Abstract: An arc plasma source 101 for evaporating a cathode material of a cathode 22 by arc discharge controlled by a magnetic field, comprising a magnetic field forming mechanism 42 arranged outside the cathode for forming a magnetic field M in parallel to the center axis of the cathode near an evaporation surface 22a; a supporting mechanism 26 for supporting the cathode; a cooling mechanism 61 for cooling the cathode; and a tapered ring 64 being truncated cone shaped and having a through-hole into which the cathode penetrates along the axial direction of the through-hole, the tapered ring being arranged to be tapered toward the evaporation surface of the cathode; wherein the tapered ring is made of a ferromagnetic material and the front end of the tapered ring is positioned coplanar with the evaporation surface of the cathode or is positioned posterior to the evaporation surface in use.

Abstract: There are provided a method and an apparatus which form silicon dots having substantially uniform particle diameters and exhibiting a substantially uniform density distribution directly on a substrate at a low temperature. A hydrogen gas (or a hydrogen gas and a silane-containing gas) is supplied into a vacuum chamber (1) provided with a silicon sputter target (e.g., target 30), or the hydrogen gas and the silane-containing gas are supplied into the chamber (1) without arranging the silicon sputter target therein, a high-frequency power is applied to the gas(es) so that plasma is generated such that a ratio (Si(288 nm)/H?) between an emission intensity Si(288 nm) of silicon atoms at a wavelength of 288 nm and an emission intensity H? of hydrogen atoms at a wavelength of 484 nm in plasma emission is 10.0 or lower, and preferably 3.0 or lower, or 0.

Abstract: A silicon object formation target substrate is arranged in a first chamber, a silicon sputter target is arranged in a second chamber communicated with the first chamber, plasma for chemical sputtering is formed from a hydrogen gas in the second chamber, chemical sputtering is effected on the silicon sputter target with the plasma thus formed, producing particles contributing to formation of silicon object, whereby a silicon object is formed, on the substrate, from the particles moved from the second chamber to the first chamber.

Abstract: Plasma producing method and apparatus wherein a plurality of high-frequency antennas are arranged in a plasma producing chamber, and a high-frequency power supplied from a high-frequency power supply device (including a power source, a phase controller and the like) is applied to a gas in the chamber from the antennas to produce inductively coupled plasma. At least some of the plurality of high-frequency antennas are arranged in a fashion of such parallel arrangement that the antennas successively neighbor to each other and each of the antennas is opposed to the neighboring antenna. The high-frequency power supply device controls a phase of a high-frequency voltage applied to each antenna, and thereby controls an electron temperature of the inductively coupled plasma.

Abstract: A plasma generating device provided with a plasma generating chamber (10) and a high-frequency antenna (1) arranged in the chamber (10) for generating inductively coupled plasma by applying a high-frequency power to a gas in the chamber (10) from the antenna (1). The antenna (1) is a low-inductance antenna formed of a first portion (11) extending from the outside of the chamber (10) into the chamber (10), and a plurality of second portions (12) diverging from an inner end (11e) of the first portion (11) in an electrically parallel fashion, and having a termination (12e) directly connected to the inner wall of the grounded chamber (10). The surface of the antenna (1) is coated with an electrically insulating material. Frequency of the high-frequency power applied to the antenna may be in a range from 40 MHz to hundreds of megahertz.

Abstract: A method for synthesizing carbon nanocoils with high efficiency, by determining the structure of carbon nuclei that have been attached to the ends of carbon nanocoils and thus specifying a true catalyst for synthesizing carbon nanocoils is implemented. The catalyst for synthesizing carbon nanocoils according to the present invention is a carbide catalyst that contains at least elements (a transition metal element, In, C) or (a transition metal element, Sn, C), and in particular, it is preferable for the transition metal element to be Fe, Co or Ni. In addition to this carbide catalyst, a metal catalyst of (Fe, Al, Sn) and (Fe, Cr, Sn) are effective. From among these, catalysts such as Fe3InC0.5, Fe3InC0.5Snw and Fe3SnC are particularly preferable. The wire diameter and the coil diameter can be controlled by using a catalyst where any of these catalysts is carried by a porous carrier.

Abstract: Developed is high-efficiency synthesis method and apparatus capable of promoting the initial growth of carbon nanostructure by eliminating the initial fluctuation time and rising time in raw gas flow quantity. A high-efficiency synthesis method of carbon nanostructure according to the present invention is a high-efficiency synthesis method of carbon nanostructure, the method comprising: bringing raw material gas and a catalyst into contact with each other under reactive conditions so as to produce a carbon nanostructure, wherein: the initiation of contact of the raw material gas with the catalyst is carried out instantaneously. Reaction conditions such as temperature and raw material gas concentration are set so as to meet those for catalyst growth, and under the reaction conditions, the initiation of contact of raw material gas G with catalyst 6 is carried out instantaneously.

Abstract: A plasma generating method and apparatus which use plural high-frequency antennas 2 to generate inductively coupled plasma, and a plasma processing apparatus using the apparatus. The antennas 2 are identical to one another. Application of a high-frequency electric power to the antennas 2 is performed from a high-frequency power source 4 which is disposed commonly to the antennas 2, through one matching circuit 5 and one busbar 3. The busbar 3 is partitioned into sections the number of which is equal to that of the antennas, while setting a portion which is connected to the matching circuit 5, as a reference. One-end portions of the antennas are connected to corresponding sections 31, 32, 33 through power supplying lines 311, 321, 331. The other end portions of the antennas are grounded. The impedances of the sections of the busbar, and those of the power supplying lines are adjusted so that same currents flow through the antennas, and a same voltage is applied to the antennas.

Abstract: A hydrogen gas is supplied into a deposition chamber accommodating a silicon sputter target and a deposition target object, a high-frequency power is applied to said gas to generate plasma exhibiting H?/SiH* from 0.3 to 1.3 between an emission spectral intensity H? of hydrogen atom radicals at a wavelength of 656 nm and an emission spectral intensity SiH* of silane radicals at a wavelength of 414 nm in plasma emission, and chemical sputtering is effected on the silicon sputter target by the plasma to form a crystalline silicon thin film on the deposition target object. Thereafter a high-frequency power is applied to a terminally treating gas to generate plasma for terminating treatment and the surface of the crystalline silicon thin film is terminally treated by the plasma in the terminally treating chamber.

Abstract: A method for forming a silicon thin film which can form a crystalline silicon thin film relatively at a low temperature, economically and productively is provided. A method for forming a silicon thin film which can provide a substrate for thin film transistor with a lowered leakage current is provided. Provided is a method for forming a silicon thin film in which a substrate S is exposed to plasma of a gas for hydrogen bonding process containing hydrogen, and a crystalline silicon thin film is then formed on the substrate. By employing as the substrate S a substrate in which the film formation target face is a nitrogen-containing gate insulating film formed on the substrate body, a substrate which can provide a thin film transistor having high electron mobility and low OFF-current can be obtained.

Abstract: A material gas and a catalyst are introduced through a material supplying tube path and a catalyst supplying tube path together with a carrier gas into a reactor equipped on its outer periphery with a heat applicator for thermally decomposing the material gas. The reactor has a convention regulator fitted to the discharge end of the catalyst supplying tube path. The convection regulator covers an edge side of the reactor to regulate gas flow in the reactor so that the flow does not reach the edge side. Due to this, a convection state can be efficiently produced in a reaction region. Consequently, it becomes possible to prevent contamination defect caused by accumulation/adherence of concretion of catalyst, which was generated by aggregation of cooled catalyst in the low-temperature region of the reactor and a decomposition product of the material gas. Thus the efficiency of carbon nanostructure production can be improved.

Abstract: A problem to be solved by the present invention is to eliminate variation in potential in a turn-off time period of each GTO element, and to stabilize a gate drawing current by surely performing the turn-off of the GTO element. In an inverter apparatus having a three-phase inverter configured to include paired GTO elements an inverter control portion has a simultaneous switching prevention function of delaying a turn-on operation of each of the GTO elements which correspond to phases other than a phase corresponding to an optional one of the GTO elements and also correspond to an electrode opposite to an electrode corresponding to the optional one of the GTO elements by a predetermined time in a case where a turn-on command signal for turning on each of the GTO elements is generated within a predetermined time period since the turn-off of the optional one of the GTO elements.

Abstract: The subject invention provides a stable mass production method of carbon nano structure at low cost immune to variation of particle diameter of the catalyst microparticle in the catalyst material. The subject invention also provides a production device used for the method, and a new carbon nano structure having a conformation suitable for the mass production. The production method of carbon nano structure comprising fluidizing a material gas and catalyst microparticles in the reactor so that the material gas and the catalyst microparticles are brought into contact with each other, wherein said catalyst microparticles are suspended by the instantaneous spraying of the high-pressure gas, and then the suspension effect of the catalyst microparticles is stopped so that the catalyst microparticles naturally fall. The particle diameter of the catalyst microparticles is thus selected. With this arrangement, only the selected catalyst microparticles with the desired diameter are supplied to the reactor.

Abstract: A gas treatment device (1), comprising a charging agglomeration part (10) which charges and agglomerates components targeted for collection in gas by utilizing corona discharge, and a filter part (20) which collects the agglomerated components. The charging agglomeration part (10) is disposed on the upstream side, and the filter part (20) is disposed on the downstream side. By this configuration, using the agglomerating functions and precipitating functions of corona discharge and the precipitating functions of filters, ultra-fine particulates can be agglomerated and enlarged. Moreover, the present invention is a gas treatment device that has high performance and low pressure-loss and that is capable of being configured in a compact form factor such that it can also be used as an exhaust gas purification device mounted onboard an automobile.

Abstract: Plasma producing method and apparatus as well as plasma processing apparatus utilizing the plasma producing apparatus wherein a plurality of high-frequency antennas are arranged in a plasma producing chamber, and a high-frequency power supplied from a high-frequency power supply device (including a power source, a matching box and the like) is applied to a gas in the chamber from the antennas to produce inductively coupled plasma. At least some of the plurality of high-frequency antennas are arranged in a fashion of such parallel arrangement that the antennas successively neighbor to each other and each of the antennas is opposed to the neighboring antenna. The high-frequency power supply device supplies the high-frequency power to each antenna from terminals of the antennas on the same side.

Abstract: Plasma producing method and apparatus as well as plasma processing apparatus including the plasma producing apparatus wherein one or more high-frequency antennas are arranged in a plasma producing chamber, and a high-frequency power is applied to a gas in the chamber from the antenna(s) to produce inductively coupled plasma. Impedance of the high-frequency antenna is set in a range of 45 ? or lower.

Abstract: Plasma producing method and apparatus wherein a plurality of high-frequency antennas are arranged in a plasma producing chamber, and a high-frequency power supplied from a high-frequency power supply device (including a power source, a phase controller and the like) is applied to a gas in the chamber from the antennas to produce inductively coupled plasma. At least some of the plurality of high-frequency antennas are arranged in a fashion of such parallel arrangement that the antennas successively neighbor to each other and each of the antennas is opposed to the neighboring antenna. The high-frequency power supply device controls a phase of a high-frequency voltage applied to each antenna, and thereby controls an electron temperature of the inductively coupled plasma.

Abstract: A method for synthesizing carbon nanocoils with high efficiency, by determining the structure of carbon nuclei that have been attached to the ends of carbon nanocoils and thus specifying a true catalyst for synthesizing carbon nanocoils is implemented. The catalyst for synthesizing carbon nanocoils according to the present invention is a carbide catalyst that contains at least elements (a transition metal element, In, C) or (a transition metal element, Sn, C), and in particular, it is preferable for the transition metal element to be Fe, Co or Ni. In addition to this carbide catalyst, a metal catalyst of (Fe, Al, Sn) and (Fe, Cr, Sn) are effective. From among these, catalysts such as Fe3InC0.5, Fe3InC0.5Snw and Fe3SnC are particularly preferable. The wire diameter and the coil diameter can be controlled by using a catalyst where any of these catalysts is carried by a porous carrier.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a carbon film-coated article comprising a substrate; a mixed layer formed on at least a part of the substrate, and composed of an element(s) constituting the substrate and tungsten; a tungsten film formed on the mixed layer; and a carbon film formed on the tungsten film. The invention provides a method of producing the carbon film-coated article, the method comprising the steps of: forming a mixed layer on at least a part of the substrate, the mixed layer being composed of an element(s) constituting the substrate and tungsten, forming a tungsten film on the mixed layer, and forming a carbon film on the tungsten film, wherein at least one of the mixing layer, the tungsten film and the carbon film is formed using a cathode material evaporated by arc discharge in a vacuum arc deposition apparatus having a vacuum arc evaporation source including the cathode.

Abstract: An ion beam irradiation apparatus is equipped with a plasma generator which generates a plasma and supplies it to a region in the vicinity of the upstream side of a substrate, thereby suppressing a charging up of a surface of the substrate, which results from an irradiation of the ion beam. The radio frequency electric source for supplying the plasma for generating the plasma to a plasma generator is a radio frequency electric source for producing a radio frequency electric power formed by amplitude modulating an original radio frequency signal.