Abstract: A water dispersion composition containing an ethylene·?-olefin copolymer acid-modified product (B) in a range of 0.01 to 50% by mass, wherein the ethylene·?-olefin copolymer acid-modified product (B) is an acid-modified product of an ethylene·?-olefin copolymer (A) satisfying requirements (A1) to (A6) as specified herein and also satisfies the requirements (B1) to (B5) as specified herein.

Abstract: A fabrication method of a thermoelectric conversion element includes forming a first metal layer containing Cu on a first surface of a thermoelectric conversion layer, and forming a first electrode and a first intermediate layer from the first metal layer. The thermoelectric conversion layer is composed of a thermoelectric conversion material containing Mg and at least one kind of element selected from the group consisting of Sb and Bi, the first intermediate layer is provided between the thermoelectric conversion layer and the first electrode, the first intermediate layer is in contact with the thermoelectric conversion layer, the first electrode is in contact with the first intermediate layer, and a composition of the first intermediate layer is different from both a composition of the first electrode and a composition of the thermoelectric conversion layer.

Abstract: A substrate processing device includes a transfer chamber configured to transfer a substrate under an atmospheric atmosphere and a plurality of processing units each including at least one processing chamber for processing the substrate under a vacuum atmosphere and at least one load-lock chamber connected to the processing chamber to switch an inner atmosphere thereof between the atmospheric atmosphere and the vacuum atmosphere. The transfer chamber includes a connection unit configured to connect the transfer chamber and the load-lock chamber such that each of the processing units is detachably attached. The connection unit includes an opening that allows the transfer chamber to communicate with the load-lock chamber, and an opening/closing mechanism configured to open and close the opening portion.

Abstract: Provided is a transfer detection method for use in a substrate processing apparatus including a transfer arm, which has a plurality of substrate holders and is configured to transfer a plurality of substrates to a plurality of stages between a first chamber and a second chamber adjacent to the first chamber by using the plurality of substrate holders, and an optical sensor provided in a vicinity of an opening via which the first and second chambers are in communication with each other, the method including: projecting a light beam having a horizontal optical axis parallel to the opening to a position through which the substrates held by the plurality of substrate holders pass; and determining at least one of a state of the substrates on the substrate holders and a state of the transfer arm, in response to a detection result of the light beam projected from the optical sensor.

Abstract: A substrate transfer method includes: acquiring sensing information from a sensor by moving a substrate by a robot arm such that the substrate passes through a sensing region; calculating a center position of the substrate with respect to the robot arm based on the sensing information; detecting a marker indicating a reference direction of the substrate by the sensor by controlling the robot arm to rotate the substrate about the center position in a state where an edge of the substrate is located in the sensing region; calculating a direction of the substrate with respect to the robot arm based on a position of the marker; calculating a correction amount based on the center position and the direction of the substrate; and placing the substrate on the stage in the processing chamber such that the center position and the direction of the substrate are corrected according to the correction amount.

Abstract: A substrate processing device includes a transfer chamber configured to transfer a substrate under an atmospheric atmosphere and a plurality of processing units each including at least one processing chamber for processing the substrate under a vacuum atmosphere and at least one load-lock chamber connected to the processing chamber to switch an inner atmosphere thereof between the atmospheric atmosphere and the vacuum atmosphere. The transfer chamber includes a connection unit configured to connect the transfer chamber and the load-lock chamber such that each of the processing units is detachably attached. The connection unit includes an opening that allows the transfer chamber to communicate with the load-lock chamber, and an opening/closing mechanism configured to open and close the opening portion.

Abstract: A system includes a transfer device for transferring workpieces in an atmospheric atmosphere, a transfer unit for transferring the workpieces in a vacuum atmosphere, and a vacuum processing unit including vacuum process chambers connected to the transfer unit and for performing a process on the workpieces in each process chamber. The vacuum processing unit simultaneously performs the process on the workpieces in each process chamber. The process chambers are arranged along a first direction. The transfer unit includes first and second common transfer devices installed along the first direction to transfer the workpieces along the first direction. The first common transfer device is connected to each process chamber at a first side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the second common transfer device is connected to each process chamber at a second side in the second direction.

Abstract: A substrate transfer method includes: acquiring sensing information from a sensor by moving a substrate by a robot arm such that the substrate passes through a sensing region; calculating a center position of the substrate with respect to the robot arm based on the sensing information; detecting a marker indicating a reference direction of the substrate by the sensor by controlling the robot arm to rotate the substrate about the center position in a state where an edge of the substrate is located in the sensing region; calculating a direction of the substrate with respect to the robot arm based on a position of the marker; calculating a correction amount based on the center position and the direction of the substrate; and placing the substrate on the stage in the processing chamber such that the center position and the direction of the substrate are corrected according to the correction amount.

Abstract: A system includes a transfer device for transferring workpieces in an atmospheric atmosphere, a transfer unit for transferring the workpieces in a vacuum atmosphere, and a vacuum processing unit including vacuum process chambers connected to the transfer unit and for performing a process on the workpieces in each process chamber. The vacuum processing unit simultaneously performs the process on the workpieces in each process chamber. The process chambers are arranged along a first direction. The transfer unit includes first and second common transfer devices installed along the first direction to transfer the workpieces along the first direction. The first common transfer device is connected to each process chamber at a first side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the second common transfer device is connected to each process chamber at a second side in the second direction.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to simplify a configuration of a processing chamber for cooling a substrate in a substrate processing device. In a plasma processing device (10) whereby a plasma process is carried out upon a wafer (W), the wafer (W) which is plasma processed is conveyed into a load-lock chamber (13), and gas is discharged from a gas discharge member (25) upon the surface of the wafer (W), cooling the wafer (W). The gas discharge member (25) comprises a structure wherein a plurality of gas discharge nozzles (35) are formed in one flat plate face of a flat plate member (31). The gas discharge nozzles (35) comprise cylindrical eddy generating chambers (41), and nozzle holes (42) which are opened in bottom walls (52) of the eddy generating chambers (41) and discharge the gas. The flat plate face of the wafer (W) and the flat plate face wherein the gas discharge nozzles (35) are formed in the flat plate member (31) are positioned in parallel at a prescribed gap.

Abstract: An I/O cell (101) becomes an output state according to a burn-in test mode signal M in a burn-in test and the output of a port output signal setting register (106) is selected in an output signal selecting circuit (105). An instruction for periodically alternately setting “H” and “L” in the port output signal setting register (106) is written in test ROM (103). According to this circuit configuration, in burn-in, “H” and “L” are alternately output from the I/O cell (101) and appropriate stress can be applied to the I/O cell (101).

Abstract: An I/O cell (101) becomes an output state according to a burn-in test mode signal M in a burn-in test and the output of a port output signal setting register (106) is selected in an output signal selecting circuit (105). An instruction for periodically alternately setting “H” and “L” in the port output signal setting register (106) is written in test ROM (103). According to this circuit configuration, in burn-in, “H” and “L” are alternately output from the I/O cell (101) and appropriate stress can be applied to the I/O cell (101).

Abstract: A method of monitoring the inner surfaces of copper-alloy condenser tubes of a condenser through which seawater flows as a coolant by controlling a ferrous-ion injecting operation to inject ferrous ions into the coolant for forming a protective film on the inner surfaces of the condenser tubes, and a sponge-ball cleaning operation to clean the inner tube surfaces by passing sponge balls through the condenser tubes. During an initial period of exposure of the condenser tubes to the coolant after installation of the condenser tubes in the condenser, the ferrous ions are injected into the coolant to form the protective film on the inner surfaces of the condenser tubes until the polarization resistance of the condenser tubes has reached 10.sup.4 .OMEGA.cm.sup.2. Subsequently, the ferrous-ion injecting operation and the sponge-ball cleaning operation are executed while the polarization resistance and heat transfer rate of the condenser tubes are monitored.

Abstract: A condenser including a plurality of condenser tubes through which a coolant is caused to flow, a device for injecting ferrous ions into the coolant before it passes through the condenser tubes to form a protective film on an inner surface of the condenser tubes, and a device for introducing sponge balls into the condenser tubes for cleaning their inner surfaces. The condenser has a by-pass line extending outside the body of the condenser, in parallel connection with the condenser tubes. The by-pass line has a monitor tube of the same material and size as the condenser tubes, so that the coolant flows through the monitor tube under the same conditions as the coolant flowing through the condenser tubes. The monitor tube is equipped with a device for measuring a polarization resistance of the monitor tube, and a device for sensing a fouling condition of the inner surface of the monitor tube.