Disclosed are herein an apparatus and method for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectroscope calibration. The apparatus for EUV spectroscope calibration includes an EUV generating module, an Al filter, a diffraction grating, a CCD camera, a spectrum conversion module, and a control module that compares a wavelength value corresponding to a maximum peak among peaks of the spectrum depending on the order of the EUV light converted from the spectrum conversion module with a predetermined reference wavelength value depending on an order of high-order harmonics to calculate a difference value with the closest reference wavelength value, and controls the spectrum depending on the order of the EUV light converted from the spectrum conversion module to be moved in a direction of wavelength axis by the calculated difference value. Thus, it is possible to accurately measure a wavelength of a spectrum of EUV light used in EUV exposure technology and mask inspection technology.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectroscope calibration, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for EUV spectroscope calibration which may accurately measure a spectrum of EUV light used in EUV exposure technologies and mask inspection technologies.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In general, electromagnetic radiation (also referred to as "soft X-ray") having a wavelength of approximately 124 nm or less while having extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light, for example, light with a wavelength of approximately 13.5 nm may be used in a photolithography process for forming a very small pitch on a substrate, for example, a silicon wafer.
That is, EUV and X-rays are included in a region having wavelengths shorter than those of visible rays, may improve a measurement resolution by a diffraction limit that is limited by sizes of wavelengths in a precision measurement using light, and may be utilized in micromeasurement or nondestructive inspection related to biotechnologies using excellent transmission characteristics due to extension up to the X-ray region.
In particular, simultaneously, when a light source having excellent coherency can be generated, a variety of applications using the interference and diffraction phenomenon of light are possible. In addition, the EUV and X-rays can maintain the repeatability of entering femto-second laser, and therefore can be used in precision spectroscopy or frequency standard measurement in the EUV and X-ray regions.
Among various methods for generating such EUV and X-rays, a method using a synchrotron may be used. When generating the EUV and X-rays using the synchrotron, it is possible to obtain several different wavelength bands while obtaining a large amount of light with excellent quality, but the facility itself is very large in its size and expensive and therefore a laboratory cannot be simply configured.
As a method for overcoming the above-mentioned problem, a high-order harmonic generation (HHG) method using a high output femto-second pulse laser has been suggested, and therefore coherent EUV and soft X-rays can be generated using a relatively small experimental apparatus.
In the HHG method, by applying a high time-varying electric field to an inert gas such as Ar, Ne, Xe, or the like, electrons are ionized, moved along the trajectory, and then are recombined again, and therefore energy corresponding to a sum of ionization energy and kinetic energy of the electrons may be generated as EUV light or light in X-ray bands.
Conventionally, in order to generate such HHG, it is designed that the inert gas is injected into a gascell and the used inert gas naturally flows out of the gascell.
In addition, EUV may be generated even through lithium, tin, or a semiconductor device as well as the inert gas such as Ar, Ne, Xe, or the like, but a gas may be used as a medium due to HHG using the gascell. This is because a medium for allowing EUV to be generated by HHG using the gascell is only the inert gas due to the current technologies. EUV may be generated through other methods as well as the method of generating EUV using the inert gas.
Meanwhile, according to demands for ultraminiaturization of a semiconductor process for high integration, development up to ArF (193 nm) while passing through G line (436 nm), I line (365 nm), and KrF (248 nm) has been conducted as a light source used in exposure technologies.
Thereafter, new exposure technologies that increase resolution in a semiconductor process of 90 nm or less have been required, ArF immersion exposure technology and double-patterning exposure technology have been developed, and therefore a mass production up to a process of DRAM of 23 nm and NAND flash of 20 nm has been succeeded.
As next generation exposure technologies for overcoming the ArF exposure technology, several technologies have been studied, and research and development on EUV exposure technology among these technologies have been actively conducted worldwide such as reaching a stage of test production by major semiconductor companies, and the like.
Meanwhile, in order to inspect a defect of a mask manufactured by the EUV exposure technology, EUV light is similarly needed. In particular, technology in which the defect of the mask is inspected with the same wavelength as a wavelength used in the exposure technology is referred to as actinic mask inspection technology. In order to generate EUV with the same wavelength as an EUV wavelength used in the exposure technology, an HHG method is needed. In order to check whether the EUV light generated in the HHG method is suitable for a wavelength to be used, a spectrum should be measured using an EUV spectroscope, and in this instance, calibration of the spectroscope should be performed in order to measure the accurate spectrum. As a calibration method of the EUV light, a method using an atomic line which has been traditionally used may be used. Fluorescence lines which are inherent for each inert gas are referred to as atomic lines. Since wavelength values of an atomic line spectrum have been already studied several decades ago and thereby widely known, calibration may be performed on EUV light based on the position of the atomic line spectrum and the wavelength value thereof.
However, in order to obtain energy with an intensity that can be measured by a CCD camera of the spectroscope, energy which is several times higher than energy of a laser used in HHG is needed. Thus, a laser light source that can output energy higher than that of a laser for generating high-order harmonics for EUV is necessarily needed.
Prior Patent Document 1: Korean Patent Registration No. 10-10789135

Apparatus and method for extreme ultraviolet spectrometer calibration

KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


A method of intuitively recognizing and using an integrated identification function by users by additionally displaying variable URI access menus on the existing user screen of the integrated identifier, and this is accomplished through an integrated identifier management system and a service method, which include: address servers for storing, managing and processing URIs (address) mapped to an integrated identifier and related information; a terminal for variably displaying a plurality of URI access menus on an integrated identifier user screen according to an address status (integrated identifier information, URI information, display information, and matching information) registered in the address servers; and a process for processing an integrated identification service through communication between the terminal and the address servers.

The present invention relates to a terminal, a service method, and an integrated identifier management system, which integrate various types of address and resource identifier under an integrated identifier as meaningful configuration, allow a single user interface (UI) to easily initiate access to services and function resources different from each other, and, in addition, find and integrally identify an optimal access counterpart. The address or identifier is a basis for interconnecting person to person, person to thing and thing to thing, for using a service and function resources such as a camera of a terminal and the like, and for providing information.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a terminal, a service method, and an integrated identifier management system, which integrate all forms and types of uniform resource identifiers (URIs) or addresses by mapping them under a phone number or a specific service identifier, and display the URIs or addresses on an existing phone call screen or a specific service screen as access menus so that a user may easily move to a service interface or a function resource interface supporting URIs (addresses) of different types and attributes and use subsequent processes.
In addition, the present invention relates to a solution which allows a calling user to simply initiate access to all addresses, services and function resources provided by a receiving counterpart by using only a service identifier such as a phone number or an e-mail address, which are general identifiers, and a receiver (a phone number owner or a service provider) to provide best services and responses by integrating all conventional complicated addresses or use methods under his or her phone number or a single service identifier without the need of informing the addresses and use methods to a calling counterpart, editing and setting the addresses and use methods in a desired form, and simply displaying them on a caller terminal, and in addition, an optimal counterpart may be identified by enabling best matching between the caller and the receiver on the basis of static and dynamic information associated under a phone number or a service identifier.
Addresses for communication and service/information access between human beings have been specifically divided starting from most fundamental geographical addresses, ranging from phone numbers to various Internet service addresses, owing to advancement in information communication. Accordingly, with all the conveniences provided by new services, inconvenience in using the services also has been increased due to multiple addresses and service systems. In addition, since addresses and interfaces of a new form are expected to appear owing to development of new techniques and services, simplifying the problem of complicated access and use of the addresses and the interfaces has become an important task of the IT industry.
Various attempts and efforts have been made to solve the problems, and a representative one is telephone number mapping (ENUM) appeared by an effort led by Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). The ENUM is defined as a technique or a rule (protocol) for converting an E.164 address, which is a general public network international call identification number, into a string of a phone, e-mail, facsimile or homepage address. The ENUM converts an E.164 number into an Internet identification system (address) by utilizing a domain name server (DNS), and in order to use the ENUM, an official procedure, such as application and registration of E.164 number as an Internet domain name, should be performed, and a separate client or terminal capable of identifying the ENUM is required.
The most important function of an address/URI is an identification function, and seeing the address/URI, anybody may intuitively know, without explanation, a service type provided by the address/URI and a method of inputting the address/URI and using the service. In addition, since a phone number is an identifier for general phone call, a prior explanation is not needed for the communication counterpart. However, in the case of a phone number for ENUM, a counterpart does not know and cannot use the phone number for ENUM if an ENUM subscriber does not inform the phone number (that this phone number is an ENUM number) in advance and explain how to use it (explain about a terminal or application type to be installed, and how to use it).
After the appearance of the ENUM, attempts such as a method of assigning a service identification code that can be inputted together with a phone number by an ENUM client, a method of providing a fixed menu tree by a terminal, and the like have been made to solve the identification problem that the ENUM has. These methods need a precondition that a phone number and a mapping address respectively corresponding to an assigned identification code and a menu that is set in the terminal should always exist in an ENUM server. However, since the precondition does not match a realistic behavior pattern of users, these methods do not solve difficult problems such as "Does this phone number have a feature of an integrated identifier for ENUM?" or "Are the service identifiers under the phone number displayed on the terminal valid identifiers?". In addition, a frequently changed phone number cannot provide stability as an address by the nature of the address regarding stability of an identifier as the most important thing. Accordingly, with all the good intention of an integrated address/identifier, the ENUM is interrupted at the trial stage, and an actual application case is not specially reported until present.
Meanwhile, when a certain service or function resource is used in a wired or wireless communication network, a provider or a user provides or uses the service or the function resource through a different address/URI and interface. Accordingly, there is a disadvantage in that whenever the user desires to access a service or a function resource that the user wants to use, the user first finds out who possesses the service or the function resource that the user wants to use, acquires the address/URI of the service or the function resource that the counterpart possesses or allows to access, and finds an appropriate terminal, application and interface.
In addition, the service provider may not integrate and provide a service contact point to a calling user in a form desired by the service provider and should communicate with the user through a distributed service platform (e.g., phone, e-mail, homepage, blog, Facebook, telegram, Instagram, etc.) and a contact point.
Meanwhile, an address book, an address book sharing function, and some address sharing applications presently provided by smart phones merely share specific address items set in advance in a terminal, such as a phone, a homepage, an e-mail, a messenger account and the like, which are the most basic upper URIs, in a way of simply listing the items. In addition, a receiver should disclose addresses to be accessed and it is difficult to provide protection and access control of the address information, and there is a limit in the meaningful configuration of a form desired by a caller or a receiver (address owner) and in the convenience of access. That is, since the address items are restricted by the advance setting of the terminal, the address items are configured in a rigid structure in which it is difficult for the address owner to display the address items on a caller terminal in a variety of forms through self-setting.

Terminal, service method and integrated identifier management system for integrated identifier and user interface


In a RCC type switching power supply circuit, a sensing coil connected magnetically closely with an output coil is equipped in a fly-back transformer. The sensing coil is connected with a timing condenser through a Zener diode and an alternate current voltage output from the sensing coil is rectified and smoothed. Then, the difference between a detection voltage detected as a direct current voltage of the secondary side and the basic voltage of the Zener diode is supplied to the timing condenser to change the discharge/charge time and then change the timing of the switching of a first switching element in order to control the switching time of the first switching element. At the same time, applying the voltage which results from rectifying and smoothing the output voltage from the sensing coil, the charge and discharge of the timing condenser at the non-loading time is controlled in order to prolong the cycle of the switching oscillation and consequently, reduce the power loss.

FIG. 5 shows an initial direct-current power supply circuit called linear AC adopter. In FIG. 5, a commercially available alter later voltage Vi input into the part between a AC input terminal 10 and 11 is converted to a prescribed voltage at a transformer 12, rectified at a full-wave rectifier 13, and smoothed at a smoothing condenser 14. Then, a direct-current voltage Vo and direct-current Io are supplied to a load 17 through direct-current output terminals 15 and 16.
In the simple and cheap power supply circuit of direct current called linear AC adopter shown in FIG. 5, when the input alternate-current voltage Vi fluctuates, the output voltage Vo varies according to the input voltage, such as V1, V2, and V3 show in FIG. 6. A particular problem is that when the output direct-current increases, the output voltage Vo tends to gradually decrease. Consequently, among loads 17 for commercially available electronic devices, many devices are designed to adjust to the property that the output voltage Vo decreases gradually with the increase of the output direct-current Io.
Recently, among direct-current power supply circuits with a relatively low output of 50 W or less, RCC (Ringing Choke Converter) type switching power supply circuits shown in FIG. 7 have been being used in place of those shown in FIG. 5.
In FIG. 7, when a direct-current voltage rectified an AC voltage is applied to a part between a plus side terminal 18 and a minus side terminal 19, a voltage of threshold level or less is applied immediately at a gate of a first switching element 22 with MOS•FET through a starting resistance. Then, a slight drain current runs at the first switching element 22, by which a voltage is generated at a magnetizing coil 25 of a fly-back transformer 24. A voltage is then induced at a drive coil 27. The voltage generated at the drive coil 27 is loaded on the gate of the first switching element 22 through resistances 31 and 33 and a condenser 34, by which a positive feedback loop is formed and the first switching element 22 turns on immediately at t1, as shown in FIG. 8 (a). At that time, a voltage Vds between the drain and source of the first switching element 22 becomes 0 as shown in FIG. 8 (a). With the on-state of the first switching element 22, a voltage approximately equivalent to a direct-current voltage applied to the part between the plus side terminal 18 and the minus side terminal 19 is applied to the fly-back transformer 24 and a voltage Vd determined by the coil-winding number ratio of a output coil 26 to the winding number of the magnetizing coil 25 as shown in FIG. 8 (d) is generated at the drive coil 27.
The voltage Vd generated at the drive coil 27 induces a start to charge up a condenser 28 through a resistance 31 and a light-sensitive element 46 of a photo-capra 32. When a voltage Vc charged at the condenser 28 becomes a wave shape as shown in FIG. 8 (e) and the voltage Vc reaches a voltage Vbe between the base and emitter of the second switching element 23 at t2, a base current runs at the second switching element 23 to turn on. With the on-state of the second switching element 23, the voltage between the gate and source of the first switching element 22 becomes approximate zero and the first switching element 22 thus turn off immediately. During the t1˜t2 period from the on-state to the off-state of the fist switching element 22, as shown in FIG. 8 (b), a current Id runs at the magnetizing coil 25.
When the first switching element 22 turn off at t2, simultaneously, a voltage inverting for positive or negative states to that of the magnetizing coil 25 side is generated at the output coil 26 of the secondary side. This voltage is rectified at a rectifier diode 40 and smoothed at a smoothing condenser 41 and then supplied to the load 17. At that time, the current Io running at the output coil 26 is shown in FIG. 8 (c). The current Io rapidly increases and subsequently decreases gradually toward zero until the rectifier diode 40 turns off. Simultaneously, at t3 when the rectifier diode 40 turns off, the inverted voltage Vd as shown in FIG. 8 (d) is generated at the drive coil 27 by residual magnetic flux inside the output coil 26 and the first switching element 22 then turns on again. During the time, the condenser 28 is charged up with the negative state by the voltage Vd inverting through the resistance 29 and a Zener diode 30. An output voltage is obtained by the repetitive oscillation operation.
The output voltage Vo detected at a resistance 48 is compared with a basic voltage V ref of the Zener diode 47. When the output voltage Vo exceeds the basic voltage V ref, the difference runs at light-emitting element 45 of the photo-capra 32. Because this then changes an impedance between a collector and emitter of a light receiving element 46 of the photo-capra 32, the outcome changes a time constant resulting from the resistance, the light receiving element 46 of the photo-capra 32 and the condenser 28, all of which are on the route for charging the condenser 28 during the on-state of the first switching element 22. Consequently, the condenser voltage Vc changes with the output voltage Vo. That is, higher the output voltage Vo, earlier the condenser voltage Vc reaches the Vbe, and conversely, lower the output voltage Vo, slower the condenser voltage Vc reaches the Vbe. When the condenser voltage Vc reaches the Vbe, the second switching element 23 turns on and the first switching element 22 turns off. The changed time constant then changes the time until the Vc reaches the Vbe and the on-state period of the first switching element 22 is then controlled to stabilize the output voltage Vo.
In FIG. 7, to prevent a high-spike voltage generated under a transient condition of the switching in the switching power source, a snubber circuit consisting of a diode 35, a condenser 36, and a resistance 37 is connected in parallel to the magnetizing coil 25.


A boundary lubricant film 1 is formed on a stamper 22 contact portion of a stationary mirror 21 and/or a stationary mirror 21 contact portion of the stamper 22. The boundary lubricant film 1 contains one of kinds of phosphate esters. A material is injected into a cavity 14. As a result, a disc substrate for an optical disc is molded.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lubricant composition, an article, a disk molding stamper, a disk molding apparatus, a disk forming method and a method of forming lubrication coating.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a disc substrate for an optical disc is molded by a molding apparatus having a mold 101 as shown in FIG. 15. The mold 101 has for example two mold members made of a steel material such as stainless steel. The mold members are a stationary mold member 102 and a movable mold member 103. The movable mold member 103 can be opened. The stationary mold member 102 has a stationary mirror 121. The stationary mirror 121 has a concave and convex shaped stamper 122 which transfers a concave and convex information signal such as lands/grooves or pits of an optical disc. In the stationary mold member 102, a sprue bush 123 with which resin as a material of a disc substrate is injected is formed.
A disc substrate is molded by the mold 101 for example in the following manner. After the stamper 122 is mounted on the stationary mirror 121, the movable mold member 103 is moved toward the stationary mold member 102. Thereafter, the mold 101 is closed. Resin is injected into a cavity 114 which is a space portion formed between the stationary mold member 102 and the movable mold member 103 through the sprue bush 123. A concave and convex shape formed on the stamper 122 is transferred to the resin. After the concave and convex shape is transferred, the injected resin is cooled. After the injected resin is cooled, the movable mold member 103 is opened. After the movable mold member 103 is opened, resin in the sprue bush 123 and a molded substance as a disc substrate in the sprue bush 123 are ejected by an ejector 130 so that the molded substance is peeled off from the movable mold member 103. After an eject operation of the ejector 130 for the molded substance is finished, the disc substrate is transferred to the outside of the molding apparatus by an unloader (not shown).
In a sequence of molding steps, when molten resin is injected into the cavity 114 through the sprue bush 123, tensile stress radially works due to viscosity of the resin and thermal stress works due to repeated heating and cooling on the stamper 122. On the other hand, tensile stress due to viscosity of resin and thermal stress do not almost work on the stationary mirror 121. Thus, these stresses cause frictional force to work between the stationary mirror 121 and the stamper 122 in the radial direction. As a result, contact portions of the stamper 122 and the stationary mirror 121 wear out.
This wear is called adhesion wear and causes the front surface of the stationary mirror 121 or the rear surface of the stamper 122 to wear out. In other words, the contact surfaces of the stamper 122 and the stationary mirror 121 are microscopically not perfect planes. Thus, the contact surfaces have a concave and convex portion. The concave and convex portion causes the front surface of the disc substrate to be formed in a concave and convex shape and frictional force between the stamper 122 and the stationary mirror 121 to increase. The increased frictional force prevents the stamper 122 to expand and shrink. In the disc substrate formed in such a state, address pits deform, which result in address errors, and roundness of lands/grooves deteriorates, which results in servo errors. If the disc substrate does not satisfy these allowable ranges, the disc substrate is treated as a defective item. As a result, the yield decrease.
Thus, normally, coating is applied to the stationary mirror 121 so as to decrease frictional force of the contact portions of the stamper 122 and stationary mirror 121. The mainstream of the coating is DLC (diamond like carbon) coating of an amorphous carbon film containing hydrogen. The DLC has characteristics similar to those of diamond. The DLC coating can suppress an increase of fictional force due to adhesion wear in comparison with conventional coating of titanium nitride (TiN) or the like. A technology of which a hard film made of DLC is formed on a mold contact surface of a stamper is disclosed in for example Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. HEI 10-64127, Paragraph [0045].
In recent years, high density optical discs have been developed. For example, a 3.5-inch MO (Magnet Optical) disc accomplishes a record capacity of 2.3 GB using a combination of MSR (Magnetically inducted Super Resolution) technology and land/groove combined record technology. In addition, DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) can record and reproduce data with a high speed record density of 16× speed.
When disc substrates for these high density optical discs are successively molded, since a concave and convex shape transferred by the stamper gradually deteriorates due to the foregoing adhesion wear. Thus, before the characteristics of optical discs exceed the allowable range of the predetermined address error or servo error, it is necessary to abrade the rear surface of the stamper or replace it with good one. Since abrasion or replacement of the stamper takes a time, the productivity remarkably lowers. Thus, it is preferred to reduce as much frictional force which occurs between the stamper and the mold as possible to reduce the abrasion work or replacement work for the stamper.
However, with only the hard film formed between the stamper and the mold, frictional force occurring between the stamper and the mold was not sufficiently decreased. When the foregoing 3.5-inch MO discs were molded for around 20,000 shots, the characteristics of the optical discs exceeded the allowable range of address error.
When oil such as wax or lubrication oil is applied to the stamper contact portion of the mold and/or the mold contact portion of the stamper, frictional force which occurs between the stamper and the mold can be decreased.
However, oil such as wax does not have heat resistance. When oil is used under high temperature environment for a long time, it loses stability. When oil is further heated, moisture is lost therefrom. The moisture adversely affects the stamper and the mold. As a result, the quality of the molded substance deteriorates. In addition, it is difficult to equally apply oil such as wax and lubrication oil on the front surface of the mold. Thus, oil and lubrication oil do not have reproducibility. In addition, since oil such as wax and lubrication oil have high viscosity, they tend to catch foreign matter such as dust. As a result, the quality of the molded substance deteriorates.
Lubricant applied between the stamper and the mold has necessity for the following characteristics to reduce frictional force occurring therebetween. (1) Lubricant does not change in appearance and is dry. (2) Lubricant has solvent resistance. (3) Lubricant is strongly absorbed into the rear surface of the stamper or by a material that composes the signal mirror portion. (4) Lubricant does not change the roughness of a surface on which the treatment agent was coated. (5) Lubricant has heat resistance. (6) Under high temperature and high pressure environment, lubricant maintains frictional reduction effect. Next, the characteristics (1) to (6) will be described in detail.
(1) First, lubricant does not change in appearance and is dry. It is not preferred that the entire rear surface of the stamper be oily and wet because dust in the air adheres to the stamper and foreign matter adheres to the stamper that is handled. In addition, when the stamper is wet, lubricant may be present as liquid on the rear surface. A signal surface may be contaminated with treatment agent of lubricant due to high pressure applied when a disc substrate is molded. As a result, lubricant adversely affects the quality of the disc substrate. In addition, lubricant may adhere to the molding apparatus itself. Thus, it is necessary to keep the front surface treated with lubricant dry.(2) In addition, lubricant has solvent resistance. When the stamper is mounted on the mold of the molding apparatus, the rear surface of the stamper and the signal mirror portion of the mold of the molding apparatus are wiped and cleaned with volatile organic solvent. This wiping and cleaning are ordinarily performed to prevent foreign matter from being transferred to the stamper and the signal record portion of the optical disc substrate and to prevent them from being oil contaminated. Volatile solvent used in this case is for example one of kinds of ketones such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), or toluene or one of kinds of alcohols such as ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol (IPA). Among them, acetone or methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) is mainly used. When they are wiped with such a highly dissolvable solvent, most surface active agents, lubricants, resins, and so forth are dissolved. As a result, they are lost from the coated or treated surface. Thus, it is necessary to select a treatment agent that is not dissolvable in these solvents.(3) In addition, lubricant is strongly absorbed into the rear surface of the stamper or by a material that composes the signal mirror portion. It is necessary to equally and chemically absorb the lubricant on the front surface although it depends on solvability. When one of silicone resins and fluoride resins which have frictional reduction effect is used, they are physically absorbed into the rear surface of the stamper and the signal mirror portion. Thus, when they are wiped, these resins are easily removed. Thus, it is difficult to equally form a film of lubricant. In addition, the treatment agent is transferred to the opposite member. As a result, the effect of the lubricant is not maintained for a long time.(4) In addition, lubricant does not change the roughness of a surface on which the treatment agent was coated. When the surface roughness deteriorates, the deteriorated roughness may be transferred to the stamper and the signal record portion of the optical disc substrate under high temperature and high pressure environment. As a result, they may be adversely affected. Although PTFE (polytetrafluoro-ethylene), graphite/molybdenum disulfide solid lubricants, and so forth have remarkable frictional reduction effect, they often deteriorate the surface roughness. Thus, it is difficult to practically use them. In addition, it is difficult to control solid lubricant for an equal film thickness. Thus, solid lubricant may not be used to mold optical discs that have necessity for large surface roughness. In addition, a graphite type lubricant and a molybdenum disulfide type lubricant are normally powder. Since powder drops from the treatment surface, it may be impossible to use them from a view point of quality.(5) In addition, lubricant has heat resistance. When an optical disc substrate is molded, resin heated at around 400° C. is injected into the stamper. At this point, although the rear surface of the stamper and the signal mirror portion are quickly cooled, since optical disc substrates are successively molded, they are continuously heated at around 200° C. under high pressure. At this environmental temperature, the frictional reduction effect of most of surface-active agents and resins is lost by pyrolysis or the like.(6) In addition, under high temperature and high pressure environment, lubricant maintains frictional reduction effect. It is most important for lubricant which reduces frictional force occurring between the stamper and the mold to satisfy this characteristic. Besides the fabrication of optical discs, the facility operating ratio of the fabrication site is very important from a view point of cost. When the facility is stopped and a maintenance work is performed, human mistake factors such as catching of foreign matter increase. As a result, the yield of optical discs is adversely affected. It is preferred that the facility be continuously operated as long as possible.
However, those in the field of the present invention know that it is very difficult to find lubricant that satisfies the characteristics (1) to (6). Thus, it has been desired to accomplish lubricant that satisfies the characteristics (1) to (6).
In addition, in recent years, it has been strongly desired to improve the productivity of high density optical record mediums such as DVD and quantitatively produce next generation high density optical record mediums such as BD. Under such a circumstance, it has been desired to accomplish lubricant that satisfies the characteristics (1) to (6).


A rodless cylinder includes a cylinder body, a piston, a sliding table, first and second sealing members, and pairs of first and second holding mechanisms. The cylinder body has a bore defined in a cylinder tube whose ends are closed and a slit which extends along the longitudinal direction thereof and enables the bore to communicate with the outside. The piston is reciprocatively moved within the bore. The sliding table is coupled to the piston by a connecting portion extending through the slit and moved according to the reciprocating motion of the piston. The first and second sealing members are brought into engagement with the piston and the sliding table to close the slit. The pairs of first and second holding mechanisms are located on both sides of the bore and mounted to the cylinder body and the sliding table. The pair of first holding mechanisms respectively has first support members and first movable members both used to guide the sliding table when the piston is reciprocated and to support a vertical load which acts on the sliding table. The pair of second holding mechanisms respectively has second support members and second movable members both capable of guiding the sliding table when the piston is reciprocated and supporting a horizontal load which acts on the sliding table, so as to prevent the inside diameter of the bore from varying.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rodless cylinder, and more specifically to a rodless cylinder wherein a load applied to a sliding table which is disposed outside a cylinder and displaced in accordance with the reciprocating motion of a piston, can be dispersed and supported on the cylinder side, thereby making it possible to smoothly move the sliding table in accordance with the reciprocating motion of the piston and to facilitate a further reduction in a space occupied by the rodless cylinder.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, rodless cylinders have been widely used as workpiece feeding devices in factories or the like.
A rodless cylinder normally comprises a cylinder body having a slit defined therein so as to extend along the longitudinal direction thereof, and a sliding table. A piston put into the cylinder body is provided integrally with the sliding table by a connecting member.
The rodless cylinder can have a reduced in stroke as compared with a cylinder with a rod coupled thereto. Thus, the area occupied by the rodless cylinder is small and the rodless cylinder is easy to handle. The rodless cylinder can also prevent dust from entering therein as compared with the rod-coupled cylinder referred to above. As a result, highly accurate positioning operation can be effected.
This type of rodless cylinder has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,427 or DE-PS 3,124,915, for example. In particular, the rodless cylinder described in DE-PS 3,124,915 is constructed such that a guide groove is defined in a given portion located outside a cylinder tube and a guiding means mounted to each of legs each of which extends toward the given portion from the ends of the sliding table, is fitted in each guide groove. According to DE-PS 3,124,915, when a lateral force is applied, the guiding means is held against the guide groove so as to avoid an increase in width of a slit.
According to DE-PS 3,124,915, however, each leg should be disposed so as to extend toward a position far spaced from the outer side of the cylinder tube as seen from the sliding table and to hold the guiding means. Thus, when the guiding means is fitted in the guide groove upon application of the lateral force, one end face of the cylinder tube, which defines the slit, forcibly approaches the other end face of the cylinder tube, which defines a slit on the opposite side. As a result, the inside diameter of a bore defined in the cylinder tube is reduced as a whole, so that a piston is forcibly inactivated. That is, the piston stops moving when the lateral force is applied. In other words, a workpiece feeding operation is unexpectedly stopped, thereby causing a problem that a workpiece held in engagement with the sliding table cannot be smoothly fed.


An apparatus and a method for providing a fully protective package for a flip chip with a protective shield plate and an underfill encapsulant material. The apparatus comprises a semiconductor chip electrically connected by flip chip attachment to a substrate. A shield plate is placed in contact with a back surface of the semiconductor chip. An underfill encapsulant is disposed between the semiconductor chip and the shield plate, and the substrate. A glob top encapsulant may be applied about the periphery of the upper surface of the shield plate that extends to the substrate for additional protection and/or adherence.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for providing a protective cover plate for a packaged semiconductor chip. More particularly, the present invention relates to attaching a protective plate on a flip chip, wherein the protective plate may also serve as a heat sink.
2. State of the Art
Chip On Board ("COB") techniques are used to attach semiconductor dice to a printed circuit board, including flip chip attachment, wirebonding, and tape automated bonding ("TAB"). Flip chip attachment consists of attaching a flip chip to a printed circuit board or other substrate. A flip chip is a semiconductor chip that has a pattern or array of terminals spaced around an active surface of the flip chip for face down mounting of the flip chip to a substrate. Generally, the flip chip active surface has one of the following electrical connectors: Ball Grid Array ("BGA")--wherein an array of minute solder balls is disposed on the surface of a flip chip that attaches to the substrate ("the attachment surface"); Slightly Larger than Integrated Circuit Carrier ("SLICC")--which is similar to a BGA, but having a smaller solder ball pitch and diameter than a BGA; or a Pin Grid Array ("PGA")--wherein an array of small pins extends substantially perpendicularly from the attachment surface of a flip chip, such that the pins conform to a specific arrangement on a printed circuit board or other substrate for attachment thereto. With the BGA or SLICC, the solder or other conductive ball arrangement on the flip chip must be a mirror-image of the connecting bond pads on the printed circuit board so that precise connection is made. The flip chip is bonded to the printed circuit board by refluxing the solder balls. The solder balls may also be replaced with a conductive polymer. With the PGA, the pin arrangement of the flip chip must be a mirror-image of the pin recesses on the printed circuit board. After insertion, the flip chip is generally bonded by soldering the pins into place. A variation of the pin-in-recess PGA is a J-lead PGA, wherein the loops of the J's are soldered to pads on the surface of the circuit board.
Glob top and underfill materials are often used to hermetically seal the flip chips on the substrate. An underfill encapsulant is generally disposed between the semiconductor chip and the printed circuit board or substrate for environmental protection and to enhance the attachment of the semiconductor die to the substrate. In certain applications, only an underfill encapsulant is used in the semiconductor assembly without protecting the back surface of the semiconductor chip. The exposure of the semiconductor chip back surface leaves the semiconductor chip susceptible to damage. Furthermore, the application of the underfill encapsulant must be closely monitored. For example, too little underfill does not protect the device sufficiently enough from outside contamination and can give rise to a greater concentration of voids. Such voids can lead to the catastrophic failure of the chip. If too much underfill is used, the underfill encapsulant can rise to cover the edges of the chip, can expand or can spread out to adjacent areas of the board that do not require underfill.
Since the underfill encapsulant alone does not protect the back of the dice, an additional protection step of providing a glob top is typically used. As shown in FIG. 1, after assembly of a COB component 100, an underfill encapsulant 114 is generally placed between a semiconductor chip or flip chip 104 that is attached to a substrate 106 via a plurality of electrical connections 108 that extend between a plurality of semiconductor chip bond pads 110 and a corresponding plurality of substrate bond pads 112. The technique for applying the underfill encapsulant comprises dispensing the underfill encapsulant in a liquid form and allowing capillary action to draw it between the semiconductor chip 104 and the substrate 106. The underfill encapsulant then solidifies upon oven curing and reinforces all electrical connections 108. A variety of polymers can be used as underfill encapsulants, including thermosetting molding compounds such as silicones, epoxies, polyamides, and parylenes. A glob of encapsulant material 102 (usually epoxy or silicone or a combination thereof) is generally applied to the COB assembly 100 to surround the semiconductor chip 104 and the substrate 106. Organic resins generally used in the glob top encapsulation are usually selected for low moisture permeability and low thermal coefficient of expansion to avoid exposure of the encapsulated chip to moisture or mechanical stress, respectively. However, even though the chemical properties of these glob top materials have desirable properties for encapsulation, the thermal and electrical properties are often not optimal for removing heat efficiently away from the semiconductor dice or for use in high temperature areas. Furthermore, the addition of glob materials can induce detrimental stresses that can cause catastrophic failures. The stresses occur when the glob top is cured and has different mechanical characteristics such as an expansion coefficient compared to the underfill material.
Other techniques for protecting semiconductor dice include U.S. Pat. No. 5,432,676 which teaches a lid placed over a cavity containing a plurality of semiconductor dice and U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,082 which teaches a heat sink or non-heat-conductive covering to form a top surface of a module.
Every semiconductor chip in a COB assembly generates heat during operation. Some glob tops and package encapsulation materials may serve to draw the heat away from most semiconductor chips. Indeed, one factor in choosing a package encapsulation material is its thermal dissipation properties. If the operating temperature of the semiconductor chip is not controlled or accommodated, reliability problems of the chip or system in which the chip is installed may occur due to excess temperature rise during operation. The device/semiconductor junction temperature (the location of the heat source due to power dissipation) must be maintained below a predetermined limiting value, typically such as 85.degree. C. The primary reason to control device/semiconductor junction temperature is that the performance of the device is a sensitive function of device temperature. In addition, various failure mechanisms are thermally activated, and failure rates become excessive above the desired temperature limit, causing reliability concerns. Furthermore, it is important to control the variation in device operating temperature across all the devices in the system. This is also due to the temperature sensitivity of switching voltage, since too large a variation from device to device would increase the voltage range over which switching occurs, leading to switching errors due to noise and power-supply fluctuations. Moreover, the fluctuations in temperature cause differential thermal expansions that give rise to a fatigue process that can lead to cracks occurring in the COB assembly during burn-in or general operation.
Thus, high heat producing semiconductor dice, such as a microprocessor, may require adjustments in size of the COB assembly and will often require the addition of metal heat-dissipating fins, blocks, or the like on the package. Referring to drawing FIG. 2, a finned COB assembly 200 is illustrated. The finned COB assembly 200 comprises a semiconductor chip or flip chip 202 which is attached to a substrate 204 via a plurality of electrical connections 206 which extend between a plurality of semiconductor chip bond pads 208 and a corresponding plurality of substrate bond pads 210. An underfill encapsulant 212 is disposed between the semiconductor chip 202 and the substrate 204. A cap 214 having a plurality of heat-dissipating fins 216 is attached to an upper surface 218 of the semiconductor chip 202 with a layer of thermally conductive adhesive 220. U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,403 issued Mar. 7, 1995 to Patel illustrates a finned heat sink arrangement. The arrangement comprises a plurality of semiconductor chips attached to a thermally conductive plate with a thermally conductive paste. The thermally conductive plate is in turn connected to a finned heat sink with a thermally conductive paste. However, the addition of heat-dessipate fins or the like substantially increases the cost of production for COB assemblies.
Simpler heat dissipation methods have been attempted. U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,254 issued Jan. 30, 1996 to Nishimura et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,801 issued Feb. 6, 1996 to Blish relate to encasing a heat slug (a piece of heat conducting material) in the encapsulation material. Although each of these patents attempts to address the problems of potential differences in the thermal coefficient of expansion between the heat slug and the encapsulation material, these attempts are never entirely successful and the adhesion interfaces between the heat slug and the encapsulation material may become separated, allowing moisture to reach and destroy the encased semiconductor chip.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to develop a technique and assembly for inexpensively forming a protection shield on a semiconductor chip in combination with commercially-available, widely-practiced semiconductor device fabrication techniques. It would also be advantageous if the protective shield also served as a heat dissipation mechanism, and also reduced expansion differences between the underfill and gob top material conventionally used for encapsulation.

Method and apparatus for packaging flip chip bare die on printed circuit boards


An electric double layer capacitor uses a multi-layer electrode structure, which has a plurality of electrode layers composed of a binder and an electrode material and coated on a current-collecting member, each of the electrode layers including a macromolecular substance. A first electrode layer in contact with the current-collecting member and the second electrode layer in contact with the first electrode layer are formed of different constituents or have different proportions of the same constituent.

1. Field of the Invention
2. Description of Related Art
A typical electrode structure of the prior art is manufactured by coating a current-collecting member surface with a compound mixture containing an electrode material, a powdered electrically-conducting substance, a binder and solvent, and vaporizing off the solvent to form a layered electrode structure.

Electric double layer capacitor utilizing a multi-layer electrode structure and method for manufacturing the same


A satellite communications system includes hub satellite which are equipped to communicate with at least three other satellites. The hub satellites include crosslink interfaces for each of the other satellites with which it may communicate and a switching system for routing those communications between interfaces. A system of a given number of satellites may include several hubs and may be configured in a way which permits any satellite within the system to communicate with a hub either directly or after transiting one or more intervening satellites. Systems which include fewer hubs may require communication with more than one intervening satellite before a hub is reached.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to satellite communications and, more particularly, to geosynchronous satellites and communications based upon them.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a communications system employing three repeater stations which when spaced 120 degrees apart in the correct orbit could give television and microwave coverage to the entire planet. Using such a system allows a user to transmit a signal (e.g., video, voice data, etc.) from one ground station A to a "repeater" satellite B to another ground station C within the repeater satellite's field of view. For communications outside a particular satellite's field of view, the ground station A transmits to the satellite B which relays the signal to the ground station C. The ground station C is in the field of view of both satellite B and another satellite D. Ground station C relays the signal to satellite D, which transmits it to a ground station E within its field of view. Each "uplink", including amplifiers, antennas, and modulators at the ground station and receivers aboard the satellite, typically operate within one frequency band while the downlink operates within another. Transponders aboard the satellites typically bandpass filter an incoming signal from a receiving antenna and amplify the resultant signal using a low noise amplifier. The amplified signal is then down-converted by the transponder so that the signal occupies a different frequency band. This separation into transmitted and received signal bands prevents transmitted signals from interfering with received signals. After down-conversion, the transponder bandpass filters the down-converted signal and amplifies the resultant signal using a power amplifier such as a traveling wave tube amplifier.
Although the "ground-hopping" technique of FIG. 1 has the appeal of simplicity, it is not without its problems. The volume of communications traffic has increased markedly since the first operational synchronous satellite, Syncom II, was launched Jul. 26, 1963 and transmitted communications between a U.S. Army crew in Lakehurst N.J. and a U.S. Navy crew aboard the Kingsport, at harbor in Lagos, Nigeria. Not only has the volume of traffic increased for existing applications such as voice traffic, new applications have evolved which place a huge demand upon satellite channel capacity. "Superstations" originating in Atlanta and Chicago reach homes worldwide, as do motion pictures that are distributed directly from satellites to homes. The volume of data communications over satellite links has also expanded rapidly over the past twenty years.
Increased traffic volume led to revisions of the basic model illustrated in FIG. 1. For example, each satellite in FIG. 1 broadcasts over the more than 120 degrees of the Earth's surface within its field of view. Every terrestrial station receives the same signals at the same frequency. However vast the frequency spectrum may seem, it is limited and if, for example, one wishes to transmit one signal to one ground station using a given frequency channel, a different signal would be forced to use a different channel. The number of messages transmitted would therefore be limited, in a first order analysis, to the number of channels available within the frequency bands allotted to the satellite system. One method of expanding the number of messages that may be sent is to use narrow beam antennas to direct messages to smaller geographic areas. With this approach, frequency channels may be re-used in different geographic locations within the view of each satellite. This approach has been employed to expand the communications capacity of satellite systems.
The basic operational systems of a conventional communications satellite, including crosslinks, are illustrated in the block diagram of FIG. 2A. Communications satellites and their interfaces are known in the art; a more detailed description of the filtering, multiplexing, modulation, switching etc. may be found, for example, in, James Martin, Telecommunications and the Computer, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1976, pages 280-301. In the diagram of FIG. 2A, a ground link interface 13 provides an uplink, a downlink or both, between the satellite and a ground station such as ground station A illustrated if FIG. 1. Similarly, crosslink interfaces 15 and 17 provide for communications between neighboring satellites. The switching block 19 controls the flow of communications from one interface to another.
FIG. 2B illustrates an interface in greater detail. This interface could be a crosslink interface such as 15 or 17 of FIG. 2A or a downlink interface such as 13. The illustrated interface is employed in satellites which are essentially "bent pipe" relays, i.e., the satellites perform no processing on received signals and simply relay them to another satellite or ground station. A receiving antenna 21 receives signals which have been multiplexed into a specified frequency band and relays the signals to a receiver 23. From the receiver, the signals are sent to a filter bank 25 which separates the various signals and their carriers. These are sent to the switching block 19 for routing to another interface. Signals coming from the switching block 19 are connected to a transmitter 27 which sends the signals to a transmitting antenna 29.
An interface used in processing satellites, i.e. those which demodulate received signals and perform signal conditioning, compression, or regeneration, etc., is illustrated in FIG. 2C. A receiving antenna 31 receives transmissions from another satellite or a ground station and passes the signal to a receiver 33. The receiver then passes the signal to a filter bank 35 which separates the received transmission into individual frequency bands. Demodulators 37 demodulate the signals and pass them to a processing subsystem 39 which may perform signal conditioning, regeneration, etc. upon the recovered signals. From the processing subsystem 39, the signals are passed to a switching block, such as block 19 shown in FIG. 2A, which routes the signals as described in relation to that FIG. On the transmitting side, signals received from a switching block for transmission are routed to a modulator 41 where they are combined with carrier frequencies for transmission. The modulated signals are passed to a multiplexer 43 which combines the modulated signals and passes the resultant signal to a transmitter 45 that employs an antenna 47 to transmit the signals to a ground station or to another satellite. One satellite may have several narrow beam antennas directed toward different locations on the Earth's surface (with accompanying transmitters, modulators and multiplexers, where appropriate).
The use of narrow beam antennas in combination with ground hopping has expanded the capacity of satellite systems and constitutes the standard model for satellite communications systems. But capacity-related problems remain. The most desirable frequency bands are a 500 MHz band centered at 6 Ghz for satellite uplinks and a 500 MHZ band centered at 4 Ghz for downlinks. In these bands the equipment is relatively inexpensive, cosmic noise is small, and losses due to ionospheric scintillation and rainfall are relatively insignificant. However, terrestrial microwave links are already assigned to operate in these bands. To accommodate growing communications traffic, additional, less desirable, bands have been assigned; communications in the K-band employ 14 Ghz on the uplink and 12 Ghz on the downlink and direct-to-the-home television broadcasting uses a 17 Ghz uplink and a 12 Ghz downlink.
Even with this capacity expansion, satellite systems are once again confronting capacity limitations. The downlinks used to relay signals from satellites to ground stations often create bottlenecks, in part because these links must share their frequency band with terrestrial microwave transmission systems that can cause interference and in part because communications traffic from many parts of the world are essentially "funneled" through the downlinks, even though the ground station at the receiving end of the downlink may not be the ultimate target of the communications. Additionally, each "hop" entails a trip of approximately 70,000 km with a concomitant signal delay of approximately 240 ms. Although this delay may not be significant in some signal applications, interactive applications such as voice cannot practically accommodate more than a few such delays. Atmospheric distortions degrade signals as they hop from satellite to ground and on to another satellite. Each transit of a satellite introduces further signal degradation in the form of phase noise, distortions and intermodulation products generated by the satellite's transponders. Depending upon the application and the initial signal quality, there may be a need for signal regeneration. Satellites which perform this regeneration are sometimes referred to as "processing" satellites. The additional functionality of processing satellites comes at a price and it is generally desirable to limit the number of processing satellites within a satellite system.


A gas processing well head pump assembly consisting of a reciprocating piston compressor pump having input and output ports; an internal combustion engine connected operatively to the compressor pump; a first gas conduit having a wall, a well head end, a pump end, and having an expanded bore between the well head and pump ends, the pump end being fixedly attached to the gas pump's input port, the wall having a first and at least a second aperture overlying the expanded bore; a second gas conduit having a pump end fixedly attached to the gas pump's output port, the second gas conduit entering the first gas conduit's expanded bore through the first aperture, and the second gas conduit exiting the expanded bore through the at least second aperture; and a natural gas liquids separator positioned within the first gas conduit's expanded bore.

Wells which produce non-associated natural gas commonly lack sufficient unassisted well head pressure to drive or convey the gas from the well into gas transmission pipelines. In such circumstances, the output conduit or pipe extending from such well head is commonly coupled with an input port of a gas driving pump such as a compressor pump. The operation of such pump reduces the effect of atmospheric pressure which opposes existing naturally occurring natural gas well head pressure. In addition to enhancing the rate of flow of gas from a natural gas well, such compressor pumps advantageously provide a step up in gas pressure to a level sufficient for injection of the gas into natural gas transmission pipelines.
A problem associated with utilization of such compressor pumps at natural gas well heads stems from the fact that non-associated natural gas which emanates from a natural gas well typically comprises by product substances in addition to methane such as ethane, propane, butane, iso-butane, natural gasoline, crude oil, water, and, on occasion, solid particulate matter. Any or all of such non-methane natural gas components may precipitate at the point of the compressor pump, potentially jamming the pump or fouling and degrading the lubricating fluid in the compressor pump's oil reservoir. Also, where temperatures are low, natural gas hydrates tend to form solid or semi-solid compounds resembling ice crystals which potentially foul or interfere with the function of such compressor pump.
The instant inventive natural gas well head pump assembly solves or ameliorates the problems discussed above by providing a well head pump which utilizes otherwise wasted heat energy emanating from such compressor pump for warming natural gas prior to its arrival at the pump, and by providing means upstream of such pump for separating natural gas liquids.

Natural gas processing well head pump assembly


An article of furniture is convertible from an infant changing table to a youth bed frame and play table. The changing table table comprises an upper portion, including the youth bed frame headboard and footboard, sitting on a play table frame. A plurality of horizontal platforms are included for supporting an infant for changing diapers, or for holding other items. When converted to a youth bed frame and play table configuration, the headboard and footboard are connected by separate mattress support rails, included in the invention, to complete the bed frame. A separate table top, included in the invention, is coupled to the table frame to complete the play table.

This invention relates to furniture of the type used by infants and youths, and in particular to furniture that is convertible from an infant changing table to a youth bed frame and play table combination.
As an infant grows, it outgrows the need for changing table and crib, while developing an increasing need for a youth bed and a play table. At some point, a decision must be made as to whether to dispose of the changing table or to store it. Disposal would generally involve some economic loss due to depreciation and wear and tear. Storage, on the other hand, requires space that might be put to better use. At the same time, a growing child needs a play table for toys and games. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a piece of convertible furniture would that convert from a changing table to a youth bed frame and play table. Such a piece of convertible furniture would obviate the need for disposal and thereby provide an economic benefit and also solve the storage problem. It would also replace an unneeded changing table with two needed pieces of furniture for a child without added cost.
Convertible furniture is known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,570,609 to Taylor; U.S. Pat. No. 2,363,599 to Kurth et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,427,669 to Swenson; U.S. Pat. No. 704,443 to Doran; U.S. Pat. No. 797,852 to Hayden; U.S. Pat. No. 1,487,341 to Lang; U.S. Pat. No. 2,287,452 to Rossom; U.S. Pat. No. 2,787,007 to Erdkamp; U.S. Pat. No. 3,239,270 to Milne; U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,919 to Hall; U.S. Pat. No. 259,189 to McMaster; and U.S. Pat. No. 252,730 to Burr.
Conventional convertible furniture typically changes a crib to a table or changes a crib to a youth bed frame. That is, the typical convertible furniture only satisfies the need for using a piece of infant furniture to form either a youth bed frame or a play table, but not both. Conventional convertible furniture still requires the outlay of additional expense in order to satisfy the needs of a growing child. Therefore, an infant changing table that converts into both a youth bed frame and play table would be an improvement over conventional convertible furniture.
According to the present invention, an article of furniture which is convertible from an infant changing table to a youth bed frame and play table comprises a plurality of horizontally disposed, vertically registered platforms, the top platform of which serves as a child supporting top for the changing table. It further includes first means for supporting the platforms in elevated space-apart relation, wherein the first means comprises an upper portion which is removable to form a portion of the youth bed frame and a lower portion to form a base for the play table. It further comprises side rails for enclosing the platforms, wherein the side rails means are adapted to be coupled to the platforms and to the first supporting means. The article of furniture further comprises mattress support rails for supporting the mattress wherein the mattress support rails are adapted to be coupled to the upper portion of the first supporting means to provide the youth bed frame, and a table top adapted to be coupled to the lower portion of the first supporting means to provide the play table.
In a preferred embodiment, a convertible furniture kit has component parts capable of being assembled to form an infant changing table or youth bed frame and play table. The kit comprises a base support providing a lower table frame and end walls adapted to be mounted on the base support to provide a back and a front for the changing table. It further comprises a plurality of side rails adapted to be coupled to the base support or coupled to the end walls, and a plurality of platforms adapted to be coupled to the side rails with a top one of the platforms providing a child supporting top for the changing table. It also has a pair of mattress support rails adapted to be coupled to the end walls to provide the youth bed frame, and a table top adapted to be coupled to the base support to provide the play table.
Additional objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.

Changing table convertible into a youth bed and play table


Circuit structure fabrication methods are provided which include: patterning at least one opening within a dielectric layer disposed over a substrate structure; providing a liner material within the at least one opening of the dielectric layer; disposing a surfactant over at least a portion of the liner material; and depositing, using an electroless process, a conductive material over the liner material to form a conductive structure, and the disposed surfactant inhibits formation of a void within the conductive structure.

Semiconductor devices, such as integrated circuits are typically fabricated in large batches from a semiconductor wafer. In one aspect, an integrated circuit fabrication typically involves a process of depositing a conductive material into appropriately configured openings in an intermediate circuit structure, for instance, to facilitate forming conductive metal interconnect structures between interconnect layers. As the integration density of transistors continues to increase, it is desirable to reduce or minimize defects within conductive metal interconnect structures between, for instance, adjacent metal layers of respective interconnect layers, in order to maximize fabrication efficiency and enhance commercial advantage.

Minimizing void formation in semiconductor vias and trenches


A noise removal circuit. The noise removal circuit comprises a crystal oscillator and a level decision module. The crystal oscillator generates an oscillating signal and an output clock signal. The level decision module detects the signal level of the oscillating signal and outputs the output clock signal when the signal level of the oscillating signal exceeds a first reference level.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a noise removal circuit, and more specifically to a circuit for removing noise from a signal generated by an oscillator.
2. Description of the Related Art
A crystal oscillator generates a signal for generating a clock. The Signal is input to a clock generator generating a clock signal necessary to drive a microprocessor. However, the oscillating signal generated by a crystal oscillator may include noise components due to printed circuit board noise, electromagnetic interference (EMI) and a switching noise of other devices. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a crystal oscillator 110 comprising a resistor Rf, capacitors C1 and C2, inverters INV1 and INV2 and a vibrator 111 including a quartz 112, and quartz input plates 113. The capacitors C1 and C2 are coupled between both terminals of vibrator 111 and ground. A supply voltage VDD is applied to both the inverters INV1 and INV2. The inverter INV1 is coupled to the vibrator 111 and resistor Rf respectively in parallel and generates an oscillating signal xtalmo. The inverter INV2 functions as a buffer and an amplifier to amplify the oscillating signal xtalmo received from the inverter INV1 and convert it to a square wave signal accordingly, generating an output clock signal X1. FIG. 2 shows a waveform of the oscillating signal xtalmo and the output clock signal X1 respectively. As shown, in the initial stage of the oscillation, the oscillating signal xtalmo includes noise components which may thereby affect the output of the inverter INV2, incurring generation of the output clock signal X1 of undesirable frequency. Thus, it is desirable to remove the noise generated in the oscillating initial state, avoiding potential effects on, for example, the microprocessors the output clock signal applied to.


An apparatus and method is disclosed for containment and recovery of water-insoluble liquids, e.g., oil, floating on water. The apparatus and method involves using a fibrous material coated or saturated with a composition which will absorb substantial quantities of the water-insoluble organic liquid (oil) while substantially repelling the water in which the water-insoluble organic liquid is floating. The fibrous material may be a fabric, a paper, a sponge, a sheet or a film and is coated or impregnated with an oleophylic, hydrophobic composition. Such materials as cotton, jute, hemp, wool, Rayon, Dacron, paper, polyester, and polyurethane, in various forms and combinations may be used. The composition is preferably an oil-in-water coating composition comprising an oil soluble resin or drying oil with an aqueous discontinuous phase dispersed therein, the discontinuous phase comprising an emulsion of a water insoluble resin, which coating composition passes or absorbs the water-insoluble liquid but repels water. The fibrous material impregnated or coated with an oleophylic, hydrophobic composition is passed into contact with the water-insoluble liquid (e.g. oil) whereupon the oil is absorbed and the water rejected. The oil-saturated material is recovered and the oil recovered therefrom and the fibrous material reused; reimpregnating the material with the oleophylic, hydrophobic composition, if necessary. The treated materials may also be used in industrial applications wherein the material to be absorbed does not float on water.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for containing and recovering oil spills and the like, and more particularly to the use of fibrous woven or non-woven fabric structures having water repellent and oil absorbent qualities for absorbing, containing, and recovering water-insoluble liquids, such as fuels, petroleum products, oil, etc.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The containment and recovery of petroleum products, particularly oil spills at sea is a very serious problem which often results in contamination of miles of shoreline and damage to wildlife and natural flora and fauna.
Currently, several methods are used to clean-up such spills. Surfactants have been applied to the oil which reduces its surface tension, but the oil is merely dispersed and spread in a diluted form by sea currents. Absorbent materials which are heavier than water have been used, but sink to the bottom carrying a portion of the oil with it. These methods result in the risk of spreading the damage over a greater distance.
Mechanical methods have also been used, such as booms which float on the surface of the water to encircle and contain the spill until it can be collected by pumps and skimmers which remove the oil off the surface of the water. The mechanical methods are time consuming and not efficient and their effectiveness and reliability is further reduced by turbulent seas.
Microorganisms have recently been employed in oil spill clean-ups wherein the microorganism will "digest" the oil. This is presently an experimental method and the long-term effects of the microorganisms are uncertain.
On land, such methods as washing or steam cleaning the beaches and rocks have been used. This method is time consuming, labor intensive, costly, and for the most part is ineffective.
In industries such as manufacturing plants, and refineries, leakage from pipes, valves, or machinery is a common problem. The spilled or leaked liquid presents a safety problem and often results in costly down-time.
Ceaser, U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,518 discloses an oil absorbent, water-repellent polymeric carbohydrate composition made from a number of the hydroxyl groups of carbohydrate moieties reacted with a metal/ammonium complex. The fibrous composition, in a granulated or shredded form, may be used for oil spills wherein the fibers are assembled as a mass on water with the aid of a floating boom and guided toward the floating liquid to be absorbed.
Clark et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,739 discloses a water sealant chemical composition in the form of a paint, stain, or clear coating used as a waterproof coating.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular by an apparatus and method for containment and recovery of water-insoluble liquids, e.g., oil, floating on water which involves using a fibrous material coated or saturated with a composition which will absorb substantial quantities of the water-insoluble organic liquid (oil) while substantially repelling the water in which the water-insoluble organic liquid is floating. The fibrous material may be a fabric, a paper, a sponge, a sheet or a film and is coated or impregnated with an oleophylic, hydrophobic composition. Such materials as cotton, jute, hemp, wool, Rayon, Dacron, paper, polyester, and polyurethane, in various forms and combinations may be used. The composition is preferably an oil-in-water coating composition comprising an oil soluble resin or drying oil with an aqueous discontinuous phase dispersed therein, the discontinuous phase comprising an emulsion of a water insoluble resin, which coating composition passes or absorbs the water-insoluble liquid but repels water. The fibrous material impregnated or coated with an oleophylic, hydrophobic composition is passed into contact with the water-insoluble liquid (e.g. oil) whereupon the oil is absorbed and the water rejected. The oil-saturated material is recovered and the oil recovered therefrom and the fibrous material reused; reimpregnating the material with the oleophylic, hydrophobic composition, if necessary. The treated materials may also be used in industrial applications wherein the material to be absorbed does not float on water.

Oil spill containment and recovery apparatus


A down draft work table useful in removing obnoxious fumes and gases. The work table comprises a support structure which contains a flat top mounted on an open-topped V-bottomed down draft chamber. The down draft chamber is attached such that one end of the V-bottom is lower than the opposite end of the V-bottom. The down draft chamber is assisted in the removal of gases by a series of air ducts and an air flow package. At least two work tables can be connected together in tandem through the air flow package.

Work tables of all sizes and descriptions have been made for a long time. The prior art is extensive and is directed to the various specific uses of such tables.
The tables are such that they have the capability of removing noxious odors, fumes, and liquids, and the like, but none of the tables represented by the prior art do all of these tasks in combination and moreover, none of the tables of the prior art do these tasks efficiently and economically.
Such prior art tables are represented by, for example the deluxe pedestal autopsy table manufactured by the Jewett Refrigerator Company and described and illustrated in a specification sheet having the form number PP684 showing model DPEM. This table has as its design features height control, integral sink, downward air exhaust, perforated body supports, i.e. table tops, center drain with basket strainer, perforated standpipe overflow and the like. The table is designed with a flat top surface and a convex bottom surface such that the fluids, et cetera drain to the center of the table for removal.
Tyler, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,201,530, issued Nov. 19, 1935, shows a vegetable table having a perforated top surface, which is actually a large mesh screen, to allow any vegetables laid thereupon to drain. The bottom of the table has a convex configuration with a moderately angled drop analogous to the autopsy table mentioned above. The Tyler table does not have an exhaust system, however, some modicum of air is allowed to flow over the vegetables by the action of water pumps which pump a continuous flow of water to cause a mist, which moves the surrounding air.
Polen, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,442,230, issued May 6, 1969, deals with a work table which is a laboratory table having internal ventilating means to remove vapors or gases from the uppermost surfaces of the working area of the table. This table allegedly provides for the removal of heavier than air gases. It should be noted that this table has a flat bottom surface, and the top surface is solid, with the flow of air being conducted over the outside edges of the top of the table. No perforated surface is shown or disclosed.
Howorth, in U.S. Pat No. 4,650,171, deals with an autopsy table which has a solid top surface and controls the flow of air downward by the use of various sized drawers at the back of the table. The top surface is slanted towards one end to facilitate the removal of liquids, as it can be observed from the Howorth Figures, especially FIG. 1, the top surface of the table at its lowest end is in communication with the sink and not with the exhaust system under the table.
British patent 1,579,226, published Nov. 12, 1980, deals with an autopsy table in which the top surface is convex in shape with a moderate angling towards the center of the surface, whereupon all fumes and liquids can be drained into a duct which then allows exhaustion of them to a collection point.
Thus, it can be observed that none of the prior art devices suggest or anticipate the instant invention with all of its benefits.


A vehicle remote function system is provided for determining a location of a fob relative to a vehicle. The system includes a controller adapted to be mounted in the vehicle and configured for communication with antennas mounted at different vehicle locations, the controller for use in determining the location of the fob based on ultra-wide band wireless signals transmitted between the antennas and the fob. The controller is configured to locate the fob within one of multiple three-dimensional zones, one of the zones configured to have a non-spherical shape. A method is also provided for use in a vehicle remote function system, the method for determining a location of a fob relative to a vehicle. The method includes transmitting ultra-wide band wireless signals between the vehicle and the fob, and determining the location of the fob within one of multiple three-dimensional zones, one of the zones having a non-spherical shape.

Automotive vehicles may include passive entry systems that allow a user to access and start a vehicle just by holding a key, key fob or card. In operation, such systems may perform and/or enable vehicle access and vehicle start functions based on a determined location of the key in or around the vehicle.
To facilitate determining key location, the key, key fob or card may be equipped with a transceiver with one or more antennas, and the passive entry system may employ one or more transceivers with multiple antennas positioned at different locations in the vehicle. The passive entry system may also include an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) or controller having a decision based algorithm that determines key location based on the transmission of radio frequency (RF) or low frequency (LF) signals (e.g., 125 kHz) between the key antenna and the vehicle based antennas.
Current passive entry systems use low frequency (LF) antennas located in the vehicle door handles and trunk. Such systems provide relatively small, concentrated lock/unlock zones just around the individual doors and trunk areas. As previously noted, the locking/unlocking functions occur as a result of wireless communication with a key fob.
As a result, there exists a need for a vehicle remote function system and a method for locating the fob more precisely around the entire vehicle. Such a system and method would allow for more exact and encompassing zones using ultra-wide band wireless signals communicated between the fob and vehicle mounted antennas. The improved zoning strategy of such a system and method would allow zones to be custom tailored for individual vehicle needs and customer requirements.

Vehicle remote function system and method using ultra-wide band signals


The invention provides a camera having a varifocal lens system including first, second, third and fourth lens groups positioned in that order along an optical axis from a subject side. The first and third lens groups are integrally held in a first holding barrel and the fourth lens group is held in a second holding barrel. The second lens group is disposed in the first holding barrel and positioned between the first and third lens groups. The focal length changing device provides the first holding barrel, and the second holding barrel respectively with different movements in the optical axis direction during changing of the focal length.

The present invention relates to a varifocal camera, and more particularly, to a small-sized varifocal camera having a high variable power zooming function.
Recently, cameras equipped with zoom lenses are in demand, even in the field of cameras of a lens shutter type, and the main current in the field of multi-focus cameras is changing from dual-focus types to zoom lens types. The range of focal distances of a zoom lens to be equipped on a camera of a lens shutter type in the early stages, was limited to cover only a wide angle lens and a semi-telephoto lens, both of which make a variable power ratio of about two. With the spread of zoom lenses in the market, however, the demand for a higher variable power ratio has increased.
From the viewpoint of the structure of a zoom lens with a high variable power ratio to be used in a camera of a lens shutter type, a zoom lens of a two-group type is not suitable because of difficult aberration correction and a longer distance of lens movement. As a zoom lens with a high variable power ratio, therefore, there is known a zoom lens of a four-group type, for example, disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 43115/1988 (hereinafter referred to as Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication) wherein a change of a variable power considering aforesaid aberration correction is made by changing distances between aforesaid lens groups.
However, a zoom lens of a four-group type tends to be long in a total length because of an increase in the number of lens groups and consequently does not fit a compact camera. The cause for this longer total length is that the zoom lens tends to be of a structure of a reversed telescope for an entire zooming range, because the second lens group is given a greater power and a greater role of a variable power is assigned to the second lens group.
Further, because of the greater role of a variable power on the second lens group, the aberration variation caused by power variation in this lens group is great, which tends to limit the power and structure of following lens groups. Furthermore, because of aberration correction and other factors, each lens group needs to be driven independently and thereby the driving mechanism becomes complicated and the external dimensions of a lens barrel containing aforesaid driving mechanism also tends to be greater, which is a disadvantage.
In the case of a zoom lens for use with a lens shutter, it is not necessary to confirm focusing in a range-finder through a camera lens, which is different from a zoom lens for use in a conventional single-lens reflex camera. Therefore, it is possible to consider power variation drive and focusing drive separately. Taking this into consideration in designing an optical system, therefore, it is possible to make a zoom lens with an extremely compact arrangement wherein the zoom lens consists of the first, second, third and fourth lens groups arranged in that sequence from the subject side, and at least the first, third and fourth lens groups are moved on an optical axis toward the subject side for power variations from the shorter focal distance to the longer one, and focusing is conducted by means of the second lens group, and further, for the power variation, the first and third lens groups are moved together.
Further, it has been found that focusing by means of the second lens group contributes to miniaturization of a total zoom lens, the power of the first lens group can be relatively small due to the short distance of the movement of the second lens group for focusing, and an arrangement of lens movement can be simple owing to the first and third lens groups which move together for power variation.
However, it has been found that a driving mechanism for a varifocal lens optical system composed of four lens groups, the first through the fourth lens groups arranged in that sequence from the subject side, especially a mechanism for driving accurately the second lens group positioned between the first lens group and the third lens group which are driven together, transmitting the driving force mechanically and independently, tends to be too complicated. This point proved to be an extremely serious problem from the viewpoint of design. Therefore, there is demand for development of a mechanism which is small and is capable of driving lens groups with a simple structure and of moving them quickly to their determined positions.


An obstruction detecting method for use with a power window device comprising a motor activated to open and close a window by means of a window drive mechanism, a motor drive unit for driving the motor, a pulse generator for generating pulses corresponding to revolutions of the motor, a micro-control unit for providing overall drive control, and an operation switch operated manually to instruct the opening and closing of the window. The method comprises the steps of causing the micro-control unit to detect parameter values representing loads applied onto the window when the window is opened or closed; to compare the detected parameter values with a predetermined reference median; to detect an obstruction to the window movement when any detected parameter value is judged to have deviated by at least a predetermined amount from the reference median; and to stop or reverse the motor by means of the motor drive unit on detecting the obstruction. An entire movable range of the window is divided into a plurality of moving areas, each divided moving area being set with the reference median established beforehand as a mean value of the parameter values representing the loads applied onto the window during the window movement throughout each divided moving area with no obstruction occurring thereto.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for detecting obstructions to a motor-powered window movement. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and an apparatus for detecting sensitively, accurately and at high speed obstructions that may occur to a power window device during its movement without increasing a memory capacity needed for the function.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various systems have been proposed to detect obstructions that may occur to a power window device during its operation on board the vehicle. One such system is disclosed in conjunction with a power window device in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Sho 61-60981.
The disclosed power window device utilizes a motor load current value as the parameter by which to detect obstructions to a motor-powered window movement. The entire movable range of the window is divided into a plurality of portions. Each divided moving area is set beforehand with a reference current value indicating whether or not an obstruction to the window movement has occurred. In operation, a detected motor load current value is compared with the reference current value. If the detected motor load current exceeds the reference current significantly, an obstruction to the powered window movement is judged to have occurred.
In the above power window device, the reference current value for each divided moving area is established on the basis of a peak motor load current in effect when no obstruction takes place during the window movement (opening/closing) throughout the area in question.
Other power window devices are known to adopt a motor torque value as the parameter by which to detect obstructions to the motor-powered window movement.
Unlike the power window device of Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Sho 61-60981, power window devices utilizing the motor load torque for reference do not divide the entire movable range of the window into multiple portions to establish a reference value for each divided moving area. As such, these power window devices have difficulty in accurately detecting obstructions to the powered window movement.
The power window device disclosed in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Sho 61-60981 detects obstructions to the motor-powered window movement using the peak motor load current as the parameter for the detection. What takes place upon detection is as follows: when the motor driving voltage, i.e., the output voltage of the battery on board the vehicle, deviates from a rated output voltage, the motor load current fluctuates in its peak. If noise is overlaid for some reason on the detected motor load current at its peak, the peak motor load current fluctuates likewise.
In such cases, a reference value for each divided moving area of the window is set on the basis of the peak motor load current in effect when no obstruction occurs to the window movement throughout the area in question. It follows that the reference value necessarily contains some error. When the potentially erroneous reference value is used as the basis for detecting obstructions to the powered window movement, faulty judgments tend to occur: an obstruction can be detected where there is none, or a snagged window movement may not be detected where the window is actually jammed.
The cited power window device of Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Sho 61-60981 apparently meets the demand for enhanced levels of the detection of obstructions to the window movement by dividing the entire movable range of the window into a larger number of portions. However, the increased number of divided moving areas entails a growing number of data items to be addressed and stored: more reference medians to be set for the divided areas, more motor load current values to be detected for each divided area, etc. The data need to be stored by resorting to an increased memory capacity. This translates not only into a power window device of an enlarged scale but also into higher production costs.

Method and apparatus for detecting obstruction to powered window movement