Abstract: A lens apparatus to be attached to an imaging apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store correction data on distortion aberrations in association with a plurality of focal lengths, and a communication unit configured to transmit the correction data.

Abstract: In a CMP process for flatting a surface of a film on a semiconductor wafer, ionized water is used as rinsing liquid in the post-polishing step performed after the main CMP polishing step. With ionized water as rinsing liquid, abrasive particles adhered to the film surface during the main polishing step are removed.

Abstract: Chemical mechanical polisher is disclosed. A polishing slurry stored in a polishing slurry tank, used in this polishing contains a solvent and polishing particles dispersed in the solvent. The polishing particles are selected from silicon nitride, silicon carbide, and graphite. The material to be polished is polished by using a polishing slurry containing silicon nitride particles until a silicon nitride etch stop layer is reached.

Abstract: A polishing slurry for use in chemical mechanical polishing is disclosed. The polishing slurry contains a solvent and polishing particles dispersed in this solvent. The polishing particles are selected from silicon nitride, silicon carbide, and graphite. The primary particle size of the polishing particles dispersed in the solvent is appropriately 0.01 to 1000 nm. When the polishing particles are colloidally dispersed in the solvent, the secondary particle size of the polishing particles is appropriately 60 to 300 nm.

Abstract: This invention provides a CMP (Chemical-Mechanical Polishing) method for controlling the polishing rate using ionized water and a CMP apparatus which employs the CMP method. A polishing pad is attached to a polishing disc. A semiconductor wafer is held by a wafer carrier placed above the polishing disc, and is pressed by the wafer carrier against the polishing pad which rotates together with the polishing disc. As a result, the semiconductor wafer is polished. The polishing is performed while a polishing slurry containing polishing particles is supplied to the polishing pad from a polishing slurry tank through a polishing-slurry supply pipe, and ionized water is supplied thereto through an ionized-water supply pipe. In the case of using alkaline ionized water as the ionized water, the polishing rate can be increased in a stable manner by increasing the pH value of alkaline ionized water, and can be reduced in a stable manner by reducing the pH value of alkaline ionized water.

Abstract: A polishing slurry for use in chemical mechanical polishing is disclosed. The polishing slurry contains a solvent and polishing particles dispersed in this solvent. The polishing particles are selected from silicon nitride, silicon carbide, and graphite. The primary particle size of the polishing particles dispersed in the solvent is appropriately 0.01 to 1000 nm. When the polishing particles are colloidally dispersed in the solvent, the secondary particle size of the polishing particles is appropriately 60 to 300 nm.

Abstract: This invention provides a CMP (Chemical-Mechanical Polishing) method for controlling the polishing rate using ionized water and a CMP apparatus which employs the CMP method. A polishing pad is attached to a polishing disc. A semiconductor wafer is held by a wafer carrier placed above the polishing disc, and is pressed by the wafer carrier against the polishing pad which rotates together with the polishing disc. As a result, the semiconductor wafer is polished. The polishing is performed while a polishing slurry containing polishing particles is supplied to the polishing pad from a polishing slurry tank through a polishing-slurry supply pipe, and ionized water is supplied thereto through an ionized-water supply pipe. In the case of using alkaline ionized water as the ionized water, the polishing rate can be increased in a stable manner by increasing the pH value of alkaline ionized water, and can be reduced in a stable manner by reducing the pH value of alkaline ionized water.