Abstract: Provided is a separator which can make the electric field on the surface of a negative electrode for a metal secondary battery homogeneous to thereby prevent the formation of dendrites. A porous separator for metal secondary batteries, which has a polymer electrolyte layer formed on the surface layer of at least one main surface of a porous polyimide film. It is preferred that the polymer electrolyte layer is composed of both a polymer electrolyte material which is supported on at least one main surface of the porous polyimide film and a polymer electrolyte material which is supported in voids in a layered region that extends from the main surface.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing, a secondary battery separator including a porous resin film in which pores have three-dimensionally ordered structure and are in mutual communication via through-holes. The method includes: uniformly dispersing spherical microparticles having narrow particle size distribution in a dispersion medium to prepare a microparticles-dispersed slurry; drying slurry to obtain a spherical microparticles-dispersed film; heat-treating the film to form a microparticles-resin film in which the microparticles are regularly arrayed in three-dimensions in a resin matrix; and contacting the microparticles-resin film with an organic acid, water, an alkaline solution or an inorganic acid other than hydrofluoric acid to dissolve and remove the microparticles, or heating the microparticles-resin film to remove the microparticles, to form pores which are in mutual communication and regularly arrayed in the resin matrix.

Abstract: Provided is a separator which can make the electric field on the surface of a negative electrode for a metal secondary battery homogeneous to thereby prevent the formation of dendrites. A porous separator for metal secondary batteries, which has a polymer electrolyte layer formed on the surface layer of at least one main surface of a porous polyimide film. It is preferred that the polymer electrolyte layer is composed of both a polymer electrolyte material which is supported on at least one main surface of the porous polyimide film and a polymer electrolyte material which is supported in voids in a layered region that extends from the main surface.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing, a secondary battery separator including a porous resin film in which pores have three-dimensionally ordered structure and are in mutual communication via through-holes. The method includes: uniformly dispersing spherical microparticles having narrow particle size distribution in a dispersion medium to prepare a microparticles-dispersed slurry; drying slurry to obtain a spherical microparticles-dispersed film; heat-treating the film to form a microparticles-resin film in which the microparticles are regularly arrayed in three-dimensions in a resin matrix; and contacting the microparticles-resin film with an organic acid, water, an alkaline solution or an inorganic acid other than hydrofluoric acid to dissolve and remove the microparticles, or heating the microparticles-resin film to remove the microparticles, to form pores which are in mutual communication and regularly arrayed in the resin matrix.

Abstract: A slit nozzle is positioned above a surface of a substrate placed in a rotary coater, and, while the slit nozzle is translated parallel to the surface of the substrate a coating solution is ejected from the slit nozzle toward the glass substrate under conditions such that the effects of surface tension of the solution are minimized or substantially cancelled out, to uniformly coat the coating solution on substantially the entire surface of the substrate with minimum wasting of the solution.

Abstract: A slit nozzle is positioned above a surface of a substrate placed in a rotary coater, and, while the slit nozzle is translated parallel to the surface of the substrate a coating solution is ejected from the slit nozzle toward the glass substrate under conditions such that the effects of surface tension of the solution are minimized or substantially cancelled out, to uniformly coat the coating solution on substantially the entire surface of the substrate with minimum wasting of the solution.

Abstract: A slit nozzle is positioned above an end of a glass substrate placed in an inner cup, and, while a coating solution is being ejected with reduced surface tension from the slit nozzle toward the glass substrate, the slit nozzle is translated parallel to the surface of the glass substrate to roughly coat the coating solution on substantially the entire surface of the glass substrate. Thereafter, the upper opening of the inner cup and the upper opening of an outer cup around the inner cup are closed by respective lids, and then the inner cup is rotated to rotate the glass substrate for thereby spreading the coated solution uniformly over the surface of the glass substrate under centrifugal forces.

Abstract: According to the invention disclosed, application liquid such as spin-on-glass (SOG) is dropped on the surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer having irregularities thereon and is dispersed on the substrate surface using a centrifugal force generated by rotating the substrate. The rotation of the substrate is performed in a first rotational action at a low speed and a second rotational action at a high speed, the first and second rotational actions being separated by a time interval. The second rotation may be at a constant speed. Alternatively, the rotational speed of the second rotational action may comprise rotation at an intermediate speed continuously followed by rotation at a higher speed. The time interval between the first and second rotational actions is ten times the duration of the first rotational action or longer. The duration of the second rotational action is three times that of the first rotational action or longer.

Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning a slit-like nozzle having an opening of a predetermined breadth for discharging liquid paint, with uniformity and with a small amount of cleaning liquid, wherein under a condition that a nozzle N is mounted on receiver plates 4, 4, a substantially air-tight space is formed, and a gas supply conduit is opened at one end of a cleaning portion 2 in the direction of the breadth of the nozzle, and an exhaust conduit 7 is opened at the other end thereof, being disposed in a vicinity of the gas supply conduit, so as to supply the cleaning liquid into the air-tight space. Then, since the air inside of the air-tight space is extracted from the exhaust conduit 7, the gas supplied from the one end flows towards the exhaust conduit 7 at the other end. The cleaning liquid contacts with the surface of the nozzle so as to dissolve and wash away any liquid paint adhering thereon.

Abstract: A coating nozzle includes an elongate nozzle body having a coating solution reservoir defined longitudinally therein for being supplied with a coating solution from an external coating solution supply. The elongate nozzle body also has a coating solution holder defined therein and opening away from the coating solution reservoir, for holding a coating solution against falling off as droplets under surface tension of the coating solution. A plurality of passages are defined in the elongate nozzle body and held in communication with the coating solution reservoir and the coating solution holder, for supplying the coating solution from the coating solution reservoir to the coating solution holder.

Abstract: A rotating cup type liquid supply device comprises an inner cup 3, a vacuum chuck 5 disposed in the center of a bottom surface of the inner cup 3 for holding thereon a planar material W to be treated, and a tray 7 fixed onto the bottom surface of the inner cup 3 for substantially surrounding the planar material W held by the vacuum chuck 5. The tray is of a substantially rectangular shape in plan view and includes an tapered wall portion 9 turned inwardly along a circumferential wall portion thereof for defining an upper opening 8 of the tray 7. The tray 7 further includes a plurality of drain guiding conduits 10 each extending at a predetermined angle outwardly from an outer peripheral portion thereof. Also, the tray can be provided thereon with the cover having an opening slightly larger than the planar material W.

Abstract: A coating nozzle includes an elongate nozzle body having a coating solution reservoir defined longitudinally therein for being supplied with a coating solution from an external coating solution supply. The elongate nozzle body also has a coating solution holder defined therein and opening away from the coating solution reservoir, for holding a coating solution against falling off as droplets under surface tension of the coating solution. A plurality of passages are defined in the elongate nozzle body and held in communication with the coating solution reservoir and the coating solution holder, for supplying the coating solution from the coating solution reservoir to the coating solution holder. The arrangement of the reservoir, the solution holder and the passages in the elongate nozzle body assures that a uniform layer of coating solution is deposited by the nozzle on a surface of a planar substrate.

Abstract: A vacuum chuck and an inner cup are rotated together by a spinner for spreading and coating a coating solution uniformly on a glass substrate in the inner cup under centrifugal forces. Under the centrifugal forces, gases that are present inward of a rectangular ridge in the inner cup are forced to flow outwardly through a gap between the rectangular ridge and a flow-rectifying plate 42 and also through holes defined in the rectangular ridge. Therefore, turbulent flows and pressure fluctuations are minimized in a space defined inward of the rectangular ridge, i.e., a space which accommodates the glass substrate placed on a bottom surface of the inner cup inwardly of the rectangular ridge. The coating solution applied to the upper surface of the glass substrate is allowed to form a uniform film thereon.

Abstract: The invention disclosed defined a vertically extending passage through the rotary center of an inner cup or the rotary center of a spinner in a notary chemical treater, disposes a stationary cleaning fluid nozzle in the passage, and injects the cleaning fluid from the nozzle to clean a lid of the rotary chemical treater and the underside of an object treatment within the treater. The underside of the lid and the underside of the objective part are efficiently cleaned, and the need for sealing the movable parts against the cleaning fluid is eliminated because the nozzle is stationary, ensuring the prevention of the cleaning fluid from leaking.

Abstract: When a cylinder unit is actuated to extent its rod upwardly, a chuck is lifted above an inner cup to receive a planar workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate. The chuck is now disengaged from the inner cup, and a stopper locks the chuck against rotation. After the planar workpiece has been supported on the chuck, the cylinder unit is actuated to retract its rod, bringing the chuck into its lowered position. The chuck is now engaged by the inner cup for corotation. Energization of a motor rotates the inner cup, which then rotates the chuck. Since the inner cup, which has a relatively large rotational inertia, is driven by the motor, interengaging portions of the inner cup and the chuck are less susceptible to damage.

Abstract: A solution applying apparatus has inner and outer cups each having an upper opening, the inner cup being rotatably disposed in the outer cup. The inner cup houses a planar workpiece such as a glass substrate therein which is to be coated with a coating solution such as a resist solution. The solution applying apparatus also has a lid assembly having an outer cup lid for closing the upper opening of the outer cup and an inner cup lid for closing the upper opening of the inner cup, the inner cup lid being rotatable with respect to the outer cup lid. The inner cup has drain holes defined in an outer circumferential portion thereof for providing communication between a space within the inner cup and a space outside of the inner cup to drain an excessive coating solution from the inner cup. The outer cup has an annular collection passage defined therein along the outer circumferential portion of the inner cup, the drain holes opening into the annular collection passage.

Abstract: A glass substrate is supported on a pedestal in a rotatable cup having an upper opening. The pedestal, which is substantially similar in shape to the glass substrate, has a ridge extending along an outer peripheral edge of an upper surface thereof, for engaging an outer peripheral edge of a lower surface of the glass substrate. After a resist solution to be coated on the glass substrate is applied to an upper surface thereof, the upper opening of the rotatable cup is closed by a cover, and then the rotatable cup is rotated to spread the applied resist solution uniformly over the upper surface under centrifugal forces. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises an inner rotatable cup and an outer rotatable cup, each with its own separate cover. In another embodiment, a pedestal is mounted on the bottom of the inner cup having a vacuum chuck movable therein.

Abstract: A cleaning device has a pair of diametrically opposite nozzles spaced across a rotatable chuck from each other for alternately applying a cleaning solution to the reverse side of a workpiece. The rotatable chuck with the workpiece held thereon is rotated by a reversible motor alternatively in opposite directions such that the cleaning solution is ejected from one of the nozzles while the rotatable chuck is being rotated in one of the opposite directions by the reversible motor, and the cleaning solution is ejected from the other of the nozzles while the rotatable chuck is being rotated in the other of the opposite directions by the reversible motor. The nozzles have respective axes along which the cleaning solution is ejected, the axes extending symmetrically with respect to a line passing through the center of the rotatable chuck perpendicularly to a line connecting the pair of nozzles.

Abstract: A plurality of workpieces are supported on a workpiece holder disposed over an opening defined in a horizontal base plate and connected to an evacuating device. A reaction chamber, which is supported on an arm of a lifting and lowering device, is vertically movable with respect to the base plate between a lowered position in which the reaction chamber defines a closed space which accommodates the workpieces therein and a lifted position in which the workpieces are exposed out of the reaction chamber. A heating device, which is supported on an arm of another lifting and lowering device, is vertically movable with respect to the base plate between a lowered position in which the heating device surrounds the reaction chamber and a lifted position in which the reaction chamber is exposed out of the heating device.

Abstract: A coating apparatus comprises a spinning chuck rotatably supported within an enclosure and securely holding a substrate thereon. A coating material is applied onto the surface of the substrate and distributed over the substrate by centrifugal forces. An annular air duct is disposed in surrounding and spaced relation to the spinning chuck, and a disk is placed between the air duct and the spinning chuck and has a plurality of guide vanes. Fans are provided in the air duct to develop a positive flow of air over the substrate. The flow of air is guided by the guide vanes in a direction identical to the direction of rotation of the substrate so as to eliminate undesirable deposition from the end edges of the substrate.