Abstract: An ashing device that prevents the ashing rate from changing over time. The ashing device ashes organic material on a substrate including an exposed metal in a processing chamber. The ashing device includes a path, which is formed in the processing chamber and through which active species supplied to the processing chamber pass. The path is defined by a surface on which the metal scattered from the substrate by the active species is collectible, with the surface being formed so as to expose a metal that is of the same kind.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a freeze-drying apparatus and a freeze-drying method, which are capable of increasing a drying efficiency of frozen particles. [Solving Means] The freeze-drying apparatus 100 includes a freezing chamber 10 into which a raw material fluid F is injected. During the injection of the raw material fluid F, after the injection of the raw material fluid F, or for a time period covering the start to the termination of the injection of the raw material fluid F, a shelf 16 is vibrated in a horizontal direction due to an actuation of vibration generators 31. With this, the frozen particles deposited on the shelf 16 are evenly diffused on the shelf 16 in such a manner that a deposition thickness thereof becomes smaller or a single layer thereof is formed. With this, a freezing efficiency and the drying efficiency of individual particles are promoted.

Abstract: An ashing device that prevents the ashing rate from changing over time. The ashing device ashes organic material on a substrate including an exposed metal in a processing chamber. The ashing device includes a path, which is formed in the processing chamber and through which active species supplied to the processing chamber pass. The path is defined by a surface on which the metal scattered from the substrate by the active species is collectible, with the surface being formed so as to expose a metal that is of the same kind.

Abstract: A tantalum nitride film rich in tantalum atoms is formed by simultaneously introducing a raw gas consisting of a coordination compound of elemental tantalum (Ta) having a coordinated ligand of formula: N?(R, R?) (wherein, R and R? each represents an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms) and NH3 gas into a film-forming chamber; reacting the raw gas with the NH3 gas; forming a reduced compound having Ta—NH3 on a substrate; and introducing a hydrogen atom-containing gas into the chamber to form a tantalum nitride film rich in tantalum atoms. The resulting tantalum nitride film has a low resistance, low contents of C and N atoms, and a high compositional ratio: Ta/N, show sufficiently high adherence to Cu film and can thus be useful as a barrier film. Moreover, tantalum particles are implanted in the resulting film according to the sputtering technique to further enrich the film with tantalum.

Abstract: A gate valve includes: a valve box; a support body disposed inside a hollow portion; a valve plate including a fixed valving section, a movable valving section sliding in a direction in which a flow passage is extended, a first peripheral region; and a second peripheral region; a first biasing section disposed at the first peripheral region, allowing the movable valving section to move toward a first opening portion, allowing the movable valving section to come into contact with an inner surface, pressing the movable valving section onto the inner surface, and closing the flow passage; and a second biasing section disposed at the second peripheral region, allowing the movable valving section to move toward a second opening portion, and releasing the flow passage by separating the movable valving section from the inner surface.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck is provided which is arranged that, at the time of performing processing treatments of irradiating light to a to-be-processed substrate while holding the translucent to-be-processed substrate, the to-be-processed substrate can surely be held even in case the attraction force lowers due to photoelectric effect. An electrostatic chuck has a chuck plate made of a dielectric material, and a first electrode and a second electrode, both electrodes being disposed in the chuck plate. A voltage is applied between the first and the second electrodes to thereby attract the to-be-processed substrate S to the surface of the chuck plate. The electrostatic chuck has, on part of the surface of the chuck plate, a substrate holding section 64 which is made of an adhesive sheet and the like having an adhesive force with respect to the to-be-processed substrate.

Abstract: A coated film with no observable streak is formed. The landing positions of a first discharge liquid discharged through a first printing head and the landing positions of a second discharge liquid discharged through a second printing head are disposed in a mixed manner in an area on a substrate where the first printing head and the second printing head overlap. Which discharge liquids are to be landed is determined according to random numbers. Since a coated film which is formed with the first and second discharge liquids in a mixed manner is disposed between a coated film formed with the first discharge liquids and a coated film formed with the second discharge liquids, a boundary is obscured and no streak appears.

Abstract: A permanent magnet is provided which has formed a Dy, Tb film on a surface of an iron-boron-rare earth sintered magnet of a predetermined shape, with diffusion thereof into grain boundary phases, having a higher coercive force. The method of manufacturing a permanent magnet includes a film-forming step of evaporating metal evaporating material containing at least one of Dy and Tb and adhering evaporated metal atoms to a surface of the iron-boron-rare earth sintered magnet, and a diffusing step of performing heat treatment to diffuse metal atoms adhered to the surface into grain boundary phases of the sintered magnet. The metal evaporating material contains at least one of Nd and Pr.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a method of producing a thin film transistor superior in productivity and capable of preventing variation in transistor characteristics among devices from occurring to improve carrier mobility, and a thin film transistor. [Solving Means] In a method of producing a thin-film transistor according to the present invention, a solid-state green laser is irradiated onto a channel portion of an amorphous silicon film using a source electrode film and a drain electrode film as masks, thereby improving mobility. Since the channel portion of the amorphous silicon film is crystallized by the irradiation of the solid-state green laser, laser oscillation characteristics can be more stable than in a conventional method that uses an excimer laser. Further, laser irradiation onto a large-size substrate at uniform output characteristics in plane becomes possible, with the result that a variation in crystallinity of channel portions among devices can be avoided.

Abstract: A processing gas is introduced to remove an oxide film on the surface of a silicon substrate 5. F radicals are allowed to act on the surface of the silicon substrate to etch a silicon layer. Then, NH3 gas, N2 gas and NF3 gas are introduced, allowing NHxFy to act on the oxidized surface of the silicon substrate 5, thereby forming (NH4)2SiF6. The resulting (NH4)2SiF6 is sublimated to remove by-products (SiOF, SiOH) on the surface of the silicon substrate 5.

Abstract: Ignition sections are provided at two locations on each of lower portions of the side surfaces on both sides of a film-forming chamber so as to be provided at four locations in total. A flowing current is applied to the ignition sections when a flammable by-product is ignited. A first detecting section for measuring a pressure in the film-forming chamber is formed on the side surface of the film-forming chamber. A second detecting section is formed at the lower portion of the side surface of the film-forming chamber. A third detecting section for measuring a spatial temperature in the film-forming chamber is formed at an upper portion of the film-forming chamber.

Abstract: There is provided an inexpensive cathode unit which is simple in construction and is capable of forming a film at good coating characteristics relative to each of micropores of high aspect ratio throughout an entire surface of a substrate. There is also provided a sputtering apparatus provided with the cathode unit. The cathode unit of this invention has a holder formed with one or more recessed portions on one surface thereof. Inside the recessed portions there are mounted bottomed cylindrical target members from the bottom side thereof. Into a space inside each of the target members there are built magnetic field generating means for generating magnetic fields.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a solar cell including an upper electrode extracting an electrode at an incident light side, the upper electrode including a transparent conductive film, a basic structural element of the transparent conductive film being any one of an indium (In), a zinc (Zn), and tin (Sn), the manufacturing method including: a step A forming a texture on a front surface of a transparent substrate using a wet etching method, the transparent conductive film being formed on the transparent substrate, wherein in the step A, when the texture is formed, a metal thin film is formed on the transparent substrate, and an anisotropic etching is performed with the metal thin film being a mask.

Abstract: There is provided a vacuum evaporating apparatus which is suitable for performing a process in which a metal vapor atmosphere is formed in a processing chamber, the metal atoms in this metal vapor atmosphere are caused to be adhered to the surface of an object to be processed, and the metal atoms adhered to the surface of the object to be processed are diffused into grain boundary phases thereof. The apparatus comprises: a processing furnace (11); at least one processing box (4) disposed inside the processing furnace; and a heating means (2) provided inside the processing furnace so as to enclose the processing box. An evacuating means is provided which, after housing the processing box inside the processing furnace in a state in which the object to be processed (S) and the metal evaporating material (V) are disposed in the processing box, reduces the processing furnace and the processing box to a predetermined pressure and keep them at that pressure.

Abstract: A vacuum freeze-drying apparatus capable of rapid drying is provided. A cold trap for drying, which is arranged inside a drying chamber, is set to a low temperature of ?70 degrees Celsius or below, and heat is supplied to frozen particles on a conveyor belt to a degree such that the frozen particles do not melt. The amount of the liquid component evaporating from the frozen particles increases, and the amount of the liquid component entering the frozen particles decreases so that the time for drying the frozen particles is shortened.

Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a permanent magnet which has an extremely high coercive force and high magnetic properties is manufactured at high productivity. There are executed: a first step of causing at least one of Dy and Tb to adhere to at least part of a surface of iron-boron-rare-earth based sintered magnet; and a second step of diffusing, through heat-treatment at a predetermined temperature, at least one of Dy and Tb adhered to the surface of the sintered magnet into grain boundary phase of the sintered magnet.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a magnetron sputtering technique for forming a film having an even film thickness distribution for a long period of time. A magnetron sputtering apparatus of the present invention includes a vacuum chamber, a cathode part provided in the vacuum chamber, the cathode part holding a target on the front side thereof and having a backing plate to hold a plurality of magnets on the backside thereof, and a direct-current power source that supplies direct-current power to the cathode part. A plurality of control electrodes, which independently controls potentials, is provided in a discharge space on the side of the target with respect to the backing plate.

Abstract: A gate valve includes: a valve box; a support body disposed inside a hollow portion; a valve plate including a fixed valving section, a movable valving section sliding in a direction in which a flow passage is extended, a first peripheral region; and a second peripheral region; a first biasing section disposed at the first peripheral region, allowing the movable valving section to move toward a first opening portion, allowing the movable valving section to come into contact with an inner surface, pressing the movable valving section onto the inner surface, and closing the flow passage; and a second biasing section disposed at the second peripheral region, allowing the movable valving section to move toward a second opening portion, and releasing the flow passage by separating the movable valving section from the inner surface.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell manufacturing method includes: forming a photoelectric converter including a plurality of compartment elements, the compartment elements adjacent to each other being electrically connected; determining the compartment element having a structural defect in the photoelectric converter; narrowing down a region in which the structural defect exists in the compartment element based on a resistance distribution which is obtained by measuring resistances of a plurality of portions between the compartment elements adjacent to each other, image-capturing the inside of the narrowed region in which the structural defect exists by use of an image capturing section, accurately determining a position of the structural defect from the obtained image so that a portion in which the structural defect exists in the compartment element is restricted; and removing the structural defect by irradiating the portion in which the structural defect exists with a laser beam.

Abstract: A tantalum nitride film-forming method comprises the steps, according to the CVD technique, of introducing a raw gas consisting of a coordination compound constituted by an elemental tantalum (Ta) having a coordinated ligand represented by the general formula: N?(R, R?) (in the formula, R and R? may be the same or different and each represents an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms) and a halogen gas into a film-forming chamber to thus form a film of a halogenated compound represented by the following general formula: TaNx(Hal)y(R, R?)z (in the formula, Hal represents a halogen atom), reacting the halogenated compound film with a hydrogen atom-containing gas by the introduction thereof into the chamber to thus form a tantalum nitride film rich in tantalum atoms. The resulting tantalum nitride film has a low resistance, low contents of C and N, and a high compositional ratio: Ta/N, can ensure high adherence to the electrical connection-forming film and can thus be useful as a barrier film.