Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus has a waveguide along which microwaves are propagated from a microwave generator to a plasma-forming region in a low-pressure processing chamber. The waveguide has a large cross-sectional area, to enable a large region of plasma to be achieved. Uniformity and stability of the plasma are improved by a mode restrictor which inhibits mixing of propagation modes which is otherwise liable to occur in a wide waveguide. The mode restrictor consists of electrically conductive dividers which divide the waveguide cross-section into an array of sub-guides before the plasma-forming region.

Abstract: A microwave penetrating window and a cavity which are substantially equal in diameter to a plasma generating chamber are successively connected to the plasma generating chamber and microwaves are introduced via the cavity into the plasma generating chamber. A processing gas in the plasma generating chamber is converted into a plasma by means of the microwaves introduced into the plasma generating chamber and the microwaves in specific modes are resonated in between a microwave reflective interface with the plasma generated in the plasma generating chamber and the reflective edge face of the cavity. The microwaves in the specific modes are thus formed in the cavity and the energy of the microwaves in the specific modes is increased by resonance. The boosted energy is added to the plasma and the plasma is densified accordingly. Moreover, a plasma excellent in uniformity and stability can be generated by resonating the microwaves in the specific modes in the presence of a uniform electromagnetic field.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating solid surface using a thermally excited molecular beam according to the present invention is capable of completely preventing flying of contaminant caused by a heating source to a sample. To achieve this, in the present invention, the heating source for exciting the molecules is hermetically separated from the sample. Alternatively, a container where the heating source is housed and a container where the sample is accommodated are separated such that a conductance between the two containers is sufficiently small. In this way, chemical reactions between the molecular beam of the reactive gas which is highly reactive and the heating source heated to high temperatures can be eliminated, and flying of the contaminant to the sample can thus be greatly reduced. As a result, flying of the contaminating substances caused by the heating source to the sample can be prevented, and reduction in the surface treating rate of the sample, caused by the contaminant, can be prevented.

Abstract: A surface processing method capable of processing the surface of a work at a high processing rate without damaging the surface of the work uses, in combination, a fast processing technique using charged particles and a moderate processing technique using neutral particles that scarcely damage the surface of the work, and a surface processing apparatus suitable for carrying out the surface processing method. In carrying out a surface treatment process, the substrate is processed in a moderate surface processing mode using neutral particles while the substrate is exposed substantially to charged particles, and the substrate is processed in a fast surface processing mode using charged particles while the substrate is not exposed substantially to charged particles to achieve the surface treatment process at a high processing rate without damaging the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus has a waveguide along which microwaves are propagated from a microwave generator to a plasma-forming region in a low-pressure processing chamber. The waveguide has a large cross-sectional area, to enable a large region of plasma to be achieved. Uniformity and stability of the plasma are improved by a mode restrictor which inhibits mixing of propagation modes which is otherwise liable to occur in a wide waveguide. The mode restrictor consists of electrically-conductive dividers which divide the waveguide cross-section into an array of sub-guides before the plasma-forming region.

Abstract: A method may be used to dry etch a sample including a plurality of regions different from each other in the photo-absorption of a light having a specified wavelength using an etching gas plasma. The method is capable of selectively etching the desired material from a plurality of materials having different types of band gap energies or from a plurality of materials having different band gap energies. The method includes a step of irradiating a light having the specified wavelength on the sample for reducing an etching rate of a region having a large photo-absorption coefficient to the light, thereby selectively etching a region having a small photo-absorption coefficient to the light.

Abstract: A process for producing fine cellulose particles, which comprises(1) mixing viscose with a water-soluble anionic polymeric compound or polyethylene glycol or its derivative to form a dispersion of fine particles of viscose,(2) (i) heating the dispersion or mixing it with a coagulating agent to thereby coagulate the viscose in the dispersion, and thereafter neutralizing it with an acid to form fine particles of cellulose, or (ii) coagulating and neutralizing the dispersion with an acid to form fine particles of cellulose, and(3) thereafter, separating the fine particles of cellulose from the mother liquor. The fine cellulose particles(a) are composed substantially of II-type cellulose,(b) have a crystallinity, of 5 to 35% by weight,(c) are composed substantially of particles of not more than 20 micrometers, and(d) have a sharp particle size distribution.

Abstract: A method of preventing damages of a semiconductor having an insulator film at its surface caused by holes induced in the insulator film and move to and are trapped at or near the interface between the insulator film and a substrate upon applying surface treatment for the surface of the semiconductor, as well as an apparatus suitable to practicing the method are disclosed. The surface treatment method comprises trapping to eliminate the holes in the insulator film by an electric field before the movement of the holes at or near the interface, neutralizing the induced holes by re-combination, or previously forming a hole trapping level in the insulator film thereby trapping the induced holes to the trapping level, etc.

Abstract: A first beam of light having a wavelength ranging from a soft X-ray to a vacuum ultraviolet region is focused into a thin beam of light and irradiated upon a surface of a specimen, and physical information obtained as a result of such irradiation is detected to obtain information of the surface of the specimen. A second beam of light is focused into a thin beam of light and irradiated at the irradiation spot of the first beam of light upon the surface of the specimen, and the position of the irradiation spot of the second beam of light on the surface of the specimen is visually observed to located the position of the irradiation point of the first beam of light on the surface of the specimen.

Abstract: This invention relates to ion-exchanged fine cellulose particles, porous fine cellulose particles which can be advantageously used as an affinity carrier, and methods of production thereof. These fine particles of the invention have the advantage that they possess excellent pressure-resistant strength and can treat treatment liquors under pressure at a high flowing velocity. Thus, they can be advantageously used industrially in various separation and purification processes.

Abstract: A surface measuring method and apparatus utilizes a low energy neutral particle (neutral atom, neutral molecule) controlled to be equal to or lower than 1 eV, which is caused to collide against the surface of a specimen. A neutral particle reflected at the specimen surface is detected, and its energy is measured to non-destructively measure the chemical bonding state of the specimen surface.

Abstract: Anisotropic etching can be obtained in the direction of the incident heated beam of reactive gas with the introduction of a second material for controlling reactivity.

Abstract: This invention relates to ion-exchanged fine cellulose particles, porous fine cellulose particles which can be advantageously used as an affinity carrier, and methods of production thereof. These fine particles of the invention have the advantage that they possess excellent pressure-resistant strength and can treat treatment liquors under pressure at a high flowing velocity. Thus, they can be advantageously used industrially in various separation and purification processes.

Abstract: Surface treatment is applied to a substrate by supplying thereto excited molecules in which the vibrational energy level is excited. SF.sub.6, O.sub.2, N.sub.2, etc., are used as the excited molecules and supplied to the substrate as beams. This method is particularly suitable for the surface treatment in the production of semiconductor devices.

Abstract: Disclosed are a surface treatment method and apparatus in which an active species beam that contains active species having translational energy in a range of 0.01-100 eV as at least a partial constituent thereof constructs at least a part of treatment means.

Abstract: Fine crosslinked cellulose particles, wherein (1) said cellulose particles are composed substantially of a II-type cellulose crystalline phase and a non-crystalline cellulose phase, (2) said cellulose particles have a crystallinity, determined by X-ray diffractometry, of 5 to 35%, (3) said cellulose particles consist substantially of spherical to elongated spherical particles having an average particle diameter of not more than 300 .mu.m, and (4) said cellulose particles having an exclusion limit molecular weight by polyethylene glycol of not more than 4,000. The particles may have crosslinkage among the cellulose molecular chains in the non-crystalline phase.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for analyzing a surface are disclosed, in which the intensity profile of a probe beam at the surface of a sample is measured, the intensity distribution of a detection signal along the surface of the sample is measured by scanning the surface of the sample with the probe beam, and mathematical transformation is carried out for each of the measured intensity profile and the measured signal-intensity distribution, to make surface analysis with high resolution.

Abstract: Fine crosslinked cellulose particles, wherein (1) said cellulose particles are composed substantially of a II-type cellulose crystalline phase and a non-crystalline cellulose phase, (2) said cellulose particles have a crystallinity, determined by X-ray diffractometry, of 5 to 35%, (3) said cellulose particles consist substantially of spherical to elongated spherical particles having an average particle diameter of not more than 300 .mu.m, and (4) said cellulose particles having an exclusion limit molecular weight by polyethylene glycol of not more than 4,000. The particles may have crosslinkage among the cellulose molecular chains in the non-crystalline phase.

Abstract: A surface treatment apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber, means for introducing a gas into the vacuum chamber, a gas furnace for heating and activating the gas while it is being introduced, apertures for injecting the heated gas, and a substrate stage for holding a substrate of which the surface is to be treated by the injected gas. The gas that is heated and activated is blown onto the surface of the substrate to treat the surface without causing the surface to be damaged. Therefore, the apparatus can be employed very effectively for a process for producing semiconductor elements.

Abstract: A process for producing fine cellulose particles, which comprises(1) mixing viscose with a water-soluble anionic polymeric compound or polyethylene glycol or its derivative to form a dispersion of fine particles of viscose,(2) (i) heating the dispersion or mixing it with a coagulating agent to thereby coagulate the viscose in the dispersion, and thereafter neutralizing it with an acid to form fine particles of cellulose, or (ii) coagulating and neutralizing the dispersion with an acid to form fine particles of cellulose, and(3) thereafter, separating the fine particles of cellulose from the motor liquor. The fine cellulose particles(a) are composed substantially of II-type cellulose,(b) have a crystallinity, of 5 to 35% by weight,(c) are composed substantially of particles of not more than 20 micrometers, and(d) have a sharp particle size distribution.