Abstract: A semiconductor arithemetic circuit which performs calculation of an analog vector with a high accuracy at a high speed.

Abstract: A discharge electrode for an excimer laser oscillator according to the present invention contains oxygen at a content of not more than 10 ppm, and a method of restoring the shape of a discharge electrode according to the present invention comprises introducing an inert gas into a laser chamber, and conducting discharge for several seconds.

Abstract: An abrasive composition which can realize chemical-mechanical polishing superior in polishing speed and polishing uniformity.The abrasive composition comprises abrasive grains, isopropyl alcohol, and water. Grain sizes of the abrasive grains are preferably 30 to 250 nm, and the abrasive grains are preferably SiO.sub.2. Further, it is preferable that contents of the abrasive grains and isopropyl alcohol are 5 to 30 wt % and 1 to 15 wt %, respectively. The abrasive composition of the present invention is characterized in that it is deaerated.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for producing ionic water which are capable of producing ionic water containing a low concentration of electrolyte with high reproducibility. The present invention also provides an apparatus and a method for producing electrolytic ionic water capable of producing electrolytic ionic water having stable characteristics. The ionic water producing apparatus has at least a gas-liquid mixing device for mixing raw water and a gas, and an ultrasonic exciting device for applying ultrasonic waves to the gas-liquid mixture obtained by the gas-liquid mixing device to generate ions.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device high in speed and in reliability by formation of interlayer dielectric films capable of rapidly transmitting heat as generated at wiring lines and yet less in capacitance.The semiconductor device of the present invention has multi-layered low-resistance wiring lines such as metal layers as stacked or laminated on a top surface and/or a bottom surface of a conductive substrate with a first dielectric material being sandwiched between adjacent ones thereof, featured in that said first dielectric material between said low-resistance wiring layers has a through-hole formed therein, and that said through-hole comprises a hole (through-hole: TH) filled with at least a conductive material, and a hole (dummy hole; DH) filed with a second dielectric material having thermal conductivity greater than that of said first dielectric material.

Abstract: A cleaning method for peeling and removing photoresists from a semiconductor by applying ultrasound to a cleaning solution comprising a mixture of an organic solvent diluted with pure water and halogenated alkali metal salts, hydrofluoric acid, or ammonium fluoride. The cleaning method removes organic film such as a photoresist or the like at room temperature, not by dissolving, but rather by peeling. The cleaning liquid does not degrade over a long period of time and, moreover, has a strong cleaning effect yet chemical vapors and water vapors are essentially not generated.

Abstract: A fluid control system, and its valve assemblies, are used to control the feeding of fluids accurately (by operating (opening and closing) valves promptly and accurately), for the manufacture of semiconductors, magnetic thin films, biotechnical products, and other products. The fluid control system comprises a principal control line (L) and plural branch control lines (L.sub.1, L.sub.2, . . . ) for feeding plural types of fluid (G.sub.1, G.sub.2, . . . ) into a processing device (C) coupled to the principal control line, and plural valve assemblies (V) incorporated in the branch control lines (L.sub.1, L.sub.2, . . . ) for switching the fluids (G.sub.1, G.sub.2, . . . ) supplied into the processing device (C). Each of the valve assemblies (V) comprises a fluid drive valve (V') having a fluid pressure actuator (1), and an electromagnetic valve (V") integrally attached, in single housing, substantially without hoses, to the fluid drive valve (V') to feed a working fluid (A) into the fluid pressure actuator (1).

Abstract: In order to realize a highly integrated, highly parallel system, there is provided a semiconductor circuit in which two or more input terminals are commonly connected to the non-inverting input terminal (+) of an operational amplifier via first capacitance means, the inverting input terminal (-) of the operational amplifier is connected to the output terminal of the operational amplifier via a second capacitance means two or more input terminals are commonly connected to the inverting input terminal via third capacitance means, and a first floating node as the node between the non-inverting input terminal (+) and the first capacitance means and a second floating node as the node between the inverting input terminal (-) and the second and third capacitance means are connected to reset means.

Abstract: A device comprising invertor circuit group including two or more invertor circuits formed by neuron MOS transistors; means for applying a first signal voltage common to the two or more invertors of the invertor circuit group to a first input gate of the invertor circuit; means for applying a given second signal to one or more second input gates other than the first input gate of the invertor circuits; a delay circuit for transmitting the variation of the output voltage of at least one of the invertor circuits of the invertor circuit group with a time delay generated by used of the variation with time of the signal voltage of either or both of the first and second signal voltages; a transistor whose ON and OFF is controlled by the signal transmitted from the delay circuit; storage circuits taking in signals by the ON and OFF of the transistor; and means for executing a given logical operation with respect to the output voltage signals generated by the invertor circuit group.

Abstract: A pressure type flow rate control apparatus (1) controls flow rate of a fluid in an environment where a ratio of P2/P1 between an absolute pressure P1 at an upstream side of an orifice and an absolute pressure P2 at a downstream side of the orifice is maintained at a value less than about 0.7.

Abstract: Synapse can be formed from a smaller number of elements in a low-power semiconductor device, which realize a highly integrated neural network. Precise modifications of synapse weighting become possible and a neuron computer chip of a practical level can be accomplished.The semiconductor device includes a first electrode for charge injection, connected to a floating gate through a first insulating film; a second electrode for applying programming pulses, connected to the floating gate through a second insulating film, and a MOS transistor using the floating gate as its gate electrode, wherein the charge supplied from the source electrode of the MOS transistor sets the potential at the first electrode to a predetermined value determined by the potential of the floating gate, and charges are transferred between the floating gate and the first electrode through the first insulating film by applying a predetermined pulsating voltage to the second electrode.

Abstract: A surfactant is added to anodic or cathodic water obtained by electrolyzing deionized water or high-purity water. Then, an object of treatment is treated with the anodic or cathodic water containing the surfactant. The object of treatment may be treated, in this way, while irradiating it with an ultrasonic wave having a frequency between 30 kHz and 3 MHz. Furthermore, the anodic or cathodic water is continuously jetted or dropped onto the object of treatment from a nozzle, while irradiating an ultrasonic wave at least at a part in the feed pipe of the anodic or cathodic water.

Abstract: The invention provides a semiconductor circuit which can fetch and store analog and multilevel data by using a simple circuit. The invention also provides a multilevel memory which can freely change the number of quantizing levels by using external signals. This semiconductor circuit comprises a first circuit which converts first signals into a group of quantized signals, a second circuit which converts the signal group into second multilevel signals, and structure which feeds back the second signals to the first circuit as first signals. The semiconductor circuit further has a structure to electrically separates at least one signal included in the signal group from the input of the second circuit, and structure which feeds back the second signals to the input of the second circuit instead of the signal previously separated.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing positive and negative ions and/or electrons in a gas of any atmosphere without producing dust, a method and structure for neutralizing a charged body in a short period of time and for completely preventing static electricity from being generated, and various apparatuses and structures, such as a conveyor, wet bench, and clean room, which use the neutralizing method and structure. The gaseous ion producing apparatus produces positive and negative ions and/or electrons in a gas by irradiating, with electromagnetic waves in a soft X-ray region, the gas under a high pressure, atmospheric pressure, or reduced pressure. In the neutralizing structure an X-ray unit is arranged at an appropriate place to apply the electromagnetic waves in a soft X-ray region to the atmospheric gas surrounding a charged body.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory which is capable of high speed and highly accurate analog data writing. The memory includes a first MOS type transistor having a first floating gate which is electrically isolated. A first electrode is capacitively coupled with the first floating gate. A second electrode is connected via a tunnel junction with the first floating gate. A third electrode is capacitively coupled with the second electrode. A second MOS type transistor interconnects the first and second electrodes. A means is provided for applying a predetermined potential difference between the first and third electrodes to thereby cause a tunnel current to flow in the tunnel junction and to store an electric charge in the first floating gate to thereby cause the second MOS type transistor to conduct when the electric charge has reached a predetermined value.

Abstract: An etching agent and an electronic device manufacturing method using the etching agent. The etching agent contains, in a solution, hydrofluoric acid at a concentration of 0.05 to 0.5 mol/l, and halooxoacid ions, represented by the formula (XO.sub.n).sup.p- (wherein X is a halogen element, n is 3, 4 or 6, p is 1, 2 or 3), at a concentration of at least 0.01 mol/l. An electronic device manufactured using the etching agent requires only a single etching step to etch both conductive layers (such as aluminum) as well as ohmic contact layers (a-Si).

Abstract: A semiconductor storage device capable of high-speed writing and reading and having extremely high reliability. The semiconductor device includes a plurality of cells each having a semiconductor layer between a pair of conductors. At least one of the pair of conductors is made of a metal and the semiconductor layer is made of a-Si which forms a silicide region having a width of 150 nm or less by silicide reacting with the metal at a reaction speed of 10 m/sec or higher. Alternatively, at least one of the pair of conductors is made of a metal which silicide reacts with a-Si to form a silicide region having a conical structure with a diameter of 150 nm or less. Otherwise, at least one among the pair of conductors is formed of a metal which forms a silicide region of 150 nm or less by reacting with a-Si. The interface between the semiconductor layer and the conductors is not exposed to an external oxygen containing atmosphere during processing so that no oxygen containing compound exists at this interface.

Abstract: This instrument can measure parameters of a plasma accurately and easily even though the plasma is exited by a high-frequency. The instrument for measuring parameters of a plasma generated in a vacuum chamber by high-frequency discharge at a given frequency comprises a wire (106) for electrically connecting a first electrode (101) arranged in a space where a plasma is produced and a terminal (110) arranged outside the vacuum chamber for taking out signals, and a first insulator (105) so arranged as to cover at least a part of the surface of the wire therewith. The absolute value of the impedance at the given frequency between the first electrode and the ground when looking into the terminal side from the first electrode is five times or more the absolute value of the impedance at the given frequency between the first electrode and the plasma in a state where no direct current flows through the first electrode.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory circuit which realizes a source follower having a voltage gain equal to one, a decrease in the time necessary for the source follower to reach its full output voltage. Furthermore, the multiple-valued or analog output voltage can be easily converted to a binary-digital form with this memory circuit. This semiconductor circuit comprises at least an MOS transistor. A multiple-valued or analog data line is connected to the inputs of multiple-valued comparators, the outputs of said comparators are coupled capacitively to the input gate of a source-follower circuit, and the output of said source-follower circuit is fed back to the data line.

Abstract: A gate valve for a thin film forming apparatus. The gate valve includes two adjoining low-pressure chambers and a wall separating the two chambers. The wall includes an aperture and a thin plate for covering the aperture. The thin plate is movable in a direction substantially parallel to the plate surface. The gate valve further includes a voltage supply for applying a direct current between the thin plate and the wall.