Abstract: The present invention relates to a thickener that may be used in cosmetics and the like, and more specifically, to a thickener that may provide moisture with less stickiness. In the present invention, a thickener in the form of homogeneous fine particles whose surface is coated with a silicone polymer may be prepared using phase inversion temperature (PIT) polymerization while allowing the polymerization reaction to proceed in a uniform reverse phase emulsion with a small particle size. In addition, the thickener may be prepared using precipitation polymerization.

Abstract: Provided is a piston for an internal combustion engine. The piston includes a body including, at an upper part of the body, a crown including a combustion chamber where fuel is burnt and including, at a lower part of the body, a piston pin boss into which a piston pin is inserted and a skirt corresponding to a cylinder wall, and a cooling channel including a refrigerant channel, a refrigerant inlet provided at a side of the refrigerant channel, and a refrigerant outlet provided at the other side of the refrigerant channel, wherein a cross section of the cooling channel has an overall elliptic shape to reduce stress occurring at an upper side of the cooling channel when the fuel is burnt in the internal combustion engine, and at least one of arcs of the ellipse is configured as a first elliptical arc of a quadratic curve.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are an apparatus and a method for controlling PWM switching frequency that employ a negate PWM scheme to thereby increase PWM switching frequency, improve control responsiveness, and reduce the size of the circuit. The apparatus includes: a power factor correction (PFC) converter configured to convert an AC voltage into a DC voltage, the converter comprising a transistor controlling an operation of the PFC converter and a current sensor for measuring an electric current flowing through the transistor; and a controller configured to receive an output from the current sensor and calculate a duty ratio of a switching signal applied to a gate terminal of the transistor. The controller applies the calculated duty ratio to the switching signal in an on-duty period of the switching signal.

Abstract: Provided is a piston for an internal combustion engine. The piston includes a body including, at an upper part of the body, a crown including a combustion chamber where fuel is burnt and including, at a lower part of the body, a piston pin boss into which a piston pin is inserted and a skirt corresponding to a cylinder wall, and a cooling channel including a refrigerant channel, a refrigerant inlet provided at a side of the refrigerant channel, and a refrigerant outlet provided at the other side of the refrigerant channel, wherein a cross section of the cooling channel has an overall elliptic shape to reduce stress occurring at an upper side of the cooling channel when the fuel is burnt in the internal combustion engine, and at least one of arcs of the ellipse is configured as a first elliptical arc of a quadratic curve.

Abstract: Provided is a piston for an internal combustion engine, the piston including a body having a piston pin boss for inserting a piston pin thereinto, and a skirt corresponding to a cylinder wall, and a cooling channel provided in the body to allow a refrigerant for cooling the body, to flow therethrough, and having a ring shape including a first channel provided from a refrigerant inlet to a refrigerant outlet along a first outer circumferential direction of the body, and a second channel provided from the refrigerant inlet to the refrigerant outlet along a second outer circumferential direction of the body.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are an apparatus and a method for controlling PWM switching frequency that employ a negate PWM scheme to thereby increase PWM switching frequency, improve control responsiveness, and reduce the size of the circuit. The apparatus includes: a power factor correction (PFC) converter configured to convert an AC voltage into a DC voltage, the converter comprising a transistor controlling an operation of the PFC converter and a current sensor for measuring an electric current flowing through the transistor; and a controller configured to receive an output from the current sensor and calculate a duty ratio of a switching signal applied to a gate terminal of the transistor. The controller applies the calculated duty ratio to the switching signal in an on-duty period of the switching signal.

Abstract: Provided is a piston for an internal combustion engine, the piston including a body having a piston pin boss for inserting a piston pin thereinto, and a skirt corresponding to a cylinder wall, and a cooling channel provided in the body to allow a refrigerant for cooling the body, to flow therethrough, and having a ring shape including a first channel provided from a refrigerant inlet to a refrigerant outlet along a first outer circumferential direction of the body, and a second channel provided from the refrigerant inlet to the refrigerant outlet along a second outer circumferential direction of the body.

Abstract: A mask manufacturing method and a semiconductor device manufacturing method are provided. The methods form a plurality of dummy patterns without any change in hierarchical structure to reduce a turn-around time (TAT) and a performance of a system. The mask manufacturing method includes designing a layout of a main pattern, performing integrated optical proximity correction (OPC) on the layout, delivering design data, obtained through the integrated OPC, as mask tape-out (MTO) design data, preparing mask data based on the MTO design data, and exposing a substrate for a mask, based on the mask data, wherein the performing of the integrated OPC includes generating a dummy pattern in a state of maintaining hierarchical structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device may include a standard cell region on a surface of a substrate and a first active region on the surface of the substrate in the standard cell region, wherein the first active region has a length in a first direction. A second active region may be on the surface of the substrate in the standard cell region, the second active region may have a length in the first direction, the length of the second active region may be greater than the length of the first active region, and an axis in a second direction may intersect centers of the first and second active regions so that the first and second active regions are symmetric about the axis in the second direction. A first gate electrode may extend across the first active region in the first direction, and a second gate electrode may extend across the second active region in the first direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device may include a standard cell region on a surface of a substrate and a first active region on the surface of the substrate in the standard cell region, wherein the first active region has a length in a first direction. A second active region may be on the surface of the substrate in the standard cell region, the second active region may have a length in the first direction, the length of the second active region may be greater than the length of the first active region, and an axis in a second direction may intersect centers of the first and second active regions so that the first and second active regions are symmetric about the axis in the second direction. A first gate electrode may extend across the first active region in the first direction, and a second gate electrode may extend across the second active region in the first direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device may include a standard cell region on a surface of a substrate and a first active region on the surface of the substrate in the standard cell region, wherein the first active region has a length in a first direction. A second active region may be on the surface of the substrate in the standard cell region, the second active region may have a length in the first direction, the length of the second active region may be greater than the length of the first active region, and an axis in a second direction may intersect centers of the first and second active regions so that the first and second active regions are symmetric about the axis in the second direction. A first gate electrode may extend across the first active region in the first direction, and a second gate electrode may extend across the second active region in the first direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device may include a standard cell region on a surface of a substrate and a first active region on the surface of the substrate in the standard cell region, wherein the first active region has a length in a first direction. A second active region may be on the surface of the substrate in the standard cell region, the second active region may have a length in the first direction, the length of the second active region may be greater than the length of the first active region, and an axis in a second direction may intersect centers of the first and second active regions so that the first and second active regions are symmetric about the axis in the second direction. A first gate electrode may extend across the first active region in the first direction, and a second gate electrode may extend across the second active region in the first direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a plurality of signal lines, and at least one power line. The substrate includes an integrated circuit unit. The signal lines are disposed on the substrate and are configured to provide the integrated circuit unit with signals. The power line is disposed on the substrate and is configured to provide the integrated circuit unit with power supply on the substrate. The power line includes a stacked structure including a first power line and a second power line stacked on the first power line.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a plurality of signal lines, and at least one power line. The substrate includes an integrated circuit unit. The signal lines are disposed on the substrate and are configured to provide the integrated circuit unit with signals. The power line is disposed on the substrate and is configured to provide the integrated circuit unit with power supply on the substrate. The power line includes a stacked structure including a first power line and a second power line stacked on the first power line.

Abstract: An illumination control module, which enables one diffraction optical element (DOE) to be applied to various photolithography processes, and a diffraction illumination system and a photolithography system including the same are provided. The illumination control module includes a convex-ring-shaped upper lens, and a concave-ring-shaped lower lens.

Abstract: In an optical member holder and a projection exposure apparatus having the same, a light beam radiated from a light source may be formed into light having a desired shape by selecting one of a plurality of optical elements. An optical element holder may include a support member to support the plurality of optical elements, a first driving section to move or rotate the support member to select one of the optical elements, and a second driving section to rotate the selected optical element to adjust an arrangement direction thereof. The light formed by the selected optical element may be directed through a reticle.

Abstract: A method of correcting a design pattern of a mask takes into account the overlay margin between adjacent one of actual patterns that are stacked on a substrate. First, a pattern of a photomask for forming a first one of the actual patterns on a substrate is conceived. Also, information representing the image of a second one of the actual patterns is produced. Then, optical proximity correction (OPC) is performed on the first pattern based on the information. The information may be obtained by simulating the transcription of a photomask having a second pattern designed to form the second actual pattern, or by forming the second actual pattern and then capturing the image of the second actual pattern. Accordingly, a sufficient margin is provided between the second actual pattern and the first pattern on which the optical proximity correction has been performed.

Abstract: In an optical member holder and a projection exposure apparatus having the same, a light beam radiated from a light source may be formed into light having a desired shape by selecting one of a plurality of optical elements. An optical element holder may include a support member to support the plurality of optical elements, a first driving section to move or rotate the support member to select one of the optical elements, and a second driving section to rotate the selected optical element to adjust an arrangement direction thereof. The light formed by the selected optical element may be directed through a reticle.

Abstract: In methods of manufacturing a capacitor and a semiconductor device, a mold layer is formed on a substrate having a contact plug. The mold layer includes an opening exposing the contact plug. A conductive layer is formed on the contact plug, an inner sidewall of the opening and the mold layer. A photoresist pattern is formed to substantially fill the opening. A cylindrical lower electrode is formed by partially removing the conductive layer. The mold layer is selectively removed while the photoresist pattern prevents damage to the lower electrode, the contact plug and the substrate. The photoresist pattern is removed, and then a dielectric layer and an upper electrode are sequentially formed on the lower electrode. Damage to the lower electrode and the contact plug are effectively prevented due to the presence of the photoresist pattern during selective removal of the mold layer.

Abstract: Correcting light intensity for photolithography may include irradiating light having a first light intensity distribution through a photo mask having a mask pattern to a photosensitive layer on a wafer to form a first pattern corresponding to the mask pattern. A distribution of critical dimensions of the first pattern corresponding to the mask pattern may be determined, and a second light intensity distribution may be determined based on a relation between the first light intensity distribution and the distribution of critical dimensions of the first pattern. Then, light having the second light intensity distribution may be irradiated. Related systems are also discussed.