Abstract: A method of and system for drying a wafer offer a short cycle of operation, and minimize the amount of time that the wafer is exposed to external air. The drying system includes a process bath, a loader for transferring the wafer from a wash bath to an elevator of the process bath, an unloading stage for supporting the wafer after it is dried, and a lid for drying the wafer after it is rinsed in the process bath and for transferring the wafer onto the unloading stage. The lid includes a lid body defining a cavity, a wafer holder disposed within the cavity, a gas distributer having gas injection holes facing the cavity, and a driving mechanism for moving the lid between the process bath and the unloading stage. In the drying method, the lid is positioned over the process bath after the wafer has been rinsed. The elevator of the process bath is then raised to move the rinsed wafer above the tub of the process bath and into the cavity defined in the lid body.

Abstract: The invention provides aqueous alkaline compositions useful in the microelectronics industry for stripping or cleaning semiconductor wafer substrates by removing photoresist residues and other unwanted contaminants. The compositions typically contain (a) one or more metal ion-free bases at sufficient amounts to produce a pH of about 11-13 and one or more bath stabilizing agents to maintain this pH during use; (b) optionally, about 0.01% to about 5% by weight (expressed as % SiO2) of a water-soluble metal ion-free silicate; (c) optionally, about 0.01% to about 10% by weight of one or more chelating agents; (d) optionally, about 0.01% to about 80% by weight of one or more water-soljuble organic co-solvents; and (e) optionally, about 0.01% to about 1% by weight of a water-soluble surfactant.

Abstract: A steam mop. A housing contains a water reservoir for storing water and a heating plate outside the water reservoir. The reservoir dispenses water to the heating element which heats the dispensed water to produce steam substantially instantaneously. The reservoir preferably includes a mechanism for dispensing additional water to the heating element on demand to produce a “burst of steam.” Preferably an absorbent cloth to which is attached a relatively stiff perimeter frame adapted to fit around the bottom of the housing is provided, the cloth assembly being easily removable for cleaning.

Abstract: Plant parts which are used for the production or processing of (meth)acrylic esters are cleaned by (a) emptying the plant parts, (b) flushing the plant parts with aqueous 5 to 50% strength by weight alkali metal hydroxide solution, (c) removing the alkali metal hydroxide solution from the plant parts, (d) if required, washing the plant parts with water and (e) if required, drying the plant parts.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing a liquid discharge head including a head main body provided with plural energy generation elements for generating energy for discharging liquid as a flying liquid droplet and plural flow paths in which the energy generation elements are respectively provided, and an orifice plate provided with plural discharge ports respectively communicating with the flow paths, wherein the orifice plate and the head main body are mutually adjoined, the method comprising a step of preparing a substrate consisting of a silicon-containing material for preparing the orifice plate a step of forming, by dry etching, plural recesses in positions on the surface of the substrate respectively corresponding to the discharge ports, with a depth larger by 5 to 50 &mgr;m than the depth of the discharge ports, a step of thinning the substrate from the reverse side thereof until the depth of the recesses becomes equal to the depth of the discharge apertures to form plural discharge ports on the

Abstract: A method of producing an optical element having a multiple-level step-like structure includes a first process for providing a first mask pattern at a position corresponding to a predetermined boundary among boundaries at steps of the multiple-level step-like structure of a substrate, the first mask pattern having a width narrower than that of a single step, a second process for providing a second mask pattern upon the substrate having the first mask pattern formed thereon, the second mask pattern having a width corresponding to a single step or plural steps of the multiple-level step-like structure and a third process for processing the substrate by use of the first and second mask patterns and thereafter for removing the second mask pattern while leaving the first mask pattern there. After repeating the second and third processes plural times of a predetermined number, the first mask pattern is removed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reproducing images or text on a metalized holographic film, comprising a coupling step, in which a bottom metalized holographic film is laminated to a second film, thereon an adhesive mass has been preliminarily deposited, a spreading step in which on the bottom film a copolymeric primer is spread, a printing step in which a suitably activated basic substance is printed, a staged spreading removal step, in which demineralized water and decanting are used in order to remove the crystallized material obtained by the basic substance, a forced air hot bed drying step, a reinforcement processing step, and a printing step in which the text or image is printed in polymeric material colors.

Abstract: Whenever a dishwasher is operated a given number of times or whenever a given number of days transpire, an apparatus performs a process that removes minerals deposits that have built-up inside the dishwasher. The process commences by rinsing the dishwasher interior with water and draining the rinse water. A mixture of water and a chemical that dissolves the minerals is introduced into the dishwasher and a pump circulates the mixture inside the dishwasher for a period of time. Next the mixture is drained out and the dishwasher interior is rinsed again with fresh water.

Abstract: A highly accurate sensor for monitoring the color density of various etchants in etchant regeneration systems is disclosed. The sensor comprises a Pyrex or equivalent tubular sensing chamber and a light cell housing surrounding a portion of the chamber. The chamber contains a rodlike extension extending into the interior of the chamber. The housing accommodates a light source, preferably an LED or laser, and a photodetector, optically coupled through an aperture in the housing. Two such sensors are used in a regeneration apparatus attached to an etching machine used for etching copper, iron, stainless steels or other materials. In another embodiment, multiple sensors are used to detect multiple constituents of the etchant depending on the material being etched and the etchant used. A system employing two sets of sensors is particularly applicable to etchants that pass one color of light well when fully regenerated and another color of light well when fully spent.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a multilayer wiring board according to the present invention having the step of after forming a column-like metallic body on a lower wiring layer, forming an upper wiring layer whose part is conductively connected with the column-like metallic body, the column-like metallic body is formed by the step of coating the lower wiring layer with a conductor showing durability at the time of etching metal composing the column-like metallic body so as to form a conductive layer, the step of forming a plating layer of the metal composing the column-like metallic body on a whole surface including the conductive layer, the step of forming a mask layer on a surface portion of the plating layer where the column-like metallic body is formed, and the step of etching the plating layer. The present invention can provide the method of manufacturing a multilayer wiring board which can form the column-like metallic body having uniform height for short time according to a simple and low-priced method.

Abstract: A process and composition for treating a metal surface to increase its surface roughness for subsequent adhesion to a polymer layer are disclosed. The composition includes hydrogen peroxide, inorganic acid, at least two corrosion inhibitors.

Abstract: A process for the use of an aqueous cleaning composition to remove organic material from a substrate. The cleaning composition preferably includes a nonionic surfactant and may also include a glycol ether solvent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for treating a metal substrate to improve adhesion of polymeric materials thereto, comprising the steps of intergranular etching a surface of the metal substrate; and applying an immersion plated metal to the intergranular etched surface by immersing the surface in an immersion plating composition comprising one or more plating metals selected from tin, silver, bismuth, copper, nickel, lead, zinc, indium, palladium, platinum, gold, cadmium, ruthenium, cobalt, gallium and germanium. In one embodiment, the immersion plated metal is tin. In one embodiment, the process further comprises a step of adhering the immersion metal plated surface to a surface of a polymeric non-conductive material. In another embodiment, the polymeric nonconductive material is one or more of PTFE, an epoxy resin, a polyimide, a polycyanate ester, a butadiene terephthalate resin, or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A multi-layer electronic circuit board design 10 having selectively formed apertures or cavities 26, and which includes grooves or troughs 20, 22 which are effective to selectively entrap liquefied adhesive material, thereby substantially preventing the adhesive material from entering the apertures 26.

Abstract: A shadow mask for a cathode ray tube includes through-holes defined by first and second recessed formed at first and second surfaces of the shadow mask, respectively. Each through-hole has a first wall farther away from a center of the shadow mask than a second wall thereof. The second recess has a smaller size than that of the first recess. The first wall is formed of a first wall portion defined by an inner surface of the first recess and a second wall portion defined by an inner surface of the second recess. The second wall portion of through-holes located at a peripheral region of the first region has a configuration such that electron beams reflected therefrom are directed to an inner surface of the first recess to thereby reduce electron beams reflected therefrom in directions different from a direction in which the electron beams are originally directed before the electron beams enter the shadow mask.

Abstract: A method for removing photoresist, probing ink and wafer bonding adhesive from a substrate using one or more (C6-C16)olefins, one ore more (C1-C6)alkoxybenzenes, and one ore more organic sulfonic acid compounds is provided.

Abstract: A frequency control apparatus including a shielding board that is provided with a window for exposing some or all of a plurality of electrodes disposed on a piezoelectric substrate, and a shutter for opening and closing the window. An aperture pattern board is provided between the shielding board and a piezoelectric resonator. On the aperture pattern board, combinations of apertures are provided which correspond to the A electrodes exposed through the window on the shielding board at one time. After measuring the frequencies for respective elements and measuring the variations from the target frequency, the suitable pattern of apertures is selected from the aperture pattern board according to the amount of variations, and then the frequency control is carried out only on the elements selected through the apertures.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for replenishing adhesion promoting baths from an unstable state without discarding the bath. Methods of adhesion promoting substrates, such as printed wiring boards, using the replenished baths are also disclosed.

Abstract: An improved process for manufacturing a spin valve structure that has buried leads is disclosed. A key feature is the inclusion in the process of a temporary protective layer over the seed layer on which the spin valve structure will be grown. This protective layer is in place at the time that photoresist (used to define the location of the spin valve relative to the buried leads and longitudinal bias layers) is removed. The protective layer is later removed as a natural byproduct of surface cleanup just prior to the formation of the spin valve itself.

Abstract: There is proposed an apparatus and method for cleaning a semiconductor substrate, which make it possible to minimize the adhesion of mist in a cleaning tank at the occasion of cleaning a semiconductor substrate, to realize a high removal effect of residual polishing particles, and to enable to obtain a clean surface. In view of preventing a mist generated by the jet of high pressure water from re-adhering to the substrate during the cleaning of a semiconductor substrate, a cover member is disposed at a mist-generating region so as to prevent the splash of the mist. Additionally, a cavity is caused to generate by contacting a high pressure water with a still water, and high-frequency generated by the generation of the cavity is utilized for removing the residual polishing particles. Alternatively, the ejection of high pressure water against the surface of the substrate is performed in a liquid phase such as ultrapure water, thereby preventing the generation of mist.