Author: claimsbot

1. A method for displaying an ultrasound image, the method comprising:
receiving in-vivo ultrasound image data at a computer system having a processor and a display screen;
statistically processing the image data with the processor to determine an object and an environment surrounding the object;
displaying an the display screen an image of the object, the surrounding environment, and a border surrounding the object; and
determining a structural property of the object and boundary of the object from a statistical parameter derived from the statistically processed data.
2. A method as in claim 1, further comprising calculating the area of the object with the processor.
3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the processing step further comprises determining whether the statistical parameter is within a certain range that is representative of the object, and marking the locations to indicate they are positioned within the object, and wherein the border is based at least in part on the marked locations.
4. A method as in claim 3, wherein the image data is time-domain data, further comprising transforming the time-domain data into frequency-domain data and compressing the frequency-domain data, and wherein the statistical parameter comprises the zero frequency magnitude of the compressed frequency-domain data and the sum of the frequency magnitudes of the compressed frequency-domain data.
5. A method as in claim 4, wherein the object is representative of a physical object within a patient, and wherein the zero frequency magnitude of the compressed frequency-domain data is representative of the physical composition of the physical object and the sum of the frequency magnitude of the compressed frequency-domain data is representative of the homogeneity of the physical object.
6. A method as in claim 4, further comprising coupling a catheter to the computer system, introducing the catheter into a patient and actuating an ultrasonic element to obtain the time-domain data.
7. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising;
a processor;
a memory device in electrical communication with the processor;
a display screen operably coupled to the processor; and
an interface that is adapted to receive image data;
wherein the processor Is configured to statistically process the image data to determine an object and an environment surrounding the object, to cause to be displayed on the display screen an image of the object, the surrounding environment, and a border surrounding the object, and to determine a structural property of the object and boundary of the object from a statistical parameter derived from the statistically processed data.
8. A system as in claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the area of the object.
9. A system as in claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the statistical parameter is within a certain range that is representative of the object, and to mark the locations to indicate they are positioned within the object, and wherein the border is based at least in part on the marked locations.
10. A system as in claim 9, wherein the image data is time-domain data, and wherein the processor is configured to transform the time-domain data into frequency-domain data and to compress the frequency-domain data, and wherein the statistical parameter comprises the zero frequency magnitude of the compressed frequency-domain data and the sum of the frequency magnitudes of the compressed frequency-domain data.
11. A system as in claim 10, wherein the object is representative of a physical object within a patient, and wherein the zero frequency magnitude of the compressed frequency-domain data is representative of the physical structure of the physical object, and the sum of the frequency magnitudes of the compressed frequency-domain data is representative of the homogeneity of the physical object.
12. A system as in claim 10, further comprising a catheter having an ultrasonic element which is coupled to the processor to obtain the time-domain data when the catheter is inserted into a patient.
13. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising:
an interface that is adapted to receive image data;
a memory device for storing the image data;
a display screen; and
means for statistically processing the image data to determine an object, and an environment surrounding the object;
means for displaying on the display screen an image of the object, the surrounding environment, and a border surrounding the object; and
means for determining a structural property of the object and boundary of the object from a statistical parameter derived from the statistically processed data.

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

What is claimed is:

1. A charged particle beam exposing apparatus comprising:
a charged particle beam gun;
a first shaping aperture which forms a charged particle beam from said beam gun into a predetermined shape and passes it therethrough;
a first projection lens which is provided on a downstream side of said first shaping aperture;
a shaping deflector which deflects said charged particle beam which passes through said first projection lens;
a second projection lens on which said charged particle beam which passes through said shaping deflector is incident;
a second shaping aperture which forms said charged particle beam which passes through said second projection lens into a predetermined shape and passes it therethrough;
a reduction lens on which said charged particle beam which passes through said second shaping aperture is incident;
an objective deflector which is provided on a downstream side of said reduction lens and deflects said charged particle beam which passes through said reduction lens;
an object lens on which said charged particle beam which passes through said objective deflector is incident;
a sample base which is provided on a downstream side of said object lens; and
at least two pairs of quadrupole field generators which are provided between said second shaping aperture and said sample base along a beam axis so as to give converging force to said charged particle beam and generate a quadrupole field, a field intensity of said quadrupole field generators being variable in accordance with a deflection position of said charged particle beam on a sample mounted on said sample base in order to correct a focusing position of said charged particle beam.
2. The charged particle beam exposing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said quadrupole field generator includes 4n-pole electrodes which generate an electrostatic field (n is a natural number).
3. The charged particle beam exposing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of said quadrupole field generator has four electrodes arranged at each apex of a substantial quadrate with said beam axis at a center, and a direct current voltage is applied between a connection point of one pair of opposed electrodes in said four electrodes and a connection point of the other pair of electrodes.
4. The charged particle beam exposing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said objective deflector includes an octopole field generator and has eight electrodes arranged at each apex of a substantial octagon with said beam axis at a center, and assuming that an appellation of a pair of opposed electrode is (xx); an appellation of a pair of electrodes orthogonal to said pair, (y, y); appellations of an electrode between x and y and an electrode opposed thereto, ((xy), (xy)); and appellations of an electrode between x and y and an electrode opposed thereto, ((xy), (xy)) and V0 is a constant when generating a deflection electric field inclined from a direction (y)(y) in a counterclockwise direction by , voltages V applied to said eight electrodes are as follows:
VxV0 cos(90) VxyV0 cos(45) VyV0 cos(0) VxyV0 cos(45) VxV0 cos(90) VxyV0 cos(135) VyV0 cos(180) VxyV0 cos(135)
5. The charged particle beam exposing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein one of said quadrupole field generators also serves as said octopole field generator of said objective deflector and, when V is a constant in case of generating a quadrupole field inclined from a direction (y)(y) in the counterclockwise direction by 100 2, voltages V applied to said eight electrodes of said quadrupole field generator are as follows:
VxVxV cos() VxyVxyV sin() VyVyV cos() VxyVxyV sin() VxVxV cos() VxyVxyV sin() VyVyV cos() VxyVxyV sin()
6. The charged particle beam exposing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a deflection control portion, wherein said deflection control portion comprises:
a deflection control circuit to which lithographing position data is inputted from a control computer and which outputs main deflection position data;
a focus correction circuit for quadrupole to which said main deflection position data is inputted and which outputs focus correction data for each pole of said quadrupole;
an astigmatism aberration correction circuit for objective deflector to which said main deflection position data is inputted and which outputs astigmatism aberration correction data for each pole of said objective deflector;
an astigmatism aberration correction circuit for objective deflector to which said main deflection position data is inputted and outputs deflection data for each pole of said objective deflector; and
an add circuit which adds up said focus correction data, said astigmatism aberration correction data and said deflection data and outputs a control signal to said objective deflector.
7. The charged particle beam exposing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one pair of said quadrupole field generators also serve as at least one of an astigmatism aberration corrector and a sub-deflector which supports said objective deflector.
8. A charged particle beam exposing apparatus comprising:
a charged particle beam gun;
a shaping aperture which forms a charged particle beam from said beam gun into a predetermined shape and passes it therethrough;
a first projection lens which is provided on a downstream side of said shaping aperture;
a shaping deflector which deflects said charged particle beam which passes through said first projection lens;
a second projection lens on which said charged particle beam which passes through said shaping deflector is incident;
a mask which forms said charged particle beam which passes through said second projection lens into a predetermined pattern and passes it therethrough;
a reduction lens on which said charged particle beam which passes through said second shaping aperture is incident;
an objective deflector which is provided on a downstream side of said reduction lens and deflects said charged particle beam;
an object lens on which said charged particle beam which passes through said objective deflector is incident;
a sample base which is provided on a downstream side of said object lens; and
at least two pairs of quadrupole field generators which are provided between said second shaping aperture and said sample base along a beam axis so as to give converging force to said charged particle beam and generate a quadrupole field, a field intensity of said quadrupole field generators being variable in accordance with a deflection position of said charged particle beam on a sample mounted on said sample base in order to correct a focusing position of said charged particle beam.
9. The charged particle beam exposing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said quadrupole field generator includes 4n-pole electrodes which generate an electrostatic field (n is a natural number).
10. The charged particle beam exposing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein one of said quadrupole field generators has four electrodes arranged at each apex of a substantial quadrate with said beam axis at a center, and a direct current voltage is applied between a connection point of one pair of opposed electrodes among said four electrodes and a connection point of the other pair of electrodes.
11. The charged particle beam exposing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said objective deflector includes an octopole field generator and has eight electrodes arranged at each apex of a substantial octagon with said beam axis at a center, and assuming that an appellation of a pair of opposed electrode is (xx); an appellation of a pair of electrodes orthogonal to said pair, (y, y); appellations of an electrode between x and y and an electrode opposed thereto, ((xy), (xy)); and an appellation of an electrode between x and y and an electrode opposed thereto, ((xy), (xy)) and V0 is a constant when generating a deflection electric field inclined from a direction (y)(y) in a counterclockwise direction by , voltages V applied to said eight electrodes are as follows:
VxV0 cos(90) VxyV0 cos(45) VyV0 cos(0) VxyV0 cos(45) VxV0 cos(90) VxyV0 cos(135) VyV0 cos(180) VxyV0 cos(135)
12. The charged particle beam exposing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein one of said quadrupole field generators also serves as said octopole field generator of said objective deflector and, when V is a constant in case of generating a quadrupole field inclined from a direction (y)(y) in the counterclockwise direction by 2, voltages V applied to said eight electrode of said quadrupole field generator are as follows:
VxVxV cos() VxyVxyV sin() VyVyV cos() VxyVxyV sin() VxVxV cos() VxyVxyV sin() VyVyV cos() VxyVxyV sin()
13. The charged particle beam exposing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a deflection control portion, wherein said deflection control portion comprises:
a deflection control circuit to which lithographing position data is inputted from a control computer and which outputs main deflection position data;
a focus correction circuit for quadrupole to which said main deflection position data is inputted and which outputs focus correction data for each pole of said quadrupole;
an astigmatism aberration correction circuit for objective deflector to which said main deflection position data is inputted and which outputs astigmatism aberration correction data for each pole of said objective deflector;
an astigmatism aberration correction circuit for objective deflector to which said main deflection position data is inputted and outputs deflection data for each pole of said objective deflector; and
an add circuit which adds up said focus correction data, said astigmatism aberration correction data and said deflection data and outputs a control signal to said objective deflector.
14. The charged particle beam exposing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein at least one pair of said quadrupole field generators also serve as at least one of an astigmatism aberration corrector and a sub-deflector.
15. A charged particle beam exposing apparatus comprising:
a charged particle beam gun;
a shaping aperture which forms a charged particle beam from said beam gun into a predetermined shape and passes it therethrough;
a first projection lens which is provided on a downstream side of said shaping aperture;
a shaping deflector which deflects said charged particle beam which passes through said first projection lens;
a second projection lens on which said charged particle beam which passes through said shaping deflector is incident;
a mask which forms said charged particle beam which passes through said second projection lens into a predetermined pattern and passes it therethrough;
a reduction lens on which said charged particle beam which passes through said mask is incident;
an objective deflector which is provided on a downstream side of said reduction lens and deflects said charged particle beam which passes through said reduction lens;
an object lens on which said charged particle beam which passes through said objective deflector is incident;
a sample base which is provided on a downstream side of said object lens; and
at least two pairs of quadrupole field generators which are provided between said shaping aperture and said mask along a beam axis so as to give converging force to said charged particle beam and generate a quadrupole field, a field intensity of said quadrupole field generators being variable in accordance with a deflection position of said charged particle beam on said mask in order to correct a focusing position of said charged particle beam.
16. The charged particle beam exposing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said quadrupole field generator includes 4n-pole electrodes which generate an electrostatic field (n is a natural number).
17. The charged particle beam exposing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein one of said quadrupole field generators has four electrodes arranged at each apex of a substantial quadrate with said beam axis at a center, and a direct current voltage is applied between a connection point of one pair of electrodes among said four electrodes and a connection point of the other pair of electrodes.
18. The charged particle beam exposing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said objective deflector includes an octopole field generator and has eight electrodes arranged at each apex of a substantial octagon with said beam axis at a center, and assuming that an appellation of a pair of opposed electrode is (xx); an appellation of a pair of electrodes orthogonal to said pair, (y, y); appellations of an electrode between x and y and an electrode opposed thereto, ((xy), (xy)); and appellations of an electrode between x and y and an electrode opposed thereto, ((xy), (xy)) and V0 is a constant when generating a deflection electric field inclined from a direction (y)(y) in a counterclockwise direction by , voltages V applied to said eight electrodes are as follows:
VxV0 cos(90) VxyV0 cos(45) VyV0 cos(0) VxyV0 cos(45) VxV0 cos(90) VxyV0 cos(135) VyV0 cos(180) VxyV0 cos(135)
19. The charged particle beam exposing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein one of said quadrupole field generators also serves as said octopole field generator of said objective deflector and, when V is a constant in case of generating a quadrupole field inclined from a direction (y)(y) in the counterclockwise direction by 2, voltages V applied to said eight electrodes of said quadrupole field generator are as follows:
VxVxV cos() VxyVxyV sin() VyVyV cos() VxyVxyV sin() VxVxV cos() VxyVxyV sin() VyVyV cos() VxyVxyV sin()

1. A high refractive index, high dispersion optical glass for precision molding, having a yield temperature (At) of at most 550\xb0 C., refractive index (nd) of at least 1.83 and Abbe number (\u03bdd) of at most 26.0, which is represented, in term of atoms for making up the glass, by the following chemical composition (wt %):
P2O5
15 to 29%
B2O3
\u20020 to 2%
GeO2
\u20020 to 14%
Sum of P2O5 + B2O3 + GeO2
20 to 35%
Li2O
\u20020 to 5%
Na2O
\u20023 to 14%
K2O
\u20020 to 9%
Sum of Li2O + Na2O + K2O
\u20025 to 15%
Nb2O5
\u20022 to less than 22%
Bi2O3
34 to 60%
WO3
\u20020 to 5%
BaO
\u20020 to 5%
In2O3
\u20020 to 7%
2. A high refractive index, high dispersion optical glass for precision molding, having a yield temperature (At) of at most 550\xb0 C., refractive index (nd) of at least 1.83 and Abbe number (\u03bdd) of at most 26.0, which is represented, in term of atoms for making up the glass, by the following chemical composition (wt %):
P2O5
\u200916 to 28%
B2O3
\u2002\u20090 to 1%
GeO2
\u2002\u20090 to 13.5%
Sum of P2O5 + B2O3 + GeO2
\u200922 to 33%
Li2O
\u2002\u20090 to 3%
Na2O
\u2002\u20094 to 13%
K2O
\u2002\u20090 to 8%
Sum of Li2O + Na2O + K2O
\u2002\u20097 to 13%
Nb2O5
2.5 to 21.5%
Bi2O3
\u200936 to 59%
WO3
\u2002\u20090 to 3%
BaO
\u2002\u20090 to 3%
In2O3
\u2002\u20090 to 5%

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 method for fabricating a ferroelectric device, comprising the steps of:
forming an interlayer insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate, the interlayer insulating layer having a buried contact plug;
forming an oxidation barrier layer on the interlayer insulating layer and on the contact plug in order to prevent oxidation of the contact plug;
forming a ferroelectric capacitor on the oxidation barrier layer and on the contact plug;
forming a diffusion barrier layer pattern to completely cover the ferroelectric capacitor;
etching a portion of the oxidation barrier layer that is exposed by the diffusion barrier layer pattern.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming the oxidation barrier layer is preceded by forming an adhesion layer on the interlayer insulating layer, wherein etching the exposed portion of the oxidation barrier layer comprises:
depositing a diffusion barrier layer on the ferroelectric capacitor and over the oxidation barrier layer;
using a photoresist mask and patterning the diffusion barrier layer to form the diffusion barrier layer pattern; and
using the pattern of the diffusion barrier layer as a mask and etching the oxidation barrier layer and the adhesion layer to form a pattern of the oxidation barrier layer and a pattern of the adhesion layer until the interlayer insulating layer is exposed, wherein the diffusion barrier layer prevents materials from diffusing into andor out of the ferroelectric capacitor.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the pattern of the oxidation barrier layer and the pattern of the adhesion layer extend outwardly from lateral surfaces of the ferroelectric capacitor.
4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising annealing the diffusion barrier layer in an ambient oxygen atmosphere at a temperature of about 650 degrees C. for about 30 minutes.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming the interlayer insulating layer comprises:
forming a transistor on the semiconductor substrate;
forming a first interlayer insulating layer over the semiconductor substrate and the transistor;
forming a first metal line, which is electrically connected to the substrate through the first interlayer insulating layer, on the first interlayer insulating layer; and
depositing a second interlayer insulating layer.
6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:
depositing a third interlayer insulating layer over the second interlayer insulating layer and the ferroelectric capacitor;
forming a second metal line on the third interlayer insulating layer;
depositing a fourth interlayer insulating layer over the third interlayer insulating layer and the second metal line; and
forming a third metal line on the fourth interlayer insulating layer to be electrically connected to an upper electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor.
7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:
forming the first metal line from tungsten (W);
forming the second metal line from a stacked layer of titanium (Ti), titanium nitride (TiN), aluminum (Al) and titanium nitride (TiN) layer; and
forming the third metal line from aluminum (Al).
8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
forming the oxidation barrier layer from a material selected from the group consisting of iridium (Ir), rhodium (Rh) and ruthenium (Ru); and
forming the adhesion layer from titanium (Ti).
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming the ferroelectric capacitor comprises:
forming a lower electrode layer on the oxidation barrier layer;
forming a ferroelectric film on the lower electrode layer;
forming an upper electrode layer on the ferroelectric layer;
performing photolithography and etching the upper electrode layer; and
performing a second photolithography and etching the ferroelectric film and the lower electrode layer until the oxidation barrier layer is exposed.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming the ferroelectric capacitor comprises:
forming a lower electrode layer on the oxidation barrier layer;
forming a ferroelectric film on the lower electrode layer;
forming an upper electrode layer on the ferroelectric layer, and
performing photolithography and sequentially etching the upper electrode layer, ferroelectric layer and lower electrode layer until the oxidation barrier layer is exposed.
11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:
forming the lower electrode layer from a double layer of iridium dioxide (IrO2) and platinum (Pt); and
forming the upper electrode layer from a double layer of iridium dioxide (IrO2) and iridium (Ir).
12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:
forming the lower electrode layer from a double layer of iridium dioxide (IrO2) and platinum (Pt); and
forming the upper electrode layer from a double layer of iridium dioxide (IrO2) and iridium (Ir).
13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising forming the lower electrode layer and upper electrode from the same material selected from a group consisting of either platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), ruthenium (Ru), a combination of a conductive oxide thereof, and a double layer of iridium dioxide (IrO2) and platinum (Pt).
14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising forming the lower electrode layer and upper electrode from the same material selected from a group consisting of either platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), ruthenium (Ru), a combination of a conductive oxide thereof, and a double layer of iridium dioxide (IrO2) and platinum (Pt).
15. A method for fabricating a one transistor and one capacitor ferroelectric memory device, comprising the steps of:
forming a transistor comprising a gate electrode and sourcedrain regions on a semiconductor substrate;
forming a first interlayer insulating layer over the semiconductor substrate and the transistor;
forming a first metal line, which is electrically connected to one of the sourcedrain regions, on the first interlayer insulating layer;
forming a second interlayer insulating layer over the first interlayer insulating layer and the first metal line;
forming a contact plug electrically connected to the other of the sourcedrain regions through the second and first interlayer insulating layers;
forming an adhesion layer on the second interlayer insulating layer and on the contact plug;
forming an oxidation barrier layer on the adhesion layer;
forming a ferroelectric capacitor on the adhesion layer;
forming a diffusion barrier layer pattern to completely cover the ferroelectric capacitor on the oxidation barrier layer;
using the diffusion barrier layer pattern as a mask and etching the oxidation barrier layer and adhesion layer to form an oxidation barrier layer pattern and an adhesion layer pattern;
forming a third interlayer insulating layer over the second interlayer insulating layer and the adhesion layer pattern;
forming a second metal line, which is electrically connected to the gate electrode of the transistor, on the third interlayer insulating layer;
forming a fourth interlayer insulating layer over the third interlayer insulating layer and the second metal line; and
forming a third metal line, which is electrically connected to the ferroelectric capacitor, on the fourth interlayer insulating layer.
16. The method according to claim 15, wherein forming the ferroelectric capacitor comprises:
sequentially depositing a lower electrode layer, a ferroelectric film and an upper electrode layer on the oxidation barrier layer; and
patterning the upper electrode layer, ferroelectric film, and lower electrode layer.
17. The method according to claim 16, wherein patterning the upper electrode layer, ferroelectric film, and lower electrode layer comprises:
etching the upper electrode layer to form an upper electrode pattern; and
sequentially etching the ferroelectric film and the lower electrode layer down to a top surface of the oxidation barrier layer to form a ferroelectric electric film pattern and a lower electrode pattern, respectively.
18. The method according to claim 15, wherein forming the diffusion barrier layer pattern to completely cover the ferroelectric capacitor on the oxidation barrier layer comprises:
forming a diffusion barrier layer to completely cover the ferroelectric capacitor on the oxidation barrier layer; and
patterning the diffusion barrier layer to form the diffusion barrier layer pattern extending outwardly from the lateral surface of the ferroelectric capacitor.
19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:
forming the first metal line from tungsten (W);
forming the second metal line from a stacked layer of titanium (Ti), titanium nitride (TiN), aluminum (Al) and titanium nitride (TiN) layer; and
forming the third metal line from aluminum (Al).
20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:
forming the oxidation barrier layer from a material selected from the group consisting of iridium (Ir), iridium dioxide (IrO2), ruthenium (Ru) or rhodium (Rh);
forming an adhesion layer from titanium (Ti); and
forming the diffusion barrier layer from a material selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and alumina (Al2O3).
21. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, before etching the portion of the oxidation barrier layer, annealing the diffusion barrier layer pattern.
22. The method according to claim 17, further comprising, before etching the exposed oxidation barrier layer, annealing the diffusion barrier layer.