Abstract: A mining riser pipe is extended toward a water bottom, and a lower portion of an insertion pipe connected to a lower portion of the mining riser pipe is inserted into the water bottom. A liquid is supplied into the insertion pipe, and a rotation shaft extends inside both pipes and stirring blades attached to a lower portion of the rotation shaft are rotated inside the insertion pipe, thereby drilling and dissolving mud inside the insertion pipe into a slurry. Then, the mud S is raised to an upper portion of the insertion pipe by a stirring flow generated by the stirring blades, and the raised mud slurry is lifted above the water through the mining riser pipe 2, and a rotation speed of the stirring blades is lower in an initial process at an early stage of the drilling than in a subsequent process.

Abstract: A method for recovering rare-earth mud including steps of: (A) penetrating a mud gathering pipe into a layer containing rare-earth mud under the seafloor, (B) preparing a slurry containing a rare earth by loosening rare-earth mud in the mud gathering pipe, and (C) transferring the slurry through a mud raising pipe. A rare-earth mud recovery system including: a mud gathering pipe configured to penetrate into a layer containing rare-earth mud under a seafloor; a stirring device configured to loosen rare-earth mud in the mud gathering pipe; and a mud raising pipe connected to the mud gathering pipe.

Abstract: A lock plug (7A) is inserted into a plug installation position of an insertion hole (5a) of a tool stem (5) connected to a drill string (10), and when a fluid has flowed to the insertion hole (5a), a stopper (62) protrudes radially outward from a tool body (6) and is locked to a subsea wellhead (4) and an internal stopper (66) protrudes radially inward from the tool body (6) and is locked to the tool stem (5) in a lock state. An unlock plug is inserted into the plug installation position of the insertion hole (5a), and when the fluid has flowed into the insertion hole (5a), the stopper (62) is separated from the subsea wellhead (4) and the internal stopper (66) is separated from the tool stem (5) to release the lock state.

Abstract: The submarine drilling support system includes a first guide support part that has a ring shape, has a plurality of rollers of which roller axes are directed to a horizontal direction and is arranged along a circumferential direction going around a rotation support axis parallel to a vertical direction, and is provided to allow the drill pipe to be inserted through in the vertical direction; and a first rotation holding part that is configured to support the first guide support part so as to be rotatable in the circumferential direction. The pluralities of rollers are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction and are arranged in a state where the drill pipe is able to insert through a space surrounded by the plurality of rollers.

Abstract: A lock plug (7A) is inserted into a plug installation position of an insertion hole (5a) of a tool stem (5) connected to a drill string (10), and when a fluid has flowed to the insertion hole (5a), a stopper (62) protrudes radially outward from a tool body (6) and is locked to a subsea wellhead (4) and an internal stopper (66) protrudes radially inward from the tool body (6) and is locked to the tool stem (5) in a lock state. An unlock plug is inserted into the plug installation position of the insertion hole (5a), and when the fluid has flowed into the insertion hole (5a), the stopper (62) is separated from the subsea wellhead (4) and the internal stopper (66) is separated from the tool stem (5) to release the lock state.

Abstract: The submarine drilling support system includes a first guide support part that has a ring shape, has a plurality of rollers of which roller axes are directed to a horizontal direction and is arranged along a circumferential direction going around a rotation support axis parallel to a vertical direction, and is provided to allow the drill pipe to be inserted through in the vertical direction; and a first rotation holding part that is configured to support the first guide support part so as to be rotatable in the circumferential direction. The pluralities of rollers are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction and are arranged in a state where the drill pipe is able to insert through a space surrounded by the plurality of rollers.

Abstract: A power generation system includes a hydrothermal fluid well including a drilled hole reaching down to a hydrothermal fluid reservoir present below an ocean floor from an ocean floor surface and a casing installed in the drilled hole through a guide base on the ocean floor surface, an anode provided on a flow channel for hot water formed by the hydrothermal fluid well, a cathode provided in seawater other than the flow channel for hot water formed by the hydrothermal fluid well, and an ocean floor device that is connected with the anode and the cathode respectively and extracts generated power so as to operate. Power is easily and stably supplied on the ocean floor.

Abstract: A recovery method for recovering mineral resources from a hydrothermal fluid reservoir present beneath the ocean floor includes the steps of: (A) providing a hydrothermal fluid well by drilling a hole reaching a hydrothermal fluid reservoir from an ocean floor surface via a guide base on the ocean floor surface, and then installing a casing in the drilled hole via the guide base; (B) precipitating minerals on a mineral-culturing device by installing the mineral-culturing device on the base guide so as to cover a well head of the hydrothermal fluid well, and bringing hot water ejecting from the well head into contact with sea water on the mineral-culturing device; and (C) recovering minerals precipitated on the mineral-culturing device together with the mineral-culturing device.

Abstract: A vaporizing unit, in supplying a gas material produced by vaporizing a liquid material onto a substrate to conduct a film forming process, can vaporize the liquid material with high efficiency to suppress generation of particles. With the vaporizing unit, positively or negatively charged bubbles, which have a diameter of 1000 nm or less, are produced in the liquid material, and the liquid material is atomized to form a mist of the liquid material. Further, the mist of the liquid material is heated and vaporized. The fine bubbles are uniformly dispersed in advance in the liquid material, so that very fine and uniform mist particles of the liquid material are produced when the liquid material is atomized, which makes heat exchange readily conducted. By vaporizing the mist of the liquid material, vaporization efficiency is enhanced, and generation of particles can be suppressed.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a first electrode and a second electrode so arranged in the upper portion of a processing chamber as to face a mounting table, a gas supply unit for supplying a processing gas between the first electrode and the second electrode, a RF power supply unit for applying a RF power between the first electrode and the second electrode for converting the process gas supplied between the electrodes into a plasma, and a gas exhaust unit for evacuating the inside of the processing chamber to a vacuum level from the lower portion of the processing chamber. Since the electron temperature in the plasma is low near a substrate on the mounting table, damage to the substrate caused by the plasma can be suppressed. In addition, since a metal can be used as a material for the processing chamber, the processing chamber can have good temperature controllability.

Abstract: The invention is a recovery method for recovering mineral resources from a hydrothermal fluid reservoir present beneath the ocean floor, the recovery method including the steps of: (A) providing a hydrothermal fluid well by drilling a hole reaching a hydrothermal fluid reservoir from an ocean floor surface via a guide base on the ocean floor surface, and then installing a casing in the drilled hole via the guide base; (B) precipitating minerals on the mineral-culturing device by installing a mineral-culturing device on the base guide so as to cover a well head of the hydrothermal fluid well, and bringing hot water ejecting from the well head into contact with sea water on the mineral-culturing device; and (C) recovering minerals precipitated on the mineral-culturing device together with the mineral-culturing device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid processing apparatus that processes a substrate with a processing liquid. The processing apparatus includes: a substrate holder configured to hold the substrate; a processing liquid supply unit configured to supply the processing liquid to the substrate held by the substrate holder; a rinsing liquid supply unit configured to supply a rinsing liquid to the substrate; and a light emitting element configured to emit light of a wavelength range, which is absorbed only by the substrate, and irradiate the emitted light to the substrate.

Abstract: A conveyance device, which conveys wafers in a casing 30, includes a primary blowing fan 17 that generates airflow within the casing 30 in a first direction; a discharge opening 26 that is located at a downstream side of the airflow generated by the primary blowing fan 17, is interconnected with the interior of the casing 30, and discharges gases at the interior of the casing 30 outside of the casing 30; a base 18d that is supported by a gate-shaped conveyance arm 22 disposed within the casing 30 and moves within the casing 30 at the upstream side of the discharge opening 26 and at the downstream side of the primary blowing fan 17; an end effector 21 that is located at the base 18d and that carries wafers; and a blowing fan 19 that is located at the base and that generates airflow in the first direction.

Abstract: A conveyance device, which conveys wafers in a casing 30, includes a primary blowing fan 17 that generates airflow within the casing 30 in a first direction; a discharge opening 26 that is located at a downstream side of the airflow generated by the primary blowing fan 17, is interconnected with the interior of the casing 30, and discharges gases at the interior of the casing 30 outside of the casing 30; a base 18d that is supported by a gate-shaped conveyance arm 22 disposed within the casing 30 and moves within the casing 30 at the upstream side of the discharge opening 26 and at the downstream side of the primary blowing fan 17; an end effector 21 that is located at the base 18d and that carries wafers; and a blowing fan 19 that is located at the base and that generates airflow in the first direction.

Abstract: A film forming device forms a thin film on a substrate by reacting reaction gases in a process vessel. Electrode portions each oriented vertically are arranged to be spaced from each other in a horizontal direction. By applying high-frequency powers having different phases to adjacent electrode portions, a strong plasma generation space is formed above the substrate placed on a mounting table, while a weak plasma generation space is formed in the gap between the electrode portions and the substrate. A first reaction gas is supplied to the strong plasma generation space and a second reaction gas that forms the thin film by reacting with the active species of the first reaction gas is supplied to the weak plasma generation space. The reaction gases in the weak plasma generation space are discharged through exhaust channels.

Abstract: A vaporizing unit, in supplying a gas material produced by vaporizing a liquid material onto a substrate to conduct a film forming process, can vaporize the liquid material with high efficiency to suppress generation of particles. With the vaporizing unit, positively or negatively charged bubbles, which have a diameter of 1000 nm or less, are produced in the liquid material, and the liquid material is atomized to form a mist of the liquid material. Further, the mist of the liquid material is heated and vaporized. The fine bubbles are uniformly dispersed in advance in the liquid material, so that very fine and uniform mist particles of the liquid material are produced when the liquid material is atomized, which makes heat exchange readily conducted. By vaporizing the mist of the liquid material, vaporization efficiency is enhanced, and generation of particles can be suppressed.

Abstract: Techniques disclosed herein include apparatus and processes for generating a plasma having a uniform electron density across an electrode used to generate the plasma. An upper electrode (hot electrode), of a capacitively coupled plasma system can include structural features configured to assist in generating the uniform plasma. Such structural features define a surface shape, on a surface that faces the plasma. Such structural features can include a set of concentric rings having an approximately rectangular cross section, and protruding from the surface of the upper electrode. Such structural features can also include nested elongated protrusions having a cross-sectional size and shape, with spacing of the protrusions selected to result in a system that generates a uniform density plasma.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a first electrode and a second electrode so arranged in the upper portion of a processing chamber as to face a mounting table, a gas supply unit for supplying a processing gas between the first electrode and the second electrode, a RF power supply unit for applying a RF power between the first electrode and the second electrode for converting the process gas supplied between the electrodes into a plasma, and a gas exhaust unit for evacuating the inside of the processing chamber to a vacuum level from the lower portion of the processing chamber. Since the electron temperature in the plasma is low near a substrate on the mounting table, damage to the substrate caused by the plasma can be suppressed. In addition, since a metal can be used as a material for the processing chamber, the processing chamber can have good temperature controllability.

Abstract: Techniques disclosed herein include apparatus and processes for generating plasma having a uniform electron density across an electrode used to generate the plasma. An upper electrode of a capacitively coupled plasma system can include structural features configured to assist in generating the uniform plasma. Such structural features define a surface shape, on a surface that faces the plasma. Such structural features can include a set of concentric rings having an approximately rectangular cross section, and protruding from the surface of the upper electrode. Such structural features can also include nested elongated protrusions having a cross-sectional size and shape, with spacing of the protrusions selected to result in a system that generates uniform density plasma. A dielectric member or sheet can be positioned on the structural features to prevent or inhibit erosion from plasma while still maintaining plasma uniformity.

Abstract: A disclosed film deposition apparatus includes a process chamber inside which a reduced pressure space is maintained; a gas supplying portion that supplies a film deposition gas to the process chamber; a substrate holding portion that is made of a material including carbon as a primary constituent and holds a substrate in the process chamber; a coil that is arranged outside the process chamber and inductively heats the substrate holding portion; and a thermal insulation member that covers the substrate holding portion and is arranged to be separated from the process chamber, wherein the reduced pressure space is separated into a film deposition gas supplying space to which the film deposition gas is supplied and a thermal insulation space defined between the substrate holding portion and the process chamber, and wherein a cooling medium is supplied to the thermal insulation space.