-emitting material layer forms as a light-emitting region while the second part of the light-omitting material layer forms a non-light-emitting region. The output light is emitted from the light-emitting material layer by way of the base or the second electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an organic light-emitting device. More particularly, the invention relates to an organic light-emitting device having a light-emitting element comprising a pair of electrodes and an organic light-emitting material layer sandwiched by the electrodes. This device is applicable to various types of display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electro-Luminescence (EL) elements are one of the types of light-emitting elements designed for display devices EL elements are divided into two types, xe2x80x9corganic EL elementsxe2x80x9d using an organic material layer as the light-emitting layer and xe2x80x9cinorganic EL elementsxe2x80x9d using an inorganic material layer as the light-emitting layer.
The basic configuration of organic EL elements comprises an anode, a cathode, and a thin, layer-shaped organic EL structure made of an organic light-emitting (i.e., electro-luminescent, EL) compound or compounds sandwiched by the anode and the cathode. If a proper voltage is applied across the anode and cathode, holes are injected from the anode into the organic EL structure and at the same time, electrons are injected from the cathode into the same structure, resulting in recombination of the holes and electrons. Due to the energy generated by the recombination, the molecules of the material that forms the EL layer are excited. These molecules thus excited will be returned to their energetic ground states, in other words, deactivated. During this deactivation process, a light-emitting (i.e., EL) phenomenon will occur. The above-described organic EL elements utilize this phenomenon.
The organic EL structure comprises an organic layer termed the xe2x80x9clight-emitting layerxe2x80x9d that emits light using the recombination of holes and electrons. If necessary, an organic layer termed the xe2x80x9chole-transportation layerxe2x80x9d and/or an organic layer termed the xe2x80x9celectron-transportation layerxe2x80x9d are additionally provided. The xe2x80x9chole-transportation layerxe2x80x9d has a property that injection of holes is easy while transportation of electrons is difficult. The xe2x80x9celectron-transportation layerxe2x80x9d has a property that injection of electron is easy while transportation of holes is difficult.
Thus, if the El structure comprises only the light-emitting layer, it has a single-layer structure. If the EL structure comprises at least one of the hole-transportation layer and the electron-transportation layer along with the light-emitting layer, it has a multi-layer (i.e., two- or three-layer) structure.
In recent years, organic EL elements have been vigorously researched and they are on the way to put them into practice. These prior-art organic EL elements have the basic configuration comprising a transparent electrode (i.e., a hole-injection electrode, anode), a thin hole-injection material layer formed on the transparent electrode, a light-emitting layer formed on the hole-injection material layer, and a metal electrode (i.e., an electron-injection electrode, cathode). The transparent electrode for hole injection (i.e., anode) is made of an indium sin oxide (ITO) or she like. The hole-injection material layer is made of triphenyl diamine (TPD) or the like, which is formed by evaporation. The light-emitting layer is made of a fluorescent material, such as an aluminum quinolinol complex (Alq3). The metal electrode for electron injection (i.e., cathode) is made of a metal having a low work function, such as AgMg.
These prior-art organic EL elements afford us very high brightness of several hundreds cd/m2 to several hundreds thousands cd/m2 as a voltage of approximately 10 V. Therefore, they have been drawing our attention because of their application fields, such as lighting, light sources, display devices for so-called OA (office automation) instruments, household electrical appliances, automobiles, motorcycles, and airplanes.
For example, the prior-art EL elements designed for these application fields have the configuration that the organic layers (e.g., the light-emitting or EL layer) are sandwiched by the scan electrodes (i.e., common line electrodes) serving as the electron-injection electrodes and the data electrodes (i.e., segment line electrodes) serving as the hole-injection (transparent) electrodes. The organic layers and the scan and data electrodes are located on a transparent substrate, such as a glass plate.
The display devices including the light-emitting elements are divided into two groups, the xe2x80x9cmatrix typexe2x80x9d and the xe2x80x9csegment typexe2x80x9d. With the xe2x80x9cmatrix typexe2x80x9d, the light-emitting elements, which are arranged in the form of a matrix, are driven by the scan and data electrodes to form a dot matrix on the display screen. Desired information, such as images and/or characters, is displayed on the screen as a set of the dots. On the other hand, with the xe2x80x9csegment typexe2x80x9d, a set of display segments is prepared in advance. These segments are separately formed in the screen, each of which has a predetermined shape and size. Desired information is displayed on the screen as a combination of the segments.
With the segment-type display devices, each of the display segments may be driven separately from each other. Unlike this, with the matrix-type display devices, the dynamic drive method has been adopted in such a way that the scan lines and the data lines are driven in the time-division manner.
The configuration of the light-emitting device comprising the light-emitting element is divided into two types, i.e., the xe2x80x9csubstrate-surface-emissionxe2x80x9d type and the layer-surface-emissionxe2x80x9d type.
With the xe2x80x9csubstrate-surface-emissionxe2x80x9d type, the four-layer structure made of the transparent substrate, the transparent electrode (i.e., the hole-injection electrode or anode), the light-emitting layer, and the metal electrode (i.e., the electron-injection electrode or cathode) formed in this order is used. The light generated in the light-emitting layer is emitted to the outside from the surface of the substrate by way of the transparent electrode and the transparent substrate. An example of this type is disclosed in the paper, Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 51, No. 12, Sep. 21, 1987, pp. 913-915.
On the other hand, with the xe2x80x9clayer-surface-emissionxe2x80x9d type, the four-layer structure made of the substrate, the metal electrode (i.e., the electron-injection electrode or cathode), the light-emitting layer, and the transparent electrode (i.e., the hole-injection electrode or anode) formed in this order is used. The light generated in the light-emitting layer is emitted to the outside from the opposite surface of the transparent electrode to the substrate by way of the transparent electrode. An example of this type is disclosed in the paper, Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 65, No. 21, Nov. 21, 1994, pp. 2636-2638.
A typical configuration of the prior-art organic light-emitting devices of this type is shown in FIG. 1.
The light-emitting device of FIG. 1 comprises a light-emitting element 100 formed on a transparent substrate 105. The substrate 105 is formed by a transparent plate. A current-supplying element 102 is connected to the element 100 to supply an electric current to the element 100. A switching element 101 is connected to the element 102.
Typically, although not shown here, the light-emitting element 100 has a five-layer structure made of a transparent electrode (i.e., a hole-injection electrode or anode), a hole-injection layer, a light-emitting layer, an electron-transportation layer, and a metal electrode (i.e., an electron-injection layer or cathode) stacked on the substrate 105 in this order. The transparent electrode is the nearest to the substrate 105. As each of the current-supplying element 102 and the switching element 101, a Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) of the Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (MOS) type is typically used.
With the prior-art light-emitting device of FIG. 1, the light emitted from the light-emitting layer of the light-emitting element 100 travels vertically through the substrate 105 to its surface 106. Since the refractive index of the substrate 105 is greater than that of the air, the component of the light whose incident angle is equal to the critical angle or greater is unable to go to the outside of the substrate 105. This means that this component will be unavailable light 104 due to total internal reflection. On the other hand, the component of the light whose incident angle is less than the critical angle is able to go to the outside of the substrate 105. This means that this component will be available light 103.
For this reason, the prior-art device of FIG. 1 has a high proportion of loss of light and thus, the obtainable ratio of the output light to the input power is as low as approximately 20%. As a result, if proper brightness is ensured as desired, there arises a problem that the power consumption increases and at the same time, the device lifetime decreases. Conversely, if power consumption is lowered, there arises another problem that desired brightness is not obtainable.
The above explanation relates to the prior-art organic light-emitting device of the substrate-surface-emission type. With the prior-art organic light-emitting device of the layer-surface-emission type, a similar problem will occur, because a silicon oxide layer or a silicon nitride layer is usually used as the surface protection layer.
Similar techniques to the invention are disclosed in the Japanese Patent No. 2692671 issued on Sep. 5, 1997, the Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication No. 10-183243 published on Jul. 21, 1998, and the Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication No. 11-214162 published on Aug. 6, 1999.
The Japanese Patent No. 2692671 discloses the structure of a resonator-type organic thin-film EL element. In this structure, a depression is formed in the transparent substrate. The light-emitting section is located in the depression of the substrate. However, with this structure, a desired directionality is given to the light to be emitted. Therefore, this structure is quite different from the structure of the invention.
The Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication No. 10-189243 discloses the structure of an EL display device. This device comprises a lower electrode, a lower insulating layer, a light-emitting layer, an upper insulating layer, and an upper electrode stacked on a main surface of a substrate. Tapered depressions are formed on the main surface of the substrate. The interface between the lower electrode and the lower insulating layer, the interface between the lower insulating layer and the light-emitting layer, the interface between the light-emitting layer and the upper insulating layer, and the interface between the upper insulating layer and the an upper electrode are formed to be parallel to the tapered surface of the depression.
With the structure of the Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication No. 10-19243, however, the depressions need to be formed in advance and thus, there is a difficulty in the fabrication processes. Moreover, since the lower insulating layer is formed between the lower electrode and the light-emitting layer and at the same lime, the upper insulating layer is formed between the upper electrode and the light-emitting layer, there is a problem that the injection efficiencies of electrons and holes into the light-emitting layer degrade, and that the fabrication cost rises.
The Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication No. 11-214162 discloses the structure of an organic EL element, which comprises at least one thin organic layer located between a pair of opposing electrodes. Minute protrusions are formed on one of the electrodes located at the emission side of the element while minute depressions are formed on the other electrode corresponding to the respective protrusions.
With the structure of the Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication No. 11-214162, however, no explanation about the inclination angle of the minute protrusions is disclosed. Moreover, the light generated in the organic layer is taken out of the element by way of at least one of the electrodes. Therefore, there is the need to form the electrode or electrodes through which the light is taken out with a material having high transmittance of light. This means that there is a disadvantage that the type of applicable materials for the electrodes is limited.
The invention was created to solve the problems or disadvantages of the above-described prior-art structures and to raise the output efficiency of light more.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an organic light-emitting device that increases the proportion of available light as much as possible.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an organic light-emitting device that produces higher brightness with less input power.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an organic light-emitting device that prevents the total internal reflection effectively at the interface between the device and the air, thereby raising the light-outputting efficiency.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an organic light-emitting device that suppresses its inner absorption of light to thereby improve the utilization efficiency of light.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an organic light-emitting device that suppresses unavailable emission of light to thereby improve the light-emitting efficiency of the light-emitting element.
The above objects together with others not specifically mentioned will become clear to those skilled in the art from the following description.
According to a first aspect of the invention, an organic light-emitting device is provided. This device comprises:
(a) a base having a surface;
(b) a first electrode and a second electrode formed on the surface of the base;
the first and second electrodes being located to be opposite to each other;
(c) a light-emitting material layer located between the first and second electrodes;
the light-emitting material layer having a first part and a second part;
the first part being inclined with respect to the surface of the base at an inclination angle within a range from 45xc2x0 to 90xc2x0;
the second part being approximately parallel to the surface of the base; and
(d) a carrier-blocking layer formed between the first electrode and the second part of the light-emitting material layer;
the carrier-blocking layer having a function of blocking carriers emitted from the first electrode into the light-emitting material layer;
wherein the first part of the light-emitting material layer forms as a light-emitting region while the second part of the light-emitting material layer forms a non-light-emitting region due to the function of the carrier-blocking layer;
and wherein output light is emitted from the light-emitting region of the light-emitting material layer.
With the organic light-emitting device according to the first aspect of the invention, the carrier-blocking layer is formed between the first electrode and the second part of the light-emitting material layer, where the second part is approximately parallel to the surface of the base. The first part of the light-emitting material layer, which is inclined to the surface of the base at the inclination angle within the range from 45xc2x0 to 90xc2x0, serves as the light-emitting region and at the same time, the second part of the light-emitting material layer serves as the non-light-emitting region.
Thus, the output light is emitted from only the light-emitting region of the light-emitting material layer. This means that the output light penetrates the interface between the base and the outside air (or, the interface between the second electrode and the outside air) at smaller incident angles than the prior-art device.
Therefore, if the output light is emitted to the outside by way of the base, internal total reflection in the base is effectively suppressed. If the output light is emitted to the outside by way of the second electrode, internal total reflection in the second electrode is effectively suppressed.
As a result, unavailable light is effectively decreased and thus, the proportion of available light is increased as much as possible. In other words, unavailable emission of light is suppressed to thereby improve the light-outputting efficiency.
Furthermore, due to the raised light-outputting efficiency, higher brightness can be produced with less input power.
According to a second aspect of the invention, another organic light-emitting device is provided. This device comprises:
(a) a base having a surface;
(b) a first electrode and a second electrode formed on the surface of the base;
the first and second electrodes being located approximately to be opposite to each other;
(c) a light-emitting material layer located between the first and second electrodes;
the light-emitting material layer having a first part inclined with respect to the surface of the base at an inclination angle within a range from 45xc2x0 to 90xc2x0; and
(d) a carrier-blocking layer formed between the first electrode and the second electrode;
the carrier-blocking layer having a function of blocking carriers emitted from the first electrode into the light-emitting material layer;
wherein the first part of the light-emitting material layer forms a light-emitting region while the carrier-blocking layer forms a non-light-emitting region;
and wherein output light is emitted from the light-emitting region of the light-emitting material layer.
With the organic light-emitting device according to the second aspect of the invention, the first part of the light-emitting material layer forms a light-emitting region while the carrier-blocking layer forms a non-light-emitting region. Thus, there are the same advantages as those of the device according to the first aspect.
According to a third aspect of the invention, a still another organic light-emitting device is provided. This device comprises:
(a) a base having a surface;
(b) a first electrode formed on the surface of the base;
the first electrode having an approximately rectangular or trapezoidal cross section perpendicular to the surface of the base;
the first electrode being elongated to extend along the surface of the base;
the first electrode having a top face opposite to the surface of the base and a pair of side faces located on opposite sides of the first electrode;
(c) a carrier-blocking layer formed to contact the top face of the first electrode;
the carrier-blocking layer having a function of blocking carriers emitted from the first electrode;
(d) a light-emitting material layer formed to extend along the first electrode in such a way as to contact the pair of side faces of the first electrode and the carrier-blocking layer; and
(e) a second electrode formed on the light-emitting layer;
wherein a first part of the light-emitting material layer that contacts the carrier-blocking layer forms as a non-light-emitting region while a second part of the light-emitting material layer that contacts the light-emitting material layer forms a light-emitting region;
and wherein output light is emitted from the light-emitting region of the light-emitting material layer.
With the organic light-emitting device according to the third aspect of the invention, because of substantially the same reason as the device of the first aspect, there are the same advantages as those of the device according to the first aspect are obtainable.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a further organic light-emitting device is provided. This device comprises:
(a) a base having a surface;
(b) a first electrode formed on the surface of the base;
the first electrode having an approximately rectangular or trapezoidal cross section perpendicular to the surface of the base;
the first electrode being elongated to extend along the surface of the base;
the first electrode having a top face opposite to the surface of the base and a pair of side faces located on opposite sides of the first electrode;
(c) a carrier-blocking layer formed to contact the top face of the first electrode;
the carrier-blocking layer having a function of blocking carriers emitted from the first electrode;
(d) a light-emitting material layer formed to extend along the first electrode in such a way as to contact the pair of side faces of the first electrode and the carrier-blocking layer; and
(e) a second electrode formed on the light-emitting material layer;
wherein a first part of the light-emitting material layer that contacts the carrier-blocking layer forms as a non-light-emitting region while a second part of the light-emitting material layer that contacts the light-emitting material layer forms a light-emitting region;
and wherein output light is emitted from the light-emitting region of the light-emitting material layer.
With the organic light-emitting device according to the fourth aspect of the invention, because of substantially the same reason as the device of the second aspect, there are the same advantages as those of the device according to the first aspect are obtainable.


A display device includes a first substrate having a display area and a non-display area around the display area, a seal pattern in the non-display area and offset from the display area, and one or more buffer patterns between the seal pattern and the display area and having a viscosity of 5000 cps to 50000 cps.

1. Field
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a display device and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Display devices have increasingly become important as a result of developments in multimedia technology. Accordingly, various types of display devices such as liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, organic light-emitting display devices, and the like have been used.
The organic light-emitting display device includes a hole injection electrode, an electron injection electrode, and an organic light-emitting layer formed between the hole injection electrode and the electron injection electrode. The organic light-emitting display device is a type of self-emissive display device that generates light in response to excitons, formed by the combination of holes injected from the hole injection electrode and electrons injected from the electron injection electrode, falling from an excited state to a ground state.
Because the organic light-emitting display device, which is a self-emissive display device, does not need a light source, the organic light-emitting display device can be driven at a low voltage, can be fabricated as a thin, light-weighted display device, and has many high-quality properties such as a wide viewing angle, high contrast ratio, and high response speed. Accordingly, the organic light-emitting display device has long been considered as a next-generation display device.