Abstract: A tool hard film that is to be disposed as coating on a surface of a tool, the tool hard film being a TiCrMoWV oxycarbide, oxynitride, or oxycarbonitride having a phase with a NaCl-type crystal structure as a main phase, the oxycarbide, oxynitride, or oxycarbonitride having fine crystals due to introduction of oxygen.

Abstract: Provided is a photoelectric conversion element that has an nip structure formed of amorphous silicon and that is improved in energy conversion efficiency by a structure in which an n+-type a-Si layer is in contact with a transparent electrode formed by an n+-type ZnO layer. This makes it possible to realize photoelectric conversion elements and a solar cell module or facility with large area and high power with an influence on the global resources minimized.

Abstract: Provided is a photodiode having a high-concentration layer on its surface, in which the high-concentration layer is formed so that the thickness of a non-depleted region is larger than the roughness of an interface between silicon and an insulator layer, and is smaller than a penetration depth of ultraviolet light.

Abstract: In a silicon wafer which has a surface with a plurality of terraces formed stepwise by single-atomic-layer steps, respectively, no slip line is formed.

Abstract: An orifice changeable pressure type flow rate control apparatus comprises a valve body of a control valve for a pressure type flow rate control apparatus installed between an inlet side fitting block provided with a coupling part of a fluid supply pipe and an outlet side fitting block provided with a coupling part of a fluid takeout pipe; a fluid inlet side of the valve body and the inlet side fitting block, and a fluid outlet side of the valve body and the outlet side fitting block are detachably and hermitically connected respectively so a flow passage for gases through the control valve is formed; and, a gasket type orifice for a pressure type flow rate control apparatus is removably inserted between a gasket type orifice insertion hole provided on the outlet side of the valve body and a gasket type orifice insertion hole of the outlet side fitting block.

Abstract: A spinal fixation titanium alloy rod fixes a plurality of spinal-fixing screws embedded and fixed in vertebrae of a human body. The rod is cylindrically shaped, has a sufficient length for coupling with the spinal-fixing screws, and has a diameter adjusted to 4 to 7 mm. In the titanium alloy constituting the rod, Nb content is 25 to 35 percent by weight, Ta content is such that the Nb content +0.8×Ta content ranges from 36 to 45 percent by weight, Zr content is 3 to 6 percent by weight, and the remainder is Ti and unavoidable impurities, excluding vanadium. The titanium alloy is manufactured by swaging processing at a cross-sectional reduction rate of at least 90%, and aging the swaged titanium alloy by heating at a temperature of 600 to 800K, preferably 700 to 800K, for 43.2 ks to 604.8 ks.

Abstract: A pressure type flow rate control apparatus is provided wherein flow rate of fluid passing through an orifice is computed as Qc=KP1 (where K is a proportionality constant) or as Qc=KP2m (P1?P2)n (where K is a proportionality constant, m and n constants) by using orifice upstream side pressure P1 and/or orifice downstream side pressure P2. A fluid passage between the downstream side of a control valve and a fluid supply pipe of the pressure type flow rate control apparatus comprises at least 2 fluid passages in parallel, and orifices having different flow rate characteristics are provided for each of these fluid passages, wherein fluid in a small flow quantity area flows to one orifice for flow control of fluid in the small flow quantity area, while fluid in a large flow quantity area flows to the other orifice for flow control of fluid in the large flow quantity area.

Abstract: A measurement method that includes irradiating a void-arranged structure on which an analyte has been held with an electromagnetic wave, detecting an electromagnetic wave scattered on the void-arranged structure, and determining a property of the analyte on the basis of at least one parameter, the parameter including the amount of change in the ratio of the detected electromagnetic wave to the irradiated electromagnetic wave at a specific frequency between the presence and the absence of the analyte.

Abstract: An evaluation aid which can be used as a phantom (imitation lesion) when a digital X-ray image thereof is taken and then evaluation is carried out through the digital X-ray image. The evaluation aid is adapted to be used for taking a digital X-ray image thereof through which evaluation is carried out, and contains a substrate (plate-like body) including a plurality of regions having different X-ray absorption ratios and step members provided on the plate-like body.

Abstract: Adhesiveness between a wiring layer and a resin layer is improved by forming a nitrided resin layer by nitriding a surface of a substrate by plasma, and furthermore, thinly forming a copper nitride film prior to forming a copper film.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a photoelectric conversion device having a passivation layer suitable for a structure provided with a heat dissipation mechanism. A photoelectric conversion device 1 of the present invention has a first electrode layer 20, a single power generation laminate 22 having a nip structure formed of a-Si (amorphous silicon), and a second electrode layer 26 of Al formed on the power generation laminate 22 through a nickel layer 24. On the second electrode layer 26, a passivation layer 28 constructed of a material containing SiCN is formed. On the passivation layer 28, a heat sink 30 (for example, formed of Al) is mounted through an adhesive layer 29.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a gate electrode which is formed on a substrate, and contains Al and Zr, a gate insulating film which is formed to cover at least the upper surface of the gate electrode, and contains Al and Zr, and an insulator layer formed on the substrate to surround the gate electrode.

Abstract: A shower plate is disposed in a processing chamber in a plasma processing apparatus, and plasma excitation gas is released into the processing chamber so as to generate plasma. A ceramic member having a plurality of gas release holes having a diameter of 20 ?m to 70 ?m, and/or a porous gas-communicating body having pores having a maximum diameter of not more than 75 ?m communicating in the gas-communicating direction are sintered and bonded integrally with the inside of each of a plurality of vertical holes which act as release paths for the plasma excitation gas.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element according to an embodiment includes: a base layer; a first magnetic layer formed on the base layer and having a changeable magnetization direction with an easy axis of magnetization in a direction perpendicular to a film plane; a first nonmagnetic layer formed on the first magnetic layer; and a second magnetic layer formed on the first nonmagnetic layer and having a fixed magnetization layer with an easy axis of magnetization in a direction perpendicular to the film plane. The first magnetic layer includes a ferrimagnetic layer having a DO22 structure or an L10 structure, the ferrimagnetic layer has a c-axis oriented in a direction perpendicular to the film plane, and the magnetization direction of the first magnetic layer is changeable by a current flowing through the first magnetic layer, the first nonmagnetic layer, and the second magnetic layer.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device of a multilayer wiring structure that comprises a CFx film as an interlayer insulating film, that can make the most of the advantage of the CFx film having a low dielectric constant, and that can prevent degradation of the properties of the CFx film due to CMP. The method of this invention includes (a) forming a CFx film, (b) forming a recess of a predetermined pattern on the CFx film, (c) providing a wiring layer so as to bury the recess and to cover the CFx film, and (d) removing the excess wiring layer on the CFx film other than in the recess by CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing), thereby exposing a surface of the CFx film, wherein (e) nitriding the surface of the CFx film is provided before or after (b).

Abstract: A film forming method is disclosed in which a thin film comprising manganese is formed on an object to be processed which has, on a surface thereof, an insulating layer constituted of a low-k film and having a recess. The method comprises a hydrophilization step in which the surface of the insulating layer is hydrophilized to make the surface hydrophilic and a thin-film formation step in which a thin film containing manganese is formed on the surface of the hydrophilized insulating layer by performing a film forming process using a manganese-containing material gas on the surface of the hydrophilized insulating layer. Thus, a thin film comprising manganese, e.g., an MnOx film, is effectively formed on the surface of the insulating layer constituted of a low-k film, which has a low dielectric constant.

Abstract: In the plasma-based ion implantation for accelerating positive ions of a plasma and implanting the positive ions into a substrate to be processed on a holding stage in a processing chamber where the plasma has been excited, ion implantation is achieved in the following manner: an RF power having a frequency of 4 MHz or greater is applied to the holding stage to cause a self-bias voltage to generate on the surface of the substrate. The RF power is applied a plurality of times in the form of pulses.

Abstract: The present invention provides an evaluation aid which can be used as a phantom (imitation lesion) when a digital X-ray dynamic image thereof is taken and then evaluation is carried out through the digital X-ray dynamic image, and especially an evaluation aid which can be used for evaluating image qualities of a digital X-ray dynamic image for X-ray absorption parts having different X-ray absorption ratios, and an evaluation device provided with such an evaluation aid.

Abstract: There is provided with an etching method using an etching apparatus. Four arms can be positioned in a direction substantially from a center of the stage toward a peripheral portion with an angle difference of about 90°. Etchant is supplied to a first position nearest to the center of the object which is rotating, from a first etchant supply nozzle placed on a first arm. Etchant is further supplied to a second position second nearest to the center of the object, from a second etchant supply nozzle placed on a second arm. The second arm is substantially symmetrically positioned with respect to the first arm and the second arm has an angle difference of about 180° with respect to the first arm.

Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing method includes exciting plasma, applying RF power onto a target substrate to generate substrate bias and performing an ion implantation plural times by applying the RF power in the form of pulses.