Abstract: A substrate processing method includes: providing a substrate including a first region and a second region into a chamber; forming a deposit film on the first region and the second region of the substrate by generating a first plasma from a first processing gas, and selectively etching the first region with respect to the second region by generating a second plasma from the second processing gas containing an inert gas. The first processing gas is a mixed gas including a first gas containing carbon atoms and fluorine atoms and a second gas containing silicon atoms.

Abstract: An ECU is configured to execute SOC estimation control for estimating an SOC of a battery. The ECU obtains “first voltage” indicating an OCV of the battery in the SOC estimation control. The ECU controls an engine and a PCU such that the battery is charged with an amount of electric power equal to or larger than a prescribed amount, when the first voltage is within a voltage range where hysteresis occurs. The ECU obtains “second voltage” indicating an OCV of the charged battery, and estimates the SOC of the battery from the second voltage.

Abstract: W1/T1 is equal to or greater than 5, assuming that the width of an electrode body in a direction perpendicular to a winding axis direction and a thickness direction of the electrode body is W1 (mm) and the thickness of the electrode body 3 is T1 (mm).

Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a providing step, a forming step, and an etching step. In the providing step, a substrate including an etching target film, a first mask formed on the etching target film, and a second mask formed to cover at least a part of the first mask is provided. In the forming step, a protective film is formed on a side wall of the second mask by plasma generated from a first gas. In the etching step, the etching target film is etched with plasma generated from a second gas.

Abstract: An etching method includes: providing a substrate having a film and a patterned mask on the film; forming a silicon-containing layer including silicon, carbon, and nitrogen on the substrate using a precursor gas containing silicon; and performing a plasma etching on the film. The substrate is placed under a depressurized environment for a time period from a start time point of the step of forming the silicon-containing layer on the substrate to an end time point of the step of performing the plasma etching on the film.

Abstract: A plasma electrode is provided with an electrode plate, a ground plate, and an insulating plate arranged between the electrode plate and the ground plate. Protrusions of the electrode plate are arranged inside through holes of the ground plate and inside through holes of the insulating plate. One of the through hole provided on the center axes of the protrusions and the through hole provided around the through hole discharges a first processing gas to below the ground plate. The other of the through holes exhausts a gas existing below the ground plate. A second flow path around the protrusions supplies a second processing gas supplied via a first flow path to a gap between outer walls of the protrusions and inner walls of the through holes. The second processing gas supplied to the gap is converted into plasma by high frequency power applied to the electrode plate.

Abstract: An ECU is configured to execute SOC estimation control for estimating an SOC of a battery. The ECU obtains “first voltage” indicating an OCV of the battery in the SOC estimation control. The ECU controls an engine and a PCU such that the battery is charged with an amount of electric power equal to or larger than a prescribed amount, when the first voltage is within a voltage range where hysteresis occurs. The ECU obtains “second voltage” indicating an OCV of the charged battery, and estimates the SOC of the battery from the second voltage.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a positive electrode including a positive electrode mix layer, a negative electrode, and a nonaqueous electrolyte. The positive electrode mix layer contains a lithium transition metal oxide containing zirconium (Zr) and also contains a phosphate compound. The nonaqueous electrolyte contains a linear carboxylate. According to this configuration, the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, which has excellent low-temperature output characteristics, can be provided. Thus, the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is, for example, a power supply for driving a mobile data terminal such as a mobile phone, a notebook personal computer, a smartphone, or a tablet terminal and is particularly suitable for applications needing high energy density. Furthermore, the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is conceivably used for high-output applications such as electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and electric tools.

Abstract: A carbon nanotube producing method, which is capable of realizing a low resistant depth-wise wiring. An acetylene gas is first supplied as a carbon-containing gas and subsequently, an ethylene gas is supplied as the carbon-containing gas such that carbon nanotubes are produced.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to improve the low-temperature output characteristics of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery. A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to an embodiment includes an electrode assembly having a structure in which a positive electrode and a negative electrode are stacked with a porous separator provided therebetween. The positive electrode contains tungsten and a phosphate compound. The separator contains a material having higher oxidation resistance than a polyethylene and has a pore distribution peak sharpness index of 40 or more in the range of 0.01 ?m to 10 ?m as calculated using formula 1: formula 1: pore distribution peak sharpness index=(peak value of Log differential pore volume)/(difference between maximum pore size and minimum pore size at position corresponding to ½ peak value of Log differential pore volume).

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery of the invention includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a nonaqueous electrolyte, the positive electrode including lithium transition metal oxide particles as a positive electrode active material, the lithium transition metal oxide particles containing nickel as a main transition metal component and being such that a first compound containing at least one element Ma selected from the group consisting of Group IV elements and Group V elements is sintered to a portion of the surface of the lithium transition metal oxide particles, the first compound having a composition different from that of the lithium transition metal oxide particles, the positive electrode further including a second compound containing at least one element Mb selected from the group consisting of Group VI elements, the second compound having a composition different from that of the lithium transition metal oxide particles.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to improve the low-temperature output characteristics of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery. A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to an embodiment includes an electrode assembly having a structure in which a positive electrode and a negative electrode are stacked with a porous separator provided therebetween. The positive electrode contains tungsten and a phosphate compound. The separator contains a material having higher oxidation resistance than a polyethylene and has a pore distribution peak sharpness index of 40 or more in the range of 0.01 ?m to 10 ?m as calculated using formula 1: formula 1: pore distribution peak sharpness index=(peak value of Log differential pore volume)/(difference between maximum pore size and minimum pore size at position corresponding to ½ peak value of Log differential pore volume).

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery improved not only in room-temperature output but also in low-temperature regeneration. A positive electrode plate contains a lithium transition metal oxide as a positive electrode active material. A mix of the positive electrode plate contains a tungsten oxide and a phosphate compound. A nonaqueous electrolyte contains a linear sulfonate. When both of the tungsten oxide and the phosphate compound are present near the positive electrode active material, the linear sulfonate forms a movable decomposition product by oxidative decomposition on a surface of a positive electrode without forming any coating and the decomposition product and the unreacted linear sulfonate are reductively decomposed on a surface of the negative electrode together and a low-resistance coating is thereby formed.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a positive electrode including a positive electrode mix layer, a negative electrode, and a nonaqueous electrolyte. The positive electrode mix layer contains a lithium transition metal oxide containing zirconium (Zr) and also contains a phosphate compound. The nonaqueous electrolyte contains a linear carboxylate. According to this configuration, the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, which has excellent low-temperature output characteristics, can be provided. Thus, the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is, for example, a power supply for driving a mobile data terminal such as a mobile phone, a notebook personal computer, a smartphone, or a tablet terminal and is particularly suitable for applications needing high energy density. Furthermore, the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is conceivably used for high-output applications such as electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and electric tools.

Abstract: A graphene producing method which is capable of increasing a size of each domain of graphene. A plasma CVD film formation device that activates a catalyst metal layer formed on a wafer; modifies the same into an activated catalyst metal layer; decomposes a C2H4 gas as a low reactivity carbon-containing gas by plasma in a space that opposes the wafer; and decomposes a C2H2 gas as a high reactivity carbon-containing gas by heat in the space.

Abstract: A method for forming a base film of a graphene includes: forming a metal film as a base film of a graphene on a substrate by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of an organic metal compound using a hydrogen gas and an ammonia gas; heating the substrate to a temperature at which impurities included in the formed metal film are eliminated as a gas; and heating the substrate to a temperature at which crystal grains of metal are grown in the metal film, wherein the temperature of the substrate in the heating the substrate to a temperature at which crystal grains of metal are grown in the metal film is higher than the temperature of the substrate in the heating the substrate to a temperature at which impurities included in the formed metal film are eliminated as a gas.

Abstract: A positive electrode active material capable of improving an output performance of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is provided. A positive electrode active material of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 contains a first positive electrode active material and a second positive electrode active material. In the first positive electrode active material, the content of cobalt is 15% or more on an atomic percent basis in transition metals. In the second positive electrode active material, the content of cobalt is 5% or less on an atomic percent basis in transition metals. An average secondary particle diameter r1 of the first positive electrode active material is smaller than an average secondary particle diameter r2 of the second positive electrode active material.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery having a high post-cycle normal-temperature output retention. A positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries includes a lithium transition metal oxide including at least one element selected from the group consisting of elements belonging to Group 5 of the periodic table. The lithium transition metal oxide includes a rare earth compound deposited on the surface thereof. Using tantalum as an element belonging to Group 5 of the periodic table is particularly preferable because it stabilizes the internal structure of particles in a suitable manner.

Abstract: A flat nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery that sustains good charge/discharge cycles even if the capacity of a positive electrode is increased. A flat nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to an aspect of the present invention includes a positive electrode plate having a positive electrode mix layer containing a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode plate having a negative electrode mix layer containing a negative electrode active material, an electrode assembly having a structure in which the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate are stacked with a separator therebetween, and a nonaqueous electrolyte solution. A compound containing at least one of elements M belonging to group 5 in the periodic table is present in the positive electrode mix layer. The flat nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery has pressure applied from outside in a direction in which the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the separator are stacked.

Abstract: An aspect of the invention resides in a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery (10) including a positive electrode (11), a negative electrode (12) and a nonaqueous electrolytic solution, the positive electrode including a positive electrode active material containing a lithium transition metal oxide having a rare earth compound attached on the surface, the nonaqueous electrolytic solution including an aromatic compound having an oxidative decomposition potential in the range of 4.2 to 5.0 V vs. Li/Li+. The rare earth compound is preferably a rare earth hydroxide, a rare earth oxyhydroxide or a rare earth oxide.