Abstract: A method of etching an electrode layer (e.g., a platinum electrode layer or an iridium electrode layer) disposed on a substrate to produce a semiconductor device including a plurality of electrodes separated by a distance equal to or less than about 0.3 &mgr;m and having a profile equal to or greater than about 85°. The method comprises heating the substrate to a temperature greater than about 150° C., and etching the electrode layer by employing a high density inductively coupled plasma of an etchant gas comprising oxygen and/or chlorine, argon and a gas selected from the group consisting of BCl3, HBr, HCl and mixtures thereof. A semiconductor device having a substrate and a plurality of electrodes supported by the substrate. The electrodes have a dimension (e.g., a width) which include a value equal to or less than about 0.3 &mgr;m and a profile equal to or greater than about 85°.

Abstract: A method of etching a platinum electrode layer disposed on a substrate. The method comprises providing a substrate supporting a platinum electrode layer, an insulation layer on the platinum electrode layer, and a resist layer on the insulation layer. A portion of the insulation layer is etched by employing a plasma of an etchant gas to break through and to remove the portion of the insulation layer from the platinum electrode layer to expose part of the platinum electrode layer. The exposed part of the platinum electrode layer is then etched by employing a plasma of an etchant gas comprising argon. The etched platinum electrode layer is subsequently overetched by employing a high density plasma of an etchant gas to remove redeposited veils from the etched platinum electrode layer. The etched platinum electrode layer is employed in a semiconductor device.

Abstract: An RF plasma etch reactor having an etch chamber with electrically conductive walls and a protective layer forming the portion of the walls facing the interior of the chamber. The protective layer prevents sputtering of material from the chamber walls by a plasma formed within the chamber. The etch reactor also has an inductive coil antenna disposed within the etch chamber which is used to generate the plasma by inductive coupling. Like the chamber walls, the inductive coil antenna is constructed to prevent sputtering of the material making up the antenna by the plasma. The coil antenna can take on any configuration (e.g. location, shape, orientation) that is necessary to achieve a desired power deposition pattern within the chamber. Examples of potential coil antenna configurations for achieving the desired power deposition pattern include constructing the coil antenna with a unitary or a segmented structure.

Abstract: A method of etching a platinum electrode layer disposed on a substrate. The method comprises providing a substrate supporting a platinum electrode layer, an insulation layer on the platinum electrode layer, and a resist layer on the insulation layer. A portion of the insulation layer is etched by employing a plasma of an etchant gas to break through and to remove the portion of the insulation layer from the platinum electrode layer to expose part of the platinum electrode layer. The exposed part of the platinum electrode layer is then etched by employing a plasma of an etchant gas comprising argon. The etched platinum electrode layer is subsequently overetched by employing a high density plasma of an etchant gas to remove redeposited veils from the etched platinum electrode layer. The etched platinum electrode layer is employed in a semiconductor device.

Abstract: Sesquiterpene lactones are useful in suppressing the early proinflammatory cytokines, and in ameliorating septic shock and other severe inflammatory disorders. Sesquiterpene lactones with an .alpha.-methylene-.gamma.-lactone functional group suppress the expression of the inducible cyclooxygenase-2 and proinflammatory cytokines (Interleukin-1.alpha. and .beta., IL-1, and tumor necrosis factor-.alpha. (TNF.alpha.)) in mammalian macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. This suppression correlated with the inhibition of protein-tyrosine phosphorylation including the mitogen-activated protein kinases.

Abstract: A two-stage switching regulator having low power modes responsive to load power consumption. A first stage of the regulator is a power factor correction (PFC) stage. A second stage is a pulse-width modulating (PWM) stage. When a load draws a high level of current, switching in both stages is enabled. Under certain conditions, switching in either one or both of the stages is disabled by the duty cycle for the corresponding switch falling to zero. When switching in both stages is enabled, as in a normal mode, switching in the PWM stage is then disabled in response to an error signal falling below a first error threshold. When switching in the PFC stage is enabled and switching in the PWM stage is disabled, as in a first low power mode, switching in the PFC stage is then disabled in response to a feedback voltage rising above a first feedback threshold.

Abstract: A controlled output voltage is provided for a switching mode power converter operating in the continuous conduction mode without requiring a feedback path coupled to monitor the output voltage. Instead, a voltage related to the input voltage is monitored. The monitored voltage is compared to a periodic waveform for forming a switch control signal. In the case of a buck converter operating as a voltage regulator, over each period of the periodic waveform, the periodic waveform is representative of the inverse function. In the case of a boost converter operating as a voltage regulator or buck converter operating as a bus terminator or power amplifier, over each period of the periodic waveform, the periodic waveform has a linear slope. The switch control signal controls a duty cycle of the power switches. Therefore, switching is controlled in an open loop, rather than in a closed loop.

Abstract: A circuit for providing a regulated output voltage from a buck converter without directly monitoring the output voltage. The buck converter includes a switch having a first terminal coupled to a supply voltage and a second terminal coupled to a first terminal of an inductor and to a first terminal of a resistive divider. A second terminal of the inductor is coupled to a first capacitor for forming the output voltage across the first capacitor. A voltage formed by the resistive divider is applied to an inverting input of a transconductance amplifier, while a reference voltage is applied to a non-inverting input of the transconductance amplifier. An output of the transconductance amplifier is coupled to a second capacitor for forming an error signal across the second capacitor. The error signal is representative of a difference between the output voltage and a desired output voltage because an average of the voltage formed by the resistive divider is representative of the output voltage.

Abstract: A nonlinear carrier controlled power factor correction circuit operates in the continuous and discontinuous conduction modes and provides unity power factor at the input of a power supply by only sensing the output voltage and the current flowing through a diode of a rectifier circuit. The power factor correction circuit monitors a level of current flowing through the diode and generates an integrated voltage signal representative of the level of current flowing through the diode. The integrated voltage signal is compared to a periodic, carrier waveform signal generated using a feedback signal corresponding to a level of an output voltage delivered to a load. A difference between the feedback signal and a reference signal determines the waveshape and characteristics of the carrier waveform. Preferably, leading edge modulation is used to control the duty cycle of a switch within the rectifier circuit.

Abstract: A combination PFC-PWM integrated circuit converter controller having a power factor correction stage and a pulse-width modulation stage. The power factor correction stage provides unity power factor and a regulated intermediate output voltage by sensing a current in the power factor correction circuit and by sensing the regulated intermediate output voltage in a voltage control loop. The regulated intermediate output voltage is sensed by an error amplifier that includes a current mirror. A dc supply voltage for powering the integrated circuit is generated that is representative of the regulated intermediate output voltage. The dc supply voltage is sensed for an overvoltage protection function. By sensing the intermediate regulated output voltage in the voltage control loop and by sensing the dc supply voltage for overvoltage protection, a component failure is less likely to affect both functions than if a single voltage was sensed for both functions.

Abstract: A user, after accessing (41) the communication system (10), selects (42) a paged email service option. In response, the communication system (10) dispatches (43) a service logic block to a service node proxy (110) of an email system (101-105). The service logic block is deposited (44) in a site-specific service logic block repository (112) of the email system (101-105). An email monitor is established (45) for the email system (101-105). Once established, the email system sends (46) an acknowledgment to the communication system (10). The user is then notified (47) of receipt of the acknowledgment.

Abstract: A breast massager including: (a) a cup for supporting a breast, the cup having an inner surface for supporting the breast, a tip corresponding to the tip of the breast, and an opening at the tip of the cup; (b) a rotator attached to the tip of the cup, the rotator having a rotating shaft protruding into the cup via the opening at the tip of the cup; (c) at least one flexible rod having a length, a first end and a second end, the first end of the rod being attached to the rotating shaft of the rotator in the cup, the rod being capable of conforming to the inner surface of the cup; and (d) a plurality of skin-contacting elements attached to the rod along the length of the rod; wherein, the rotator is capable of sweeping the rod along at least a portion of the inner surface of the cup to roll the skin-contacting elements against a breast supported by the inner surface of the cup.

Abstract: A switching mode power converter monitors the level of power supplied to a load device. The operation of a switch is controlled and used to draw power from an input source and supply power to the load device. During normal operation, the operation of the switch is triggered on every clock pulse by a triggering pulse. The duty cycle of the triggering pulse is controlled by a pulse width modulation circuit which monitors the level of power being supplied to the load device. When the power being supplied to the load falls to a predetermined light load threshold level, representing that the load device is either in a standby mode or a period of light use, the switching mode power converter will reduce the amount of power being drawn from the input source by disabling the triggering pulse for an appropriate number of pulses of the clock signal. The number of pulses skipped will depend on an amount of power being supplied to the load device and an amount of voltage stored across the capacitor.

Abstract: An oscillator for generating a varying amplitude feed forward power factor correction (PFC) modulation ramp signal includes a clock generating circuit and a ramp generating circuit. The PFC ramp signal generated by the ramp generating circuit is used within a power factor correction circuit of a switching mode power converter. The timing capacitor used within the ramp generating circuit is charged from the full wave rectified line input voltage so that the amplitude of the generated ramp output signal will follow the full wave rectified input signal, thereby maintaining the current loop bandwidth at a constant value and improving the transient response of the circuit. A one-shot circuit is coupled between the discharge transistor of the clock generating circuit and the discharge transistor of the ramp generating circuit for synchronizing the clock and ramp reference signals generated by the oscillator so that the frequency of the ramp reference signal is equal to the frequency of the clock signal.

Abstract: A golf ball has a plurality of dimples in its spherical outer surface and its spherical outer surface is divided into the faces of an icosahedron consisting of 20 regular large spherical triangles. Six (6) great circle paths further divide the golf ball's spherical outer surface into the faces of an icosidodecahedron consisting of 20 regular spherical triangles and 12 regular spherical pentagons. The dimple covalent boundary lines are made evenly and uniformly parallel to the regular dividing lines between the regular spherical triangles and the adjacent regular spherical pentagons. The dimple covalent areas are made between the regular spherical triangles and the adjacent regular spherical pentagons. Therefore, the total surface area of dimples are maximized which is a characteristic of the golf ball.

Abstract: A synchronous switching cascade connected power converter includes a first power factor correction converter stage and a second DC to DC converter stage for generating an output voltage in response to an input voltage and current. The output voltage is controlled by a circuit which measures a level of current within the circuit, compares that level to a predetermined desired level, and develops a response elsewhere in the circuit. Leading edge modulation for the first stage and trailing edge modulation for the second stage is implemented to realize synchronous switching between the two power stages. A single reference clock signal is used to control both the power stages. The duty cycle of the first stage is varied according to the input voltage. The duty cycle of the second stage is ideally held constant at fifty percent but will vary as the input voltage to this stage varies.

Abstract: The invention relates to a golfball having a plurality of dimples in its outer spherical surface The dimples have various sizes and depths and are configured in a pattern that is based upon dividing the golfball's surface into a spherical octahedron having eight octahedral triangles and a spherical hexaoctahedron having eight hexaoctahedral triangles and six hexaoctahedral quadrangles. The two poles of the golfball are located within centers of oppositely facing octahedral triangles ("pole triangles"). The remaining six octahedral triangles ("equator triangles") are intersected by the golfball's equator through the two of their three midpoints that are not in contact with the pole triangles.Six dimples of equal size (having equivalent diameters) are placed in a circle around the centers of each of the eight octahedral triangles.

Abstract: This invention relates to a bead supporter for supporting a cathode assembly of an electron gun for a cathode-ray tube and fixing the assembly to a bead glass. This invention also relates to an apparatus for sorting and transporting the bead supporters in a properly oriented posture to an assembly line. The bead supporter includes a plurality of positioning projections formed on the lower side of its central portion, and cut-out portions formed in its upper edge portion opposite to the projections to permit the center of gravity of the supporter to vary depending upon its normal and reverse positions. The apparatus includes a feeding surface and a horizontal sorting surface for transferring the bead supporters. The width of the horizontal sorting surface is less than the width of the feeding surface such that each supporter having cut-out portions formed therein falls from the sorting surface when reversely positioned.

Abstract: A method of synthesizing encapsulated nanocrystals inside protective shells is disclosed. This method produces nanocrystals of metals, alloys, and compounds which are individually encapsulated by protective graphite shells which completely separate the nanocrystals from the environment. A separation method is also disclosed which eliminates most of all other debris except the encapsulated nanocrystals from the preparation product.