Abstract: A technique for fabricating bumps on a substrate is disclosed. A substrate that includes a set of pads formed on a surface thereof is prepared. A bump base is formed on each pad of the substrate. Each bump base has a tip extending outwardly from the corresponding pad. A resist layer is patterned on the substrate to have a set of holes through the resist layer. Each hole is aligned with the corresponding pad and having space configured to surround the tip of the bump base formed on the corresponding pad. The set of the holes in the resist layer is filled with conductive material to form a set of bumps on the substrate. The resist layer is stripped from the substrate with leaving the set of the bumps.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a biaxially stretched film according by: (I) preheating a thermoplastic resin film to a temperature in a rubbery plateau region in a storage elastic modulus curve; (II) biaxially stretching the thermoplastic resin film under a condition that a stretching speed is 500%/min or higher while heating the thermoplastic resin film to the temperature in the rubbery plateau region; (III) cooling the thermoplastic resin film after the biaxially stretching (II) to a temperature in a glass-to-rubber transition region or a glass region in the storage elastic modulus curve; and (IV) relaxing the thermoplastic resin film after the cooling (III) at a temperature in the glass-to-rubber transition region.

Abstract: A technique for fabricating bumps on a substrate is disclosed. A substrate that includes a set of pads formed on a surface thereof is prepared. A bump base is formed on each pad of the substrate. Each bump base has a tip extending outwardly from the corresponding pad. A resist layer is patterned on the substrate to have a set of holes through the resist layer. Each hole is aligned with the corresponding pad and having space configured to surround the tip of the bump base formed on the corresponding pad. The set of the holes in the resist layer is filled with conductive material to form a set of bumps on the substrate. The resist layer is stripped from the substrate with leaving the set of the bumps.

Abstract: An impeller may include a plurality of blades disposed along a rotation direction in an outer circumferential portion of at least one end surface of two end surfaces of the impeller; a plurality of blade grooves; and an outer circumferential wall disposed at an outer circumferential edge and closing the plurality of grooves. The housing may include an opposing groove opposing a blade groove region and extending along the rotation direction of the impeller. In a plan view of the one end surface of the two end surfaces of the impeller, each of the plurality of the blades may be curved, and a central portion of each of the blades may be positioned frontward in the rotation direction of the impeller than both ends of the blade.

Abstract: A method of forming solder bumps includes preparing a substrate having a surface on which a plurality of electrode pads are formed, forming a resist layer on the substrate, the resist layer having a plurality of openings, each of the openings being aligned with a corresponding electrode pad of the plurality of electrode pads, forming a conductive pillar in each of the openings of the resist layer, forming conductive layers to cover at least side walls of the resist layer in the openings to block gas emanating from the resist layer, filling molten solder in each of the openings in which the conductive layers has been formed and removing the resist layer.

Abstract: An impeller may include a blade groove region disposed in an outer circumferential portion of at least one end surface of two end surfaces in a rotation axis direction, the blade groove region including a plurality of blades and a plurality of blade grooves. The blade groove may be disposed between adjacent blades, open at one end surface side, and closed at the other end surface side. A housing of the pump includes an opposing groove opposing the blade groove region and extending along the rotation direction of the impeller. A rate of a depth of the opposing groove at an intermediate position excluding both ends of the opposing groove in the rotation direction of the impeller to a depth of each of the blade grooves at the deepest position of the each of the blade grooves may be equal to or less than 0.7.

Abstract: A vortex pump including: a housing including a suction channel, a discharge channel, and a housing space communicating with the suction channel and the discharge channel; and an impeller housed in the housing space and configured to rotate about a rotation axis, where the housing includes an inner channel along an outer circumference of the impeller in the housing space, and a channel cross-sectional area of the inner channel is larger than a channel cross-sectional area of the suction channel and is larger than a channel cross-sectional area of the discharge channel over an entire length of the inner channel.

Abstract: A vortex pump configured to discharge gas suctioned into the vortex pump to an engine of a vehicle, the pump including: an impeller; and a housing rotatably housing the impeller and including a discharge channel extending from an outer circumferential edge of the impeller along a direction separating away from a rotation axis of the impeller, where the impeller includes: a plurality of blades disposed in an outer circumferential portion of an end surface of the impeller along a rotation direction of the impeller; a plurality of blade grooves, each of which is disposed between adjacent blades; and an outer circumferential wall disposed at the outer circumferential edge for closing the plurality of blade grooves at an outer circumferential side of the impeller, and the housing includes an opposing groove opposing the plurality of the blade grooves and extending along the rotation direction of the impeller.

Abstract: A method of forming solder bumps includes preparing a substrate having a surface on which a plurality of electrode pads are formed, forming a resist layer on the substrate, the resist layer having a plurality of openings, each of the openings being aligned with a corresponding electrode pad of the plurality of electrode pads, forming a conductive pillar in each of the openings of the resist layer, forming conductive layers to cover at least side walls of the resist layer in the openings to block gas emanating from the resist layer, filling molten solder in each of the openings in which the conductive layers has been formed and removing the resist layer.

Abstract: Methods for depositing material on a chip include forming a mold layer. The mold layer includes one or more openings over respective contact areas, each of the one or more openings having an upper volume and a lower volume. The upper volume has a smaller diameter than a diameter of the lower volume. Each contact area is within the respective lower volume. A material is injected into the one or more openings under pressure.

Abstract: A sputtering apparatus includes a shutter unit, a plurality of target holders, and a substrate holder which can rotate about an axis perpendicular to a surface on which a substrate is held. The shutter unit includes a first shutter having first and second apertures and a second shutter having third and fourth apertures. The plurality of target holders are arranged on a first virtual circle centered on the axis, with the arrangement intervals between the plurality of target holders on the first virtual circle including at least two types of arrangement intervals.

Abstract: A conveying apparatus conveys an article between a wait position and a processing position. The conveying apparatus includes a plurality of arms that sandwiches the article between leading ends of the arms located on opposite sides of the article and that is provided to enable base ends of the arms to turn so as to move the leading ends in an up-down direction, and a control apparatus that turns the arms to lift the article located at one of the wait position and the processing position and sandwiched between the arms and that moves the arms with the article kept lifted thereby to the other of the wait position and the processing position, the control apparatus turning the arms to lower and mount the article at the other of the wait position and the processing position.

Abstract: A sputtering apparatus includes a chamber, a substrate holder, first to fourth target holders, a shutter unit, and a gate valve through which the substrate is conveyed. The first to fourth target holders are arranged on vertices of a virtual rectangle having long sides and short sides and inscribed in a virtual circle centered on the axis, the first target holder and the second target holder are respectively arranged on two vertices defining one short side of the virtual rectangle, and a distance to the gate valve is shorter than distances from the third target holder and the fourth target holder to the gate valve.

Abstract: Methods for depositing material on a chip include forming a mold layer on a substrate. The mold layer has one or more openings over respective contact areas on the substrate. The one or more openings are formed from an upper volume and a lower volume, the upper volume having a smaller diameter than a diameter of the lower volume. A material is injected into the one or more openings under pressure, such that gas trapped in the one or more openings displaces into the lower volume until the injected material in the one or more openings makes contact with each respective contact area.

Abstract: A sputtering apparatus includes a shutter unit, a plurality of target holders, and a substrate holder which can rotate about an axis perpendicular to a surface on which a substrate is held. The shutter unit includes a first shutter having first and second apertures and a second shutter having third and fourth apertures. The plurality of target holders are arranged on a first virtual circle centered on the axis, with the arrangement intervals between the plurality of target holders on the first virtual circle including at least two types of arrangement intervals.

Abstract: Wafers include multiple bulk redistribution layers. A terminal contact pad is on a surface of one of the bulk redistribution layers. A final redistribution layer is formed on the surface and in contact with the terminal contact pad. The final redistribution layer is formed from a material other than a material of the plurality of bulk redistribution layers. A solder ball is formed on the terminal contact pad.

Abstract: Wafers and methods of forming solder balls include etching a hole in a final redistribution layer over a terminal contact pad on a wafer to expose the terminal contact pad. Solder is injected into the hole using an injection nozzle that is in direct contact with the final redistribution layer. The final redistribution layer is etched back. The injected solder is reflowed to form a solder ball.

Abstract: A method of forming solder bumps includes preparing a substrate having a surface on which a plurality of electrode pads are formed, forming a resist layer on the substrate, the resist layer having a plurality of openings, each of the openings being aligned with a corresponding electrode pad of the plurality of electrode pads, forming a conductive pillar in each of the openings of the resist layer, forming conductive layers to cover at least side walls of the resist layer in the openings to block gas emanating from the resist layer, filling molten solder in each of the openings in which the conductive layers has been formed and removing the resist layer.

Abstract: A method of forming solder bumps includes preparing a substrate having a surface on which a plurality of electrode pads are formed, forming a resist layer on the substrate, the resist layer having a plurality of openings, each of the openings being aligned with a corresponding electrode pad of the plurality of electrode pads, forming a conductive pillar in each of the openings of the resist layer, forming conductive layers to cover at least side walls of the resist layer in the openings to block gas emanating from the resist layer, filling molten solder in each of the openings in which the conductive layers has been formed and removing the resist layer.

Abstract: A method of forming solder bumps includes preparing a substrate having a surface on which a plurality of electrode pads are formed, forming a resist layer on the substrate, the resist layer having a plurality of openings, each of the openings being aligned with a corresponding electrode pad of the plurality of electrode pads, forming a conductive pillar in each of the openings of the resist layer, forming conductive layers to cover at least side walls of the resist layer in the openings to block gas emanating from the resist layer, filling molten solder in each of the openings in which the conductive layers has been formed and removing the resist layer.