Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing method wherein the infrared absorptance or infrared transmittance of a substrate to be processed is measured in advance, and the substrate is processed according to the measured value while independently controlling temperatures at least in a first region located in the central part of the substrate and in a second region around the first region using temperature control means which are respectively provided for the first region and the second region and can be controlled independently from each other.

Abstract: The present invention provides a compound represented by the formula (I): (wherein R1 is a lower alkyl substituted by a lower alkoxy or a heterocyclic group, or a heterocyclic group; R2 is a lower alkyl optionally substituted by a phenyl; and R3 is a lower alkyl optionally substituted by a halogen, a lower alkoxy or a phenyl, or a fused polycyclic hydrocarbon group), which is well absorbed orally, exhibits durability of good blood level and has potent calpain inhibitory activity.

Abstract: Deterioration in characteristics of a MOS transistor due to bias instability caused in a stand-by mode is suppressed to prevent deterioration in circuit characteristics. An operational amplifier circuit according to this invention includes MOS transistors for connection that are connected between back gates of differential MOS transistors and their sources and a MOS transistor for biasing that is connected between a power supply potential and the back gates. One of the MOS transistors for connection is a P-channel type MOS transistor having a gate to which a stand-by signal STB is applied. Another of the MOS transistors for connection is an N-channel type MOS transistor having a gate to which the reverse stand-by signal STBB is applied. And the MOS transistor for biasing is a P-channel type MOS transistor having a gate to which the reverse stand-by signal STBB is applied.

Abstract: Deterioration in characteristics of a MOS transistor due to bias instability caused in a stand-by mode is suppressed to prevent deterioration in circuit characteristics. An operational amplifier circuit according to this invention includes MOS transistors for connection that are connected between back gates of differential MOS transistors and their sources and a MOS transistor for biasing that is connected between a power supply potential and the back gates. One of the MOS transistors for connection is a P-channel type MOS transistor having a gate to which a stand-by signal STB is applied. Another of the MOS transistors for connection is an N-channel type MOS transistor having a gate to which the reverse stand-by signal STBB is applied. And the MOS transistor for biasing is a P-channel type MOS transistor having a gate to which the reverse stand-by signal STBB is applied.

Abstract: This invention relates to a thermal processing method including: a placing step of placing an object to be processed onto a stage arranged in a processing container that can be vacuumed; and a heating step of heating the object to be processed to a predetermined temperature. The object to be processed is heated under a state in which a temperature distribution is maintained in such a manner that a temperature at a central portion of the object to be processed is high while a temperature at a peripheral portion of the object to be processed is low, during at least a part of the heating step.

Abstract: A halftone phase shift photomask having a sufficiently high transmittance for light of short wavelength and usable for high-resolution lithography effected by exposure using deep-ultraviolet+radiation, e.g., krypton fluoride excimer laser light. The halftone phase shift photomask has on a transparent substrate a halftone phase shift layer which includes at least one layer composed mainly of a chromium compound. The chromium compound contains at least fluorine atoms in addition to chromium atoms. A transmittance higher than a predetermined level can be obtained even in exposure carried out a relatively short wavelength. The photomask can be used for exposure using deep-ultraviolet+radiation, e.g., krypton fluoride excimer laser light (wavelength: 248 nm). Thus, high-resolution lithography can be realized. Since the photomask can be formed by approximately the same method as in the case of the conventional photomasks, it is possible to improve the yield and reduce the cost.

Abstract: An automatic control system controls a controlled variable serving as an object 2 to be controlled so that the object 2 approaches a predetermined target value, by means of an optimum regulator 4. The automatic control system include: a gain setting section 48 for setting a gain; a comparing section 48 for comparing the target value with the controlled variable serving as the object; and a weight control section 50 for weighting the gain set by the gain setting section so as to increase the weight from 0 to 1 within a predetermined period of time and for deriving a corrected manipulated variable in response to the time when a difference between the target value and the controlled variable comes within a range of a predetermined percentage of the target value, so that the corrected manipulated variable is added to the manipulated variable derived by the optimum regulator.

Abstract: A halftone phase shift photomask having a sufficiently high transmittance for light of short wavelength and usable for high-resolution lithography effected by exposure using deep-ultraviolet+radiation, e.g., krypton fluoride excimer laser light. The halftone phase shift photomask has on a transparent substrate a halftone phase shift layer which includes at least one layer composed mainly of a chromium compound. The chromium compound contains at least fluorine atoms in addition to chromium atoms. A transmittance higher than a predetermined level can be obtained even in exposure carried out at a relatively short wavelength. The photomask can be used for exposure using deep-ultraviolet+radiation, e.g., krypton fluoride excimer laser light (wavelength: 248 nm). Thus, high-resolution lithography can be realized. Since the photomask can be formed by approximately the same method as in the case of the conventional photomasks, it is possible to improve the yield and reduce the cost.

Abstract: A phase shift photomask capable of being produced by dry etching with adequate in-plane uniformity of pattern dimension even if there is a large difference in exposed area ratio between different areas on the mask. In a phase shift photomask having an area provided with a phase shift layer which practically shifts the phase relative to another area, a dummy etching pattern (13) for dry etch rate correction is provided in an area other than a pattern exposure area (9 and 10), or a dummy etching pattern for dry etch rate correction having a size less than the limit of resolution attained by transfer is provided in the pattern exposure area, thereby reducing the etch rate nonuniformity due to the pattern density variation in the process of dry etching the phase shift photomask, and thus providing a phase shift photomask of high accuracy.

Abstract: The invention relates a halftone phase shift photomask and a blank therefor, which enables the transmittance of a phase shift portion to be varied even after blank or photomask fabrication, can accommodate to a variety of patterns, and can be fabricated on a mass scale. The exposure light transmittance of a halftone phase shift layer is arbitrarily variable within the range of 1% to 50%, inclusive, by exposing the blank or photomask to a high temperature elevated to at least 150.degree. C., to an oxidizing atmosphere, or to a reducing atmosphere at a step that can provided independent of the steps for film-forming or photomask fabrication step. This enables the exposure light transmittance of the halftone phase shift layer to be changed to any desired value after blank or photomask fabrication, and so an optimal halftone phase shift photomask to be obtained depending on the size, area, location, shape, and the like of the transferred pattern.

Abstract: The invention relates to a phase shift photomask in which the peripheral region portion of a phase shift layer is removed by a relatively simple procedure and which has no or little defect and is inexpensive, a blank therefor, and a process for fabricating them. The process includes the steps of forming phase shift layer 23 all over the surface of one side of transparent substrate 21, and immersing only the peripheral region of substrate 21 in etching solution 25 to etch away the peripheral region of phase shift layer 23, whereby phase shift layer 27 is confined within an area smaller than that of substrate 21.

Abstract: The present invention relates particularly to a process for producing phase shift layer-containing photomasks, which can produce phase shift photomasks through a reduced or limited number of steps to reduce or limit the incidence of phase shifter pattern deficiencies or other defects and at lower costs as well.For instance, a photomask blank of the structure that a substrate is provided thereon with an electrically conductive layer and a light-shielding thin film in this order is used to coat a starting material for spin-on-glass uniformly on a light-shielding pattern formed thereon. A pattern is directly drawn on the coaxed-spin-on-glass layer with energy beams emanating from electron beam exposure hardware, etc., and the substrate is developed with a solvent after pattern drawing with energy beams to wash off an excessive spin-on-glass portion other than the spin-on-glass layer irradiated with the ionizing radiations. Finally, the post-development substrate is baked to form a phase shifter pattern.

Abstract: The present invention relates particularly to a process for producing phase shift layer-containing photomasks, which can produce phase shift photomasks through a reduced or limited number of steps to reduce or limit the incidence of phase shifter pattern deficiencies or other defects and at lower costs as well.For instance, a photomask blank of the structure that a substrate is provided thereon with an electrically conductive layer and a light-shielding thin film in this order is used to coat a starting material for spin-on-glass uniformly on a light-shielding pattern formed thereon. A pattern is directly drawn on the coated spin-on-glass layer with energy beams emanating from electron beam exposure hardware, etc., and the substrate is developed with a solvent after pattern drawing with energy beams to wash off an excessive spin-on-glass portion other than the spin-on-glass layer irradiated with the ionizing radiations. Finally, the post-development substrate is baked to form a phase shifter pattern.

Abstract: The invention relates a halftone phase shift photomask and a blank therefor, which enables the transmittance of a phase shift portion to be varied even after blank or photomask fabrication, can accommodate to a variety of patterns, and can be fabricated on a mass scale. The exposure light transmittance of a halftone phase shift layer is arbitrarily variable within the range of 1% to 50%, inclusive, by exposing the blank or photomask to a high temperature elevated to at least 150.degree. C., to an oxidizing atmosphere, or to a reducing atmosphere at a step that can provided independent of the steps for film-forming or photomask fabrication step. This enables the exposure light transmittance of the halftone phase shift layer to be changed to any desired value after blank or photomask fabrication, and so an optimal halftone phase shift photomask to be obtained depending on the size, area, location, shape, and the like of the transferred pattern.

Abstract: The invention provides a halftone phase shift photomask that is of much more simplified structure and so can be fabricated much more easily, which comprises a transparent substrate 10 and a single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer 11 that is formed on the surface thereof according to a predetermined pattern and is made up of a material of homogeneous composition, characterized in that:said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer has a film thickness d that is virtually equal to a value defined byd=.lambda./{2(n-1)}where .lambda. is the wavelength at which the photomask is used, and n is the index of refraction of the single layer, or that is an odd-numbered multiple of said value, and has a transmittance lying substantially in the range of 5 to 30%. The layer 11 may be made up of any of CrO.sub.x, CrN.sub.x, CrO.sub.x N.sub.y and CrO.sub.x N.sub.y C.sub.z.

Abstract: An overlying shifter type phase shift photomask used to produce semiconductor integrated circuits of high integration density, e.g. VLSI, ULSI, etc., which is capable of transferring fine-line patterns to a wafer by projection exposure. The photomask is produced by forming at least a light-blocking layer pattern or a combination of a light-blocking layer pattern and an etching stopper layer for a shifter layer on a transparent substrate, forming a shifter layer over the whole surface of the substrate, and then patterning the shifter layer to form a shifter layer pattern. The production method includes the step of polishing away unevenness on the surface of the shifter layer caused by a step which is produced by the light-blocking layer pattern, thereby leveling the surface of the shifter layer.

Abstract: The invention provides a phase shift photomask which includes an etching stopper layer transparent to ultraviolet illumination light and well resistant to etching as well as chemicals, acids, etc., and enables a phase shift angle to be controlled with high accuracy. In a phase shift photomask including a transparent substrate 210, and an etching stopper layer 202 and at least a phase shifter pattern 204 stacked on the substrate in this order, the etching stopper layer 202 is composed predominantly of hafnium oxide.

Abstract: A halftone phase shift photomask designed so that it is possible to shorten the photoengraving process, use a production line for a conventional photomask, prevent lowering of the contract between the transparent and semitransparent regions at a long wavelength in the visible region, which is used for inspection and measurement, and also prevent charge-up during electron beam exposure, and that ordinary physical cleaning process can be used for the halftone phase shift photomask. The halftone phase shift photomask has on a transparent substrate (1) a region which is semitransparent to exposure light and a region which is transparent to the exposure light so that the phase difference between light passing through the transparent region and light passing through the semitransparent region is substantially .pi. radians. A semitransparent film that constitutes the semitransparent region is arranged in the form of a multilayer film including layers (3, 4) of chromium or a chromium compound.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a phase shift photomask for which a film made of a material capable of providing an etching stopper layer that excels in etching selectivity and can interrupt etching surely and automatically, and provides a phase shift photomask at least comprising a substrate 30 and a phase shifter pattern made of a material composed mainly of silicon oxide that is provided on the surface of the substrate directly or with an opaque layer 37 interposed therebetween, said phase shift photomask being characterized in that the surface 30 is provided on the surface with an etching stopper layer 30 that comprises a mixture of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 with MgO, ZrO.sub.2, Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5 or HfO, or CrO.sub.x, CrN.sub.y, CrC.sub.z, CrO.sub.x N.sub.y, CrO.sub.x C.sub.z or CrO.sub.x N.sub.y C.sub.z, or MgF.sub.2-2x O.sub.y, CaF.sub.2-2x O.sub.y, LiF.sub.2-2x O.sub.y, BaF.sub.2-2x O.sub.y, La.sub.2 F.sub.6-2x O.sub.y or Ce.sub.2 F.sub.6-2x O.sub.

Abstract: A boring bar has a body formed with an axial cut at the portion near its tip to define a pair of cut-apart portions. Insert mounting portions are provided on mutually opposite ends of the cut-apart portions at a tip end of the cut. A dimension adjusting mechanism is provided at an intermediate portion of the cut-apart portions. A dimension adjusting mechanism is provided at an intermediate portion of the cut-apart portions to change a boring diameter between the tips of cutting edges of inserts mounted on the insert mounting portions by moving the cut-apart portions along surfaces of the cut. A fixing screw is provided between a tip of the cut-apart portions and the dimension adjusting mechanism to fix the cut-apart portions together after adjusting the dimensions.In another arrangement, another cut is formed in the bar body at its end opposite from the end on which the inserts are mounted. A covering member is mounted on the bar body to cover this cut.