Abstract: An imaging device of an embodiment has a first substrate, a second substrate, a wire, and a trench. The first substrate has a pixel having a photodiode and a floating diffusion that holds a charge converted by the photodiode. The second substrate has a pixel circuit that reads a pixel signal based on the charge held in the floating diffusion in the pixel, and is stacked on the first substrate. The wire penetrates the first substrate and the second substrate in a stacking direction, and electrically connects the floating diffusion in the first substrate to an amplification transistor in the pixel circuit of the second substrate. The trench is formed at least in the second substrate, runs in parallel with the wire, and has a depth equal to or greater than the thickness of a semiconductor layer in the second substrate.

Abstract: To provide an image capturing device capable of suppressing a decrease of a dynamic range of the entire image capturing device caused by an input transistor of a comparator inserted between a signal line and a load current source in an analog-digital converter. The image capturing device of the present disclosure includes: a load current source; a comparator that includes an input transistor connected between a signal line that transmits a signal read from a pixel and the load current source; and a reference signal supply section that supplies a predetermined reference signal to a charge-voltage conversion section of the pixel.

Abstract: In a solid-state imaging element in which AD conversion using a reference signal is performed, power consumption of a circuit that generates the reference signal is reduced. A pixel section outputs a pixel signal based on the light amount of incident light. A reference signal supply section generates a first reference signal and a second reference signal. A comparison section includes a first differential pair transistor to which the pixel signal and a signal based on the first reference signal are inputted and a second differential pair transistor to which the second reference signal is inputted. A counter section performs counting on the basis of a signal from the comparison section.

Abstract: Provided is an image sensor including: a pixel section configured to include a plurality of pixels arranged therein; and an AD conversion unit configured to perform analog-to-digital (AD) conversion on a pixel signal on the basis of a result of comparison between a first voltage of a signal, which is obtained by adding, via capacitances, the pixel signal of the pixel and a reference signal that linearly changes in a direction opposite to the pixel signal, with a second voltage serving as a reference.

Abstract: Solid-state imaging elements are disclosed. In one example, a solid-state imaging element includes a plurality of pixels. A pixel signal line transmits a pixel signal of a pixel, a reference signal line transmits a reference signal to be compared with the pixel signal, a first comparator outputs a first output signal according to the pixel signal on the basis of a voltage difference between the pixel signal and the reference signal, a second comparator outputs a second output signal according to the pixel signal on the basis of the voltage difference between the pixel signal and the reference signal, a first capacitor unit between the pixel signal line or the reference signal line and the first comparator and set to a first gain, and a second capacitor unit between the pixel signal line or the reference signal line and the second comparator and set to a second gain.

Abstract: Imaging devices with increased numbers of parallel analog-digital converters with maintained chip size are disclosed. In one example, an imaging device has a stacked chip structure including semiconductor chips of first through third layers. A pixel array is formed on the semiconductor chip of the first layer. An analog circuit of an analog-digital converter is disposed on the semiconductor chip of the second or third layer. A digital circuit of the analog-digital converter is disposed on the other of the semiconductor chip of the second or third layer.

Abstract: A substrate processing system includes: an acquiring unit configured to acquire process data of each step when each step included in a predetermined process is executed under different control conditions; an extracting unit configured to divide each step into a first section in which the process data fluctuates and a second section in which the process data is converged, and extract first data belonging to the first section and second data belonging to the second section from the process data; and a monitoring unit configured to monitor the process data by comparing one or both of an evaluation value that evaluates the first data and an evaluation value that evaluates the second data with corresponding upper and lower limit values.

Abstract: An imaging device of an embodiment has a first substrate, a second substrate, a wire, and a trench. The first substrate has a pixel having a photodiode and a floating diffusion that holds a charge converted by the photodiode. The second substrate has a pixel circuit that reads a pixel signal based on the charge held in the floating diffusion in the pixel, and is stacked on the first substrate. The wire penetrates the first substrate and the second substrate in a stacking direction, and electrically connects the floating diffusion in the first substrate to an amplification transistor in the pixel circuit of the second substrate. The trench is formed at least in the second substrate, runs in parallel with the wire, and has a depth equal to or greater than the thickness of a semiconductor layer in the second substrate.

Abstract: A sintered bearing includes, on an inner peripheral surface, a cylindrical portion and a one-side increased-diameter portion, which are provided so as to be continuous in the axial direction. An end portion of one side in the axial direction of the cylindrical portion and an end portion of another side in the axial direction of the increased-diameter portion coincide, and the cylindrical portion and the increased-diameter portion are molded by performing sizing on a sintered compact having a tubular shape, which is introduced into a die.

Abstract: A solid-state image pick-up device of the present disclosure includes a pixel array unit obtained by disposing a plurality of unit pixels, each of which includes a photoelectric conversion unit, in a matrix form, an amplifier unit that adjusts a level of a pixel signal output from a unit pixel through a vertical signal line provided to correspond to column arrangement of the pixel array unit, a sample and hold unit that samples and holds a pixel signal passing through the amplifier unit, and an analog-digital conversion unit that converts the pixel signal output from the sample and hold unit into a digital signal. Further, the sample and hold unit includes at least three capacitors that hold pixel signals and performs fetching of a pixel signal to one capacitor and outputting of an image signal fetched to another capacitor in advance to the analog-digital conversion unit in parallel.

Abstract: A sintered metal connecting rod (10) includes as an integrated body, a large end portion (11), a small end portion (12), and a stem portion (13). In the sintered metal connecting rod (10), division marks (14a, 14b) of a molding die by a compression molding are formed between the large end portion (11) and the stem portion (13) and between the small end portion (12) and the stem portion (13) on one of front and back surface (11c to 13c) in which the through-holes (11a, 12a) are formed, respectively. The large end portion (11) and the stem portion (13) have a density difference of 4% or less, and the small end portion (12) and the stem portion (13) have a density difference of 4% or less.

Abstract: The present technology relates to an AD conversion device, an AD conversion method, an image sensor, and an electronic apparatus that are able to achieve high-speed, low-power-consumption AD conversion. In a case where an electrical signal and a variable-level reference signal are compared by a comparator and the result of comparison is used to perform AD (Analog to Digital) conversion of the electrical signal, control is exercised in such a manner that a bias current flowing in the comparator to operate the comparator during a certain section of the reference signal including a section where the reference signal changes is increased from a first current, which is larger than 0 (zero), to a second current, which is larger than the first current. The present technology is applicable, for example, to AD conversion of an electrical signal.

Abstract: Provided is an image sensor including: a pixel section configured to include a plurality of pixels arranged therein; and an AD conversion unit configured to perform analog-to-digital (AD) conversion on a pixel signal on the basis of a result of comparison between a first voltage of a signal, which is obtained by adding, via capacitances, the pixel signal of the pixel and a reference signal that linearly changes in a direction opposite to the pixel signal, with a second voltage serving as a reference.

Abstract: In a solid-state imaging element in which AD conversion using a reference signal is performed, power consumption of a circuit that generates the reference signal is reduced. A pixel section outputs a pixel signal based on the light amount of incident light. A reference signal supply section generates a first reference signal and a second reference signal. A comparison section includes a first differential pair transistor to which the pixel signal and a signal based on the first reference signal are inputted and a second differential pair transistor to which the second reference signal is inputted. A counter section performs counting on the basis of a signal from the comparison section.

Abstract: Provided is a sintered bearing formed mainly of an iron structure (33) and a copper structure (31) which are formed of a partially diffusion-alloyed powder (11) of an iron powder (12) and a copper powder (13). The sintered bearing includes a copper structure (31d) formed of a granular elemental copper powder (13?) having a grain diameter of 45 ?m or less, the ratio of the copper structure (31d) being 10 mass % or less. With this, a further increase in strength of the sintered bearing can be realized.

Abstract: The present technology relates to an AD conversion device, an AD conversion method, an image sensor, and an electronic apparatus that are able to achieve high-speed, low-power-consumption AD conversion. In a case where an electrical signal and a variable-level reference signal are compared by a comparator and the result of comparison is used to perform AD (Analog to Digital) conversion of the electrical signal, control is exercised in such a manner that a bias current flowing in the comparator to operate the comparator during a certain section of the reference signal including a section where the reference signal changes is increased from a first current, which is larger than 0 (zero), to a second current, which is larger than the first current. The present technology is applicable, for example, to AD conversion of an electrical signal.

Abstract: Provided is an image sensor including: a pixel section configured to include a plurality of pixels arranged therein; and an AD conversion unit configured to perform analog-to-digital (AD) conversion on a pixel signal on the basis of a result of comparison between a first voltage of a signal, which is obtained by adding, via capacitances, the pixel signal of the pixel and a reference signal that linearly changes in a direction opposite to the pixel signal, with a second voltage serving as a reference.

Abstract: A sintered bearing (1) contains as main components iron, copper, a metal having a lower melting point than copper, and a solid lubricant. The sintered bearing (1) includes a surface layer (S1) and a base part (S2). The surface layer (S1) is formed mainly of flat copper powder arranged so as to be thinned in a thickness direction. In the base part (S2), an iron structure (33) and a copper structure (31c) brought into contact with the iron structure are formed of partially diffusion-alloyed powder in which copper powder is partially diffused in iron powder. Thus, a sintered bearing which achieves a balance between wear resistance of a bearing surface and strength of the bearing, and realizes low cost can be provided.

Abstract: A substrate processing system includes: an acquiring unit configured to acquire process data of each step when each step included in a predetermined process is executed under different control conditions; an extracting unit configured to divide each step into a first section in which the process data fluctuates and a second section in which the process data is converged, and extract first data belonging to the first section and second data belonging to the second section from the process data; and a monitoring unit configured to monitor the process data by comparing one or both of an evaluation value that evaluates the first data and an evaluation value that evaluates the second data with corresponding upper and lower limit values.

Abstract: Provided is an AD conversion unit that includes a comparator to compare an electric signal with a reference signal having a variable level, and performs AD conversion of the electric signal by using a result of the comparison between the electric signal and the reference signal by the comparator. An attenuation unit attenuates the electric signal supplied to the comparator with the amplitude of the electric signal.