Abstract: A magnetic device is fabricated by etching a magnetic film in an atmosphere of plasma using a non-organic film as a mask. An atmosphere of plasma is generated by using at least one kind of gasifying compound selected from a gasifying compound group consisting of ethers, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, esters and diones; and by using a non-organic material mask, etching a magnetic film or diamagnetic film which includes at least one kind of metal selected from a metal group consisting of VIII group, IX group and X group elements in a periodic table. As a gas in the atmosphere of plasma, at least one kind of gas selected from a gas group consisting of oxygen, ozone, nitrogen, H2O, N2O, NO2 and CO2 can be added to the gasifying compound. The etching rate and the etching ratio were favorable.

Abstract: A method of production of a magnetoresistance effect device is able to prevent or minimize a drop in the MR ratio and maintain the high performance of the magnetoresistance effect device even if forming an oxide layer as a surface-most layer constituting a protective layer by the oxidation process inevitably included in the process of production of microprocessing by dry etching performed in a vacuum. Two mask layers used for microprocessing are doubly piled up. This method of production of a magnetoresistivity effect device including a magnetic multilayer film including at least two magnetic layers includes a step of providing under a first mask material that is a nonorganic material a second mask material able to react with other atoms to form a conductive substance, and a device made according to the method.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive effect element manufacturing method includes a first step of preparing a magnetoresistive effect element including a magnetic film and a substrate, a second step of etching a predetermined region of the magnetic film by a reactive ion etching method, and a third step of exposing the magnetic film having undergone the second step to a plasma at an ion current density of 4×10?7 A/cm2 or less.

Abstract: An image processing system includes a first image processing apparatus and a plurality of other image processing apparatuses that are connected with each other via a network. The image processing system includes a sharing unit included in at least the plurality of other image processing apparatuses and configured to store information stored in a storage unit of the first image processing unit to share the information, a determination unit configured to determine an image processing apparatus to use the information to be shared from the plurality of other image processing apparatuses when the first image processing apparatus is not available, and an alternative operation unit configured to perform an alternative operation for a function of the first image processing apparatus using the information shared by the sharing unit of the image processing apparatus determined by the determination unit.

Abstract: A file management apparatus which makes it possible to cache a file registered in a file server from an initial stage of registration thereof. When a file is newly registered in the file server, the file server extracts the feature elements of the file, and searches for an registered file having a high degree of similarity to the file being registered in response to the current registration request. The search is performed based on the feature elements and an access log. Then, the file server searches for a domain from which access has been made to the file a not smaller number of times than a predetermined number of times, and copies and registers the newly registered file also in a cache server of the domain.

Abstract: An inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention prevents debris formed through a sputter etching operation from forming a film on an inner face of a side wall part 14 of a dielectric wall container 11 and a high-frequency power from being hindered to be supplied. All of straight lines which start from any one point on the outermost perimeter of an article to be processed 2 and pass through a plasma introduction port 12 form an intersecting point with the bottom part 13 of the dielectric wall container 11 on the inner face of the bottom part 13, in the inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus.

Abstract: This application discloses a practical plasma processing apparatus capable of plasma confinement without plasma-density non-uniformity and electric power loss. The apparatus comprises a plasma shield that surrounds a plasma generation region to prevent plasma from diffusing. The shield has at least one opening. The apparatus comprises a diffusion prevention electrode for preventing the plasma from diffusing through the opening of the plasma shield. The surface of the plasma shield exposed to the plasma is made of insulator. The diffusion prevention electrode is located where electrons diffusing toward the opening or having diffused through the opening from the plasma flow into itself.

Abstract: A method of production of a magnetoresistance effect device is able to prevent or minimize a drop in the MR ratio and maintain the high performance of the magnetoresistance effect device even if forming an oxide layer as a surface-most layer constituting a protective layer by the oxidation process inevitably included in the process of production of microprocessing by dry etching performed in a vacuum. Two mask layers used for microprocessing are doubly piled up. This method of production of a magnetoresistivity effect device including a magnetic multilayer film including at least two magnetic layers includes a step of providing under a first mask material that is a nonorganic material a second mask material able to react with other atoms to form a conductive substance, and a device made according to the method.

Abstract: A printing system includes a storage unit (HD) adapted to store a print logs relating to each of a plurality of print data having been printed, the print log including relevant information relating to the print data; a reception unit adapted to receive relevant information relating to print data to be printed; a search unit adapted to search a print log including the relevant information received by the reception unit from the print logs stored in the storage unit; and a display unit adapted to display information indicating a print apparatus that has printed print data corresponding to the print log found by the search unit, which is extracted from the relevant information included in the print log found by the search unit.

Abstract: A procedure through which a device is started up when power is introduced is fixed. Consequently, if there is a job that has been suspended owing to cut-off of power the length of time from re-introduction of power to resumption of the suspended job is too long. In order to solve this problem, an image processing apparatus, which enables execution of a plurality of jobs by starting up a plurality of software modules, is so adapted that in a case where a job being executed is suspended, execution information indicating status of execution of the job at the time of suspension is stored. The suspended job is resumed based on the execution information. Specifically, in resuming the suspended job, a group of software modules relating to the suspended job is started up before other software modules.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to allow deleting/updating firmware at high speed and properly deleting/updating a software part for executing a job without posing any problem in a general job in an image processing apparatus which executes a job by combining a plurality of independent software parts. For this purpose, when updating one software part associated with an image processing job, it is determined whether a standby job as a job contains a software part to be updated. If it is determined that the standby job does not contain any software part to be updated, the software part is updated. If it is determined that the standby job contains the software part to be updated but a software part in another image processing apparatus on the network can replace the software part to be updated, software parts which execute the job are reconstructed to update the target software part. If it is determined that no alternative image processing apparatus exists, the update request is saved and held.

Abstract: A method of production of a magnetoresistance effect device is able to prevent or minimize a drop in the MR ratio and maintain the high performance of the magnetoresistance effect device even if forming an oxide layer as a surface-most layer constituting a protective layer by the oxidation process inevitably included in the process of production of microprocessing by dry etching performed in a vacuum. Two mask layers used for microprocessing are doubly piled up. This method of production of a magnetoresistivity effect device including a magnetic multilayer film including at least two magnetic layers includes a step of providing under a first mask material that is a nonorganic material a second mask material able to react with other atoms to form a conductive substance, and a device made according to the method.

Abstract: This application discloses a practical plasma processing apparatus capable of plasma confinement without plasma-density non-uniformity and electric power loss. The apparatus comprises a plasma shield that surrounds a plasma generation region to prevent plasma from diffusing. The shield has at least one opening. The apparatus comprises a diffusion prevention electrode for preventing the plasma from diffusing through the opening of the plasma shield. The surface of the plasma shield exposed to the plasma is made of insulator. The diffusion prevention electrode is located where electrons diffusing toward the opening or having diffused through the opening from the plasma flow into itself.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring sleep quality that utilizes sensors incorporated in a sheet which is laid on top of a conventional mattress on which the subject sleeps. The sensors can collect information such as the subject's position, temperature, sound/vibration/movement, and optionally other physical properties.

Abstract: A mechanism for completely separating a substrate, such as a semiconductor substrate, from at base in such a way that the substrate is in a horizontal position and can be easily removed from an electrostatic chuck. The substrate is mounted on a pedestal which is placed on a base such as an electrode. Pins are mounted within the base beneath a central portion of the substrate. The pins can be moved vertically through the circular pedestal to lift the substrate from the pedestal. A ring is mounted around the pedestal and underneath the outer edge of the substrate. When the pins are protrude beyond the top surface of the circular pedestal the substrate is lifted and caused to tilt. The ring then is lifted to act on the outer edge of the rear surface of the substrate, thus separating the substrate from the circular pedestal and returning the substrate to a horizontal position.

Abstract: A method for rapidly, reliably, and safely removing a substrate from an electrostatic clamping electrode and a mechanism for effecting the method. The method comprises forming a gap between an electrode and a substrate which had been made to hold onto the electrode by electrostatic clamping to increase the electrostatic potential between the substrate and the electrode, generating a DC-glow-discharge in the vicinity of the substrate according to Paschen's law, and removing the substrate from the electrode after eliminating the static charge from the substrate using gas molecules charged by the DC-glow-discharge. A mechanism for effecting the method comprises a means for introducing a gas, a protruding means, a means for controlling the pressure, a sequencer for sequentially activating them, and a lifting mechanism for adjusting the height of the protruding means to the gap distance necessary for generating a DC-glow-discharge between the substrate and the electrode.

Abstract: A machine tool arrangement comprising a main electric motor including a rotor having a hollow cylindrical rotor shaft intergral therewith and extending therethrough. A hollow driving spindle is disposed coaxially with the rotor shaft and the spindle is inserted in the rotor shaft at one end thereof for relative axial and rotation movement. The spindle is driven in rotation by the rotor and it is provided at its opposite end with an arbor-receiving opening. A draw rod extends through the rotor shaft and the spindle and has an externally threaded end engageable in the internally threaded opening in the arbor for securely attaching the arbor to the spindle. A positioning mechanism serves for adjusting the position of the arbor relative to a workpiece.