Abstract: A semiconductor device, which is comprised of a copper wiring layer which is formed above a semiconductor substrate, a pad electrode layer which conducts electrically to the copper wiring layer and has an alloy, which contains copper and a metal whose oxidation tendency is higher than copper, formed to extend to the bottom surface, and an insulating protective film which has an opening extended to the pad electrode layer, is provided.

Abstract: A heating apparatus such as microwave ovens includes a heater heating food contained in a cooking chamber and a temperature sensor sensing the temperature in the cooking chamber. An initial temperature is detected at an initial stage of the cooking on the basis of the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor. An intermediate temperature is further detected a predetermined time period after the start of the cooking. Based on the difference between the detected initial and intermediate temperatures, a suitable cooking period of time is determined.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a sampled value of a reference voltage V.sub.p which is a voltage (in general, a relative voltage to ground, an interphase voltage or a positive sequence voltage) prior to the occurrence of a fault in an electric-power system and a sampled value of the quantity of electricity E (a voltage or current in each phase or a symmetrical component voltage or current) during a fault time period or after the recovery of a fault are used to compute a plurality of functional values capable of specifying the phase angle .theta. or the value of .theta. of said quantity of electricity E in relation to said reference voltage V.sub.p and deliver them as information data. When the relative phase angle between the quantity of electricity E during a fault or after the recovery of a fault and a voltage (reference voltage) V.sub.p prior to the occurrence of a fault is clarified in this manner, the relative phase angles of reference voltages V.sub.