Abstract: A method of forming a three-dimensional memory device includes forming an alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers over a substrate, forming a patterned template structure around memory openings in a drain-select-level above the alternating stack, forming drain-select-level isolation structures in trenches in the patterned template structure, forming memory stack structures in the memory openings extending through the alternating stack, where each of the memory stack structures includes a memory film and a vertical semiconductor channel, replacing the sacrificial material layers with word lines, and separately replacing the patterned template structure with a drain select gate electrode.

Abstract: A contact via structure vertically extending through an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers is provided in a staircase region having stepped surfaces. The contact via structure is electrically isolated from each electrically conductive layer of the alternating stack except for an electrically conductive layer that directly underlies a horizontal interface of the stepped surfaces. A laterally-protruding portion of the contact via structure contacts an annular top surface of the electrically conductive layer. The electrical isolation can be provided by a ribbed insulating spacer that includes laterally-protruding annular rib regions at levels of the insulating layers, or can be provided by annular insulating spacers located at levels of the electrically conductive layers. The contact via structure can contact a top surface of an underlying metal interconnect structure that overlies a substrate to provide an electrically conductive path.

Abstract: Multiple semiconductor chips can be bonded through copper-to-copper bonding. The multiple semiconductor chips include a logic chip and multiple memory chips. The logic chip includes a peripheral circuitry for operation of memory devices within the multiple memory chips. The memory chips can include front side bonding pad structures, backside bonding pad structures, and sets of metal interconnect structures providing electrically conductive paths between pairs of a first side bonding pad structure and a backside bonding pad structure. Thus, electrical control signal can vertically propagate between the logic chip and an overlying memory chip through at least one intermediate memory chip located between them. The backside bonding pad structures can be formed as portions of integrated through-substrate via and pad structures that extend through a respective semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Sacrificial pillar structures are formed through a first semiconductor substrate on which first semiconductor devices are subsequently formed. After backside thinning of the first semiconductor substrate, the sacrificial pillar structures are replaced with integrated through-substrate via and pad structures to provide a first semiconductor chip. A second semiconductor chip is provided, which includes a second semiconductor substrate, second semiconductor devices, and second bonding pad structures electrically connected to a respective one of the second semiconductor devices. The first bonding pad structures are bonded to a respective one of the second bonding pad structures by surface activated bonding.

Abstract: A three-dimensional fabricating apparatus includes a forward layer fabricator, a backward layer fabricator, and a controller. The forward layer fabricator is configured to discharge a fabrication material in a forward path to form a forward fabrication layer. The backward layer fabricator is configured to discharge a fabrication material in a backward path to form a backward fabrication layer. The controller is configured to control the forward layer fabricator and the backward layer fabricator so that a total discharge amount of the fabrication material in the backward path is larger than a total discharge amount of the fabrication material in the forward path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image bearer, a transfer-bias power source, an environment sensor, and a controller. The controller controls the transfer-bias power source to change the DC component and the AC component, according to the at least one of temperature and humidity detected by the environment sensor and a duty of the transfer bias. The duty is A/(A+B)×100[%] where A denotes an area on a return-directional side to move toner from the recording sheet back to the image bearer, relative to a center value (Voff) of a maximum value and a minimum value of the transfer bias in one cycle of a waveform of the transfer bias, and B denotes an area on a transfer-directional side to move the toner from the image bearer to the recording sheet, relative to the center value (Voff) in the one cycle.

Abstract: Provided is an active-energy-ray-curable liquid composition containing a monomer (A) having a hydrogen-bonding capacity and a solvent (B) having a hydrogen-bonding capacity, wherein the active-energy-ray-curable liquid composition satisfies conditions below, <Conditions> a cured product obtained by irradiating the active-energy-ray-curable liquid composition with 500 mJ/cm2 of an active energy ray is a solid having a compressive stress of 2.0 kPa or greater when compressed by 1% at 25 degrees C., and the cured product has a water decaying property.

Abstract: An improved image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a nip forming member, a transfer power source, and a controller. The controller switches a transfer mode between a first mode to transfer the toner image onto a first type sheet having a surface smoothness higher than a surface smoothness of a second type sheet and a second mode to transfer the toner image onto the second type sheet. The controller controls the transfer power source to output the transfer bias having an opposite-peak duty of greater than or equal to 50% that is a duty on the side of the opposite-peak value in the first mode. The controller controls the transfer power source to output the transfer bias having an opposite-peak duty of less than 50%, which is different from the opposite-peak duty of the first mode, in the second mode.

Abstract: A light-emitting device includes a substrate and a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed above the substrate. In the plurality of light-emitting elements, a first light-emitting element and a second light-emitting element different in a rate of decrease in light output along with a temperature increase are included. The plurality of light-emitting elements include: a first serial element group including some light-emitting elements connected in series among the plurality of light-emitting elements; and a second serial element group connected in parallel with the first serial element group and including some light-emitting elements connected in series among the plurality of light-emitting elements. A ratio between a total number of first light-emitting elements and a total number of second light-emitting elements is different between the first serial element group and the second serial element group.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt-shaped image bearer, a transferer, a guide, two rotators, and a support. The image bearer has an image bearing surface to bear an image thereon. The transferer forms a transfer section between the transferer and the image bearer, to transfer the image onto a recording medium. The guide is disposed upstream from the transfer section in a delivery direction of the recording medium, to guide the recording medium toward the transfer section. The two rotators are disposed upstream from the transfer section in a moving direction of the image bearer and in contact with a non-image bearing surface of the image bearer opposite to the image bearing surface, a first rotator being closer to the transfer section than a second rotator. The support supports the first rotator and the guide and adjusts a position of the first rotator and a position of the guide.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer to bear a toner image, a nip forming member contacting the image bearer to form a transfer nip, and a transfer power source. The transfer bias has a transfer peak value to electrostatically move toner from the image bearer to the recording sheet and an opposite-peak value to electrostatically move less toner from the image bearer to the recording sheet than the transfer peak value. An opposite-peak duty of the transfer bias is less than 50%. The opposite-peak duty is tr/T×100% where T is one cycle of the transfer bias and tr is a time period during which the transfer bias is on a side of the opposite-peak value relative to an offset voltage of the transfer bias in the one cycle T.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a driving device with a low cost and/or a simple advance angle control for a motor. A voltage zero crossing detecting unit 314 is configured to detect an induced voltage generated from a coil with a specific phase of a fan motor 202 being zero of a voltage zero crossing point. A detection period setting unit 316 is configured to set at least one detection period synchronously with the voltage zero crossing point. A coil voltage detection comparator 302 is configured to compare a terminal voltage generated from one end of the coil with the specific phase with a threshold voltage, and generate a coil voltage detection signal S3 indicating a comparison result. A current phase detecting unit 318 is configured to generate a phase detection signal S8 indicating a relationship between the coil current flowing through the coil with the specific phase and a phase of an induced voltage based on a level of the coil voltage detection signal S3 in the detection period.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, an intermediate transferor, a secondary transferor, a plurality of rotators including a secondary driving rotator, and a detector. The image bearer bears a detection image. The detection image is transferred from the image bearer to the intermediate transferor at a primary transfer position. The secondary transferor is looped around the plurality of rotators and disposed in contact with the intermediate transferor at a secondary transfer position where the detection image is transferred from the intermediate transferor to the secondary transferor. The secondary driving rotator drives the secondary transferor. The detector detects the detection image on the secondary transferor at a detection position. With this configuration, a distance from the secondary transfer position to the detection position on the secondary transferor is an integral multiple of a circumference of the secondary driving rotator.

Abstract: A belt device includes a belt unit including a plurality of rotators and a belt looped around the plurality of rotators. The belt device further includes a frame including a plurality of support portions to support the belt unit, a biasing member to bias the belt unit supported by the frame in a predetermined direction, and an adjuster to adjust a position of at least one of the plurality of support portions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer including a first image portion to bear a first toner image, a second image portion to bear a second toner image, and a non-image portion to bear an adjustment pattern. A transferor forms a transfer nip with the image bearer. A controller controls the power source to output an image bias as a transfer bias to transfer the first toner image and the second toner image onto a first recording medium and a second recording medium, respectively, in the transfer nip when the first image portion and the second image portion pass through the transfer nip and output a non-image bias as the transfer bias when the non-image portion passes through the transfer nip. The controller performs a constant current control on the image bias and performs a constant voltage control when the image bias switches to the non-image bias.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a solid freeform fabrication includes forming a liquid film constituting a model part and a detail part with a model part forming material and a detail part forming material, respectively, curing the liquid film, repeating the forming and the curing, wherein the model part includes one or more surfaces without a support and the detail part is disposed adjacent to at least one of the one or more surfaces.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a solid freeform fabrication object, includes discharging multiple liquid droplets of modeling material and multiple liquid droplets of supporting material to a stage by a discharging device, merging the multiple liquid droplets of the modeling material into a liquid droplet of the modeling material in the air and the multiple liquid droplets of the supporting material into a liquid droplet of the supporting material in the air, curing the liquid droplet of the modeling material and the liquid droplet of the supporting material on the stage to form a layered fabrication object, and repeating the discharging and the curing to laminate the layered fabrication object to manufacture the solid freeform fabrication object, wherein the discharging device stands still during at least the discharging to a boundary area of the modeling material and the supporting material on the stage.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image bearer; a nip forming member, a nip width changing device, a power source; and a controller. The controller switches between a first mode and a second mode according to a predetermined condition. In the first mode, a duty of the transfer bias is a first duty and a width of a transfer nip is a first width. In the second mode, the duty of the transfer bias is a second duty lower than the first duty and the width of the transfer nip is a second width greater than the first width. The duty is (T?Tt)/T×100% where T denotes one cycle of the transfer bias, and Tt denotes a time period, in which the transfer bias is on a transfer-directional side relative to a time-averaged value of the transfer bias, in the one cycle.

Abstract: A driving device for a brushless DC motor having at least one coil may include a voltage zero crossing detection unit to where an induced voltage becomes zero; a detection period setting unit to set at least one detection period synchronously with the voltage zero crossing point; a coil voltage detection comparator to compare a terminal voltage generated from one end of the coil with a threshold voltage, and generate a coil voltage detection signal indicating a comparison result; a current phase detection unit to generate a phase detection signal indicating a relationship between a phase of a coil current flowing through the coil and a phase of the induced voltage; a driving signal synthesis unit to generate a driving control signal based on the phase detection signal; and a driving circuit to drive the brushless DC motor based on the driving control signal.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, an image forming device to form a toner image on the image bearer with toner, a power source to output a bias to transfer the toner image onto a recording medium, and control circuitry. The circuitry controls the power source to decrease a peak-to-peak voltage of the bias in response to increase in at least one of temperature and humidity, when a time-averaged voltage of the bias is on a transfer side of transferring the toner to the recording medium, from a median value of maximum and minimum voltages of the bias. The circuitry controls the power source to increase the peak-to-peak voltage of the bias in response to increase in at least one of temperature and humidity, when the time-averaged voltage of the bias is on a return side of returning the toner to the image bearer, from the median value.