Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device manufacturing method which comprising the steps of forming solder bumps on an underlying metal film of a semiconductor device, and placing the semiconductor device and the solder layer in a reduced pressure atmosphere containing a formic acid to heat the solder bumps. Accordingly, the solder bumps can be formed without the use of flux not to generate voids in the solder layer, and also the cleaning required after the solder bumps are formed can be omitted.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sealing system for implementing an optimum temperature profile for solder melting and improving productivity, and a sealing method therefor. The present invention comprises a sealing machine for superimposing a pre-soldered cap onto a package on which an electronic device element is mounted, a multi-clip for receiving and holding a plurality of sets of the packages and caps superimposed by the sealing machine in batch, and a sealing furnace for heating the plurality of sets held in batch by the multi-clip, and generating a plurality of electronic devices in batch by melting the previously applied solder and sealing the plurality of sets of packages and caps. According to the present invention, the plurality of sets of the packages and caps held in batch by the multi-clip are heated and sealed, therefore the sealing efficiency of the packages and caps can be improved.

Abstract: A method for reducing adhesive build-up on ultrasonic bonding surfaces of ultrasonic bonding systems is disclosed. The method includes providing an ultrasonic bonding surface. A pad is provided proximate to, and in fluid contact with, the ultrasonic bonding system. A fluid is conducted to the pad such that the fluid is applied is intermittently or continuously applied to at least a portion of the ultrasonic bonding surface.

Abstract: There is provided a method for forming end-face electrodes in which the end-face electrode can be securely formed with solder at a position in which a side electrode is formed and it can be formed without being affected by a jig for fixing a solder solid. By forming linear gaps on a master substrate, module substrates and a waste substrate are formed. At the side end of the gap of the module substrate, a side electrode is formed. A solder solid is pressed into the part of the gap in which the side electrode is formed and a reflow jig is placed. The surface of the solder solid is coated with flux and the solder solid is melted by heating so as to form the end-face electrode protruding from the substrate surface in the side electrode.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for ablating a surface of a work-piece comprising a radiation source for providing an ablating beam and a plurality of adjustable reflective masks having predetermined mask patterns thereon. The reflective masks are sequentially positioned relative to said radiation source and in the path of said ablating beam for reflecting said ablating beam onto the surface of the work-piece to ablate the work-piece.

Abstract: A substrate is coated with a conductive layer, which comprises a conductive layer of bonded ultrafine metal particles formed on the top surface thereof. The ultrafine metal particles have a diameter of 1-20 nm, and the substrate is of a flexible high polymer material. Since the conductive layer is formed by bonded layer of the ultrafine metal particles, an extremely thin layer having high conductivity can be formed. This structure enables the formation of a flexible printed circuit board with high-density interconnects or a transparent conductive film provided with both transparency and conductivity. Conventional vacuum equipments and complicated processes are not necessary for forming the conductive layer on the substrate.

Abstract: A buffer layer structure based on doped ceria for providing optimized lattice match with a YBCO layer in a conductor, a lattice matching layer for use in said structure and process of manufacturing thereof. Said buffer layer comprises a CeO2 layer doped with a dopant, and has a superconductive layer of YBCO on said CeO2 layer. The invention is characterized in that the CeO2 layer is a lattice matching layer.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is ceramic fibers for the reinforcement of refractory materials, being constituted by sintered bauxite fibers with a length/diameter greater than 10. Preferably, they have a cylindrical or prismatic shape truncated by two surfaces, for example, substantially planar surfaces perpendicular to the axis of the prism. They enable the mechanical strength and the lifetime of the refractory products to be significantly increased.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the preparation of in-situ formation of a series of glass-ceramic composites by the Self-propagating High temperature Synthesis (SHS) technique with advantages of processing simplicity as well as the potential of cost savings. The materials produced by the technique contain crystalline TiB2 phase and have either a pure glassy matrix or a glass matrix with partial devitrification based on the Al2O3—CaO system. The materials can potentially be used for infrared light transmission and for other high temperature applications. These materials can also be produced with relatively high porosity.

Abstract: The present invention provides an oxide superconducting wire including a component provided in the form of a tape and a metal tape. The component in the form of a tape has an oxide superconducting member and a metal coating member formed mainly of silver and coating a surface of the oxide superconducting member. The metal tape, bonded in a heat treatment (e.g., fusion- or diffusion-bonded) to a surface of the component in the form of a tape, does not contain any superconducting material and it is formed mainly of silver and it also contains at least one component other than silver.

Abstract: A capillary threading tool is used to thread bond wire through the capillary tool of a wire bond machine. The capillary threading tool includes a handle that is grasped to manipulate a body portion into a gap between the upper end of the capillary tube and the lower end of a guide tube that is positioned above the capillary tube. The body portion includes a guide surface that is placed in contact with the wire bond machine, and a vertical slot extending from the guide surface that terminates in a closed end having an inclined surface. The length of the slot is selected to position the lower edge of the inclined surface above the end of the capillary tube so the bond wire can be threaded into the capillary tube simply by forcing the end of the wire on the inclined surface.

Abstract: A wire processing apparatus includes an applicator (60) for crimping a crimp contact onto an end of a wire (2) and solder depositing units (7, 8) for depositing solder onto an exposed core on the wire end, all of which serve as wire processing units. The applicator (60) and the solder depositing units (7, 8) are attachable to and removable from a placement section (13a) and are interchangeable with each other. Each of the solder depositing units (7, 8) includes a flux bath (15) for storing a flux liquid therein, a solder bath (16) for storing solder in a molten state therein, and a flux liquid holding tube having a holding hole for holding the flux liquid therein and capable of releasably receiving the core. The core is moved downwardly into a solder portion raised by the surface tension of the solder stored in the solder bath 16, whereby the solder is deposited on the core.

Abstract: A film-based HTS device comprises a substrate and a superconducting film. A peripheral portion of the film is a-axis-aligned material which is so situated on the substrate as to describe a-b planar barriers which are perpendicular to the substrate and which in parallel fashion border upon the entire periphery of the film. The a-b planar barriers serve to block vortices which nucleate at the film's periphery, thereby attenuating the overall vortex activity associated with the film, thereby attenuating the ELF and white noise which are normally prevalent in superconductor devices. Effectiveness in terms of arresting vortex motion may be increased by providing an interior film portion which is also a-axis-aligned material. It may be preferable to provide an interior film portion which is c-axis-aligned material, since this is easier to make and the a-axis-aligned peripheral portion of the film will be sufficiently effective in terms of “pinning” the vortices.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for welding the far ends of two elongated elements together, whereby the above-mentioned far ends are heated up to forging temperature by rotating a ring clamped between them. A flat ring is provided between the far ends, whereby these far ends are axially drawn towards one another and, as soon as the forging temperature is reached, the elements are pushed towards one another with great force by exerting a dynamic force. The device contains driving means to rotate the ring, drawing means to draw the elongated elements towards one another and means to exert a dynamic force.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for high speed, reliable and repeatable delivery and reflow of solder material onto a substrate are disclosed. The apparatus has a repositionable capillary to direct individual solder material to a specific location on the substrate. An energy source is directed through the capillary onto the solder to reflow the solder to the substrate. The apparatus provides for individual introduction of the solder material into the capillary and urging of the solder material from a reservoir to the capillary while preventing unintended jams and blockage of the solder material.

Abstract: A silicon carbide powder which can increase the densities of a green body and a sintered silicon carbide, a method of producing a green body having a high density and excellent handling properties, and a method of producing a sintered silicon carbide having a high density, in which methods the silicon carbide powder is used. The silicon carbide powder includes at a particulate volume ratio of 20% to 80% a silicon carbide powder whose model ratio is 1.7 &mgr;m to 2.7 &mgr;m and a silicon carbide powder whose model ratio is 10.5 &mgr;m to 21.5 &mgr;m. The silicon carbide powder is used in the method of producing a green body and in the method of producing a sintered silicon carbide powder.

Abstract: The polycrystalline thin film is made of a composite oxide of a cubic crystal system which has a pyrochlore type crystalline structure of a composition represented as either AZrO or AHfO (A in the formula represents a rare earth element selected from among Y, Yb, Tm, Er, Ho, Dy, Eu, Gd, Sm, Nd, Pr, Ce and La) formed on the film forming surface of the polycrystalline substrate, wherein the grain boundary misalignment angle between the same crystal axes of different crystal grains in the polycrystalline thin film along a plane parallel to the film forming surface of the polycrystalline substrate are controlled within 30°.

Abstract: The method of preparing an oxide superconducting wire comprises steps of preparing a wire by coating raw material powder for a Bi—Pb—Sr—Ca—Cu—O based oxide superconductor including a 2223 phase with a metal and heat treating the wire in a pressurized atmosphere containing oxygen in a prescribed partial pressure, and the total pressure of the pressurized atmosphere is at least 0.5 MPa. The pressure heat treatment apparatus comprises a pressure furnace storing and heat treating a target in a pressurized atmosphere, a pressure regulator for measuring the total pressure in the pressure furnace, an oxygen concentration meter for measuring the oxygen concentration in the pressure furnace and a controller for controlling the oxygen partial pressure in the pressure furnace in response to the total pressure measured by the pressure regulator and the oxygen concentration measured by the oxygen concentration meter.

Abstract: A large superconductor intermediate of REBa2Cu3Ox system (where RE is one kind or a combination of rare earth elements including Y), characterized by a structure that oxide superconductors having non-superconductive phases finely dispersed in REBa2Cu3Ox phases (123 phases) of different peritectic temperatures (Tp) are laminated three-dimensionally in the order of Tp's, seed crystals mounted on the oxide superconductor layer having a highest Tp, and excluded phases included in at least the oxide superconductor having the high Tp.

Abstract: Improvements in critical current capacity for superconducting film structures are disclosed and include the use of a superconducting RE-BCO layer including a mixture of rare earth metals, e.g., yttrium and europium, where the ratio of yttrium to europium in the RE-BCO layer ranges from about 3 to 1 to from about 1.5 to 1.