Patents Issued in March 6, 2012
  • Patent number: 8129673
    Abstract: A method for logging a subsurface formation includes acquiring neutron capture data using a pulsed neutron tool at a plurality of locations along a borehole penetrating the subsurface formation, wherein the plurality of locations include a formation zone that contains water; comparing an apparent water salinity or an apparent water sigma value estimated from the neutron capture data acquired in the formation zone that contains water with a water salinity or water sigma value of a water sample from the subsurface formation to produce a calibration parameter for the neutron capture data; and correcting the neutron capture data, based on the calibration parameter, to produce corrected neutron capture data. The method may further include determining a water saturation from the corrected neutron capture data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: John F. Vaeth, Charles F. Morris
  • Patent number: 8129674
    Abstract: A tandem mass spectrometer comprising an ion source for ionizing a sample, an ion trap section for carrying out collision induced dissociation of the target ions thereby to produce fragment ions, a multi electrode collision section for conducting collision induced dissociation of fragment ions discharged from the ion trap section, a mass spectrometer section for conducting mass spectrometric analysis of the converged fragment ions. After the target ions selected by the ion trap section are subjected to collision induced dissociation, specific fragment ions among the fragment ions are selected and transferred to the multi electrode collision section thereby to carry out collision induced dissociation therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Izumi Ogata, Yasushi Terui
  • Patent number: 8129675
    Abstract: The content of the invention comprises a concept of reactor for isolated ion transformations induced by collisions with neutral species. This reactor is also an interface between mobility cell and orthogonal injection TOFMS based on supersonic adiabatic gas flow with variable controlled composition directed along the axis of a multipole ion guide with sectioned rods for possibility of creating of controlled distributions of RF, DC and AC rotating fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Ionwerks, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Albert Schultz, Valeriy V. Raznikov, Thomas F. Egan, Michael V. Ugarov, Agnès Tempez, Marina O. Raznikova, Vladislav V. Zelenov, Alexander R. Pikhtelev, Valerie E. Vaughn
  • Patent number: 8129676
    Abstract: Detecting and identifying ions using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and an ion separation pre-filter, such as an ion spectrometer, are provided. The combination of an ion separator as a pre-filter for SERS provides a highly sensitive detector with very low false alarm rates. Target ions from an ionized sample are identified and separated by the ion separator. The target ions are steered and deposited onto a SERS substrate for Raman spectroscopic analysis with an optical probe. The Raman spectrum is compared with reference spectra and the composition of the sample is identified. The ion current from the target ions can also be measured, preferably concurrently with the Raman spectrum measurement. Types of ion separators include a differential ion mobility spectrometer, an ion mobility spectrometer, or a mass spectrometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignees: SRI International, DH Technologies Development Pte. Ltd., Renishaw Diagnostics Limited
    Inventors: Michael Vestel, Caterina Netti, Erkinjon Nazarov, Gareth S. Dobson, Stephen L. Coy, Richard Copeland, Michael Coggiola, Lawrence Dubois, Alexander Hallock, Joseph R. Stetter
  • Patent number: 8129677
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating analyte ions from a sample. An ion generating device is provided having a chamber with an outlet and a surface having a material and means for applying a high velocity gas flow through the chamber toward the outlet such that charged particles are produced by physical interaction between the high velocity gas and the material. The charged particles then induce the generation of primary ions by interaction with molecules of the high velocity gas. The primary ions are emitted from the outlet of the ion generating device toward a sample-bearing surface and analyte ions are generated by impact of the primary ions on the analyte sample on the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Truche, Paul C. Goodley, Gregor Overney
  • Patent number: 8129678
    Abstract: An ion cyclotron spectrometer may include a vacuum chamber that extends at least along a z-axis and means for producing a magnetic field within the vacuum chamber so that a magnetic field vector is generally parallel to the z-axis. The ion cyclotron spectrometer may also include means for producing a trapping electric field within the vacuum chamber. The trapping electric field may comprise a field potential that, when taken in cross-section along the z-axis, includes at least one section that is concave down and at least one section that is concave up so that ions traversing the field potential experience a net magnetron effect on a cyclotron frequency of the ions that is substantially equal to zero. Other apparatuses and a method for performing ion cyclotron spectrometry are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC
    Inventors: David A. Dahl, Jill R. Scott, Timothy R. McJunkin
  • Patent number: 8129679
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for operating a device having a high energy particle detector wherein the particles create first incoming traversal events, outgoing backscatter events, higher-order in and out events and incoming events caused by particles which backscatter out of the device, hit nearby mechanical structures and are scattered back into the device. Exemplary method steps include discriminating incoming traversal events from outgoing backscatter events, higher-order in and out events and incoming events by limiting dose rate to a level at ensures that separate events do not overlap and discriminating events from background and from other events based on total energy in each event; discriminating backscatter events from incoming traversal events based on electron path shape; or determining that a first event and a second event are coincident with each other and separating incoming form backscatter events based on electron path shape and energy level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Gatan, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Mooney
  • Patent number: 8129680
    Abstract: A focused charged particle beam apparatus including an aberration corrector, capable of finding the absolute value of the aberration coefficient at high speed, and capable of making high-accuracy adjustments at high speed. A deflection coil tilts the input beam relative to the object point, and measures the defocus data and aberration quantity at high speed while the beam is tilted from one image, and perform least squares fitting on these results to find the absolute value of the aberration coefficient prior to tilting the beam, and to adjust the aberration corrector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kotoko Hirose, Takeshi Kawasaki, Tomonori Nakano
  • Patent number: 8129681
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an energy extraction device that employs a radioactive isotope, such as 90Sr, as a charged particle source. The decaying radioactive isotope emits energetic charged particles, such as beta particles, into a magnetic field. Because the magnetic field is substantially normal to the paths of the charged particles, a force is induced on the charged particles normal to both the path and the magnetic field. The induced force causes the charged particles to assume circular paths, forming a circulating charged particle beam that is contained within a structure. The circulating charged particle beam emits cyclotron radiation. The structure includes one or more rectennas around the interior wall which convert the cyclotron radiation to electrical energy as a direct current voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Sebong Chun
  • Patent number: 8129682
    Abstract: A radiation sensor includes an integrated circuit radiation sensor chip (1A) including first (7) and second (8) thermopile junctions connected in series to form a thermopile (7,8) within a dielectric stack (3). The first thermopile junction (7) is insulated from a substrate (2) of the chip. A resistive heater (6) in the dielectric stack for heating the first thermopile junction is coupled to a calibration circuit (67) for calibrating responsivity of the thermopile (7,8). The calibration circuit causes a current flow in the heater and multiplies the current by a resulting voltage across the heater to determine power dissipation. A resulting thermoelectric voltage (Vout) of the thermopile (7,8) is divided by the power to provide the responsivity of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Walter B. Meinel, Kalin V. Lazarov
  • Patent number: 8129683
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and a method which enable acquisition of a temporal waveform of a propagating terahertz wave by changing a propagation velocity of the terahertz wave. A waveform information acquisition apparatus includes a generation portion for generating a terahertz wave, a propagation portion for allowing the terahertz wave generated by the generation portion to propagate therethrough, a detection portion for detecting waveform information of the terahertz wave, a first delay portion for changing a propagation velocity of the terahertz wave, and a control portion for controlling the first delay portion to change the propagation velocity of the terahertz wave in the propagation portion, and acquires information regarding the temporal waveform of the terahertz wave detected by the detection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeaki Itsuji, Shintaro Kasai
  • Patent number: 8129684
    Abstract: A THz-frequency heterodyne imaging method is used to remotely detect objects concealed in or under a person's clothing. One THz-frequency beam is scanned over a person being examined. A portion of the beam penetrates the persons clothing and is reflected by an object concealed under the person's clothing. The reflected portion the beam is mixed with another beam of THz-frequency radiation having a different frequency to provide a signal having an intermediate frequency (IF) including image data representative of the concealed object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric R. Mueller
  • Patent number: 8129685
    Abstract: Problem: The problem is to provide a fluorescent material for a scintillator to be used in a radiation detector. In view of this, the fluorescent material must have a high fluorescent intensity and a low level of afterglow 1 to 300 ms after the termination of X-ray radiation. Solution: The above problem is solved in that the above fluorescent material contains Ce as an activator. In addition, the material contain at least Gd, Al, Ga, O, Si, and a component M. The component M is at least one of Mg, Ti, and Ni. In addition, the composition of the material must be expressed by the general formula: (Gd1?x?zLuxCez)3+a(Al1?u?sGauScs)5?aO12 wherein 0?a?0.15, 0?x?0.5, 0.0003?z?0.0167, 0.2?u?0.6, and 0?s?0.1, and wherein, regarding the concentrations of Si and M, 0.5?Si concentration (mass ppm)?10, and 0?M concentration (mass ppm)?50.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryouhei Nakamura, Shunsuke Ueda
  • Patent number: 8129686
    Abstract: A coded aperture includes a position sensitive detector configured to observe the location of emitted high energy radiation, and a mask disposed in front of the position sensitive detector, wherein the mask has a non-linear shape configured to define a perimeter around position sensitive detector, wherein the mask comprises a plurality of attenuating and transparent elements of a predetermined configuration, positioned such that the emitted radiation is detected by the position sensitive detector after passage through the mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Morpho Detection, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Stephen Zelakiewicz, Jeffrey Seymour Gordon
  • Patent number: 8129687
    Abstract: There is provided a lighting system having a high spatial resolution appropriate to a high-frequency component by evanescent waves in a negative refraction lens. The lighting system includes a light emitter thin film (106) which includes a light emitting material which emits light when an energy is applied, a cathode (101) for applying an electron beam (102) which is the energy, to the light emitter thin film (106), and a negative refraction lens (110) which is formed of a material exhibiting negative refraction, and has an optical system for projecting light emitted from the light emitter thin film (106), on an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroya Fukuyama
  • Patent number: 8129688
    Abstract: The invention is directed at a radiation detector which includes a grid electrode located within the detector to assist in the charge collection process. The grid electrode is preferably embedded within a semiconductor layer between two electrode layers, one of the electrode layers being a charge collecting electrode and the other being a common electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Inventors: Karim S. Karim, Amirhossein Goldan
  • Patent number: 8129689
    Abstract: A radiation detector including a substrate; a first inclined thin film disposed on a first main surface of the substrate, and having crystal planes serving as a factor in inducing anisotropy; a second inclined thin film disposed on a second main surface of the substrate opposite to the first main surface, and having crystal planes serving as a factor in inducing anisotropy; a first electrode pair of electrodes disposed on the first inclined thin film, the electrodes being opposed to each other in a direction in which the crystal planes of the first inclined thin film are aligned inclined to the first main surface; and a second electrode pair of electrodes disposed on the second inclined thin film, the electrodes being opposed to each other in a direction in which the crystal planes of the second inclined thin film are aligned inclined to the second main surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kohei Takahashi, Tsutomu Kanno
  • Patent number: 8129690
    Abstract: A neutron detector that includes an anode and a cathode. The cathode includes at least one portion that has a porous substrate with surface segments that define open pores and a layer of neutron sensitive material on the surface segments of the porous substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dan Jay McCormick, James Michael Lustig
  • Patent number: 8129691
    Abstract: A security inspection door comprising a narcotic drug/explosive detecting subsystem, a radioactive substance detecting subsystem and a metal detecting subsystem which are provided in a tank body is disclosed, wherein electromagnetic radiation shields are respectively provided around the three detecting subsystems, so that they are isolated from one another and are not interfered with one another. The three detecting subsystems are combined together to form a novel security inspection door, so the narcotic drugs/the explosives, the radioactive substances and the dangerous metal articles can be detected at the same time. Further, electromagnetic radiation shields are respectively provided around the three detecting subsystems, so that the three detecting subsystems are isolated from one another and are not interfered with one another, and thus, the inspection reliability and the inspection accuracy are improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Nuctech Company Limited
    Inventors: Haifeng Hu, Zhiqiang Chen, Yuanjing Li, Jin Lin, Jinyu Zhang, Hua Peng, Qingjun Zhang, Zhongxia Zhang, Yangtian Zhang, Xiaoti Yin, Liwei Song
  • Patent number: 8129692
    Abstract: Fouling in the fill portion of a cooling tower is monitored by transmitting radiation through a cooling tower, detecting the amount of radiation that has penetrated the cooling tower, and calculating the density of the fill portion of the cooling tower based on the detected radiation. A higher than expected density indicates the presence of fouling on the fill portion of the cooling tower. A rate of fouling may be established by monitoring the density of the fill portion of the cooling tower over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Quantum Technical Services, LLC
    Inventors: Charles B. Winfield, Lance Freeman, Stephen N. Harris
  • Patent number: 8129693
    Abstract: A charged particle beam column includes a charged particle beam source to generate a charged particle beam; an objective lens to focus the charged particle beam in an object plane; a first condenser lens disposed in a beam path of the charged particle beam between the charged particle beam source and the objective lens; a deflector disposed in the beam path between the first condenser lens and the objective lens and configured to change an angle of incidence of the charged particle beam in an object plane; and an aberration corrector disposed in the beam path between the deflector and the objective lens and configured to compensate aberrations introduced by the objective lens. The aberration corrector is also configured to not compensate aberrations introduced by the first condenser lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss NTS GmbH
    Inventor: Dirk Preikszas
  • Patent number: 8129694
    Abstract: The invention comprises a negative ion beam source vacuum method and apparatus used as part of an ion beam injection system, which is used in conjunction with multi-axis charged particle or proton beam radiation therapy of cancerous tumors. The negative ion beam source contains a vacuum chamber isolated by a vacuum barrier from the vacuum tube of the synchrotron. The negative ion beam source vacuum system preferably includes: a first pump turbo molecular pump, a large holding volume, and a semi-continuously operating pump. By only pumping ion beam source vacuum chamber and by only semi-continuously operating the ion beam source vacuum based on sensor readings about the holding volume, the lifetime of the semi-continuously operating pump is extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Inventor: Vladimir Balakin
  • Patent number: 8129695
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling deflection, deceleration, and focus of an ion beam are disclosed. The apparatus may include a graded deflection/deceleration lens including a plurality of upper and lower electrodes disposed on opposite sides of an ion beam, as well as a control system for adjusting the voltages applied to the electrodes. The difference in potential between pairs of upper and lower electrodes are varied using a set of “virtual knobs” that are operable to independently control deflection and deceleration of the ion beam. The virtual knobs include control of beam focus and residual energy contamination, control of upstream electron suppression, control of beam deflection, and fine tuning of the final deflection angle of the beam while constraining the beam's position at the exit of the lens. In one embodiment, this is done by fine tuning beam deflection while constraining the beam position at the exit of the VEEF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frank Sinclair, Victor Benveniste, Jun Lu
  • Patent number: 8129696
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems including wastewater treatment systems that utilize high energy light to destruct organics in wastewater are provided. In some embodiments, such systems may include a gas purifier that is configured to purify a gas. The wastewater treatment system treats wastewater from the gas purifier via the use of ultraviolet light. Accordingly, the wastewater treatment system may include an ultraviolet light system that directs ultraviolet light through the wastewater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Gary Daniel Miller
  • Patent number: 8129697
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser scanning microscope capable of acquiring suitable fluorescent images. A fluorescence detection unit 26 measures a plurality of intensities of fluorescent light of different wavelengths that is excited by irradiation of laser light and emitted from a sample 12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeyuki Mano, Koichi Satoh, Erik Martinus Marie Manders, Antonius Ronald Hoebe
  • Patent number: 8129698
    Abstract: A pattern density distribution and a dose distribution calculated using the pattern density distribution are multiplied by each other to calculate an exposure distribution. A fogging electron amount distribution is calculated using the exposure distribution and a function descriptive of a fogging spread distribution. Charge amount distributions in irradiation and non-irradiation regions are calculated using the exposure distribution and the fogging electron amount distribution. A position displacement amount distribution is calculated using the charge amount distributions and a response function for converting a charge amount to a position displacement error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Noriaki Nakayamada, Seiji Wake
  • Patent number: 8129699
    Abstract: The invention relates generally to treatment of solid cancers. More particularly, the invention relates to a multi-field imaging and/or a multi-field charged particle cancer therapy method and apparatus coordinated with patient respiration via use of feedback sensors used to monitor and/or control patient respiration. Preferably, the multi-field imaging, such as X-ray imaging, and the charged particle therapy are performed on a patient in a partially immobilized and repositionable position. X-ray and/or proton delivery is timed to patient respiration via control of charged particle beam injection, acceleration, extraction, and/or targeting methods and apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Inventor: Vladimir Balakin
  • Patent number: 8129700
    Abstract: Solid tin (Sn) is used as a target, a CO2 laser is used as an excitation source for the target, and after the size of debris emitted from plasma is decreased to a nanometer or smaller size by exciting the solid tin by a laser beam outputted from the CO2 laser, the emitted debris of a nanometer or smaller size is acted upon so as not to reach the optical element. In accordance with the present invention, in the EUV light source apparatus, the debris emitted together with EUV light from plasma generated by exciting a target within a chamber by a laser beam is prevented from adhering to an optical element provided within the chamber and forming a metal film. As a result, the service life of the optical element can be extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Ueno, Masato Moriya, Masaki Nakano, Hiroshi Komori
  • Patent number: 8129701
    Abstract: A modulator for radiation therapy provides modulation of an area beam to decrease treatment time. Separate channels passing modulated “beamlets” are possible by spacing the channels such that spreading of the beams and multiple angles of treatment eliminate cold spots. The space between the channels allows well-defined channel walls and space for modulator mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Inventors: Jihad H. Al-Sadah, David C. Westerly, Patrick M. Hill, Thomas R. Mackie
  • Patent number: 8129702
    Abstract: A radiation system includes a contamination barrier configured to permit radiation from a radiation source to pass through and to capture debris coming from the radiation source. The contamination barrier includes a plurality of lamellas. The surface of the lamellas includes a material. The radiation system also includes a collector configured to collect radiation from the contamination barrier. An optical surface of the collector includes a material that is the same as the material of the surface of the lamellas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Levinus Pieter Bakker, Marcel Mathijs Theodore Marie Dierichs, Johannes Maria Freriks, Frank Jeroen Pieter Schuurmans, Jakob Vijfvinkel, Wilhelmus Josephus Box
  • Patent number: 8129703
    Abstract: A conoscopic holographic system and a method for imaging a scene characterized by a surface having a three-dimensional shape. The system utilizes an optical source, which illuminates the scene with substantially linear distributions of light, and independent register of a plurality of elementary conoscopic holograms in the image plane. Each elementary conoscopic hologram represents the imaging of a single emitting point of the illuminated scene. The optical source is translated relative to the scene to generate a sequence of optical holograms, and a weighted reconstruction of the holograms is performed, in a computer process, at a median plane to devise the three-dimensional shape of the imaged scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Optimet, Optical Metrology Ltd.
    Inventor: Gabriel Y. Sirat
  • Patent number: 8129704
    Abstract: Non-volatile resistive-switching memories are described, including a memory element having a first electrode, a second electrode, a metal oxide between the first electrode and the second electrode. The metal oxide switches using bulk-mediated switching, has a bandgap greater than 4 electron volts (eV), has a set voltage for a set operation of at least one volt per one hundred angstroms of a thickness of the metal oxide, and has a leakage current density less than 40 amps per square centimeter (A/cm2) measured at 0.5 volts (V) per twenty angstroms of the thickness of the metal oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Intermolecular, Inc.
    Inventors: Prashant Phatak, Tony Chiang, Pragati Kumar, Michael Miller
  • Patent number: 8129705
    Abstract: Provided is a nonvolatile memory device including a phase-change memory configured with cross-point memory cells in which memory elements formed of a phase-change material and selection elements formed with a diode are combined. A memory cell is configured with a memory element formed of a phase-change material and a selection element formed with a diode having a stacked structure of a first polycrystalline silicon film, a second polycrystalline silicon film, and a third polycrystalline silicon film. The memory cells are arranged at intersection points of a plurality of first metal wirings extending along a first direction with a plurality of third metal wirings extending along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. An interlayer film is formed between adjacent selection elements and between adjacent memory elements, and voids are formed in the interlayer film provided between the adjacent memory elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaharu Kinoshita, Yoshitaka Sasago, Norikatsu Takaura
  • Patent number: 8129706
    Abstract: Structures and methods to form a bistable resistive random access memory for reducing the amount of heat dissipation from electrodes by confining a heating region in the memory cell device are described. The heating region is confined in a kernel comprising a programmable resistive memory material that is in contact with an upper programmable resistive memory member and a lower programmable resistive memory member. The lower programmable resistive member has sides that align with sides of a bottom electrode comprising a tungsten plug. The lower programmable resistive member and the bottom electrode function a first conductor so that the amount of heat dissipation from the first conductor is reduced. The upper programmable resistive memory material and a top electrode function as a second conductor so that the amount of heat dissipation from the second conductor is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: ChiaHua Ho, Erh-Kun Lai, Kuang Yeu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8129707
    Abstract: With a high-speed nonvolatile phase change memory, reliability in respect of the number of refresh times is enhanced. In a memory cell forming area of a phase change memory using a MISFET as a transistor for selection of memory cells, a phase change material layer of a memory cell comprising a resistor element, using a phase change material, is formed for common use. As a result, variation in shape and a change in composition of the phase change material, caused by isolation of memory cell elements by etching, are reduced, thereby enhancing reliability of memory cells, in respect of the number of refresh times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi ULSI Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norikatsu Takaura, Hideyuki Matsuoka, Motoyasu Terao, Kenzo Kurotsuchi, Tsuyoshi Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 8129708
    Abstract: A highly integrated phase change memory device and a method for manufacturing the same is disclosed. The highly integrated phase change memory device includes a semiconductor substrate having a cell area and a peripheral area with impurity regions formed in the cell area and extending in parallel to each other in a first direction to form a striped pattern. A gate electrode is formed in the peripheral area and dummy gate electrodes are formed in the cell area and extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction of the impurity regions. An interlayer dielectric layer pattern exposes portions of the cell area and the peripheral area and a PN diode is formed in a space defined by a pair of dummy gate electrodes and a pair of interlayer dielectric layer patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Ki Sung Kwon, Jun Hyung Park
  • Patent number: 8129709
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device (21) is provided with a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of active regions (3) formed on the semiconductor substrate and extending in a band, a plurality of select active elements (23) formed in the active regions (3) and having a first impurity diffusion region and a second impurity diffusion region, a plurality of first electrodes (13) electrically connected to the first impurity diffusion region, a variable resistance layer (12) electrically connected to the first electrodes (13), and a plurality of second electrodes electrically connected to the variable resistance layer (12). Among the plurality of first electrodes (13) and the plurality of second electrodes, an array direction of at least one pair of the first electrodes (13) and the second electrodes that are electrically connected to the same variable resistance layer (12), and a direction of extension of the activation regions (3) are not parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Seko, Yukio Fuji, Natsuki Sato, Isamu Asano
  • Patent number: 8129710
    Abstract: A nanowire light emitting diode (LED) and method of emitting light employ a plasmonic mode. The nanowire LED includes a nanowire having a semiconductor junction, a shell layer coaxially surrounding the nanowire, and an insulating layer, which is plasmonically thin, isolating the shell layer from the nanowire. The shell layer supports a surface plasmon that couples to the semiconductor junction by an evanescent field. Light is generated in a vicinity of the semiconductor junction and the surface plasmon is coupled to the semiconductor junction during light generation. The coupling enhances one or both of an efficiency of light emission and a light emission rate of the LED. A method of making the nanowire LED includes forming the nanowire, providing the insulating layer on the surface of the nanowire, and forming the shell layer on the insulating layer in the vicinity of the semiconductor junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Inventors: Hans Cho, David Fattal, Nathaniel Quitoriano
  • Patent number: 8129711
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a GaN based nitride based light emitting device improved in Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) tolerance (withstanding property) and a method for fabricating the same including a substrate and a V-shaped distortion structure made of an n-type nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer and a p-type nitride semiconductor layer on the substrate and formed with reference to the n-type nitride semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung LED Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang Won Kang, Yong Chun Kim, Dong Hyun Cho, Jeong Tak Oh, Dong Joon Kim
  • Patent number: 8129712
    Abstract: Each pixel includes a region where a lower reflection film is not present. In each pixel, there is a region where a microcavity structure is formed between a counter electrode and a lower reflection film and another region where the microcavity structure is not formed. The regions differentiated in cavity length can differently enhance the peak wavelength so as to improve the viewing angle dependence. Furthermore, in each of R, G, and B light emitting pixels, the area ratio of a region where the microcavity structure is present and another region where the microcavity structure is not present can be adjusted so as to eliminate the differences caused by the microcavity structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuji Nishikawa, Tetsuji Omura, Masaya Nakai
  • Patent number: 8129713
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion element provided between the first electrode and the second electrode. The photoelectric conversion element includes a polymer. The polymer includes at least one light absorber which absorbs light and generates at least one kind of carrier. An end part of the polymer combines with a surface, which faces the second electrode, of the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 8129714
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a semiconductor 1, a first electrode 2, an insulating layer 3 interposed between the semiconductor 1 and the first electrode 2, the second electrode 4 which is in contact with the semiconductor 1 and is detached from the first electrode 2, and the third electrode 5 which is in contact with the semiconductor 1 and is detached from the first electrode 2 and the second electrode 4, wherein the semiconductor 1 is provided with the organic semiconductor layer 10 and the oxide semiconductor layer 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koki Yano, Hajime Nakanotani, Chihaya Adachi
  • Patent number: 8129715
    Abstract: A light emitting device having a plastic substrate is capable of preventing the substrate from deterioration with the transmission of oxygen or moisture content can be obtained. The light emitting device has light emitting elements formed between a lamination layer and an inorganic compound layer that transmits visual light, where the lamination layer is constructed of one unit or two or more units, and each unit is a laminated structure of a metal layer and an organic compound layer. Alternatively, the light emitting device has light emitting elements formed between a lamination layer and an inorganic compound layer that transmits visual light, where the lamination layer is constructed of one unit or two or more units, and each unit is a laminated structure of a metal layer and an organic compound layer, wherein the inorganic compound layer is formed so as to cover the end face of the lamination layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Labratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Yasuyuki Arai
  • Patent number: 8129716
    Abstract: An organic thin film transistor (OTFT) and a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor using silk protein as a dielectric material, and methods for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The OTFT of the present invention comprises: a substrate; a gate electrode disposed on the substrate; a gate insulating layer containing silk protein, which is disposed on the substrate and covers the gate electrode; an organic semiconductor layer; and a source electrode and a drain electrode, wherein the organic semiconductor layer, the source electrode and the drain electrode are disposed over the gate insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: National Tsing Hua University
    Inventors: Jenn-Chang Hwang, Chung Hwa Wang, Chao Ying Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8129717
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a semiconductor device including a thin film transistor with favorable electric properties and high reliability, and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device with high productivity. In an inverted staggered (bottom gate) thin film transistor, an oxide semiconductor film containing In, Ga, and Zn is used as a semiconductor layer, and a buffer layer formed using a metal oxide layer is provided between the semiconductor layer and a source and drain electrode layers. The metal oxide layer is intentionally provided as the buffer layer between the semiconductor layer and the source and drain electrode layers, whereby ohmic contact is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Hidekazu Miyairi, Kengo Akimoto, Kojiro Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 8129718
    Abstract: There is provided an amorphous oxide semiconductor including hydrogen and at least one element of indium (In) and zinc (Zn), the amorphous oxide semiconductor containing one of hydrogen atoms and deuterium atoms of 1×1020 cm?3 or more to 1×1022 cm?3 or less, and a density of bonds between oxygen and hydrogen except bonds between excess oxygen (OEX) and hydrogen in the amorphous oxide semiconductor being 1×1018 cm?3 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryo Hayashi, Hideyuki Omura, Hideya Kumomi, Yuzo Shigesato
  • Patent number: 8129719
    Abstract: An object is to provide favorable interface characteristics of a thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer without mixing of an impurity such as moisture. Another object is to provide a semiconductor device including a thin film transistor having excellent electric characteristics and high reliability, and a method by which a semiconductor device can be manufactured with high productivity. A main point is to perform oxygen radical treatment on a surface of a gate insulating layer. Accordingly, there is a peak of the oxygen concentration at an interface between the gate insulating layer and a semiconductor layer, and the oxygen concentration of the gate insulating layer has a concentration gradient. The oxygen concentration is increased toward the interface between the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Kengo Akimoto
  • Patent number: 8129720
    Abstract: A method of fabricating metal oxide TFTs on transparent substrates includes the steps of positioning an opaque gate metal area on the front surface of the substrate, depositing transparent gate dielectric and transparent metal oxide semiconductor layers overlying the gate metal and a surrounding area, depositing transparent passivation material on the semiconductor material, depositing photoresist on the passivation material, exposing and developing the photoresist to remove exposed portions, etching the passivation material to leave a passivation area defining a channel area, depositing transparent conductive material over the passivation area, depositing photoresist over the conductive material, exposing and developing the photoresist to remove unexposed portions, and etching the conductive material to leave source and drain areas on opposed sides of the channel area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Inventors: Chan-Long Shieh, Gang Yu
  • Patent number: 8129721
    Abstract: The invention primarily provides gate electrodes and gate wirings permitting large-sized screens for active matrix-type display devices, wherein, in order to achieve this object, the construction of the invention is a semiconductor device having, on the same substrate, a pixel TFT provided in a display region and a driver circuit TFT provided around the display region, wherein the gate electrodes of the pixel TFT and the driver circuit TFT are formed from a first conductive layer, the gate electrodes are in electrical contact through connectors with gate wirings formed from a second conductive layer, and the connectors are provided outside the channel-forming regions of the pixel TFT and the driver circuit TFT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama, Toru Takayama, Toshiji Hamatani
  • Patent number: 8129722
    Abstract: A light emitting display and a method of manufacturing the same. The light emitting display includes a substrate, a plurality of first and second signal lines that cross each other on the substrate, a plurality of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) coupled between the first signal lines and the second signal lines, a power source supply line for supplying a power source voltage to the OLEDs, and a plurality of inspection signal lines coupled to at least one of the first signal lines or the second signal lines. At least one of the inspection signal lines is discontinuous at a region overlapping the power source supply line and ends of the discontinuous inspection signal line at the region overlapping the power source supply line are coupled to each other through a conductive region under the inspection signal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-Young Sung, Keun-Soo Lee