Abstract: A vehicle wheel assembly position measurement apparatus measures, at each of at least three measurement positions in a circumferential direction, a distance in a vehicle width direction between each of plural measurement points located on a specified line that crosses a lateral surface of a tire section from an inner circumferential end to an outer circumferential end and a respective one of distance measuring instruments, calculates an approximate curve indicating a relationship between a position in an extending direction of the specified line and the distance of each of the measurement points at the respective measurement position, calculates a rotation center position of a wheel assembly from a specific position of the approximate curve at the measurement position, and calculates a height position of the wheel assembly relative to a vehicle body from the rotation center position and a height position of a specified portion of the vehicle body.

Abstract: To planarize a substrate having irregularities on its surface. Provided is a method of chemical mechanical polishing of a substrate. The method includes the step of polishing the substrate using a processing solution, and the step of changing concentration of an effective component in the processing solution, which contributes to the polishing of the substrate.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for cleaning member has a member cleaning part 30 that cleans a cleaning member 10 that cleans a substrate W; and a measurement part 20 that measures a degree of cleanliness of the cleaning member 10 cleaned by the member cleaning part 30.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus performing cleaning treatment for a washing tool used for substrate washing by causing the washing tool to contact with a cleaning member while supplying a washing liquid to the washing tool includes a liquid extraction unit that extracts the washing liquid remaining in the washing tool or the washing liquid flowing out from the washing tool in the cleaning treatment, a color reaction unit that applies an iodine color reaction to the washing liquid extracted by the liquid extraction unit, and a determination unit that detects a coloration degree of the washing liquid subjected to the iodine color reaction and determines whether or not cleaning of the washing tool is completed based on the detected coloration degree.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers, memory opening fill structures located within a respective memory opening vertically extending through the alternating stack in a memory array region, and support pillar structures vertically extending through the alternating stack. Each of the memory opening fill structures includes a respective vertical semiconductor channel and a respective memory film that contacts each layer within the alternating stack. Each of the support pillar structures includes a respective dummy vertical semiconductor channel, a respective dummy memory film, and at least one respective dielectric spacer material portion laterally surrounding the respective dummy memory film and interposed between the electrically conductive layers and the respective dummy memory film.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel assembly position measurement apparatus measures, at each of at least three measurement positions in a circumferential direction, a distance in a vehicle width direction between each of plural measurement points located on a specified line that crosses a lateral surface of a tire section from an inner circumferential end to an outer circumferential end and a respective one of distance measuring instruments, calculates an approximate curve indicating a relationship between a position in an extending direction of the specified line and the distance of each of the measurement points at the respective measurement position, calculates a rotation center position of a wheel assembly from a specific position of the approximate curve at the measurement position, and calculates a height position of the wheel assembly relative to a vehicle body from the rotation center position and a height position of a specified portion of the vehicle body.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire, from a vehicle, activation history information of driving assistance by a driving assistance system on the vehicle and motion history information of the vehicle, and a display control unit configured to cause a display device to display behavior information indicating chronological behavior of the vehicle in a situation in which the driving assistance was activated, based on the activation history information and the motion history information acquired by the acquisition unit.

Abstract: To planarize a substrate having irregularities on its surface. Provided is a method of chemical mechanical polishing of a substrate. The method includes the step of polishing the substrate using a processing solution, and the step of changing concentration of an effective component in the processing solution, which contributes to the polishing of the substrate.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate cleaning apparatus capable of highly effective self-cleaning of a cleaning tool in a short time period. The substrate cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning tool for cleaning a substrate while in contact with a surface of the substrate, a self-cleaning member for self-cleaning the cleaning tool while in contact with the cleaning tool, a rotation mechanism for rotating the cleaning tool, and a holding mechanism for holding the cleaning tool, the holding mechanism being capable of pressing the cleaning tool against the substrate and pressing the cleaning tool against the self-cleaning member.

Abstract: A method can form a conductive structure, which is useful for three-dimensional packaging with via plugs, in a shorter time by shortening the conventional long plating time that is an impediment to the practical use of electroplating. The method includes forming a conductive film on an entire surface, including interior surfaces of via holes, of a substrate having the via holes formed in the surface; forming a resist pattern at a predetermined position on the conductive film; carrying out first electroplating under first plating conditions, using the conductive film as a feeding layer, thereby filling a first plated film into the via holes; and carrying out second electroplating under second plating conditions, using the conductive film and the first plated film as a feeding layer, thereby allowing a second plated film to grow on the conductive film and the first plated film, both exposed in the resist openings of the resist pattern.

Abstract: A method can form a conductive structure, which is useful for three-dimensional packaging with via plugs, in a shorter time by shortening the conventional long plating time that is an impediment to the practical use of electroplating. The method includes forming a conductive film on an entire surface, including interior surfaces of via holes, of a substrate having the via holes formed in the surface; forming a resist pattern at a predetermined position on the conductive film; carrying out first electroplating under first plating conditions, using the conductive film as a feeding layer, thereby filling a first plated film into the via holes; and carrying out second electroplating under second plating conditions, using the conductive film and the first plated film as a feeding layer, thereby allowing a second plated film to grow on the conductive film and the first plated film, both exposed in the resist openings of the resist pattern.

Abstract: A substrate processing method includes covering, in advance, the surface of a substrate with water, holding the substrate generally horizontally with the surface facing upward and rotating it in a horizontal plane, and blowing to the substrate top surface drying gas flow that is thin in area in comparison with the substrate surface, in which the water is removed from the substrate top surface by the rotation in the horizontal plane while blowing the drying gas flow, a substrate processing apparatus for implementing the above method, and a control program for use with the above method and apparatus.

Abstract: A substrate processing method can securely form a metal film by electroless plating on an exposed surface of a base metal, such as interconnects, with increased throughput and without the formation of voids in the base metal. The substrate processing method includes: cleaning a surface of a substrate having a base metal formed in the surface with a cleaning solution comprising an aqueous solution of a carboxyl group-containing organic acid or its salt and a surfactant as an additive; bringing the surface of the substrate after the cleaning into contact with a processing solution comprising a mixture of the cleaning solution and a solution containing a catalyst metal ion, thereby applying the catalyst to the surface of the substrate; and forming a metal film by electroless plating on the catalyst-applied surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has interconnects protected with an alloy film having a minimum thickness necessary for producing the effect of preventing diffusion of oxygen, copper, etc., formed more uniformly over an entire surface of a substrate with less dependency to the interconnect pattern of the substrate. The semiconductor device includes, embedded interconnects, formed by filling an interconnect material into interconnect recesses formed in an electric insulator on a substrate, and an alloy film, containing 1 to 9 atomic % of tungsten or molybdenum and 3 to 12 atomic % of phosphorus or boron, formed by electroless plating on at least part of the embedded interconnects.

Abstract: This polishing method and polishing apparatus include: a polishing characteristics measurement step in which electrochemical characteristics of a slurry in relation to a material to be polished are measured; and a preparation step in which the slurry is prepared based on the measured electrochemical characteristics, wherein, in the polishing characteristics measurement step, a slurry is supplied from a slurry supply apparatus 202, and using a sample polishing pad that is formed from the same material as the polishing pad and a sample material to be polished that is formed from the same material as the material to be polished, the electrochemical characteristics are measured both when the sample material to be polished is being polished by the sample polishing pad and when the sample material to be polished is not being polished by the sample polishing pad.

Abstract: A method can form a conductive structure, which is useful for three-dimensional packaging with via plugs, in a shorter time by shortening the conventional long plating time that is an impediment to the practical use of electroplating. The method includes forming a conductive film on an entire surface, including interior surfaces of via holes, of a substrate having the via holes formed in the surface; forming a resist pattern at a predetermined position on the conductive film; carrying out first electroplating under first plating conditions, using the conductive film as a feeding layer, thereby filling a first plated film into the via holes; and carrying out second electroplating under second plating conditions, using the conductive film and the first plated film as a feeding layer, thereby allowing a second plated film to grow on the conductive film and the first plated film, both exposed in the resist openings of the resist pattern.

Abstract: A metal film-forming method of the present invention can form a metal film having different film qualities in the thickness direction, in a continuous manner using a single processing solution. The metal film-forming method including: providing a substrate having embedded interconnects formed in interconnect recesses provided in a surface of the substrate; and forming a metal film, having different film qualities in the thickness direction, on surfaces of the interconnects in a continuous manner by changing the flow state of a processing solution relative to the surface of the substrate while keeping the surface of the substrate in contact with the processing solution.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate processing method and apparatus which can measure and monitor thickness and/or properties of a film formed on a substrate as needed, and quickly correct a deviation in process conditions, and which can therefore stably provide a product of constant quality. A substrate processing method for processing a substrate having a metal and an insulating material exposed on its surface in such a manner that a film thickness of the metal, with an exposed surface of the metal as a reference plane, is selectively or preferentially changed, including measuring a change in the film thickness and/or a film property of the metal during and/or immediately after processing, and monitoring processing and adjusting processing conditions based on results of this measurement.

Abstract: This invention provides a substrate processing method including a step of covering in advance the surface of a substrate W with water (28), a step of holding the substrate W generally horizontally with the surface facing upward and rotating it in a horizontal plane (10), and a step of blowing to the substrate top surface drying gas flow that is thin in area in comparison with the substrate W surface (30, 40), in which the water is removed from the substrate top surface by the rotation in the horizontal plane while blowing the drying gas flow, a substrate processing apparatus for implementing the above method, and a control program for use with the above method and apparatus. With this invention, it is possible to dry a cleaned substrate without locally leaving water droplets.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate processing method and apparatus which can measure and monitor thickness and/or properties of a film formed on a substrate as needed, and quickly correct a deviation in process conditions, and which can therefore stably provide a product of constant quality. A substrate processing method for processing a substrate having a metal and an insulating material exposed on its surface in such a manner that a film thickness of the metal, with an exposed surface of the metal as a reference plane, is selectively or preferentially changed, including measuring a change in the film thickness and/or a film property of the metal during and/or immediately after processing, and monitoring processing and adjusting processing conditions based on results of this measurement.