This invention teaches the use of chelating agents to diagnose and treat metal toxins in a patient. Chelation agents are given to the mother for the benefit of the baby. Metal toxins such as lead, arsenic, mercury, tin, antimony, aluminum and others are known to cause miscarriages, birth defects, maldevelopment of the organs and tissues and maldevelopment of the brain. Chelation treatments of the mother can prevent these problems in the embryo, fetus and infant. Removal of lead and mercury and other toxins allows improved development of the offspring, both during the chelation and alter the chelation is discontinued. Determining whether a mother who has just delivered a baby has elevated levels of heavy metals can also be used to identify the elevated metals of the mother as a possible cause of birth defects.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of medicine, and more particularly to a method of enhancing the embryonic, fetal, conceptus, infant, and human child development by chelation treatment of the mother to remove toxic substances.
2. Related Art
There are a number of diagnostic methods, treatment regimens and preventative measures that the medical community has encouraged and patients have taken to reduce the occurrences of birth defects, miscarriages, infertility disorders and childhood neurologic dysfunctions. However, even with currently known therapies, there are too many birth defects, miscarriages, infertility disorders and childhood neurologic dysfunctions. As societies moved away from their organic agricultural bases to industrialized manufacturing economies, including the use of chemical pesticides and industrial techniques for farming, the environment in which people live has become less organic and more toxic. Therefore, while industrialized societies greatly improve health care, there are much greater environmental hazards facing people, particularly metal toxins that build up within a person's system. To date, there has not been a comprehensive methodology to diagnose, isolate and remove these metal toxins. Instead, industrialized societies have sought solutions without regard to their environmental toxins.
Birth defects have, in the past, been prevented by the use of folate, by the use of multivitamins, by abstaining from alcohol and harmful drugs, and by avoidance of carotenoids such as vitamin A. Avoidance of carotenotic drugs has also been done. However, birth defects are still too common, with a prevalence of 2 to 4 percent (2%-4%) among live born infants. Most birth defects, approximately 70%, have no known cause.
Miscarriages are also too common with 15% of pregnancies ending in miscarriage, and in the vast majority of cases, no cause is found. Metal toxins can cause birth defects, spontaneous abortion, and/or miscarriage.
Miscarriage is common: as stated previously, approximately 15% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. Miscarriages can be caused by uterine abnormalities which can be treated with uterine surgery. Miscarriages can be caused by antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, and these have been treated with heparin, aspirin and steroids. Miscarriages can be caused by thrombophilias in which an inherited abnormality of one of the proteins controlling the clotting cascade causes malfunction. Thrombophilias have been treated with anticoagulants such as aspirin and/or heparin. Miscarriage can be caused by diabetes, and treatment of diabetes has reduced the rate of miscarriage. This treatment includes insulin for blood sugar control and metformin for insulin resistance. Miscarriages caused by hypothyroidism can be treated with thyroid replacement.
While it is acknowledged that miscarriages are caused by lead, mercury or other heavy metal toxins, no program has been advanced other than the limited Foresight program. Foresight Great Britain has developed a program for the prevention of birth defects and miscarriage. This program identifies mineral toxicities by means of hair analysis. Metal toxins, when found, are treated with vitamin C, nutrient minerals and multivitamins, and selenium. However, the Foresight program is sub-optimal because it is limited to using hair analysis rather than a provocative chelation or even a blood analysis without a provocative chelation, and it is not expressly directed to quantifying and removing metal toxins using chelation treatments. Accordingly, its recommendations are limited to supplementing the patient's diet with selenium and vitamin C, rather than selecting from a range of chelation treatments that should be considered when toxic metals are identified, particularly including the use of more effective synthetic chelators.
Mental retardation affects approximately 3% of children, and some studies indicate that attention deficit disorder may affect 20%-40% of all children. Mild variants of minimal brain dysfunction, including disorders of auditory and/or visual perception and/or processing, are too common. Minor degrees of abnormal neurologic development can be manifested by behavioral, developmental or other neurologic abnormalities. All told, there is an abundance of childhood neurologic dysfunction which leads to behavioral problems, emotional problems, intellectual problems, lost learning, reduced intelligence and decreased intellectual capacity and job performance.
Diagnosis and treatment of childhood neurologic dysfunction has been largely postnatal and thus too late. Postnatal problems that cause mental deficits include inborn errors of metabolism. These have been diagnosed with urinary amino acids, urinary organic acids, and other biochemical tests postnatally. Chromosomal analysis has enabled the diagnosis of neurologic dysfunctions secondary to chromosomal disorders. Few, if any, treatments are known for chromosomal disorders. No anatomic maldevelopment may be detected by imaging studies of the brain including ultrasound, MRI or CAT scan. Most of these conditions have no known treatment. Genetic syndromes can be identified as a cause of mental retardation by examination and inspection of the affected child, the facial and physical exam findings may suggest one or more genetic syndromes that can be tested for either by DNA methods, by chromosomal methods or by biochemical methods.
Lead poisoning is commonly investigated and detected postnatally by a blood test or occasionally by provocative challenge with a chelation agent. Chelation treatments have long been given to children to remove lead. Chelation agents used on children for removal of lead include DMSA and EDTA. While it is known that lead can accumulate in fetuses antenatally, no program of fetal detoxification has been advocated prenatally because synthetic chelating agents are thought to be teratogenic. However, other work has suggested that studies showing harmful effects of chelators might have been due to a failure in those studies to co-administer mineral supplements to the patient along with the chelators. Thus in those studies the adverse outcomes observed following chelation therapy might have been due to the chelators having leached essential minerals from the patient's body rather than any harmful effects of the chelating chemicals themselves. Nonetheless, chelators have only been given to mothers for severe maternal toxicity but not for fetal benefit. No chelation treatment has ever been done for mothers with lead, mercury, aluminum, or antimony levels that are below what is considered acutely toxic.
Mercury is known to cause cerebral palsy and mental deficits. This was shown from an outbreak of mercury toxicity that occurred in Japan where it has caused Minamata disease. Another outbreak of mercury poisoning occurred in Iraq. Mercury is widely thought to cause autism when injected with vaccinations. For this reason the mercurial preservative thimerosol has been removed from most vaccinations. Additionally, mercury vapor, which may arise from amalgam dental fillings, is known to cross the placenta and affect the fetus. Other than the Foresight program, there is no program to identify and detoxify preconceptional women, pregnant women, or lactating women so that toxins will not accumulate in the baby and affect embryonic, fetal, neonatal or infant development. Additionally, there is no program to identify similar toxins in men and to detoxify these men with chelation therapies prior to impregnating their partners. The standard of care for improving fetal outcome is prenatal diagnosis. In prenatal diagnosis, ultrasound examinations are done on fetuses. In some cases, chromosomal analysis is done. When problems are detected, termination is offered to the mother. This system has limited effectiveness because: 1. many abnormalities are missed, 2. mild abnormalities are missed, 3. abnormalities of neurological function are usually missed, and 4. many mothers refuse termination when it is offered.
The problems with the above-discussed approach of testing women who are already pregnant are as follows: 1) Prevention of mental deficit by prenatal diagnosis and selective abortion cannot be universally applied and is harmful to the fetus: the resultant death to the fetus is objectionable to many, and, therefore, is often refused; 2) Lead, mercury and almost all teratogens have their greatest effect early in development when the embryo/fetus is most vulnerable and susceptible. Treatment early in the development would have a much more profound beneficial effect than treatment later in development.
There are half as many children in the United States today with intelligence quotients (IQs) above 130 than there were in past generations. The effects of heavy metals, herbicides, pesticides, and organic toxins on early brain development last for decades. Regions with higher infant mortality also have higher rates of emphysema seventy (70) years later. The health of the gravid female during pregnancy makes for healthy babies, adolescents, and adults. The removal of heavy metals by therapeutic chelation of the pregnant woman will likely lead to increased IQ's, increased scores on neurological development tests like the Denver Developmental Exam. and higher scores on standardized tests of the offspring years after the treatment of the gravid female has concluded. Higher order mental and neurologic function include but are not limited to those traits which are well known to lead to higher scores on IQ tests, standardized tests, neurologic ability tests and entrance exams for colleges and professional schools.
As discussed above, the Foresight program is insufficient in its diagnostic evaluation of the patient and in its treatment regimen. While this program has some usefulness, it is too limited of a program for diagnosing and treating symptomatic adults. Given the grave threat posed by metal toxins to the fetus, more aggressive treatment may result in enhancement of neurologic development and performance.

Maternal chelation for embryo, fetal, and infant benefit


Motion of a block carrying a grid for backscattering portions of a pattern of charged particles incident on the grid is moved generally axially of a charged particle beam tool while the position of the block is measured, preferably to optically, with a grazing incidence laser beam or interferometer, in the axial direction for any or all of the degrees of freedom of the block. Backscatter is correlated with known grid position to correct the backscatter measurement to compensate for lateral components of motion parallel to the target plane in measurement of actual beam position at different axial locations. Telecentricity and landing angle can thus be observed to an accuracy of 0.003 milliradians in substantially real time; permitting substantially real time adjustment thereof. The basic principles of this process and apparatus can be extended to measurement of numerical aperture and are equally applicable to probe-forming and beam projection lithography tools.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to charged particle beam tools and, more particularly, to real-time measurements for adjustments of charged particle beam tools, especially electron beam lithography systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Charged particle beam tools are known and used for numerous purposes including electron microscopy and lithographic exposures using charged particles such as for the manufacture of semiconductor integrated circuits. In the latter case, in particular, demands for increased integration density and reduction of size of elements of integrated circuits have required electron beam exposures of resists when deep ultraviolet light exposures have become inadequate to support minimum feature sizes required by current and foreseeable integrated circuit designs. Given the requirement for such high resolution in order to obtain the benefits of improved performance and functionality as well as increased manufacturing economy, high performance is required from charged particle (e.g. electron) beam exposure systems.
Electron beam exposure systems generally fall into two general types: probe-forming systems in which a single spot, generally of a selected shape, is exposed at a time at a high repetition rate and electron beam projection systems in which a sub-field pattern defined in a reticle sub-field is projected onto a target and sequential exposures of different sub-fields are made across the chip area. Electron beam projection lithography systems have much increased throughput relative to probe-forming systems by greatly increasing the number of pixels which can be simultaneously exposed. In both of these types of systems, high positional accuracy and shape fidelity are required to obtain the desired pattern of exposure, particularly to achieve proper stitching together of individual exposures.
While electron beam lithography systems have become highly sophisticated and are capable of high accuracy and fidelity through utilization of a number of electron-optical elements such as lenses, deflectors, dynamic correction elements and the like, none of these elements can be perfectly fabricated or fully modeled theoretically. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust and/or align the elements and their driving circuits or the beam relative to the elements to optimize performance of the tool. Some adjustments may be made in real-time and more-or-less elaborate protocols have been developed to achieve optimum alignment in regard to some operating parameters of the tool. Other parameters have presented persistent practical problems in making real-time adjustments based on real-time performance measurements.
When real-time measurements cannot be made, operation of the tool must be interrupted while a measurement is made through some other facility, such as withdrawing an exposed, resist-coated wafer from the tool, developing the resist and evaluating the patterned features formed in the resist. Of course, such interruption of operation is not only time-consuming but may introduce additional errors or sources of error into the adjustment of the tool.
Two key parameters of charged particle beam tool performance are telecentricity and landing angle. Landing angle should ideally be perpendicular to the target plane and deviations therefrom introduce field translation errors as a function of height of an image location from the plane of best focus. Deviation from telecentricity is manifested as variation of landing angle with deflection and can cause magnification and/or rotation of the deflected field as a function of height. These image aberrations can generally be quantitatively evaluated only by inspection of images in resist.
However, one attempt at a real-time measurement of deviations from telecentricity and perpendicular landing angle which has been attempted involved a grid mounted on a piezoelectric transducer which was intended to provide translation of the grid in the axial direction of the tool. The beam was scanned in an xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d shaped pattern in the x and y directions and the resulting differentiated backscattered beam was displayed on a spot monitor while the piezoelectric transducer was driven with a square wave pulse. The spot monitor could thus display the backscattered beam from the grid at the two axial locations of the grid and alignment of the electron beam could be adjusted with a goal of minimizing or eliminating the positional shift of the backscattered beam. This, in theory, could be used to confirm the landing angle of the beam. If the beam was further deflected, adjustments in deflection could, in theory, be made such that the landing angle was independent of deflection.
As a practical matter, this technique was unsuccessful due to an unavoidable component of lateral motion of the grid; from which deviations from telecentricity and/or perpendicular landing angle were indistinguishable from the grid translation. In other words, any lateral component of motion of the grid as the grid was driven in the z-direction would result in total grid displacement other than perpendicular to the target plane. Thus, adjustment to minimize positional changes in the image of the backscattered beam as the grid was moved would assure a corresponding deviation from telecentricity and landing angle to conform the beam trajectory to the grid motion.
The only solution proposed for this inherent problem was to apply mechanical stops to limit lateral grid motion. However, it proved impossible to constrain lateral grid motion to a level that would assure negligible influence on the result. The more recent increased accuracy requirements imposed by incresed integration density and reduced device size render this technique even more unacceptable for a real-time measurement of telecentricity and/or landing angle.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a technique for measurement of telecentricity and landing angle of a charged particle beam in substantially real time to facilitate adjustment of a charged particle beam tool.
It is another object of the invention to provide for increased exposure accuracy and fidelity in electron beam lithography tools
In order to accomplish these and other objects of the invention, a charged particle beam system and method are provided including an arrangement or step for moving a block in a direction generally perpendicular to a target plane of the charged particle beam system, a grid carried by the block and capable of backscattering a portion of a pattern of charged particles incident thereon, optical means for measuring position on the block, a sensor arrangement for measuring backscatter of charged particles from the grid, and an arrangement for correlating charged particle backscatter with positions of the block and computing position of a charged particle beam at different positions of the block along an axis of said charged particle beam system.

Accurate real-time landing angle and telecentricity measurement in lithographic systems

International Business Machines Corporation


A thin film transistor is disclosed, comprising a substrate, a polysilicon layer overlying the substrate, a gate insulating layer overlying the polysilicon layer, a gate electrode, a dielectric interlayer overlying the gate electrode and gate insulating layer, and a source/drain electrode overlying the dielectric interlayer. Specifically, the gate electrode comprises a first electrode layer overlying the gate insulating layer and a second electrode layer essentially overlying an upper surface of the first electrode layer. The first and second electrode layers each has substantially the same profile with a taper angle of less than about 90 degrees.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a thin film transistor, and more particularly to a thin film transistor (TFT) for a low temperature polysilicon (LTPS) display.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional top gate type TFT comprises a substrate 100, a polysilicon layer 102 on the substrate 100, a gate insulating layer 104 on the polysilicon layer 102, a gate electrode 106 on the gate insulating layer 104, an dielectric interlayer 108 on the gate electrode 106, and source and drain electrodes 112a, 112b electrically connected to the source and drain regions 102b and 102c of the polysilicon layer 102 by means of the plugs 110a and 110b, respectively. The gate electrode 106 may include Mo or W. Stress is typically generated during deposition of films and thermal processes and remains in or between films, e.g. between the gate electrode and gate insulating layer. Stress is also generated by material defects.
FIG. 2 shows a Vg-Id curve representing the relationship of gate voltage vs. drain current for a conventional thin film transistor. Referring to FIG. 2, electric properties may degrade due to the existence of stresses between the metal gate electrode and gate insulating layer. The Vg-Id curve apparently shifts to the negative direction of X-axis (Vg) when voltages of about −15˜20V and 10V are respectively applied to the gate electrode and drain electrode.
As described above, it is well known that the existence of stress between the metal gate electrode and gate insulating layer may effect the stability of a thin film transistor. Accordingly, a thin film transistor with stable electrical properties and operation is desirable.


Peptides that increase melanin synthesis are provided. These peptides include pentapeptides YSSWY (SEQ ID NO: 1), YRSRK (SEQ ID NO: 2), and their variants. The peptides may activate the enzymatic activity of tyrosinase to increase melanin synthesis. The pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and other compositions including the peptides are also provided. The methods of increasing melanin production in epidermis of a subject are provided where the methods include administering compositions comprising an amount of one or more peptides effective to increase the melanin production. The methods also include treating vitiligo or other hypopigmentation disorders with compositions including one or more peptides.

The present invention relates to the field of novel biological agents, and specifically pentapeptides and other peptides that can increase pigment production by activating tyrosinase.
One of the main risk factors for skin carcinogenesis is exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR), whether from sun or tanning beds. The incidence of skin cancer has increased dramatically in recent decades, and now accounts for every third new cancer case diagnosed in developed countries. A meta-analysis conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) showed use of tanning beds before age 30 increased melanoma risk by 75 percent relative to naïve individuals (IARC-2007), and increased risk of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Consequently, the IARC has classified tanning beds as carcinogenic to humans.
Despite this, tanning bed use among young women remains high. Each day, more than 1 million people tan in one of 50,000 facilities in the United States, 70 percent of which are females 16 to 49 years of age. The desire for tan skin underlies this increase, as some surveys have shown tan skin corresponds with a perception of healthier skin and well being.
Two main defense mechanisms to help protect against UVR exist—epidermal thickening and the stimulation of melanin synthesis. However, melanin content levels are based on an individual's melanogenic potential. Hence, fair skinned individuals can be at higher risk. The inverse correlation between skin pigmentation and the incidence of sun-induced skin cancers supports the photoprotective role of melanin. In the United States, the rates of BCC and SCC and melanoma are 50 and 10 times higher, respectively, in Caucasians than in African Americans. Moreover, in black and white skin after irradiation with UVR, a five-fold less radiation reaches the upper dermis of black skin compared to white skin. This result can be attributed to factors including increased melanin content, its more efficient distribution, and increased stratum corneum thickness.
Therefore, there is a need to developing a UV-less method of enhancing melanogenesis. Specifically, there is a need to develop biological compounds and methods to enhance melanin production, without the DNA damage associated with tanning beds and solar UVR.


The present invention provides a determination method to obtain the optimum image output quality. The method comprising the standard white plate is scanned prior to the scanning document sheet to obtain a first image data. Then, the first image data is calculated to generate the shading curve, noise level, and brightness data, which corresponding to each sensor device. Next, the shading curve or standard values returned to input into the calibration database. Thereafter, the scanning device scanned and exposed the document sheet to obtain a second imaging data that corresponding to each sensor device and to read out the standard curve (shading curve) from the calibration memory simultaneously. Next, a determination method utilized to determine the difference value between the two pixels at neighboring position, if the difference value is smaller than the standard value, then the two neighboring pixels is to be averaged and outputted the average value; else, the output pixel value is equal to the original position of the pixel value. Finally, the corrected image data is outputted which is corrected by calibration method.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an image-capturing device of a scanner, and more particularly to a method for correcting the image information to reduce the image noise during scanning process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a digital reproducing apparatus or facsimile apparatus, an image reading apparatus having a photoelectric transducer such as CCD (charge-coupled device) is used to photoelectrically read an image of a document sheet. In such an image reading apparatus, a processing function called shading correction is provided in order to eliminate a scatter in a read output level due to a variance of sensitivity of an intensity of exposure light to the document sheet and a variance of sensitivity of the photoelectric transducer and uniformly read an image density.
In a prior art shading correction, a standard white plate of a know density is provided outside a document sheet read area, and the standard white plate is read prior to the reading of the document sheet and the read signal is stored in a memory. The scatter of the read output level can be detected by the signal stored in the memory. Accordingly, in order to eliminate the detected scatter, the shading correction is made to read data based on the data stored in the memory, when the document sheet is read.
In general, the read apparatus electrically main-scans the document sheet by using a linear CCD to read it and sub-scans it by mechanically moving the read line of the CCD transversely to the direction of the main scan. The standard white plate is located at a start of read position in the direction of sub-scan.
In the shading correction, a multiplication factor to render the light intensity data from the standard white plate for each pixel stored in the memory to a light intensity corresponding to the know density of the standard white plate is determined for each pixel and it is stored in the memory.
When the document sheet is read, the multiplication factor corresponding to the read pixel is read from the memory and it is multiplied to the document sheet read signal to effect the shading correction.
In the prior art, since the document sheet is mounted on a platen glass, the document sheet read signal is one transmitted through the platen glass. On the other hand, the standard white plate is formed by applying it on a thin metal plate and it is not always arranged at the same level as that of the document sheet but it is in many cases at a level of the bottom surface of the platen glass. Accordingly, the standard white plate is located closer to an illumination lamp than the document sheet is.
In addition, while the document sheet covered by the platen glass, the applied read plane of the standard white plate is exposed to the light source and the sensor device. As a result, in a long time use, the standard white plate exposed to the illumination significantly fades and the density level greatly deviates from the initially set level.
As a result, in spite of the fact that the shading correction is made on the assumption that the standard white plate has a know density, the signal derived by reading the standard white plate is not proper one due to a difference in the optical path lengths from the surface of the document sheet and a change in the density of the standard white plate.
On the other hand, it is an important drawback for the prior art is that the lamp brightness of the linear image scanner will be different due to the using time, the ambient temperature, and the variation position to obtain the image with noise. Further, the response is different for each sensor of linear sensor device so as to utilize to scan a standard white plate to obtain a standard curve. Therefore, the prior art is provided a method for scanning standard white plate is required to utilize prior to scan the document sheet to obtain the standard curve. Due to the scanning speed is increased to cause the duration of line exposing is shorted and the size of sensor device is reduced from 7 um to 4 um thereby the image noise will be increased, the output signal quality (S/N ratio) is descend, and the gain will be increased simultaneously. In addition, due to the lamp type (shaped or characteristic), the output of the two ends of lamp is smaller than the center of the lamp, and the output image noise will also be increased.
Referring to FIG. 1 that represents a flow diagram for the steps of the conventional image correction. According to flow diagram, step 1 is scanning the standard white plate to obtain a first image data; step 2 is calculating the first image data to obtain the shading curve (standard curve); step 3, according to step 2, we can obtain a shading curve corresponding to each sensor device; step 4, inputting the shading curve into the calibration memory with a calibration database; step 5, performing exposing and scanning process to the document sheet to obtain a second image data; step 6, reading out the shading curve corresponding to each sensor device; step 7, calculating the shading curve; and the step 8, outputted the corrected image data.
According to abovementioned, the calibration procedure only performing a calculation process to the shading curve from scanning the standard white plate, thus, the output signal still have error between the originally image and output image. Therefore, the noise and gain still a problem during the scanning the document sheet.

Method for adjusting image data with shading curve


A dual damascene structure with an embedded liner and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming a dual damascene structure in a substrate. The method further includes reflowing a seed layer such that material of the seed layer flows into a via of the dual damascene structure. The method further includes forming a liner material on the material over or within the via of the dual damascene structure. The method further includes filling any remaining portions of the via and a trench of the dual damascene structure with additional material.

The demand for high performance in advanced ULSI circuits requires a copper interconnect to carry high current density. This places severe challenges on copper interconnect reliability, especially concerning electromigration issues. Electromigration decreases the reliability of integrated circuits (ICs), with eventual loss of connections or failure of the circuit. Also, with increasing miniaturization, the probability of failure due to electromigration increases in very-large-scale integration (VLSI) and ultra-large-scale integration (ULSI) circuits because both the power density and the current density increase. Thus, as the structure size in ICs decreases, the practical significance of the electromigration effect increases.
In advanced semiconductor manufacturing processes, copper has replaced aluminum as the interconnect material of choice. Despite its greater fragility in the fabrication process, copper is intrinsically less susceptible to electromigration. However, electromigration continues to be an ever present challenge to device fabrication.
In dual damascene Cu interconnects, the via has been the weakest link for electromigration, especially for the via depletion mode, i.e., for electrons flowing from a dual damascene via upwards into a line. The common electromigration failure for this mode is void formation within the via. With the technology scaling, a void in the via needed to cause an electromigration failure becomes smaller, and consequently, the failure time becomes shorter.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to overcome the deficiencies and limitations described hereinabove.


A heat dissipating housing for a lighting device includes a back wall comprising an upper section and a lower section. The housing further includes a sidewall extending down from the upper section of the back wall. The back wall and the sidewall define a cavity of the housing. The upper section of the back wall is elevated from the lower section of the back wall such that when a printed circuit board (PCB) having an uninsulated electrical element on a back side of the PCB is in contact with the lower section of the back wall within the cavity, the uninsulated electrical element is separated from a closest point on the housing by an air gap and a distance that is compliant with an Underwriters Laboratories (UL) spacing requirement. The back side of the PCB faces the upper section of the back wall.

A lighting fixture may include a printed circuit board (PCB) and light sources (e.g., light emitting diodes (LEDs)) that are attached to the PCB. Other components such as capacitors and regulators may also be attached to the PCB. Typically, heat is generated by wire traces and other elements of the PCB that carry current between components attached to the PCB. Heat may also be produced by the light sources and the other electrical components that are attached to PCB. In some light fixtures, a heat sink may be used to dissipate heat from the PCB. For example, a metal heat sink that is positioned close to the PCB may allow for efficient transfer of heat from the PCB to the heat sink. However, because a PCB includes current carrying elements (i.e., wire traces, etc.), an air gap may be required between uninsulated current carrying elements of the PCB and the metal heat sink. Further, an air gap may be required between current carrying components attached to the PCB and the metal heat sink. For example, Underwriters Laboratories (UL) spacing requirements require minimum air gap spacing between uninsulated current carrying elements and a metal heat sink. Because of such air gap spacing requirements, heat may not be efficiently transferred from the PCB to the heat sink.
Accordingly, a housing of a light fixture that allows for efficient transfer of heat from the PCB to the housing for dissipation of the heat by the housing is desirable.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An analysis system includes: an electronic device that is attached to an upper body of a swimmer; and an analysis apparatus. The electronic device includes: an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration in a gravity direction in a state where the swimmer stands erect; and a first communication unit that transmits acceleration data indicating the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor to the analysis apparatus. The analysis apparatus includes: a second communication unit that receives the acceleration data from the electronic device; and a control unit that determines whether the swimmer is in a swimming state or the swimmer is in a resting state, based on the acceleration data received by the second communication unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an analysis system, an analysis apparatus, an electronic device, an analysis method, and a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, a technology is known that distinguishes a swim state and a resting state by an acceleration signal when swimming in a state where an acceleration sensor is attached to the body (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2005-152496). In the related art described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2005-152496, a state where an acceleration signal having regularity is output from an acceleration sensor is determined to be a swimming state, and if the output of the acceleration signal has been stopped for a predetermined length of time, it is determined that swimming is finished.

Analysis system, analysis apparatus, electronic device, analysis method, and program


The present invention provides an organic EL device having at least an anode, a first hole transport layer, a second hole transport layer, a luminous layer, an electron transport layer, and a cathode in this order, wherein the second hole transport layer contains an arylamine compound represented by the following general formula (1), and the electron transport layer contains a pyrimidine derivative represented by the following general formula (2). The organic EL device of the present invention has a high efficiency, and is driven at a low driving voltage. Further, it has a particularly long lifetime.

Since an organic EL device is a self light-emitting device, it is brighter, better in visibility, and capable of clearer display, than a liquid crystal device. Hence, energetic researches have been conducted on organic EL devices.
In 1987, C. W. Tang et al. of Eastman Kodak developed a laminated structure device sharing various roles among different materials, thereby imparting practical applicability to organic EL devices using organic materials. Such an organic EL device is formed by laminating a layer of a fluorescent body capable of transporting electrons, and a layer of an organic substance capable of transporting holes. Because of this configuration, the organic EL device injected positive charges and negative charges into the layer of the fluorescent body to perform light emission, thereby obtaining a high luminance of 1,000 cd/m2 or more at a voltage of 10V or less (see Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).
Many improvements have been made to date for commercialization of organic EL devices. For example, high efficiency and high durability have been achieved by an electroluminescent device, in which the roles of the respective layers in a laminated structure are rendered more diverse, and an anode, a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a luminous layer, an electron transport layer, an electron injection layer, and a cathode are provided sequentially on a substrate.
For a further increase in the luminous efficiency, it has been attempted to utilize triplet excitons, and the utilization of phosphorescent compounds has been considered. Furthermore, devices utilizing light emission by thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) have been developed. In 2011, Adachi et al. of Kyushu University realized an external quantum efficiency of 5.3% by a device using a thermally activated delayed fluorescence material.
The luminous layer can also be prepared by doping a charge transporting compound, generally called a host material, with a fluorescent compound, a phosphorescent compound, or a material radiating delayed fluorescence. The selection of the organic material in the organic EL device greatly affects the characteristics of the device, such as efficiency and durability.
With the organic EL device, the charges injected from both electrodes recombine in the luminous layer to obtain light emission. For this purpose, how efficiently the charges of the holes and the electrons are passed on to the luminous layer is of importance in the organic EL device, and the device needs to be excellent in carrier balance. Moreover, the hole injecting properties are enhanced, and the electron blocking properties of blocking electrons injected from the cathode are enhanced, whereby the probability of the holes and the electrons recombining is increased. Besides, excitons generated within the luminous layer are confined. By so doing, a high luminous efficiency can be obtained. Thus, the role of the hole transport material is so important that there has been a desire for a hole transport material having high hole injection properties, allowing marked hole mobility, possessing high electron blocking properties, and having high durability to electrons.
From the viewpoint of device lifetime, heat resistance and amorphousness of the material are also important. A material with low thermal resistance is thermally decomposed even at a low temperature by heat produced during device driving, and the material deteriorates. With a material having low amorphousness, crystallization of a thin film occurs even in a short time, and the device deteriorates. Thus, high resistance to heat and satisfactory amorphousness are required of the material to be used.
As hole transport materials for organic EL devices, N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′-di(α-naphthyl)benzidine (NPD) and various aromatic amine derivatives have been known (see Patent Documents 1 and 2). NPD has satisfactory hole transport capability, but its glass transition point (Tg) serving as an index of heat resistance is as low as 96° C. Under high temperature conditions, it causes decline in device characteristics due to crystallization. Among the aromatic amine derivatives described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are compounds having excellent hole mobility of 10−3 cm2/Vs or more. Since the electron blocking properties of such aromatic amine derivatives are insufficient, however, some of electrons pass through the luminous layer, and an increase in the luminous efficiency cannot be expected. Thus, there has been a desire for a material having higher electron blocking properties, more stable in the form of a thin film, and possessing higher resistance to heat, in order to achieve an even higher efficiency. Patent Document 3 reports aromatic amine derivatives with high durability. However, the aromatic amine derivatives of Patent Document 3 are used as charge transport materials for electrophotographic photoreceptors, and there have been no examples of their use in organic EL devices.
As compounds improved in characteristics such as heat resistance and hole injection properties, arylamine compounds having substituted carbazole structures have been proposed (see Patent Documents 4 and 5). In devices using these compounds as hole injection layers or hole transport layers, heat resistance and luminous efficiency have been improved. However, the improved characteristics have been still insufficient, and an even lower driving voltage and an even higher luminous efficiency are desired.
In the field of organic EL devices, as noted above, it is desired to combine materials excellent in hole injection/transport performance, electron injection/transport performance, thin film stability, durability, etc., thereby improving the device characteristics, increasing the yield of device preparation, and enabling holes and electrons to be recombined with high efficiency. Realization of a device with a high luminous efficiency, a low driving voltage, and a long lifetime through these efforts is desired.
It is also desired to combine materials excellent in hole injection/transport performance, electron injection/transport performance, thin film stability, durability, etc., thereby realizing an organic EL device improved in device characteristics, offering a good carrier balance, and having a high efficiency, a low driving voltage, and a long lifetime.


The yield of monoaldehyde ##STR1## from 7-chloroquinaldine and isophthalaldehyde is increased to about 82% by using a 2 molar excess of isophthalaldehyde, conditions favoring precipitation of product during the reaction and recycling unreacted isophthalaldehyde. The recycling leads to a reduced net consumption of about 1.2 molar equivalents of isophthalaldehyde.

Montelukast sodium (USP Dictionary of USAN and International Drug Names, 1990) has structural formula IV: ##STR3##
It is a leukotriene antagonist useful in the treatment of asthma and related problems. Its synthesis is fully described in European Patent publication 0 480,717. An important intermediate in the synthesis of montelukast sodium is the monoaldehyde of Structure III shown above. A process for the preparation of this monoaldehyde is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,409 by Young et al. During the development of the overall process for the manufacture of montelukast sodium a much improved process for the monoaldehyde step was developed resulting in a yield of about 65% and a consumption of about 1.5 equivalents of isophthalaldehyde per equivalent of 7-chloroquinaldine.
Now with the present invention there is provided a process whereby the yield of monoaldehyde is increased from 65% to about 82% and the rate of consumption of isophthalaldehyde is reduced from about 1.5 equivalents to about 1.2 equivalents per equivalent of 7-chloroquinaldine.

Process for 3-(2-(7-chloro-2-quinolinyl)ethenyl) - benzaldehyde


A non-volatile (“NV”) memory device is able to enhance data integrity using threshold voltage (“Vt”) recalibration based on a selected scheme. Upon receiving a command for reading a data page, the process, in one embodiment, identifies a reference page which is located at a predefined location in a block of the NV memory. After reading the first reference data from the reference page by a reader in response to a first or current Vt, a first bit error rate (“BER”) is generated based on the comparison between the first reference data and the predefined known data pattern. If the first BER is greater than a predefined BER target, a second Vt is subsequently calculated in accordance with the first Vt. When the second BER is equal to or less than the predefined BER target, an optimal Vt is set to the second Vt. There are also two other methods using DC balance coding scheme and counting the number of 1's in the selected data page can be used in recalibrating the threshold voltage.

With increasing popularity of electronic devices, such as computers, smart phones, mobile devices, server farms, mainframe computers, and the like, the demand for more and faster data is constantly growing. To handle and facilitate voluminous data between such electronic devices, high speed NV memory devices are typically used. A conventional type of NV memory device, for example, includes flash memory.
The flash memory, in one example, is an electronic NV computer storage device capable of maintaining, erasing, and/or reprogramming data. The flash memory can be fabricated with several different types of integrated circuit ("IC") technologies such as NOR or NAND logic gates with, for example, floating-gate transistors. Depending on the applications, a typical memory access of flash memory can be configured to be a block, a page, a word, and/or a byte.
The structures and/or characteristics of flash memory cell exhibit characteristics similar to those of volatile memory circuitry. In flash memory, each memory cell, for example, resembles basic structure of a standard MOSFET, except that the flash memory cell contains at least one floating gate ("FG") transistor which has two gates instead of one gate. On top of FG transistor is a control gate ("CG") wherein below the CG, an FG is situated. An FG is typically insulated by one or more oxide or insulating layers, and is interposed between the CG and the MOSFET channel. Since the FG is electrically isolated by its insulating layer, any electrons that are trapped inside of the FG may last for a long period of time without substantially discharging.
When an FG holds a charge, it screens or partially cancels electric field generated by the CG. The CG is used to apply the threshold voltage ("Vt") to the cell for memory access. Note that higher voltage is typically required at the CG to conduct the channel. During a read-out operation, a voltage such as Vt is applied to the CG to make the channel to be conductive. Upon sensing a current flowing through a MOSFET channel, a binary code or value can be read and a corresponding stored data is reproduced. In a multi-level cell device which stores more than one bit per cell, the amount of current flow is sensed in order to determine a level of charge which corresponds to a binary value stored in the FG.
A drawback, however, associated with a typical flash memory device is loss of charge prematurely due to certain environmental conditions, such as read disturb, read error, aging, inter-cell interference, and the like. If the storage controller fails to intervene in time, the loss of charge in the FG can lead to data loss and/or unusable or unrecoverable error-prone data. The read disturb, for example, may occur when a neighboring cell has been accessed. Reading NAND based flash memory, for instance, can cause nearby cells in the same memory block to dissipate their charges prematurely. To reduce premature loss of charge, a conventional approach is to refresh stored data based on certain conditions such as number of read times.

Method and apparatus for improving data integrity using threshold voltage recalibration


A torque sensor for a vehicle steering system includes a voltage boosting circuit, an oscillator, an offset voltage circuit part and a current amplifier. The torque sensor further includes a phase inversion part that outputs an offset voltage and a phase-inverted alternating current voltage which is in-phase with the voltage outputted from said oscillator, a waveform selecting part that rectifies the voltages outputted from said current amplifier and said phase inversion part, and first and second coils that are in series each other and connected at each end thereof to an output terminal of said waveform selecting part and an output terminal of said offset voltage circuit part, respectively.

Generally, an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) of an Electrical Power Steering (EPS) system controls the steering of a vehicle by detecting steering torque according to the manipulation of a steering wheel of a driver through a torque sensor.
For the torque sensor of the EPS system, a battery voltage inputted into the ECU is regulated in a regulator of the ECU and then used as a driving power of the torque sensor.
However, there is a drawback in the conventional torque sensor in that if the battery voltage is lower than a predetermined value due to an instantaneous overload of the vehicle or the like, the voltage outputted through the regulator of the ECU to the torque sensor turns into a low voltage, smaller than a tolerance of a rated voltage. This causes a decrease of the output of the torque sensor and the like by an abnormality of the torque sensor and results in an inaccurate steering of the vehicle.
There is another drawback in that if a phase variation occurs due to a temperature variation in the coil part of the torque sensor or the like, a distortion phenomenon of a torque detecting signal is generated by a lack of a precise sampling of the signal, thereby deteriorating the accuracy of the torque detecting signal.

Torque sensor for vehicle steering system


An improved image forming apparatus comprises a first developing unit comprising a photosensitive body. Also provided is a second developing unit including a developing roller which is moveably installed so that the developing roller selectively contacts the photosensitive body. A pressing member selectively presses the second developing unit. The developing roller contacts the photosensitive body during a developing process and separates from the photosensitive body after the developing process is finished.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus in which a developing roller makes contact with a photosensitive body during an image developing process and separates from the photosensitive body after the developing process is finished.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, image forming apparatuses, such as laser printers, light emitting diode (LED) printers, digital copiers, facsimiles, and multi-functional devices, transfer an image signal. The image signal is transferred according to an input digital signal, as a visible image, to a printing medium such as a sheet of paper to print the visible image. Such an image forming apparatus generally comprises a developing unit, a laser scanning unit, a transfer medium, and a fixing unit.
The developing unit comprises a photosensitive body on which the visible image is developed. The developing unit also comprises a developing roller to transfer a developer to the photosensitive body and to develop the visible image on the photosensitive medium. An electrostatic latent image corresponding to the visible image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive body by a laser beam irradiated from the laser scanning unit. The developer transferred to the photosensitive body is transferred to the printing medium passing between the photosensitive body and the transfer medium. The printing medium then passes through the fixing unit. As a result, the visible image transferred to the printing medium is fused and fixed onto the printing medium by a fixing unit that applies high temperature and pressure.
Methods of developing an image using the developing unit are classified into a contact type developing method and a non-contact type developing method. In the contact type developing method, the developing roller rotates in contact with the photosensitive body. Alternatively, in the non-contact type developing method, the developing roller does not contact the photosensitive body to rotate and maintains a predetermined developing gap in relation to the photosensitive body.
In the contact type developing method, the developing performance of the developing roller is high. Additionally, a developing structure of the developing roller is simple, and parameters of outer sizes of the developing roller and the photosensitive body are flexible. However, high speed rotation of the developing roller is relatively difficult to achieve. High speed rotation is relatively difficult because the developing roller wears due to contact with the photosensitive body. The developing roller is also sensitive to environmental parameters. Therefore, high resolution may be compromised, and the surface of the developing roller may be pressed when the developing roller is not used for a long period.
In the non-contact type developing method, high resolution can be realized and high speed rotation of the developing roller is possible. However, toner on the surface of the developing roller is often scattered due to the high speed rotation. Thus, the developing roller may become contaminated and may not able to maintain the predetermined developing gap.
Therefore, recently, the developing roller is configured to contact the photosensitive body during a developing process. However, the developing roller does not contact the photosensitive body after the developing process is finished or when the developing unit is not in operation. Consequently, a plurality of gear trains, operatively connected to a drive source for receiving power, are required to operate the developing roller. As a result, the developing roller has a relatively complicated structure.
Accordingly, there is a continual need for an improved image forming apparatus using a combination of contact and non-contact type developing methods to receive power from a drive source.


Arrangements related to mitigating risk for an autonomous vehicle with respect to oncoming objects are described. An oncoming object in an external environment of the autonomous vehicle can be detected. It can be determined whether the oncoming object exhibits a hazardous behavior. Responsive to determining that the oncoming object exhibits a hazardous behavior, an altered travel route for the autonomous vehicle while maintaining safe operation of the autonomous vehicle can be determined. At least a portion of the altered travel route can safely violate a traffic rule. The autonomous vehicle can be caused to implement the altered travel route.

Some vehicles include sensors that are configured to detect information about the surrounding environment. Computing systems are configured to process the detected information to determine how to navigate and/or maneuver the vehicle through the surrounding environment. Some vehicles include driver assist systems that can help to avoid collisions with objects detected in the surrounding environment. Depending on the circumstances, the driver assist system may activate only the brakes, or it may also steer the vehicle away from the object if sufficient space is available.

Risk mitigation for autonomous vehicles relative to oncoming objects

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


The method and apparatus of the present invention allows for all applications running on a computer which conform to the Object Linking and Embedding Application Programming Interface (OLE API) to automatically become capable of accessing World-Wide Web (WWW) files of arbitrary type. The standard OLE API is extended to utilize Uniform Resource Locators (URL), the WWW global naming convention,

(1). Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the field for referencing a file in a network, more specifically, for extending the Windows.RTM. Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) functionality to transparently reference files residing in the Internet's World-Wide Web (WWW).
(2) Prior Art
World-Wide Web (WWW) is a fully multimedia-enabled hypertext system used for navigating the Internet. WWW may cope with any type of data which may be stored on computers, and may be used with an Internet connection and a WWW browser. WWW is made up of hundreds of thousands of interconnected pages or documents which can be displayed on a computer monitor. Each page can have connections to other pages which may be held on any computer connected to the Internet.
WWW is based on the concept of hypertext which is very similar to ordinary text, except that for hypertext, connections to other parts of the text or to other documents can be hidden behind words and phrases. The connections to these hypertext are referred to as hypertext links and they allow the user to read the document in any order desired. WWW also utilizes hypermedia which allows links to connect to not only words but also with pictures, sounds and any other data files which can be stored on a computer.
More specifically, hypermedia is a method for connecting data files together regardless of their format. The hypermedia links held on a given WWW page describes the location of the document which a WWW browser should display by using a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). URLs enable WWW browsers to go directly to any file held on any WWW server. URL is a naming system, typically consisting of three parts, the transfer format (also known as the protocol type), the host name of the machine which holds the file (may also be referred to as the WWW server name) and the path name to the file. The transfer format for standard WWW pages is Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Standard Internet naming conventions are utilized for the host name portion of the URL. UNIX.RTM. directory naming conventions are utilized to indicate the path name of the file.
A WWW browser may be used to send and receive data using HITP as well as to access all of the popular Internet resources directly and through gateways which can be reached through the WWW. More specifically, a WWW browser is a client software which may be run on a computer able to access different resources including USENET, FTP, Archie, etc. from one common user interface. Currently there are various different WWW browsers available. The most well known WWW browsers are Mosaic.RTM. and its progeny such as NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR(.RTM..
FIGS. 1a and 1b illustrate the prior art method and apparatus for accessing Internet's WVW using a conventional Web browser. PC 100 is one of the network of computers in WWW 102. PC 100 is a Web client and WWW 102 is a Web server. PC 100 has a conventional Web Browser running such as Mosaic 104 and its display device displays a text fragment 106 and picture 108. Picture 108 may be retrieved from WWW 102 through URL (Uniform Resource Locator) i.e. which is a special name enabling Web Browser 104 to go directly to any file held on any WWW server. Unfortunately, the prior art method and apparatus only allows the use of Mosaic.RTM. type applications (i.e. applications which allow a user to browse and to access the WWW 102). Any other applications such as Word for Windows.RTM. are not able to use a URL to directly access a file in WWW 102.
In FIG. 1b, PC 100 has CPU 110 coupled to memory 114. Memory 114 has Windows.RTM. 112 and Web Browser 104. Web Browser 104 retrieves data from WWW 102 using a URL. As was described earlier, the limitation of the conventional method and apparatus for accessing the Internet's WWW 102 is that only Mosaic.RTM. type applications are able to map a URL into WWW 102 to directly retrieve WWW documents and data.
It is therefore desirable to have a method and an apparatus which allow a broader scope of applications to access data in the WWW without having to alter the applications themselves.

Accessing internets world-wide web through object linking and embedding technology


Methods (70) are described for fabricating shallow and abrupt gradient drain extensions for MOS type transistors, in which a solid phase epitaxial recrystallization is performed within the drain extensions utilizing a laser SPER annealing process in the manufacture of semiconductor products. One method (70) includes a preamorphizing process (74) of implanting a heavy ion species such as Germanium deep into an extension region of a substrate adjacent a channel region of the substrate to form a deep amorphized region, then implanting boron or another such dopant species into an extension region of the substrate adjacent the channel region. The implanted dopant is then preannealed (78) at a low temperature to set the junction depth and doping concentration. The extensions and/or the deep source/drain regions are subsequently annealed (84) with a laser at a high temperature providing a solid phase epitaxial recrystallization in the regions proximate the channel region to achieve ultra high doping concentrations and activation levels with an abrupt gradient.

MOS transistors are found in many modern semiconductor products where switching and/or amplification functions are needed. Many manufacturing processes and techniques have been developed for fabricating MOS devices in semiconductor substrate materials such as silicon and the like. In recent years, the size of transistors and other components have steadily decreased to submicron levels in order to facilitate higher device densities in semiconductor products. At the same time, many new applications have created a need to operate transistors and other semiconductor devices at lower power and voltage levels. Thus, whereas previous MOSFET devices were designed to operate at voltages of 5 or more volts, newer applications may require such devices to operate from DC supplies of around 3 volts down to about 1 volt. In addition, switching speed requirements of MOS transistors continue to increase in order to facilitate faster and improved product performance. Accordingly, efforts continue to be made to design semiconductor devices, such as MOSFET transistors, which occupy less physical space, consume less power, and operate at higher switching speeds and at lower voltages.
MOS transistors include a conductive gate overlying a channel region of the substrate with a thin gate dielectric, typically oxide, therebetween. Source and drain regions of the substrate (sometimes referred to as junction regions) are doped with impurities on opposite sides of the channel, wherein the source/drain regions of nMOS devices are doped with n-type impurities (e.g., As, Sb, P, etc.) and pMOS devices are doped using p-type impurities (e.g., B, Ga, In, etc.). The length of the gate structure overlying the channel is typically referred to as the physical channel length. The source and drain dopants are typically implanted into the silicon substrate using ion implantation systems, wherein the dosage and energy of the implanted ions may be varied depending upon the desired dopant concentration, depth, and profile. The ion dose generally controls the concentration of implanted ions for a given semiconductor material, and the energy level of the beam ions determines the distance of penetration or depth of the implanted ions (e.g., the junction depth).
Following implantation, the dopant atoms in the source/drain regions occupy interstitial positions in the substrate lattice, and the dopant atoms must be transferred to substitutional sites to become electrically active. This process is sometimes referred to as "activation", and is accomplished by high temperature annealing in an inert ambient such as argon. The activation anneal process also causes diffusion of implanted dopant species downward and laterally in the substrate, wherein the effective channel length becomes less than the physical channel length. As device sizes continue to shrink, the physical and effective channel lengths continue to be scaled downward, wherein short channel effects become significant.
In addition to short channel effects, hot carrier effects are also experienced in short channel devices. For example, during saturation operation of a MOS transistor, electric fields are established near the lateral junction of the drain and channel regions. This field causes channel electrons to gain kinetic energy and become "hot". Some of these hot electrons traveling to the drain are injected into the thin gate dielectric proximate the drain junction. The injected hot carriers, in turn, often lead to undesired degradation of the MOS device operating parameters, such as a shift in threshold voltage, changed transconductance, changed drive current/drain current exchange, and device instability.
To combat channel hot carrier effects, drain extension regions are commonly formed in the substrate, which are variously referred to as, for example, double diffused drains (DDD), lightly doped drains (LDD), and moderately doped drains (MDD). These drain extension regions absorb some of the potential into the drain and away from the drain/channel interface, thereby reducing channel hot carriers and the adverse performance degradation associated therewith. Referring to prior art FIG. 1, a conventional transistor fabrication process 2 is illustrated beginning at 4, wherein isolation structures are formed in a substrate at 6, and a gate oxide (e.g., gate dielectric) is formed at 8. At 10, a layer of polysilicon is deposited over the gate oxide, and is then patterned at 12 to form a polysilicon gate structure.
Offset spacers may optionally be formed on either side of the gate structure at 13 to guide an implant that is performed at 14, wherein drain extension regions are implanted. Typically, the LDD implant at 14 is a fairly low concentration dopant implantation process, which may also use the edge of the patterned gate structure as an implantation mask, while for MDD implantations the use of the offset spacers provided at 13 may be advantageous. Spacers are then formed at 18 along the sidewalls of the gate structure, and a second implantation (e.g., sometimes called a "source/drain implant") is performed at 20 using a higher dopant concentration and implantation energy to form the source/drain junction regions.
An activation anneal is then performed at about 1050 degrees C. at 22 to activate the implanted dopant in the drain extensions and the source/drain regions, and also to cause diffusion or migration of dopant downward and laterally in the silicon. Thus, drain extension regions and source/drain regions are provided, which partially overlap one another in the substrate. Typically, the drain extension regions extend downward to a somewhat shallow depth and laterally to or under the gate structure, whereas the deeper source/drain regions are laterally spaced from the gate (e.g., by about the sidewall spacer width). The gate and source/drain regions are then silicided at 24 and back-end interconnect processing is performed at 26 before the method 2 ends at 28.
As a result of the two implantations at 14 and 20, a dopant gradient is established across the junction from the source/drain region of the junction to the drain extension region adjacent the channel, sometimes referred to as a graded junction. The drain extension region operates to assume a substantial portion of the entire voltage drop associated with saturation operation at the drain junction, while the more heavily doped source/drain region forms a low resistivity region suitable for enhanced contact conductivity. Further, the source/drain dose is implanted at a higher energy to produce deeper source/drain junctions (deeper than the extension regions) and thereby to provide better protection against junction spiking.
As CMOS devices are scaled down to support future technologies, it has become increasingly problematic to proportionately scale down the depth and gradient of source/drain extension regions. As a result in part, lightly doped drain LDD extensions have recently given way to moderately doped MDD and highly doped drain extensions HDD, wherein the drain extension depths are becoming smaller (e.g., shallower). The recent trend is toward shallower junctions with lower sheet resistance, wherein reducing sheet resistance facilitates higher drive currents (e.g., improved threshold voltage transistor performance), and faster switching times. Shallower junctions reduce short channel effects, facilitating continuing efforts at scaling MOS transistors to smaller and smaller dimensions, both lateral and vertical scaling.
After implantation of such drain extension regions, prior art annealing has been carried out at low temperatures (e.g., <600° C.) for a substantial period of time, leaving behind considerable end-of-range damage to the crystal lattice boundaries. Prior attempts to anneal out this damage using subsequent anneals in conventional apparatus may result in profile degradation (e.g., loss of dopant gradient abruptness).
The amount of dopant activation in the drain extensions plays a role in determining the sheet resistance thereof, wherein increasing the dopant activation (e.g., lowering the sheet resistance) serves to lower parasitic resistance within the source to drain path. Thus, there is a need for fabrication techniques for MOS type transistors, by which improved epitaxial recrystalization of the source and drain extensions can be facilitated in the manufacture of semiconductor devices.

Solid phase epitaxy recrystallization by laser annealing


A granulator which has a rotor knife seat having a plurality of tapped holes and a clamp to secure a knife to the rotor seat, is set forth. The granulator further includes a floor formed in the rotor seat and a trapezoidal shaped knife having a rear wall. The knife has an upper surface and a forward sloping surface, the sloping surface terminating at one end in a cutting edge and intersecting at its other end the upper surface and defining at said intersection a knife alignment edge. An adjustable clamp having a plurality of bolt holes is also provided. The clamp may be moved with reference to the rotor seat within the limits defined by the diameters of the bolt holes.

A granulator is used to reduce the size of plastic or other materials to particles small enough to be used in reprocessing, disposal, etc. This size reduction is accomplished through the use of knives to cut the material into smaller pieces. A granulator has one or more stationary (bed) knives and two or more rotating (rotor) knives. When a rotor knife passes a stationary knife, a cutting action is produced, assuming that a piece of material is located between the knives. A half cylinder containing a large number of perforations (screen) is located directly below the knives to control the size of granulated particles leaving the cutting area. Particles are forced to remain in the cutting area until they are small enough to fall through the screen.
Granulators have been manufactured for over thirty years. The traditional approach to design has been to make the knife large enough to accommodate several round holes for the purpose of bolting the knife to its mating structures. Knives are currently manufactured from a solid piece of tool steel, which is usually "hardened" using a thermal heat treatment process. Once knives become dull, they are typically removed from the machine, resharpened, and installed back into the granulator. A typical knife can be resharpened about five times before it becomes too small to be effective and must be disposed of. When a knife is disposed of, it still contains approximately ninety percent of its original material.
A problem with conventional knives is that as they become dull, the quality of the granulated material suffers. Dulled knives tend to "beat" or "hammer" the material rather than cut it. As a result, the amount of dust or "fines" in the granulate increases. Users wish to reduce the amount of fines to a minimum, because the dust is objectionable from a housekeeping standpoint. It causes problems in material transfer systems, and usually results in waste.
If knives could remain sharp for a longer period of time, the costs associated with resharpening and changing the knives would be reduced. The quality of the granulated material would also be improved.
Extending the life of the cutting edge requires a more durable material; i.e., a material that wears better and is not brittle. Such materials do exist. The real problem arises when one attempts to use these exotic materials in a conventional knife configuration. The cost per pound of these materials is significantly higher than conventional tool steels, and this approach is just not economically attractive.
Over the years there have been many attempts to improve the life of granulator knife cutting edges. The development of better tool steels has caused some increases in knife life, but at a higher cost. For instance, some standard granulator knives are manufactured from chrome-vanadium-steel (CVS). Better life can be obtained from a knife made from hardened D-2 tool steel, but the cost is about 40 percent higher. Still greater life can be achieved by treating a knife surface with a flame sprayed tungsten or titanium carbide coating. Knife life can triple, compared to that of a CVS knife, but not without a substantial increase in cost.
Other coatings on conventional knives have been tried with the goal of improving edge life. Titanium nitride coatings, which have dramatically improved the life of such things as drill bits, have been tried. Although some improvement was achieved, the economics are not attractive.
Strips of tungsten carbide have been secured to mild steel knife bodies. The tungsten carbide is very hard and would enhance the wear characteristics, while the majority of the knife is made from lower cost mild steel. Although this approach has been tried, the difficulties in joining the two metals made this a very expensive process, and therefore not a good solution to the knife wear problem. In a similar fashion, D-2 tool steel strips were attached to mild steel bodies. The approach also did not prove to be reliable or economical.
A more modern approach is to metallurgically bond (using the hot isostatic press approach (HIP)) a small amount of a hardenable ceramic composite to a conventional tool steel body in an attempt to achieve an economical solution to knife wear. The ceramic composites typically consist of tungsten or titanium carbide particles suspended in a tool steel matrix. The product is machinable before heat treatment, after which it requires grinding. The cost of this process appears to be very high and its economics are questionable.
Another approach tried was to apply a cladding to the knife tip area on a mild steel knife base. After the very hard weld deposited material was applied, the final knife cutting edge had to be machined through an electrical discharge machining (EDM) process. The economics of this approach did not prove to be acceptable.
A small reversible, and expendable knife Turnknife.TM. is available. Its complex shape is produced by extrusion from a high durability proprietary steel, and the final critical features are produced by grinding. This knife is positioned and retained to its mounting surface by a clamp. The knife requires complex and precise features on both its mounting surface and its clamp. In addition, the knife cannot cut thick parts because of its small protrusion from the rotor.
My U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,790 teaches a reversible, trapezoidal shaped knife which is miniature in size and is held in place by a bolted clamp. This knife has many advantages over conventional knives but is limited to cutting parts which have light to medium cross-sections. Being reversible and precisely located on the rotor by two pins, the protrusion of this knife from the front edge of the rotor has a practical limit. Because this amount of protrusion affects its ability to cut through the material, this knife is not a good choice for cutting parts with very thick cross-sections, such as from 3/8" to 11/2" for many materials.
To solve this problem, as disclosed in the parent application, a clamp-knife design was developed which used only `exotic material` and was capable of cutting parts as thick as with conventional knives, such as up to 11/2" for many materials and shapes. The knife used only about 12% of the materials of conventional knives.
The knife was designed to be resharpened at least three times. The rear face of the knife was butted up against a ledge, which ledge was formed either in the clamp or the rotor seat. This ledge was fixed. When a new knife was placed in the seat and clamped into position, it extended its maximum unsupported distance from the clamp and seat. This clamp-knife design was not designed for use in abusive conditions. That is, if the granulator were designed for granulating plastic material, such as scrap plastic from a molding machine and used in-house, the knife would only expect to cut plastic. However, it was found in actual use even where a granulator was used in-house where only scrap plastic should be encountered, metal parts such as bolts, would find their way into the granulator and the knife, because of its extension from the clamp and seat, would tend to break.
Broadly, the present invention embodies a rotor seat-knife-adjustable clamp design which overcomes the breaking of the knife in abusive conditions and which allows the knife to be resharpened and precisely repositioned on the average at least three times. Further, the knife is smaller than conventional knives and uses only about 12% of the material used in conventional knives for the same purpose.
The knife is trapezoidal in cross-section and includes a rear wall, an upper surface and a sloped surface which terminates in a cutting edge. Where the upper surface and sloped surface intersect they define a knife alignment edge.
The rotor seat has a floor and rear wall formed therein. The knife is seated on the floor with its rear edge butted up against the rear wall. The rotor seat is also characterized by tapped holes.
The clamp includes a plurality of holes. The wall defining each hole is characterized by a stepped surface which defines a first upper hole of a diameter greater than the bolt head which will pass therethrough and a second narrower lower hole of a diameter greater than the shaft of the bolt which passes therethrough. The clamp is further characterized by a rear wall and a forward portion, the forward portion having a sloped upper surface, and a flat bottom surface which intersect at a clamp alignment edge.
The enlarged holes in the clamp allow the clamp position to be adjusted each time a knife is seated. When a knife is seated it engages the rear wall of the rotor seat. The location of the rear wall is constant or fixed. A gauge is used to position the clamp with reference to the knife edge, which is immovable, and the rear wall of the clamp, which is moveable. The gauge, which is a single U-shaped piece, locates the clamp with reference to the knife such that the sloped surface of the knife and the sloped upper surface of the adjustable clamp lie in substantially the same plane and the knife alignment edge and clamp alignment edge are adjacent to one another. This ensures that the knife receives maximum support from the clamp.
Once a cutting edge becomes dull,, the knife is removed and resharpened. The resharpened knife is then placed on the floor of the rotor seat with the rear wall of the knife butted up to the rear wall of the rotor seat. Dimensionally the knife is smaller with reference to the distance between its rear wall and the cutting edge. Again, the gauge is used, typically one gauge at each end of the knife, and the clamp is moved until it is properly positioned such that the knife alignment edge and clamp alignment edge are adjacent to one another. That is, the clamp is now properly aligned with reference to the new size of the knife to provide maximum support to the knife. It is important to advance the clamp sufficiently toward the edge of the knife to provide maximum support, but not too far forward such that it would interfere with (hit) the stationary (bed) knife. Once the knife is properly positioned then the bolts are secured.
The knife and clamping arrangements described herein dramatically improve the economics of attaining longer lasting knife edges, reduce machine downtime and labor costs due to less frequent changes, an improves granulate quality by minimizing fines.


A method is proposed for introducing an accurately dosable amount of mercury into the discharge vessel of a lamp, in particular into a straight fluorescent lamp, wherein both sides of the discharge vessel are connected to a lamp receptacle; and the discharge vessel is charged with a gas stream via the lamp receptacle and is filled, moreover, with a predetermined amount of mercury via a mercury introducing channel. Furthermore, it is provided that during or after dosing the amount of mercury to be introduced, the mercury is brought in a dosed volume in the form of a single, coalescing drop, and then in a fill step the entire amount of mercury to be introduced is transported into the discharge vessel, while still maintaining the previously formed drop. To this end, there is a change-over mechanism, which in the preparation step guides the gas stream past the drop via a bypass channel and in a fill step blocks the bypass channel in such a manner that, while the bypass channel is blocked, the gas stream is guided over the dosed volume and drags the drop along with it into the discharge vessel.

The invention relates to a method for introducing an accurately dosable amount of mercury into the discharge vessel of a lamp, in particular into a straight fluorescent lamp. The discharge vessel is connected to a lamp receptacle and is charged with a gas stream via the lamp receptacle and is filled, moreover, with a predetermined amount of mercury via a mercury-introducing channel. Furthermore, the invention relates to a suitable device.
Fluorescent lamps are manufactured on fully automated production machines, where the lamp blanks run through a plurality of processes in the horizontal position. These processes include: baking out the fluorescent substances, which are suspended in the discharge vessel, melting an electrode into the ends of the discharge vessel, evacuating the discharge vessel, filling the discharge vessel with an inert fill gas, introducing a predetermined amount of mercury and then sealing air-tight the discharge vessel on both ends of the discharge tube.
The documents U.S. Pat. No. 2,699,279, U.S. Pat. No. 2,842,290 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,726,799 describe how liquid mercury is dosed from a container as a part of a fully automated production machine for evacuating and filling straight discharge vessels with inert fill gas and mercury.
Such fully automated production machines are wide spread and have been used for many years.
An alternative method for introducing mercury into the discharge vessel of fluorescent lamps is disclosed in WO 97/19461. In the method described in that patent, a metal strip, which is coated with a mercury compound is mounted on the electrodes. After the discharge vessel has been sealed air-tight, in particular melt-sealed, the metal strip and the mercury compound on said metal strip are heated inductively; and the mercury is released.
The heating of the mercury strip in the finished lamp has the result that eventually other undesired components, in particular H2, are released from the metal strip; and these components have an extremely negative impact on the igniting and burning properties of the lamp.
In order to absorb at least to some extent these disturbing materials, a getter material is usually also applied on the metal strip. This getter material must also be heated inductively in order to activate itself. The heating that is necessary to activate the getter or rather to release the mercury is achieved by introducing inductive energy. In order to heat the metal strip up to a range between 900° and 1,000° over a period ranging from 10 to 30 seconds, a very strong alternating electromagnetic field must be applied. A certain radiation of the antenna in the factory, which could have a negative impact, for example, on persons with cardiac pacemakers, cannot be avoided. The energy costs for a lamp throughput of 7,000/h is noticeable; and the energy efficiency of this method is extremely low. The production of the metal strip with the mercury and getter compounds that are applied by pressure on said metal strip (usually in the shape of a welded ring) and the manipulation during the lamp production makes the getter strip technology very time-consuming and expensive.
In the aforementioned Hg-liquid dosing method the scattering of the dosed amount is very large. Depending on the type of lamp, the fluorescent material and other specific construction features, there is a consumption of the introduced mercury during the service life, which ought to be in a magnitude of 20,000 hours. Therefore, one usually overdoses in order to make sure that one has the minimum amount of mercury that is necessary for operating the lamp and to guarantee the envisaged average life of the lamp.
In contrast, the object of the present invention is to provide a method for introducing an accurately dosable amount of mercury into the discharge vessel of lamps. This method is to ensure that the dosing can be carried out with significantly higher accuracy than with the prior art methods. Furthermore, a corresponding device shall be provided.
According to a core idea of the invention, this problem is solved in that in a preparation step during or after dosing the amount of mercury to be introduced, the mercury is brought in a dosed volume in the form of a single, coalescing drop or adherent drop. Then in a fill step the entire amount of mercury to be introduced is transported—while still maintaining the previously formed drop—into the discharge vessel. To this end there is a change-over mechanism, which in the preparation step guides the gas stream past the drop via a bypass channel and in a fill step blocks the bypass channel in such a manner that, while the bypass channel is blocked, the gas stream is guided over the dosed volume and drags the drop along with it into the discharge vessel.
Consequently one core consideration consists of bringing the entire gas stream for the process of introducing behind the already pre-dosed drop of mercury in order to let the drop be conveyed by the gas stream into the discharge vessel.
Even though the dosing of the drop could already be carried out spatially separately or temporally far in advance, it is preferred that the dosing be carried out by means of or rather within the dosed volume. However, it is ensured that exactly the pre-dosed amount of mercury is available for filling into the discharge vessel.
According to another preferred aspect of the present invention, the drop is formed as a structure having at least an approximately spherical shape. Correspondingly in another preferred design, the device is provided with a dosing borehole, which is dimensioned in such a manner that in said borehole the drop can form into a single bead, whose predetermined diameter is defined by the circumference of the dosing borehole.
Therefore, the dosing borehole is configured differently than in the state of the art so that the drop has room only as a bead, a feature that is also claimed as an independent idea of the present invention. In the state of the art, on the other hand, the dosing borehole is designed oblong or long stretched-out so that the mercury divides into a plurality of small beads. However, this division is not repeatable; the beads are small and are poorly conveyed.
In the preferred design of the invention, however, the inventive dosing of the mercury so as to form a single bead as well as the process control or process technological adaption with respect to rerouting or bypassing the gas stream interact.
In order to further improve the introduction of the drop of mercury, it is advantageous to avoid bypasses at angles greater than or equal to 90°. For example, the drop may be guided over two bypasses of, for example, 45° each. As an alternative, it is also conceivable to guide the drop in a channel, which exhibits in particular a continuous bend, especially by providing a curved acceleration channel in such a manner that sharp angles are totally avoided. Especially if a curved acceleration channel is provided, it may also be provided that this channel empties without a bend and/or without any steps into the feed channel. The above described aspects are also claimed as independent inventions irrespective of the formation of exactly one drop or the rerouting of the gas stream.
In another preferred design the drop of mercury is guided in such a manner that at transitions steps or rather edges in the direction of introduction are avoided. Corresponding transitions may be designed so as to be either totally flat, or the drop may be guided in such a way that the diameter of the guiding mechanisms is expanded at the transitions so that the drop of mercury does not impinge upon any impediment in the direction of travel.
According to a special aspect of the present invention, the dosed volume may be designed as a dosing borehole and may exhibit a length that is equivalent to approximately the diameter of a circle, inscribed in the cross section of the dosing borehole.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the length of the dosing borehole may also be somewhat shorter than the diameter of a circle, inscribed in the cross section of the dosing borehole, in order to ensure that in cutting off the mercury stream above the dosing borehole just one drop actually forms despite the high surface tension of the mercury in the dosing borehole.

Device for introducing an accurately dosable amount of mercury.

Flowil International Lighting (Holding) B.V.


The invention relates to sulfonyl-containing 3,4-diaryl-3-pyrrolin-2-ones compounds having formula (I)

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used extensively for the treatment of inflammatory conditions, including pain-releasing, anti-pyretic and rheumatoid arthritis. These functions are believed to inhibit the enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX) that is involved in the biosynthesis of prostaglandins G and H from arachidonic acid. So far two isozymes of COX are known: COX-1 and COX-2. COX-1 is constitutively produced in a variety of tissues and appears to be important to the maintenance of normal physiological functions, including gastric and renal cytoprotection. The COX-2 is an inducible isozyme, which is produced in cells under the stimulation of endotoxins, cytokines, and hormones and catalyzes the production of prostaglandins which cause inflammation.
The currently therapeutic use of NSAIDs has been associated with the inhibition of both COX-1 and COX-2 and causes well-known side effects at the gastrointestinal and renal level. Therefore, the selective COX-2 inhibitors could provide anti-inflammatory agents devoid of the undesirable effects associated with classical, nonselective NSAIDs. In addition, COX-2 is over-expressed in colon cancer tissue. COX-2 inhibitors possess potential prophylactic and therapeutic application to colon cancer.
The COX-2 inhibitors as selective anti-inflammatory drugs are chemically aminosulfonylaryl or methylsulfonylaryl-containing substances, such as Nimesulide (R. H. Brogen and A. Ward. Drugs, 1998, 36: 732–753), NS-398 (JP 292856, JP 871119), Meloxicom(DE 2756113, DE 771216), pyrrazole-containing tricyclic compounds, for example, Celecoxib(WO 9641825, WO 961227), oxazole-containing tricyclic compounds, for example, JRE-522(EP 745598, EP 961204), unsaturated gamma-lactone-containing compounds, for example, Rofecoxib (EP 788476, WO 9613483). The non-selective NSAID Indomethacin as a lead compound was chemically modified to give rise to selective COX-2 inhibitors without sulfonyl groups, for example L-748780 and L-761066 (W. C. Black et al. Bioorg Med. Chem. Lett. 1996, 6: 725–742, WO 9730030). These compounds exhibit a selective COX-2 inhibition to different extents, and constitute a group of anti-inflammatory drugs with little adverse reactions. Reports on the sulfonyl-containing 3,4-diphenyl-2,5-dihydropyrrolyl-2-ones and their inhibitory properties for COX-2 has not been found so far in the pharmacological literature.

Sulfonyl-containing 3,4-diaryl-3-pyrrolin-2-ones, preparation method, and medical use thereof

Abstract: wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of 4-methylsulfonyl, 4-aminosulfonyl, hydrogen, 2-, 3-, or 4-halogen, C1–C6-alkyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, C1–C4-alkoxy, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, amino or trifluoromethyl;    R2 is selected from the group consisting of 4-methylsulfonyl, 4-aminosulfonyl, hydrogen, 2-, 3-, or 4-halogen, C1–C6-alkyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, C1–C4-alkoxy, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, amino or trifluoromethyl; and    R3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, c-propyl, n-butyl, isobutyl; provided that when R1 is a methylsulfonyl or aminosulfonyl group, R2 is any group as defined above except a methylsulfonyl or aminosulfonyl group; and when R2 is a methylsulfonyl or aminosulfonyl group, R1 is any group as defined above except a methylsulfonyl or aminosulfonyl group,also to processes for the preparation of such compounds, to pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds, and to the medical use of such compounds in the treatment of diseases relating to the inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2).

Research Institute of Materia Medica Chinese Acadamy of Medical Sciences


Technology is described for a relative timed clock gated cell. In one example, the relative timed clock gated cell includes a trigger latch and a data clock latch. The trigger latch includes a clock input coupled to a trigger line for transmitting a trigger signal. The trigger latch is configured to generate a data clock signal on an output. The trigger signal is based on a clock signal. The data clock latch includes a clock input coupled to the output of the trigger latch that latches a data input of the data clock latch based on the data clock signal. Various other computing circuitries and methods are also disclosed.

Clock gating is a technique used in many synchronous circuits for reducing dynamic power dissipation. Clock gating saves power by adding more logic to a circuit to prune a clock tree. Pruning the clock disables portions of the circuitry so that the flip-flops and logic in the circuitry do not switch states. Switching states consumes power. When digital circuitry is not being switched, the switching power consumption goes to approximately zero, where only small leakage currents are incurred.
Clock gating works by controlling the enable conditions attached to registers, and uses that control to gate the clocks. The clock gating may reduce the die area, as well as reduce power consumption. However, the clock gating logic can also change the clock tree structure, since the clock gating logic may be part of the clock tree.

The University of Utah Research Foundation