Abstract: An ATM switching system comprises a switch unit including a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports having the same cell transmission rate, and a multiplexer for multiplexing cell trains outputted from at least two output ports into a single cell train and outputting the cell train to a high-speed output line (and/or a demultiplexer for demultiplexing a cell train from an output port into a plurality of cell trains and outputting the cell trains to a plurality of low-speed output lines). The switch unit includes a buffer memory for temporarily storing cells inputted from the input ports while forming a queue chain for each output line to which each cell is to be outputted, a demultiplexer for distributing the cells read from the buffer memory among the output ports in circulation, and a buffer memory control circuit for controlling the write and read operation of cells with the shared buffer memory.

Abstract: A program which can render an object dynamically by using metaballs in a three-dimensional imaginary space is provided. All metaballs MB are disposed in an imaginary box IB, (r/R)2 is calculated according to a calculation equation expressing a given solid shape of a metaball MB from a center of the metaball MB towards the minimum direction and the maximum direction of a voxel index of a voxel Vx for each vertex of the voxel Vx. At this time, a second-order divided difference is calculated, based upon the second-order divided difference and a first-order divided difference calculated last time the first-order divided difference is updated, and (r/R)2 is calculated (S618 and S634) Only two times of addition are performed by utilizing information on vertexes of the adjacent voxels Vx calculated last time, thereby a computation time for (r/R)2 can be shortened.

Abstract: A cutting tool holder for holding a cutting member, which is attached to a drive unit for driving the cutting member. A first elastic member is elastically deformable in a first direction. A second elastic member is elastically deformable in a second direction different from the first direction. An elastic connection member elastically connects the first and second elastic members. A first attachment member is disposed in the first elastic member to be connected to the drive unit. A second attachment member is disposed in the second elastic member to attach the cutting member.

Abstract: A solution containing a metal component comprises composite ultrafine metal particles each having a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to the core. The core has an average diameter ranging from 1 to 10 nm. The composite ultrafine metal particles are uniformly dispersed in a solvent.

Abstract: A switching system for integratedly switching voice, data, image information and the like. The switching system comprises a plurality of front-end modules each adapted to perform a switching processing in association with a subscriber line or a trunk line, and a single or a plurality of central modules for interconnecting the plurality of front-end modules in star-type fashion and switching information prevailing between the front-end modules, in unit of block accommodating the information and a header added thereto to contain connection control information and in accordance with the contents of the header. The front-end modules are connected to the central module via inter-module highways each having frames occurring at a predetrmined period and time slots contained in each frame to carry blocks.

Abstract: In a packet switching system-made up of a single or a plurality of switching nodes or local units each including a label conversion unit for accommodating a plurality of packet circuits and performing conversion into output port information of a switch on the basis of a logic channel on a packet circuit, a self-routing switch for performing switching on the basis of the output port information, and a control unit for terminating a control packet and performing the call processing function, and a switching node or tandem unit including a single or a plurality of self-routing switches for interconnecting the local units, there are provided a device for setting, between the tandem unit and a destination-side local unit, the same logic channel as that between an originating, side local unit operative for information transfer and the tandem unit in respect of a call destined for a local unit other than this local unit and a device, operable in the originating-side local unit for information transfer, for inserting

Abstract: An electron beam system wherein a shot noise of an electron beam can be reduced and a beam current can be made higher, and further a shaped beam is formed by a two-stage lenses so as to allow for an operation with high stability. In this electron beam system, an electron beam emitted from an electron gun is irradiated onto a sample and secondary electrons emanated from the sample are detected. The electron gun is a thermionic emission type and designed to operate in a space charge limited condition. A shaping aperture and a NA aperture are arranged in front locations of the electron gun. An image of the shaping aperture formed by an electron beam emitted from the thermionic emission electron gun is focused onto a surface of the sample through the two-stage lenses.

Abstract: An ATM switching system comprises a switch unit including a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports having the same cell transmission rate, and a multiplexer for multiplexing cell trains outputted from at least two output ports into a single cell train and outputting the cell train to a high-speed output line (and/or a demultiplexer for demultiplexing a cell train from an output port into a plurality of cell trains and outputting the cell trains to a plurality of low-speed output lines). The switch unit includes a buffer memory for temporarily storing cells inputted from the input ports while forming a queue chain for each output line to which each cell is to be outputted, a demultiplexer for distributing the cells read from the buffer memory among the output ports in circulation, and a buffer memory control circuit for controlling the write and read operation of cells with the shared buffer memory.

Abstract: An ATM switching system including a switch unit having a plurality of input ports and output ports, and a multiplexer for multiplexing cell trains from at least two output ports into a single cell train and outputting the cell train to and output port. A demultiplexer can be provided in place of the multiplexer. The switch unit includes a buffer memory for storing cells from the input ports while forming a queue chain for each output port, a demultiplexer for distributing the cells from the buffer memory to output ports, and a buffer memory control circuit for controlling write and read operations of the buffer memory. The buffer memory control circuit has a control table for outputting an identifier of an output port the cells read from the buffer memory are to be output. Cells are read from the chain designated by the identifier.

Abstract: An electron beam apparatus is provided for reliably measuring a potential contrast and the like at a high throughput in a simple structure. The electron beam apparatus for irradiating a sample, such as a wafer, formed with a pattern with an electron beam to evaluate the sample comprises an electron-optical column for accommodating an electron beam source, an objective lens, an ExB separator, and a secondary electron beam detector; a stage for holding the sample, and relatively moving the sample with respect to the electron-optical column; a working chamber for accommodating the stage and capable of controlling the interior thereof in a vacuum atmosphere; a loader for supplying a sample to the stage; a voltage applying mechanism for applying a voltage to the sample, and capable of applying at least two voltages to a lower electrode of the objective lens; and an alignment mechanism for measuring a direction in which dies are arranged on the sample.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for forming a thin metal film of copper, silver, or the like on a surface of a semiconductor or another substrate. A method of forming a thin metal film, comprises preparing a dispersed liquid having a metal-containing organic compound dispersed in a predetermined solvent, coating the dispersed liquid on a surface of a substrate and evaporating the solvent to form a coating layer, and applying an energy beam to the coating layer to decompose away an organic substance contained in the coating layer in an area irradiated with the energy beam and bond metal contained in the coating layer. According to the present invention, it is possible to form a thin metal film of good quality efficiently and stably. The thin metal film used as metal interconnects in highly integrated semiconductor circuits contributes to the progress of a process of fabricating semiconductor devices.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming interconnects on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer by filling a conductive material such as copper (Cu) in fine recesses formed in a surface of the substrate. A method for forming interconnects comprises providing a substrate and a target composed of a conductive material in confrontation with each other in a chamber, introducing a sputtering gas into the chamber while a high voltage is applied between the substrate and the target to cause the sputtering gas to collide with the target, and depositing particles of the conductive material emitted from the target on the surface of the substrate to form a thin film, while sputter-etching the thin film by reflection sputtering gas molecules reflected from the target and having high energy.

Abstract: A switching system for integratedly switching voice, data, image information and the like. The switching system comprises a plurality of front-end modules each adapted to perform a switching processing in association with a subscriber line or a trunk line, and a single or a plurality of central modules for interconnecting the plurality of front-end modules in star-type fashion and switching information prevailing between the front-end modules, in unit of block accommodating the information and a header added thereto to contain connection control information and in accordance with the contents of the header. The front-end modules are connected to the central module via inter-module highways each having frames occurring at a predetrmined period and time slots contained in each frame to carry blocks.

Abstract: An ATM switching system comprises a switch unit including a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports having the same cell transmission rate, and a multiplexer for multiplexing cell trains outputted from at least two output ports into a single cell train and outputting the cell train to a high-speed output line (and/or a demultiplexer for demultiplexing a cell train from an output port into a plurality of cell trains and outputting the cell trains to a plurality of low-speed output lines). The switch unit includes a buffer memory for temporarily storing cells inputted from the input ports while forming a queue chain for each output line to which each cell is to be outputted, a demultiplexer for distributing the cells read from the buffer memory among the output ports in circulation, and a buffer memory control circuit for controlling the write and read operation of cells with the shared buffer memory.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electron beam apparatus for irradiating a sample with primary electron beams to detect secondary electron beams generated from a surface of the sample by the irradiation for evaluating the sample surface. In the electron beam apparatus, an electron gun has a cathode for emitting primary electron beams. The cathode includes a plurality of emitters for emitting primary electron beams, arranged apart from one another on a circle centered at an optical axis of a primary electro-optical system. The plurality of emitters are arranged such that when the plurality of emitters are projected onto a straight line parallel with a direction in which the primary electron beams are scanned, resulting points on the straight line are spaced at equal intervals.

Abstract: There is provided a method for forming interconnects by filling a conductive metal into fine recesses formed in the surface of a substrate, comprising: forming an underlying film on the surface of the substrate, the film comprising at least two kinds of metals; and conducting wet plating of the conductive metal onto the surface of the underlying film. The method can form a defect-free, completely embedded interconnects of a conductive material in recesses, even when the recesses are of a high aspect ratio.

Abstract: A packet switching system including at least one switching node or local unit each including a label conversion unit for accommodating a plurality of packet circuits and performing conversion into output port information of a switch based on a logic channel on a packet circuit, a self-routing switch for performing switching based on the output port information, and a control unit for terminating a control packet and performing the call processing function. A switching node or tandem unit is provided including at least one self-routing switch for interconnecting the local units. A device is provided for setting, between the tandem unit and a destination-side local unit, the same logic channel as that between an originating-side local unit operative for information transfer and the tandem unit in respect of a call destined for a local unit other than this local unit and a device.

Abstract: A switching system for integratedly switching voice, data, image information and the like. The switching system comprises a plurality of front-end modules each adapted to perform a switching processing in association with a subscriber line or a trunk line, and a single or a plurality of central modules for interconnecting the plurality of front-end modules in star-type fashion and switching information prevailing between the front-end modules, in unit of block accommodating the information and a header added thereto to contain connection control information and in accordance with the contents of the header. The front-end modules are connected to the central module via inter-module highways each having frames occurring at a predetrmined period and time slots contained in each frame to carry blocks.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to automatically select an optimum printing device according to the characteristics of a page in units of pages to print the page, thereby reducing the load on the operator in print processing. For this purpose, it is determined in units of pages whether data to be printed contains color information. If color information is present, a color flag is set to ON. When the color flag is ON, print data prepared and developed in a page buffer is sent to a color printer. When the color flag is OFF, the print data prepared and developed in the page buffer is sent to a monochromatic printer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming interconnects on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer by filling a conductive material such as copper (Cu) in fine recesses formed in a surface of the substrate. A method for forming interconnects comprises providing a substrate and a target composed of a conductive material in confrontation with each other in a chamber, introducing a sputtering gas into the chamber while a high voltage is applied between the substrate and the target to cause the sputtering gas to collide with the target, and depositing particles of the conductive material emitted from the target on the surface of the substrate to form a thin film, while sputter-etching the thin film by reflection sputtering gas molecules reflected from the target and having high energy.