Abstract: A substrate cleaning system according to the present invention comprises cleaning devices, and a controller for controlling the driving of the cleaning devices in accordance with driving recipes predetermined. The controller prioritizes the cleaning devices, calculates, on the basis of a driving recipe for a cleaning device having a higher priority and a driving recipe for a cleaning device having a lower priority, a time in which the two cleaning devices can interfere with each other, and sets the calculated time as a waiting time. The cleaning device having the higher priority is made to start cleaning a substrate from a predetermined cleaning-starting position, while the cleaning device having the lower priority is kept waiting in a predetermined waiting position. When or after the waiting time has elapsed since the cleaning device having the higher priority started cleaning, the cleaning device having the lower priority is made to move from the waiting position and start cleaning the substrate.

Abstract: A purification method for a carbon material containing carbon nanotubes is provided, which satisfies the following requirements: The method should prevent carbon nanotubes from being damaged, broken or flocculated; the method should be capable of removing the catalyst metal and carbon components other than the carbon nanotubes; and the method should be applicable to not only multi-walled carbon nanotubes but also single-walled carbon nanotubes which will undergo significant structural changes when heated to 1400° C. or higher temperatures. The method is characterized by including a carbon material preparation process for preparing a carbon material containing carbon nanotubes by an arc discharge method, using an anode made of a material containing at least carbon and a catalyst metal; and a halogen treatment process for bringing the carbon material into contact with a gas containing a halogen and/or halogen compound.

Abstract: A substrate cleaning system according to the present invention comprises cleaning devices, and a controller for controlling the driving of the cleaning devices in accordance with driving recipes predetermined. The controller prioritizes the cleaning devices, calculates, on the basis of a driving recipe for a cleaning device having a higher priority and a driving recipe for a cleaning device having a lower priority, a time in which the two cleaning devices can interfere with each other, and sets the calculated time as a waiting time. The cleaning device having the higher priority is made to start cleaning a substrate from a predetermined cleaning-starting position, while the cleaning device having the lower priority is kept waiting in a predetermined waiting position. When or after the waiting time has elapsed since the cleaning device having the higher priority started cleaning, the cleaning device having the lower priority is made to move from the waiting position and start cleaning the substrate.

Abstract: A communications system and method, an information processing apparatus and method, an information management apparatus and method, a recording medium and a program make it possible to efficiently and comfortably make use of contents, which are stored in one server, from a plurality of devices connected via a network. In a case in which the playing of content is stopped, bookmark information including a time stamp representing the stopped position of the content is stored in association with predetermined identification information. The bookmark information is available for various apparatuses transmitting the identification information. When playing the content from a position designated by the information from a predetermined apparatus, the time stamp included in the bookmark information is referred to and the playing of the content from the stopped position is started.

Abstract: A mechanical seal member formed by applying slurry, in which boron carbide powder and silicon powder are mixed and dispersed onto the entire surface of a carbon material having an average pore radius of at least 1.0 &mgr;m and formed into a hollow tubular or cylindrical product shape and firing the resultant product to form a carbon-silicon carbide composite material extending from the entire surface toward the interior of the product shape and a thin coating, 3 to 30 &mgr;m thick, consisting mainly of silicon carbide and boron carbide and spread on the surface of the composite material. The carbon-silicon carbide composite material is formed uniformly from the surface to the center, because the member is small in size with a section, parallel to the center axis, of up to 7×7 mm. A siliconization ratio on the surface of the composite material is 30 to 55% in area ratio. A carbon base material density is at least 1.7 g/cm3 and after siliconization 2.0 to 2.5 g/cm3.