Abstract: There is provided an etching method which includes supplying an etching gas including an H2 gas or an NH3 gas to a target substrate having a germanium portion in an excited state; and etching the germanium portion.

Abstract: There is provided a selective growth method of selectively growing a thin film on an underlayer on which an insulating film and a conductive film are exposed, the method including: preparing a workpiece having the underlayer on which the insulating film and the conductive film are exposed; and selectively growing a silicon-based insulating film on the insulating film by repeating a plurality of times a first step of adsorbing an aminosilane-based gas onto the insulating film and the conductive film and a second step of supplying a reaction gas for reacting with the adsorbed aminosilane-based gas to form the silicon-based insulating film, wherein the conductive film is vaporized by reaction with the reaction gas so that the conductive film is reduced in thickness.

Abstract: A method of filling a germanium film in a recess on a substrate to be processed having an insulating film on which the recess is formed on a surface of the substrate, includes forming a first germanium film so as to fill the recess by supplying a germanium raw material gas to the substrate, etching the first germanium film with an etching gas containing an excited H2 gas or NH3 gas, and forming a second germanium film on the first germanium film so as to fill the recess by supplying a germanium raw material gas.

Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus controls a decrease in efficiency of a refrigeration cycle, and includes a suction pipe having one end connected to a suction side of a compressor and an other end connected to an evaporator, a receiver connected to a refrigerant pipe connecting the evaporator and a condenser to each other, a first bypass pipe having one end connected to the receiver and an other end connected to the suction pipe and configured to supply refrigerant from the receiver to the suction pipe, a flow control valve provided to the first bypass pipe, a heat recovery portion disposed downstream of a portion of the suction pipe connected to the first bypass pipe, and a control device configured to control an opening degree of the flow control valve based on a degree of superheat of refrigerant in the heat recovery portion.

Abstract: There is provided heating method for heating a substrate having a germanium film or a silicon germanium film formed on a surface of the substrate, the method including: loading the substrate kept in an air atmosphere at least a predetermined time into a processing container; and heating the substrate in a state in which an interior of the processing container is kept in a hydrogen gas-containing atmosphere.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a torque sensor capable of detecting a torque even when an abnormality has occurred in one magnetic sensor among a plurality of magnetic sensors, and an electric power steering apparatus using the torque sensor. The torque sensor includes a first magnetic sensor provided between a first magnetic collection mechanism and the second magnetic collection mechanism, a second magnetic sensor provided between the first magnetic collection mechanism and the second magnetic collection mechanism and disposed at a same position as or a symmetric position to a magnetic environment of the first magnetic sensor, and a third magnetic sensor provided between the first magnetic collection mechanism and the second magnetic collection mechanism and disposed at a same position as or a symmetric position to the magnetic environment of the first magnetic sensor and a magnetic environment of the second magnetic sensor.

Abstract: A numerical controller which controls a five-axis machining machine having two rotary axes generates speed data for deceleration stop along movement paths when a stop signal that requires interruption of machining and retraction is sensed, and based on the speed data, generates stop retraction path command data combining a path for the deceleration stop along the movement paths and a retraction path receding from the movement paths.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device is provided. The semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array, a read only memory (ROM), a central processing unit, and a random access memory (RAM). The memory cell array stores data related to operating conditions of the semiconductor memory device. The ROM stores data used to control an operation of the semiconductor memory device. The central processing unit controls the operation of the semiconductor memory device according to the data read from the ROM. The central processing unit reads the data related to the operating conditions from the memory cell array in response to a requested operation and then temporarily stores the read data related to the operating conditions in the RAM. The central processing unit further reads the data related to the data related to the operating conditions from the RAM for controlling the operation of the semiconductor memory device.

Abstract: There is provided a method for forming a nitride film on a substrate to be processed by a thermal ALD which repeats: supplying a film forming raw material gas to the substrate to be processed while heating the substrate to be processed to a predetermined temperature; and supplying a nitriding gas to the substrate to be processed, the nitride film forming method comprises supplying a chlorine-containing gas to the substrate to be processed after the supplying the film forming raw material gas.

Abstract: There is provided a method of forming a film on a surface to be processed of a workpiece, the method including: accommodating the workpiece with a single-crystallized substance formed on the surface to be processed, into a processing chamber; supplying a crystallization suppressing process gas into the processing chamber such that a crystallization of the single-crystallized substance formed on the surface to be processed is suppressed; and supplying a source gas into the processing chamber to form an amorphous film on the surface to be processed of the workpiece.

Abstract: Provided is a tool-path generating device that includes a point-sequence generating unit that generates a point sequence that represents a tool path on the basis of a machining program, and a smoothing unit that smooths the generated point sequence. The smoothing unit includes a filter-length setting unit that sets filter lengths that are applied to the points such that a pre/post-smoothing divergence amount of each point in the point sequence is equal to or less than a first threshold, a filter-length changing unit that changes the set filter lengths such that an absolute value of a difference between the filter lengths applied to adjacent points in the point sequence is equal to or less than a second threshold, and a filter processing unit that performs filter processing on the basis of the changed filter lengths.

Abstract: There is provided a hard mask used in forming a recess having a depth of 500 nm or more by dry etching. The hard mask includes a boron-based film formed as an etching mask on a film including a SiO2 film. Further, there is provided a method of forming the hard mask as the etching mask on a substrate to be processed having the film including the SiO2 film. The etching mask is for forming a recess having a depth of 500 nm or more by dry etching. The method includes forming a boron-based film by CVD by supplying at least a boron-containing gas to a surface of the film including the SiO2 film while heating the substrate to a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device which is capable of high-speed operation in synchronization with external control signals is provided. The semiconductor memory device has a data input portion, a memory array, a data output portion, and a control portion. The data input portion receives command and address input data in response to the external control signals. The memory array has a plurality of memory elements. The data output portion outputs data read from the memory array in response to the external control signals. The control portion has the function of delay-compensation. During the time interval for receiving the input data, the function of delay-compensation estimates the delay time of the internal circuits, stores the estimated delay-time in a memory unit, and adjusts the output timing of the data output portion.

Abstract: A method for forming a nitride film is provided. The method includes preparing a substrate to be processed, the substrate having a first base film formed of a material having a relatively long incubation time and a second base film formed of a material having a relatively short incubation time with respect to a nitride film, forming a nitride film on the substrate by means of ALD or CVD using a raw material gas and a nitriding gas while heating the substrate to a predetermined temperature, and etching nitride on the first base film to be removed by supplying an etching gas to thereby expose a film surface of the first base film, wherein the forming the nitride film and the etching the nitride are repeatedly performed a predetermined number of times to selectively form the nitride film on the second base film.

Abstract: In a mask pattern forming method, a resist film is formed over a thin film, the resist film is processed into resist patterns having a predetermined pitch by photolithography, slimming of the resist patterns is performed, and an oxide film is formed on the thin film and the resist patterns after an end of the slimming step in a film deposition apparatus by supplying a source gas and an oxygen radical or an oxygen-containing gas. In the mask pattern forming method, the slimming and the oxide film forming are continuously performed in the film deposition apparatus.

Abstract: Provided is a flash memory device capable of restricting power consumption in an erase operation. The invention includes a plurality of wells, a power supply device, and a coupling device. The power supply device applies erase voltages to the wells for performing an erase operation. The coupling device performs selective coupling between the wells. When performing the erase operation on the wells, the power supply device applies the erase voltage to one of the wells, and applies the erase voltage to the other one of the wells after the coupling device electrically couples the one of the wells to the other one of the wells.

Abstract: A voltage generating circuit 100 of the present invention includes a control logic 110, a voltage generating element 120 and a connecting element 130. The voltage generating element 120 includes a plurality of registers A-1, B-1, C-1, D-1, voltage generating blocks A-2, B-2, C-2 and a voltage switch 32. The registers A-1, B-1, C-1, D-1 hold data provided from control logic 110. The voltage generating blocks A-2, B-2, C-2 generate voltage based on voltage control data held by the registers A-1, B-1, C-1. The voltage switch 32 selects voltages based on selection control data held by the register D-1. The connecting element 130 includes signal lines for sequentially transmitting the voltage control data or the selection control data, signal lines for sequentially transmitting a clock signal CLK and signal lines for controlling output of data held by the registers.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device and a driving method for word lines thereof are provided. A flash memory of the invention includes a memory cell array including blocks and a block selection element selecting the block of the memory cell array based on row address information and including a block selection transistor, a level shifter, a boost circuit and a voltage supplying element. The block selection transistor is connected to each word line of the block. The level shifter supplies a voltage to a node connected to a gate of the block selection transistor. The boost circuit boosts a potential of the node. The voltage supplying element supplies an operation voltage to one of the terminals of the block selection transistor. The node, after performing first boosting by the operating voltage supplied by the supplying element, performs second boosting by the second circuit.

Abstract: There is provided a nitride film forming method which includes: performing a pretreatment in which a chlorine-containing gas is supplied while heating a substrate to be processed having a first base film and a second base film formed on the substrate to a predetermined temperature, and is adsorbed onto a surface of the first base film and a surface of the second base film; and forming a nitride film on the first base film and the second base film subjected to the pretreatment, by an ALD method or a CVD method, using a raw material gas and a nitriding gas, while heating the substrate to be processed to a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: There is provided a method for forming a nitride film on a substrate to be processed by a thermal ALD which repeats: supplying a film forming raw material gas to the substrate to be processed while heating the substrate to be processed to a predetermined temperature; and supplying a nitriding gas to the substrate to be processed, the nitride film forming method comprises supplying a chlorine-containing gas to the substrate to be processed after the supplying the film forming raw material gas.