Line edge roughness after development in a positive-tone chemically amplified resist of post-optical lithography investigated by Monte Carlo simulation and a dissolution model

Line edge roughness (LER) of patterned features in chemically amplified (CA) resists is formed in the acid generation stage and expected to be moderated by the acid diffusion and development process. It is essential to obtain information on the limit of LER in order to realize next-generation lithographies such as electron beam or extreme ultraviolet. Here, we report for the first time a process simulator based on physical and chemical reaction mechanisms. The LER of a positive-tone CA resist after development is investigated by Monte Carlo simulation and Mack's dissolution model. We found that the LER (high frequency) of less than 1.2?nm is achievable, although the process conditions and material design for achieving such a small LER are strict.     

Stress intensity factor threshold in dental porcelains

The stress intensity factor threshold (K_I0) is related to the stress level at which cracks start to grow stably, causing the weakening of porcelain prostheses during their use. The values of K_I0 of seven dental porcelains (with and without reinforcing leucite crystal, KAlSi₂O₆) stored in air (22 °C, 60% relative humidity) and artificial saliva (37 °C) were determined by measuring the crack growth velocity of radial cracks generated at the corner of Vickers indentations. The results of K_I0 were correlated with the leucite content, fracture toughness (K_Ic), and chemical composition of the porcelains. It was observed that K_I0 increased with the increase of leucite content (only for the leucite-based porcelains) and with the increase of K_Ic. The increase in Al₂O₃ content or the decrease in the alkali oxide (K₂O and Na₂O) content of the material’s glassy matrix tended to increase the K_I0 values. Storage media (air and saliva) did not significantly affect the K_I0 of porcelains tested, indicating that the control parameter of K_I0 value was not the water content of the storage media.     

Hydrothermal processing of materials: past,present and future

The hydrothermal technique provides an excellent possibility for processing of advanced materials whether it is bulk single crystals, or fine particles, or nanoparticles. The advantages of hydrothermal technology have been discussed in comparison with the conventional methods of materials processing. The current trends in hydrothermal materials processing has been described in relation to the concept of soft solution processing, as a single-step low energy consuming fabrication technique. Also some recent developments in multi-energy processing of materials such as microwave-hydrothermal, mechanochemical-hydrothermal, electrochemical-hydrothermal, sonar-hydrothermal, etc. have been discussed. An overview of the past, present and future perspective of hydrothermal technology as a tool to fabricate advanced materials has been given with appropriate examples.     

Allylation of Carbon Pronucleophiles with Alkynes in the Presence of Palladium/Acetic Acid Catalyst

We have developed an efficient and eco‐chemical process for the allylation of carbon pronucleophiles with alkynes. The reaction of alkynes with various active methynes and methylenes in the presence of Pd(PPh₃)₄/acetic acid gave the corresponding allylated products in high yields and high regioselectivities. In the present catalytic system, the key is the use of carboxylic acid which dramatically enhances the rate of the reactions. One of the important features of this process is that neither a leaving group is liberated nor is a stoichiometric amount of base needed to generate the nucleophiles.     

Influence of single and multiple environmental stresses on trackingand erosion of RTV silicone rubber

Single and multiple effects of UV, corona, thermal, water absorption and acid rain stresses on the tracking and erosion characteristics of room temperature vulcanized silicone rubber (RTV) are investigated. It is shown that corona stress and water absorption stress decrease the tracking and erosion resistance of RTV, while thermal stress and UV stress improve it. Synthetic acid rain, 500× stronger than actual rain in Japan, cannot induce the change in the tracking and erosion characteristics. RTV subjected to simultaneous multiple stresses also is evaluated. Significant variations in the tracking and erosion resistance appear. Chemical and morphological analysis for assessing the aging level is carried out by scanning electron microscope (SEM)-energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), attenuated total reflection (ATR)-Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). In this study, DSC plays an important role to detect boiling and combustion temperatures of byproducts affecting tracking and erosion. Noteworthy results are obtained in that the decrease in the resistance to tracking and erosion is related to the formation of byproducts that burn at low temperature (170 to 275°C)     

A regenerative change during muscle adaptation to denervation in rats

The purpose of this study is to examine the cellular and molecular events coincident with muscle denervation, especially the regenerative changes seen following muscle denervation, the role of satellite cells in this process, and the possibility of apoptotic degeneration of myonuclei as a mechanism of myonuclei loss during muscle denervation atrophy. Myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform expression during muscle denervation was examined using pyrophosphate acrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunohistochemistry. DNA fragmentation (apoptosis) in myonuclei of denervated fibers was investigated using agarose gel electrophoresis, the TUNEL technique and ELISA for cytoplasmic histone-associated DNA fragmentation. Immunohistochemistry for MyoD and BrdU was also performed. Following muscle denervation, embryonic MHC, which is not expressed in adult healthy muscles, was expressed in some denervated fibers as well as in small activated satellite cells; maximal expression was observed 2 to 3 weeks after denervation. Activation and proliferation of satellite cells were observed, while few typical regenerating fibers were identified. It is speculated that most activated satellite cells fused to the denervated maternal fibers in order to repair them instead of fusing to each other to form new fibers as a mechanism that compensates for the atrophic changes after denervation. Although DNA ladder formation was not observed with agarose gel electrophoresis, DNA fragmentation was detected by the TUNEL technique and ELISA, suggesting that apoptotic degeneration contributes to the loss of myonuclei associated with denervation atrophy.     

Probabilistic fracture mechanics of nuclear structural components: consideration of transition from embedded crack to surface crack

This paper describes a probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis of aged nuclear reactor pressure vessel (RPV) material. New interpolation formulas of three-dimensional stress intensity factors are presented for both embedded elliptical surface cracks and semi-elliptical surface cracks. To investigate effects of transition from embedded crack to surface crack in PFM analyses, one of the PFM round-robin problems set by JSME-RC111 committee (i.e. aged RPV under normal and upset operating conditions) is solved, employing the interpolation formulas.     

APS, an adaptor protein containing PH and SH2 domains, is associated with the PDGF receptor and c-Cbl and inhibits PDGF-induced mitogenesis

Previously we cloned a novel adaptor protein, APS (adaptor molecules containing PH and SH2 domains) which was tyrosine phosphorylated in response to c-kit or B cell receptor stimulation. Here we report that APS was expressed in some human osteosarcoma cell lines, markedly so in SaOS-2 cells, and was tyrosine-phosphorylated in response to several growth factors, including platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Ectopic expression of the wild type APS, but not C-terminal truncated APS, in NIH3T3 fibroblasts suppressed PDGF-induced MAP kinase (Erk2) activation, c-fos and c-myc induction as well as cell proliferation. In vitro binding experiments suggest that APS bound to the beta type PDGF receptor, mainly via phosphotyrosine 1021 (pY1021). Indeed, tyrosine phosphorylation of PLC-gamma, which has been demonstrated to bind to pY1021, but not that of PI3 kinase and associated proteins, was reduced in APS transformants. PDGF induced phosphorylation of the tyrosine residue of APS close to the C-terminal end. In vitro and in vivo binding experiments indicate that the tyrosine phosphorylated C-terminal region of APS bound to c-Cbl, which has been shown to be a negative regulator of tyrosine kinases. Since coexpression of c-Cbl with wild type APS, but not C-terminal truncated APS, synergistically inhibited PDGF-induced c-fos promoter activation, c-Cbl could be a mechanism of inhibitory action of APS on PDGF receptor signaling.     

Macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1alpha) expression plasmid enhances DNA vaccine-induced immune response against HIV-1

CD8+ cell-secreted CC-chemokines, MIP-1alpha, and MIP-beta have recently been identified as factors which suppress HIV. In this study we co-inoculated MIP-1alpha expression plasmid with a DNA vaccine constructed from HIV-1 pCMV160IIIB and pcREV, and evaluated the effect of the adjuvant on HIV-specific immune responses following intramuscular and intranasal immunization. The levels of both cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity and DTH showed that HIV-specific cell-mediated immunity (CMI) was significantly enhanced by co-inoculation of the MIP-1alpha expression plasmid with the DNA vaccine compared with inoculation of the DNA vaccine alone. The HIV-specific serum IgG1/IgG2a ratio was significantly lowered when the plasmid was co-inoculated in both intramuscular and intranasal routes, suggesting a strong elicitation of the T helper (Th) 1-type response. When the MIP-1alpha expression plasmid was inoculated intramuscularly with the DNA vaccine, an infiltration of mononuclear cells was observed at the injection site. After intranasal administration, the level of mucosal secretory IgA antibody was markedly enhanced. These findings demonstrate that MIP-1alpha expression plasmid inoculated together with DNA vaccine acts as a strong adjuvant for eliciting Th1-derived immunity.     

New plastic joining method using indentation of cold bar to hot forged part

A new plastic joining method for fixing bars with a hot forged plate is proposed in which bars kept at room temperature are directly indented into a high-temperature plate. The optimum conditions for the proposed plastic joining method are examined using a low-alloyed steel bar and a carbon steel plate. It is possible to indent the bar to the plate without buckling or plastic deformation by keeping the plate above 850 °C. The attained shear bonding stress of bar-plate is approximately 40% of the shear strength of the plate material. The bonding mechanism of the proposed plastic joining method is discussed from the viewpoints of seizure of the plate and mechanical clamping associated with the process. Furthermore, some applications of the proposed method are suggested.