Abstract: Electrodes (7, 8, 9), having curved sections in the shape of the outline thereof, are disposed in areas of a rectangular plate-shaped piezoelectric transducer element (1) in which the strain in the natural mode of vibration is large. The electrodes (7, 8) which excite a bending vibration are disposed in areas in which the strain in the bending natural mode is at least a predetermined value, and the outline curved sections of the electrodes (7, 8) are shaped so as to follow along strain contours (3, 4), and the electrode (9) which excites a stretching vibration is disposed in an area in which the strain in the stretching natural mode is at least a predetermined value, thus providing a transducer for an ultrasonic motor which aims to reduce transducer loss (increasing vibration efficiency), and improve transducer durability and reliability.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator mechanism including: a screw-driven feeding mechanism that has a feed screw (11) and a feed screw nut (14); a disc-shaped rotor (17) mounted on the rear-end face of the feed screw nut (14); an ultrasonic motor (18) having a piezoelectric vibrator (19) that comes in contact with the circumference face of the rotor (17); and a driven mounting portion that is pressed against the leading end of the feed screw 11 by spring force, and displaced and positioned by the feeding operation of the feed screw. The driven mounting portion can be made to be a mirror holder (1) for use in an optical system, or a movable table (21) of a linear stage.

Abstract: Electrodes (7, 8, 9), having curved sections in the shape of the outline thereof, are disposed in areas of a rectangular plate-shaped piezoelectric transducer element (1) in which the strain in the natural mode of vibration is large. The eletrodes (7, 8) which excite a bending vibration are disposed in areas in which the strain in the bending natural mode is at least a predetermined value, and the outline curved sections of the electrodes (7, 8) are shaped so as to follow along strain contours (3, 4), and the electrode (9) which excites a stretching vibration is disposed in an area in which the strain in the stretching natural mode is at least a predetermined value, thus providing a transducer for an ultrasonic motor which aims to reduce transducer loss (increasing vibration efficiency), and improve transducer durability and reliability.

Abstract: An unprocessed substrate is conveyed to a film-processing chamber at the same time a processed substrate is conveyed to a substrate preparation chamber, reducing the substrate processing cycle, thereby increasing the yield per unit time. The substrate preparation chamber has a two-tiered structure for receiving processed substrates and unprocessed substrates. A two-tiered transfer robot allows the substrates to be removed or placed into the preparation and process chambers at the same time, thus decreasing the cycle time for processing a substrate.

Abstract: Throughput is increased, the footprint is reduced, heating may be carried out in a short time, and variations in the temperature of the substrate surface may be reduced. A heating chamber 47 for heating the substrate is formed as an upper level of a load/lock chamber 13, and a cooling chamber 48 for cooling the substrate is formed as a lower level of the load/lock chamber 13. An upper heater 51 and a lower heater 56 are formed above and below the heating chamber 47. A shower plate 52 is located between the upper heater 51 and the lower heater 56. A gas heating space 50 is located between the upper heater 51 and the shower plate 52. An N2 gas introducer 42 is connected to the gas heating space 50, such that N2 gas is introduced into the gas heating space 50. The N2 gas introduced from the N2 gas introducer 42 is heated in the gas heating space 50 and is then supplied to the substrate W in the form of a shower via the shower plate 52.