Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid chemical for forming a water repellent protective film at least on surfaces of recessed portions of a metal-based wafer, the liquid chemical for forming a water repellent protective film being characterized by comprising a surfactant which has an HLB value of 0.001-10 according to Griffin's method and includes a hydrophobic moiety having a C6-C18 hydrocarbon group and water, and characterized in that the concentration of the surfactant in the liquid chemical is not smaller than 0.00001 mass % and not larger than the saturated concentration relative to 100 mass % of the total amount of the liquid chemical. This liquid chemical can improve a cleaning step which tends to induce a metal-based wafer to cause a pattern collapse.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for cleaning wafers while preventing pattern collapse of the wafers in semiconductor device fabrication, the wafer having at its surface an uneven pattern and containing silicon element at least on surfaces of recessed portions. Provided is: a liquid chemical for forming a protective film which allows efficient cleaning; and a method for cleaning wafers, using the liquid chemical. A liquid chemical for forming a water repellent protective film is provided for forming a protective film on a wafer (having at its surface an uneven pattern and containing silicon element at least at a part of the uneven pattern), the protective film being formed at least on surfaces of recessed portions of the uneven pattern at the time of cleaning the wafer. The liquid chemical contains a dialkylsilyl compound represented by the formula [1] and does not contain an acid and a base.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid chemical for forming a water repellent protective film on a wafer that has at its surface a finely uneven pattern and contains silicon element at least at a part of the uneven pattern, the water repellent protective film being formed at least on surfaces of recessed portions of the uneven pattern at the time of cleaning the wafer. The liquid chemical contains: a silicon compound (A) represented by the general formula R1aSi(H)b(X)4?a?b and an acid; or a silicon compound (C) represented by the general formula R7gSi(H)h(CH3)w(Z)4?g?h?w and a base that contains no more than 35 mass % of water. The total amount of water in the liquid chemical is no greater than 1000 mass ppm relative to the total amount of the liquid chemical. The liquid chemical can improve a cleaning step that easily induces pattern collapse.

Abstract: A process for cleaning a wafer having an uneven pattern at its surface. The process includes at least the steps of: cleaning the wafer with a cleaning liquid; substituting the cleaning liquid retained in recessed portions of the wafer with a water-repellent liquid chemical after cleaning; and drying the wafer, wherein the cleaning liquid contains 80 mass % or greater of a solvent having a boiling point of 55 to 200° C., and wherein the water-repellent liquid chemical supplied in the substitution step has a temperature of not lower than 40° C. and lower than a boiling point of the water-repellent liquid chemical thereby imparting water repellency at least to surfaces of the recessed portions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid chemical for forming a water-repellent protecting film. The liquid chemical contains an agent for forming a water-repellent protecting film, and a solvent. The agent is for provided to form a water-repellent protecting film on a wafer after a cleaning step for the wafer and before a drying step for the wafer, the wafer having at its surface an uneven pattern and containing at least one kind element of titanium, tungsten, aluminum, copper, tin, tantalum and ruthenium at surfaces of recessed portions of the uneven pattern, the water-repellent protecting film being formed at least on the surfaces of the recessed portions. The liquid chemical is characterized in that the agent for forming a water-repellent protecting film is a compound represented by the following general formula [1].

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for cleaning a wafer having an uneven pattern at its surface. The process includes at least: a step of cleaning the wafer; a step of substituting a cleaning liquid retained in recessed portions of the wafer with a water-repellent liquid chemical after cleaning; and a step of drying the wafer. The process is characterized in that the cleaning liquid has a boiling point of 55 to 200° C., and characterized in that the water-repellent liquid chemical used for the substitution has a temperature of not lower than 40° C. and lower than a boiling point of the water-repellent liquid chemical thereby imparting water repellency at least to surfaces of the recessed portions. With this process, it is possible to provide a cleaning process for improving the cleaning step that tends to induce a pattern collapse.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid chemical for forming a water-repellent protecting film at least on a surface of a recessed portion of an uneven pattern at the time of cleaning a wafer having a finely uneven pattern at its surface and containing silicon at least a part of the uneven pattern. This liquid chemical contains a silicon compound A represented by the general formula: R1aSi(H)bX4-a-b and an acid A, the acid A being at least one selected from the group consisting of trimethylsilyl trifluoroactate, trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, dimethylsilyl trifluoroactate, dimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, butyldimethylsilyl trifluoroactate, butyldimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, hexyldimethylsilyl trifluoroacetate, hexyldimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, octyldimethylsilyl trifluoroactate, octyldimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, decyldimethylsilyl trifluoroacetate and decyldimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a polymer is obtained by polycondensation of a fluorinated dicarboxylic acid derivative of the general formula (M-1) or an acid anhydride of the fluorinated dicarboxylic acid with a polyfunctional compound having two to four reactive groups corresponding in reactivity to carbonyl moieties of the fluorinated dicarboxylic acid derivative or acid anhydride. [Chem. 134] AOCF2C-Q-CF2COA???(M-1) In the above formula, Q represents a divalent organic group having a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic ring; and A and A? each independently represent an organic group. This polymer exhibits a sufficiently low dielectric constant for use as a semiconductor protection film and has the capability of forming a film at a relatively low temperature of 250° C. or lower.

Abstract: A cleaning agent for a silicon wafer (a first cleaning agent) contains at least a water-based cleaning liquid and a water-repellent cleaning liquid for providing at least a recessed portion of an uneven pattern with water repellency during a cleaning process. The water-based cleaning liquid is a liquid in which a water-repellent compound having a reactive moiety chemically bondable to Si element in the silicon wafer and a hydrophobic group, and an organic solvent including at least an alcoholic solvent are mixed and contained. With this cleaning agent, the cleaning process which tends to induce a pattern collapse can be improved.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid chemical for forming a water-repellent protecting film on a wafer. The liquid chemical is a liquid chemical containing a water-repellent-protecting-film-forming agent for forming the water-repellent protecting film, at the time of cleaning the wafer which has a finely uneven pattern at its surface and contains at least at a part of a surface of a recessed portion of the uneven pattern at least one kind of matter selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium nitride, tungsten, aluminum, copper, tin, tantalum nitride, ruthenium and silicon, at least on the surface of the recessed portion. The liquid chemical is characterized in that the water-repellent-protecting-film-forming agent is a water-insoluble surfactant. The water-repellent protecting film formed with the liquid chemical is capable of preventing a pattern collapse of the wafer, in a cleaning step.

Abstract: A silicon wafer cleaning agent includes at least a water-based cleaning liquid, and a water-repellent cleaning liquid for providing water-repellent to an uneven pattern at least at recessed portions during a cleaning process. The water-repellent cleaning liquid is a liquid composed of a water-repellent compound containing a reactive moiety which is chemically bondable to Si in the silicon wafer, and a hydrophobic group, or is a liquid wherein 0.1 mass % or more of the water-repellent compound relative to the total quantity of 100 mass % of the water-repellent cleaning liquid and an organic solvent are mixed and contained therein. A cleaning process wherein a pattern collapse is easily induced can be improved by using the cleaning agent.

Abstract: Disclosed in a multichannel optical waveguide device characterized by comprising: a structure including a cladding and having a light-incident end surface, a light-outgoing end surface, and a plurality of flat reflection surfaces located parallel with each other; and L-shaped cores embedded in the cladding, the L-shaped cores being three-dimensionally arranged parallel with each other in m rows and n columns (where m and n are 2 or more), each L-shaped core having end faces which are exposed respectively to the light-incident end surface and the light-outgoing end surface, m number of the L-shaped cores in each column guiding light from the light-incident end surface to the light-outgoing end surface by changing direction of light on n number of the flat reflection surfaces, wherein an interval between the two adjacent cores on the light-incoming end surface is different from an interval between the two adjacent cores on the light-outgoing end surface, the two adjacent cores on the light-incoming end surface

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multichannel optical path changing device that is constituted of resin optical waveguides and mirrors and that changes a direction of an optical path. This device has monolithically formed cores having a mirror therebetween and optical path directions changed, and has multichannel cores simultaneously formed under a condition that their positional relationship is maintained. This device can be produced by a first or second method. The first method comprises steps of forming a parallelepiped block on a substrate by a cladding resin; forming a film of a core layer to cover the block by a core resin; and simultaneously forming cores having an optical path direction rectangularly changed, by selectively etching the core layer and the block.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multichannel optical path changing device that is constituted of resin optical waveguides and mirrors and that changes a direction of an optical path. This device has monolithically formed cores having a mirror therebetween and optical path directions changed, and has multichannel cores simultaneously formed under a condition that their positional relationship is maintained. This device can be produced by a first or second method. The first method comprises steps of forming a parallelepiped block on a substrate by a cladding resin; forming a film of a core layer to cover the block by a core resin; and simultaneously forming cores having an optical path direction rectangularly changed, by selectively etching the core layer and the block.

Abstract: A process for producing a polyimide platy object includes (a) providing a solution containing a solvent and a solute (i.e., a polyimide precursor or polyimide); (b) pouring the solution onto a supporting member; (c) removing a portion of the solvent from the solution at a first temperature lower than boiling point of the solvent, thereby forming a precursory platy object thereon, the precursory platy object having a self-supporting property and a first surface in contact with the supporting member and a second surface away therefrom and a first content of the solvent at the first surface and a second content (less than the first content by 2-10 wt %) of the solvent at the second surface; and (d) detaching the precursory platy object therefrom; and (e) heating the precursory platy object at a second temperature higher than boiling point of the solvent and is lower than decomposition temperature of the polyimide.

Abstract: A process for producing a polyimide platy object includes (a) providing a solution containing a solvent and a solute (i.e., a polyimide precursor or polyimide); (b) pouring the solution onto a supporting member; (c) removing a portion of the solvent from the solution at a first temperature lower than boiling point of the solvent, thereby forming a precursory platy object thereon, the precursory platy object having a self-supporting property and a first surface in contact with the supporting member and a second surface away therefrom and a first content of the solvent at the first surface and a second content (less than the first content by 2-10 wt %) of the solvent at the second surface; and (d) detaching the precursory platy object therefrom; and (e) heating the precursory platy object at a second temperature higher than boiling point of the solvent and is lower than decomposition temperature of the polyimide.

Abstract: A polyimide precursor composition which is produced by (i) providing a polyamide acid solution obtained by reacting an aromatic tetracarboxylic acid component and a diamine component in the presence of an oxygen-containing solvent and (ii) subjecting said polyamide acid solution to heat treatment. The polyimide precursor composition exhibits a desirable apparent viscosity and a desirable thixotropic property and it excels in film forming ability, and because of this, it enables the formation a high quality relief pattern film with no defect and which excels in form retention by way of the screen printing.

Abstract: A polyimide precursor composition which is produced by (i) providing a polyamide acid solution obtained by reacting an aromatic tetracarboxylic acid component and a diamine component in the presence of an oxygen-containing solvent and (ii) subjecting said polyamide acid solution to heat treatment. The polyimide precursor composition exhibits a desirable apparent viscosity and a desirable thixotropic property and it excels in film forming ability, and because of this, it enables the formation a high quality relief pattern film with no defect and which excels in form retention by way of the screen printing.

Abstract: A polyimide precursor composition solution includes a tetracarboxylic acid component containing not less than 70 mol % of at least one selected from the group consisting of benzenetetracarboxylic acid and its reactive derivatives; a maleimide compound; and a diamine component containing not less than 70 mol % of 2,2'-substituted-4,4'-benzidine represented by the general formula (I) and siloxydiamine amounting to from 1 to 10 mol %. The tetracarboxylic acid component, the maleimide compound and the diamine component are dissolved in a solvent which is consisting essentially of .gamma.-butyrolactone. The amount of the tetracarboxylic acid component is substantially equivalent to that of the diamine component. The amount of the maleimide compound is from 5 to 30 wt % of the total weight of the tetracarboxylic acid and the diamine component.