Abstract: A display device comprises a substrate; a gate line formed over the substrate; a first insulating film formed over the substrate and the gate line; a semiconductor film formed over the first insulating film; a drain electrode formed over the semiconductor film; a source electrode formed over the semiconductor film; a data line connected to the drain electrode and formed over the first insulating film; a second insulating film formed over the source electrode and the data line; a pixel electrode electrically connected to the source electrode and formed over the second insulating film; and a transparent conductive film connected to the data line through a contact hole formed in the second insulating film, the transparent conductive film being adapted to be electrically connected to an external drive circuit, wherein the transparent conductive film has a portion a lower surface of which is nearer to a surface of the substrate than is a lower surface of the transparent conductive film in the contact hole.

Abstract: To suppress oxidation of the inner walls of element isolation grooves otherwise occurring during thermal oxidation processes, a nitrogen introducing layer, that has a lower diffusion coefficient relative to an oxidizing agent, is formed at the surface portion of a silicon oxide film buried within an element isolation groove. This nitrogen introduced layer functions as a barrier layer for precluding the oxidizer (such as oxygen, water or the like) in vapor phase from diffusing into the silicon oxide film during thermal processing steps. The nitrogen introduced layer is formed by performing nitrogen ion implantation into the entire surface of a substrate and subsequently applying thermal processing to the substrate to thereby activate the nitrogen that has been doped.

Abstract: A probe card conveyor 10 comprises a probe card conveyor 10, a body 12 provided with the probe card conveyor 10, and coupling mechanisms 13 provided in a plurality of positions on that side of the body 12 which is opposed to the probe device 20 and coupled individually to four coupled fittings 22 of the probe device 20. Further, the probe card conveyor 10 comprises a probe card mounting mechanism 17 for transferring a probe card 21 in the Y-direction and a lift mechanism 18 for raising and lowering the probe card mounting mechanism 17.

Abstract: The signal amplifier of this invention includes a noise amplifier that amplifies a difference between a first ground potential and a second ground potential, and an adding amplifier that superposes an analog input signal on an output potential of the noise amplifier, and amplifies a difference between the first ground potential and a potential having the analog input signal and the output potential superposed. Thus, the adding amplifier superposes the noises amplified by the noise amplifier on the analog input signal, and thereafter amplifies the difference between the first ground potential and the potential thus superposed. Thereby, the signal amplifier is able to amplify only the analog input signal, without amplifying the noises of the first ground potential or the second ground potential.

Abstract: A mobile communication system which includes an exchange, a plurality of base stations, and a plurality of radio telephone sets communicatable with the associated base stations. In order to suppress or reduce call loss caused by traffic congestion or by faulty one of the base stations, an uncommunicatable service area of the faulty base station is covered by the other working base stations. The exchange detects operation states of all the base stations, searches a base-station state pattern table within the exchange for base-station control data suitable for the operation states to read out the base-station control pattern, and transmits the read-out base-station control data to the base stations to cause radio service areas of the base stations to be set to have desired radiation patterns according to the read-out base-station control data.

Abstract: In a feedforward amplifier with a dual loop in which a distortion injection path of a distortion elimination circuit 50 is provided as a feedforward configuration composed of a first auxiliary amplifier distortion elimination circuit 60 and a first auxiliary amplifier distortion elimination circuit, a second variable attenuator 55 and a second variable phase shifter 56 are provided preceding the distortion detection circuit 60, a second pilot signal injected between stages of a main amplifier 14 is detected by a directional coupler 85, and the second variable attenuator 55 and the second variable phase shifter 56 are controlled by a second controller 97 to minimize the level of the detected second pilot signal, thereby bringing the distortion elimination circuit and the first auxiliary distortion detection circuit into balance at the same time.

Abstract: As etch-stop films or Cu-diffusion barrier films used in insulation films constituting conductor layers of a stacked structure, films having smaller dielectric constant than silicon nitride films are used, and an insulation film at a lower-layer part of the stacked structure is made to have smaller dielectric constant than that at an upper-layer part thereof, and further this insulation film is a silicon oxide (SiO) film and has in the interior thereof, nano-pores of from 0.05 nm or more to 4 nm or less in diameter as chief construction. This makes it possible to dramatically reduce effective dielectric constant while keeping the mechanical strength of the conductore layers themselves, and can materialize a highly reliable and high-performance semiconductor device having mitigated the wiring delay of signals which pass through wirings.

Abstract: In a user setting information management method, when a predetermined event occurs, user setting information stored in the built-in memory of a portable telephone is read out and saved in a backup flash memory. When the predetermined event is canceled, the user setting information saved in the flash memory is written in the built-in memory of the portable telephone. The flash memory is divided into a plurality of independently erasable blocks. Each divided block is divided into a user setting information area for writing user setting information to be backed up and a block management area for writing block management information for each block. A user setting information log representing a backup order is generated as block management information for each block. Pieces of block management information of all blocks are compared every occurrence of a predetermined event to identify a block having undergone oldest backup and a block having undergone newest backup.

Abstract: A calender for a sheet of paper comprising a metal roll which is rotated by a first driving unit. The calender further comprises a rotatable cylindrical jacket, a pressurizing shoe, and a plurality of support members. The cylindrical jacket is disposed opposite the metal roll to form a calender nip so that the sheet of paper is continuously passed through the calender nip. The pressurizing shoe is provided within the jacket at the position of the calender nip and presses the interior surface of the jacket radially outward to pressurize the calender nip. The support members are disposed inside the jacket so that they are equally balanced in the peripheral direction of the jacket.

Abstract: A small vehicle has a frame assembly that is supported by rear wheels. The rear wheels are connected to the frame assembly by a pivotable linkage. An engine drives the rear wheels through a shaft drive assembly, which comprises a drive shaft and a gear box. A brake assembly is mounted to the shaft drive assembly. The brake assembly comprises a brake disc and a brake caliper. The brake caliper is offset to one side to increase the available space for a storage compartment and the brake assembly is protected by the linkage and/or a stabilizer member.

Abstract: The document feeder apparatus is equipped with a sheet supply unit including a sheet supply member for supplying an original to a reading position; a transport unit including a transport member for receiving the original from the sheet supply member and transporting the original to the reading position; a discharge unit including a discharge member for discharging the original read at the reading position; and a flat plate shape support frame for supporting the respective units. The sheet supply unit and discharge unit are mounted on one of front and rear sides of the support frame, and the transport unit is mounted on the other of the front and rear sides of the support frame, so that each unit is unitized. Further, a sheet supply opening for guiding the original from the sheet supply unit to the transport unit is established on one side of the support frame, and an opening for guiding the original from the transport unit to the discharge unit is established on the other side of the support frame.

Abstract: The present invention provides a laser module that can maintain weldability of a lens holder and improve machinability, and it protects a burr from being induced, and thereby improves optical accuracy, improves a reading accuracy of a bar code, improves mass productivity and reduces a manufacturing cost. In a laser module for a bar code reader, which has a packaged structure including a light emitting element and a light projection lens, for collecting a beam emitted from the light emitting element through the light projection lens and irradiating to an irradiation target, it includes: a cylindrical housing, in which the light emitting element is engaged with one end side; and a cylindrical lens holder, which is engaged with the other end side of the housing, for holding therein the light projection lens.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory is disclosed, which comprises a plurality of memory cell arrays each having a number-of-rewrites storage region allocated to a portion of a corresponding cell array, and a number-of-rewrites write control circuit which stores the number of rewrites in cell transistors of the number-of-rewrites storage regions in non-selected memory cell arrays of the plurality of memory cell arrays by executing write of data to the cell transistors at a voltage lower than an ordinary write voltage so as to change a threshold value of the cell transistors in analog fashion according to an amount of electrons injected into floating gates of the cell transistors.

Abstract: An absolute accuracy in the range from ±2 nm to ±1 nm for a displacement measurement value is provided by a laser interferometer displacement measuring system. A fluctuating error component that appears corresponding to the wave cycle of laser light is detected and subtracted from the measurement value while a stage is moving, thereby providing a high accuracy.

Abstract: A spread illuminating apparatus having a light conductive plate made of a light transmissible material and a bar-like lamp disposed along and close to an end face of the light conductive plate. The spread illuminating apparatus also having a light reflection pattern having a stair-like configuration from a cross-sectional perspective. The light reflection pattern is formed on a major face of the light conductive plate. The spread illuminating apparatus also has a light dispersive-reflection pattern which has, for example, a plurality of convex surfaces which are formed on a major face of the light conductive plate opposite to the major face of the light conductive plate, which is provided with the light reflection pattern.

Abstract: A plasma display includes a display panel and a driving circuit for driving the display panel. A space for at least one color, of spaces between barrier ribs for defining discharge spaces for red, green and blue colors of the display panel is different from the spaces for other colors.

Abstract: On a semiconductor substrate, a transistor and a capacitor electrically connected to the transistor are formed, the capacitor having two electrodes made of metal and a capacitor dielectric layer between the two electrodes made of oxide dielectric material. A temporary protective film is formed over the capacitor, the temporary protective film covering the capacitor. The semiconductor substrate with the temporary protective film is subjected to a heat treatment in a reducing atmosphere. The temporary protective film is removed. The semiconductor substrate with the temporary protective film removed is subjected to a heat treatment in an inert gas atmosphere or in a vacuum state. A protective film is formed over the capacitor, the protective film covering the capacitor. With these processes, leak current of the capacitor can be reduced.

Abstract: A common-mode filter comprising: a drum type core 10 including a core portion 11, and quadrangular flange portions 12; electrodes 20 provided on the flange portions 12 of the drum type core 10; and a pair of wires land 2 wound on the core portion 11 of the drum type core 10 and having ends connected to the electrodes 20 respectively, wherein: each of the flange portions 12 has a groove 15 between corresponding two of the electrodes 20, and a separation protrusion 16 for separating the groove 15 into two lead-out groove portions 17a and 17b; the wires 1 and 2 are wound on the core portion 11 of the drum type core 10 in such a distributed winding manner that an inter-wire distance (a) between the wires 1 and 2 and a winding pitch (b) between adjacent turns in each of the wires 1 and 2 are provided; and the wires 1 and 2 are one-by-one led out through the lead-out groove portions 17a and 17b while separated by the separation protrusions 16 so that the ends of the wires 1 and 2 are connected to the electrodes 20