7/18 Why are people worried about radio frequency exposures?
The dramatic increase in man-made radio frequency (RF) fields in the environment during the last few decades has led to public health concerns in many parts of the world. Specifically, questions have been raised about the safety of exposure to RF energy emitted from radar, television, and radio communication systems, microwave ovens, video display terminals, and most recently, mobile telephones and base stations, Wi-Fi, and LTE. Wearable RF gadgets are prevailing. Wireless power transmission is a newer subject, which can involve high-intensity exposures. The IEEE EMF database now has more than 6700 original, peer-reviewed papers useful for public health risk assessment of RF exposure. Even there has been 70 years of research, and WHO indicated that scientific knowledge in this area is now more extensive than for most chemicals and current evidence does not confirm the existence of any health consequences from exposure to low-level electromagnetic fields, controversy on RF safety continues. In this presentation, research, standards, regulation and risk communication concerning RF safety will be addressed.
Dr. Chung-Kwang (C-K.) Chou received the B.S. degree from National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, in 1968, the M.S. degree from Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA, in 1971, and the Ph.D. degree from the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA, in 1975, all in electrical engineering. After spending a year as a National Institutes of Health Post-Doctoral Fellow with the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Regional Primate Research Center, University of Washington, he became a faculty member with the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and the Center for Bioengineering, University of Washington, 1977 to 1985. From 1985 to 1998, he was a Research Scientist and the Director of the Department of Radiation Research with the City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA. In 1998, he joined Motorola and became the Director of the Corporate EME Research Laboratory. He was the Chief EME Scientist with Motorola and Motorola Solutions from 2001 to 2013, where he was responsible for radio frequency (RF) product safety. He retired from Motorola Solutions at the end of 2013, and is currently an Independent Consultant on EMF safety issues.


text:
Drunk Muse Press
Wildly good poetry books
Affiliated with The Poets' Republic magazine
Coming soon - A brilliant debut collection by Mark Vernon Thomas
January sale: The Leaves of the Years, The Red House - £10 each. See Shop
Drunk Muse Press was founded in late 2020 by Neil Young and Hugh McMillan, based in Scotland, and Jessamine O' Connor in Ireland. Our purpose is to champion poetry that insists on wider attention . . . by poets with a compelling way of expressing it. The first Drunk Muse books were published in spring/summer of 2021. Watch this space for details of more to come.
MY THREATENING POEM - THE MEMOIR OF A POET IN OCCUPATION PRISONS
Passionate, direct and rich with humanity in the face of brute force and dehumanisation, Dareen Tatour recalls her experience from arrest through imprisonment for the 'crime' of writing defiant poetry. This book, published in translation from Arabic to English for the first time, is a testimony of the power of language, poetry and the human spirit to overcome violent authority.
Please note we are not accepting any further submissions until June 2023. For all other enquiries, please email drunkmusepoems@hotmail.com
Sign up to be the first to know about new publications and much more!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Maryland Scenic Drives
by Miriam Carey
Maryland scenic drives capture the beauty and history of the state, showcasing popular attractions such as the Fort McHenry National Monument and Harpers Ferry National Historic Park. The links at the bottom of this page will take you to articles about two such drives that contain photos, highlights, and detailed maps.
Diverse in its geography and personality, Maryland is a state worthy of a long stay. Much of the state owes its lifestyle to the Chesapeake Bay, but Maryland also features forested lands and mountains. While parts of the state are decidedly commerce-driven and dedicated to politics, more rural areas of Maryland maintain a distinctly southern bent.
Explore the two routes below, and you'll experience an excellent cross-section of this diverse state, from the eastern portion of Chesapeake Bay to a strip of Americana on the National Road. Here's a preview of what you'll find in our articles about Maryland scenic drives:
Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway
Towns and farms dating back to the 1600s give way to beaches, wetlands, rolling hills, and Chesapeake Bay's most important industry: fishing. A culture built around seafood is supported by boats, restaurants, and markets dedicated to seafood.
Historic National Road
Beginning in Baltimore and rolling through the Maryland countryside, this portion of the National Road is home to the byway's very last tollbooth. Opportunities to shop for antiques or enjoy leisurely meals abound along this route.
For more useful travel information about Maryland and beyond, see:
Maryland State Guide: Discover all of the things to do in Maryland, and learn about Mobil Travel Guide-rated hotels and restaurants in the state.
Scenic Drives: Are you interested in scenic drives in states other than Maryland? Here are more than 100 scenic drives throughout the United States.
How to Drive Economically: Fuel economy is a major concern when you're on a driving trip. Learn how to get better gas mileage.
South Carolina Scenic Drives
South Dakota Scenic Drives
Virginia Scenic Drives


text:
Feature: The kids are right
Feibel
Jun 15, 2015 8:29pm EDT
Tony Bailetti
Techopia Feature
The capital's new cybersecurity society has ramped up plans to turn Canada into a "global leader" in the sector not even two years after the initial idea was hatched.
Carleton University professor and business guru Tony Bailetti came up with the idea for a holistic cybersecurity ecosystem that would in part "beef up the cybersecurity startup in Canada" in an academic paper he published in the summer of 2013, a year after an auditor's report noted the federal government's "limited progress" in addressing cyber threats over the last decade.
Within only a few months, Bailetti's vision took shape with the VENUS Cybersecurity Corporation. Over the last year, the non-profit business centre has been quickly establishing a presence with the addition of six initial startups, master's level courses in cybersecurity, a brand new accelerator program, and initiatives to solidify Canada's cybersecurity sector and turn it into an international hub for future growth.
"Right now we (Canada) have been pretty passive players. We just take whatever we get and that's it. And I'd like to change that," says Bailetti. "The idea was that we would do something that no organization on its own, whether government or industry, could do on their own."
Backed by a number of major public- and private-sector sponsors, VENUS has "lofty" goals to build Canada's intellectual and industrial capacity to become leaders in cybersecurity.
One of the organization's lead projects involves a partnership with Telus that will assess the cybersecurity needs of Canada's roughly 3,800 municipal governments and lobby for provincial legislation that would enforce standardized levels of security that each municipality would have to meet based on its needs.
"That'll help drive growth," says Jeffrey Tracey, VENUS's director of business development. "These ventures, the companies we're trying to develop … we want them to be able to sell their technologies into these organizations."
The Lead to Win Cyber accelerator is the most recent addition to the ecosystem that will bring in a new pool of security solutions.
Launched this March, the program will grant mentorship and seed funding to startups deemed capable of growing to $1 million in revenues in three years, just like Bailetti's original Lead to Win program. Mr. Tracey says they expect to take on up to a dozen new companies per year and to eventually expand to seven accelerators across Canada.
VENUS has also been developing relationships with other cybersecurity accelerators around the world in order to form a global network. Tracey says it could offer a soft landing for outside companies to expand into Canada, and vice versa.
Meanwhile, the six inaugural VENUS startups have been developing their technology at the organization's Orleans facility for months. Managers of those startups say VENUS has helped them grow their business from within a central hub of resources and connections.
Sem Ponnambalam, chief operating officer of Xahive, says her company has been expanding its scope at a rate that wouldn't have been possible without it. The nine-person startup, incorporated in October 2013, develops a secure communication platform for sensitive data that namely targets clients such as health networks and legal offices.
"I think it would take us a lot longer (to grow), for sure, and in terms of going global, I don't think that would be happening anytime soon," says Ponnambalam.
"Definitely being in the centre of an accelerator that's focused on security gave us a lot of exposure," says Sherif Koussa, CEO of Securify Labs, a year-old, three-person startup that develops security for open-source software.
Bailetti says the idea is to have a "cluster of technology ventures" that work together and complement each other. Securify Labs, for example, has partnered with another startup called TwoDucks Inc. to co-develop a new software security solution.
Over at Carleton, a theoretical and educational component underscores VENUS's business development efforts. There's the VENUS Institute, a think-tank that looks to refine the definition of cybersecurity and Canada's role in the sector, and several master's level cybersecurity courses, two now in session and four more to come.
VENUS will also be part of the Bayview Yards facility due to open by mid-2016, says Mr. Tracey. There, the organization plans to work with Communications Security Establishment Canada to establish a global resource centre that will lead a coalition of about 35 countries in cybersecurity monitoring efforts.
"This is a global problem," says Tracey. "It doesn't really matter whether it's Canada or Timbuktu. So we're suddenly finding that we're reaching out globally faster than expected."
When it comes to fixing that problem, there's a "major disconnect between the old talent and the new talent," Bailetti says. The young businesspeople he teaches and mentors don't like the scare tactics of the traditional cybersecurity approach, he says. Instead, they seek to make the Internet more productive and creative, and to do so without having to trade in privacy to get security.
"And you know what?" he says. "The kids are right."
Expert Bloggers:
Kody Wilson
The time to get a business valuation is now for immediate tax savings
Alan MacDonald
What do stocks, gold and Bitcoin have in common?
More Bloggers
It's a shawarma thing
While it's hard to get definitive numbers on such things, according to the Yelp yellow pages there are 196 shawarma shops in Ottawa.
Rapid ascent: Assent Compliance hits unicorn status with $445M VC raise
Ottawa software firm's fourth venture capital deal in the past five years boosts its total fundraising haul to $640 million.
Ten simple ways to upgrade your finance function in 2022
How building height limitations are contributing to Ottawa's housing crisis
Regional Group wraps up a record-breaking year with a BOBs win
How uOttawa's Faculty of Engineering is fighting back against cyber threats


Extreme Home Makeover - HALI BECKMAN, Ltd.
Imagine planning and planting a designer landscape – in one short week – in the middle of February.
And it took quite a team. Mike DaPonte of DaPonte Landscaping Services of Bristol will provide all the landscape construction, masonry services and will coordinate all of the different disciplines with Oldport Homes of Bristol, R.I., the general contractors, and Blount Bennett Architects of East Providence. DaPonte knows that this is around-the-clock work. DaPonte says, "There might be a blizzard or it might be 6 degrees below freezing but I am ready to install this landscape in 12 hours." David Wallace of Tee and Green Sod of West Kingston will provide sod for an instant new lawn; Mike Ferreira of Aquidneck Landscape of Portsmouth and Joe Ferreira of Sakonnet Design Builders are constructing a new pergola for the back yard; New England Landscape Lighting of East Greenwich and Walpole Woodworkers of Warwick are providing lighting fixtures; and Frank Barbosa of Fence Tech of East Providence is providing a solid wood fence. Matt Foley of Unilock Pavers and Chris Rosa of Alpine Landscape, Malden, MA are supplying the pavers and installing them. Several local companies, Central Nurseries, Van Hof Nursery, Island Garden Shop, Hoogendoorn Nurseries, T.J. Brown Co., Warwick Nursery and Sylvan Nursery, are donating the plants.
The episode featuring the Silva family of Warwick is scheduled to air at the end of April or the beginning of May on WLNE-TV, Channel 6.
"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," which has won back-to-back Emmy Awards as Best Reality Program (non-competitive), is in its 5th season on ABC. The program is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. Denise Cramsey is the executive producer and David Goldberg is the president of Endemol USA.


The Western media community was rocked in recent days by the sudden arrests of Washington Post Tehran correspondent Jason Rezaian, his wife and other journalists for unknown reasons.
The story received wide coverage in the English-language media – most noticeably in The Washington Post itself, which issued fervent pleas to both Iran and the US State Department to secure Rezaian's release.
What exactly was Rezaian writing about in Iran? If his Twitter feed is any indication, his latest scoop was about the Islamic republic's growing interest in baseball and its people's "warm welcome" for a British woman on a motorbike. His last report for the Post, dating July 18, was about the P5+1 agreeing to extend their talks with Iran. Real dangerous stuff?!
For The Washington Post, at least, Rezaian's arrest brought to the fore Iran's imprisonment of journalists and its status as "one of the world's worst enemies of the press." On social media, it drew an outpouring of shock from Western journalists. And on every media outlet, from The New York Times to The Guardian to The Huffington Post to Reuters, the headline appeared, in many cases accompanied by a photo of the harmless-looking reporter who just days previously had half-jokingly called on the MLB to send Iran "some bats and balls" in light of its "cult following" for the old ball game.
Well, the game may be old, but Iran is a whole new ballpark.


Ryan Elantri is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Economics at The Pennsylvania State University, and aspires to enter the financial sector following his graduation. While most people will never receive formal training in this subject, everyone struggles with issues related to finance from time to time. This is particularly true when it comes to money management and handling personal budgets, so keep these tips in mind to stay in control.
Before you can start determining what you can do with your income, you need to understand where your money currently goes. Create a list of expenses over the course of a month and then separate them by highlighting the ones that are essential. You can then consider what to do with those that aren't.
There is no reason to wait to start saving money, because even a small amount put away each month is a step in the right direction. Try to have a goal in mind for the amount you want to save and what the money will be put towards. Consider automating the process via direct debit into a savings account, which will help you to consider your monthly savings as an essential expense.
Don't ignore credit card debt or other loans, because this often leads to interest building up. Instead, be honest with yourself about what you owe; this is the first step towards creating a plan to gain financial independence.


Stana Katic, autograph. . HD Wallpaper and background images in the ngome club tagged: stana katic.
This ngome photo might contain tub moto, swimsuit, swimwear, suti kuoga, kuogelea costume, kuoga costume, kuogelea, swimming costume, picha, headshot, and closeup.


THE MAIN core of a brand new office building in the shadow of the City of London's famous Monument has been completed.
Skanska announced that the core was completed in just fifteen working days by a team of forty working onsite.
Planning permission for the scheme at 11-19 Monument Street was granted by local planners in 2013 and it is expected to be completed in 2016.
Replacing three previous building, the new ten-storey Monument Building will offer 85,000 sq ft f Grade A space with retail space at ground level.
The 62-metre tall monument that the new building will stand to was built in the 1670s to commemorate the Great Fire of London.


While most ski resorts are beginning to ramp down operations this spring, Breckenridge Ski Resort's spring season is just getting started! With more than 100 inches of snow in March and 380 inches of snow so far this season, skiers and riders can look forward to incredible spring conditions during the resort's extended season, officially dubbed Breck's Spring Finale.
After a record-breaking start to the winter season, Breckenridge Ski Resort announced today plans to extend the 2018-19 ski and snowboard season into May, for the first time since the mid-'90s. The resort will aim to remain open through Memorial Day this season as well as for future seasons, weather and conditions permitting. Paired with Keystone's recently announced capital improvement proposal—subject to U.S. Forest Service approval—to upgrade snowmaking and help position the resort to be the first to open in Colorado, together Breck and Keystone will offer one of the longest ski and snowboard seasons in the country moving forward.
It's been an historic start to the winter season at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Crested Butte, with record early openings, plentiful amounts of snowfall and terrain, and conditions that are comparable to late-January last season. Now is a great time for skiing and snowboarding in Colorado, as all five resorts head into the holidays with mid-winter conditions and festive events.
Breck's Peak 6 to Open Friday Dec. 7 – Its Earliest Opening Ever!
Today, Breckenridge Ski Resort announced that Peak 6 will open on Friday Dec. 7, making it the earliest opening date in history for the resort's newest peak that first opened in 2013.
The highest chairlift in North America, the Imperial Express SuperChair, opened today, Thanksgiving Day, at Breckenridge Ski Resort. The Nov. 22 opening marks the earliest opening in history for the chairlift since it debuted at the resort during the 2005-06 winter season.


Serena Williams' daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., is ready for her Centre Court debut. She now has a tiny bag for her tiny tennis racquet.
And now that she's walking, the 10-month-old might be in the market for a pair of tennis shoes as well, preferably the kind with the little nubs so she doesn't slip on the Wimbledon grass.
So far it's been a successful first Wimbledon for Alexis Olympia and her mom, with Williams reaching the quarterfinals with plenty of apparent ease. In her fourth round, she beat qualifier and world No. 120 Evgeniya Rodina, who is also a mother.
Williams would then get past Camila Giorgi in three sets on Tuesday. It's her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since winning the 2017 Australian Open, while carrying baby Olympia.
Victoria Azarenka, another prominent mom on tour, made it to the second round of singles before falling to Karolina Pliskova, now the last remaining Top 10 seed. The Belarusian is still in the mixed doubles draw with Jamie Murray.
And she still has time for filter fun with her son, Leo, too.


Celebrating their Jubilee 100th concert season, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine (NSOU) is considered one of the finest symphony orchestras in Eastern Europe and has achieved international recognition with its extensive touring and prolific recordings. Under the direction of the esteemed Artistic Director Volodymyr Sirenko, the orchestra performs a program of Eastern European gems. Celebrated pianist Volodymyr Vynnytsky joins the orchestra as the featured soloist and has been described as possessing "incredible technique and deep musical understanding" (American Record Guide). Since 1993, the NSOU has released more than 100 internationally acclaimed recordings and has toured throughout the world including most of Europe, the United States, and China. "Its strings can conjure up a vibrant songfulness; the woodwinds have a fruity, penetrating ripeness; the brass could endanger the walls of Jericho; the percussion might wake the dead..." (The Sydney Morning Herald).


THE Duke of Sussex has expressed his 'personal joy' over wife Meghan's pregnancy in a moving speech at the Invictus Games opening ceremony in Sydney today.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle dazzled crowds as they put on a loved-up display as they participated in proceedings at the Sydney Opera House.
While the opening ceremony was hit with delays due to a tropical rain storm, the bad weather did not dampen spirits as Prince Harry took to the stage to mark the beginning of the games.
Opening his remarks with a nod to his grandmother The Queen, the Duke said: "On this day in 1973, my grandmother, The Queen, stood in front of this Opera House and declared it open.
"Forty-five years later, to the day, it is my honour to be standing in front of this iconic symbol of Australia's place in the modern world at the start of the fourth Invictus Games."
He went on to encourage the competitors in an emotionally charged speech, before moving on to more personal matters.
The pregnant Duchess looked stunning in a navy blue Stella McCartney dress and jacket ensemble, paired with ivory heels and a simple clutch bag.
The coat has been designed by former X-Files star turned fashion designer, Gillian Anderson, who has created a capsule collection for designer label Winser London.
A well coordinated Prince Harry looked dashing in a matching navy blue tie teamed with a grey tweed blazer and grey trousers.
The parents-to-be were seen beaming with joy as they took their seats at the Opera House for the opening ceremony, with Meghan placing a tender hand on her husband's knee.
They were seen sitting alongside Prime Minister Scott Morrison and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
The start of the Opening Ceremony was hit with delays following an intense thunderstorm over the New South Wales area.
Despite the downpours and early hiccups, organisers were adamant that the day would go ahead as planned.
UPDATE: The Opening Ceremony has been given the all clear to proceed. Guests are taking their seats and the ceremony will commence as soon as everyone in place.
An Invictus Sydney statement read: "Organisers put an emergency plan in place, closing the site and forcing hundreds of spectators to run for cover.
"The thunderstorm over Sydney may have an impact on the Opening Ceremony #IG2018.
"The most important thing is to ensure everyone's safety. The ceremony is scheduled for 730pm AEDT More updates to come."
It was then later confirmed that the ceremony would go ahead as planned.
The games were officially opened following an hour's delay, with 500 athletes from 18 nations set to take part in the competition.
The games also hold a very significant place in the Duke and Duchess' relationship, as it was where they went public about their romance last year.
At last year's Toronto games, Meghan and Harry put on a united front and opted for a black shirt with the emblem of the Games, in a display of love that caught the world's attention.
The 2018 games have fallen in the middle of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's first overseas tour as a married couple.
They are expected to watch some events over the coming days, before returning to Sydney for the closing ceremony on October 27.
Earlier in the day, the couple paid tribute to Australia and New Zealand's war dead as Harry unveiled an extension to the Anzac memorial at a sombre ceremony in Sydney's Hyde Park.
Prince Harry, wearing his Blues & Royals tropical dress, medals and Knight Commander of the Victorian Order, also sported the insignia of his new position as the Queen's personal aide-de-camp for the occasion.
The 34-year-old Duke was joined by Meghan, in a black Emilia Wickstead dress and black Philip Treacy hat.
The memorial commemorates those who fell in the First World War, as well as conflicts in Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq and the Colonial Wars.
Governor General David Hurley welcomed the couple to the monument, where Harry formally opened the new £22 million centenary wing underneath the main memorial.
Harry and Meghan were then taken on a tour of the newly remodelled shrine, which was first opened in 1934 by Harry's great-great uncle, Prince Henry, the Duke of Gloucester, but was left incomplete due to a shortage of funds during the Great Depression.
Here they were treated to a traditional Welcome to Country ceremony by two Aboriginal men.
Robert Canning, 47, of the Gumbaynggirr people, greeted the couple with a didgeridoo performance.
He said: "We're doing a smoking ceremony to get rid of bad spirits and bring in good spirits and welcome everyone.
"It was very nice to meet the royals - I just hope they enjoyed my didgeridoo playing."
Twins Krystal and Sienna Dawson presented the royal couple with a medallion and a painting during the visit.
Krystal, who did an Aboriginal art floral painting, said: "They said hi and 'nice to meet you'."
Following the unveiling of the memorial, Harry and Meghan headed off to Sydney's Cockatoo Island for the activities around the Invictus Games.
The pair were dressed casually, with husband and wife wearing Invictus Games shirts.
While the Duke chose to remain casual with a pair of chinos and brown shoes, Meghan brought a touch of glamour to the sporty afternoon by completing her look with a white blazer and some low-heeled black shoes.


text:
Justia Patents US Patent Application for Controlled electrochemical polishing method Patent Application (Application #20060281196)
Controlled electrochemical polishing method
Jun 13, 2005 - Cabot Microelectronics Corporation
The invention relates to a method of polishing a substrate comprising at least one metal layer by applying an electrochemical potential between the substrate and at least one electrode in contact with a polishing composition comprising a reducing agent or an oxidizing agent.
Latest Cabot Microelectronics Corporation Patents:
Polishing composition comprising an amine-containing surfactant
CMP composition and method for polishing rigid disks
Polishing composition comprising cationic polymer additive
Composition and method for polishing silicon carbide
Polishing pad having polishing surface with continuous protrusions
Skip to: Description · Claims · Patent History · Patent History
This invention pertains to a method of providing controlled electrochemical polishing of semiconductor substrates.
Polishing processes are used in the manufacturing of microelectronic devices to form flat surfaces on semiconductor wafers, field emission displays, and other microelectronic substrates. For example, the manufacture of semiconductor devices generally involves the formation of various process layers, selective removal or patterning of portions of those layers, and deposition of yet additional process layers above the surface of a semiconducting substrate to form a semiconductor wafer. The process layers can include, by way of example, insulation layers, gate oxide layers, conductive layers, and layers of metal or glass, etc. It is generally desirable in certain steps of the wafer process that the uppermost surface of the process layers be planar, i.e., flat, for the deposition of subsequent layers. Polishing processes such as chemical-mechanical polishing ("CMP") are used to planarize process layers wherein a deposited material, such as a conductive or insulating material, is polished to planarize the wafer for subsequent process steps.
Due to its desirable electrical properties, copper is being increasingly utilized in integrated circuit fabrication. However, the use of copper presents its own special fabrication problems. For example, the controlled dry etching of copper for ultra large-scale integration (ULSI) applications is very costly and technically challenging, and new processes and techniques, such as damascene or dual damascene processes, are being used to form copper substrate features. In damascene processes, a feature is defined in a dielectric material and subsequently filled with the conductive material (e.g., copper).
In order to ensure that the different features of relatively small integrated circuits (e.g., less than 0.25 micron or less than 0.1 micron) are sufficiently insulated or isolated from one another (e.g., to eliminate coupling or "crosstalk" between features), dielectric materials with low dielectric constants (e.g., less than about 3) are being used in the manufacture of damascene structures. However, low k dielectric materials, such as carbon doped silicon oxides, may deform or fracture under conventional polishing pressures (e.g., about 40 kPa), called "downforce," which deformation or fracturing can detrimentally affect the substrate polish quality and device formation and/or function. For example, relative rotational movement between the substrate and a polishing pad under a typical CMP downforce can induce a shear force along the substrate surface and deform the low k material to form topographical defects, which can detrimentally affect subsequent polishing:
One solution for polishing conductive materials (e.g., copper) in low dielectric materials with reduced or minimal defects formed thereon is to polish the conductive material using electrochemical-mechanical polishing (ECMP) techniques. ECMP techniques remove conductive material from a substrate surface by electrochemical dissolution while concurrently polishing the substrate with reduced mechanical abrasion compared to conventional CMP processes. The electrochemical dissolution is performed by applying an electric potential or bias between a cathode and substrate surface to remove conductive materials from a substrate surface into a surrounding electrolyte or electrochemical-mechanical polishing composition.
While several suggested formulations for electrochemical-mechanical polishing compositions can be found within the art, few, if any, of these electrochemical-mechanical polishing compositions exhibit desirable polishing characteristics. For example, the suggested electrolytes or electrochemical-mechanical polishing compositions may exhibit polishing rates comparable with conventional CMP processes without the need for the application of an excessive downforce, but the electrolytes or electrochemical-mechanical polishing compositions can cause excessive dishing of the conductive material which can lead to erosion of the dielectric material. The topographical defects resulting from such dishing and erosion can further lead to non-uniform removal of additional materials from the substrate surface, such as barrier layer materials disposed beneath the conductive material and/or dielectric material, and produce a substrate surface having a less than desirable quality which can negatively impact the performance of the integrated circuit.
Accordingly, there remains a need for an electrochemical-mechanical polishing method that exhibits relatively high removal rates of substrate material at low downforce while minimizing dishing and erosion of the substrate. The invention provides such an electrochemical-mechanical polishing method. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a method of polishing a substrate comprising (i) providing a substrate comprising at least one metal layer, (ii) contacting the substrate with a polishing composition comprising a liquid carrier and an electrolyte, (iii) applying an electrochemical potential between the substrate and an electrode in contact with the polishing composition, wherein either (a) the applied potential is positive and the polishing composition further comprises a reducing agent for the metal or (b) the applied potential is negative and the polishing composition further comprises an oxidizing agent for the metal, and (iv) removing at least a portion of the metal layer from a surface of the substrate.
The invention also provides a method of polishing a substrate comprising (i) providing a substrate comprising at least one metal layer, wherein the substrate comprises a front surface and an opposing back surface, (ii) contacting the substrate with a polishing composition comprising a liquid carrier and an electrolyte, (iii) applying a positive electrochemical potential between the front surface of the substrate and a first electrode in contact with the polishing composition and applying a negative electrochemical potential between the back surface of the substrate and a second electrode in contact with the polishing composition, and (iv) removing at least a portion of the metal layer from the surface of the substrate.
The invention further provides a method of polishing a substrate comprising (i) providing a substrate comprising a copper layer and a tantalum layer, (ii) contacting the substrate with a first composition comprising a liquid carrier and an electrolyte, applying a positive electrochemical potential between the substrate and an electrode in contact with the first composition, and selectively removing at least a portion of the copper layer from a surface of the substrate, (iii) contacting the substrate with a second composition comprising a liquid carrier and an oxidizing agent for tantalum in the absence of an applied electrochemical potential, and selectively removing at least a portion of the tantalum layer from the surface of the substrate, and (iv) contacting the substrate with a third composition comprising a liquid carrier, an electrolyte, and copper ions, applying a negative electrochemical potential between the substrate and an electrode in contact with the third polishing composition, and selectively depositing copper onto the copper layer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a method of polishing a substrate using a combination of chemical and electrochemical processes. In particular, the method comprises (i) providing a substrate comprising at least one metal layer, (ii) contacting the substrate with a polishing composition comprising a liquid carrier and an electrolyte, (iii) applying an electrochemical potential between the substrate and an electrode in contact with the polishing composition, and (iv) removing at least a portion of the metal layer from a surface of the substrate.
The liquid carrier is used to facilitate the application of the electrolyte and any other additives to the surface of a suitable substrate to be polished or planarized. The liquid carrier can be any suitable liquid carrier. Typically, the liquid carrier is water, a mixture of water and a suitable water-miscible solvent, or an emulsion. Preferably, the liquid carrier comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of water, more preferably deionized water. The electrolyte can be any suitable electrolyte and can be present in the polishing composition in any suitable amount. Preferably, the electrolyte is selected from the group consisting of sulfates, nitrates, phosphates, and combinations thereof. More preferably, the electrolyte is a sulfate.
The substrate can be any suitable substrate comprising at least one metal layer. Suitable substrates include, but are not limited to, integrated circuits, memory or rigid disks, metals, interlayer dielectric (ILD) devices, semiconductors, micro-electro-mechanical systems, ferroelectrics, and magnetic heads. The metal layer can comprise any suitable metal. The metal layer can be any suitable metal layer. Typically the metal layer is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, gold, iridium, nickel, platinum, ruthenium, rhodium, silver, tantalum, titanium, tungsten, and combinations thereof. The substrate can further comprise at least one insulating layer. The insulating layer can be a metal oxide, porous metal oxide, glass, organic polymer, fluorinated organic polymer, or any other suitable high or low-κ insulating layer. In some embodiments, the substrate preferably comprises a copper layer and optionally a tantalum layer. More preferably the substrate comprises a copper layer and a tantalum layer. In other embodiments, the substrate preferably comprises gold.
In a first embodiment, the substrate is polished by a combination of chemical and electrochemical processes, where the particular chemical and electrochemical processes are selected to have opposing effects. In particular, an oxidizing electrochemical potential is combined with a chemical reducing agent or a chemical oxidizing agent is combined with a reducing electrochemical potential. The application of chemical and electrochemical processes having opposing effects in a method of polishing a substrate comprising a metal layer is expected to produce more controlled polishing or deposition of the metal layer and/or reduced defectivity.
Accordingly, when the potential applied to the substrate is positive, the polishing composition further comprises a chemical reducing agent, which supplies electrons to the substrate surface. The reducing agent can be any suitable reducing agent, particularly a reducing agent for the metal to be at least partially removed from the substrate. For example, the reducing agent can be selected from the group consisting of 3-hydroxy-4-pyrones (e.g., 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone), α-hydroxy-γ-butyrolactones, ascorbic acid, borane (BH3), borohydrides, dialkylamine boranes (e.g., dimethylamine borane), formaldehyde, formic acid, hydrogen (H2), hydroquinones (e.g., hydroquinone sulfonic acid), hydroxylamine, hypophosphorous acid (H3PO2), phosphorous acid (H3PO3), a metal or metal ions in an oxidation state having a standard redox potential that is less than the standard redox potential of the metal in an oxidized form, trihydroxybenzenes (e.g., 1,2,3-trihydroxybenzene, 1,2,4-trihydroxybenzene, or 1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene), solvated electrons (e.g., hydrated electrons), sulfurous acid (H2SO3), salts thereof, and mixtures thereof. The reducing metal or metal ions can be any suitable metal or metal ion having a standard redox potential that is less than the standard redox potential of the metal in an oxidized form. Suitable reducing metals or metal ions include, but are not limited to, alkaline earth metals, alkali metals, zinc, iron, Fe2+ ions, and combinations thereof. Furthermore, it will be understood that the reducing metals or metal ions can be associated with a suitable complexing agent (e.g., a salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid or propylenediaminetetraacetic acid). As utilized herein, the term "solvated electrons" refers to an electron surrounded by a small number of oriented solvent molecules (e.g., water molecules). Solvated electrons can be produced by a number of different processes, such as the radiolysis of water (e.g., using γ-rays) or the photolysis of an appropriate solute (e.g., Fe(CN)64− or I−). Typically the reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, formic acid, hypophosphite, hypophosphorous acid, phosphorus acid, sulfurous acid, ascorbic acids, organoboron compounds such as borane, borohydrides, dialkylamine boranes, hydrogen, salts thereof, and combinations thereof. Preferably, the reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, organoboron compounds, salts thereof, and combinations thereof.
The polishing composition can comprise any suitable amount of the reducing agent. The amount of reducing agent desirably is small yet sufficient to retard the rate of oxidation of the metal layer and/or to reduce the number of defects on the surface of the substrate. While not wishing to be bound to any particular theory, it is believed that the addition of a small amount of reducing agent acts to reduce the number of oxides on the metal surface so as to increase the activity of the metal surface. Typically, the polishing composition comprises about 0.01 wt. % or more (e.g., about 0.05 wt. % or more, or about 0.1 wt. % or more) reducing agent, based on the weight of the liquid carrier and any components dissolved or suspended therein. The polishing composition also typically comprises about 15 wt. % or less (e.g., about 12 wt. % or less, about 10 wt. % or less, about 8 wt. % or less, or about 5 wt. % or less) reducing agent, based on the weight of the liquid carrier and any components dissolved or dispersed therein. In a preferred embodiment, the polishing composition comprises about 0.1 to about 5 wt. %, more preferably about 0.1 to about 1 wt. %, and most preferably about 0.1 to about 0.5 wt. % reducing agent, based on the weight of the liquid carrier and any components dissolved or suspended therein.
The positive potential applied to the substrate can be any suitable potential capable of oxidizing the metal layer of the substrate. Typically, the potential is just below the oxygen evolution potential, for example, about 900 mV greater than the open circuit potential (i.e., the equilibrium potential or the potential at which there is no current) of the metal layer of the substrate. Preferably, the potential is about 50 mV to about 800 mV greater than the open circuit potential of the metal layer of the substrate. More preferably, the potential is about 100 mV to about 700 mV greater than the open circuit potential of the metal layer of the substrate.
Alternatively, when the potential applied to the substrate is negative, the polishing composition further comprises an oxidizing agent. The oxidizing agent can be any suitable oxidizing agent, particularly an oxidizing agent for the metal to be at least partially removed from the substrate. Suitable oxidizing agents include inorganic and organic per-compounds, bromates, bromites, nitrates, chlorates, chlorites, hypochlorites, chromates, iodates, iron and copper salts (e.g., nitrates, sulfates, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and citrates), cerium salts, rare earth and transition metal oxides (e.g., osmium tetraoxide), potassium ferricyanide, potassium dichromate, iodic acid, and the like. A per-compound (as defined by Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary) is a compound containing at least one peroxy group (—O—O—) or a compound containing an element in its highest oxidation state. Examples of compounds containing at least one peroxy group include but are not limited to hydrogen peroxide and its adducts such as urea hydrogen peroxide and percarbonates, organic peroxides such as benzoyl peroxide, peracetic acid, and di-tert-butyl peroxide, monopersulfates (SO52−), dipersulfates (S2O82−), and sodium peroxide. Examples of compounds containing an element in its highest oxidation state include but are not limited to periodic acid, periodate salts, perbromic acid, perbromate salts, perchloric acid, perchlorate salts, perboric acid, perborate salts, and permanganates. The oxidizing agent preferably is selected from the group consisting of bromates, bromites, chlorates, chlorites, hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorites, iodates, monoperoxy sulfate, monoperoxy sulfite, monoperoxyphosphate, monoperoxyhypophosphate, monoperoxypyrophosphate, organo-halo-oxy compounds, periodates, permanganate, peroxyacetic acid, and mixtures thereof. The oxidizing agent most preferably is hydrogen peroxide.
The polishing composition can comprise any suitable amount of the oxidizing agent. The amount of oxidizing agent present in the polishing composition desirably is sufficient to effectively remove at least a portion of the metal layer from a surface of the substrate. Typically, the polishing composition comprises about 0.01 wt. % or more (e.g., about 0.05 wt. % or more, or about 0.1 wt. % or more) oxidizing agent, based on the weight of the liquid carrier and any components dissolved or suspended therein. The polishing composition also typically comprises about 10 wt. % or less (e.g., about 8 wt. % or less, or about 6 wt. % or less) oxidizing agent, based on the weight of the liquid carrier and any components dissolved or suspended therein. In a preferred embodiment, the polishing composition comprises about 0.1 to about 10 wt. %, more preferably about 0.1 to about 8 wt. %, and most preferably about 0.1 to about 6 wt. % oxidizing agent, based on the weight of the liquid carrier and any components dissolved or suspended therein.
The negative potential applied to the substrate can be any suitable potential capable of regulating and/or counteracting the effect of the chemical oxidizing agent. The negative potential applied should be below the open circuit potential of the metal layer of the substrate. Typically, the applied potential is above the potential for hydrogen evolution, for example, in the range of from about 0 mV to about −800 mV. Desirably the potential is low enough to prevent metal dissolution. Preferably, the potential is in the range of from about −20 mV to about −300 mV. More preferably, the potential is in the range of from about −40 mV to about −200 mV. When the substrate comprises copper and tantalum, preferably the applied electrochemical potential is about 100 mV to about 300 mV less than the open circuit potential of the copper layer.
In a second embodiment, the substrate comprises a front surface and an opposing back surface. A positive electrochemical potential is applied between the front surface of the substrate and a first electrode in contact with the polishing composition, and a negative electrochemical potential is applied between the back surface of the substrate and a second electrode in contact with the polishing composition. The positive potential applied to the front surface of the substrate can be any suitable potential capable of oxidizing the metal layer of the substrate. Typically, the positive potential is about 900 mV greater than the open circuit oxidation potential of the metal layer of the substrate. Preferably, the positive potential is about 50 mV to about 800 mV. The negative potential applied to the back surface of the substrate can be any suitable potential capable of counteracting the effect of the oxidizing potential being applied to the front surface of the substrate. Typically, the negative potential is in the range of about 0 mV to about −800 mV. Preferably, the negative potential is in the range of about −20 mV to about −300 mV. The polishing composition used in conjunction with the second embodiment of the invention optionally further comprises any suitable oxidizing agent and/or a reducing agent as described above with respect to the first embodiment of the invention.
In a third embodiment, the substrate comprises copper and tantalum and is polished using a multi-step method. In one step of the multi-step method, the substrate is contacted with a first composition comprising a liquid carrier and an electrolyte while a positive electrochemical potential is applied between the substrate and an electrode in contact with the first composition so as to selectively remove at least a portion of the copper layer from a surface of the substrate. In a second step of the multi-step method, the substrate is contacted with a second composition comprising a liquid carrier and an oxidizing agent for the tantalum in the absence of an applied electrochemical potential so as to selectively remove at least a portion of the tantalum layer from the surface of the substrate. In a third step of the multi-step method, the substrate is contacted with a third composition comprising a liquid carrier, an electrolyte, and copper ions while a negative electrochemical potential is applied between the substrate and an electrode in contact with the third polishing composition so as to selectively deposit copper onto the copper layer. The steps described above with respect to the third embodiment of the invention can be carried out in any particular order. Typically the steps are carried out in the order recited above. In some cases it may be desirable to carry out the third step before the second step.
The first, second, and third compositions described above with respect to the third embodiment of the invention can be the same or different. For some applications, it is desirable for the first and second compositions to be the same. In particular, it may be desirable for the first and second compositions to have a copper to tantalum selectivity of about 10 or less. For other applications, it is desirable for the first and second compositions to be different. Typically, the third composition is different from the first and second compositions. The components of the compositions used in conjunction with the third embodiment of the invention are as described for those same components in the compositions of the other embodiments of the invention.
The polishing compositions of any of the embodiments described herein optionally further comprise an abrasive to assist in polishing the substrate. The abrasive can be any suitable abrasive and can be present in the polishing composition in any suitable amount. For example, the abrasive can be natural or synthetic, and can comprise certain hard polymers (e.g., polycarbonates), diamond (e.g., polycrystalline diamond), garnet, glass, carborundum, metal oxide, carbide, nitride, and the like. The abrasive desirably comprises a metal oxide. Suitable metal oxides include metal oxides selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, ceria, zirconia, titania, germania, co-formed products thereof, and combinations thereof. Preferably, the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, ceria, and combinations thereof. Any suitable amount of abrasive can be present in the polishing composition. Typically about 0.01 wt. % or more (e.g., about 0.1 wt. % or more, or about 0.5 wt. % or more) abrasive will be present in the polishing composition based on the total weight of the polishing composition. The amount of abrasive in the polishing composition typically will not exceed about 30 wt. %, more typically will not exceed about 20 wt. % (e.g., will not exceed about 10 wt. %).
When an abrasive is present in the polishing composition, the polishing composition preferably is colloidally stable. The term colloid refers to the suspension of abrasive particles in the liquid carrier. Colloidal stability refers to the maintenance of that suspension through time. In the context of this invention, an abrasive is considered colloidally stable if, when the abrasive is placed into a 100 ml graduated cylinder and allowed to stand unagitated for a time of 2 hours, the difference between the concentration of particles in the bottom 50 ml of the graduated cylinder ([B] in terms of g/ml) and the concentration of particles in the top 50 ml of the graduated cylinder ([T] in terms of g/ml) divided by the initial concentration of particles in the abrasive composition ([C] in terms of g/ml) is less than or equal to 0.5 (i.e., {[B]−[T]}/[C]≦0.5). The value of [B]−[T]/[C] desirably is less than or equal to 0.3, and preferably is less than or equal to 0.1.
During conventional chemical-mechanical polishing processes, a complexing agent typically is used to enhance the removal rate of the substrate layer being removed. The electrochemical bias applied to the substrate and polishing composition in an electrochemical-mechanical polishing process can provide a removal rate comparable to or greater than that attained using a complexing agent in a conventional chemical-mechanical polishing process. As a result, the ability to effectively control the removal of the substrate layer (e.g., the removal rate and the uniformity of removal) possible in an electrochemical-mechanical polishing process becomes a priority. In these situations (i.e., in electrochemical-mechanical polishing processes), it has been found that a complexing agent can be used to improve the ability to control the removal rate attributable to the electrochemical bias applied to the substrate and polishing composition while also improving the uniformity of such removal. Accordingly, the polishing composition of any of the embodiments of the invention can optionally further comprise any suitable complexing agent. The complexing agent is any suitable chemical additive that binds with a metal (e.g., copper), particularly the metal to be at least partially removed from the substrate, in solution and can enhance the removal rate of the metal layer being removed from the substrate.
Suitable chelating or complexing agents include monofunctional organic acids, difunctional organic acids, trifunctional organic acids, multifunctional organic acids (e.g., citric acid), inorganic acids (e.g., phosphoric acid, pyrophosphoric acid, nitric acid), aromatic organic acids, polar organic acids (e.g., lactic acid, methyl lactic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid), unsaturated organic acids, amino acids, aromatic amino acids (e.g., anthranilic acid, picolinic acid, hydroxypicolinic acid), morpholino compounds, and zwitterions (e.g., betaine). More specifically, suitable chelating or complexing agents can include, for example, carbonyl compounds (e.g., acetylacetonates, and the like), simple carboxylates (e.g., acetates, aryl carboxylates, and the like), carboxylates containing one or more hydroxyl groups (e.g., glycolates, lactates, gluconates, gallic acid and salts thereof, and the like), di-, tri-, and poly-carboxylates (e.g., oxalates, phthalates, citrates, succinates, tartrates, malates, edetates (e.g., dipotassium EDTA), mixtures thereof, and the like), carboxylates containing one or more sulfonic and/or phosphonic groups, and the like. Suitable chelating or complexing agents also can include, for example, di-, tri-, or polyalcohols (e.g., ethylene glycol, pyrocatechol, pyrogallol, tannic acid, and the like) and amine-containing compounds (e.g., ammonia, amino acids, amino alcohols, di-, tri-, and polyamines, and the like). The choice of suitable chelating or complexing agents will depend on the type of substrate layer (e.g., the type of metal) being polished. Preferably, the complexing agent is selected from the group consisting of monocarboxylic acids, di-carboxylic acids, tri-carboxylic acids, polycarboxylic acids, amino acids, and combinations thereof. More preferably, the complexing agent is selected from the group consisting of lactic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, malonic acid, phthalic acid, succinic acid, glycolic acid, propionic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, oxalic acid, salicylic acid, picolinic acid, 2-hydroxybutyric acid, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, 2-methyl lactic acid, alanine, glycine, salts thereof, and combinations thereof. It will be appreciated that many of the aforementioned compounds can exist in the form of a salt (e.g., a metal salt, an ammonium salt, or the like), an acid, or as a partial salt. For example, citrates include citric acid, as well as mono-, di-, and tri-salts thereof.
The complexing agent can be present in the polishing composition in any suitable amount. Typically, the complexing agent is present in the polishing composition in an amount of about 0.01 wt. % or more, preferably about 0.05 wt. % or more, more preferably about 0.1 wt. % or more, and most preferably about 0.5 wt. % or more, based on the total weight of the polishing composition. The complexing agent typically is present in the polishing composition in an amount of about 10 wt. % or less, preferably about 5 wt. % or less, based on the total weight of the polishing composition.
In some embodiments it is desirable to include a polymeric complexing agent alone or in addition to one or more of the complexing agents described above. Suitable polymeric complexing agents include polycarboxylic acids (e.g., polyacrylic acid), polysulfonic acids, polyamines, and combinations thereof. The polymeric complexing agent can be present in the polishing composition in any suitable amount. Typically about 5 wt. % or less of the polymeric complexing agent is present in the polishing composition
Optionally, the polishing composition of any of the embodiments of the invention further comprises a corrosion inhibitor (i.e., film-forming agent). The corrosion inhibitor can be any suitable corrosion inhibitor and can be present in the polishing composition in any suitable amount. Typically, the corrosion inhibitor is an organic compound containing a heteroatom-containing functional group. For example, the corrosion inhibitor is a heterocyclic organic compound with at least one 5- or 6-member heterocyclic ring as the active functional group, wherein the heterocyclic ring contains at least one nitrogen atom. Preferably, the corrosion inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of 1,2,3-triazole, 1,2,4-triazole, benzotriazole, benzimidazole, benzothiazole, and mixtures thereof. Most preferably, the composition comprises dual corrosion inhibitors of triazole and benzotriazole.
Optionally, the polishing composition of any of the embodiments further comprises a surfactant. The surfactant can be any suitable surfactant and can be present in the polishing composition in any suitable amount. Suitable surfactants can include, for example, cationic surfactants, anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, mixtures thereof, and the like. Preferably, the polishing composition comprises a nonionic surfactant. One example of a suitable nonionic surfactant is an ethylenediamine polyoxyethylene surfactant. The amount of surfactant typically is about 0.0001 wt. % to about 1 wt. % (preferably about 0.001 wt. % to about 0.1 wt. %, or about 0.005 wt. % to about 0.05 wt. %) based on the weight of the liquid carrier and any components dissolved or suspended therein.
The polishing composition of any of the embodiments can have any suitable pH. Typically, the polishing composition has a pH of about 13 or less. Preferably, the polishing composition has a pH of about 7 or less (e.g., about 6 or less, about 5 or less, or about 4 or less). Typically, the polishing composition has a pH of about 1 or more (e.g., about 2 or more).
The pH of the polishing composition can be achieved and/or maintained in any suitable manner. More specifically, the polishing composition can further comprise a pH adjustor, a pH buffering agent, or a combination thereof. The pH adjustor can be any suitable pH-adjusting compound. For example, the pH adjustor can be potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, or a combination thereof. The pH buffering agent can be any suitable buffering agent, for example, phosphates, acetates, borates, ammonium salts, and the like. The polishing composition can comprise any suitable amount of a pH adjustor and/or a pH buffering agent, provided such amount is sufficient to achieve and/or maintain the pH of the polishing composition within the ranges set forth herein.
The polishing composition of any of the embodiments optionally further comprises an antifoaming agent. The anti-foaming agent can be any suitable anti-foaming agent. Suitable antifoaming agents include, but are not limited to, silicon-based and acetylenic diol-based antifoaming agents. The amount of anti-foaming agent present in the polishing composition typically is about 40 ppm to about 140 ppm.
The polishing composition of any of the embodiments optionally further comprises a biocide. The biocide can be any suitable biocide, for example an isothiazolinone biocide. The amount of biocide used in the polishing composition typically is about 1 to about 50 ppm, preferably about 10 to about 20 ppm.
The positive (anodic) or negative (cathodic) potential can be applied to the substrate in any suitable manner. Typically, the apparatus which is used to carry out the electrochemical part of the method comprises at least two electrodes, one of which is submerged in the polishing composition and the other of which is coupled to the substrate, for example, either directly coupled to the substrate or through a conductive polishing pad and/or the platen of the polishing apparatus. In such an arrangement, the electrodes typically are connected to a power source and an electric potential or bias is applied to the electrodes so that a positive or negative potential is applied to the substrate. The power supply can be adapted to apply a constant current or constant potential to the electrodes and the substrate. In certain embodiments, a constant current can be applied to the electrodes and/or substrate for a first period of time, and then a constant potential can be applied to the electrodes and/or substrate for a second period of time. In such embodiments, the steps of applying a constant current and constant potential to the substrate can be performed in any suitable order. The electric potential applied to the electrodes and/or substrate can be constant or can be varied over time (i.e., a time-varying potential).
The method of polishing a substrate according to the invention can be carried out on any suitable apparatus. Suitable electrochemical-mechanical polishing apparatuses include, but are not limited to, the apparatuses disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,379,223, U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2002/0111121 A1, 2002/0119286 A1, 2002/0130049 A1, 2003/0010648 A1, 2003/0116445 A1, and 2003/0116446 A1, and International Patent Application WO 03/001581 A2.
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
The use of the terms "a" and "an" and "the" and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms "comprising," "having," "including," and "containing" are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning "including, but not limited to,") unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
1. A method of polishing a substrate comprising:
(i) providing a substrate comprising at least one metal layer,
(ii) contacting the substrate with a polishing composition comprising a liquid carrier and an electrolyte,
(iii) applying an electrochemical potential between the substrate and an electrode in contact with the polishing composition, wherein either (a) the applied potential is positive and the polishing composition further comprises a reducing agent for the metal or (b) the applied potential is negative and the polishing composition further comprises an oxidizing agent for the metal, and
(iv) removing at least a portion of the metal layer from a surface of the substrate.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte is selected from the group consisting of sulfates, nitrates, phosphates, and combinations thereof.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the applied potential is positive and the reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, formic acid, hypophosphite, hypophosphorous acid, phosphorus acid, sulfurous acid, ascorbic acids, organoboron compounds such as borane, borohydrides, dialkylamine boranes, hydrogen, salts thereof, and combinations thereof.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the applied potential is negative and the oxidizing agent is selected from the group consisting of peroxides, persulfates, cerium salts, iron salts, and combinations thereof.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the polishing composition further comprises an abrasive.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the polishing composition further comprises a complexing agent.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the complexing agent is an organic acid selected from the group consisting of monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, polycarboxylic acids, amino acids, and combinations thereof.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the complexing agent is selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, malonic acid, oxalic acid, polyacrylic acid, tartaric acid, alanine, glycine, and combinations thereof.
9. The method of claim 6, wherein the complexing agent is a polymeric complexing agent.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the polishing composition has a pH of about 6 or less.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the polishing composition further comprises a corrosion inhibitor.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the polishing composition further comprises a surfactant.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a copper layer and optionally a tantalum layer.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the applied electrochemical potential is negative and is about 100 mV to about 300 mV less than the open circuit potential of the copper layer.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a gold layer.
16. A method of polishing a substrate comprising:
(i) providing a substrate comprising at least one metal layer, wherein the substrate comprises a front surface and an opposing back surface,
(iii) applying a positive electrochemical potential between the front surface of the substrate and a first electrode in contact with the polishing composition and applying a negative electrochemical potential between the back surface of the substrate and a second electrode in contact with the polishing composition, and
(iv) removing at least a portion of the metal layer from the surface of the substrate.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the electrolyte is selected from the group consisting of sulfates, nitrates, phosphates, and combinations thereof.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the polishing composition further comprises an abrasive.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein the polishing composition further comprises a complexing agent.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the complexing agent is an organic acid selected from the group consisting of monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, polycarboxylic acids, amino acids, and combinations thereof.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein the complexing agent is selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, malonic acid, oxalic acid, polyacrylic acid, tartaric acid, alanine, glycine, and combinations thereof.
22. The method of claim 19, wherein the complexing agent is a polymeric complexing agent.
23. The method of claim 16, wherein the polishing composition has a pH of about 6 or less.
24. The method of claim 16, wherein the polishing composition further comprises a corrosion inhibitor.
25. The method of claim 16, wherein the polishing composition further comprises a surfactant.
26. The method of claim 16, wherein the polishing composition further comprises an oxidizing agent for the metal.
27. The method of claim 16, wherein the polishing composition further comprises a reducing agent for the metal.
28. The method of claim 16, wherein the substrate comprises a copper layer and optionally a tantalum layer.
29. The method of claim 16, wherein the substrate comprises a gold layer.
30. A method of polishing a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
(i) providing a substrate comprising a copper layer and a tantalum layer,
(ii) contacting the substrate with a first composition comprising a liquid carrier and an electrolyte, applying a positive electrochemical potential between the substrate and an electrode in contact with the first composition, and selectively removing at least a portion of the copper layer from a surface of the substrate,
(iii) contacting the substrate with a second composition comprising a liquid carrier and an oxidizing agent for the tantalum in the absence of an applied electrochemical potential, and selectively removing at least a portion of the tantalum layer from the surface of the substrate, and
(iv) contacting the substrate with a third composition comprising a liquid carrier, an electrolyte, and copper ions, applying a negative electrochemical potential between the substrate and an electrode in contact with the third polishing composition, and selectively depositing copper onto the copper layer.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein the first and second compositions are the same.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein the first and second compositions have a copper to tantalum selectivity of about 10 or less.
33. The method of claim 30, wherein the first and second compositions are different.
34. The method of claim 30, wherein step (iv) is carried out before step (iii).
35. The method of claim 30, wherein the first or second composition further comprises a complexing agent.
36. The method of claim 30, wherein the first or second composition has a pH of about 6 or less.
37. The method of claim 30, wherein the first or second composition further comprises a corrosion inhibitor.
38. The method of claim 30, wherein the first or second composition further comprises a surfactant.
39. The method of claim 30, wherein the first or second composition further comprises an abrasive.
Filed: Jun 13, 2005
Publication Date: Dec 14, 2006
Patent Grant number: 7998335
Applicant: Cabot Microelectronics Corporation (Aurora, IL)
Inventors: Paul Feeney (Aurora, IL), Vlasta Brusic (Geneva, IL)
Current U.S. Class: 438/5.000; 438/692.000
International Classification: H01L 21/00 (20060101); H01L 21/461 (20060101);


text:
Want to see the economic impact of a doctor? Visit a small town
Staff News Writer
Fresh economic research confirms that physicians are job creators in every setting: hospital or office, city or country. The most vivid impact can be seen where doctors always have been a cornerstone of community life—small town America.
The numbers come from the AMA's latest physician economic impact study, which calculates that doctors in the U.S. each support, directly and indirectly, an average of just more than 17 jobs. The national total for all those jobs is nearly 12.6 million. Explore how physicians make an economic impact in communities across the nation with this interactive map.
A visit to Gibson City, Illinois, population about 3,500, tells a more personal story about how one individual doctor can have a positive economic impact on a community. It is where family physician David Hagan, MD, practices in a trim, brick office building at one end of the town's red cobblestone main street.
Dr. Hagan arrived in 1983, straight from residency, to join the practice's founding physician, who would eventually retire after 47 years of service to the town. Then and now, the practice employs local people in good-paying, stable positions—jobs that won't ever be sent overseas.
"I have a nurse practitioner who has been with me over 23 years. We have a satellite office over in Fisher [Ill.]; there's a full time person in that office, an LPN [licensed practice nurse] by training. We have two nurses in our Gibson office," said Dr. Hagan. There is also a receptionist and a full-time bookkeeper, and another staff member who splits her time between those two tasks.
"When I bought Christmas gifts, I bought eight of everything," he said of his holiday shopping list for staff. That includes a couple that augment their retirement income keeping the office in good shape. "They were doing custodial work for the practice before I came to town. They do a great job and as long as they are physically able and want to do it, they are good to go."
All told, perhaps two dozen people have worked for Dr. Hagan over the years. "You come work for me, you stay for a while."
Office is a local asset
In the mid-1990s, Dr. Hagan built the office building where he still practices. The materials were bought at the local building yard. For the plumbing and other construction labor, he said, "I made sure that it was a local outfit. There is a local pair of brothers who did the main construction. The heating and cooling was done by a local fellow and the electrical work was done by a local guy."
About a year and a half ago, and after some 20 years of being his own boss, he sold his practice to the local, nonprofit hospital. "We're now all hospital employees, and the local hospital here in Gibson City is, by far and away, the No. 1 employer in the county." The facility itself may be small by big-city standards—as a critical access hospital it is limited to no more than 25 acute- care inpatient beds—but it operates a network of clinics in counties throughout east-central Illinois, employing hundreds of people.
Dr. Hagan, the 2011 president of the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians, has been a hospital board member since 1985.
Health care sustains local economy
Both in private practice and as part of the hospital network, Dr. Hagan has first-hand experience with the role medicine plays in the economic life of communities like the one he serves.
"Hospitals and medical practices in small towns are just a huge economic driver," he said. "You don't have a major university here, or a large government entity, you don't have corporate offices."
Dr. Hagan is one of 3,805 family physicians in Illinois. He and his colleagues in family practice directly and indirectly support 53,173 jobs, according to an in-depth analysis in the latest AMA report on the national economic impact of physicians. The report, the third of its kind since 2011, is a project of the AMA Advocacy Resource Center.
The study details national and individual state data on economic output, jobs, employee benefits and state and local taxes supported by physicians. It is used to inform lawmakers and officials, especially on the state level, so they can understand physician contributions to community prosperity as decisions are made that could affect the practice of medicine. All told, there are 30,258 doctors in Illinois. They directly support 146,163 jobs and indirectly support 250,693 others—on average, each supports more than 13 jobs.
Physician Economic Impact
Proof of physicians' economic impact sways policy at state level
Texas town a case study on how doctors generate community jobs
Economy gets bigger boost from doctors than lawyers, higher ed


text:
Dasyomma herbsti är en tvåvingeart som beskrevs av Edwards 1934. Dasyomma herbsti ingår i släktet Dasyomma och familjen bäckflugor. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Bäckflugor
herbsti

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


32 year previous Valuer Catlin from Sault Ste.
24 years outdated Defence Drive Senior Officer Harrold from Gimli, has many passions which embrace snowshoeing, , and greeting card amassing. Has not too long ago accomplished a trip to Gusuku Websites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu. fifty nine yr previous Electronic Tools Deals Worker Charlie from Angus, enjoys belly dancing, , and frisbee. Within the final year has made a visit to Rock Drawings in Valcamonica.
forty five yrs old Tv Journalist Luigi from Cumberland, really loves aeromodeling, , and creating a house. In the last few months has visited to areas like Pearling. fifty eight yr previous Fibrous Plasterer Rodger from Oromocto, has numerous pursuits which embody sculpting, , and texting. Recently took a while to head to Redwood National and State Parks.
50 yr old Methods Administrator Amado Hutton from Cottam, actually loves home brewing, , and strolling. Will soon undertake a contiki journey that can embody visiting the Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea. What this does is stop all of the money going from the bottom all the way to the highest, and it provides every single business person the opportunity to turn out to be their own CEO and make the most important proportion of the sale.
Now imagine that, but on a world scale. Like so many things in life, people often just battle on with the old methods of doing things because they are scared to take a danger and think exterior the field. 59 yr-previous Marine Biologist Murry from McBride, has a number of passions that embody meditation, , and tennis. Advises that you simply just take a look at Shark Bay.
Has signed up for a world contiki journey. Fixing the printer. The perfect work from home jobs save both workers and employers money. It's important to be sure you pack the inside of your box with sufficient padding to protect your shipment. You possibly can even be part of an open forum and bring the subject up. Other users can provide you with feedback that can assist you.
Previous: Just How To Clean Business Insurance.


text:
UN/LOCODE () – system geokodowania zarządzany przez Europejską Komisję Gospodarczą, stworzony przez Organizację Narodów Zjednoczonych.

Struktura
Kod składa się z pięciu znaków. Pierwsze dwie litery są oznaczeniem państwa lub terytorium według standardu ISO 3166-1 alfa-2, natomiast pozostałe trzy odnoszą się do lokalizacji. Tam gdzie to możliwe, UN/LOCODE wykorzystuje oznaczenie Międzynarodowego Zrzeszenia Przewoźników Powietrznych (IATA).

Historia
System UN/LOCODE powstał w 1981 roku. Jest on oparty na strukturze kodów opracowanej przez Komisję Gospodarcza Narodów Zjednoczonych ds. Ameryki Łacińskiej i Karaibów (UNECLAC) i listę lokalizacji wywodzącą się z prac Komisji Gospodarczo-Społecznej Narodów Zjednoczonych ds. Azji i Pacyfiku (UNESCAP), a rozwiniętą przez Konferencję Narodów Zjednoczonych ds. Handlu i Rozwoju (UNCTAD) we współpracy z organizacjami takimi jak Międzynarodowe Zrzeszenie Przewoźników Powietrznych (IATA) i Międzynarodowa Izba Żeglugi (ICS), oraz przy współudziale innych organizacji handlowych i rządów państw.

Pierwsze wydanie z 1981 roku zawierało kody ok. 8000 lokalizacji, obecna lista (2015-2) zawiera kody dla 103 034 lokalizacji położonych zarówno w państwach, jak i na pełnym morzu.

Przypisy

Linki zewnętrzne
  – aktualna lista kodów

Geokodowanie
Organy i agendy ONZ


Father, FreeBSD enthusiast, general nerd, freak of nature, Diamond Club member, cook, bookworm, village idiot, and general all-around okay guy.
Husband, father, writer, reader. Music, film, social media, digital storytelling, tech, horror, Morrissey. GEEK!
El Capitán for FUNimation.com. Has few regrets, makes even fewer good decisions. Lives w/daughter, girlfriend, and 3 cats. Some of these are rescues.


text:
Is Twitter Financially Viable?
By John Stang · On May 18, 2010
Twitter raises a few red flags in my mind. Not the concept. Not its popularity. Not how it is used. But I do have questions about the speculative vagueness of its valuation.
So far, investors have put about $150 million into Twitter. A month ago, the Associated Press reported that Twitter is still sitting on a significant portion of this nest egg and is no a rush to expand its advertising base. So far. its only two revenue streams consist of:
Selling its internal analytical data. I've seen no detailed information on what data are sold to whom—and how much Twitter is making from this revenue stream.
Promoting Tweets–an innovative concept announced on April 13. This experiment in advertisingmay or may not work; it's impossible to tell, because there's no track record to go on. Plus, the Wall Street Journal reported that Twitter will split those "advertising revenues equally with smartphone and Web partners", which will cut into this new income stream.
Twitter's revenues so far may be minimal, but that's not reflected in its valuation—according to the most commonly cited figure, the company is worth—1 billion dollars.
This valuation is not based on publicly scrutinized or audited figures, but on numbers floated to the media by Twitter and its potential suitors. Gamesmanship and internal agendas likely played a role in that $1 billion figure. Keep in mind that several corporations have gone down in flames in the past few years because their actual cash flows did not come close to the sexier figures that they publicly trumpeted.
On Sept. 18, 2009, Digital Beat noted that at least six values for Twitter have been calculated by outside parties–ranging from $263 million to $ 5 billion. Digital Beat wrote:
"Think about that for a second: the largest estimate is twenty times the size of the smallest one. It all goes to show that valuing early-stage companies is like taking a shot in the dark, especially in a field where the public markets provide no cues and other comparable private companies are only beginning to reach profitability. As much as investors and observers try to provide a definitive answer, this is as much an art as a science."
Let's assume that a corporation is willing to pay $1 billion for Twitter. It most likely will have to borrow the $1 billion. Imagine the annual interest payments on a $1 billion loan. Can Twitter earn $100 million (assuming 10 percent annual interest) a year just to make interest payments? Such loans and interest payments have crippled several major corporations in many fields in the past 10 years, including newspaper chains such as the Tribune Co. and the McClatchy Co. Even The Seattle Times has been burned by borrowing a lot and finding its debt load too big.
Making such an investment can be a gamble, because predicting the financial viability of young companies is extremely difficult; as Aswatth Damodaran, finance professor at the Stern School of Business at New York University wrote in a 2009 article posted on the Social Science Research Network:
"Even those young companies that are profitable have short histories and most young firms are dependent upon private capital, initially owner savings and venture capital and private equity later on. As a result, many of the standard techniques we use to estimate cash flows, growth rates and discount rates either do not work or yield unrealistic numbers."
However, Twitter does avoid a couple additional pitfalls; its product use has grown immensely, plus its management investors appear focused on the long-term picture rather than immediate returns. That's important because, strangely, generating a revenue stream can actually lower the estimated value of a company, as was noted in a Sept. 9, 2009 TechCrunch story:
"Some of the biggest blockbuster acquisitions on the Internet have been pre-revenue companies. YouTube to Google for $1.65 billion in 2006 is one example. Reaching back further, Hotmail to Microsoft for $265 million in 1998 is another. Neither had any revenue to speak of, but both "owned" a new and fast growing market. (…) The problem is, once you have revenues it's impossible for…investors and potential buyers to just make stuff up. They look at those revenues and growth rates and trend out from there. They can't add a different long term growth rate without a solid reason to do so. (…) So when Twitter talks about turning on revenue, it isn't such a small decision. They have no idea how much money they can make off the service. Selling data to search engines, display ads. Search based ads. Premium/business accounts, etc. There are no comparable revenue streams at other companies that they can fully rely on."
Will Twitter's internal revenue projections match reality? No one really knows and I certainly don't pretend to know the answer—but I wouldn't put my money on estimates that seem to have been pulled out of the air.
John Stang is a longtime newspaper reporter who joined the MCDM program to become relevant again.
BusinessdebtTwitter
John Stang
Is Internet Access a Social Justice Issue?
When life gives us data, listen, discover, connect and repeat
Brett Horvath says: May 19, 2010 at 12:57 pm
Great questions but not a very compelling point. People have been making the exact same arguments about Facebook for the last three years. Remember everyone scoffing at the $15 Billion FB evaluation in 2007, and how stupid Microsoft was? ("They don't even have a business model!") Well, now based on hard revenue, FB is trading at a $17 Billion valuation
http://www.allfacebook.com/2010/02/facebook-17-billion/
You can't grow a networked company like Facebook or Twitter the way you grow a traditional web company. Yes, there were a lot of "Revenue will come eventually" plays in the 90's like Pets.com. Facebook and Twitter aren't trying to sell snake oil to investors/potential buyers, they are both clearly, explicitly focused on driving user adoption. People forget that the founders of Google had no idea how to create a business out of their fancy search engine. It was one of their late hire staff that created the adwords platform, which made Google a real business.
If you build the network, earn the trust of a community, and partner with patient investors who share your vision, you can build an internet sensation. Otherwise, stick to building widgets with business plans that seek an early exit.
Jon Hickey says: May 19, 2010 at 1:59 pm
Also keep in mind a company spending $1 Billion to buy Twitter most likely won't be borrowing. Google's purchase of YouTube was a stock-only deal. If you are going to buy a company like that, you'll have a more effective way of financing it.
Viability of Twitter: some thoughts of others « Robleamusic's Blog says: May 31, 2011 at 8:35 pm
[…] http://flipthemedia.com/index.php/2010/05/4940/ […]
John S says: November 13, 2011 at 6:45 pm
The only viable part of a social network is drawing a large amount of users to develop and sell information. That is what Facebook does. It needs the social aspect only for the fact it then can market per number of users. I doubt because of what Twitter does and how it does it can really market it well to advertisers. If your a celebrity you can get a lot of followers. But what does that mean? You just have a lot of people possibly monitoring your posts. Can the person with a lot of followers really relate to thousands of followers? No I doubt it. It is a one way street.
Book of Ra says: July 25, 2012 at 3:53 pm
[…] Read More here: flipthemedia.com/2010/05/4940/ […]…
Checking in and Cashing out on Location-Based Social Networks To tweet, perchance to monetize. To Twitter, or not to Twitter. MCDM group on Yammer. Reasons for failure Revisiting Twitter in Africa Why Seniors are Social Media's Growing User Demographic


text:
SLIM CHANCE NEW MEMBERS WILL MAKE PUC CLEANER
FOR RELEASE: TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017, OR THEREAFTER
No part of state government except the courts is supposed to be more independent and less subject to the sway of politics than the Public Utilities Commission, which decides rates and other practices of California's largest utilities. That's why commissioners serve six-year terms, longer even than the governors who appoint them. It's also why they can't be fired, not even by those governors or their successors.
And yet…few government agencies in California are more craven, more slavishly interested in serving the interests of the huge corporations they regulate, behemoths like Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, Southern California Gas and San Diego Gas & Electric. Commissioners also rule on some telephone company mergers, although phone rates – for both mobile and land lines – are now largely out of its hands.
Two new PUC appointees from Gov. Jerry Brown don't figure to change any of this. It's hard to find any PUC decision of the last 50 years running against the financial interests of those it regulates. This may explain the long-running revolving door between the commission and those companies.
Two prominent examples: John Bryson, a PUC president during Gov. Jerry Brown's first administration in the 1970s, later spent almost 30 years as chairman of SoCal Edison. Moving in the other direction was the disgraced Michael Peevey, an Edison president before becoming head of the commission, where he's alleged to have conspired with Edison executives about how to force consumers to pay most costs for closing the failed San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, largely a victim of Edison mistakes.
Rarely has the PUC been more craven than in Brown's latest six years. Not only are the interests of SDG&E, where Brown's sister Kathleen is a well-paid board member, well cared for. But commissioners often seem to follow Brown's orders as if he could fire them – which he cannot.
In return, Brown allows figures like Peevey great latitude, so long as they pursue his own green-power aims of making California more and more reliant on hyper-expensive wind and solar energy.
When Peevey finally left two years ago (he's still under investigation; no one knows where that may lead under a new state attorney general), Brown replaced him with Michael Picker, one of his close advisers.
This month, with two commissioners termed out, including another disgraced Brown appointee (Mike Florio, whose helping PG&E in a major case forced him to recuse himself from all further PG&E matters), Brown could have named two independent commissioners. Instead, he chose two more of his advisers.
Martha Guzman Aceves, 39, has been Brown's deputy legislative affairs secretary since 2011. And Clifford Rechtschaffen, 59, has been one of his senior advisors for the same time span, working on climate, energy and environmental issues. Previously, he served Brown during his tenure as attorney general.
These folks together make up the right arm of Jerry Brown. Now that he can't fire them at will anymore, how likely are they suddenly to become independent of their longtime boss? One indicator: The PUC's first action after the two appointments was a deceptive filing with a federal appeals court, claiming it has disclosed all documents in the San Onofre case, when at least 65 Brown-Picker emails remain hidden.
Only the state Senate holds the power to do something toward creating a degree of independence for this commission, now composed almost wholly of close gubernatorial aides. These are not folks with great experience of consumer issues who know how much utility rates can impact the lives of ordinary Californians.
It's high time for the state Senate to start asking them tough questions: Will the newbies promise not to socialize with utility executives? Will they promise to reveal quickly the full content of email and telephone conversations they have with those execs and with Wall Street bankers investing in utility companies? Will they stop the long-running "kabuki dance" in which utilities ask for much more in every rate increase request than they know they can get, then happily accept less – but still much more than had before – while the PUC brags on how much it "saved" consumers?
There should be many more questions. But in state history, there has never been a contentious hearing on a PUC appointment. Will that coziness survive the scandals of the last three years? The next two months will tell.
Elias is author of the current book "The Burzynski Breakthrough: The Most Promising Cancer Treatment and the Government's Campaign to Squelch It," now available in an updated third edition. His email address is tdelias@aol.com
Labels: 2017, Jan. 24
LINES EVER BLURRIER BETWEEN CITIZENS, NON-CITIZENS...
UNCERTAIN FUTURE FOR STATE'S ANTI-SMOG EFFORTS
HOW CALIFORNIA COULD GET A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR
WHAT IF TRUMP-CARE WORKS IN CA? WHAT IF IT DOESN'T...
APPEAL HEARING BEARS HIGH STAKES FOR BROWN, CONSUM...
PUTTING CALIFORNIA BACK IN NATIONAL POLITICS
PARTY CHAIRS AS CALIFORNIA KINGMAKERS


text:
Details of Book :Dynamics Of Indo-South African Co-operation In a Changing World
TITLE : Dynamics Of Indo-South African Co-operation In a Changing World
AUTHOR : Gopabandhu Dash
SUBJECT : INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
About Book: Bilateral relations between two sovereign nations form the bedrock of International Relations. The dynamics of bilateral relations are determined by a host of factors such as history, culture, politics, economics, geography, security environment, decision-making structure, dominant personality of the key decision-makers, the changing character of the global power structure, etc. While dealing with each other, two sovereign nations, invariably, seek to strike a judicious balance between promotion of their core national interests and their commitment to the values and institutions of the International System. The bilateral relations between India and South Africa are no exception to this fundamental precept of International Relations and Politics. Indo-South African Cooperation spans over four different phases: the colonial era, the freedom struggle period, the post-independence phase and the post-apartheid times. Dealing with the apartheid regime was particularly a very difficult and challenging phase for India. However, once the apartheid regime was dismantled and South Africa became a free nation, bilateral relations between the two countries made marked progress in diverse spheres: political, economic and trade, socio-cultural and security. The multilateral dimensions of Indo-South African cooperation are equally significant and visible. This is quite evident from their engagements in various multilateral bodies like NAM, IBSA, BRICS, WTO, BASIC, G-20, and the UN. On the whole, both India and South Africa have shown greater maturity and understanding while dealing with each other by keeping pace with time, by sharing their common experiences, tapping their huge potentials for mutual benefits, maximizing their common interests and minimizing their differences. With such a strong foundation, both the nations are equally confident and well poised to deal with the issues and challenges which a changing world would pose in the coming decades. The present volume critically examines all these issues on the basis of evidence and data. Dynamics of Indo-South African Cooperation in a Changing World would be a rich source material for scholars and students specializing in foreign policy analysis and International Relations in general and the bilateral relations between India and South Africa in particular. It will also be a handy reference book for diplomats and policy makers alike.


text:
'''
Created on Dec 16, 2011

@author: t4aalton
'''
from socialDevices.action import Action, actionbody, actionprecondition
from socialDevices.deviceInterfaces.talkingDevice import TalkingDevice
from socialDevices.device import Device

import socialDevices.misc as misc

class DialogTest(Action):
    def __init__(self, d1, d2):
        self.d1 = d1
        self.d2 = d2

    @actionprecondition
    def precondition(self, d1, d2):
        return misc.proximity([d1, d2]) and d1.talkingDevice.isWilling() and d2.talkingDevice.isWilling() and d1.talkingDevice.isSilent() and \
            d1.hasInterface(TalkingDevice) and d2.hasInterface(TalkingDevice)

    @actionbody
    def body(self, d1, d2):
        mtalk = misc.Mtalk()
        conversation = mtalk.getConversation(nbrOfPeople=2)
        devices = [d1, d2]
        for line in conversation:
            devices[line[0]].talkingDevice.say(line[1])

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Ramsbottom Jigsaw Festival organisers hail "wonderful community spirit"
More than 1,000 puzzles were on display at St Paul's Church for the annual event
Charlotte GreenLocal Democracy Reporting Service
Organisers have hailed a successful fourth Ramsbottom Jigsaw Festival.
The event, which has been held since 2013, took place at St Paul's Church, on Bridge Street from Wednesday, September 6 to Saturday, September 9.
The festival, which is a joint venture between two of the churches in the Ramsbottom and Edenfield Team Ministry — Edenfield Parish Church and St Paul's, was sponsored this year by puzzle makers Gibsons after the success of previous years.
Power cut hits 169 properties in Bacup and Stacksteads
It was officially opened by the Mayor of Bury, Dorothy Gunther, and there were more than 1,000 completed jigsaw puzzles on display.
A church spokesperson praised the 'fantastic team spirit' from both puzzle makers and volunteers.
They said: "Thank you to every single person who has contributed to the success of the festival in some way. Once again the festival has been a wonderful community effort - members of both churches working alongside each other but also alongside people with no direct link to either church who just came along to lend their time and their hard work. Our slogan has always been 'be a piece of the bigger picture' and you all did us proud."
The World Black Pudding Throwing Championships: Or, how hundreds of people helped batter Yorkshire
Edenfield