Abstract: A substrate processing method and apparatus for preventing evaporation of an anti-drying fluorine-containing organic solvent from a substrate during transportation of the substrate into a processing container and can prevent decomposition of a fluorine-containing organic solvent in the processing container. A substrate, the surface of which is covered with a first fluorine-containing organic solvent, is carried into a processing container. The first fluorine-containing organic solvent is removed from the substrate surface by forming a high-pressure fluid atmosphere of a mixture of the first fluorine-containing organic solvent and a second fluorine-containing organic solvent, having a lower boiling point than the first fluorine-containing organic solvent, in the processing container e.g. by supplying a high-pressure fluid of the second fluorine-containing organic solvent into the processing container.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid processing apparatus capable of accurately determining a holding state of a substrate without being influenced by, for example, material or surface condition of a substrate. The liquid processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit that holds a substrate, a camera that photographs a region where a peripheral edge portion of substrate is present when substrate is properly held by the substrate holding unit, and a control unit that determines a holding state of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit based on an image photographed by the camera.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for a semiconductor wafer includes: a gas jet device including a gas nozzle which jets a first gas onto the surface of a semiconductor wafer to thin the thickness of a stagnant layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer; and a two-fluid jet device including a two-fluid nozzle which jets droplet mist onto a region where thickness of the stagnant layer of the semiconductor wafer is thinned, the droplet mist being mixed two-fluid of a liquid and a second gas.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining optimum color gradation levels used by a color gradation barcode in a system including a rendering device for rendering the barcode and a detector for detecting the barcode. The method includes: (a) obtaining input color gradation data; (b) rendering, by using the rendering device, a test pattern based on the input color gradation data, the test pattern comprising at least one color gradation pattern; (c) detecting, by using the detector, the rendered test pattern to generate detected color gradation data; (d) based on the detected color gradation data and the input color gradation data, determining a plurality of optimum color gradation levels to be used for a color gradation barcode; and (e) storing the plurality of optimum color gradation levels.

Abstract: A method of forming an embedded film comprises depositing a first layer on a second layer that is disposed on a substrate and includes a material different from materials included in the first layer, forming an aperture through the first layer and into the second layer, the aperture having a side surface that includes an exposed portion of the first layer and an exposed portion of the second layer, bringing a material that includes organic molecules into contact with the exposed portion of the first layer and the exposed portion of the second layer to form a monomolecular film that covers the side surface, and forming the embedded film in the aperture with a material having a high enough affinity to the monomolecular film to substantially fill the aperture.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes performing a back surface processing to remove at least one of a scratch and a foreign material formed on a back surface of a substrate to be processed, a front surface of the substrate being retained in a non-contact state, contacting the back surface of the substrate to a stage to be retained, and providing a pattern on the front surface of the substrate by using lithography.

Abstract: When a vehicle is located within the area of coverage of a radio station, a navigation system outputs audio guidance on the basis of traffic information received from the radio station, provided a predetermined audio output condition related to a congested area is satisfied or stores the traffic information in a storage section if the predetermined audio output condition is not satisfied. Then, when the vehicle is located outside of the area of coverage of the radio station, the navigation system outputs the stored traffic information as audio guidance.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for forming an interconnection pattern includes forming an insulating pattern, forming a self-assembled film, and forming a conductive layer. The insulating pattern has a side surface on a major surface of a matrix. The self-assembled film has an affinity with a material of the insulating pattern on the side surface of the insulating pattern. The forming the conductive layer includes depositing a conductive material on a side surface of the self-assembled film.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of manufacturing of a semiconductor device is provided. In the method, a front surface of a semiconductor substrate and a front surface of a support substrate are bonded to each other by an adhesive. A part of a circumferential part of the support substrate is subjected to water-repellent treatment to thereby form a water-repellent area on the part of the circumferential part in such a manner that the water-repellent area and an end face of the adhesive are in contact with each other. The semiconductor substrate is removed from a rear surface side by wet etching.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method is disclosed for chemical planarization. The method can include forming a surface layer on a to-be-processed film having irregularity. The surface layer binds to or adsorbs onto the to-be-processed film along the irregularity to suppress dissolution of the to-be-processed film. The method can include planarizing the to-be-processed film in a processing solution dissolving the to-be-processed film, by rotating the to-be-processed film and a processing body while the to-be-processed film contacting the processing body via the surface layer, removing the surface layer on convex portions of the irregularity while leaving the surface layer on concave portions of the irregularity and making dissolution degree of the convex portions larger than dissolution degree of the concave portions.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for treating a surface of a semiconductor substrate is disclosed. The semiconductor substrate has a first pattern covered by a resist and a second pattern not covered by the resist. The method includes supplying a resist-insoluble first chemical solution onto a semiconductor substrate to subject the second pattern to a chemical solution process. The method includes supplying a mixed liquid of a water repellency agent and a resist-soluble second chemical solution onto the semiconductor substrate after the supply of the first chemical solution, to form a water-repellent protective film on a surface of at least the second pattern and to release the resist. In addition, the method can rinse the semiconductor substrate using water after the formation of the water-repellent protective film, and dry the rinsed semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: The present invention is a transfer apparatus for a substrate, including a substrate housing container housing a substrate therein and having a transfer-in/out port for the substrate formed in a side surface thereof; a gas jet unit jetting a predetermined gas toward a rear surface of the substrate in the substrate housing container; and a control unit regulating a supply amount of the predetermined gas supplied from the gas jet unit to control the substrate in the substrate housing container to a predetermined height.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for cleaning a semiconductor substrate comprises supplying water vapor to a surface of a semiconductor substrate on which a concave-convex pattern is formed while heating the semiconductor substrate at a predetermined temperature, cooling the semiconductor substrate after stopping the heating and the supply of the water vapor and freezing water on the semiconductor substrate, after freezing the water, supplying pure water onto the semiconductor substrate and melting a frozen film, and after melting the frozen film, drying the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an etching method includes: supplying an etching-resistant material; and etching the silicon nitride film. The supplying includes supplying the etching-resistant material to a processing surface including a surface of a silicon nitride film and a surface of a non-etching film, the non-etching film including a material different from the silicon nitride film. The etching includes etching the silicon nitride film using an etchant in a state of the etching-resistant material being formed relatively more densely on the surface of the non-etching film than on the surface of the silicon nitride film.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a supercritical drying apparatus comprises a chamber being hermetically sealable and configured to store a semiconductor substrate, a heater configured to heat an inner side of the chamber, a supply unit configured to supply carbon dioxide to the chamber, a discharge unit configured to discharge carbon dioxide from the chamber, and a rotation unit configured to rotate the chamber by an angle equal to or greater than 90 degrees and equal to or smaller than 180 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a supercritical drying method for a semiconductor substrate comprises introducing a semiconductor substrate, a surface of the semiconductor substrate being wet with a water-soluble organic solvent, to the inside of a chamber, hermetically sealing the chamber and increasing a temperature inside the chamber to not lower than a critical temperature of the water-soluble organic solvent, thereby bringing the water-soluble organic solvent into a supercritical state, decreasing a pressure inside the chamber and changing the water-soluble organic solvent in the supercritical state to a gas, thereby discharging the water-soluble organic solvent from the chamber, starting a supply of an inert gas into the chamber as the pressure inside the chamber decreases to atmospheric pressure, and cooling the semiconductor substrate in a state where the inert gas exists inside the chamber.

Abstract: A template cleaning method for cleaning a template for nanoimprint, according to an embodiment of the present invention includes placing a wafer on a stage provided in a chamber, cleaning the wafer placed on the stage, inspecting the wafer for particles after the cleaning of the wafer, placing the template on the stage after the inspection of the wafer, and cleaning the template placed on the stage.

Abstract: Transferring plural semiconductor substrates under a state being held with predetermined intervals; holding the plural semiconductor substrates with roll brushes provided in plural pieces by each front side and back side of the plural semiconductor substrates, longitudinal directions of the roll brushes being oriented in parallel relative to the front side and the back side; and cleaning the plural semiconductor substrates by rotating the plural roll brushes.

Abstract: A pipe includes a cutout portion through which levers of a ring gear enter the pipe. An inner peripheral surface of the pipe opposing the cutout portion includes a curved inner peripheral surface in a curved portion of the pipe, a linear inner peripheral surface in a linear portion of the pipe, and a transition portion from the curved inner peripheral surface to the linear inner peripheral surface. The transition portion is located closer to a position where balls start to press the levers of the ring gear, than an intersection where an imaginary straight line ? extending from a cutout end portion of the cutout portion intersects an imaginary extension line of the inner peripheral surface of the linear portion of the pipe at a right angle.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a supercritical drying method comprises cleaning a semiconductor substrate with a chemical solution, rinsing the semiconductor substrate with pure water after the cleaning, changing a liquid covering a surface of the semiconductor substrate from the pure water to alcohol by supplying the alcohol to the surface after the rinsing, guiding the semiconductor substrate having the surface wetted with the alcohol into a chamber, discharging oxygen from the chamber by supplying an inert gas into the chamber, putting the alcohol into a supercritical state by increasing temperature in the chamber to a critical temperature of the alcohol or higher after the discharge of the oxygen, and discharging the alcohol from the chamber by lowering pressure in the chamber and changing the alcohol from the supercritical state to a gaseous state. The chamber contains SUS. An inner wall face of the chamber is subjected to electrolytic polishing.