Abstract: Sidewalls of patterned resist are reformed using a reforming agent selected from the group consisting of (a) a carbon trichloride radical, (b) a mixture of silicon ion and oxygen ion, (c) a mixture of carbon ion and carbon monoxide ion, (d) a chlorine radical, (e) aluminum trichloride liquid and (f) dibutyl magnesium liquid, and sidewall reformed portions are thus formed on the sidewalls of pattern resist. The not reformed portion of the patterned resist is removed away, and sidewall reformed portions are left on an object layer. The portion of object layer excluding the portion immediately below sidewall reformed portions is etched away, and fine patterns of object layer are formed as a result.

Abstract: A mask for transferring a pattern in which durability can be improved and a very fine circuit pattern of a light-shielding film can be formed, and a manufacturing method thereof are obtained. In the mask for transferring a pattern, a silicon monocrystalline film 2, an aluminum monocrystalline film 3 and an aluminum oxide film 4 are formed on a mask substrate 1 so as to have a prescribed pattern feature. Silicon monocrystalline film 2 and aluminum monocrystalline film 3 serve as the light-shielding film. Aluminum oxide film 4 serves as an anti reflection and protection film.

Abstract: Sidewalls of patterned resist are reformed using a reforming agent selected from the group consisting of (a) a carbon trichloride radical, (b) a mixture of silicon ion and oxygen ion, (c) a mixture of carbon ion and carbon monoxide ion, (d) a chlorine radical, (e) aluminum trichloride liquid and (f) dibutyl magnesium liquid, and sidewall reformed portions are thus formed on the sidewalls of pattern resist. The not reformed portion of the patterned resist is removed away, and sidewall reformed portions are left on an object layer. The portion of object layer excluding the portion immediately below sidewall reformed portions is etched away, and fine patterns of object layer are formed as a result.

Abstract: Components such as an earth plate, a gas introduction ring, and the like placed in a reaction chamber in a plasma apparatus are made of aluminum containing magnesium in a concentration of 2.2 to 2.8% by weight and are not coated with alumite. In addition, a heater incorporated in a section of the reaction chamber heats the section during a plasma cleaning process. Further, an electrical discharge chamber is also incorporated in the plasma apparatus for providing a plasma to the reaction chamber for efficient plasma cleaning of the apparatus.

Abstract: A semiconductor device for life enhancement of electrical connections between a semiconductor chip and a mounting substrate. Protruding electrodes, each including a bump electrode and a land electrode, are located on the lower surface of an LSI chip. The bump electrodes are substantially spherical and have a first thickness. Connecting terminals of substantially spherical configuration and having a second thickness are directly connected to corresponding land electrodes by melting. Connecting patterns are located on the upper surface of a wiring board which is larger in area than the LSI chip in plan configuration, and external electrodes, each including a connecting pattern and an external electrode, are located on the lower surface of the wiring board. The external electrodes are substantially spherical and have a third thickness. The connecting patterns are directly connected to corresponding connecting terminals, respectively, by melting.

Abstract: A liquid vaporizing apparatus includes a container for holding a liquid at a constant temperature with a temperature adjustment unit and a gas that does not react with the liquid is bubbled through the liquid in the container to vaporize the liquid. The container for holding the liquid has an internal space above the liquid and a second temperature adjustment unit for controlling the temperature of the internal space separately from the temperature of the liquid in the container. Since the internal space is maintained at a constant temperature, higher than the temperature of the liquid, the quantity of the vaporized liquid produced is stable.

Abstract: It is an object to realize a measuring head capable of maintaining high Z direction accuracy even with a measured sample having fine, complicated and very uneven pattern configuration, in an atomic force microscope. A light beam (141) of non-linear polarization is incident upon an end portion (110a) of an upper main surface of a cantilever body (110) having a probe (2). The cantilever body (110) is a polarizing plate, and its refractive index is given by tan (a Brewster's angle of the light beam (141)). Accordingly, a reflected light beam (142) reflected at the end portion (110a) becomes light of linear polarization. A light position detector (150) including an analyzing window (150a) including a polaroid thin film as an analyzing material transmits only the light oscillating in the same direction as the electric vector of the linearly polarized reflected light beam (142) to detect its positional change.

Abstract: A method of use of a scanning probe microscope includes the step of mounting a probe to a scanning probe microscope in ambient atmosphere, the step of drawing on a surface of a standard sample by two-dimensionally scanning while keeping constant a tunnel current under feedback control of a distance between a standard sample and the probe, the step of applying pulse voltage between the probe and the standard sample while two-dimensionally scanning, with feedback control stopped at each scanning point, the step for obtaining drawn image of the surface of the standard sample again, comparing the obtained drawn image with the drawn image obtained in the step of drawing on the surface of the standard sample thereby determining cleanness of the probe, the step of repeating the step of pulse application and the step of determination of cleanness until the probe is cleaned, the step for replacing the standard sample by a sample for measurement after cleanness of the probe is confirmed, and the step of drawing.

Abstract: A mask for transferring a pattern in which durability can be improved and a very fine circuit pattern of a light-shielding film can be formed, and a manufacturing method thereof are obtained. In the mask for transferring a pattern, a silicon monocrystalline film 2, an aluminum monocrystalline film 3 and an aluminum oxide film 4 are formed on a mask substrate 1 so as to have a prescribed pattern feature. Silicon monocrystalline film 2 and aluminum monocrystalline film 3 serve as the light-shielding film. Aluminum oxide film 4 serves as an anti reflection and protection film.

Abstract: A steam drying apparatus in which a process chamber is fitted at a loading opening with a lid which is closed from above. The inner side wall surface of the process chamber has a first surface formed in the lower part thereof and is substantially in parallel with the inner wall surface of the lid, and a second surface extending from the upper end part of the first surface and bent outwards to face the inner wall surface of the lid. The second surface is provided with a steam supply port for supplying the processing solution vapor into the process chamber. To the steam supply port is connected a steam supply means for supplying the processing solution vapor into the process chamber.

Abstract: Sidewalls of patterned resist are reformed using a reforming agent selected from the group consisting of (a) a carbon trichloride radical, (b) a mixture of silicon ion and oxygen ion, (c) a mixture of carbon ion and carbon monoxide ion, (d) a chlorine radical, (e) aluminum trichloride liquid and (f) dibutyl magnesium liquid, and sidewall reformed portions are thus formed on the sidewalls of pattern resist. The not reformed portion of the patterned resist is removed away, and sidewall reformed portions are left on an object layer. The portion of object layer excluding the portion immediately below sidewall reformed portions is etched away, and fine patterns of object layer are formed as a result.

Abstract: A sample stage of a scanning probe microscope head is capable of changing the direction of a sample plane stably over a wide range in a simple operation. Fixtures fix both ends of an outer flexible tube of a flexible shaft. A displacement lead-in portion displaces one end of an inner flexible tube of the flexible shaft relative to the outer flexible tube, and a displacement lead-out portion and a coupling portion transmit the displacement led in the inner flexible tube of the flexible shaft to a sample carrier portion to turn the sample carrier portion about a turn axis, thereby getting a sample plane to change direction.

Abstract: A liquid vaporizing apparatus includes a container for holding a liquid at a constant temperature with a temperature adjustment unit and a gas that does not react with the liquid is bubbled through the liquid in the container to vaporize the liquid. The container for holding the liquid has an internal space above the liquid and a second temperature adjustment unit for controlling the temperature of the internal space separately from the temperature of the liquid in the container. Since the internal space is maintained at a constant temperature, higher than the temperature of the liquid, the quantity of the vaporized liquid produced is stable.

Abstract: In a miniaturized complete CMOS SRAM of a TFT load type, a field effect thin-film transistor (TFT) can achieve stable reading and writing operation of a memory cell and can reduce power consumption thereof. The field effect thin-film transistor formed on an insulator includes an active layer and a gate electrode. The gate electrode is formed on a channel region of the active layer with a gate insulating film therebetween. The active layer is formed of a channel region and source/drain regions. The channel region is formed of a monocrystal silicon layer and does not includes a grain boundary. The source/drain regions is formed of a polysilicon layer. The channel region has a density of crystal defects of less than 10.sup.9 pieces/cm.sup.2. The thin film transistor shows an ON current of 0.25 .mu.A/.mu.m per channel width of 1 .mu.m and an OFF current of 15 fA/.mu.m. The thin-film transistor can be applied to a p-channel MOS transistor serving as a load transistor in a memory cell of a CMOS type SRAM.

Abstract: An adhesion measuring apparatus includes a measuring device for measuring a Force-Curve at each of multiple measuring points on a sample surface using a cantilever provided at its distal end with a probe which is made of a material to be formed on the sample surface, and a distribution image forming device for calculating adhesion between a material making up the sample surface and the material to be formed on the sample surface from an output of the measuring device, and forming an image of adhesion distribution on the sample surface.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor wafer inspection apparatus which effectively prevents an erroneous identification of small pits as particles on a surface of a sample. In such a semiconductor wafer inspection apparatus, a light collecting portion and a reflection adjustment portion having a light reflectance different from a light reflectance of the light collecting portion are included in light collecting means.

Abstract: A thin-film transistor (3, 5a, 5b and 5c) is covered with a first silicon nitride film (9) formed by an LPCVD method. A first silicon oxide film (6) is formed on the first silicon nitride film (9). A second silicon nitride film (7), i.e., passivation film which is formed by a plasma CVD method is provided on the first silicon oxide film (6). In addition, the thin-film transistor includes a semiconductor layer covering a gate electrode. The semiconductor layer includes source, drain and active regions. The active region preferably includes a smaller amount of fluorine than the gate electrode.

Abstract: A solder material comprises a first solder plate and a second solder plate having a thickness equal to or larger than 1 micron provided at the both surfaces of the first solder plate comprising material having a lower melting point than the first solder or material which reacts with the first solder to produce an alloy having a lower melting point than the first solder.A junctioning method comprises putting the above-described solder material inserted between two objects to be junctioned to each other; heating the solder material to a temperature higher than the melting point of the second solder or the alloy and lower than the melting point of said first solder thereby to melt the second solder or the alloy; and thereafter cooling or keeping the solder material at a temperature in the vicinity of the melting point thereby to junction the objects to be junctioned to each other.