Abstract: To produce a SiC crystal in a shape which is used as a wafer, a guide is disposed around a SiC crystal substrate so as to cover a peripheral portion of the SiC crystal substrate. Temperature of the guide may be made higher than the sublimation temperature of the SiC when a SiC crystal is disposed upon and caused to grow on the SiC crystal substrate, thereby controlling and restricting the SiC crystal growth in the direction of the guide. Additionally, when the guide is formed in a substantially hexagonal tube shape, the SiC crystal can be produced in a hexagonal pole shape. In this case, when alignment is made between each diagonal passing through a center of the hexagon shape of the guide and specific direction (<11{overscore (2)}0> or <1{overscore (1)}00> of the SiC crystal substrate), the SiC crystal becomes aligned accordingly.

Abstract: To produce a SiC crystal in a shape which is used as a wafer, a guide is disposed around a SiC crystal substrate so as to cover a peripheral portion of the SiC crystal substrate. Temperature of the guide may be made higher than the sublimation temperature of the SiC when a SiC crystal is disposed upon and caused to grow on the SiC crystal substrate, thereby controlling and restricting the SiC crystal growth in the direction of the guide. Additionally, when the guide is formed in a substantially hexagonal tube shape, the SiC crystal can be produced in a hexagonal pole shape. In this case, when alignment is made between each diagonal passing through a center of the hexagon shape of the guide and specific direction (<11{overscore (2)}0> or <1{overscore (1)}00> of the SiC crystal substrate), the SiC crystal becomes aligned accordingly.

Abstract: Micropipe defects existing in a silicon carbide single crystal are closed within the single crystal. At least a portion of the micropipe defects opened on the surface of the silicon carbide single crystal (SiC substrate) is sealed up with a coating material. Then heat treatment is performed so as to saturate the inside of the micropipe defects with silicon carbide vapors. By this, the micropipe defects existing in the SiC substrate can be closed within the SiC substrate, not in a newly grown layer. Further, the micropipe defects can be efficiently closed by filling the micropipe defects with a silicon carbide material by preliminarily using super critical fluid and the like.

Abstract: A radiation image storage panel having a stimulable phosphor layer and a protective film composed of a plastic material film and a coated layer of a fluororesin-containing resin composition containing light-scattering fine particles gives a radiographic image of improved quality.

Abstract: In a photosensitive material processing apparatus, a photosensitive material taking on the form of a long strip is fed into a conveyance mechanism and conveyed in this form along a predetermined conveyance path. An exposure device, a reservoir section, a development processing section, and a cutter are located in the conveyance path. The exposure device carries out scanning exposing operations on the long strip of the photosensitive material and thereby forms latent images on the long strip of the photosensitive material. In the reservoir section, a looped portion for serving as a buffer for conveyance is formed in the long strip of the photosensitive material, on which the latent images have been formed. In the development processing section, development processing is carried out on the long strip of the photosensitive material, which is fed via the reservoir section.