Abstract: A mold structure used to form a molded object having an undercut portion includes a fixed mold as a first mold having a first molding surface for molding an obverse surface of the molded object; a slide core having an undercut molding surface used to mold the undercut portion as part of the obverse surface of the molded object; and a movable mold as a second mold having a second molding surface used to mold the reverse surface of the molded object. The first molding surface and the undercut molding surface form a cavity surface. A step is formed between the first molding surface and the second molding surface at a parting position between the fixed mold and the slide core on the cavity surface.

Abstract: A rinsing liquid (DIW) is discharged from a rinsing liquid discharge port formed in a blocking member to perform rinsing processing to a substrate surface while a nitrogen gas is supplied into a clearance space, and a liquid mixture (IPA+DIW) is discharged from a liquid mixture discharge port formed in the blocking member to replace the rinsing liquid adhering to the substrate surface with the liquid mixture while the nitrogen gas is supplied into the clearance space. Thus, an increase of the dissolved oxygen concentration of the liquid mixture can be suppressed upon replacing the rinsing liquid adhering to the substrate surface with the liquid mixture, which makes it possible to securely prevent from forming an oxide film or generating watermarks on the substrate surface.

Abstract: A rinsing liquid (DIW) is discharged from a rinsing liquid discharge port formed in a blocking member to perform rinsing processing to a substrate surface while a nitrogen gas is supplied into a clearance space, and a liquid mixture (IPA+DIW) is discharged from a liquid mixture discharge port formed in the blocking member to replace the rinsing liquid adhering to the substrate surface with the liquid mixture while the nitrogen gas is supplied into the clearance space. Thus, an increase of the dissolved oxygen concentration of the liquid mixture can be suppressed upon replacing the rinsing liquid adhering to the substrate surface with the liquid mixture, which makes it possible to securely prevent from forming an oxide film or generating watermarks on the substrate surface.

Abstract: An electrode for lithium-ion secondary battery comprises: a base member which functions as a current collector; and an active material layer formed in a surface of the base member as a stripe-like pattern including a plurality of active material lines which contain silicon or a silicon compound as an active material, which are spaced apart from each other and which protrude beyond the surface of the base member.

Abstract: A mold structure used to form a molded object having an undercut portion includes a fixed mold as a first mold having a first molding surface for molding an obverse surface of the molded object; a slide core having an undercut molding surface used to mold the undercut portion as part of the obverse surface of the molded object; and a movable mold as a second mold having a second molding surface used to mold the reverse surface of the molded object. The first molding surface and the undercut molding surface form a cavity surface. A step is formed between the first molding surface and the second molding surface at a parting position between the fixed mold and the slide core on the cavity surface.

Abstract: A rinsing liquid (DIW) is discharged from a rinsing liquid discharge port formed in a blocking member to perform rinsing processing to a substrate surface while a nitrogen gas is supplied into a clearance space, and a liquid mixture (IPA+DIW) is discharged from a liquid mixture discharge port formed in the blocking member to replace the rinsing liquid adhering to the substrate surface with the liquid mixture while the nitrogen gas is supplied into the clearance space. Thus, an increase of the dissolved oxygen concentration of the liquid mixture can be suppressed upon replacing the rinsing liquid adhering to the substrate surface with the liquid mixture, which makes it possible to securely prevent from forming an oxide film or generating watermarks on the substrate surface.

Abstract: A rinsing liquid (DIW) is discharged from a rinsing liquid discharge port formed in a blocking member to perform rinsing processing to a substrate surface while a nitrogen gas is supplied into a clearance space, and a liquid mixture (IPA+DIW) is discharged from a liquid mixture discharge port formed in the blocking member to replace the rinsing liquid adhering to the substrate surface with the liquid mixture while the nitrogen gas is supplied into the clearance space. Thus, an increase of the dissolved oxygen concentration of the liquid mixture can be suppressed upon replacing the rinsing liquid adhering to the substrate surface with the liquid mixture, which makes it possible to securely prevent from forming an oxide film or generating watermarks on the substrate surface.

Abstract: A solar cell (100) comprising a semiconductor solar cell substrate (66) having a light receiving surface formed on the first major surface and generating photovoltaic power based on the light impinging on the light receiving surface, wherein the light receiving surface of the semiconductor solar cell substrate (66) is coated with a light receiving surface side insulating film (61) composed of an inorganic insulating material where the cationic component principally comprising silicon, and the light receiving surface side insulating film (61) is a low hydrogen content inorganic insulating film containing less than 10 atm % of hydrogen. A solar cell having an insulating film exhibiting excellent passivation effect insusceptible to aging can thereby be provided.

Abstract: A cooling gas is discharged from a cooling gas discharge nozzle toward a local section of a front surface of a substrate on which a liquid film is formed. And then the cooling gas discharge nozzle moves from a rotational center position of the substrate toward an edge position of the substrate along a moving trajectory while the substrate is rotated. As a result, of the surface region of the front surface of the substrate, an area where the liquid film has been frozen (frozen area) expands toward the periphery edge from the center of the front surface of the substrate. It is therefore possible to form a frozen film all over the front surface of the substrate while suppressing deterioration of the durability of the substrate peripheral members since a section receiving supply of the cooling gas is limited to a local area on the front surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A rinsing liquid supplier includes a temperature adjuster. The temperature adjuster cools DIW to a temperature lower than room temperature. This temperature adjuster cools down DIW to a temperature not more than 10 degrees centigrade for instance, and cooling down to an even lower temperature of 5 degrees centigrade or below is more preferable. Meanwhile, the temperature adjuster maintains DIW at not less than 0 degrees centigrade, which prevents freezing of the DIW. The cooled DIW supplied to a rinsing liquid pipe is discharged from the rinsing liquid discharge nozzle toward the top surface of the substrate, to thereby form a liquid film. Further, the cooled DIW is discharged toward the rear surface of the substrate from the liquid discharge nozzle via the liquid supply pipe, to thereby form the liquid film on the rear surface. Since the liquid films are already cooled, they are frozen in a short time when the cooling gas is discharged toward the top surface and the rear surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate having a liquid film formed by pre-processing unit is transported by a substrate transport robot from the pre-processing unit to a freeze processing unit disposed away from the pre-processing unit. In the freeze-processing unit, the liquid film is frozen. This causes the adhesion power of contaminants adhering to the surface of the substrate reduce, and therefore the contaminants is detached from the surface of the substrate. Subsequently, the substrate which was subjected to the freezing process, is transported from the freeze processing unit to a post-processing unit which is disposed away from the pre-processing unit and the freeze processing. In the post-processing unit, a cleaning liquid is supplied to the frozen film on the rotating substrate, thereby easily removing the contaminants adhering to the substrate together with the frozen film.

Abstract: A gas inlet is disposed in a lower portion of a reaction chamber, a copper substrate is disposed in an upper portion thereof, and a tungsten catalytic body heated to 1600° C. is disposed midway between the two. Ammonia gas introduced from the gas inlet is decomposed by the tungsten catalytic body, a chemical species generated by the decomposition reacts with a surface of the copper substrate, and reduces and removes a contaminant on the copper surface, and a Cu3N thin film is formed on the copper substrate surface. This Cu3N film has the action of a film which prevents the oxidation of copper. This Cu3N film is thermally decomposed and removed when heated to temperatures of not less than 300° C., leaving a clean copper surface behind.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises a spin chuck holding and rotating a substrate and an atmosphere blocking member, corresponding in planar shape and size to the substrate, arranged oppositely and proximately to the upper surface of the substrate and formed with a processing solution discharge port and a gas discharge port discharging a processing solution and gas to the central portion of the upper surface of the substrate respectively. The atmosphere blocking member is formed with an outer gas discharge port outside the gas discharge port in plan view for discharging the gas to the upper surface of the substrate. The outer gas discharge port is so formed on the atmosphere blocking member that an arrival position of the gas discharged from the outer gas discharge port is closer to the center of the upper surface of the substrate held by a spin base than an intermediate portion between the center and the outer peripheral edge of the upper surface.

Abstract: A solar cell (100) comprising a semiconductor solar cell substrate (66) having a light receiving surface formed on the first major surface and generating photovoltaic power based on the light impinging on the light receiving surface, wherein the light receiving surface of the semiconductor solar cell substrate (66) is coated with a light receiving surface side insulating film (61) composed of an inorganic insulating material where the cationic component principally comprising silicon, and the light receiving surface side insulating film (61) is a low hydrogen content inorganic insulating film containing less than 10 atm % of hydrogen. A solar cell having an insulating film exhibiting excellent passivation effect insusceptible to aging can thereby be provided.

Abstract: A blocking plate 3 is disposed opposing a substrate W which is held by plural chuck pins 17 and a processing liquid is supplied from a processing liquid nozzle 5 to a space SP between the front surface Wf of the substrate and an opposed surface 3a of the blocking plate 3, whereby the processing liquid attains the liquid-tight state. While the liquid-tight state with the processing liquid is maintained, the substrate W and the blocking plate 3 rotate. In this condition, a liquid (pure water) to which ultrasonic vibration has propagated is injected from an ultrasonic nozzle 7 approximately perpendicular to a side wall surface 3b of the blocking plate 3. While the ultrasonic vibration spreads inside the blocking plate 3 along the horizontal direction, some vibrational waves spread uniformly and widely from the opposed surface 3a to the processing liquid attaining the liquid-tight state and vibrate the processing liquid.

Abstract: A substrate (W) is held and rotated in its horizontal position on a spin base (10). A processing liquid can be supplied from a processing liquid lower nozzle 15 to the lower surface of the substrate (W). The upper surface of the substrate (W) is covered with an atmosphere blocking plate (30). A splash guard (50) is disposed so as to circumscribe the substrate (W). A guard (52) is curved such that the vertical cross section of a recovery port (52f) of the splash guard (50) is of substantially U-shape opening to the center of the splash guard (50), so that the maximum internal diameter part of the recovery port (52f) is brought near a guard (53). The space between the internal wall surface of the recovery port (52f) and the substrate (W) is increased to thereby suppress the bounce of the processing liquid flying spattering from the substrate (W) in rotation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a packaged stacked semiconductor device which includes bumps serving as external electrode terminals, the bumps being provided on both a front surface and a back surface of the device, and which is sacked on another semiconductor device, substrate, or board having electrode terminals so that the bumps are directly and electrically connected to the electrode terminals. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having through-electrodes formed therein. The semiconductor device has, on the front surface side of the semiconductor substrate, a wiring layer connected to the through-electrodes, an insulating film formed on the wiring layer, additional wiring formed on the insulating film, post electrodes connected to the wiring, and external connection bumps connected to the post electrodes.

Abstract: Particles adhering to the surface of a substrate are removed by physical action of injection of droplets or megasonic vibrations or by combination of the physical action and slight etching on the surface of the substrate. On the other hand, metal contaminants adhering to the surface of the substrate are altered to hydroxides with an alkaline solution and thereafter dissolved with an acid solution to be removed. Thus, it is possible to rapidly process the substrate while minimizing the quantity of etching on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A rinsing liquid supplier includes a temperature adjuster. The temperature adjuster cools DIW to a temperature lower than room temperature. This temperature adjuster cools down DIW to a temperature not more than 10 degrees centigrade for instance, and cooling down to an even lower temperature of 5 degrees centigrade or below is more preferable. Meanwhile, the temperature adjuster maintains DIW at not less than 0 degrees centigrade, which prevents freezing of the DIW. The cooled DIW supplied to a rinsing liquid pipe is discharged from the rinsing liquid discharge nozzle toward the top surface of the substrate, to thereby form a liquid film. Further, the cooled DIW is discharged toward the rear surface of the substrate from the liquid discharge nozzle via the liquid supply pipe, to thereby form the liquid film on the rear surface. Since the liquid films are already cooled, they are frozen in a short time when the cooling gas is discharged toward the top surface and the rear surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A rinsing liquid (DIW) is discharged from a rinsing liquid discharge port formed in a blocking member to perform rinsing processing to a substrate surface while a nitrogen gas is supplied into a clearance space, and a liquid mixture (IPA+DIW) is discharged from a liquid mixture discharge port formed in the blocking member to replace the rinsing liquid adhering to the substrate surface with the liquid mixture while the nitrogen gas is supplied into the clearance space. Thus, an increase of the dissolved oxygen concentration of the liquid mixture can be suppressed upon replacing the rinsing liquid adhering to the substrate surface with the liquid mixture, which makes it possible to securely prevent from forming an oxide film or generating watermarks on the substrate surface.