Abstract: To seal an organic EL element satisfactorily, even when light is radiated from both electrode sides in the organic EL element. Laminate 20 is formed on transparent substrate 1. Laminate 20 includes transparent electrode 2, hole injecting and transporting layer 3, light emitting layer 4, and cathode 5. The top face of cathode 5 of laminate 20 and the end face of laminate 20 are covered by fist sealing layer 6 comprising LiF. The outer side of first sealing layer 6 is covered by second sealing layer 7 comprising an epoxy resin.

Abstract: An organic electroluminescent device having a high luminous efficiency and a long life, which comprises a dithiafulvene derivative represented by Formula (1): wherein R1 and R2 represent an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group; R3 to R6 represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkylthio group, an arylthio group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group; and when R3 to R6 are an aryl group or a heterocyclic group adjacent to each other, they may be condensed to each other.

Abstract: The invention provides an organic EL device with improved luminous efficiency. The device has a structure comprising an inorganic non-degenerate semiconductor layer 12, an organic light-emitting layer 14 and a counter electrode 16 as formed in that order on a lower electrode 10, in which the inorganic non-degenerate semiconductor layer 12 is formed of an amorphous material of In—Zn—Al—O and its band gap energy is 2.9 eV.

Abstract: At least a portion of a free layer structure in a spin valve sensor is composed of nickel iron molybdenum (NiFeMo) so that the free layer structure does not have to be reduced in thickness in order to have a reduced magnetic moment for responding to lower signal fields from smaller bits on a rotating magnetic disk.

Abstract: A transparent conductive laminate in which a crystalline transparent conductive film substantially made of In—Sn—O on a transparent substrate composed of a thermoplastic polymer film, is provided. The crystalline part of the transparent conductive film (ITO-film) has a specific crystalline structure in which the X-ray diffraction intensity from the (222) crystal plane or the (440) crystal plane is highest, and [X440/222], the ratio of the X-ray diffraction intensity from the (440) crystal plane to that from the (222) crystal plane, is within the range of 0.2 to 2.5. The laminate has a low resistivity, and it is useful as an electrode material for a liquid crystal display, an electroluminescence device, a touch panel or the like. The transparent conductive laminate can be manufactured by combining the control of film fabricating atmosphere during sputtering and a heat treatment under specific conditions after film fabricating.

Abstract: A vapour deposited coating on the surface of a metal, such as a stainless steel substrate, obtained in a plasma vapour depositing device having magnetic vapour stream filtering means. The vapour deposited coating comprises pairs of a metal layer and a ceramic metal compound (“ceramic”) layer. The metal layer deposited is one of titanium, chromium, vanadium, aluminum, molybdenum, niobium, tungsten, zirconium, hafnium or alloys ofthese metals. The ceramic layer is a nitride, carbonitride, carbide, oxycarbide or oxynitride of one or an alloy of the above metals. The substrate surface is optionally ion nitride prior to the vapour deposition of the metal—ceramic layers. The substrate bearing pairs of metal—ceramic layers may be subsequently heat treated. The obtained coating on a metal substrate exhibits high wear resistance and hardness and low surface roughness.

Abstract: A cutting tool is provided, at least in certain areas, with a carbonitride coating, which acts to reduce friction and as a wear-protective layer. The coating is applied by means of a modified PVD process in that, for creating the carbonitride layer, carbon and nitrogen in the form of gas are introduced into the reaction chamber, and one or several ion sources are continued to be operated to form plasma.

Abstract: A film structure including a silicon carbide film formed on a surface of an aluminum nitride substrate. The substrate has a first base plane, a second base plane positioned downward with respect to the first base plane and a step plane arranged in an intersecting direction between the first base plane and the second base plane. One or more chamfered planes are arranged between the first base plane and the step plane so as to form a plurality of corner portions each having an angle larger than 130°. Alternatively, at least one round portion having a curvature radium of larger than 0.05 mm is arranged between the first base plane and the step plane.

Abstract: The invention provides semiconductor materials including a gallium nitride material layer formed on a silicon substrate and methods to form the semiconductor materials. The semiconductor materials include a transition layer formed between the silicon substrate and the gallium nitride material layer. The transition layer is compositionally-graded to lower stresses in the gallium nitride material layer which can result from differences in thermal expansion rates between the gallium nitride material and the substrate. The lowering of stresses in the gallium nitride material layer reduces the tendency of cracks to form. Thus, the invention enables the production of semiconductor materials including gallium nitride material layers having few or no cracks. The semiconductor materials may be used in a number of microelectronic and optical applications.

Abstract: A clad layer is provided as a multilayer structure made of an alternate laminate of 20 layers of Al0.2Ga0.8N 50 nm thick and 20 layers of Ga0.99In0.01N 20 nm thick. The clad layer about 1.4 &mgr;m thick has a low elastic constant because the clad layer is provided as a multilayer structure. In a laser diode, it is useful that another layer such as a guide layer requiring a band gap of aluminum gallium nitride (AlxGa1-xN 0<x<1) is provided as a multilayer structure made of aluminum gallium nitride (AlxGa1-xN 0<x<1) and gallium indium nitride (GayGa1-yN 0<y<1).

Abstract: Tunable dielectric thin films are provided which possess low dielectric losses at microwave frequencies relative to conventional dielectric thin films. The thin films include a low dielectric loss substrate, a buffer layer, and a crystalline dielectric film. Barium strontium titanate may be used as the buffer layer and the crystalline dielectric film. The buffer layer provides strain relief during annealing operations.

Abstract: The present invention provides a battery unit that is detachably attached to such an electronic apparatus as a notebook computer and maximizes the space efficiency with an expansion unit in the electronic apparatus. The battery unit includes a battery-unit extending portion that perpendicularly overlaps a relatively thinner portion of the expansion unit that is also detachably attached to the electronic apparatus and realizes a predetermined function when the expansion unit is connected to the electronic apparatus. The overlapped thinner portion and the battery-unit extending portion maximize efficiently the space in the electronic apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention features methods for preparing stabilized &agr;-AlH3 and &agr;′-AlH3, compositions containing these alane polymorphs, e.g., energetic compositions such as rocket propellants, and methods for using the novel polymorphs as chemical reducing agents, polymerization catalysts, and as a hydrogen source in fuel cells and batteries. The method produces stabilized alane by treating &agr;-AlH3 with an acidic solution that optionally contains a stabilizing agent such as an electron donor, an electron acceptor, or a compound which coordinates the Al3+ ion.

Abstract: In a fuel cell system, sufficient water to supply the consumption needs of the system, particularly by the system humidifiers and fuel processor, can be obtained from the exhaust of the fuel cell stack without the use of a condenser, by controlling the operating temperature of the fuel cell stack. The operating temperature can be controlled, for example, using a controller that monitors water level in the process water reservoir and increases or decreases the operating temperature through control of the fuel cell cooling system to maintain the water level within a predetermined range representative of neutral water balance in the system.

Abstract: A fuel cell power generation system comprising a reformer generating a hydrogen from base fuel to supply a fuel cell with the hydrogen, and a hydrogen reservoir connected to a first supply conduit between the reformer and the fuel cell through a second supply conduit, for storing hydrogen from the reformer as fuel cell assisting hydrogen. A distributing valve for distributing hydrogen from the reformer to the fuel cell side and the hydrogen reservoir side is provided at a connecting portion of the first and second supply conduits. The distributing valve is controlled to satisfy the amount of hydrogen required for the fuel cell and, thus, to supply the hydrogen reservoir with remaining hydrogen. This always satisfies the amount of the hydrogen required for the fuel cell corresponding to the fuel cell operation state.

Abstract: In a fuel evaporator provided with an evaporation chamber 11 that produces raw fuel gas FG by vaporizing raw fuel liquid by heat received from a plurality of heat medium tubes 12 through which a high temperature heat medium passes, a raw fuel injection portion that injects raw fuel liquid onto the heat medium tubes 12 is situated in the evaporation chamber 11. The heat medium tubes 12 are arranged sparsely near the raw fuel injection portion and densely away from it. A catalytic combustor 20 is provided adjacent to the bottom surface 11b of the evaporation chamber 11 to form the high temperature heat medium. Such a fuel evaporator efficiently vaporizes raw fuel liquid and can be suitably applied in a fuel cell system for a fuel cell-powered automobile.

Abstract: The invention is a bi-zone water transport plate for a fuel cell wherein the plate includes a water permeability zone and a bubble barrier zone. The bubble barrier zone extends between all reactive perimeters of the plate, has a pore size of less than 20 microns, and has a thickness of less than 25 percent of a shortest distance between opposed contact surfaces of the plate. The water permeability zone has a pore size of at least 100 percent greater than the pore size of the bubble barrier zone, and has a thickness of greater than 75 percent of the shortest distance between the opposed contact surfaces of the plate. By having a separate bubble barrier zone, the plate affords enhanced water permeability while the bubble barrier maintains a gas seal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an over-discharge preventing circuit, especially an over-discharge over-current preventing circuit, and more specifically relates to an over-discharge over-current preventing circuit comprising an over-discharge preventing circuit having a FET and an over-current preventing circuit for protecting the FET. The invention includes a primary or secondary battery containing such a circuit, and a battery pack containing such a circuit.

Abstract: A method suitable for detecting the onset of colloid formation within a solution whose composition is in a state of change, which method makes use of the technique of acoustophoresis and which comprises the step of either (I) applying an oscillating electric field to the solution and monitoring the amplitude of the resultant acoustic signal, the onset of colloid formation being detected by a change in the amplitude of the resultant acoustic signal, or (ii) applying an oscillating acoustic signal to the solution and monitoring the resultant oscillating electric field, the onset of colloid formation being detected by a change in the amplitude of the resultant oscillating electric field, or (iii) applying an oscillating electric field to the solution and monitoring the resultant oscillating electric field, the onset of colloid formation being detected by a change in the amplitude of the resultant oscillating electric field.

Abstract: A grid plate for high power lead acid battery having a plate (14) covered with a conductive polymeric matrix (10) of preferably polyaniline and its derivatives, which is then coated with nanoscale particles of active material (14) such as lead sulfate and basic lead sulfate complexes.

Abstract: An active composition for an electrode of an electrochemical device. The active composition comprises an active electrode material, a carbon material, and a binder where the binder comprises an elastomeric polymer. Preferably, the active electrode material is nickel hydroxide, the carbon material is graphite and the elastomeric polymer is styrene-butadiene.

Abstract: In an active material of a positive electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery where lithium cobaltate represented by the formula LiCoO2 is used, which comprises a mixture of primary particles of small crystals falling in the range of 0.4 to 10 &mgr;m in Feret's diameter in a projection chart by SEM observation and having an average diameter of 5 &mgr;m or less and secondary particles formed by gathering of a number of said small crystals and having an average particle size falling in the range of 4 to 30 &mgr;m where the molar ratio of Co to Li is 0.97 or more to 1.03 or less, at least part of the small crystals constituting the secondary particles are jointed by sintering and furthermore, the secondary particles are preferably spherical or elliptical.

Abstract: A lithium ion polymer secondary battery is a laminate of a positive-electrode sheet of a positive-electrode collector foil provided with an active material thereon, a negative-electrode sheet of a negative-electrode collector foil provided with another active material thereon, and a polymer electrolyte layer interposed between the positive-electrode sheet and the negative-electrode sheet. One of the positive-electrode sheet and the negative-electrode sheet is a strip and is fan-folded at least one time so that the positive-electrode sheet is provided on the surface of the active material on the sheet. The other one of the positive-electrode sheet and the negative-electrode sheet consists of a plurality of sheet segments having an area which is the same as the area of each flat portion of the fan-folded sheet. The sheet segments are interposed between the flat portions of the fan-folded sheet so that the polymer electrolyte layer is in contact with the surfaces of the active materials.

Abstract: An improved lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery that is capacity-fade resistant. The battery includes an anode comprised of graphite where density of the graphite is in a range from 1.2 to 1.5 g/c3; and the battery further has a cathode that is comprised of LiNiO2 present at a density in a range from 3.0 to 3.3 g/c3. The battery also includes an electrolyte and a separator between the anode and cathode, and the separator is coated with PVDF such that the anode, cathode, and separator are held together to form the electricity-producing battery. The ratio by weight of LiNiO2 to graphite present in the battery is preferably no greater than 2.0 to 1.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nonaqueous secondary battery and a separator to be used therein. The separator comprises a polyolefin membrane containing one or more conjugated polyene compounds provided on the surface thereof. The nonaqueous secondary battery having this arrangement performs improved cycle life characteristics and shelf characteristics at high temperatures.

Abstract: In a polymer electrolyte battery provided with a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a polymer electrolyte, a polymer-based material containing a copolymer of ethylene glycol (meth)acrylate compound represented by the following general formula (1) and alkyl (meth)acrylate represented by the following general formula (2) is used as said polymer electrolyte.

Abstract: Described is a rechargeable lithium ion battery comprised of (a) a negative electrode and (b) a positive electrode both comprised of a current collector and applied to each a mixture of chlorinated polymer blend and lithium intercalation materials and (c) a separator/ polymer electrolyte comprised of chlorinated polymer blend and filler.

Abstract: A process and system are provide for determining the acceptability of a fluid dispense such as a discrete volume of fluid used to coat a substrate. The fluid dispense is exposed to an energy source and the energy transmitted by the fluid dispense is detected to determine the shape of the fluid dispense. The fluid dispense shape and the timing of the beginning and end of the dispense are compared to previously generated standard dispense profiles and used to determine the acceptability of the shape and/or timing of the fluid dispense. The output from the sensor is used to control further processing of the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photomask, a semiconductor device, and a method for exposing through the photomask. The photomask comprises a photomask substrate, and an on-mask circuit area including an on-mask circuit pattern and an on-mask test mark area including an on-mask test pattern, both formed on the surface of the substrate, wherein the photomask substrate further includes an on-mask photolithography screening mark area including an on-mask comparison pattern and an on-mask screening pattern, the on-mask comparison pattern has substantially the same configuration as at least a part of the on-mask circuit pattern, and the on-mask screening pattern has substantially the same configuration as at least a part of the on-mask test pattern. The present invention allows it to measure the actual displacement generated from an overlaying (i.e. alignment) process for the purpose of eliminating of an the overlay displacement which can take place in a photolithography process.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a method is provided for improving process window in semi-dense area by using a phase shifter. This method comprises a step of providing a transparent substrate. Then, at least two opaque regions are formed on the substrate. A phase shifter is formed in the substrate, wherein the phase shifter is formed in-between adjacent opaque regions. As a result, the phase shifter shifts the incident beam at an angle that reduces the proximity effect and improves the optical contrast and the depth of focus (DOF) to get wider process window.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a microelectromechanical system mask with an array of reflectors, each reflector having two mirrors separated from each other by an adjustable gap.

Abstract: A mask pattern correction method, a photomask produced according to the method, and a storage medium storing a program to execute the method are disclosed. The method includes preparing pattern density-based correction data according to differences between mask patterns and patterns actually formed on a wafer by photolithography using the mask patterns, obtaining design patterns for a correction target area defined on a mask, calculating a density of the design patterns in the correction target area, retrieving correction data corresponding to the calculated density from the prepared pattern density-based correction data, and correcting the design patterns for the correction target area according to the retrieved correction data.

Abstract: An E-beam mask for use in a lithographic process includes a main pattern of stripes of patterned chrome or tungsten formed on a membrane. The stripes of the main pattern are inspected for defects. Dummy stripes corresponding to a defective stripe of the main pattern are formed on the membrane in spare room outside the region bounded by the main pattern. E-beam exposure processes are then carried out using only the non-defective stripes of the main pattern, and the non-defective dummy stripes instead of a defective stripe of the main pattern once the lithographic process has progressed to the defective stripe of the main pattern. When the lithographic process is being used to manufacture DRAM cells, some of the stripes of the main pattern will have the same chrome or tungsten patterns. As long as all of these similar stripes of the main pattern are not defective, then the E-beam processes can be carried out in a sequence using the non-defective stripes of the main pattern only.

Abstract: A method of forming sublithography gate lengths involves the steps of patterning the layer of resist above the gate stack (including a gate layer, hardmask layer and etch-control layer) to a desired gate length and etching the etch-control layer and the hardmask layer; the portion of the circuit that has the correct gate length is covered with a blocking mask and the hardmask in the remainder is wet-etched to reduce its dimension, after which the gate stack is etched using both gate lengths of hardmask to produce different gate lengths in different areas.

Abstract: A new group of non-chemically amplified negative tone water/aqueous base developable (photo) resists based on redistribution of carbon-oxygen bonds in pendant ester groups of the polymers has been found.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and process for controlling the application of patterned resist coatings in an integrated circuit manufacturing process that employs multiple reticle patterns. One aspect of the invention relates to obtaining scatterometry measurements from a patterned resist and using the measurements to determine whether the correct reticle pattern was employed in forming the patterned resist. According to another aspect of the invention, the reticles are provided with grating patterns in addition to reticle patterns, whereby when the reticles are printed, gratings are formed in the resist. The gratings can be used, with scatterometry, to identify the reticle pattern. The reticles can be configured so that the gratings form in a non-functional portion of a wafer, such as a portion along a score line. Where it is, determined that the correct reticle pattern was not used, corrective action can be taken such as stripping the resist and reprocessing the affected wafers.

Abstract: A developer for a trickle developing method is used in formation of a full color image and is made of a mixture of a toner and a carrier. The toner contains inorganic fine particles as an internal additive and an external additive, a volume average particle diameter D50v of the toner is between 5.0 and 9.0 &mgr;m, a true specific gravity of the carrier is between 3.00 and 4.60, a volume average particle diameter of the carrier is between 15 and 60 &mgr;m, and the ratio of the volume average particle diameter of the carrier to the volume average particle diameter of the toner is between 3.00 and 7.00, and an image forming method using the developer.

Abstract: An electrographic, two-component dry developer composition comprising charged toner particles and oppositely charged carrier particles which (a) includes: a soft magnetic material exhibiting a coercivity of less than 300 gauss when magnetically saturated and (b) exhibit an induced magnetic moment of less than 20 EMU/gm of carrier when in an applied field of 1000 gauss; and a hard magnetic material exhibiting a coercivity of at least 300 gauss when magnetically saturated and (b) exhibit an induced magnetic moment of at least 20 EMU/gm of carrier when in an applied field of 1000 gauss.

Abstract: A toner fusing system for fixing toner to paper. This system includes a fuser member for contacting and heating the toner in the fusing process. The fuser member has a fuser base, a fluoroelastomer fusing surface layer at least 38 microns thick, and a cushion layer between the fuser base and the fusing surface layer. This system utilizes external heating as the primary source of heat energy for the fusing process.

Abstract: A method of preparing toner for developing an electrostatic image is disclosed. The method comprises process for adhering by fusing resin particles onto surface of colored particles (core particles) containing a resin particle and a colorant by salting-out/fusion-adhering to form the resin layer (shell).

Abstract: An emulsion aggregation process for the preparation of a magnetite toner, and where the magnetite can function as a coagulant.

Abstract: A black matrix can be formed by thermal transfer on a receptor substrate for use, for example, in a display application. This black matrix can be used, for example, as a color filter black matrix or a TFT (thin film transistor) black matrix to provide contrast and/or to separate adjacent electrically-conducting components.

Abstract: A laser-marking laminated structure has at least a base layer (2), a masking layer (3) capable of being removed by irradiation with a laser beam, and an OP layer (4) formed in that order on a support element (1). The base layer and the masking layer are colored layers having colors distinctly different from each other in lightness. The laser-marking laminated structure is irradiated with a laser beam in a desired pattern including characters to remove portions of the masking layer (3) and the OP layer (4) corresponding to the pattern so that the pattern is displayed clearly on the laser-marking laminated structure because of the contrast between the color of the base layer (2) and that of the masking layer (4).

Abstract: A HMDS gas is supplied to a surface of a wafer W to perform a hydrophobic process, thereafter the wafer W is contained in an airtight container on a cassette stage, and is transferred to an analyzer provided at an external portion of a resist pattern forming apparatus. The analyzer performs mass spectrometry of the quantity of an ionic species such as CH9Si+, C3H9Si+, C3H9Osi− and the like on the surface of the wafer W using an analyzing section, for example, TOF-SIMS, whereby measuring a HMDS quantity (hexamethyldisilazane) on the surface of the wafer W. This method makes it possible to measure the HMDS quantity on the surface of the wafer W and to evaluate a hydrophobic process state with high reliability.

Abstract: A method of producing an integrated circuit configuration where trenches are formed surrounding active regions in a main surface of a semiconductor substrate. A photoresist layer is applied to the insulating layer and structured forming a mask using a data processing device, by the following steps: Providing an idealized pattern representing trenches with contours corresponding to contours of the trenches. Producing an idealized mask pattern on the basis of the idealized pattern shifted by an allowance in comparison with the idealized pattern, the idealized mask pattern has surface zones whose distance apart is shorter than a given minimum measurement. The idealized mask pattern is used to produce a further idealized mask pattern in which the surface zones are replaced by minimum surface elements with length measurements which are greater than the given minimum measurement. The trenches are then filled by depositing an insulating layer using the formed mask.

Abstract: The present invention aims at reducing the number of scanning exposure and at enhancing throughput. the above-mentioned objective is achieved by allowing a substrate 14 to be placed in sideways with respect to a substrate holder 15a (placing the longer sides of the substrate in parallel to the shorter sides of the substrate holder) depending on the size of the apparatus and the size of the substrate 14. It is acceptable even when areas other than an effective exposure area of the substrate 14 should project out from the substrate holder.

Abstract: A merged-mask micro-machining process is provided that includes the application of a plurality of layers of masking material that are patterned to provide a plurality of etching masks.

Abstract: A silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material containing at least one kind of a compound represented by formula (I): Where each of R1, R3 and R4 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, R2 represents a substituent, a represents an integer of 0 to 4, wherein if a is not less than 2, a plurality of R2's may be the same or different, and if a is 1, R2 is selected from substituents having a &sgr;p value of 0 to 0.53, and if a is 2 to 4, R2 is selected from substituents having a &sgr;p value of 0 to 0.53 in total, Time represents a group which releases —S—R5 after being eliminated as (Time)t-S—R5, t is 0 or 1, and R5 represents an organic group which is bonded with S by its sp3 carbon.

Abstract: The invention features a method of inactivating a contaminant, such as a virus, of a biological composition. The method includes the steps of: (a) contacting the biological composition with an inactivating agent including an aziridino moiety or a haloderivative salt thereof, where a portion of the agent reacts with and inactivates the contaminant, and a portion of the agent remains unreacted; (b) contacting the product of step (a) with a composition which includes one quenching moiety under conditions and for a time sufficient to allow the inactivating agent to bond covalently to the quenching moiety; and (c) separating the quenching moiety and the quenched inactivating agent from the biological composition.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for the inactivation and removal of contaminants of a biological composition are disclosed. The methods include the steps of: (a) contacting the biological composition with an inactivating agent including an aziridino moiety, such as ethyleneimine, an oligomer of ethyleneimine, or a haloderivative salt of either ethyleneimine or an oligomer of ethyleneimine, where a portion of the agent reacts with and inactivates the contaminant, and a portion of the agent remains unreacted; (b) contacting the product of step (a) with a lipophilic quenching agent including at least one quenching moiety attached to a lipophilic moiety, under conditions and for a time sufficient to allow the unreacted agent to bond covalently to the quenching moiety; and (c) separating the lipophilic quenching agent and the quenched inactivating agent from the biological composition.