Abstract: The present invention utilizes a reducing plasma treatment step to enhance the adhesion of a subsequently deposited inorganic barrier film to a copper wire or via present in a semiconductor interconnect structure such as a dual damascene structure. Interconnect structure comprising a material layer of Cu, Si and O, as essential elements, is formed between said copper wire or via and the inorganic barrier film.

Abstract: A method of reducing contact resistance of metal silicides to a silicon-containing substrate is provided. The method includes first forming a metal germanium layer over a silicon-containing substrate. An optionally oxygen barrier layer may be formed over the metal germanium layer. Next, the structure containing the metal germanium layer is annealed at a temperature effective in converting at least a portion of the metal germanium layer into a substantially non-etchable metal silicide layer, while forming a Si-Ge interlayer between the substrate and the silicide layer. After annealing, the optional oxygen barrier layer and any remaining metal germanium layer is removed from the substrate.

Abstract: A method of substantially reducing Si consumption and bridging during metal silicide contact formation comprising the steps of: (a) forming a metal silicon alloy layer over a silicon-containing substrate containing an electronic device to be electrically contacted, said silicon in said alloy layer being less than about 30 atomic % and said metal is Co, Ni or mixtures thereof; (b) annealing said metal silicon alloy layer at a temperature of from about 300° to about 500° C. so as to form a metal rich silicide layer that is substantially non-etchable compared to said metal silicon alloy or pure metal; (c) selectively removing any non-reacted metal silicon alloy over non-silicon regions; and (d) annealing said metal rich silicide layer under conditions effective in forming a metal silicide phase that is in its lowest resistance phase. An optional oxygen barrier layer may be formed over the metal silicon alloy layer prior to annealing step (b).

Abstract: A document size detection device accurately detects document size while reducing the number of document size detection sensors required. The device includes: a document detection sensor positioned at a first location on a document insertion line across a document feed path, the first location being positioned within the width of a first-sized document; a document position sensor positioned at a second location on a scan stand-by line across the document feed path, the second location being positioned within the width of the first-sized document; a document size detection sensor positioned at a third location between the document insertion line and the scan stand-by line, and within an area formed between lateral boundaries of the first-sized document and a second-sized document; a document feed roller for feeding the document; and a controller for driving the document feed roller to feed the document up to the scan stand-by line if the document detection sensor detects the document.

Abstract: A damascene structure, such as a conductive line or via, having a liner with a roughened surface between the substrate and the conductive fill and, preferably, a smooth bottom. The substrate underneath the liner may also have a roughened sidewall and smooth bottom. Such a structure provides enhanced adhesion between one or more layers of the damascene structure. The damascene structure may be manufactured by applying a photoresist over a substrate top surface, exposing the photoresist under conditions that create a standing wave in the resist, and developing the photoresist to provide a pattern having the desired roughened or serrated outline. The pattern is transferred into the substrate, the liner is applied over the substrate bottom and sidewalls, and the liner is filled with conductive material. A roughened liner surface may be achieved by applying a partial layer of liner material over the substrate, removing a portion of the partial layer, and repeating the application and removal steps.

Abstract: The present invention utilizes a reducing plasma treatment step to enhance the adhesion of a subsequently deposited inorganic barrier film to a copper wire or via present in a semiconductor interconnect structure such as a dual damascene structure. Interconnect structure comprising a material layer of Cu, Si and O, as essential elements, is formed between said copper wire or via and the inorganic barrier film.

Abstract: Call processing overload at a base station of a cellular wireless network is controlled by monitoring a level of call processing at the base station, and reducing a present handoff rate for active users when the call processing level exceeds a first threshold less than a maximum call processing capacity. When the call processing level at the base station exceeds a second threshold greater than the first threshold, a present rate of call originations or terminations is reduced while further reducing the handoff rate.

Abstract: A method for forming a dielectric layer includes exposing a surface to a first dielectric material in gaseous form at a first temperature. Nuclei of the first dielectric material are formed on the surface. A layer of a second dielectric material is deposited on the surface by employing the nuclei as seeds for layer growth wherein the depositing is performed at a second temperature which is greater than the first temperature.

Abstract: Reduced scale structures of improved reliability and/or increased composition options are enabled by the creation and use of quantum conductive recrystallization barrier layers. The quantum conductive layers are preferably used in trench capacitors to act as recrystallization barriers.

Abstract: A process for forming a conductive contact having a flat interface. A layer containing niobium and titanium is deposited on a silicon substrate and the resulting structure is annealed in a nitrogen-containing atmosphere at about 500° C. to about 700° C. By this process, a flatter interface between silicide and silicon, which is less likely to cause junction leakage, is formed on annealing. The step of annealing also produces a more uniform bilayer, which is a better barrier against tungsten encroachment during subsequent tungsten deposition. Larger silicide grains are also formed so that fewer grain boundaries are produced, reducing metal diffusion in grain boundaries. The process can be used to form contacts for very small devices and shallow junctions, such as are required for current and future semiconductor devices.

Abstract: A male type USB (universal serial bus) connector includes a substantially rectangular connector body, a cable connected to the connector body and extended out of a hole at a rear side wall of the connector body, two symmetrical insulative shells fastened together and covered on the rear side wall and two opposite lateral side walls of the connector body and a part of the cable to secure the cable in place, and an insulative cap fastened to the connector body and the insulative shells at a front side, the cap having a center coupling hole, which receives a front side wall of the connector body, and a backward coupling flange coupled to the insulative shells.

Abstract: A method for forming a conductive contact having an atomically flat interface is disclosed. A layer containing cobalt and titanium is deposited on a silicon substrate and the resulting structure annealed in a nitrogen containing atmosphere at about 500.degree. C. to about 700.degree. C. A conductive material is deposited on top of the structure formed on anneal. A flat interface, which prevents diffusion of conductive materials into the underlying silicon substrate is formed. The method can be used to form contacts for very small devices and shallow junctions, such as are required for ULSI shallow junctions.

Abstract: A bicycle saddle has a base which is formed of a main body and an elastic body. The main body is provided with a shock-absorbing area which is in turn provided with a plurality of receiving spaces, and partitions located between the receiving spaces. Each receiving space has a shoulder portion located along the periphery thereof such that the shoulder portion is beneath the level of the top of the shock-absorbing area. The partitions and the shoulder portions are level with each other and are provided with a plurality of through holes. The elastic body is filled in the shock-absorbing area by molding such that the elastic body is anchored securely in the through holes and that the elastic body covers the shoulder portions, and the top and the bottom of the partitions.

Abstract: A method for forming a conductive contact having an atomically flat interface is disclosed. A layer containing cobalt and titanium is deposited on a silicon substrate and the resulting structure annealed in a nitrogen containing atmosphere at about 500.degree. C. to about 700.degree. C. A conductive material is deposited on top of the structure formed on anneal. A flat interface, which prevents diffusion of conductive materials into the underlying silicon substrate is formed. The method can be used to form contacts for very small devices and shallow junctions, such as are required for ULSI shallow junctions.

Abstract: A bicycle saddle is composed of a main body, a support frame, two shock-absorbing devices, and a bridge. The main body has a shape narrowing toward the front end thereof and is provided in the underside of the rear end thereof with two fastening posts. The main body is mounted on the support frame which is formed of two steel bars such that the front ends of the steel bar are joined together and fastened with the front end of the main body. Two steel bars have a hooked rear end. The shock-absorbing devices are fastened with the fastening posts of the main body and the hooked rear ends of the support frame and are composed of a cap, a shock-absorbing pad, and a base. The shock-absorbing pad has one end which is retained in the cap, and another end which is provided with a recess for retaining a conical portion of the base. The hooked rear ends of the support fame are engaged with the bases of the two shock-absorbing devices.

Abstract: A method for printing in a frugal way to save ordinary print paper from unnecessary loss in a facsimile machine specifies the effective print length for a sheet of the print paper, which includes the steps of: receiving one sheet data, determining whether the amount of the received one sheet data exceeds the effective print length, determining whether the effective print length is greater than the sum of a predetermined length of the TTI region and the length of the substantial content of the received one sheet data if the amount of the received one sheet data exceeds the effective print length, and printing the received one sheet data with the TTI overlapping the upper margin of the effective print length if the effective print length is greater than or equal to the sum of the predetermined length of the TTI region and the length of the substantial content of the received one sheet data.

Abstract: A bicycle saddle includes a saddle body with a front converging portion and a rear diverging portion, a front mounting socket member formed at the bottom side of the front converging portion, a pair of spaced rear mounting posts which project downwardly from the bottom side of the rear diverging portion, a support rod with a converging bent front end to be mounted to the front mounting socket member and two diverging arms with bent hook portions to be mounted on the rear mounting posts respectively, and a pair of hook engaging members, each of which has a peripheral groove. Each hook portion extends around the respective hook engaging member and is received in the peripheral groove thereof. The hook engaging members are mountable on the mounting posts respectively after engaging the hook portions.

Abstract: A bicycle saddle includes a saddle body, a front mounting socket member, a pair of spring cantilevers, and a bracket. The saddle body has a front converging portion, a rear diverging portion and a downwardly extending skirt portion. The front mounting socket member is formed at the bottom side of the front converging portion. The spring cantilevers extend from the internal face of the skirt portion toward one another so that a space is formed between the spring cantilevers and the bottom side of the rear diverging portion. Each of the spring cantilevers has an engaging portion formed at the free end thereof. The bracket has a converging bent front end which is inserted into the front mounting socket member and a pair diverging arms. Each of the diverging arms has a free end which engages a respective one of the engaging portions of the spring cantilevers.

Abstract: The bicycle saddle of a bicycle saddle assembly includes a rigid saddle body which is formed as a looped member and which has a front portion with a nose, an intermediate portion and a rear portion. The saddle body has a width which increases gradually from the nose to the rear portion and defines an opening. The saddle body has a periphery defining the opening which is formed with a plurality of spring retaining holes. The bicycle saddle further includes a rigid spring retaining plate which has a periphery formed with a plurality of spring retaining holes, and a plurality of elongated coil springs, each of which has a first end secured to one of the retaining holes in the saddle body and a second end secured to one of the retaining holes in the retaining plate. The coil springs extend radially in different directions from the retaining plate to the saddle body to enable the bicycle saddle to absorb shock in a plurality of directions when the saddle assembly is in use.

Abstract: A bicycle saddle includes a saddle body, an opening formed through the saddle body and a plurality of spring-retaining holes formed along the periphery of the opening. The bicycle saddle further includes a spring-retaining assembly and a plurality of elongated coil springs connected between the saddle body and the spring-retaining assembly under tension. The spring-retaining assembly includes at least one first connecting member having a threaded hole. The spring-retaining assembly further has at least one second connecting member which has a counterbore. At least one screw member extends through the counterbore of the second connecting member and engaging the threaded hole of the first connecting member to engage the first and second connecting members. Therefore, the first and second connecting members can be moved with respect to one another by rotating the screw member.