Etching characteristics of thin SiON films using a liquefied perfluorocarbon precursor of C6F12O with a low global warming potential

Perfluorocarbon gas is widely used in the semiconductor industry. However, perfluorocarbon has a negative effect on the global environment owing to its high global warming potential (GWP) value. An alternative solution is essential. Therefore, we evaluated the possibility of replacing conventional perfluorocarbon etching gases such as CHF₃ with C₆F₁₂O, which has a low GWP and is in a liquid state at room temperature. In this study, silicon oxynitride (SiON) films were plasma-etched using inductively coupled CF₄ +C₆F₁₂O+O₂ mixed plasmas. Subsequently, the etching characteristics of the film, such as etching rate, etching profile, selectivity over Si, and photoresist, were investigated. A double Langmuir probe was used and optical emission spectroscopy was performed for plasma diagnostics. In addition, a contact angle goniometer and x-ray photoelectron spectroscope were used to confirm the change in the surface properties of the etched SiON film surface. Consequently, the etching characteristics of the C₆F₁₂O mixed plasma exhibited a lower etching rate, higher SiON/Si selectivity, lower plasma damage, and more vertical etched profiles than the conventional CHF₃ mixed plasma. In addition, the C₆F₁₂O gas can be recovered in the liquid state, thereby decreasing global warming. These results confirmed that the C₆F₁₂O precursor can sufficiently replace the conventional etching gas.     

Current Status and Trend of Internet and E-Commerce Market in Korea

After the remarkable increase of Internet users and broadband Internet subscribers at the end of the 20th century, the size of Korean Internet and e-commerce market steadily increased but the growth rate has been either stagnant or decreased. Trends of Korean Internet and e-commerce market are summarized in this paper the trends on Internet usage are introduced. Trends of online games, blogs and wireless Internet are introduced. The trends of Korean Internet market may have implications for China and Japan.     

EFFECT OF DIETARY SORGHUM DISTILLERY RESIDUE ON HEMATOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURED GREY MULLET (MUGIL CEPHALUS)—AN ANIMAL MODEL FOR PRESCREENING ANTIOXIDANT AND BLOOD THINNING ACTIVITIES

The sorghum distillery residue (SDR) has been an underutilized by‐product with estimated production of 150 ton/day in Kinmen, Taiwan. The objective of this study was to test for any physiological effects of SDR, thus to utilize it as a nutraceutical feed ingredient in diets for cultured fish. Hot air‐dried, wet, and dehulled‐wet sorghum distillery residue showed 63%, 90% and 97% inhibition of the hemoglobin‐catalyzed oxidation of linoleic acid compared to soybean (13%) and rice bran (78%). The feed formulated with 20% wet or dehulled‐wet sorghum distillery residue both showed an antioxidant activity of 68% being higher than the control diet (53%). Feeding these diets to cultured grey mullet for 60 days in summer (temperature ranged 24–30C), resulted in a lower hydroperoxide content in gill tissue, as shown by a chemiluminesence intensity of 1806 or 1409 mV as opposed to 2666 mV for fish fed a control diet. In winter, when the water temperature decreased to 14C, grey mullet fed a diet consisting of 10% dehulled wet sorghum distillery residue had a blood viscosity of 1.9 mPas and a hematocrit value of 33%, in contrast to 3.6 mPas and 41% for control. The blood of the control group started to aggregate in 6 h and showed hemolysis, while the mullet fed dehulled, wet sorghum distillery residue did not show blood aggregation, maintained normal fluidity and erythrocyte membrane integrity. It seems that cultured fish may have the potential as an animal model for prescreening antioxidant and blood thinning effects of food ingredients.     

Quantitative assessment of preferential fatigue initiation sites in a multi‐phase aluminium alloy

Complex multi‐phase Al–Sn–Si alloys are commonly employed in the manufacture of small automotive plain bearings. The fundamental fatigue initiation behaviour of this class of alloys is currently not well understood. A range of analytical techniques were applied to investigate preferential initiation site location and to attempt to identify critical microstructural features. It was apparent from experimental studies that points of fatigue crack initiation are associated with the Si secondary phase. Using tessellation approaches and subsequently both adaptive numerical modelling and micro‐scale finite element modelling allowed the identification of features affecting the probability that a given Si phase would initiate a fatigue crack.     

A SURVEY OF ARYLAMINE N-ACETYLTRANSFERASE ACTIVITY IN COMMON FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

The N-acetyltransferase activity was determined in 58 common fruits and vegetables. The assay was based on acetylation of 2-aminofluorene or p-amino-benzoic acid, followed by high pressure liquid chromatographic analysis of products and remaining nonacetylated substrate. The highest specific activities were observed in Balsam pear which contained 17.37 ± 1.45 N-acetyl aminofluorene nmole/min/mg protein and 46.27 ± 6.87 N-acetyl p-aminobenzoic acid nmole/min/mg protein. N-acetyltransferase activities within the remaining 57 foodstuffs analyzed ranged from none detected to 3.39 ± 0.72 N-acetyl aminofluorene nmole/min/mg protein and none detected to 32.45 ± 6.55 N-acetyl p-aminobenzoic acid nmole/min/mg protein. This is the first demonstration of acetyl CoA: arylamine N-acetyltransferase activity in common foodstuffs.     

Evaluation of Time-Intensity Sensory Responses using a Personal Computer

A method is presented which utilizes a personal computer to measure time-intensity (T-I) sensory responses. The judge uses a game paddle which moves an “X” along a fixed scale appearing on the monitor screen to indicate the attribute intensity at each instant in time. A clicker device on the game paddle can be used to record the occurrence of events such as initial mouth entry and time of swallowing. Data acquisition is continuous with the data stored on discs. This technique has advantages over strip chart recorder methods. Disc storage allows rapid and efficient data analysis. Judges can perform the evaluations virtually unsupervised with only minimal training.     

比较CypherTM和TaxusTM支架在冠心病合并糖尿病患者中应用的安全性和有效性

背景与裸支架相比,药物洗脱支架可以显著降低冠心病合并糖尿病患者PCI术后再狭窄率和靶病变重建率.但目前尚未见关于直接比较雷帕霉素洗脱支架(CypherTM)和紫杉醇洗脱支架(TaxusTM)在治疗冠心病合并糖尿病患者中安全性和有效性的研究.目的观察和比较两种药物洗脱支架在冠心病合并糖尿病患者中应用的安全性和有效性.方法自2002年6月～2004年2月新加坡国立大学医院心脏中心所有置入Cypher或Taxus支架冠心病合并糖尿病患者,观察:术后6个月的主要不良心脏事件(包括死亡、心肌梗死、靶病变重建).结果