Abstract: A discharge assembly apparatus for discharging a metered volume of a liquid when used in combination with a liquid-containing, pressurised or pressurisable container includes an actuator assembly incorporating a valve stem having a discharge conduit arrangement with an inlet and an outlet, a metering chamber formed within the valve stem and incorporating a liquid discharge element, an inlet/outlet arrangement, and a housing wherein the valve stem and the inner surface of the housing define a fluid transfer passageway therebetween, the discharge conduit arrangement of the valve stem providing communication between the outlet of the metering chamber and the outlet of the valve stem via the fluid transfer passageway.

Abstract: A discharge assembly for discharging a metered volume of a liquid held in a pressured container includes an elongate tubular housing, a valve stem having a body locating within the housing, a chamber provided within the body of the valve stem and having a liquid inlet, and a liquid discharge element moveable along the chamber from a liquid primed position to a liquid discharged position to effect discharge of the metered volume of liquid, wherein a second fluid transfer passageway is formed along the outside of the valve stem between the inlet of the housing and the first fluid transfer passageway, and a seal is provided for relative sliding movement onto a seat as the valve stem moves to close the second fluid transfer passageway to fluid flow.

Abstract: A dielectric material having a high dielectric constant includes a Group III metal oxide and a Group V element. The incorporation of the Group V element in the Group III metal oxide material reduces the number of structural defects in the dielectric material, and reduces both the fixed charge density and the conduction current of the dielectric material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing echo in a communication system are provided. A first signal including a voice component associated to a speaker is received. The first signal is processed to derive a harmonic feature of the voice component. A second signal including an echo component correlated to the first signal is also received. The second signal is processed at least in part on the basis of the harmonic feature of the voice component to remove at least in part the echo component such as to derive an echo reduced signal. The echo reduced signal is then released. In specific implementations, the harmonic feature of the voice component is an estimate of the pitch associated to the voice component.

Abstract: An apparatus and method suitable for producing a set of filter coefficients are provided. Sequences of samples of first and second signals are received by the apparatus. Each received sample is processed to update a set of auto-correlation data elements and cross-correlation data elements. The set of auto-correlation data elements corresponds to a compressed version of a corresponding auto-correlation matrix data structure. A scheduling controller generates a scheduling signal including a succession of scheduling commands, the scheduling command indicating that a new set of filter coefficients is to be computed. A new scheduling command is issued when at least two samples of first and second signals are received subsequent to a previously issued scheduling command. In response to a scheduling command, the auto-correlation data elements are processed to generate the auto-correlation matrix data structure.

Abstract: A filter adaptation unit for producing a set of filter coefficients indicative of a transfer function of a system in a given state is provided including a coefficient set selection unit for selecting between two or more sets of filter coefficients. For each set of filter coefficients a respective set of error characterization data elements is generated characterizing the error in a filter's impulse response when using the corresponding set of filter coefficients. The selection unit provides functionality for processing the first and second sets of filter coefficients and the second set of error characterization data elements in order to detect whether a change in the state of the system has occurred and to select a preferred set of filter coefficients. The selected set of filter coefficients is released in a format suitable for use by an adaptive filter.

Abstract: A device and method for generating a set of filter coefficients is provided. Sequences of samples of a first and second signal are received where the second signal includes a certain component that is correlated to the first signal. A first set of filter coefficients is generated on the basis of the first and second signals. A set of performance data elements are generated to evaluate the performance of a filter using the first set of coefficients, each performance data element being associated to a respective frequency band selected from a set of frequency bands. Following this, a set of correction signals is generated including a correction signal for each frequency band for which the associated performance data element is indicative of an unsatisfactory performance. A second set of filter coefficients is generated on the basis of the first signal, the second signals and the set of correction signals. The second set of filter coefficients is then released in a format suitable for use by a filter.

Abstract: A filter adaptation unit suitable for producing a set of filter coefficients is provided including an error characterization unit for characterizing the error in a filter's impulse response. The error characterization unit generates a set of error characterization data elements associated to a newly generated set of filter coefficents. A selection unit then makes a selection between one of the newly generated set of filter coefficients and an existing set of filter coefficients at least in part on the basis of their respective sets of error characterization data elements. The selected set of filter coefficients is then released in a format suitable for use by an adaptive filter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing echo in a communication system are provided. A first signal including a voice component associated to a speaker is received. The first signal is processed to derive a harmonic feature of the voice component. A second signal including an echo component correlated to the first signal is also received. The second signal is processed at least in part on the basis of the harmonic feature of the voice component to remove at least in part the echo component such as to derive an echo reduced signal. The echo reduced signal is then released. In specific implementations, the harmonic feature of the voice component is an estimate of the pitch associated to the voice component.

Abstract: A dielectric material having a high dielectric constant includes a Group III metal oxide and a Group V element. The incorporation of the Group V element in the Group III metal oxide material reduces the number of structural defects in the dielectric material, and reduces both the fixed charge density and the conduction current of the dielectric material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising, providing a semiconductor substrate, forming a substantially-hydroxylated SiOxHy layer on the semiconductor substrate in a presence of oxygen and hydrogen, and forming a metallic oxide, high-K dielectric layer on the substantially-hydroxylated SiOxHy layer. The substantially-hydroxylated SiOxHy layer has a surface concentration of hydroxyl (OH) species equal to or greater than about 3×1014 hydroxyl per cm2.

Abstract: A dielectric material having a high dielectric constant includes a Group III metal oxide and a Group V element. The incorporation of the Group V element in the Group III metal oxide material reduces the number of structural defects in the dielectric material, and reduces both the fixed charge density and the conduction current of the dielectric material.

Abstract: A dielectric material having a high dielectric constant includes a Group III metal oxide and a Group V element. The incorporation of the Group V element in the Group III metal oxide material reduces the number of structural defects in the dielectric material, and reduces both the fixed charge density and the conduction current of the dielectric material.

Abstract: A filter adaptation unit suitable for producing a set of filter coefficients is provided including an error characterization unit for characterizing the error in a filter's impulse response, where the set filter coefficients determining the impulse response are derived using a least squares method. The error characterization unit generates a set of error characterization data elements associated to a newly generated set of filter coefficients. The set of error characterization data elements is generated on the basis of a first input signal and a noise signal. The first signal and the noise signal are first broken down into frequency bands. A computation for statistically characterizing the error is then applied to each frequency band, yielding an error characterization data element per frequency band.

Abstract: A device and method for generating a set of filter coefficients is provided. Sequences of samples of a first and second signal are received where the second signal includes a certain component that is correlated to the first signal. A first set of filter coefficients is generated on the basis of the first and second signals. A set of performance data elements are generated to evaluate the performance of a filter using the first set of coefficients, each performance data element being associated to a respective frequency band selected from a set of frequency bands. Following this, a set of correction signals is generated including a correction signal for each frequency band for which the associated performance data element is indicative of an unsatisfactory performance. A second set of filter coefficients is generated on the basis of the first signal, the second signals and the set of correction signals. The second set of filter coefficients is then released in a format suitable for use by a filter.

Abstract: A filter adaptation unit for producing a set of filter coefficients indicative of a transfer function of a system in a given state is provided including a coefficient set selection unit for selecting between two or more sets of filter coefficients. For each set of filter coefficients a respective set of error characterization data elements is generated characterizing the error in a filter's impulse response when using the corresponding set of filter coefficients. The selection unit provides functionality for processing the first and second sets of filter coefficients and the second set of error characterization data elements in order to detect whether a change in the state of the system has occurred and to select a preferred set of filter coefficients. The selected set of filter coefficients is released in a format suitable for use by an adaptive filter.

Abstract: An apparatus and method suitable for producing a set of filter coefficients are provided. Sequences of samples of first and second signals are received by the apparatus. Each received sample is processed to update a set of auto-correlation data elements and cross-correlation data elements. The set of auto-correlation data elements corresponds to a compressed version of a corresponding auto-correlation matrix data structure. A scheduling controller generates a scheduling signal including a succession of scheduling commands, the scheduling command indicating that a new set of filter coefficients is to be computed. A new scheduling command is issued when at least two samples of first and second signals are received subsequent to a previously issued scheduling command. In response to a scheduling command, the auto-correlation data elements are processed to generate the auto-correlation matrix data structure.

Abstract: A process for forming a silicon oxynitride layer in an N.sub.2 atmosphere is disclosed. The silicon oxynitride layer is formed by heating a silicon substrate in an N.sub.2 atmosphere for a period of time that is sufficient to form a nitrided layer with a nitrogen content of at least about 5.times.10.sup.13 atoms/cm.sup.2 therein. Afterward, the substrate is further oxidized in an oxygen containing atmosphere for a period of time sufficient to form a silicon oxynitride layer on the substrate with a thickness of at least about 1 nm and a nitrogen content of at least about 5.times.10.sup.13 atoms/cm.sup.2 on the wafer.

Abstract: A wafer holder for maintaining a semiconductor wafer at a constant temperature during film deposition is disclosed. The wafer holder is configured to have one or more quartz arms. Affixed to each arm is at least one quartz support, whose top end is adapted for holding the semiconductor wafer. The top end of each support is tapered to have a diameter smaller than that of the quartz support and is optionally tapered to a point. A thermal mass element is optionally supported on the arms of the wafer holder, to keep uniform, the temperature at the perimeter of the wafer with respect to the rest of the semiconductor wafer during a material layer deposition. Also, a quartz backstop is optionally attached to each support arm to keep the semiconductor wafer positioned on top of the quartz supports when the wafer holder is rotated.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit device, and specifically, a process for cleaning a silicon substrate before gate silicon dioxide is formed on the silicon substrate. The gate silicon dioxide is used to form transistor gates. The process of the present invention provides a silicon/silicon dioxide interface and the bulk silicon dioxide with advantageous electrical properties. In the present process, the silicon substrate is first subjected to a stream of hydrofluoric acid (HF) vapor. The vapor HF stream is a mixture of anhydrous HF, methanol, and nitrogen. Following this, the substrate is subjected to gaseous chlorine that has been irradiated with broad band UV radiation. After the substrate has been cleaned according to the present process, a layer of silicon dioxide is grown thereon using conventional techniques such as rapid thermal oxidation (RTO).