All The Claims

1. A secure optical data storage disc comprising:
a first substrate having a non-uniform thickness that creates a depression extending at a center hole and extending radially outward from the center hole;
and
a security tag, wherein the non-uniform thickness accommodates a portion of a thickness of the security tag, and wherein the thickness of the security tag exceeds a depth of the depression in the first substrate created by the non-uniform thickness.
2. The secure disc of claim 1 wherein the security tag comprises a metal coil.
3. The secure disc of claim 2 wherein the metal coil is laid out as a set of rings.
4. The secure disc of claim 3 wherein the set of rings are concentric.
5. The secure disc of claim 2 wherein the metal coil is laid out as a set of non-concentric coils.
6. The secure disc of claim 2 wherein the metal coil comprises a set of non-circular coils.
7. The secure disc of claim 6 wherein the set of non-circular coils are non-concentric.
8. The secure disc of claim 2 wherein the security tag comprises a thin-film insulator sandwiched between metal coil pairs.
9. The secure disc of claim 1 wherein a non-readable zone is substantially located within a clamping zone.
10. The secure disc of claim 1 wherein the first substrate further includes a non-readable zone that extends into a mirror band region and wherein the security tag is contained in the non-readable zone.
11. The secure disc of claim 1 wherein data carried on the disc comprises videogame console software.
12. The secure disc of claim 1 wherein data carried on the disc comprises a movie.
13. The secure disc of claim 1 wherein the security tag incorporates radio frequency identification technology.
14. The secure disc of claim 1 wherein the disc conforms to a DVD standard specification.
15. The secure disc of claim 1 wherein the secure disc comprises multiple data layers readable from a single side.
16. The secure disc of claim 1 wherein the secure disc comprises dual readable sides.
17. A method for manufacturing a secure optical data storage disc comprising, the method comprising:
forming the first substrate having a non-uniform thickness that creates a depression extending at a center hole and extending radially outward from the center hole; and
securing a security tag to the first substrate within the non-readable zone, wherein the non-uniform thickness accommodates a portion of a thickness of the security tag, and wherein the thickness of the security tag exceeds a depth of the depression in the first substrate created by the non-uniform thickness.
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of:
applying a reflective layer to the first substrate, and, before the bonding step, placing the security tag upon the first substrate during the securing step.
19. The method of claim 17 wherein the secure disc comprises multiple data layers readable from a single side.
20. The method of claim 17 wherein the secure disc comprises dual readable sides.

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. An image scanning system comprising:
an image scanning apparatus adapted to scan information on an object using an image sensor, and outputting an electrical image signal to an external unit; and
an external apparatus adapted to control said image scanning apparatus, and displaying the image signal output from said image scanning apparatus, wherein said external apparatus comprises connection means adapted to connect said image scanning apparatus to said external apparatus, detection means for detecting if said image scanning apparatus is connected to said external apparatus by said connection means, and control means adapted to start software for controlling said image scanning apparatus when said detection means detects that said image scanning apparatus is connected to said external apparatus, and
wherein in response to the start of the software, said image scanning apparatus scans an original and outputs the scanned image signal to said external apparatus.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said image scanning apparatus comprises an AD converter adapted to convert the image signal output from the image sensor into a digital signal, and transfer means adapted to transfer the digital image signal to said external apparatus.
3. A method of controlling an image scanning system which comprises an image scanning apparatus for scanning information on an object using an image sensor, and outputting an electrical image signal to an external unit, and an external apparatus for controlling said image scanning apparatus, and displaying the image signal output from said image scanning apparatus, comprising:
the detection step of detecting if said image scanning apparatus is connected to said external apparatus; and
the start step adapted to start software for controlling said image scanning apparatus on the basis of a detection result in the detection step when it is detected in the detection step that said image scanning apparatus is connected to said external apparatus, and
wherein in response to the start of the software, said image scanning apparatus scans an original and outputs the scanned image signal to said external apparatus.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said image scanning apparatus comprises an AD converter adapted to concert the image signal output from the image sensor into a digital signal, and transfer means adapted to transfer the digital image signal to said external apparatus.
5. The method according to claim 3, further including a step of detecting whether or not an original is present for scanning.
6. A computer-readable storage medium storing a control program for controlling an image scanning system which comprises an image scanning apparatus adapted to scan information on an object using an image sensor, and outputting an electrical image signal to an external unit, and an external apparatus adapted to control said image scanning apparatus, and displaying the image signal output from said image scanning apparatus, said control program having:
a code of the detection step of detecting if said image scanning apparatus is connected to said external apparatus; and a code of the start step of starting software for controlling said image scanning apparatus on the basis of a detection result in the detection step, wherein the start step includes the step of starting the software when it is detected in the detection step that said image scanning apparatus is connected to said external apparatus, and
wherein in response to the start of the software, said image scanning apparatus scans an original and outputs the scanned image signal to said external apparatus.
7. The method according to claim 6, further including a code of detecting whether or not an original is present for scanning.
8. An external apparatus which is connected to an image scanning apparatus adapted to scan information on an object using an image sensor, and outputting an electrical image signal to an external unit, and controls the image scanning apparatus, comprising:
connection means adapted to connect the image scanning apparatus to said external apparatus;
detection means adapted to detect if the image scanning apparatus is connected to said external apparatus by said connection means; and
control means adapted to start software for controlling the image scanning apparatus on the basis of a detection signal from said detection means when said detection means detects that the image scanning apparatus is connected to said external apparatus, and
wherein in response to the start of the software, the image scanning apparatus scans an original and outputs the scanned image signal to said external apparatus.
9. An image scanning system comprising:
an image scanning apparatus adapted to scan information on an object using an image sensor, and outputting an electrical image signal to an external unit; and
an external apparatus adapted to control said image scanning apparatus, and displaying the image signal output from said image scanning apparatus when said detection means detects that said image scanning apparatus is connected to said external apparatus, and quits the software when said detection means detects that said image scanning apparatus is disconnected from said external apparatus, and
wherein said external apparatus comprises connection means adapted to connect said image scanning apparatus to said external apparatus, detection means adapted to detect whether or not said image scanning apparatus is connected to said external apparatus by said connection means, and control means for controlling whether software for controlling said image scanning apparatus is started or quitted on the basis of a detection signal from said detection means.
10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said image scanning apparatus comprises an AD converter adapted to convert the image signal output from the image sensor into a digital signal, and transfer means adapted to transfer the digital image signal to said external apparatus.
11. The system according to claim 9, wherein in response to the start of the software, said image scanning apparatus scans an original and outputs the scanned image signal to said external apparatus.
12. A method of controlling an image scanning system which comprises an image scanning apparatus adapted to scan information on an object using an image sensor, and outputting an electrical image signal to an external unit, and an external apparatus adapted to control said image scanning apparatus, and displaying the image signal output from said image scanning apparatus, comprising:
the detection step of detecting whether or not said image scanning apparatus is connected to said external apparatus by said connection means; and
the setting step of setting whether software for controlling said image scanning apparatus in said external apparatus when it is detected in the detection step that said image scanning apparatus is connected to said external apparatus, and quitting the software when it is detected in the detection step that said image scanning apparatus is disconnected from said external apparatus.
13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said image scanning apparatus comprises an AD converter adapted to convert the image signal output from the image sensor into a digital signal, and transfer means adapted to transfer the digital image signal to said external apparatus.
14. The method according to claim 12, wherein in response to the start of the software, said image scanning apparatus scans an original and outputs the scanned image signal to said external apparatus.
15. The method according to claim 12, further including a step of detecting whether or not an original is present for scanning.
16. A computer-readable storage medium that stores a control program for controlling an image scanning system which comprises an image scanning apparatus for scanning information on an object using an image sensor, and outputting an electrical image signal to an external unit, and an external apparatus adapted to control said image scanning apparatus, and displaying the image signal output from said image scanning apparatus, said control program comprising:
a code of the detection step of detecting whether or not said image scanning apparatus is connected to said external apparatus by said connection means; and
a code of the setting step of setting whether software for controlling said image scanning apparatus in said external apparatus when it is detected in the detection step that said image scanning apparatus is connected to said external apparatus, and quitting the software when it is detected in the detection step that said image scanning apparatus is disconnected from said external apparatus.
17. The method according to claim 16, further including a code of detecting whether or not an original is present for scanning.
18. An external apparatus which is connected to an image scanning apparatus adapted to scan information on an object using an image sensor, and externally outputting an electrical image signal, and controls the image scanning apparatus, comprising:
connection means adapted to connect the image scanning apparatus to said external apparatus;
detection means adapted to detect whether or not the image scanning apparatus is connected to said external apparatus by said connection means; and control means adapted to control whether software for controlling said image scanning apparatus when said detection means detects that the image scanning apparatus is connected to said external apparatus, and quits the software when said detection means detects that the image scanning apparatus is disconnected from said external apparatus.

1. A radiation-emitting semiconductor chip, comprising:
an active layer having sides; and
a plurality of side surfaces bounding an extent of said active layer at said sides of said active layer, at least two of said side surfaces being disposed at an acute angle, being tilted and forming parallelograms.
2. The radiation-emitting semiconductor chip according to claim 1, including a substrate, wherein said active layer is disposed on said substrate.
3. The radiation-emitting semiconductor chip according to claim 2, wherein said active layer emits radiation, and a part of the radiation of said active layer is emitted in a direction of said substrate.
4. The radiation-emitting semiconductor chip according to claim 1, wherein said acute angle of said side surfaces in the form of the parallelograms is less than 80\xb0.
5. The radiation-emitting semiconductor chip according to claim 2, wherein said substrate is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of sapphire, gallium nitride, silicon carbide, zinc oxide, diamond and quartz glass.
6. A method for producing a radiation-emitting semiconductor chip, which comprises the steps of:
providing a substrate;
forming an active layer having sides above one surface of the substrate; and
separating the substrate and the active layer to form semiconductor chips, such that the semiconductor chips have a plurality of side surfaces bounding an extent of the active layer at the sides of the active layer with at least two of the side surfaces being disposed at an acute angle, being tilted and forming parallelograms.
7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of disposing the active layer on the substrate.
8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of emitting radiation from the active layer, and emitting a part of the radiation of the active layer in a direction of the substrate.
9. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of forming the acute angle of the side surfaces in parallelogram at less than 80\xb0.
10. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of forming the substrate from a material selected from the group consisting of sapphire, gallium nitride, silicon carbide, zinc oxide, diamond and quartz glass.
11. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of separating the substrate together with the active layer to form semiconductor chips, and separating the semiconductor chips along a separating surface running obliquely with respect to the surface.
12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of using a sawing apparatus with an oblique saw blade to separate the semiconductor chips.

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. An exchange coupling film for improving exchange properties between an anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) layer and a SyAP pinned layer having a AP2coupling layerAP1 configuration in a magnetoresistive element, comprising:
an amorphous magnetic layer comprised of at least one element of Co, Fe, or Ni, and at least one element having an amorphous character selected from B, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Ti, Si, or P, or a non-magnetic layer comprised of Cu, Ru, Mn, Hf, or Cr, said exchange coupling film is formed within said AP2 portion of the SyAP pinned layer in the magnetoresistive element and said AP2 pinned layer is formed on said AFM layer.
2. The exchange coupling film of claim 1 wherein the magnetoresistive element is a GMR or TMR sensor in a recording head.
3. The exchange coupling film of claim 1 wherein the amorphous magnetic layer has a thickness between about 1 and 15 Angstroms.
4. The exchange coupling film of claim 1 wherein the non-magnetic layer has a thickness between about 1 and 5 Angstroms
5. The exchange coupling film of claim 1 wherein the AFM layer is comprised of IrMn and the AP2 portion of the pinned layer is comprised of CoFe.
6. The exchange coupling film of claim 1 wherein the amorphous magnetic layer has a has a CoFe(100-X)AX or CoFeNi(100-X)AX composition where A is an amorphous element and x<40 atomic %, or has a CoFe(100-X-Y)AXMY or CoFeNi(100-X-Y)AXMY composition wherein A and M are amorphous elements and x+y<40 atomic %.
7. A magnetoresistive element, comprising:
(a) a seed layer,
(b) an AFM layer,
(c) a pinned layer having a SyAP configuration represented by AP2 layercoupling layerAP1 layer wherein said AP1 layer contacts a spacer layer or tunnel barrier layer,
(d) at least one exchange coupling film formed within the AP2 layer and comprising an amorphous magnetic layer comprised of at least one element of Co, Fe, or Ni, and at least one element having an amorphous character selected from B, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Ti, Si, or P, or a non-magnetic layer comprised of Cu, Ru, Mn, Hf, or Cr,
(e) a spacer layer or tunnel barrier layer,
(f) a free layer, and
(g) a capping layer.
8. The magnetoresistive element of claim 7 further comprised of a second exchange coupling film formed between the AFM layer and AP2 layer.
9. A method of forming a magnetoresistive element, comprising:
(a) forming a seed layer on a substrate;
(b) forming an AFM layer on the seed layer; and
(c) forming a pinned layer on said AFM layer, said pinned layer has an AP2coupling layerAP1 configuration wherein the AP2 layer is a composite comprising:
(1) a lower portion of the AP2 layer that contacts said AFM layer;
(2) an insertion layer formed on the lower portion of the AP2 layer, said insertion layer is an amorphous magnetic layer comprised of at least one element of Co, Fe, or Ni, and at least one element having an amorphous character selected from B, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Ti, Si, or P, or a non-magnetic layer comprised of Cu, Ru, Mn, Hf, or Cr; and
(3) forming an upper portion of the AP2 layer on the insertion layer.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the amorphous magnetic layer has a thickness between about 1 and 15 Angstroms or the non-magnetic layer has a thickness from about 1 to 5 Angstroms.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein the AFM layer is comprised of IrMn, the AP2 layer is made of CoFe, and the insertion layer has a CoFe(100-X)Ax or CoFeNi(100-X)AX composition where A is an amorphous element and x<40 atomic %, or has a CoFe(100-X-Y)AXMY or CoFeNi(100-X)AXMY composition wherein A and M are amorphous elements and x+y<40 atomic %.