Abstract: A cleaning apparatus includes: a cleaning tank that defines a cleaning space for cleaning a wafer; a wafer rotation mechanism that is arranged inside the cleaning tank and holds and rotates the wafer; a cleaning member that contacts and cleans a surface of the wafer, is rotatable around a central axis extending in a lateral direction, and has a length in an axial direction longer than a radius of the wafer; a swing mechanism that swings the cleaning member around a swing axis located inside the cleaning tank to move the cleaning member from a retracted position outside of the wafer to a cleaning position directly above the wafer; a second cleaning means that cleans the surface of the wafer; and a second swing mechanism that swings the second cleaning means around a second swing axis located inside the cleaning tank to pass directly above a center of the wafer.

Abstract: A computer-readable recording medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute a process, the process includes specifying occurrence frequencies of respective gradation values with regard to pixels included in image data and represented by gradation values of a predetermined bit count; extracting a predetermined number of gradation values from a gradation value having a high occurrence frequency in a descending order; generating correspondence information for performing bit conversion of the extracted gradation values into coded values of a bit count in accordance with the predetermined number; and encoding the image data by performing bit conversion of first pixels having any one of the predetermined number of gradation values among the pixels based on the correspondence information, and performing bit conversion of second pixels having any one of gradation values other than the predetermined number of gradation values among the pixels.

Abstract: An image processing method is performed by a computer, for determining that a line is a crack or something other than the crack. The method includes: extracting a linear region from an image of an object captured by an imaging apparatus; determining a luminosity change in a direction traversing the linear region at each of a plurality of positions separate in a longitudinal direction of the linear region; and identifying a type of the linear region based on the luminosity changes at the plurality of positions.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes (a) under a first process condition, supplying a purge gas containing hydrogen and oxygen to a process chamber from which an oxide film adhering to an internal member is removed by a cleaning gas containing a halogen element and exhausting the purge gas from the process chamber; and (b) under a second process condition differing from the first process condition, supplying the purge gas to the process chamber and exhausting the purge gas from the process chamber after performing (a), wherein the first process condition is a process condition under which reactivity of the halogen element, which remains within the process chamber when the cleaning gas is supplied to the process chamber, with the purge gas is higher than reactivity of the halogen element with the purge gas under the second process condition.

Abstract: A computer-readable recording medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute a process, the process includes specifying occurrence frequencies of respective gradation values with regard to pixels included in image data and represented by gradation values of a predetermined bit count; extracting a predetermined number of gradation values from a gradation value having a high occurrence frequency in a descending order; generating correspondence information for performing bit conversion of the extracted gradation values into coded values of a bit count in accordance with the predetermined number; and encoding the image data by performing bit conversion of first pixels having any one of the predetermined number of gradation values among the pixels based on the correspondence information, and performing bit conversion of second pixels having any one of gradation values other than the predetermined number of gradation values among the pixels.

Abstract: An image processing method is performed by a computer, for determining that a line is a crack or something other than the crack. The method includes: extracting a linear region from an image of an object captured by an imaging apparatus; determining a luminosity change in a direction traversing the linear region at each of a plurality of positions separate in a longitudinal direction of the linear region; and identifying a type of the linear region based on the luminosity changes at the plurality of positions.

Abstract: A film is efficiently formed by sufficiently supplying a source gas to substrates accommodated in a process chamber, and the uniformity of a film formed on the substrates is improved. A method of a semiconductor device manufacturing includes (a) supplying a source gas to an upper region of a process chamber through a first gas supply hole disposed at a front end of a first nozzle disposed in a lower region of the process chamber where the source gas is not pyrolyzed; (b) supplying the source gas to substrates disposed in the lower region and a middle region of the process chamber through a plurality of second gas supply holes of a second nozzle; and (c) supplying a reactive gas to substrates disposed in the lower region, the middle region and the upper region of the process chamber through a plurality of third gas supply holes of a third nozzle.

Abstract: A film is efficiently formed by sufficiently supplying a source gas to substrates accommodated in a process chamber, and the uniformity of a film formed on the substrates is improved. A method of a semiconductor device manufacturing includes (a) supplying a source gas to an upper region of a process chamber through a first gas supply hole disposed at a front end of a first nozzle disposed in a lower region of the process chamber where the source gas is not pyrolyzed; (b) supplying the source gas to substrates disposed in the lower region and a middle region of the process chamber through a plurality of second gas supply holes of a second nozzle; and (c) supplying a reactive gas to substrates disposed in the lower region, the middle region and the upper region of the process chamber through a plurality of third gas supply holes of a third nozzle.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes (a) under a first process condition, supplying a purge gas containing hydrogen and oxygen to a process chamber from which an oxide film adhering to an internal member is removed by a cleaning gas containing a halogen element and exhausting the purge gas from the process chamber; and (b) under a second process condition differing from the first process condition, supplying the purge gas to the process chamber and exhausting the purge gas from the process chamber after performing (a), wherein the first process condition is a process condition under which reactivity of the halogen element, which remains within the process chamber when the cleaning gas is supplied to the process chamber, with the purge gas is higher than reactivity of the halogen element with the purge gas under the second process condition.

Abstract: A communication device includes: a reception unit that receives a beacon signal including an identification number of a slave unit from a master unit; a first assignment unit that performs an assignment of a first communication interval for receiving a signal from the master unit based on the number of identification numbers included in the beacon signal; and a second assignment unit that performs an assignment of a second communication interval for transmitting a signal to the master unit within a rest of time calculated by subtracting the first communication interval and a non-communication interval, which is not used for a communication with the master unit, from a signal period which is a period of the beacon signal.

Abstract: A communication device includes: a reception unit that receives a beacon signal including an identification number of a slave unit from a master unit; a first assignment unit that performs an assignment of a first communication interval for receiving a signal from the master unit based on the number of identification numbers included in the beacon signal; and a second assignment unit that performs an assignment of a second communication interval for transmitting a signal to the master unit within a rest of time calculated by subtracting the first communication interval and a non-communication interval, which is not used for a communication with the master unit, from a signal period which is a period of the beacon signal.

Abstract: A centering apparatus for centering a disk about a center member such as a shaft or hub includes a plurality of pairs of actuator units. The actuator units of each of the pairs faces each other through the disk. Each of the actuator units has a member which moves linearly and can come into contact with the disk.

Abstract: A system for automating a process of organizing programming in which more popular Internet content is associated with an advertisement with a higher advertisement rate in a dynamic way. Such programming will enable viewers to listen to and watch contents and advertisements in a non-selective manner as in the case of telecasting. The system includes means for registering each content to be delivered to the user; means for registering each advertisement to be delivered to the user; means for organizing the programming in which the registered contents and advertisements are associated with one another according to the number of accesses to the content and the amount of payment for the advertisement; means for sending out programming information about the organized programming; and a player for reproducing the programming according to the programming information, so that the contents and the advertisements both forming the programming are offered to the user.

Abstract: A centering apparatus for centering a disk about a center member such as a shaft or hub includes a plurality of pairs of actuator units. The actuator units of each of the pairs faces each other through the disk. Each of the actuator units has a member which moves linearly and can come into contact with the disk.

Abstract: An ink jet head includes a pressure chamber, a vibration plate, and a piezoelectric element which is provided on the vibration plate and causes a volume displacement of the pressure chamber. The piezoelectric element has a thickness of 20 &mgr;m or less, and the pressure chamber and the piezoelectric element satisfy a relation V0/(L22b)>550×10−6, where V0 [m3] denotes a volume displacement of the pressure chamber when the piezoelectric element is driven, L2 [m] denotes a width of the piezoelectric element, and b [m] denotes a depth of the pressure chamber.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an ink jet head includes the following steps, wherein the ink jet head is provided with a plurality of pressure chambers arranged continuously, ink feed means for feeding ink into these pressure chambers, and ink ejecting means for ejecting ink from each pressure chamber via a nozzle, so as to feed and eject ink by a change in volume of each pressure chamber. First, a first metallic film is formed on both surfaces of at least one wall composing the pressure chamber perpendicular to an arranging direction of the plurality of pressure chambers, wherein the at least one wall is one wall of a piezoelectric element deformed when a voltage is impressed. Then, the first metallic film formed on one of the both surfaces of at lest one wall is removed to form an exposed surface of the wall of the piezoelectric element.