Abstract: In fabricating a thin film transistor, an active layer comprising a silicon semiconductor is formed on a substrate having an insulating surface. Hydrogen is introduced into the active layer. A thin film comprising SiOxNy formed to cover the active layer and then a gate insulating film comprising a silicon oxide film formed on the thin film comprising SiOxNy. Also, a thin film comprising SiOxNy is formed under the active layer. The active layer includes a metal element at a concentration of 1×1015 to 1×1019 cm?3 and hydrogen at a concentration of 2×1019 to 5×1021 cm?3.

Abstract: In producing a semiconductor device by annealing with laser light irradiation, while a linear laser light is scanned in a direction perpendicular to a line, the annealing is performed for a semiconductor material. In this state, since an anneal effect in a beam lateral direction corresponding to a line direction is 2 times or more different than that in the scanning direction, a plurality of semiconductor elements are formed along a line direction in which the linear laser light is irradiated. Also, a line direction connecting the source and drain region of a thin film transistor is aligned to the line direction of the linear laser light.

Abstract: An automatic transmission control system for controlling a gear ratio of an automatic transmission connected to an engine so as to bring an engine speed of rotation to a target speed of rotation predetermined according to a vehicle speed and a throttle opening of the engine.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of producing a food product is disclosed. The food product is placed inside of an air-tight chamber, in which the food product is to be cooked, wherein steam is generated from a source of water and is introduced into the cooking chamber. The steam heats the inside of the cooking chamber and serves as a heat transfer media to heat the food product as well as a color and flavor transfer media to color and flavor the food product. That is, a flavoring and coloring additive, such as liquid smoke, may be added to the water utilized in generating the steam in order to flavor the food product being cooked. The steam then transfers the flavoring and coloring additive to the food product which condenses on the food product adding flavor and color to the food product.

Abstract: An electronic stethoscope consisting of a transducer, an amplifier and a headphone will be better adapted to the habits of use of doctors when it is supplied with filters which mimic the transfer function of acoustic stethoscopes. Thus, the signals heard will correspond to those learnt, and thereby the advantages of greater amplification and elimination of noise sources may be fully utilized. Hence there is a possibility for extended digital signal processing which may furthermore compensate for the hearing loss of each individual doctor.

Abstract: A process for depositing a film at a high rate and with superior step coverage properties, which comprises installing a pair of electrodes crossing with another pair of electrodes making a right angle with respect to the another pair, and applying a high frequency power differing in phase to the electrodes in order to apply a high frequency power having a Lissajous' waveform in the reaction space during the deposition of a film on a substrate.

Abstract: A combination of a main navigation apparatus 2 which is fixed to the vehicle and a sub-navigation apparatus 3 which is detachable from the vehicle. When the sub-navigation apparatus 3 is attached, map information and current position information is displayed on a main display 25 under control of a sub-control unit 1, and state of the vehicle is displayed on a sub-display 33. When detaching the sub-navigation apparatus 3 from the vehicle, area map information necessary for waking outside of the vehicle is transmitted from an on-vehicle database 22 to a RAM 32. When the sub-navigation apparatus is detached from the vehicle, if the operation switch 36 is turned on, either the sub-display 33 or a speaker 34 is operated by an sub-navigation unit in a saving power control mode in which either the sub-display 33 or the speaker 34 is operated only for a predetermined period of time since the operation switch 36 is turned on.

Abstract: A hot heat source heat exchanger (1) receives heat from a primary refrigerant circuit (A) to evaporate liquid refrigerant. The hot heat source heat exchanger (1) is connected to a cold heat source heat exchanger (2) through a gas flow pipe (4) and a liquid flow pipe (5). An indoor heat exchanger (3) is connected to the gas flow pipe (4) through a gas pipe (6) and connected to the liquid flow pipe (5) through a liquid pipe (7). Gas refrigerant evaporated in the hot heat source heat exchanger (1) flows into at least the cold heat source heat exchanger (2). In the cold heat source heat exchanger (2), the gas refrigerant is condensed and refrigerant flow with respect to the indoor heat exchanger (3) is changed in accordance with a cooling or a heating operation requested by the indoor heat exchanger. In the indoor heat exchanger (3), refrigerant is condensed or evaporated.

Abstract: Check valves (500) are incorporated into a fuel injector so as to form a controlling orifice in the system between the solenoid vales which direct fuel to the respective injection and timing chambers of the fuel injector and the chambers themselves. The precision fuel metering capability of the valve (500) is determined by an annular clearance created between the plunger (512) of the valve and the valve body (510) when the valve is in its maximum stroke. For achieving a bi-stable operation of the valve, the ratio of the plunger valve seat (510d) area to the maximum plunger valve (512b) area and the spring (514) are key parameters. The check valves (500) are formed as cartridge type check valves that can be calibrated outside of the injector prior to the installation thereof.

Abstract: An improved semiconductor device manufacturing system and method is shown. In the system, undesirable sputtering effect can be averted by virtue of a combination of an ECR system and a CVD system. Prior to the deposition according to the above combination, a sub-layer can be pre-formed on a substrate in a reaction chamber and transported to another chamber in which deposition is made according to the combination without making contact with air, so that a junction thus formed has good characteristics.

Abstract: A motor vehicle door lock has a rotary latch with a holding recess formed in it. The rotary latch has a main catch with a catch surface formed on it. A key collar has a pin that is adapted to be received in the holding recess. A pivotally mounted detent pawl is biased in an engagement direction and has a catch lever having an opposing catch surface formed on it which is adapted to engage the catch surface of the main catch in a catch position. The catch lever and a support lever are pivotally mounted on an axle to pivot with respect to one another about an axis in the catch position in which the detent pawl is biased by a spring element into an extended position. An actuating element is disposed on the rotary latch, and the spring element cooperates with the actuating element to bias the detent pawl into the extended position when said actuating element engages the spring element.

Abstract: A discharge lamp of the short arc type with good light intensity stability in which arc fluctuation is suppressed is achieved, according to the invention by providing a discharge lamp of the short arc type which has an arc tube which surrounds the discharge space, hermetically sealed portions on the two ends of the arc tube, a cathode and an anode which are arranged opposite one another in the arc tube and which is operated such that the cathode is pointed upward, in by the cathode being supported by an inner lead which is held securely by the hermetically sealed portion, the outside diameter of the cathode being greater than the outside diameter of the inner lead, and by the relationship L.gtoreq.2.5D being satisfied, where D is the outside diameter of the cathode (mm) and L is the axial length of the cathode (mm).

Abstract: In the horticulture, large amounts of growth substrate blocks are used for the growing of cuttings, and these blocks should preferably be surrounded by a paper like casing. For the very manufacturing of these block packaging the casing material should be of a reasonably strong and good quality, which, however, may cause problems later on, when the plant roots during their growth pack against the casing wall. With the invention there is used for the casing a dual fraction material comprising partly a long-time durable, open web and partly a reinforcing and more or less web filling or covering material of a type that is brought to disintegrate either in the manufacturing process or in a suitably rapid manner by the natural influences, in particular moisturing, to which the blocks are exposed when taken in use. Thereafter, the said web may hold the block together without preventing root penetration.

Abstract: In a process for manufacturing a thin film transistor having a semiconductor layer constituting source and drain regions and a channel forming region, by the semiconductor layer being made thinner in the source and drain regions than in the channel forming region a structure is realized wherein, at the boundary between the source region and the channel forming region and the boundary between the drain region and the channel forming region, portions where electric field concentrations occur are displaced from the portion where a channel is formed. By reducing the OFF current (the leak current) without also reducing the ON current, a high mutual conductance is realized.

Abstract: Nickel is selectively held in contact with a particular region of an amorphous silicon film. Crystal growth parallel with a substrate is effected by performing a heat treatment. A thermal oxidation film is formed on the silicon film by performing a heat treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere containing a halogen element. During this step, in the silicon film, impurities included such as oxygen or chlorine, are segregated with extending along the crystal growth, the crystallinity is improved, and the gettering of nickel element proceeds. A thin-film transistor is formed so that the direction connecting source and drain regions coincides with the above crystal growth direction. As a result, a TFT having superior characteristics such as a mobility larger than 200 cm.sup.2 /Vs and an S value smaller than 100 mV/dec. can be obtained.

Abstract: A container body formed from two substantially identical interlocking container members with each of the container members comprising a substantially planer base portion and a plurality of opposing sidewalls connected to the base portion and tab portions extending from at least one pair of the opposing sidewalls with each of the tab portions including an opening and an adjacent interference element is set forth. The interference elements of a first of the two container members is received in respective openings of a second of the two container members for securing the second container member in an inverted condition with respect to the first container member.

Abstract: A low cost, compact heat roller device is provided which includes a heat generating resistance for increasing the temperature of the heat roller wherein the heat generating resistance is divided into two parts in order to correspond to passage widths of different recording materials. The heating power of one of these heat generating resistances is changed and the temperature increase of a non-paper transport area of the heat roller is suppressed. Specifically, the heat roller device includes a heat roller and a press roller opposite the heat roller, two heat generating resistances formed on an outer surface of the heat roller which generate heat independently of one another, a common electrode for supplying current and separately arranged additional supply electrodes. The time during which the respective heat generating resistance is on, is changed, in relative terms, according to the object to be heated, and thus the heating power is changed.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices such as thin-film transistors formed by annealing a substantially amorphous silicon film at a temperature either lower than normal crystallization temperature of amorphous silicon or lower than the glass transition point of the substrate so as to crystallize the silicon film. Islands, stripes, lines, or dots of nickel, iron, cobalt, or platinum, silicide, acetate, or nitrate of nickel, iron, cobalt, or platinum, film containing various salts, particles, or clusters containing at least one of nickel, iron, cobalt, and platinum are used as starting materials for crystallization. These materials are formed on or under the amorphous silicon film.

Abstract: The cellular telephone data communication system and method involves the use of a mobile data processing interface and a cooperating static data processing interface to effectively transmit data over a cellular telephone system. Each data processing interface includes a processor which operates in the transmitting mode to add an error control correction data format to data received from an external data source. The data is divided into packets and provided to a modem which is uniquely operated to eliminate the action of the modem scramble system and to remain active in spite of a carrier signal loss. The modem is deactivated or disconnected by a disconnect signal from the processor, and when carrier signal loss occurs, this disconnect signal is provided only after the lapse of a delay period without the resumption of the carrier signal.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device has a non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member formed on a substrate having a conductive surface, and a conductive layer formed on the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member. The non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member has such a structure that a first non-single-crystal semiconductor layer having a P or N first conductivity type, an I-type second non-single-crystal semiconductor layer and a third non-single-crystal semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type are laminated in this order. The first (or third) non-single-crystal semiconductor layer is disposed on the side on which light is incident, and is P-type. The I-type non-single-crystal semiconductor layer has introduced thereinto a P-type impurity, such as boron which is distributed so that its concentration decreases towards the third (or first) non-single-crystal semiconductor layer in the thickness direction of the I-type layer.