Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor device may include an inter-wiring dielectric film in which a wiring trench is formed, a metal wiring layer formed in the wiring trench in the inter-wiring dielectric film, a first barrier layer formed on a side surface of the wiring trench, the first barrier layer being an oxide film made from a metal different from a main constituent metal element in the wiring layer, a second barrier layer formed on a side surface of the wiring layer, the second barrier layer having a Si atom of the metal used in the wiring layer, and a gap formed between the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a copper (Cu) wire having a first region and a second region in which densities of silicon (Si) and oxygen (O) atoms are higher than in the first region; a compound film that is selectively formed on the Cu wire and contains Cu and Si; and a dielectric film formed on a side surface side of the Cu wire.

Abstract: A storage housing for storing a recording head having inside and outside surfaces and operable to perform a recording operation by an ink which is supplied to the recording head through an ink inlet opening in the inside surface and which is ejected through nozzles opening in the outside surface. The storage housing including: first and second bodies which include first and second sealing portions, respectively, and which are opposed to each other with the inside and outside surfaces of the recording head being interposed between the first and second bodies, such that the ink inlet is sealed by the first sealing portion and such that the nozzles are sealed by the second sealing portion. One of the first and second bodies includes an arm movable to attach and detach the one of the first and second bodies to and from the recording head.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming an insulating film above a semiconductor substrate, forming a concave portion in the insulating film, forming a precursor film including a predetermined metallic element on a surface of the insulating film, carrying out a heat treatment on the precursor film and the insulating film to react with each other, thereby forming an insulative barrier film mainly comprising a compound of the predetermined metallic element and a constituent element of the insulating film in a self-aligned manner at a boundary surface between the precursor film and the insulating film, removing an unreacted part of the precursor film after forming the barrier film, forming a conductive film comprising at least one of Ru and Co on the barrier film, depositing a wiring material film on the conductive film, and forming a wiring from the wiring material film to provide a wiring structure.

Abstract: A first insulating film is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A first interconnection is formed in a trench formed in the first insulating film. A first barrier film is formed between the first interconnection and first insulating film. A second insulating film is formed on the upper surface of the first interconnection, and in a first hollow portion between the side surface of the first barrier film and the first insulating film. The second insulating film is formed from the upper surface of the first interconnection to a depth higher than the bottom surface of the first interconnection. The first hollow portion is formed below the bottom surface of the second insulating film.

Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus is provided that includes a radiator for efficiently radiating heat generated in a wiring layer used in a surge current path of an electrostatic discharge protection circuit, and also for protecting the wiring layer itself used as the surge current path. The semiconductor apparatus includes an input protection circuit coupled to a wiring provided between an external terminal and an internal circuit, the input protection circuit includes a protection element for protecting the internal circuit from an excessive electrostatic surge input supplied to the external terminal. The semiconductor apparatus further includes a first metal wiring layer coupled to the input protection circuit and included in a current path for the surge electrostatic surge input, and a radiator including a sufficient thermal conductivity material coupled to the first metal wiring layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus is provided that includes a radiator for efficiently radiating heat generated in a wiring layer used in a surge current path of an electrostatic discharge protection circuit, and also for protecting the wiring layer itself used as the surge current path. The semiconductor apparatus includes an input protection circuit coupled to a wiring provided between an external terminal and an internal circuit, the input protection circuit includes a protection element for protecting the internal circuit from an excessive electrostatic surge input supplied to the external terminal. The semiconductor apparatus further includes a first metal wiring layer coupled to the input protection circuit and included in a current path for the surge electrostatic surge input, and a radiator including a sufficient thermal conductivity material coupled to the first metal wiring layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a capacitor which includes a capacitor insulating film at least including a first insulating film and a ferroelectric film formed in contact with the first insulating film, containing a compound of a preset metal element and a constituent element of the first insulating film as a main component and having a dielectric constant larger than that of the first insulating film, a first capacitor electrode formed of one of Cu and a material containing Cu as a main component, and a second capacitor electrode formed to sandwich the capacitor insulating film in cooperation with the first capacitor electrode.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a multilevel wiring with a small interwiring capacitance is provided by comprising a wiring, a conductive film formed on an upper surface of the wiring to prevent diffusion of a wiring material, and an insulating film which is constituted of low dielectric constant insulating films stacked to form at least two layers, an interface thereof being positioned in a side face of the wiring.

Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes: a semiconductor substrate having a semiconductor element formed on a surface thereof; an interwiring insulating film formed above the semiconductor substrate; a wiring formed in the interwiring insulating film; a first intervia insulating film formed under the interwiring insulating film; a first via formed in the first intervia insulating film and connected to a lower surface of the wiring; a second intervia insulating film formed on the interwiring insulating film; a second via formed in the second intervia insulating film and connected to an upper surface of the wiring; and a CuSiN film formed in at least one of a position between the interwiring insulating film and the first intervia insulating film, and a position between the interwiring insulating film and the second intervia insulating film.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a manuscript reader which reads a manuscript to generate image data; a recording head which has nozzles for discharging an ink and which discharges the ink from the nozzles to record an image on a recording medium based on the image data; a restoring mechanism which performs a restoring operation for restoring a discharge state of the nozzles; a controller which controls the manuscript reader and the restoring mechanism; and an instruction receiver which receives an instruction to generate the image data by reading the manuscript and record the image based on the image data. If the instruction receiver receives the instruction, the controller controls the manuscript reader to execute reading of the manuscript, and the controller controls the restoring mechanism based on a time at which the instruction is received to execute the restoring operation.

Abstract: A liquid ejection device of a first aspect of the invention comprises a sub tank capable of fluid communicating with the main tank removably mountable to the liquid ejection device. The sub tank is configured to satisfy the formula: SH?SL?MH?MN where SH is a liquid amount in the sub tank in a balanced state at which the liquid has flowed into the sub tank by a hydraulic head pressure on mounting the main tank with the liquid fully filled; SL is a liquid amount in the sub tank in a state where the liquid level is positioned at the outlet of the sub tank; MH is a liquid amount in the main tank when the liquid is fully filled in the main tank; and MN is a liquid amount in the main tank in a state where the liquid level is positioned at a threshold level.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device including first and second wiring layers, and dummy and conductive patterns. The first and second wiring layers each have a hollow structure, and are stacked vertically adjacent to each other on a semiconductor substrate. The dummy pattern is formed in the first wiring layer, and does not function as a signal line. The conductive pattern is formed in the second wiring layer. The dummy and conductive patterns have an overlapping portion where these patterns overlap each other, and a non-overlapping portion where these patterns overlap each other, as viewed from above the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A liquid droplet ejecting apparatus comprises an ejecting head including a passage which is connected to a sub-tank and an ejecting pressure applying device which applies a feed pressure to the liquid inside the passage, a main tank detector which detects that a main tank is mounted to a main tank mounting portion, a suction pump which applies a negative pressure to an air layer inside the sub-tank to discharge air from inside the sub-tank to outside, and a controller configured to control the suction pump and the ejecting pressure applying device, based on information from the main tank detector. The controller causes the suction pump to discharge the air from inside the sub-tank to outside and causes the ejecting pressure applying device to eject the liquid from a nozzle, when the main tank detector detects that the main tank is mounted to the main tank mounting portion.

Abstract: A recovery device comprising: a cap configured to cover a nozzle face in which a plurality of nozzle groups are formed; and a cap holder supporting the cap; wherein the cap includes: a sealing lip being configured to sealingly contact the nozzle face; a plurality of partitioning lips that partition an inside area surrounded by the sealing lip into a plurality of compartments corresponding to the respective nozzle groups; and a plurality of suction openings provided in the respective compartments; and wherein a common flow path, which is communicated with suction openings of some or all compartments and connects the suction openings to a negative pressure source, is formed in the cap or in the cap holder, or by a space containing faces of the cap and the cap holder opposed to each other.

Abstract: An ink jet printer including a carriage which is movable relative to a sheet of paper, a recording head which is mounted on the carriage and records an image on the sheet by ejecting a droplet of ink toward the sheet, one or more ink tanks which store the ink or inks to be supplied to the recording head, a buffer tank which is mounted on the carriage, and one or more ink flow passages in which the inks are supplied from the ink tanks to the recording head via the buffer tank. The buffer tank has, at a height position higher than a height position where the recording head is provided, one or more air buffer chambers which accommodate respective amounts of the inks, and collect air bubbles produced in the ink flow passages. The printer further includes one or more air bubble discharging passages which communicate, at one ends thereof, with upper portions of the air buffer chambers, and discharge, via the other ends thereof, the air bubbles collected by the air buffer chambers.

Abstract: An ink jet printer including a carriage which is movable relative to a sheet of paper, a recording head which is mounted on the carriage and records an image on the sheet by ejecting a droplet of ink toward the sheet, one or more ink tanks which store the ink or inks to be supplied to the recording head, a buffer tank which is mounted on the carriage, and one or more ink flow passages in which the inks are supplied from the ink tanks to the recording head via the buffer tank. The buffer tank has, at a height position higher than a height position where the recording head is provided, one or more air buffer chambers which accommodate respective amounts of the inks, and collect air bubbles produced in the ink flow passages. The printer further includes one or more air-discharge passages which communicate, at one ends thereof, with upper portions of the air buffer chambers, and discharge, via the other ends thereof, the air bubbles collected by the air buffer chambers.

Abstract: An ink jet printer including a stationary frame; a tank supporter which is provided in the stationary frame and which supports at least one ink storing tank storing at least one sort of ink; a recording head which records an image on a recording medium by ejecting a droplet of the ink, and which has at least one ink flow inlet; at least one ink delivering tank which delivers the ink and has at least one ink flow outlet; at least one ink supply tube which is provided between the tank supporter and the ink delivering tank and through which the ink is supplied from the ink storing tank to the recording head via the ink delivering tank, wherein the delivering tank provides at least a portion of at least one ink delivering channel connecting between the ink supply tube and the recording head; a head holder which includes a main portion holding the recording head and the ink delivering tank, and which is movable relative to the stationary frame so that the recording head records the image on the recording medium; a

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes: forming a precursor film containing therein a predetermined metallic element on a surface of a recess portion formed in an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate; forming a wiring formation film on the precursor film; performing a heat treatment in an oxidation ambient atmosphere to cause the precursor film and the insulating film to react with each other, thereby forming a self-formed barrier film containing a compound, containing therein the predetermined metallic element and a constituent element of the insulating film, as a basic constituent in a boundary surface between the precursor film and the insulating film, and moving the predetermined metallic element unreacted into the wiring formation film through diffusion to cause the predetermined metallic element unreacted to react with oxygen contained in the oxidation ambient atmosphere on a surface of the wiring formation film, thereby precipitating an unreacted meta

Abstract: An ink-jet printer, including: a printing head for performing printing on a print medium by ejecting ink from nozzles; an ink tank for storing the ink to be supplied to the printing head; an ink passage through which the ink is supplied from the ink tank to the printing head; a buffer tank which stores the ink supplied through the ink passage; and an air-discharging device which discharges an air accumulated in the buffer tank through an air-discharge passage and which includes a valve member operable to open and close a communication opening that is provided in the air-discharge passage a part of which functions as a valve chamber and having: a valve portion which opens and closes the communication opening and which includes a sealing member; and a rod portion connected to the valve portion, wherein the air-discharging device further includes air-discharge-flow assuring means for assuring a discharge flow of the air flowing from the buffer tank through the air-discharge passage.