Author: claimsbot

1. A method of processing a low k dielectric film, comprising:
supporting in a processing chamber a substrate having a low k dielectric film deposited thereon; and
exposing a surface of a low k dielectric film formed over a substrate to an activated carbon-containing precursor gas to form a conformal carbon-containing film on the surface of the low k dielectric film, wherein the carbon-containing precursor gas has one or more Si\u2014N\u2014Si linkages in the molecular structure.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon-containing precursor gas is activated by an in-situ plasma source, a remote plasma source, a UV radiation, or any combination thereof.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon-containing precursor gas has low Si\u2014H concentration.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon-containing film comprises Si\u2014N\u2014Si bonds.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon-containing precursor gas comprises an aminosilane.
6. (canceled)
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the aminosilane is hexamethylcyclotrisilazane (HMCTZ) or bis-diethylamine silane (BDEAS).
8. (canceled)
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
depositing a first barrier layer on the conformal carbon-containing film.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
depositing a second barrier layer on the first barrier layer, wherein each of the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer has a band gap different from that of the low k dielectric film to create misalignment of band diagrams associated with the first and second barrier layers at the interface between layers.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first barrier layer, the second barrier layer, and the low k dielectric film comprise SiN, SiCN, SiC, SiO, SiON, SiOC, or SiOCH.
12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
subjecting the carbon-containing film to a hydrogen plasma.
13-14. (canceled)
15. The method of claim 9, wherein the first barrier layer is hermetic having a compressive stress of about 20 MPa.
16. The method of claim 9, wherein the first barrier layer has a thickness less than 80 \u212b.
17. A method of processing a damaged low k dielectric film, comprising:
subjecting a surface of a low k dielectric film to a plasma generated from a carbon-containing precursor gas comprising aminosilane to form a conformal carbon-containing film on the surface of the low k dielectric film.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the aminosilane comprises hexamethylcyclotrisilazane (HMCTZ) or bis-diethylamine silane (BDEAS).
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
depositing a first barrier layer on the conformal carbon-containing film; and
subjecting the first barrier layer to a plasma treatment in the nitrogen environment.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:
depositing a second barrier layer on the first barrier layer, wherein each of the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer has a band gap different from that of the low k dielectric film to create misalignment of band diagrams associated with the first and second barrier layers at the interface between layers.
21. A method of processing a low k dielectric film, comprising:
exposing a surface of a low k dielectric film formed over a substrate to a plasma formed from a carbon-containing precursor gas to form a conformal carbon-containing film on the surface of the low k dielectric film, wherein the carbon-containing precursor gas has one or more Si\u2014N\u2014Si linkages in the molecular structure; and
exposing the substrate to a plasma formed from a silicon-containing precursor to form a barrier layer onto the conformal carbon-containing film.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the substrate is further exposed to a plasma formed from a nitrogen-containing precursor during formation of the barrier layer.
23. The method of claim 21, wherein the barrier has a compressive stress of about 20 MPa.
24. The method of claim 21, wherein the carbon-containing precursor gas comprises aminosilanes.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A combination processing apparatus for combining image files, comprising:
a combination unit which combines a first image file with a second image file to generate a third image file;
a selection unit which selects one of a first security processing related to the first image file or a second security processing related to the second image file; and
a processing unit which applies the selected security processing to the generated third image file.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects a security processing according to user’s instruction.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit which stores priority level information for each security processing,
wherein the selection unit selects a security processing according to the priority level information.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the selection unit selects a security processing with priority level information indicating a higher priority level.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first security processing is a processing of composing a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image with an image of the first image file, the second security processing is a processing of embedding digital watermark information into an image of the second image file, and the selection unit selects the first security processing from the first and second security processing.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first security processing is a processing of composing a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image with an image of the first image file, the second security processing is a processing of composing an image into which information is embedded with an image of the second image file, and the selection unit selects the first security processing from the first and second security processing.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combination unit combines image files each having a different file name to generate an image file having a single file name.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each security processing is defined by commands.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each security processing is defined in a file.
10. A method of combining image files with a combination processing apparatus, the method comprising:
a combination step of combining a first image file with a second image file to generate a third image file;
a selection step of selecting one of a first security processing related to the first image file or a second security processing related to the second image file; and
a processing step of applying the selected security processing to the generated third image file,
wherein the combination step, the selection step, and the processing step are carried out by the combination processing apparatus.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the selection step selects a security processing according to user’s instruction.
12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising a storing step of storing priority level information for each security processing in a storage unit,
wherein the selection step selects a security processing according to the priority level information.
13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the selection step selects a security processing with priority level information indicating a higher priority level.
14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first security processing is a processing of composing a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image with an image of the first image file, the second security processing is a processing of embedding digital watermark information into an image of the second image file, and the selection step selects the first security processing from the first and second security processing.
15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first security processing is a processing of composing a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image with an image of the first image file, the second security processing is a processing of composing an image into which information is embedded with an image of the second image file, and the selection step selects the first security processing from the first and second security processing.
16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the combination step combines image files each having a different file name to generate an image file having a single file name.
17. The method according to claim 10, wherein each security processing is defined by commands.
18. The method according to claim 10, wherein each security processing is defined in a file.
19. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program executable by a computer to combine image files, the computer program comprising:
a combination instruction configured to combine a first image file with a second image file to generate a third image file;
a selection instruction configured to select one of a first security processing related to the first image file or a second security processing related to the second image file; and
a processing instruction configured to apply the selected security processing to the generated third image file.

1. A user-interface for being operated by a finger, hand, or foot of a user, said user-interface comprising:
a fluid inlet;
a fluid outlet;
a drain;
a waterswitch that receives incoming water from a fluid inlet that selectively directs said incoming water to an outlet or to a drain; and
a sensor,
said sensor for sensing said user’s finger, hand, or foot on, at, or near said outlet
2. The user-interface according to claim 1, wherein said user’s finger, hand, or foot blocking said outlet directs said incoming water to said to said drain.
3. The user-interface according to claim 1, wherein said sensor is arranged for being hit by water when water flows to said drain in said waterswitch, said sensor generating a sound output.
4. The user-interface according to claim 3, wherein said water is amplified and controlled by at least one other device.
5. The user-interface according to claim 3, further including a frequency-shifter, wherein said sound output is frequency-shifted to at least one musical note by said frequency shifter.
6. A musical instrument based on a plurality of the user-interfaces according to claim 5, wherein each of said frequency-shifters frequency-shifts an output of each of said sensors to a different note on a musical scale.
7. The musical instrument according to claim 6, wherein said outlets are ground nozzles, and said musical instrument is for being played by said user’s feet.
8. The user-interface according to claim 1, wherein said fluid outlet is a ground nozzle driven by said waterswitch, said ground nozzle for being stepped on by said user.
9. The user-interface according to claim 8, wherein said waterswitch produces subsonic sound in said sensor, when said water is directed to said drain.
10. The user-interface according to claim 9, wherein said subsonic sound includes a DC offset in said sensor.
11. The user-interface according to claim 3, wherein said sensor is a geophone struck by said water and said geophone generates said sound output.
12. A user-interface, comprising:
a game; and
a plurality of water jets for being blocked or unblocked by a user blocking said water jets, said game responsive to said blocking of said water jets.
13. The user-interface according to claim 12, wherein said game is a video game, and said user interface has an array of pixels, each of said water jets representing a pixel in said video game.
14. The user-interface according to claim 13, wherein said pixels are shown at different times.
15. The user-interface according to claim 14, wherein said pixels are shown at said different successive times.
16. The user-interface according to claim 12, wherein at least one of said water jets is responsive to an output of at least one of said sensors.
17. The user-interface according to claim 16, wherein said sensors are connected to a processor that produces a plurality of musical sounds.
18. The user-interface according to claim 17, wherein said processor produces a different musical sound in response to said blockage of each said water jets.
19. The user-interface according to claim 16, wherein an output of one water jet is responsive to a sensor of at least one other water jet.
20. The user-interface according to claim 12, wherein blocking a water jet starts a domino effect of a plurality of other water jets.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A tomographic image obtainment apparatus, wherein a tomographic image is reconstructed from a plurality of radiographic images obtained by irradiating a subject with radiation from various directions, the apparatus comprising:
a radiation image detector for obtaining radiographic images of the subject;
a radiation irradiation unit placed so as to face the radiation image detector, the radiation irradiation unit moving to a plurality of positions and irradiating, at the plurality of positions, the subject placed on the radiation image detector with radiation from various directions;
an overlap-degree obtainment means for obtaining the degree of overlap of anatomical structures of the subject; and
an exposure condition setting means for setting, based on the degree of overlap obtained by the overlap-degree obtainment means, a condition of exposure by the radiation irradiation unit at the plurality of positions to obtain the plurality of radiographic images.
2. A tomographic image obtainment apparatus, as defined in claim 1, wherein the overlap-degree obtainment means obtains the degree of overlap of the anatomical structures in the direction of the normal of a detection surface of the radiation image detector.
3. A tomographic image obtainment apparatus, as defined in claim 1, wherein the exposure condition setting means sets the condition of exposure so that the range of movement of the radiation irradiation unit is increased if the degree of overlap is large.
4. A tomographic image obtainment apparatus, as defined in claim 1, wherein the exposure condition setting means sets the condition of exposure so that an interval between the plurality of positions to which the radiation irradiation unit moves is reduced if the degree of overlap is large.
5. A tomographic image obtainment apparatus, as defined in claim 1, wherein the overlap-degree obtainment means obtains the degree of overlap based on the pixel values of a radiographic image obtained by radiographing the subject on the radiation image detector.
6. A tomographic image obtainment apparatus, as defined in claim 1, further comprising:
an ultrasound image obtainment unit for obtaining an ultrasound image of the subject on the radiation image detector, wherein the overlap-degree obtainment means obtains the degree of overlap based on the pixel values of the ultrasound image of the subject on the radiation image detector.
7. A tomographic image obtainment apparatus, as defined in claim 1, wherein the overlap-degree obtainment means obtains the degree of overlap based on the thickness of the subject.
8. A tomographic image obtainment apparatus, as defined in claim 1, wherein the overlap-degree obtainment means obtains the degree of overlap based on the weight of the subject.
9. A tomographic image obtainment method, wherein a tomographic image is reconstructed from a plurality of radiographic images obtained by irradiating a subject with radiation from various directions, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining the degree of overlap of anatomical structures of the subject in a direction of irradiation; and
setting a condition of exposure of the subject based on the obtained degree of overlap.