Avirulent Vibrio cholerae strains of O1 (CVD111) and non-O1 (CVD112 and CVD112RM) serogroups having the DNA of the cholera toxin core and the RS1 sequences of the cholera toxin locus deleted, and further having a DNA encoding a resistance to mercury, and a DNA encoding the cholera toxin B subunit, or a part thereof sufficient to confer immunogenicity, re-inserted in the chromosome. Methods of making the avirulent V. cholerae O1 and non-O1 strains of the invention, and cholera vaccines using these strains.

Vibrio cholerae (V. cholerae) is a non-invasive enteropathogen of the small bowel that does not penetrate the mucosal surface. Local Siga mediated immunity at the mucosal surface is therefore implicated as a protective mechanism. Pathogenic V. cholerae 01 elaborate a protein enterotoxin (also know as cholera enterotoxin, or choleragen, or cholera toxin) which is responsible for induction of copious secretion by the intestine resulting in watery diarrhea, the clinical consequence of cholera infection. The genes responsible for cholera enterotoxin are the ctx genes (also known as the tox genes). Cholera diarrhea can be extraordinarily severe and result in loss of so much body water and salts that dehydration, acidosis, shock, and death ensue without prompt therapy. There is known in the region of the V. cholerae chromosome containing the ctx genes that multiples copies of a 2700 base pair sequence called RS1 (for repetitive sequence) can be found. Mekalanos, Cell 35, 253-263 (1983).
Applicants have also discovered that a second enterotoxin is produced by V. cholerae which has been named zonula occludens toxin, reported in Fasano et al, Vibrio cholerae Produces a Second enterotoxin Which Affects Intestinal Tight Junctions, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. (USA) 88, 5242-5246 (1991).
The cholera vaccines that have been developed can be broadly divided into two categories; those aiming to stimulate antitoxic immunity and those intending to induce antibacterial immunity. Experiments with animal models support a protective role for either or both antitoxic and antibacterial immunity. It has been suggested that when both types of immunity work in unison, there is a synergistic effect. Holmgren, J. et al. J. Infect. Dis. 136 Suppl., S105-S1122 (1977); Peterson, J. W. Infect. Immun. 26, 594 (1979); Resnick, I. G. et al. Infect. Immun. 13, 375 (1980); Svennerholm, A.-M. et al. Infect. Immun. 13, 735 (1976)!. However, it appears that protective immunity in humans can be conferred without such synergistic effect, that is by either antitoxic immunity or antibacterial immunity Eubanks, E. R. et al. Infect. Immun. 15, 533 (1977); Fujita, K. et al. J. Infect. Dis. 125, 647 (1972); Holmgren, J., J. Infect. Dis., supra; Lange, S. et al. Acta Path. Microbiol. Scand Sect. C 86, 145 (1978); Peterson, J. W., supra (1979); Pierce, N. F. et al. Infect Immun. 37, 687 (1982); Pierce, N. F. et al. Infect. Immun. 21, 185 (1978); Pierce, N. F. et al. J. Infect. Dis. 135, 888 (1977); Resnick, I. G. et al., supra; Svennerholm, A.-M. et al, supra!.

Vibrio cholerae 01 (CVD111) and non-01 (CVD112 and CVD112RM) serogroup vaccine strains, methods of making same and products thereof


In order to purify a crude pentafluoroethane (F125) containing chloropentafluoroethane (F115), it is subjected to a heat treatment in the presence of hydrogen, the treatment being carried out at a temperature at least equal to 550.degree. C. and with an H.sub.2 /F115 molar ratio of at least 10.

F125 is one of the hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) used in the context of the substitution of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) which are already banned or in the course of being banned because of their harmful effect on the atmospheric ozone layer.
A number of access routes to F125 are known. The oldest consists in reacting tetrafluoroethylene with hydrofluoric acid in the presence of a catalyst. A particularly pure F125 is obtained in this way but with a cost which rules out any large-scale application in the field of commercial refrigeration or domestic air conditioning.
Recently proposed industrial processes all start with a starting material available in very large amounts at a very low price, perchloroethylene CCl.sub.2 .dbd.CCl.sub.2. A known industrial process consists in fluorinating perchloroethylene to F115 and in then hydrogenolysing the latter in the presence of a catalyst, in particular of a palladium catalyst. However, such a process is unsatisfactory because the conversion of the F115 is incomplete. The boiling points of F125 and of F115 are very similar and a simple distillation does not make it possible to separate the two components and thus to obtain pure F125.
The catalytic fluorination of perchloroethylene, in one or a number of stages, also produces not insignificant amounts (several thousands of ppm) of F115 in the crude F125 obtained.
Thus, whatever the process for the synthesis of F125 from perchloroethylene, the same problem is posed of the purification of the F125 in order to remove the F115 therefrom. This purification has thus formed the subject of much research and some solutions have already been disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,329 and Patent Applications EP 0,626,362, WO 92/21147 and EP 0,669,302 have provided the extractive distillation of the crude F125 using a solvent, such as, for example, an optionally halogenated hydrocarbon. However, this technique requires significant investments. It is likewise the case with the technique described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,595, which consists in subjecting the crude F125 to two successive distillations, one under superatmospheric pressure and the other under reduced pressure. It is not economically possible with these techniques to achieve very low F115 contents (less than 100 ppm).
Provision has also been made, in Patent EP 0,612,709, for the treatment of F125+F115 mixtures with hydrofluoric acid in the vapour phase over a catalyst, in order to convert the F115 to hexafluoroethane (F116). However, this process results in a pointless consumption of hydrofluoric acid and in the formation of a by-product with an economic value which is difficult to recover.
Application WO 94/02439 describes a process for the hydrogenolysis of the F125+F115 mixture over a hydrogenation catalyst at a temperature of between 300 and 600.degree. C. This technique is particularly effective but results in the production, as by-products, of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (F134a) and especially of 1,1,1-trifluoroethane (F143a) which are difficult to separate by distillation.
The reactivity of CFCs with respect to hydrogen is known and Patent Application WO 91/05752 shows that it is possible to synthesize HFCs from CFCs and hydrogen in an empty reactor. However, this publication does not mention the purification of the HFCs and the operating conditions recommended for the synthesis do not result in an effective purification.


An organic electroluminescent element ("organic EL element") capable of emitting light with high luminance by driving at a low voltage, and inhibiting deterioration in organic layers is provided. A surface treatment of an indiumtin oxide (ITO) transparent electrode with a titanate coupling agent containing phosphorus in the side chain thereof improves adhesion between the ITO transparent electrode and an organic hole transport layer. As a result, it is possible to increase the efficiency of injection of holes, improve low-voltage driving and luminance, and prevent deterioration in the organic layers.

The importance of an interface between a human operator and a machine being used in a multimedia capacity or personal computer has recently increased. In order for an operator to comfortably and efficiently operate such a machine, it is necessary for the operator to briefly and instantly obtain a sufficient amount of information from the machine relating to the operation of the machine without an error. Because such information needs to be supplied to the operator by way of a display device, research has been made on various display devices to improve the quality thereof.
Currently, the demand for a small thin display device increases as the miniaturization of machines increases. For example, the further miniaturization of a lap-top personal computer comprising a display device integrated therewith, such as a "notebook" type personal computer surprisingly progresses, accompanied by significant technical revolution of a liquid crystal display serving as the display device.
At present, the liquid crystal display is widely used as an interface for various products including a lap-top personal computer, small televisions, watches and desk-top calculators.
Such a liquid crystal display (LCD) has been researched for making use of the advantages of a liquid crystal, such as a low driving voltage and low power consumption, and using as an interface between a human being and a machine and as a main display element in devices ranging from a small device to a large-capacity display device.
However, since this liquid crystal display does not emit light by itself, it requires a backlight and therefore electric power for driving the backlight. In fact, the backlight consumes more power than the liquid crystal. As a result, the operation of the backlight decreases the operating time of the battery or portable power supply and therefore places a limitation of the use of liquid crystal displays.
The liquid crystal display also has the shortcomings in that, since the liquid crystal display has a narrow angle of visibility, it is unsuitable for a large display device. Unfortunately, the displaying method employs the orientation state of liquid crystal molecules and the contrast changes with the angle even within the angle of visibility.
In consideration of a driving method for a visual display, although an active matrix method exhibits a sufficient response speed for handling a moving image, an active matrix method uses a TFT driving circuit, and it is thus difficult to increase the screen size due to pixel defects. The use of the TFT driving circuit is also expensive.
Although a simple matrix method as another driving method is lower in cost than an active matrix method, and makes it relatively easy to increase the screen size, the simple matrix method has shortcomings with respect to an insufficient response speed for handling a moving image.
On the other hand, a plasma display device, an inorganic electroluminescent device, an organic electroluminescent display, and the like are studied as luminescent display device.
The plasma display device employs plasma light emission in a low-pressure gas for display. Plasma display devices are suitable for increasing the size and capacity. However, the plasma display has the shortcomings with respect to providing a thin display panel and cost. Further, the plasma display device requires a high-voltage AC bias for driving and is thus unsuitable for a portable device.
The inorganic electroluminescent device is a green light emitting display or the like. The inorganic electroluminescent device is driven with an AC bias and requires several hundred volts for driving. It also is difficult to display a full-color image using available inorganic luminescent devices.
On the other hand, electroluminescence by an organic compound has been researched for a long period of time since strong fluorescent luminescence from an anthracene single crystal was observed by injecting a carrier in the early 1960s. However, the research has been made as fundamental research for injecting a carrier into an organic material because of low luminance, monochrome and a single crystal.
Since Tang et al. of Eastman Kodak Corp. reported an organic thin-film electroluminescent element in 1987 which permitted low-voltage driving and high-luminance luminescence, and which had a thin film structure comprising an amorphous luminescent layer, research and development have been extensively made on emission of light of red (R), green (G) and blue (B) primary colors, stability, increases in luminance, the thin film structure, manufacturing methods, etc.
Further, various new materials are invented on the basis of molecular designs, which are characteristics of organic materials, and extensive research is started on applications of an organic electroluminescent display element having excellent characteristics such as DC low-voltage driving, a thin size, luminescence, etc. to a color display.
The organic electroluminescent element (referred to as an "organic EL element" hereinafter) has the ideal characteristics as a self-luminescent display device that it has a thickness of 1 micro meters or less, and converts electrical energy into optical energy to emit light in a plane form by injecting an electric current.
FIG. 13 shows an example of a conventional organic EL element 10. The organic EL element 10 comprises an ITO (Indium tin oxide) transparent electrode 5, a hole transport layer 4, a luminescent layer 3, an electron transport layer 2, and a cathode (for example, an aluminum electrode ) 1, which are deposited on a transparent substrate (for example, a glass substrate) 6 in this order, by, for example, a vacuum deposition method.
When a DC voltage 7 is applied between the transparent electrode 5 as an anode and the cathode 1, holes as the carriers injected from the transparent electrode 5 and the electrons injected from the cathode 1 reach the light emitting layer 3 through the electron transport layer 2 and the hole transport layer 4 to produce recombination of the electrons and holes to emit light 8 with a predetermined wavelength. This can be observed from the back of the transparent substrate 6.
A zinc complex can be contained in the luminescent layer 3. For example, the luminescent layer 3 may comprise substantially only a zinc complex (however, a plurality of zinc complexes may be used), or the layer 3 may contain a zinc complex and a fluorescent material. Alternatively, a zinc complex and another luminescent material such as anthracene, naphthalene, phenanthrene, pyrene, chrysene, perylene, butadiene, coumarin, acridine, stilbene, or the like may be combined. Such a zinc complex or a mixture of a zinc complex and a fluorescent material can also be contained in the electron transport layer 2.
FIG. 14 shows an organic EL element 20 as another conventional example in which the luminescent layer 3 is omitted, and a zinc complex or a mixture of the zinc complex and a fluorescent material is contained in the electron transport layer 2 so as to emit light 18 having a predetermined wavelength from the interface between the electron transport layer 2 and the hole transport layer 4.
FIG. 15 shows an illustrative example of the organic EL display. In FIG. 15, organic layers (the hole transport layer 4 and the light emitting layer 3 or the electron transport layer 2) are provided between the cathode 1 and the anode 5 which are provided in stripes crossing to form a matrix, so that light is emitted from many intersections, or pixels, when a signal voltage is applied from a luminance signal circuit 30 and a control circuit 31 containing a shift register.
The organic EL display configured as described above can thus be used as not only a display but also an image reproducing device. The above stripe pattern is provided for each of red (R), green (G) and blue (B) colors so that the display can be used for full color or multi-color display.
In a display device comprising the organic EL element having a plurality of pixels, the luminescent organic thin film layers 2, 3 and 4 are generally held between the transparent electrode 5 and the metallic electrode 1. Light is emitted from the back of the transparent electrode 5.
However, the above-mentioned organic EL element still has unsolved problems.
For example, in the application of the organic EL element to a color display, it is necessary and essential to emit light of the primary colors R, G and B with stability. However, in the present state, the materials capable of emitting red and blue which can be applied to a display and which have sufficient stability, chromaticity, luminance. The red and blue materials are being studied in various fields. An aluminum-quinoline complex promising as a green luminescent material, but this material has a slight deviation of chromaticity.
In consideration of application to a full-color display, low-voltage driving is necessary and essential, and there is still room for improvement in each of the primary colors R, G and B.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved optical element and method of manufacturing an optical element capable of emitting light with high luminance with low voltage driving requirements and organic layers with improved stability.

Optical element and method of manufacturing the same


A method for securing and authorizing sensitive operations is described. A computing device may receive a first authentication factor from a second computing device based on a request from the second computing device to authorize an operation; upon validating the first authentication factor, send to at least the second computing device and a third computing device, a request for a second authentication factor; and authorize the operation based on validating the second authentication factor from the second computing device or from the third computing device, or from both.

The use of computer systems and computer-related technologies continues to increase at a rapid pace. The expansive use of computer systems has influenced the advances made to computer-related technologies. Computer systems have increasingly become an integral part of the business world and the activities of individual consumers. Computer systems may be used to carry out several business, industry, and academic endeavors.
The widespread use of computers and mobile devices has caused an increased presence in malicious behavior including data theft, embedding malware and viruses, and the like. Malware programmers are continually adapting to the improvements made in malware detection. Due to the adapted methods and implementations imposed by malware programmers, security methods for securing and authorizing sensitive operations may be beneficial in detecting malicious behavior and mitigating related issues.


Some embodiments relate to a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor, which includes a capacitor a capacitor bottom metal (CBM) electrode, a high k dielectric layer arranged over the CBM electrode, and a capacitor top metal (CTM) electrode arranged over the high k dielectric layer. In some embodiments, the MIM capacitor comprises CTM protective sidewall regions, which extend along vertical sidewall surfaces of the CTM electrode, and protect the CTM electrode from leakage, premature voltage breakdown, or burn out, due to metallic residue or etch damage formed on the sidewalls during one or more etch process(es) used to form the CTM electrode. In some embodiments, the MIM capacitor comprises CBM protective sidewall regions, which extend along vertical sidewall surfaces of the CBM electrode. In some embodiments, the MIM capacitor comprises both CBM and CTM protective sidewall regions.

A capacitor is a passive two-terminal electrical device used to store energy within an electric field, and contains at least two electrodes separated by a dielectric layer. A capacitance of the capacitor is proportional to an area between the electrodes, and inversely proportional to a distance between them, (also a thickness of the dielectric layer). Accordingly, the capacitance can be increased by increasing the area between the electrodes, or decreasing the distance between them.
Capacitors not only store electric charge, but also block direct current (DC) while allowing alternating current (AC) to pass. Some examples of capacitors include deep trench (DT) capacitors and metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors. DT capacitors are formed directly within a substrate, while MIM capacitors are formed on back end of line (BEOL) metallization layers.
In some circuit applications, decoupling capacitors (DECAPS) are utilized to decouple one part of an electrical network from another. In some RF and analog device applications, an array of MIM capacitors may be utilized. For instance, gain amplifiers, equalizers, filter circuits, and analog-to-digital converters include an array of programmable capacitors, which may be formed by MIM capacitors. In such applications, matching of device characteristics between the various MIM capacitors of the array is critical to device functionality.

Process to improve performance for metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


The invention concerns a bone screw comprising a head (2), a stem (3) and a thread (4) provided in the form of turns on the stem (3). A plurality of first turns (6) comprising smooth cutting edges (7) extend towards the head (2) from the free end (5) of the stem (3). Second turns (8) adjacent to the first turns (6), arranged in steps towards the head (2), comprise recesses (9) provided in the cutting edges (7). The size of the recesses (9) of the second turns (8) gradually increases from the free end (5) while the are of the edges in the peripheral direction gradually decreases.

Bone screws are known from practice that are used in medicine to rejoin bones after a fracture, to anchor bone plates, or, in the case of spongiosis screws, to anchor implants to vertebrae. Such bone screws often remain permanently in the body of the patient and thus have to perform their intended function for a long period of time without detaching under load.


A first magnetic member including a first pole portion and a first yoke portion is formed so as to be supported by a substrate, and a write gap film is formed so as to cover the first magnetic member. A thin film is formed so as to be supported by an insulating film, and thereafter, an antireflection film is formed on the surface of the insulating film including an inclined portion rising on the write gap film. The antireflection film is patterned by a photolithography process so that the patterned antireflection film can remain only on the inclined portion. Then, a photoresist is applied so as to cover the antireflection film and the insulating film, and is processed by a photolithography process for a second magnetic member to form a resistframe having a given enclosed pattern. In the enclosed pattern of the resistframe is formed, so as to cover the antireflection film, the second magnetic member including a second pole portion opposing to the first pole portion via a write gap film and constituting, with the first pole portion, an air bearing surface to oppose to a magnetic recording medium and a second yoke portion magnetically connected to the first yoke portion in the remote position from the air bearing surface. In this way, the thin film magnetic head having the antireflection film between the insulating film and the second pole portion of the second magnetic member can be obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a thin film magnetic head comprising a slider supported by a substrate and a thin film magnetic head supported by the substrate and to a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Related Art Statement
Conventionally, a thin film magnetic head, comprising a first magnetic member including a first pole portion and a first yoke portion, a second magnetic member including a second pole portion opposing to the first pole portion via a write gap film and constituting an air bearing surface opposing to a magnetic recording medium with the first pole portion and a second yoke portion magnetically connected to the first yoke portion in the remote position from the air bearing surface, a thin film coil of which part enclosed by the first and second magnetic members, a coil support-insulating film, and a protection film, is known.
In manufacturing such a thin film magnetic head, generally, a second magnetic film which is to be a top magnetic film is formed after a first magnetic film (bottom magnetic film), a write gap film, an insulating film to support a thin film coil are formed on a wafer. In forming the second magnetic film, a plate-underfilm for the second magnetic film is formed entirely over the wafer including the insulating film by sputtering, for example. Next, a photoresist is applied on the plate-underfilm, and is etched by photolithogrphy to form a resistframe for the second magnetic film. Subsequently, in the area enclosed by the resistframe is formed the second magnetic film by electroplating or the like. A plate film is also deposited outside the resistframe, but is removed later.
One of the problems in the forming process of the second magnetic film is that in the photolithography process to form the resistframe, an exposing light is reflected at the surface of the insulating film and the reflected light exposes the photoresist beyond the area to be defined by a photomask, resulting in the degradation of the pattern precision of the resist frame and thereby the degradation of the pattern precision of the second magnetic film.
The problem become conspicuous in the pole portion of the second magnetic film. The pole portion of the second magnetic film is opposed to the first magnetic film via the write gap film. Backward from the pole portion is positioned the insulating film, which rises up on the write gap film with inclined at a given angle. The rising start point is called as a xe2x80x9cthroat height zero pointxe2x80x9d, and the rising angle is called as an xe2x80x9capex anglexe2x80x9d.
The second magnetic film is formed so as to constitute the pole portion parallel to the write gap film and the first magnetic film up to the throat height zero point and be inclined at the apex angle toward the upper surface of the insulating film from the throat height zero point.
Thus, in forming the resist frame for the second magnetic film, the photoresist stuck on the inclined part at the apex angle toward the upper surface of the insulating film from the throat height zero point must be exposed.
In this case, since the plated underfilm is stuck on the inclined part, the light for expose is reflected at the plated underfilm. The part of the reflected light goes toward the pole portion. Thus, the exposed pattern of the pole portion is different from the exposing pattern of the photomask, resulting in the pattern destruction of the resist frame corresponding to the pole portion.
The pattern destruction of the resist frame is a large obstacle for realizing a high recording density by narrowing a recording track width up to 1.0 xcexcm and below, for example.
Kokai publication Kokai Hei 9-180127 (JP A 9-1880127) discloses the technique that before applying a photoresist as a mask for a top magnetic film, an antireflection film is formed, and on the antireflection film is applied a photoresist, which is exposed and developed, to form a resistframe as a mask for a second magnetic film. After forming the resist frame, the antireflection film is removed by ashing or the like and the second magnetic film is formed by plating or the like.
In the above conventional technique, the antireflection film exists over the interior pattern enclosed by the resistframe. The interior pattern of the resistframe has a pole portion area corresponding to the pole portion of the top magnetic film and a second yoke portion corresponding to the yoke portion thereof. Thus, the antireflection film must be removed from both the pole portion area and the second yoke portion.
However, the opening area in the pole portion area is remarkably different from that in the second yoke portion. Moreover, for attaining a high density recording, the opening area of the pole portion area is inclined to be narrowed to a minute size of 1 xcexcm and below, for example. Thus, in removing the antireflection film stuck on the interior pattern enclosed by the resist frame, the etching rate of the second yoke portion is different from that of the pole portion area and it takes longer time in etching the pole portion area than the second yoke portion. As a result, during the removing the antireflection film from the pole portion area, the resist frame is remarkably etched, resulting in the broadening of the resist frame. That is, the removing process of the anti-reflection film to narrow the pole portion width enlarges the space of the resistframe. As a result, the antireflection film impedes to narrow the pole portion width.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a thin film magnetic head comprising a second magnetic member having a second pole portion formed in a high precise pattern without the pattern deviation due to an undesired reflection of an exposing light in photolithography.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a thin film magnetic having a narrowed recording track width.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing the above thin film magnetic head effectively.
This invention relates to a thin film magnetic head including a slider composed of a substrate and a thin film magnetic head element supported by the substrate, the thin film magnetic head element comprising
a first magnetic member including a first pole portion and a first yoke portion,
a second magnetic member including a second pole portion opposing to the first pole portion via a write gap film and constituting, with the first pole portion, an air bearing surface to oppose to a magnetic recording medium, and a second yoke portion magnetically connected to the first yoke portion in the remote position from the air bearing surface,
a thin film coil of which part is surrounded by the first and second magnetic members,
a coil support-insulating film to support the thin film coil,
a throat height zero point-defining insulating film rising on the write gap film so as to define the throat height zero point, and
an antireflection film between the rising-inclined portion of the throat height zero point-defining insulating film and the second pole portion of the second magnetic member.
This invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a thin film magnetic head including a slider composed of a substrate and a thin film magnetic head element supported by the substrate, the thin film magnetic head element having a first magnetic member including a first pole portion and a first yoke portion, a second magnetic member including a second pole portion opposing to the first pole portion via a write gap film and constituting, with the first pole portion, an air bearing surface to oppose to a magnetic recording medium and a second yoke portion magnetically connected to the first yoke portion in the remote position from the air bearing surface, a thin film coil of which part is surrounded by the first and second magnetic members, a coil support-insulating film to support the thin film coil, and an antireflection film between the coil support-insulating film and the second pole portion of the second magnetic member, comprising the steps of:
forming the antireflection film on the surface of the coil support-insulating film including an inclined portion rising on the write gap film after forming the first magnetic member, the write gap film, the thin film coil and the coil support-insulating film and before forming the second magnetic member,
patterning the antireflection film by a photolithography process so that the patterned antireflection film can remain only on the inclined portion,
applying a photoresist so as to cover the antireflection film and the coil support-insulating film,
forming a resistframe having a given enclosed pattern through a photo-lithography process for the photoresist to form the second magnetic member, and
forming the second magnetic member in the enclosed pattern of the resistframe so as to cover the antireflection film.
This invention further relates to a method for manufacturing a thin film magnetic head including a slider composed of a substrate and a thin film magnetic head element supported by the substrate, the thin film magnetic head element having a first magnetic member including a first pole portion and a first yoke portion, a second magnetic member including a second pole portion opposing to the first pole portion via a write gap film and constituting, with the first pole portion, an air bearing surface to oppose to a magnetic recording medium and a second yoke portion magnetically connected to the first yoke portion in the remote position from the air bearing surface, a thin film coil of which part is surrounded by the first and second magnetic members, a coil support-insulating film to support the thin film coil, a throat height zero point-defining insulating film rising from the write gap film so as to define the throat height zero point, and an antireflection film between the throat height zero point-defining insulating film and the second pole portion of the second magnetic member, comprising the steps of:
forming the throat height zero point-defining insulating film on the write gap film so that its edge in the side of the air bearing surface can define the throat height zero point after forming the first magnetic member and the write gap film and before forming the thin film coil, the coil support-insulating film and the second magnetic member,
forming the antireflection film so as to cover the throat height zero point-defining insulating film,
patterning the antireflection film by a photolithography process so that the patterned antireflection film can remain only on the inclined portion of the throat height zero point-defining insulating film in the side of the air bearing surface,
applying a photoresist so as to cover the antireflection film,
forming a resistframe having a given enclosed pattern through a photolithography for the photoresisit to form the second pole portion,
forming the thin film coil so as to be supported by the coil support-insulating film, and
forming the magnetic film constituting the second yoke portion of the second magnetic member on the coil support-insulating film so as to be connected to the second pole portion.
In the manufacturing method of a thin film magnetic head, the magnetic film constituting the second yoke portion is preferably formed so that its edge in the side of the air bearing surface may be receded from the air bearing surface.
Although in a normal thin film magnetic head, the antireflection film is removed from the complete thin film magnetic head so as not to remain therein, in the thin film magnetic head of the present invention, the antireflection film is not removed and remains therein. The remaining antireflection film give various advantages as follows:
First of all, since the antireflection film is provided on the rising inclined portion of the thin film coil support-insulating film or the throat height zero-defining insulating film, the exposing light is almost never reflected at the inclined portion in forming the resistframe by the photolithography for forming the second pole portion of the second magnetic member. Accordingly, the exposed pattern of the photoresist to define the shape of the second pole portion of the second magnetic member is almost determined by the exposing pattern of the photomask, particularly, so that the pattern of the resistframe corresponding to the second pole portion can be formed high precisely. That is, according to the present invention, the second pole portion can be formed in a high precise pattern. Moreover, since the pattern of the resistframe corresponding to the second pole portion is prepared high precisely, the thin film magnetic head having a narrowed recording track width can be manufactured.
Furthermore, different from the conventional manufacturing method, it is not required to remove the antireflection film, which does not result in the degradation of the pattern precision of the resistframe due to the difference in etching rate between the second yoke portion and the second pole portion and the decrease of the resistframe height, etc. Therefore, the second pole portion and the second yoke portion can be formed in a high precise pattern.
Moreover, since the antireflection film is covered with the second magnetic member, the remaining antireflection film does not influence the thin film magnetic head as a final product.

Thin film magnetic head including an antireflection film


The present invention relates to a rubber composition usable for constituting a tire tread, said composition being based on at least (i) a reinforcing inorganic filler, (ii) a diene elastomer having a molar ratio of units originating from conjugated dienes which is greater than 30% which is prepared in emulsion and comprises carboxylic acid functions along its chain, and (iii) a bonding agent between said reinforcing inorganic filler and said elastomer which consists of a polysulphurised alkoxysilane. This composition is such that said elastomer is capable of being obtained by effecting: in an emulsifying solution, radical copolymerisation of at least one conjugated diene monomer with a precursor comonomer which is hydrolysable or oxidisable to carboxylic acid, in order to obtain an intermediate diene elastomer comprising precursor functions of said acid along its chain, then hydrolysis or oxidation of said precursor functions in order to obtain said elastomer comprising carboxylic acid functions along the chain.

The present invention relates to a cross-linkable or cross-linked rubber composition which is usable to constitute a tire tread and which has, in the non-cross-linked state, an improved reinforcement properties, and also to a process for the preparation of this improved processing ability and, in the cross-linked state, minimized hysteresis losses and composition. The invention also relates to a tire tread and a tire incorporating it.
Since fuel economies and the need to preserve the environment have become priorities, it has become desirable to produce mixes having good mechanical properties and as low a hysteresis as possible so that they can be processed in the form of rubber compositions usable for the manufacture of various semi-finished products involved in the constitution of tires, such as, for example, underlayers, sidewalls or treads, and in order to obtain tires having reduced rolling resistance.
To achieve such an objective, numerous solutions have been proposed, consisting in particular of modifying the structure of the diene polymers and copolymers at the end of polymerisation by means of functionalizing, coupling or starring agents. The very great majority of these solutions have concentrated on the use of functionalized polymers which are active with respect to carbon black, with the aim of obtaining a good interaction between the polymer thus modified and the carbon black.
By way of illustration of this prior art relating to reinforcing fillers formed of carbon black, mention may for example be made of US Patent Specification U.S. Pat. No. 3,135,716, which describes the reaction of living diene polymers at the chain end with a polyfunctional organic coupling agent in order to obtain polymers having improved properties. Mention may also be made of US Patent Specification U.S. Pat. No. 3,244,664, which discloses the use of tetra-alkoxysilanes as coupling agents or starring agents for diene polymers.
Silica has been used as reinforcing filler in cross-linkable rubber compositions, in particular those intended to constitute tire treads, for a long time. However, this use has remained very limited, owing to the unsatisfactory level of certain physical properties of such compositions, in particular abrasion resistance.
This is why it has been proposed, in order to overcome these drawbacks, to use functionalized diene polymers instead of the non-functionalized polymers which were used before, and in particular polymers functionalized by alkoxysilane derivatives, such as tetraethoxysilanes. For example, mention may be made of US Patent Specification U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,721, which describes a rubber composition comprising a diene polymer functionalized by an alkoxysilane having at least one non-hydrolysable alkoxyl radical, which makes it possible to eliminate the polymerisation solvent by steam stripping.
One disadvantage of these functionalization reactions lies in the coupling reactions which accompany them, which generally makes it necessary to use an excess of alkoxysilane and/or intensive mixing in order to minimize these coupling reactions.
Another drawback of these reactions lies in the later carrying out of the steam stripping operation, which is necessary to eliminate the polymerisation solvent.
In fact, generally, experience shows that the functionalized polymers obtained undergo changes in macrostructure during this stripping operation, which results in serious degradation of their properties, unless one is limited to using as functionalizing agent an alkoxysilane belonging to a restricted family, such as that described in the aforementioned document U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,721.
Consequently, it emerges from the above that the use of diene polymers comprising an alkoxysilane function to obtain rubber compositions comprising silica as reinforcing filler is not satisfactory, despite the improved physical properties of these compositions.
This is why research has been carried out on other functionalization reactions, always with a view to obtaining such rubber compositions. By way of example, mention may be made of French Patent Specification FR-A-2 740 778 in the name of the Applicant, which discloses the incorporation, in rubber compositions comprising as reinforcing filler silica in a majority proportion (for example comprising a blend of silica and carbon black), of diene polymers bearing at the chain end a silanol function or a polysiloxane block having a silanol end. For example, a functionalizing agent consisting of a cyclic polysiloxane is used, such as hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane. The functionalized polymers which are obtained can be separated from the reaction medium resulting in their formation by steam extraction of the solvent, without their macrostructure and, consequently, their physical properties, changing.
Mention may also be made of European Patent Specification EP-A-877 047, which discloses the incorporation of such polymers having a silanol function in rubber compositions comprising as reinforcing filler carbon black having silica fixed to its surface.
It has been established that these polymers impart rubber properties, in particular hysteresis and reinforcement properties in the cross-linked state, which are improved compared with those of "control" compositions based on non-functional diene polymers, and which are at least analogous to those of compositions based on diene polymers having an alkoxysilane function.
Mention may also be made of European Patent Specification EP-A-692 493, which establishes that diene polymers bearing at the chain end alkoxysilane groups and an epoxy group result in improved reinforcement properties and in reduced hysteresis losses at low and high deformations.
One disadvantage of these polymers, which comprise a functional group which is active for coupling to silica or to carbon black surface-modified by silica, is that the improvement in the hysteresis and reinforcement properties which they impart to the rubber compositions incorporating them is generally accompanied by a processing ability of the non-cross-linked mixes which is compromised compared with that of non-functional "control" polymers.
Among the other functionalization reactions studied, mention may be made of the functionalization of diene polymers prepared in solution along the chain by COOH functions.
This COOH functionalization along the chain can be effected by direct metallation, in the presence of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMED), by means of butyllithium or metallic sodium (as described in patent specifications U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,161 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,628, respectively), followed by a carbonation reaction by means of carbon dioxide.
Such a process has the disadvantage of generally resulting in breaks in the chain of the modified polymer.
For grafting COOH functions along the chain of a diene polymer by a post-polymerisation grafting reaction, there have also been used mercaptans comprising a carbonyl group, such as a carboxylic acid group (for example 3-mercaptopropionic acid), an aldehyde group or a primary alcohol group, and amine compounds comprising such a carbonyl group.
By way of examples of these mercaptans or amine compounds comprising a carbonyl group, mention may be made respectively of two reagents of respective formulae HSCH2CO2CH3 and N2CHCO2CH2CH3. For the description of the reaction mechanisms relating to the use of these two reagents, reference may be made to the articles "K. Sanui, R. W. Lenz, W. J. MacKnight, J. Poly. Sci., Polym. Chem. Ed. 12, 1965 (1974)" and "H. Tanaka, W. J. MacKnight, J. Poly. Sci., Polym. Chem. Ed. 17, 2975 (1979)".
One major disadvantage of using these carbonylated mercaptans or amino-esters is that it always results in significant changes in macrostructure characterized by great degradation of the distribution of the molecular weights for the modified polymer, which makes these reagents undesirable within the context of the present invention.
The functionalization by COOH functions along the chain may also be effected by means of carbon monoxide, either by hydroformylation followed by oxidation of the aldehyde formed (as described in US Patent Specification U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,145), or by direct hydrocarboxylation of the polymer (as described in the article "A. Nait Ajjou, H. Alper, Macromolecules 29, 1784 (1996)"). The catalysts used for these reactions are based on rhodium or palladium.
One disadvantage of this functionalization by carbon monoxide lies, on one hand, in the drastic nature of the operating conditions and, on the other hand, in the frequent formation of a gel in the reaction medium.
Functionalization by means of maleic anhydride is more widespread. It makes it possible to obtain succinic anhydride units, which are precursors of the COOH functions, along the chain by post-polymerisation grafting. Reference may be made to US Patent Specification U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,817 for an example of implementation of such functionalization. However, this type of functionalization may also result in the formation of a gel.
Radical polymerisation in emulsion is also known to yield polymers having COOH functions along the chain. For a general description of this type of polymerisation, reference may be made to the work "Emulsion Polymerization and Emulsion Polymers", P. A. LOVELL and M. S. EL-AASSER, John Wiley and Sons (1997), pp. 558-561 (see also the references cited therein).
In the past, attempts have been made to use diene elastomers having COOH functions along the chain to prepare rubber compositions usable in tires, as is illustrated by the documents commented on hereafter.
US Patent Specification U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,091 in fact discloses a rubber composition filled with carbon black comprising from 25 to 55 phr of polyisoprene and from 45 to 75 phr (phr: parts by weight per hundred parts of elastomeric matrix) of a diene polymer belonging to the group consisting of homopolymers of conjugated dienes and copolymers of conjugated dienes with mono-olefins, such as EPDM terpolymers (ethylene, propylene and a diene), part of this polymer comprising COOH functions grafted along the chain by reaction with an unsaturated metal carboxylic acid salt, for example zinc dimethacrylate. The composition obtained is supposed to have a sufficiently high rigidity to be used in an internal reinforcement rubber for tire sidewalls, so as to permit travel with a flat tire under satisfactory conditions.
Patent specification WO-A-01/14470 discloses a process for manufacturing a tire, consisting of cross-linking, during the curing of the tire, a cross-linkable rubber composition included in this tire based on a diene elastomer prepared in solution or in emulsion and comprising COOH functions along the chain, without using the slightest cross-linking system. This cross-linkable rubber composition comprises an epoxidised organic liquid which is intended to allow the cross-linking thereof upon curing.
These compositions may equally well comprise carbon black, silica or any other reinforcing filler known in the tire industry and, with reference to the examples of embodiment of this document, only elastomers having a molar ratio of units resulting from dienes which is less than 15% are used as diene elastomers comprising COOH functions, such as nitrile rubbers (copolymers of butadiene and acrylonitrile). The teaching of this document does not relate specifically to rubber compositions usable to form tire treads.

Rubber composition for running tread and method for obtaining same


A tool container has a pair of housing members pivotally coupled with one another to provide an opened and closed position. At least one of the members defines a cavity to receive tools. The cavity is defined by a base and a wall extending from the base. A tool retaining insert is permanently secured in the cavity. The insert and wall include tenons and grooves to secure the insert in the housing member. Also, an arcuate locking mechanism is included to maintain the pair of housing members in a closed position.

The present invention relates to tool containers and, more specifically, to containers which include inserts to retain the tools within the container.
Tool users, whether casual or professional, desire to maintain their tools in some type of organized fashion. Tool organization enables a user to readily find the tool, use it, and return it to its place. Thus, several types of tool containers have been provided to serve such a function.
While the tool containers work satisfactorily for their designed purpose, these containers have their drawbacks. One such drawback is some containers are not rugged enough to withstand the day-to-day punishment which a professional user subjects his tools to. Also, the containers may be large, awkward and difficult to be handled by the user. Further, the containers may not provide an aesthetic appearance.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A fluid storage tank assembly is provided which includes a tank having sidewalls, a bottom wall and a top wall, and a support columns positioned between the sidewalls. The support columns blend into the sidewalls to avoid sharp corners and the sidewalls join with the bottom wall and the top wall along rounded edges to avoid stress concentrations in the tank. The tank is rotationally molded of synthetic resin, and is provided with a plurality of detachably mounted discrete legs which thread into recesses in the bottom wall. The top wall includes an indentation, and the indentation and the reception surfaces atop the support columns receive the legs of a second fluid storage tank stacked thereon. A bottom protector provided as a relatively thin sheet of synthetic resin material has a plurality of holes therethrough to permit insertion of the threaded shanks of the legs to pass therethrough for coupling the protector to the bottom of the tank.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a fluid tank assembly capable of containing intermediate volumes of liquid in stacking relationship without additional reinforcement. More particularly, it is concerned with a tank which is rotationally molded of synthetic resin and wherein the walls of the tank are configured with corners including generally upright arcuate support portions to substantially retain the shape of the tank when filled, lifted from the bottom and/or stacked with similar tanks. The fluid tank assembly also has independent and removable support legs which facilitate stacking and retain a web-like bottom wall protector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of industrial liquids, including hazardous chemicals, are transported and stored in tanks and containers of a variety of sizes. These tanks have increasingly been manufactured of polyethylene or other synthetic resins for corrosion resistance, weight, and other reasons. These tanks have a storage capacity typically of from about 15 U.S. gallons to 793 U.S. gallons, and are often set on bases for lifting with a forklift. These bases underlie substantially the entire tank and may be complementally configured with the top of the tank as well as the bottom so that similar tanks and bases may be stacked one atop the other in the warehouse. Usually, such bases are separately attachable to the tank which contains the liquid.
Typically, these tanks have a specially designed shape and are formed with walls having a strong, rigid construction so that when several of the filled containers are stacked one on another, the container on the bottom of the stack has the load bearing capacity to support the total weight of the filled containers on top of it. Other types of containers have bases with stacking legs which surround the tank and extend above it, thereby protecting the tank and avoiding load transference through the walls of the tank. Among the tanks useful for transporting and storing industrial liquids are those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,490,603 and 6,079,580, both assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
Notwithstanding many beneficial features of these tanks, there remain several drawbacks. Tanks without stacking legs usually still require elaborate and expensive bases for stacking and dispensing liquid from the bottom outlet thereof, as well as to stabilize the tank and enable the tank to be lifted by a forklift. Moreover, in order to sustain the weight of filled tanks stacked thereon, the walls of the tank portion must be relatively thick and undamaged. Those fluid transportation and storage tanks having frames or stacking legs extending upwardly from their bases present significant advantages in terms of weight transfer, but are expensive to manufacture and may require the molding of three separate partsxe2x80x94the base and stacking legs, the tank, and the top protector.
Thus, there has developed a real need for an improved tank capable of handling industrial liquids, having good stacking characteristics with greater economy of manufacture. There is a further need for a tank having improvements in construction to maintain economy and still resist damage from fork lift tines and pallet jacks. There is additionally a need for improvements in the manner of elevating the bottom of the tank above a floor or other supporting surface.
These and other needs have largely been met by the fluid storage tank assembly of the present invention. That is to say, the invention hereof provides capabilities of storing intermediate amounts of liquid in a tank which is both self supporting and stackable when filled, and wherein the tank has very little deflection or dimensional difference between a filled and unfilled configuration. Furthermore, the tank avoids the need for a large base by employing legs which support the tank. The legs advantageously are removably mounted to the bottom wall of the tank, and retain an optional bottom protector in place in the manner of fasteners so that the protector acts as a shield between the bottom wall of the tank and pallet jacks or fork lift tines.
In greater detail, the assembly of the invention most preferably includes a tank and a plurality of removable support legs, and may also include a bottom protector of a relatively thin web of material which is held in position adjacent a bottom wall of the tank by the legs. The side walls of the tank are substantially curvilinear, with the tank including integrally molded support columns at its corners, whereby the tank presents a generally polygonal shape in horizontal cross-section. The support columns are integral with the side walls, receive liquid therein and thus, together with the side walls, top wall and bottom wall define the liquid receiving chamber. The preferred side walls are curvilinear rather than lying in flat, upright planes, and thus are somewhat arcuate either in vertical section, horizontal section, or possibly both vertical and horizontal section and merge into rounded corners along at least the top edge. The support columns are generally curved in horizontal section and may be generally of oppositely extending frustoconical portions or generally cylindrical in configuration. The support columns receive fluid therein and need not extend in a full circular in horizontal section but only a segment thereof, as the support columns are hollow to receive liquid as a part of the chamber formed by the support columns and the walls of the tank. The bottom wall preferably includes an integrally formed diagonally extending reinforcing channel extending from the center toward the support columns at the corner, with the top wall preferably similarly configured. The bottom wall adjacent the reinforcing channel is preferably somewhat arcuate whereby the reinforcing channel acts as a bottom support beam with the arcuate bottom wall to transfer the weight of the liquid carried within the tank to the support columns and to distribute the load to the vertical walls. The bottom deck of each of the ribs forming the reinforcing channel is substantially co-planar to provide an even engagement surface for facilitating lifting of the tank assembly by a fork lift or pallet jack. While the portions of the reinforcing channel atop the support columns are preferably flat and stepped downwardly relative to the top deck of the ribs of the reinforcing channel by an adjacent arcuate margin to provide reception surfaces for legs of a similar tank assembly stacked thereon, the reinforcing channel at the bottom of the support columns is preferably provided with internally threaded recesses to receive a threaded shank on the feet. In addition, the intersection of the diagonally extending ribs of the reinforcing channel is preferably indented in the top wall and a recess is threaded in the bottom wall to permit attachment of a leg thereto. The bottom wall of the tank is preferably provided with an outlet threaded to receive a pipe or valve thereon, while the top wall may include a threaded collar to receive a cap and a threaded internal neck for mounting of a bung. The tank is preferably made by rotational molding of polyethylene or other suitable synthetic resin.
The legs are also molded of polyethylene or other synthetic resin, either by blow molding, rotational molding or injection molding. The legs are provided with a shoulder for retaining the bottom protector in position and a threaded shank sized and threaded complementally to the recesses in the bottom wall of the tank.
The optional bottom protector is configured for positioning beneath the bottom wall of the tank and includes openings therein sized to receive the shanks of the but abut the shoulders of the legs. The bottom protector is a relatively thin web or sheet of material which helps avoid damage to the bottom wall and distribute force from the fork lift tines to the reinforcing channel. Thus, the legs serve the dual purpose of elevating the tank above the floor and holding the bottom protector in position.
In use, a plurality of tanks may be stacked one atop the other, even when filled. The bottom surface of the legs of the upper tank assembly rest on and are held in position by the margins or rims on the diagonally extending reinforcing channel in the top wall. Because each of the support columns and the center indentation in the reinforcing channel are recessed below the channel and face outwardly from the center, the upper tank may be readily lifted off the lower tank but resists lateral movement relative thereto. The arcuate configuration of the sidewalls and the integrated support columns cooperate to bear the load of the tank as well as assemblies positioned thereon. Pallet jacks or fork lift tines are provided ready access because the legs elevate the bottom wall and the bottom protector above the floor, and the bottom protector, which may be readily replaced, helps to isolate the bottom wall of the tank from damage caused by the pallet jacks or fork lift tines.
These and other advantages will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art with reference to the description and drawings presented herewith.


A side-wall film of a gate electrode is fabricated as a two-layer structure including an underlying thin silicon nitride film and a relatively thick silicon oxide film. The silicon nitride film covers and protects the edge of the gate oxide film against formation of a gate bird's beak at the edge of the gate oxide film. The side-wall contacts with the silicon substrate substantially at the thick silicon oxide film of the side-wall, which prevents formation of a carrier trap area adjacent to the channel area. The bottom of the side-wall may be a nitride-doped silicon oxide instead.

(a) Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a MOSFET having a side-wall film and, more particularly, to an improvement of electric characteristics of a MOSFET having a side-wall film.
(b) Description of the Related Art:
It is generally indispensable to form individual semiconductor elements in a smaller size for obtaining a higher integration in a ultra large-scale semiconductor integrated circuit (ULSI) and for improving the ULSI to have multiple functions.
In the MOSFETs which are dominant among the current semiconductor elements, a shallow junction structure for the source/drain regions and a thin structure for the gate oxide film are developed for obtaining a short channel MOSFET having a sufficient function.
In a 256 Mbit DRAM, which is a typical example for the current ULSI, the transistor dimension is reduced down to as low as 0.25 .mu.m, whereas the film thickness in the gate oxide film is reduced down to as low as 6 nm to 6.5 nm. In the development of such a miniaturization of the MOSFETs, the ratio of the dimension of the gate edge to the total gate length becomes larger and larger.
During the fabrication process for the MOSFET, the thin gate oxide film is generally exposed at the edges or sides of the gate structure after an etching step for configuring the gate structure. The exposed edge of the gate oxide film is then re-oxidized to have a larger thickness in the edge portion thereof by the subsequent cleaning step or heat treatment step for forming another oxide film at a high temperature.
The influence of the increased edge thickness of the gate oxide film on the transistor characteristic may be neglected so long as the gate structure has a relatively thick gate oxide film or a large gate length. However, the increased edge thickness of the gate oxide film due to the re-oxidation cannot be neglected in the ULSI wherein an extremely thin gate oxide film and an extremely small gate length are required.
In addition, the fact that the gate electrode is made of polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) is one of the factors that reveal the problem in electrical characteristics of the MOSFETs, because the polysilicon film is more readily oxidized than monocrystalline silicon.
FIGS. 1A to 1D show consecutive steps for manufacturing a MOSFET by a conventional method. In FIG. 1A, a gate oxide film 12 and a polysilicon film 13 are formed on a silicon substrate 11. The polysilicon film 13 is etched for patterning selectively from the gate oxide film 12 by using an anisotropic etching technique using a photoresist film 18 as a mask. The entire oxide film 12 is left just after the etching step of the gate electrode 13 and is etched away by a subsequent removing step or cleaning step of the photoresist film at the region other than the region underlying the gate electrode 12. After the etching step of the oxide film 12, the edges of remaining film portion acting as a gate insulator film 12 is exposed at the side-wall of the gate structure, as shown in FIG. 1B.
Another oxide film 14 is then deposited on the entire surface by a CVD process using silane (SiH4) and N.sub.2 O as a source gas (FIG. 1C). The CVD is effected under a relatively high substrate temperature, for example, at 800.degree. C., for improvement of the step coverage of the resultant silicon oxide film 14.
During the CVD) step, the exposed edge of the gate oxide film 12 is oxidized due to the high substrate temperature and the oxidizing ambient to form a gate bird's beak 15 of the gate oxide film 12 at the edge potion of the gate oxide film 12, as shown in FIG. 1C. The deposited oxide film 14 is then etched back by an anisotropic etching step to leave the side-wall film for the gate structure (FIG. 1D).
The gate bird's beak 15 forms a local thick portion in the gate oxide film 12 and functions to locally raise the threshold voltage of the MOSFET. The local rise in the threshold voltage causes an increase of the on-resistance or parasitic resistance of the MOSFET as a whole. Consequently, the current of the MOSFET is slightly lowered to thereby degrade the electric characteristics of the MOSFET.
The thickness of the gate bird's beak sensitively depends on the process temperature, ambient and parameter, and accordingly, the control or suppression of the gate bird's beak is extremely difficult. That is, the on-current of the MOSFET cannot be accurately controlled to a design value due to the presence of the gate bird's beak, although the precise control is generally required in the MOSFET.
In order to suppress the gate bird's beak, such a gate structure may be considered wherein the side-wall film of the gate structure is made of silicon nitride whereby deposition of the silicon nitride for the side-wall can be effected in a non-oxidizing atmosphere. In this case, two methods may be inferred. FIG. 2 shows a first comparative method in which a single silicon nitride film is deposited as the side-wall film 17. FIG. 3 shows a second comparative method in which a two-layer side-wall structure is provided including a silicon nitride film 17A and an overlying silicon oxide film 16A.
The silicon nitride film 17 or 17A, however, involves problems in electrical characteristics of the MOSFET. Specifically, the silicon nitride film 17 or 17A forms a trap area 19 at the boundary between the silicon nitride film 17 or 17A and the silicon substrate 11, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The underlying silicon nitride film 17A in FIG. 3 has a bottom or base having a length which is substantially equal to the length of the bottom of the single silicon nitride film 17 which is in contact with the silicon substrate 11 in FIG. 2. Accordingly, the trap areas 19 in FIGS. 2 and 3 are substantially identical. The trap area 19 involves an increase of the parasitic resistance, variation of electrical characteristics of the MOSFET to degrade the MOSFET properties. In addition, the silicon nitride film 17 or 17A has a larger Young's modulus compared to the silicon oxide film to thereby increase the stress at the edge of the gate structure and interface between the silicon nitride film 17 or 17A and the silicon substrate 11, which also causes a structural failure in the MOSFET. Further, the silicon nitride has a relative permittivity of 7.4 which is considerably higher than the relative permittivity (3.9) of silicon oxide, thereby increasing the parasitic capacitance between the gate electrode and source/drain to retard the operational speed of the MOSFET.

Method for manufacturing a MOSFET having a side-wall film formed through nitridation of the gate electrode


A method for detecting errors in estimated seismic velocities used in a normal moveout correction of a gather of traces selected from conventional, common midpoint seismic data. Zero offset reflectivity and amplitude versus offset slope traces are derived from the NMO corrected gather. Analytic traces are calculated for the zero offset reflectivity and amplitude versus offset slope traces. The analytic zero offset reflectivity trace is multiplied by the complex conjugate of the analytic slope trace and the imaginary part of the product indicates estimated velocity errors. The velocity error indicator is used to correct the velocity estimates so that the normal moveout process may be reperformed without the errors caused by incorrect velocity estimates. Alternatively, the velocity error indicator itself is plotted on a seismic section as an indicator of characteristics of subsurface earth formations.

This invention relates to an improved method of estimating seismic velocities for use in generating seismic sections indicating valuable characteristics of subsurface earth formations, and more particularly, to a method in which amplitude versus offset analysis is used to precisely correct velocity estimates made by prior known methods.
Modern seismic prospecting techniques normally employ the common depth point, CDP, or common midpoint, CMP, techniques to improve signal-to-noise ratio. In these methods, seismic signals are generated sequentially at each of a number of points along a seismic prospecting path while reflections are recorded at all of the points following generation of each signal. The recorded signals are then organized into gathers of traces each corresponding to a common depth point or common midpoint. That is, all of the signals in a gather occur from source receiver pairs equally spaced about the point in question along the prospect path. The basic purpose of this exploration technique is to allow the signals within each gather to be combined to improve signal to noise to ratio. However, due to the different path lengths involved in each source receiver pair, corrections must be made to the individual traces within the gather to place them in alignment before stacking. These corrections, known as normal moveout, NMO, corrections depend primarily on estimated velocities of the earth formations through which the signals passed. Errors in the velocity estimation result in errors in the alignment of the signals and thereby reduce the signal to noise ratio of the resulting stacked signal.
The classical normal moveout correction method depends on the maximization of normalized stack power to obtain what appears to be the best fit. These techniques are generally referred to as semblance methods. The use of the semblance methods and further improvements thereto are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,246 issued to Herkenhoff, et al., Feb. 11, 1986, which patent is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.
In addition to improving signal to noise ratio in conventional amplitude traces, the CDP method of exploration allows estimation of various characteristics of subsurface formations which can be used to predict the hydrocarbon bearing potential thereof. This can be done through the amplitude versus offset, AVO, technique in which the variation in amplitude of signals reflected from given subsurface interfaces is analyzed for changes relating to the angle of incidence or offset between source and receiver pairs. In order to properly perform such analysis, all other sources of amplitude variation should be removed first. For example, the very fact that the signal path length is greater for greater offset pairs naturally reduces signal levels. Path length estimates are in turn effected by estimated seismic velocities. Slight errors in estimated seismic velocities can generate erroneous amplitude changes with offset which are greater than the actual variations resulting from the change in angle of incidence.


Systems and methods are disclosed for generating an acoustic authentication data entry interface. One method comprises generating a random sequence of characters and a visual user interface element comprising a plurality sections, each section of the visual user interface element being associated with a respective character of the generated random sequence of characters. A section of the visual user interface elements is displayed to a user. Concurrently, an audio recording of a character associated with the displayed section is played to the user. Based on determining user selection of the displayed section, the character associated with the displayed section is logged as part of an authentication data. When all of the characters constituting the authentication data are logged, an electronic transaction authorization request is sent to an acquirer processor.

Traditionally, merchants and other store owners have point of sale (POS) terminals that can accept check or payment card from consumers for goods and services. Such POS systems may include PIN pads at which a consumer may enter payment and/or personal information in order to complete payment processing requests for purchases. Increasingly, however, merchants and store owners may interact with consumers in virtual reality environments or remotely over the web (e.g., consumers may make online purchases using consumer devices). Standard PIN pads may have a known arrangement of alphanumeric characters in the form of 12 buttons arranged in 4 rows and 3 columns. The first row may include numbers 1, 2, and 3; the second row may include numbers 4, 5, and 6; the third row may include numbers 7, 8, and 9; and the last row may include "*", 0, and "#". Each of the numbers may also have associated letters of the alphabet in a standard format. This standard configuration means that an individual watching a consumer may easily detect or infer a consumer's PIN number by watching the consumer's selection of buttons and correlating the consumer's selections with standard positions of alphanumeric characters in a PIN pad.
Accordingly, there is a need for improving security in transactions involving and/or requiring entry of authentication data (e.g., personal identification number (PIN), card verification value (CW), password, an answer to a security question, etc.). More particularly, there is a need for systems and methods that allow users to enter authentication data using an interface that does not correspond to a known or predictable configuration.
The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art, or suggestions of the prior art, by inclusion in this section.

Methods and systems for acoustic authentication


In accordance with some embodiments, a DisplayPort control plane may be supported over a Wireless Gigabit Alliance or other wireless air interface. Some embodiments may efficiently optimize the amount of wireless bandwidth needed to accomplish tasks.

This relates generally to devices that source and sink video and audio data.
DisplayPort is a digital audio/video interconnect standard of the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA), Newark, Calif. 94560. See DisplayPort Specification, Version 1.2, December 2009. It allows video and audio to be coupled from a computer to a video display or an audio playback system. A DisplayPort connector supports 1, 2, or 4 data pairs in a main link that also carries clock and optional audio signals with symbol rates of 1.62, 2.7, or 5.4 gigabits per second.
Display or sink devices can be connected to source devices, such as personal computers or consumer electronic devices, either directly or through what are called branch devices. Many types of branch devices exist including repeaters that repeat audio or video information, converters that convert audio or video information from one format to another, replicators, which reproduce the data, and concentrators that take streams from two or more source device inputs and transmit them on downstream links.
Various wireless communication protocols exist that support DisplayPort and High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) monitors or sink devices. For example the Wireless Gigabit Alliance display extension (WDE) specification targets support of DisplayPort and High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) monitors over a 60 gigaHertz Wireless Gigabit Alliance (Beaverton, Oreg. 97006) air interface. See Wireless Gigabit Alliance Specification Version 1.0.

Apparatus of wireless gigabit display extension (WDE) device


An acceleration suppression device for a vehicle and an acceleration suppression method for a vehicle can reduce a reduction in drivability due to the operation of an acceleration suppression control while crossing an intersection. If it is determined that an intersection lying ahead of an own vehicle is detected, a process is implemented to suppress an acceleration suppression control in a travel distance range in which the travel distance of the own vehicle after detecting the intersection is less than or equal to a preset first travel distance threshold value.

As a device configured to control the speed of a vehicle, there is, for example, a safety device described in JP 2003-137001 A. This safety device detects, from map data of a navigation device and information of a current position, that the vehicle is located at a position deviating from a road and, when determining that an accelerator is operated in a direction to increase the travel speed of the vehicle and that the travel speed of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined value, the safety device controls a throttle in the deceleration direction regardless of the operation of the accelerator.
JP 2003-137001 A aims to prevent driver's unintentional acceleration of the vehicle even if the accelerator is erroneously operated. Here, a problem arises as to how to determine whether or not the operation of the accelerator is in error. In JP 2003-137001 A, if an accelerator is depressed when an own vehicle is detected to be at a position deviating from a road based on map data and a travel speed is detected to be greater than or equal to a predetermined value, it is determined that there is a possibility of the accelerator having been operated in error, and this condition is set as an operating condition for throttle suppression.
However, with the above operating condition, the throttle suppression is operated depending on a vehicle speed only when the vehicle deviates from a road and enters a parking lot, thus reducing the drivability in the parking lot.
The present invention has been made by paying attention to the point described above and has an object to reduce a reduction in drivability due to the occurrence of acceleration suppression control when an own vehicle travels in an area other than a parking area.

Acceleration suppression device for vehicle, and acceleration suppression method for vehicle


Methods for treating or rejuvenating a spent catalyst are disclosed. Such methods can employ a step of halogenating the spent catalyst, followed by decoking the halogenated spent catalyst. The halogenation step can utilize fluorine and chlorine together, or fluorine and chlorine can be applied sequentially.

The catalytic conversion of non-aromatic hydrocarbons into aromatic compounds, often referred to as aromatization or reforming, is an important industrial process that can be used to produce benzene, toluene, xylene, and the like. The aromatization or reforming process often is conducted in a reactor system that can contain one or more reactors containing transition metal based catalysts. These catalysts can increase the selectivity to and/or the yield of the desired aromatic compounds. However, under commercial reaction conditions, these catalysts slowly lose their activity, often indicated by a loss of selectivity to desired aromatic compounds and/or a reduction in conversion rates. Such catalysts are often referred to as "spent" catalysts once economic or operational thresholds are passed.
Because of their commercial importance and the expense incurred in producing fresh catalyst to replace spent catalyst, there is an ongoing need for improved methods of restoring catalytic activity to spent aromatization catalysts. Accordingly, it is to this end that the present disclosure is directed.

Methods of regenerating aromatization catalysts


A method, system, graphical user interface, and apparatus are provided for performing a patient management function providing parameter data for delivering a therapeutic signal. A first electrical signal comprising a first therapy parameter is applied to a portion of a patient's body for providing a therapy. At least one patient parameter relating to an effect of applying the first electrical signal is acquired. A second therapy parameter for defining a second electrical signal to provide a therapy is determined in response to the patient parameter. The second therapy parameter is displayed on an external device. An input signal for defining the second electrical signal is received. The input signal includes a signal indicative of the whether the second therapy parameter was accepted or not.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to implantable medical device systems and, more particularly, a patient management system to provide an interactive forum for managing patient care, the patient management system to also provide parameter data for treating one or more disorders using an implantable medical device (IMD).
2. Description of the Related Art
Many advancements have been made in treating diseases such as epilepsy. Therapies using electrical signals for treating these diseases have been found to effective. Implantable medical devices have been effectively used to deliver therapeutic stimulation to various portions of the human body (e.g., the vagus nerve) for treating these diseases. As used herein, "stimulation" or "stimulation signal" refers to the application of an electrical, mechanical, magnetic, electro-magnetic, photonic, audio and/or chemical signal to a neural structure in the patient's body. The signal is an exogenous signal that is distinct from the endogenous electrical, mechanical, and chemical activity (e.g., afferent and/or efferent electrical action potentials) generated by the patient's body and environment. In other words, the stimulation signal (whether electrical, mechanical, magnetic, electro-magnetic, photonic, audio or chemical in nature) applied to the nerve in the present invention is a signal applied from an artificial source, e.g., a neurostimulator.
A "therapeutic signal" refers to a stimulation signal delivered to a patient's body with the intent of treating a disorder by providing a modulating effect to neural tissue. The effect of a stimulation signal on neuronal activity is termed "modulation"; however, for simplicity, the terms "stimulating" and "modulating", and variants thereof, are sometimes used interchangeably herein. In general, however, the delivery of an exogenous signal itself refers to "stimulation" of the neural structure, while the effects of that signal, if any, on the electrical activity of the neural structure are properly referred to as "modulation." The modulating effect of the stimulation signal upon the neural tissue may be excitatory or inhibitory, and may potentiate acute and/or long-term changes in neuronal activity. For example, the "modulating" effect of the stimulation signal to the neural tissue may comprise one more of the following effects: (a) initiation of an action potential (afferent, and/or efferent action potentials); (b) inhibition or blocking of the conduction of action potentials, whether endogenous or exogenously induced, including hyperpolarizing and/or collision blocking, (c) affecting changes in neurotransmitter/neuromodulator release or uptake, and (d) changes in neuro-plasticity or neurogenesis of brain tissue.
Electrical neurostimulation may be provided by implanting an electrical device underneath the skin of a patient and delivering an electrical signal to a nerve such as a cranial nerve. In one embodiment, the electrical neurostimulation involves sensing or detecting a body parameter, with the electrical signal being delivered in response to the sensed body parameter. This type of stimulation is generally referred to as "active," "feedback," or "triggered" stimulation. In another embodiment, the system may operate without sensing or detecting a body parameter once the patient has been diagnosed with a medical condition that may be treated by neurostimulation. In this case, the system may apply a series of electrical pulses to the nerve (e.g., a cranial nerve such as a vagus nerve) periodically, intermittently, or continuously throughout the day, or over another predetermined time interval. This type of stimulation is generally referred to as "passive," "non-feedback," or "prophylactic," stimulation. The electrical signal may be applied by an IMD that is implanted within the patient's body. In another alternative embodiment, the signal may be generated by an external pulse generator outside the patient's body, coupled by an RF or wireless link to an implanted electrode.
Generally, neurostimulation signals that perform neuromodulation are delivered by the implantable medical device via one or more leads. The leads generally terminate at their distal ends in one or more electrodes, and the electrodes in turn are electrically coupled to a tissue in the patient's body. For example, a number of electrodes may be attached to various points of a nerve or other tissue inside a human body for delivery of a neurostimulation signal.
State-of-the-art implantable medical systems utilize an external device to communicate with the IMD for programming the therapeutical electrical signal to be delivered by the implanted device, performing diagnostics and making adjustments to one or more parameters defining the therapeutic electrical signal. A physician may assess the progress of a particular therapy regimen given to a patient during office visits. The physician may examine the patient and make a determination as to the efficacy of the therapy being delivered and may use the external device to reprogram or adjust various stimulation parameters that will modify subsequent therapy delivered to the patient.
There are various problems associated with state-of-the-art implanted neurostimulators. For example, one problem with state-of-the-art implanted neurostimulators is the fact that tedious record-keeping and study of charts are required to perform therapy management to treat patients. When the physician evaluates a patient, various settings for therapy delivered by the IMD are documented in the patient's chart at each visit. At subsequent visits, the physician may then examine previous entries into the chart (e.g., the physician may study the various parameters defining the therapeutic electrical signal, medications taken by the patient, etc.) to make adjustments to the therapy delivered by the IMD. The process of documenting the changes in the parameters, medication and patient evaluation may become quite tedious as well as time-consuming, with a corresponding risk that important information may not be collected or may not be incorporated into the adjustments made to the therapy to improve or maintain efficacy. Further, examining all of the previous chart entries along with the current patient evaluation to determine an appropriate therapy for the patient may become cumbersome or unfeasible, especially where large volumes of data must be collected and correlated. Further, inherent changes or other trends (e.g., progressive changes in a disease symptom) may not be easily detected by the physician upon a review of the various entries in the patient's chart. Therefore, opportunities to improve the efficacy of the therapy may be inadvertently missed due to the tedious nature of patient evaluation and the voluminous data entries made to a patient's chart, as well as to insufficient or improper evaluation of the data collected.
Another problem associated with state-of-the-art IMD systems is the fact that there is a requirement that users (e.g., physicians) independently select various therapy parameters, such as output current and pulse-width, etc., and monitor the effects of the therapy for a particular patient over a period of time. This study of efficacy may reveal some therapy-response data relating to a particular patient. State-of-the-art databases associated with IMD systems generally store data relating to parameters associated with a particular patient in a patient-by-patient basis. However, the industry generally lacks an efficient cross-patient correlation technique to show meaningful relationship between therapy parameters and therapeutic efficacy. Utilizing the data relating to parameters associated with the patient-by-patient analysis described above, physicians must determine various parameters that may be effective for a particular patient. However, one problem associated with this technique is the fact that a set of parameters that is effective for one patient may not be ideal for another patient. The state-of-the-art generally lacks a method of performing an evaluation of favorable therapy parameters that may be employed for a particular type of patient. This may prompt the requirement of several iterations in a trial-and-error type of estimation process for determining appropriate parameters for achieving desirable efficacy and results when treating a patient.
The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing, the effects of one or more of the problems set forth above.

Patient management system for providing parameter data for an implantable medical device


An active antenna transceiver system is disclosed. The active antenna transceiver system comprises a bandpass filter adapted to filter first telecommunication signals in a first frequency band, the first telecommunication signals being transceived in a first antenna section, an active transceiver arrangement adapted to transceive second telecommunications signal in a second frequency band, an antenna arrangement adapted to radiate and/or collect signal in both the first and second frequency bands. A combining element is provided for combining first telecommunications signal and second telecommunication signal into a combined telecommunications signal to be fed into antenna arrangement and the combining element being adapted for splitting the combined telecommunications signal from the antenna arrangement into first telecommunication signals and second telecommunications signals.

The use of mobile communications networks has increased over the last decade. Operators of the mobile communications networks have increased the number of base stations in order to meet an increased demand for service by users of the mobile communications networks. The operators of the mobile communications network wish to reduce the running costs of the base station. One option to do this is to implement a radio system as an antenna-embedded radio forming an active antenna array. Many of the components of the antenna-embedded radio may be implemented on one or more chips.
Nowadays active antenna arrays are used in the field of mobile communications systems in order to reduce power transmitted to a handset of a customer and thereby increase the efficiency of the base station, i.e. the radio station. The radio station typically comprises a plurality of antenna elements, i.e. an antenna array adapted for transceiving a payload signal. Typically the radio station comprises a plurality of transmit paths and receive paths. Each of the transmit paths and receive paths are terminated by one of the antenna elements. The plurality of the antenna elements used in the radio station typically allows steering of a beam transmitted by the antenna array. The steering of the beam includes but is not limited to at least one of: detection of direction of arrival (DOA), beam forming, down tilting and beam diversity. These techniques of beam steering are well-known in the art.
The antenna array or active antenna system is typically mounted on a mast or tower. The antenna is coupled to the base transceiver station (BTS) by means of a fibre optics cable and a power cable. The base transceiver station is coupled to a fixed line telecommunications network operated by one or more operators.
Equipment at the base of the mast as well as the active antenna system mounted on the mast is configured to transmit and receive within well defined limits set by communication standards.
The code sharing and time division strategies as well as the beam steering rely on the radio station and the antenna array to transmit and receive within well defined limits set by communication standards. The communications standards typically provide a plurality of channels or frequency bands useable for an uplink communication from the handset to the radio station as well as for a downlink communication from the radio station to the handset.
For example, the communication standard "Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)" for mobile communications uses different frequencies in different regions. In North America, GSM operates on the primary mobile communication bands 850 MHz and 1900 MHz. In Europe, Middle East and Asia most of the providers use 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands.
As technology evolves, the operators have expressed a desire for an active antenna product which is able to utilise the existing base-station investments, in addition to providing a new system/band. For example, in the roll-out of long term evolution (LTE) at 700 MHz (US) or 800 MHz (EU), the operators would like to deploy a single antenna at the masthead which could transmit the existing 900 MHz (EU) or 850 MHz (US) GSM signals, using equipment at the base of the mast, as well as providing active antenna functionality for the new LTE installation.
One solution could be to use a dual-band or broadband passive antenna, with two traditional base-stations at the foot of the tower. For example, the dual-band or broadband passive antenna would be mounted on a mast adjacent to a traditional base-station 'hut' or equipment cabin. This solution however would suffer various drawbacks. Having a dual band or broadband passive antenna would not allow the two bands to have independent downtilt angles. Both bands would need to share the same downtilt and this would be sub-optimal for either one or both systems, depending upon the tilt angle chosen.
It would be useful to combine existing RF signals, hereafter referred to as passive signal, emanating from (or travelling to) a base station or remote radio head at the bottom of a mast (for example) with signals from a different band, directly generated (or received) within the active electronics of an active antenna system.

Active antenna system and method for combining signals