Abstract: A biometric apparatus includes a weight measuring unit having a predetermined zero-point for measuring a load applied to a platform provided on a body of the biometric apparatus and outputting a load signal which indicates the load; a detecting unit for detecting the state of installation of the biometric apparatus and outputting a detection signal indicating the same; and a control unit connected to the weight measuring unit and the detecting unit for determining whether or not the state of installation is suitable for the zero-point reset of the weight measuring unit on the basis of the detection signal and whether or not the load signal is stabilized, and the zero-point reset is carried out when the control unit determines that the state of installation is suitable for carrying out the zero-point reset for the weight measuring unit and the load signal from the weight measuring unit is stable.

Abstract: One inventive aspect relates to an attenuated phase shift mask suitable for hyper NA lithographic processing of a device, to a method of making such a mask and to hyper NA lithographic processing using such a mask. The attenuated phase shift mask is made taking into the effect of the numerical aperture of the lithographic system on which the attenuated phase shift mask is to be used.

Abstract: A connection adapter is interposed between high-level equipment and a communication module. The connection adapter and a router perform a circuit control and an address conversion processing so that the high-level equipment and a management computer set for the network connection service giving a fixed IP address can use the network connection service giving a dynamic IP address.

Abstract: A biometric apparatus includes a weight measuring unit having a predetermined zero-point for measuring a load applied to a platform provided on a body of the biometric apparatus and outputting a load signal which indicates the load; a detecting unit for detecting the state of installation of the biometric apparatus and outputting a detection signal indicating the same; and a control unit connected to the weight measuring unit and the detecting unit for determining whether or not the state of installation is suitable for the zero-point reset of the weight measuring unit on the basis of the detection signal and whether or not the load signal is stabilized, and the zero-point reset is carried out when the control unit determines that the state of installation is suitable for carrying out the zero-point reset for the weight measuring unit and the load signal from the weight measuring unit is stable.

Abstract: One inventive aspect relates to an attenuated phase shift mask suitable for hyper NA lithographic processing of a device, to a method of making such a mask and to hyper NA lithographic processing using such a mask. The attenuated phase shift mask is made taking into the effect of the numerical aperture of the lithographic system on which the attenuated phase shift mask is to be used.

Abstract: A mask decreased in warping and having a high positioning precision, provided with at least a substrate aperture formed at a portion of a silicon substrate, a first silicon oxide film formed at one surface of the silicon substrate, a single crystal silicon layer formed on the first silicon layer and the substrate aperture, at least one aperture formed at a portion of the single crystal silicon layer on the substrate aperture and passing an exposure beam, a stress controlling layer formed on another surface of the silicon substrate having internal stress for flattening warping of the silicon substrate due to at least compressive stress of the first silicon oxide film; a method of producing the same, a mask blank decreased in warping, and a method of producing the same.

Abstract: A mask decreased in warping and having a high positioning precision, provided with at least a substrate aperture formed at a portion of a silicon substrate, a first silicon oxide film formed at one surface of the silicon substrate, a single crystal silicon layer formed on the first silicon layer and the substrate aperture, at least one aperture formed at a portion of the single crystal silicon layer on the substrate aperture and passing an exposure beam, a stress controlling layer formed on another surface of the silicon substrate having internal stress for flattening warping of the silicon substrate due to at least compressive stress of the first silicon oxide film; a method of producing the same, a mask blank decreased in warping, and a method of producing the same.

Abstract: A mask decreased in warping and having a high positioning precision, provided with at least a substrate aperture formed at a portion of a silicon substrate, a first silicon oxide film formed at one surface of the silicon substrate, a single crystal silicon layer formed on the first silicon layer and the substrate aperture, at least one aperture formed at a portion of the single crystal silicon layer on the substrate aperture and passing an exposure beam, a stress controlling layer formed on another surface of the silicon substrate having internal stress for flattening warping of the silicon substrate due to at least compressive stress of the first silicon oxide film; a method of producing the same, a mask blank decreased in warping, and a method of producing the same.

Abstract: A mask decreased in warping and having a high positioning precision, provided with at least a substrate aperture formed at a portion of a silicon substrate, a first silicon oxide film formed at one surface of the silicon substrate, a single crystal silicon layer formed on the first silicon layer and the substrate aperture, at least one aperture formed at a portion of the single crystal silicon layer on the substrate aperture and passing an exposure beam, a stress controlling layer formed on another surface of the silicon substrate having internal stress for flattening warping of the silicon substrate due to at least compressive stress of the first silicon oxide film; a method of producing the same, a mask blank decreased in warping, and a method of producing the same.

Abstract: To provide a mask able to reduce the thickness of a membrane and maintain the mask strength and a method of producing a semiconductor device able to form a fine pattern with a high accuracy and a method of producing the mask. A mask comprising a thin film, holes formed at the thin film through which a charged particle beam (preferably an electron beam) passes, a support layer formed at one side of the thin film, and apertures formed at a larger size than the holes at least at portions of said holes of said support layer and a method of producing the same and a method of producing a semiconductor device including a lithography step using the same.

Abstract: A method of authentication capable of avoiding an easy copying of a module used for personal authentication of an IC card or the like and thereby raising the reliability of the personal authentication, comprising having an electronic circuit having a hardware configuration corresponding to a predetermined authentication processing provided in an IC of an IC card carry out authentication processing using a PIN and data generated at an authentication apparatus at random and having the authentication apparatus similarly carry out the authentication processing, compare the processing result received from the IC card and the processing result obtained by itself, and, when they coincide, authenticating the user of the IC card as the legitimate user.

Abstract: To provide an exposure method and mask capable of suppressing a fluctuation of a dimension of a resist pattern caused by a flexure of a membrane and a semiconductor device formed with a fine pattern in high accuracy and a method of producing the same. The exposure method placing an object to be exposed at a surface side of the mask and irradiating the exposure beam to the object to be exposed via the mask from another side of the mask has the steps of: obtaining a distribution of an amount of a flexure of the held mask, and irradiating the exposure beam at an exposure, a focal length, or a dimension of the mask pattern which is changed depending on the amount of the flexure to correct the fluctuation of the dimension depending on the amount of the flexure of a pattern being projected to the object to be exposed. The mask used for the same, the method of producing the semiconductor device including the same, and the semiconductor device produced by the same, are also provided.

Abstract: A connection adapter is interposed between high-level equipment and a communication module. The connection adapter and a router perform a circuit control and an address conversion processing so that the high-level equipment and a management computer set for the network connection service giving a fixed IP address can use the network connection service giving a dynamic IP address.

Abstract: To provide a mask able to reduce the thickness of a membrane and maintain the mask strength and a method of producing a semiconductor device able to form a fine pattern with a high accuracy and a method of producing the mask. A mask comprising a thin film, holes formed at the thin film through which a charged particle beam (preferably an electron beam) passes, a support layer formed at one side of the thin film, and apertures formed at a larger size than the holes at least at portions of said holes of said support layer and a method of producing the same and a method of producing a semiconductor device including a lithography step using the same.

Abstract: To provide a mask able to reduce the thickness of a membrane and maintain the mask strength and a method of producing a semiconductor device able to form a fine pattern with a high accuracy and a method of producing the mask. A mask comprising a thin film, holes formed at the thin film through which a charged particle beam (preferably an electron beam) passes, a support layer formed at one side of the thin film, and apertures formed at a larger size than the holes at least at portions of said holes of said support layer and a method of producing the same and a method of producing a semiconductor device including a lithography step using the same.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tape drive apparatus enabled to directly and accurately detect dew condensation on a rotary head drum. Tape serving as a recording medium is drawn out of a cartridge. The drawn tape runs in such a way as to be wound on a tape takeup reel provided in a tape drive apparatus body. Signals are recorded on and reproduced from the tape by winding the drawn tape around the rotary head drum. This tape drive apparatus has a prethreading mechanism that brings the tape into slight contact with the rotary head drum before the tape is completely wound therearound. Dew condensation on the rotary head drum is detected by rotating the rotary head drum during a status in which the tape is brought by the prethreading mechanism into contact with the rotary head drum.

Abstract: To provide a mask that it becomes possible to perform destructive inspection without a mask for inspection or to perform more accurately non-destructive inspection and a method of inspecting the same. A mask comprising a thin film for exposure that has a transmission portion and a non-transmission portion of a beam for exposure, a thick film portion that is formed around the thin film for exposure and that supports the thin film for exposure, and a thin film for inspection that has a transmission portion and a non-transmission portion of the beam for exposure, that is formed at a distance from a thin film for exposure and that has thickness and material equal to those of a thin film for exposure, and a method of inspection of a mask that inspection is performed by using a thin film for inspection, and a method of producing a semiconductor device that lithography is performed by using a thin film for exposure of the mask.

Abstract: A mask for fabrication of semiconductor devices in which the membrane layer keeps high strength and is free of stress and distortion even though it is made thin. The mask has a membrane-supporting layer at the peripheral part of the mask pattern or the mask pattern region in the membrane layer constituting the mask.

Abstract: A mask decreased in warping and having a high positioning precision, provided with at least a substrate aperture formed at a portion of a silicon substrate, a first silicon oxide film formed at one surface of the silicon substrate, a single crystal silicon layer formed on the first silicon layer and the substrate aperture, at least one aperture formed at a portion of the single crystal silicon layer on the substrate aperture and passing an exposure beam, a stress controlling layer formed on another surface of the silicon substrate having internal stress for flattening warping of the silicon substrate due to at least compressive stress of the first silicon oxide film; a method of producing the same, a mask blank decreased in warping, and a method of producing the same.

Abstract: A storage device for a biological data acquiring apparatus is independent and detachable from the main unit of the biological data acquiring apparatus which incorporates biological data acquiring means for acquiring biological data and has biological data storing means for storing the biological data acquired by the biological data acquiring means. Thus, the storage device can be detached from the main unit of the biological data acquiring apparatus with the biological data stored in the biological data storing means and can be connected to a data processing terminal so as to transmit the stored biological data to the data processing terminal.