A plastic land-grid array package, a ball-grid array package, and a plastic leaded package for micromechanical components are fabricated by a molding process characterized by lining the cavity surfaces of the top and bottom mold halves with a protective plastic film, which also protects the surfaces of the components during the molding phase, selectively encapsulating the bonding pads and coupling members of the chip while leaving empty space above the components, and attaching a lid over the components. A molding method as well as a molding apparatus are provided compatible with the sensitivity of the micromechanical devices, yet flexible with regard to the technique used to assemble the chip and the substrate. Furthermore, the method disclosed is flexible with regard to the material and the properties of the substrate. It is an aspect of the present invention to be applicable to a variety of different semiconductor micromechanical devices, for instance actuators, motors, sensors, spatial light modulators, and deformable mirror devices. In all applications, the invention achieves technical advantages as well as significant cost reduction and yield increase.

The present invention is related in general to the field of semiconductor devices and processes and more specifically to the fabrication of a molded package suitable generally for micromechanical devices and specifically for digital mirror devices.
Micromechanical devices include actuators, motors, sensors, spatial light modulators (SLM), digital micromirror devices or deformable mirror devices (DMD), and others. The technical potential of these devices is especially evident when the devices are integrated with semiconductor circuitry using the miniaturization capability of semiconductor technology.
SLMs are transducers that modulate incident light in a special pattern pursuant to an electrical or other input. The incident light may be modulated in phase, intensity, polarization or direction. SLMs of the deformable mirror class include micromechanical arrays of electronically addressable mirror elements or pixels, which are selectively movable or deformable. Each mirror element is movable in response to an electrical input to an integrated addressing circuit formed monolithically with the addressable mirror elements in a common substrate. Incident light is modulated in direction and/or phase by reflection from each element.
As set forth in greater detail in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,049, issued on Oct. 29, 1991 (Hornbeck, xe2x80x9cSpatial Light Modulator and Methodxe2x80x9d), deformable mirror SLMs are often referred to as DMDs in three general categories: elastomeric, membrane, and beam. The latter category includes torsion beam DMDs, cantilever beam DMDs, and flexure beam DMDs. Each movable mirror element of all three types of beam DMD includes a relatively thick metal reflector supported in a normal, undeflected position by an integral, relatively thin metal beam. In the normal position, the reflector is spaced from a substrate-supported, underlying control electrode, which may have a voltage selectively impressed thereon by the addressing circuit.
When the control electrode carries an appropriate voltage, the reflector is electrostatically attracted thereto and moves or is deflected out of the normal position toward the control electrode and the substrate. Such movement or deflection of the reflector causes deformation of its supporting beam storing therein potential energy which tends to return the reflector to its normal position when the control electrode is de-energized. The deformation of a cantilever beam comprises bending about an axis normal to the beam""s axis. The deformation of a torsion beam comprises deformation by twisting about an axis parallel to the beam""s axis. The deformation of a flexure beam, which is a relatively long cantilever beam connected to the reflector by a relatively short torsion beam, comprises both types of deformation, permitting the reflector to move in piston-like fashion.
A typical DMD includes an array of numerous pixels, the reflectors of each of which are selectively positioned to reflect or not to reflect light to a desired site. In order to avoid an accidental engagement of a reflector and its control electrode, a landing electrode may be added for each reflector. It has been found, though, that a deflected reflector will sometimes stick or adhere to its landing electrode. It has been postulated that such sticking is caused by intermolecular attraction between the reflector and the landing electrode or by high surface energy substances adsorbed on the surface of the landing electrode and/or on the portion of the reflector which contacts the landing electrode. Substances which may impart such high surface energy to the reflector-landing electrode interface include water vapor or other ambient gases (e.g., carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen) and gases and organic components resulting from or left behind following production of the DMD. A suitable DMD package is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,511 issued on Mar. 8, 1994 (Poradish et al., xe2x80x9cPackage for a Semiconductor Devicexe2x80x9d).
Sticking of the reflector to the landing electrode has been overcome by applying selected numbers, durations, shapes and magnitudes of voltage pulses to the control electrode. Detail can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,279, issued on Mar. 17, 1992 (Hornbeck et al., xe2x80x9cSpatial Light Modulator and Methodxe2x80x9d). Further improvement of the sticking problem is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,454, issued on Jul. 19, 1994 (Hornbeck, xe2x80x9cLow Reset Voltage Process for DMDxe2x80x9d). This patent describes a technique for passivating or lubricating the portion of the landing electrode engaged by the deformed reflector, and/or the portion of the deformed reflector which engages the landing electrode. Passivation is effected by lowering the surface energy of the landing electrode and/or the reflector, which is, in turn, effected by chemically vapor-depositing on the engageable surfaces a monolayer of a long-chain aliphatic halogenated polar compound, such as perfluoroalkyl acid. Objects do not easily, if at all, stick or adhere to low energy surfaces, which are also usually expected to be resistant to sorption thereonto of high surface-energy imparting substances such as water vapor.
Refinements of the passivation method are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,785, issued on Aug. 17, 1999 (Klonis et al., xe2x80x9cMicromechanical Device including Time-release Passivantxe2x80x9d), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,936,758, issued on Aug. 10, 1999 (Fisher et al., xe2x80x9cMethod of Passivating a Micromechanical Device within a Hermetic Packagexe2x80x9d). The method an enclosed source time-releasing a passivant, preferably a molecular sieve or binder impregnated with the passivant. Further, the method is placing a predetermined quantity of the passivant in the package just after device activation, and is then immediately welding a hermetic lid (free of passivant during the welding process) to the package.
Today""s overall package structure for micromechanical devices and method of fabrication is expensive. This fact is in conflict with the market requirements for many applications of micromechanical devices, which put a premium at low device cost and, therefore, low package cost. The state of the art has been advanced by a recent U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/760,517 entitled xe2x80x9cMolded Package for Micromechanical Devices and Method of Fabricationxe2x80x9d), to which the present invention is related. In that patent application, transfer molding technology is used to produce a low cost package for micromechanical devices, while the surfaces of the micromechanical components are covered by a sheet-like protector during the molding process. This protective cover may be made of water-soluble polyimide. Its application and removal exhibit manufacturing difficulties.
A challenge has now arisen to conceive device structures, fabrication method and equipment features for a low-cost encapsulation technology of micromechanical devices, which provides the molding in thin, chip-scale packages without the need of additional protective cover of the component surfaces. Preferably, this concept should be based on fundamental design solutions flexible enough to be applied for different micromechanical product families and a wide spectrum of design, material and process variations. Manufacturing should be low cost and the devices stable and reliable. Preferably, these innovations should be accomplished while shortening production cycle time and increasing throughput.
According to the present invention, a plastic land-grid array package, a ball-grid array package, and a plastic leaded package for micromechanical components are fabricated by a molding process characterized by lining the cavity surfaces of the top and bottom mold halves with a protective plastic film, which also protects the surfaces of the components during the molding phase, selectively encapsulating the bonding pads and coupling members of the chip while leaving empty space above the components, and attaching a lid over the components. A molding method as well as a molding apparatus are provided compatible with the sensitivity of the micromechanical devices, yet flexible with regard to the technique used to assemble the chip and the substrate. Furthermore, the method disclosed is flexible with regard to the material and the properties of the substrate.
It is an aspect of the present invention to be applicable to a variety of different semiconductor micromechanical devices, for instance actuators, motors, sensors, spatial light modulators, and deformable mirror devices. In all applications, the invention achieves technical advantages as well as significant cost reduction and yield increase.
In a key embodiment of the invention, the micromechanical components are micromirrors for a digital mirror device. In this case, the lid is a plate made of glass or any other material transparent to light. It is another aspect of the present invention to modify the transfer molding technique so that it becomes applicable to encapsulating micromechanical devices and concurrently protects the micromechanical components during the total process (for example against dust and released chemicals), resulting in significantly higher manufacturing yield and enhanced device quality and reliability. Specially developed encapsulation materials of low viscosity and high adhesion can be used.
Another aspect of the invention is to completely embed all sensitive interconnection means (such as bonding wires, ribbons, or solder) in the molded material.
Another aspect of the invention is be applicable to a wide variety of substrates, made either of stiff or of flexible material, such as polymer-based boards or plastic films having multi-level metallization.
Another aspect of the invention is to provide the technology needed for mass-fabricating micromechanical devices in chip-scale or even chip-size packagesxe2x80x94a necessity for many product applications in miniaturized configurations.
Another aspect of the invention is to provide ultra-thin devices free of any voids in the molded portions, and having unusually flat surfaces and high luster. The invention solves these needs by modifying the xe2x80x9c3-Pxe2x80x9d molding technique with its film-protected mold surfaces.
As side benefits of using the xe2x80x9c3-Pxe2x80x9d technology, the pre-assembled devices are protected against contamination and chip cracking, and the mold system avoids down-time and cost due to customary routine cleaning requirements.
Another aspect of the invention is to be applicable to batch processing, including mold chases with multiple cavities, and to easy methods for singulating, trimming and forming the devices.
Another aspect of the invention is to provide flexibility of the package structure relative to the geometry (contour and area) of the semiconductor chip containing the plurality of micromechanical components.
Another aspect of the invention is to employ the precision machining capabilities of today""s mold chase manufacturers in order to obtain the flatness of the molded parts, enabling a lid (for example, glass plate) attachment in a plane parallel to the plane of the plurality of micromechanical components.
These aspects have been achieved by the teachings the invention concerning structure, methods and apparatus suitable for mass production. Various modifications have been employed for the assembly of the semiconductor chips, the design and material of the substrates, and the method of fabrication.
In the first embodiment of the invention, the coupling members connecting the chip bonding pads to the substrate routing line are made of bonding wires or ribbons.
In the second embodiment of the invention, the coupling members connecting the chip bonding pads to the substrate routing lines are made of solder, supplied generally in shapes of balls or bumps.
In the third embodiment of the invention, the substrate is a flexible plastic film having multi-level metal interconnections. The substrate further has terminals for attaching solder balls as means for connecting to external parts.
In the fourth embodiment of the invention, the substrate is a metallic leadframe, which has its external leads trimmed and formed at the end of the assembly and packaging process in order to comply with customer specifications.
The technical advances represented by the invention, as well as the aspects thereof, will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the novel features set forth in the appended claims.

Method of fabricating a molded package for micromechanical devices


A hydrous silica gel is dehydrated by freezing, thawing, and removing water separated by thawing, thereby yielding silica particles. In addition, the silica particles thus formed is washed and fired, thereby producing a synthetic quartz glass power.

Quartz glasses are roughly categorized into two groups in accordance with the raw materials therefor, that is, a natural quartz glass which is produced by steps of pulverizing a natural raw material, purification, and melting, and a synthetic quartz glass which is produced from a liquid silicon compound.
Although a natural quartz glass is inexpensive, the impurity content thereof is generally high, and in addition, the quality thereof is not stable. Accordingly, when a natural quartz glass is used as a raw material for forming heat treatment members for semiconductors, crucibles for pulling semiconductor single crystals, optical members, and the like, a high-purity natural quartz glass that is severely selected has been used; however, the impurity content thereof has still been high.
Accordingly, although a natural quartz has been used as a raw material for quartz for long years, due to variation in impurity, depletion of natural resources, environmental pollution caused by development, and the like, a synthetic quartz has been used in recent years.
Heretofore, since a synthetic quartz powder has been formed by using tetramethoxysilane, tetraethoxysilane, silicon tetrachloride, and the like, the synthetic quartz powder is highly pure but is expensive. Accordingly, when a synthetic quartz glass is formed by using the synthetic quartz powder, the manufacturing cost is increased; hence, the synthetic quartz powder has not been suitably applied to industrial uses.
On the other hand, movement towards higher integration density of semiconductor products has been in progress, and in particular, a high-purity synthetic quartz glass containing impurities at a significantly low content has been in demand for use in forming crucible members for pulling semiconductor single crystals. Due to the demand described above, attempts have been made to produce a high-purity synthetic quartz glass powder at a low cost, and methods using an inexpensive water glass as a raw material have been disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 59-54632, 4-349126, and 11-11929.
However, according to the methods disclosed in the above publications, since a hydrous silica gel is first obtained from a water glass, and silica, which is used as a direct raw material for producing a quartz glass, is then obtained by heating the hydrous silica thus formed for dehydration in order to remove water contained therein, the methods described above are not suitably applied to industrial uses in view of energy cost. In addition, since a small amount of water-soluble impurities contained in an aqueous phase is condensed by heating for dehydration, a washing step or the like must be sufficiently performed, and in this point of view, the methods described above are also not suitably applied to industrial uses. Furthermore, minor heavy metals contained in a synthetic quartz powder produced by the above methods cannot sufficiently be removed, and in particular, titanium cannot sufficiently be removed.
As other methods for producing a synthetic quartz glass, a method comprising hydrolyzing an alkoxysilane for gelation, decarbonizing, and subsequently firing at 1,200° C. or more has been disclosed by S. Sakka in "Treatise on Materials Science and Technology", No. 22, and a method which comprises forming silica from an alkali silicate and then firing has been disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-11931.
However, the silica described above contains relatively a large number of OH groups (silanol groups), and the number of the silanol groups cannot significantly be reduced by firing. When a quartz glass obtained from the silica containing silanol groups as described above is used as a raw material to produce crucibles for pulling semiconductor single crystals or the like, there have been practical problems in that bubbles are generated or the viscosity is decreased when the quartz glass is melted.
Accordingly, as a method for removing silanol groups from silica particles, a technique using the diffusion of silanol groups by holding silica particles in a dehumidified atmosphere at 1,220° C. for 50 hours has been disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-26741. However, since being performed by heat treatment for a long period of time, this method is not suitably applied to industrial uses, and in addition, there has been a problem in that silica particles are devitrified (crystallized).
In addition, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2-289416, a method for removing silanol groups by holding a raw material at 600 to 1,000° C. has been described; however, firing for a long period of time must be performed to sufficiently decrease the content of the silanol groups.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for dehydrating a hydrous silica gel, which method can be suitably applied to industrial uses in view of energy cost, and to provide a method for producing a high-purity synthetic quartz glass powder, which method can be suitably applied to industrial uses in view of energy cost.
In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a high-purity synthetic quartz powder, in which a high-synthetic quartz powder containing an extremely small amount of titanium can be obtained even when a water glass, which is inexpensive, is used as a raw material.
Furthermore, still another object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a quartz glass, in which a high-purity quartz glass containing an extremely small amount of silanol groups can be efficiently obtained.

Abstract: A water glass is dealkalized, an oxidizing agent and an acid are added, the mixture thus formed is passed through a hydrogen type cation exchange resin, the aqueous silica solution thus formed is then gelled, and the gelled material is then washed and fired, thereby producing a synthetic quartz powder.

Abstract: Silica is sequentially held for a predetermined time at each temperature range of 150 to 400° C., 500 to 700° C., and 1,100 to 1,300° C., thereby producing a quartz glass.


A tomosynthesis apparatus has an x-ray source that generates an x-ray beam emanating from a focus, which is received by a flat panel detector. To set a tomosynthesis angle, the position of the central axis of the x-ray beam of the x-ray source is variable. A collimator diaphragm has a diaphragm aperture that limits the expansion of the x-ray beam at the location of the flat panel detector. The collimator diaphragm is arranged in the beam path between the focus and the flat panel detector. The shape and size of the diaphragm aperture are dynamically varied (adjusted) dependent on the changing tomosynthesis angle, such that the expansion of the x-ray beam at the location of the flat panel detector always essentially corresponds to the detector dimensions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a tomosynthesis apparatus as well as a method to operate a tomosynthesis apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Tomosynthesis is an x-ray-based 3D imaging method which is particularly suitable for use in mammography. Through continuous development it is sought to generate x-ray images with high significance in order to differentiate benign variations from malignant variations and to reduce the number of incorrect findings, i.e. the number of suspicious findings that are caused by non-malignant variations and the number of undiscovered malignant tumors.
An example of a tomosynthesis apparatus and operating method is described in DE 10 2006 024 413 A1.
In conventional mammography, a two-dimensional single image of the compressed breast is generated. In tomosynthesis of the breast, single images (projections) are respectively acquired from different directions, from which a tomosynthetic image data set is generated. The projections are used in a calculation to form tomosynthetic 3D x-ray image using image reconstruction methods. In this way structures can also be identified and examined that would occlude one another in a conventional mammogram that consists only of one x-ray image acquired from a single projection direction.
To acquire a tomosynthesis image data set, the examination subject (for example the breast) is irradiated from a number of different directions, to acquire the individual projections. The different directions from which the examination subject is exposed to acquire the individual projections are characterized by what are known as tomosynthesis angles. The different radiation directions or tomosynthesis angles are achieved by panning the x-ray source around the examination subject within a limited angle range, for example by ±20° starting from a center position. The x-ray source can thereby ensue in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the x-ray detector, as is typical in the tomosynthesis examination of the breast. The movement of the movement of the x-ray source and thus its x-ray focus, typically ensues essentially along a straight line or along a circular arc. In what is known as circular tomosynthesis, the x-ray source is moved in a plane oriented parallel to the detector plane. The x-ray focus thereby follows in a circular path, for example.
The x-ray detector (normally a flat panel detector) that receives (detects) the x-ray beam emanating from the x-ray source remains essentially stationary during the movement of the x-ray source, meaning that the x-ray detector actually remains stationary or is entrained only slightly in the direction opposite the movement of the tube.
The x-ray beam emanating from the x-ray source is limited by a collimator diaphragm so that the exposure of the flat panel detector is optimal. The exposure is considered as optimal when the entire detector area of the flat panel detector is utilized, i.e. is exposed. The radiation field at the location of the detector thus essentially corresponds to the detector area. The situation of the x-ray beam having a cross-section that, at the location of the flat panel detector, either exceeds the dimensions of the flat panel detector, or that has a portion that does not actually strike the flat panel detector, is referred to herein as an "overexposure."
As used herein, therefore, the term "overexposure" does not mean an unwanted darkening of the image, due to an excessively high radiation intensity or an excessively long exposure duration.
In conventional x-ray apparatuses, the collimator diaphragm is often placed or plugged by hand into a tray or a slot provided for the diaphragm. Normally a small metal lamella (thin plate) into which a fixed collimator diaphragm aperture is punched or milled, is used as the collimator diaphragm.
The collimation of the x-ray beam in tomosynthesis in which the x-ray source is moved relative to the detector has conventionally been achieved in a less than satisfactory manner. Both an insufficient exposure of the detector surface and overexposure of the detector have been observed from different tomosynthesis angles.

Tomosynthesis apparatus and method to operate a tomosynthesis apparatus


A liquid crystal display device includes a comparator which judges a voltage of data; and a pre-charge controller which pre-charges a data line of a liquid crystal display panel with a pre-charge voltage if the voltage of the data is a first voltage, and pre-charges the data line with a charge share voltage, which has a lower absolute value than the pre-charge voltage, if the voltage of the data is a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage.

A liquid crystal display device controls a light transmittance of liquid crystal cells in accordance with a video signal, thereby displaying a picture.
An active matrix type liquid crystal display device is advantageous in realizing a motion picture because it is possible to actively control a switching device. A thin film transistor (TFT) is used as a switching device used in the active matrix type liquid crystal display device.
As shown in FIG. 1, The liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel 2 where a plurality of data lines 5 and a plurality of gate lines 6 cross each other and of TFTs are respectively formed at the crossing parts thereof for driving liquid crystal cells; a data driver 3 for supplying data to the data lines 5; a gate driver 4 for supplying a scan pulse to the gate lines 6; and a timing controller 1 for controlling the data driver 3 and the gate driver 4.
The liquid crystal display panel 2 has a liquid crystal injected between two glass substrates, and the data lines 5 and the gate lines 6 perpendicularly cross each other on a lower glass substrate. The TFT formed at the crossing part of the data line 5 and the gate line 6 supplies the data from the data line 5 to the liquid crystal cell in response to the scan pulse from the gate line 6. A gate electrode of the TFT is connected to the gate line 6 and a source electrode is connected to the data line 5. A drain electrode of the TFT is connected to a pixel electrode of the liquid crystal cell Clc. Further, a storage capacitor Cst is formed on the lower glass substrate of the liquid crystal display panel 2 for sustaining a voltage of the liquid crystal cell.
The timing controller 1 receives digital video which may be in the red-green-blue (RGB) data format, a horizontal synchronization signal H, a vertical synchronization signal V, and a clock signal CLK. The timing controller 1 generates a gate control signal GDC for controlling the gate driver 4 and a data control signal DDC for controlling the data driver 3. Further, the timing controller 1 supplies the RGB data to the data driver 3. The data control signal DDC includes a source shift clock SSC, a source start pulse SSP, a polarity control signal POL, a source output enable signal SOE, and is supplied to the data driver 3. The gate control signal GDC includes a gate start pulse GSP, a gate shift clock GSC, a gate output enable signal GOE, and is supplied to the gate driver 4.
The gate driver 4 includes a shift register which sequentially generates the scan pulse in response to the gate control signal GDC from the timing controller 1; a level shifter for shifting a swing width of the scan pulse to a level which is suitable for driving the liquid crystal cell Clc; and an output buffer. The gate driver 4 supplies the scan pulse to the gate line 6, thereby turning on the TFTs connected to the gate line 6 to select the liquid crystal cells Clc of one horizontal line to which a pixel voltage of the data, for example, an analog gamma compensation voltage, is to be supplied. The data generated by the data driver 3 are supplied to the liquid crystal cells Clc of the horizontal line which is selected by scan pulse.
The data driver 3 supplies the data to the data lines 5 in response to the data drive control signal DDC supplied from the timing controller 1. The data driver 3 samples the digital data RGB from the timing controller 1, latches the data, and then converts the data to into an analog gamma voltage. The data driver 3 is realized as a plurality of data integrated circuits (IC) 3a having the configuration as in FIG. 2.
Each of the data IC 3a, as shown in FIG. 2, includes a data register 21 to which the digital data RGB is inputted from the timing controller 1; a shift register 22 for generating a sampling clock; a first latch 23, a second latch 24, a digital/analog converter (DAC)25 and an output circuit 26 which are connected between the shift register 22 and k data lines DL1 to DLk; and a gamma voltage supplier 27 connected between a gamma reference voltage generator and the DAC 25.
The data register 21 supplies the digital data RGB from the timing controller 1 to the first latch 23. The shift register 22 shifts the source start pulse SSP from the timing controller 1 in accordance with the source sampling clock SSC to generate a sampling signal. Further, the shift register 22 shifts the source start pulse SSP to transmit a carry signal CAR to the shift register 22 of the next stage. The first latch 23 sequentially samples the digital data RGB from the data register 21 in response to the sampling signal sequentially inputted from the shift register 22. The second latch 24 latches the data inputted from the first latch 23, and then simultaneously outputs the latched data in response to the source output enable signal SOE from the timing controller 1. The DAC 25 converts the data from the second latch 24 into gamma voltages using reference voltages DGH and DGL from the gamma voltage suppler 27. The gamma voltages DGH and DGL are analog voltages corresponding to the gray levels of the digital input data. The output circuit 26 includes an output buffer connected to each of the data lines. The gamma voltage supplier 27 subdivides the gamma reference voltages GH and GL to supply the gamma voltage corresponding to each gray level to the DAC 25.
The data IC 3a has its load increased, driving frequency and the amount of generated heat is increased as liquid crystal display devices have increased in size and fidelity. Due to the heat generated by the data IC 3a, the reliability of the data IC 3a is decreases. A major source of the generation of heat in the data IC 3a is the output buffer 26a, shown in FIG. 3. The data IC 3a generates the heat by power consumption due to currents Isource and Isink flowing through internal resistive components of the output buffer 26a.
In order to improve the charging characteristics of the liquid crystal cell and to reduce power consumption, the data IC is being realized by a charge share method where the data voltage is supplied to each data line in a state where the data lines are disconnected after the adjacent data lines are connected to pre-charge the data line with a charge share voltage generated due to a charge share between the data lines, or by a pre-charge method where the data voltage is supplied to the data line after the data line is pre-charged with a pre-charge voltage being a pre-set external voltage.
In the charge share method, as shown in FIG. 4, currents flow in the output buffer 26a in an output buffer driving section where it is changed from a charge share voltage Vshare to a data voltage, and thus the heat generation and the power consumption are increased. In the pre-charge method, as shown in FIG. 5, a voltage of a driving area of the output buffer 26a is reduced due to the pre-charge voltage +Vpre or −Vpre supplied in advance as a relatively high external voltage when the data voltage is high, e.g., a white voltage in a normally black sequence, thereby decreasing the temperature of the data IC 3a. But, the temperature of the data IC 3a is increased and the power consumption is rapidly increased in the pre-charge driving area 51, 52 of the low data voltage due to the pre-charge voltage +Vpre or −Vpre supplied from the outside, where it is high, for data voltage which is a mean value or less.

Data driver, liquid crystal display and driving method thereof


An environment holding apparatus includes: a first chamber that has an opening and holds a sample; a moving stage that is two-dimensionally moved with the first chamber being mounted thereon; and a first plane that includes an introduction port having a function of introducing gas adjusted to predetermined conditions into the first chamber from a pipe, and that is provided so as to cover the opening of the first chamber. The first plane is provided so as to be kept stationary regardless of a movement of the moving stage and the opening of the first chamber is two-dimensionally moved along the first plane by the movement of the moving stage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an environment control type analyzer having functions of holding, observing, and analyzing a sample, particularly, a biological sample.
2. Description of Related Art
The marked development of biotechnology in recent years has led to an increased demand for a technique which enables a biological sample to be observed and analyzed in situ, and images thereof to be captured in situ. In general, the biological sample is maintained in a liquid containing components required for living, a so-called "culture medium", at a temperature around 37° C. Furthermore, the surroundings of the culture medium are maintained at a high humidity of almost 100% and with a carbon dioxide gas density of 5%. A system is known, which has a function of supplying an adjusted air flow at a predetermined temperature, a predetermined humidity, and a predetermined carbon dioxide gas density, into a sample chamber from the outside of the system.

Environment holding apparatus and environment control type analyzer


A pulse delay circuit induces lager jitter to faster input reference pulse trains than before. A buffer receives a reference pulse train and provides non-inverted and inverted pulses. Low pass filters (LPF) and comparators receive the non-inverted and inverted pulses from the buffer and provide pulses having delayed leading and trailing edges. Dividers divide the delayed pulses by 2 to produce the respective pulse trains having a half frequency. An XOR gate produces an exclusive OR of the delayed and divided pulse trains to provide a pulse train having delayed leading and/or trailing edges relative to the reference pulse train. If the delays by the LPFs and comparators are changed, the output pulses from the XOR gate have jitter.

The present invention relates generally to a pulse delay circuit that delays edges of an input pulse train and more specifically to a pulse delay circuit for geneting a high speed jittered test signal.
Digital circuits in electric instruments process a plurality of pulses of a pulse train that may not be ideal due to phase variations in the leading and/or trailing edges of the pulses due to outside noise or the like. The phase variations in the leading and/or trailing edges of pulses in a pulses train is referred to in the electronics industry as jitter. Therefore, digital circuits need to be designed to work in the presence of jitter on the leading edges and/or trailing edges of the pulses. It is desirable to inspect a prototype circuit by providing a jittered pulse train to the circuit to confirm that it works in the presence of a jittered signal. This inspection is called a jitter tolerance test.
For a jitter tolerance test, a jittered test signal (pulse train) is necessary. The jittered test signal is produced by inducing jitter to the leading and/or the training edges of a normal pulse train (called a reference pulse train hereinafter). The jittered est signal is then provided to the digital circuit under test. The jitter tolerance test is performed by comparing the jittered pulse train to the normal pulse train. To induce jitters to the leading and/or trailing edges, delays are provided to the desired edges of the reference pulse train and then the delays are continuously changed.
Japanese patent publication No. 2004-236279 corresponding to US Publication No. 2004/0135606 discloses a prior art example of a jitter addition circuit. The jitter addition circuit receives a reference pulse train which is alternately coupled to two delay blocks. Each delay block has a pulse delay circuit receiving delay values which provide delays to the leading and/or training edges of the reference pulse train. The delay values of each pulse delay circuit are changed while the delay block is not receiving the pulse train. The delay values of the pulse delay circuits are changed so that the leading and/or training edges output pulse train can contain various levels of jitter.
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the pulse delay circuit in each of delay blocks and FIG. 2 shows a timing chart of the waveforms that the circuit provide. A buffer 10 receives a reference pulse train and provides non-inverted and inverted output pulse train outputs to low pass filters (LPF) 12 and 14. The LPFs 12 and 14 remove high frequency components of the non-inverted and inverted pulse trains resulting in the pulses having ramping leading and trailing edges. Comparators 16 and 18 receive the ramped pulses of the pulse trains from the LPFs 12 and 14 and compare them with the respective reference voltages VREF1 and VREF2. The resulting output pulse trains from the comparators 16 and 18 have modified edge positions relative to the reference pulse train as shown in FIGS. 2d and 2e. The LPFs 12 and 14 and comparators 16 and 18 work as delay means. One-shot pulse circuits 20 and 22 convert the pulses from the comparators 16 and 18 into one-shot pulses. This prevents both the S and R input pulses to an SR flip-flop 24 from becoming high at the same time to prevent the SR flip-flop 24 from becoming unstable.
The reference voltages VREF1 and VREF2 control the leading edge positions of the one-shot pulses from the one-shot pulse circuits 20 and 22. The leading edge of the one-shot pulses from the one-shot pulse circuit 20 determines the leading edge positions of the pulses from the Q output of the SR flip-flop 24 and the leading edge of the one-shot pulses from the one-shot pulse circuit 22 determines the trailing edge positions of the pulses from the Q output of the SR flip-flop 24 . Therefore, continuous variations of the reference voltages VREF1 and VREF2 lead to continuous position changes of the edges of the output pulse of the SR flip-flop 24, which provides a pulse train having jitter relative to the input reference pulse train.
As described, the voltages VREF1 and VREF2 change the timing of the edges of the two one-shot pulses provided to the S and R inputs of the SR flip-flop 24. This timing is changing during the jitter being induced so that the one-shot pulses must be controlled so as not to overlap to prevent the S and R inputs from being high at the same time. The SR flip-flop also has setup and hold times which must be considered. That is, the setup and hold times of the SR flip-flop and the pulse width of the one shot pulse restrict a margin of the jitter. Therefore, what is desired is to widen the jitter margin and induce larger jitter to a faster input pulse train.

Widening jitter margin for faster input pulse


A programmable logic controller includes a device that stores therein data, an authentication-information storage unit that stores therein authentication information, an authentication function unit that performs a user authentication based on the authentication information, and an encryption filter that has a plurality of encryption patterns. When writing of data to the device is requested, the authentication function unit performs the user authentication. When the user authentication is successful, the encryption filter performs the encryption processing to the data with the encryption pattern set in advance by the user to write the data to the device, and when the user authentication fails, the encryption filter performs the encryption processing to the data with one of the encryption patterns that is different from the encryption pattern set in advance by the user to write the data to the device.

A device of a programmable logic controller is a memory that is provided in the programmable logic controller to store therein data of information primarily related to manufacturing, such as control information of a machine tool and a manufacturing apparatus and recipe information including the temperature or mixing ratio of materials in an apparatus.
A user can freely perform writing and reading of data to/from the device using a computer in which a programming tool or a monitoring tool of the programmable logic controller is installed or using other external input/output devices compatible with the programmable logic controller. The writing and reading can be similarly performed via a network by use of an information system unit or the like.
Reading and writing of data can be also performed from/to the device of the programmable logic controller by a program that runs on the programmable logic controller using a device read command or a device write command, apart from the tools mentioned above.
A control method of a manufacturing apparatus using a programmable logic controller and a manufacturing method of products using the manufacturing apparatus are generally recorded in a device. Such information is know-how of each of manufacturers of manufacturing apparatuses and is often information classified as secrets by the manufacturers of the manufacturing apparatuses.
Meanwhile, as for the device, anyone can freely access any device through the tool or the program. In addition, data recorded in the device may be changed by an erroneous operation.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a programmable logic controller peripheral device, including an encryption unit that encrypts authentication data for authenticating whether to permit a communication to the programmable logic controller with respect to data used in the programmable logic controller.


A fluidic cartridge for detecting chemicals, formed by a casing, hermetically housing an integrated device having a plurality of detecting regions to bind with target chemicals; part of a supporting element, bearing the integrated device; a reaction chamber, facing the detecting regions; a sample feeding hole and a washing feeding hole, self-sealingly closed; fluidic paths, which connect the sample feeding and washing feeding holes to the reaction chamber; and a waste reservoir, which may be fluidically connected to the reaction chamber by valve elements that may be controlled from outside. The integrated device is moreover connected to an interface unit carried by the supporting element, electrically connected to the integrated device and including at least one signal processing stage and external contact regions.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a fluidic cartridge for detecting chemicals in samples, in particular for performing biochemical analyses.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is known, the demand for microsensors of small dimensions has led to the study of integrated solutions that use the techniques and the knowledge acquired in the manufacture of semiconductors. In particular, detection and diagnostic devices of a disposable type, which may be connected to external apparatuses for chemical and biochemical analyses, have been studied.
Detection and diagnostic devices of a known type basically comprise a solid substrate, generally of a flat type, bearing a chip, whereon particular receptors, such as for example biomolecules (DNA, RNA, proteins, antigens, antibodies, etc.), micro-organisms or parts thereof (bacteria, viruses, spores, cells, etc.) are fixed, or a sensitive layer extends that is able to bind with the chemical to be detected, for example a metal-porphyrin having affinity with the target chemical.

Fluidic cartridge for detecting chemicals in samples, in particular for performing biochemical analyses


A master ball valve with an integrated main hanger below the valve which may be used to hang jointed tubing, coil tubing, or electrified coil tubing for connection with an electric submersible pump.

A producing well will have a wellhead or Christmas tree at the surface for controlling the well. The wellhead assembly supports casing which extends into the well. Tubing extends through the casing for producing the formation fluids. The Christmas tree is a tubular body having a bore extending vertically through it with outlets leading from the bore through the sidewall. Valves are mounted in the bore and to the outlets of the tree for providing access to the tubing as well as directing the produced fluid out to a flow line.
Current wellhead technology on shallow gas wells utilizes Demco style gate valves which were originally designed for use on mud lines on the surface of a drilling rig. They are not readily field serviceable, primarily because they were not intended for use in a wellhead.
Current wellhead technology for shallow gas wells does not provide the capability of hanging a coil tubing string below an existing wellhead. The existing wellhead is decommissioned in place, and the secondary string or coil tubing string is suspended from above the existing master valve. Accordingly, secondary well control is needed as well as a new wellhead above the current master valve.
There is a need in the art for a wellhead valve that mitigates the difficulties of the prior art.

Master ball valve with integrated hanger


In an inlet heat exchange unit, wherein a refrigerant's dryness is low and its flow distribution is likely to cause deviation, a number of heat exchange passages in an ascending flow path at an upstream side is less than the number of heat exchange passages in descending flow paths. Accordingly, refrigerant flowing in the ascending flow path increases, and a region in which the refrigerant lacks is reduced, thereby decreasing temperature variations. In an outlet heat exchange unit, wherein the refrigerant's dryness is high and its flow distribution is unlikely to cause deviation, the number of heat exchange passages a most downstream path is greater than the number of heat exchange passages in the immediately preceding path, thereby suppressing an increase in flow resistance in the most downstream path and keeping flow resistance in the outlet heat exchange unit low.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an evaporator in which heat exchange units are arranged in parallel at the windward side and the leeward side.
2. Description of the Related Art
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Applications Laid-Open No. 6-74679, No. 10-238896 and No. 2000-105091, there has been conventionally proposed an evaporator in which heat exchange units are arranged in parallel at the windward side and the leeward side. FIG. 1 shows an example of this type of evaporator in which heat exchange units are arranged in parallel at the windward side and the leeward side. The evaporator 100 shown in FIG. 1 is configured so that a leeward heat exchange unit 110 comprised of an upper tank 111, a lower tank 112 and a plurality of heat exchange passages communicating the both tanks 111 and 112 and a windward heat exchange unit 120 comprised of an upper tank 121, a lower tank 122 and a plurality of heat exchange passages communicating the both tanks 121 and 122 are arranged so as to be superimposed in front and behind in the ventilating direction.
In leeward inlet heat exchange unit 110, an evaporator inlet 107 is provided at the right end of the upper tank 111, the upper tank 111 is divided into an upper first tank 111a and upper second tank 111b with a partition 114, the lower tank 112 is divided into a lower first tank 112a and a lower second tank 112b with a partition 1 15. Accordingly, the plurality of laminated heat exchange passages in multistage are divided into a first path 110a, a second path 110b and a third path 110c from right to left. A refrigerant introduced from the evaporator inlet 107 into the leeward heat exchange unit 110 flows from the upper first tank part 111a, the first path 110a, the lower first tank part 112a, the second path 110b, the upper second tank part 111b, the third path 110c to the lower second tank part 112b in this order. Then, the refrigerant is introduced from the lower second tank part 112b as a most downstream part of the leeward heat exchange unit 110 to the lower first tank part 122a as a most upstream part of the windward heat exchange unit 120 through a communicating path 109.
On the other hand, in the windward heat exchange unit 120, the lower tank 122 is divided into a lower first tank part 122a and a lower second tank part 122b with a partition 124, while the upper tank 121 is divided into an upper first tank part 121a and an upper second tank part 121b with a partition 125. The plurality of laminated heat exchange passages in multistage is divided into a first path 120a, a second path 120b and a third path 120c from left to right. The refrigerant introduced from communicating path 109 into the windward heat exchange unit 120 flows from the lower first tank part 122a, the first path 120a, the upper first tank part 121a, the second path 120b, the lower second tank part 122b, the third path 120c to the upper second tank part 121b in this order. Then, the refrigerant is derived from an evaporator output 108 provided at a right end of the upper second tank part 121b as a most downstream part of the windward heat exchange unit 120.
Each pair of paths which overlap one other at the windward side and the leeward side are superimposed to each other in the ventilating direction. In the pair of paths which overlap one another (110a and 120c), (110b and 120b), (110c and 120a), the refrigerant flows in a reverse direction to each other, including flow in the upstream and downstream tank parts. Circled numbers in the figure refer to the order by which the refrigerant flows in these paths.
FIG. 2A shows distribution of liquid refrigerant in each of the heat exchange units 110 and 120, and FIG. 2B shows distribution of the liquid refrigerant in whole of the evaporator in which the heat exchange units are superimposed. The distribution of the liquid refrigerant substantially corresponds to the distribution of temperature. As shown in FIG. 2B, in the evaporator 100 in which two heat exchange units are laminated in the air flow direction, since the two heat exchange units can be complemented in respect to heat exchange, variations in temperature distribution can be reduced, compared with an evaporator with one heat exchange unit.
However, variations in temperature distribution are essentially inevitable. The variations is due to that air cannot be cooled appropriately in the region where the liquid-phase refrigerant does not flow, that is, where only gas-phase refrigerant flows.


A method is disclosed that permits the generation of exclusive high-contrast images of semiconductor sites in an integrated circuit sample (19). It utilizes the one-photon optical beam-induced current (1P-OBIC) image and confocal reflectance image of the sample that are generated simultaneously from one and the same excitation (probe) light beam that is focused on the sample (19). A 1P-OBIC image is a two-dimensional map of the currents induced by the beam as it is scanned across the circuit surface. 1P-OBIC is produced by an illuminated semiconductor material if the excitation photon energy exceeds the bandgap. The 1P-OBIC image has no vertical resolution because 1P-OBIC is linear with the excitation beam intensity. The exclusive high-contrast image of semiconductor sites is generated by the product of the 1P-OBIC image and the confocal image. High-contrast image of the metal sites are also obtained by the product of the complementary OBIC image and the same confocal image.

Optical beam induced current (OBIC) imaging is widely employed for failure or defect detection of pn junctions, inter-level shorts, transistor states, etc, in integrated circuits (IC). An OBIC image is a map of the current magnitudes that are induced when a (focused) optical beam is scanned across an IC sample. Scanning confocal microscopy with its focused probe beam, is readily combined with OBIC imaging to produce a pair of confocal reflectance- and OBIC images of the sample from one and the same beam scan.
The one-photon absorption OBIC (1P-OBIC) is produced by an illuminated semiconductor material if the probe photon energy exceeds the semiconductor bandgap Eb i.e. λp≦hc/Eb, where λp is single-photon wavelength, h is the Planck's constant and c is the speed of light in vacuum. 1P-OBIC is proportional to the probe beam intensity and the measured 1P-OBIC signal is an integrated effect along the optical beam path. Unlike confocal images which are high-contrast displays of the reflectance of a three-dimensional sample, the corresponding 1P-OBIC image of the same sample has low contrast and lacks vertical resolution.
Two-photon OBIC (2P-OBIC) has been demonstrated to generate high-contrast images of semiconductor sites in an IC. 2P-OBIC utilizes an excitation beam with a wavelength λ2P>hc/Eb. 2P-OBIC is proportional to the square of the beam intensity and is highly localized within the focal volume of the excitation beam. Another technique for obtaining high-contrast 1P-OBIC images is via near-field microscopy with a subwavelength fiber Up. A major drawback of 2P-OBIC is the high cost of a femtosecond laser source. Image generation in near-field microscopy is slow and unsuitable for generating large image fields. It is also sensitive to ambient experimental conditions.
Here, we present a procedure for generating high-contrast images of semiconductor sites in the IC from their 1P-OBIC image and confocal reflectance image which are both obtained from the same focused beam. The procedure utilizes the following properties: (1) only semiconductor materials produce an OBIC signal, and (2) confocal reflectance images are optically-sectioned images of both metallic and semiconductor surfaces. We show that the product of the low-contrast 1P-OBIC image and the confocal image results in a high-contrast (axial-dependent) map that reveals only the semiconductor sites in the confocal image. Similarly, the product of the complementary to the 1P-OBIC image and the confocal image yields an optically sectioned image exclusively of the non-semiconductor sites in the IC sample.
Another advantage of 2P-OBIC imaging over 1P-OBIC is realized when observing in the presence of an intervening highly scattering medium between the focusing lens and the semiconductor material. Because the scattered intensity is inversely proportional to a power of the incident wavelength and that λ2P=2λp, a much greater percentage of the 2P excitation photons is delivered at the focal volume of a 2P excitation beam than their 1P counterparts for the same scattering medium and numerical aperture (NA) of the focusing lens. The scatter-induced broadening of the axial distribution of the 2P-OBIC signal is less severe than that of 1P-OBIC. In 1P fluorescence excitation microscopy with large-area photodetector, the effect of scattering is to degrade the signal-to-noise ratio of the generated images.
It is worth noting that confocal microscopy is also robust against the unwanted effects of scattering by an intervening medium. The photodetector pinhole acts a spatial filter that permits only the detection of photons emanating from the focal volume of the probe beam. The undesirable image contribution of the photons from the out-of-focus planes can be minimized through careful choice of the pinhole size.
1P excitation (1PE) confocal microscopy can be done with objectives of relatively low NA values but long working distances—an advantage that is of practical importance for wide-field observation and when dealing with thick samples. In contrast, 2PE imaging requires objectives with large NA values to generate sufficiently high intensities at the focal spot because the 2PE absorption cross-section is much smaller than its 1PE counterpart. Such objectives however, normally have short working distances that limit our ability to scan axially thick samples at long depths. Aberration-free high NA objectives with long working distances are quite expensive to manufacture.

Method for generating high-contrast images of semiconductor sites via one-photon optical beam-induced current imaging and confocal reflectance microscopy


In a hydraulic controller of driving force distribution device, including: a hydraulic circuit composed of an oil pump for supplying hydraulic fluid to a piston chamber of a clutch (or a driving force distribution device), an opening and closing valve installed in an oil passage between a check valve and the piston chamber, and an accumulator communicating to the piston chamber; control is performed so that the piston chamber reaches a target hydraulic pressure based on the 1st characteristic by closing the opening and closing valve and driving the oil pump at the time of pressurizing the piston chamber; and control is performed so that the piston chamber reaches a target hydraulic pressure based on the 2nd characteristic by prohibiting the driving of the oil pump along with opening the opening and closing valve.

Conventionally, there are four-wheel drive vehicles equipped with a driving force distribution device for distributing driving force generated in a driving source such as an engine to main driving wheels and sub-driving wheels. In a four-wheel drive vehicle of this type, for example, when front wheels are the main driving wheels and rear wheels are the sub-driving wheels, the driving force generated in the driving source is transmitted to the driving force distribution device with a multi-plate clutch via a propeller shaft, as well as being transmitted to the front wheels via a front drive shaft and a front differential. And, the engagement pressure of driving force distribution device is controlled by supplying hydraulic fluid at a predetermined pressure from a hydraulic controller to the driving force distribution device. Thus, the driving force of driving source is transmitted to the rear wheels at a predetermined distribution ratio.
Also, as a hydraulic controller for controlling hydraulic pressure supplied to the multi-plate clutch of the driving force distribution device, conventionally there are hydraulic controllers as shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2. The hydraulic controllers shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2 include an electric oil pump to supply hydraulic fluid to a hydraulic chamber for pressing the multi-plate clutch and are configured to connect the electric oil pump and the hydraulic chamber with a hydraulic supply passage. In the hydraulic controller of Patent Document 1, the rotational speed of the electric pump is controlled such that the discharge value of the electric pump becomes the required operating pressure of the hydraulic clutch. In the hydraulic controller described in Patent Document 2, the motor drive of the electric pump is controlled so as to generate hydraulic pressure in accordance with the distribution ratio of driving force.
However, in the hydraulic controllers of Patent Documents 1 and 2, due to a configuration that supplies hydraulic pressure necessary for the hydraulic clutch by driving the electric pump, it is necessary to operate the electric oil pump constantly at the time of engagement of the hydraulic clutch. Therefore, when a brush motor is used as a motor to drive the electric oil pump, it is difficult to guarantee the durability of the motor (brush abrasion).
Further, in a system that controls the engagement pressure of the clutch by the hydraulic pressure of hydraulic fluid as mentioned above, the relationship between the engagement pressure and torque of the clutch has desirably linear characteristics. However, due to the presence of hysteresis characteristics of clutch torque, such linear characteristics may not be attained. As a countermeasure thereto, the characteristics of clutch torque has been conventionally needed to be improved by making changes to the hardware configuration such as the shape of clutch plate. However, such changes in the structure of clutch may lead to a cost increase and complexity of the structure of product.

Hydraulic controller of driving force distribution device


The distances from external surfaces to information record surfaces of the optical record mediums of various types are different from each other. An optical record medium judging method of judging the types of the optical record mediums is provided with the steps of: irradiating an information record surface of an optical record medium to be reproduced with a plurality of light beams to be focused on different positions on one optical axis; moving, so as to change a relative distance parallel to said one optical axis between an objective lens for prescribing focal points of the plurality of light beams respectively and the information record surface, the objective lens; receiving a plurality of reflection lights of the plurality of light beams reflected from the information record surface respectively, associated with a change of the relative distance; generating a plurality of focus error signals on the basis of the plurality of received reflection lights respectively; and judging a type of the optical record medium by comparing levels of the generated focus error signals respectively with a predetermined standard level.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related with a reproducing apparatus in a case of reproducing, by using one reproducing apparatus, information from a plurality of types of optical record mediums, such as optical disks of various types and the like, to which the information is recorded by a phase pit and the like or a magnetic way, and more particularly, it is related with a judging method and apparatus for judging the type of the optical record medium to be reproduced. It is further related with, in an optical pickup for irradiating a light beam as an information reproducing light to the plurality of types of optical record mediums and reproducing the above mentioned information by use of the reflection light, a focus servo controlling method and apparatus for carrying out a focus servo control in order to beam-condense (focus) the light beam which has an optimal size at a reproducing position of the optical record medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a so-called CD/LD compatible reproducing apparatus which can reproduce a CD (Compact Disk) and a LD (Laser Disk) with one reproducing unit. In this CD/LD compatible reproducing apparatus, a distance from a record medium surface to an information record surface (namely, a thickness of a protecting layer) is common in the CD and the LD (e.g. 1.2 mm in common). Thus, it is possible to reproduce both of these optical disks by using an optical pickup in which a light beam is condensed to one focal point.
In this CD/LD compatible reproducing apparatus, as a rising operation prior to reproducing the record information, a focus servo control is needed for carrying out an optimal focus servo control corresponding to the type of the optical disk to be reproduced. However, in this case, for example, in order to use a conventionally general astigmatism method to thereby carry out the focus servo control, prior to carrying out the focus servo control, it is necessary to do a so-called "focus search action" for setting a standard position when carrying out the appropriate focus servo control. This focus search action moves an optical pickup in a direction perpendicular to the optical disk by a predetermined length to thereby detect an optimal focus position on the basis of a focus error signal (S-shaped signal) outputted at that time. In the above mentioned CD/LD compatible reproducing apparatus, since distances from surfaces of the optical disks to information record surfaces are equal to each other in the CD and the LD, a common action is carried out in both cases in doing the focus search action. Further, in this focus search action, in order to compensate an output power change due to the variation of a reflectivity of the optical disk, the contamination associated with aging of the optical pickup and the like, or a change in a focus servo gain due to the variation of a sensitivity of an optical detector during an optical pickup action and the like, a process is carried out which detects a peak value of the above mentioned focus error signal and re-sets the servo gain corresponding to the peak value.
In the above mentioned CD/LD compatible reproducing apparatus, in a case of judging whether the optical disk mounted in the reproducing apparatus is the CD or the LD, it is judged whether or not the focus servo is locked by moving the optical disk into an area located outside the CD and inside the LD and rotating the optical disk by utilizing a diameter difference between the CD and the LD. Namely, if it is locked, the optical disk is judged as the LD. If it is not locked, the optical disk is judged as the CD.
On the other hand, a DVD (Digital Video Disk) is being developed which greatly improves a memory capacity as compared with a conventional CD and is a high density record medium to which one movie or the like can be recorded. Especially, a CD/DVD compatible reproducing apparatus is being developed which can reproduce both the DVD and the CD.
When comparing a configuration of the CD with that of the DVD, from the viewpoint of a high density request, the thickness of the protecting layer of the DVD is set to a thickness (0.6 mm) approximately half of that of the protecting layer of the CD. Thus, if trying to reproduce both of these optical disks by using the optical pickup having one focal point, for example, if trying to condense a light beam so as to be optimal for the DVD, since the protecting layer of the CD through which the light beam is passed is thicker than that of the DVD, aberration such as spherical aberration and the like is generated in the light beam. This results in a problem that the light beam can not be optimally condensed with respect to the CD.
In order to solve this problem, one method may be considered in which an aberration correcting element is inserted into an optical path of the light beam, depending on the type of the optical disk to be reproduced. However, this method will require a mechanical device which puts and retracts the aberration correcting element into and from the optical path on the basis of the type of the optical disk to be reproduced. Thus, this method is not suited for miniaturization of the optical pickup.
A bifocal lens is developed through which it is possible to irradiate two light beams focused on different positions on one straight line. This bifocal lens is explained with reference to FIGS.6A and 6B.
As shown in FIG. 6A, the bifocal lens comprises a diffraction grating H and an objective lens R arranged on one optical path. A light beam L made into a parallel light by a collimator lens C is divided into three beams of a 0 order light, a +1 order light and a-1 order light by the diffraction grating H. By using a difference between optical path lengths of the 0 order light and the +1 order light among them, the 0 order light and the +1 order light are made focused on different positions on one straight line. More actually, this bifocal lens is adapted such that the +1 order light is focused on a position further from the objective lens R than the 0 order light, and that the 0 order light is optimally beam-condensed on the information record surface of the DVD (e.g. 0.6 mm from the disk surface), and also as shown in FIG. 6B, the +1 order light is optimally beam-condensed on the information record surface of the CD (e.g. 1.2 mm from the disk surface).
If using this bifocal lens, it is possible to use one optical pickup to thereby reproduce both of the CD and the DVD.
Even in a case of using the above mentioned bifocal lens to thereby reproduce information, similarly to the conventional CD/LD compatible reproducing apparatus, the focus search action is required.
From the viewpoint of a high density request, the DVD is superior in linear velocity of record information to the CD. Thus, the focus servo gain and a focus servo frequency band in the focus search action are different between the CD and the DVD. For the focus servo frequency band, more actually, it is necessary that the DVD is widely set on a higher frequency side than the CD.
If trying to apply the conventional focus search action to such a CD/DVD compatible reproducing apparatus, it is necessary to verify two different focus servo gains and focus servo frequency bands and set the focus servo gain and the focus servo frequency band which are adapted to the mounted optical disk. This results in a problem of requiring an unnecessary time for the focus servo action.
Even when judging the optical disk mounted in the CD/DVD compatible reproducing apparatus, since a radius of the CD is equal to that of the DVD, there is a problem that a conventional disk judging method can not be used. In combination with this problem and the above mentioned problem in setting the focus servo gain and the focus servo frequency band, judging of the optical disk and setting of the focus servo gain and the focus servo frequency band are separately carried out, so that it is impossible to carry out a rapid rising operation at the beginning of reproducing the record information, which is another problem.

Optical record medium judging method and apparatus and focus servo controlling method and apparatus


The invention relates to a device for preparing a beverage, comprising:—a water reservoir (1);—a chamber (5) that is connected to said reservoir for delivering water;—means (17) for filling said chamber with water;—means (16) for emptying water from the chamber;—a compressed gas reservoir (2) with a three-way valve (4) for displacing said means so as to empty the chamber; and—a conduit (14) for conveying the water from the chamber to an extraction head.

The present invention relates to a device for preparing a beverage, said device having no pump.
In the technical field, there are already pump-less coffee machines for preparing beverages. Patent application WO 99/02081 relates to a system of this type for preparing a beverage from a displaceable cart. This system is based on the principle that the displacement of hot water is generated by means of a compressed-gas cylinder. The drawback of this device is that it is heavy and expensive. Furthermore, in this device, the water and the pressurized-gas are in permanent contact, which leads to the gas diffusing into the water and producing sparkling water. This has an adverse effect on the taste of the beverage, in this instance on the coffee extracted.


Image control which requires time and troublesome work cannot be frequently performed, and image quality such as tonality reproducibility cannot be sufficiently stabilized in correspondence with constantly varying image characteristic of image forming apparatus. Accordingly, a density correction characteristic of image processing apparatus is controlled based on an image characteristic of pattern formed on a print sheet, then the image characteristic of pattern formed on an electrostatic drum is held as reference information. Upon normal image formation, a pattern is formed without an image formation area on the electrostatic drum, and the density correction characteristic is corrected based on the difference between the image characteristic of the pattern and the reference information.

As a method for controlling an image processing characteristic of image forming apparatus such as a copier or a printer (referred to as an "image control method"), the following method is known.
An image forming apparatus is started, and after the completion of warm-up operation, a particular pattern is formed on an image holding member such as an electrostatic drum. Then, the density of the formed pattern is read, and the operation of circuit to determine an image forming condition such as a gamma corrector is changed based on the read density value, thus the quality of formed image is stabled.
Further, in a case where a tonality characteristic of the image forming apparatus is changed due to change of environmental condition, the particular pattern is again formed on the image holding member, then the pattern is read, and the read value is fed back to the circuit to determine the image forming condition such as a gamma corrector, thereby the image quality can be stabled in correspondence with change of environmental condition.
Further, in a case where the image forming apparatus is used for long time, the density of pattern on the image holding member may not correspond with that of actually print-outputted image. Accordingly, known is a method for forming a particular pattern on a recording medium and correcting an image forming condition based on the density value of the pattern.
Further, known is a method for converting a gamma look-up table (γGLUT) or generating a γLUT modulation table based on density information of one image pattern, and adding required correction information to a gamma corrector.
In the above methods, much time and troublesome work are required for the control, therefore image control cannot be performed frequently. Accordingly, it cannot be said that image quality such as tonality reproducibility is sufficiently stabilized in correspondence with constantly varying image characteristic of image forming apparatus. Further, in the method for correcting the γLUT by density information of one image pattern and adding correction information to the gamma corrector, which can correct the gamma corrector, comparatively easily, if the number of addition increases, the difference between gray scale levels of γLUT cannot be ignored, and pseudo outlines occur.

Image processing apparatus and its control method


A refrigerator which has a pleasant front appearance by improving a structure to circulate air through a machine room thereof, and which restrains a transmission of operational noise from an interior to an outside of the machine room, thus performing a silent operation. The refrigerator has a cabinet defining a storage compartment therein, and a machine room defined at a top of the cabinet. The machine room is partitioned in an interior thereof into front and rear chambers by a noise buffering plate having a plurality of vent holes. A main inlet hole and a main outlet hole are provided side-by-side at an upper surface of the front chamber of the machine room so as to allow air to circulate through the machine room. A compressor, a condenser and a cooling fan are installed in the rear chamber of the machine room.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to refrigerators, and more particularly, to a refrigerator in which the machine room has an improved air circulation structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, refrigerators produce cool air using evaporators, and then supply the cool air into storage compartments contained in the refrigerator cabinets, thus preserving the freshness of stored foods. In accordance with the recent trend of consumer preference, the storage capacity of the refrigerators has increased greatly. Side-by-side style refrigerators, in which the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment are placed side-by-side have become increasingly popular. These side-by-side style refrigerators have become increasingly popular due to their food storage efficiency, both in terms of space and access to food, as well as to their ability to preserve food.

Air circulation structure for a refrigerator machine room


A method and apparatus for making an inner conductor from a conductive body integrally forms a flange on one end of the conductive body. The flange is formed integral to the conductive body by flaring the end of the conductive body. The size and shape of the flange is selected to achieve a desired capacitance surface area for use in a resonator. A resonator housing that has a plurality of cavities can be provided with a plurality of conductive bodies that are inserted into holes located in a bottom wall of the resonator body and that protrude into the plurality of cavities. The resonator housing and conductive bodies are placed onto a flanging fixture to produce a flange on each conductive body of a desired size and shape to achieve a desired capacitance surface area. The plurality of conductive bodies can be simultaneously flanged and fastened to the base of the resonator housing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to radio frequency resonators and, more particularly, to inner conductors of radio frequency coaxial resonators.
2. Description of the Related Art
Coaxial resonators are used in a wide variety of applications, including filters and oscillators used in communication systems. Coaxial resonators offer advantages over other resonator construction techniques, such as discrete components, microstrip, and transmission line filters that can suffer from high dissipation, resulting in lower Q-values. In addition, these techniques can require large physical dimensions for proper operation.
Coaxial resonators can provide improved Q-values over other resonator construction techniques. FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a typical coaxial resonator 100 of conventional construction. The FIG. 1 resonator includes an inner conductor 102 placed within a cavity 104 that is formed from an enclosure having sidewalls 106, a bottom wall 108, and a top wall 110. The interior surface 111 of the enclosure cavity 104 is conductive. The inner conductor 102 is attached to the enclosure at the bottom wall 108, thereby providing an electric short-circuit path between the cavity enclosure 104 and the inner conductor 102. The free end 112 of the inner conductor 102 is an open-circuit, providing capacitive coupling between the inner conductor and the inner surface 111 of the cavity enclosure.
Coaxial resonators constructed as illustrated in FIG. 1 can provide the benefit of relatively high Q-values. The length of the inner conductor 102 for these types of coaxial resonators is on the order of one fourth of the wavelength (λ/4) of the desired operating frequency. The length of the inner conductor that is required for such quarter-wavelength conductors can be a drawback when trying to minimize the size of the resonator.
FIG. 2 illustrates a resonator 200 that maintains the advantage of a high Q-value while decreasing the length of the inner conductor for a given operating frequency. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, and in all the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like structures. As illustrated in FIG. 2, a transverse disk 202 is added to the free end 112 of the inner conductor 102. The disk 202 has a larger diameter than that of the inner conductor 102. An advantage of the resonator 200 illustrated in FIG. 2 is that the surface area of the disk 202 and the distances between the disk 202 and the interior wall surfaces 106, 108, 110 of the cavity enclosure can be dimensioned to increase the capacitance between the free end of the inner conductor and the cavity 104. Increasing the capacitance between the free end of the inner conductor and the cavity allows the overall length of the inner conductor to be decreased for a given operating frequency. Thus, a resonator of more compact dimensions can be provided.
A drawback to the resonator illustrated in FIG. 2 is that additional manufacturing steps are required as compared with the FIG. 1 construction to make the disk 202 and to attach it to the free end 112 of the inner conductor 102. A technique to overcome this drawback is to machine the inner conductor 102 and disk 202 from a single piece of raw material, starting with a solid block. While this technique overcomes the problems of making a separate disk and attaching the disk to the free end of the inner conductor, the machining process is relatively expensive and time consuming.
Another technique to overcome the additional manufacturing steps required to make the disk and attach it to the free end of the inner conductor is to manufacture the inner conductor using a deep-drawing method. In a deep-drawing method, a piece of raw material, typically a sheet of material, is held around its edges and is struck repeatedly in its center by a tip of an impact tool. As the tool strikes the material, the material is drawn in the direction of the impact, thereby forming a projection that extends from the raw material in the direction of impact. After the projection has reached a desired length, the projection is cut from the material. The projection can be cut from the sheet material so that a portion of the sheet material remains with the projection to form a transverse edge. In this way, an inner conductor with free-end disk can be formed. Although the projection cutting process can form the end of the projection to a desired shape, the repeated striking and the cutting processes are generally expensive and time consuming.
There is therefore a need in the art for an improved apparatus and method of making flanged conductive bodies for use as inner conductors in resonators.

Flanged inner conductor coaxial resonators


A vortex generator for accepting high-pressure condensible vapor and separating the condensible vapor into a relatively hot stream of vapor and a relatively cool liquid.

The present invention relates generally to a vortex tube and, in particular, a vortex generator for condensing condensible vapor.
Vortex tubes are well known. Typical vortex tubes are designed to operate with non-condensible gas such as air. A typical vortex tube turns compressed air into two air streams, one of relatively hot air and the other of relatively cold air. A common application for current vortex tubes is in air supply lines and other applications that utilize non-condensible gas under a high pressure.
A vortex tube does not have any moving parts. A vortex tube operates by imparting a rotational flow motion to the incoming compressed air stream. Directing compressed air into an elongated channel in a tangential direction does this.
FIGS. 12A and 12B illustrate vortex tubes of two known designs. FIG. 12A illustrates a counterflow vortex tube 200A in which a first outlet 202A is located proximate an inlet 206A, and a second outlet 204A (a substantially peripheral opening) is located at the opposite end.
FIG. 12B illustrates a uniflow vortex tube 200B in which both outlets 202B, 204B are located at the end opposite the inlet 206B. The operating principle of the uniflow vortex tube 200B is similar to the operation of the counterflow vortex tube 200A.
The general flow pattern inside a typical vortex tube 200 is shown. High-pressured or compressed gas enters the vortex tube tangentially at one end at inlet 206 and produces a strong vortex flow in the tube 200. A nozzle 208 is designed to direct the incoming gas in a tangential direction. One stream of gas is produced along the sidewall while a second stream of gas is produced along the longitudinal axis of the vortex tube 200A. Referring to FIG. 12A, the second outlet 204A communicates with the stream of gas that was produced along the outer wall; exiting air is relatively hotter than the compressed air that initially entered the vortex tube 200A. The first outlet 202A communicates with the steam of gas that was produced along the longitudinal axis. The air exiting the first outlet 202A is relatively cooler than the initial compressed air.
As the compressed gas enters the vortex tube 200A at inlet 206A, the velocity of fluid induces a vertical motion which creates a forced vortex at the center of the tube. This flow produces a pressure distribution along the radial direction. The gas proximate the sidewall of the vortex tube 200 is adiabatically compressed, thereby resulting in an increase in temperature. The work to compress the gas is produced by the gas near the longitudinal axis or centerline of the tube 200A, which is adiabatically expanded and cooled.
The cooler gas is confined to the center of the vortex tube substantially along the longitudinal axis and, in fact, creates a second vortex air stream within the initial vortex air stream but traveling in the opposite direction of the initial air stream. The inner vortex air stream of cooler gas leaves the vortex tube 200A along the axial direction of the vortex tube from an outlet 202A located near the first end of the vortex tube 200. The first or peripheral outlet 202A is positioned proximate the second end of the vortex tube 200A. The second or peripheral outlet 204A outlet provides an exit for the relatively hot gas. Accordingly, two separate air streams are produced at the respective outlets and the vortex tube 200A effectively separates a single air stream into a cold air stream and a hot air stream.
The total discharge (hot and cold) volume from a vortex tube is proportional to the absolute inlet pressure. Valves at the inlet (and in alternate embodiments at one or both outlets) control the air flow and, indirectly, the relative temperature gradients of the exiting gases.
In contrast with currently available vortex tubes, the present invention is referred to as a vortex generator in order to indicate that it is designed to operate on condensible vapor such as steam or a refrigerant vapor for use in a refrigeration apparatus.
The vortex generator of the present invention separates a high-pressure stream of condensible vapor into a relatively hot vapor component and a relatively cool liquid component. In contrast with current vortex tubes, there is no outlet for a cool stream.

Abstract: The vortex generator includes an inlet at the first end for allowing high pressure vapor to enter, and an outlet at the second end for allowing condensed liquid to exit wherein the outlet communicates with the inlet via a longitudinal chamber. A nozzle located near the inlet having a plurality of equally-spaced tangential inlets along its perimeter for injecting the vapor that is inlet to the vortex generator into the longitudinal chamber as a high-speed vortex vapor stream proximate the longitudinal axis.


An approach for finding cost effective network connections while maintaining physical layer diversity is described. A logical segment within a path between a start node and an end node of a network is determined. A plurality of physical connections of the logical segment is then determined, wherein each of the physical connections is associated with a cost value, selecting one of the physical connections of the logical segment based on the cost values. A determination is made of another logical segment between the start node and the end node to include another physical connection, wherein the another logical segment is diverse physically with respect to the logical segment.

Networks enable the sharing and transmission of a wide array of resources between network elements (also called nodes). These networks provide essential data services to a variety users (e.g., home, business, etc.) and for a variety of purposes (e.g., web browsing, streaming video, etc.). To support these demands, networks are designed to be highly reliable. Thus, networks are typically designed to use multiple diverse routes (e.g., short span, within a network region, etc.) to ensure cost effective continued operation. End-to-end diversity between the multiple routes (e.g., working and protection paths) is typically achieved by ensuring the use of different nodes between routes (e.g., link-node diverse paths). However, these diverse nodes frequently share physical elements, such as cables, manholes, huts, poles and the like, whereby this sharing of physical elements causes a lack of diversity at the physical layer, resulting in a lower overall network reliability.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need for improved approaches to obtaining end-to-end physical layer path diversity within networks.

Method and apparatus for finding diverse physical layer paths in networks


A flexible surface coating which promotes the removal of deposits as they reach the surface by preventing adhesion and crust formation. Flexible layers are attached to each side of a flexible mesh substrate comprising of a plurality of zones composed of one or more neighboring cells, each zone having a different compressibility than its adjacent zones. The substrate is composed of a mesh made of strands and open cells. The cells may be filled with foam. Studs or bearings may also be positioned in the cells to increase the variation in compressibility and thus the degree of flexing of the coating. Surface loading produces varying amounts of compression from point to point causing the coating to flex as deposits reach it, breaking up any hardening deposits before a continuous crust forms. Preferably one or more additional layers are also used, such as an outer layer of a non-stick material such as TEFLON, which may be pigmented, and an inner, adhesive layer to facilitate applying the coating to a surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to surface coatings. In particular, the present invention relates to a flexible coating for preventing the build-up of solids deposited on a surface.
1. Discussion of Background
In many situations, the buildup of a hardening slurry, of a cooling and solidifying liquid or of precipitated matter on an exposed surface can lead to the formation of an unwanted hard crust. Examples include the buildup of hardening cement on the interior wall of a cement mixer, of automotive paint on spraying racks, of pipe scale in boilers and water-treatment vessels, and of ice on porch steps or on the wings of an aircraft. Such a crust can be difficult to remove without damaging the underlying surface, and can interfere with functioning and create safety hazards.
The surfaces of equipment used in some chemical processes can be coated with a waxy material which melts when the equipment is heated. Surface deposits are thereby loosened and can be removed. See Kahn (U.S. Pat. No. 3,236,688). Corrosion-resistant coatings are available for the inner surfaces of railroad freight cars, storage tanks, and process equipment. See, for example, Townsend (U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,527), Korn et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 2,956,915), Maneri (U.S. Pat. No. 2,934,235), and Van Loenen (U.S. Pat. No. 2,930,677). Railroad freight cars can be lined with resilient insulating material to dissipate some of the energy created by localized forces. See Yurkoski (U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,087).
In some cases, surface deposits can be easily removed using temporary, flexible materials. For example, when spraying concrete onto a surface where overspray onto adjacent surfaces must be avoided, polyethylene sheets are used to mask the adjacent area. Upon the completion of spraying, the sheets are flexed and the hardened concrete deposits break and fall off. However, hard surfaces such as metal, wood or masonry cannot be flexed in this way to clear them of surface deposits. Furthermore, there is no surface coating which actively prevents adhesion and crust formation on surfaces.

Surface coating for prevention of crust formation

The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy


A thermal storage unit having at least one conduit around which a cast is made is provided. The thermal storage unit uses conventional piping or tubing to create conduits that economically maximize the surface area of flow in contact with the thermal mass by proving multiple passes for the fluid through the cast. This enables the thermal storage unit to economically provide heat storage as well as effective heat delivery and pressure containment for a fluid flowing through the conduit.

This invention relates to thermal storage units (TSUs). More particularly, this invention relates to TSUs that provide sensible heat thermal energy storage and delivery in a way that increases efficiency and reduces costs compared to known TSUs.
TSUs are well known and are often used in power delivery systems, such as compressed air storage (CAS) systems and thermal and compressed air storage (TACAS) systems. Such systems, often used to provide an available source of electrical power, often use compressed air to drive a turbine which powers an electrical generator.
In TACAS systems, it is desirable to heat the compressed air prior to reaching the inlet port of the turbine. It is known that heated air, as opposed to ambient or cool air, enables the turbine to operate more efficiently. Therefore, a mechanism or system is needed to heat the air before providing it to the turbine. One approach is to use a suitable type of fuel-combustion system. Another approach is to use a TSU. While fuel-combustion systems usually emit polluting gases, TSUs may be preferable over fuel-combustion systems at least because they are not associated with such harmful emissions.
Although TSUs may offer advantages over fuel-combustion systems, existing TSUs have several shortcomings, as discussed below. Moreover, TSUs are typically designed to take many of the following design considerations into account:
(1) the physical dimension of the TSU;
(2) the TSU's capacity to heat fluid to a predetermined temperature;
(3) the thermal energy storage capacity of the TSU;
(4) the mass flow rate of fluid flowing through the TSU;
(5) the ability to minimize the pressure drop of fluid as it flows through the TSU;
(6) the ability to heat the fluid using forced convection heating;
(7) providing reliable and safe operation in high pressure applications; and
(8) low manufacturing costs.
Conventional TSUs, such as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, may not be able to accommodate many or all of the forgoing criteria.
TSU 10 of FIG. 1 includes heated parallel plates 12 contained within housing 14 to create channels through which compressed gas may flow. The heat transfer area and the gap between plates 12 may be adjusted for optimum heat transfer conditions. Such a TSU, however, is not optimally suited for high pressure operation as these plates do not provide optimum pressure containment for the compressed gas, and instead result in leakage flow between plates 12 and housing 14.
Another known TSU uses tube flow through elongated cavities embedded in a solid medium. As shown in FIG. 2, compressed gas travels through through-holes 22, which are bored out of bar 24. Although tube flow, as provided by TSU 20 of FIG. 2, may provide more desirable pressure containment compared to channel flow TSU 10 of FIG. 1, it involves high fabrication costs. This is because it is usually costly to drill a plurality of small-diameter holes that extend throughout the entire length of a solid medium.
Therefore, it can be seen that the TSUs shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 fail to provide means for effectively containing and delivering heated and compressed air in a manner that is cost beneficial. In addition, it can be seen that the foregoing TSUs are limited in design flexibility at least because they either require machining or assembly of several parts to provide fluid conducting passageways.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of this invention to provide a low-cost TSU that provides efficient heat storage, heat delivery and pressure containment.
It is also an object of the invention to provide enhanced design flexibility to better adhere to predetermined design criteria.

Thermal storage unit and methods for using the same to heat a fluid


Provided are heterocyclic compounds represented by general Formula 1 below and organic light-emitting devices including the same:

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to heterocyclic compounds and organic light-emitting devices including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs), which are self-emitting devices, have advantages such as wide viewing angles, excellent contrast, quick response, high brightness and excellent driving voltage characteristics and can provide multicolored images.
A typical OLED has a structure including a substrate, and an anode, a hole transport layer (HTL), an emission layer (EML), an electron transport layer (ETL), and a cathode which are sequentially stacked on the substrate. The HTL, the EML, and the ETL are organic thin films formed of organic compounds.
An operating principle of an OLED having the above-described structure is as follows.
When a voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode, holes injected from the anode move to the EML via the HTL, and electrons injected from the cathode move to the EML via the ETL. The holes and electrons (carriers) recombine in the organic EML to generate excitons. When the excitons drop from an excited state to a ground state, light is emitted.
There is an ongoing demand for a material having improved electrical stability, high charge-transfer or light emission capability, a high glass transition temperature, and no tendency to crystallize, relative to existing unimolecular materials that have been used in OLED applications.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Heterocyclic compounds and organic light emitting devices including the same

Abstract: Such N-substituted diarylamino derivatives of 4,5-iminophenanthrene, when included in color fluorescent or phosphorescent organic light emitting devices in a hole transporting or hole injecting charge transport role, impart high efficiency, low driving voltages, high luminances and long lifetimes to these devices.

Samsung-ro, Giheung-Gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-Do