Abstract: Methods of treating the surface of a metal-containing hardmask used in the manufacture of semiconductors by contacting the hardmask surface with a composition capable of adjusting the water contact angle so as to substantially match that of subsequently applied organic coatings are provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides water redispersible polymer powder (RDP) compositions that perform well even when redispersibility is fair comprising carboxyl group containing multi-stage acrylic copolymers having an alkali-soluble resin outer stage and one or more inner stage acrylic (co)polymer having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of from ?40 to 50° C., one or more nucleating agent having a boiling point of 150° C. to 500° C., and a water solubility of 3.5% or less, preferably, an alkyl isobutyrate and a branched alkyl isobutyrate, and one or more colloidal stabilizer. Also provided are dry mix cement tile adhesive compositions comprising the water redispersible polymer powder an ordinary Portland cement, an alumina rich cement with an alumina content of from 30 wt. % to 85 wt. %, and calcium sulfate. The invention enables a broad range of the claimed acrylic polymers in useful RDPs.

Abstract: The inventive photoelectric conversion device includes a substrate, a lower electrode layer provided on the substrate, a CIGS compound semiconductor layer provided on the lower electrode layer as covering the lower electrode layer, and a transparent electrode layer provided on the compound semiconductor layer, wherein the compound semiconductor layer has a maximum Ga content variation of not less than 5% as measured in a layer thickness direction, and a maximum In content variation of not less than 6% as measured in the layer thickness direction.

Abstract: A chip capacitor according to the present invention includes a substrate, a pair of external electrodes formed on the substrate, a capacitor element connected between the pair of external electrodes, and a bidirectional diode connected between the pair of external electrodes and in parallel to the capacitor element. Also, a circuit assembly according to the present invention includes the chip capacitor according to the present invention and a mounting substrate having lands, soldered to the external electrodes, on a mounting surface facing a front surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards coating compositions comprising from 50 to 85 percent of an aqueous dispersion based on a total weight of the coating composition, an abrasion reducing composition, a solvent, a basic water composition, and a crosslinker.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for reclaiming methacrylic acid from a high-boiler phase in a heterogeneously catalysed gas phase oxidation of a C4-compound to methacrylic acid comprising the following steps a) Providing a high-boiler phase from a heterogeneously catalysed gas phase oxidation of a C4-compound to methacrylic acid b) Providing an aqueous phase, preferably organically loaded, from a heterogeneously catalysed gas phase oxidation of a C4-compound to methacrylic acid c) Mixing of components a) and b) optionally followed by filtration or centrifugation d) Adding an extraction media to the mixture from c) e) Subjecting the multiple-phase mixture from d) to at least one mixer-settler extraction process f) Recycling the organic phase from the last mixer-settler process back into the C4-process

Abstract: A driver circuit includes: a first transistor connected between a line of first voltage and an output terminal; a first overcurrent detector configured to output a first signal when overcurrent flows into the first transistor; a first control unit configured to turn on and off the first transistor at a predetermined period and turn off the first transistor when the first signal is output from the first overcurrent detector; and a counter configured to count the number of times by which the first signal is output from the first overcurrent detector within a predetermined time interval, and to output a shut-down signal to stop an operation of the driver circuit as a value of the count reaches a predetermined value of equal to or more than 2.

Abstract: This invention relates to a primerless removable or repositionable pressure sensitive tape or label comprises a porous substrate material, and a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) composition comprising (i) 10 to 90 wt. %, based on the combined weight of parts (i) and (ii), of one or more aqueous adhesive (co)polymer, and (ii) 90 to 10 wt. %, based on the combined weight of parts (i) and (ii), of one of more water-dispersed thermoplastic material, wherein the water-dispersed thermoplastic material is incompatible with the aqueous adhesive (co)polymer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device (A1) includes a semiconductor layer having a first face with a trench (3) formed thereon and a second face opposite to the first face, a gate electrode (41), and a gate insulating layer (5). The semiconductor layer includes a first n-type semiconductor layer (11), a second n-type semiconductor layer (12), a p-type semiconductor layer (13), and an n-type semiconductor region (14). The trench (3) is formed so as to penetrate through the p-type semiconductor layer (13) and to reach the second n-type semiconductor layer (12). The p-type semiconductor layer (13) includes an extended portion extending to a position closer to the second face of the semiconductor layer than the trench (3) is. Such structure allows suppressing dielectric breakdown in the gate insulating layer (5).

Abstract: In a light-emitting element 1, a light-emitting layer 4, a second conductivity type semiconductor layer 5, a transparent electrode layer 6, a reflecting electrode layer 7 and an insulating layer 8 are stacked in this order on a first conductivity type semiconductor layer 3, while a first electrode layer 10 and a second electrode layer 12 are stacked on the insulating layer 8 in an isolated state.

Abstract: A process for the production of a polyurethane foam product includes reacting a polyisocyanate component and a polyol component in the presence of a tetraalkylstannoxy based catalyst.

Abstract: A semiconductor device according to the present invention includes a first conductive-type semiconductor layer, a second conductive-type base region that is arranged in the front surface portion of the semiconductor layer, a plurality of trenches that extend from a front surface of the semiconductor layer beyond a bottom portion of the base region with an active region being defined therebetween, a plurality of first conductive-type emitter regions that are arranged in the active region, each connecting the trenches adjacent to each other, a gate electrode that is embedded in the trench, an embedding insulating film that is embedded in the trench on the gate electrode and that has an upper surface in the same height position as the front surface of the semiconductor layer or in a height position lower than the front surface and an emitter electrode that covers the active region and the embedding insulating film and that is electrically connected to the base region and the emitter region.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition comprising an aqueous dispersion of xanthan gum and opacifying pigment particles such as TiO2 encapsulated with a vinyl ester polymer or a vinyl ester-acrylate copolymer, as well as a method for its preparation. The composition is useful in coatings formulations, especially paint formulations.

Abstract: A touch pad module includes: a touch pad, a sensor group, a touch pad controller IC and a touch pad controller IC (Integrated Circuit). The touch pad has a touch surface touchable by a user. The sensor group is mounted on a mount surface of the touch pad. The sensor group includes at least one of an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor and a geomagnetic sensor. The touch pad controller IC is mounted on the mount surface of the touch pad configured to control the touch pad and includes a detector, a digital processor and a first interface. The detector generates digital data representing an electrical state of the touch pad. The digital processor generates coordinate data representing coordinates touched by the user based on the digital data. The first interface transmits data between the digital processor and the outside of the touch pad controller IC.

Abstract: A SiC semiconductor device includes a SiC semiconductor layer having a first-conductivity-type impurity, a field insulation film formed on a front surface of the SiC semiconductor layer and provided with an opening for exposing therethrough the front surface of the SiC semiconductor layer, an electrode connected to the SiC semiconductor layer through the opening of the field insulation film, and a guard ring having a second-conductivity-type impurity and being formed in a surface layer portion of the SiC semiconductor layer to make contact with a terminal end portion of the electrode connected to the SiC semiconductor layer. A second-conductivity-type impurity concentration in a surface layer portion of the guard ring making contact with the electrode is smaller than a first-conductivity-type impurity concentration in the SiC semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A photodetection device of the present invention includes a semiconductor substrate which is defined such that a first light-receiving portion and a second light-receiving portion are spaced from one another, and an optical filter which is formed on the semiconductor substrate, and includes a first filter which is disposed so as to cover the first light-receiving portion, to selectively allow an optic element in a first wavelength band to transmit through, and a second filter which is disposed so as to cover the second light-receiving portion, to selectively allow an optic element in a second wavelength band different from the first wavelength band, to transmit through, and the optical filter has a filter laminated structure which is defined such that edge portions of the first filter and the second filter overlap one another on a boundary region between the first light-receiving portion and the second light-receiving portion.

Abstract: Provided are photoresist compositions useful in forming photolithographic patterns by a negative tone development process. Also provided are methods of forming photolithographic patterns by a negative tone development process and substrates coated with the photoresist compositions. The photoresist compositions include one or more polymer additive that contains a basic moiety and which is substantially non-miscible with a resin component of the resist. The compositions, methods and coated substrates find particular applicability in the manufacture of semiconductor devices.

Abstract: An operational amplifier has an input stage which generates a first input current and a second input current in accordance with a first input signal and a second input signal, an offset adjuster which gives offsets to the first input current and the second input current respectively to generate a first output current and a second output current, an output stage which generates an output signal in accordance with the first output current and the second output current, and an offset current generator which generates a first offset current and a second offset current in accordance with an offset adjustment signal. The offset adjuster gives the offsets to the first input current and the second input current respectively by using the first offset current and the second offset current.

Abstract: An organic EL device of the present invention includes: a base layer; a plurality of bottom electrodes arranged in a surface portion of the base layer at an interval in a lateral direction along a surface of the base layer; an organic layer which contains an organic light emitting material and is placed on the base layer so as to cover the plurality of bottom electrodes collectively and divided into a plurality of pixels respectively corresponding to the plurality of bottom electrodes; a top electrode opposed to the plurality of bottom electrodes with the organic layer interposed therebetween; and a gate electrode, which is placed at a region between mutually adjacent bottom electrodes in a planar view seen from the normal direction of the surface of the base layer, for turning off a parasitic transistor formed by cooperation of the top electrode and mutually adjacent bottom electrodes.

Abstract: A multi-stage polymer composition comprising a crosslinked core component, one or more intermediate layer components and an outermost layer component in which the refractive index of each of the crosslinked core, the one or more intermediate layers and the outermost layer are within 2% of the refractive index of each adjacent component; wherein the crosslinked core component comprises from 75 to 99.9 weight percent of units derived from at least one first monomer selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, and cycloalkyl (meth)acrylate monomer, optionally from 1 to 20 weight percent of units derived from a second monomer selected from the group consisting vinyl monomers; and from 0.1 to 5 weight percent of units derived from cross-linking monomers, graft-linking monomers, or combination thereof, and has a Tg of from ?75 to ?35° C.; wherein each of the one or more intermediate layer components comprises from 71 to 99.