Abstract: An optical film-thickness measuring apparatus capable of eliminating an influence of a fluid flow on optical fiber cables when the fluid, such as pure water, is flowing through a through-hole of a polishing pad, and capable of achieving highly accurate measuring of a film thickness is disclosed. The optical film-thickness measuring apparatus includes: a light-emitting optical fiber cable coupled to a light source; a light-receiving optical fiber cable arranged to receive light reflected from the workpiece; a cable housing surrounding the light-emitting optical fiber cable and the light-receiving optical fiber cable; and a flow-passage structure defining a fluid passage adjacent to the light-emitting optical fiber cable and the light-receiving optical fiber cable. The light-emitting optical fiber cable and the light-receiving optical fiber cable are supported by at least one of the cable housing and the flow-passage structure.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus which can measure a film thickness with high accuracy without affecting a polishing rate of a wafer is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing head configured to press a wafer against a polishing pad; an illuminating fiber having a distal end disposed in a flow passage formed in the polishing table; a spectrometer configured to resolve reflected light from the wafer in accordance with wavelength and measure an intensity of the reflected light at each of the wavelengths; a light-receiving fiber having a distal end disposed in the flow passage; a liquid supply line communicating with the flow passage; a gas supply line communicating with the flow passage; a liquid supply valve attached to the liquid supply line; a gas supply valve attached to the gas supply line; and an operation controller configured to control operations of the liquid supply valve and the gas supply valve.

Abstract: A film-thickness measuring method capable of substantially extending a wavelength range of a spectrum of reflected light from a workpiece, and accurately measuring a film thickness is disclosed. The film-thickness measuring method includes: pressing a workpiece against a polishing pad, while rotating a polishing table that supports the polishing pad, to polish the workpiece; during the polishing of the workpiece, directing light to the workpiece from a liquid-seal sensor and a transparent-window sensor disposed in the polishing table and receiving reflected light from the workpiece by the liquid-seal sensor and the transparent-window sensor; and determining a film thickness of the workpiece based on a spectrum of the reflected light from the workpiece.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus capable of preventing condensation on an inner surface of a transparent window provided in a polishing pad and capable of achieving accurate measuring of a film thickness is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing pad having a polishing surface; a polishing head configured to press a workpiece against the polishing surface; a transparent window disposed in the polishing pad; a polishing table configured to support the polishing pad; an optical sensor head located below the transparent window and configured to direct light to the workpiece through the transparent window and receive reflected light from the workpiece through the transparent window; and a cooling device configured to cool a space between the transparent window and the optical sensor head.

Abstract: Disclosed is a light transmitting member for a polishing pad. The light transmitting member has a cylindrical or truncated conical shape, and a screw thread is formed on a side portion thereof. A polishing pad includes such a light transmitting member and a substrate polishing apparatus includes such a polishing pad.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus and a polishing method capable of accurately measuring a film thickness of a workpiece, such as wafer, substrate, or panel, used in manufacturing of semiconductor devices during polishing of the workpiece are disclosed. The processing system is configured to determine a film thickness of the workpiece based on relative reflectance data calculated by a calculation formula expressed as: the relative reflectance data=MD1/[BD1·k], where MD1 represents first intensity measurement data indicating intensity of the reflected light from the workpiece measured by the first spectrometer, BD1 represents the first base intensity data, and k represents a rate of change in second intensity measurement data with respect to the second base intensity data. The second intensity measurement data is indicative of intensity of the light of the light source measured by the second spectrometer during polishing of the workpiece.

Abstract: A polishing-pad laminated structure which allows for easy alignment of a through-hole of a polishing pad with a sensor head installed in a polishing table is disclosed. The polishing-pad laminated structure includes a polishing pad and a release sheet. The polishing pad has a through-hole located at a position corresponding to a position of a sensor head disposed in the polishing table. The release sheet covers an adhesive surface of the polishing pad. The release sheet is divided into at least a first release sheet and a second release sheet. The first release sheet has a surface area smaller than a surface area of the second release sheet.

Abstract: A fluorescence image analyzer has an imaging unit for capturing a first image containing at least a part of a region of a cell as an imaging target for a plurality of cells in a sample in which a target site on a chromosome is labeled with a fluorescent dye, and a second image including fluorescence generated from a fluorescent dye labeling the target site of the cell of the first image. The processing unit selects a plurality of test cells having specific morphological characteristics to be tested from a plurality of cells based on at least the first image, and extracts the bright spots of fluorescence generated from the fluorescent dye. The processing unit identifies cells with chromosomal abnormalities and/or cells without chromosomal abnormalities based on the extracted bright spots, and generates information related to the ratio of cells with chromosomal abnormalities relative to the test cells.

Abstract: A system may include buffer circuitry that receives an input signal representative of image data for display via a pixel. The buffer circuitry may provide a first driving signal during a first frame of the image data to the pixel based on the input signal. The buffer circuitry may include slew booster circuitry. The slew booster circuitry may supply a voltage boost (e.g., additional voltage) to differential pair stage circuitry of the buffer circuit in response to a difference between the input signal and a second driving signal exceeding a threshold increase a rate of change of the input signal provided. The second driving signal may be provided to the pixel during a second frame of the image data preceding the first frame.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus and a polishing method for polishing a substrate while detecting a film thickness of the substrate by analyzing reflected light from the substrate on a polishing pad. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table (3) configured to support a polishing pad (2) having a through-hole (61); a pad-height measuring device (32) configured to measure a height of the polishing surface (2a); a pure-water supply line (63) and a pure-water suction line (64) coupled to the through-hole (61); a flow-rate adjusting device (71) coupled to the pure-water supply line (63); and an operation controller (35) configured to control an operation of the flow-rate adjusting device (71).

Abstract: There is disclosed a polishing apparatus which allows for easy replacement of a light source with another type of light source. The light-source assembly includes: a base fixed to a polishing table and coupled to a light-emitting transmission line; and a light-source module having a lamp for emitting light. The light-source module is removably attached to the base. The base is a common base which is adapted to any of a plurality of light-source modules of different types including the light-source module. The base includes a positioning structure which achieves positioning of the light-source module relative to the base.

Abstract: A polymerization apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a light irradiator; and a polymerization vessel. The light irradiator includes a first casing and a light source assembly. The first casing includes a light source chamber defined by cylindrical side walls, a ceiling, and a floor including a light-transmissive window member. The light source assembly includes a base having a light-emitting surface on which a plurality of light-emitting diodes is disposed in a predetermined pattern and a heat-dissipating surface to which a heat sink is joined, and the light source assembly is disposed within the light source chamber so that the light-emitting surface faces the light-transmissive window member. The polymerization vessel includes a polymerization cup and a second casing. The polymerization cup has a frustoconical or substantially frustoconical shape that opens upward and increases in diameter upward, and is capable of housing an object therein.

Abstract: An optical film-thickness measuring apparatus capable of eliminating an influence of a fluid flow on optical fiber cables when the fluid, such as pure water, is flowing through a through-hole of a polishing pad, and capable of achieving highly accurate measuring of a film thickness is disclosed. The optical film-thickness measuring apparatus includes: a light-emitting optical fiber cable coupled to a light source; a light-receiving optical fiber cable arranged to receive light reflected from the workpiece; a cable housing surrounding the light-emitting optical fiber cable and the light-receiving optical fiber cable; and a flow-passage structure defining a fluid passage adjacent to the light-emitting optical fiber cable and the light-receiving optical fiber cable. The light-emitting optical fiber cable and the light-receiving optical fiber cable are supported by at least one of the cable housing and the flow-passage structure.

Abstract: Provided is a technique capable of suppressing a shortage of a light amount of a reflected light from wiring patterns even when a film thickness of a film is thick. A film thickness measurement apparatus 30 is applicable to a polishing apparatus 10 for polishing a film 202 of a substrate 200. The film 202 includes a plurality of wiring patterns. The film thickness measurement apparatus 30 includes a light emitter 43 configured to project an emitted light L1 during polishing of the film by the polishing apparatus, an optical condenser 44 configured to condense the emitted light projected from the light emitter to provide a predetermined spot size D and project the light onto the film, and a light receiver 45 configured to receive a reflected light L2 reflected from the film. The predetermined spot size is smaller than a minimum width of respective wiring patterns constituting the plurality of wiring patterns.

Abstract: [Abstract] A polymerization apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a light irradiator; and a polymerization vessel. The light irradiator includes a first casing and a light source assembly. The first casing includes a light source chamber defined by cylindrical side walls, a ceiling, and a floor including a light-transmissive window member. The light source assembly includes a base having a light-emitting surface on which a plurality of light-emitting diodes is disposed in a predetermined pattern and a heat-dissipating surface to which a heat sink is joined, and the light source assembly is disposed within the light source chamber so that the light-emitting surface faces the light-transmissive window member. The polymerization vessel includes a polymerization cup and a second casing. The polymerization cup has a frustoconical or substantially frustoconical shape that opens upward and increases in diameter upward, and is capable of housing an object therein.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a photocurable composition capable of reducing the amount of surface-unpolymerized-products of an obtained cured body and achieving a high photocuring depth, and to provide, particularly, a photocurable composition that can be suitably used in a photocuring-type denture reline material. [Solving Means] A photocurable composition includes: a polymerizable monomer such as 2-methacryloxyethyl propionate and 1,9-nonamethylene methacrylate; resin particles such as spherical poly(ethyl methacrylate) particles; an ?-diketone compound such as camphorquinone; a tertiary amine compound such as ethyl p-dimethylaminobenzoate; and an ?-hydroxycarboxylic acid having an acid dissociation constant of 3.0 or more in water (at 25° C.) and two or more carbonyl groups in the same molecule, such as malic acid.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus capable of accurately determining a service life of a light source, and further capable of accurately measuring a film thickness of a substrate, such as a wafer, without calibrating an optical film-thickness measuring device, is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes a spectrometer configured to decompose reflected light from a substrate in accordance with wavelength and measure an intensity of the reflected light at each of wavelengths a film thickness of the substrate is determined based on a spectral waveform indicating a relationship between the intensity of the reflected light and wavelength. An optical-path selecting mechanism is configured to selectively couple either a light-receiving fiber or an internal optical fiber to the spectrometer.

Abstract: A system may include buffer circuitry that receives an input signal representative of image data for display via a pixel. The buffer circuitry may provide a first driving signal during a first frame of the image data to the pixel based on the input signal. The buffer circuitry may include slew booster circuitry. The slew booster circuitry may supply a voltage boost (e.g., additional voltage) to differential pair stage circuitry of the buffer circuit in response to a difference between the input signal and a second driving signal exceeding a threshold increase a rate of change of the input signal provided. The second driving signal may be provided to the pixel during a second frame of the image data preceding the first frame.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus capable of accurately measuring a film thickness by regulating a quantity of light illuminating a wafer is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes: a light source; an illuminating fiber having distal ends arranged at different locations in the polishing table; and a light-receiving fiber having distal ends arranged at the different locations in the polishing table. The illuminating fiber includes a first illuminating fiber and a second illuminating fiber. A first dimmer is attached to the first illuminating fiber and the second illuminating fiber, and a second dimmer is attached to at least one of the first illuminating fiber and the second illuminating fiber.

Abstract: A polishing-pad laminated structure which allows for easy alignment of a through-hole of a polishing pad with a sensor head installed in a polishing table is disclosed. The polishing-pad laminated structure includes a polishing pad and a release sheet. The polishing pad has a through-hole located at a position corresponding to a position of a sensor head disposed in the polishing table. The release sheet covers an adhesive surface of the polishing pad. The release sheet is divided into at least a first release sheet and a second release sheet. The first release sheet has a surface area smaller than a surface area of the second release sheet.