Abstract: A resist pattern is formed on a film to be processed using a lithography technique. The line width of the resist pattern is narrowed using a slimming technique. Thereafter, the pattern of a first film to be processed is formed in the space that has been widened by slimming, utilizing the phenomenon in which anisotropic etching under a reduced pressure accelerates the etching rate in the vicinity of the side of the line of the pattern compared to other areas. An underlying second film to be processed is etched using the first film to be processed as a mask. Thereby the pattern of the second film to be processed that has a pitch ½ the lithography pattern is formed.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery has a battery cell at least partially enclosed by a casing. The battery cell comprises (1) a substrate; (2) a cathode and cathode current collector on the substrate, the cathode being electrically coupled to the cathode current collector; (3) an electrolyte electrically coupled to the cathode or cathode current collector; and (4) a permeable anode current collector having a first surface electrically coupled to the electrolyte and an opposing second surface, the permeable anode current collector: (1) having a thickness that is less than about 1000 Å and that is sufficiently small to allow cathode material to permeate therethrough to form an anode on the opposing second surface of the permeable anode current collector when the battery cell is electrically charged, and (2) that is absent an overlayer on the opposing second surface of the anode current collector. Positive and negative terminals are electrically connected to the battery cell.

Abstract: A composition for anti-reflective coatings comprising a polymer that contains fluorine and a solvent that dissolves the polymer is applied onto a semiconductor substrate to form an anti-reflective coating. Next, a resist film containing fluorine is formed on the anti-reflective coating. Then, the resist film is irradiated by exposure light to form resist patterns.

Abstract: The invention relates to a halftone phase shift photomask whose transmittance and phase angle remain unchanged even when irradiated with an excimer laser used for exposure over an extended period of time, and a blank therefor, and provides a halftone phase shift mask 108 comprising a pattern of halftone phase shift film 102 containing at least chromium and fluorine on a transparent substrate 101, wherein optical characteristic changes upon irradiation with an exposure excimer laser have been reduced by patterning a film irradiated with light 109 having a wavelength substantially absorbed by halftone phase shift film 102.

Abstract: A cylinder of the invention can precisely send out a piston rod 3 into four different positions and comprises: a spring receiving member 14 placed coaxially with piston rod 3 in a piston room (I-II) of a cylinder tube 2 so that the movement of spring receiving member 14 is limited by one end of the piston room; a first spring member 15 to separate the spring receiving member from the piston; a stopper 8 formed on piston rod 3 to limit spring receiving member 14 from moving in the opposite direction to piston 4, a hollow 9 formed on the periphery of piston rod 3 at farther position from piston 4 than stopper 8; and a stop pin 11 installed in the cylinder tube to be pressed in the direction of hollow 9 by a second spring member 12 to engage with hollow 9, wherein the movable length of piston rod 9 while stop pin 11 is engaged with hollow 9 is larger than movable distance of spring receiving member 14 from the piston. A load port and a production system of this invention are constructed using the cylinder.

Abstract: A thin film battery 10 comprises a substrate 12 which permits the battery 10 to be fabricated to provide higher energy density. In one embodiment, the substrate 12 of the battery 10 comprises mica. A crystalline lithium metal oxide film may be used as the cathode film 18.

Abstract: A high power ultrasonic transducer is provided. In one embodiment, the transducer includes means for providing power in excess of three kilowatts. The transducer further includes an active element made from a magnetostrictive material and means for producing an electromagnetic field which extends through at least a portion of the active element. The active element is changeable between a first shape when in the absence of the electromagnetic field and a second shape when in the presence of the electromagnetic field. The transducer also includes means for providing an electrical signal to the means for producing an electromagnetic field and an acoustic element connected to the transducer for channeling ultrasonic energy to perform work. In one embodiment, an ultra-high power transducer is provided comprising a plurality of sub-motors, each containing an active element made from a smart material, wherein the sub-motors operate simultaneously to produce ultrasonic energy.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus, wherein at least one of optical members constituting an exposure light source system, an illuminating optical system, a photomask and a projection optical system, is made of a synthetic quartz glass for an optical member, which has an absorption coefficient of 0.70 cm−1 or less at a wavelength of 157 nm and an infrared absorption peak attributable to SiOH stretching vibration at about 3640 cm−1.

Abstract: There is described a method of forming a fine pattern aimed at depositing a silicon-nitride-based anti-reflection film which is stable even at high temperature and involves small internal stress. The method is also intended to preventing occurrence of a footing pattern (a rounded corner) in a boundary surface between a photoresist and a substrate at the time of formation of a chemically-amplified positive resist pattern on the anti-reflection film. The method includes the steps of forming a silicon-nitride-based film directly on a substrate or on a substrate by way of another layer; and forming a photoresist directly on the silicon-nitride-based film or on the silicon-nitride-based film by way of another layer. The silicon-nitride-based film is deposited while the temperature at which the substrate is to be situated is set so as to fall within the range of 400 to 700° C., through use of a plasma CVD system.

Abstract: In an electronic product information display system including multiple product storage areas, a plurality of display tags associated with the product storage areas, a multiplicity of the display tags including an annunciator, a controller connected for communication with the display tags, and a portable wireless terminal operable for communication with the controller, expanded retail mode functions and methods are provided for stocking products, locating products, printing new overlay labels for tags, and performing tag maintenance.

Abstract: In an apparatus for inspecting and analyzing a particle on a wafer, which causes defect of an integrated circuit, the invention aims to improve the precision of the coordinate of the particle to facilitate the analysis of the particle. As a result, the generation of the particle can be reduced and the yield of the integrated circuit can be increased. A coordinate modifying apparatus of the invention includes a parameter calculating unit 40 for calculating a coordinate modification parameter, a parameter memory 60 for storing the coordinate modification parameter, and a coordinate modifying unit 70 for correcting the coordinate using the coordinate modification parameter.

Abstract: A substrate-container measuring device has a kinematic plate 10 having securing pins 12 provided at positions defined by the SEMI standards. There is provided an optical distance-measuring sensor 14, in which a relative position between the optical distance-measuring sensor 14 and the kinematic plate 10 is fixed. A substrate-container measuring jig 20 is placed on the kinematic plate 10. The substrate-container measuring jig 20 has a base plate 22 to be placed on the kinematic plate 10, and a slide plate 24 that is slidable over the base plate 22. The base plate 22 has a group of grooves which uniquely determine a relative position between the base plate 22 and the kinematic plate 10 as a result of being fitted with the corresponding securing pins 12.

Abstract: A substrate container having substrates stored therein and sealed with a door is placed onto a load port apparatus provided on a substrate processing system, and a door of the load port apparatus is docked with the door of the substrate container. An inside of the substrate container is pressurized before opening of the door of the substrate container before the door of the substrate container is opened and the substrates stored in the substrate container is transported to the substrate processing system.

Abstract: Atmosphere inside a wafer carrier is purged through an open face of the wafer carrier, in the state where a carrier door constituting a face of the wafer carrier is opened by a load port door. Purging is carried out by partitioning a mini-environment with an upper wall surface, a lower wall surface, and an EFEM door into a predetermined space adjacent to the open face, by discharging gas from the predetermined space through an exhaust opening, and by supplying an inert gas or a dry air from a gas supply port into the predetermined space.

Abstract: When atmosphere inside a wafer carrier is replaced by introducing a gas into the wafer carrier from a gas inlet provided to the wafer carrier that can accommodate wafers. At the same time, the atmosphere inside the wafer carrier is sucked to make an inside pressure negative relative to an outside pressure.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus for providing predetermined processing to wafers brought in through the load port door comprises in the front of the load port door a load port table on which a wafer carrier accommodating a plurality of wafers is placed, and a shield plate is provided so as to surround the load port table.

Abstract: In a load port mechanism of a substrate treatment unit, protuberances are provided on a sealing surface formed along a door with which a wafer carrier is to dock, or on a sealing surface formed around the door of the wafer carrier. The wafer carrier door is faced with the load port door with the protuberances therebetween, thereby separating the sealing surface of the substrate treatment unit from the sealing surface of the wafer carrier by only a predetermined distance. Thus, there is formed a channel along which clean air flows from the inside of the substrate treatment unit to the outside thereof. The load port structure and the wafer carrier structure improve the reliability of opening/closing action of the wafer carrier and prevent entry of extraneous particles into the treatment unit with sufficient reliability, and enable high-yield production of integrated circuits.

Abstract: A method of mining using a pair of continuous mining machines 12 and an auger mining machine 16. The continuous mining machines form spaced longitudinal roads 10, 11, 13 and 14. Further longitudinal roads 17 are formed by the auger mining machine 16 with subsequent transverse roads 19 being sequentially by the continuous mining machines 12.

Abstract: A wafer heat-treatment system for processing a wafer by a high-temperature heat-treatment process and cooling the heat-treated wafer, comprises walls surrounding a closed space placing the wafer and having a hollow sealing a gas therein, and a pressure-regulating unit connecting to the hollow for regulating pressure in the hollow. Hence, the wafer heat-treatment system reduces power consumption by heating lamps by carrying out an evacuating process before the high-temperature heat-treatment process, and shortens the time necessary for the cool down process by a pressurizing process that is carried out after the completion of the high-temperature heat-treatment process.

Abstract: A method of roadway development for longwall mining The method includes using a continuous mining machine (100) from which there rearwardly extends a conveyor (102). As the machine (100) progresses to form a road, the conveyor (102) extends. At the rear extremity of the conveyor (102) a roadway development auger mining machine (103) receives mined material from the conveyor (102) and delivers it to a further conveyor (104). A transverse auger (106) also conveys material from the parallel roadway to the machine (103). Mined material is delivered to the auger (106) by a further machine (101) and conveyor (107).