Abstract: An optical film having a thin film stacked and optical characteristics close to design values is provided. In a vacuum chamber (2), a rotating drum (3) holding a substrate (4), an Si target (22) for forming a metal film on a film forming plane of the substrate (4), a Ta target (23), and an ECR reaction chamber (30) for reacting the metal film to a reaction gas by plasma, are provided. A film forming apparatus (51) is provided with an ion gun (11) for accelerating reaction of the film formed on the film forming plane by irradiating the film forming plane with ion beams, and the metal film formation, the gas reaction and the reaction acceleration by using ion beams are repeatedly performed.

Abstract: The coupling capacitance of the wiring portions of a thermal type flow rate measuring apparatus is reduced so as to prevent a drop in the response characteristics. A detection element of the thermal type flow rate measuring apparatus includes a planar substrate made of silicon, ceramic, or the like, in which a diaphragm is formed. On the surface of the diaphragm, there are disposed a heat-generating resistor as a heat-generating element that is heated to a predetermined temperature difference from the temperature of air flow to be measured, a heat-generating element temperature-detecting resistor for detecting the temperature of the heat-generating resistor, and temperature-detecting resistors disposed on both sides of the heat-generating resistor. The detection element also includes wiring portions which have connecting terminals electrically connected to the heat-generating resistor and a wiring pattern electrically connected with the surface of the planar substrate.

Abstract: A thermal type flow sensor includes a base portion provided along the direction of a fluid flowing through a main passage, and a sensor element mounted on the base portion and having an exothermic resistor formed on a substrate for detecting the fluid flow rate. The base portion has a rectangular recessed portion in which the sensor element fixed so that the surface of the detecting portion of the sensor element is positioned lower than an upper edge of the recessed portion. A wall portion of the measuring passage facing the sensor element is constricted. The exothermic resistor is disposed along the fluid passage and spaced away from the upstream side upper edge of the recessed portion and cannot be substantially affected by a fluid flow disturbance due to a step portion formed between the upper edge of the recessed portion and the detecting portion surface.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided with a silicon substrate, with a surface for soldering the silicon substrate to a ceramic substrate, and an electrode making contact with the surface of the silicon substrate. The electrode comprises a first conductor layer, a second conductor layer, and a third conductor layer. The first conductor layer makes contact with the surface of the silicon substrate and includes aluminum and silicon. The second conductor layer makes contact with the first conductor layer and includes titanium. The third conductor layer is separated from the first conductor layer by the second conductor layer and includes nickel.

Abstract: IN a thermal type flow measurement apparatus, a heating element is disposed in a fluid passage and generates heat by a passage of a current through itself. A first thermal sensitive element is disposed adjacent upstream of the heating element in a direction of fluid flow to be measured. A second thermal sensitive element is disposed adjacent downstream of the heating element in the direction of fluid flow to be measured. The fluid passage is provided with the heating element, the first thermal sensitive element, and the second thermal sensitive element. The fluid passage has an asymmetric structure with respect to the direction of fluid flow. Means for measuring a difference of temperatures is sensed by the first and the second thermal sensitive elements to produce a voltage according to a fluid flow rate.

Abstract: A thermal airflow meter excellent in flow-rate measurement accuracy is provided. The airflow meter has a flow-rate measuring element comprising a heat resistor and a temperature-compensating resistor which are formed on the a first base member. A second base member of the airflow meter, provided with a drive circuit and a signal processor, is housed in a casing holding the flow-rate measuring element. The flow-rate measuring element is disposed in an air passage. Of two temperature sensors for measuring temperature at each of two points in the thermal airflow meter, respectively, a first temperature sensor is provided on the fist substrate of the flow-rate measuring element, and a second temperature sensor is provided inside the casing. The signal processor has a function of computing an airflow rate, an air temperature, and an air passage wall face temperature on the basis of an output signal of the flow-rate measuring element and respective output signals of the first and second sensors.

Abstract: An IC power protection circuit functions as a surge protection circuit and reverse connection protection circuit. The IC power protection circuit includes an error amplification circuit, positioned and integrated within an integrated circuit and a transistor, is positioned as a stand-alone element that is separate from the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a sensor signal processing circuit that processes a signal of a sensor. A transistor protects the integrated circuit against a surge voltage from a battery terminal. A resistor is positioned between an output terminal of an error amplifier and a base terminal of the transistor to provide reverse connection protection. Another resistor is connected between a ground and a connection point between the above resistor and the output terminal to provide overvoltage protection for the integrated circuit. A starting resistor is connected between a collector and base of the transistor.

Abstract: A master unit sends a start signal to a slave unit. When receiving the start signal from the master unit, the slave unit sends, to the master unit, a synchronization field that is a data train (pulse signal) indicative of a transfer clock with which the slave unit is able to perform transferring and receiving operations. The master unit sends, to the slave unit, command data in accordance with the transfer clock indicated by the synchronization field sent from the slave unit. In response to the command data sent from the master unit, the slave unit sends, to the master unit, response data in accordance with the transfer clock indicated by the synchronization field. Thus, in a communication system employing a serial data transferring apparatus of the present invention, the master unit establishes the synchronization for the data transfer, while the slave unit is free from a burden of establishing the synchronization for the data transfer.

Abstract: A thermal type flow sensor measures a flow rate of a fluid by means of a heat resistive element having a temperature dependency. The sensor is comprised of: plural heat resistive elements used for a flow rate measurement; and a driver circuit for controlling a current applied to these heat resistive elements to cause their heating. The driver circuit is configured to sense a resistance change of a lower-temperature side heat resistive element among the plural heat resistive elements and to control the current to be applied to the plural heat resistive elements in accordance with a sensed value of the lower-resistance's variation.

Abstract: To provide a semiconductor device having a structure in which a barrier metal film containing nitrogen is formed in a connection surface between a copper alloy wiring and a via, in which the electric resistance between the copper alloy wiring and the via can be prevented from rising, and the electric resistance can be prevented from varying. A semiconductor device according to the present invention comprises a first copper alloy wiring, a via and a first barrier metal film. The first copper alloy wiring is formed in an interlayer insulation film and contains a predetermined additive element in a main component Cu. The via is formed in an interlayer insulation film and electrically connected to the upper surface of the first copper alloy wiring. The first barrier metal film is formed so as to be in contact with the first copper alloy wiring in the connection part between the first copper alloy wiring and the via and contains nitrogen.

Abstract: A thermal air flowmeter having excellent temperature characteristics and improved measurement accuracy. The thermal air flowmeter comprises a temperature sensor disposed in a casing of the air flowmeter, a computing unit for correcting a flow rate detection voltage from a measuring element by using the temperature sensor, and heating temperature control means disposed in a temperature control circuit for performing temperature control of a heating resistor to vary a temperature rise of the heating resistor relative to an air temperature depending on the air temperature. Flow rate detection errors of the thermal air flowmeter caused by an overall temperature change and a temperature change on an intake passage wall surface can be corrected simultaneously and a thermal air flowmeter having superior measurement accuracy can be realized.

Abstract: A heating resistance flow rate measuring apparatus which can use a power source of an ECU in an automobile without requiring an expensive protective circuit and regulator. Heating of temperature detecting resistors themselves causes temperature changes on the windward and leeward sides, and these temperature changes depend on the amounts of heat generated by the temperature detecting resistors. The amounts of heat generated by the temperature detecting resistors depend on a voltage value of the ECU power source applied to the temperature detecting resistors, and an error is caused in a sensor output depending on a variation in the voltage of the ECU power source. Based on the finding that suppressing the amount of heat generated by the temperature detecting resistors is effective in avoiding the sensor output error caused depending on a variation in the output voltage of the ECU power source, means for suppressing the amount of heat generated by the temperature detecting resistors is disposed.

Abstract: A thermal airflow meter excellent in flow-rate measurement accuracy is provided. The airflow meter has a flow-rate measuring element comprising a heat resistor and a temperature-compensating resistor which are formed on the a first base member. A second base member of the airflow meter, provided with a drive circuit and a signal processor, is housed in a casing holding the flow-rate measuring element. The flow-rate measuring element is disposed in an air passage. Of two temperature sensors for measuring temperature at each of two points in the thermal airflow meter, respectively, a first temperature sensor is provided on the fist substrate of the flow-rate measuring element, and a second temperature sensor is provided inside the casing. The signal processor has a function of computing an airflow rate, an air temperature, and an air passage wall face temperature on the basis of an output signal of the flow-rate measuring element and respective output signals of the first and second sensors.

Abstract: A thermal air flowmeter which improves air flow rate measurement sensitivity, reduces power consumption of a heating element and broadens the measuring range. A heating resistor is provided on insulating film in a thermal insulating area as a rectangular space on a flat substrate; and two resistance temperature detectors are provided upstream and downstream of the heating resistor. The sides of the rectangular thermal insulating area which are parallel to the axis of air flow are longer than its sides which are perpendicular to the axis of air flow.

Abstract: A sensor adjusting circuit for adjusting a digital sensor, whose circuit scale is small and which can maintain high accuracy in a wide adjustment range is provided. A sensor adjusting circuit for adjusting an analog input signal inputted from a sensor and outputting it as another analog output signal in accordance with a physical quantity to be sensed, comprises: a first analog-to-digital converter having an analog integrator (2) for integrating the analog input signal, a comparator (3) for comparing an output of the analog integrator with a predetermined value, and a D/A converter (7) for outputting an output of the comparator as the input signal; and a second digital-to-analog converter (5) for converting the output of the comparator and outputting it as the analog output signal.

Abstract: A highly accurate physical quantity sensor which can ensure reliability in strength and reduce resistance changes caused by stresses. Assuming, with respect to stress ? imposed on a substrate in a predetermined direction (e.g., direction in which maximum stress is imposed), a parallel direction to be a horizontal direction and a perpendicular direction to be a vertical direction, each of resistors of the sensor has a horizontal resistance component Rl and a vertical resistance component Rt.

Abstract: In a thermal-type airflow meter that measures an intake airflow rate in an internal combustion engine of an automobile or the like, there has been a problem that pulsation errors caused by external fluctuations under the environment including a large pulsation and reverse flow in the intake valve are difficult to be reduced. In order to solve this problem, the invention provides a flowmeter comprising a detection element that outputs a non-linear signal corresponding to a flow rate, and a regulation means that regulates an output signal of the detection element for controlling. With this construction, the regulation means executes output regulation processing that regulates irregularities of the detection element in the output signal, and inequality linearization processing that regulates an average value of the output signal after the output regulation processing by means of regulating parameters.

Abstract: A low-cost thermal flow meter that has good temperature characteristics and little variations. The thermal flow meter includes a sensor element including a heat-generating resistor and at least two temperature-measuring resistors disposed downstream and upstream. The sensor element is positioned in the flow of a measured medium. It also includes an adjusting means for adjusting a excess temperature (?Th=Th?Ta) of the heat-generating resistor, which is the difference between the temperature (Ta) of the measured medium and the temperature (Th) of the heat-generating resistor. The adjusting means adjusts the excess temperature (?Th) of the heat-generating resistor depending on the temperature of the measured medium such that the excess temperature becomes smaller as the temperature of the measured medium increases.

Abstract: IN a thermal type flow measurement apparatus, a heating element is disposed in a fluid passage and generates heat by a passage of a current through itself. A first thermal sensitive element is disposed adjacent upstream of the heating element in a direction of fluid flow to be measured. A second thermal sensitive element is disposed adjacent downstream of the heating element in the direction of fluid flow to be measured. The fluid passage is provided with the heating element, the first thermal sensitive element, and the second thermal sensitive element. The fluid passage has an asymmetric structure with respect to the direction of fluid flow. Means for measuring a difference of temperatures is sensed by the first and the second thermal sensitive elements to produce a voltage according to a fluid flow rate.

Abstract: A backup circuit that can be fabricated by the standard CMOS process and has a small circuit scale. The backup circuit (10) is disposed between a digital circuit (20) including a storage circuit and a power supply terminal (TIN, TGND) for supplying power to the digital circuit. MOS transistors (MOS1, MOS2) connected in series are disposed between the power supply terminal (TIN, TGND) and a backup capacitor (C1). The MOS transistors (MOS1, MOS2) serve as resistors when the power is normally supplied to the power supply terminal, and as diodes each operating with its backward direction defined as the direction from the digital circuit toward the power supply terminal when the power is cut off.