Abstract: An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) terminal includes an ATM communication device comprising a plurality of data transmission request units each for establishing a logical connection between the ATM terminal and another ATM terminal on an ATM network, and for sending a data by way of the connection, a data transmission unit for segmenting a data to be transmitted from the buffer memory into a plurality of fixed-length cells and for sending the plurality of cells cell by cell, a connection management unit for managing and providing management information about a plurality of logical connections each of which is to be used when a corresponding one of the plurality of data transmission units sends a data by way of each of the plurality of logical connections, and a buffer memory management unit for dividing a buffer memory for temporarily storing a data to be transmitted from each of the plurality of data transmission request units into a plurality of memory areas, and for assigning each of the plurality of memo

Abstract: A process for producing semiconductor devices having excellent electric characteristics such as high threshold voltage Vth and small leakage current, maintaining high yields while preventing the occurrence of thermal etching at the time of heat-treatment to form a well diffusion layer in semiconductor devices such as CMOS IC's. Namely, a semiconductor wafer having a silicon dioxide film formed on the main surface thereof is heat-treated at a high temperature in an inert gas atmosphere. In this case, oxygen is contained in small amounts in the inert gas, so that pinholes formed in the silicon dioxide film are buried therein by the action of oxygen gas. Therefore, thermal etching is not generated by the high temperature inert gas, and the yields of semiconductor devices can be increased.