Abstract: A plurality of semiconductor chips with the same structure are stacked to construct a multichip semiconductor device. In each of the semiconductor chips, an optional circuit is formed. In the optional circuit, fuses corresponding to the stacked-stage number of each chip are formed and the fuses are selectively cut off so as to permit each chip to individually receive a chip control signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a first substrate including an element, a first plug penetrating through the first substrate, made of a conductive material, and electrically connected with the element, a second substrate provided above the first substrate, and electrically connected with the element via the first plug, and a second plug penetrating through the first substrate, made of a non-dielectric material, and being not electrically connected with the second substrate.

Abstract: After a barrier film is formed on a pad electrode, Ni particles having a diameter of 2 &mgr;m or less are selectively deposited on the barrier film, thereby forming a Ni fine particle film. Then, a bump electrode made of a solder ball is provided on the pad electrode through the Ni fine particle film. Thereafter, the bump electrode is melted by a heat treatment to join the Ni fine particle film to the bump electrode. Thus, a bump electrode structure is finished.

Abstract: The waveform signal analyzer of the present invention is equipped with: input means 10 that inputs a waveform signals; period detection means 20 that detects the period of the waveform signals inputted by input means 10; and division means 30 that divides the waveform signals by the period detected by period detection means 20. Wavelet transformation means 40 performs wavelet transformation of each individual division of the waveform signals. Display means 50 consecutively displays in time series the wavelet transformation results of each individual division of the waveform signals.

Abstract: After a barrier film is formed on a pad electrode, Ni particles having a diameter of 2 &mgr;m or less are selectively deposited on the barrier film, thereby forming a Ni fine particle film. Then, a bump electrode made of a solder ball is provided on the pad electrode through the Ni fine particle film. Thereafter, the bump electrode is melted by a heat treatment to join the Ni fine particle film to the bump electrode. Thus, a bump electrode structure is finished.

Abstract: In a method of degradation diagnosis according to the present invention, an equipment degradation diagnosis request is input through network 4 from a diagnosis requester and a degradation diagnosis requests handler is selected in accordance with execution condition information of degradation diagnosis specified in respect of at least one degradation diagnosis requests handler and condition information in accordance with which an diagnosis requester requests degradation diagnosis. A request for execution of degradation diagnosis is made to this selected degradation diagnosis requests handler and the results of execution of the degradation diagnosis obtained by the selected degradation diagnosis requests handler are acquired and output through network 4 to the diagnosis requester. In this way, a service can be implemented whereby diagnosis of degradation requested by a diagnosis requester from a diagnostic service provider is performed rapidly and easily at low cost.

Abstract: A deterioration diagnosis method, wherein the amount of weight loss of a metallic material due to corrosion in atmospheric air for the exposure days is formulated as a function for environmental assessment points which represents a level of a harmfulness of the atmospheric conditions; and the life span of the metallic material is diagnosed based on the corrosion loss calculated from the function.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device in which redundancy fuses formed in an upper layer wiring region can be cut without damaging an underlying Si substrate or adjacent regions. The semiconductor device comprises a lower layer wiring formed within an interlayer insulating film on the Si substrate, and an upper layer metal wiring made of Al, Cu or the like, formed above the lower layer wiring and connected thereto through a via metal, wherein the redundancy fuses are formed in the same wiring layer as the upper layer metal wiring. For cutting a fuse by irradiating with a laser having a wavelength in a range of 1,000 to 1,100 nm and a beam diameter D (&mgr;m), the fuse may be designed to have a film thickness T (&mgr;m) and a width W (&mgr;m) which satisfy T≦(−0.15 (D+2&sgr;)+0.

Abstract: A plurality of semiconductor chips with the same structure are stacked to construct a multichip semiconductor device. In each of the semiconductor chips, an optional circuit is formed. In the optional circuit, fuses corresponding to the stacked-stage number of each chip are formed and the fuses are selectively cut off so as to permit each chip to individually receive a chip control signal.

Abstract: Form a trench in a major surface of a semiconductor substrate, then bury a paste in the trench. The paste contains solids having a conductive substance and a resin, and solvent for dissolving the resin. The solids content of the paste is not less than 60 vol % and a viscosity ratio thereof is not more than 2.

Abstract: The tungsten nitride film containing fluorine is used as a barrier metal in the contact hole or via hole of the semiconductor device. The tungsten nitride film formed contains 1% to 20% fluorine at atomic density. With this structure, it is possible to obtain a WNF film having a good step coverage for a fine hole.

Abstract: An information processing system comprises: plural processors; a shared memory connected to the plurality of processors for enabling communication between the processors; a unit disposed in the shared memory for storing information for specifying a processor connected thereto; and a unit for checking, when a first processor communicates with a second processor, whether or not the first and second processors are connected to the shared memory for direct access thereto by referring to the information storing means.

Abstract: A coal-based heavy oil is refined so as to remove quinoline insolubles and provide a hydrocarbon product suitable for making carbon stocks by heating to remove the volatile components which have boiling points ranging from the initial boiling point of the heavy oil to up to at least 200.degree. C. and at most 270.degree. C., thereby leaving a residual coal-based heavy oil, the residual coal-based heavy oil is mixed with a ketone-type solvent having a boiling point less than 200.degree. C. to form an insoluble precipitate (including quinoline insolubles) and a supernatent, the supernatent is treated to recover the ketone-type solvent, and the remaining hydrocarbon mixture is easily processed by vacuum distillation to produce a hydrocarbon product suitable for making carbon stocks.

Abstract: A process of producing a solvent useful in coal liquefaction which includes separating the heavy liquid produced from the liquefaction of coal into a fraction boiling at 200.degree. to 210.degree. C., a fraction boiling at 211.degree. to 230.degree. C., and a fraction boiling at not less than 231.degree. subjecting the fraction boiling at 211.degree. to 230.degree. C. to a hydrogenation treatment to produce a hydrogenated fraction, mixing the hydrogenated fraction with the fraction boiling at 200.degree. to 210.degree. C. to form a resultant mixture, and mixing a portion of the resultant mixture with a portion of the fraction boiling at not less than 231.degree. C. Alternately, the solvent is produced from the heavy liquid by separating it into a fraction boiling at 200.degree. C. to 210.degree. C., a fraction boiling at 211.degree. C. to 230.degree. C., a fraction boiling at 231.degree. C. to 250.degree. C., a fraction boiling at 251.degree. C. to 350.degree. C. and a fraction boiling at not less than 351.

Abstract: A solvent useful in coal liquefaction is obtained by separating the heavy liquid resulting from coal liquefaction into a fraction boiling at temperatures of between 200.degree. to 210.degree. C., a fraction boiling at temperatures between 211.degree. to 250.degree. C., and a fraction boiling at not less than 250.degree. C., subjecting the fraction boiling at between 211.degree. C. to 250.degree. C. to two hydrogenation treatments, mixing the hydrogenated product with the fraction boiling at between 200.degree. to 210.degree. C. which optionally has been hydrogenated to form a resultant mixture and mixing a portion of the resultant mixture with the fraction boiling at not less than 250.degree. C. which has been optionally hydrogenated.

Abstract: A nuclear reactor comprising a reactor vessel, a core housed in the reactor vessel, an ultrasonic transducer mounted in the vicinity of the upper end of the core for emitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave pulse signal propagating above the core, means for rotating the transducer by a prescribed angle to scan horizontally the ultrasonic wave emitted from the transducer, a plurality of reflective means mounted in the vicinity of the upper end of the core in a manner to face the transducer for reflecting the ultrasonic wave signal emitted from the transducer, means for energizing the transducer, and means for displaying the ultrasonic wave signal reflected by the reflective members and received by the transducer in synchronism with the wave scanning motion of the transducer, wherein each reflective member comprises reflective surfaces each capable of reflecting the incident ultrasonic wave signal in a direction parallel with the incident direction and is mounted such that the distances of the reflective surfa