Abstract: A method of preventing overpolishing in a chemical-mechanical polishing operation includes using a spin-on polymer material instead of spin-on glass as the local planarization material. The spin-on polymer layer is further used as a polishing stop layer so as to prevent damage to components due to overpolishing, because the polishing rate of the spin-on polymer layer in a chemical-mechanical polishing operation is, in general, lower than the polishing rate of the silicon dioxide layer formed using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition.

Abstract: The DRAM cell is formed by covering the cell's transfer FET with a conformal insulating layer. A self aligned contact etch removes a portion of the conformal insulating layer from above a first source/drain region of the FET and then a first polysilicon layer is deposited over the device. Etching defines a polysilicon pad from the first polysilicon layer with edges of the polysilicon pad disposed over the gate electrode and an adjacent wiring line. A thick, planarized second insulating layer is provided over the device, filling the volume defined by the locally cupped surface of the polysilicon pad. Etching is performed to remove a portion of the planarized insulating layer using the pad polysilicon layer as an etch stop for the process. A second, thick polysilicon layer is next provided to fill the cavity and the layer is patterned to laterally define the lower capacitor electrode.

Abstract: A method of planarizing a pre-metal dielectric layer using chemical-mechanical polishing, in order to alleviate the problem of resistance reduction when making products having poly-loads, includes providing a semiconductor substrate with a semiconductor component formed thereabove. A pre-metal dielectric layer is formed above the semiconductor substrate. Thereafter, the pre-metal dielectric layer is planarized using chemical-mechanical polishing. Next, a silicon-rich oxide layer, that has a characteristic gettering property which can be used to compensate for the weakening of the gettering ability of the pre-metal dielectric layer, due to the wearing out of the layer in a chemical-mechanical polishing operation, is formed above the pre-metal dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a ROM includes forming a pad oxide layer on a P-type substrate, forming a silicon nitride layer on the pad oxide layer and patterning the silicon nitride layer. An N well is formed in the P-type substrate, wherein some of the silicon nitride layer is over the N well. A field oxide layer is formed over the substrate. The silicon nitride layer is removed. The N well is doped using first P-type ions to form a plurality of essentially parallel P-pole regions. An insulating layer is formed over the field oxide layer. A plurality of contact windows are formed within the insulating layer to expose a portion of the P-pole regions. The N well is doped and annealed, to form a plurality of P-type diffusion regions under the exposed portions of the P-pole regions. The P-pole regions are doped and annealed, to form a plurality of N-type diffusion regions in the exposed portions of the P-pole regions. A metal layer is formed which fills the contact windows.

Abstract: In a vehicle with an automatically controlled clutch in which ON-OFF of the friction clutch is automatically controlled by a controller, clutch control during coasting (with the accelerator depression amount being 0%) is conducted according to a clutch ON-OFF map for coasting provided in the controller.Two different clutch ON-OFF maps for coasting are provided; one having a smaller hysteresis width, and the other having a larger hysteresis width. Clutch control during coasting is conducted by applying the map with a smaller hysteresis width when the brake pedal is stepped on or applying the map with a larger hysteresis width when the brake pedal is not stepped on. Thus, clutch ON-OFF hunting can be avoided, and smooth stopping can be conducted.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a shallow trench isolation structure comprising the steps of forming a masking layer over a substrate; then, patterning the masking layer to form an opening; thereafter, forming an oxide layer over the surface of the masking layer and the opening; and, etching back the oxide layer to form oxide spacers on the sidewalls of the masking layer. Subsequently, the substrate is etched downward along the side edges of the oxide spacers to form a trench. Thereafter, the oxide spacers are removed to expose the substrate surface formerly blocked by the oxide spacers. Finally, a liner oxide layer is formed on the trench surface over the substrate. The characteristic of this invention is the formation of a smoother and thicker liner oxide layer. Hence, device current leakage due to subthreshold current and associated kink effect can be avoided.

Abstract: Upon receipt of an article in a warehouse, an article code put on the article and a location code put on a shelf loading the article are stored as management data through scanning. In addition, as the management data are stored, a manufacturing date, a lot number related to the article and the number of a pallet used for moving the article. Consequently, using those data, the host computer carries out a variety of warehouse management tasks, which enables first-in and first-out warehouse management and accurate shipping management using a terminal connected to the host computer, thus reducing use of paper such as an article slip and/or an article order.

Abstract: An ink-jet head comprising a plurality of sidewalls each imparting a pressure pulse to an ink pressurizing cell by means of shear mode deformation, and a front wall having a plurality of orifices. The ink in the ink pressurizing cells is ejected from the orifices. Each sidewall comprises a first wall section, a first electrode disposed thereon, an anisotropic adhesive disposed thereon, a second electrode disposed thereon, and a second wall section disposed thereon. Width of the first electrode is narrower than width of the first wall section, and the upper surface of the first wall section has first side areas which are not covered by the first electrode. Width of the second electrode is narrower than width of the second wall section, and the lower surface of the second wall section has second side areas which are not covered by the second electrode.

Abstract: Bonding pad structures may be fabricated by forming a layered structure including a first conducting layer and first and second insulating layers on top of a substrate. Openings are etched through the first and second insulating layers, with the openings being wider in the first insulating layer than in the second insulating layer. The etching process may be carried out in two steps, with the second step preferentially isotropically etching the first insulating layer so that the openings are wider in the first insulating layer than in the second insulating layer and a portion of the second insulating layer overhangs the opening above the first insulating layer. Metal is then deposited within the openings and on top of the second insulating layer. An interlocking structure is formed with the conducting material extending underneath of the overhang portions of the second insulating layer. A passivation layer may be formed over the conducting material.

Abstract: A servo valve for a power assisted steering gear for producing an auxiliary steering force corresponding to twist between an input member and an output member which are connected to each other by a torsion bar is disclosed. There is provided a sleeve member surrounding a torsion bar and having first and second ends. The first end is prevented from being rotated with respect to the torsion bar. The second end is provided with an opening extending along the radius of the sleeve member. A plunger-containing hole extending in the radial direction is formed in an intermediate part between opposite ends of the torsion bar, and plungers are contained in the containing hole which are movable forward and backward. The plungers are urged forward by a helical compression spring interposed between the plungers. Each of the urged plungers is engaged with an edge of the opening serving as a holding arrangement, to increase the torsional rigidity of the torsion bar at the time when the valve is neutral.

Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device including a MOS transistor provides an insulator formed on a semiconductor substrate and a gate electrode formed on the insulator. Source/drain regions are formed within the substrate on either side of the gate electrode. A layer of titanium is sputtered onto the semiconductor device, and a layer of titanium nitride is direct sputtered over the titanium layer using a titanium nitride target. The device is annealed at a first temperature to form a structure including titanium silicide on the polysilicon electrode, titanium silicide on the surface of the source/drain regions, unreacted titanium over the silicide regions, and titanium nitride over the unreacted metal. The unreacted titanium and titanium nitride are removed from the structure, and the structure is annealed at a higher temperature than the first temperature to form a lower resistivity titanium silicide.

Abstract: A headlight for automobiles with a head light filament and a high beam filament installed in the same poly-ellipsoid system. A part from the necessary parts in a conventional headlight, a reflector and a high beam filament are added. Thus, a high efficiency and a clear boundary of brightness are obtained under the conditions of smaller surface area.

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a hollow outer body, hollow inner body, and partition. The inner body is inserted into an outer body and slidably rotatable relative to the outer body. A partition is supported in the outer body and is slidable relative to the outer body in a longitudinal direction of the cartridge. The partition is at a first position substantially adjacent a longitudinal end when the inner body is at a closing position. The partition is moved to a second position after the inner body has been rotated to the opening position, thereby defining a residual toner accommodating space between the partition and the longitudinal end of the outer body. An agitating member may be provided in which a residual toner accommodating space is formed therein. The residual toner removed from a photoconductive drum is collected in a first toner receiving section. The residual toner is then carried by a screw conveyor to one side of the print process cartridge.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a border-less via. A semiconductor substrate which comprises patterned metal lines, a gap therebetween, and a first dielectric layer filled within the gap is provide. A second insulating layer is formed over the metal lines and the first dielectric layer. Using a photomask, the second dielectric layer is patterned and etched to form a via. A conductive plug is formed within the via and a second conductive layer is formed over the fourth conductive layer. Thus, the first and second conductive layers are connected by the conductive plug.

Abstract: A method for forming plugs using chemical-mechanical polishing, which includes providing a conductive layer having an inter-layer dielectric formed thereon; then, forming a contact hole in the inter-layer dielectric exposing portions of the conductive layer. Thereafter, a diffusion barrier layer and a glue layer are sequentially formed over the inter-layer dielectric and the exposed conductive layer. Next, a first metallic layer is deposited over the glue layer, and then etched back to form a residual first metallic layer. Subsequently, a second metallic layer is deposited over the glue layer and the residual first metallic layer. Finally, chemical-mechanical polishing is used to remove the second metallic layer above the inter-layer dielectric to form a metal plug. By depositing plug metal in stages, exposed cavities are no longer formed after a CMP operation is performed, thus avoiding the problem of CMP slurry getting inside a metal plug.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus has a photoconductive drum and a roller, e.g., developing roller, in pressure contact with the photoconductive drum. The photoconductive drum rotates on its rotational axis and has drum gears rotatable about the rotational axis. The drum gears are at opposite ends of the rotational axis. The roller is in pressure contact with the photoconductive drum and rotates on its rotational axis substantially parallel with the rotational axis of the photoconductive drum. The roller has roller gears rotatable about its rotational axis. The roller gears are at opposite ends of the rotational axis and in mesh with the drum gears. At least one of the roller gears is provided with a one-way clutch which is locked only when a drive force is applied to the roller gear.

Abstract: A read only memory device, which includes a P-type substrate, is provided. Several essentially parallel N-pole regions are located on the substrate. The N-pole regions extends in a first direction, and are separated from each other by a space. The N-pole regions form bit lines. Several N-type diffusion regions are located under selected portions of respective N-pole regions. Several P-type diffusion regions are located over respective selected portions of the N-pole regions. Each respective P-type diffusion region and associated N-pole region forms a diode. Several essentially parallel word lines extend in a second direction. Each word line is separated from an adjacent word line by a space. Each of the word lines is coupled to each of the corresponding P-type diffusion regions.

Abstract: An architecture for microcontroller with embedded flash memory is provided. The microcontroller allows the reprogramming of data into the embedded flash memory of the microcontroller to be performed on-board without having to dismount the entire IC package of the microcontroller from the circuit board and then use a dedicated writer to perform the write operation. The reprogramming operation can be initiated either by an external reprogramming-enable signal or an internal reprogramming-enable signal. When either of these two signals is generated, it causes an OR gate to output a high-voltage logic signal to a multiplexer to thereby cause the multiplexer to select a ROM unit for connection to the microprocessor unit. This allows the microprocessor unit to execute a reprogramming control routine stored in the ROM unit. The flash memory unit further stores a reprogramming detection/initialization routine which checks whether a flash reprogramming request signal is issued from the main-unit interface.

Abstract: A developing roller rotates in contact with a photoreceptor drum. The developing roller controls a development thorough the formation of a toner layer 50 .mu.m or less in thickness on an outer surface. The photoreceptor drum transfers a toner image formed on the outer surface by the controlled-development onto a medium. A fixation device heat-treats and fixes the toner image transferred onto the medium. A toner for the developing treatment comprises a resin having a Tg of 75.degree. C. or more as at least part of it.