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 method for manufacturing a solar cell, includes: forming a photoelectric converter which includes a plurality of compartment elements, and in which the compartment elements adjacent to each other are electrically connected; specifying a compartment element having a structural defect in the photoelectric converter; restricting a portion in which the structural defect exists in the compartment element by specifying a defect portion based on a resistance distribution that is obtained by measuring resistances of portions between the compartment elements adjacent to each other; and removing the structural defect by supplying a bias voltage to the portion in which the structural defect exists.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar cell, includes: forming a photoelectric converter which includes a plurality of compartment elements, and in which the compartment elements adjacent to each other are electrically connected; specifying a first compartment element having a structural defect in the photoelectric converter; restricting a portion in which the structural defect exists in the first compartment element by specifying a defect portion based on a resistance distribution that is obtained by measuring resistances of portions between the compartment elements adjacent to each other; and removing or separating off the structural defect by irradiating the first compartment element and a second compartment element with a laser beam so as to intersect a boundary section between the first compartment element including the portion in which the structural defect exists and the second compartment element adjacent to the first compartment element.

Abstract: By eliminating the necessity of a prior step for cleaning a sintered magnet before adhering Dy and/or Tb to the surface of the sintered magnet S, the productivity of a permanent magnet having diffused Dy and/or Tb into grain boundary phase is improved. Iron-boron-rare earth based sintered magnet (S) disposed in a processing chamber (20) is heated to a predetermined temperature. An evaporating material (V) which is made of a hydride containing at least one of Dy and Tb is disposed in the same or in another processing chamber and is evaporated to cause the evaporated evaporating material to the surface of the sintered magnet. Metal atoms of Dy and/or Tb are diffused into grain boundary phase of the sintered magnet.

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 touch panel having high durability is provided. Either one or both of a display device and a flexible panel have island-shaped protective bodies formed on surfaces of electrode layers (upper electrode layer, lower electrode layer), and a transparent conductive film is exposed between the protective bodies. Since the protective bodies protrude highly from the surface of the transparent conductive film, when the flexible panel is pressed and the upper electrode and the lower electrode layer are brought into contact, a load to be applied to the transparent conductive film is reduced by the protective bodies, so that the transparent conductive film is not broken.

Abstract: A tantalum nitride film-forming method comprises the steps of introducing, into a vacuum chamber, a raw gas consisting of a coordination compound constituted by elemental 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) to thus adsorb the gas on a substrate; then introducing an NH3 gas and then activated H radicals derived from a reactant gas into a vacuum chamber to thus remove the R(R?) groups bonded to the nitrogen atom present in the reaction product through cleavage, and 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 atoms, and a high compositional ratio: Ta/N, can ensure sufficiently high adherence to the distributing wire-forming film and can thus be useful as a barrier film.

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 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 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: By causing at least one of Dy and Tb to be adhered to the surface of an iron-boron-rare earth based sintered magnet of a predetermined shape, and is then to be diffused into grain boundary phase, a permanent magnet can be manufactured at high workability and low cost. An iron-boron-rare earth based sintered magnet is disposed in a processing chamber and is heated to a predetermined temperature. Also, an evaporating material made up of a fluoride containing at least one of Dy and Tb disposed in the same or another processing chamber is evaporated, and the evaporated evaporating material is caused to be adhered to the surface of the sintered magnet. The Dy and/or Tb metal atoms of the adhered evaporating material are diffused into the grain particle phase of the sintered magnet before a thin film made of the evaporated material is formed on the surface of the sintered magnet.

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: 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 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: A tantalum nitride film-forming method comprises the steps of introducing, into a vacuum chamber, a raw gas consisting of a coordination compound constituted by elemental 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) to thus adsorb the gas on a substrate; then introducing an NH3 gas and then activated H radicals derived from a reactant gas into a vacuum chamber to thus remove the R(R?) groups bonded to the nitrogen atom present in the reaction product through cleavage, and 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 atoms, and a high compositional ratio: Ta/N, can ensure sufficiently high adherence to the distributing wire-forming film and can thus be useful as a barrier film.

Abstract: A tantalum nitride film is formed by 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 an oxygen atom-containing gas into a film-forming chamber to make them react with one another on a substrate and to thus form a compound represented by the formula: TaOxNy(R,R?)z according to the CVD technique; and then introducing an H atom-containing gas 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 atoms, and a high compositional ratio: Ta/N, can ensure sufficiently high adherence to the electrical connection-forming film and can thus be useful as a barrier film.

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.

Abstract: A tantalum nitride film rich in tantalum atoms is formed, according to the CVD technique, by simultaneously 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 NH3 gas into a film-forming chamber, reacting the raw gas with the NH3 gas and forming a reduced compound having Ta—NH3 on a substrate; and then introducing a hydrogen atom-containing gas 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 atoms, and a high compositional ratio: Ta/N, can ensure sufficiently high adherence to Cu film and can thus be useful as a barrier film.

Abstract: A display device which can be driven by a thin-film transistor and has a high brightness is provided. A low-voltage-driven inorganic luminescent layer and a control transistor are formed on a substrate. The voltage which is applied to the inorganic luminescent layer is controlled by the control transistor. The inorganic luminescent layer has such strength against heat and any damage such that the inorganic luminescent layer can be formed by sputtering method. A top-emission type display device and a bottom-emission type display device can be formed on the same substrate and the luminescent light can be emitted from the same position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a tantalum nitride film-forming method comprising the steps 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 an oxygen atom-containing gas into a vacuum chamber to thus form a surface adsorption layer having a thickness corresponding to one or several atoms, which consists of a compound represented by the formula: TaOxNy(R, R?)z on a substrate; and then reducing the oxygen atom bonded to the Ta atom in the compound formed through the preceding step and simultaneously removing the R(R?) groups bonded to the nitrogen atom thereof through cleavage, by the introduction of radicals formed from a hydrogen atom-containing gas into the chamber to thus form a tantalum nitride film rich in tantalum atoms.