Abstract: An optical recording medium includes a substrate, a light transmission layer and a recording layer formed between the substrate and the light transmission layer, the recording layer containing at least one simple substance of a metal element M selected from a group consisting of Zn and La and an element X selected from a group consisting of S and O which can combine with the metal element M to form a compound of the element X with the metal element M and the optical recording medium being constituted so that upon being irradiated with a laser beam for recording data, a crystal of the compound of the element X with the metal element M is formed and grows to form a crystal region thereof. According to the thus constituted optical recording medium, a reproduced signal having a good C/N ratio can be obtained when data recorded in the recording layer are reproduced.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plating apparatus for a substrate which can plate a substrate under uniform pressure without increasing a load to be applied while holding the entire surface of a porous member in contact with the surface, to be plated, of the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electroless plating apparatus which can reduce an amount of a plating liquid to be used, maintain a stable plating process, be downsized, reduce an apparatus cost, form a film having a uniform thickness over an entire surface, and prevent a plating liquid from being deteriorated due to a temperature rise. The present invention comprises: a holding device for holding a substrate with a surface, to be plated, facing upwardly; a plating liquid holding mechanism for sealing a periphery of the surface, to be plated, of the substrate held by the holding device; an electroless plating treatment liquid supply device for supplying an electroless plating liquid to the surface, to be plated, of the substrate sealed by the plating liquid holding mechanism to allow supplied electroless plating liquid to be held on the substrate; and a heating apparatus provided below the substrate.

Abstract: An acid copper plating solution comprises copper ions, an organic acid or an inorganic acid, chloride ions, a high molecular weight surfactant that controls the electrodeposition reaction, and a sulfur-containing saturated organic compound that promotes the electrocoating rate. The high molecular weight surfactant comprises two or more types of surfactants with different hydrophobicities. The plating solution is used for forming a plating film on a conductor layer.

Abstract: A plating apparatus is used for filling a fine interconnect pattern formed in a substrate with metal to form interconnects. The plating apparatus includes a cathode unit having a seal member for hermetically sealing a peripheral portion of a surface, to be plated, of the substrate and a cathode electrode which is brought into contact with the substrate to supply current to the substrate; an electrode head disposed so as to be movable toward and away from the surface to be plated and having an anode and a porous member with water retentivity at upper and lower parts of the electrode head; a pressing mechanism for pressing the porous member against the surface, to be plated, of the substrate under a desired pressure; and a driving mechanism for making a relative motion between the porous member and the substrate while the porous member and the surface, to be plated, of the substrate are brought into contact with each other.

Abstract: A substrate processing method comprising steps for forming a copper film on a surface of a substrate. These steps includes the step of filling a first metal in the trenches so as to form a plated film of the first metal on an entire surface of the substrate by electroplating, wherein the electromagnetic field is adjusted by the virtual anode so that differences of thickness of the plated film between the central portion and the peripheral portion of the substrate being minimized, and polishing and removing the plated film by pressing the substrate to the polishing surface, wherein the pressures pressing the substrate to the polishing surface at a central portion and a peripheral portion are adjusted.

Abstract: A plating apparatus is used for filling a fine interconnect pattern formed in the substrate with metal to form interconnects. The plating apparatus includes a substrate holder for holding a substrate, a cathode portion including a sealing member for contacting a peripheral portion of a surface, to be plated, of the substrate held by said substrate holder to seal said peripheral portion water-tightly, and a cathode for contacting the substrate to supply current to the substrate, an anode vertically movably disposed so as to face the surface, to be plated, of the substrate, and a porous member disposed between said anode and the surface, to be plated, of the substrate, said porous member being made of a water-retentive material, wherein said porous member has at least a hydrophilic substrate-facing surface which faces the surface, to be plated, of the substrate.

Abstract: An electrolytic solution control method can control the composition of an electrolytic solution efficiently with high precision, and can remove a partially decomposed product of an organic component from an electrolytic solution. The electrolytic solution control method includes storing an electrolytic solution containing an organic component and an inorganic component in an electrolytic solution storage tank while controlling and keeping the electrolytic solution at a predetermined composition, adjusting an inorganic component of the waste electrolytic solution after use in electrolytic processing in an electrolytic processing apparatus, and then returning the waste electrolytic solution to the electrolytic solution storage tank.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plating method which can embed copper in interconnect recesses, such as vias and interconnect trenches, having an opening width or size of several tens of ?m and an aspect ratio of at least 1.5. The plating method comprises: providing a substrate having interconnect recesses, whose surfaces are covered with a conductive layer, formed in a surface of the substrate; bringing the surface of the substrate into contact with a plating solution containing copper ions, an organic or inorganic acid, chloride ions, a polymeric surfactant for suppressing electrodeposition, a sulfur-containing saturated organic compound for promoting the growth of a plated film, and a nitrogen-containing polymer for flattening a surface of the plated film; and applying a voltage between the conductive layer and an anode immersed in the plating solution.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium which is capable of performing high-density recording of record data, and storing the recorded data for a long time period such that the recorded data can be normally reproduced during the long time period. An optical information recording medium has a recording layer formed on a substrate, for having a laser beam irradiated thereto for recording and reproduction of record data. The recording layer includes a first sub-recording film and a second sub-recording film. The first sub-recording film is formed of a first material containing Si as the main component. The second sub-recording film is formed of a second material containing Cu as the main component and having Zn added thereto, and disposed in the vicinity of the first recording film.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium which makes it possible to reduce the noise level, improve the C/N ratio and store record data for a long time period. An optical information recording medium has a recording layer formed on a substrate, for having a laser beam irradiated thereto for recording and reproduction of record data. The recording layer includes a first sub-recording film and a second sub-recording film. The first sub-recording film is formed of a first material containing Si as the main component. The second sub-recording film is formed of a second material containing Al as the main component and having Au added thereto, and disposed in the vicinity of the first recording film. The laser beam is irradiated to the recording layer via a light transmitting layer formed in a manner covering the recording layer side.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium which is capable of performing high-density recording of record data, and storing the recorded data for a long time period such that the recorded data can be normally reproduced during the long time period. An optical information recording medium has a recording layer formed on a substrate, for having a laser beam irradiated thereto for recording and reproduction of record data. The recording layer includes a first sub-recording film and a second sub-recording film. The first sub-recording film is formed of a first material containing Si as the main component. The second sub-recording film is formed of a second material containing Cu as the main component and having Mg added thereto, and disposed in the vicinity of the first recording film.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium which makes it possible to reduce the noise level and improve the C/N ratio. An optical information recording medium has a recording layer formed on a substrate, for having a laser beam irradiated thereto for recording and reproduction of record data. The recording layer includes a first sub-recording film and a second sub-recording film. The first sub-recording film is formed of a first material containing Si as the main component. The second sub-recording film is formed of a second material containing Zn as the main component and having Cu added thereto, and disposed in the vicinity of the first recording film. The laser beam is irradiated to the recording layer via a light transmitting layer formed in a manner covering the recording layer side.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium which is capable of performing high-density recording of record data, and storing the recorded data for a long time period such that the recorded data can be normally reproduced during the long time period. An optical information recording medium has a recording layer formed on a substrate, for having a laser beam irradiated thereto for recording and reproduction of record data. The recording layer includes a first sub-recording film and a second sub-recording film. The first sub-recording film is formed of a first material containing Si as the main component. The second sub-recording film is formed of a second material containing Cu as the main component and having Au added thereto, and disposed in the vicinity of the first recording film.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium which makes it possible to reduce the noise level, improve the C/N ratio and store record data for a long time period. An optical information recording medium has a recording layer formed on a substrate, for having a laser beam irradiated thereto for recording and reproduction of record data. The recording layer includes a first sub-recording film and a second sub-recording film. The first sub-recording film is formed of a first material containing Si as the main component. The second sub-recording film is formed of a second material containing Al as the main component and having Ti added thereto, and disposed in the vicinity of the first recording film. The laser beam is irradiated to the recording layer via a light transmitting layer formed in a manner covering the recording layer side.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium which makes it possible to reduce the noise level, improve the C/N ratio and store record data for a long time period. An optical information recording medium has a recording layer formed on a substrate, for having a laser beam irradiated thereto for recording and reproduction of record data. The recording layer includes a first sub-recording film and a second sub-recording film. The first sub-recording film is formed of a first material containing Si as the main component. The second sub-recording film is formed of a second material containing Al as the main component and having Cu added thereto, and disposed in the vicinity of the first recording film. The laser beam is irradiated to the recording layer via a light transmitting layer formed in a manner covering the recording layer side.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electroless plating apparatus which can reduce an amount of a plating liquid to be used, maintain a stable plating process, be downsized, reduce an apparatus cost, form a film having a uniform thickness over an entire surface, and prevent a plating liquid from being deteriorated due to a temperature rise. The present invention comprises: a holding device for holding a substrate with a surface, to be plated, facing upwardly; a plating liquid holding mechanism for sealing a periphery of the surface, to be plated, of the substrate held by the holding device; an electroless plating treatment liquid supply device for supplying an electroless plating liquid to the surface, to be plated, of the substrate sealed by the plating liquid holding mechanism to allow supplied electroless plating liquid to be held on the substrate; and a heating apparatus provided below the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plating apparatus which uses an insoluble anode and which can perform plating of a substrate stably while preventing oxygen gas, generated due to the use of the insoluble anode, from causing defects in the substrate.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium which makes it possible to reduce the noise level and improve the C/N ratio. An optical information recording medium has a recording layer formed on a substrate, for having a laser beam irradiated thereto for recording and reproducing record data. The recording layer includes a first sub-recording film and a second sub-recording film. The first sub-recording film is formed of a first material containing Si as a main component. The second sub-recording film is formed of a second material containing Zn as a main component and having Al added thereto, and disposed in the vicinity of the first recording film. The laser beam is irradiated to the recording layer via a light transmitting layer formed in a manner covering the recording layer.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium which makes it possible to reduce the noise level and improve the C/N ratio and store record data for a long time period. An optical information recording medium has a recording layer formed on a substrate, for having a laser beam irradiated thereto for recording and reproduction of record data. The recording layer includes a first sub-recording film and a second sub-recording film. The first sub-recording film is formed of a first material containing Si as a main component. The second sub-recording film is formed of a second material containing Al as a main component and having Mg added thereto, and disposed in the vicinity of the first recording film. The laser beam is irradiated to the recording layer via a light transmitting layer formed in a manner covering the recording layer.