Abstract: A tunneling junction element comprises: a substrate; a lower conductive layer formed on the substrate; a first oxide layer formed on the lower conductive layer and having a non-stoichiometric composition;a second oxide layer formed on the first oxide layer and having a stoichiometric composition; and an upper conductive layer formed on the second oxide layer, wherein the first oxide layer is oxidized during a process of forming the second oxide layer and has an oxygen concentration which is lower than an oxygen concentration of the second oxide layer and lowers with a depth in the first oxide layer, and the first and second oxide layers form a tunneling barrier.

Abstract: A DC converter with a halt mode setting is disclosed for preventing the occurrence of over-current while alleviating the increase in the size of circuits, along with a method for setting up such a halt mode. The DC converter includes a semiconductor switch, a clock generator for outputting a clock signal to a gate of the semiconductor switch to be utilized for controlling an on/off time of the semiconductor switch such that a predetermined power is output from the generator, and a drive circuit for switching the semiconductor switch to the continuous-on state according to a halt mode setting requirement regardless of the clock signal, when the semiconductor switch, normally repeating on/off operations responsive to the clock signal, is in its off-state.

Abstract: A coding parameter control circuit 31 computes frame length from bit rate and coding delay, and provides the computed frame length data to a CELP coding circuit 32. On the basis of the computed frame length, the coding parameter control circuit 32 selects control parameters from a table, in which a plurality of control parameters for controlling the operation of the CELP coding circuit are set, on the basis of the bit rate, and provides the selected control parameters to the CELP coding circuit. The coding parameter control circuit provides the sub-frame length, and bit number distributed to the multi-pulse signal to the multi-pulse signal generation parameter setting circuit 33. The multi-pulse signal coding parameter setting circuit 33 computes pulse number of multi-pulse excitation signal, pulse position candidates of each pulse and candidate positions thereof from the sub-frame length and bit number of multi-pulse signal.

Abstract: A program product is used by a control computer of an optical disc apparatus. The apparatus accesses plural types of optical discs. The control computer recognizes one type of optical disc out of the plural types of optical discs based on history information including a type of optical disc used in times past according to the program. The control computer then judges whether the type of set optical disc is identified with the recognized type of optical disc.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lithium secondary battery comprising a nonaqueous electrolytic solution containing a compound which is oxidized at a voltage higher than a charge end voltage of the lithium secondary battery and a compound which inhibits reactions at voltages lower than said charge end voltage.

Abstract: A varistor is provided which can be driven at a low voltage, has a small leak current, and can realize a high ESD resistance and a high surge resistance. The varistor is formed using a ceramic composition for a varistor which contains zinc oxide as a primary component and sub-components including praseodymium at a content of 0.05 to 3.0 atomic percent of the total, cobalt at a content of 0.5 to 10 atom percent of the total, at least one of potassium, sodium, and lithium at a total content of 0.005 to 0.5 atom percent of the total, at least one of aluminum, gallium, and indium at a total content of 2×10?5 to 0.5 atom percent of the total, and zirconium at a content of 0.005 to 5.0 atom percent of the total.

Abstract: The invention relates to a transport and gliding device for surfboards, comprising a guided stream of water influenc-ing the action of the surfboard, and a plurality of flexible parallel tubes (1) which are inclined at an angle (2) and have a non-abrasive, pressure-insensitive cover. Water flows upstream through said tubes which are preferably arranged or fixed on a solid base with spac-ers. In the region of the board gliding thereover, the cross-section of the tubes is reduced to a maximum value of zero by the gliding and squashing edge (5) of the board. In this way, the upwardly flowing water column (3) in the tube moves the board (4) with the surfer upwards. Strong jets of water (8) are also sprayed upwards on the surface of the tube, hitting the lower side of the board when it tilts and thus also pushing the board with the surfer upwards. The inventive gliding device can either be used in a buoyant manner on a lake, on the land or in areas with pools.

Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetic sensor provided with a magnetoresistive effect element capable of stably maintaining a direction of magnetization in a magnetic domain of a free layer. The magnetic sensor includes a magnetoresistive effect element provided with narrow zonal portions including a pinned and a free layer. Disposed below both ends of the free layer are bias magnet films that apply a bias magnetic field to the free layer and an initializing coil 31 disposed near the free layer. Further, magnetizing the bias magnet films and fixing a direction of magnetization of the pinned layer are performed by a magnetic field formed by a magnet array configured such that permanent magnets are arranged on a lattice point of a tetragonal lattice wherein magnet pole polarity is different from adjacent magnet pole polarity spaced by the shortest route.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring the response times of computer system components in order to improve computer system reliability and performance are provided. The method and apparatus are particularly applicable to computer systems with memory circuits, such as SLDRAMs, that have programmable response times. A response time monitoring circuit in the form of a phase detector includes a plurality of flip-flops with the data inputs commonly connected to receive a response ready signal from a component, such as a memory circuit, in response to a command to perform a task. Each clock input of the flip-flop is connected to a clock signal at a different phase of a response period. The outputs of the flip-flops determine the phase at which the response ready signal was generated by the component.

Abstract: An imager with dual conversion gain floating diffusion regions. The dual conversion gain regions yield (1) high conversion gain and sensitivity to achieve excellent low light performance and (2) high full well capacity and conversion gain to achieve high dynamic range. A dual conversion gain element is coupled between each floating diffusion node and a respective capacitor. The dual conversion gain element switches in the capacitance of the capacitor to change the conversion gain of the floating diffusion node from a first conversion gain to a second conversion gain. The imager may be a CMOS or CCD type imager.

Abstract: In an electronic data managing system, predetermined attribute values of attribute values of the electronic data are assigned to attribute items different from attribute items to which the attribute values have been assigned at a copy-to apparatus. Then, the predetermined attribute values assigned to the different attribute items by the assigning part are transmitted to a copy-to apparatus.

Abstract: Process for the production of synthesis gas by catalytic steam reforming of a hydrocarbon containing feedstock in parallel in an autothermal steam reformer and in one or more steam reformers in series, the heat for the steam reforming reactions in the one or more steam reformers being provided by indirect heat exchange with the combined effluents from the one or more steam reformers with the autothermal steam reformer, and wherein carbon monoxide containing gas is added to the feedstock prior to the steam reforming in the autothermal steam reformer and/or prior to the steam reforming in the one or more steam reformers, the carbon monoxide containing gas having a molar ratio of hydrogen to carbon of less than 4.5 and being added in an amount resulting in a product stream having a molar ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide of between about 1.8 and 2.3.

Abstract: An imager with an analog-to-digital converter having at least one ramp generator that precisely and efficiently produces the desired ramp voltages required by the analog-to-digital converter. The analog-to-digital converter can use differential or two ramp generators. The analog-to-digital converter can also use ramp generators operated in linear or compressed ramp modes.

Abstract: A slave interface is equipped with a register that stores a retry set value SRI that is unique for a slave device and a pseudo random number generator that generates a random number value RN, and when a non-acknowledgement response is sent corresponding to a transmission request REQb from a master device, the slave interface transmits non-acknowledgement response incidental information NAINFb that includes the retry set value SRI and the random number value RN to the master interface 2a. The master interface 2a extracts the retry set value SRI and the random number value RN from the non-acknowledgement response incidental information NAINFb, calculates a retry interval value by adding these, and when the interval time according to the retry interval value has passes, resends the transmission request REQb to the slave device. Since the retry interval time is independently set every time, live-lock may be prevented.

Abstract: A method of decoding turbo-encoded, received data in CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) system which carries out closed-loop control to electric power of a data transmitter, based on a signal to interference ratio, includes the steps of (a) weighting reverse-diffused, received data, based on both the signal to interference ratio and data obtained when the signal to interference ratio is measured, (b) carrying out ACS operation or comparison/selection operation in a process of updating alpha metric, a process of updating beta metric, and a process for computing likelihood, to the thus weighted, received data, and (c) compensating for results of the ACS operation, based on a predetermined value associated with a difference generated when the ACS operation or the comparison/selection operation is carried out.

Abstract: A GaN semiconductor device with improved heat resistance of the Schottky junction electrode and excellent power performance and reliability is provided. In this semiconductor device having a Schottky gate electrode 17 which is in contact with an AlGaN electron supplying layer 14, a gate electrode 17 comprises a laminated structure wherein a first metal layer 171 formed of any of Ni, Pt and Pd, a second metal layer 172 formed of any of Mo, Pt, W, Ti, Ta, MoSi, PtSi, WSi, TiSi, TaSi, MoN, WN, TiN and TaN, and a third metal layer formed of any of Au, Cu, Al and Pt. Since the second metal layer comprises a metal material having a high melting point, it works as a barrier to the interdiffusion between the first metal layer and the third metal layer, and the deterioration of the gate characteristics caused by high temperature operation is suppressed.

Abstract: An inverted PCRAM cell is formed by plating the bottom electrode, made of copper for example, with a conductive material, such as silver. Chalcogenide material is disposed over the plated electrode and subjected to a conversion process so that ions from the plated material diffuse into the chalcogenide material.

Abstract: The present invention provides an increased degree of uniformity of radiation dose distribution for the interior of a diseased part. A particle beam therapy system includes a charged particle beam generation apparatus and an irradiation apparatus. An ion beam is generated by the charged particle beam generation apparatus. The irradiation apparatus exposes a diseased part to the generated ion beam. A scattering device, a range adjustment device, and a Bragg peak spreading device are installed upstream of a first scanning magnet and a second scanning magnet. The scattering device and the range adjustment device are combined together and moved along a beam axis, whereas the Bragg peak spreading device is moved independently along the beam axis. The scattering device moves to adjust the degree of ion beam scattering. The range adjustment device moves to adjust ion beam scatter changes caused by an absorber thickness adjustment.

Abstract: A dual-sided HSG capacitor and a method of fabrication are disclosed. A thin native oxide layer is formed between a doped polycrystalline layer and a layer of hemispherical grained polysilicon (HSG) as part of a dual-sided lower capacitor electrode. Prior to the dielectric formation, the lower capacitor electrode may be optionally annealed to improve capacitance.