Abstract: A gaseous polishing apparatus and a nozzle device designed for gaseous polishing perform precision polishing on a surface of an object to be polished. The nozzle device includes a nozzle body having a nozzle opening provided at a downstream end thereof for ejecting polishing gas. A shutter device is disposed in proximity to the nozzle opening so as to control ejecting and stopping of the polishing gas towards the object surface. A control mechanism controls opening and closing action of the shutter device.

Abstract: A plating apparatus comprises a plating unit having a plating bath for holding a plating liquid therein, and a plating liquid monitoring unit having a liquid chromatography device and an arithmetical unit. The liquid chromatography device serves to separate and quantify an additive in a sample of the plating liquid. The arithmetical unit serves to compare a quantified value of the additive with a given concentration predetermined for the additive and to produce an output signal representing the compared result. The plating apparatus further comprises an additive replenishing unit for adding a solution including the additive from an additive tank to the plating liquid in the plating bath based on the output signal from the arithmetical unit in the plating liquid monitoring unit.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for etching a ruthenium film which can sufficiently etch away a ruthenium film formed on or adhering to the peripheral region, especially the no device formed region, backside or other portions of a substrate. The method comprises etching a ruthenium film formed on a substrate with a chemical liquid having a pH of not less than 12 or and an oxidation-reduction potential of not less than 300 mVvsSHE.

Abstract: A holding unit for holding a substrate to enable a surface of the substrate to be processed. The unit comprises a vacuum suction member that comes into contact with a peripheral portion of the surface of the substrate and sucks the substrate. A processing apparatus holds the wafer stably and allows an edge, a bevel portion and/or a back surface of the wafer to be processed.

Abstract: An anode as a workpiece, and a cathode opposed to the anode with a predetermined spacing are placed in ultrapure water. A catalytic material promoting dissociation of the ultrapure water and having water permeability is disposed between the workpiece and the cathode. A flow of the ultrapure water is formed inside the catalytic material, with a voltage being applied between the workpiece and the cathode, to decompose water molecules in the ultrapure water into hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions, and supply the resulting hydroxide ions to a surface of the workpiece, thereby performing removal processing of or oxide film formation on the workpiece through a chemical dissolution reaction or an oxidation reaction mediated by the hydroxide ions. Thus, clean processing can be performed by use of hydroxide ions in ultrapure water, with no impurities left behind on the processed surface of the workpiece.

Abstract: An anode as a workpiece, and a cathode opposed to the anode with a predetermined spacing are placed in ultrapure water. A catalytic material promoting dissociation of the ultrapure water and having water permeability is disposed between the workpiece and the cathode. A flow of the ultrapure water is formed inside the catalytic material, with a voltage being applied between the workpiece and the cathode, to decompose water molecules in the ultrapure water into hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions, and supply the resulting hydroxide ions to a surface of the workpiece, thereby performing removal processing of or oxide film formation on the workpiece through a chemical dissolution reaction or an oxidation reaction mediated by the hydroxide ions. Thus, clean processing can be performed by use of hydroxide ions in ultrapure water, with no impurities left behind on the processed surface of the workpiece.

Abstract: The invention relates to composite metallic ultrafine particles which have excellent dispersion stability and can be produced on an industrial scale, and a process for producing the same, and a method and an apparatus for forming an interconnection with use of the same. A surface of a core metal produced from a metallic salt, a metallic oxide, or a metallic hydroxide and having a particle diameter of 1 to 100 nm is covered with an organic compound including a functional group having chemisorption capability onto the surface of the core metal.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus can replace or be used in association with a conventional chemical mechanical polishing method to produce a high quality flat surface in a more efficient manner. The polishing apparatus utilizes a nozzle device, disposed to face a work surface of a workpiece, for performing gas polishing by ejecting a reactive polishing gas to the work surface. The nozzle device comprises a nozzle assembly having nozzles that has a plurality of differing diameters. A nozzle selection device is provided for selecting an operative nozzle having a desired diameter from the nozzle assembly and ejecting the polishing gas through a selected nozzle.

Abstract: A reaction probe chip which is prepared by loading a reactive probe on fine pieces of carrier such as particles, tile-like plates and then arraying and immobilizing the reactive probe-loaded carrier on a base material. The carrier fine pieces such as particles, tile-like plates and the like are porous or have a reactive surface, and the base material is preferably a thin inorganic plate or a thin organic plate is disclosed.

Abstract: A thin film of metal or metal compound is produced by preparing an ultrafine particle dispersion liquid by dispersing ultrafine particles at least partly made of metal into a given organic solvent, applying the ultrafine particle dispersion liquid to a substrate, drying the ultrafine particle dispersion liquid to leave metal or metal compound particles on the substrate, heating the metal or metal compound particles to join the metal or metal compound particles, and annealing the metal or metal compound particles into a thin film.

Abstract: A method and a structure is provided for mounting a semiconductor device by the bump technique using compound metallic ultra-fine particles each comprising a core portion consisting substantially of a metallic component, and a coating layer chemically bound to the core portion and comprising an organic substance.

Abstract: A solution containing a metal component comprises composite ultrafine metal particles each having a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to the core. The core has an average diameter ranging from 1 to 10 nm. The composite ultrafine metal particles are uniformly dispersed in a solvent.

Abstract: Etching of an object is achieved by jetting etching gas onto the object from a gas jetting nozzle. A gas jetting pipe for jetting the etching gas and a discharge pipe for discharging the jetted gas are designed as a coaxial dual pipe structure. The etching gas is jetted from the gas jetting pipe toward the object and, at the same time, excess etching gas is discharged through the discharge pipe.

Abstract: An exhaust apparatus in an ion implantation system for implanting impurities into a target substrate is used for evacuating an ion source chamber. The exhaust apparatus comprises at least one vacuum pump which does not use working oil for evacuating the ion source chamber, an atmospheric exhaust pipe connected to the vacuum pump for exhausting gas from the vacuum pump; and a device for introducing inert gas into at least one of the vacuum pump and the atmospheric exhaust pipe. The exhaust apparatus includes at least two vacuum pumps comprising a turbomolecular pump and a dry pump.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for detecting anions in water includes an electrical continuous ion-exchange unit comprising an anode compartment and a cathode compartment which are spaced apart by an alkali removing compartment packed with a cation exchanger defined by two cation-exchange membranes. Each of the said anode compartment, cathode compartment and alkali removing compartment is provided with a passageway through which water is admitted and a passageway through which the treated water is discharged. The passageway through which the treated water is discharged from the alkali removing compartment is equipped with an instrument for measuring the specific resistance or electrical conductivity of the treated water.

Abstract: A gas adsorber which is capable of reliably removing harmful gases discharged from processes in the semiconductor industry, the ceramic industry, etc. The gas adsorber has an integral structure comprising a main treating section having an exhaust gas inlet port and packed with an adsorbent, an auxiliary treating section having a treated gas outlet port and packed with an adsorbent, and a space section provided in between the main and auxiliary treating sections, the space section having a gas outlet port and a gas return port, which provide communication between the space section and a gas sensor. With this arrangement, the adsorption conditions in the main treating section can be perceived accurately.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for treating waste gas from semiconductor manufacturing equipment with a dry solid absorbent. A bypass pipe which is equipped with a bypass valve is provided between inlet and outlet pipes of a container packed with the absorbent, and when a reaction chamber of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment is evacuated to a level below that of atmospheric pressure, the bypass valve is opened to prevent the large amount of non-toxic gas that is discharged from the reaction chamber during the evacuation from being fed to the absorbent-packed container. Large variations in the flow rate of the gas are thus avoided and safe and efficient waste gas treatment with a dry solid absorbent having a relatively small particle diameter is possible.

Abstract: A method of treating a waste gas containing at least boron trichloride and chlorine comprises first treating the waste gas with a treating agent containing a magnesium compound by a dry process and then treating the waste gas with a treating agent containing a calcium compound by a dry process. Thus, it is possible to remove efficiently a chloride and chlorine containing gas from waste gas discharged from a dry etching process or other manufacturing process in the semiconductor industry. In addition, it is possible to reduce the amount of treating agent used, lengthen the treating agent replacing cycle, and facilitate the maintenance of the system.

Abstract: An absorber that is capable of efficient absorption of SiF.sub.4 and/or BCl.sub.3 present in gases that are discharged from semiconductor fabrication plants, ceramic producing plants and other plants is disclosed. The absorber contains an alkali agent, water and a superabsorbent as effective components. This absorber, when used to treat an effluent gas, attains as high reaction rate as in the conventional wet process and can be handled as easily as in the dry process.