Abstract: An electrode plate, suitable for constituting a liquid crystal device, includes at least a light-transmissive substrate, a plurality of metal electrodes disposed on the light-transmissive substrate and with spacings therebetween, and an insulating layer disposed at the spacings. Each of the metal electrodes includes a first layer, disposed on the light-transmissive substrate comprising a metal or alloy selected from the group consisting of titanium, chronium, molybdenum, tungsten, aluminum, tantalum and nickel, a second layer comprising copper or silver dispersed on the first layer; and a third layer comprising a metal or alloy selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, chromium, nickel, aluminum and zinc and disposed on the second layer.

Abstract: An electrode plate, suitable for constituting a liquid crystal device, includes at least a light-transmissive substrate, a plurality of metal electrodes disposed on the light-transmissive substrate and with spacings therebetween, and an insulating layer disposed at the spacings. Each of the metal electrodes includes a first layer, disposed on the light-transmissive substrate comprising a metal or alloy selected from the group consisting of titanium, chronium, molybdenum, tungsten, aluminum, tantalum and nickel, a second layer comprising copper or silver dispersed on the first layer; and a third layer comprising a metal or alloy selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, chromium, nickel, aluminum and zinc and disposed on the second layer.

Abstract: An etching process includes the steps of: preparing an etchant containing ferric chloride and an anticorrosive agent for Cu, and etching with said etchant a multi-layer metal structure including a Cu layer and an Ni layer. The etchant may preferably further contain ferrous chloride. The etching process is effective in making etching rates of the respective substantially equal, thus suppressing occurrence of burr portions of the Ni layers.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes a planar optical modulation device having a transparent substrate and a plurality of pixels disposed thereon so as to be each capable of optical modulation thereat, and a masking member disposed on the transparent substrate and including spacings. The making member includes a layer of a metal compound containing C, O and a metal element. The masking member is effective in reducing a degree of reflection of external light (from a viewer side) while maintaining a sufficient light-interrupting property, thus resulting in a display apparatus exhibiting good display performances.

Abstract: An electrode plate is formed by a substrate and a plurality of patterned electrodes formed on the substrate. Each patterned electrode has a laminate structure including a first layer of nickel metal formed on the substrate and a second layer of copper formed thereon. The electrode plate may be prepared by a process including a step of etching such a multilayer metal electrode-forming film formed on a substrate by spraying an etchant downwardly and uniformly onto the substrate while rotating the substrate at a rotation speed sufficient to allow quick liberation of the etchant from the substrate. The metal electrodes can be formed with a good adhesion onto the substrate and with good accuracies of width and thickness. By incorporating the electrode plate as a pair of substrates sandwiching a liquid crystal, a liquid crystal device showing free from transmission delay and rounding of voltage waveforms can be provided.

Abstract: A film-forming method and apparatus for forming a deposited film on a substrate employing plasma generated by a raw material gas for film formation in a film-forming chamber involves several steps. The method includes arranging a deposition preventive member in the film-forming chamber so that the deposition preventive member prevents a film from being deposited on an inner wall of the chamber during film formation. A heater and a cooler are alternately arranged on a face of the deposition preventive member. Prior to commencing film deposition, the deposition preventive member is heated using the heater. During film formation, the deposition preventive member is cooled by the cooler to prevent the deposition preventive member from releasing contaminants.

Abstract: In a method for forming a diamond film by a high-frequency plasma CVD method, an inductive coupling discharge is used and the frequency of a high-frequency wave is set in the range of from 40 to 250 MHz, whereby a starting gas containing carbon is decomposed in a plasma state and a diamond film is formed on a substrate.

Abstract: A film-forming method for forming a deposited film on a prescribed substrate by sputtering a target for film formation with plasma generated using a sputtering gas in a film-forming chamber, characterized by comprising: arranging a deposition preventive member in said film-forming chamber such that said deposition preventive member circumscribes a plasma region wherein said plasma is generated; subjecting said deposition preventive member to heat treatment prior to commencing film formation; and performing the film formation while applying a predetermined bias voltage to said deposition preventive member and cooling said deposition preventive member to form a deposited film on said substrate maintained at a desired temperature. An apparatus which is suitable for practicing said film-forming method.

Abstract: In an apparatus for forming a deposited film on a substrate by the hybrid excitation chemical vapor deposition method, said apparatus comprising a substantially enclosed reaction vessel having means for holding said substrate thereon, a plasma generating means and means for irradiating light through a light introducing window provided with said reaction vessel to the surface of said substrate in said reaction vessel; the improvement that at least part of the circumferential side wall of said reaction vessel is hermetically constituted by an insulating member having an external cathode electrode member on the outer surface thereof, said external cathode electrode member being electrically connected to a high frequency power source, an internal electrode member to serve as the anode is installed in said reaction vessel at a position opposite to said external cathode electrode member, said internal electrode member being electrically grounded, said means for holding the substrate is positioned below said interna