Abstract: To planarize a substrate having irregularities on its surface. Provided is a method of chemical mechanical polishing of a substrate. The method includes the step of polishing the substrate using a processing solution, and the step of changing concentration of an effective component in the processing solution, which contributes to the polishing of the substrate.

Abstract: To planarize a substrate having irregularities on its surface. Provided is a method of chemical mechanical polishing of a substrate. The method includes the step of polishing the substrate using a processing solution, and the step of changing concentration of an effective component in the processing solution, which contributes to the polishing of the substrate.

Abstract: A vehicular power transmission control apparatus including: a multiple gear ratio transmission including an input shaft receiving power from an engine output shaft and an output shaft outputting power to drive wheels of a vehicle, a clutch mounted between the output shaft of the engine and the input shaft of the transmission, and a control unit controlling a clutch torque and a gear position of the transmission based upon a vehicle driving condition, wherein the control unit controlling the clutch torque such that a revolution speed of the transmission input shaft becomes smaller than a revolution speed of the engine output shaft by a predetermined positive value in a semi-engagement state with a slip, when the vehicle drives with the transmission gear position set to a low speed range including a first gear and a second gear.

Abstract: First and second clutches correspond to systems which include “first gear” and “second gear,” respectively. When the temperature of the first clutch at the time of start of the vehicle is lower than a first temperature, only the first clutch is used as a start clutch for driving the vehicle. When the temperature of the first clutch is not lower than the first temperature but is lower than a second temperature, both the first and second clutches are used as the start clutch. When the temperature of the first clutch is equal to or higher than the second temperature, only the second clutch is used as the start clutch. Thus, the higher the temperature of the first clutch, the smaller the load acting on the first clutch. When the temperature of the second clutch is high, engine torque is reduced, and a warning is issued.

Abstract: A method can effectively eliminate a surface level difference (irregularities) in a film formed on an object without producing scratches in a surface of the film, and can polish and remove the film into a flat surface with greatly increased productivity. The method comprises carrying out a first polishing step by pressing a polishing pad of a polishing device, having a diameter which is smaller than the radius of the object, against the surface of the object at a first pressure while moving the polishing pad and the object relative to each other at a first relative speed. The first polishing step is terminated at a point in time when a surface level difference in the object is eliminated to a targeted level.

Abstract: When a gear position at a higher speed range than a “specific gear position at a lower speed range” (e.g., first speed) is determined (when the torsional vibration is difficult to occur), a clutch torque is controlled such that a clutch is in a totally engagement state (a revolution speed Ne of an output shaft of an engine=revolution speed Ni of an input shaft of a transmission). On the other hand, when the “specific gear position at the lower speed range” (e.g., first speed) is determined (when the torsional vibration is easy to occur), the clutch torque is controlled such that the clutch is in the semi-engagement state (Ne?Ni=predetermined positive value A). In the semi-engagement state, a “damping action by a slip on the clutch” is acted on the torsional vibration, whereby the amplitude of the torsional vibration can be reduced.

Abstract: First and second clutches correspond to systems which include “first gear” and “second gear,” respectively. When the temperature of the first clutch at the time of start of the vehicle is lower than a first temperature, only the first clutch is used as a start clutch for driving the vehicle. When the temperature of the first clutch is not lower than the first temperature but is lower than a second temperature, both the first and second clutches are used as the start clutch. When the temperature of the first clutch is equal to or higher than the second temperature, only the second clutch is used as the start clutch. Thus, the higher the temperature of the first clutch, the smaller the load acting on the first clutch. When the temperature of the second clutch is high, engine torque is reduced, and a warning is issued.

Abstract: A fuel injection system designed to determine a correction value for correcting the quantity of fuel sprayed from a fuel injector into an internal combustion engine. The fuel injection system instructs the fuel injector to inject the fuel into the engine a plurality of times cyclically to learn an injection characteristic unique to the fuel injector and changes an injection duration for which the fuel is to be sprayed in each of injection events to disperse the injection durations evenly around a target injection quantity, thereby enabling the correction value to be determined in a decreased number of injections of fuel for a decreased amount of time.

Abstract: A fuel injection system designed to learn the quantity of fuel sprayed actually from a fuel injector into an internal combustion engine. When the engine is placed in a given learning condition, the system works to spray different quantities of the fuel for different injection durations in sequence to the engine through the fuel injector to collect a plurality of data on the quantity of the fuel sprayed actually from the fuel injector. The system analyzes the corrected data to determine an injection characteristic of the fuel injector, which may have changed from a designer-defined basic injection characteristic of the fuel injector, and uses the injection characteristic in calculating an injection duration or on-duration for which the fuel injector is to be opened to spray a target quantity of fuel.

Abstract: A fuel injection system designed to execute a learning operation to spray fuel through fuel injectors at each of given pressures of the fuel to determine the quantity of fuel sprayed actually from each of the fuel injectors (i.e., an actual injection quantity) into an internal combustion engine. The system calculates a deviation of each of the actual injection quantities from a target quantity to determine an injection correction value required to eliminate such a deviation. The system determines whether each of the injection correction values has an error or not and analyzes the mode in which the errors appear at the injection correction values to specify types of malfunction occurring in the system. The system relearns ones of the injection correction values as determined to have the errors.

Abstract: A fuel injection system designed to execute a learning operation to spray fuel through a fuel injector in a cycle to calculate an average of actual injection quantities for correcting an injection duration so as to minimize a deviation of the average from a target quantity. The system samples the actual injection quantities for a given period of time made up of a first and a second time section. In each of the first and second time sections, the system decides whether each of the actual injection quantities is suitable for use in calculating the average or not. When a desired number of the actual injection quantities decided to be suitable for the calculation of the average has been derived in the first time section, the system proceeds to the second time section to calculate the average. This enhances the accuracy in determining the quantity of fuel actually sprayed from the fuel injector.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a microchip apparatus using liquids. More specifically, the invention provides a liquid mixing apparatus comprising at least two microchannels for introducing liquids and a mixing microchannel that connects to the at least two liquid-introducing microchannels, wherein the liquids are transported from the respective liquid-introducing microchannels toward the mixing microchannel, the apparatus further comprising means for enhancing the mixing of the liquids that converge in the mixing microchannel. The invention also provides an electrophoretic apparatus and a microchip electrophoretic apparatus for denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis.

Abstract: A method can effectively eliminate a surface level difference (irregularities) in a film formed on an object without producing scratches in a surface of the film, and can polish and remove the film into a flat surface with greatly increased productivity. The method comprises carrying out a first polishing step by pressing a polishing pad of a polishing device, having a diameter which is smaller than the radius of the object, against the surface of the object at a first pressure while moving the polishing pad and the object relative to each other at a first relative speed. The first polishing step is terminated at a point in time when a surface level difference in the object is eliminated to a targeted level.

Abstract: A fuel injection system designed to execute a learning operation to spray fuel through a fuel injector in a cycle to calculate an average of actual injection quantities for correcting an injection duration so as to minimize a deviation of the average from a target quantity. The system samples the actual injection quantities for a given period of time made up of a first and a second time section. In each of the first and second time sections, the system decides whether each of the actual injection quantities is suitable for use in calculating the average or not. When a desired number of the actual injection quantities decided to be suitable for the calculation of the average has been derived in the first time section, the system proceeds to the second time section to calculate the average. This enhances the accuracy in determining the quantity of fuel actually sprayed from the fuel injector.

Abstract: A fuel injection system designed to execute a learning operation to spray fuel through fuel injectors at each of given pressures of the fuel to determine the quantity of fuel sprayed actually from each of the fuel injectors (i.e., an actual injection quantity) into an internal combustion engine. The system calculates a deviation of each of the actual injection quantities from a target quantity to determine an injection correction value required to eliminate such a deviation. The system determines whether each of the injection correction values has an error or not and analyzes the mode in which the errors appear at the injection correction values to specify types of malfunction occurring in the system. The system relearns ones of the injection correction values as determined to have the errors.

Abstract: A fuel injection system designed to learn the quantity of fuel sprayed actually from a fuel injector into an internal combustion engine. When the engine is placed in a given learning condition, the system works to spray different quantities of the fuel for different injection durations in sequence to the engine through the fuel injector to collect a plurality of data on the quantity of the fuel sprayed actually from the fuel injector. The system analyzes the corrected data to determine an injection characteristic of the fuel injector, which may have changed from a designer-defined basic injection characteristic of the fuel injector, and uses the injection characteristic in calculating an injection duration or on-duration for which the fuel injector is to be opened to spray a target quantity of fuel.

Abstract: A fuel injection system designed to determine a correction value for correcting the quantity of fuel sprayed from a fuel injector into an internal combustion engine. The fuel injection system instructs the fuel injector to inject the fuel into the engine a plurality of times cyclically to learn an injection characteristic unique to the fuel injector and changes an injection duration for which the fuel is to be sprayed in each of injection events to disperse the injection durations evenly around a target injection quantity, thereby enabling the correction value to be determined in a decreased number of injections of fuel for a decreased amount of time.

Abstract: A plating method and apparatus for a substrate fills a metal, e.g., copper, into a fine interconnection pattern formed in a semiconductor substrate. The apparatus has a substrate holding portion 36 horizontally holding and rotating a substrate with its surface to be plated facing upward. A seal material 90 contacts a peripheral edge portion of the surface, sealing the portion in a watertight manner. A cathode electrode 88 passes an electric current upon contact with the substrate. A cathode portion 38 rotates integrally with the substrate holding portion 36. An electrode arm portion 30 is above the cathode portion 38 and movable horizontally and vertically and has an anode 98 face-down. Plating liquid is poured into a space between the surface to be plated and the anode 98 brought close to the surface to be plated. Thus, plating treatment and treatments incidental thereto can be performed by a single unit.

Abstract: [Problems] To provide an electrode that is stable in liquid and is capable of processing a large volume of liquid and a small electrode that is capable of processing a large volume of liquid at high speed; provide a liquid processor and method of processing liquid in which the electrode is used; provide and electrode material being hard to be damaged by thermal stress; and provide an electrode, liquid processor and method of processing liquid in which the electrode material is used. [Means for solving problems] An electrode of configuration resulting from coating solid pieces of 5 to 60 mm size with electrically conductive diamond, supporting them on supports and bringing the same into contact with each other so as to realize current passage as a whole is used in various electrochemical process.

Abstract: A plating method and apparatus for a substrate fills a metal, e.g., copper, into a fine interconnection pattern formed in a semiconductor substrate. The apparatus has a substrate holding portion 36 horizontally holding and rotating a substrate with its surface to be plated facing upward. A seal material 90 contacts a peripheral edge portion of the surface, sealing the portion in a watertight manner. A cathode electrode 88 passes an electric current upon contact with the substrate. A cathode portion 38 rotates integrally with the substrate holding portion 36. An electrode arm portion 30 is above the cathode portion 38 and movable horizontally and vertically and has an anode 98 face-down. Plating liquid is poured into a space between the surface to be plated and the anode 98 brought close to the surface to be plated. Thus, plating treatment and treatments incidental thereto can be performed by a single unit.