Abstract: An active gas generator that generates active gas by activating supplied material gas through discharge in a discharge space formed between a high-voltage side electrode component and a ground side electrode component of an active gas generation electrode group. A combined structure of covers completely separates the discharge space from an alternating-current voltage application space, and includes, independently from the alternating-current voltage application space, a material gas flow path for a material gas supply path, through which externally supplied material gas is guided to the discharge space. A housing contact space formed between a metal housing and each of the covers and an electrode component installation table is completely separated from the alternating-current voltage application space and the discharge space.

Abstract: The present invention has features (1) to (3). The feature (1) is that “an active gas generation electrode group is formed in such a manner that a ground side electrode component supports a high-voltage side electrode component”. The feature (2) is that “stepped parts are provided in a discharge space outside region of a dielectric electrode in the high-voltage side electrode component, and project downward, and by a formation height of these stepped parts, the gap length of a discharge space is defined”. The feature (3) is that “the high-voltage side electrode component and the ground side electrode component are formed to have the thickness of a discharge space formation region relatively thin and the thickness of a discharge space outside region relatively thick”.

Abstract: In an activated gas generation apparatus, metal electrodes are formed on a bottom surface of a dielectric electrode, and are disposed so as to face each other with a central region of the dielectric electrode interposed therebetween in plan view. The metal electrodes face each other along the Y direction. A wedge-shaped stepped part is provided so as to protrude upward in the central region on an upper surface of the dielectric electrode. The wedge-shaped stepped part is formed so as to have a shorter formation width in the Y direction as approaching each of a plurality of gas spray holes in plan view.

Abstract: The obtained hollow fiber membrane has high water permeability, and has, when used as a humidifying membrane, a linear relationship between supply humidity and humidification amount. Therefore, the hollow fiber membrane is effectively used, for example, as a humidifying membrane for fuel cells. The method for producing a polyphenylsulfone hollow fiber membrane according to present invention can provide a humidifying membrane that suppresses segregation and crosslinking of hydrophilic polymers associated with the operation of the humidifying membrane, and that prevents the deterioration of humidification performance due to the operation. In addition, the producing method of the present invention can produce a polyphenylsulfone hollow fiber membrane for humidifying membranes, wherein the hollow fiber membrane has high water permeability, and has, when used as a crosslinked humidifying membrane, a linear relationship between water vapor supply humidity and humidification amount.

Abstract: A gas ejector of a gas supply apparatus includes a nozzle portion. The opening of a first-stage restricting cylinder constituting the nozzle portion has a circular cross-sectional shape with a diameter r1. A second-stage restricting cylinder is continuously formed with the first-stage restricting cylinder along a Z direction. The opening of the second-stage restricting cylinder has a circular cross-sectional shape with a diameter r2, and supplies a source gas supplied from the first-stage restricting cylinder to a low-vacuum processing chamber below. At this time, the diameter r2 is set to satisfy “r2>r1”.

Abstract: A gas passing groove, a high-voltage electrode groove, and a ground electrode groove provided to an electrode unit base are each helical in plan view. An electrode unit lid is placed on a front surface of the electrode unit base so that a high-voltage conduction hole and a high-voltage conduction point coincide with each other in plan view. An electrode cooling plate is placed on a front surface of the electrode unit lid so that a high-voltage opening includes the high-voltage conduction hole as a whole in plan view. The electrode unit lid and the electrode cooling plate are placed on the front surface of the electrode unit base so that a ground conduction groove, a ground conduction hole, and a ground conduction point coincide with one another in plan view.

Abstract: The gas jetting apparatus according to the present invention includes a gas jetting cell unit for rectifying a gas and jetting the rectified gas into the film formation apparatus. The gas jetting cell unit has a fan shape internally formed with a gap serving as a gas route. A gas in a gas dispersion supply unit enters from a wider-width side of the fan shape into the gap, and, due to the fan shape, the gas is rectified, accelerated, and output from a narrower-width side of the fan shape into the film formation apparatus.

Abstract: An active gas generator that generates active gas by activating supplied material gas through discharge in a discharge space formed between a high-voltage side electrode component and a ground side electrode component of an active gas generation electrode group. A combined structure of covers completely separates the discharge space from an alternating-current voltage application space, and includes, independently from the alternating-current voltage application space, a material gas flow path for a material gas supply path, through which externally supplied material gas is guided to the discharge space. A housing contact space formed between a metal housing and each of the covers and an electrode component installation table is completely separated from the alternating-current voltage application space and the discharge space.

Abstract: In an active gas generating apparatus, a power feeder is provided above metal electrodes in an integrated high-voltage electrode unit. When seen in plan view, the power feeder has a shape that entirely covers the metal electrodes in the integrated high-voltage electrode unit. Each of power feeding units is provided below the metal electrodes in an integrated ground electrode unit. When seen in plan view, each of the power feeding units has a shape that entirely covers the metal electrodes of the integrated ground electrode unit.

Abstract: A method for joining braids that are used for a braid-reinforced hollow fiber membrane, produced by the method inserting a core material into the hollow parts of ends of two braids to be joined to connect the two braids, covering the joint part with a heat-shrinkable tube, and shrinking the heat-shrinkable tube by heating at 120 to 160° C., thereby joining the braid ends together, and that can exhibit sufficient joint strength when load is applied during spinning, or when a porous hollow fiber membrane is used as a treatment membrane for water purification treatment, sewage and waste water treatment, etc.

Abstract: A method of forming a nitride film wherein (a) a silane-based gas is supplied to a processing chamber through a gas supply port; (b) a nitrogen radical gas from a radical generator is supplied to the processing chamber through a radical gas pass-through port; and (c) the silane-based gas supplied in (a) is reacted with the nitrogen radical gas supplied in (b), without causing a plasma phenomenon in the processing chamber, to form a nitride film on a wafer.

Abstract: In the production of a polyphenylsulfone porous hollow fiber membrane by a wet spinning method or a dry-wet spinning method using a spinning dope comprising a water-soluble organic solvent solution of polyphenylsulfone, hydrophilic polyvinylpyrrolidone, and ethylene glycol, wherein N,N-dimethylformamide with a concentration of 70 to 100 wt. %, preferably 85 to 100 wt. %, more preferably 100 wt. %, is used as a core liquid. The resulting porous hollow fiber membrane enables stable production without imposing burdens on the environment and provides a water purification membrane having high water permeability and excellent filtration performance.

Abstract: In a radical gas generation system according to the present invention, a process chamber apparatus includes a table that causes a target object to rotate. A radical gas generator includes a plurality of discharge cells. Each of the plurality of discharge cells includes an opening. The opening is connected to the inside of the process chamber apparatus and faces the target object. Through the opening, a radical gas is output. Of the plurality of discharge cells, a discharge cell located farther from a center position of the rotation of the target object in a plan view includes a larger facing surface area that is a region in which a first electrode member and a second electrode member face each other.

Abstract: An activated gas generation apparatus includes a gas jet flow straightener below an activated gas generating electrode group and a nozzle constituent part. The gas jet flow straightener receives a plurality of nozzle passing activated gases as a whole at an inlet part of a gas flow-straightening passage. The gas flow-straightening passage is formed so that the outlet opening area of an outlet part is set to be narrower than the inlet opening area of the inlet part, and the cylindrical gas jet of each of the plurality of nozzle passing activated gases is converted into a linear flow-straightened activated gas by the flow-straightening action of the gas flow-straightening passage.

Abstract: With respect to a dielectric electrode, gas-jetting holes and gas-jetting holes formed in two rows along the X direction are provided as three or more gas-jetting holes along the X direction in a central region. By providing a difference in the X direction between the position where the gas-jetting hole is formed and the position where the gas-jetting hole is formed, the gas-jetting holes and the gas-jetting holes disposed in two rows are provided such that gas-jetting holes and gas-jetting holes are alternately disposed along the X direction.

Abstract: An activated gas generation apparatus includes a gas jet flow straightener below an activated gas generating electrode group and a nozzle constituent part. The gas jet flow straightener receives a plurality of nozzle passing activated gases as a whole at an inlet part of a gas flow-straightening passage. The gas flow-straightening passage is formed so that the outlet opening area of an outlet part is set to be narrower than the inlet opening area of the inlet part, and the cylindrical gas jet of each of the plurality of nozzle passing activated gases is converted into a linear flow-straightened activated gas by the flow-straightening action of the gas flow-straightening passage.

Abstract: A plasma generation apparatus according to the present invention includes an electrode cell and a housing that encloses an electrode cell. The electrode cell includes a first electrode, a second electrode facing the first electrode with interposition of a discharge space therebetween, and dielectrics arranged on main surfaces of the electrodes. The plasma generation apparatus further includes a pipe passage configured to directly supply a source gas from the outside of the housing to the discharge space without being connected to a space within the housing where the electrode cell is not arranged.

Abstract: A hollow fiber carbon membrane is produced by preparing a membrane-forming dope for carbon membranes by dissolving polyphenylene oxide in an amount giving a concentration of 15 to 40 wt. % in the membrane-forming dope, and sulfur in an amount giving a ratio of 0.2 to 3.0 wt. % based on the polyphenylene oxide, in a solvent capable of dissolving these components; preparing the membrane-forming dope for carbon membranes into a hollow shape by means of a spinning method in accordance with a non-solvent induced separation method using a double annular nozzle; performing a crosslinking treatment at 200 to 240° C. in the air; then performing an infusibilization treatment by heating at 250 to 350° C.; and further performing a carbonization treatment by heating at 450 to 850° C. in an inert atmosphere or under vacuum.

Abstract: A membrane-forming dope for carbon membranes, comprising polyphenylene oxide in an amount giving a concentration of 15 to 40 wt. % in the membrane-forming dope, and sulfur in an amount giving a ratio of 0.1 to 5.0 wt. %, preferably 0.2 to 3.0 wt. %, of the total weight of the polyphenylene oxide and the sulfur, both of which are dissolved in a solvent that can dissolve these components. A hollow fiber carbon membrane is produced by molding the membrane-forming dope for carbon membranes in a hollow shape by means of a wet or dry-wet spinning method using a double tubular nozzle, subjecting the molded product to an infusibilization treatment by heating at 150 to 350° C. in the air, and then subjecting it to a carbonization treatment by heating at 600 to 800° C. in an inert atmosphere or under vacuum. When the product molded in a hollow shape by means of a wet or dry-wet spinning method is subjected to an infusibilization treatment by heating in the air while stretching the product with a stress of 0.002 to 0.

Abstract: In an activated gas generation apparatus, metal electrodes are formed on a bottom surface of a dielectric electrode, and are disposed so as to face each other with a central region of the dielectric electrode interposed therebetween in plan view. The metal electrodes face each other along the Y direction. A wedge-shaped stepped part is provided so as to protrude upward in the central region on an upper surface of the dielectric electrode. The wedge-shaped stepped part is formed so as to have a shorter formation width in the Y direction as approaching each of a plurality of gas spray holes in plan view.