The present invention provides a high frequency module having a base substrate unit (2) which has its uppermost layer planarized to form a buildup-forming surface (16), a high frequency circuit unit (3) having multiple wiring layers which are formed on the base substrate unit (2), each of which layers has a wiring pattern and film elements formed on a dielectric insulating layer thereof, whose uppermost wiring layer (17) has plural lands (22) and ground patterns (20) formed thereon together with the wiring pattern and inductor elements (19), and a semiconductor chip (4) mounted on the wiring layer (17) of the high frequency circuit unit (3). Transmission lines (24) to connect the inductor elements (19) and lands (22) which are formed on the wiring layer (17) are directed within hollowed pattern regions (20c) formed at the ground pattern (20) to constitute coplanar type transmission lines.

Recently, in the field of communication systems for transmitting various information, owing to development of various communication terminal equipments and data processing systems as well as improvement of service networks of the ISDN (Integrated Service Digital Network), digital broadcasting, etc., transmission and reception of information using portable type equipments replacing fixed type equipments are widely coming into use. There is installed a radio communication module having radio communication function, storage function, etc. in a communication apparatus. Such a radio communication module includes an antenna unit for transmitting and receiving information signals which has an antenna and a changing-over switch, a transmission/reception switching-over unit for switching operational function between transmission and reception, a reception circuit unit having a frequency conversion circuit, a demodulation circuit, etc., a transmission circuit unit having a power amplifier, a drive amplifier, a modulation circuit, etc., and a reference frequency generation circuit unit for providing the reception circuit unit and the transmission circuit unit with reference frequency.
The radio communication module is coming to have higher functions or multiple functions, enabling high-speed communication of various information such as data information, image information, etc., while being required to be reduced in size as well as to have low electric power consumption property so as to be installed in a portable type communication apparatus. Conventionally, the radio communication module is configured using a circuit manufactured under the lumped-constant design, in which a substrate has formed thereon various filters and couplers as well as mounted thereon chip parts such as capacitors and coils. On the other hand, the radio communication module employing the lumped-constant design cannot fulfill above-described demand specification. Thus, generally, the radio communication module is configured using a circuit manufactured under the distributed parameter design, in which a wiring substrate has formed thereon passive elements such as inductors, capacitors, etc. in the film forming manner, and the respective passive elements and mount components are connected through transmission lines such as microstrip lines and strip lines.
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a conventional high frequency module substrate 100 in which a two-layer high frequency circuit unit 101 is formed in the buildup manner on a four-layer base substrate unit 102 which is formed by the general multilayer print wiring technology. In the high frequency module substrate 100, a first wiring layer 103 and a second wiring layer 104 are formed on a dielectric insulating layer respectively in the pattern forming manner to form the high frequency circuit unit 101, and passive elements such as inductors and capacitors are formed in the first and second wiring layers 103, 104 in the film forming manner by employing the thin-film technology or the thick-film technology, details of which will be omitted. The first wiring layer 103 has formed thereon in the pattern forming manner a transmission line 105 to connect the respective passive elements and lands which is formed under the distributed parameter design.
The high frequency module substrate 100 has power circuits and control circuits formed in respective wiring layers 106, 107, 108, and 109 of the base substrate unit 102 thereof, and the third wiring layer 106 is a fully solid ground layer whose whole surface is formed into ground, details of which will be omitted. In the high frequency module substrate 100, the high frequency circuit unit 101 and the base substrate unit 102 are electrically separated with the ground layer 106 arranged therebetween, which can suppress mutual electrical interference to realize property improvement. In the high frequency module substrate 100, since the ground layer 106 is defined as a ground surface, the transmission line 105 works as a microstrip line.
FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a high frequency module substrate 110 in which a two-layer high frequency circuit unit 111 is formed in the buildup manner on a four-layer base substrate unit 112 which is formed by the general multilayer print wiring technology, in which basic configuration of the high frequency circuit unit 111 and the base substrate unit 112 is similar to that in the high frequency module substrate 100. In the high frequency module substrate 110, a first wiring layer 113 of the high frequency circuit unit 111 has formed thereon in the pattern forming manner a transmission line 115 which is formed under the distributed parameter design, and has formed thereon ground patterns 116a and 116b being kept insulated from the transmission line 115.
The high frequency module substrate 110 shown in FIG. 2 has hollowed patterns 117a, 118a, 119a, and 120a formed at parts of respective wiring layers 117, 118, 119, and 120 of the base substrate unit 112 thereof facing the transmission line 115, which configuration defines no ground surface for the transmission line 115. In the high frequency module substrate 110, employing this configuration, the transmission line 115 works as a coplanar line. In the high frequency module substrate 110, the hollowed patterns 117a, 118a, 119a, and 120a are formed at all the respective wiring layers 117, 118, 119, and 120 of the base substrate unit 112. On the other hand, as a configuration not losing coplanar function of the transmission line 115, the fifth wiring layer 119 may be a fully solid ground layer.
FIG. 3 shows the configuration of a high frequency module substrate 130 in which a high frequency circuit unit 131 having two wiring layers 133 and 134 is formed in the buildup manner on a base substrate unit 132 having four wiring layers 137, 138, 139, and 140 which is formed by the general multilayer print wiring technology, in which basic configuration of the high frequency circuit unit 131 and the base substrate unit 132 is similar to that in the high frequency module substrate 110. In the high frequency module substrate 130, the first wiring layer 133 of the high frequency circuit unit 131 has formed thereon in the pattern forming manner a transmission line 135 which is formed under the distributed parameter design, and has formed thereon ground patterns 136a and 136b being kept insulated from the transmission line 135.
In the high frequency module substrate 130 shown in FIG. 3, the third wiring layer 137 of the base substrate unit 132 is a fully solid ground layer. In the high frequency module substrate 130, the high frequency circuit unit 131 and the base substrate unit 132 are electrically separated with the ground layer 137 arranged therebetween, which can suppress mutual electrical interference to realize property improvement. In the high frequency module substrate 130, since the ground layer 137 is defined as a ground surface, the transmission line 135 works as a ground coplanar line.
FIG. 4 shows the configuration of a high frequency module substrate 150 in which a high frequency circuit unit 151 having two wiring layers 153 and 154 is formed in the buildup manner on a base substrate unit 152 having four wiring layers 157, 158, 159, and 160 which is formed by the general multilayer print wiring technology, in which basic configuration of the high frequency circuit unit 151 and the base substrate unit 152 is similar to that in the high frequency module substrate 110. In the high frequency module substrate 150, the first wiring layer 153 of the high frequency circuit unit 151 has formed thereon in the pattern forming manner a transmission line 155 which is formed under the distributed parameter design, and has formed thereon ground patterns 156a and 156b being kept insulated from the transmission line 155.
In the high frequency module substrate 150 shown in FIG. 4, the third wiring layer 157 of the base substrate unit 152 is a fully solid ground layer. In the high frequency module substrate 150, the high frequency circuit unit 151 and the base substrate unit 152 are electrically separated with the ground layer 157 arranged therebetween, which can suppress mutual electrical interference to realize property improvement. In the high frequency module substrate 150, since the ground layer 157 is defined as a ground surface, the transmission line 155 works as a ground coplanar line.
In the high frequency module substrate 150 shown in FIG. 4, the fourth wiring layer 158 of the base substrate unit 152 has formed thereon in the pattern forming manner a transmission line 161 which is formed under the distributed parameter design, and the fifth wiring layer 159 facing the ground layer 157 with the transmission line 161 arranged therebetween is also a fully solid ground layer. Thus, the high frequency module substrate 150 has the transmission line 161 working as a strip line formed at an inner layer of the base substrate unit 152 thereof together with the transmission line 155 working as a ground coplanar line of the high frequency circuit unit 151.
On the other hand, in the conventional high frequency module, a ground pattern formed on a layer of multiple wiring substrates of, especially, a high frequency signal processing unit alone of a high frequency circuit block is defined as a ground surface to form a microstrip type transmission line, which can improve cost merit as well as effectively utilize substrate area. Since a semiconductor chip and electronic parts are mounted on the surface of a high frequency module, for example, a high frequency module substrate 200 shown in FIG. 5 is arranged.
FIG. 5 shows the configuration of a high frequency module substrate 200 in which a high frequency circuit unit is formed in the buildup manner on a base substrate unit which is formed by the general multilayer print wiring technology, details of which will be omitted. In the high frequency module substrate 200, a surface layer 201 of the high frequency circuit unit shown in FIG. 5 has formed thereon a spiral type inductor element 202 in the film forming manner and a ground pattern 203 enclosing the inductor element 202. The inductor element 202 has its one end connected to a transmission line 204, and has its other end connected to an inner layer circuit of the high frequency circuit unit through via holes, details of which will be omitted.
In the high frequency module substrate 200, the surface layer 201 has formed thereon plural lands 205, 206, 207, and 208 onto which a semiconductor chip, not shown, is to be mounted under the flip chip mounting, as shown in FIG. 5. The first land 205 and the fourth land 208 are lands for ground which are unitedly formed together with ground patterns 209a and 209b respectively, and are connected to a ground pattern formed on a buildup-forming surface of the base substrate unit side through via holes, details of which will be omitted. The second land 206 is a land for DC signals. The third land 207 is a land for RF signals to which one end of the transmission line 204, whose other end is connected to the inductor element 202, is connected. The transmission line 204 is a microstrip type transmission line which defines the ground pattern formed at the base substrate unit side as a ground surface.
In the high frequency module substrate 200, the surface layer 201 has properly formed thereon plural lands, transmission lines, and passive elements such as capacitor elements, register elements, etc. In the high frequency module substrate 200, an antenna element, a coupler pattern, etc. are also formed in the film forming manner, and surface-mount type electronic parts which do not require ground connection are also properly mounted.
In the high frequency module substrate 200 shown in FIG. 5, since a ground pattern is formed on a buildup-forming surface of the base substrate unit side, it becomes possible to form transmission lines for digital signals, etc. in an inner layer, which can realize high density mounting. On the other hand, in the high frequency module substrate 200, a transmission line 210 for DC signals is formed on the surface layer 201, being directed to form a shortest distance from the second land 206. Thus, in the high frequency module substrate 200, the ground patterns 209a, 209b of the lands 205, 208 are separated from the ground pattern 203 of the inductor element 202, in which configuration continuity thereof cannot be maintained. In the high frequency module substrate 200, as has been described above, since the ground patterns 209a, 209b are connected to the ground pattern at the base substrate unit side through via holes, there is raised a problem that resistance components and inductance components of the via affects high frequency property. Furthermore, in the high frequency module substrate 200, since the respective passive elements generates capacitor components between the passive elements and the ground pattern of the base substrate unit side, there is raised a problem that self resonance frequency and Q value of quality factor are reduced, which undesirably deteriorates property.
In the high frequency module substrate 200, since a ground pattern defining a ground surface is formed at the base substrate unit side, and the transmission line 204 is configured as a microstrip type transmission line, thickness of respective layers of the base substrate unit side becomes unequal. Thus, in the high frequency module substrate 200, it is difficult to form a high frequency circuit unit onto the base substrate unit in the buildup manner with high accuracy, which undesirably deteriorates high frequency property.


A first bump is arranged on an electrode of a semiconductor chip. An opening portion formed at a position corresponding to an electrode on the semiconductor chip, a conductive lead subjected to patterning and arranged in the opening portion, and a second bump for being connected to the outside of the device are formed on a flexible substrate, and the conductive lead and the first bump are connected to each other in the opening portion. An external shape of the flexible substrate is approximately the same as that of the semiconductor chip.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, more particularly to a semiconductor device of the size of a semiconducter chip and which includes the; chip and a flexible substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
First of all, a package known as uBGA ( Ball Grid Array ) manufactured by Tessera Co., will be described below.
A semiconductor device called TCC ( Tessera-Compliant-Chip), which is published in "Nikkei Micro Device, page 98-102, May 1994, and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,330, has a wiring structure very similar to that of a two-layer TCP (Tape Carrier Package). A flexible wiring substrate used for this package is manufactured in processes similar to those employed to make a TCP tape.
The conventional semiconductor device described above is shown in a sectional view in FIG. 1.
A flexible wiring substrate 32 has the same structure as the so-called two-layer TCP-composed Cu-polyimide using no adhesive agent, in which Au is sputtered and plated on the film 31 made of polyimide, and the wiring 33 and the lead 37 are formed by being patterned. Via-holes formed in the film 31 are filled with Ni-plating or solder. Further, Ni or the solder accumulates so that the semispherical bump 34 which is higher than the film 31 is formed. The surface of the bump 34 is coated with thin Au plating. The film 31 is fixed to the semiconductor chip 36 with the elastic adhesive agent 35. The film 31 serves also to seal the semiconductor chip 36. The lead 37 which extends from the film 31 attached to the semiconductor chip 36 is connected to the Al pad or Au pad on the semiconductor chip 36 by means of a thermo-compression bonder using jointly ultrasonic waves. Thus, the lead 37 is made to be gull-wing shaped. This semiconductor device attaches the protection frame 38 to the circumference of the semiconductor chip 36. The inside of the protection frame 38 is filled with resin so that the lead 37 is sealed.
This package has a feature in that it is excellent as KGD ( Known Good Die ) technology. Specifically, since the package is an area array package which is called a uBGA, the package can be subjected to a burn-in test after it is attached to the testing substrate for use in a PGA ( Pin Grid Array ). Thus, this test is carried out easily prior to mounting.
Next, TBGA ( Tape Ball Grid Array ) manufactured by IBM Co., disclosed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Heisei 1-307236, will be described with reference to FIG. 2, as a conventional semiconductor device.
It has been proved that the adoption of very thin flexible materials for the substrate carrier is effective for solving the problem of the thermal expansion difference between the semiconductor chip and the carrier. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device whose structure is devised considering the above fact. In the semiconductor device of FIG. 2, the insulative material layer 22 made of a material such as teflon is molded on the metal carrier layer 21, and the via-hole 23 is formed in the insulative material layer 22. The metal film 24 is formed on the insulative material layer 22. Then, the necessary circuits are formed on the metalized insulative material layer 22 and the portion where the connection terminals for electronics devices and the like are bonded. In FIG. 2, the semiconductor chip 25 is connected to these circuits. The circuit patterns are formed also in the metal carrier layer 21, and the BGAs composed of the bumps 26 for connection to the mounting substrate are arranged on the metal carrier layer 21. These bumps 26 are formed by soldering or thermo-compression bonding. The semiconductor device in FIG. 2 has a structure that the carrier is composed of a flexible material. Therefore, the carrier has an effect on the connection to the mounting substrate affected by the thermal expansion difference.
In the first conventional semiconductor devise shown in FIG. 1 and described above, the elastic adhesive agent 35 has to be filled in between the flexible wiring substrate 32 and the semiconductor chip 36. In the second conventional semiconductor device shown in FIG. 2 and described above, a carrier which is far larger than the semiconductor chip 25 is used so that a large mounting area is needed.
Furthermore, in any of the semiconductor devices shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a high positional precision is necessary for the connection between the semiconductor chip and the carrier and thus the positioning of both is difficult. The smaller the connection pitch of the connection portion of the semiconductor chip and the carrier is, the more severe the above problem is.


A backlight device includes: a flat chassis member; a light guide plate stacked on the chassis member; and a light source member attached to the chassis member so as to face a light incident face that is located at a side face of the light guide plate. The light guide plate has, at at least one side face adjacent to the light incident face, a convex part protruding outwardly of the side face, the chassis member has a protruding part to sandwich the convex part, and at least a part of the protruding part is covered with an elastic member that presses the convex part toward the light source member.

The present invention relates to a backlight device that is used for a liquid crystal display or the like.
A known backlight device used for a liquid crystal display or the like is of an edge-lit type that is provided with a light source at a light incident face located at a side-edge part of a light guide plate.
For light weight and a narrow frame, such a backlight device is provided with a convex part at a part of one side face of the light guide plate, and the convex part is sandwiched between protrusions provided at a frame member for fixing.
For instance, a liquid crystal module disclosed in JP-A-2012-155236 (Patent Document 1) shown in FIG. 11 includes a rectangular convex part 113 at an end face of a light guide plate 102 as well as a pair of bulging convex parts 112A in the form of hollow bosses that is formed at a bottom plate 101b of a rear frame 101, so as to sandwich the convex part 113 between this pair of bulging convex parts 112A from both sides for positioning of the light guide plate 102.
The backlight device of an edge-lit type is configured to include a light-incident face of a light guide plate placed at a predetermined space from a light source such as a fluorescence tube or light emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed in a line. If this space is changed from the appropriate distance due to manufacturing error or displacement during operation, the brightness is lowered or its uniformity deteriorates unfortunately.
To solve this problem, a spread illuminating apparatus 240 disclosed in JP-A-2008-97877 (Patent Document 2) as shown in FIG. 12 includes a light guide plate 234 provided with protruding parts 242 each to be stored in the corresponding recess 244 of an inner frame member 236. The light guide plate 234 is housed inside the inner frame member 236 in such a manner that a part 242b of the protruding part 242 on the side opposite to the side of point light sources 212 is brought into contact with an elastic member 243 and so the light guide plate 234 is biased to the side of the point light sources 212 by pressing force F from the elastic member 243.
Thereby, the light guide plate 234 can be held in the inner frame member 236 while keeping necessary and appropriate clearance d, which is determined considering the extension and contraction balance depending on the physical properties of the materials of the light conductor plate 234 and the inner frame member 236 as well as dimensions in their extension directions.
In such a structure to hold a light guide plate, when the pressing force applied to the light guide plate toward the light source is changed, a distance between the light guide plate and the light source will change to affect the uniformity of brightness.
The spread illuminating apparatus 240 described in Patent Document 2 is configured to bias the light guide plate 234 by brining the elastic member 243 provided in the inner frame member 236 into contact with the protruding part 242, and so in the case of a structure to fix a light guide plate by the pair of bulging convex parts 112A provided at the bottom plate 101b of the rear frame 101 as in Patent Document 1, the elastic member 243 is fixed at a predetermined position and so the pressing force cannot be adjusted.
Then, it is an object of the present invention to provide an edge-lit type backlight device configured so that a distance between a light source and a light guide plate can be adjusted appropriately by adjusting pressing force applied to the light guide plate.

Backlight device and liquid crystal display including the same


A semiconductor chip test apparatus includes a plurality of power supply units, each supplying power to a semiconductor chip having a power input terminal, and a tester configured to measure an output current of at least one of the plurality of power supply units, and to generate a switching control signal when the measured output current is greater than a predetermined current. The semiconductor chip test apparatus also includes a plurality of relays each arranged between a common ground of the tester and a different ground of the semiconductor chip. Further, the semiconductor chip test apparatus includes a relay controller, such as a control bit generator, configured to selectively close one or more of the plurality of relays in response to the switching control signal from the tester.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate in general to a semiconductor chip test apparatus for measuring a standby current being applied to a semiconductor chip from a power supply unit and a testing method for measuring the standby current.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, a semiconductor integrated circuit undergoes an electrical characteristic test during fabrication to check whether it is normal or defective. For such an electrical characteristic test, a tester for generating an electrical signal and applying it to a semiconductor chip to be tested, and its peripheral auxiliary devices are used.
FIG. 1 illustrates an apparatus which enables a typical semiconductor chip tester to measure current by utilizing a common ground of the tester.
As shown in FIG. 1, the typical semiconductor chip test apparatus tests a semiconductor chip 10. The typical semiconductor chip test apparatus includes first and second power supply units 20 and 22, and a tester 30.
The semiconductor chip 10, which is a package to be tested, has a power input terminal VDD. It is also connected to a common ground VSS.
Each of the first and the second power supply units 20 and 22 serves to supply power to the power input terminal VDD of the semiconductor chip 10.
The tester 30 measures an output current (e.g., a standby current IDDS) of each of the first and the second power supply units 20 and 22.
In general, a semiconductor chip does not commonly use a ground, but each power supply unit has a separate ground. However, since most of semiconductor chip testers make use of a common ground as in FIG. 1, it is impossible to measure current flowing through different current paths, such as current paths flowing to an input/output (I/O) ground and to a core ground.
Therefore, a hot spot may not be detected upon analyzing defects, making a defect analysis on a current path difficult. During actual analysis of defects, current can frequently flow from the core side's power supply unit to the I/O ground or to the core ground.
In addition, many recently developed semiconductor chips are mobile product family chips, and thus a supply current or a standby current IDDS is a very critical parameter in testing such semiconductor devices. In system-on-chip (SOC) semiconductor chips there are several power supply units within the chip, each of which has a different ground, e.g., a PLL (Phase Locked Loop) ground, two core grounds, an I/O ground, etc.

Semiconductor chip test apparatus and testing method


A molding apparatus of a wet friction material has a pair of guide posts vertically extending on a molding apparatus main body. The pair of the guide posts passes through fifteen stages (sixteen pieces) of molding dies. A pair of pantograph-type open-close mechanisms is attached to opposite side surfaces of the molding dies. Thus, the molding dies are piled up on each other so as to come near to each other (mold clamping) and move apart from each other (mold opening). With the pantograph-type open-close link mechanism, all the molding dies are opened and closed at the same time. If the molding dies are slid at a speed of 200 mm/sec, it takes only 3.75 seconds (50 mm*15/200 mm=3.75 sec). It takes a double of that time or 7.5 seconds, that is a half of the time of a related art.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a molding apparatus for a wet friction material that is manufactured by sequential steps including as a rate-determining step, i.e. a molding step or a heat press step of friction material segments on a core plate.
2. Description of the Related Art
One of commonly used wet friction materials for an automatic transmission has a ring-shaped friction material substrate, which is cut out of a friction material substrate, joined on one or both of opposite surfaces of a core metal of a flat ring shape with an adhesive. Another has a plurality of segment pieces or friction material segments joined on one or both surfaces of the core metal with an adhesive. For example, there is provided a segment-type wet friction material as shown in FIG. 6a. FIG. 6a is a plan view showing an overall structure of a segment-type wet friction material. FIG. 6b is a cross-sectional view showing a step of a manufacturing process of a wet-type friction material in which segment pieces are joined by adhesion to a core metal. FIG. 6c is a cross-sectional view showing a next step in which the adhering segment pieces are pressed for thickness setting.
As shown in FIG. 6a, a segment-type wet friction material 50 has twenty segment pieces 52 joined by adhesion respectively on opposite surfaces of a core plate 51 of a flat ring shape. The segment pieces 52 are made by cutting out of a friction material substrate. The adhering segment pieces 52 on both surfaces of the core metal 51 are pressed for thickness setting and heated for thermosetting. In a conventional manufacturing process of such a segment-type friction material 50, the friction material segments or the segment pieces are punched out from the friction material substrate one by one. Then, the punched-out segment pieces are stuck one by one on the surfaces of the core plate or the core metal on which a thermosetting adhesive is coated along an entire circumference thereof. That is, a punching-out step and a next sticking step are repeated twenty times. Accordingly, it takes much time to stick all the segment pieces. Consequently, there has taken place troubles or problems caused by the fact that property of the adhesive changes with time from the sticking of the first segment piece to the sticking of the last segment piece.
In view of the above problems, Japanese Patent Publication No. 3643018 discloses an invention of a manufacturing method of a wet friction material. The manufacturing method does not carry out the alternate steps of the punching-out of the friction material segment (segment piece) from a strip of the friction material substrate and the sticking of the punched segment piece on the core plate (core metal). Instead, the manufacturing method includes a storing step for storing a plurality of segment pieces in a circumferential manner on one surface of a holder and a sticking step for moving the one surface of the holder to a sticking surface of the core metal with an adhesive coated thereon so as to urge and stick the segment pieces held on the holder to the sticking surface of the core metal.
In case of the manufacturing process composed of the alternate steps of punching out of the segment piece and the sticking of the segment piece on the core metal, there arises a problem such as deterioration of positioning accuracy of the segment pieces due to the property change of the adhesive that is caused by taking much time for the sticking work. However, the manufacturing method described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3643018 solves such problem. Moreover, it completes the sticking work of the segment pieces in a very short amount of time. As a result, the rate-determining step in the manufacturing process of the segment-type friction material becomes a heat press step (molding step) after sticking the plurality of the segment pieces on the entire circumference of the core metal.
An outline of the molding step is described referring to FIG. 6b. As described above, a group of twenty segment pieces 52 are stuck by the holder at fixed intervals as shown in FIG. 6a on one surface (front surface) of the flat ring-shaped core metal 51 on which a thermosetting adhesive is coated. Then, the core metal 51 is reversed and, in the same way, another group of twenty segment pieces 52 are stuck by the holder at fixed intervals as shown in FIG. 6a on a rear surface of the core metal 51 on which the thermosetting adhesive is coated. Thereafter, the core metal with the segment pieces 52 stuck on the opposite surfaces is set inside a shim 42 between an upper die 40A and a lower die 40B.
Then, the upper die 40A is lowered by a not-shown hydraulic cylinder. Alternatively, the lower die 40B may be lifted by a not-shown hydraulic cylinder. As shown in FIG. 6c, the two groups of the twenty segment pieces 52 are pressed respectively so that a total thickness of the core metal 51 and the two groups of the segment pieces 52 becomes equal to a thickness of the shim 42. In this state, the upper die 40A and the lower die 40B are heated at a temperature of 170° C. to 270° C. so as to set or harden the thermosetting adhesive coated on the both surfaces of the core metal 51. Thus, the segment-type wet friction material 50 shown in FIG. 6a is manufactured by sticking, hardening and fixing each group of the twenty segment pieces 52 on the opposite surfaces of the core metal 51.
In the manufacturing process of the above-mentioned segment-type wet friction material 50, it is necessary to decrease a manufacturing time per one friction material as short as possible for reducing costs. For such purpose, it is very important to raise a manufacturing efficiency in the molding step that requires a fixed time period (30 seconds to 90 seconds) in order to heat and set or harden the thermosetting adhesive. Therefore, a multi-stage molding die with vertically built-up molding dies is proposed in order to carry out a thickness setting by pressing and a hardening by heating of many segment-type friction materials at one time. That is, the thermosetting adhesive is coated on each of the core metals 51 and each of corresponding groups of the segment pieces 52 is stuck to each surface of the core metal 51 so as to prepare half-finished products. Then, the half-finished products are pressed and heated at on time by the multistage molding die.
Specific examples of multistage molding dies are illustrated, as a related art, that have a structure as shown in FIGS. 7a to 7c and a structure as shown in FIGS. 8a and 8b. FIGS. 7a to 7c are explanatory drawings showing a structure of a multistage molding die according to a first specific example as a related art or a comparative example of the present invention. FIGS. 8a and 8b are explanatory drawings showing a structure of a multistage molding die according to a second specific example as a related art or a comparative example of the present invention. The first specific example of a multistage molding die is shown in FIGS. 7a to 7c. As shown in FIG. 7a, a multistage molding die 55 is composed of a plurality of molding dies 56. Lifting bolts 58 are fixed on opposite side surfaces of each of the molding dies 56. Links 59 are engaged with these lifting bolts 58 respectively at each of the side surfaces of the molding die 56.
As shown in FIG. 7b, in case of opening each of the molding dies 56, upper ends of the links 59 are pulled up in series or in sequence by a not-shown pull-up mechanism. As shown in FIG. 7c, in case of closing each of the molding dies 56 for pressing/thickness setting and heating/hardening of the segment-type friction material 50, the not-shown pull-up mechanism is released. Then, each of the molding dies 56 is pressed and closely contacted or clamped with each other by a not-shown pressing mechanism. In the first specific example of the multistage molding die described above, a weigh of each of the molding dies 56 is supported only by the lifting bolts 58. Accordingly, there is a problem that the lifting bolts 58 are susceptive to breakage.
The second specific example of a multistage molding die is shown in FIGS. 8a and 8b. As shown in FIG. 8a, a multistage molding die 60 is composed of a plurality of molding dies 61. Links 63 that are rotatably opened and closed are fixed on opposite side surfaces of each of the molding dies 61. Each of the molding dies 61 is slidable up and down along a guide post 62. In case of opening each of opening each of the molding dies 61, upper ends of the links 63 are pulled up in series or in sequence by a not-shown pull-up mechanism. As shown in FIG. 8b, in case of closing each of the molding dies 61 for pressing/thickness setting and heating/hardening of the segment-type friction material 50, the not-shown pull-up mechanism is released. Then, each of the molding dies 61 is pressed and closely contacted or clamped with each other by a not-shown pressing mechanism.
As mentioned above, a plurality of segment-type wet friction materials 50 are processed at one time such that all the thermosetting adhesives are set or hardened so as to fixedly stick all the segment pieces on all the core metals. Thus, the multistage molding die improves the manufacturing efficiency of the molding step that requires a fixed time period (30 seconds to 90 seconds) in order to heat and set the thermosetting adhesive.
However, a weight per unit or a weight of each of the molding dies 56, 61 is about 40 kg to 70 kg. A hydraulic cylinder as the pull-up mechanism and the pressing mechanism is usually operated at a speed of 50 mm/s to 100 mm/s. An operation at a higher speed causes a noise (80 dB or more) due to an impact at the time of mold clamping. It also causes a displacement of the segment-type wet friction material 50 due to vibration at the time of mold clamping. Therefore, such speeding up is impossible. Moreover, an increase of a number of the molding dies 56, 61 or stages of the multistage molding die 55, 60 also has a limitation inherently in view of its maintainability and workability. As a result, there is still a problem that the molding step remains a rate-determining step.

Molding apparatus for wet friction material


Apparatus and methods for automating a sequence of basic chemistry operations through a recipe. Software running on a workstation communicating with a controller allows an operator to operate the process controller, view the process, log the process, and maintain the recipe. The controller communicates with the process hardware and receives commands from the workstation, stores the commands, interprets the commands to perform the process, and provides monitoring information to the workstation. The workstation software uses a recipe to control the process. The recipe is expressed in terms of the process. The controller runs software routines for process control and for hardware control.

1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to apparatus and methods for automating a sequence of basic chemistry operations. More particularly, this invention pertains to software that allows an operator to control a process through a recipe. The operator is isolated from having to manipulate the hardware to control the process.
2. Description of the Related Art
A process flow is a sequence of chemical, physical, and/or biological activities for the conversion, transport, or storage of material or energy. Process controllers manipulate hardware to ensure that a process flow is completed in a satisfactory manner. Prior art process controllers present to an operator information directly related to the hardware. Present-day process control systems use instruments, control devices, and communication systems to monitor and manipulate controlled elements, such as valves and switches, and to control the values of one or more process variables, including temperature, pressure, flow, etc. The process variables are selected and controlled to achieve a desired process objective, such as attaining the safe and efficient operation of machines and equipment utilized in the process. Process control systems have widespread application in the automation of industrial processes such as the processes used in chemical, petroleum, and manufacturing industries, for example.
Control of a process is often implemented using microprocessor-based controllers, computers, or workstations which manipulate and monitor the process by sending and receiving commands and data to hardware devices to control either a particular aspect of the process or the entire process as a whole. The specific process control functions that are implemented by software programs in these microprocessors, computers, or workstations may be individually designed, modified, or changed through programming while requiring no modifications to the hardware. For example, an engineer might cause a program to be written to have the controller read a fluid level from a level sensor in a tank, compare the tank level with a predetermined desired level, and then open or close a feed valve based on whether the read level was lower or higher than the predetermined, desired level. The parameters are easily changed by displaying a selected view of the process and then by modifying the program using the selected view. The engineer typically would change parameters by displaying and modifying an engineer's view of the process. Such an engineer's view is typically represented by a piping and instrumentation diagram (P&ID) or other representation of the hardware. In addition to executing a process, software programs also monitor and display a view of the process, providing feedback in the form of an operator's display or view regarding the status of particular process variables.
Prior art process controllers are programmed by defining parameters that affect the hardware performing the process. For example, LabVIEW by National Instruments is a software package that allows an operator to control a process through a program running on a processor. The program uses graphical objects that correspond to the engineering objects or functions in the process hardware. The software uses a block diagram that includes terminals, noted, and functions that represent the process. These elements are connected by graphical wires. The resulting block diagram is an engineering description of the process.
Specialized software packages exist for specific applications. For example, Gina Star by raytest Isotopenmessgarete GmbH is a radio-chromatography control system and GE Coincidence by General Electric Medical Systems is an FDG synthesizer control system. Both systems control a specific process through a user interface that allows the operator to manipulate the hardware and operating parameters.
Various patents disclose similar systems for maintaining process control recipes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,563, titled "System for Configuring a Process Control Environment," issued to Dove, et al., on Nov. 17, 1998, discloses a software system for configuring and modifying a process control environment 100. The system disclosed by the '563 patent includes a control studio object system 130 that interacts with a template generator 120 and allows for manipulating a plurality of stencil items representing objects containing information necessary to program the process control environment 100. The stencil items are copied via a drag and drop operation to a diagram portion that represents the process control environment 100. The design environment allows creating or modifying control functions graphically with ladder logic, continuous function block, or other design languages.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,697,690, titled "Customizing process flows," issued to Scholl, et al., on Feb. 24, 2004, discloses a method for customizing a process flow that includes receiving a recipe hierarchy describing the process flow. The '690 patent describes three types of recipes: a general recipe includes information related to the process flow without necessarily identifying the resources to be used to perform the process, a site recipe includes site-specific information with local constraints, and a master recipe includes resource capabilities and describes the recipe for a specific production on a specific line. The '690 patent discloses combining resource information and the general recipe to customize the execution of the process such that the recipe is performed with specific resources. United States Patent Application Number 2003/0195779, titled "Change management of recipes," published for Scholl; et al., on Oct. 16, 2003, is related to the '690 patent. The published application discloses a management system for variant recipes received by a system. The recipes differ in various ways, either by the steps performed or by the results. The system groups the variant recipes according to a class characteristic.
United States Patent Application Number 2003/0196186, titled "Building blocks for describing process flows," published for Scholl; et al., on Oct. 16, 2003, discloses a method for generating general recipes using root-independent building blocks, which are converted into a master recipe. The '186 published application describes three types of recipes: a general recipe including information related to the process flow without necessarily identifying the resources to be used to perform the process, a site recipe including site-specific information with local constraints, and a master recipe including resource capabilities and describing the recipe for a specific production on specific hardware. The '186 published application defines a recipe 100 as a hierarchy that includes a root recipe element 105, of which a recipe 100 need have only one. The root element 105 describes the process flow in general terms and includes a sequence of process stages 110, each of which can be divided into a set of process operations 115. The process stages 110 result in a planned sequence of chemical or physical changes in the material being processed. The process operations 115 are defined independently of the target equipment configuration. Each process operation 115 is further divided into a set of process actions 120. The process actions 120 describe a relatively minor processing act in relatively great detail. Accordingly, the recipe 100 is a hierarchy with four levels: a root element 105, a sequence of process stages 110, a set of process operations 115, and a set of process actions 120.
The recipe 100 of the '186 published application is assembled from root-independent building blocks 205, 210, 215, 220 that correspond to the root element 105, the sequence of process stages 110, the process operations 115, and the process actions 120, respectively. A user selects desired, appropriate building blocks using an input/output device 720, which sends the information to a central system 705. The central system 705 receives the building blocks and stores them in a library 730. The central system 705 also allows customization of the building blocks. To execute the recipe 100, the user identifies the operation system 710 to perform the process flow, and the central system 705 requests and receives the equipment capabilities stored in an equipment library 760 from the operational system 710. The central system 705 then converts, using conversion logic 755, the identified general recipe into a master recipe, which is transmitted to the operational system 710 for execution.
Process control software is used extensively in the semiconductor industry. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,062, titled "Semiconductor structure design and process visualization through the use of simple process models and intuitive interfaces," issued to Burch, et al., on May 4, 1999, discloses a semiconductor structure design and process visualization tool for adding, editing, or deleting process steps to create a process flow. The tool disclosed in the '062 patent creates processes from simple abstract models using physical parameters of the resulting device layer rather than specific process conditions needed to form the structure, such as process chemicals used, temperature, and duration.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,193, titled "Recipe editor for editing and creating process recipes with parameter-level semiconductor-manufacturing equipment," issued to Betawar, et al., on Jul. 2, 2002, discloses a universal recipe editor is for off-line viewing and editing of semiconductor-manufacturing recipes. Semiconductor processing, inspection, metrology, and measurement machines each require a set of operating instructions (a processing program) or a "recipe". The recipe for each machine defines the operations and engineering parameters necessary for the machine to perform a particular operation or process. Because the machines have different formats and requirements for specifying its unique recipe, the '193 patent discloses an off-line editor of machine recipes. U.S. Pat. No. 6,665,575, titled "Recipe editor for editing and creating process recipes with parameter-level security for various kinds of semiconductor-manufacturing equipment," issued to Betawar, et al., on Dec. 16, 2003, is a division of the '193 patent.
United States Patent Application Number 2003/0222905, titled "Recipe recorder for automated chemistry," published for Wiernga, et al., on Dec. 4, 2003, discloses a recipe recorder that allows for the recording of the execution of recipe for later editing or playback. The '905 publication identifies two problems with automated chemistry systems. First, programming such systems is time consuming and takes the chemist away from tasks for which the chemist is better trained. Second, the ability to program such systems is a skill that few chemists possess, which results in others without the chemistry skills performing the programming or the chemist attempting to program the system. Either approach is subject to errors and inefficiencies.


There is provided an endoscope including a main body including a coupler to which a cable is attached, a tubular section having a tubular form, a reflector having a reflection surface that reflects light introduced from the coupler to inside of the main body and introduces the light to inside of the tubular section, a first optical system that transmits the light introduced by the reflector to the inside of the tubular section to a front-end portion of the tubular section and irradiates a subject with the light from the front-end portion, and a second optical system that transmits reflected light of the subject from the front-end portion of the tubular section to the main body side. The coupler is provided to be rotatable in the main body around a central axis of the tubular section with respect to another portion. The cable is coupled to a light source.

Endoscopes have been conventionally used in the medical field or the like to observe observation targets inside human bodies, for example. Specifically, some endoscopes each include, for example, a main body and a tubular section having a tubular form. The main body is attached to a camera head. The tubular section having a tubular form is fixed to the main body and extends from the main body. A subject is irradiated with light from the front-end portion of the tubular section. The subject is an observation target. The reflected light of the subject is captured by the front-end portion of the tubular section. Such an endoscope is used with a cable attached to the main body, for example, as disclosed in PTL 1. The cable is coupled to a light source.


Clothes hanger structure comprising two arms, designed to provide a support for a garment, and a hook provided with a stem fixed at the center line of the hanger. The stem is provided with a portion that can engage to a variable depth in a seat provided at the centre line of the structure, thus permitting at least two fixing positions, one extended and one retracted. This structure permits use of the clothes hanger both during manufacture of the garment and in the domestic environment.

The present invention concerns a clothes hanger structure with variable-height hook.
In the mass production of clothing, particularly sleeve units such as jackets and similar, the garments are moved along production and storage lines hanging on clothes hangers. For this purpose, the clothes hangers must have dimensional characteristics compatible with the production lines. Said dimensional characteristics can be different from those of the clothes hangers used in commercial distribution units or in the domestic environment, chiefly as regards the hook or upper element of the clothes hanger.
In particular, the clothes hangers used in industrial clothing production require a longer hook. Between the clothes hanger hanging point and the base of the hook, corresponding to the area where the garment rests, there must be a sufficient distance to permit accommodation in the production line for performance of the necessary work processes and movement along the conveying and storage lines. Said distance is usually greater than the distance between the hanging point and the base of the hook typical of clothes hangers for commercial or domestic use. In this case, the requirements as regards the height of the hook are the opposite as the end user does not want clothes hangers with hooks that are too long which may not be suited to the restricted space of domestic wardrobes.
For the clothing industry this means that clothes hangers with long suspension hooks have to be used during the industrial production and storage phases and then replaced with clothes hangers with short hooks before shipment of the garments to the distribution units and then to the end user. Obviously this constitutes an additional cost for the clothing industry.
The present invention aims to eliminate the cost associated with replacing clothes hangers between the clothing production and storage phase and the distribution phase, providing a clothes hanger structure which, in one single product, can meet the needs of both the clothing industry and those of commercial distribution and the end user.
This aim is achieved by means of a clothes hanger structure comprising two arms designed to provide a support for a garment and hanging means fixed to said arms, characterised in that said hanging means comprises a stem fixed in a corresponding seat of said structure, said seat being provided with means of engagement of at least a portion of said stem, thus permitting at least two fixing positions, one extended and one retracted.

Coat hanger structure with hook having a variable-height


The invention provides a range finder capable of carrying out three-dimensional measurement stably for a long period of time. A light pattern is projected on a subject by using a light source array unit in which a plurality of light sources, such as LEDs, are arranged. Even when each LED has a small light quantity, a sufficiently large quantity of light can be projected on the subject by the entire light source array unit, and hence, the three-dimensional measurement can be stably carried out. Also, a plurality of light patterns can be generated by electrically controlling a light emitting state of each LED of the light source array unit.

The present invention relates to a technique regarding a range finder capable of taking three-dimensional information of a subject (namely, a three-dimensional camera capable of measuring a range image).
FIG. 21 is a diagram for showing the structure of a conventional range finder. In FIG. 21, a reference numeral 51 denotes a camera, reference numerals 52a and 52b denote light sources, a reference numeral 55 denotes a light source control unit and a reference numeral 56 denotes a distance calculation unit. The light source control unit 55 makes the light sources 52a and 52b alternately emit light every field cycle in synchronization with a vertical synchronizing signal of the camera 51.
At this point, it is assumed that the optical center of the camera lies at the origin with the optical axis direction of the camera set as the Z-axis, the horizontal direction set as the X-axis and the vertical direction set as the Y-axis, that the direction of a viewing point from the light sources is at an angle φ against the X-axis, that the direction of the viewing point from the camera is at an angle θ against the X-axis, and that the light sources are positioned at (0, −D), namely, the base line length is D. The depth value Z of the viewing point P is calculated in accordance with the principle of trianglation calculation as follows:Z=Dtanθtanφ/(tanθ−tanφ)  (1)In order to obtain the angle φ, predetermined light patterns are projected by the light sources 52a and 52b.
As the light sources 52a and 52b, for example, flash light sources 57 and 58 such as a xenon flash lamp are longitudinally disposed with reflector plates 57 and 58 disposed behind to be shifted in the lateral direction as shown in FIG. 22A. FIG. 22B is a plan view of the light sources of FIG. 22A. The light sources 52a and 52b radiate light in ranges A and B, respectively.
FIG. 23 is a diagram for showing light patterns radiated from the light sources 52a and 52b. In FIG. 23, the brightness obtained by projecting the light on a virtual screen Y is indicated along a direction of an arrow shown in the drawing. Specifically, the light projected from each of the light sources 52a and 52b has a characteristic that it is brightest on the center axis and is darker toward the periphery. Such a characteristic is exhibited because the reflector plates 59 and 60 each in the shape of a semi-cylinder are respectively disposed behind the flash light sources 57 and 58. Also, since the reflector plates 59 and 60 are shifted laterally in their directions, the projection ranges of the light sources 52a and 52b partially overlap each other.
FIG. 24 is a diagram for showing the relationship between the light projection angle φ in an H direction of FIG. 23 and the light intensity. The H direction accords with the direction of a crossing line between the virtual screen Y and one optional plane S among a plurality of planes each including the light source center and the lens center. In a region α of FIG. 24, one of the light patterns projected from the light sources 52a and 52b is bright relatively on the right hand side and the other is bright relatively on the left hand side, whereas the brightness of the light pattern is varied also along the height direction (Y-axis direction).
FIG. 25 is a graph for showing the relationship between the light intensity ratio between the two kinds of projected light in the region a of FIG. 24 and the light projection angle φ. As shown in FIG. 25, the light intensity ratio and the angle φ are in a one-to-one corresponding relationship in the region α.
In order to measure a distance, the two kinds of light patterns are alternately projected on a flat plane vertically provided so as to face the light sources at a predetermined distance and reflected light is taken by the camera 1, so that data of the relationship between the light intensity ratio and the light projection angle as shown in FIG. 25 can be previously obtained with respect to each Y-coordinate (corresponding to a Y-coordinate on the CCD). A data with respect to each Y-coordinate means a data with respect to each of the plural planes including the light source center and the lens center. Also, when the light sources 52a and 52b are disposed so that a line extending between the lens center of the camera 51 and the light sources 52a and 52b can be parallel to the X-axis of the CCD camera face, a distance can be accurately calculated by using the data of the relationship between the light intensity ratio and the light projection angle determined with respect to each Y-coordinate.
Assuming that a point P of FIG. 21 is the viewing point, the angle φ of the point P from the light source is measured by using the brightness ratio of the point P obtained images taken with the two kinds of light patterns projected and the relationship as shown in FIG. 25 corresponding to the Y-coordinate of the point P. Furthermore, the angle θ of the point P from the camera is determined on the basis of the position in the image (namely, the pixel coordinate values of the point P) and camera parameters (such as the focal length and the position of the optical center of the lens system). Then, the distance is calculated in accordance with the equation (1) based on these two angles φ and θ and the distance (base line length) D between the position of the light sources and the position of the optical center of the camera.
In this manner, when the light sources for generating the light patterns that are monotonically increased/decreased in accordance with the projection direction as in the region α of FIG. 24 are used, the three-dimensional measurement of a subject can be simply carried out.
However, in the conventional structure, the xenon flash lamp, which has a life of merely approximately 5000 stable emissions, is used as the light source. Therefore, when the range finder is used for a long period of time, maintenance such as exchange of the lamp should be frequently conducted. Also, the stability of the quantity of light emitted by the flash lamp is merely several %, and hence, higher measurement accuracy cannot be obtained.
Furthermore, a light source with a long life is, for example, an LED (light emitting diode), but the quantity of light emitted by one LED is small. Therefore, when the LED is singly used, the light quantity is so insufficient that the three-dimensional measurement cannot be stably carried out.
Moreover, since the projected light patterns are determined in accordance with the shapes of the reflector plates in the conventional structure, merely one set of light patterns can be generated in principle.

Range finder, three-dimensional measuring method and light source apparatus

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A hydraulic pushing device, including: a hydraulic unit, a rear seat, a front seat, a prying mechanism, an automatic adjustment mechanism, and a zero-torque pushing mechanism. The hydraulic unit and the rear seat are disposed on a platform. The zero-torque pushing mechanism includes two hydraulic cylinders, one end of each of the two hydraulic cylinders is hinged to the rear seat via a third hinge pin, and the other end of each of the two hydraulic cylinders is hinged to the front seat via a second hinge pin. The automatic adjustment mechanism includes a control lever and two locating pieces. One end of the control lever is in a fixed connection to the front seat, and the other end of the control lever is clamped by the two locating pieces. The prying mechanism includes two pawls, a pawl shaft, two prying guides, and two rows of equidistantly-disposed stop pieces.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a zero-torque hydraulic pushing device adapted to automatically rectify a deviation in the process of ground shipbuilding and land-sea connection and loading.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ground shipbuilding needs to shift ships, marine engineering equipment and large structures. Typically, shifting is achieved by a trolley moving on a track or a slide plate sliding on a slideway, both of which involve a traction power system in a pulling or pushing mode.


A method and system to identify code entities suitable for preferred compilation is provided. An example method comprises detecting a request to start up a computer program comprising a plurality of code entities and commence interpreting code entities of the computer program. A numeric value associated with a code entity is compared with a threshold value. The code entity is designated for compilation at a next compilation tier based on a result of the comparing.

In order to execute computer software written in a high level language, there are two generally accepted means. The source code may be first compiled by using a compiler into the object code (machine executable instructions), which can then be executed on a specific hardware (or simulated hardware) platform. Examples of computer languages that typically involve compilation are C or C++. Alternatively, the source code may be read by an interpreter, one line at a time, which directly causes the underlying hardware platform to carry out the instructions. LISP is one example of an interpreted computer language.
Some other computer program languages may be subject to a hybrid approach—interpreting some of the code entities and compiling some of the code entities. For example, Java™ Programs are commonly executed within a Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Java is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States, other countries, or both. A Java Virtual Machine executes the program code (bytecode) dynamically and typically incorporates both an interpreter and an optimizing Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler. A Java Virtual Machine may start processing the program code by interpreting the instructions but then compile some parts of the application code during runtime.


A method for controlling a sensor assembly cleaning apparatus includes receiving sensor data from various vehicle sensors, determining a level of obscurement of the transparent surface, and determining whether the level of obscurement exceeds a threshold level. If the transparent surface is obscured beyond the threshold level, a control signal may be sent to the apparatus to initiate the ejection of pressurized air onto the transparent surface. Optionally, the method may further evaluate other parameters such as the vehicle velocity in relation to a threshold vehicle velocity prior to sending the control signal to ensure that the cleaning operation using pressurized air would not be superfluous in light of the vehicle velocity. In addition, a method for selectively activating the sensor assembly cleaning apparatus includes determining an activation schedule for the apparatus based on an arrangement of transparent surfaces and controlling the apparatus to operate based on the activation schedule.

A vehicle, such as an autonomous vehicle (AV), includes a myriad of sensors that provide continuous streams of sensor data captured from the vehicle's surrounding environment. Such sensor data enables an AV to perform a number of functions that would otherwise be performed by a manual human operator including various vehicle navigation tasks such as vehicle acceleration and deceleration, vehicle braking, vehicle lane changing, adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, rear-end radar for collision warning or collision avoidance, park assisting, cross-traffic monitoring, emergency braking, and automated distance control.
A vehicle such as an AV can include a variety of different types of on-board sensors including, for example, cameras, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems, radar systems, Global Positioning System (GPS) devices, sonar-based sensors, ultrasonic sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, inertial measurement units (IMUs), and far infrared (FIR) sensors. On-board vehicle sensors disposed on an exterior of a vehicle may be provided in or integrated with protective housing to protect the sensors from damage from the elements. Despite being encased in housing, some on-board sensors can experience diminished performance as a result of environmental factors to which the housing is subjected. Technical solutions that mitigate the effect of such factors on sensor performance are described herein.

Methods for controlling an apparatus adapted to clean a sensor assembly


A connector is provided with a terminal element including a conductor-connecting section connectable to a conductor of an electric wire and a contact section capable conductively contacting with a corresponding terminal element of a counterpart connector, an electrically insulating body for supporting the terminal element while exposing the conductor-connecting section and the contact section, and an abutting member assembled with the body and bringing the wire conductor into abutment with the conductor-connecting section under pressure. The body includes a fining portion capable of fining with a counterpart connector while positioning the contact section with respect to the corresponding terminal element. The conductor-connecting section and the contact section are arranged to be aligned with each other generally orthogonal to a connector fitting direction defined by the fitting portion.

As structures for mutually connecting terminal elements of connectors and wire conductors to each other, there have been known a structure in which conductor-connecting sections of terminal elements are plastically deformed and are connected (caulked) to conductors that are exposed by removing the sheath over a required length at ends of the wires (so-called crimp structure), and a structure in which slits of a width smaller than the diameter of the conductors are formed in the conductor-connecting sections of the terminal elements so as to possess a sharp outer shape, and the conductor-connecting sections are stabbed into the sheath of the wires to press-fit the conductor into the slits to accomplish the connection (so-called insulation-displacement structure). With these known electric wire connection structures, however, it is becoming difficult to cope with the decreasing diameters of the wire conductors and the decreasing pitches of the terminal arrangement to meet a level required by high-density connection of recent years in regard to both connection operability and terminal machinability. To realize a connector capable of coping with high-density connection, therefore, there have been proposed a variety of connectors having a wire connection structure of a conductor abutting type in which conductors exposed by removing the sheath over a required length at ends of the wires are abut to the conductor-connecting sections of the terminal elements under the application of a pressure (see, for example, patent literatures 1 and 2).
The connector disclosed in the patent literature 1 can be applied to a flattened coaxial cable, and includes a plurality of terminal elements each having a conductor-connecting section connected to the cable conductor, an electrically insulating body for supporting the terminal elements with the conductor-connecting sections being exposed, and a plurality of abutting members assembled with the body and for separately abutting the cable conductors to the conductor-connecting sections of the terminal elements with pressure. In this connector, each of the plurality of terminal elements (base contacts) is provided with a conductor-connecting section having a folded outer edge, and each of the plurality of abutting members (support contacts) formed of the conducting metal pieces same as the terminal elements is provided with an abutting surface of a folded shape corresponding to the folded outer edge of the conductor-connecting section of the terminal element. The body supporting the terminals which are spaced apart by a predetermined distance and in alignment, and an electrically insulating cover supporting the abutting members spaced apart by a corresponding distance and in alignment, are assembled together in a direction to intersect the direction in which the cables extend in a state where the cables to be connected are arranged therebetween. Then, the conductors of the cables are securely held between the corresponding terminal elements and the abutting members being forcibly caused to stay along the outer edges of the conductor-connecting sections of the terminal elements and along the folded abutting surfaces of the abutting members with pressure.
[Patent literature 1]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2000-277190
The connector disclosed in the patent literature 2 is the one for a flat cable for connecting the flat cable to a printed board, and includes a plurality of terminal elements each having a conductor-connecting section connected to the cable conductor, an electrically insulating body for supporting the terminal elements with the conductor-connecting sections being exposed, and abutting members assembled with the body and for separately abutting the cable conductors to the conductor-connecting sections of the terminal elements with pressure. In this connector, each of the plurality of terminal elements is provided with a cantilevered beam-like conductor-connecting section. The flat cables are placed on a group of terminal elements with the corresponding conductors being contacted to the conductor-connecting sections. In this state, if the conductor-connecting sections of the group of terminal elements are pressed and attached to the body while bringing an abutting member (pressing plate) made of a piece of metal plate into contact with the outer surfaces (ground surfaces) of the flat cables, then, the conductor-connecting sections of the individual terminals are resiliently deflected, and the corresponding conductors of the flat cables are connected to the conductor-connecting sections with pressure.
[Patent literature 2]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-25667
As a general constitution, each terminal element of the connector has a contact section that comes into conductive contact with the corresponding terminal element of the counterpart connector, and the insulating body of the connector has a fitting portion that fits to the counterpart connector while arranging the contact sections of the terminal elements in an exposed manner and positioning the contact sections for the corresponding terminal elements. In the connector of the patent literature 1, the connector fitting direction (direction in which the connector moves for properly fitting the fitting portion to the complementary fitting portion of the counterpart connector) defined by the fitting portion of the body, is nearly in parallel with the direction in which the wires (flat cables) extend on the body. In the connector of the above patent literature 2, the connector fitting direction defined by the fitting portion of the body is nearly at right angles with the direction in which the wires (flat cables) extend on the body.


A blowing agent for thermosetting foams is disclosed. The blowing agent is a hydrofluoroolefin (HCFO), preferably HFCO-1234yf in combination with a hydrochlorofluoroolefin (HCFO) preferably one selected from HCFO-1233zd, HCFO-1223, HCFO-1233xf and mixtures thereof. The blowing agent is effective as a blowing agent in the manufacture of thermosetting foams.

The Montreal Protocol for the protection of the ozone layer, signed in October 1987, mandated the phase out of the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Materials more "friendly" to the ozone layer, such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) eg HFC-134a replaced chlorofluorocarbons. The latter compounds have proven to be green house gases, causing global warming and were regulated by the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change, signed in 1998. The emerging replacement materials, hydrofluoropropenes, were shown to be environmentally acceptable i.e. has zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and acceptable low global warming potential (GWP).
Currently used blowing agents for thermoset foams include HFC-134a, HFC-245fa, HFC-365mfc that have relatively high global warming potential, and hydrocarbons such as pentane isomers flammable and have low energy efficiency. Therefore, new alternative blowing agents are being sought. Halogenated hydroolefinic materials such as hydrofluoropropenes and/or hydrochlorofluoropropenes have generated interest as replacements for HFCs. The inherent chemical instability of these materials in the lower atmosphere provides the low global warning potential and zero or near zero ozone depletion properties desired.
The object of the present invention is to provide novel compositions that can serve as blowing agents for thermosetting foams that provide unique characteristics to meet the demands of low or zero ozone depletion potential, lower global warming potential and exhibit low toxicity.

Blowing agent composition of hydrochlorofluoroolefin and hydrofluoroolefin


A group event processing entity receives and processes a group event notification wherein a set of policy rules is determined that controls the performance of an action as relates to at least one of a member user equipment of a group session or an access network resource for the group session. Additionally, a group policy decision entity receives a request to establish a group access network resource for a group of user equipment and determines a set of applicable policy rules for establishing the group access network resource, wherein the set includes a policy rule that controls performance of an action when a base station in a wireless access network is unable to provide resources to support the requested group access network resource. The group policy decision entity provides the set of applicable policy rules to a group policy enforcement entity.

Multimedia Broadcast and Multicast Service (MBMS) is specified in multiple 3rd Generation Partnership Project Technical Specifications (3GPP TSs), e.g., 3GPP TS 22.246 and 26.346 (also referred to herein as the 3GPP MBMS standard), and is a unidirectional point-to-multipoint service which allows media to be transmitted in the downlink direction, from a single source to many recipients. The 3GPP MBMS standard was designed so that it could be implemented on network infrastructures already in place for wireless communications in order to facilitate the simultaneous distribution of scheduled programming material, multimedia, and emergency broadcasts to a group of subscribers or authorized users. 3GPP is a collaborative effort launched in 1998 involving various international standards bodies working toward the goal of formalizing global wireless communication systems based on Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) standards. Current 3GPP standards are defined via a suite of individually documented releases referred to collectively, herein, as the 3GPP TSs.
Presently, broadcast- and multicast-equipped systems are orientated toward the transmission of scheduled programming, which results in a system with curtailed functionality. With MBMS-based mobile TV, for example, a paid subscriber can watch a broadcast that airs at a predetermined time. What is lacking, however, is the ability for applications or user equipment (UE) to reliably and dynamically allocate an MBMS bearer with policy in real time. To appreciate the utility of being able to dynamically manage MBMS bearers within a wireless communication system, consider an urban police force having the ability to dynamically create and manage a wide-area group where images of a suspect taken from surveillance footage are simultaneously shared with all authorized officers, including those already on patrol. Accordingly, for emergency responders, the ability to dynamically manage MBMS resources for group communications, for example, through the use of group policy rules and event notifications, is of great value. However, current policy rules do not provide the ability to dynamically manage allocated group transports or the ability to process corresponding event notifications.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention. In addition, the description and drawings do not necessarily require the order illustrated. It will be further appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

Method and apparatus for processing group event notifications and providing group policy in a communication system


A new variety of strawberry named `Onebor` suitable for culture under glass and for water culture and for growing in a cool-temperate climate to produce fruit that keeps well and that is resistant to handling and transport.

The new variety of strawberry was created in a breeding program conducted in Ferrara, Italy and was originated by crossing the variety known as `Gorella`, as female parent, with the variety known as `Selezione No. 15` as male parent. `Selezione` is a proprietary unreleased variety maintained for breeding purposes. The new variety was grown as a seedling and asexually propagated by stolen in Ferrara, Italy. Clones of the new variety were further asexually propagated and extensively tested. This propagation and testing demonstrated that the combination of traits disclosed herein that characterize the new variety are fixed and retained true to type through successive generations of asexual reproduction.


A frame rail for a vehicle that is provided between vehicle frame and the bumper of a vehicle that has a thickness that varies from the front end of the rail to the back end of the rail. The compressive strength of the rail increases from the front end of the rail to the back end of the rail. The rail is rectangular in shape and the thickness of the rail is continuously increased to improve progressive crush characteristics of the rail under an oblique loading. A rail may be provided by providing a tubular rail having a plurality of ring shaped segments that have incrementally increasing thickness. Alternatively, the rail may have a uniformly increasing thickness from the front end to the back end.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to front rail structures that have controlled thickness that increases the strength of the rail structure from front to rear causing the rail to collapse during a crash event in a progressive manner instead of bending globally.
2. Background Art
Energy absorbing tubular structures are known to be used in vehicles to absorb energy during an impact event. Examples of such energy absorbing tubular structures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,588,830 and 6,899,195. Energy absorbing tubular structures are seldom subjected to solely axial loading or solely bending loading during an actual collision event. Generally, the actual impact loading of a vehicle during a collision event is a combination of both axial and global bending collapse modes.

Front rail having controlled thickness for energy absorption


Provided is a method of fabricating a semiconductor optical device for use in a subscriber or a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical communication system, in which a laser diode (LD) and a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) are integrated in a single active layer. The laser diode (LD) and the semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) are optically connected to each other, and electrically insulated from each other by ion injection, whereby light generated from the LD is amplified by the SOA to provide low oscillation start current and high intensity of output light when current is individually injected through each electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a semiconductor optical device for use in an optical subscriber or a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical communication system and, more particularly, to a method of fabricating a semiconductor optical device that a laser diode (LD) and a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) are integrated.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A typical optical communication system uses a light emitting diode (LED), a Fabry-Perot laser diode (FP-LD), a distributed feedback laser diode (DFB-LD), and so on, as a light source. The LD of 1.3 μW and 1.55 μW have an optical power of about 20 mW and an oscillation start current characteristic of about 10˜20 mA. However, it is difficult to fabricate the PF-LD to have an optical power of not less than 30 mW and an oscillation start current characteristic of not more than 10 mA.
A wavelength division multiplexing-passive optical network (WDM-PON) type of optical network unit (ONU) may compose a light source for an optical subscriber in a manner of slicing a spectrum using an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) (J. K. Park et al, "Monolithically Integrated Semiconductor LED-Amplifier for Applications as Transceivers in Fiber Access Systems", IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, Vol. 8 No. 6, pp. 800-802, June, 1996). Characteristics of the light source required in the manner should have an optical output spectrum having a broadband width of not less than several 10 nm and an optical output intensity of not less than several mW.
From the viewpoint of the problems, the light source such as LED, FP-PD and DFB-LD used up to date have the following disadvantages.
First, while the LED may be readily fabricated and applicable to the broadband, since the intensity of output light is low, for example, several hundreds of μW or less, a system of an optical subscriber additionally requires an optical amplifier. Therefore, when the LED is used as the light source, the system becomes complicated and its price becomes high.
Second, while FP-LD and DFB-LD have a good output light of 10 mW, since they have a light output of a narrowband, optical beat interference (OBI) to an adjacent light source is generated in the subscriber system.

Method of fabricating semiconductor optical device

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A C49-structured titanium silicide film contains at least a refractory metal having a higher melting point than titanium in the form of a substitutional solid solution, wherein a concentration of the refractory metal to a total amount of titanium and the refractory metal is in the range of above 1 at % to not less than 20 at %. On silicon, there is formed a titanium film which contains at least a refractory metal having a higher melting point than titanium, wherein a concentration of the refractory metal to a total amount of titanium and the refractory metal is in the range of above 1 at % to not less than 20 at %. The titanium film is then subjected to a heat treatment in an inert gas atmosphere for causing a silicidation reaction, thereby to form a C49-structured titanium silicide film which contains the above at least a refractory metal in the form of a substitutional solid solution.

The present invention relates to an improved C49-structured titanium salicide structure in semiconductor device, and method of forming the same.
Titanium is the most attractive refractory metal for silicidation reaction process as titanium silicide has a lowest electrical resistivity in any refractory metal silicides and improvement and development in titanium silicide are most important and receive a great deal of attention in the silicidation techniques.
A conventional method of forming titanium salicide structure over a silicon substrate will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A through 1E which are fragmentary cross sectional elevation views illustrative of fabrication processes for fabricating CMOS transistors having a titanium salicide structure over a silicon substrate.
With reference to FIG. 1A, an n-well region 2 is selectively formed in a p-type silicon substrate 1 by an ion-implantation of n-type impurity. Field oxide films 3 are selectively formed on a surface of the silicon substrate 1 by a local oxidation of silicon method. The filed oxide films 3 have a thickness of 300 nanometers. The filed oxide films 3 surround active regions on the n-well region 2 and the surface region of the p-type silicon substrate 1. Gate oxide films 4 are formed on the active regions on the n-well region 2 and the surface region of the p-type silicon substrate 1. The gate oxide films 4 have a thickness of 6 nanometers. A polysilicon film having a thickness of 150 nanometers is entirely formed, which extends over the field oxide films 3 and the gate oxide films 4. The polysilicon film is patterned by a photo-lithography method and a subsequent dry etching method to form gate electrodes 5 on the gate oxide films 4 formed on the active regions on the n-well region 2 and on the surface region of the p-type silicon substrate 1. By use of photo-lithography, an ion-implantation mask is formed over the n-well region 2 before lightly n-doped diffusion layers 14 are formed in the surface region of the silicon substrate 1 by ion-implantation of n-type impurity in self-alignment. The ion-implantation mask is removed and thereafter by use of the photo-lithography, another ion-implantation mask is formed over the surface region of the silicon substrate 1 before lightly p-doped diffusion layers 15 are formed in the surface region of the n-well region 2 by ion-implantation of p-type impurity in self-alignment. The other ion-implantation mask is removed. As a modification, it is, of course, available that the lightly p-doped diffusion layers 15 have been formed before the lightly n-doped diffusion layers 14 are formed. A silicon oxide film having a thickness of 70 nanometers is entirely formed which extends over the filed oxide films 3, the lightly n-doped diffusion layers 114, the lightly p-doped diffusion layers 15 and the gate electrodes 5. The silicon oxide film is then selectively removed by an etch back method to form side wall oxide films 6 at opposite sides of each of the gate electrodes 5.
With reference to FIG. 1B, still another ion-implantation mask is formed over the surface region of the n-well region 2 and the gate electrode 5 over the n-well region 2, before ion-implantation of p-type impurity into the surface region of the surface region of the silicon substrate 1 as well as into the gate electrode 5 over the surface region of the silicon substrate 1 are carried out by self-alignment technique to thereby form an n-type polysilicon gate electrode 9 over the silicon substrate 1 and n-type source/drain diffusion layers 7 in the surface region of the silicon substrate 1. After the still other ion-implantation mask is removed, yet another ion-implantation mask is formed over the surface region of the silicon substrate 1 and the gate electrode 5 over the silicon substrate 1. Ion-implantation of p-type impurity into the n-well region 2 as well as into the gate electrode 5 over the n-well region 2 are carried out by self-alignment technique to thereby form a p-type polysilicon gate electrode 10 over the n-well region 2 and p-type source/drain diffusion layers 8 in the surface region of the n-well region 2. As a modification, it is, of course, possible that the p-type polysilicon gate electrode 10 and the p-type source/drain diffusion layers 8 have been formed before the n-type polysilicon gate electrode 9 and the n-type source/drain diffusion layers 7 are formed. Subsequently, the silicon substrate 1 is subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature of 900.degree. C. for 20 minutes in a nitrogen atmosphere for recovery from crystal defects caused by ion-implantation and for activation of impurity doped thereinto. As a result, n-type source/drain diffusion layers 7 with lightly doped drain structure and p-type source/drain diffusion layers 8 with lightly doped drain structure are formed.
Spontaneous oxide films are removed by diluted fluorine acid solution from surfaces of the n-type and p-type polysilicon gate electrodes 9 and 10 as well as from surfaces of the n-type source/drain diffusion layers 7 and the p-type source/drain diffusion layers 8. Subsequently, a titanium film 11 is entirely deposited by sputtering a target of titanium. The titanium film 11 extends over the field oxide films 3, the n-type and p-type source/drain diffusion layers 7 and 8, the n-type and p-type polysilicon gate electrodes 9 and 10 and the side wall oxide films 6.
With reference to FIG. 1C, the silicon substrate 1 is subjected to a rapid thermal annealing at a temperature of 700.degree. C. in a nitrogen atmosphere to cause silicidation reactions. The titanium film 11 in contact with the n-type and p-type source/drain diffusion layers 7 and 8 and the n-type and p-type polysilicon gate electrodes 9 and 10 shows silicidation reactions of titanium and tungsten with silicon or polysilicon. As a result, C49-structured titanium silicide films 12 are provided in self-alignment or salicidation technique so that the C49-structured titanium silicide films 12 extend over the n-type and p-type source/drain diffusion layers 7 and 8 and the n-type and p-type polysilicon gate electrodes 9 and 10. On the other hand, the titanium film 11 in contact with the field oxide films 3 and the side wall oxide films 6 as well as a surface region of the titanium film 11 show nitration reaction of titanium and tungsten with nitrogen. As a result, a titanium nitride film 13 is provided, which extends over the field oxide films 3 and the side wall oxide films 6 as well as over a surface of the C49-structured titanium silicide film 12.
With reference to FIG. 1D, only the titanium nitride films 13 are removed from the field oxide films 3 and the side wall oxide films 6 by a wet etching with a mixing solution of ammonia water and hydrogen peroxide water. The substrate is then subjected to a rapid thermal anneal at a temperature of 800.degree. C. to cause a phase transition from C49-structure into C54-structure whereby the C49-structured titanium silicide film 12 is made into a C54-structured titanium silicide film 16. The C54-structured titanium silicide film 16 is lower in sheet resistance than the C49-structured titanium silicide film 12.
With reference to FIG. 1E, a first inter-layer insulator 17 made of silicon oxide is entirely deposited which extends over the C54-structured titanium silicide film 16, the field oxide films 3 and the side wall oxide films 6. Subsequently, a second inter-layer insulator 18 made of silicon oxide containing impurity such as boron or phosphorus is deposited over the first inter-layer insulator 17. The first and second inter-layer insulators 17 and 18 are annealed by a furnace-anneal at a temperature of 800.degree. C. The C54-structured titanium silicide films 16, however, show deformations into islands. As a result, the C54-structured titanium silicide films 16 vary in thickness and in sheet resistance. The averaged sheet resistance of the C54-structured titanium silicide films 16 post-annealed at 800.degree. C. is increased.
In order to solve those problems, it was proposed to introduce oxygen and boron into the titanium silicide film by ion-implantation before titanium oxide and titanium borate are formed by post-anneal. Those techniques are disclosed in Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 3-80542 and reported in a meeting of Japan Applied Physics Society held in Autumn 1995.
However, the heat resistance of such titanium silicide film containing titanium oxide and/or titanium borate is insufficient.
It was known that, since C49-structured titanium silicide has a higher resistivity than C54-structured titanium silicide, in order to reduce a resistivity, it is effective to carry out a rapid thermal anneal at a high temperature of not less than 800.degree. C. to cause a phase transition of C49-structure into C54-structure. The C54-structured titanium silicide has a larger grain size than the C49-structured titanium silicide. On the other hand, the C54-structured titanium silicide has a larger crystal grain size than the C49-structured titanium silicide the C54-structure, whilst the C54-structured titanium silicide titanium silicide has a lower heat resistance than the C49-structured titanium silicide. If the crystal grain size is increased, then the heat resistance is decreased. The C54-structured titanium silicide is more than 10 times larger in crystal grain size than the C49-structured titanium silicide. This means that the C54-structured titanium silicide is much inferior in heat resistance than the C49-structured titanium silicide. This was reported and is disclosed in Journal of Applied Physics 72(2), 15 January 1992, pp. 720-724.
FIG. 2 is a photograph taken by transmission electron microscope and illustrative of C49-structure crystal grains and co-existent C54-structure crystal grains during a phase transition from C49-structure into C54-structure caused by a rapid thermal anneal at a temperature of 650.degree. C. for 30 seconds after a titanium film of 40 nanometers in thickness has been deposited on amorphous silicon. Small crystal grains with fine stripe patterns caused by plane lattice defects or staking faults correspond to C49-structured crystal grains, whilst large crystal grains correspond to C54-structured crystal grains. If, in such case, the titanium film is deposited on amorphous silicon, a titanium silicidation reaction may be caused by a relatively low temperature. This was reported and is disclosed in Material Research Society Symposium Proceedings 1990 Vol. 181, pp. 167-172.
By the way, the titanium silicide structure or the titanium salicide structure may be applied to a semiconductor device such as MOS field effect transistor. In this case, after the titanium salicide structure has been formed over a silicon substrate, an inter-layer insulator is deposited over the titanium salicide structure and then the substrate or inter-lay insulator is subjected to an anneal at a high temperature of, for example, not less than 800.degree. C. If, in order to obtain a reduced resistivity, the C54-structured titanium silicide were once formed over silicon or polysilicon regions over the silicon substrate, then the C54-structured titanium silicide is subjected to the anneal at a high temperature of not less than 800.degree. C. Since, however, C54-structured titanium silicide film is inferior in heat resistance, the C54-structured titanium silicide film is likely to be deformed into islands or to be made largely vary in thickness. As a result, the deformed C54-structured titanium silicide film largely varies in sheet resistance. Particularly when the C54-structured titanium silicide film is used as a fine-structured interconnection having a reduced width, then the problems with deformation of the C54-structured titanium silicide film into the island like shape and with the variation in sheet resistance of the deformed C54-structured titanium silicide film would be more serious.
In the above circumstances, it had been required to develop a novel titanium silicide film which has a high heat-resistance and a low sheet resistance.

C49-structured tungsten-containing titanium salicide structure