Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises a semiconductor wafer processing chamber, a wafer transfer device, a wafer cassette holding unit, a wafer cassette transfer device and a wafer cassette bringing in/out section disposed in this order and a housing. The wafer cassette holding unit is movable between a wafer processing time position and a maintenance time position thereof and the wafer cassette transfer device is movable between a wafer processing time position and a maintenance time position thereof. The wafer cassette bringing in/out section is capable of rotating forward of the housing, whereby the front face of said housing is opened.

Abstract: A wavelength division multiplex optical star coupler comprises an input port which inputs a first optical signal, a first optical coupler which divides the first optical signal input from the input port into a plurality of first optical signals, a plurality of input/output ports, each of which outputs one of the plurality of first optical signals divided by the first optical coupler and inputs a second optical signal, an output port which outputs the second optical signal, and a second optical coupler, provided between the input port and the first optical coupler or between the first optical coupler and the input/output ports, which provides the first optical signal to the input/output ports and the second optical signal to the output port.

Abstract: A method for coding an image including calculating, feature parameters which characterize an input block (range block) to be coded and a search block (domain block) in a reference image frame. These feature parameters can also be calculated and held in advance. The feature parameters are compared to seek a search block whose similarity to the input block is highest. A search process for seeking a similar block, i.e., a search process for seeking a motion vector or an affine transformation parameter, can easily and quickly be carried out simply by comparing the feature parameters without repeating square error calculations.

Abstract: Radio communication systems, e.g. cellular telephones, have employed a space diversity antenna system which includes a plurality of antennas. In the space diversity antenna system for use in the cellular telephone, since two antennas are positioned adjoining each other, the space diversity effect cannot be adequately provided. To solve this problem, the polarization diversity antenna system according to this invention incorporates a first antenna, a second antenna, and a conductive board on which the second antenna is fixed at a given position, thus preventing the current flowing in the conductive board from causing the reception characteristic of the second antenna to deteriorate.

Abstract: In a distortion detecting loop, an inputted RF signal is branched into two input signals by a distributor, one of the branched input signals is amplified by a main amplifier whose output signal is branched by a directional coupler, the branched output signal from the amplifier and the other branched input signal are inverted relatively to each other and combined together to extract a distortion component signal produced by the main amplifier with a detector. If the amplitude of the distortion component signal is greater than a predetermined threshold, then a control circuit changes the distortion component signal to a substitute signal having an amplitude smaller than the predetermined threshold, and controls a vector adjuster based on the amplitudes of the detected distortion component signal and the substitute signal in order to reduce the amplitude of the detected distortion component signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor fabricating apparatus having a vertical reaction furnace, a boat for holding plural wafers in a multi-layered fashion and being loaded into the vertical reaction furnace, a storage disposed at a location corresponding to the boat for storing at least one of the wafer cassettes, a wafer transfer device for transferring the wafer between the storage and the boat, a cassette transfer unit for transferring the wafer cassettes between the apparatus and outside thereof, a cassette transfer device for effecting the transfer of the wafer cassettes between the cassette transfer unit and the storage, and a plurality of cassette shelves disposed within a range allowing transfer of the wafer cassettes from the cassette transfer device for receiving the wafer cassettes in upwardly-oriented positions.

Abstract: A clean, recirculating and processing method which prevents surface contamination of an object, such as a semiconductor, semi-conductor wafer, glass for LCD or magnetic disk is provided which includes covering the front and rear surfaces of an object to be processed with front and rear shielding plates and allows the object to rotate relative to the front and rear shielding plates. The fluid is supplied between the front surface of the object and the front shielding plate allowing the front surface to be processed. The remaining fluid is collected and recirculated between the rear surface of the object and the rear shielding plate allowing the rear surface of the object to be processed. An apparatus for accomplishing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A despreading circuit which can reduce a circuit scale and power consumption is described. The circuit includes an A/D converter which converts a CDMA modulated analog signal to a digital signal of N bits, and a searcher which detects a synchronization phase from high-order small bits of the N bits and outputs synchronization phase information to a control circuit. The control circuit transmits a signal for allowing despreading to be performed to a sliding correlator based on the phase information. The sliding correlator despreads the N bit digital signal outputted by the A/D converter and outputs the resulting correlation output as a despreading signal.

Abstract: A vacuum heating furnace comprises a translucent container for retaining a heated object and a heating light source for heating a heated object retained in the translucent container. The translucent container has on its surface a tapered portion to receive transmitted light totally reflected on the inner surface of the translucent container at an angle smaller than a critical angle.

Abstract: A wet-oxidation apparatus comprises a reaction tube capable of accommodating a semiconductor wafer; a water vapor generating apparatus for generating water vapor; a gas supply passage for supplying gas into the reaction tube; a discharge passage; an inert gas supply unit for supplying an inert gas; a gas switching unit capable of switching between the water vapor from the water vapor generating unit and the inert gas from the inert gas supply unit, so as to supply either one of the water vapor and the inert gas to the gas supply passage; and a control unit controlling such that: at least while wet-oxidation processing of the semiconductor wafer are conducted predetermined times in the reaction tube, the water vapor generating apparatus continuously generates the water vapor; whenever the wet-oxidation processing is started one time, the water vapor from the water vapor generating apparatus is switched toward the gas supply passage; and whenever the wet-oxidation processing is completed one time, the water vap

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises a substrate processing chamber, a transfer chamber, a substrate mounting body having a through hole formed in a vertical direction and being provided in the substrate processing chamber, a substrate lifting member capable of vertically moving in the through hole, a first arm, capable of extending from the transfer chamber into the substrate processing chamber, for transferring the substrate in a horizontal direction, a second arm capable of extending from the transfer chamber into the substrate processing chamber, capable of moving in a vertical direction and separating the substrate upward from the substrate mounting body by moving the substrate lifting member upward, and a driving mechanism provided in the transfer chamber for extending the first and second arms from the transfer chamber into the substrate processing chamber and for moving the first arm in the horizontal direction and moving the second arm in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus has a plurality of processing chamber groups including at least one processing chamber group of a plurality of processing chambers for identically processing substrates concurrently therein, and a substrate feeder for feeding substrates to each of the processing chamber groups. A value calculated by dividing times required to process substrates in the processing chambers and times required to feed substrates to the processing chambers, by the number of the processing chambers is set to a tact time, and substrates are loaded into the substrate processing apparatus at intervals of the tact time. A time equal to or greater than a time required for the substrate feeder to perform a feed job is established as a feed slot, and a plurality of feed slots are established in the tact time. Substrates are loaded into the substrate processing apparatus with the substrate feeder in timed relation to the feed slots.

Abstract: A distortion compensating device comprises a 3 dB coupler having four terminals. The first terminal supplies an input signal to be inputted to an amplifier or is supplied with an input signal from an amplifier. The second terminal is associated with a third-order distortion generator for generating a third-order distortion having an amplitude for canceling out a third-order distortion generated by the amplifier depending on the supplied input signal. The third terminal is associated with a phase adjuster for adjusting the phase of the input signal to set the phase difference between the input signal and the third-order distortion generated by the third-order distortion generator to a phase difference for canceling out the third-order distortion generated by the amplifier.

Abstract: A wet-oxidation apparatus comprises a reaction tube capable of accommodating a semiconductor wafer; a water vapor generating apparatus for generating water vapor; a gas supply passage for supplying gas into the reaction tube; a discharge passage; an inert gas supply unit for supplying an inert gas; a gas switching unit capable of switching between the water vapor from the water vapor generating unit and the inert gas from the inert gas supply unit, so as to supply either one of the water vapor and the inert gas to the gas supply passage; and a control unit controlling such that: at least while wet-oxidation processing of the semiconductor wafer are conducted predetermined times in the reaction tube, the water vapor generating apparatus continuously generates the water vapor; whenever the wet-oxidation processing is started one time, the water vapor from the water vapor generating apparatus is switched toward the gas supply passage; and whenever the wet-oxidation processing is completed one time, the water vap

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises a substrate processing chamber for processing a substrate, a load lock chamber, a gas supply line for supplying gas into the load lock chamber, exhaust lines for exhausting the load lock chamber, a moving mechanism provided in the load lock chamber and capable of moving the substrate, local exhaust lines capable of locally exhausting dust generating portions of the moving mechanism, a flow rate controlling device provided in the gas supply line and flow rate controlling devices provided in the local exhaust lines. The flow rates of the flow rate controlling devices are monitored and controlled to control the inside pressure of the load lock chamber to be slightly higher than the atmosphere pressure, thereby preventing the backward flow from the vent line.

Abstract: The present invention is constituted so as to improve a quartz gas supply portion utilized in a normal pressure furnace, and to keep to a minimum the damage incurred by a normal pressure furnace by the shock from an earthquake. Quartz gas supply piping 25 for supplying a reactant gas is connected to a quartz reaction tube 4, which constitutes a furnace body. A stress concentration portion 23 for concentrating stress by prioritizing another location when vibration occurs in a furnace body is formed on this gas supply piping 25. The stress concentration portion 23 is disposed on the side of a source-side gas supply pipe 8, which is in front of a pipe clamp 21 that connects the source-side gas supply pipe 8 to a reaction tube-side gas supply pipe 7 mounted to the reaction tube 4. As a stress concentration portion 23, the simplest of V-grooves can be formed in the circumferential direction.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises a hot-wall type processing chamber for processing a substrate, a heater capable of heating an interior of the processing chamber, a substrate holder capable of holding the substrate and processing the substrate in the processing chamber in a state where the substrate holder holds the substrate, and a mechanism, which is capable of allowing the substrate holder to hold the substrate and then transferring the substrate holder holding the substrate into the processing chamber, and/or which is capable of carrying out the substrate holder from the processing chamber in a state where the substrate holder holds the substrate, and then separating the substrate from the substrate holder.

Abstract: Provided is a radio receiver for selective calling that improves the efficiency of a battery saving function and that can reduce the possibility that an incorrect time will be displayed. According to the radio receiver for selective calling of the present invention, when a controller receives input time information from a reception section, it compares the time indicated by the time information and time indicated by a clock. When the two times match, for a subsequent specified period of time the controller does not turn on the reception section, even at the time of transmission of time information. When the times do not match, the clock is adjusted to reflect the time indicated by the time information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a semiconductor device can provide a uniform film on a substrate. A substrate is introduced into a reaction chamber or tube (51) which has gas feed ports (52, 53) and gas exhaust ports (54, 55). The substrate in the reaction tube (51) is heated to substantially a film forming temperature while supplying a prescribed gas to the reaction tube (51) through the gas feed ports (52, 53) and exhausting the prescribed gas from the reaction tube (51) through all the exhaust ports (54, 55). A film-forming gas is supplied to the reaction tube (51) to form a film on the substrate. The substrate with the film formed thereon is taken out of the reaction tube (51). Moreover, after the film formation on the substrate, a prescribed gas is supplied to the reaction tube (51) from the gas feed ports (52, 53) while being exhausted from the reaction tube (51) through all the exhaust ports (54, 55), thereby removing a residual gas in the reaction tube.

Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma processing method which comprises the steps of: performing plasma processing for a substrate placed on a substrate table in a processing chamber through use of plasma generated by applying an RF power to a gas or gases within the processing chamber while maintaining the pressure within the chamber at a predetermined pressure by feeding the gas or gases into the chamber and by evacuating the gas or gases from the chamber; lifting the substrate off the substrate table after stopping the application of the RF power to terminate the plasma process, while continuing the feeding and evacuating the gas or gases to maintain the inside of the chamber at the predetermined pressure: evacuating the chamber to a high vacuum after lifting off the substrate; and transferring the substrate out of the chamber.